Thursday, February 28, 2013

So Much Goodness In One Post!


So much to chat about...gather round!

Ok where to begin...A few days ago, we had a big storm. When I went to take my kids to school that morning (we are a no bus school), I got stuck in the snow. My two lovely neighbors, Wendy and Kim, came to my rescue. A card was in order...

In deciding the design, the perfect stamp set came to mind, which happens to be a perfect segway to my next story! I follow a blog called "A Kept Life" by Jeanne J. She makes beautiful fancy, embellished and what I call $10 dollar cards! One day I was admiring her work and commented how much I love Walzingmouse stamps (Jeanne is on the design team) but just never get around to ordering. Jeanne wrote me back and after chatting a bit with her, offered to GIVE me some stamps!

Can you believe it?
I couldn't!

Blogging friends are the best kind of friends. They are so generous and lovely. The stamp set that I received is called Jar Fillers. Here is what I did with it!

Walzingmouse stamps have SVG cut files to go with some of their images for FREE! Yipee!



I love all the layered goodness. I used my Papertrey Ink edger die to create a scalloped tag.



Glitter splatter is another one of my favorites. My FAVORITE TUTORIAL for this technique can be found here.

Why not enter the card in a challenge while I am at it! Play Date Cafe #171


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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Moxi Fab World Tuesday Trigger and the MOJO

Good Day! 

Hi my name is Wida and it has been 3 weeks since my last card.

(this is where you say "HELLO WIDA, tell us your story")

Well, I lost my mojo for a bit. The loss is something I had never experienced before. I tried to fix it by browsing Pinterest, buying gobs of stuff, and talking with my friends. Yet, nothing was helping, until a make it or break it moment last night with fellow Paper Crafts Magazine Gallery Idol Girls Erin, Amy, Heather, Miriam, Taheerah, JJ, Laurie, Nina...well just about all of them actually! 

There were tense moments as I was submitting progress reports to headquarters (aka facebook) looking for feedback. The Tuesday Trigger was identified as my target and a comfortable place to begin creating again. Here is the photo.




With the threat of losing my imaginary GI  badge and after many hours of procrastination, I present to you my card:




supplies: sentiment, diamond grid background stamp, small label and label frame stamp all CSS, wood veneers SC

The spoon and knife are represented by the man and lady wood veneers, the texture is shown through the textured top, and I kept to circle theme in the rounded word window punch and circle punch on the tag, and it IS a dinner party hence the sentiment!

Let's hope this is the beginning of a great new mojo filled blog!

Wida

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Saturday, February 23, 2013

GI Made With Love Blog Hop Winner

Hey Everybody!

Just popping in to post my winner of the blog hop prize...this awesome stamp set by Casual Fridays Stamps...







#58 IZZY ANDERSON!!!


and the grand prize winner of a $90 gift certificate to the RIBBON CAROUSEL is...

KELLY BOOTH! 

thank you for your wonderful comments and support of our blog hop!
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Friday, February 22, 2013

MISSION IGNITION #1 for A Blog Named Hero


Doesn't that banner look fancy?

I have a new segment over at A Blog Named Hero and I would love it if you checked it out! I will be discussing how magazines can help ignite your creativity!

Here is a sneak peek...


and just 1 of the 3 cards I made...


I would like to thank my local blog buddy Tenia for this background stamp she gave me :)

There is more to see on the blog so click over!!


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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Diagnosis Design #6 Laura Bassen



First an intro...

In medicine, we document using SOAP notes. It is an abbreviation to help keep consistent format when logging information. 

S=Subjective. What does the patient report. Subjective Data. This also includes the Chief Complaint (CC) which tells what the patients main problem is and History of Present Illness (HPI) a history of what happened to bring them in.

O=Objective. What exam findings do you gather. Objective Data.

A=Assessment. What is your Diagnosis, what differentials could there be (alternative diagnoses)

P=Plan/Education. What is the plan for the patient. What do you want them to learn?

This is the format I will use also.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Now lets begin. This is Laura Bassen...she is the 6th one from the left ;)



Tell us about you, your family, favorite dinner recipe, etc. I married a hockey player. We lived in Germany for several years while he played over there. I made pasta at least two times a week for his "sacred" pre-game meal. Five kids later, I'm still making pasta at least once a week, and I think I just might have perfected my recipe. Let's put it this way...no one has a hissy fit when I say we're having spaghetti for supper(like they usually do every other night of the week). Here's the recipe for the Laurafadora Special:) <----click to print recipe! 










CC: There is only ONE Laura! (a family of 7 to care for and still have time to wow us with her talents in blog land. She needs a clone!)

HPI: Laura is a stay at home mother of 5 with a graphic design degree, See? brains too! Now you see why her cards are so spectacular... She went to school for this stuff!!!


How did you start blogging and Why do you blog? I started my blog back in 2008. I just had to go back and look(momnesia). I just realized that I never got a single comment until several months into it. Not that I deserved one because my stuff was sad. My photography was horrid and I didn't know a single sole out there, but it just reminded me how tough starting out can be on one's confidence. I started entering challenges with amuse, Kristina Werner used to have color challenges, and Dawn McVey used to have challenges. That was all back in the day people! You youngins would know this stuff:) There were several interruptions between having babies as well. But my point is....it has taken me a long time, lots of learning about good design, taking good photos and making friends and connections where you can support one another. This took a long time for me.

Do you have any other hobbies? I love trying out new recipes and watching cooking shows, but I rarely get any control of the remote. I also love to play the piano and guitar, but not at the same time.


first published card? March 2012, Paper Crafts Magazine



have you ever been a covergirl? Once for Paper Crafts Magazine and once for Cards Magazine.

 





Complete the sentence. In high school I was known as_______. That artsy fartsy cheerleader that plays the trombone in the marching band. What?



Has your design changed over the years? Yes. I've become simpler. At least I think I have. I say that, and then the next time I make a card it will probably be loaded.



When was your design aesthetic clear to you? Is it clear? I feel like I bounce around all the time depending whom I'm influenced by. 



How would you describe your design? Clean, simple, color...

Where do you get inspiration from? My Google Reader overfloweth with inspiration. I love Pinterest and all kinds of advertising, logos, graphic art.

Do you have a craft budget? No. I actually spend less than I used to since joining a few design teams. I have been working more and more with what they send me and less time shopping.

how may hours do you spend crafting? Some days I never even think about it. Some days I spend hours. I like to strike while the iron's hot. Sometimes I need a kick, like a deadline to get me in motion.














The best way you can see a persons style is through a body of work. Let me show you what Laura can do. These are some of my most favorites...


Her ability to make her own embellishments and still create a clean impactful design...






Her ability to take a photo and transform it into a spectacular CAS card...








Her incredible ability to stamp flawlessly...









Her ability to use die cuts creatively...





Always being able to take it one step further, masking then stamping on patterned paper...




Whether it be for a party or a baby, she still maintains her aesthetic and keeps it graphic and CAS. She has the ability to showcase a product like no other...






and then there was this card...let me share a story, gather round!

When I first started making cards, I was telling my husband that there were so many wonderful designers out there and they were so good that I didn't feel like I could measure up. He, being the good husband that he is, reassured me and told me that I have talent and DO make great cards.

"Oh yeah?" I said, and showed him the above mentioned card.

His reply?

"Uh... you are gonna have to work harder!"

AND SCENE...



Do you notice:
  • there is a rainbow in every card 
  • her image is the focal point
  • her cards could translate easily into "doable" sketches?
  • her signature style of big blooms....

  • and her signature plaid...





To see her creative space, her last craft purchase and how she takes photos- watch the video to get a tour!











FEMININE RAINBOW CAS
The cards she makes are generally colorful, clean, consciously simple and ALWAYS have a touch of girl in them. Even when she makes a masculine card, there is a hint of underlying femininity.  


In asking the community what makes Laura stand out amongst the rest and what they like about her work...

KIM HUGHES (Owner of Paper Smooches Stamp Company which Laura is on the DT of) : Laura has a clean and graphic style that many of us are drawn to.  I love her use of color and design.  I think she stands out because she doesn't have a cookie-cutter look...her projects are refreshing and truly unique. Laura is amazing in every way!



MAILE BELLES (Papertrey Ink DT and stamp designer, Studio Calico DT, Paper Crafts Magazine Stamping Royalty 2010): Laura Bassen never ceases to amaze with her genius creations and genuinely fun personality. Her clean and simple style is one I am constantly in awe of. With her unique interpretations of simple products, I'm often left wondering "how did she come up with that?!". For example, check out these cards What?! A folded over heart?! Seriously, in love. Laura is one who truly knows how to make a big statement, all the while staying true to her simple style and I admire her so much for it.



AMBER GERSTEL-KEMP (Clear and Simple Stamps Style Watch Editor which Laura is on the DT of) Paper design is becoming increasingly more graphic with a trend toward more contemporary designs. Laura knows how to combine these like none other. She is an immensely talented stamper and creates precise designs that you kind of just "stare" at and think "how'd she do that!?"  Laura is definitely a stand-out designer in the paper crafting community!












Think you want to join this genre? Watch this video to see Laura's top 5 craft supplies:







The absorber(stamp cleaner):



Versafine Onyx Black ink:

Teflon bone folder:

what music do you like to listen to? I don't really listen to music, although I do love it, but I don't like it on all the time. There's enough noise in this house to fill the void. I listen to what my kids like in the car. I will admit, I kinda dig One Direction, Taylor Swift and the Biebster. But if I had my choice it would be along the lines of Michael Buble, Louis Armstrong, Nora Jones and ofcourse The Piano Guys.

 If I had to pick a song that represented Laura to ME, it would be this one: 



SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW by Iz...a HAPPY, FEMININE, SIMPLE song about RAINBOWS :)

Thank you Laura for taking the time to answer the questions and giving me full access to your blog Doublestick Heaven. (go check it out for a BONUS VIDEO)!!!

 What is the meaning of your blog title and who designed it? I wish I had a good story for this. I love double-sided tape. I have a drawer full of different kinds. It's my doublestick heaven. The end.

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Runway Inspired Challenge #30

For the Made with Love Blog Hop post, scroll down or click HERE

I am so excited that another Runway Inspired Challenge is up! I get so excited because the design team always wows me! Cannot wait to see what they have created.



Runway Inspired Challenge takes designer fashions to help inspire card creativity! When I saw the photo I thought black, yellow, vertical, and random pops of color. 
the sentiment is a sticker from SRM Stickers. I love the skinny font. 

Want to see how some of my fab team mates have created for this challenge? click on their names!

Nina
Virginia
Tasnim
Pamela
Laura
Aga
Jennifer 

the prize for the winner this time is a $25 gift certificate to Ellen Hutson! AND THE Jennifer McGuire is guest designing for us this month. (Can you believe it?!!?!?!)


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Friday, February 15, 2013

Festive Fridays Guest Designer

If you are looking for the MADE WITH LOVE blog hop, scroll down or click HERE


Meredith MacRitchie has a new challenge out to help you get ready for the holiday's! Her challenge is called Festive Fridays. Every 2 weeks a new challenge is up to help you create those holiday projects nice and early.

She has graciously asked me to guest for her. The challenge is RUSTIC COUNTRY HOLIDAY THEMED PROJECT.

uhhh...I don't do rustic. So this is my version of rustic.



1. die cut the word blessed using silhouette file in kraft card stock
2. white emboss the flowers on the word (I used Folk Art Flowers by Wplus9)
3. Emboss woodgrain impression plate from PTI onto chartreuse card stock
4. ink edges of chartreuse with antique linen or brown ink
5. punch hearts (this one is by stampin' up) pop up below word
6. bling and tie twine for finishing touches



the challenge ends Feb 27th at midnight PST
new challenges and prizes on the 15th of the month
shout outs will be given to fab designers throughout!

and now I am going to quote Meredith because she explains it best: 
We're going to draw a winner from players who participate in 15 or more of our challenges (there will be 20 by year's end), and offer $40 to spend at their favourite online store (we'll give a choice of three that we trust). Basically, players will be asked to showcase all their FF projects by the last challenge of the year, and we'll draw one.

Thanks Meredith for having me and go play along...maybe I will learn a few things about this RUSTIC thing and how it's done proper. 





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Thursday, February 14, 2013

MADE WITH LOVE BLOG HOP

The Paper Crafts Magazine Gallery Idol girls 2012 are getting together to share some Valentine's day projects with you. Hop around and get some inspiration and win some prizes!



not your traditional card, but no less made with love :) HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY. I am not a mushy gal and neither is my fella. So this card is just perfect for him.

a little detail showing you my cloud garland:



and for the present to go with the card...perfect for candies, treats or little shiny trinkets!

Here are the gals who also want to celebrate with you!

Wida Miller<---YOU ARE HERE
Jocelyn Olson<---NEXT!!!!

My PRIZE is from Casual Friday's Stamps! 


 This set just released TODAY! So you are getting the latest designs hot of the stamp presses! Love the font! Just leave a comment here on my blog to be entered to win. You have until 11:59EST Thursday February 21st!


Generous prizes await you from these wonderful sponsors! So hop, comment, and enjoy!

Made With Love Blog Hop Sponsors




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