I found tube artist stamps!

Good Morning!!!!!

I am so excited to find these stamps I had to share!

I love my psp and all aspects of making 'tags' - the thing I missed most about making 'real' cards was the loss of tubes - I found the gorjuss stamps and that made me so happy - and now I am even happier cause I found a few more of my favorite tube artists have stamps! Yipppeee and that means I can color them anyway I want! Yea! I am so happy to find these!

This is just one more way I can try to combine my 2 favorite hobbies!

Oh you want a link... lol

http://www.craftsandme.co.uk/unmounted-stamps-crafts-stamps-c-110_113_208.html

Just a few - click on the link below for some more awesome artist tubes

http://www.craftsandme.co.uk/unmounted-stamps-sweet-stamps-c-110_113_191.html


I have spent all my christmas money on stamps, and a few more copics... now to wait for the Royal mail to come!

I wonder if Elias or Garvey have stamps... or Arthur Crowe... maybe a Arthur Crowe KidRock stamp... now there is one to hope for ; )

OWH Card Sketch #152

I got a little lost while making this one, I made the purple ones (yes, I know their are 'hues' of purple, but to me, purple is purple : ) and then
I spied that pad of Immortal paper and decided to give it a go with what I had left of it - not too bad a use for the wolfie eyes...

here is the template - click it and it will take you to the original post -

Here are the purple ones, I pretty much kept to the sketch... I love that expression, I just think it applies to our soldiers away from home.

and here is the wolfie one - they say, in case you can't see, take a walk on the wild side... lol, I will be so glad to finish up that stack of cardstock, some of it has been used very creatively... yea that's the word!

And I will just take a minute to wish all my fellow boggers a very Merry Christmas - this Christmas will again just be our lil family of 4 and maybe a few friends, I am so grateful to have Larry and my boys or life would be very lonely for me indeed, friends are nice but they never take the place of our family... I would have been happy with a little less drama this year, but I will take the bad with the good so long as I have my family healthy, happy and together. So on this christmas eve I will send up thanks to our Lord for my husband who loves me and the children we cherish... and to all of you I wish a very, merry and blessed holiday.

Interactive Cardmaking Project

This is another 'since I am here post' -

I meant to share this the other day but I keep forgetting - mostly because once I click the link, I start the video and then I get lost watching the tutorials!

If you are a card maker this is going to help you a bunch when you get a little bit uninspired or just need a fresh idea or two! Don't blame me if your housework suffers or you get caught watching this at work, LOL, blame Sandy from OWH cause she created it!

I am crossing my fingers I get this post right!

Here is a link to the Videos - ICP - Interactive Cardmaking Project - and it is awesome!

The cards below were inspired by the ICP - but you know me I don't always follow a tut exactly, I always gotta own it in some way, lol - I definitely owned these!

I really want to encourage my crafty buddies to make a couple cards for OWH - it is such a nice way to let our soldiers know we care! Lots of you craft cards to sell, make an extra one of each design and set it aside for a soldier to send on to someone they care about - go read about Hero cards - ones you write to soldiers to lift their spirits and let them know you appreciate them - I think that is more wonderful than making the cards! And if you tag in psp, all those scrap kits we buy that say CU or SFH ( but read the TOU just to be sure, most PU say they cannot be printed)they can be printed and used to make cards - and if you can make a tag in psp/ps you can make a beautiful card!

Sketch Challenge #151

I looked to the OWH site for a lil inspiration tonight - I am bored, not tired and nothing good on the tube... they had a sketch up so I made a lil card - now I am going to try and read myself to sleep - thank you Ann for the sketch : )

While I am here...

Those are just a few of my blocks...

I just want to give you a frugal tip about stamp blocks.

I ordered this stamp block and thought I am going to love this one - it is big and will accommodate even my biggest background stamps - and yes it does but it also pricey for a piece of plastic that resembles a lid to something... now follow that thought.

...I thought about my dies and the cases the old ones came in - if you have older sizzix dies you know what I am talking about -

clean it off with a lil veg oil and soap and water - and you have a whole stack of stamp blocks that don't cost you anything more than what you originally paid for the dies!

a few more christmas cards

Helloooo! Did it echo? LOL

I thought I was finished with christmas cards - but nope I needed a few more. Sandy, the owner of OWH posted on her blog a very simple folding card and it looked so easy I figured I'd give it a try - it is a fast card to put together and will be loved by their intended recipients. This weekend I am going to try a few valentine ones to send in to OWH

I started off by making a lil tree - I love making these - they fit so good on A2 sized cards - To make the tree just punch out lots and lots of branches out in a lighter and darker color and it looks better if they are different textures, then punch (or even cut it out free hand, remember before we had all these punches an dies we used scissors) tree in a bendable shade of green and cover it with a tacky glue and arrange your branches with them pointing down - making sure not to leave any gaps - then decorate it how you want.

After I had my trees made I made a couple cards with the trees and then a few without - here are the cards I ended up with - not all the cards are finished, a few still need so stickles and the insides of the red ones need a lil more decorating but I am tired and wanted to show what I have done so far - this weekend I will fish them up.

I loved how the black one came out - it is for a very unique person who will appreciate the card! I wish you could see the contrast of the black mat and the card base - it is phenomenal, I am going to take better pictures in the daylight tomorrow, if I remember I'll post a good one here. I am entering the black one into a black christmas challenge - wish me luck : )

Ok cause I know people will ask - all the solid card stock comes from cutcardstock (I love the quality of their cardstock and they do not gouge for shipping and remember they have the 120 lb cardstock that scores easily and cleanly, if you make cards for OWH the heavier the weight the better) and the various 'designer' papers come from the following collections -

My Mind's Eye -
Lost & Found Christmas

Kaiser Kraft - Turtle Dove & the 13th Hour

DCWV - Immortal

and the God to God 2 Collection from The Paper Stack

and random bits from my left over scrap paper pieces.


Now I shared the good stuff and I have some advice... do not buy generic tape for your ATG tape gun... I started this card project with Scotch and all was good (I love the ATG but the tape is so expensive!) then I ran out of tape - uggg - so I had my husband run to our hardware store and see if by chance they had the tape cause I already know the obvious places do not and yeee hhaaaa (NOT) they had some - but not the scotch brand - I load the crazy thing, and the tape is awful - 1 it is not a good bond and 2 it does not end right when you lift the gun off the paper (I don't know any other way to describe it) So tomorrow I will make my monthly trip to Grandforks for groceries and go to Micheal's and get good tape. If your ever tempted to buy the generic rolls of tape, they have brown backing paper and have no brand name, they just come in a plastic bag - be wary of that tape... and the worst part of this lousy tape is it actually cost a buck more the the 3M!

Well ok my advice turned into a rant : )

See you again sometime soon with more odd stuff out of my head - Lorri

and yipppeee the text formatting is back on my blog posts - some things are small but make me so happy!

Masculine Valentines Day Card

Hello all my fellow gobblers, Happy Thanksgiving, and to those of you who don't celebrate Thanksgiving... well, happy Thursday : ) Last night while I was waiting for the sandman to do his job I thought of a card idea and rather than wait around for sleep to finally happen I got up and made the card - I like how it turned out - I like it much better than the girly cards I have made to send to OWH - I am going to tut the girly one on youtube so I won't bother to show it here but this guy inspired one is too simple to tut... here is the card -

what do you think - too simple - or just busy enough to be a nice card? You can't really see the base card stock in the photo but is has a vintage kinda feel, so I distressed the papers to kind of match the look of it. I am thinking of making 10 of this style - then changing it around just a lil and making 10 more so I can use up the Neenah Esse cardstock in the pearl color - I have had it a while and am trying to use up my older cardstock - I really love that brown - it is called Moroccan Cocoa, I don't use it much but I should use it more! I am always happy with the cardstock I get from cutcardstock.com, I have never had a bad experience with any of it - all are always true to weight - and you cannot beat 5 dollar shipping and usually it is delivered in 2 days! Check them out if you haven't already. Soon I am going to post a kit I made too, it has been so long since I opened photoshop it needed to update and it took 30 minutes! it was fun and I can't wait to give it to you - 4shared is being so slow! Probably everyone and their granny is online today! I am going to go eat a sandwich, goose & stuffing with honey mustard - YUM - and then I will post the kit - I am so excited about tomorrow - Larry goes back to the truck, and the house will be all mine again (well, ok, Jake-o will be here too, but he is quiet and sleeps in a lil - Larry is up at the break of daylight and wants me up too, for company - YUK - I want to sleep at least to 8... sometimes 9 even : ) Cya a lil later today and then sometime again before Christmas : )

Youtube link for the little journals

Here is the link to the video of the little journals -

Click the Picture or HERE g'nite : )

Hello - to anyone who still visits my desolate lil blog : ) I have been working on some journals, some cards, just trying to waste some time. I will give you a lil update on life - lol, not that there is much to update : ) I am still hoping I feel better, I'd say soon but seems like I have been dealing with this stuff for so long maybe I have just accepted it takes time to feel good again after you have been sick for so long... it will all work out : ) My Jake has come back to the nest - it is nice to have him home - I have missed his 'Jacobness' lol. Bud is back on his feet and that makes us all happy! Larry is still Larry, he never changes - he is my rock - I can always count on him to be the same. Ok so there is an update - I tell you my life is so boring, but I will not complain, it is better when it is boring than when it is something new everyday... I am going to show you my newest 'thing'. Usually I do not do 'cheerful' I like more muted colors and the old worn look, but these are for lil ones and they will love the bright colors. I am not sure how to show you the lil journals, I think it might be better and less effort to make a video and upload it to youtube. Also I am going to show some layered flowers I made - I usually buy a bunch of various ones when Larry takes me to Michaels but I had lots of scraps a decided to try and make some. I watched a bunch of youtube videos and finally pulled some of the ones I had apart to see how they were assembled - and I made some pretty ones! *** Yes I can go to Michaels by myself, lol, but it is more fun with Larry cause he is alot more free with his money than I am) Oh and I want to show you my stamp I got from my friend Jenny - I love it! here is my stamp-

Here are the flowers -

The top ones are some of the ones I buy, they are cheap and look pretty but I live so far away from the craft store it is not as easy as running out and getting more when I run out... so I needed to learn to make them!

I used my Tim Holtz long die, called tattered flowers I think, to make the cuts for the petals and then I glimmer misted them, let them dry and then I distressed them and painted the centers with Decor arts paint called spun gold - I added a lil flatback pearl in the center.

These are done the same way, but I just glimmer misted them lightly - I didn't paint the centers.

These were the first ones I tried - they are cut from an older sizzix die - they match the paper in one of the lil journals so they will probably end up in there... I am going to get my video made and uploaded to youtube and I'll post a link soon - thanks for reading - and remember I do read the comments and respond to them I just don't let them post on here.

I made a couple new cards...

I like them but my creativity has just got up and moved I think... I love making cards usually but lately not so much... I entered a challenge and the theme was 'Cream Cardstock' for the base - I got a great deal on some at cutcardstock.com so I have a bunch... maybe I will make the Let it snow ones below for christmas cards this year - they turned out pretty and are so simple... and cause someone always asks what the patterned paper is - it is just from the huge stack 8 (180 random sheets) from DCWV @ JoAnn's - the dotted cardstock was just in my scrap paper drawer, I don't know who designed it - sorry

Here are a couple of the newer ones - I won't share them all, lol, not sure blogger would let me : ) But after I get finished with the thanksgiving swap I am in I will post those - I didn't enter the halloween one - fun as it might of been I just don't have alot of 'halloween' scrap stuff and with me not having a J*O*B I hate to spend Larry's money on my scrap addiction...

I finished my halloween swap - did my bag wrong but I feel good that I actually completed it, the spiders creeped me out! LOL literally! But the treasure chest was so much fun to make, I forgot to get an inside picture but I papered it just like an old trunk - I am going to make another one soon so I will remember to show the inside... recognize my gorjuss stamp on the card, colored in with my copics... I want may more of those paint pens, they are fun - oh it is so adorable - I have 4 of them now and they are my most used stamps!

 

here is the inside of the card...

it was cute, I haven't heard back from Amanda yet, hope she liked it - swaping 'real' tags is just as stressful as digital ones - you want to know someone liked it : )

Soon our real cold weather will set in, we've had a few days of just random snow, yesterday we had 60 seconds of pea sized hail, then the day went back to being nice... it was odd.

I laugh everytime I think about posting on this blog - I live the boringest life there ever was, yet I have a blog... how weird is that? Pretty weird : )

Have a great evening, I will wish you a wonderful week in advance cause I might not see u again until then... maybe I should just say Happy Halloween too cause it might be that long til I get back here : )  

Booo

hahah scared ya didn't I... : )

cya soon!

...how the blanket is coming along.

I like how it looks, it is beginning to resemble a mexican one, how the back of it has the pattern of the stiches is what I am talking about. I like the contrast of the camel color (it is actually a Caron yarn and the color of it is Lace, but it is definitely in the tan/oatmeal/camel family) and the camel colored yarn is a slightly rougher texture than the colored, the colored yarn is soft and silky feeling but the camel is more alot more coarse...

I am going to go from the darker yarns tot he lighter ones, hopefully finishing off with a very pale blue... but you never know with me, I might change my mind half way through : )

But I have to take a lil break from this gorgeous thing cause I want to keep up with the Loom girls so I am going to make my round today or tomorrow.

Ok I am for sure done talking on here for today, but of Chella you have to admit I am keeping my promise, I am posting on here prurty regularly... just no scrap kit yet... opps : )

Sleepless in Langdon...

Oh man how I wish I could crawl back, well ok not back, just crawl to the bed. I am so exhausted that is how I'd end up getting there!

We have to do something about Larry's snoring! It has went from just kind of an endearing nuisance to a really big problem... it is no longer something to giggle about, it is a real tear jerker now.

I love the guy, I get giddy when I first think of him rollin in, but then, in the back of my mind, I wonder just how long he will be home for, how many sleepless nights will there be? Uggg this time there will be 3... and no sleeping during the day cause he wails on his guitar or plays his game or blares the tv so loud... all normal things if you well rested but when you're a menopausal, sleep deprived woman it seems like the killing field! 

Since I can no longer eat my backed goodies I thank God for crafts and crochet!

So I put my time to half decent use last nite - I needed some markers for my round loom, I am going to attempt a Granny Round, but I priced them online and I was like, heck I can make those! I may suck at crochet but I am definitely handy with a bead and wire : )

So I made me some!

Who knew kindergarten crafts would be so useful in you mid forty's!

Hooks

I keep meaning to post this for my yahoo groupies - I mentioned this hook and promised a picture and link - it is the easiest way to get to the inside of the All In One look, it is also pretty safe, saves you from putting stress on the pins - I hope you can see the lil curve and crook of the top of the hook - it is what makes this so unique, I bought it in a 4 pack of hooks at walmart, on the tool isle - the other hooks are useful for crafts too.

And this is the new clover crochet hook I was raving about - it's not truly new anymore since it's been about 4 months ago but I still favor it to all my old hooks... it is not quite a traditional hook and not an in line hook either but it is different cause it holds the yard good - and the handle makes it very easy for me to hold - I gave one away the other day and the lady I gave it to said her daughter liked the hook (her daughter is 6) so the hooks are good for the old and young alike : )

 Isn't that a pretty stitch? It is called The Star stitch and here is a link to a youtube video of it  - I have to see someone crochet to really 'get it', the patterns are so confusing for me!

Mini Foods...

My diet buddy sent me to a website that showcases 'mini foods' food made is especially smaller sizes.... I am not sure but I think this would be awful for my diet - seriously!

I usually say I will just have 1 of whatever it is that I am craving, and most times I do just have 1... but if they were tiny I think I would say to myself well 3 or 4 could not hurt cause they are equal to 1 big one, lol, maybe I would even say I could have more cause they are so small!

I was thinking of making the crab cakes an mini cheesecake next time the crazy man is home, he is such a right brain thinker the mini effect might work for him... 

   

If I come back crying I gained 5 lbs from crab (cause we all know cheesecake is calorie free, right, haha) you know I was right about the principle...

now I am going to go make me a nice tall glass of iced coffee and call my sister and discuss mini foods in depth : )

I got the bllllaaaahhhhhssss

I am working on a new scrap kit, so far I have a theme and actions bought : )  ... I just have the blahs lately - I don't feel like tagging, making kits or tubing... hoping I get more creative quick : )
I am not sure where my missing posts have gone - when blogger started this new format they were there but recently a whole bunch of them went missing - I think I have the kits on my external drive but if not I do not have them anymore - maybe some kind person will help me get them back : )
If the links are still good on 4shared I will reshare them.

I keep hoping I log in one day and my posts will be back but it has been a week so I think they are just gone : (

Ok I did my blog update now i am going back to blahsville... I am going to watch last nights episode Perception off the dvr... hope it's a good show cause I am going to miss the closer!

My Market Bag

I love my All-In-One Loom from AKB I have made a few things on it but this bag is my favorite so far! It is such a simple stitch to do, it's the mock crochet stitch... looks much better than my crochet : ) It is meant to replicate a single stitch and I think it does!

Flat before I stretched it out with stuff

 Full of yarn... can you see the nice even stitches? Much nicer than my sloppy crochet : )

That is the board in the second picture...

here is a link to the youtube video that shows how to do the stitch.

I am going to make another one of these bags now that I am certian what the end result will be - I will make the bag a bit taller and the strap much shorter, notice I had to tie it cause it streched too much with the weight of the yarn and I will use a cotton or hemp yarn next time... but I do like the bag : )

We had to go get water today, and since it is such a long drive we try and make the most of it - we saw yard sale signs everywhere in Devil's lake so we started following then, we found the neatest flower 'bed'... and I found a real wool 8 x10 beige (clean too) rug for 12 bucks - I will need to rebind one corner but wow just 12 bucks!

I really want my own flower bed!

Anyhow, here is a picture of the gorgeous flower 'bed'!

literally a Flower 'Bed'!

Just a tag I made, lol, about the bug juice ... ewww : )

Photos from The Road days 1 & 2

My week out on the truck with Larry was sweet! It always is fun to be with him out there, so long as he delivers on time there just aren't any rules as to where we can go or what we can do (we don't get to get off where trucks can go but there are lots of beautiful places trucks do have access too) - the company he works for is really great!

I took some pictures - many many pictures and some would make awesome backgrounds for your desktop or tags so I uploaded them to fotki and you can pick and choose which ones if any you want.

Most of these are a lil blurry, I did take them from a speeding truck, lol, my lil rebel did ok though.

These pictures come from several states, Montana, Idaho, Washington State, Oregon, and of course North Dakota. I think Montana is the most beautiful state (besides Alaska, and somewhere on this blog you will find a few pictures from Alaska) we stopped in a lil town called Milltown in Montana - I wish I could live there! Idaho is a beautiful state too... heck I like something about every state we pass through from the flatland to the mountains and I especially love when we get to go into historic downtown areas! I have a penchant for old barns and houses so sometimes you will get a few of those too... I hope you enjoy peeking at my photos of blurry scenery : )

To go to Fotki click this sentence : )

***this takes you to the album with the photos from days one and two - I will post more links as I clean up the pictures - be aware some albums may contain content of the more adult nature (tags) so don't say I did not warn you if you explore the other stuff...***

I will change my common TOU for these photos. You can use this pictures for backgrounds, tube any elements out you want and use them for your non-commercial kits with no credit required... if you want to use them in something you will sell I would appreciate a link back to my blog and my credit in your kit would read ©Lorri Nichols http://lorrisbitsofthisandthat.blogspot.com/ If you tube out any elements you may not sell them individually.

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