Wild Tag Art

So I was poking around in the depths of my craft closet and I found four sheets of punch out tags with various sayings on them. The four sheets all had the same tags on them and came two different colors. I figured I should at least use one of the sheets and I set to work making these.

For some reason I felt the need to include a wild animals theme along with these tags. As you can see my version of "wild animal" is pretty tame.

I ran out of steam after 3 cards but at some point I may just finish off that sheet of tags.  I am kind of pondering one of the tags though, thinking maybe I should cut off who said the quote. He's kind of a controversial figure these days but back when these were printed he was just a run of the mill millionaire businessman.

The Fine Print: tags by Club Scrap, giraffe stamp by Magenta, wee lion by CTMH, water buffalo die by Nellie's Choice, other stuff from my stash.

Ruminations...

And not the kind a cow does.

I've had this crafty friend who I've known for many years now.  She was a lot like me, worked full time, had a family (hers are hubby and kids, mine is hubby and cats) and had lots of other things going on that limited her crafty time.  Like me she collected all sorts of stamps from all sorts of companies and all the inks, papers, supplies and embellishments that a girl could possibly need, along with all the latest and greatest tools and techniques.

A few years back she started selling one of those home party companies. For the longest time she continued on with her buying of various random companies along with the brand she sold.  But then she started slowing down on buying those "outside" companies.  She noticed that she didn't have the time to devote to using products from both her brand and other companies.  Then she started selling off some of her older off brand merchandise, realizing she'd never have time or space for it.

The one day in a big fell swoop she went through her craft room and got rid of almost everything that wasn't the brand she sold. That included not only the stamps, but the inks, papers, and embellishments as well.  She did keep a few of her old favorite stamps and stamp sets; the ones she'd pull out to use from time to time when she wanted to make something that wasn't from the brand she sold.

I was with her right until that last step.  It seemed so final and so concrete and I'm the queen of downsizing.  I wondered if "some day" when she had more time (you know, that magic some day we all keep waiting for) she would regret ditching it all and only owning that one company.

She doesn't.  She is retired now,  the kids are grown enough, and she has all that time and she is as pleased as punch with owning basically just the one company.  Oh sure, she occasionally buys a stamp or an embellishment from *gasp* someone else, but mostly it is just her company.

I'm starting to get it now that I'm selling A Muse Studio. I don't look through all my stacks, stashes, and piles of random cardstock--I go to the A Muse drawer and pull out what I need.  When I need a stamp, my brain first thinks of A Muse since I look through the catalog so often and point out pluses to other people.  When I think embellishments I think of bling, pearls, ribbon or washi all in A Muse colors and styles.  It's like I forget the other stuff exists.  As you can see on my blog I've turned away from a|s lately to use other companies but that's because I made a conscious decision to not use A Muse so much.  And that's not gonna last because I have samples to make!

The Fine Print: Top card stamps by Stampin' Up and bottom card stamp by Magenta, background papers by DCWV, flowers and ribbon from my stash, but the antique brass brads are A Muse because I "forgot" I own all sorts of brads but other people.  Don't be looking for me to get rid of everything I own that isn't A Muse though. Not yet anyway!

Possibly Taking Liberties

There was no post from me yesterday because I didn't bother to turn on the computer.  Besides I think August is cheeky for having 31 days right after July does it.  I think it should give up a day and give it to poor February who gets short changed all the time.

I wanted to join Di's Snippet Playground because I haven't been by in forever and I hear the sandbox has fresh sand and the teeter totters have been well oiled so they won't screech.  I suspect I may be taking liberties with the definition of "snippet" though.

Um... okay, I don't actually know the definition of snippet but somehow I don't think a 6x6 piece of patterned paper counts.  But it was in the bookcase! By itself! No rhyme or reason!  It was a little lost soul, which to me fits the definition of snippet.

But just in case that is too big to be a snippet I did use a left over piece of twine that I hid from the kitties, a smidge of blue paper and a scrap of blue to make this card.

I just love this stamp.  It makes me smile every time.  How silly is that that kitties are taking turns getting rides on a giraffe?!  And paying 5-cents for it!  I wonder what the giraffe is saving up for?

The Fine Print: Stamp by Magenta, a good old fashioned fat wood mounted one, twine by A Muse Studio (toffee color) and snippets from my stash.  I really like that paper but I don't know why it was amongst some books and I'm sad I have but that one piece.

Zombie Cats

I haven't been posing to my blog much lately because I don't have anything to say.  It dawned on me that I don't have to say stuff; I can just post pictures.  That will keep you abreast of my latest crafty stuff and be friendly to those who are illiterate (which isn't you of course, because you are reading this).

The Fine Print: Really?  You are giggling like a little kid over the word 'abreast'?!  Image by Magenta.

Thanks, Many Many Thanks

This is the point where I am supposed to write something brilliant, funny, and awe-inspiring. But here in my own little world, I got nothing.


Also, here in my little world you can see that my scanner is having an illness.  Do you see in both cards the tiny white pixel that is upper center right?  Yeah, I suspect that is a sign of the beginning of the end.  Also, that top card? It isn't red.  Nope, it is brown.  Don't listen to the scanner--it lies!

The Fine Print: Well, I've had quite enough of this Monday, can we scurry along to a new day now?  This one is used!  Top card stamps--greeting by PSX, other stamp by Magenta, brads by Recollections.  Bottom card-stamp by PSX, label die by Spellbinders.  Both cards-papers from Club Scrap.

No Foolin'

Today is April First, also known as April Fool's Day.  It is another one of those days that I don't care for. I guess partly why I don't like April Fool's Day is that I was taught to be honest so I don't get a day dedicated to lying to others.  It is also partly because I was the weird little kid growing up.  You know, the one who was often singled out to be taunted and picked on.  Days like April Fool's Day meant even the more polite kids had no problem making you the butt of their jokes for the day. 

The earliest April Fool's joke I can remember goes like this: My little brother and I were playing in the living room.  Our mother came rushing in to excitedly announce, "Kids! It is snowing outisde!"  I should probably point out that we lived in Ohio at the time, so snow in April was not unheard of.  Then again, we've had snow in Tucson in April before (no fooling, it was Easter Sunday to boot).  My little brother and I may have taken a glance at the window or we may not have.  The living room window had sheers so we wouldn't have been to see snow anyway.  Exasperated our mother insisted we get up immediately and come to the window in the dininig room.  Obediently, we trudged to the window.  We barely got a glance out before our mother started shrieking, "Fooled ya!  Fooled ya!  Haha April Fool!" in such a weird voice that we way more confused by that than by the lack of snow (which we hadn't even had time to process wasn't there).  So I'm thinking if you are a stay at home mom to little kids and want to play April Fool's jokes you're kind of out of luck.

PS... the hubby's family doesn't do April Fool's either being as some relative had the misfortune to die on April 1st and everyone laughed it off as a sick joke.  When the relative was still dead on April 2nd, all hell broke loose and April Fool's jokes were forever banner.  I married the right guy.

The Fine Print: Fool stamp by Magenta (from a stamp with a trio of fools), patterned paper by DCWV. No fooling.

It's a Cat Thing

Last night (this morning?) at about midnight the old cat got up off his electric blanket, jumped off the couch, tottered down the hall, jumped up on the bed, walked across the black cat and I and stuck his face directly into mine.  There, he loudly announced that my husband was not home yet and a situation like that calls for cat food.  Since the old cat is older than dinosaur poop, I got up and put some of his nighttime food in the bowl, even though there was some already there (senility is a bitch).  I also explained to him that given the time his dad would be home soon because he's old too, although not as old as dinosaur poop.

In celebration of crotchety cats everywhere, be they young or old, here's some kitty cards.

 The Fine Print: Cat Thing Card-Cat butt by Eat Cake Graphics, saying by Lost Angeles Rubber Works, paper and ribbon unknown.  Purr Card-Cat by Magenta, punches by Marvey ribbon by DeNami, glitter paper by DCWV, and other paper unknown.  Catnip Card-Smoking Cat by Lost Angeles Rubber Works, saying by Viva Las Vegas stamps, punch by Marvy, and paper by unknown.  Winter Wishes Cat-image by PSX, saying, blue pearl, and snowflake die by A Muse Studio, scallop border punch by Fiskars, and paper by DCWV.