Unproductive Days

Ever have them?  They drive me crazy! Every time I get down to doing something, an interruption will stop the flow of determination and inspiration!  I cleaned up my craft room for like the hundredth time this week, but that didn't help.  I went to put my markers in a better spot and they spilled out of my holder - every. stinkin'. one of them!! And that wasn't the only thing that dropped or tipped or dumped today!
I was missing a container for something and I swear I searched every square inch of my craft room to no avail.  Then I found it sometime later, right on my desk, in plain sight! Someone is playing tricks on me, I think!

Oh, well.  I can always hope that tomorrow will be better.  At least I got a card made, and this blog post done, and a bunch of little niggly things finished.  None of them were on my goal list, but they were all little things that needed to be done at some point but low priority.

I made this card for MOJO Monday Challenge #312 and for a workshop I'm doing out of town tomorrow.

Here's the sketch.  It's one of my favourites, ever!

• Anniversary cards seem to call out to the Everything Eleanor stamp set and I could picture that lovely vintage label right where the circle is in the MOJO sketch.
• I love this DSP from Epic Day (as opposed to my non-Epic Day) and it suggested a palette of Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder and Whisper White.
• I used some Pool Party Core'dinations card stock for the center strip and embossed it using Mosaic Madness embossing folder, then sanded the edges and the designs to let the light core show through.

• I stamped the flower images from Everything Eleanor in the two colours and hand cut them, as I did with the label behind them.  I used a bone folder to bend the petals and give the blossoms some dimension.
• The sentiment is from the hostess set, Express Yourself.  It's a nice font, but simple and perfect for this card. I stamped before I embossed the Pool Party panel.
• You can't have vintage without a few pearls, so I added three large ones on the flowers.

And that's a wrap for this day!  Better to cut my losses and try again tomorrow.  I have another anniversary card to share with you then.  

There are, of course, new MDS downloads released today.  Here's a sample:

And a new Photopolymer Stamp Set called "Bite Me"!

Get these now at my on-line store at http://heathercooper.stampinup.net .

Stamps:  Everything Eleanor (w131987; c124164);  Express Yourself *(w130336; c130339)
Paper:  Epic Day DSP (130814);  Pool Party Core'dinations card stock, as part of the Subtles collection (129954); Wisteria Wonder (122922) and Whisper White (100730) card stock
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Wisteria Wonder (126985) and Pool Party (126982)
Accessories:  Pearl Basic Jewels (119247)
Tools:  Modern Mosaic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (129984); Stampin' Sanding Block (129367)
*Hostess set - available only to those who host a workshop or private class

Everything Eleanor Stamp Set

Pearl Basic Jewels

Subtles Collection Core'dinations Cardstock

Epic Day Designer Series Paper

Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder

Never-Ending Story!

Do you remember this movie? The NeverEnding Story!  My kids loved it.  My oldest daughter dressed as the Childlike Empress for Halloween once!  In a costume I had to sew for her. There are rumours that there will be a remake released in 2014, with some involvement by Leonardo DiCaprio.  Time will tell if the story will truly be "NeverEnding"



I have my own NeverEnding Story, right in my craft room.  It is the unending quest to keep it tidy and organized.  I spent Sunday cleaning it up because I wanted organization to work on my swap cards during the last week before Convention.  Then came the creation of a couple of cards for challenges, and a huge order delivery, which needs to be sorted and delivered, and by Monday night, we're right back where we started Sunday morning!  But, at least I have some results to show you.  The two challenges I entered with this one are MOJO Monday Challenge #301 and Dynamic Duos Challenge #60:

The MOJO Challenge was a lovely layout sketch.  I really love the balance of it and it's central focal point.  

The Dynamics Duo Challenge was a little more ..."challenging"!  Bright yellow and green has got to be my least favourite colour combo!

I wasn't sure I wanted to even do a card for this challenge, until I looked at the Design Teams samples and saw the way they made it work.  Summer Starfruit is a really nice yellow/green and not the usual primary yellow, so it allows the alliance to win.

• I used the teapot flower vase stamp from Tea Party Stamp Set with VersaMark ink with White Embossing Powder to create the central image on Basic Black cardstock.  
• The sentiment is from Express Yourself, again embossed in white.
• The DSP you see behind the teapot is from the Soho Subway collection, and the one on the Summer Starfruit panel is from the Epic Day collection.
• The Fancy Fan Embossing Folder creates some texture on the Gumball Green flag.
• I decided to use Basic Black as my neutral colour, matting all the panels and forming the focal point as well.
• The Boho Blossoms Punch and Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack created the little flowers you see above.

So the clock is ticking and I'm hoping I get my orders sorted and product shares ready quickly tomorrow, so I can clean up and get back to doing my swaps.  But likely, some other circumstance will require the room to be recleaned soon!  A Stampers work is never done!

Stamps:  Tea Party (w129135; c129138); Express Yourself (w130336; c130339)

Paper:  Epic Day DSP (130814); Soho Subway DSP (130140); Summer Starfruit (126839), Gumball Green (126840) and Basic Black (121045) cardstock

Ink:  Versamark Ink (102283)

Accessories:  White Stampin' Emboss Powder (109132); Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246)

Tools:  Boho Blossoms Punch (119858); Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309); Ovals Collection Framelits (129381), Fancy Fan Embossing Folder (127751); Heat Tool (129053)                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Tea Party Stamp Set                                                              

Express Yourself Stamp Set

Boho Blossoms Punch

Epic Day DSP

Soho Subway DSP

Fancy Fan Embossing Folder

Heat Tool

Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack