OSA Challenge

This week I re-entered the OSA Sunday Challenges. you have all week to make the card , the new ones are posted on Sunday.  

The Challenge was an LIM card by GinaA

Why do things that look so simple hang you up when you try do recreate?

Or maybe it's just me! I do much better improvising

I started out trying to use a clear block to create the Ink shadow

That was a disaster

went to a smaller size:

Yuk

The I had the idea to mask off an area and use my air airbrush thingy

The air brush squeeze thing made my hand hurt and I wasn't overly impressed with the results -

 but this was my first attempt.

I spritzed out my square

Inked my stamp in three colors

Stamped and waited a few seconds:

Realized I should have masked the cats and the blue background showed through (of course it would, what was I thinking!!

So I got out my trusty black ink marker pen and jar of acrylic pain and did a touch up

Still needed more whiteness/ opaqueness so I added pear white nail polish!

When I pulld the mask tape off, it lifted the surface of the paper on part of the card!  UGH, so instead of trashing the image I cut it out and adhered to a new base. So it isn't exactly a one layer card, but close enough!

Here It is!

I hope you are having a joyful holiday! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Ginny M

Happy Thanks Giving

Happy Thanks Giving Everyone!  Hope you day is filled with gratitude and blessing!

With Love from Steve and Ginny Maxam

WOYWW# 286

It's whats on your work desk # 286!  Here in the states my work desk is the kitchen stove for the next few days!  But I will show you my crafty Work Desk - if you go down a post you'll see my room redo, thanks to my wonderful husband - a fresh coat of paint and the shelving all reinforced!! I made one more adjustment to the room today and I LOVE it:

This work are is 7.5 feet x 2 feet  I covered it with 15 12x12 peel and stick tiles ( I use these all the time they are wonderful for table tops) .79 cents each!  It is a nice deep black.  Later I will run India ink in to the seams and you will never know what it is!!

Tink approves, he can see himself!!

Thanks for stopping by and join the fun over at Julia's blog for more crafty tours!!

Ginny M 

While I was away

While I was away, Steve surprised me  by painting my craft room!  I had thought I would like a tan color with black accents and baskets ( total shoe string event!!)  He went ahead and painted it a beautiful ivory!  I added the red, already had the black accents and baskets.  I am very happy with the changes!   my room is a small 9x12 space that I am very thankful to have as my studio!

 For befores' you can go here: http://maxammade.blogspot.com/p/my-studio.html

Here is the tour :

I'm pretty sure I use every inch!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ginny M

blast from the past...

Last weekend a few of the Ladies I was stamping with noticed the gold liner I was using on my cards, they all loved it and wanted to know where I got it, here is and example of one of them:

It is a nice shinny bright gold

The answer to that question was really simple, it is wrapping paper!  I buy a few rolls and cut it up every year right after Christmas.  It is a wonderful quality paper from Barnes and Nobel!

Before I could answer the question I had to ask them how long they had been stamping, the aanswerfrom my friend Crystal and Donna, under 10 years, but from Laurie: 30 years.  So I knew she would remember in the days long ago, you really, really had to work to find beautiful papers for card making.  The things we have now for very cheap prices didn't exist!

So when I told them it was wrapping paper, I think they were surprised!

I have a little system for this, I thought I'd share it with you!

First I cut the paper in 7" segments  

Then I carefully cut them down the middle

this is what I get:

80 sheets!

I will flatten it with my hi tech equipment:

and as a bonus a two rolls of  faux washi tape !  All you need is a little glue stick!

I like Uhu - it is the only glue stick that has ever stuck for me!

So for about 5.00 I have 80 sheets of a really nice textured/ foil paper and two rolls of 'Washi'!

Here is a card made with the paper

image and black liner, foil paper

looking for the best look:  Needs a bit more drama to frame 

finished card!

The hello actually looks really nice on the card, the ink is not splotching!

I hope you try this blast from the past technique!

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you are having a great weekend!!

Ginny M 

More trip cards

While I am posting cards from my weekend trip, I'm busy here working on a few other things to post about next week!  I think we are all beginning to wind up for the Holiday season - but where did the summer go?  It feels like it should be september!

All of these cards were made with what I call my grab and glue technique.  I do use card sketches on occasion, but not this occasion!  HAving never been to a crafty weekend I really wasn't sure what to bring to work on other than my Christmas Cards.  So I just grabbed stash and stamps and digital prints!  I love to work like this but the mess did get to me!  my normal work surface is my entire small craft room - 9x12, for this event I had a 4x4 space.  It did get a little claustrophobic!
                                                                     
                                                                           I did

 constantly clean up

between cards too!

Here are more cards from the trip:

I think this was my favorite

Tomorrow I'll show you how three of use use one stamp for several cards!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ginny M