Year in the Life

Year in the Life
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I am seriously hesitating about posting this. It's the month of February in the Year in the Life scrapbook/journal/thingy I've got going. This is my first year and so far it's been a lot of fun to horde stuff to put in the scrapbook. (Fairly evident that I prefer to horde the ephemera rather than document through pictures, right?)

The reason I hesitate is...well...my life is kind of boring....as you can probably see here. I mean, trips to Subway and McDonald's dominate the page, as well as a newspaper article on the Great Backyard Bird Count.

Um.

Booooring. ;-)

I will admit that it's better than January's page: It snowed. I was sick. The end. Heh.

Anyway, this is what I've been up to. I've also been working on a junque journal and a 7 Gypsies/Graphic 45 journal. March starts a workshop/class over on the Strathmore website on art journaling. I'm pretty excited about that. Maybe March's Year in the Life won't be quite so boring! =D

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Cynthia

Easter Rejoice

Easter Rejoice
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This is gonna be a quick post. The Internet has been in and out all morning. Boo!! ;-)

Here's my first Easter card! Cuttlebug embossing folder for the background, Nestabilities oval, Peeled Paint Distress Ink, Inkadinkado stamps (Delicate Branches and Rejoice), Fiskars border punch and Bazzill paper all on a sesame seed bun...I mean a Recollections white cardblank.

I'm crossing my fingers this goes through!


Have a great day!!!

~Cynthia

Simple Birthday

Simple Birthday
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I can't wait until the summer sun shines again. This winter sun is too dark for pictures of my cards!! ;-)

This card is for my nephew, who is turning 13 next month. Dang...where did the years go?? He's a huge University of South Carolina Gamecock fan and I found a great Gamecock stamp the other day. (That would be that reddish blob on the left side of the card.)

I scored two lines across the card bottom, then beneath that I stamped a simple Happy Birthday.


Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank)
Stamps: Artful Legacy (Gamecock); Hero Arts (Classic Messages)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Fired Brick); Memento (Tuxedo Black)
ETC: ScorBuddy


Sidenote: One of my biggest problems with 2010's December Daily project was not starting soon enough. I took care of that this week. Joann Fabric and Craft is having a scrapbook supplies sale. Many items are 40% off. So I totally loaded up on some albums. One of them is from SEI's Preservation Series. It looks like a composition notebook, but it holds 8x8 topload scrapbook pages and more can be added. And it's under TWO DOLLARS. Too funny!! This will help me immensely in reducing the size (width) of the album from what I ended up with this past year. My plan is to have a Christmas in July marathon and get the pages done then. Riiiiiiiiight! ;-)

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Cynthia

*WHEW*

What a wild weekend!! I counted birds non-stop for four days and had a TON of fun doing it!! Currently, my little dinky town is NUMBER FOUR in the ENTIRE NATION for number of bird count checklists submitted to the Great Backyard Bird Count! We are running with the big dawgs now, baby!!! We are in a list that includes large metro areas like Atlanta, GA, and Charlotte, NC, and Tallahassee, FL. Also, our city beat out all the other participating locations in South Carolina. AND, we beat our all-time high record of number of checklists submitted! I know, I know... I AM A BIRD NERD! ;-)

But now it's back to the real world! I have managed to put off all house work for 4 days, so I might not have too much time for card making today. I miss creating!! =D


~Cynthia

Through the Gate

Through the Gate
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I was back on Shelley Starkis' blog yesterday and she posted a beautiful card for the Jac-Inks' sketch challenge. She stamped little rabbits on a bench in front of a sunrise--and I thought it was SO CUTE!! I kinda did the same thing...without a bench or rabbits or really the hot orange sunrise she used either. Heh.

I *did* however use the idea of a large oval and some sunshine. I think mine turned out more like an English garden, early morning, with fog. What do you think?? =D

I used a Nestabilities oval die for my shape, temporarily taped the negative of that onto an ivory cardblank. I sponged yellow ink all over the oval then taped down a round die cut shape for my sun. Next I sponged some yellow, orange, and a bit of black Distress Ink all around.

I left the die cuts in place to stamp the gate and the trees (in Black Soot Distress Ink). Then I peeled those off carefully and stamped (also in Black Soot Distress Ink) my birthday sentiment below the image. (In case you haven't noticed, I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Hero Arts set--Classic Messages. The font is small and very professional looking.)

And that was it! The card doesn't look a BIT like Shelley's, but I kind of like it. =D


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (ivory cardblank)
Stamps: Stampscape (Pine Tree--196F); Hero Arts (Classic Messages set, sentiment); Art Impressions (gate: I-2450)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Dried Marigold, Orange Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Black Soot)


Have a wonderfully creative day!! And thanks for stopping by!

~Cynthia

Trial and Error and Error and Error

Trial and Error and Error and Error
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

OK, this is the last in the series of CASE'ing the Less Is More cards.

First off, I used a larger tree stamp (in Walnut Stain Ink) on the same small clear block (in Tea Dye Ink). This was bad. You could barely see the tree. It looked like a huge brown blob.

Sadness.

So I cut that card up. Then I tried it again with different inks.

It looked like some sort of sci-fi experiment.

So I cut that card up. Then I tried it with a lighter ink and a different tree stamp.

Ahhh....much better!!!

Here I've used Antique Linen Ink on the clear block then stamped one of Michael's dollar bin stamps. I also colored the tree trunk and leaves with watercolor pencils. I added the sentiment beneath the block stamp.

Then I layered all my mistake-filled layers on a kraft cardblank and called it a day.



Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank); Recollections (white cardblanks)
Stamps: Hero Arts (Classic Messages set); Hampton Arts/Studio G (birthday stamp)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Antique Linen, Walnut Stain)
ETC: Artist's Loft (watercolor pencils); clear stamping block; Glue Glider Pro



Here's my shameless plug of the week:

Starting this Friday, the Great Backyard Bird Count runs through Monday. This is a fun citizen-science project run by Cornell University and Audubon. All you have to do is count the birds you see in your yard, or wherever you see birds, and post them on the GBBC website. It's free and fun! The website is www dot birdsource dot org/gbbc I've been participating for six years now and I love the competition between birdwatchers from different states and counties within states. Plus, it helps the scientists at Cornell gather huge amounts of information about bird populations and migrations. You can do as many (or as few) counts as you would like or are able to. And you don't need to be a 'professional' or 'expert' birdwatcher! Whatever you can do really does make a difference! I'm participating again this year, so I probably won't be making many cards or posting much here this weekend. Please consider participating if you can. :-)

*shameless plug end*


Happy Wednesday to ya! ;-)

~Cynthia

Sunny, with a chance of off-centeredness

Sunny, with a chance of off-centeredness
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This card just makes me laugh...in all the WRONG ways!! =D

It looks like some sort of lion thing gone wrong. Maybe if I added a few stick legs......

I was attempting to continue my CASE'ing of cards on the Less Is More blog. *sigh*

I stamped the same inked-up clear block as I did in yesterday's card. I stamped a larger flower image this time. Waaaaaay too big of a flower image. Way.

I do like the colors though and I will try this combo again in the future. Just with a different flower stamp. :-)

Yep.


Supplies (but don't try this at home, kids!):
Paper: Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamp: Inkadinkado (Garden Delight set); Hero Arts (Classic Messages set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Dried Marigold, Mustard Seed)
ETC: Clear stamp block


After our beautiful 70 degree sunny day on Monday, we're back into the 40s and cloudy today. Maybe I'll find the mojo to make more sunny cards! ;-)


~Cynthia

Am I Blue?

Am I Blue?
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This sweet little simple card is another CASE of the fabulous cardmakers over on Less Is More. This week's challenge was to make a one layer card with a flower or tree image.

I CASE'd Chrissie's card--she's one of the challenge creators.

I did mine a bit differently than hers though. I used the "ink up your clear block" technique and used it as a stamp. Then in a darker ink, I stamped the flower image slightly outside the block of color.

I guess this would be a masculine card, but the colors make me sad. Kind of like a rainy day. The card is growing on me though....


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamps: Inkadinkado (Garden Delight set); Hero Arts (Classic Mesages set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Faded Jeans)
ETC: Clear Stamp Block (Can't remember where I got it!)


Happy Monday, all! ;-)

~Cynthia

Blue Birthday

Blue Birthday
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Here's another card I've shamelessly CASE'd! This is from a new (to me) blog I found a few days ago. I LOVE this crafter's style! Her name is Shelley Starkis and her blog is called Shelley's Stamping Ground.

This card is also a take on the "Less Is More" blog's one layer challenge. Shelley followed their directions and used pink, black and white. I just changed Shelley's colors and made it a birthday card.

I stamped the flowers in Broken China and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. I stamped the sentiment below the flowers, then drew a line around the images. The white on white look is pretty cool for this card.

Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (white cardstock); Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamps: Stampin Up (Pocket Silhouettes); Hero Arts (Classic Messages)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Broken China, Tumbled Glass)
ETC: Pigment Pro (black pen); Tim Holtz Ruler; Glue Glider Pro

The beautiful sun is shining again today! I hope to get all my housework done so I can sit in the sun and craft!!! ;-) Happy Saturday to ya!

~Cynthia

Celebrate!

Celebrate!
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Shamelessly copied from this week's Fall-to Layout (FTL 127) from Clean & Simple Stamping. =D

Well, OK, not exactly, but I did get the idea from them!

Once again, I find myself apologizing for the crappy photo. I don't know what happens. I took it in broad, beautiful sunlight....and I ended up with a very shadowy picture.

*sigh*

All I can say is, in real life it's darn pretty. Heh.

I cut a piece of green cardstock and ran it through the Cuttlebug with a borders embossing folder. I adhered that to the left side of the cardblank....which is totally ivory and not some funky gray color. Grrr.

Then I cut a piece of an ivory cardblank, stamped the little bouquet on it and used watercolor pencils to color the leaves and the bow. I used Bundled Sage Distress Ink on the stamp, which matched the green cardstock. The watercolor pencil is slightly lighter in color so the Bundled Sage became almost a shadow beneath the pencil color.

I added a skinny piece of purple cardstock beneath the ivory/bouquet and stamped the sentiment below it in Dusty Concord Distress Ink, which matches the purple cardstock.

Inside I stamped Happy Birthday in Dusty Concord.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (green and purple cardstock); Recollections (ivory cardblank)
Stamps: PSX (bouquet); Hero Arts (Birthday Messages set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Bundled Sage, Dusty Concord)
ETC: Cuttlebug (With Love embossing folder border set) (Say THAT four times real fast!!); Glue Glider Pro; Artist's Loft and Koh-I-Noor (watercolor pencils)



I finally found a bit of time to venture into the craft room today! YAY! I hope you find time to be creative too! And Happy Weekend! =D

~Cynthia

Butterfly Darkness

Butterfly Darkness
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Here's a different card than the ones I've been making the past few days. It feels good sometimes to head off in a completely different direction from the one you had been on.

Still in the CASE'ing mood, I checked out a card Shelley Starkis had posted on her blog, Shelley's Stamping Ground.

I think I did a pretty good reproduction of it. Her's is just a shade less busy than mine...something I would change when I make it again. I like how it turned out, a bit masculine, but with the butterfly I could send this to a female. Or I could change the colors a bit and make it more masculine or more feminine.

I used a piece of cream cardstock that I had brushed with Walnut Stain and Antique Linen Ink, then stamped randomly all over it with the same inks using flower stamps. Then I stamped a few more flowers with Faded Jeans Ink.

I also used a fragment script stamp, inked with Walnut Stain and Antique Linen.

The die cut butterfly (of cream cardstock) was embossed, then brushed heavily with Faded Jeans Ink. I used two small glue dots, placed under the body of the butterfly, to adhere it to the card front. I then slightly bent the wings upward.

I adhered it all to a kraft cardblank.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (cream cardstock); The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank)
Stamps: Stampin Up (Pocket Silhouettes set); Stampers Anonymous (script fragment stamp)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Walnut Stain, Antique Linen, Faded Jeans)
ETC: Cuttlebug (Butterfly die cut and embossing folder set); Fiskars (Glue Dots); Glue Glider Pro


I headed out to my one-of-two-remaining local scrapbook stores this morning. I'm so glad they're still open! I bought a ton of Bazzill cardstock because...drum roll please...we're supposed to get 1-2 inches of snow Wednesday night/Thursday. In South Carolina, that usually means the city will be shut down for a few days. And that just means....more time to create!!! YAY!!! =D

Stay warm!

~Cynthia

CAS Heart

CAS Heart
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Super, SUPER Clean And Simple.

One little stamp.

The end.


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamp: Craft Smart (heart)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Fired Brick)



~Cynthia

Some Martha Love

Some Martha Love
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Yes, it's Martha Stewart time. I showed her a little love on this card.

I was hanging out on Simplicity, LateBlossom's (AKA Susan Raihala) blog, and saw some really gorgeous cards. I needed a few more Valentine's cards and thought...why not go the Clean And Simple route?

***ETA: This is so bad. Yes, I had been checking out LateBlossom's cards, but I really CASE'd Sherry Eckblad's card on her blog, Button Junkie. You know I always give credit where credit is due and I totally screwed this one up. I'M SO SORRY, SHERRY!***

First I ran the front of the card through the Cuttlebug with the Swiss Dots folder. Then I wanted a little label and remembered the Calling Card Labels from Martha Stewart I had picked up on sale a while ago.

Alas, the cardblank is ivory and the calling cards are white. What to do? What to do?

When in doubt, DISTRESS IT! ;-) I picked up Fired Brick Distress Ink and colored the label. Does it not look like it CAME THAT WAY? I so love it! It's very pinkish, so cute!

Next I grabbed a Fiskars stamp set called Toss the Bouquet. Such cute little images! I used the love sentiment (not nearly as crooked in real life as it looks in this picture, promise!) and one of the little swirls. I stamped those in Fired Brick too.

Finally, I stamped Happy Valentine's Day inside the card with Fired Brick.

Done.

And happy with it.

=D


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (ivory cardblank): Martha Stewart (self-stick Calling Card Labels)
Stamps: Fiskars (Toss the Bouquet); Craft Smart (V-day sentiment, on the inside)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Fired Brick)
ETC: Cuttlebug (Swiss Dots Embossing Folder)


The sun FINALLY came out this afternoon! I always feel more like crafting when the sun is shining. I hope you find time to be creative today.

~Cynthia

Floating Hearts

Floating Hearts
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

Once again, my apologies for such a bad picture. I swear I took this photo in pure sunlight! Alas, today it's raining and there will be no picture-taking. But that means PLENTY of studio time! YAY!! ;-)

I CASE'd this from Bonnie Klass (Stamping With Klass) again. I really like her style.

I used a swirly swirl for my heart 'vine' and then used punched hearts for my 'flowers.'

I used a word tag punch and stamped the sentiment on it, using the same red cardstock and the same black ink for everything.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (red cardstock); Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamp: Rhonna Farrer (Swirls); Craft Smart (Valentine's sentiment)
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black)
ETC: McGill (Word Tag Punch); Marvy (heart punch); Glue Glider Pro


On a sadder note....yesterday I headed out to one of my favorite scrapbooking stores. I discovered that the owners are retiring/getting out while the getting is good/shutting down. I hate this. I did get some good deals, even a cool lucite shelf thing for all my Distress Inks. But I hate this. Locally-owned craft stores are always better than the big box craft stores. I hate this.

*end rant*

~Cynthia

Sunny Get Well

Sunny Get Well
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

I actually got a card done on time!! My friend Anna posted yesterday that she was not feeling well and I ran into my craft room and put this card together in record time! AND I EVEN MAILED IT TOO.

I am SO on top of things!!! =D

Yeah, I know...it won't last long. Heh.

I got this idea from Bonnie Klass over on her blog, Stamping With Klass. She created her own background paper using super cute nature stamps. Since I wanted a sunny card, I chose to use one stamp--a sunflower. I also used an ink that was not exactly tone-on-tone, but kinda close. I stamped the image in Rusty Hinge Distress Ink on a deep yellow cardstock.

I also stamped the sentiment in Rusty Hinge and distressed the edges of the Nestabilities oval in Rusty Hinge.

The picture doesn't show it very well, but I did add a band of sheer white ribbon beneath the oval.

It's all layered on a white cardblank.

I hope she likes it...being sick is no fun. ;-)


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (yellow and white cardstock); Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamp: Penny Black (Flowers)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Rusty Hinge)
ETC: Nestabilities (scalloped oval die cut); The Ribbon Boutique


Have a great day!

~Cynthia

One Heart

One Heart
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

This card started out as a CASE of a pretty card by Tami Mayberry, but I didn't like the way it came out, so I CAS'ed it.

Heh.

How's THAT for an abuse of acronyms??

=D

Anywho. I ran a piece of red cardstock through the old Cuttlebug using the Swiss Dots folder.

I die cut the heart out of the same red paper. Then I punched a circle out of black cardstock.

A sheer white ribbon ties it all together. On the inside I stamped Happy Valentine's Day in Fired Brick Ink.

All of that is layered on a white cardblank.

I like the classic and clean look of it.


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (red and black cardstock); Recollections (white cardblank)
Stamp: Craft Smart (inside sentiment)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Fired Brick)
ETC: Marvy Uchida (circle punch); QuicKutz (heart die cut); Cuttlebug (Swiss Dots Embossing Folder); The Ribbon Boutique (ribbon); Glue Glider Pro


I need to send out a get well card today and the sun is shining....that means I get to make cards and take better pictures of them! ;-)


~Cynthia

Butterfly CASE

Butterfly CASE
Originally uploaded by HikerCynthia

OK, first off....my apologies for the really bad picture. We haven't had any sun today and I really wanted to get this picture just right so you could see the cool sparklies....so I had to take the picture under a desk lamp light. Boo for fake light! Sunshine is so much nicer. :-)

And then I totally ripped this card off from Simply Stamped--Maile Belles' blog. She used this really cool dogwood stamp, which I don't have. I substituted a bit and came up with this one!

It's going to my Mom, whose birthday is this Sunday. She loves purple!

I stamped the agapanthus flowers in Walnut Stain Ink for a sort of tone-on-tone look, then I stamped the sentiment in Dusty Concord Ink on a small piece of cream cardstock. I adhered the sentiment with 3D Dots. Finally I chose a purple sparkly butterfly for the focal point.


Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Studio (kraft cardblank); Bazzill (cream cardstock)
Stamp: Stampendous (Everything Happy set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Walnut Stain, Dusty Concord)
ETC: McGill (word tag punch); K&Co (Flora and Fauna Botanical Butterflies); Glue Glider Pro; EK Success (3D Dots)


Have a creative day!

~Cynthia