Squash/Smash

Squash/Smash, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

In 2011 I had a Project 12 going on. Kind of like Project Life, just by month and not by week. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed putting it together. But for 2012 I decided to do something different.

Thus...the Squash/Smash Book. A riff of K&Co's Smash Book, renamed by my mom as a Squash Book., with a little bit of Junque Journal, a la Tangie Baxter, thrown in for good measure.  Here's a link to the brand-spanking-new, never-been-used Squash Book I posted back in December.

I do one page each day, adhering STUFF from my day...receipts, menus, comic strips, church bulletins, song lyrics. Whatever goes on and needs to be documented.

I will make it through the last day of June with this one. And I've already got the new one ready to go. As you can see, the old one is stuffed to the gills! ;-)

I will probably add "January-June" on the front cover with letter stickers.

The one big lesson I learned is to add the Distress Ink on the edges of the cover AFTER I've finished filling the Squash book. I grabbed it many times with damp hands only to discover I had Walnut Stain all over my fingers!! =D Heh heh.



Thanks so much for dropping by today--have a great weekend! And if you're in the heat like we are--stay cool!


~Cynthia

Formal Birthday Part Deux

Formal Birthday Part Deux, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

This is the twin card of yesterday's post. My sister and her husband have the same birthday, so I decided to make their cards similar...a la Jen on her JENerally Speaking blog.

All I did different from the first card was to punch the circle on the left side. My sister's left-handed. Get it? ;-)



Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (black cardstock); GinaK (white cardstock); Pop*Tone (Black Licorice Plain Card)
Stamps: Scrappy Cat (Background and Texture Stamps); Stampin Up (birthday sentiment)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot, Chipped Sapphire)
ETC: EK Success (Pop Dots); Marvy-Uchida (2-inch and 1.5-inch circle punches); Zig Two-way Glue Pen



Thanks for visiting!! Have a wonderfully crafty day!!

~Cynthia

Formal Birthday Card

Formal Birthday Card, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

I am lovin' this card! And yes, I can say that because it was not my idea! LOL!! Check out Jen's card on her blog, JENerally Speaking. SO COOL. I totally stole...er...borrowed the idea! ;-)

First I stamped the background bubbles on white cardstock, then trimmed it down to fit the card blank.

I punched a circle on the side and, turning the circle piece over, stamped the birthday sentiment. Then I punched the same sized circle from black cardstock and used the circle punch that's one size larger to make a ring.

Then I adhered everything. The panel has pop dots beneath it for height. The ring and the circle have Zig glue beneath them so I could have time to move them into place.

For all the steps, this card came together quickly. My favorite kind of card!! I think I'll send this one to my brother-in-law then make a girly one for my sister. They have the same birthday! =D


Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (black cardstock); GinaK (white cardstock); Pop*Tone (Black Licorice Plain Card)
Stamps: Scrappy Cat (Background and Texture Stamps); Stampin Up (birthday sentiment)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot, Festive Berries)
ETC: EK Success (Pop Dots); Marvy-Uchida (2-inch and 1.5-inch circle punches); Zig Two-way Glue Pen


This past year I got a jump on my December Daily album by setting up the album in July. I just realized that July begins on SUNDAY. I have not even bought any paper!! It's only June and I'm already BEHIND!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!


~Cynthia

Sympathy, Part Two

Sympathy, Part Two, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Thanks for all the super nice comments on yesterday's card!! As you can see from today's offering...I tried again.

By the time I get satisfied with this make, it will be too late to send it! :-o

I used the same recipe for this card as I did yesterday. I found the card (and the inspiration) over on My Little Slice of Bliss--Emily Keaton's blog.

I stamped the grass image, then stamped it off one time to the right. I stamped the sentiment and scored three lines on the right edge. Finally, I adhered the panel to a card blank.

For some odd reason (operator error??) the color of the cardstock--which is a lovely pale sage green--didn't really translate well on either of these cards. Just use your imagination, OK? =D



Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (sage green cardstock); Recollections (ivory card blank)
Stamps: Endless Creation (sentiment); Great Impressions (grass #304)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Forest Moss)
ETC: Scor-Buddy



Thanks for stopping in!


~Cynthia

With Sympathy

With Sympathy, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

I CASE'ed this card from Emily on her My Little Slice of Bliss blog. She has the cutest cards! =D

I needed a sympathy card, but I'm not too sure about this one yet. I'm letting it grow on me for a bit.

I stamped the cattails, then stamped again a bit to the right without re-inking. Then I stamped the sentiment. For a bit of texture and interest, I added three scored lines at the top.

Unfortunately, the cardstock is really textured and the images just didn't stamp that well. However, it's kinda sorta distressed and painterly. And....I don't know.....I might just make the card again using the back, smooth, side of the cardstock. Hmmmmm.....



Supplies:
Paper: Bazzill (pale green cardstock)
Stamps: Endless Creations (sentiment); Stacy Stamps (Solid Wildflower set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Markers (Tea Dye and Forest Moss)
ETC: Scor-Buddy


I can't believe it's the last week of June already. What happened there??? ;-) Have a great day!


~Cynthia

Effer Dare 188

Effer Dare 188, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Over on the Effer Dare blog, Challenge #188 is to create a scrapbook page a la Lucas Sharp and his super cool creation. Go check it out! =D

The general idea is to create a snapshot of who you are at this moment. I adhered various items then brushed everything with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink to grunge it up a bit. Under each item I stamped TODAY in Black Soot Distress Ink.

From left to right, top to bottom:

**Roll of quarters wrapper: How much money I have in my key case (i.e. wallet)
**Air Mail/Interstate sign: I would rather be driving, flying or sailing
**Richard John Neuhaus quote: Best quote I read all day

**3: I hiked 3 miles on the Cottonwood Trail
**Tiny feather: I found this outside
**Snyder's of Hanover (pretzels): Current favorite snack

**Cryptoquote: I got the Cryptoquote right
**7: My favorite number. I am the 7!
**1: The first hurricane of the season formed...then faded quickly



It was really kind of fun choosing things. I have a bunch of other stuff I wanted to include, but I think this is a pretty good idea of what I'm up to at this moment. You know...not a whole lot. ;-) LOL!

Anyway, try this out. The Effer Dare blog has other cool ideas, like using photographs.



Have a wonderful weekend!!!

~Cynthia

PS: In case the Neuhaus quote is too hard to read, here it is:

We have not the right to despair, for despair is sin. And we have not the reason to despair, quite simply because Christ has risen.

OLW 93--In the Kitchen

OLW 93--In the Kitchen, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

This week's One Layer Wednesday challenge is being hosted by Heather. Her challenge is to take inspiration from your kitchen. Now how cool is that??!! =D

I looked for months trying to find the perfect pear stamp and I found it in a set by Hero Arts a few years ago. It's actually an outline stamp.

I stamped the pear on a scrap piece of white cardstock using Peeled Paint Distress Ink. Then I grabbed an assortment of green and yellow Distress Markers and used a water brush to paint the pear and the leaves.

I cut out the image and adhered it to an ivory card blank. I thought the pear looked better on the warm ivory than the cool white.

I wanted a hello stamp and the first one I found had this weird dotted box around it so I just used the Peeled Paint Distress Marker to color in the word only. Easy Peasy!

I think the pear turned out pretty cool! =D I tried to make it all mottled like a real pear is. It's actually making me kinda hungry. ;-)



Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (ivory card blank); GinaK (white cardstock)
Stamps: Hero Arts (Simply the Best set); Studio G/Hampton Arts (hello sentiment)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Peeled Paint); Distress Markers (Mustard Seed, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Shabby Shutters, Crushed Olive)
ETC: Kuretake (water brush); Glue Glider Pro; Zig Two-way Glue Pen




Thanks so much for stopping in today. I appreciate your visits! =D


~Cynthia

Starting Point

Starting Point, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Shimelle Laine posted her Starting Point yesterday. I used a photo that didn't make it into my scrapbook of the actual trip. It's been sitting in a little photo album...lonely.

It's not a very exciting photo. But each time I look at it, I totally remember standing there, on the shore of the lake, in the early morning, before the other campers had awoken.

Silence.

Deafening silence.

The merest ripple of movement across the lake surface.

And hot.

And muggy.

And I was being attacked by large insects.

But we won't go there.





Thanks for stopping by today! =D

~Cynthia

Off the Edge...almost!

Off the Edge...almost!, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

This week's One Layer Wednesday challenge is being hosted by Susan Raihala over on her Simplicity blog. Her challenge is to stamp your image/images all the way to the edge of the page/card, without going *off* the edge.

Here's my take! And it's also a CASE of Susan's card. Heh heh.

I stamped the sentiment then I stamped the ladybug.

The end.

OK, just one more thing. That sentiment is one of my newest acquisitions. I saw it in the store and decided it was the perfect font and the perfect size. I have other happy birthday stamps that are either larger or smaller. This one fits perfectly between them. And I LOVE that it looks hand written. Sweet!!



Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (white card blank)
Stamps: Endless Creations (birthday stamp); Stampin Up (ladybug, from unknown set)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot); Distress Marker (Black Soot, Fired Brick)


And that's it for me! Have a wonderful weekend!!!!


~Cynthia

Enjoy the Journey

Enjoy the Journey, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

This card is purely experimental so don't look too closely, OK? ;-)

I saw this lovely card over on Vicky's blog, Crafting Clare's Paper Moments. Then I had to wrack my brain trying to remember if I had a globe stamp and, if so, where is it???

Gratefully it didn't take me more than 30 seconds to find this one. I don't think I've ever used it before. Shame on me! =D

Super easy to make, following Vicky's instructions. I punched a hole in a sticky note, then brushed Distress Inks in blue and green roughly where the land and sea would be. I used a felt applicator to give a more grungy, textural look to the inks.

Then I removed the mask and stamped the globe and the sentiment below.

And yes, the globe is crooked and the sentiment is off-center. Experimental card, people, experimental card. ;-)


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (random used bits of two card blanks)
Stamps: Clear Art Stamps/Craft Secrets (travel stamp set--globe and sentiment)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot, Peeled Paint, Faded Jeans)
ETC: Marvy-Uchida circle punch (yellow one--2.5 inches, I think)


I can't believe it's Thursday already. What, exactly, happened to Tuesday?? I had a customer tell me years ago that before the age of 30, time drags along. But when you turn 30, boom! Time speeds up and rolls past so quickly! So true, yes? =D


Have a wonderful day!!

~Cynthia

One Layer--No Flourish

One Layer--No Flourish, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

This week's challenge on the Less is More blog is to create a card with a flourish. Laurie at the Stamping Up North blog made this beautiful card. I went looking for a flourish and was distracted by this dandelion stamp.

I love this stamp!

So I decided to use Laurie's recipe and forgo the flourish! =D

I grabbed a long clear block, using a Post-it note to mask the bottom--it was too long for my card. Then I stamped the new Shaded Lilac Distress Ink all over the clear block and pressed it onto the card blank. The really cool thing is it created texture on the card! You can really feel the ink spots! :-)

Then I stamped the dandelion, the drifting seeds and the sentiment. In real life, you can see the sentiment much better.


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (white card blank)
Stamps: Great Impressions (dandelion and seeds); Endless Creations (sentiment)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Shaded Lilac and Black Soot)
ETC: EK Success (clear block)



Thanks so very much for visiting today!

~Cynthia

Summer at the Beach

Summer at the Beach, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Happy Monday!!! =D

This page is for those of you, like me, who are currently experiencing cloudy, rainy, misty weather. ;-)

I'm loving that Carolyn over on A Colorful Journey has invited everyone along on a virtual vacation to the beach!

And I'm loving that this month's challenge over on the Inspiration Emporium blog is to "Create a Little Sunshine." (I totally hope a sunset qualifies!! LOL!)

AND I'm loving that it's Monday, so that means Shimelle has another Starting Point scrapbook page challenge up too!

Play along with us if you can!

This photo was taken a few years ago (sigh!) at Hunting Island State Park in South Carolina--my most favorite place to camp in the state! I LOVE to take pictures of the sunrise and sunset each day I'm there. Does that ever get old???? =D

I used Shimelle's recipe and lots of mixy/matchy papers. Some from Crate Paper, a bit from Basic Grey and a flashcard from Tim Holtz.

I guess I had better get back to my housework. Just because it's raining doesn't mean I can take the WHOLE day off to play, now does it??

Well....maybe! ;-)



Thanks so much for dropping in today!


~Cynthia

Birthday a la Susan Raihala

Birthday a la Susan Raihala, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

I ripped this card idea straight off of Susan Raihala's blog, Simplicity. She, in turn, took the idea from Michelle Bertuzzi in Card Creations Volume 10.

Did you get all that?? ;-)

I pretty much used Susan's recipe for this card. I punched out a scalloped circle, then used the negative space as my mask.

I stamped the script stamp in a lighter pink than the ink I used for the Happy Birthday stamp.

Then I smooshed the darker ink pad on some scrap paper and punched out the butterfly.

Twas like a 5-minute card, it was. =D


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (white card blank)
Stamps: Inkadinkado (script stamp); Endless Creations (birthday stamp)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Worn Lipstick, Spun Sugar)
ETC: Martha Stewart (butterfly punch); Marvy Uchida (scallop circle punch)


I haven't created too much this week because I had jury duty. Seriously? Not fun. :-( But that's over and now I have a bit of time to create! Just waiting for the mojo to return. =D

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

~Cynthia

June 2012 Tim Holtz Tag

June 2012 Tim Holtz Tag, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

Woo hoo!!! LOVE June's Tag by Tim Holtz!!!! I mean...tinting an old photo. AWESOME.

So, of course, I didn't have an old photo to tint. So I had to go all MacGyver again this month!

I stamped the lighthouse image on a piece of glossy paper, using Archival Ink. Works like a charm on that glossy paper!

Then I tinted parts of the image using...get this....Distress Markers. NO SMEARING. Awesome!! Yes, the lighthouse looks a tad pink, but I just rolled with that. ;-) I added a grunged up piece of Tim's paper along the bottom of my faux photo.

I also distressed it with Distress Inks and a paper distresser.

Then I grabbed the Alcohol Inks. I inked up the metal letter L on the left there--it stands for lighthouse, of course! I ran a piece of silver tape (the kind used for heating and air conditioning stuff) through a Dymo Label Maker. I embossed the phrase "By The Sea" and then covered it with two brown Alcohol Inks. I lightly sanded the ink off to make the letters more visible.

I also found a key in my stash and covered that with Alcohol Ink too. The little bling on the bottom right was made the same way. I glued a large blue diamond bling to a Chinese coin and added the Alcohol Inks as well.

For the background tag, I put Distress Stains in a puddle on a craft mat and dragged the tag through several times. I dried it and stamped the sand dunes and sea oats.

Finally I dyed the seam binding (it was green) with blue Distress Stain to make it match the tag. Then I adhered everything and did a little happy dance.

Or was I supposed to do a MacGyver Dance? Does he even dance?? ;-)


Supplies:
Paper: Offce tag; Ranger (Glossy Paper); Tim Holtz (Lost and Found paper pad)
Stamps: Seaside Stampin Ink (Just Beachy set); Stacy Stamps (East Bank Lighthouse)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Gathered Twig, Antique Linen); Distress Stain (Picket Fence, Stormy Sky, Frayed Burlap); Distress Markers (assorted); Alcohol Inks (Caramel, Espresso, Silver, Pitch Black); Archival Ink (Coffee)
ETC: The Sewing Place (seam binding); Making Memories (metal alphabet letters); Glue Dots; and lots of stuff I found in my stash! =D



Thanks SO much for stopping by and checking this tag out!! I had a blast making it!! =D


~Cynthia

Beach Vacation

Beach Vacation, a photo by HikerCynthia on Flickr.

I love the first of the month! The crafters in Ali Edwards' One Little Word class host a blog hop, Tim Holtz posts his latest Tag 0f 2012 (uhhhh, insert link HERE when Tim posts his tag!), and I get to turn all the calendars to the next month!

OK, maybe not so much that last one....

But this "first" has Carolyn over at A Colorful Journey inviting us to go on vacation to the beach with her! Well, not really GO, but use that as inspiration to create something--anything!

So here's my card. Very beachy, yes?

I border punched the waves and dusted them with Picket Fence Distress Marker to create the foam.

So cool. *sigh* LOVE Picket Fence....

Then I stamped the sailboat on a scrap piece of paper, cutting out the sails only. I stamped the sailboat again--on the card blank.

I mushed Broken China and Tumbled Glass Distress Inks all over, leaving streaks to get the cloud effect.

I adhered the sails to the image using pop dots and then stamped the seagulls.

Finally I stamped the birthday sentiment down "in" the water. Hee hee!

Won't you join us at the beach?? Surf's up!! =D


Supplies:
Paper: Recollections (white card blank); Bazzill (blue cardstock)
Stamps: Stacy Stamps (sailboat set); Endless Creations (birthday sentiment)
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot, Tumbled Glass, Broken China); Distress Marker (Picket Fence)
ETC: Fiskars (wave border punch); EK Success (Pop Dots); Glue Glider Pro


Have a wonderful weekend!!!!!


~Cynthia

PS:  Here's a shot of Folly Beach, South Carolina, I took back in April.  LOVE Folly!  Best surfing on the East Coast, baby!!!