Welcome to Distinctive Touches...

My Long Awaited Return! (and some important changes)

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:37:16 -0500

Well.. the wait is over. I’m back... and better than ever! So what was the hold-up?

I MOVED!!! You can find me HERE... Stop in and check out my new blog pad!

Please make sure to update your bookmarks and blog links.
Thank You!
Colleen

A Mini Vacation...

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:35:53 -0500

So, you’ve all been wondering where I got off to huh? I’d love to say that I have been spending time soaking up the sun on a warm, tropical beach, but unfortunately that would be a lie.
My schedule suddenly filled up with special certification classes and training in-services that I wasn’t expecting. I have been doing my life guarding certification, and also my CPR and First Aid certifications, and then on Thursday and Friday of last week I headed up to Tulsa to attend a certification class for the Arthritis Foundation water exercise. Phew...I am definitely certifiable after all of these classes!
I’m also putting the final touches on a few more classes over at My Creative Classroom. We have been working on a HUGE project over there that we will be revealing in the next week or so also.
And of course, I am trying to get ready to head to New Jersey this weekend for my Ranger University Certification class! Whoooo hoooo!
Of course, with all that going on, I haven’t had time to get into my studio at all...and I haven’t had time to blog either. So.... I’m going to be taking the rest of this week and all of next week off to get “Rangerized” and certified... and then I will be back... with lots of new ideas and fun techniques I’m sure...
So, until then... take it easy and be crafty!
Hugs,
colleen

Just Ho-Hum...

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:09:07 -0500

Ever make a card that was pretty, but just didn’t do anything for you? I did...
I was making my card yesterday for Cammie’s blog and I was so in love with it that I decided to just continue making cards with those same elements. After all... they worked the first time around.
Well... they didn’t work so well the second or third time around. I don’t know what happened... I think that first card just took up all my creative mojo and left me with nothing!
Remember the yummy rust and blue and green and tan of yesterday’s card? Well... I used the same group of papers (at least they were all in the same paper pack anyway...) and this is what I came up with for my second card. Now granted... it isn’t anywhere near as fancy-smanchy as yesterdays card... but I didn’t really want it to be. I wanted simple elegance. What I got was simple.
There really is nothing WRONG with this card. It actually looks better today than it did yesterday.... but it just doesn’t do much for me. Sort of blah! Just Ho-Hum.
I used sahara sand for the card base, bayou blue and real rust for the layers. The white and rust patterned papers are from The Paper Studio. I stamped the swirl from Baroque Motifs in versamark and then embossed with tan distress embossing powder. I stamped the flower image from Verve’s Beautiful You (twice) and cut them out. A little brush with water made the inked lines spread a bit for just a touch of color. I ticket punched the corners to give a little more blue and then tied an ivory grosgrain ribbon around the panel.
I guess that this would make a nice generic notecard...too bad I needed a birthday card and not a “hey, just stopping in to say Hi!” card. Oh Well... into my stash it goes. I’m sure I’ll find a use for it someday.
Here’s to Ho-Hum cards...
Colleen
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Thank You!

A Special Request...(and a chance to win big!)

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:31:11 -0500

I’m late posting today for a very good reason. I was busy making a card. Well, not just any card, but a very special card. I decided to skip my planned Technique Tuesday card for this special post. For those of you who don’t know, Carolyn King (Cammie) recently released her newest stamp set through Gina K Designs called Whimsical Autumn. This set is very special... 100% of it’s proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Association. Not just today, not just this week or this month, but ALWAYS. WOW!!!
Cammie’s grandmother passed away in June from complications of this terrible disease and she wanted to help in any way she could. She has... and if you have purchased this set, so have you. But there are others who help out every single day... and they often don’t get any recognition. The caregivers. And to that end, Cammie has set up a blog candy that is out of this world! I mean... it is HUGE! The winner will receive over $1,000 worth of stuff... all donated by some fabulous companies and wonderful artists. You can check out how to win HERE.
After seeing her post yesterday afternoon, I knew I needed to make a card. Not just for a chance to win that fan-tabulous prize, but because I truly think caregivers (of any disease) are very special people and don’t often get the pat on the back they deserve. So... here’s my card to a caregiver. I have a very special someone in mind for this card... she doesn’t consider herself a caregiver.. but she certainly is.
The card measures 8 x 4 (I wanted to super-size it)... and has LOTS going on. I used some brand new paper called “della fantasia” from The Paper Studio. It is this yummy, scrumptious rust and blue and olive and tan... mmmmmm. I used bayou blue and old olive cardstock for matting. The center portion is stamped with the solid flower image from Boho Blossom from MFT and then overlapped with the lined image embossed with distress embossing powder from Ranger. I colored some large brads with a brown Copic and added some wide grosgrain ribbon. The chipboard embellishment is colored with my old olive ink pad and then sponged with chocolate chip ink. The sentiment is from Verve’s All About You set. The entire front panel is popped up on the cardbase. I have to say that I am super excited about this card. I can’t wait for my caregiver friend to get it.
If you haven’t checked out Cammie’s blog for more details about this fabulous cause... get on over THERE now!
Hugs to you,
Colleen

Playing Games - TAG!

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:51:03 -0500

Why does it seem that the week is sooooo long and the weekends are just so short? I never seem to have enough time to do the things I want. Oh well... add ‘em to the list I guess.
Sometimes don’t you just want to be a kid again? Throw all of the responsibilities and expectations out the window and just be carefree? Oh, to be young again and wild and free!
One of the things I liked best about childhood was the games we played. We would be outside from sun-up to sun-down... with nothing more than a jump rope, a basket ball, and a piece of cardboard. We used our imaginations to create mysterious lands... full of vivid adventures and quests. Ahhhh, child hood...
Today I decided that I am going to throw my duties out the window (or at least place them in the drawer for now) and play... and I want you to play along! I was tagged over the weekend by Crissy, and now I want to pass along the game. Here are the rules:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Ready to play?
1 - I am terrified of butterflies. I hate them... uuugh! I once was chased by a Monarch and it tried to beat me to death with it’s wings... really! (This would so NOT be me... standing calmly watching them... oh no, I’d be running and screaming!)
2 - I have this thing about texture... when I walk through a store, I can not help but touch everything... clothing, materials, toys, furniture, plants.... I just have to feel the texture of each thing.
3 - I love Thai food... I mean really LOVE it... I think I’d marry it if I could. (Which is a shame.... because there is no good Thai food in the middle of Oklahoma...)
4 - My two front teeth are false. (A terrible accident during 3rd grade gym class.... students were horrified and shocked!)
5 - I’ve lost 15 pounds!!! Yippie!!!
6 - I’m actually not a fan of Halloween. We usually try to be gone for the evening if possible... if we are home, we hide out with all the lights off so the neighbors don’t come visiting. (Oh I know.... boo hiss!)
7 - I played the drums for eons... I was pretty good... as far as drummers go! LOL
Okay... I hope I supplied you with your daily chuckle. I’m passing along the tag to....
Monica and Tim
Libby
Sarah
Jessica
Shirley
Sara (send her well-wishes for her mom!)
Kathy
Okay... I’ll be more responsible tomorrow with a new card for you... so stop back then!
Hugs,
Colleen

Friday Featured Card - By Crissy Armstrong

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:20:20 -0500

Another week comes to a close... and you know what that means! A wonderful card picked from all the gorgeous creations this week at SCS.
Today I am going to share with you an ADORABLE card by one of the most talented “colorers” out there. (Is that even a word?) This snowman card was created by Crissy Armstrong, AKA #1artist4highhopes. OMGosh... isn’t this just the cutest? That cowboy snowman would be perfect for out here in Oklahoma (except we don’t get snow really...) And that name... Will E. Melt... bwaaa haaahaa! Love it! (You can find them at High Hopes.) I picked this card today for two reasons. #1 - you all know how much I love cute. And Crissy does cute better than anyone I know! The other reason is because of her coloring. Man... this girl has skills!!! No kidding! Just look at how realistic that snow looks. Brrrrr, makes me cold just looking at it!
Seriously, this card has it all. An uber cute image (colored impeccably), a great layout, and embellishments that really enhance the look. That’s why this is my Friday feature card this week, and Crissy is my featured artist. You can check out more of her work at her blog Crissy’s Art & Heart. Grab a cuppa Jo and go visit... you won’t be sorry you did!
I was so inspired by this card, I had to drop everything and run to my studio. My mojo was kicking in and I just sort of went with the flow. I knew right away that my creation had to be ‘cute’ ... and of course... colored in (surprise - surprise!). With halloween coming up, I grabbed this Whipper Snapper image and got to work. I started by coloring her in with my Kooh-I-Nor pencils and OMS. I then added some extra shadows with just the colored pencils (without blending) and of course some highlights with my white pen. Everything came together pretty quickly on this one. I pulled the purple and green colors from my image and kept the layout simple. I add just a few embellishments, but I think that they really add to the fun feel of the card. Of course, I couldn’t finish without adding some doodles and dots... and a super sassy sentiment from Eat Cake Graphics.
Now that I look at my card... I noticed that I didn’t color her hair! GASP... well, I guess she could very well have black hair, but I like to give her a reddish/orange sort of look... a bit frizzled around the edges... I’ll have to go back and add that.... and you will just have to use your imagination this morning! LOL
That’s it from me today... I’m planning on enjoying the weekend and taking it easy! I hope you are able to do the same. Thanks for stopping by... and a BIG thanks to Crissy for being such an inspiration this week.
Colleen

Thursday Throwdown - Call Me Crazy!

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:06:34 -0500

You know how there are some days that you just want to throw in the towel, stop the merry-go-round, or hide under the covers? Well, today’s one of those days... or I should say yesterday afternoon was one of those days. I won’t go into details, let’s just say that when employees are given a job to do... why am I the only one to do it? What ever happened to responsibility? Don’t they know their laziness impacts others?
Yeah... it was one of THOSE kind of days. So of course, I burrowed myself into my studio, closed the door, and did a bit of craft therapy. I have to say... it worked wonders. Within hours, I was back to my normal, bubbly self.
I think that was because I made a card... for myself! We sometimes are so busy with creating cards for birthdays, anniversaries and friends and family, we often forget to send a little lovin our own way.
Here’s my card to myself... you can tell just what sort of mood I was in... a little bit defeated and a whole lot of sassy. LOL Both the “cliff” image and the “edge” sign are from Eat Cake Graphics. I’ll admit, when I ordered these stamps, I wasn’t sure exactly how I was going to use them, but I thought they were just so clever. Now, I have the perfect use for them... they make a great “get over it, feel better, hang in there, don’t jump” kind of card.
I started by stamping the cliff twice, once on the white layer and once on scrap paper. I cut out the one from the scratch paper and masked the image that I was going to use for the card. I then created an oval shaped frame and used that as a mask on the white layer too. Out came my Copic airbrush unit and I quickly spritzed in a sky. (You can’t see it well in the photo, but there are a few different shades of blue creating a bit of depth.) I then pulled off the masks and started coloring in the cliff. (Do you see that little pink thing in the dirt? That’s a mole. Mine is pink, because that is the color of the baby ones my doggie kills....uuugh!) Anyway, I also stamped, colored, and cut out the sign and popped it precariously on the edge as a warning. It reads, “The Edge. The first step’s a doozy!” Bwaaaa haaahaa! Yup... definitely sassy!
I finished off the card by layering with black and a cardbase of sky blue. I also wanted to add my own little message to myself, so I stamped “Hang In There” with my Karen Foster Snap Stamps.
I think it helped. I’m feeling much better now.... breath in... breath out....
And hey... this is supposed to be a challenge right? So I am throwing down the gauntlet (hey.. better than throwing in the towel). I challenge you to make a card... FOR YOU! Anything goes. Have you had good news? Shout about it! Just have a birthday, celebrate it! Have a bad day? Give yourself a pick-me-up. Just post a link in this entry and tell me what prompted the card. I’ll share your creations with my readers next week.

In my Red, White, and Blue challenge of last week, Janine (Jay Bee) created this adorable card. Janine lives in the UK, but still wanted to play along, so she made this card for her niece who recently passed her driving test. Way to go!

I’ll return again tomorrow with a new Featured Card! Calming Cuddles!
Colleen

Please Don’t Feed the Bears!

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:44:18 -0500

Morning Peeps! Another shimmery and cool morning here. Nate was playing in a golf tournament this morning and was a bit worried that his T-time would be postponed because of the fog...you couldn’t even see our fence surrounding the yard. But alas, once the sun poked through, it burned off quickly.
Nate is off again this afternoon on another business trip. This time, it’s back to Portland! Oh, I so wish I could go with him. I miss Portland. Out of all the cities we have lived near, Portland was the best. He will be stuck in meetings the whole time he is there, so he is bummed that he can’t do some visiting.
Every time Nate heads out, I try to make him a card to stash in his luggage. This time, I made him this card. Nothing special... just a note! LOL The image is Arthur Alooishus in his little striped shirt from Eat Cake Graphics. Isn’t he just a doll? And of course, he is holding a sign that reads, “Do Not Feed the Bears” but that sneaky Alooishus has crossed out the NOT with a red marker and he is just begging for a good lunch!
Now, there’s not really a good story behind why I used this image for my husband’s card.. only that I sometimes call him my big teddy bear... except now after losing over 50 lbs, he really isn’t big at all... and like Alooishus, he could probably do with a good Big Mac and Fries! LOL
The Deets: I used some Archaic patterned paper from Basic Grey, mounted it on Sahara Sand and Almost Artichoke. I had some brads that matched perfectly, so I added those along the right hand side. (I tend to put most of my embellishments on the left hand side, so this was a bit of an “out of the box” experience for me. I couldn’t put them on the left though because I have this uber cool stitching that is actually embossed on the Sahara Sand strip. Isn’t that neat? I got a new set of Cuttlebug templates that are borders only. I used a green marker to outline one side of the stitching to make it stand out even more. And of course I used my Copics to color the cute little guy. (I’m going to have to hide my markers soon so that some of my other coloring tools get a chance to come out and play!) The circles are each popped up to add dimension. (The sign is cut out and popped up too.)
I’m off this afternoon to get back into the pool. I have more lifeguard training classes and need to do some of my skills tests. Boy... it sure was easier 20 years ago when I was half this age! My poor body isn’t in the same shape as all these young bucks. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up... and not be too sore tomorrow!
Hugs to you,
Colleen

Technique Tuesday - Heat Embossing... Silhouettes

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:29:23 -0500

I woke this morning to a beautiful view... the field behind our house was shimmery and sparkled with early morning frost and there was a low fog overhanging everything. The weak sunlight poured though the fog to glisten on the flowers.
That sight was the inspiration for today’s card. I have been using my Silhouette Flowers a lot lately and out they came again... I knew I wanted something soft and simple. I stamped the silhouettes with VersaMark ink and covered with black embossing powder. After heating it with my heat tool, I brayered on some sunny yellow over the whole background. I then masked a circle for the sun and brayered over the piece again with pumpkin. After that dried, I sponged real rust around the edges. Once all the ink dried, I wiped the excess off the embossed images with a towel. Then, I pulled the mask off to reveal the sun. Since I wanted to show that little bit of glisten, I added some highlights with my white gel pen. I then mounted the whole thing on black and added it to a rust cardbase. I probably should have left it like that... or maybe added a few brads to the corner, but instead I messed it up with a window punch of black with “just a note” hand printed (poorly) on it.
I tend to forget how easy heat embossing is, but there have been a lot of great cards out there lately using this technique. I’m so glad I whipped out this oldie-but-goodie. And I’m so glad my view this morning was so inspirational.
Thanks for stopping by!
Colleen

Windy Weekend!

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:22:45 -0500

Thanks to everyone who checked in with me over the weekend to make sure we were okay here. We watched Hurricane Ike anxiously as we have some friends in both Florida and Texas. When we found out the storm was headed straight for our friends in Texas, we got a bit worried. Luckily, they were spared most of the storm’s power and had little damage. Then of course on Saturday, we watched even more anxiously as it turned into a tropical storm and headed our way! Who would have thought we would experience a tropical storm here in Oklahoma? We actually caught one of the larger “rain bands” and had quite the night on Saturday. It had been raining and ookie all day, but at around 10:30 the winds picked up as the storm howled through the area. They say it dumped about 5 inches of rain on our already soaked little town. Thankfully, the sun is out today in full force. While it is much cooler around here, the clouds seemed to have left and the skies are clear.
Today has been a busy day (as usual) with my ABC’s of ATC’s class starting and me being back in the pool (thank goodness!) But I did want to do a quick post and show you one of my favorite projects.
I go through spurts of “altered journal” making and this is on of my favorites. I made this as a part of a kit and you can see it also has a beaded pen. This would be the perfect bedside journal... to write down notes to yourself when you can’t sleep, ideas that are floating around in your head keeping you awake, or even reflections of the day. I used up the last of my Addison Paper from K&Company and paired it with some olive cardstock. The sentiment is actually printed on acetate which is layered over some shimmer white paper with the caribbean swirls. The whole front piece is layered and popped up for dimension. Of course, you can’t have a dreamy journal without loads of ribbon ties around the spirals... and a sweet matching beaded pen.
My next new class offering at MCC is going to be a download and go type class for altered inspiration journals like this. I’ll let you know when it is planned and ready to post! And hey... did you come celebrate with us last week for our Fall Kick Off? If so, you may have won a free class... check out our site news or Student Activity Center to see who the lucky ones were... I know at least ONE of my blog readers is on that list!
That’s it from the funny farm. I have to get the office cleaned up today because we bought a new computer and are picking it up from Tulsa tonight... that means Nate won’t be able to sleep tonight for all the excitement... technical toys are his favorite!
I’ll be back in the morning with a super easy technique and a pretty new card to share.
Until then...
Colleen

Friday Featured Card... Kim MacNutt

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:20:45 -0500

Good afternoon all! I hope you are looking forward to the weekend. I’ve got some hard core cleaning planned (our garage), but I am hoping to find some time to craft too. I need some ‘me’ time! I was barely able to eek out a few minutes in my craft room this morning to make a card for my Friday Feature.
Today’s trip though the gallery left me drooling over this beauty by Kim MacNutt (nuttnhoney over at SCS). Isn’t this just stunning? I was immediately drawn to the rich autumn colors. It is the typical halloween colors (black and orange) and yet it isn’t halloweeny at all. It actually looks sophisticated and elegant! I adore the textured background with the leaves and the quote is beautiful. And that orange panel it is on... WOW can you believe that is pumpkin paper with inks sponged on? Stunning!
And guess what? The inside is just as pretty as the outside! OMG... I am so jealous!
You HAVE to check out Kim’s blog Stamping Between The Dishes and the Laundry. Besides it having a super cool name, her blog ROCKS!!! I just love the way Kim puts colors and patterns (often created herself) together. Amazing... go check it out!
Okay... so you know the drill. I browse the gallery, find a card that inspires me, and then I get creative!
I don’t know how creative I was this morning... here’s my card. I REALLY wanted to use reds and oranges... since that is what first drew me to the card, but I just couldn’t find a good stamp set or paper to use... so I settled for my own favorite color... blue. I used Kim’s basic layout really.. and while I started with a square card, I ended up chopping it down because I wasn’t feeling it. I LOVE the silhouette flower stamp (from Clear Impressions)... and the sentiment (from Verve). I used a scallop shape on the bottom to give it a softer look and tied a bow around a metal swirl. My white gel pen came in handy for the stitching and for the highlights on the flowers.
While this card doesn’t make me drool like Kim’s did, I’m pretty happy with the way it turned out.
Thanks Kim for being an inspiration to me (an my readers) today!
Hugs,
Colleen

Thursday Throwdown! I Remember Red, White and Blue

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 06:00:18 -0500

I remember. I remember being in the middle of a lecture on Why We Study Literature. I remember hearing the news and not fully comprehending. I remember the TV being wheeled into my classroom and the images that horrified the world. I remember having to comfort 30 young adults as we watched our country change.
Each year I remember. I remember the faces of some of those young adults as they came back two years later to tell me they were going to fight for our country. I remember the pride in their eyes. I remember the formality of their uniforms. I remember how they shook as I hugged them good-bye.
I remember...
I’d like to honor those memories today with a RED, WHITE and BLUE challenge. Make a card, make a tag, make a scrapbook page, heck... make a cake; just make it red, white and blue.
When I got this image in my DT package from Eat Cake, I knew immediately what I wanted to do with it. It is one of Holly’s newest images, and it is one of my fast favorites. I stamped the image with Ranger’s Adirondack Pitch Black and colored it in with my Copics. I wanted to keep the color scheme simple... so it was red, white, and blue... with a little grey and a little brown thrown in. Isn’t that image just so adorable? I mounted the main image on a thin black mat and then popped it up on a red card base with a blue strip across the middle. I dry embossed the blue layer with the dotted Cuttlebug folder and then I figured I would continue that look with the holes punched across the bottom. I wanted to bring them out a bit more, so I stitched in between them with my white gel pen. I was planning on doing the same thing to the top, but I realized I couldn’t punch far enough in... DRAT!
Oh Well... I like how it turned out anyway. And the sentiment rings so true... “If it weren’t for the brave, there’d be no land of the free.”
Help me remember today... create something in Red, White, and Blue.

Last week, Janine participated in my day-late patterned paper challenge and created this pretty card. I think it is gorgeous paper and I love the way she spiced it up with the ribbon and sparkle. And that sentiment is just too cute! Thanks for Playing Janine!
Hugs,
Colleen
PS - If you are unable to comment on my blog, I think I may have an answer for you. A way long time ago I got my own domain name for my blog. If you have my blog bookmarked or linked under the old address (it still brings you to the right site), you probably can’t comment. Try this. Click on this link www.distinctivetouches.com and bookmark that. Get rid of the old link or old bookmark. Thanks!

Oh Baby!

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:00:47 -0500

Short and sweet today...
First off... I know some of you have mentioned that you can’t make comments on my posts. Yup... I know... neither can I! It has something to do with Firefox. I get an error message when I am trying to use Firefox and yet Safari works fine for me. I’m still checking it out... hang in there with me!
Now onto my project... My friend at work is 8 1/2 months pregnant with her first child. She hates every minute of being pregnant! She is super adorable, but she feels bloated and cumbersome and just plain tired. She is a gal that is normally go-go-go, so limiting her activity has been difficult for her.
To help her out (and to celebrate her daughter’s birth), I made up a CD of some soothing and relaxing music. There is also a CD full of nursery rhymes and song for her little girl.
I just made a small “folder” with bottom pockets for the CD’s, folded it in half, and tied a ribbon around it to close it. Then I used some pre-made embellishments to cutsie it up.
The only problem? I tied a knot instead of a bow, so she is going to have to cut the ribbon to open it up.
Oh Well, I hope the music helps. I know when I’m stressed or worn out, music always seems to help me. I’ll be back tomorrow with a BRAVE new challenge!
*Remember to come chat with me tonight from 8-10 CST tonight at My Creative Classroom... you just might win something!
Hugs,
Colleen

Technique Tuesday - Cotton Scraps Card

Tue, 9 Sep 2008 13:13:40 -0500

Thanks everyone for your virtual hugs yesterday. I’m doing well... or at least as well as can be expected. I’m off of work for the week... and I’m pretty bummed about that, but at least I can take it easy and heal.
Today I want to share a very special card I made. This is for my good friend Susan (waving hi). Susan and I didn’t know each other very long, but we became great friends quickly... and now that I have moved away, I miss her tremendously. So this car is for her.
About three months ago, I purchased some Homespun Cotton Scraps from Crafty Secrets. The Homespun Cotton Scraps are these gorgeous cotton twill sheets that have images printed on them. They are absolutely stunning! Anyway... I was so afraid to use mine because I didn’t want to ruin them. Today, I decided to pull them out and try my hand at them.
This is the finished card I made. I am so excited about how it turned out! I started with the robin image cotton scrap and cut it out. I pulled the threads on the edges so they would fray and attached it to a rust layer of cardstock. That is mounted on an artichoke piece that has the corners punched out. I then wrapped some dark green thread around that main image. I layered some distressed pattern paper from my Basic Grey collection and matted them with the rust cardstock again. the whole piece is layered onto a large artichoke cardbase. I pulled out some of my new Ideology Grungboard by Tim Holtz (I’ll review that cool product another day..) and painted it up. I then sanded some of the paint off to give it a distressed look. A few brads and a metal tag sentiment finish up this card.
What do you think? Sort of earthy and natural... I kind of like it! I hope Susan does too.
Are you looking for something fun to do this week? How about joining us over at My Creative Classroom for our Fall Kick-Off Event? We are introducing a few new instructors, showcasing some great new classes, and offering some awesome prizes! Yup... I said prizes. And they are easy to win... you don’t have to do anything except join us for the party. We are also hosting a live chat tomorrow from 10-12 AM and 8-10 PM (CST)... the topic... organization! It all happens in the Student Activity Center (SAC). (You have to be a registered at the MCC site... so it will prompt you to log in.)
I’m off... I’ve got a few design team projects to finish up! I’ll be back with something to share again tomorrow.
Hugs!
Colleen

Beauty Secrets 101

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 10:31:43 -0500

Hope you all had a great weekend. Me... well... not so much. It was a bit painful.
I’ll show you my card and tell you my story...
Remember that “blue, guy alien” that I stamped a week or so ago? This is the matching “girl alien” stamp that I purchased. I had no idea what I wanted to use them for or what kind of card I would make with them, but I thought they were cute... so I bought them.
Well, this little gal came in handy today. Why you ask? You see... she is me... I mean... I am her... I mean... I LOOK like her. Today anyway! (Okay, so I’m not blue and I don’t have three ears, but I DO have arms like her.)
Here’s what happened:
I told you I teach water aerobics every day right? Well, a girl gets tired of shaving every single day... so I went to the store to find an alternative hair removal system. What I found was pure torture!
Have you ever used a hair removal cream? Namely Nair? Well DON’T!
I read the directions, tested my legs (worked great on my legs) and then moved to my underarms. The directions say to slather this stuff on nice and thick and then leave it sit for 5-10 minutes. Well, after about 30 seconds I started to feel a burning sensation. It progressively got worse and I decided to end the pain by jumping into a cool shower and rinsing the stuff off (after only 1 minute or so). As I was gently dabbing and rubbing to get the cream off (did you know it was made to stay on in the shower?) my skin literally started to peel off. Honestly... I’m NOT making this up. I was in tears and the burning was sooooo bad. I couldn’t stand the pain of the water hitting my raw (and now bleeding) skin, so I filled a tub with cold water and jumped in. Aside from the cardiac arrest I almost had, the cold water did nothing to relieve the burn.
Eventually, I got the cream off and looked at the carnage. My underarms were raw, swollen, and bleeding. I didn’t know what to do. I was out of my head with pain. So..... um... yeah, I rummaged though the medical cupboard and found some antibacterial spray for minor cuts and burns... I closed my eyes and sprayed it on. I prayed... I prayed to die. Did you know that those sprays have an antiseptic that BURNS? Well, DUH!
Once I regained consciousness, I realized I couldn’t put my arms down. The skin (what was left of it) would stick together and when I moved it would tear off even more and the bleeding would ensue again. So I stood with my arms above my head.... for a few hours. Then I sat with my arms above my head... for a few more hours.
Eventually I realized I needed help. My diagnosis (besides being completely stupid)... chemical burns. Treatment.... cleanse the burns, apply antibacterial ointment, and cover. Change dressing every few hours as needed.
So off to bed I went. (Did you ever try to sleep with large gauze pads taped to your pits and your arms over your head?)
This morning I am stiff and very sore. The dressings had to be soaked off... since they had stuck firmly to my raw skin... and new ones applied. I have progressed to walking around with my arms straight out at my sides and bent at the elbows...hands on hips... just like the alien girl on my card. I’m not kidding... I look just like that. About as happy too.
So much for trying to be beautiful. My attempt left me stubbly (um yeah... took off the skin but not the hair), oozy, and nasty. I think from now on I’ll just let it grow and braid it. (eewwww!)
Oh well... it’s just another typical day in my life.
I’ll be back tomorrow with a REAL card and a cool look at a neat product!
I’d hug you, but I can’t move my arms...
Colleen