Blog Hop and New Key File

So, Froggers (read my previous posts to find out why I call you all that), I'm busy creating today, so I don't have time to write a lot, but trust me- I'll have pics soon of what I'm working on. I'm SO excited to show you. Let's just say it has something to do with subway art.
I'm into keys lately, and here's another file.

*This file is no longer available for free. To purchase, go to www.diecutdesigner.com after April 23, 2011. Thanks. Tami

So, stay tuned for my next blog post SOON. 

And, don't forget to check out all these other FAB FROGGERS!

 http://c90designs.blogspot.com/ 

 www.createNcraft.com/  

 http://vickiscreativecraftingcorner.blogspot.com/

 http://sueinct.blogspot.com 

 www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com

 www.creativepointe.blogspot.com

 www.eyeinspire.com/blog/

 http://maestraorquestra.blogspot.com 

 www.thisandthatfromtami.blogspot.com

 http://craftyblonde.blogspot.com/  

 http://dscrapbookingroom.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

Fondly, Tami

 

Duh moments

Hey, Froggers! (friends who are bloggers) So, I got contacts again, except that now that I'm older (don't tell anyone), it's a lot more complicated. I tried bifocal contacts, but I couldn't STAND them, in spite of the fact that I have a good friend who popped hers in, loved them, and never looked back (well, I suppose she really DID look back, since now she had new contacts that worked and was probably thrilled). I'm now wearing monovision contacts, which is an oxymoron, since one of them is bifocal and one is for long-distance sight. I'm still getting used to them, and as a matter of fact, I'm squinting at this very moment.
Diversion...(most people call it multitasking, but I think it's just really ADD), I'm watching a very real commercial right now about Pajama Jeans. Seriously, it looks like an SNL skit. I'm waiting for Tina Fey to show up on the screen. It's truly ridiculous.
So, I was trying to take a picture of my new craft with my brand new *not-cheap* camera. I tried and tried to get it focused, and it wouldn't work. I got quite frustrated when I realized that I was looking through the viewfinder with my bifocal eye. When I switched looking through it with my distance eye, it was miraculously clear. So, I guess I'm going to have to change my old ways.
Anyway, I think I'm nesting again. You see, Youngest is leaving for college in the fall (she's such a sweetie). She's currently homeschooled, but she's approaching the end of her senior year and has so much on her transcript, she doesn't have much that she needs to do. She's currently taking 2 college courses, and when she graduates from high school, she will have 27 college credits. So, I don't need to do a "lot" with her concerning school since she's a smarty-pants and can plan her classes on her own. So, after MANY years of homeschooling, I finally have a little bit more time, thus the Crafting Frenzy.
A few days ago, I saw something in a mag., and as usual, I thought, "I can make that", so I did. I have many types of dried flowers in my basement, so I tapped into my reservoir. I use a variety of methods to dry my flowers, and one of my fave methods is drying them in a desiccant (yes, I had to look up that spelling) called Silicagel, although there are several different types out there (and NEVER buy it at AC Moore or Michael's without a coupon). Here's my newest project: These are my delicate little Japanese Dogwood flowers, although my Oldest (who's a smarty-pants college student) tells me that these white "flowers" are actually leaves. I so rely on her to be botanically correct. These "leaves" were dried in Silicagel. You must cut or pick them when they've only "bloomed" for a day or two. You lay down a nice thick layer of the sandy substance in your container, then you lay these pretties right side up. Once they're placed, with edges NOT touching, you carefully sprinkle more desiccant on top, covering them completely. Seal the container (I usually use Rubbermaid) and don't peek for a few weeks. After you have waited patiently (I put the date that I can peek on the calendar which gives me something to look forward to), you carefully open your container, tilt it slightly, and expose your "flowers". They will be dry (after all, that's the point), so be careful. These blooms are at least 6 years old. I dried many when I HAD a J. Dogwood (I have one now, but it's a baby and isn't producing for me yet). I often use them on my Christmas tree or my stairway garland. They are just so pretty. I just realized that this blog post has become l...o...n...g. So, without further delay, I wanted you to see my round key svg file.
*This file is no longer available for free. To purchase, go to www.diecutdesigner.com after April 23, 2011. Thanks. Tami

I hope you enjoy my creations. I really do aspire to encourage!
It's time to go take these *&^%$#@ contacts out! Fondly, Tami

Revitalized lampshade, Re-purposed stamping blocks , New file, and More snow!

OK, Froggers (remember, that's my abbreviation for "friends who are bloggers")! I had to run the snowblower AGAIN this morning. Actually, I really like it, but I just wasn't expecting another big snow and a school cancellation. I mean, some of our biggest snows have actually been in March. WHY on EARTH would I expect another big snow in February??? Sheesh. Well, since the weather isn't cooperating for outside activity, I'm doing a little more crafting than usual. I have this delightful little lamp- Baldwin brass- that I bought at a midnight sale when I was about 21 (uh-um...a few years ago). It was a really fun sale. The later you came after midnight, the deeper the sales were. I don't remember what I paid for this little gem, but it wasn't a lot.

As you can see, the shade is rather boring. I believe it's the original shade. So, I decided to spruce it up while I was waiting for my pasta to cook. I often sneak in little projects while dinner is in the oven or I'm thawing something in the microwave. I'm so efficient with my time like that. I would never waste my time on the internet, browsing blogs for hours at a time to get decorating or crafting ideas, or checking my Facebook account for the most up-to-date updates. No, that's not how I roll (please, God, forgive me for lying). Anyway, here's what I came up with for an extra little punch in my bedroom....
I am so thrilled with how it turned out. I did, however, have an acrylic paint emergency. You know- the time when you have a few minutes to paint and you discover that you don't have black acrylic paint? How can that possibly happen? It's like discovering that you've run out of milk or toilet paper, which I can't imagine happening in this house. Well, thanks to my neighbor, Krafty Kim, I was supplied with an emergency ration to complete the job. For those of you who've never done anything like this before, it is easy-peasy! You pick a font you like on your 'puter, blow it up to the appropriate size, tape it to the inside of your shade, use a small paint brush and acrylic paint, and voila! I think it adds so much charm to this little lamp.

My next fun project was to use up those wooden blocks from which I unmounted my rubber stamps. I just knew there was something I could do with them, and I think I did this one while my chicken was baking. You take a wood mounted stamp like this:

You unmount the rubber. Keep the sticky stuff on it. That will help with mounting your paper.

Then, you just decorate it. Pardon the pics. They aren't high quality (I think they were done with my cell phone). Here, I painted all sides except the sticky one. I distressed them with a sanding block. Then I took some sheet music, glued it onto the sticky part, sanded the edges, inked the edges with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo, added a layered flower that I had stamped with a word stamp, added a brad-type thingy (found in the jewelry section at Michael's, on sale, of course), then added the little number medallion (again, found in the jewelry dept.). I also mod podged the sheet music after I applied it to the block. I think it is just charming (I just finished watching Downton Abbey on PBS, so I'm feeling a little British).

  

I believe that's it for today. I'm going to be in keeping with my traditional snow day by refusing to don the appropriate garments befitting a lady (if you know what I mean). Can you say COMFORTABLE???
Fondly, Tami

So, Froggers (that's my new name for all of you, which is a short version of *friends who are bloggers*), here's my latest project. I wanted something for over my bed in my bedroom re-do, but the object is not to spend money, since one child is in college and another is entering next year (donations are still being accepted...). I took this faded pressed fern framed piece, which was in HubbyDoc's office years ago, and decided to repurpose it. I took it apart, turned the fern around (discovering that it was just one big piece of mat board), and painted the board our coordinting color of our bedroom (Martha Stewart Geyser). I antiqued the edges after it was on since the paint was a little too much. I spray-painted the silver frame with one coat of black spray paint, wanting it to be black, but after 1 coat, it sort-of looked like hematite, which I really liked, so I kept it that way. I used Basic Gray paper, my SCAL, and voila! I like the end result, and will do another one to coordinate (we have a total of 3 of these- yipee!). Let me know what you think.

This is the before picture And after...

Sorry the pics aren't really good quality. I kinda did them in a hurry.

And, last but not least, here's another file I made. I didn't have time to cut it out today, so I'm not sure how it will cut. I'll let you know later how it fares. As usual, I LOVE comments, so let me know what you think! Enjoy! Fondly, Tami

*This file is no longer available for free. To purchase, go to www.diecutdesigner.com after April 23, 2011. Thanks. Tami

Another "placemat"

So, I love the idea of creating full designs that I can use as placemats. Here's one that was made using the Hawaiian font (I think from Dafont.com, but I'm not sure). It's a dingbat font and I've used it to make some lovely edges for cards (pre-blogging days, so I don't have pics, but rest assured, I'll make more in the future and this time I'll take pics for y'all).This time, I actually cut it out before I posted it. This is what it looks like. Wouldn't it be pretty cut out of white paper for a winter (which is becoming a curse word in my house) theme? I cut one out of red since it's Valentine's season and it's also my favorite color. A note of caution, though. This takes FOREVER to pull off of your mat. Use a sharp blade, a medium sticky mat (if it's too sticky, you'll pull your hair instead of the paper), and good card stock (I think this was core-dinations).
 **This file is no longer available for free. To purchase, go to www.diecutdesigner.com after April 23, 2011.


And, speaking of my favorite color, these always add a special touch when it's as cold as a brass bra outside. We've had this amaryllis for many years. HubbyDoc knows how to grow 'em, and I just enjoy 'em. And, yes folks, that is STILL my Christmas garland in the background. I just love how it turned out this year and I'm loathe to take it down. So, sue me. Here's a close-up. We have several more plants in the house. The pink one is blooming as well, and we have about 6 more buds, including some minis. They help to carry us through this season.

So, as HubbyDoc and I are getting ready to send Youngest off to college this fall, we're thinking of more things we can do together. We already ride bikes, but I'm considering getting cross-country skis. Seriously. I feel so pent up inside right now, and I'd break my neck downhill skiing, so I'm thinking of taking up an activity that's flat and slow but that will get us outside. I'll keep you posted. However, having a second child in college might mean we'll be outside all the time because we'll be HOMELESS. Well, probably not, but I might be asking for handouts next year about this time. Anyway, as usual, leave me some blog love if you feel like it. I so enjoyed all the comments from the previous post. Thanks, Froggers! (that's my abbreviation for friends who are bloggers. Not sure if it's original, but I just thought of it so I think it is) Fondly, Tami P.S. My previous design will cut, but it's SO very fine in some places. You might be better off just using your Crikits or your Cricut pens for that one.

Flowers and hearts

So, with all of this cold weather, I'm thinking Valentine's Day (i'd better get moving with my chocolate truffles, especially since i have a college student and her friends to treat) and SPRING!!! So, what better way to celebrate than to make an SVG file of flowers and hearts. I just designed it and haven't cut it (we all know that designing and cutting can be two different bears). I was kinda pleased with it. Remember, these intricate files can double as placemats. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to cut some out of red card stock and serve my VD dinner on them. I think with a little bit of glitter, they'll be glam enough to use with some steak or crab and some vino, of course! Enjoy! And BTW, I'm feeling a little bit unloved since people don't leave many comments on my blog. I mean, I really do have a social life. Well, sorta. So, if you can think of anything to say- like you did a load of wash today, or you crafted something absolutely FAB, or you need some prayer for somethin', just drop this cooped-up frumpy middle-aged lady a line. Fondly, Tami

*This file is no longer available for free. To purchase, go to www.diecutdesigner.com after April 23, 2011. Thanks. Tami

Act like a skinny person

That's my new motto. I'm sick of being fat. I'm not getting any younger. What am I waiting for? So, I'm really working on losing weight. That said, I've been thinking about delicious low fat food (can there be such a thing?), and I was reminded about my Big Mac sauce. You know- the kind that just makes a Big Mac a Big Mac. Years ago (and I mean centuries), my mom and I were craving a Big Mac, but we really didn't live near a MacDonald's and we couldn't easily just go out and get one. So, being the excellent cook that she is, she decided to make some Big Mac sauce. The ingredients are simple (and since, I'm sure there have been "recipes" posted, but my Mom did it first!). Mix ketchup, *low fat* or *fat free* mayo, and sweet pickle relish. That's it. When I grill hamburgers for the Fam, I just make a small one for myself and put it on a bed of lettuce with my *special sauce*, lettuce, cheese (sparingly), pickles, onions, without the sesame seed bun (and I throw in some tomatoes for good measure). It's yummy, and not bad for you, either. Try it and let me know if you like it! BTW, I looked for my SVG Mardis Gras mask and discovered I deleted it! UGH! Don't cha hate it when that happens? Anyway, I will be fabricating one in the next few days, so stay tuned! How are you all doing with this bad weather today? We were supposed to get up to an inch of ice, but it wasn't that bad so far. However, *they* say that the worst of it is to come, so we'll see. I'm just glad I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow. Fondly, Tami