A Kindred Spirit

I was browsing through the Handmade Confessional project over on the Etsy.com blog and came across this video. I found a kindred spirit. Well, actually I found a lot of kindred spirits, but I just love Wendy's perspective on crafters and our tendency to "enable" each other.

Save the Plastic Trees! (a recycling reminder)

You're probably asking yourself, "What is that?" Well, like many households this weekend, we are digging out from under all the wrapping paper, boxes, and other packaging left over from the frenzy of Christmas morning. I always feel sorry for the garbage collectors this time of year.

Anyway, I wanted to remind everyone to save plastic "shell" packages like these. They're great to use for all types of projects including window and shaker cards, pillow boxes cut with the Sizzix Big Shot machine, and die-cut embellishments like Heidi Swapp's Ghost Shapes. You can even use them to make imaging sheets for your Stamp-a-ma-jig. There are lots of uses, but best of all you're recycling.

I usually toss them in a bin in the garage and cut them up as I need them, but if you're short on space cut the largest flat piece from each package and put the left over scraps out with the recycle-ables for the garbage man.

With the kids home from school for the holidays I haven't had time to do much stamping, otherwise I'd post some photos of things you can make, but go to the gallery on splitcoaststampers.com and type 'acetate' in the search box. You'll find a bunch of ideas for using the scraps you've recycled.

Happy New Year!

Quick Tip: How to Use a Stamp-a-ma-jig

A quick tutorial on how to use this cool little tool. By the way, the stamps I used in the video are from the current Stampin'Up! catalog. They are Flight of the Butterfly (item #111564, page 97) and Lovely Letters (#111099, page 158). If you would like to order a Stamp-a-ma-jig, please go to my Stampin'Up! website here. The item #101049 and it sells for $11.95.

While you're there (at my SU! website) check out the cute featured projects and the current promotions. Currently, if you order $20 or more you can get 20% off selected stamp sets until January 18th. You will also find the retiring list. These are stamp sets that are being retired when the current catalog expires (Jan. 18th). If there's one you like grab it before it's gone forever. And the newest promotion is a Valentine's Bundle which includes all new products for making your Valentine's projects at 20% off.

Oops, forgot......

After reading through the comments left on the last post, "Getting a good impression with a large stamp." I realized I forgot to include information on the stamp I used in the video. It is called Floral (item #104769) and is in the current Stampin'Up catalog, but it is retiring after this catalog which expires January 18th, 2009. If you'd like to purchase it just go to my Stampin'Up! website here and click on the shop now button in the upper right.

Quick Tip: Getting a Good Impression with a Large Stamp

I hope you enjoy this video. I was so excited. I found some fun royalty-free background music and figured out how to add it to my video. Yes, I know I get excited over some pretty strange things. But when you're technically challenged like I am you tend to get excited over the smallest of accomplishments.

Anyway, my plan is to start adding some short, 2-3 minute, videos to my blog featuring a quick tip or instructions on how to use different tools. I'm hoping to do one a week so be sure to check back often. And if you have ideas for what you'd like to see please send me your suggestions.

For those fans of my longer project tutorials, don't worry I plan to continue with those too. I try to do video tutorials of projects I have created myself or techniques I particularly enjoy. These type of video tutorials take a little more planning and production, but I have a notebook full of ideas for the coming year. So again, stay tuned!

And finally,....

Best wishes to all for a wonderful holiday season. May it be filled with peace and happiness.
Love,

Michelle

Crafty Chica exhibit at the Heard

I've been meaning to post these photos for a couple of weeks now but things have been busy, busy, busy. Anyway, the back story.... For Thanksgiving we visited my Sister and her family in the Phoenix area. After stuffing ourselves with my Sister's yummy cooking and my Brother-in-law's awesome smoked turkey, my Mom and I sneaked away on Saturday afternoon to take in the Heard Museum. I had been so excited to see the Crafty Chica's (aka Kathy Cano Murillo) exhibit, La Casa Murillo: A Life-Size Shadow Box, ever since I read about it opening this fall.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Kathy: she's a professional craft designer with her own craft line now at Michael's; a syndicated newspaper craft columnist; an entertainment reporter for the Arizona Republic; and an author of several craft-related books. She also runs the popular web site CraftyChica.com.

So here are a few photos I snapped. Of course, they don't do the work justice. If you are in the Phoenix area during the coming year you've just got to see this in person. As the exhibit title, La Casa Murillo, sugguests it is what a "Murillo-style" house might look like.


This is the back of one of the altered chairs in the kitchen. Don't you just love the colors, sequins, and Frida Kahlo sunflowers? How fun would it be to eat at this kitchenette!

Kathy's husband, Patrick Murillo, is also an artist/crafter. He painted this fun scene on a leather sofa in the living room.

This is her daugther's bedroom. Check out that quilt.

What a cool idea: using suitcases as shelves.


A finally, a little shrine in one of the rooms.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this little tour. If you want a closer look just click on any of the above photos. And be sure to check out Kathy's site, CraftyChica.com.

Holiday Photo Mailer

Need to mail some photos to family & friends for the holidays? Here is a cute little portfolio you can make to send them in.



And here's the "how-to" video.



Measurements & Scoring:

(1 ) Red card stock 12" x 4 3/4"
score at 3 3/8", 6 3/4", 10 1/8", and 10 3/8"

(3 ) Green card stock 5 1/2" x 3" each
score at 1"

(3) Coin envelopes 4 1/2" x 3" - I ordered mine from envelopesexpress.com

(3) Envelopes inserts 4 1/4" x 2 3/4"

(1) Belly band 1" x 8 1/2"