Autumn Breeze Blog Hop

Hidy Ho, crafty peeps!

It's monthly Blog Hop time over at Bombshell Stamps! Yippeee!!! I don't know about you, but I'm really liking this Blog Hop stuff. If you landed here from Mary G's  AwEsOme blog, then you're in the right place!! And you did it without the aid of a GPS. Good for you!!!

If not, no worries!! Just hop back over to the Bombshell Blog and you can start at the beginning...and as Julie Andrews sings..."It's a very good place to start"!

This month's theme was a color-palette challenge set forth by Alison. The DT had lotsa fun with this challenge! The palette is from a really, REALLY cool site called Design Seeds (thank you, Alison, for sharing it). The chosen scheme is called Autumn Breeze:

As soon as I saw it, I IMMEDIATELY thought..."ASIAN". And then, I suddenly had a craving for Lemon Pepper Shrimp and Lettuce Wraps from PF Changs. But I digress...and, now, I'm drooling.

I totally ADORE Asian-themed art. What a PERFECT color combo to work with!!!! But, is it me or do the first and fourth colors look ALMOST the same? Like REALLY REALLY CLOSE? # 4 is just a SMIDGE lighter than #1. Er, um, so I kind of took "liberties" with my palette and made color #1 somewhere in-between #3 and #4. Call it...artistic license. Deal with it.

So, without further ado, here are my projects. Yes, I did more than one. Why? Why not??? The first project is a little 3-D shadowbox-framed decorative piece (6x6 inches). It is now happily living on the wall next to my Kokeshi doll collection in my library. See!!! Aren't the colors PERFECT for this??? (I'm getting better at photographing these things!!)

Project #1 - Geisha Shadow Box

This project has a LOT going on, so allow me to point out a few of its features (Torrey assumes stewardess-like stance and begins to motion with both hands, simultaneously, toward the exits).

Go Go Geisha girl. Don't you just LOVE her? I know I do! I colored the Geisha and her FaBuLoUs parasol with my trusty colored pencils. Then I "fussy cut" the whole shebang and used a black marker to color the cut edge so no white shows (nothing obsessive about me, no siree). I printed off an extra parasol, cut it out and popped it off the one underneath with foam tape.  Lastly, I mounted it to the background with MORE foam tape (what can I say...I'm a dimensional kind of gal).

Some background about the background. It's done using the Iris-folding technique. I ADORE Iris-folding (when it's done WELL). It's challenging to pick out the right combo of colors and patterns. I created the Iris-folding feature to resemble an ocean wave at sunset (Aaah!!! See it now?). I wanted to echo the waves in the Geisha's parasol. I also think that Iris-folding looks a LOT like Origami, so I knew it would blend seamlessly with my Asian theme. Plus, I've been a HUGE fan of Origami ever since I was a kidlet. 

I added a punched border across the bottom to "anchor" everything (and give the Geisha something to sit on). I couldn't resist adding just a TOUCH of bling...so there is a star-shaped rhinestone on the apex of the parasol and some frosted gemstones in the flower centers.

Shedding light on the paper lanterns. These are my own design. I figured out what shapes I wanted then cut them out of Vellum which I scored with a stylus to get the vertical lines. Then I ran each one through a crimper to get the horizontal ridges. At first I thought "Man! These look like really greasy Ruffles potato chips." The other parts of the potato-chip lanterns are made out of cardstock. The flames are hand-colored on cardstock and adhered to the back side of the lantern. The hanging loop of each one is actually a loopy corner punch that I trimmed to the right shape. After I assembled the Ruffles lanterns, I hung them from some awesome fiber on the OUTSIDE of the frame--this allows them room to dangle and move.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Now, for my second offering. Since I had leftover strips from the Iris-folding of my first project and a few extra stamped flowers...I decided to continue down the Iris-folding path and create a coordinating card. I snagged this kimono pattern somewhere on the net. The pattern was designed for only 2 colors...but, of course, I altered it to accommodate all 5 colors for this challenge. I'm tricky like that.

Project # 2 - Kimono Card

 

Ingredients: (for both Projects #1 and #2)

Geisha stamp, flower stamp - Bombshell Stamps ("Peek-A-Boo" Geisha, Bombshell Angel)

Border punch, corner punch - EK Success for Martha Stewart

Gems and rhinestone - Darice

Prismacolor colored pencils

Decorative fiber

Designer Paper  (see, I'm learning...I didn't call it patterned paper)

Frame - EK Success

foam spacers

cardstock
vellum

Glue Glider Pro - Glue Arts

Paper crimper - Paper Adventures

Ok, so you're REALLY intrigued with this Iris-folding stuff now, aren't you? Perhaps I'll do a tutorial on it in the nearish future! Put a comment in if you'd like to see a tutorial on how to make this card or make the background of the shadowbox project. If there is enough interest, I'll do it!

Well, it's time for me to say "Sayonara" to y'all (bows, then waves fingers tootle-loo style).  Domo arigato SO MUCH for stopping by! Be sure to visit ALL the Blogs in the Hop and leave COMMENTS...'cuz we all love to get comments!! We love to hear from you! 

Your next stop will be Cheryl's FaBuLoUs blog (she's super-talented).

Here is a complete list of all the Hop's participants in case you get lost or want to revisit some!

Bombshell Stamps Blog

Alison 

Laura

Mary G.

you're here ----> Torrey <----- that's me!

Cheryl

Stempelintje

Kelli

Alaine

Glittery Katie

Celina Anthony

Paula

Milo

today is her birthday ---> Sparkly Mary <--- wish her a happy BD! 

Alex

Kathi

Black Friday Sale at Bombshell !!!

 

 

It's Bombshell's Black Friday through Cyber Monday Sale!

Receive 25% off your entire purchase from NOW through Monday, Nov. 28!

Just use coupon code "CYBR30" at check out!

 You know you want to...and just think, you don't have to leave your house and fight the insane crowds! 

It's a WIN/WIN deal!

One Man's Trash...Waste Not, Want Not.

What most people see: Trash, empties, discards

What I see: Endless possibilities

I admit it. I'm a magpie. What's a magpie, you ask? Well, it's a bird. A very stately looking bird, I might add. It has a glorious long tail and looks like it's wearing a tuxedo. But that is not why I am a magpie. I don't even OWN a tuxedo, silly people.

You see, magpies are the Fred Sanfords of nature. They collect stuff. LOTS of stuff. You just never know what you'll find in a magpie's nest--jewelry, string, foil, bottle caps, bits of colored paper. I happen to have ALL that stuff (and more) in my studio... so you see, I am a magpie.

Over at Bombshell Stamps, the November monthly challenge is "Waste Not". Celina (Miss November) challenged us to make a project using scraps. I LOVED this!!! But you know me...I can't just leave it at that. Instead of just using scraps, I decided to see if I could craft a card that was made out of GARBAGE. Yep, you read that right...I actually dug through my recycle bin for this project.

Here's some of what I used:

Here's the end result!

 

Closer look

SUPER CUTE...inoright? You would never  guess this card was made out of GARBAGE!! 

One man's trash really IS another man's  treasure! 

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenge:

 The Spotted Chick - That's Krafty Thursday #56

Ingredients:

Digital stamps- Bombshell Stamps (Western Gal)

Nestability Dies - Spellbinders (Labels 10, Deckle Rectangle)

Star brads - Creative Impressions

Prismacolor colored pencils

Glue Glider Pro - Glue Arts

brown stamping ink - Colorbox

Recycled objects used: 

• paper sack (ran through printer for cowgirl and boots images; die cut for matting shapes)
• handle from paper sack (raised frame around image)
• fabric scrap ("ribbon")
• cardboard (background)
• cereal box (card base)
• patterned paper scrap (background element)
• stuff that falls out of your border punch ("buckskin" fringe on left side of mat)
• leftover stuff from pop dots (used to raise various elements off underlying layer)

Ripley's Believe It or Not--a husband that makes cards.

Disclaimer: The following events described in this post are, indeed, true. Names have not been changed, as no-one was innocent. Besides, I'm not about to protect anyone. Oh, and this is a long post...but I promise, it's worth the read.

It started out as a typical Saturday. Everything about it was "ordinary". Even the weather outside was nothing of note. Things were quiet. In retrospect, maybe that's it. Maybe things were TOO quiet--sort of like that quintessential portent of an approaching storm. It was a day fraught with lessons--life lessons.  If I had been a sailor, I would say it was a "Red sky at morning" kind of day.

So...mundane day. Breakfast was over (I fixed a nice Frittata, sausage, toast, fresh fruit). The table was cleared; dishes done; kitchen cleaned. Everything was normal (or "Normale" ...nor-MAHL-ay...as they say in Italy).

That is where it all...turned. (insert creepy organ music here).

After watching me make cards all week...my dear husband (heretofore referred to as DH) decided that HE  wanted to make his mom a birthday card--with as little "help" from me as possible. This brought great joy to me! I mean, how many of us can boast that our DHs support us in our obsessiveness let alone JOIN us in our creative ventures? I was THRILLED. Of course, my mind started clicking at about light speed with all the techniques and products I wanted to teach him and share with him.

Lesson #1: Creative styles can be like oil and water--not mixing--
no matter HOW MUCH you stir it, shake it, or blenderize it.

I am an on-the-fly-go-with-the-flow kind of gal. I start with a basic idea, then just let my creative muse lead me where she wants to go. I'm at the whim of my creative muse. Each step may zoom off into another direction--I never know where I'll end up, and I don't care because I know however it turns out, it will be cool. I love to look back and see how the whole shebang unfolds and evolves. Creating for creativity sake, that's me--Little Miss Right Brain.

DH, on the other hand, is a plan-everything-out-to-the-smallest-detail-BEFORE-starting kind of guy. Everything for him must be outlined, precisely measured, calculated, re-measured, analyzed, brought before a committee...discussed. He mentally breaks the process into its tiniest component parts...dissects it...and then and only then...creates--Little Mister Left Brain.

For me, it has EVERYTHING to do with the journey. For him, it's about the destination. Interesting insight.

Now we're starting to see where this day was going. Here I am throwing out ideas left and right at breakneck, brainstorm speed while DH's eyes grow wide and his head starts to explode. Ok, Torrey...just give him 3 choices at a time. 3 won't be too many.

After what seemed like forever to me, he decided on a "theme". Chocolate cake. Good theme. Now, he's thinking a drawing of a cake or stickers or something. I'm thinking: "Ooooh, I saw this REALLY cool Kirigami pop-up cake online that would be WICKED cool for this card".

Who won?

Me, of course.

So, he printed off the template for the cake base and was really dismayed that he didn't have it perfectly centered on the printout.  That should have been my first clue as to how the day was going to go. I told him "Oh that doesn't matter, we'll just position it where we want on the cardstock". He didn't understand the whole template-over-cardstock thing. He thought we were going to transfer the template to the cardstock with carbon paper or something. So, I explained how we would slap some temporary adhesive on the back of the template and stick it directly to the cardstock...then he would cut/score through both the template and the cardstock at the same time--remove the template--voila...cutting done and no guide marks to ruin the look. I made the first couple of cuts to show him...reminding him that he cuts the vertical lines, but only scores the horizontal ones. He got it.

I left him to do his cutting/scoring. Sometime later, he called out to me and told me he was finished. He thought he was done. HAHAHAHA. I then told him he had to go back and re-score all his score lines. This did not sit well with him. I had to explain the difference between "valley" folds and "mountain" folds. After he re-scored everything, I directed him to start folding his scored lines...and showed him which were valleys and which were mountains. I knew this was confusing, and I did have to show him several times about which were which type of fold. The folding was NOT easy...little tiny pieces very close together, thick cardstock--not a good combo...but he got it.

Then he turned to me and said "There is NO WAY this thing is gonna fold flat. Impossible".

"Trust me, it will...just keep deepening those folds.", I said.

He got it about 3/4 of the way there and I finished off the final folding so it would lay flat. He was impressed when it actually DID collapse on itself.

Then he decided he wanted the surrounding paper around the cake to be a different color. I asked him if he'd like me to do it (since I knew he'd be measuring it for DAYS). He agreed. I had the background done in about 5 minutes--just used the original template as a guide for cutting out a perfect aperture that exactly fit around the cake. When he stuck it down...he didn't get it exactly lined up, so there were a few parts that were overhanging and bent. This made him REALLY irritated. I said, "No problema, WATCH!!"...and I took the X-acto knife and trimmed off the overhang. Problem solved. Thus ends day 1. Time elapsed: 3 hours.

Sunday, day 2:

Lesson #2 - Choices are not always a good thing.

Each step evolved into the next. This was fine by me...but NOT OK with him. He really doesn't like this "go with the flow" stuff. With every choice I gave him he became more frustrated. I was totally in my element. He was totally NOT. I thought I was being helpful...giving him a few options to choose from at every step. This just agitated him more--which, in turn, agitated me.

Jonathan: "I want it to look festive with confetti and stuff".

In all fairness, he did suggest we use Saran wrap to create pockets on the outside to house confetti. It actually would have been cool (though I would have used transparency)...but I knew the amount of work turning into a shaker card and the subsequent frustration on his part would have made it not worth it.

Torrey: "Ooooh, you could use patterned vellum to cover it, or some stickers or diecuts. Maybe we could add a punched decorative strip here and here and here!"

Jonathan: (frowning with deer-caught-in-headlights look) "My head hurts."

The mood shifted right then and there. The reason I kept giving him choices was so that this was HIS project...not mine. I knew he didn't know what was available for him to work with...and I did. That was when it ceased to be an enjoyable project and turned into...something akin to me helping him with his homework at the eleventh hour. Neither of us was having fun anymore...and the card was only half done. We still had to devise/construct pop-up candles for the cake, put the sentiment in, and add the final decorative touches. 

Somehow, we got through it...snarky comments and frustration levels (that would strangle a cat) aside.  

Here is the end result. It's an amazing feat for my novice card-maker husband. He likes it, and he feels like it's HIS design. That's good. I didn't want it end up MY project. You can still see "Torrey touches" here and there...but it really is HIS design. Total time from start to finish: about a month. Ok, so more like 8 hours.

Card closed

Card Open

Close-up of Kirigami pop-out  (side view)

Lesson #3 - We're a team and I love him. No matter what.

Will we ever do cards together again? 

I shudder at the thought right now. 

I reminded him Christmas is fast approaching and that we were going to make cards. He sighed and said it would only work if I designed it ahead of time and we set up an assembly line for him to put the pieces together. That would work. So, that's what we'll do. But, for the sake of our marriage, next time he wants to do a card specifically for someone...I'm staying out of it.

Horsin' Around--an animated card.

I've been inspired lately to try my hand at different card formats. Let's face it, the single fold card may be quintessential...but it is kinda boring. I decided to make a tri-fold shutter card. It's actually pretty easy, but the results are STUNNING! Now that I know I can do this type of card, you'll most likely be seeing some iteration of it in the near future...say...December for one of my DT projects. And just for the record...I didn't use ANY colored pencils on this card. I must be ill. I think I'll take 2 chocolate bars and go to bed.

Closed

Open

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion #83--Anything Goes + Brown

Anywho, this is a birthday card for my "other mother"--my mother-in-law. She LOVES horses. I know the photos on this card look horribly blurry, but they're actually an animated, Lenticular, 3-D image that REALLY creates an image of FULL galloping movement when it's tilted up and down. Basically, it creates a mini-movie.

I know you've seen these types of images before--perhaps on 3-D postcards (which I used to collect as a kid). They were cool and they definitely looked 3-D when you moved 'em side to side...but these puppies...well, they're the cutting-edge in lenticular technology; and as such, deserved to be included on one of my cards. Here is what the animation for this particular image looks like. SO cool, dontcha think??

If you're interested in getting one to play with, you can order them from EmotionGallery.

Ingredients:

Lenticular horse image - EmotionGallery
Dies - Spellbinders (Nestability Labels 11, Deckled Edge Classic Oval, Ribbon Tag Trio 2)

Patterned Paper - We R Memory Keepers

Bubble edge punch - EK Success for Martha Stewart

Stamping ink - Colorbox

Adhesive gems - Spotted Canary

ribbon - Creative Impressions

Adhesive runner - Glue Glider Pro by Glue Arts

cardstock

foam spacers

The Other White Meat

One of my other passions is cooking. Occasionally, I post recipes here for you to try (don't worry, I only post the good ones).  If you would like more of my recipes...check out my recipe collection at Just A Pinch recipe club.

Balsamic-Cranberry-Orange Glazed Pork Chops
 

I recently purchased a whole pork loin--why? Well, let's do the math, shall we? Center-cut pork chops will run you, MINIMUM, $4-5 a pound. A pork loin roast runs about the same. A whole pork loin--less than $2 a pound when you find 'em on sale. And all a center-cut chop is, is a chop cut from the loin, and a roast--well, it's just a REALLY BIG chop. I are smart and thrifty. And, I love wrapping meat in butcher paper. Go figure.. 

But loins...well they're HUGE...I mean ATSALOTTA MEAT! I was pressed to figure out what to do with all this pork aside from serving it Fred-Flinstone style and running the risk of tipping over the car. So, I got the butcher to cut PART of it into 1" chops and leave the rest uncut (actually got 12 or so chops and a roast out of it). I came up with this recipe on the fly--as in "Oh geez, it's dinner time and I haven't planned anything out"  (already had the cranberry/orange mix in my fridge--I spread it on toast). Whatya know? It's easy, quick and actually quite tasty! My family raved, so I guess it has found its place among my arsenal o' recipes.

Ingredients: Serves 4

- 4 pork chops, center cut

- 1 can(s) jellied cranberry sauce

- 1 Tbsp dried, grated orange peel

- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

- 3 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin

- salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Bring pork chops to room temp, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper (on both sides) before cooking. 
3. Pour oil in large, heavy skillet...heat over medium-high heat until REALLY hot (sorry, I didn't measure temp--but it was searingly hot)
4. In bowl, combine cranberry sauce and orange peel. Stir until well blended. You'll only need about half of this mixture, So, put the other 1/2 of this cranberry/orange mixture in sealed plastic container, refrigerate and save for later (it makes a TOTALLY yummy spread for your toast).
5. To remaining half of cranberry/orange mix add balsamic vinegar and stir until blended. 
6.  Arrange pork chops in hot skillet and sear just until browned then flip over and sear other side (about 2 min per side). **NOTE** This stuff splatters so be careful not to get burned!
7. Transfer seared pork chops to 8x8 baking dish. Add 2-3 TBS water in bottom of pan. Spread pork chops, generously, with cranberry mixture. Place on middle rack of preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
8. At very end of baking time, switch oven to broil to "caramelize" cranberry glaze. Watch it closely...this only takes a minute or so and you don't wanna burn it.
9. Remove from oven, let rest 5 minutes before serving. 

Bon appetit, y'all! 

She Had Me at Chocolate...

Hidy Ho fellow artsy Divas and...guys

...Wait, that doesn't sound right--what's the male equivalent of "Diva" anyway?...hmm, I think I'm gonna call them "Daves" or "Divos" (nah, that reminds me too much of Devo--and all I can picture is strange guys in red flower-pot hats...funny, but, no). Let me start this post over again.

HIDY HO FELLOW ARTSY DIVAS AND DAVES!!!! 

(yeah, that's better).

I invite you to take a look at a new card-making challenge blog. I know what you're thinking--"Not another one". Au contraire, mes amis !!! (uh oh, Torrey's typing in French AND bolded italics...watch out)

Introducing 

(insert drum roll here)

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenges (CCCC for short) is hosted by an enthusiastic gal named Angie--who, btw, does NOT make cards. WHAT???  IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE??  In the immortal words of Vizzini from Princess Bride... INCONCEIVABLE!!! She may not be a crafter (yet), but she LOVES challenge blogs. So, she started her own, and that's how Chocolate, Coffee & Cards was born.

I have been selected as one of the founding designers (WOO HOO!!! I feel like a pilgrim landing at Plymouth Rock). I'm very happy to be a part of this new challenge blog. This is my first stint as a challenge blog DT member--gonna be FUN! Here is the 411 on what it's all about:

1. Challenges will be run every 2 weeks, every-other Friday, starting December 2.
2. Each challenge will be sponsored (yes, this means prizes) by a different company --the sponsor for the first challenge is Bugaboo Stamps...YIPPEE!
3. There will be other events throughout the year too, so check back often and participate for a chance to win FaBuLoUs prizes and get terrific ideas from our designers and the other challenge participants!

So, drop by CCCC (hmmm, could I just call it CX4??) and create along with us! It's gonna be fun!

Honestly, she had me at "chocolate".

Bombshell Party Time!!!

Bombshell Forum Party Time!

Hey there all you craftaholics!!

October 31 through November 2, the Bombshell Stamps Forum is hosting a re-launch party with lots of games, challenges and things to win!  It's celebrating the re-launch of their new and improved forum! You just gotta come play... you know you want to win FaBuLoUs Bombshell prizes!!!!!

I am participating in the scavenger hunt. For the hunt you need to find the Bombshell Stamps "Senora Muerta" logo (a picture of it is posted on their blog so you know what you're looking for)....and, to the person who finds the logo on the most Designers' blogs gets a PRIZE- so go track 'em down...HUNTING SEASON IS NOW OPEN!!!!! (ssssh, be vewy vewy quiet, thewr hunting wogos).

When you're finished, just email Katie at thecelticwitch@googlemail.com with the address of the blog and the date of the post where you found the logo.

And, if ya need more info...head on over to head to the Bombshell BLOG  -here- or the Forum -here- for more details.

TIME TO GET YOUR CRAFT ON!!!