Another Race Car

I got a request for a race car for a little guy's birthday. So here is what I came up with for Tammy Oeken and her "scrapbooker stamper kinda" daughter...

They saw my Lightening McQueen but needed a side view of a race car.  So I tried a little red race car AGAIN.

The base of the car is NOT a punch.  Let me try and explain how to make it.

• I started with a 3 x 1.5 inch rectangle
• Looking at the rectangle so that it is WIDER than it is tall and using a pencil make 3 little dots. 
• Up from bottom left corner by 1/2 inch
• In from top left corner by 1/2 inch
• In the middle of the right side (3/4 inch from either side)

NOW

• Line the dots up on your paper trimmer
• Cut from the first dot to the second
• Cut from the second to the third

THEN

• Put the two left "corners" into a 1.25 inch circle punch as far as they will go (stick them into the hole) This 'rounds' the corners - and looks like THIS

Here is the punch list to use on that base:
Rear spoiler is large oval near large oval hole
Whatever you call the parts to hold on the spoiler - word window
Thing on the front (can you tell I'm not really a car gal?)  - small oval on edge of paper to make it flat on one side.

Rear tires - 1 inch circle
Front tires - 3/4 inch circle
Center of all tires - small circle from itty bitty punch pack

Tail pipe - about 1/3 of a word window - punched with a small circle to get indent at end
Seat "hole" - shortened word window outlined in black marker
Number - stamped and punched with 1/2 inch circle
Racing stripes are from paper trimmer.

Racer body - end of small oval
Helmet - 1 inch circle and piece of word window

This car is about 4 inches long - it will fit on a standard size card.

If you need a bigger car for a scrapbook page - increase the size of your base, use larger tire circles, and switch your small ovals to large ovals (I made one of the spoiler support pieces a modern label and the seat hole is a small oval)

Of course you need to stick decals and stickers all over this for your sponsors!  And now that I see the photo, you might try moving the "seat hole" down closer to the center of your car on the larger 'riderless' version.  Amazing how I can see "fixes" AFTER I photograph stuff.  Oh, well. (sigh)

I have no knowledge of, or interest in, race cars - but hopefully these will get you to the STARTING LINE and you can tweak a few things at the pit stop and wind up VICTORIOUS with a project that makes you proud.

We may have to chip in and send the I-Fairy to some NASCAR events before we try any more race cars - I'm not completely satisfiied with this project(but  at least I showed up for the race).  Tammy, I hope this gets you started.  And happy birthday to the grandson!

Back to School

Is this Little Miss Backsides as a child?  Or is this her daughter?  Either way, the butterfly punch for the backside is a constant.

Back to School has special meaning this year... 

This was my last 'First Day of School'.

After 17 years, I didn't get to take anyone to school on the first day - Kiddo drove herself  last week. (I got a new car, so she got my old one)

Kiddo is a SENIOR in HIGH SCHOOL
WHAT?

My little "Boo" is a SENIOR in HIGH SCHOOL?
Can't get my mind around it.  (sniffle)

She ought to be walking to second grade with her little backpack on, carrying a lunch box- not cruisin' into the parking lot after popping into the donut shop for breakfast.

Sure, she'll have a first day of college - but I won't be there to take a photo. (SOB!)  And she sure won't come home and sit down to have a snack and a chat about her day. (more SOBS!)

My nest is full (actually, overflowing with Miss Temporarily Move Back Home's apartment stuff) yet I've got significant twinges of those empty nest feelings...

Oh get a grip Ellen.  You have your punches to play with and the I-Fairy to keep you company.  And a mile long list of requests to work on.  And your house will stay CLEAN and the drains will stay unclogged and you will get to bed early because there will be no more curfews to enforce - you can dream peacefully (pretending that one is in her dorm studying and the other is fast asleep in order to get up early for her fabulous job)  Ignorance is BLISS!

Still....I'm advising you now - invest in tissues before this time next year.  I'm sure you will make a big profit just off me.

Drink it Up

Another recent swap I joined was themed "Drink it Up" - Isn't that a fun one?

Here's my card.

I must have "done good" - the hostess' daughter picked it as her fave, so there is a prize on the way to me.

Oh, I LOVE prizes!

Wood and Metal

Yes, occasionally I will stamp instead of punching. This was my card for a swap themed "wood and metal".

I paper pieced the "container" from brushed silver paper and watercolored the rest.
This is the Plant Hope stampset.

Don't worry, punch art will be back next week - sometimes I have to show y'all cards to give me time to punch.  It isn't possible to get a punch project done EVERY day. (Even with the I-Fairy helping)

Big Feet go International

By now, I am sure you have noticed that sometimes a punch creation appears on this site that has no obvious use in my life. (Possibly not in ANY ONES life). 

Sometimes this is because I am filling a request (Buzz Lightyear for example).

But sometimes, it is just what the Inspiration Fairy gives me - and you know I don't want to make her angry - so I simply follow her lead.

This resulted in the Big Foot series taking an international turn.  Let me present Big Foot #4 - little Dutch girl in her wooden shoes...

The question of the day:
Is that finger ready to help the little Dutch boy prevent flooding? or does she think her team is Number One?

I think you can figure out the parts on this one with just a couple of hints
Dress base is the breast of the owl punch
Hat is the ornament punched around the end of a large oval hole - PLUS - two small ovals punched next to a small oval hole  - looks like this

No, she is not the victim of a crazed barber - just a lazy puncher who knew the head would be covered by a hat.  I should have used the wood-grain background stamp on her shoes - just didn't think of it in time.

Big Foot Part 3 - Skater Boy

"Mom, why are the feet so BIG"
Because I am having a series of BIG FOOT characters
"oh"     (picture an extended "eye roll" here)

You may be wondering the same thing - particularly on yesterday's dancer - she might have looked better with normal feet.

I guess I'm doing it because the idea popped into my head.  Hubby says if I get an idea in my head there is no hope of getting it out until I get my way.  He knows me pretty well so I might as well admit he is right.

When I make a character "to scale" he/she/it often won't fit on a standard size card.  And even if I use it on a scrapbook page, it takes up too much page and attention. 

So I "thought up" making some characters where the head and feet were the emphasis and the body was tiny and less crucial to the character. Cartoon characters are drawn this way frequently (particularly the big head part).

I think this works particularly well for today's Skater Boy...

Of course for "your" skater boy you might want to do something totally different because you might want to emphasize the tight jeans on long legs - but maybe you can get an idea from this anyway.

I'm trying to keep the same base head and face for all these characters - and the feet are all the large oval in some form or fashion.  You could certainly change up the faces to make them more interesting.  I did photograph Skater Boy with two different mouths because I thing the look of disgust is funnier.

I'll be focusing on BIG FEET for another day or two.

All this foot talk...maybe I'll treat myself to a pedicure today....

Here is the punch list:
Head - wide oval
Hat - 1.75 inch circle - cut off part and use it for the brim
Hair - small ovals - trimmed like grass
Eyes - small heart to heart and standard hole punch, gel pen highlight
Mouth - smile is word window next to word window hole - frown is 1/2 inch circle next to 1/2 inch circle hole
Shirt - breast from owl punch
Sleeves - 1/2 inch circle cut in half
Pants - breast from owl punch (turn it upside down)
Shoes - large oval in black - large oval next to large oval hole to get white trim pieces
Arms - oval ring (large oval around small oval hole)
Hands - tips of modern label punch with circle from itty bitty punch pack
Skull on shirt - circle from ittybitty punch pack - repunched by same to get jaw line (put it on the sticky of a post it note to insert to repunch) draw on skull face
Skate board - wide oval next to wide oval hole, stripe from large oval nest to large oval hole
Wheels - 1/2 inch circle and circle from itty bitty punch pack

Twinkle Toes - Big Foot Part 2

I like it when a plan starts working....

I successfully completed a second BIG FOOT character so I CAN call it a series! 

This is what you call "taking joy in the little things".

Oh jeez, hush up Ellen, they don't need a positive thinking speech this morning - they came to see the punchin'!

Here 'tis...

The Thanks element opens up to read "That was tu-tu sweet!"

And here is some info on making Twinkle Toes:

Same face as Diver Dude from yesterday.
Added ears from tips of small oval
Changed hair to wide oval and added a 3/4 inch circle bun
Tutu is small oval and 1/2 inch circle
Arms and Legs are oval ring (large oval around small oval hole)
Toe Shoes:

• Flesh part is large oval
• Shoe part is large oval NEXT TO a small oval hole - if you hold your punch upside down you can see what you are getting.
• Laces - punched the word window on the edge of the paper to get HALF of it - cut that  into smaller pieces to have laces

I used a black marker on all the Pink Pirouette  (I HAD to use this color with that name for a ballerina!)  to distinguish it from the blush blossom (retired) that I used for her skin.

We could hum a couple verses of Elton John's Tiny Dancer now, but I think these feet would disqualify her.

Diver Dude - Big Foot Part 1

This is a simple little summer guy - the first of what I intend to have as a series of Big Foot characters.  I have several ideas, but this is the first that has made it to completion.

You can make him AS IS (punch list follows) or you could make his body, arms and legs flesh tone and add a little bathing suit for Snorkeler Somebody.

Here's the punch list for Diver Dude:

Head - Wide Oval

Hair - 1.75 Inch Circle, cut in half, snipped in a couple of times for bangs

Eyes - smallest heart of Heart to Heart in white - standard hole punch in black, white gel pen highlight

Mouth - word window offset from word window hole

Body - 3/4 Inch Circle

Hands - Modern Label, repunched on both ends with the circle from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack

Flippers - Large ovals, repunched by inserting just the tips into the Square Scallop

Arms and Legs - rings from punching a circle punch around a smaller circle hole - the bigger the circles you use the less "curve" you will have.  Snip the ring to the size arm/leg you need.

Mask - ring from Large Oval around Small Oval hole

Snorkel - Wide Oval next to a Large Oval hole (not surrounding it - just offset), then I snipped both ends with a small circle so they would look "indented"

I outlined all the "non black" parts with a black marker.

Happy Birthday Little Blog

I never thought that the Inspiration Fairy would hang around for a full year, dropping ideas right into my punch drawer - but SHE DID!  So today, I'm celebrating the completion of one year of blogging.

It has been loads of fun having an appreciative audience admiring my bits of paper.  I didn't realize I had this immense need for external validation. 

Thank you for all your comments, emails and words of support.  Many thanks to those of you who encouraged me to start this - you know who you are.

Melanie gets 10 points for the best suggestion to commemorate this day.  As she suggested, we are having

 Cake and Punch!

OK, it's really punches on paper cake...

OK, the truth?

I'm going to be eating fudge snack cakes (yes plural, who can eat just one?) and drinking Diet Coke.

I couldn't find the punch bowl.  (I didn't look)

Besides, it is too early to spike the punch.

And I've always wondered, if you have "spike" why bother with the punch?

Anyway, wipe the cake crumbs off your chin, grab your beverage of choice and raise a glass ...

Here's to the I-Fairy and to the Blinkin' Blog.

Happy Birthday Little Blog!

********

Template for the cake can be found at Victorine Originals (look under patterns).

I used the scallop punch to create the frosting and the two sizes of scallop circles to make the flower on top.

It takes 12 of these slices to make a whole cake - how cute would that be?  You can see half a cake created by Karen Graff-Povis right HERE.  So many options for decorating - try it out!

Hopping and Buzzing

If you are on Final Blog Hop of the 2010 VC Rocks Season, and arrived here from Angela Walters' darling Life with a Weiner Dog blog         

WELCOME!

If you are hopping and find any broken links or just want to start the hop at the beginning, you can click HERE.

Since there is no set "theme" for this hop - I'm am sticking to my usual antics and giving you Punch Art.

 And today it is BUZZ!

 No, not the little honey bee kinda buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

It is the "TO INFINITY AND BEYOND" kinda Buzz.

I have had MANY requests for Woody and Buzz from the Toy Story movies. Woody is easy since I just have to give directions to where guest puncher, Sheila White, did him months ago. But no one has ever sent me a Buzz Lightyear - so I made him for today's post.

Of course, the only use I personally have for a punched Buzz is to show him to YOU - so you can ohhh and ahhh over him.

So you start the appropriate ohhhing and ahhhing, and while you are doing that, I'll tell you how I made him.

Warning: Buzz contains 2 retired punches - when you read the directions below, you will find that I give you suggestions on ways to get the same effect.  Am I a good little blogger, or what?

Helmet is the new 2.5 inch circle from vellum and another 2.5 inch circle punched close to that hole.

Face - RETIRED key tag punch in retired blush blossom, another key tag punch in perfect plum behind it.  (You can get the same effect from a 2x1 inch rectangle if you round the corners)  And I suggest blushing bride as your flesh tone. (If you didn't follow my directions to stock up on blush blossom paper.)

Eyes - small circle from Itty Bitty Punch Pack in white, 1/2 of the same thing in flesh, standard hole punch in bashful blue, drew in black with marker

Eyebrows - wide Heart to Heart next to the wide Heart to Heart hole so you get a funny shaped sliver from the top of the heart - cut that in half to get two curved eyebrows.

Nose - small circle from Itty Bitty Punch Pack trimmed to a triangle

Mouth - tip of word window

Chin - small circle from Itty Bitty Punch Pack

Neck - breast from owl punch (not necessary - you could easily use a circle - I'm just reporting what I actually grabbed)

Top of suit - small oval in perfect plum, large oval in certainly celery, wide oval in perfect plum

Suit base - 2.5 inch circle in white - trimmed flat

Breast piece - Full Heart in certainly celery cut in half  (pointy ends are placed right at the edge of the perfect plum wide oval)

Breast decorations - RETIRED slot punch, small circle from Itty Bitty Punch Pack, 3/4 inch circle in white, 1/2 inch circle in Baja Breeze   (you can substitute little strips of paper for the slot punch - they just won't be rounded on the ends)

Arms are layered as follows:

• 1 inch circle in black
• 3/4 inch circle in gray
• Small oval in white (end punched away with the 3/4 inch circle)
• 3/4 inch circle in certainly celery
• Small oval in white

Hands are ends of modern label punched with the 3/4 inch circle - slot punch added at wrist

 Mid Section is a Round Tab Punch run through the crimper, small oval in celery, small oval in white that had two leg holes punched with a 3/4 inch circle

Legs - small oval thighs, modern label calves (snipped to a point at the knee)

Feet - 1 inch circle, cut in half to get two feet - trimmed flat at the heel,  1/2 inch circle (cut in half) at the toes.

 ***** 

FYI - Buzz is approximately 7 inches tall - so he is better to use on a scrapbook page.  For a standard size card you will need to leave part of him off.

ANOTHER FYI - On Monday this blog turns 1 year old, so Buzz is the final post of its infancy.  May the Inspiration Fairy take notes from Buzz and keep providing ideas "to Infinity and beyond".

Want to see more fun Stampin' Up! stuff?  Continue on the hop and visit Holly at InkPaperStamps to see what creative thing she has dreamed up for you.

 Have a great weekend!

Award and Tease

I got a blog award from the ALWAYS FABULOUS Patti Lee.  If you aren't a follower of Patti - click over to her blog RIGHT NOW and subscribe.  Not only does she have the cutest ideas and projects, but she writes the BEST tutorials EVER (unlike yours truly)

I'm supposed to pass it on to 5 bloggers who are an inspiration to me.

I think I've said before that I never pass on blog awards.

And I'm sticking to that.

I could never chose just 5 ladies to link you to.  I get ideas EVERYWHERE. (even in punch droppings)  And I do my best to link you to them each time I "borrow" inspiration.

Thanks very much for the award Patti.  I'm sorry I'm breaking the chain. (Is that bad luck?)

Make sure you come back tomorrow Punch Fans!!!!!  I am REALLY PROUD of what I'm sharing on the VC Rocks blog hop.  It is one of those where I impressed myself. 

And another thing...

Another Seuss-ish thing. 

THING TWO!

Here is a breakdown of the parts:
Hair - 2 scallop circles - repunched offset in scallop circle
Face - 1 inch circle (flatten a little on top) and small oval
Neck - 1/2 word window
Body - large oval
Collar - slot punch (retired - if you don't have it just use a strip of paper)
Arms - from oval ring (which is large oval punched around small oval hole)
Hands - small Heart to Heart - trim down the "thumb" side with scissors
Legs/Feet - wide Heart to Heart next to wide Heart to Heart hole - shorten the foot part (with scissors or insert into a small circle punch)
"Thing" label - 3/4 inch circle punch
Eyes - like yesterday's Cat in the Hat

Draw on face and 'thing 2' words
I did his face in very vanilla - I tried white, retired blush and bashful blue and decided vanilla was best.
Hair is Pacific Point.
Suit is Real Red.

I'm guessing you can now figure out how to make a "Thing 1"

Halloween costume tip - if you EVER see a fuzzy blue wig (maybe at Party City) nab it.  (No, don't nab it - PAY for it before you leave the store) because with that, any member of your family can be a Thing 1 or Thing 2 - all you need is a red t-shirt (which most people own) then pin a circle with the appropriate wording.

My youngest has been Thing 2 on at least 3 occasions.  With the wig, it is an EASY costume for all sizes.

Famous Feline (yep, another one)

Time for another famous kitty.

I've done Garfield, Felix, and Pink Panther but a request from Marisol of  A Touch of Sol  asking if I had ever done anything from Dr. Seuss led to this... 

Now, don't go "googling" Cat in the Hat images  - you'll be disappointed in me because I am missing some parts. 

His face isn't exactly right,  I didn't include his ear or mouth - but I was given some advice to "keep it simple and clean and don't drive yourself crazy" so... he is what he is.

And since I think you will like him even with his flaws, I prepared some "how to" photos.

Punch List
1 inch circle
large oval
small oval
word window
heart to heart
circle from itty bitty punch pack  (If you don't have this yet -you can use the tip of the word window)

Hat and Bow-tie first:
Neck is half of a word window (sponge with gray ink)
Bow tie is two narrow Heart to Hearts, one small Heart to Heart and the circle from the itty bitty punch pack
I recommend outlining each of these pieces with a black marker

Hat brim is a small oval punched next to a small oval hole (outline in black)
Support pieces to assemble hat - 2 word windows (can be any color)
Hat parts are three red and two white -1 inch circle punches - trim "flattish" on each side - in the photo below I show one of these on a green circle so you can see what I mean - the cuts don't need to be perfectly straight, even or exactly parallel - just relax and cut. (outline in black)

 This photo show hat assembly in progress - I just ran adhesive down the word windows and overlapped each circle part slightly.

Next the face:
One Large oval and one small oval

Overlap the ovals as shown - trim off the excess on the left side of the small oval.
Add some gray sponging and outline in black (outline AFTER assembly - you don't want a line all the way around the small oval)

Now the eyes:
Punch 2 circles from the itty bitty punch pack
Stick them on the sticky part of a post-it note
Repunch as shown in the photo below.

 Remove from post-it and outline in black.

Add a little "u" shape in his eyes with a fine tip maker.

Snip a TINY bit with your circle punch at the corner of a black scrap paper for his nose - this will need to be adhered with glue pen (too small for my preferred mini glue dots)

And that is all I have to say
He's ready for a day of play

Alas, there's no more silly rhyme
Because this girl's run out of time

It is just like Paper Dolls!

Did you ever play Paper Dolls?

Many of you just scratched your head and are wondering what crazy thing I'm talking about, aren't you?

Well, back in the good old days, little girls actually used to play with dolls made out of paper.  Paper, not plastic. 

You had a base doll (usually cardboard) and paper "clothes" with little tabs to fold over the shoulders.  That is how you "dressed" them.  Rather low tech, but still very fine for the imagination. 

Paper dolls could go to school, get married, have careers and do all the same things that Barbies or Brats (or whatever dolls little girls play with these days) can do.  You just didn't spend much money on them. They weren't as durable.  And they didn't come with a "Dream House" (except the one in your very own dream). 

Playing with yesterday's owl chef reminded me of paper dolls because dressing him as another character was as easy as moving a bit of paper.

EXACT same owl - just changed his chef hat (whatever you call those) into a bowler from the 3/4 inch circle and a strip from the 1 inch circle as the brim.

You could do a Santa Hat - or a Top Hat - add a prop or two and this little guy can be sooooo many things.

Get those punches out and get playing!

Guess HOOOO is Coming for Dinner?

Guess Hoooo is Coming for Dinner?

With all the cute little dressed up owls that are showing up on Stampin' Up blogs - I couldn't resist trying one myself.

This was inspired by the now retired stampset Viola! with the double buttons on the chefs coat.  All I did was lay a small oval on the "breast" and use that edge to draw the slightly curved line (then pitch the oval).  Dot on some buttons.

NOT my idea to add the wings - that is a borrowed idea from Peggy-Sue Stuckky (and I'm sure others). Wings are half a scallop oval punch - cut in half the other direction to get two wings.

Hat is scallop oval trimmed with scissors.

Eyes are the circles from the owl punch but I added a standard hole punch too - and a gel pen highlight.

Moustache is short end of curly label next to short end of curly label hole.

Beak is one of the small circle punches on the corner of a scrap paper.

Ran the owl through the square lattice embossing folder for some texture.

Could easily add some cooking props....

This will wind up on a recipe page I'm sure.

By the Sea...

Yes, we were at the beach last week.

We did see dolphins in the water.

I saw (and photographed) lots of coastal birds.

But I didn't see one of these....




I don't really know why I punched this.

Or why I "saw" it.

Or what I (or you) could use it for.

But it is what you get today....

What I spied was actually a sea shell on a decorative item in the condo we rented.  But in the dark (by the light of the TV screen the kids were watching) it looked like an octopus to me. (edit: but has now been clearly identified as a jelly fish)  So the next morning, I sketched it and now you get to see it.

The only thing that makes sense here is that one of the blues is called "marina mist".

Body is part of 1.25 circle - I stamped with the solid stripes stamp.
Body "edge" is small oval next to small oval hole
Legs are branch from 2 step bird snipped at the first leaf.  Remember you don't have to punch the "whole bird" - you can put a strip of paper in the upside down punch  - make sure the paper is where you need it to be to get the branch.
Eyes are combo of circles from the owl punch and the circle from the itty bitty punch pack.  You just need 2 sizes of circles.  Add a white highlight with your gel pen.

Background is random circles - positive and negative.

Eight Days

Has my blog content seemed a little "sparse" recently?

I left you with a few quick pre-scheduled posts but the truth is...I have been gone for EIGHT DAYS!

EIGHT DAYS!

Eight days with no punches - no colored paper...

Eight days when the only ink I touched was on the pages of the novels I read...

Eight days with only one 15 minute email check...

WHAT A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM!

Actually, it was wonderful.
Eight days of waves crashing on the beach.
Eight days of no "have tos" or "ought tos" or "gottas"
Eight days of relaxing with the family at Mission Beach in San Diego
Eight mellow, low key, chill out days....

And let me emphasis that word CHILL - temps in the 60s.   ahhhhhhhhh - how awesome - made even better knowing it was over 100 back here in Texas.  Windows open 24 hours a day - grab a sweater for that early morning walk on the beach...  it was heaven.

We saw some sights, did the zoo & some night life.  The girls para-sailed - hubby jogged a lot - I strolled up and down the beach mornings and evenings- thinking deep thoughts as one is apt to do when alone, right there with all that enormous power and beauty.

While the girls did the bikini on the beach thing, I settled my fat pale self under the umbrella on the 2nd floor patio watching the sun on the waves, reading and listening to the neighbors conversations (when the waves didn't drown them out - I am SUCH a snoop).  I spent a lot of time with my thoughts and my goals and my plans. 

But now we are back to the heat.
Back to reality.
Time to implement the plans I made.
and best of all....

Back to Punching!

Storage Solution

Are you like me?

Are you always reorganizing your craft space?

I have to do it because space is tight and I keep buying new stuff.  So to fit in the new, I must move or REMOVE the old. 

I don't have a fancy room of my own - but I have a nice space in the family area of our home that is dedicated to me and my paper mess.

I have used my existing space for about 4 years.  And I have had one Constant Irritant.

I store lots of things in the white Sterilite 12 x 12 plastic drawers from Walmart.  You know - the ones that come in a stack of three?  The problem is that I could only stack three of them together - 9 drawers.  I could ALMOST get another set on top but NOT QUITE because there was a pass through from my kitchen hanging over the space. 

Every time I reorganized I wished and wished and wished I had more drawers there.

Well, it took 4 years (and was only a matter of opening my eyes) - but I realized THIS PAST WEEK that these drawers COME APART.  As in, you can take one (or two) of the drawers OFF and attach them to another stack of three.

WHAT?

It took me 4 years to figure this out?

Yes.

I'm a dummy.

But I'm a happy happy dummy because now I have my extra drawers where I want them.  ELEVEN of them (not 12) stacked up so beautifully.  Actually two stacks of eleven drawers.

I have a lot of stuff.

I wanted to share my discovery with you just in case someone else is a big dummy too - and needs to "re-number" the drawers in their stack.

Partial Person

Sharing Joan's genie yesterday and bringing up that old challenge, got me going on that "partial punch art" train of thought again. 

I like the thought that you can do simple punch art to communicate your IDEA without having to do a the FULL character.  Faces can be hard, ya know?

Think about some of the Santas you have seen over the years - The hat, beard and belly pretty much get the message across.  In fact, you don't even need the belly - just the hat and beard should do it because I have seen skinny Santas and known exactly who the were supposed to be.

Here is an example,

Barbershop Quartet anyone? 

And he doesn't even have a mouth!

I look at the hat, moustache and vest and I am humming tunes from Music Man.  You could make four of these "men" altering their hats or moustaches - adding a bow tie - changing the "fabric" of the vest - but you would never have to add faces or hands or legs and MOST people will get the full idea - with just PARTIAL punch art.

By the way, this vest is the wide oval punch - snipped in top and bottom with the star - snipped in a bit at the arm holes with an oval.  The moustache is the end of the curly label next to the curly label hole.  The hat is the 1.25 circle part on a trimmed word window.

Could you take the detective hat, moustache and vest and still have Man of Mystery?  I don't know, try it and see!

So if some of the complex punch art scares you - or you haven't invested in too many punches (is there such a thing as TOO many punches?) try making some of the parts and seeing if it is ENOUGH to convey your idea. 

Three circles stacked will always represent a snowman...

What can you come up with?

She's back....

Yes, it is time for another installment of Guest Puncher, Joan Hargrove.

You remember Joan of the Pastor Punch and Nun Characters?

No?

Well, then you are bound to remember her from Back on the Beach which started the whole Little Miss Backsides thing?

Yes! 

See?  I knew you would remember our dear Joan and her cleverness!

What you all never called me on was, that in my original post about Joan, I said she sent me 6 projects. But I haven't shown you six projects, have I?

I have been holding out on you. 

Keeping good stuff to myself.

Actually, it was more a case of being disorganized and not saving all her photos to the logical spot on my computer.

So let me partially remedy this by showing you what Joan sent me for the "partial punch art" challenge I issued MONTHS ago and ONLY JOAN sent me anything.  (yes, that font is supposed to make you feel sad, blue and guilty for not even TRYING)

Joan took on the "I Dream of Jeannie" character.

I LOVE this because it reminds me of a Halloween costume my youngest wore one year...

I'd share the photos but alas, that was in my pre-digital days.  It is safely saved in the Halloween scrapbook and as I type this, it is early in the morning, and that book is in "Girl Who Moved Back Home"s bedroom.  I don't think she'd appreciate me tromping in there in the dark, tripping over an apartment's worth of stuff just to snag an old photo of her little sis.

Miniaturized

A little while back I showed you all the "inchies" from a swap I hosted - little tiny pieces of art to use on cards or scrapbook pages - or even frame.

Then I realized the other 2 swaps I was part of  recently were small things too.  I did bookmarks and Artist Trading cards.

Maybe it is dealing with all these little tiny punch parts.

Maybe I can't think full size any more.

Maybe I'm living in a land of miniature.

Maybe I'm lying, because if you saw what I saw in my jeans yesterday, you would realize that ALL is NOT tiny in my world.  Time to get serious on cutting carbs around here. 

But this is not a weight loss blog, it is about playing with paper - so let me show you my ATCs (2.5 inches by 3.5 inches - in case you haven't done them before)

Can you tell I am in love with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder?
Seems like I grab it for EVERY project - adding texture that easily is hard to resist!

And I apparently am stuck on combining Early Espresso and Cherry Cobbler - but you have to admit, combined - they are great for consumption AND crafting! 

But if I'm trying to "miniaturize" ME - I suspect that all the cherry cobbler in my life should be in paper form only.

Same for Ice Cream cones.

Sigh....

Kimm's Gift to Me

I yammer about my fave yahoo group, VC Rocks,  frequently - but I don't tell everything.  I don't share everything.  I don't show you everything. 

But I HAVE to show you this.

No, it isn't a Stampin' Up Image. And it was colored with alcohol markers. And I can't give you any details about how to recreate it because I didn't make it.

But I HAVE to show it to you.

Isn't it fabulous? 

It was part of my "roommate" gift box from our virtual hotel.  I got the most wonderful box of artwork and gifts from Kimm Bennington-Thompson.  This girl is a genius with Copic markers.  She teaches classes frequently at her local scrapbook store.  She is part of the Technique Junkies crew of talent.  She is an amazing artist and a fantastic person and a very caring loving friend.

Kimm rocks.

And so does that picture!  Which sits about 3 feet from my workspace where I can admire it constantly.

Thanks Kimm for being my virtual roommate this summer.  They are gonna think I rigged the assignments.  And if I'd have thought about it, I would have.    I was so lucky to be matched with you!

Hooooo wants to see more cute owls?

As one who likes to use punches ODDLY, I tend to not use them as intended (at least at first)

BUT - the owl punch is fabulous just as it was intended.  Colors and  patterns can be combined so many ways - well, it will be a long time until I tire of seeing them.  I've seen wings added with other punches and clothes - and eyebrows and glasses - the ideas are endless

Want to see some CUTE owl ideas? 

Lynda went CRAZY playing dress up with this cute new punch. 

Start HERE and scroll through a week of past posts.   Just keep hitting "older post" after the comments.  She was really on a clever roll all week.

Triangle Box

Yes, occasionally I play with something besides punches.

Yesterday, I took a little on-line class to make triangle boxes taught by the very fun and fabulous, Shari Dudek.

I know these have been around awhile but I just never bothered to try one.

WHY NOT?  They are so cute and so easy and so fun!

Here is what I made - with vanilla cardstock, the new vintage wallpaper embossing folder and some new Chantilly lace - it just looks so "wedding-ish". 

Just a 4x8 piece of cardstock and it comes out so ELEGANT!

No, there is no announcement coming with this project.

Hubby and I celebrated 26 years of not killing each other just last week.  And my girls are NOT serious with any one in particular (that I know of!)  This was simply a little play time and wedding is what came out. 

But maybe it is an idea YOU can use.  It was SUPER easy.

How cute would it be with a tag hanging from the lace ribbon with the monogram of the happy couple or the date of the big event?

Here is a link to the box directions and a gallery of ideas on Splitcoaststampers.  There are some "punch art" creations in this box gallery - so have fun poking around there!

Standing on the corner, watching all the crooks go by....

When I posted the Man of Mystery - I sooooooooooooooo wanted him standing under a street light - but I couldn't get it "right".  Never fear - someone else took care of it for me!

CHECK THIS OUT  

Charly Bratt took care of it in a fabulous way!

Now if that isn't just the perfect way to present him - I don't know what is.

Great job Charly!

The way this punch art thing works...

I get lots of comments that people just don't "see" the things I do in punches.

One answer could be, I am just weird that way.

Another could be, I have a habit of looking for things.  Seek and ye shall find (kinda).

My upline, Jenifer, got a a taste of this when we were shoebox swapping and cleaning up from making the cauldron.  She picked up the top piece of the owl that we had punched away - held it upside down and said "what does this look like?"

I said "hair".

"No, besides hair"

"I give up"

"A TURTLE"

She was right - all it needed was a head - so I grabbed the jewelry tag punch (that we had used for the broom) and gave him a head.

Of course, this is in black so it is really a "turtle shadow", but I'm pretty sure you could change him to green.

Wouldn't he be cute with that duck I did a while back?  Instead of the snail?

So when you are playing punches- check your "punch droppings" - you may discover something fun!

Halloween Punch Trifecta

Yes that's right ladies - today is the Halloween Punch Trifecta - you get 3 simple fun Halloween punch ideas all on one project.  And I sure hope you think they are all winners!

First I will reveal my own genius - using the new fabulous OWL punch, I give you the letter "e" as a cauldron!

So simple - punch your Owl - trim his feet down to one toe/claw per foot - and punch off  the top of his head with your handy dandy 1.25 circle punch.

Second, I will reveal someone else's genius - problem is, I can't remember whose!  I saw this in the last ten days or so - even left a comment and now I can't find it again (sob!) so if it is your idea PLEASE come claim the credit because it is so cute.  A clever someone gave us a  broom from the medium jewelry tag punch! I LOVE IT!  I used about 1/2 width word window for the broom handle.  Snipped the jewelry tag with scissors.

And the third thing is not as new and exciting but still handy - a witch hat.  You can make it with any piece of a circle and a scrap triangle but for sizing purposes this it the bottom of the owl breast (it was lying there after I punched the cauldron) and since it made a fine brim for the detective hat - it makes a fine brim for a witch hat.  Your witch hat can be a regular triangle - and pointed - or you can bend it over and cut a slit in it - reminiscent of the sorting hat in the Harry Potter tales. 

This recipe page uses the basic recipe for La Madeleine's' Tomato Basil Soup - altered for the Halloween theme into Bloody Basil Brew.

The spillage from the cauldron is a bit of the scallop oval punch.

Letters "r" and "w" are brought to you by the alphabet simple letter dies that SU sells

The letter "b" is brought to you by a combo of the broom AND the ring from a 1.75 circle punched around a 1.25 circle HOLE.

OF COURSE, this "brew" idea could easily be made into a recipe card for an adult beverage - or a coffee drink - or punch - whatever you like to serve at Halloween!

Halloween Thoughts

So.... I've accepted that the calendar reads August.
I've admitted I'm only ready for mid March.
But worst of all - now I'm being FORCED to think Halloween!

My dearest upline, sidelines, and downline are meeting tonight and our shoebox swap is "Anything Halloween". 

Mine isn't finished (yet) so you won't see it until tomorrow but I can show you part of a reject project - nothing wrong with it - it just didn't fit the final "thing".

Remember Wino Kitty?

I altered her to become a black cat for Halloween

For Halloween (or anytime you need a black cat... maybe you are superstitious and need to make a Book of Me Scrapbook page about it?)

Wino Kitty directions are HERE

The changes I made were:

Lose the arms - assume her front paws are straight down her body

Add a tail - you can make one by punching any oval near the edge of a circle or oval hole - this particular tail is the wing from the two step bird around a word window HOLE - that just happened to be what I grabbed.

For the whiskers - instead of drawing - I took a small rectangle and fringed in with scissors on each side then just bunched it up in the middle and stuck it on with a glue dot.  Punched a nose with part of the 1/2 inch circle on the corner of a piece of scrap black.

Instead of drawing on the eyes - I used the 1/2 inch circle in white, trimmed flat- and a tiny scrap of old olive for eye.   If you will punch 2 circles and lay them on top and trim both at the same time - you will have a LOT better change of getting your eyes the same size.  (Voice of experience)

The eye slits are so thin I can't use my "preferred" mini glue dots to attach - this is one of the FEW times I am forced to pull out a glue pen.

And don't forget to add some highlights with your white gel pen - it REALLY makes a difference.  Doesn't seem like it would but TRUST ME - if you don't have a white gel pen GO ORDER ONE RIGHT NOW.  (sorry for screaming but I mean it)

If you shape the eyes differently or add eyebrows - you can change the "mood" of the cat.  Look HERE for a lesson in eyes.

By the way - you might want to go back and check out the comments on the Wino Kitty - that was the post where I asked for sentiment ideas - Carol came up with my favorite (from MANY great suggestions).  Hers was "Only one glass of wine -- another CATastrophe!!!"

Blog-a-versary Month

Is it August already?

Psychologically, I think I'm ready for St. Patrick's day.

Time to 'fess up - which one of you knows who put speed skates on this year's calendar?

Still no punch art for today - Summer has gotten busy all of a sudden.

I'm getting ready for "the graduate" to move home as she searches for the perfect job to become "career girl" (oh how quickly we fill available space when your home isn't that large to begin with)  I have had to empty a closet, a six drawer dresser, a book shelf and still have under the bed to go.  Too much stuff.


And we have a vacation coming up later this month.

And we have the beginning of kid who lives at home's SENIOR year of high school and all that comes with that...

So I need you all to get me excited if you want the usual quota of punch projects.

Late this month, this little acre of blog land will celebrate it's 1st anniversary.  August 23 is the actual "momentous" occasion.

What should we do to celebrate? 

Ten points for the best suggestion!

I don't know if points get you anything - but it never hurts to gain points.  Ummm, except in golf - or on the scale - but I, personally, avoid both of those.