Just Talk

No punching has been going on.  As shocking as it might seem, there is more to life than paper crafts!

I'm fine.  I'm happy.  I'm busy.  And I haven't been posting 'cause I haven't been punching (or scrapping)

I could fill this blog with blather about life and my random thoughts and stupid insights -  but since most of you come here for the free punch art ideas, I decided silence was better.  But from some of the emails I've gotten, I thought I better check in with you gals and let you know all is well.

The girls are happy and settled in the same town (not this one) and hubby is preparing for a work assignment in Australia.  The dog and I have been (and will be) spending lots of quality time together. 

I've been painting and rearranging and organizing and reorganizing and moving the twigs around in my empty nest.  Still lots more to do. 

The idea is to be ready in case the Australia assignment turns a bit more permanent and we actually sell the house and move.  Right now, that is only a possibility but I want to be ready.  I have decades of crap to wade through and several household improvements to make.  And if we stay put - my house will be streamlined and in great shape.  I can already tell you that a decluttered home cleans a lot faster than a cluttered one!

Commercial Time:  I have a new addiction...audio books.  I LOVE being read to and our local library has LOADS of them to choose from.  I started just listening in the car but I have discovered that painting and cleaning are more fun with someone reading you a story.  TRY THEM!

Thanks for coming back to check on me.  I'm glad you noticed I was missing.  And yes, I hope to punch again but not right now.  Sorry punch fans.

The Fairy has been baking...

Don't worry, the Inspiration Fairy has been located.  Blog reader, Melanie Gunn, confessed that she has been at her house, baking cakes.  She helped Melanie bake this for a four year old:

Lucky four year old, huh?

I'm very glad to know that the I-Fairy hasn't been lazy!

Hoping while Melanie goes on her vacation, I can lure the fairy back to my punch drawer...  I have gotten a few requests and I hope to be able to help out.  Have fun on your travels Melanie! 

Call BPS

Someone needs to call BPS (Blog Protection Services) because I am SERIOUSLY neglecting this blog.

It is neglect when you totally miss your child's birthday, right? 

The blink blog had its second birthday this week and I didn't even think of it.

Bad blogger.

Can't really say what will become of Blinky this year.  I have the kids settled and am trying to get the hubby ready to work on the other side of the world which should leave me with lots of time to craft and punch but I'm not finding the enthusiasm for that. 

My short term goals are things like cleaning closets and painting bedrooms. And important things like watching Netflix.  I'll be scrapping and I guess some punch art will be created occasionally for that.

If you have requests, go ahead and ask me - maybe that is what I need to get punching again.  Otherwise, it may be pretty quiet around here. 

Which one of you is the lucky new landlord for the Inspiration Fairy?  She is a lovely tenant.  Please tell her I'd be happy to have her visit me anytime!

No punchin ' - Just talkin'

Still no punching around here.  Back from dropping off the kiddo.  Hard but not impossible.  Teared up but no hard core sobbing. 

And even though neither of the girls live here, they can still stir up plenty of drama.

Oldest drove youngest's car to work while hers was in the shop.
Left her purse in the car.  (note: I have only told her 300 times to NEVER do this)
Broken window.
Bye bye purse.

Hello DMV and Bank and all the other places you must go to replace ID.  Hello hassles, it is NOT nice to meet you.

So in case your Momma didn't tell YOU

NEVER LEAVE YOUR PURSE IN YOUR CAR

or if you do just go ahead and leave the door unlocked so the thieves can just take it and you don't have to pay to replace the window and you don't have to vacuum tiny shards of glass out of your car.

Tissue Time

About this time last year, I advised you to buy plenty of stock in a tissue company in anticipation of today because today is the day I leave to take my youngest to college. 

I am ready for her to have her big adventure... to start her "big girl life".  But I'm not ready to change my job title.  I can't exactly claim to be a "Stay Home Mom" without a kid in the home, now can I?

I guess I am now "House Wife".... oh geez, that means I'll be judged on the cleanliness of my toilets and the tastiness of my cooking instead of the wonderfulness of my girls.

Cleaning and Cooking - oh yes, certainly reason enough to spend the day crying. 

Where was I?

I'm back - and I'm very near the end of the final blog hop of the 2011 VC Rocks Season - Punches Galore is our theme - I couldn't miss this!

Where have I been since last hop? My Punch Art should give you a clue...

I have helped a friend pack to move out of her HUGE house in Houston. 

I have been to Austin, carting boxes from my attic to my eldest daughter's first solo apartment. 

This next week I will move my youngest into a dorm at UT Austin.  (The girls are THRILLED to be in the same city)

And when I get home from that, I continue preparing for hubby's overseas work assignment. 

I am tired of the smell of cardboard but I'm now a whiz with packing tape!

IDEA: You could change this to be boxes of presents for a birthday or other gift giving occasion.  OR: You could easily change it to a huge layered cake (oh yes! yum..... I'll have two pieces if it's chocolate).

And you don't have to have gray sticky out hair or boots - switch them around so you don't look like me!  But if you feel the need to make ME and packing boxes, here is what you need:

Boxes - 2 rectangles of Crumb Cake - sponged  (1.25 x 1.5 inches approx)

Hair - Scallop Circle in Gray - put it on a post it note, reinsert and repunch offset - lather, rinse and repeat (OK, just repeat) and then do it again for a small bang piece.  Post it notes are a punchers friend - keep some handy.

Arms -  1.25 inch circle HOLE in a piece of  Real Red - punch around that hole with the 1.75 inch circle - cut the resulting ring in half to get the arms.  (In the spirit of honesty, I was actually wearing short sleeves through all this packing - we had 40 consecutive days over 100 degrees around here...and more in the forecast)

Hands - Modern Label in flesh tone (I still have a stockpile of retired Blush Blossom, you could use Blushing Bride) repunch each end with a 1/2 inch circle

Jeans - modern label on denim paper - trim the "bumps" off one end  (need 2 since I have 2 legs)  To make denim paper, simply rub your Night of Navy ink pad all over a piece of Bashful Blue cardstock.  (Yes, it is that easy)



Click Button to Go to Loni's Blog

Shoes - (supposed to look like my favorite and constantly worn Cowboy Boots) - 5 petal flower - trimmed with scissors.

Ready to see more ideas for punches?  Click on the right hand button to hop on to see what Loni Holt has for you...                             . 


Click Button to go back to Shirley's blog

If you like going backwards (some folks do) click the button on the left to go to (or return) to Shirley's Blog.

If you get lost, Blog Hop Home is HERE.

Hang on...

The two trips are done, I have taught 2 of the 3 on line classes and the pile of pages prepped for Jane Austen has grown significantly, but the moving humans around part is just starting... and that of course means more trips.  Geez, how did my life get so busy?

Just letting you know that I am fine but little time to create and no time to punch.  Hang on... I shall return (just don't know when)

Swallow your patience pill...

Be patient with me for a little bit - I had a roll of posts going but that has come to a screeching halt.

I'm knee deep in Jane Austen.  Remember the big workshop I designed scrap pages for?  Well, now I'm doing assembly of the kits.  And completing 2 more Jane Austen tasks that I was "volunteered" for...

Plus I have to prep for 3 online classes for VC Rocks.

I have 2 fun weekend trips with girl friends this month.

I have one kid moving to an apartment and the other moving into a dorm during the first 2 weeks of August.

Can you say BUSY?

I'll post when I can.  Keep punchin'!

Anita and a Mouse

Anita is at it again - punching her heart out - and doing an AMAZING job.  This one will be really popular...

MINNIE MOUSE

She didn't leave any directions on the post.  And I can't immediately tell what she used for her cheeks but if directions don't magically appear on Lucia's blog, I'll try it for you.  All you gals that vacation at the Disney Theme Parks will want her, I'm sure!  Make sure you check this out and leave a sweet comment!

Cup of Tea

Welcome to my little portion of the VC Rocks Blog Hop.  Our theme this weekend is "Anything but a Card". 

No problem for me, since I so RARELY show a card. 

What I came up with (just for you) is a punch art bookmark.  Which is shown here in a good book I just finished, Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier.

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Here is the WHOLE thing

Instead of Fiction is my cup of tea, it could have been Mysteries are my cup of tea, Romance is my cup of tea, Cooking is my cup of tea... well, you get the idea - fit the bookmark to your own needs - or make it "match" a specific book. (Gift Idea!)

So how did I make the teapot?

Start with the feather duster looking petal from Blossom Petal Builder Punch.  Trim as shown in photo.  Keep the "lumpy" bottom piece and the middle piece - toss the tiny tip.

The lumpy bottom piece becomes the "lid" of the pot - just add a small circle.

Handle is 3/4 inch circle around the 1/2 inch circle hole

Spout is the left side "part" of the small petal on the Blossom Petal Builder (see photo below)

I stamped on some little flowers, sponged all the edges and put it all together with mini glue dots.

The bonus idea today is to punch the "feather duster" in silver, trim the "lumpy" bottom off as I did for the teapot, leave the tip alone and you have a Hershey "kiss" shape. 

Easy, huh?  And it is easy to see more "non card" projects - just click the buttons below to continue on the VC Blog Hop. 

Home base is HERE if you get lost along the way (official hop start time is 9 AM Central)

Click the button on the left to hop backwards to see what Carey Rogers has for you or Click the button on the right to hop over to see what Karen Gibson created.  Happy Hopping!



Random Woman

Sometimes you have some smart or snarky sentiment but no image to coordinate.  This is the type project/card that I like to use a "random woman" on.  So here is a random woman punch art

The hair was inspired by some of the "dos" from the 60s as I was watching DARK SHADOWS on Netflix.  Hysterical - the special effects are atrocious, the phones are rotary dial and you get an AWESOME idea of the 60s fashions.  Unfortunately, I've finished all the instant watch so I'll have to wait for them to mail the discs if I want to find out what happens to Barnabas Collins and the rest of the Collins family (imagine spooky music here) 

Here is the punch list if you need to make Miss Random:

Neck and Chest - feather duster looking petal from Blossom Petal Builder
Eyes - leaf from Blossom Petal Builder (trimmed a bit on one end - stack them and cut both at the same time for matching eyeballs) and 1/2 inch circle and black pen
Dress - Full Heart
Face - Ornament
Lips - circle from itty bitty punch pack at end of modern label hole
Hair - large oval and large ovals near large oval holes
Necklace - standard hole punch (anyone else think of Wilma Flintstone when you saw this jewelry?)

And here are some other random women I've made, in case you need 'em or missed 'em.
Sample A
Sample B
Sample C
Sample D

In Color Clown

This started out as a color challenge but I got distracted and missed the deadline, so now it is just another piece of punch art for the pile.  Maybe you can use the idea.

Nothing wildly different about this guy - the hands are part of the butterfly punch - repunched with a largish circle - the pants are the breast from the owl punch - and the rest is pretty obvious.

Here it the link to another clown I did back in the early days of the blog that I think I like better - Click Here.  Maybe you can mix parts of the 2 clowns and add a dash of your own creativity for a new and improved version.

I'm not "clowning around" when I say THANK YOU DEAR READERS!!  Yesterday the blink blog passed a million page views.  Yes, I said 1,000,000 page views in less than 2 years.  I sincerely appreciate your support, your inspiration, your comments, and most of all your hanging with me through my emotional upheavals and scrapbook phases.  Love y'all!

Blossom Petal Builder Werewolf

I know this is a little weird for a July post...

but it is what sprung from more blossom petal builder playtime - I'm betting NO ONE else has made a werewolf with this punch (possibly from ANY punch).

Take 2 of the feather duster looking parts and two of the leaves for his ears, add a RETIRED AND LOVED small oval, small heart eyes, scrap teeth and a few pen marks and you are done.

HOW FUN!

Check this out!

Isn't that fun?

Didn't spy any directions but my daughter and her 2 'besties' are planning their first ROAD TRIP this month so I'm going to be trying this.  I'll let you know how my teen-ed up version comes out.

D is for Drum

Yet another "why did I make this?" project - but I was playing with the new pennant punch which has a scallop and plain version and this popped into my mind.

Yes, the top of the drum is the retired small oval layered on the large oval.  Not sure I'll ever forgive SU for retiring this punch.  I could resign in protest but ummmm, that would hurt ME, NOT the company, so I'll just keep buying product and whining about my loss periodically.

Bottom of drum is word window
Base is rectangle
alternated pennant punch - trimming to fit rectangle

Easy - and you can make it for your local garage band drummer - or maybe a Little Drummer Boy Christmas card...???  Mine will wind up in the box of unused punchart - pretty big box and pretty full -not really a waste however, since it takes so little cardstock and keeps you gals entertained for a few seconds. 

I think alternating the pennant punch (as on the drum) would make a great quick border on a scrapbook page.  You could space them like the drum or use more than one color and push them all together.   But I'm not going to try that today - I "owe" you gals a few more punch art days before I make you look as scrap pages again.

E is for Elephant

I am almost "giddy" when I can create a character using just ONE punch.  Man of Mystery from the Owl Punch was one of my most genius moments.
For today you get an elephant made entirely from the small tag punch (easily made from large tag punch too)

Here is the how to:

punch just a bit of the tag on the edge of your paper

 Punch one tag over the "hole" and 3 additional tags

 Trim 2 of the tags diagonally from the bottom corners to form the ears

Reinsert the remaining tag into the punch (twice) to remove the sections shown below (you can put your punch piece on a post it note to give you more to hold as you reinsert the punch piece) 

 sponge - draw on your eyes and nose "wrinkles" and you have an elephant

Pennant Hive

Yesterday, we had petals from the NEW pennant punch - today the same punch in the same color becomes a bee hive

Just trimmed the bottom the tiniest bit with scissors

Rounded the top (stuck it in the hole of the 1/2 inch circle, I think)

Draw on a few lines, sponge some ink , add a heart door

Bee is 1/2 smallest heart to heart with vellum heart wings (from owl punch)

Simple Pennant Petals

Simple little project - Used the postage punch for the flower center and the NEW pennant punch as the petals.  Leaves are the wide oval, folded in half and run through the crimper on the diagonal.

Tennis Power

Surprise!  Third post in a row...

I don't play tennis (I don't play sports - I think I'm "allergic" to exercise) but if I did, I would not want this character hitting a ball in my direction - this gal has some muscles!

Head - Owl punch (minus feet and ears)
Hair - NEW postage punch - as is, turned on the diagonal
Strip of something (I already forgot) for headband
Usual, usual usual  blah blah blah - legs are modern label with a line drawn to separate them. Lips are the tiny heart from the owl punch.

More Blossom Petal Builder Punch

Maybe if I write the name of this punch a few more times, I'll actually remember it.  As of now, I'm still having to look it up.  Blossom Petal Builder is the one that looks like a feather duster to me - Haven't used it too much so I tried another project and I think you might like this..

Ok, maybe you'll like it better next Easter instead of now but I haven't been turning out too many punch ideas so you best just take what I can give and don't be picky about seasonal timing.

Body - large feather duster petal from Blosoom Petal Builder
WIngs - large feather duster again (cut int half)
Beak - narrow heart to heart, trim bumps end off
Feet - I cut the little flower from itty bitty punch pack - but I should have just used the owl feet
Hat - medium oval
Hat brim - combo of ornament and large oval
Flower - itty bitty punch pack, standard hole punch center