Friday, July 1, 2011

"Cards by Traci" and about StampFest Orlando 2011!

Hi Friends~


I hope that you are all ready to start our 2nd year as a blog, with us.  I would really love for you to become part of the blog if possible.  Share your story, share how you serve Him, or how you have your children serve Him.  Anything about Him...anything about you!  Just email it to me, if you would like to share it on the blog.  Ok?  Ok!


I promised to tell you about StampFest Orlando today...and I have a few cards to share with you, too.  I was VERY excited about what I saw there.  But, I couldn't go last year...to any show...so what I saw may not be all that new.  I was very excited about some of the companies there...I know of them through their DT (Design Team) members.  And, I was a bit sad about some of the companies NOT there...for the same reasons.  You know, you get to be friends with some of the bloggers, and you love their art...and there they are at a show...or not!  Let me show you some of my cards first, and then I will tell you some of the things that I learned and will be sharing here down the road. 


You know I really find the best paper matches by accident much of the time.  The tulip paper and the deep pink paper were stacked touching together in my scrap box of papers.  How could that have happened when I have one box for solid scraps, and a folder for design paper, you may ask?  I tell you, I have no idea...I just cleaned it out!  My Mom let me use her stamp of tulips...I love the image.  I am really starting to see why so many people mat (is that how you spell it?) in black.  It really makes the image pop! I colored a zillion butterflies of different styles...and this one has Stickles on it's wings and body.   I put a "Happy Blessings" sentiment on it...and the outside was done!  Easy!

 


"The Lord is my light and my Salvation:  Whom shall I fear?"  Psalm 27:1


I like this card.  I made it for the Our Daily Bread Weekly Challenge.  This challenge is due on Thursday nights.  This challenge is due next week.  It is super easy...just use an ODBD stamp on your card.  I wanted to use some of my new toys on this card...so I did.  The bg paper is DCWV-Luxury Stack.  I like it because it reminds me a bit of Heaven...there are even crosses in a row at the very top...which have a little sparkle on them.  I thought that Heaven may have some art pieces of crosses...to remind us of all He has done for us.  I know this isn't Biblical...it is just in the paper and imagination.  The stamp from ODBD is from their "Light of the World" set.  It is awesome, light houses and Scriptures!  I thought this was pretty cool.  The sun is an embossed Tim Holtz folder called "Rays."  I used the "ink to paper" method that I learned at SplitCoastStampers last week.  (That is when you take 1 or more ink pads and run them across the paper...not on a stamp...but the pad itself. Any questions?  Just let me know. I'll do my best to describe it in detail.)  What was a bit different about this example is that it is raised up, so it grabs the ink differently...making the "rays" of the sun a bit more like they are reflective...not all straight lines.  I used a lot of ink on this one card.  The bottom color was TH (Tim Holtz) Wild Honey Distress Ink.  Then S.E.I.'s "Cumquat" in the middle area...and then Brilliance-Sunflower Yellow towards the top of the sun.  There is Brilliance--Rocket Red for the Scripture!  I have the best little set of phrases and a couple of crosses and a dove...from Inkadinkadoo!  That is where the cross came from.  I tried to heat emboss it with crystal...no can do!  All brushed off for some reason.  So, I stamped it in Studio G-Silver.  A few times!  That was OK...but didn't give off the glow I think He will have...so I put some Stencil Collection's Hologram Glue over the cross.  I like it.  I think it works.  It's totally a different look from my regular cards...like above.  There is one more...

This is Dave's Father's Day card.  It doesn't have a bunch of kids on it or anything like that.  He loves to go out in the woods and spend the day or the night. I made it about something he loves to do.  Our children are all grown...so it was more of a thank you card for his being a wonderful father to our "kids."   He loves to go on hikes, and bring a book to read and just be alone with the trees.  I used SU! white glossy paper for this card. And, the first thing I did was heat emboss the tree image with black embossing powder.  I let it cool, and then I started doing the "ink to paper" technique that I mentioned briefly above. You just move the ink pad straight over the cool embossed section.  Dave isn't into bling.  He likes the simple, but beautiful things in life.  So, I made the most CAS card I think I could.  CAS?  Clean and Simple.  I used the 3 colors but I think it should have gone with the darkest color first, and then the middle color, and then an orange-red.  OR, that the lines should have gone horizontally...like a sunset or sunrise.  What do you think?  How would you have placed the color on the card...if you used this super easy technique?  You could probably whip out 50 cards similar to this in a day if you needed to...keep that in mind, you never know.

 
So, what did I see at StampFest Orlando 2011...  I am not going to show you photos of their work...I don't have permission.  But, I am going to show you how to make an incredibly simple, super-bling flower that doesn't look so over the top...SOON!  And, I learned how to really get the best benefit from Tim Holtz distress inks.  Seriously, you could spend a whole day on how to use them in different ways.  I learned how to make very cool looking tags...and it was really quite simple.  It's all a matter of knowing the ways to use what you probably already have!  The FAVORITE thing I learned how to do would have looked the most difficult if I didn't watch her make it.  I learned how to make an ATC (Artist Trading Card) which are small.  Smaller than most average size tags.  And, you make them with napkins as the main objects!!  Of course, I had to buy the ATC cards, the glossy adhesive, and a stack of assorted occasion napkins!  I didn't need to buy the paints though...that saved me $20 on Saturday...so I bought more stamps!

 
It was very exciting meeting my fellow Blog-Woman...Gerrie.  She is the brains, humor and lots of talent behind the "Queen of Grunge" blog.  If you like the "Wizard of Oz" you will love her blog.  If you like punny writing, you will love her blog.  If you like the most unique, interesting, great art...you will love her blog!  And, she did NOT pay me to say this!
(I was just being silly. We do not take any money from anyone to say or do anything on this blog.)

 
I'd say that my favorite booth was probably, or at least really possibly the Stampers Anonymous Booth...which had so much Tim Holtz stuff in it.  And, it was a huge booth.  I bought some game spinners I have been looking for, some special sponge holders he has...that are velcro...so you can just swap out the sponges when switching colors...ingenious! I wish I realized that while I was there!  I would have bought a zillion of the sponges!  I don't recall what else I bought at that booth.  It was fun.  It was hot.  It was crowded.  And, I spent my money way to fast.  I even started out by writing down what things I wanted and the price and vendor on paper when we started.  I was not going to spend any money until I saw everything.  Usually, I run out by the end.  And, usually, I start at the end of the room...everyone goes to the front of the show first.  (There's a trick for you!  It was learned from years of going to Disney Attractions.)  Well, my plan lasted me 2 booths!  My list was history!  And, my fun began.  Keep your eyes here, because you are going to see some wonderful techniques and stamps used!

 
Praying you will have a wonderful weekend!  Oh, Our Daily Bread Designs is sharing it's new stamps today!  Their link is located on the right side of the blog.  They usually have a wonderful blog hop for stamps!  I'm heading there to see what they have!  Thanks for spending some time with me today.  Monday, we will be hearing a tiny bit about the Beautitudes!

He IS Able,
Traci S.

4 comments:

  1. Another praise God post. One of my SIL's had mouth and throat cancer. She just had her 18 month re-check after her cancer treatments were complete. She is still clear and finally gaining weight. Praise God

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  2. I join you in praising God for the wonderful results of your SIL! That is surely a reason to praise Him! He tells us that we are "healed by our faith," and that we could be "healed by the faith of a few good friends." God's promises coming true.

    I Praise God today for rain. We have been in the worst measurement of a drought. Lately, it has stayed relatively cool...high 90's...but the clouds have been out, and it has rained a bit every day. I thank Him for the green grass that is coming back to life, and for the beautiful blooms on the plant that Josh gave us for our 1st Anniversary! It is flourishing, due to the rain. Of course, on sunny days, I am moved to praise Him for that! LOL It amazes me as I look out the sliding glass door, and see some of his creations: The majestic oaks, the birds of the air, and the squirrels playing, and the children...being children! I thank Him for all of these wonderful things! Thank You, Lord Jesus. I praise Your Holy Name!
    Amen!

    He IS Able!
    Traci S.

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  3. I just came upon this in my reading. I felt drawn to post it here.
    The work of promoting peace is anything but a calm and quiet endeavor. It takes a clear mind, a steady spirit and a brave soul to intervene between people whose emotions are so aroused that they are ready to destroy one another.

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  4. You have been a busy bee Traci!! I am so glad you were able to join the ODBD challenge this week!! I just love the colors and the verse you focused on!! I hope you are well. I have been thinking about you. Thanks for joining the ODBD challenge!!
    hugs,
    Chris

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