It started with Hallmark

In this case I'm not referring to a Hallmark greeting card. I'm referring to the little datebooks I'd get as a teen all the way into my forties where I'd write down all the important family events to remind me when to send a card. These little books were my handheld computer of the day.

About 10 years or so ago I went out and bought a Palm device that would import my MS Outlook calender and contacts and then I'd know where to go and when. I'd also have the handy dandy birthday and anniversary list.

My cell phone was pretty dumb back then and I didn't text so I carried two devices. Then came wi-fi all over the place and free in many locations. My Palm was getting a bit outdated so hubby got me an iTouch so now I could surf the internet, check and send email and still keep track of the birthdays and anniversaries.

I still carried two things though, the phone and the iTouch. Phones were getting very smart now but I didn't want to pay for the convenience of a data plan and besides I really wanted an iPhone and Verizon didn't carry it so I was going to hold out.

Last month I got an email from Verizon that we were eligible for a new phone. Yeah, I hated the one I had and hubby did too. If you didn't go through a cumbersome process to lock the phone you'd easily butt dial someone or make a mistake and inadvertently access the internet. I called Verizon to block us from doing it because this phone was such a nuisance; we did it by accident a couple of times.

Shortly after the first email I got another saying Verizon was getting the iPhone 4. I got one even tough they are on the 3G network and surf and talk are disabled unless you are wi-fi. I've had iPhone envy for a few years and now finally I can carry one device, talk, surf, check and send email, take pretty decent photos and videos AND still check the birthday and anniversary list. That way I can go home and make and send an old fashioned hand-made, snail mail sent card for that special someone on their special day.

I like technology but I'm still a bit old school at the roots.

Until my next post,
Diane

Happy Birthday to You card

Here's an all blue card. It's hard to tell but the gingham portion on the bottom of the card is exposed so the card front actually stops right around the bow. The sentiment and the design element are actually patterned chipboard. Inside another sentiment says "celebrate and eat cake".

Until my next post,
Diane

Birthday definition card

Here's a masculine type birthday card. The stamps are all by Seaside Stampin Ink.

Until my next post,
Diane

A mini album I forgot to post

Late last summer I went to a Creaking Keepsakes convention in Virginia Beach. It was a late add-on since there was some flooding in Nashville earlier in the year and that convention had been cancelled. I thought it might be a bit too much scrapbooking and not enough card making & mini-book making but I was wrong. There were a lot of classes and of course the vendor area was loaded with great products. Most of the classes include too much to complete in the allotted time. If this really bothers you then be advised. Even though you rarely get to finish your project(s) in the time allowed the instructions you get are very good so you can complete them later without ease. I took this class using acrylic pages and black and white papers by Awesome Albums and we DID get to finish which was great. The class wasn't that challenging but it did give me ideas how to use acrylic since I hadn't had that much experience with it. I think it is great that acrylic albums or ATC's can be double sided BUT you need to prepare for that. You need to look at both sides of your paper if it is double sided and know that it is going to show unless you put something on top of it.

Here's the album I made. All of them were a bit unique since our mixture of papers, buttons and colored flowers were a bit different and you could swap with a neighbor if you didn't like your stuff.

Here's the other side of the album

Try using acrylic in your next project, I think you'll like it. Loads of companies make precut albums in various sizes and templates.

Until my next post,

Diane

A cool Photoshop Plug-In

I read a LOT of blogs from fellow crafters, sometimes too many. When I find something that gives me the Ahaa moment I realize it is worth the time I spend. A fellow paper crafter had a post about this cool Photoshop plug-in called Kaleidoscope. I wasn't able to get it to work with the 64 bit version of Photoshop CS4 but it does work just fine with the 32 bit version.

So what can you do with a few ordinary photos? Here's one of a daffodil.

Here's the same photo with the effect where it looks like I took an aerial shot of a field of flowers.

Here's a photo of the Wright Brothers monument in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Here's the same photo with the effect but I used different settings than I did with the flower.

Finally, here's a photo of my kitty BC who by the way is doing very well. If you remember (and even if you don't) he was VERY sick around the Christmas holidays in 2009. He was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Disease and is on prescription food and 1/2 tablet of Prednisone every three days. His last blood test in October was good and hopefully his next one in April will be the same.

Here's the first version of Kaleidoscope but it is a bit creepy with all those heads.

I did the effect again and came up with something a bit different that you'd never guess started out as a cat.

If you have Photoshop or Photoshop elements give it a try. Warning it is a bit addictive.

Until my next post,
Diane

Gatefold Album

This was a really easy project to put together and I got it on sale so that made it all the better! This is a Deja Views Fall Gatefold Album from the Sharon Ann Timeless collection. It came on a 12x24 piece of double sided cardstock. The pieces were perforated so you just punch them out and then assemble.

There are two signatures that I sewed with waxed linen thread and then added the ribbon for look.

All the coordinating embellishments came on the cardstock too so you know it was going to work together.

Until my next post,
Diane

The original steampunk artist?

This January 2011 issue of the Smithsonian magazine has a great article about an artist I'd never heard of. Giuseppe Arcimboldo was a portrait painter but when you see how he portrayed his subjects you'd think he was the first steampunk artist ever.

Until my next post,
Diane

Happy Birthday Edgar

Today is the 202nd anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allen Poe. I haven't read that much of his work...it's on my list of classics but I just haven't gotten to it yet.

I was reading the newspapers my neighbor saved for me when hubby and I were out of town skiing and visiting family when I saw this one from Bizarro. It is timely for the anniversay of the great writer and since I'm a big fan of A. A. Milne's series it was a perfect match.

Until my next post,

Diane

Simplicity Card

Here's a Technique Junkie designed Pinwheel card that I made for a recent swap. I used mostly patterned paper except for the hot pink portion in the pinwheel which was embossed. I used a simple punch in the corner and then added a sentiment stamp by Hero Arts.

Until my next post,
Diane

Thanks! card

I sent this card as a thank you for Christmas gifts received. I sent is over two weeks ago so I'm timely with my thanks just not with my posts. The background paper is by K&Co. The stamp is by Impression Obsession. I colored it with Marvy watercolor markers to get the different colors on the flower and petal and outline.

Until my next post,
Diane