Sassy & Sweet Notes

September Thunderstorm Photos

A storm brewed up north of us this evening, and put on quite a light show! I put the camera up on the tripod and took some photos. I couldn't decide on a favorite photo, so I'm sharing a BUNCH of photos! I am posting them in the order they were taken. And, I encourage you to click on the photos to get a larger, clearer view. Pretty cool!

You can see our neighbor's house in the distance. I did move the camera a few times because sometimes there were just more bolts in different parts of the sky, but I kept the neighbor's house in every photo.

What was strange was for the longest time we couldn't even hear the thunder. In fact, it wasn't until the last few frames that it became a distant rumble we could actually hear.

Once the storm got closer to us (it was moving very fast!) the thunder proved to be quite loud. Mister Farley had to get all nervous and scared, but eventually decided that his "safe place" under the coffee table was OK.

To take these photos, I put the camera on the bulb setting and manually held the shutter open for between 15-25 seconds. I had planned to use my wireless shutter release, but the batteries were kaput. So, all of these photos were taken with my finger holding the shutter open. I'm sure they're a bit "wiggly" if I inspect them at great detail, but they're not too bad considering!

In this photo, you can actually see how fast the clouds were moving ... the lightening made the storm clouds look double exposed in the upper right corner (right in front of that nice glow).

We even got a bit of rain once the storm made it over to us. Not quite a quarter inch. Better than nothing -- we'll take every last drop!

Enjoy the rest of the photos...

You can really see the rain coming down in this photo.

Something was getting hit! Zoweeee!!

This one might actually be my favorite. I love the curved arches of light in the center.

Hope you enjoyed the show as much as we did!

with Sympathy

A dear friend and her family lost a loved one recently, and it broke my heart to hear the news. I live too far away to give literal hugs to the family, but not too far to send condolences and love.

Sympathy cards are the most difficult cards for me to make. I always cry. Knowing what I know about the family, I created this card for them. I know they won't mind me sharing it with you, here.

I wanted this card to be special, so I created a small original water-colored painting/illustration to use as the main image. I used a fine lined pen to draw the sunflowers on Italian cotton watercolor paper, and painted the image with DaVinci artists watercolor pigments using a fine Sable brush. Music is a big part of their lives, so I incorporated sheet music from a beautiful, vintage book of music.

We send our love, north to Virginia...

 

Artist supplies purchased from DickBlick.com:
Fabriano Acquarello Watercolour Extra White Cold Pressed 140lb Cotton Paper
DaVinci Artists Watercolors
Copic Multiliner .03

Holiday Planning - honestly.

With it being 103 outside today, it's hard for me to believe that summer is over and Christmas is a mere few months away. But the days on the calendar don't lie! Soon I will be ordering up a plane ticket to make my annual trek up north to visit family and hopefully get up to my knees, or elbows, in snow! (Family: you've been notified. Warned. *grin*)

I work on holiday images all summer long, so you wouldn't think I'd have such a hard time with the transition! Every year I intend to start holiday planning sooner than I actually do so I can get more handmade items finished in time for gift giving. Like I should be starting now! But will I? Probably not. Unless you are...  are you?

I am, however, a list maker. A terrible list maker.

I make lists, then hide them so certain someones don't see them. Then, when I forget the list exists (really, I've just forgotten where I hid it) I make a new list. Last year about mid-summer, I made what I'm certain was a really great list of gift ideas for the holidays, but wrote it in a sort of shorthand code.

Something like this...

    N: g&h&gc
    J: c&c&c
    P: j&c&pcs
    J: tb or bf&bf
    ...etc...

This was a really bad idea. I couldn't remember my own code when I looked at the list later, and ended up having to make a new list anyway. I'm sure it was full of really great ideas, though!

So.... are you a list maker? An early bird holiday planner? Dish!

Image: Celebration Penguin, one of my winter 2011 images for Whipper Snapper.

Sorrowful Sunflowers

To those of you still enjoying and sharing photos of your gardens full of beautiful, cheery flowers...

*Phttththththtth!* I say to you.

Ours burnt up in the Texas summer sun.

The grasshoppers still find them romantic, at least.

I'll get my turn next spring when we've got flowers blooming and birds singing and you're still elbow deep in snow. *giggle*

Chicken Mummy Halloween

It was 106 here today ... ridiculous. Still a bit too soon for woollies and sweaters, I guess. Bummer.

Since it was an "inside" day, I spent some time chatting on the phone with Aunt Patty. While we chatted, I made this chicken mummy halloween card, using an image from my Whipper Snapper cling set called Happy Haunting. The sentiment stamped on the background of the card in white craft ink is from another of my Whipper Snapper cling sets called Spooky Expressions.

The patterned paper is from the Ambrosia 6x6 pad, from BasicGrey. This paper line has butterflies and florals, but also has lots of nice orange, black, and grey patterns as well which just say "halloween" to me.

The image is stamped on kraft colored card stock, and I used a water brush and white pigment ink to color the mummy straps white. If this technique is new to you, you can watch a how-to video tutorial here.

Happy Sunday!

A Drive Through Texas Farmland (Video)

Alan and I made a trip to the farm supply store this evening -- join us as we drive home through Texas farmland.

Video has been edited to 3x time, and ends with a beautiful Texas sunset. It was 96 degrees.

Enjoy!

As always, if you have trouble viewing the video here on the blog, you can also view it on my YouTube channel.

Enjoy the weekend!

Farmgirl Betty

I've got three new cling sets releasing for Whipper Snapper in October, and I'm so excited about them! Meet Farmgirl Betty... a natural-fiber birk-wearing sweetie! Farmgirl Betty and Farmer John harvest all kinds of friendly, organic goodness! Coming to Whipper Snapper in October.

Farmer John

I've got three new cling sets releasing for Whipper Snapper in October, and I'm so excited about them! I thought you deserved a sneak peek! Meet Farmer John... I'm smitten!

...and wait until you meet his gal, Farmgirl Betty! *grin*

High Hopes Holiday Release Blog Hop (Card and Video)

To celebrate the holiday release for High Hopes Rubber Stamps, the designers are participating in a blog hop to showcase the new images. If you're participating in the hop, Andrea was before me and Kristine is next. If you didn't get here from Andrea's blog, you may want to pop on over to the High Hopes blog and start at the top.

Hopefully an added bonus, if you liked the Piggly Wiggly and Coloring a Snowman videos I've shared this week, I've got another treat for you! I filmed myself coloring this image, too! What can I say ... I was on a video roll! (Still no music on the videos... and the goat goober is still present as well. What fun!)

Enjoy this sped up look at me coloring this snowman.

And like always, if you have trouble viewing the video here on my blog, you can check it out here on my YouTube channel. Oh! And I wanted to mention too, if you want to get a BIGGER look at the videos, click on the little four arrow button at the far right of the video control bar -- just right of the YouTube button. That will make the video viewing window full screen. Then, to get back to regular viewing, press the ESC key on your keyboard (the ESC key is in the upper left corner of your keyboard, Dad!)  *grin*

To continue on with the blog hop, shake yourself on over to Kristine's blog!

Snowman: High Hopes Rubber Stamps
Memento Black Tuxedo Ink
Paper: Neenah, Memory Box, Olive cardstock
Markers: Copic (0; C1; W3, W5, W7; E13, E30, E31, E41, E42, E43, E44; YG95, YG97, YG91; B91, B93, B95; R39, R59; YR14, YR24; R01)

High Hopes Christmas Joy Snowman (Card and Video)

High Hopes Rubber Stamps is releasing new holiday images on Thursday of this week (tomorrow), and today the designers are giving you a look at them. I chose to use this cheery Christmas Joy snowman, dressed up in his finest star buttons.

If you liked the Piggly Wiggly coloring video I shared earlier this week, then I've got a treat for you! I filmed myself coloring this image, too! (Still no music on the videos...)

Enjoy!

Oh, and like always, if you have trouble viewing the video here on my blog, you can check it out here on my YouTube channel.

Snowman: High Hopes Rubber Stamps
Memento Black Tuxedo Ink
Paper: Neenah, Memory Box, black cardstock
Markers: Copic (0; C1; W1, W2, W3, W4, W5; E9, E31, E35, E37, E44, E53, E99; BG93, BG70, BG72, BG96; Y17, Y26, Y28; YR14, YR24; R01)

Home for the Holidays: A High Hopes Challenge

There's a challenge on the High Hopes blog today and the topic is "Home for the Holidays". The challenge runs for two weeks, so I encourage you to play along! Get all the details on the High Hopes blog. This week, the High Hopes designers are showcasing images from this week's new release, so be sure to check out all the cuteness starting today on the High Hopes blog!

For my challenge project, I chose to use the adorable new gingerbread baking girl image. I have a package of small kraft colored gift bags on hand for this years holiday gift giving, and I decided to doll one up with a cute tag, a bit of stamping, ribbon, and some sparkle!

Honestly, I could not resist using the "Happiness is Licking the Spoon" sentiment from my own What's Cookin' cling set from Whipper Snapper. It just seemed to be the perfect sentiment for the image.

Feeding Cows

I try to keep a good variety of topics here on the blog, and it seems it might be time for a farm update! Here's a quick one for you of yesterday evening's cow feeding activities. Feeding time is always very popular with the critters. Alan carries sweet feed out to the cows, and the goats are always hot on his trail! They don't miss a beat!

He pours the feed in troughs, and the cows munch it all up. Mmmm, good! You can see Baaaaad Boxcar Betty in the far right of the photo, eagerly wanting some of the feed. But the goats are not allowed into the pastures with the bigger Dexters and donkeys.

The goats get to share (what they can steal) with Gracie and Pixie Stix, our two youngest heifers, who are in the barnyard with the goats, away from Houdini's loving ways. Gracie and Pixie Stix are not quite 1 year old, and we don't want them bred too early. So, in the barnyard they stay.

Lucy, our little red cow, is low-cow in the herd. She's not an aggressive cow so she doesn't fight her way in (and she's the littlest), so the other cows don't like to let her belly up to the bar. Here are Pixie and Princess pigging out, while Lucy looks on from the side.

What the cows don't know is that Lucy gets special treats while they are busy enjoying their snacks, or are out at pasture not paying attention to what's happening up at the barn. The donkeys stand by, waiting their turn.

The always present "Coooookies?!" look on Lucy's face during feeding time.

When putting out new hay bales, Alan shuts the gate between two pastures so we don't have to deal with the cows while he's moving the tractor in and out of the pasture. Pixie heard him rattle the gate and looked to see what was going on. She quickly went back to eating.

Pixie and Houdini munching away... Numm numm numm!

When it comes time to set out hay, Alan uses a big spear on the front of the tractor bucket to spear the round bales and move them into the pasture.

Alan sets the hay in short bale fences to lengthen the life of the bale. The cows like to rub on the bales, which tears them up faster than anything and wastes a lot of hay. The bale fences are a necessity! We have short cows, so the bale fences are short too.

Houdini and Pixie look on (behind that gate Alan closed earlier) while Alan maneuvers the bale with the tractor. The cows love new hay day!

Houdini loves hay...

Dixie's Chick loves hay.

Piggly Wiggly Card (Video)

I get asked frequently if I'll demonstrate how I color or paint the images I use on my projects. So I took a video of the process of me coloring this image, and making the card. The video doesn't have any sound (don't have music files to add to videos), so hum your own tune while you watch. *grin* Also, it's in 3x speed, so not to take up too much of your time!

If you have trouble viewing the video here on the blog, you can check it out here on my YouTube channel.

Enjoy!

PS: Let me know if this is something you'd like to see more of.

- Hamselot (#CT073): Whipper Snapper Designs
- Sentiment: Garden of Friendship cling set, Whipper Snapper Designs
- Memento Black Tuxedo Ink
- Paper: Neenah, October Afternoon
- Markers: Copic (0, R11, R20, B93, B95, B97, E13, E15, R37, R39, R59, C1, C2, C3, YG03, YG23, YR21, YR24 -- hope I didn't miss any!)
- Colored Pencil: LYRA Pompeian Red 600-91
- MISC: Seam binding, tracing wheel, Tombow Mono Multi glue, antique button, twine, Stampin Up foam dimensionals, Gamsol and paper tortillon for blending
- Smudge on camera lens: Baaaaad Boxcar Betty

Origami Shirt Card - Fishing Themed!

I wanted to make a special birthday card for a fisherman fella, so I decided to pull out a sheet of some of my favorite "guy" paper. This paper is from the Great Outdoors - Earthtones line by American Traditional Designs, and has been in my stash for several years -- well, since 2006 I believe, looking at it's publish date. I love making origami shirts, and making them as cards is extra fun! If you want to learn how, I would head on over to YouTube and search for Origami Shirt Card. You'll find lots of videos showing you how. (In fact, this one is good.)

You can make one out of a single sheet of 8.5x11 paper, but if you want to add a pocket as I've done, you'll need a little scrap to cut it from.

I changed the buttons on this card after I took the photo (and didn't want to bother with a new photo). I moved the buttons over to the center of the card. I'm not sure why I placed them off to the side in the first place. *shakes head* Centered is MUCH better!

The front of the shirt slides down and out from under the collar and folds down to reveal a message inside. Pretty cute, and I think it'll be enjoyed by the fisherman fella I'm sending it to.

Update:
I made similar shirt cards in 2007! Here are links to them, posted in my SplitCoastStampers gallery:
- Plaid Shirt
- Bobber Shirt
- Camping Shirt
- Fishing Shirt (same paper as the card on this post)

Cricket (Video)

Not everyone can have a house chicken, so how about I share mine?

If you have trouble viewing the video here on the blog, check it out here on my YouTube channel.

Billy the Kid: Finished Project

I finally finished the project I started using the Billy the Kid image I colored up. This is a large 5x7 card. The image is colored with markers and colored pencils, and I added lots of brown distress ink around the edges, along with some stamped "yippee-ki-yi-yay" sentiments in the background. The sentiment is from my Singing Cowboy cling set from Whipper Snapper. The patterned paper with horseshoes is an old print from Flair Designs, and the lighter brown paper I used for the mat is from a Recycled Mat Pack from K&Company. A button and some small twine finish it off.

There's a "new" (recently re-designed) artist pen available on the market from Shinhan Art, and well, you know I'm a sucker for coloring and painting mediums! There's a challenge posted on their blog where 1 randomly selected participant will receive a few pens for free, so I thought I'd enter Billy the Kid and see what kind of luck I have at winning myself a few of the new pens to try. You can find the details on the Touch Twin Markers & More Challenge Blog.

Happy Wednesday!

Texas Postcards

I'm thinking about selling postcards in a couple of our town's shops ... what do you think? I will use some of my Texas Wildflower images, and probably a field of sunflowers or two. And, perhaps a shot of some longhorn cattle in a field of bluebonnets.

Billy The Kid

I was working on my image of Billy the Kid this evening, and thought I'd do a comparison look of the two images ... one with no background to speak of, and one with an inked and stamped background. Pretty neat how a little ink can make such a difference! Oh, I also added a bit more shading to some areas of Billy's vest, chaps, and pant legs in the inked version...

Image colored with markers and colored pencils.

Free Scrap Magazines...

I have the following magazines to give away if anyone wants them. They are in LIKE-NEW condition. Just pay shipping, and they can be yours!

Simple Scrapbooks July/Aug 2008
Creating Keepsakes Aug 2008
Digital Scrapbooking June/July 2008
Digital Scrapbooking Aug/Sept 2008

Take one, take all four.

Happy Birthday, Alan's Dad!

Alan's dad, John, celebrates his 75th birthday today. Happy Birthday, John!!

We enjoyed dinner with Alan's parents last night, and are headed over this evening for celebratory cake and ice cream. I put together a birthday card for him, and cracked up the entire time I was making it...

Fishing Ewe Mower Birthday Fishes

Stamp Storage (Video)

When I posted the video of my workspace area, I had a request to share how I store and organize my stamps. Soooo, here you go!

If you have trouble viewing this video here on the blog, you can check it out here on my YouTube Channel.

The large containers I use for my Stampin' Up sets are  Stampendous THICKER Stuftainers. They are organized by line art style, and theme. I also use the Stampendous THIN Stuftainers for images I have on cling mount (which isn't all that many).

I keep my Whipper Snapper cling mount sets (which are in their original product CD cases) stored in CD storage boxes, organized by theme. I bought the CD storage cases at Target several years ago on clearance. I'd love to have 1 more!

I keep clear sets and unmounted red rubber stamps in standard white 3-ring binders, organized by manufacturer. Because I am (or was) a designer for various companies, it's important for me to keep some company stamps all together (example: High Hopes, Crafty Secrets, Whipper Snapper Designs).

In the binders I use various sized page protector sleeves. The 2-pocket 5x7 sleeves,9-pocket baseball card sleeves, and the 3-pocket long sleeves are ULTRA-Pro products used for safely storing sports memorabilia. (Links below.) The full-sized sleeves are a heavy duty Avery sleeve. I use heavy duty clear 3M write-on transparency sheets to adhere the unmounted red rubber stamps using Alene's Tack It Over glue, and inexpensive white cardstock for stability in the pockets.

All of these items can be found on Amazon at the following links:

Stampendous Thicker Storage Solutions (5 containers)

Aleene's Tack-It Over & Over Glue

Ultra Pro 9-Pocket Trading Card Pages

Ultra Pro 2-Pocket Pages

Ultra Pro 4-Pocket Pages

Avery Diamond Clear Heavyweight Sheet Protectors

3M - Transparency Sheets (WRITE-ON)

 

Hope this is helpful!

Happy Sunday!!

A Cheery Birthday Card

I know lots of people with September birthdays, so I thought I should get on the stick about making some birthday cards! Here's one I put together this evening. Cheery, don't you think?

I drew the image and then colored it with markers and colored pencils. I added lots of ultra fine glitter using a quickie glue pen for sparkle and shine. The sentiment is from my Simply Bloom cling set. I wanted a light and airy sentiment for the banner. I also stamped the background text image from All Things With Love on the base of the card.

Oh, and just may be a sneak peek at a new Whipper Snapper stamp...

Maybe.

*grin*

Workspace (Video)

Alright guys and gals, I've got a video to share with you. Nancy (hi Nancy!) emailed me first thing this morning and asked if I could show more of what I store around my workspace, and any additional info I cared to share. Instead of taking 30 still-photos, I thought I'd brave a short video! Hope this helps you, Nancy!

Honestly, I could have talked for an hour. Haaha! I rushed it into 11 minutes for you, and just hit some highlights.

Also, here is some info worth noting:

Copic Retail Display: I don't have a link for you; I actually ordered mine from a wholesaler. However, if you are in desperate need of one for yourself and cannot find one, I could potentially order one for you. Shipping is going to be heafty, so only serious inquiries, please. Also, I say potentially because it's not an item that is always "in stock", so your patience level must be high. If you want to try and find one online (expect the price to be high!), search for Empty Copic Sketch/Various Ink Retail Display. You might get lucky.

Colored Pencil Storage: This is a display unit I purchased (if I remember correctly) at a used retail fixture display store in Portland, Oregon years ago. I believe it was a point-of-purchase display rack that would have been used at a register counter for selling pens or pencils, or possibly even bookmarks, or small reader glasses. Turns out that it works perfect for my pencils! You might try searching eBay for Acrylic display and see what you find... I know I've seen similar items listed, but nothing exactly like the unit I have. Bummer too, because I'd love a second one!

Wooden Ink Pad Storage: Wall Unit Plus by http://www.SUINK.net

Martin Universal Design Mijello Airtight Leak-Proof Palettes: Find them on Amazon.

 

What else would you like to know? *grin*

PS: If you have trouble viewing the video here on my blog, you can check it out here on my YouTube Channel.

New Goody!

I ordered a new goody for my desk! Can you pick it out? Click on the photo for a LARGER view...

Not sure what it could be?

All that clutter got you mystified?!

Let me help you out...

I ordered a retail display rack for my markers! I had them stored in different containers previously, but due to their different sizes (some are round, some oval, and some square) and the way that the containers I was using were constructed, I wasn't able to keep the pens in the order I wanted them in.

The way this rack is built, it allows me to mix and match all the various sized pens I have, and keep them in the organized color order that I want! The other items in my area are all sorted by color too, so "order" is kind of an important part of my workflow.

I keep other markers in small drawer units at the back of my workspace, and of course my colored pencils are always front and center within easy reach. I organize most things by ROYGBIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet, followed by Neutrals). It works for me.

Oh, and see that cutie of a card there in the front?

I made this for a co-worker this evening. She is a dog trainer in her spare time and she asked me to draw up a graphic for her for her puppy training classes. I turned the original drawing into this little display piece for her desk.

On the back of the piece I created a make-shift easel so it can easily stand on display. For ease of mailing, the lower section of the easel has a little tab that tucks up into the shallow pocket I created at the base of the display.

Am I the first person to dream up such an idea? I hardly think so... but I'm the first one in THIS craft room who has, and that's sayin' something! *grin*

Anyone else craving Fruit Loops?

Texas Fire Update

Thank you for all of the emails and comments you've left wanting to know if the Texas wildfires are burning near us or putting us in danger. I'm happy to say that no, they are not near us, and we are fine.

Our farm is located in central Texas. There are fires south of us near Austin, northwest of us west of Fort Worth, and northeast of us east of Dallas. The sky is filled with smoke, but thankfully none of the current fires pose any threat to us or our farm.

We've had a hard enough summer without the threat of wildfire, too. Not everyone is so lucky though, and we hope the fires are contained quickly, and safely for all involved.

Thank you for your expressed concern. {{hugs!}}

Back to School: A High Hopes Challenge

There's a challenge on the High Hopes blog today and the topic is "Back to School". The challenge runs for two weeks, so I encourage you to play along! Get all the details on the High Hopes blog.

For my card, I chose to use the CUTE Wheel-ie Robot and sentiment. I have to say, it is so fun to color up the robot images! All of their gears and working parts beg to be bright colors, in my mind.

Oh, and how does my card fit with the "back to school" theme? It's being sent to a teacher. *grin*

Hope you had a wonderful 3-day holiday weekend. I putzed around the house all weekend long, and it was wonderful!

Even MORE wonderful is the cooler temps we started to see yesterday! Come on FALL!! We're sooooooo ready for ya!!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Wish we could be with you to celebrate this year! Hope you do something FUN, and eat CAKE!

Hugs & Kisses!

Northern Winds are Welcome

Today calls for a little celebration! Today will be our first day below 100* since MAY! And by the looks of the forecast, it might stay that way for the week. We get CLOSE to 100* towards the end of the 10-day forecast, but as long as we don't see triple digits on the thermometer I'll be grateful.

Enjoy the rest of your fun-filled, holiday weekend!

September.

Here we are already at September 4th, and I've neglected to share this month's 2011 calendar image! Oops! September in the 2011 On the Farm calendar features COWS!

Stay tuned for the 2012 calendar details in the next couple months! It promises to be a good one!

Whooohoooo! Happy Weekend!!

I'm so excited to have a 3-day weekend! This was always a fun weekend for my family when I was growing up as it usually meant we were out camping or at the lake for possibly the last time for the summer. Wherever we were, we always celebrated Dad's birthday (which is the 5th).

Things are a bit different now that there's life on the farm. I have lots of projects I'll be working on this weekend, and will even share a tidbit or two while I'm at it. I'm still working on new Whipper Snapper spring & summer 2012 images, and even several new cling sets that I'm super excited about!

I am also tempted to add chicken house compost to the garden beds, but that would require me to clean up the beds first, and as it's still pushing over the 100*+ temp it might be better to wait a week. Only supposed to be in the mid 90s next week. Might as well wait a week, right?

Here's to happy labor day'ing to you and your family! Bottom's up!

PS: The image on this post is my Rustic Snowman, a personal favorite of mine! See him on projects here, and here. I {heart} him.