Taylored Challenged

I have to get this posted really, really quickly!

Taylored Expressions has a challenge that ends at 11:59 PST. It's now 11:53! I like last minute. 

I just went to link it, and it is closed. I guess my laptop doesn't know the time. 

This is the inspiration:

And here is my card:

As I can't link, I'll add the details.

I used my Deluxe September kit from Taylored Expressions: the stamp is TE's Sending Smiles; paper, We R Memory Keepers Chalkboard and Bazzill (?) Arizona and Aqua; and the ribbon.

The flowers and butterflies were stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black and colored with my Copics; two layers of flowers were fussy cut. The butterflies also have Spica glitter pen on the outside edge. The butterflies are from TE's Summer Wreath set. I used TE's Curly Border die and My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags Layers Stax. 

As I am totally crazy, the curly border is inlaid. Yes, I painstakingly put the tiny pieces inside the loops. 

Oh, my!

Where have I been? I haven't been here since May? I guess summer got in the way.

I signed up for the Online Card Class Insider. Even though it is a short class, I'm still behind. Here is my card for the first day. 

Paper: Essentials by Ellen; Hero Hues Grenadine

Stamp: Penny Black

Ink: Archival Ink Jet Black

Distress Markers: Barn Door, Faded Jeans, Fired Brick, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Tumbled Glass, Wild Honey, Walnut Stain and Weathered Wood

Distress Ink: Gathered Twigs and Mowed Lawn (I pressed it on my Craft Sheet and picked up the ink with my paint brush.) Tumbled Glass

Stickles: Yellow

Other: Blending Tool, Craft Sheet, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, ATG Gun and Glue, Computer

And the inside...

The Stickles are hard to see, but they are on the candle flames on both the outside and inside. 

Lesson learned? I can't put the ink on the paper and paint with water. I have to lay the ink on my craft sheet and pick it up with the paint brush.  

On to Days 2 and 3...

Online Card Class Day 1 Masculine Card

As I can only link one card per post to the Gallery at the Online Card Class His & Hers, here's the male.

Paper:  Hero Hues Mocha Layering Paper; Speckletone Kraft

Stamps:  Cornish Heritage Farms, SL-1280WUM Open Plaid Background and SL-3138WUM Petite Pattern Background; Hero Arts CL140 Thinking of You

Ink:  Hero Arts Shadow Ink Cup O’ Joe; Distress Embossing Ink, Distress Ink Peeled Paint

Embossing Powder:  Distress Powder Peeled Paint, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo; Zing White

Dies:  Spellbinders S4-116 Standard Circles Small; My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags Layers Stax; Lawn Cuts A Birdie Told Me

Other: Ranger Enamel Accents White; EK Success Powder Tool

Online Card Class

Good grief! It has been over a month since I've posted! Unfortunately, I do have an excuse. I decided to 'ride' my horse for the first time several weeks ago. (I've had her since November, but she had been starved and needed to gain weight. She is now where she should be.) 

As I was out with her, I decided to get on...without a saddle or bridle. I was almost all the way on when she decided it was time to get moving. I took the time to decide do I try to pull myself all the way on or dive and roll. I chose the dive and roll a few seconds too late as I thought I could pull myself on. I'm still taking painkillers and muscle relaxants. 

On to the Online Card Class His & Hers. I did get a couple of cards made for Day 1 and work on my His & Hers list. 

Paper:  Speckletone Kraft; Strathmore Watercolor; Neenah Vellum

Stamps:  Hero Arts CG287 Flower Corsage and CL140 Thinking of You

Ink:  StazOn Jet Black; VersaMark Ink

Distress Markers: Dried Marigold, Worn Lipstick, Barn Door, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Fired Brick, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint and Broken China 

Other:  Pentel Aquash Brush; Zing White Embossing Powder 

And the beginnings of my list:

Online Card Class - Pattern Play Day 4

Altering Pattern Paper

Shari's demonstration at the Online Card Class - Pattern Play had me thinking masculine card. I have the Echo Park Note to Self 6 x 6 pad. I'm not too sure why I bought it as it is a lot of dark colors. All I can think is I like the paper with the View Master reels, which I didn't use on this card. Go figure.

The altered paper is the background. Following Shari's instructions, those creases are sanded. I need more practice, a few of those were sanded through!

Supplies:  
   Paper:  Echo Park Note to Self
   Stamps:  Hero Arts CL340 Birthday Sayings
   Ink:  Hero Hues Black
   Punches:  Marvy 5/8" and 3/4" circles 

Online Card Class - Pattern Play Day 3

I'm pushing the midnight deadline! What else is new?

Kristina started the day at the Online Card Class Pattern Play. Her video for Hard to Use & Bold Patterns challenged me as I avoid the bold, they most definitely are hard to use. 

Supplies:
   Paper:  Crate Paper Maggie Holmes; Hero Hues Celadon;
     Yellow from my stash
   Stamps:  My Favorite Things Inspired by Butterflies and Flower 
     Silhouette; Making Memories Banners and Alpha Dilly Dally
   Ink:  Hero Hues Wet Cement

Online Card Class Day 2

I had a very hard time with the one layer homework. I want pop dots. I want frames. I want patterned paper. That's not the assignment.

This is what I finally came up with. 

Lesson learned: Don't trust the top edge of the 4.25 x 5.5 mask is square with the die cut! Next time I will put the inner most square down first and then work out with the other masks. 

Supplies:
Taylored Expressions Snow White Choice Cardstock
Judikins Eclipse Art Masking Tape Sheets
Stamps: MFT Flower Silhouette, MFT PI-All Occasion Sentiments; Making Memories Banners & Alpha Dilly Dally
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Angel Pink, Bamboo Leaves, Cantaloupe, Lulu Lavender; Distress Ink Faded Jeans; VersaMark
Pens: Distress Marker Peeled Paint, Milled Lavender, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Worn Lipstick; Spica Buttermilk, Lilac, Pink
Dies: MFT Flower Silhouette, Sentiment Strips; Spellbinders Classic Square Small
Ranger Super Fine Detail Black Embossing Powder

Online Card Class

I'm a few nine days behind in the Clean and Simple Card Making 2 class! 

Last night (Wednesday) I finished a card for Day 1. I wanted to use Kristina's sketch but did't have a mask, so I made one. I own the Taylored Expressions Quatrefoil Cutting Plate which is perfect for what I had in mind.


Do I have any Mister Hueys? No. Out came the Shabby Shutters Distress Re-Inker. I'm off to a great start! LOL

As I used Copics to color my image, I used Simon Says Stamp's 120 lb card stock. This was the first time I've used it, and the ink didn't bleed through! I know others have said it doesn't but as I don't know how heavy a hand they have with coloring, I had to see it for myself. I tend to put down lots of layers of color, probably more then really needed.

One thing I learned about the card stock, score it really, really well. I thought I had but the card stock cracked when I folded it. So much for being 'neat and professional.' Hey, it's a class, the whole point is to learn. Right?

Added Saturday: I'm just now getting pictures taken. I don't know what is wrong with the color. I've taken a bazillion, (okay, maybe not) and I can't get it right. Sorry, I wish it was better.

Supplies:
Simon Says Stamp 120 lb card stock
Taylored Expressions Quatrefoil Cutting Plate
Judikins Eclipse Art Masking Tape
Distress Re-Inker Shabby Shutters
Spellbinders S4-110 Classic Oval
Lockhart Stamp Co. Hydrangea
Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics: B23, B24, B26, B63, B91, B93, BV11, BV13, BV17 E50, E53, G82, G99
MFT Fishtail Flags Layers Stax
VersaMark Ink
American Crafts Zing White Embossing Powder
MFT PI-All Occasions Sentiments
Distress Ink Faded Jeans
Distress Marker Faded Jeans
All Night Media 1/16" Mini Pop Dots

Now to Day 2...

I don't like it

But I turned the word verification back on. I don't like spam and was getting too much. If there were a better way, I'd do it! Any suggestions?

Brought Pascha home today. The llamas ran to the fence to check her out but would run away if Pascha got too close. Annie checked her out and did not run away. Good horse!

I'd post a picture but it was almost dark when we got home and by the time we had her settled, it was dark. Not good photo shooting light. :)

Oh my!

I knew it had been some time since I had posted. I didn't realize it had been THAT long!

I added more to my schedule this past fall. I'm now teaching the 2 year old children at our church and doing our church bulletin. 

Then I did something I had no plan of doing, I bought a horse, Annie. The people I bought Annie from rescued her from an auction. She was in pretty bad shape when they got her but had her on the road to recovery. 

As I had no plans to buy a horse, I had some quick fencing and shelter work to do. DH had bought a Powder Mountain shelter several years ago. The plan had always been using it for parking the car. (When the house you live in was built over 100 years ago, garages were not important.) However, that never happened. 

As a friend has llamas living here, I couldn't put Annie out in the pasture with them until they became familiar with each other. That meant quick putting in some fence posts and adding some cattle panels. Annie lived there for a couple of weeks.

As you can see, she needed to put more weight on. I bought a horse blanket as she had no fat to keep her warm this winter.  
The day after we brought Annie home, Daphne was here and I asked if she wanted to go see the llamas. As we were walking out there, all of a sudden Daph says, "Gramma, you have a horse!" She was so excited. I loved the look on her face.

Daphne loves Annie. I didn't know how Annie would be around small children so was very careful. However, Annie proved to be wonderful. 

Whenever Daph is here, she wants to take Annie on a walk. Daph isn't brave enough to get on Annie, but one day. I haven't ridden Annie either. I want her to be up to weight first. Our vet checked her last month and says she could use another 30 pounds.

Once Annie grazed down the temporary location, and the llamas knew she was okay, we moved her into the pasture. Yes, we moved the shelter, too. And I've been putting up more fence. I should be out putting up more as I write.

As Annie had been starved, she was very possessive regarding feed. The llamas like to share, not Annie. They learned when her ears went back,  'Move, Quickly!'

Annie is now more willing to share but as you can see, the little guy in front is ready to jump back, just in case! The manger is one of the llamas feeding areas, however, Annie has laid claim to it. When their owner comes to feed them, this one gets an 'Annie portion' to keep her busy while he puts feed in the other two. She is trusting enough in getting fed that if she starts towards the other two we tell her to go back to hers and leave the others alone. She does a good job of listening, while we are watching.  

To add more spice to life, DH has been researching dual purpose beef, ones that can be milked and have good beef qualities. He found this sweetheart online.

She is a registered Milking Shorthorn and comes home Saturday. As she is only nine months old, she won't get bred until she is at least 18 months. Then a nine month pregnancy, so we have a year and a half before I have to start milking. :) 

I really am hoping to get back to my craft cave! I started Christmas cards in November but they will be for next year. 

I MUST get out to the fence project. Thanks for stopping by.