Friday, May 16, 2014

Take Two.

Last night I sat down and wrote a big ol' post but when I hit preview there was nothing there.  I hit back and there was nothing there, either. YIKES.  Oh well.  So let's try this again.

I mentioned in my last post that there was a layout I did a couple of weeks ago but never photographed, so let's do that one first:


Molly got her hair cut a month or so ago.  In the past haircuts have been about trimming off the yucky stuff at the bottom but keeping it long and ponytail friendly.  Not this time! While it still has to be ponytail friendly (softball season is almost here, after all!), but this time it was about style. Long layers, side swept bangs and enough product to make the bottom spike-y with a badass punk rock feel.  Molly is going through (what I hope is) a phase - listening to music that no one likes, eye balling Doc Martens and asking for a pierced lip for her birthday -- "It's the only thing I want!"  Yeah, well, it's among the many things you're NOT getting.  So the slightly punk hairdo was the easiest to accommodate option of her "I need to express myself" desires.

I like all the fun colors, and I think that patterned paper is semi-perfect for teenage girls.  They all embrace "peace" and the peace sign.  But I'm old enough to remember the original peace culture.  So it's hard for me to wrap my head around the idea of using "peace" paper (which recalls hippies) on a page where the kid listens to metal and wants to pierce her face.  But if I let go of the 70s connotation....yeah, it's perfect. :P

Can you tell I had just gotten sequins?  There are certain trends that I have a hard time with (I struggle with twine and never quite got ribbon), but flair and sequins?  Those I like!

Next, I've got a couple of layouts from this week.


I've said it before and I'll say it again: I think sport pages are very challenging.  And when I finish one that I like, that feels serious and manly and does Ted's effort justice, well, then I'm happy.  And I'm happy.

The title for this actually came from a text I sent him after this game.  I know how he is after his team loses - he's quiet and thoughtful.  It might look grumpy from the outside, but I know he's running game reels of every play that could have gone better.  I respect that reflection, he's not dwelling or wallowing, he's learning.  I love that.  But this game. Wow.  It was a playoff game and both teams were playing very, very well.  He pitched the entire game, which I think is incredible, but even more so when you factor in that he's a freshman on the varsity team.  That's a lot of pressure.  He's up against a lot of talent.  And to hold that team to 3 runs?  That's impressive.  So I sent him a text telling how impressed I was and how with experiences like these he was going to be a beast in his junior and senior years.  Once the pictures were printed I knew what the title should be.

But know what the title will say and how it should look are two entirely different things. My first instinct with titles is always to go to the Silhouette.  Always. So I went to the software, wrote out the word beast and scrolled through my font options.  When I came to the stencil font it clicked: use the Silhouette stencil material and spray mist to create a title that looks stamped on.  The stencil material is easy to use, and I just squirted a couple shots of spray mist into a plastic container and used a cotton ball to dab it on.  I really love the way it turned out - it's masculine and really seems to fit the mood of the layout.


And last:



After my stencil success on the beast layout, I decided to try the stencil material again.  So I used this 6x8 hexagon design, ungrouped it and started deleting hexagons all willy-nilly like.   And I really like the matte medium people are using.  But...I never know what to buy...and then when I see the price my cheap side takes over.  So I McGyver'd it.  I used my Nori paste (which I love and use for my wood veneers) - put a spoonful into a plastic container, spritzed it with powder blue Mr. Huey, gave it a good stir and smooshed it into the stencil with an old gift card.  I couldn't leave well enough alone, so I sprinkled a tiny bit of blue glitter on the design while it was still wet.  I'd love it if some real matte medium would show up on my doorstep, but in the meantime, I'm pleased with my homemade version.



When Molly was a toddler she was always on the move UP.  We'd have to pull her down from precarious positions constantly.  We couldn't turn our back on her for a second.  So she was dubbed Mountain Goat Molly.  Eventually she was re-dubbed Coinslot Molly because she couldn't keep her pants up and we were constantly eyeballing her butt crack.  Hopefully there won't be a "Coinslot Molly" page in our futures. ;)

Anyway, on Mother's Day we went for a walk around downtown Cleveland.  This was a go-to activity back when I was super poor, and this was our first time doing this with Kerig.  We had a great time and found a whole bunch of new places.  This was taken at the Sailors and Soldiers monument.  While the rest of us were walking around looking UP at all the sculptures and reading the plaques, Molly had perched herself up on this ledge.  She was definitely waiting to be photographed.  And she even suggested the title. Sort of.  She seemed to recall that we called her monkey, but that was easily fixed. ;)

So that's it for today! I hope you have a happy  Friday!  Thanks (as always) for stopping by.

7 comments:

  1. You are a better woman than I. I get so frustrated when I lose computer "stuff". Just lost my comment to you because of the stupid Goggle rule about inputting my profile. UGH.

    I have missed these blogs so much. Happy you have time to do fun things again. I think of you every day and wonder how things are evolving.

    YOU ARE A GOOD MAMA!

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    1. Kathleen, today's project is writing my resume from the ground up. Which is why it because VERY, VERY important that I recreate this blog post. That's also why it's ESSENTIAL that I respond to your comment RIGHT NOW. :P I'm usually pretty good about just getting things done, but the more important it is, the easier it is to procrastinate on it. :(

      And YOU are a better woman than I! Every time I hit a road block when I commenting on people's blogs I give up immediately. "Well, I tried to be nice, too bad they have that dumb captcha...guess they didn't want to hear what I had to say." :P So thanks for pushing through! I'm glad to be back. I'm still waiting for my sense of humor to grow back in, but I'm working on it!

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    2. You have me on a pedestal! :P On most, I would say forget it and move on when my text gets deleted. It's only the IMPORTANT ones that I go through the work the second time.

      Resume writing, That is torture. UGH! Where is your one to cut and paste from?

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    3. I have my old one, but the education format is different and they really don't give a hoot about all my retail experience. I think my biggest problem is I'm a pretty straight shooter and resumes always sound like BS to me. :( Oh well, if I want the position, I better put my retail experience to work and just sell myself as enthusiastically as I'd sell a D800. :P

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  2. these are awesome pages, sequins scare me - to many little pieces, I hate "globby" glue spots, ... i dont know, they look lovely and I love the colors you have on the "peace" layout, but it seriously makes me nervous. In the mean time your phrase, Be Yourself, can I ask if you created that cut file? or if you purchased it and where?) I love it!!
    I found you from the paperclipping Round table, great show and I am super excited to find new inspiration blogs to follow!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Dawn! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to say nice things! I love when that happens! ºÜº

      The cut file is from Kerri Bradford, in the set called Happy Stuff: http://kerribradford.com/store/index.php/happy-stuff.html

      I really hate glooby glue spots as well, but somehow I've managed to avoid them. I'm mostly using Tombow Mono Aqua or Glossy Accents, I put the tiniest dot on the page and drop the sequin on top and so far so good. Some of the Doodblebug sequins are transparent, and the glue doesn't look obvious on them, either

      I hope you stop back again! And if end up using the cut file or sequins, be sure to give me a link so I can see! Take care!.

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  3. I took the plunge and ordered some sequins today, when they arrive, and I use them, I will definately link up.
    I love kerri's stuff, and thought maybe that was where it came from... sometimes you look at the preview and it is so overwhelming you just dont see everything, or all the potential that it has.

    I have signed up for your newsletter and looking forward to more great inspiration.

    ReplyDelete

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