Getting back into the swing of things - interactive card (and blog changes coming soon)

(Sorry couldn't resist that groaner!)



First, I just wanted to let you know that you may see
some changes around here, while I tweak the blog,
so please forgive any disorderliness.

In order to get back into the swing of things blog-wise...
...I've signed up for Sister Diane's online class
that starts on Feb. 13th

(Click the image if you'd like to check it out)

I'm a long-time fan of Diane's &
I'm so excited to be able to learn from her
& get some ideas on how to be a better blogger.

Hopefully,

Bit by bit, over the next year,
I hope to work on
these goals for the blog:

1) Make it easier for you to download papers or images, while keeping print quality (and avoiding ads or sign-up). Blogger does bad things with image quality, so this is trickier than it might seem.

2) Post much more often (by trying to cure my debilitating self-doubt & perfectionism) lol

3) Connect more with You & the community (learn to manage my time better, so I can respond more to comments and so on). I hope to learn how to make sense of the details of the subscription services like the ever-confuzzling feedblitz. :0)

4) Get the blog reconnected to support favourite bloggers, stores, & craft sites. Get their buttons & links back up (without the bad pop-up that made me delete everything)

5) Archive things so they are easier to find... the free templates, papers, images, techniques, round-ups, etc. etc.

6) Work on a more pleasing visual design.

7) And last but not least I hope to learn how to make video tutorials & post them (I bought a video camera for that purpose; I just need to buy more cords & thingamabobs and learn how to use it all).

Anything You'd like to see
added to the blog?

the card is for the SCS

(make your own stripes challenge TLC363)



This 5 and 1/2 inch square card is for the SplitcoastStampers TLC
(Technique Lovers' Challenge) TLC363 ~ Make Your Own Stripes brought to you by Joan.

The swing stamp is a fave from My Favorite Things:
Pure Innocence stamp - Start the Day with Whee!
(I drew the motion lines on & changed her mouth a tiny bit with a
fine permanent black pen, to make it look like she was smiling more).

The DIY stripes were so fun (such a clever idea, Thanks Joan!)
They are just random strips of paper...



(If you'd like the blue raspberry Vine digital paper,
you can find it free in my last post, here.)

The heart hangs off of the card:



The heart is only attached by baker's twine, so it swings when the recipient opens the card. It's so fun to play with that to make her go back and forth! (Yup, I'm 3 years old at heart) :0)

The heart shape is hand cut (just let me know if you'd like the heart shape; it's hand drawn so it's rough, but I'd be happy to share it).

The back of the heart has the sentiment on it:



Looks like it was trampled on in a school playground,
but I was going for a distressed blackboard look. :o)

• MFT Pure Innocence stamp - Start the Day with Whee!
• Hero Arts new Large Flower background cling stamp
  
• Archival black ink, clear embossing powder & a heat gun
• Paper Crate - Paper Heart 6x6 pack (for her dress)
  
• Copic markers, fine black permanent pen to draw motion lines
• Cream cardstock scored with raised stripes using a Scor-Pal tool
• Echo Park - For the Record 2 measuring tape border
  
• Flower button: K & Company Brenda Walton Flora & Fauna Typewriter key stickers (the edge is coloured red with a R35 Coral Copic marker) on white seam binding ribbon
  
• Baker's twine, Tim Holtz Trimmings Lavish Ribbon
  

Hope your day is going swingingly!
(ynuk ynuk)


P.S. Full Disclosure: This post is entirely unsolicited as usual, but K & Co did send me the lovely typewriter dimensional sticker for free and I also received the MFT Whee stamp for free (when I used to be on the design team).

P.P.S. The moving swing card image is an animated GIF made at gifninja. Disclaimer: They offer a nifty, easy-to-use service but I find their Gallery of GIFs sort of ick. I won't expound on the contents to spare you; just thought I'd mention in case your taste doesn't run along those lines. ;0)

P.P.P.S. Still working on the patterned papers, so more to come in that department.