Saturday, May 14, 2011

Graduate

After 5 years and a LOT of stress for her (and me!), our middle child Jessica graduated from college!  For all those moms and dads out there that haven't experienced this yet, I cannot begin to express the feeling you feel when you watch your child graduate from a university.  The phrase "life flashed before me" is appropriate here.  While she was proceeding into the Convocation Center with all the other graduates, I thought of the time when she was 18 months old and we were at a swimming pool and she was asking for her pacifier.  She called her pacifier "happy".  (We called it her "paci" but she couldn't say that, so it was "happy".)  She was in her bathing suit and had her tiny arms outstretched with her palms facing upwards as if saying "Where did it go?"   How quickly life changes. 





I smiled at her in her cap and gown while she was flashing me the "I love you" sign in sign language, something we've always done since my kids went off to school.  



Her college is number one in producing the most teacher graduates for the State of Georgia and has the best Nursing program in the state.  It's a great school even if it doesn't have a football program!  She had a tough degree (International Affairs) that required her to write many research papers.  My girl ended her college career with all As and Bs and I couldn't be more proud of her.  Congratulations Jessica!  We love you.



Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Silk on a Card?

Okay, not really....  But the technique makes it LOOK like a silk image... or a painting on canvas.



Isn't it beautiful?  And it is so very simple to do.   Let me explain how I did it...

In this example, I used my Memento Bamboo Leaves and Grape Jelly markers (brush tip) to color in my stamp.  I "huffed" onto my image once I was finished coloring in order to re-moisten the stamp and stamped it onto my piece of cardstock.  I then used my 5" Xyron machine and rolled in a piece of tissue paper.  For those of you that do not know what a Xyron machine is, it's a device that has adhesive backing when you run your craft object through.  I love, love, LOVE my Xyron tools.  I have the small "X" which adds adhesives to small objects, such as letters, and my 5" baby which allows me to add adhesive to card sized objects.  And it works really great with vellum, since we all know that adhesives marks on vellum can ruin your craft project!

Back to my project.  For this card, I cut a piece of tissue paper (yes, just like what we use in our Christmas present boxes) through the Xyron machine and the backside of the tissue paper became adhesive.  Also, when running tissue paper through, it crinkles the paper which I think adds a wonderful texture.  Remove the adhesive backing paper and stick the tissue paper to your stamped image.   That's all there is to it!  Add your extra elements to your card and you have a unique look.  


I've created this post for the Moxie Fab Magic Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.  Play along!
Also, check me out on Tip Me Tuesday!



I'm just sayin'....