Tuesday, December 5, 2017

String Theory

At my retreat this fall, I mystified my guests by requiring that each one of them bring a phone book.

The COMMENTS on the supply list kept me in stitches for WEEKS.

I actually use phone books for several different crafty purposes, but you'd have thought I'd asked them to bring me the skeleton of a mastadon.

Once they found out what we were going to do with them, they all became extremely attached to those nearly extinct books.

Here are a few samples.





Colorful Seasons Photopolymer Bundle...
[ SUP ]
Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin'...
[ SUP ]
Bermuda Bay Baker's Twine (134575)
[ SUP ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSW | SSS | ELH | SBC ]
Stewart Superior India Ink Pad / Reinker
[ ART ]
Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth
[ AMZUS ]
Tempting Turquoise 8-1/2" X 11"...
[ SUP ]
Whisper White Cardstock - Thick
[ SUP ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up!
[ SUP ]







Heartfelt Sympathy Photopolymer Stamp...
[ SUP ]
Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Ink...
[ SUP ]
Bermuda Bay Baker's Twine (134575)
[ SUP ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSW | SSS | ELH | SBC ]
Stewart Superior India Ink Pad / Reinker
[ ART ]
Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock by...
[ SUP ]
Whisper White Cardstock - Thick
[ SUP ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth
[ AMZUS ]
Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up!
[ SUP ]







Hello Friend Clear-Mount Stamp Set by...
[ SUP ]
Lemon Lime Twist Classic Stampin' Ink...
[ SUP ]
Bermuda Bay Baker's Twine (134575)
[ SUP ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSW | SSS | ELH | SBC ]
Stewart Superior India Ink Pad / Reinker
[ ART ]
Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" X 11"...
[ SUP ]
Whisper White Cardstock - Thick
[ SUP ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth
[ AMZUS ]
Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up!
[ SUP ]







Hello Friend Clear-Mount Stamp Set by...
[ SUP ]
Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Ink...
[ SUP ]
Bermuda Bay Baker's Twine (134575)
[ SUP ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSW | SSS | ELH | SBC ]
Stewart Superior India Ink Pad / Reinker
[ ART ]
Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock by...
[ SUP ]
Whisper White Cardstock - Thick
[ SUP ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth
[ AMZUS ]
Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up!
[ SUP ]

Have you guessed it? No? Well it's super easy and addictingly fun, so check out my video and then get ready to make a million of these! :) This technique is perfect for kids too, so have fun with some littles!



I will be playing with all my Occasions goodies today - they arrived yesterday, but my Monday was full to the brim. I will most definitely be stamping through my lunch hour today! 

Loveyameanitbye.

32 comments:

  1. ***MIND***BLOWN*** This is such an amazing and fun technique. Off to find me a phone book - does it have to be an Austin phone book? Thanks for the inspiration!

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  2. What an absolutely genius technique, I love this and cannot wait to try it. Your cards are just beautiful.

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  3. Holy smokes! This is amazing and a perfect thing to do with my grandkids. Thanks for the fantastic idea. I have saved phone books to use for painting, stick glue, etc. Just use one page and turn it over and then use the next or rip out and throw away! My work surface stays clean. I love how the yellow or white printing actually sticks to cardstock that has a thin layer of paint over it then pressed inside. Let slightly dry then remove the cardstock and some of the phone book sticks to it - looks so cool. The best place to get phone books is from a government building with lots of phones. When the new phone books come out, you can usually get a trunk load of old ones just by asking them to call you or keep checking back for when the new ones are issued. I did this just once at the business office of a school board and got 20 books! You always give me the best ideas and I love this one. THANK YOU! I'm going to take the supplies to our elementary school to do with my granddaughters 3rd grade class. What fun!

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  4. Gees you have suckered me in again!!!! Thought the leaf pressing was awesome but this beats that and I can't wait to try it... hope I can find a phone book. You are so awesome!!!!�� Thanks so much for all you do. Charlotte Bullock

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  5. This is a fantastic technique! I’ll be giving this one a try. Thanks for the inspiration

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  6. So that's just about the coolest thing ever. Off to die string! <3

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  7. stunningly beautiful - thanks so much for sharing with us

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  8. Oh my goodness! I forgot about this technique which I spotted online about a year ago...maybe it was here? Thanks for reminding me and showing your beautiful cards!

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  9. Thanks for sharing and inspiring us. Love this.

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  10. Wow! This looks like a lot of fun and I do love the flower-like images you have gotten. Thanks ever so much; will try it.

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  11. This is such a great look - now I just need one of those "add on extra days" to have time to do some. Oh... there is no such thing as an add on day? I can keep hoping...
    Thanks for sharing so many great ideas and techniques.
    Dorothy S aka etsdas

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  12. Cool technique - after doing this you can use the string for embellishing

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  13. Beautiful and easy. Thanks for sharing.

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  14. My guess wasn't even close, ha! This is so unique, truly beautiful.

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  15. So amazing, I LOVE how the images turn out!

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  16. Shut the front door! This is absolutely outstanding! WOW. Takes my breath away. I'm so glad I don't throw out my phone books often. Thanks for sharing.

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  17. This technique is awesome! I am definitely going to be adding it to my technique journal! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  18. What an amazing technique. (My old laptop kept turning on the upper case while I was typing that. It must agree that its pretty awesome too! lol) Its always so fasciniating when you can take something so basic and easy to access for anyone and turn it into something so beautiful.
    Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom! :)

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  19. You clever woman you!!! wow...looks amazing and being a person who loves techniques I want to try it asap!! you rock mf.
    xx Karen
    ps. are you going to do a tutorial for SCS..hope so, then we can use it for one of the TLC challenges!!

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  20. I didn't realize how rare phone books are! We get at least 3-4 each year here. Two for the closest city, one county, and one for our town. I will have to remember to save the old ones now instead of dumping them in the recycling bin. Love the cards you made, Lydia! I don't know if I could do this, lacking the reinkers, but might try it with watercolors or something. Thank you for the inspiration! :) ~ Andrea

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  21. Wowzers Lydia! Why didn’t we do that in SLC? Love this technique! I will so be doing this with “the littles” over the Christmas break. They are going to think I’m the best g’mom ever....thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Because I couldn't get 40 phone books to SLC! :D I bet you are the best g'mom ever! :)

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  22. Wow! What a simple but dramatic technique. Thanks so much for the idea.

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  23. W😁W I actually watched the video with my mouth open. (Literally I had a dropped jaw) lol. Superb creations which really need more people to see this brilliant work of yours. I only found you today but would love to become a regular follower. Is there a way I can save this video into my you tube account and be a follower? . Xx Thankyou so much for being a great clear and concise talker too. Xx.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Andrea! Here's my channel - you can subscribe to it here: https://www.youtube.com/understandblue
      And you can save that video to your favorites. Here on my blog - up under the photo of me, top right, you can also sign up to receive my posts via email. Thanks for your kind words! :)

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  24. Just when I was sure phone books were a useless waste of beautiful forests, you come out with this magnificent technique. I could have done this all thru study hall with state history books. I LOVE these!

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  25. Lydia Lydia Lydia.......amaaaaaaazing results from a technique that seems so simple! Beautiful cards! We have one old phone book in our house and the Big Guy guards it with his life so I will have to hunt around......

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  26. WOW!!! LOOOVE THIS, Lydia!!! Yep, you would have been a FUN ART TEACHER!!! ;) My art teacher from 6th grade through the 9th was my ALL TIME FAVORITE teacher! ;) GORGEOUS WORK!!! SUCH A FUN TECHNIQUE!!! ;)

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  27. Oh my goodness ! This was totally inexpected !! And so fun ! Thanks for sharing.

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  28. holy moley, this is fantastic!!! i had no idea you were a third grade teacher. i'm sure you were THE BEST.

    thanks for sharing this...i have tons of reinkers, so now i have to find that phone book or buy some old book at the thrift store for this purpose!

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  29. Hi Lydia! I tried this technique out today and made some really nice sympathy cards. They all come out so different and delicate. Didn't have a phone book, but had an old thesaurus I use for crafting. Worked great!

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