Shine On With Your Bad Self

Last night we were watching a documentary called "For the Love of Spock" about Leonard Nimoy and the development of Star Trek and his character. It's really pretty fascinating and he was such an interesting person.

Mid-way through, they talk about what was so appealing about his character, and everyone agrees that it's his "otherness" - his status as an outsider, a true "alien" in many ways that so many people identify with.

He had written a poem long before getting the job about how he knew the one thing he'd always be able to do really, really well was to be himself.

That, my friends, is what everyone should be taught. It will bring you much peace.

It's the first thing I thought of when I saw this new builder set. I instantly wanted to flip her pony tails upside down, so I did.

I stamped her face & bangs first in Nocturne. Then I chose the little piece that finishes the top of her head if you're not using the beautiful sun hat or birthday hat in the set. Then I stamped her ponytails askew and watercolored her and the abstract sky with Daniel Smith watercolors. The paper is cold press. She does come with matching dies.

I wanted something sort of sassy for the sentiment to match her sassy tails, so I used this set for the top line, and this bundle for the next two.

Since that card reminds me of a bee - I have to tell you about this Bee Balm I found in Cincinnati this past weekend. I found it at Whole Foods, and fell in love with it. It's from local Cincy bees, and it's an amazing moisturizer, and NO SCENTS. I love it! It was too much for my carryon, so I'm having Kat ship it to me - I didn't want to risk the TSA taking it since it was 4 oz. Someone told me their peanut butter was confiscated as a "gel" and no way were they getting my Bee Balm. Here's what it looks like. I found it here too, thankfully, in case Kat tries to steal it.

Okay, so I did something different at the retreat I went to. Usually I bring a bunch of stamps and ink and paper that I never use because I'm too busy catching up with people. Then I bring it all back home, unused. 

But this time, I just grabbed a giant stack of cards I've blogged this year, and put those, stamps, envelopes and a pen in my bag and I wrote and mailed cards throughout the weekend. It felt so good to do that because I've been slacking lately. I mailed them from the hotel, so they were on their way before I even left.

I love snail mail. And I love snail mail stamps for that reason. But this new one has a new twist. 

First, it has a vintage mailbox, actually quite similar to the one at the hotel for the imagery, and lots of fun sentiments.

BUT - it also has matching interactive dies! So you cut out the main mailbox with the flag, and then the door to the mailbox. I stamped them in Morning Mist on watercolor paper, and watercolored them with Daniel Smith. The script paper is from this all black & white pack.

BUT WAIT - the die that cuts the mailbox door has two little tabs on it that are scored, so that you can attach the door to the open mailbox. SQUEE! So I stamped that in Morning Mist as well, and then painted a rainbow on the inside. I stamped the little snail on a scrap of watercolor paper and cut him out and glued him on. You can barely see it here, but I added Glitter Gloss to the snail, and in a little streak behind him for a snail trail. Then I folded and glued the tabs of the door to the back of the open box. How cute is this?? There's also a little "pull here" stamp in the set if you want to add instructions.

Also out this month is their second kit - and it's all about that FRINGE! As a child of the (redacted decade) - I love all things fringe. This kit includes a stamp set, dies, lightweight layering paper, double sided tape and full color instructions and samples. The tape is really nice, and what I used on the next card. You can also buy refill tape and layering paper. 

Have you ever read the book Big Magic? It's a great book about the creative process, and she talks about how ideas are out there to be grabbed, and the more you work on your creative skills, the more often they will come to you. When I get new products, honestly the first thing I do is stare at them - usually when we are watching TV at night - and I make notes of card ideas I have with them. So I did that with the little Pinata Party set and the Fringe Frenzy kit, which I hadn't opened. I thought I'd make a unicorn with fringe. Well lo and behold if those geniuses didn't think of it too - there it is, right in the instructions. As a person who always throws the instruction manual away immediately without reading, this is how I judge the quality of the product. Is it intuitive enough for me to use? CLEARLY THIS IS. So thanks Concord & 9th! :) 

Here's my unicorn. I tried (somewhat unsuccessfully) to make each layer of his fringy fur a different length, but I really only succeeded about twice. Randomness is hard. 

I used the die to cut fringe from the white layering paper, and then taped it down on white cardstock and then die cut. The eye in the set is actually round, but I put it under one layer of the fringe, like her bangs were in her eyes. I used glitter paper for that, the horn and the sentiment, which is so delicate and fun. Please note that the apostrophe is attached, which is so much better than chasing around a teeny die cut apostrophe.

The background is a Distress Oxide rainbow - Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers and Wilted Violet. I applied them with Life Changing Blender Brushes, and splattered water all over it. 

Now they're having a special promotion this for the second anniversary of Turnabouts. So instead of ONE free with purchase product - this adorable mini turnabout - they have a second as well - a matching die, and all kinds of other goodies and sales, which you can find here. Nice of them to match the sentiment on my card!

It's good to be home and creating again. Looking forward to my monthly class this weekend. Maybe I'll see you there! :) If not - tell me what you're up to this week in the comments. All the products I used today are listed below. 

Loveyameanitbye.

Fashion Wear [ C&9 ] Fashion Wear dies [ C&9 ] Happy Day BUNDLE - Concord & 9th [ C&9 ] Shine On BUNDLE - Concord & 9th [ C&9 ] Mail Drop [ C&9 ] Mail Drop Dies [ C&9 ] Fringe Frenzy Kit [ C&9 ] Pinata Party Dies [ C&9 ] Pinata Party [ C&9 ] Flower Patch Turnabout [ C&9 ] Flower Patch Dies [ C&9 ] Gem Turnabout [ C&9 ] Gem Turnabout Dies [ C&9 ] Nuvo - Aqua Flow Pens - Glitter Gloss... [ TNC ] Playful Lightweight Paper Pack [ C&9 ] Double sided 1/4" Tape [ C&9 ] VersaFine Clair Ink Pad, Nocturne -... [ ELH | SSS ] Tsukineko VersaFine Clair MORNING... [ SSS | CST ] Life Changing Blender Brush 2-Pack -... [ PFS ] Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors [ BLIC ] Neutrals Glitter Paper Pack - Concord... [ C&9 ] Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White [ GNK ] Fabriano Extra White Cold Press... [ BLIC ] Art Anthology BIG CRAFT MAT 24x36 311473 [ SSS ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSP | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | UNT ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC ] LightView 2in1 LED Magnifier for... [ BRG ] Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... [ AMZUS ] Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 [ SSS | ART | AMZUS ] Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC [ ELH | SSS ] Crafter's Companion GEMINI... [ SSS ] Essentials by Ellen Storage... [ ELH ] Die Storage - Clear Storage Pockets... [ CHC ] XL Stamp Storage Pockets [ ELH ] Escoda Versatil Brushes, Travel Round... [ UTR | BLIC | INK ] Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 [ SSS | ELH | ART ] Tombow MONO MULTI Liquid Glue Two... [ SSS | MFT ] Turnabouts Turn Two Promotion & Sale [ C&9 ] Amazon.com : Fragrance Free Bee Balm... [ AMZUS ] GKD Patterned Paper Pack- Petite... [ GNK ]