Staci Shuck

Assemblage

Never thought I would enjoy it but...never say never!!!  I absolutely LOVED working with these bits and pieces, bobbles and bubbles, bottle caps, stickers, inks and jump rings.....
to create this...
a charming necklace that is definitely not what I usually wear but... I will definitely wear this one!   Each and every one of those charms is a technique all by itself!  They are tiny for the most part, some are old and some new but they blend together completely.  I learned many new techniques and was reminded of some I had forgotten. I'll now be using those techniques on more future projects! Thank you Mr. Tim Holtz for teaching us wonderful techniques with wonderful products!  Love it!
Next time there will be more friends coming along for the trip!  You know who you are!!!!

Stay tuned!

Staci

Instant Gratification

I enjoy it immensely...especially when it comes unexpectedly!  This....

is an hours work...no kidding!  I can't show you anymore just yet.  Know this...I used ALOT of my stash and single photos (you know those photos that are left behind because just can't squeeze one more on the page - or they may be duplicates)!!!!!

So glad I blog and get to share this with you!

More later!

Staci

Spring Cleaning {Monday} Madness!!!

It's mid March and the weather is unbelieveable.  I'm not sure what that means for us but I want to enjoy it a bit.  Only problem is that I promised myself that before Spring arrived I would have control over my Vintage, Stitchy, Artsy, Crafty, Scrappi-ness (mess)!  Sooo...today is the day (actually yesterday was the day) for the Spring Cleaning Craft Room Madness to begin!   

With that I got to work and you will be happy to know that I emptied this...
yes, that is the inside of an EMPTY bag...and a rather large bag at that!  One down....MANY to go!  In that bag were many  things, one of them was a mini album kit that was from a Creating Keepsakes Convention Class....maybe 8 years ago???? Surely, it hasn't been that long!  It looked like this...
when I pulled it out of the bag.  I got to work quickly and this is what I ended up with! 

Very happy to be Spring Cleaning and getting things done!  More goodness on the way! Stay tuned and Happy Cleaning!  There are great things in store for Monday Madness!

Have a great week!

Hugs,

Staci

More Inky Goodness...

It was reeally an Inky Good Weekend!  I was really disappointed that product had been delayed for the Inky Tag Crop class at Grove's that I had scheduled for this past Saturday.  The delay meant a rescheduling of the class and sudden free time for me!  Usually I love that but it wasn't to be and I'm kinda glad now or I would not have had the chance to attend classes with John from Tsukeniko.....

I learned alot about alot more inks!  So now the rescheduled class will be even better!  John is a hoot...as if you can't tell from the photo above!  He's relatively new with Tsukineko, he has lots of Inks and he knows how to use 'em!!!  Everyone will love them!  Here are a few samples from some of the classes!  We played with inks on metal, created a journal cover and created backgrounds with all kinds of "goosebumps" and "fireworks"!  AWESOME! I can hardly wait to play with the new techniques on my TSS metals, manilla, fabrics, acrylics, canvases...oh so many options! Sometimes I know things happen for a reason.  This weekend was just one of those times!

Hope you're doing some inky things this week!

Happy Tuesday!

Staci

Monday Madness...file folders continued!

I am really enjoying file folders.  I know, enough already, but can you really ever have enough of a good thing?  Wait, don't answer that...I know the answer already.    For now though, I will continue with my attraction to file folders.  Fortunately, I have easy access to them at Grove's!  Just in case you'd like to order them....CLICK HERE to go to the Grove's online store. 

Without further ado...another technique using those awesome little manilla masterpieces... Just another way to score, fold and insert into your projects.   Using these in my Scrapbook Life Journal with Stephanie Ackerman class.  Head on over to check it out!  She's extended registration til the end of January!

Enough plugs...now another tease of things to come....
Thanks to everyone for the well wishes too, I am on the mend after a wonderful bout of hives turned to stomach flu.  Hope to create a bit tonight and share some things later this week!

Happy File Folding!

Staci

Monday Madness....File Folders!

Happy Monday Madness!  This week we're using some office products...those lovely file folders that come in a variety of sizes, colors and shapes!!!  I LOVE them...and I'm using them in my Scrapbook Life Journal Class with Stephanie Ackerman so it's perfect timing for today.  Here's a little tutorial for the mini accordian file folder 

And...a few samples of finished projects I've created with 6 x 9 folders and letter size folders.  I'm very lucky to have Grove's nearby so I can get these folders whenever I need them!!!!!
I do love these...there are so many uses...gift card holders, add them to a scrapbook layout to hold extra photos or memorabilia, special greeting cards, invitations...the list is endless!  I am loving using them in my journal...but I'll save that for a later post.

Enjoy this first day of 2012, may it be a creative start to a creative year!

Staci

Happy Monday!!!! Monday Madness is back!!!!

With a few changes that is!  I am resolving to work extra hard to make it every Monday but...it may end up being every other Monday or the first Monday of the month or the last Monday of the month...you get the idea right!!!!  So for today, which happens to be the next to last Monday of the month (LOL!)  we have Monday Madness back!  (and I know I have alot to catch up on these too...paint rings a bell...Sandra...I haven't forgotten!)

Anyway...today's Monday Madness is MARKERS and Doodling!  Most of you know I love COPIC markers, am a certified Copic teacher and use them for just about everything.  Truth be told I LOVE their At You SPica's and I use their multiliners as regular pens...so glad they are refillable!!!  I guess you can say I'm a Copic Addict...not as bad mind you as other but...I do use the airbrush system too.  That might put me over the edge of addiction.  That all said...I'm taking Stephanie's Random Creative ScrappleDoodle online class.  I'm pretty sure you can still register for the class...just click her name above and info should be right there.  Stephanie used Prismacolor markers
and had introduced me to them way back last spring.  I purchased a few and played.  Liked them and used them in my journaling last spring and even through the summer but...."never fear, when Copic's are near" I will turn to them first.  For my Scrapple Doodling I thought I would try the Prisma's and break away from my addiction.  I was pleasantly surprised how nicely they worked on canvas and how easily they blended from one color to the next.  I did not use the Prisma blender but did use the lighter colors to blend.  Here are a few pics of my first project assignment.
I also used some Sharpies on these. I'm working on one with ALL Copics too...that will come later.

SO my challenge for today, this next to last Monday of August...USE YOUR MARKERS and DOODLE...anywhere you like!!!!!

Have fun!

Oh my goodness....and Happy Father's Day!

Happy Belated Father's day to all the dad's out there but especially to these 2 dads...what's not to love about them!!!!  I'm sure they'll not be lovin' me much after they see this! Oh well!!!!

As for the "Oh My Goodness" part...I'm working on my "summer bucket list"!  You know...things I'd love to get done before school starts again (shh..we're not talking about school) and...reviving my photoshop skills is on that list.  So this morning, while recovering from a migraine, I decided it was time!  I pulled up my notes from a class a while back and began to play.  Photoshop is ever changing sooooo...it took alot of playing and learning and I'm REEEALLY glad I had taken the migraine meds before I began to play...not sure I would have recovered otherwise!!!  So after some practicing and in between a bit of cleaning, packing orders & celebrating Father's Day...this is what I came up with... 

I'm so excited...even with that blurry ribbon (I've perfected that already) in the middle.  I've wanted to create sketches for so long...just didn't have the time to play!  Alas, summer!  Soooo....this is the beginning!!!!  Layouts using this sketch to follow as soon as I can get them done...hopefully with some of the photo's of those 2 dads above!  Can't you see that big red ribbon in felt???? Hmmmm!

Happy Monday!!!

And we have a Paint Challenge Winner.....

Drum roll please....congrats to Sandra Smart for her outstanding Valentine's featuring Paint and for winning the first ever "Use Your Stash Challenge from Grove's!!!!!!  The Jenni Bowlin paints will be on their way to you this week!!!!!  Congrats!  Here are some pics of Sandra's "paintwork"!  Stay tuned for our new challenge to debut this week!!!!

Monday Madness-Knitting!

It's Monday Madness time!  This week I'm highlighting  one of my all time favorite craft passions!  Knitting and yarn...I think there's another connection with my "home ec" background and the entire felt and sewing thing too!  I've been knitting since I was about 7 years old.  Thanks again to my Mom and my "Nan" (my grandmother) and growing up in a time when learning those home arts was the cool thing to do!  I'm sooooo thankful for it too!  Needless to say I have a stash of yarn amongst my hoard of goodness and it was time to pull it out and start using it.  I taught a beginning knitting class at Grove's this weekend so the timing was perfect to play with the yarn.   I love working with wool yarn... hmmm...wool felt, wool sweaters ...why not wool yarn...LOVE IT.  I purchased some Manos wool yarn at KnitWitts Yarn Shop in Brookfield, MA this summer and knit a few fair isle sweaters.  I had a few skeins left and decided to do some Skinny scarves and flowers. Still working on the flowers but here are a few of the scarves...
and one I'm still working on...love these colors...they remind me of Inspired (register now...hint...hint)... Can't wait to finish this scarf and those flowers!  You'll see them coming up on a few projects!  Stay tuned and Happy Knitting up all your stash!!!!