National Punctuation Day!&;!

As a huge reader and part-time writer and English major from The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!), I gotta tell you, the fact that there is a punctuation day makes me happy. When the book Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss came out, I had to pick it up. There's a kid version too.

There are some great memes too...here's an oldie but a goodie.

With all that said, there are some things that drive me crazy, though I'm not like my brother-in-law, Tracy, who will circle all your mistakes in your letters. Nor am I like my husband, Matt, who gets ol' red out to circle mistakes in work or business mail. My biggest problems come from apostrophes. Like you're and its...the mistakes with those words drive me crazy! It's always means it is and that never changes, so if the dog is wagging its tail, you cannot make the word mean it is, so leave out the apostrophe. And yes, I understand English grammar is weird and confusing, but you can't help your pet peeves. 

If you're looking for card ideas for the grammar police in your family, you could do worse than this one from Red Bubble. So many mistakes!

You could also get this card from Etsy...or if you're a cardmaker, try something similar and type it in the computer to print out your very own mistake-filled greeting.

One site that still makes me laugh is Cake Wrecks and these cakes with punctuation mistakes are just a sample of their grammar wrecks.

Too many problems here, but that extra L on Adventure super confuses me. What are your grammar pet peeves?

Happy Punctuation Day:'"? and

Happy Friday!

Chark

Journaling Cards Aren't Just for Scrapbooking

I'm not sure why, but I love the packets of journaling cards that companies put out. They're meant for pocket scrapbooking—you just slide the artwork (sized for the pockets) into the slots and then add some photos to the other pockets. However, I'm not a huge pocket scrapbooker, though I have done a few pages. I mostly just buy the journaling cards! So, in order to justify the purchase and to use some of the cute cards, I've trimmed them to fit a standard card base and made greeting cards with some of mine.

I bought these at Scrapbook.com and they're super on sale right now, so here's a link (not affiliate) in case you want them. This first card uses the cutest cupcake card and I cut apart the word birthday and then outline the edges. The happy die is from Stamplorations. I also added Nuvo blue drops and used another card for the background.

This one just uses a few different cards and a sentiment strip I had from a pack. I think this one might need more bling. What's fun about using a pack is that they all match, so you can mix and match.

I think this one is my favorite. I used just one card, but I added glitter stenciling and the same happy die, along with mini letters from a sticker pack, and circle holographic stickers.

I used three cards on this one, but again, I feel I need some more bling. I do love the different-colored rainbows, though.

What item do you buy even though you technically can't use it all? Tell me I'm not alone!😆

Happy Friday!

Chark

Tag! You're It!

I have two full cover shaker tags to share today. I admit, I'm the worst at shaker cards. I don't know why...I've watched tons of videos and even made one in a class but I think there are just too many steps where I can mess up. Lolol. But full-cover shakers are easier because you eliminate making a shaker window with die cutting and eliminate the need for foam tape and acetate placement. So these went well!

For this one, I just made a tag with birthday paper from a 6x6 pad from Your Next Stamp that I got in a generous giveaway from Tiffany on IG. Then I trimmed some acetate from a stamp bag to size and secured it to the back of the tag on three sides. I filled the pocket with clay bits and sequins and then folded the fourth side and secured it with tape runner to the back. Then I added the die cut sentiment from Honey Bee Stamps and added a bow.

Using the same paper pack, I cut another tag, and repeated the steps with the acetate. I added the bow and letter stickers (from the same giveaway). I may never try a normal shaker again!

Happy Friday!

Chark

Light As A Feather...Journaling with Julie 13

Time again for another installment of Journaling with Julie, in which my sister in Jersey and I in Ohio recreate the art journal projects from the Tamara LaPorte book, Create Your Life Book. This lesson includes thinking of something you've done that you're not thrilled with and then letting it go and forgiving yourself. You write some things on the page, collage and paint and then draw a feather.

I'll share Julie's first, since she finished first. 😅

Julie used homemade ink (rubbing alcohol/food coloring) for the background, collaged some napkins and a teabag for texture. She drew the feather with a Micron pen and used Tombow markers for depth and color to the feather. Then she used a white Posca pen to add dots and details to the feather and added arrow washi tape. Finally, she wrote in some positive phrases such as I am strong, I can do this, and there is a reason and purpose for everything.

For my piece, I used Distress Oxide spray inks in blue and pink, added white acrylic paint marker (cuz I didn't want to drag out the acrylic paints). I used flower and leaf stickers and some butterfly and woodgrain scrapbook papers. I used my white marker for details on the feather and wrote in some words like trust, breathe and love. My washi tapes are some great patterned ones from Dylusions.

Again, I recommend this book if you're looking for some fun projects that also make you think.

Happy Friday!

Chark

It's A Bird, It's a Plane!

I found the cutest superhero and comic stamps at Whimsy Stamps and had to buy them. Our family is kind of big on comics. And we are definitely team Marvel and not DC, though Wonder Woman is a total badass and I love her. I knew I'd get a lot of use from these stamps since my husband has three brothers who love Marvel comics, and my sister and I used to read Archie and horror comics. Plus, our kids enjoyed comics too. At any rate, these stamps are going to be used. 

For my very first superhero card, I made a birthday card for my hubby. The hero is from a free online clipart site and the comic cover is Whimsy. I used my alcohol markers from Parkoo and I love how it turned out. Inside I used the other stamp set called Bam! You're Old and it reads, "and just like that Bam! You're 53 my MARVELous friend."

The next one is for my brother-in-law, who's a Silver Surfer fan. It's another clipart I trimmed to fit. The cityscape is from the stamp set and I did a little masking to stamp it inside the green area. Again, I used alcohol markers. I tried for a kind of "exploding" look to the green area and didn't go for a smooth coloring finish. I don't know if I like it as much.

This Archie one was for my sister. I can't think of comic books without thinking of her. We used to get a pile and read during lunch. I remember it being rainy and eating chicken noodle soup, but that can't be how it was every time...lolol.

My most recent card is this one. I used a dotted stencil I had to mimic a comic book and then trimmed three small panels and mounted them on black cardstock. This one is for my 30-year-old nephew! and it reads of course, "You're Old, my MARVELous Friend" inside.

That's it for today, but I have to admit, I'm glad I got these stamps and I'm not finished yet!

Happy Friday, my MARVELous friend!

Chark

Trying a Card Kit and Loving It

I've never been a huge fan of card kits, in fact, I've only purchased paper with matching stickers or die cuts, not an entire huge kit, and it's mostly because I don't always like every item in a kit. But I did purchase a Spellbinders card kit recently because it was crazy on sale and I liked a lot of the items. It was half off the $55 price and had stamps, dies, a patterned paper 6x6 pad, die cuts, stickers, cards and envelopes and even sequins. 

When it arrived, it was a ton of fun to open up and see all the goodies. And I sat right down to make some cards with it. For this one, I used patterned paper and some of the die cuts and stickers. Easy peasy!

I love the glittered and gilded butterfly dimensional stickers included in the kit and used three on this card. You can see the gold on the paper in the close up.

I used all die cuts and patterned paper for this adorable cat card, and popped some elements up with foam tape.

I think this last one is my favorite, because I love typewriter elements. The text paper is mine and the sentiment stickers are Tim Holtz, But it's another fast card using die cuts.

I haven't even dipped into the 8.5x11 papers or the dies yet, but it won't be long til I try them out. Have you ever bought a kit? As long as it's on sale and has mostly good things, I'll consider it again in the future.

Happy Friday!

Chark