Sending Octopi Hugs

My last entry for the Lawn Fawnatics Fun with Food Challenge is this Octopus card.

I used the small Octopi My Heart set with the coffee and mug from the Love 'n Breakfast set to make some buddies having a snack together. The hugs die is from Lawn Fawn too, as is the blue watercolor paper behind them. I used my Prismacolor pencils to color and then fussy cut them out. I should've stamp everything separately and die cut them and then attached the cup and muffin to their tentacles, but hindsight is 20/20! 

Speaking of 20/20, just had some cataract surgery even though I'm just 50, but it wasn't bad as far as surgery (15 minutes) and recovery (you can read and watch TV soon after) and OMG, I have 20/20 vision now! I got glasses when I was 7 for nearsightedness and have used them and contacts ever since. Until now. Through the magic of science, I can read all the road signs you want me to! I've been driving my hubby a little crazy with that, but even with my contacts, I never had such clear vision. So, some things turn out better than you expected. Just sharing a little happiness in this house right now :) I hope something you are worried over turns out better than you expected too!

Happy Sunday!

Chark

Hero Arts So Sorry Stamp & Cut

I love the HA Stamp & Cut set for the messages and the heart dies and I wanted to try the stamping and then die cutting technique I've seen.

You stamp first and then die cut the sentiment and pop up the die with a 5-6 dies underneath. 

Here's my take on the technique.

I watercolored a panel, then stamped the sentiment and then die cut the large heart from the set. I adhered it to 6 white hearts underneath.

Now, when I showed it to my daughter, what do you think she said? She said "inking of you, that's funny," because that's how I die cut it. So...then I figured someone else would think that too, and the blues looked like water, so I decided to stamp an octopus, but I don't have a cute one, so I drew one, then added the starfish and seaweed and fish.

So, now if the person I send this too does notice the Inking of You sentiment, then it'll be okay, because there's a little octopus and maybe he is inking of you. 

It's funny how I missed that and that was the first thing she saw. It's kind of like when I photograph my cards and notice something is crooked that I never saw before. 

It's all good, because I like how it turned out! :)

Happy Monday,

Chark

That Moment When Your Daughter Becomes An Adult

or...when mothers cry. Okay, I'm kidding about the crying, but today's my first bay's twenty-first birthday!! That is allllll kinds of crazy. So I made her a meme to celebrate! 

It's when you suddenly realize if you're baby is now 21, you are no longer even close to that age yourself and that this kid you've been raising is literally able to do anything without you legally...they don't need you anymore!!

Okay, we all know we need our moms forever, but STILL! it feels like this at times. Of course, it feels awesome to know you've raised an amazing woman who go out and do good things in the world. Who, in fact, has been doing good things for some time. And you are proud...of your ridiculously old kid. (Check back with me when she turns 30, there'll be more screaming.)

So, here's a little baby shoe I made with her birth info after I saw something similar in a Somerset magazine some years ago...I'm still trying to find it so I can credit the artist (if you know who made it for the article, please let me know). I wrote the info in paint pen and then watercolored on top.

And here's a pic of both her shoe and her brother's shoe...who says his looks like a bar of soap. He's not getting a birthday meme when it's his turn and now he knows why. Ha!

Happy Friday!!
Chark
p.s. here's the little birthday octopus I posted to her wall
step 1: get cute octopus pic. 
step 2: put a birthday hat on him. add text.
step 3: enjoy bday cuteness.