Friday, October 30, 2009

Magpie Magic Scrap(K)it L'Hiver testing part 2

I must say, this digital scrapping is surprisingly fun - although weird things happen like with this layout, where the penguins got some weird pixels on them. Believe me, they were not there to begin with, but many layers, masks and selections later after saving I noticed them, and couldn't do anything about it. Need more practice...

All in all this was a nice change for the x-masy stuff I've been working on, some cute penguins from Sybille's kit :)



I also used one of the frames, the snowmandala black and white layer and the single snowflake mandala as a brush - and of course the penguin paper :)

Very pleasant to work with, and I seriously am boggled at these frames, they are so detailed! This kit will soon be available at Sybille's Etsy shop.




Recipe
Papers: Magpie Magic Scrap(K)it L'Hiver
Images: Magpie Magic Scrap(K)it L'Hiver

Furry kids and blueberry pie / Karvalapsia ja mustikkapiirakkaa

You gotta love how dogs go about rules and the world. Boyd wouldn't dare to get on the coffee table with either of us in the vicinity - but if the living room is empty and there's blueberry pie on the coffee table... Luckily *we* had eaten most of it already.

Koirien aivoitukset säännöistä ovat mielenkiintoisia. Boyd ei meidän läsnäollessa yritäkään sohvapöydälle, mutta jos olohuone on tyhjä ja sohvapöydällä vielä kaiken kukkuraksi mustikkapiirakkaa... Onneksi olimme jo suurimman osan piirakasta syöneet, me ihmiset siis.

Here's a few unrelated pics.

Ja mukaan vielä pari asiaan liittymätöntä kuvaa.

Beaver is a good buddy to sleep with.
Majavan kanssa on mukava ottaa nokoset.


The dog is a good chewing toy for the cat.
Koira on kiva purulelu kissalle.


It's fun to piss off mom by climbing on small spaces.
Emäntää on kiva ärsyttää kiipeilemällä ahtaisiin paikkoihin.


And finally, another wrestling match. This is daily business.
Ja lopuksi vielä uusi painimatsi. Tämä on jokapäiväistä kauraa.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

MMSC #24 and lessons learned

MMSC #24 sketch today





This fought me all the way.

Lesson 1 learned today: if you don't feel it, leave it.

Lesson 2 learned today: good tweezers make life easier, even if you lost your mojo.



Metal anti-static tweezers from DealExtreme, $1.97, free delivery.


Recipe
Papers: stash
Images: Sarah Kay
Ink: VersaFine
Coloring: Distress Inks, Marvy Le Plume pens
Other: outline stickers

Friday, October 23, 2009

Magpie Magic Scrap(K)it testing, L'Hiver

Sybille has finished her second kit, and also has her new Etsy-shop running. I had the pleasure to do testing on this one too, and this time she came up with a lovely winter-themed pack called L'Hiver.

You can check out some of the stuff Sybille made here.

The kit is not Christmas-themed as such, but beautiful winter imagery, and I have to say these figure skates took my breath away... I had to use them in my digital layout :)



As always, you can click on the photo to get to Picasa and a larger image.

I used three of the stamps - the figure skates (love em, love em, love em!), the poinsettia and the snowflake mandala and one of the frames. For the background I used one of the black and white patterns with snowflakes. I know, this is kinda the same color theme as the last one, but what can I say, I'm a sucker for purple...

I was planning on a card too, but we got a new printer and as it turned out, the ink takes hours more to dry than the old one and my first try for a card bled to ruin. I'll do another try tomorrow, letting the printer ink dry over night.




Recipe
Papers: Magpie Magic Scrap(K)it, L'Hiver
Images: Magpie Magic Scrap(K)it, L'Hiver

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Dog cleaner / Koirapesula

We have a cat operated dog cleaner in the house. The dog doesn't look too happy about being washed though...

Meillä on kissakäyttöinen koirapesula. Koira vaan ei ole palveluun kovin tyytyväisen näköinen...

"Does this take long?" / "Meneeköhän tässä kauankin?"


"You've got some food on your beard..." / "Sullois vähän ruokaa parrasssa..."


"Heyhey, whatcha doin back there?!" / "Hei hei, mitäs sä siellä takapäässä puuhaat?!"


At times she also wants to wash the camera.
Joskus kissa haluaa pestä myös kameran.

Cat funnies / kissahupia

Oli naurussa pitelemistä tänä aamuna, kun siivosin Suvin hiekkalaatikkoa: kaadan ensin vanhat hiekat isoon muovikassiin, jonka jätän lattialle siksi aikaa, kun pesen laatikon ammeessa. Tullessani kylppäristä puhdas laatikko kädessä, muovikassissa teki asioitaan hyvin totinen kissa. Kiva tietää, ettei pissillä käynti ole välineistä kiinni :D

I had difficulties containing my laughter this morning when I was cleaning Suvi's litter box. First I empty the dirty litter into a large plastic bag, which I leave on the floor while I wash the box in the tub. When I came from the bathroom with the clean box, there was a very serious kitty doing her business in the plastic bag... It's nice to know that it's not all about the fancy box :D

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Midnight Madness #23

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #23, and I am working with the *mmmmpf* xmas cards again... I want to remind everyone, I am NOT a xmas person, but most people are, and they kinda need cards.



I got this wonderful Vintage Christmas set from Crafty Secrets and it rocks, even if I don't like christmas! The stamps are sooo beautiful :)

The chipboard is from Maya Road and is painted with white acrylic paint and clear Stickles. The green cards are from my trusty stack of paint samples :D I think I have to go and hoard some more greens and reds.




Recipe
Papers: Watercolor paper
Images: Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps Vintage Christmas; Scrappy Cat flourishes
Ink: StazOn Jet Black, VersaFine Onyx Black, Distress Ink Vintage Photo
Other: Maya Road Snowflakes Mini Chipboard Set, ricrac ribbon, regular ribbon, paint sample cards, white acrylic paint, clear Stickles, EK border punch

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Magpie Magic Scrap(K)it testing

The blog world is amazing, you get to know talented people you'd never accidentally meet in real life... Once upon a time Sybille from Magpie Magic bought my wristie-pattern, we ended up chatting and have been reading each others blogs ever since :) Sybille is a really talented artist, with real canvas and digital too, and she decided to create her own scrap kits, or Scrap(K)its and asked if I would test them. She didn't have to ask me twice ;)

Here's what I've done with her first kit called Papillion, which will eventually be available for purchase through her Scrap(K)it blog. For now you can get a sneak peek here.

First I ventured into a scary new dimension for me: digital scrapping!


(you can click to check out a bigger image)

For this layout I used 1 of the background papers, 1 of the black and white patterns and both of the L-shaped frames. I loved the frames, as they were quite large to begin with - no worries on having them too small for the layout. The black and white pattern was great too, as you can layer it with the background papers and get multiple designs that way. The layout is a bit plain because, as I said, this was my first try with digital scrapping... So really this doesn't show the full potential of the kit.

Since I wasn't too happy about my basic image editing skills and the layout, I whipped up a proper card too :) Now this is great for a butterfly-loving girl for example!



I used one of the butterfly stamps from the kit, as well as the rectangular frame, 1 background paper and one black and white pattern. I colored the butterfly with watercolor pencils (dry), cut it out and distressed the edges and inked them with Distress Ink Dusty Concord and embossed it with one of those nobby-end tools. The original stamp has drawn antennae, but I replaced them with copper wire ones. After coloring I sprayed it with Glimmer Mist Sand - and what a pain it is to try to repeat the glimmer in photograph. This image will give you a little better idea. Again, click for larger images.



The frame I printed out black and white and cut it out, distressed the edges and again applied Dusty Concord. All of the frames have this lovely swirly theme going on and I had a hard time picking out which one I wanted for the card cause they are all so cool!

The background paper I printed out with some color adjustments and the black and white pattern as it was. Then I used 2 retro flower punches to make the flowers, coloring the smaller ones with Dusty Concord and added some bling, half pearls and ribbon.

As you can see, the kit is great for both digital and paper. The stamps are wonderfully detailed - so much so that the moth actually creeps me out as I really am not fond of insects in real life :D They are also pleasantly large originally - sometimes I have trouble with digital stamps actually being too small to begin with.

Can't wait what Sybille comes up with next :)




Recipe
Papers: Magpie Magic Scrap(K)it Papillion
Images: Magpie Magic Scrap(K)it Papillion
Ink: printer ink, Distress Ink Dusty Concord
Coloring: watercolor pencils (dry)
Other: Glimmer Mist Sand, half pears, copper wire, silver outline stickers, ribbon

Thanks Janet <3

Janet at Corrosive Creations had an 80's competition, which was a blast :) I ended up winning one of her draws, here's what the mailbox revealed today:



Thanks Janet ^_^

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Kissakuvahaaste 121: Päiväunet (Finnish cat picture challenge, "napping")

Erinäisiä unia Suvin tähänastisen elämän varrelta :)

Aurinko-unet


Ikkuna-unet


Leikinkeskeytys-unet


ATK-unet


Sohva-unet


Keräunet


Perheunet


Kaveriunet


Muovikassiunet


Lääketokkuraunet


Venytysunet


Keskeytetyt unet


Pako

P*skarteluhaaste #10 (a Finnish challenge)

Menikin sitten muutama hetki ennen kuin sain osallistuttua uudestaan p*skarteluhaasteeseen, mutta tällä kertaa ehätin mukaan :)

Haasteena oli resepti, 3 haaraniittiä; 2 nauhaa; 1 kuviopaperi.

Leimakuva on C.C.Designin digi-keiju, kuviopaperi on Basic Gray Urban Prairie -sarjasta, nauhat ovat sekalaista seurakuntaa ja haaraniitit Eyelet Outletista. Taustapaperin muotoilin EK:n reunaleikkurilla ja keijun saparoissa on Liquid Pearlsia ja siivissä Sticklesiä.




Recipe
Papers: Basic Gray Urban Prairie,
Images: C.C.Designs digi-pixie
Ink: printer ink
Coloring: watercolor pencils (dry)
Other: brads, ribbons form stash, Liquid Pearls, Stickles.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Note to self. / Muistiinpano itselle.

Never ever use a flat acrylic block as a ink dispenser when using Distress refills for coloring. Your cat WILL step on the block, 3x4 inches, with 0.20 inch drop of color on it, straight in the ink.

Älä ikinä käytä litteää akryylipalaa värialustana Distress refilleillä värittäessä. Kissa kun ihan satavarmasti astuu 8 x 10 cm kokoisen palan 0.5 cm kokoiselle osuudelle, jossa mustetta on tippa.

Over and out.

Ei mulla muuta.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

How to entertain a bored cat. / Kuinka tylsistynyttä kissaa viihdytetään.

Suvi's been super bored as she hasn't been able to play properly with the surgical collar on. So bored in fact that she began to be interested on the mouse cursor on the displays and eventually even World of Warcraft :D

Trying to target behind a cat head.


Idling at Orgrimmar, aka Kitty-TV.


No kitty, they do not come out of the side of the display...

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Double challenge

I made a double challenge this time, combining Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #22 and Mo's (Or Bronte's and Bella's) challenge.



Mo's challenge called for the color purple :)




Recipe
Papers: Digital Downloads
Images: Mummu's Bike by Mo Manning
Coloring: Watercolor pencils, Koi-brush
Other: Basic Gray pearls, EK border punch

Thursday, October 8, 2009

I got candy!

I won in Jude's daily Alzheimers-candy day 22, and here's what the postal person dropped off in my mailbox today:


Some marvelous Marvy Le Plume -pens, cute papers and 2 stamps, a funny little pig from Little Claire Designs and Penelope from Sugar Nellie. Thank you Jude, you made my day!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The evil man does. / Ilkeät ihmiset.

Kitty-sterilization is happily over, and yesterday we picked our very much doped Suvi from the vet. She was really wobbly and cuddly the whole evening, even laying in my lap(!) for a long time. Yes, stationary humans are warm and comfy...

Sterilisaation on onnellisesti ohi, ja eilen iltapäivällä haimme kotiin erittäin lääkehöyryisen Suvin. Koko ilta meni tokkurassa ja erittäin epävarmoin askelin, ja makasipa kisu jopa sylissä(!) pitkään - ihmispalvelijat ovat ilmeisesti lämpimiä nukkuma-alustoja.

Thirsty after the surgery. / Janoinen kisu leikkauksen jälkeen.


Aaand pretty unsteady with her feet... / Ja todella epävakaat tassut...


Cuddly and tired. / Hellyydenkipeä ja väsynyt.


Sleeping it off and hugging my Cherry Tree Hills. / Lääkehöyryjä on hyvä nukkua pois pehmeitä Cherry Tree Hill -sukkia halien.


Zipper-belly. / Vetoketjumasu.


We bough a surgical jacket just in case she would lick her wound, and of course she did. What we didn't count in was how much she hates wearing anything, so it took her 10 minutes to get the jacket off. I didn't dare to put in on her again, as I figured her fighting it might do more damage to the wound than her licking. Today I got her a plastic collar instead. She hated that too, but so far hasn't managed to get it off.





Ostettiin sitten eläinlääkäriltä haavatakki sen varalta, että Suvi nuolisi leikkaushaavaa. No nuolihan se, mutta ei muistettu ottaa huomioon sitä, miten paljon kissa vihaa mitään päällään. 10 minuutin kuluttua meillä oli taas takiton kissa, enkä uskaltanut enää toista kertaa yrittää, kun ajattelin, että takin kanssa tappelu tekisi enemmän hallaa haavalle kuin sen nuoleminen. Tänään hain sitten sellaisen muovisen kaulurin, jota myös vihattiin täysillä, mutta sitä Suvi ei sentään (vielä) ole saanut pois.

Monday, October 5, 2009

A dogless week

The puppy is on a weeks "vacation" with my hubby's parents, as tomorrow Suvi will be relieved from her womanly parts and rest of the week will be recuperating from the operation in a dog-free house. I have not consciously noticed how much time the animals spend together during the day, until today I realized the amount of company Suvi gets from the dog as she has been following me around, playing with me and biting me in turn and meowing a lot.

Can haz attention? / Huomiota?


Napping with company. / Nokoset seuran kera.


Koira on viikon "lomalla" turskan vanhemmilla, kun Suvilta viedään huomenna naiseus ja loppuviikko menee operaatiosta toipuessa koiravapaassa talossa. En ole aiemmin tajunnut, miten paljon aikaa nuo yhdessä viettävätkään, kunnes tänään sain kokea seurankipeän, äänekkään ja välillä leikkien kättä purevan Suvin koko aamupäivän ajan...

StampARTic autumn card

StampARTic has a sketch challenge this time.



Again I played with Distress Inks, using heavy weight watercolor paper and Antique Linen, Spiced Marmelade and Vintage Photo and the ink blending tool from Ranger. The weeds (I have no idea what those are called in English) are from Scrapmagasinet and are stamped in Archival sepia - then I used Antique Linen and Vintage Photo to paint on some grass to the bottom. I omitted the text in the sketch as this is going for sale and I need a neutral card fitting for multiple occasions.

The brads are from Eyelet Outlet - they reside in the US but offer really cheap shipping. I ordered 6 different types and the postage was 3.85 USD to Norway.




Recipe
Papers: stash
Images: Scrapmagasinet, Scrappy cat
Ink: Distress Ink Vintage Photo, Antique Linen, Spiced Marmelade, Archival Sepia
Coloring:
Other: cotton thread, brads from Eyelet Outlet