Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Eek! Been busy with not-so-fun stuff!

It's been more than a week since I last posted. I'm sad because I had been being so good about crafting and getting stuff posted here. I was feeling the mojo, but sadly reality stalled that.

Suffice to say last week was a bit on the insane side. Basically, it took five days, four visits by Sears folks, my plumber, and unloading/reloading my refrigerator three times before my new fridge was delivered and made operational.

During that time, a circuit blew, I had to get in an electrician, buy a new light fixture, have the electrician come back to install it, then fix the circuit.

Then the fridge was delivered on Sunday. Yes. Sunday. While I waited the three hours for it to get cool enough to remove the tape and such and load it, I worked in my craftroom. It was storming and there was a veritable downpour.

I went downstairs to pull off the tape and set up the fridge when I noticed water on my hard wood kitchen floor. Now the old fridge was incontinent, which was why we got the new one. But it took me a second to realize that since the old fridge was gone, it was not the culprit. And not only was the floor wet, it had extensive puddling AND the kitchen table (and my two Sunday newspapers) were puddled too. Apparently rain came in somehow, found its way  to a highhat light fixture, onto my floor and table. This isn't the first time we've had leaks, so it might be time for a new roof.

If you've been keeping track, since April we had our HVAC/furnace replaced, the fridge replaced, an electical problem addressed, and now we probably will need a new roof.

Calgon/Margarita/Hot Pool Boy TAKE ME AWAY!!!

So, here's some of what I've been doing on my down time when I unpacking/repacking the fridge, waiting on delivery men, plumbers, electricians, and/or calling to check the status of all that... I love Stampotique stamps and have been making it a point to enter their challenges whenever possible. This week's challenge was a tag challenge and I do like making tags, so here it is:






































I stamped Puss-Puss using Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto Neenah cardstock and onto a Post-It note. I fussy cut the Post It note and used it as a mask. A Stamp-a-ma-jig was used to position and stamp Girl with Heart Purse and Cousin Carmine. Copic markers were used to color the images. I kept their skin colors very pale and colored their hair in alternate hair colors so that their skin and hair would reflect their personalities and dress. I decided that Puss-Puss would be a bright marmalade tabby so he was colored accordingly. A dotty background and a floor were colored using a variety of colors.

When I finished the scene, I distressed the image panel using Tim's Tonic Distresser tool thingy, sponged Pumice Stone and Black Soot Distress inks on the edges, and matted it on black cardstock. I set this aside while I worked on the tag background.

I sprayed Funky Fuschia and After Midnight Dylusions sprays onto 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock by Strathmore. Using my Inkssentials Mini Mister, I sprayed water to help the colors mix and migrate. Then I heat set and repeated the process. When I was happy with the coverage and color patterns, I heat set the inks. Then I grabbed a very old stencil that had a row of stripes and dabbed Little Black Dress Fresco Finish paint by Paper Artsy over the stripes. I grabbed my Layered Beads stencil by The Crafter's Workshop and sponged Snowflake Fresco Finish Paint over it. I was a bit surprised when the ink bled through the white, but decided it was okay. I guess I didn't heat set the ink for long enough. Lesson learned.

I wanted to add some stamping to the painted circles, so I stamped some tiny stamps by justjohanna/Odd Bird Planet using white hybrid ink and Archival Black ink. I added Pitch Black Spica Glitter pen to the skulls' orifices, Pink Spica Glitter pen to the flower centers, Blue Spica Glitter pen to the music notes, and Purple Spica Glitter pen to the hearts.

I used a Tonic punch to create the tag tops and then used the distress tool to rough up the edges. I added some Wink of Stella glitter pen to the distressed edges to give them a bit of sparkle. I found "Purr-fect" and "Together" on two different sticker sheets and used them for the sentiment.

I finished the tag by matting it onto back cardstock, punching a hole, and threading some lace, ribbon, and matching seam binding (sprayed with same colors of Dylusions) through the hole. It still needed a little sumptin', so I added a heart charm (stash) onto a black safety pin!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this tag into the following challenges:
Stampotique Designer's Challenge #110: Tag You're It!
Cheerful Stamp Pad: Make a Tag
Dragons Dream: Tag It On -- Stencils, Paint, and Ribbon
Through the Purple Haze Challenges: Use your favorite colors 
613 Avenue Create Challenge #30: Anything Goes

20 comments:

  1. Hi, Kathi! Often, when bloggers fess up to being away for a while, I always say, "Sometimes, life gets in the way of crafting!" But, in your case, I think that is a bit of an understatement!!! I hope things are getting back to normal for you...well, until the roofers arrive, that is! Love your tag! Girl with a Heart Purse and Cousin Carmine, indeed, make a lovely couple! I also just LOVE your playing with words (purr-fect) and adding the cat! Made me smile! So, Bravo to you!

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  2. This is a lovely tag! Especially after such a week. Keep calm and create something beautiful ;-) Thanks for playing with us at Stampotique. XOXO

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  3. Sorry to hear about all your household chaos, Kathi! Sure hope that you get everything sorted out soon so you can get back to your crafting! Great tag! Love the colors, details and fun images!

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  4. Hi Kat, what an awful time you had with your fridge! But I'm so glad you were able to make this wonderfully funky card and get it entered in the Through the Purple Haze Challeges! Thanks for sharing!

    Darcy DT
    TTPHC

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  5. How cool - that's a fantastic tag, love the colors and the image. Thanks for dreaming with us at Dragons Dream Tag It On.

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  6. Fabulous take on the recipe, Love the colours & fantastic images...Thanks for dreaming with us at Dragons Dream... Hugs May x x x

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  7. Gosh, I wouldn't wish your week on anyone! I am glad your survived it with your humor intact!! (Sometimes that's the only way to get through life!)
    Love your cute tag! Your images are darling together & beautifully colored! Love the fab background, the embellies & the distressing, too! :^)
    Hope this week goes better for you! :^)
    Hugs, Penny

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  8. Great tag, sorry that you are having so much going on. I'd definitely vote for the pool boy to take me away :-)
    Thanks for joining us at Stampotique Designer's Challenge.

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  9. Oh, you poor thing! Nothing worse then major home repairs for sure. Your tag is adorable though, I love the purple background with the orange of the tabby cat!

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  10. Oh poor you! It looks like you really needed some fun tag making to keep you sane. This is great, though! Such a funky couple and I love the cat: a lovely original take on the recipe. Hope things on the home front become stress free! Julie Ann x

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  11. Great tag for the challenge!

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  12. Beautiful tag, lovely colours! My favourite colours too!! Hope your unfortunate run takes a turn for the better. Thanks for joining us at Through the Purple Haze Challenges this week.
    Eithne DT
    www.cardroomdelights.blogspot.ie

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  13. Wowzer, one heck of a week!! Hope you had plenty of Margarita mix? Hope all is relatively normal now anyway.
    Great Stampotique tag - purple is an ideal colour to do quirky with I find!!

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  14. Very funky, very nice - and sorry about the fridge episode...keep calm and craft. Thanks for joining us.

    Fiona DT
    Through the purple haze

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  15. Lovely Tag!

    Thanks for Joining in fun at Through the Purple Haze

    Tanja DT

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  16. Dear Kat,

    My name is Susan with Sears Social Media Support Escalations team. I found your post here and wanted to reach out and offer our sincere apologies for the difficulties you are having with your refrigerator. If you would like our assistance, we'd be more than happy to offer the assistance of a dedicated case manager to help resolve the situation with your refrigerator. At your earliest convenience please send the following information – contact #, the name and phone # used at time of purchase, as well as the screen name used to post here for reference to your issue (Kathi F Rerek), to smadvisor@searshc.com. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

    Thank you,

    Susan R.
    Social Media Moderator
    Sears Social Media Support

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  17. Awesome tag, lots of great elements and a fun couple. Thanks for playing along with the cheerful stamp pad for the tag challenge

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  18. oh wow what a nightmare... but you did make a great creation!!! I hope you luck is now turning around!!!

    Thanks for joining us at 613 Avenue Create this week. Hope to see you again next week. DT Crafting Vicky

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  19. Sounds like you had a bit of a nightmare but your creation is lovely. Many thanks for joining us at Through the purple Haze Challenges this week..many thanks Anita DT xx

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  20. I love Stampotique images and this tag is so cute. I love the purple border. Thanks for sharing at The Cheerful Stamp Pad.

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