I have mentioned the Gamsol technique here before and I really used it this past weekend.  The flowers in the background on this layout are stamped and then colored in using the technique.  While it is time consuming, the results really added a lot to this layout.  On top of which, I’m after quality and not quantity right?!?!

You’ll need to make a little investment to start out.  I bought a large pack of the Prismacolor Colored Pencils.  I wanted a pretty decent variety of colors.  The pack I got has 48 and was 100.00 at Michaels if I recall correctly.  I used a 50% off coupon.  The Gamsol was around $6.00 on eBay with free shipping, and the cheapest I’ve found.  It also included two free paper nubs in two sizes, (mentioned later).  I am told however that Gamsol is just the name brand for Artist Grade Odorless Mineral Spirts, so the dabber bottle I got could be refilled with off brand.  Again, I’m told the off brand can be found at Walmart.

Here I stamped my image with StazOn.  I had tried this before with Ranger Black Archival Ink and found that it runs slightly if the Gamsol touched it.  I had no problem with the StazOn.  After stamping I just did a good outline for each color then spread the color with a paper nub that I moistened with the Gamsol.  I cleaned the nub between colors by filing off the color layer with a nail file.

You’ll notice I have journaling and the flowers surrounding it.  To accomplish this I printed my jounaling and cut a piece of scrap paper to cover it to create a mask.  I applied the mask using Scrapbook Adhesive by 3L E-Z Dots so the mask came right off when I was done.  Then I just stamped, overlapping the mask!  Easy peasy and worked great.

Enjoy!

~j

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I had a fun weekend with Michelle at Treehouse Getaways.  It was a self serve weekend, and I really enjoy that.  I got enough done that I feel like I was productive, and that’s a good thing.  We laughed, as usual, so hard I cried… several times.  A big “Word Up” to Michelle!

Anyway, here is a share for the day!  Really simple.  I almost felt guilty that I got this one done so fast!  The background is just cardstock stamped with some VersaMark.  Then just two Prima jewel and pearl stickers.  The title is an old Bazzil Cardstock sticker.  I inked the edges and glues on some jewel flowers.  Then I cut some circles to mat it with and put it on 3D Foam Squares.  The photo has Paper Photo Corners that I sprayed with Glimmer Mist to match the papers.  Ta dah!

Cheers!

~j

I’m happy to say that I’m sharing again today.  Did this layout on Friday with Michelle at Scrapbook Tree.  I don’t even want to tell you how long I’ve had that brown flower ribbon that is on there.  OMG.  Just last week I pulled it out and it was too much for what I was doing and I said to Michelle, “I’m never gonna use this!”  Of course she told me I would.  This coming from the girl that can’t bear to part with any of her supplies usually, so her opinion is expected. 

The wood tile I used on there has a sticker on top, which I sanded on the edges and then inked.  Again I can’t tell you how long I’ve had that either!  It’s embarrassing really, lol.

This post is an early one.  It’s 2:48am right now and for some reason I’m up.  I’ve been taking ambien for the last few days.  Seems like I can’t ever get to sleep on the days that my Grandma is in the hospital.  I’m not really worried I don’t think, after this battle, which has gone on for so very long now, I think I may be used to that part.  I do make sure the phone is at my bedside, just in case I get a phone call.  But I’m not as far as setting out my clothes to be ready at a moments notice.  Hard to explain the thoughts that go through my mind.  But I’m a peace with it and am just riding it out.  So I’m not certain what it is that keeps me awake.  Maybe the wondering whats going on.  Anyway, so I take the ambien and generally it helps.  That being said, its nearly 3am and I’m up, doing this!  I guess it didn’t work so great this time around. And in honor of 3am, it will be a little longer post. 

Yesterday was Dennys MOPS meeting, which I blogged about yesterday.  I have to say that after sitting there listening to some of the women asking questions that mostly started with, “How do I get my husband to…,” I was left feeling very lucky to have Denny for a husband.  I heard a lot of the women complain that they didn’t get any validation for all the things they do as wives and mothers, and how much they wanted and needed that.  We all want to be appreciated, and I’m sure they all are, but it’s nice to hear it.  Well, I can honestly say that I hear it all the time.  Denny tells me frequently that he is lucky to have me, and comes home at the end of the day and tells me the house looks great.  On some of those days I have to tell you that I feel like all I’ve gotten done is dusted or vacuumed.  I still get a pat on the back, and it’s great.

I really left that meeting last night knowning that Denny and I have a fantastic marriage.  I’m not saying we don’t disagree, we do, but an arguement around here happens rarely.  We seem to have something once a year that escelates into a big production, and then back to normal.  Denny is very tolorant of me, and some of the things I say and do on a bad day, and I am of him.  It is what it is, and yelling about it isn’t really going to make it better.  I tell him what he’s doing that is pushing my buttons and that’s the end of it.  He does the same with me.  I’m of the school that if I don’t tell you what you’ve done that bothers me, then you are just going to keep doing it.  So I think we stop they cycle for the most part before it starts.

There is a lot of back story to Denny and I, so I was in a spot from the beginning that I was greatful to have him in my life.  I think we appreciate eachother more becuase of the road we took to get where we are.  Maybe that’s why the way he is with the validation.  Who knows?  Whatever the reason, we work!  And frankly, there was an awful lot of things those women said last night that I just couldn’t identify with, and for that, I’m grateful too!!

Now, something funny.  Dylan has started being more social at school.  He has a friend that called him afterschool yesterday and Dilly was geeked about it.  The kid is terrible on the phone.  We try to keep him off it frankly.  He screams into it as he holds the handset right up to his lips, paying no attention at all to the speaker that should be next to his ear.  No matter how many times you try to break him of it… poof, I turn around and he’s doing it again.  It’s the, “What?  I can’t hear you.  Can you hear me now?” that usually turn my head to find him at it.

I digress.  He is on the phone and I pretty much leave him to it, when I hear, “Well you can come over right now.”  I’m now jumping up and waving telling him no, we were on our way out soon, when he hung up the phone.  I figured it was pretty safe to assume that wasn’t going to come to anything.  If it were me, and it has been before with Ethan, I’d call the other parent and confirm that having him over was really ok.  As all you moms know, our kids can sometimes just volunteer!  I didn’t get a call from the friends mom or dad, so I let it go.  A little while later a ring of the doorbell and here is Dillys friend and his dad.  HA HA.  I was embarassed and I had to turn them away.  Again we were leaving.  The best I could do was invite him over to play today.  With everything going on I hadn’t intended for a play date.  I didn’t get to go to the hospital yesterday because of the meeting with Denny, so today was my plan.  Not so sure that will work out now!  Kids!

Enjoy your Wednesday.  Rain and in the 50’s here today!

~j

Last Friday Michelle asked me to go crop with her at Scrapbook Tree.  I’m not a big fan of leaving the house to crop unless I’m going to be there all weekend.  I just don’t like to pack up all my stuff.  That and I don’t like to be away from my Pazzles cutter.  I’m spoiled.  Half the battle is admitting you have a problem right?

Anyway, I did three layouts.  One totally done, the other two I needed to do a few little things to.  One needed journaling, which I just finished up, and the other needs a title cut on the cutter.  I certainly won’t get to the cutting today, but finishing two out of three isn’t so bad!

My grandma is back in the hospital again.  She went in early Sunday morning.  So, a lot of time has gone into taking care of things at her house, and going to visit, then worrying about it.  You get the idea.  I’m supposed to go on a retreat this weekend at Treehouse Getaways, and I’m having a really hard time getting things in order.  That and I need a sitter for Shelby on Friday during the day, and I had intended to ask my mom, and now I feel so bad about it that I can’t bring myself to ask.  She has so much going on with my grandma that I’m not sure I can ask her to take on something else.  KWIM?

Tonight Denny has a MOPS meeting.  Yes, you read that right.  It’s Dennys meeting, and not mine, lol.  A old friend of his asked him to come sit on a Dads/Husbands panel for tonights meeting and Denny agreed.  If I can swing it, I am going to go along to watch.  He has gone back and forth about wanting me to go, and as of this afternoon he wanted me there.  Of course come down to the wire and he might make me wait in the car.  We’ll see.  I’m bringing my new Adobe Lightroom book along just in case.

Here is a layout share for today… Stuff I’m using from my stash of goodies.  I don’e even want to tell you how long I’ve had those chipboard letters!  Ugh.

Happy Tuesday!

~j

Ron delivered.  He brought my Gamsol and last night I colored this little chick.  He isn’t perfect, and now that I took a photo of it he looks even less perfect, lol.  Everything worked out though, and I’m ok with it.  I do have to say that it was a lot more time consuming than I thought it would be.  I did choose to outline the chick instead of coloring him all in and then just blending the lines so I got a little more dimension.  So that took a lot longer to spread out all the color.

I plan to clean the house today.  That being said, I’m still sitting here doing this, lol.  The kids have a half day, and I would ideally like to have at least the floors washed before they get home.  Now if I could just get motivated I’d be all set.

Hopefully I can get some time later to play with the colored pencils a bit more.  I need to perfect it so I can teach Michelle, lol. Cuz she’s a knowledge mooch.  :p

Happy Thursday!

~j

I’m waiting for my mailman, Ron, today.  Yes, happen to know my mailman pretty well.  He likes to chat with Denny and affectionately asks me, “Where is your old man?” LOL sometimes when he comes.  Ron is ok in my book.  Even better, he never complains when he has to bring stuff all the way to the door, or I leave a little note in the box that I have something on the porch for him.  Even better, if I happen to look like crap and it’s 3 pm and I’m still in my jammies, he never makes a smarty pants comment.    Anyway, I think he will be delivering my Gamsol that I ordered on eBay last Saturday.  Andrea had brought over some stuff she thought would work, and sadly, it didn’t.   So I’ve been sitting waiting for this stuff to come so I can play with the colored pencils Andrea let me borrow.  If it all works out I have a Michaels coupon I’ll be using to get my own!  I’m pretty excited and I’ll let you know after I’ve played with it.

I don’t have any real big plans for today.  I have a quick trip I need to make after Denny gets home, and that’s it.  Pretty dull day.  It was supposed to be rain filled, but it looks really nice outside.  I’ve been watching a rabbit come out from under the deck, grab some grass and leaves and then run back under the deck all day today.  Must be building a better nest.  Under the deck is always full of bunnies… year round, so maybe they are renovating under there.  I get a kick out of watching all the babies when that times comes, but frankly could do without all the bunny poop!  Stinkers.

Anyway, I’ll let you know how the gamsol and stamping works out for me.  Hope it comes today!!

~j

Happy St. Patricks Day everyone!  We aren’t Irish over here, but the boys were pretty excited to “pretend” and put on their green today!  I’m meeting a friend over at Partridge Creek to enjoy the fantastic weather… high of 65 today… I hope!!  If you plans involve any of that gold old green beer, find yourself a designated driver.

Enjoy your day!

~j

Looking at the weather report for the next 10 days I am thinking maybe, just maybe, we have finally started to progress into spring.  Thank goodness!  As a precaution I have already knocked on wood, lol.  Yesterday was such a nice day in comparison to those that we’ve had recently, that you just couldn’t help but want to be outside.  We met up with an old friend of Denny’s at Partridge Creek and let the kids play on the play food and then had a nice lunch.  Ethan is took old for the play stuff there but he seemed to enjoy sitting on the bench drawing in the sunshine.

Today was PJ day at school.  You would think on PJ day, getting out of the house fairly quickly would be a given.  I mean, how much work is it to throw on your PJ’s and get ready?  Of course, it took them nearly an hour, as usual to get ready, maybe even slightly more.  I thought girls were supposed to spend forever in the bathroom?  Good grief.

I have nothing planned for today.  It’s Monday and Shelby has dance tonight, but I think Denny will be taking her.  I’m nursing a sore foot so I plan to spend my day with an ice pack.  Spiffy!

Happy Monday to you and a high temperature of 56 here today.  Time to break out the bathing suit, lol.

~j

A friend shared this with me and well, I laughed out loud.  Probably because I live with someone who sleeps a lot like this poor dog does.  LOL  Hopefully you’ll get a laugh.

Bizkit the Sleep Walking Dog

Yeah for Friday!

~j

I am a self-described awful stamper.  I only stamp with clear stamps so I can see what I’m doing, and I generally only stamp on something if I can easily dispose of it if I mess it up.  (I mess it up more often than not obviously.)  So when I was in Archivers last week looking at displays I said to Michelle how much I like the colored in stamped images and wish I knew how to do it.  Of course Michelle is one of those people who blog surf regularly and seems to know the place to find a tutorial on nearly everything so she sent me a link to one.  I’m telling ya, that Michelle, I’m a lucky girl to have her!   Here is the link in case anyone else wants to see.

And a printed tutorial for reference that I seem to like a bit better:  http://www.inkyantics.com/pdfs/GamBlend.pdf

Now I’ve spent some time since yesterday “researching” and now I need to go pick up all the tools.  I’m gonna learn to do this, seriously.  Maybe I’ll be a reformed awful stamper?!?!  Hey, it could happen!

*note this is a technique with Gamsol, and not watercolor…

It’s nearly Friday – woo hoo!

~j