Sunday, July 8, 2012

IBSIC, SOS, DYSU, oh my!

We finally got some thunderstorms yesterday (I think three by the time they were all done), and lost power in the morning, but the humidity is down to 75% today. It seems strange to regard that as a relief, but for weeks it's been 90% or higher. Yesterday was 96%. It feels like breathing water at that point. One of our dehumidifiers died for good - for the last month both of them have been running 24/7 trying to keep the air in the basement manageable. We had yet another sewage backup (that makes 3), this one a week after the last. We are the next job, but it's hard to wait for the crew to show up when every time I go downstairs I half expect to be greeted by sewage. We won't know until they start, but we're beginning to suspect that the pipe may in fact be the original put in place when they added indoor plumbing, which would make it over 60 years old. Right now we can't even clean up (other than to remove the water) because it could back up again any time. 

What am I doing to avoid thinking of all this? Besides rocking & sucking my thumb (hey, it works), I've been catching up on packets to go in the mail, crocheting mats like crazy to get those sent out to the people I've promised them to, making cards, reading (today it's the latest True Blood/Sookie Stackhouse novel, "Deadlocked"), and watching season one of "Rescue Me". I picked up seasons two and three at the library yesterday & can't wait to see what happens next. I am sucked right in. 

I've got a couple of cards to share today for 3 challenges altogether - this first one is for IBSIC #16, a sketch (open until Wednesday), and Shopping our Stash #58 (open until Monday), my second take. For SOS #58, the challenge is:

use at least three items from the following list on your card: ribbon, flowers, lace, pearls, glimmer mists, punched elements or die cut elements, rhinestones, doilies (stamped will work, too), dry embossing or scoring -OR- use three of one type of embellishment.
And here's the sketch from IBSIC:
IBSIC-#16

Supplies: papers from Bo Bunny;
Lace/ribbon from October Afternoon;
Wilton Doily;
Astrid's lilac chalkboard glimmer mist (Tattered Angels);
flowers from Recollections;
pins from Little Yellow Bicycle;
corner rounded (for scallops);
Purple Twilight adirondack ink; sentiment from Studio G;
pearls & button from stash;
Sakura stardust pen


I used quite a number of things from the SOS #58 list this time: lace, ribbon, pearls, flowers, glimmer mist, and a doily. The doily is sprayed with the chalkboard mist, and then I dried it with my heat gun to keep the paper from warping. The pins are tucked in behind the green ribbon, and then I made sure to stitch them to the card when I sewed on the button. Pins make me nervous, but it turns out it's relatively easy to secure them to cards without risking someone poking their finger. 

My next card is for the Red challenge for DYSU #79 - I've been so busy lately that I haven't done any quilling, and I'm completely out of quilled cards in my stash. Not a single one. As soon as I saw the DYSU challenge (open until Tuesday at 5) I knew I wanted to make a big ol' flower. 

Supplies: Barn Door distress ink; Tonic edge distresser;
sentiment stamp from AmyR Designs (CC Designs);
swirl stamp on envelope from Autumn Leaves;
flower quilled by me (2 layers);
red & clear rhinestones

As always, you can click  to view photos full-size for more detail
For some reason, my camera finds red quilling very hard to photograph, so I've tried to emphasize the contrast while editing the photo. The flower is made in two layers of 8 petals each - the large petals are made with full 24" strips of quilling paper, and the small ones are made with 6" strips. The edges of the mat were first distressed with the Tonic edge distresser, and then I carefully swiped them along the Barn Door ink pad...very carefully, because I'd already adhered the flower at that point!

With any luck we'll be off to the beach this afternoon - I hope you're having a fabulous weekend!
xoxo,
Jessi


23 comments:

Leslie Hanna said...

I see you also have that package of too many doilies for $1. I will NEVER use all of them. Cutting them in half makes it easier, but then they'll last twice as long. What WERE we thinking?

And quilling? Hello. It's on my list of things to incorporate into my card-making, and this is beautiful.

fairyrocks said...

LOVE your quilled flower.
Hope the sewer is fixed for you soon, those clay pipes are being replaced everywhere. Half the streets of the town where we live are being dug up and sewer pipe is being replaced. {I feel sorry for the property owners as the new tie ins only go to the property line.
Well any how, thanks for popping by, and hope you have a good week anyways.

Annette Allen said...

wow these are gorgeous...I love your quilling...love what you did with the flower on the first card...very cute..

Debbie said...

These are both wonderful!! I love the quilling!! Someday I need to grow up and try it!!

~amy~ said...

rocking and sucking your thumb...that cracked me up BUT I can't begin to imagine all that goes along with that lovely plumbing issue you've been having!

Your cards are fantabulous...love the doily, the ribbon/lace and all the colors in your first card and the quilled card? EXcellent...gorgeous!

Emily Leiphart said...

I'm so happy to see that you can find solace in crafting despite the temps and plumbing problems! I love both these cards and seriously hope you get relief from both problems soon! ;)

Unknown said...

Great card!! Love how you incorporated the color Red in your card. The poinsettia really looks amazing. Thanks for joining us this week at DYSU blog. Hugs, Joan

Unknown said...

Great card!! Love how you incorporated the color Red in your card. The poinsettia really looks amazing. Thanks for joining us this week at DYSU blog. Hugs, Joan

yyam said...

Oh dear. The sewage problem is a major bummer. At least you managed some crafting relief...these are amazing especially that quilled flower!

walchowDesign said...

Hope your sewage problem will be solved!

Love the second card with the red quiling, it really stands out!

WencheP said...

Such a pretty card. Thanks for joining us at Do You Stack Up.

-Wenche

Jingle said...

That's a lot of acronyms! LOL! Very pretty cards!

jimlynn said...

Gorgeous cards!! Love that first one with the big flower on it and the quilling on the other card! So very pretty.
Thanks for joining us at Shopping Our Stash.
Lynn

Cheryl said...

Both cards are pretty, but that dark red quilled card is stunning! I love that you inked the edge of the white cs with red, and the rhinestones in the corners are perfect! Quilling is one of those things I want to try someday. It's so elegant on a card.

kingstonmama said...

Gorgeous cards, Jessi, and I love the last one with that big ol' flower! :) ann Y.

Lyndal said...

LOVE your gorgeous quilled flower Jessi :) :) :)
Hope your plumbing issues are sorted soon!!

Dana said...

So sorry about the sewage problems!! I hope they get fixed fast!! I LOVE LOVE the quilled card!! So elegant!!

Colleen Dietrich said...

The pairing of orange, purple and green is so vibrant and happy! Thanks for playing with us at IBSIC this week. :)

Jenny said...

ooo i've missed seeing your quilled cards..... love the stacked petals.... yeah red is a pain in the bum to photograph :0(
Two super cards and what a cracking good blog post title ;0)
Jenny x

Denise said...

Gorgeous quilled flower card.
Thanks for joining us at DYSU this week xx

~Tammy~ said...

Your quilling always blows me away! You are so darn talented!

Your first card is the perfect take on the iBSIC and I love love the pink crochet trim and the doily! Way to rock our sketch this week at IBSIC....so happy you could join along in the fun!!! :-)))))

Alica said...

great cards - both of them!
Thank you for joining us at Shopping Our Stash!

Hugs, Alica ;)

Unknown said...

damn...quilling must take forever! what a gorgeous effect. love the deep red and white color scheme!