Fess Up ladies

Ok, time to talk about the nitty gritty. How much do you really scrap or do crafty things? I craft daily for the most part. I ask this as scrappers I believe with all my heart are or I should say.. can be glorified hoarders!

Don't believe me?

Hmmm, how many times have you bought a piece of paper or a certain embellishment... you had to have it.. it's amazing, it's trendy now, maybe you even got it on a great sale... but then... it sits there! Waiting for the perfect picture, the perfect project that never really comes along.. soon it's been 6 months... a year or longer and that piece of paper or embellie is still sitting there. Maybe still loved as much as the day you got it or maybe no longer your style. Does this happen to anyone but me???!?!?!?!

Or how about buying "stuff" because it's on sale. You can't pass up that sale! And then you get it home.. put it away but never seem to use it.. hmmmmm you may even questions yourself "what in the heck was I thinking when I bought that?!?!"

Now fess it up ladies does this happen to any of you? I'm going to start trying to use more of these "older yet beloved at some point items." Making it a personal goal of mine. I haven't been shopping near as much as I used to. I even over the last year have dramatically changed the way I shop. I used to go into hobby lobby or Michael's when they had their papers 50 percent off and just take 10 or so sets of paper! Why? Well duh.. it was on sale.. if i wanted this paper at any other date it would be full price!

The problem is... and don't laugh too hard here. Other than birthday parties or baby showers.. I have never used say more than 4 sheets from those wonderful great priced pads of paper. I just don't do it! It sits, it gets given away, it gets used for painting and spraying on. haha I'm horrible but I can to notice this about myself and now only buy by the sheet! It have saved me.. lord I don't know how much money! I still have too much paper! I know I do! But, now, I look at the paper and have a plan ahead of time for it.. and get this........................

I actually USE it!!!! At one point I quit buying until I used soo many of these special things that never got used! Was great incentive.

I no longer wait for just the right project or picture to do it justice.. cause well I have tons of those papers still sitting.. what good are they just sitting there!!! USE IT. You'll regret it far less than letting it sit there!

Same thing can be applied to stickers and anything! I talk to soo many scrapper who go in and out of the phase of hating or loving stickers.. but I find it hilarious when I enter someone area or are just talking to them and one of two things happen. I ask what they were going to do with something I see... they have no clue.. may not even know how to use it... lmao... or they say they have no clue why they got something b/c they don't use them. They were.. you guessed it on sale!

Now, i love a sale as much as the next gal.. really I do! But what good is a sale if you're not going to use it?!?!?!  I'd like to challenge everyone to use that piece of paper they were saving.. for no particular project but just loved too much to use.. in fear of WHAT? That you'd mess it up? hahaha Ask yourself this... is it made of gold? Will you never again be able to find that piece of paper that could really cost no more than a few dollars and that's at the very high end???? So please ................go...... use it!!!

Drop me a comment and let me know if this happens to you. What does it happen most with.. paper, embellishments, lace, alterables???

When you use it... email it to me. I'll be showcasing those who accepted this challenge this week! Email me at sayitsbyu@yahoo.com  Send me a picture and a brief reason as when you bought the item... why you didn't use it, and you may win some great goodies!

Alittle Delayed

Sooo, today we had some horrible weather and I went out to shut my garage door, so nothing made its way to my garage. So, I go and pull the door down in a hurry. Well darn me, I didn't pull my car far enough in, lol but at an eyes hurry glance I thought I had the minimal room needed. So you can see where this is going... I pull it down and it slams half my hand primarily my pinkie, between the car and the garage door.

OUCH!!!!!! (insert curse words here--- lots of them... the thunder luckily muffled them from being heard by any neighbors)

So, bad pic but u can see my finger is completely straight yet it looks like I have my knuckle bent!

So, I had planned on getting a few layouts posted today, however they have not been done yet as I enjoy pictures with natural lighting and well.... we haven't had much of that today. I shall try to get them posted tomorrow and hope this fingers swelling goes down so I can bend it! because as of now it won't bend.. not from pain but from swelling alone. No worries I will still craft.. hee hee last year I cut off a piece of my finger.. literally! It was stitched up and un-usable for 2 months and I learned to craft and type without it! haha

Bling Giveaway Winner

YAY we reached 40 followers in only two weeks!!! Love this. Thanks for all the promoting you ladies are doing. Sorry this post is a bit late but had some Internet issues yesterday.

The winner of the Prima blue bling is:

Beth said...

OH OH OH! I NEEEEEEEED this bling! Royal blue is my absolute FAVORITE color!!

Beth please email me your address at sayitsbyu@yahoo.com to claim your prize!

Everyone else .... remember to become a follower and spread the word and you can still be entered to win a large collection from Prima's Botanical Collection! Drawing for that will be June 1st!

Technique Thursday

Ok, ladies flowing with what I have been playing around with today.. I decided to share a little technique with you all on embossing canvas and burlap! You can also so this on just about any fabric!!!
I know how busy we all so these are made ot be super fast.. even my videos norm aren't over 8 minutes. Simple and to the point so you can learn something new and not have to take hours to do so!

 You can either follow the picture tutorial or go and view the video on ustream located here: video tutorial

First gather a piece of canvas or burlap. Turn to the back and put a good healthy coat of Helmar's General Purpose adhesive on the back.. If you do not have some Helmar... well look them up on facebook or on my blog.. u won't be disappointed. For the sake of using what you have, any adhesive will work thats moveable when it dries.. such as mod podge, which is what I had to use this time.. as I ran out of my beloved Helmar glues.. booo.. alas more on the way to me soon.

Allow the adhesive to dry completely.. takes anywhere from 30 min to 2 hrs depending on what adhesive you use. You may use a heat gun to quicken up the process but BE CAREFUL... it's burlap! It will look like this when all dry. The back will be very shinny but still allows the material to move!

Then run your burlap or canvas or fabric through through your embossing machine. Here I show an example on the far left of me painting the canvas first, then putting adhesive on the back and then embossing. After they are embossed simple run some ink or paint or whatever you like over them! I love the look and feel of these.

Their still very movable! So you can still use on your altered projects where you may want to use them as covers to a mini album or wrapped around something!

The canvas will almost always emboss. I add the adhesive b/c it hold soo much better when you do! And, with the burlap it will NOT emboss at all, if you do not put the adhesive on the back.

Hope you learned lots and if you want further instructions and how to's check out my ustream channel listed above!

Happy Thursday!

In honor of some great news I have gotten this week concerning me and this blog and so forth.. I have decided to offer a treat for all of you!!!!  Oh and I plan on letting everyone know the good news when I get all the details!

Comment on this post between now and tomorrow at 3pm. And you will be entered to win this great large sheet of Prima BLING!!!!! It's in a beautiful royal blue!! Not in order to win you must be a follower of this blog! Oh and don't forget to keep spreading the word and leaving comments to gain a chance to win the super large Prima Botanical collection! Thanks again ladies.

I'll be back tonight to list the technique of the week!! It's an amazing one! So, be sure to check back in later tonight for the tutorial and a video!