Twenty-Twelve Color Pattern

Last year (actually, beginning at the end of 2010), I seemed to be drawn to pinks, yellows, and reds over and over.  I found myself using them for my own projects and pinning others' projects or photos from that palette.

And I'm quickly seeing a pattern of reaching for pink and teal this year.  I just naturally gravitated towards the two colors, paired with gray, for my One Little Word album - they're great colors for my word Animate, don't you think?

Since I've noticed the emerging color theme, I thought I'd share a page from my art journal that I created last month.

Must admit, it was rather meditative to keep writing nearly the same words over and over again, across the page. I imagine it's similar to what I hear knitters feel like as they repeat a simple pattern.

Add in some pearlescent watercolor paint, my stand-by acrylic paints, and an assortment of black pens for this word doodled page to come together.

For me, it was a simple, colorful way to welcome in the new year. And a month later, I'm realizing that those colors I reached for first thing at the start of Twenty-Twelve, have developed into a personal trend. I'm curious to see where they'll appear again.

Do you ever find yourself riffing on your own personal color trend?

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Animate January

 

We're wrapping up January (can you believe it?!) and wanted to share just a bit of my One Little Word's 2012 travels.

I took Ali Edwards' One Little Word Workshop at Big Picture Classes last year and found that it helped me keep my 2011 word: Grow front and center.  So, I'm taking it again this year to keep my 2012 word: Animate dancing on the front burner...so to speak.  And I have the title page, as well as the page for January to share with you.

The title page is sweet and simple.  I used the pdf from Ali's workshop for the small 4x6 title page that highlights my word, Animate.  The gray is the pdf and I used Making Memories glitter stickers in pink & teal from my stash. (Just love it when I use some of the stuff I've been hoarding for far too long!)

Then flip the small title page to reveal the 9 pocket 7 1/2 x 10 page for January.  (This particular pocket page protector is from an assorted set the I ordered extra of last year, but is no longer available.  Though there are other 9 pocket protector options that can easily be found in the 8 1/2 x 11 size.)

Ali's pdf has prompts that encourage us to filter what we want from our words this year and where we think we might go.  And then four open spaces to put in whatever you might like - anything from more writing to pattern paper to doodles to symbols to whatever.  I used acrylic paints, Prismacolor marker, writing, and an old acrylic letter 'a' for animate on top of the words I used in the invitation prompt.

I adore the quote I found for 'Animate' and in case you can't read my scrawl:

"Today, a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me to cherish it."

~ Ninon de l'Enclos

It felt good to papercraft again, even if in the smallest way.  Though a new year brings new inspiration and I've been dipping my hands in a variety of creative outlets.  And while I'm only sharing one little bit with my one little word, let me tell you, these hands have been covered in ink and paint many of January's days.

And I'm lovin' it!

What about you?  What has been your creative outlet so far in 2012?

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One Little Word 2012

On Friday, I wrapped up my online experience with my 2011 One Little Word and now that we're into the new year, I wanted to share with you my word for 2012.

For the last couple months of 2011, one word had been coming to me, at me, swirling around me, escaping my mouth.  But, when I started thinking about committing to the word for the coming year, it didn't hit all the notes I wanted.  And the search began for a word that would both simmer and excite me.

My 2012 One Little Word is

I am taking Ali Edwards workshop over at Big Picture Classes again this year and am excited to see where my word and I will go.

What about you?  Do you select just one little word to guide you through your year?

 

 

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Papertrey Ink {Texting} Blog Hop

Edited to Add: Okay, so you all are gonna think I'm either color blind or just plain nuts! When I craft in the living room, which I have been doing a lot of lately (to be with the fam), I do not have the best lighting. And when I'm cooking something up paper style and on the fly when I realize late in the game that oh my, Papertrey Ink's Blog Hop is that night after paying Miss Dawn McVey a visit earlier in the day, it would seem my ability to see color goes down the drain (well, I really don't think that is it.....more like I needed to shake my marble jar and make sure all all those marbles are in there are ready to play!) Okay........sooooo.............here it comes...........are you ready for it?? (I'm not) Okay, holding my head in shame here..........it would seem the reason the photo was coming out so stinkin' pink is........because.....that cardstock was not really Melon Berry.....but, rather, Berry Sorbet!!!! (I'm rapidly melting into a puddle of goo right now as I type this.) Please forgive me for forgetting to shake that marble jar as I was racing to create, post, and link in time! I must go now as my kidlets are asking why there is nothing but a puddle of goo where their Mama once was.

Hop, Hop, Hop! Its time to blog hop, Papertrey Ink style! This month we are to include text on our creations. And here is what I came up with!! I love text and fonts and the whole nine-yards, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what everyone else has created! :>


Just as an FYI, the cardstock that looks pink here, really is Melon Berry. I do not know why it is reading so pink...except for the button! I used the CPS 125 sketch for this Papertrey Ink Blog Hop challenge.


This is a Pure Poppy card base, layered with a text stamped piece of Melon Berry. The next piece of Pure Poppy is stamped with a script (its hard to see) with Versamark and then stamped some of Life's fabulous images on top with Versafine, Sepia. A piece of chocolate ribbon (the very ribbon I use to sew new tags onto a kidlet's Teddy Bear as they are worn out :>) is run across the card. I stamped Melon Berry and Pure Poppy cardstocks with the flower stamps from Everyday Classics in Versamark and cut them out. I layered them with foam tape and glued a Melon Berry button tied off with some chocolate embroidery floss on top.

Here's a close-up in the hopes of trying to show that script stamp. Have fun hopping tonight and I look forward to visiting you! :>

Supplies:
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Versamark & Versafine
Stamps: Life & Everyday Classics - Papertrey Ink; French Script & By Definition - Stampin' Up!
Ribbon: Offray
Button: Papertrey Ink

May PTI Blog Hop

Its time to Hop, Hop, Hop at May's PTI Blog Hop! The challenge this month is to get into the spirit of summer and use yellow. That meant it was time to play with PTI's lemon tart cardstock. I had no set plan in mind when I got to it, with the exception of the lemon tart objective and using Lisa's great stamp set, Life (one of my favorite sets!). After playing around with different color pairings, I arrived at a mixture of raspberry fizz, plum pudding, and of course, that lemon tart. As I was gathering supplies, I came across a Tim Holtz set that I bought about a month ago and had not yet put ink to it. Well, that had to be corrected, right?! I stamped the flowers in two different purples to create a happy little corner, the Tim Holtz sentiment (isn't it fabulous?!) in pink, and used the same pink with a sponge to ink the edges. I hope you like it and I am So looking forward to seeing what scrumptious yellow creations you are sharing tonight! Have fun and I'm off to hop, hop, hop!!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Lemon Tart, Raspberry Fizz, Plum Pudding - PTI
Ink: Pink Passion, Lovely Lilac, Elegant Eggplant Classic dye inks - SU
Stamps: Life - PTI; Life's Possibilities (sentiment) - Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous

An Unwanted 'Houseguest' vs. Craft Time

Unfortunately, I've gotten hit at the very end of this cold and flu season with the third bug in a row. Hopefully though, the third times the charm and when this bug vacates, I can stay healthy for awhile!! Fortunately, this not so welcome houseguest of a virus is starting to pack its bags in preparation for what I'm hoping is a timely departure and I was able to craft a simple little card!

I somewhat recently bought myself a Scor-Pal for my birthday, but have not used it for anything other than scoring cards to fold. While I bought it to make pretty boxes, my "houseguest" just was not going to give in and say, "Adios!" or "Au revoir!" quite yet, so I settled for trying something new (to me) and using it to make some decorative scoring marks. The effect is subtle, but I like it. For me though, the best part about this card, is simply having the energy to make it! YAY!!!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Plum Pudding, Raspberry Fizz, Stampers Select White - PTI
Ink: Raspberry Fizz - PTI
Stamps: Life - PTI
Bling: Bling it On - Lisa Bearnson
Other: Spica Glitter Pens (pink & purple) - Copic (inside of card)