Getting to know.. Me

Imagine my surprized scream when I opened up my email while sitting in the hotel lobby in Italy and finding out my all time FAVORITE ARTIST (Keandra of Kreatorville Krafts) had just given me this award:

Let's just say it was LOUD. Fabio, the 20 year old cutie patootie front desk attendant in a wonderfully well fitted suit and skinny tie, immediately came over to ask if everything was ok with the signorina- OOOOPS!  He had already designated me the hotel fruit cake as I had gotten stuck in the elevator the previous morning and started screaming and crying like a maniac till a staff member came and opened the door.

No actual pages yet so more vacation pix for you all.

I'm sorry but stuck in a 4 by 5 foot space with Lola, 7 floors above God's beautiful green earth is NOT my idea of a good time. I scared the crap outta Miss Thang and though Dave was there too, he might as well have been invisible. Sorry Dave but reason and logic will NOT work on me during a perceived dire emergency- consider yourself "on notice". I pounded on the doors and made a general ass of myself as all I COULD THINK ABOUT was plunging 7 floors and dying a long horrible tin canned death.

Positano, Italy

Anyway if you have a thing for young men in figure hugging suits you should visit the Amalfi Coast. There they reign, strutting around on their Vespas and aviator glasses, eye balling everyone who passes by and smirking when you look back. They know perfectly well the figure they cut. I don't know when I became a grandma who saw babies in diapers when I looked their way but Dave took the blinders off by pointing out- "If I were a 13 year old girl I would NEVER leave the Hotel Lobby!"- he's ever the realist. I really wish American boys would STOP the baggy clothes madness and start wearing well fitted clothes- it's been over 15 years already- give it a rest!

Vesuvius climb- best glute work-out EVER!

I any case, I now have to tell you 7 things about myself so here goes:

1. I love cherries. I could eat 4 pounds of them in one sitting- no joke- but now they just make my lips and eyes puffy and my throat itch. I think it's the new insecticides. It's a HUGE loss- cherries were my most favorite fruit.

2. I collect papier-mache and wood masks. I have 10 so far from Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Mexico and Thailand- I would LOVE to get my hands on some Native American and Inuit masks but those are HUGE and very expensive.

3. I enjoy shopping for paper more than using it- but that should be no surprize if you saw my hot mess of a scrap corner. The anxiety caused by using my fave stuff is the main reason- I want to do the materials justice and when you start with perfection in mind you often get stymied.

4. I don't make friends easily. I like people and LOVE listening to their stories but I tend to annoy the heck outta them with my strong opinions and constant talking.

5. Fave spot in NYC? Brooklyn Bridge Park. Fave restaurant? Lanam on 14th street. Not because it's high culinary art but because it's cheap and cheerful and easy to get to.

6. I saw a bicycle rider dead on the street yesterday... I saw myself on the road- that's why the bike has been collecting dust for 2 years now- Lola needs her Momma.

7. I am easily overwhelmed and a fantastic procrastinator. Guess what I should be doing on now? A page for Punky Scraps! What am I doing now? Writing this. Off to the scrap desk to get those assignments in on time!

So there you have it! Me in 30 minutes or less. Thanks to Keandra for this fun post. :)

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Going Tag crazy- a lesson in randomness

Hiya! Over the labor day holiday I found myself furiously trying to finish my tag project for Kreatorville Krafts.
For some reason I had a really hard time with it. I wanted to pull a "shock and awe" scrap stunt and that was my downfall- never forge into any creative endeavor with perfection in mind- that way lies madness.

Favorite 3 tags from my tag swap project for Kreatorville Krafts.

PROJECT GOALS:
1. Use my scrap pile- papers whose patterns I loved so much I kept even tiny pieces that were now taking over my desk.
2. Use metal rims from Making Memories. I have so many of these I wanted to showcase them in a project.
3. Make the actual tags- don't buy them.
3. Use at least 1 stamp and 1 punch on every tag- I have so many stamps and punches! They hardly get used because they are in plastic boxes out of easy reach- this forced me to break them out and play.

"MINI TUTORIAL"- insert self-derisive snort here.

1. Using ready made tag as a template, cut out tags from left over office folders.

2. Make 3 "test tags"- experiment with acrylic paint- decide it looks great. Ruin them with microbeads.

3. Paint each tag with white acrylic paint to tone- down bright primary hues a bit.

4.  Experiment with make up brushes to sprinkle Tattered Angels Golden Goddess Glimmer Glam. Mascara brush works best- so does dropper from Baby Ibuprofen (Hope Lola never needs it).

5. Mist each tag with Mister Huey"Warm Calico" to "soften" stark white paint- have fun with polka dot template left over from circle punches made for project.

6. Start layering paper bits- panic tags are all looking the same- take a break.

7. Take metal rims and attach using basic stitch to each tag- rims go over the actual photo.

8. Project has a message- think- add Kaiser Craft mini alphas to each tag then cover alphas with Glossy Accents so that they stay put while in the mail.

9. Stamp each tag and sign- make sure signature is illegible thus besides the point. Whatevs the project is DONE! WOO HOO!

WHAT I LEARNED:
1. Pre cut your scraps and just play with resulting random shapes- do NOT try to "pre-design" each tag.
2. Paint and mist the entire tag cardstock THEN cut out each tag- that makes your pattern more random and natural looking.
3. When layering tiny pieces on light background colors highlight edges to make them separate.
4. Sometimes starting with tag titles is best as that can lead your design process. Use word association to come up with titles that aren't too "bossy".
5. DO NOT try to make a multiple item project with impressing others in mind- you will get "crafter's block" and suffer many hours of self doubt- let it all hang out"- as it were.

Final Results:

Materials: Pendaflex folders- brights, Making Memories metal tag edges, Sassafras Lass Amplify paper,
Fiskars Large circle squeeze punch,  The Girl's Paperie "On Holiday" mixed dot paper, Ek Success Large Edger -circles,  Double embossed dotted lace and Bubbles punches, Jillibean Soup corrugated shapes

This was great- onto my next large project- hand made post cards for each and every facebook friend! Do you want one? Friend me! Michelle Hernandez, Brooklyn, New York- or not- you can see them here as I will post as I make them.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle