I am into orange today...justjohanna cake background, single cupcake image and Impress sentiment. Center oval is heat embossed on metallic paper. Spiced Marmelade distress ink, Ranger. Dr. Ph martin painted background.Two posts of the same picture. same camera settings...one will enlarge, one will not. Is it me?? Often wonder why I keep my pictures in the center and text above and below? It's because the editing features on blugger STINK! Page breaks, spacing, there is no rhyme or reason. Sometimes I enter my own html and that doesn't even work!
Hey- did you guys check out justjohanna today? She is having a contest for $25 in stamp credits! You don't have to twist my arm to try for this one!
I heat embossed my favorite image of the moment (Spring Tree) using frayed burlap distress ink. Pierced the birdhouse... A little shimmy of machine stitching and a dollup of ribbon and lace. Colored the leaves with green gel pen..Voila!
I am in love with this paper. I got it on clearance. They are premade DCWV cards that I cut up to suit my needs. Of course, the color is better in person. justjohanna images stamped and heat embossed on gold metallic paper. Mounted on pearlescent cardstock. Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars. I decided to have an impromptu jibber jabber session tonight.
I am transfixed by art blogs. I cannot look away from them. I am not talking about my usual daily perusal, but hundreds of other blogs that I have come by this way or that. They are mesmerizing. Every one of them is so different and every blog contains a different type of “art”.
Paint, pencils, pen, wood, fabric, felt, altered, organized, modern, vintage…there are SO many artists with blogs.
Am I an artist? I don’t think so. Not yet anyway. At this point in my life I think I may like to be an artist. My mother was an artist, also the tormented type. Maybe this is the path I am destined for.
I want to try it all. I see a project, watch a tutorial and then spend a long time researching the cost of all of the materials. Just I am about to click “continue to checkout” I am reminded of all of the other projects that are sitting here already, waiting for me to try. I h ave a bad case of "I can make that" itis.
Don’t get me wrong, I have not been without “art” in my life all this time. I think it (my tendancy for art) was suppressed by the man though. I almost graduated college with a major in photography…one semester short. That’s when I dumped all the art and dove head first into gemology. I loved gemology and I still do. But, jewelry making? Not so much. I think I have pretty much beaten the jewelry avenue for this life time. I still brush up now and then hoping that one day, bigbadmike and I will strike it rich with a rare gemological flea market find. I always have my tools in my purse. (Why? I am not sure, but you can hit me up any time for a jewelers loupe…always at the ready.) Kim and I used to play NTN trivia in various bars…I prayed every close game for a gemological question to come up. It happened once. I remember it like it was yesterday. We won. (What was the biggest diamond ever found? Everyone in the bar picked “Hope”. Suckers.)
What should I do? (Rhetorical.) I doodled some doodles tonight. They are not as bad as I thought they would be. I have never had a history of being able to draw well, but I was encouraged by some other bloggers to give it a try. I like all this mixed media mumbo jumbo that seems to have taken the blogging community by storm. Also trouble. I am a fan of simplicity. Can mixed media or collage work for me? I guess we’ll have to wait and see…
From Google, Yo: Cullinan I - also known as The Star of Africa was named after Sir Thomas Cullinan, owner of the mining company, and currently claims the title of largest cut diamond in the world. Of all the worlds largest diamonds Cullinan I is the largest. It was cut by Asscher in Amsterdam, weighs 530.20 carats, and has 74 facets. The Cullinan now resides in the Tower of London and is set in the sceptre of King Edward VII.
I stamped these images (justjohanna) on cardstock I made using my Dr. Ph Martin ink, using the technique for salting the paper found on Godelieve's blog. Heat embossed with gold embossing powder and placed on metallic gold paper.
Eggs punched (Marvy Clever Lever- pink) from metallic gold paper and heat embossed with various chalk inks. Krylon edges on the eggs and card. Images: justjohanna, Rubber Stampede.Get out your old yearbooks...you know you want to! What was your most memorable 80's hair-do? Super big and tall? Curled beyond recognition? Mullet? New wave? How did you style it? Aquanet? Crunchy gel? Scan in your photos and let us have a peek!
A Luggage elder celebrates his 90th birthday this week. A man walks into a psychiatrist's office wearing only underwear made of Saran Wrap.
The psychiatrist says, "Well...I can clearly see your nuts."
This week's joke credit: Mr. Luggage. Email me your jokes!
The gods were smiling down on me today. I sold the monster sized futon on Craigs List today and it is GONE! Can I get an AAAAAYYYYYYY MEN! Now, I can turn around and touch the ground in my craft area. Now, I have an extra table set up to keep my sewing machine out...now I have a drying area other than the floor! Now, I can leeeeeeaaaannnnn back in my desk chair. Now, I don't have to sigh and save projects for next time becasue I didn't want to haul out the necessary equipment! AAAAAAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
One of my most favorite images from All Night Media, paired with the justjohanna famous scroll, & script by Stampland. I aged the paper with Vintage Photo distress ink and black die ink. Once completely dried, I stamped the image in the center and heat embossed it using Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder. A quick mask job, I then added the scroll (colored in gold gel pen) and the script. The final step was to dust the entire card with Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink! It's so shimmery in person!
Thank you for stopping by!!
I made this ATC for my first international ATC swap. The theme for this swap is "seasonal".(An ATC measures 2.5x3.5" and can be collected or traded with other artists.) Stamp credits: justjohanna, A Stamp in the Hand and Inkadinkado. Sun colored with my super paints.I know that I have a lot of “non-blurfers” that read my blog regularly, (so I guess, technically, that makes you a blurfer) so let me start by explaining what the term “blog candy” refers to. Blog candy refers to a prize that is given away by the blog host via the blog. For example, if I had an item to give away, I would announce the “candy” item in a post and readers could leave comments in an attempt to win the candy.
The internet is like elementary school in a way. Dateline 1983, San Diego: St. Therese Academy fifth grade student ‘Lost Luggage’ is reprimanded for passing out Jolly Rancher candy to students while asking for votes for her seat on the Student Council. Luggage goes on to win the election in a landslide regardless. (Must have been that years campaign slogan “The devil will pack it, Julie can hack it.”)
Recently, I installed a counter on my blog that allegedly records hits and ranks my blog amongst other stamping blogs. Currently, I am number 214 out of however many… Although it is neat to see where my blog ranks amongst other crafters, I am removing the counter effective immediately. I have received no customer service regarding several inquiries to the company that hosts the counter and I do not believe it is recording hits accurately. I also cannot compete with other blogs who drum up hits using certain “tactics”.
Since the beginning, it has been the Luggage stance to promote quality over quantity. Quality projects using the best ingredients (take the Luggage sandwich for the CCCC a few weeks ago for example). My friends and family know that I do not do anything half ass. Having said that, I am here to announce today that I will not use blog candy in an effort to drum up blog hits and gain popularity. I don’t blurf and leave unwarranted comments willy nilly in hopes of drumming up additional hits. I only leave comments on projects or posts that I think are great. No fluff.
Luggage attempts to post unique and beautiful projects five days a week. (Sunday and Tuesday’s have been reserved for jibber jabber.) I hope that you visit with the intent of seeing something you like or learning a new technique. I enjoy sharing my work with you.
One of the swap cards. Images: justjohanna, heat embossed and colored with gold gel pen. Krylon edges.
We're taking a little turn this week for 80's Tuesday for a close look at fashion trends of the decade. Take a little trip with me and read this snip-it from wikipedia:
1980s fashion incorporated distinct trends from different eras, including ancient Egypt, early 20th century English royalty, Victorian era buccaneers, and punk rockers from the 1970s. The most conservative, more masculine fashion look that was most indicative of the decade was the wide use of shoulder pads (similar to those worn in ice hockey). While in the 1970s the silhouette of fashion tended to be characterized by close fitting clothes on top with wider looser clothes on bottom, this trend completely reversed itself in the early 1980s as both men and women began to wear loose shirts and tight close fitting pants. Men wore power suits (which they sometimes jogged in to work since they were stiff when they were bought) as a result of the greater tendency for people to display their wealth. Brand names became increasingly important in this decade, making Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein household names. In the United States, Madonna was known as the "Material Girl" and many teenage girls looked to her for fashion statements. The popular movie Flashdance (1983) made ripped sweatshirts well-known in the general public. The television shows Dallas and Dynasty also had a similar impact.
Now... here is the Luggage list of 80’s must haves…we’re you fashionable in the 80’s??
Guess Jeans
Clothing designed by Vivienne Westwood
Streaky bold make up a la Duran Duran (I love you Nick Rhodes!!)
Adam Ant’s pirate shirt
Big gold jewelry
African colored clothing (Red, green, yellow)
Glasses with wide plastic frames
Headbands
Legwarmers
Torn sweatshirts
Shoulder pads
Lace gloves
Jellies
Rayban Aviator glasses (Top Gun)
Movado Museum Watch
Swatch watches
Acid wash jeans
A Michael Jackson Thriller style leather jacket
Bleached and really ripped jeans
Air Jordan tennis shoes
Click here to view this week's card sketch. This week's sketch was a blast! Using Twinkling H2O's in Cherry Sorbet, Pink Grapefruit, Apple Blossom, Lemongrass, Kiwi and Olive Vine, I colored this super spring image from Hero Arts. After the paints dried, I glued them to the card in this mosaic pattern. The last step was to add a piece of Stampboard using the same stamped image. I colored the background of the board with Distress Ink in Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint and Tattered Rose; stamped the image and painted it with the same H2O's. The final touch was to scratch into the board with the scratch tool to create the white highlights. Krylon pen for the edges.Thanks for stopping by!
Today's joke is courtesy of Anna P. Cont. Hollla!
On their wedding night, the young bride approached her new husband and asked for $20.00 for their first lovemaking encounter.
In his highly aroused state, her husband readily agreed.
This scenario was repeated each time they made love, for more than 30 years, with him thinking that it was a cute way for her to afford new clothes and other incidentals that she needed.
Arriving home around noon one day she was surprised to find her husband in a very drunken state.
During the next few minutes he explained that his employer was going through a process of corporate downsizing, and he had been let go.
It was unlikely that, at the age of 59 he'd be able to find another position that paid anywhere near what he'd been earning.
And therefore, they were financially ruined.
Calmly, his wife handed him a bank book which showed more than thirty years of steady deposits and interest totaling nearly $1 million.
Then she showed him certificates of deposits issued by the bank which were worth over $2 million.
She informed him that they were one of the largest depositors in the bank.
She explained that for the more than three decades she had "charged" him for sex these holdings had multiplied and these were the results of her savings and investments.
Faced with evidence of cash and investments worth over $3 million her husband was so astounded he could barely speak.
Finally he found his voice and blurted out, "If I'd had any idea what you were doing, I would have given you all my business!"
That's when she shot him.
Julie and Johanna in the justjohanna booth this morning. Julie's hair and make-up courtesy of the early morning thick beach fog mist. Like my boa?
I don't celebrate this holiday. I am not Irish. I guess I really don't understand why it is so widely celebrated. Is it just an excuse to get drunk and pinch people? Like almost every other holiday, it seems the religious purpose of the holiday has long disappeared and has been replaced by big bearded frat guys drinking green beer. Such is life. If you know the true meaning of this holiday, post a comment and tell us. You won't win my leftover embellishments, but I will give you a shout out and share your answer in Sunday's post so everyone can see how smart you are.
I would like to thank 'bigbadmike' for sending me a very nice St. Patrick's day package last week! He's the BEST friend in the world!
There is some pretty cool new paper at Michael's this week...something I have been looking for, surprisingly. The line is called "Love Struck". The papers and accessories are tattoo like...I guess as much 'tattoo like' as would appeal to suburban crafters and/or the Michael's crowd. (Not edgy enough to scare anyone...although I wish there were some papers and things along that line.)
I've always thought that if I got a tattoo myself, it would be bloody and scary. That's what tattoos should be like. Gothic, dark, dripping with blood. I, however, will not "get ink" because my dad told me the FBI would be able to find me easier if I was 'marked'. That was before lasers...maybe I should revisit this topic with him next time we're together.
Oh...a problem with the new paper...it's for scrapbookers. The nerve. 12x12 sheets of pretty cool graphics designed for layouts wih big voids in the center. Much too large for cards. Oh well. The website says "Scrapbooking made easy". Another problem. I don't think scrapbooking or papercrafting should be easy. Call me crazy, but if it were easy, everything would look the same. Creativity suffers.
See you tomorrow...
The new paper, aged with Vintage Photo DI. Lace trim, machine sewing. Stamps: justjohanna scroll, Magenta script and All Night Media "Grace". The scroll and the "Grace" images are heat embossed.
Well, aside from being the year when I proudly exited the most pious of institutions known as St. Therese Academy, the following events took place in 1985. Do you remember??
Popular Songs
1."I Want To Know What Love Is" ... Foreigner
2."Careless Whisper" ... Wham! featuring George Michael
3."Can't Fight This Feeling" ... REO Speedwagon
4."One More Night" ... Phil Collins
5." We Are the World" ... U.S.A. for Africa
6."Crazy for You" ... Madonna
7."Don't You" ... Simple Minds
8."Everything She Wants" ... Wham!
9."Everyone Wants to Rule the World" ... Tears for Fears
10."Heaven" ... Bryan Adams
Top Ten Movies
1. Back to the Future
2. Beverly Hills Cop
3. Cocoon
4. Fletch
5. The Goonies
6. The Jewel of the Nile
7. National Lampoon's European Vacation
8. Pale Rider
9. Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment
10. Rambo: First Blood, Part II
Major Events of 1985
Gorbachev becomes Soviet leader
Nimeiri ousted in the Sudan
Rainbow Warrior sinks
Achille Lauro seiezed
TWA flight 847 hijacked
US becomes a debtor nation
Reagan tax reform
Colombian terrorists execute 100 people, including 11 judges
Thanks for checking in!
Introducing a new blog feature...the Sunday Night Joke! Are you keeping track? Tuesday- 80's day; Sunday- joke night. Let's get this party started:
A man and his wife were spending the day at the zoo. She was wearing a loose fitting, pink dress, sleeveless with straps. He was wearing his usual jeans and t-shirt. As they walked though the ape exhibit, they passed in front of a large, silver backed gorilla.
Noticing the wife, the gorilla went crazy. He jumped on the bars and holding on with one hand and 2 feet he grunted and pounded his chest with his free hand. He was obviously excited at the pretty lady in the pink dress. The husband, noticing the excitement, thought this was funny. He suggested that his wife tease the poor fellow some more by puckering her lips and wiggling her bottom. She plated along and the gorilla got even more excited, making noises that would wake the dead. The husband suggested she let her dress strap fall to show a little more skin.
She did…and the gorilla was about to tear the bars down. “Now…Show your thighs and sort of fan your dress at him,” he said. This drove the gorilla absolutely crazy. He started doing flips. Then the husband grabbed his wife, ripped open the door to the cage, flung her in with the gorilla and slammed the door shut.
“Now. Tell him you have a headache.”
I'll be here all week....
I'm heading back to Escondido one more time today...it's the last day of prep. We sure are having a funtime! Wish you were here....
TGIF already... time is flying by! I'll be busy this weekend with the Cat's Craft Cupboard Congregation. The Stamp Expo is next weekend, are you ready? I can't wait!
I dream in cake.
justjohanna image and sentiment; frosting was made using glossy cardstock and Ranger alcohol inks + pop dots. Image is heat embossed. I used a gel pen to trace the side cakes and sentiment and added a pink pom pom for the cherry.
Thanks for stopping by!
Images: Impress. Distress Ink in Tattered Rose, marvy matchables in magenta, colored with Prismacolor Pencils.
Happy 80's day! (If you missed it, the Commander declared every Tuesday will be a tribute to the 80's in Luggage Land.) Today I picked 1981.
Here are some events that took place in 1981, do you remember?
And now, what you all have been waiting for- the music hits of 1981: (US #1 Singles)
Click here for the 1981 UK charts.
I am taking it easy today! The weather is fantastic outside, so I am going to sit in the yard and stare into the sky. I had a fantastic weekend! The Cat's Craft Cupboard Congregation is hysterical! I had so much fun. It was great to be able to help out; I can't wait until next weekend.
There is a new sketch on CPS today, I might try and hammer that out tonight. Other than that, I am in slow motion today.
(I hate it when people tell me to relax.)
The marathon is today.. Mr. Luggage is not running this time. I told him to grab a beer and watch it on TV. It's supposed to be in the 80's today!
I am heading back to Cat's. Over and out.
Have a great weekend!
I don't have a "job" (by choice...what where you thinking?!), so I guess it really doesn't matter that it is Friday. However, this weekend is going to be fun! I am helping out at Cat's Craft Cupboard, getting ready for the big Stamp Expo on March 17-18. Always the chef, I spent today at various appointments and running around for the perfect ingredients for one of the tastiest recipes ever! Do you love Ina?? I sure do! Here is what I am making for tomorrow's dinner.
Last night I made these quickies for my parents. I picked these empty photo holders up at the last convention. I colored these with Distress inks (the blue green combo) and my Chalk Inks (the pink one) and stamped on them with stamps. I am not giving stamp credits for these because the woman who makes them was snotty and mean to us at the convention! Whatever. The photo holders are double sided and measure 2" square.
NOT justjohanna images.
I knew I wasn't the only one... there is hope!
10 Women Who Make Us Cringe© MICHAEL CRABTREE/Bloomberg News /Landov
Bratz Dollz
Many mothers worry when their daughters start to play with Barbie. The moms fear that their daughters could develop a skewed sense of body image thanks to Barbie’s unnatural proportions
But for parents worried about that, Barbie’s got nothing on the Bratz Dolls—a big head, skinny body with the lips of Angelina Jolie and overly made-up come-hither eyes. And these are dolls that girls as young as 5 years old want to play with.
For heaven’s sake, girls don’t need dolls that look like streetwalkers. The social and behavioral cues girls get from the sleazy Bratz dolls are far from empowering—at least Barbie has been a doctor and an astronaut.
Joanne Cronrath Bamberger is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C.
yah, yah...I made a card too~
