Twilight Tuesday Inspiration Challenge #20

We traveled to Italy this week with the Twilight Tuesday challenge. This week's challenge is brought to us by Jen:

So for your creativity challenge this week I want you to revel in the beauty that is Italy. Showcase the landscape, the culture, the food, the music… anything that catches your fancy about Italy.

For you comment challenge I want to tell me have you been to Italy? What did you like best about it? Have you been to Volterra? And what are you hoping the director of New Moon captures about Italy in the movie?

I found a great picture of the Palazzo dei Priori which is where Edward in New Moon is going to show himself as a vampire to the crowd during the Saint Marcus Day festivities in order to provoke the Volturi to kill him. I created a postcard that could be a souvenir from this festival that celebrates Father Marcus banishing all the vampires from Volterra fifteen hundred years prior. I kept my project whimsical since it is a festival that includes red flags throughout the city, the patrons wearing red clothes, hats, scarves and of course, plastic vampire teeth.

From Semper Papercrafting

I've never been to Italy before, unless the "Italy" section of Epcot counts. ;) I would love to travel there someday. There is so much in Europe I want to see. It doesn't hurt that the Twilight series has definitely peaked my interest in Italy. Ciao!

Mojo Monday Challenge 75

I decided to add a new challenge to my weekly card making with the sketch challenges from the Mojo Monday blog. Yes, I know it's Tuesday, but Monday sort of flew by. Today is also Fat Tuesday more commonly known as Mardi Gras. One of the things I loved about living in Louisiana was the parades during Mardi Gras and the king cakes! So, I created a Mardi Gras themed card using supplies I already had on hand.

Here is the sketch idea:

From Semper Papercrafting

Here is my Mardi Gras card:

From Semper Papercrafting

Coast Guard Scrapbookie

Thanks to my Tuesday challenges, I have gotten the chance to visit Tonya's blog, who is one of the Twilight Tuesday design team members. She is such an awesome crafter. On her blog is a cute mini scrapbook, here's the link for her scrapbookie: http://www.stamphappens.com/stamp_happens/2009/01/scrapbookie-tutorial.html

Okay, so I got adventurous and tried it out. Well, I made my best ditch effort, but it didn't turn out like I had imagined it in my head. I think I may have had a snafu on my end with the tutorial. But since this blog is about my creative efforts both good and BAD, I'm posting it. Some of it I like, some of it I don't. I'm probably going to rework it a bit. Anyway, here are the pics. Sorry about the poor lighting and blurry picture... I took them this evening just to get this project done and over with.

All in all, it's a super cute project and I love the pull-out pocket pages. I just need to work out the glitches on MY end. ALSO, the stamps I used are from the Close To My Heart Coast Guard set that's discontinued. I also have a CGC Eagle stamp shown, but I have no idea who made it -- I bought it off of Ebay.

Front cover (which I admit needs some work -- it doesn't do it for me):

From Semper Papercrafting

From Semper Papercrafting

From Semper Papercrafting

From Semper Papercrafting

CC Swap Cards

Just a heads up, if you're over here from Coastie Chicks, avert your eyes!!

I participate in a monthly card swap over at Coastie Chicks (it's a website for Coast Guard spouses). This month the two themes were: St. Patrick's Day and General. So, as overly ambitious as I can occasionally be -- I decided to do both. So, here are my cards. The inspiration for the layouts, came from Split Coast Stampers and also a couple of blogs that have sketch challenges. If you don't know what a sketch is, it is a layout that is 'sketched' out, then you just apply your own spin on it (i.e. paper, stamps, embellishments) as long as you follow the basic guidelines. For example at Taylored Expressions, I used their layout to help create my St. Patrick's Day cards. Mine isn't nearly as good as their examples, but when you have to mass produce several and you're on a time crunch, you have to sacrifice crazy embellishments.

St. Patrick's Day:

From Semper Papercrafting

General:

From Semper Papercrafting

Lately, I've been browsing a lot of craft blogs from some very talented ladies. It amazes me what artists these stampers are (including the ladies from Twilight Tuesday). I can only aspire to be as good as them. But it forces me to challenge myself and TRY to step up to the plate.

Twilight Tuesday Inspiration Challenge #19

It must be Tuesday since my desk is cluttered with paper, ink and stamps! I just finished my Twilight Tuesday project. Visit Twilight Tuesday if you want to learn more about the challenges.

This week's challenge was issued by Tonya:

The creative part of the challenge is to create a project inspired by one(or more) of the villains from the books. For the comment portion of the challenge, tell us a bit about your reaction to the villains in the stories: do you enjoy any of them? Do any of them freak you right out? Or are they just too fantastic for you to even fear? Whatever you think, just tell us about it!

I took my inspiration for my project from Eclipse, where the Cullens and the wolf pack defeat Victoria and her band of newborn vampires. To completely destroy a vampire, they must be incinerated. From this action, the smoke is described as "a pillar of choking purple toward the sky". So for the challenge, I tried to create a scene with the purple smoke and incorporated orange ribbon to represent Victoria's wavy, orange hair.

From Semper Papercrafting

The villains in the Twilight series don't really creep me out, since I'm usually so engrossed in the story line to figure out how the Cullens will overcome them. The Volturi in Breaking Dawn were the only ones to make me nervous when they arrived in Forks to confront the Cullen family about Renesmee.

Valentines

Since it's the day before Valentine's Day, I can now safely post the valentines I made this year for family and friends. I'd hate to spoil the surprise of receiving the card, before the recipient gets to see it in person.

My nautical Valentine's Day card with the Stampin Up set, Boatloads of Love. The idea is copied from one I found on Split Coast Stampers:

From Semper Papercrafting

This is a Twilight themed card for a friend who suggested the series to me to wish her a "sparkly" Valentine's Day with the sparkly apple from the SU Tart & Tangy set:

From Semper Papercrafting

Finally, here is a Coast Guard themed valentine for my hubby. Obviously, I got a lot of use out of my Boatloads of Love set. I can't take credit for coming up with the idea for this card -- I found the idea over at Split Coast Stampers.

From Semper Papercrafting

Twilight Tuesday Inspiration Challenge #18

I'm at it again. I am participating in the Twilight Tuesday Inspiration Challenge. Visit: http:/twilighttuesday.com for more info! Here is the challenge information issued by Julie:

The creative part of the challenge is to make a Valentine that could be given to one character from another in the Twilight world. With all of those couples, there should be enough to inspire us! Just to be clear — as much as many of us might want to gift Rob with multiple mushy Valentines — this particular challenge is a Twilight character thing rather than a Rob thing. However…I do have a some information for you on a “Rob thing” below — read on!

For the comment portion of the challenge — talk a bit about the couples in the Twilight world. Which couple’s story you might relate to or admire, which couple might not work for you (hey, imprinting on a baby theme - I’m looking at you!). Anything you like. I would bet that a lot of us love the stories because of the romantic elements — just elaborate on that a bit, and tell us what parts of that appealed to you.

I got a little overly motivated for this challenge. I kept running across good ideas from the story lines or just from the supplies I had on hand.

Here is my interpretation of the conversation hearts Jacob gave Bella on Valentine's Day in New Moon, p 202.

"Happy Valentine's Day," Jacob said, smiling, but ducking his head as he greeted me.

He held out a small, pink box, balancing it on his palm. Conversation hearts.

"Well, I feel like a schmuck," I mumbled. "Is today Valentine's Day?"

Jacob shook his head with mock sadness. "You can be so out of it sometimes. Yes, it is the fourteenth day of February. So are you going to be my Valentine? Since you didn't get me a fifty-cent box of candy, it's the least you can do."

I started to feel uncomfortable. The words were teasing, but only on the surface.

"What exactly does that entail?" I hedged.

"The usual--slave for life, that kind of thing."

"Oh, well, if that's all..." I took the candy.

Front of box:

From Semper Papercrafting

Inside of the 'box' -- I took a little liberty with how I phrased the quote on the heart:

From Semper Papercrafting

I created a second project for the challenge. I used the Twilight Tuesday Sketch Challenge for the design of the card, but it is a Valentine I think Alice would give Jasper. To me, Alice is very girly and I though this card with the tone-on-tone pink was a good representation of her character. On the heart, I used a quote from Alice in Eclipse, p. 301, where Jasper and Alice meet for the first time.

From Semper Papercrafting

Finally, what would this challenge be if I didn't make a card that Bella would give Edward for Valentine's Day. I kept it simple and clean and incorporated Bella's blue color that Edward loves.

From Semper Papercrafting

As for the couples in Twilight, the relationship that makes me the most squeamish is the one between Sam and Leah. My heart goes out to her and with her innermost thoughts being heard by the rest of the pack, it has to be difficult to remain strong in her situation. I don't care for the whole imprinting with Renesmee and Jacob and also with Quil and Claire -- it's just plain weird.

I do have two favorites with the couples in Twilight. I love the relationship between Bella and Edward, that's what really keeps me hooked on the series. Their connection and the passion between them is inspiring. And it doesn't hurt that Edward makes guys today look like complete slackers. Gotta love good old fashioned chivalry.

Speaking of being chivalrous, Jasper falls into that same vein. Jasper and Alice have a deep bond and they truly bring out the best in each other. Jasper wants nothing more than to be Alice's protector so that no harm comes to her, especially seen in Eclipse (p. 395) when Jasper is instructing the other how to fight against the newborn vampires. In exchange, Alice brings Jasper hope and has shown him a whole new world without having to kill humans (Eclipse p. 301-302).

South Korean inspired

As many of you know, my husband and I are in the process of adopting from South Korea. So, I thought I would share a thank you card I made for our adoption references that was inspired by the colors of the South Korea flag (see below). We are so thankful for such wonderful friends and family who are helping us in this journey to become parents.

The South Korea flag:

From Our Adoption Journey

My Korean inspired card:

From Semper Papercrafting

Twilight Tuesday Inspiration Challenge #17

Here is this week's Twilight Tuesday Challenge. This week’s challenge is issued by Beth and here is what she said:

"Our theme this week is: Jacob Black!

I like Jake. No secret there. And it is clear where the lines are drawn in the sand, so to speak, in Twilightville! Having said that, I invite everyone to objectively think about the character, Bella’s trusted friend, her strength in her weakest hours, her light through her darkest times and her humor on a seemingly humorless day. Theirs is a special friendship. My challenge to you is to capture the essence of the special bond in a project of your choosing.

Comment Portion: Explain your version of the relationship between he and Bella, or he and the other Quileutes… basically, the essence of Jake. What is the dynamic that draws you in or *GASP* deters you from him. ***note: I don’t intend for this to be a TJ vs TE debate! This is NOT about Edward!*** Do you know someone who is as special as he is to Bella? Does the rebuilding of a car remind you of something or someone? Did someone special teach you to drive (a motorcycle?), or save your life??? et al… Take this any way you want. I just want to see a little puppy love and will abuse my executive power on this one to get it!!! "


Here is my submission:

From Semper Papercrafting

I was inspired by Jacob and Bella's friendship that has changed and developed over the course of the Twilight series. In New Moon, after Edward left Bella, Jacob became Bella's reason to live and was her "sunshine".

Jacob was simply a perpetually happy person, and he carried that happiness with him like an aura, sharing it with whoever was near him. Like an earthbound sun, whenever someone was within his gravitational pull, Jacob warmed them. It was natural, a part of who he was. No wonder I was so eager to see him.

Bella Swan, New Moon, Chapter 6, p.145

Their relationship takes many ups and downs in Eclipse, and they are finally able to be just friends in Breaking Dawn, even after Bella becomes a vampire.

The way Bella shines whenever she is with Jacob made me choose the quote for my card. It seemed to be very fitting. I tried to incorporate an earthy tone to the card due to represent Jacob's Native American/werewolf side.

Since I focused on the topic of friendship, I was reminded that I have many close friends. Our friendship has been tested through challenges in our personal lives, separations of many miles and just time passing by, but we always find a way to remain good friends. I am thankful for those friendships, it gives me a reason to smile each day.