March's Blog Candy Winner is...

Kathy H Congratulations Kathy!
Email me BarefootProf@bellsouth.net with your snail mail addy and I will get your prize right out to you. And thanks to all who have visited Sondra's Studio Study this month and left comments. I have enjoyed reading them all.

The month of April is going to be very busy getting ready for our upcoming charity crop Momas Crop for Marty so I will not be posting daily. But do drop in from time to time to see what might be going on.

Big Blog Candy Mountain Alert!

This email was sent to me. I haven't been to the links yet, so I hope you all find some great blog candy out there. And don't forget to comment here for entry into this months blog candy!

Arfully Ila (Mar 22)
Life One Layout At a Time (Mar 25)
Scraps for Fun (Mar 31)
Love to Doodle (Mar 27)
Helen’s Craft Haven (Mar 29)
Polly’s Card Heaven (Mar 27)
Cat’s Whiskers (Mar 23)
Card Making Galore (Apr 3)
Pretty Pressings (Apr 1)
Maria’s Studio (Mar 23)
Phoenix Crafts (Apr 12)
Crafters Kitchen (Mar 23)
A Personal Touch (Mar 27)
Enjoying the Journey (Apr 3)
Stamp With Us (Mar 31)
Elizabeth Bell (Apr 5)
The Crafting Adventures of a Left Handed Blonde (Mar 26)
A Crafters Dream (Mar 26)
Olde Country Creations (Mar 31)
My Crafty Stuff (Apr 1)
Glitter Me Silly (Mar 31)
Pyssel Mamman (Mar 31)
Moments in Time (Mar 31)
Imagine, Create, Inspire (Mar 31)

Gratitude List

Today I want to point you back to an old post that listed the vendors so far who have donated to the upcoming charity crop Momas Crop for Marty here in Greer SC. If you don't know about it but after looking at this list would like to get signed up, email me quickly because we only have 9 spots left open!

I feel very blessed and grateful that we have nearly filled up every seat and have weeks yet to go. We are also abundantly blessed by all the donations that are pouring in and more on the way!
This is "one great day" that you won't want to miss out on.

Photo Tinting Tips and Ideas

Photo tinting is great for scrapbooking as well as sleek and contemporary greeting cards.

۰ Use with black and white, sepia, or even color photos!
۰ Do not use original photos. Always preserve those.
۰ Must use copy machine toner. Printer ink will not work.
۰ Copy all in black and white for black and white results.
۰ Sepia and color photos usually need to be lightened.
۰ If a sepia photo is the desired result then sepia prints must be color copied.
۰ Photo paper can be used for scrapbook albums. Matte photo paper works best.
۰ Glossy cardstock works fine for greeting cards.
۰ Make extra copies for trial runs.
۰ Use large tip when maximum coverage is desired.
۰ Always brush stroke in the direction indicated by subject.
۰ Use the small tip for accents and details.
۰ Remember only slight pigmentation is the desired effect.
۰ For deeper colors, let dry and re-paint.
۰ Choose a focal point and highlight that.
۰ For most dramatic effects, do not add color to background items.
۰ The least amount of differing subjects colored in a photo the better.
۰ Provide coverage of the large areas first and detail last.
۰ Use the softener/blender pen when even less pigment is desired.
۰ The softener can be used directly on photo to blend colors and soften edges.
۰ Always use softener while color is still wet.
۰ Use short, quick strokes with the softener.
۰ Softener can be used as a brush taking color from other pens. (Great for blush)
۰ Softener will remove some color and repair minor mistakes if caught quickly.
۰ Clean tips by marking on white paper until true color returns.
۰ Allow photos to dry overnight.

Try chalks and photo stamps as alternatives when experimenting with tinting.

Funkie & Free Fiskars Friday **Winners**

Today was the day! We had a great time once we got started. First let me apologize for the time mix up. I understand that there were several ladies waiting on me at 2:00 today. That was a misprint on the calendar. There was a corrected email sent out but some got them and some didn't. I really hate that happened.

For the ones that made it back at 4:00 we impressed with the Easy Stamp Press. Everyone made 2 cards this week. And we have 2 winners! We would have had 3 winners but the only rsvp we had to this blog emailed to let me know she would not be able to make it after all and she was the only one in the running for the prize. So remember that in the future; sometimes, all you have to do is show up...and you get a prize!

Now for the winners...Linda Currin won the drawing for participating and Starr Boone won the toss for purchasing Fiskars products! Congratulations to both! Your prizes are waiting at the store for you to pick up on your next visit. Hope to see all of you next month.

Tag, you're it!

Yesterday, I was tagged by a fellow Fiskateer, Brenda #5151.

Getting tagged means you have to go to the place on your computer where you store all your pictures and open the 4th folder, then open the 4th picture and post that picture with a description of what it is, and then tag 4 more people.

This is our youngest Granddaughter, Haley, trick or treating with her Dad (my ds) this past Halloween. Notice the cutest antennae and stinger her Mommy made for her.

Today, I am tagging 4 more Fiskateers…

#627 Connie
#1867 Michele
#2569 Mardi
#4257 Amy

Tagging must be to someone with a blog, but not necessarily Fiskateers.

Word for the week...My God or yours?

I recently heard a story about a young man, named Lou, who grew up a Buddhist and was introduced to Jesus Christ as a young adult. Now a Christian, when asked the difference between Jesus Christ and Buddha Lou gives this analogy.

When I was a Buddhist I was drowning in a lake and didn’t know how to swim. I saw Buddha on the shore calling out instructions to teach me to swim. But he said I must make it to shore myself. Struggling to learn but still drowning I looked again and on the shore was Jesus. Jesus dove in the water, swam out to me and saved me. Once we were safely back on the shore Jesus taught me to swim so that I could go back and rescue others.

Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Our salvation is not based on what we do but what He did.

Technique Tuesday Tamp a Tile

Tamp a Tile was one of my favorites in the good old stamp days. Maybe some of you know it but have forgotten about it or maybe this is new to you. I do not have samples to post but click the link to the Blockheads Paper Arts website for some. Here are step by step instructions.

Great for backgrounds as well as the main feature on a card.

۰ Assemble the template on top of cardstock.
۰ Tape the template to the cardstock.
۰ Remove one piece of the tile at a time and stipple on desired color.
۰ Replace the previous tile piece before stippling another section.
۰ When complete, untape the template and slide it away from cardstock.
۰ Embellish artwork as desired.
۰ Remember to clean the tiles before using again.

Blog candy poll

Well, it is not exactly a poll. I would just like you to talk to me in the comment section about your blog candy preferences. How often would you like to see it offered? What types of blog candy would you like to win? How do you want to enter to win blog candy? How do you find out where blog candy is?

And did you know that right now there are two ways to win blog candy here at Sondra's Studio/Study? The first is the month long drawing from every comment left on all posts in March. And the second is to RSVP here for Funkie Free Fiskars Friday (see a recent Friday post).

The Butterfly Project

Holocaust Museum Houston is doing The Butterfly Project in hopes of collecting 1.5 million crafted butterflies in memorium to the 1.5 million children lost in the holocaust. Take a look at the link and think of how you would like to create your butterflies to participate in this awesome project.

These are the ones I did. Both of my stamp clubs are making butterflies to send as a group. Maybe you have a group, either online or locally, that would love to take part. Comment here if you plan to create some butterflies of your own.

Weekend stroll through a virtual museum

Doesn't that sound lovely?
Visit these links to view some inspirational eye candy.

-Ad Access Sales, Advertising, and Marketing History
-America As It Was A Tour of the USA in Vintage Postcards
-Collections Photography
-Family Old Photos Faces and Places of the Past
-Joanne B Kaar Building on Inspiration
-Megan Noel Bead Artist
-Mosaic Mercantile Mosaic Art Gallery
-Opacity Urban Ruins Abandoned Photography
-Patt K Nicol Fine Art Design
-Stuart Weitzman Designer Shoes Food Network's Bid for a Cure

And don't forget to leave comments here to be entered into this month's blog candy drawing!

Funkie & Free Fiskars Friday again!

It’s Funkie and Free Fiskars Friday time again. Next week, Friday 27th from 4pm-6pm, I will be back at Funkie Munkie Scraps in Greer doing Fiskars demos. There will be prizes and the first one starts here! If you rsvp on this blog post your name will be entered into a drawing for a prize. Anyone who buys a Fiskars product that day (at 20-25% discounts) will be entered into another drawing for a prize. And everyone that comes out to play will be entered into yet another drawing for a prize! So plan to drop by for about 15 min. or so. Oh yea, this week you will be making 2 cards for the same (FREE) price of one! See you there...

Thursday's Thank Yous

I was just feeling very grateful tonight for all the generous donors to our upcoming charity event Momas Crop for Marty Books. At this point we only have 9 seats left so if you are thinking about it now is the time to sign up! Just reading this list of donors should tip the scales for you.

AlphaStamps
Auntie Amy
Club Scrap
Colorbok
Copic
Creative Memories
Crop Chocolate
Cut at Home
Frantic Stamper
Glue Dots
Heart and Soul Rubber Stamp Company
Judikins
Liquitex
McGill
Peachy Keen Stamps
Provo Craft
Pulsar Paper
Rubber Stamp Madness
Sakura
Score-Pal
Scrap Smart
Stampendous
Stampin' Buddies
Stampin Up
Stampington & Co.
Stampscapes
Studio Calico
Such a Deal Lace & Trim
Unity Stamp Co.
Verses from the Heart

Creative Chaos
Funkie Munkie Scraps
Mainstreet Memories
Scrapbook Supply
Scrapnesia

Stamp Diva Club
several individuals

I also want to thank American Speedy Printing in Greer for all the printing services provided. We want to support our local businesses when we can and certainly the ones that give back to their community like this. So be sure to say thanks when you visit the following Greer stores.

Amazing Threads
Dobson's Hardware
EmbroidMe
GNC
Hallmark
Lady Bugs
Mutual Home
ProMotion
Sara Ann's Undercover World
Sue's Alterations
Tractor Supply Co.
Tupperware

Fatz
Firehouse Subs
Fuddrucker's
Laurenda's
Mythos
Panera Bread
Pizza Hut
Quiznos
Subway
Starbucks

Word of the week

More thoughts on the foundational topic of marriage.

-Ignorance increases the chance of failure in anything we do. Be teachable on the subject of marriage and seek out wisdom from reliable sources.
-Remember that when parents resolve conflicts and the marriage remains intact, children learn from that. They also learn from divorce.
-Conflict is not the problem, lack of commitment is the problem. When you decide to stay committed and divorce is no longer an option you will be more motivated to work at the relationship.
-Living together outside of marriage doesn't work because it is done from a selfish spirit. It is performance based, not commitment based; a test to see if one can meet the other's needs and if not, they are out of there.
-Marriage is not about me getting my needs met, but about me giving/committing my life to another. Covenant is not made, covenant is cut. God cut covenant with us. It is a blood sacrifice.
-Evil company corrupts good habits according to 1Corinthians 15:33. Watch for those who too easily support divorce. Instead, surround yourself with friends who have a low tolerance for divorce.
-Anything with a weak foundation will easily crumble. We need to look to Jesus, not our spouse, to have our core needs (security, identity, acceptance and purpose) met. Jesus told the lady at the well that she would always thirst unless she drank from His well.
-Fun...research shows that couples that have fun together have marriages that last longer. So grab your mate and go do something together today that makes you both laugh!

Technique Tuesday

Turn a 6x6 or 8x8 into a 12x12

-

I have done this out of necessity and as a challenge but it is actually a great idea to try out. Make smaller layouts with a simple design, maybe around a certain photo, and then place onto a larger 12x12 sheet and embellish. This simplifies the design process (rather than trying to fill a 12x12 space) and causes you to think outside the box, usually resulting in a more sleek design aesthetic.

How about a couple of slices of blog candy?

Life, One layout at a time is giving away, not one but two Slice's! And I would keep my eyes on this blogger because very recently she gave away a Cricut!

Now, my candy is the penny kind compared, but still don't forget to comment daily for your chances at this months blog candy here at Sondra's Studio/Study.

The 29 Day Giving Challenge

I took this challenge myself in Febuary and although I am a giver by nature (husband says I give everything away) it did make a difference when I focused on it. So I think you should give it a try even if you think of yourself as a big giver. It don't have to be much, some days was a note card that I sent out to someone. The challenge even says that you can give a smile or kind words but I didn't feel that was challenge enough so I did try to give tangible items. And signing up at this site is not a requirement. I just used it as inspiration for myself. But check it out.

The 29 Day Giving Challenge

Fiskars Friday Paisley Punch

If you love paisleys you will love being able to make your own paisley embellishments with Fiskars tools.

And since there is not a paisley punch in the Fiskars line, just use any size of the Coma Coma Chameleon Squeeze Punch and either size of the Scallop Edgers for the base. Then you can dot with markers and embellish them up as much or as little as you like.

Add a hand made paisley to your card or page designed specifically by you to coordinate with any papers.

The place to be today.

Why not join me at Funkie Munkie Scraps for a Copic Marker class with Katie Cotton of Paper Makeup Stamps tonight?

And if you are staying in tonight, then join me here in my studio/study for a bit while you read a few posts and leave a few comments. Remember, every day that you leave a comment is another entry into this months blog candy drawing.

Wednesday's Word on Marriage

First read what the Word says:

"For the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife. And they shall be one flesh so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Jesus

Read it in its entirety in Mark 10:1-12

Then read:

Sacred Marriage
"What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?"
By Gary Thomas

Lastly, read my studies:

Marriage is the first institution ordained by God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis) and the last institution ordained by Him when Jesus comes for His bride (Revelation). What do you think is first and last on the enemies list to kill, steal, and destroy? Marriage! Don't fight your spouse when your battle is with the enemy. When it comes to our marriages, don't let Satan win.

I pray this is a timely message. Let me hear from you on future studies you would like to see.

Journal Circles

Journal Circles are similar to round robins. In a circle, a group gets together and exchanges artwork in rotation. You will work on someone elses project at the same time another artist is working on your project. In the end everyone has a completed book or a collection of pages centered around a particular theme.

I have participated in several altered book circles and am about to start a new circle where we will exchange ATC's. The theme this time is about ourselves and the things we love. So every month I will send off a photo of something I love and that artist will create an ATC using the photo for inspiration. At the same time someone will be sending me a photo of something they love and I will be creating a personalized ATC for them. The next month we each send to a different person. When the circle is complete we will all have a collection of 12 ATC's inspired by things we love and created by our fellow artists.

These are very interesting and fun to do. I would encourage you to start your own group. I would love to hear about any you have been in or especially if this inspires you to start your own circle.

It's another big blog candy mountain Monday!

Welcome back to Sondra's Studio/Study!

Today's big blog candy is a $50 gift certificate for stamps from Created by Courtney!
Or how about this weeks 4 brand new papercraft books from the Scrappy Side of Me?
And then there is this yummy candy; 3 marker sets from Much Ado About Nothing!

And don't forget that all comments on all posts here get included in this month's drawing for blog candy!

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is an organization that offers bereavment photography services to families suffering the loss of an infant child. I hope you will visit NILMDTS and if you happen to know of a photographer ask them to consider volunteering.

There is no foot so small that it does not leave an imprint on the world.

Artist Trading Cards

There are a lot of questions about artists' trading cards, called ATCs for short. Artist Trading Cards originated in Switzerland in 1997 with the intention for artists to share their work.

These miniature pieces of art, of any medium, only have two rules: 1) they must always be 2 ½ x 3 ½ inches in size (the size of a standard deck of playing cards and sports trading cards. Some use these as a base for altering ATCs) and 2) they must only be traded or gifted, never sold.

They can be used as an artist’s business or calling card. Paper artists love to swap them online and if you Google Artist Trading Cards you will find many examples. Avid swappers like to store their cards in baseball card sleeve protectors/sheets and altered playing card deck boxes. You can also then use them on your card fronts for quick cards.

You should always sign, number, and date your work on the back and you can put your contact information if you want.

Why don't you try an ATC this weekend and post a comment here to let us know about it. Your comment may be selected as this months blog candy winner!

Fiskars Friday

Let's talk about inchies today. They seem to be all the new buzz and I just love them! They are quick and inexpensive to make, great on cards and pages, and make good use of your scraps. What they are is 1 inch by 1 in pieces of art that you create any way you like. They can be very detailed or very simple in design. They are tons of fun to trade and then you have a stash of ready made embellishments to add to your paper craft projects.

Pictures here are of an inchie swap I hosted and two sample cards I have made using inchies.

Where does Fiskars come in? Well, they have these fabulous little squeeze punches that are perfect for inchie design. Go to Fiskarscrafts.com and check out the large block party for your base as it punches a 1 inch square. Get the med size block party for a great layer to your inchie. And also try the med brick by brick which is 1 inch by 1/2 inch, also a perfect layer. As is the med round 'n round which is a 1 inch circle to layer onto your inchie base. There are some others you will find available for endless design ideas.

Try your hand at inchies and post a link here in the comment section for all to see. Remember any comments this month gets your name in the drawing for blog candy!

Thursday's Things To Do

• Read and enjoy older posts on Sondra's Studio/Study (music will play approx. 45 min w/o repeats)
• Comment on all March posts for more entries into this month's blog candy (don't miss extended slideshow)
• Register for charity event Momas Crop for Marty (ask how)
• Donate to charity event Momas Crop for Marty (many ways to do this)
• Visit the new Funkie Munkie Scraps in Greer SC! (fun, funky, & fabulous)
• Join the Fiskateers Go orange!

Time with God even with the kids

Religion says you need to spend a certain amount of time daily in prayer and Bible study while a relationship with the Father will set you free from law. Prayer is simply a conversation with God and does not have to be formal so just have it ongoing throughout your day. God walked with Adam in the cool of the day.

Proverbs 22:6 says to train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Include your children in your prayer and devotion time. Even the simplest prayers (i.e. Prayer of Jabez) can bring profound revelation and results. And it will be a great illustration of living life with their Creator.

Finally, it is important to have a sanctuary for when you do need that quiet and alone time. Your prayer closet can be a closet, a porch, or even a bathroom. It can also be a set apart time in an ordinary location such as your favorite chair or the kitchen table in the wee hours before the family arises each morning. If the heart’s intention is not out of ritual but rather from the longing to be with your Lord, you will not miss those hours of sleep.

So, in whatever form it takes today, enjoy time spent with God.

Tuesday's Technique

Handmade copper embellishments for cards, pages, or altered projects.

These are actually very easy to do.

Supplies: copper mesh, outline stickers, scissors and a heat tool.

Watch beautful colors appear as you heat the copper mesh. Stop when desired effect is reached. When cool apply sticker & cut out.

Voila!

Another Big Blog Candy Mountain Monday!

Or, I should say a "Big Blog Candy Mountain Month." This time around the blog candy will be gathered for the month of March and a winner will be drawn from all comments to posts and announced on Monday, March 30th.

Be sure to read posts and comment daily to have more chances to win. And you must put an email address so that I can notify you of winning. I am still missing one winner from all of the Feb. contests. Gigi, are you out there? You are a winner! I need your address to send your prizes.

Random Acts of Kindness

A new month has started so I just wanted to take this time to congratulate all the winners so far at Sondra's Studio/Study. Congratulations to:

Rosemary
MaryNSC
Gigi
craftyemb
Christina Liktorias
Pat Kahl and her friend Suzi
Kathy H

We would also like to hear about other Random Acts of Kindness so please leave comments here that may inspire us all to do a little more.