Sunday, September 30, 2012

Getting Batty!

Good Morning Everyone!

Thanks goes to Barb Engelking for finding a way to post files or at least links to files on blogger...Thanks So MUCH Barb!  I appreciate it!



So, for those of you making the bat silhouettes here we go...

If you have a digital cutter that will let you cut .svg files use this link:

Click Here


If you don't have a digital cutter and need a template, use this link:

Click Here

Hope this helps you all!  Thank you so much again Barb for helping me!  You Rock!

Onward to Create!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Last Post For Tonight!

Hello Gang!

Well, I'm tuckered out!  Going to eat and stop for the evening and watch a little Harry Potter!  LOL!  Has anyone started J.K. Rowling's new book yet?  Is it good?  :)  Let me know will ya?

OK, here is where I left off... The Halloween wall...It mainly features my collection of Joe Spencer's figures.  Here's what I came up with this year....Hope you like...










Thanks for coming by to visit!

jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Dressing Up An Old Pillow!


Me again!

Now this is easy folks!  Dress up an old pillow for the season with some seasonal ribbon....

I used some burlap and black ribbon and added the tag Mom and I made when she was here last.  Just looking over at it makes me happy and immediately brings back the fun memories we had on Labor Day!








Hope you can get some ideas.....Thanks for looking!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter


Halloween Challenge/Decoration..Biking Witch!

Good Eve-N-ing!

Actually, its afternoon for a few more minutes, but I couldn't help pulling out my Dracula voice!

OK, where have I been you say???....I can tell you are interested...right?  :)  Been working on a challenge/decoration for my house!  LOL!  Let me give you some background info...

A while back Fiona Jennings of Jennings644/Freestyle-Crafts on YouTube sent me a HUGEEEEE box of treasures.  Inside it she sent a metal tricycle with a note attached saying..."Here is a challenge for you...I want to see what you can do with this!"



Well, Fiona and friends here's a VERY QUICK run down of what I did...

The first thing was to chop off the metal basket on back of the bike.  Next, I painted the bike all black.  I cut a craft pumpkin in half and stuck it down on the "spikes" left by cutting the basket off.  I cut a bunch of Tim Holtz Alteration Dies...Clock, gears, bats and skulls.  I glued them together and onto the bike.  I then took some crepe paper and made a little fussy mussy or two around the clock just to add a bit of color to the larger wheel.  I placed a couple of Tim's Cards on the wheel and attached with a Graphic 45 clothespin (remember doing that when we were kids!).  I took a dowel and painted it black.  Next, I applied hot glue all over the dowel and then went over it with the Viva Gold's Graphite (Thanks Fiona for that too!  I love this product!).  I cut thin strips of chipboard and bent them in half forming a broom.  I sprayed the chipboard broom with Dylusions Pure Sunshine and Melted Chocolate spray inks.  I attached them to the dowel with some black waxed string.

Now something you never knew about old Jim The Gentleman Crafter....I used to make stuffed figures.  Yes, I'm not using the word doll!  Just not!  I like figures...sound more Gentlemanly!  (No Comments Please!) LOL!  I had this witch I made and thought she would be perfect for the bike!  More info....I have always loved Joe Spencer's - Gathered Traditions awesome, awesome stuffed figures.  BIG BIG FAN!  They may not be everyones cup of tea and that's OK!  We all have our own tastes and that's what makes the world go 'round right?  Anyway, you know me, I wanted to learn how to do it and so I did.  Of course mine are not of the quality of the purchased ones, but I love 'em just the same.  Later today I will show you my collection of Joe's creations....But know on with the Biking Witch....

I placed, let's call her Broom-Helga shall we, onto the bike and tacked her down in a few places with glue.  Last, I added netting to her hat and she is now ready for her midnight ride...






Challenge...DONE!   

That's it for now...Onward to create....Hope you are having fun looking...Be back in a bit!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Bat Crazy!

Hello Everybody Again!

OK, First up this afternoon is a little bat action for the walls.....

Here's what I did:

Using a bat .svg file for my digital cutter, I cut a ton of bats from black card stock.  If you have a digital cutter, Google bat .svg files and you will find some.  If you don't, Google bat and print out a silhouette of a bat and use it as a template to cut your own.   Sadly, Bloogger does not allow me to upload files, so I cannot attach them to this post.  The bats should be around 10-inches from wing to wing....



Next, I used a little Graphite, Inka Gold and brushed on the wings very quickly.  Don't think about it just do it....:)





Next I punched out 2-inch ovals from cardstock (I used Graphic 45's Happy Haunting Collection) and distressed the edges with the distress tool.  Next, I hot glued the distressed ovals to the center of the bat.



Last, I folded the ears inward and then folded the wings up.  I placed blue painters tape to the back and "batified" my walls!



Here's are the bats...a good start I think!





OK...Next Up ...Killing two birds with one stone...A challange and a new decoration for Halloween....

Be back soon....

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Good Morning From Rainy Texas!

Good Morning Everybody!

Sorry it's been a few days since I blogged.  Thank you for your emails asking if I'm OK.  I'm doing great, Just trying to finish off my obligations to DT's....:)

It's an incredibly slow rainy day here today.   To me when this happens, I get that same cozy feeling when those rare and wonderful snow days come our way.  Actually, ice has us staying home more than the snow but once again...it's a rarity!  So this rainy cozy morning, I thought what better time to do up the house for this first round of holiday decorations ...Halloween.

This morning I have a few DT projects to put the finishing touches on and then....I'm going to get started.   I can't wait.  This year I will use some of my old stuff, but I wanted to challenge myself with throwing in things I make.  So....(I think I have officially adopted the word "so,".... so be it!) I will be posting through out the weekend some possible projects and their home upon my tables and shelves amongst my Halloween collections.  See, I want to use so, so bad right now...I'm going to do it...So, keep coming back to see how the house is transforming...

Spoooky!

Thanks Y'all!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Jacked Up Jack....

Good Evening Everybody!

Yes, I did take my vitamins again today!  Thanks for asking!  LOL!  I'm feeling healthy already!  I even went for a walk tonight!  It's so hard to carve out time to do things like....Take care of yourself!  LOL!  I would rather be sitting on my duff making something.  Every morning when I glance over at my million dollar treadmill, the guilt gets to me!  I simply say to myself tonight...tonight!  Well, the treadmill still has boxes of stuff sitting on top of it (It's one of the only flat surfaces left in my house!  Just saying'!) but as I said above, I did manage to go for a wonderful walk.  I have learned not to text and try to walk down a country lane though!  I almost derailed and fell smack dab in the ditch!  I need to be flapping my arms anyway.  Isn't there more of a calorie burn if you move more than your legs?  LOL!

Well, the vitamins may be helping with the energy, but the brain not so much!  Poor little guy is always on about four things at once and never surfaces for long on a single thought!  Tonight, for example, my friend Marsha and I were locking up the office.  She handed me her keys for some reason and I locked the front door and she went around to the backdoor and locked it as she went out. (It locks from the inside)  We met in the hallway.  I stopped to talk to some folks and she went on.  A moment later, I reached in my satchel for my keys and pulled out her keys and thought, how did her keys get in my bag!  I yelled down the hall to her and asked if she had my keys thinking there was some kind of a mix up...I had  completely forgot she had handed me her keys.  Funny enough, she had forgotten too!  That truly is why she and I are such great friends.  Great minds think alike...or not!  God Help Us!

Tonight I wanted to share a video of the Jacked Up Jack O'Lantern.  The video finally uploaded to YouTube so here we go....Hope you can find some inspiration from it.  By The Way, I'm totally loving the Ranger Inkssentials foil tape sheets I used on old Jack!!  To much fun!




Thank you all!  Have a wonderful night!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter





Tuesday, September 25, 2012

It's a Twofer! ProCision Trimmer Tips!

See, what did I tell ya!  Up and AT 'Em I Am!  Second post for the night!  LOL!

I know a bunch of you have been looking at the new Fiskar's ProCision Trimmer.  It's AWESOME! (Catch it at Joann's this week for 40% off!)  When working with it tonight I have a couple of tips for those of you are about to take the plunge!

Here's what I found:




Hope this helps!

Thanks!  I promise I'm done posting!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter


Dylusional Bus Unplugged!

Good Evening Everybody...

WoW!  What a day!  I got so much done!  Yahooo!  I've been zooming around like I was 16 again!  I just want you to know that I purchased a bottle of ALIVE! Men's Ultra Potency - Once Daily Multi-Vitamin/ Multi Mineral!


And Baby, I hadn't stopped!  I'm ALIVE all right!  It's like let me vacuum, do a Graphic 45 project and cut my toenails all at once! uh huh! Potent and Alive should have warned me, ULTRA should have sent the message home... but here's my own personal warning folks...don't try and have your usual after-work cup of coffee when taking this vitamin!!  Lawd have mercy.  It'll set you to grinding your teeth!  Yep!  I might even have to go for a walk for goodness sakes!  I hope I can get to sleep!  LOL!  Let me end by simply saying that ...Alive Once Daily....WORKS PEOPLE!  Gonna see if I can still do a cartwheel! Ok, Maybe a jumping' jack or two!

OK, enough about my foolishness....Here's what I wanted to share with you tonight....

Thank you all for the many comments and views of the bus.  I had a boat load of questions about the Dylusional Bus and I hope this video answers some of your questions....

Here is the Dylusional Bus Unplugged....





Thanks Y'all!  Have an awesome night!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter



Sunday, September 23, 2012

My Thanks To Shelly Hickox!

This afternoon I was in a bit of a slump.  I had finished the Dylusional Bus and found myself just totally uninspired.  I just wasn't me...kinda in a blue funk all day, trying to get happy!   This sad feeling I was experiencing isn't my norm and when I'm feeling funky, I usually snap out of it....

I had been cutting chipboard and didn't like what I was working on so I put it aside....Checked out Facebook...cut more chipboard for a different project... hated that....Checked email...then over to Facebook again.  One of those kind of days...

Then, on Facebook I saw a fellow Inspiration Team pal, Shelly Hickox's post on her AMAZING Steampunk'n!!!!!  What a total treat for the eyes!  Please go and check it out on her blog, here.    See didn't I tell you it was AWESOME!  I  love this woman's art!  I mean she makes the MOST incredible things!  I'm a big fan and always will be!  I always look forward to whatever she comes out with next!

Shelly was just the inspiration I needed.   I loved Shelly's Steampunk'n so much that I got on my happy face, got off my tail feathers and got crackin!  THANK YOU SHELLY!  You are one AMAZING artist.  Did I already say that?  If I did, it's because it needed to be said more than once!

After reading her blog post, I thought to myself...I may have everything to do it.  I had seen Tim Holtz do the riveted patchwork pumpkin last fall and I loved it then and bought all the things to do the project, but never got around to doing it!  I hate when that happens!  But at least I had the supplies.

I love me some steampunk and I so miss playing with all the Idea-ology pieces from Tim, so off I went, smile on face, and Shelly's Steampunk'n for inspiration in my heart and mind.

So...Here's my Jacked Up Jack-o'-Lantern....











Thanks Shelly Hickox!  You Rock My World!

Thanks for looking!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

AND NOW I PRESENT....A DYLUSIONAL PROJECT!

Good EVENING ALL!

Please allow me to present my latest bit of 3-D Dylusional Art....My Dylusional School Bus and an Inspiration Emporium Monthly Challenge of ABC's and 123's....

Now you know I can't show you pictures without a paragraph or two first LOL!  ....So, tonight I wanted to once again thank my good buddy Lady Dy, Dyan Reavesley, who is just about the funniest, most creative and GORGEOUS lady I know.  She has given me so much inspiration to just be and create...



Dyan's line of Dylusions ink sprays and stamps from Ranger can be found at Inspiraion Emporium.  The Dylusions Range has once again allowed me feel totally free to create and get crazy with Dyan's bright colored sprays and her whimsical stamps....OK, so  I'm a fan!    LOL!  You will be too if you give it a try....I promise it's addictive!  :)

In trying to keep with the, "I will post this tonight" statement I made in an earlier blog post and by gum....I have 30 minutes to get this posted.  It's 11:30 p.m. U.S. Central Standard Time....So without further ado...May I present...

The Dylusional School Bus!










Supplies Used May be Found At Inspiration Emporium...

Stamps:

Figural-

Traveling Travis
Ruby Rainbow
Doolally Dorris
Pondering Petunia
Love Struck Lucy
Curious Corrin
Tallulah Tripp

Flowers-
How Does You Garden Grow

Bus Details-
Further Around The Edge

Stencils:

School Bus Lettering-
Letter Jumble Stencil

Ink Sprays:

Bus Body-
Pure Sunshine
Lemon Zest
Postbox Red

Medium Weight Chipboard
Wooden Dowel- Axle and Steering Wheel Column
Wooden Wheels
Brads - Lights
Bottle Caps - Headlights
Clear Crystal Bling - Headlights
Tim Holtz Sizzix- Gear Die - Steering Wheel
Adirondack Silver Paint Dabbers - Bus Grill

Well That's it Folks!  I hope you like it!  Have an awesome weekend!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Had To Take A Breather!


Charlotte and Kay!  You two have caused me to stop working on the Flower Power Project I've got goin' on!  I have the biggest ol' grin on my face and have totally decided that I might as well try out for Old Saint Nick come Christmas the way my belly jiggles when I laugh!

Charlotte Sugar Lamb, I was born and raised right here in The GREAT State of Texas!  I was born in the city of Austin and had no idea what I was doing moving to the country 10 years ago, but I did.  Gawd he'p me!   I have dealt with every thing from finding out that you absolutely must change the sewage field on a regular basis to raising over 100 chicken that I thought I had to have to look like I was a country gent.  Move over Martha!  I have mowed these acres with an electric push lawn mower because I didn't know better and have seen more road kill than anyone should in a life time.  I have run up on snakes and put my manhood aside and screamed like a school girl seeing Justin Bieber for the very first time when one these reptilian suckers fell on my shoulders out of a tree.  I have washed and fumigated my basset hounds when they thought the little stripe on the back of the skunk was there for them to play with.  Yep, This city boy has become a country boy learning things the hard way!  :)

I honestly have seen quite a few of these tarantulas and scorpions since I've been out here.  The tarantulas have never really bothered me.  I don't bother them they don't bother me.  BUT....And I say BUT here....When you decide to toss off those HOT tennis shoes and throw on your UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS Burnt Orange and White Flip Flops or Chunclas as I call them to get comfy, and you get a stung by the tail end of a scorpion, you become just a little wary and anxious.  From being this now naturalized country gent, I have learned to keep alert when outside.  Heck inside too...you never know what's lurking behind the toilet or underneath a load of clothes!  So to be sitting outside on the porch at midnight minding your own business and you spot movement...and you look up and see a black hairy...or as Tara said furry watermelon staring at you right above your head, I don't care who you are, Man, Woman, Boy or Girl...Your body moves like it did when you were 10 years old, leaping across lawn furniture, hurdling flower pots to get to the door of safety.  LOL!

The truth is folks...I love living in this awesome State of Texas, City of Granger and County of Williamson and wouldn't give it up for anything!  As Kay Said, God Bless Texas!

Where's the Raid Bug Spray!

See you in a bit with my ode to the Partridge Family!  LOL!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Dylusional Bus...Has Taken The Wrong Road!

Good Afternoon Everybody!

Just an update...No bugs to report!  So many things happened last night that I never had the opportunity to work on my Dylusional Project or any project really!  Gabbing, emailing, chatting, and bug attacks seem to have captured my attention!

This morning I have really been having tons of fun on my CRAZY 3-D creation!  Been whacking away at it and it's getting there!

If you get a chance, please check back tonight and I should have some pictures for ya!

Back to it!

Thanks You Guys!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Friday, September 21, 2012

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!

Me Again....

Yep, nature has shown her face, twice in one night!  I went outside with my bitten toe (LOL!)  to catch up on emails and just happen to see something move above my head!

Here's what it was.....







I give up!  A Tarantula!  It's the size of a Virginia HAM!  Well.....maybe a nice sized cantaloupe!  Serious to God!  I mean...nerve tonic, where art thou?  I cannot believe it!  I'm getting a bit squeamish all the sudden!  Sorry to bother y'all again!  Had to blog it!....What is it with insects tonight!  If it's not snakes it's the blasted insects!  ahhhhhh!  :)

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Scorpion Bite!

Just got bit by a scorpion on my toe!!!!  Of all things to bite me!  Warning!  Squashed bug picture!  MAN it stung like the devil itself!  Blast!

Here is the little guy that caused all the commotion!  LOL!


See, I knew you would be interested!  NOT!

LOL!

Thanks Y'all!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter


Thursday, September 20, 2012

Trimmer Winner!

Good Evening All!
Tonight's the night!  As promised, I am announcing the winner of One Of My Favorite Things Give-A-Way!  A bit late, but I have been trying to get the Dylusion Sneak Peek...Peekable!  

I cannot tell you how many amazing and incredible ideas you all came up with!  Too Cool!!  I know this gave us all some awesome ideas to work with!  Thank You Thank You for sharing!
There were so many good ideas it was really, really hard to pick!  Like really hard!  Each and every suggestion was so cool!  However, there was one that I kept going back to.  To me it would be a cool challenge to try and one that I personally would like to see completed.

So, here was the comment....

I think you should make a Chinese Parade Dragon, and with all your ingenuity you should find a fun way to make it move! 

I don't know about the fun moving part just yet, but I love this idea and would really like to give it a go.

This awesome idea came from Katina.....

Thank You Katina!  I so appreciate the idea and will begin work on Katina's Parade Dragon very soon!  It's appropriate too as 2012 is the year of the dragon!   Katina, please send me your mailing information and I will get the Fiskars Trimmer to you.  Thank you so much for playing along.

I thank you all for your wonderful ideas and suggestions!  You Seriously Rock!

We will do this again soon so stay tuned and don't be bummed!  LOL!

OK, for the sneak peek.....It's not really much of a peek.  I've been working on it for tomorrow's blog and haven't gotten as far as I wanted!  SO, come check it out tomorrow....


Doesn't look like much yet, but in my head it's going to be cool!  I hope!  LOL!

Thanks again to you all.  I cannot tell you how much I appreciate each and every one of you!  Congrats again to Katina!  Thank You So Much!

Have An Awesome Night!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

A Day At The Paper Crafter's Library!

Hello Everybody and Good Morning!

Please join me over at the Paper Crafter's Library today for a tutorial on how I made a really fun, fast and easy Halloween project using the fantastic Happy Haunting Collection from Graphic 45!  This project will be GREAT for your all your special Trick or Treaters! 

Here's a sneak peek of the project....


Once again, the tutorial can be found at the coolest place to learn new things...The Paper Crafter's Library...

Thanks for Coming over to Visit!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter



Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Graphic 45 Project Reveal- Haunted Top Hat!

Good Morning Everyone!

Please join me over at Graphic 45's blog to get a glimpse of my favorite Halloween Project yet...Graphic 45's Happy Haunting Halloween Top Hat!  It's been a fun and spooky week over at G45's blog.  They are showing all the DT's projects using the adorable Happy Haunting Collection.  I decided to throw my hat in the ring and do a Haunted Hat!....OK, so that wasn't as funny as I thought it would be...Forgive...Forgive!!!

You know me and top hats!  Well, I wanted to combine the elements of a top hat with Graphic  45's Happy Haunting Collection...

Here's what I created....




Of course it needed something inside, so I made a circular mini.....









For a video with some of the details on how this was made, please visit Graphic 45's blog.  Also check out my very favorite person around...Kristin Wilson of Kristin Wilson Handmade's creation while you are there.  Give her some LOVE!    I just love this lady y'all!  She is totally the sweetest person I have ever met and VERY talented too!!  We hung around each other (Let me rephrase that...I hung around Kristin I should say!) at CHA the whole time we were there and truly became life-long friends!  Thanks Kristin!


Well, that's all I have for ya!  Hope you like the Happy Haunting Top Hat!

Have an Awesome Day!

Thanks for Coming By To Visit!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter