Juggling

Hello there,

How's your week going so far?

I'm still catching up after the show. Catching up with things so I can have a Better Home and Garden.

I chose this photo for today because the title caught my eye. I took the pic in the first place because it's the issue that has my cushion on the front. I'm still making that cushion, which is annoying. I hate things dragging out, but this project is. And I'm so close to finishing! Might help if it was in the living room where I can see it, but Andrew moved it to another room to get it out of the way. It was on the kitchen bench for weeks, so I get his point.

My crafting status at the moment?

• I have a new class to make up.
• I have a class to punch for.
• I have other things to make for some displays.
• I'm blogging as I can.
• I'm not scrapbooking - other stuff is on the table.
• I'm making a ribbon thing, but I've stalled a bit on that too.
• I'm thinking of doing a December Daily (like Ali) and I've got an idea in mind.

Summary: I'm juggling. And I'm juggling work and play.

You see, craft for me is work and play. I get money for some of the craft I do. I don't get money for some of the craft I do.

When I work, I craft.

When I play, I craft.

I banned myself from crafting (work and play) for a couple weeks a while back and found myself with nothing to do! That included craft related anything...computer surfing, blogging, shopping, actual crafting....everything.

And as it turned out, because crafty work and play are combined for me, the ban didn't last because I had essential work things to do.

Ah, juggling.

And juggling the Home and Garden too to make them function and run smoothly. Smoothly, ha ha. Do you know how many times Andrew's cooked dinner lately? Honestly, he's a legend and he does all these things without raising a sweat, but I'm in a real cooking slump and can't be bothered with the whole eating three times a day thing. And coming up with something new to cook? Please, take me outside and hose me down now.

Tonight we are having plum chops with vegetables - it's going to be nice, but I've got to make myself get in the kitchen at a reasonable time to make it happen. I like cooking, but not all the time. And because we people have to eat all the time, I have to cook all the time. I'm done. I think we'll just eat raw from now on. At least summer's coming and I can do that. And I'm serious - I'll take everything in the fridge, cut it up small, throw it in a bowl and we'll eat that. Cabbage, broc, cauli, lettuce, tomato, cheese, mushrooms, zucchini, nuts, carrot, avo - it's the only way Andrew will eat zucchini, so I praise myself for getting it his mouth. Outwit, outplay and outlast...in the kitchen. If only I could.

In an all-over-the-place mood today as you can tell. Juggling work and play and all that comes with it. Sometimes the juggling is easy, sometimes it's not. Today it's not. It's relentless.

Okay, must go and do some work, but before I do, guess what? LUNCH!

Bye for now!

:o)

PS. I realise you don't get on here to read about how I'm finding things difficult. I know it's about the craft and craft is meant to be good all the time, right? Wrong. It's not. Sometimes craft is messy, expensive and just all over place. Life's like that too. Messy, expensive and all over the place. It doesn't mean it can't be fixed (does it need to be?), it just means it's like that sometimes and that's the truth of it. Craft and creativity are very personal things - sing from your heart, dance from your heart, cook from your heart - the judges harp on that all the time. But what if your heart is a bit messy? What if things are all over the place? Do I really want to sing, dance (or in our case), create from there? That means everyone will know I'm not doing so well and do I really want that? Well, no. And well, yes, because what's the big deal? We're all human, we all have failings, we all get a bit messy sometimes and it's okay to admit it. The admitting it isn't hard, it's the reactions that are the hardest, hey? Who wants to be judged because of the way they feel? Nobody, they just want to be understood or heard. That's it and that's all.

So, I'm just saying it how it is. 'It' being craft and 'it' being life because often they are one and the same. It's a juggle, it's not fun all the time and that's just the way it is. It doesn't bother me, things will change, they always do, but for today, I'm going to eat and then sit at my desk and make something for my new class. And before that I'll pray because I want to talk to God about these things and He listens. Not just for the sake of it, but attentively because I am important to Him. You are too, did you know that?

PPS. Just so you know, all the talk of juggling, finding it hard etc etc sounds like I'm on the floor curled up in a ball blubbering my eyes out. I'm not (well, not today anyway!). I'm just talking here. Putting it out there because it's the truth. I'll bet there's a lot of correlations between your craft and your life. How you approach it and how you feel about it. What do you think? Think on it if you want, if not, that's fine too. I'm a deep thinker, always have been. And I don't do it on purpose, I just do it. Drives Andrew crazy sometimes, but he still loves me. I drive myself crazy sometimes too, but it's okay, Andrew just tells me to settle down and we move on :o)

PPPS. Have a great day, won't you? And if you're finding your juggling hard today, just know that someone else (and I'll bet a lot more too) knows how it feels, okay? Our lives are all different, but we all experience a lot of the same emotions within them. It's the playing field on which we can all relate and have some understanding for each other, yes?

Speaking of the dog again...

...I kinda have to forgive him about chewing up the photos when he comes and sits outside the window and looks at me like this.

He likes to be near and follows me around the house and sits outside the door or window of the room I'm in (he stays outside during the day).

This time I was at the living room window taking photos and he came and lay down right there. I tapped the glass and said hi and he put his head up on the ledge to say hi back.

And then he made himself comfortable and had a sleep.

So gorgeous.

You know I heard once that God gave us dogs, cats and horses because He knew we'd need them. He gave those animals the ability to love and be companions like no other animals can. And he did it for a reason, because He knew we'd need their company and that they'd give us the love we needed. Well, cats put that into question (ha ha) because they're different to dogs in the companionship department, but they're all the same in the love department.

We grew up with cats and had as many as six at one point when one of them had kittens. Chippy was our family cat and lived to be 18. Sue (my sister) was responsible for all the other cats and continues with her cat love to this day.

How many cats have you had, Sue? 10? Leave a comment! And that includes Sarah's cats too (Sarah is my niece and she loves cats as much as her mother).

Here's Minka, Sue's cat.

This is something Cody can't do!

Don't you love it? All sprawled out there and snoozing away.

Actually, Minka did that to me while I was at my sister's once. We were scrapping and I was sorting photos. She was still a kitten at the time and walked down the table, plopped right on my photos and went to sleep. She was so gorgeous I left her there and tried to sort photos around her.

Are cats acid free?

:o) ha ha

Okay, forget what I said about cats not being the same as dogs in the companionship department! They're good companions, they're just a different type. Yep, I think we'd all agree on that, which is precisely why God gave us horses, cats and dogs. All of them and for different types of companionship.

That's so God. Really, He rocks.

And that's why they're furry too - you know, so we'd pat them. They reckon patting a dog, cat or horse relieves stress. God was the instigator of that. He knew that when he made them in the first place. Yep, I'll put some nice fur on these animals, so my people will pat them and they'll feel better. And the dog will love it too. Win, win, I say.

Told ya, rocks.

Ah, cute.

We like our goldy, yellowy, creamy tones around here and you can see he fits right in! So funny.

Look, I've gotta say it. God gave us this dog. Cody is a gift from Him. Purely. And I know it for sure. This is why...

My favourite dog has always been the Golden Retriever because of the gold and the cute. Not the hair though, too much hair!

Andrew's favourite dog? The Australian Kelpie. Smart, alert, active and a man's dog.

I've never wanted a dog, too much work.

Andrew's had dogs and has always wanted one.

Issue - one wants a dog, one doesn't.

Secondary issue - even if we got a dog, what type would suit us both?

It all went in the too-hard-basket and that was it.

A while ago though, I knew Andrew needed a dog and told him to get one if he wanted one and that I wasn't standing in his way.

He started looking online on the Trading Post and in the animal shelters and last September, he sent me an email with a Trading Post ad in it. Golden Retriever x Kelpie pups for sale..."I like the gold one" he said.

And get this - $180. There's no way Andrew would pay $800 for a dog. Me neither, actually! Plus, we didn't have the money for that anyway.

After some thinking (because really, did I want a dog? Oh man) we rang the guy and bought the dog. Then we had to wait because he was only about four weeks.

Here he is. Look how little!

In the time we waited for him, I looked at this photo and got used to him being my dog. I was actually starting to get excited. Of course the day we picked him up, the adventure started.

What's amazing to me is that I'm still not a dog person. I love Cody, love him so much, but I'm not a dog person. That's God though, He gives us what He knows we need usually in ways that we don't think of and in the one dog.

For Andrew - part Kelpie, active, intelligent, trainable, personality, a smaller dog because he didn't want a big one, not too much hair, $180 price tag that he could swallow.

For me - part Golden Retriever so cute (God knew I needed cute because otherwise it'd be all over!), goldy colour, loyal, some hair to brush but not too much (honestly, he's got just the right amount of hair), soft fur for lots of pats, personality, not too big so I can get him in the car.

Amazing.

We've had Cody for 7 months now (he's 9 months) and it's still amazing to me that I have this dog and that is so perfect for us. God knew what we wanted and needed when we didn't know ourselves.

Amazing. You're amazing, Lord.

I wonder if I could punch art Cody using this punch?

I don't have the punch, so maybe I could go make something like this...

Whatever I make, it'll be cute.

(I know, that's the one thousandth time I've used that word on this blog)

Have a great day!

:o)

Oh PS. Andrew came up with the name Cody. I liked it and went to the computer to look up what it meant. It meant 'cushion'. That's when I knew it was a done deal!

Close ups!

Hi!

You're probably all busy at your last day of work before the break, or getting ready at home, or finishing at work and then going home to get ready, or getting ready to go home, or just going home, or going away, or falling down in a heap because you tried to get cheap petrol (at 1.18) and your car actually ran out of it because you waited in line for forever...so, I'll keep it brief today!

Been playing around with the camera and doing some close up shots - it's amazing what you see.

Blush on her cheeks...

(it's coloured pencil - just a light touch)

Individual colours of glitter...

(See the purple, pink and clear? Amazing)

The fibre in the cardstock...

(This is what the back of Bazzill looks like close up - I omit the texture of the Bazzill when punching sometimes, particularly for little pieces. Smooth is good for them)

Little stray pieces of card...

(there's a orange bit to the left of the beak there)

Gorgeous shimmer on both the cream card and the grass...

(Didn't have the foresight to spray the card before I put the grass on. Didn't know I was going to shimmer it before I put the grass on. Go with the flow, right?)

Individual pieces of pink glitter on a pink nose...

(Why do I find this so enchanting? Who would've thought craft could be enchanting? Are you with me on that or am I speaking into the abyss of cyberspace where the resounding echo of this question continues on forever?)

Sorry, supposed to be brief...

More glitter than you can poke a stick at...

(What does that mean anyway and is it wrong?)

Even more glitter that you can poke a stick at...

(Once again, right or wrong?)

Texture, lots of texture...

(and whether I've been specific about keeping it all aligned. Do you line up your Bazzill and punch it so the texture is straight? I do, mostly. The pattern on the box is diagonal because that's the way it works when it's folded. Who knew? See what you see when you get up close?)

A stray dot of glue...

(Handmade!)

Me in the reflection...

(That's me, the black spot. At least I think it is)

Just wanted to say too, since we're talking about taking a close up look at things, that Easter is the season where Christians remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yes, He died. Yes, He rose again. And if you strip away all the details and get to the crux of what that means - it means love. And He did it for you.

He not only died, He took on all the sin of the world (all of it! Past, present and future) on Himself. It's sin, someone has to pay for it. Take responsibility for it. The way sin has to be paid for is through death, and Jesus paid that price for all of us, and died for us, so we wouldn't have to. That's what He did, that's what it's all about. The price was paid so that a way could be made for us to be with God in heaven. The only way to the Lord is through His Son, Jesus, and accepting Him as your Saviour - the One who saved you from your sin.

Does that make sense? It's kinda like having someone pay your mortgage for you! Just paying it, making you free and clear and debt-free. If someone did that for you, wouldn't you be amazed? I mean, debt, then all of sudden, no debt! Gone! The burden taken - what a gift to get. Was it earned? No, it was just given out of love.

Take a close look, Jesus did what He did for you (and me, all of us) and it's all about love and grace. It's amazing.

He loves you, hey, He really does.

If you would like to love Him back and say thanks and become a Christian you can say this prayer:

"Dear Jesus, Thank you for loving me and for dying on the cross for me. I repent of my sin and am so grateful that you paid the price for me so I wouldn't have to. Come into my heart because I want to love you all the days of my life. Amen."

If you said that prayer now and believed it in your heart, you're a Christian! Welcome to the family! Send me an email if you'd like to. I'd love to hear from you.

Well, that's all for now. Have a wonderful and blessed Easter. Stay safe, be good and don't eat too much chocolate!

Debra :o)

PS. Sorry, the word brief obviously isn't in my vocabulary!

More Love from a kit...

Happy Thursday to you :o)

I'm showing you a lot of Valentine's Day cards this week. Considering that most of us only have one Valentine, well...it might be overkill, but I'm going for ideas here.

Basically that's how it goes over here in Australia - one card to your Valentine. We don't do the friendship Valentines or the giving-out-to-school-friends Valentines either, do we?

Told you we're laid back - very laid back. Passionate, but laid back about it. :o)


All these cards were made from a Papermania kit (from the UK - a part of the Do Crafts line). The kit was $9 and I don't usually work from kits, but I thought I'd try this one because I liked some of the papers and wanted to use them.

When I sat down to make some cards though, it didn't go so well. I got a bit frustrated and things weren't working.

We all know what it's like when things aren't working...they're just not working!

After a while a I realised why - I was trying to fit to the kit instead of making the kit fit me.

We all have our own style when doing things and when I made the kit work with my style, things started to fall into place.

You know the feeling - frustration, frustration...ah, happy and peace and this is working! Yep, that feeling...

My style is generally fairly simple. I like results, people, so we have to get some within a reasonable time frame!

Plus I like clean lines and uncluttered stuff. Oh, clean lines, that sounds so cliche. Okay, I like a clean look - that's why punch art suits me, it's clean.

This line is not what you'd call clean (it's not dirty either!), but I made it clean for me by keeping one to two embellishments on each card.

My point? I manipulated the kit to fit my style.

And that's what craft is all about. You manipulate it to fit you, you don't manipulate to fit it. Who wants to try to be something they're not? Not me.

Are these cards overly fab? Not really.

Were they me at the time? Yep.

Sometimes you just have to work with what's in front of you and get the best out of it.

It's like life really, sometimes you have good days, and sometimes you have bad days, but the consistent thing is that all days come to an end and there's another one tomorrow "fresh, with no mistakes in it" (Anne of Green Gables).

I put one embellishment on this card and tied the ribbon.

I then said, is this done? Does it need anything else?

I knew I wouldn't add anything else if I was just making it for Andrew let's say, so I called it good and moved on. And that's not because I wouldn't make a good card for him, it's that I know I wouldn't make it overly complicated in the first place.

There's such a temptation to over-do things. I'm just so not into that at the moment.

Have you ever noticed a direct correlation between your life and your art? That is, your art serves as your therapy for what you need in your life at that time?

If things are difficult in your life, your art probably gets a bit simpler and you make easy projects.

If you're busy and your mind is full, your art is probably simple, simple and easy, easy.

If you're on holidays and haven't a care in the world, you may find yourself doing the most complicated project ever or reading very dramatic books. That's because your brain has room for it. When things are difficult/busy in your life, ain't no room in your brain for more thinking and stress!

Makes sense, hey?

I remember a time in my life when things were just so difficult. I was classroom teaching and finding it so hard to face it each day. Oh, man, I can still remember it. God brought punch art into my life to help me through that time. Paper and glue and the characters I made with them made me smile and just made me feel better. Punch art is a gift He gave me. I know that for a fact.

(Ever given a gift to someone because they needed a bit of cheering up? Well, that's what He did for me with punch art. He gave it to me to enjoy and to love. Nice of Him, hey? God's like that. He gets us and gives us what we need, even when we don't know what that is. Particularly when we don't know what that is!)

So! That's why art, creativity, and of course, punch art are important to me. They're more than paper and glue, they're a piece of happy in my life.

I reckon they're a piece of happy in yours too, hey? I know I'm talking to the right people, you get all this.

It's interesting too when I watch others on the shows on telly - the singers, the cooks, the dancers. I don't feel what they feel, but I get the passion they have for something. I know the stuff I put out there is me in a card - it's me on paper, so to speak. They use the same words - the dancing is me, the cooking is my heart on a plate. Oh, I get that! It's hard to put yourself out there and show your heart to people because what if they don't like it?

But you know what? If you just show love, however it comes, they'll get it. And if they don't, they're the ones missing out, not you.

So, give people. Love isn't given for how it'll be received. Love's just given because that's the way it works. Talk to the Lord about that - He knows all about it.

Where'd all that come from? No idea, but it feels right to have shared it. Thanks for listening.

Back to the cards - here's a couple more to finish off today. That dotted background was one of the papers that drew me to the kit in the first place.

Note the use of envelopes. I made the cards and then used the leftover papers to make envelopes to match. They're a good way to use up the papers in the kit, that's for sure. I used the leftover stickers for the front of the envelopes too.

(It's okay to put word stickers on the front of envelopes. I know Andrew's my Valentine, so I don't really need to write his name on the front of the envelope...know what I mean? :o) And a blank envelope looks a bit...well, blank. The stickers worked, so I used them)

Last card for today - I like this sweet one. It's small (about half an A5) and the edges were chomped with the We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper - the Purple one. Once again, the card is simple and easy, just the way I like it.

Hey, interesting post today.

Guess this Aussie isn't that laid back and is very passionate about some stuff. I knew that. I've always known that. I guess you know it now too.

Thanks for reading and being a part of my life. Even though we all don't know each other, I believe we do in some way because we all get each other on this crafty level. And what a level it is. One that I love and know you do too.

Yay for us, that's all I can say.

And yay for Him for thinking of it all in the first place. Honestly, Lord, you amaze me. You have my heart, and you always will.

Christmas Card Friday - Circle Tree

Hi, how's your week been?

I'm back with a simple Christmas card for you today.

It was inspired by the circles tree on page 37 of Punch Art Fun for Everyone (blue one). It's actual size in the book, so the design is small.

Below the design is on a regular sized card and uses:
CP1/CP2: Circles
CP2: Square
CP1: Star
A lot of foam tape.

Foam tape and I are best friends. We like each other and we hang out a lot.

There's two layers of circles as you can see. They were an accident, sort of.

A few circles fell on my desk like that, so onto the card they went.

Worked well and upped the ante on the card a bit.

Gotta up the ante, you know.

Design is all about the ante...

At the moment my ante is making matching envelopes/enveloboxes.

They rock.

Seriously.

A printed, pretty, I'm one-of-a-kind and I'm-all-that envelope sitting in a letterbox just makes the world spin better on it's axis.

Actually, Lord, I know You've got that all under control, but You of all people know that design and creativity are cool, so I know You get me on this.

World spinning on axis....

Recipient with smile on face...

Okay, so it looks like I got the envelope upside-down in the photo, but I didn't. When you use a horizontal pattern to make an envelope on the Crafter's Companion it turns out that way.

Check the first photo. That's the front of the envelope.

Slanty trees, but at least they're not upside-down.

To avoid the whole slanty, upside-down thing you'd have to cut your paper to get the pattern right before you start scoring and folding.

Or you'd just use your Scor-Pal because you don't turn the paper on there.

Slanty trees.

Non-slanty trees.

It doesn't really bother me.

Let's put it this way. I'm not cutting the paper to match the pattern to make it all horizontal and whatnot.

Slanty trees or not, the world will keep on spinning.

And we have You to thank for that, Lord.

You rock.

Envelopes are insignificant.

Nuff said.

More Early Bird

This isn't meant to be a week of repeats...

I shared this photo very early in this blog when I said something about colour I think it was.

I'm sharing it again today for a completely different reason. See that blue plate? I love it. It reminds me of my granny.

See the edge on the blue plate? I really like it. The slightly scalloped (is it scalloped, you think?) shape is lovely and I wanted to make something using the pattern.


So I traced the plate and made this. It's Early Bird paper again, with a bit of text paper in the middle.

The yellow is Bazzill bling Bling. Yep, bling Bling. It's Bazzill bling, ie. the sparkly paper, and the colour is called Bling. Bazzill bling Bling. Funny. If it's not called Bling (which I know one of the yellows is), then it's Bright Lights. That would be Bazzill bling Bright Lights. Either of the yellows is nice.

The thing is...it's not a card, it's obviously not a scrap page, it's not a picture...it's just a thing I made, and I just display it on the shelf, and I like it.

I knew I wanted to make something using the pattern...I just didn't know what.
Then I made something with the pattern...and I didn't know what it was.
I thought, "What am I going to do with this?" I mean, I liked it, but what was I going to do with it?

I just put it on the shelf.

And you know what? I liked it just being there on the shelf. It wasn't doing anything, it was just there.
And I still like it being there.

I look at it often as I go in and out of the room. I still wonder what it is, but I like it...whatever it is.

I guess it reminds me that not everything I make has to have a purpose and a reason for living. You know?

Some stuff just needs to be made. That's it. That's all. End of story.

And it can even be chucked. Chucked! I know, chucked. Things can even be chucked.

My plate thing isn't going to get chucked, but it could. (It won't)

Some craft is just about play. It's just about making something, enjoying the process, and that's it.

And I like that.

I don't do it enough.

I should.

What about you?

I like my plate thing. I'd make it again. And I'd put that one on the shelf too. And I'd look at it and go, "Well, plate thing, here you are reminding me that not all things I make need to have a purpose and a reason for living. Thanks for that."

Yep, thanks for that.
One of the reasons I love craft so much? Because you get to do fun stuff, play with fun stuff, buy fun stuff and make fun stuff. Yes, fun stuff. But in the midst of all that fun stuff, there's a lot of learning and processing going on. I've learnt a lot of interesting things while crafting that can be applied to lots of different areas in life. It's just paper and glue, but it's so not.
Of course I can't be telling you any of those great things I've learnt right now because they've completely slipped my mind, as things have a tendency to do right when you need to recall them...BUT, they're there. They're there, be assured of that. And they come out right when I need 'em too. It's amazing. It's God, actually. He rocks. And He's interested in craft. He created the whole world afterall, so why wouldn't He be interested in what we create, and how we create? Of course He is. He's interested in it all. And passionate about it all, and us, and you!
Ah ha, and we thought it was just a plate thing that sat on the shelf...
Not.
So not.
:o)

Randomness

Just some random bits and pieces for this very hot Monday.

Let's start with the weather, shall we?

1. This weather is weird. 33c and it's still winter. Very weird. My washing was dry as soon as I put it up. If you don't believe that, I don't blame you.

2. She has gone home. Got to keep her for an extra few days, so I'm grateful for that. Til next time, Smiley.

3. Drove under this bridge again recently and realised it is very wirey... if that's a word. I still don't mind it, but don't be asking my dad what he thinks. Or my husband. Just don't.

Another thing I realised? I've probably been yakking about something a lot of people haven't seen. I drive happily (unless stuck in traffic, then I just drive) all over the city, but a lot of people in our fair city don't.

Oh no, we don't travel to the Southside!

Oh no, we don't go to the Northside, it's too confusing!

Sound familiar?

If you do cross the continents, have a look at the bridge. That is unless you circumvent the city altogether, then no looky at the bridge for you. :o)

4. This is what my vaccum cleaner cord did by itself this morning. Hey, that's a treble clef! Well, almost...it's a bit out, but it's close. I've read a bit of music in my day. And played a bit too. A bit. That's it.

5. The I-wanted-a-photo-of-the-double-rainbow anecdote.

Firstly, it's a double. Lean forward... See it?

Photoworthyness.

So, I was trying to get a photo while driving in the car. Hey, I wasn't driving! The fella was driving. I was photographing, thank you.

Click. Check. Nup, powerlines.

Oh, this looks like a good one. Nup, more powerlines.

Click. Check. Nup, random cars and too much road. And powerlines.

Try again. Click. Check. More powerlines. More random cars. More road.

"The city is destroying nature!" Andrew yelled. Well, he didn't really yell, but he emphatically used the words "destroying" and "nature".

So I took about 11 shots. They weren't great.

In a last ditch effort to get the shot, I leant over towards Andrew, aimed the camera out his window and pressed the shutter.

Hey, not bad. And no powerlines!

And then Andrew noticed the rainbow was above a church. And that it went through the cross on the top. Very fitting in our opinion. Very.

It turns out we got a random shot that's so not.

6. A random card.

An intentionally placed random card.

Decided to slot this one in here since I've been talking about driving, bridges, travelling and circumventing, and the card uses map paper (actual map paper from a road atlas), and that's a coefficient correlation if I ever saw one.

Yes, that's what we're all about here at Punch Art Fun...Life and Craft - Living in Harmony Together. :o)

Random facts about the card:

The blue background cardstock is Arctic from Bazzill. One of my often-used cardbase colours. Besides cream. Cream is my most-used. And most-loved.

The scallop is this big fella from Sizzix. It's 4" high. Nice. I've showed you it before, haven't I?

The lined paper is just lined paper. I used some lined scrapbooking paper, but you could rip a page out of a notebook and just use that. If it's too thin, just add another layer of white card behind. Easy. And cheap.

And because it's thin, punch a couple of layers at once to avoid ye olde paper jam in ye olde punche.

The paper is Sundowner Motel Road Map from October Afternoon. I call it Esky paper because my grandparents had a metal esky with that pattern.

The button has Dimensional Magic on it. Hey, did you see the Esky paper at the top? Told you today was random!

And the card front is 5" square.

Well, I think that's it for Random Monday!

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be back to my normal, non-random self. Must be this weather, I tell ya.

Have a great day and stay cool!

:o)