Grand Cru

 Hi my friends... 

If you have followed me for some time, you now probably know I scheduled some of my posts.  Since I work full time and my time is compromised, when I make multiple projects, I try to schedule them so I keep this blog alive and have content all the time.  So I'm scheduling this for tomorrow (Saturday), and  when you get to see this post I hopefully will be attending my DH's sommelier graduation.  Oh God!

So I had this idea to give the teacher something on behalf of the 9 new sommeliers in the world.  I prepared this composition of elements for her.

First of all, let me tell you about this woman.  She's a Puerto Rican who decided to move to France more than a decade ago, to learn about wines.  She thought this was going to be a short stay but wines' world is fascinating and you never stop learning.  So she literally moved to Bordeaux and she's been living there for a while.  She's a wine expert who provided classes in the prestigious school of sommeliers in France, called CAFA.  She is great!  But long story short... she achieved to bring this school to Puerto Rico, so we can study and graduate locally.

She has achieved a lot, and she really is a pride for our island.

So talking about the composition I made.  I tried to include as much elements I could to tell a story and so when she looks at this, she can remember this team who admires her so much.  So I went mixed media full and made this specially for her.  Loved the process making it because as you know, I love to make these kind of projects that are personalized and have a real meaning to the person who will receive them.

I inspired a lot on another project I made for my husband and that was also inspired in a class with Frank García.  You can see that project clicking HERE.

There's a lot of symbolism or purpose in each of the elements used in this project and I actually included my interpretation in the back of the gift for reference...  but I will share only some with you...

There are symbols of Bordeaux, such as the map, the 45 N parallel, the fleur de lis, and the pearls.   I included Puerto Rican flag and even her horoscope symbol since she constantly asks for others' horoscope and knows a lot about that topic. 

The names of all the students who passed the course were included as recipients of her knowledge... and there's a cork for every one of them.

This is how the gift looks in the frame:

I hope she likes it... and above all, I hope she really embraces it as a symbol of the admiration we all have for her.

Tks for stopping by and tks for your comments.

Ice Bucket Challenge in a sketch challenge...

Hello...  Just passing by a little later than usual during the day to share with you a layout I made for a challenge... It's for a local store called "The Scrapbook Store".  They post a sketch every two weeks in facebook and this is the current one:

I used it to scrapbook some photos from my ice bucket challenge.  I did it with my coworkers team last August and it was fun.  Plus, more importantly, some people donated to ALS even though we accepted the challenge.

I used some stamps here and there (Unity Stamp Co.) and used even some photos as part of the embellishments at right...  It was my way to include all the photos I had printed from this day. :)

Hope you liked it.  I'm going to link it as a second post to Unity Friends with Flair Friday. So, make sure to leave a comment for a chance to win.

Have a great weekend.

Broken

And today is Friday again...  my favorite day.  But I have to admit the older you get, the more you learn to appreciate everyday... even if it's not a Friday.  Everyday has a special something and today you are probably at your best.  Enjoy it!

This weekend many things will happen... celebrations, gatherings, birthdays!  A friend's birthday is tomorrow.  But she's been sad lately.  Hope she continues getting better and understanding life is made of happiness and sadness... both are important.

This card was specially made for her.

Have you been broken?  Don't you think it's made you stronger?  Have you felt it is the end of the World and then time passes by, and you remember that feeling and understand it wasn't the end at all?  It was probably the beginning of more beautiful things!  I've told her.  Hope she knows it.

And hope you have a great weekend... a tear here and there... it's ok!  :)

Una tarjeta de cumpleaños porque sí...

Hola...  

Esta semana he estado "escrapeando" aquí y allá.  He hecho algunas cosas que tenía en mi lista de pendientes, y prácticamente he podido cumplir con todo.

Pero esta tarjeta la hice simplemente porque sí.  Creo que a veces así se disfruta un poco más pues no hay presión de fecha ni nada en particular... les parece?

Además, quería usar este magnífico sello de Latina Crafter que no lo había estrenado.   Pinté la imagen con "distress inks" y con lápices de colores (watercolor).

Para completar usé un pedacito de papel que tenía de sobrantes de otros proyectos, lentejuelas y "baker's twine" (hilo).

Espero les guste. Gracias por sus lindos comentarios.

One Project, Many Challenges! Un Proyecto, Varios Retos!

Hello my friends!

(Para español, ver texto en rojo)

I have done something I usually don't do... But it's nothing bad... LOL... I made one single project for several challenges.  It was very fun... and definitely challenging.  I had to make sure the project had all requirements from all the challenges.  And that was the biggest challenge of all. 

Hice algo que por lo regular no hago... pero no es nada malo... jajaja!  Hice un solo proyecto para varios retos.  Fue divertido, y definitivamente fue un gran reto.  Tenía que hacer un proyecto asegurando de cumplir con todos los retos.  Ese fue el mayor reto de todos.

First of all, I used Sketch #42 from Latina Crafter (LCSC #42).  The twist this month was to use or show a tree.  It could be a Christmas tree or any other tree, stamped, cut, etc... but a tree.  Click in the image to view more of this challenge.  Latina Crafter has one sketch challenge every month and they have beautiful products (stamps, stencils, and more... ) in Spanish!

Primero que todo, usé el sketch #42 de Latina Crafter (LCSC #42).  El "twist" este mes es usar o mostrar un árbol.  Puede ser un árbol de Navidad, o cualquier otro, estampado, cortado, etc... pero que sera un árbol.  Haz click en la siguiente imagen para ver más acerca del reto.  Latina Crafter tiene un reto con "sketch" todos los meses y tienen variados y bellos productos (sellos, moldes, y más...) en español!

Then, in my project, I made sure to use current Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge color palette and theme.  It is about Christmas.  Click in the image for more information.  Curtain Call has challenges twice a month and the work you see here is really inspiring.

Entonces, en mi proyecto, me aseguré también de usar los colores del reto de este mes de Curtain Call.  Haz click en la siguiente imagen para más información.  Curtain Call tiene retos dos veces al mes y el trabajo que ves aquí es realmente inspirador.

I also recently found out about other two challenge blogs.  The first one is Cosmic Strawberry.  For now, I know they have monthly challenges and they are usually color challenges.  So I am participating for the first time and managed to use these colors too and be able to qualify to enter this month.  Click on the image to visit the blog.

Recientemente conocí otros dos blogs de retos.  El primero es Cosmic Strawberry.  Por ahora, lo que sé es que tienen retos mensuales y que usualmente son de colores.  Así que estoy participando por primera vez y me aseguré de usar los colores para cualificar y entrar este mes.  Haz click en la imagen abajo para visitar el blog.

Finally, the second one I found recently was Addicted to Stamps and More!  Current challenge is #124.  I love stamps, you know it... and I think I qualify to be addicted to them.  So, love the name, love the challenges. The current challenge is about Clean and Simple style, so in order to use the same project for this challenge too, I had to make sure to use the CAS.  Click HERE to visit this fantastic blog.

Finalmente, el segundo blog que encontré recientemente es Addicted to Stamps and More!  El reto corriendo es el #124. Yo amo los sellos, ustedes lo saben... y creo que cualifico para ser una adicta a ellos.  Así que, adoro el nombre del blog, y amo sus retos.  El reto que está vigente es acerca del estilo CAS (Clean and Simple), así que en mi proyecto me aseguré de mantener ese estilo.  Haz click AQUI para visitar este fantástico blog.

And now, the project.  It's a card.

Stamps are all from Latina Crafter. Note that I rotated the sketch from LC to the left for inspiration and I simulated a Xmas tree using the sentiments in blocks and topped with a beautiful stamped star. The colors used are all within the color challenges, and CAS style was implemented.  I made it!!!!

Y ahora, el proyecto.  Es una tarjeta.

Todos los sellos son de Latina Crafter.  Noten que yo roté el sketch de LC a la izquierda para inspiración y simulé un árbol de Navidad usando los sentimientos en bloques, terminando con una bella estrella estampada en la parte de arriba.  Los colores utilizados todos cumplen con los retos de colores, y el estilo implementado es CAS.  Lo hice!!!!

Hope you like it. :)  You can tell me about it in the comments.  Have a great Wednesday.

Tks for your visit.

Espero les guste! :)  Pueden dejármelo saber en los comentarios.  Que tengan un gran miércoles!

Gracias por su visita.

Stencils, anyone?

Hello friends... and welcome December!

I've been using some stencils lately... but I don't really have that many.  I've started to make my own and to acquire some from time to time.  I remember these used to be "in" a while ago... several years... and now they are back with lots of different new and inspiring shapes and ideas...  Specially for mixed media, these are so "in".  Well... welcome back stencils.

I used this one from Latina Crafter recently and it seems I can't let it go.  For this little card I was really playing to see how I can achieve some depth between the modeling paste "bricks" but it really ended up being something else... you know how it is.  First, I loved it without any coloring ... just the modeling paste and then decided to just write some black lines here and there and apply some "dirt" (well, some ink) without really coloring it.  It's just different... and I liked it.   It really provides a nice and different background.

Used some scraps I had left from a class I was designing the other day; just had these two layers of poinsettia and they were perfect for this little one.  Also used a bitty button from Latina Crafter and some sequins.

Well.. it seems like I have another Christmas card made... woohoo!  Have a long way to go yet...LOL!

Hope you liked it...

More Thanks!

Let's continue giving thanks!  It's a nice feeling to be grateful and feel somebody is thanking you and appreciate what you've done.

This is a tag I recently made for the Papeles y Más magazine.  I loved making it.

Used stencils, embossing folders, sequins, distress inks, flowers, stamps (of course!), fiber, and more...  and used a plastic circle as shadow box (from a packaging).

I think it came out as a nice thank you tag...  Do you like it?  Thank you!

And thank you for stopping by!  :)  Leave a comment for a chance to win with Unity Stamp Co. I'm linking this to Friday Friends with Flair.

Have a great weekend.