A Creative Bibliophile - June 2021

This month I have a book review, a bookmark, a new Book Club to tell you about AND a bit of Happy Mail to show you !! I hope that you have been reading some good books lately .. I chose a random commenter to send a bookmark to from previous posts, so Julie Blackburn will be getting something in the mail soon.. 

I recently purchased some digi stamps  from Angie Blom Digital Designs with a gift card that I had won in a Blog Hop . One of the stamp sets was just what I needed for this post - A Warm Hug . I can't think of anything more perfect than being snuggled up in a blanket with a cup of coffee and a good book .. The DCWV Humble Abode paper pad was used to paper-piece the blanket, to mat the stamped image and also on the back of the bookmark .

My book this month is another "domestic thriller" and also a newly published quick read .     The Serial Killer's Wife by Alice Hunter . I really couldn't put this one down and it surprised me until the very end. Beth and Tom Hardcstle are the perfect couple - or are they ??  Tom is wanted for questioning about a former girlfriend's disappearance and this sets into motion a twisted story about how well we really know those we love and what we would do to protect them and ourselves . The characters drew me in and I stayed interested in the developing storylines, which included nosy neighbors, a widower and involved police officers. I'm hesitant to say more so I don't give things away - I hope you will pick this one up and try it. 

Last week I went to a meet-up of the Silent Book Club, sponsored by a local bookstore Read Books .This independent bookstore is located at our local Museum of Contemporary Art . Everyone brings their own books that they are reading,  we introduce ourselves and tell about our books . Then we find a cozy spot, read for an hour and head home. Of course, we had to look around the wonderful Read Books before we left . Its owner, Kristin couldn't have been  more friendly and welcoming. When COVID first hit our area, I had ordered a book from Read Books and things were starting to close down along with a crazy hospital schedule for me. They actually drove to my house and delivered the book to me, which I thought was so nice and I will never forget their kindness !! The Silent Book Club will meet om Tuesday mornings through the summer . It is "the book club for introverts" and I am their newest fan !!

The Atrium at MOCA

Read Books

You can also read in the Chihuly room

Last but not least, I have to show you a card sent to me by my friend, Crystal O, Minkler.. It's no secret that I love books and she was sweet enough to send me this card that she made recently !!  I love it .. 

I'm reading a few more books now so will have fun picking one to review next month . I'm already thinking of bookmark designs too .. It's good to plan ahead. I hope you liked hearing about my new book club that I attended. Do you meet up with any groups ?? I'd love to hear about them if you do .. 

Until next time, stay safe and read a good book !!

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / June 2021

Since June is the month of Father's Day, we decided to do a card with a masculine theme .Usually when I think of masculine cards, I envision either nautical or cars !! So I really wanted something different than those 2 ideas. I remembered that I had bought a Tim Holtz Light Bulb stamp on clearance and decided to use that for a card . I also got out my long-hoarded Graphic 45 Typography paper pad. This 12x12 pad is amazing and I had never even used 1 sheet, even though I've had it for years !! I hope you like the card as much as I do ..

 

• I stamped the Hampton Art Inc. Dirt background onto a piece of Mixed Media paper with Ranger Wendy Vecchi Sunflower Archival Ink .
• The lightbulb was stamped over the Dirt background with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam ink.
• On a piece of the Typography text paper, I adhered a piece of numbers paper on the left side .
• I then adhered the lightbulb panel over the numbers paper, towards the right side of the text panel.
• Using my Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher , I attached several Tim Holtz Idea-ology Snippets  - using 2 staples in an  X pattern for each.
• The completed panel was adhered to a card base made from Strathmore Toned Tan Mixed Media paper .

I was pretty pleased with this card - project time from idea to the card being finished was about 30 minutes !! Don't you just love it when a project comes together like that ?!?!?! I'm looking forward to seeing what Celeste came up with - you can see her card here at her blog - Crafting Junky . For my coffee today, I am drinking Starbucks Blonde Coffee with Oatmeal Creme Pie Creamer .It really is delicious. And I'm drinking it from an insulated travel cup that I won during Nurses' Week at my hospital !! It's made by S'ip By S'well , it's Rose Gold and I absolutely love it !!

I'm glad you stopped by to see our June creations. Do you like creating cards with a masculine theme ?? I hope we have inspired you !! 

Take care and until next time, Stay Creative ..

 Debra Davison 

Meticulosity

 

Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / June 2021

Can you believe that it is June already ?!?! We are halfway through the year  - and what a year it's been  I hope that all of you have been safe and healthy . As Michael, Lisa and I show you our holiday cards for June, we also have a guest again to show you hers !! Have you been working on your cards along with us ?? I know I'll be so happy when December rolls around and my cards are ready to be signed and sent.  I have been addressing envelopes each month too, which is also a big help when the season rolls around ..

My first card is made with a Lil' inker Designs stamp set. This company is no longer in business, but I just had to ink this stamp set up for this  post !!  I know I have had it for a few years so it was about time to get creative with it ...

• I stamped the image with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam ink on Mixed Media paper and also on a piece of pastel shaded paper .
• I fussy-cut the bird and the banner from the shaded paper.
• The Mixed Media stamped image was colored with my COPIC markers. 
• The shaded bird's body and banner were adhered on top of the stamped panel image.
• The panel was trimmed and then adhered to a piece of red glitter cardstock.
• The red glitter panel was then adhered to a piece of red/black plaid patterned paper.
• The completed panel was adhered to a cream card base.

This next card uses one of my favorite Angie girl images by Unity Stamp Company - Pure and Simple . It was inspired by the latest sketch challenge over at the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Group on Facebook . My friend, Crystal Minkler is an Admin of that group and she is also our special guest this month . Her group has a new Sketch Challenge each month and encourages us to get an early start on our holiday cards .

• The Pure and Simple image was stamped on watercolor paper, punched out with a 2.5 inch circle punch and then colored with my  COPICS.
• I placed a strip of my favorite Tim Holtz Noel washi tape  across a piece of plaid patterned paper - just a bit above the center of the paper. This paper already had that splatter pattern that is so cool !!!
• On a black card base, I adhered the plaid paper..
• I adhered the stamped image to the right side over the washi tape.
• A sentiment cut from a paper pad was popped up to the left of the stamped circle.

I absolutely love this Santa's List stamp set from Essentials by Ellen . I purchased it at a recent sale that they had and was excited to use it for one of my cards !The finished product was nothing like what I had imagined creating, but I'm overall happy with the card ..

• I stamped the Santa, tree, and sled with bag on Mixed Media paper with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam Ink . I cut the paper to fit an A2 card and created a scene with the stamped elements .
• The tree was also stamped on a piece of green patterned paper and fussy-cut .
• The bag was also stamped on Kraft and fussy-cut .
• The list was stamped on a scrap of Mixed Media paper and fussy-cut.
• Tim Holtz Christmas/Noel washi was placed at the bottom of the stamped panel and also under the tree and Santa. 
• The stars were stamped with Memento Dew Drop Dandelion and the sentiment with Memento Dew Drop LadyBug.
• I fussy-cut the list and popped it up with foam tabs near Santa's hand.
• The glittery red border at the top was creates with a Martha Stewart punch.
• I placed a strip of Tim Holtz washi across the top of the border .
• The completed stamped panel was adhered to  a piece of the same paper that I had used to fussy-cut the tree.
• A cream card base was used for this card.

My final card was made with an older stamp/die set from Erin Lee Creative . It is.  n longer available but they have many more fabulous products to choose from .

• The Vintage Postcard panel was cut from a piece of 12x12 paper in a CraftSmith Classic Vintage Paper Pad. 
• I adhered the postcard panel to a tan card base.
• The girl and snowman were stamped in Gina K Amalgam Jet Black ink  on Mixed Media paper and then die-cut.
• I colored the images with my COPICS.
• The images were adhered to the postcard panel - the girl was popped up with foam tabs.
• A Tim Holtz sentiment completed the card .

We are lucky to have the very talented Crystal Minkler joining us this month. Her cards are always fabulous and I have no doubt that this one will be just as amazing. You can check out her card and also Michael and Lisa's at their links below :

Crystal Minkler - Tawny Owl Paperie

Michael Trent - World of Michael Trent

Lisa Bzibziak Reynolds - Life of a BZScrapper

As always , we hope that we have inspired you to begin your holiday cards and decrease some of the stress that the season can hold. There are 5 months left so you still have time to join in on the fun and get yours started !! We will be back next month for our Christmas in July posts and we just might have an extra special guest elf . Until then, please take care, stay happy and healthy and also stay creative !!

Debra Davison 

Meticulosity.blogspot

A Creative Bibliophile - May 2021

I've started a few books lately that I just couldn't finish - I give myself at least a few chapters before putting it down for good.  I also just put the nook app on my iPhone so I now have over 1200 books/samples with me wherever I go .  I hate being somewhere with time on my hands, but no book to read ! What are your latest favorite reads ?? Do you have any recommendations for my To-Read list ?? 

This month I have a "domestic thriller" to review. I guess that is the latest genre of books to capture our attention . Gone Girl, The Woman on the Train, The Wife Between Us, The Silent Patient . Well you get the picture. The cover of this one caught my eye and I got the sample on my nook .. It drew me in and the price was fabulous so - the rest is history !!

I had already finished this book when I read that it was a contemporary retelling of the classic Jane Eyre . I will confess that I have never read that book - or many other classic novels. But I can tell you that this book kept me interested and had many great twists and turns that I did not figure out . The book centers around Jane & Eddie . Jane is a dog-walker in a gated community, who has many secrets in her past ( and present ) . Eddie lives in the gated community . He is handsome, wealthy and recently widowed, after his wife and her best friend drown in a tragic accident.  When Jane and Eddie meet, their stories become intertwined and a twisted tale begins.

This book has many great plot twists and gives you a glimpse into both Jane and Eddie's backgrounds. As you read this book, you find yourself asking just what is the truth ?? And is anyone being honest about their lives ?? The story is told from a few perspectives - beginning with Jane. I liked this aspect of the book because we find out much more of the character's stories . In the past, this manner of writing has confused me and made the story harder to follow. But in The Wife Upstairs, it enhances the book.

You can probably tell that I highly recommend this book.  The author Rachel Hawkins has written many Young Adult books,  including several series . This is her first adult novel . I hope that you will pick up this book and enjoy it as much as I did .

My bookmark for this post was made with the Start Something New stamp set from Unity Stamp Company . There's nothing I love more than a big stack of books !!

Start Something New

• I stamped the images onto a piece of Mixed- Media paper  (the girl ) and a piece of ledger paper ( the sentiment ) .
• I colored the girl image with my COPICS.
• Recollections washi tape was applied to the top and bottom of the book stack panel .
• That panel was then adhered to a piece of Strathmore Toned Blue Mixed Media Paper .
• The sentiment was adhered to a piece of ledger paper. I made it as large as the completed book stack panel so there would be room to write.
• On the back of the bookmark, I adhered the sentiment panel. 

Well, it's a gloomy and rainy day here at the beach .. A wash-out for the Memorial Day weekend so far, but perfect reading weather.. I have a few domestic thriller samples to try out - I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh and What You Don't Know by Joann Chaney . Have you read either of those ?? I'll keep you posted !! 

Until next time, stay safe and read a good book !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / May 2021

May is finally here and in Virginia we are seeing some relief from COVID-19.  Brian and I just went to a restaurant to actually sit down and eat lunch for the first time in over a year. I was a bit nervous at first but we had a great time !! I hope that you have all been staying healthy and can start to get back to a bit of normality soon wherever you live. Michael, Lisa and I are excited to show you our cards and we have a guest again this month to show you some more holiday inspiration !!

My first 2 cards are again made with Close To My Heart stamps. I am still working my way through all of the great sets I bought during a recent fabulous sale !! You can always find great supplies here at my friend, Chris Franco's site - https://chrisfranco.closetomyheart.com/default.aspx ..

• I adhered a piece of  Tim Holtz Idea-ology Christmas Worn Wallpaper onto a cream card base. I love this vintage ornament design ..
• A piece of plaid washi was  placed down the left side of the card.
• The Merry & Bright image was stamped on a piece of patterned ledger paper with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam ink . This specific stamp is no longer available but this Merry Christmas stamp would work just as well.
• I trimmed the stamped image, matted it with red cardstock and then applied it to the wallpaper .
• I used a metallic green pen to highlight some of the leaves on the stamped image .
• Red, blue and green rhinestones were then placed for added shimmer .

• I stamped several of the images from the Jolly Characters stamp set by Close To My Heart onto a bookmark-sized piece of Mixed Media paper with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam Ink.
• Holiday washi was placed between the jolly characters and also at the top and bottom .
• I colored the images with my COPICS.
• The completed stamped panel was adhered to a piece of green-dotted designer paper. My idea was to adhere that bookmark to the card base with removable tape but I got carried away and used my Scotch ATG so it is now permanent !! 
• I used a fun glittery candy-cane paper from Recollections for my card base  .

Santa Baby from Unity Stamp Company is the image on this next card. I have had it for years and never used it until this month. I was so careful stamping it and then realized that I used my Grape Jelly Memento Dew Drop instead of Jet Black .I almost stamped over it ( because I was using my MISTI, of course ) but then just decided to throw it away. So I stamped it again in Jet Black, finished the card and then saw the other image still on the desk. I really hate wasting paper so I decided to try and make a card with that image too . I was pleasantly surprised how it turned out. I do love non-traditional holiday colors but purple was never even on my list ... LOL

December Twinkle Merry / Festive Wish Merriment

• I stamped the 2 images and colored them with my COPICS.
• Tim Holtz Small Talk stickers were adhered on the bottom right of the completed stamped images. Kraft on the red image and white on the pink/purple. 
• I matted the purple panel with a piece of dark pink cardstock and then adhered that to a pink candy cane card base.
• The red image was adhered to a red-dotted card base and rhinestones were placed at the upper left and bottom right corners. 
• These 2 cards are mini-slimlines . I cut the paper 6x6 and folded it in half to create my card bases.

My last card was made with ephemera from the Simple Stories "Simple Vintage Christmas" collection ..  It is an older collection that I have been hoarding .. I placed a piece of the patterned paper on a black card base then layered multiple ephemera pieces onto the paper. I completed the card with a few large holiday-colored sequins. I adhered several images with foam tabs or tiny staples. These cards without any stamping are fun to make when you want to sit down and create a quick project. Do you make many cards without any stamping on them ??

Please check out the other Crafty Elves' projects as well as our very special guest elf , Crystal O. Minkler .

Michael Trent - World of Michael Trent

Lisa Reynolds-Bzibziak -  Life of a BZScrapper

Crystal O. Minkler - Tawny Owl Paperie

Thanks so much for joining us again as we create our holiday cards each month to beat the December rush !! Have you been inspired to start your holiday cards along with us ?? We'd love to hear from you if you have !! Please take care, stay safe and we will see you back here in June ..

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / May 2021

Celeste & I have been a great team for the past almost 5 years !! We have been doing this collaboration since October 2016 .. We choose a theme, color combination, sketch or technique every month and then each make a project .. This month I asked Celeste to choose both our collaboration and which Sunday to post . When she told me we would be using stencils, I immediately regretted that decision - LOL ... I own some pretty cool stencils but rarely use them. So I was heading straight out of my comfort zone . BUT it turned out to be a good thing and I am grateful to Celeste for encouraging me to try something different .  I actually love how my card turned out .. It is a representation of my perfect day !!! A book in my hand and a cup of coffee..

What a Perfect Day

• I stamped Ellie Girl by Angie Blom  for Unity Stamp Company with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam Ink  on Mixed Media paper . 
• I also stamped her on a piece of pale green patterned paper .
• The girl was fussy-cut, then colored with my COPICS. 
• I also fussy-cut her shirt from the green paper and adhered it to the other stamped image.
• I cut a piece of the Mixed Media paper to fit the front of my cream A2 card base.
• Pixie Spray was used on a mandala stencil from TCWstencils.com .I don't think that exact stencil is still available but they have a variety of other designs.
  
• I positioned the stencil on the edge of the Mixed Media paper, using only half of the mandala. The Pixie Spray adheres the stencil to your paper and is repositionable. It also won't tear your paper or leave a sticky residue..
• Distress Ink Pads were used to create the mandala - Tumbled Glass, Wild Honey and Abandoned Coral. 
  
• I also placed a few gems and rhinestones near the center area of the mandala.
• The stenciled design was adhered to my card base with the center area of the mandala towards the right side of the base.
• The girl was adhered to the left side of the stenciled area. 
• The sentiment was adhered to the upper right side of the card .

I'm excited to see Celeste's stenciled project . You can see what she has created over at her blog - Crafting Junky . A big thank-you to her for challenging me - it paid off .. I'M wondering what kind of coffee she will be drinking for this month's post .. I am having some  delicious Honey Blueberry coffee in a new cup that I got myself for Mother's Day .. I love tattoo designs and this cup was perfect .. 

Thank you for stopping by to see what Celeste and I are up to this month. We look forward to seeing you in June. Take care, stay safe and until then, Stay Creative !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

A Creative Bibliophile - April 2021

I will admit that I have had a problem lately finding a book that keeps my attention .. I haven't had a problem finding books I want to read, but then I just can't seem to get into them and stay interested !! In the past I used to feel like I had to finish every book that I started .. But now there are too many on my To Read list - so I just close that book and move on to another.. This month I will tell you about 3 books - one I read and loved, one I started and wish I could have loved and one that I am loving now..

I came across a stamp set from 2016 when I was searching for something else ( and that happens every day !! ).It was perfect for my post .. I stamped the images from Coffee Donuts Friends by Darcie's Heart & Home onto 3 bookmark-sized pieces of mixed media paper with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink . The images were colored in with my COPICS. I added some book-themed and floral washi to the bookmarks and then adhered them to another layer of mixed-media paper to make them sturdier . As in previous posts, I also placed a piece of ledger paper on the back of the bookmarks for book lists, notes or reviews .

A book that I wanted to love is If I Disappear by Eliza Jane Brazier.  I waited months for this book from the library and after much anticipation, I could just not get into it. The storyline fascinated me - a true crime lover and podcast listener searches for her favorite true crime podcaster who has gone missing .. I tried reading it several times and it never pulled me in .. I am keeping it until the due date and might try again, but no promises ..

I am sure many of my fellow readers are familiar with Jojo Moyes and her books.  I had actually never read any and one day this book - The Peacock Emporium - was the featured Nook book . I get e-mails daily with great deals on a particular book or sometimes a few titles. This one caught my eye and I bought it for $2.99 .

To look at this cover, you would never know that the book is about a coffee shop  - The Peacock Emporium. Full of characters, settings and details, this story begins in the 1960's and continues in 2001 with Suzanna Peacock . Her Emporium serves as the backdrop for several storylines with an eclectic cast of characters. Suzanna's mother Athene begins the book with her role as 'the Last Deb" and is a complex, spoiled character who lays the foundation for the rest of the story. At times, I did wonder how certain elements were going to tie together, but I feel that Moyes did a great job with that . I was drawn in to the cast of characters and looked forward to finding out where the book took them. The legacy of Suzanna's mother is a large part of this book, coloring many aspects of the storylines. I enjoyed learning the "real" story of their mother/daughter relationship. It was surprising and not at all predictable. I now have a few other books of hers on my TBR list - The Giver of Stars is at the top . An interesting fact - her book Me Before You was made into a movie starring Emilia Clarke .. A real tearjerker - I loved it !!

A book that I am reading now and loving is The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James . This is a ghost story about a woman who disappeared from the Sun Down Motel in 1982 and her niece who decides to try to find out what happened to her in 2017 . She actually gets a job at the same hotel --- sooooooooo, what could go wrong ?!?!?!  Let's just say that I do not read this book in bed at night .. It was sent to me by a fellow book lover and I started it but never got too far into it ... Not sure why, but I think I put it into one of my book bags and forgot it was there !!!

I hope you have enjoyed my book craziness this month !! Leave me a comment about a book you loved or one you hoped you would love but didn't or one you are loving now  - I'll randomly choose one commenter and  send them one of my bookmarks .. Until next time, stay safe and keep on reading ...

Debra Davison / Meticulosity