Challenges.....Challenges!

Good Thursday all my crafty friends! The consensus, around the world it would seem, is IT'S HOT!!! LOLOL I'm hearing it even from areas around the world that normally don't see high temps! Phew!!! All I can say is bring on the lemonade, watermelon, mimosa's......whatever tilts your overworked sweat glands! LOLOL It's times like these that we can thank the good Lord for giving those amazing men and women who invented the air conditioner, wisdom and knowledge! Oh hail you scholars! LOLOL

Across the board with all my online crafty friends it's challenges, challenges, challenges! I, unfortunately, can't take part in most of them because I work full time as well as hold down the job of resident maid, waitress, cook, animal trainer, launderer, yard boy, school marm, and the list goes on and on and on!!!!!! LOLOLOL Can I get an amen out there?????? God really did make us the superior gender or how else would we be able to tackle all that???? Thank you Lord for my super hero powers! LOLOL So, all that said, I do take part in a few that I squeeze in time for and today I will show you my July Pick A Stick Challenge over on the same named Facebook Group! There is still time to get it in, so if you want to pop over and see what the hoopla is all about you can watch Shel's video who was the maestro for July's challenge.

I can say, YAY for me because, for once, I got this done BEFORE the very last minute! LOLOL This spread was so much for me. It was challenging, but in a good way! I didn't get perplexed about this or that like I usually do. It just all fell into place.  The picked sticks from Shel that have to be followed in order were as follows:

I did pretty good this month. I only deviated from one request, just a smidgen! Number One was to collage with napkins, but alas......I have none! I had gotten a RACK one time from a pal that included one, but I have since used that wonderful napkin on other projects. So....I improvised. My sister, sent me some glorious paper from L.A. that I use sparingly, but I thought would be perfect because the feel is so fine that it is like a napkin. It even ripped like a napkin, so I decided to use it and ask

forgiveness later! LOLOLOL I showed this picture yesterday where you can see the paper and Number Two, which was add tissue tape or masking tape. I used Tim Holtz tissue tape.

Number Three was use a sticker, which you can also see on the upper right hand page. It was some pretty cool stickers that I got one time at a discount store before they closed out.

Number Four was add a quote and I simply used various alpha stamps that I had in my stash with some Archival ink on card stock and adhered with Mod Podge, which incidentally I used throughout which pretty much covered Number Six, which was use something transparent. As I had nothing like that, I thought hey, Mod Podge is transparent after all!!! LOLOL

Number Five was add dictionary text, so I made some hearts that I wanted to go along with my quote on dictionary paper and then also fulfilled Number 9, which was use neocolor II crayons, which is what I colored them with. I adhered them down again with Mod Podge and then fulfilled Number 7, which was write random words in at least three places, so I wrote them around the hearts.

Number 8 was use ink, so I pulled out several kinds including Tattered Angels, Distress Inks, Dylusions and Daler Rowney's Pearlescent Acrylic Inks. I diluted most with water so that I could channel the ink around the pieces already adhered down. Number 10 was to emboss something, so I took a background stamp in my stash with Versa Markink around the edges for a frame and then embossed with WOW black embossing powder and then did some doodles and splatters! Voila! I had fun!

HEY, I'M SOX!

Hey, what's this stuff?

Guess what? There is a new princess in town!!!! Yep, remember the part where I am also an animal trainer...hee hee hee, well this is why!!! Meet Sox!!! Yep, my loving husband feels the need to continue to indulge both of my daughters' desires to own every stray cat and dog in our community!!! This little gal is a ball of fire and has ALREADY weaseled her way into my heart (obviously since she is on the coveted art desk)!!!! She really is quite the cuteness and the other two cats that live in our home Big Kitty and Tigger are getting adjusted. Well, Queen Sheba, better known as Big Kitty, will have nuttin to do with her, but Tigger is in hog heaven! They sound like a herd of elephants running through the house! Lots of fun! Hey Zsuzsa, you can just start calling me "The Cat Lady!" LOLOL Oreo would have a ball with this little lady! :)

Well guys, that's it for me today! I will share my ATC Challenge tomorrow! Here's hoping you are keeping cool and fun!