Sneak Peek #4

Hey everyone, here's another sneak peek from the new Riley release!  Riley is going to the movies this time, and I chose to use the Popcorn Riley for a special card I made for a friend of mine.  He's out in Seattle playing with the Mariners and was kind enough to play tourguide and explore Seattle with me.  It's a beautiful city and we decided that we had to watch Sleepless in Seattle since we saw the houseboat in the movie in our Ferry tour and could see the houseboat from his apartment.  Here I have Popcorn Riley enjoying the classic Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan image!  I also used the Baseball Riley which was perfect since the Seattle Mariners mascot is a Moose!

Here's a close up of  Popcorn Riley

 The front of the card was made completely using .jpgs I converted into .svg cuts using Inkscape and then cutting it out with Sure Cuts a Lot 2.  I kind of wished he played for a team with a less complicated logo.

The front flap is of the Seattle Skyline with Mt. Rainier in the back.  It opens up to show the complete Seattle logo as well as his jersey number.  I added the penguin because he absolutely LOVES penguins.

Everyone be sure to check out the Blog Hop for our much anticipated blog hop starting in TWO Days!  You'll get to view as well as order all the amazing new stamps from the new Release of Riley goes to the Movies.  It starts on Thursday, September 29th at 10 PM EST.  

Be sure to drop by all my Moose mates and check out their creations for the day!

Riley Design Challenge!

Hi Riley Fans! 
Hope you're all ready for today's challenge, and I'm proud to say that I'M hosting it!!!
My challenge is a School/Team Spirit sort of theme. Basically, to celebrate the start of school, the football and hockey season, or post season baseball...make something that shows spirit for either a school or Sport team ie: (your alma mater, kid's high school, using your favorite sports team colors/Riley sport stamps, etc) 

For my card I decided to use Hockey Riley since the season is just right around the corner!
 
I keep in touch with several of my former players and this was a card I made for Freddy who played for the minor league team I interned for a couple years back.


So this was a birthday-ish card for him, but really its a "just because" card, and boy was I excited to use my Riley Hockey Stamp!  I based the colors off of the Ontario Reign colors, and colored his jersey in to look like their orange ones.  He's number 12 so I cut those out using the Sure Cuts A Lot Software.  The dark blue background was cuttlebugged using the argyle folder, and the card was triple matted (the Riley one was popped up).  Riley was colored in with Copics, his skates were colored in with my Sakura gelly roll silver pen, and the ice got a little bit of Stickle treatment!  I added a couple brads, because what's more manlier than brads?!

On the back, I added the Ontario Reign logo using Sure Cuts A Lot to cut out a picture I found online. I have to admit, I was pretty proud of how well it came out compared to the real logo.

Sorry for the blurry image!  I guess I just wanted to make mine look better ;)

Freddy in action  

Be sure to check out the other members of the Riley Design team to see what they've come up with!!!  I hope you enjoyed this challenge!

Klinker

So one of my favorite baseball players, Matt Klinker, is having a bit of a rough season and has been stuck in a rut playing for the same team he spent the majority of his time with last year (in minor league baseball you want to be continually moving on up in the system).  Needless to say, he's a little frustrated (in the game, we like to call it "being salty") so I figured I'd try to give him a little pick me up and maybe it'll give him the boost to get him back up to AAA.  

Right now he plays for the AA team for the Cincinnati Reds, the Carolina Mudcats, so I decided to stick with that theme!  I used the pitcher from Kenny K digital stamps and modify it so it fits their jerseys.  I heat embossed using clear embossing powder a little Michaels dollar bin baseball stamp over the background to give a subtle pattern.  Using Sure Cuts A Lot, I cut out a wonky square shape as well as the Reds logo so the red would show through.  I also cut out his jersey number as well using Sure cuts a lot.  The card base is using Papertrey ink cardstock in smokey (I LOVE THIS STUFF FOR BASES) and cuttlebugged the diamond plate pattern.  I added Recollection brads for some bling and that was the front!

The Back I used Inkscape and svg. the Mudcats logo into three cuts and cut them out using Sure Cuts a Lot.  Klinker's name is also cut out using the Sure Cuts A Lot and the background was cuttlebugged with the Diamond Plate folder as well.  

Because Matt is so salty right now I figured I'd help him balance it out with some sweets by making him some cookies!  

He loved everything.  So this is an insight of some characters that I get to deal with everyday.  Klinker on the other hand is a pretty 'special' person anyway.  Needless to say, he doesn't take himself seriously.

This is what he normally looks like =)  I don't mind him either way =)

T-town Never Down

This is a very special project for me that I have for you today.  On April 27th, 2011,  a F-5 tornado tore through Tuscaloosa, AL where the University of Alabama is located.  The tornado killed 50+ people, injured hundreds, and left thousands with absolutely nothing left.  This touched me deeply because the University of Alabama was where I went to undergrad for 4 years.  It shaped a lot of who I am and where I met my 3 lifelong friends.  Going back, I was stricken by how so much had changed and how whole neighborhoods were gone.

View from where my sophomore year dorm use to be

Aerial view of the path of destruction of the tornado

Worse yet, hearing the personal stories from friends still at the University really touched a soft spot in me.  As an athletic trainer, I worked hand in hand with the University of Alabama athletics.  If you're from the South, you would know how all consuming sports, especially Football is to the state of Alabama.  Sports Illustrated released an article, with the cover story being about the effect of the Tornado.  Reading the article, it saddened me to hear about how one of my former football players girlfriend was killed in the tornado.  They were taking cover in a closet and she was tragically ripped from his arms.  Also hearing about how two of my former baseball players, who I had just seen less than a month before when we played them IN Tuscaloosa, had lost everything was just heartbreaking.  If you have the time, please read this well-written article http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1186008/index.htm

Mainly I am so proud of how the athletics has stepped up to help in relief efforts.  They have taken their time out to spend time passing out water and goods as well as helping with the cleanup.  Former players who are now playing in the NFL have also donated thousands of dollars in food and water to help those who have literally be left with nothing. Thanks to Javier Arenas (aka Javy) and all those athletes who are helping to patch things up. 

So now that my season is done and I have some extra time on my hands, I set out on making something to help represent the strenght, spirit, and pride of Tuscaloosa.  Houndstooth has a very special meaning for the University of Alabama because it represents the hat that the legendary football coach, Bear Bryant famously wore at each game.  Every Saturday in the fall, the campus is filled with fans decked out in red and houndstooth...from pretty co-eds to fat old drunken men.  A houndstooth ribbon has become the symbol of support for the relief efforts down in Tuscaloosa.  

 

I used the ribbon off the stand and salute cart, as well as the shadow to make the base and cut it out with the cricut.  I then cuttlebugged the white ribbons with the houndstooth folder and while they were still in the folder, I brayered the ribbon with black ink, kind of like the reverse of this technique shown on youtube  I then used Sure Cuts a Lot to cut out the Alabama A logo and glued it on.  

 

 I didn't think it was enough so I went ahead and used my gypsy to Weld the shadow of the ribbon and banner (also found on the Stand and Salute cartridge) together to make a base.  I then added the words "T-town" which is our affectionate name for Tuscaloosa to the ribbon and cut out two versions (one solid, and one with the letters so it could show through).  I'm not sure which one I like better, the white or red.  Any suggestions?  I wasn't sure if I wanted to make these into cards or just keep them as is and make them into a magnet or even something to hang in my car.  But I may even sell them on etsy and have all proceeds go to a charity of relief for Tuscaloosa.  

Anyway, I know this is a long post but this just meant so much to me, so thanks for all that actually read this.  I'll leave you with pics that show the resilient spirit of the people of T-town.  Roll Tide!

 

Sorry I have been missing in action recently!  It's been super busy with the closing of our regular season and tomorrow is our last home game.  It's been a very special year for me and this has been my favorite team ever.  I wanted to thank them by making a special little card for them and writing a little note....all FORTY FIVE of them!!!  So as you can see, I've been very busy coloring baseball Rileys!  Here it is mid-process

 

Let's just say I was exhausted and so was my copic E33.  I modified the image a little bit to give it more of a jersey like feel and the appearance of sleeves.  Then colored in the bats exactly like the ones my guys use.  Picture for reference....

This is W, he's a Cajun.  His Aunt gave me the best jambalaya recipe. 

The best way to tackle all those cards was to make a sort of an assembly line.  I used Sure Cuts a Lot and Inkscape to create the South Alabama logo and their numbers to customize each card.  They were matted on grey and navy cardstock with the grey background watermarked with a baseball stamp and versamark ink pad.  Some of the  moose even got eyeblack to match their respective recipient!

Here's a little closeup of a card and placed in their lockers.

I also made 50 red velvet baseball cupcakes and places them in boxes that used to hold baseballs.  They're ingenious for transporting cupcakes!

I'm completely wiped out and have a long day of festivities tomorrow (or should I say today).  It will be senior day and I have 10 seniors finishing up their careers.  Our coach is also retiring after 28 years as the head coach of South Alabama.  He's one of the most decorated college baseball coaches of all time and needless to say, it's going to be a special and moving day tomorrow.  Sniff, my kids are growing up...

Well now you know where I've been for the past week!  

Tune in tomorrow for a sneak peek of the upcoming Riley Stamp Release!!!  I can't believe it's already upon us!!!

So my friend saw the card I made for Freddy and he wanted one too.  Who knew there was a market for hockey cards hahah.  Blair plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning and he's from Canada.  Apparantly he loves moose (but more to hunt them then to color them in with Copics).  I wanted to make it a little bit more simple than Freddy's card, so I just went ahead and Sure Cuts a Lot the Tampa Bay Logo and and matted it.

I colored Hockey Riley in using their Jersey colors and fussy cut him out.  I stickled the ice and added glossy accents to give it an icy feel.  I cuttlebugged the black mat with diamond plating and used a charcoal card base.

Here's Blair in action

All the hockey shots I found of Blair made him look really funny.  I actually prefer him in his suits.  For his sake I'm going to post one of those.  Ignore the beers.

So I'm in Fort Myers for a bit. Just wanted to share a card I made before leaving.  One of my baseball players hurt his back during a game and so I've been spending the last couple of weeks in ER's and doctor's offices.  Our orthopedic spine specialist has been great so I wanted to show him my appreciation by making some cookies and a card.

So Sick Riley has been getting a lot of play these past couple of days!  I colored him in using the South Alabama colors, and I used Sure Cuts a Lot and Cricut to cut out South Alabama's logo.  The Sentiment is printed out and the grey cardstock is cuttlebugged using the Argyle folder.  Simple as always.

My baseball player got his MRI and the doctor's were surprised that he was walking and standing let alone playing baseball (he sat out for the first time in 4 years because he couldn't run).  His herniation was so big that he's the first patient he's had in 20 years that was standing, let alone walking, without surgery.  Keep our fingers crossed and Jake in your prayers!  He's the toughest kid I've ever worked with.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I'm a little late in posting this I know....the sad thing is that I'm even later in sending this to Topher!  He'll probably end up getting his valentine's day card in April by the rate I'm going.  So Topher is now down in Ft. Myers for Spring Training.  He's working in the front office with the Boston Red Sox.  To celebrate his new job I made him a little Red Sox Card, Riley included!

I chose the Sweetheart Riley and cut out the little note that he holds on the left.  I used the Sure Cuts a Lot Software and cut a Boston Red Sox logo and had him holding that instead!  Riley is popdotted up along with the Red Sox "B".  The white background is cuttlebugged with the argyle folder and then matted on a Boston red mat.  I added a strip of baseball paper and then sandwiched it between two strips of blue paper.

 

I also made Topher a more traditional V-day card using more traditional colors.  

The little paper stamps were actually from some patterned paper I got from Michaels several months ago.  I cut each one out and matted each on their own little pink mat.  Tried to space them out as evenly as possible.  I then cut out a label....I have no idea where I picked it out from (I seem to forget more often now that I've gotten a Gypsy).  I stamped the background using this dollar bin stamp I have using Tim Holtz Red Brick Distress ink.  Then I stamped the I love you sentiment (I think another dollar bin buy).  I chose a grey background to masculinize it up a bit more and of course cuttlebugged it with my favorite folder of the moment, the argyle folder.  I used plain white cardstock base just because I wanted to keep it from getting too frou frou. 

My last birthday card for the month!  This card is for my older brother.  He's an avid White Sox fan so I decided to make him a card based off of that!  I found the logo online and converted the .jpg file into an .svg file.  I converted it into 3 cuts and cuts them out on Sure Cuts A Lot.  The happy birthday was also cut using Sure Cuts A Lot and shadowed as well.  

The inside sentiment was printed on a piece of designer paper found at Hobby Lobby.  The second sox logo was also a .jpg converted to an .svg file and cut out with sure cuts a lot. I don't know what I'd do without that program!

I made these thank you cards for Topher's brother Dan.  He just graduated from Lemoyne college and he wanted some cards to thank some of the staff members and teachers for all they've done while he's been in college.

I decided to make these cards completely Lemoyne theme so I used their school logo and colors.  I downloaded a jpg of the logo online and converted it into an svg file, breaking it down to two colors.  I then cut them out, as well as the Thank You using Sure Cuts A Lotand cutting it out on my Cricut.

Nice and simple matting so as not to distract from the awesome college logo.  Here's the original logo.

Not bad I must say so myself!  I'm definitely proud of myself for this card!