WOYWW #212 ~ Show and Tell; Printer Survey Results

Happy Wednesday!  It is time once again for a desk hop through the impossibly fun What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday (WOYWW), hosted by the one and the only Julia Dunnit!  I hope to see your desk linked up!

I have so much love on my desk today to share with you lovely desk hoppers! 

I received a thank you card from Kim of Cupcakes, Cards and Kim, and a thank you notebook from Hazel, of Play As U Go.  From Annie, for my (early, it's next week) birthday, came a stamp, a hummingbird purse pad and pen, an exquisite summer wall hanging, and one of her stunning accordion cards!  I also received early beautiful birthday cards from Donna and from Mamie.  I'm so spoilt rotten and so appreciative!

The awesome ATCs are from Janet of Fairy Thoughts, Sarn of Stamping With Pleasure (who also sent a card shown today), Bridget of Me & My Photography, Kay of 505 Whimsy Girl (who also sent a photo card shown today), and Annie of Redanne.  Thank you all so much!

 

~~~

 

Here is a close-up of Mamie's card.  She printed a picture from my blog that I had posted of my backyard and put it behind the window frame on the card.  So clever and so sir real to sit here and look at it and then look up and out that very window! 

~~~

Here is a close-up of Annie's fantastic accordion card!  It is unbelievably magnificent in real life!  If you'd like more information on this type of card, you can visit her site where there are details about her brilliant works of art.

~~~

 

Printer Survey Results

I'm sorry to report that there was no clear consensus from my printer survey, but I do thank you all so much for taking the time to participate.  Here is a rough breakdown by reverse popularity: 

 

Sony:  1 ~ (Laser) Used for foiling.

 

Samsung: 1 ~ "Great."  (Need to get model number.)  

 

Xerox:  1 ~ Phaser 6280.  Heavy paper curls; vellum has to be fed one-at-a-time.

 

Kodak:  2 ~ (All-In-One)  Will take heavy paper if fed from the back.

 

Brother:  2 ~ (one All-In-One, one laser)  "Amazing."  "Love."

 

Lexmark:  3 ~ Will take paper "not too thick" and it works "fine-ish."

 

Canon:  10 ~ Overall, good comments.  Will take heavy paper if fed from the back.   The "Pixma" model "does everything."

 

Epson:  12 ~ The comments ranged from "works fine" to "don't like" and "hate."  The "Artisan 837" takes heavy paper and is great for colored digis.

 

HP:  28 ~  The comments varied widely from "love," "no trouble," "prints heavy paper if fed from the back," "doesn't bleed when coloring" to "rubbish," and "don't like." 

 

Model numbers were all over the place, when they were given at all, most likely because the ages of the printers were all different. 

 

Bottom line:

• Get a printer that feeds from the back and it will probably take heavy card stock, with the exception of very heavy water color paper. 
• Buy a printer that holds separate cartridges which can be replaced one-by-one as needed.  The companies make their money off the cartridges, often selling the printers very cheaply or giving them away for free when you buy a computer.

~~~

One of the benefits of living in an urban area is the availability of brick-and-mortar stores.  I think I will find a store or stores and go personally to check out these:  HP Officejet Pro 8500, the Brother all-in-one, the Samsung, the Canon Pixma, and the Epson Artisan 837.  I will take a stack of my various heavier card stock with me and run them through the floor models to see for myself how well they print.

I'm not sure when I'll get them all looked at.  I already feel a bit like Prince Charming.  I will let you know when I find a shoe that fits!  Thank you again for your valuable input!!

 

~~~

 

I leave you today with a picture collage of the new little baby Kite learning how to fly under mama's watchful eye!

 

Happy WOYWW!!  Enjoy your day!  As always, thank you for stopping by to visit the Playhouse!  Please let me know you came by so I can be sure to return the flavor! 

 

*Life Is Too Short!   

LIM #124; NBUS #6 ~ "Hex" a Gons

And we're back around to Mo ... wha' happened to yesterday?

 

Happy Tuesday!!

 

Oy with the hexagons already.  I don't mean world-wide, I just mean here in the Playhouse.  I took a tiny break from my endeavor to choose a NBUS (never-before-used-schtuff) first and then choose a challenge.  That's because I like to play in the weekly challenges at Less Is More.  Our lovely hostesses, Chrissie and Jen, are giving us a "theme" week this week and the theme is "HEXAGONS."

 

So I started with the challenge. 

 

And started again.

 

And started again.

 

It was like a hex had been placed on me.

 

I'll be honest.  I usually just go with whatever pops up first to the top of my Eight Ball brain of ideas.  This time, I really had to work with it.  I don't have a hexagon die.  Okay, first of all, how did that happened?  I do have a couple of hexagon stamps.  Some of them are those after-thought-unrelated stamps you sometimes find in your package of clear stamps.  The one I used is small, with three hexes on the gon.

 

I always think of honeycombs when I see hexagons and so a bee took center stage:

  

A gold-embossed bee:

It's the second card I made. 

 

That's because my first card got a little out-of-hand in the "less is more" department:

I started CASly enough by running the hexagon stamp down the middle.  Then this cute bee just fits so nicely in the open-ended hexies.  Three of them fit, but then they looked like they should be about to dip their cute faces in a flower bag full of pollen.  And that's when all help broke loose and my card turned into More Is More.  I thought I'd share it anyway.

 

And now you see why some people say "cute as a bee," instead of "cute as a button!"

~~~

 

I'm tickled today to welcome another new friend!  I'd love for you to meet Siara of Siara's Sweet Sensations.  Siara is a busy mom who blogs when she can and when she can, her cards are definitely inspiring and worthy of a visit.  Welcome, Siara, and thank you for joining our goofy journey!

 

~~~

 

I spent the entire day yesterday planting new plants in our backyard and lemme tell ya, I am one lump of creaky and achey.  It is SO going to be worth it, once the rock is delivered.  I will share before and afters when it is finished.  I've about 12 more plants to get potted or planted, but I think day after today will be soon enough for that.

 

I do have to share one of our two oleander trees that are bursting with flowers!  In this picture you can see part of the area I am working on.  It stretches the entire length of the backyard.

Here is a close-up of the tree:

 

Isn't that magnificent?

 ~~~

Printer Survey

 

Before you go, please scroll down to read about my little printer survey.  Thank you to those of you who have responded already!  I am keeping the question out there the rest of this week and will tally the results next week.  So far the answers are all over the place, so I'm hoping to get more data.  I know most of you are anxiously awaiting the results, so please ask your friends to participate as well.  Thank you!!

 

~~~

 

Enjoy your day!  No, seriously, enjoy.  LITS*! 

 

And thank you so much for stopping by the Playhouse.  Special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment or join as a follower! 

*Life Is Too Short!   

 

I'm just listing below the LIM supplies; if you

want info on the other card, please email.

 

Paper:  SU! more mustard

Stamp:  Paper Smooches hexagon (NBUS);

  bee, Hero Arts E1597; sediment unknown

Ink:  Versa Fine onyx black

EP:  Personal Stamp Exchange gold

Corner Chomper Angle

 

============================================================================================================================

PRINTER SURVEY

My laser printer is running low on expensive cartridges again and it doesn't like printing on vellum or on heavy card stock, so I think it's time for a change.  So many of you print out digis, sentiments, and even colored patterned paper that look so crisp and I'm wondering what you use for your printer needs (manufacturer and model, please).  Ink jet printers included.  I already have one recommendation from a trusted friend, but Mister and I are old-school and he'd like it if I get more than the one. 

Please tell me if you don't like your printer, too, so I can factor that into the results.   

Thank you for your input!  I will publish the results.  Mwah!! 

DD #57; NBUS #5 ~ Morning Dew

Happy Father's Day!

We had lunch yesterday with DS to celebrate, Mister is off on a ride today, so I'm stopping in to share a quick card for the current challenge at Dynamic Duos which is "green and black, with a plant dessert."

 

 

I've been craving the Water Droplets stamp from Designs by Ryn for ages.  Just when I was set to order it, I received one from a sweet friend as a surprise!  The serendipity doesn't stop there because this morning, while it was still on my desk from it's first-time use making two thank you cards, there was the perfect DD challenge!  Hallah!

Here tis:

So the NBUS product on today's card is the image and I've also used snippets (the paper and ribbon) so I'll be joining in the playground fun once the gates open today over at Pixie's Crafty Snippets Playground!  I love how the dew drops work perfectly with the leaf pattern on the DSP.  I sponged the greenery to give it some added deeption.

 

Speaking of NBUS (never-before-used-schtuff), I've heard that this idea of using the stamps and schtuff which you've not previously used is now spreading through the blogosphere.  Someone told me there are a couple of sites that are turning the process into challenges.

 

Of course, while my idea of systematically using my NBUS is new to me, it's not original, nor are challenges.  There are wonderful long-time sites that encourage us to use our schtuff, especially our scraps or "snippets" as my British friends say.  You've often seen me join in at Pixie's, which champions this idea.  There is also Shopping Our Stash, which is a another wonderful site, and there are prolly many more that I am not aware of.

However you choose to use your NBUS, or your snippets, I'm so happy you're joining this movement.  This definitely feels like a "Year of The Use It" and I have a feeling it will continue beyond December.  So far I'm really enjoying reversing my product/challenge process and giving my NBUS the love and attention it deserves!  I'd love to see your NBUS cards, too!

~~~

 

Having said that, please step away from the craft table long enough to join me in a warm welcome to our newest friends!  They are Anja of Scrappie, Too and Silvi of Silvi's Place.  Between them, these ladies have years and years of wonderful posts and cards and inspirational ideas for your viewing pleasure!!  Thank you, Anja and Silvi, and welcome to the party!!

 

~~~

 

Here a little giggle for you I found under my water droplet stamp:

 

 

~~~

 

We picked out our landscape rocks, so now I'm off to the nursery to pick up some plants. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this time of year!  It's full-on summer the end of this week, although in some places Mom Nature has still not gotten the memo!  Waaake up, mother dear!

 

~~~

 

Printer Survey

 

Before you go, please scroll down to read about my little printer survey.  If you haven't already commented, I would appreciate it if you would take a minute to respond.  In order to really get a consensus and worthwhile results to share, I need you data, my friends.  Thank you!!

 

~~~

 

Enjoy your day!  No, seriously, enjoy.  LITS*! 

 

And thank you so much for stopping by the Playhouse.  Special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment or join as a follower! 

 

 

 

 

 

*Life Is Too Short!

 

Paper:  PTI white, SU! pear pizzaz,

  unknown DSP (DCWV?)

Stamps:  Designs by Ryn, "Water Droplets"

  CM-T3; SU! sediment unknown set

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; DI for sponging

Ribbon from stash 

====================================================================================

PRINTER SURVEY

My laser printer is running low on expensive cartridges again and it doesn't like printing on vellum or on heavy card stock, so I think it's time for a change.  So many of you print out digis, sentiments, and even colored patterned paper that look so crisp and I'm wondering what you use for your printer needs.  Ink jet printers included.  I already have one recommendation from a trusted friend, but Mister and I are old-school and he'd like it if I get more than the one. 

Please tell me if you don't like your printer, too, so I can factor that into the results.   

Thank you for your input!  I will publish the results.  Mwah!! 

MIM #120, NBUS #4 ~ An Ombré Thank You Card; Printer Survey

Happy Weekend Hello to All!

One of the prettiest trends on the market today is ombré.  Technically, ombré means:

"A trick-taking card game for three people using a pack of forty cards, popular in Europe in the 17th–18th centuries."

Wait.  What are you saying, Mr. Webster?  Let's take a look in the Crafter's Dictionary:

"Ombré noun —  Having colors or tones that shade into each other — used especially on fabrics in which the color is graduated from light to dark."

That's more like it.

There is a wonderful video by Nichole Heady over on her blog {capture the moment}.  Nichole has a "Make It Monday" challenge every, um, Monday and this past Monday the challenge was "Overlapping Ombré."  It sounds redundant, but it's clever really because it nicely melds the meaning with the word.

I struggled with the challenge.  In the end, Dee Tritus sat on my desk.

 

I tried blues and then decided I liked greens better and I finally got a card that was pretty well lined up.

 

 

My NBUS on today's card is the pinefeather dotted ribbon from PTI.  And I'm 99% sure I have never used the "thank you" sediment before.  I also tried to make a couple of NBUS embossing folders work, but it made the card too busy with the ribbon, so this time the ribbon won.

~~~

Enjoy your day!  No, seriously, enjoy.  LITS*! 

 

And thank you so much for stopping by the Playhouse.  Special thanks to you if you take the time to leave a comment or join as a follower!

 Pinterest

In case I don't post again until Monday, I wish your family a Happy Father's Day!  If it's bittersweet ~  big hugs to you!
 

 

 

*Life Is Too Short!  

 

Paper:  PTI white

Stamps:  PTI "Framed Out #1" and "Cupcake Collection"

Ink:  PTI spring moss, new leaf, and pinefeather

Ribbon:  PTI new leaf and pinefeather

SU! punch; brad from stash

====================================================================================

PRINTER SURVEY

My laser printer is running low on expensive cartridges again and it doesn't like printing on vellum or on heavy card stock, so I think it's time for a change.  So many of you print out digis, sentiments, and even colored patterned paper that look so crisp and I'm wondering what you use for your printer needs.  Ink jet printers included.  I already have one recommendation from a trusted friend, but Mister and I are old-school and he'd like it if I get more than the one. 

Please tell me if you don't like your printer, too, so I can factor that into the results.   

Thank you for your input!  I will publish the results.  Mwah!!