Challenge #30 - You are the Apple of My Eye

Fall makes me think of crisp leaves and even crisper cool weather along with pumpkins and hay bales and.....apples! Bushels of apples right off the tree that smell heavenly and beg to be put into pies, tarts, salads, and eaten out of hand. YUM and so good for you! Their simplicity and beautiful form is also probably why you see decorating shows often use bowls of apples to give a fresh, clean, natural element to a room's decor.

Rosemary here - My submittal is a card of fall motifs with a happy little sentiment. Unfortunately, some of my adhesive (how Opus Gluei of me) is showing - obviously, I'm not very modest to have my glue hanging out there for everyone to see - but I have to go back to sickbay now.

Jana here: I love this card. The colors are perfect for fall. So warm and cozy feeling.

So.....the challenge this week is for you to incorporate an apple or apples into your effort - remember, that can be anything from papercrafting to a blog entry to well...whatever you want!

*************HOCUS POCUS MAGIC FOCUS**************

Let's see who played with Magic and created some Hocus Pocus with us last week for our theme!

Electra made a beautiful fairy with all the elements; swirls and pearls and bling (OH MY)!!!! Love the feminine touches!

and then Electra comes back with another entry! It is spooky but I have to admit I really like the colors - and it is reminiscent of The Shining hotel.

Kristen, that crafty gal, loves Halloween and decorates with a lot of personal flair and unique touches sure to "scare" up some fun - for her Opus Gluei submittal she shows us some realistic looking bones to go into her Halloween pantry!

A Halloween theme needs a black cat doesn't it? Well, we have Chat Noir and she's the kind of black cat you want crossing your path because she has great ideas. For this challenge, she created a very spooky card with perfect touches; she got to use black (her fave), the cobweb (I have to find that embossing folder), the image, and the embossed "Escape." Very cool indeed!

Irit Shalom doesn't celebrate Halloween in Israel but you wouldn't know it by her submittal. She created a really cool card that has all sorts of cool touches - I love the cauldron and I think painting the haunted house in crackle paint is a great idea - as is the button full moon!

Jessica made a great card; so much to love!!! I love the expression of embarrassment on the dog's face! Yep, what they do for love of their humans. The colors just pop and the design is fantastic - I am never so clever with my cards but I'm getting inspired! I'm going to have to consider Copic markers, those of you who use them make such cool projects! Fran came back for this challenge and brings a sweet card with two very cute and mischievous kitties playing about the pumpkins. The embossed background is perfect and makes the image pop! Welcome back, Fran!

Here are first time Opus Gluei submittals - Welcome - we sure hope you come back for more challenges with us!

Another cool blog and an even cooler name - Black Dragon (spooky eh) - is submitting here for the first time and she's made a scary ATC - somehow, I think the lady is going to escape the ghoul (I'm an optimist that way) - in fact, I think she's calling her flock of bats to carry her away! (okay, I'm the one hiding under the covers at scary movies on tv, I admit it)

Now, you have to love a blog named "Krazy's Place," that's just a given. Then you get to see all the great projects she does. For her first submittal to an Opus Gluei theme, she's created a Halloween card that just says FUN! I love the little touches - she used the Martha Stewart border punch I used a little while ago, and the Cuttlebug embossing folder of the cobweb that Chat Noir used - and isn't it cool how we each make them our own in our projects? Love those brads too!

And another new first time submittal to Opus Gluei from Alma7 who made a card of a sweet trick or treater who is too cute to spook!

Li-Bee-Ti submitted a cute card - and I love a good pun! Hope we been witchen you for future themes too!

Challenge #29 - Hocus Pocus & a Treat

Hocus Pocus is the challenge.

Wave your wands and make a project appear.

Anything Magic goes.

Jana here: It's not too late to send out a Halloween hello. So, I made a card. I layered and had fun. I also colored my first image. I haven't broken down and become the owner of any Copics or Promarkers. Yet. But after trying to make due, I think it will be on my birthday wish list. I'll email a link to DH. Just need to do a little more research. If you use either one of these, let me know what you think. If you have used both, let me know which you prefer.

Anyway, back to the card. The base is Wasau black cardstock, the background paper is K&CO, the white spider web is Martha Stewart, ribbon is from my stash, image is from In Style Stamps, orange spider is one of those rings the girls got in a goodie bag, scallop punches from my stash, Stampin Up "creepy crawly" stamp and the drippy goo punch from Martha Stewart. I had to go old school glue with the Martha spider web. It's felt and wouldn't stay put with glue dots.

HI! Rosemary here, the magic I've created is I started and finished this stitching piece in one week. Yeah, right, okay...Here's the real deal. The magic of this challenge for me is...I finished this myself.

Which is truly Magic because in the past I've spent oodles of money at AC Moore, Michaels, Ben Franklin, etc. getting my stitched pieces blocked and stretch and framed. In reality, this isn't that hard and I think it looks pretty!

Also, another Magical aspect of this is that I actually have this on the wall. Not sitting in a box in my craft room.

I mounted it on backer board which was adhesive and acid free (very important so that when my descendants sell this in a yard sale as Crazy Auntie Rosemary's craft crap it will still have vibrant color) and then into a frame.

Now, for photographic purposes, I took the glass out and sometimes I've had projects framed without glass, but I tend to keep the glass because I have furballs and their fur magically attaches itself to anything of value of mine.

They're good like that.

So, this is my project - please to enjoy!

Closeup is tweaked a little to show the difference in the pattern (The pattern, by the way, is designed by Vicki Hastings from The Cricket Collection of the Cross-Eyed Cricket and is entitled,

Seasonings - booklet No. 100)

Jana here again. We throw an annual Halloween Sleepover Party.

Last year I made these little albums for the girls.

I put them in little bags. And made matching tags

I used my Quickutz to make little tiny scenes for the pages.



Not a fancy album. Or a big one. Only 8 pages.



Just a little something for them to remember the party.


(OMG - says Rosemary, how does she do all of this? It's all the coffee she drinks, has to be. I'm in awe of how cute these are.)



I got carried away and made too many albums.

I have some left over, so I want to give away. (Sorry, I don't have the little bags.)
All you have to do is be one of the first five to join and post the challenge this week.
I have them ready to go. I just need to know to whom to send them.



Now go conjure up something magical.
(Rosemary again, a recap of our "Blue Blue Blue" projects is posted below. Make sure to check them all out and visit their blogs to leave some love.)

Let's see what you did for the theme "Blue Blue Blue"

Once again, the good followers of Order of the Opus Gluei have outdone themselves. I love the different perspectives and takes you each bring to your projects. I am inspired, touched, and very interested in your submittals - they give a little glimpse into you and your inspiration and it is an honor to visit and see what you're making.

This theme is no exception; you each had a unique way of answering the call for this challenge and you did so beautifully.

We have a new participant - Maria - and if you get a moment, go over and drool over her pretty cards. Her blue project is a lovely little mermaid with an embossed bubble background. Beautiful and the little sentiment on the front is adorable.

Our dear Opus Gluei greenhorn, Kristen, made a blog entry submittal - a soulful and heartfelt poem for her brother that is very touching.

Chat Noir (aka Carolann) made a spectacular card - it's going to be for her dad for Father's Day. May this ability to be organized rub off on me in 2010. To me this is the epitome of elegant! It's got a gentle color, and subtle touches of just classic elegance.

Electra, another of our newer Opus Gluei friends, made an altered project that you are going to swoooooon over; it's beautiful with lots of texture and interest to draw you in and yes, there is plenty of blue in it to qualify. She does such cool projects in all sorts of formats that I'm just thinking - how does she do it all? But she does and we're all the better for getting to see it!!!

Jessica, another of our recent friends of the blog, made an elegant card that is so beautiful in its shading. She also has a link to a cool technique that I didn't know how to do and now I want to make something with it! Check out her other cards too, you are going to just love love love them!

Christine also made a card and WOW - that a pretty card! Who wouldn't love to find this in their mail??? It's got such lovely elements - flocked paper, charms, beautiful patterned paper, and bling (oh my)! YUMMY eye candy!

Irit Shalom submitted a sweet and lovely scrapbook layout of her daughter (what a cute girl!) that is also full of the pretty touches I love - bling, soft shading, lace and the butterflies are so perfect!

(((( Irit's wonderful layout has been accepted for publication,

so we have removed it. Temporarily.))))

After a long absence where we missed seeing her beautiful work, our friend of the blog Desi (aka Ivolina) is back! YAY!!!She brings a great 3-D card with paper piecing that she does beautifully (I'd make a mess of it but she is awesome with it) on a blue background. This card has such fine details and lovely elements. Welcome back!

Challenge #28 - Blue blue blue

No, your Opus Gluei Poobahs aren't feeling blue about the change of seasons...they just feel like it is time for a color challenge! But you don't HAVE to see it as a color challenge if you don't want.


So, our theme this week is "Blue," and you can interpret that how you like - the color, the mood, whatever, the choice is entirely up to you but let's see something artsy and crafty and interesting created by your hands and inspired by BLUE!



This is Rosemary, well-rested from vacation and with a theme like this and a vacation just finished you'd be thinking...hmm....maybe something beachy or ocean as your blue submittal eh, Rosemary? Well, I'm throwing you for a loop because I've chosen to make an oversized tag with a Christmas theme! (and blue no less)


If you would like to know the specifics of the actual tag, just click this link and you'll get all the details over at my blog. I did use lots of blue inks, blue cardstock, blue Stickles glitter glue, and a blue-ish rickrack ribbon (say THAT three times fast).

Jana was an incredible trouper for taking last week's theme and getting it up and running AND then also recapping the last two challenges - she's a wonderful friend!

Jana here: Still waiting for all my glue to show up!!!!!!

She is also a horrible photographer as evidenced below.

These cards are both ADORABLE in real life. (They only suck on line.)

I was going to make one card, until I started playing. She is so cute, I HAD to make two.

The little gal in these photos is from INKADINKADO, Asian Characters, the quote above is UNITY, the ribbon is AMERICAN CRAFTS, the paper is a combo of FISKARS, K&COMPANY and stuff I printed myself, the blue stripe is vellum (no clue where that came from), flowers are PRIMA, velvet flower brad is MAKING MEMORIES, metallic f;ower is COLORBOK.

So, let's see how this theme inspires you and your creativity!!!

And here they are in blue, blue, blue...

Jana here: For the life of me I cannot take a good picture.

These cards are no exception.

You would think it would be easy.

Nothing moving.

Just point the camera in the general direction and press the button.

I don't have a fancy camera.

But, NOPE, I cannot do it.

Just one of those things I guess.

While I may not be talented, I am stubborn.

I kept trying.

Here they are in blue.

Thanks for being understanding.

Bling in Review & Copy Cat too... Part 2

I finally get off my keister and get the week in review done, and wouldn't you know it, Craftola sneaks one in on me.

So here she is:

Pumpkin Head Barbie. Love her. Barbie now truly does have everything.

Thanks for letting me get away with being lazy and just adding an amendment to the post.

(Like you really have any say.)

Bling in Review & Copy Cat too...

I have been neglectful to all of you wonderfully talented ladies.

I most humbly apologize.

I didn't post the Glitter entries. And there were so many wonderful ones.

I am of the firm belief that it can't be bad if it is shiny.

And so without further mumblings from me, here are the masterpieces:

Gini created this sparkly paper doll. Isn't she adorable.

Carol made this gorgeous blingy floral creation. Love it.

Fran glittered up this adorable baby girl card. Too precious.

Carolann boggled our minds with this way too clever bookmark.

Kristen's card is spot on for these Poobahs.

Jess's tag is very delicious. Love that Tilda.

IRIT has sent us over the Rainbow with this incredible layout.

This fairy card by Erika is a wonderful fantasy escape. Love the colors and the details

Electra really made her daughter shine with all this wonderful bling.

Divya has touched our green little hearts with her recycling of candy wrappers.

And now on to last weeks Copy Cats. I think these are great works.


Electra made us drool with this incredible layout. We love all the buttons and the colors.

Gini certainly wow'ed us with this very artful Zetti style artwork.

A huge THANK YOU to all who took on our challenge.

We appreciate you. And we like playing with you too.

We hope you were able to get the glitter out of your hair this week.

Challenge #27 - Copy Cat

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

Your mission this week, should you choose to accept it, is to flatter someone.

Find a project you like and imitate it.

Jana here: Mine is an album that I made in class a couple years ago.

I made 8 kits for a children's home in San Antonio, Texas.

I needed something quick and relatively easy.

So I turned to the album I had already made.

You can read more about the album, see more of the pages and find out how I found these young girls on my blog here.

Here is the first page as made, AND as altered for my original album, AND as altered for the album kits.

I used paper instead of the ribbon strip along the bottom and changed the color scheme, as well as the title to suit the intent of the albums. I plan to personalize the front page for each girl.

Patterned papers are all American Craft. Card stock is from my stash and is mostly Bazzill with a few others thrown in.

Fot these pages I used the punches and dies that I actually have. I think they work just as well.

Same for this page. I used the tools I already have and made it my own.

Rosemary is on vacation. She had another theme for this week, but I highjacked her post.

She left, so I am taking over. I am the ruler of the horns. Bow down and offer up your glue to me.

Bwahahahaha.

Again, we accept ATC's, cards, inchies, twinchies, layouts, clothing, blankets, hats, scarves, cash, well, you get the idea.

Now get out there and copy someone else's hard work.

(Showcase of last week's entries will be posted by Wednesday. Check back later in the week.)