Happy Anniversary Challenge (#52)

We are pleased as punch to announce our 52nd Challenge. This makes a whole years worth of Challenges. We've been online for a little over a year, so we have passed our year anniversary. Kinda didn't even notice. We are thrilled that we have offered you a whole year of crafty goodness.

In order to make this Challenge reflect our laid back attitude toward crafting, our Challenge this week is:

Make Something

Yup, it's that easy. Just make SOMETHING this week.

Doesn't matter what it is: card, bookmark, wreath, canvas, journal page, dinner, toaster cozy...

Then post it on your blog and leave us a link in the comments.

* * *

Rosemary here - I have missed being over here at my favorite playground - I have had a serious health issue within my family that is resolving favorably now (YAY) and so I have not set foot in my craft room to make something in seemingly FOREVER. A big thank you to Jana who kept the blog running. She's not only a wonderful friend but a creative force to be reckoned with!

Can you believe it that we've had a year of bloggy goodness and it's amazing because it has gone by in a blur! We hope you've enjoyed the challenges, I love that we've expanded our folowers and you seem to enjoy the fun and freewheeling nature of an Opus Gluei challenge! (This blog wouldn't exist or be as fun if it weren't a collaboration with a dear person like Jana)

For this challenge I decided to take on a previous challenge I missed - SPARKLE. Now, knowing me you're thinking uh oh, more girly lacey sparkling blingy stuff. Oh, you know me well (wink).

HOWEVER, I actually decided to up the ante on myself and NOT use girly/romantic items in my sparkling project. I made a birthday card with an outer space theme for my nephew who will be 9 very shortly.

I went with lots of glittery Stickles and some pop dots for my planets, the little alien dude, and the stars. I'm a child of the original Star Trek generation so I think there are swirly glittery planets and those with giant green dots (could be land masses).

Did I do okay for not being the hopeless romantic for once?

* * *

Jana here: This week I made SOMETHING with my daughters. Nothing too fancy or complicated.

We made a Ledge Garden for the kitchen/family room.

This is the "pass-thru" between the kitchen and family room. A few weeks back, Melissa decided we needed to plant a garden. I told her we could when she cleaned her room. She finally cleaned it up this morning. All the supplies used are from Target. Even the little Garden Gnomes. (Ignore the dirty cups in the background.)

(We have Basil, Oregano, Chives, Marigolds, Zinnias, Sunflowers, Baby's Breath and a Pine tree.)

It felt kinda plain and simple, you know for a weekly project, so I added a frame to the photo. It really MAKES the garden, don't cha think!?!?!?!? LOL. Don't be fooled though, if you have ever dealt with kids, you know that there was a great deal of complication involved in this project. And a huge mess too. It was worth all the dirt on the kitchen table and floor. We had fun and will get to watch things grow. (I hope.)

Show us what you made this week!

Ready, Set, Go, Review

We had some WONDERFUL sets submitted this week.

Just take a look. For additional photos and more details, be sure to visit each artist's blog.

* * * * *

Electra

Susan



Kristen

Le


Thank you all. We love seeing your interpretation of the weekly challenges.

Challenge # 51 - Ready, Set, GO...

It's a common enough phrase, but we are SO not the common challenge blog.

.

.

We want you to make a SET of whatever it is you make.

.

.

Two or more makes a set. At least here it does.

.
.
And to make things a bit more interesting....

.

...MAKE YOUR SET WITHOUT PATTERNED PAPER.
.
.

* * * * *

.

.

Jana here: I made 2 sets of cards. Not quite over the bird thing, I added an adorable little owlie to half of them, and a pretty butterfly to the other half. These are supposed to be "One minute cards", but it took me longer than that. LOL Doesn't matter. I had fun. These would be perfect for a gift. I also made them matching card-envelope sets. It's so easy, a cave-woman could do it. Just take one of whatever stamps you are using, and stamp one of the images on the lower left corner of the envelope AND presto, instant matching card-envelope set.

.

.

.

Not quite sure I like the Kraft set.

.

.

.

.
Sorry about the scan. I just couldn't find a spot to work for pictures tonight.

Maybe tomorrow. (I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you though.)

.

AND

.

I made a set of 3 ATC's. I stamped them on white cardstock and colored one with colored pencils, one with Copic markers and the other with watercolor crayons. I love the way they all turned out so differently. You can see the color on the colored pencil one only slightly better in person. It really is faint.

.

.
.

.

I know I am not supposed to have favorites, but, I am in love with the watercolor crayon version. It's so bright and vibrant.

.
.

* * * * *
.
.

You've been prepped, you know the guidelines, you can do this,

.
.
.

NOW:

.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.

READY, SET, GO...

..

.

.

Saturday Rewind - Challenge #50 - For the Birds

Apparently you didn't think we were bird-brained when it came to this challenge - we got great submittals! It makes us so happy to know that you enjoy our challenges and just run with them and make them your own!!!

Without further adieu, let's see what everyone made! Shared for your viewing pleasure in no particular order. Check out each other's blogs and get even more inspiration and make some bloggy friends. We really enjoy stopping by and visiting to see not only our challenge but what other projects you're working on.



Chat Noir thought she was too late (you are never too late for an Opus Gluei challenge) to enter this elegant treat for our peeps. I love the simple lines and the calm in this card. That little sparkle of dew is a wonderful surprise.

Look at Susan's gorgeous robin on this card - there are so many elements to make you ooh and ahh over. There's the perfect spring colors, the coloring on the robin, the dimensional element, and the embellishments. So pretty and love the use of the patterned paper behind the robin to add the feeling of the outdoors.

Deb is a new participant (WELCOME TO THE BLOG) and aren't we lucky to have her here - I'm thinking we're going to be getting some beautiful projects for our challenges and lots of inspiration over at her blog! Love this card, it has pretty colors, a sweet little theme, and isn't the coloring great? I'm loving the ribbon and the buttons as well. It all just comes together.

Divya created this layout with gorgeous photos her husband took. You might be saying - but they are flowers, how does that go with the theme of birds? The flowers are bird of paradise (LOL) - now, THAT is thinking outside the box! Love it!

Le made a beautiful card with a very clean, elegant, and classy take on our bird challenge. This has a romantic but modern vibe to it and it also makes you feel happy looking at it. and Le was inspired to submit an additional card, THANK YOU, and look at how great it is! It is arty, like her first project, but it has its own completely different vibe - and check out the way it is at one glance leaves and then birds. Le includes how she approaches her work and I love getting a glimpse of the process. Really beautiful!

Deb is new to our challenges (WELCOME ABOARD) (and HEY, another Deb) and look at these fun, fabulous felt birdies! These are just two examples and you have to visit her blog and see the others. You're going to be hitting up that felt stash again!

I'm loving any blog with CRAFTY CHAOS in their title and Susan (of the crafty chaos) made a really cute card here with little pink sweetie (tweety) birds that brings a warm smile to your face looking at it. Really nice job and I love the pieced trees, the use of several different patterns expertly (I'm challenged like that) and the gentle kindness of the card.

Electra used her great humor and made this fun and witty digi creation (Bird Soup) - love the vibrancy! Check out her blog and prepare to laugh out loud! She has a great take on well...everything and we love her bunches!

Maria carried the theme to be the birds AND THE BEES (oh my) - don't get all wound up on this - she made a beautiful card with her bees (she's not as cheeky as your poobahs - lol) Love all the elements here - the warm honey coloring and the texture, and the dimensional piece as well and having the sentiment gives an energetic feeling as well.

Crafty and prolific Kristen, who makes beautiful cards and has adorable digi motifs she creates, made an inspirational card using natural and gentle colors that make you smile! Love the inspiration and strength of this scripture passage.

Kristie, who I also believe is fairly new to OG (WELCOME), made two lovely cards. These have such pretty elements of texture and coloring, they just bring a smile to your face; why, they are...dare I say it? SO TWEET!!! (lol - I'm a dork and crack myself up so just smile and nod at the crazy lady)

Also, we have two more projects from a frequent Opus Gluei friend, Marni, who made these for previous challenges and we hadn't posted them. They are wonderful.

First is for "Sparkle" and Marni used sheet music in this project - now, how cool is THAT? I love the elegance of this and can't wait to see how Marni uses it. (btw, when you check out her blog you will see one absolutely adorable little pug (Miss Sydney Woo) who has so much personality)(she's right up there with Jenna Belle - Kristen's little sweetie)
and look at this for "Get Felt Up" - an environmentally conscious and cute (with a capital C) beverage wrap to protect your fingers while having that morning cup of coffee. It gets better, this is made with a felt that comes from recycled plastics. LOVE THIS!
We hope to see you back here on Sunday for our next challenge! We're almost to that 52nd challenge! A year's worth of arty fun and we've got some special things planned. But Sunday is Challenge #51 and we're pretty sure you're going to like it also! See you soon!

SPARKLE REVIEW

Sparkle Review has been posted.

CLICK HERE to view.

Challenge # 50 - For the Birds

Hey crafty chicks, we want to see you strut your tail feathers.

BIRD is the word this week.

Let's get fowl with each other.

Take a flying leap!

(into the great unknown, we're not being rude to our loyal followers)

Ruffle some feathers

Take inpiration in whatever comes to your mind regarding birds.

Feathers, flight, birdcages, heck, even worms.
If you can relate it to a bird, it's fair game.

*********

Rosemary here - As we discussed this challenge theme I thought, birds of a feather, bird-brained, bye bye birdie, and so on and then looked around and saw a Stampin Up catalog with a cute little "Home Tweet Home" card in it and I thougtht - YES.

I need something simple and pretty for my kitchen to inspire me as I stand there washing dirty pans and gazing out into my backyard at the deer eating all my stuff....something that is kind of whimsical and fun but something I won't feel bad about disposing of when I grow bored of it. (Well, don't I sound like Miss High and Mighty - take it away and bring me another lover - if you watch AbFab then you know of whence I speak, otherwise, you just think I'm weird - and I can live with that - LOL)

I give you my take on Home Tweet Home. Oh, and the one bird got lonely so I made a little accent to go along with her. They are happy now, entrapped in glass to amuse me as I do domestic chores! I'll put details (if you really want to know how I made them over on my personal blog) And it's perfect for the kitchen sink because it has everything BUT the kitchen sink included! (LOL)

**********

Jana here: I decided that I have been far too serious lately, so I have let my imagination out of the coop. I'm learning more and more each day about how to use PSE7, and so, I made a digital tribute to you all. Please enjoy.

(Please click on the image to get to the details.)

(Jana owes Rosemary a new monitor for coffee damage from laughing out

loud while drinking said coffee - I'm just sayin')


Spread your wings and fly with us this week...

A recap of all the fantastic entries from Challenge #49 is coming!

Sparkle Review

Sounds like we should be in old timey Vegas, or out west somewhere in a saloon.

Anyway, we had thousands of wonderful entries. Okay, okay, not thousands, but we did get a lot.

AND THEY ARE ALL WONDERFUL.

(NOTE: There are NO deadlines at Opus Gluei. Submit your entry for any of our challenges anytime. We are firm believers that you have to follow your inspiration when it smacks you in the head.)

Please feel free to click on the creators name.

(It'll take you on a magic carpet ride to the post with their creation and give you some more details about their works of art.)

Clicking is free and it'll make you feel better AND maybe inspire you too!

So, without further delay, and in no particular order,

I present to you:

THE SPARKLE REVIEW

* * * * * * * * * * *

Deb

Denise

Jess

Christine

Bosenberries

Diane

Diane (second entry)

Carol

Teresa

Le

Black Dragon

Susan's crafty chaos

Sandye.

Chat Noir

Lovely Linda

Linda64

Electra

Susan

Kay

Maria

Elizabeth

Thank you ALL so very much for playing with us.