Challenge #26 - Bling it on...

Show me sparkles.

Show me glitter.

The shinier, the better.

Question: How much bling is too much?

Answer: Duh, you can NEVER have too much. (I know, right?)(this is a trick question, right?)

Jana here: Although I'm the one who came up with this brilliant challenge.

I had NO idea of what to make. So I decided to pull out my glitter stash for inspiration. Surely I would come up with a wonderfully fantastic project idea. Well, I did. I pulled out the

B-O-R-I-N-G

container which housed my glitters. Sigh. How depressing. So, I pulled out a spare paper mache' box I had lying around. (What, don't you have one just lying around?) I decided to make a "house" worthy of my glittery goodies. I used some glitter sticker paper I had in my stash. Turquoise, silver and purple looked right to me. Yup. I had coffee this am.

And here are my happy sparkly babies in their new crib.

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Rosemary here with my submittal for this; who doesn't love shiny pretty things? NOT ME!!! So, my submittal is a glittery Halloween card - pretty simple but I think it's cute.

(Items used : orange cardstock, a scrap of the same punched with a Martha Stewart Halloween punch that also embosses (makes the pumpkins pop), a $1 stamp from the local big craft store that was stamped and embossed on more scrap cardstock, a piece of black glitter paper I bought at the Queen's Ink (the most expensive piece on this card and I'm so glad I used it - normally I think - no, I need to save this), and a little piece I cut from a Debbie Mumm holiday stack of paper (which is also glittered, in case the photo doesn't do it justice). I used pop dots on the spooky house to make it stand out a bit more. We may have actually found out when too much bling is too much (NYAAAHHHH))

************Who Participated in Last Week's Challenge??? - "National Sewing Month"********

We got to see fabulous pieces submitted for last week's challenge in which we asked you to use sewing (real or faux) on your project. No one, including your Poobah Rosemary, took up any of the other "National" month causes - prostate awareness, chicken recipes, emergency preparedness - save your photos and crafting stuff, cholesterol awareness, Maud Fernblatt's pie plate collection month, etc...but I was thinking one of us might...

Irit Shalom, a new participant with Opus-Gluei, made a "cool" layout with stamped stitching, makes you shiver. Love it, it's got embellishments that just catch your eye and draw you in to look a little closer - hope the hubby gets to go skiiing again and comes back healthy! (I am of the same type - love to try new things, apparently gets hurt in attempts)

Jessica (love that blog title - Jess' Obsession, how true how true) made an exquisite Christmas card - it has a less traditional color combo and uses the paper as quilt blocks with the cutest little girl stamp (Jam Tilda) that absolutely pops with the Copic colors used.

Kristen, our Opus-Gluei greenhorn (and remember you can be one too with a photo and email to us- wear those horns proudly), made a Russian Punch Needle Halloween design for her card. How lucky is someone going to be to get that??? (I'd probably "forget" to send it and then use it as a decoration, but that's just me) The card is great and I love that cat's grin!

Chat Noir, a long-time Opus-Gluei friend of the blog, made a gorgeous card, I love the soft take in its gentle colors and delicate flower embellishment. The handmade paper used also has a stitched motif that really adds a subtle and beautiful touch.

Meikoningin made a beautiful card too with vintage elements and stamping and a rich texture that draws you in. I feel like there is a good story to this couple and the map, etc. She's a great storyteller so I want her to tell us more about this inspiration - hint hint hint

Lucky for us, Kathy (aka Craftola, another O-G Greenhorn), was making her daughter's Halloween costume. Oh my gosh, this is so cute and wowza - that's a lot of work too! But the end result and her daughter's enjoyment were worth the hours spent sewing this up!

Electra made sewing ATCs and I love them - love the little details that just finish them beautifully, the richness of color, and the overall fun retro/vintage feel (LOVE LOVE LOVE that sayeth the Rosemary)

UPDATED - Challenge #25 - It's National Sewing Month

FINALLY - Rosemary came through with her own project!

Did you know that September is National Sewing Month? It is also Prostate Awareness Month, Cholesterol Education Month, Preparedness Month, Food Safety Month, Pet Insurance Month, Chicken Recipe Month, etc... all worthy causes and worth exploring more.

But, this is Opus Gluei and we're going to focus on the crafty! (I hesitate to think what you fun followers would make for prostate awareness or pet insurance)

So, your challenge (should you accept it) is to make something using the theme "Sewing." It can be stitching on a card, faux stitching, a quilting project, etc. You know us, let your imagination lead you. (and if you are just dying to make something for the other national events for this month then have at it - I know I'll love to see them too!)

So, Rosemary here and this is my finished project - I tried to do a large wreath of felt leaves that just wouldn't come together. I needed more time and I will figure it out. But then I thought smaller and came up with this primitive ATC made of felt with embroidery floss embellishment. Hope you like it! I put a muslin heart on the back to have the title and other information included - since that is what you usually do with ATCs. I think it achieved what I was going for. Sorry it was so late. Even the poobahs sometimes get overwhelmed by other things!

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Last week we showed what our new challenges are - what we Yearn to Learn!

Miss Kristen gave us another of her great card - this one is so classic and elegant. I don't know where she carves out the time to make such beautiful creations but somehow she does and we luck out to get to share them! She wants to learn Celtic art, I think that she will if she can find out how to function on 2 hours of sleep. Go Kristen Go!!!

One of our newest Opus Gluei Groupies, Miss Electra, also treated us to some eye candy and her yearn to learn wish - to dance Bollywood style. Doesn't that sound fun but challenging??? Love her moxie and her ATC for this new learning experience. Go Electra Go!!!