Got Pride?

Happy Pride week everyone! I spent this Sunday at the Gay Pride Parade in Chicago with my Brother and some friends... what a mad-house! The weather was beautiful except for a couple quick downpours that served to thin out the crowds a little bit.

Pride was great for people watching and I was able to play photographer and got some amazing shots. Here are a few of my favorites... but check back in a couple days to my Flickr, I will upload the rest there ASAP!

80's Flashback...

This clip was shared on SIS TV today... and I just need to say...

Who ARE those two guys dancing behind Debbie... and how OLD are they???

For what occasion are the random "audience" dancers dressed? One chick looks like she's in a prom/wedding gown... and everyone looks like either Madonna or Don Johnson sellected their outfits.

This video is perfect for playing my favorite game "Count the Mullets". Play along!

I recommend you stick around for the second 1/2 of the clip... the last 30 seconds feature some of the best dancing by men in suspenders I have ever... and I mean ever seen.



And now, confession time. I just spent like 30 minutes of my life watching this OVER and OVER.

Thank you Debbie Gibson... thank you!

More From the Digi Front...

Yes... it's the scrapblog again. I fear I may be addicted! it's just so easy to put a cool layout together while you are sitting in front of the TV... or chatting on the phone. I used to swear I would NEVER go digi... and well, here I am. Digiing it up all over the place!

What's so rad about SB is that you don't need any editing software... and it's so easy! Here are some VERY basic tips I have learned over there at scrapblog, if you decide to give it a whirl...

1. Drop shadows are the key to making your images pop... but some graphics look great without the shadow... then they look more like a rub on or stamp.

2. Experiment with editing your pictures with SB... My faves are BOOST and vignette... Antique is cool too! Play with using multiple treatments.

3. Stickers can go anywhere! In the layout below I used a photo corner under the word love... in the "baby likes the wall" layout... the journaling is done on a scrap sticker that is really a frame. I just hid the frame part behind the picture. Overlapping stickers can create new looks too... like in the layout below I stitched on top of a scrap of notebook paper to create a whole new embellishment.

4. Play with the opacity of your stickers... let the background show through. Think of how a piece of notebook paper or strip of masking tape would really look when laid over a piece of patterned paper, and mimic that by adjusting the opacity.

5. make your own background papers by layering papers on top of each other. Select a background from the background section... and then choose background STICKERS to lay in full over the top... then adjust the OPACITY of those stickers. In the layout below I used a sticker to create the distressing around the sides... then I took that same sticker, rotated it to vary the pattern and used that as a THIRD layer. In the last layout I used a very bright blue (with stars) for the background... and then layered a light beige background sticker over the top... and lightened up the opacity. to create a blended look.

6. Are you looking for the nifty Audrey Neal Digi kits (as seen in my 2nd and 3rd layouts above) that are availible for free in Scrapblog??? Well, you can ONLY find them if you access Scrapblog via Scrap in Style TV... HERE... look all the way at the bottom for the little button on the left...

What... you aren't a member yet of Scrap in Style TV? well sign up... that's were all the fun is happenin'! And when you do sign up, find me and say hello! I am staramaze (there and everywhere).

Stay tuned for some cool shots of my new fave store... Craft Fancy!

Oh Dear God She's Talking About Politics....

Funny site if you BaROCK the vote... are a Mama for Obama... or just think Barack is your homeboy... Just visit and start clicking away... endless fun.

CLICK HERE NOW

My faves....
Barack Obama wanted you to have some cupcakes

Barack Obama has a balloon for you

Barack Obama emailed your dad and told him how great you are

Barack Obama spent the afternoon setting up your router

And to be fair and non-partisan...
For McCain Fans... although... note the ads... Barack's site was free yo!

REGISTER TO VOTE NOW!

Craftin's Hard Y'all!

Thank god for Basic Grey chipboard files... without them this project would not have been possible. It took three days... and some hand cramps... and to be honest, I don't know why I decided to make it. Just for "fun" I guess. But it wasn't very fun. It was boring and took way too long. I would call it a labor of love... but that would mean I loved the process right???

Anywhoo... here it is in all it's glory. The sunshine mobile....

Click on photos to enlarge

Chipboard by Stampin' Up' (and me)... Paper by Daisy D's, Love Elsie, Fancy Pants and K&Company. Ribbon and twine by Martha Stewart Crafts. Vintage Buttons.

I stitched the faces on to the paper by hand before I affixed it to the chipboard.

Each chipboard piece was hand sanded and sponged with white craft ink.

The buttons were stitched prior to affixing them to the chipboard with Scotch Quick Dry adhesive. The holes were created with a crop-a-dile and secured with eyelets.