Stampings and Inklings

Country Chapel

2012-02-09T11:10:00.002-05:00

Hello Stamping Friends! This pretty chapel scene is a new stamp in the Floral Cross Collections by Heartfelt Creations that I combined with the Mountain Scene from the Mystic Hideaway set in the Chateau Gate Collection. I thought they went perfectly together and it was easy to create the scene with a little masking. You can read the instructions for the stipple coloring I did HERE on one of the several cards I have posted using the mountains. I just love them!! Of course I do live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and our view is of mountains, so I guess I'm biased. LOL Here's how I made this card:

Country Church

HC Product Used on This Project:
HCPC3450 Cross and Lilies PreCut Set
HCPC 3451 Going to the Chapel PreCut Set
HCPC 3445 Mystic Hideaway PreCut Set
HCD 713 Decorative Lace Border Die
HCPC 3435 Feather Grass Flourish PreCut Set

Other: dark green and brown Bazzill cardstock, Neenah Natural cream cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copics E50, E23, Staedtler light brown 73 watercolor pencil, Distress Inks (tea dye, bundled sage, old paper), Versamark ink, Stampendous aged copper enamel, pop dots, brown ribbon, Archival Jet Black ink, stipple brushes, Adirondack ink (butterscotch, cranberry), Distress Inks (broken china, pine needles, forest moss, vintage photo, bundled sage, peeled paint, iced spruce), Spica gold glitter pen, Copics (E50, E51, R14, R21, C1, C3, BG10, B0000), Staedtler watercolor pencils, corner round punch, Jute cord.

8 x 6 inch top fold dark green card. On a 7-3/8 x 5-3/8 cream card stock, stamp the word cross using Memento Tuxedo Black ink in upper left corner. Color with E50 directly behind the words using a straight edge in order to define the cross. Go over the E50 color with a light brown water color pencil. Ink edges of entire card stock piece with tea dye and bundled sage inks. Stamp the smallest Feather Grass Flourish randomly around edge using Old Paper Distress Ink. On a separate piece of cream cs, stamp the solid cross with Versamark and emboss with aged copper enamel. Cut out and attach pop dots. Color the sides of the pop dots with E23 so they will blend in. Place Solid Cross in center of Word Cross. Layer cs on 7.5 x 5.5 brown cs. Wrap ribbon around both and adhere to green card. Adhere scenery piece and bow.

To create the scenery piece: Stamp the Chapel on white card stock and again on scrap copy paper to use as a mask. Mask the church and stamp the Mountains behind the Chapel. Stamp the mountains on scrap paper to use as a mask and cut the mountains out on the ridge line, saving both parts for masks. Leave the chapel mask in place and add the mask for the land portion of the mountains. Stipple the sky starting next to the mountains with Butterscotch ink, then Cranberry, and last Broken China at the top. Remove the land mask and add the sky mask. Stipple the land using the colors of distress inks listed in the “other” list above. Apply gold glitter pen to the steeple. Color the chapel as desired with Copics and Staedtler water color pencils. Trim scene to 3.5 x 4.25 inches. Distress edges and ink with Vintage Photo. Layer onto a 3-5/8 x 4-3/8 dark green cs and finally onto a frame mat created with the Decorative Lace Border Die (cut 4 half inch x 6 inch strips of brown cs and die cut desired section of die. Overlap the strips, lining up the holes to form a rectangle frame. Miter the corners.) Stamp Verse from the Cross and Lilies PreCut set onto cream cs with black ink. Corner round punch and ink edges with Tea Dye and Bundled Sage. Tie onto the scene with yellow Jute Cord.

Heartfelt Creations Floral Cross Collection!

2012-02-08T01:05:00.000-05:00

Happy Heartfelt Wednesday Friends!! Heartfelt Creations has released a fantastic new collection called Floral Cross! Isn't it beautiful?!!? Please visit the HC BLOG to see all the wonderful projects the Design Team created this week. Plus if you leave a comment there, you have a chance to win the entire release!! The lilies can be colored so many different ways to make them look like pink Stargazers, white Easter Lilies, or even Tiger or Day Lilies. The crosses included in this collection are just beautiful and can be used for many occasions. And the chapel image is just so pretty!! I'll have a card to share with you tomorrow using the chapel or you can view it today on the HC Blog.

Cross and Lilies Sympathy Card

HC Product Used on this Project:
HCPC 3450 Cross and Lilies PreCut Set
HCPC 3454 Twining Clematis PreCut Set
HCPC 3453 Malabar Clematis PreCut Set
HCD 719 Cross and Lilies Die
HCPC 3443 Palace Entry PreCut Set (used on inside)
415219 Labels 5 Nestabilities
Sticky Tape Sheets

Other: White Neenah cardstock, Archival Jet Black ink, Glitter Ritz Warm Highlight, Copics (E15, R83, G24, 0), Sizzix Damask 3 embossing folder, Cuttlebug D’vine Swirls and Swiss Dots embossing folders, Distress Inks (Spun Sugar, Scattered Straw), Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copics (R81, R83, R85, V17, G20, G24), Bazzill cardstock (Piglet and French Vanilla), Adirondack Inks (Wild Plum, Butterscotch, Latte), stipple brushes, foam tape, glue dots, organza ribbon.

6 x 7 inch left fold card. Stamp the Cross with Archival Jet Black ink onto white cardstock. Apply Sticky Tape Sheet piece slightly larger than the cross and then hand cut the cross out. Remove protective cover and apply the Glitter Ritz Warm Highlight glitter. Color with Copics. Trace this cross 2 times on white cs and cut them out. Dry emboss those 2 crosses and ink the raised surface of one with Spun Sugar Distress ink and the other with Scattered Straw. Set crosses aside until ready to assemble card. Stamp the large Twining Clematis with Memento Tuxedo Black ink in the lower left corner of a 5 x 6” white cs. Stamp the small Twining Clematis on a separate piece of cs that will be hand cut out. Stamp 4 smallest Malabar Clematis Flowers that will be die cut. Color flowers and cut out the small twining one and die cut the individual flowers. Stamp the verse and a portion of the Twining Clematis. Die cut using Labels 5. Color flowers and edge tag with Spun Sugar ink. Assemble card: Layer the piece with the Large Twining Clematis onto a 5-1/8 x 6-1/8 inch Bazzill Piglet (light pink). Tie organza ribbon around left side. Shape and attach the 4 die cut flowers. Layer a 5.75 x 6.75 inch white cs embossed with Swiss Dots onto a 6 x 7 inch Bazzill French Vanilla left fold card. Attach the clematis piece onto the Swiss Dots using foam tape. Arrange crosses adhering the bottom one directly to the white cs. Use foam tape to attach the other embossed cross and the glittered clematis cross. Adhere the verse tag. Add bow and attach the small hand cut twining clematis with foam tape and glue dots.

Inside of card: Stamp verse using Archival Jet Black ink onto 5 x 6 inch white cardstock. Stamp the Palace Entry Flourish randomly around the edges using Wild Plum Adirondack ink. Stipple Butterscotch and Latte inks over the flourishes. Layer onto 5-1/8 x 6-1/8 inch Bazzill Piglet cs and add an organza ribbon knot.

Visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog and leave a comment by Feb. 14th for a chance to win the entire Floral Cross Collection!

Super Sunday

2012-02-05T20:49:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends! Hope everyone is having an enjoyable Sunday and watching the game or the commercials. LOL I like both, so it's taking me forever to get everything ready for this post. DH and I spent the afternoon in the studio... he put together some more of my cabinets. Now I have my work cut out for me - to get everything organized. I've been working out of small drawer chests, open small shelves, and many boxes and totes. I spend more time looking for what I want to use than crafting!! So I'll move all that stuff into the new cabinets and then when the area where that stuff comes from, he'll install more cabinets and a work station. It was nice having him in the studio while I played with things on my craft table. I'm working on a couple of altered projects and while things were drying, I made another Treat Pouch for Valentine's gifts and for the challenge at Joan's Gardens. The instructions to make these cute candy bar holders are on Selma's Blog. I used the Treat Pouch for the base to create for several other of my favorite challenges too! I just received the Cheery Lynn Sophia's Heart Die from Joan's on Friday and I knew I just *had* to use it for this week's Cheery Lynn Challenge 13 - Sweethearts! Cut it from Ruby Slipper Bazzill and used it as my band on the white cardstock treat pouch. Isn't it a super gorgeous die?!! The little hearts on the pouch are some of the punch outs from die cut. The "Love" ticket is the Tall Ticket Punch from McGill and punched from Piglet (light pink) Bazzill. The "Love" stamp and flowers around the "O" are a set from Rubber Stamp Tapestry. It's always fun to stamp with their stamps! Ink colors used include Memento Bamboo Leaves for "love" and Paris Dusk, Rosebud, Rhubarb Stalk for the flowers. The leaves were stamped in Versa Magic Spanish Olive. Perfect for Sentimental Sundays Challenge #88 - Feel the Love. Inked the edges with Memento Angel Pink plus inked the top and bottom edges of the pouch itself. And last but not least, I added some pink organza and red/black ribbon for Really Reasonable Ribbon's Challenge #41 - red and pink with some ribbon!

Enjoy the game and enjoy the commercials! I like the Elton John Pepsi commercial the best so far... and the fat dog that lost all the weight so he could fit through the doggie door to chase the red Volkswagon.... and the little dog with the red running shoes.... actually a lot of good ones this year. Great half time show! OH yeah... the game is pretty good too...

Valentine Treat

2012-02-04T20:25:00.000-05:00

The challenge this week at Joan's Gardens is to create a Valentine Treat Pouch using the directions that are posted on Selma's Blog. The pouches are a breeze to make! I made mine using DP from Basic Grey's Kissing Booth collection. My pink band is a Martha Stewart Doily Lace Deep Edge punch. I chose these colors so I could enter into the Really Reasonable Ribbon's Challenge 41 - red and pink with ribbon theme. I had received my brand new begonia punches from Joan's in the mail yesterday, so I just had to make a pink rose! I also used the paper from Joan's that is a lighter weight and curls so much easier than regular cardstock such as Bazzill. Selma has a great tutorial on her blog and I followed along her instructions.

I used the largest leaf and used 18 like her tutorial, plus 3 for the center. Took a whole sheet of 8.5 x 11 pink paper, but I have all the other sizes of petals that I'll make more flowers. I just figured it was easier to try my 1st with the big petals. It made a whopping flower... 2 inches across!! But I'm pleased with it for my 1st try and it looks pretty realistic. I made the little rose bud following Selma's tutorial also. The greenery is Heartfelt Creations Belle Rose die and Martha Stewart's branch punch. I added a little punched shimmer white heart on the bud and a silver heart charm hanging down from the rose. I'll use this sweet pouch to tuck a dark chocolate bar inside for my sweetie DH! shhhhhh.... don't tell him! LOL

A Framed Card

2012-02-03T09:12:00.001-05:00

Good Morning! This cute little mountain card would be perfect for about any occasion... just change the sentiment. But with the "you are invited", I envisioned a barbecue or a little mountain getaway. I made this card for Heartfelt Creations using their wonderful stamps from some of their recent collections.

I apologize I did not get this posted yesterday as promised in my first Heartfelt Post on Wednesday. Good intentions got delayed by an unexpected trip to the auto mechanics and then an unexpected trip to the ER for a freak 2 hour gushing nosebleed! I've never experienced such. Yes, I was at the Mechanics when the nosebleed began. I am fine and everything checked out okay with all the tests and they sent me on my way after 6 hours of hanging around at the hospital. So my car AND my nose both broke in a span of about 30 minutes, so it was NOT the day I had envisioned having at all yesterday! lol I completely missed out on enjoying the upper 60's spring-like day!

Well... on to the card.... it is completely opposite from the Vintage Love card. I really enjoy all styles and all mediums!

Mountain Invitation

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3445 Mystic Hideaway PreCut Set
HCPC 3432 Magnificent Spruce Trees PreCut Set
HCPC 3405 Leaf Medley PreCut Set
HCPC 3447 Window Accents PreCut Set
HCPC 3449 Door To My Heart PreCut Set

Other: Neenah Natural Cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Stipple brushes, Adirondack Butterscotch & Wild Plum inks, Distress Inks (Broken China, Faded Jeans, Bundled Sage, Vintage Photo, Forest Moss, Pine Needles, Frayed Burlap, Iced Spruce, Walnut Stain, Festive Berries), Kraft cardstock, Corner Rounder punch, red Bazzill cardstock, brown twine, button.

Begin with 5.25 x 5.25 inch cream cardstock. Stamp Heartfelt Creations Mountain Scene twice across. Stamp again onto scrap paper for a mask. Cut along the mountain ridges out for a mask and save the 'sky' portion of the mask to use when you ink the mountains. Lay the mask over the mountains and begin layering color using the stipple brushes. I started with Butterscotch closest to the mountains, then lightly with Wild Plum above the yellow. The yellow is not showing up in the photo so good, but it looks like a sunset sky with yellow glowing up from the mountains. Stipple onto scratch paper first to control how much color you lay on your project. Then the top portion of the sky goes into blue first using Broken China and then Faded Jeans DI. Remove the mask and put on the mask for the sky portion. Lay color into the mountains using stipple brushes. I did this order: bundled sage, vintage photo, forest moss, vintage photo, pine needles. Then I worked color down from the mountains to the foreground using pineneedles and forest moss in the back and then just forest moss up front. Stamp the Magnificent Spruce using Forest Moss ink and then stipple over the tree with Iced Spruce and Evergreen Bough. Color the trees near the mountains with a paint brush and Pine Needles DI. Generation stamp using Frayed Burlap inking just the top edge of the mountain ridge line randomly in the middle ground of card to form hills. Generation stamp using Frayed burlap inking just the bottom grass edge of the mountain stamp and randomly stamp to fill the space. Stamp just the tip of the Small Pine Branch from the Leaf Medley Set using Bundled Sage and some with Frayed Burlap to make taller grass and seedlings. To make the wooden frame, begin with a 5-7/8 x 5-7/8 inch Kraft cardstock. Create a mask by laying a piece of copy paper with its straight edge from corner to diagonal corner on the kraft cs so the stamped image will make a mitered-like corner. Using Walnut Stain ink, stamp a portion of the Woodgrain from the Window Accents Set along the edge of the kraft cs, moving the mask for each side. Tear the inside out and ink the torn edge with walnut stain. Attach scenery piece to back of ‘wood’ frame and wrap brown twine tied into a button around. Layer onto a 6 x 6 red top fold card. Stamp verse using Festive Berries ink onto kraft cs. Corner round punch it and place it on card.

Birthday Balloons

2012-02-01T20:18:00.000-05:00

This is my 2nd post today and the Heartfelt Creations post can be be found HERE or just scroll down.

It's always nice to have a few birthday cards made in case I need one short-notice. So the challenge at Joan's Gardens was great timing this week!! And the dry embossing challenge at Sentimental Sundays was doubly perfect for my little balloon card!!

4.25 x 5.5 inch left fold white card. Layer on top of card a 4-1/8 x 5-3/8 light purple cs. Next is 4 x 5.25 white cs run through the cuttlebug in my Rebecca folder. Ink the raised embossing with Milled Lavender. In the middle, place a 2.5 x 3.25 pink DP and distress edges then put a 2.25 x 3 white cs which has been run with Diamonds in Diamonds embossing folder. Ink the raised embossing with Spun Sugar. Pierce holes where the tiny little diamonds are to five it more texture and interest. Stamp Happy Birthday (Recollections clear cling set) using Seedless Preserves Distress ink. Cut out and ink edges with Milled Lavender DI. Balloons are made with Martha Stewart punch and threads ties on for the strings. Pop dot the balloons and Happy B-day. Add a light pink organza ribbon. Easy and a fun card!

Challenges:
Joan's Gardens Challenge #3- Make a 4.25 x 5.5 inch birthday card. Colors to use are pink, green, and some purple. Include some distress edges (my little pink piece is frayed distressed and I inked edges of the verse). Add Piercing (I pierced the tiny diamonds of the center piece).

Sentimental Sundays Challenge #87 - Dry Embossing & must use a sentiment. I used Rebecca and Diamonds in Diamonds folders. You can enter up to 3 times and this is my 2nd.

Check back tomorrow and I'll have another Heartfelt Creations card and it's completely opposite than the red glitter Valentine's card!!

Vintage Love

2012-02-01T02:00:00.000-05:00

Hi Friends! It's time for Heartfelt Wednesday and since Valentine's Day is fast approaching, I thought I would make a Valentine card. Heartfelt Creations stamps are so versatile for about anything... I just love them! The glitzy blingy background is the extra one I made when I was working on my February Technique Calendar.

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3435 Feather Grass Flourish PreCut Set
HCPC 3406 Botanical Floral 1 PreCut Set
HCPC 3407 Botanical Floral 2 PreCut Set
472186 Rose Creations Shapeabilities
HCD 712 Belle Rose Die
472123 Foliage Shapeabilities
415220 Labels 6 Nestabilities
HCPC 3436 Rye Grass Flourish PreCut Set
159223 Paper Blossoms Molding Mat

Other: Glossy Accents, acetate, various red glitters, red dye re-inker, Adirondack Red Pepper and Cranberry Alcohol ink, vintage sheet music, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Distress Inks (Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain, Festive Berries, Fired Brick), Copics R27 and R29, Crackle Accents, White Neenah cardstock, Martha Stewart pearls, black, brown and green Bazzill cardstock, Martha Stewart Heart Loops Trim border punch, Recollections lace crochet ribbon, Recollections pearl ribbon.

6 x 4.5 inch top fold card. Apply a generous, thick layer bigger than 5.5 x 4 inch area of glossy accents to acetate. While wet, sprinkle on various types/sizes of red glitter. Also while wet, randomly apply a 3-4 drops of dye re-inker and 3 drops each of Red Pepper and Cranberry alcohol inks and swirl it all around with your finger. Pop any air bubbles gently with a pin. Let dry completely overnight. If you want more open clear spaces, use less ink. Alcohol ink alone will work as well... just use less ink. When dry, cut the glittery red acetate to 5.5 x 4 inches. Using Glossy Accents around the edges only, adhere vintage sheet music to the “glue” side of the acetate so that the smooth slick side will be “up”. Layer onto 5.75 x 4.25 inch black cardstock and wrap lace crochet around edges of the red and black. Glue the pearl ribbon on with Glossy Accents, cutting ribbon flush with the edge. Finally layer onto 6 x 4.5 inch told fold brown card. Stamp “Love” from the Feather Grass PreCut Set using Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto white cardstock. Die cut with Labels 6. Color the heart with Copics R27 and R29. Ink edges with Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and edges to center with Festive Berries. Layer onto brown cardstock cut by outlining the die you used to cut the word and hand cut out. Ink edge with Vintage Photo. Apply Crackle Accents just to the colored heart and set aside to dry.

Stamp the Botanical Florals onto white cardstock that has quickly and lightly been sponged with Vintage Photo. Die cut the flowers using the Rose Creations die. Shape flowers and ink the petals with Fired Brick making the curled edges darkest. Ink again with Festive Berries. Stack, shaping as necessary and add pearl centers. Die cut foliage from various green cardstocks. Ink edges of lighter cs. Shape leaves. Adhere flowers, foliage, and verse into place using Glossy Accents.
For inside of card, adhere a 5.5 x 4 inch white cardstock for the note area. Line all 4 sides of the white with the MS double heart loops trim punched from black cardstock. Mask the heart trim and brown card. Stamp the largest Rye Grass Flourish in the upper left corner using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

Since the background is chock full of 3 kinds of glitter and pearls on the crochet ribbon and flowers, I'm entering my card into a few challenges this week:
Stampendous! January Challenge - Bling
PanPastel UK Challenge 3 - Glitter and Glitz
Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #41 - Red and Pink with Ribbon Theme.

Thanks for dropping by today! I hope you find loads of time to stamp and play with your inks!! Don't forget to check out all the other Heartfelt Design Team and the Heartfelt Blog for tons of wonderful inspiration and ideas!!

I {Heart} Dry Embossing!

2012-01-29T20:37:00.000-05:00

This is my 2nd post today... it's pretty rare I do that, but I just had to make a card this afternoon since I had not been in my studio all week! This card is for 2 dry embossing challenges: Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 12 - Dry Embossing & you must use at least 1 Cheery Lynn Die and for Sentimental Sundays #87 dry embossing plus a sentiment.

I used Cheery Lynn Celtic Heart die to cut that gorgeous heart from pink shimmer cs and their Cuties #2 and #3 to make the pink flowers cut from Three Bugs in a Rug April Showers paper. I traced the outside edge of the Celic Heart die and hand cut the red cs heart out and then ran it through the Cuttlebug in the Swiss Dots folder. Other dry embossing includes the white cs was embossed with Cuttlebug's Heart Blocks folder and the butterflies were made using the same background paper and vellum, which were both punched and embossed with the twin punch/emboss set from Floral Punch.

It's a 6 x 5" top fold red Bazzill card. Background paper is Basic Grey Kissing Booth - Lip Lock. The Cuties flowers were cut from the Three Bugs in a Rug April Showers paper. Love stamp is a dowel stamp by Rubber Stamp Tapestry, stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto white cs and edges inked with Spun Sugar distress ink. The pearlized flowers are Adhesives Gems by K&Company. Added white organza ribbon with a pink/white polka dot satin ribbon over top of it.

That's it... thanks for looking!! Valentine's Day is fast approaching!!

Congratulations!

2012-01-29T14:50:00.000-05:00

This card is another I made using the one of the stamps in new Chateau Gatefold Collection from Heartfelt Creations. The city scape is in the Scenic Vista PreCut Set and is a great stamp because it's very versatile and is nice to have for when you need to make a 'manly' card. Be sure to visit the Heartfelt Blog to see all the fantastic creations by the Design Team this week! Visiting their individual blogs will provide you with tons more inspiration and their blog links can be found in my left sidebar!

My card was on the Wednesday HC blog this week, along with the altered cigar box I made. I had intended to post this sooner, but I've been under the weather and did not even turn on my computer for 3 days! Oh my... things pile up quickly in the ol' inbox, don't they?... not to mention all the great blogs and sites I love to visit. Well, it's better late than never...lol... and I'm having fun playing catch-up now...

CityScape

HC Product Used on This Project:
HCPC 3444 Scenic Vista PreCut Set
HCPC 3449 Door To My Heart PreCut Set

Other: White Neenah cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copics (BV00, BV01, BV04, Y00, Y02, YR00, YR01, G000, G0000, B00, B01, R81, R83, C0, G82, G85, B000, B0000), Authentique Majesty Collection, cream cardstock, ribbon.

6-3/8 x 5.25 inch top fold card. Stamp image using Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto 5-5/8 x 4.25 inch white cardstock. Color image with Copics. Wrap ribbon around cardstock and layer onto 6-1/8 x 5 inch DP. Layer onto 6-3/8 x 5.25 inch cream top fold card. Stamp “Congratulations” using Tuxdo Black ink onto .5 x 2.75 inch white card stock and layer onto .75 x 3.0 inch DP. Attach to card front. For inside sentiment panel, cut a 4 x 3 inch white cardstock piece and fold the 4 inches in half so you end up with a 2 x 3 inch little notecard. Cover front of the little notecard with a 2 x 3 piece of matching DP. Stamp “on your new home” verse on strip of white cardstock and attach. Here is a pic of the sweet inside:

But it's funny how things work out sometimes. This Congratulations card is good timing for me personally because my Paradise Beach Scene card was chosen as one of the Top 3 for the first ever Craft a Scene challenge!! Be sure to visit their blog... it's a fun one with lots of good techniques showcased too.

Altered Wood Cigar Box

2012-01-25T03:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Heartfelt Wednesday!!! I had THE best time altering one of my old wood cigar boxes for Heartfelt Creations!! You could certainly make your box be any theme you want. Be sure to visit the HC Blog for tons of great project ideas from all the other Design Team Members!

Here is the "before" picture. It was stamped on the bottom that they were made in Honduras. I bought a bunch of wood cigar boxes years ago and I use them every now and then to make gifts. When I peeled off some loose paper from this box, there was 3 words handwritten in spanish, but I didn't want to know what it was in case it was something not nice!! LOL

Here it is all pretty!

Altered Wood Cigar Box

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3444 Scenic Vista PreCut Set
HCPC 3446 Doorway Trimmings PreCut Set
HCPC 3448 Dainty Blooms and Birdies PreCut Set
HCD 702 Decorative Butterfly-Border Die
HCPC 3374 Flora Grande 2 PreCut Set
HCPC 3375 Flora Grande 1 PreCut Set
472132 Blossoms 3 Nestabilities Die
HCPC 3406 Botanical Floral 1 PreCut Set
HCPC 3407 Botanical Floral 2 PreCut Set
472186 Rose Creations Shapeabilities Die
HCD 712 Belle Rose Die
472123 Foliage Shapeabilities Die
HCPC 3306 Posy Patch Garden Delights PreCut Set
831B Butterfly #3
HCPC 3364 Stained Glass Background PreCut Set
HCPC 3434 Book Frame 2 PreCut Set
918 Old Gold Inka Gold
908 Violet Inka Gold
159223 Paper Blossoms Molding Mat

Other: wood cigar box, Kraft Resist paper, Brilliance Graphite Black ink, Stampendous Detail Black embossing powder, Crushed Olive Distress Stain, Glossy Accents, Bone Folder, Ideaology Tissue Tape, Neenah white cardstock, Versamark Ink, Stampa Rosa Cloisonne High Gloss Granules – Cheetah Sheen, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, pale yellow Bazzill cardstock, Stampendous Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter, Archival Jet Black ink, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists (starfish, old lace, fern chalkboard), various shades green cardstock, Martha Stewart Pine Branch Punch, Paragon 100% Copper Wire Mesh, Aqua and Periwinkle Stampendous embossing powders, Ideaology Key Hole, black Sharpie, Vintage Skeleton Key, ribbon, fibers, 2 tiny nail brads, McGill Tall Ticket punch, Vintage Photo and Bundled Sage Distress Inks, Adirondack Butterscotch ink, slot punch, brass butterfly charm, ribbon, lace

Alter a wood cigar box into a keepsake or trinket box! This one measures 8.5” wide x 3.25” high x 4-7/8” deep. Cut Kraft Resist paper to size, including bottom and inside. Stamp the Garden Scene from Scenic Vista Set, the Arched Scene from Doorway Trimmings Set, and the Birdies from the Dainty Blooms and Birdies Set where desired on the Kraft Resist using Graphite Black Brilliance ink and detail black embossing powder. I stamped on the front and both end pieces.

Right side:

Left side:

Stain only the cut pieces for the outside of the box with Crushed Olive Distress Stain and wipe stain off the embossing. Dry with heat tool. While the paper continues to air dry, glue inside paper in place by using a thin bead line of Glossy Accents around the edges. A little GA goes a long way. Use a bone folder to press in and burnish in place. Tissue Tape corner seams first then the bottom. Do the outside top edge after the green paper gets placed. Tip – make the writing on the tape face the front of the box and fold the tissue tape in half lengthwise to get it in the corners tight and use a bone folder to burnish well.

Adhere outside pieces with GA. Measure tissue tape and stain with Crushed Olive Stain. Do the sides first then the bottom. For the bottom tape, use one long stained piece to wrap around box + 1 extra inch to overlap. Check to make sure the writing will be up when box is right side up. Stick tape to the sides, wrapping around box then cut slits in corners of the portion sticking up in order to fold down onto bottom. For the top of the box, only the outside portion of tape will be stained and to do that, just mask the tape with another piece of tissue tape. The lid will be one continuous piece on the 3 sides.

Decorate the lid: Die cut 2 Decorative Corners from white cardstock. Cover the die cuts with Versamark ink and emboss with Cloisonne High Gloss Granules. Adhere to front corners of lid using GA.

For the yellow flower, stamp with Memento Tuxedo Black on yellow cs 2 of the smallest, 1 next size up, and 1 next bigger of the Flora Grande flowers. Color lightly with Old Gold and Violet Inka Gold then shape and assemble, adding crushed glass glitter for center.

For the 2 roses, using Archival ink stamp 4 of the smallest flowers from Botanical Floral 1 Set for each rose. For the rose bud, stamp 2 mediums and 1 smallest from the Botanical Floral 2 Set. You need to use Archival or StazOn ink when spraying with a mist. Shape and form flowers - placing the very top flower upside down so when you form the center bud, the pretty stamped image will show. The bud is made so all the stamping will be on the outside as you squish the petals up to form the bud. Spray flowers with Starfish and Old Lace Glimmer Mists. Die cut numerous of the 2 largest leaves from Botanical Floral Set. Spray with Fern Chalkboard Glimmer Mist. 1 coat will be light and 2 coats will be dark. Die cut the fern from the Foliage Die Set. Punch MS pine branch from different shades green cardstock. Arrange and adhere flowers using GA.

For butterflies, stamp with Versamark ink onto copper mesh and emboss with Aqua and Periwinkle embossing powders. Cut butterflies out and shape wings. Adhere with GA. Punch a ticket and ink edges with Vintage Photo and Bundled Sage. Stamp Stained Glass Background randomly with Butterscotch ink. Stamp verse with Archival Jet Black ink. Punch a ribbon slot and add ribbon, lace, and brass butterfly charm. Glue in place with GA. I use GA because a box lid is handled often and GA stands up to the use.

Add a key hole on the front with GA and color in the hole with a black sharpie. Add a vintage skeleton key on a ribbon and glue just inside the box, but to secure it well, I used 2 tiny nail brads and hammered in through the ribbon. Add fibers to the key.

Hope this has inspired you to alter a box or something!! Go play with your stamps and inks... have a fun time!! Thanks for stopping by my blog today!! :o))

Mountain View

2012-01-22T18:18:00.001-05:00

Our mountains have been obscured most of the day with fog and the few times we could see them, the tops are all iced since it's so cold here today... only 34 all day. That's a pretty cold daytime temp for NC!

For this 4.75 x 6 inch left fold card, I created the mountain scene using the stippling technique that can be found in a previous post of mine - HERE.

Items used:
Sizzix Damask #4 embossing folder on 4.26 x 5.5 inch pale orange Bazzill.
Inked raised area with Adirondack Butterscotch ink.
Heartfelt Creations HCPC 3445 Mystic Hideaway mountain scene
Heartfelt HCD 718 Decorative Chateau Gate Die
Flourish at the bottom of card is from Nature Stamps set by Rhonna Farrer, stamped in Butterscotch ink.
MS Flowers
2 Butterfly embossed punches by Floral Punch from shimmer white cs and colored with Copic V000.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Joan's Creations #3 Weekly Challenge: 4 requirements - use a door or window, use an outdoor type of stamp, use a flourish, use embossing folder or embossing powder.
Pan Pastel UK Challenge 2 use 2 of something. I used the 2 punched butterflies.
Craft a Scene - Anything goes, but must have a scene. You can enter 3 times and this is my 3rd.
Let's Ink It Up Challenge #19 - Anything Goes. No digi images allowed and can enter twice. Stamped image must be focal point. This is my 1st time playing along with them. :o)
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #86
- Die Cuts. I used Heartfelt Creations Die and used my Cuttlebug.

The butterfly punch is really cool... it is actually a 2 piece set. One does the punch and you can use the plain butterfly like that. The 2nd 'punch' is really an embosser... it opens and you lay the punched butterfly in, then you close it up and press. It embosses it and shapes the wings at the same time. I think it comes in 3 sizes... I have 2 of them and love them. This one is the smallest and measures less than 1/2 inch across the wingspan. I tried to get a pic of it so you could see the sweet embossing, but the camera wanted to focus on those flowers. lol But you can still how it embosses those tiny wings. So delicate and pretty don't you think?!?

Technique Calendar - March and April

2012-01-21T21:45:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday!! I played on the computer visiting blogs and craft sites all morning while enjoying coffee and a fire with DH home. It was a cold rainy day and I so wished we were getting some of the snow the rest of the country seems to be getting. Then this afternoon, I played in the craft studio on a few projects and one of them was to work more on the technique calendar that I am following along with Roni at Ink Stains. Some of the techniques I've done and do a lot. Others are new to me, but that's always fun to try new things! Roni has all her calendars finished and all the detailed instructions are there on her blog. The techniques I'm trying to stay pretty much on target with hers, but as she says, and I thoroughly believe in, use what you have. Since she has the instructions posted, I'll only list the items I used.

March Calendar: I don't own a shamrock punch, so I stamped the one shamrock stamp I own (Memory Box E1336) then traced it onto the wax paper and hand cut out. I used shabby shutters, peeled paint, & crushed olive Distress Stains. My shamrocks weren't super defined, so I inked the stamp with crushed olive and edged the stamp with bundled sage then stamped a few onto the cardstock to define them. I really like how that turned out! My border is Martha Stewart Doily Lace Border Punch from gold foil wrapping paper. Then I stamped the little shamrock, which comes on the side of the Memory Box Shamrock stamp, with Cottage Ivy Memento ink and glittered them with Mint Spica Glitter Pen. Added green stickles across the bottom. Very fun!

April Calendar: I chose the distress ink on craft mat & spritz with water & put cardstock into the ink to color mine. My flowers are from 2 Hero Arts set and stamped with distress inks. The flourish is one from a t.holtz set stamped in memento tuxedo black. I used Tall Ticket punches (McGill) as my masks and embossed with Olive and Wintergreen powders by Stampendous. I liked having the open areas to see all the colorful stamping. The border is ribbon by Recollections... it came in a package with other ribbon I really wanted and had no clue what to use this lime green leaf ribbon with... until now. Don't you think it goes well with the month and colors? The butterflies are punches. Roni used a bird theme, which I liked, but I didnt have any bird embellies that seemed springy. Woo-hoooo... I'm 3 months ahead of things! You can see my January and February versions HERE.

Dainty Thank you

2012-01-20T11:05:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! Here is another card I made for Heartfelt Creations this week. Seems like I am always needing a Thank You card for one thing or another. This design is elegant and it's quick to make.

Dainty Thank You Card

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3448 Dainty Blooms and Birdies PreCut Set
483D Thank You Flower
HCD 713 Decorative Lace Border Die

Other: 90# white watercolor paper, Archival Jet Black ink, Staedtler Watercolour Pencils (5, 6, 16, 23, 37, 38), water brush, Cuttlebug Embossing Plus folder Perfect Perenials, white Neenah cardstock, Spun Sugar Distress Ink, Memento LuLu Lavender ink, Spica Clear glitter pen, shimmer white cardstock, pink Bazzill cardstock, ribbon.

4.5 x 6 inch Left Fold Card. Stamp image twice using Archival Jet Black ink onto watercolor paper. Color using water brush to pencil tip technique. Color 1 complete image and only the roses on the other image. Hand cut out. Shape the little roses and glue in place to the complete image. Using the Perfect Perenials embossing plus folder, dry emboss 4x6 piece of white cardstock. Before you remove the cs from the folder, sponge on Spun Sugar ink so only the raised portions will be inked. Cut off the bottom to where desired. Mine is 4 x 4-3/8 inches. Stamp “Thank You” using Memento LuLu Lavender ink onto 3 x 3 inch white cardstock. Go over the image with Clear Spica glitter pen and attach to back of the embossed piece so that words show through the window. Die cut shimmer white cardstock with the Decorative Lace Border Die. Trim Lace to desired section and size. Weave ribbon through the lace. The bow is tied separate and glued on. Attach the lace to bottom of embossed piece. Layer all onto 4-1/8 x 5-7/8 inch piece of watercolor paper and finally onto 4.5 x 6 pink Bazzill left fold card.

Thanks for stopping in today... hope you have a FUN weekend!

Jumbo 3D Tag

2012-01-18T04:00:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for my post for Tina's Big 3-0 Birthday Bash Blog Hop, click HERE to be magically transported to it, or you can just scroll down. :o) thanks

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Good Morning and welcome to Heartfelt Wednesday!! I had the best time making this jumbo 3D tag for Heartfelt Creations using a few elements from their brand new Chateau Gate Collection release!! The tag is 4 x 9 inches and 1/2 inch thick! Wouldn't that be so fun to receive on a gift??

Jumbo 3D Tag

HC Product Used on This Project:
HCPC 3443 Palace Entry PreCut Set
HCPC 3445 Mystic Hideaway PreCut Set
HCPC 3449 Door To My Heart PreCut Set
HCPC 3394 Classic Bella Rose PreCut Set
HCPC 3364 Stained Glass Background PreCut Set
HCPC 3320 Vintage Word Background PreCut Set

Other: Neenah Solar White and Natural White (cream) cardstock, Natural Sticky Back Canvas, hole punch, grid lined acrylic stamp block or stamp positioner, Memento Tuxedo Black and Cocoa Brown inks, Copics (E9, E11, E13, E15, E17, E19, G21, G82, G85, W1, R29, YG93, YG95, YG97, B45, B0000), white heart brad, frosted lace Stickles, Butterscotch and Latte Adirondack inks, Distress Inks (Vintage Photo, Bundled Sage, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain), Scor-pal, Bone Folder, X-Press It Tape, McGill Tall Ticket punch, manila file folder, heart shape paper clip, Crackle Accents, dictionary paper, Glossy Accents, lock and key charms, ribbons.

4 x 9 x .5 inch jumbo 3D tag. Stamp Palace Entry using Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Neenah white cardstock. Cut out, in one piece to use the wrought iron, the inside of wrought iron portion leaving the center bar. From what you cut out, now cut out the wrought iron ‘metal portions’ and re-attach the wrought iron to entry. Stamp on scrap copy paper 2 more Palace Entry images. Cut 1 image’s entire archway to use as a mask. Place the gate mask in place over the 2nd scrap paper image. Using a ruler, draw a light pencil line straight out from either side in line with the bottom of the wrought iron portion. Using a grid stamp block or stamp positioner, line up the placement of the Mystic Hideaway Trellis Arch stamp so that the bottom is just below a line on the block and centered vertically on a line as well. Test stamp the arch onto the 2nd scrap Palace Entry by lining up the gird line with your pencil lines and the vertical grid block line should split the knob on top of the Palace Entry. Make adjustments and practice if necessary. Once you have placement, place the scrap paper gate mask onto your real cardstock image and stamp the trellis in place. Now stamp the trellis 2 more times on cardstock larger than 4 x 4.25 inches for the image behind and one for trimming the vines. Using larger cardstock than necessary will give you plenty of lee way for lining up all the images later. Color all your cardstock images. Take one of the trellis archways and cut away the scenery, only leaving the vines/leaves. Line the leaves up directly behind the cardstock Palace Entry and secure in place.

Cut 2 oversized tags from Neenah Natural White (cream) cardstock to be 4 x 9 inches each and the side top angles will be at the 8.5 inch mark. Place sticky back canvas on one. Punch tag hole at top of both at same time so they line up. On the canvas tag, randomly stamp the Palace Entry Flourish using Memento Cocoa Brown ink. Randomly stamp a portion of the Stained Glass Background using Butterscotch Adirondack ink and the Vintage Word Background with Latte Adirondack ink. Ink edges with Vintage Photo and Bundled Sage Distress inks. Distress the edge and re-ink with Frayed Burlap. Decide on placement of finished colored Palace Entry Gate on the tag. Using that same gate mask, use it as a template to cut out the arch shaped hole in the canvas tag. Ink inside of cut with Vintage Photo. Adhere the colored Palace Entry in place on the canvas tag with X Press It Tape.

Cut 2 strips from the cream colored cardstock that are 2.5 x 8.5 inches long. Score each strip length wise at the .5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 marks. Using a bone folder, fold into 2 square tubes overlapping 2 end flaps and gluing flaps together. Adhere to back side of canvas tag along the outside edges. Now check placement of the scenery image that will be attached to the rear tag. Mark where it will go on the tag and trim that image to 4” wide x 4.25” tall. Ink any remaining white space with Vintage Photo . Place a white heart brad on the door of the little house. Adhere scenery to front of rear tag. Add Stickles to the heart brad. Adhere 2 tags together by gluing the front side of the rear tag to the square tubes. Punch a ticket from manila file folder. Stamp the vine from the Classic Bella Rose set with Bundled Sage ink. Stamp the verse in Memento Tuxedo Black. Edge with Vintage Photo ink. Distress edges and re-ink with Walnut Stain. Attach to tag.

For heart charm at bottom of tag, lay a heart shaped paper clip on dictionary paper that has been inked with Frayed Burlap. Fill the paper clip with Crackle Accents and let dry. Tear or cut excess paper away. Attach to tag with Glossy Accents. Tie ribbons through both tag holes. Add lock and key charms.

Be sure to visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see all the fabulous creations the Design Team made this week and to see if you were the lucky winner of the new Chateau Gate Collection!

Tina's Big 3-0 Birthday Bash Blog Hop!

2012-01-18T03:30:00.000-05:00

First we would love to welcome you to celebrate Tina's Big 3-0 Birthday Bash Blog Hop. With that being said, HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TINA! We wish you the happiest of birthdays with all your wishes and dreams come true!! This hop is to celebrate Tina's birthday and shower her with birthday wishes! Be sure you wish Tina a Happy Birthday!

There is a phenomenal line-up today showering Tina with birthday wishes and we don't want you to miss a single thing!!!

There is some wonderful blog candy if you remark on each stop along the birthday trail of wishes along with becoming a follower, if you aren't already! The Sponsors are K Andrews Designs, giving a Stamp Set- Scripture Sayings and Scraptastical Kreations for a $30 gift certificate! And a 11x14 Print from My Family Keepsakes!!

If you happened to vist my blog by accident, I want you to check out the complete hop by stopping first at the beginning of the birthday wishes!

If you are following the hop order, you should have come from Ashley's blog, The Glamorous Side of Scrapping.

I made a 6 x 6 easel card and handmade carnations to adorn the card. I've posted a tutorial on how to make the carnations.

Cut one 6 x 6 inch light blue Bazzill cardstock and one 12 x 6 inch and score the long one at the 6" and 9" along the length. These will be the easel, adhering the 6 x 6 along it's back top to the front of the 3 inch end piece. I attach them once I have the card front decorated.

Layer 5.75 x 5-7/8 inch white cardstock on each panel, as shown, lining up all the way to the center fold so when card is in the open position, there will be a nice border just on the edges and not across the center. Layer on 5.5 x 5.75 inch water color print DP (I do not know the maker as this is an old, old paper from my stash) for the front panel. Layer on 5.5 x 5.75 inch pink shimmer cardstock on the base.

The stamp I used is Fairie Marci that I won just before Christmas from La-La Land Stamps! Isn't she the cutest?!! Stamp Faerie Marci using Memento Tuxedo Black onto White Neenah cardstock. Cover with Creative Tape Sheet and cover with Glitter Ritz Warm Highlight Glitter. Color with Copics (V04, V17, B21, E08, E51, E53, R32, R81 and colorless 0). Position her with foam tape over a white oval cut with the largest Spellbinders Large Classic Oval which I embossed with a swirl folder.

The foliage was cut using Marianne Design Creatables from white cardstock and inked with crushed olive and bundled sage Distress Inks. The Happy Birthday and balloons are by Jolee's Boutique and I tied one strand of embroidery thread to each balloon.

The yellow and purple carnations are handmade by me using paper cupcake liners. They are really fun and you can see my tutorial HERE. They are about 2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch tall. The verse is by Stampendous, Loopy Blooms clear cling set, and is stamped using Archival Jet Black ink onto White Neenah cardstock. Die cut out with Labels 6 and stippled Worn Lipstick Distress ink all over the die cut.

Your next stop along wishing Tina the Big 3-0 Birthday Bash Blog Hop Wishes is CallyAnn's Crafty Creations.

Thanks again for stopping and checking out my project for Tina today!!!! Happy Birthday Tina!

I'll link up this card at La-La Land Crafts Blog to share it there also!

Paper Cupcake Liner Carnation Flower Tutorial

2012-01-17T21:00:00.000-05:00

Making these carnation flowers from paper cupcake liners is super easy and here's how:

Supplies: paper cupcake liners, scissors, tiny attacher or small stapler, Aleene's Easy Flow Glue

You will need 7 regular sized paper cupcake liners for each flower. I used Martha Stewart pastel plaids for this tutorial... purple, pink, and yellow. Each flower will be approx. 2 inches in diameter and approx. 1/2 to 3/4 inch tall. You can always trim it to make it smaller.

For 5 of the liners, do exactly the same thing. Cut once into liner side from top to bottom and cut the flat bottom out. You will need to save 1 flat bottom to use later.

Gather the strip into accordion pleats so that it's about 1 inch wide total.

Staple using Tiny Attacher, 1/2 inch from bottom and cut off bottom excess, keeping the tops.

Take 1 of the bottom rounds you cut out and trim about 1/4 inch off all the way around.

Glue each section onto the round. Overlap all 5 until the last and then tuck in under the first one. I use Aleene's Easy Flow Glue. It is thin bodied and it will allow you to move cardstock into place for about 5 seconds and will not wrinkle cardstock and designer papers. The cupcake liner is a super thin paper and it will most likely be wrinkled on the back of the round and that is okay... no one will see the back.

For the center of the carnation, take the remaining 2 liners one at a time and squeeze in the sides lightly and then gather it all into a tight bunch.

Holding the bunched liner tightly at the open end and do not let go, cut off approx 1 inch of the bottom. It will leave about 1/2 inch of the top in your fingers.

Cover the cut end with Aleene's Easy Flow Glue and press into one side of the center of the flat round you made.

Repeat process with the last cupcake liner and press it into the other side of the center.

Squeeze up the carnation towards the center so that the glue will attach well. Then spread back down into a carnation shape and fluff out the center. If anything is sticking out too far, just snip it off. You can lightly ink edges if desired. Once it is completely dry, you can spray with Perfect Pearls or Smooch.

Thanks for looking and I hope you make many flowers!

Mountain Scene

2012-01-16T21:26:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday Y'all! I spent this afternoon playing in the craft room after spending all morning doing laundry. I liked this afternoon way more! Any way... I am really liking what I am seeing with a new challenge blog called Craft a Scene. I don't have many scenery building stamps, but I used to have a lot back in the 90's when scenery stamping was popular then. So I used what I had from several companies. I really enjoy making scenes and trying out different techniques. There was a Lovely Light Sky Tutorial yesterday on the Create a Scene blog and I wanted to try my hand at it. She used glossy, but I chose to use Neenah Natural cardstock (cream colored) and stippled distress inks onto the cardstock for my colors. I really like the effect I got. This is my 2nd entry in their Challenge #1 - Anything Goes. It has to have a scene and you can enter up to 3 times until January 27th.

I'm also entering this into PanPastel UK Challenge Blog's Challenge #1 - Anything Goes. I did not use any PanPastels only because I don't have any yet. I've read and heard such good things that they are top of my wish list! Maybe I'll get lucky and win some in the challenge!

Stamps:
Heartfelt Creations HCPC 3445 Mystic Hideaway PreCut Set
Seaside Stampin' Ink - dunes from the Beach Stories Set
Seaside Stampin' Ink - tree from the Moonlit Night Set
Just For Fun - barbed wire fence
Just For Fun - grass - used in the foreground

Other:
Neenah Natural Cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black & London Fog inks, Stipple brushes, Adirondack Butterscotch & Wild Plum inks, Distress Inks (Broken China, Faded Jeans, Bundled Sage, Vintage Photo, Forest Moss, Pine Needles, Frayed Burlap, Iced Spruce, Walnut Stain, green texture paper, Karen Foster Design 2001 Cinnamon Stick DP, Black Raven Bazzill cardstock, Black Photo Corners, Hero Arts brown twine, button

Begin with 5.5 x 5.5 inch cream cardstock. Stamp Heartfelt Creations Mountain Scene twice across. Stamp again onto scrap paper for a mask. Cut the mountain ridges out for a mask and save the 'sky' portion of the mask to use when you ink the mountains. Lay the mask over the mountains and begin layering color using the stipple brushes. I started with Butterscotch closest to the mountains, then lightly with Wild Plum above the yellow. The yellow is not showing up in the photo so good, but it looks like a sunset sky with yellow glowing up from the mountains. Stipple onto scratch paper first to control how much color you lay on your project. Then the top portion of the sky goes into blue first using Broken China and then Faded Jeans DI. Remove the mask and put on the mask for the sky portion. Lay color into the mountains using stipple brushes. I did this order: bundled sage, vintage photo, forest moss, vintage photo, pine needles. Then I worked color down from the mountains to the foreground using pineneedles and forest moss in the back and then just forest moss up front.

Generation stamp the sand dunes using Frayed Burlap. I taped off the tallest sea oats on the stamp each time I re-inked to make it just be rolling hills. Color the trees near the mountains with a paint brush and Pine Needles DI. For the foreground tree, I inked it with Tuxedo Black and stamped it once quickly on scrap paper and then immediately re-inked the stamp with London Fog. I wanted it to be lighter since it is closer to the eye, but when I tested using only London Fog on scrap, it was just too blue tinted.. Stamp the fence twice, carefully lining up the wire, using Walnut Stain DI. The grass in the very front is stamped with Frayed Burlap DI. Add photo corners and layer onto the green texture paper. I had that in my stash for EVER... it is almost like homemade paper. Then onto the brown DP, which I had in my stash but it was marked 2001 Karen Foster Design. I'm really trying to use up some older things! At this point, thread the button with twine and wrap around card. I never take my ribbon/twine all the way around... only go about an inch on the back and secure. Finally adhere to 6x6 top fold black card.

I really like stippling my inks to lay down color. It is a softer look than sponging. I use big natural bristle brushes and very stiff.

A Blue Valentine

2012-01-15T20:49:00.000-05:00

Everyone has heard of a Blue Christmas, so I thought why not a Blue Valentine. Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge #2 has challenged us to make a non-traditional color Valentine, to use lace, to use a flower (a rose if possible), and to use a key. And I knew I wanted to use my new Spellbinders Nested Hearts Die. It is a discontinued item, but I found one on ebay and it just arrived Friday so I was itching to use it. I think it is so pretty and I embossed it after cutting it and then inked the embossed part while it was still in the die with Tumbled Glass DI first then Broken China DI. There is a video on Spellbinder's blog that show how to use the nested hearts.

I'm also entering my card into Really Reasonable Ribbon's Challenge #40
- Theme is Valentine's Day & must use ribbon/lace/trim.

And it's going into Dreamweaver's Valentine Challenge!!

4.5 x 4.5 inch top fold light blue Bazzill card. Layer 4 x 4 Little Yellow Bicycle Winter Words DP (Winter Twig Collection) onto 4.25 x 4.25" white shimmer cardstock. Weave a blue ribbon through white lace ribbon and wrap around the DP and then adhere all to blue card. Trace medium sized nested heart die on white shimmer and hand cut out. Layer the larger heart on the shimmer and pop dot it to card. Pop dot the little heart on the bigger heart. The roses are some I found at a dollar store a while back... they were pink and I inked them with Broken China DI. I made a heart charm by die cutting shrink plastic with the smallest nested heart and hand wrote the cute verse. And I added a key charm too. Covered all the bases for the challenge!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! We did here. Had a nice date day with DH yesterday and then this afternoon, he began installing new cabinets in my craft studio. I'm so excited to be re-modeling my craft studio!! I had run out of storage space and had so much in totes and boxes that it was a pain to find things I wanted to use. Hmmm... wonder how long it will take to fix everything up... I know I have to order 3 more cabinets. I love these cabinets... we're installing roll-out drawers in them! I forgot to take a 'before' pic of the one side of the studio, but will take one of the side we haven't started on yet.

Congratulations!

2012-01-14T10:41:00.000-05:00

If you entered the blogoversary candy giveaway, you had really good odds.... A 1 in 5 chance of winning. One commenter lives in Russia so she did not qualify for this giveaway. So I plugged in 1 to 5 in the random number generator...

And the 3rd person is Becky! Congratulations Becky! Enjoy your new goodies!

I made a card for Heartfelt Creations this week using the mountain scene from the Mystic Hideaway PreCut set and thought it would be a great time to share it today. My card would be great to send to a man, with the browns and use of the mica tile, but you could easily change the color scheme and add an embellishment for a female as well.

Congratulations Card

HC Product Used on This Project:
HCPC 3445 Mystic Hideaway PreCut Set
HCPC 3449 Door To My Heart PreCut Set
415220 Labels 6 Nestabilities

Other: Mica Tiles (USArtQuest), Brilliance Graphite Black pigment ink, Stampendous Detail Black embossing powder, Vintage Photo Distress ink, Archival Jet Black ink, Authentique Blissful collection DP, brown Bazzill cardstock, Tim Holtz Crowded Attic light tan DP, Glossy Accents, brown ribbon, brown button.

5.5 x 4.75 inch top fold card. De-laminate your Mica Tiles to desired thinness. I left mine about half of original thickness so it would be sturdy enough on the card. Tear Mica Tiles to desired shape and distress edges a bit.

Stamp Mystic Hideaway Mountain Scene onto the Mica Tile using Brilliance Graphite Black pigment ink and emboss with Detail Black powder. Note, the Mica get hots very quickly, but cools just as quickly. Cut your DP so that the layer next to card is 5.25 x 4.5 and the top layer is 5-1/8 x 4-3/8 inches. Die cut the TH light tan paper with Labels 6 and ink the edges with Vintage Photo. Attach to DP using brads and distress them with a hammer. Wrap ribbon around top DP layer. Assemble card. Attach the Mica Tile using Glossy Accents, dotting just around the edges of the mica. Stamp “Congratulations” with Archival Jet Black ink onto TH light tan DP. Cut into a little pennant shape. Attach to card and add button.

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This is yet another card I made for Heartfelt Creations this week. I just couldn't help myself...lol... these new stamps are fantastic and I had so many ideas!

Flowers for a Friend Card

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3446 Doorway Trimmings PreCut Set
HCPC 3354 Classic Message PreCut Set
354802 Classic Ovals Large

Other: white Neenah cardstock, shimmer white cardstock, Memory Box DP, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Tumbled Glass Distress ink, Archival Jet Black ink, Copics (YG11, BG72, BG0000), Recollections pearls, ribbon.

6 x 7.5 inch Left fold card. Stamp Flower Vase image 3 times onto white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Trim cardstock to 5.25 x 3 inches. Color flowers very quickly in order to have a free form look, leaving some white within the flowers and having some color outside the lines. Flowers: YG11 and BG72. Foliage: BG72. Outline: BG0000. Stamp Flower Vase 3 more times onto Memory Box Fresh Fruit DP and hand cut out the 3 vases, cutting just outside of lines. Glue the little vases into place on the white cardstock images. Layer cs onto 5-3/8 x 3-1/8 inch shimmer white cardstock. Cut MBox DP as follows (do not glue onto card yet): Left side of card is MBox Rolling Hills 2.25 x 7.25 inches. Right side is Skip to my lou 3.5 x 7.25 inches. Middle strip is Fresh Fruit .25 x 7.25 inches. Glue the strip at joint where the beige and green meet. This way the ribbon can be wrapped around DP before it’s attached to the card. Assemble card. Stamp verse using Archival Jet Black ink and die cut using the Classic Ovals. Ink edge of oval with Tumbled Glass DI and attach to card under bow. Add pearls under the Flower Vases. I took a class last year from my LSS where we made a similar project making a stationery gift set and this layout with paper piecing has been one of my favorite go-to cards.

That is all my Heartfelt creations for this week. Be sure to visit their blog to see all the wonderful creations by the rest of the Design Team!!

Happy Birthday!

2012-01-13T09:17:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Blogggg, Happy Birthday to yoooouuuu! tee-hee I'm celebrating my 2 year blogoversary, which is really a birthday of sorts! I do have a little blog candy giveaway to celebrate and you can enter by clicking HERE to leave a comment on the giveaway post. The odds are great... not many people have entered with a comment. Be sure to leave a comment on the giveaway post if you want to be considered if you're a follower and if you have a US or Canada mailing addy.

I thought this card would be perfect to share today. I made it in a class I took at my local stamp store to learn techniques to use the Elizabeth Designs Glitter Ritz. Glitter Ritz is a phenomenal glitter that is so super fine that it will not come off when used with the Creative Tapes. Fantastic news for my love-hate relationship with glitter I think! I just know I love this stuff!

The cupcake was made using the Glitter Ritz cool highlight glitter with their sticker outline and then colored with Copics. No glitter came off on the nibs! I think it's my new favorite way to color. The papers are BoBunny and white cardstock colored with Tim's Barn Door red. Martha Stewart punch and the Happy Birthday is a sticker from Elizabeth Craft. I need to get a job with this company.... hehehe.... now, THAT would BE cool! I could play with glitter all day long!

Love Lives Here - A Valentine

2012-01-11T22:53:00.000-05:00

2nd post for today... and here is another card I made with the new Heartfelt Creations Chateau Gate Collection. It's a very versatile set... I made a cool Valentine card from one of the stamps that you wouldn't necessarily think of for a Valentine! I'll enter it in Joan's Garden Weekly Challenge #1. The challenge is:
Make a card and/or tag using some kind of hearts (I've got little heart flowers on the vines)
Use any kind of embellishments (ribbon, heart brads, and hearts)
Use, pink or red with white (red cardstock,red brick and pink ribbon with white verse tag
Do some kind of embossing (embossed the background with Birds & Swirls folder)

Be sure to visit Joan's Gardens... she has great prices and only charges what it costs her for shipping... no extra 'handling'. I'm getting a huge shipment of my favorite Neenah cardstock from her... yippeeee! It's about all I use for stamping when I color with Copics.

Love Lives Here Chateau Gateway Card

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3441 Chateau Gateway PreCut Set
HCD 718 Decorative Chateau Gate Die
HCPC 3449 Door To My Heart PreCut Set

Other: White Neenah cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copics (R22, R27, C1, C3, C5, C7, E13, E15, E17, E19, RV11), Basic Grey Green at Heart DP, 2 green Bazzill cardstocks for foliage, black, red and green Bazzill cardstock, Cuttlebug Birds & Swirls embossing folder, Martha Stewart double edge Double Loops Heart punch, White ribbon colored with RV11, Archival Jet Black ink, Spellbinders Labels 14, Spun Sugar Distress ink, 2 heart brads

6 x 6 top fold card. Stamp Chateau Gateway using Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto white cardstock. Trim image to 5 x 4 inches. Color with copics. Die cut 20 foliage vines of various greens DPs using the Chateau Gateway Die. Arrange around the door. Punch some mini hearts using the MS edge punch (and if you plan you can punch a border to use later) and adhere to vines and 2 for door knobs. Layer Chateau Gateway image onto 5-1/8 x 4-1/8 inch black cardstock. Cut a 5.5 x 5.5 inch red cardstock and emboss only top 2 inches or so with the Birds & Swirls embossing folder. Adhere Ghateau Gateway image onto bottom portion. Stamp verse using Archival Jet Black ink onto white cardstock. Die cut with Labels 14 and ink edges with Spun Sugar Distress ink. Punch 2 small hole on each side. Color a piece of white ribbon with RV11 and measure center to mark for holes from verse tag. Punch holes in ribbon and attach tag with 2 heart brads. Wrap ribbon around red cardstock. Layer all onto green cardstock and finally 6 x 6 black card.

Don't forget to visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog for a chance to win the complete $174.90 Chateau Gate Collection.

And enter my 2 year blogoversary candy giveaway here if you have a US or Canada mailing address.

Heartfelt Creations New Release Day!

2012-01-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Heartfelt Wednesday!! Heartfelt Creations has come out with another spectacular collection debuting today! The Chateau Gate Collection is "magnificent" and the intricate detail in each of the designs is absolutely beautiful. This collection is very versatile and you will be able to create projects for the men in your life, invites, graduations, love, congrats and so many more! This collection features 9 PreCut Stamp Sets and one beautiful new exclusive Spellbinders die designed for Heartfelt Creations. Be sure to visit the HC BLOG to see all the wonderful creations from the Design Team!!

Leave a comment on the HC blog by January 17 to be eligible to win the entire release valued at $174.90. The winner will be announced on January 18 on the HC Blog.

I made quite a few examples using this collection and I'll be sharing them all month long, but 4 are shown, with instructions, on the HC blog today. Today, I'm sharing the easel card I made. The new collection is quite fun to use to create cards and projects!! I really love the 3D effect you can achieve with the windows and doors layered over the scenery images!

Chateau Easel Card

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3442 Grand Portal PreCut Set
HCPC 3444 Scenic Vista PreCut Set
HCD 718 Decorative Chateau Gate Die
HCPC 3449 Door To My Heart PreCut Set
HCPC 3323 Large Elegant Word Background PreCut Set
HCPC 3436 Rye Grass Flourish PreCut Set
HCPC 3437 Carnation Florals 1 PreCut Set
HCPC 3438 Carnation Florals 2 PreCut Set
472185 Carnation Creations Shapeabilities
159223 Paper Blossoms Molding Mat

Other: embossable window plastic (Gary M. Burlin & Co), Archival Jet Black ink, Memento Rich Cocoa and Tuxedo Black inks, Copics (E51, E53, E55, E57, YG11, YG13, Y17, BG02, BG05, R35, C3, G21, B0000, BV04), 3 mm X-press It Tape, white Neenah cardstock, Bazzill cardstocks, Adirondack Butterscotch and Latte inks, Distress inks (Vintage Photo, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire), Stampendous Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter, 4 purple brads, 3 mini dark metallic brads, Martha Stewart Loops Around the Page punch, Martha Stewart Bangle Chain Deep Edge Border punch, Scor Pal, pop dots, organza ribbon, button.

6 x 6 inch front easel card. Stamp the Scroll Gate of the Grand Portal PreCut Set using Archival Jet Black ink onto the embossible window plastic. I use that so it can be heat set without shrinking, melting, or warping. Heat set and cut out. Stamp twice the Arched Door using Memento Rich Cocoa ink onto white cardstock. Color with E51, E53, E55, and E57. Cut one whole one out and cut open the doors. Cut out only the doors of the second one and attach to the backside of the whole door. Attach door to the non-inked side of the “metal” scroll gate using 3mm X-press It tape.

Stamp Scenic Vista using Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto white cardstock and color with Copics. To make the easel card, cut a 6 x 6 inch piece of pale orange cardstock for the “front”. Next cut a 12 x 6 inch piece of same color. Scor at the 6 and 9 inch marks. Fold the 6” mark so it is a ‘valley’ and fold the 9” mark to be a ‘peak’. I assemble my card front first and then it will attach to the easel by adhering the top of the front card to the section between the 9” mark and the end.

To make the card front, punch the MS Loops around a 6 x 6 inch lime green cardstock. Then on a 5 x 5 yellow cardstock, stamp potions of the Elegant Word Background randomly around edges with Adirondack Butterscotch ink. Randomly stamp the medium Rye Grass Flourish using the Latte ink. Edge with Vintage Photo and Butterscotch inks. Die cut the Decorative Chateau Gate from brown toned DP. Trim and adhere colored Scenic Vista scene where desired. Adhere the Decorative Chateau Gate around the scene. Pop dot the “window” over the scene to give it a nice 3D look. For the flowers, stamp various Carnation Florals onto light blue and purple cardstocks using Faded Jeans and Chipped Sapphire inks. Die cut all out using the matching Spellbinders Carnations Creations dies. Ink the edges of the blue flowers with Faded Jeans. Shape using the Blossoms Molding Mat and assemble flowers securing the centers with brads that have been coated with the Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter and colored with BV04 for the blue flowers and small metallic brads for the purple flowers. Die cut foliage from green Bazzill and Basic Grey Green at Heart DP. Attach all and then attach card front to easel portion.

To finish the easel card, punch a 6 inch strip using MS Bangle Chain punch. Thread a yellow/green 2-tone organza ribbon through. Glue to card where you want the easel front to stand up. Attach a button to use as a ‘stop’ for when the card is on display.

That's it. Easel cards are easy to make... give it a try if haven't already! Here is the view a recipient would see as they pulled the card out of the envelope. They would have fun opening it and exploring your handiwork!

After visiting the Heartfelt Creations Blog, be sure to visit the DT's blogs for added inspiration. And don't forget about my blogoversary candy.... HERE.

Giveaway time!

2012-01-10T10:50:00.002-05:00

Who says Friday the 13th isn't lucky?!!? It will be, for one lucky follower! The 13th is my 2 year blogoversary and I thought I'd celebrate with a giveaway as a way to say thanks. Hard to believe my first post was a short 2 years ago. I had resisted for so long...lol... same with facebook... I resisted longer on FB and didnt start using that til summer 2010. Now, I can't live without either! As of this week, I am even on Pinterest, the new hot thing! You can click on the Pinterest button in my right sidebar to take you my boards. Well, here's to bigger and better things to come!

My giveaway is for one of my favorite methods for card making... die cutting gorgeous paper! It's for 1 new, unopened Heartfelt Creations HCD 702 Decorative Butterfly Die set and you gotta have paper to cut, so there is a new 4.5 x 6.5 inch DCWV Shimmer Matstack too! Love shimmer cardstock!

To be eligible to win, you must leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm EST on Friday, January 13, 2012, telling me what your all-time favorite die is and who makes it so I can go check it out. You must be a follower of my blog. I'm sorry, but only people with US or Canadian mailing addresses will be eligible to win this time. I'll pick a winner on Saturday be random number generator.

Good Luck!

Technique Calendar

2012-01-09T21:58:00.002-05:00

It's still hard to believe another new year has started and we're more than a week into it! One of my favorite blogs that I follow is Ink Stains and Roni has a tradition to make a technique calendar each January. I only found her blog back in the early summer, so this is my first year making a calendar with her. She has all the directions and supply list on her site. I'll only list something here when I deviate from hers. I believe in using what you have on hand!

The January calendar page was so fun to make. The technique is taking kitchen aluminum foil and painting it with black gesso, then emobssing it and sanding the raised embossed areas to reveal the silver color underneath the black gesso. I don't have black gesso (though it's on my list to find!)and I did have TENseconds Studio black metal. It's my favorite metal any way! When you emboss with it through a Cuttlebug or similar, you need to put some tissue paper between the metal and the folder so the metal won't get cut. Once embossed, sand the metal to reveal the silver. Other than that I did pretty much what she shows. Glimmer Mist colors I used are Denim Blue, Blue Skies, Patina, and Riptide. I also used Pearl Perfect Pearls mist. For the icicles, she used Drippy Goo border which I dont have, so I used Martha Stewart's tree border and just turned it upside down. My glitter is Martha's also.

OH! I made little mats with clear photo corners for the little calendars so next year I can just change them out. I got my calendar template from Cat at Splitcoast.

February was equally as fun and nice inky technique I had never done. I made my first batch of floating stars in a Cuttlebug embossing package front just like Roni shows. I had no red re-inkers on hand except for Red Pepper and Cranberry Adirondack Alcohol inks. I wasn't sure if alcohol inks would work with Glossy Accents. I went and bought some just plain red from Office Depot because my local stamp store did not have any and Michaels did not have any reinkers at all. Making the glittery inky base, I was working from memory and after I made mine and looked at Roni's, I said "huh, mine is more solid in ink and not as much big chunky glitter. So of coarse I had to make another! LOL The 2nd version is the one on the calendar shown above. I made that batch on a flat piece of acetate and the glossy accents did not run off.

My first attempt is gorgeous I think but I wanted more open space for the calendar to see the vintage sheet music. My first piece I used on another project that I have made for Heartfelt Creations that you'll see later in the month. I used 3-4 drops of the Office Depot red reinker, 2-3 drops of the Red Pepper alcohol ink and 2-3 drops of the Cranberry Alcohol ink. I just can't remember if it was 2 or 3... but I really think it was 3 of each. I used 3 different Martha Stewart glitters. It probably took a half inch of the bottle of Glossy Accents, so make sure you have enough on hand before starting. Here is how it turned out... the pic does not do it justice... it's so glittery really:

For my 2nd batch, I used the flat acetate as opposed to a little tray package because I didnt have any more flat packaging. I only used Red Pepper alcohol ink. I used the 3 MS glitters, but I added Stampendous Gilded Fragments to give me a more chunky look. And as you can see, it yielded the more open space so the vintage sheet music shows better. The alcohol ink works wonderfully with the Glossy Accents! Just need a little... because alcohol ink spreads and goes a long way! I used Martha Stewart double heart border for my trim.

Roni over at Ink Stains has through May posted. I've had a lot of projects going on that you'll see later, so I'm happy I'm far along as February! LOL I'm making my calendars so they will go back to back and if you'll note the February chimney is on the left side of the house. You'll need to flip your houses if you make them back to back. You can do Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, etc or do Jan/July, Feb/August, etc. or make each month single. I'm doing mine back to back so the calendar wont be so thick.

I'm entering the Feb. calendar over at Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge #1. This is this week's recipe: Make a card and/or tag using some kind of hearts (It's an oversized tag really 4.5 x 6.5 inches & hearts in the house trim)
Use any kind of embellishments (thermometer vintage pics and all the glitter)
Use, pink or red with white (red glitter and white)
Do some kind of embossing (I embossed glitters to the acetate)

Be sure to check in tomorrow... I'll post my 2 year blogoversary candy tomorrow. And Wednesday is the new release day for Heartfelt Creations that you won't want to miss. Until then, happy stamping!

Key To My Heart

2012-01-06T16:38:00.000-05:00

Valentine Season must be here... I am seeing lots of Valentine cards all over blog land. Getting into the spirit of things, I thought I'd break out my recent prize from Dreamweaver Stencils and join in the fun on a couple of challenges! I won the LG 672Heart Stencil and it's so pretty!!

I'm entering this card into Dreamweaver's Valentines Day Creations Challenge - create something for Valentine's Day. Check!

And I'm entering it into Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge #1 - the rules for Joan's are:
* you must make a card or tag using some kind of hearts (I used the heart key stencil)
* use any kind of embellishments (I used photo corners, vintage key, and satin ribbon)
* use pink or red with white (I used red metal, DP with reds & whites, white card)
* do some kind of embossing (I embossed the Heart Key stencil into metal).

Here's the how to's and what not's....

Emboss the Dreamweaver Heart Key stencil into TENseconds Studio barn red metal. Trim to desired size and sand raised areas to expose the silver underneath. Line the back of the metal with TENseconds Humungo Killer Tape Sheet. Add 4 photo corner andlayer onto white water color paper. Ink edge with Vintage Photo Distress ink. Distress the edges and re-ink with Walnut Stain ink. Layer onto 4.5 x 5.25 Basic Grey Eskimo Kissed Caroling paper and finally onto 4.75 x 5.5 left fold white cardstock card. Add vintage key tied with white satin ribbon. I glued my key down with Glossy Accents. That's it... easy and fun!

So where's the snow?

2012-01-05T00:30:00.000-05:00

We have only seen a light dusting of snow in my part of NC so far this year, but the Snowflakes from Heartfelt Creations have me dreaming of snow! And this new Winter Twig Collection DP from Little Yellow Bicycle is so snowy gorgeous!

I made this card and a tag for Heartfelt Creations this week using some of the same stamps. I just love taking the same stamps and creating different end results. Thought I'd share them at the same time for better comparison. The card was fun using dies, punches, and embossing powders! The #8 tag was inky fun using clear embossing powder and Distress Inks & Stains!

Let It Snow Card

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3344 Single Snowflakes PreCut Set
354802 Classic Ovals Large

Other: light blue Bazzill cardstock, white watercolor paper, Little Yellow Bicycle Winter Twig collection DP, white Neenah cardstock, frosted vellum, Detail Clear Embossing Powder, Martha Stewart Skyland Snowflake Border Punch, Martha Stewart Snow Flurry Border Punch, Distress inks (tumbled glass, broken china), Brilliance Pearlescent Ice Blue pigment ink, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Spellbinders Snowflake Wonder, stipple brush, 1/4” hole punch, 3 blue mini brads, ribbons and fibers.

6x6 inch top fold card. Punch a 6 inch strip of white watercolor paper using MS Skyland Snowflake Border punch. Layer under a 4.5 x 5-7/8 inch LYB Pom Pom DP. Cut a 2 x 4 inch LYB Winter Words DP and ink edges with Tumbled Glass Distress ink. Distress edges and re-ink raw edge with Broken China ink. Punch 1/4" hole in top to make a tag. Stamp small snowflake randomly on tag using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Stamp Large Single Snowflakes using Brilliance Pearlescent Ice Blue pigment ink onto white cardstock and emboss with Detail Clear powder. Die cut each snowflake and then die cut a corresponding flake from the same light blue cardstock you’ll use for the card base and a corresponding flake from the frosted vellum. Assemble flakes slightly offsetting each layer and secure with a blue brad. Stamp “Let it Snow” onto white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black. Die cut using an oval die. Pounce Broken China Distress ink lightly on the oval tag. Punch 1/4” hole in top and add hole protector. Add a small blue snowflake from MS Snow Flurry border punch. Layer oval tag over the Winter Words tag. Add ribbon and fibers. Secure the tag and large snowflakes to the card.

Let It Snow Tag

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3344 Single Snowflakes PreCut Set
HCPC 3343 Let It Snow Flurries PreCut Set

Other: #8 white cardstock tag, Versamark ink, Detail Clear Embossing Powder, Broken China Distress Stain, Distress Inks (faded jeans, tumbled glass), pearl Perfect Pearls, Memento inks (summer sky, tuxedo black), Archival Jet Black ink, embossable window plastic (Gary M Burlin & Co.), light blue ribbon, white lace ribbon, snowflake charm, Tim Holtz ideaology pin, metal brrrr… tag, tiny attacher, 2 brads, white chipboard, sunflower Fiskars scissors, Frosted Lace Stickles, Martha Stewart Snowflake Border punch, heat tool.

Using the 3 smallest snowflakes from the 2 HC sets, stamp randomly with Versamark ink onto the white tag. Emboss with Clear Detail powder. It will act as a resist now. Swipe Broken China Distress stain in vertical stripes. Wipe off the snowflakes and dry with heat tool. Ink edges of tag with Faded Jeans and Tumbled Glass inks. Wipe off the snowflakes. Spray tag with pearl Perfect Pearls and let it move the ink around until desired effect achieved. Wipe off the snowflakes and heat set. Stamp the Background Flakes using Memento Summer Sky ink in the lighter areas of the tag and Faded Jeans Distress ink in the darker areas. Wipe off the white snowflakes. Generation stamp random single small flakes with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, having the darker flakes near the bottom and the lighter generation ones moving up the tag as desired. (Generation stamping is multiple stamping without re-inking.) Wipe off the white snowflakes. Stamp the “Let it Snow” verse onto tag using Faded Jeans ink. Stamp a Large Single Snowflake using Archival Jet Black ink onto embossable window plastic so it can be heat set without shrinking or warping. Hand cut it out leaving a fairly good sized border. Attach to tag using the Tiny Attacher. Using Faded Jeans , ink a light blue ribbon lightly and randomly to give it a distressed look. Add the ribbon, lace, charm, pin, metal “brrrr….” tag, and distress the 2 brads with a hammer. Cut a strip of white chipboard using decorative scissors and apply Frosted Lace Stickles. Dry with heat tool and/or fan. While still slightly tacky, add the 4 blue punched snowflakes and apply more Stickles over the flakes to secure them in place.

So if you have snow, send it my way please!! seriously.

We have a Winner!!!

2012-01-04T12:21:00.000-05:00

You can find my Heartfelt Creations Wednesday post HERE or just scroll down.

Thank you to everyone who became a follower of my little blog and posted about it on their blogs and/or Facebook!!! I appreciate all the support! It was so exciting the last few days to see the "Followers" number climb. Even my husband would ask for a report...LOL. Since I was at 71 last night before I went to bed and then at 73 this morning, I started verifying the entries by following the links you each said you shared the candy info. Not too long into my blog hopping I noticed I had gone over 75.... woo-hooooo!!! I discovered a lot of great blogs by visiting yours! It's nice to be associated with such talented people!

So here is how it all played out... even though the followers number got to 75, not every one left comments on the original giveaway post, or the Halloween add-on of TH ink, or the New Year's add-on of more ink pads. Since leaving a comment was a requirement, I started there with people leaving comments on the 3 posts and listed them all in date and time order. Any one who didn't leave a link to where they shared the candy info was crossed off the list. Then I had the MOST FUN visiting all your blog and facebook pages! There were 2 blog links that did not exist and I even went through blogger profiles to give them a chance, they still didnt exist, so those got scratched off the list too. Hey... just trying to make it fair for all. :o) Thanks again!

Without further ado....

#24 on the list was: Mary Ann/MA54K! Congratulations Mary Anne!!!

Mary Anne / MA54K said...

I was so happy when you paid a visit to my blog the other day via Olga's! You have certainly been blessed from every corner of the blogging/stamping world. How nice of you to pay it forward! I will be posting about your blog candy to my blog this morning (1-4-12), so that I can share your news. I have become a follower and here is the link to my blog.
http://lakesidestamping.blogspot.com/

Blessings, Mary Anne

Thank you and Congrats Mary Anne!! Send me an email with your addy and I'll get your goodies in the mail to you right away!

If you didnt win, dont worry, I am planning a little something for another giveaway for my blogoversary next week! :o) Until then... go play with your stamps!

An Artful Heartfelt Wednesday!

2012-01-04T00:30:00.000-05:00

The awesome thing about Heartfelt Creations stamps is that they can be used with all styles of crafting! I enjoy all styles and techniques and when I created this card for Heartfelt Creations, I guess I was feeling a little artful. It sure was fun to make!

Arty Flirty Fleurs Card

HC Product Used on This Product:
HCPC 3439 Flirty Fleurs PreCut Set
HCPC 3304 Posy Patch Swirls PreCut Set
HCPC 3309 Faith Heb.11:1 PreCut Set
HCPC 3311 Hope in the Lord PreCut Set
HCPC 3363 Inspire Me Sentiments PreCut Set

Other: white card stock, old dictionary paper, Gel Medium, Prima stencil, Gesso, Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze (cowboy, indian summer, emerald cove, waterfall, wicked, shy violet), Archival Jet Black ink, Copics (V000, V01, V04, G000, G00, G02, Y000), Spellbinders Large Classic Ovals, kraft card stock, Distress Ink (vintage photo, walnut stain), Bazzill Black Raven card stock, Basic Grey white chip board letters, black Sharpie, Glossy Accents, charms, organza ribbon.

6 x 6 inch card layered with a 5.75 inch square altered white cardstock. Adhere old dictionary paper (yes! From a real dictionary!) to white card stock with gel medium, tearing excess dictionary paper off to give a distressed edge. Dry with heat tool. Apply gesso over a stencil on the dictionary paper. Remove stencil and let the gesso air dry naturally so it will remain thick to create a definite layer. Do not use heat tool because it will shrink the gesso. Once dry, apply glimmer glazes or spray mists of your choice. The glazes and mists can be heat set, but be careful to not burn the glazes because they will bubble. Stamp words using Archival Jet Black ink. To stamp only a word from a verse, mask the words you don’t want to stamp with tape and ink the stamp. Remove the tape and wa-la, you have a perfectly inked word portion. Heat set the words. Stamp Flirty Fleur using Archival Jet Black on white card stock. Color with copics and cut out. Die cut oval from kraft, distress edges and ink with Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain inks. Adhere Flirty Fleurs to oval and layer onto a larger black oval. Color ‘art’ chip board letter with black sharpie. Assemble card using Glossy Accents since the glaze is a slick surface.

I'm entering this card in the Word Art Wednesday Challenge #9 - must include scripture.

I'm also entering this in The Ribbon Carousel RCC34 Challenge -anything goes as long as you use something that comes on a spool! And I've got that lacy ribbon behind the flowers!

Be sure to visit all the Heartfelt Creations Design Team's blogs for inspiration and ideas on fantabulous projects! I am in awe of their talent!!

And next week Heartfelt Creations will debut their new release, The Chateau Gate Collection is scheduled to release on January 10 at 12 Midnight EST. This collection is "magnificent" and the intricate detail in each of the designs is absolutely beautiful. This collection is very versatile and you will be able to create projects for the men in your life, invites, graduations, love, congrats and so many more! This collection features 9 PreCut Stamp Sets and one beautiful new exclusive Spellbinders die designed for Heartfelt Creations.

Create A Scene!

2012-01-03T17:25:00.000-05:00

When I read on my friend Olga's blog about a new challenge blog called Craft a Scene, I visited them to see what it was all about. Sounds fun! The first challenge is create a scene and anything goes! I immediately thought of this technique and decided to play along and I had a fun inky afternoon yesterday! This beach scene technique I learned from Kathy of Seaside Stampin' Ink this past summer when they were here for the Stamp Scrap Art Tour.

Seaside Stampin' Ink has a youtube video with all the instructions for this technique. Okay, the instructions say to use dye ink refillers. Hmph, I dont have any colors. Guess I'm lucky I got juicy pads to start with. I'm sure I'll need refillers soon as I stamp all the time! Alright...what to do? Make do with what ya' got is what I always say! So I played and experimented with Adirondack Alcohol inks and with Distress Stains. I had used the stamps in other applications, but had not tried to repeat the inky technique in a long while. I was on a learning curve and decided to share all my results. Well all but one... it was just a big silver blob.

Things you will need: Watch the Seaside Stampin' Ink's video for the details.

Rubber stamps: All images are Seaside Stampin' Ink except for the silhouette seagulls are by Just For Fun Stamps. All stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

Other: Seaside Stampin' Inks Kromekote Glossy cardstock, Krylon Silver Leaf Pen, 91% Isopropyl Alcohol (just regular rubbing alcohol from drugstore or Walmart), inks, felt blotters, and saran wrap.

Prepare to get inky! And have fun!

The color inks I used for these samples are as follows: Adirondack Alcohol ink = Butterscotch for the sand, Sail Boat Blue for the water, and I mixed Stream with Sailboat Blue for & blotted heavily on scratch cardstock to fade it out for the sky. Distress Stains = Scattered Straw for sand, Faded Jeans for water, and Stormy Sky for the sky.

All of these are 5.5 x 4.25 inches on glossy. Final layered onto black Bazzill and light blue Bazzill 6 x 6 top fold card.

Attempt 1. All alcohol inks. Water was way too bright/dark and the sky too light and stamped the dunes too high

Attempt 2. All alcohol inks again. It is okay but I was not 100% happy...the water and sky are too similar.

Attempt 3. Sand and water are using alcohol inks and sky is Stain. Dunes were stamped wayyyy too high. So since it was not a keeper, I thought I'd try a bird in the sky, thinking the crane would look like a heron. Ha! Cranes will be cranes I guess. I really like the birds on the sand though.

Attempt #4. All alcohol inks again - trying to get good color. Just didn't get enough contrast between the ocean and the sky.

Attempt #5. Used all Stains on this one. I really liked it but, darn it, I stamped the word crooked!! arghhh! lol So since it was not a keeper, I stamped the flying seagull to see how it would look. Didnt like it with the big word. I like the big funky word better!

Attempt #6. Used all stain again! Finally had my finished image! (It's on the card I showed up top.) Oh, I learned with the stains that after blending the color with the Krylon initially, it will sort of bead up and to make it smooth, you have to wipe the area with a clean dry piece of felt. Gotta work fast before it dries, which is what happened to my ocean, but I like it because it looks like white capped waves out there.

And then somewhere early on in my inky fun, I tried the texture technique using sprays and saran wrap and got this funky psychedelic scene! I kinda like it... lol.

So go play with your inks!!

Let it Snow!

2012-01-02T21:16:00.000-05:00

First, I'd like to say welcome to all my new followers!! :o) Thank you for helping to share my blog!

I spent the afternoon playing in my craft room... straightened just a little and then played! Oh boy, did I get inky...lol. But I made this pristine snow card before all that just for the Cheery Lynn Designs Challenge 9 - Winter Blues and you have to use at one of their dies. This is the first time I've entered any of their challenges, but when I saw this one, I knew I just *had* to because I love making snow cards to send out in January! This die is awesome!! It's the border AND snowflake on one die. I bought it back in early Fall in anticipation of "snow season". We even had a little snow shower come through where I live tonight! Yep... people in NC get excited even over a little snow shower!

Let it Snow!

Cheery Lynn DL155 Scandinavian Hearts
Heartfelt Creations HCPC 3343 Let It Snow Flurries PreCut Set

6 x 7.5 inch Left Fold Card. Die cut the Scandinavian Hearts from shimmer white cardstock. Layer it onto 5.25 x 6.75 inch Little Yellow Bicycle's Winter Twig Collection - Blue Forest and then onto 5.75 x 7.25 inch LYB's Winter Twig - Snowy Aspen. Stamp "Let it Snow" from HC's Let It Snow Flurries set with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Die cut with Spellbinders Classic Ovals Large and punch 2 ribbon slots. Pounce oval with Broken China Distress Ink using a stipple brush. Stamp the 2 HC small snowflakes randomly on oval using Broken China. Thread light blue organza ribbon through slots and center tag then wrap ends around both LYB's papers. Layer all onto light smokey blue Bazzill 6 x 7.5 inch folded card.

Hope y'all are having a great New Year! My husband goes back to work tomorrow. :o( It's been great having him home for so long, but now maybe I can catch up on my things. haha

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T21:36:00.000-05:00

UPDATE 1-4-12 BLOG CANDY IS CLOSED. WE HAVE A WINNER!! I appreciate your support!

With almost a whole day under our belts of 2012, I thought it would be fun to have a little more blog candy!! I'm a firm believer of "pay your good luck forward" and I've had a lot of good luck recently in the last few weeks, winning 6 different prizes! 1 was a challenge prize from Joan's Gardens where I won the fabulous LaBlanche Santa's List stamp that I posted cards I designed before Christmas. 4 were blog hop candies and they either came right before Christmas or just after and I have not had time to play with it all. Ive been very busy in my craft room creating, but all things I can't show you yet.

Canvas Corp sent me a huge goodie package with papers, canvases, and embellishments! La La Land Crafts was a blog hop candy and I won a $10 certificate so I ordered super cute Faerie Marci! Boss Kut was a blog hop candy and they sent me 5 awesome dies! Stampendous Design Team does Stampendous Saturdays Challenges and they had a DT blog hop with candy. Lucky me won the Prize on The Scrappy Chick's blog and I won Stampendous Cling Bottle Gifts stamp set! And the most recent win was from Dreamweaver Stencils for leaving a comment on Facebook and I won the Heart Lock and Key stainless stencil!!

So with all these wins, I thought I'd add something to my current blog candy giveaway I have that is open until I reach 75 followers. I'm adding the Tim Holtz Winter 2011 3-pad Distress Ink pack!! It includes Iced Spruce, Evergreen Bough, and Festive Berries. They are fantabulous colors!! I used them on all the Christmas cards I made this year.

And the rest of the goodies included are shown below or you can read about them on my original post offering the giveaway by clicking HERE or clicking on the link in my right side bar.

You can either leave a comment here or on the original giveaway post and I'll combine them when time comes.

1. You must be or become a FOLLOWER of my blog.

2. POST about my candy give away on your blog or your facebook page.

3. Leave me a COMMENT on this post telling me where you posted about it and the date you did it with a link so I can find it. (I will verify that you did, so it will be fair and square for everyone commenting.)

Happy New Year!! I send you wishes that many good things will fill your year ahead!!

Let It Snow!

2011-12-29T10:58:00.000-05:00

Living in North Carolina, I just cannot get enough snow! I'm really hoping for a really big snow this year! By big, I mean at least a foot or more.... 2 feet would be great, but we just don't get those kind of snows here very often. Last Christmas Day 2010, we got about 16 inches were I live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains... and it was spectacular!

This snow card is one I made for Heartfelt Creations this week. They are retiring some Limited Edition stamps on December 31st, so you only have a few more days to snag them. The big "snowflake" on my card was made using the Sunburst Flower Set.

Let It Snow

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 2283 Sunburst Flower 2 PreCut Set
HCPC 3344 Single Snowflakes PreCut Set
HCPC 3343 Let It Snow Flurries PreCut Set

Other: Brilliance Moonlight White Pigment ink, Stampendous Shabby Blue Embossing Enamel, white card stock, dark blue card stock, manila card stock, Distress Stains (tumbled glass, broken china, faded jeans), Adirondack Snow Cap paint dabber, Pearl Perfect Pearls, Tumbled Glass Distress ink, Spellbinders Labels 14, Spica Clear Glitter pen, Frosted Lace Stickles, Creatology glittered snowflake, 4 small white punched Martha Stewart snowflakes, white organza ribbon, white loop ribbon, pop dots.

6 x 6 “ top fold card. Stamp medium and small Sunburst Flower using Moonlight White pigment ink onto dark blue cardstock. Emboss with Shabby Blue. Cut both out. On 5.5 x 5.5” manila card stock, randomly swipe tumbled glass, broken china, and faded jeans Distress Stain. Dry well with heat tool. Using Snow Cap paint dabber, “ink” the large Sunburst Flower and stamp in lower left corner. Also with the paint dabber, “ink” the small Sunburst Flower and Single Snowflakes and randomly stamp around. Let dry. Spritz with pearl colored Perfect Pearls. Dry with heat tool. Wrap ribbons around bottom of piece, lining up center of ribbons with center of the large Sunburst Flower. Layer onto 6 x 6” top fold card. Pop dot both embossed Sunbursts onto card, alternating placement of petals. Add a glittered snow flake to the center. Stamp verse using Tumbled Glass Distress ink and die cut with Labels 14. Ink edges with Tumbled Glass. Apply Frosted Lace Stickles to the snowy areas of the letters. Adhere the tag to card. Add 4 punched snowflakes in the corners.

.... still wishin' for snow!! You can send yours to me!!!

A Rosy Heartfelt Wednesday!

2011-12-28T02:00:00.000-05:00

Yay! It's Wednesday!! Which means it is Heartfelt Wednesday!! This is the last week you can purchase the Heartfelt Creations Limited Edition stamps that will be retired on December 31st. My gatefold card today was made using the limited edition Grandiflora Roses along with a newer item from the November release, Layered Scalloped Posy Die. Be sure to visit Heartfelt Creations Blog to see all the gorgeous ideas using the Limited Edition stamps. The Design Team members blogs are SUPER and offer many fantabulous creations! You can find their links in my left sidebar.

Rose Gatefold Card

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCD 717 Layered Scalloped Posy Die
HCPC 2262 Grandiflora Rose 2 PreCut Set
HCPC 2261 Grandiflora Rose 1 PreCut Set
393388 Blossom Nestabilities
HCD 712 Belle Rose Die
HCPC 3311 Hope In The Lord PreCut Set
415220 Labels Six Nestabilities
159223 Paper Blossoms Molding Mat

Other: white, pink Bazzill Bling, and various green cardstocks, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Archival Jet Black ink, Martha Stewart Bangle Chain Deep Edge Border punch, ribbon, pearls.

Finished gatefold card size is 5 x 8 inches. Make the gatefold card using the Layered Scalloped Posy Dies according to the instructional video.

Stamp roses on pink Bazzill Bling with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Using the Grandiflora Rose 2 set, stamp 2 mediums and 3 small flowers. Using the Grandiflora Rose 1 set, stamp 4 mediums, 3 smalls, and 4 buds. Die cut all roses and hand cut the buds. Reserve 1 medium from Set 1 and keep it flat for inside of card. Snip petals a bit in order to shape and curl petals. Shape, layer and assemble roses. Die cut various shades of green foliage using the Belle Rose Die. Snip off the swirls for the card front. Die cut 9 mini posies. Shape and add pearl centers.

The band was made with the MS bangle chain punch on a 11” piece of cardstock. Weave ribbon through the holes. Measure and fold band. Glue the overlapping flaps in the back to itself. Do not glue to card. Add pearls to flowers, assemble card, and attach the medium rose to the band.

For inside of card: stamp the verse with Archival Jet Black ink and die cut using Labels Six. Add foliage, rose bud, flat rose, and 2 small posy flowers.

The card was easy to make! Looks like it is a lot harder than it is... but trust me, any one can make this! Tip: Use a couple layers of waxed paper between your die and cardstock. It sure makes for easy removal from the die.

Thanks for stopping in and I hope you have a crafty day!

A Heartfelt Christmas!

2011-12-22T11:05:00.000-05:00

Good Morning! We've all seen the rosette trees and other rosette decorations on the web or maybe even in person. They are good, but my version is more FUN because it includes stamping!! And I think it's great when you can take a stamp and do so much more with it. I just had THE best time making this Heartfelt Christmas Tree for the Heartfelt Creations Wednesday Blog this week!! Then I made more for myself! Yes, I know it's Thursday, but I created several things this week for HC and I'm continuing with the fun today. Please visit the their blog to see all the gorgeous creations, complete with instructions, this week. You really should visit the Design Team's blogs also, as they create other fantastic items too!

My tree is made with the Limited Edition Aztec Gold Sunflower Stamp Sets and they will only be available through Dec 31, so don't delay. The Sunflower stamps are so very versatile and are one of my favorites... by just changing the color and how you shape the petals they can become different flowers. I've used them for poinsettias even!

Sunflower Christmas Tree

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 2294 Aztec Gold Sunflowers 1 PreCut Set
HCPC 2293 Aztec Gold Sunflowers 2 Precut Set
415223 Blossoms Two Nestabilities

Other: Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Graphic 45 Christmas Past 8x8 collection, Spellbinders Large Octagons, 1 inch punch, 1/2 inch punch, regular hole punch, Martha Stewart pin hole punch, Scor-Pal, Bone Folder, hot glue gun, wooden skewer, wire tinsel pipe cleaner, miniature angel

Coordinate your papers as desired. Stamp one of each of all 5 sizes of Sunflowers using Memento Tuxedo Black ink on printed papers. Stamp 4 extra of the smallest Sunflower. Die cut all the flowers. Die cut the middle sized octagon. Punch four 1 inch and two 1/2 inch circles for the tree and one 1 inch circle to match the octagon shape. Punch a pin hole in center of each of the 4 extra small Sunflowers, the 4 one inch circles for tree, the two 1/2 inch circles, and the octagon shape. The matching circle for the octagon does not get a center punch. Do not fold any of the circles. They remain flat. Set these aside. Score only the first 5 Sunflowers you stamped by scoring from tip to tip and valley to valley. Fold all but the smallest in half (either side is fine) and using a regular hand held hole punch (as for notebooks), punch a hole in the middle by only punching half a hole because when you open the flower, you will have a whole hole. Punch a pin hole in the center of the smallest Sunflower. Open flowers and now accordion fold (like you’re making a fan) each Sunflower making the tips bend downward and the indention where petal meet bend upward. Crease the folds very well with a bone folder.

Open the 4 largest Sunflowers and hot glue a small flat Sunflower to the center topside and a one inch circle in the center backside. Hot glue the two 1/2 circles to the smallest Sunflower. Assemble tree by placing the octagon base onto a wooden skewer. Push it all the way to the base of the flat end of the skewer. If not flat, cut the point off. Hot glue the matching circle onto the underside of the octagon so the skewer is pointing up. Hot glue a thin line around the skewer where it comes out of the octagon and adhere a silver tinsel pipe cleaner to skewer and octagon base. Wrap tinsel around skewer, moving upwards to desired length and space. Add largest Sunflower, more tinsel, repeating until tree is complete.

Tip: it’s easier to wrap the tinsel higher on the skewer and slide it down flush to flowers. Cut off excess skewer and add a tree topper. Mini Angel was made with tiny paper cone, lace over cone, round wooden bead, embroidery thread for hair and bow, gold cardstock for wings, gold sequin for halo.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas!! Remember my BLOG CANDY too... hope to draw it soon once I hit 75. I'll do a separate give away for my blogoversary coming up in 22 days!

Bells will be ringing....

2011-12-21T22:12:00.001-05:00

When I was making this card for Heartfelt Creations, I just could not get that song out of my head! Good thing I like that Christmas song! Be sure to visit the Heartfelt Blog to see all the wonderful projects the other Design Team Members created this week!

I have a love - hate relationship with glitter.... normally... but this super fine art glitter technique is super easy and low mess. And it doesn't later fall off the card like some chunkier glitter does.

Check out a very cool video I found on etsy.tv about the history and legend of glitter: HERE. It's worth your 3 minutes of time to watch it!!

Now on to the card... Christmas Bells

HC Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3422 Poinsettia Cheer Bells PreCut Set
Be Creative Sticky Tape Sheets
Transparent Art Glitter

Other: Neenah white cardstock, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copics (R27, R29, G17, Y000, Y26), Golden Rod Stickles, Sizzix music embossing folder, white watercolor paper, foam tape, pop dots.

Stamp Large Bell twice, small bell once, and the bow once onto white card stock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Apply the Sticky Tape Sheets to the inked side of the images. Burnish well. Cut out each image, leaving a small border. (You can see through the protective backing.) Remove tape backing and sprinkle on the art glitter. I rub in the glitter and then rub off the excess. Color the glitter with Copics. Add golden rod Stickles for poinsettia centers. Let Dry. Dry emboss a 3.75 x 5.25 piece of white card stock with the music folder. Layer onto a 4.5 x 6 white water color paper. Attach large bells with foam tape. Attach small bell and bow with pop dots.

Easy peasy!! So it meets the criteria for the challenge this week over at Joan's Gardens. :o)

Beautiful Pink Poinsettias

2011-12-21T02:00:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to Wednesday with Heartfelt Creations! Be sure to visit the HC blog and all the Design Members to see all the gorgeous projects everyone created this week!! Their links are in my left sidebar...

I know red poinsettias are most everyone's favorite, but I really like the pinks, whites, and variegated ones as well. I just could not let Christmas pass without making a pink poinsettia card with Heartfelt Creations Regal Poinsettia stamp set! It is one of the Limited Edition Stamps. During the month of December HC will not be releasing new products. We will continue our normal schedule of the second Wednesday of the month in January. December is a good time to purchase stamps from the Limited Edition section. Those stamps will only be available until December 31st. So grab them before they are gone!

The Christmas Legend

According to a Mexican legend, one day near Christmas a child who was too poor to buy a present for the Christ child picked a bouquet of weeds from the side of the road. When the child reached the church, the plant blossomed in beautiful red and green flowers. Beginning in the 17th century, monks in Mexico included the plant in their Christmas celebrations.

Today in the United States, December 12th is Poinsettia Day. The American monopoly of the poinsettia market began in the early 1900s. Albert Ecke moved from Germany and began selling the plant from street stands. At the time, poinsettias were more like a weedy bush, lacking in fullness and definition. His son developed a grafting technique for a fuller, more attractive plant. In the next generation, Albert's grandson began to promote the association between poinsettias and the Christmas holidays. He sent free plants to television stations to display from Thanksgiving to Christmas and appeared on programs like The Tonight Show and The Bob Hope Show to promote the poinsettia. In the 1990s, other researchers developed their own techniques for producing beautiful poinsettias. However, the Ecke family still controls 70% of all poinsettia propagation and sales. The bright petals of poinsettias are actually leaves or bracts, and the flowers themselves are very small and yellow. The Mexican poinsettia is bright red, but poinsettias also come in cream, yellow, pink and peach.

Poinsettias are named after Dr. Joel R. Poinsett, a US ambassador to Mexico who introduced the plant to the United States. Recent research has shown that poinsettias are not poisonous, as they were long believed to be. Poinsettias can grow to a height of 16' and thrive in climates where the temperature remains between 50 and 70F.

All interesting... but now onto the card. It's fairly quick to make so you can make one to give this Christmas! Enjoy

Pink Poinsettia

Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 2292 Regal Poinsettia 1 PreCut Set
415223 Blossoms 2 Nestabilities
HCD 705 Holly Ornament Die
HCPC 3348 Cardinal Pine Cone Border PreCut Set

Other: Vellum, Moonlight White Brilliance Pigment Ink, Stampendous Shabby Pink Embossing Enamel, Pink Button, white embroidery thread, Glossy Accents, Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 Clearly For Art Clear Modeling Film, Adirondack Gold Mixative, Adirondack Alcohol Inks (Citrus, Lettuce, Pesto), Heat Tool, Archival Jet Black Ink, White Ribbon, Copic X Press It Tape, Nutshell Designs Mistletoe Sprigs paper, Red Bazzill card stock, foam tape.

6 x 6 Top Fold Card. Pounce an anti-static pillow on vellum. Stamp twice the Large Poinsettia with Moonlight White pigment ink onto vellum and emboss with Shabby Pink embossing enamel. Die cut both with Blossoms 2. Cut the “under” petals off, taking care to leave the stamped/embossed top petals intact. Shape the remaining 5 petals by bending upward slightly and use a heat tool to hold and set the shape. Glue the shaped poinsettia on top of the flat one, lining up the petals. Use Glossy Accents since vellum is a slick surface. Ink the top and side surface of a pink button with Moonlight White ink and emboss with Shabby Pink. Tie white embroidery thread through button and adhere to poinsettia with Glossy Accents. Die cut 2 Holly Leaves from the clear modeling film using the Holly Ornament Die set. Color one side of each using 1 drop Gold Mixative and 1-2 drops of the green alcohol inks on a felt pad. Pounce the felt pad on plastic. Let dry. Repeat 1-2 times more until desired shade and mottling is achieved. Shape the leaves by heating with a heat tool. Note: the plastic will be hot! The heat will curl the plastic, but it will not shrink. Just re-heat if you do not like the shape. Stamp “at Christmas” verse from the Cardinal Pine Cone Border set onto a white ribbon using Archival Jet Black ink. Adhere ribbon to 5.5 x 5.5 inch Mistletoe Sprigs paper using X Press It tape. Assemble onto 6 x 6 red card. Use Glossy Accents to adhere holly leaves, inked side down, and foam tape for the poinsettia.

I'm entering this in Joan's Gardens weekly challenge... this week it's quick Christmas Cards!

Take time to enjoy the days leading up to Christmas... play with your stamps and inks!

OH!! Don't forget.... Heartfelt Creations Christmas Gift Card GiveAway: As a thank you to all their loyal customers, Heartfelt Creations will be giving away 50 - $50 Dollar Gift Certificates on December 21st at 9PM EST. On December 21st HC blog will be providing you with the direct link to the giveaway page on their blog, Facebook and via email. Once the page goes live you submit your information and a $50 gift certificate will automatically be emailed. Once the 50 gift certificate limit has been reached it will be indicated on the page. Mark your calenders and make sure you are available at that time, they will be snatched up quickly!

Vintage Christmas

2011-12-19T20:43:00.003-05:00

I have a big stash of old and vintage Christmas Cards which I do like to use every now and then. This card was very quick and was made using one of the old cards. I made some way back in July for Christmas in July, but I had to get them out yesterday to play. It's amazing how quick this type of card comes together!! I stamped the 6 block postage stamp by Just For Fun Stamps on white cardstock, but only inked 4 squares by masking over the other 2. Then I stamped repeatedly the 'postal' stamp from Tim Holtz's Vintage Market set on a 6x6 top fold green Bazzill cardstock. All stamped in Archival Jet Black. Then I cut the old Christmas card with Fiskars postage stamp scissors and attached to the card. Added a felt snowflake and 2 TH metal corners.

I'm entering this in Joan's Gardens quick Christmas Card challenge this week.

Have a super week and take time to enjoy the magic of the season!

One week to go....

2011-12-17T21:04:00.000-05:00

One week 'til Christmas Eve!!! It's hard to believe!

Here is a super quick card idea in case you need a last minute one. I think I'll use mine as a gift tag...

Green Bazzill left fold card base = 4.25 x 6 inches
Holly Background is by Making Memories, Mistletoe collection = 4 x 5.75 inches
Red Background is by Basic Grey, Nordic Holiday collection = 3.5 x 5.25 inches.
White card stock die cut = Memory Box Winterland Tree

Easy peasy and super quick!! Just the requirements for the challenge over at Joan's Gardens this week.

Don't forget about my BLOG CANDY if you have not entered. Have a great weekend!

Simple Christmas Cards

2011-12-15T18:32:00.002-05:00

Are you rushing to finish your Christmas cards or do you just need 1 or 2 more? With Christmas so close, quick and simple cards are just the ticket!

The card above was made by stamping my new prize from Joan's Gardens!!! I love this stamp! I stamped Santa's List, by La Blanche, with Archival Jet Black ink onto a 2.75 x 5.5" piece of white Neenah cardstock. Stamped Heartfelt Creations "at Christmas" also in Archival ink. (It's from the HCPC 3348 Cardinal Pine Cone Border PreCut Set.) Colored the coat and pants with Copic R27. Lightly used E000 for the skin and very lightly used G000 to add some color to the foliage. Added black photo corners and layered onto 4.25 x 6" Basic Grey Nordic Holiday Red. Cut and fold a card out of Basic Grey Poinsettia/Blitzen Collection paper... it's heavy enough and it's white on the back side. I added 3 holly leaves with a brad before gluing Santa to the card.

Joan's Gardens is having another Christmas card challenge this week! It's create a QUICK Christmas card and anything goes! Mine sure was quick. I think it took longer to clean the white silicone stamp! LOL

Have fun and remember to enjoy the days leading up to Christmas!

First Christmas

2011-12-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome and Happy Wednesday with Heartfelt Creations! During the month of December we will not be releasing new products. We will continue our normal schedule of the second Wednesday of the month in January. December is a good time to purchase stamps from our Limited Edition section. Those stamps will only be available until December 31st. So grab them before they are gone.

Super generous Heartfelt Creations is doing something special next week! You won't want to miss the Heartfelt Creations Christmas Gift Certificate GiveAway: As a thank you to all our loyal HC customers, Heartfelt Creations will be giving away 50 - $50 Dollar Gift Certificates on December 21st at 9PM EST. On December 21st we will be providing you with the direct link to the giveaway page on our blog, Facebook and email. Once the page goes live, you submit your information and a $50 gift certificate will automatically be emailed. Once the 50 gift certificate limit has been reached, it will be indicated on the page. Mark your calenders and make sure you are available at that time, they will be snatched up quickly!

The Design Team is spotlighting the Limited Edition stamps this month. They are timeless and can be used for so many projects. The flowers can be made different ways and by using different colors, they can be used all year long. Many of my DT Sisters are posting tutorials for making gorgeous flowers using Heartfelt Creations stamps. Be sure to check out their blogs from the links in my left sidebar! My rose tutorial can be found HERE. The poinsettias on my layout page today were made using the Regal Poinsettia PreCut Stamp sets, but they could be water lilies too. I think they would be cute with a frog or two!! rrrribbit! You really can use flowers on a boy layout! Although I made my poinsettias pink for my adorable great neice!

I love this Ten Little Fingers verse stamp!! Just precious!

On to how to create the layout!

First Christmas

Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 2292 Regal Poinsettia 1 PreCut Set
HCPC 2291 Regal Poinsettia 2 PreCut Set
HCPC 3433 Book Frame 1 PreCut Set
HCPC 3364 Stained Glass Background PreCut Set
336E Ten Little Fingers
338A Ducky Pins
HCD 705 Holly Ornament Die
415223 Blossoms 2 Nestabilities
452063 Grand Big Scalloped Circle Nestabilities
452062 Grand Big Circles Nestabilities
472123 Foliage Shapeabilities

Other: PAPERS: Authentique Paper “Wonder” collection (beige base + holly/Yearning), Three Bugs in a Rug April Showers paper (pink polka dot), dark green velvet paper, Basic Grey Santa Lucia “Nordic Holiday” collection, Bazzill card stock (pink, red, and various greens), White Neenah card stock; INKS: spun sugar, bundled sage, iced spruce, frayed burlap, festive berries, vintage photo Distress Inks, Archival Jet Black ink, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics (R81, R83). MISC: Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities, Grand Calibur, Scrapbook Adhesives Black Photo Corners, small paint brush or skewer, gold seed beads, Basic Grey Chip Board Alphabet stickers, glittered buttons, Distress Picket Fence paint, Martha Stewart Coarse Marble Glitter, Glossy Accents, Aleene’s Easy Flow glue, corner rounder punch

12 x 12 Page. For the poinsettia flowers, stamp 2 of the largest and 1 each of the other 2 sizes from the Regal Poinsettia 1 PreCut set with Spun Sugar Distress ink on pink card stock. This will make 1 finished flower. Stamp 4 of the largest and 2 each of the other sizes onto white card stock with spun sugar ink. This will make 2 finished white flowers. Die cut all using Blossoms 2. Ink edges of all die cuts with spun sugar ink. To assemble a flower, take 1 of the largest die cut and snip the petals apart, taking care to cut so that the ink stamp line is with the big petals. Shape the bigger petal with a paint brush or skewer. Now glue the smaller “under” petals in place onto the remaining large size die cut flower, so that the flower stacks exactly on top of each other. Take the 2 next sizes and snip the “under” flowers completely off, taking care to leave the stamped berry center intact. Ink the newly exposed petal sides with spun sugar. Shape petals and glue center onto the large base so that the petals have alternating alignment. Glue on gold seed beads for the flower centers.

The Authentique 12 x 12 beige base paper comes distressed and printed with green and red paint splatters. Ghost stamp the following around border to ‘age’ it further: Music from the Book Frame set in Bundled Sage, Large Holly Leaf from the Regal Poinsettia 1 set in Iced Spruce, and the Stained Glass Background in Frayed Burlap. To ghost stamp, do not place the stamp on an acrylic block, but instead hold it in your hand and curl it slightly. Ink the rounded out park of the stamp and then rock the image onto your paper. It will print only a part of the image and much lighter. Cut the pink polka dot paper to 10 x 10 and ink edges with Festive Berries, Vintage Photo, and Iced Spruce. Distress edges and re-ink edge with vintage photo. Curl a corner or two. Stamp the Large Holly Leaf multiple times in upper left corner area using Bundled Sage ink. Die cut the dark green velvet paper with the largest Grand Big Scallop Circle. Die cut the holly paper with the middle size Grand Circles. Mount a 3.5 x 5 photo onto 4 x 5.5 red mat with black photo corners. Stamp 3 Ducky Pins on the same red card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Heat set and cut out. Apply Glossy Accents to the pins. Set aside to dry.

Stamp Ten Little Fingers onto pink card stock with Archival Jet Black. I used Archival because I like the crispness it renders. Die cut with Labels 3 and layer onto designer paper. Round the corners and add 4 glittered buttons. Color chip board letters with Copics R81 and R83. Die cut large and small Holly Leaves using HCD Holly Ornament Die. Paint several edges/tips of the large holly leaves with Picket Fence Distress paint. Let dry. Glitter same edges with coarse marble glitter. Let dry. Die cut some foliage from various shades of green cardstock. Shape foliage to make it more realistic. Assemble layout. I use Aleene’s Easy Flow glue. All you need is a little line around outside edge. I used Glossy Accents on the chipboard letters even though they are stickers. I find they pop off if not glued.

Have fun scrapping your precious memories!! It's so nice to combine stamping with scrapping. :o)

Santa's List

2011-12-12T21:38:00.000-05:00

I made this card using the La Blanche stamp I won from Joan's Gardens for last weeks weekly challenge. The stamp image is Santa's List. Isn't it wonderful?!! Thank you Joan for the generous prize!!

This is my very first La Blanche stamp, and I am already hooked! Their stamps are etched out of silicone. The silicone not only helps the stamps have intricate details but it only requires minimal pressure for a great stamped image. And it looks really cool... the silicone is white!

I stamped the image using Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white Neenah card stock and colored Santa's suit with Festive Berries Distress ink. Swipe ink on craft mat and use a water color brush. Use Copic E0000 for the skin. Ink edges with Vintage Photo, keeping it very light in the middle and none on Santa. Distress edges and re-ink edges with Frayed Burlap and Vintage Photo. Pounce Evergreen Bough on the foliage areas using a stipple brush. Layer onto Graphic 45 Christmas Past paper that has edges distressed and inked slightly with Vintage Photo. Adhere ribbon around corners. Ink ribbon slightly with Vintage Photo. Make a 5.5 x 7 inch left fold card from Coredinations stock. Sand front perimeter a bit to reveal the white core. Adhere Santa to card front.

I'm entering this in Joan's Gardens Weekely Challenge #13. Requires a Christmas card and the theme is anything goes! Please visit her site... she has some marvelous items!

12 Days of Tags - Day 9 "Double Embossing"

2011-12-09T17:40:00.001-05:00

Aren't all the tags t!m is creating just fantabulous!??! You can see his DAY 9 and instructions on his BLOG. I really liked the idea he instructed us to do with the double embossing and then wiping on dark ink to antique/distress it. My Festive Berries ink pad was too juicy I think and the whole tag got embossed. I flicked and flicked and no powder would let go. I was afraid to brush some off and that I'd get ugly streaks. So I heat set the embossing and tried to wipe on Vintage Photo but no luck. So I distressed the edge and inked with VP to at least get the old look. Ha-ha... I always say there are no mistakes in art... just embellishment opportunities!!

I only made a few substitutions... mainly with the images. I used t!m's P2-1409 Circles from Stampers Anonymous and Heartfelt Creations HCPC 3436 Rye Grass Flourish for the background stamped in Evergreen Bough. And swiped on Festive Berries as instructed. My candle is Heartfelt Creations HCPC 3419 Holiday Poinsettia Candle and I added Recollections (I think) holly leaves and berry brad. My "peace" is die cut with t!ms Vintage Market Alphabet die from pre-glittered black cardstock. My black swirl is who-knows-what...LOL... it came from my box of such things. When I cut dies and have some left over, I throw them in a box. Some I even get from crafting at friend's or classes.

I'll upload this tag on t!m's blog and enter challenges at Inspiration Journal and Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium

I've got 2 tags left to do... Day 4 and Day 8. I was just busy as a bee those days!! It happens some times!

Tidings of Great Joy!

2011-12-08T12:02:00.001-05:00

Here is another card I designed for Heartfelt Creations this week. Click HERE to magically hop to my other card or you can just scroll down. Their stamps and dies sure make it easy to create! I feel blessed to be a part of such an awesome company and Design Team!! Please visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog and see all the gorgeous projects the Design Team has created this week! You can also visit their individuals blogs by clicking on the links on my left sidebar. You will get so much inspiration from all the blogs! Also this week, Heartfelt Creations is participating in a Holiday Blog Hop with Scrap-Mart and Heartfelt is offering a $25 gift certificate prize for commenting on their blog! How cool is that!!

Tidings of Great Joy!

Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3428 Script Christmas Tree PreCut Set
HCPC 3432 Magnificent Spruce Trees PreCut Set
HCPC 3323 Large Elegant Word Background PreCut Set

Other: white cardstock, Versamark ink, Ranger super fine detail clear embossing powder, Distress Inks (evergreen bough, iced spruce, vintage photo, festive berries, bundled sage), blending tool, McGill ticket punch, Butterscotch Adirondack ink, Spica clear glitter pen, Graphic 45 “Christmas Past”, dark green Bazzill cardstock, red organza ribbon, Graphic 45 vintage lace ribbon, faux greenery, mini paper clip, brass star, pop dots.

6x6 top fold card. Create background paper on 5.5 x 5.5 inch white cardstock. Stamp Script Christmas Tree randomly with Versamark ink. Emboss with the super fine clear detail powder. Ink the sheet using blending tool with Evergreen Bough, Iced Spruce, Vintage Photo, and Festive Berries Distress inks. Wipe the ink from the embossing. Stamp Spruce Tree Trio randomly using Iced Spruce ink. Wipe ink from embossing. Distress edges and ink again with Evergreen Bough. Stamp Large Spruce Tree with Bundled Sage distress ink onto white cardstock. Heat set. Stamp Script Christmas Tree with Festive Berries on top of the Spruce Tree and emboss with the super fine clear detail powder. Cut out and edge with Vintage Photo ink. Punch a ticket from white cardstock and stamp verse with Festive Berries. Heat set. Using blending tool, ink ticket with Evergreen Bough and Vintage Photo inks. Stamp Elegant Word Background onto ticket with Butterscotch Adirondack ink. Go over the red verse words with a clear Spica Glitter pen and hand draw some stars randomly on ticket. Ink edges of G45 “Christmas Past” paper with Vintage Photo and Evergreen Bough inks. Distress edges and ink edges again with Festive Berries. Tie the red organza ribbon around background with words/trees and layer onto the G45 paper and finally onto dark green Bazzill cardstock. Add lacey ribbon under ticket and adhere to card. Add mini paper clip. Pop dot large tree to card. Add faux greenery in ribbon. Adhere brass star to top of tree.

This card was so fun.... love those inky techniques! I'm entering this card in Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge #13.

12 Days of Tags - Day 7 "Kraft Glassine"

2011-12-07T13:51:00.001-05:00

Hi! ~ This is my 2nd post for today. You can find Wednesday with Heartfelt Creations HERE or just scroll down!

Tim's tag today is so pretty!! I really must find some of that miniature tinsel garland!! Be sure to visit his blog for all the instructions and an excellent video on what you can do with kraft glassine. Who knew you could do all that?!!? I've stamped on it and dry embossed it and die cut it flat for backgrounds. All that looks good, but oh so boring! Wait til you see what can be done with alcohol inks and mixatives!!

I followed Tim's directions from his video to make my holly leaves. I used gold mixative and Lettuce, Citrus, and Pesto alcohol inks. Very cool technique! I die cut my leaves after crinkling and inking with Vintage Photo ink. I used Heartfelt Creations HCD 705 Holly Ornament Die. I loved that I had the tiny holly leaves to layer on the tag. I also prepared the tag like in his instructions, using Pumice Stone and Antique Linen Stains. I ghost-stamped the background images using the music stamp from Heartfelt Creations Book Frame 1 PreCut Set and Heartfelt Creations Stained Glass Background PreCut Set. That stained glass background stamp just may be my new favorite stamp!! I see endless possibilites!

I'm entering that tag once again in a few of my favorite sites:
Inspiration Journal,
OutlawWomenScrapbookEmporium,
and of course uploading on Tim's site. :o)

Hope you have a fun day in your craft room!

Wednesday with Heartfelt Creations!

2011-12-07T01:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Wednesday Y'all! This week Heartfelt Creations is participating in the Scrap-Mart Holiday Blog Hop. It's a very fun hop! You can visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog or the Scrap-Mart Blog to get started in the hop. Heartfelt Creations is generously offering a $25 gift certificate giveaway for one lucky person that participates in the hop by commenting on the Heartfelt Creations blog. Be sure to check out the blog for all the fantastic projects this week of all the other Design Team Members and for your chance to win!!

The Holiday Blog Hop is a week long blog hop dedicated to Christmas-themed projects! For my project, I made a Christmas card and adorned it with a glittery Peace Dove and hand-made red Christmas Roses. I've posted a tutorial on my blog with detailed instructions on how the roses are made and you can see it HERE.

Peace Dove

Products Used on This Project:
HCD 701 Posy Patch Die
HCPC 3421 Dove of Peace PreCut Set
HCD 715 Christmas Cheer Die
Sticky Tape Sheets
85 Crystal Art Glitter
HCPC 3320 Vintage Word Background Precut Set
HCD 712 Belle Rose Die
472176 Fancy Tags 2 Shapeabilities

Other: white Neenah card stock, ivory cardstock, dark green and olive Bazzill cardstocks, Adirondack Color Washes (red pepper, cranberry, butterscotch, espresso), Burnt Red Glimmer Mist, small paint brush, dry embossing tool, heat tool, hot glue gun, Distress Inks (fired brick, pine needles, vintage photo), blending tool, Graphic45 paper (Victorian Greetings – Christmas Past Collection), Spica Clear Glitter pen, white ribbon, Copics (G17, E34, G99), Distress Stains (peeled paint, forest moss), foam mounting squares, pop dots.

5.5 x 6.5 inch Left Fold Card. Create roses using the largest 2 dies of the Posy Patch Die. It will take 8 die cuts of the largest and 7 of the other, using white card stock. Color with red pepper and cranberry color washes on both sides. Spray with burnt red glimmer mist. Dry well with heat tool. Shape and form roses. A tutorial to make the roses is on my blog.

Stamp Dove with fired brick distress ink onto white cardstock. Heat set. Cover with Sticky Tape Sheet and burnish well. Die cut using the Christmas Cheer Die. It will take an extra piece of cardstock in your cutting sandwich and several passes in order to cut through the tape. Remove top protective paper and sprinkle on the Crystal Ultrafine Transparent Art Glitter.

Stamp Vintage Words with pine needles distress ink onto a 4.5 x 5.5 inch piece of white cardstock. Immediately, spritz with water so the ink will bleed. After ink has moved to your satisfaction, spray with butterscotch and espresso color wash. Dry well with heat tool. Ink the front AND back edges with vintage photo. Curl and distress edges.

Stamp Verse onto ivory cardstock and die with Fancy Tags 2. Use the spica clear glitter pen on the scrollwork portion of the tag and over the “wonder”. Color white ribbon with copics, layering in this order: G17, E24, and G99. Thread ribbon through tag and wrap around the word background piece. Layer onto 5 x 6 inch G45 paper and both onto 5.5 x 6.5 inch green Bazzill card stock card. Cut foliage from olive card stock using the Belle Rose die (1 large with swirls + 6 small branches). Snip the swirls off and stain leaves with forest moss distress stain. Dry with heat tool. Curl and shape the leaves. Stain 2 branches with peeled paint stain and 1 branch with forest moss. Arrange foliage and glue into place. Attach roses with foam mounting squares. Slide and glue the Dove’s tail into the left rose and attach body to card with double thick pop dots.

Hope you have a wonderous day! It's supposed to snow in our NC Mountains... wish it would here!

Please help spread the word about my blog candy giveaway to get me to 75 followers. Thanks!

Make your own Paper Roses! ~ A Tutorial

2011-12-06T18:38:00.001-05:00

It's great to know how to make your own rose flowers! You can make them in any color and size that you need. And it's fun! Not to mention... easier on your pocketbook. I'll take you through the process step by step to create gorgeous roses to adorn your cards and scrapbook layouts. Here is a sneak peak of a card I designed for Heartfelt Creations and the card will be on their blog tomorrow.

Products Needed For This Project:
White Card Stock (I used Neenah)
A 5-petal Flower Shape die (I used Heartfelt Creations HCD 701 Posy Die)
Adirondack Color Washes (Red Pepper & Cranberry)
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Burnt Red)
Curling Tool such as a paint brush or bamboo skewer
Hot Glue Gun

Step 1

Die cut any where from 5 to 8 petals from white card stock or any heavy weight paper. The smaller the dimension of your die, the less petals it will take. I used 7 and 8 on the roses I have pictured above. I used the 2 largest dies of the HCD 701 Posy Die and the finished roses are approx 2 and 1.5 inches round.

Step 2

Color your petals! Have fun... anything goes! I used the Color Washes first and ended with the Glimmer Mist. I also always color both sides when I make flowers because of the curling of the petals... and people always inspect them so intently. LOL Dry your petals thoroughly with a heat tool. The paper will need to be stiff again in order for the curling to hold its shape.

Step 3

Set 2 petals to the side. They will become the center bud later. Of the remaining, determine which side you want to be the tops of the finished rose petals. Curl the tip of each of the remaining petals under and then bend each petal up towards the center. The photo above shows the front & back of the curling and the bending. Set all of your curled and bent petal sets to the side. They will look like little flower cups.

Step 4

Take the 2 petals you originally set aside for the center bud, and snip between each petal. Take care to not cut a petal completely off!! Different shaped dies may take more or less snips... you'll just have to play.

Step 5

Begin with 1 section and curl it inwards very tightly. It will be the very center of your rose. Once you have it shaped, glue it with a dab of hot glue and hold a few seconds until it sets. Hot glue works best for this process because wet glues just take too long to dry. If you get glue strings, just pull them off.

Step 6

Curl and bend an adjacent petal lengthwise from center to the tip to make a nest for the center you just made. Place the center fairly even with the one you're nesting it in.

Step 7

Place a dab of hot glue in the curve of the petal you're placing the center one in and press the 2 petals together.

Step 8

Continue bending and attaching each adjacent petal, spiraling ever so slightly downward. In a real rose, the very center is always the tallest. You can shape the tips of the petals as you go. I always shaped and hold each new petal before I glue it so I can see how the rose is looking.

Step 9

Once you have completed your rose bud, snip off the center end about 1/4 inch. It will then sit down inside your next petal layers.

Step 10

Take your last unused petal set and snip between the petals just like the first. Because the rose now is unfurling at this level, you need to curl the tips and sides under. I've included a back side view just so you can see better.

Step 11

Now bend the top side along the length to make a nest for the bud you made.

Step 12

Place the little bud in the petal nest and hot glue in place.

Step 13

Continue bending, wrapping and gluing the petals around the bud. Shape petal tips as you go. Remember the flower is unfurling here.

Step 14

Your rose bud is completed!! Great job! You can always use a rose bud like it is if you wish. Do not snip of the base at this time... wait til your flower is assembled so you can determine where to cut.

Step 15

Begin assembling the flower. Place a dab of hot glue in center of one of the flower cups. Place another flower cup on top, alternating the placement of the petals. A petal tip should be over a split.

Step 16

Continue layering your flower until all layers glued together.

Step 17

Place your rose bud in the center. If it is too tall, snip off the base as needed. Once you have it at the correct level, hot glue the bud in to complete your rose.

Step 18

Shape and fluff petals as needed.

12 Days of Tags - Day 5 "Reflections"

2011-12-06T16:29:00.001-05:00

Woo-hooo... I LOVED Day 5's technique!! You can view Tim's video how to do it, along with the complete written instructions and his original tag, on his blog by clicking HERE. I do not have any of the Reflections stamps, but they are on my wish list now! I had never done this technique before, but I must say I am hooked!! I decided to use the snowflakes from Tim's Mini Holidays set and Holiday Magic set. Because you are inking and stamping on the backside of the transparency, you have to use either the Reflections stamps or a stamp that doesn't matter when you reverse the image. Regular word/verse stamps will not work. The Reflections stamps are words that are manufactured backwards so when you use them on the back of transparencies, you can read them correctly. Hope that makes sense!! Just go watch Tim's video!!

The ingredients I used:
Wendy Vecchi's Studio 490 Clear Modeling Film (I like the sturdiness of it.)
Red Pepper, Cranberry, and a little Raisin Adirondack Alcohol Inks
Jet Black Archival Ink
Glossy white card stock
Snowflakes: Tim's Mini Holidays set and Holiday Magic set
Paper towel
Heartfelt Creations HCD 710 Decorative Oval Window
green Bazzill card stock
Recollections bling
white ribbons

I followed Tim's instructions exactly and built up 4 layers of red alcohol ink on the transparent tag I cut with the TH Tag Die. It is very important to let each layer dry completely. I waved mine around to help the alcohol evaporate. On the inked side, I stamped the snow flakes 1 or 2 at a time with Jet Black Archival Ink. Immediately, I began blotting the black ink with a paper towel. Some black ink came off, but I learned if you do a very slight twisting motion with the paper towel, that the black ink came off better which removed the red ink that the black ink stuck to. I worked on a white sheet of paper so I could see it happening better. I made my little wreath using Heartfelt Creations Decorative Oval die from olive Bazzill card stock. Cut it apart and rearranged the oval into a wreath. Added bling and ribbon. Wa-laaaa!

Entering this tag into a couple challenges at Inspiration Journal and at OutlawWomenScrapbookEmporium. I've completed all the 12 Days of Tags so far except for Day 4. I'll have to get creative with that day since I don't have a lot of the items.

Reminder: I still have blog candy going on. You can view the goodies HERE.

12 Days of Tags - Day 6 "Metal Fun"

2011-12-06T10:59:00.001-05:00

Have you been following Mario's BTS (behind the scenes) on Facebook or Twitter?? It's been a LOT of fun every night. In case you didn't know, they are having internet issues because of a snow storm the other day and night in Arizona. Those guys are so dedicated to go out in the snow to find wifi hotspots because the internet service at their studio has been less than cooperative.... just to post a tag for us fans! Tim's Day 6 Tag is awesome because we get to play with metal!!! You can get see his original and get all his instructions HERE.

I think the way I made my tag is easier and quicker. Shhhh.... don't tell Tim! Of course he wants to his his products and Ranger products, but I can use everything by any company. LOL I think the technique he was mainly sharing today was embossing metal. I first discovered embossing metal through TENseconds Studio. Their metal is awesome and they offer so many more colors and their sheets are large 8.5 x 11 plus they even have some on rolls. They have a good interesting variety of molds to emboss the metal. In fact, I used TENseconds Studio 'stuff' today!

I cut a piece of the TENseconds Studio (TSS) slate colored metal slightly larger than a #8 tag and ran it through my cuttlebug using the TSS Christmas Kabuka mold. It has snowflakes on the back side! When you emboss metal in a machine, you need to use a piece of tissue paper between the mold and the metal so the metal won't get cut through. I probably should have used 2 sheets of tissue with this mold since it's very detailed. Some of the snowflakes were on the verge of being cut. I adhered the embossed metal to a #8 tag, that I die cut from manila file folder using Tim's tag die, by using Copic Xpress It tape. Trim away excess metal and hole punch the metal to match the hole in the tag. Sand the metal to expose the silver color. I 'colored' my metal by applying Tattered Angels Glimmer GLAZE directly to the metal and dried with a heat tool. Be careful... the metal will get super hot! Once cool, you can re-sand if desired and add a few highlights with Copics. I used R29. Add the charm and ribbon and you're done. Very quick and very fun!

I'm still working on the tags for Days 4 and 5. I thought it would be more fun to makes today's since I love metal and also so I can upload todays tag today. I'll post 4 & 5 as soon as I complete them. Remember you have until December 31 to upload your creations to Tim's Blog.

I'm entering that tag once again in a few of my favorite sites:
Joan's Garden,
Inspiration Journal,
and at OutlawWomenScrapbookEmporium

12 Days of Tags - Day 3 "Embossing"

2011-12-05T17:53:00.001-05:00

You can find Tim's original tag and complete instructions on his blog! My tag is completely different than his. I used the only stamp image I had that matched an embossing folder I had. Thank goodness it was acceptable for Christmas!! LOL I love this technique of making your own ink pads for a specific stamp! I use it quite often. All the tags that Tim is designing are so fun to try to replicate and play with all the inky techniques.

My ingredients used:
TH trees stamp and embossing folder
various green distress reinkers
"Believe" stamp from TH Mini Holidays set, stamped in pine needles
"Merry Christmas" stamp from TH Holiday Magic set, stamped in festive berries
Spritzed store bought holly leaves with pearl Perfect Pearls
Distressed the holly berries brad

I'm entering that tag once again in a few of my favorite sites:
Joan's Garden,
Inspiration Journal,
and at OutlawWomenScrapbookEmporium

12 Days of Tags - Day 2 "Christmas Deer"

2011-12-05T17:18:00.001-05:00

The Inky Guru Tim is crankin' out some fantabulous Christmas Tags! You can get all the instructions and see his original Day 2 Tag by clicking HERE.

For my version, I had to change very little. I did not have the Holiday Kraft Resist Paper, so I used the regular Kraft Resist and picked out the music (from the page with the large bird on it). I had to use alternate embellishments, but that is the beauty of Tim's tags... they are all about techniques. I'm also entering this in Joan's Garden tag challenge and at OutlawWomenScrapbookEmporium, and Inspiration Journal.

My ingredients used:
Regular TH Kraft Resist
Picket Fence Stain
evergreen bough, festive berries, & iced spruce distress inks
Perfect Pearls mist
frayed burlap ink
Reindeer Flight Die
Grungeboard
White sticky canvas (since I didnt have the natural & I inked with antique linen, frayed burlap)
Fiskars decorative scissors to cut the bottom piece of grunge
Marvy Gold Metallics
Vintage Photo ink
Glossy Accents
TH Design Ruler & safety pin
Martha Stewart mini hole puncher
Stampers Anonymous "Christmas Carols" stamped in vintage photo
Various embellies

I read on Tim's blog that the texture hammer has been discontinued. I never had one since I had a little brass hammer that works just as well. Dents those brads very well! Look for them any where they sell tools.

Frosty the Snowman!

2011-12-03T20:43:00.001-05:00

Here is a fun, quick and cute project! It's made on Stampbord using inks, chipboard, glitter... all the fun stuff! I first learned of Stampbord when I attended the Art on a Limb art retreat in Pennsylvania this past Fall. As described on the Stampbord website... "Stampbord’s ultra-smooth clay finish accepts all types of stamping inks including dye based, alcohol and pigmented. The absorbency of the clay surface lets you apply color without smearing, and no matter how saturated the surface becomes, the material will never buckle. With its stiff backing, Stampbord is perfect for combining stamping with layered collage and embellishments. Since the surface is made of clay, you can scratch back into your designs to create incredible details, highlights and textures." It really is fun and easy to use!

For this cute snowman, I inked the 3.5 x 2.5 inch (ATC size!) white clay surface with chalk inks and pigment inks, using a mask/template for the blue background stars. Stamped (on the left side) the large stars with circle dots in black, then scratched off the stars there and also scratched free handed some more stars on the right. The snowman is chipboard, I believe from Maya Road. Glittered him and inked his hat. Added the pearl buttons and hand cut a piece of paper for the scarf. 2 ink dots for eyes. Guess he needs a corn cob pipe.... LOL.

12 Days of Tags - Day 1 "Noel"

2011-12-01T21:27:00.001-05:00

Yipppeee! Tim's 12 Day of Tags began today and his first one is absolutely awesome! You can see his original and all the instructions on his blog by clicking HERE. If you've never visited his blog, you really should... he's got some great techniques and his products are wonderful. Not to mention the giveaways he does. I've yet to win one from him... crossing all my fingers and toes!

The tag pictured above is the one I made this afternoon. I had so much fun playing with it all. I had to make some substitutions, but like Tim said... just go with what you have. So I did. And you can too!

I think mine turned out pretty and I'm happy with it. Guess that is all that ever matters in art... that the artist is happy with what he/she does. Here is the list of items I used:

Tim's Tag & Bookplates Die to die cut a tag from a manila folder
Distress Stain - Tumbled Glass
Cuttlebug Snowflakes Folder
Brilliance Moonlight White pigment ink
Ultra fine clear embossing powder
At the point the tag looked a little greenish...lol... so I swiped on Broken China and Faded Jeans Distress Stains.
Basic Grey Chipboard Letters
Martha Stewart's White Gold Glitter
Tim's Tattered Flowers Die (the smallest flower) cut 8 times in brown bazzill cs for pinecones
(did them like roses but enlongated like Tim shows on his video)
Distress Picket Fence Crackle paint & Martha's Carrara Marble Glitter for pinecones
Heartfelt Creations Belle Rose Die for the swirls
Heartfelt Creations Perfect Petals Die for foliage
Making Memories Holly Leaves and berry brads
Frosted Lace Stickles on foliage
Snowflake Charm
Special Effects Ribbon

Whew... sounds like a lot, but sure was fun! I'm entering this tag on Tim's blog and Joan's Garden Weekly Challenge and Inspiration Journal.

Wonder what Day 2 will be?... are you following Mario on FB... he's posting pics and updates! Now go play in your ink!

Christmas is on the way!

2011-12-01T00:30:00.000-05:00

Can you believe Christmas is almost here already?!!? The year has just flown by! They say time flies when you're having fun, so I guess I had a lot of fun this year! I really did.

Here is the 2nd tag I made for Heartfelt Creations for this week. It sure is fun working with their stamps! They have great images that can be used for a variety of projects. Be sure to visit the HC Blog and all the Design Team's blogs for all sorts of stamping and scrapping goodness!

Merry Christmas Tag

Heartfelt Creations Products Used on This Project:
HCPC 3323 Large Elegant Word Background PreCut Set
HCPC 3419 Holiday Poinsettia Candle PreCut Set
HCPC 3432 Magnificent Spruce Trees PreCut Set

Other: #8 manila tag, Distress Stains, Heat Tool, Distress Inks, Pearl Perfect Pearls, Brilliance Pearlescent Ice Blue Ink, Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder, Spica Clear Glitter Pen, Marvy Black ink, Grungeboard, Martha Stewart Picket Fence punch, Picket Fence Crackle Distress Paint, McGill Ticket punch, red tinsel ribbon, metal snowflake charm (mine was gold tone that I painted with a silver Krylon pen), number charms, mini paper clip, Glossy Accents, ribbons.

Stain tag with Broken China, Stormy Sky and Faded Jeans Distress Stains. Dry with heat tool. Stamp Large Elegant Word Background with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. Spray tag with Pearl Perfect Pearls. The mist will soften the stamped words. Dry with heat tool. You will de-boss the tag so the raised portion of the embossing folder will be on top. Carefully ink the raised side of the folder with the Pearlescent Ice Blue ink. Don’t press too hard or ink will get on the background. Run tag and folder through Cuttlebug. Apply Clear glitter pen on some of the de-bossed snowflakes. Stamp the “Silent Night Music” 5 times down the right side of the tag in Marvy black. Stain Grungeboard piece cut square slightly larger than tree stamp with Crushed Olive, Forest Moss and Pine Needles Distress Stains. Dry with heat tool. Stamp Magnificent Spruce Tree in Marvy black. Dry with heat tool. Cut out. Punch MS picket fence from brown cardstock and paint with picket fence distress crackle. Punch ticket from manila folder. Ink edges with Iced Spruce and Evergreen Bough (the new 2011 Seasonal holiday colors). Stamp verse in Festive Berries ink. Loosely wrap tree in tinsel ribbon. Assemble tag by adhering all in place with Glossy Accents. Add mini paper clip. Loop ribbons through top of tag.

I'm entering this tag in Joan's Garden Weekly Challenge. :o) Have a stamp happy day!

Wednesday with Heartfelt Creations!

2011-11-30T08:30:00.001-05:00

Here is one of the tags I made for Heartfelt Creations recently and it's on the HC Blog today. It's always so fun to play with all the inks and color sprays! The Heartfelt Creations stamps are not only for traditional style cards... they can be used with any style of stamping, journaling, or scrapping! You can even make your own masks with their die cuts! It's the beauty of their stamp line. They really do have beautiful stamps. So get out your inks, sprays, and Heartfelt Creation stamps and have an inky good time with them!!! The more ink on your fingers, they better I say!!

Christmas Angel Tag

Heartfelt Creations Products Used on This Project
HCD 716 Layered Elegant Swirl Die
HCPC 3433 Book Frame 1 PreCut Set
HCPC 3434 Book Frame 2 PreCut Set
HCPC 3419 Holiday Poinsettia Candle PreCut Set
HCPC 3425 Elegant Angels PreCut Set
HCD 715 Christmas Cheer Die

Other: #8 manila tag, manila file folder, Adirondack Color Washes, heat tool, Distress Inks, Pearl Perfect Pearls, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Spica Clear Glitter Pen, lace, Tiny Attacher, ribbons and fibers.

Die cut the fancy swirl of the Artistic Gatefold Die twice from manila file folder to use as masks. Lay the masks on the tag and spray with Butterscotch and Espresso Color Washes. Dry with heat tool. Ink edges of tag with Vintage Photo, Walnut Stain and Festive Berries (new 2011 Seasonal color). Spray tag with Pearl Perfect Pearls. Stamp Amazing Grace Music from Book Frame 1 PreCut Set in Memento Tuxedo Black. Stamp in black the smallest book on a piece of manila file folder. Mask book and stamp Silent Night Music with black ink. Cut out little book and ink edges with Vintage Photo and Festive Berries. Distress edges of the little book and ink edges with Walnut Stain. Stamp Elegant Angel on a piece of manila folder with Tuxedo Black. Die cut the Angel out. Ink edges of Angel with Vintage Photo and apply Spica Clear Glitter pen. Assemble tag. Add lace with Tiny Attacher staples. Add ribbon and fiber to top of tag.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! Be sure to visit all the other Design Team's blogs too for loads of great projects and inspiration! The DT list in my left side bar.

I'm still having my blog candy giveaway... please help spread the word so I can reach 75 followers and give away all the goodies. My blogoversary is in January and I'll do another giveaway then. :o)

Have a fun, inky kind of day!! Also I'm entering this tag in Joan's Garden weekly challenge.

Alice's Door

2011-11-28T22:52:00.001-05:00

Here is another card I made for Heartfelt Creations! The Artistic Gatefold Collection includes a Vintage Doors set. I just had to have some whimsical fun with one of the doors! :o)

Alice’s Door

Heartfelt Creations Products:
HCD 717 Layered Scalloped Posy Die
HCPC 3440 Vintage Door PreCut Set
HCPC 3435 Feather Grass Flourish PreCut Set

Other Products:
Craf-t Chalks, Copics E31, E34, E37, E08, E09, Ribbon Slot Punch, Ribbon, Bow-Easy, Pop Dots, Dew Drops, Key Charm, Bazzill raven black card stock, Graphic 45 Hallowe’en in Wonderland paper (keyhole paper), Kraft paper, Faded Jeans Distress Ink, Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Instructions:
6 x 6 inch top fold card. Die cut twice, the Large Half Circle Decorative Border Edge in kraft paper, placing so they connect to form a complete circle. Stamp Vintage Door, in center of die cut kraft circle, with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Color with Copics. Mask the door and stamp the Small Flourish with Faded Jeans Distress Ink around the door. Punch 2 ribbon slots on each side of die cut kraft circle and thread ribbon through. Layer circle onto the keyhole paper (5.75 x 5.75 inches) and wrap ribbon around it. Layer all onto 6 x 6 inch top fold card made from Bazzill cardstock. Cut Alice out of the G45 paper and color her lightly with chalks. Pop Dot her onto the card. Add key charm, 4 dew drops in corners, and a bow.

Be sure to check out the Heartfelt Creations Blog to view lots of ideas and a video for creating with the new collection!

Hope you have a whimsical day!!!

Flower Bouquet for you!

2011-11-27T19:34:00.001-05:00

This is another card I designed for Heartfelt Creations this week using the stamps from the new release.

Flower Bouquet Card

Heartfelt Creations Products:
HCPC 3439 Flirty Fleurs PreCut Set
HCPC 3436 Rye Grass Flourish PreCut Set
HCPC 3435 Feather Grass Flourish PreCut Set
HCD 717 Layered Scalloped Posy Die
159223 Paper Blossoms Molding Mat

Other Products:
Distress Inks (milled lavender, tattered rose, tumbled glass, seedless preserves, dusty concord, faded jeans), Perfect Pearls spray (pearl), Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Archival Jet Black ink, Copics V12, V17, BV0000, BV00, BV01, BV04, B60, B63, Y28, Y32, YG93, YG95 and YG97, Bazzill cardstock, Neenah white cardstock, K&Company TC Cottage Garden paper, #8 manila tag, Hero Arts swirly vellum, black brads, ribbon, circle paper clips, charm

Instructions:
7 inch x 5.5 inch left fold card. Randomly swipe milled lavender, tattered rose, tumbled glass, and seedless preserves Distress Inks onto your craft mat. Spray with pearl color Perfect Pearls. Swirl manila tag through pearly ink. Dry with heat tool. Randomly stamp all 3 flourishes of HCPC 3435 Feather Grass Precut Set with dusty concord distress ink onto tag. Cut vellum tag to match size of manila tag. Lightly edge vellum tag with seedless preserves and faded jeans distress inks. Heat set carefully to avoid buckling of vellum. Rub edges with cloth to make sure ink is dry. Stamp the Love Flourish, Large Flourish, and Smallest Flourish all in Archival Jet Black ink onto the vellum tag. Dry with heat tool carefully. Stamp Flower Bouquet of the HCPC Flirty Fleurs Precut Set twice with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Neenah white cardstock. Color 1 image with Copics, extending the stem as you color, and color only the medium flowers of 2nd image. Cut out the colored bouquet. Cut out the 2 medium flowers of the 2nd image. Stamp 14 of the small single flowers with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Color with Copics and die cut each flower with the matching HCD 717 die. Shape the 14 small flowers on the Molding Mat with a ball tipped stylus. Glue on 2 shaped small flowers for each in the bouquet. Take the 2 medium flowers and work under the small ones, glue, and then shape those petals a bit. Stamp Corner Flourish with Memento Tuxedo Black ink in corners of purple cardstock. Add brads in corners. Assemble layers of card. 7 x 5.5 inch left fold card, 6.75 x 5.25 cottage garden paper, 6.25 x 4.75 dps, 6 x 4.5 cardstock with 4 brads. Add ribbon and fibers to tags then adhere to card. Tie white organza ribbon, colored with Copics V17 and B60, to bouquet stem. Adhere bouquet to tags. Add paper clips and charm.

I think taking the time to hand-cut the medium sized flowers of the bouquet and layering them adds so much to the flower stem. It really didn't take that long and it's kinda relaxing to do scissor work. The smallest flowers are die cuts and it looks nice just doing just those as well.

Well, the long Thanksgiving Holiday weekend is coming to a close. Hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday! We did here! :o) Thanks for stopping by for a look at my creations!

Gift Bag

2011-11-26T02:00:00.000-05:00

Are you thinking of ways to wrap your gifts this year? This gift bag is a fun solution and makes such a nice presentation to boot! I made this sweet gift bag for Heartfelt Creations using their new collection released yesterday, Artistic Gatefold Collection and matching Layered Elegant Swirl Die.

This is one of the best new looks Ive seen recently in dies... and a lot of new dies have hit the market in the last several months. Check out the video on how to use this new layered die HERE.

Gift Bag

Heartfelt Creations Products:
HCD 716 Layered Elegant Swirl Die
HCPC 3437 Carnation Florals 1 PreCut Set
HCPC 3438 Carnations Florals 2 PreCut Set
159223 Paper Blossoms Molding Mat

Other Products:
3# colored paper bag, Bazzill cardstock, Prima cardstock paper, Scor-Pal, Basic Grey magnetic discs, 2 brads, Copics E23 and R39, Black Cherry Glimmer Mist, Ribbon, Embroidery Thread, Buttons

Instructions:
Take a colored paper lunch bag (3# bag measures on package as 4-5/8 x 2-7/8 x 8-5/8) and check measurements of your bag because my actual bag was a little smaller. I think preciseness of lunch bags is not a high priority of manufacturing them. All following measurements were for my particular bag and you will need to verify yours. Trim the top of the bag off if it does not come evenly made. Die cut the Layered Elegant Border on a contrasting color ( mine was very pale beige-green) of cardstock measuring 4-3/8 inch (this is the width of the die) x 10 inches. Die cut the Layered Elegant Swirl on 4.25 x 10 inch cardstock matching the color of the bag. Glue the 2 die cut pieces together and let dry thoroughly so when you score and bend, they will not come apart. Check measurement of bottom edge of bag to backside crease on the bag when it’s open. Mine was 1-3/8 inch. Score front side of bottom of die cut piece to match bottom portion of bag. Glue only the lower section scored of the die cut pieces to the bottom section of the bag, which allows for the movement of the bag to be closed flat. If you don’t want your bag to be able to fold flat, then you can skip the above scoring and just glue the whole back. Score the back side of the die cut piece at the top of the bag (mine was 7 inches from bottom of bag) and again ¼ inch or for the width of the ribbon you are using. This makes the fold at top for the decorative front flap. Adhere a magnetic disc inside the front of the bag and one under the die cut flap. Stamp and die cut, from printed paper, the complete sets of both Carnations Sets, and do the leaves twice. Shape and assemble flowers with brads colored with Copics to match your colors. Spray flowers with Black Cherry Glimmer Mist. Decorate bag and loop ribbon under flap for the handle.

Thanks for stopping in today! Happy Wrappings!!

Happy Black Friday with Heartfelt Creations!

2011-11-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

Heartfelt Creations is pleased to present the Artistic Gatefold Collection. This collection, in simple terms is "stunning and genius". It features 6 new precut stamp sets that coordinate with existing Spellbinders dies and 2 new exclusive dies. This is another must have collection!!

Don’t feel guilty for splurging on yourself!

Heartfelt Creations will be donating 10% of all Black Friday sales towards ChildCry, a non-profit feeding organization founded by Times Square Church. ChildCry feeds over 4159 kids in 22 different countries, including the United States. Every penny donated to ChildCry is used to buy food for hungry children so go ahead...feed your hobby, and a hungry child! You can view all the details by following this link: www.childcrynyc.org

Woo-hoooo!!!! Leave a comment on the Heartfelt Creations blog by November 29 for a chance to win the entire release valued at $150. The winner will be announced on the HC blog on November 30.

One of my projects I created for today's release is this card that I call "Advent Calendar Doors". It sure was a fun card to make. Be sure to watch the HC video about how to use the dies for this collection.

Advent Calendar Doors Card

Heartfelt Creations Products:
HCD 717 Layered Scalloped Posy Die
HCPC 3440 Vintage Doors Precut Set
HCPC 3436 Rye Grass Flourish PreCut Set
159723 Art Institute Glue - Dries Clear
352854 Art Institute Metal Glue Tip
159223 Flower Blossoms Molding Mat
452255 Grand Calibur
317430 Cuttlebug Machine

Other Products:
Beige Cardstock, Cloud9Design paper, Bazzill Red, Scor-Pal, Memento Rich Cocoa and Tuxedo Black inks, Vintage Photo Distress ink, vintage postcard, inkjet scanner/printer, embossing stylus tool, Recollections champagne micro beads, 2 miniature dollhouse door knobs, Basic Grey chip board stickers, Copics E37 and G29, Spica clear glitter pen, red embroidery thread

Instructions:

6-5/8th inch High x 5 inch Wide gate fold card. Begin with a piece of 8 inch H x 10-1/8th inch W beige cardstock. Measure carefully the center of top of cs and place Border Die. Measure ends of die from edge of paper to make sure alignment is even. Tape Die in place. Die cut in the Grand Calibur machine. Cut away outside of cs to make a flat even edge for the doors. Score vertically 2.5 inches from each side of card stock. It should line up with the bottom of the die cut border. Stamp Vintage Door, using Memento Rich Cocoa ink, at top of each side of gate fold with door knobs to the inside when flaps are closed. Trim bottom of card so doors will be centered top to bottom. Die Cut the Floral Scroll Work center piece from red Bazzill cardstock. Glue in place using the metal glue tip. It has a tiny hole and is great for such detail! Cut green Cloud9Design paper to fit inside of card. Stamp Corner Flourish in Memento Tuxedo Black ink in each corner of green paper. Reduce vintage postcard to desired size and print on white cardstock. Ink edges of small postcard with Vintage Photo Distress ink. Die cut Small Flowers – 6 green and 12 red. Shape petals on Molding Mat and glue together. Add micro beads for the centers. Assemble card. Color 2 brass miniature door knobs with Copic E37 and attach to card. Color chipboard sticker letter and number with Copic G29 and attach to card. Use the Clear Spica glitter pen to glitter the candles and angle wing on the postcard. Tie door knobs closed with red embroidery thread.

You can get a copy of the vintage Angel Postcard that I posted on my blog HERE.

The Christmas Season is upon us! Are you making your Christmas cards? Be sure to check out the Heartfelt Creations blog and all the Design Team Members' blogs for some fantabulous ideas!! Thanks for stopping by to look at my blog. :o)

Heartfelt Creations Sneak Peek!

2011-11-23T02:00:00.000-05:00

Heartfelt Creations has done it again! The new November release, Artistic Gatefold Collection, is absolutely awesome! I can't wait to share what I've created, but it really will have to wait til this Friday. You can see the sneak peeks on the Heartfelt Creations Blog:

CLICK HERE and HERE and HERE to hop over to the Heartfelt Creations blog to see the sneak peeks!!!

From the Heartfelt Creations Blog: "New Product Release Update: This November, we will not be doing our regularly scheduled new release on the second Wednesday. We will be releasing the November release on Black Friday. The Artistic Gatefold Collection, in simple terms is "stunning and genius". This collection will feature 6 new precut stamp sets that coordinate with existing Spellbinders dies and 2 new exclusive dies. This is another must have collection."

You can feel good about treating yourself to this wonderful collection too.

Heartfelt Creations will be donating 10% of all Black Friday sales towards ChildCry, a non-profit feeding organization founded by Times Square Church. ChildCry feeds over 4159 kids in 22 different countries, including the United States. Every penny donated to ChildCry is used to buy food for hungry children so go ahead...feed your hobby, and a hungry child! You can view all the details by following this link: www.childcrynyc.org.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy whatever your day has in store for you!! I'm especially thankful for my DH, among many things. :o) We'll have a nice day visiting with family and of course eating turkey complete with all the trimmings!

Wednesday with Heartfelt Creations!

2011-11-16T03:00:00.000-05:00

Christmas is fast approaching!! Are you working on your Christmas cards? Be sure to visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog for lots of inspiration and ideas. Also, you can visit each Design Team Member's blog by clicking on their names in my sidebar.

Hark the Herald Angels

Heartfelt Creations Products:
HCPC 3427 Herald Angels Background PreCut Set
HCPC 3425 Elegant Angels PreCut Set
HCD 715 Christmas Cheer Die
Sticky Tape Sheets
85 Crystal Art Glitter

Other Products:
Neenah White cardstock, Scor-Pal, Cottage Ivy and Tuxedo Black Memento ink, Martha Stewart Edge Punch, Paper Piercer, 3 metallic red brads, Copics G00, G03, G07, G09, R29, Y00, Green Bazzill cardstock, Spellbinders Labels 14, 2 book marks (5 x 2.25), Ribbon

Instructions:
6 x 4.5 inch Left Fold Pocket Card. Begin with 8.5 x 9 inch piece of cardstock. Score in half with the 9” across. Fold. Cut off the back bottom to make the back of card be 6 inches. Stamp Herald Angels Background in Cottage Ivy on the top of front of card. Score front of card 6 inches from top to make pocket. Border punch top of pocket flap. Stamp twice the bottom half of Elegant Angel with holly by masking when inking stamp with Tuxedo Black ink. Hint: mark center of flap and use blocks with a grid and turn the Angel horizontal. Stamp 3 extra holly sections on separate cs. Color all with Copics. Cut out the extra sets and shape leaves. Punch holes for brads & attach. Weave ribbon through border. Glue a 4.5 x 1-7/8 inch cs to inside flap so tags won’t catch on brads. Glue flap sides to front of card, squeezing in slightly til dry, to make a top gap so tags will slide in easily. Glue on holly leaves. For inside: Die cut green background with Labels 14. Stamp Verse in Cottage Ivy and die cut one size smaller. Pop dot to green and add 3 holly leaves. For Tags: each 5 x 2.25 one sided glossy bookmarks. Cover the non-glossy side with Clear Creative Tape and add #85 Crystal Art Glitter. Stamp Elegant Angels over glitter in black tuxedo ink and heat set. Cut Angel Die from Christmas Cheer Die set to use as a mask. Snip off the swirls at their waists. Color around angel mask with Copic G00. Color Angels with G03, G07, Y00, R29. Add ribbon to tags.

Thanks for visiting and taking time to look around! Don't forget about the Heartfelt Creations New Product Release Update: This November, we will not be doing our regularly scheduled new release on the second Wednesday. We will be releasing the November release on Black Friday. The Artistic Gatefold Collection, in simple terms is "stunning and genius". This collection will feature 6 new precut stamp sets that coordinate with existing Spellbinders dies and 2 new exclusive dies. This is another must have collection and we are featuring the first sneak peek this past Wednesday and you can see it on the Heartfelt Creations Blog!

Happy Fall Y'all!

2011-11-10T01:30:00.000-05:00

Isn't the Fall season grand? I love everything about it from the first cool night in September all the way through to New Years! Pumpkins and sunflowers are always a great image of Fall. I created this card for Heartfelt Creations and you can visit their wonderful blog HERE. It is still hard for me to believe I am on the Design Team... lots of amazing talent in the DT group and I'm already enjoying working with such a nice group of ladies.

Here is another a view of the sunflowers to show the depth. Heartfelt Creations has come out with the best stamps and coordinating dies to make gorgeous flowers. You can make them out of numerous materials besides paper or card stock. I used metal from TENseconds Studio for one of the flowers. You can use cloth material, felt, vellum, kraft paper, glassine, paper clay to name just a few. Let your imagination loose!

Heartfelt Creations Products:
HCPC 3413 Basketweave Background PreCut Set
HCPC 2293 Aztec Gold Sunflowers 2 PreCut Set
HCPC 2294 Aztec Gold Sunflowers 1 Precut Set
Spellbinders Blossoms 2 Nestabilities
159233 Paper Blossoms Molding Mat

Other Products:
Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate, Brayer, Distress Inks (Vintage Photo, Frayed Burlap, Bundled Sage, Scattered Straw, Ripe Persimmon), Memento Rich Cocoa ink, Ranger Adirondack Latte ink, Archival Jet Black ink, Pop Dots, Basic Grey Enamel Brad, Stampendous Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter, Copic E37, TenSeconds Studio Spiced Rum Metal, Paper Stump, Sanding Block, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Spellbinders Labels 14, Basic Grey Chip Stickers, Sunflower Glimmer Mist, Papers (Neenah Ivory, BoBunny Orange Citrus Dot, K&Company Kraft, Bazzill), 2.5 x 3.25 inch Vintage seed packet photo, Buttons, Ribbon, Ribbon Slot Punch, Glossy Accents

Instructions:
6 inch high x 5.5 inch wide left fold card. Randomly ink Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate with Distress Inks (vintage photo, frayed burlap, bundled sage). Brayer the ink on the plate to spread ink evenly. Place dry, un-inked Basketweave Background stamp onto the Gel Plate. Press lightly and remove stamp. It will remove the ink where the stamp touched the plate. Place ivory cardstock onto the printing plate. Press evenly with your hands or brayer. Remove paper and let dry. Trim to 3.5 x 4-5/8 inches and very lightly stipple brush Adirondak Latte ink around edges. Layer onto kraft paper, 3-5/8 x 4.75 inches. Ink edges of the vintage pumpkin seed packet with scattered straw and vintage photo Distress inks. Add 2 distressed brads to top corners. Layer onto 2-5/8 x 3-3/8 inch kraft paper. Stamp 2 of 3rd smallest, 3 of 3nd smallest, and 2 of smallest of the Sunflowers onto Orange Citrus Dot paper with Memento Rich Cocoa ink. Die cut with corresponding dies from Blossoms 2. Ink flowers with Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink. Cut petals apart and shape with ball tool on molding mat and with fingers. Pop dot layers together. Add crushed glass glitter to center of largest flower and when dry, color with Copic E37. Add enamel brad to smaller flower. For metal flower, it is not stamped. Die cut the Spiced Rum Metal from 3rd smallest and smallest sunflower shapes. Run both metal flowers through Cuttlebug in the Swiss Dots embossing folder. Sand raised dots and petal edges to reveal silver metal under the color. Cut petals apart and burnish edges with paper stump so they will not be sharp. Shape petals. Die cut printed kraft paper from 3rd smallest and 2nd smallest sunflower shapes. Shape petals and assemble flower with pop dots and add button for center. Color white “Fall” chipboard stickers with Copic E37 and then spray with Sunflower Glimmer Mist. Stamp the Verse with Memento Rich Cocoa ink onto Citrus Dots paper and die cut with Labels 14. Randomly stamp Sunflowers onto base piece of cardstock (5.5 x 5 inches) with Rich Cocoa ink. Punch ribbon slots in verse tag and thread 2 ribbons through and wrap around base piece of cardstock. Assemble card, adhering buttons with Glossy Accents.

Wednesday with Heartfelt Creations!

2011-11-09T09:59:00.000-05:00

It's a paper bag mini album! It's the one I made for one of my Finalist submissions for the Heartfelt Creations Design Team. Be sure to visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see all the other great projects and inspiration this week! You can visit each DT Member's blog by clicking on the names in my sidebar. Lots of amazing talent! Heartfelt Creations New Product Release Update: This November, we will not be doing our regularly scheduled new release on the second Wednesday. We will be releasing the November release on Black Friday. The Artistic Gatefold Collection, in simple terms is "stunning and genius". This collection will feature 6 new precut stamp sets that coordinate with existing Spellbinders dies and 2 new exclusive dies. This is another must have collection and we are featuring the first sneak peek today! The sneak peak is on the Heartfelt Creations Blog and you can find it HERE. It really is an awesome collection!

Mini albums are so fun to make... they can be made out of so many different things. Paper bags and envelopes are a favorite of mine to use, but chipboard is another good base.

Flowers Galore Paper Bag Mini Album

Heartfelt Creations Products Used:
HCPC3391 Bold Bella Rose Precut Set
HCD712 Bella Rose Die Template
HCPC3403 Shabby Chic Lace Precut Set
HCPC2294 Aztec Gold Sunflowers 1 Precut Set
HCPC2293 Aztec Gold Sunflowers 2 Precut Set
HCPC3373 Dutch Iris Medley Precut Set
HCD711 Decorative Dutch Iris Die
HCPC3375 Flora Grande 1 Precut Set
HCPC3374 Flora Grande 2 Precut Set
Be Creative Tape Sheets
Shell White Art Glitter

Papers used: Bazzill, Basic Grey, My Minds Eye, My Minds Eye Kraft, K&Company, TH Kraft Resist, Recollection Glitter, Authentique, BoBunny. Inks: Various Distress Inks, Memento Tuxedo Black and Cottage Ivy

Instructions:
Use #3 black paper bags. It will make a 6 inch wide x 4.75 inch top-to-bottom album. The thickness will depend on how many bags you choose to use. I used 10 bags. It has tons of photo mat areas and journaling places! Using a bone folder, fold the bottom bag flaps up so that the factory seams are facing outward. 2 bags’ flaps then get glued together, leaving the outside ½ inch unglued for the spine assembly later, to make a double album page, with the flaps becoming a little short mini page in the album. There are lots of great youtube videos for details. I decorate each double page spread before assembling the album because I just find that is easier. Once pages are completed, use an accordion style of binding to bind all the double pages together. For this album I cut strips of black cardstock into 4.75 x 2.5 inch strips for the accordion part. Each strip is then scored at the 1 inch and 1.5 inch mark and folded to make a ½ inch wide spine. If you have lots of thick embellishments, then you may need to make your scored strips wider/bigger. Starting at either the front or the back of the album, insert and glue 1 side of the scored strip into the slot you left unglued from gluing the bags together. Then the other side of the strip into the adjacent page slot. Continue until whole album is bound. Glue prepared (paint edges with matching color – I used black since black bags) ultra heavy chipboard to front and back bags to make the base for the album cover. Then glue prepared (instructions for canvas are below) canvas cover to the chipboard. Do not glue the canvas to the spine.

Each bag opening becomes a pocket for tags to be used for photo mats or journaling. I made 5.5 x 3.75 inch tags. Extra photos or mementos can also be slipped into the bags.

Interior page instructions:

Bold Bella Rose page:

Stamp Rose Leaves with cottage ivy memento ink onto designer paper for the 2 larger bag areas. Ink edges of kraft paper with dusty concord distress ink for the small bag flap. Stamp the Bold Bella Rose Bud onto the kraft paper by first inking stamp with fired brick distress ink and then dusty concord. Punch small holes on each side of stem and tie piece of twine around stem. Create a photo mat by die cutting a large label shape, with spellbinders Labels 8, from magenta cardstock and emboss with a cuttlebug texture folder. Score ½ inch from end and glue small flap to back of one kraft paper piece. Glue papers into album. Stamp Bold Bella Rose 4 times on magenta cardstock with Versamark ink and emboss with shabby pink embossing enamel (Stampendous). Cut out with matching Bella Rose Die and snip off stems. Adhere 3 roses in corner of page with pop dots. 4th rose is adhered to tag pull. On the right side of double page, add a glassine envelop that has been stamped with the Shabby Chic Lace using Archival jet black ink. Add enamel brads and a couple small journaling tags with ribbons and a charm. Purple tag was made by spraying with eucalyptus walnut ink, deep plum glimmer mist, and pearl color perfect pearls. (Make a perfect pearls spray by putting small amount of the perfect pearls powder in a mini mister with distilled water.)

Sunflower page:

Stamp medium sized Aztec Gold Sunflower randomly with memento tuxedo black ink on one piece of the background paper you choose. Stamp with memento tuxedo black ink the 2 smallest sized sunflowers twice each onto yellow gold cardstock. Die cut the sunflowers using spellbinders Blossoms Two. Add additional color with gold Inka Gold. Snip petals apart and shape flowers. Glue champagne crushed glass glitter (Stampendous) into the centers. Let dry and then color the crushed glass with Copic E37. One sunflower is for the page and one is for the tag pull. Stamp verse with memento tuxedo black ink onto a journaling ticket, punch hole and add ribbon. Cut brown cardstock for a photo mat and add a black cardstock pull tab by punching out 2 1 inch circles. Assemble page as shown. Decorative edge is a Martha Stewart border punch. Add chipboard word (melody ross), mini paper clip, and a brass charm as one of the flower centers.

Dutch Iris page:

Stamp the Dutch Iris with memento tuxedo black onto white Neenah cardstock. Color with copics. (V000, V01, V04, V09, YR61, YG03, YG06) Die cut iris with matching die HCD711 Decorative Dutch Iris Die. Handcut the stem to piece back in place. Before gluing on the right side paper, make 2 slits to thread the ribbon through to make a catch place for the tags. Assemble page as shown. I hand drew an extension on the iris stem and added an organza bow at the joint. Punch out a few small dragonflies and assorted tags. Ink edges of tags if desired. Glue on 2 buttons over the ribbon ends.

Blue Flora Grande page:

Ink edges of paper with faded jeans distress ink and glue into album. Using 2 sided clear Be Creative tape sheets, adhere one side to a medium blue cardstock. Add Barbara Trombley’s shell white Art Glitter to the other side of the tape sheet. Stamp medium sized Flora Grande flowers with faded jeans distress ink onto the art glittered card stock. Die cut the flowers using spellbinders blossom three dies. Cut petals apart and shape flower. Add button for center. Staple assorted ribbons to left page, being careful to only staple to one layer of the bag so it will still open. Add a Martha stewart cloth butterfly sticker that has been colored with copic B04. Stamp matching medium blue cardstock tag with one of the Flora Grande stamps.

Roses Background page:

Stamp Bold Bella Rose using tattered rose and bundled sage distress inks onto a mostly solid light pink paper. Stamp Shabby Chic Lace in moonlight white brilliance ink and emboss with super fine clear embossing powder onto a small kraft envelope. Make a coordinating polka dot photo mat by using polka dot kraft paper and spraying with glimmer mists. Die cut a circle for a round tag. Assemble page as shown adding brads and a decorative border punch.

**Add charms, pins, clips, etc to any of the pages.

The Cover:

Assemble album using the accordion binding method. Measure and cut pre-primed canvas. I cut my canvas to be 1 inch longer than I measure just to allow plenty. My spine is 2 inches thick on this album. Pre-primed canvas will not shrink so the width can be exact. I painted my canvas with acrylic paints – cardinal red and tapioca. Speed drying time with heat tool. Since the canvas will not be glued down to the spine area of the album, you will be able to see the white canvas. I prefer to paint mine black for a more finished look since all the bag edges showing are black. I paint a 4 inch wide area of black in the center of the backside of the canvas.

Once canvas is dry, you will need set your D-ring in the spine section. It cannot be done after the vanvas is glued down. The D-ring is what you tie all your ribbons, fibers and charms from. Measure and space your marks for the D-ring. I use Tim Holtz’ because they open on a hinge and are flat on one side. Round rings will dent your accordion fold spine. Use your Big Bite to set 2 eyelets and insert your D-ring with the flat side on the inside. Glue dry canvas to the heavy duty chipboard covers with Glossy Accents or some other permanent type multi surface glue. I begin with the back of the album. Let dry for a bit to make sure it won’t slip when I’m pulling the canvas around the spine. The canvas should be fairly flat against the spine of the album, but loose enough to allow it to open freely. Trim ends of canvas to fit.

Decorate cover:

I cut an oval from grungeboard and inked the entire surface of one side with Versamark ink. I embossed it with 6 layers of aged silver embossing enamel (Stampendous). While it was still hot, I stamped the Bold Bella Rose with tuxedo black memento ink. Let the stamp sit 15- 20 seconds until enamel is cooled a bit. Be careful, the metal will be hot. Wipe away excess ink. Color with rose and lava green Inka Gold.

Die cut the Vine and Rose Leaves from HCD712 Bella Rose Die out of grungeboard and colored with peeled paint distress stain. Added some fibers under the embossed Bold Bella Rose and 2 buttons in the corner.

Very FUN project!!

Vintage Holidays

2011-11-08T10:43:00.000-05:00

15+ years ago, I bought a bunch of vintage postcards at a friend's yard sale and I've just kept them ever since. This turkey post card is not one of them.... lol. Found that guy on-line. But recently, I have been crafting and working with vintage items and I remembered these, so I pulled them out of the depths of my Christmas decorations storage area. I also had some old Christmas cards of my mothers.... you know how you always have several left from a boxed set of store-bought cards. I recycled one and crafted a new card way back in the summer when everything was "Christmas in July". You can visit that card HERE. It's a great idea for recycling cards you receive.

I thought I'd share some of vintage post cards from the batch I bought 15+ years ago. I don't have anything that I've made to show you today. I've been busy designing for Heartfelt Creations and making Christmas cards for friends that I have not mailed yet so I don't want to spoil the surprise here. Heartfelt Creations will have a new release on Black Friday after Thanksgiving. All I can say is..... it is SPECTACULAR!!! You will not want to miss it!!

Happy Holiday Crafting!!

Wednesday With Heartfelt Creations

2011-11-02T10:11:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my first Wednesday With Heartfelt Creations post!! I am so excited to be on the Design Team for Heartfelt Creations! This card is one of the projects that I submitted for the Final Round of the Heartfelt Creations Design Team Call. We were each provided with some Heartfelt Creations product to make our final projects and I received the Shabby Chic Lace Precut Set, Bold Bella Rose Precut Set and matching Bella Rose Die Template. These are gorgeous stamps! My other project is a mini album I made and will show it later. Be sure to check out the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see the fantastic creations by all the other Designers!

Bold Bella Rose Card

Products Used:
HCPC3391 Bold Bella Rose Precut Set
HCD712 Bella Rose Die Template
HCPC3403 Shabby Chic Lace Precut Set
HCPC3412 Botanical Floral Basket Precut Set

Instructions:
Stamp HCPC3403 Shabby Chic Lace with Versamark ink onto vellum (Hero Arts). Emboss with shabby pink embossing enamel (Stampendous). Cut out the lace and cut interior lace holes with a finger blade. Weave ribbon through lace.

Swipe crushed olive, peeled paint, and bundled sage distress inks onto your craft mat. Spritz with eucalyptus walnut ink and spritz all with water. Swirl a 5.5 x 5.5 inch Neenah ivory cardstock through the wet ink. Dry cardstock with heat tool. Stamp the Rose Leaves from the HCPC3391 Bold Bella Rose Precut Set onto the inked cardstock with Versamark ink and emboss with super fine clear embossing powder. Spray over top with eucalyptus walnut ink and English ivy, juniper, and deep plum glimmer mists. Wipe off excess with paper towel to reveal the embossed leaves.

Stamp in lulu lavender memento ink, on white Neenah cardstock, 2 Bold Bella Roses and a Rosebud from the HCPC3391 Bold Bella Rose Precut Set. Color images with Copics. (R81, R83, R85, G20, G21, G24, G28). Ink the edges with antique linen distress ink. Die cut the images using the matching HCD712 Bella Rose Die.

Stamp verse from HCPC3412 Botanical Floral Basket Precut Set with cottage ivy memento ink on ivory cardstock. Die cut and emboss with spellbinders classic large ovals, oval #3. Ink edge with spun sugar distress ink.

Assemble and layer onto 5.5 wide x 6 inch card (Bazzill cardstock). Cut embossed leaf background paper and shabby chic lace to desired proportion. Add 4 brass brads to the leaf paper corners. Adhere the Bold Bella Roses with pop dots. Add a mini paper clip to attach the verse. Add ribbon.

Here is another view showing all the dimension:

Have a happy stampy day!!

Trick or Treat!

2011-10-31T10:44:00.000-04:00

UPDATE 1-4-12 BLOG CANDY IS CLOSED. WE HAVE A WINNER!! I appreciate your support!

Since it's Halloween, I thought I'd offer another treat by adding this new, unopened Limited Edition Fall 2011 Seasonal Distress Ink 3-pak to my current blog candy giveaway!! If you are or become a follower, and once I reach 75 followers, you'll have a chance to win all the goodies shown in the current blog candy giveaway plus this fun ink pack of new colors - Seedless Preserves, Ripe Persimmon, and Gathered Twigs! Click the blue inks here or click on the link in my sidebar to see all the yummy goodies.

Happy Halloween!! (Only 55 days 'til Christmas!!)

The Process

2011-10-30T22:14:00.000-04:00

This is Topsail Island, NC, where my husband and I just spent a wonderful week. Any week, at any beach, is always wonderful, right?!! The weather was great for late October... we had mid-70's and sun every day but the last was windy and only 60. I love the beach in the Fall.... no crowds!!

As promised, I wanted to share the projects I made for the Heartfelt Creations Design Team Call. It was a 2-step process. First, we had to submit 3 projects we had made. There were not any restrictions for that. At that point, a group of semi-finalists was chosen. I was elated that I was listed among that group. When I checked out their blogs, they were all so extremely talented. Heartfelt Creations then sent each of us some of their products to use to create at least 2 more projects using their products. I am so excited to have been chosen as a finalist through that round. This is my first time on a Design Team and I could not have asked to be working for a finer company!! I just love their stamps, matching dies, and other products!!

Our final submissions will be listed on the Heartfelt Creations Blog over the next 2 weeks, so I will post mine at the same time. So for now, I'll share my initial 3 submissions that got me to the Semi-final round.

Heartfelt Red Cardinals:6 x 6 inch card. Stamps used – Heartfelt Creations HCPC 3348 Cardinal Pine Cone Border Set, HCPC 2294 Gold Sunflower Set 1, and HCPC 2293 Gold Sunflower Set 2. Stamped the Cardinals on Pine Branch with Rich Cocoa Memento ink onto ivory cardstock. I colored the cardinals with Copic R22, R27, R29, YR02 (beak), C5 and BG0000 (eyes), C5 and YR02(feet). Pine needles colored with G99 and water color pencils. Branch colored with brown and black watercolor pencils. Pinecones colored with E35 and E37. Stamped the 3 sizes of flowers in Memento tuxedo black ink and die cut using Spellbinders Blossom Two. Colored the flowers with Copics R22, R27, and R29 then added Lava Red Inka-Gold. Cut petals apart, shaped, layered, and added gold seed beads for centers. For the leaves, I used largest of Sunflower Set 1, cut off 3 petals to use as leaves, then colored with G99 and Lava Green Inka-Gold. Card assembly: 6 x 6 inch red Bazzill cardstock. Background paper is Bo Bunny, St. Nick. Distress and ink edges of ivory cardstock that the has Cardinal Pine Cone Border image colored, adding some Tea Dye Distress Ink lightly to edges. Layer into photo corners. Add ribbon and verse. Verse stamped with Rich Cocoa ink and die cut with Spellbinders Labels Fourteen. Inked edge with a light green ink and went over lettering with a clear Spica glitter pen. Pop-dotted the verse onto card.

Dragonfly Card: 6 x 6 inch Black Raven Bazzill card layered with a 5-5/8th square altered white cardstock. Adhere old dictionary paper to white card stock with gel medium, tearing excess dictionary paper off to give a distressed edge. Dry with heat tool. Apply gesso over a stencil on the dictionary paper. Remove stencil and let the gesso air dry naturally so it will remain thick to create a definite layer. Do not use heat tool because it will shrink the gesso. Once dry, apply glimmer glazes and spray mists of your choice. The glazes and mists should be heat set, but be careful to not burn the glazes because they will bubble. Stamp dragonfly by Stampers Anonymous onto ivory cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento ink. Color wings using the tip to tip method using Copic BG0000 on BG01 – in other words, brush your BG0000 on the BG01 tip picking up some of that color to create a new in-between shade. Go over the colored wings with a clear Spica glitter pen to give it that wing dust look. Distress and ink edges of dragonfly piece with Old Paper and Vintage Photo Distress inks. Once the glazes are dry, stamp ‘Art, Inspired, Create’ by Declassified with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Stamp ‘Art’ by Postmodern Design with Archival Jet Black ink. The 2 black inks are different shades with the Archival being darker. Pop-dot the dragonfly onto black Bazzill piece and add a mini paper clip. Adorn with ribbon and 2 metal dragonfly charms.

Butterfly Card: 6-1/2 x 4-1/2 inch card with an offset front to back. Layer green Bazzill, that has been edge punched with Martha Stewart border punch and ribbon woven through the holes, onto purple Bazzill card. Attach a small piece of Memory Box Butterfly paper in lower left corner. Take a 2-3/8 x 4-3/4 inch manila tag and spray it with Eucalyptus Walnut Ink, Terra Cotta Walnut Ink, and Perfect Pearl mist. Dry with a heat tool. Randomly stamp the Judith texture dots onto tag with Lulu Lavender Memento ink. Stamp the tree branch by Just For Fun and small butterfly by PSX with Rich Cocoa Memento ink. Stamp the ‘believe’ by Postmodern in Archival Jet Black ink. Add ribbon and attach tag to card. My ribbon was a light green organza that I colored with YG93 so the color would match and then heated the ends with heat tool to make them curl a bit. Stamp Large Butterfly, from a Martha Stewart set, with Versamark ink onto 100% copper wire mesh and emboss with Stampendous Aged Copper Embossing Enamel. Be careful… the wire mesh gets hot! When cool, cut out the butterfly. Repeat the process using a small butterfly. Mine is by Just For Fun Stamps. Shape wings and adhere to card.

Hope you enjoyed these. Now go play in your ink!!

Heartfelt Creations Design Team!

2011-10-26T11:29:00.000-04:00

Good Morning! I am so excited to announce that I am now on the Design Team for Heartfelt Creations!!! It was a 2-step application process where we had to submit projects for both rounds. There was an amazing amount of talent with all the applicants and I feel very honored to have been chosen as a finalist. I will post my submissions soon for you to see. In the mean time, have an inky day and hop on over to Heartfelt Creations to check out their amazing line of stamps, dies and other products! Be sure to visit the Heartfelt Creations Blog too for tons of inspiration and great projects!

Halloween is so fun!

2011-10-20T21:05:00.000-04:00

Halloween time is always fun for me! Maybe it's all the fond memories I have of trick or treating and parties as a child or maybe because I just love LOVE love the whole Fall season from the first crisp night in September all the way through Christmas. Of course, the chocolate candies go down pretty easy too! LOL What is your favorite thing about Halloween?

I've been making a lot of Halloween cards for friends and family the last few weeks and I thought I would show some of them on here. The two I I'm sharing today were fun and quick. I just love my new spider web die from Cheery Lynn Designs! Took a few tries to get the sandwich just right in my Cuttlebug, but finally, it cleanly cut the Bazzill cardstock. To make the card above, I started with a 5.5 x 5.5 inch piece of bright orange cardstock and spritzed it with Sunset Orange Adirondak Color Wash and then Deep Plum Glimmer Mist. Randomly stamped Bwa-ha-ha (Martha Stewart set) with Tuxedo Black Memento ink. Layered it on 5.75 x 5.75 inch black cardstock. Glued the ribbons on... black organza with a frilly edge and a thin orange/black ribbon. Adhered it to a 6 x 6 inch top-folded cardstock. Glued on the Cheery Lynn Designs die-cut spider web and a store bought giant spider die cut. Punched 6 tiny black spiders and placed randomly on card and one on the ribbon. Added black stickles to the little spiders.

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Here's "witching you a Happy Halloween". It's such a cute verse! It is by Impression Obsession. I started this card by taking a 4 x 4 inch piece of bright orange cardstock and spritzed it with Sunset Orange Adirondak Color Wash and then Deep Plum Glimmer Mist. I inked the edges with the new Tim Holtz seasonal color Seedless Preserves distress ink. Stamped the Halloween words, by Memory Box, with Tuxedo Black Memento ink. Stamped the Jack-o-lantern, by Craftsmart, randomly with the new Tim Holtz seasonal color Ripe Persimmon distress ink. Then I distressed the edges which allowed some of the original orange cardstock to peek out. The Little Witch, by Craftsmart, is stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink on a green shimmer cardstock. Thought it was a quick way to giver her green witchy skin! Glued her down with a miniature broom (found in my dollhouse miniatures stash) and then added silver stickles for the buckle on her hat. Once dry, I colored the stickles with Copic V17. For the verse, I punched a ticket from manilla folder and inked it by swiping Seedless Preserves and Ripe Persimmon on my craft sheet. Spritzed with water and then swirled the ticket through the ink. Dry with heat tool. Stamped verse, by Impression Obsession, with Jet Black Archival ink. Punch 3 tiny bats and glue on ticket. Attached with a TH mini paper clip and then layered on black and purple. Card is 4.75 x 4.75 inches and is top folding.

Happy Wednesday!

2011-10-05T22:01:00.002-04:00

Happy Wednesday Everyone! First I have some very exciting news... I have been chosen as one of the Semi Finalists for the Design Team for Heartfelt Creations!! I feel very honored and very thrilled to be considered and to be listed with such amazing talent. It's all so exciting! There are 19 others in the semi-finalist group. Our next step is to create 2 brand new projects to submit and the finalists will be announced on October 26th. After that date, I'll share all my submissions for the Design Team Call. The Heartfelt Creations stamps and products are topnotch and I absolutely love all their wonderful stamps! So please send good vibes for my continued success in this endeavor.

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Now onto some quick projects I've made recently. No, these had nothing to do with the Design Team submissions. I created a batch of ATC's for a swap through Ink Stains. This was my first time working with ATC's, so I did a little research. I love that the "rules" for them is short and sweet.
1. Size = 2.5 x 3.5 inches.... and
2. They cannot be sold.
Basically, I found out that anything goes. We could make up to 4 sets of 5 (or 6 if you kept one for yourself, which I did) for a Halloween themed swap and 4 sets of 5 for a General theme. They were so fun to make, that I of course made the full amount. LOL Even bought a couple new stamps for the back sides of the ATC's that provides places to include info on the name of the piece, the artist, number in the series, and contact info. It's hard to pick my favorite out of the group I made, but I think I like this Sudoku/oriental one the best.

The ATC is from manilla file folder, which I like for the sturdiness. I then adhered a little Sudoku grid, which I inked with a little Vintage Photo Distress Ink, with gel medium. I brushed it on with very random strokes because I knew it acts as a resist. Once dry, I inked card with Tumbled Glass and Faded Jeans distress inks. Dried with heat tool, then spritz with Suede Glimmer Mist. Heat tool again. Stamped Chinese letters (All Night Media) with Memento Tuxedo black. Added an oriental sticker inked with Vintage Photo and a dragon fly punch with a little Spica glitter pen on the wings. Easy and fun!

Here are the other 3 cards made for the General Theme.

The Snowmen were stamped on top of Art Glitter that I purchased at the Heartfelt Creations booth at the Winston-Salem convention. This glitter is the coolest stuff!! It's super fine and comes in a huge variety of colors. I used Shell White and applied it to 2-sided sticky paper so the glitter comes out very even. I stamped the snowmen with holly border in Cottage Ivy Memento ink. Then I used Martha Stewart pens to color bits of the image. Added 2 tiny snowflakes punched with a Martha Stewart border punch out of handmade blue marbled cardstock.

The retro-looking colorful flowers (Hero Arts) on black were stamped with Versamark onto a kid's art scratch off paper. I just scratched off the image to reveal the bright colors under the black surface. Can't get much easier than that!

And the "ART" collage one is on Tim Holtz Kraft Resist as the card base. Tumbled Glass distress STAIN over that with edges inked a bit with Vintage Photo distress ink. The ART letters are from an alpha set (I believe Martha Stewart). The number is from a set of vintage reproduction number blocks. The circles are Tim Holtz and stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento.

Here are the four I created for the Halloween Theme swap.

Top left is a Memory Box stamp. Inked white card stock with Spiced Marmalade and Vintage Photo distress inks. Stamped image with Jet Black Archival ink. Added black stickles for bodies of spiders and while wet, dropped in an iridescent red seed bead.

Top right - fence and tree are by Seaside Stamping and pumpkin is Hero Arts.... all stamped and embossed in black. Swiped on midnight blue memento for sky. Added moon by finger dotting with white memento and then rubbed excess along ground for fog. Colored pumpkin with orange watercolor pencil and added white liner along tree branches and fence for moon reflection highlights.

Bottom left was fun! It's an old vintage postcard I printed out on my ink jet printer. Covered it with perfect medium and UTEE. Added 4 more layers of UTEE by sprinkling on the crystals while UTEE was still hot. Then I placed the whole card into the freezer for about 20 minutes and took out. It will curl up. Gently snap it to flatten it out and it will crack as you do, giving it an old broken glass look. Layered that onto black card stock by using Glossy Accents.

Bottom right is on My Minds Eye halloween kraft paper that had a light diamond design. Inked eges with Old Paper distress ink, ,spritzed with copper perfect pearls. Stamped and embossed bats (Inkadinkadoo) in black. Stamped words (Martha Stewart) with Tuxedo Black Memento and added Spica glitter pen to the 'bwa' and a couple 'h's. Stamped Happy Halloween randomly (Hero Arts) with Spiced Marmalade distress ink and added some random dots with Dusty Concord distress ink. Then I used Versamark ink to randomly swipe left edge and embossed with Stampendous copper enamel.

All these little cards were so much fun!! Just like making tags, but only smaller and cuter! LOL Give them a try, I think you'll like making these little works of art! Now I cant wait to see what I get back as my swaps. I'll get 40 total... wow.