Experimental cards

This past year I participated in a experiment.  Crafters were to create back grounds and die cuts not necessarily to match.  Anne was to send the die cuts and backgrounds to me and I sent my die cuts and back grounds to Theresa.  We put the cards together on a live stream type site with other members of our FB group attending.  I stickled Anne's peacock, she also included the matching card stock, so to break it up I added a piece of glitter peacock paper cut with the Marakesh Sizzix die.  I embossed the sentiment "sparkle and shine" which is a CTMH stamp.

The background here was so beautiful!  I already had a die cut from a swap from Lyne that matched perfectly!  I used a Kiwi Lane template for the piece on which I stamped the sentiment also embossed.  Finally, I added a little bling and lace.

Thanks for taking a look and I hope you have a very happy New Year!  I can't wait to see what 2015 holds for us!

Happy Birthday Robin Blog Hop!

  

Happy Saturday

and

Welcome to...

My Birthday Celebration!

This year I wanted to celebrate my Birthday by sharing a blog hop with you that has some of the best crafters I know.

So, be sure to hop through everyone's blog to see all of the amazing projects that they have made to share with you today.

And don't forget to leave everyone a little bloggie love for your chance at winning some blog candy to give to one lucky person.

Not only am I getting presents today but someone else will as well.  

Today's blog candy is the Project Life Theme Kit, Celebrate.

Now, are you ready to see some amazing projects...

So, sit back, grab yourself a latte, and hop along with us as we celebrate my birthday.

Happy Birthday Robin!  And Happy Birthday to my precious niece whom I delivered 16 years ago today!  My birthday was yesterday and my sister labored all day on my birthday...it is still my best birthday EVER!  to assist in a birth and not actually go through the pain is the best feeling EVER! LOL!

Since it is her Sweet 16, I had to make something really special.  Sorry, there are lots of photos of this precious project for my precious niece.

She's a pearly girl...

Close up of the cake, this part took forever.  I finally got it to stay together with glue.

The picture in the background is her first without braces just a few months ago!!

My sister took most of these photos and I printed them in a 4x4 size from Facebook.  I wanted it to be "all" her so I didn't pick any pictures with her sisters but a few of the dogs made it in the explosion box.

Her favorite colors are pink and green so I found some old Creative Memories paper in my stash with matching stickers.

I added some lovely Recollections flowers around the base of the cake.

She is a dancer...so there is a LOT of makeup in some of these pics but she doesn't normally wear any.

I added four "hidden" pictures, on on each side with a hole punch and sheer ribbon to pull it out.

This blue dress was my dress as an infant.  My mother paid a lot for 1969 and kept it all these years.  The brand is Martha Miniature.  We have had every little girl in our family wear this dress for a picture.  My mother has a wall of all these pictures.

I also made her a "requested" strand of pearls along with a bracelet and earrings.  Blueish grey freshwater pearls with sterling silver.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting with us today and helping me to celebrate my birthday.

I am the last person in the hop!  I hope you enjoyed!

And don't forget to leave everyone some love on their blogs for your chance to win the Project Life Celebrate Theme Kit. 

Here is the line-up for todays hop in case you get lost along the way...

1.  Robin - http://create-a-latte.blogspot.com/

2.  Lori - www.scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com

3. Eva - http://evasscrapsncards.blogspot.com/

4.  Amy E. - http://www.scrapthissavethat.com/

5. Miranda - www.nanasscrapspot.com

6. Alicia - http://www.goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com/

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!  These are some woodsy rustic Christmas cards I made.  The owl version is for my sister.

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2014/12/last-challenge-of-2014-challenge-291.html until 12/31?

I made the Sketch N Scrap Design Team!

I am so excited to let my readers know that I have been accepted to the Sketch~N~Scrap Design Team!  I have always loved their sketches and I love that they offer both scrapbooking and card sketches!  You will be seeing my first project on January 1st!  I can't wait to share with you and the Sketch~N~Scrap readers.  Thanks for all your support.

Here's a link to their announcement!  

Kiwi Lane Design Team Vintage Christmas with Daisy D's

Good morning!  Alicia here for my final design team post for Kiwi Lane. I am feeling nostalgic.  I have enjoyed working with Kiwi Lane so much!  I hardly owned any designer templates prior to my DT position and now Kiwi Lane templates are my go to product within arms reach of my desk.  I now know how to get the best life out of my most precious papers is with Kiwi Lane designer templates.  I have to admit I have been hoarding these papers for a very long time.  I thought they had the most wonderful vintage feel to them and I have recently been scanning in hundreds of family photos.  I ran across these most precious photos of my dad and his brother and sister with their Christmas presents in 1954.  I just had to pair these pictures with these wonderful papers.  I plan on framing this one and giving it to my dad for Christmas.

One of my favorite techniques to do with the templates is paper piecing.  I often trace just a part of the template on a different material to add life to the cut.  For instance like I did here with aluminum foil for the tops of the ornaments.  I picked foil because although it is a common household item, it also can have a vintage feel.  

Close ups:

On this title tag I stamped the month, the 25 is Crate Paper chipboard and the 1954 is a 

Cricut cut out of textured Bazzill paper.

I distressed the Crate Paper chipboard with a sanding block to more closely match the Daisy D's papers.

It's hard to tell but I touched up the tree in the photos and the cut tree with Wink of Stella silver to mimic the tinsel.

Ingredients:

Kiwi Lane templates:

Mini Abbie Road 1A, 1B, 2B, 3A, 3B

Christmas 1, Traditions 2T and 5T, Holiday 8T, Winter 3

Daisy D's Christmas papers:Christmas Bells, Mistletoe Stripe Pine Bough, Christmas Bell Stripe, Holly Pine Bough and chipboard tag

Crate Paper Sleigh Ride Chipboard pieces

Creative Memories Tis the Season cricut font

Bazzill textured card stock

black card stock

aluminum foil

Recollections Flourish Months stamps

Colorbox Green ink

Judikins Malachite embossing powder

QQ Denim powder puff chalk

brad

Wink of Stella silver

I am going to send this card to my grandmother, I do hope I don't confuse her.  She is going to be 90 in less than a month.  This was her Christmas card the year my dad was born (her first child).  I thought it was a neat idea to make this, I may make another for my father, too.

Ingredients:

Kiwi Lane Traditions 4T template

The Paper Company card stock

Recollections Kraft doilie, bow and gem

Daisy D's Holly Pine Bough and Christmas Bell Stripe

Quick Quotes Biscotti powder puff chalk

For this card I used some scraps from the other two projects and added the cuts from some really cool papers.  I really liked looping the fibers for the cord of the lights.  I used tiny zots to hold the loops and fiber in place.

Ingredients:

Kiwi Lane Traditions 1T, Bracket 1T

Daisy D's Christmas Bell Stripe paper

The Paper Company card stock

various specialty papers

Basic Grey stamp

Colorbox Green ink

Judikins Malachite embossing powder

fiber

Quick Quotes Biscotti chalk

Thank you so much for supporting my creative adventures for Kiwi Lane.  I am sure there will be plenty more projects just not for their Design Team.  It was a great time and I can't believe it's over!  I have enjoyed each and every project. 

Kiwi Lane Designs Basic Sketch with Snorkeling photos and Creative Memories Primary Vacation kit

This is a sample layout I did for Kiwi Lane's Basic Sketch Challenge on Facebook.  The challenge starts today.  Here's the sketch:

Being that this is a tropical layout, I used several templates from Kiwi Lane's Paradise templates.  I also pulled out some old Creative Memories papers and stickers from the Primary Vacation collection.

I created the octopus with the balloon from Tiny Celebrate 2T and Paradise 4.

I free handed the stripes on the fish and added gems for eyes.

I created the letters with my Cricut using the fonts that came loaded on my E2.

I moved the journaling spot from placement in the sketch to the seashell in the corner.

Ingredients:

Kiwi Lane templates:  Paradise 1, 2, 3, 4; Paisley Place 3A, 3B; Celebrate 2T; Tags 1 & 3; Tiny Tags 1, 3, 4, 5

Creative Memories Primary Vacation kit

white card stock

Cricut Explorer 2 built in fonts

gems, QQ denim powder puff

Thanks so much for stopping by and check out the Kiwi Lane sketch challenge!

I would like to enter this in the following challenge:

http://www.gloriadesignschallenge.blogspot.com/2014/12/challenge-22-have-nice-trip.html until 12/30/14

When life throws you lemons....card

I recently made this card with a Sizzix die cut I purchased on mark down at Hobby Lobby.  It comes with a center piece to create 3-D jars. It also comes with a different shaped jar.  But I still was not satisfied after I saw the smaller die but with the embossing folder I had to have it too!  Here is a card that I made with that set.  So I started this card waaaayyy before I made that one, but I never quite got all the elements together.  I finally just pieced a few together to send some friends having some hard times.  I thought the lemonade was cheery!

I am not sure if you can tell but I cut a piece of acetate as well to layer on top to be the "glass".  It gives it a great effect.

As you can see I fussy cut one sentiment and left one on a rectangle.  Which do you like better?

Ingredients:

Sizzix Bigz jar die 

W R Farmer's Market Mason Jar paper (and reverse)

American Craft sheer ribbon

Recollections gems

Judikins lemon twinkle embossing powder

Stampin Up water color pencils

white card stock

acetate

DCWV silver metallic paper for lid

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

http://perfectlyrustics.com/2014/12/01/prdc-37-sentiment-not-birthday/ until 12/14

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/2014/12/paper-play.html until 12/15

http://fattastictuesday.blogspot.com/2014/12/fan-tastic-tuesday-challenge-65.html until 12/15

http://audsentimentschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/challenge-121-holiday-bingo.html until 12/16 middle row horizontal (second card with bling)

http://craft-deebowz.blogspot.com/2014/12/december-challenge.html until 12/30

http://sparklensprinklecreativechallenges.blogspot.com/2014/12/december-2014-challenge.html until 12/30

Thanks very much for stopping by! I hope these cheery cards make your day!

Holiday Gifts Blog Hop: Altered Letters ~ C is for Christina & Cindy

Welcome to day One of the

 Holiday Gifts Blog Hop

Connie Can Crop and her crafty Elves are so glad you decided to join us on this wonderful wintery weekend. We hope to inspire you with some amazing Holiday Gift Ideas!
You should have arrived here from Julie, if not hop back into Santa's sleigh and head over to the beginning at Connie Can Crop.

This is a two day blog hop and we appreciate your leaving a comment for all of Santa's Elves who are here sharing their ideas and creations along this Christmassy hop.

We have three amazing sponsors and giveaways for this hop!

 Julie with Simply Silhouette 

is giving one lucky winner a really cute

green Scrapbooking tshirt!! YAY!

http://www.simplysilhouette.com

AND

Jessica Wilson

is giving away a $10 gift certificate to her shop 

www.craftinandstampin.ctmh.com 

AND

 

Connie Wallenbrock

is giving away a new Petite Perks Stamp from CTMH.

http://conniecancrop.ctmh.com

What do you need to do to win? Easy... become a follower of each of the fabulous blogs (Day One and Day Two) in this hop and leave each of them a comment letting them know what you like best about their projects.

You will have until 12:00 am Monday to finish this Holiday hop and leave your comments.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday at Connie Can Crop.

Be sure to follow everyone and leave your blog love along the way!

These are altered letters that I made my sister and nieces last year for Christmas.  I am creating some neat gifts this year, too but that is still under wraps!



Today is my sister's birthday, too!  Happy Birthday Cindy!!



My sister's room has a red wall.  I think this will be striking!



My sister loves owls.




This one is for my niece Christina.  I attached some stamped Stampin Up tickets that I made.

C could also be for Carla to is up next!

Here is our complete line up in case you get lost along the way:

1. Connie- http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com

2. An'Jenic- http://anjenicgibson.blogspot.com

3. Sandy- http://www.scrapbookblessings.blogspot.com/

4. Julie- http://www.simplysilhouette.com/

5. Alicia- http://www.goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com/

6. Carla- http://www.racincrafts.blogspot.com/

7. Lucy- http://www.love2createitall.com/

8. Lori- http://scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com/

9. Jenny- http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com

Be Sure to Come back tomorrow to see what the rest of Santa's Elves created for Day 2!!!