Saturday, September 6, 2014

Sketch N Scrap Guest Card Designer

Sketch-N-Scrap

I am so excited today to share with my readers that I am the Guest Card Designer for Sketch N Scrap this month!!  I was provided the two sketches a while ago, so I have had plenty of time to play with these ideas!  I just love this card!  Although it took some effort to come to fruition. 


Here's the sketch from Sketch n Scrap. 


 I started with idea of duct tape and a masculine card.  I had seen the "Diamond Plate" embossing folder but never purchased it.  I thought what a wonderful background this would make with my duct tape banners.  Only problem, I could not find it at Michael's or Hobby Lobby.  Light bulb!  Maybe my local stamp/scrapbook store would have it!  I called up Stamping Buddies and sure enough she had it!  So I made the drive (a little further than the box stores but not too bad) to purchase my desired embossing folder.  You know I found several items to purchase while I was there and she loaned me a stamp set to complete another project.  I returned that set in two weeks and you know I found more stuff on that trip, too!  I do love supporting my LSS!  This last visit I ordered an awesome stamp and die set, I can't wait til it comes in!!


I also need to show her my cards that I made.  This particular card uses Ranger adhesive backed foil but all the rest use a brushed silver card stock I found at Tuesday Morning during my trip to Georgia.  Yes, the Dalton, GA Tuesday Morning had a plethery of wonderful papers!  I also found a package of Artic Gold that I desparately needed LAST year.  I know I will find another great project for it!



Crazy view is kind of cool!  You can see a close up of the awesome sentiment I just recently purchased at The Stampaway convention from Rubber Cottage. I used my favorite stamping technique embossing!  It makes almost all images look so much better.  I would say I emboss 75% of my images.


Ingredients:
 
Rubber Cottage sentiment stamp
Ranger Silver Fine Detail embossing powder
Stampin Up Modern label punch
Duct tape
Chain
Darice Diamond plate embossing folder
Ranger adhesive back foil
Brushed silver card stock
Black card stock

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

 
 Inspirational top 3!

STAMP(DIGI OR RUBBER)
EMBOSSING
DIE CUTS/PUNCHES
DISTRESSING
SENTIMENT
SHAPED CARD
FLOWERS
METAL EMBELLISHMENT
RIBBON/TWINE

http://creativeknockouts.blogspot.com/2014/09/53-tic-tac-toe-crafty-sentiments.html until Sept 10 (limit 8 challenges)  I used the top row across (stamp, embossing, punch) and/or the center row down (embossing, sentiment and metal embellishment)

http://craftingbydesigns.blogspot.com/2014/09/september-anything-goes-challenge.html until Sept 25

http://tokbobok.blogspot.com/2014/09/tbc-16-masculine.html Sept 30

http://cuttlebugmania.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/we-are-back-and-ready-to-cuttlebuggle.html until Sept 13

http://craftycardmakers.blogspot.com/2014/09/122-make-impression-dry-embossing.html Sept 13

http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/2014/08/pile-it-on-35-punch-it-out.html until 9/6

http://corrosivechallengesbyjanet.blogspot.com/2014/08/challenge-207-lets-hear-it-for-boys.html until Sept 13

Top 3!!
September 2014







Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Summer Camp with Kiwi Lane and The Paper Loft Great Outdoors


Today I have a two page layout using The Paper Loft Great Outdoors and Kiwi Lane Designer templates.



I love this template for a title background!


I took a cue from the Kiwi Lane gallery and added doodles to my cuts "faux stitching".



I wanted this last page to look like the views of the "woods" were visible through the leaves and trees (and mud splatters).


Ingredients:
Paper Loft Great Outdoors Collection:  Hiking Trail, Wilderness, Wildflower, Latern, Spruce, Stacked Logs
and Accessory Sheets
Kiwi Lane:  Wacky 1T, Adventure 3, 4, 6, Nature 4, Playtime 6
American Crafts & Creative Memories pens
CM sticker letters
pop dots

Thanks for stopping by!

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:




Thursday, August 28, 2014

The Paper Loft and Cardmaker Blog Hop

Welcome to the CardMaker and The Paper Loft Blog Hop! 
Today the CardMaker Designers and The Paper Loft Designers will be showing you some wonderful projects featuring papers from The Paper Loft
Make sure and comment on each of the blogs in the hop! One winner will be randomly chosen to win a $25 Gift Certificate from The Paper Loft!  The winner will be chosen on August 31st at 9pm CT and announced on The Paper Loft Blog on September 1st. 

Here are my cards:



Here I used The Paper Loft's On the Go collection : Forward Motion, On the Double, Hurry Up, Things to do, Places to Go with the Road Trip Accessory Sheet.  I used Local King Rubber Stamp and matching die cut from their Summer Vacation collection for the bus and stamped with Stampin Up Groovy Guava ink.  The yellow die cut is from Quick Kutz Road Sign set and the arrow is from Kiwi Lane's Adventure template collection.  All items are chalked with Quick Quotes Blue Lagoon and Lemonade Powder Puffs or Versa Cloud White.  I also added Glitter Liner in Amber to the arrow.


Card two uses the same The Paper Loft's On the Go collection  with the addition of Zippy and People to see paper.  Also the same Local King Rubber Stamp and matching die set, Summer Vacation.


I cut the papers with the Creative Memories border maker and hex punch.  The sentiment is from a collection named Happy Campers, I don't know the manufacturer.  The kayak and sentiment are stamped with Staz On Azure.


I am sending the card to my brother, he is ranked third in the State of Tennessee for bass kayak fishing.  I think he will love this! 
 

Next Up:

The final stop is The Paper Loft!

If you get lost along the way:
Blog Hop List:

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Paper Loft Gear Head Get Well Card and Wednesday Winner!!!


This is a card I made for a friend in the hospital.  He is a truck driver. I used a gear punch with The Paper Loft Gear Head collection of papers.  I first ran the brown card stock card through the Big Shot with a Tim Holtz movers and shapers magnetic die of a truck.  Then I put some pretty gear paper behind the truck.  The stamps are an alpha set I purchased off HSN.  I believe they are a "typewriter" font...I have used them for several masculine cards.  They snap together and include letters, numbers and icons.


Easy, cute, and a great masculine card! Sorry for the poor pictures, but I made it in a hurry and quickly snapped pics on the way to the hospital.  He is out and recovering nicely.


Inside.  I used a Kiwi Lane template.

Drumroll please....
Finally, the winner of my blog candy from the Kiwi Lane blog hop is.....

Fun Fun ice cream cones!! Love all the bling! I might have to dress up an ice cream cone I made recently on one of my pages. I just became a follower.

Congrats!!!  And thanks to all my new followers!
Mary, please email me via the contact button with your physical address to send your package!

Thanks for stopping by today!

I would like to enter this in the following challenges:






Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Explosion box with K & Co

Good Day every one!  Today I am showing off my very first attempt at an explosion box.  There are several videos on youtube that I consulted prior to beginning.  I found this one the best:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYCUdE_Rtcc
But keep in mind it is not the only one I used.



This box was for a trade with a partner.  My partner was Nikki and I will show off what she made for me later.  But first she told me she wanted to put pictures of her and her husband in the box I made.  I also had a list of her favorite colors.  I chose some Amy Butler K & Co papers and layered stickers that I have had for a while (like a couple of years but I don't think it looks outdated).  I also had some K & Co bird stickers.  Although they are not "love birds" that was the idea.  The top also includes layers of the paper cut with Spellbinders scalloped circles.  Queen & Co bling is used throughout the box.  I used a Bazzil Swiss Dot blue paper for the outside and cut an ivory border with my new Marvy border maker set from Tuesday Morning.  Side note:  with a little notch these same cartridges can be used with the Creative Memories border maker.


Exploded!  I added several smaller Spellbinders scalloped circles in the middle with each layer on pop dots.  I added another bird an more bling.  The scalloped edges on this section were made with the Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities Label 11 and cut in half.  I also rounded all the corners of every page.


Close up of my center piece.


More Grand Label 11 and some washi borders with bling.


Layers of Grand Label 11 and a paper strip with washi and bling.


Some of the Swiss Dot paper and more scalloped circles.  I purposely placed the die on the center of doilies and flowers.



More "pages" more die cuts


I also lightly distressed with Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalk Feather Gray.  I wasn't sure how much edging Nikki would like, but I just couldn't leave it "naked"!





Here is the box I received from my swap partner, Nikki: 


Quite a coincidence we both used Swiss dot for the outside.


I told her I liked purple and green! She did a great job!


I love the center flower and the one on top of the box!


She also added some cute little tags!  (I didn't think of that)


The most lovely feature of her box is the beautiful flowers.  She used a stamp and embossed the image in black then used Alcohol inks to color the flower.  It is gorgeous!!

There are two on the project!




Some die cuts.





Thanks for checking out our explosion boxes today!  Nikki does not have a blog, but she should show off her gorgeous work!


I would like to enter my project in the following challenges:



Monday, August 25, 2014

Creative Blog Tour!!








Good morning!  I was invited to be part of the Creative Blog Tour by my friend Lyne!  Her very cool blog is http://lynnseverydayideas.blogspot.com !  I met Lyne through a Design Team that was part of a Facebook group that dissolved.  But something great came of it and that is knowing the great lady that is Lyne!  We are members of several other FB groups together and participate in swaps and blog hops together regularly.  We have also bounced ideas off each other, she is a great crafter!

Participants are to answer the following questions.  I hope this helps you get to know me a bit better.

What am I working on? 

Well, I am almost finished with a huge scanning project for my family.  So I have not been as "crafty" this month. So far I have scanned 580 pictures and documents!  I just went "home" for the weekend and returned those pieces to my mother and she gave me another bag!  My part of being the family historian.  My mother is on Ancestry.com and does her part in researching our history, she has found some pretty neat stories.
Creatively, I have done some "bigger" projects lately.  If you look back to last few post, you will see a couple of great projects I did for Kiwi Lane.  I am also doing several swaps this month and next.  Here is a peak at an upcoming blog post about an explosion box swap.
  
I am also working on an upcoming blog hop project and my next DT projects.  You will get to see more soon!

 

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

 I think my style is pretty unique. I enjoy a little of everything:  Clean and simple, shabby chic, grungy, and elaborate.  Since I have worked in different mediums, I try really hard to bring all my knowledge together to create something different.  I don't know exactly what you would call it, but I can pick my work out of a crowd. Just recently (at the Stampaway Convention), I noticed a pair of earrings on a woman, I immediately knew they were some I had created.  The woman didn't remember where she had got them, but I KNEW they were mine, they just had my touch!  There are so many techniques to try, I try and sometimes I fail.  And sometimes I discover a new technique that I fall in love with!  So even though I am constantly evolving I seem to have a flair that is uniquely me!
Here are some of my favorite cards:






Why do I create what I do?

 I have always been creative.  I don't know what I would do without some creative outlet in my life.  I have worked in various mediums over the years.  Beaded jewelry has been primary for years and was a thriving business for me.  Many reasons have contributed to changing my focus which is now paper crafts.  I have always loved paper crafts but it was usually put on the back burner to my "business".  I have had a bit of success selling my cards and just this spring won 2nd place in Graphic Arts at an art show.  I also have been accepted to a couple of design teams in the past year.  As nice as it is to "support" my habit, however, I do it for the therapy more than money because I NEED to create.

How does your creating process work?

 I usually start with some spark of an idea, either pictures for scrapbooking or a need for a card.  I love challenges!  They really get my juices flowing.  I love blogging because I can pick and choose the challenges in which I would like to participate.  I like design teams because I am sometimes forced to think out of the box.  Sometimes, I begin with a new product, just one stamp, piece of paper or paper.  I will purchase something and the juices start flowing.  Unfortunately, I seem to never have enough time to produce all my good ideas.  Sometimes my "ideas" loom around for a year or more, sometimes one more purchase solidifies the project.  I find this with beads, too. 


This is one of the projects where I started with a stamp and I knew I wanted to make a card for my mother, it ended up being her Mother's Day card one year.  She loved it so much she framed it!  Coloring is not typically my style but I am working on it!


Now to my choices of talented crafters to which I pass on the torch!


My first pick was Connie! at http://www.conniecancrop.blogspot.com/.
Connie is awesome!  She comes up with the greatest ideas!  She is on many design teams and organizes the BEST blog hops!  She is a seasoned professional who gives me a lot of inspiration!  We have also become friends over the couple of years we have worked together.  I think it is just awesome to develop relationships so from so far away!  These would have never been possible just a few years ago.

 
Next up is Jessica! at http://www.craftinandstampin.blogspot.com/.
Jessica is also one awesome lady! Again, we only know each other from blog world and Facebook, but she is such an inspiration.  She is rockin' her CTMH business and recently won some great recognition at convention!  Congrats Jessica!  You really work hard and deserve it!

And finally my latest bloggy friend is Sue K! at http://suek86401.blogspot.com/.
Sue recently discovered my blog and I her's.  She is a design team member for Hiding in my craftroom  which is a great challenge blog!  No, I am not partial because I have won a few prizes...Sue has been the most loyal follower EVER!  and so creative in her own right.



Please check these ladies out and they will post the answers to their questions next Monday, Labor Day, September 1.  Thank you so much for spending your time reading my creative blog!

Friday, August 22, 2014

Kiwi Lane Blog Hop


Hello and welcome to the Kiwi Lane August blog hop!  You should have arrived from Barb's blog if now please start at the Kiwi Lane blog.  The featured sets for August are tiny celebrate and playtime, both of which are on sale this month!  I have used Tiny Celebrate to make my ice cream cone cards. Read on for how to win a $25 gift certificate from Kiwi Lane!  We hope you are inspired to create some delicious delights of you own!




I used 3 of the Tiny Celebrate templates to make the cone, the ice cream and the ticket!  I used the Abbie Road for the background papers.  The beautiful pink ribbon is hand dyed seam binding I received with some blog candy all the way from England!!!  This version is my favorite because it has "mint chocolate chip" ice cream.




I used a couple of different sentiments on the ticket.  The Chocolate one is from a Close to My Heart SOTM last year.


 

One final version (I started to run out of brown, green and pink bling):



Ingredients:

Celebrate 3T, 5T, 6T
Abbie Road 1B, 2B
Pearls and Bling from Michael's, Recollections, and Queen & Co
CTMH stamp
hand dyed seam binding
American Crafts paper
Creative Memories paper
pop dots

 

What to do to win

Two chances:



My own blog candy is a the tiny celebrate set!  

Tiny Celebrate Designer Template Set

To qualify for my blog candy you must be a follower and state so in your required comment below.  I will choose a winner next Wednesday, August 27!  
 
 

Kiwi Lane is giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to purchase your choice of templates. Leave one comment at each blog posting along the way, including this one! This needs to happen by Sunday night,  April, 6th at 11:59 MST to be eligible to win.  So be sure to visit every one and see our wonderful creations!!  Kiwi Lane's winner will be announced on their blog!

 

Next up is the wonderful project of  Charity!

 

Here's the entire line up in case you get lost along the way:

1. Kiwi Lane Designs www.kiwilane.com/blog
6. Connie Wallenbrock http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com
 
Thanks for hopping by!