Monthly Archives: January 2010

i love canvas.

Crafting never gets old.There are always new products, new techniques and just new things to discover. I was playing around with a small canvas frame the other day, some Studio Paints and some fun aging techniques. Today it’s a tutorial at the CLASSroom. I hope you’ll join me.

Love Canvas

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A few other exciting things for me. I was so excited to see some surprises at Moxie Fab World over the past couple days. Here Cath has a fabulous giveaway, Products that complete the Card, with so many fabulous goodies.  Among them my On the Desk stamp set from Cornish Heritage Farms. Make sure you comment before Sunday night for a chance to win. And today…some sneaks peeks into the Start to Finish special issue. One of my cards from this issue is there.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Ready for Spring

In the middle of cold January, it’s always lovely to dream of Spring. I has to be my favorite time of year. A time of growth and renewal with some new changes to see each and every day. One of my favorite things is the return of the birds and their singing. This sweet bird image reminds me of spring.

As birds are still super popular as a design theme, I thought it would be fun to use them as a theme for today’s Ways to Use it Challenge. Stamp a bird, use a bird shaped chipboard, a sticker, a die cut, whatever you can think of. If you’d like to play along…here’s the challenge. We’d love to have you join us.

Song for Spring Card

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This sweet bird image is actually a digital Printable or digital stamp if you prefer to call it that. I’ve taken the image and then airbrushed and colored it with my Copic Markers. It’s been a while since I pulled mine out and it was fun to do some coloring again for a change.

Quick Tip: You can totally mix stamping with digital. For this design I overstamped my colored image with the Spanish Script Backgrounder in Shabby Shutters Distress Ink.

Oh. lol. Here’s yet another tip. Don’t have your card closed when you go to add some last minute stitching. 😉 I’m not sure where my brain was but I had to laugh at myself when I discovered that I had sewn the card closed. I guess this poor little birdie won’t be flying away anywhere in the mail.

Supply List: Songsheet Birdie Printable by ETC. ,  Spanish Script Backgrounder by CHF, Simply Smooth White cardstock by CHF, Copic Markers, olive & Kraft cardstock by Bazzill BAsics, sewing machine, flower by Prima, Silk Ribbon by May Arts, Journaling Tag by Maya Road, Trinket pin by Maya Road

Happy creating!

From Start to Finish

Do you ever find that you create cards just for the outside? What about the inside? It always makes a card extra special if the design follows through when the recipient opens the card. That’s what the new Paper Crafts special publication Card Creations: Start to Finish is all about. Cath Edvalson is hosting a fun challenge on Moxie Fab World that I know you’ll want to play along with. If that’s not enough, leave a comment at MFW for a chance to win all the featured cards today.

Here’s mine…

 b mine

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This second shot shows how the trifold panel flips to the inside once open…

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This card is called a tri-fold card. There’s actually just one extra fold but three panels. The front panel is scored midway and then folded back so that you can see a peek at the inside of the project. These cards are so simple to create and so fun as the front flips to the inside when opened up by the recipient.

To cover my chipboard b monogram, I used Fired Brick Distress Crackle Paint. I love the texture and how easy it is to dress up plain chipboard. For this project, the Fired Brick was just a little too faded a red to match up with the patterned paper. To give it a redder hue, I sponged it once dry with Cranberry Adirondack Ink.

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Quick Tip: Use any dye ink over Distress Crackle Paint. It doesn’t just have to be the coordinating Distress Ink colors.

Supply List: note pad, chipboard button and patterned paper by Jenni Bowlin,  Kraft Cardstock by Bazzill Basics, monogram by Basic Grey, Glitter letters by American Crafts, Trinket Pin  and Journaling Tags by Maya Road, Cranberry Adirondack Ink by Ranger, Fired Brick DistressCrackle Paint by Ranger, twine

Also…my sweet and talented friend Becky Olson isa  featured Start to Finish Cover Girl at Paper Craft Connections. How fun is that? Congrats B!

Have fun with the MFW challenge!

Easy Does It

While I love complex cards, I also love simple designs. They are perfect for those times you want to create but don’t have a lot of time. Anyone as busy as I? Right now I’ve two sick kids and I’m sure we’re not done yet. 🙁

Once in a While

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Quick Tip: Stitch or draw a frame to break up the design on a one layer card.

Supply List: kraft cardstock by Bazzill Basics, heart brads by Queen and Co., sewing machine, Wedding Centers (Mona Lisa Moments line) by CHF

Little One

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 Quick Tip: White rub-ons look fabulous as a sentiment on black cardstock.

Supply List: yellow cardstock by Prism, black cardstock by Bazzill, rub-ons by Making Memories, ribbon by Creative Impressions, sticker by Little Yellow Bicycle

Happy creating!

Card Sketch Love

I absolutely adore card sketches.They are so much fun to work with. I’m super excited to be part of the latest Card Patterns design team. Sketch 46 is the latest sketch and I know you’ll love it as much as I. Here’s my take on it. You can check out the sketch here.

love potion no. 9

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Supplies: Simply Smooth Vanilla Cardstock by CHF, Cupid Collection paper by Pink Paislee, buttons by Melissa Frances, ribbon by May Arts, sewing machine, Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Tsukineko, Vintage Text Scrapblock by CHF, twine, Worn Lipstick and White Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint by Ranger,  manilla tag, Grungeboard Minis, Crystals Trinket Pins by Maya Road

Happy creating!

It’s a Banner Day

I’m back in the CLASSroom again today. This time with a fun and easy project that you can change from season to season. Seriously…the pennant is made from magnetic material and you can just snap on and off the letters to spell what you wish. Sound fun? I had fun creating it. The step outs are in the CLASSroom here.

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Ellen has also posted all the winners of the 12 days of Christmas posts as well as a few insights on running an on-line crafting store. I think you’ll agree she’s the best.

Have a great weekend!

so. what’s new?

I always love playing with new product and I often get to do so. I’m lucky. I thought it would be a fun way to start off the new year by using new product. Not too hard of a challenge, I know, but it’s fun right? And I’m excited to see what you have that is new! I’m also super excited to see all the new product sneak peeks that are popping up all over the web. I think 2010 will be an exciting crafting year for sure! I hope you’ll join me with the challenge here.

Some of my latest goodies that I haven’t used yet are from Memory Box. I’m loving this new Gossamer paper line and the sweet valentine stamps. Also not just released but new to me, mini grungeboard pieces and the lovely Maya Road trinket pin.

heart u

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Quick Tip: to make your stamped image stand out more, emboss it. Fine embossing powder is perfect for detailed images.

Supply List: Branch Heart rubber stamp by Memory Box, Gossamer 6×6 paper pad by Memory Box, simply smooth white cardstock by Cornish Heritage Farms, Versamark ink by Tsukineko, Black Embossing powder by Ranger, Grungeboard Minis by Advantus, Worn Lipstick Distress Crackle Paint by Ranger, sewing machine, twine, silk ribbon by May Arts, dymo label maker, Maya Road Trinket Pin

Happy creating!