Altered Notebook

Another day, another birthday notebook! This time I wanted to use one of my new Magnolia stamps. I stamped Cherry Tilda on white cardstock and colored her with watercolor crayons. Backed her with really rust cardstock. The green background paper is stamped with a leaf with Versamark ink. The "A" is chipboard, heat embossed with black. The patterned paper was some scraps that I picked up at a sale at Stamped Designs in Dover, NH. I also added the black brads in the upper right hand corner and the buttons in the lower right hand corner. Very simple design, and fun to make!

Valentine's Easel Card

So this is an easel card. When I saw them on the Splitcoaststampers site, I said no way, that is way to difficult. Turns out it was the fastest, easiest card I have made in a while! Check here for the template.

I was blog hopping for a while yesterday and came across Charisma Cardz Challenges. This week's challenge is white on white. I don't usually make monochromatic cards, but I couldn't resist this one. I figured it was a great time to try out the easel card.

This card also qualifies for the challenge from the Alphabet Challenge Blog - New Technique. Hop on over to these blogs and try your hand at their challenges.

Ok, on to the card! I made the easel out of the white cardstock. More white put through the Big Shot with Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. A white strip was also cut out with Spellbinders Borderabilities - Eyelets for the bottom section. The Big Shot was also used for the tag with Sizzix die Tag Set.

The heart stamp was from a Stampin' Up set called Polka Dot Punches. I stamped that on the tag with a light pink ink. Next I made a bow through the hole in the tag and attached that to the paper with the swiss dots with pop dots. Pop dots were also used to adhere that whole sheet to the card. For the lower section I used the Ultimate glue to put on the border and the pearls from Stampin' Up's pretties kit. The last thing was putting some diamond dust glitter in the holes on the border to give it some shine!

Enjoy your stamping!

Can't Wait for Spring!

Here is the card that I made for the Mojo Monday Blog Challenge 123, and the Cooking It Up With Katie challenge.

The card base is almost a mustard yellow. I overlaid that with a forest green paper, heat embossed with gold embossing powder. Next I used versa mark ink around the main image with the second flower. The stamp set I used was Stampin' Up's In Full Bloom. The white border on the front was punched with the Marvy butterfly punch and adhered to the front flap. Where the yellow and the white come together I glued a strip of gold patterned paper. It doesn't really show up well in the picture, but the butterflies have been glittered with diamond dust. I glued them to the card with the Ultimate glue and folded their wings a bit to make them look like they are flying off the page!

Mojo Monday is a great blog that has a challenge posted every Monday. It is a sketch challenge blog, meaning they post an image pattern that you need to follow to be considered for the prize. Click here to check out the sketch if you want to play along!

This card also qualifies for the Cooking It Up With Katie Challenge #9. The non human elements are the flowers and butterflies, the texture is the heat embossed flower and the glitter, and the butterfly punch is new! I had a great time with this challenge!

Floral Fantasies Special Challenge and Blog Hop

Check out Floral Fantasies blog for some intriguing blog candy......

Brenda writes: "On the 1st February there will be a very special ‘One Off Challenge’………with some rather special candy as the main prize. No ordinary candy I can tell you, but a really serious piece of equipment that all of us would love to have in our craft rooms."

How is that for enticement? Check it out!

Lilly's Flowers

Hello all! This is my first attempt at an altered book. I found a great cardboard fronted, bound notebook at Staples (don't worry it is recycled paper!). I was able to buy the notebook for $2.49, and between the rest of my supplies was able to make this book for about $5. Not a bad price for my son to give as a birthday gift! And who doesn't like a personalized gift?

I used Stampin' Up cardstock and some patterned paper I found at Michael's. Ripped the green and placed it on the purple. Cut a strip of patterned paper and taped to the green edge. Then I used my crop-o-dile to set some eyelets on the patterned paper. Used some dark purple Offray Ribbon from Ben Franklin and weaved it through the eyelets.

The next thing I did was stamp the flourish from the Stampin' Up set Doodle This in the bottom left corner. Added some flowers from Petaloo at the top of the stamped image so it resembles a flower bouquet. The letters are chipboard that I embossed with detail black. All of the embellishments are attached with my new favorite craft glue called The Ultimate.

I hope you come back again to view my creations! Until then, I hope you indulge your cravings!

Winter Edwin

Hello. I've decided that doing a couple of challenges a week will help me have cards and gifts on hand to give for birthdays and anniversary's and just because. So this week I made a card for two challenges. I went to a fabulous sale at Stamped Designs in Dover, NH last weekend and was able to get winter Magnolia stamps at 25% off! Can't get any better than that!

For this card I used my new Edwin on Sled. He was so cute I couldn't resist him! I stamped him on white and colored him in with watercolor crayons. Cut out the image and blue backing using the Creative Memories circle cutting system. I also cut out some patterned paper and backed it with the same blue. Attached all the pieces to white card stock, and added snowflakes which I glittered with diamond dust. Also added some diamond dust to the snow around Edwin.

This card fits the Mojo Monday Challenge Week 122. Check out their great site each week for a new challenge.

It also fits the Roses on Paper Challenge 29. If you are a fan of Magnolia stamps then you definitely need to check out all the great ideas posted here.

Thinking of You Bookmark

Reading is another one of my passions, so just for kicks and giggles I decided to try my hand at making bookmarks. Believe it or not, it is a relatively simple endeavor! This fishing bookmark was my first attempt. A great idea for an accompaniment to a bookstore gift card. I used Stampin' Up Set Fly Fishing, stamped the main image on the bottom of the glossy white cardstock in Staz-On black ink. I find the Staz-On works really well for the glossy cardstock because it doesn't slide and smudge the image. I then stamped the sentiment on the top, and layered it with night of navy, and craft cardstock. I used my new crop-o-dile to add the eyelet on the top.

The inspiration for the color palette was part of a challenge from the Colour Create Challenge Blog to use Kraft, Blue, and White. So ladies here is my submission!

It also fits the Creative Inspirations Challenge #43. The challenge was to use new products you have bought or received as a gift. I used my new crop-o-dile! Thanks Mom!

Until next time, happy crafting!

Mojo Monday - Week 121 Challenge

I had some scraps left over from waaaay back! I had bought a scrapbook kit from Stampin' Up that coordinated with the stamp set In Full Bloom. (I'm not sure if the set is retired now or not, couldn't find the info) I had made a mini 6" x 6" album from the kit, and had set aside the scraps as I always do. Found them in a box last week, and when I saw the challenge from the Mojo Monday blog site I knew just what to use! If you ask me, paper scraps are the perfect way to come up with a totally different card! So here is my card for the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge Week 121.

This card was also a great way to use the Hodgepodge Hardware that has been sitting neglected in my craft box! If you are like me you can't wait to see the bees on the flowers!

Blog Candy Alert!

Everyone should hop on by to Ink, Cut and Fold a blog by Erika Taylor. She is celebrating her 1 year blogoversary, and has some amazing products to give. Just become a follower of her blog, mention her candy on your blog, and leave a comment at the end of her post. Simple! Check out her great site!

Simply Thanks

Hello. How is everyone this fine cold morning? Today I'm posting a card that I found on the Splitcoaststampers site. I'll tell you more about it for those of you who have never been been. Splitcoaststampers is a website where you can access thousands of interesting paper crafting ideas from people all over the world. It has everything from cards posted by users, to tutorials on different techniques. The best part about it is that you can access the card ideas by company, and for some companies even by stamp set! It makes it easy when you are wondering how to use a certain stamp.

Ok, so here is my card:

This is a very simple design but the red apples certainly packs a visual punch against the craft paper. The stamp set is from Stampin' Up called Give Thanks. I stamped the bucket of apple and the sentiment underneath with black Staz-On ink. When it had dried, I used watercolor crayons and a blender pen to apply color to the image. Use a corner rounder on the bottom edges, tie a red ribbon, and voila! Simple, easy card that looks spectacular!

Edwin with Bike

Well I have two children, one boy and one girl, so of course if I had Tilda with Bike then I needed Edwin! These are the first two Magnolia stamps I bought, and I hope to be adding more to my collection.

This one was super easy, the longest part was deciding what colors he should wear! That is totally not a boy thing I know, but it's the truth! LOL! Again, I used Stampin' Up water color crayons and a blender pen to apply the color to the image. After cutting Edwin out I attached him with pop-dots to a combination of red and patterned paper. The star eyelets were put on with my new Crop O Dile! (Thank you Mom) If you haven't used one yet I highly recommend it!

Until next time, happy stamping!

Spring Tilda

I am craving spring this week! That concept definitely spilled over into my crafting. I have used Magnolia image Tilda with Bike to make a very bright, spring-like card. Using Stampin' Up water color crayons (my favorite medium!) and a blender pen I have made Tilda shine! The next step was to cut her out and use pop dots to adhere her to the black cardstock. Layering that with an embossed script background and a bright orange card finished the look.

The bow is adhered with my new favorite glue that I was introduced to at a stamp class I took. The glue is called THE ULTIMATE. It definitely live up to it's name! You should be able to find it in your favorite craft store, but here's a link to their website: www.crafterspick.com

This card is also going to be used for my first ever challenge that I am going to enter. A great blog that I have found, Roses on Paper, is hosting a challenge to use "my favorite medium." You should definitely stop by and check out all the great submissions!