Semi Finalist for Heartfelt Creations!

I truly enjoy creating with all kinds of paper, inks, dies, stamps, ephemera, ribbon, etc!  It is a joy to announce that I've been selected as a semi-finalist for the Design Team for Heartfelt Creations.  I simply love playing with their beautiful papers, delightful stamps, and intricate dies.  I've been a fan since I visited their booth at the Portland Creating Keepsakes Convention in the Spring of 2011.

I have been an avid collector of many of their collections, and love the versatility of their products.  Please take a look at a few of the Heartfelt Creation projects I have created and blogged about over the last few years. 

These are samples of the projects I submitted for consideration.  Heartfelt Creations allows readers to vote on their favorites, so please follow the link, I would appreciate your vote!  Thank you for joining me on this journey!

Project One:  Enjoy Coffee Center Step Card.  My most recent addition to my Heartfelt Creations stash was the I Want It All purchase of the Coffee Talk collection.  I am a coffee lover and am truly pleased to work with this collection and its lovely colors.  My only request would be a sentiment stamp that says “Thanks a latte” be added at some point please!  My blog highlights another card I made recently with this set.  This is a sophisticated version of a card that can be sent to male or female friend.  One of my regular card recipients is the widower of my best friend who died of breast cancer just a year ago.  It is important to me that I am able to encourage him through snail mail on a regular basis.  He is the planned recipient for this card.

Enjoy Coffee Card

Project Two:  I Believe In You Scrapbook page.  This double page layout highlights the use of a few retired products from Heartfelt Creations.  Although they are no longer available, it does showcase that a background sentiment stamp like “My Guy Pre Cut Set” can be used in unique ways as embellishments for a scrapbook page.  The colors of the “All Geared Up” paper collection were perfect for the photos.  I particularly enjoy using the Cut Mat Create die collection to design my own version of pocket page scrapbooking.  This is a clean and simple design for scrapbooking that is particularly suited to a masculine style page.  

I Believe In You Scrapbook Layout

Project Three:  Vintage Floret Fabric Flower Headband.  I recently experimented with creating Heartfelt Creations flowers in fabric and was very pleased with the results.  The headband project is an example of the type of tutorials I write so that readers can re-create the project without experiencing the pitfalls and frustrations of figuring out the new innovative technique. 

Vintage Floret Headband

Please stay tuned for the tutorials on each of these fun projects.  I also want to send out a big thank you to the Heartfelt Creations team!

Button Up for Crafting by Designs

A few weeks (oops, months) ago a card was selected for a spotlight at Crafting by Designs and they graciously asked me to be a guest designer.  Since life has been super hectic with long-term-maternity-leave-high-school-science-teacher-with-three-different-classes job, I opted to join them this week for the Button Up challenge.  Here is my take on using a few buttons to create a fun card!  Check out the rest of the creations by their magnificent Design Team!

1.     Since time was of the essence I grabbed a card making kit from my scraps stash and decided to work with My Minds Eye Magnolia Starburst collection.  All the papers are bits and pieces from the collection plus a matching scrap of light green paper left over from some previous layout project.  Great way to use up scraps and get instant mojo with matching results!

2.     All three “flowers” are created using 1” Glue Dots.  Flower one is a strip of patterned card stock trimmed with Fiskars mini scallop scissors and scored every ¼” and accordion folded into shape.  The ends are attached together and the circle gently flatten onto a waiting ginormous glue dot.  Add a bit of fiber through a coordinating button and adhere with another 1” glue dot, and finish with a strip of variegated ribbon stem.

3.     The second flower is orange ric rac folded and adhered to the glue dot.  A few gathers along the way create a nice petal effect.  The center button with craft thread is adhered with dimensional foam adhesive.  A grosgrain ribbon stem with a looped leaf completes flower two.

4.     The third flower is five sections of 1 ½” grosgrain ribbon looped and adhered to a glue dot to make five flower petals.  The center button has a bit of think ribbon thread and tied into place.  The stem and leaf is bits of green ric rac.

5.     The background is sections of the Magnolia collection trimmed to fit onto a 6 Bar cream card stock base.  The green card stock was punched with the EK Succes mini scallop punch to add a bit of visual interest.  Once the flowers are adhered into place a bit of blue ribbon is tied in a bow and adhered to hold the bunch together.

6.     The sentiment by Stampedous “Happy Messages” is stamped in Brilliance Pearlescent Ivy.  The perfect touch in a simple script to finish off this quick card.

Supplies:

·      Imagine Crafts by Tsukineko BrilliancePearlescent Ivy

·      Stampendous “Happy Messages”

·      My Minds Eye Magnolis Starburst collection

·      Fiskar mini scallop scissors

·      EK Success mini scallop punch

·      1” Glue Dots, mini glue dots

·      Misc:  buttons, craft thread, fiber, ribbon, green and cream card stock, adhesive.   

Innovative Technique for Imagine Crafts

We were challenged to create a new technique for Imagine Crafts using some of the amazing products in their line of inks and supplies.  This is my take on the challenge that is featured on the Imagine Crafts blog today.

 

Some of my favorite colors are purples and pinks; I am a girly girl when it comes to flowers and butterflies in these colors.  When given a variety of products intended primarily for fabric I imagined a beautiful scented Sashay to decorate the closet.  During the process of creating this project I discovered some pleasant surprises, first that freezer paper can be used as a positive and negative mask for the same image using a die and different ink techniques, second that Vertigo can be colored with Fabrico markers, and finally that die cut and stamped fabric flowers can be successfully shaped into beautiful three-dimensional embellishments.  Make one for yourself or as a fabulous gift that will be treasured for years to come.

Check out the rest of the tutorial here and the other innovative projects by the Artists In Residence.

Thanks for stopping by and have fun creating fabric flowers of your own!

Imagine Crafts featuring Tsukineko

·      Memento Luxe: Elderberry and Rose Bud

·      Fabrico Markers: Ultramarine and Cherry Pink

·      All Purpose Ink: Thistle

·      Ink Potion No. 9

·      Vertigo in Taffeta

·      Ink Blushers

·      Small Spray Bottle

·      Ink Dropper

·      Fantastix Brush Tip

·      Craft Mat

Other:

·      Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret Die, Minifloret Precut and Open Vintage Floret precut stamp sets

·      The Crafter’s Workshop Swirls and Dot stencil

·      Cheery Lynn Designs Exotic Butterfly Small #2

·      McGill Flower shaping kit

·      Aleene’s Stiffen Quick

·      Zutter Bows-It-All v. 2

·      Miscellaneous: ¼ yard muslin, ¼ yard sheer fabric, 1 yard silk ribbon, ½ yard cotton twill ribbon, 1/8 yard iron-on interfacing, 6” embroidery hoop, scented vase décor, freezer paper, heavy duty aluminum foil, die cut machine & metal shim, low tack tape, white cardstock, tweezers, scissors, iron & ironing surface, paint tray, hot glue & glue gun, heat gun, clear drying adhesive, small glass beads, embellishment collection tray.

Hippo Birdies Humorous Birthday for Ruby's Rainbow Challenges

Ruby’s Rainbow Challenge theme for the next fortnight is “Humorous Birthdays”.  Do stop by the blog and check out all of the fabulous funny cards created by the Design Team.  Then pull out your stamps and create a humorous birthday card yourself!

 

Most of my birthday stamps are the generic birthday fare.   This Avery Elle set, “Hipster-potamus” is an exception.  The images are stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black on white card stock.  With a little quick masking the bird is standing on the hippo’s back and the hippo is standing in the green grass.  I used Chameleon pens in CG8 Cool Gray, PK3 Bubble Gum, NU1 Bisque, and YG3 Spring Meadow.  The image was backed with black card stock.  Strips of pink card stock are covered with Recollections chevron washi tape and large grommet eyelets are attached to each end.  The backing green card stock is pressure embossed with Cuttlebug’s Polka Dots.  The card is assembled on a 6Bar card base.    

Thanks for checking in today!  Enjoy visiting Ruby’s Rainbow Challenges and come create your own humorous birthday card and share it with us!

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges!

Sketch Saturday #399

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #117 AG w/ a twist of sentimental

Dragonfly Journeys #44 Wishy WASHI

One of a Kind Snowflake

Although we’ve not had snow on the ground locally, many parts of the country do have a few snowflakes that have accumulated.  Snowflakes are a thing of wonder when you can see them  magnified, and yes they are each one of a kind. 

Our new challenge at Retro Rubber Blog Challenge is “It’s Winter”, and snowflakes fit the bill.  Please remember to use your Retro Rubber that is at least a year or older, let us know how long it’s been in your stash, and enter our challenge plus 9 others.

1.     The 1998 Peddlers Pack Snowflakes background is stamped with Memento Paris Dusk on glossy white card stock.  The image is trimmed to 3 7/8” x 5 1/8”.

2.     The “One of a Kind” sentiment by Mark’s Finest Paper in the Snowflakes 2014 set is one that I won in a challenge.  It is stamped in Versa Mark on white glossy card stock and heat embossed in clear embossing powder.  Memento Paris Dusk is sponged over the image and the white sentiment “pops”.  The sentiment is die cut with Spellbinders Fancy Tags and pressure embossed.

3.     Canson Silver paper is trimmed to 4 1/8” x 5 3/8” and is adhered to a white A2 cardstock base.  The snowflake background is adhered with dimensional adhesive as is the sentiment.

Please do come by and play along with us a Retro Rubber Blog Challenge!

I would like to share this clean and simple card with the following challenges:

CAS(e) this sketch #159

Sweet Stampin’ Challenge Blog Clean and Simple

Clean and Simple Wrestling Mom Tee

We have a fun challenge showcased over at Imagine Crafts, a white T-shirt contest!  

I attend many wrestling events to watch my two sons grapple on the mat.  I often see T-shirts for sale for the wrestlers, and on occasion there is a “mom t-shirt”, but not usually in team colors.  So for this project I created a t-shirt I plan to wear to the next wrestling match and future events that proudly proclaims in Red and Black that I am a “Wrestling Mom”!

Check out the tutorial here.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful Presidents Weekend.  

Other Than Red Valentine Challenge for Imagine Crafts

We have a new challenge posted over at Imagine Crafts, Valentine's that use colors other than red.  Stop by the blog and see the wonderful projects created by the Artists in Residence.  

I had the perfect stamp and die set to make a great Valentine that did not feature red . . .  and since I am a Chemistry teacher by profession it is one of my favorite cute themes.  Vertigo makes a great glass test tube and Erlenmeyer flask.  StazOn Studio Glaze is an excellent medium to color both the Vertigo and the background papers to create a coordinated Valentine in brilliant colors. 

There are have been some technical issues with the Imagine Crafts website, so this link will take you to the PDF of the tutorial to make this fun card!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Valentine's for my little Mister

Ruby’s Rainbow Challenge theme for the next fortnight is Anything Goes!  Please check the blog for the wonderful cards shared by the design team.  I am on a Valentine’s kick right now and wanted to use some fun Imagine Crafts Neon Amplify! to create a very textured Valentine for my son.

1.     A standard A2 white card stock front was spritzed with irResistible in Neon Electric Pink and set aside to dry.

2.     Using Delta’s Stars and Hearts, hearts were sponged with Radiant Neon Electric Pink pigment ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  The sections are trimmed to fit the card design.

3.     Technique Tuesday’s Say It Happy outline die was die cut in black card stock and the inside in white card stock.  The layers were adhered together and the happy outlined with Radiant Neon Amplify! in Electric Pink.  Once heated with a heat gun the puffy texture appears.

4.     White cardstock trimmed to 2.25” x 3.5” and stamped with Technique Tuesday’s Mister and Say It Happy sentiments in Radiant Neon Electric Pink pigment ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  The happy outline is positioned to stamp the other sentiments around it.  Wait to adhere until the images are all stamped, just incase you are not pleased with the process.  The tie is stamped with Brilliance Starlite Black and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  A reverse mask is made by stamping the image on a Post-It note and trimmed to allow the interior of the tie to be inked with an ink blusher and Radiant Neon Electric Pink pigment ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  While the embossing powder is still warm a second layer of embossing powder creates a smoother finished surface.  A second tie is also stamped, sponged and fussy cut to be adhered over the base layer tie.  Black card stock trimmed to 2.5” x 3.75” to back the image.

5.     Quickutz doublekutz heart is die cut from black and white card stock.  The design is outlined with Radiant Neon Amplify! in Electric Pink.

6.     The layers are adhered together, with the second tie adhered with dimensional foam adhesive.  The ribbon sections are outlined with Radiant Neon Amplify! in Black and heat set. 

Supplies by Imagine Crafts by Tsukineko:

·      irResistible in Neon Electric Pink

·      Radiant Neon Electric Pink pigment ink

·      Radiant Neon Amplify! in Electric Pink and Black

·      Brilliance Starlite Black

·      Ink blusher

·      Craft Mat

Other supplies:

·      Technique Tuesday Mister Man and Say It Happy stamp sets and die

·      Delta Stars and Hearts stencil

·      Quickutz Doublekutz swirl heart

·      Misc:  white and black card stock, clear embossing power, heat gun, die cut machine, adhesive, dimensional foam adhesive.

I would like to share my card with the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday #395 with the following sketch

My Time to Craft! #14 Love is all around

Glitter ‘n’ Sparkle Challenge Blog  #173 Embossing (Dry or Heat)

Addicted to Stamp Challenge #119 Anything Goes with a stamp

Sweet Stampin’ Challenge Valentine

Polkadoodles Love and Romance

Dream Valley Challenges #124 Valentine's Day
Winner at Dream Valley!
Lawnscaping Challenge #123 Sending Love
The Paper Girls Challenge Blog #97 Valentine's Love