Make A Wish!

 

Happy Thursday, friends!

 

I’m running around like a mad woman today, as I get ready for our big dinner party tomorrow.  But I wanted to pop in and share a project that I created using a brand spankin’ new stamp set that was just released by Avery Elle.

 

How cute is that little mouse?!!  Seriously, this new Storybook set is exploding with freakin’ adorable images that were hand drawn by my sweet friend, Heather.  She thought of every single detail when designing this set, and I am in love with each and every character.  I water colored the background and the mouse.  I also added some stars and glitter using a star stencil and some embossing paste.  I sprinkled glitter on the stars before the embossing paste dried.  It kind of reminded me of that animated movie, “An American Tale.”  Right?!  So stinkin’ cute!

 

I’m so excited for Heather, as this is her first hand drawn stamp set.  I suspect it won’t be her last, and I have to say I’m pretty excited about that prospect.  There were a ton of new products released by Avery Elle last night, so if you’re interested, you can check them out HERE.

 

That’s it for me, friends.  I’m off to plan a par-tay!  Thanks so much for stopping by today – it means the world to me when you do!!

 

 

Storybook Stamp Set Avery Elle NEW Archival Ink Pad, Jet Black Sapphire Heavy Card Stock Watercolor Paper, 10 pk Tim Holtz Water Brush, Detailer Brush Nib Tim Holtz Water Brush, Broad Brush Nib Peerless Water Color Papers Peerless Watercolor Papers Studio 490 Embossing Paste by Wendy Vecchi, White *Simon Says Stamp Stencil FALLING STARS SSST121332 Zig Wink of Stella Glitter Brush Tip Marker, Clear Stickles Dry Fine Glitter, Star Dust Fiskars ProCision 12 Inch Rotary Bypass Trimmer

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Runway Inspired Challenge #57–$%@# I Missed Your Birthday!!

 

Hello my sweet, crafty friends!

 

 

I’ve got a super busy day ahead of me today, so I can’t chat long!  But I wanted to share a project that I created that was inspired by the latest Runway Inspired Challenge.  I am a huge fan of Jennifer Rzasa’s fashionable inspiration photos – they almost always spark a flood of mojo when I stare at them a bit.  As I usually do, I try to “deconstruct” what I feel is a super busy design and do my best to make it clean and simple.  Here’s what I came up with:

 

 

I was inspired by the sweet springy colors and the pops of black in the word bubbles.  I’ve had this Kelly Purkey/Simon Says die for a bit now, and I thought this was the perfect occasion to use it.  You all don’t know me, but I have a tendency to let a few swear words slip every now and then.  Yeah . . . it’s one of those childish, immature habits that I just can’t seem to break, no matter how hard I try.  Chalk it up to working around lawyers for 25 years.  LOL  So when I saw this die, it had to come and live with me.  I’m also famous (infamous, really) for creating cards, but never mailing them . . . story of my life.  But I have a sweet friend, whose birthday is today, that I wanted to show a little love to.  She knows me . . . she understands me, and she likes me anyway.  What more could you want in a friend, right?!!  Wishing you, Lisa, a very happy birthday!!  Technically, I didn’t forget, but I’m sorry that this will be late!  I promise that it will be finding it’s way to your house very, very soon!!

 

I think there’s still a few days to play along with the Runway Inspired Challenge!  You can get all of the details HERE.

 

Okay, friends that’s it for me today.  I’m off to have lunch with my chica, and then back to my craftroom to get more crap done.  We’re entertaining 20 of our closest friends [HA!] (hubby’s golfing buddies and wives) on Friday, and we’re leaving for Vegas to spend some amazing time with our kids and grandkids on Saturday!  So I’ve got a lot to do to get ready!!  Thanks so much for stopping by today – I appreciate it so, so very much!!

 

 

*Simon Says Clear STAMPtember�® Stamps NAUGHTY NAUTICAL SSS101348 *Kelly Purkey Wafer Thin Die BLEEP smns-52 A Cardstock, Essentials by Ellen: White Linen #100 Cardstock, 25 Pack Black Licorice Card Stock Berrylicious CS MFT Cotton Candy CS MFT Melon Berry CS PTI Summer Sunrise CS PTI Black and White Washi Little B Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper Tool Fiskars ProCision 12 Inch Rotary Bypass Trimmer Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Powder Blue & Teal Sizzix Accessory, Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies Sizzix, Cutting Pad, Standard *American Crafts Zing! BLACK Opaque Embossing Powder VersaMark Inkpad

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AEI♥U Challenge #4–Water Color!

 

Hello again, friends!!

 

I’m so glad you decided to stop by today because I have the next AEI♥U Challenge to share with you!  I’m off to lunch with my girlie, so not a lot of time to chat.  But you’re not here for the chit chat anyway, are you?  Here’s the next challenge:

 

 

Be still my heart!  I am in LOVE with the water color trend these days, so this challenge got me pretty excited.  Here’s my answer to the challenge:

 

 

I stayed pretty clean and simple, and wanted to have my water coloring be pretty fun and vibrant.  I stamped one of the sentiments from Circle It using VersaMark and white embossing powder.  I then dragged out my go-to Peerless Water Colors and my water brush.  I adore the vibrancy of these water colors, and how incredibly easy and brainless they are to use!  Once the water coloring dried, I adhered the image panel to some Raspberry cardstock.  I scattered some subtle Winter Blend sequins just to add a fun little detail.  Lastly, I sprayed the main image panel with some shimmery spray that really popped up the bling factor!  I’ve listed all of the products I used below.

 

We’d so love to have you play along with us.  You can get all of the information about the challenge, as well as the link up tool, at the AEI♥U Challenge Blog.  My amazingly talented teammates have created some awesome inspiration for you, as well, so I hope you’ll click on through to check it out.

 

Well, friends, that’s it for me today!  I’m hoping to actually get caught up on my life these weekend.  Wish me luck!  Hoping you have some fabulous weekend plans in your future!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

Circle It Stamps Avery Elle Watercolor Paper, 10 pk Raspberry Heavy Card Stock Winter Blend Premium 5mm & 6mm Sequin Pack VersaMark Inkpad *American Crafts Zing! OPAQUE White Embossing Powder Tim Holtz Water Brush, Detailer Brush Nib Peerless Watercolor Papers Peerless Water Color Papers *Tsukineko FROST & SPARKLE Sheer Shimmer Spritz Fiskars ProCision 12 Inch Rotary Bypass Trimmer

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OCCCAS3 Homework!

 

Hello stampy friends!!

 

Today’s the last day to upload “homework” for the latest Online Card Class: CAS3, so I’ve gathered up the projects that I completed and through I’d quickly share them.  But before I do that, I just wanted to mention that I truly love taking the Online Card Classes.  Each lesson is full to the brim with inspiration and *smacking my head* brilliant techniques and ideas that everyone should be adding to their arsenal of “go to” ideas.  Seriously, every single day I’m asking myself “why didn’t I think of that?”  But the truth is that Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner (and friends) are creative geniuses, and so very generous with their knowledge and talent.  I can’t wait for the next class!!  Let’s get to my homework, shall we?

 

 

I should start by saying that, for the most part, I just cased the samples of the various instructors.  I had ideas of my own, but in the interest of time, and the lack of wanting to screw it up and have to start over, I tried to follow as closely to their samples as I possibly could.  My first sample was inspired (and slightly different) from a card that Jennifer McGuire shared that was demonstrating different techniques to create an optical illusion on a one-layer card.  I need to figure out a better way to “lock down” my stencil to my project while I’m sponging the ink on, because mine moved around and shifted a bit.  Thankfully it adds to the optical illusion that I was trying to create, so it’s not super noticeable.  At least that’s what I told myself.  LOL

 

 

This next project was inspired by a project and technique by Julie Ebersole called Textural Effects.  I again slightly deviated from but pretty closely CASE’d what Julie created.  I used a different sentiment and a different die to create the double embossing.  Isn’t it so cool?!!  I’ll most definitely be doing this again!!

 

 

This project was inspired by a technique and project that Kristina Werner created, and focused on Simple Coloring.  I colored Spectrum Noir pens in a rainbow pattern on vellum and put it behind the die cut sentiment and hearts.  Super easy, and very fun to create!  I used different dies than Kristina, but I pretty much CASE’d what she did.  Again, *smacking my head* brilliant!

 

 

This final project was a project and technique by Julie Ebersole that I pretty much copied identically because I just thought it was so danged cute!  I would so do this again, because it came together quickly, and packs a super fun punch that I think would make anyone happy!

 

This is the first time that I’ve created so many of the homework assignments, and I loved exercising my creative chops to add some super fun and useful ideas and techniques to my card making arsenal.  If you need that extra “bump” to get out of a creative slump, I’m telling you these classes are priceless!!

 

That’s it for me today, friends.  It’s going to be a hot one here this weekend, but I’m hoping to get some more stuff done in my craft room.  I’ll be back tomorrow to share my latest Paper Smooches project.  Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Avery Elle Birthday Goodies!

 

Happy Wednesday, friends!!

 

It’s been a few days, right?!  LOL  We had a great time with our house guests last weekend, and I’m finally getting caught up in my craft room . . . almost there!  LOL  I’m popping in today to share the last of my Avery Elle guest designer projects.  Today is my last day . . . *sigh*.  I’ve had a great time playing with Avery Elle’s newest stamps, and am so grateful to Jamie for having me!!  She is such a doll, and her products inspire me so much!!  Both of my final projects feature the new stamp set called Cake & Candles, which is a set that is filled to the brim with great and essential birthday sentiments!

 

 

Here, I paired one of the darling birthday sentiments with the confetti stamps that are included in the set (as well as a few other filler stamps from Celebrate).  Sometimes those little “filler” stamps can be used to make a big impact – I love seeing what I can do with them.  I used Lemon Grass, Raspberry and Aquamarine inks, and the AE Pure White cardstock.  Love that stuff!!

 

 

I created this project using another of the fun birthday sentiments from Cake & Candles.  The pattern was created with a stencil and the Raspberry and Mimosa pigment inks, applied with a little finger dauber.  The little black dots are from another filler stamp from Circle It.  I love the beautiful impact that the AE pigment inks have when paired with a stencil!!  They went on like buttah!!  I’ve linked all of the products I used below!

 

Well that’s it for me today, friends.  I’m headed back to my craft room today, and might even treat myself to a pedicure this afternoon.  Ahhhh . . . my dogs are barkin’!  LOL  Hope you have a great day today, too!!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 

Cake & Candles Clear Stamps Celebrate Clear Photopolymer Stamps Circle It Stamps Avery Elle Aquamarine Heavy Card Stock Ultra Smooth Pure White Heavy Card Stock Lemon Grass Pigment Ink Pad Raspberry Pigment Ink Pad Aquamarine Pigment Ink Pad Mimosa Pigment Ink Pad Hero Hues Dye Ink: Black Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper Tool Petal Circles Stencil MFT Sponge Applicator, Sponge Dauber with Airtight Cap Martha Stewart Scoring Board, Mini Fiskars ProCision 12 Inch Rotary Bypass Trimmer

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