an ivy-league valentine & some fawnie news

News first, or card first?  Card first or news first?  *grin*




hee hee.  I've been waiting awhile to share that I've joined the lawn fawn design team!  woot!  I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Kelly Marie and the rest of the very talented group.  (I'm trying to play it cool here, kids, but I am pretty sure I've died and gone straight to crafty heaven.)

We're sharing some valentine's day inspiration this week, and I thought I'd use a few non-valentine sets to create this ivy league-inspired card.

I started out with a kraft base, and stamped the notebook image (from "schoolhouse backdrops") in white ink.  Next, I stamped the library card image onto white cardstock and created a custom sentiment (using "smitty's ABCs").



I then created a pocket for the library card out of red cardstock, and stamped the apple from "silly valentine" and the leafy images from "blissful botanicals" around it (or, around him?  the apple has a face, so I think it should be a "him." or "her." whatever.)



For fun, I stamped the elements first in versamark ink, and then shadow-stamped them again in a darker ink.  Just a little something extra.

Hope you like my card!

you balance me out.

Just a super quick post, because I wanted to play around with today's card class assignment: creating one-layer cards.

I slipped tiny little hearts into Libra's balances (from Mama Elephant's "cosmic stars" set) by way of - what else? - masking.  I then stamped a custom sentiment around her, and colored the letters in with copics.

I sewed on some washi tape (wow, that sounds weird) and added a little banner that I found in my scrap pile.  It pays to keep things :)

Thanks for popping by!

Love notes {bee mine}

Because smaller is definitely cuter.



I stamped the bee, then masked the bee and the bottom half of the tiny card, and sponged blue ink over the top.  Some pink accents, a matching sentiment, and glittery wings.  Done.



Hand-stamped enveloped sealed the deal.  Stripes inside, hexes out.



Actually, smaller-bee stickers sealed the deal.  For reals.

Check out more love-note-inspiration: Kim ♥ Laurie ♥ Lori ♥ Audrey  ♥ Laura ♥ Tracy ♥ CSS


Supplies:
stamps: (from Clear and Simple stamps) taglines: critters, background basics 1, designer lines
ink: tumbled glass distress ink, melon (fresh ink)
paper: a blanc check (clear and simple)
misc: mini tri-fold 2 die

new house thank you {Saturday Creations}

***this is my second post of the day.  If you're looking for the new CSS release post, scroll down, or click here***



Even though I haven't moved, don't plan to move, hate the thought of moving, I created a thank you card for the newly-relocated, recently-gifted person.  A new house thank you card.

I used PTI's barn die to create my folded card, but chopped the barn roof so it looked like a regular house roof instead.

I embossed the home with a striped embossing folder - I thought it looked a little cottag-y that way, like wood planks all across the front.

The roof was the only tedious part of the project:  I cut strips of paper with a scallop paper punch, and adhered them, starting at the base of the roof and working my way up.  Before adhering them, I sponged all of the edges - I love the dimension that gives the paper.



The Precious Remembrance sentiment is one big panel - isn't it cute?  I colored in all of the squares (thank you for... the gift, being you, everything) but I added glossy accents to the square that reads: everything.  It's much more obvious in real life, and a cute touch.

I hope you like it!  Have a great weekend - we'll be driving across the border for an American breakfast with the kids, just for fun, and to celebrate that I made it through the week as a single mum.  Husbands should never have to travel for work - our family isn't the same without him!  (Actually, I overheard the kids talking about it and it was hilarious: "when daddy comes home, I'm gonna hug him and then put him in time out, because that's what happens when you do something wrong.  Daddy will have to promise never to go away again.")

Doily-embossed love notes {CSS new release}

There is beautiful new product being released with CSS today, and I am so pleased to be showing off the "tri-fold 2 die" and the new doily stamp.  I've created some special valentine's day treats:

Here's what I did with the tri-fold 2:  I stamped it with the woodgrain background (from "background basics 1"), rubbed distress ink all over it, and then embossed the new doily image over-top.  I inked up my stamp first in versamark ink, and then into my color, and sprinkled the stamped image with clear embossing powder.  It's a subtle pop, compared with a colored embossing powder, but pretty nonetheless.

Once open, the woodgrain pattern is present also, as well as a simple little valentine's day love-note.  And a cookie.  The mini tri-fold 2 die has room for embellishments or skinny treats - I love that!  

I colored the owl's belly a light pink, and the leaf a red/pink combination.  The rest I left plain, since the envelope needed no competition.

Click on over to see what the other designers have created with these products:

Audrey ♥ Lori ♥ Dana ♥ Jen ♥ CSS

based in black {PTI blog hop}

I squeezed in a little time for this month's PTI blog hop.  The inspiration photos were just too.... er... inspiring.  *grins*



I started out with a black cardstock panel, and heat embossed florals from "in bloom."  I colored the leaves with a green inktense colored pencil - they're amazing, the way they pop on dark-colored paper!  I heat-embossed the blooms again on watercolor paper, and watercolored them with different inktense pencils.  They were cut out, and layered with different heights of foam squares.



The large thank you sentiment is so beautiful, and fancy enough to stand alone on the kraft panel.  I was especially inspired by the tag on the top right:

That's it for me!  Happy hopping, and thank you for popping over here!

snappy valentine {a paper crafts magazine publication}

 Are you a paper crafts magazine online subscriber?  If you are,  you've likely seen this snappy project in the current issue.  It isn't in the paper pages - it's an online exclusive!

I printed the sentiment via my computer, and added a sunburst image (from Wplus9) to my valentine-themed patterned paper.  The only time-consuming part was cutting out all of the snappy lawn fawn crocodiles - but totally worth it!  They're a cute 3x3 size, and perfect for the kids to hand out to their school friends for valentine's day.  For fun, the cards were packaged in a fun little box (CSS' party favor 3 die.)

Thanks for stopping by!

Baby makes 3.

A friend is due any day now with her first baby boy.



My new Mama Elephant stamps were perfect for creating a little scene.

I mixed some of the images from "cosmic stars" (the lion and the bull) with the teddy and giraffe from "nursery deco."  A bunch of adorable stuffies on a nursery shelf.



Some creative masking allowed me to have all but the giraffe sit flush on the shelf, and stamp a striped "wall" in that same layer.  The giraffe and the alphabet art piece are popped up.

Thanks for stopping by!

Baby, it's cold outside.

Hi friends!

Even though Monday mornings come too quickly, the ones that start with a new lawnscaping challenge are so much fun.

I don't know what the weather looks like near you, but this week's "winter wonderland" theme is just perfect for where we are.  Snow and ice - everywhere.



I know I'm (very) late to the chalkboard party, but I was so inspired by some of Kara's pins (here, here, and here) that I decided to give it a go.

I started out with a mat of black cardstock, and created my sentiment using lawn fawn alpha sets.  I stamped the sentiment, and the polar bear (from "critters in the snow") in versamark first, and white-heat-embossed it all.  One trick I picked up from Betsy Veldman - keep sprinkling embossing powder as you go along.  I stamped my polar bear first, for placement, and sprinkled him with powder.  Then, the word "cold" - sprinkled with powder.  And so on.  It really helped to take the stress off!  I didn't feel like I needed to rush and throw the powder on before the versamark dried.

Once everything was heat embossed, I went back in and stamped again: this time with white ink, and slightly to the left of the original impressions, to give a shadowed look.

I added some snowfall, (from "let it snow") in white ink, without embossing any of it, and smudged the edges with more white ink.



The best part of winter is layering cozy textures to keep warm.  I added a felt snowflake and some soft yarn and attached them with a mini clothespin.

I hope you play along!  Both with Kara's challenge, and our latest lawnscaping challenge!

We're sponsored by lawn fawn this week!  You could win a sweet prize:

Thanks for stopping by!

I ♥ you {saturday creations}

this is my second post of the day.  if you are looking for the latest CSS release post, scroll down or click *here*

Are you loving the new set from Precious Remembrance?  Even though it's a "thank you"  set, Dyane added some great sentiments that keep the set very all-purpose.



I used the "I ♥ you" circle to create this cozy valentine's day card.



It was the perfect opportunity to break out my package of heart veneers.  A few of them stacked perfectly over the heart in the stamped image.  (but what's up with the scraggly edge on the peeking heart?  I didn't notice it until I uploaded the picture)



I used CSS dies to cut my favor flags, and their "create a plaid" stamp set to make this classic tartan pattern. I think one of my girls has a skirt in this pattern :)

The card background was stamped with a strip of  PTI's text style II, and I actually broke out the sewing machine for this one.  I haven't done that in awhile!

Thanks for popping by (again!)  Have a great weekend - after breakfast, I have a date with my favorite 5 year old.  I ♥ spending time with each kidlet - it's so much quieter... ha.

good things come in tiny packages.

I am so excited to share the new CSS release with you: an airmail background set, a tiny envelope die, a new party favor die, and a notebook edge die - squeeeee!  I had so much fun playing around with these goodies.

I used the new air mail stamp set, and tiny envelope die to create a tiny stationary set:



A brown paper package, all tied up with string,



filled with tiny airmail envelopes, and little spools of faux washi tape.  Some creative masking allowed me to stamp the navy&red airmail border around each envelope.  For the faux-washi, I backed a length of 1/4 inch simple adhesive with white tissue paper, and stamped the tissue paper side with images from the airmail background set.  When the adhesive is peeled off the back, the effect is translucent, like a strip of washi tape:



I love the "to" and "from" that I added to the front and back of the tiny envies - they are from "trendy tags" and the perfect little accents to this set.



On display is my favorite way to view this tiny gift set.

The tiny envelope die comes with a little insert die as well (how thoughtful of CSS! hee hee).  So perfect for little tiny love notes:



Hope you like it - at least a tiny bit ;)  Bonus points if you go back and count how many times I used the word "tiny" in this post...

These designers have more to show you:

Audrey ♥ Kim ♥ Laura ♥ Lori ♥ Laurie ♥ Dana ♥ Tracy ♥ CSS

Silhouette print & cut tutorial

Hi friends!

Remember these art party decorations?  I had a few requests for a silhouette tutorial on how to take a cut file and turn it into a print & cut.  Please, pretty please keep in mind that I am new to the silhouette myself, so be kind.

The video is up on YouTube - click *here*

Lemme know what you think!

Have a SUPER valentine's day {CSS group project}

I couldn't let Valentine's day come and go without using the rag doll super hero set.  And, when I saw *this card* on Joy Taylor's blog, I was inspired to make a black & white version of my favorite rag doll, with the pop of color in the sentiment.



My little Thomas has 20 kids in his class... I've made 10 of these sweet tags so far :)  They're tall enough to be used as a bookmark, or to be able to adhere a lollipop to the back.

I started out with a piece of white cardstock, and stamped "super" first.  I created masks for just the "u" and the "p" and stamped my rag doll with all of his superhero accessories (his mask, his cape, and his "s" for superhero!)  I then borrowed "valentine's day" (I cut off the "it's" from the sentiment, from "sweet sentiments: holidays") and typed up "have a" on my computer.

I hope you like it!  A few of the other designers have projects waiting for you as well:

Lori ♥ Laura ♥ Audrey ♥ Dana ♥ Tracy ♥ CSS

And, there's more me on the CSS app today:

Click on the image to be taken to the app store, where you can download the CSS app for extra, not-seen-anywhere daily inspiration.

Until next time...

Thanks ♥ {Precious Remembrance}

Hi friends,

I am (a little/very) late in posting this today, but with good reason: I only received my "thanks stamp set" in the mail after lunch (grumble, grumble... mailing to Canada is so slow), and couldn't resist settling down immediately to create a card with this fun bunch 'o stamps.

The latest release from Precious Remembrance is my favorite so far.  With only a bit of time, I put together a vintage paper/watercolor number for you:



I overlapped the heart on the "thank you" crossword puzzle image, and the one in the "thanks" sentiment.  And, for fun, I added a heart from our previously released "positive thoughts" set.  I started out by stamping the crossword image in a water-based brown ink (Stampin' Up's "soft suede) onto watercolor paper and smudged everything but the diagonal "thank you" that I wanted to highlight.  Once that dried, I stamped the "thanks" sentiment, and the red heart, and masked only the crossword image to be able to stamp the notebook paper image over-top (from a lawn fawn set.)

Hope you like what I've created today!  Click over to the Precious Remembrance blog to see what the other designers came up with!

Hoop art gift set {CSS medallions}

I'm so excited to be showing off the newest CSS release: medallions 1 and medallions 2 stamp sets.



I had the best time getting inky and artistic and created full pages of my own designer papers.  I changed up the stamps on every sheet, but kept to a grey/beige, pink, and light blue color scheme to make sure that everything coordinated.  My best tip for creating diy patterned paper?  Stamp the bigger elements first, and then fill in with the smaller ones.  And, if you're scared of stamping a random design, why don't you do what I did and evenly space out your medallions?  I plotted out my patterns, and erased the pencil lines when I was done.



I've featured the patterns on this card - cut up my diy patterned papers and stitched them onto a raised panel.  I also created a coordinating envelope liner.



I used more of my diy paper in this embroidery hoop.  I grabbed a naked embroidery hoop that I had lying around, gave it a coat of blue paint and fitted the inside with my favorite medallion design.  The sentiment is perfect, and from the CSS set "rag doll mia: banner."  I also stamped and cut out a butterfly from the "au naturel" set, to coordinate with my card, which featured another image from that set.

When I set out to create the hoop, I didn't think I'd like it as much as I do - it's on display on my nightstand now, and makes me happy every time I see it.



I hope you like what I came up with!  Click over to these designers to see more of what's being released today:

Audrey ♥ Laurie ♥ Lori ♥ Stephany ♥ Tracy ♥ Kim ♥ Jennifer ♥ CSS

Art party decorations

Over the holidays, I got to know my silhouette a bit better, and created these fun decorations for a special little girl's 4th birthday party.

I love, love, love it when I get to work with the same mama for multiple parties.  I created *this* ultra-girly ensemble for Maya's 3rd birthday party.

For her 4th, we ventured into a more unisex and bright art party theme:



Yes, those are the same cake pops I featured on the last post, which were made for our New Year's Eve party - promise they won't be recycled again (mostly because they've all been eaten)

I used this cut file to create all of the decorations you see in this post.  I can't tell you how proud I am of myself for learning how to convert the cut file into a print & cut, so that it could be used throughout the party.  The digital scrapbook papers were purchased from this shop.



With the paintbrushes being so small on these dessert/tool labels, I didn't want the headache of assembling all of the pieces - turning the file into a print & cut was a great way to go!

Love these water bottle labels.

The "artist tools" held the kid cutlery together.



Place-cards for each kid, held up on an artist's easel.  They were going to be doing some painting at this party!

The favor jars (I just threw together whatever multi-colored candies I had around the house for this photo, but I think she was gifting jars of crayons) with a brightly-colored tag.

I hope you like the decorations I made!  It was a fun little experiment, and amazing practice with my silhouette, but I did miss getting inky with my stamps :)

If you're new to the silhouette, and would like to know how I turned the cut file into a print & cut, let me know!  Maybe I could put together a little tutorial.

Thanks for popping by!