Another One for Mom

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Today I have another project I designed for this week's challenge over at The Technique Twist.  We're all about the Modern Whimsy style this time and there is still plenty of time for you to join us!  Check out this Mother's Day card I put together:

Mother's Day card in the Modern Whimsy style featuring the Secret Garden, Petite Petals and Hello Lovely stamp sets.

You know how sometimes when you're in the crafting zone projects just seem to design themselves?  Well this is NOT one of those projects!  I spent hours figuring this one out!  And, to be honest, it's not anything special, in my opinion!  Now, don't get me wrong, I like it well enough, but it certainly doesn't look like the type of thing one would spend hours putting together.  So, to save you the hassle of trying to recreate it, here are some tips...hope they help!

• The colour scheme is Coastal Cabana, Calypso Coral, Crumb Cake and Pool Party.
• The DSP is from the Fresh Prints stack.
• The Coral flowers are from the Secret Garden stamp set (which is on the retirement list...get it NOW!) and were die cut using the coordinating Framelits.
• The Pool Party flowers are from the Petite Petals stamp set and were punched using the coordinating punch.
• I used my Squares Collection Framelits to create the polaroid frame.
• The background is embossed using the Scallops TIEF.
• The largest heart was die cut using the Hearts Collection framelits.  The medium one was punched with the Small Heart punch (also on the Retirement List!) and the smallest heart was punched with the Owl Builder punch.
• The letters on the banner were stamped with the Simply Serif Mini Alphabet on DSP and then punched with the Banner punch.

I hope I haven't scared you off from trying this style.  It really is (usually) easy breezy.  Give it a go and then enter our challenge over at The Technique Twist...I'd love to see what you come up with!

Now today is Tuesday, which means a new batch of Weekly Deals.  This round features several items from the Retiring Accessories List at 25% off.  The best part?  You can order online right now and they'll ship directly to you for FREE!!

2013-2015 In Color Core'dinations Reg Price: $14.95 Sale Price: $11.21	5/8 Inch Crochet Trim Victoria Reg.Price: $9.50   Sale Price: $7.13	Afternoon Daydream Kit - Digital Download Reg. Price: $10.95   Sale Price: $6.57	Afternoon Picnic Designer Series Paper Reg. Price: $13.50 Sale Price: $10.13
Large Pearl Basic Jewels Reg. Price: $6.50   Sale Price: $4.88	Naturals Designer Buttons Reg.Price: $6.95   Sale Price: $5.21	Pacific Point 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon Reg.Price: $6.75 Sale Price: $5.06	Rich Razzleberry 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon Reg. Price: $6.75 Sale Price: $5.06

Messy fun!

Happy Saturday!!  Normally I'd be ecstatic about the weekend's arrival, however the weekend at the end of a week of holidays?  Not so much!  Back to work on Monday I go :(

Here's a little something to get your crafting Mojo working this weekend.  It is time for a new challenge over at The Technique Twist and this time we are all about getting messy with shaving cream!  I did this technique with my monthly group this past week and it was such fun!  Here is the card I designed for the challenge, which we also made at my class:

Thinking of you card featuring the Shaving Cream Background technique and using the Hello Lovely, Petite Petals, Flower Shop and Gorgeous Grunge stamp sets

I love the way this one turned out!  It is so pretty and girlie and just plain yummy!  I am so loving all the trendy gold that is turning up these days, so I decided to embrace it on this card.  Here is how I put this together:

• To create the marbled background, I started by squirting shaving cream (don't use gel...it doesn't work so well) onto a disposable plate.  I smoothed it out and then added several drops of Strawberry Slush and Crisp Cantaloupe reinker.  I swirled the ink around into the shaving cream, taking care not to over mix it so that I could still see the two distinct colours.  I laid my card stock down into the shaving cream and pressed it down to make sure I picked up as much colour as possible.  I removed the card stock and wiped off the shaving cream in a circular motion to reveal the marbled colour beneath.  So messy, but so very cool!!
• The gold doily is simply one of the white Tea Lace Doilies that I inked completely with Versamark and then heat embossed in gold...such an easy way to get a golden gilded doily!
• The sentiment is heat embossed in gold and punched with the Decorative Label punch.
• The flowers are stamped in Strawberry Slush and punched with the Pansy (large) and Petitie Petals (small) punches.  I added a little touch of gold to each flower by inking the edges with Versamark and then heat embossing in gold.
• Once the marbled background piece was dry I stamped it using the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set and Metallic Gold Encore ink.

On the inside, I stamped a few more flowers in the lower right corner.  The sentiment is from the Best of Greetings stamp set (only available till March 31st...get it now!), stamped in Strawberry Slush and punched with the Decorative Label punch.  I added a punched flower and adhered it with dimensionals.

So, are you ready to get messy this weekend?  Get out the shaving cream and have some fun!  Then be sure to link up over at The Technique Twist so we can all see your fabulous creation! 

Love Ya Monster Shaker Bubbles

I know that title doesn't make a bit of sense, but it certainly does summarize today's project.  This is my second attempt at the Bubble Background technique for this week's challenge at The Technique Twist...and I love it!

Monster Love featuring the Monster Maniacs and Just Saying stamp sets and using the Bubble Background technique.

Now it doesn't show up well in the photo, but those bubbles have a bit of shimmer to them!  I added some Frost White shimmer paint to my mixture which gives this technique a cool effect.  I decided to used my bubble background with the adorable Monster Maniacs stamp set, which has been languishing on my stamp shelf uninked since before the Christmas craziness.  I love those little monsters and they are great fun to colour.  I decided to do a shaker card that I can tuck into my son's backpack one day to remind him how much I love him.  He is very proud of my creations and gets very excited when I make a card "just for him".

Here is a quick how-to:

• I created my background using the technique I described in Saturday's post, but added some Frost White shimmer paint to the mixture.
• I stamped the monster on Naturals White card stock using Staz On ink and coloured the image using my markers and a blender pen.
• I die cut the circles for my frame using the Circles Collection framelits and assembled them using the Shaker Frames, some Window Sheets (also die cut using the Circles Collection framelits) and some clear micro beads from my stash.
• I added some Bermuda Bay Candy Dots to the frame.
• I added the zigzag borders in Bermuda Bay that I cut using the Finishing touches Edgelits.
• I used some Washi tape left over from Halloween.
• The Tangerine Tango background layer is embossed using the new Decorative Dots TIEF from the Saleabration brochure.
• The sentiment is from the Just Saying stamp set and is stamped in Basic Black ink and die cut using the Word Bubbles framelits.
• The tiny glittery heart is punched using the Owl Builder punch.

Inside view with sentiment from Hello, Lovely.

For the inside I stamped the little monster again using black Staz On ink.  On a scrap of Whisper White card stock I stamped the sentiment from the Hello, Lovely stamp set using Tangerine Tango ink.  I fussy cut it and then adhered it with dimensionals.

I think this one will make my boy smile when he finds it among his school books next week...and THAT will make ME smile!

More Magical Masking Tape

Happy Friday!  Where did this week go??  Today I have another design that uses the Magical Masking Tape technique.

Any-occasion card featuring the Gorgeous Grunge (130517) and Hello,Lovely (130243) stamp sets and using the Magical Masking Tape technique

Sentiment from the Yippee Skippee stamp set (131344)

Yesterday I showed you a very CAS design, so today I want to show you one that has much more going on.  We did this at my monthly techniques group last night and my gals loved it!  Here are some quick tips:

• I used Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz and So Saffron ink for the Masking Tape technique
• I stamped using the Gorgeous Grunge set with Bermuda Bay, Strawberry Slush (stamped off), Basic Gray (both full strength and stamped off) inks.
• I used Washi Tape from the Epic Day This and That pack (131269) and the Season of Style pack (132155)
• The front panel is embossed using the Honeycomb TIEF (129378)
• The Calypso Coral label on the front is die cut using the Chalk Talk Framelits (129983)
• The sentiment is from the Hello, Lovely stamp set
• I used Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine (retired), but you could substitute with Island Indigo or Calypso Coral instead
• The sentiment on the inside of the card is from the Yippee Skippee stamp set

I hope this weekend holds some time to play with ink and paper for you!  Enjoy!!

Inspired by a swap

One of the best things about Convention is swapping!  I love meeting demonstrators from all over North America and beyond and swapping card ideas with them.  Today I want to show you a swap card I received from Linda Madison...

Wedding card designed by Linda Madison and received as a swap at Convention

Linda's card inspired me to create this:

Any-occasion card featuing the Gorgeous Grunge and Hello Lovely stamp sets

Isn't it amazing how one design can inspire something so different?  I kept a very similar look for this card as was used in the Convention Make-n-Take I showed you yesterday.  The DSP heart is from the This and That Epic Day pack and was die cut using the Hearts A-flutter Framelits.  I love the layering of colour and textures...I may just have to create a third card in this series...all of the elements are such fun to play with!

Back at it!

I'm FINALLY back to stamping after several very frustrating post-convention days!  I came home with so many ideas and have just had too much going on to act on any of them until yesterday.  So, the first thing I did?  Put my Make-n-Takes together, of course!  Check it out...

One of several Convention Make-n-Takes featuring the Gorgeous Grunge and Hello Lovely stamp sets.

I have been dying to get my hands on the Gorgeous Grunge and Hello Lovely stamp sets since I first saw them in the catalogue!  I waited because I knew we were getting them at Convention, but it sure wasn't easy!  I've been making very good use of both since, as you'll see over the next few weeks ;)
In addition to the stamped images, I also love the colour scheme on this card.  They aren't colours I would have ever thought to combine:  Crisp Cantaloupe, Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay, Summer Starfruit, Old Olice and Calypso Coral.  I really love the way they all work together...so much so I used the same combo on another project I'll show you tomorrow.  Till then, have a wonderful Friday...and a great weekend!