Saturday, December 26, 2015

Getting ready for 2016

Hello friends!  I hope you're enjoying your holidays in the way that you enjoy them most.  Christmas morning at my house was really nice and the rest of the day pretty laid back.  That's how I enjoy them the most!



As you can see with the photo up above, I'm getting ready for the New Year!  My friend is having a little get together for New Year's Eve, so I thought Jamie's 3D Firecracker would make the perfect centerpiece.  I know Saturday is the usual tutorial day, but I can't make Jamie's already perfect tutorial on how to make this firecracker any better, so I'm just here with a decoration suggestion.

Start with festive papers!  I am using holographic paper that I picked up at JoAnn's.  If you use this paper, be sure to set you Cameo (or other electronic cutter) at heavy weight so that it double cuts.  Then you want to be sure you're using a SUPER strong adhesive.  I used Scor-Tape.



I then cut numbers from two shades of glitter card stock. I also cut the sparkler pieces at the top from the same two glitter card stock.  I have to be honest, the numbers are by Jennifer Wambach and I've had them in my own collection from the Silhouette Online Store.  I've asked Jennifer to put these Scalloped Numbers in the store so be on the lookout for them.

I think this is going to look great on my friends buffet.  You could go a step further, if you don't mind it being taken apart later.... put some goodies inside like noisemakers, candies and for the adults, shot size bottles of favorite liquers.

I hope this inspires you to get really festive and creative for your New Year's get together.  Let me wish you a very Happy New Year - I hope 2016 holds many blessings and lots of creativity for you!

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #332

Hello!  I was so proud of myself.  I got the TMS blog post ready Sunday night because I knew I'd be out late yesterday.  But I completely forgot to set up my own post.  Silly me!

It's that time of year again!  It's time TMS' annual Anything Goes challenge.  I went with a creative and very easy card design by Carina Gardner.  Her designs are available at DigiPlayground.


Isn't it cute?  It's only a few cuts - it didn't take too much time at all and it went together really easily.  Just don't be frugal with the pop dots.  I found that middle sort of dipped in towards the base of the card without have dimensional tape there, too.

Please join us over at TMS - it'll be tons of fun and I'm building a special box filled with fun papercrafting goodies. 

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2015 Challenge

Hi!  Look at me - two posts in one day.  I haven't even had two posts in a week much lately.  But I decided I just had to play along with Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2015 challenge.

If you know me, then you've probably heard me share that my nightly ritual before going to sleep is I'll read for a little while and then watch a crafty video.  Monday nights it is ALWAYS Hello Monday with Julie Ebersole and most other nights it'll be Jennifer McGuire (and others).  I feel like if I go to sleep with these ideas swimming in my head, I will wake up the next day feeling creative.

So part of the challenge is to tell which day inspired me the most.  It's day 6.  Snowflakes!!  They're a favorite right up there with my beloved snowman.  But I've also been wanting to play with clear shaker cards like Jennifer and Julie did on their blogs.  I was lucky enough to have stumbled onto a sale at JoAnn's.  All Heidi Swapp things were on sale for 70% off - I scored a fuse tool for under $9!!


I need to practice a wee bit more, but I am still pleased with the results.  I put a strip of glitter tape in the bottom portion of the pocket and sealed it in.  Then I took a piece of Neenah Solar white card stock and lightly inked the edges with Tumbled Glass ink and also stamped a few snowflakes with the same ink.  I stamped a couple of the snowflakes in Broken China.  I added a few snowflake sequins on top of that and sealed it up.  Then my top portion I filled with sequins and beads.  I finished off my tag with some pretty silver metallic ribbon and some pool colored seam binding.  The bow is from some pretty silver/gray satin ribbon.

That's it - it'll dress up my younger son's Christmas gift to my daughter.

Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #331

Good Morning!  The last sketch of the year is posted on TMS blog.  It's another great one by Nina.  I love the blocking!  This worked great with my idea for this week's card.  Our sponsor is DRS Designs.  I am featuring their stamps for the fun, whimsical card.


Isn't this a fun card?  The colors just scream Christmas cheer!  It's also a simple coloring job.  2 shades of red and 3 shades of cool gray Copics.  The paper is from a 6 x 6 paper pad by AC called Christmas.


I then covered the bells with crystal glaze and then sprinkled a bit of glitter on the wet glue.  Easy card and it's a single postage stamp.

Please head on over the TMS blog to join us!

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #330

Hi friends!  Nina's sketch is up at TMS and DT member Kris is sponsoring.  She's giving away one fantastic prize!!

Today's card features oldies but goodies.  The paper has been in my stash for a couple of years now.  It's actually Echo Park paper, but I purchased it from Sweet n Sassy.  The stamps/dies are from one of my favorite Christmas sets ever called Warmest Wishes by There She Goes Stamps.  Jessica hasn't been in business for what 2 or 3 years now?  But the set was designed by Torico and she has a stamp line at MFT Stamps.


I created a quick winter scene - yes, I could have done a lot more to this scene, but I wanted this one quick and simple.  I love it!  The papers, as I said, are from a paper pack that I've had for a long time.  Most of them scraps.  I added the sentiment - which is actually glitter washi tape that I got at Michaels for half off and then I finished it with a star sequins and itty bitty teeny tiny star sequins on the trees and snowman.

Please join us at the TMS blog - you'll love what the girls created to share with you, too.  Thank you for stopping by.  And be sure to drop by Wednesday for Day of 2 of my ornaments share.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Christmas Ornament - Day 1

Hello friends!  I have a super easy tutorial for a beautiful ornament idea.  My ornament features the gorgeous poinsettia from Jamie's 3D Poinsettia Wreath.  This is day one of my 5 days of ornaments series that I'll be doing here on my blog.  I hope you come back everyday!



I wish I knew how to remove the glare so you can see just how pretty this is without my reflection in the photo!


Here's a quick tutorial - just click on the picture for a larger view.  But I started with a photograph ornament that I picked up at Michaels (with a 50% off coupon).  This is great, too, because you can make two from one ornament.  Then you cut out pieces for the flower.  I inked up the edges with various Distress Inks colors and then use my shaper tools to shape the petals and leaves.  Using my WRMK Heatwave tool, I added some gold foil doodles.  I wasn't looking for anything more than just adding touches of gold.  Then I built the flower.  I cut a circle of white card stock that was 3 1/4" which is a hair bigger than the ornament.  I used Glossy Accents to adhere the ornament to the backing and then weighted it down with some acrylic blocks.  After it was dry, I added ribbon around it and a bow.  Easy!



I hope this inspires you to create fun ornaments for your tree or to give as a gift.  Thank you for stopping by.  I'll  be back again tomorrow with another pretty ornament to share!

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #328

Good Morning!  Thank you for stopping by.  The sketch is up at TMS and it's a great one by Debbie.  Our sponsor this week is Sami Stamps - I love Samantha's images.


My card is featuring Little Acorn Bird.  I colored it with Prismacolor pencils and gamsol.  I actually made this card one way, took it apart and then did this.  I was really out of my creative element but I do love how the leaf turned out.  It just needs a bit more something something.  I also really love the stitched mat - it's a svg cut from the Silhouette online store.  I just really needed ribbon or embellishments.

Please head on over to the TMS blog, the design team has created some really beautiful projects.  You can say "nice try Melissa" to this one.  Ha!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Cute Snowman Boxes!

Hi everyone!  I am sharing one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.  Snowmen!!!  I am such a sucker for a snowman, so much so that I usually dedicate an entire week on my blog to snowman projects.  I'll do that in December.



But today I'm featuring Samantha Walker's Snowman Nesting Boxes.  What a great idea!  These boxes will nest inside each other for easy storage and then stack up to the cutest display.  Tuck little treats inside each box to give to someone special.  Instead of the paper scarf that comes in the file, I used Kiwi Grosgrain ribbon.  I meant to put ribbon around the base of the hat but got too excited to put this together that I had already glued on the holly leaves and berry when I realized my little piece of ribbon was still sitting on my table.  He's still super cute!

There are so many wonderful sweet Christmas files available in the Digi Playground store and wonderful ribbons from Ribbons Unlimited to finish off those holiday projects and it's time to get those projects in the making.  Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #326

Good Morning friends.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  I do appreciate you're visit.  The sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's pretty nice, even if I do say so myself.  You'll see just how versatile it is when you go to the TMS blog - Debbie used the sketch to make a box!

Our sponsor is Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet. I am not featuring their images this week on my card.  I really wanted to create a one layer card with stamps, but I ruined 3 cards.  I gave up.  I did purchase a grab bag from Heartfelt Creations - I didn't like the stamps they sent, not my style, but I love this die that I am featuring on the card.  It does have a cross in the center to create a window but I removed those to have an open frame.


Recently, I read on a post on Jessi's blog about "shopping your stash."  It got me to thinking.  It's high time to use what I've got.  So I created this card using Kraft card stock, sentiments from a stamp set by Sweet n Sassy, flowers from a bag of flowers from Stamping and Scrapping and burlap paper that I've had around for awhile.  Oh and I cut little circles for the flower centers from a die that I've had from Cuttlebug since I got a Cuttlebug about 10 years ago.

I'm really happy with how this card turned out.  I hope you like it, too.  We'll see you over at TMS.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #324

Hello!  Thank you for stopping by!  It's Tuesday and the sketch is up at TMS.  I have to admit, I didn't do justice to the sketch with my card.  It was a busy weekend, so I didn't get to work on my card until last night.  I wasn't feeling well and it sort of shows.


The sponsor this week is All Dressed Up and I'm using an image called Three Little Christmas Girls.  They are the sweetest!  I wanted my 3 little carolers to be multi-cultural and I think they turned out pretty darn cute.

I really wanted my embellishments to pop and instead, they blend.  But I am totally in love with how these little girls turned out. And after I photographed the card, I realized I forgot my sentiment.  But I just had to go with it.  I needed to get back into my bed.

Please head on over to the TMS blog to play along with us!  Love to see to there!

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Thankful in Watercolor

Hello everyone!  I have a super easy project today.  I am featuring Jamie Cripps' Thankful short envelope bag and watercolor.



Have you tried watercolor with your svg files?  Well, one of my nightly rituals is to watch You Tube videos.  I subscribe to Jennifer McGuire (like many others) and she's always doing something with watercolor and die cuts.  So I wanted to give it a try with an svg cut.  I cut the sentiment and the leaf from Strathmore watercolor paper.  I then watercolored using Distress Inks in Spiced Marmalade, Walnut Stain, Peeled Paint, Scattered Straw and Mustard Seed.

As these dried the color really intensified!  I love these results.  Oh!  Let me also note, when cutting watercolor paper with your Silhouette I used setting for Silhouette Brand chipboard.  The blade depth is supposed to be set on 6 per the settings, I went to 7 and it cut beautifully.

Have a great day!

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #323

Hi Everyone!  Thank you for stopping by.  This week's sketch is up at TMS and it's a fun one.  We also have a new sponsor with us this week.  Di's Digis is joining us.  Really super cute digital images!

My card features a Halloween image called Bewitched Carly....


I have to admit, it's getting to that time where I'm over Halloween projects.  I run into them headlong and full of gusto.  I think I need to learn to pace myself.  But I saw this image and just had to have it.  She is so pretty!  For the embellishment part of the sketch, I switched it to the other side and went behind with the spider web.  I cut it using my Silhouette and then embellished it with silver foil here and there and crystal effects here and there, too.  I wish I could capture all the sparkle on her, too.  I used my Wink of Stella clear shimmer pen all over her dress and hat.

Please join us at TMS.  I think you'll really like the ease of this sketch.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Pumpkins!



Good Morning!  I have a fun project that is cute and so easy to make!

I like Pinterest like a lot of us do.  There are some pretty great ideas on there and it can be a wonderful source of inspiration.  I was just perusing some pictures on there when I came across these pretty pumpkins someone made out of scrap pieces of wood.  You can find it here.  Well, I'm a papercrafter - not a woodcrafter, but I really wanted to make these so I set off to do my version.

Using a cut file by Lori Whitlock for the boxes and the stem from a different cut file, I created my pieces.  Inked the edges with Spiced Marmalade distress ink.  I then glued these boxes together to create my pumpkins.  I found a pretty fall foliage bunch at that Dollar Store that I cut apart to add to the top and then finished off with Double Face Satin Ribbon - Copper.



I love how these turned out and now they look fantastic on my desk at work.  My son saw them and said "those are Minecraft pumpkins!"

Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #322

Hello Everyone!  Thank you for stopping by.  I hope your week is off to a good start.  The sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and I think it's really pretty.  I'm sponsoring this week, I'm giving away a $10 shopping voucher for Simon Says Stamps.

Here's my card - I have to say I really like this one and my Mom is going to love it!


I absolutely love the colors of fall.  It's this time of year that I miss living in West Virginia.  The colors of Autumn are so vibrant and there's apple orchards and the air is crisp but the days are sunny.  Yep!  I miss that a lot.  This card takes me back there.

For the doily element I cut a star shaped doily out of sepia colored vellum.  The frame is from two different dies by Spellbinders cut out of pumpkin pie card stock.  The sentiment piece is from another die set by Spellbinders and the words are from CC Designs - probably retired.  The leaf and little floral element I got at the Dollar store.

Thank you so much for visiting and please visit the TMS blog and the team's blogs, too.  We love hearing from you.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Haunted House Gable Box

My blog post for DigiPlayground....


Hello everyone!  With the upcoming Halloween holiday everyone here at DigiPlayground is getting all dressed up.  Did you hear about the sale?  If not, you need to subscribe to the newsletter so you get all these insider secrets delivered to your email inbox.  But if you spend $6 you get this file free!

This small gable box is so easy to put together and so much fun to decorate.  It has a little piggy back gable box attached, but it's all one piece so you can actually cut 2 of them from one piece of 12 x 12 cardstock.

If you'd like to see how to put this together, I created a video tutorial...



Please be kind, this is my first video and I'm still learning the software to edit.  I don't understand why all the transitions and why there a couple of black and white frames.  Despite my flaws, you'll see how this box goes together.

Thank you for stopping by.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #321

Good Morning!  The sketch is up at TMS and it's a fun one created by Debbie.  Our sponsor this week is Digital Delights by Looby Lou.

This week's card I'm not too happy with.  I think I would've liked the image better if I'd colored in shades of gray and accented with orange.  My son liked it, though.


My card features Kandi Kid Devil by Digital Delights.  Paper and sentiment are from Halloween Basics paper stack by Recollections.

Please head on over to the TMS blog to join in the fun!

Saturday, September 26, 2015

If it's immobile, foil it!

Hello friends!  If you remember my last post about foiling and daily discussions with myself about not going off the foil deep end.  Well, I lost.  I'm hooked!  I bought a laminator and we've been getting to know one another.

This card uses Jamie Cripps' Happy Birthday Card Two Ways and her flower that can be found on the 3D Sliding Bow Box,  I cut the sentiment from Heidi Swapp's toner sheets.  It cut beautifully from the Cameo, but didn't foil perfectly with my laminator.  It may be that I didn't have hot enough, the foil was from the WRMK Heatwave pen and it may be below average or because Heidi Swapp's toner paper must be exclusively designed to be used only in the Minc machine.  I'm not unhappy with the results - and my sister is going to love it.




This card is Jamie Cripps' Wishing You Well A2 card.  This time I used Silhouette's Double Sided Adhesive sheets.  I cut the sentiment out from that and it worked really well.  I just had a hard time getting the side of the release paper off that I wanted off.  But this technique is no-heat required and works really well.




Lastly, here is Jamie Cripps' 3D Haunted House gift box and a couple of ghosts from various other files by Jamie.  So I didn't do much foiling on this one, but if you look closely, you can see the ghost coming out the center window.  I used Self-Adhesive Vellum that I picked up at Michaels, it's their Recollections brand and it cut very well in the Silhouette.  Take a look at the ghost at the top, I adhered another ghost on the back so it would cover up the sticky part.  Well, dummy me, I didn't think to do mirror image, so it doesn't quite match up but it left sticky eyes/mouth openings on the front so I used Ranger Foil (Vintage) to fill those in.  I love the look!




Now, this photos are on the darker side and not what I really like, but honestly, it's the best way to pick up the foil.

I hope you like my projects and they inspire you.  Also, please scroll down to my Tuesday Morning Sketches post so see another foiling technique using embossing powder.  Thank you for stopping by.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #319

Good Morning!  We're off to a great start this week.  The sun is shining, the weather has been beautiful in Florida because now it only rains every other day.  The sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's an awesome one by Debbie.  I think you're going to like it.  We're sponsored by Sami Stamps.

I cannot wait to show you my card!  I wish you can see this in real life - it's so cool!  As you know, I've been bitten pretty hard by the foil rage bug.  I got my laminator on Monday and I finally played with it over the weekend.  Love it!!

So all the videos I've watched on foiling always has a mention in it about toner...laser printer... etc.  Well, I don't have a laser printer, nor the inclination or funds to buy one.  Staples will let me do copies for $0.11 a copy.  But!  Did you know that you can use heat embossing, too?  You can and I am so super stoked that I figured out how to do it with digital stamps, too.


Here's my card using Web Veil by Sami Stamps.  I printed it out with my ink jet printer onto some glossy card stock. That's key!  Let me say this, be ready with your heat tool and some clear, fine embossing powder.  The ink will stay wet for a bit on glossy card stock.  Apply the embossing powder and heat as normal.

Now, my first attempt, I thought I should run it through the laminator twice.  It wasn't a good idea.  I lost a lot of detail.  So I did it again and this time only running through once and I got some beautiful results.  However, I did get some specks on my finished piece after foiling because there were grains of embossing powder still stuck in places.  (I didn't use an embossing buddy or powder tool because I wasn't sure how that would react with the ink.)  But you know what - I actually loved how that turned out, too.  Sometimes artists flick ink or watercolor to get those spatters - well, I did it with foil and embossing powder.


Pretty cool, huh?  I love how this turned out!  So yes, Virginia, you can foil a digital image without a laser printer and you probably have glossy card stock in your stash!

Now, head on over to the TMS blog and join in the fun.

Supplies:
Card stock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Black (Recollections),
  Metallic Embossed card stock (Walmart)
Paper:  Halloween Basics (Recollections)
Dies (unknown), Spider Web border (Silhouette Online Store)
Silver Deco-Foil, Clear Embossing Powder (Ranger)

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #318

Good Morning!  Happy Tuesday.  The sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and our sponsor is Patti Rowe, CTMH Independent Demonstrator.

I do hope your week is off to a great start.  My Monday was awesome!  I spent the entire day at Universal Studios with my kids and a few of their friends.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous - no rain and it wasn't that hot.  I rode a few rides but enjoyed the street shows that they had.  I even danced in one of the shows - I made a fool of myself, but it was fun!  My kids missed it, thank God, otherwise it would have been video taped.

Anyway - enough about my day.  I have been bitten by the foil bug really bad!  I love it!  I have a WRMK Heatwave pen that I shared a card I used it on the other day.  All I can say is... meh.  It's OK but I wish I can send it back.  Maybe I can.  Anyway, I treated myself to a trip to Hobby Lobby the other day.  It's a little ways away, I was by myself - cranking up the tunes and perused the aisles to a happy contentment.  I purchased some foil by Ranger that requires no heat.  I LOVE THIS stuff.  So gorgeous.  I got the vintage pack....


I created this card by cutting some leaves that I found on the Silhouette Online store.  I used the Silhouette double sided adhesive.  The maple leaf I foiled with a bronze foil and the little leaf I foiled with gold.  I should've moved them over a little more to the right, but once it was stuck - it was stuck.  I added some metal leaves and wood letters from Freckled Fawn.


Now you can see the bronze foil a little better in this view.

Thank you for stopping by and we'll see you over at the TMS blog.

Friday, September 11, 2015

A touch of gold

Hello everyone!  I have a really easy card to share with you today.  I am featuring Hello Bird 7x5 papercut card by Nic Squirrell.  These cards are so super easy to put together.  You simply cut and adhere the inside piece behind the front and that's it!



But I had to embellish a little bit more.  Foiling is all the rage right now.  And believe me when I say it's a daily talkin' to that I have to give myself to not run right now and buy a Minc and all the pretty foils and a laser printer.  But for my birthday, I gave myself a Heatwave Pen by WR Memory Keepers.  It was really fun using the pen and foil to highlight some details on the card.  I think it adds the perfect, shiny touch.

I found the Heatwave pen on Amazon and it's not a bad deal for $27 and free shipping (Prime Members) but I'm not so sure I like it.  I mean it did fine on the card above because I was basically just doodling.  But if you look at the "Hello" part of the card - I truly wanted this beautiful, flowing gold lettering and it turned out splotchy and broken.  Now, there are a couple of reasons this happened.  One - it's going to happen because you can't exactly see through the foil, so you do need to trace what you want onto vellum and then sandwich (bottom up) card, foil and vellum.  If it's not exactly, you can "fall off" the lettering.  Two - make sure you have only 1 piece of foil.  I didn't find out until I was really annoyed that I was trying to foil with two pieces.

I think this will take some practice unless you really just want it to add touches here and there.  That's the reason I got it, but was hoping for just a bit more.

Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #317

Good Morning!  Happy Tuesday and the newest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches.  I really love this one, lots of layers and it was created by Debbie.

This week we're sponsored by Sherri Baldy Designs - everyone knows her big eyed characters.  They are so sweet and really a lot of fun to color once you get past them being a little intimidating.  My card features a image called Ella and PINKles Happy Day.  My card does not have PINKles on it.  I guess I really didn't understand the little frog.  She's cute - but just not for me, I guess.  Here's what the image really looks like....


And here's what I did with it....


I imported the image into my word program (as usual) and then I drew little white boxes over the frog image to omit it.  Then I created the card.  My original idea was to color that little frog and place her in the circle element - but in the end she was too small for me to color correctly and I just didn't connect with the image.  So a flower became that circle element.

Please, head on over to TMS and play along with us.  Thank you for stopping by.

Monday, August 31, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #316

Good Morning friends!  Thank you for stopping by.  The sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's a little bit of a challenge.  I decided to go with round easel cards - I've been wanting to make one for awhile now.  Our sponsor is SLS Lines.


My card features their Cupcake Set.  The base is created from a cut file by Lori Whitlock found on the Silhouette online store.  The paper is Echo Park Country Lane and the sentiment is from DRS Designs.  The tiny bow is a die set by Mama Elephant.  One of my daughter's friends is having a birthday soon and she's the littlest, most girly 16 year old I've ever met - this is so her!

Thank you again for stopping by and we'll see you over at TMS.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #315

Good Morning friends.  Thank you for stopping by.  The sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches, this one is inspired by Jessi and I love love love it!!

Our sponsor this week is Digital Delights by Looby Lou and my card features Bookyworm.  It's pretty appropriate this time of year.  I pulled out primary colors, a school themed embossing folder and this adorable colored image....


I'm done with back to school though and it just started!  But in my defense, I made 35 backpacks (gift boxes) for my sister's students.  They started school yesterday and I heard they were a hit!  Yay!!

Thank you, again, for stopping by and we'll see you over at TMS.  Have a great Tuesday.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Pretty Card, Pretty Quick with Digi-Playground

Good Morning friends!

I don't know about you, but it always seems that the first week of school is the busiest for the mom/dad than it is for the student.  I'm glad my kids went back to school this week, but sheesh, I have more homework then they do just filling out all the paperwork.

With our busy schedules, we still want to take a few minutes to create something beautiful and personal for our friends or loved ones.  That's why I really love all the card possibilities in the Digi-Playground store.  Today I'm featuring Scallop Circle Out Flower A2 Card by Jamie Cripps.


I pulled out some really old paper from a scrapbooking kit by Stampin' Up! to create my card.  These cards are so easy and so lovely!  They just take a couple of minutes to cut out and assemble very easily.  The base is cut to 4 1/4 x 11 and scored at 5 1/2 for a top folding card.  I just cut an extra layer of decorative paper to mat the scallop on.  Then I adhered the petals cut from the same decorative paper.  I inked the edges of the inside flowers and added a brad to the center and then adhered using a pop-dot.  My card was finished in about 15 minutes - how's that for a time saver.

Thank you for joining me today.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #314

Good Morning!  Happy Tuesday - the sketch is up and ready for your enjoyment at Tuesday Morning Sketches.  This one is inspired by Jessi and I thought it was fun.  I hope you do, too.

This week we're sponsored by DRS Designs and I am featuring a cute little image called Saddle Up Cowboy - this is a perfect birthday card for a little cowboy....


My base is Kraft card stock.  I created by mat piece from a piece of white card stock that I adhered denim paper to.  I then cut 2 circles out of the red paper - it sort of reminds me of bandannas, there's just no paisley.  I colored the image using Copics and then dressed it up a little gluing some jute to edges.

I learned a tip from Jennifer McGuire that if you pop up an image with piece of fun foam that covers the whole back of the image - this keeps your image from getting smashed because there will be even pressure.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  Have a good day and please join us this week.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #313

Hello everyone!  Thank you so much for stopping by.  The sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and I would describe this one as whimsical.  I love the fun elements.

Our sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps and I am featuring a cute image called Bee Bear.


My card was fun to make.  I had to do a little "doctoring" because one edge was cut wonky, so I shortened and then added a scalloped edge piece to make the overall card size measure correctly.  I added washi and a bit of paper by Echo Park.  The sentiment is Sweet n Sassy.

It's almost time to put away the summer images and get settled into the brilliant colors of fall, but not quite yet.  Ha!  Thank you for stopping by!

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Decorating with Vinyl - DigiPlayground Style

Hello friends!  I hope all is well!  Today is my birthday, so when I found out that my tutorial day would be today I had so many ideas to share.  Those ideas slowly faded away as work got busier.  My busiest time of year is August to January - I work in benefits, so we have to be ready for everyone to enroll in their heathcare benefits in the fall.

Anyway, so I was talking to my sister and she said she wanted to learn how to dress of Dollar Store cups with vinyl.  I will say, there are some great video tutorials on You Tube that discuss all you ever need to know about vinyl.  But here it goes....


I found this cup at Dollar Tree.  I loved the citrus is was already decorated with and thought a flower would be perfect.  I am using Nic Squirrell's Sunflower.  I am sending this one to my sister - we have a thing about sunflowers - it's like saying "you are my sunshine."

OK here's how... and please don't cringe at my dry, wrinkly hands.  They aren't normally like this, but lotions are a big no-no with this craft.


Step 1 - Start with some cups
Step 2 - After washing them thoroughly, wipe surface with alcohol
Step 3 - Arrange your images on your digital cutting mat
Step 4 - Cut your vinyl down to size, if you cut on a mat like I do
Step 5 - Apply transfer paper to your prepared design.
Step 6 - Apply to surface of cup, burnish well, peel off transfer tape carefully

Tips:  When removing the vinyl to expose your images, remove carefully, you just might lose some images.  Ask me how I know.  Use a needle when wicking out tiny pieces.  Be patient with this part, you'll be happier with the results.

Here are a couple others I did using Nic Squirrells Layered Butterfly Papercut, Leaf and Flower Border and Samantha Walker's font Perfect Susan font.





OK - I'm off to my friends pool and to break these cups in right!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #312

Good Morning!  Thank you for stopping by.  I do very much appreciate your visit.  The new sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches - really simple, really easy elements - open canvas.

This week our sponsor is Sweet Peas Stamps and my card is featuring Connie Fong's Tori the Dragon - Up image.  I used this image before and I just love it.


I colored the image using Prismacolor pencils and gamsol.  I haven't done that coloring technique in a long time.  It was fun. I still used a Copic marker for the eyes.  But the pencils were a much better effect for the balloons.  I finished the balloons off using a Wink of Stella clear pen.  Hopefully you can see the shimmer.

This was a fun card to make and pretty simple, too.  I made while talking to my Mom on the phone.  That didn't include coloring, I colored during my lunch.

Thank you again for stopping by.  Please leave me a comment so I know that you were here and then head over to the TMS blog to see what the rest of the team created for you - you will love the line up!

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #311

Good Morning!  I hope you're doing well, thank you for stopping by.  The sketch is up and ready for you at TMS and it's a fun one.  I enjoyed playing with this one, this is created by Kris.

This week's sponsor is Sherri Baldy Designs.  They were gracious enough to allow us images to play with, but I wanted my team to play so I decided to try the Print n Cut feature on my Silhouette.  I'm still not great at it because I still waste a lot of card stock.  But here's my card....


She is kind of reminiscent of the cute images Sherri Baldy offers.  Best part, I didn't have to color.  Lazy, I know.  My flags feature stamps from by MFT (More Washi Patterns) and I did emboss the panel and then rubbed Simon Says Stamp ink over it lightly to make the embossing pop.

Thank you again for stopping by, please join us for this week's challenge.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Tuesday Morning Sketches #310

Hello friends.  Thank you for stopping by.  The latest sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches, it's created by Debbie.  Really fun and basic elements which are the best jumping off points for a card.  We're sponsored by SLS Lines.  I didn't use an image, because each of my design team members got an image and I never want to overstep the generosity that our sponsors extend.

My card this week features a card file from the Silhouette Online store.  I've had this ages and I finally got around to playing with it.  I messed up a little due to poor planning.  The handles on the tea cups are supposed to alternate - two on the right, one on the left.  Oh well.... it's hand made!


I used DCWV matstack Garden Party.  I think I could have sized it just a bit bigger, but overall I love this card.  It's a card that is better hand delivered.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  Please join us this week.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Metal (faux) Keepsake Box

Please scroll down for my TMS post.

Hi, thanks for coming back.  I hope you're day is going well!  I am so excited to share my project with you today.  This literally took me weeks to finish - mostly because it was a figure it out as I go kind of project.  I'd do some stuff... not like it... try again.  So I literally was down to the wire getting my post in.  But the results - I am way happy with.

I am featuring the A2 Stationary Box by Samantha Walker and a 3D Flower by Jamie Cripps.  I learned the faux metal technique by watching this You Tube video.


What do you think?  Cool, right?!  I love this box.  My son touched it and he said that he expected it to be sturdier than what it is.... like metal, Mom.  Yay!  It fooled him.  I cut the pieces out of black card stock, including all layering pieces.  I then used foil tape (hardware store for duct work) and covered the layering pieces.  Embossed them and then painted with black acrylic paint.


For the flower, I cut it out of black card stock and then adhered regular kitchen aluminum foil onto the petals, embossed and then painted.  For the center pistols, I rubbed metallic paste on them.  With the foil on the petals, they were pretty easy to shape and hot glue together.

Then I tucked in a couple of different ribbons and embellished with a key and metal doo-dads.  I think their sort of like eyelets.


Here's a side view.  I did use 3 different embossing folders create add lots of texture and dimension.

I hope that I have inspired you and I thank you for stopping by.