Mischievous little Imp!

HOORAY!

 

This is a very big day for me!
Remember I said I had a big announcement to make in October! Well, here it is!

Today is my first Design Team post for the

Crafter's Companion

blog!

 

 I am so excited to be a part of their team!

It was my decision this year to make it onto a design team or two that truly inspires me and who carries products that I dearly love!

Well, here I am!

Between the lusciousness of the pattern papers at DCWV,

and the wide range of wonderful images and scrapping products from

Crafter's Companion, I'd say my creative life is complete!

 

If this release hasn't already captured your heart, it will soon!

These adorable nymphs make any card or project so much fun!
 

Because I have a grandson, my immediate decision was to use the

only little boy released so far in the collection.

He is sneaky, sweet, and adorable - just like my grandson.

I never know whether to hug him or put him in time out! 

Both are usually called for! ;)

 

Toreads,  "Xeru"

 

I can't wait to send this out!

It's bound to get a response from someone I haven't heard from in a while!

 

 

Getting out my markers and coloring this was so much fun!

And because he IS appears a wee bit precocious, I felt the red hair was appropriate

(hey, we've all known a few strong-willed red-headed children!)

 

I certainly hope you have had fun going through all of the projects this week!

I know I can't wait to grab my markers and start coloring those sweet little nymphs!

And my fun at Crafter's Companion has just begun!

~Jan~



Three's no crowd here...

This week, JustRite has terrific a new challenge!

"Three's company", meaning you must use three or more coordinating patterns

on your project.

 

This one I simply couldn't resist.

 

That and the fact that I have a very limited number of JustRite Stamps, and would love to win some!  They have some of the sweetest stamp sets ever!

The ones I love the most are those that coordinate with my Spellbinder dies!

Could a person ask for more?

 

I am trying to get some Christmas mojo, which is pretty difficult when the temperatures are still over 100 here in Arizona.
 

 

I used an OLD Christmas stack from DCWV that isn't from last year,

but the year before!

Talk about pulling out your old stash.

I actually like all the patterns in this stack and have no idea why I still have any of it left.  But there it is...

 

I wanted to give this "postal card" image from "Greetings from Paris" a holiday feel, and decided to go simple.

Just like a card would have been posted years ago.

Things were simpler then..sorry.  I regress.

 

The sentiment is from JustRite's

 "Christmas Nested Sentiments", another stash from the past.
(This one I couldn't even find on the store site)

  

I started out thinking I would layer several elements, and really pile it on,

but then chose to stop while it still looked like a holiday card we would have

received back in the 40's-50's. (No, I wasn't born until the later fifties

so I wouldn't actually remember!)

 

Hope you enjoyed today's trip down memory lane,

even if they were all someone else's memories.

 

 



Live, Laugh, Love!

DCWV

FOREVER AND ALWAYS

 

This is to be a hand-delivered card, for sure!

 

 

I absolutely LOVE black roses.

I don't know why.

I liked them long before the "Twilight" series made vampires and

red and black famous.

 

Even though this card is orange and black to reflect Autumn colors,

my favorite colors are red and black. 

 

The sentiment is an older Cloud 9 that I've had around forever, as are the roses.

The little orange flowers were a find at the Dollar Store!

Maybe it's me, but I love the simple elegance of this card.

 

Get your own "Forever and Always" stack at Michael's now!

 

 

 

 



DCWV goes Neon!

Today my pet project is a

SNACK BOX!

 

It's so much fun making gifts,

but it's especially fun making gifts for those little people in our lives!

 

When my grandson, Hayden, comes to visit, we often take little "day trips" to various local attractions.  And having a little treat along the way really helps keep a 7 year old in check!

 

 

This was so easy to put together!

The FUN neon paper colors from the  "Neon Chic" paper stack from

DCWV

will make my little guy happy,

as will the goodies inside!

Don't worry, the apple sauce is all-natural, and the juice low-sugar!

 

 

The first thing you need to so is to decide what snacks will be included.

That way, you can cut the circles the appropriate size for your containers.

 

 

Also, the size of the finished "lunch box" needs to be determined.

I wanted something large enough to hold a fruit cup and a small juice drink.

 

Cut a "snack holder" that is the same width as the lunch box, and deep enough for your holes and the portions that will be glued to the lunch box.

I scored 1 1/2" from edge for the portion to be glued to the BOTTOM of the box, and 2" from the other edge that will be glued to the back side. This provides a nice slope that holds your snack containers.

 

SEE PHOTO ABOVE

My outer box dimensions are 7 1/2" wide and 6" tall,  3" deep.

So, I merely cut two pieces of the Neon Chic papers 11" x 7 1/2"

and scored them both on one end at 3".

I then overlapped one end of the two pieces and glued one as the bottom of the box.

 

 

One remaining top was slit down the center the length of the handle,

and the other has two small 1 1/2" slits made for the handle to be inserted.

 

 

Be sure to round your corners BEFORE you cut out the handles!

CUT TWO

 

Score 1/2" up and glue the wrong sides together to made a stable handle, and insert ends into the two small slits in top. Fold them back and cover the underside of that top with matching paper and cover tabs and will appear more finished from inside.

 

The top with the long slit will slip over the handle and provide the "lid".

 

Glue in "holder" for your snacks,

and decorate accordingly!

I used the chalkboard paper stack, "All Chalked Up" from

DCWV

so that the personal message can be changed.

 

I hope this tutorial makes sense.

The style can go so many directions depending on the type of paper you use and the dimensions.  A briefcase, a piece of luggage...

 

Let your imagination run wild!

 

Thanks for reading my blog today!

Leave a comment so I know you were here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



DYSU Challenge #92

The Stamping Boutique

* Winner's Choice of 3 Digis

Melonheadz Illustrating

*$15 Gift Certificate

Bugaboo Digi Stamps

* Winner's Choice of 7 Images

 

 My card:

 

 

Using Stamping Boutique's image,

"Haunted Birdhouse".

 

I added some Stampendous paint chips and aged black embossing powder,

then melted it all together from the underside.

 

Paper is from DCWV,

"Bewitched"!

 

October with Skipping Stones!

My card for this month's sketch challenge at

Skipping Stones!

 

This dragonfly says OUTDOORS to me and, living in Phoenix,

our time outdoors is just getting started!

 

 

With the temperatures above normal and still hovering around 101-102 every day this week, I will be SOOO happy to see Fall!

 

 

I used one of my favorite SSD sets, "Always Here".

I love to double stamp and heat emboss the images, and stack them to give them the look of movement.

 

 

Papers are, of course,

DCWV,

"Gilded Orchard".

 

 

 

 

 



DCWV October Card Challenge!

I LOVE it when a new card sketch is posted on DCWV!

Not only are they my favorite papers,

but their challenges are so much fun!

 

I like that not one, not two,

but 10 Top projects in each category (layouts and cards)

are chosen to showcase on the blog!

Yes, only one winner from each category,

but the biggest thrill is being hand-picked as a Top 10!

 

 

What is most intriquing about this card isn't just those yummy papers,

but the way it SMELLS when the recipient opens the envelope!

 

 

Papers: DCWV, "Wild Splendor"

Die: Spellbinder, "Floral Flourishes" (say that 3 times fast!)

Rhinestones: Zva Creations

Sentiment:  Fiskars, "Thank You" Clear Stamps

 

This card is also entered into the challenge at Simon Says Stamps, where they ask for "Glimmer and Sparkle" this week!

See that sparkly, shimmery pumpkin?

Well, it actually SMELLS like pumpkin pie spice!

How did I do that without burning the spices into the embossing powder and ruining the delicious smell wafting from the card?

 

Easy!

First, determine what image you want to use.

Next, gather together the spices that will best bring out the "personality" of that image.

 

You will need a chunkier embossing powder, something that will melt and HOLD the spices to the card.  I also included some crushed glass glitter in my mix!

 

 

Sprinkle the mixture evenly over a scrap piece of heavy cardstock.

I generally use white so that my shapes can be traced or stamped onto the back side and cut out after melting.

 

Now, very important...  Holding the paper far enough ABOVE your heat gun so as not to burn the paper or your fingers, heat from the underside slowly until all of the embossing powders have "melded" the mixture together. 

Let cool completely, then cut as desired.

 

The smell of the spices will remain in the "melted goo",

and allow you to attach them to your project. 

I have found that by heating it this way, the aroma stays with the image much longer than any other way I've tried.

 

I DO hope you try this!

My friends and family love it when they recieve

"Scent-iment" cards!

 

Follow Me or Subscribe to my email alerts,

because I will be posting another great scented idea later this month!

 

PS:  My scrap room STILL has the wonderful aroma of a baking pumpkin pie!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Cardinals Greeting....

Stampendous

"Cardinal"

 

 

A little appropriate Copic coloring on the male and female birds,
(thanks to Google search!),
Color and fussy cut the leaves and branches,
some punched snowflakes,
and a sprinkling of fabric paint "snow" ...

and what a gorgeous pair of winter Cardinals!

 

 

 

The sketch at Skipping Stones really helped get my mojo going on this one!

 

 



Last days for Stampendous Challenge!

Final days of the monthly challenge at

Stampendous!

Go now and enter to win some fantastic prizes with your own "Embossing Project"!

 

Check out the inspiration here:

Kristine Reynolds	Kristine Reynolds	Janelle Stollfus	Janelle Stollfus
Arty Carty	Arty Carty	Asia King	Janelle Stollfus
Pam Hornschu	Wendy Jordan	Tenia Nelson	Melinda Gleissner
Kristine Reynolds	Melinda Gleissner	Kristine Reynolds	Rhea Weigand
Jan Garber	Kristine Reynolds	Taylor Usry	Cyndi Bundy
Lea Kimmel	Taylor Usry	Tenia Nelson	Melinda Gleissner
Asia King

InLinkz.com

And remember to join Monday for the fun week with May Arts: