Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - Keep Calm and Put the Kettle On

Here's my second card for the Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop! 

and here is my 2nd spring design coffee card!

First, I sponged over the background using Wendy Vecchi's Check Mate Stencil with Sky Blue Ink.  I used her Stripes stencil on the top and bottom edges with black ink. I used a fun Wendy Vecchi Cone Flower stamp/stencil set for the flowers, where you stamp the flower and then there are two stencils included with the stamp, the flower shape and the stem shape, so you lay the stencil over the stamping and sponge on the color!  So easy!!  

I die cut a strip of grass out of green tissue paper and adhered it over the bottom of the stem.  I stamped the sentiment from Stampendous on a panel cut with a Stitched Mat Rectangle die from Lil' Inker Designs.

You'll find lots of Spring Coffee lovers inspiration over at the hop here! 

I'm also linking my card to:

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

The Card Concept -  my style - clean and graphic 

Through the Purple Haze - Springtime

Color Throw Down 

Stamps:  Stamp it Stencil It - Cone Flower - Wendy Vecchi Stampers Anonymous,  Kettle On - Stampendous
Paper:  White - PTI, green tissue paper
Ink:  Wendy Vecchi Archival - Leaf Green, Sun Flower, Cactus Flower, Tiger Lily, Sky Blue,  Archival Jet Black.
Accessories:  Fringe Die - Memory Box, Stitched Mat Rectangle die - Lil Inker Designs, foam tape, Stencils - Check Mate, Dots and Stripes - Wendy Vecchi.

Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!

Today I'm joining in with the Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!  I somehow totally missed the winter hop and didn't want to miss another one!

and here is my spring design coffee card!

I water colored the background on a watercolor panel using watercolor paints, brush and water.  I die cut the coffee cup and donut out of watercolor paper, stamped them with Archival Jet Black Ink and colored them using Ranger Distress Crayons and a waterbrush.

Then I stamped the sentiments on the panel and adhered the cup and donut with foam dots.  I added these sweet white flowers that I got free with an order from Funkie Junkie Boutique 

(Linda includes free treats with all orders!)  

The stamp set, We Go Together,  is from Gina K - designed by Claire Brennan.  

(Claire formerly had this set at Waltzingmouse with a die set that is no longer available.)

You'll find lots of Spring Coffee lovers inspiration over at the hop here! 

I'm also linking my card to the CAS Watercolor challenge (just under the deadline!)

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes

Stamps:  We Go Together - Gina K Designs
Paper:  White - PTI, watercolor paper.
Ink:  Archival Jet Black
Accessories: We Go Together Dies - Waltzingmouse/no longer available, Ranger Distress Crayons Weathered Wood Tattered Rose, Tea Dye, water color paints, water brush, paint brush, water, flowers - Funkie Junkie Boutique, foam dots, Tombow adhesive.

Felt Embroidered New Home

Today I have a project to share that I made using another of Eileen Hull's new dies that were introduced at Creativation in January.  For this project I made a stand up card using her House/Pocket Stitchlits die and the LOVE from her Word Stitchlits dies

I started by making the base of the card using Eileen's Mailable Frame die that I cut out of Cream Little Sizzles Mat Board and layered a piece of wood grain patterned paper over it.

I die cut the house and decorative pieces out of felt and glued them together.  The die cuts holes along the edges of the house so it is very easy to embroider a blanket stitch around the edges which I did with red embroidery floss.  I die cut the love over the door and embroidered that as well.  I added a little flower brad to the door as a cute little door handle.

I adhered the house to the front of the Mailable Die cut and stamped a new home sentiment inside.

Wouldn't this be a fun and impressive card to send to someone in a new home?!

You can also use this die to make a little purse by cutting two pieces of the house, cutting off the roof of one (just below the roof line - so you're left with a rectangle), layering the two pieces together (with the rectangle in front) and folding down the roof piece of the back for the purse flap!

  

You will find examples of the purse made by some of the Creative Team over on Eileen's blog where she will be posting our projects during the month of March!

I'm linking my card to:
Happy Little Stampers

 

Mid-Month reminder of March CAS Mix Up Challenge - Smooshing!

It's my mid-month reminder that you still have time (challenge ends March 24th!) to join in the March CAS Mix Up Challenge!  And since March marks our One Year Birthday - we are offering two prizes. 

Prizes

$25 Gift Certificate to Simon Says Stamp for Challenge Winner

&

$25 Gift Certificate to Simon Says Stamp for random draw of all entries

 (must follow rules of challenge)

 

Today I made a Faith card.  I used 1) heat embossed stamping, 2) smooshing with Distress Stains and water on my craft mat, and 3) a stitched die to cut the panel. 

My smooshing technique was to spray 3 Ranger Distress Stains (Picked Raspberry, Fossilized Amber and Peacock Feathers) onto my craft mat and then spritz with water.  I placed a panel of Ranger Specialty card (like glossy card stock) onto the mat over the colors and pressed down.  I lifted the panel to see how it looked and then pressed it back onto the mat, moving it around, until I had a look I was pleased with. I lifted the panel and let some of the colors run down and then I dried the panel with my heat tool. I embossed the God onto the panel with white embossing powder.

I also added clear dew drops and heat embossed the Psalm on a strip of sheer dotted paper, layering it over the smooshed panel. 

I popped the smooshed panel up on foam dots on my white card base.

This card could be used as a sympathy card - or to send to a friend that is going through a rough patch.  

I used white embossing powder on the sentiments as it seemed softer than stark black 

(which I tried first!)

 

REMEMBER - You must follow the challenge rules to be eligible for the prizes.

Here are some links to videos of ways to SMOOSH!!

Smooshing with Acetate by Lauren Bassen (4:25)
Smooshing with Alcohol Inks by Eclectic Paperie's (2:42)
Smooshing with Inka Gold by Loll Thompson (4:01)
Smooshing with Inks by Loll Thompson (3:42)
  

So please join us this month (challenge ends March 24th) and show us YOUR smooshing creation!

You'll find lots of inspiration from the Design Team at the March CAS Mix Up Challenge blog!

and remember there are One Year Birthday prizes to be won this month!

 

Stamps:  Inspired: God Stamp Set - PTI

Paper:  Specialty Card Stock - Ranger, white and Sheer Basics Pattern Pack (no longer available) - PTI.

Ink:  Versamark

Accessories:  Ranger Distress Stains Picked Raspberry, Fossilized Amber, Peacock Feathers. foam dots, glue stick, Stitched Edge Die - Waltzingmouse (retired), white embossing powder, Tom Bow Glue, clear dew drops. 

A Heartfelt Birthday Gift Basket

Today I'm sharing another new Sizzix die designed by Eileen Hull that was shown at Creativation this past January.  

A beautiful little Basket die! 

I made my sweet little birthday basket out of white Little Sizzles Mat Board with some wood grain  patterned paper layered over it.

First I die cut the basket, then traced the pieces onto the wood grain paper, marking where to punch the holes.

I adhered all the pieces of patterned paper to the die cut matboard pieces (being sure to line up the handle holes!) and then assembled the basket according to the instructions.

Instead of using the handles from the die - I thought it would look cute to have twisted wire handles, so I took 18" of 18 gauge floral wire, folded it in half to make it a thick twist and used Eileen's Twist N Style tool to twist it up!  I repeated the process so I had two handles.

This gave me two sturdy pieces for the handles - that I could bend but they would keep their shape.

I used pliers to bend the pieces into equal sized handles and made a loop on each end.

First, I adhered the die cut rims to the top of the basket edges and then attached the handles using 10 mm Flat Broke Brads from Bazzill, having the loops of the handles on the inside of the basket.

I cut some felt flowers and leaves using Eileen's new Stitchy Flowers and Leaf Thinlits dies, layered them and held them together with a little flower brad.  I adhered one flower to each side of the basket.

To finish decorating my little basket - I added a stamped sentiment on each side and filled the basket with basket shred.

Stamps are from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous - Crazy Talk set.

Isn't this basket a lovely way to give a friend a gift card or small gift?   

It measures about 4 3/8" x 4 1/2" x 1 1/2" including the handles.

Eileen will be posting all of the Creative Teams projects using her new dies on her blog during the month of March - so please check it out - I know you will be inspired!

A Vintage Journey - Destination Inspiration

I have a Destination Inspiration Post over at A Vintage Journey where we have to use the supplies in our travel bag.   The supplies this month are:

Product:  Acrylic Paint

Technique:  Layered Stencils

Color:  Turquoise and Teal

Substrate: Canvas

I hope you'll join me here at A Vintage Journey to see my tutorial on how I created this card.

I'm also linking my card to:

 Stamps and Stencils - Chirpy, Chirpy, Cheep Cheep

I used two stencils and a bird die

Mixed Media Monthly Challenge

I used 3 tiny brown buttons

Paper:  White, Kraft - PTI, Manila Tag - Ranger, Sticky Back Canvas - Ranger

Ink:  Ranger Distress Cracked Pistachio, Ranger Distress Oxide Broken China and Vintage Photo.

Accessories:  Grid and Flower Stencils - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, White Acrylic Paint, Bird Branch Die - Tim Holtz/Alterations, Idea-ology Clippings Stickers, black pearl - Kaiser Craft, tiny brown buttons from stash, foam tape.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Coloring Book

I have a quick and simple St. Patrick's Day Coloring book to share that I made for the grands.  They are 2,4 5 and 6 years old and they LOVE to get mail so I send them cards for every holiday.

First I made 4 covers out of green card measuring 5 1/2" x  8 1/2".  I folded them in half and then scored a line 1/2" in from the fold on the front so the cover will fold back easily when the kids open it to color the pages. (they need it to be opened flat right?!)

I printed some free digi images for the coloring pages.  The digi images are from Claire Brennan and you'll find them here.  She has individual digi images as well as colored papers.  She also has a PDF file that has the 4 images  that print on one 8 1/2" x 11" paper.  I printed this file onto regular computer paper. Then I just cut the pages into 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" sections and used one of each of the 4 images in each book.

I placed the image sheets into the folded cover and stapled the edge.

I decorated the cover with some St Patrick's Day stamps from My Sentiments Exactly.  I added a sparkly foam shamrock and printed their names using my Brother Label maker.

Here are two of the 4  digi images - so fun for them to color, right?!!

I'll pop these into the mail soon to be sure they arrive before St. Patrick's Day!

I'm linking my books to:

Happy Little Stampers

Stamps:  Free Digi Images from Claire Brennan,  Irish Blessings - My Sentiments
Paper:  New Leaf  - PTI,  white computer paper
Ink:  WV Archival Fern Green
Accessories:  foam shamrock - Michaels, stapler, ScorPal, Brother Label Maker.