Monday, July 30, 2012

Moxie Fab Hooked on Hexagons Challenge

Gasp!  Well look at that I am sharing a layout with you!  I know you all thought I only make cards!  I do scrapbook now and again..I just always forget to photograph my layouts.  This time I had a good excuse to take a photo.  I am entering this layout into the  Hooked on Hexagons Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.

I went to a crop this weekend and really wanted to included hexagons in one of my layouts.  I found the above sketch by Becky Fleck featured on Bella Blvd Studio Blog and fell in love with it!  It wasn't as easy to duplicate as I thought but...I do love how it turned out.  I used my Sew Easy and some embroidery floss to do the stitching.  I didn't bring my KNK with me to the crop so I used my friend's cutter to cut 2.5" hexagons.  I intend to replicate this layout again.  I will use my Card Base 11:  Hexagons cutter file to cut the hexagons as a single hexagon is included in the file.   I used Color Me Crazy flowers colored with Copics.  I added a bead cap and rhinestone to finish off the center.  I would think my Playful Flowers Leaves and Vines cutter file could easily be substituted.  The hearts are punches I borrowed at the crop.  The stitching really did take forever..I am thinking next time I might just use my pen tool in my KNK to draw some faux stitching lines or maybe even let the KNK make stitching holes as it was hard to get the Sew Easy to pierce straight holes.  I could totally see this layout done with snowflakes instead of flowers too.  Now to find a single winter photo I can use.  I normally take too many pics!  A single photo layout is rare for me!

In case you are in need of a hexagon...you can purchase my file by clicking on the preview below.  It's on sale through the end of this month (July 31, 2012) so hurry and grab this great deal!
In case you are in need of a flower cutting file..you can purchase my file by clicking the preview below.


Yikes it's time for lunch!  I've gotta go feed the kiddos!  Thanks for stopping by and please come back again!

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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop Challenge

This month PTI chose some awesome colors for their color challenge.  That bouquet is just gorgeous!  I couldn't wait to play with these colors.  I am going to a crop this weekend and wanted to make a gift for the hostess.  I saw Splitcoast Stampers tut on making a note holder here and decided it would be perfect!

The notes are made from 3.5 inch copy paper with the corners rounded. I decided to do a cluster of hexagons to decorate the notes.  The note holder is design so you can pull the little ribbon and get the notes out easier.  I made a clear lid so it's all ready to give.

Supplies:
Stamps:  PTI: Happy Hexagons, Butterfly from Round and Round anniversary set, and sentiment from Mat Stack 2
Ink:  PTI; Melon Berry, Berry Sorbet, Memento: Cantaloupe, Pear Tart and black

I am also entering this in the  Hooked on Hexagons Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.  I don't know but the whole world seems to be in a hexagon craze lately.  I am glad because I can't seem to get enough of hexagons.  I hope to incorporate some in the layouts this weekend!

Thanks for looking!  Please come back again!

Enjoy the rest of your week!








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Monday, July 23, 2012

Last of PTI SAF projects.

Whew! I did it...completed almost all of the Papertrey Ink Stamp-a-faire challenges! I earned all of the badges except the memory preservation: memory book one (it would take me a week to make one of those and I don't think I'd make use of it). Oh and Tyler earned the homemade embellishment one so I can't count that either. I do intend to make some of those myself one of these days..one can always use some embellishments to add to cards and scrapbook pages! 

                                                                                                                             
Correspondence Badge- Camp Card Set Challenge  
 To earn the correspondence badge you had to make a card set using the DT's sets as inspiration.  I totally loved many of the examples but unfortunately don't have many of the supplies they used.  I really like the way Betsy's ribbon technique card was laid out and figured that design would look good as a card set.  So I used Turning a New Leaf, berries from Bells and Boughs, and flower from Everyday Classics anniversary set to make a great card set!  I didn't add the sentiments as I'm not sure which occasion I am using them for plus I need larger sentiments to fill in that space. 



I stamped all the berries in pure poppy.  The leaves were Memento bamboo leaves.  I stamped the flowers in Hawaiian Shores, Memento cantaloupe, melon berry, and hibiscus burst.  I pop dotted them for a little dimension.  I am thrilled to have all these cards on hand to mail at a moments notice!  I can't wait to make a few more detailed card sets following the DT's inspiring projects!

Friendship Badge- Beaded Friendship Bracelets








To earn the friendship badge you had to make beads of out paper and make something using your beads.  Most people made friendship bracelets but I chose to do a key chain instead.  I added some seed beads and charms.  I really like the way it turned out!
I must go get the kids lunch before they starve to death!  LOL!  Thanks for stopping by!  Adoree still wants to make a card so I will be working with her next.  So I'll be back sometime this week to share her creation!


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Sunday, July 22, 2012

PTI SAF projects!

Gee look at the title posts...too many abbreviations huh?!  Well it means Papertrey Ink's stamp-a-faire.  I have been having soo much fun over the past few days watching all the inspiring tutorials and oohing and awing over all the amazing projects.  I got quite a few cards done.  I actually am ahead of the game for upcoming  birthdays and anniversaries so..thank you PTI!  Oh in case you missed the festivities..the tuts can be found still on Nichole's blog here.

The way stamp-a-faire works is you are given a challenge and if you complete the challenge you earn a badge.  
Knots Badge- Ribbon Techniques Challenge




 Betsy showed us an amazing technique using bitty dot ribbon curled into these wonderful flowers by using the heat of a candle flame.  Betsy made it look effortless but I had a hard time getting the hang of how long to hold the ribbon near the flame.  In fact I had a some of my ribbon singe.  So I decided to go with that and turn my card into a shabby chic version of Betsy's wonderfully bright example.    I stamped Turning a New Leaf in Memento rich cocoa ink.  I added small flowers from Honey Bees in Memento Sweet Plum.  The sentiment is from Everyday Classics anniversary set.  I really need to invest in some of those super sized sentiments!

Craft Conservation Badge- Limited Supply Challenge









For this challenge we were limited to the following supplies:

  • STAMPS: Natural Beauties only (or another floral set as a substitute if needed)
  • PAPER: Stamper's Select White, Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist, Simply Chartreuse
  • RIBBON: Hawaiian Shores Bitty Dot
  • BUTTONS: Simply Chartreuse
I do not have Natural Beauties so once again I turn to Rosie Posie (the only PTI truly floral set I own).  Well leave it to me to make a limited supply challenge complicated.  I decided to use my Card Base 5 cutter file simply because it had those two tabs draping from the top..a perfect place to set my buttons.  I have always used two patterned papers when using this file in the past.  So since our supplies were limited that meant I had to stamp my own background papers using only the Rosie Posie stamp set.  So I did hexagons for the 1st patterned paper and for the next I used the leaves and center flower dots (absolutely love the way this one turned out!).  Now looking at the completed card..I could have easily used a green solid paper in place of the first patterned paper.  Oh well..I never do things the easy way!

Rainbow Badge- Tie-Dye Techniques








Nichole showed us some awesome ways to add tie-dye to our paper projects. The one I decided to make involves Copic markers and rubbing alcohol.   This is soo out of my comfort zone.  I don't do this bright hardly ever..but the technique was fun to do and I think this will be perfect for a teen's birthday!  I don't have the marker colors on hand but I used the one listed in the store that coordinate with Pure Poppy, Hawaiian Shores, and Summer Sunrise.  The sentiment is from an very old set called simply Paper Tray.

I showed Tyler the latest MIM video which involved rolling a die to determine specifics of what kind of card will be made.  He thought it was really cool and wanted to try it!  I don't often let my kids play with my good crafting stuff as they have their own things.  But...he is 8 so I think it's about time I shared a little!   So we got the sheet out and filled it out and got rolling.  Amazingly enough he got some of the same things I did!   

He got the following:
Horizontal card, sketch 2, Year of Flowers (main image), My Punny Valentine (supporting sentiment), Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, and Hawaiian Shores color combo and twine.

Before we began making his card..he saw the video for SAF by Heather making wonderful felt badge embellishments.  Now he absolutely loves to stitch things with embroidery floss so he wanted to incorporate that into his MIM card.  So we added a few more supplies to the MIM criteria and here is what he came up with.

I know I am a little partial being his Mom and all but I am soo proud of what he created!!  He stitched the felt all by himself!!  He wanted embossing since my card was embossed but knew he couldn't stamp on the lumpy cardstock so he decided to stamp the flowers and sentiment onto the same color of cardstock so they would blend in.  See the one daffodil where he moved the stamp a little..well he says that's okay as it just make it look like it's blowing in the wind.  I thought he'd want to add jewels to the centers of the flower but no he got out my yellow brads because that is what he envisioned.  We almost forgot about the twine but he had the perfect way to add it as a grounding point for the daffodils. I think this is just amazing creativity for an 8 year old boy!  He glued everything on himself even!   So...I think Tyler deserves the DIY:  Homemade embellishments badge.   Don't you!?!


Here is a photo of him happily stitching away!  Oh sorry he doesn't have a shirt on...he hardly ever wears a shirt in the summer!



Tyler had a set of dog tag type necklaces but the chain broke so he fixed it by adding yarn to make a chain.  We were headed to the store and he had a shirt on so I told him I wanted to take a pic of him quick with his card.  He decided to hang it on his necklace.  Too cute!

Just look at that face!  He is super thrilled with his card!   Hmm...do I have a future scrapbooker?  Maybe I should let him scrap some of his own pages since I'm sooo far behind!  Now Adoree is beggin' to play with Mommy's stamps too.  I promised her there would be another challenge tomorrow and she will have her turn!  Sooo stay tuned!

I have until 12:00 noon to complete a few more projects for SAF so I hope to get at least one done if the kids let me!  Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you had a fab weekend!  Please come back again!











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Saturday, July 21, 2012

PTI's Stamp-a-faire is finally here! Make and Take!

Oh my gosh have you seen all the inspiring videos, techniques and projects going on at Papertrey Ink?!  If not what are you waiting for.  There is something different posted every hour throughout today.  I promise you won't be disappointed!  Check it out on Nichole's blog here.

I have been watching the videos but just now got a chance to try one of the challenges.  For the make and take we were given supply lists, color combos and instructions.  Below is what I came up with:

I did not have the stamp set Nichole used so I substituted Rosie Posie and Turning a New Leaf instead.  I didn't stray far from Nichole's instructions.  It is very subtle but I did add some Copic shading in RV04 to the large daisies.  I love the depth it gives!  This is my second time stamping my own patterned paper and I have to say I truly enjoyed it!  I can't wait to stamp some more!  It is amazing to watch a plain piece of paper transform into something soo pretty! 

It's time for supper soon but I hope to be back with a few more SAF projects sometime soon.    Thanks for stopping by!





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Friday, July 20, 2012

PTI MIM #75 Roll the Die Challenge

I'm back participating in yet another Make it Monday challenge hosted by Papertrey Ink.  I know it seems like that is the only thing I'm posting lately.  I've just been busy with Summer activities.  I will definitely be adding variety to my blog come Fall when both my children are in school.

Anyway, this challenge is soo neat!  Erin provided us with a form to fill out.  It includes sketches and space to put 6 different stamp sets, embellishments, color combos ect.  You roll a die (just like one you would use to play a game) and that determines what you will use to make your card.  You can check out the video and download your form to play along here.

I don't have that many PTI stamps sets so I really had to think about which ones would work for main images and which ones I could use for sentiments only.  Here is the criteria I had to follow:

Vertical card, Sketch 2, Rosie Posie stamp set (main image), My Punny Valentine (supporting sentiment), New leaf, summer sunrise, orange zest, and Hawaiian shores color combo and an embellishment tag.

I have to say even though this was fun..it was very challenging also.  I really don't like this color combo for some reason.  It is the least favorite from my list.  I did the main image quickly and was pleased with that but really wasn't sure how I was going to incorporate the tag and what to do with all the other little circle accents.  I don't like the embossing folder I chose at all...I thought it would help to carry the circle theme throughout the card but I think it is too whimsical.  I decide to use a heart topped with baker's twine as my tag and enhanced that with the stripes from PTI's Let Freedom Ring stamp set.  I thought this would mimic the rainbow ribbon and keep the striped theme going.  I finished off with a few flowers with coordinating rhinestone centers. 

Tyler and Adoree want to try this roll the die challenge too so I'm hoping to get some time this weekend to do just that.  It isn't often they get to play with Mommy's stamps so they are excited about it.

Papertrey ink is hosting a Stamp-a-faire event tomorrow.  They will be show casing some fantastic techniques and projects throughout the day into the evening.  I hope to have some time to play along and hope you will too.  Check out the deets on Nichole's blog here.

See ya soon!  Thanks for stopping by!




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Sunday, July 08, 2012

PTI MIM # 73 Stamping on Patterned Paper and Fireworks

Yes, I am in the dino age of reading physical books.   No e-reader for me!   So...I needed a book marker to keep my place (can't seem to find the other one I made..yikes!).  I decided to use the latest Paper Trey Ink Make it Monday challenge # 73 Stamping on Patterned paper.  You can see the video here.  Ashley gave some very good tips.  I liked the effect and can't wait to try this technique again.

It's hard to get a good photo but I used scraps of Desert Bloom paper by First Edition.  I love how the glitter is already added to the paper and doesn't slouch off.  I added some Spica glitter marker (in orange and then brown to highlight) to the stamped PTI Rosie Posie flower.   I also did a little stitching around the perimeter.  I was inspired by this book marker by Claudia Rosa.  Hers is absolutely stunning with that Copic colored image and all those embellishments!  She must have made hers bigger because her circle is soo much larger.  I need to remember that for the next one I make.  I soo wanted to add more embellishments to mine..but...I borrow my books from the library and didn't want to risk damaging the book pages with bumpy things.  The flower is a japanese folded flower called Kusudama.  I followed the tut here to make it. I tried using double sided cardstock but had a hard time with the folds.  So I peeled the layers apart and made two flowers instead.  The paper was a little thinner than I would like so I sealed the edges of the flower with glitter glue which also made it a little sturdier. These flowers were fun to make and I can't wait to try some out of actual thin scrapbooking paper.

I hope you all had a happy and safe 4th of July.  We had a fun day and night.  I was excited I finally got to use my new camera for firework photos.  I'd like to share a few of my favorites.



I don't remember seeing the purple, pink, yellow and green ones before.  I know the photos don't look quite the same as seeing the fireworks in person but I think they are lovely in their own way.  I played around with the night time portrait mode and even got a photo of Tyler playing with the sparklers. (I tried getting one of Adoree but she doesn't stand still long enough!  LOL!)



Goodness can you believe July is here!  I don't know where June went.  The kids have been off of school for practically a whole month and I feel we haven't done much with our time!  Well..hopefully July will be more productive!

Okay my parents are here so I'd better run!  Thanks for stopping by and please come back again!
Have a marvelous weekend!





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