Guest Designer: My 6-Year-Old Son

I thought it would be fun to share the Christmas card that my six-year-old son created for his teacher. All I did was the heat embossing (the red strip hides the unwanted help of his youngest sister...).

My kids love to make "cards" and while they're too young to play with my stuff unsupervised, I look forward to a time where they can keep me company in my craft room whilst creating something of their own!

Refabrication For Mom

For Christmas, my Mom had received a very long and thick notepad from an elderly woman that attends church. Mom was about to throw out the pad because she didn't care to have a bright red pad with a snowman on the cover, sitting out by the phone in their kitchen all year round. And it took up a lot of room in their phone drawer.

My parents' kitchen is a very light blue with white cabinetry, so the red would stand out like a sore thumb. And Mom is very particular, and meticulous when it comes to decor and organization (and just about everything else too). Just to give you an idea, this is their living room 6 hours before our Christmas Eve company was coming over. She already had everything done; the table set, the treats out on the coffee table, etc. This gave her the time she needed to relax a little and relieve some stress.

I mentioned to her that I could refab, or recover, the notepad for her. She was pleased at that idea. She said, "You can do that?" I even offered to cover it in the pale blue paper she so liked on the cards I made for them this Christmas, which made her even more excited. (View here)

She didn't want any embellishment what so ever, just the beautiful paper.  You'll note the elastic on the front cover to hold a pen or pencil. I had to figure out how to get that through without the luxury of an eyelet tool. (used to always borrow Dana's. TY ;)) So here it is.

 

Thank you for stopping by to have a look at this simple project. I've already given it back to my parents a couple of weeks ago! Just didn't get around to posting this earlier. Hope you find time to do a little crafting today ;). What would we do if we couldn't craft I wonder?

PAPER: K&Company Brenda Walton Floral & Fauna Designer Paper

Love - Playing in Paradise Challenge 48 - Skinny & Tall

Skinny and tall, eh. Well I couldn't resist that, and I`ve been wanting to start participating a little in the Scrapbooker`s Paradise challenges since I used to teach there a while back at the South store in Calgary. Great place!

This is a fairly simple card for the Playing in Paradise Challenge 48. And, since Valentines Day is not too far way, might as well use that theme for the card in black, white, and red.

Using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and Hero Arts Woodblock Old Letter Writing stamp, I repeatedly stamped until my strip was cover. Then using Spellbinders Labels Thirteen I die cut four shapes. Then I took these shapes and die cut and embossed the circles out of the center using Spellbinders Standard Circles Large. (Because the circle was just a teensy bit too large, I couldn't`t die cut both shapes together at the same time)

I cut all the other pieces, and on the smaller black piece I die cut and embossed the bottom end with Spellbinders  Fleur De Lis Borderabilities centering the die so that each side would look the same.

On the smallest white piece I positioned the Labels Thirteen pieces and lightly traced the circle. This would better help me stamp the letters. Then with an old clear stamp set from Kelly Panacci called `Love`, and Color Box Pigment Cranberry ink, I stamped the letters within those circles.

I then gently erased the light pencil marks and with dimensionals place the Labels as planned.

The layer of black & white I placed directly onto the card base I had made. Then the next two layers of black & white I scor taped together and then put dimentionals on the back and attached it to the card. The last thing to add was the red pearls.

Here`s a side view so you can see the layering and dimensionals.

I had fun Playing in Paradise today and hope to do it again. Thank you for coming to our blog today and leaving your comments. Happy crafting everyone!


ADDED JANUARY 13, 2012

I won the challenge!! Yippee! My reward, or prize if you will, is to be a guest designer for Scrapbooker's Playing in Paradise challenge blog! I'm excited....
See winner announcement at the end of the posting here.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

SPELLBINDERS: Labels Thirteen, Stadard Circles Large, Fleur De Lis Borderablilities
INK: Color Box Cranberry, Memento Black Tuxedo
STAMPS: Hero Arts Woodblock Old Letter Wrting, Kelly Panacci `Love` 

First RS Handout of 2012

Living what we believe -  All walks of life have trouble at times living what we truly believe. Since the outlined lesson refers to someone who wrote a personal creed to live by, I thought that it would be nice to make something that the ladies in class could write their own personal creed on and be able to display it somewhere discretely as a personal reminder. What though?

I had been given a couple of packages of light blue cardstock from a business that no longer wanted them and thought that I might be able to use it for this project. But what to make? I then came up with the idea of a sleeve frame! That's what I'm calling it anyway. So, starting at the beginning of last week, I began the preparations to make 55 of them. I knew this project would take time, and I'm glad I had the time at the end of each day for the last week to work on it. And here they are.

I tried to make a few different looks with varying the embellishments I chose - about 5 different styles/looks. I was able to use up a lot of my $1 store embellishments that I purchased between1 and 2 years ago. I ended up using them for something other than what I had originally bought them for, but I can always come up with something when I need it.

Each one is free standing sleeve frame and measures 7"W including the tag, but not the ribbon, by 4 1/2" H. The person can gently trace the outline of the Labels Fourteen frame and write their personal creed that they come up with. Or, they can put a picture of their choice in that spot and write their creed on the back of the giant tag to keep it more personal. They will be reminded of their creed when they look at it. Should they desire to read it again, they can pull out the tag.

Yes, I used a gold metallic gel pen, tracing the Spellbinders die on all 55  - while watching TV  ;)

With the piece I die cut out of the sleeve, I scored and attached to the back as a stand for the frame sleeve as seen next. For the giant tag, I used Spellbinders Labels Six on the ribbon end.

Oh, the "My personal Creed" banners I had figured out the size beforehand, and typed and placed them accordingly, printing them onto PTI Kraft cardstock. I cut those out using my paper slicer - while watching TV  ;) and snipped each end.

So there you have it - 55 sleeve frames.

Now if I was making my own, I would have made it a little differently, and embellished it differently. I wonder should I make one, and show it to you?

Thank you so much for checking in today. We love to have you stop by. Wishing you all a good week with some great crafting time!

TOOLS & MATERIALS

SPELLBINDERS: Labels Fourteen, Labels Six
EMBELLISHMENTS: $1 Store -  stickers, dimensional cardboard embellishments, dimensional laser cut paper & my own computer created banners
PTI Kraft cardstock
Gold Metallic Gel Pen
Ribbon Punch
Ribbon
ScorPal

A Race Against Time - Black, Red & Gray Color Throwdown Challenge #173

What a classic colour scheme to work with a slight difference of adding gray.  Once I saw the colours I had to make something for  Color Throwdown Challenge #173 . The only problem was with the schedule I had this week I new I would be cutting it short to get it in on tim and that I would have to wait until I came home from Church on Sunday. I entered my card with 32 mins to spare!!

I came home from church at around 4:30 pm (PST) today and had about 3 1/2 hours. I quickly got changed, put away all the stuff I had brought to church to teach my class with, washed off my makeup, washed my hands and got together scraps that were black, red & gray. Then the phone rang!! I was on the phone with my parents for 40 mins. I enjoyed the time on the phone, but I thought, "Now I can get going on the card and have it in before the deadline."

I already had a card base from a previous card that I had not used. I had a rough idea on what I would do, so I cut the black, the gray and the red. It was close to supper and I hadn't eaten since 7:30 am, so I quickly threw a pizza into the oven. The phone rang again!!

It was my sister from Utah! I knew she would want to talk. and was willing to let her, so while on the phone with her, holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder, I cut the medallion out of a scrap of patterned paper, I stamped and heat embossed (which you can tell by how poor a job of it I did), dry embossed the red paper with my Cuttlebug, laid out the pieces, pulled out the pearls and ribbon, and put scor tape on the back of each piece. I impressed myself that I could do that all while holding the phone with my shoulder. I was on the phone with my sister for a little over an hour. Now if I hadn't been on the phone all this would have gone much more quickly.

Needless to say, once our conversation was completed, I think I broke a record in assembling this card, and taking photos!  I didn't even tweek the photo; just cropped and added the watermak. I put only the necessary info and pics on the post so that I could enter it, then I came back to write the details. And here it is.

 

And Guess what? Even though I was able to get the pizza out of the oven in perfect time, I still haven't been able to enjoy a nice hot pizza for supper. It must be cold by now. And here I thought I was being so organized in getting the pizza going so that I could nibble on it while making the card...lol ;).

Well that's it for my speedily made card. May it never happen again!

Thank you so much for stoping by. Wishing you a great week!

ADDED JANUARY 10, 2012

I am not the winner with this entry, but I was one of three with ``Caught Our Eye``!!...or Honorable Mention would be another way of saying it. View here.


TOOLS & MATERIALS

STAMP: Hero Arts Cling Music Background
INK:Versa Watermark
EMBOSSING POWDER: Ranger Seafoam White
EMBOSSING FOLDER: Cutlebug

ColourQ Challenge #118 2nd Entry - Third Attempt

Yesterday I submitted an entry for ColourQ Challenge #118. It didn't quite sit right with me, and so I had to try it again. I like that it this one has more white and is simpler than the previous card.

I came up with this idea when I was going through a box of die cuts left over from teaching classes or from pieces I ended up not using from previous projects. I must have about 20 of these small Fleur De Lis squares cut and waiting to be used! I had forgotten them as I forget most of the time to check out this box. So this card went together very quickly.

Darn! I did it again! Typed the URL incorrectly.

This one is a little more restful on the eyes than yesterday's.

Thank you for stopping by. I'd be interested in what you think in comparing the two cards of yesterday and today. Hope you're having a great weekend and are getting some crafting in! ;)

TOOLS & MATERIALS

SPELLBINDERS: Lotus Pendant, Fleur De Lis Accents
STAMP: 
INK: Memento Rich Cocoa

Have a Splendid Day - ColourQ Challenge #118

This unique colour pallet from ColourQ #118 intrigued me and and compelled me to try since I find working with that many colours difficult. I wanted to see what I could come up with. This card happens to be my second try! I had to toss my first one. So this is what my second attempt looks like.

Whoops! I just realized that the URL to the blog is typed incorrectly.

Part of the difficulty stems from the fact that I don't have required colours in ink, but one. Plus I don't have copics, and my watercolour pencils are limited in colours. So that left me with paper and a small Spellbinder library. I think the these colours require a more CAS approach rather than my preferred style. Maybe I'll try it again because something does't quite sit right with me. Oh, and if you think it might be the sentiment at a angle, I did do that on purpose. Before I attached everything, I always lay the basic elements down and rearrange them to see what looks best. I did try the sentiment the usual way. It didn't make any difference. Maybe my mojo is a little off today. ;(

Thank you for stopping by. Hope your mojo is working and you're happily crafting away.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

SPELLBINDERS: Standard Circles large, Lotus Pendant, Fleur De Lis Accents
STAMP: 
INK: Memento Rich Cocoa

Colour Create Challenge 87 - Cream, Sage & Red

Colour Create Challenge is back after our holiday break for our first 2012 challenge beginning January 5th and ending January 18th, 6:00 PM UK time. Edna chose a wonderful colour palette for this challenge - cream, sage & red, and the DT's have submitted their inspirational designs for you.

The prize for this challenge is a $5 Gift Voucher for Mo Manning's Digital Pencil. She has such adorable and fantastic digi stamps!

While searching for materials to make my card, I found that the colours were so beautiful together that whatever I made had to be simple so that the colours would be the main focus.

This is my DT submission at Colour Create Challenge 87.

I was so excited to be able to use my very first Waltzing Mouse stamps! Dana ordered some for me as a Christmas gift! Thank you again, Dana.

It's amazing how with the lighting you can see all the minute little specks of embossing powder when IRL you barely can see them at all! I even used the pre-embossing powder pouch and a brush to brush off any bits of powder. It also looks like the light caught one of my finger prints on the paper as well.

The little flower stamps I've had for a long time and never used before now. They are the perfect size for this project. They too were stamped and heat embossed.

Thank you for coming for a visit. It's always nice hearing from you. Happy crafting everyone!

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

SPELLBINDERS: Labels Fourteen
STAMPS: WaltzingMouse Holiday Labels 14, Studio g Series 39, Dimensions Crafts Mini Stamps Flower & Flourish, PTI Botanical Silhouettes
INK: Versa Watermark, Versa Magic Spanish Olive
EMBOSSING POWDER: Ranger Seafoam White
Grosgrain Ribbon

A Very Large Retirement Card

I generally dislike making very large cards as it can be difficult to fill in the space. This retirement card is 12 x 12" and is the largest that I'm usually willing to go.

I got the idea for this card from Laura's amazing card here:

I continue to swoon over her card!!

Here is a close-up of the focal point, which still doesn't do my dimensional paper-piecing much justice.  ;)

I stamped the couch at least times for this project. Once on the Spellbinders die-cut (love!), once again on scrap to cut out the cushions/arms/feet to pop up over top and twice to cut out masks.

I masked the couch while I tried to airbrush a Copic background but my luck with my airbrush is hit-or-miss. I think I just keep choosing colors that are too light to notice. When that wasn't successful, I switched to misting, even though the only aqua-ish mist I had was Turquoise Blue, a touch too bright for my card.

I created the giant demi-medallion with a strip of 5.5 x 24" cardstock. I used foam to ink the exterior edge with white and then used my scoreboard to score every inch on one side and the alternating inches on the other side (if that makes sense).

The stitching around the top exterior of the card is just a fun stitch on my sewing machine. The bottom sentiment is heat-embossed.

I'm submitting this into Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday: A La Carte. The technique I used was selective inking on the "time to relax."

Thanks for stopping by!

{Supplies--all Papertrey Ink unless noted}

• Cardstock: peach and aqua (Cricut cardstock by Provocraft), Stamper's Select White and Melon Berry
• Stamps: On My Couch, Tiny Tags, Think Big Favorites 5
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Melon Berry, Aqua Mist and Fresh Snow
• Dies: Picot Edge Circles (Spellbinders), Tiny Tags
• Other Tools: Turquoise Blue Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels), lace (dollar store), sewing machine/thread, white embroidery floss, Big Bite/eyelet (We R Memory Keepers)

My Own 2011 Top Eleven Favs - Sabrina

As promised, I'm back to review my own designs and show you my top ten favs. Well, I couldn't narrow it down to 10. Eleven was hard enough!! I think because there is a part of me in a lot of my designs, I get more attached to them. As with my favotites of Dana's, these are not in any particular order.

1)

I love this card; I just wish I had used a light background for the photo! But the cute little mouse is just adorable and has a special meaning to me. I love how this card turned out with different grays and a hint of pink. (see card details here)

2)

For me the delight of this card is not only the soft colours, but the light and airy feeling you get when you look at it. I'd love to get more coloured velum, but that has to wait for now. (see card details here)

3)

 I still like to pull this out and look at it every so often. Is it OK to say that I do it because I'm just so pleased with it? (see scrapbook page details here)

4)

Did I mention before how much colour is important to me? Well, I love how the colours work together in this card as well as the simple layout. Also the added punch with using Liquid Pearls helped to make the card; another of my favorite things to use. (see card details here)

5)

This design was entered for a couple of challenges and has remained one of my favorites for colour, softness, and the layout. And probably because I was thinking of how much I missed my daughters at the time I made it. (see card details here)

6)

 

This very elaborate Christmas Advent Explosion Box was made for my parents.  I guess because I made it with love for them, it is one of my favorites. (see project details& photos here)

 7)

The colours of this project I find quite appealing, and I had so much fun making it. Especially since the photos of are myself when I was about 18 months old, and I love using Spellbinders, which I used plenty of in this project. (see project details & more photos & close ups here)

 8)

When I combined two challenges in the making of this card, I hadn't expected it to be a favorite! But I love beautiful papers, and the workings of colour. It wasn't until I completed this card that I was amazed at the result and fell in love. (see details here)

9)

Another challenge entry that drew me for the sketch and my love of papers; in this case My Mind's Eye papers. Then there are the photos of my twin sisters and I, when we were quite young that make this one a favorite too. (see details & close ups here)

10)

 

Because this is based on one of my favorite designers card for a challenge, and the fact that it is still fairly new, I'm still a little partial to this card. (see details here)

11)

 Also a recent project, and one I think turned out well. I'm not usually a 'Kraft' person, but every so often I use it when creativity moves me to it or I'm looking for a colour that only Kraft can match. I'm happy about this gift set. (see project details & more photos here) 

 So, that's it for my 2011 favorites. I'm still tempted to add a few more, but will leave it as it is. I look forward to a new year of creativity, and wonder what we will come up with for 2012 favorites. Thank you for stopping by and leaving your comments. We always love to hear from you. It encourages me to check out your latest creations. Happy crafting!