fresh & fun

Last Wednesday a Product Review about The Ultimate Crafter’s Companion  was posted on Splitcoaststampers. Whenever there is a Product Review we try to include tutorials for the product that is reviewed.

For the Crafter’s companion I wrote tutorials for Dry Embossed edges , Creating Bows and Creating Envelopes with The Ultimate Crafter’s Companion.

My card base is a 4 1/4″ x 8 1/2″ piece of textured Real Red cardstock folded in half. After double embossing a decorative border on the bottom of the card front, I cut around the edge of that border with my scissors. Snowflakes from the Verve set Frosty Flakes were stamped in Fired Brick distress ink over the front of the card front. The edges of the card front were sponged with the same ink.

A 1 3/4″ x 4 1/4″ piece of Bo Bunny Paper was taped on a 1/8″ bigger piece of White cardstock and taped on the lower half of the front.  Tiny Twinkles were glued between the the two dry embossed edges. Another strip of different Bo Bunny paper was taped behind the dry embossed edge to add a bit more color.

The sentiment is from Verve’s Christmas is in the Air. It was stamped in Adirondack Espresso Ink, cut with Label 8 Nestabilities and sponged with Adirondack Willow ink. A Chocolate Grosgrain ribbon bow was added to the bottom left of the sentiment layer and a snowflake to the top right. The snowflake outline is from Christmas is in the Air, the inside is from Frosty Flakes and was stamped in Adirondack Aqua Ink. The snowflake was covered with Crystal Effects and then sprinkled with Dazzling Diamond Glitter. A Bo Bunny i candy jewel finishes off the flake.

Here is a video for the visual learner:

Random.org picked #48. That is Ann.

Thank you all for visiting and leaving a comment.

Hugs and smiles

Gina K. wrote the Misting with Alcohol Marker tutorial for SCS a while back. The tutorial was in the newsletter last Wednesday, so I created a video for it. Since Gina wrote the tutorial, I used her stamps for the video. Plus…I REALLY LOVE these Christmas sets.

I used the bird stamp from Holiday cheer and colored it with Copic Markers (R39, R59, YG95, YG99). Next I filled a mini mister with rubbing Alcohol and sprayed the stamp. The image was stamped on Neenah Solar White cardstock, cut with Label 4 Nestabilities and sponged first with Scattered Straw, then with Vintage Photo distress inks. It was layered on the next size bigger label that had been cut out of Chocolate chip cardstock.

The card base is (surprise, surprise….my two favorite things together) a 4 1/4″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock. The edges of the card front as well as all other chocolate cardstock pieces on the card were sponged with Walnut Ink Distress ink.

The edges of a 3 3/4″ square of The Merry Days of Christmas My Mind’s Eye paper were sanded, then sponged with Old Paper ink for an aged look before it was stitched to a 3/16″ bigger piece of Whisper White cardstock. The red paper is also from The Merry Days of Christmas and measures 2 1/2″ x 3″. Three Ice Circle Rhinestone brads were added to the top left of that layer.

I punched a hole a bit off to the lower right of middle of the layers with my Crop-a-dile and tied White May Arts Organza Ribbon through it. The sentiment is also from the Holiday Cheer TV kit. it was stamped in Walnut Stain on Whisper White cardstock, punched out with the large oval punch and sponged first with Scattered Straw, then with Vintage photo ink. It was layered on a Chocolate Scallop Oval punch-out and attached to the lower left side of the image with dimensionals.

Here is a video for the visual learner:

Today the New Moon movie is coming out. The kids and I have been waiting for it to come out since we came out of the Twilight movie. I LOVED the books! I need to reread them badly. I has been over a year.

To celebrate the release of the second movie Twilight Tuesday is hosting a HUGE blog hop. Make sure you head on over and check out the list of the 53 blogs that are participating.

For my card I used Our Craft Lounge’s Love Notes as well as Stamp Insanities Otherwordly Loves.

My card base was cut with the Clear Scallop Square Big shot die from Stampin’ Up! out of Chocolate Chip cardstock. It was sponged with Walnut Stain ink.  A 3 7/8″ square of Coastal - Curious Double Take paper was distressed, sponged with Vintage Photo ink and stitched to the card base.

A 3″ square of Sundress paper was stitched to a Vanilla cardstock piece that was cut and embossed with Square Nestabilities and  sponged with Vintage Photo ink. The vertical layer is 1 1/8″ wide. The word Edwards was stamped all over in Vintage Photo ink. Next it was embossed with the Victoria Cuttlebug Folder, sponged with Vintage Photo ink and stitched around the edges.

The main panel is a 1 3/8″ x 3″ piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. It was first stamped with the solid background from Love notes in Antique Linen ink. That was overstamped alternating with the word Love from Love notes, and Edward from the Otherwordly Loves set. It’s barely visible, but it adds just enough texture to the panel. The sentiment was stamped in Walnut Stain ink. The panel was layered on a sponged scallop long Chocolate Chip rectangle cut with Nestabilities.

I added a Cream Silk Ribbon bow on the bottom right of the panel and Kaiser Rhinestones underneath the sentiment. To finish off the card, I stamped a heart from Love Notes in Walnut Stain,  sponged it with Fired Brick , cut it out, added Crystal Effect and Dazzling Diamond glitter.

Make sure you check out the other Twilight blog posts! As much as I LOVE the books and the first movie, I won’t be going to the theater today. I never go the first week. I don’t like overcrowded theaters.

Please check my previous blog post for a chance to win Our Craft Lounge’s new Love Note set. All you have to do is leave a comment at the previous post.

Have a wonderful day! Hugs and smiles

Here is the sketch for this weekend:

To participate in the challenge, make a card with this layout and upload it either to your blog, or to an online gallery.
If you upload your card on SCS, put WSC107 (NO SPACE INBETWEEN WSC AND 107) in the keyword section. That way we can look at all of them at once! Add a link to your card to either Mr. Linky, or as a comment to this thread so I can go and check it out.

I will posting my sample at 10 EST.  To see samples made with this sketch now, check out the blogs of

Cambria Turnbow

Charmaine Ikach

Jenn Balcer

 Lori Craig

 MaryJo Albright 

 Sharon Harnist

Have fun creating! I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

SCS submissions

Today is a BIG day! Our Craft Lounge’s new sets are released today and to celebrate that there will be a blog hop. Make sure you visit each blog and leave a comment. You can win one of the new sets on each blog!!! The blog hop ends at midnight CST.

You can win the set Love Notes on my blog. I love that set. The swirl, the backgrounds, the gorgeous hearts….I love them all.

For my sample, I created a matchbook candy holder. I missed making a sample for this great tutorial Theresa wrote during our Holiday Blitz. Surprise, surprise…..I used Chocolate Chip cardstock as my matchbook holder base. The edges were sponged with Walnut Stain ink.

The 2 1/4″ square of Sundress paper was distressed, sponged with Vintage photo ink and sewn to a 1/4″ bigger piece of Vanilla Cardstock that had been sponged as well. A 1 1/8″ x 1 1/2″ piece of Coastal - Curious Double Take paper was distressed, sponged and adhered to the left hand side. Small clear Kaiser Rhinestones were added. The layers were attached to the matchbook with Scor-Tape.

Cream Taffeta Ribbon was tied around the matchbook. Next I punched a scalloped circleout of Chocolate Chip cardstock and sponged the edges. I attached it over the ribbon and small paper piece with dimensionals. For the circle center, I stamped the solid background of Love Notes in second generation Vintage Photo, then added the script background in full Vintage Photo. I punched out a 1 3/8″ circle, distressed the edges and sponged them with Vintage Photo. Last I added a stitched edge.

I stamped the heart in Walnut Stain, cut it out, sponged it first with Fired Brick, then with Walnut Stain ink. I attached it with dimensionals over my circle, then added Crystal Effect and sprinkled Dazzling Diamond Glitter over it. The sentiment is from the new set The Journey. It was stamped in Walnut stain, punched out with the small oval punch and sponged with Vintage Photo ink.

I covered the side behind the pocket with Vanilla/Sundress layers that mirrored the ones on the front. The pocket was covered with a piece of Coastal - Curious Double Take paper. Three Clear Circle Rhinestone Bradshold the pocket to the matchbook (along with more Scor-Tape). I punched out a half circle out of the top of the pocket with the 3/4″ circle punch to make it easier to get to the chocolate.

The inside top flap was layered with a 2 3/4″ square of Very Vanilla cardstock. It had been sponged with Vintage Photo ink. The swirl from Love Notes was stamped randomly on the edges with the same ink. A 5/8″ x 2 3/4″ strip of the Coastal paper was added to the lower edge of the square and partly sewn on.

A small heart was stamped, colored and treated like the big heart in the front and adhered to the flap with dimensionals to finish it off. Please excuse the bad quality of my pictures. It was dark when I took them. I usually only photograph with natural light. But the last few days it was hard since it starting getting dark around 4:30 p.m. I miss the South!

Have fun blog hopping and checking out the other blogs.  Don’t forget to post at each blog for a chance to win! You can find a complete listing of the blogs on theOur Craft Lounge blog. Or check the list below!

Bird and Groom -Beth
Hang it Up Cupid - Carol, Vicki
Hearts & Hugs - Holly, Joy
The Journey - Charmaine
Life is - Amber
Love notes - Heather, me
Out for a spin - Pam
Fairy Dust is a must - Broni, Cami
Grandma’s Truffles - Val
Jungle Love - Deb, Kendra
Shamrock Blessings - Cindy
Sweet on you - Kisa
Wanted - Lila

Come back at 9:00 a.m. for another blog post. I know…ambitious me. I am in two blog hops today! Good luck with winning the OCL sets.

Hugs and smiles

I got to play with three gorgeous new sets from Our Craft Lounge a little bit ahead of time. The release is tomorrow. Make sure you come back for a chance to win a set.

Check them out. I LOVE these new sets. Lots of elements and scrapbook stamps. Since I didn’t have time to get new photos of the kids to create a mini book, I decided to make a file folder card. I haven’t made one of those in  a while.

I started out with a 5 1/4″ x 7 1/2″ piece of Chocolate chip cardstock. It was scored at 4″. The patterned paper is from the Early Bird paper pack from Cosmo Cricket. The swirl on the top left was stamped in Vintage Photo and is from the new set Love Notes .

Over the patterned paper is a 1 1/2″ x 5″ strip of sponged (with Fired Brick ink) Riding Hood Red cardstock that had been punched with one of the new Martha Stewarts Punch Around the page. May Arts Chocolate satin Ribbon was tied around it.

The sentiment is actually pieced together from the two elements/scrapbooking sets Life is and The Journey. First I stamped the oval frame in Walnut Stain ink, then added the sentiment pieces in the same color. Last I added the swirl from Love Notes in Scattered Straw ink. I hand cut the oval and sponged it first in Scattered Straw, then Vintage photo. It was layered on a Riding hood cardstock piece. It had been cut with Label 6 Nestabilities and sponged first with Fired Brick, then Walnut Stain ink.

The card inside is created with sponged Riding Hood Red and Very Vanilla cardstock. The neutral cardstock had been sponged with Old Paper Dsitress ink. The swirls were stamped in the same color. The sentiment was stamped in Walnut stain ink.

The Flower was created by adding two Red Prima Daisy Doodles on top of each other, then a Basic Grey Button, which was topped off with a large Kaiser Rhinestone.  To tie in the rhinestone I added smaller ones of the same color on the card front and the sentiment.

Here is a video for the visual learner:

Make sure to check out more sneak peek samples on these blogs:

Bird and Groom -Beth
Hang it Up Cupid - Lila
Hearts & Hugs - Holly, Kendra
The Journey - Charmaine
Life is - Charmaine
Love notes - Kisa, Joy
Out for a spin - Carol
Fairy Dust is a must - Kendra, Vicki
Grandma’s Truffles - Broni
Jungle Love - Heather
Shamrock Blessings - Pam
Sweet on you - Cami
Wanted - Kisa

Today’s tutorial on SCS is written by Carole Burrage and is called Faux Torn Mosaic. Create a different looking background by tearing patterned paper in pieces, sponging them and taping them over a piece of cardstock.

For my sample I used a new set from Taylored Expressions. I had ordered it on Saturday and BAM I already received it in the mail on Wednesay. Taylor is FAST! I thought the flower from Celebrate Life would be perfect for this technique. I needed something bold that wouldn’t be overpowered by the background.

The flower was stamped in Stained Walnut on Very Vanilla Cardstock, then overstamped with Scattered Straw Distress ink. The image was cut out with Label 4 Nestabilities. I left the die on and sponged the image first with Scattered Straw, then a bit with Vintage Photo distress ink. It was layered on the next size up Label 4 die cut out of Chocolate Chip cardstock that had been sponged with Walnut Stain ink. The flower was finished off with a layer of Crystal Effect.

The card base is a 4 1/4″ x 11″ piece of Chocolate chip cardstock folded in half. The edges of the card front were sponged with Walnut Stain ink. For my background I tore up Penny Lane My Mind’s Eye paper. The torn edges were sponged with Vintage Photo ink. The torn layer was stitched to a 3 15/16″ x 5 3/16″ piece of Very Vanilla.

The sentiment is also from Celebrate Life. It was stamped in Walnut Stain on Very Vanilla cardstock, punched out with the large oval punch and sponged with Scattered Scraw and Vintage photo. It was layered on a sponged Chocolate Chip Scalloped Oval punch-out. Three small Lippy Red Kaiser Rhinestones were added underneath the sentiment.

I sponged a Maya Road Swirl with Walnut Stain ink, added more Lippy Red Rhinestones and placed it on the top right of the image. I punched a slit on the lower right of the image and tied May Arts Organdy white ribbon around the left hand side of the layers.

Here is a video for the visual learner:

When it was time to shoot a video for the Magic Snowflake tutorial, I had to think for a while to come up with a sample. After I created the focal point, I had to put it aside for a while before I finished it.  I just couldn’t think of a layout. Mojo works on it’s own schedule I guess.

The card base is a 4 1/4″ x 11″ piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock sponged with Walnut Stain Distress ink. A 3 3/4″ x 5″ piece of Very Vanilla cardstock was embossed with a cuttlebug folder, then sponged with Vintage Photo distress ink, layered and stitched on a 1/4″ bigger piece of Vanilla cardstock.

A 3″ x 4 1/4″ piece of Merry Days of Christmas was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of sponged Chocolate chip cardstock. The horizontal strip started out as a 1 3/4″ x 3 3/4″ piece of Vanilla cardstock. Vintage Wallpaper was stamped on it with Walnut Stain ink. It was sponged with Vintage Photo and Walnut stain ink and layered on a slightly wider strip of Chocolate chip cardstock. The bottom of the Chocolate strip had been punched with the scallop edge punch from Stampin’ Up! Cream May Arts Silk ribbon was tied around it.

The main image is from Flourishes Forest of Trees stamp set. It was stamped in Snowcap Adirondack pigment ink on Glossy White cardstock and embossed with clear embossing powder. Old Paper and Vintage photo distress ink reinkers were used with rubbing alcohol to create the background. The image was cut with Label Nestabilities, layered on a sponged vanilla layer and a scallop chocolate chip rectangle.

The sentiment is from the Dove and Holly set. It was stamped in Walnut Stain ink on Vanilla cardstock. The Holly was stamped in Antique Linen distress ink. The sentiment was punched out with a 1 1/4″ circle punch, sponged with Antique linen and layered on a 1 3/8″ sponged Chocolate chip circle. The circles were stitched together and Kaiser Rhinestones were added to finish it off.

I created the inside to reflect the outside of the card and to show off that gorgeous Vintage Wallpaper background stamp. It was stamped again in Walnut Stain on Vanilla cardstock and sponged with Aged Mahogany ink. The tree was stamped in Antique Linen. I love those Distress inks. They are my kind of colors!

Here is a video on the Magic Snowflake Technique:

For the last Flower Soft Review I shot a video on how to apply Flower soft to stamped images. I used Polar White Flower soft, my favorite color.

The card base is a 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ piece of Chocolate Chip cardstock folded in half. A 3 3/4″ x 5″ piece of Merry Days of Christmas paper from My Mind’s Eye was stitched to a 1/4″ bigger piece of White cardstock and adhered to the card base.

The image is from OCL’s Tweet Winter Wishes. It was stamped on Kraft cardstock in black Memento ink and colored with Copic Markers. The image was cut with Label eight Nestabilities. The edges were sponged with Snow Cap Adirondack ink. I also sponged white pigment ink where I wanted to add Flower Soft. White Flower Soft is a bit translucent. To make it look white on Kraft cardstock, it’s better to add white ink underneath.

The sentiment was stamped with Black memento ink on White cardstock. It was punched out with the small oval punch, the edges were sponged with Willow Dye ink from Adirondack.

Here is a quick video for the visual learner: