fresh & fun

Okay….here is my first try covering a frame and adding rub ons to a project.

It was so funny that the mail came when it did. I already had the plain frame (Walmart, JoAnn’s or somewhere else…it was cheap) out. I knew I wanted to put Lucas picture from last weekend in there. My kids are so grown up already, but in this shot….you can still see the little boy he used to be. I love this shot!!!!

Once I tore in my awesome package and touched every sheet of paper and oohed and aahed over it, I picked to pieces of Fancy Pants paper that I thought would work well with a boy frame. I used green on the bottom, because that’s Lucas favorite color.

I cut two strip of paper the lenghts of the fram and the height that I wanted. Next I measured how thick the frame piece was. The canvas went 1 1/2″ inches in from each side. I cut my paper accordingly. Then I got my Mod Podge out and applied it all over the frame and taped the paper on it. Once it was dried, I used Stampin’ Up!’s sanding block to distress the edges. It’s a boy frame after all and it needs to look a bit roughed up.  Next I applied another layer of Mod Podge over the paper and let it dry.

Now…all of you Rub On experts already know what I did wrong. I was so excited to pick one of these gorgeous rub ons and to add it to my frame. I rubbed and rubbed….and nothing! Obviously my frame was a bit too slick after the Mod Podge layer to hold the rub on down. It took me a good while to make it work. Carefully I applied more Mod Podge over the rub on.

This frame is a real cheap frame. It’s only one piece with a slit on the top to add the picture. I cut a small opening on the side, but I just couldn’t get the ribbon to go through. So I used Sticky Tape all over the back of the ribbon and stuck it on there.

I am so happy with my first frame. If it was a frame for Rebecca’s picture I would have added lots of flowers and extra accents. I can’t do that for Lucas. He isn’t a little boy anymore even though this picture makes me think of his toddler years and just tugs on my heart! My precious baby boy!

Girls….I got my Eclectic Paperie order!!!!! I am in love!!! If you are looking for an online provider for gorgeous stuff at great prices, the girls at Eclectic Paperie are IT! They are the bombs!

I was waiting for this paper. I was drooling all over the computer because of this paper. It’s here, it’s here. I got Basic Grey 6×6 pads and one sheet of each of the Fancy pants Paper Joy carries as well as rub ons. I have never used them before…..but I can’t wait to try them out. Well…I did have my first try and will post it in my next post. It’s definitely a learning experience. LOL

I also got another cuttlebug embossing folder and two die packs! I am beyond excited!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sweet paper is in the house!

Here is the other card I made yesterday in between reading your flower comments.

I still had It’s your Birthday and Both Way Blossoms out, so I used those again. A lot of you like daisies. I do love them too. They look so fresh. I had punched a lot of scallop shapes that I originally wanted to put in the candy. But the basket was already full and I decided to keep the punchouts for next time. I couldn’t help it and had to use one though.

The paper is from  Au chocolat Designer paper in the Spring mini catalog. My prima Flowers and the white brad are from Starlitstudio. My Scallop Marvy punch I got from Ellen Hutson  when she had them in stock. The celery colored brads are from Stampin’ Up!’s Soft Subtle Brads assortment.

The flowers and saying  are stamped with Timber Brown Stazon. I then colored the flowers with the white gel pen and the Pure Color Pencils from Stampin’ Up!. I blended the pencils with Gamsol and blending stump. And yes…I am kind of lazy and had everything still out from my tulip card earlier. LOL

I added doodles on the apricot scallop circle with the white gel pen and brown doodles around the saying.  I punched the HB out with the 1/2″ circle punch from Stampin’ Up! and then layered it on a white 3/4″ circle of white cardstock.

The background stamp is called Flannel Plaid. I stamped it with Whisper White craft ink on my Certainly Celery card base.

I am not quite sure about this card. I think the center circle with the flowers should have been a different color. I didn’t want to make the card too white, maybe Saffron? Or maybe I should have just stamped linen in Celery first to make it not so empty looking…. Oh well…I am still okay with it. Just keep looking at it thinking I should have done something different with it.

For those of you who are still looking at snow, I went out this morning and took a few pictures of the blooming trees and bushes in my neighborhood. I didn’t stay out too long. I was a little cold still.

Don’t hate me girls. I just wanna share my joy of spring! If you want to see more, click on more. (more…)

Good morning! Reading all your comments about flowers made me grab my flower stamps last night. As many of you, I love tulips. They are so pretty,  and to me, they do represent the beginning of spring….as well as the Netherlands (which is pretty close to home for me). LOL

I love the Both Way Blossoms stamp set and just don’t use it enough. I am glad we started “talking” about flowers and I was reminded of this set.

This is a very simple 5 1/2″ square card. I love the clean cut look of simple cards. I stamped the Tulip three times on a Whisper White cardstock oval and colored them in with Stampin’ Up! pure colored pencils. Then I used a Blending stump and Gamsol (I got my bottle from Inky Attics) to blend in the colors. I layered it on a chocolate chip scallop oval punchout.

The paper is from, you guessed it, the Petals & Paisley designer paper pack from Stampin’ Up! And yes, I already went through an entire pack and opened package number two. Still  no boxes from Starlitstudio or Eclectic Paperie with my new gorgeous paper….so you have to endure more Petals & Paisley paper samples.  Cindy and Joy just shipped it, so I shouldn’t really expect it yet. But I want new paper NOW!!!

The saying “Think Pink” is from the new saying set from Stampin’ Up!’s spring mini catalog Just Sayings.

The ribbon is from a five pack I think I bought at good old Walmart in the scrapbooking section.

Please keep adding your favorite flowers to the comment list. I love reading about them. I think I will go around my neighborhood today and take pictures of everything blooming here so far! The Azaleas are blooming EVERYWHERE in all different shapes and colors. Coming from Germany…that plant was an indoor plant to me. I can’t believe how huge and gorgeous the bushes get here.