PaperFections

MFT Sneak Peek-Boho Blossoms

How gorgeous is this new set? VERY! I was so pleasantly surprised to see these beautiful swirls, flowers, hearts & solid images in this brand new set, Boho Blossoms by My Favorite Things. Such a different style for MFT, don't you think? So elegant -- I love it! You'll be able to purchase it tonight after midnight (when it's officially October 1!) at My Favorite Things and I believe Eclectic Paperie will be carrying it, too. For my sample, I chose to use the heart (although I cannot wait to use the gorgeous flowers next!): The base of this 5.25" square card is shimmer Poison Ivory. The black printed paper is Rookery Road from the Laurel collection by Scenic Route. The red print is from Stampin' Up's Cerise double-sided designer paper. I machine zig-zag stitched both papers to the card base. The boho heart was stamped in Palette Moulin Rouge onto shimmer Poison Ivory and the "love" sentiment (don't you love that font?!!) was stamped in Palette Noir. This piece was matted with black cardstock that was punched with Stampin' Up's Spiral Punch. A red heart eyelet (retired SU) was set in the lower left corner and red swirly May... Read more →

It's a Jungle Sneak Peek-WSC21

It's Friday and time for another one of Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenges! And a challenge it was, since I didn't have any instructions when making this adorable file pocket card. Beate has written a tutorial for this library pocket card for you, so be sure to check that out! I love pocket cards and Beate was a genius to combine hers with a file folder card! The stamp set I chose is "It's A Jungle Out There" that My Favorite Things will release this Monday, October 1 -- isn't it adorable? And a little bit different style . . . none of these animals are headless, I promise, LOL! Since I needed a new baby boy card, I thought this set was a perfect choice for this challenge. Since I have no idea how Beate did her card, I'll share how I did this one . . . Basically, I started this chocolate card base as Stampin' Up's large card/envelope size (I'm not sure this is a standard size on the general market?): 6.25" x 4.50". Next, I cut 1/2" down on the left top back side, leaving a 2" tab on the right. Then I cut 1" off the... Read more →

My Favorite . . . Chocolate!

Here's the first of My Favorite Things' new October releases . . . How Sweet It Is! Be sure to check out the other Design Team Members' blogs or galleries to see what they've posted today with this set . . . I'm sure the variety will give you lots of ideas! I used CPS32 for the layout of this card. Knowing I wanted it to be chocolate themed, this retired designer paper from Stampin' Up! was a natural. I also wanted to challenge myself and not use the large image in this set which is a woman in a recliner. I loved this sentiment -- it would be perfect to pair this card with a gift of chocolate for a stampin' sis-tah (since I don't have any real sisters of my own)! The card base is chocolate and the bottom layer of patterned paper was cut on the left side with pinking shears and then machine zig-zag stitched to the card. The patterned paper layer under the flowers was matted with natural ivory cardstock, machine stitched, and popped up on dimensionals, over the chocolate taffeta ribbon on the right. Here's a closeup of the details (click for larger view):... Read more →

Halloween Carnival

October and Halloween are rapidly approaching . . . Do you have crafty ideas and projects to celebrate the holiday? If so, do you want to be featured in Craft Critique's next Carnival? The next carnival is all about Halloween! To have your project included please email any links from either your projects or your favorite crafty blogs and websites to Craft Critique by September 28 at 10pm. And feel free to email Melissa if you have any questions. Be sure to go ahead and check out Craft Critique this week, as there are some great Halloween projects/supplies being featured that will give you many fun ideas for the holiday! Check back in tomorrow, when I'll start posting samples over the next few days of FIVE new My Favorite Things stamps that will be released October 1! Read more →

What's For Dinner?

What's for dinner tonight (or last night, in my case!)? I don't cook from scratch that often, but when I do and when I find a good recipe I really like, I like to share it! This one is pretty easy and makes your house smell SOOOOO good! It's a combination of recipes I've had or found and trial and error. It only takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour, so it's fairly quick as well . . . SHARON'S CHICKEN WILD RICE SOUP In large stock pot, boil: 4-5 boneless chicken breasts in 3 cans (14 oz.) chicken broth Salt & Pepper to taste Garlic Powder, Onion Salt (or Onion Powder) 1 large onion, cut in large pieces 1/2 stalk of celery, cut in bite-sized pieces (including leafy tops) 1 cup chopped baby carrots 1 heaping tsp. minced roasted garlic (I use the jar kind) 1 heaping tsp. chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon paste brand or you can use bouillon cubes). It will look something like this (can't you just smell it?!!): While chicken is boiling, cook rice in another large sauce pan, using canned chicken broth in place of water (you can cook these together --... Read more →

Backgrounders & More Backgrounders, Oh My!

Cornish Heritage Farms just released 8 new backgrounder stamps last week. Here's a peek at these fabulous designs created by our Design Team Coordinator/Designer Lisa Strahl: Aren't they amazing? So many possibilities! I just received some yesterday, so as soon as I get a chance to play with them, I'll post some samples for you. In the meantime, you can view them all here at the store and see what the Design Team has already created with them, here in the gallery. Have a happy Sunday! Read more →

Photography

I've had several questions asked about how I take the photographs I post here on the blog, so today I thought I'd share that. Below are two pictures of where I took the photographs for the two projects below (or if you are viewing this entry under all my Tutorials, the green floral card HERE and the pumpkin card HERE.) I usually take all my photographs outside, in natural indirect light -- I find my camera focuses a little better and colors are truer. If it's very cloudy and/or rainy some days, I still photograph in the same spots and if a photo turns out a little too dark for my liking, I can usually adjust the contrast in my photo editing software just fine. The first spot is on my back covered patio -- it faces northwest and is usually protected by direct sunlight until late in the evening. I just drape an old white tablecloth over a box and use that as my backdrop. As you can see, the tablecloth needs some ironing but since I usually crop my photos pretty closely, that doesn't matter! I take my photos closer up, obviously -- I'm just giving you the... Read more →

Emboss Resist Flowers

Emboss resist is a fun technique and has become a favorite of mine. Here, I stamped the large flowers from Stampin' Up's True Friend on the shimmer light green background cardstock (as opposed to the usual glossy white cardstock for this technique) in Versamark ink and then clear embossed them. Then a few more large flowers were stamped in Versamark and just left to dry. These will leave a slight ghost image to your background, not as prominent as the embossed flowers. Then I brayered celery ink over the background and buffed the excess ink off the embossed flowers. Next I stamped the smaller group of flowers in celery ink and sponged olive ink in the middle of the embossed flowers, to darken that area a bit more. Hopefully you can see a few more details in this close-up (click on the photo, for a larger view): The 4.25" square card base is olive cardstock and so is the scalloped mat behind the large focal flower -- it was just sponged with olive ink to darken it. The large focal flower was inked with a celery marker on the leaves & stem and artichoke marker for the flower head, and... Read more →

WSC20 - Lockhart Pumpkins

It's time for another one of Beate's weekend sketch challenges .(< click that link to see the sketch)! I'm still on my Fall pumpkins kick, so I used this adorable Pumpkins in Wheelbarrow by Lockhart Stamp Company. I started by stamping the pumpkins on shimmer white cardstock in umber permanent ink and watercolored the image with dye reinkers. I really like watercoloring on shimmer paper -- it gives such a professional finish to an image, in my opinion. Here's a close-up . . . hopefully you'll be able to see how pretty it is (click on the photo for a larger view): The background of this image and the edges were lightly sponged with caramel ink, to tone down some of the bright whiteness. Then the image was matted with chocolate cardstock and popped up with dimensionals. The A2-sized card base is rust, to match the printed designer paper. The brown paper square was machine stitched to the card base and the lower left corner stitched as well. Antique brass brads and chocolate taffeta ribbon finish this card. Stamps: Lockhart Stamp Company Pumpkins in Wheelbarrow, Stampin' Up Everyday Flex Phrases. Paper: Stampin' Up Really Rust, Chocolate Chip & Apple Cider... Read more →

Autumn Pumpkins-CPS31

I used my interpretation of CPS31 for the layout of this card. I really like the sketchy style of this Holiday mini catalog set by Stampin' Up -- Autumn Harvest. I stamped the pumpkins on watercolor paper, masking them, and colored them using dye reinkers and an AquaPainter (water reservoir brush). Canvas background was then stamped over the image, to give it a look of burlap. The edges were inked and distressed and the image matted with chocolate cardstock. The background layer is River Rock -- one of Stampin' Up's new In Colors this year. This color is very versatile -- it takes on different hues according to what colors it is paired with. Here, it looks very green next to the rust! I stamped the leaf from this set in River Rock ink onto this layer, then it was machine zig-zag stitched in chocolate thread to the card base. The chocolate card base is 6.25" x 4.75" -- Stampin' Up's large size. The chocolate side tabs were created with SU's Large Oval Punch and Jumbo Brass Eyelets set in the middle. Pumpkin ribbon runs under the popped-up focal image and thru the eyelets. Stamps: Autumn Harvest, Canvas Paper: Chocolate,... Read more →

Tagged!

OMGoodness, I've seen this going around blogs and then Beate tagged me to play along. Some of these are quite hilarious (at least to me)! 1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) - Tollie Expedition 2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) - Butter Pecan Sandie 3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) SHAR 4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) - Chocolate Dog 5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)- Renea Abilene 6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) - Harsh 7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put “The”) - The Red Vanilla Coke 8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) - Walter Jasper 9. STRIPPER NAME: (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) - Tiffany Peanutbutter Cup 10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names) - Mae Ray If you'd like to play along, consider yourself tagged and let me know by posting below and I'll come check it out! Read more →

Sunflower Inspiration

Here's that photo I promised of the sunflower field by my house that inspired my September Sunflower calendar page. Aren't they pretty -- especially against that beautiful blue cloudless-sky this morning. A few of the blooms are already spent and this field is on the downhill side of its lifespan -- it was much prettier last week. I love getting inspiration from nature, especially all the seasonal color palettes. I hope this photo might inspire something you do today -- have a good one! Read more →

Project & Source Questions Answered

I've had several requests lately for the source of the shimmer ivory cardstock I use (that my friend, Lori, got me hooked on!). I usually try to list all my project details and sources (and links to those sources) either within that project post or in the "recipe" section at the end of each post. I've now added the link to CutCardstock.com (where you can get that shimmer ivory cardstock) to my right sidebar under the "Places I Highly Recommend" section. It's called Poison Ivory Curious Iridescent by Arjo Wiggins in the 89 lb. cover weight. The 6" x 6" scrapbook page protectors I used for my Vertical Album Desk Calendar pages are by Stampin' Up! I guess I did a pretty good job of covering up the SU! logo with all that ribbon (that was my goal!). The ones I used for that project that have the extra space at the top (where I put the name of the month) between the ring holes and page pocket are made for post-bound albums. If you don't want that extra space at the top, you can use the ring-bound album page protectors that are shorter and only have the ring holes... Read more →

Catch The Wave Craze!

My September Craft Critique article is up at the site. I'll post it here, too, but be sure to check out the articles the reporters have been posting this week about Blue Grass Publishing -- they have several guidebooks for scrapbookers and papercrafters that you may find useful. . ================================== . In almost any paper crafting magazine or scrapbook store you will see that waves are all the rage right now, so join me as I check out for the first time Creative Memories' 12-inch Decorative Trimmer . . . As you can see, you get two products in one with this trimmer -- a wave and a swell cutting channel. The length for this trimmer is a full 12.5 inches, so this means it won't bend or crimp your 12-inch cardstock or decorative paper -- a nice bonus. Additional features include: . >1/2-inch grid marks on the entire base, to aid in your paper crafting > 30, 45 and 60-degree angle cutting lines > Additional markings of 1/8-inch run along the top and bottom > Extendable 6.75-inch side ruler > Deep channels for the extra-long blades A close look at this trimmer's blade reveals something I've never seen on... Read more →

October Calendar Page

Here's the October calendar page for my Vertical Album. It is stamped with pumpkins from PaperTrey Ink's Spooky Sweets set. I liked how these pumpkins can either be whimsical by adding the included jack-o-lantern face, or stamped simple & elegant. I stamped these onto kraft cardstock using the rock & roll technique and masking them. The background behind the pumpkins was stamped in Versamark using the rectangle stamp patterned with circles. Then the background was sponged around the edges with chocolate ink and machine stitched with chocolate thread to the artichoke base. All corners were rounded. Stamps: PaperTrey Ink Spooky Sweets. Paper: Stampin' Up Kraft & Artichoke. Ink: Clearsnap Colorbox Fluid Chalk Tangerine, Olive Pastel & Chestnut Roan. Accessories: 6x6 Scrapbook Page Protector, Vertical Album, Sewing Machine & Chocolate Thread, Stampin' Up Antique Brass Brad & Dimensionals, Ribbon, Computer-Printed Calendar. That's all the pages I have right now but I'll gradually be working on them over the coming months and will share them when I'm finished! Read more →