PaperFections

JustRite Friday Challenge Tag

Spring is definitely in the air and I was inspired by this week's JustRite Friday Challenge to make this Tim Holtz-style tag. I hope you'll join me today over at the JustRite Inspiration blog to see all the details AND to create your own tag(s) project and enter the challenge! You could win a $50 JustRite gift certificate -- what a deal! HYDRANGEA TAG PRODUCTS: JustRite Stamps: Plant A Little Love Dies & Punches: Spellbinders Eyelet Pendant die, Martha Stewart Hydrangea 3-in-1 punch Paper: Manilla Packing Tag, WorldWin black cardstock Ink: Ranger Distress Inks-Broken China, Faded Jeans, Dusty Concord, Peeled Paint, Black Soot; Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink Accessories: Ranger Ink Blending Tool, Black 1.25" May Arts Silk Ribbon & Bow Easy, Waterfall Stickles Read more →

Scrappy Page

I created my first page for that scrapbook album cover I shared with you earlier this week (posted right below this post). You can find all the details for it over at the JustRite Inspiration blog here. This week's JustRite Friday Challenge is to make a scrapbook page with JustRite's stamps ... and just for doing so, you could win a $50 JustRite gift certificate! We hope you'll join us this week! Read more →

JustRite Wish Birthday

With not feeling well last week, I didn't get a card made for JustsRite's Friday Challenge 005: Birthday Bash before now, so here it is! You also still have time (until Thursday morning at 9am CST) to make a project and enter it for the chance to win a $50 JustRite gift certificate! This birthday card uses my small Bingo card download in black. I spelled out WI*SH with JustRite's Brayton Uppercase 50-point font and inked up the letters individually with different Memento Dew Drop ink colors and stamped them onto my Bingo card. JustRite's Birthday Wishes center was stamped with black ink and die cut. Taylor's Tiny Twinkles red gemstones accent the sentiment and Free space! Distressed October Afternoon paper was machine stitched to a red card base. There ya go -- a quick & easy birthday card ... and I'm actually going to get this one in the mail ON TIME for once! :) Stamps: JustRite Brayton Font & Birthday Wishes Paper: October Afternoon 8x8-Cherry Hill, PTI True Black & Pure Poppy, Neenah Natural White Ink: Memento Dew Drops-Tuxedo Black, Tangelo, Bahama Blue, Rose Bud, Pear Tart, Lady Bug Spellbinders Nestabilities Dies: Classic Circle Nestabilities Die Lg-3 &... Read more →

February JustRite Calendar

Finally, my February calendar is done . . . I've been lost without it! I think this year I'm going to make a smaller version and use some 4-inch coasters I've had forever. This smaller version will take up a little less space on my desk than my previous 6-inch version (we can all use extra space, now can't we?!!) and will be a little easier to mail off to Grandma, too! The printed calendar I created is sized to fit Spellbinders Labels One die #4 perfectly (I'm sure it will fit any number of other shapes, too) and is available for download on my Tutorials & Downloads page HERE. You can find all the details on how I created it over at the JustRite Inspiration blog today, as I made it for the JustRite Friday Challenge 004: Crafty Calendars! So create your calendar and enter it for a chance to win a $50 JustRite gift certificate! Remember, you still have until 10pm CST tonight to enter for the chance to win a set of Copic Spica glitter pens (on THIS post), like the ones I used to color this cute JustRite floral heart! Read more →

JustRite Friday Challenge 003

We're celebrating Valentine's Day over at the JustRite Inspiration blog today. We hope you'll join us for another Friday Challenge, to show us your Valentine's Day projects! You could win a retail prize package worth $71.70, so why not enter?!! All the details for these Valentine treat containers and wrappers are there, so I hope you'll join me! It was the first time I've tried a digital hybrid project from Shabby Miss Jenn Designs and I picked up a new Valentine blog header while I was there! So let me know how you like my new blog look for Valentine's ... happy weekend! Read more →

JustRite Stampers Friday Challenge!

Are you ready for the very first JustRite Friday Challenge?!! We hope you'll start joining us each Friday over at the JustRite Stampers blog, for a new challenge each week which will include fantastic prizes! You can find all the details HERE. The challenge is to get creative with your JustRite fonts so here, I used the I and U from Times New Roman Uppercase set to enhance the glittered heart-punched shape in the center of the faux lollipop I created for the front of a kid's Valentine card. The center is popped up on foam tape and then I used JustRite's new 2" Round Decorative Frames around the center. Red gemstones enhance the design: For the envelope, I used a few different fonts all together on one Horizontal Wood Stamper, to spell out custom words: Just stamp repeatedly, to get a custom background for an envelope, card, scrapbook page, etc! We hope you'll join in with the JustRite Friday Challenge over the weekend. You have until next Thursday to make something and then post a link to the JustRite Challenge blog post. And don't forget, there's a big prize for the winner! I'll be back in just a bit... Read more →

You Want A {Paper} Piece Of Me?!!

Ha -- That's the theme of this month's Splitcoaststampers Dirty Dozen & Alumni challenge! Sorry I'm a little late with it today ... both my girls came down with the flu AND strep over the weekend, poor babies! They are on the mend, thank goodness, so I was able to get a little stamping done. The Challenge: Use paper piecing on your card (Check!) Required Element: Fall OR Christmas Colors (Check -- I have some reds & greens mixed in with all this pink, LOL!) Restricted Element: None (Yay!) I'd been wanting to use this adorable bird clothesline image from Taylored Expressions' new stamp release this month, Wings of Joy, and I knew it would be perfect for paper piecing! I began by stamping the whole image onto TE Choice Snow White cardstock and die cutting it with Spellbinders Scalloped Long Rectangle Nestabilities. Then I selectively inked (with a Memento Dew Drop) different parts of the image and stamped them onto patterned paper (Jolly by Golly from the TE Christmas Key Ingredients Kit). Each mitten, sock and cap were cut out and popped up on foam tape over the stamped image on the white cardstock. I tied some ribbon around... Read more →

World Card Making Day Events!

It's finally here -- World Card Making Day! I wanted to be sure you were aware of a few events today, so here are some details: I hope you'll join everyone over at Ellen Hutson's the CLASSroom today for some fun on World Card Making Day (beginning at 10am CST)! I'm hosting a color challenge at 3pm CST and I hope you'll play along ... you can find the details about my card (shown below) HERE and have the chance to win the products I used to make this card there as well! And Taylored Expressions wants to help you celebrate in 4 ways: 1. Free digital download - Head over to Taylor's blog for a free digi-stamp for the backs of all your holiday cards. 2. Free gift with purchase - today only, when you place an order in the TE Store you'll receive a free kit to make a card like the one pictured HERE. Orders must be received by 11 pm PST October 3rd. It will not appear in your cart but will automatically be included in your package. 3. WCMD Challenge and Prize on the Stamp a Sweet Impression Blog! Hurry because the deadline to enter... Read more →

Taylored Expressions Key Ingredient Challenge

Did you know Taylored Expressions now has a Key Ingredients Kit subscription service? They also now offer a monthly charge program -- so instead of paying for all 3 months or 6 months of your subscription up front, they will charge your credit card on the 15th of each month of your subscription. The 6-month subscription breaks down to just $14.95 a month plus shipping! You can't beat that value for one of Taylor's customized, top-quality, color-coordinated kits! You can read all about how the subscription service works (including a sweet store discount!) by visiting THIS page. And Taylor made a video, showing what all you'll typically receive in your monthly kit -- you can see that HERE. These kits differ from the Key Ingredient Kits offered with each new stamp release on the 5th of the month, and will be shipped to you on the 15th of each month. Half of the Taylored Expressions Baker's Dozen design team are sharing some creations with this month's September Kit and we're gettin' spicy! Taylor issued a challenge for us to get inspired by the Bo Bunny paper collection name (Kitchen Spice) included in this month's kit, and to do some distressing... Read more →

DDA Dog Days Challenge

Once a month the Splitcoaststampers.com Dirty Dozen & Alumni Designers get back together for a reunion and someone issues a challenge. This month, the challenge was to use some kind of dog image or dog-related saying, to represent the dog days of summer. I had forgotten about the other required element of this challenge until I just went back and read it -- to use a "heat of summer" color scheme -- i.e. orange, red, mustard. Whew, I lucked out on that one, LOL! This orange striped Basic Grey paper just happened to be laying on my desk and things took off from there. I thought this would be a good birthday card for my brother, so that's where the custom label-maker sentiment came into play ... I hope he likes my sense of humor! I didn't think I'd be playing in this challenge since I couldn't remember if I had any dog stamps but my sweet, kind friend, Jami, took pity on me and mailed me some images -- thanks again, Jami! This cutie is from Whipper Snapper. I colored him with these Copic markers: YR12, YR04, YR09, E31, E33, E35, E25, E27, YG63 & W1. I used this... Read more →

JustRite Father's Day Frame

Here's the coordinating altered project to the Father's Day card I shared with you yesterday ... all finished! My husband desperately needed an updated picture of our girls for his office, so I chose this favorite from our trip last summer to St. Johns, USVI. This project was inspired by a challenge on Splitcoaststampers.com amongst all the current and alumni Dirty Dozen designers, to make a project that screams "school is out for the summer" ... anything to do with the beach definitely does that for me! A required element for the challenge was mini brads and a restricted element was buttons. I used mini brads to anchor the scalloped velvet ribbon in place. This is a 7"x9" wood frame from Michael's, covered in more coordinating paper from the Imaginisce Summer Cool collection that I used on the card. I used Mod Podge to adhere the papers and ribbon to the frame, and then gave all the papers a protective top coat of Mod Podge as well. I used the coordinating stamp center to the "Happy Father's Day" border from JustRite's new 1-5/8" Favorite Occasions Borders & Centers (that I used on yesterday's card) which says #1 Dad for the... Read more →

Just For Fun: Neighborhood of Simplicity

Some sweet stamping friends of mine, Alli, Carole, Julie, Michele and Lori, invited me to play along in their Just For Fun monthly challenge they do. This month Lori chose this sweet Neighborhood of Simplicity stamp by Unity and Michele chose the cute paper by My Mind's Eye (Bloom & Grow-Eye Candy). Those are the only parameters -- use this stamp and paper and make something . . . lots of fun! Thanks for letting me play along this month, girls -- I totally enjoyed it!! The neighborhood was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with these Copic markers: This image was so much fun to color! It's matted with SU's Taken with Teal cardstock. I punched the edges of the patterned paper with Fiskar's Threading Water punch and matted it with Stampin' Up's Ruby cardstock. Papertrey Ink's Paper Tray sentiment, Hero Arts flower & button on a 5" square card. I used this week's CPS #108 for the layout. Gotta keep it short and sweet today -- I'm off to play with some wonderful stamping friends! Thanks again for inviting me to participate in today's JFF challenge, girls! Read more →

WSC73 and Dirty Dozen Challenge

This week, Cami is hosting the Weekend Sketch Challenge -- you can find the sketch and her sample on her blog, linked above. I also combined this challenge with the monthly SplitcoastStampers.com Dirty Dozen Design Team/Alumni challenge -- to remake one of your oldest cards, changing at least three elements! I just so happened to have used this same layout on a card that I posted within my first two months as a Splitcoast member (October 2004) ... here it is (please be gentle!): The full details about the above card can be found at my Splitcoast upload HERE. And here's my remake of the card today (and sample for Cami's sketch): This card makes me smile, on the first day of Spring! I changed the stamps, ribbon ties at the tops of the squares, and the colors/cardstock to patterned vellum. I thought it was funny I was working with Inchies, even over four years ago! My Inchies today, are mounted on the lovely museum-quality matboard White Inchie Squares by Inchie Arts. Karen Lockhart's fruit images were a perfect fit with these gorgeous new Webster's Pages Designer Vellum cards. I used Lockhart's Strawberries #2067, Apples in Chintz Bowl #2054, and... Read more →

Pink Chocolate Olive Kisses!

Yes, another strange title, I know! This card is a combination of today's color challenge over at SplitcoastStampers.com (pink, chocolate and olive/kiwi) and this week's kissing challenge at Gina K's Stamp TV. It had been ages since I'd done this technique, so I thought I'd give it a try again! The solid Kim Hughes Silhouette Blooms II stamp was inked with Stampin' Up's Regal Rose ink pad on the flower portion and then kissed with the dandelion head from Gina K's Make A Wish stamp set that was inked with SU's Pink Passion ink. This gives a subtle texture and color variation to the flowers: The birthday sentiment is also from this Kim Hughes set. The edges of the focal image were sponged with Antique Linen Distress ink and pierced. Martha Stewart's Doily Lace punch was used on the BasicGrey Infuse patterned paper. Supplies: Papertrey Ink Dark Chocolate cardstock & satin ribbon Neenah Classic Natural White cardstock, BasicGrey Infuse patterned paper, Kim Hughes Silhouette Blooms II stamp set, Tim Holtz Edge Distresser, paper piercing tool, Ranger Distress Ink, Memento Rich Cocoa ink & Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch available from Ellen Hutson LLC Gina K Designs Make A Wish stamp... Read more →

Chocolate Dragonfly Birthday

That title sounds like an exotic delicacy, doesn't it?!! Well, this chocolate dragonfly isn't edible but she sure is pretty accented in coral, isn't she? This sweet Dragonfly stamp is Karen Lockhart's creation. She was stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa ink onto Gina K's Pure Luxury white cardstock and colored with these Copic markers: E25, R20, R22, YR21, W2 and accented with Copic's new Chocolate Atyou Spica glitter pen. She was cut out with Spellbinders Pinking Circle Nestabilities die. The background was Copic airbrushed with YR21 Sketch marker. If you click on the photo below for a larger view, you might be able to see that pretty sparkly chocolate glitter: The color scheme (apricot, coral & chocolate) came from the "For The Love of Chocolate" Virtual Stamp Night challenge over at SplitcoastStampers.com tonight (Friday). The challenges begin again at noon on Saturday and continue until 11pm. So come on over and join in the fun -- you could even have the chance to win a prize! I used CPS#103 for the layout of this 5.25" square card. Papertrey Ink's Dark Chocolate cardstock is the base and I just happened to find the challenge color combo in this new mat pad... Read more →