PaperFections

Spice of Life

It's release week for some more fabulous new Essentials by Ellen products! Are you loving the Leading Ladies as much as I am?!! Well, you are in luck because there is another wonderful new one added to the family this month ... Meet the Cozy Lady! She was SO much fun to color! I stamped her with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto X-Press It Blending Card, then used her coordinating die to die cut her. I used these Copic Sketch Markers to color her to match the hues in this wonderful new Reverse Confetti Every Little Bit patterned paper: The sentiment piece is another pattern of the RC Every Little Bit paper, die cut with Taylored Expressions Stitched Essentials banner. I love all the different items included in this stamp set that the Cozy Lady can carry in/on her arm, and that the die automatically cuts out her arm to carry them ... so clever! I opted for the cup of tea, to coordinate with the "friends are the spice of life" sentiment I chose. To create the basket of leaves accent, I used some fun new X-Press It Cork Deco Tape. I just applied the tape (it has an... Read more →

Thankful, Grateful, Blessed

The past week has been very humbling here in my south eastern part of Texas, to see the sometimes very destructive capabilities of Mother Nature. My family and I are definately counting our blessings and extremely grateful and thankful most of our friends and family are safe. I will be reminded of this time whenever I look at this DIY Fall sign I made: Here's how it came together: I started with an 8" x 11" inexpensive whitewashed plain wood plaque I found at Michaels. Next, I used my computer to generate and print the words I wanted, in two different fonts (please see this post for the fonts and where to get). After positioning the words, I secured them with washi tape on the right side: Next, I lifted up the printed words and placed X-Press It Graphite Transfer Paper under them (graphite side down, facing the plaque): Then I traced over the words. This Transfer Paper has graphite on one side (facing the plaque) and is white on the other side, so you can also run it through your printer, printing directly on it! This would save you one extra step, but I just wasn't in the mood... Read more →

Grateful Pumpkin

I adore white pumpkins – they are something different and unexpected! I also love the fabulous texture Taylored Expressions’ embossing folders bring to papercrafting, so today’s project combines a few of my favorite things into this grateful pumpkin shaped card: You can find all the details on how to create this layered pumpkin over on the Taylored Expressions blog today ... I look forward to seeing you there! Read more →

Gobble Til You Wobble!

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away ... are you ready? Maybe this little guy will help: He is a generously-sized 7-3/4" tall x 7-1/4" felt hot pad or coaster for your holiday table! You can get the full tutorial on how to make him today over in Ellen Hutson's the CLASSroom. I hope to see you there! Sharon Read more →

Wee Bit Wicked Faux Shaker Card

Today I have a fun watercolored faux shaker card to share, to get you ready for a happy Halloween week! I hope you'll join me over on the Taylored Expressions blog today for all the details! Read more →

Watercolor Emboss

Today I'm sharing a fun watercolor emboss technique in this week's Taylored Expressions newsletter. If you are not signed up to receive TE's newsletters, you can visit their blog HERE to subscribe for future newsletters AND find an archived link to this tutorial ... I hope you'll check it out! Read more →

Blessing Mix

Today I am looking ahead to next month and the start of the holiday season -- Thanksgiving! I have this fun "Blessing Mix" recipe and gift, with custom tag over on Ellen Hutson's the CLASSroom blog . . . I hope you'll join me there to get all the details on how you can spread some Fall cheer (including the recipe)! Read more →

Got Candy?

Happy weekend, everyone! Can you believe over half the month is over? Halloween will be here before you know it, so I thought I would whip up some cute treat boxes to have ready to go for holiday. You can find all the juicy details for these sweet treat pillow boxes over in Ellen Hutson's the CLASSroom today . . . I hope to see you there! Read more →

MFT November Release Countdown-Day 5

Welcome back to the My Favorite Things November Release Countdown -- The new products will be available in just five days on Tuesday night, November 11th! Be sure to head over to the MFT Blog to see today’s full product reveals AND enter for your chance to win a $75 gift voucher on each of the 7 countdown day blog posts there! My card uses these products being featured/revealed today (all linked at the end of this post): Comfy Sweater Die-namics, Cozy Greetings stamp set, Sweater Stitch Background and the Jumbo Dot Cover-up. First up is this golden Christmas card: I ADORE polka dots, so I was extremely excited for this particular background this month! I die cut it from Whip Cream cardstock, then layered it over a metallic gold card base. The beautiful Cozy Greetings sentiment was gold heat embossed onto a Whip Cream Stitched Rounded Rectangle STAX die cut. To accent the sentiment, I placed a metallic gold cardstock die cut fishtail flag (from Blueprints 20) behind it, and a popped up star accent (also from BP20). Inside, I stamped another Cozy Greeting in gold pigment ink onto a Stitched Rounded Rectangle STAX cut from Whip Cream cardstock,... Read more →

MFT DT September Creative Challenge: Halloween

Are you in the midst of preparing for a frightfully sweet Halloween season? This time of year presents so many opportunities for crafting -- everything from party invitations and spooky greetings to decor items and delightfully wicked favors. My Favorite Things has challenged the design team to up our Halloween game by creating a plethora of seasonal projects! Here's what I have for you today -- a bunch of felt Halloween decor items! A dimensional pumpkin and drink coasters (click on any photo for a larger view): First is a 3D pumpkin I made out of the Red Delicious (apple) Die-namics -- just change the color and you instantly change it from an apple to a pumpkin! To create the pumpkin, I die cut two layers of Orange Fizz Felt at once. I just folded the piece of felt in half and ran it through my Big Shot, along with MFT's Metal Adapter Plate to ensure a good, clean cut. I did this five times. The dies cut through the felt like butter! Next, I picked up each double layer of pumpkin and folded each pumpkin in half, held them together and machine stitched on the fold (you could also... Read more →

Leaf Negative WSC195

Hi, everyone -- I'm back with more Fall inspiration today, since I can't get enough of these beautiful Falling Leaves Die-namics from My Favorite Things! While cleaning up my desk after the end of last week's MFT September Release frenzy, I came across this leftover piece of negative die cut Wild Cherry cardstock and just had to put it to use! This week's Wednesday Stamp Club #195 sketch was my inspiration. As you can see, I loosely followed the sketch, but got just about all of the design elements included ... That's the fun with sketches, I think -- putting your own twist on them. You can find all the details about this week's sketch and prize info here (or click the sketch graphic). I also used this month's MFT Color Palette Challenge, since they are some of my favorite colors and I find them easy to work with. You can find all the details about the monthly color challenge here (and enter for your chance at winning a prize!). About my card: I inlaid two Factory Green die cut leaves into the Wild Cherry negative panel, stamped that great "Thanks" sentiment from the new Mason Jar Labels stamp set... Read more →

MFT August Release Rewind

Hello and welcome to the My Favorite Things August Release Rewind - Day 2! I hope to inspire you with more ideas for those new August products you've purchased and are patiently waiting on to be delivered, or to help you finish up your shopping, if you are still on the fence about anything! I didn't get a chance during the release to play with the adorable new Birdie Brown Witch Way is the Candy and her coordinating Die-namics or the Witch's Cauldron, so I have two projects using those products for you tonight! (All products used are linked at this bottom of the post). My first project is a candy jar that is currently hiding my stash of Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Nuggets (shhh, don't tell my kids!) -- yum!! I think it would also make a great teacher's gift, for their desk: I used a piece of MFT's Translucent Vellum to cover a 6-inch tall recycled olive jar (2.50" diameter), to give the jar a frosted look. The Spooky Scene Die-namics ghosts were die cut from the vellum before adhering it to the jar. Here's a little closer look at those cute ghosts -- you can see... Read more →

MFTWSC189

Hello and thank you for joining me today! I have another "bonus" August My Favorite Things New Product Launch project to share today, which (loosely!) uses MFT's new Weekly Stamp Club Sketch #189 <== Be sure to enter for your chance to win some MFT cash to spend in their online store!). Here's my card: I just can't get enough of the new Spider Web Cover-Up Die-namics -- I especially like it cut from Translucent Vellum! The vellum was adhered to a Rectangle Frame cut from Grape Jelly cardstock, stamped with the new Cheesecloth Background in Grape Jelly Premium Dye ink. I adhered the web and frame with foam tape over another one of my Copic "watercolor" backgrounds (created by spreading Copic Various Ink Refills on an acrylic block, spritzing it with Copic Colorless Blender Solution, then stamping it onto glossy cardstock). The Trick or Treat bats and spider were stamped with Black Licorice Hybrid ink onto their coordinating Die-namics, colored with T3, T5, and V12 Copic markers, glittered with Clear Wink of Stella glitter marker, and also popped up on foam tape. The adorable "boo" sentiment (love it!) die cut is also from the Trick or Treat Die-namics. I... Read more →

MFT August New Product Launch!

The time has come . . . Welcome to the August New Product Launch from My Favorite Things! This is the design team's chance to highlight and share more of the new release products that are NOW AVAILABLE for purchase at the MFT Store! Check out the MFT Blog for complete NPL details and be sure to leave a comment here on this blog post, to be entered for your chance at winning a $100 gift voucher (see last paragraph below for details)! Tonight I'm focusing on MFT's awesome new illustrator, Miss Tiina's, adorable and whimsical first products in her line, Trick or Treat stamp set and coordinating Die-namics: Here are my first projects -- a card and chalkboard candy dish: The card uses the current MFT Wednesday Stamp Club sketch #188. I started with a Grape Jelly card base, then added the Diagonal Stripes Background panel stamped in Black Licorice Premium Dye Ink on Smooth White cardstock. The Sour Apple and Grape Jelly watercolored Cheesecloth accent on the left is a leftover piece I trimmed off this card. The Black Licorice panel was splattered with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls Mist, to create a glittery night-time sky: The Trick or... Read more →

MFT August Release Countdown-Day 1

Welcome to countdown day 1 of My Favorite Things August Release! The new products will be available at 10pm Eastern TONIGHT, August 12! Be sure to head over to the MFT Blog to see today’s full product reveals AND enter for your chance to win a $75 gift voucher on each of the 7 countdown day blog posts! For my first project, I used today's featured fun new Spooky Scene Die-namics and Spooky Sentiments stamp set to create this card, which also uses the new MFT August Color Palette Challenge colors: I die cut each of the three different sweet ghosts (love these little guys!!) from this die set out of the three color challenge colors of cardstock: Nightshift Blue, Orange Fizz, and Fuse Green, and arranged them inside a Kraft cardstock Square Grid Cover-Up die cut on a Natural card base. You can find all the details about the monthly challenge here (click on graphic): The FAB-BOO-LOUS Spooky Sentiment was heat embossed on a Primitive White Dimensional Banner and popped up on foam tape. I think this card would also be a great for someone with an October birthday! Next, I used today's featured Spider Web Cover-Up with the... Read more →