PaperFections

Circle Stamping

Spring has sprung, friends, and I've been in a very floral mood recently! From planting flowers in my yard, to "planting" them on paper, too! I spent a few evenings of Spring Break in our hotel room stamping and coloring, and these were some results: I've been wanting to try my hand at circle (or wreath) stamping and came up with a template similar to an awesome idea and tool Gina K created with her wreath builder kit and template. Until such time as her template is back in stock and I can get my hands on it, here's a look at the template I created: I used a 6" square piece of X-Press It Stencil Sheet (made of thick vinyl with repositionable adhesive on the back). Or another great product to make the template with would have been Ellen Hutson's Art Magnetic Masking Material -- especially with use in the magnetic MISTI! Note: You will need to use the original MISTI if using a 6-inch square template, as the 6-inch template will not fit into the Mini MISTI. Then I cut two 4-inch squares in the stencil material, using my paper trimmer (I used a 4-inch cut piece of... Read more →

Masking Using Die Cuts

Today I’m excited to share a masking technique easily made with stamps’ coordinating dies! As you read this, my family and I will be settling into a new home we recently purchased. So I decided to create a piece of artwork to commemorate the occasion using Taylored Expressions Happy New Home stamp set which includes the coordinating dies! I hope you'll join me today over on the Taylored Expressions blog for the full tutorial! Read more →

Masking Tutorial

Today over in Ellen Hutson's the CLASSroom I have a tutorial on how to use masks to create a dimensional scene. Except for the fence and tag this card is all one layer, colored and airbrushed with Copic markers, using more of Julie Ebersole's new Holiday 2015 stamp releases! And speaking of that new release of stamp sets and dies, don't forget you still have until next Tuesday, Aug 11 to comment on my blog post below this one (Essentials by Ellen Holiday 2015 Release Hop) for your chance to win the stamp set I am giving away AND don't forget to enter on this blog post over in the CLASSroom for your chance to win the entire new release of stamp sets and dies! Happy weekend! Read more →

Spooky Halloween Home Decor

Happy October, everyone! With Halloween just around the corner, I made a cute home decor piece out of My Favorite Things fabulous Felt and Die-namics. You can find the full tutorial over at the MFT blog today here. I hope you'll join me there! Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY in the post below this one -- you still have until the end of Wednesday, October 8 to do so . . . Good Luck! Read more →

Essentials by Ellen Clear Stamps & Designer Dies Debut & Giveaway!

Welcome to the Essentials by Ellen Blog Hop! We’re so excited to unveil a brand new line of high quality Clear Stamp Sets and Designer Dies, designed by my sweet, dear friend Julie Ebersole exclusively for another dear, sweet friend Ellen Hutson LLC! This collection reflects an eclectic mix of images, sentiments and art styles that are sure to appeal to a wide range of tastes! Just in time for holiday crafting, the entire release is available now at Ellen Hutson LLC (and there's even a Get-It-All option!) All Essentials by Ellen Stamp Sets and Dies arrive in a signature storage package with an (AWESOME and available separately!) durable clear envelope and a labeled cardstock backer for convenient storage and organization. The die packaging features an attached magnetic sheet (more awesomness, also available separately!), to ensure that even the smallest of your dies is stored securely! And best of all, they are now available in their own category right HERE at Ellen Hutson LLC! Enjoy and happy World Cardmaking Day! PROJECTS (all supplies are linked at bottom of post): I had fun making some more Copic "watercolor" backgrounds for these Christmas cards (except this time I used Ranger Specialty Stamping... Read more →

MFT September New Product Launch!

The time has come . . . Welcome to the September 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! Be sure to leave a comment here on my 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 newest illustrator, Miss Tiina's, adorable new Cute Critters stamp set and coordinating Cute Critters Die-namics! The first project I have for you is a cute fox pencil box (say that fast three times!): Isn't he adorable?!! Mr. Fox was stamped with Black Licorice Hybrid Ink onto Copic X-Press It Blending Card and die cut with his coordinating Die-namics. He was colored with Copic Sketch markers (colors listed below in Supply section) and popped up on foam tape on his tree stump (stamped with Chocolate Brown Hybrid Ink onto Kraft cardstock and shaded with E42 Copic marker). The pencil sentiment is from Birdie Brown's Class Act stamp set. It was stamped with Chocolate Brown Hybrid Ink onto Primitive Cream cardstock, die cut... Read more →

MFT July New Product Launch!

The time has come . . . Welcome to the July New Product Launch with 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 the awesome new Cupcake Stand Die-namics. You'll find a fabulous instructional video on how to assemble your Cupcake Stand on the MFT website HERE. First, I made a sweet cupcake pincushion jar topper with the large scalloped circle, which measures almost 3.75" in diameter, out of MFT's fabulous Felt and a 4oz jelly canning jar! Here are the steps to create the pincushion: 1. Die cut Blu Raspberry felt with large scalloped circle die from Cupcake Stand Die-namics. Also die cut felt using dies from Blueprints 12: flower (Sweet Tooth), leaves (Jellybean Green), and flower center circle (Cotton Candy). 2. Stitch die cut felt pieces to large scalloped circle. 3. Next, you can... Read more →

MFT June 2014 Release Countdown-Day 1 & Gift Card Tutorial!

The June My Favorite Things Release is just one day away … Tomorrow night all the new June products will go live in the MFT Boutique! 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! My sample today uses the fun new At The Office stamp set and Blueprints 16 to create a gift card holder! When I first saw this fun stamp set, the highlight circle reminded me of the ring a coffee cup would make on furniture … so coffee is the direction my thoughts went. I must not have had my daily allowance yet that morning, LOL! So then I set out to make a coffee cup. Luckily, my Fishbowl Die-namics set was still sitting out on my desk from last month’s release and it turned out to be just the right size and shape! This is the inner bowl or water portion, die cut from Primitive White cardstock. To create the cup’s handle, I cut a small circular frame using two Circle STAX dies: Oh, and that “coffee stain ring”... Read more →

MFT June 2014 Release Countdown-Day 6 & Copic Coloring Tutorial

Welcome back to the My Favorite Things June Release Countdown – just 6 days left until the new products are available on June 10! 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! My sample today uses three of the four new products being featured today, a darling new Birdie Brown Every Day Is a Picnic and Gingham Background stamps, Every Day Is a Picnic Die-namics, along with Blueprints 16 from yesterday! There are so many great possibilities with Blueprints 16 and today I made flap/tuck card with it: I went out of my comfort zone and challenged myself to use a color a rarely do – purple! (I guess I better get used to it – it’s the whole school district’s color around here … for every school!) I think this combo of MFT’s Grape Jelly and Grapesicle is so pretty together! This is kinda-sorta a one-layer card … at least for me! :) The base is made from Primitive White cardstock, cut lengthwise for a top-fold card. When I used the rounded... Read more →

MFT Guest Copic Coloring Tutorial

Hello, friends! I wanted to let you know you can find my June calendar over on the My Favorite Things blog today, along with a Copic coloring tutorial for sweet Miss Sassitude here ... I hope you'll join me! I'll be back tomorrow with our June MFT teaser countdown sneak peeks, so I hope you'll meet me be back here then! Read more →

MFT May Release Countdown 6 and Copic Coloring Tutorial

Welcome back to our second day of MFT's May Release Countdown . . . Be sure to head over to the MFT Blog to see today’s full stamp set and die reveals! Today the design team is featuring one of my favorite new MFT stamp lines, Birdie Brown, in her new stamp set, Let's Hang Out: She reminds me SO much of my oldest tomboy daughter, so I wanted to create a Father's Day card for her to give her Daddy! I kept the colors of the card masculine, using blues and greens. I have a Copic tutorial for you, on how I colored Birdie (click on photos for larger views): 1. Stamp girl with Black Licorice Hybrid Ink onto Copic X-Press It Blending Card die cut with coordinating Let's Hang Out Die-namics. Color the overalls in a base coat of B32, then add medium shading with B34. Leave fold marks in overall legs white (uncolored) or create the creases by using Copic Colorless Blender marker to push away color from those areas. 2. Blend the shading (B34) into the B32 base coat, using lightest B32. Add deeper shading to pockets and far edges with darkest B37. 3. Place Copic... Read more →

February 2014 Calendar & Copic Tutorial

I bet you thought I forgot about my February calendar? Just a little delayed with a lot of big changes at my day job, but here it is! You may have expected a Valentine theme, but February seems to be a really BIG birthday month amongst a LOT of my friends (including myself!), so I went with a birthday theme this month! I have a Copic coloring balloons / transparent objects tuturial over at StampTV for this cute little bird and his balloons (from the current Journey of the Heart StampTV kit). You can find the tutorial HERE. Thanks for stopping by! {Supplies} GKD Stamps: January 2014 Journey of the Heart StampTV Kit (Party On set), Lots of Letters (numbers) by Melanie Muenchinger, Simple Numbers (February month) by Tami Mayberry, Calendar Grid Digital Stamp (printed at 75%), GKD Pure Luxury Cardstock: White Layering Weight GKD Color Companions Ink: Black, Innocent Pink, Passionate Pink Copic Sketch Markers: BV00, BV01, TV21, RV23, Y00, Y02, YG01, YG03, B00, B01, YR01, YR02 Other: Copic Foam Tape, Authentique Smitten 6x6 paper, MME Enamel Dots Related articles January Calendar Read more →

Copic Fall Leaves

Hello and happy November! I adore all the deep, vibrant colors of Fall so today over in Ellen Hutson's the CLASSroom I have a tutorial for you, on how to create these beautiful Copic Fall leaves out of a "polished stone" custom backgrond paper. I hope you'll join me! Read more →

JustRite & Faber-Castel Mixed Media Blog Hop 1

Hello and welcome to day one of the JustRite Papercraft and Faber-Castell mixed media 2-day blog hop! For today's project, I chose to use Faber-Castell's Gelatos. Gelatos are an emollient-based water-soluble medium that glide smoothly onto nearly any surface to create rich swaths of pure color. They may be blended without water using your fingertip or a blending tool, or with water using a paintbrush or damp cloth. They are buttery smooth, like painting with lipstick! There is no oily residue and their water-soluble qualities make them very compatible with other mediums. Use on all types of paper, cloth,canvas, wood and other porous surfaces as well as rubber, foam and clear stamps. They are availabel in 22 yummy opaque colors and 6 shimmering metallics. They are light fast, acid free, archival, odorless, watersoluble, permanent and work great on dark surfaces. I also used JustRite's French Rose Background and Butterfly Dreams cling stamp sets and the brand new elegant clear Graceful Monogram set for my 6-inch canvas: (Click on any photo for a larger view) Directions: 1. First, spritz the rubber background stamp with water; this helps the Gelatos glide on smoothly. 2. Then color directly on the stamp with the... Read more →

Coloring Reds with Copic Markers

'Tis the season for coloring lots of things red! Believe Poinsettia Collage stamp by Memory Box. If you need a few tips on coloring things red with your Copic markers, please check out the tutorial I have over on the Copic blog today! ~ Sharon Read more →