Thursday, May 28, 2015

Happy Card

Hello, here is a card I just made for inspiration to the "Banner" challenge at the Blue Moon Creation Crafting Station.  Enjoy!


Monday, May 25, 2015

Flowery Note Keeper


Here is my Flowery Note Keeper project that I made for the Linnie Blooms/ Stampendous Blog Hop, I hope you like it.



This started out as a simple block of wood, and with the help of some fabulous supplies I transformed it into this really practical and cute (if I do say so) piece.


You too can make this by doing the following.

Step1. Paint the block and clothes pin. Let dry.

Step 2. Paint canvas flowers and butterfly.  Let dry.


Step 3.  Stamp with embossing or pigment ink using Stampendous stamps (Cling Hydrangea) and Stampendous powder (Crystal) on a piece of card stock.  Heat set.


Step 4.  Stamp again with just ink.

Step 5.  Stamp painted canvas flowers with Flower stamp and Black ink.  Also stamp the painted canvas butterfly with the butterfly stamp and black ink (Both sides)


Step 6.  Cut out flower images from card stock and create depth with a stylus.


Step 7.  Cut canvas flowers. Cut Butterfly in half.

Step 8.  Begin assembling the pieces with glue (I used Aleene's Tacky Glue) and some dimensional foam tape.

Step 9.  Add some detail (seed beads for flower centres.) Twist a piece of green trim for the butterfly's body and glue in place. on top of the clothes pin.  Use a black pen to add high lights.

Step 10.  Attach pink ribbon and clothes pin with more glue.

Supplies used:
Wood Block 3 x 5: Linnie Blooms
Card Stock: Lilac (Staples)
Pigment Stamp Ink: Stampin' Up! in Orchid Opulence
Black Ink pad: Staz-on by Imagine Crafts
Black marker: Faber Castell
Embossing Powder: Stampendous Encrusted Jewel Kit (Crystal Embossing Powder)
Stamps: Stampendous "Cling Hydrangea Garden", and Birthday Wish
Jumbo Stamp Handle: Stampendous
Ribbon: Linnie Blooms
Canvas Petal Flowers:  Linnie Blooms
Canvas Butterfly: Linnie Blooms
Clothes pin: Linnie Blooms
Beads: from my stash
Adhesive: Aleene's Tacky Glue
Dimensional foam tape: Multicrafts
Acrylic Craft Paints: DecoArt in Bright Yellow, Lavender, and Soft Green

Thank you for stopping by.  Please leave me some comments, and follow me on social media.  All links are in the side bars.




Our Designers Links:

Ann Strecko Koeman (you are here)

Gail Green

Karen Sessions

Noelia Iglesias Gonzalez 

Mayoori Jain

Trish Cortez

Dawn Mattson


And here are the links to the Stampendous Blog Hoppers:

At the end of the blog hop, Linnie Blooms will be giving away a FREE All New DIY Home Decor Kit!  So be sure to leave a comment on our Designer's blog to be entered to win!








Friday, May 22, 2015

Flowers in my Art Journal

Hey!  Today I have more than one project or tip to share with you.  I recently felt inspired to make the following page in my Canson Mix Media art journal.  I share this project also over at the Linnie Blooms blog (over here).


Supplies:
Carson Mix Media 90 lbs, 7 x 10 journal
Linnie Blooms canvas Petal Flower
Linnie Blooms Flower Blooms Stencil and Mask set
Colorbox stamp inks
Sakura Pigma Micron pens
Colourarte Shimmering H2O in Vanilla

Thanks for stopping by!

Tips For Saving Money When Working With Clays

As you may already know I work with Creative Paperclay® modelling material for the Company Design Team.  This is a wonderful product that air dries to a very smooth finish and is truly a delight to work and play with.  I design all sorts of projects every day, in many different types of mediums.  I work with a variety of tools as well.  My tools are precious to me and I take care of my investment.  However, there are also a lot of temporary tools or disposable tools that I need to use in making things, and I do not want to spend a lot of money on those.  So, I often shop for materials and even some tools at the dollar stores in my area.  Here are a few items I have found at Dollarama  that may not be sold as crafting materials but I use them for that very purpose.


Here I use a rotating cupcake decorating stand covered with cellophane wrap.  Both were found in the kitchen department of the store and each item cost just over one dollar.  In the same section I found toothpicks and aluminum foil.  I use the foil as a base to be covered with the Creative paperclay® as well as the toothpick to hold the parts of my project together.


By placing my project on the plastic covered cupcake stand I have an elevated surface that I can spin and move as I mould and shape the clay. Before I forget, that green mat is also from the kitchen aisle, it is a small cutting board.  These boards are the perfect size to hold my projects and I can just move my entire project easily.

In the tool section I found some sanding blocks.  The block is a sponge covered in fine sandpaper which is ideal for working with this material. I also found these inexpensive brushes that are perfect for dusting away any dust left behind after the sanding process.

Over in the health and beauty aisle I found this cuticle stick and travel size spray bottle.  I use the cuticle stick as a tool for smoothing and marking.  I fill the bottle with water to spritz my project as I work on it to keep it from drying too quickly and to help smooth it out.



So, there you go.  I just shared with you how you too can be crafty on a budget by shopping for some of your crafting materials and tools at dollar stores.

*  I would also like to thank Sandits for their contribution of the set of sanding tools.

I hope that you have enjoyed my tips, and thanks for dropping by.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Grow

Hi, today I am sharing this card that I made over at the Blue Moon Crafting Station as inspiration for the new "Banners" challenge.  It is a happy card that was fun to make:


The digital image is a  "Spiced Sunshine " Stamp image available at the Etsy store here.

Supplies used include:
Card by Recollections (Michael's)
Scraps of printed paper
Scrap of yarn
Alphabet stickers (Dollarama)
Mesh (upcycled)
Copic Markers: YR65, Y08, YR61, YG03
Spectrum Noir Markers: BP2, PP5, BP6
Glue (Elmer's)
Double sided foam adhesive (Dollar Tree)


Thanks for stopping by.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Card Time

When One Door closes, remember to look through the Opened Window.


Hi today I have a card that I made with The Robin's Nest products and for their blog.  The theme this month is about opening your own door to opportunity.

And here is the inside:

That's right I used the plain white side of the card stock as my card's cover and the printed card stock on the inside.  I know this appears to break some rules in card making, but you know what ? Real creatives don't believe in rules!

In addition to products from Robin's Nest (see links over at the RN blog)
I used:
Aleene's Tacky glue
Ranger's Archival ink in Jet Black
Prismacolor coloring pencils
Gold Gel Ink pen (Dollarama)
Door Stamp by Serendipity Stamps

I am nearing the end of my term over at the RN blog, only two more projects to go!  So this card is really fitting!
I am so looking forward to the other new opportunities that await me, and I also look forward to sharing those with you!

Thanks for stopping by.  Stay creative.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Tweet Tweet Card

                                                            Cute card crafting today.

Hi, thanks for stopping by to check out my project that I made for the "Buttons" theme over at the Blue Moon Creation Crafting Station, hope you find it "Tweet". :)


See more digital stamps at: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/SpicedSunshineDigis

"Buttons" theme challenge going on for one more week over at the Blue Moon Creation Crafting Station blog.

Thanks for stopping by,

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

The Only How To Pocket Letter Resources You will Ever Need

Pocket Letters people!  Have you heard about these?  What are they?  Well, let me shed some light on this topic.

Once upon a time a sweet blogger named Janette was looking for a way to make her "Project Life" hobby more affordable, and then she thought of using those nine pocket trading card protector pages. Well, that was way back in January 2015, fast forward five months and we are here.  Incredible how  one little spark of an idea  has gone wild!

I heard about this new trendy hobby and thought two things:  What is it? And, do I need another hobby?  Ok, so let's not discuss the obvious answer to the second question, please.  I already answered the first question in a previous blog post that you can read here.  Now, I have even done a guest post on the same subject over here.  I am not done talking about this yet, either!

I am really into making my very own letters in those pocket pages and making new friends as I go.  I am also just making more new things, period!

Last week I was dabbling with some Creative Paperclay® and made what I  think are some really cute paper clips, here.  This week I will be making something else.  Today I am sharing with you my new organization/storage kit for making Pocket Letters.

I already had this tote bag, given to me at CHA back in January.  I had bought these three storage boxes at Dollarama a couple months ago, and I was just saving them for the right project.  The three boxes fit nicely into the bag.  So there you have it my system cost me a grand total of 9$ Canadian!  Not too bad I think.

I left the labels on some of the boxes just to show you where I bought them.  The compartments inside are adjustable and just the right size to store those pocket sized cards, pieces of paper, ephemera, and every other goody I will use to make the letters.

There is even a section in which I have place a bunch of ribbon I made.


In another section there are tiny zip lock type bags that hold a bunch of dies cuts and punched out shapes.

To find your own pals to exchange with just go on Facebook and type in Pocket Letters.

So what types of ephemera and trinkets  can we include in our pockets?  Hmmm, the sky is the limit!  Well, maybe the size of the pocket is the only limit!  Most people like to swap samples of supplies and Tea bags the most.

Here is a list of some things I have included in the pockets:
a quote
a letter
a few questions for my pal
a brief explanation of what pocket letter is
my information, so the recipient knows that I made it
a tea bag
some candy or chocolate (careful chocolate might melt in hot weather)
hair barrettes
small nail file
buttons
washi tape wrapped around a piece of clear plastic (cut from packaging)
a decorative playing card
scrapbook papers
stamped images
stickers
paper clips
labels
die cuts
ribbons
colourful safety pins
tiny clothes pins
small pencil
sequins
confetti

Let me know what you have included and what you would like for me to make to go inside these pockets.  Have fun and stay crafty!

Thanks for stopping by.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Steam Punk Cage Dress Form

Re-Posting for Robin's Nest Design Team application:
http://www.shop.robinsnest-scrap.net/main.sc

Altered Art for the Robin's Nest Design Team.  Here is my Steam Punk Cage Dress Form that I made for my project this month over at the RN blog.  It was fun to make this:


First I painted with a metallic acrylic paint all the pieces on both sides.  Once the paint was dry. I added some Distressed ink with a sponge dauber.  I covered the mannequin in a paper dress made from some Robin's Nest paper.  I added more ink.  All the pieces were assembled and glued together. The metal and paper decorations, glitter, and thread were glued on.  A final spray of some Shimmering distress ink was sprayed to give the piece an aged effect.

Supplies:
Robin's Nest:  12 x 12 paper in Brick-Glitter-Cardstock-

                          Dew Drops
                                  http://www.shop.robinsnest-scrap.net/Fresh-Mowed-Grass-Dew-Drops
                                  http://www.shop.robinsnest-scrap.net/Metallic-Gold-Dew-Drops
                          Embellishments http://www.shop.robinsnest-scrap.net/Saffron-Straw-straw-   saffron.htm?categoryId=-1

Adhesive by Beacon
Bronze Glitter by Recollections
Copper Acrylic Paint by Liquitex
Thread
Chipboard Steam punk cage dress form from Gina's Designs.


Please stop by the Chattering Robin's Blog http://chatteringrobins.blogspot.com/2015/05/altered-steampunk-cage-dress-form.htmlfor lots more ideas.  Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, May 8, 2015

Owl Paperclips

Owl paperclips and other easy to make embellishments are what I am posting about today.  Here and over at the Creative Paperclay® modeling material blog.



In order to make even more sweet small embellishments to share with my fellow Pocket Letter exchanges I have come up with this economical and fun way to add to my stash of supplies.  The other great benefit of making my own is that by using this  Creative Paperclay® modeling material, the embellishments end up being very light weight , which is a bonus for reducing mailing costs!


I used a silicone mould from the Martha Stewart collection (sorry I don't have the exact title), and Creative Paperclay®.  After popping out the owl, I let it dry.  I sanded the rough edges away with "Sandits"painted the owl with gold coloured nail polish from  Dollarama (Mariposa).
Once the owl was dry I glued it  on to a paperclip (Staples) with some very good glue by Beacon (Gem-Tac).  I let it set for 24 hours.  That is now one very solid and usable paperclip!

Thank you to the following companies for their contributions:

Creative Paperclay® Modeling Material (www.paperclay.com)
Sandits tools (http://shop.sandits.com)
Beacon Adhesives (http://beaconadhesives.com)
Other supplies: Martha stewart "Owl" mould, Staples paperclips, Dollarama nail polish

Thank you for stopping by.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Buttons for Blue Moon

Buttons are in!  The Blue Moon Creation Crafting Station challenges are back on and we have some new digitals and stamps to play with!  So go on over to the new Facebook page for Blue Moon Creations Crafting Station and check out what the Design Team is doing and get some ideas on how to make your very own awesome cards.

On Thursdays I will be posting my own designs over on the Facebook page as well as here on my blog.  Each challenge will run for two weeks based on a theme.  This week and next is "Buttons".  So come along and play with us.


Here is my card which I used ALOT of buttons and glitter.
Digital and Stamps available at: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/SpicedSunshineDigis

I hope you like buttons as much as I do.  thanks for stopping by.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Pocket Size Handmade Notebook

Pocket size notebooks and crafts is what I am  into these days.

Hi, and welcome to today's post about these little pocket size handmade paper notebooks I am making.  I have been interested in making small pieces of crafty goodies that fit inside  those pockets of pocket page protectors, lately.  I am participating and creating in this new trend of Pocket Letter Pals.  So, as I was pondering what project I could make for the Arnold Grummer Design Team and blog this week, and I came up with this:


Here is my handmade paper and sewn pocket size note booklet!


Over at the AG blog I explain the steps and give the links to make your own handmade paper from recycled junk mail.  I also explain how I made this particular note book.

To make something similar to fit into the one or all the nine pockets of a pocket protector page and exchange with one of your pals here are the directions for what you need to do.

1. Select a paper and cut it to measure 5 1/4" by 3 3/4" for the cover.

2.  Select and cut two pieces of paper to measure 5" x 3 1/2" each.

3. Score each of the papers down the centre.

4. Stack the three papers and stitch by machine or hand down the scored centre line.  This will create the spine of the notebook.


Other methods of attaching the pages and cover together include stapling and gluing.

If you are interested in learning how to make handmade paper and recycle some junk mail, visit the AG blog and watch the tutorial videos.

Here is a coupon code for you to use at the AG shop:

Spring20