April 2017 Calendar Page

It's April! That means it's time to flip the calendar page. I seriously love how this months page came together. Totally makes me think Spring. I used the most adorable Die'sire Essentials die set from Crafter's Companion called Nature, along with beautiful papers from Sara Davies Rustic Cottage Signature Collection 6"x6" Paper Pack.

To create the soft yellow background on the page, I used a Mini Ink Blending Tool to apply a light blend of Mustard Seed Distress Ink.

I die cut extra layers of the branch and birds from kraft cardstock, and adhered them together to make the them thicker. This makes them sturdy, and easier to adhere to the page. The cloud to the far right is popped up with dimensional foam adhesive, the other 2 are glued flat to the page.

For a little Spring bing bling, I added tiny rhinestones to the eyes. And because it's Spring...I gave momma bird a nest to sit on.


Have a great day!

Check out the Crafter's Companion Pinterest Gallery for great ideas and tons of inspiration.


Supplies
Crafter's Companion USA Die'sire Essentials Dies - Nature
Crafter's Companion USA Rustic Cottage 6x6 Paper Pack
Crafter's Companion USA Kraft Cardstock
Gemini Machine
Distress Ink Mustard Seed
Ink Blending Tool
Art Glitter Elements - Earth Textures
Liquid Adhesive
Crystal Rhinestones
Dimensional Foam  Adhesive

Spectrum Noir March Challenge

We have an ANYTHING GOES challenge for you over at Spectrum Noir. Check it out:

Here's the bonus sketch to inspire you. The challenge is your choice...Anything Goes or the optional Sketch. Get all the challenge and prize details HERE. The only thing we ask is that you use Spectrum Noir coloring products on your project. Simple :)

I colored this absolutely ADORABLE image from My Favorite Things, using Spectrum Noir AquaBlend Watercolor Pencils: Apricot, Coral, Ginger, Grapefruit, Dove Grey, Dark Slate, Charcoal Brown, Sorrel, Parakeet, Bottle Green, Beeswax, Mango, Regal Blue, Aegean Blue, Chrome Orange and Dandelion

What a cute little Spring scene :) This card is sure to brighten a friends day. I die-cut the circle from Spectrum Aqua Watercolour cardstock using my MFT Cross-Stitch Circle STAX Die Set. Then I stamped the main image and "Hello" sentiment with black ink. Next I colored with the AquaBlend watercolor pencils and blended with a watercolor brush.

The bunny and chick are stamped on a scrap of watercolor cardstock, then colored, trimmed and adhered with dimensional foam adhesive. For the chick, I also inked up just the feet on the stamp and then stamped onto the circle panel. When I trimmed out the chick, I just cut off the feet. It's way easier that way...not to mention the added dimension.

I hope you have some crafty time this month to join our fun challenge. Make sure to enter your work for a chance to win £30/$30 in Spectrum Noir goodies here: March Spectrum Noir Challenge


Happy coloring!

Supplies:
Spectrum Noir AquaBlend Watercolor Pencils
Spectrum Aqua Watercolour Cardstock
Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock
My Favorite Things - Spring Friends Stamp Set
My Favorite Things Die-namics Cross-Stitch Circle STAX
My Favorite Things Die-namics Basic Stitch Lines
My Favorite Thing Plaid Patterns 6x6 Paper Pack
My Favorite Things Die-namics Blueprints 27 
My Favorite Things Die-namics Circle STAX Set 2
Pink Cardstock
VersaFine Onyx Black Ink
Water coloring brush
Clear Sequins
Gemini Die cutting Machine
Multi Matte Medium
Dimensional Foam Adhesive
Adhesive Tape Runner

April 2016 Calender Page

Hey there! Time to welcome in the new month with another calendar page.

Spring is a beautiful time of year here in Phoenix with all the flowers blooming. I decided my April page would represent a warm Spring day. I inked up the image from Crafter's Companion Sheena's A Little Bit Scenic - Silhouette Garden Set with a few pigment chalk inks. While the ink was still wet, I heat embossed with sparkly embossing powder.

The butterflies are diecut from Bebunni Floral Collection Butterfly and Bee Die Set. They are also embossed with the sparkly embossing powder. I popped them up with some foam adhesive and topped with black rhinestones.

TIP: To perfectly color match the butterflies, die-cut them from white cardstock and ink entire piece with same ink colors used for stamping.
  
Have a wonderful day!

Supplies:
Crafter's Companion Sheena's A Little Bit Scenic Silhouette Garden Stamp Set
Crafter's Companion Bebunni Floral Collection Butterfly & Bee Die Set
Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock
VersaMagic Ink Pads: Pink Grapefruit, Mango Madness, Pretty Petunia, Aloe Vera
JudiKins Iridescent Sparkle Embossing Powder
Black Gems
Heat Embossing Tool
Diecutting/Embossing Machine
Dimensional Foam Adhesive
Sponge Daubers

Rain or Shine

Good morning friends! Today starts a new challenge over at House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge Blog...and I'm the hostess.

House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #213 - Rain or Shine
I can't wait to see what YOU come up with for my theme. Get creative as you want with your House-Mouse & Friends images. Click HERE for challenge details, rules and prize info.

I had the perfect stamp for this challenge theme.

This stamp pretty much takes up the entire front of an A2 card. To get it layered, I did trim it down just a tad. You all know how much I love glitter and bling, so I added glossy accents to the raindrops and sprinkled crystal glitter on top. It's soooo sparkly!

The sentiment is from Great Impressions. It worked out perfectly with this stamp for the challenge. I colored everything (even the little wooden hearts) with my Spectrum Noir Blendable Pencils.

Spectrum Noir Blendable Colored Pencils:

• Flowers, Leaves, Stems - 014, 056, 058, 023, 026, 118
• Mailbox Wood Post - 094, 108
• Mailbox - 112, 114, 118, 120
• Skin - 005, 009, 008
• Fur - 087, 088, 094, 103, 108, 110
• Sky - 074
• Wood Hearts - 023, 026

Hop on over the the House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge Blog to see all the other design team projects. They are amazing...and I'm sure you will be inspired!

Our generous sponsor for this challenge is STAMPENDOUS!

Winner will receive a Fabulous $20 Value Reward Card

Need help coloring the House-Mouse mice? Check out the tutorial I did a while back over on the Spectrum Noir Blog.

I can't wait to see what YOU come up with for my challenge theme!

Supplies:
House-Mouse Designs - Special Delivery Stamp
Stickable Stamps by Great Impressions - #D504S Sentiment Stamp
Spectrum Noir Blendable Colored Pencils
Spectrum Noir Blending Solution
Spectrum Noir Blending Stumps
Spectrum Noir Paper Stumps File
Spectrum Noir Pencil Sharpener
Spectrum Noir Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock
Stitched Die
Freckled Fawn Wood Embellishments
Ranger Multi-Matte Medium
A Muse Studio Grass Cardstock
Bazzill Grey Cardstock
Memento Tuxedo Black Dye Ink
Versafine Onyx Black Ink
Glossy Accents
Crystal Glitter
Dimensional Foam Adhesive
Die-cutting/Embossing Machine

Hippity Hoppity

Hello friends! Happy Easter!

I just adore Brewster the bunny from Eat Cake Graphics. Naturally, I had to make an Easter card with him, but I'll be using him for some upcoming birthday cards. Getting more out of my stamps makes me wanna hippity hop down the bunny trail too! LOL!

To make the background, I sponged the clouds using a stencil and the hills with a hand-cut mask. The grass on the hills was stamped with the mask in place. The trees are stamped on white cardstock, colored, trimmed and adhered flat. Wanna know a great trick? Of course you do! The little areas on the trees, where the branches to into the tree...I didn't cut out those areas. I just colored the white cardstock using a blue marker to match the background sky color.

 
I also stamped the baby's breath with the mask down, using VersaMark ink and heat embossing with white ep. And because I just LOOOOVE glitter, I added on the flowers :) The sentiment banner is hand-cut and edged in crystal glitter. All the coloring is done with Spectrum Noir Markers. For a bit more bling, I added little a few colored sequins. Kinda looks like colored Easter eggs. I also used a couple die-cuts to make the frame for the card base.

Eat Cake Graphics Stamps:
5062-I Brewster bunny (foot up)
7004-C Baby's breath (left)
7003-C Baby's breath (right)
7020-D Row of grass
7069-O Little line of trees
8065-F Hippity hoppity Easter (text)

Easter Blessings!

 

Other Products:
Spectrum Noir Markers
Distress Inks and Ink Blending Tools
Neenah Cardstock
Colored Cardstock
Designer Patterened Cardstock
Memento Tuxedo Black Dye Ink
VersaMark Ink
Cloud Stencils
White Embossing Powder
Pretty Pink Posh Sequins
Crystal Glitter
Metal Dies
Die-cutting machine
Foam Adhesive
Glue Dots
Heat Tool

Always Be Kind

Hi! Here's a card I designed using images from Eat Cake Graphics that are as sweet as they come.

The girl and fence are 2 separate stamps that I used together to make my little scene. So cute! I colored with Spectrum Noir Markers. The little girl is called Violet. Her hair looked curly to me...so I used a super simple technique for coloring curls. If you would like to learn how to easily color curls, go check out the great video Spectrum Noir has a over on their blog HERE. You will also get other great coloring tips on the same video.

The Spectrum Noir Markers I used to color with:

• Hair - GB1, GB4, GB7
• Skin - FS1, FS2, TN3, CR2
• Dress & Bow - CR2, CR6, CR9, HB1, HB3
• Birds - BT1, IB2, GB3, Blender
• Fence - GB8, GB10, EB6
• Grass - DG1, DG2, CG2, Blender

The sentiment is also from Eat Cake Graphics. It's stamped and embossed with Stampendous Detail Capri Embossing Powder. It's one of the embossing powders in the Fran-tage Teal Encrusted Jewel Kit. The sun is a stamp and die are from a My Favorite Things set.
 
The Eat Cake Graphics Stamps I used are:

1213-O Violet and bluebird
6035-I Summer fence
8233-D Always be kind (text)

See ya later :)

Fresh Brewed Designs Bunny Challenge

Today we start a new challenge over on Fresh Brewed Designs: Bunnies. Get all the challenge and prize info on the blog HERE.

I used a Digi Image called Happy Hopper.

This bunny has scored BIG on a couple yummy carrots! I colored with Spectrum Noir Blendable Colored Pencils and gamsol. The carrot tops have FlowerSoft added on them. The carrots have a bit of orange glitter added. Loooooove that shimmer and bling!

I added some washi tape, bakers twine, orange rhinestones, grass border punch, and a sentiment word died that I die-cut out 3 times and stacked.

I hope you can join the challenge!

Supplies

Fresh Brewed Designs Digi Image Happy Hopper

Spectrum Noir Blendable Colored Pencils - 020, 022, 112, 009, 056, 058, 061

Gamsol and Blending Stumps

Neenah White Cardstock

Green Cardstock

Bakers Twine

FlowersSoft Shamrock Green

Orange Rhinestones

A Muse Studio Hello Die

Martha Stewart Grass Boarder Punch

Washi Tape

Diecutting/Embossing Machine

Foam Dimensional Adhesive

Spring is HERE!

Hello my crafty friends,

Today is the First Day of Spring. Are you excited?! Well...it looks like these little guys are!

I just adore all these fun stamps from Eat Cake Graphics. They make me soooo happy! I colored with my Spectrum Noir Markers as follows:

• Leaves CG4, CG3, CG1 
• Grasshoppers DG3, CG2, CG1
• Eyes IB2 
• Flowers GB4 
• Background BT1, GG1, Blender 

I stamped the leaves and grasshopper again on white cardstock, colored and fussy cut. You can see in the closeup pic how I popped up some of the leaves and the jumping grasshopper. I also added some glitter and glaze.

For the clouds I hand-cut a stencil and sponged Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. The die-cut cloud is from Memory Box, and worked perfectly for the sentiment. I also sponged a bit of distress ink on the top edges of that piece, plus added a few orange rhinestones.

The Eat Cake Graphics stamps that I used to design my fun first day of Spring card:

5028-B Grasshopper
7031-I Plant
7003-C Baby's breath (right)
7004-C Baby's breath (left)
7020-D Row of grass

Happy Spring!

Congratulations and Celebrations

Here's a card I designed using the new Church and Steeple Die from Crafter's Companion Die'sire Classiques Spring/Summer Die Collection

I diecut and embossed the church from white and dark grey cardstocks. Then, I cut out the parts I wanted to use from the grey and adhered on top of the white. A piece of patterned yellow cardstock is adhered on the back to show through the windows and door. The door is hinged, so it opens and closes. Super fun!

I also use the Die'sire Decorateive Die Nouveau Frame set. The church fit perfectly on the frames. The cloud is also new. It's called Head in the Clouds. LOVE! The sentiment is from Sentimentals Vintage Floral Collection - Phrases.  A few crystal rhinestones and satin grey ribbon complete the card.

Have a beautiful day!

Supplies
Crafter's Companion Die'sire Classique Spring/Summer Collection - Church and Steeple Die
and Head in the Clouds die set
Crafter's Companion Die'sire Decorative Die Collection- Nouveau Stamping Frame
Crafter's Companion Vintage Floral Sentimentals Collection - Phrases stamp set
Colored Cardstocks from A Muse Studio and Memory Box
Black Ink
Dimensional Foam Adhesive
Crystals
Ribbon
Diecutting/Embossing Machine

Ask a gardener

Time for another Challenge over at Fresh Brewed Designs!  Since Spring is right around the corner, let's see some Flowers. Get all the challenge and prize info on the blog HERE.

I used a digi image called Daffodil and Daisy.

I also used the digi image called Flower Planter. Everything is colored with markers. In the closeup you can see I added glitter to the flower petals.

What a perfect sentiment for the card! It's also a digi available from Fresh Brewed Designs - Ask a Gardener.

I hope you have time to play along with us.

Have a happy day :)

New Garden Birdhouse and Floral Flourish Dies

Hey crafters. Here's another card I made using 2 more dies from the NEW Crafter's Companion Die'sire Spring/Summer Die Collection.

Isn't that Garden Birdhouse Die adorable?! I die-cut 3 layers (2 white, 1 black) and stacked them to make the piece sturdy and dimensional. I love doing that with dies.  The other new die I used is the Floral Flourish. The size is PERFECT for a standard card. On both the birdhouse and the flourish, I sponged on Black Soot Distress ink. That really defines the embossed areas to show more details.

I stamped the background scene with Sheena's A Little Bit Scenic - Silhouette Garden  and Sheena's A Little Bit Sketchy - Wrought Iron stamp sets. Then sentiment is from the Vintage Floral Collection - Greetings stamp set. A few flower sequins ans crystal rhinestones in the centers were my final finishing touch.

Thanks for stoppin by!

Supplies
Dies - Crafter's Companion Die'sire Spring/Summer Die Collection Garden Birdhouse Die and Floral Flourish
Stamps - Crafter's Companion  Sheena's A Little Bit Scenic - Silhouette Garden stamp set; Sheena's A Little Bit Sketchy - Wrought Iron stamp set;  Vintage Floral Collection - Greetings stamp set 
Inks - Memento Dye Inks Grey Flannel and Cottage Ivy; Memento Luxe Ink Pear Tart; Distress Ink Black Soot; Versafine Onyx Black
Misc. - Foam Adhesive; Lawn Fawn Sequins; Cardstock and Papers from A Muse Studio

NEW Crafter's Companion Mediterranean Window Die

Hi! Today Crafter's Companion USA is releasing a NEW Die'sire Spring/Summer Die Collection.  Just wait till you see all these wonderful  dies!

Today I'm sharing the new Mediterranean Window Die. It comes with 2 dies - the window and the flower box. I used both on my card, but you can create with them individually.

I reeeeealllly love how this turned out! Best of all - YOU can make quick. The receiver of this card will think you spent hours on it! 

The window is die-cut and embossed. I adhered a panel of vellum behind the window only (not the shutters). Before I attached the window with foam tape to the blue cardstock panel, I adhered a die-cut heart flat down on the blue cardstock. I just held the window over where I wanted it to go to eyeball where to put the heart.

For the flower box, I die-cut the piece 2 times. On the first one I sponged green and red inks to shade the flowers. Then I colored the flower centers with a white gel pen. Then I added crystal glitter on all the flowers. For the 2nd die-cut piece, I cut off all the flowers and layered it on top of the first piece with foam tape. Then the entire piece is adhered to the bottom of the window. 

The sentiment is stamped on kraft cardstock, then cut down to make into 2 pieces. Both pieces are adhered flat. The larger heart is popped up with foam tape. The 2 tiny hearts are glued flat. That's pretty much it. You can change up the colors, use stars or flowers instead of hearts, or any other fun ideas you have. I can't wait to make some Halloween and Christmas themed "window" cards! 

Check out all the NEW Spring/Summer dies on the Crafter's Companion USA website HERE.

Check out what the Education Design Team has created to inspire you on the Blog and on Facebook.

Enjoy your day!

Supplies:
Die'sire Classique Dies - Mediterranean Window
Bebunni Floral Collection Dies - Hearts
Vintage Florals Collection Sentimentals - Phrases stamp set
Kraft Cardstock
White Cardstock
Vellum
Colored Cardstocks
Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
Distress Inks Barn Door and Peeled Paint
Crystal Glitter
White Gel Pen
Sanding Block
Dimensional Foam Adhesive
Diecut/embossing machine

Easter Eggstravaganza

NEW Fresh Brewed Designs Digi images are here!!!  And just in time for making some fun Spring and Easter cards. I totally should have done this blog post yesterday, but I've been sick in bed with the flu for 2 days. Maybe I need to make myself a feel better soon card? LOL!

I used the NEW Cutie Bug Easter Bunny digi image...and cutie it is! I'm all about the cute stuff. I colored with markers in Spring colors. Then I added crystal glitter. This is a tri-fold window card. When it's all folded up it looks like this:

The grass is a punch, the eggs and the sentiment are some rubber stamps I've had in my crafty stash from a loooooog time ago. The new Cutie Bug Easter Bunny is colored, cut out, and popped up on foam adhesive. The lime green rhinestone stickers add just a bit more green color to the front of the card, and pull the image and sentiment together. 
 

Make sure to hop on over the see ALL the NEW Spring Digi images. You'll want 'em ALL!