Another Day in Paradise

Hi, everyone! :) Hope you had an amazing weekend... Just wanted to pop in and share a beach album I created using the super fun Splash paper collection from Echo Park.  For the past few years, we've been making a trip down to the Outer Banks for vacation before our daughter heads to school, and have always been lucky enough to avoid any major storms.  Unfortunately, the same can't be said about this year, thanks to Hurricane Irene and a forced evacuation.  While I definitely feel like our time in the OBX was cut way too short this year, I am thankful that we had beautiful weather while we were there! :)

(I created this album a few days before our trip this year, so these photos are of our 2010 trip.)

And just for good measure, one of my favorite pics from this year...

Have a great one!

Digital Doodles - Boo!

Hi, everyone... Hope you've all been having a great week! :) Today, I'm popping in to share some Halloween lollipops I created using the Happy Howl-loween kit from Digital Doodles, which is available over at TwoPeas today.

I used a couple of the images in the set for today's project (ghost and boo sentiment). I stretched the sentiments to make them larger, changed the colors, then printed and punched them out with my Marvy Mega Circle Punch. Then I attached the sentiments to black scallop circles, and adhered the ghosts to the back of the scallops before adhering the lollipops.

Have a great one!

Supplies:

Stamps - Happy Howl-loween (Digital Doodles)

Paper - True Black, Stamper's Select White

Ink - None

Miscellaneous - Ribbon, Green Pail, Marvy Giga Scallop Punch, Marvy Mega Circle Punch

Embellish Challenge w/Hearts

Hi everyone! Can you believe tomorrow is already Friday? I tell you, sometimes I blink and it feels like I've lost a week. LOL

I love the challenges over at Embellish, but it always seems like I run out of time before I get a chance to play. SO... I wanted to make sure I dug down deep and found some time to create something. Woot!

As soon as I saw the colors for this challenge (pink, red & black), I knew I wanted to create something with black and white photos... Why is it whenever I'm pressed for time, I always want to make something that requires *more* time than a card? LOL

Have a great day!

Instructions

Lid:

• Trim pink CS to fit lid of the tin, then stamp with polka dots.
• Distress edges and adhere to tin.
• Use small heart punch to punch out heart from red CS.
• Stamp leaf image in black ink onto heart.
• Arrange glitter letters on top of lid, then adhere once you're happy with the placement.
• Attach heart with pop dot.

Page 1:

• Trim red CS to fit coaster.
• Stamp background image in white ink onto red CS, then adhere to coaster.
• Cut out photo and adhere to center of the coaster.
• Add red bow, heart pins & embellish with black rhinestones.

Page 2:

• Trim black CS to fit coaster.
• Stamp polka dot image in white ink onto black CS, then adhere to coaster.
• Use Marvy Giga Circle Punch to punch out large circle from red CS.
• Use 2" circle punch to punch out photo.
• Adhere photo red cardstock, then attach to coaster base.
• Embellish with pink pearls and clear rhinestones.

Page 3:

• Trim pink CS to fit coaster.
• Stamp background image in white ink onto pink CS, then adhere to coaster.
• Trim photo and round corners before adding to coaster base.
• Stamp three medallion images from Giga Guide Lines in red ink onto white CS.
• Trim out and lightly bend "petals" upwards.
• Attach black buttons and add flowers to coaster base with pop dots.

Supplies:
Stamps - Polka Dot Basics 2, Turning a New Leaf, Background Basics: Diamonds, Background Basics: Retro, Giga Guide Lines
Ink - Versamark, True Black, Fresh Snow, Pure Poppy
Paper - Pure Poppy, True Black, Hibiscus Burst, Stamper's Select White
Miscellaneous - Tin, Black Glitter Thickers, Small Heart Punch, Distresser, Pure Poppy Grosgrain, Black Rhinestones, Pink Heart Pins, Clear Rhinestones, Pink Pearls, 2" Circle Punch, Marvy Giga Circle Punch, Black Buttons, Corner Rounder

JustRite Mega Font Hop

Welcome! :) If you're here today for the JustRite Mega Font Blog Hop, you should've found my blog by way of Angela Barkhouse's blog. If you'd like to start at the beginning of today's hop, please visit the JustRite blog. (Today is the second day of a two day hop! If you missed yesterday's blog hop you can find it by clicking here. )

I am SO excited to be one of the participants in today's blog hop. :) Not only are there a slew of projects to inspire you, you also have the chance to win some Mystery Candy! There are 3 Blog Candy prizes each day, which will go to 3 random commenter's from three random designers blogs. The Mystery is that no-one knows which blog is the one that will be giving away the candy – not even the designers! So, to win some JustRite Mystery Candy all you have to do is check out all the blogs, and comment on as many as you can from the two day hop. You have until Sunday at noon EST to leave your comments. Good luck, the lucky winner may be YOU!!! You have 6 chances to win! Check back at the JustRite blog on Sunday evening to find out who the six lucky winners are!! :)

My project today is a decorated gift box and coordinating card. This 4 1/4" square card features the Trompe Script Lower Case Font. I started out with a 4 1/4" base of Raspberry Fizz CS, then cut out the other layers (Whisper White 3 3/4" square, My Mind's Eye Bloom & Grow polka dot 3 1/2" square, My Mind's Eye Christmas Carnival green patterned paper 1" x 3 3/4"). I used the Trompe Font to stamp Merry Christmas on top of the polka dot patterned paper. Once that was done, I used a punch to cut out the snowflake from Shimmer White CS, and then embellished it with rhinestones. To finish up, I adhered all the layers, then added aqua and green ribbon trim.

This little box started out as a plain brown box and lid that I covered with patterned paper. I added some hot pink satin ribbon, then punched out a snowflake with Shimmer White CS. I stamped the Tiny Words "Don't Peek" stamp & border, as well as one of the borders from the Special Occasion Monogram kit, and then punched them out with my circle punches and adhered them together with pop dots.

Thanks for stopping by today! It's been a pleasure! :) Your next stop on the trail is Tami Mayberry's blog...

Here is the complete list of Day 2 participants:

Debbie Olson
http://debbiedesigns.typepad.com

Jerri Kay Jimenez
http://jerrikay.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com

Taylor Van Bruggen
http://tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com

Holly Simoni
http://www.hollysimoni.typepad.com/

Barb Schram
http://barbschram.blogspot.com

Terre Frye
http://terresscraptherapy.blogspot.com/

Michelle Kovack
http://chelemom.blogspot.com

Kim Moreno
www.livingthecircuslife.blogspot.com

Catherine Doucette
www.thedancingpear.blogspot.com

Kellie Fortin
http://www.murdocks.typepad.com

Kimberly Crawford
http://www.kimberly-crawford.blogspot.com/

Kathy Jones
http://inspiredtostamp.blogspot.com

Michelle Giraud
www.twisted-chick.blogspot.com

Angela Barkhouse
http://snippetsofpaper.blogspot.com

Heather Pulvirenti
http://heatherpulvirenti.blogspot.com

Tami Mayberry
http://tamimayberry.blogspot.com

Jennifer Buck
http://thebuckstampshere.blogspot.com

Keri Lee Sereika
http://pinklemonade.typepad.com

Jami Bova
http://www.sgtstamper.com/blog/

Laura Davis
http://resumeofthepaperpoppy.blogspot.com/

Stacey Kingman
http://staceykingman.blogspot.com/

Bonnie Sharp
http://theluckyclucker.blogspot.com

Stephanie Severin
http://ingeniousinkling.typepad.com/

Janine Orchard
http://2bkrafty.blogspot.com/

Debbie Seyer
http://www.debbieseyer.com/

Margie Higuchi
http://margieh.blogspot.com/

Lauren Bergold
http://llaurenb.blogspot.com/

Anja Curvers
http://www.scrappietoo.blogspot.com

AJ Otto
http://thewillowgarden.blogspot.com/


Stamps - Trompe Script Lower Case Font, Tiny Words Set
Ink - Bermuda Bay, Fresh Snow
Paper - Bermuda Bay, Kiwi Kiss, Raspberry Fizz, Whisper White, My Mind's Eye Christmas Carnival, My Mind's Eye Bloom & Grow, Shimmer White
Miscellaneous - 3/4" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 2" Circle Punch, Hot Pink Satin Ribbon, Teal Rhinestones, Marvy Snowflake Punch, Aqua Ribbon, Green Satin Ribbon

WT214 - My Greatest Joy

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you're having an awesome day wherever you are! :) Temps for us are supposed to be around 70 (and no rain... woohoo!), so hopefully I'll get to spend some time outside with the fam today. :)

I created this super simple 5 x 7 page for Thursday's Ways to Use It challenge on SCS. The challenge was to create a card/project using a frame... So I thought it would be fun to place a frame within a frame. LOL

The frame around my daughter's photo was originally silver, but I didn't really like the color of it, so I tried coloring it with my lime Copic. LOL, I wasn't really thrilled with how that came out because the color wasn't intense enough, so I tried tapping my brown Stazon pad on top to add some extra color... LOL, long story longer, I ended up trying to rub that off, and then finally embossed the frame twice with UTEE. I actually liked the end result! Who would've thought?! :)

Have a great one! :)

Stamps - Technique Tuesday Loving Words

Ink - Stazon Brown, Versamark

Paper - Daisy Bucket Designs, Aqua Mist, Kraft, Whisper White

Miscellaneous - Making Memories Charmed Frame, UTEE, Lime Copic

3D086 - Thank you

This desktop calendar was created for the 3D086 Demo Challenge on SCS. To find out more about the challenge, please go here.

I started with two 4" x 9" pieces of patterned paper (one for the outside, and one for the inside), and used my corner rounder to round out the edges. I then placed a piece of tacky strip horizontally across the back side of the piece of patterned paper I wanted as the outside of the cover. I then placed my large piece of ribbon down on top of the tacky strip, and adhered my two coasters to the outer edges. Next, I adhered the inside cover to the coasters, and then decorated the inside and outside of my little calendar book.

Details:
Stamps - Bella Blossoms
Ink - Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow
Paper - Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Windsor Knot DSP
Miscellaneous - Chocolate Chip Ribbon, Coasters, Circle Brads, Pop Dots

TLC203 - Sweetest Day

This box was created for the Technique Lovers Origami Box Challenge (TLC203) on SCS. You can find all of the details about the challenge (and the great folding instructions) here. When I first looked at the drawings of the folds, I thought, oh boy, this is gonna be fun... But it wasn't too bad! I think I had the box and the cover done in about 15 minutes, start to finish. Not too shabby!

I think it makes a cute little Valentine's Day gift box for my daughter's pre-school teacher... Now I just have to figure out what to put inside... Brownies? Candy? Note cards? Decisions, decisions... :)

Details:

Stamps - Crazy for Cupcakes (sentiment)

Ink - Basic Brown

Paper - Basic Grey's Bittersweet, Whisper White

Miscellaneous - Small Corner Punch, Pink Pirouette Ribbon, Basic Grey Bittersweet Chipboard Elements, Thin Chipboard

Happy Easter!

Wishing you and yours a blessed Easter!

Altered Cube

Here are a few pics of a 4 x 4" cube that I altered with some images of my daughter from last October. There are a lot of different things going on... Hopefully it isn't too busy! :)

top

sides

sides

Details:

Stamps - Not a single one! LOL

Paper - Old Olive DS, Blue Bayou DS, Soft Sky DS, Soft Sky, Old Olive, River Rock, Blue Bayou, Chocolate Chip

Miscellaneous - On Board Chipboard, Sticky Cuts Letter L, Green Chunky Glitter, Ticket Corner Punch, Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon, Chocolate Chip & Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers, White & Old Olive Rub-ons, Corner Rounder

Friend Flower

I ordered the new Carousel Notes from the Occasions catalog because I thought they were just TOO cute, but then I just sat there staring at them tonight trying to figure out how I was going to use one... LOL

I stamped the large flower from Friendly Flowers in Basic Black ink onto Whisper White card stock, then cut it out before using my Crop-a-dile to punch out the small circles around the flower center. I then attached a piece of Wild Wasabi card stock to the back of the flower. I also used the Crop-a-dile to punch a small hole in a piece of Purely Pomegranate card stock, then used my Boho punch to pop out a small flower.

Next, I cut lines on each scallop edge along the Soft Sky Carousel Notes paper to make a huge flower, and then adhered the flower I stamped earlier.

I then took a piece of Wild Wasabi Double Stitched Ribbon and pulled out the white string before wrapping it around a round lollipop stick from a pack I picked up at Michaels. Once it was completely wrapped, I attached it to the back of the large flower, and used my large Oval punch to punch out two Wild Wasabi ovals that I turned into leaves. Once they were trimmed to size, I used my Black Stampin' Write Marker along the edges.

The black tin was a great find at Michaels... It was only $1! Originally it was a galvanized steel color, but I spray painted it black. :) I put some styrofoam into the tin, and then pushed my flower stem in to secure it. Next, I used my crimper on a piece of Groovy Guava card stock, and then cut them into small strips. Sticky strip was added to the top of the piece of styrofoam in the tin, and the crumpled up strips of Groovy Guava card stock were placed inside.

To finish things up, I added some small pieces of ribbon, and stamped/colored/layered the sentiment onto a piece of Wild Wasabi CS with a Soft Sky scalloped border.

Details:
Stamps - Friendly Flowers, For a Friend
Paper - Carousel Notes, Whisper White, Groovy Guava, Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegranate
Ink - Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, Black Stampin' Write Marker
Miscellaneous - Crop-a-dile, Boho Punch, Large Oval Punch, Small Corner Rounder, Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi & Soft Sky Double Stitched Ribbon, White Taffeta Ribbon, $1 tin from Michaels, Paper Crimper

Altered Tin

I decorated this tin for a friend of mine who's birthday is coming up this week and filled it with different sections for various categories of desserts, and included some recipe cards behind each tab...

The pink r and the green tag don't really look like they work with the papers on the tin, but they actually go together nicely IRL. Must be a goof on my part with my "post photo processing"... LOL :)

Details:

Stamps - None... LOL

Paper - Crate Papers "Samantha" Collection

Miscellaneous - Chocolate Satin Ribbon, Making Memories Tag Maker, Scenic Route Pink Chipboard r

Another Altered Tin

I had such a fun time with the last tin I made that I just HAD to make another... LOL We have a secret sister program at our church, so I thought it would be a great gift for her. I don't think my SS is a stamper, so instead of filling it with stamped images on WCP, I made 4 fall-themed cards.
I used the same stamp set last time for the pumpkin image, and followed the same steps in my last post to emboss the images onto the DVD tin.

To make the belly band, I started with a 2 3/4 x 12" strip of Fall Flowers DS paper, then cut another strip of 2 3/4 x 12" Fall Flowers DS patterned paper and scalloped the outside edges using my corner rounder. Once that was done, I cut a final strip of Fall Flowers DS paper (2 1/2 x 12") and attached my layers together. The next step was to cut a small piece of Really Rust CS to run through the paper crimper before adhering to the Fall Flowers DS strips and attaching the chipboard letter k.

Here are the cards I made for the inside of the DVD tin:

I wanted the cards to be similar since they were a "set", and that also helped speed up production somewhat.

For each of the cards, I started with a standard card base of 4 1/4 x 5 1/2", then cut out a second CS layer (4 x 5 1/4"), as well as an Old Olive DS layer (3 7/8 x 5 1/8"). Once those two layers were cut out, I used my ticket corner punch on each one and then adhered them together.

The next step was to stamp out my images onto WCP and color them in using a variety of inks. I'm definitely NOT great when it comes to watercoloring, but I think my non-level of skill is improving a little each

time. LOL

While I was waiting for the images to dry, I stamped out my sentiments onto 1 x 2 1/4" strips of Very Vanilla or Whisper White CS, then layered them with a coordinating color of CS (1 1/4 x 2 1/2") before mounting them onto a piece of CS (1 1/2 x 2 3/4") that had been run through the crimper. Once those layers were assembled, I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch small holes for my taffeta ribbon to pass through and then attached them to the larger layers.

Once the images were dry, I cut them down to size either by using my mega square punch (picnic basket and pumpkin images) or my paper trimmer (flower and apple images). I then layered them with a giga scallop square punch of CS, and attached mini-pop dots before adhering them to another square (approx. 2 1/2") and finally, the card base.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful upcoming week! :)

DVD Tin Details:

Stamps - Give Thanks

Ink - Versamark

Paper - Fall Flowers DS, Really Rust

Miscellaneous - Scenic Route Green Chipboard K, Silver Embossing Powder, Paper Crimper, Corner Rounder

Card Details:

Stamps - Give Thanks

Ink - Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Basic Gray

Paper - Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Old Olive DS, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Basic Gray, WCP

Miscellaneous - Very Vanilla, Basic Gray & Chocolate Taffeta Ribbons, Ticket Corner Punch, Paper Crimper, Crop-A-Dile, Giga Scallop Square Punch, Mega Square Punch

Altered DVD Tin

I'd never embossed a tin before, but I always loved the end result, so I figured I'd give it a shot... Whoaaaaa, I'm halfway there. LOL, sorry, the 80's girl in me kicked into overdrive. I promise to refrain from outbursts of Bon Jovi for the remainder of this post... :P

I made this for a friend of mine, who is always such a great friend to me. I was thinking about creating cards to fill the inside of the tin, but in the end decided to stamp out a bunch of images on WCP for her.

I started by stamping the pumpkin image randomly on the cover of the DVD tin, then sprinkling silver embossing powder and heating with my heat gun. I set the tin aside to cool, and started working on the belly band.

I cut a piece of Soft Sky Textured CS (3 x 12") to fit around the outside of the tin, as well as a piece of Fall Flowers DS (2 3/4 x 12") paper. I used my corner rounder to scallop the edge of the patterned paper, then attached it to the textured CS.

Next, I cut a strip of Really Rust CS (2 x 4") and ran it through my crimper. I also cut out another piece of Fall Flowers DS (1 3/4 x 3 3/4") paper, and a 1 1/2 x 3 1/2" piece of Whisper White. My sentiment was stamped in Chocolate Chip, and the corners were punched before attaching them together and adding the Soft Sky Double Stitched Ribbon.

Details:

Stamps - Give Thanks

Ink - Chocolate Chip, Versamark

Paper - Soft Sky Textured CS, Fall Flowers, Really Rust, Whisper White

Miscellaneous - Silver Embossing Powder, Ticket Corner & Corner Rounder Punches, Paper Crimper

Chocolate Box

Here are a couple of pics of the little box of chocolates I made. I found the template & instructions on SCS here.

Details:

Paper - Whisper White, My Mind's Eye Bohemia Line

Ink - Brocade Blue, Chocolate Chip

Miscellaneous - White Organdy Ribbon