Simple Love Swap

For a second Leadership swap card, I wanted a clean and elegant card, focusing on the beautiful couple biking image from Take It To Heart.

It uses some fun stuff from the Occasions mini, but where's the embellishment?

It'd be the stitching. Since most people don't stitch on cards, especially for swaps, I didn't think they would mind.

Stamps: Take It To Heart; Paper: Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Twitterpated DSP; Ink: Riding Hood Red, Black Stazon; Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Hearts framelits, Tasteful Trim die, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread, Dimensionals.

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Mother Goose Time

The Nursery Times stamp set is so cute, and I have to think of a brilliant project for it... but in the meantime, a straight-forward swap card for Leadership. I made a couple versions.

I remember the Real Mother Goose nursery rhyme book when I was a kid, with the black & white pattern on the back. What it square- or harlequin-pattern? This led me to use the harlequin pattern from Backgrounds I Texturz Plates.

I added some clouds, because of course Mother Goose needs to fly. I can't get enough of these Itty Bitty flowers with pearls. I love making them!

If it's not a new stamp set and I'm not be clever with the image, then I'll beat down the swaps with cute details, right?

Stamps: Nursery Times, Petite Pairs; Paper: Baja Breeze, Blushing Bride, Basic Gray, Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Just Eat Cake DSP, First Edition DSP; Ink: Baja Breeze, Blushing Bride, Pumpkin Pie, Blush Blossom, Basic Gray, Black Stazon; Accessories: Pearl Jewels, Aquapainter, Sponges, Itty Bitty punch pack, Circle punches, Cupcake builder punch, Square Lattice embossing folder, Backgrounds I Texturz Plates, 3" Circle die, Scallop Circle #2 die, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread.

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SUOC36 Try a New Technique

It's a new year, so why not try a new technique? That's today's challenge at Stampin' Up Only Challenges. With all my playing with ATCs, I'm a bit of a technique junkie. It is not so easy to find a technique I haven't tried.

I was inspired by Rhonda's post on the recent Stampin' Addicts Occasions Mini Blog Hop to try turning the flowers from Bordering on Romance into dogwood flowers.

Here's I used a dedicated aquapainter to paint bleach onto the flower. From there, the new part... I went back into the bleached areas and painted them again with Classic ink.

I found the bleached card stock absorbed much more water, as well as had more bleeding, than expected. I colored the flower petals with Sahara Sand, but it isn't as crisp as I would like. On the positive side, it does give soft and subtle coloring without much effort.

Stamps: Bordering on Romance; Paper: Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Island Indigo, Whisper White, Twitterpated DSP; Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand, Black Stazon; Accessories: Baja Breeze button, Pearl Jewels, White baker's twine, Scallop edge punch, Aquapainter, Bleach, 3" Circle die, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread.

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FM40 We've Gone Soft!

Today on the Friday Mashup, Holly is challenging us to pull out our pastels. I imagine the Mashup post and challenge thumbnails will be full of soft colors! At least that's what I associate in my mind with pastels.

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a "Birthday" project.
2. Or Make a project using "Pastels".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Birthday project using Pastels" .

I have to admit, it has been a while since I used my pastels. But Poppin' Pastels was one of the first techniques I thought of when I saw the Tea Shoppe stamp set.

You can see I cut the front edge of the card shorter with the Adorning Accents edgelits.

The tea cup was still a little too light for my liking, so I sponged the edges with Soft Suede. Hopefully this card will fill the recipient with warmth like a hot cup of tea! :)

Stamps: Tea Shoppe, Petite Pairs; Paper: Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Attic Boutique DSP; Ink: Soft Suede, Versamark; Accessories: Stampin' Pastels, White baker's twine, Circle punches, Craft knife, Sponge, Backgrounds I Texturz Plates, Adorning Accents edgelits, 3" Circle die, Big Shot, Sewing machine, Thread.

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UStamp with Dawn and Friends - Valentine Bird House

Before we share the craftiness, a message from our sponser.... Don't forget the Occasions mini starts today!

Grab a coffee, peruse, even dare to dream about Spring... but only after I share my UStamp with Dawn and Friends - Let's Score event project with you.

This project was inspired during Christmas shopping. I was checking out the Christmas tree ornaments, and I saw the most adorable little bird house, covered in glittery snow. That certainly is adaptable to Valentine's Day, isn't it?

If you would like the instructions, please visit the UStamp with Dawn and Friends website and sign up for the Let's Score event.

Thanks for stopping by!

Winter Sleigh, Notebook & Goodbye to the Holiday Mini

Today is the last day for ordering from the most beautiful Holiday mini ever.

Make sure you grab those last minute items, while they are still available. Here is a list of items that will be carrying over.

In addition, this is the last day to sign up and pre-pay for the Card Keeper Box class on January 26.

If you would like to join us, contact me ASAP.

Recently I made a winter sleigh using the template from December's Paper Crafters Sampler.

A taffeta ribbon on back for fun, and I filled it with a couple decorative boxes and candies.

Paper: Marina Mist, Brushed Silver, Silver Glimmer paper, Pocketful of Posies DSP; Accessories: Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon, Rhinestone jewels, Scallop Trim edge punch, 1/2" Circle punch, Petal Card punch, Baker's twine, Elegant Lines embossing folder, Big Shot.

And here is an edgy matching notebook and pen for a tween gift.

This is another example of using chipboard for my Friday Mashup challenge a few weeks back, which is still open until tomorrow.

Paper: Basic Black, Rockabilly DSP, Copy paper; Accessories: Chipboard, 3" Circle die, Serif Essentials alphabet die, Big Shot, Bind-It-All.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tea Bag Dispenser Project Details

Thanks for coming back today for some additional details on my 3-D project from the Stampin' Addicts Occasion Mini Blog Hop, the tea bag dispenser.

UPDATE 2/11/13: Do you love this Tea Bag Dispenser Box and would like to make it with the same ribbons and papers?  I now have a kit available for purchase.  The kit contains papers, ribbons, and embellishments, plus full instructions.  Please see this post for more information.

I started off by altering the instructions from this tutorial. Here are my adjustments:

Starting with 6 x 12" Lucky Limeade cardstock, score at 1" parallel to the long edge, score at 3-1/16, 5-3/4, 8-13/16, 11-1/2" parallel to the short edge.

Using your paper trimmer with a scoring blade, score 3/4" above the 1" score line in the SECOND SEGMENT ONLY (see photo). Cut out the 1-3/4 x 2-3/4" piece from the bottom of the second segment and 1/2 x 1" corner piece. Cut between the remaining 1" flaps.

To create the top, score 4-1/4 x 4-5/8" piece of Lucky Limeade cardstock at 3/4" on all sides. Cut and taper the corners as shown.

All other measurements:
Very Vanilla: 2 x (2-3/4 x 4-3/4"), 2-3/8 x 4-3/4", 2-3/8 x 4"
Calypso Coral DSP: 2 x (2-5/8 x 2-5/16"), 2x(2-1/4 x 2-5/16")
Floral DSP: 2 x (2-5/8 x 2-5/16"), 2-1/4 x 2-5/16", 2-1/4 x 1-9/16", 2-1/2 x 2-7/8" for lid
Peach Parfait DSP for lid edge: 2 x (1/2 x 2-1/2"), 2 x (1/2 x 2-7/8")
Chipboard base, covered with Lucky Limeade: 3 x 3-3/8"

For the embellishments on the top, I created an accordion flower out of a punched strip using the Lace Ribbon border punch, just like this post. I also using a running stitch on Victoria lace to create the lacy ribbon flower.

And the tea cup embellishments were created by stamping on shrink plastic with Poppy Parade ink, heating and then spraying with fixative.

Here's a closer look at the notecard.

Thanks for stopping by!