Tuesday, February 26

BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE TO FLY, FLY AWAY

Words from an Elton John Song I just heard coming home from Physical Therapy yesterday.  Which fits in perfectly with my card today, which is using the LARGE SWALLOWTAIL single background stamp.  I am LOVING this stamp!!

I started with a card stock base of very vanilla and stamped the Swallowtail with Versamark.

I applied white embossing powder and heat embossed it.  Here is a closeup so you can see the texture.

 I then used a sponge and soft suede ink and rubbed all over, darker on one side than the other for some shading and variation.  Next I rubbed more mustard ink where I desired.


With a clean cloth, I rubbed the white butterfly all over to get any stray ink that was on the embossed areas.  That's it!!  Now you can add a banner with your sentiment that you choose.  I do that once I know why I am sending the card, i.e. birthday, congrats, thinking of you, etc.

I saw this technique on Dawn Ochefski's blog, a fellow demonstrator.  Thanks Dawn!!

If you use this technique on your blog, won't you tell them you saw it here?  Thanks!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this beautiful and simple card.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Sunday, February 24

CARD TECHNIQUE: TILES WITH GROUT

I have seen this in several places in bloggie land recently - TILES WITH GROUT TECHNIQUE.  I saw the video on Frenchie's blog and used her directions.  Thanks Frenchie!! (France Martin of Wyoming).

Equal sized cut pieces glued onto a back layer and then covered with versa mark and heated with clear embossing powder. It comes out shiney like real tiles.  (sorry it doesn't show the shine in the photo).



I used the FREE Sycamore Street designer paper from SALE-A-BRATION, which is still available until March 22nd.  Don't you L O V E free??!! I sure do.



Also FREE and used on my card is the Sycamore Ribbons and Buttons Pack.  It includes:  three rolls of ribbon (pool party, tangerine tango and island indigo) and a bunch of buttons in those same three colors!!]


linked up to The Paper Players
Copy and Paste our Badge for you blog!

Thanks for visiting my blog.  Won't you leave me a comment?  I so enjoy hearing from y'all.

Friday, February 22

JEWEL VISITS BLUE BELL ICE CREAM FACTORY

Just a little diversion from crafting.  We drove over to Brenham to get some ice cream at the Blue Bell Ice Cream Factory.  Our cute little Pomeranian, Jewel, went with us.  We took some photos to add to her album of her travels:

 Jewel wanted to ride in the original antique delivery truck, but the door was locked so she could only sit on the running board.

 Here she is trying to go on the tour so she can get her ice cream.


 "Wait, they are beginning the tour without me!"


She loved looking at the pretty gardens on the property, but it got a bit hot when the sun came out.

Thanks for letting me share a bit about our little Jewel!!

Here's to creativity, y'all.

 

Thursday, February 21

CHARMING CHEVRONS PROGRESSING...

This is a very easy quilt, sewing wise, however, it is seemingly ENDLESS in the trimming and squaring-up department, ya know?!

For my work in progress, I have enough chevron squares created for 2 rows.  I was on a roll sewing yesterday, but then ran out of any trimmed and squared-up blocks so I hit a dead end.

 I decided to make my rows out of colorways, ie. first row reds, second row yellows, third row greens, etc.
They are just set here like this so you can see my SLOW progress.

 These are Kona Brights Solids and kona grey, two charm packs of each.

 I like the way the colors just barely change to the next color.

More as it develops.  I seem to only like to quilt when it rains.  When it is gorgeous outside, which it is most of spring, I can't seem to stay inside long enough to get anything accomplished!!

Thanks for visiting.  Won't you leave me a comment regarding this quilt?

Monday, February 18

BUTTERFLY WITH HEAT EMBOSSING AND CHALKS

Here is another SWALLOWTAIL stamped card.  It is stamped in versamark and then embossed with MELON MAMBO EMBOSSING POWDER and heat embossed.  I then colored it here and there with CHALKS until I had the colors and intensity I wanted.

Enjoy!!

Pink pirouette and melon mambo with assorted colors of chalk.

Thanks for looking.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Wednesday, February 13

BIRTHDAY CARD CLASS LAST NIGHT

We had a fun birthday card class last evening.  We made 2 each of 2 different designs and used some fun techniques.

The first one we made was using the big beautiful SWALLOWTAIL background stamp.  We heat embossed it with melon mambo embossing powder.

 Pink pirouette card stock and melon mambo card stock layer, with melon mambo embossing powder.  The greeting banner is sponged with melon mambo ink and is held in place with a clearance rack brad.  The 1/8" ribbon is actually pretty in pink and it just fits here perfectly, I think.


Some used chalks to color in parts of the butterfly.  One lady used her aqua pen and water colors.  If you have any questions, let me know.

 I am in love with this honeycomb embossing folder.  Daffodil Delight card stock with a layer of Early Espresso cs behind it.  The honeybee is from the cute set called Curio Collage.

The naturals ribbon is very textural and goes so well with the card base of Crumb Cake card stock.  The silver small bottle top is attached with a piece of bakers twine.  The FREE petite curly label punch was used for the sentiment which is from the FREE stamp set Petite Pretties.  Get these FREE during SALE-A-BRATION.  Contact me to learn how.

If you have any questions, let me know.

Saturday, February 9

Valentine Treat Boxes

Here is a post from last year.  I love this valentine treat box made with the scalloped square die and my BIG SHOT.  A few of you asked me to show that cute idea again so I am showing it here.

Use any designer paper you want to cover the chipboard box sides.  I chose to use the chipboard from the dsp packages because I wanted it to have a sturdiness to it.

Here is another treat from a post in the past:

 I made this treat box from the kit in the Sale-a-Bration catalog this year.  Isn't it cute?

 Made this from 2 sheets of DSP from Sycamore Street in the Sale a Bration catalog this year,


My mini milk carton die and my BIG SHOT made these cute cartons for candy conversation hearts.  I made a simple folded holder to carry the cartons.  I use this die for ALL OCCASIONS.  It is always warmly welcomed when I give it to my friends with treats!!  Got Treats stamp set was used on this one.


Friday, February 8

REVERSE MASK TECHNIQUE BUTTERFLY CARD PLUS LINKY SHARE

Whew, that's a mouthful, isn't it?  What it means is that instead of using the punched out or die cut image, we are using the piece of cardstock it was punched from as a stencil.  Here is a SU video to show you how:



I would LOVE to see YOUR card using this technique.  Won't you link up below?  The rules of linking up are simple:

1.  LINK the actual page of your blog and not your general address
2.  ONLY the card technique I have featured for this link please
3.  TELL your friends!!

Here is my card:

Close up of the reverse mask technique.  I LOVE it with these colors:  Baja breeze and Island Indigo.


Thursday, February 7

HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES - KONA SOLIDS

HST's  are EVERYWHERE!!  Some of the first ones I created I put in a very "special" place and it took me a week to find them!!  Does that ever happen to you?  I hope I am not the only one who does that!!  I have them all created now and just need to square them up and begin sewing the rows together next.

 They are KONA CLASSIC SOLIDS, paired with Kona Grey SOLID.  Sorry the camera makes the grey look white.  It is definitely grey.

 YUMMY LUCIOUS solids in all shades of brights.  LOVE THEM.


I put 2 charm packs of Kona CLASSIC SOLIDS with two charm packs of KONA SOLID GREY.  I am making a CHARMING CHEVRON quilt from Christa Quilts.  Hers has been accepted to Quilt Con in Austin!!  Way to go Christa!!  Good luck.

In the meantime, I am plucking away at my HST's and once they are all trimmed, I will be on to making the rows.

Thanks for stopping by.  I appreciate all comments left and they make my day!!

What have you done creative this week??


Tuesday, February 5

VINE STREET EMBOSSING FOLDER

Here is a video made by Stampin' Up! to show how easy it is to emboss with embossing folders.  The VINE STREET EMBOSSING FOLDER is FREE during Sale-A-Bration.



 This is the card I made with the VINE STREET EMBOSSING FOLDER and the MADISON AVENUE STAMP SET, SYCAMORE STREET DESIGNER PAPER, as well as the BUTTONS AND RIBBONS SET - ALL FREE through SALE-A-BRATION!!



Contact me NOW so you can get these free items with any $50 order OR by hosting a workshop at your home and getting ALL OF THEM FREE!! I still have a few spots left for YOUR WORKSHOP!!