Picking Berries

Hello friends!  How is your Summer going?  We started ours off by visiting friends in Las Vegas.  It was such a relaxing weekend, full of pool time, scrapping, and good company.  The three days went by way too quickly.

Today I have a layout I made over the weekend with pictures of Lara's field trip to a local organic farm.  The kids loved eating the strawberries right off the plants.  Lara also loved the quick tractor ride out to the strawberry patch.  The layout is based on Let's Get Sketchy's June week two sketch challenge.

I had the perfect strawberry stamps for my layout. The stamp set is called Yum and is from the Crafter's Companion Strawberry Kisses collection. I used the image of a puppy full from eating strawberries, a strawberry, and the word "YUM". I colored my stamps with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers PP1, CR3, CR4, CR5, CR8, JR2, JR4, IG1, IG3, GG1, GG2, GG3.  I also added some Star Dust Stickles to the word Yum.

Hope you are having a fantastic day!

Denise

Crafter's Companion June Summer challenge

Crafter's Companion has a fabulous Summer challenge that is sure to get your creative juices flowing.  How you interpret that challenge is up to you.  For me, Summer means bright, happy colors and lots of water fun.  So it was an easy decision for me to create my project with this oh-so-cute S.w.a.l.k. Pawfect Pals Quackers stamp set.

After stamping my S.w.a.l.k. image on Ultra Smooth Premium white card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, I grabbed some of my brighter Spectrum Noir markers (BG2, BG8, BG10, BT1, BT2, BT4, BT6,  BT7, TN2, TN4, TN6, BP4, BP6, GB1, GB3, GB5, FS1, FS2, FS3,  IG1, IG2, IG3, EB2, CR1, CR2) to color my stamp.

Doesn't it totally make you want to go play in the water?  I'm thinking I am going to take the kids to feed the ducks nearby at a local park, now that school is over :)

If you make a summery project with a Crafter's Companion product (see list of eligible products on the challenge blog), make sure you enter it it our challenge this month.  You could win a fun online gift certificate!  Who doesn't love to shop for craft products?!

Have a fabulous day!

Denise

Paper Craft Planet and Crafter's Companion are teaming up

Today the Crafter's Companion Design Team is excited to play along with Paper Craft Planet for their weekly sketch challenge and we would love to have you play along too.  Here's the fun sketch and you can find more info on the PCP Blog too!  If you would like to play along, upload your card to the PCP Gallery and tag it with SK061413.

YES ~ there is a prize!!!  For each comment left on the blogs listed below, you will be entered into a drawing for a $20 gift certificate.  ALSO, if you play along on our sketch challenge, you will be entered into the drawing again (just make sure you upload your card to the PCP Gallery with the tag listed above).   Deadline to enter your comments and/or sketch challenge cards is June 21, 2013 at midnight (ET). Entries can be uploaded to the PCP Gallery. 

For my card, I used Crafter's Companion Frou Frou Never Too Early and Martini Girl stamp sets to create this feminine birthday card. I stamped the images in Picked Raspberry Distress Ink and brushed all the papers' edges in Tea Dye Distress Ink.

Now here's who is playing along with us today ~ don't forget to leave some love for your chance to win the Crafter's Companion Gift Certificate!

Christiana Reuling -- http://christygetscrafty.blogspot.com/

Denise Coulter -- http://lalasworldblog.blogspot.com

Khristen Foss -- http://khristenscraftroom.blogspot.com

Stacy Harper-Watson -- http://scrapwithstacy.blogspot.com/

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

Trena Brannon -- http://trenastampinhq.blogspot.com

Kendra Wietstock -- http://kendrawietstock.blogspot.com

Deb Felts -- http://withastampandasong.blogspot.com/

Pam Hornschu -- http://1pamperedstamper.blogspot.com/

Susanna Boyd -- http://www.cardoftheweek.com/

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I hope you have a chance to play along with us this weekend :)

Cheers!  Denise

Imagine

Happy Wednesday!  It's the 2nd to last day of school and it seems like the kids have a ton of end-of-the-year activities going on.  Lara is super excited about today.  Not only does she get out early, all the transitional kindergartners and regular kindergartners are having a big picnic with all the parents after school.  Yummy hot dogs and chip, can't wait ;)  

Today I have a quick card to share with you.  Though I made this card for last CHA, I forgot to put it up on my blog.  The asian-inspired images are all from the Stamp-It Australia Imagine collection.  I colored the paper lanterns with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers LV1, LV2, LV3, IG4, IG6, IG8.  The three butterflies on the left hand side were stamped with Sheena Dougalss' Flying Colors stamp set. 

Hope you are having a wonderful week!  

Denise

Embossed Acetate Birthday Card

Good morning friends.  Today I have an elegant acetate card to share with you. Using Embossing Folders with acetate is a great way to add a little pizzazz to your cards.

I started with a clear 6 x 12 folded sheet of acetate.  Using the 6x6 Lattice Embossalicious embossing folder, I embossed half of the acetate.  This will be the front of the card.  After I embossed it, I sprayed the embossed area lightly with Spray and Sparkle Glitter Varnish to give it a gold sparkly finish.

The "Have the MOST Wonderful Birthday" stamped image is from the Stamp-It Australia Sentiment Swirls.  To get the gold raised look, I stamped the sentiment with Versamark Ink, sprinkled it with gold embossing powder, and heat embossed it.  To line up the inside paper die cut square with the outside die cut square on the cover, first add the square inside your card.  Now close your acetate card.  Because you can see through it, you will be able to perfectly line up the square on the cover with the inside one.  When your card is closed, only the outside square will show.

I finished this card by added pearls to the center of the embossed diamonds and tying a ribbon bow along the top.

Thanks for stopping by today and taking a look.  You can find more awesome Embossalicious embossing folders along with ideas on how to use them all week on Crafter's Companion Facebook page.

Have a great week!

Denise

the love of FAMILY

Happy Saturday friends!

How is the weather in your next of the woods?  It's in the 70's here and absolutely beautiful.  The kids and I spent the morning picking blueberries and strawberries at a local organic farm.  It took a long while since a lot of blueberries went directly into our mouths, rather than the containers!

Today I have a layout I made using some pictures of my beautiful niece and nephew.  These are my absolute favorite pictures of them.  I used a new sketch from Let's Get Sketchy to kick off my layout.  Seems like I never have enough time to scrap these days and sketches just make it so much easier to get my layouts done.

All the paper and embellishments were from MME Indie Chic collection.  I just love the blues, yellows, and browns together.  Perfect for any kind of layout.

Hope you have plenty of sunshine wherever you are at!

Denise

Spectrum Noir Design Team Call

Hi Everyone,

The Spectrum Noir team is looking for a few new designers.  If you love coloring with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers, you will definitely want to check this out!  Here are the deets:

Spectrum Noir Design Team Call

Spectrum Noir is looking for several new, talented design team members from all around the world!  If you love to color and/or work with alcohol ink, we want to see your art! In addition to cardmakers, we are looking for mixed media and other alternative artists for our team.

This design team call is open internationally; we are particularly looking for designers from the US, Central and South America, Canada, Australia, and Western, Central, and Eastern Europe.  Don’t worry if you do not live in one of these regions but feel you would be a good fit for our team - submit your application for consideration!

As part of the Spectrum Noir design team, you will be provided with a generous welcome package, and will continue to receive the essentials you need to craft with, free of charge. You will be part of an elite group of alcohol ink colourists and educators; your work will be shared internationally on our web site and other online platforms.

What we expect from our team:

·       Create at least one educational post for the Spectrum Noir web site each month.  These tutorials must be high quality videos or contain step-by-step pictures and instructions.

·       Participate in our monthly challenge.

·       Be active on our Facebook page and willing to share your knowledge of alcohol inks and pens with others of all skill levels.

·       Be an ambassador for the Spectrum Noir brand.

·       Create samples for use at craft and/or trade shows as needed.

What you need to do:

·       Send us direct links to three to five of your best projects using alcohol pens and/or refill inks.  Use of Spectrum Noir is preferred but not required.  Please be sure the medium you have used is listed.  (note: do not send a general link to your blog or online gallery; be sure to send direct links to projects)

·       Make sure what you are sharing with us represents your best work and really showcases what you love to do! We want our team members to take high quality photographs that show a good representation of alcohol ink.  We will also be looking at your writing style and how you share information about the products you use.

·       All work submitted must be original and created by you.

Please submit these links via email to designteam@spectrumnoir.com for review.  Include the following information in your email:

·       Your full name

·       Preferred email address

·       Phone number

·       Address (include country)

·       Blog Link

·       Links to any additional places we might see your work

·       Any other design teams you are currently a member of

·       Preferred crafting style – are you primarily a card maker? Scrapbooker? Mixed Media artist? Manga artist?  Something else entirely?

·       If you currently teach classes with alcohol inks, any relevant information about them.

·       A little about yourself: What do you love about crafting? Why do you want to be a part of the Spectrum Noir team? (Please limit your response to around fifty words)

The deadline for submission is 1^st July 2013.  If chosen for the team, you will be contacted by a representative of Spectrum Noir no later than 10^th July 2013.  Additionally, we are always looking for guest designers; simply note in your email application that you would like to be considered for a guest position should you not be chosen for the full-time team. (Note: we will not be contacting potential guest designers at this time but instead will keep those applications on file and contact you when a guest position is available.)

If you have any questions prior to submitting your application, don’t hesitate to send us an email!  We look forward to seeing your work!

Good luck everyone!

Denise

Acetate Floral gift box

Good morning crafters!  How are you all doing this Monday a.m.?  We are on countdown mode with only two more weeks of school left. Whoo Hoo!  

Today I have a 10x10 inch gift box with a clear acetate cover.  I had just bought some new Staz-On Ink and was thinking about what I could use them with. With school almost over, I decided a fun gift box for a teacher present would be good.

To create my box, I started with a Luxury Centura Pearl-14-x-14 Snow White Cardstock.  This cardstock is so shiny and beautiful.  I used my Boxer Board to quickly score 2 inches along all four sides of my card stock.  (One side of the boxer board is used for the base, while the opposite side is used for the lid.  No measuring needed.)

Once I had scored the lines at 2 inches, I cut a small notch out of each corner.

To adhere the sides of the base of the box together, I used Red Liner tape which is a really strong adhesive.  (Do not put together the lid just yet.)

Before you adhere the sides of the box lid together, you will want to decorate it.  Again using my Boxer board and an Xacto knife, I cut a square out of the center of the box lid.  I didn't measure it, just eye balled the sides.  (I tend to be a wing-it kind of crafter.)

To decorate my acetate, I used my Claudine Hellmuth Rock-a-Blocks and Sheena Douglass Silhouette Grasses and Silhouette Wildflowers stamp sets.  The Rock-a-Blocks help ensure clean and consistent stamping.  

I first stamped an image from the Silhouette Wildflowers stamp set three times with Staz-On Hydrangea Blue on my sheet of acetate.  Acetate is very smooth, so try not to move the stamp around.  Just stamp it and lift carefully.

Next, I stamped an image from the Silhouette Wildflowers stamp set twice with Staz-On Iris ink.  I stamped them right on top of first stamps to create a layered effect.

Next I stamped some butterflies from the Silhouette Wildflowers stamp set with Staz-On Hydrangea Blue.  I then added a little sparkle to them with Waterfall Stickles.

While the Stickles were drying, I added a 9 3/4" square piece of paper to the box base for a little color.

Once the Stickles dries, you can glue down your acetate to the inside of your box lid.  I used a fast drying clear adhesive for this.  Then I used my Red Liner tape adhesive to quickly adhere the sides of my box lid.

Here's another picture of the finished box.  I added a bit more Waterfall Stickles around the edges of the acetate as well.  Now I just need to figure out what to put inside!  Any ideas for me?  I'd love to hear them!

I am entering my acetate gift box over at the Simon Says Stamp Anything goes challenge this week.

Have a wonderful week friends!

Denise

Every day is a gift

Good morning friends.  Today I have a CAS card to share with you. I used the butterfly from Sheena Douglass Flying Colors stamp set, as well as the sentiment, "every day is a gift..." from the Swalk The Present stamp set.   

I created the mask myself by laying down strips of washi tape, inking the area up, and then peeling off the wash tape once the ink had dried.  I got this great idea from taking a class earlier in the year over at Online Card Classes.  Don't you just love the lime green with the turquoise?  So summery :)

I am entering my card over at the following challenges:

Simon says stamp challenge - anything goes
Celebrate the occasion - Fluttering by

Enjoy the rest of your day :)

Denise

Aloha

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope everyone is having a great weekend, celebrating the brave men and women who have died to protect our country.  Our family honored fallen soldiers this weekend by placing flags near their graves at a local cemetery with Nick's Cub Scout Pack.   There was also a lovely ceremony where they retired a flag. 

I also have a two page layout to share with you.  I managed to get NINE photos on it.  That's huge for me.  Most of my pages have only one or two pictures on it.  The pictures are from our trip to Hawaii last December.  The paper is from Authentique, while the vellum quote in the upper right hand corner is from Quick Quotes.

I hope you are having a wonderful Monday :)

Denise