12 Kits of Occasions - Amazing!

Hi and thanks for stopping by!  It's the last day of the month!  Do you know what that means?  Welllll.. it's time for the 12 Kits of Occasions!  We're a group of 12 friends who like to papercraft!  Every month we take turns putting together a kit and sending it to the rest of the team.  We all get the same kit and at the end of the month we post what we made!  It's fun to see how our ideas were similar or very different from the rest of the group.   This month our hostess is Lindsey Larsen from Occasional Crafting!  You wouldn't believe the kit she put together for us!  Something for everyone I tell you!   Here's a collage pic to show you all the goodies we got to work with! 

Seriously lots of goodies right?   Pattern Paper, Glittery Paper, and oh so many fun die cuts and stamped images I could have made so much more than I actually did.  Everything came together so easy too!   No tricky ingredients to look for this time... all treats!  I loved all the gold foil and glitter paper that was included!  You can see the complete list of ingredients here at The 12 Kits of Occasions Blog!

Ok .. down to business here!  I think I broke my record this time!!  7 cards!! And honest I could have made more if I didn't 'run out of time!  I hope you like them!

 

 

We got two different flower bunches to work with for this one.  I couldn't resist stacking them together to make one huge bouquet!

 Yes.. that is GOLD EMBOSSING!!

Confession to make on this one.. messed it up when I was coloring.. but didn't want to give up.  Thankfully I just got this set for Christmas and was able to try try again.  I won't tell you how many times... it's embarassing... but very happy with this one!    Practice makes perfect! 

 I wanted you to see the glitter I added to that yummy donut!

Whew!  Lots of cards right?  Wait until you see what the rest of the team made!  We have two new teamies joining us too!   Finally... we're back to a group of 12 again!    You can see a sample from each of the designers or follow us here at The 12 Kits of Occasions Blog. or just click on the names below to jump to their blogs! 

Jessica Davis

Lisa Elton

Michele Ferguson

Sharron Gregory

Kim Heggins

Lindsey Larsen

Michelle Leone

Marybeth Lopez

Tracey McNeely

Joyce Mehrberg

Nancy Penir

 Finished size all projects 4.25 x 5.5"

Pretty Little Studio | Best Friends

Do you love bling? Then you stopped by for a visit on the right day! Today's Friday Feature is the "Gold Mine" Collection. Just as the name implies this collection features all sorts of yummy metallic papers and embellishments like stickers, labels, die cuts and more. The metallics in gold, copper, and silver are neutrals so they make wonderful accents to accompany other collections from Pretty Little Studio. I wanted to make a Valentine - since Valentine's Day is just around the corner! This cute little couple with an umbrella is a die cut called "Best Friends". This die comes in full size and mini - I used the full size on my A2 size card.
The background paper I used is from the You and Me Collection. These papers are perfect for Valentines with lots of hearts and arrows incorporated into the patterns. The metallic Golden Arrow Paper from the Gold Mine Collection complements the papers I chose perfectly! Because the gold is neutral it will compliment any color palate of your choice.

I like to send Valentines to friends and family so they know I'm thinking of them. The "Best Friends" Paper Ribbon makes the perfect sentiment! The ribbons come 20 on a sheet that you trim to size.

I love that all the collections mix and match easily! The cute little geotag flair with the heart is from the Let's Go Travel Collection! The aqua blue of the flair matches the die cut and stripes in the background papers perfectly!
All the gold accents are total eye candy on my card. I love the Gold Foil Lace Doilies - they are so intricate and make everything elegant and extra special. They're large for a card - 5" so I usually cut them and use pieces on my projects. I added a Gold Metallic Die Cut Note Flag to ground the die cut and give a more finished look to the seam between the pattern paper and die cut border.

Isn't this cute little couple adorable? I hope they inspire you to get started on your own Valentine's Day projects!

Finished Size: 4.25 x 5.5"

Pretty Little Studio Products:
Die Cut: Best Friends
Pattern Paper: You and Me Collection, Gold Mine: Golden Arrow
Doily | Gold Foil Lace | 5"
Flair | Let's Go Travel | Fresno
Note Flags | Gold Metallic | Die Cut
Cut Outs: With You Paper Ribbons

Other

Gold Shimmer Twinery Twine

Heart Gems

SPDSS38 - Love You Tons!

Love is in the air!  Valentine's Day is just around the corner!   I love making cards for all occasions so I can remind friends and family how much they mean to me all year long.   Valentine's Day is no exception! 

Are you playing along with our monthly challenge at Sugar Pea Designs?  We provide a new sketch every Wednesday along with samples from the design team featuring Sugar Pea Designs Products.    But the prize is drawn monthly.  So..  the more you play the better the chance you have to win.  To enter you only have to play along with one sketch, but to better your odds play along with all four!  The prize is sweet too!  A $75 gift certificate from the store... and if you saw the latest release that is sure going to be a welcome surprise because you're going to want them ALL!!!  I know I do!! 

This is a really fun sketch and as soon as I saw the three circles down the center of the sketch the Heart Journal Card die came to mind.   I told you my rule about pattern paper - to break up patterns add some solid card stock between them.. so for this one I added the Heart Border down each side of the center strip.  Because some of the hearts in the border are open I filled them in with cutouts of pink card stock. 

 I even cut some extra hearts from gold glitter paper so I could sprinkle them around in lieu of confetti.   The fun "Love You Tons" sentiment is from the Tons of Fun stamp set.  The set seems mostly birthday themed but if you look closer you'll see the sentiments can be used for lots of occasions!  

I originally had the "love" die cut in red, but once I added the gold hearts I thought a little peek of gold from behind the letters would be perfect to pull the different elements of the design together. 

Want to see what the rest of the sketch team made?  You can see their projects by clicking on their names or by heading over to the Sugar Pea Designs Blog!

Claire Broadwater

Deanne Kay

Karren Johnson

Laura Jane

Lee Ann Barrett

Lesley Croghan

Mackie Robertson

Maybe this is the part you've been waiting for.. Told you I would be giving away a Polaroid Journal Card die right?  The random winner is Lisa!  Thanks for your sweet comments they're sure appreciated!  

I hope you'll join me over at the Sugar Pea Designs Challenge this week! 

Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5"

Stamp:  Sugar Pea Designs Tons of Fun

Dies:  Sugar Pea Designs Heart Journal Card, Heart Border

Pattern Paper: Basic Grey True Love

The Card Concept #47 Floral Elegance

 I hope you're having a great weekend!  I'm enjoying a little crafty time and one of my favorite "go to" challenges is The Card Concept.  They always have a great challenge, and wonderful DT samples in so many different styles. 

I'm not much on color challenges - I guess my brain just doesn't work that way, so maybe a few liberties there?  I was inspired by that gorgeous cake decorated with leaves, flowers and branchy lace.  Of course I saw a wedding cake in my head - this is so elegant and beautiful.   So that's what I'm going for today.. 

I mimicked lots of elements from the inspiration photo.. branches, leaves, flowers...

The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse Stamps Big Day Additions.  The font in this set is perfect for any formal occasion.  I fussy cut the sentiment and adhered it with adhesive foam tape so I could insert the branch underneath it. 

You always know a wedding invite when it comes in the mail.. the envelope is thick and the paper is always the best quality.  I wanted that same feel to my card so I used watercolor paper. I die cut and embossed both corners with the Poppystamps  Clara Corner die.

The sentiment flowers and leaves are also cut from watercolor paper.  The thick paper picked up lots of the engraved detail on the leaves.   A sprinkle of pearls was my finishing touch. 

If you're having a quiet day like me you might want to give this challenge a try.  You can get all the details here at The Card Concept. 

Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5"
Dies: Poppystamps Clara Corner, Small Hydrangea Blooms, Viola Leaves, Memory Box Branching Out
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Big Day Additions
Pearls

To One Of My Favorite Peeps

You already love Poppystamps for their dies, but have you checked out their clear stamp sets? They're absolutely adorable! There are 11 new clear stamp sets with coordinating dies that were released this month. Today I'm playing with "To All My Peeps". This set is perfect for Spring / Easter.
They are beautifully drawn and have clever sentiments to match the images. I created a simple watercolor background with blue and green Peerless watercolors. I wanted it to look like grass and sky to set the scene for my little chickies!

I stamped the images with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored the images with Copic Markers. Memento Ink dries quickly and never bleeds with Copic Markers. I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Onyx Black for a crisp dark sentiment.

My watercolor skills have come a long way in the past year. I really love working with Peerless Watercolors and a water brush. The colors blend beautifully and are easy to manage. You simply brush the water where you want it and pick up just a little pigment from the watercolor paper sheets. The color blooms when it comes in contact with the water you laid down on your paper. I recently discovered that you can iron your work after it's completely dried to smooth out some of those wrinkles and get your projects to lay flat.

What's unique about the Poppystamps Clear Stamp sets is that the matching die sets have more dies. There is a die cut for practically EVERY shape in the stamp set. That is really unusual since most other brands only offer a handful of dies for their sets - not for every single stamp. This makes it easier for you to create - no fussy cutting - a perfect clean crisp outline every time. The dies are open "window" so you just stamp, color, tape down the die so the image shows in the open window, and die cut. It doesn't get easier than that!


You can see all the new dies and stamps by clicking on the Poppystamps January 216 catalog in the right side bar, or just click here.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Supplies:

Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5"

Poppystamps  CL426 To ALl My Peeps Clear Stamp Set

1464 To All My Peeps Die Set

Peerless Watercolor

TYIC# - Blue Skies Ahead

Happy Friday!  I hope you have some fun planned for the weekend!  Me?  I'm hoping for some quiet time with Mr. J. We've had lots of emotional stress lately and I'd be happy to do absolutely nothing all weekend. 

I've been keeping him busy on the weekends with little projects around the house that seem to keep getting away from us.   And I've been putting a few "finishing touches" on my craft room...  I added a bar chair for the counter top so you're welcome to come and join me now that you have a place to sit, and one more shelf would be nice.  I can't seem to find one to match the others we put up less than 6 months ago. 

I have to say now that I KNOW where everything landed and I can find what I'm looking for I am much happier.  There is nothing like loosing track of what's where to make you crazy! 

A new challenge begins today at Tag You're It.  This one is from DT member Erin Thiem of Homemade Cards By Erin Blog.

I love the cute scene Erin created on her card - the trees, clouds, and of course the trailer ready to hit the road.   It got me daydreaming of places I'd like to go or see, and created a little scene of my own. 

 The images I used are from the Avery Elle Happy Camper stamp set.   I stamped the images on a piece of white card stock, trimmed it down to what I thought was a "tag" size, and then clipped the top corners.   A scrap paper for a little masking made the scene easy to create. I fussy cut the little fox and adhered it with adhesive foam tape.  A sprinkle of glitter for my snow capped mountains adds lots of sparkle. 

I hope you'll join us at Tag You're It!  This one was lots of fun.  A great excuse to ink up a whole bunch of stamps and make a little scene of your own. 

Stamps:  Avery Elle Happy Camper
Die:  Poppystamps Stitched Landscapes
Twisted Burlap May Arts

Fusion Card Challenge - Woodgrain Neutral

It's so bitter cold here in the Chicago area.  That kind of cold that BURNS!  The sort that freezes your car windows shut so you have to open your entire car door at the drive through... BRRRR... makes me shiver just thinking about it.   When the kids were little I used to take them outside and blow soap bubbles so they could see them smash when they hit the ground.  Yes.. it really is that cold here.

This is the time of year that I love to craft.  There is nothing outside tempting me to stay outside any longer than I have to.   Moriko in her fabulous fur coat is loving it.  I want to post a photo but the lens keeps fogging up.

So while I am warm indoors I am doing a little crafting.  It relaxes my mind and that is good for my soul.   A new challenge begins today at Fusion Card Challenge.   This one is called "Woodgrain Neutral"  I find darks a little difficult to work with.. I was a butterfly in another life - drawn to bright colors.   But it's FUSION, so you don't have to work with the colors or even the photo if you don't want to.  You can work with the sketch and make it work with whatever you like.  I'm always trying to be clever and FUSE the two of them together. 

I started out making dimensional flowers with distressed ink edges like the photo, but then I asked myself why I was making something that I would never stick in the mail.  I decided to be a little more practical and keep it flatter and I'm really happy with the results. 

I cut flowers from two different black and white patterned papers and stacked the smaller flowers on top of the larger ones.   When I was done arranging them I didn't think I had enough definition to the circular shape of the wreath I was trying to create so I filled it in with some black enamel dots. 

 I couldn't resist adding a very slight touch of color on my design.  A very faint blush that I personally would still consider a neutral.  It compliments the hard black and white flowers - defining them and adding a softness at the same time. 

I can't wait to see what you make for this challenge.  It was fun to try something new and explore different colors that I wouldn't gravitate to normally.  You can see more projects from the team and link up your projects here at Fusion Card Challenge!










Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5"
Stamp:   Papertrey Ink Botanical Silhouettes
Dies:  Papertrey Ink Ruby Rose Die,  Paper Smooches Flag Tags
Pattern Paper;  Basic Grey Highline
Black Enamel Dots