Life Is Good from Sea to Shore

Hello, Friends and welcome to my blog.  What says "summer" or "vacation" more than seeing a sailboat as you stroll along the shoreline or from a nearby boat.This sailboat card is for a swap challenge and the assigned task was to use a toothpick.  Can you see my toothpick?  It's the mast!  This card uses an MFT die, origami folding, and a Spellbinder die for the waves.  The paper is from Colorbok and the sentiment was from the dollar bin --possibly Studio G--at a well-known craft chain.  Thanks for stopping by.

I hope to enter the following summer/beach/sea challenges:

Crafty Creations - #232 Summer

Divas by Design - 2E - Anything Goes

Nutcrafters - 2W, SIR, 1E -  #48 Summer Sunshine fun

WordArt Wednesdays - 5E -  encouraging sentiment -Anything goes

Cuttin & Stampin Challenges  W, 3E - #29 Scrap Your Vacation

Inky Chicks 2W, 3E, cards & altered items - #9 Summer Colours (Week 1)

Tuesday Throwdown W- #157 Toes In The Sand (Beach themed projects)

Creatalicious Challenges - M, P1/15, F - All about Summer

Heck of a Challenge - M, P1 - The Sea

Freshly Brewed Monthly Challenge - M, 5E, SIO, P1 - Take a Vacation

Seemacrafts - M, P1, E1 - Holiday/Vacation

Through The Craft Room Door W, 2E, -Always Anything Goes

The Crafting Cafe - M, P1, E1 - Summer's Here

C is for Challenge - 2W, Papercrafts only, E1 - (2nd week) Summer

The Crazy Challenge - 2W, 4E - (1st week) Summertime

The Paper Nest Dolls Challenge - 2W, E2 - (deadline August 2) Die Cuts

Hobbycutz  - 2W, 3E, SIO - (1st week) Summer  (August 3)

Allsorts - W, 3E - #216 Transport

Pumpkin spice - W - #29  Summer

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - 2W, 3E. 43 - Week 2 - Life's a Beach

Inspire Me Fridays– W - No. 112 - Anything Goes!

Sister Act Card Challenge - W, Cards. - No. 16 - Anything Goes

My Sheri Crafts  -  2W -  #115 (W1 of 2)  Let's Take a Trip

Wags 'n Whiskers - 2W, SIO - No. 108 - Week 2 - Summer Fun

Pumpkin spice - W - #29  Summer

Victorine Stamps-- Summer Colors
V's Sweet Ideas--Summer Fun
Crafts 4 Eternity--Anything Goes

Weaving with Fall Cards

Hello, Friends.  Here I am with a card in fall colors.  I know it's the middle of summer and the temperatures are hot, hot, hot, but we can dream of fall, can't we?  Plus, everyone is thinking beach cards, have several underway, but I am longing for fall!  Today's criss cross card uses a weaving technique on the MS border-punched belly band.  It's a ribbon that I just love because it has lots of lovely colors in it. and I am happy to say I have a whole ball of it.

The heat-embossed tag is a lovely sectioned collage with fall items and the names of the months going around the outside. There is room to include a message at the bottom of the tag.  The whole card is dry-embossed with a plaid embossing folder.

 I will enter it in the following challenges:

Make It Monday--anything goes

Mark's Finest Papers--weaving

Craft Room Challenge--heat embossing

Dream Valley Challenges--fancy folds

Sparkles Forum Challenges--fall colors

Making Designer Paper Tutorial

Hello, Friends.  Today I am in the studio making designer paper for a fall-themed card.  Because I have had requests about how it is done, I decided to upload a photo and the steps.  Warning:  This technique become addicting and you will soon have ALL your paints out and will be dabbing non-stop.  Don't say I didn't warn you!

Here is my easy-peasy process: 

1.  Assemble watercolor paper or heavy card stock and all the paint colors you want to use and lay out some newspaper.  Your paints can be matte, gloss, semi-gloss, craft or big cans of acrylic, metallics and glitter paints as well.  Find your oldest brushes with the stiffest bristles. 

2.   Apply just a bit of the base color onto your paper using very little paint and leaving white spaces (paper on the left).   Allow this first coat to dry or use a hair dryer to speed up the process.   

3.   Dip your stiffest paint brush into the next color and pounce it around on the paper.  

Continue with all your colors and finish with your metallic paints.  It is not necessary to dry your paint between each color because you will get some interesting results when colors overlap or blend or mix.  

Troubleshooting:  There are no mistake in this process so you become an expert the very first time you try this process.  Too dark?  Add a lighter color.  Too light?  Add a darker color.  If you don't have paint brushes, cut up a car washing sponge and sponge on each color.

So whenever you can't find the perfect blend of colors for your image, head to your paint stash and create your own!

Really Cute Robot

Hello, Friends. Welcome to my blog.  I am happy to announce that I am a new member of the {PIN}spirational Challenges design team.

Check out {PIN}spirational Challenges #66  here.

If you haven't visited before, you will soon find out that a photo is provided and you create a project inspired by that photo.  Special thanks to Birdie Brown and Dr. Digi for providing images for the design team.  Be sure to check out the great prizes for the winner.

 This week's photo is a darling robot:

It inspired me to make this card:

Supplies used:

Digi:  Birdie Brown

Papers:  Colorbok Hopscotch, SU!

Dies:  ProvoCraft Disney Celebrations balloons

Font:  Robotech from Dafont.com

I will try to enter these challenges:

LEJ Designs-Anything Goes

Here Come the Boys-Anything Goes

Anything Goes-Anything Goes

Cutie Pie Challenge - Cute & Cuddly 

Make it Monday - Always Anything Goes

Stamp with Fun - Cute- Celebrate 

The Pink Elephant Monday Card Challenge -  Feminine Birthday

A Little Bit Crafty - Die-ing For It! 

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes (Birthday)

Challenges 4 Everybody - 2W, 3E - Always Anything Goes 

No Matter Which Challenges - Anything Goes


Through the Craft Room Door- Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown - Anything Goes