Thursday, June 30, 2011

Blog Candy Alert!!!

Hi ya everyone!
  My friend and co Design Team member at Meljen's Designs, Cheryl of She Stamps, has some awesome blog candy she is offering!!! COPICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So if you really want to try some out and are reluctant to purchase them yourself - you could enter to win!!!  If she reaches 400 followers she will had a second winner for an unknown prize!  EXCITING!!! So head on over and join her blog - not only for the candy but her creations are SUPER GORGEOUS!!!  Click HERE to enter!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Birthday Cake - YUM - Meljen's Designs Release and New Challenge

Hi ya everyone!
  I LOVE the release at Meljen's Designs this week!  They are all so SCRUMPTIOUS!  Check it out!
I had a hard time choosing just one - all are perfect for any birthday and the Patriotic Cupcake is perfect for a July birthday close to the 4th!  I finally decided on the Piece of Cake image.
 All of Meljen's images can be found HERE at Whimsy Stamps.  The FREEBIE this week is perfect for this image to - it can be found HERE.
The fabulously talented Di of the Meljen's Designs team created this lovely sketch for us all - and all you have to do for the challenge is follow it!
 For my card I chose a number of Echo Park Papers - the main papers are from For the Record.  the yellow stripe is from Springtime.
 I colored the image in my Copics adding texture in the cake itself with small dots and I made the icing shiny in a spot for more dimension too.
I stamped the Happy Birthday in Versafine Black Ink and doodled a little bit around the image and around the sentiment.  I added a bit of baker's twine and a red button and also colored some white pearls with my R29 Copic. 
Care about my Copics?

Hey Hot Stuff!

Hi ya everyone!
  Last night on the Meljen's Designs PCP page we had a fun party!  There were a number of challenges too - the first a NEON challenge...NEON???  I decided to go all out NEON! LOL and this card is the result.  This image - Hey Hot Stuff can be found at Whimsy stamps right HERE!  I colored in my Copics and trimmed him out!
Did some layering following the sketch over at Deconstructing Jen.
Added some doodles and was done!
Care about My Copics???

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Party Tonight for Meljen's Designs at Paper Craft Planet

 Hi ya everyone!
  Tonight on the Meljen's Desings Paper Craft Planet page we are having a PARTY!  You can meet some of the designers and see some gorgeous creations.  There will be two challenges and prizes will be given out!!! You should join us right HERE.  Not a member?  You can join and it's COMPLETELY FREE!!!
 Also, every Monday Melissa the creator of everything Meljen's Designs gives you a freebie at the challenge blog...and now at Paper Craft Planet there is a freebie Monday challenge.  Create something using the freebie and you could win a prize!!! WOOT!

So join the fun and come party with us!

Notebook Tutorial using the Yudu Card Shop

Hi ya everyone!   I'm sharing a little notebook tutorial using the YUDU cardshop that I received from The Cricut Couple  as blog candy giveaway!!  I was so excited with this win that I had to share a project with you all!  Thank you to my friend Pam for letting me teach and learn on her blog - The Bug Bytes today!  First, I started with some Tan Havane Yudu Ink and a number of papers from the DCWV Linen Stack.
I chose the LOVE screen from Provo Craft for this project and placed the screen in the top of the machine.
Next I adhered a turquoise paper (5x7) from the above photo.  The color is a bit washed out but it is turquoise.
Next I placed a strip of the tan ink along the top.
I do not flood fill my machine first as the directions say - I've noticed that when I do I get overflow.  So I do a swipe down and then a swipe up and take a look.
UH OH!!!  I didn't like the light tan on my paper - it did not show up well - so I changed my mind and opted for this chocolate ink.  I removed my old paper and placed a fresh sheet in.  Without cleaning the screen I added the chocolate and repeated the above process.
I also decided to swap out the tan paper for a nice rich chocolate paper.  I then cut the square down to a 4.75 x 4.75 sheet.  My notebook will be a 6x6 book.  I cut two chocolate pieces at this size and also cut two pieces of thin cardboard (cereal box) at this size.
I then layered the chocolate paper on top of the cardboard and left my paper to dry.
Next I chose a cute stamp from The Greeting Farm that my sweet hubby got me for my birthday - this is Flirty Anya and she can be found HERE.
I stamped her in Memento Ink as I can use this with my Copics on Express It cardstock .
Next, I used the following Copics to bring her to life!
Isn't she just the cutest?? I love her little smiley face!  I also added a bit of pink to give a little pop of color to the notebook that is predominantly turquoise and brown.
Since I liked the pop of pink in Anya, I decided to add a very thin layer of bright pink to the back of my Love paper.  I then layered each paper and placed Anya close to my YUDU'd piece of paper!
I cut a number of pink and white sheets of paper at 6x6 to fill the inside for a writing tablet and used the cinch to bind my notebook together.
This was a simple project - adding embellishments and small touches would add more interest.  However, I chose not to as this will be in and out of my daughter's schoolbag and would likely rip the paper.  I also thought that this might make an adorable mini album!
Thanks for stopping by today I hope you enjoyed my tutorial.  For more fun projects head over to The Bug Bytes  Don't forget to leave a comment - I just love them and please feel free to ask questions too!

Friday, June 24, 2011

Color Pop - Some Odd Girl Challenge

Hi ya everyone!!!
  This week at the Some Odd Girl Challenge Blog there is a FUN challenge.  I love orange and yellow together and the challenge white/Kraft with two color pops was perfect for using these two colors.  I colored this adorable sweet Tia that I got in the SOG shop in my Copics.  The sun is covered in Clear Spica too which gives it a perfect sparkle!
I used my airbrush and my Copic Y35 to create a background on white X-press it and then cut this with my nestables.  I used a sheet of paper from the My Minds Eye paper stack and punched the edge with my Fiskars punch.  I bought a small bag of beads and little pins and poked them through my bow.
I doodled around the edges of my card with my Copic multiliner.  I also used my MS punch to make the adorable ice cream cones down the side and colored those with my Copics.  Last, I colored up some pearls and adhered them here and there! 
This is such a fun challenge and the effect of the pop of colors on Kraft is gorgeous!  Stop by the SOG shop and see the NEW RELEASE too - they are adorable and join the fun at the SOG Challenge Blog!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

A Summery Thank You - Meljen's Designs Release

Hi ya everyone!
  I hope your summer is shaping up to be a wonderful one so far!  Before my sweet Anna left the second grade for the summer I wanted to make a little something for her fabulous teacher.  She loves dark chocolate so I grabbed these dark chocolate kisses without really thinking about the color of the wrapping.  I wanted to make the candy bag really summery - and when I saw this adorable Meljen's Designs FREEBIE (I know can you believe it) I had to use it.  I LOVED coloring this image.  I did so in my Copics of course.
I then cut out a black piece of Bazzill cardstock and folded it over the bag.  I stamped a sentiment - it doesn't look so good =( because I stamped the edges - and added some cute little buttons and string.  On the back we wrote a thank you and enjoy your summer!  There is a bookmark in the bag too - this was supposed to be for Teacher Appreciation Day - but well let's just say it didn't get taken to her!!!
So in the end - the purple wasn't so pretty with the bag - but oh well I bet it tasted good!

Oh, aside from the adorable Freebies Meljen's had this week - here is the super awesome release that can be found at Whimsy Stamps right HERE!!!  Perfect for any BBQ don't ya think?
The challenge for the week is Plaids and/or Stripes!  Don't forget to use your Meljen's Images!!  There are a TON of FREEBIES right HERE!!!
Care about my Copics???

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Happy Father's Day

 Hi ya everyone!
  This is quick card I made my dad for Father's Day.  One of the things I remember most about my dad is his love of old cars.  I actually love them too now and can always appreciate a well kept automobile!  So when I pulled out my stamp collection and found this adorable car I knew it was perfect. 
 I used this huge black satin ribbon I've been hording in my stash - I think it's a bit overwhelming but I still loved it!!!  I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day yourself - either through remembering dad, spending time with dad, being dad, or just knowing it was Father's Day.  I have a wonderful husband who is by the way a wonderful father and he spent his day at the beach with us and it was a gorgeous day!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Truth Hurts - Tiddly Inks Challenge

Hi ya everyone!
  This week at the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog we are asking everyone to make a card that has a bit of humor using girls.  You know the sugar and spice thing, right?  Well I just couldn't resist making this card with the quote I found online.  My hubby is a complete handy man so this doesn't apply to him at all but I couldn't resist asking Christy for a Carpenter girl and of course she came through with this cutey - Carpenter Jane.
 I colored her in my Copics and added a few white accents.  I then computer generated the sentiment and placed it close to her when I printer the image.  I left some white space to ink as well.  I inked with Victorian Velvet from Tim Holtz.  I then doodled around the edge.
I grabbed my Tim Holtz Idea-Ology stack and found some great papers.  One had the days of the week so I cut those out and mounted them on other paper that matched the Victorian Velvet color.  I added a number of tiny nails using my Ranger glossy accents which I've found to be a GREAT fast drying glue that holds all sorts of things.
I added a few buttons to the outside edge of the card as well.
This is a really fun challenge and I hope you'll join us this week at the Tiddly Inks Challenge blog!  You can make any card using a Tiddly image - and it can be sugary and sweet or it can be sassy and spicy - just like us girls!!!
 Also you have to check out the other new image this week at Tiddly Inks - she is A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!
 Care about my Copics???
I am entering this card into the Copic Creations Challenge too!

Monday, June 20, 2011

8 is GREAT!!! - Invite Tutorial

 Hi ya everyone!
  It's my turn to share a tutorial at She's A Sassy Lady today and I chose my daughter's invites as a project.
My sweet Anna is turning 8 this month and wanted a purple monkey cake - so specific for 8!  She also wanted monkey (Create A Critter) invites hanging from the number 8!  Again specific...she is all about the details! LOL - so I've decided to do a short tutorial on making single layer invites.  Instead of a card I wanted to make a flip over card basically because the monkey hanging from the 8 would be a little unsteady unless I placed it directly on a rectangle piece of paper.  I also like to use as little paper as possible.  I laid each element out on my Gypsy first and then split them up and made multiples.
Monkey Shadow (Brown Bazzil) and Monkey Front (Purple paper from Basic Grey stack Oh Baby! Girl)

Monkey Middle (Yellow Basic Grey stack Oh Baby! Girl and 8 backing in Green Basic Grey stack Oh Baby! Girl)
Front of 8 in Basic Grey elephant paper from Oh Baby! Girl stack and Brown Bazzil for shadow
I chose the following papers and cut out each card.
I also cut out an extra 8 with the holes shadowed for the information portion on the back.  Here are all the pieces cut and ready for assembly.
I adhered the 8 with my ATG.
I glued the top layer of the monkey onto the yellow paper and then adhered that to the shadow in brown using the ATG.

I then adhered the monkey to the 8 with glue and ATG.  I used both to make sure the two were adhered well together.
Sometimes I would use a bit too much ATG and it would hang over.
This is why I love the ATG I have because even though it's incredibly adhesive it can be rolled off gently.  I roll in slightly with my finger and then tear it off and use the glue ball to get any extra off.
Last, I grabbed my $1 Studio G stamp set, Versafine black ink and an acrylic block.
I lined up my stamps on the back of the invite first and then pressed the acrylic block to them.  I covered the stamps in black ink and stamped them to the invite! 
Thanks for checking out my tutorial!  I LOVE Comments and your encouragement is truly appreciated!