papermonkey.org {make time for playtime}

Getting in Shape For Summer

Hi & hello!
Today's card is created for the Embellish-Online.com Friday Free For All Challenge. I am hostess this week and my challenge for you is to make a shaped card with a summer theme. I thought of sunshine and flowers and here is the result!

My card is very simple today: the flower shape is new Spellbinders Blossom die cut, which is very similar to the Nested Flowers, but this has 6 dies instead of 3 in the set, and more petals that do not go so deep into the paper.   The patterned paper is This Little Piggie from the American Crafts Baby collection. The pattern is the perfect size for the May Arts 1/8 inch Ric Rac trim. I added the trim with 1/8 inch Wonder Tape, then die cut the flower shape onto the paper. It cut right through.

Designer Tip: I use Dritz Fray Check on the end of my ribbon and trim to prevent fraying. It dries clear and really works. I got it for $2 on eBay.

The flower is cut from Mary Quite Contrary patterned paper. I added a Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch paper butterfly with a turquoise crystal for a bit of bling.

The It-Girls would love for you to join us and play in our challenge! To play simply upload your challenge card to our gallery using keyword FC45 so that we can all find your work :) Be sure to check out Julie's Circle Scrapbook layout, Danni's Thong Sandal shaped card, Christine's super cute Swimsuit card and Kim's Watermelon Slice card in the challenge! The ladies really worked that paper this week :)

Be back in a few with the Magnolia-Licious first ever Blog Hop Project!

Thanks for stoppin' by!

Sumthin' Bout Summertime Blog Hop & Contest

Hello & welcome to my stop on your Embellish-Online.com hop! This is the third and final post of the day - be sure to see my other two posts below :) Onto the fun: what are you planning to do this summer? Apparently little Margaux is taking watercolor classes. Here she is doing a study of her teddy.

I colored the Stampavie Stamp Margaux is Painting with Copic Markers, then matted it with a hot pink Bazzill Washboard pattern cardstock onto American Crafts Humpty Dumpty patterned paper from the new Baby collection.

The die cut used to cut the image is Spellbinder's Deckled Rectangles.

I punched one edge of the Chocolate Chip cardstock with an EK Success Edger Punch then added the most fabulous May Arts 1/8 inch ric rac trim in Celery. I am so in love with this trim! Can't wait to get my hands on the brown.

The cute little Adhesive Badge button is American Craft's Made With Love set.It is like a laminated tin button pins from the 70's, but instead of the stick pin part it has a foam sticker.

I couldn't go without just a wee bit of bling so added some turquoise K&Co. crystals in the two corners.

 

Well that's about it. Wait - I forgot to give you your letter! My letter is actually an exclamation point (!) - what better way to end the hop?! Your next, and final stop on the Embellish-Online.com Blog Hop is the EI Forum on this post where you can enter the contest. If you haven't registered to use the forum yet it only takes a second and it's free!

Hope you had fun on the hop and got lots of inspiring ideas for fun cards and projects from our fabulous It-Girls Design Team.

If you have not hopped around to all the blogs it is not too late to do so now to collect all the DT member's letters. Unscramble the letters and post your guess in the forum.  On June 21st, the first day of summer, one lucky person will win a great prize package consisting of American Crafts Papers, May Arts ribbon and trim, and a Stampavie stamp! All the details can be read here.

If you just can't wait and feel like shopping in the Embellish-Online.com Store, be sure to use code word GLITTER in the voucher box at checkout to save 20% off everything  in the store.

Well that is about it for the day. Whew I have been a busy beaver :) I hope you liked the card showcase today.

Thanks for stoppin' by! 

Sumthin' Bout Summertime Blog Hop & Contest

You are cordially invited to the first ever Embellish-It.com Blog Hop!  We wanted to kick off summer in a big way so come along and get inspired, play a little game and enter to win an American Crafts Prize Package & a Stampavie Stamp !

How to Play

Hop along from Blog to Blog in the order given below. Each blog stop will provide one letter to a mystery word. At the end of the hop on June 3^rd, unscramble all the letters to figure out the mystery word, and post your guess in our forum in the specified post below.

On June 1^st start at the Embellish-Online.com blog, then head to the IT-Girls blogs  in this order:

Christine
Cindy
Danni

June 2nd head to
Julie
Kim
Michelle

June 3rd head to
Lee
Suzy

The Hop ends at the EI Forum on this post where you can unscramble the letters and post your guess word.

One winner will receive a prize package consisting of a Stampavie Stamp, American Crafts papers and Thickers, and ribbon. Value of prize is approximately $25. The winner will be announced on June 21^st, the first day of Summer!  

Rules: You can post your guess anytime between June 3^rd and Midnight CST on June 20^th, 2009. One entry per person please. We apologize, but due to high shipping costs, you must have a North American address to ship your prize package to.

Hot For Dots Clear Flower Card

Hi & Hello!

Happy Friday to you! Hope it is a nice, relaxing one! As for me, I am busy making Banana Nut & Blueberry Bran muffins for our Stampin' Up! Demo retreat and trying to do one meelion other things that of course I waited too long to do. We are headed to the Irish Loop, an area of Newfoundland coast about 45 minutes out of town for a major stampathon weekend.  I will be out of town until Sunday, but do have posts scheduled, including two today :)

Today is my turn as Hostess for the Embellish-Online.com Friday Free For All Challenge. My challenge for you is to create a polka dotted or otherwise spotted card!

My card is quick and simple: I cut clear acetate with a Spellbinder's Nested Flowers die then layered die cut American Crafts Edith Fitzbolt patterned paper from the Craft Fair collection under it, securing it with a clear Mini Glue Dot. The Bazzill textured white circle goes on top of the acetate, also secured with a Mini Glue Dot. This way no glue dots are seen. There is a smaller white circle inside to write a note on. 

The "hi" sentiment is American Craft's Rockabye White Foam Thickers (self-adhesive letters that are so fun and fabulous :); the polka dotted ladybug is also an American Crafts sticker from the Umbrella collection. EI sells tons of letter stickers in felt, glitter, patent leather type - you name it. An amazing array of styles.

I would love for you to play along with me, simply upload your card to the EI Gallery with the keyword FC43 so that we can find you:)

Be sure to check out the EI Blog starting June 1st for a fun contest & our first ever Blog Hop with our new Design Team!

If you feel like shopping at Embellish-Online/com's store be sure to use keyword GLITTER in the Voucher box during checkout to save 20% off your entire order.

Check back momentarily for yet another post for my Sweet 'n Sassy Blog Hop card. A busy Friday :)

One last bit of news. Do you have the new CardMaker Magazine? I wonder whose card is on page 78 being advertised for the next Issue?! I would admit to being a dork, but you all  know that already! I can't help it, I'm super excited and as I was reading about needed some Depends to contain my excitement when I saw my card.

*deep breaths* Okay.

Thanks for stoppin by!

Scrappy Cards with the New American Crafts Collection & New DT Announced!

Hi and hello!
Today's cards were created for Embellish-Online Design Team Gallery which opens today. Do not adjust your monitors, I know what you're thinking - these don't look like "Suzy cards". Trust me I heard all about it from Allan lol. These are what are called scrappy cards, meaning that there is no stamping involved and they lean toward scrapbooking trend in design.

They all use the new American Crafts paper collections that just arrived in the Embellish-Online.com store.  For a change, I love the bigger, bolder shapes of scrapbook paper (as opposed to the smaller print of card making paper that I use far more often). To maximize the playfulness of the shapes I used my Nestabilities to make shaped card. You know I love my coloring and stamps, but sometimes it's fun to try things outside of your norm. Here is the breakdown on each card:

Hi Flower shaped Card

This any occasion card is my favorite of the bunch. I die cut textured white cardstock with a flower shaped Nestabilities, then added die cuts of Marge Hemmingway paper, the solid green side of Mona Trimenez paper, and the polka dotted Edith Fitzbolt paper, all from Craft Fair Collection. The letters are American Crafts Thickers adhesive white foam letters. 

The heart button thingy is something new to me that I love - Made With Love Adhesive Badges from the Craft Fair Collection. They are like laminated tin button pins but without the pin lol. You get 8 to a package, and there are all kinds of styles in the EI store right now. I used another from the package on the Smile card below.

 

BFF Teen Card
For this card suited for a teenage girl or the young at heart girlfriend I used Prom Date heart patterned paper from the Teen collection framed with the solid pink side of Alice Stitcherson from the Craft Fair collection.

I rounded the corners of the papers on one side and tilted the top layer a bit for a funky look. White Foam Thickers spell out BFF (Best Friend Forever). The stars are Bazzill Edgers, popped up on foam dots.

Hoos 29 Birthday Card

No cardstock on this card! I kind of liked the peek of green on the backside of Rose McGrain patterned paper from the Craft Fair collection, so I kept it; the card is small enough that it doesn't feel flimsy.  The owl is cut out from Lucy Hootski paper, also from Craft Fair. Aren't the names adorable? The paper is not as thick and fibrous as BasicGrey's, and cuts so easily. The letters are more Foam Thickers  ~ inside the card says {again!} haha.

The polka dot thingy is something new to me that I love - Made With Love Adhesive Badges from the Craft Fair Collection. They are like laminated tin button pins but without the pin lol. You get 8 to a package, and there are all kinds of styles in the EI store right now.  The loopy white cardstock is a Bazzill Edger.

 

Smile Any Occasion Card

I just love the argyle pattern of Class President paper from the Teen Collection, and played it up with the diamond pattern of the Bazzill Edger strip that has been popped up with foam dimensional dots. The circle shaped card is thanks to Nestabilities, as is the butterfly die cut which uses the opposite side of Class President paper. All of the American Crafts papers from these collections are solid on one side and patterned on the other.

The brackets around the Made With Love Adhesive Badge is white foam Thickers.The polka dot thingy is another Made With Love Adhesive Badge from the Craft Fair Collection.

Save 20% off Your Order

Use keyword GLITTER in the voucher box during checkout in the store to save 20% off your entire order, even Copics, Slice products and sale items!

EI's New Design Team
It is the last month for our graduating team, and I will sure miss them, they are fabulously talented ladies. Be sure to see their DT work for May in the Gallery.

As sad as I am to see the graduating team go, I am also excited for the freshmen team" coming in. I am so pleased to announce the new Design Team for June-December 2009:

•  Suzy Haghighi (DT Coordinator and DT Member)
• Michelle Pearson (EI Blog writer, DT Member)
• Julie Okada (Returning DT Member)
• Cindy Motherway (Returning DT Member)
• Christine  Ousley
• Kim Gruetzmacher
• Danni Reid

Guest Designers:

• June Lee Murphy
• July Latisha Yoast
• August Amanda Sewell
• September Kim Prince
• October Tracy Shultz
• November Eva Dobilas
• December TBA

Keep an eye out in the EI Forum for more guest designer opportunities we will be choosing Guest DT members from the Gallery and Forum as well :)

Thanks for stopping by,

Sweet Baby

Hello everyone and happy Monday! I hope the day finds you well and full of mojo! I have been sufferin' from a lack thereof a bit. I finally tossed my hands in the air and decided to keep today's card sweet and simple - very apropos as today's challenge over at the House Mouse & Friends Challenge Blog is to make a card with something sweet, be it literally or figuratively.

I colored this sweet Happy Hoppers Love Bunny image (note the clever use of the word sweet ah I entertain myself) with the Copics you see above, then mounted it on Pink Paislee Pleasant and Wonderful patterned paper from the new Enchanting collection that I got from Embellish-Online.  There is a very soft halo of blue Copic marker around the bunnies, whick looks so pretty in real life, but is hidden from the camera.  The shape of the card is thanks to the largest scallop Nestabilities (score Chocolate Chip Textured Cardstock then cut with the die cut, making sure the top of the circle doesn't cut all the way through).

The new pink Prima Dandies flowers go so well with this collection - it is the perfect warm pink with brown center.  I added a tiny bit of scruffed up Stampin' Up! Taffeta Ribbon attached to the Cuttlebug Tag. The sweet baby sentiment is a Making Memories Animal Crackers Pebble Sticker.

Thank you for making me a part of your day! Happy creating!

This One's For The Girls...

This one's for the girls
Who've ever had a broken heart
Who've wished upon a shooting star
You're beautiful the way you are
This one's for the girls
Who love without holding back
Who dream with everything they have
All around the world
This one's for the girls

Yeah, we're all the same inside
From 1 to 99

I just love that Martina McBride song. And now I can't get it out of my head. In my opinion, today's card is the ultimate girlfriend card. Who wouldn't like to receive pearls and flowers in the mail, and be taken to a picnic of daisies? More on that at the bottom of this post, just a teeny surprise for someone.

Card details: I went shabby chic for the debut of the Embellish-Online.com April gallery.  The image, Picnic of Daisies by Stampavie's Sarah Kay line, was colored with the Copics you see above, then mounted on Core-Dinations cardstock that I sanded and painted with white crackle paint. 

I have discovered my favorite lip color for Copics - Flesh. It is a few tones darker than skin white and doesn't make her look like she is wearing lipstick, but rather just a natural lip color. If you double click the image you can see a closeup of her lips better.

The dreamy green patterned paper is Memories from Prima's Flirty Little Secret collection, accented with Ruby paper from the same line. I used Martha Stewart's Classic Butterfly punch (so confusing - she has a single Classic Butterfly punch, then this punch of the same name, which is a trio of smaller butterflies) and Stampin' Up!'s Boho Blossoms punch, along with Prima flowers and K&Co. green, pink and cream Pearls.

I popped the white of the daisies with Signo White Gel Pen, adding a bit to the jeans as well.

Take a stroll through the gallery to see what our Design Team has been up to using Stampavie stamps, Prima, BasicGrey, Copic products and whimsy! You do need to register to view the gallery, but it is quick, easy, and free.

If you go shopping be sure to type the keyword GLITTER in the VOUCHER box at checkout to save 20% off everything, even the deal of the day, which today is 50% off Maya Road products - so you would save almost 70% off woo hoo now that's a deal!

I would love to send this card to a virtual girlfriend (I consider you all my girlfriends :). Just leave a comment here if you would like the card, and I will mail it to you blank so you can pass it along to YOUR favorite girlfriend. If I have more than one person who wants the card I will do a random draw on Friday.

Thanks for stoppin' by!

p.s. Embellish-Online.com is currently looking for a design team. All details are right here.

Embellish-Online Design Team Call

Embellish-Online.com  is forming a new design team! We are an online retailer looking for innovative, creative and friendly card and scrapbook designers who are comfortable working with the products we sell such as patterned papers, embellishments and clear stamps that are detailed and may require coloring.  If you work with Copic markers that is a plus! If you do not color that is okay too as we are looking for a variety of styles.

You do need to have an active, well maintained blog, be active on forums like SCS and/or 2Peas to share your work, be  able to meet deadlines and participate in team challenges and on the store’s forum, and have a friendly, positive attitude.  We require at least one EI exclusive  post  a week on your blog  using our products, and to create for the EI gallery once a month (around 6 cards, layouts or projects a month in total).

In return, you will receive approx. $25 worth of product a month to design with, which usually includes patterned papers, embellishments, and sometimes stamps. You will also receive a 30% discount on almost everything in the store.

The design term will last six months.

To apply please send your name, address, link to your blog and SCS/2Peas galleries, and 5 examples of cards or projects that best reflect your style to  suzy@papermonkey.org. Please keep each image under 100 kb in size or your application will not be received. Please also include a little bit about yourself, what other design teams you are on (DT experience is NOT necessary though), and why you would like to be an EI designer.

Applications are due  April 30^th. New designers will be announced by May 5^th . 

The design term will begin June 1^st and end December 31^st. Good luck to all who apply :)

Suzy

Butterfly Trompe L'oeil Challenge

 

It is my turn to host the Friday Free For All Challenge in the Embellish-Online.com Forum. In honor of April Fools Day let's make a card that fools the eye in some way. Trompe l'oeil is a French term, meaning fool the eye; it refers to an artistic style popular in paintings, murals and even furniture that involves tricking the eye in some way with optical illusions (for example, a realistic looking vase painted on a wall that "sits" above a real table.

For our purposes, the challenge will be to fool the eye with a technique, stamping, or embellishments. 

Some ideas:

• paper or stamped "ribbon" or buttons
• any faux technique i.e. faux bleach, faux cloisonne, faux leather or hot metal, faux stitching, faux silk. Instructions for these techniques can be found on SCS.

For today's card I die cut a butterfly card using white cardstock, then die cut a piece of BasicGrey Langley patterned paper from the Porcelain collection, which looks like it is watercolored (aha - trick#1).

I stamped the new Prima clear mini stamp, Opus, which is a music sheet print, onto the patterned paper with Memento ink in Rich Cocoa, then spritzed the paper with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Key Lime Pie, a green with gold shimmer, and Cherub Pink, a pink with gold shimmer.

The shimmer is so pretty in person, you can see it in the picture if you double click to enlarge it. It is just to subtle for the camera :(

The sentiment and the bird cage are Porcelain rub-ons, as is the little butterfly on the Heidi Swapp bird mirror. After all, there is a little butterfly in all of us, yearning to be set free, to fly and "bloom".

My second trick on the card is the green "buttons", which are made from Wedgwood patterned paper using a Sizzlit die cut I bought through Stampin' Up!. I spritzed the buttons with Coffee Shop glimmer mist, which is a brown with copper shimmer. Additional embellishments include a Stampin' Up! Button Latte button, Prima flowers and cotton lace trim.

The BasicGrey Porcelain collection, Memento Inks, Prima Stamps and Glimmer Mists (which are on sale) are available in the Embellish-Online store. Use code word GLITTER in the voucher box during checkout to save 20% off your order.

If you play in the challenge link me up, I would love to see your work.

Thanks so much for stoppin' by - have a great weekend!

Sunny Country Girl

Today's card is sweet and simple, except for the coloring part which took more than a while. The funny thing about all the coloring is that the white chicken gave me the hardest time. This city girl  had no idea how to paint a chicken and had to look an image of a chicken up lol. I am headed to visit Allan's uncle's farm in Rosetown, Saskatchewan this summer and am enduring constant teasing about all the farm work I will be doing and the dinner I will be meeting first - ugh lol. Let's move on to the card details :)  I wanted the keep the image the focus so kept the layout design quite simple, adding texture and color as the eye candy.

I stamped the Sarah Kay for Stampavie image Country Girl with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink, then colored with the Copic Markers you see above. The camera didn't pick it up, but there is a soft wash of blue around her for sky, which fades into the white cardstock thanks to the Colorless Blender.

I matted the card with Stampin' Up! Textured cardstock in Pumpkin Pie. The matting on the image is Bazzill Washboard Textured Cardstock in Fiesta, which has a soft, lined texture that contrasts nicely with the deeper linen texture of the Stampin' Up!.

I punched the Fiesta with the Stampin' Up! Eyelet Border Punch and the Boho Blossom punch to add a few flowers. The buttons are from a pound of buttons bag I bought at Walmart for $1.99 - quite the deal.

The leaves are a Stampin' Up! Little Leaves die cut made from Garden Green textured cardstock.  This is fast becoming a favorite, and it was only $5.95 CDN. I love cheap thrills :)

Design Tip: Usually when you add your embellishments you pull from the colors used in your image or the background paper, but when the layout is this simple, you can add some punch with a jolt of color that comes out of nowhere. It is still warm toned and hey, yellow and blue, which are in the card, make green :)

Copic Sketch Markers, Stampavie Stamps, and Memento Inks are all available at Embellish-Online.com. Save 20% off your order by using discount code GLITTER in the voucher box during checkout.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hootie...

Two posts in one day...on a kaiser babee! So...is anyone a fan of show Top Chef? I wanted Karla to win - just loved her kind soul, and her food was simple yet innovative.  What does this have to do with today's card? Well she had a way of finding her hubby in a store - one of them would yell hootie? and the other would respond hoo! You just can't bottle that kind of cuteness ~ so fresh! Which brings me to today's card which uses Stampavie Stamps / Rachelle Anne Miller's Hoo Hoo There! I can just see these two little owls calling each other - Hootie? Hoo!

The little owl image was colored with the Copic markers you see above, and die cut with Nestabilties Mega Rectangles. The patterned papers are new Pink Paislee from the Fetching Collection.

I love the Confident laser cut paper and wanted it to figure prominently in the layout of the card. A lot of people avoid laser cut papers for cards, but it is possible - they are not just for scrapbookers. The distressed floral paper is called Engaging. The dotted paper is from the Captivating Collection (also Pink Paislee).

To finish off the card I looped Stampin' Up! So Saffron Ribbon at the ends and added Button Latte buttons. The Wow! chipboard button is by Chatterbox.

Stampavie stamps, which include designs by Sarah Kay and Rachelle Anne Miller, are now available at Embellish-Online.com . If that wasn't exciting enough, you can still use the discount code GLITTER to save 20% off these stamps, the Pink Paislee papers, the Copics, and anything else you order (add the word to the VOUCHER boox as you check out).

Thanks for stoppin' by! It is much appreciated :)

Embellish-Online's February Giveaway is Bittersweet :)

 

Embellish-Online's February Giveaway

Embellish-Online.com is giving away the new BasicGrey Bittersweet Collection (18 12x12 papers, alphabet stickers and element stickers) along with some of the embellishments from the collection! These papers are delicious shades of pinks, creams and browns and perfect for Valentine's Day.

To enter the giveaway all you have to do is be a contributing member in the Forum AND officially enter the contest by signing up in the forum:

1. You'll need to make a minimum of 25 posts in the Embellish-Online.com Forum and/or the Gallery during January in order to be considered for the monthly drawing.

2. If you want to be entered to win this awesome new collection, post in this thread here in the EI Forum and we'll make note of your post count!  If you don't post on the thread it won't count.  If you haven't joined the forum yet, join now, it's free!

The drawing will be held on February 1st. Good luck to all!

A bonus for everyone: Don't forget to use code GLITTER to save 20% off everything in the store, including Copic markers! And yes, EI ships internationally!

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzy

Hi Sweet Cakes! & Deal of the Day

 

The January Design Team Gallery at Embellish-Online is open! This month we are working with Pink Paislee's new collection Sweet Cakes. The rub-ons, ribbon and stamps are really adorable! If you love fun colors and cupcakes this will be your go to paper for a while!

For today's card I didn't even do any stamping for a change. This is more of a scrappy card.  

I cut out a Sweet Cakes Postcard (the name is misleading - they are the size of journaling cards and text weight) and put it on top of Cupcake Sweetie patterned paper. I covered the cherry with a little felt heart.

The base of the card is Stampin' Up!'s Baja Breeze on a Real Red and White cardstock mat. Baja Breeze is a great match for the blue in the patterned paper. The Hi sentiment is patent shine, glittered chipboard. The pom pom trim is by May Arts. A very happy card for a sweet friend :)

Today's Deal of the Day at the Embellish-Online storeis 20% off everything by Prima! Don't forget to use code GLITTER to save another 20% off your entire order - even the deal of the day items! I will be back with another card and a bit of news in a bit :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Oh Christmas Tree~O: A Trio of Quick & Easy Cards

 

Hello and happy Saturday! Have you seen the Embellish-Online Gallery this month yet? The design team has made dozens of cards for your inspiration, all of which can be found in the EI gallery for December. Here are three of mine, all using BasicGrey's new Christmas collection, Wassail, which is available in the store for 20% off if you use code GLITTER.

I am at the stage in my Christmas card making where I wake up and say OH #$&#@ I am so behind! I always think I am doing so well in my Christmas prep, but the best laid plans, my friend. So here are a few cards that can easily be mass produced.

Do you find what you listen to as you create influences your work? While making my cards I had Sixpence None The Richer's new Christmas album The Dawn of Grace playing in my iPod. It is so wonderful - these adjectives come to mind: small, soft, warm, homey. This album inspired my mood for simple, more organic cards.

I think the homespun, rustic type of look   I was going for matches the country meets vintage vibe of Wassail. I used Stampin' Up! Kraft cardstock as the base on all three cards, which has a nice homemade feel to it and complements the Wassail color palate. It is very hard to match the red in Wassail -I really like Bazzill Dotted Swiss in Blissful but I was out, and even that complements rather than matches.

For this card I simply cut  a strip of Wassail and added some Cuttlebug tree die cuts. The large, glittery fabric snowflake is by Imaginisce from the Snowy Joe collection. The coarse glitter is by Martha Stewart from a kit and called Crystal. It is so sparkly in real!

My next card used the Kraft base and also the retired True Thyme (ah that was such a great color). The large die cut is Sizzix for Stampin' Up'!s Top Note Die - I used it in my Cuttlebug sandwiched between two B plates and it works just fine. In case you are wondering if you need this die if you already have the Nestabilities Label Onedies - the answer is yes! It is quite different and it's large size is quite handy (this card is 4.25x5 to give you an idea of the die cut's size). I am really glad I got it. 

I hand cut a triangle type shape on the Wassail paper for a tree, then wrapped some cotton trim around the tree.

The "star" on top of the tree is a Martha Steward Alpine snowflake punch topped with Crystal Coarse Glitter. The button and rub-on presents are also Wassail; the  sentiment is from Stampin' Up!'s Best Yet Hostess set inked with my favorite brown, Ancient Page Chocolate- is it the name that makes me love it? Hmm.

 

 

My final card is the easiest of all - I simply punched snowflake shapes from the Wassail paper using Martha Stewart's Alpine and Arcticpunches then adhered them together with Glue Dots and 3D dots to form a wreath on top of some cream linen textured cardstock. The linen textured cardstock is rather elegant and adds some class to the folk-y Kraft cardstock. 

I added a bit of Crystal Effects on the top snowflakes and dusted them with Martha Stewart Snow glitter, which is uneven and chunky and looks like bits of ice. It is also from a Christmas Glitter kit - love it but can't recall the name; it is available at Michaels.

I hope you like these quick and easy Christmas cards. I am working on this year's Crafty Baking Post so stay tuned for that soon :)

Oh oh oh - I also found out I will be attending CHA in California this January. I am so excited and hope to meet many online friends! While there I will also be Copic certified so will hopefully learn a lot more with the Copics. The best part? I get to visit my mom, dad and brother while I am there. I haven't seen my dad in over 10 years so this trip means so much to me.

Hugs from across the miles,

Fit For a Princess

   

Hi everyone! Hope hump day is treating you well! Two days until Friday woo hoo! This is a super quick post to show three cards and to let you know that the Embellish-It Design Team Gallery  is open and it is Fit for a Princess.

This month we used Fairest of Them All, the new collection from Imaginisce. It is such a beautiful collection - lots of flourishes, polka dots and flowers, and even a few toads to kiss. Most of the papers have shimmer- very girly.

The three cards I am showing you today were all made using the papers from the collection. I was in a scrappy mood so they are quite different from my normal style. 

The little chick stamp used in this card was paper pieced with the papers. I used my Cricut Scribble Flower and a button as an accent.

 

This last card uses my Cricut (George cartridge). The letters, parenthesis flower and hearts are all cut with the Cricut from Imaginisce paper. I added some Pink German Glass glitter over one heart for a little bling. The white polka dot ribbon is May Arts.

Be sure to check out the Design Team Gallery because the team really made some beautiful cards, scrapbooking layouts and 3D projects that are sure to inspire you. These papers and stamps are all for sale in the store - be sure to use code GLITTER to save 20% off your entire order (including for preorders of Copics, which are due to arrive any day in the store!). Memento Ink Dewdrops (the small size) is also due in the store very soon, which are perfect for use with the Copics.

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzy

Copic Chat is Tonight in the EI Forum & Giveaway Alerts

Copic Chat at Embellish-Online.com Tonight

Join Embellish-Online.com's Copic representative Emily Laurel in the EI Copic Forum tonight at 6pm PST (9PM EST). She will be discussing what makes these markers special, answering your questions and giving examples on making the most of the markers. Participation is free, you just need to be a registered user (also free).  Emily will have a giveaway drawing for those who attend. If you are even remotely interested in Copics you won't want to miss this.

If you are unable to make it the information will stay posted in the forum for you to read at a later time. I will be there, I hope you join us!

Copic Sketch markers are available for pre-order in the Embellish-Online.com store. They are listed with corresponding Stampin' Up! color names in the drop box to help you select that perfect color. Be sure to use code word GLITTER in the voucher field to save 20% off your entire order (yep - including Copics).

Imaginisce Fairest of Them All Drawing

While you're at the EI Forum be sure to enter to win the new Imaginisce Fairest of Them All Giveaway. The winner will get  2 pages each of 6 patterned paper designs (12 sheets total), 1 of each stamp from the collection, We're Off To The Ball Rub Ons and Glitter Giggles Rub Ons.  This is over a $30.00 value! Winner will be announced January 1 via e-mail and in the Forum. This giveaway is open to all US and Canadian addresses.

Suzy

Fall's Flourish ~ Layered Leaves Mini Tutorial & Prize Alert

I am the hostess this week over at the Embellish-Online.com Friday Free For All Challenge. My challenge is to create a fall or Halloween card that uses flourishes. I made up a little mini tutorial to show how I made today's card, which looks a lot more complicated than it is!

To start out, stamp your images in a random pattern on ivory cardstock. I used TheRubberCafe.com's Leaf Cube 2 for this card. You get 4 stamps in one cube - so handy I love it.

Using different colors and types of ink will create an interesting and rich background. Here I used Ancient Page Chocolate Dye Ink, which is thick and juicy and leaves a dark impression that really stands out; Brilliance Pigment Ink in the russet colored Coffee Bean which is very detailed and crisp, and Ranger Distress Dye Ink in Tea Dye, which creates a blurry, almost watercolor like image.

Next I spritzed Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Honeydew Melon (green with gold shimmer - so pretty but the camera did not pick it up) and Coffee Shop (dark brown with bronze shimmer).

Next I embossed a few leaves in Gold, then pressed my sponge into Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango and Memento Cottage Ivy Inks and tapped the leaves. 

Any dye ink will do - you just want a sheer, bright thin ink that will not cover up the embossing. Do not use Chalk Ink. Set aside to let it dry for a minute or two (the embossing powder makes it take a bit longer).

I took my Grungeboard Flourish and colored it with my Copic Marker. Grungeboard really absorbs ink and changes the color but it doesn't seem to do this with Copics.

A felt flourish would have been nice too.

Next I cut my leaves out and outlined the flourish and the leaves with a Gold Leafing Pen.

Finally, I glued the flourish on with Zip Dry and arranged the embossed leaves with pop dots for dimension. Add a bit of gold ribbon to up the elegance factor. A lot of writing but in the end this card took me 15 minutes to make.

You can buy the Glimmer Mist and the Copic Markers (Sketch version) at Embellish-Online.com. Don't forget to use code GLITTER for 20% off your order - yes even for the Copics!

One challenge participant who makes a NEW card just for this challenge will win a small prize package featuring 2 Imaginisce Hallowhimsy stamps and samplers of Eye of Newt Brads, Bump in the Night Brads, new Prima Essentials 5 Halloween flowers, and a few rub-ons.

You need to upload your card created for this challenge to the EI Gallery using keyword FC11. The winner will be chosen next Friday morning and announced in the EI Gallery.

Thanks for stopping by!

Suzy

Supplies List

Stamps: The Rubber Cafe Leaf Cube 2 K-1136

Paper: Vintage Cream cardstock by Papertrey; Bazzill Textured Scallop Cardstock (name unknown); Stampin' Up! Dangerine Tango & Garden Green

Ink: VersaMark; Ancient Page Chocolate Dye Ink; Distress Ink in Tea Dye; Brilliance Pigment Ink in Coffee Bean; Memento Ink in Cottage Ivy; Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango

Accessories:  Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Grungeboard in Harlequin; Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Honeydew Melon and Coffee Shop; Krylon 18K Gold Leafing Pen; The Artful Stamper Gold Detail Embossing Powder; May Arts Gold Satin Ribbon and Gold Scallop Edge ribbon; Copic Marker; Pop Dots; Zip Dry Glue; sponge.

October's Gallery at EI is Open: Imaginisce Hallowhimsy Galore & Halloween Cracker Tutorial

Hi all - hope you had a blast during World Card Making Day yesterday, and that you got to play in one of the many card making parties.  What a busy week this has been! I have so much stuff to share so I will get right to it. This post includes three cards (two Imaginisce from the Hallowhimsy Collection, one Magnolia) and a mini tutorial for making Halloween crackers, all made for Embellish-Online.com's October Design team Gallery.

I Want Candy!

My first card was made with two dollar stamps. I love the small stamps that Imaginisce makes to coordinate with their seasonal collections. At only $1 who can resist? I took the Candy stamp and cut it into 4 pieces to create a background for this card. After coloring with Copics, I double stamped the images, cut the lollipops and adhered the tops to the background I created. Crystal Effects was applied for a shiny glaze. I applied orange, green and clear beads with Zip Dry Glue.

The Skull stamp was embossed, cut out and adhered to some gathered fabric for a funky Halloween card.

Supplies List

Stamps: Imaginisce Skull & Candy from the Hallowhimsy Collection

Paper: Imaginisce Hallowhimsy Patterned Paper; Select White by Papertrey; Stampin' Up! Kiwi Kiss & Tangerine Tango Textured Cardstock; Bazzill Textured Purple & Black Cardstock (name unknown)

Ink: Ancient Page Coal Black; VersaMark

Accessories: Copic Markers, Black EP, Crystal Effects, fabric, Halloween Dew Drops, Offray ribbon, 3D-Dots, Queen & Co Beadifuls in You Go Girl

Along Came a Spider...

Can you tell this is my favorite Magnolia stamp? I don't own many but just love them. I couldn't resist making one more hanging spider card with Cherry Tilda looking like little Miss Muffet :)

I colored her with Copic markers then added Crystal Effects to her boots, and Stickles to the trim of her dress and her hair bows.

Something neat is the Hallowhimsy Goosebumps sticker web - the image is created with raised embossed dots so it looks and feels very cool. I punched a hole and put a glittery slime green Eye of Newt brad in the center to hang some green embroidery floss from. The sentiment is a rub-on, also Hallowhimsy.

Supplies List

Stamps: Magnolia Cherry Tilda

Paper: Imaginisce Hallowhimsy Patterned Paper; Select White by Papertrey; Stampin' Up! Kiwi Kiss Textured Cardstock; Bazzill Textured Scallop Orange & Black Cardstock (name unknown)

Ink: Ancient Page Coal Black

Accessories: Hallowhimsy by Imaginisce Goosebumps Stickers, Eye of Newt brads, Boos & Tattoos rub-ons; Halloween Dew Drops; May Arts ribbon; Copic markers; Crystal Effects; Sandy Lion Spider Sticker; Making Memories Epoxy Buttons; Embroidery Floss; Eucalyptus Stickles

Cuddle-Bug

This last card is a scrappy card that involved no stamping. I punched out the spider from the Cuttlebug Boo To You Embossing Folder with a 1 1/4 inch circle punch and sponged it with a bit of Tangerine Tango Ink.

I added eyes and web thread with a Pigma Micron pen so that he looks like he is coming out of the Making Memories Spellbound patterned paper.

Supplies List

Paper: Making Memories Spellbound; Imaginisce Hallowhimsy Patterned Paper; Stampin' Up! Kiwi Kiss Textured Cardstock; Bazzill Textured Scallop Orange, Purple & Black Cardstock (name unknown)

Ink: Stampin' Up! Tangerine Tango

Accessories: Hallowhimsy by Imaginisce Rest In Pieces Chipboard Stickers; Cuttlebug Boo To You, Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch, MAMBI Icons in Fern, May Arts ribbon, Making Memories Epoxy buttons, Pigma Micron Pen

Halloween Cracker Tutorial

I saw Halloween crackers (paper filled with candy) on the Making Memories blog and knew I had to make some - they looked so fun and festive! Imagine these as little party favors for a Halloween party - too cute. I used vellum because I love the slime green color, but you can also use tissue paper. Here is how I made mine:

1. Cut a paper towel roll to 4.25 inches. Paint with a funky color of non-toxic acrylic paint (no one will see this until it is opened but I still like to add that pop of  color).

Allow to dry.

2. Fill the paper towel roll with individually wrapped treats.

3. Roll tissue or vellum paper around the paper towel roll and seal at both ends with ribbon. Decorate with patterned paper and embellishments over that (Imaginisce Hallowhimsy paper and chipboard stickers used here). As vellum paper is more stiff than tissue paper, you may need to trim a bit to get it looking pretty. That is the only advantage to tissue paper. That is it, easy huh?

Be sure to check out the Embellish-Online.com Design Team Gallery to see what fun cards and projects the other DT members have made to inspire you this month. Thanks for stopping by!

Suzy

Using the New In Colors in an Archaic Way: Masculine & Fall Cards

Today's cards were created for the Embellish-Online.com Design Team Gallery, which opens today. Got your weapon of choice (its coffee for me!)? Settle in for a long post with lots of eye candy.

This month's theme is Fall & Fellas. I have to admit: I HATE making man-cards! I am just no good at it. I like adding girly accents, shiny ribbons, and PEENK. Another reason I hated making masculine cards - I didn't cared for the masculine patterned paper/embellishment lines until recently.  Manufacturers like BasicGrey, Fancy Pants, Making Memories and Cosmo Cricket seem to have gotten the message and have modernized their masculine lines and given us a lot more options.  Lately the masculine trends have been very fun and inspiring, which makes it so much easier to do a man card.

The first card I wanted to share with you is my favorite of the batch. I love the wavy patterns of this Pod paper from the BasicGrey Archaic line. I cut the waves into strips and placed them on a sheet of Primal with very thick 3D Pop Dots.

Using Stampin' Up! circle punches, I cut out various Archaic papers and Stampin' Up! In Colors Tangerine Tango and Baja Breeze.

• Design Tips:
• Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip and Tangerine Tango work beautifully together, and with the BasicGrey Archaic Line.
• Create your own patterned paper details by adding Crystal Effects, Glitter, or Flocking to patterned paper. Here, Crystal Effects was added over circles existing in the paper, and on punched circles.

Next is a kooky scene created with A Muse stamps Moose, Tiny Bird and Three Trees. I wanted to take the sentiment of Happy Fall literally, and created a bird falling. I drew in the dots that symbolize the falling pattern - Allan didn't get it at all and asked me why the bird was upside down. 

Details: The coloring was done with Copic Markers. Crystal Effects were added to the antlers. The little birdy is on pop dots. The brown matting (Archaic paper) was created with the new Cuttlebug Forest Branches Embossing Folder.

The sentiment was created with my Around the Block Tape Writer Kit (like a Dymo label maker). If you dig these, there are four left in the store on deep discount. The refill tapes are on sale too. Check out the bottom of this post for a code to save even more.

Since I was so silly with my Happy Fall card, I went for a more traditional card next using a Lockhart Adirondack Chair and sentiment. To me an Adirondack chair always means the last days of summer or early fall. I love laying back in them and just relaxing, taking in nature's beauty.


I also wanted to show that Archaic patterns are not just funky - here Pods paper mimics the sea in form, and early fall in colors. Bygone Plaid is behind the main image, and also glued to a clear button at the bottom right of the card.

The images were colored with Copic Markers - I used a lot of 0 Colorless Blender Pen to get a bleached out wood look on the chair.

The sky is created with a sponge and chalk ink.

Linen twine, twill, and Fruit Punch Stickles on the flowers act are additional accents.

My final card was created with three patterns from the Fancy Pants Papa Collection and one of my fave A Muse images, Rock Star.

First I cut out stars from the Brave patterned paper and sponged the edges with a Krylon Gold Leafing Pen. Next I cut out a strip of card from the Cards paper (the small diamond pattern) and fit it on the Leader large star paper.

The A Muse sentiment was stamped with Memento Rhubarb Stalk Ink - a great and unusual color. The image was colored with Copics then mounted onto a Marvy Scallop punch square of cardstock with pop dots.

I think this is an easy, fun masculine card that a teenager or teen at heart would love to receive.

Goings On at Embellish-Online:

Sales and New Discount Code - Right now at Embellish-Online.com you can save $5 on on 12x12 BasicGrey paper packs. There is also a new discount code ~ GLITTER will save you 20% off your whole order (put the word in the voucher box on the order form)- I am not sure if this applies to the $5 off papers, I have to check on that, but it is good for your entire order including the other sale items. Click *here* to get to the store.

Guest Designer Kim Frantz - be sure to see the wonderful work Kim has done for us this month. She won our first Friday Free For All Challenge. Her gallery is a must see - that is one talented woman. Wait until you see the CAR CARD she created! No wonder she was named  Memory Makers Master for 2009. Shock and awe, people. Shock and awe! Stay tuned for her Halloween cards next month - we just had to have her for two months.

New Basic Grey - Ambrosia, Eva and Offbeat patterned papers are in the store right now; the matching chipboard stickers and albums etc will be arriving later this month.

Cuttlebug Folders are still on sale.

Friday Free For All Challenge ~ This week Norma is blinging us out with a Shimmer & Glimmer challenge. Be sure to join in the fun. We are choosing our future Guest Designers from challenge uploads - you never know when you could be chosen!

Whew! My fingers hurt. Thank you for stopping by :)

Suzy

Basically Beautiful Challenge, and Memento Dye Ink

 

Hi everyone!

I am the hostess this week at Embellish-Online's Friday Free For All Challenge. My challenge is to cut the pattern already in BasicGrey paper, and then to use it on your cardstock. This is different from paper piecing - you do not fit patterned paper over your stamped image. It is kind of a tough challenge but can really get those creative juices flowing, so give it a shot! If you don't have BasicGrey paper - that's ok! Use anything patterned paper you do have! Just have fun :)

For this challenge I thought about love. Who doesn't love being in love? I refuse to call it FALLING because to me, the feeling is rather like floating. A sudden loss of gravity that tickles in the tummy endlessly without hitting land. Just air. Heaven. I tried to recreate that feeling in this anniversary card.

I cut out the cherry blossoms from a LilyKate 6x6 pad ~ the flowers were all cut from the same area of the paper and adhered to Papertrey Select White cardstock. I just kept cutting the shape the flowers would be if they hadn't overlapped, then didn't worry about holes in the pattern and such - I just tucked in whatever was missing a piece under the other flower.

The sentiment is from Simple Little Things by Papertrey (the 2008 free anniversary set), the Kissing Couple is by A Muse, and the stamped cherry blossoms are by October Afternoon - don't they go perfectly with this paper? Kismet I tell ya! I stamped the flowers in Dandelion, Angel Pink and Summer Sky. My camera did not capture the true color of the yellow - it is much less of a mustard in real.

Ah well, at least the pink from the acrylic crackle paint is true in this picture (it is not as dark as shown in the main picture and actually matched the pink in the paper quite well). I painted chipboard with ivory paint, allowed it to dry, then added Worn Lipstick Crackle Paint by Ranger over it, and put it on foam tape for extra dimension.

I also spackled some paint onto punched and cut flowers, then shaped them a bit by  hand to tie it all together.

The lovers were colored with Copics and her skirt is paper pieced with Lily Kate.

Memento Dye Ink

I wanted to share a bit about my new favorite kind of ink. Memento Ink by Tsukineko is a dye based ink. For fans of Stampin' Up, the pad and ink can best be compared to the Classic Ink. The ink is very fluid, the color is super vibrant and it is absolutely the perfect ink for use with Copic markers. I have not had ONE bleeding issue with this ink. I was only sent a few colors but posted them for you to see in the chart above. I will edit to add as I get more colors in.

Here is a Memento Color Chart for you to download if you would like your own (.doc form). Just  print it out onto cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to head over to the EI Forum to see what the rest of our Design Team came up with for this Friday's challenge. The challenge lasts all week - we hope you join in!