Have a Great Day!

I have a card project to share today. I made this for Spellbinders Paper Arts last fall/winter. You can see it in their Online Gallery, along with tons of other fantastic projects. I really missed being part of the Spellbinders Summer CHA Release, but I did place an order for some of the new die sets! I think they should ship in August sometime! New toys!!! YAY!

Some people are challenged by printed papers, but I love my printed paper! I love mixing patterns and layering. It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I am challenged by certain shapes - I tend to use mostly circles, ovals, squares, rectangles. When I first saw the Wavy Rectangles template I sort of put it aside because it did not really appeal to me. But one day, I was playing around with some stamped images and thought that it would be fun to make this shape the centerpiece of a project. And this card is the result.

I stamped the bird with some teal ink that matched the paper. I also used the same ink to sponge the sentiment block.

 I hope YOU have a great day!

Spellbinders Supplies:
Classic Ovals LG
Classic Scalloped Ovals LG
Classic Rectangles LG
Wavy Rectangles
Classic Scallop
Classic Ric Rac
Spellbinders Grand Calibur® Die Cutting Machine

Other Products:
JustRite Stampers, Spread Your Wings Cling Stamps
Echo Park Paper Co, Victoria Gardens 6 x 6" Pad Patterned Paper
Bazzill Basics Paper, Smooth Black, White Cardstock
Clearsnap, ColorBox Sour Apple Fluid Chalk Ink, Graphic 45 Decades Photogenic Antiquing Ink
SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L, 3D Foam Squares

Hampton Art Stamps and 7Gypsies Summer Release!

If you are looking for the Graphic 45/Want2Scrap/Art Glitter Blog Hop, please click HERE.

I have always been a fan of  Hampton Art Stamps. You can buy the stamps in most craft stores, making them accessible to almost everyone. A few years ago, they began to license stamps from other companies, including Graphic 45, one of my design team companies. At that time I was asked to make samples for the Hampton Art sales and marketing needs. Last year Hampton Art began to license 7Gypsies stamps and I was asked to do some work with those stamps. Fast forward to the spring of 2012 and I was asked to be on the first Hampton Art Design Team. I currently create projects for the DT and for the sales and marketing group! I am one LUCKY girl.

When Hampton Art releases new stamps for CHA in January and July, they normally have a new catalog or supplement. Well...the Hampton Art Stamp Summer Catalog is now available! I created all of the art for the 7Gypsies stamps shown in the catalog! I am beyond excited about not only seeing my art in the catalog, but the photography for those projects is mine also! We were running under a very tight deadline and HA asked me to stage the photos and they'd use my photos in the catalog. It does not get any better than that!

The projects you see here are also part of a very special campaign coming in September...and that's all the hint I can give you!

This project is an ATC tray featuring my father-in-law, who passed away June 2011. I miss him very much! My Pop passed in 1997, and Dad stepped in and became very much a father to me. Dad had a very strong faith and I know I'll see him in heaven one day.

Happy Birthday!

If you are looking for the Graphic 45/Want2Scrap/Art Glitter Blog Hop, please click HERE. I want to thank all of you who have entered a comment on that post. Your kind words and prayers mean the world to me.

Happy Thursday, Blogger Buddies! I have fun card for you today! But first...a recap on the amazing Hampton Art Stamps give-away!

Hampton Art Stamps is having an AMAZING

CHRISTMAS GOODY GIVEAWAY
 MONDAY, JULY 30th!

Details
1. Check the Hampton Art Stamps Blog DAILY to see the awesome Christmas inspiration.

2. Keep your eyes out for a few “non-Christmas” projects that sneak their way into the mix. {HUGE HINT...PAY ATTENTION...}

3. Email Hampton Art Stamps with at least 2 different days that you didn’t see us in the Christmas spirit and you will be entered for a chance to win one of our 3 goody boxes full of Hampton Art, Ki Memories, Graphic 45, and Hot Fudge Studio Christmas stamps!!!

Are you paying attention?? My project for you today, is NOT a Christmas project! It is a birthday card. (If you want to know the truth, I made my July projects BEFORE the team got the news about "Christmas in July" then I promptly went on a 16-day vacation! So you could say, I am responsible for this contest!)

I always need birthday cards, but I am never on time in mailing them. In fact, I often forget to mail them! My family and close friends have no idea why I make cards, when I either hoard them or just give them away by the boxful! 

As soon as I saw the Hampton Art Stamps Signature Collection Numbers stamp, I fell in love. I just adore those grungy, random numbers!

I stamped the numbers with Clearsnap Wild Hare Pigment Ink, then embossed with clear embossing powder. I really enjoy the gray, teal, and gold combination of the inks and papers! These are not colors I normally "go for" but for some reason, they really do appeal to me right now.

I stamped the birthday sentiment with Peacock Pigment Ink and again embossed with clear embossing powder. Once the powder was cool, I die cut the flag shape. Huge hint: if you try to die cut your paper while the embossing powder is still warm or hot, it may stick to your die cutting plates!

I am also having a love affair with bamboo twine! I wrapped my flag around the twine, and then popped it off the card with some foam tape. Really Reasonable Ribbon has tons of this bamboo twine and other hemp twines in the store!

Thanks for stopping by!

Hampton Art Stamps:
Signature Collection: Numbers
Doodlebug Design: You Said It

Embossing Powder: Hampton Art Stamps: Clear

Clearsnap Ink:
Colorbox Pigment Ink: Wild Hare, Peacock
Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink: Prussian Blue

Cardstock: American Crafts: Gray, Blue; Stampin' Up!: Whisper White
Designer paper: Pink Paislee Indigo Bleu
Hemp Cord: Really Reasonable Ribbon
Tools: EK Success Edge Punch; Spellbinders Nested Lacey Pennants Die Template
Adhesive: Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L foam squares; Scotch 3M tape

Chipboard Makes Me Happy!

If you are looking for the Graphic 45/Want2Scrap/Art Glitter Blog Hop, please click HERE. I want to thank all of you who have entered a comment on that post. Your kind words and prayers mean the world to me.

My studio reorganization is finished and the space looks wonderful. I have everything neatly stored and labeled. (I plan to shoot my video either today or tomorrow!) Part of the fun of reorganizing was shopping my stash! I found that I have seven (count 'em, seven!) bins of chipboard shapes. Really?! I think that qualifies as a sickness!

Two of the bins on my shelves are chipboard items from Imaginarium Designs. I joined the design team in January, but I have been using their products for a few years. I love their laser cut designs and the type of chipboard they use! Here are two projects I made for their blog. Visit the ID Blog, HERE. This team is AMAZINGLY talented! They knock my socks off every month and I struggle to keep up with them!

I created this layout with a photo of my daughter, who was about three at the time. (She's nearly 17 now!) I love this photo of her, in her "fur" trimmed, velvet sweater! For the title, I used one of the Imaginarium Designs phrases, which I inked and then covered with clear embossing powder.

I found a whole sheet of children silhouettes in my stash. I inked the reading girl and then popped her on top of a paper rosette that I made with Graphic 45 paper.

I used the same technique with the alphabet chippies. I love making paper rosettes! There is just something so whimsical about them. For the ones here, I used a Tim Holtz die template to cut and score them. Very fast and easy! I used a strong glue to attach the chipboard to each rosette.

The layout has a lot of dimension, with tags, fussy cut shapes, and chipboard.

I also made a card for the Imaginarium Designs Blog. I find it harder to use chipboard on a card, but I am up to the challenge!

I used a chipboard phrase for my sentiment. I just ink or paint the chipboard and then glue them to the paper.

One of my "signature" items is creating these clumps of flowers and metal embellishments. I also added a chipboard clock that I "enameled" with layers of embossing powder. While each layer of powder is still hot, sprinkle more embossing powder and keep layering and heating it until you have the look you desire.

I used the same enamel technique on the butterfly, but kept the corner scroll a flat finish.

For a bit of added sparkle, I sprayed the flowers with some glimmer mist to create a soft, glitter look.

I hope you had fun looking at the projects today. I will have other projects to share later in the week and will be drawing for the Graphic 45/Want2Scrap/Art Glitter prize on July 31st. Also, if you have not Liked my Fan Page, please do so. I will be drawing a name from the Fan Page Followers to win another prize - once the "fan base" reaches 200!

Layout:
Imaginarium Designs Chipboard: Title phrase (IDP0025), Adore (IDW0026), Alphabet (IDAUC0001), Girl Silhouette (IDS0023)
Cardstock: American Crafts Black
Designer paper: Graphic 45: Communiqué Typography; An ABC Primer Grammar School, One Two Buckle My Shoe, Alphabet Soup, School Days
Tags: Graphic 45: Playtimes Past, An ABC Primer
Die cuts: Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Mini Paper Rosettes; My Favorite Things Paper Doll Border
Ink: Clearsnap Colorbox: Archival Wicked Black; Fluid Chalk Creamy Brown, Blackbird; Donna Salazar Mix'd Media Inx Schoolhouse, Black
Embossing powder: Hampton Art Stamps Clear, Black
Trims: DMC Floss Ecru; Really Reasonable Ribbon Natural Twine
Button: Buttons Galore and More
Adhesive: Aleene's Tacky Glue; Glue Dots Adhesive Dots Craft; Scotch 3M tape runner; Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L foam squares

Card:
Imaginarium Designs Chipboard: Sentiment (IDW0014), Swirl Corners (IDC0002), Small Butterflies (IDT0014), Small Clock Face (IDS0036)
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Nightmist, White
Designer paper: Authentique Genuine 6x6 pad
Die cuts: Spellbinders: Labels Four, Labels Four Small
Ink: Clearsnap Colorbox: Pigment Smoke Blue; Archival Wicked Black; Watermark; Smooch Spritz Vanilla Shimmer
Pen: Sakura Gelly Roll Star Dust
Embossing powder: Hampton Art Stamps Clear; Cosmic Shimmer Arctic Black Aurora;
Trims: Really Reasonable Ribbon White Corsage Ribbon
Embellishments: Tim Holtz Idea-ology Film Strip, Light Bulb; Maya Road Ticket; Wild Orchid Crafts Flowers
Wire: Artistic Wire Silver 20 Ga
Adhesive: Aleene's Tacky Glue; Glue Dots Adhesive Dots Craft; Scotch 3M tape runner

Graphic 45, Want2Scrap, Art Glitter Blog Hop

Welcome to Day 2 of the FANTASTIC Graphic 45, Want2Scrap, Art Glitter Blog Hop!

These three companies have come together to bring you an amazing week of projects, tutorials, and ideas! Sit back, and enjoy!

Graphic 45 Bio:
Graphic 45 an award-winning scrapbook and paper crafting company­— owned and operated by a mother and her two daughters. Together we create vintage inspired crafting products that capture the flamboyant style of the 1920's and 30's - with vibrant color, irresistible texture and imaginative design to create products with decades-old appeal that's both fresh and familiar. Let our products inspire your next scrapbook layout, card, album or home decor project.

Want2Scrap Bio:
Want2Scrap™ manufacturers rhinestones lines including the specialty Nestabling™ line along with the newly released Nestaboard™ chipboard line that coordinates perfectly with the Spellbinders™ Nestabilies™ die templates. Want2Scrap™ also manufacturers their own line chipboard albums and accents, acrylic albums, and multi-layered laser designs and other fine scrapbooking products. Want2Scrap™ brings ease of use and flexibility in their product lines by offering products uniquely tailored to its customers’ needs.

Art Glitter Bio:
Spread the Sparkle! Be it cosmetics, scrapbooking, t-shirts, cards, jewelry, quilts, rock star toes, home decor or even cement...everything is better with Art Glitter on it! Barbara Trombley opened Art Institute Glitter, Inc. in 1982 and now supplies artists and artisans, crafters and craftsmen with more than 400 brilliant cosmetic quality glitter colors and industrial-strength adhesives. Art Glitter products have been featured on “The New Martha Stewart Show”, “Carol Duvall Show”, HGTV, Home Shopping Network and several times in “Martha Stewart Living Magazine” including this upcoming December, 2009 issue. Thousands of retail stores throughout the world carry Art Glitter products. Barbara’s first book, “Glitter Artistry: Bags, Tags & Cards,” was warmly received by artists in 2006 and is still a big hit today (Sterling Publishing, Inc.). Art Glitter’s retail showroom is located in Historic Old Town Cottonwood, Arizona.

There are prizes to be won! Graphic 45 is giving away, not one, but two prizes! Check these out!!

Prize pack one.

Prize pack two.

All you need to do to enter to win these wonderful prizes is hop on over to the featured blogs from our design team! Just leave a blog comment and you'll be entered into this week's contest! Want2Scrap and Art Glitter are also giving away some fabulous prizes this week. Be sure to hop on over to their blogs to discover even more inspiration and prizes! We will also be giving away two additional prizes on Facebook and Pinterest this week!

Plus, if you leave a comment here, on my blog, I will draw a Random Winner to receive THIS amazing prize!!

I will draw for a winner on July 31st!

You should be coming to my blog from Alberto Juárez's Blog.   

Now, let's get on with the project! I have used the NEW Summer Release Bird Song Collection for my project.

And I have created a sketch for you to use! (That's just how I roll!)

As soon as I saw the Bird Song Collection, I knew what I wanted to do with it. I only needed to use a small amount for my CHA projects, so I had plenty left to make a page layout of my younger brother and his wife. My sister-in-law is from the Philippines and I have always wanted to scrap this photo using Asian-inspired papers, but have never found the right paper. (They were married in 1999!) Bird Song is the PERFECT paper to use. It has my favorite color, red, plus some really lovely elements.

The tags are from Want2Scrap. They are manila tags and come in three sizes. I covered them with paper and ink, then added some ribbon and twine.

This was a hard page to make, because we lost my brother in 2010. Last Saturday marked the second anniversary of his death, and this is the first time I've been able to scrapbook a photo of him. This is a very special project for me, and I hope that it shows.

Butterflies represent new life, and I pray that my brother is having a new life in heaven. I also pray that all of us left behind will find a new life in Christ, and that we can remember him and celebrate the time we had with him here on earth.

To create these sparkly butterflies, I first die cut cardstock with the Spellbinders Wonderful Wings die templates. I used a sponge brush to apply the Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Adhesive to the cardstock. I then sprinkled each butterfly with Copper Harbor Opaque Ultrafine Glitter. Once the glue was dry and set, I applied the Want2Scrap Nestabling Wonderful Wings adhesive bling over the top of the glitter. It's pretty WOW!

I added some Want2Scrap Say it With Pearls Finesse Swirls Pearls to mimic movement next to the butterfly.

I painted the chipboard phrase with one layer of gesso and allowed it to dry. Then, I covered the chipboard with a thin layer of Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Adhesive and added the Art Glitter Silver Ultrafine Glitter.

I hope you enjoyed visiting my blog! Feel free to Follow me using one of the methods listed in the sidebar. Next, hop on to Nicole Eccles's Blog.

If you get lost during the hop, the blogs are listed below.

Monday, July 23rd
Jane Tregenza
Maiko Miwa
Tara Orr

Tuesday, July 24th
Alberto Juárez
Gloria Stengel  -  YOU ARE HERE
Nicole Eccles

Wednesday, July 25th
Arlene Cuevas
Jim, The Gentleman Crafter
Betto Cesare

Thursday, July 26th
Clare Charvill
Kristin Wilson
Sharon Ngoo

Friday, July 27th
Denise Hahn
Laura Denison
Susan Lui

Graphic 45 Papers: Bird Song
Harmony
Tranquility
Good Fortune
Joy Luck

Want2Scrap:
Manila Tags
Say it With Pearls: Finesse Swirls Pearls - LeCreme
Nestabling: Wonderful Wings by Donna Salazar

Art Glitter:
Copper Harbor Opaque Ultrafine Glitter
Silver Ultrafine Glitter
Designer Dries Clear Adhesive

Other:
American Crafts: Cardstock
Clearsnap Colorbox: Blackbird Fluid Chalk Ink
Imaginarium Designs: Chipboard phrase
Really Reasonable Ribbon: ribbon, cord, twine
Spellbinders: Wonderful Wings (LF-006), Lace Doily Accents (S5-062)
We R Memory Keepers: Eyelets, Crop-a-Dile
Adhesive: Scrapbook Adhesive by 3L foam squares, Scotch 3M tape runner
Other: Computer journaling

A Few "Housekeeping" Items...

Hello, and happy Monday. I am not keeping up the blog very well, because we have been having new  hardwood floors installed in all 5 bedrooms, 6 closets, the schoolroom, and the studio, plus having the stairs custom installed. That is over 2000 sq. ft. of wood, plus moldings. And if you could see the sheer amount of things we had to move BEFORE the crew could move furniture, you'd pass out in shock! But, it's almost finished, just the stairs to go. My studio is 100% reorganized and I will be doing a video later in the week as part of the Graphic 45 Design Team Studios Series. I will post the video here the same day they run it on the G45 Blog.

All this week, Graphic 45 is having a blog hop with Want2Scrap and Art Glitter. My project day is tomorrow, so come back for that! Make sure to stop by the G45 Blog to see all the action for the whole week, starting TODAY!

I also have a few brags to share. I've been published in a few magazines for summer! Yay, me! {grin}

 page 70

page 30

On another note, my time with the StopandScrap.com Design Team is over. After just a few months, they made the choice to disband the team. It was fun while it lasted.

Have a groovy day. Check back tomorrow for a very special project!

CHA Photos, Plus Christmas in July

Happy Wednesday, Blogger Buddies! All this week the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show is going on in Chicago. I did not get to attend this time, but some of my work is there in the Graphic 45 and Hampton Art Stamps booths. If you are at the show, stop by and say "hello" to the gang and check out the projects from me and my awesome teammates!

Here is a photo one of the G45 gals took of my A Ladies' Diary layout, sitting on Jim, the Gentleman Crafter's writing desk! Make sure you check out Jim's blog as he is at CHA and is sharing lots of photos!

One of the Hampton Arts Stamps peeps snapped this photo:

The beach tray is one of my projects. I made a lot of projects for their booth, so I hope someone takes more photos for me. I made mostly projects using the 7Gypsies stamp line, so if anyone is there, and can snap some photos of those displays, I'll be so pleased!

Now, enough of that. Here a few "Christmas in July" projects for you. It is never to early to start getting your cards and gift packaging ready for December!

This  first project is something I made for Spellbinders Paper Arts back in the fall. I love making gift bags. I usually purchase a bundle of these bags at Michael's Crafts and then decorate to my heart's content!

I used Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium papers.

The focal point is this amazing flower that I made with the Spellbinders Layered Poinsettia die template.

I created the little dress using the Decorative Dress Forms die templates. I cut several dresses from thin chipboard, and then one from the printed paper. I stacked them together to give the die cut some depth. I cut out the dress "overlay" from printed paper, then inked it with pigment ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder. I glued the lace overlay to the main dress image.

The next card appeared on my blog over the winter, but since I used the Layered Poinsettia die template, I wanted to share it again so you could see another way to use the die set.

I love layering, and all the layers on this card make me so happy!

I hope you enjoyed my CHA peekies and a few Christmas in July projects! I am heading off to unload the studio in preparation for NEW flooring! I will be doing a video of my studio next week, for Graphic 45, so stay tuned for that!

Gift Bag:
Spellbinders: Moroccan Motifs, Decorative Dress Forms, Layered Poinsettia, Nested Lacey Pennants, Foliage, Grand Calibur
Stamps: JustRite Christmas Mini Sentiments
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics, Neenah
Graphic 45: Christmas Emporium: Special Delivery, Joyous Noel, Happy Holidays
Bling: Want2Scrap
Ink: Clearsnap Colorbox Fluid Chalk Lime Pastel, Warm Red, Dark Moss, Dark Brown
Embossing powder: Cosmic Shimmer
Twine: Divine Twine
Adhesives: Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L
Other: Edge tool, glue, hole punch, paper bag

Card:
Spellbinders: Ribbon Banners, Floral Flourishes, Foliage, Layered Poinsettia, Grand Calibur
Stamps: JustRite Christmas Mini Sentiments Set
Cardstock Bazzill Basics, American Crafts, Neenah
Designer paper: Jillibean Soup Christmas Eve Chowder
Ink: Clearsnap Colorbox Fluid Chalk Ink Warm Red, Lime Pastel, Yellow Citrus; Clearsnap Smooch Spritz Vanilla Shimmer, Spun Sugar; Tsukineko Rich Cocoa Memento Dye Ink
Bling: Creative Impressions Bits of Bling Yellow Gems
Ribbon: Lawrence Schiff Natural Seam Binding
Adhesive: Scotch 3M Adhesive tape; Craft supply Liquid glue

A Ladies' Diary Layout - Graphic 45

Summer CHA starts this week in Chicago! I am not going to be at the show this time, but my work will be! I have work at the Graphic 45 and Hampton Art Stamps booths. If you are at the show, stop by and say hello to the gang at both booths!

Here is a layout I created for the Graphic 45 booth, using A Ladies' Diary papers. This is my favorite of the four new collections.



I love the soft colors combined with black and dark brown. There are many lovely elements in this collection.

I used a lot of paper to highlight the collection, but I also used a large, tinted photograph as the anchor. This photo is my husband's great aunt's wedding, from 1934. This is a great photo to use with the A Ladies' Diary Collection. The brown tones of the photo work so well with the soft pastels of the paper. I added a vintage doily and some lace, plus small flower "bouquets" to continue the wedding theme.

As always, I mixed some metal in with the flowers and pearls. The NEW metal Key and Keyhole staples are perfect!

I also used a vintage doily and some lace in keeping the vintage wedding theme.

The pearls are a "bridge" to connect the two bouquets on the layout. They are also part of the wedding theme of the page.

I hope you are inspired and that you love A Ladies' Diary as much as I do! For a look at the darker papers in the collection, see my Altered Dresser project HERE.

Graphic 45 Papers: A Ladies' Diary
Moment in Time
Picture Perfect
Delicate Details
La Gazette
Lasting Impressions

Graphic 45 Staples:
Chipboard: A Ladies' Diary Tags 2
Metal: Keyhole, Key

Bazzill Basics: Cardstock
Webster's Pages: Lace (Everyday Poetry)
Wild Orchid Crafts: paper flowers
Pro 31 Designs: Vintage roses, pearls
Adhesive: tape runner, white glue, Beacon Fabri-tac
Other: brads, vintage doily