Blog Hop with Graciellie Design!

Welcome to the Inspiration Blog Hop from the Graciellie Design design team.  I'm your last stop on the hop, so if you missed a stop along the way, head on over to Gracie's blog.  For my project, I made a pretty shaker card using items from the new August release; the fairy and sentiment from Magical Wishes digital stamps, along with the Magnolia Dreams digital papers.  Plus, coordinating papers from the Paper Temptress specialty pack, designed to coordinate with the new release.  

I have a YouTube video, showcasing how this shaker card was put together with instructions.  But here are a few key points of note.....

One of the great things I am discovering about digital stamps is the ability to layer images and have everything print out at once.  You can resize images as well.  On one 8.5x11" sheet of white cardstock, I was able to resize my digital papers into 4.4" and 4.5" sections, printing everything at once.  I use Microsoft Word, so I simply open a new document, add my pictures (digi papers and digi stamps) and resize.  

I wanted my fairy to have a dress using one of the Magnolia Blooms digital papers.  You need to print two fairies.  One that is layered on top of the digital paper, and one that is printed on white cardstock.  Depending on the program you use, you may need to change the fairy to have a translucent background, to layer on the digital paper.  Next, fussy cut both fairies.  Paper piece the fairy printed on digi paper by cutting out the dress and wings, then layer on top of the plain fairy.  You can see me do this in the YouTube video.  Add glitter glue to wings, petticoat and wand star.  I used Zig Clean Color brushes to color the hair, bow and slippers.

You can make your own shaker frame using foam tape, however I had some pop up shaker frames in my stash that I had purchased at the Scrapbook Expo.  Ready made frames are awesome.  You can create a 4x4" framed cut using your digi papers to lay on top.  I also cut the pretty pink bloom paper twice, one for a background (4x4") and one just a tad larger 4.5" so I could fussy cut those blooms and lay on top of my shaker frame.  Trim to fit, as needed.

Purchase Magnolia Dreams Digital Paper, here.  

Free Gift when you purchase the Entire Magnolia Dreams Collection!!

Purchase Magnolia Dreams Specialty paper pack from Paper Temptress

Thanks so much for stopping in.  Don't forget to check out my 2 minute YouTube video.  I'd love it if you subscribe to my channel and give a thumbs up as well.  Have a great week!

https://youtu.be/H_bSkMZ2WVM

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Permanent Runner Shop at: SBC	Queen and Co Square Shaker Frame Kit Shop at: SBC	Graciellie Design Magical Wishes digi stamp set Shop at: Graciellie Design	Graciellie Design Magnolia Dreams digi paper set Shop at: Graciellie Design
Ranger Stickles Glitter Glue Diamond 2 oz Shop at: SBC	Zig Clean Color Brush - Turquoise Green Shop at: SBC	Zig Clean Color Brush- Dark Oatmeal Shop at: SBC

#gracielliedesign #digitalstamps #newrelease #bloghop #inspiration #wavingmywand #magicalwishes #fairy #fairies #shaker #card #magnoliadreams #magnoliablossoms #scrapbookadhesivesby3l #queenandcompany #rangerink #stickles #glitter #glue #zig #kuretakezig #zigcleancolorbrushes #terriburson #DIY #craft #papercrafts #cardmaking #papertemptress #cardstock #sequins #doubleclickskittles #bubble #embellishments

Deer Birthday card

Why is it that I'm always in a hurry these days?  The great thing about stamping is, you can go as simple or as elaborate as you want.  I could have spent some quality time with distress markers (actually, I did use some on the heart....) or stamping on patterned paper and fussy cutting these images, but sometimes, simple is just right.

 

When it's late at night and you remember that it's the hubs birthday?  Yup.  You go simple; a sweet card for my son to give his dad.  I used my new Queen & Co washi tape and bubbles that I purchased from the Scrapbook Expo last week.  Not too girly, and I think all the brown gives it just the right touch for a guy, especially with that natural twine from May Arts Ribbon.  Those stamps?  From one of my favorite stamp companies of course, Unity Stamp Co!  Happy Birthday Dad!  **Scroll to the bottom for giveaway details***

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Supplies: Queen & Co. polka dot washi tape and brown bubbles, Colorbox Saddle ink, Unity Stamp Co Deer to Me kit, May Arts Ribbon natural twine, Tim Holtz distress markers, white gel pen

 

 

I'm just about to reach a milestone on my blog and will be having a giveaway any day now...also, we are having a Christmas in July Blog Hop on Friday and Saturday, July 25-26th.  Check in with my other crafty blog, Mountain Plains Crafters and hop along for a nice prize!  All you have to do is comment at each blog.  Some of the girls will be offering additional prizes as well.  Fun!

Countdown to CHA ATL 2014, Day 9

(To follow the entire saga, view my blog archives...this is my Quest to get into the Craft and Hobby association trade show in Atlanta...and yes. I'm going!)

Saturday, I attended the Scrapbook Expo in Duluth, GA.  My scrappy friend Nancy asked me to go and I had to think long and hard about it.  NOT! 

This was the perfect opportunity to do a little networking.  I knew Spellbinders was going to be there and so was Richard Garay, who I'd been tweeting with recently.  I stalked that booth like a Mountain lion ready to pounce it's prey, until the ever fabulous Mr. Garay made an appearance.  When I finally spotted him,  I parted the crowd, shoving old ladies and their tennis ball enhanced walkers out of my way, running in slo-mo with my bags flapping in the wind. 

The less dramatic version??  Ok, ok, yes, I did perform a bit of Crafter-azzi, with minor lurking, but no old ladies were harmed during the impending meeting with Mr. Garay.  A short but professional conversation ensued with parting comments about the upcoming CHA show.

Guess who else I met?  Wendy, the illustrious owner of Queen and Company!!  Many months ago, while searching for sponsors for Mountain Plains Crafters, I had emailed Queen & Co a couple of times, but never got a response.  I am well aware that there are only so many crafty blogs you can donate to or sponsor, so I left it alone.  While chatting up a gentleman working that booth, I thought I'd make a final inquiry and stab at sponsorship, when this sweet lady turns around and hands me a piece of paper with her email written down.  It was Wendy!  I knew she looked familiar.  Good grief, I've been to their company website so many times, follow them on Facebook, have posted my own projects to their site....but never expected to see Wendy herself.  Can I say she was lovely, sweet and funny with this Crafter-azzi?  I love her!  My design team went nuts when I told them.  Of course, I stocked up on bubbles and polka dot washi tape.  I seriously wanted to scream to all the shoppers nearby, "hel-lo people!! Do you know who this is??!!" 

Me and Wendy 

Me and Jenny

Another crafty guru that was there?  Jenny Bowlin!  Wow, I never expected to meet so many crafting designers that I love, follow and adore.  I got to meet her super sweet family too.  They are precious folks.   While making my puchase, the power in the entire building went out.  Complete and utter darkness fell. You could hear nervous giggling, oohs and ahs from every direction.  What to do?  Whip out the cell and turn on the  flashlight app so Mr. Bowlin can complete my purchase.  Yeah......we bonded.

 Being at the Expo was the perfect time to practice my reporting skills on a few store owners, and they were gracious enough to consent.  I learned a lot about the economy and the blow that small store owners have taken;  the merging of companies, the lack of supply in some products...and so on.  A busy, fun-filled, interesting day.

One final shoutout to my sweet niece who whipped out matching t-shirts and a tote bag for me and my friend to advertise my blog.  They definitely garnered a lot of interest.  Thanks Anna at Little Mann's!                                                         

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Grateful for Mom

Can you believe that May is right around the corner?  That means it's time to recognize our mothers, the salt of this earth.  I had a special request from a friend at church to look at my Mother's Day cards.  Since I only had a couple to choose from, I got inspired to throw one more in the mix.

I have a few favorite stamp sets from the Unity Stamp Co and an idea, so I went to work.  For some reason, and this rarely happens, but I knew exactly what I was going to do.   Ding, ding, ding!  Gotta love those lightening strike moments....

I'll try to be quick here.  I combined 3 different Unity kits:  The flower swag is from the Bunches of Love sentiment kit, the leaves and sentiment are from the {Leaf}ing Grateful set, and the inside sentiment is from the Mother's day daisies set.  I added some Orange shiny May Arts ribbon that I've had forever and also some new May Arts green net ribbon which I am totally in love with these days.  Finished it all off with some enamel dots.  I just love the brightness of it.  Hope my friend does too.

MUSIC/SONG BIRD gift tag

This is day 5 of a tag challenge over at the Unity Stamp Co. I've used a distresssing technique with the Tim Holtz tool that gives the paper a torn look. Now on the bottom, I did actually tear the paper but at the top I used the tool. Neat, huh? I've used 2 different stamps from the Unity Stamp Co. 

With both stamps, I masked out the part I didn't want to use and only stamped the part I needed.  Once you've inked your image, remove the tape and stamp.  I created the actual tag base and other embellishments from a paper pack by Teresa Collins Vintage Finds.  Love that set. 

Here is what else I used:

 Queen & Co. trendy tape and  Twinkle Princess cut yellow gemstones

Websters Pages ribbon

Unity Stamp Co Stamps (My Strength and Song, Lord-

Sympathy & Sadness)

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