Are you like me? Do you have to plan your crafty purchases around payday? With a teenage boy, draining me dry, I absolutely have to budget. Which is why, I couldn't wait for today, the final day of the Simon Says Stamp Washi Tape sale. Unfortunately for me, the super spectacular
extra-alley-docious (that's my word, not theirs...) watercolor tapes from We R Memory Keepers is already out of stock. NOOO! I'll be checking back throughout the day to see if they're back in stock (crossing fingers and toes).
Regardless, there's a whole host of other super cool washi tapes; Doodlebug Design, Heidi Swapp, My Minds Eye, just to name a few. So hightail it over there before the rest are gone!
Use code WASHI at checkout. It doesn't cost you a thing to use my affiliate link and I certainly appreciate it: SSS Washi Tape Sale
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so, if you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in the affiliate programs linked above because they are products that I use and love. Your purchase price is not affected in any way, by using my links. Thank you for your support and helping me keep my content free!
If you've spent any amount of time in the crafty world, you've probably heard all about the new foil adhering machines such as Minc. Heidi Swapp came out with one last year,
and Anna Griffin just released one in her line of products as well. Many of these inventive tools are designed to make our crafty lives easier, but they can be pricey.
Today, I'm going to share with you how to achieve similar results, but on a budget friendly scale that won't break your bank account.
First, let me share this video with you from my super awesome crafty friend, Rachel Kleinman.
She shared this technique which inspired me to give it a try, and I know it will inspire you as well. I'll be adding a couple things that you won't find on the video so be sure and scroll down for all the tips and technique. Be sure and show Rachel a little love by giving her a thumbs up or comment on her YouTube video, as well.
Now that you've seen Rachel's techniques, let me share my experience.
- craft hand wipes *optional (Crafter's Essentials)
To begin, I chose to stamp my image onto cardstock that I had already watercolored, which adds additional coloring under the foil stamped image.
I tried to use clear glue. Epic fail. First, I applied way too much, directly onto the stamp. You need a pasty glue which gives more texture, so I chose The Rubber Café Scrap Happy Glue which I picked up at the Scrapbook Expo last year.
For me, it worked better to squirt glue onto my craft mat, get it into my blender pad, then apply it directly to my stamp. Work quickly so the glue doesn't dry before stamping and also, so that the cardstock doesn't come off on your stamp.
**Get that stamp into the warm, soapy water immediately after you've stamped! I went ahead and stamped 2 of the leaf images, before soaking. You don't want to ruin your stamp so let it soak immediately, along with your blending pad and tool. Take the pad off your tool for soaking.
I used some good quality cardstock (American Craft) and didn't have any problems with paper peeling. It looked like the image didn't properly stamp but it did so don't let appearances fool you. Go ahead and lay your craft foil down and begin applying with your bone folder tool.
Keep scraping until you're satisfied that you've gotten all of your image transferred. Lift your foil to peek at it, if you need to. This process takes just a few minutes. Use your craft knife to gently remove/scrape any stray pieces of foil from your cardstock. (Isn't this gorgeous?!)
Now, it's super important to get your stamp clean. Take your soaked stamps and go wash them some more with warm, soapy water. Use a soft tooth brush if you need to. I swear by the Crafter's Essentials Easy Clean hand wipes. I use these all the time to not only clean my ink stained hands, but my craft mat and stamps as well. It cleans my stamps like a dream, so I went ahead and used these as an extra pre-caution to make sure my stamps were like new again. Of course, they work like a charm! (Bonus tip - tear in half for smaller jobs and extend your supply.)
You can find out more about the Crafter's Essentials Hand Wipes, here:
As you can see, you can absolutely create foil images without the aid of an expensive tool. It does take a little extra time and elbow grease, but we crafters are built on creativity and inventiveness, right? Get busy and give this a try. I'd love to hear about your experience.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so, if you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in the affiliate programs linked above because they are products that I use and love. Your purchase price is not affected in any way, by using my links. Thank you for your support and helping me keep my content free!
I see a lot of serious mixed media art and I'm blown away by the talent that's out there. I personally know a few of those talented artists and can attest to the time and energy and love that goes into the art. I've dabbled myself but, today, I thought I'd make something that mixes in a bit of whimsy. Plus, Simon Says Stamp is having a fun challenge starting today, if you use their products. More at the end of this post.
I made some die cut flowers using my Cuttlebug and Simon Says Stamp Delicate Flower dies, along with the coordinating stamp set, Friendly Flowers. You can purchase the set which is called Hi Lovely, here: Simon Says Stamp Hi Lovely set
I stamped the flowers with Simon Says Stamp Lavender Ink and then added some additional coloring by stamping onto my craft mat and diluting the color with water, then adding a bit of Ranger Picket Fence dabber mixed in and painting on some additional color. I scrunched up my flowers a bit, then let them dry overnight.
For the whimsy, I colored onto the flower and petals with a white gel pen and gave it a "cartoonish" look. Hey, sometimes it's fun to not take life too seriously! I did some background stamping with the stamp that coordinates with the die, then, for the center of the flowers on the card, I placed some Ranger glossy accent and added sead beads.
Here's a picture of the stamp and coordinating die set.
Here's a sweet little stamp set from Craftin' Desert Divas called, "Just For Mom". I like that this set offers so much diversity. For example, the card below can be used for a multitude of events, not just for Mother's Day. I plan on giving this to a good friend who just had surgery. She's always there for everyone else, and I want her to know that her friends will be there for her too.
I colored this cutie with Tombow Dual brush pens, colored pencils (flesh tone) and a white gel pen. I also paper pieced her dress and bow with Graphic 45 Come Away With Me pink polka dot paper. The theme throughout is Polka Dots. I've included some fun ribbons from May Arts Ribbon, the pom pom and chevron.
Here's a close-up
The washi tape circular background was made by laying this fun Queen & Co polka dot tape on cardstock, then cutting a 3.5" circle with my Cricut Explore. The trick to getting perfectly lined polka dots here? Alternate your layers by turning every other layer in the opposite direction, to line up the half circle polka dots. There's your bonus tip for the day. :)
My friend Nancy suggested I start an album about me. Actually, she suggested this a long while ago, however, I've finally decided it's time to do it. I've been making cards for so long, I've sort of lost my "touch" with scrapping. It wasn't until a weekend crop about a month ago, that I renewed my gusto for making layouts. I would say it was my son who was the impetus. Or rather, his nagging, that I get back to making layouts of his achievements.
Also, National Scrapbook Day just happened. It's such a fun time to focus on the craft. I plan to enter my layout into a couple fun challenges, one of which revolves around NSD. Look for those at the end of this post and enter yourself!
Keep scrolling and I'll show you how I made this layout.
I started by cutting some fun embellishments with my Cricut Explore and Graphic 45 papers. I used the Floral Embellished cartridge for the designs.
I used my Tombow Dual brush pens to make watercolors on an acrylic block.
This is the technique I used, dipping a toothbrush into the color, then misting my doilies. I also did some font writing using my Cricut to create the beauty sentiment, along with a Cricut pen in blue. I added some Ranger Tropical Tangerine Stickles Glitter Glue as well.
What would we do without our crafty friends? My good friend MariLynn made me some quilled flowers. They're so tiny so I took my Tombow adhesive dots and cut them into four pieces to stick my pretty little flowers down. It's a great way to use just a small piece, and extend your stash!
Here's a close-up of the butterfly that I cut with my Explore. My layout background paper is Graphic 45 Time To Flourish and the butterfly is G45 Sweet Sentiments.
I've also added some pretty May Arts Ribbon. Below, is the scalloped adhesive ribbon. I also used the tiny floral bud adhesive ribbon, along with natural burlap string.
This definitely took some time to put together, particularly since my brain isn't functioning at full capacity by the days end, but I think I did okay.
Additional supplies: Bo Bunny crochet flower, We R Memory Keepers Enamel Dots, Gold foil chevron washi tape from Hobby Lobby St. Patricks Day collection, 6" doilies from Hobby Lobby, Recollections mini enamel dots pastel, Tombow Mono adhesive Power Bond, Bic Metallic gel pen, Cricut, Prima Marketing Flower clip, foam squares
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so, if you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in the affiliate programs linked above because they are products that I use and love. Your purchase price is not affected in any way, by using my links. Thank you for your support and helping me keep my content free!
We have a wonderful prize sponsored by Lawn Fawn, a stamp set of your choosing! How awesome is that? You get to pick the prize! So what do you have to do to qualify? First, be sure you "like" us on our Facebook page, then head over toLawn Fawn on FB and tell them MPC sent you (not required but they'd love to hear from you!)
Be sure and comment on one or all of our trivia questions throughout the weekend. Please only comment once per question, however each question you answer, earns you an entry! Our design team has chosen the theme, "Creating with Paper Bags". Yes, we're doing a little upcycling and making fun things with paper bags. Be sure and visit their blogs and show a little love.
Check in throughout the day Saturday and Sunday, answer the questions and we'll announce a winner on Monday. The contest ends Sunday, May 3rd at midnight ET. OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL
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For my project, I chose to create a set of ATC cards for scrapbooking Project Lifestyle, using a Garden theme. I also added some embellishments to my project, also using paper bags.
Here's what I made and yes, I even used foil! Scroll down for more pics and info.....
Let's start with the foil ATC card:
- Run a section of your trimmed paper bag through your Xyron Creative Station or sticker maker, large enough to accomodate 3"x4" (or use adhesive runner)
- Peel off the backing and apply a craft foil sheet
- Emboss with embossing folder (I used my Cuttlebug to emboss and Couture Creations Hyper Magical embossing folder)
Once embossed, I measured 3"x4" for ATC size and used a corner rounder. Isn't it gorgeous?!
Next, I embossed 2 plain pieces of paper bag to embellish. Did you know you can stack your layers and run them through your embossing machine? Don't waste time, stack up to 4 layers and just run it through a couple times for good measure.
On this one, I did some heat embossing with a font stamp set called "Be My Guest" from Waffle Flower Crafts in gold embossing powder, stacking the lettering on the leaves. I also created 2 paper bag flowers, one plain, the other adhered with foil, using the same technique above. I used MFT Die-namics Rolled Scallop Flower Diewith my Cuttlebug and rolled with a quilling tool. I also added a little stitched tag for documenting a date or any journaling this this ATC card and the next one as well, using Lil' Inkers Design stitched tag die.
Lastly, I did some inking with Quick Quotes Powder Puff Ink by directly and "gently" inking the raised surfaces. I added some Ranger glossy accents to one of the leaves and sprinkled glitter, then accented with some pretty flower sequins from Craftin' Desert Divas "mini bloom".
You can incorporate these fun paper bag ATC cards into your documented scrapbooking. The garden theme is perfect for Spring pages, a garden lover or any celebration where flowers are a focal point. I hope you like my paper bag project as much as I do. I would love if you shared your thoughts in the comment section. Thanks so much!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so, if you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in the affiliate programs linked above because they are products that I use and love. Your purchase price is not affected in any way, by using my links. Thank you for your support and helping me keep my content free!
Snobbery. It's not a pretty thing. Most of us can probably say we've endured it in some shape or form, from an early age. From being pushed around on the playground because your clothes weren't cool or you wore glasses, or had braces, to the teen years when the cheerleaders ruled, and maybe you just couldn't find your niche.
As adults, we find snobbery on every corner. I'm a people watcher and I see snobbery everywhere; the coffee shop, the fancy restaurant, the grocery store, even at church; snobbery abounds.
Why then, should I be surprised to find snobbery in the craft industry? Yes, I said it. Believe it or not, there are craft snobs on every bloggy corner. And, it's not limited to the highly educated, graphic designer or self-made craft blogger extraordinaire, oh no.
There is snobbery and prejudice amongst the various type of crafters. I know, who would have thunk it? One would think that as a lover of arts, we would all be united as one, in our love of the craft, however, I'm finding more and more that, that is not the case.
There are varying degrees and or levels of snobbery. The jewelry maker may look down on the sewer because, do you know how many hours were spent hammering jewelry out of metal plates and chisels? The sewer looks down on the papercrafter because, do you know how many hours were spent stitching that handmade organza bodice from straw? The papercrafter looks down at .....well the papercrafter doesn't really have anyone to look down on because from my observation, the papercrafter is at the bottom of a very deep barrel, stacked full of, well......paper.
You heard it folks. Papercrafters are often reviled as basic, unskilled men and women who shouldn't waste their time slapping paper and glue together, and taking up precious space expending said creations on the blogosphere. Not so much from crafters within their field (although papercrafter snobbery does exist) but from crafters or artists working in other fields of art. As a member of many different blogging groups ranging from expert to novice crafters and artists, I see on a daily basis and am amazed at the snobbery.
It's even been said that you shouldn't waste your time as a craft blogger, crafting as a "hobby", if you can't invest yourself full time into this industry. Really? Hold on folks, because I'm getting ready to really get riled up. We all are on a journey in this life. This journey takes every one of us in different directions. Sometimes, life choices take us on a path that wasn't our plan. I've made choices in life that require that I work a full time job, to pay the bills and have insurance coverage. Some day, maybe some big business craft company will love what I do, and give me a call, offer me a huge salary to do what I love and pay to have me moved wherever they need me to be. (Hey, a girl can dream....) In the meantime, I don't need the snobbery from those craft bloggers who are making six or seven figure salaries because they've figured it all out and the rest of us should just go crawl under a folded craft table, which by the way, would be impossible to do (because it's folded.....).
Dare I propose a solution? How about, we all just get along? How about you remember that you started somewhere and maybe you were lucky enough to not have to claw, hand, tooth and nail, to get somewhere in this crafty world? Thank God, there are those who are willing to help others along...to teach, to share, to remind us that we all deserve a place in the world which we love.
As for me, I will steer clear of the craft snobs in this world, and hope and pray that I never become one.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so, if you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in the affiliate programs linked above because they are products that I use and love. Your purchase price is not affected in any way, by using my links. Thank you for your support and helping me keep my content free!
I adore making cards for special occasions and Mother's Day is probably my favorite special occasion of them all. I'm one of those "late in life" moms. My husband and I endured a lot of agony over the years with numerous miscarriages. It was so difficult, that I couldn't even bring myself to attend baby showers for the longest time. After finally giving up on the dream, imagine being surprised, 18 years into our marriage, to find that I'm pregnant again. This time, immediate steps were taken by my doctor to put me on hormone medications to keep my levels up. That day, I started the medication that ended up saving my child, allowing me to have a full-term pregnancy and, praise the Lord, a healthy baby!
I share all this with you today because Mother's Day is so precious to me. There are so many women out there who have struggled with infertility. I once saw a news report of a woman, a YOUNG woman, who gave up on the dream and was tired of the endless disappointment and had a voluntary hysterectomy. How sad. Had I done the same thing, we wouldn't be blessed with our 13 year old son. We, as women, make hard choices in life sometimes. Had I not gone to the doctor that day, (uh, thinking I was pre-menopausal??!!) I may have not gotten the lifesaving treatment for my baby in time.
My doctor is a true lifesaver and we have a very special relationship. He had already retired from delivering babies but because of my history, wanted to see me through my first trimester before handing me over to another doctor. Dr. Frank Page, in Birmingham, AL, you are my hero!
I sent HIM flowers upon my son's birth. A very small gesture of my thanks and appreciation.
I didn't intend this post to be about me, I actually intended it to be about my mom but sometimes you feel led in another direction and maybe someone is struggling and needs to hear my message.
Now, for the crafty details of this card! I used a lovely stamp set called "Just For Mom" from Craftin' Desert Divas and colored the image with my Tombow Dual Brush pens, doing a touch of water color blotting on the lettering. Those awesome, sparkly flower sequins are also from Craftin' Desert Divas (CDD). The outline of the sentiment in the upper right corner was cut with my Cricut Explore. It's a big plus in my book, that CDD has free coordination svg files to go along with their stamps. The ribbons are all from May Arts Ribbon, pretty pink plaid adhesive hearts, the butterfly, the white mesh.... all those pretty ribbon and fabric accessories are from May Arts Ribbon, my absolute favorite ribbon company! The designer paper is from Graphic 45's A Time To Flourish line and is the perfect compliment to this panel shaker card. .
Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there and my prayers are with the Mom's who are yet to hear those precious words from a child's lips....God Bless You!
I'll be linking this sweet card up to these challenges:
Additional supplies: Pop Dots, Le Marvy Le Pen ultra fine point black, 6"x6" white card from the Paper Studio, purple sequins from Hobby Lobby, Lavender cardstock from Simon Says Stamp, Tombow Super Bond adhesive runner, Lil' Inkers Design oval stitched mat die
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so, if you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in the affiliate programs linked above because they are products that I use and love. Your purchase price is not affected in any way, by using my links. Thank you for your support and helping me keep my content free!
You know, I've tried a lot of techniques, usually something that was yanked from my brain. After I've tested said technique, is when I investigate to see if it's been done before and in most cases, it has. Todays project is no different. I rarely research techniques before I try them. As I've admitted in the past, I'm kind of stubborn that way. Or maybe I should say, I rarely research ideas that come to me. Now, if I know of a specific technique that I want to try, I definitely do my research. Today, however, I decided to test out inking with cotton balls, no research required! I tried several different looks before I settled on this box style.
As you can see, I chose to go with a 2 color scheme, to keep it simple, which by the way, is the theme of the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge this week. Here's the link if you'd care to join in:
I'm also entering this card into a few other challenges posted below.
I opted for a couple good and juicy inks that I have from Spellbinders and also because they are so bold in color. These are from the Celebra'tions line; Captivating Coral and Odacious Orange.
To begin, I used the orange and inked my cotton ball by directly applying it to the ink pad, then swiped a box shape, centered on a 6"x6" card. Next, I followed the contour by swiping with my next color. There is no right or wrong here. Dab some extra spots or add more color. Simplicity is the key here. When finished, I tapped some droplets of the Spellbinders Celebra'tions Silver Shimmer Silk Luster.
To pull this off, I need a really great sentiment. I chose to ink up this new-to-me stamp from So Suzy Stamps. This stamp is really large and is the star of the show and was inked with Ranger Adirondack Black ink. The colored backdrop is just that; a showcase for the sentiment. You can find this stamp at the link below, along with the Doubleclick Skittles which are gorgeous little gems that look like colored water bubbles. These are glued with Ranger Glossy Accents.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so, if you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in the affiliate programs linked above because they are products that I use and love. Your purchase price is not affected in any way, by using my links. Thank you for your support and helping me keep my content free!
Look at this little blue eyed cutie. It's getting close to that time of year, when we recognize the women in our lives. My mom has been a God-send and always there when we need her. I colored this little man to resemble my son and he'll give her this card for Mother's Day. I imagine a few tears will probably be shed. Happy tears, though.
These stamped images are from the Craftin' Desert Divas "Just For Mom" set. Click that link and check out all the fun goodies that can be yours. Shipping is super fast too. Can we say bonus?! I do believe that if you shop right now, you can get 10% off using code April so there's another bonus! Enjoy shopping.....
Happy Mother's Day, Mom!
Additional supplies: Funhouse Carnival designer paper, felt flowers, Tombow dual brush pens, Ranger Adirondack black ink, Foam squares, Tombow Power Bond adhesive runner, scrap ribbon, Co'ordinations purple A2 size card
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so, if you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in the affiliate programs linked above because they are products that I use and love. Your purchase price is not affected in any way, by using my links. Thank you for your support and helping me keep my content free!
