Friday, January 30, 2015

American Crafts | Thickers Cards

I think American Crafts Thickers are always at the top of everyone's must have list!  I know have a ton of them, and I love them all!  This week on the American Crafts Blog, all of the Design Team members have been sharing ideas for using Thickers on your layouts and projects.  I created two cards, using Thickers as the sentiment on one and a decorative element on the second.

Thickers Cards 


Supplies: Stitched (368944) - Heartfelt, Thickers (368967) - Lucky, Stitched (368976) - Die Cut Tags, Stitched (368977) - Shaped Paper Clips, Stitched (368983) - Rub-On Transfer Sheet
 
How to: Cut your card base to 4.5x9" then fold in half to create a square shaped card. Cover the front of your card with the Heartfelt patterned paper. Add the die cut tag to your card then adhere the words "With" and "You" from the Lucky Thickers pack to create your sentiment. Machine stitch through the Thickers. Add the hearts from the rub-on transfer sheet to the top of the tag and attach the heart from the shaped paper clips pack.


Supplies: Serendipity (369203) - I Heart You, Serendipity (369217) - Pleather Bows, Serendipity (369215) - Enamel Dots, Serendipity (369226) - Premium Ribbon, Thickers (368968) - After Glow, Thickers (366057) - Collage, Thickers (366184) - Soiree

How to: Cut your card base to 4.25x11", and fold in half. Cover the front of your card with the I Heart You patterned paper. Use the After Glow Thickers to create the "Love You" sentiment in the center of your card. Choose a mix of white Thickers and adhere them to cover the front of your card. Place a piece of ribbon across the top of your card. Add a pleather bow and finish by adding enamel dots to the O's in your sentiment.

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Thursday, January 29, 2015

Family Selfie & a Process Video!

Happy Thursday...which means it's almost Friday!  YAY!  Today I have a new layout and card to share with you for Hip Kit Club, using the January 2015 Hip Kit & Add-On Kits!  And I'll also be sharing the first PROCESS VIDEO that I created for my Family Selfie layout.  This first video was a trial and error process, but we all have to start somewhere, right??!!  I finally have a great camera set up, so you won't have to worry about seeing my head in future vidoes!  :)




One of my go to designs, has to be a grid! They are so fun to put together, especially when you have so many awesome embellishments included in your Hip Kits! I used the January 2015 Hip Kit & Add-On Kits, to create this grid design for my layout. I've been wanting to use the gorgeous floral paper from Heidi Swapp, and I thought it would make a perfect mat for my White cardstock, and blend in really well with the colors I used on my page. Before adding my papers and photos, I used some water color paint in the background, to bring in the Teal color from the Heidi Swapp paper. I really like the way it made my papers and photos pop, once I added them to the page. I used a mix of Dear Lizzy and Amy Tan papers for my grid squares, and then off set my photos, and title. I think the Fox Thickers are one of my favorite Gold alphas ever...I've had several packs of them!! I also wanted to add some texture, with the flair from A Flair for Buttons and the Cork Embellishments from Elle's Studio.


What's more fun than a Happy card, using your January 2015 Hip Kit & Add-On Kits!! The Dear Lizzy tags in the January 2015 Embellishment Kit, are perfect for creating a fun sentiment for your card. I added three of the Happy tags, and then layered Thickers, puffy stickers, and one of the Dear Lizzy Die Cut words to embellish my card. And stitching can always add a beautiful hand made look to your cards, so I stitched along the edges of my card. I also can't resist using the cute enamel dots, so I chose three of the different colors, and added them in a visual triangle on my card.

And here is my Process Video for the Family Selfie layout.


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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

A Flair for Buttons | Bundled Up

Hi everyone!  Yesterday I shared a new layout on the A Flair for Buttons Blog, and I wanted to stop in and share it with you on the Blog today.  I tried something a little different on this layout, and really liked the end result.  Recently, I've been watching some of Wilna Furstenberg's videos, and when I saw her working with the Reeves water color tube paints, I really wanted to give them a try.  So I picked up a set at Michael's and they are so easy to use.  I went with a simple technique on this layout, and just added wide paint strokes in the background of my page.



 
We recently went on an overnight trip at the beginning of January and it was a bit chilly during our trip.  Our son has this puffy Orange coat, that he loves, because Orange is his favorite color!  He looked so cute bundled up in the coat, I snapped some photos of him, and searched in my flair stash for the perfect Flair Buttons to go with my photos!

Since Orange was the dominant color in my photo, I wanted to keep my color scheme to a minimal.  I added the Orange burst Flair and the On This Day Flair to complement the colors on my page.  And I thought they would be perfect layered over the Happy Little Clouds cut file that is available in The Cut Shoppe.  I also added some of the Yellow Reeves water color over the Happy Little Clouds die cut, for an extra pop of color.
 
Make sure you visit the A Flair for Buttons Shop, because tons of new designs have been added!  There are so many to choose from, I can't decide which ones are my favorite!!

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Monday, January 26, 2015

Echo Park | Hello Sweetheart

Happy Monday everyone!  Hopefully you all enjoyed a great weekend!  I spent pretty much the entire weekend, exploring the world of creating process videos.  I have past video editing experience, but getting the camera set up just right, making my old computer cooperate with video editing software, and adding voice over has all been a challenge.  But I have managed to get two videos completed...I am persistent!  HA!  I will have my first video posted this Wednesday, and I will share it on the Blog on Thursday.  It was pretty much the guinea pig video, and more of a what not to do when your video taping kind of video.  But I am definitely working on improving them.  If you would like to Subscribe, you can visit MY CHANNEL on YouTube!

Now on to a new card that I created for Echo Park, using the Lucky In Love collection.  If you are looking for a way to incorporate multiple patterned papers onto your card, then I’ve got a quick tutorial to share with you, showing how I layered patterned paper behind the Love Confetti Die.


Begin by cutting the Love Confetti Die from the Be Mine patterned paper.
 
Tutorial1

After running the die through your Die Cut machine, you will need to trim around the edges to have even spacing around your word.

Tutorial2

Now you can flip your paper over and adhere different patterned papers behind each letter.

Tutorial3

This technique would also look great repeated on a layout, and would really add a pop of interest to your layout!

Supplies:
Love Confetti DieSweet Hearts Patterned PaperLove This Patterned PaperLovely Circles Patterned Paper
Be Mine Patterned Paper
Pink Hearts Patterned PaperAlpha Stickers Sheet


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Thursday, January 22, 2015

Hip Kit Club | Hello Monday 2015

Today, I'm stopping in to share a new layout and card for Hip Kit Club, using the January 2015 Hip Kit and Add-On Kits!  Both are bright and fun and I had a blast putting them together!



 
Sometimes there are those patterned papers that are just too cute to cover up! And that's how I felt about the Lucky Love patterned paper in the January 2015 Hip Kit Main Kit. I love the bright pop of Pink on the hearts, so I decided to cluster all of the elements in the center of my layout. I wanted to add some interest to the page by overlapping the Amy Tan wood veneer frame over my photo and also placing my title using the Elle's Studio cork embellishments, over the White space in the photo.


There are so many fun items included in the January 2015 Hip Kit & Add-On Kits, that it makes layering a snap. Layering is a fun technique to use on cards, because it allows you to use a lot of product on a smaller area. I layered several Crate Paper pieces, with die cuts from Dear Lizzy and Heidi Swapp, and even added in some of the Gold Thickers. And I always think it adds a fun touch, when you grab a tiny attacher to attach some of the elements to your cards. It adds dimension, without adding a lot of bulk to your cards!

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

American Crafts | Metal Dies Tutorial

This week the American Crafts Design Team, has been sharing projects using Metal Dies.  I created a tutorial for putting together a Wand that can be added to a gift bag.

 
Here is a tutorial showing how easy it is to put this project together!

1. Start out by cutting some of the flower dies from the Serendipity collection from the gold dot vellum paper and the gold dot on burlap paper.
Tutorial1

2. Grab some coordinating gold products from the DIY Shop 2 collection to start putting your wand together.
 
Tutorial2

3. Roll your flower that is cut from the gold dot vellum paper and use a small amount of hot glue to secure it as you roll.
 
Tutorial3

4. Add some Zazz glitter glue to a butterfly wood veneer. Let the glitter glue dry and when you start putting your wand together you can add the butterfly to the flower center.
 
Tutorial4

5. Layer your flower dies on the paper straw and add the wood veneer butterfly. Add one of the gold glitter tags to the paper straw.
 
Tutorial5
 
Gift Bag1
 
This would be a great gift bag idea for your daughter or one of her friends!
 
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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Echo Park | I Love Your Face

It seems like forever since my last post..when it's really only been since last Thursday!  HA!  But I've got some new posts this week, starting with this layout for Echo Park using the Lucky in Love collection!  This is a great collection for all of your Valentine’s layouts, projects and cards, but it can also be used for everyday layouts.  I combined the collection with the Designer Dies, to create an everyday layout, with a Black & White photo of our middle daughter.





I wanted to create a focal title under my photo, so I layered the Designer Dies, to draw attention to the title of my page.  I cut the Talk Bubble Heart from four different patterned papers and placed them on the background paper in a grid design.  Then I cut the word Love and layered it over the Talk Bubble Hearts and finished my title, with letter stickers from the Alpha Stickers Sheet.





There are a lot of fun ways to use the Designer Dies that coordinate with the Lucky In Love collection!  The Talk Bubble Hearts would be perfect for hand-made Valentines!

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Thursday, January 15, 2015

Hip Kit Club | Hello Lovely

If you've seen all of the goodies included in the January 2015 Hip Kit from Hip Kit Club, then you know it's filled with lots of amazing products!  This month's Kits work great for Love/Valentine's layouts.  I am stopping in today, to share a new layout and card using this month's Kits!




First up, I'm sharing a pretty in Pink layout, using the January 2015 Hip Kit & Add-On Kits. The Crate Paper Chipboard Frame was the initial inspiration for my layout design. How cute is it filled with bits and pieces from the January Hip Kit!! I layered some of the journaling cards from the Crate Paper sheet included in the January 2015 Embellishment Kit. All of these elements created a soft look on my layout, and I also wanted to incorporate the American Crafts vellum into my design. I hand cut three heart shapes from the vellum, and then adhered them by adding machine stitching. I think it's always fun to find a color scheme in your Kits and work with it on at least one layout! I'm sure you can find several different options in your January 2015 Hip Kit & Add-On Kits!!


The January 2015 Hip Kit & Add-On Kits, offers a great variety in colors! I love that you can create a project using bright pops of color, or projects with a muted color scheme. I used a mix of Kraft and Gold papers and accents on my quick and easy card. And the Crate Paper Chipboard pieces are perfect for adding a touch of dimension to your cards.

The February sneaks and reveals for the February 2015 Hip Kit & Add-On Kits, will be coming up soon!  Make sure you keep an eye out on the Hip Kit Blog, Instagram and Facebook page!

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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

A Flair for Buttons | Lucky Us

Today, I am sharing my first layout of 2015 for A Flair for Buttons!  I thought it would be fun to try something a little different, since it's a new year!  I normally use a lot of bright colors on my pages, but as I was looking through my Flair stash, I spotted some Wood Grain Buttons and tought it would be fun to do a Kraft monochromatic look, with touches of Black, White and Gray.  I used the Hello Button from the Woodgrain 2 Flair set and the Just Us Button from the Wood Words Flair set, as the starting point for my page.



The Just Us Button was a perfect fit, to add to the wood veneer frame that I placed over my photo.  And I added the Hello Button to the center of a stitched heart, on my background.  I love that the buttons blend in perfectly with the Kraft look on my page.  I also wanted to add some contrast, so I placed a few Black and Gray patterned papers behind the Pie Hearts cut file, from The Cut Shoppe.



It's always fun to step out of your comfort zone, and try a new look.  Why not try something different in your papercrafting this year!!  And make sure you stop by the A Flair for Buttons Shop for a visit.  Lots of fabulous new Flair sets have been added, and you you won't want to miss them!

Supplies:  Flair Buttons:  A Flair for Buttons; Patterned Paper, Wood Veneer Frame, Bits, Stickers, Stitching Template, Dies, Enamel Dots, Paper Clip & Thickers:  American Crafts; Tiny Attacher:  Tim Holtz; Color Shine:  Heidi Swapp; Pie Hearts Cut File:  The Cut Shoppe; Die Cut Machine:  Silhouette Cameo

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Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Simple Stories | My First Post!

I am so excited to share my first post as one of the new Design Team members for Simple Stories!  Their new collections are so fabulous, and I couldn't wait to use them.  For my first post I created two layouts, using the Say Cheese II collection and the I Am collection.  Here's a look at what I created with the collections!


I wanted to create a masculine layout, using the Say Cheese II collection.  I love that it's versatile enough to use for your Disney layouts and projects or for your everyday projects.  I started my layout by choosing the Laughter patterned paper for my background.  Before I started working on my layout, I cut my title from the background paper, using my Silhouette Cameo, and backed it with one of the patterned papers from the 6x6 paper pad.

 

Then I got to work on placing all of my embellishments.  I love to cluster elements around my photo, so it helps to draw attention to the subject of my layout.  I created a fun look by layering one of the Chipboard frames, some of the Bits & Pieces, Stickers and a Decorative Clip.  You just can go wrong with so many awesome coordinating embellishments!



Supplies Used:
Laughter Patterned Paper: 4311
3x4 & 4x6 Elements Patterned Paper: 4312 
Photo Op Patterned Paper: 4308
Say Cheese II 6x6 Paper Pad: 4322
Say Cheese II Chipboard Frames: 4338
Say Cheese II Bits & Pieces: 4329
Say Cheese II Enamel Dots: 4331
Say Cheese II Bradz: 4327
Say Cheese II Decorative Clips: 4336
Say Cheese II Stickers: 4332

Next up, is a layout using the gorgeous new I Am collection.  This collection is perfect for telling your own story...it's okay to be in front of the camera once in a while!  If you find it a little too intimidating to create a layout completely focused on you, then why not start out with baby steps, and do a family layout with a fun, family selfie!



Once I chose the Grateful patterned paper for my background, I knew the I Am Chipboard Frames would look great against the muted pattern.  Plus, it's pretty fun to fill them with different patterned papers and embellishments! 


I wanted to create an over-sized title on my layout, to balance out the photo and use of the frames.  I decided to mix the large I Am phrase from the Chipboard Stickers, with one of the Simple Stories die cut words, to create my title.  Once I had it in place, I added a little machine stitching to add some texture to my page.


Supplies Used:
Grateful Patterned Paper: 4508
I Am 6x6 Paper Pad: 4522
I Am Chipboard Frames: 4538
I Am Chipboard Stickers: 4528
I Am Enamel Dots: 4531
I Am Bits & Pieces: 4529
I Am Bradz: 4527

Both of these collections are being debuted at WCHA, along with the Enchanted collection and lots of other new Simple Stories goodies!  If you are at CHA this week, then make sure you stop by the Simple Stories booth for a visit, and check out all of the amazing new products!


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