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Friday, February 25, 2011

One of the Top Three

I am SO THRILLED to be chosen as one of the Top Three on the Elizabeth Bell Blog for the month of February. I got my project done JUST in the knick of time. I presented it to my youngest daughter a couple of days ago and she was thrilled with it. The Elizabeth Bell challenge blog started just a few months ago and I have submitted a project each month - sometimes just under the wire, like this one. For the month of March the challenge is to make recipe cards. Hmmm, perhaps I will share my favorite cheesecake recipe on a recipe card or another favortie recipe. I will have to think on this one. I was gifted a $20 certificate for Simon Says Stamp and they carry Whiff of Joy stamps - one of Elizabeth Bell's lines - so I am going to choose a few and create my project - hoping to do it early in the month - rather than just in the knick of time.
What about you? Do you have a favorite recipe that you could create into a beautiful Elizabeth Bell enhanced project?
~Paula~

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

One more Love!

A few years ago, my youngest daughter used to play near a pond that had frogs, so we used to tease her about being down at the pond kissing frogs. Ever since then, she has lovingly been called the frog kisser. So, when Elizabeth Bell came out with this adorable image I KNEW I just had to have it. Then the challenge on the Elizabeth Bell Challenge blog for February was to create an altered item with the theme of Love. It didn't take me long to decide what I wanted to make. I had this tin from Christmas - it was filled with chocolate and almond covered toffee (one of my favorites) - the toffee is all gone, but the tin was something I knew I would do something with eventually. So, I set about last night grabbing the DSP from Stampin' Up! and covering the tin with it. I added pretty in pink ribbon around the bottom part of the tin and then added real red ribbon on the lid.The hearts are cut on my Big Shot with the
spellbinders scalloped heart dies. I used the two smallest hearts and just layered them on top of each other. I added the hearts to the lid and then added a few roses from Wild Orchid Crafts. My sweet image of the 'frog kisser' is colored with prisma color pencils. I added the tiny pearls from Stampin' Up! to her crown. I added a couple layered hearts sponged with real red to the side of the tin and added a few extra roses. I plan to give this to my youngest daughter today as she has had a hard time adjusting to the move and fitting in with the groups at her school. I just have to find something to fill the tin with - like her favorite treat! :)
Thanks for stopping by to take a peek at my creation. I am entering this in the Elizabeth Bell Challenge for this month - and just in time too - today is the deadline!!
~Paula~

Embellishments and Insertions!

I KNOW you all embellish your cards - they just wouldn't seem finished without that little extra - be it ribbon, brads, rhinestones, pearls, - whatever your choice of embellishment is. But, what about the inside of your card? Do you take the time to finish the INSIDE of your card? If not, then take a look at the Top Tip Tuesday tutorial for today. My Teammate, Maggie has done a fabulous job showing you ways that you can finish the inside of your card. We also have THREE fabulous sponsors this week. Wink Wink Ink, Digital Delights by Louby Lou, and Simon Says Stamp. I have been working with some retired DSP this week - just trying to use what I have before buying more - and have made this simple card using the Saturday Sketch #191 from Stamping 411 I like using ribbon on my cards and usually some other embellishment - whether it be rhinestones, pearls or flowers - the lovely ones you can get from Wild Orchid are fabulous. I started out with the sketch, wanting to use my new Spellbinders dies - these are label #2. Don't you just LOVE those dies? They are so versatile and my husband thinks I need to get them all because he KNOWS I want them. Gotta love the man!! Anyway, back to my card. I used the set Blessed Mother which can be found in the new Occasions mini catalog. This is such a simple, yet beautiful set. I stamped it with Rich Razzleberry and then thought that I should have used a bit of old olive on the leaves - however, I don't have too many of the Stampin' Up! markers, but I do have Pear Pizzazz and Certainly Celery, so after I stamped the image, I colored with a little bit of the Pear Pizzazz to give just a bit of green to the leaves. I debated whether I wanted to put a sentiment on the outside, and decided that I would finish the inside of my card - something I seldom do - but have been inspired to do more of through Maggie's tutorial.I double stamped the smaller flower, adding a bit of green to the stems and then stamped the sentiment with Old Olive. Though this set is called Blessed Mother, you can see how versatile this set can be with the change of sentiment.
Thanks for stopping by today - and be sure to check out Maggie's tutorial and enter for a chance at some fabulous products from our sponsors.
~Paula~

Monday, February 21, 2011

Crafting again - at least for today!!

Actually, I did some crafting yesterday - so what I am going to show you right now is from yesterday. A few weeks ago, I was working with packages of retired DSP from Stampin' Up! Well, I am still doing that - so over the next few days, you are going to see ALOT of this particular DSP called Cottage Wall. It is a lovely paper that coordinates with Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry and Orchid Opulence (retired). The current catalog has this same design but with colors that coordinate with Poppy Parade (InColor), Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz and Peach Parfait (also InColors). I chose my layout from Stamping 411 sketch challenge #190. I also used the set Easter Blossoms from the Occasions Mini catalog. I double stamped the branch - you have to look closely to see that. Then I stamped the sentiment and added my ribbon - which is certainly celery satin ribbon - I don't have any old olive or white ribbon - but this one coordinated close enough. I like the way this one turned out with such simplicity. This set really lends itself to doing a quick and easy card.
So, I encourage you - choose a DSP, grab some coordinating cardstock and this Beautiful set and get going on those Springtime and Easter cards.
Come back later to see what I am able to accomplish TODAY!!
~Paula~

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

No Time to Craft!!

It seems since I started working that I cannot find any time to craft lately. Do you find yourself in that rut sometimes?
Well, I DO want to share with you that today over at Top Tip Tuesday There is a fantastic tutorial on how to use your sewing machine on cards. Anne has given us lot's of tips and shows us some wonderful pictures of how stitching can be used on your cards and also how to use your sewing machine for paper piercing. Go on over and check it out - there are some wonderful sponsors this week too. Just remember, you can post up to three cards for the challenge.
Now, if I can find some time after work one of these nights, I might just try out my new sew easy stitch piercer. I do have wonderful sewing machines, however, it is more cumbersome to get them out to use - so I choose to do faux stitching. However you like to 'stitch' on your cards, I hope you will join us this week.
Thanks for stopping by - I hope to get working on some projects by the weekend.
~Paula~

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Another Top Tip Tuesday Tutorial!

Today it is Top Tip Tuesday - and another fantastic tutorial by my Teammate Vee. We have a couple more wonderful sponsors for this weeks challenge as well. Digi Sparkle and Robyns Fetish. Robyn has graciously supplied the design team with some adorable images and I chose this romping pup for my card. He just looks like he is about to get into all sorts of trouble. I colored my image with prismacolor pencils - my favorite (as most of you already know) medium for coloring. I haven't played with any animal images, so my coloring is a challenge on animals. However, I ordered a couple of color pencil magazines today and I think one of the issues I ordered will help me with that. So, I started with a chocolate chip base and added a bit of designer paper. I then took a piece of vanilla cardstock and ran both sides through my border punch. I had thought about edging this with the chocolate chip ink, but I completely forgot about that. I was so busy trying to get the layout the way I wanted it that I just started gluing things down! :) Anyway, the challenge for today is 'In the Frame', so I took my nestibilities scallop circle and cut two different sizes creating a frame with the vanilla. I attached my pup with dimensionals on the chocolate chip circle and positioned his paws outside the frame. I didn't think it was quite finished. So, I took my newest nestibilities - the scallop heart - that I got at Hobby Lobby last week for a great price - and cut two different sizes. I was going to add a simple sentiment - 'Hi' - but decided to look at what else I had and found that this simple sentiment was perfect and it fit just right inside the darker heart. I added the ribbon - which is seam binding that I got in a blog hop win awhile back. This ribbon is so fun to work with and the color of this one fit with the color scheme I created.
I don't often finish the inside of my cards, except to add a bit of lighter paper so that a message can be written inside. On this one, I added another red heart that I had cut out. I especially like the way the card turned out - it was simple and fairly quick to do once I knew what I wanted to create.
I hope that you have enjoyed looking at my work today and I hope that you will hop on over to Top Tip Tuesday today and play along with our challenge. I am sure that you will find Vee's tutorial quite interesting and fun to try.
Thanks for stopping by today - and as always - I love comments and appreciate your support of my creations.
~Paula~










Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Ribbon Tutorial at Top Tip Tuesday

This week at Top Tip Tuesday there is a wonderful tutorial. Dawn from Carol's team shows you how to use up bits of ribbon to make a beautiful project. The Challenge this week is to make something girlie or use ribbon on your project. Our sponsors are The Crafty Pad Stamp Designs and Ooh La La Creations. So Check out the tutorial - it is very cool and then enter YOUR ribbon or girlie creation for a chance at a wonderful prize from these sponsors.
Remember, you can enter up to 3 times but your creations all have to be new.
Come back later today and I just might have some new creations to show you.
~Paula~