CardMaker Magazine p. 20

I had gotten away from submitting cards for publication when Cricut and Paper Crafts magazine went to ezines...I prefer to have a magazine that I can hold in my hands...prefer my books that way too.

Just my opinion.

So, anyway....here I am, again, now submitting to the CardMaker.

 Featuring my Design Teams

Arnold Grummer Paper Making

Helmar Worldwide Adhesives

Susan K. Weckesser stamps

successful artist means a busy artist

Wow, one of my ladies came into the shop the other day and purchased 11 of my cards, at $5.00 a pop, that is considered to be a successful card day for me! Not only did I thank her but I gave her a freebie too, good customers are worth rewarding. But now it means I need to restock my inventory so be expecting some cards over the next week.

Starting out with a oldie but goodie....Stella from Bugaboo Digital Stamps! I just love her sense of humor and being that she is a digital stamp and doesn't cost a lot means I get more bang for my buck! Stella always makes my customers smile and giggle and in return makes me happy!

And anybody that knows ME, knows I have to alter my image a little bit, so I printed her out twice so I could cut out her arm and hospital tray and give it a little dimension using my Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots ( if Santa didn't bring you any for Christmas then you can order it HERE. )

Entering this in

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Helmar - product recommendation

We, as crafters realize that there are a lot of products out on the market that are a dime a dozen. BUT Helmars' Liquid Scrap Dots stands out from the crowd. I simply could not do without it and it's awesome versatility. Look at the varying height for all 4 stars, each one is different. We are lucky to be carrying this product in our Frosted Design Store, and I highly recommend you adding it to you arsenal of craft supplies. You will not regret it. 

If you would like to see my completed Americana wall hanging, then please pop on over to the the Helmar blog page, and leave me some loving...you know you want to ;)

Helmar - Today is a new day....

I teamed up my Susan K. Weckesser papers and Unity stamps, Helmar glues and threw in a dash of Frosted Designs Kits to create this cute little quote book.

Here's a quick slideshow to show you the process, if you need any step out instructions then please pop over to the Helmar blog :)

entering my little quote booklet in:
Unity Stamp Company -Be Inspired
I was inspired by the colors


It's the week-end, anyone got any plans?
:)

Frosted Designs Kit Challenge

Sooooooooo....if you happen to visit my blog then you might know that our March kit is out, called A Moment in Time, which is gorgeous!! And to think kits like this can be delivered right to your front door! Does life get any better?

Which brings us to the Kit Challenge !!

We are going to stick with a recipe as it gives you, the subscriber, more control over which items you would like to use.  Remember: ANY TYPE OF PROJECT is acceptable so long as you use at least three of the following items from the kit:

~ Black Background (Can be solid cardstock!)

~ One Word Title 

~ Chipboard or Wooden Die-Cuts (At least ONE piece!)

~ Flowers (At least ONE!)

~ Ribbon

Fell free to use other items as you normally would...  Just be sure to include three of the above on your project to be entered in to win a fabulous prize! Check out the Frosted Designs Blog for details!

And here is what I created using: 

1. black background

2. wooden die-cut

3. flower

other products used:

Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive, Liquid Scrap Dots, Tacky Craft Glue

Signo White Pen

Sakura Gelly Roll pen

Ranger Distress marker, Crackle Paint

Helmar

My project for Helmar today is this sweet as sugar fairy frame. Please feel free to visit their blog for all the details ♥

Helmar products:

Helmar 450 Quick dry Adhesive

Helmar Decoupage and Craft Paste

Helmar Gemstone Adhesive

Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots

also:

Frosted Designs Shades of Spring kit

Graphics Fairy

Signo White pen

Little Yellow Bicycle - stick pins

Interested in joining a fabulous design team? 

Check out the Helmar site for all the details and while you're over there I'd love for you to leave me a comment! ♥

Helmar - a snarky Valentine I am ♥

I hope you weren't expecting a mushy Valentine project from me, lol 

How about snarky?

If you want the deets on this plaque, then please visit the Helmar blog ♥

Helmar, Helmar, Helmar, baby!!

Frosted Designs January kit - Love is in the Air 

Want 2 Scrap -pearls

Quick Quotes Powder Puff  - ink

Asymmetrical balance

Placement of non-identical forms to either side of a balancing point in such a way that the two sides seem to be of the same visual weight.

I tried to use this design principle with the sentiment being the balancing point and the stamped images and doodling to give visual weight.

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The background was washed with a light water color and the colored PITT pens to color in the smaller areas. I used my Sakura Pigma Sensei Magna pen for the black.

I like the written happy birthday sentiment coming out from the grass horizon. Now that I am looking at it, I think the y needs a little daisy added to the end of it.
What do you think?

I think I like the black and white doodled background the best.

  

I love the doodled cloud and sun!

Paper Smooches -Anything Goes Challenge

Paper Smooches - Happy Camper and 

Helmar - Liquid Scrap Dots

Faber Castell - PITT pens and watercolor crayons

Guest Design - Die Cutting Divas

I want to thank all the Die Cuttin' Divas for letting be a guest diva! 
I have the crown to wear too...::insert royal wave::

Here is my project for the challenge
Winter Fun

I love taking other elements from the cartridges and mixing them up together, like the snow cap from page 48 and putting it on the squirrel from page 57. This little guy is layered, inked and popped up for added dimension and the snowflake is glittered and bejeweled for some added snap!

I just love the huge anime sized eye he has too!

Cricut -Winter Woodland cartridge, pp 48, 57

Frosted Designs December kit - sparkly felt, stickles, distress glitter, chipboard snowflake

Helmar - Liquid Scrap Dots

Tap Pants: noun

The name of this lingerie suggests its history.

This style of underwear resembles the loose shorts that women used to wear while tap dancing.

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Want to be in a magazine? Like sketches? Maybe a chance to win some shopping money?

Well then, this looks like a great time to enter the sketch challenge over at Die Cut Crazy Magazine where you have a chance to win a $25.00 gift certificate over at Two Peas in a Bucket!

I love card sketches almost as much as I love my Cricut! So, when I get to combine the two...I am happy as 2 peas in pod....or a bucket, in this case! :)

 I used the bride and groom cut for the vertical border on the sketch.


I used a banner shape for the bottom border shape and the butterfly in place of the circle. The butterfly's wings and the sentiment banner are popped up with Liquid Scrap Dots.

I water colored in the grooms tux and added pearls and glitter to the brides dress.

Cricut- Paper Trimmings, p.36
Stretch Your Imagination, p. 74
Helmar - 450, Liquid Scrap Dots, Acid Free Glue, Gemstone Glue
Ranger - Stickles, Liquid Pearls

Pretties

Using the plural noun pretties to refer to dainty things goes back at least to the 1700s.

Some early uses refer to toys and jewelry, but the word was also applied to women's lingerie.

By all rights it should be a lovely word, but because of its association with the Wicked Witch of the West ("I'll get you, my pretty!"), using it at a lingerie store today might sound a bit creepy.

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Fantabulous Cricut - #189 Beyond red and Green

Fab 'n' Funky -#196 A Touch of Frost

Challenges 4 Everybody - #34 Anything Goes

Creative Inspirations - Inspired by Christmas

This is a gift card holder, the gift card slides in and out of the top of his hat with the card opening up so that you can write your sentiment inside :)

I stacked 3 plastic snowflakes on each other ( love my Helmar's 450 for adhering pieces like that together! ) and then added a pearl on top. The whole piece is popped up with some Liquid Scrap Dots for some dimension.

Helmar- Liquid Scrap Dots, 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Cricut - Winter Woodland, p. 46

 ( taken to the CCR to create the card shape and to separate the hat from the scarf. )

Ranger - stickles

Reminisce - white pen

Frosted Designs tutorial using inks

I love, love LOVE the 2013 November Mixed Media Kit from Frosted Designs! I made this 6 x 12" wall hanging using most of everything from the kit!

and a short video explaining the different ways I used the inks:

( OK, so I am still learning how to edit my videos, the caption that comes up saying "opps I meant to say Lemon Zest"..is suppose to be when I am showing the Lemon Zest spray but calling it Fresh Lime!!.. All I can say is, it was in the right spot when I saved the changes!!...ugh!! )

I love the Faber Castel watercolor crayons, they sure made coloring in my digital image easy! I love how you can mix the crayon colors together to get a custom look like I did with her hair.

And the Faber Castell PITT pens made coloring in those tight small spaces a snap!

None of my projects are complete without the use of my Helmar products and popping up her head is one of my most favorites...Liquid Scrap Dots!

Frosted Designs - November Mixed Media Kit
October Mixed Media Kit ( sticker phrase )
Helmar - 450 Quick Dry Adhesive, Tacky Craft Glue and Liquid Scrap Dots

Sakura - Pigma Sensei waterproof pens

Faber Castell - Watercolor crayons, Gesso and Pitt Pens

Dilly Beans - #381 Isabella Fairy digital image
Ranger - Dylusion Spray inks, stickles, liquid pearls
Chipboard clouds

Don't forget that you can sign up for the
Mixed Media Paper Kit subscription
and then we play together each month!!
*FREE Dylusions Creative Journal ($24.99 value) with any first time 
mixed media paper kit subscription! 
Offer expires November 30th.

entering this wall hanging in:
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes

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Whether you are a journaler, mixed media artist, scrapbooker, or other type of crafter, hand lettering is a visually dynamic way to add textural elements to your work. I have a book review of

Creative Lettering that I'd love for you to check out.

Let's learn to love our handwriting!
♥

Helmar makes Halloween a "snap"

It doesn't have to say Halloween in order to be considered spooky, take this fabulous quote by Morticia Addams, the fictional matriarch of "The Addams Family" created by cartoonist Charles Addams. 

( This was one of my favorite shows as a kid!! Did you watch it? )

To get you in the mood, feel free to trip down memory lane with by watching this:

Are you snapping your fingers and singing along with me? 

Helmar Craft Glue worked beautifully adhering the pearls and rhinestones to the plastic spider.

I added glitter over the glue to add more sparkle.

Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots was perfect for adhering the spider's body to the board. Since he was hollow, I filled up the space with the Liquid Scrap Dots and then smooshed him down to the board and released. When it was released the Liquid Scrap Dots filled in the gap between the board and the spider's body.

I used the Helmar Crystal KOTE Gloss Varnish
to seal in all the inks and sprays that I used creating the background.

Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots

Helmar Crystal KOTE Gloss Varnish

other well enjoyed products:

Really Reasonable Ribbon
Want to Scrap - pearls
Martha Stewart - glitter

I love it when I make something and it sells within 24 hours, 
it was barely hung in the shop before it went home with someone!

entering this snappy sign in:

Simon Says Monday Challenge - spooky
Rhedd and Rosie's challenge blog - #18 Anything Goes 

Eremophobia: noun

The morbid dread of being alone
pronunciation
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Jo's Scrap Shack - FFC #21 "Favorite Technique" ( dripping inks and spatters )
Carolyn Dube - October's Colorful Gelli Print Party

 {my Sweet earth} - October Inspiration


I loved the color palette for October but my mind wanted to use them in a non Halloween projects and I wanted to use my new stencil I made ( inspired by Carolyn Dube ) by drawing an image on cardboard, and then outlining it with puffy paint and heat setting it to rise up. I planned on using it for my gelli plate but it got it's first run as a stamp on paper, and I LOVE how it turned out. This is the stamp I made, it's about 5 x 10".

I rolled on orange paint with a brayer and then stamped the paper with it.
Whatever didn't print I filled in with a paint pen.

I dripped ink sparay inks and made delightful splatters following the October color palette.

Susiebee Studios - Bouquet paper
Viva Decor - brown Paint Pen
Ranger - Dylusion Ink sprays, bubblegum pink, lemon zest
Distress Stain, vintage photo
Tattered Angels - popsicle, midnight blue
Golden gesso
Helmar - Liquid Scrap Dots
Faber Castell - PITT Pens, walnut brown,black
Reminisce white pen

Guest Designing - An Inky Situation

Janis invited me to be a Guest Designer over at An Inky Situation 
and we are playing dress up today, how fun!!!!!!!!!!
Come on over and play along with us ♥

Linky Party #12
Begins: Thurs, Oct 10
Ends: Wed, Oct 16

I added a cute wizard hat to my owl and put him on a broom flying over the hills of North Carolina...

I gave the paper around the moon cut out a good sanding to give it that wonderful spooky distressing!

I also had lots of fun playing around with creating a shadowing background to stage my photo in, I was trying to get a creepy shadow hand in the background but it didn't work out too well, but I had a lot of fun trying! lol

Cricut Craftroom - free cut ( owl )
Helmar Acid Free Glue
Helmar Liquid Scrapdots
BugBites - Magic Spells stamp
paper, stickers - from stash

entering this in:
Little Scrap Pieces - Fun Friday Linky Party
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Use a rubber or clear stamp
2 Creative Chicks - #7 Halloween Week 2
Craftin' Boutique Challenge - Halloween Challenge #11

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Did you know I am giving away a Frosted Designs Mixed Media Kit?
You didn't?
Did you know that you can get 30 percent off in the Frosted Designs store?
No one told you??
Well, you can go here and find out all the deets!

Deco Art Blogger - Halloween wall hanging

My first Deco Arts Blogger post!!

I wanted to create a Halloween wall hanging using a Gelli print background and I wanted to experiment with some different paints to see how they worked together.

Deco Art Paints:
Americana Neons - Thermal Green
Dazzling Metallics - Royal Ruby
Americana Frost Gloss Enamels - Black
Paper Effects -Black Pearl
Bright Accents - Gloss Acrylic, black

The metallic and neon paint did exceptionally well together. The metallic subdued the neon a little bit but still leaving enough of it to pop out without being obtrusive to the overall design. The frost glass paint applied well but was a little harder to clean off the gelli plate, but still highly doable.

I fell in love with the Paper Effects Writer with it's dual tip. The fine tip was excellent for writing words and for fine detailing. I did make sure to clean the tip well before storing it.

I used the Paper Effects 2 ways along the border. I doodled a fine line and squiggly marks using the tip, and went back and added larger drops using just the bottle's tip. I also love my little spider, I set him up on the Helmar's Liquid Scrap Dot Adhesive for some dimension and used glossy accents over his body. The stem of the broom was painted with the Neon Green and Deco Arts Bright Accents in black.

This great little wood accent from Prima was balanced on top of the broom using Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots. This is a favorite use of this specialty glue, fixing odd pieces in hard to hold areas. I love, love, LOVE this stuff!

I used the neon green on the broom by brushing it lightly on top.

I think one of the favorite parts about the gelli print background was using my kitchen utensils ( better used here than in the kitchen! Can you tell I don't cook much any more?) It's small plastic thingy ( technical term ) with sharp edges that I raked through the paint in a wavy pattern. It gave me a defined writing line to follow which I appreciated since I always have a problem keeping my lines straight!

Products used and enjoyed:

Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive, Liquid Scrap Dots, Craft & Hobby PVA Glue
Prima - Anna Marie Wood Embellishment
Gelli Plate 12x 14
May Arts - black twine, ribbon
Jillibean - green twine
Cricut - Happy Haunting, p. 54

entering my 6X12" wall hanging in:

Carolyn Dube - October’s Colorful Gelli Print Party

 ( a place to link up those gelli prints!! )
Die Cuttin Diva's - #134 Fall Colors
Craftin Desert Divas - Anything with a Sentiment #16 Linky Party
Craftin Boutique - Anything Halloween Challenge #9 
2 Creative Chicks - Spooktacular Linky Party