Guest Designer for "The 12 Kits of Occasions" Blog

I have been holding on to this for a few weeks and was so excited when Jeanne asked me to be a part of "The 12 Kits of Occasions" for September. I have been a long admirer of her creations and LOVE this kit blog.

When I received her box, it was like Christmas...or Halloween as the box was FULL of festive Halloween goodness. I wish I had taken a photo of the way Jeanne packaged it all up too. It was just like getting an unexpected present.

I only created six projects-five cards and a tag. I could have done TONS more and might play with it later on in the month but I have been super busy completing DT projects that I have very little time for myself these days.

I tried to stick to the kit but I have to say I was a bit of a failure at this.

For my first card, I mainly used the kit, just adding a silver thread, "Clear" Wink of Stella and some glossy accents over the spider.

I LOVE this fun sentiment block and thought it would look perfect over the red patterned paper and the glitter spider web die cut. The spider does get a little bit lost, though. (it is in the upper right hand corner!)

For my second card, I took one of the fun sentiments, some patterned paper and some of the cute images from the kit that I colored in with Copics.

I think this is my favorite of all my projects too. I added a bit of Stickles in "Dark Blue" on the witch hat band and die cut the sentiment out but everything else is directly from the kit.

For my third card, I blended Distress Ink in "Carved Pumpkin" and "Wild Violet" onto a white card base for the background. I then splattered  Heidi Swapp Colorshine in "Tinsel" and "Picket Fence" Distress Stain on top of the blended ink before I added the die cuts and sentiment.

My daughter had an opinion where I placed the ghosts on this. There were a TON of little ones in the kit and Charlotte thought these three looked the best on the house. It is hard to tell from the photo but I added some "Clear" Wink of Stella over the ghosts to give them a bit of shine.

With the Distress Ink background theme going, I decided to create one more for my fourth card.

I blended "Twisted Citron," "Shaded Lilac" and "Blueprint Sketch" on the front of this white card base. I then splattered water over the top and blotted it with a paper towel. I then added the fun die cuts, all from the kit. The sequins were literally lying on my craft mat. Even when I clean up, extra sequins seem to be everywhere!

For my last card, everything was from the kit with the exception of the card base, a white scrap of card stock and the "Vintage Photo" Distress Ink that I used around the edges of the paper.

I LOVE how this card came out too!! That sentiment is not actually part of that white background. I pieced it together and hid the seam with the pumpkins.

For my last project, I made a tag and used the bag that Jean sent some of her goodies in.

I knew that this was what I wanted to do with the ghost when it dropped out of the pile of stuff when I first looked through everything!!

Here is a close up with all the sequins inside. I tried to use sequins of every color polka dot on the bag.

That is all from me. Please visit The 12 Kits of Occasion Blog for the full list of everyone that took part in this months kit. I love to see how different people use the same products!! I thank you Jeanne Jachna for inviting me to be a part of this fun blog this month!!

Here is the list of members, starting with the two other guest designers.

Carol Mayne

Richard Breaks

Marybeth - It's Time For Paper

Joyce - Cards By The Sea

Kim - Cupcakes Cards & Kim

Jessica - The Paper Parade

Jeanne - A Kept Life

Sharron - On Papillon Wings

Tracey McNeely - In My Creative Opinion

Lindsey Larsen - Occasional Crafting
 Michele Ferguson - I Card Everyone
Lisa Elton - My Paper Tales

Michelle Leone - Pretty Periwinkles

Nancy Penir - Artful Notions

I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS FRIDAY!!

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Stamping Smiles Designs Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge Inspiration

Happy Hump Day!! Today it is my turn over at Stamping Smiles Designs Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge Blog. Here is a sneak peek of my project.

I hope this inspires you to join us for Challenge #18. There are only a couple days left to play so hurry over.

For the complete details on my card, please stop by at Stamping Smiles Designs Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge Blog today!!

Have a fabulous day!!

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Casual Comfort" Inspiration

Hello everyone!! Today it is my turn for a little CAS-ual Fridays Stamps inspiration.

I chose to use the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Casual Comfort" stamp set and the matching "Casual Trees" Fri-dies to make two cards. When I sit down to create cards lately I am trying to make more then one at a time. I have also needed a lot of encouragement cards for various people so the "Casual Comfort" set was the perfect set to play with.

Before I even figured out my card design, I die cut two trees out of Kraft card stock and two trees out of vellum using the "Casual Trees" Fri-dies. On the Kraft die cuts, I used liquid enamel dots to create the illusion of flowers. On the vellum, I used clear glitter glue for the same effect. As they were drying, I designed my cards.

For my first card, I chose to use a bit of patterned paper on the card and a butterfly punch paired with the CAS-ual Fridays stamps.

I adhered a 3 3/4" by 3 3/4"piece of  paisley patterned paper onto a purple, A2 card base. I then added a purple card stock frame that I had adhered over vellum.

The frame was created by using the smaller circle from the "Ornament Tag" Fri-dies. When I purchase a die, I always try to stretch them beyond their original purpose and this die was perfect for this frame. I even used the circle from the middle of the frame as a starting point for my second card!!

Next I adhered one of each of the Kraft  and vellum "Casual Trees," so that the tops were opposite of each other.  I stamped "sending comfort" in purple ink onto a white card stock strip and used foam adhesive to adhere it to the card.

I punched a butterfly out of burnt orange card stock and adhered it over part of the sentiment strip. My last step was to adhere some clear sequins onto the card front.

My second card's design is a bit simpler.

My first step was to blend "Peacock Feathers" distress ink onto a white, A2 card front. I then misted it with water and patted the water off with a paper towel. I splattered silver mist over the ink and water and set the card front aside to dry.

While the card front was drying, I used the purple circle scrap from my first card to heat emboss the sentiment from the "Casual Comfort" stamp in silver.

Like the first card, I adhered the "Casual Trees" die cuts so that the stem tops were opposite of each other. I used foam adhesive to adhere the sentiment circle over the die cuts.

My last step was to adhere orange flowers that I had die cut using the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "4 Petals" Fri-dies. I added a bit of silver glitter glue in the middle of each of them to match the silver sentiment.

I really like how using the same products with a touch of different papers and a few dies can make two completely different looking cards. I challenge you to give it a try.

Don't forget, if you use my code nora2016, you can get 15% off your order from the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Store!!

I thank you for stopping by my blog today. Have a fabulous day!!

Supplies:

Card #1

Stamps-CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Casual Comfort"

Dies-CAS-ual Friday Stamps "Casual Trees" and "Ornament Tags" Fri-dies

Paper-Paisley Patterned Paper-Nicole, Vellum, Purple and Burnt Orange card stock-Bazzill, Kraft and white card stock-Paper Studio, Stampin Up! "Perfect Plum" card stock card base

Ink-Stamping Up! "Plum Pudding" dye ink

Other-Sizzix Big Shot, Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, Nuvo Gloss-"Crushed Grape," Stickles "Diamond, Ranger Matte Adhesive, 3M Foam Adhesive, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch

Card #2

Stamps-CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Casual Comfort"

Dies-CAS-ual Friday Stamps "Casual Trees," "Ornament Tags" and "4 Petals" Fri-dies

Paper-Vellum, Purple and Burnt Orange card stock-Bazzill, Kraft and white card stock-Paper Studio

Ink-Versamark, Ranger "Peacock Feathers" Distress Ink

Other-Sizzix Big Shot, Nuvo Gloss-"Crushed Grape," Stickles "Diamond" and "Silver", Ranger Matte Adhesive, 3M Foam Adhesive, Prima "Chrome" spray mist, Ranger Mini-Mister, Wagner Heat gun

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Calling All Sistahs September Blog Hop

It is the seventeenth of the month and that means a CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Calling All Sistahs" Blog Hop!! This blog hop takes place every month on the 17th to support breast cancer awareness. Remember girls, make sure you check yourself monthly and get those mammograms!!

For September, the theme of the blog hop is GIRL POWER! You should have come here from Lisa's Blog but anytime you get lost, hop on over to CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog for the entire blog hop list.

I created my card with the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Hope Ribbon" stamp set, the "Calling All Sistahs" stamp set and the "Sistahs" Fri-dies.

I started off this card by using a piece of die cut patterned paper that had a watercolor background. I then stamped the ribbon from the "Hope Ribbon" set in the middle of the paper with black dye ink. I adhered the card to a black, A2 card base.

Next I adhered three strips of stamped card stock in different colors over the ribbon. I used the "Calling All Sistahs" stamp set to stamp the "never give up" in black ink underneath the ribbon.

I die cut the "girl" out of black card stock using the "Sistahs" Fri-dies and adhered it over the stamped strips. To match the flowers on the the ribbon, I adhered three flower sequins with different shades of pink sequin middles. I topped the pink sequins with some "Diamond" Stickles glitter glue for some shine. 

If you would like to join us in our next blog hop, you can click on the link here. Michele is donating 50% of the sales of these stamps to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. For more information, please see the blog post here. With your help, we can beat this disease!!

Want a chance to win a prize? Just comment on the hop along the way and THREE random gift certificate for $15 will be given away out of the combined commenters. The more blogs you comment on, the more chances you have to win!!

Next up on the blog hop is Shona's Blog. Remember, for the full blog hop list, please go to the CAS-ual Fridays Blog.

I thank you for stopping by today!! Have a FABULOUS Saturday!

Supplies:

Stamps- CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Hope Ribbon" and "Calling All Sistahs"

Dies-CAS-ual Fridays Stamps "Sistahs" Fri-Dies, Avery Elle "Wonky Stitches" die

Ink-Memento "Tuxedo Black" dye ink

Paper-Craft Smith Patterned Paper, Stampin Up! "Basic Black" card stock, Recollections "White," Paper Trey Ink "Raspberry Fizz" and Paper Studios Pink card stock

Other-Pretty Pink Posh Sequins (flowers), Doodlebug Design Sequins (Pink), "Diamond" Stickles, Big Shot

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Stamping Smiles Designs Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #18

Happy Thursday!! It is the 15th of September and I am here with you with another Stamping Smiles Designs Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge.

There are a TON of fun things on this card and I had a hard time choosing. I chose to do the diagonal from the top left to the bottom right with stencil, blues and greens and texture.

I decided that I was going to dig out a stencil from Heidi Swapp and do a plastic wrap technique to get a faux textured look.

I began this card by using painters tape and masking off a piece of white card stock that was cut to 4 1/4" by 5 1/2."

Next I crumpled up a piece of plastic wrap, dipped it in "Cracked Pistachio" Distress Ink (green) and blotted it over the stencil.

I then used "Mermaid Lagoon" Distress Ink (blue) and repeated the process.

Hint-if there is too much white around your stenciled image, just go over it a second time with your colors until you get it the way you would like.

 I took the stencil off and trimmed my card stock on each side so the panel measured 3 3/4" by 5 1/2."

I wanted the heart and the sentiment to pop a little off the card but since it was only one layer, I needed to figure out how I was going to emphasize it. I decided to use a dry embossing technique and outlined the heart and the "happy" with a stylus.

I flipped the paper over and went over the opposite areas on the back. This popped the edges of the heart out just enough to give it a bit of dimension.

I then embossed (texture) a piece of Paper Trey Ink "Hawaiian Shores" card stock with a We R Memory Keepers Embossing folder. I adhered the folder to a top folding, white, A2 sized card base.

I then adhered the white stenciled panel over the embossed card stock with adhesive foam.

I used foam adhesive to adhere the "birthday" sentiment that I had stamped with Simon Says Stamps "Island Blue" dye ink from Mama Elephants "Happy Everything" set.

To complete the card, I used "Mermaid Green" and "Varsity Sequin Mix"  from SpiegelMom Scraps for a little extra oomph to the front of the card.

This card was so easy and a lot of fun to make. I urge you to give the plastic wrap technique a try!! For more fun inspiration, please go to Stamping Smiles Designs Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge Blog #18.

I thank you for stopping by today.

My Reading Obsession and a Book Recommendation

Besides crafting, one of my favorite hobbies is reading. When I am off in the summer, I probably read five books a week. I do a lot of my reading while I am doing cardio at the gym (and yes, my sister always tells me that I don't work HARD enough when I do this. HOWEVER, I make up for it in length. If I am engrossed in a book, I can do cardio for a long time!!) or I read until the wee hours at night when my eyes cannot take it anymore.

My choice of books? Anything that will take my mind off of today's reality. With the exception of self help books, I will read anything. Nothing is like being engrossed in a book that you cannot put down.

Right now I am obsessed with romance. I do not like the smutty, graphic stuff like Fifty Shades of Gray but the books where relationships are MORE THAN SEX. Trust. Caring for someone else. Seeing something in someone that others don't see. Being in love with someone for themselves and not for what you can get from them. Stuff that seems to be empty from society today.

I finished a book on on Friday that I just cannot get off my mind. The book is The Memory of Us by Camille Di Maio, which is more in the Historical Fiction/Romance genre.

I am not going to rehash a plot or give you spoilers. If you want that, you can read the reviews. However, I will say that Di Maio's characters are well thought out and not one dimensional. They have flaws, make hard and sometimes horrible choices and reap the consequences of those choices.

I have a Kindle and pay for Kindle Unlimited from Amazon so I selected this book because a) it was free, b) because the plot sounded interesting and c) it is the author's first book. I find that I tend to like author's first books more then the ones they write after. I am not sure why this is but it is something I have only recently realized about myself.

I even wrote a review for this book, something I NEVER do. I will say that this book is NOT heart warming but it is beautifully written. I am holding back my tears as I am typing, remembering a harrowing choice the main character made-one I could see myself making in the same circumstance, even though it could be seen as extremely selfish.

Anyway, if you like to read, I urge you to read this book. I don't think you will regret. I thank you for stopping by.

Make It Monday #260 Challenge

Long time no post. I knew that once I went back to work my blog would be the first thing to be neglected. I think I am going to have to start scheduling stuff ahead, which I hate to do. However, if I don't, then it seems like this place just echoes.

I have not been crafting much BUT while I am relaxing with my family in front of the television after a long day, I have been doing some coloring. I decided that this weeks PaperTrey Ink "Make It Monday #236" challenge "From Black and White to Color" would be perfect for me to join in this week. 

I started off by stamping and masking images from PaperTrey Ink's "Doodlie-Do" set with Memento Tuxedo Black dye ink onto a white piece of card stock measuring 4" by 5 1/4." I then cut apart the left edge of the with the most stamping.

Next I used my Copic markers to color in the flowers on the largest piece of card stock. I accented the dots on some of the flowers with clear Wink of Stella to give them some shine. I also used a white gel pen on the dots on the leaves.

I mounted the panels onto a Kraft, A2, top folding card, popping the colored panel up with foam adhesive. I added a sentiment from the same stamp set which had been stamped with Versamark onto a blue card stock and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

I completed the card by adhering blue sequins randomly over the card front.

I apologize for these photos. I love this cake plate BUT it makes the lighting all wonky in my light box. I should have retaken the photos but I was a bit lazy this morning. I would rather craft then edit photos!

I thank you for stopping by today. Have a fabulous Saturday!!

Stamping Smiles Designs Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #17

Happy September 1st!!! As this is a scheduled post, I am back to work and I wish it was still summer!!! I am such a homebody and just love to be home cleaning, doing laundry, being in my craft room-does not matter what endeavor I choose, I just like to nest.

Today I am sharing my card that I created for Stamping Smiles Designs Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge #17.

I chose to use the top row across-window card, critter and sequins. This was a really hard choice, though, because I could have done all of them!!

Here is my card:

The jumping off point for this card was the "critter." I had all the elements stamped, die cut and colored from My Favorite Things "Hog Heaven" set on my desk just waiting for me to use.

I die cut a square using My Favorite Things "Inside Out Stitched Rounded Square Stax" out of the front of a white, top folding, A2 sized card, as well as a piece of white card stock for the inside of my card that measured 5 1/2 by 4 1/4". Then I started to put my card together.

First, I shaded some "Twisted Citron" Distress Ink around the bottom of the square cut outs for both the inside and outside of the card.

I thought it looked a little flat so blended some "Mowed Lawn" Distress Ink over the top, making the darkest part of this darker green around the frame.

For the "sky," I used "Tumbled Glass" Distress Ink to shade some blue over the top part of the frame. I did the same for the inside piece as well.

I then cut a piece of acetate for a "window" and adhered it to the back of the front panel. I then adhered the shaded, white panel over the top.

Next, I used a sentiment from the "Hog Heaven" stamp set and some PTI "Smokey Shadow" ink and stamped it on the front of the card.

I then adhered all my colored images that I had on my desk into a little scene. I used foam adhesive for the pig head and the flowers to give them a bit of dimension.

Isn't he cute? I almost made him a girl but decided that this particular pig looked like a boy.

This is what the inside looks like. The fence is a mirror image and the stamp set has the back of the pig so I thought this was too cute not to use.

My last step was to adhere some "sequins" onto the front of the card, as well as use some "Diamond" Stickles.

It all came together rather quickly, which is rare for me!! Please hop on over to Stamping Smiles Designs Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge Blog to join us. I cannot wait to see what YOU create!

Toodles!

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