My Favorite Things: Too Cute!

I've had this stamp set around for awhile and finally got around to creating a card just for her. This is part of the My Favorite Things Pure Innocence collection. I'm on a DIY kick as I strive to do more with less, so I created the stamp set with the Heartfelt Creations Posies collection. I shaped them with the McGill Paper Blossoms tool kit. I created the card with Spellbinders Labels 8 Nestabilities set. I also used the following markers:
C2 Cool Gray #2
E0000 Floral White
E00 Skin White
E19 Redwood
E97 Deep Orange
FRV1 Fluorescent Pink
R30 Blush
RV21 Light Pink
RV23 Pure Pink
RV25 Dog Rose Flower
YR00 Powder Pink
YR18 Sanguine

Starfish Make-And-Take

We're preparing for our first Heirloom Productions trade show in West Springfield, MA on June 1 and 2. Part of that preparation means inventorying product, finishing kits, and putting together Make-And-Takes. I created this 2.75" circle card as a make-and-take companion piece to the turtle, octopus and fish in a class I taught at Stamping by the Sea in Ocean City, MD a few months ago. He's part of SparkleNSpinkle's Sea Critters stamp set #235.

I used four Copic markers to color this little guy: B0000, R22, R24 and E07. I stamped the starfish with Memento's Tuxedo Black dye ink. The bubbles (SparkleNSprinkle 0242-91AA) came last with Memento's Bahama Blue.  I cut the circle card out of The Paper Cut Lunar cardstock with my CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge and I cut the circles with a from Copic Blend-It cardstock with a 2.5" circle punch.

MMDT Challenge -- My Favorite Color

This is my latest Mosaic Moments Design Team entry. We had to showcase our favorite story. My color is teal -- so I airbrushed white MM paper, took pictures around Gettysburg at our daughter's horse show last week and found further support online. I really liked the Mad Chick and Fight Like a Girl imagery. I used this project to break in my airbrush. I wasn't looking for a nice even flow; I wanted it to have an marble effect. The hardest part was finding teal in the real world. All in all, it was a fun project. I'll be posting in a posting frenzy during the next week or so. I hope you'll find my ideas useful.

FREE CLOSE TO MY HEART CLASS

Close To My Heart is teaming up with Big Picture Classes to bring you a live webcast with step-by-step instructions for making this Happy Thoughts kraft container. The FREE webcast will air Thursday, May 30 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm (MDT). During the presentation, you’ll learn to make several projects from a variety of sponsors, including Close To My Heart’s Happy Thoughts kraft container, as the presenter walks you through the steps. Watch the Pajama Party by yourself, with other Consultants, or with your customers for a fun crafting pajama party. Anyone with an Internet connection can watch, so be sure to tell your customers to order their project supplies in advance and then tune in!

The Pajama Party class will be available for FREE at BigPictureClasses.com on May 30. If you would like to interact on the message board, participate in live chat, post to the gallery, download handouts, or enter any contests, you will need to log in to the Pajama Party “classroom” by creating a free account on the Big Picture Classes website. The fastest way to get the product for this project is to order from my CTMHwebsite (http://dianecook.ctmh.com) 

To make our Happy Thoughts kraft container, you will want to have the following items—or similar products—on hand:

• My Acrylix^® Frame Flair Stamp Set (D1546)
• My Acrylix^® Happy Thoughts Stamp Set (C1536)
• Chantilly Paper Packet (need 1 sheet of B&T, X7163B)
• Crème Brulee Cardstock (need 1 sheet, X5754)
• Lagoon Cardstock (need 1 sheet, X5762)
• White Daisy Cardstock (need 1 sheet, 1385)
• Whisper Cardstock (need 1 sheet, X5929)
• Whisper Exclusive Inks^® Pad (Z2172)
• Lagoon Exclusive Inks^® Pad (Z2195)
• My Creations^® Kraft Container (Z1833)
• Baker’s Twine Neutral Assortment (need 3 yards, Z1701)
• Color-Ready Trinkets Wooden Shapes (Z1844)
• Sparkles Black & Grey Assortment (Z1754)
• 3-D Foam Tape (Z1151)
• Micro-Tip Scissors (Z534)
• Corner Rounder (Z1912)
• Paper Trimmer (Z1783)
• My Acrylix^® Spritz Cleaner (1778)
• My Acrylix^® Stamp Scrubber (Z1782)
• 2" × 3½" My Acrylix^® Block (Y1009)
• 4" × 5" My Acrylix^® Block (Y1012)
• Cricut^® Art Philosophy Collection (Z1790)

Art Impression Gossip Club

I have a new kit in our scrappigators shopping cart that I've been planning to develop for more than a year. The first time I colored these three ladies, I used three different face colors. I finally got smart and decided to keep it simple. The kit includes the stamp and enough product to make three cards. I precut the card  and Copic paper. All in all, it was a fun card to do. I used the following Copic Markers: B24 – Sky, B37 – Antwerp Blue; BG000 – Pale Aqua; C5 – Cool Gray #5; E000 – Pale Fruit Pink; E00 -- Skin White; E19 – Redwood; E30 - Bisque; E41 – Pearl White; E97 – Deep Orange; G29 -- Pine Tree Green; R20—Blush; R29 – Lipstick Red; V06 Lavender; V12 Pale Lilac; W00 – Warm Gray #00; W03 – Warm Gray #03; W05 – Warm Gray #05; YG03 – Yellow Green; YG06 – Yellowish Green; YG 67 -- Moss; YR18 – Sanguine; YR21 – Cream; YR24 – Pale Sepia; YR31 – Light Reddish Yellow; YR82 – Mellow Peach

Mosaic Moments Design Team Challenge

Our assignment was to convey a “forget-me-not” message; more specifically, what we want others (and ourselves) to remember about oursleves at this phase in our lives. We were also to choose String, Mosaic Moments Cornerstones, and/or Doodles as an element or elements in our layout. 

As far as how I want to be remembered, among, many things, I want to be remembered as an artist. My artistic journey has taken many twists and turns, but it’s always been there, sometimes taunting me, at other times blossoming through me, and always fighting its way to the surface. This layout chronicles some of my artistic endeavors. 

As far as the process involved in this page, I knew I wanted to add doodles, but I wasn’t sure of how many. I started by dusting off some very old Sizzix alphabet dies and cut them out using Paper Cuts Licorice black cardstock for the shadows and Copic Blend-It cardstock for the detail layer.  Using a 0.5 black Copic multiliner pen, I doodled the flowers and colored them with B21, B24, B29 and G21. I liked the general effect, so I continued with the black framing and doodled squares throughout the rest of the layout. I added a little extra depth by placing large faux pearls at the top of each diamond.  I did not pop the squares. They seem to pop all by themselves. The title “Artistic” and books are the only pieces using foam dots on the page. for more on this story, visit my challenge response on www.journella.com.

Paper Cuts -- Butterflies and Spring "Thank God"

This is one of the projects we did in the Paper Cuts Class at the Collins Spring Trade Show last month. I believe this is the perfect sentiment for our Sunday post. We used the following supplies:

The Paper Cut: Spring A-2 Scored Card, Spring Swatch, Butterflies Layer and Mandarin Layer. Inks: The Paper Cut Orange Fizz, Lemon Drip and Black Staz-o

Stamps: Impressions Obsession CL423 "You Are Beautiful" clear set

Dies: Impression Obsession 059-N Fancy Butterfly and 046-A Mini Butterflies

Accessories: 1.75" Scallop Circle Punch

The thrust of the class was to showcase some of the less used The Paper Cut Papers. I love the elegance of it all. Most importantly, I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment. Thank you for dropping by.

Copic Lightning Round

Okay, I couldn't resist the Copic Make-and-Take during the Saturday Night Lightening Rounds at the Collins Spring Trade Show near Boston last month. I wanted to take the Copic classes but exercised restraint because I knew that two weeks later (this weekend) I would be back up near Boston taking the 2013 Workshop. As it turns out, the instructor who taught at the Collins Trade Show was also teaching this weekend. All that to say this -- I adore this simple little note pad. We colored the flower, the leaf, and the little flower on top of the clip with Copics. The mini clipboard base is made from a coaster and the soft aqua cardstock -- possibly from Paper Cuts -- was cut to size. All in all, it was quick, easy and fun. Just one more thought -- wouldn't this look cute as a journaling note on a Scrapbook page?

More Elizabeth Craft -- A Tribute to Spring

This is another Elizabeth Craft project from at the Collins Spring Trade Show workshop. I got an extra bonus when I found the Bee die (710 Bees) in our welcome packet. I toyed with the idea of purchasing it; but kept putting it off. Now I'm glad I waited.

This  sweet project showcases the new Curvy Leaves die (#730). Our leaves were cut with the shimmer sheets, card stock and sticky tape. We finished the card by adding a Ribbon Branches border trim (#1273). Of course, we used the die cut for Mr. Bee. We cut our wings with sticky paper and dipped them in glitter. At the time, I thought this was my least favorite of the projects we completed in the workshop. Looking at it now, I see that this was indeed one of the most versatile pieces demonstrating the broad range of this wonderful . . .  stuff!

Elizabeth Craft Bird Die

My friend, Laura, introduced me to Elizabeth Crafts so much so that this product line has become an essential part of our inventory. Naturally, I decided to take her workshop at the Collins Spring Trade Show last month. This silly little bird (709 Birds) is undoubtedly one of my favorites, so much so that I ordered the die cut for my personal collection. The design is pretty simple, but I think the effects are stunning. We used the SS0218 Fire Opal Gemstone Shimmer Sheet which we embossed and inked with a Sizzix embossing folder. We used her new Velvet Straight Line Peel Offs (1149) to trim our shimmer sheet and triangles and cut our bird with a black velvet adhesive sheet. I love the way the Fire Opal shimmers through the open design of the bird die. All in all, it was a fun project to make.