Monday, February 27, 2012

Canvas Art

Hello!  Today I have a few canvas art pieces to share with you.  The one thing they both have in common---I used some Lori Whitlock Silhouette files on both of them!

These files made it SIMPLE for me to create my own artistic canvases.  Just love how EASY it was!

The first canvas uses these files from Lori- available in the Silhouette Online store:
Find Joy Every Day
and Butterfly
 

I painted the canvas with butter creme acrylic paint and I added some light blue paint along the edges and on the sides of the canvas.  After the paint was dry, I went to my patterned paper scrap drawer and pulled a few pieces out.  I cut different ones in a square shape and I added them to the canvas in just a few areas using the Helmar Decoupage paste.  I also coated the top of the papers.
After letting that dry I went back to the paints, adding some more buttercreme paint along the edges and across the papers I added.  I mixed in some brown and some yellow paints and just added paint where I felt it needed some.  I used some bubble wrap to "stamp" some blue distress ink onto the canvas.
Then, I printed off the sentiment and butterfly from my Silhouette machine (both are by Lori Whitlock).
I adhered the sentiment with Helmar Decoupage Paste and added some rub ons on the canvas.  After coating the top of the sentiment with Decoupage Paste I let the canvas dry a bit more.
Next, I added some highlights and shadows with a charcoal pencil, rubbing it in with my finger.  I added some pearls to the two butterflies in the air and then added the cut out butterfly with some Helmar 450 Quick Dry.

The second canvas uses Lori's Teapot file (available in the Silhouette online store):

 
For this one, I used a flat canvas so I could then punch holes in the top to add a hanging string.  I painted the canvas in buttercreme acrylic paint and then added some scraps of patterned paper.  I added some light blue acrylic paint and then some brown along the edges.  I printed out the teapot file on some DCWV Olive Script patterned paper.  After I adhered the teapot to the canvas using Helmar Decoupage paste, I outlined it with a charcoal pencil and blended it with my finger.  To get the aged look to the teapot- I sponged on some Ranger Tea Dye Distress ink.  I added some steam using Cappuccino baker's twine (The Twinery) and Helmar 450 Quick Dry.    After adding some more paint and the heart (which I free hand cut), I punched some holes at the top of the canvas to add the hemp hangar.

That is it!
Hope you like them and are inspired to create some canvas art with your Lori Whitlock files!

Have a great Monday!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Geometric Thanks

I created this card for the Moxie Fab Challenge Cure for the Winter BluesHey, I live in Pittsburgh now so I HAD to play along with this one :)

and

The  Paper Smooches challenge--focusing on the nautical color scheme.  Click the link to see the inspiration piece!

Here is my simple take on this navy challenge:

Supplies:
White cardstock (Gina k Designs)
Patterned paper (Echo Park Paper)
Stamps- Sentiment Sampler, Hip to Be Square (Paper Smooches)
Ink- Memento tuxedo black
Adhesive- Zapdots (Helmar)

Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Home Sweet Home Inspiration

Hello!  Happy-whatever-day-it-is-today :P  I actually had some time this week and when I was looking over challenges for inspiration I came across the Moxie Fab World- Home Sweet Home Tuesday Trigger. Wow....I was instantly inspired by this house ornament:
Really inspired.  So inspired that I HAD to make a little house ornament :)  today.

I came up with my own design and I used some leftover fleece I had from a previous project and some fabric remnants.  I  folded the fleece in half (the fold is at the bottom so I didn't have to sew that part) and then cut out the sides and top in the shape of a house.  I decorated the front with fabric, felt, buttons, etc. and then flipped it inside out to sew the edges and stuff.   Here is what I came up with:

I kept the basic color theme and the fact that it is a house and went from there.  Created a cute little hanging house to display in my stamp room....or somewhere :)

Other supplies:
Sticker sentiments- Life is Good (SRM Stickers)
Dies- Fresh cut grass, Contempo Cage (bird) (My Favorite Things)
Vellum- The Paper Company
Baker's twine- Caribbean (The Twinery)

And....Since I am aware that I didn't follow the rules----I did create a PAPER crafted project that was inspired by the trigger as well:
Again, I was inspired by the colors and the house theme on this one...I definitely wanted to include the wood grain :)  I popped up the hand stitched heart with a Helmar Zapdot!  Love this quote and I thought it fit well with the house theme.

Supplies:
White cardstock- Gina K Designs
Patterned paper- Finally Fall: At the Patch (Bella Blvd), Little Boy: Rock Star; Playground: Red (Echo Park)
Sentiment stamp- Inkadinkado
Ink- markers-Red, black (SU!), Tea dye distress ink (Ranger)
Slit punch (SU!)
Dies- Homespun Dienamics (My Favorite Things)
Stick pin- Maya Road
Baker's twine- Honeydew (The Twinery)
Corrugated cardboard
Helmar Zapdots


That's it!  Hope you are inspired to play along!!! Click HERE to find out about all the challenge details!

Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Princess Timmy and Bubble wrap fun!

Hi there!  This week is one of those weeks where I am perpetually confused because the kids had off on Monday.  I really have to look at the calendar every day to keep on track.  Am I the only one?  
So I had to share this picture of our bunny, Timmy.  Lauren dressed him up in a Cinderella dress and tiara while I was working on the computer.  I turned around to see this:

Sigh! At least Timmy is a girl (despite her name) so she is good.
I don't know if she enjoyed it but I swear, she lets Lauren do anything to her.

I have been really really busy but I do have a little card to share today.  I have some other posts going on in other places this week but I can share this "created-for-a-pub-call-but-it-wasn't-loved" card:
 
My favorite part of this card is the background.  I made it by inking up some bubble wrap I had lying around and then stamped on the white cardstock. Love the look! Ok...I also love the little flower popped up over the heart :)

Supplies:
Patterned paper: Heartfelt: Gigi (My Little Shoebox)
Stamps- Fabulous (Ali Edwards, Technique Tuesday); French Script (SU!)
Bubble wrap
Ink- Memento tuxedo black; Faded jeans distress ink (Ranger)
Adhesive pearl (Recollections, Michael's)
Heart punch (Marvy)
white cardstock (Gina K Designs)

Thanks for stopping by!
 

Sunday, February 19, 2012

CPS #253

Today, The Twinery is teaming up with Card Positioning Systems (CPS blog).  To see all the wonderful cards The Twinery team make for this week's sketch (# 253), head on over to The Twinery blog.

Here is my take on the sketch:

Supplies:
White cardstock (Gina K Designs)
Patterned paper- Echo Park Paper
Baker's Twine- Buttercream, Lemondrop (The Twinery)
sentiment sticker- Life is Good (SRM Stickers)
adhesive- Helmar Zapdots

Be sure to head on over to the CPS blog, too, so you can play along with this week's challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!



Friday, February 17, 2012

Easter SRM style!

Hello! Happy Friday! Today I have an Easter card and coordinating Tube on the SRM blog!  Head on over there to check out the full project. :)  Here is a peek at the card:

 
Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

The Twinery Giveaway!

The Twinery is celebrating 10K Facebook Fans---Head on over to the BLOG....for all the details on how you can win big!


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Little Lullabies - Cardmaker Blog Team Hop

Hello! Welcome to the Cardmaker Blog Team Little Lullabies blog hop.  Today the team is sharing cards for baby, such as shower invitations, baby announcements, etc.
This was fun--I cannot even remember the last baby card I made.  It took me a little while to figure out what to do!

Since I have always loved silhouette images, I figured I would start there.  There are lots of silhouette stamps, stickers, and digital files that feature baby images and so I used that as the main focus of my welcome baby card:


I layered the baby crawling file from my Silhouette* (by SnapDragon Snippets LLC) over some patterned paper (Yours Truly collection by Echo Park paper).  The sentiment is from Fancy Sticker Sentiments- Baby (by SRM Stickers).  (*If you don't have a Silhouette, just substitute any similar image in the place of the one I used.)

Before I matted the panel on the grey, I tied some tulle around the card front and stuck a pearl stick pin through the center. (TIP:  When using stick pins, use a wire cutter to cut the bottom of the pin off so that there is no sharp point sticking out of the card.)  After attaching the panel to the mat and then to the card, I added some pearl accents along the bottom of the card.

I thought it would be fun to share a simple shower favor to coordinate with the card.  I used a SRM tube and filled it with candy.  I placed the We've Got Your Border- Baby Girl sticker sentiment up the tube and then used the same patterned paper and tiny pearls to decorate the top. 

 

Wanna see more?  Head on over to these blogs to see some lovely baby inspiration:
Carolyn (you are here!)

Thanks for stopping by!



Monday, February 13, 2012

Love Story Album

Hello!  Hope you had a great weekend!  Cannot believe it is Monday....again!  Seems like there are more Mondays than any other day :)

Today I wanted to share a project I had on the Helmar blog this weekend.  It is a mini album.  I thought this would be a great idea to write down all the stories that I have heard growing up about my parents, grandparents and great grandparents.  Then, the stories could be passed on to my kids and their kids...

The album is called "Love Story":
 I used Helmar Acid Free glue to adhere the patterned paper to the album, after I painted the edges with some butter creme acrylic paint.
 
I used Helmar Zapdots to pop up the title stickers and the chipboard panel on the cover.  I LOVE the dimension I can get from the Zapdots.   I used the black circles for this project because they are large enough to hold the weight of the chipboard.

The patterned paper and stickers on this album are by Authentique - Uncommon Collection.

Other supplies:
Chipboard album
Butter creme Acrylic paint
Rub on - Et Cetera (Bo Bunny)
Heart Die- The Cat's Pajamas
Patterned paper/ Letter stickers/ word stickers- Uncommon Collection - Authentique
Key charm
Tulle
Ink- Tea dye distress ink (Ranger); Memento Tuxedo black
Stamp- It's Ok (Technique Tuesday)

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

Friday, February 10, 2012

SRM Stickers Tubular Birthday Invite

Hello! Happy F-R-I-D-A-Y!  Woohoo!  Today, I am blogging on the SRM blog--head on over if you want to check it out! 

Here is a peek---the inside of the invite and directions are on the SRM blog:

 

FYI--for those who are interested in where I got this adorable birthday cake design---it is a Lori Whitlock design that I cut with my Silhouette.  You can find it HERE.   I added the SRM borders to help decorate it adn added it to the tube for a SWEET invite. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Carousel Horse

Hello! Happy Thursday!  I was under the weather for a bit after CHA but am finally beginning to breathe o.k. again.  I am hoping that this is the end of the month-long coughing that has been wreaking havoc with my sleep :)  Fingers crossed!

Today, I wanted to share one of the projects I made for SRM Stickers for CHA:

 

I used a fun Silhouette file (Carousel Horse 2- Samantha Walker) to make this.  I printed the horse on vanilla cardstock and on different scraps of patterned paper.   After piecing the parts of the horse together, I inked the edges with Tea Dye Ink (Ranger) and assembled him on this photo holder.  There is a horse on both sides so you can turn it either way.  I used Helmar Zapdots to adhere the two sides of the horses together, with the little photo holder resting between them.

I used the Fancy Sticker Sentiments-Baby (SRM Stickers) on the base and then added some We've Got Your Border-Baby Girl Borders under the word "Baby" and then I cut up some of the sticker borders to add to the horse.

I used some Pink Sorbet bakers' twine from The Twinery on the horse and wound some Shore baker's twine around the the holder to look resemble the twisted look of the poles on the traditional Carousel horses.

This was so fun to make and would make a cute centerpiece for a baby shower.

Thanks for stopping by!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Sight Words Box

Hello!  Today I have a fun project I created using an amazing Lori Whitlock file.  The original use of this box is for a Valentine's box.  You can see the graphic of it HERE.  It is a super cute holder for all those Valentine's the kids will be getting next week.  I thought it would be fun to take the same exact file and show you another way to use it so that you can see that it isn't JUST for Valentine's Day!

So, I used the same file (but shrunk it down a bit using my Silhouette Studio Software) and made a flash card box for my 6 year old.  She gets new sight words to study every few weeks and I thought this would be a cute way for her to store the index cards. It makes it easy for her to grab the box and study by herself too: 


I added a star index card so that she can place the words she already knows behind the star and the ones she is still working on in front of the star.

The box was cut out using some October Afternoon patterned paper and some chalk stock paper for the front panel.  I used embellishments from Little Yellow Bicycle and from October Afternoon to  decorate it:

You could also make a cute note holder for beside the bed or at your computer desk for different notes you want to jot down or for computer passwords.  The possibilities are endless!


I know my daughter loves her new sight word box so hopefully that will make studying more fun for her.  Here is a link to the Valentine Box I used.  Here is a link to Lori's online store!

Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

My Favorite Releases from CHA!

Hello!  I am finally recovering from the time change from attending CHA earlier this week.  CA is a lot farther of a flight from PA than it was from Texas and it hit me harder than usual.  I just downloaded some of the product pictures I took and thought I would share some of my favorite products that will be coming to stores very soon!

First up---this Scissor Mouse by Westcott.  This is really cool. There is a blade underneath and you run it along your paper just like a computer mouse.  It runs smoothly and the best part---you don't have to put it on a mat...there is a protector underneath that protects the surface so you can cut anywhere:


SRM Stickers new release includes these crystal clear border stickers- We've Got Your Border-- that you can add to anything---cards, scrapbook pages, the Tubes, ribbon etc! Fun to be able to create your own patterns:

I love these 3d pieces from Studio 490 (Ranger).  You can stamp them with coordinating stamps, add patterned paper and/or ink:

Paper Smooches (Kim Hughes) released new stamps for CHA that will be available in March.  The collection features wonderful backgrounds and some more adorable hand drawn images that we all know and love:
October Afternoon had a big display of their Sprinkler sprays in so many colors that coordinate with their papers and I really liked the new collection called 9 to 5:


Little Yellow Bicycle always has fun papers and embellishments and I was excited to see what was new with them.   The Escape (June release) features these papers and embellishments. Cute!

 And this is Splash (May Release)....soo cute. Love those fish and the circle paper:

 Jillibean Soup stands out to me because they have their own style, never confused with another brand.  I love the little Cool Bean Buttons:
They have some great paper lines coming out too---this one is called Southern Chicken Dumpling Soup! (I love how they name their lines!)

 Echo Park Paper has several lines being released and they have some smaller collections being released with the thought that those collections are needed but you might not need a whole collection.  The themes of these range from 4th of July to sports.  Very cool.

They also have some full releases coming out and here are two of my favorites--
Note to Self:
 This & That:

Clever Handmade is a new paper company by Heidi Grace that features paper but also other products that enable you to go beyond the typical paper projects...definitely clever stuff!

Here is a look at the Decorative Iron ons:
 And this is one of my favorite lines called Above the Clouds:  (VERY cute but hard to photograph with the lighting)

Finally, Nikki Sivils has some really cute lines---
I loved these--- Audrey and Exit Here:

There was so much to see and look at that I am sure I missed a lot of great things.  I was really interested in checking out the new paper lines and products that were new and unique.  One other product I really liked but failed to get a picture of was by Imaginisce--the ribbon cutter. It cuts and seals the ribbon in one step. Very cool!
CHA was so much fun but now I can't wait to get my hands on all the new stuff!!!

Thanks for stopping by!