Don't forget the dads out there...

My goodness...can you believe that Father's Day is just around the corner again? Time is just flying by so quickly! My boys simply adore Changito the Monkey and all the stamps Stampendous has devoted to him. Here is a card I made with Changito hanging out (lol)with one of his little ones.



I have heard from lots of people that are concerned about putting bling on masculine cards and layouts. These rhinestones are from Basic Grey and are perfectly masculine. Around my house, they are known as boy bling!
Don't let Father's Day sneak up on you~~get busy and make those special men in your life their cards before you forget!

How about a sketch

Happy Holiday weekend! Hopefully you are getting some much needed rest and relaxation. I also hope you are getting some much needed scrappy time! If you are here is a sketch for you to try! It allow lots of room for pictures as well as lots of journaling! Can't wait to see what you create.

Two of my favourite things!

I thought it would be nice to share a few of my favourite things with you guys this week. You have probably guessed by now that one of them is the range of Distress inks from Ranger. I LOVE them and if I could start my crafting life over ... well they would be the first pads I bought ...and trust me ... I bought plenty that I never use! Why are they my favourite??? Well you can create beautiful backgrounds with a few inks and some white card ... oh yeah and a fabulous stamp. To make the above background I coloured the white card with Fired Brick and Spiced Marmalade distress ink then I stamped over the top in Fired Brick with the Stampendous Agapanthus stamp.

My second favourite thing is Stampendous embossing powder ... especially the Gold Detail. If you grab some card and pat it with the Gold Acrylic Dabber and then shake Gold embossing powder over the top ... once heated you are left with a really lovely textured vintage look ... trust me! No one will believe it started life as a piece of white card.
So ... don't leave me in suspense ... What are your favourite things?

Cool weather and spring flowers

The weather has been very cool for Spring here in the Pacific Northwest, so I've been turning to these wonderful stamps from Stampendous for a touch of warmer spring-time fun. This Stampendous April Showers Flowers Perfectly Clear Stamp set can really get you ready for warmer Spring weather.

This card was based on the Stampendous sketch that was featured on their blog 5-21-10.

I hope your enjoying some warm spring weather where you are...if not, pull out some springtime stamps and create your own garden greeting!

Happy crafting.....Lynda

BoBunny Summer

BoBunny never fails to deliver amazing summer lines, and "Popscicle" is one of my all-time favorites!! The entire line can be found in KNK's June Add-on's..... at a discounted price, no less. It doesn't get any better than that! Here's a couple of fun summer layouts using "Popscicle"....

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember, we also have a May Scraplift Challenge in progress.... it's not too late to play along! Check out the details HERE!

Sizzlin' Summer Friendship

Summer is coming, and here in Florida so many people are wearing cute little sundresses. I thought that would be a great embellishment for a friendship card. Of course I will show you how to make them yourself! Depending on the size of your scallopped circle, you could use this to embellish a layout, card, or almost anything you desire. Get out your scallopped circles and start sizzling!

First, I decided to use some more of our friend Nikki Sivils Willow Bee papers. I adore sunflowers, and thought that pattern would make a cute little dress. I used my die cut machine to make 3 scallopped circles. If you don't have a machine that does this, you can purchase pre-cut scallopped circles in chipboard or maybe even patterned paper. Or...you can even use one of those doilies that are showing up everywhere!


I made 1 circle out of patterned paper (that will be for the dress itself) and 2 out of complementing cardstock for the ruffles.
Next, I took the patterned paper and transformed it into a sundress. To do this, count off 4 scallops for the neckline and 10 scallops for the hem.



HINT~~HINT:
Make a template using cardstock first, and save that for future reference. It isn't hard, but you know how finicky we are about having things just so!


To pump up the cuteness factor, trim the cardstock scallopped circles to make ruffles for the hem of the dress. You can use as many layers as you like.

I added a sash at the waist before adhering it to my friendship card. I just love this sentiment. It exemplifies true friendship!

Hope you are inspired today!!

a little Pink Paislee

I created this layout using the Pink Paislee 365 Degrees collection available at KNK. I used Glimmer Mist to change the color of the Color Me Flowers from Petaloo. Have I mentioned how much I love these!!??!! Th green gingham "ribbon" at the top of the page is actually the background from the ribbon packaging. The card below is also made from the same Pink Paislee line. The Color Me flower here was covered with Smooch Spritz. I love that the smooch provided a very rich true color!

the JUNE kit is here!

Look at all the fun goodies and even some flip flops!
This is a bright and cheery kit, and I am soooo looking forward to getting mine so I can post some layouts for you to see!

It's certainly sizzling here!

Well people ... here in the UK it is very very warm ... finally! Apparently we have good weather to come for at least a week ... before it turns cold again! So with the sun shining through the window I thought it was a great opportunity to remind you about the Summer Sizzle kit which is available here.

All the bits and pieces you need to make this card are included in the kit ... as well as the stamps ... so what are you waiting for? Oh ... there are instructions on how to make this card and five other's too! And if you make all six ... there is still plenty of stash left over to make a few of your own and all for only $15.00! Cool huh?
I hope you all have a fab weekend ... I am off for a crafty retreat ... work of course ... but I bet we manage to have a whole lot of fun too :0)

Passing Goodies on...

I love to pass things on when I find them! You have probably heard of Tammy Tutterow, a designer for Prima and other stores. She is so creative and I love what she makes. She recently put out tutorials on making different kinds of flowers and you know how much I love that!
I wanted to pass the site on to you so you can download the tutorials for yourself and they're free!!

Check them out! TUTORIALS BY TAMMY

Clearly a fun idea

I am a sketch junkie...making and using them all the time as a starting point for projects. This card was based on a sketch that the Stampendous folks had on their blog a few weeks ago... my card features the Blessed Spring stamp set that you can find in the Creativity Boutique store.



I stamped the sentiment onto cardstock that I had cut into this fun shape...the flowers were stamped onto a piece of transparency and colored with Sharpie Mark It markers.

I hope you'll take a peek at these stamp sets from Stampendous!
Happy crafting....Lynda

Mid-Month Challenge

It just wouldn't be right if I didn't put you to work this month, would it? But instead of a sketch challenge, let's do a scraplift challenge! I'd like to see what kind of inspiration you can glean from this layout:It could be the colors, or the flowers and trims, or the design in it's entirety. A single-page or double-page layout, it doesn't matter, as long as your inspiration comes from this layout! Complete your layout by June 1st, provide a link to it in a comment on this post, and also tell me what aspects of my layout you lifted for yours. I can't wait to see what you create! Each entry gets a chance to win an awesome RAK from yours truly :) and, if you happen to use a KNK kit to create your layout, you get entered twice. Have fun and go get to scrappin'!

Moo~Chas Gracias!

Today I thought that I would post a fun technique for you to make your own unique background papers. All you need is glossy cardstock, ink and daubers, and rubber cement (yes, you read that correctly...rubber cement). This works great for any type of papercrafting (scrapbooking, cardmaking, altered arts etc). Pick the color scheme or patterned paper for your project. I am loving the new colors of Tim Holtz distress inks, and choose Wild Honey for this project ( it coordinates with Nikki Sivils Willow-Bee line perfectly too).

Step #1--drizzle some rubber cement in a random pattern on top of your glossy cardstock. I am using a 4x6 sheet of photo paper here.



Let the rubber cement dry before proceeding to the next step (tick~tock)

Step #2--use your felt pad or dauber to apply ink to the entire sheet of glossy cardstock...go right over the rubber cement!



This is how it looks now :)

Step #3--use an adhesive remover to pull up the rubber cement. You can try using your fingers to rub it off, but if you rub too much you will get a blister (ask me how I know this, I dare ya!)

GUESS WHAT~~??? Your sheet of cardstock is now ready to be used!!!! You can use this for a photo mat on a layout, or a mat for an image for a card.

Here is a card that I made using an adorable stamp from Penny Black called CHEERS! (isn't she just moooo--velous?), patterned paper from Nikki Sivils Willow Bee collection, and a muddy brown cardstock. I was trying to be witty so I wrote my own sentiment.
My middle son graduated from High School on Friday, and he will be using cards like this a thank you notes!!!

a few wildflowers for you

I made these cards using the Wildflower Sprigs Stamp set. I love that the set includes several little sayings for my cards and I just love the silhouette of the wildflowers! I was trying to create a sunset-y looking card here so I used chalk in the background. And the ribbon is leftover from a gift packaging I received. (too pretty to throw away)

For this Card I wanted to create a simple card with black on turquoise. The butterfly is a Class A Peel . Be sure to check out these stamps. Just think of the possibilities.

Scrapbook Storage 101 - Buttons

Buttons. I love them. And as a scrapbooker, it is highly likely that you do too. It's also likely that you have at least a small collection of them. I wouldn't say that I have a huge amount of buttons, but I do have my fair share. Organizing your buttons depends on your personal taste and your scrap space.

If space is limited, and you don't have a ton of buttons, you could go with my personal choice for button storage. I just throw them all in an old silver dish that a friend bought for me in Mexico. I love this piece, and I leave it sitting out beside my sewing machine. I love to just dip my hand into it and dig for that perfect button. I know it isn't necessarily “organized”, but it works for me.

Maybe you have plenty of space, and if you have a lot of buttons, these plastic containers with compartments are very functional. If you would like something more compact, small metal tins work perfect and can be easily stacked to save space.

Photos from nikiestes.typepad.com

If you are looking for something more decorative, fun jars might be what you need. You can get all shapes and sizes based on your space and how many buttons you have.

Photos from Little Birdie Secrets blog and chezlarsson.typepad.com

If you are into vintage things, the old muffin tin or vintage canning jars work great and look cool too!

Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebeccalucile/

One of my favorite button storage ideas is the converted spice rack! It is functional, decorative, and a space saver!

Photo from Crafty Storage blog

The possibilities are endless with button storage! Have fun with it and happy scrapping!

Hello

I have to say that this is one of my all time favorite Stampendous stamps...I can't believe that anyone would not enjoy getting a greeting in the mail featuring this cute little guy...

For my card, I used Le Plume markers to watercolor my image.... you scribble the ink from the marker onto a slick surface (such as a butter lid) and then lift the color with a wet paintbrush...this gives you a great amount of control over the color and allows you to create a more translucent look.



I hope you'll consider picking up a small Stampendous image and creating some warm greetings for a friend.

Happy crafting....Lynda

Ling Ling the Panda

Ok, you know that I am totally loving the new oriental themed stamps from Stampendous. Well, I may have found my new favorite character. Let me introduce you to Ling Ling the panda. She (my boys decided the gender) is an adorable little panda that is hanging out in the bamboo jungle.




This stamp comes along with the icon for courage. My future daughter-in-law has a birthday this week, and I made this into a card for her. The papers are from the June 2009 KNK kit and are from 7 Gypsies. I stamped her then added some glitter to the bamboo leaves to give her a bit of bling! She looks fabulous in real life.



I hope you enjoy the photo of my son Dave and his fiancee---Happy birthday Jenna!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mom's day to all you moms out there! Hope you get spoiled rotten!!!!! What do you do to celebrate Mom's Day? We typically use the day to pick out and plant our annuals then go to my inlaws for supper. Not sure anything will get planted tomorrow as we are under a frost warning! Bizarre weather!

I created this layout using the May Kit.! I really loved the colors in this kit! and I love those butterflies!!!

More with the May KnK Kit

Here's the layout and card that I showed you a sneak peek of in my last post here. I did some distressing and machine stitching on this layout. I opted not to add any journaling. Sometimes the picture just says it all. I just love that background paper with all of the words by Prima! And how cool are those Jenni Bowlin vintage buttons? I love them!Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there! I created this card for my mom with the kit. It is a simple card, but I love how it turned out. The Pink Paislee die cuts in the kit are perfect for card making! Have a great weekend and happy scrapping!

Difficult Cards

We all have to make difficult cards from time to time ... nothing says they have to be dull and dreary ... sometimes you just want to sit and create something that will give comfort to another person. A card that will catch their eye on the windowsill when they are feeling sad ... a simple reminder that you care and they are not alone.
I have made this card with plain white card stock, I then blended Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade and Fired Brick to colour. I used the Stampendous Agapanthus set stamped in Coffee Archival ink and then stamped the sentiment in Jet Black Archival to make it pop slightly. I matted the card onto simple Brown card stock and added a Jenni Bowlin butterfly. The butterfly was tinted slightly using Spiced Marmalade Distress ink.

That's it from me for another week ... see you same time ... same place ... well hopefully a little earlier ... next week! Have a great weekend.

More with May and a **WINNER**

I hope all of you have had a chance to work with the Prima "Flights of Fancy" papers that are in the kit and add-ons this month! They are truly gorgeous and so fun to scrap with. Here's my last layout with the May kit...
And oh yes, I need to announce the winner of the sketch contest for April! Thanks to Laura for playing along, here's her winning layout! I love those black and white photos, they compliment her chosen paper just perfectly. Great work Laura!

Laura, your prize will be in the mail to you this week :) Keep on the lookout for another sketch contest, I'll be posting one soon!

Happy scrappin'!

Many thanks to the teachers

This is Teacher appreciation week and in my house that means cranking out the crafts all week long for our favorite educators!!!

Friday is bring in a note to your teacher...so we created cards using this wonderful Stampendous April Showers Flowers Perfectly Clear Stamp set.





The girls are so excited to write special notes inside; which I made them wait until I snapped a photo of each. I hope the teachers like the cards this year...I know I am so very thankful for all their hard work and dedication to the students in their classrooms.

Happy crafting.....Lynda

more layouts with the May Kit'n Kaboodles kit

I soooo cannot get ENOUGH of this kit. Here is another layout that I created with the basic kit. My only non-basic kit additions are the cork buttons from the add-on kit and the letters...and ONLY because I have done so many layouts that I ran out of the ones that I needed (and the 3 pearls)!

My second layout for today included items from the add-on kit and items that are available in the shopping mall. Again, there are the cork buttons from the add-on kit. Items for purchase from the mall are the chipboard letters/numbers, the flip notes, the Jenni Bowlin buttons, the Pink Paislee Bella brads, and the Borderlines Clear Stickers. I totally recommend buying every last one of these items. Actually...at least 2 of the chipboard letters/numbers...you will fall in LOVE with them!

I hope that you enjoy these items as much as i did!

Going Bald

I created this layout using KnK May Kit and Amy's Sketch Challenge. It has been a while since I used a sketch. I forgot how much fun they can be! I enjoyed doing this page because it documented a proud moment. I was a little shocked to say the least when my hubby came home one night and said guess what I am doing......I am going to get my head shaved!!!!!?????? WHAT???????????!!!!???? Then he told me what the cause was for...St. Baldrick's...People pledge money for him to get his head shaved and that money goes to help fight kids cancer! OK I guess I can handle him being bald for a short time ;) . He was quite brave when he got it shaved...especially when they handed the clippers to his youngest daughter.