Elegant Fall Floral

Hi everyone and welcome to what I'm hoping is a super short work week!! I'm off Thursday of course and will try to take off Friday too. But Saturday I have back to back card making classes to teach so I'll be on my feet all day and seriously wiped out by the end of the day...I need Friday to rest up for it, lol! Do you Black Friday shop? I have on occasion but I'm not real serious about it. It'd be fun and I'd go if someone wanted to but it's no fun to go by myself so normally I just stay home. 

Well, since this week many of you will be super busy I thought I'd post something today then take rest of the week off from posting. I'll be back next Monday with a new challenge for The Shabby Tea Room :)

For now how about another fall themed card that SUPER easy to throw together just in case you need one for Thanksgiving?

Two little stamps and one was even a "summer" stamp! I started off with a tall folded (4 1/4 X 11) A2 sized card base in kraft. I then cut a panel in a lime green and one in cream. I rounded the bottom corners on all of them and adhered them together. I made a tag from kraft and added a cream panel then stamped the flower on and colored it in. I attached it to the card base using twine and stamped a small sentiment at the bottom to balance the whole card out. Can't get much easier than that can you?

Stamps Used:

Elegant Floral Vine

Thoughtful Greetings stamp set

Hello from some woodland friends...

Hi everyone and happy FRIDAY!!! Boy ohh boy am I ever ready for this weekend! As y'all know I have a full time job and I also teach card making classes at a local shop, am on 2 design teams plus have this little blog...that's a FULL PLATE! Well, I must be a real sucker for punishment, lol! Last weekend started deer season here in Missouri and the little village where the stamp store I teach at is located decided to host a "Deer Widow's Weekend"...fun, right?? All the little shops were offering special sales and incentives. When asked if I could help out in the shop I naturally said yes, lol...seriously, I MUST be a little touched in the head ;) because after working all week I was going to give up my weekend to work more! And boy was Saturday a busy busy busy day! The weather turned pretty yucky and we ended up with snow and ice on Sunday so it was a little quieter. While I thoroughly enjoyed myself and honestly, it didn't feel like work to me because it was something I really enjoyed doing, I'm pooped out and in need of a bit of down time. Ha, I say this knowing full well that I will need to get crafty for the blog and to start putting together the card making kits for my next class...sigh. It never ends, lol!! But for tonight, I'm running away with my bestie as she scored us tickets for Mockingjay...woo-hoo!! Been waiting for this movie to come out since the day I saw the previous one, lol!! 

Well, you aren't here to listen to me ramble on, you're here to see a card....

My bestie just LOVES herself some cute little critters so in honor of hanging out with her this evening how about DeNami's Woodland Friends? I just love these little guys...too cute!! Well, I made a super easy layout that is perfect for any of DeNami's little scenes like this one. I used a Mama Elephant die to cut an A2 sized card base (tall fold) but a normal square edged card base would be just fine too. I actually had this on on hand so it's what I used. I cut a patterned paper panel and attached it to the card base then cut another craft panel and a white panel. After edging the craft panel with a Pretty Pink Posh die and stamping / coloring my image I attached the 2 panels together and added a bit of twine then adhered it to the card base with foam tape. I decided it still needed a little something so I added a little flag with a simple sentiment under the focal panel. I really wanted to use the Friends Fur-Ever sentiment but unfortunately I don't own that one...go figure, right? But you know what, I think the simple "Hi" from the everyday greetings set makes it's own statement and is perfect anyway. 

Thant's it for me today, I'll see you back here on Monday. Have a great weekend!

It's pumpkin season!!

Hi everyone, since it's pumpkin everything season I thought I'd join the band wagon, lol! But honestly, I don't like pumpkin anything...well, unless there's stamping involved ;)

How can I not like pumpkins when they're this darling?? I started out with a slightly larger than a standard A2 card base in chocolate cardstock and layered on the mustardish/orangish panel. Using a Pretty Pink Posh stitched border die I cut a piece of lime green and layered that on. I cut 3 tags (from Mama Elephant) and temporary adhered them to my work surface. I stamped polka dot background then stamped the pumpkin patch border in the center making sure it extended across all three tags then filled in the rest of the tag with a sentiment and images from the autumn and leaf accents petite four sets. After adding a little ribbon treatment to the tags, I popped them up on the card using foam tape/pop dots. I thought it still needed a little something more so I added some tiny 4mm clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.

I'll see ya later!! :)

The Shabby Tea Room - Challenge #240

Welcome to another fun challenge at The Shabby Tearoom!! This time around we are celebrating the Autumn season and being thankful....

Hello shabby friends and welcome to another fun week of inspiration and creativity here in the Tea Room!  This week our challenge is called 'Grateful!  Please create a card/projectINSPIRED BY THE PHOTO AND INCLUDE TWINE and/or BURLAP!

FOR YOUR SUBMISSION TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE WEEKLY PRIZE AND HONORS: Because we are sponsored weekly by wonderful businesses who have graciously donated products and in the interest of fairness to all participants, any entries that do not follow our simple challenge rules will remain in the gallery but will not be eligible for the weekly prizes and top honors. Thanks for your understanding and participation!

Well as I was browsing through the images by one of our sponsors, Bugaboo Stamps, I came across a cute little guy that I just HAD to have...

I started off with an A2 sized card base then layered on a piece of digital background paper from Papers By Janet then added my layered image. I wasn't so happy with it so I dis-assembled it and added a little doily that I distressed with a little tan & teal ink. A little seam binding from Paper Sweeties and some little accent leaves tied it all together. Ohh, my burlap...way cool, I found it in a little paper pack at Hobby Lobby. It's a 4X6 (I think) paper pack with several colors of paper lined burlap. I couldn't cut it on my paper trimmer so I had to free hand it, but as you can see it worked just fine with a die from Pretty Pink Posh and running it through a die cutting machine. I'm fairly happy with my Copic coloring job. I would have liked to added a little darker golden/yellow to his hair but I didn't have the right color. I thought about a little brown but then thought that with the basket it'd be too much brown...sigh. I wish I was a better picture taker so you could see all the shaddowing/shading. He really is adorable though!!

Items Used:
Bugaboo Stamps - Bobblehead Thanksgiving Scarecrow
Digital Papers By Janet - Antique Paper 6 - Backgrounds
Dies by Pretty Pink Posh - stitched borders - 1
Seam Binding by Paper Sweeties - frosting

 The Shabby Girls are pleased to welcome our sponsors - Bugaboo Stamps and Digital Papers by Janet Etsy!

Sponsor #1:

As if raising five children in the frozen land of the North was not enough of a challenge, Jodie Mackrell decided to dip her cold little Canadian toes into the world of papercrafting by opening an online store full of her illustrations. That was two years ago. Today Bugaboo Stamps is one of the leading companies in digital images, and we're still growing!  From seriously snarky to sugary sweet to sublimely soulful all the way over to the other side of the super sexy spectrum, you're bound to find all that you need and more to create your paper projects.  Jodie works very hard to provide New Releases and Freebies every week!

If your taste runs to rubber (and you know who you are), you can find Bugaboo Stamps stamps at Totally Stampalicious. And finally, join the Bugaboo Stamps DT  for weekly challenges at Catch the Bug.

Our links are:
Store : http://www.bugaboostamps.com/
Catch the bug Challenge blog:  http://catchthebugblog.blogspot.com/

Sponsor #2:

 

My name is Janet, I'm Polish, live in the south of Italy and the mother of two children!!  I am a printing technician by profession, but an artist by passion.  I really like to draw and photograph everything with my camera. I am in love with old graphics and illustrations, and I always have my colored markers and pencils around me to sketch with.  I'm so happy to be sponsoring this week's Tea Room challenge!

Janet

Tea Time Terrific Top Three first place winner will receive three collage files.

Tea Time Terrific Top Three second place winner will receive two collage files.

Tea Time Terrific Top Three third place winner will receive one collage file.

 

Please link your creations at The Shabby Tea Room by Sunday, November 30th to play along. Winner and Tea Time Terrific Top Three will be announced Monday, December 1st. We will have an all-new challenge for you to play along with on the 1st as well, so please come back and visit with us again for another chance to win!

A little frozen for our freezing weather...

Hi everyone!! If you haven't been living in a cave then you know who I'm talking about when I say "Princess Elsa from Frozen"! My niece (5yrs old) is having a birthday and is in utter love with the newest princess just like every other little girl in the world, lol! I decided to try to make her a card that represented Frozen so I took to the internet. I simply googled "Elsa coloring pages" then clicked on images and had tons of coloring pages to choose from. I simply right clicked the image I wanted and saved it to my pictures on the computer. After that, I opened the picture and simply printed it (I believe wallet sized) onto white cardstock that I had loaded into my home printer. Easy Peasy!!

I started off with a tall folded A2 white card base (4 1/4 X 11) and layered on a piece of metallic silver cardstock and a piece of blue cardstock that I dry embossed with snowflakes. I decided that they needed some shine to them so I brushed the flakes with a metallic silver ink and added little drops of blue stickles. While that dried I made a white panel of snowflakes using the darling little trio of snowflakes from DeNami's snowflake stamp set - stamping it randomly all over the panel then added a little blue stickles to make it really pop. I layered this panel the same way as the base. Good thing I printed off several Elsa's because as you know, the first time or two around in coloring is NOT pretty, lol!! I finally decided how I wanted to color Elsa and did it without mistakes. I wish you could see the shading in her dress, skin & hair and the cool grey I shaded her outline in but the picture just doesn't show it real well, trust me, it's there! ;)  The 3 snowflakes are part of the picture but I decided to add blue and crystal "snowflakes" using yet more stickles to make everything blend and match. After coloring her cape I filled in the whole thing with Crystal stickles for some super sparkle. There's so much sparkle on this card that Emily better wear shades when she opens it, lol!!

Here's the picture I used. Feel free to save it by right clicking and picking "save image as". Have fun coloring!!

Well, that's all for me today...see ya later!!

Creations By AR - Nov 2014 Release

Hi everyone how are you today? It's turned WAY cold here in Missouri with winds and cold coming from Canada...BRRRRR! I'm so not ready for the below freezing temps!!! Living in the Midwest is such a roller coaster when it comes to weather. 

Anyway...surprise, it's only Tuesday!!!! I know I'm usually not here on Tuesdays but I want to show you a brand new template from Creations By AR that becomes available today. It's really cute and SUPER easy to make weather you cut templates by hand or use a cutting machine such as a Cameo or Cricut. 

How cute is this little bottle template? I just love it! As usual with all of Adela's templates, it includes detailed step by step instructions along with LOTS of pictures as the file comes with a PDF for cutting by hand and several options for machine cutting. This template is really fun and comes full of options like 2 different sentiment face plates, the wrapper for the top of the bottle, a little band for the top of the bottle and an insert to make it a test tube holder.

As you can see from the first page of the instructions, Adela made hers into a champagne bottle. I thought I would make a wine bottle but as I was shopping for papers I came across a fun retro bottle cap patterned paper that I couldn't resist and thought why not make a soda bottle?? These would be really fun at a kids or teenagers birthday party.

 I cut my bottle front and back then just simply snipped off the very top part that's supposed to be the cork. Now I have a soda bottle just like I used to drink from as a kid - gonna date myself, but remember turning them in at the neighborhood store for the 10¢? I'd immediately spend my hard earned money of penny candy such as swedish fish and sour cherry balls...YUMMY! ☺

 I just love that you can put yummy treats in the bottle...I'm dreaming of swedish fish, lol!! 

The little treat holder part is right about 3" deep and as you can see in the picture of the instruction sheet it comes with the option of making it into a test tube holder. 

This little holder has so many uses...do a baby theme for a shower, champagne or wine theme for an wedding or wedding shower. Ohh my gosh...make the little test tube holder option and fill it with wine or champagne and have one at every place (seriously...2 minutes to put these together) setting so they can be used during the toast to the bride and groom...HOW FUN!!!

Well that's it for me today. I hope you like my little bottle and you can go here - Bottle Of Cheer 2 - if you'd like to check it out and purchase the template. Remember, after you purchase any of her templates you have them for a lifetime of unlimited number of uses!!

"Woooo's" ready for a cute fall themed card?

Okay, I just HAD to use a little pun in the title....how was I to resist??? hehehe ;)

Today I thought I'd share the 3rd and final card that I made to teach my first copics coloring class. Since the kitty and puppy were Halloween themed I thought I'd throw in a generic fall themed image and fell in love with this darling little owl image called Autumn Owl. Like the other two images this is also by Whimsy Stamps.

Like the other two, I kept the layout simple so that the image didn't get lost or hidden. I had just a touch of "bleeding" at the right side eye but mostly was able to push the color back into the proper area. To get the feather texture I used a little blender solution on a scrap of kitchen towel and dabbed the image.

Well that's it for me today. Ohh, I almost forgot...I have detailed instructions on all 3 copic cards as to the colors I used and the exact steps to color them if you'd you like to try them out. Just drop me an email and I'll get it to you. I'd post it on the blog but I'm not sure how to link a PDF, I'm not very computer savy, lol!!

Noel....

Like I was saying on Wednesday, I found a few minutes to play with some new goodies. That involved a little Paper Sweeties goodies too! I finally got around to getting a few things from the October release and am in love with the new die cut sentiments!!! I posted this on the DeNami Addict Facebook page last Sunday too and thought it needed to go on the blog for all of you. 

Die cut sentiments are so trendy right now but all I owned was a  "hello" from Lawn Fawn. I'm happy to finally own a few more and these are perfect for gearing up for Christmas right now. The set includes Believe, Joy & Noel. You can break them apart but I was too lazy, lol, and just ran it through my die cutting machine whole. I think I'll recreate this little card using the other two sentiments and give them as a little gift set! The sentiments actually have matching stamps...how fun!! The little tree is from the October release too and includes 4 different trees along with little presents and a star and as you can see also has a matching die cut.

Stamps used:

Joy Sweet Cuts (sentiment set)

Joy (sentiment set) bundle - discounted 10% when purchasing the stamp and die together

Trim The Tree Sweet Cuts

Trim The Tree stamps set

Trim The Tree bundle - discounted 10% when purchasing the stamp and die together

Time to play with Christmas images

So I had a little free time this past Sunday...about an hours worth actually but I was hoping for more...sigh! Anyway, I did manage to get a little crafty in my spare time. ;)  I had everything prepared for the next class I'm teaching at The Stamp Pad and had already turned in my project due for The Shabby Tea Room so I pulled out some new goodies that I received last week and got busy playing! Did you know that DeNami had a small quiet release recently? Unfortunately it came about the same time as my gallbladder issues so I wasn't in any shape to play with them and tell y'all about the darling new images...what a bummer!! But boy ohh boy are there some cute ones...including the beloved mascot...CHICKIE and friends!

I showed this on Facebook this past Sunday right after I made them and thought that it needed sharing here too!

While making this card I ended up getting the usual "I'm hungry" complaint from hubby. He was ready for dinner and the zoo keeper needed to feed the animals, lol! I already had the card pieces cut out and colored so I rushed to put it together and then snapped the pic to post on the DeNami Addict Facebook page. After cooking and cleaning up the kitchen I checked Facebook and looking at the post realized that I FORGOT to add a piece of red cardstock behind the chickie panel that I had cut and edged! Ohh my, see what happens when I get rushed?

Well, I corrected that little oversight!

I had a bit of trouble getting my chickie panel up due to having to use permanent tape runner (hate using that) but I managed and also managed to add the red panel that I found laying in the floor next to my chair...uggg!

As you can see, this is a very easy layout, quick to put together (even when using all the pieces, hehehe) and used only 2 stamps! Aren't those new Santa hat wearing Chickies just adorable?

Stamps:
Merry Christmas sentiment
Chickie Christmas garland

You can find the whole new release right here! Hope you love it as much as I do. Let me know if you have purchased any of them or plan to...I'm always curious to see what you make!!

The Shabby Tea Room challenge #239

Grr, mumble, grumble.... Who the heck invented Mondays and said that we had to go to work on them anyways...bummer!! Weekends just aren't long enough!! Did y'all have a good Halloween? Family, candy and chili was the my treat for Halloween :) HA, there went the 85 pounds I just lost over the last year...eeek! Thinking I better carve out a little extra gym time this week!!

Well, are you ready for another fun filled challenge from us gals at The Shabby tea Room? I missed out on the last 2 due to the whole gallbladder issues but I'm back in the game...finally!! WOO-HOO :)

Hello shabby friends and welcome to another fun week of inspiration and creativity here in the Tea Room!  This week our challenge is called 'Just Neutrals'!  Please create a card/project INSPIRED BY THE PHOTO USING AN ONLY NEUTRAL PALETTE (white, cream, kraft, brown, tan, black, silver, gold)!

FOR YOUR SUBMISSION TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE WEEKLY PRIZE AND HONORS: Because we are sponsored weekly by wonderful businesses who have graciously donated products and in the interest of fairness to all participants, any entries that do not follow our simple challenge rules will remain in the gallery but will not be eligible for the weekly prizes and top honors. Thanks for your understanding and participation!

Here's what I came up with...

I wanted to keep it elegant like the photo. I just LOVE cream and black together, that to me ALWAYS means elegant. 

Our 2 sponsors for this challenge is Paper Sweeties and Paper Temptress....

 The Shabby Girls are pleased to welcome our sponsors - Paper Sweeties and Paper Temptress!

Sponsor #1:

Paper Sweeties offers high-quality, on trend acrylic stamps, coordinating metal dies and pretty embellishments. Our heartwarming images allow paper crafters to create handmade from the heart treasures that will be keepsakes for years to come!  We carry adorable dolls with interchangeable outfits and accessories ... plus we also have a wide variety of wonderful all-occasion sentiments, labels, frames and accessory sets along with coordinating dies - perfect for every paper crafted project! You'll enjoy using your Paper Sweeties stamps, dies and embellishments to create projects for card making, scrap booking, party invitations and favors, home decor, gifts and so much more!

Winner will receive a $20 gift certificate from the Paper Sweeties boutique!

Sponsor #2:


 
Paper Temptress has everything to fulfill all of your cardstock needs from heavy weight, light weight and tons of specialty papers!

This week's lucky winner will receive a $25 gift certificate from Paper Temptress!

 

Please link your creations at The Shabby Tea Room by Sunday, November 16th to play along. Winner and Tea Time Terrific Top Three will be announced Monday, November 17th. We will have an all-new challenge for you to play along with on the 17th as well, so please come back and visit with us again for another chance to win!