Key to Adventure

I went a different route with this card than I normally do and I'm in love with the way it came out.

For my card, I chose a kraft base. Who doesn't love kraft?! I think it goes so well with everything. I then picked up these little embossed cards I have in my stash and started with some Distress Inks with the blending tool (or you can use sponges). I chose Broken China, Tumbled Glass, and Squeezed Lemonade. I just used the blending tool and swirled it in a circular motion with no actual plan where i wanted to put the color, I just went with how I felt it looked nice! Distress Inks are SO much fun for so many things.

I then adhered that to my card base with foam adhesive. I then stamped the key image and the sentiment from the new Brambly Hedge set onto the Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock and fussy cut the key. For the sentiment, I trimmed to a simple rectangle and applied the Squeezed Lemonade to it to pull out the color from the background since I used just a hint of it. And there is where I went different...I did not color the key image. I wanted the sentiment to be the focal point and the key to be subtle. FUN!!

I stapled the sentiment to the embossed/inked little card for a fun element, and then took some black thread and taped it behind the key which I popped up with foam adhesive. And that's it!

I think this card could be a great compliment to a good book for a birthday gift. There are always adventures in books...

Or to someone who is moving or starting a new job. College. Always look at your stamp sets to see what can be used together for something different! Possibilities are truly endless.

Lawnscaping September Blog Hop

Welcome to the Lawnscaping Blog Hop! The theme for September is Yellows and Browns. The challenge is sponsored by the generous and amazing Spectrum Noir. The prize for this challenge are the two sets of markers featured above in the badge. They are my absolute favorite coloring medium. Be sure to check them out!

On to my card for the challenge. I love having thank you cards on hand and this I thought was the perfect set to use for the challenge colors. I chose a kraft card base. I mean, who doesn't love kraft and that's a great way to work in the brown! I chose the plaid patterned paper from the Lawn Fawn 6x6 Paper Pad, Sweater Weather and round all the corners after I cut it to size.

I then set it aside. What I did next was took a tag from my stash (it is patterned paper on the tag) since it was feminine and yellow and decided to use the Lawn Fawn, Love You a Latte set. I took the Thanks sentiment and stamped that in Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa. I then stamped the little plate from the Lawn Fawn Milk & Cookies set since it looked like a perfect little saucer for my teacup from the Love You a Latte set. I stamped the saucer on kraft, cut out around it (there are dies available which make these next processes MUCH quicker! I just don't have those in my collection quite yet...soon!), then stamped the teacup on the yellow polka dotted paper in Memento, Tuxedo Black, from the Sweater Weather pad and fussy cut around that, including the inside of the handle. For the teabag, I actually stamped onto the vellum and flipped it over to glue it on. I didn't want the ink to be that noticeable, so turning it over helps with that! Fun little tip right there. 

To give some dimension to the teacup, I used my Spectrum Noir markers in a coordinating color and just colored the one side of the cup to give it depth. I also colored the "tea" inside as well. Really adds something and was very quick to do. I used foam adhesive to pop everything up as well.

I hope you enjoyed my take on the challenge! Make sure you comment on each blog for your chance to win. The prize will be chosen from a commenter on any of the hoppers blogs so comment, comment, comment. Good luck!

Lawnscaping Blog

Tracy G.   http://www.tracymae.com/
Sabine   http://sweet-buttons-and-tiny-bows.blogspot.co.at/
Isha   http://hobbyandideas.blogspot.ch/
Kari   http://www.kwcarddesign.com/
Lenny   http://getinspiredandbecreative.blogspot.com/
Samantha C.   http://www.samanthacasey.blogspot.com/

Roxanne   http://projectorganizedchaos.blogspot.com/ <<<YOU ARE HERE>>>

Lexai   http://rainbowjellomakesmehappy.blogspot.com/

Marina   http://www.polishandcraft.com/ 

Best Witches

Have I got a FUN card today!! I used the new Halloween stamps that are out at Crafter's Companion (check them out, they're to DIE for - hey, I have a sense of humor what can I say?) and chose this hilarious image from the Best Witches set. I've listed everything below this time! Take a look and have fun creating Halloween cards to wish your friends, children's teachers, and neighbors with best "witches" this season.

1. Card base is simply white card stock folded and scored and the bottom two corners rounded.

2. I chose an orange Halloween paper for the card as well and I drew a box around it with a Spica pen in black. 

3. For the spider patterned paper, I chose the Die'sire Decorative Dies, Circle Doilies. I chose the largest one. It is bigger than my card base, so I simply trimmed off the sides. 

4. For the main image, I chose the image from the Halloween EZMount Set, Best Witches. I colored this in with Spectrum Noir Markers (IG2, IG4, IG5, IG7, IG10, CT1, blender pen, EB2, EB3, EB4, LG2, LG4, LG5, CT2, OR1, GB6, OR3, CR10, CR3, CR4, PL2, PL4, BT5, BT7, LY3 and GB10) and Spectrum Noir Blendable Colored Pencils (014, 009, 029, 119, and 120). I use the pencils for the smaller areas to minimize bleeding and going out of the shape (boots, buckles and stars; octopus suckers). 

5. To cut out the image I colored, I used the Die'sire Essential Dies, Circles. I then used foam adhesive to pop her up off the doilie.

6. The sentiment is also from the same set, Halloween EZMount Set, Best Witches, and I just cut around each word and popped them up with foam adhesive next to her feet. And there you have it! 

Check out all the fun products Crafter's Companion has for Halloween HERE.

Lawnscaping Challenge No. 90

I'm back with a great challenge for Lawnscaping Challenge No. 90...Critters Galore!! 

This challenge is sponsored by Lawn Fawn.

For my Critters Galore card, I used a bunch of critters from the Lawn Fawn Critters in Costume set. Kinda fitting for this challenge, huh? I inked them up with Memento in Tuxedo Black and stamped onto my white cardstock I use for all my coloring. I colored my critters in with Spectrum Noir Markers and fussy cut them all out (I don't have the dies for this set yet, but I'd recommend getting them!! They're on my list...) and used foam adhesive on the backs. I had a lot of fun assembling this card! The sentiment is and bat are from Lawn Fawn's Trick or Treat set. I stamped that onto the green hills in white ink. The grey clouds are from Lawn Fawn's Into the Woods set.

I have a little tip for making a fun fall/Halloween moon like you see above. I used circle dies I had and cut the moon shape out like this. I then hand trimmed it into the perfect shape I wanted for the 

moon.

I hope you play along with the challenge to win a great prize!! 

Products:

Lawn Fawn Stamps: Into the Woods, Critters in Costume, and Trick or Treat

Inks: Memento, Tuxedo Black (critters), Memento Luxe, Grey Flannel (clouds), and Memento Luxe, Wedding Dress (sentiment)

Lawn Fawn 6x6 Sweater Weather Paper Pad (moon)

Spectrum Noir Markers

SEI Paper (star background)

Wink of Stella (squirrel wing)

Poinsettia Christmas

I love making holiday cards, even in the summer! Not that I look forward to mounds of snow to shovel or anything, but the actual thought of the house decorated, the smells of holiday baking, pine, ahhhh. :)

I have created an adorable card today using the Bebunni Christmas EZMount Stamp Set, Poinsettia which was stamped with Memento, Tuxedo Black on my Crafter's Companion Ultra Smooth Premium Cardstock. I colored him in with my Spectrum Noir Markers (GB6, LG5, EB7, FS5, FS8, TN2, TN3, TN7, PP2, OR1, DR6, CR5, CR8, CR11, and Blender Pen).

The ornate frame I diecut with the Die'sire Decorative Dies, Nouveau Stamping Frame. I chose the larger of the two in the package. I then cut out the center rectangle with the die for the Bebunni colored image, then adhered the two together.

I used a simple patterned paper strip at the bottom and cut the sentiment, also from the Bebunni Christmas Poinsettia set, out and centered that on the patterned strip. I adhered it all to a white cardstock base with a simple blue and white patterned paper. I also added 3 green enamel dots for some fun elements on the card.

Happy Holiday Crafting :)

Manly Birthday to You!

Hi there! I always struggle with manly birthday cards, but of course, we all need them! I think this is manly, colorful and simple at the same time. I found a layout similar while browsing through my pinned items in my Pinterest paper crafting board. I find when I get stuck, I go there and browse and an idea usually hits me and I run with it.

I chose the Stamp-It Australia set, Shirts for this card and used my Spectrum Noir Blendable Colored Pencils for this. I used 108, 111, 032, 093, 017, 024, 104, 106, 071, 073, 117, 120, 061, 063, 010, 020, 021, 050, 026, and 007. They were stamped with Memento, Tuxedo Black onto the Crafter's Companion Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock.

I chose the pencils over the Spectrum Noir Markers for this particular set because of the smaller image and detail in this shirts. Worked perfectly.

I just paired up some fun colored strips of paper and glued them on an angle and then used the shirts colored image in the middle.

The sentiment is from the Toreads, Flora set. It's blocked letters which is more masculine for this card design. I stamped it onto my navy base in Memento Luxe in Wedding Dress. I LOVE this white ink pad!

Lawnscaping Challenge No. 89

Welcome to the Lawnscaping Challenge No. 89! As you can see by the above graphic, it's ONE LAYER. That means just one layer. It's definitely a challenge, but I love a good challenge. I hope you play along!

This challenge is sponsored by Simon Says Stamp!

I do, I really heart fall. LOTS. I wish it could be fall all year round in my world. So I created this adorable little "I <heart> fall" card using the Lawn Fawn Into the Woods set. I used the sentiment and little acorn from that set.

I inked up the sentiment with Versamark ink and created a simple background with that on my kraft cardstock base. For the one sentiment towards the top, I used Memento ink in Tangelo and colored in the heart on that with my Spica Pen in Black. It's pretty and shimmery in person. 

I stamped the acorn guy in Memento, Tuxedo Black on the card. I colored him in with my Spectrum Noir Blendable Colored Pencils and outlined him with a warm grey Spectrum Noir Marker to give him a little highlight. I think I love his little cheeks the best! 

I rounded the bottom two corners of the card and applied Distress Ink in Old Paper and Distress Stain in Vintage Photo. 

I <heart> fall!! 

I encourage you to play with the one layer challenge. It is a challenge and well worth trying out!