Cat in the Hat Card

I bet you were thinking something else from the title, hmm? That was what I chose to call this card using the adorable cat in the hat image from Barkley Everyday-Be Fabulous. She's too cute. I colored her in using my Spectrum Noirs ( BG1, BG2, BG4, IG1, IG2, IG4, EB1, Blender, CR8, CR10, CR11, BG8, CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4 and TB2). 

After coloring her in, I cut her in a square shape and inked around the edges to soften that up with my Distress Ink in Scattered Straw. I did add some bling in two spots on the image to give it a little sparkle. I then used some adorable patterned paper (American Crafts, My Girl 6x6 Pad). 

For the sentiment, I actually used my fingertip to dab on the Distress Ink so it wasn't uniform and kind of splotchy. I really love the layout! So fun. Hope you check out all the great products available at Crafter's Companion.

Merry Christmas Pennant Card

Another holiday card for you! This one is a simple card based on a sketch I found on Pinterest. GREAT way to use up your scraps, too. Which, don't we all have a ton of, or is it just me?? 

Here's the card:

Basically, you want to just cut a thicker strip for the top and cut a bunch of various sized pennants and glue them to the back of the strip. Then adhere that to your card base. Add your sentiment, which I chose this one from the Sentimentals Mistletoe Kisses and just cut around it and used some foam adhesive dots behind it! I added some pearls and spray mist (flicked on/dotted on vs. sprayed on). Voila! These would be great cards to send out to a bunch of people if you could do them assembly line style!

Thanks for stopping by and check out all the great holiday items from Crafter's Companion today!

Dahlia Sympathy Card

I have a sympathy card today. Lately, I've needed quite a few of these. This is one of those types of cards we should always have on hand, just in case. I like to use flowers for these as I think they're a beautiful symbol that goes along with a warm thought or prayer for the recipient during a hard time. 

I chose the dahlia from the Sheena's A Little Bit Floral-Dahlia. I colored it in using my Spectrum Noir markers (CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4, and GB6). The sentiment is from Crisalis Classics-The Rehearsal which I just simply stamped on white, punched out with a circle punch and colored with the colors I used in the flower with the Spectrum Noirs.

I fussy cut the dahlia, quartered a doily, and used some perfect paper I had in my stash for behind the flower talking about family and the importance of it, and assembled it all. 

Thanks for visiting! Check out Crafter's Companion today!

Crafter's Companion August Challenge: Animals

Welcome to the latest challenge for Crafter's Companion. This month's challenge is animals! There are a TON of great images I could have used. I wanted to do a holiday card this time, so I chose the set, Barkley Christmas-Friends and Family.

I stamped it, and colored it in using my Spectrum Noirs (EB1, EB2, BG4, TB1, TB3, TB5, BT1, PPI, IG2, IG6, IG1, IG8, DG2, JG1, JG2, CG3, DR5 and DR7.) I then just sponged around the outer edge after I cut around it with the Distress Ink, Old Paper.

The sentiment is from these AMAZING new sets called Sentimentals. This is from the Mistletoe Kisses set. Seriously. Get them ALL. They rock. You can buy them all here!!!

Behind the Barkley set, I used the 6x6 Embossalicious Embossing Folder, Christmas Elegance. I then just stuck some bling here and there in the centers of some of the snowflakes to add some interest.

Go play along with the Crafter's Companion challenge today!

Happy Birthday, Man!

Hey there! Hope everyone had a great weekend. I have a manly birthday card here. I find that those are a challenge since most cards I find are not very manly! I love the way this came out. I dont' have a tutorial, but I'll explain how I achieved the ombre look. ;)

I knew I wanted a cool birthday card for a guy, so I chose the 4.25x5.75 Flames embossing folder from Crafter's Companion. What I did was use ink and a sponge to create the ombre flames. 

I cut out my white panel to emboss (4"x5-1/4") and I put that into the flame embossing folder and ran that through my Cuttlebug. I then took 3 ink pads and 3 sponges. I used Versamagic Thatched Straw (yellow), Memento Tangelo (orange), and Memento Lady Bug (red). 

What I did was I took the actual Thatched Straw ink pad since it's small, and lighter in color, and actually rubbed it over the embossed flame image. Just do that until it's the color you'd like. To build up the color and make a nice ombre look, I used the yellow about 2/3 of the way down the flame panel. This way, it builds up behind where you're putting your orange. 

Next, I took my Tangelo ink pad and rubbed my sponge onto that to pick up the ink. Then, I took my sponge with Tangelo and gently rubbed it over the paper/embossed image towards the bottom 2/3. You want to be darker down there since that's where it will fade into the red. Then as you use the ink you've picked up on the sponge, you can move your way up towards the yellow, using a gentle circular rubbing motion. It creates a soft transition from one color the next. 

Do the same with the Lady Bug ink pad with a different sponge and work your way up into the Tangelo color. Now you can go back and adjust wherever you need to add or blend your colors until it looks like you want it.

I used a few images from the Camden Town set, Male 2. Nothing goes better with flames than a racing flag and some tire marks! I kept it really simple using just black and white, no coloring, so the flame background stands out. 

Try out this technique today!

Letters to Santa Mini Notebook

Sleigh bells ring...are you listening? In July? Suntan oil's glistening... ;) 

I've made a fun project today for your kids (and of course this can be adapted for shopping lists, holiday notes, or anything really) to write letters to Santa. Why just make one letter to the big guy in red? This would be a great keepsake to look at. 

 

I simply cut some notebook paper I tore out of one of my journals-I know, but it's for a good cause. Then I cut covers and glued some patterned holiday themed paper to them. 

I took some red textured cardstock and ran my new Christmas Ornament embossing folder from Crafter's Companion through my machine. I used some red rhinestones to the embossed circles for the ornament "string" at the top. I then used some letter stickers I had in my stash to write out letters to santa. 

Then I just punched two holes for a binding and used simple ribbon for it. You can use jump rings, brads, eyelets, anything you wish. 

And it's not Christmas without sparkles! I went to town spraying the front with my awesome Spray & Sparkle Glitter varnish. This spray is great for all sorts of projects and trust me, use it once, and you'll be hooked.

Relax!

Lazy summer days require some relaxing, don't you think? I've got the perfect card today for you featuring the new Barkley release! This image and sentiment are from the Barkley Everyday set. I colored this image in with my Spectrum Noir (listed below) and cut out around the image. I used pop dots to glue to my patterned paper base and snuck in the sentiment that I punched out behind the hammock. I added some ivory pearls that I colored in with my Spectrum Noir markers to match.  

Now, go relax...or craft ;) That's relaxing, right??

Spectrum Noir used: 

CR10, BG1, TN7, TN8, EB1, IG2, IG4, IB3, IG6, GB6, BT2, BT4, 

BG8, BG10, CT2, CT4, CG2, JG1, GT2, BT5, BT6, PP1, PP5,

BP6, PL2, BP5, DR3, OR2, TB5 and blender pen

Santa's Gear Card

FA LA LA LA-Christmas in July!! I've got a totally cute card for the holidays up today.

I used the Delicata ink (gold-sooooo awesome) for the floral background which is from the Stamp-It Australia-Floral Fancies to give it some interest on the red cardstock. I then used just the dotted pattern of the new embossing folder, Embossalicious Christmas Elegance 6x6. There are 2 patterns on one folder, so you can use either one alone or together to create different looks. The Delicata is something you NEED in your crafty box. It's coming soon, so be sure to snag that! I just added some splatters of spray mist just for fun.

I took the photo on an angle so you could see the gold from the Delicata. AWESOMESAUCE.

The clothesline is the Stamp-It Holiday Collection-Santa's Gear and the Season's Greetings sentiment is from the Brambly Hedge-Winter Story. 

I colored everything in with my Spectrum Noirs. There is a subtle stripe on the scarf too!

Hope you are getting in the Christmas mood to create. Check out all the great products at Crafter's Companion today. 

Wedding Card

Since it's summer and wedding season, I've got a great wedding card for you to recreate.

I chose a simple circle die around my image (colored with my Spectrum Noir markers; colors listed at the end of the post) of a bouquet of flowers from the Brambly Hedge-Summer Story set. The sentiments are also from that set as well! I also inked around the circle's edge with the Distress Ink-Old Paper. One of my favs.

I decided this card needed "something" and I had the PERFECT touch-the Spray & Sparkle Glitter Varnish!!! It's seriously addicting. It adds just the right amount of oomph. Don't you think? Check out the photo to see the sparkle it adds...

Simple and elegant for a summer wedding. 

Spectrum Noir markers used:

DG2, DG4, CT1, BP3, BP6, FS2, FS3, PL1, PL2, PL4, PL5, LV1, LV2, TB2, TB3

You're the Best Card

Check out the latest release called Barkley! These images are from the Barkley Everyday Set No. 1. I couldn't resist his cut little face. I colored him in with my Spectrum Noir markers (colors used listed below) and diecut him out in a simple shape. I cut the sentiment out in a flag shape and added some rhinestones to give it a little pizazz. 

The black layered background I love because it's simple, but fun! I used the 6x6 Embossalicious Chevron embossing folder on the layer right beneath the focal points. I took a picture on an angle for you to see the texture. LOVE these embossing folders. Crafter's Companion has so many to choose from. Snag some today!!

Everything was adhered with, you guessed it, pop dots! Can't craft without those.

Spectrum Noir markers used:
BG1, BG2, BG8, BG10, DR1, DR3, DR5, FS3, True Black, BG6, GB7, GB8, GB10, EB5, EB8, Blender pen

Heartfelt Wishes Card

Let's start off with Christmas in July...I know, be mad at me now, but once you're crafting away, you'll thank me come December!

I used one of the cutest sets I think and there are so many possibilities with it for this card. I used the gingerbread felt shape from the Sheena set, Xmas Stamps-Heartfelt Wishes. I colored them in with my Spectrum Noirs. I listed the colors below that I used.

I also stamped the background with the Floral Fancies set in this amazing new product called Delicata ink which is coming soon and a MUST HAVE ITEM. Seriously gold and amazing! Stamped this in no particular pattern on some patterned cardstock scrap I had in my stash.  (I took a side angled shot so you can see the sheen of the gold ink. Wow.) 

I fussy cut everything out and used pop dots to layer it onto the green base. 

Spectrum Noir colors used: 

CG1, CG2, CG2, BG4, JG1, JG2, JG6, GB6, GB8, GB10, CR9, CR10, CR11 and Blender pen