Roses are red...violets are...AMAZING! :) 

Today my card is all about violets. I used another new Sheena set from Sheena's Floral Fantasy-Violets from Crafter's Companion. I wanted this to have a watercolor feel to the flowers, so I used my Spectrum Noirs to color and my blender pen to soften the colors too. I used soft greens for the leaves. To draw attention the the open flowers, I used a cluster of rhinestones in the centers. I fussy cut around the outside and adhered to the card with you guessed it, pop dots. 

Under the flowers, I used a soft celery cardstock and ran it through my Cuttlebug using my 5x7 Argyle embossing folder. I seriously love these things...you get the awesome look and add texture to your card in such an easy way! Grab some of these! You can find a bunch of patterns and sizes right here at Crafter's Companion site.

Thanks for checking this out!

Hibiscus Birthday Wishes

I'm back again! I've got another flower-filled card for you this week. I cannot get enough of these sets from Sheena...this card today is brought to you by the Sheena's Floral Fantasy-Wild Roses & Hibiscus. I used the Hibiscus image on this one. I decided I wanted to make an orange flower :) So I did! And for the leaf, I used the palette blending technique again and I came back in with my Spectrum Noir blender and dotted onto the leaf to make it a little different! I then fussy cut around the flower and leaf leaving a thin white border.

I used a white card base and cut some simple patterned paper out and glued that to my base and used another small rectangle of the same paper cut smaller and used pop dots for dimension. I then used pop dots to adhere the flower and leaf to the card as well. The sentiment is from the Crisalis Classics-The Scent of Summer set. I used some distress inks in various colors (which can be found here at Crafter's Companion). I also used a distress tool I've had forever to add some texture around the sentiment. I used pop dots again to adhere to the card. I found some olive yarn I had in my stash to coordinate with the leaf.

Are you in love with these sets yet?? Pop on over to Crafter's Companion to order yours today!

Sheena's Floral Fantasy Release

I've got a beautiful card today for you that could be used for a bunch of occasions. 

The main image, which are wild roses, are from the new set Sheena's Floral Fantasy-Wild Rose & Hibiscus. BEAUTIFUL images to color. I have a stepped out series of photos to show you how you can add depth and shading to your leaves and flowers using your Spectrum Noir markers. 

Here is the first image where I just put a base down of a lighter green (CG1) which you'll see below. I colored the stamens of the flower with yellow (CT4). 

In the photo below, you'll see I used the palette blending technique. It's such a smart way to blend a darker color with your lighter colors to fill in the gap where there is a larger jump in colors from one to another. You just use the broad end of your Spectrum Noir marker and color a large patch on an acrylic block, or plastic mat, and what you'll do is pick up that color with the fine tip of your marker with your medium color. In this case, I used the CG2 marker and picked up the color on my block which was DG4. I then blend that by coloring in small circles in the areas where the leaves are darker which you can see in the 3rd photo.

Here are the final leaves! See how much dimension the darker blending technique made? You can check out the technique by checking out this video on YouTube. There are a bunch of great ones there for your reference. 

Here is the final card below. I fussy cut everywhere on this one (using my detail scissors and trusty Xacto blade!) and used pop dots underneath for more dimension. The sentiment, Sent with Love, is from the Mulberry Wood, All Wrapped Up set.

That's glued to the patterned paper below that I ran through my Cuttlebug using the Regal Damask embossing folder.  I used a black and white striped paper underneath that for added color. I placed the rhinestone accents all over the card in the negative spaces. I seriously am in love with these colors together! What are you thinking?

Here is a close up of the coloring, fussy cutting and rhinestone accents. 

I hope you're inspired and that you check out this amazing set as well as the other's by Sheena at the Crafter's Companion site today!

Friendship Card

Hey there! Hope you all had a nice Memorial Day weekend. I've got a pretty card for you today that would be a great little card to pop in the mail to a special friend for no reason at all! 

I used the beautiful high heel shoe from the new Camden Town set, Female 2. I used soft greys and pops of pink and purple to color the accents on the shoe using my Spectrum Noir markers. 

The sentiment is from the Party Paws Party with Bamboo set. 

For the background, I used watercolors to "paint" the background in soft pinks and light peach/orange tones. I blended them together with water and let it dry. 

I came back and stamped just sporadically all over my watercolored background with Stamp It Australia, Floral Fancies in grey ink all over. I then ran it through my Cuttlebug using the 5x7 embossing folder, argyle sold by Crafter's Companion.

I glued down the watercolor/embossed background to my card base and used a coordinating grey piece of cardstock from my stash and used a die I have for the flower shape. I glued that down and then fussy cut the high heel out and used a pop dot to glue that onto the grey stock. I snuck the sentiment behind that and glued it down. To finish it off, I used some spray mist I have and splattered it to give it some interest. 

Hope you enjoyed! Check out all the amazing products Crafter's Companion offers!

Thank you from the Birdhouse

Hey there! I've got a cute and simple thank you card that I created with a brand new release coming out tomorrow called CAMDEN TOWN from Crafter's Companion.

I chose the birdhouse image and the "thank you" sentiment for this card. I colored in the birdhouse with  my Spectrum Noir markers. I cut out the image and sentiment and used pop dots on a simple patterned paper scrap I've had forever. I love the bright color! I placed that on a cream cardstock base. Totally simple, but so cute!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Pinspired/Crafter's Companion Joint Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Pinspired - Crafter's Companion Joint Blog Hop!

Just in case you are new to either Pinspired or Crafter's Companion, let me tell you a little bit about them both:

Crafter's Companion
Crafter’s Companion is a U.K.-based company with offices in Anaheim, CA and Northern England. Well known for our innovative paper crafting tools and accessories, our products are distributed and sold worldwide. Our most popular products include Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers, the Ultimate Crafter’s Companion Tool, the Ultimate Pen Storage, embossing folders, and EZMagnetic Storage panels for metal embossing and cutting dies. Our staff prides itself on top-notch service with a 100% customer satisfaction philosophy. If we have exceeded your expectations, then we’ve done our job!

Pinspired Challenge Blog
Pinspired Challenges was created by a group of girls that LOVE Pinterest and crafting.... We came up with the idea of the challenge in the latter part of 2012 and the challenges launched in January of 2013. Our DT, or as we like to call them, "Pin Heads" have scoured Pinterest to bring you some amazing inspirational pins. We will post a brand new challenge on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month. You will have until Thursday of the following week to link your entry onto the challenge post. That's 9 whole days to play along!!!! Inspirational photos are for you to interpret anyway you want. You can take from the colors, the style or the technique - whatever floats your boat! You can also feel free to make any kind of craft you want as well, whether its a card, layout or altered item.

From May 3 - 5, we are showcasing Crafter's Companion stamps from Sheena's A Little Bit Floral collection. You have TWO chances to win! You can hop around and comment on all of the blogs for one chance to win a gift certificate from Crafter's Companion (May 3 - 5, 2013).

For a second chance to win, you can play along!

Using the image above to create a project and post it using InLinkz on the Pinspired Blog. You have until May 9, 2013 to participate for a chance to win a gift certificate from Crafter's Companion. If you create and comment on the Blog Hop, that is two chances to win!

And onto my project for you...
I wanted to do something special for my mom for Mother's Day. My mom's been in the hospital since March 2, so she's been in for a long time and has undergone a LOT. It really makes you stop and realize a lot of things in your life.  So, I have my mom's gift on order, which is a beautiful necklace/locket from Origami Owl. I'm waiting anxiously for it to arrive.

This is the box I had made for this special gift as well as custom stamped tissue and a matching tag!

I had a plain kraft box I picked up at my local craft store. I love to have these on hand in various sizes for any gift giving occasion because as you will see, it's easily transformed!! Which reminds me, this was my very last box, so I need to restock.

I had take the box and stamped all over it with various lily images from the Sheena's A Little Bit Floral-Lily set. I then colored in all the images using my Spectrum Noirs. I can't get too detailed with shading because of the nature of the box material with bleeding, but I was able to add some highlight of yellow in the center of the flowers as well as the shaded leaves. 

I decided that this called for some custom tissue paper! I took a sheet of plain white tissue and stamped all over it with a gray ink. I used the Lily wording from the set as well so it really looked like "fancy" tissue I used. This was super quick and I think a wonderful look to add another level of detail to this ensemble.

After I completed that, I used the Crafter's Companion Spray & Sparkle Glitter Varnish all over the exterior of the box to give it a touch of elegance! I LOVE this stuff. Just be warned, it's S-T-R-O-N-G and should be done outdoors/well ventilated area. You'll love it. I finished it off with small rhinestones in the center of the one smaller lily.

I then made a coordinating tag for it using the large Lily stamp from Sheena's Lily set and colored it in with my Spectrum Noir markers. The sentiment, which was PERFECT, came from the Crisalis Classics-Gentle Moments set. It just applied various inks with a sponge until it achieved the worn look I was going for. I used a tag that I had in my stash, and added several rhinestones around it. I used some twine I had as well to tie that tag around the box. 

Close-up of the Spray & Sparkle Glitter Varnish.

I hope you're inspired to join along with this amazing blog hop. Please be sure to visit all the amazing design team member's blogs for their take on the Pinspired image :) 

Here is the full Hop List:
Annette
Audrey

Chrissie

Christiana

Denise

Erica

Jean

Jennifer

Kendra

Khristen

Lalo

Laurel

Mary Dawn

Roxanne <----- YOU ARE HERE!

Stacy

Stephanie L.

Stephanie S.

Trena

Spread Your Wings

It's me again! I've got another fab card I made for you using amazing products from Crafter's Companion...

For the background, I've used the Stamp-It Australia Travel Script with black ink. I then used multiple blue Distress Inks over it to soften it and give it a worn feel. I just went over it with multiple colors with a sponge until I felt it looked just right.

The wings are from Sheena's A Little Bit Sketchy-Divine Inspiration. For the wings, I colored them in using just a few Spectrum Noirs to give the feathers of the wings depth. I then fussy cut them out and adhered them to the distressed panel with pop dots for dimension. I let the wing tips hang slightly off the edge of the card for interest.

I used 3 pearls in the center to finish this off.

I love that it can be used for a variety of reasons, which is why I chose to not use a sentiment. It could be a graduation card for a boy, sympathy card, Father's Day, and more!

Check out all the images from Crafter's Companion! 

Faerie Poppets Release

Hey there! I've got a sweet card for you tonite using the new release from Crafter's Companion called Faerie Poppets by Christine Haworth. This one is Baby Rosebud.

I diecut her out of a scalloped circle. I then stamped another wing and popped that up with a pop dot and curled the edge to give it dimension. I colored her in using my Spectrum Noir markers choosing soft looking colors.

I chose a rose colored cardstock for the background behind Baby Rosebud and used an embossing folder I had with small flowers on it. It embossed pretty deep on the paper I used, but I love the look of it! Rounded the corners to soften that up a bit as well.

Thanks for visiting! Stop by Crafter's Companion today!

Swanky Birthday

Hey there! I've got a little swankier card for you today that I just LOVE. The beautiful lady is from the new set from Crafter's Companion, Frou Frou-Martini Girl. Now I know she's not holding martini's, but that's the great thing about the set! There are multiple things you can add to her tray. I went a little outside the box and used a tiny metal adhesive backed plate I've had F-O-R-E-V-E-R. It fit perfectly.

I colored her in using my Spectrum Noirs of course. These markers are just amazing. I loooove them. Really, grab some!

I popped her up on some vintage-esque patterned paper I had that I thought fit perfectly with her. Using distress inks around the edges give it a real vintage feel to the paper. One of my fav techniques. I included a close up below.

I hope you go visit Crafter's Companion and check out all the gorgeous Frou Frou sets and more today!

Take Time to Smell the Flowers

Happy Friday! I've got a cute little card for you using some Crafter's Companion stamps.

Since spring is supposedly on it's way (yes, in Chicago we're not feeling springy just yet), this is perfect to lighten the dreary skies we've been seeing this week. She's an adorable little fairy taking time to smell the flowers. The stamp is from the Angelica and Friends-Mariella. I colored her in using my Spectrum Noir markers.

Hope you enjoyed this cheery card. Have a wonderful weekend. Be sure to stop by and see all the amazing new sets from Crafter's Companion!

Friends are Flowers

I love this little dog image! He's from the Mulberry Wood EZMount-Friend set. I love that you can color him all different ways to create a doggie to your liking!!

He's so cute and sweet with his bundle of flowers. I colored in with my Spectrum Noirs and cut around him leaving just a little border around him and glued him on with pop dots. I cut a cute little notched banner out of some patterned paper. I took the sentiment and used some distress inks and just cut around it and used pop dots to give it dimension. The background on top of the light sage base of the card is actually a journaling card I had in my stash! I loved being able to use my scraps and stash items :)

Hope you loved it! What a sweet and simple card to send a special friend.

Check out this Mulberry Woods set and all the other adorable sets available at Crafter's Companion!