Card Ideas coming in...

Check out this blog: KWerner Design. She's one of my favorite card crafters out there! She has lovely challenges and videos every week! For her last challenge, she used one of my sets to make a card that is way cute! I have more on her later... hint, hint...

On another note, Sorry it's been a little while since the last post. I'm working on a few more fun things for the store...like new stamp sets just in time for the Holidays! I'm super excited! And a few new project templates to upload for free!

So, as I'm deciding what types of things to post on the blog, are there any suggestions, or things that you're dying to see? More free templates, tutorials, both, something else all together? Let me know because I really want to make sure that I'm posting things that everyone wants to see!

Happy 100th Post!

Ok, so I promised something big...

I hope you like it! I put together a book for you!

It's the Project Recipe Book!

I would have loved to have this book when I was first starting out with card making. It can be really hard to come up with different layouts for your cards. It's all black and white layouts which make it easier to add colors to your projects.

Lots of times I'll look at a card and decide I don't like it. Being the designer I am, I then ask myself why I didn't like it. It's usually that the colors they used are not my favorite. When I look at it again I like the layout, just not the paper they used. So, this is why this book is very simple to use. Just find the layout you like and add your own colors. This book has 40 different layouts that are easy to do. It will also tell you whether the layout will work for a scrapbook, card, or both. Here's a sample image from the book, with my notes to explain. Click on it to make it larger to read.
It's a nice handy size of 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". And it's spiral bound so it will actually stay open when you're working on your projects. It's in the store now and it's $10. :)

Post #99

So, I tried to post earlier, and then a little later...and blogger was having issues with uploading pictures. And now it uploaded my picture rotated the wrong way... Just one of THOSE days I guess. On to the project:

Today I did a little gift for a few friend's birthdays today. I made a little fabric basket,

and some homemade granola to go inside. (Click on the items to find the recipes/tutorials.)

I made a simple treat bag topper to package the granola. I hope they like it! I do sell the treat bags in my store. They are a great size for homemade goodies!

Post #98

I'm calling this one a Tent Card. It's also really easy to make. For the "tent" base cut one piece of paper 4 1/4" x 4 3/4". Fold it in half so you get a folded piece that's 4 3/4" x 2 1/8". For the stand up part I cut a piece of paper 4 3/4" x 3 1/2". Stamp or embellish whatever you'd like on it. I used the stamp set Hey Cupcake. All the words are separate so you can stack them, put them in a line, or skew them like I did for this card. When you're done, just adhere the bottom 1/3 of the embellished piece to the folded tent piece and stand up. You can unfold the tent piece and write inside. This would also make great place holders for a wedding party! Or if you're having a dinner party, try printing out the menu and attaching it to the folded tent piece.

Post #97

Also super easy! Noticing a theme? I've been wanting to try a card with black and gray so this is it. The background is black, with a gray inset. I stamped the Cheers sentiment from the Borders and Corners Set along the top and bottom to make a kind of border. Then I used the scrap from my flower yesterday, trimmed it into a square, rounded two opposite corners, and adhered to the front with foam tape, for extra dimension. I really liked the shape it made by rounding two corners, instead of all four.
Thanks for peeking at the project. Don't forget to comment some time this week and say Hi!

Post #96

Super Simple card! For this card I used the Borders and Corners "Thanks" sentiment. I stamped and then used clear embossing powder to make it dimensional. For the background I just cut a piece of the light blue paper that was 4" x 2 3/4". (I sketched a diagram of what I did below.) Then just cut it into 4 pieces, similar to the dotted lines on the diagram below. Once you have them cut out, just layout on your card background with a little space between each one and adhere. Add a little flower and silver brad and you're done. Easy as pie, or cupcakes, depending on which you like most! :)

Countdown to my 100th post!

On to the countdown related stuff in a minute. I took a break from some paper crafts yesterday to do a purely embroidery project. It's another napkin, but this time no stamping, just pure embroidery. It all started with this book:

I was searching through the selection of books at Half Price Books (I LOVE Half Price Books!!!) and pulled this one off the shelf. It didn't have a spine because it's a spiral bound 225 page book. From the cover I thought it wasn't going to be worth it, but I opened it anyway and the minute I did, I just sat there, so elated, that I had in fact decided to open the book. There are over 200 pages of embroidered sketches in black and white. It's a compilation of sketches from a lady that lived in Virginia in the 1850's. The book suggests that all the designs would look better in white thread on white fabric, kind of like embroidered linens with lace and eyelet. But, as I flipped through I could see in my mind all these beautiful colors and my mind started racing. I feel like I stole the book, it was only $5.00! I brought it home and got started right away. This is the black and white image I decided to use. (If you have trouble picking colors, just make a copy and outline the image in different colors to easily see which colors you would like to use.)

Here's the final product. I did it on a napkin, but I might cut it out and make a little bag with it instead. This one is just too pretty for an everyday napkin. (Although if you do it on a larger napkin, it makes a great way to wrap a fresh loaf of bread to give to a neighbor. The fabric protects the bread, while letting it cool off without sweating. )
Now to the countdown stuff! Everyday this week I'm going to have a post with a different project! I'm so excited! And on the 100th post, which will be Saturday, I'll unveil a new product in the store. This product is pretty cool if I do say so myself, and it was created 100% by me. So come on out sometime this week, leave me a comment and say Hi!

Simple Card

Ok, I know it's been a little while since my last post. I've been working on a few things that I'll post real soon. It's something new and really fun! Here's a simple 3" square card I put together so as not to slack on my posting! Just cut a square slightly smaller than your card front, tie a ribbon around. Stamp the border and sentiment, trim the edges, and adhere with foam tape on top of the ribbon. You're done. Easy! (It is lime green and brown, not black. I just like using the really rich dark brown paper.)