Heartfelt Creations Alumni Designers Blog Hop

I always look forward to the last Tuesday of the month for the Heartfelt Creations Alumni Designer's Blog Hop.   Six designers are participating this month.  As in the past, Heartfelt Creations will be giving away a $25 gift certificate to someone who visits all six blogs and  has left a comment.  Here are the designers in the hop:

Dina Kowal http://mamadinis.blogspot.com

Selma Stevenson http://selmasstampingcorner.blogspot.com/ (you are here)

Alissa Wells http://willrunforstamps.blogspot.com/

Emilia van den Heuvel http://few-favourite-things.blogspot.nl/

Sarah Miller http://plainandfancypapercrafts.blogspot.com/

Lisa Allen http://toddandlisacreations.blogspot.com/

Visit each blog to see all the beautiful cards/projects designed by the alumni design team and leave a comment for a chance to win.  The winner will be announced on Saturday, May 4.

For my post this month, I decided to do a dimensional project.   I covered a little wooden birdhouse with Heartfelt Creations design paper from the "Countryside Evening Collection.  The pieces were glued down with Mod Podge.  The dimensional flowers were stamped and die cut using the "Tattered Blossoms" stamps and matching dies.  The base flower on the top of the bird house is a stamp from the "Tattered Blossom Swirls PreCut Set".  The little bird is from the "Holiday Haven PreCut Set".  A little Flower Soft was placed by the bird.   The design paper under and behind the birdhouse are also from the "Countryside Evening Collection" paper pad.

Your next stop will be to Alissa Wells http://willrunforstamps.blogspot.com/. 

Hope this blog hop inspires you to complete something special with your Heartfelt Creations stamps, dies and design paper.

You can purchase your Heartfelt Creations products from Joan's Gardens.

Heartfelt Creations "Tattered Blossoms PreCut Set" HCPC 3468

Heartfelt Creations "Tattered Blossom Swirls PreCut Set" HCPC 3469

Heartfelt Creations "Holiday Haven PreCut Set" HCPC 3491

Heartfelt Creations "Countryside Evening Collection"  HCDP1229

929793

New Susan's Garden Forsythia Dies

Close-up of my Forsythia

 I received my Susan's Garden dies this afternoon and this is the first flower I created with them.  This  Forsythia was very easy to create.

.

Each flower set in Susan's Garden flower dies has everything needed to complete that specific flower.   Susan is a master gardener and has included detailed dies to complete very realistic flowers.   Each flower has a little plastic envelope to hold the dies for easy storage, as you can see in the above picture.  There are a total of 14 different flowers in the Sizzix Thinlits dies and two flowers in the Sizzix Bigz Dies.  There are also two different packages of Thinlits leaves.  The large white background is the Spellbinders "Botanical Swirls" die.   The flower sits on the Cheery Lynn "Christmas Ball Decoration" and the Spellbinders "Lacey Circles" die cuts.  I like the Cheery Lynn "Christmas Ball Decoration" as a pretty small doily - I cut off the little loops on the outside edge. The corners used are from the Spellbinders "Parisian Accents" set.

Susan Tierney-Cockburn is the author of the Paper Bouquet book that we have been using to learn how to shape our flowers with the Punch Bunch flower punches.  Susan has designed these new fabulous flower dies, which have complete instructions, in each package, for assembling the flower.    

Here is a list of all the Susan's Garden flower dies released by Sizzix so far:  Daffodil, Dogwood, Forsythia, Hibiscus, Lily, Mini Daisy, Mini Lily, Mini Petals, Pansy/Violet, Poppy, Rose, Sunflower, Tulip, Quince, Leaves, Fern & Ivy, Garden Leaves.  In the Bigz dies there are the Black-Eyed Susan and Peony.  

Products used:

Susan's Gardens Sizzix "Forsythia (658406)

Spellbinders "Botanical Swirls" die (S5-154)

Spellbinders "Lacy Circles" S4-293

Spellbinders "Parisian Accents" S5-034

Cheery Lynn "Christmas Ball Decorations with Angel Wing" DL150

929503

A Plate of Goodies

Do you like to dress up "goodies" you give away?  I thought I would post a band I created for a plate of cookies that is going to a new neighbor.  I used the eBosser "Dainty Dots" embossing folder to emboss a band that goes around this plate of cookies then decorated the top with the new Heartfelt Creations "Decorative Lattice Swirl" die for the background.  The flowers were created using the Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower #2" dies and embellishments.  The pretty leaves are from the Heartfelt Creations "Beautiful You PreCut Set" and die cut using the matching die from the "Decorative Flower Pot" die set.  The daisies were die cut using the Cheery Lynn "Darling Daisies" dies and the stamens in the daisies are from the BAF #2 Embellishments dies.  I used a very old JustRite stamp set called "Homemade Treats" for the "Fresh Baked" label.  

The new Flower Dies by Susan Tierney Cockburn have arrived at Joan's Gardens.  I will be posting these new flowers, and some tutorials, very soon.   Susan is the one who wrote the "Paper Bouquet" book that we have been using to learn to create flowers; she has come out with a whole new line of flower dies, tools, and supplies we are very anxious to work with.   If you haven't seen these new dies, you will want to check them out over at Joan's Gardens.  Joan does have a reduced price on all her products plus she only charges you exact postage, which is a great savings.   

You can purchase the products I use from Joan's Gardens:

eBosser "Dainty Dots" embossing folder

Heartfelt Creations "Decorative Lattice Swirl Die" HCD 733

Heartfelt Creations "Decorative Flower Pot Die" HCD 732

Heartfelt Creations "Beautiful You PreCut Set" (leaves) HCPC 3532

Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #2 

Cheery Lynn Build A Flower Embellishments #2

Cheery Lynn "Darling Daisy" dies (A196)

JustRite "Homemade Treat" JB08720 (Retired)

927922

Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

It is time for a new challenge at Joan's Gardens.   This week we have a fun challenge for you.   We want you to create a card using items from the letters TULIPS.  Here are some examples of things you can use for each letter:

T - texture, tulips, trim

U - umbrella

L - lace, lavender

I - item from Joan's Gardens

P - polka dots, pearls

S - sentiment, staples, sand paper, 

Create you card with any item(s) that correspond with the letters in TULIPS.  I have only given you a few ideas.  Please list these items in your post with your card.  You can get all the information about this challenge and post your card over at Joan's Gardens.

Here is the information about my card.  

T - I  used the Memory Box "Dancing Tulips, plus the new Brenda Walton "Trellis" embossing folder for in the Marianne Design white rectangle frame for texture

U - I used the Marianne Design "umbrella"  

L - I used the Spellbinders "Flourish Trim" on the bottom plus the rectangle and umbrella are lacy, plus a lot of lavender.

I - All the items I used are from Joan's Gardens

P - There are polka dots and pearls on the umbrella

S - The sentiment is from the JustRite "Vintage Rose Medallion" stamp set.

I hope you will join us this week in our challenge.  We are looking forward to seeing how creative you are with this challenge.

All the products I used can be purchased from Joan's Gardens:

Graphic 45 "Secret Garden" design paper pad

Marianne Design "Umbrella" (LR0263)

Marianne Design"Rectangle Frame" (LR0117)

Brenda Walton (Sizzix) Trellis Set embossing folders (658356)

Memory Box "Dancing Tulips" (98295)

Spellbinders "Flourish Trim" (S2-005)

JustRite "Vintage Rose Medallion" stamp set (CR-03670)

Cherry Lynn "Grass Border" (B126)

925409

A Tea Party

Today my friend Pat and I decided to have a tea party.  She brought over the cookies then we used the Brenda Walton Sizzix "3-D Tea Cup" die for our cup.  No, we didn't really have a cup of tea but it was fun to pretend, but. . . . we did eat the cookies!

This is another very easy Brenda Walton die to work with.  There are so many different papers you could use and many different ways to decorate your cup.  

Here is a picture of the die we used.  You can get this cute tea cup die from Joan's Gardens.

While working up in my craft room this morning I saw something "new"  -- a big hot air balloon landing down the street.   I have never seen one in our neighborhood before. They are building new homes down the street and I wonder if these people were checking to see if this lot had a spectacular second story view.   

925245

Heartfelt Creations Balmy Breeze Design Paper

One of my favorite things to do when we go visit our son down in California is to go sailing with him.  This month Heartfelt Creations new collection is called Balmy Breeze and has beautiful stamps and design paper perfect for designing masculine cards.   This card was designed using a piece of the design paper for the background then cutting out some of the designs from a different paper in this pack to create this card. The large piece was cut out and backed with a piece of blue card stock that was distressed using the Zutter Distrezz-It.  Under this piece I taped down a piece of black mesh.  The compass was backed with a Nestabilities Petite Scalloped Circle then holes punched in each scallop.   The sentiment is from the Heartfelt Creations "Beautiful You PreCut Set".  

This was a very quick and easy masculine card to create.    I love the beautiful package of  Design Paper that coordinates with all the stamps in the Heartfelt Creations Balmy Breeze collection.  

You can order this new Heartfelt Creations collection from Joan's Gardens.  

Heartfelt Creations "Balmy Breeze Design Paper" HCDP1 232

Heartfelt Creations "Beautiful You PreCut Set" HCPC 3532

Zutter Distrezz-It

924293

Dimensional Shoes

Oh how fun.  You can now order the Brenda Walton "Ballroom Slippers" Sizzix die from Joan's Gardens.  Aren't these shoes the cutest!!!

There are two different types of shoes you can make with these dies.  This was my first time working with the dies just to figure out how to create them.  It was very easy.  You can use card stock and emboss it like I did here, or use pretty design paper.  It is easiest if you use double sided design paper since both sides show when you create the shoe.   I bet you could come up with lots of "fancy" shoes. 

Here is a picture of the box this die comes in.  Isn't that a pretty box.  All of the Brenda Walton embossing folders and dies, come in this type of box for easy storage.  

The order number is Sizzix  658346.

You can order this die from Joan's Gardens.  Joan sells these dies for $1.00 less than retail and she only charges you exact postage.

922630 

Pansy Tutorial

I promised to post a tutorial for creating a pansy and the tutorial is below.  First I will explain this card before doing the tutorial.  This is a 5.5" x 6" card.  On the corners I added the Joy! Crafts corners.  In the center I used the Spellbinders "Marvelous Squares". In the points of the largest (bottom) layer of the Marvelous Squares, I added the die cut corners which also come with this set.  The pretty piece in the center of the square is the new Marianne Design "Anja Fan" (LR0265).  The pretty "Leaves" are from the Marianne Design "Anja Leaves" set.  The pansy is created with the Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower #2" dies.  

Tutorial on creating a Pansy using the Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #2 dies.  

Build a Flower #2 - B187

Embellishment #2 - B188

These are the two Build A Flower die sets used.  

If you look at the dies above, I used two of the "yellow" petals and four of the orange petals to create this pansy.   The flower base is the largest green five-point one on the embellishment set.

The petals were die cut using yellow card stock then the edges sponged with "Wild Honey" Distress Ink. I used the "Aged Mahogany" Distress Marker to draw the lines in on four of the (orange on die plate) petals.  The petals were then shaped with the tools from the Flower Tool Kit to give them dimension.  I used the large white tool to give them the rounded look and used my fingernails to kind of "crunch" up the very ends of the petals for a "ruffle" look.

 

Start by gluing down the two top petals on the base, slightly over lapping them in the middle.  Next add two petals to side (one on each side).

For the petals in the very front, on the bottom, I glued the last two petals together down the side, over lapping as shown, to create one wide petal.  These were then glued on the bottom of the flower, with the edges over the petals on the side.

Here is a closeup of the Pansy.

In the very center of the pansy I added these two pieces from the Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #1 Embellishments.  I color the larger piece with the Aged Mahogany Distress Marker on the lower half to blend in with the lines on the lower half of the flower.  The smaller piece was glued on top of it.  

Pansies come in many, many different colors and color combinations.  You can have a lot of fun coming up with your own beautiful, colorful pansies.  

I hope this tutorial helps you create beautiful pansies.   

Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #2 (B187)

Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #2 Embellishments (B188)

Cheery Lynn Build A Flower #1 (B181A)

Marianne "Anja Leaves" LR0228

Marianne "Anja Fan"  LR0265

Joy! Craft "Corners"  6002/0135

Spellbinders "Marvelous Squares (S4-383)

921549

Butterfly and Rose

I love the Marianne Design embossing folders and have one I haven't used for a while that I wanted to try something different with.  I usually emboss a plain piece of card stock and add things to it.  Today I decided to see what it would look like if I embossed onto a piece of design paper.  I used a piece of design paper from the Lost & Found "Blush" 6x6 Designer Paper Pad.  The embossing folder was place right in the center.  I really like how this looks.  To dress it up I added a rose created with the Spellbinders "Spiral Blossom One" die.  The pretty leaves are from the Marianne Design "Anja Leaves".  

The butterfly is the pretty Cheery Lynn "Faerie Queen with Angel Wing" die.  I used an orange/yellow design paper for the Faerie Queen and a solid yellow for the angel wing.  

These products are in stock at Joan's Gardens:

Marianne Design DS0916 embossing folder

Marianne Design Anja Leaves LR0228

Cheery Lynn "Faerie Queen with Angel Wing" butterfly (DL161)

Spellbinders Spiral Blossom One S4-351

920393

Friends Are Flowers

I love finding design paper with flowers and then creating dimensional flowers to match.  This design paper is from the Lost & Found "Blush" 6x6 Designer Paper Pad.  I created the little roses with the Cheery Lynn Miniature Rose, Medium Rose and Large Rose dies.

For the pretty frame, I used the Memory Box "Cherise Label" for the burgundy background and the Memory Box "Tiffany Frame" to glue over it.  The sentiment is from the JustRite "Seeds of Summer".  

The foliage behind the flowers are from the Marianne Design "Anja Leaves" set, and the Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip" and "Ivy Strip".  The corner used is the Memory Box "Macarena Corner".

All these products can be purchased from Joan's Gardens:

Memory Box "Cherise Label" 98402

Memory Box "Tiffany Frame" 98401

Memory Box "Macarena Corner" 98291

JustRite "Seeds of Summer" stamp set (CR-03755)

Cheery Lynn "Miniature Rose" (B152)

Cheery Lynn "Medium Rose" (B154)

Cheery Lynn "Large Rose" (B155)

Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip" B178

Cheery Lynn "Ivy Strip" B304

919590

Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

It is time for a new challenge at Joan's Gardens.  Joan is  recovering from knee surgery and has asked that I post the challenge card on my blog and list the challenge requirements.  

This week we want you to create a "Girly" card.  

• Use pastel colors
• Use some type of lace (can be real or die cut)
• Use at least one bow
• Include flowers 
• Use at least one product from Joan's Gardens

For my "Girly" card I used a new new Sizzix die.  I think this Brenda Walton "Princess Dress" is so cute and it is very easy to use.  You place a folded piece of card stock or design paper up to the fold line on the shoulder and run through your machine to create the card.  I used a piece of one sided design paper so I did also cut a piece of solid pink card stock for the inside of the card.  You can cut both pieces at same time; just make sure the folds are in tightly.  The two pieces were attached with Glue N' Seal.    This die has some accessories you can use to dress it up.  I used the die cut bow on my dress.  In the center of the bow I added a small rose.   Along the bottom I added a piece of the Cheery Lynn "Anastasia Border". Around the neckline I used a little piece of the cut off edge of the Anastasia Border to make it look like a collar. I used Diamond Stickles to run a sparkly line along the bottom edge of the shirt, and around the neckline and a little on the lace on the bottom of the skirt.  Kaiser Craft pearls were added.   

I decided to dress my card up by adding a parasol.  I die cut the Marianne Design "umbrella" and backed it with a piece of ivory card stock.  Between the die cut and the backing, I added a piece of heavy gauge wire to make the handle of the umbrella strong enough to stand up.  It was attached to the inside of the dress with a glue dot.     

On the inside of the card I added a sentiment by Penny Black.

This is a picture of the dress before I decided to dress it up with pearls and the parasol.  I added diamond Stickles around the edges of the ivory bow.  On the top card I added a green bow to match the color of the parasol.  

There are a lot of fun things you can do with  this cute dress die.  Also this Sizzix die includes a deckle edge die cut card which I posted last Monday.

Sizzix Brenda Walton "Princess Dress & Deckled Card" die (65835)

Marianne Design "Umbrella" (LR0263)

Cheery Lynn "Anastasia Border"

Penny Black "Dreams Come True" stamp

Stickles

Kaiser Craft pearls

Glue N' Seal

919085

Heartfelt Creations Flower Pot

Do you like to create shaped cards?   I have made many flower pots with a pull out greeting, but now Heartfelt Creations has made it so easy.  In their new Balmy Breeze collection they have included two size flower pot dies in the "Decorative Flower Pot" die set.  I used two of the larger die cut pots for the bottom.  They were die cut using Tim Holtz "Kraft-Core" card stock then embossed using the Mpress "Retro Swirls 1" embossing folder.  Because this is a Kraft- card stock, you can sand the colored card stock and the kraft color will show through.  I used the Tim Holtz little "Sanding Block".  The two pots were put together along the edges using 1/8" ScorTape.    Along the top edge of the pot I added a Spellbinders "Moroccan Accents" border. 

The smaller flower pot die was used for the insert.  It was die cut using ivory card stock.  On the back of the insert,  I glued one of the Decorative Lattice Swirl die cuts for stability for the flowers.  I used the Heartfelt Creations "Posy Patch PreCut set" for the flowers.  They were black embossed on wine colored textured card stock then cut out with the matching Posy Patch dies.  The leaves  from the "Beautiful You PreCut Set" were also black embossed on green textured card stock and cut out with the "Decorative Flower Pot" dies.  The leaves and flowers were shaped then added to the top of the insert.  The sentiment is from the "Beautiful You PreCut set". 

After the insert was completed, it was put back into the center of the pot and additional flowers were added to the front of the pot.  The tag is also from the "Decorative Flower Pot" dies.  One of the sentiments from the "Beautiful You PreCut Set" was stamped on the tag.  The edges of the tag and flower pot were sponged with Distress Ink.

This was a very easy and fun card to create.  Heartfelt Creations has a great variety of flowers you can add.  

You can purchase this beautiful collection of stamps and dies from Joan's Gardens.  If you purchase the "I want it All" package from Joan's Gardens, you will save $24.94.

 

Products used:

Heartfelt Creations "Decorative Flower Pot" die set (HCD 732)

Heartfelt Creations "Beautiful You PreCut Set" (HCPC 3532)

Heartfelt Creations "Decorative Lattice Swirl die cuts" HCD 733)

Heartfelt Creations "Posy Patch Flowers PreCut Set" (HCPC 3303)

Heartfelt Creations "Post Patch" dies (HCD 701)

MPress "Retro Swirls 1" embossing folder 

Spellbinders "Moroccan Accents" Border

Tim Holtz Kraft-Core 12x12 Core-dinations Paper Pad

Tim Holtz Sanding Block

Scor-Tape

Distress Ink

VersaMark

Black embossing Powder

917966

Hello

Today I have a card created using one of the die cuts from the new Sizzix, Brenda Walton, Princess Dress and Deckled Card die.  I only used the deckled card portion of this die.   The bottom edge of the card has the pretty scalloped edge and I used the Tim Holtz punch to add holes in the scallops.    I also created a card with the Princess Dress die and will post that at a later this week.  

The background for this card was embossed with the Crafter's Companion "Regency Swirls" 8x8 embossing folder and glued to the deckled card.  Along the bottom I added one of the Cheery Lynn "Expandable Tiny Borders".  The flower arrangement was created with the new Memory Box "Fabulous Phlox" dies.  The butterflies are the Memory Box "Pippi Butterfly" and the pretty corner is by Joy! Crafts.  The sentiment is from a JustRite stamp set.

Crafter's Companion Regency Swirls 8"x8" embossing folder (EF8-RG Swirl)

Sizzix Brenda Walton "Princess Dress & Deckled Card" die  (658358) 

Memory Box "Fabulous Phlox" (98511)

Memory Box "Pippi Butterfly"  (98508)

Joy Crafts "corner" (6002/1035)

Cheery Lynn "Expandable Tiny Borders" (B215)

916945

Silhouette Flower

Do you like to create silhouette cards using dies?   Marianne Design has four floral dies that create beautiful silhouette cards. It is a very quick and easy way to complete your cards.

I used a polka dot design paper I had in my stash.  It has a velvet finish to it.  The oval used is the Marianne Design "LR0240" die.  There are four dies in this set.  (I have changed the number of this die - I originally listed it was the Marianne Design LR0235)   The flower is the Marianne Design "LR0248" flower.  The sentiment is from the JustRite "Topsy Turvy Cakes" stamp set.  A silk bow was added to complete this pretty card.  

Joan's Gardens has these pretty Marianne Dies in stock. 

Products used:

Marianne Design "flower" (LR0248)

Marianne Design "oval" LR0240)

JustRite "Topsy Turvy Cakes" stamp set

Silk Ribbon

Bow Easy 

916218

Joan's Gardens Weekly Challenge

It is time for a new challenge at Joan's Gardens. Joan is in the hospital, but  she pre-posted all the information about the challenge and added the link so you can add your cards to her blog. The challenge requirements are only listed here on my blog.   

The challenge this week is to create a card with butterflies. 

• Use at least 2 butterflies
• Add at least 3 different types of flowers
• Use aqua or light blue and white for the background
• Add a sentiment

For my card I used the Cheery Lynn "Chicken Wire Frame" over a piece of aqua blue card stock.  The pretty die cut in the center of the card is the new Marianne Design "Vintage Fan 1".  There are two pieces to this set but I only used the fan piece and not the "angel" wing.  You can make a beautiful fan with this die cut.  In the center is a sentiment from a JustRite stamp set.

In the upper left corner I added the Memory Box "Kaleidoscope Butterfly" with the Memory Box "Moonlight Butterfly" below.  On the right side above the flowers is one of the Cheery Lynn "Exotic Butterfly Small" butterflies.  

The pretty rose was die cut using the Spellbinders "Spiral Blossom Four" die.  Two Cheery Lynn "Cuties Fringe 4" flowers were added on each side of the rose.  On the left side I added the Marianne Design Mistletoe (LR0245) and glued on flowers from the Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower #2" embellishments. (I think this piece makes a great piece of greenery for adding little flowers.)   Above the rose, I used one of the Marianne Design "Decorative Elegance" embellishments and glued on the tiny Cheery Lynn "Baby's Breath" flowers from the Build A Flower #2 Embellishments.  Tucked around the rose are leaves from the Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip".  

I hope you will join us this week for our challenge.  I know Joan will enjoy viewing all your entries while she is recovering from her surgery.  

Products used:

Cheery Lynn "Chicken Wire Frame" FRM144

Spellbinders "Spiral Blossom Four" S4364

Marianne Design (Fan) LR0264

Cheery Lynn "Exotic Butterfly Small"  DL113

Memory Box "Kaleidoscope Butterfly" 98261

Memory Box "Moonlight Butterfly"  98260

Marianne Design Mistletoe (LR0245)

Marianne Design "Decorative elegance" (LR0157)

Cheery Lynn "Build A Flower #2" Embellishments (B188)

Cheery Lynn "Cuties Fringe 4" (B258)

Cheery Lynn "Flourish Leaf Strip"  (B178)

913631

Heartfelt Creations April Release

Isn't this new doily from the new Heartfelt Creations "Balmy Breeze" Collection beautiful.  There are two matching doily dies in this set.  The leaves are from the "Beautiful You PreCut Set", then cut out with the matching dies.  These dies are so easy to use because they have little marks you line up with dots that are stamped with the leaves.  You do not have to create a template and they are die cut perfectly on the stamped lines.  Love it!  The flower was created with the "Delicate Asters PreCut Set" and cut out with the matching Asters dies.  The sentiment is from the "Beautiful You Precut Set".  I couldn't decide if I should add a purple bow under the flower, so I have also posted a picture of the card with the bow.  Which one do you like best?

You can preorder this new Heartfelt Creations "Balmy Breeze" Collection from Joan's Gardens.

Heartfelt Creations products used:

Balmy Breeze Collection dies

Beautiful You PreCut Set (HCPC 3532)

Delicate Asters PreCut Set (HCPC 3494)

Delicate Asters Dies (HCD 726)