Birdhouse

 

While on my trip over to the Oregon coast, I found a very cute moss covered birdhouse at my favorite craft store in Vancouver, Washington.  It was a perfect little home decor piece to add some of my favorite flowers.   I added some fuchsia flowers created with Susan's Garden  Fuchsia dies and a spray of small purple flowers created with Susan's Garden Forsythia dies.  A couple of little birds, also found at the craft store, were added.

While on vacation, I also found some great things to work on some more mixed media pieces.  I am anxious to started figuring out what new piece I can create.

Arianna Blooms

 

This is a card I designed using the new Heartfelt Creations new Arianna Collection stamps, dies and design paper.  Have you been over to the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see the video Emma Lou posted this week showing all the tips for creating different flowers with the new Arianna Blooms stamp set and die?  She shows you how to shape the flower petals to achieve different types of flowers and how to shape and create beautiful stamens.  You can find the video at this LINK.  I created a box full of Arianna Blooms before I saw Emma Lou's video and now have additional new flowers I want to create.  In the box below are the flowers completed so far;  I have not completed the stamens in all these flowers.

I have been working with different types of paper such as vellum and different textured card stock and have created a box full of pretty blooms.  In the picture you can see the Arianna Blooms stamp (HCPC3608).  It is one stamp with the five flowers on it and there is a matching die you lay over it to quickly die cut all five flowers at once. 

This is a picture of the Arianna Blooms die (HCD748).  This set includes the dies for both the flowers and the stamens.  You can go over to Heartfelt  Creations at this LINK to see the entire Arianna Blooms Collection. 

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Heartfelt Creations Alumni Design Team Blog Hop

 It is the fun time of the month for the Heartfelt Creations Alumni Design Team Blog Hop.  This month there are 14 Alumni Designers participating to give you a lot of inspiration.  For viewing all these projects and leaving a comment before Friday, June 27th at midnight, you have a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate to shop at Heartfelt Creations.  A random drawing will be held from one of the blogs and announced at noon on June 28th.  Here is the list of designers participating:

Giovana Smith
Candy Slabaugh
Amarilys Doria
Lisa Nazario-Gregory:
Vicki Dutcher:
Cibele Glazer
Selma Stevenson  (you are here)
Emilia van den Heuvel
Linda Loew:
Glenda Brooks
Mary Faus:
Sarah Miller:
Alissa Wells
Lisa Allen

 

For my project this month I decided to create flowers with the Heartfelt Creations Majestic Morning Background PreCut Set and Heartfelt Creations design paper to create a gift box.  The flowers were die cut using the Majestic Blooms die.  The flowers were die cut using white card stock.  The ends of the petals were sponged with Squeezed Lemonade Distress Ink, then the tips sponged with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink.  The flowers were then sprayed with Cappuccino Perfect Pearls Mist to tone down the bright color.  Next I lightly brushed on Viva 3D Gold Stamp Paint, to give it some glimmer.  The leaves were stamped with the Heartfelt Creations Open Leaf PreCut Set and die cut using the Classic Leaf Die.  

The doily was die cut using one of the Raindrops on Roses dies.  I wanted to tell you about a new tool you can get from Heartfelt Creations for cleaning out those intricate dies.  It is called the Spellbinders "Tool 'n One". This tool is a quick and easy way to clean out all those little die cut pieces that stick in your die. I love this tool.   You can see Emma Lou showing how well the Tool n' One works in her Arianna Blooms Video   

 Be sure to visit all the Heartfelt Alumni Design Team blogs for a lot of inspiration and a chance to win that $25 Gift Certificate from Heartfelt Creations.

Here are links at Heartfelt Creations for products used:

Heartfelt Creations Majestic Morning Background PreCut Set

Heartfelt Creations Majestic Blooms die

Heartfelt Creations Open Leaf PreCut Set 

Heartfelt Creations Classic Leaf Die

Heartfelt Creations Raindrops on Roses die

Viva Gold 3D Stamp Paint

Spellbinders Tool 'n One

 

Mixed Media Project for Guest Designer Post

 This is my second guest designer post for Gloria Stengel for the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog.  I was a little nervous about this challenge but oh my, how fun it was!  I have not worked with mixed media much, but you can get very creative with different mixed media techniques to add to a piece.  This challenge was a lot of fun because I not only pulled out many items I have been hoarding for something special, but I worked with a variety of different mixed media products.  Here are the challenge rules:

Challenge #10 Spray It! Ink It! Paint It! Smear It! Emboss It!

Show us your inner mixed media diva! Use spray mists, inks, paints, modeling paste, embossing powder, pastels, chalk, and whatever messy media you can find! Let's dig into that hoard, pull out some of that "messy stuff," and use it up! There is a mess-maker hiding in all of you! Let her/him out to play!

Below I  will show you how I prepared the background for my project.

I started off with a piece of corrugated cardboard from a box.  It measures 7" x 9".

I tore off the top layer of the cardboard to  expose the corrugated center.

After I was happy with the exposed portion of the corrugated board, I used a sponge brush and painted it with Faber Castell Gesso.

I chose three different pieces of design paper to work with.  This one is from Heartfelt Creations.

These are the other two pieces of design paper.

I cut the 12x12" piece of design paper down to fit the cardboard then tore the edges as shown above.  I dampened the edges and rolled the edges and dried the with the heat gun.  Next I sponged on Distress ink on the torn edges.

I cut the third piece of design paper to fit across the bottom of the piece, then tore part of the larger piece across to expose the design paper with the script.  I also tore the lower right side off the script design paper.  The edges were rolled and sponged.  There is an additional little tear in the upper left side.

This is how the design papers looked on the corrugated card board.

Once the three pieces of design paper were glued together, I started adding texture by using different templates and Faber Castell Whipped Spackle. It is hard to see but there is script and brick texture in several places on the design papers.  I used a variety of inks to color the Studio 490 Embossing Paste and to also add additional color to the background.  Color was also sponged over the Gesso.  Once I was happy with the colors, I brushed on some Pearl Ex powders then spayed over the entire piece using a variety of colors of Perfect Pearls Mists.

Once the background was completed I started adding different elements I have been hoarding plus some of the Susan's Garden flowers I have created.  The pretty leaves are from Marianne Design.  I stamped the "Our Daily Bread" Sentiment on white card stock, sponged on some color then curled in the edges.  It was attached with dimensional tape.  Before adding some of the pieces, such as the music, time piece, fence, grass, and leaves, I sponged on Gesso and used chalks and Pan Pastels to add color.  Once the piece was all assembled, I again used a variety of Perfect Pearls Mists and finished off by spraying the entire piece with Tattered Angels Pearl Glimmer Mist.  

I had no idea how this was going to turn out when I started, but was extremely happy with it when it was completed.  I know I am hooked now and will be creating more mixed media projects.

Heartfelt Creations Arianna Collection

 

Today the new Heartfelt Creations Arianna Collection is released.   Step away from the hustle and bustle as you enter a peaceful garden that winds its way through flower strewn paths in sunny hues of yellow, pink and green and richly hued background papers that are reminiscent of shaded bowers. Hand drawn stamps plant seeds of inspiration with images of bird houses, cottage gardens, artfully arranged florals and elegant sentiments.  The Arianna Blooms die allows you to create five blossoms with one pass through your cutting machine while the Arianna Lace die contains intricate flowers, lacy doilies delicate foliage, corners and page accents. Refresh your spirit and let your creativity flourish with the Arianna Blooms collection.

With this collection I decided to work with one of the beautiful 12x12 sheets of Arianna design paper to create a wall hanging for a birthday gift.   It was attached to a 12x12 canvas art board.  In the center I used one of the 6x6" card panels.  I used the birdhouse stamp from the "Arianna Bird Haven PreCut Set" to add to the upper left side of this panel. It was stamped, colored with Copic markers and cut out then attached with double sided tape.  The image was stamped a second time and the flowers were colored and cut out to add dimension to the birdhouse.  The Sentiment is from the "Arianna Birthday PreCut Set". 

The Arianna Blooms PreCut Set" includes five flowers.  These were stamped many times to create all the flowers on this piece.  They were stamped using Colorbox Rouge ink.  The Arianna Blooms die, to die cut these flowers, is so easy to use.  You don't need to cut a template and holds well over the stamped images if you are using the Sizzix Magnetic plate - if you aren't using the magnetic plate, just tape the die over the stamped images.  To add more color to the flowers, I sponged additional ink around the tips of the petals.  The stamens were die cut with the stamen dies in this collection.  The tips of each stamen were dotted with glue and dipped in Susan's Garden yellow pollen.  All the pretty doilies and flourishes were die cut using dies from the Arianna Blooms Collection.  Pearls were added to complete this project.

Since I don't do scrapbooking, it was fun to figure out a way to use this beautiful 12x12 design paper to create a wall hanging.

Be sure to go over to the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see all the beautiful cards/projects created by the design team for a lot more inspiration using this beautiful Arianna Blooms Collection.

These are the Heartfelt Creations Products used:

Arianna Design Paper Collection

Arianna Bird Haven PreCut Set HCPC3611

Arianna Birthday PreCut Set HCPC3612

Arianna Blooms PreCut Set HCPC3608

Arianna Blooms dies

Craft Hoarders Anonymous Guest Designer

 

I was very honored to be asked by Gloria Stengel to be a guest designer for the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge this month.  This week the #9 Challenge is "Fold It".  Here is the information for this challenge. 

Use some sort of "fun fold" on your project. You can make a fun fold card, a pop-up card, an explosion box, or other type of project that makes use of folded cardstock or paper. You can share some folding techniques that are perfect for scrapbook layouts or mixed media pieces. Create a mini album with a folded binding. Fold some ribbon to make pleats. De-hoard those supplies and show us your folds....paper folds that is!

sponsors: WorldWin Papers and StencilGirl

For  this challenge I created a 6"x6" Explosion Box. This is a larger explosion box from any others I have seen or made. I created a larger box so I could enclose a a "chest" in the center, with four drawers.   Below I have a tutorial to show you how I created it.

I used a 12"x12" piece of card stock for the bottom of this explosion box. Using my Scor-Pal, I scored at 3" from the edge of the card stock, on all four sides.   Crease each score line well with a bone folder. The corner squares were cut off as shown. If you haven't made an explosion box before, the sides fall down when you remove the lid from the box.  These measurements will create a 6"x6" explosion box. 

To create the lid for the box, use another 12"x12" piece of card stock.  Score all sides at 3". 

 Cut up to the score line on two sides of this piece, as shown above, then on the "flap" (3"x3") piece cut off a narrow piece forming a "V" shape.  This will help create a smooth edge when you attach the end pieces to the long piece to create a lid.Do this again on the opposite side.

This picture shows you were to add tape to the end pieces so it holds securely.  You need to add tape to folded ends on both sides.

 With the end pieces inside the lid, match end pieces to score lines and press firmly, to create your lid.  You now have all the pieces ready to decorate your explosion box.

This is the Craft Hoarder Anonymous challenge, so I have dug out items, including design paper I have been hoarding to decorate the sides and the top of the box.  On the top I have added a Marianne Design Petra's Ornaments (LR0279) doily to the lower left side.  On top I created a hydrangea using Susan's Garden Hydrangea dies.  The small flowers were created using the Memory Box "Norland Flower dies".  The butterflies were cut out of Graphic 45 Design paper.

 On the front side of the lid, I added a Marianne  Design, Anja's Vintage Frame.  On the other three sides,  I added the Spellbinder Flourish Trim,S2-005.

 

To create the little "chest" for the center of the Explosion Box, I created four little match boxes (2.25" x 3"), attached them together with ScorTape then enclosed them with a long strip to go completely around the boxes.  The chest was covered with more of the same design paper used on the explosion box then decorated with two hydrangeas created with Susan's Garden dies.  The inside panels were decorated with Marianne Design Anja's Vintage Frame, Memory Box Norland Flowers and Graphic 45 butterflies cut from the Design Paper. 

Close up pictures of the small box inside the Explosion Box.  Susan's Garden Hydrangea flowers decorate the top of this box.

You Make Me Happy

 

I love working with the Marianne Design dies.  Today I designed a card using the Marianne Design Anja's Delicate Corner and Marianne Design Petra's Heart.  In the center of Petra's Heart I used a stamp from the Sentiments Collection by Our Daily Bread.  The flowers I used are from the Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur Stamp set.  They were cut out with the matching Sun Kissed  Fleur dies.  These are flowers left over from a previous card I created.  The die cuts were backed with blue card stock and pearls added to complete the card.  I tucked in some dried baby's breath around the flowers.

Have a great weekend.

Here are links to products used:

Marianne Design Anja's Delicate Corner

Marianne Design Petra's Heart dies

Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur PreCut stamp set

Heartfelt Creations Sun Kissed Fleur dies

Spring Flowers

 

 I have been busy planting flowers in pots for my deck and front porch, and this beautiful piece of Heartfelt Creations design paper fits right in with this activity to inspire me to create a quick and easy card.

This is a picture of the Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret design paper I used.  As you can see, I cut a 6x6 piece off the lower right corner.  I wanted to put some texture on the left side of the panel so I embossed it using the Sizzix Basket Weave embossing folder.   Even though it is a basket weave design, I thought it resembled a stone wall.  To bring out the embossed "stones", I sponged on white Pan Pastels.  

 I used the smallest flower and leaf stamp in the Heartfelt Creations Botanical Floral 2 PreCut set. The were die cut using the matching dies.  The flowers were die cut using white card stock and the tips sponged with Spun Sugar Distress Ink.  To add some sparkle to the card I decided to add Thistle Stickles to the edges of the flowers.  The leaves in the design paper were touched up with Lime Green Stickles. A pink silk bow was added to complete the card.

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