Name that design!

Is it a flower?

I’m not sure what this lovely stamp is but when I picked it out, I knew it would be perfect to use with my new sharpie color set!

So for these cards, I simply stamped the image in black ink and colored in the design according the the family of colors I had in sharpies and highlighters.  I can’t tell you how relaxing it was to just sit and color! No wonder elementary school was so much-All you do is color and read!

At the last minute, I decided to mount the white cardstock onto a matching colored cardstock and add a little bling to one “flower” design.  I think adding bling to all the center pieces would have been overkill but pretty nonetheless.

I texturized matching colored envelopes and gave them as a surprise thank you gift!  I know they are well-loved!

• Recipe: All craftstock from Recollections, Colored Sharpies & highlighters, Studio 18 Strass bling, Design stamp from Hampton Ink, Memento Ink.

Somebunny loves you!

and that somebunny is a cutie!

I’ve had this bunny stamp since the very beginning of spring and for the life of me, I could not figure out what to do with Miss. Rabbit???  It seems almost silly to send someone a “happy spring” card-even though I do have a stamp with that sentiment.  lol.  For some reason, the saying “somebody loves you” came to mind and I just hopped ran with it.

Again, using my favorite Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black, I stamped the bunny on two pieces of cardstock.  I cut out the first bunny and colored her in with a pink sharpie and attached a flower bling so it would look like she was holding a bouquet.  Then, I used my scallop punch to make a cute border around the sentiment.  Final touches were attaching Miss. Rabbit with mini-pop-dots and texturizing the cardstock with polk-a-dots.

I hope the “bunny” I sent this to will love it!

• Recipe: All craftstock from Recollections, Studio 18 Strass pink flower, Pink Sharpie, Martha Stewart Edge Punch Scallop Dot, Stampin’ Up Polkadot texturz plate, Memento Ink Tuxedo Black.

Finding inspiration in everyday things…

Like gift wrap, for example.

I found this lovely green dots gift wrap at target and absolutely loved it.  So much, that it inspired this card!  Also, I think wrapping about 15 little gifts in this wrapping paper started to rub off on me!

For this card, I wrapped the gift paper around a piece of card stock and textured it with polkadots.  I noticed the wrapping paper started to wrinkle in a few areas because it was so thin and the polkadots helped to cover it up!  Using special double sided adhesive tape, I mounted the wrapped card stock onto a white cardstock.  Then, I added matching small and larges circles to give the card a little personality.  I have to say the circles that were partly cut off are my favorite!

So the next time you pick out some wrapping paper keep an eye out because creativity can just be a gift (or 15  gifts) away!

• Recipe: All craftstock from Recollections, wrapping paper from Target, 2×2 Cuttlebug circle die cuts, mini-pop-dots, Stampin’ Up Polkadots Texturz.

Rainbow Cupcakes!

Ready, set, bake!

The secret to making rainbow cupcakes is patience! Because by the time you are adding the last red layer to the 10th cupcake you want to just dump the whole bowl in!  Here’s the best way I figured out to make the rainbow cupcakes with the least amount of tears.  Honestly, it wouldn’t be arts and crafts without crying.

Let’s bake:

Follow the directions on the cake box.  I prefer to use white super moist cake mix because it tastes really yummy.  Step 1: Divide your cake batter into bowls according to how many colors you plan to use.  (I only used 4 colors).  Step 2: Add food coloring to the batter to achieve the desired color.  (I like using gel food coloring because the colors are very vibrant)  Step 3: Set aside a small bowl with water where you will be working because it will be used to spread the cupake layers.  Step 4: Add about 1 tablespoon of blue batter into the cupcake liner and make sure the base is evenly covered.  Step 5: Add 1 tbs of green batter on top of the blue layer.  (The trick I use is to pour the batter along the edges of the cupcake first and then pour it into the middle).  You may notice that all of the green is not spreading out evenly =( Don’t be alarmed! Stick your clean finger into the bowl of water and then lightly use your finger to evenly spread the batter so that you can no longer see the bottom layer.  In case you are wondering, the water helps to keep the batter from sticking to your fingers.  Step 6: Repeat the layering for the rest of the colors.

I usually make a little more red batter than the others colors and add about a tbs and 1/2 of it as a layer.  The reason being once the cupcakes cook, if there’s not a sufficient layer of red, the other colors start to seep through to the top.  (See exhibit 1 in the front!)  Also, by adding orange as a layer, it can help keep the top of the cupcake more red-ish.  Will do that in the future but was too lazy to make orange!

Let’s Frost:

For the frosting, I used a store bought icing and whipped it up with a hand blender for a few seconds.   Using a regular ziplock bag, I scooped the frosting into a corner of the bag, placed it into the fridge for 5 minutes, made a small “snip,” and  happily applied the sugary cloud.

After several attempts, you too can become a happy rainbow cupcake maker! And the best part, you get to eat the not so pretty looking cupcakes, that are still super delicious. TA- DA!!!

Of all the fishies in the sea…

You’re the only one for me!

My best friend (craft name: SoobiPie & BodieBear) designed the card above!!! Isn’t it just adorable?! Her inspiration came from this cute little card made by Simplicity.   We had a fun time trying to think of cute sentiments to go with the whales.  I am secretly trying to get her to be my creative partner because she comes up with such wonderful ideas

After my unsuccessful googling of “great whale quotes,” this is the sentiment that came to mind:

Do you get it? Get well/whale. What can I say, sometimes, I am a cheese ball!

• Recipe: All craftstock from Recollections, Martha Stewart whale punch, Fiskars paper edger wave, Ek success double heart punch, mini-pop dots, Studio 18 Rhinestone Strass in blue.

Here’s the (ice cream) scoop!

“Tomorrow we can eat brocolli, but today is for ice cream!”

FINALLY, I received my memento ink in tuxedo black and I had to make a card just to showcase it.  Now I know why people love this ink! Within a few seconds, the ink was dry (so cool!) and ready for me to add some color.   For this craft delight, I used a combination of highlighters and sharpies to color the sundaes.  This is my first attempt at using colorful sharpies and I have to say, I am rather pleased with the result.  The pigment from the sharpies are great and my only complaint is that they tend to be a little darker (in color), thus I incorporated the highlighters.

After carefully coloring inside the lines, I added a little red bling for the cherries! How can you not love a sundae with a little bling bling?  I attached the sundae with a mini-pop-dot and after much thought, I stamped on the sentiment “enjoy” which is a part of the stamp!  I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not, so I opted with adding blue bling around it.  Now, I love it.  I think that’s the key to craft-happiness, when in doubt, add some bling!

Helpful tip: If  you really want the texture (i.e. polkadots above) to show up on your cardstock simply add another piece of cardstock to your “bigshot sandwich.”  For example, your sandwich layers will be (top to bottom): Impressions pad, an extra piece of cardstock, silicone rubber pad, your cardstock, embossing/texturz plate, multipurpose pad.  Some people prefer to mist the cardstock with a little rubbing alcohol to get the same effect but the thought of soggy “sandwich” is not appealing to me!  Try this technique out-it really makes a difference!

Coffee, Tea or Me?

Well that choice is easy…Small Caramel Ice Blended with whip please!

I have been searching high, low, near and far for a coffee/tea mug stamp and I finally got my hands on this adorable one! Seriously, the polk-a-dots on the mug are just icing on the coffee cake! Love it!

For this card, I’ve been wanting to try a new technique which is to cut out a stamped image and then place it on top of the same stamped image.  So here, I cut of the  mug and saucer and applied it with a mini-pop-dot.   What I love about this stamp is the “steam” is a part of stamp too!

For the final touches, I added some color coordinating bling which I love love love!  I am also obsessed with my rounded corner punch and have been using it non-stop.  Just seeing a plain square or rectangle card kinda bores me now a days.  I may have to control my urges for next time.

Thanks a latte for visiting!

• Recipe: All craftstock from Recollections, Studio 18 Rhinestone Strass in Orange, Coffee/Tea mug stamp from Hampton Art, Mary Engelbreit Rhinestone accents in clear/red, Classic Ink from Stampin’ Up Bold Brights in Tempting Turquoise/Regal Red/Only Orange, Polkadot paper from Scrapbooking & Paper craft supplies.

Masquerading Scotties!

So the next time someone says “masking” in stamping, I will have to quietly say to myself, “Masking equals Messy!”

The challenge for Simplicity this week is to use the masking technique for a background.  Intrigued, I googled masking because I had no clue about the technique.  I came across this website, saw a few examples, and just went with an idea.  Looking back, I think I did it all wrong Regardless, too many beautiful pieces of cardstock were wasted well-loved in the process for me not to post!  So here is my “masquerading” masking technique.

So, I cut out 2 images of scotties onto a sturdy craftstock.   This is only after realizing that once I used my scottie outline with ink, it became too messy to flip over and use in a different direction.  (Wasted cardstock #1).   Next, I placed my scottie outline on a desired spot and stamped the black pigment ink pad over it.  This resulted in waaaaaayyy too much pigment since the cardstock was soaking with ink.  (Wasted cardstock #2).  So, I grabbed a new makeup sponge applicator, dabbed on some ink, and then applied it to my cardstock. The result was Perfecto!

Btw, don’t forget to hold down the cut-out while you are applying the ink or else it may move around!  (Wasted cardstock #3).  Finally, I let the background images dry and then stamped on the sentiment.  Be sure to wipe your hands down before handling the card.  Ink gets everywhere and can ruin a great masterpiece (Wasted cardstock #4).  That mistake hurt the most! lol.

I did a version in pink because after all that work, I didn’t want just ONE card as evidence of my tears! At least now, I have two! Plus, I really enjoy how the “best friends” repetition looks on the pink version! Overall, I like the result even though I didn’t exactly do the technique correctly…”A” for effort right?

Helpful tip: Sometimes you may make a small stamping mistake (i.e. The best friends sentiment on the left side of the pink card did not pick up enough ink and thus there are small patches.  ugh! annoying!) Don’t throw all that work away just yet!  Simply take a black permanent marker and fill in the gaps by hand.  With a little patience and a great sharpie, you can fill in all your mistakes and no one will be the wiser!  Unless, you are like me, and post your mistakes for all to see! lol! 

• Recipe: Craftstock from Recollections, Black pigment ink from Color box, Makeup sponge applicator, “Best friends” stamp from the Paper Company.

Cutie Cupcake Toppers!

Just when you thought the party was over…

I made these fun cupcake toppers in preparation for the birthday party!  The actual design took a very long time but once I figured everything out it was really easy to make!  Originally, I wanted to make car shaped cookies for the party but I remember these wonderful rainbow cupcakes I made which were a hit!  I’m sure the kids will love the yummy butter cream frosting too!

It’s time to start baking!

You Can Have Your Cake…

And eat it too!

Something happened a few weeks ago in terms of my creativity direction.  I was really trying to embrace a simplistic perspective because I was hearing feedback about how girly, cutesy, kiddie, etc some of my crafts have been.  So to remedy it-I went plain n’ simple.  But I got to a point this week where I was scared to even pick up a piece of ribbon, button, bling or anything!  Not because I dislike simple designs but more because I was afraid what others would say or think.

Creativity is about expressing yourself.  Sometimes you may feel overly complicated, girlie, kid-like, or just plain n’ simple.  Not everyone has the same taste or style and that should be celebrated!  Bottom line, I just want to make art that makes me happy.  And this birthday card makes me happy.

• Recipe: All craftstock from Recollections, Birthday Stamp from Hampton Art, Classic Ink from Stampin’ Up Bold Brights in Pixie Pink/Tempting Turquoise/Lovely Lilac, Studio 18 Rhinestone Strass in Pink/Purple/Blue.

To Etsy or not to Esty?

Trying to decide what to do…

A few of my friends have suggested that I try to sell my craft creations on Esty and the thought has crossed my mind.  So much that I did create a tkle crafts store but I have some reservations.  Is there a market? How should I price my items? Do I really want to start a little business?  What to do…what to do…

Happy Father’s Day (Part 3)

The best fatherly advice …

Why is that the case? (see inside of the card):

I saved my favorite card to wrap up the Father’s Day series!  I love this quote because it’s witty, precise, and even scientific!  I remember this quote from a Reader’s Digest that I came across years ago (15 years ago or so!).  What can I say, some things just stick to you-i.e. good advice, no matter how long it has been.

Happy (right around the corner) Father’s Day!!

Happy Everything!

Just add a little happiness.

It’s the middle of the week so of course it’s time for Simplicity’s one layer challenge! The theme is Repetition. Repetition. lol.  I have been dying to use this “Happy everything” stamp that I picked up in the $1 bin at Michaels.  When I read the sentiment it just made me smile!

As suggested, I went digging through my stash to find an accent stamp that came with a stamp set.   I love this little flower and happily stamped it in a few different colors.  After several attempts, I found it was much easier to stamp the sentiment first and then add each flower.

For some odd reason, this card  would not show up well in the light box! I must have tried twenty different ways and ended up going back to my old set up! *argh*  Must perfect my lighting situation! I probably should end this post with a happy thought since the sentiment is happy everything…happy thought? happy thought? OH! My Scottie is getting a very much needed trip to the groomers so I am looking forward to sharing her new-do with you! There! Happy!

• Recipe: White cardstock from Recollections, Classic Bold Bright inks from Stampin’ Up Ink spots, Little flower stamp from The Paper Company, Fiskars Twist & Flip Punch – Round ‘n Round.

Start your engines!

Race on over to P.A.R.T.Y!

I am so excited to be a part of Thomas’ 6th birthday celebration!  I designed this invitation based around race cars because when your six-hot wheels are super cool! I found most of the graphics from clipart and made a few adjustments on photoshop.  I hand cranked 30 of the blue flower die cuts for the trophies. (I now realize why paper punches rule!)  The finishing touches that were not captured in the photo was using my rounded corner punch on two sides of the card.  I made a few in green, yellow, and cream just to give a little variety.  These were a lot of fun to make and I can’t wait to stuff myself with delicious birthday cake! Happy Birthday!

• Recipe: All craftstock from Recollections, Clipart, Cuttlebug 2×2 Flower die cut, Martha Stewart 1-inch Scalloped Circle punch.

Martha Stewart 1-inch Scalloped Circle Punch

Testing 1-2-3!

So, I decided to listen to a photographer-friend and make a light box.  I have to admit I was very skeptical-why not use that $ for more craft supplies?! Here is what a photo looks like under my “normal” setup:

Here is what it looks like with the lightbox. Can we say Wowowowzer!

What a difference $30 bucks can make! I can’t believe it!  I still need to figure out issues such as “why is there more shadow on the right vs left” but overall I am very pleased with the result!  I’m awaiting  “I told you so!” txt from my photog-guru!!

If you’re wondering what I used for my set up:

1. 56 quart clear plastic tub – $5.99
2. three clip lamps – $8.99 each
3. three 60 HZ energy efficient bulbs – previously owned
4. White poster board – $.69
5. two plastic clips – $.25

Now, I’m really excited to take more crafting pictures!