Tuesday, March 31, 2015

One sketch...three cute cards

I used this great sketch from Viva La Verve that I found on Pinterest.  Don't you just love Pinterest?
I love the fact that we can find so much inspiration in one location. 


Created this card for my youngest daughter to celebrate her musical year at college.
I turned the sketch on it's side and hand wrote the sentiment instead of using a square. 

With the exception of switching the Washi Tape to the opposite sides, this card is pretty
close to the sketch.

I switched  the square to a strip and only used one piece of Washi Tape in the corners.
I added a long strip of Washi Tape under the sentiment.

Happy Crafting
Theresa

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Create A Card Blog Hop

Welcome to the Create A Card Blog Hop!



We are so happy you could join us today.  This is a one day blog hop, but don’t worry you have until Monday to stop by all the blogs and leave a comment to be entered into the drawing for the wonderful prize we have for you today.

Catherine Pooler, founder of StampNation and Creativity Grows Here has generously donated a trial membership to StampNation for us to give away to those who hop along with us.  To learn more about these wonderful places for stampers and paper crafters to go for fun, inspiration and learning click the icons below. 
   

  

To be entered in the drawing, just comment and follow each of the blogs on the hop today. That’s it, it is just that easy. Prizes will be drawn and announced on this blog on Wednesday April 1st (and that's no fooling).

Now on with the projects!

I was inspired by a video that Catherine did on StampNation this week.  So I've created some inlaid diecut cards and used watercolor techniques on several of them from her wonderful Creativity Grows Here class, Technique Toolbox.



I used Ranger Distress Inks on Ranger Watercolor Paper to create this rainbow background piece.
I then used a Sizzix die set to cut out the rainbow with clouds and the hello dies.  Being super careful
not to lose any of the "bits."  

I cut the same dies from another piece of  RWP.  I then added the opposite diecut to the backgrounds,
carefully replacing all the "bits" of the word hello. 

Used the same supplies for this one and added some flowers and pearl beads.

After I cut out my hello for the card above I used my RDI to paint a heart and added
Wink of Stella Clear Glitter Brush Pen to the top after it was dry.  I then flicked the same ink
all over the card front.
I cut three of the same die from this piece of navy cardstock.   I used them to create the 3 cards below.
I filled in these diecuts with one piece from the card directly below and one from white cardstock and one from a light blue
cardstock. 

I used RDI again to create this wrinkle free distress background. 

Same thing here, but with much brighter colors.  Isn't it awesome? 


This last one I added Ranger Glossy Accents to the diecuts after it was inlaid and used an
enamel dot for the dot of the i and the flower centers and tiny ones for the upper corner.
All cuts were made with the Sizzix You & Me Thinlit Die Set.


Well I hope you enjoyed these cards.  I had a great time making them.  Your next stop on the hop is Sandy.


Catherine has been so incredibly generous that ScrapsByGracie blog readers get an extra chance to win a fabulous prize.  So leave a comment on this blog and tell me which of the blog projects in the hop you liked the best and you'll be entered once for the StampNation membership and once for a class of your choice at Creativity Grows Here.



Happy Hopping
Theresa

Friday, March 27, 2015

Friday Challenge: Create your own floral background

Today I challenge you to dig out your floral stamps and create and color your own backgrounds for your cards.

I used two sets of Inkadinkadoo stamps to create this background.  I purposely left some uncolored to create a flow down the card.


I used Versa Fine Black Onyx Ink and clear embossing powder then colored with my Copic markers.

Happy Crafting
Theresa

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Tuesday Technique

It's been a little while since I featured a technique, but I just finished Catherine Pooler's great Technique Toolbox Class.  If you want to learn some fabulous techniques to use all those dye inks you've collected, I highly recommend this class.

Today's card is a CASE (copy and share everything) of one of the class sample cards.

It features several techniques, including emboss resist, direct to paper inking (from class) and masking.


I stamped the umbrella twice, once on the card front and one on a post it note.  I fussy cut out the post it note umbrella and added a little two way glue to make the entire thing sticky.  I was out of full page post its.

I let the glue dry til tacky then applied it to the card front.  I stamped the raindrops.

The raindrops are emboss resist technique. They are stamped in Versa Mark ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  

After heat embossing the raindrops I took my Ranger Distress Ink direct to paper to create the rain. I inked the top several times for a darker application but the bottom of the card only once.

I then removed the mask and stamped the flowers on the umbrella and sentiment in Versa Fine Black Onyx ink and applied clear embossing powder and heat set.

It was really that simple and I love how it turned out.  I challenge you to give this technique a try.

Happy Crafting
Theresa

Friday, March 20, 2015

Friday Challenge: Tri-fold (or Shutter) Card

Today's challenge is a special fold card and it is a Tri-fold or Shutter card.

Here is a YouTube video from The Mad Stamper that will walk you through the steps to creating this cute and rather easy card.



Here are my takes on this card style:







I hope I've inspired you to try a different card type today.

Don't forget to upload your cards to the Flickr Gallery.

Happy Crafting

Theresa

Monday, March 16, 2015

Merry Monday Challenge Blog

As you may know I posted that I was getting a head start on my Christmas cards this year by following the Merry Monday Challenge Blog.

Well I've been so behind trying to participate in the GOC and the entire month of February with LOAD215 I didn't get them done.

I did however create this cute penguin card the other day when I was trying out the Cricut Create a Critter cartridge before making a penguin card for my youngest daughter who just got accepted into Theta Phi Alpha at college.

.

 I cut and layered him and then added Mod Podge Dimensional Magic for the glossy finish.  I used a patterned paper from a 4x6 Holiday mat stack.

I love how it turned out.  Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up with the Merry Monday challenge blog in the next couple of weeks.  I'll post those cards when I get them done. 

Happy Crafting
Therea








Saturday, March 14, 2015

Picture Perfect Blog Hop



Welcome to the Picture Perfect Blog Hop! We encourage you to take a moment this week to print out those precious memories that are stored away in our phones and computers. With digital photography, I have taken tons of pictures but am so far behind on my scrapbooking. Printing them off will not only preserve them but encourage me to go ahead and tell the story of my life events.

In appreciation of your visit today, Michele is giving away this little bundle of blog candy! Simply visit, comment and follow each of the blogs below to be entered to win! Check back on Michele's blog on Wednesday March 18th to see if you are the winner!




I chose to use my photos while they were still in the digital format.  I've gotten to the point where I really like being able to create a page quickly in PicMonkey and print it out.  My hubby bought me a Canon Pro-100 large format printer and I can print up to 13" wide and up to 19" long so I'm able to print my 12x12" pages with ease.  Although the pages aren't fancy in PicMonkey, I like the fact that I can get lots of pictures on the page and still be able to journal and import things like the XU logo for this page of a college visit day with our daughter, Rachel.

So here are my pages for the hop:








Thank you so much for taking the time to hop with us today. Your next stop is Lisa .

Happy Crafting
Theresa
  
Here is the complete lineup:

Friday, March 13, 2015

Friday Challenge: Z fold cards

Today's challenge is to create a Z-fold card.

I've got a little picture tutorial for you.  This tutorial was borrowed from the Stampin' Dolce Blog. Please stop by and check out her great blog and if you are a Stampin' Up fan she has some great ideas for their products.



Now for a few examples:

The first two pictures are the same card, just different perspectives.

I used a Heidi Swapp mistable flower with so green mist and a little Pearl Ex powder in the center, along with a gemstone brad.



For this one I used a Heidi Swapp mistable heart and my distress inks to color it.  I also used a bit of wire behind it for some dimension.  The front sports a tag and brad.


We have a Flickr Group/Page that is exclusively for the use of my blog followers.  You can find photos from both of my blogs there and can upload your pics of the cards you create while doing the challenges.
Flickr is a FREE photo sharing site and it is free to join our little group of crafters, just click the HERE.

I hope you enjoy the challenges that are presented each day and that you'll take the time to upload your pics of the cards you've created to the gallery, so I and your fellow crafters in blog land can ohh and ahh over them.  

As always any constructive comments are appreciated. (Negative Nelly's need not bother.)

Happy Crafting

Theresa

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Virtual Crop Challenges

I hosted a virtual crop on Saturday for a few of my favorite crafting buddies.  Info on the next one is at the bottom of the post. We'd love to have you join us next time.

For each virtual crop that we do, we have a few challenges.  You can either create scrapbook layouts, cards or mixed media projects that follow the theme.

Here are the challenges and my take on them.


Challenge #1  Create a scrapbook page or card that uses grey/white/yellow as the color scheme. Anything else you add is up to you.

I used Ranger Distress Inks over the craftersworkshop stencil and this large sentiment stamp by Heidi Swapp.


Challenge #2  Create a scrapbook page or card that uses purple/teal/pink as the color scheme, use ribbon or twine too. Anything else you add is up to you.


I used Ranger Distress inks over a Craftersworkshop stencil and Heidi Swapp Spray Mist in white over the entire thing.  I used some alphabet stamps and Memento black and elderberry inks for the letters.

Challenge #3  Create a scrapbook page or card that uses at least 3 different printed papers.  Anything else you add is up to you.


I used papers from a 6x6 paper pad and some paper flowers and a little jewel for this one.




Alicia and I also created card backgrounds that we sent to each other and then made cards from.


Here are the cards I made with the backgrounds Alicia sent to me:

This one is using the inlaid die technique. I really like how it turned out. This was the first time I tried this technique. 

HUGE thanks to Alicia 
for co-hosting with me and sending me these great backgrounds to play with.


For this one, I used the same stencil that I used to create the glittery background that I sent to Alicia.  I used Memento Elderberry Ink and Versa Mark ink and SU white embossing powder for the sentiment.

I didn't change the background in anyway on this one.  I used Heidi Swapp spray mist in gold on the outer diecut and used dimensionals to add height to the sentiment.





Would you like to join us for the next virtual crop? 

Join us for a evening of fun and challenges. We will create scrapbook layouts and cards, play a few games, chat and have a really good time, without ever having to leave home.

I will also post all the challenges on this event after the crop.

Feel free to create at your on pace and upload your completed projects in the comments under each challenge here on the event. 

Remember you can always access past events by clicking on the * next to Create An Event at the top of the Events page.

There will card and layout challenges and we might even get in a game or two. 

So come as you are and let's get crafting.

If you are interested in participating in the Virtual Crops you will need to sign up at Big Marker and become part of the Papercrafters USA community. It is FREE! We are limited to 50 people for each event on the free plan, but we can have hundreds of community members. The events will also be recorded and can be watched later. Any questions let me know.

https://www.bigmarker.com/conferences/4712f1fa2b99



Happy Crafting
Theresa

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Clean & Simple Cards

What's there to say about Clean and Simple cards? 
  1. The require very little in the way of products. 
  2. They are fast and easy to create. 
  3. Even a novice can make them.
  4.  I love them!
Today I created four clean and simple cards using the same layout and only a few tools.
They are made using white card bases, white copic quality cardstock for the layer, a single stamp, my Copic markers and so iridescent Pearl Ex spray that I created by mixing one of my Pearl Ex powders with water. 

That's it. It was that easy. Each panel is popped up using foam tape to give the cards a little dimension but you could skip this if you'd like.





Happy Crafting
Theresa

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Groovy 70's Blog Hop

Welcome to today's blog hop.  

Disco, Tiger Beat, Pet Rocks, Mood Rings, and Platform Shoes
Cassette Tapes, Roller Skates, Loves Baby Soft and Boob Tubes.
If you were a child in the Groovy 70's then you most likely remember all of these Dynomite things!
Thank you for joining us in this Far Out Blog Hop celebrating Connie's Birthday!
The 1970's were full of style, fashion, and fun. What better way to celebrate a birthday!

You should have arrived here from Sandy's blog. If you would like to start at the beginning of the hop just click HERE.

We have a fantastic sponsor this month, 3 Girl Jam!
They will be giving one lucky winner a $10 gift certificate to spend on their super awesome ribbons and embellishments!
Visit 3 Girl Jam's blog  or on Facebook  and shop here
What do you need to do to win? Easy... become a follower of each of the fabulous blogs in this hop and leave each of them a comment letting them know what you like best about their projects.
You will have until 12:00 am Monday to finish this hop and leave your comments.
Winners will be announced on Wednesday at Connie Can Crop.
Be sure to follow everyone and leave your blog love along the way!
Keep on Truckin' Friends!! Peace!


Did you grow up in the 1970's?  Me too. 
I've got some great memories and I thought I'd create a few digital layouts that document those memories. 

I created a double page spread for the toys that I remember playing with.  


That got me thinking about Saturday morning cartoons. So I had to create a 2 page layout for those memories too. 



When I print these out, I'll make these two just 8x8 size prints so that I can drop them onto 12x12 card stock with a couple of diecuts that I have of Scooby Doo and some journaling. Scooby Doo was my favorite cartoon character because we had Great Danes dogs. I also loved The Jetsons too because they had a GD too.

Of course creating pages about cartoons got me thinking about the TV shows that were must sees. That lead me to this two page layout.




I hope you've had fun strolling down memory lane with me. Next up is Amanda.

Here's the entire blog line up in case you get lost along the way.