Sweet Stamps: Paper Piecing and Western Challenge

I have two cards to share with you today as a guest designer for Sweet Stamps.

Paper Piecing Card
The current monthly technique challenge at Sweet Stamps is on Paper Piecing. Here is my contribution:

I started by stamping this bee on two separate sheets of patterned papers. I cut out the eyes and wings from the pale blue sheet and popped it on top of the yellow sheet.

I wanted a school theme so I placed the bee in front of a slate board and paper pieced some chalk and a chalk holder. I had the bee write the sentiment, which is actually this stamp. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

365 Cards: Day 259 - In a Bubble

Lady Anne's Challenges: #11 Anything Goes

Western Card

The current weekly challenge theme at Sweet Stamps is Western. I made a shaker card for my nephew since he likes to dress up like a cowboy when he goes to Knott's Berry Farm. 

I made a scalloped frame around the photo using some punched circles of a horse silhouette stamp. Here is the card when it is shaken. 

I used a quick and easy washi tape technique to make the shaker element. 

If you would like further details on either card, please see this post. If you would like to enter the paper piecing challenge, please go here. If you would like to enter the Western challenge, please go here. 

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Divas by Design: Anything Goes

Inklings & Yarn: Inky Linky Party 30

Clear it Out Challenge Blog: Theme - Boys, Stash - Circle Punch

Thanks so much for moseying on by,

Paper Made Bakery: Shaker Card

Back in Action

Hello friends! I just returned from my vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii and am now delving back into the scrappy world and my blog. I spent a week with my hubby and my dad touring the varying terrains of the Big Island. My favorite site was the Hawaiian Vanilla Company, which is an orchid farm. The black tents house some of the new orchids. 

I never knew vanilla beans grow from hand pollenated flowers on the vanilla orchid plant, which is then soaked in oak barrels of Everclear for 8 months to make vanilla extract. I bought three beans to make my own extract. I'll tell you in 8 months how it turns out. 

The Reveal

Today is also my reveal day over at Paper Made Bakery, so please stop by to see the whole card and tips to make your own. I'd love it if you left a comment so I know you dropped by. I utilized a lot of the fun elements from this month's Garden Art kit. 

Thanks so much for stoppin' by, 

Paper Made Bakery: May Kit Reveal + Blog Hop + Giveaway

The Hop:

Welcome to Paper Made Bakery's May release blog hop! If you've just arrived from Ryann's site, then you've come to the right place. If you would like to start from the beginning, please hop on over to Paper Made Bakery's blog. If you are lost, this the blog hop order:

Paper Made Bakery

Stephanie

Savannah

Ryann

Michelle (←you are here)

Lisa

Ashley

The Reveal:

I've always loved shaker cards since they are so fun, interactive and filled with motion. I decided to make one for today's blog hop to celebrate PMB's newest release Portobello Road. The elements are so elegant and feminine, you just can't go wrong with anything that you'll create using this latest kit. 

Portobello Road Kit

I printed out the sentiment, "You are one in a million". To match my sentiment, I punched out multiple beige and white circles  and only one red circle with a number one on it from Pink Paislee's "London Market" 6 x 6" paper pad. The recipient can shake the card to try and find the one red circle representing their uniqueness within the sea of mediocrity.

Shake it Up

The Kit:

May's Fresh Baked Kit entitled Portobello Road features Pink Paislee's "London Market" line which has a definite shabby chic and vintage feel to it.  The colors are very delicate and the embellishment pack includes lots of trinkets from the past...authentic vintage lace and sheet music, ephemera, spool tops, crepe paper, buttons, dainty loops ribbon, pearl stick pins, and a tiny clothes pin clip. It is a virtual treasure trove for those who love to layer. 

The Tutorial:
I save my packaging from various items when it looks like it can be reused for scrappy purposes. I think this clear packaging held some American Crafts buttons, but my LSS also sells these. Just find something that looks like a window. 

I cut out the protruding part of the packing so it is a square with a bit of edge around it. I traced the square onto the back of my patterned paper and cut out the square shape with an exacto knife.

I adhered the window piece to the back of my pattern paper with my tape runner. Within the window I added my circle punches and a sprinkle of glitter (optional).

One of the die cut pieces from the embellishment pack fit the opening so I placed that over the window and taped around the edges. You can also use a piece of patterned paper cut slightly larger than the opening.

I adhered the patterned paper onto my cardstock base and then decorated with additional pieces from the embellishment pack. It turned out so fun and cute! Now the hard part is having to give this away.

The Giveaway:

As a way to say thank you for participating in today's blog hop, Paper Made Bakery is giving  a goodie bag worth over $50 to two lucky participants. 

You have until midnight of Wednesday May 2nd and a winner will be announced on PMB's blog on May 3, 2012.

Good luck to all! Your next stop is Lisa's blog. Remember there are daily inspiration projects and tutorials on the PMB's blog all month long. 

Thanks for hoppin' by,

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