Lulu's Arrival Layout

The Reveal

I ordered a Schipperke puppy from Ohio, because I couldn't find a local breeder in Southern California, so I had a few photos of going to the airport to meet and pick up my dog for the first time. She flew in a tiny carrying case and I picked her up from the airline's freight section. I wanted a sunburst in the background to match my welcome to L.A. theme, but it just happened to be a gray and rainy day. I decided to use my initial concept anyways. 

The Tutorial

I worked with Bo Bunny's Detour collection for Pages from the Heart. I was thinking up different ways to utilize the 6 x 6" paper pad. The 6 x 6" size is too small to cover the entire width of a 12" cardstock. What I did was cut out a smaller piece of cardstock around 6 x 10," created the sunburst on the smaller cardstock and stitched it onto the larger background piece.

Here is a mini tutorial on creating your own sunburst or sunrise background. This is a great way to use up all your loose scraps of papers. 

1. On a piece of scratch paper the size of your sunburst, draw out your rays. Number the sections for easier identification later. 
2. Cut along the rays to make some templates. 
3. Place your patterned paper over a piece of the ray and cut according to the template. 
4. Arrange your newly cut pieces and adhere. Stitch along the seams for a quilted look. 

At this point the layout still looked a little plain, so I added a cluster of embellishments. I cut some arrows from the patterned paper and arranged the strips like a row of banners. I used a circle punch on some travel vehicles from another sheet of patterned paper, adhered them onto circular punched cardstock and added some Glossy Accent on top. This made them look like epoxy stickers. 

The Challenges

Last week I entered my New Orleans layout in one photo layout challenge with Scrap Your Story's blog. I was a Top 3 Winner, and you can view the winning layouts here. This week their challenge theme is animals so I am entering Lulu's layout. If you have an animal themed layout, then join in the fun here. 

I'm also entering this in these challenges:

Deep Ocean Challenge Blog - Cute and Cuddly 

Tuesday Alchemy - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for droppin' by,

Paper Made Bakery: June Summary

June Summary
With July's reveal tomorrow, I thought I'd show you all the projects I made for Paper Made Bakery in June. Everything was made from June's Cherry Blossom Kit with features Basic Grey's Konnichiwa collection.

I started the month by making a travel summary page as inspired by Polaroid photos and the love stamp from Sweet Stamp Shop. 

I Love Taiwan layout

I wanted to show the versatility of the kit by making a non-Asian themed project so I made a Christmas gift card holder using a toilet paper roll as the base.

TP Roll Gift Card Holder

This is an easy to make money holder using dryer sheets and a 6 x 6" piece of paper from the petite pad.

Dryer Sheet Money Holder

I made a lantern with the base being cut from a piece of 8.5 x 11" piece of vellum. There is a Silhouette cut file or hand cut template with this tutorial.

Paper Lantern

 This is a sunburst cars as inspired by a Japanese sunburst flag.

Sunburst Card

If you would like further information on any project, click on the caption under the picture and it will link you to the tutorial.

Please come back on Monday, July 2nd for Paper Made Bakery's new reveal with a fun blog hop with a great giveaway.

Thanks so much for stoppin' by,

Paper Made Bakery: Changing Direction Card

The Reveal
I was thinking of some ways to get more use out of a stamp set and was experimenting with changing the direction of a stamped image. Hop on over to Paper Made Bakery to get all the details of how to change the direction of a stamp in today's post. It will double the contents of your stamps!

Change the Direction of a Stamp

If you like the stamps I've been using from Sweet Stamp Shop, take a look at March's Sunday Afternoon Kit. 

Thanks so much for stoppin' by,

Paper Made Bakery: New Project with Tutorial

The Reveal:
I have an exciting new project with a tutorial up on Paper Made Bakery's blog today. I can't tell you all the details, but can only give you a sneak peek.

New Paper Made Bakery Project

Can you guess what it is? I'll give you two clues, it isn't a card and chocolate is involved. You'll just have to hop over to Paper Made Bakery to get the full scoop. I added some bonus tips along with the tutorial if you want to create your own mystery item.

Keep In Touch:

Here are the different ways you can keep up with all the exciting news, reveals and giveaways that's constantly happeing with PMB. Visit their blog, like them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter. If you need inspiration, just browse their Flickr gallery.

Congratulations to the blog hop winner, Katie Skiff, who commented on Savannah's blog. Don't feel bad if you didn't win this time, I'll update you on all future events. So just keep trying. There will be a new blog hop each month.

Thanks for stoppin' by,

Paper Made Bakery: February Kit Reveal + Blog Hop + Giveaway!

The Hop:
Welcome to Paper Made Bakery's February release blog hop! If you've just arrived from Ryann's site, then you came 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

Here is my creation for the blog hop, called, "A Penny for your Thoughts."

A Penny for your Thoughts card

The Kit:
I would like to introduce you to Paper Made Bakery's Fresh Baked February kit! I had the pleasure of receiving this kit early and working with the contents. I have to say it was deliciously good!

Paper Made Bakery's February Kit

Everything is perfectly coordinated with the base set of 10 notecards and envelopes. I didn't have to spend time and energy assembling my own materials, but instead could focus on just utilizing them. It actually helped me be more creative. I can't wait to show you my four projects this month! Look for me each Wednesday as each designer has their own day of the week for a reveal.

Unopened Splendor

If you would like to order a kit before they are all snatched up, please visit here.

The Process:

I went to bed one night thinking about what to make from the kit. I woke up with numerous ideas and quickly sketched them out in my notebook. Later I digitally recreated one of them in Adobe Photoshop. 

My Card Sketch

I was inspired by the branch in the Avocado Arts stamp set and thought three hanging hearts would be cute for a Valentine's Day card. I stamped the branch on white cardstock, but thought it looked a bit stark. I stippled on some ink using a dry brush and changed up the background color.

Changing the cardstock color

But sometimes an idea takes on a life of its own. I decided to change the hearts into coins. That way, if the recipient doesn't like the card, they would at least have 16¢ in their hands.

Dangling Coins

I wanted a way to attach the coins to the branch so I handstitched lines using the twine that is included in the kit. It is much coarser than stitching with floss, but it gives a more rustic look. 

Stitching with Twine

I matched each coin with lyrics from the 1982  Tavares song, "A Penny for your Thoughts" for the sentiment. 

Matching Sentiment

The Giveaway:

There is a prize to be given by Paper Made Bakery to one lucky participant. Here are the different ways you can win:

1. Comment on each blog with an original comment.  The more you comment, the better chance of winning!  

2. Share this hop on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, or in an email.  

3. Be sure to comment on Paper Made Bakery's Facebook wall and let us know you've shared.  Deadline is Sunday, February 5, 2012.

Good luck to all! Your next stop is Lisa's blog.

Thanks for hoppin' by,

Pages Reveal: Stamped Candle Tutorial

The Assignment:
The December challenge for followers at Pages from the Heart is to use a stamped image on a project. Instead of stamping on a card or layout, I immediately thought of a stamped candle gift that my sister and I made a few years back for our coworkers. We stamped "The ______ Family" and filled in the blank with the recipient's last name along with a snowman family image. It was a fun way to make personalized gifts. I created a new design for this challenge.

Stamped Candle 
Featured Collection: Imaginise's Snag 'em Stamps


Supply List for Candle:
Stamps: Ornaments - Imaginisce's Snag 'em Stamps (Snowy Jo Collection),
Merry Christmas - We R Memory Keepers (Peppermint Twist Collection)
Glitter Pen: Gelly Roll
Ink: Delta (dye based ink)
Other: white or cream candle, white tissue paper, wax paper, heat embossing tool



The Tutorial:
1. Choose which stamps you'd like on your candle. You can use designs, sentiments or names. Stamp the images on a piece of tissue paper. I just dug a piece out from my gift wrapping box. You can use any color ink. I used green and red for Christmas. You can use black ink and then color in the images with markers or watercolor color pencils. I colored in my images with a silver glitter pen since it was just a small area. Tissue paper is very delicate so work carefully and stamp and color more than you need so you can choose the best image. The ink tends to bleed on the paper which is very absorbent. 

2. Cut out the images that are to your liking and place them on the candle. I used a tiny bit of adhesive to place the pieces on the candle to make sure the spacing was even. Again, be careful as the tissue can easily rip when you move it around the candle.

3. Now comes the fun or painful part if not done correctly. Cover your images with a piece of wax paper. It is best if you cover the entire candle with wax paper and then hold the paper tightly in place from the opposite end on the excess wax paper. Use your heat embossing tool to heat the stamped images that are covered by the wax paper. You will see the white tissue paper disappear. That is when you know you are done. It only takes a few seconds per heated spot. The wax from the paper melts and covers up your image therefore, embedding it in wax. It gets really hot and can easily burn your fingers so that is why it is important to hold the paper 180 degrees from where you are heating it. Don't hold the paper in place with your fingers close to your image to save paper.

4. When you remove the wax paper, the image is coated in wax and looks and feels like part of the candle and is safe to burn. It is almost like you stamped directly onto the candle. 

5. To make it more personalized, you can use alphabet stamps and spell out the recipient's name. 

6. To decorate the finished candle, I folded some origami puffy stars symbolic of friendship, and placed it in a ring around the candle. I also threaded two stars along with some glass beads on embroidery floss to tie around the packaging. If you are interested in making some stars, you can see a tutorial here.

7. Here is the finished product gift wrapped in ribbons and cellophane. I made a tag copying the shape of one of the ornament stamps to tie everything together. You can see it in person at Pages from the Heart.

This is a relatively easy project, especially if you streamline the process or work with someone at the same time.

Hope you are getting all your Christmas preparations done.
Wishing you a scrappy dappy Christmas,

A ScrapFIT Reveal: It All Adds Up

ScrapFIT Workout #54:
It is time to flex those muscles and participate in another ScrapFIT workout. This time the rules are as follows:

"Numbers, numbers and more numbers!  Let's see a layout or card with lots and lots of numbers.  Can you use them in your title?  Can you add them as an embellishment?  Can you stamp them?  YES, you can do all of those and more!  Show us how your numbers add up!" 

Just link your project using numbers to today's post by October 31st for a chance to win this all inclusive summer photo album kit from The Paper Bakery. (If only I was eligible...)

The Fabulous Prize for this workout

My Interpretation:
I was trying to think of a clever way to use numbers on my layout and nothing was really working for me. I recently bought Pink Paislee's Vintage Vogue line and wanted to use it for this challenge.

Pink Paislee's Vintage Vogue

My favorite aspect of the line, was the cute packet of spool tops. There were twelve spools in a pack, and I started thinking there were twelve numerals on a clock...one thing lead to another...and this little creation was born. I didn't end up making a card or layout as I initially intended, but you never know where the creative process will lead you.

Workout #54: It All Adds Up

The Process:

I started by purchasing the cheapest clock I could find, which was a $6.00 wall clock from Big Lots.

Original Clock

I disassembled the clock and used part of the frame to trace a circle on the patterned paper that would cover the face of the clock.

I placed all the pieces I wanted to use on the face of the clock to make sure it would fit, and not touch the clock hands as it rotates. 

I used Mod Podge and glued the paper to the face of the clock. I coated both sides of the paper. 

The bronze frame of the clock didn't match my decor, so I repainted clock in with craft paint. 

Most of it is in an antique white but I also used accents of lavender, pink and a pale green, which I drew from the colors in the patterned paper. 

After the paint and the Mod Podge was dry, I hot glued on the spool tops. The spool tops didn't have any  numbers so I placed glittered number stickers on them. I also traced them in white to make the numbers stand out a bit more. 

I then decorated the clock with chipboard stickers and gems. Lastly I added the hands and reassembled the clock. 

This is what it looks like with everything back in place, including the frame and glass front. 

Here are two close up shots. 

One of the chipboard stickers in this collection had a clock design, so I placed that in the center of my clock. 

I hope you were inspired to change the ordinary into something extraordinary. 

If you want to see this in person, it is at Pages from the Heart right now. In a few months, it will be back on my craft room wall. 

Take care,

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Hip Hip Hooray!
When I was at Pages from the Heart last week dropping off some more projects that I've completed (but can't disclose yet), I couldn't resist picking up a few pieces from My Mind's Eye Hip Hooray Girl Paper Collection. It is their new release birthday collection which has a girl and boy version. I made a cute birthday card and decided to try making a non-birthday layout with it. I'll just be sharing the card today.

Front of card

Inside of card

Here is the collection:

Hip Hooray Girl

Hip Hooray Boy

The Challenge

I decided to use the papers in a My Mind's Eye card sketch challenge that is happening on their blog now. You have to make a card using their products while following this sketch and incorporating song lyrics of your own choosing. 

Challenge Sketch

The Process

When I saw the circles, it reminded me of some clear plastic packaging I had for some embellishments.  I decided to use the packaging and make a shaker card. I hadn't even opened it or used the embellishments, but ended up using the packaging first. Isn't that ironic? 

Plastic Packaging

I punched out a circle on the patterned paper and inserted the packaging through the hole to make a 3-D portal window. I put song lyrics behind two of the windows, and popped up a cupcake on a platter in the third window. This is the back view of the portal where I added the beads. Notice how the micro beads are scattered everywhere on my workspace, that was not by design.

Back view of window

I glued all the pieces together on my card. Hopefully you can see how the window sticks out and you can shake the beads inside to your heart's content, especially to the beat of Kool & the Gang's Celebration, which were the lyrics I used, "Celebrate good times, come on!"

Cupcake shaker

Side view of shaker window

Hope you enjoyed this little card. I'll post the layout with these papers soon. 

Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Take care,