Teaser Time Begins

Welcome welcome!  It's time for the My Favorite Things December Release!  Since there were two Pure Innocence images in the VIP Kit this month, you haven't yet seen this beautiful Who's that Girl.  

As a cardmaker, I'm always crafting one holiday ahead. So while in real life I'm prepping for Christmas, in crafty times, I'm already loving anything to do with Valentines day.  Valentines paper, is maybe my most favorite.  Yes, even more than Christmas paper.  

I love this sentiment.  When my husband and I took dance lessons for our wedding it was difficult for me. You see, I took dance for a number of years growing up, and it was hard for me to relinquish the control and not lead.  I had to just follow.  Um, that's SO not my strong suit.   I used a piece of My Mind's Eye patterned paper with a doily design on it to make this pretty lace dress.  

Note: If you haven't paper pieced before you can see how I did that here....

Do you see the new Die-namics I've included here?  It is the Fringed Perennial Die-namics  and I've used the two flower layers and filled the center with a button.   I've added a Rolled Flower made from Puff Cloud White felt, and then a hot pink button with black and white baker's twine.

I've got my sentiment tucked onto the File Tab Die-namics die.  If I haven't already convinced you on that one, just go ahead and add it to your shopping cart for later this week.  Its a keeper.

The new release will be on December 6th at 10pm EST.  I hope you'll join us each day for previews - I *hope* to have one for you each day between now and then!

Remember to find some crafty time for yourself the next few days.  After all, the Guest Designer Challenge is now open! The winner will join us for the Wednesday Stamp Club challenges as well as Teasers for the net release.  AND, the winner will receive a prize package valued at $200 with merchandise from our January Release.  You'll find all the details on the MFT Forum on Splitcoast Stampers.

You'll be glad to know that there are fourteen prizes being given away over the next release. In order to maximize your chances at winning one of them, you'll want to leave a little love on each of the design team previews.  The MFT Blog will have the full list of participating designers each day!  Winners will be selected at 7pm EST on Tuesday, December 6th, so you've got nearly a full week to leave your comments...

Tag, You're It - and another giveaway!

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm behind the eight ball on some sketches.  Today's card is a pretty loose interpretation of last week's Wednesday Stamp Club sketch.  You see, I went and added an extra little panel in there, and skipped those large brad's in the top corners.

But, overall, looking at this sketch you see where I got the inspiration for this card.  If you haven't been following along in the Wednesday Stamp Club challenge, you'll want to add it to your to-do list. After all, one lucky participant will win a prize, up to $20 to the MFT Boutique.  And, did I mention, a new release is right around the corner? All you have to do each week is add your sample using the given keyword to the Galleries at Splitcoast Stampers.

For my sample today I've combined Tag, You're It along with By the Numbers! 

Patterned paper is a bit of a jumble. I've got some October Afternoon Sidewalks (red dot and green pattern) Random from Crate Paper (denim) and Girls Paperie (ledger paper)

And guess what, I've got an extra of EACH! So how about another give-away?

To enter the give-away for today, I'm looking for ideas for my future Feature Friday videos for My Favorite Things. What products from MFT would you like to see in action?  Or what techniques do you want some tips on?  Basically, how can I help you!  

One comment per person, and again, remember to leave your email address within the body of the message, or embedded in your profile. After all, if I can't reach you, then I can't send you your prize! I'll select the winner for this giveaway on Friday afternoon!  

Creative Chat......

It's time for the MFT Creative Chat. The My Favorite Things Design Team Creative Chat is a monthly feature, where we are challenged to explore our creative spaces and share valuable organizational methods, tools, and shopping strategies with you. You'll be able to peek into our creative spaces, ask questions, and share your own ideas in the MFT forum.  This month, we were asked the following questions:  

Show us your desk.  How do you have things set up, and why?  

What are your "go-to" tools?  Tell us what you can't live without.

Visit Kim's Blog for a full list of designers that have taken up the challenge and get ready to delve into the minds of our creative team.  

Some of my favorites shown in this video:

Vagabond by Sizzix Button jar Clip-It-Up 6x6 Paper Storage 12x12 Paper Storage Wall Shelving Desktop Carousel Jody Boosters Scor-Tape Quickie Glue Pen Scor-Mat Scor-Pal SureCut 12" Brad Piercer & Setting Tool Crop-a-dile Glitzy Glitter

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Butterfly Kisses and a PI Giveaway....

I am late playing with some sketches from last week, but there's nothing better than making a mess after you've spent a ton of time cleaning up your desk.  The good news for you, is that in cleaning my desk, I organized a series of give away goodies for all of YOU!  Be sure to read more about the goodies at the end of this post!

The sketch I've used today is from my sweet friend Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.  She's already got a new sketch up and running for this week, so be sure to check it out.

My sample for this week's sketch uses this adorable Pink Paislee paper: Vintage Vogue which I found at my LSS.  This is Butterfly Kisses and it is, for sure, one of my favorite Pure Innocence images yet.

As I mentioned above....I'm going to be holding a few give-aways between now and Christmas.  Just as my little thank you to all of you for coming to visit me all the time!

This first package includes:

Pure Innocence: Popping By
Pure Innocence: Naptime
Pure Innocence: You Make the Grade
Pure Innocence: A Cart Full of Friends
Pure Innocence:  World's Best Doctor

Here's all you have to do to enter (...and it's an easy one...) What's your favorite Pure Innocence image?  Just leave a comment here on this post!  Only one entry per person, and I'll draw the winner on Thursday!  Be sure to leave your email address in the body of your comment, or make sure that your profile has your email attached.  Cause if I can't reach you, I can't get you your prize!!

Watercolored Santa.....

Okay girls, this is it.  The craziest weeks of the year, but the ones I treasure the most.  Decorating the Christmas tree, buying presents for my family, baking Christmas cookies, watching Christmas movies snuggled up by the fire... brunch with Santa, sending and receiving Christmas cards....I love sitting with my kids opening the mail each night to see what cards have come in each day...

When I made my watercoloring video the other day, I also watercolored up this Santa from the Inspired by Christmas set.  I've colored his face with topic markers, but the rest of the image was painted with my Twinkling H2O's.  Here's a secret, I'm terrified of anything that is supposed to be *white* when you color it.  In essence, you color everything else, and just leave it blank... 

I've used the Tag You're It Die-namics and slipped it inside of a glassine envelope.  Its just the perfect size for a gift card.  My Santa image is framed with the Vintage Cameo Die-namics.   

By the way, did you know that you can buy many of the Die-namics dies without the companion stamps? You can see all the Die Only Die-namics here. 

Thanks for stopping by, have a GREAT day!  I'm off to church with the boys, and hoping for some crafty time afterwards. I've loved having this extended weekend. I spent most of yesterday cleaning, so I'm hoping that means I can play today right? 

Embossing and Watercoloring with Inspired By

Ouch, I've been such an infrequent poster lately, and for that I'm sorry.... I've been really busy here at home with the boys, soccer two nights a week and I feel like I'm always running behind.
We've been relying on crock pot meals (um, delicious!) and take out pizza (love the no-dishes to do.)

I've found however, that if I don't find at least a little time to get crafty, I get super, super cranky.  I've been trying to get a jump start on projects for the next My Favorite Things release.  (sorry, that's such a tease, I know...)

I have been on a kick making tags the last week, this is the first of a *bunch* that you'll be seeing from me over the next few weeks.  I love that this satisfies my need to create, and they'll be put to good use as gift packaging or tucked into gift ensembles.  I think this one, in particular, makes a pretty sweet bookmark.

This week's Feature Friday video focuses on watercoloring and heat embossing.  I finally got a chance to play with my new Twinkling H2O's, and all I can say is why haven't I used these before?  I love them!

I've used the Inspired by Flowers (set 3) along with the sentiment from Inspired by Flowers (set 2) I overstamped the image with the script from First Class Friends and added a little border detail with the Solid Bracket Border.  These Inspired By images are really so easy to color.  The illustrator has done all the work for you, so that all you need to do, is add shading and additional layers of color where the images are darkest, the guesswork is totally out of the picture. Nice!

Have a WONDERFUL weekend, and thanks for visiting!

Feature Friday: Rosette Die-namics

Today I'm working with the My Favorite Things Die-namics 1/4 inch Rosette.  I've been dying to make a mini-pizza box since I saw Sarah make this one a few months ago.  You can find the tutorial on SCS written by Jen Del Muro on how to make one here.

This little project is super easy, and you can make it with a regular old 8/5x11 sheet of paper (which is awesome since I don't buy 12x12 card stock) 

I've done one of my favorite things, I got all mixy-matchy with the goods. I reached for my Just the Ticket  Die-namics and stamp set (for the frame) and paired in the sentiment from Tag, You're It.  The mini sized heart from the Homespun Birdhouse Die-namics, the 1/4 Rosette and the Open Scallop Doily.  That's a lot of goods.  I've made a complete mess of my desk (again. no judgements okay?)

Inside this little box, I've nestled two each of these 3x3 cards.... and I altered the flap of the envelope with scraps of patterned paper for a little extra sweet touch... I've added a mini Open Scallop Doily...  to match the box decoration.

But I wanted to show you how cute the Rosette is assembled a different way. This is a nice little size for a decorative accent, when you don't want it to occupy the entire card front.  Many of the accents are the same, the Oval Doily, some lace trim, and the banner from within the Layered Label Die-namics.

If you haven't had a chance to use the My Favorite Things Die-namics Rosettes yet, I put together a little "how-to" video.  I've made one in the original size (by cutting the die twice and then joining them) or in the mini-size by cutting the die once, and cutting it in half....  

Supplies Used:

Head over Heels 6x6	1/4 Rosette	Die-namics Open Scallop Doily
Die-namics Homespun Birdhouse	Just the Ticket	Tag, You're It
Open Scallop Duo

InLinkz.com

Make it Manly....

Confession.  Making a manly card is hard for me.  I want to use my cutesy papers, and add ribbons, and frilly details.  But alas, there are guys in my life that need cards too. Which I why I'm thankful for sets like First Class Friend.

I stamped the sentiment to a piece of text printed paper so that the center panel wasn't too "blank" looking and lightly sponged all the edges.  Lots of stitching, but I was able to back away from the ribbon today.

The sentiment was colored in with a dark red marker, and then given three coats of clear glaze pen.  I just happened to have this cord heart die-cut and waiting on my desk, which turned out quite handy if you ask me.

And sometimes, if your bobbin runs out of thread while you're sewing, you *don't* curse and freak out, you simply continue along the path and have a nice pierced border.  And breathe.  Definitely remember to breathe. (admittedly there are other times that having the bobbin run out *does* make me swear and freak out...)

Thanks to my awesome friend Jody for this patterned paper.  It was just the mix I needed!


Supplies Used:

First Class Friend Free Bird Hearts a Plenty

InLinkz.com