Bottle Cap Magnets

This is today's 2nd post.  To see my project for A Gem of a Challenge, please go here.  (Or scroll down.)


Hello!

Today's project uses some fun products from Creative Inspirations Paints, including their newest product, the one-step resin known as Resinesence.  I've needed some new magnets for my magnetic white board, so I thought I'd make my own using bottle caps (the purchased kind)!

I punched out one-inch circles from white cardstock then painted them with two colors each of CI Paints.  Then I stamped them with tiny stamps.  I glittered one of them with Resplendence Angel Dust and added Jeweled Inspirations to two of them (seated in flattened bead caps first).

With a red Jeweled Inspiration

 Here are a couple of close ups.

With Resplendence Angel Dust

Now as soon as I can find my little magnet circles, I'll be able to attach them and use them as intended.  In the meantime, I'll call these "desk jewelry."  Heh.

Thank you for joining me, and please don't forget to stop by and play with us in this fortnight's challenge which is Inspired by Red, White and Blue.

Happy crafting!

Products used:

Paints: Garnet, Aqua Marine, Sunshine, Sky Blue, Citrus, Emerald
Resplendence Angel Dust
Red Jeweled Inspirations
Resinesence



Challenges Entered:

Simon Says - Anything Goes
Crafts and Me - Anything Goes

Teddy Girl

Hello!

It's time for another challenge over at A Gem of a Challenge, and this week (Challenge #86) the theme is "Teddies."  This challenge will run from 8:00 AM June 29, to 6:00 PM July 5, and the prize for the winner will be 2 individual digi images (NOT SETS) from Pink Gem Designs. So do head on over and see what the rest of the lovely Design Team have created, then join us, won't you? We'd love to see you!

My project today is a gift bag for a baby.  I've never done a gift bag before so it took longer than expected, but it was fun working with large sizes of everything and I look forward to making more of them!

The stamp is Baby Girl Teddy (available here) and she was so much fun with which to work.

I colored her using Copics and gave her fur some texture using Colorless Blender and a piece of terry cloth.  As I was coloring her booties I suddenly ran out of one of the pink colors and didn't have a refill - yikes!  Fortunately I had enough for both booties and the bow and decided to paper piece her jammies.


The pacificer ring is a jewelry jump ring, and the baby bottle is a button that my daughter discovered in a jar of vintage buttons last week.  Lucky for me!


The trim on the baby's outfit is made with Puffies which I like much more than regular puff paint as you puff it with a heat tool as soon as you apply it - no dry time required.

I used the Silhouette Cameo for several elements - the large doily, corner flourish, words, and to cut the image out (yay, no fussy cutting!); however, I chose to attach the charms separately, as I wanted a little movement on this piece.  They are colored with Smooches and attached with metallic gold braided thread.

I painted the words with white Creative Inspirations shimmer paints and added a few rhinestones for stars.  I even had baby-theme tissue paper!

A pretty two-ribbon bow and a lace rosette flower finish things off.

I offered to give this to my daughter as her boss' wife is going to have a baby in a couple of weeks, but they're having a boy so it's back to the drawing board for me.  Anyone need a baby bag for a girl?

Thank you for joining me today and I do hope you'll head over to the Pink Gem Designs challenge!
Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Simon Says - Anything Goes
Crafts and Me - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Stripes (base layer)
Color Throwdown #248
Crafty Ribbons #50 - Anything Goes w/Ribbon

Snowflake Rose

Hello!

I made today's card for the challenge going on over at The Ribbon Reel, "Candy Colors."  And I made it in the shape of a postage stamp using an .svg cut file from The Cutting Cafe, the first I've ever used.  Am trying to learn how to work my new Silhouette Cameo, and it took over two hours to figure certain things out, so thankfully the card itself went together much more quickly!

The stamp is from Inspired By Stamping brand new Summer Postcards Add On set.  I ran a thin bead of glitter around it to tie in with the snowflake below.

The tiny rose is also from the Inspired By Stamping store.  Some lace, ribbon and a small stick pin complete the card.

Thank you so much for joining me today!

Happy crafting!!

Challenges entered:

The Ribbon Reel #56 - Candy Colors
Pile It On #25 - Vintage or Shabby Chic

Color Throwdown #248

Hearts Aflutter for CI Paints

Hello!

Today's project is a canvas board I made.  I've never done anything like this before and had a lot of fun with this one.  I'm calling it my "CAS" attempt because I can promise that my future canvases will have more stuff on them.

I started out with a layer of sheet music, then gessoed over the top of that.  Unfortunately, I think I applied a little too much as it's now a bit difficult to see the music.  Live and learn.  I then painted the piece with blue and turquoise acrylic paints over which I painted CI Paints in Sky Blue and Aqua Marine.  Instant shimmer!

The cheesecloth was painted with Autumn Wheat and Rustic Red with touches of Gold here and there, then stamped with the wings from the Tim Holtz Regal Flourish stamp set. 

The centerpiece heart is grunge board on which I used the Faux Cloisonne Technique using Rustic Red, Aqua Marine and Royal Purple.  A couple of gold bead caps nestle the red Jeweled Inspiration nicely. 

The little hearts are painted with Rustic Red and the wings were painted with Fairy Dust then glittered up a bit with Resplendence Angel Dust.  Some gold leaft around the edges and it was finished!

Thank you so much for joining me, and don't forget to visit our latest challenge, Inspired By: Red, White and Blue!

Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Oozak #16 - Anything Goes w/a Sentiment
Divas By Design - Distressing
Sugar Creek Hollow #63 - Mixed Media
Pile It On #25 - Vintage/Shabby Chic

Time To Shine

Hello!

Today's project isn't a card.  I'm taking a tiny break from cards because the urge to put stuff to other surfaces is too much to ignore.  There is SO much inspiration out there in blogland, so I thought I'd try my hand at it.  And here is the result - a 5x7 canvas board that I thought might make a nice, colorful decoration somewhere.

And colorful it is.  I love color, and lots of it.  I've only used three acrylic colors on the base, but I more than made up for it with the decorations.  Every single flower started out another color but was painted with Creative Inspirations shimmer paints to suit my tastes.  And the frame...well, I'll get to that in a bit.  And I'll let the pics do most of the talking this time.

Bits of gold embossing sprinkled about.

The stamps are from the Inspired By Stamping store, Paris for the clock with Eiffel Tower, and French Country Backgrounds for the faint bits of chicken wire pattern that you can see here and there.  I embossed the clock with black embossing powder to make it stand out.

Lots of color and texture.  The small clock is wood.

A tiny prize in a Christmas cracker.

This little frame started out bright silver.  I think it was the prize in an English Christmas cracker several years ago and has been floating around the house ever since, too small to use but too cute to discard.  So glad I didn't.

I gessoed it and then coated it with several layers of shimmer paints.  The flowers and leaves were colored with Copics then accented with more shimmer paints.  Black ink was sponged over all, then wiped off, leaving the colors dulled down a bit.

Sweet little birdie.

Thank you for stopping by today, and I hope you, too, take a notion to do some crafting.  I have to let the smell of E6000 filter out of my craft room before I go back in, but I can hardly wait to try the next project!

Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Stampotique Designers Challenge #105 - Anything But a Card
Oozak #16 - Anything Goes w/a Sentiment
Creative Card Crew #38 - Metal
Divas By Design - Distressing
Sugar Creek Hollow #63 - Mixed Media
Eclectic Ellapu - Summer Sunshine

Frilly and Fussy

Hello!

I've been going through FC (Fussy Card) withdrawals lately, so I thought I'd enter the latest Fussy and Fancy challenge (buttons) and really pile on the F&Fs (Fussies and Fancies).  I also wanted to enter the latest Frilly and Funky challenge, too because their challenge is to include both a bird AND nest on one's project, and I've been seeing quite a few clever handmade nests out in blogland and wanted to give it a try.  How fun are THESE!

Is this fussy and fancy and frilly and funky enough?

The stamps are all from the Inspired By Stamping store because they work so well together.  To start with, I used French Country Backgrounds to stamp the chicken wire pattern at the bottom of the pink layer.  I just love the country flavor it imparts without being too homespun.  (Not that there's anything wrong with homespun, mind you, just not for this particular card.)

The sentiment is comprised of the two stamp sets: Just Because for the frame and All Year Wishes I for the sentiment itself.  I sponged the inks on the frame stamp in various colors and inked all the edges.  The shape was cut with the Fancy Labels I die.

The doily was cut with my snazzy new Silhouette Cameo.  I see a long and fruitful relationship with this machine in my future.

These two pieces are stamped with the IBS Summer Postcards Add On stamp set.  I colored the flower image with Copics.

Check out the little heart.  It's a button I made using shrink plastic then stamped it with the aforementioned French Country Backgrounds before shrinking it , then tied it with linen twine.  Just p'ecious.

The bird is a digital image that I fussy cut (told you I was having withdrawals) and glittered up with clear and blue glitters.  The nest was so much fun to make.  I used one of my homemade large glue dots to wrap thin rope twine around, then glued some pearl beads and mini pearls in the center.  By the way, the rope twine was wrapped around some ribbon in 4 or 5" increments in a recent stamp order (from Inspired By Stamping, I think!) and I saved them thinking they might come in handy.

And last but not least, I sprinkled some vintage buttons all around and added some IBS Small Flowers.  Talk about exquisite little blossoms. 

And that, dear readers, is my card today.  Thank you for taking the time to come visit, and I hope you are having a lovely Father's Day weekend.  I know we are (F&F&F&F withdrawals notwithstanding).

Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Fussy and Fancy #91 - Button Up
Frilly and Funky - Birds and Nests
The Ribbon Reel #55 - Treasure Pearls (lace doily, twine nest, pearl eggs, ribbon)
Crafty Ribbons #48 - Anything Goes w/ribbon

Father's Day at A Gem of a Challenge

Hello!

It's time for another challenge over at A Gem of a Challenge, and this week (Challenge #84) the theme is "Father's Day/Male."  This challenge will run from 8:00 AM June 15, to 6:00 PM June 21, and the prize for the winner will be 2 individual digi images (NOT SETS) from Pink Gem Designs. So do head on over and see what the rest of the lovely Design Team have created, then join us, won't you? We'd love to see you!


As I already had a card for my husband, I decided to do a little something extra to go along with it and make this treat container to hold his favorite sweets, miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  (It won't hold a whole lot, so he'll get the rest of the bag later.)

The lights played tricks on the paper giving it a gingham appearance.  It isn't gingham.

I cut the shape out using my handy dandy new Silhouette Cameo.  When I first started playing in paper I scoffed and said I'd never need or get one of those "cutting machines."  Then came the Big Shot about a month into it, and that is what I've been using and loving ever since, about a year and a couple of months.  Then...well, I kept seeing cute projects and reading the words "Silhouette Cameo" in the same posts, and one thing led to another, and voila, I am the proud new owner of said cutting machine.  This is my first real project using it and I'm just tickled half to death.  No more tracing, guessing and fussy cutting, and the choice of shapes is nearly endless.

I used the Vintage Occasions sentiments stamps from the Pink Gem store.  Among the other sentiments included in this set there is a blank frame into which I put the word "DAD" using an Old English font.

I stamped another sentiment on the piece of canvas strip, then attached it between the centerpiece and burlap behind it.  A crown charm (as he will be King for a Day) and a few buttons finish things off.  Well, that and the small rope ties.  Those rope ties were just pieces that held some lengths of ribbon together in an order a few weeks ago and I saved them thinking they might come in handy.


Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you and your family have a wonderful weekend.


Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Simon Says Stamp & Show - The Button Challenge
Crafty Cardmakers - Father's Day
Creative Card Crew #38 - Metal
Fussy and Fancy #91 - Button Up
613 Ave. Create #23 - Anything Goes w/option: Celebrations

Birthday Banner

1) This is my second post of the day.  For my tutorial for Creative Inspirations Paints, please go here.  (Or scroll down.)

2)  For the Inspired By Stamping Color Challenge, please go here.

Hello!

I made today's card for the current Simon Says challenge, "The Button Challenge."  And I needed a birthday card for my former employer (I'm retired), so 2+2 equals...well, you get it.

I also decided to enter the Divas By Design color challenge, with "challenge" being the operative word.

 

I LOVE these colors, so don't ask me why I had such a problem with them, but I fussed and fussed and threw this away and that until finally I came up with what you see here.  Less fussy after all and very colorful.  My work table is another story. 

The base layer was embossed with a stripe embossing folder, but that was a lot of aqua staring me in the face, so I swiped a deep teal ink pad across it this way and that until I was happy with the effect.  I've been in an ink-swipey mood lately.  Call it instant gratification.

The edges of the two purple die cuts were embossed with silver embossing powder.  I used a lot of stamp sets here, which is part of the reason why my table was a disaster after finishing.  They're all by Inspired By Stamping because they all mix and match and coordinate with each other so easily.  I used Whimsical Banners, Washi Tape (aren't they fun?), Fancy Labels 2 and All Year Wishes II, and I also used the Fancy Labels 2 Dies. 

Some rhinestones and a button complete this card.  Funny story about that button, which was the whole purpose of this card, right?  I made the card, took the photos and was just starting to post when I went to the Simon Says blog for the link, and lo, I had COMPLETELY forgotten to add a button!  ACK!!!  So after much panicked digging through my button tin, I found a lone pewter-look vintage button that was just perfect.  A dab of ribbon behind it and voila, some textile on my card to make me happy.

Thank you so much for joining me today, and I hope you find time to fit in some crafting today!

I still think it's a lot of aqua staring me in the face...

Happy crafting!

Challenges entered:

Simon Says Stamp and Show - The Button Challenge
Really Reasonable Ribbon #73 - Masculine w/Ribbon or Trim
Divas By Design - Color Inspiration
Crafts and Me #136 - Something Old (vintage button, ribbon bought in Jan. 2012)
3 Girl JAM #19 - Anything Goes w/Ribbon
Fussy and Fancy #90 - Bling It On
Eclectic Ellapu - "B" is for... (blue, black, birthday, banner, button, bling)
613 Ave. Create - Anything Goes w/Optional Twist: "Celebrations"

Friday Sketch Challenge #45

Keychains? Or Bookmarks?

Hello!

I have something for you today that I was playing around with using products from the Creative Inspirations Paints store and wanted to share.  And you may decide for yourself what they really are.  (They're not keychains.)  :-)
 

I know, I know, they LOOK like keychains, and I suppose you could use them for that if you wanted, but I think they'd be really cute bookmarks as well.  At least that's what I'm telling my husband when he opens his Father's Day card and one of these falls out.  Shhh...

They are made with clear shrink plastic, Creative Inspirations Paints, CI Resinesense, and rhinestones (one of which is a CI Jeweled Inspiration).

I cut the shapes with regular dies (the largest of each shape), punched a 1/2" hole in one end, sanded one side with fine grit sandpaper, and painted the sanded side with CI Paints, in this case Gold and Garnet.  Now before I go any further, let me say that some of the pictures don't match the finished products because I wasn't really planning on doing a tutorial per se and just snapped a few pics here and there as I was experimenting.  The pic below on the left was not a keeper.  I tried to use more than one color and it didn't work out.  The one on the right worked fine.

Two colors turned very muddy when shrunk.

A single color worked much better.

After painting the shapes, I stamped images with Staz-On.  Then I put the heat gun on them until they were shrunk.

Here's a confession: I was actually trying to use the shiny (non-sanded) sides of the shapes, but after several failed attempts, it turned out that the painted side looked better - shimmery and glittery!

Tip:  For larger shapes, dust with Embossing Buddy first so the shape doesn't stick to itself when shrinking, like this one did.  It was a challenge to flatten it out.  (Some colorful language may have ensued.)

At this point I  painted the backs of the shapes with the same color paint, four coats.  Then I signed them and topped things off with a coat of clear glaze.

Now it was time to finish the fronts.  I used CI Paint's newest product, the wonderful one-step resin, Resinesense.  I applied several thin coats to allow the resin to build up into an attractive, full shape.  Of COURSE I goofed and caused one of the shapes to leak resin into the punched hole, but a small drill bit took care of that after it dried (because that was when I discovered it).  The good news is the shimmer from the paints isn't dimmed at all by the resin. 

I applied a rhinestone to one and a Jeweled Inspiration to the red shape.  It just took a tiny bit of glue to hold them until the resin could anchor them in place.  Those babies aren't going anywhere.

And here are the finished products.  There is a lot of room for creativity here.

Needs more stamping.

A little too much stamping.

This one's juuuust right.

Thank you for joining me and I hope you give these keychains er... bookmarks a try.  We'd love to see them!  And don't forget to join our current challenge, the theme of which is Inspired By: Father's Day!

Happy crafting!

Supplies used:

From the Creative Inspirations Paints store: Paints: - Gold, Garnet; Jeweled Inspirations; Resinesense.
Clear shrink plastic
Rhinestone
Staz-On ink

Challenges entered:

Crafty Cardmakers #93 - Father's Day
Creative Card Crew #38 - Metal
Simon Says Stamp - Masculine/Father's Day
Pile It On #23 - For or From a Father
Eclectic Ellapu - "B" is for... (bookmark, bling) 

New at Inspired By Stamping!

This is today's second post.  To see the IBS Grand Reveal of the June 2013 stamp sets, please go here.  (Or scroll down.)

Hello!

 
This month Joanna is introducing the New & FREE Online Catalog filled with the latest June’s 2013 Inspired By Stamping stamp sets! Each page provides details of each stamp set plus inspiration from the designers! This new catalog was designed to give you even more inspiration and interaction than ever before with Inspired by Stamping products.

Cool Features:

- Browse the catalog with ease on your tablet or computer.
- Get the entire release in one spot! Plus, zoom in on your favorite products, projects and cards.
- Watch video tutorials from our YouTube channel right inside the catalog!
- SHOP ONLINE! Order products by clicking on the stamp set which takes you directly to our online store.

Here is a peek at what is inside:

View the design team cards and projects that they used with each stamp set!

Where can you find our Online Catalog?  You can download it here, today.  All future catalogs will be available for download at the IBS Store. Click Here!  Over the next few weeks, Joanna will be putting together catalogs for all of the releases from January 2013 to  May 2013!

Joanna would LOVE to hear what you think! After flipping through the catalog please leave her a comment or send her an email, both of which are possible on her blog here.

We hope you enjoy the new inspiration catalog!

Happy crafting!

Inspired By Stamping's June Release

Hello and good morning!

It's show time at Inspired By Stamping, and today Joanna is releasing all 6 brand spankin' new stamp sets for purchase!  Woohoo!!  And so, without further ado, here they are:

Big Congrats

Summer Postcards Add On

Summer Flowers

French Country Backgrounds

Big Notes in French II

French Country

Don't you just love them?  Do go and visit the lovely Design Team to see how they've interpreted these sets over the past few days for some fabulous inspiration. 

Colleen Dietrich

Deb Hickman

Gloria Stengel

Grace Tolman

Irit Shalom

Joanna Munster - Owner

Kendra Sand

Leah Cornelius

Nazeema Bastian

Pam Bray

Shani Thomas

Shea Marshall (that's me!)

Tina Hale

Vicki Dutcher

A few useful bits of information...

• All sets are available for purchase today, June 10th, 7 p.m. Brisbane time (5 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) in the IBS store
• Free shipping on all orders over $25 for 48 hours only -- June 10th, 7 p.m. Brisbane time to June 12th, 7 pm Brisbane time (5 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) -- code word is June Release
• Save 15% on a bundle of all 6 stamp sets
• Chance to win that day's featured stamp set(s) EVERY DAY during the release party, from June 6th - June 10th!  Just leave a comment at owner Joanna Munster's blog each day for your chance to win. (Each winner will be randomly selected.)

And one MORE thing...

The next IBS color challenge runs from June 11 - 25, and the prize for one randomly selected winner will be a $25 gift certificate to the Inspired by Stamping store!  The colors are sand, light blue and turquoise.  Hope to see you there!

Happy crafting!!