Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Love Letters Week {lily bee}


Today I'm sharing a card and heart-shaped gift box that I made using the Lily Bee We R Family collection. I love pinks/red/coral colors with teal/aqua/green shades. This color combo always looks so fresh and fun to me.


To make my card, I used the leftover hearts from what was cut for the gift box. These hearts were the inside of the heart that is the lid. I had to trim them just a little bit to get them to stack in a neat pattern, but overall this was a great way to use what was left over from the cut on my Silhouette Cameo.


The "LOVE THIS" 3x4 card in the background is one of the Daily Deck cards. I love using these cards on greeting cards. The sentiments are always so sweet.


This box was cut using a file from Lori Whitlock that I found in the Silhouette Online Store. For some reason, when I resized the box to make it bigger I ended up with the lid inside the box instead of outside. I ended up liking it better that way — a nice surprise!


Supplies: We R Family (Pattern paper: Family Ties, Family Heirloom; Daily Deck; Wood Veneer)

Thanks for stopping to see my Valentine's Day project today. I would offer you a piece of candy, but I already ate nearly the whole box! I should stop making projects that require I buy candy for photographing.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Winter scene card {viva las vegastamps}


Hi! I'm dropping by today to share with you my first card as a guest designer with Viva Las VegaStamps. I'll be working with some amazing stampers and mixed media ladies for the next three months, and I'm in awe of them. 

Stamping was something I loved before scrapbooking, and anytime I can play around and get inky I'm reminded of what I enjoyed as a teenager. 

Today I am busting out the wintery scene stamps — they aren't just for Christmas! If you live in certain mountain regions or in the northeast, you will be dodging snow for at least two more months.  I used the Boy on Sleigh Silhouette stamp and the Xmas Silhouette Collage stamp — both can be found on the Viva Las VegaStamps website.


Here is a little bit more about my process in a step-by-step guide for you:
1. Cut background paper into 4" wide x 11" high. Fold in half from the top down. 
2. Lightly paint the card stock with watercolors. I used Reeves Water Colour Pan Set I got at Hobby Lobby. 
3. While that dries, stamp onto separate card stock the boy and the tress. I use Bazzill Coconut for my stamping when I am not coloring the image in with Copics. 
4. For the boy, I stamped using a mix of Soft Pool from Hero Arts and Coal Miner from Quick Quotes. For the tress, I used Field Greens from Hero Arts, Coal Miner from Quick Quotes and Aloe Vera from Tsukineko. I used a variety of similar shades to create depth and shadows in my stamping. I keep the edges darker and work inward with the lighter colors. 
5. I also discovered a new love — the Gelly Roll Clear Glitter pen from Sakura. I used it on the edges of the sled blades and the boy's shoes as well as the edges of the trees to create a shimmery embossed look without using embossing powder. 
6.  I put those aside to dry and then moved on to making the hills. I used templates from Kiwi Lane and cut the hills out of POW glitter paper from AC. I then used foam adhesive to pop the silver hill up off of the dark grey hill.
7. Now it was time to assemble. I used the Miracle Tape (1/8 inch) to mount all of the pieces on my card. It was perfect for putting glitter paper on water-colored paper and then again for putting my stamped images on glitter and water colors. Some adhesives don't work so well on slightly damped or rough surfaces and the Miracle Tape worked really well!

I finished off with Lawn Fawn sequins from the winter embellishment pack and an Elle's Studio tag for the sentiment. 

So there you have it — my wintery scene card. I hope you liked reading a bit more about my process. When I see a card that a little more mixed media involved I always want to know how it was made, so I thought I'd share a bit more.

Thanks so much for stopping to see this today!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Winter issue projects {paperhaus magazine}

As I start to get my spring issue 2014 projects put together for PaperHaus Magazine, I want to make sure I share my work from the winter issue 2013 with you.

If you missed this issue, here is a link to view all of the amazing projects that are featured.


I had a two fun projects in this issue. I'm the card sketch artist for PaperHaus, so I made a card to go with that sketch, and I also made a layout. Both used the Snow Village collection from Pink Paislee.



And here is the card. Such a simple little tree, but I love how the tiny bow adds dimension. The bling on the tree is from Close to My Heart. I just love their teeny tiny bling packet.


Thanks for stopping to see my projects from the current issue of PaperHaus Magazine. I'm already gearing up for the spring one and it is going to be great!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Samantha Walker Creative Crafters Team Blog Hop {snowflakes}

Welcome to the Samantha Walker Creative Crafters Team Blog Hop! You should have come to my blog from Cristal (Pinky) Hobbs. If you found me first, make sure to start back at Samantha Walker's blog to catch all of the fun from the beginning.

This month's lucky winner will receivthe French Frills Spellbinder Die Set!


...and be eligible for the free SVG/Silhouette file for this month. Be sure to look extra closely at Step #4 below to learn how you can get this FREE SVG and Silhouette Studio file:



To enter, just leave a comment on Samantha's blog during Wednesday 1/15 until Sunday 11/19. The winner will be announced on Samantha's Facebook page on Monday 1/20.

For additional entries:
1. Receive an additional entry for commenting on each of the other blogs in the blog hop.
2. Go here and follow Samantha Walker's blog. 
3. Follow her on Facebook.
4. Sign up for an e-mail subscription to Samantha's blog and you will automatically receive a link to a free SVG cutting file that you can download and use on your personal electronic cutter. If you are already a subscriber, just enter in your information in the secure form on Samantha's blog!  The free files will be e-mailed early next week!


To receive the additional entries and get the free files, mention in your comment on Samantha's blog that you have done so! 

Now for this month's theme: Snowflakes


Samantha Walker has a variety of really great single snowflake files. I couldn't choose just one, and I knew I wanted to make a pattern, so I chose three of them and alternated them at the top of a piece of white card stock.

To get the partial cut, I used the eraser tool in the Silhouette software and "erased" the centers vertically through each snowflake. You can see below what the final effect is when you do that.


After I cut them on the Cameo, I then stitched a line through them on my sewing machine. I then backed the white card stock with dark gray glitter paper but only stitched through the white card stock. I was a little wary about putting glitter through my sewing machine.


The papers on this page are from the Carta Bella Rough & Tumble Collection from Samantha Walker. The colors worked great with my snowy scene.


Because I am slightly addicted, I added some snow-stenciled embossing paste to the bottom edge of my page. 

Supplies: Carta Bella Rough & Tumble Collection (Pattern paper: Journaling Cards, Adventure), Silhouette Files (snowflake 1, snowflake 2, snowflake 3, snowflake 4), Simon Says Stamp (snow falling stencil), Studio 490 (embossing paste), wood veneer snowflakes and tag, Lawn Fawn (sequins), Webster's Pages (arrow paper clip), Pebbles (chalkboard stickers).   

Your next stop on the hop is Cathy Harper ... Click on the image below to keep on hopping!


Thanks for hopping along with us this month! 


Monday, January 13, 2014

Love you card & a winner {scrapbook circle}


It's time to start thinking about Valentine's Day! If you like to make Valentine's cards, the This Life kit from Scrapbook Circle has some fabulous papers to get you started.

I wasn't ever really big about layouts or cards that were crafted on a slant, but I found myself trying it more. 2014 is the year to go outside of my comfort zone. More slanty. More mixed media. More out of the box. Bring it on!


Thanks for stopping to see my card! If you are interested in getting this kit (or a subscription) from Scrapbook Circle, remember to use my code DIANAF20OFF for a 20% discount.

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I also have a winner to announce! Last week I had a Copper Mountain Card Kit from Studio Calico to giveaway. That giveaway winner is: Rachel!


Rachel, I sent you an email. You can send me back a response with your shipping info. Thanks to everyone who commented for a chance to win. 

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Rough and Tumble {samantha walker}


I am so very excited to be on Samantha Walker's creative team for a second year. I am starting the year off with a fun layout using the Rough and Tumble collection from Carta Bella by Samantha Walker that was shared earlier this week on the Samantha Walker blog.


At first glance, the collection is definitely perfect for a newborn boy or a toddler, but the argyle and more muted tones of the yellow, navy and tan make it perfect for the older boy. 


I shared this layout yesterday on Samantha's blog along with a quick tip for making the tickets I used here under the photograph. Head on over to the blog to see how you could easily make the tickets out of the border strips 12x12 paper in the Rough and Tumble collection.

Supplies: Rough and Tumble (Pattern paper: Daring Dots, All Smiles, Explore Together; Chipboard; Stickers)

Thanks for stopping to see my layout today!

Friday, January 10, 2014

December sketch challenge {scrapbook circle}


It's time for another sketch challenge at Scrapbook Circle! Each month I create a sketch to get subscribers motivated to dig into their kits. If you use the sketch and a Scrapbook Circle kit, make sure to link up your layout to the blog post on the Scrapbook Circle site or to the Scrapbook Circle Facebook page. There is an amazing prize up for grabs this month!

If you do not use a Scrapbook Circle kit, that's OK, too! Feel free to still pin and use the sketch for inspiration.


I love the pink and teal that Lisa included in this kit. And the hearts! Swoon… just love them! There are so many fun little details in this kit. Enamel dots, wood veneers, a custom stamp and amazing alphas.


Here's the sketch I mentioned above. If you want more details about using the sketch with a Scrapbook Circle kit, head on over to the blog for more details. 


Here is a picture of the prize for one lucky participant.



Thanks for stopping by here today to see my layout and sketch! Have a great weekend!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

"This Life" January kit {scrapbook circle}


If you haven't seen it yet, the January kit for Scrapbook Circle is pretty awesome! There are quite a few papers that are perfect for those upcoming Valentine's Day projects and cards, but as you can see below, there are plenty of pieces that still work for everyday moments.

The Studio Calico Printshop Journal Cards came in handy on this layout. I love the pieces where you can stick photos into the card (like under the ampersand and under the pennant flag).


We went to the Androids and Aliens exhibit at our local museum last month and snapped some pictures of Nate with Star Wars characters. Terminator, Aliens and Iron Man were also there along with great sci-fi story boards and a Mars Rover video. I just love the museum! Always good for a trip twice a year to see the new exhibits and re-visit old ones.


I also wanted to make sure to include the ticket stub (it has how many of us went and on what day), and this little layered cluster with a wood veneer pennant and journal card worked out perfectly.

Check out Scrapbook Circle if you are in the market for a kit or a kit club subscription! Use my code DIANAF20OFF for 20% off you purchase. 

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Jolly sleigh ride {chic tags}


This Sunday I was looking online for some inspiration and stumbled upon a sketch from Chic Tags. I had this pack of Good Tidings embellishments that I got from Paper Issues not too long ago and was itching to use some of the pictures I had been collecting for my December album on a layout. 


I was also looking forward to getting a bit messy, so I grabbed my embossing paste and a snowflake stencil to add some fun wintery embellishments to the background of my gray card stock. 

If you are looking for a really great texture for snowflakes on your projects, try embossing paste! Use it on a gray card stock for a bit more kick than if it was white-on-white.


Add some sequins, mist and stitching to call it a day! I love how this turned out, and it was just what I needed for some scrappy happiness this past weekend. Thanks for stopping by here today to see my layout!

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

My One Little Word {lily bee}


One of the ideas for project work with month at Lily Bee is goals and resolutions. I saw the perfect opportunity to document my One Little Word (OLW) for 2014. I have made a sketch or mixed media project every year since I started OLW (which was 4 years ago — this is my fifth word!).



I used the We R Family and Urban Autumn collections from Lily Bee to make my layout. I love the wood veeners, enamel shapes and  Daily Deck cards in each collection, so I wanted to make sure those had a place on my layout.


I didn't take an up-close picture of my journaling, but I will share with you why I chose "LIGHT." It has many meanings that are important for my personal success in 2014: 
• To be the "light" for others who are in need of leadership.
• To "lighten" my commitments and share responsibilities with others where I can.
• To be "light hearted" and carefree when I can be. Some things should just be fun and not stressful.

Pretty good word, I think. I know I'm excited about it and ready to dig into 2014.

Today is also a challenge day, so here is the sketch that goes with my layout for today.


Thanks for stopping here today to see my layout and read about my OLW for the year.

Supplies: Lily Bee (We R Family: Pattern Paper (Game Night, Family Time), Tiny Tablet, Washi Tape, Daily Deck, Wood Veneer, Sweet Spots Enamel Stickers) (Urban Autumn: Daily Deck, Wood Veneer)

Monday, January 6, 2014

Copper Mountain Giveaway {bella blvd and studio calico}


Hi! Happy Monday to you all. Today I have a great giveaway for you from Studio Calico. 

Bella Blvd has a paper in the Copper Mountain January kit. It is the fabulous one with the yellow hearts. On the other side of that paper are these wonderful doodles (originally in the Snapshots collection). It is custom just for Studio Calico and this kit. 

There is the 12x12 version in the main kit, and then the yellow hearts pattern appears again in the 6x6 paper pad in the card kit.

I had fun working with the main kit and the paper pad in the card kit to make these three cards.


I loved the buck stamp! I used a mustard yellow embossing powder to make him stand out on this card. The Bella Blvd paper is the doodles side shown here as one of the strips in the background.



There is one great sheet of paper at the beginning of the 6x6 pad that has a snapshot of each paper in the pad and its name. I used that for the background on this card.


Then I fussy cut the camera and heart doodles from the sheet from Bella Bvd.


I was having so much fun with the doodles, that I wanted to make sure to also give that great yellow side some attention. Here I used the 6x6 paper pad version with the smaller scale hearts and stamped a sentiment and white-embossed frame on it.


This is such a great quote to start the year off, don't you think?!



Thanks for scrolling through to see what I made with this kit. One lucky commenter on this blog post will have a chance to win the Studio Calico Copper Mountain Card kit (pictured below).


Leave a comment using the Rafflecopter below letting me know what kind of project you think you would make if you win the Copper Mountain Card Kit.


You have until Friday night at midnight (ET) to leave your comment. I'll announce the winner shortly thereafter, so make sure to follow my blog or check back to see if you were the winner.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

December Days {part 3}


It's finished! My December Days album for 2013 is finished and set aside to be enjoyed. If you missed Part 1 and Part 2 you can click on the links to see the beginning of my album.

This part of the book covered December 15th - 25th. I continued to use Pink Paislee Snow Village and Elle's Studio for the majority of the album.

Scroll on down to see the final pages…













I love how this turned out and am already looking forward to next year's album. I have some ideas for what I want to keep and what I'd like to change up a bit.

Did you make a December album this year? Link your album up in the comments section of this post, and I'd love to visit your site and see what you made.

Thanks for stopping by to see how my album ended up!