New Video: An Easy Masking Technique

Today I'm blogging over at the Sweet Stamp Shop blog, and I'm using their adorable stamp set, Press It Wash It, to share a simple masking technique using Post-It notes. Many card makers already know of this technique but this is also something fun to share for the newbie crafters who are just getting started with stamps and paper making. 

You can read the full post, on the SSS blog by clicking here. Here is the video! 


Thanks for stoppin' by! 
Nicole 

Lawnscaping Winter Blog Hop

Happy Friday! Today I’m joining a big group of crafty gals by creating a winter theme card for the Lawnscaping Winter blog hop. We’re each creating something using at least one Lawn Fawn product; however, in this case I chose to create a card using only Lawn Fawn stamps—and I had a lot of fun making it.

One of the awesome things about this blog hop is that you can win lots of prizes by leaving comments on my blog—however; you also have multiple chances to win by post comments on all the other blogs participating in this hop, too! For details on the prizes please visit the Lawnscaping website by clicking, here. 

I created this wintery Christmas card, using Lawn Fawn stamps; and I created the blue background panel by embossing some snowflakes onto a white panel, and used blue distress ink to create the gorgeous icy blue color. I also embossed the sentiment panel in silver, and added a heart and tree image (using LF stamps) with soft pool dye ink. For the snowman cookie I simply cut out a pre-made tag from the, peace joy love petite paper pack, and tied it all together with some LF trimmings. 

If you've started at the beginning of this blog hop you've arrived from the blog of, Katie Brooks. However, next on the blog hop is Elena! Head on over to her blog to check out her AMAZING work and don’t forget to leave comments on all the blogs in order to win prizes! Also, if you have started the blog hop here you can start from the beginning by visiting the Lawnscaping blog. Thank you for stopping by! 

Christmas Card Crafternoon

Since Christmas is getting closer and closer I thought it would be fun to have a Christmas Crafternoon with my sisters, Angie, Melanie, and our friend Mabel. I’ve had a card making crafternoon with my sisters before but all three girls were still relatively new to creating cards. Since ‘handmade’ is still going strong—and pretty popular, they wanted make their gift giving a little more personal by making their own cards for friends and family, this year. So, what I did was come up with a few sample cards that I could teach them how to make but they were also free to use all the stamps, paper, and embellishments to create their very own designs. I’d say they had the most fun, getting messy and making their own cards—who wouldn’t have fun doing that?! Hehe. 

To set up, I covered the dining room table with Kraft wrapping paper, and simply organized by stamps, paper, makers, acrylic blocks, paper trimmers, ink, etc. on one edge of the table—so they could have everything within reach. 

Here are a few of the cards they created…

I love all of the cards they made, I’m happy that I was able to teach them a few new techniques but most of the designs they created came from their own minds. We’re already talking about having a Christmas Crafternoon part 2, where we will make Mason jar snow globes, treat bags, and tags. I’m definitely going to enjoy that one!

Simple Organizing

Hi there! I’m back today with a quick blog post about organization. Since I have such a small work space I’m always trying to figure out the best ways to stay organized—even while my stash of tools, stamps, and embellishments keeps growing and growing. Recently I was beginning to notice I was running out of space in my ‘everyday stamps’ basket (that I have right in front of me on my desk); so, I decided to fix that issue. I wanted a new container that was relatively cheap, cute, easy to clean, and easy to move around. So I decided to head on over to Target and check out their selection of containers. First I went to the basic storage container area, and I wasn’t too excited about the selection, so I walked over the bathroom decor/storage section and I found this clear container and I fell in love with it. First, it was much bigger (and prettier) than the container I was using prior to buying this one.  Below is a picture of how I had my stamps stored before.

Also, I’d purchased some of these Avery Elle, Stamp & Die storage pockets, and while back; and, I thought today would be a perfect time to use them (since I was getting organized an all, hehe). A lot of my stamp baggies were getting ripped and falling apart because I use them so much, so I took the ones that were the worst looking and I transferred them into the new storage pockets. I’m definitely loving these pockets right now and I think I’m going to buy more—I can see how pretty this container would look if I had all of my stamps in these pockets. If you’d like to purchase some, you can find them here. They are always selling out because they are pretty popular in the stamping community.

So until, I buy more of the Avery Elle pockets I’m going to keep them all organized like this, but I can’t wait to have them all transferred into the storage pockets so everything will be uniform as well as organized. I’m also thinking of buying some more of these clear storage containers because I think they’d look pretty lined up next to each other—well that might have to wait until I have an actual craft room, but I can buy them and save them until I have one, haha. I don’t know if I’ve even mentioned before, that I don’t have an actual craft room. My crafting area is in a hallway in between the kitchen and the living room. All my stuff is on top of a white picnic table—which is the reason why I’m always trying to find the most efficient ways to be organized. My crafting space can turn into a tornado within seconds if I’m not properly organized, LOL!

My First 5x7 Greeting Card

I've made a few 5x7 invitations but I've never actually made a greeting card before, and while I was sitting at my desk I was thinking of trying something new. I've made the circle card, 3x3 cards—but never the 5x7. So, I thought today would be a perfect time to try it. I used my trusty Lawn Fawn stamps for this card (of course, hehe). It’s so easy to make an adorable card with their stamps. 

Right now I’m noticing that snowy blue skies are popular in the papercrafting world—and I am pretty obsessed with it as well. I love using my distress inks to create such beautiful skies, like I did with this greeting card. I don’t have that many distress inks right now, but with only two shades of blue I was able to create a sky background that looks as though the sun is setting—or at least I hope I pulled it off to look that way, haha. 

Since I was working with a much larger space then I’m used to I decided to create a little scene using some of the critters from the set, Critters in the snow. I added in the gnome from, gnome sweet gnome, and I also used the tree from the set, critters in the forest. The little, ‘To: Santa’, card is from the set, cozy Christmas; and, the Santa hats are from the set, hats off to you. I used my Copic markers to color everything in, and I’ve been watching lots of Youtube videos to learn blending techniques—and I think I’m getting better and better each time. 

I actually really like holding a big card like this one, in my hands. It felt heavy and as though I was holding something truly precious because it was handmade. Have a fun and crafty weekend! 

Sweet Stamp Shop Winter Release--And some Exciting News!

Not only am I’m excited to be sharing the Sweet Stamp Shop December release—I’m also excited to share that I’m on their design team! Making treat tags, and cards with their stamps was so much fun and I’m happy to share what I made with them below. Since, today is the SSS stamp release day; they are offering a 20% coupon code, DNR20, which you can use until this Friday at midnight. For more details, on the release and the coupon code visit the Sweet Stamp Shop blog by clicking here.

I made this tag, with a chalk board theme, and I also felt the like the distress chalk stains looked like flour had been spilled all over the tag too. I used the stamp set, Baking Love, to create this tag. This set has some of the cutest little images and sentiments. 

Next, I used the stamp set, Cookie Sprinkles to make this adorable card. I love how the sentiment in this set can be used with this cookie image, but you can also use it on a cupcake box or a tag as well. 

For this next card, I used another adorable set, Press itWash it, by the Sweet Stamp shop, and this set is so versatile and can be used for ‘just because cards’, or Valentine’s day. I’m definitely going to be having lots of fun with this set. 

I used a beautiful floral set named, Elegant Flowers, to create this card. The flowers in these set are great because you can use them to fit any theme you need it for; for instance, Mother’s Day, a birthday card, Just because card, etc. You can even create some beautiful wedding theme decorations with this set. 

Lastly, I made this card using the same stamp set I used to create the ‘baked with love’ tag (Baking love). Like I mentioned earlier—the images in this set are SO adorable! I created a ‘bun in the oven’ greeting card with this set and I think it came out so lovely.

To view more the Sweet Stamp Shop December release, and what the other design team members created using these stamp sets feel free to view their blog by clicking here!

I hope you enjoyed my creations! 

A Clean, Simple, and Easy to Reproduce Card

During the Holiday season when I’m making cards I always try to design clean and simple—yet still adorable—cards so that I can reproduce a bunch of them in a short amount of time. Therefore, when I’m shopping for stamps online I always have that in mind. When I saw this stamp set, Gnome for the holidays, I knew the images and sentiments in this set would make for perfect easy-to-reproduce card.

All I did for this design was cut an A2 card base, and I also cut a panel in white that would have the Rudolph image and “Merry Christmas Dear” sentiment on it. I used a simple masking technique for the banner using a post-it note (and I saved it, so I can could it again and again). Next I simply colored in the image using a variety of Copic markers, and stamped the sentiment in red ink. Lastly I simply adhered the panel to the card base and that was it.

I think this is the design that I’m going to be making for my Friends and Family this year—for sure. I hadn't decided on which one I was going to send them and I think this one is the winner. If you'd like to get your hands on this card, they are also available in my shop. Click here to view it. Have a great day! 

Pretty Pink Posh Grand Opening Blog Hop!

Today I’m excited to be celebrating the grand opening of the Pretty Pink Posh, Shop! As a crafter it’s always fun to use embellishments and PPP has lots of sequins and things for you to choose from for all of your creative projects. You even have a chance to win Pretty Pink Posh prize packs—so don’t forget to check the details on how to win below.

I've recently started using sequins on my projects and I love it—so this celebration couldn't have come at a better time. Since we’re on the topic of celebrating I’d like to share my first project using some of the PPP sequins from the, Winter snow, pack which I used to create a festive place card shaker—Perfect for Christmas dinner. I love it because it’s a playful place card and I’m sure something like this would bring a smile to anyone’s face. You could have the shaker place card standing up in front of a place setting or even right on top of the actual place setting. Either way is super cute and I can’t even decide which one I like best. 

Since I was on the theme of Christmas I thought I’d create a cute tag for a gable box, and I used PPP, Festive Holly-days, sequins, and some of their adorable Christmas bells. The sound this little bell makes warms my heart so much and it’s seriously getting me in the mood for Christmas (my favorite holiday).

Now is your chance to win your PPP packs! You can simply leave a comment on this post on or before December 3rd and two lucky winners will be chosen and announced on Thursday, December 5th! For more details on how to win, visit the Pretty Pink Posh blog be clicking, here.

Now on to the next crafty gal in the hop! Laurie Willison is going to share what she created using PPP embellishments, and to view the blog creating before me stop by Leigh Penner’s blog. If you would like to start from the beginning click here!

This hop was so fun, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!  

Thanksgiving Gift Box and Tag

Is Thanksgiving here already?! That’s exactly what I thought today when I was thinking of my next blog post. I couldn't believe I hadn't even made anything for this holiday. But since I have my trusty Lawn Fawn stamps—making something in a snap isn't a problem at all. One of the many great things about having LF stamps is that you can make the cutest holiday paper crafts with their versatile sets. For instance I’m using the, Hats off to you, set and it comes with a variety of festive hats; such as, a Santa hat, birthday hat, cow boy hat, etc—and I’m using their super adorable pilgrim hat and paired it with Lawn Fawns gnome, from the stamp set, Gnome sweet gnome to create a tag. I also purchased a few Kraft boxes from Michaels and stamped the smiley corn stock image onto it with white pigment ink.

First I started off by die cutting a few tags, using the, tag you’re it, craft dies by Lawn Fawn. Next I used the coordinating stamp set, winter gifts, for the border around the tag.

Next I stamped the pilgrim hat on the tag, and also stamped the hat onto a piece of a sticky post-it note, cut it out, and placed it over the hat image (an easy masking technique).

 Next I inked up my gnome stamp and as you can see from the image I only inked him up from the head down.

 Next I simply stamped him onto the tag, like so…

 Look at how pretty that came out—once the mask was lifted!

Now you can color in your image, and I’m also using the little turkey leg from the stamp set, happy feast, and colored that in with the markers show in the image. I also show how I went about coloring him in—with the light color first and ending with the darkest color. Then you go over it again starting with the medium color and ending with the lightest.

Once I was done coloring everything in, I shuffled through all of my other LF stamps to add the sentiment and wooden fence. I think it looks so cute. I also die cut a piece of this pattern paper and I’m going to adhere it to the back of the tag.

Lastly, I took some of my white pigment ink by, Hampton Art, and stamped the corn image all over the box. I also used some of this awesome vintage looking hemp twine in orange—which is also sold by Lawn Fawn.

I think a set of these boxes and tags would make for a cute place setting at a Thanksgiving table. You can stuff these boxes with homemade treats or even a homemade gift. I hope you enjoyed this post and let me know what you think in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.