Practical Scrappers DT Project: Birthday Cards

Happy Friday everyone!  Today, over on the Practical Scrappers, we're showcasing birthday cards!  And, in case you weren't aware, my birthday was yesterday (tons of birthday photos on Instagram @hsweet12), so I obviously had to participate.

Isn't this birthday card so fun and happy, not to mention, trendy?!  I tried a new-to-me technique with some new-to-me products.  I do not know many Distress products.  I have a few Distress ink pads and a couple Distress paints, but that's it.  I was not really a fan of them because I'm a bright scrapper.  But, after watching so many of Jennifer McGuire's YouTube videos, I knew I needed to start making the investment.  So, I went to my LSS and bought six new Distress markers.

This technique I'm pretty sure I saw on Jennifer McGuire's channel, but I cannot find the video.  She used Distress markers to "watercolor" over a white embossed background.  I definitely wanted to try this because 1) it looked fun, 2) it looked really pretty, 3) it looked easy, and 4) it's a technique that can be used for any background stamp to customize lots of cards. 

The embossing is not perfect, but that doesn't bother me too much.  I think it adds a fun touch.

I used this chevron background stamp I got at Michael's; their Recollection brand.  I heat embossed this stamp on watercolor paper (because you use a lot of water to get your color to spread and blend) with white embossing powder.  I then used my markers in ripe persimmon, squeezed lemonade, and picked raspberry.  I just scribbled each color over portions of the paper.  Then, I misted the paper all over with some water and tipped the paper to the side to let the extra water drip off.  I didn't tip it down because I didn't want the colors to run into each other too much.  I just wanted a nice blend of the colors.

I cut down the background panel because I didn't like all the extra paper around the image, so my card is a bit smaller than I 4.25"x5.50" card.  It measures 3 5/8"x4 5/8".  I stamped the birthday sentiment (So Much to Say from Lawn Fawn) with black ink onto white cardstock, cut into a pennant shape.  I adhered the sentiment onto a larger pennant shape cut from black cardstock.  I used foam dots to adhere the sentiment to the card panel.  The card panel is adhered onto a heavyweight card base.  I used black puffy paint to mimic enamel dots to "underline" the sentiment.  I didn't have black enamel dots and that would have been a lot to use.  Puffy paints are a great and inexpensive product to get that enamel dot look.  I bought a package of 15 puffy paint bottles at Walmart for $12 or something like that.  You just have to let them dry for a few hours.

Looking back at this card, I think I'll add some black stars in the upper right corner to give the card some more fun.

So, that's it for me today.  Go check out the Practical Scrappers blog for more birthday card inspiration.  There are a ton of lovely cards! 

Have a great Friday!
Heather

On Trend: Gold--Practical Scrappers DT Project

Welcome to my first ever design team project!  Can't you tell I'm excited?!  This month's Practical Scrappers on trend focus is GOLD!  And you all know how much I LOVE gold...

I absolutely had to play along with this on trend focus.  Something I'm working on this year is expanding my papercrafting creativity.  I love layouts, cards, and mini albums, but I want to challenge myself creatively and start making other paper goodness.

And here is an adorable treat/goodie bag!  This idea comes from Angie over at Chic 'n Scratch.  I love watching her YouTube videos making different projects with Stampin' UP! products.  While I was watching the video where she demonstrates how to make this bag, I instantly knew my first Practical Scrappers project would be a gold bag.

Products I Used

• Gold doilies vellum from Crate Paper Maggie Holmes' Flea Market collection
• Versamark Ink
• Ranger Super Fine Detail Gold Embossing Powder
• Black Card Stock
• Gold chevron paper from My Mind's Eye Record It! Charmed collection
• Metallic gold and white twine
• Paper trimmer
• Score Board

Tutorial 
**I had to make this bag again a couple more times to get figure out what I did wrong.  The bag pictured at a score line wrong, so the front of the bag is wider than the bag of the bag.**

1. Cut a 12"x12" piece of paper to 11 5/8"x5"
2. Score at 1 3/8" down the length of the paper or on the portrait side
3. Turn the paper and score at 2 1/8", 5 1/4", 7 3/8", and 10 7/16" on the landscape side
4. Fold the paper at all the score lines
5. Turn your paper on the landscape side.  There will be longer rectangles on the top and shorter rectangles at the bottom.  Cut up on all the score lines (from the bottom of the paper with the shorter rectangles) to the perpendicular 1 3/8" score line
6. At the ends of the paper there will be 2 "thinner" panels.  Cut the bottom square out made by the 10 7/16" score line intersecting with the 1 3/8" score .
7. Start to fold your paper into the bag shape.  All those flaps will form the bottom of the bag.  Fold your shorter flaps in and then adhere one of the wider flaps onto the other to get the bottom of the bag.
8. Gentle tuck in the sides of the bag so we can tie the top closed
9. Hole punch at the top of the bag
10. Heat emboss your sentiment onto cardstock and cut into a pennant shape
11. Mount sentiment pennant onto patterned paper cut into a slightly larger pennant
12. Adhere sentiment to bag
13. Tie bag closed with twine

Now you have your cute bag!  Check out the original blog post with the video here. 

This is a quick project to put together if you need something last minute.  They would be super cute as the bags for party favors for a birthday party or bridal shower or any kind of party.

Hope you enjoyed my first Practical Scrappers DT project!  Next time I do a project with lots of steps, I'll do better at taking pictures along the way.  

xoxo,

Heather

A Fun Announcement!

Hello lovely readers!  I'm back, after a bit of writer's block.  Don't worry though, I was still getting crafty and have a ton of fun projects to share with you.  I'm just trying to sort everything out and not overwhelm myself, so bear with me.....

Besides that, I have an announcement....drum roll, please.....

I am now a designer for the awesome blog, Practical Scrappers!!!!!  How amazing is this?!  I am so grateful to be on a team of such creative and talented designers!  All these girls have incredible skills that just shine through all their projects.  

This is my first design team and hopefully not my last.  I've already been working on some projects for PS, already getting my creative juices flowing, and which has definitely helped me use my stash!  I want to thank my friend Kelly-yes, the same Kelly from the Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenges-for introducing me to Practical Scrappers and for helping me get on the team.

That's all I have for you today, but come back tomorrow!

xoxo,
Heather

Just Two Midwest Girls Scrap Challenge: Color, Color, Color!

 

**If you're looking for my Pinterest Crafting post, it is the post below this!

Happy Weekend Everyone!  I'm definitely looking forward my 3-day weekend as I'll be scrapping all day Monday!  So, Kelly and I are back today with another Just Two Midwest Girls scrap challenge!  For the Valentine card challenge winner, check out Kelly's blog!

For this round, we thought we'd play around with a color palette.  We see them all over Pinterest.  We're starting to see them as inspirational starting pieces in the papercrafting world.  We see them all over!  Kelly and I picked a palette that has a winter-y feel to it, even though both of us are completely over this weather.  

Here is the palette we worked with for this challenge.  Aren't the colors just gorgeous?  I will admit though, as I was putting together a kit for this challenge, it was difficult for me to find those colors in my stash.  I'm not much of a darker color, monotone grayish blue scrapper.  

I wanted to put together a kit to make this process a little easier.  I took my time pulling these colors from my stash in papers, journaling cards, stickers, alphas, embellishments, etc.  I even pulled out some pieces from my November 2013 Citrus Twist scrapbook kit (which at this moment I still hadn't killed).  I cut some winter berries from white cardstock with my Cameo (not shown in photo).  And I even picked a sketch.  There were a couple things I wanted to use on this layout:  a winter-y photo and Project Life/journaling cards (because I have tons and need to start using them).  This is the first time I've ever pulled my own kit together.  I wanted to have everything in one place because I knew I'd be working on this layout off and on; I didn't want to have to put everything away after each time and then possibly forget what I had pulled out previously.

Citrus Twist Kits Sunday Sketch: 1.26.14

  Here's the sketch I chose to work with based on that semi-photo collage of my sister and I posing for the camera in the snow.

Sister Shenanigans

 And here is my completed layout!  I apologize for the lighting.  I took these photos in the evening a couple nights ago.  I didn't finish it the previous weekend so I could take advantage of some natural light.  I worked mostly with that blue and the reds in the color palette.  I didn't have soft enough grays for my liking in my stash.  Also, I didn't embellish as much on this layout as I usually do.  I didn't have too many embellishments in this color scheme and I also wanted to stick strictly with my kit.  I didn't dive into any of my stash after I started putting this layout together.  What I picked out a couple weeks before was what I was going to work with.

My background wood plank paper and the blue paper is from Dear Lizzy's Polka Dot Party.  All the other papers are from Glitz Designs' Finley collection.  The kraft cardstock is from scrap bucket, the kraft pocket is from a We R Memory Keepers' journaling cards kit, and the journaling cards are Project Life Midnight Edition.  I plan to write my journaling on the white and gray polka dot card tucked in that pocket.

I'm not really happy with how those winter berries turned out.  One, the image didn't cut very well because of its delicate nature and because I didn't adjust the settings to make it cut slower.  I was cutting these berries with scrap white paper.  I cut a few of them a couple times before I realized I need to change my settings.  And by then, I ran out of big enough white scraps; I didn't want to cut into a new sheet.  Anyways, I knew I wanted to watercolor them, but the brown on the branch didn't blend well enough with the red berries.  Oh well, I just need to practice my watercoloring technique.  I probably should have used watercolor paper...

 This layout came together really quickly.  I feel like the base of my pages come together really quickly these days, but the title and embellishment sometimes give me a difficult time.  The embellishment on this page definitely gave me a difficult time.  I didn't have much to work with, so I just had to put a few word stickers down and sprinkle some sequins and call it a day.

Okay, now it's your turn to play with these colors!  

Details

1. link up your project, new or old, to this post in the comments section OR in the comments section on Kelly's blog OR onto our Facebook page--link in my side bar
2. those that play along are entered to win a 6"x6" paper pad from Fancy Pants Blissful Blizzard collection; the colors just go so well with this challenge!
   
3. Challenge ends at 8pm CST on Thursday, February 27th--MY BIRTHDAY!

We hope that you guys come play along with us!  We can't wait to see what you make!  Now, go check out Kelly's blog.  I think she made another one of her wonderful mini albums!

xoxo,

Heather

Pinterest Crafting: Foam Stamps

I'm back this month with another Pinterest craft!  If you're just now tuning in to my blog, my Pinterest Crafting series is a monthly series where I create a craft found on Pinterest.  I let you all know what I did, how I did it, if it worked, etc.  There have been a few times in the past where I've tried to recreate a project found in the DIY/Crafts section that just didn't turn out as well as the original post and/or pictures showed.  This is my personal journey to see what works, what doesn't, and how some projects can be re-vamped. 

I cannot wait until it gets a little warmer out so I can do some fun projects that involve wood and spray paint and tools!  All of our tools are in out unattached garage and as you all know this winter has sucked!  These past couple days we've actually had temperatures in the 20s and 30s.  It's been weeks since it's been that "warm!"  So, bear with me this month and next for smaller, in-house projects as it's been so cold.  

This month I was inspired by Lines Across to make foam stamps!  I'm a paper crafter, so any craft that is directly related to my obsession-I mean hobby-is awesome. 

Here is what I used.  The only product I had to purchase was the foam sheet, which was under $1 at Michael's.  Before I looked too much into this project, I was thinking I'd cut the foam with my Cameo and the possibilities of foam stamps would be endless!  As I was doing some research and poking around on the 2Peas message board, I found out that no one has really mentioned or publicly admitted to trying to cut foam with the Cameo.  I wasn't about to break my machine, so I decided to use punches and dies cut with my manual die cutter.  Well...the foam was too thick for my punches, so that left me with only my dies.

Now, I know there are already pre-cut foam shapes available at craft stores I could have used.  Some have adhesive on the back and some don't.  I didn't want to spend money on a ton of foam shapes that I'd probably not use (I am TRYING to be a little more aware and conscientious with my craft purchases).  Also, if you do plan on trying this with pre-cut foam shapes, whether with adhesive-backed ones or not, remember that when you temporarily adhere the shapes to a stamp mount, they will be mirror images.  For some shapes that may not matter, but for others it could look a little funny when stamping. 

Okay, so I pulled out pigment ink, dye ink, and chalk ink to test my foam stamps.  I pulled out my glue dots to help adhere the shapes to my acrylic stamp block.  Unfortunately, I do not have a lot of dies, so I was a bit limited in what I could cut.  I wish I had a word die to see how that would have shown up...

Here are all my shapes cut out.  Look at how cute those tiny chevron arrows, stars, and hearts are?!  

Here are my sample sheets.  I used some scrap heavy-weight smooth white cardstock.  

As you can see, the bigger shapes did not stamp very well.  The shape isn't filled in well enough to my liking.  And I felt like I spent forever (more like a minute) inking up the foam.

Now, the smaller foam shapes stamp really well I think.  I would use these cute little guys to do some stamping with.  The Hero Arts Mid-Tone ink stamped well, although it didn't give a crisp line at the edges.  That doesn't bother me too much, depending on the project.  The chalk ink stamped the best.  The dye and pigment inks were good too.

These are the "stamps" after taking them off the block.  I, personally, would not store these shapes for future stamping.  Even after 5 minutes or so, every time I touched the foam, ink would rub on to my hand.  Foam is cheap enough that using it as a fill-in for a stamp you don't have or a die you have, but wish you had a coordinating stamp for would be a great temporary tool.  

I really, really wish there was a known way to cut foam with the Cameo.  Until then, I probably won't be using foam as a temporary stamp.  But, if you have a lot of dies you wish were stamps or thin enough foam to use punches, this is a great way to stretch your stash. 

xoxo,
Heather

P.S.-I will tell you that I'll probably be using foam on my projects.  Those hearts are just too cute!

One Little Word 2014: Inspirational Layout

I am a little behind in my OLW prompts.  I have written out all my January prompts, but I haven't written them all pretty on the cardstock to go into my album.  I haven't even looked at February's prompts....My goal this month is to get caught up though!

I think I mentioned before that I wanted to make a 12"x12" layout of my OLW that I can display as a reminder all year long.  I got the inspiration from Wilna Furstenberg's first and last videos of the Two Peas in a Bucket "In the Mood to Scrap" 2013 video series.  Her first video and layout can be found here.  Her last video in that series, documenting her One Little Word for 2014 can be found here.

Before I started this layout, I knew I wanted to do some brush script of my OLW: DO on white cardstock in several places.  I also wanted to use a recent photo of myself.  And I wanted to use products and papers from Maggie Holmes' Flea Market collection because I have tons of it!

I have to say, I absolutely LOVE this layout!  It did not turn out exactly how I had envisioned in my head, but I still love it!  After I completed the brush script, I wanted to tone it down a bit, so I sewed on a piece of vellum onto the background to create a soft look (except for the top "do," which I wanted to stand out).  Before the vellum was sewn down, I added a scattering of sequins and a punched border.

And then came the layering....I know I've said this before and I'll say it again, but I LOVE LAYERING!!  It's such a great way to use up paper scraps.  Everything on this layout is from the Flea Market collection except for the resin flower and pearl brads, the tag hiding my journaling, the vellum, the sequins, the doilies and the white cardstock.

This layout was so much fun to put together.  Having coordinating pieces or a collection just makes it easier to put things onto paper.  

As you all are well aware by this point, I am loving the gold trend and Maggie Holmes' collection just looks so great with gold.  

I still need to purchase a shadow box to house and display this layout in my scrap room.  It's just too pretty to be tucked away in an album.  Plus, I need it to help me to take action with DOing things this year.

I'm also making a simple journal to write in throughout the year to help document my actions, as well as to note the difficulties.  This journal does not coordinate with this layout as I used pieces from Studio Calico's Printshop collection.  I just need to decorate the cover and I'll let you all take a peek at it!

So, how are you doing with your One Little Word?  Have you made any inspirational pieces to help keep your mind on it?  I'd love to hear what you all have to say!  Leave me some comments down below!

xoxo,
Heather

Me on the 27th Series: January Review

I completed my first month of my monthly series, "Me on the 27th."  Except, I think I'm going to rename this series as "7 on the 27th."  My goal is to journal or document seven things about me currently on the 27th each month (27 is just too much!).  Those seven things will be journaled onto my monthly layout and I'll also provide some hidden journaling for all my other thoughts.

As you can see, I haven't added my journaling.  I still don't know if I'm going to write directly on the patterned paper or do typed journaling on strips of cardstock.  I have already written down what happened that day and some of my thoughts.  Now, I just need to do some editing.

I am really excited about this series.  It's my attempt to really connect with myself and who I am becoming as a woman, a wife, an adult.  I also want to be more aware of who I am right now.  All of my titles will be "Me" and the date.  So, this middle cluster contains lots of layers and a photo of me taken that day.  Underneath all those lovely layers is an envelope cut from my Cameo.  The envelope looks like a coin envelope.  Inside are two journaling cards attached with washi tape to make them flip open. 

 All of these photos on this layout were posted to my Instagram throughout the day.  I did note the specifics of each picture when I did my journaling at the end of the day.  I just wrote down what I had written when I posted each picture.

Those rosettes were such a pain in the ass to make!  I think I spent 30-45 minutes making these stupid things, but it was worth it.  I love them!  They add so much texture to a project.  I need to start making them more and experimenting with different shaped borders. 

I used my November 2013 Citrus Twist kit for this layout.  I finally killed that kit!  I'll have a post sharing the remnants of that kit and the layouts I made.

Confession:  I almost forgot about this day!  As you all know from my post at the beginning of the year, each month I was doing to document my day, similar to Ali Edwards' Day in the Life.  Anyways, I was at work, looking at my planner, planning my day when I saw my note in there about my blog series!  I'm glad I wrote that note in my planner, or else I probably would have forgotten until the evening.

I'm really looking forward to documenting me throughout the year.  I'm excited to see how my pages and my journaling will evolve.  I really hope you guys are enjoying this series.  Let me know if you have any ideas on how to document the 27th!

xoxo,
Heather

"From This Day Forward" Layout

So, I finally scrapped a picture twice.  Well, I guess it would be my second time doing this...but this particular layout I'm sharing with you today I intentionally scrapped this picture again.

The first time I scrapped this picture, it was bright and really "lovey" visually.  This time around, I wanted to 1) use my November 2013 Citrus Twist Kit main kit and 2) match the colors of the photo.  

As you can see, I have been loving layers!  I have so many papers:  scraps, 12"x12", 6"x6" paper pads, and cut apart cards!  Not only am I trying to tell more of our stories, but I'm really trying to deplete my stash.  I made my background paper based on this video from Maggie Holmes for Studio Calico.  Except for those really thin strips of paper, all the paper is from the CT kit.  The 3"x4" card, the gold glitter Thickers, and the vellum banner flag are also from the kit.  Everything else is from my stash.

This picture was taken the morning after Michael and I got married.  We were having brunch with his family and one of his aunts wanted a picture of the newlyweds.  I wanted to use this page as a letter to my husband about how much we have changed since the day we became a Mr. and Mrs.  Obviously, my journaling isn't done yet, but there is a strip of ledger paper on the right side that will hold all my thoughts and feelings about being married to my best friend for the past 18 months.  There are so many feelings I have now looking back on that picture.  It's something I definitely want to document.  

Okay, so that is all I wanted to share with you today.  Don't forget, Kelly and I have a current Valentine card(s) challenge.  Check out this post for all the details.  You have until Thursday, February 13 at 8pm CST to link up your project.  Link to my blog, to Kelly's blog, or to our Facebook page (button on my sidebar)!  I'll be back soon with some fun news!

xoxo,
Heather