Sites of the week

Welcome to another {Your Next Stamp} FUN FRIDAY! This month kicked off the FUN FRIDAY series from the YNS design team. Each Friday, DT members will be sharing their YNS creations along with a fun tip, trick or technique. You can find links to all those sharing on Fridays on the YNS blog.

As for me, I want to share with you my textured filled card using Anika from Holland…

Lots of layers!!…

She was FUN to color!…

Simple embellishment with sentiment…

Ok, so let’s chat TEXTURE!

Merriam-Webster defines TEXTURE as the visual or tactile surface characteristics and appearance of something.

By this definition and in the terms of card making…it’s how a card looks and feels. Texture can be lacking and it can also be way overdone. So, how did I incorporate it into my card?

1. Distressed edges
2. Sewn panel
3. Embossed panel
4. Punch panel
5. Ribbon and twine
6. Layers

You can see that I did not distress, sew on and emboss every layer. This would send this card into texture overload, especially since the focal point is a large colored image. If the main image panel was a sentiment, distressing, sewing and embossing on multiple panels could look good. I probably could have gotten away with sewing on the red dot panel, but it was nap time and I try not to make too much noise that might wake the beast. I know you moms know what I mean!
The small eyelet lace punched panel atop the embossed kraft panel also adds texture, as will as visual appeal by tying in the white from the main image panel and card base.
Embellishments, such as the ribbon and twine I used, are super simple ways to add texture to a card. You can play around with the placement and how to tie/knot it so that it fits the style of your creation.
I contemplated whether or not to add “Layers” as part of this “dissertation” on texture and then I thought to myself that it is the most basic part of the texture of this card. I find myself running my fingers over the layers and realizing how much different this card would be if it was all flat. So remember, dimension makes a difference!

What’s your favorite way to add texture to your creations?

It’s FUN FRIDAY with Your Next Stamp! Each Friday some of the design team members will be sharing both their creations and a tip or two about a technique or their creative process.

First, let me start off with my card using the darling APPLE CUTIE…

Detail shots…

I used an older Mojo Monday sketch for this card…

I often get asked, “Where do you begin when creating?” Truth be told, there are lots {and LOTS} of places I start. I think that if I always started at the same place my work would get boring. Sometimes I start with an image, or an inspiration piece. Other times I have papers that I want to work or continue to work with. More often than not, I have a color scheme or sketch in my head. While I could go on and on about each of these, I am going to stick to one that I know pretty well…starting with a sketch.

I am always looking for a great sketch {also known as a layout}. I feel that it can really make or break a card {along with paper choice, but we’ll leave that for another day}. So, first find a sketch that you like and you feel that you can work with. An elaborate sketch can both trigger and hinder the creative mind, so be sure that you think that the sketch is “do-able.”
If you already have an image in mind, double check that the image will play nice with your main image panel. If not, you might just need to re-think either your sketch or image selection. For instance, a tall skinny image would not have worked well on the sketch above. I’m not saying that it couldn’t have been done, but I probably would not have liked the outcome.
The key to working with a sketch is the ability to make it your own. If a sketch shows a star as embellishment, don’t feel that is what you have to use. Think about what works for you and your card. Add ribbon, layers {note that I did not say ‘panels’} and other embellishments as you see fit, as long as it works with the parameters of the sketch.
You may have to make the sketch “work for you.” Making it work does not translate into making it look nothing like the original sketch {hopefully you know what I mean by this}. On my card, you can see that the 3 small round panels on the left side are slightly different from how they are shown on the sketch. I could have made them smaller on my card, but I did not like the way that it looked, so I altered it slightly to “make it work” for me.

Hopefully these tidbits about working with a sketch have helped. You can find sketches on lots of sites, like HERE on the first Saturday {and EVERY}of the month. Yep, shameless plug and I am ok with it

Say it ain’t so! I don’t want sleep in mornings and lazy pajama days to go away! Now, those couple holiday pounds that I am sure have taken residence in each hip, I feel a little differently about! Hiho, Hiho…it’s off to the gym I will go! This morning is going to be brutal, I am sure. Hopefully Pandora will play me some good jams to get me going.

After the gym, I think I will need to squeeze in a little crafty time! Over the past week or so, I have had a lot of fun playing with my new stamps {that are being released TONIGHT!} from The Cat’s Pajamas. When I got the new ANYWHERE RIBBON SLIDE CutUps die, I knew I wanted to use it for something holiday and something other than a ribbon slide on a card. How about an ornament…

This ornament consists of 12 pieces of cardstock measuring 7″ x 7/8″, each die cut with the ANYWHERE RIBBON SLIDE from The Cat’s Pajamas. The pattern paper that is slid through the slides measures 6″ x 9/16″. They are then all stacked on top of each other and holes are punched at either end {I used my Crop-o-dile so that I could punch through all the pieces at once}. Large brads are put through the holes and then the strips are spread out until they form a ball.

The top of the ornament is adorned with a triple bow created from the new Cranberry seam binding ribbon and button that is strung with silver cording. The tag, which is part of the stack that is bound with a brad, was created using the new J*lly H*oliday set…

This set is a lot of fun and coordinates well with many of the previously released Circus Panels and Big Ticket CutUps dies, as well as the Stamp Trio stamp set from The Cat’s Pajamas. Gotta love being practical and the many more ways to get creative!

One more shot, so you can see how it’s put together {the top looked the same before I hot glued the heck out of that bow!}…

I hope you have enjoyed my TCP Sneaky Peek week sneak peeks! Be sure you don’t miss what all the other girls have come up with, too! Alma has been posting special previews and links each day on her blog.

Tonight is the release party in our forum on SCS. Hope to see you there for fun, prizes and more!

It’s that time of year. School is winding down. The heat is turning up. As moms we search out the best ideas for what to give our kiddos’ teachers as end of the year thank yous. I’ve had a good time making up the gifties for this year. I can’t say that my ideas are absolutely original {thank you, Pinterest!!}, but they came out darn cute!

I broke out some Verve stamps to make a couple of the gifties to be given. This first project is a bouquet of tissue paper and tulle flowers {tutorial link} in a black and white bucket that I found at Target a long while back and have been hoarding for the perfect project. The pick is stamped with the “Bloom and Grow” sentiment from the new Verve set by the same name. I added my own hand written sentiment around the edges to compliment it…

I think it’s pretty tough to tell from the above pic, but the pink stamped words are also shadowed in a lighter pink {Copic}. Just trust me when I say that it looks pretty darn cute that way The bottom portion is stamped with the polka dots from Bountiful Backgrounds {one of the best sets to have in a stamp collection} on Kraft paper and as I finishing touch, I added a butterfly cut from the Flutterby Verve die.

The whole kit-n-kaboodle…

Detail of the flowers…

Other details include leaves cut from Nesties {from My Mind’s Eye Lime Twist paper} and a scallop border cut from felt around the top of the bucket. I filled the bucket with Kraft crinkle paper, which I think is a nice contrast to the bright and bold colors of the rest of the project. The flowers are stuck in there with lollipop sticks that I hot glued to the flowers.

This second project is comprised of a tag with a matching {non-stamped} gable box…

I’m just gonna come out and say it~ I {heart} this tag!! …

As you can see, I am having a wee bit of trouble putting the Flutterby die away! For my projects, it’s been the perfect adornment. In addition to the Flutterby die, I also used the Jotted Heart die and FOUR Verve sets. Who knew I would use so many different pieces of Verve on something that only measures 3″ x 3.5″. The heart is stamped with both the jotted heart from the Love Notes set and the background stamp from the Wishful Elegance set {also used on the Dad card a couple posts down}. The leaves are stamped with large leaves from the Bloom and Grow set and then die cut with the Elegant Leaves die. Finally, the sentiment comes from the Friendly Phrases set…another great essential for a stamp collection! Put that all together with 3 different types of polka dots, a plaid and brown and black combined and someway, somehow it looks good…and to think that most of my wardrobe contains black, gray and white! LOL!

I have another giftie to share, but I think I am going to save it for next week. It’s not quite all the way wrapped up and I think this post is lengthy enough! Hope everyone has a great day! I’m off to prepare for our neighborhood garage sale. Blech!!

Welcome to your next stop along this month’s VIP hop for My Favorite Things. You should have started at Kim’s blog, hopped along from my friend, Susan’s blog and when you hippity hop along outta here, you will be going to Sherrie’s blog {I’ll be linking her later, too}.

This month’s VIP Collection {available for ONE DAY ONLY} allows you to get a little jump start on all your Valentine creations. I know it might seem to think that far ahead, but every year I wish I had done a little more ahead of time. Here’s what is included in the VIP Collection…

I made a little treat box using the Die-Namics die from the Polka Dot Greetings Set and Die Duo. The “how to” is below all the detail pics. I used a sentiment from the VIP EXCLUSIVE set Bottom of my Heart Additions as well as the Hearts a Plenty Die-Namics {included in the VIP Collection}…

The big red heart is cut from MFT felt…

Here’s a little how to on these cute lil’ boxes…

1. Die cut FOUR of the Polka Dot Greeting Die-Namics and 2 of each of the hearts in the Hearts a Plenty Die-Namics
2. Cut a square measuring 2.75″ and a length of cardstock for the handle measuring about 1/2″ x 7″. You will also need a piece of cardstock for the sentiment. The size of this will vary depending on which sentiment you choose.

3. Score the die cuts according to this…

4. Adhere the “folded out” tabs. If you wish to add MFT mini brads, do this before adhering these tabs together.
5. Place square on inside of the box, adhering it to the “folded in” tabs.
6. Attach handle and hearts and embellish as desired.

Alright, off you go to the super talented and wonderfully sweet Sherrie’s blog!