Jingle Tags!

I am up over on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps blog today with these fun Tags! I used the new Sleigh Bells Stamp set along with the coordinating Bell Tag Fri-Dies. I love how easy it is to cut, stamp, and emboss these tags to create perfect gift additions for the holidays. I left some room on each design to put the name of the gift recipient, as well.



I sort of love them! Seriously, you guys, this stamp set and die set are so perfect for holiday tag making! I am going to be making a BUNCH of these! LOVE them! You could even write the name where I stamped 'Jingle All The Way' instead of adding a sentiment there if you prefer.



A bit of May Arts sheer ribbon with a lovely gold edge and some gold and natural twine make a pretty topper for each tag and a few Queen and Company bubbles and gem stones add some sparkle without making them crazy. GO! Make some!!!!

Have a Happy!!!

Pretty Amazing

I have a pretty little card up over on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps blog today using one of my favorite CAS-ual Fridays images. This simple flower set is so gorgeous! I have been dying to watercolor it, so I grabbed it for today's post!



I stamped the image with a light colored distress ink and then hit it with my watercolors. I used Antique Linen Distress ink, and honestly, I think Id like to find an even lighter one to use, but I like the distress inks for this technique because you can blend them into the watercolor to make the image appear as though it wasn't even stamped at all!



I loved playing with the different watercolors to create a unique look. The base of the flowers actually began with a mint color that, when mixed with a darker pink tone, became that gorgeous nearly purple shade with just hints of the mint in there. I love it! You can find a complete product list in the links below my post. I have also included a couple of other CAS-ual Fridays Stamp sets that would work great with this technique! Click to shop! :)

I hope you have a super spectacular Monday! It is a GORGEOUS day here in Massachusetts and I am wearing mint pants, so things are looking pretty darned good!

Have a Happy!

*CAS-ual Fridays TRUTH IS Clear Stamps *CAS-ual Fridays AMAZEBALLS Clear Stamps *CAS-ual Fridays BUTTERBOWS Clear Stamps *CAS-ual Fridays WALLFLOWER Clear Stamps *CAS-ual Fridays WONDERFUL WORDS Clear Stamps *Queen & Company Rock Candy CLEAR Glitter Embellishments CN1521 Kuretake Gansai Watercolor Set *Sakura KOI WATERCOLORS SKETCH BOX 24 Colors with Waterbrush Simon Says Stamp Lemon Chiffon *Sakura KOI MEDIUM WATERBRUSH Water Brush Watercolor #6 *Ranger WATERCOLOR PAPER Inkssentials Surfaces ISW39532 My Mind's Eye Market Street Ashbury 6x6 Paper Pad *PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz MINI DISTRESS INK PADS SETS 1, 2, & 3 Ranger DMIPSX3 *PRE-ORDER Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad MINI KIT #3 TDPK40330 *Tim Holtz DISTRESS INK PAD ANTIQUE LINEN Brown Ranger *Simon Says Stamp Premium Dye INK PADS Set SWEET TREATS INKSWTR5 *Simon Says Stamp Premium Dye Ink Pad AUDREY BLUE ink018

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Tape: Turns out, that stuff is useful!

The Paper Crafts Gallery Idol 2014 contest has come around and I decided to toss my hat into the ring again this year. The challenge was to create with decorative tape.

Tape.

See, here's the thing. I have, oh, say, 100-ish rolls of washi tape, a few fabric tapes, and probably some others that I don't even know I own. I have a lot of tape. I use it for simple things, though... a strip here or there, an envelope closure, a bit of cuteness on a mailed envelope.... I generally don't go terribly original with it. Well, that wasn't going to fly for Gallery Idol Open Auditions, SO....I dug deep and came up with these three ideas. Ready for it?

Three creative uses for tape.

1. Roll strips of tape and adhere them to create a shape. Fold a super long strip in half and essentially use like a quilling strip. (Yes, all that rolling takes a bit of time. And by a bit, I mean lots.)

2. Fold strips of tape, leaving one end sticky, roll into links, create a tape chain. (Yes, all that folding and linking takes a bit of time. and by a bit, I mean lots.)

3. Loop tape and adhere to a card base. Layer a raised, die-cut panel over the tape to create a puffy heart look. (Yes, all that looping and layering takes a bit of time. And by a bit,.... well, I'm sure you see the trend here, folks.)

So, lessons learned in tape exploration:

1. Tape is super versatile.

2. Tape is super fun.

3. Cool tape designs take forever and six days!
4. I obviously should buy more tape.

No, but for reals, these were a LOT of fun to create and not actually ridiculously time consuming. They just took a bit longer than my usual cards, and that's reasonable for a contest like this one, if you ask me! 

The top 20 will be announced on Friday, so, we shall see!

I have linked similar tapes to those I used. Not all are exact, but these will achieve similar looks.

*Simon Says Clear Stamps COLOR AND SUNSHINE sss101399 *My Favorite Things BIRTHDAY GREETINGS Clear Stamps MFT *Mama Elephant Clear Stamp ORIGAMI Set ME1402-060 *Hero Arts Shadow Ink Pad SOFT GRANITE Mid-Tone 2012 AF226 *Hero Arts Shadow Ink Pad CHARCOAL Black Mid-Tone 2013 af236 *Versamark WATERMARK Rubber Stamp Emboss Chalk Resist INK PAD *Hero Arts EMBOSS WHITE EMBOSSING POWDER *My Mind's Eye CHARMED Decorative Tape Washi Record It! REC103 *Little B Skinny Washi Tape MINI BLACK AND WHITE HOUNDSTOOTH 100002 *Little B Skinny Washi Tape GINGHAM RED 100003 *Freckled Fawn BLUE POSITIVE Japanese Washi Tape 630 *Queen & Company Trendy Tape POLKA DOTS RED TT956 *Queen & Company Trendy Tape POLKA DOTS YELLOW TT1017 *Love My Tapes AQUA TRIANGLES Japanese Washi Tape 354 *Love My Tapes LINED FLORAL PURPLE Japanese Washi Tape 005 *Love My Tapes POLKA DOTS ORANGE Japanese Washi Tape 615 *Precision Heat Embossing Emboss Tool Gun Hero Arts PW200 *Wplus9 CLEAR CUT STACKERS: HEARTS Designer Dies WP9D-042 *EK Success CUTTER BEE Scissors EKCB01 *Sizzix BIG SHOT MACHINE Powder Blue & Teal 657900

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Ten Tacky Tapes

Sooo... Cath, over at Moxie Fab World is issuing a whole bunch of super fun challenges straight from the pages of the new 75 Creative Card Challenges idea book from Paper Crafts Magazine. Well, my friends... these are not the easiest challenges in the world. HA! But, alas, I have begun with this one and I do intend to continue with the others because, while they may not be easy, they are SO SUPER FUN!!! I'm a sucker for a good challenge!

So... this one is for the Use 10 Different Embellishments Challenge in the Moxie Fab World. I had to think about what I wanted to use, but then I just glanced over at my shelf, saw my mega-basket of washi tapes and went, "AHA!"

Yup. That's totally what happened. Just sayin'. So, my dear bloggy reader friends... my Ten Tacky Tapes card...

...*Feel free to insert a drum roll for dramatic purposes here.***


You. Are. Wonderful.

And no, I wasn't speaking directly TO the tapes. Although..... hmmmmm.... I do love me some super fabby washi tapes. HA!


I pulled ten fun tapes from my stash. While doing this, I also decided I need more blue tapes, and a few more in the a few other color ranges, as well. Just sayin'. We won't discuss how many rolls I already own. HA! I added the tapes to the card, tearing the ends to create a neat torn edge-thingy at the bottom. The sentiment is from the Neat & Tangled Kindness Matters set, which, by the way, you need. Because it's awesome. (No, I don't design for them... I just love that set! HA!) I added a cute brad from the Eyelet Outlet to finish if off.

So, really, I totally just used this challenge as an excuse to play with my tapes. And I'm totally cool with that. Just sayin'. I might do another card on this one, as it is kind of fun for a CAS girl to try to embellish with lots-o-goodness! :)

Have a Happy! :)

Jingle Out!

Wonderful Things Are Afoot in Scrapbooking Land!

Yes, oh, yes they are! CHA is in full swing and boy are these guys coming out with some great stuff! Maybe not as much as in previous years, but I think we are seeing a HUGE improvement in quality across the board from the manufacturers that we know and love!

Check this out from Queen & Company!

Queen & Co New Bucket Kits
Included in this release are new Queen & Co Bucket kits. Fabulous themed embellishments poured into adorable, reuseable buckets! Grab yourself a Bucket of Baby, Boy, Girl, Summer, Magic, Queen or Love. Buckets are overflowing with fabulous embellishments including, big brads, glitter brads, flocked brads, printed brads, sequin flowers, felt flowers and ribbon buckles! Everything you could ever need to embellish your hand crafted creations! (That paragraph was taken straight from their blog).



Are you SEEING that???? BUCKETS!!!! Little ADORABLE PINK BUCKETS!!!! Seriously, if you ever had a desire to make me happy - stick little wonderful felt flowers, gleefully colored brads, and various shimmery gem stones into little pink buckets and hand it to me!!!!! I promise! It WILL work!!!! Thanks Queen and Company for once again, proving, that packaging makes a HUGE difference! LOL!

AND....just to make things better...they are coming out with a line of bulk embellishments that allow you to buy ONLY what you want and not have wasteful packaging involved! I LOVE that!!!!

Also, the lovely Veronica was kind enough to point out THIS fabulous line to me yesterday!

Ummmm...yes. That is the new Bella Blvd. Sweet Celebration line. And...ummm....yes....it is filled with CUPCAKES!!!!! Wasn't it nice of them to design a line around my personal obsession? I certainly think so! We simply aren't going to mention the fact that the cupcake thing is sort of a world-wide craze and lots of people love them because that would make me sad to think they didn't design these wonderful papers just for me. So shhhh! don't tell me and everything will be fine. Just fine. Really. It will be fine. Okay, no seriously, though folks...isn't it great when a company reads your blog and that very day announces that they created a line JUST for you?! I think so! I really do!




And, ummm....guys....it get's even better!

Sassafrass Lass has come out with THREE beautiful, stunning, amazing, utterly fantabulous new paper lines!!! Seriously, though folks...this is good stuff!

Check out these awesome Owl Felties!!! Actually, I'm in love with all of the felties, in general! They make me smile big and stuff!



AND....the papers, oh.....dear......me......the papers! I am in serious paper lust here, folks....it's not even good. LOL! These things are so vibrant, so full of color, and SOOOOO calling my name!!!! I chose to post this one because it is called "Lost for Words" and that is pretty much what I am when I see these papers! LOL!



I am not even going to try to post my favorites from Cosmo Cricket. You don't have that kind of time! LOL! But you SO need to check them out! They always make me a happy girl!

Okay, so that's probably enough lustful paper and embelly gushing for today!
Have a wonderful day!