Paper Filigree

It has been a long time since I have done any Quilling, but since it is making such a lively comeback, I have pulled out the paper strips, and started twirling again!

Here is the first card that I did.... so much fun, and pretty enough to give my nephew and his new bride!

Here is a second card featuring a couple of different shapes, and some aditional colors. 

This week's UStream Class will be all about Quilling or Paper Filigree.  Learn the basics, and, as always, I will have some tips and tricks to share with you.

I hope to see you on my UStream Channel at 8:00 Eastern Time Tuesday evening.  Just click on the blue icon in the upper right corner of my blog and it will take you to the channel.  You will also find recorded classes from previous weeks there, too.  

I am on vacation with great kids like this one, and will be enjoying their Scout Court of Honor tomorrow just before class.  (If I'm a minute late, don't give up on me... I'm coming!)

I hope you are enjoying your summer, too.

Happy crafting ~

Twist that Twine!

It's Twine Week at BettyBee's Buzz, and I did two cards to play with it!

I am so thankful for my friend, Court's, video on how to do a spiral twist with twine, that she showed on Monday, on BettyBee's Buzz.  She showed how to cover a button, and it was so cool!  Here I have used the same technique on the sun, and it was really easy to do!  The little bunnies playing in the trees are from the Cricut "Give a Hoot" cartridge. I hand wrote the sentiment with my favorite Signo white pen.

This Tilda card is going out to a very special "Cupcake Designer" who is having a birthday next week!!! I can't tell you how old she will be, because it will make me feel too old!  (How is it possible that our kids get older than we are????)  I know she will see this before she gets it in the mail, but she won't know what is coming inside of it :) Happy Birthday, Tori! The embossing folder is from Sizzix, and the coloring is with Copics. The round sentiment is from Stampin' Up!.
  I've entered this one into a couple of challenges...
        JustMagnolia -  Embossing, Paper Piecing and Ribbon/Lace (I hope the twine will qualify)
        MagnoliaStampLovers - dies

On both of my cards I used gold flecked embroidery twine (or string) that comes on a short round tube.
I do hope you are having fun creating, and will leave a comment when you can!  Please pop over to BettyBee's Buzz, and check out the HoneyBee's creations, and if you can enter a twine project, you could be the winner of one of my very first new project kits!!  New and exciting info coming very soon!!!

Happy crafting ~

Hugs and Help for a Fellow Crafter

Sending hugs your way ...

Once in a while our hearts are touched by the lives of another, and you are never the same. I hope this is one of those for you. Katie Renz is a young mother with three small children, and she has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer. She has the most wonderful attitude and outlook... but she needs our help. A group of artists have banded together to create a wonderful package of digital images, which have been grouped together, and you can purchase them to help Katie and her family. (You will get a great deal, too!) Click on the blinkie on my side bar, and it will take you to Jak Heath's website, where you can find more information, and a button to get them. There are prizes for everyone who donates, too. Thanks for considering this precious opportunity to help.

Thinking of You with Acrylic Flowers

This little froggie is so happy to be carrying a special message to you! This was another card we did in the class I taught this week. The flowers are purchased acrylic flowers, layered, and attached with a brad. The frog is a Sizzix die cut, which I cut twice, and layered, so he would be thicker, and have a bit more dimension. I then cut the flowers...the ones for class were yellow, and I used my Copics to color the stem green. The students learned to color the bottom of a Dew Drop or acrylic Skittle with a colored Sharpie to create a flower center any color they want! The paper is DCWV, and the image is from Studio G. The green stitching is with a Micron pen. It was a fun card to do...

Stop back tomorrow and see an Easter Card (revisited :)

I'm off to the Cropping with the Stars!! I will take lots of pictures, and will share all of the excitement when I get back next week. In the meantime I will leave a couple of posts for you :)

Happy Crafting ~

Two More Tildas

I am having so much fun with Tilda images. Each one has such a personality, and comes together so uniquely...
Hello, little Ladybug! Thinking of you.... This sweet image reminds me of my daughter, Barbie, who always loved ladybugs :o) The edge punch is MS Scallop Dot Edge Punch. Cute, isn't it? I colored her with Copic Markers. Sorry I didn't take a photo of the markers this time. Leave me a comment if you need to know which ones I used. (I'm always happy if you leave comments anyway!)

This little sweetie is sitting upon the brand new, and oh, so hard-to-find MS All Around the Page Loop Punch set. I even cut down the green paper under the image so it would fit....there is a video on MarthaStewartCrafts on how to use these punches, which I found to be very helpful.

The message is an embossed stamp from a new Hero Arts set that I just used my Michael's 50% coupon for...And I have a very special friend that will be getting this card in the mail :o)

If you are interested in attending a Copics class, please leave me a comment, and I will contact you with the date/price/information. I am in the TampaBay area of Florida...sorry if you are too far away....this is a wonderful place to visit...come on down!!!

Check in tomorrow for another Fab Friday TV video...

See you soon, and

Happy Crafting ~

Guest Designer Challenge Today!! Be Inspired #20

Being on the Design Team for Cuttlebug Challenge is very exciting to me, but especially when we feature a guest designer! Today's challenge features a sketch the very talented artist, Valerie Salmon, brought to us just for you! Isn't it gorgeous? She is going to choose one of your cards to win a subscription to her GOT SKETCH? publication!!! Valerie's bio includes: currently being Creative Team Member of Scrapbooks, Etc., and Fiskars Designer (Heidi Grace, Cloud 9, Li'l Davis), Scarlet Lime Designer, also the 2007Paper Crafts Magazine's 1st Gallery Idol, 2006 Memory Makers Master, 2005 Paperkuts Power Team Member. and she has been published hundreds of times!!! We are so proud to have her as our guest designer for you today!!

My card features beautiful, bold DCWV two sided paper, and I've showcased both sides. The accent paper is Sonshine CS embossed with Swiss Dots. The flowers and smoky gems are Prima, and the stamps are StudioG. The heat embossing powder is translucent Sahara Pearls by Stamp-N-Stuff. The scalloped square is cut twice from the Cricut Accent Essentials cartridge, and the scallop band is Plantin Schoolbook.

It's your turn to create something wonderful from Valerie's sketch. Link your card to Mr. Linky on the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog, and you could be the Winner of the Card of the Week!

SCS New Love Challenge

This was my second card for the VSN, and it involved all new supplies...Rosemary had gorgeous new paper and flowers with her, which she encouraged me to use...and get out of my comfort zone! Thanks, Roe!! I even used my new MS cathedral punch for the borders. This paper actually had a lot more color on the edges, but it didn't show up on this card...watch for it to show up on another piece one of these days :)

Blessings

Hubby stopped by an antique mall today and brought me a vintage stamp, so I couldn't wait to give it a try. It's a pretty little floral arrangement - certainly not an antique, but sweet, all the same. I am fond of the purple and green combo, so with a few touches of pink, gold and pearls, this is what evolved. I must admit that using individual lettering stamps is not my favorite thing to do, as there's always so much space between the letters. Ah, well, this card will bless somebody's day. I hope your day is a blessed one.

Dryer Sheet Technique!

Thanks to my friend, Rosemary for sharing this fun technique with me! This image is softened with none other than the humble used dryer sheet!! I've used Close To My Heart Whimsey Garden for the flower and butterfly, and colored it with LePlume markers. Then the cardstock is run through the Xyron to make it sticky, add the dryer sheet, and then sprinkle on prisma extra fine glitter! WOW is this fun!!! I've added a few Stickles to the butterfly, and a few added finishing touches, and VOILA!! A "Thinking of You" card for today...what do you think???

Thinking of Ewe!

Lambie-pie has come out again, and is off to take some special greetings to some friends. This lamb is created with an Accent Essentials scallop, Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls embossing, and five petals of a seven petal flower from Walk in My Garden for the ears, face, and legs. Isn't that clever?! Many thanks to Dawn Griffith for the idea. She showed how to use a 5 petal SU punch (which I don't have) for this little fellow. The red section is also embossed with a Sizzix embossing plate, which I have discovered is best used with spritzed paper. The glitzy patterned paper is Cloud 9, and the decorative border punch is from Fiskars. The pink velvet trim is from my stash. I hand wrote the message, and will write my note inside. I hope 'Ewe" are inspired to send someone ewe are thinking of a note today!!

Thinking of Becca!

Today's card goes out to a special young lady who had back surgery a couple of weeks ago, and I have been sending lots of prayers that she is recovering nicely. It was a very serious surgery, but the reports have been very good. Thinking of you, Becca!

Skittle Bees

Thanks to Marcia Fix for showing me these darling Skittle Bees! The little decorative dots have another life...as these adorable bees...Aren't they cute?!? Simple pen work makes those little yellow dots come alive. I think this little stamp is adorable, too. Cute card for any occasion.
Thanks for checking in!

He's got the whole world in His hands.....

This card is a good one for Get Well, Thinking of You, or Encouragement of most any kind. I like the combination of textures, and the silver accents on the ribbon, scalloped edges, and around the message. This is one of my favorite messages.

These are cards made for a Cuttlebug small embossing folder swap. They were fun to do, and it will be really fun to see what cards come back!

This image was one I got from the image swap, and I think these mice are adorable. I colored them with water color pencils, and baby oil gel. It works really well. I added some pop-dots under the image, and stamped the message at the top.

Hello Card

This little girl came from a great stamped image swap and was perfect for an April Color card challenge. It was to have Green, Pink and Yellow - I hope her yellow hair is enough :-) The paper is Sonshine, the white is embossed by cuttlebug,and the coloring is watercolor pencils and baby oil gel, a technique that I love.

Cuttlebug

Thinking of You card was fun to do with Cuttlebug square, Design Studio to create the scallop edge and Studio G stamp for the message. The ink was from Close to My Heart. Love that Lime Green and Tropical Blue!