Rainbow of Get Well Wishes

Hello friends, 

I am on the Avery Elle blog this week with a card featuring the Everyday Circle Tag stamp set. This set makes fantastic tags and coordinates perfectly with the Holiday Circle Tag Dies. With its stylish font and design, this has quickly become my go-to sentiment set! 

I pulled out the Rainbow Elle-ments Die and made a shaped card with a touch of glitter card stock and lots of bright and beautiful colors. I added the smiling sun from the Sunshine stamp set peeking over the rainbow.  

In the clouds, I stamped the "Get Well Soon" sentiment. A bright and cheery rainbow will hopefully brighten the recipient's day! 

On the back of. the card, I added` the "Handmade with Love" sentiment and the hand drawn heart. The Everyday Circle Tags ``set truly has it all! 

Supplies

Die: Rainbows Elle-ments

Everyday Circle Tags clear stamps

Sunshine clear stamps

Die: Sunshine Elle-ments

Thanks for stopping by! 

Have a great day! 

Katie

Hooray! {Avery Elle}

Hello friends!

Happy Friday and Happy New Year!  I am on the Avery Elle blog today with a card featuring the Letter Balloons Elle-ments die.  All of my Avery Elle supplies are listed below.

I love the party trend of using balloons to spell out words.  Seriously, what will people think of next?! These dies can be used to spell out anything you like, so I used them to say "Hooray" for the new year.  

I die cut the letters from gold foil card stock.  The balloon strings were cut from white card stock.  Before adhering the letters to the panel that I cut with the Double Pierced Elle-ments die, I added spatters in gold and black. My last step was to adhere some gold, silver and star shaped sequins to the card.

Supplies: 

Dies- Letter Balloons Elle-ments

Dies- Double Pierces Rectangle Elle-ments

Well that's all for me today, but be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog for even more inspiration from the Avery Elle design team!

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

Sentimental {Avery Elle}

Hello again, :)

I am on the Avery Elle blog today featuring a card using Avery Elle's Sentimental dies and the Double Pierced Square dies. All Avery Elle supplies are linked below.

My card features the Double Pierced Square dies and let me tell you... if you like making clean graphic cards, this die is a must have.  I die cut the connected squares on scraps of cardstock (coral, pink, aqua, light blue, light green, pale yellow, white and black).  I arranged the die cuts into 4 squares which I adhered to a note card and trimmed off the excess.  I had enough scraps left over to make a second card.

I die cut the word "celebrate" using the Sentimental Dies in black card stock and adhered it to a strip of white card stock matted with more black card stock.

Supplies:

Die: Double Pierced Squares Ellements

Die: Sentimental Ellements

Well, that's it for me today, but be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog for even more inspiration from the Avery Elle design team. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Katie

Spellbinders Spring Fever Blog Hop with Avery Elle

Hello friends, 

I am so excited to be participating in the Spellbinders Spring Fever Partner Hop today on behalf of Avery Elle. 

For my project I used the Spellbinders Die D-Lites Butterfly die along with Avery Elle’s Amazing Clear Stamp Set to create a colorful card for my daughter.  She went camping with her Girl Scout troop over the weekend, and it’s been our tradition that I tuck a handmade card in her journal so that she know we are thinking about her and looking forward to hearing about her adventures.  

The Butterfly D-Lites die is so gorgeously intricate all on it’s own, but I decided to alter it a bit by covering it with an inky wash of rainbow colors. 

To make the rainbow butterfly, I die cut the butterfly from watercolor paper and sponged on Distress Ink.  I continued adding ink with a sponge dauber until the butterfly die cut was filled in completely. 

 To soften and blend the colors, I brushed over the die cut with a wet paint brush, and I sprayed it with glimmer mist.

After allowing some time for the die cut to dry, I used foam tape to adhere the butterfly to a black card stock panel on which I had stamped and heat embossed the sentiment from the Amazing stamp set. 

I love the contrast between the black and white with the rainbow-colored butterfly.  The black and white patterned paper is from the Neutral Collection paper pad.  It’s hard to see in the pictures, but the shimmer spray adds a nice touch of sparkle too.  

Well, that's is for me today.  Be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog for more information about the Spellbinder's Spring Fever Blog Hop and even more ideas and inspiration using Spellbinders and Avery Elle.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

Bee Mine {Avery Elle}

Hello friends!  

I am up on the Avery Elle blog today sharing a card I made with the Bee Mine stamp set.  

First, I made a card base from Sea Glass card stock.  Next I trimmed a panel of white card stock and I stamped and colored the bee hive image.  I positioned the Bee Mine Elle-ments die and held it in place with a bit of washi tape as I partially cut out the hive.  I completed the die cut panel with the dotted straight line die from the Dotted Borders Elle-ments set. 

I die cut and colored the little bee also included in the Bee Mine set and embossed the dotted trail onto the card base.  A few yellow and pink sequins add a finishing touch.

Well, that's all for me today. Be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog today (and EVERY day) for even more inspiration from my talented teamies.  Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

Let's Celebrate Card {SPARKS Challenge}

Hello Party People!  

Let's celebrate the very first Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge of 2015!  YAY!  It's a super easy challenge because ANYTHING GOES!  Here's my celebratory card. 

The champagne bottle is the Apron Dies- die cut twice and layered.  Then I added some streamers, confetti and the "Let's Celebrate" sentiment using the Free Spirits stamp set. 

Ready to play?  You know the routine!  Link up your take on this week's challenge to the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog by 11:59 p.m. PST on Saturday, January 10.  The winner of the challenge will get a $30.00 gift certificate to the Paper Smooches store!  Yay!!!!  

Be sure to check out the inspiration from the other SPARKS team members playing along with this week's challenge: 

Lynn Mangan

Lori Tecler
Larissa Heskett

Savannah O'Gwynn

That's all for me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I can't wait to see what you create! 

Katie

Silver and Sea Glass Thank You Card {Avery Elle}

Hello friends, 

I am sharing a project today on the Avery Elle blog using the new Thank You Elle-ment die. 

To start, I cut a panel of Sea Glass card stock and stamped and embossed the falling dots from the Circle It stamp set.  Next, I die cut a circle in the center of the card stock.  I adhered the embossed panel to a card base made from Birch Woodgrain Heavy Card Stock with a bit of foam tape. 

I die cut Thank You from some silver card stock and adhered it to the wood grain card stock. 

Be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog today (and EVERY day) for even more inspiration from my talented teamies.  Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

Just a Note {Avery Elle}

Hi folks!

Happy Friday!  I am on the Avery Elle blog today with a card I made using the new Just a Note Elle-ment die set.  

I die cut the banner card from Avery Elle's Aquamarine, Fizz, Mimosa and Sapphire card stock. I arranged the banners on a panel of white card stock.  Next, I die cut "just a note" from gold card stock and adhered it to the panel. 

I adhered the completed panel to a card base made from Sapphire card stock.  That little extra strip of the Sapphire card base at the bottom?  That was a mistake- apparently, I couldn't recall that card bases were 4.25 x 5.5 and I cut the panel of white card stock a bit too short, but I thought the asymmetry looked cool, so I left it.  

Well, that's all for me today.  Be sure to stop by the Avery Elle blog for even more inspiration from my talented teamie, Karolyn Loncon.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie 

New Release Blog Hop {Avery Elle}

Hello, hello and Happy Avery Elle New Release Day! 

Today, the Avery Elle design team is sharing projects created with the December release.  I used the Simply Said: You stamp set and die to create this cheerful card:

I covered a card base made from Mimosa card stock with a patterned paper from the Every Day 6x6 paper pad.  I positioned the paper so that the rays would start at about one-third of the way up the card.  Next I die cut one of the larger balloons from the Balloons Elle-ments die set and positioned it at the center of the rays.  I die cut a white card stock strip with the Dotted Border Elle-ments dies and adhered it at the bottom of the card and stamped the "Brighten My Day" sentiment with red ink. 

I die cut "you" from several shades of card stock, adhered them together and affixed the die cuts to the card.  When the recipient looks at the card from an angle, he or she will see all that rainbow goodness.  Finally, I added a couple enamel dots as a finishing touch.  

Now you can't have a blog hop without prizes and to celebrate our December 2014 Release Blog Hop, Avery Elle is giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to one random winner.  You have until midnight Sunday, December 7th to enter.  The winner will be announced on the Avery Elle Blog on Monday, December 8th .  All products are available for purchase in the Avery Elle store right now.

To enter to win you can do 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or all 6 of the following to increase your chances:

1. Comment on any of the design team's posts and/or here on the Avery Elle Blog
2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet the contest (we are @averyellestamps )
3. Follow us on Facebook (we are www.facebook.com/AveryElle ) and share us with your friends - make sure they tell us you sent them.
4. Follow us on Pinterest
5. Become a blog follower through email (comment on the Avery Elle blog if you already follow us)
6. Join our Flickr group (comment on the Avery Elle blog if you already belong) 

Be sure to check out the projects made by the rest of the Avery Elle team and leave some love for these talented girls for even more chances to win!

Avery Elle / Jamie

Karolyn Loncon 

Chunyuan Wu

Caryn Davies

Heather Campbell

JJ Bolton

Yainea

Melania Deasy

Katie Gehring 

Maska Vanacker 

So that's all for me today, but thank you for stopping by and good luck!

Katie

Frankenstein Treat Bag {Paper Smooches SPARKS}

Hello, hello!

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.  It's been rainy and chilly here in Northeast Ohio- perfect fall weather for staying inside and getting my craft on.  :) Today starts another Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge and this week is Anything Goes.  I was channelling my inner Dr. Frankenstein when I created my project this week and fashioned a monster from Paper Smooches dies.

I started with one of those cute kraft gift bags that are 3 for $1.00 at the craft store (in this case, Hobby Lobby), and I covered it with some fun polka dot paper from my stash.  Next, I die cut a tag from white card stock using the Tag Stitched Die and I die cut and adhered Boo from the Halloween Icon Dies. I tied the tag to the bag handle using some black and white baker's twine. 

I used a bunch of Paper Smooches dies to create my monster face. I put together the graphic below to show which dies were used where.  A list of the dies I used and links to the Paper Smooches store is below. 

What I love about projects like this is that they truly show how versatile dies can be when a little imagination is used.

Paper Smooches Products used: 

Halloween Icon Dies

School Icon Dies

Stitched Dies

Tag Stitched Die 

Cardbooking Dies

Ornament Dies 

Quote Tag Dies 

Borders 1 Dies

Mini Monogram stamp set

I added black enamel dots to create the eye irises and I adhered the nose with a bit of foam tape.  If you have any questions about how I created the Frankenstein's monster, just leave me a comment and I will get back to you. :)

Ready to play?  You know the routine!   You have until 11:59 PT on Saturday, October 25th to link up your take on this week's challenge to the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog for a chance to win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Paper Smooches store. Woot woot!  

Be sure to check out the amazing inspiration from the other members of the SPARKS design team playing along with this week's challenge: 

Larissa Heskett
Lori Tecler
Lynn Mangan
Savannah O'Gwynn

I can't wait to see what you create!
Thanks for stopping by!
Katie

Season's Greetings {Avery Elle}

Hello friends, 

I am on the Avery Elle blog today with a card I created using the Season's Greetings die. 

I trimmed a panel of Silver Fox card stock and stamped the birch tree image from Let it Snow with Avery Elle's Silver Fox and Pure White pigment ink.

I die cut Season's Greeting from some pretty gold card stock and I adhered it to the stamped panel. I attached the panel to a white card base.  Finally, I trimmed a rectangle of white card stock at an angle and adhered it over the stamped panel with foam tape. I just love the gold card stock against the gray background- it's subtle, but so pretty.

Well, that's all for me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Katie

Avery Elle and Add A Little Dazzle Blog Hop

Hello friends!

I am on the Avery Elle blog today with a card I created using Avery Elle Stamps and Dies and these amazing metal sheets from  Add A Little Dazzle.   Here's what I came up with:

I picked up some speckled navy cardstock from a local stationary shop and die cut it with the Fabulous Frames Elle-ment dies.  I love how the speckles look like a starry sky- no extra effort needed- LOVE that!  Next, I heat embossed the sentiment from Look Up Stamp set with silver embossing powder.  I die cut the stars (also found in the Fabulous Frames die set) from the Wondrous White metal sheet from Add a Little Dazzle.  I love that the metal sheets are a color on one side and silver/aluminum on the opposite side.  I adhered my stars so that the aluminum side is facing outward. 

I adhered the stars to the card front and attached the panel to a white card base. 

Be sure to check out the Avery Elle blog and the Add A Little Dazzle blog for even more inspiration! You can comment on our company and designer blogs throughout to week to be entered to win one of two prizes - a $30 Avery Elle Gift Certificate or a prize from Add A Little Dazzle!  Winners will be announced on the company blogs on Monday, October 6th.

That's all for me today! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Katie

Cutting Edge Blog Hop {Waffle Flower Crafts + Pretty Pink Posh}

Hello friends, 

This weekend, Pretty Pink Posh, is hosting the Cutting Edge hop and Waffle Flower Crafts is one of the sponsors.  If you like using die cuts on your projects, then this hop is for you! In honor of the hop, I created a card using some Pretty Pink Posh Sequins and Waffle Flower Crafts stamps and dies. 

For this hop I created a holiday card featuring a cozy winter cottage.  First I die cut the scalloped frame from Surface- Tag Die- Scallop Add On on white card stock and trimmed a corner to create the cottage roof. Next I stamped the gift from A Homemade Christmas stamp set with red pigment ink and embossed a sentiment (also from A Homemade Christmas) with white embossing powder. 

Next I die cut some trees from the Riverside Die Set and the river became a snow covered path.  I added some Marshmallow sequins to create the look of freshly fallen snow. 

I used Starry Night to stamp the snowflakes above the cottage roof before wrapping the stamped panel with red baker's twine and adhering it to a kraft card base. 

Are you excited for the hop? I can't wait to see what everyone creates! 

Here are the details: 

The blog hop will start on Friday, August 22nd, 2014 at 6AM, PST and will run until Monday, August 25, 2014 at 11:55 PM, PST on the Pretty Pink Posh blog. There will be a link-up widget where you can link up your project and then hop along and see what others have created.

For more information about the hop including a list of the amazing sponsors, check out this post. 

That's all for me today! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you see you around the hop! 

Katie

Birthday Wishes {Paper Smooches}

Hello friends,

My month of neglect is continuing and today, my dies are getting into the action.  I picked up Paper Smooches Flowers dies, but I hadn't a chance to use them yet.  I kept the shapes wired together and die cut the flowers from green, orange, aqua and black cards stock and pieced together a cluster of flowers. I added some flower centers with the Calico stamp set.

I adhered the flowers to an angled panel of cream card stock.  I die cut two rainbows in aqua and orange and alternated the layers with more cream card stock.

I stamped the birthday sentiment from Happy Birthday in black ink. I matted the cream panel with back card stock and adhered it to a kraft card base.

That's all for me today!  Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

You Color My World Card {Paper Smooches SPARKS}

Hey everyone!

I hope you are having a splendid weekend!  Today starts another Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge. This week is a Picture Perfect Challenge and here is my take on the inspiration photo.

Seeing all those paint swatches on the wall made me think of paint so I die cut card stock with the wavy border from the Borders 1 die set.  I angled the die so that each color of card stock would create a point, then I nested them together and adhered them to a piece of white card stock. 

Next I stamped the paintbrush from the I Heart Art set and colored it in with Copic markers.  

I didn't want the sentiment to compete with the rainbow of cardstock and paintbrush (plus I was really digging the white space on the card, so I decided to stamp the "you color my world" sentiment from Headliners on vellum and adhere it towards the bottom of the card.  For narrow a strip of vellum like this, I ran it through my Xyron "X" sticker maker.  Because the entire vellum strip is covered with adhesive, the adhesive is not noticeable at all.  Finally, I adhered the completed panel on a kraft card base. 

Here's a look at this week's inspiration photo: 

{source}

Now it's your turn!! You have until 11:59 PT on Saturday, June 14 to link up your take on this week's challenge to the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog for a chance to win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Paper Smooches store. Woot woot!  

Be sure to check out the amazing inspiration from the other members of the SPARKS design team playing along with this week's challenge: 

Larissa Heskett

Lori Tecler

Lynn Mangan

Savannah O'Gwynn

I can't wait to see what you create!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Katie

SPARKS Challenge: Great Job! Card

Hello friends!  

It's time for another Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge.  This week is ANYTHING GOES and here is my card: 

I have been feeling the love for die cuts recently and this card features lots of die cut shapes.  First I made a card from white card stock and covered it with some dark aqua card stock.  Next I die cut circles in shades of yellow, green and teal and adhered them to the card.  

I used the STARS die to create stars in yellow and teal and adhered the stars inside two of the circles.  I stamped "great job" from GOOD GAB on a white banner and affixed it to the card with a bit of foam tape.   Last, I adhered some black enamel dots to the card in a random-ish pattern.  

Now it's your turn!! You have until 11:59 PT on Saturday, May 10 to link up your take on this week's sketch to the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog for a chance to win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Paper Smooches store. Woot woot!  

Be sure to check out the amazing inspiration from the other members of the SPARKS design team playing along with this week's challenge: 

Rachel

Taheerah

Trisha

Savannah

I can't wait to see what you create!  Thanks for stopping by! :)

Katie

Stamp Out Chaos update and a Publication share

Hello friends!

So I am afraid that the Easter holiday got the better of me over the past couple weeks and I don't have a Stamp Out Chaos update to share this week. Sad face... :(  I promise that the next Stamp Out Chaos post will be on May 7 and Lindsay and I will be taking on the topic of Embellishments.

Over the past couple of weeks I have made progress on my space including purging over 6 boxes of craft supplies and donating it to Sophie's Kindergarten teacher.  I have also pulled out some under-loved stamps and dies which I will be listing for sale in the coming week.

I am afraid I have come to the point though in my organizational journey that I have to get serious about making improvements to the room.  After all, there is only so much that can be done within the confines of an Expedit cube.  Yes, friends, I am talking about spackle and paint.  I can tell myself that spackle is like embossing paste for the walls, but that won't change the fact that I have a messy and time-consuming project ahead of me.  I have picked up a few paint swatches and have taped them up on the wall to try them out a bit.

So far, I am leaning toward the lightest shade on the middle swatch card called Polar Star (aka light gray).  I think I am looking for something neutral against which I can accent with bold accent colors.  

Once the painting is complete, I can hang a shelf above my work area that I think will be critical in helping me keep some essential supplies orderly and within reach.  I will also be able to tackle die storage which will help immensely. More to come on that in the coming weeks.

Well, I don't want to sign off today without something creative, so I wanted to share a card I made for the Get Well feature in the April 2014 issue of Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Magazine.   It was featured on the Plugged In with Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking magazine a few weeks back. 

It's call "Get Well Cone of Shame." Those Paper Crafts editors are too clever. The dachshund is a Silhouette cut file and I fashioned a cone from vellum and wrapped it around the dog's head.  The shadow is from a watercolor stamp set and the sentiment is from Lawn Fawn.  

Well that's all for me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Katie

A "Mini" Birthday Party

Good morning cuties and Happy Tuesday!!!

Today, I wanted to share a "Mini" party set I put together with Waffle Flower Crafts Bowtiful Stamp set + coordinating dies.   The moment I saw the preview of this stamp set, I was immediately reminded of a certain little lady mouse and her adorable Bow-tique and that was my inspiration for this "mini" party ensemble.

First up is a card bearing "Bowtiful" Birthday Wishes.  I trimmed a panel of cheerful yellow polka dot paper, matted it with red cardstock and adhered it to a black cardstock base. I die cut a fishtail banner from white cardstock and stamped the sentiment in black ink.  

I stamped the stitched bow onto red polka dot paper and die cut it with the coordinating die and adhered it to the card with foam tape.

Next up, some refreshments! I wrapped a piece of patterned paper around a glass beverage container (Starbucks Frappacino anyone?). I fashioned a little mousey with my circle punch and some black cardstock.  I stamped an die cut the solid bow image from Bowtiful and adhered it to the mouse to give her some style. The mouse and bow were adhered to a scallop circle that I punched from some more of the red and white polka dot patterned paper.  A yellow + white paper straw tops off this sweet beverage. 

What's a party without a cute party favor?  I used the Mailable 3D Bow Template die to cut 2 bows from red felt.  This die cut through the felt like buttah.  The bows were so easy to assemble and I used a few dabs of Tacky Glue to glue the bow to some simple silver hair clips. I also threaded two black buttons with twine and glued them to the center of the bows. 

For the bow backer board, I stamped the random star pattern then added a few sentiments from the Bowtiful set including "You are so cute" and "#Fancy."  I clipped the bows to a strip of clear acetate and stapled the acetate to the backer board. 

Lastly, the bow banner you see in the background of the pictures was created by stamping the stitched bow image onto patterned paper, die cutting the stamped image and adhering the die cuts to some black and white baker's twine- super simple, but very cute. 

Here's one last group shot of the "Bowtiful" party crew.  

Well that's all for me today!  I hope you have a "bowtiful" day!  

Katie

Supplies: 

Cardstock: Pure Poppy, Black, White-Papertrey Ink

Patterned Paper: Pebbles, Jillibean Soup

Chipboard: Papertrey Ink

Clear Stamps: Bowtiful (Waffle Flower Crafts)

Dies: Bowtiful dies, Mailable 3D Bow Template die (Waffle Flower Crafts); Fishtail Flag Stax (MFT Stamps)

Ink: Onyx Black (Versafine); Wild Mango (WPlus9)

Felt: Benzie Design

Twine: The Twinery

Other: Buttons, Hair Clips (Hobby Lobby); Paper Straw (Siege)

Tools: Big Kick (Sizzix); Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers); Punches (Marvy Uchinda and EK Success)