Stamped in His image

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

This card is filled with things that I love! October Afternoon's Miscellany kits are just packed with vintage ephemera & embellishments! This one looks like it came straight from a vintage story book & I think it's as sweet as it could be!

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I cut circles from patterned paper using my Silhouette and then hand-stitched around them to give them a little pop.

Another thing that I'm really loving right now are flair buttons. I layered this one onto a round label & I really like the dimension it gives to a previously flat card.

And... of course, I used my beloved denim paper as my background. Sigh... I REALLY love this stuff! :)

InLinkz.com

Go-to Gals Designer Challenge: A Muse Studio

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Have you seen the newest special issue by Paper Crafts Magazine?

Stamp It! 3 Ways is a really fun issue! On each page, three designers created a project using the same stamp set. You won't believe how unique and creative each project is! I love seeing new and versatile uses for stamps & this issue is packed with inspiration!

The Go-to Gals have taken this concept and adapted it to our monthly designer challenge. All 6 of us have taken the same stamps to create a project on our blogs today. We decided to use the Harlequin background set & the Essential Sentiment set from A Muse to create a unique project.

I'm headed to California in just a few short days for the Winter CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) trade show... so I have travelling on the mind!

I found this airplane silhouette shape in the Silhouette Studio and used the negative space as my focal point.

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I stamped the Harlequin background image over my paper & embossed it with clear EP. I placed the Air Mail layered sticker by Amy Tangerine in the top corner so that my project would mimic a postcard.

I used A Muse's Ocean Pigment ink to stamp my sentiment. I was really surprised how well it showed up on my bright pink paper!

I'm so curious to see what the other girls have come up with! Make sure to visit each of their blogs today to get even more inspiration!

*Make sure to check the Paper Crafts Connection blog later today for your chance to win both of the stamp sets featured today.

Supplies Used: (Click pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Two Peas Gardeners' Digest

2012-01-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Gardeners' Digest! The Gardeners' Digest is a monthly update from the Garden Girls, the design team at Two Peas In a Bucket. You can hop from one blog to the next (beginning with Two Peas' Garden Girl blog) to see inspiring projects, sneak peeks, and fresh product picks. You might even find a give-away or two, so make sure to read each post carefully. ;)

Here's a project I've made recently using some of my favorite products:

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I am completely obsessed with the new Chap collection by American Crafts. It's full of great patterns that can be used for masculine projects, but is so universal that it could be used for almost anything.

I've jumped on the Project Life bandwagon & am using the Chap line right now in lieu of purchasing specific PL products. I'm going with a very carefree, whimsical approach & plan on changing up my supplies on a constant basis.

Speaking of Project Life, have you seen the new 2012: Captured series by fellow Garden Girl Lisa Truesdell at Two Peas? If you've ever thought about doing PL, or even if you'd like to learn more, you would LOVE Lisa's free class. I love her style of doing PL & I can't wait for this week's lesson!

Even before I was a Garden Girl, Two Peas has always been my one-stop shop for paper crafting supplies. I love that they carry the latest & greatest... and I love the free shipping options. :) ***This month's free shipping code for orders $50+ is: NY2012

Each of the Garden Girls are sharing their top 5 product picks for this month. Here are some that make my heart go all pitter patter:

1. American Crafts Chap Just Write Journaling Cards - I'm using these right now instead of the Project Life cards. They fit the page protectors PERFECTLY! The colors and designs are perfect for my very testosterone driven household. The pack includes 24 frames & journaling cards (3" x 4", 4" x 6", + smaller banner/title cards.)

2. Fiskars Jenni Bowlin Blue Ribbon punch - This has to be THE cutest tool I've seen in a long time. Of course, you can make blue ribbons with it, but it's perfect for banners too! I'll show you more in my Finally Friday Video this week!

3. Smash Date Stamp - this stamp is perfect for Project Life! I love adding a quick date to my pages!

4. Crate Paper's Paper Heart collection - my favorite Valentine's day collection! The designs can be used all year long & are GORGEOUS!

5. Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher - I use this tool on a daily basis! It's perfect for securing washi tape, ribbon, & can be used alone as a design element. Trust me on this one. You need this tool. :)

From here, make your way to Kimber McGray's blog! xoxo

Station Wagons Are Cool Again

2012-01-18T00:27:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but I have fond childhood memories of riding in the wood paneled station wagon. We always fought over who would get to sit in the back seat because it faced backwards - and that was just too cool! Those were the days before seat belt laws were enforced - so thank goodness the tank never got rear-ended! Yikes.

But... I digress. I discovered this chipboard sticker set from October Afternoon & snatched it up as soon as I saw this adorable station wagon. It was just meant to be. :)

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I paired it with one of my favorite Lawn Fawn stamps (the Polaroid image from Say Cheese) & some of Crate Paper's Paper Heart paper/chipboard. The sentiment is from another Lawn Fawn set (Cruising Through Life) & I thought it was just the thing!

I just love the vintage/retro products that are popping up everywhere! They just make me happy. Thanks for taking a peek! :)

Card Supplies:

InLinkz.com

Handmade Holiday Gifts

2012-01-03T23:18:00.002-05:00

I love everything about the word "handmade." There's just something about the mix of creativity & working with my hands that just fills me with happiness. In fact, that's one of the main reasons I chose the name of my blog. So many times after I make something, I think... I wonder if this is a teensy taste of how God felt when He created us? I'm just so glad that he made us to be creative people. It's just so much fun. :)

Anyway... I wanted to share some holiday gifts I made for one of our gift exchanges this year. I made these for a creative God-loving girl who's also an amazing photographer.

I designed this cute camera and uploaded it on my Silhouette software. (Did you know that the Silhouette cuts fabric too?)

I hand-stitched the pieces together, using some retro fabrics and denim.

And... here is the same camera image, only smaller. Can I just reiterate how much I LOVE my Silhouette? I finally feel like I can get the designs in my mind out onto paper (or fabric, etc.) ;)

I added a little button for the lens (loved that that little idea worked!) and a Studio Calico sticker as a monogram. In lieu of string, I ripped a piece of left-over fabric to hang my tag.

Here is another creation I made thanks to my lovely Silhouette. :) I wanted to try my hand at creating my own stencils... so I created this design using the Fabric Ink Starter Kit. The kit is marketed to add inks to t-shirts, etc. - but it works really well for all sorts of things.

I bought a package of Moleskine journals from Target & applied paint to my cut design.

I was just super excited about how it turned out. I'm thinking about making some more items using my logo & possibly putting them in my Etsy shop???

Thanks for letting me share my handmade gifties with you! Sometimes I get a little overly excited when things actually turn out the way I want them to... and I just have to share with someone who's been there too. ;)

Supplies: (click pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Happy New Year {in cards}

2012-01-01T13:23:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!!! I have a couple of festive cards that I recently made for Two Peas to share today.

This card was really fun to make (and SUPER simple!) I pulled out some of my favorite Studio Calico products for this one. I love the muted colors from their latest collections.

And.. this one is kind of a Christmas/New Years mix. I guess I had all of the holidays on my mind when I made it. The champagne glasses are from Lawn Fawn's Happily Ever After set.

All of the supplies used for these cards can be found in my Two Peas Gallery.

I hope you have a wonderful New Year!!!

Finally Friday Card Tutorial: Using Negative Space

2011-12-30T14:19:00.000-05:00

I have a new project & video tutorial available from Two Peas In a Bucket.

Sometimes I like to make several die cuts of the same image & am left with a sheet of patterned paper full of the remaining negative space. Instead of throwing this paper out, in this Finally Friday tutorial, I'll show you how to create a fun card using those remnants.

If you don't have a die cutter, you could also use this same technique with a hand-held punch.

*Today only, Two Peas is offering 60% off Studio Calico papers, so you might want to jump on that! ;) Many of the other SC products are on sale as well.

*You can get free shipping on orders $35+ through Dec. 31 by using the coupon code: NKFFRL (non-digital, non-phaseout products)

Card Supplies: (Click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Creative Ways To Use Fonts

2011-12-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

I love finding new and unique fonts to use on my projects! Now that I have a Silhouette die cutting machine, I love finding fonts that I can cut out and use in my designs. (The Silhouette automatically imports all of the fonts from your computer into it's program.)

Recently while I was browsing through some fonts online, I came across some of the most unique dingbat fonts! If you've never used dingbats before, they work just like any other font... except when you type, a picture or graphic appears instead of a letter/number.

Since the Silhouette automatically converts fonts into cut lines, it makes it super simple to cut out any dingbat graphic.

Here are a couple of fonts I recently downloaded from dafont.com:

I love the WM Animals 2 font! I immediately downloaded it when I discovered that the letter "D" looked a lot like our Boston Terrier. :)

The Sewing Patterns font is packed with fun silhouettes of women with styles that span several decades.

After I inserted the two dingbats that I wanted to use in the Silhouette software, I re-sized and cleaned up the images a little using the editing tools. (I reshaped the dog a bit and removed some elements that I didn't want to use on this project.)

From there, I cut the images out using supplies in the Fabric Ink Starter Kit. Basically, this makes an adhesive-backed stencil that you can apply to just about anything! Of course, it's designed for fabric, but I tried it out on a Moleskine journal & it worked perfectly! (I found several packs of these notebooks at Target.)

I painted over the stencil with black fabric paint (any paint would work... but this is what I had on hand) & let it dry.

And... here is the finished project! (I drew the leash with a fine-tipped marker.)

I just love this fun little notebook! I think I'm going to make a matching t-shirt tomorrow. (The steps are exactly the same when working with fabric. Once dry, the image just has to be ironed & then is safe for machine washing.)

I hope you take a look at some of the really unique dingbat fonts that are available on the web! And... you don't have to have a Silhouette machine to make something really neat. This same image could be made in a word processing program and printed out onto colorful notecards!

To see even more ideas on how to use dingbat fonts, check out my post today on the Paper Crafts Connection blog, where I'll show you how to create some last minute Christmas packaging using another fun font!

Lots of Fun Happenings at Two Peas!

2011-12-18T00:07:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to pass along some great holiday happenings from Two Peas In a Bucket!

First of all... there is a great shipping promo going on right now!

And... how would you like to have a free shipment of goodies delivered this Christmas?

Two Peas now has a Product Review feature on every item they sell. For every product you review... you get your name entered into a drawing for a new Vagabond die cutting machine!

Over 6,000 items are now on clearance!

And... last but not least, there are HUNDREDS of holiday products on sale now!

I hope you can treat yourself to a little crafty present or two this holiday season! ;)

Cooking Up Cards Class WINNER!

2011-12-17T23:41:00.001-05:00

I'm back to announce the winner of the Cooking Up Cards online class!

Drum roll please....

Savannah! You are one lucky girl!!! I'll be sending you information on how you can redeem your free class.

And... a big thank you to Big Picture Classes for providing this awesome giveaway! :)

Cooking Up Cards Class & Give-away

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

I am really excited about one of the new online classes offered by BPC (Big Picture Classes)! The class is called Cooking Up Cards & is being taught by some of my very favorite people. :)

Cooking Up Cards is a self-paced class taught by Kim Kesti, Allison Landy, Betsy Veldman, and Teri Anderson.

Here's a little of the class description from BPC:

Interested in card making, but don’t know where to begin? What if four experts in the field gave you their very own "recipes for success?" Our card chefs are ready to provide the dash of inspiration you’ve been waiting for, and we’re betting you already have all of the ingredients you need: some paper, a few embellishments and a pinch of glue.

In Cooking Up Cards! you will not only get a great introduction to card making, you’ll also meet expert chefs Allison Landy, Betsy Veldman, Kim Kesti and Teri Anderson. Each chef brings something different to the table, and will share with you their own unique Signature Dish, including step-by-step instructions. Then, watch the magic happen as they "swap recipes" and each creates three new cards. That’s a total of twelve additional cards to fill your plate with inspiration.

If you've never taken a class from BPC before, I really encourage you to give it a try! As I mentioned before, this is a self-paced class, meaning there is no beginning or end. You can join in at any time! All of the BPC classes I've taken have been so much fun and very inspiring. This class is only $15 & is packed with great ideas!

But... for one of my lovely blog readers, I just so happen to have one spot that I'll be giving away for free! I'd love to hear why you would like to take this class. All you have to do is comment on this blog post to be entered. I'll be choosing a winner this Saturday, December 17th.

Two Holiday Projects & Video Tutorials

2011-12-09T15:06:00.001-05:00

I've made a couple more festive projects recently & I'd love to share them with you!

Two Peas has a fun event going on right now called a Colorful Christmas. The Garden Girls were asked to share a color combination, special project & a tutorial walking you through the steps. I decided to use a little bit of an nontraditional color scheme of bright red, golden yellow, & denim blue & created a Christmas banner with a homespun feel.

This is the Mood Board I created:

1. Denim Acrylic Paint Dabber 2. Crimson ABC Stickers 3. Lost and Found Buttons 4. Butter Rose Ribbon 5. Denim Blue ABC Stickers 6. Delight Cream Ledger Paper 7. Smash Pocket 8. Gold Candle Silhouettes 9. Present Paper 10. Red Holiday Deer Overlay 11. Denim Paper

Here is a video tutorial on how to make this banner. (It includes a little tutorial on the Silhouette as well.)

I also have a Finally Friday card & video tutorial for today. I am really excited that Studio Calico has started to include a little more inspiration for cardmakers! I based this card off of one of their sketch challenges from this week.

I had so much fun creating this card! Here is a video tutorial for this project:

Card Supplies: (Click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Lawn Fawn Love 'n Breakfast Sneak #2

2011-12-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

I'm back with another little sneak peek of the new Love 'n Breakfast stamp set by Lawn Fawn.

How cute are these salt & pepper shakers?!? I was brainstorming ideas and thought these images were just crying out to be used on a shaker card!

Shaker cards are easy to do. I just poured a little glitter in a tiny baggie and added a bit of black embossing powder. (It was the closest thing I could think of at the time that resembled the real stuff.) I adhered the bag to the back of the mint panel & raised the rest of the panel using foam adhesive.

Once again, I used my Silhouette machine to do a lot of the design work. The curved card is from a Two Peas digital kit. (See links below.) I added a couple of basic circles using the Silhouette software & cut out the large heart using an Amy Tangerine shape.

Thanks for taking a peek at my card! You can find more inspiration on the Lawn Fawn blog & by visiting each of the DT's websites.

Tiffany Johnson
Latisha Yoast
Lea Lawson
Lynnette Kauffman
Teri Anderson
Nichol Magourik

Chari Moss

Project Supplies: (click on links for pictures) *Love 'n Breakfast will be released at the end of the week.

InLinkz.com

Lawn Fawn Sneak Peek Day #1: Love 'n Breakfast

2011-12-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

Lawn Fawn is releasing a brand new stamp set called Love 'n Breakfast & each of the girls on the DT have sneaks for you today!

I had to stifle a little squeal of delight when I got my first peek at this cute-as-can-be set. There are smiley faces on all sorts of inanimate objects... and for those of you who know me, you know how much I love those little happy faces!

One of my favorite images from the set is this adorable happy toaster. I decided to make a little gift box featuring this tiny kitchen appliance.

The little toast images are a separate stamp. I trimmed off one of the little guys so that he looks like he's peeking out from the toaster. To make the other piece of toast look like he was jumping for joy, I added a tiny bit of coiled wire to create a trail.

The box is a die cut shape from Silhouette. I just love using this machine! I seriously am using it on everything! It makes designing SO much easier!

The striped ribbon is the same yummy May Arts trim that I used in my previous post.

The "woo-hoo" sentiment is part of the Critters in the Forest stamp set. I can't believe I've never noticed it before! What a fun way to share in someone's excitement!

Thanks for taking a peek at my project! You can find out more about this new set on the Lawn Fawn Blog! To see more inspiration, make sure to check out each of these designers' blogs:

Tiffany Johnson
Latisha Yoast
Lea Lawson
Lynnette Kauffman
Teri Anderson
Nichol Magourik

Chari Moss

Project Supplies: (click on links for pictures) *Love 'n Breakfast will be released at the end of the week.

InLinkz.com

Lawn Fawn & May Arts Holiday Box

2011-12-02T16:00:00.001-05:00

I am so excited about the holiday season this year! Not that I'm not usually excited... but this year just feels extra special.

I love packaging up little treats in festive crafty containers! And... now that I have my Silhouette, it makes creating gift packaging SO easy!

I started by die cutting a "pizza box" from kraft cardstock. I covered the top of my box with paper from October Afternoon's new Holiday Style pad & noticed that the snowflakes looked almost exactly like those in the Frosties stamp set by Lawn Fawn!

I placed multiple snowflake images onto a large acrylic block and quickly & easily stamped a snowy background over the remaining sections of the box.

May Arts sent us some of the most beautiful ribbons & trims! I tied some red and cream striped cotton ribbon around the lid of my box and tied it into a bow. I added a strip of silver metallic trim below & I really loved the Christmas-y combination!

I adhered a chipboard gingerbread man from Crate Paper's Peppermint collection to the front of my box. He looks almost good enough to eat! :)

To finish up my packaging, I die cut a tag using my Silhouette & stamped it with words created with Lawn Fawn's Sally's ABC set. I added a few extra snowflakes just to dress it up a bit.

For even more festive ideas, make sure to check out the Lawn Fawn blog this week!

Project Supplies: (click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Two Peas Black Friday Sale Starts NOW! + Free Shipping Offer

2011-11-24T16:38:00.001-05:00

I hope all of my fellow Americans are having a wonderful Thanksgiving! As I'm sitting here trying to digest some of the yummy food I've consumed today, I thought I'd tell you about a great sale going on right now at Two Peas In a Bucket!

From now through Monday, all items (non-digital & non-closeout) are 20% off! Plus... to make the deal sweeter, you can now get free shipping on orders $35+ by using the code: 2PBFCM

I just placed an order and picked up a few items to use on my December Daily album (I'll be sharing pics soon!) and Project Life, which I'm starting following the holidays.

Here are some of my favorite items currently in the shop:

InLinkz.com

Happy Shopping & Happy Thanksgiving!

Paper Smooches/Studio Calico Venti Card

2011-11-22T08:47:00.001-05:00

Today I made a card just for fun... and it felt so good. :) I am so use to creating to fulfill deadlines, commitments or assignments - which I still love to do, but this was pure fun.

I just got some of THE cutest stamps from Paper Smooches and was dying to ink them up! So, I pulled out my most recent Studio Calico kit & challenged myself to only use those items.

(click on pictures for clearer view)

This stamp set is called Hot Concoctions, and those of you who know me KNOW how much I love my coffee! The set comes with a variety of images that I just love and they're so easy to paper piece or color in.

I made this little tag from one of the exclusive SC papers from the kit & folded a little canvas oval over the top (from the Basic Grey Little Black Dress Canvas Petal embellishments found in the kit.) I just punched a hole and added a bit of ribbon. Easy peasy!

I just love buttons... especially ones as cute as these! I used a large petal from the same canvas petal pack to frame this cute little cup.

Thanks for taking a peek! Here are links to the products I used:

InLinkz.com

Silhouette Review & Advent Calendar

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

As some of you may already know, I recently became the proud owner of a new Silhouette Cameo die cutting machine. Now that I've had a little time to get acquainted with my new "toy", I thought I'd do a little review & show you a project I recently made.

This is going to be a pretty lengthy post, so you might want to grab a cup of coffee and cozy up in a comfy chair for a few minutes. ;)

After you read my post, you might want to head over to the Paper Crafts Connection blog where you can be entered to win your very own Silhouette Cameo!!!

First of all, I want to be upfront & tell you that before now, I've never used a Silhouette. I've learned a lot over the past few weeks, but I am by no means an expert! My first hands on experience with this machine was at CHA this past summer & I quickly became enthralled. Here are some of the things that really drew me in:

1. There are no cartridges involved!

I've used machines in the past where I've had to purchase expensive cartridges just to get my hands on one or two images that I wanted to use. I like to work on the fly & driving to a store or waiting for the post to deliver a cartridge was just not very feasible. Plus... I get bored easily & like to use new products whenever possible. After I used a few of the images on the cartridge, they began to collect dust. I love that this die cutter works directly with my computer.

2. The Silhouette library is very extensive and the images are fresh and trendy!

The online store is accessible by downloading the free Silhouette software. Each Tuesday, a FREE shape of the week is available for download. (You can download the software here or use the disc that comes with your new machine.) Before my Silhouette had even arrived, I already had several images in my library because I took advantage of the free images that were available.

The Silhouette software includes several other free images that are included as part of your download. There are images for most seasons & several basic images that I've already used many times.

New images are designed weekly, so there is always something new and fresh to check out. Most images cost 99 cents to download, but you can also purchase a subscription and get your images at a much lower cost.

3. The Silhouette Cameo cuts at a full 12".

I debated on getting the original Silhouette, but decided that I would probably utilize the larger size. I am SO glad I waited because I've found that the wide format is really handy when making 3D items & gifts.

4. The Cameo does so much more than just regular die cuts.

I can't wait to try cutting my own vinyl wall decor! The Silhouette can also help you make custom t-shirt designs. (The fabric starter kit is on my Christmas list for sure!) You can also print directly from your home computer & then load it into your Silhouette for perfectly cut designs.

*********************

There a million and one things I could say about this machine, so I'm going to have to try to keep this somewhat concise & continue to post reviews and information in the future. So... here are just a few of my thoughts now that I've had a chance to work with this machine:

The software is easy to learn and use. I watched several YouTube videos to get the basic idea on how to use it, & that helped a lot. (Nicole Magouirk has some excellent tutorials!)

I've heard others complain in the past about the original Silhouette being very noisy. The new machine's noise level seems nice and low to me. My son said it almost sounds like a video game because it makes almost a musical sound as it cuts.

There is only one blade in the new machine. It is SO easy to use. You just tell your Silhouette software what product you will be cutting (ie: thick cardstock, medium patterned paper, transparency sheets, vinyl, etc.) and it will automatically adjust itself to the right speed and pressure. It will also tell you what depth your blade needs to be set. To change your depth, you just remove the blade and twist using an attached tool. It's very, VERY easy. I've never had a problem with my cuts. Even very fine & intricate designs have come out perfectly!

I also love using other downloaded files with my Silhouette. Two Peas has several die cut digital kits that are really fun to use. (I'm linking a few examples below. GSD & .studio files work well.) You can just tell your Silhouette software to import your files & they are added to your Silhouette library.

InLinkz.com

OK... so for those of you who have been patient, I have a project to share with you using Silhouette's Limited Edition Advent Calendar. I've always wanted to have something like this for part of our family's Christmas tradition!

The advent calendar is $39.99 & comes with a 15" wooden shadowbox & download card. Once you download the card onto your Silhouette software, you have access to 42 unique files to fill your calendar! Each file is perfectly sized to fill your shadowbox with unique boxes and drawers - no adjustments are needed!

Here are some close-ups of some of the different boxes & drawers that I made. (Click on pictures to enlarge.) This is a great project for new Silhouette users! The program makes it so easy to use.

I hope you've enjoyed learning a little more about the Silhouette Cameo! I really love this new die cutting machine & can't wait to share more!

Advent Calendar Supplies: (click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Finally Friday: Holiday Joy Video Tutorial

2011-11-18T16:09:00.001-05:00

In this Finally Friday tutorial, I'll show you how to make a simple circular card. I used a digital die-cut image from Two Peas, but you could also use metal dies or even trace a circular object to create a similar card style.

You can watch the tutorial here:

Card Supplies: (click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

It's A Lawn Fawn Holiday

2011-11-10T00:01:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe the holidays are right around the corner! I've been getting in the holiday spirit & have made a few Lawn Fawn Christmas cards this week. Lawn Fawn is getting festive with a week full of holiday inspiration & giveaways! And... Two Peas is hosting a holiday cardmaking event all month long!

Here are some of my recent creations:

OK... I mean, seriously - how can you not love a little drum set with a face like that!?! I love these little Scrap Pads by Studio Calico! They're like little Post-it notes for crafters. I stamped the drummer on one & the sentiment on another.

To make this team of reindeer, I did a little "masking magic" & then sewed twine in place. To create a furry texture with my Copics, I poured a little Blending Solution on a cloth & lightly dabbed it over my colored deer. The sentiment was made from a die cut scrap from my Silhouette that was misted & then stamped.

Here's a fun way to package gift cards this season! Just adhere a mini bag to a card & decorate! They fit perfectly inside!

Card Supplies: (click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Groovin' With the Go-to Gals: Canning Jars

2011-11-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

I have a post up on the Paper Crafts Connection blog today where I'll be chatting about this new publication.....

and one of my favorite obsessions - canning jars! Seriously. jars have so many uses... and they just make me happy to look at them.

My baby sister is having a barn wedding this summer & we're using canning jars for so many things. Sure, they're practical... but they're so much more than that. They evoke memories of a simpler time. They remind me of my grandma. That fact alone makes them wonderful in my book! ;)

This is just a teeny peek, so make sure to check out the PCC blog for the real scoop!

Garden Girl Blog Hop WINNER!!!

2011-11-08T18:45:00.000-05:00

I am excited to announce the winner of the Garden Girl Blog Hop! But... first of all, I want to say thank you to all of you who stopped by & visited my blog! It was so fun for me!

And now... the winner of the $15 Two Peas Gift Certificate is:

Amanda Johnson said...

I LOVE this mini! Too cute, and your sister will love it! This hop is making me want to get a Cameo!! ;) lol

November 1, 2011 7:48 AM

Yeah! :) Amanda, please send me an e-mail & I'll get your prize all set up! (julie.stamps77@gmail.com)

I'll be back in the morning with lots of new crafty goodness!

Garden Girl Blog Hop

2011-11-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Two Peas in a Bucket Garden Girl Blog Hop! A Garden Girl is the title we receive as designers for the Two Peas website. As Garden Girls we create projects, host challenges, teach classes, and participate in events all designed to inspire your creativity. This week the Garden Girls are sponsoring special projects and giveaways on our personal blogs. Be sure to follow the list below as you hop from one blog to the next. Each Garden Girl is hosting her own giveaway so be sure to read the instructions for how you can participate in each contest. If you get lost simply either start at the beginning of the blog hop again or skip to the next blog listed below.

Hopefully you arrived from Wendy Sue Anderson's blog. Your next stop is Jenny Chesnick's blog.

I have a fun prize from Two Peas to give away, so make sure you read this entire post to find out how you can win!

I've been having a blast with my new Silhouette Cameo die cutting machine! My baby sister is newly engaged & I thought I'd make her a lovey dovey tag book to jot down memories.

(click on photos to see details)

This envelope template was one of the downloads that comes standard with the new Silhouette software. I cut out several & added die cut tags to each of the pockets.

I tucked my tag booklet into a paper sack and decorated the front to match. The words "you & me" were die-cut from pink vinyl.

I hope you've enjoyed taking a peek at my little book of love! I have a $15 Two Peas gift certificate up for grabs!!! All you have to do is comment to be entered in the drawing. For an additional chance to win, simply go to Two Peas & leave a second comment, telling me one item that's on your wish list! (Here is a link to some of the hot items in the shop now to give you a place to start.)

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, November 8th, so make sure to check back to see if you've won!

Tag Booklet Supplies: (click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

New Silhouette Cameo - Halloween Treats

2011-10-28T11:28:00.000-04:00

I know Halloween is right around the corner, but it's felt like Christmas lately in the Campbell household! And that, my friends, is because I am the proud owner of the new Silhouette Cameo die cutting machine!!!

I've only had the Cameo in my hot little hands for a few days, but I am already head-over-heels in love with this thing! I am going to be doing a complete review on this die cutter really soon, but for now, I wanted to show you a project I whipped out this morning.

I was doing a little blog surfing this morning and came upon a really fun tutorial by my fellow Go-to Gal Betsy Veldman. She is such a clever little thing & today she made adorable treat cones made from a die by Papertrey Ink. Well... I don't happen to own this particular die & I really wanted to try out Betsy's idea... and that's when the lightbulb came on! With my new Silhouette machine, I can design and create my own die cut shapes!

So... here's what I did: I opened my Silhouette software (it's a free download) and pulled in a decorative journaling image that I had downloaded from Two Peas. (the teal image on the top left)

To create my cone die cut, I used just the top of the journaling image & drew lines to create the shape that I wanted. Then I turned the image on its side to best fit on my cutting mat. You can see what my finished image looked like below:

(click on pictures to enlarge)

I used the same journaling image to create my "treats" panel. I added text to the inside & cut onto black cardstock. I cut a second journaling image (stretched it a bit to enlarge) from orange cardstock & added glitter.

The spiderweb is a file that came standard with my Silhouette software! Most files are 99 cents, but there are a lot of files built into the program to get you started. I re-sized a couple of spiderwebs and cut them out of cream patterned paper. I am so amazed at how EASY this machine is to use!

I love that you can use your own fonts to create die cut words! The word "treats" is from the font AR Christy & can be downloaded for free HERE.

I punched a slit in the top of the cone & tied on a bit of tulle. Now I just need to fill up my treat cone with Halloween goodies & hang it on the door!

Thanks so much for visiting! I have a feeling there will be many more Silhouette tutorials to come! :)

Too Cute To Spook

2011-10-26T08:43:00.001-04:00

Here is a card I made recently for the Garden Girl gallery at Two Peas. I was trying to come up with a sentiment for it, and after looking at this group of ghosties, I knew just what to do. They really ARE too cute to be spooky in any way. They remind me of Casper the Friendly Ghost from when I was a kid. :)

I came up with a good little trick for creating cheek color with Copics! Instead of coloring directly onto my image, I dabbed a bit of marker onto my pinkie & then quickly pressed it onto their cheeks. Voila! Your finger is dyed for a couple of days, but at least it's a pretty color. ;)

The word "spook" was originally black, but it kind of got lost in the background, so I topped it with sparkly orange glitter.

Here are the products I used for my card:

(click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

"L" is for Lawn Fawn + Class Winner!!!

2011-10-24T08:20:00.000-04:00

Good morning & happy Monday! To start things off, I think I'll try to make someone else's day extra cheery! :) Here is the winner of the Pretty Paper Class!

Savannah O'Gwynnsaid...

SUPER SUPER fun class! I LOVE combining papers! And I am always looking for inspiration and new things to try!!!

Remember, you can join in the class at any time! It's ok to be fashionably late. ;)

Two Peas In A Bucket is having a fun event called Stamping from A-Z! (I created this card a few days ago for the letter "L" for Lawn Fawn.) Make sure to check it out every day because there are great sales that correspond to the letter of the day!

All of my images are from the Critters in the Forest set. I stamped the tree 3 times onto patterned paper and layered them with foam dots in between. To make the snow, I cut a scrap of felt. The sentiment is a rub-on from Melissa Frances.

Card Supplies: (click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

I'd Pick You + Big Holiday Sale

2011-10-18T12:31:00.003-04:00

Hello! I have a quick little post to share with you today.

This was a card that was published in the August issue of CARDS magazine using the Lawn Fawn set Hello Friend.

I also wanted to mention that Two Peas has a HUGE Holiday Sale going on right now! Over 1,400 items are marked down, including brand-new releases! The sale is listed as a cardmaker's sale, but it includes 12x12 papers, new mists, chipboard alpha's, embellishments & more.

You can check it all out HERE:

Pretty Paper Party Class Giveaway!

2011-10-17T00:01:00.000-04:00

You're invited to a very special party, hosted by my fellow Two Peas Garden Girl, Shimelle Laine!

There are online classes for everything these days, and Shimelle has been teaching online scrapbooking classes for years - but she's decided it's time to kick it up a bit and go from online class to a four-week online party, and you're invited. Pretty Paper Party is the party to attend if you have a collection of paper stacked up for a rainy day, if you have more scraps of paper than you know what to do with (but you know you don't want to throw them away!) and if you've ever put a piece of paper back in your stash because it was just too special for the photos at hand. Through printable prompts and tutorial videos, Shimelle and dozens of special party guests will share beautiful and innovative techniques you can achieve with the paper you have already collected.

I am super excited for this class because Shimelle asked me to be one of the class contributors! This class is great because it's for scrapbookers & card makers alike!

Here's a tiny sneak peek of my party project:

Shimelle is generously giving away a free spot in this class to one of you!

All you have to do is comment on this post to win. Do you find it easy to combine different patterned papers, or is it a challenge? Winner will be announced on Thursday, October 20th!

This 4-week class registration is only $18 USD.

If you are the winner of this class & have already registered, your class fee will be refunded. (You can also donate the class to a friend!)

This class starts today, but as with any good party, it's alright to arrive fashionably late. ;) The class has no deadlines and everyone receives permanent access to all the class materials, so you can RSVP to the party at any time!

Lawn Fawn Inspiration Day #3: My Cup of Tea

2011-10-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

Today is the final day of Lawn Fawn's Inspiration Week. Today we're featuring the new set My Cup of Tea!

This is another mini set... but with all the fun images & sentiments, you wouldn't know it was small. I love sets like these because they are fun & trendy, but also very inexpensive.

The fun pinked-edge journaling spot was part of my last Studio Calico kit. I love how they can also be used to create a focal point on a card. I heat embossed the teapot image & then stamped little tea cups in Versamark on kraft cardstock to create a background.

The sentiment is a mix from Sally's ABC's & Making Frosty Friends.

Make sure to visit the Lawn Fawn blog as well as the DT's blogs to see even more!

Lawn Fawn blog

Chan Vuong
Tiffany Johnson
Latisha Yoast
Lea Lawson
Lynnette Kauffman
Teri Anderson
Nichol Magourik

Chari Moss

Card Supplies: (Click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Lawn Fawn Inspiration Day #2: Sally's ABC's

2011-10-11T00:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome back to day #2 of Lawn Fawn's Inspiration Week!

Today, the team is featuring the newest alphabet set, Sally's ABC's.

I decided to try out some of my new October Afternoon Sidewalks goodies on this birthday card for my son's little friend. The little girl sticker was cute as could be, but I thought this bow from the Pa-Rum-Pa-Pum-Pum set just perfected her. :)

The background was made by stamping the Schoolhouse Backdrops set repeatedly with pink ink.

I added my little happy birthday sentiment in the word bubble sticker using Sally's ABC's. (I LOVE having alpha sets on hand to create my own sentiments!)

Make sure to check out the rest of the team's blogs, as well as the Lawn Fawn blog!

Lawn Fawn blog

Chan Vuong
Tiffany Johnson
Latisha Yoast
Lea Lawson
Lynnette Kauffman
Teri Anderson
Nichol Magourik

Chari Moss

Card Supplies: (Click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Lawn Fawn Inspiration Day #1: Winter Fox

2011-10-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

Today begins Lawn Fawn's Inspiration week! The design team will be featuring stamp sets from the fall/winter release.... and the great thing is, they're already available for purchase!

Today we're featuring the set Winter Fox. This is such an adorable mini set! The mini sets are great because they're super cute & they're also super inexpensive! (I just checked & there are still a few of these sets available at Two Peas for only $3.99!)

I don't know if Miss Foxy is actually drinking coffee or hot cocoa... but here in the Campbell household, coffee is king. So... I HAD to make a little coffee themed card. I included a gift card from Cinnabon, but a Starbucks card would be great to include for the holidays (or anytime!)

(click on picture for a better view)

Making a gift card holder from a parcel tag is easy peasy! Just stitch along 3 sides & you're good to go!

Make sure to check out the Lawn Fawn blog for your chance to win all of the sets featured this week! The Lawn Fawn girls each have some inspiration on their blogs today, so make sure to click on their links as well. :)

Lawn Fawn blog

Chan Vuong
Tiffany Johnson
Latisha Yoast
Lea Lawson
Lynnette Kauffman
Teri Anderson
Nichol Magourik

Chari Moss

Card Supplies: (click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Finally Friday Video: Chevron Greetings

2011-10-07T12:15:00.000-04:00

Each Friday one of the Garden Girls from Two Peas In a Bucket shares a video - creating a card from start to finish. Today, I have a card & video showing you how to create a chevron pattern using Washi tape.

It's a fun technique & it combines several of my favorite trendy things. I had a lot of fun making it & I hope you enjoy it too!

Here are the products I used on my card. You can also find a huge assortment of washi tape HERE in the Two Peas shop.

Card Supplies: (Click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Crate Paper's Farmhouse Collection & a Winner!

2011-10-05T17:59:00.003-04:00

*First up, I wanted to share the winner of the Basic Grey/Hero Arts Nordic stamp set from my previous post!

Karen L said...

Love the quilted background on your card combined with the cross stitch sentiment! I would say that my favorite set is either this one or the Smiling Snowman set.

September 28, 2011 4:13 PM

Karen - please send me an e-mail with your shipping info to: julie.stamps77@gmail.com

Recently, I had the opportunity to work with some of Crate Paper's new Farmhouse collection for one of my Two Peas In a Bucket projects.

Crate Paper always knocks my socks off, but this season's collections just blew me away! We live in an old farmhouse, so of course I fell in love with this collection with the same name. :)

I decided to make a card for my baby sister. We were born & raised in the country, but she's moved to the 'big city' recently. I think this little taste of home is just what she needs!

Almost the entire card was made with the Farmhouse supplies, but I did add a little button to the chipboard flower & added a bit of baker's twine here & there.

You can find the entire Farmhouse collection in the Two Peas shop HERE.

And, on a side note, from now until October 8th, all 6x6 paper pads are 25% off! That's ALL pads from all manufacturers.

And, to make the deal even sweeter, don't forget to use October's free shipping code on orders $50 or above: SSCGXA . (International orders receive a discount.)

Holiday Cards Go-to Gal Style

2011-09-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

The holiday season will be here before you know it & for those of us who are card makers... it's time to start thinking about all of the cards that we'll be sending to family and friends. I have some tips and tricks for mass producing cards on the Paper Crafts Connection blog today if you'd like to check it out!

Once a month, all of the Go-to Gals like to get together and feature a product or collection that we all really love... and today, we're featuring stamp sets from Basic Grey's Nordic collection by Hero Arts.

Each Go-to Gal will be giving away one of the stamp sets from this collection, so make sure to visit everyone's blog for your chance to win!

Betsy * Jennifer * Kim * Teri * Windy

As soon as I saw the Happy Holiday set, I knew it was the set for me! I love anything with a Scandinavian flair & this set makes my heart go all pitter patter! The cross-stitched heart & sentiments are so cute & I love the homespun feel to it all!

To give my card a little subtle texture, I crumpled up some tissue paper from a sewing pattern and glued it to a piece of cardstock.

This die-cut paper from Studio Calico reminds me of one of my grandmother's quilting patterns. I stamped the circular image from the set above into the centers of the die cut paper & then added machine stitching to really enhance the quilted appearance.

I inked a couple of veneer houses & embossed my sentiment. To add a cozy snowy feel, I die cut a piece of white felt using a square scalloped die & then trimmed it to size.

So... are you ready to start thinking about your holiday crafting projects? World Card Making Day is this Saturday (October 1st) & it's a great way to get a jump start on your holiday card making! (You can find out more about WCMD here.) Enter your cards in the WCMD contest for your chance to win a HUGE prize pack!

Speaking of prizes, I am giving away a new Happy Holiday stamp set along with a copy of the brand new Holiday Cards & More publication by Paper Crafts Magazine! This issue is packed full of inspiration & I know you're going to love it!

Leave a comment telling me which of the Nordic Holiday stamp sets is your favorite. Comments must be received by 5 p.m. (MDT) on Thursday, September 29th.

Card Supplies: (click on pictures for links)

InLinkz.com

Lots of Two Peas Projects to Share!

2011-09-28T08:18:00.001-04:00

I've been a busy little gardener at Two Peas In A Bucket & have several cards to share with you today.

First up... a super simple card using this adorable fox from Hero Arts along with this cutie patootie word bubble form Lawn Fawn's new Many Thanks set.

I'm a little obsessed over Amy Tangerine's new collection by American Crafts. The paper & dog sticker are from this line... and I created a sentiment using Lawn Fawn's newest alphabet set, Sally's ABC's.

I thought this card would be great to give to our groomer or when friends dog sit for us. It would also be fun to give to someone who just adopted a new 4-legged friend!

When I saw these little teacups in Crate Paper's new Farmhouse collection... I did a little happy dance. They coordinate perfectly with Lawn Fawn's new My Cup of Tea set!

This fabric covered brad from Amy Tangerine was my inspiration for this next card. I added it to the center of an Entwined Bloom by Sassafras & made a window with a square Nestabilites die. Of course, I had to pull out my Sew Lovely stamp set to use for my sentiment.

Thanks for taking a peek! I'll be back this afternoon with a special Go-to Gal post and give-away!

My Newest Sewing Project: Reverse Appliqué Fall Purse

2011-09-24T11:32:00.000-04:00

I love paper crafting... but sometimes I get the itch to pull out my sewing machine and create something with fabric. I've been dying to make a new fall purse and this one has been in the planning phase for quite awhile.

Last spring, I bought this mustard-colored (1950-60 era) dress from a cool little vintage resale shop in St. Louis. It was a hideous styled garment, so I got a pretty good deal on it.... and I knew that I wanted to use it to create a purse for the fall.

Fast forward ~6 months and it's finally finished. It was the first day of fall & I was itching to get crafty. I just started taking The Good Life class by Amy Tangerine for Big Picture Classes. This week's lesson is on reverse appliqué, and I wanted to try my new skills on my bag.

Can I just say... I love her. :)

Please forgive my uneven stitching... but I'm learning. :) To create my pocket, I layered a piece of yellow fabric over my print and stitched around the pattern that I wanted to reveal. (The outline was easy to see from the back side.) Then... I just snipped away the fabric that was inside my stitching lines to reveal the print from below.

The inside of my bag was just too pretty not to share. :) I love the zippered pocket and the heavy-duty snap closure. The button on the front of my bag is for decoration only & really has no purpose other than looking pretty.

Oh! And I had to show you her back side. (Hmmm... that just sounds wrong.) Since I made my purse from a dress, I wanted to preserve just a bit of that history, so I included part of the back zipper. I think it's very cute back there. :)

I decided at the last minute that I needed a photo of the coordinating key chain I made. This pic was taken with my phone, so the color's a little off... but you get the idea.

So... thanks for taking a peek at my new projects! I think I love fabric as much as I love patterned paper... and this sewing project was just what I needed to get my mojo back. Hopefully I'll have some fun new paper crafted projects for you soon!