A Sweet Invitation

I'm up as featured designer at Card A Day Blog February 1st and the week's theme is "Invitations".  I designed this card using the current (#48) sketch from Sketches By Carly.  I also broke into a new pad of 12 x 12 paper and a stamp set!  Whoo Hoo...and I didn't even get nervous.  lol  The paper is "Marry Me" from KI Memories

The cake stamp is from the "Piece of Cake" set by Close to My Heart.

I stamped with black Archival Ink and colored with makers.  To get the coloring close to the paper colors on the card, I stamped multiple sample images and then experimented until I got what I wanted.

I used a strip of the glittered paper as an accent.  The sentiment was part of a more detailed stamp so I used a mask to stamp just what I needed.  After I punched the circle out, I used the same pink marker as on the cake around the edge.

I think this card would be wonderful as a bridal shower invitation!

This card is entered into the following Challenges:

Sketches by Carly--#48

Simon Says Stamp--Anything Goes

Blog-Aversary Winners!!

Thanks to everyone who became a new follower on the blog, "Liked" me on Facebook and/or placed my button on your blog.  I truly appreciate all your support and lovely comments.

Below is the list of winners.  If you're a winner, please email me your mailing information (creative@avci.net) by midnight EST on Sunday, February 5th to claim your prize.  Just a note on the drawing.  I was very sad to see that the comment initially chosen as the first winner was not a blog follower, which was really the only requirement.  It was disappointing because this lady regularly leaves me sweet comments. 

Anyway, on with the winners!!

Winner of the stamp and embellishment sets,

plus the ornament for being not only a FB follower but also having my button on her blog:

ANNEL

Winner of the hemp cord and stamp set, plus the domino magnet for being a FB follower:

SHELLY SCHMIDT

Winner of the Christmas diecuts,

plus the Halloween/Thanksgiving diecuts for being a FB follower:

JANET

Winner of the Glue Dots, plus the stamp set for being a FB follower:

ALICIA

Cupid Girl Card

Over at The Cheerful Stamp Pad the Design Team has been working on our submissions for the newest Challenge:  "Romance is in the Air".  I wanted to use one of my collected vintage images and this sweet cupid girl went perfectly with a sheet of kraft base paper I've had for over a year (American Crafts--LOVE Many Splendored).  Of course I used Walnut Stain Distress Ink to shade all the elements and distress the card edges.

I stamped the sentiment on velum and cut into a banner.  I also used the DI to tone down the twine on the button.

Again, I didn't have a sentiment for the inside so I "mixed and matched" these stamps to create one.

This card is entered into the following Challenges:

The Kraft Journal--So Romantic

Paper Creations Ink--#17 Love/Romance

Simply Create Two--#5 Love is in the Air

Simon Says Stamp--Anything Goes

Anything Goes--#59 To the One I Love

New SVG Files

Three new sets to introduce and if you get them by tomorrow....1/2 OFF!!

Be sure to scroll down and see the great BLOG-AVERSARY giveaways I'm offering.

Looking to decorate for Super Bowl?  I've got a super set for you!

You can get the set HERE.



Still looking for a perfect Valentine's Day file?  Here it is!

Get the file HERE.

Planning your Academy Awards Party?  You'll love this set!

Get the file HERE.

First "Blog-Aversary" Celebration!!

Holy moly, can you believe it's been a year already since I started this blog?

Over 300 posts and almost 400 followers since last January 26th!

I've had a lot of fun and I hope you've enjoyed the creative things I've shown and shared.  Thank you for your comments, emails and online friendships. 

So let's give away some prizes!!!

First off, everyone gets a Free Valentine Heart SVG.

You can get it HERE.

Plus all other Creative Pointe SVG files are 50% Off thru Sunday. 

Check them out HERE!

Now for some Blog Candy! 

Just a couple of "rules" :

1.  To qualify to win a prize, you must be a follower of this blog.  To qualify for the bonus prize you must be a Facebook follower or have my button (both the FB link and Blog button available to the right--scroll down) on your blog.  Only one prize (and bonus prize if qualified) per person.

2. To win, just leave a comment between January 26th and 29th.  You may leave one comment per day.  On Monday, January 30th I will randomly draw winners from all comments.  A list of winners will be posted on that Monday and you will have one week to email me to claim your prize.

First drawn comment wins:

This prize is two stamp sets from Hampton Art:  "Luau" and "Bon Voyage".  Also included is a set of felt layered embellishments "The Beach" from Pebbles.

Bonus for being a Facebook follower and/or having my Blog button: 

A one-of-a-kind, handmade (by me) domino ornament!

 Second drawn comment wins:

This prize is 40 yards of hemp cord and a mini stamp set from Studio G.

Bonus for being a Facebook follower and/or having my Blog button: 

A one-of-a-kind, handmade (by me) domino magnet!

Third drawn comment wins:

A selection of over 25 Christmas diecuts.

(all test cuts from my SVG files)

Bonus for being a Facebook follower and/or having my Blog button:  

A selection of over 10 Halloween & Thanksgiving diecuts.

(all test cuts from my SVG files)

Fourth drawn comment wins: 

Dot N' Go 200 Glue Dots

 Bonus for being a Facebook follower and/or having my Blog button:  

A mini stamp set from Studio G.

Be sure and leave a comment each day to give you four chances to win!!

Birthday Card

I used more of that lovely paper from K & Company's Susan Winget "Nature" that I used on the Anniversary Card a few days ago.  All the same techniques, just different arrangement and embellishments.  This card was made for the creative gal herself, Vicki over at Paper Squirrel who's birthday is today! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIC!!

(If you love digital stamps, you NEED to check out Vicki's blog.  She has gorgeous freebies almost every Friday and her cards and artwork are top notch.)

This card is entered into the following Challenges:

Lollipop Crafts--#64 Wing It

Birthday Sundaes--#40 Sentiment on Front

Fashionable Stamping Challenges--#13 Butterflies or Bugs

Mark's Finest Papers--#91 Birthday Card

Tim Holtz's "12 Tags of Christmas" Day 8

Slowly working my way through the 12 tags!

The tag for Day 8 was loaded with Steam Punk goodness and took an entire weekend to create due to all the cutting and drying times.  But I think it was well worth the time and effort.  You can see Tim's original idea HERE.  My interpretation is pretty close to Tim's.  I did not have the background stamp he used so I improvised using his pen nib stamp and wording plus a few other elements from my new Crafty Secrets stamp set.  I did have the Seasonal Distress Ink colors he used and the gentleman stamp.  A similar clock face, cogs and letters were cut using an old cereal box, Cricut and my SCAL software.  The ticket is from Tim's stamp set.

  

My favorite "work around" proved to be making this faux plaquette.  I used a very cheap (Dollar Store) oval metal piece.  On the smooth back, I put on a heavy coat of Pearl alcohol ink.  Once it was dry, I took Black AI and just touched it here and there around the edges.  Then I added rub on numbers.  I finished it off with a heavy coat of Glossy Accents.  I had been trying to figure out how to add little "screws" on the plaquette and tried a couple of ideas (black Distress Stickle dots,  Sharpie dots) but didn't like any of them.  Of course once the GA was dry I thought of putting little black cardstock punched round pieces on either side of the numbers....doh!  Guess I'll save that idea for next time.

I added the clock face and little lightbulb as accent elements. 

"Birds of a Feather" Project Two

Don't forget to enter the "Birds of a Feather" Challenge over at the Cheerful Stamp Pad.  For my second DT submission, I decided to get "girlie" and make this quick and easy tag!  The image and wording are from our Challenge sponser...Alpha Stamps.  I took a white tag and laid strips of Tim Holtz Tissue Tape onto the tag.  I lightly distressed the tape with Victorian Velvet and Tattered Rose Distress Inks.   

The metal bird and leaf embellishments are also from Tim.  The roses are those wonderful resin pieces and they went perfectly with the image.  I used glue dots to hold them all on.  The ribbon is seam binding colored with Spun Sugar Distress Stain.

This tag is entered into the following Challenges:
Paper Playtime--#65 Tags Including Sentiment
UnstampaBelles--#7 Anything Goes No Stamps
CES Changes--#69 Anything But a Card
My Sheri Crafts--#77 New Things
I used these new things (that I hadn't ever before)--tissue tape, Alpha Stamps image and the resin roses
Moving Along with the Times--#132 Things With Wings

Coming Soon...

Some great events coming up over the next two weeks.

First up, on January 26th I'll be celebrating this Blog's First Anniversary!

I'll be giving away four prize packages to followers plus having a big sale on my SVGs.  Keep watching this space to see what I'll be giving away!

Then, on Super Bowl weekend, us gals over at Card A Day Blog will be hosting a special Blog Hop.  Each of our own blogs will be showing masculine themed cards (and who doesn't need inspiration there?!) plus there will be some individual giveaways and a group CADB prize.  Put it on your calendar because you won't want to miss it!

Tim Holtz's "12 Tags of Christmas" Day 7

I know, I know, Christmas is long over.  But I want to complete the tags from 2011.  So as I have time, I'll be working on them and posting them.  To see Tim's post with this tag's design details, click HERE.

I used the largest "Merry Christmas" stamp I had for the heading.  The background images were made using a music and a crosshatch stamp.

I followed Tim's glassine tut and hand cut my own holly leaves. 

I added a few more to my tag than Tim did.

Anniversary Card

Here's a look at the card I sent to my sister and her hubby for their anniversary.

(Happy Anniversary Jen and Paul!)

I actually cut into a brand new pad of paper, K & Company's Susan Winget "Nature".

It's such a beautiful pad of double sided paper with birds, butterflies and really yummy colors! 

I also bought the matching set of adhesive chipboard elements and used the one of the butterflies here.  The sentiment was stamped, punched out and attached to the card with foam dots.  I used alcohol ink to color the pearls to match.  The border punch is from Martha Stewart.

This card is entered into the following Challenges:

Moving Along With The Times--Things with wings

Flutterby Wednesdays--#186

Cupcake Craft Room--Anything Goes

New Valentine's Day SVG Files

If you are making Valentine's and are looking for paper elements....

Check these new files out!

Valentine Hearts set can be found HERE. 

Valentine set can be found HERE.

Dragonfly Thank You Card

This week's theme over at CARD A DAY BLOG is "Thank You" cards.

As the featured designer for January 18th, I decided to use up some scraps and try something new.

The "new" is the dragonfly outline sticker.  I've had this pack for a few years and decided it was time to use it!  First thing I did was select the scraps I wanted to use....four coordinating papers.  I took a plain white piece of scrap cardstock and put the dragonfly sticker on it.  Using Distress Inks and a waterpen, I inked the area around the dragonfly to match my papers.  I wanted the dragonfly to stand out so I used LuminArte Twinkling H2Os on it for some nice shimmer. 

 Once the H2Os were dry, I added a coat of Glossy Accents to the body of the dragonfly which made it more dimensional.  Below is a close up of the face of the card.  You can see that I used Vintage Photo DI all around the various layers of the card. 

Supplies:

*White cardstock (5.5" x 8.5" folded) plus scrap piece (2.75" x 3.25")

*Four coordinating pieces of scrap designer paper cut into these sizes:  4.25" x 5.5", 1.75" x 5.25", 3" x 3.5", 3.5" x 1.5", 3.25" x .5"

*Anita's Art Stamps Outline Stickers "Dragonflies"

*Inks:  Distress Inks (In colors that match your paper.  Use at least three different colors in the background) plus Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain

*LuminArte' Twinkling H2Os:  Wintermint & Plumeria

*Glossy Accents

*Gold rub-on sentiment

*Glue stick, tape runner, waterpen

To Make Card:

1.  Cut pieces of cardstock and designer paper.

2.  Attach sticker to white cardstock scrap
3.  Using Distress Inks and waterpen, create background on white scrap.  Using Twinkling H2Os and waterpen, color in dragonfly.  Once dry, add Glossy Accents to body.
4.  Use Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain DIs on all pieces of paper.
5.  Rub sentiment on 3.25" x .5" strip.
6.  Attach all pieces to the 4.25" x 5.5" paper as shown and then glue to folded card base.

This card is entered into the following Challenges:
Crafty Card Makers--#59 No Floral Embellishments
Divas by Design--#18 Thanks

"Time to Fly" Luggage Tag

The new challenge over at The Cheerful Stamp Pad is "Birds of a Feather" and as a DT member, I decided to create something practical and needed....

a new luggage tag for my carry on bag! 

Here's how I made it: 

The base of the tag is a 3.5" x 5" laminate sample that I had gotten from the hardware store.  Using Studio Multi-Medium, I applied the paper (WRMK Vintage Blue "All A Twitter") and trimmed to fit.  I used a variety of travel stamps to add the wording around the birds.  I printed the "Time to Fly" on cream paper, cut out and adhered to the tag.  Then with Distress Inks and a waterpen, I shaded all around the various elements.  To protect the tag, I used an acetate page from the Making Memories Clear Creations "Travel" booklet.  The page I chose had the leafy border already stamped on it and it matched perfectly.  I trimmed it to fit the tag and then attached it along the edges with Glossy Accents. 

I put the back side together just like the front.  I cut out the bird and branch art from scrap and applied them with a glue stick.  I used plain acetate on the back side and applied with GA.  To make the tag extra durable, I added a foil border around the edges.  I could have used copper foil (from my stained glass supplies) but decided I wanted it to be green.  So I took aluminum duct tape and cut it into strips that I colored with green and brown alcohol inks and then wrapped around the tag.  I added a chain and the tag was done.  Now I have a practical and pretty ID tag to put on my luggage!

I've entered this tag in the following Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show--Anything But a Card

Truly Madly Crafty--Anything Goes

Let's Ink It Up--Anything Goes

Penny's Challenges--#70 Birds

"Hearts" Valentine's Day Card

Another Valentines card to share with you.

I love vintage images and this one especially!

I printed this out on white cardstock and matted it with black CS.

The base paper is "Holiday Bloom" from Reminisce.

I created the paper "ribbon" using a strip of red CS that I border punched. 

To make the punched edges stand out better, I used Black Soot Distress Ink and an ink blending tool to shade the area beneath.  I found the heart button at the resale shop.  I just nipped off the shank with my Tonic scissors and attached to the card with glue dots. 

I don't have a lot of Valentine sentiments so inside the card I improvised using stamps from two different sets. 

This card is entered into the following Challenge:

Heart Song Inspirations--#30 Border Punches

The Pink Elephant--Hearts

UnstampaBelles--#7 Anything Goes

New Winter SVG files

The snow has finally fallen up here in "Northern Michigan"

so it was a good day to put these new files up!

Snowflake Set can be found HERE.

Snowmobile Set can be found HERE.

Winter can be found HERE.

SVG: Snow Shovel

Happy Friday the 13th!

Here's something that us "up north" folks find to be a necessity this time of year.

You can get the file HERE.

Sewing Birthday Card

I created this card for my Mom who is a wonderful quilter, sewer and knitter.

I bought this stamp set from Close to My Heart specifically to make things for her. 

Every Christmas I get beautiful handmade gifts from her and she didn't disappoint this year!  A lovely fall quilted table runner, a very cool knitted scarf and more of my favorite dishcloths and scrubbies!  Plus I also got one of her paper embroidered cards.  Perfect as I don't do any of those crafts!!

How do you like the faux buttons?  I can make a button to match any paper project using this cool punch from Marvy... 

If you punched multiples, layered them and then added Glossy Accents, I think it would be hard to tell they were made out of paper!

I've entered this card into the following Challenges:

Heart 2 Heart--Use a new stamp set

Paper Creations Ink--#16 Die Cuts or Punches

Crafters Cafe--Happy Birthday