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Sunday, June 30, 2019

The 12 Kits of Occasions - June 2019

Welcome to The 12 Kits of Occasions - the June 2019 edition!! Birgit is our wonderful hostess with the most-est and she has assembled a sun-filled kit, 'Summer Fun', celebrating tropical breezes, happy colors and lots of sunshine! 
An abundance of beautifully patterned papers, lovely die cuts, perfectly coordinating sentiments and a few adorable summer-celebrating penguins are all included in Birgit's fabulous kit!
Surely the lovely projects from the talented 12 Kits Team will inspire, so please hop around to see ALL of the crafty creations! You can find a complete list of everything that's included in the kit by clicking here.
Thanks so much for joining us today, and many thanks to our hostess, Birgit!







Here is the whole collection of easy-breezy tropical happiness, all made with Birgit's a-dorable kit! 
Many thanks for taking a peek. Wishing you a lovely Sunday and a wonderful week ahead!

Friday, June 28, 2019

Ink to Paper Design Team Tips

               Ink to paper Dt TIPS - sewing on paper

I love, love the look that hand stitching brings to any project....... and all of the beautiful texture, dimension, color and interest that it provides! The inspiration for today's card came from two amazingly talented crafters, Paige Taylor Evans and Jennifer McGuire. Just take a peek at their blogs/IG for loads of ideas that are full of vibrant color and loveliness! I am now anxious to experiment more with this technique - on dark/ink blended backgrounds, patterned papers, etc...... the sky is the limit!


I've stamped the sentiment, florals and leaves on my front panel in shades of Hibiscus Burst, Hawaiian Shores, Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise and New Leaf prior to piercing around each of the images. I've used an older SU piercing mat in order to stitch around each flower and leaf, but a piece of fun foam and a wider needle would/could achieve the same effect. Then, a bit of backstitching in coordinating colors (Loop & Thread Craft Cord/Michaels).


Because the stitching adds a bit of dimension, I used a strong adhesive to adhere the stitched panel to a thin layer of Hibiscus Burst cardstock and layered that onto a Bitty Big: Soft Stone layer and my 4.75" x 5.75" card front. A few perfectly place jewels are the finishing touches on the beautiful blooms.


As you can see, this panel is still quite pretty/colorful, even on the back side. And.....once you've decided on a design (and have poked all of those tiny holes), I can envision doing this as I watch tv at night, creating lots of pretty panels for future use.


Many thanks for joining me today in my experiment in stitching! Perhaps you'll give this a go on you next project??

Supplies Graphic


Thursday, June 27, 2019

CAS(E) this Sketch #328


Welcome to CAS(E) this Sketch #328 AND another of our throw-back/'Retro' Sketches.... a timeless design by the lovely N@Ali!! See the originals from June 2013 here. You'll surely find lots of inspiration from the DT, both the 2013 and 2019 versions, so please play along!
The pretty Altenew 'Weekend Doodles' floral was my jumping off point.... and the addition of the green/white stripes, splashes of color and the contrasting black accents help to create this lovely thank you!
There are so many wonderfully designed creations from the DT, both past and present, so be sure to take a peek and then JOIN in at CAS(E) this Sketch #328!
Supplies Graphic


Fusion Card Challenge - 'Triangle'




Thanks for joining us for the newest Fusion Card Challenge - 'Triangle'. The amazing inspiration photo is a wonderful starting point. But that sketch is pretty great too! So, which will you try?
The fabulous photo and the great sketch helped with this design. Lots of white space and a good bit of texture from the marbled stamping, embossed gold patterns/sentiments, tiny die-cut gold triangles, stitched black frames and gold cording help to create this CAS duo.
The DT has provided some a-mazing inspiration, so be sure to hop on over and join the party!
When playing along you may use the sketch OR the photo as you jumping off point. OR, if you are feeling super duper clever, you can fuse 'em together!



We hope that you'll join in at the Fusion Card Challenge and will enjoy all of the loveliness from the DT and the always amazing gallery!



PROCEDURES:

1. Play with just the sketch challenge.
2. Play with just the inspiration photo challenge.
3. Or you can create FUSION by combining BOTH challenges into one card.
4. Use the challenge graphic and link back to Fusion in your post.



Thursday, June 20, 2019

CAS(E) this Sketch #327

Happy Thursday and welcome to CTS #327! Donna Mikasa has designed a beautiful one to inspire a bit of creativity. And..... don't forget to take a peek at all of the fabulous DT projects too!
Well, clearly I didn't get the placement quite right, but the sketch idea is there..... and once all of the clouds and rain (flood warnings!!) move on I am going to re-do this one (maybe in a plethora of colors)! Lots of white, with a subtle gray plaid,  pops of green and yellow and that beautiful frame help to create this 'hello friend' greeting.
We hope that you'll be joining in and adding to the always fabulous CTS gallery. Can't wait to see your creation!



Supplies Graphic


Friday, June 14, 2019

Ink to Paper June Release - Day 4


INK TO PAPER JUNE RELEASE - DAY 4


Welcome back to the fourth and final day of the June Ink to Paper release posts!  There are some fabulous new products being released this month and for the next several days we will be sharing projects created with them.  
All of the new products will be available tomorrow, June 15th at 10 pm ET!

Today we are sharing projects created with the following new items:  Framing Florals, Tag Creations: Lemon, On the Border: Dazzling Deco.



Jennifer Campbell has designed a thing of beauty in the new Framing Florals stamps/dies! This set includes 23 images, including three lovely hand lettered sentiments, two beautiful frames and an array of blooms and leaves, in both solid and outline versions. SO many possibilities and variations!
However, for this set of 3.5" x 4.5" cards, I have kept things very, very CAS..... inking up (in Weathervane) just one of the Framing Florals solid leaf images and one sentiment. The new Watercolor Textures: Dots provides a colorful, yet subtle, background. If you wanted more detail, you might add a bit of sparkle (sequins, jewels, Wink of Stella glimmer, etc.) OR die cut the leaf image(s) and/or add a bit of dimensional tape.






My second project includes all three of today's introductions: Jennifer Campbell's Framing Florals and On the Border: Dazzling Deco, in addition to Rebecca Luminarias' lovely Tag Creations: Lemon and was inspired by Jennifer McGuire's gatefold card designs. Lots of crisp black and white and the beau-ti-ful lemon/leaf/floral images, which look quite lovely with the Dazzling Deco die cuts. For my interior sentiments I've used Papertrey Ink's Tucked In: Birthday, along with a pretty 'Happy Birthday' greeting from the new It's a Sign: Beautiful. The lined envelope, using a Bitty Big: True Black stripe, is the finishing touch.




We hope that you've enjoyed all of the new June 2019 Ink to Paper introductions! Please hop around and take a peek at all of loveliness from the designers, as they are sure to inspire!
And...... be sure to leave your comments on each of the introductory blog posts to enter to wine a $75 Ink to Paper eGift card!
You have until 7AM ET, June 15, 2019 to leave your comment(s) and be eligible to win. The randomly selected winner will be posted on the June 2019 Winners page by 10PM ET on June 15, 2019.

Supplies Graphic

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Fusion Card Challenge - 'VW Hippie'



Thanks for joining us for the newest Fusion Card Challenge - 'VW Hippie'The amazing inspiration photo is a wonderful starting point. But that sketch is pretty great too! So, which will you try?
The fabulous photo and the great sketch helped with this design. I am finally using this adorable little Flora and Fauna van die, (looks like a VW to me!) along with a bit of petite patterned paper, a few embossed/inked waves and a simple sentiment!
The DT has provided some amazing inspiration, so be sure to hop on over and join the party!
When playing along you may use the sketch OR the photo as you jumping off point. OR, if you are feeling super duper clever, you can fuse 'em together!


We hope that you'll join in at the Fusion Card Challenge and will enjoy all of the loveliness from the DT and the always amazing gallery!


PROCEDURES:

1. Play with just the sketch challenge.
2. Play with just the inspiration photo challenge.
3. Or you can create FUSION by combining BOTH challenges into one card.
4. Use the challenge graphic and link back to Fusion in your post.


Ink to Paper June Release - Day 3

INK TO PAPER JUNE RELEASE - DAY 3

Welcome back to day three of the June Ink to Paper release posts!  There are some fabulous new products being released this month and for the next several days we will be sharing projects created with them. 

All of the new products will be available June 15th at 10 pm ET!

Today we are sharing projects created with the following new items:  It's a Sign: Beautiful, Geometrix dies, and Simply Sweet: Thanks.


Oh,  there's SO much to show you today, starting with the amazing 'It's a Sign: Beautiful, designed by Melissa Bickford. There are 23 stamped images/sentiments to mix and match and the coordinating dies. However, the real showstopper is the lovely wood-grained frame, which looks fantastic in so many ways....  masculine/feminine, in any hue, vertical or horizontal. 


This first project incorporates a Classic Kraft inked frame and florals/greenery in shades of Pure Poppy, Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise, Orange Fizz and Pinefeather. The Classic Kraft card base and matching envelope help to give this card a bit of a 'rustic' feel.


This next project is a study in Vintage Cream, allowing the pretty detail of the Geometrix: Rectangle die/frame to highlight and define the sentiment and florals sprays. I've embossed the center piece of the Geometrix: Rectangle frame (with my favorite polka dots!) for a bit of added interest/dimension.


There are lots more pretty blooms from It's a Sign: Beautiful in shades of Summer Sunrise, Berry Sorbet and Enchanted Evening, all with Nuvo Gloss dotted centers, surrounding this simple, two tone sentiment. I love, LOVE that this stamp set allows you to mix and match all of the lovely sentiments with such ease!


Be sure to fancy up the coordinating Vintage Cream envelopes with all of those bright, pretty blooms. It's such a nice way to add more color (and happiness)!


This next duo is all about masculine/unisex designs..... and I never, ever had enough of these! This coordinating pair is incorporates another of Jennier Campbell's Geometrix dies, this time using the hexagon shape. 


I've used darker hues (Enchanted Evening, Simply Chartreuse, Ocean Tides, Stormy Sea) and lots of hexagon die cuts to create the card fronts. 


A bit of texture was added using embossing folders (diagonal stripes), stitched frames, rainstones and glitter-y embossing powder. 


Ink to Paper's 'Celebrating You' stamp set (May 2019 release) provided all of the sentiments, with the balloon/balloon string images from the new Jennifer Campbell designed 'More Of: Celebrating You'.



My last design, from Melissa Bickford's 'Simply Sweet', creates a 5" square card in layered shades of Raspberry Fizz, Hibiscus Burst, Orange Zest, Summer Sunrise and New Leaf.


There's a lovely circular floral frame included in the coordinating Sweet Thanks die set, and I've reinforced that circular theme using Papertrey Ink's Nesting Basics: Pierced Circles dies.
I know...... that floral frame does kind of gets lost in this sea of  popped up blooms, but it's there!!



In addition to  the pretty little florals, Sweet Thanks also has a plethora of thanks themed sentiments. However, in this case, I've chosen to use just the colorful block letters as my greeting. 


We hope that you've enjoyed today's new June Ink to Paper introductions and will take a peek at each of the DT's creations. And.... please stay tuned for more to come tomorrow!
Many thanks for stopping by!

Supplies Graphic