Creativity is Not Always About Papercrafts

So this weekend I have yet to touch any paper crafts.  Now I am probably getting ready to in a few minutes, but until then I was getting some other things completed including my pink lemonade cupcakes.  Though I am not much of a froster, you can't beat the tanginess of these cupcakes.  I added some of my cute butterfly paper straws to make them look like you drinking a big glass of lemonade and a frosted sour fruit slice.  Yummo!  What other things that are creative do you also explore?

Some of the time I had to play over the last weekend led to all of these birthday backgrounds.  Stay tuned to see what they will become the next time I get to "play".

Happy Birthday Center Step Card

Hi there!  I wanted to share another center step card with you.  I loved the other one so much, I decided to give it another go.  I started with some turqoise cardstock.  I added some recollections patterned paper in green with a star pattern to each panel.

I then cut out a doily with one of my newer dies.  Layered on top is one of my cute images I colored with Copic markers.  Now this sweet little girl is holding a book, I believe that is what it is, but since she looks like someone who would give handmade cards, I made it look like a card.  I added a cute little cupcake image that was in my new Lawn Fawn stamp set I bought (Party Animal).  I purchased this sweet image from Tiddlyinks from their Etsy page.  To the side of her I have a small book mark in a matching blue.  This was part of a journaling stamp/die set I got from Michaels (I think Jane Davenport).  For some interest I added some "pebbles" to the book mark.

On the side panels I added some colored balloons again in matching colors.  This balloon stamp is also from the same stamp/die set Party Animal by Lawn Fawn.

The sentiment I had in my stash.  I made the banner with the outline drawn and the sentiment written using my Cricut.  (Yes I love that machine!)  I totally get why people have more than one...believe me if I had room I would too.

I am entering this card into:

CCC Digi Creations Challenge Blog #69: For the Girls
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge Blog: March 2017 Patterned Paper
Cute Card Thursday Challenge Blog: #469 Celebrations

St. Patrick's Day Tag Swap

Remember that St. Patrick's Day tag I tore?  I finally get to show you the end result.  Yep, a bit late, but still hopefully worth the stop by.

Here are the tags I sent for my St. Patrick's Day Tag swap.  My partner has received them safe and sound so I can share.

You can see the three tags above. All the cut out images that are print and cut were from Lori Whitlock( the horseshoe, pot of gold and the hat) or Miss Kate's Cuttables (the owl).  The shamrocks, the doily, and the shape with the sentiment on it came straight from Cricut Design Space (part of my subscription).  

So this is the tag I tore.  I cut out the tag and patterned paper to go on top from Cricut design space.  I layered the pieces. I added a border punch along the bottom 3rd of the tag.  Added my print and cuts.  I also stamped the arrow and the sentiment in Momento Tuxedo Black ink.  The sentiment came from a set I bought from Unity Stamps.  The arrow was part of a travel set of stamps my sister gave me but I do not know the company.  I then added some hole reinforcers, a large eyelet, and threaded my ribbon through from my stash.  (This is where I tore it and you already know how I fixed it.  If you missed that post you can find it here.)  I did add some clear wink of stella to the horseshoe, gold coins, and the shamrocks to add some glimmer.

This tag I had a blast with.  I got to use some of my favorite toys.  Distress inks and a stencil.  So the stencil here is from Heidi Swapp.  I decided to go with a rainbow look.  I started with broken china, then mustard seed, and finally pickled raspberry.  I just lightly put down some color, then taped on my stencil, adding on more color.  I loved the rainbow look of it.  I then added some glimmer mist to the whole tag.  Who doesn't want shimmer?  I added the cute print and cut owl adding wink of stella to his hat, bow tie, and balloon.  I then added a stamped image of what kind of reminded me of clover to the edges in Lost Lagoon ink.  The sentiment is one of many I created using my computer on wonderful Cricut sticker paper. Again I must tell you how much I love that sticker paper.  It is wonderful.  Hole reinforcers were next with a large silver eyelet.  I added in some twine I got at Christmas from the Target dollar spot. 

Ok, I kept it simple for the last tag.  I know I wanted some type of Irish blessing on the tag because it just seemed like the right thing to add.  I found this sentiment thanks to Pinterest.  I added it to a cut out shape using my Cricut by letting the machine write it all out.  On the tag I added some green glitter tape, a doily cut out and some shamrocks.  I added some bakers  twine along with some more of the green twine...then called it quits.

Now if you have never done a swap.  You typically then also send some extra goodies.  If you want to see what else I sent, you can find it here in my You Tube video.

I am adding these tags to Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge #11-Anything Goes.  Check this challenge out here.

Cards with Multiple Folds

I typically stick with the good ole standard A2 card size.  But once in a while, I will try something new to me.  Then, I wonder why I haven't done this sooner.

So this cutie I have had colored, in a stack of die cuts for some time now.  She is a fairy I purchased from one of my favorite Etsy shops for digital stamps, Prettygrafikdesign.  She is colored with Copics, layerd on a couple of pieces of cardstock that I sprayed with shimmer mist.

I added a layer of of white cardstock that I used my New Bo Bunny die.  I then layered all of that on some Recollections purple patterned paper.  I added that same patterned paper to the sides.  I also used my new Lawn Fawn stamp set to make the balloons and cut them out with their coordinating die.  I used the Happy Birthday sentiment from the same set.  This I centered at the bottom of the card using my Perfect Stamp positioner. ( I so am in love with that stamp positioner!)

I learned how to do the Center Step Card by watching the tutorial over on Splitcoast Stampers.  You can watch it here.  While I was making the card I  had  to make cuts from 1 inch to, I think 6 1/2 inches one inch from each end of the card.  This became a challenge because I have completely rubbed off the 1inch mark and any marks up to 2 inches on my a paper trimmer.  So I just had to guess where the 1 inch would be.  This means I need a new trimmer, right? 😉

This makes a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 card, which means I need to make an envelope to hold it.  But it is such a stinkin' cute card.  I am so happy with it.

I did color the balloons with copics also.  I added some clear Wink of Stella to add shimmer to the balloons.  I couldn't resist sneaking in 3 Nuvo drops in silver to add a bit of something extra.

I am entering this in Creative Craft Cottage Challenge #83:  Shaped Cards or More than one Fold.
Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge: Anything Goes
Crafting with an Attitude Challenge: #25 Anything Goes

Scrap Store Haul

Just wanted to stop in to show you some new goodies I got this weekend.  I have already put a lot of them to use.  It has been a jammin' crafting weekend.  The mojo has been strong.

You can watch the video here or you can go to my You Tube Channel:  Samanthadesigns.

Mini loaded spring swap bag

Tonight I was able to get my 4x6 mini loaded bag made.  This is just the skeleton of it.  I did go ahead and add some Recollections spring patterned paper to it in purples and pinks.  I felt it would be easier to add it while I was putting the bag together.  I have add the paper afterwards before.  That is not as easy.

I am still deciding if I want a pocket on the back of it for some other goodies.  This is for a spring swap I signed up for later this month.  Now it's time to fill this baby up with some crafty goodies.

On a different note, my computer is sick.  It's in the hospital, so I am trusting on the ol' laptop to get me through.  Usually this is what I use mostly anyway, but now I am going to have to share it with my son since he is likely to go through withdrawals with no computer....😉

Hope you have had a great weekend.  Got some projects done?  Feel free to share in the coments.

A Good Sketch Helps Me to Stretch

So, I admit it, I do love a good challenge.  I think sketch challenges are my favorite.  I like to mull over what I have in my stash.  I contemplate for days on how I can make the sketch work in a way I like.

I am also a big fan of a of websites that do these types of challenges. Today's card is from the latest Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.  

I didn't deviate much from the sketch.  

I love how the elements I picked worked together.  Whatcha think?

I began in Cricut design space to see what digital elements I might have to begin the card.  That's where I found the sentiment.  "I Love You a Bushel and a Peck" is something I heard a lot growing up.  There is even a song I remember that goes with this.

Also using my Cricut I was able to print out a black and white rose background.  I have this saved as a pattern I purchased from somewhere.  I looked through my files again, but can't figure out which collection it belongs to. I did add some color to this using Picked Raspberry distress ink.  I rubbed it on making sure to be heavier on the outside leaving it light in the middle.

The lips came from design space.  If you have a subscription to access it is a free image.  I added some clear wink of stella on this to make it shine.

The pink cardstock is cut out using a cross stitch edged die.  I took a white strip cut it to 1 1/2 inches wide, then dry embossed it using a swirl cuttlebug folder.

Finally, I stacked the layers referencing the sketch.  I added some pink and white twine and some rhinestone circles which brought the card together.

I really like the card.  The sketch really helped me stretch because when I first saw it earlier this week I did not think I could pull of a card using it.

Hope you are having a good weekend.  If you like haul videos, I do have one in a previous post so check it out.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Mojo Monday #486

Brown Sugar Challenge #240 Anything Goes

Creative Craft Cottage #82 Tic Tac Toe:  Red, Image, Die/Punch

Dollar Tree Haul

I scored some cute stuff at the Dollar Tree yesterday.  You can check it out here or go to my YouTube channel here.

Have a great weekend!

A Bit of Coloring.....

I rarely get any time during the week to make cards or anything.  Last night was an exception.  I really felt like doing something creative but not drag lots of supplies out.

I remembered I had some images I had cut out a few weeks ago using my Cricut or my stitched dies.  So I sifted through them and found these three cuties.  They were begging to be colored.

The girl with the heart balloon is from freedeariedollsdigistamps.blogspot.com.  She has the cutest images.  

The two other images are from: www.tiddlyinks.com. I just purchased these recently so this is the first time I have colored the cheerleader and the girl reading the book.

 I got out my Copics and went to work.  I will never be a "Copic" master, but I keep trying to get a bit better all the time.

Now I have some cute images ready for cards. 

I was watching Jennifer McGuire's You Tube channel.  She mentioned that the Daily Marker is doing a 30 day coloring challenge.  I thought that would be something awesome to do.  Not sure I would ever color everyday for 30 days, but  I could commit to coloring at least once a week.  So maybe I will start a weekly coloring challenge....Hmm something to think about.  

If you want to see more about the 30 Day Coloring Challenge, you can check it out here.