Lawnscaping Challenge - Bling It!

Hello! I'm thrilled to be involved in my second Lawnscaping Challenge, and to be sharing it with you! The theme of this challenge is "Bling It" -- to add sparkle via Stickles, Glitter, Shimmer, or whatever type of sparkle you want. You can view the challenge here.

Though I love Stickles and use them on many projects, I use them in pretty small doses, and usually 'clear' colors like Diamond or Crystal. I decided this Challenge would be a great opportunity for me to think outside of my own little box! For the Sparkle elements, I used sequins, rhinestones, and 3 different Stickles. Here is what I came up with:

This was such a fun card for me to make because I know the recipient, my sweet mama, will appreciate every inch of it. Thanks so much for stopping by! I appreciate all comments + subscriptions! Happy crafting! :)

xoxo,
Emily

Materials used:
- ivory panel from scrap stash, cut to 3.75" x 5.25"
- kraft a2 size card + envelope
- juli's garden cuttlebug folder
- flutter by stamp set
- bazzill coconut swirl cardstock
- memento tuxedo black and lilac posies inks
- memento lilac posies marker
- stickles (thistle, icicle, golden rod)
- copics (R20, R22, R29, RV04, RV17, 0, Y17, Y21, Y38, YR07, YG 03, YG25, YG63)
- liquid + foam adhesives
- martha stewart sequins
-hero arts rhinestones

Bridal Shower Decor!

Hey there!

This past weekend we celebrated my dear friend Amanda's bridal shower! I'm so excited to celebrate the upcoming wedding of 2 of my best friends! :) The four of us bridesmaids all worked together to pull off a beautiful yellow and grey themed shower on Sunday.

I didn't get as great of photos as I had hoped, but here's what I was able to somewhat capture of the crafty stuff -- the banner, food labels, and a keepsake box with notecards.

For the banner, I spelled out "bride to be" using my Cricut and Cindy Loo Cartridge with deep grey cardstock. I used the George + Basic Shapes cartridge to cut out 2 hearts. (Good old George - it seems so plain but always manages to come in handy!) I adhered the accented letters and shapes to yellow and grey cardstock cut to 6x6" square pennants using liquid glue. I used a ribbon punch to punch two holes in each square-shaped pennant, and finally, began weaving grey grosgrain ribbon through each slit. I love love love the finished product! The colors were perfect and it hung beautifully on the mantle! (Do you spy the gorgeous lemon centerpieces??)

For the Vegan-Friendly food labels, I cut some nice thick yellow cardstock to 3x3". I scored it at 1.5" and folded it in half. Using Lawn Fawn's Smitty's ABC's, I spelled out "Vegan Friendly" and stamped it on all the of the mini cards in pretty grey London Fog ink. Next, I punched some hydrangeas in the dark grey cardstock. I rolled them petals, layed the flowers using liquid glue, and adhered one to each card. Once they were dry, I used Platinum Liquid Pearls to add a subtle and pretty center to each bloom. I loved these! The bride did too, and wants to repeat using them at the wedding. :)

Finally, as a keepsake for the bride, I make a "Shower Memories" box and lots of notecards for all the guests to record a memory or advice on. To begin, I painted a kraft box and lid with yellow acrylic paint - I did 2-3 coats to get a good even color. I created a flower using grey cardstock and Tim Holtz' Tattered florals die. (This brought back QUITE the memory of my own wedding, just 6 months ago, for which I die cut and embellished hundreds of the Tattered Florals by hand for my reception centerpieces. A labor of love and totally worth it!) I added a bit of Tea Dye distress ink for dimension, and finished the center with a pretty yellow October Afternoon button and grey baker's twine from Doodlebug. I stamped a vintage lady in London Fog on ivory cardstock and added Mustard Seed Distress Stickles to her dress. After cutting her out, I adhered her and the flower next to one another on the lid of the box. I adhered a strip of dainty grey lace along the bottom, and wrote "Shower Memories" in silver metallic Sharpie. This was a lot of fun and I was pleased with the finished product!

Finally, I had lots of fun creating a variety of cards for guests to write on. I cut them to various sizes, and decorated them with a variety of stamps, punches, border punches and washi tapes. I hope the almost Mrs. had fun reading over them! <3 p="">
Thanks so much for stopping by today! If you have and questions, comments or requests just let me know. Happy crafting!
xoxo,
Emily

P.S....

{craft room} Stickles Storage Makeover

Hey guys!

We've had some beautiful weather this week and I got to take advantage of an afternoon in the backyard. I was feeling inspired to spruce up something for the craft room, so I decided to transform my Stickles Storage.

I found this little Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit trinket shelf at a flea market in college a few years ago. It sat dusty and unused for a few years, until I got married and got my own craft space! It has served as the perfect showcase and storage spot for all my fun Stickles.

If you know me, you know that I love color, so I really wanted to do some transforming, but without losing the charm that attracted me to the piece in the first place. I love the Peter Rabbit medallion on the top, the little drawers (though they do not open), and the dainty blue and rosebud wallpaper. It looks like it belongs in a dollhouse! I used some standard Hobby Lobby paintbrushes (25 for $4.99, and they're amazing quality - seriously!!!) and basic yellow acrylic paint. It took about 3 coats and dried very quickly in the sunshine. :)

I am so grateful to have an area to take advantage of my love for art and creativity, so even a change as small as this to my crafty nook is very exciting to me.

Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Emily

Everyday Card using Watercolor Technique

Hey there! Tonight I was inspired to pull out some products/techniques I haven't used in awhile. Here is a card I made this evening using some oldies but goodies!

I began by choosing some nice solid image rubber stamps - in this case, Three Silhouettes by Hero Arts. I mixed some inks (wild honey, milled lavender and victorian velvet) with some water from a mini mister. I stamped all three stamps in a random pattern onto smooth white cardstock cut to 3.75 x 5.25". Once I covered the entire paper, I used a paintbrush to splatter the  three ink mixtures from my craft mat. When I was finished, it looked like this:

I used an ink blending tool to cover the entire paper with antique linen distress ink. I LOVE the look of this ink blended over the light lavender color!

Next, to add the dramatic flair I wanted to acheive, I pulled some HUGE Heidi Swapp flowers out of my stash. I've had them for awhile - checked the copyright date to find 2002. :) About time I put them to use! Though I was seeking drama, the flower was actually TOO large to fit, so I trimmed it in have with some precision scissors. I adhered it down smoothly using my ATG. The flower was the perfect addition to my feminine card...it's so fun pulling out older products and putting them to use! I added some Rock Candy distress stickles to the petals for a muted sparkle.

On top of the flower I wanted a sentiment. I chose "lovely" from Hero Arts' Heyday Sentiments. I stamped it  on white cardstock using Jenni Bowlin's Malted Milk ink. I trimmed it into a half banner and blended some more antique linen ink on top. Finally, I used some Buttercup Liquid Pearls to make random and various sized pearls around the sentiment and center of the flower.

I had a lot of fun working with the watercolor technique I hadn't tried in awhile, and some products that had gotten dusty. Thank you so much for reading along with me!

Happy crafting! I hope you create something beautiful today.
xoxo
Emily

Lawn Fawn mini

Hello there! I wanted to share this mini card I made a sweet little 2 year old I know. She is having her tonsils out and we know she'll need some cheering up.

I worked in 2 different Hallmark shops for about 5 years, and always had first chances for lots of goodies. Something I stocked up on were these mini cards with ribbon intended to be attached to gifts. I have used them for that, but I decided to experiment and make a mini. I love how it turned out!

I was so excited to receive Critters Ever After from Lawn Fawn! Congrats to LF on being featured in People via Zooey Deschanel! Love 'em both.

I stamped the unicorn, along with the mini heart, onto white cardstock. I colored it with Y, V, CG, and RV variety copics and went over the details with Glam Pink, Yellow, and Crystal Stickles. I did some quick-cutting around it and popped it up on thick foam squares. I stamped a sentiment from On The Mend in Jet Black Archival ink, and punched mini stars along the bottom. To fill the stars, I used Berry Sorbet cardstock from Papertrey Ink and added Tropical Tangerine Stickles. The final touch was some purple bakers twine from Doodlebug & Co.

I love making minis! Thanks so much for reading!
Xoxo,
Emily

Lawn Fawn card + Class!

Wanted to share this fun little card I made for my friend Erin.

Materials used:
- gnome sweet gnome + you've got mail stamp sets
- peppermint cord
- textured golden yellow scrap
- stickles
- vintage photo distress ink/ink blender
- patterned paper from Dear Lizzy Neapolitan 6x6 pad
- sew easy stitch piercer/leprechaun floss
- diamond stickles
- memento tuxedo black ink
- copic markers
- cloud brads (recollections)

I am also really excited to share the news that on Saturday I'll be attending a LF class hosted by design team member Lynette, at one of my favorite papercraft stores, Papertrix. My new husband offered to travel the 5 hours round trip so that I could attend. I'm SO excited and I can't wait to share details of the class, I just know its going to be a blast!

Thanks for reading! See you soon.
xoxo,
Emily

Merry Christmas!

Hi there! Merry Christmas Eve! I got to work early on some Christmas thank-you cards -- here is a video and a few pictures.

Here's another card -- a regular sized one to pop in the mail, with many of the same features.

MATERIALS USED:

Cricut/Winter Lace Cartridge (Provo Craft)

Cuttlebug/Snowflake Embossing Folder (Provo Craft)

Various cardstocks (Bazzill Basics & Core'dinations)

Adhesive gemstones (Recollections)

Foam Adhesive (Paper Studio)

Pumice Stone ink (Ranger)

Classic sentiment clear stamps (Hero Arts)

1/4" Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers)

Crystal Stickles (Ranger)

Patterned paper scraps

ATG (Scotch)

Thank you so much for reading/watching. May you all have a blessed Christmas with warmth and loved ones.

Lots of Christmas love,

Emily

Sympathy Card + Video

Here is a sympathy card I made using the Cindy Loo cartridge. In case you haven't checked it out, this cartridge features loads of pretty and delicate flowers and flourishes. They're really versatile and can be used for lots of things, which can be great when you're stumped.

I'm still really new to this video thing, so they're nothing outstanding but they get my point across!



Recipe:
- Cream A2 card
- Flower2 cut at 3 3/4"
- tea dye & vintage photo ink
- black satin ribbon (3/8") by ribbon boutique
- patterned paper -- circa 1934 (Cosmo Cricket)
- golden rod stickles
- sentiment by stampendous

As always, thanks for reading/watching!
Hugs,
Emily

Top o' the Mornin'!

In my family, Saint Patrick's Day is a fun, peaceful celebration. It's one of my favorite holidays. My family has strong Irish blood on both sides, and it's something I'm very proud of. While some people celebrate only on March 17th, I prefer to take the time leading up to Saint Patrick's Day to reflect on my family's history, and fill my ears with beautiful Irish music, and my well-loved Irish movies. My favorite? Evelyn. I have a mondo crush on Pierce Brosnan, especially in this role.

SO, I have decided to make a few mini cards for the upcoming holiday. I made two identicals of this one, for me mum'n'dad. :)

- These measure approx. 2.5 x 3.25 on a forest green base. I was really at a roadblock as far as color inspiration until I paired the peach and mint. LOVE 'EM!

- The images were cut at 3", I believe (I had to play around to get it right).

- I spritzed the peach with copper pearl mist; yellow stickles on the rays. Copper paint dabber around the edging.

- The peach was pop-dotted onto the mint mat, which is edged with lettuce paint dabber.

- White mat on interior with negative of cricut scraps; sentiment (studio g) is stamped in crushed olive.

Hope this gets you in the springy, Saint Patrick mood. Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Emily

Kiddo Valentines

As you may know, I am a preschool teacher at 2 different schools.

Since I ran out of time, I was only able to make my Valentines for 1 class, the smaller of the 2, and give pre-made ones to the other class. These were one of the first things I did on my brand new Cricut Expression (using the auto fill feature). I had a lot of fun doing these, and the kids LOVED them (along with the attached treat, of course). I wanted to do something simple, but sweet, and this is what I came up with:

These are 3x4" and punched with Fiskars Apron Lace.

The hearts are cut at 3.5" from CAC, in lt. pink and black cardstock.

Cotton Candy Stickles for accent.

Stamp is by Studio G, in Worn Lipstick.

Names (pixelated for privacy) and my message are written with Crayola markers.

Krispy treats attached to back with ATG.

fun<3

Thanks for reading!

Emily

Birthday Chihuahua

Made this card for my aunt for her birthday. She loves Chihuahuas (they have 2), so I really wanted to feature one. I ran into a problem when NONE of my cartridges or embellishments had any. Then I took a closer look at the terrier in Create a Critter… I decided with minimal alteration and the right color choices, I could turn that terrier into a Chihuahua. Ah, Create a Critter, you came through again. There’s a reason it’s my favorite!

I wanted to tie in a 'princess' theme, so I used as much pink as possible.

Recipe:

Create a Critter cartridge
stamps: Stampendous; Hero Arts
stickles
punch: Martha Stewart
cuttlebug/pop culture
tattered rose ink
colored pencils

Thanks for reading! :)

Emily

True Colors

It. has. been. so. long. since I completed a scrapbook page - at least since September. Oy! I got to looking at my ongoing project, and decided I really wanted to get to work on it while I still had memories in my head (they tend to fall out easily with me...). My current ongoing project is a 12x12 album of my trip to Chicago to see GLEE live in concert. Yes, I'm still beaming about it. :) I have no idea why the pictures upload sideways. It's quite the aggravation. Hope you can get the idea. :)

The bulk of the pages in the album are themed on titles of the songs they performed, most of them exact reenactments of the scenes in the show. This particular page/2 pages are based upon "True Colors", a Tina solo. This was a great choice to get me back into scrapbooking mode, because I LOVE bright, fun COLORS. This took a lot of time, but it was super fun. :)

A 2 page spread. I'm a fan of those...

Page 1. The photo is from FOX (I used a mixture of photos I took live, and shots from the show that really capture the themes well).

Font from Wall Décor & More, cut at 3.25" with Monogram feature. I cut them all in white cardstock, and then applied ink and coordinating Stickles, to create a rainbow effect.

I love this photo!! It set the perfect tone for inspiration.

It's not secret that I'm obsessed with these... :) I made them each by hand from paper studio cardstock, glossy accents, buttons, and stickles.

Page 2. Both photos taken by me. I used this page for all of my journaling.

Font from Wall Décor & More, cut at 2.5" with Monogram feature. I cut them all in white cardstock, and then applied ink and coordinating Stickles, to create a rainbow effect.

I am having so much fun documenting this night. The show itself brings me so much joy, but getting to see them live? Knowing that my boyfriend loves me so much that he made it actually happen? I have no words. No one can ever top it - and no one can ever take those memories from me. :) Thanks so much for reading with me. I hope everyone is staying WARM! Brrrr!

big hugs!!
Emily

Piece of Cake!

I wanted to get a craft fix in this evening, so I made this card for my mom to give to a friend of hers. The recipient is a cake maker - so I immediately got busy thinking of what cake images I have on my cartridges. I was able to use Simply Charmed, which my mom got me for Christmas. Perfect!

So often, I use more monotone color combo's, so this was fun to do. I like that it has a variety of colors that I wouldn't ordinarily combine.

Recipe:

- White 4.25"x5.5" (A2) card

- Cake and all layers from Simply Charmed p. 74, cut at 3"

- Cake accents embossed with Tim Holtz Swirls

- Cake accented with Stickles (Crystal, Yellow, and Orange Peel)

*please note the vivid orange color on the flames. This is due entirely to the Orange Peel Stickles; the actual color of the paper was pale yellow (see base of cake). I am quite familiar with Orange Peel, as it was my first and much-used Stickles, but this is a perfect example of why you should test things out before you slap them on a final project - it's brighter and more pigmented than most Stickles!

- Pink mats embossed with Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder

- Pink mat punched with Martha Stewart Lacy Doily Lace Border Punch

- Sentiment by Hero Arts, stamped in crushed olive

- glossy accents

This was a pretty quick card - unusually quick for me. I think the main reason it flew by is because I had pre-sketched what I wanted to accomplish. I've written about this before, but I find this to be a really time-saving technique, especially for a Miss Busy such as myself.

- - -

I'm thinking Etsy shop. I am being urged by several loved ones. We'll see. :)

Hope you're keeping warm! Thanks for reading!

xoxo

Emily

Back in business!

After begrudgingly dropping some cash on a replacement camera charger, I am back in business. At the end of the day I decided the pictures I missed out on taking (including CHRISTMAS! Grr..) were worth more than the charger costs.

- - -

Since my family members aren't craft-obsessed like I am, some of them decided to give me gift cards and so on to purchase my own craft gifts this Christmas. They know how happy it makes me - so sweet. I used them to get supplies for my next project: December Daily. Woo hoo!

I'm currently working on Christmas thank-you notes. So fun! I began by making a batch of identicals for the students in my class - they presented me with such sweet things the day before break. The excitement in children that young, about giving a gift to someone else, really shows the spirit of Christmas. What a gift in itself. I wanted to make them some really cute thank-you's that would be appropriate for both the little ones as well as their parents! I've had a lot of fun! In doing these, I was able to utilize the cartridges I got for Christmas. :-D

* kraft, pink, black cardstocks by the paper studio

* stickles
* border punch (Sorry, I do not know the name!)

* Mary Engelbreit snowflake stamps, white embossed.
* Simple Sentiments by Hero Arts, Archival Ink

This one is for someone else:

* kraft, brown, red, and cream cardstocks by the paper studio

* ric rac stamp by stampendous, white embossed

* glossy accents

* seeing spots embossing folder

* Simple Sentiments by Hero Arts
* scrap from my stash

* Inkssentials white opaque pen (this did not show up well on the cream CS - not sure what I was thinking)

- - -

And also..

These don't have an exact location yet, but my boyfriend got me a scoring tool for Christmas - sooo excited - and I have been popping these out like crazy. Love their pretty, sophisticated finished look!

I'd love to go on, now that I'm back with all my photos - but it's REALLY late! Thanks for sticking with me through the absence of my camera! :) Hope you're all having a lovely Thursday!

xoxo