Inspire Me

Please use a coaster for that

Have you ever used a coaster before? Yeah, I know for a drink, coffee, anything potentially drippy, but I mean for scrapping, stamping, creating decorations and so much more. Well I ordered hundreds of them and I am just having a blast. Check out all the fun things that I've done so far:

 

This is a great gift. I took two coasters and the Spellbinders nestabilities scallop circle die and die cut two holes in the center of each coaster. I then covered the coasters with paper from A2Z (after I also cut out the centers with my scallop circle die) I slipped in two recent school pictures of the kids and then placed the coasters into my Bind-it-All. I punched opposing sides f the coasters and then laced yellow ribbon from Offray into each side leaving enough ribbon at the top to use as a hanger. I added school stickers from American Crafts, a few rhinestones and that was it! (If you didn't quite center your cuts and were left with some white space I simply took my Copic airbrush system and airbrushed in a complementing frame around the circle.) Seriously beside doing the cutting this is a 5 minute project and will be kept for years to come! For another great gift (I posted this before so I won't add any detail) is this box/holder which works for flowers, candles, pens etc.

 

Then I just couldn't stop I made these great & simple home decorations:

 

Paper from Junkitz, my letters cut out with my Cricut, some rhinestones from kaiser, spiders from Ek Success, of course my Copic Airbrush system , mount the three coasters on the ribbon of your choice and BOOM great decoration! And do you know what I love the most about these? The storage. It takes very little space when I have to store them until next year. I just fold them up and place them in the Holiday bin.

I have all of this stuff available as kits if anyone is interested. I can't even begin to tell you how much fun these were to make and my kids just loved the ornaments. You know how excited they get when they see you are using their pictures. At least my kids do. I'm sure there will be so many more coaster projects coming up so keep a look out!

coasters, not just for glasses anymore

Hi everyone, sorry it's been so long since my last post. I'm a little under the weather and I've shared it with my kids. Such a nice Mom. Plus I'm getting ready for my Open House on Sunday and for those of you close by I hope you'll join me anytime from 10 am to 3 pm.

So here's a quick peek at a small project I've been playing with.

I took 4 coaster and covered three of them with a piece of my favorite paper from Murdock's the Peppermint Penguin border paper. It fit perfectly across three of the coasters. I then placed one end of my now connected three pieces into my Bind-it-All and made my holes. I also did this on the other end of my three coasters. I then took a fourth coaster and covered it with the remaining Murdock paper and placed a white rub-on on it. I also punched the same holes on both sides of this coaster. To hold all four pieces together I used ribbon and laced it like a shoe. This is a perfect little gift for a desk to hold pens or pencils, I added some colorful poinsettias for a sweet display. Here is a better picture of how I laced this together.

This project is so sweet and simple. Plus if anyone is interested in the paper I have plenty to ship. Just go to the website and look at what is there and e-mail me.

I have more versions of this and lots of other designs, so stay tuned. For those of you coming on Sunday, we'll be making a great ornament using coasters and the bind-it-all. This little machine is amazing! It will punch through heavy chipboard, coasters, plastic, metal, even Cd's! As you can tell, I'm having too much fun with this new toy.

Well all my kids are home from school today as we share the yuckies. Time to go take care of my loved ones. So I hope all of you are healthy and have a great day!

Cards 3 & 4 of my 20 cards in 20 days

Okay, so I have card 3 done and card 4 is more than a card. My blog tonight will be brief. I must apologize I am exhausted! I just got through teaching this awesome Paint can that Kellie designed. It was a bride-to-be and her bridal party. They were so much fun! This wedding will be a blast. Anyhow Kellie should have it posted shortly.

Onto Christmas:

Card 3

I must admit that the base of my cards comes from the Die Cuts with a View (DCWV) card stack. It's great, you have a place to start and then you can take your design anywhere you want after that. This card came with the square pattern. I simply added some Ranger Liquid Pearls in Ruby Red. I love these cause they still look wet after they've dried. They have the most beautiful shimmer. I made dots and squiggles in various squares. I added the words Seasons Greetings, distressed them with red ink and adhered to two of the squares. I also need more dimension to my card so I added some small ceramic pieces I found in the decoration isle and highlighted them with the liquid pearls also. Finally two small circle stickers, with areas highlighted in liquid pearls and it's done. Colorful, fun and festive.

Card 4 - I'm having a brain freeze. What to do next. Then it came to me. Sometimes the best thing I could get before Christmas would be a note pad or small notebook. Something to keep a running list of gifts in and what I have left to buy. I always double buy without my lists. Does that ever happen to anyone else? So using one of my favorite new toys, the Bind-It-All. I made a 4 x 4 mini notebook. I simply made the cover by taking my patterned paper and adhering it to the top. I used a plain Christmas Red cardstock for the back cover. The placed it in my Bind-It-All and cut the holes for the wire. Trimmed my wire. placed it in the holes and put it back into the Bind-it-All and squeezed. Sha-Boom! Instant mini notebook or album. I then added some stickers from the DCWV, stamped the cocktail glass from Hampton Arts, along with the holly. I could now add small tabs with names of people to buy for or just assign a page per person. Wouldn't this be nice to receive in the mail? A little more than a card, useful and cute to boot.

Since I love my Bind-it-All so much let me share a totally non-holiday album I made. I love wines and like to track where they come from, how we got them, maybe who they were from.

 

Cute huh? Paper & tabs from Creative Imaginations. I happen to have the glass on wine stamp. Can you believe that I had bought that stamp ages ago cause I just knew that someday I would find a reason to use it. But I just love my Bind-it-All! Before that tool it would have taken forever to line up the holes punch every page and the covers accurately. Well, you know what I mean. Oops I digress from Christmas, sorry.

I know that this is short and sweet so if you have any questions or feel that I left anything out, please let me know. I love getting e-mail! So goodnight, sleep tight and pleasant dreams to you! I remember watching Lawrence Welk with my grandparents as a small child. They sang that song at the close of each show. See you all tomorrow.

20 Christmas cards in 20 days

Getting ready for Christmas was on my top 10 list then today happened. 90 degree weather, can you believe it? I'm designing and thinking of the beach, it was hard but I made a commitment to myself that this year I was going to design 20 different cards that anyone could make. So here are my first two:

I tried to set up the Christmas Scene but it was hard with the play toys in the background and the heat! I'm really not complaining though cause I know that here in New England the weather changes with a blink!

My first card was done on textured white cardstock from Die Cuts with a View (DCVW). It went something like this:

1. I cut a small strip from the edge of the card after I folded it to make a small tab. I used Staz-on ink to create the plaid effect. I opened my card and on the left edge of each side made one downward swipe with the red. I then went side to side with a red swipe approx 1 inch from the top  and directly across the bottom. That left me open white spaces where I was able to swipe Cactus green Staz-on. Once I finished with both colors I then went back over with the red to give it a more dimensional feel.
2. I edge the outside of my card with a Krylon Gold Leafing pen. (They come in 5 colors and I love them, Gold, Pale gold, red shimmer, copper & silver) (Tip: when the tip of your Krylon pen gets frayed simply pull it out and replace it with a new tip. Also the tips are reversible and the other side is a med round tip for writing and coloring)
3. Then I went to my favorite place to shop, Lowe's. Once there I went to the paint chip section and picked up this green swatch.
4. With my holiday words stamp set from MSE I stamped and heat embossed in gold my saying. I also edged the paint chip in gold leafing.
5. Added two pieces of ribbon and stapled it to the card.
6. A few holiday buttons to snaz it up.
7. On my computer I typed the word family, cut it out, distressed it with Staz-on red and also stapled that to my tab.
8. If you were to open the inside of the card it was designed to be a photo holder.

Simple and sweet

Card #2

I used the same cardstock and cut it in the same way as to leave a tab. from there:

1. I added a strip of red worldwin cardstock. Cut out words from DCWV Card Kit in a Stack paper and adhered them to the red strip.
2. I added a silver snowflake for dimension and bling. Christmas is always about bling! :)
3. The onto my copic airbrush system. I just couldn't leave that out. I lightly airbrushed the remaining white with R27, Cadmium Red.
4. I placed a stencil on the edge and airbrushed the design with G07, Nile Green. I also sprayed a heavier red frame around the card. Then went over that with my gold leafing pen.
5. Then of course onto my Spica pens to add some red to the center of my design. Adhered a few red rhinestones for more bling.
6. To finish I added a piece of decorative ribbon and the word family.
7. This also is a photo holder when opened.

Let me know if you have any questions and for all my local friends I'll be doing all 20 cards on Saturday, October 20th at my new studio.

Yeah that's another whole story my darling hubby is renovating our basement family room to be a studio where I can teach. How fun is that? I'll be sure to post pictures when he's done.

Well like I said want the weather to change just blink. I blinked and now we are having a wicked thunderstorm. So I probably should sign off and go listen to the calming sound of the rain and hug my little ones as they ask, "mom why is thunder so loud?"

Won't you join me in a glass of wine?

Do you like to make your own albums and alter them? Or make journals, mini books, board books? Then have I got the greatest new must have tool for you! The Bind-It-All. This little 3 lb machine perfectly lines up where to cut your holes in your covers and pages then allows you to place a wire binding in it and with a simple squeeze the binding is locked into place. Boom! Instant journal, recipe book, mini book, album and more!

What does all this have to do with wine? Well put this great product together with an awesome altered caddy, some great paper and your creativity and Boom, here's what you get!

Make this  beautiful altered wine caddy and wine journal. Keep it for your self or add a loaf of bread and some cheese for a perfect gift any time of the year.

This class will have you decorating and altering the caddy, making decorative labels for your wine bottles and two wine glass charms (gotta have some bling!) In addition to all that the wine journal, for the receiver to log all the information about a bottle of wine.

We will be using exciting new products such as the Bind-It-All. Perfect for the individual that likes to make mini albums, board books and many other items.

Join me Saturday, September 1, 2007 at the Studio in Murdock's at 10 am. I wonder is 10 am to early for wine, Hmmmm? Class fee is $20 and supplies are $20. Be sure to bring your basic craft kit with a paper cutter, scissors, adhesive (cheetah runner if you have one) Everything else will come with your class supply kits.

To sign up simply call me at 576-8610 or leave a comment on my blog. Class size is limited to the first 5 people. So please join me in a great class sure to be lots of fun!

Welcome, my first class

I am so excited to be with all of you. I have so many new things to share with you that I'm not even sure where to start. So I may as well start at the beginning with a fun altered project. When I first saw these large chipboard words my mind started to whirl. (Plus it didn't help that the company I bought them from had some finished samples all with beaded fringe. I'm such a sucker for Bling!) Ever since I was a small child I have loved Advent calendars. I couldn't wait for each day to pass to see what goodies might lurk behind the little window or in a small box. Sometimes I even cheated and would look ahead. (I hope Santa isn't reading this) Since I've had children of my own I have always searched for creative & fun advent calendars. So long story short I "Believe" That I have come up with one that is not only creative but looks fun!

This word is 21" long and 6" high. It has 24 adorable & colorful bags that we make and of course I just had to add the beaded fringe. (my touch of bling!) It features Radiant Rains. If you haven't seen how these dabbers make all your projects sparkle wait to you see how shimmery and easy it is to apply. Plus this absolutely adorable paper is from A2Z Essentials. Plus for those of you that have been wanting to try Quilling, there's even a little of that on here. So come join me, I will be offering this class at The Studio at Murdock's on Thursday, August 30th at 6 pm. Then I will be at Silver Fox Stamps and More (Winslow) on October 8th and once in-between these dates at my Studio in Auburn. (More information to come about that exciting change)

I have a lot more exciting classes coming up and new products to share with you so be sure to subscribe to my blog so that you don't miss any of the news. Finally just a short note to thank Kellie for getting me started on my blog and for being my friend. Let it be known that we are not gone and we plan on having a lot more fun with all of you!