A Walk In the Park

My sister, Lori, and I are hosting the challenge this month at CottageCutz dies - and it's super easy! We just want to see you use your CottageCutz dies on a layout. The random winner will get a $25 gift certificate! To get you started with some inspiration, here's a layout that I made last night.

CottageCutz Dies: Blossom Branch, Scallop Three Edger, Floral Doily
Spring Awakening Papers from the ScrapCake
Epiphany Crafts Studio Tool Round 14
Epiphany Crafts Round 14 Bubblecap
Epiphany Crafts Vintage Settings
Unity Stamps - All Worth It
Wow! Embossing Powders: White
Wow! Embossing Powders, Suzy West Collections: Earthtone Pepper, Bay Area Blue
Pink Paislee Chipboard Letters
Worldwin Papers Cardstock
Jillibean Soup Alphabet Stickers
Want2Scrap Pearls
Ranger Distress Stain
Versamark Ink

Inspired By Stamping - January Release is Here!

I hope you have enjoyed all of the beautiful peeks that the Inspired by Stamping design team has shared with you the past two days! Finally, you get to see each of the new releases in their full glory - and the best part, you can buy them today!



This is the set I've been designing with - Be My Valentine.


There are so many cute elements there to enjoy! I'm sure you will have tons of ideas for ways to use this versatile set.


Now, here's the rest of the team - go check out what lovelies they have to share with you!

Amber Goble
Deb Hickman
Debbie Marcinkiewicz
Gini Cagle (me)
Irit Shalom
Jennie Garcia
Joanna Munster
Kassi Hulet
Kendra Sand
Kim Score
Susie Moore

Card Storage Tutorial with Epiphany Crafts

I make lots of cards, but have found that keeping them organized by occasion can be difficult. I'm going to show you how to take a simple box from your pantry and recycle it into the perfect storage solution. This is also a lovely way to present someone a set of cards as a gift.



Save a suitable box from your pantry. This one was 6.25 inches wide, so it was the perfect size to hold 6 x 6 cards.

Measure up 6.75 inches from the bottom, draw a line at that measurement around the box, and cut the top away.

On the right side, make a mark 2.5" from the bottom. Draw a diagonal line from the upper left corner to the mark on the lower right side. Repeat for the other side and cut along the lines.


You now have the basic shape for your holder. Prime the box with Gesso to help cover over the print.

Now the fun begins - Cut patterned papers to cover the box. I stamped/embossed my papers before I attached them. Use Crafty Power Tape to adhere the papers.

Add a tag to label what type of cards are in each box - this one was for Thank-you cards. After the box was complete, I realized the buttons and bows would have been more functional on the back spine, so you could stack several of these side-by-side.

Supplies
Epiphany Crafts Button Studio Accessories Buttons Round 20
Epiphany Crafts Button Studio Tool Round 20
Scrapbook Adhesives Crafty Power Tape
Patterned Papers Riddersholm Design
Stamps Unity
Wow! Embossing Powder Copper Regular
Metallic thread DMC
Memory Box Charlotte Border Die
Verve Tiny Sweet Scallop Die
Fiskars Scallop Punch
May Arts Ribbon
Ranger Distress Ink

Challenges:
Unity: Gift Wrapping Challenge
Friends With Flair: Friday Hop
Berry71Bleu Challenge: Shabby

Prickley Pear Blog Hop

Welcome to Prickley Pear's new release of Valentines and Steampunk themed Red
Rubber Stamps!

To celebrate this new release we are having a three day long Blog Party with
loads of inspirations by the Design Team and a give away! One happy participant
will win a $ 15 gift certificate to the web shop. All you have to do is leave a
comment on each of the participating blogs and tell us what you think about the
new release. Last day to enter is Sunday 15th midnight EST. The winner will be
drawn randomly at one of the particpating blogs, one of the days and will be
presented on the Prickley Pear Blog on Monday.

I made a canvas (although I may turn it into the cover of a mini-book later), using the Steampunk Locomotive stamp. I embossed the image with Wow Earthtone Pepper powder and fussy cut the image. The gears were cut with a Spellbinders die from Grunge paper, and colored using Sakura Crystal Lacquer and the new Terri Sproul Mixer Jewel Effects - Gold Dust, Glitter Red and Bronze Satin. I also stamped parts of the wheel elements, glazed them with the Sakura Crystal Lacquer and used them for the centers of the gears. It's always fun to find new ways to use stamps!





Here's the rest of the list to visit today. Remember, there will be more blogs to visit tomorrow. Have fun!

Prickley Pear Blog
Lori
Amy
Gini (you are here)

Challenges:
Stamp and Show: Red Letter Day
Simon Says: Stripes

My Wow Team Day!

The Design Team for Wow! Embossing Powders is rather large, so we were divided into teams. My team, the Powder Puff Girls, is lead by the very talented Gina Lideros. Today my team mates have posted some gorgeous layouts on the Wow! blog, that I'm sure you won't want to miss.

Here's the layout that I created. It will be in the CHA booth in just a couple of weeks :)

The stamp set is one that Suzy West designed that is called Build a Butterfly - and you get to do just that - you can mix and match the layers to create variations in your butterflies - and then all of the different colors of embossing powders - and they are stunning!

I used Tsukeniko's Goosebumps spray to mist my background and then sprinkled with the powders. I really love this effect!

Wow! Embossing Powders: Suzy West Earthtone Olive, Earthtone Honey, Bay Area Blue, Metallic Copper Regular
Wow! Build a Butterfly Stamp
Pion Designs Patterned Papers
Worldwin Papers Cardstock
Versamark Ink
Versamark Ink pen
Tsukineko Goose Bumps
Lifestyle Crafts Die
Epiphany Crafts Round 14 bubble cap, Round 25 bubble cap, vintage setting
Pink Paislee letters
Want2Scrap Pearls

Inspired By Stamping - January Release Day Two Preview

It's the second day of previews for this month's stamp release from Inspired by Stamping! We are releasing 4 sets this month, and this is my second card using the Be My Valentine stamp set. Remember, all of these gorgeous stamps will be available for purchase on Saturday - along with the full reveal of the sets!



Don't you just love these heart-shaped balloons? The heart frame is also from this set. Are you getting curious to see the whole release? Well then come back tomorrow - you won't be disappointed!

Now, here's the rest of the team - go check out what lovelies they have to share with you!

Amber Goble
Deb Hickman
Debbie Marcinkiewicz
Gini Cagle (me)
Irit Shalom
Jennie Garcia
Joanna Munster
Kassi Hulet
Kendra Sand
Kim Score
Susie Moore

Challenges:
Card Patterns: sketch

Inspired By Stamping - January Release Day One Preview

It's the first day of previews for this months stamp release from Inspired by Stamping! We are releasing 4 sets this month, and this is the one that I will be sharing with you - Be My Valentine.





We'll be showing you the entire sets on Saturday, but be sure to check out what the rest of the team created over the next two days!

Amber Goble
Deb Hickman
Debbie Marcinkiewicz
Gini Cagle (me)
Irit Shalom
Jennie Garcia
Joanna Munster
Kassi Hulet
Kendra Sand
Kim Score
Susie Moore

Love You to the Moon and Back

Do you have a hard time making masculine cards? Especially for Valentine's Day? Try picking up a very boyish paper, like Rocket Age from October Afternoon. I paired it up with a sentiment that made it perfect (from My Favorite Things). Adding the Heart Circles die from Spellbinders also gave another hint towards the big day, without being at all girlish. You can pick up all the goodies that you need for your Valentine's projects at Scrap-Mart.

Feb. 14 Card

So now that Christmas is over, and you are starting to recuperate from all of those Christmas cards that you made - it's time to start working on Valentine's cards!

I started this card by embossing Black Ice Dust cardstock from Worldwin Papers with a Cuttlebug folder. Next I painted over the whole thing with Creative Inspirations paints in Fuchsia and a second coat in Blush. After it was dry, I sanded over the top, which exposed some of the black cardstock.

(Two different variations - black cardstock and pink cardstock)

I also got a chance to play with some of Creative Inspiration's new glitters for the heart. I used a Spellbinder die, and cut a large sheet of Scor-tape. I removed one side of the backing paper and completely covered the heart using the Resplendence Regal Red Glitter. I put the heart back into the die and used the stenciling openings to put a small amount of glue along the shape, and fill that in with the Resplendence Gold glitter. I let this dry completely and then removed the other side of backing paper and adhered the heart to my card. Hope you will try some of these techniques out!

Kanban Crafts Card

Kanban Products

Moulin Divas- Black PCT9878
Black Damask-Red CRD1353
A4MRS/GO

Just a quick card to share with you tonight to show the gorgeous Kanban Crafts papers.

Challenges:

CPS: sketch

Simon Says: New Something (papers)

WOW! Gratitude Card

Have you seen the new Wow! Embossing Powders blog? If not, what are you waiting for?!! Let me just tell you, you are going to fall in love with these embossing powders! and the stamps? Pure wonderful!

For this card today, inked one side of an embossing folder with Versamark ink, and ran the paper through a Cuttlebug machine. When it came out, I sprinkled it with the Suzy West Earthtone Pepper embossing powder and heat set it. It filled in the recessed areas with wonderful pepper-colored texture that I just adore.

The leaves and the sentiment are from the new Gratitude stamp set (a must have!) They were embossed as well. Notice how great the sentiment embossed. It's very clear and super easy to read. The true sign of a great embossing powder.

Supplies

Wow! Embossing Powders: Suzy West Tea Garden Green,
Suzy West Earthtone Pepper
Wow! Gratitude Stamp Set
Crate Paper
Worldwin Papers Cardstock
Sizzix embossing folder
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge
Epiphany Crafts Round 14 bubble cap, vintage setting
Memory Box die
The Twinery Baker's twine
Want2Scrap Pearls
Versamark Ink
Heat GunCuttlebug

Challenges:
Simon Says: Something New (Brand new Embossing Powders and Stamp - to be released at CHA)
Stamp and Show: Something Old, Something New (New - embossing powders, Old - felt flower)
Papertake Weekly: Anything Goes