Paper Girls Challenge #148: Embossing

The Paper Girls Challenge Blog is all about embossing this week. Dry embossing, heat embossing, you name it, it will work. For today's challenge, I finally got out my Topography stamp set from Neat and Tangled. I loved the possibilities with this, especially with my watercolors. The watercolors are the wonderfully opaque Kuretake Gansai Tambi paints. They are simply delicious.

I love the sentiment. And the melon color of the cardstock picks up the very color from in the painted card. Make sure to check out the challenge, and add your own project! Pin It

PAPER GIRLS CHALLENGE BLOG: Challenge #147 - Travel

Good Morning! Today I am sharing with you a fantastic card that I created with some older products. I love using materials I have on hand, as getting to the craft store seems to be more difficult lately with a crazy schedule and so much to do.  For today's Paper Girls Challenge Blog project, we are focusing on Travel. I chose to take this in the direction of a travel card using Authentique's Explore Collection and Lawn Fawn stamps and matching dies, colored with Chameleon Markers.

I loved the little pops of violet throughout the card. I purchased the stamps forever ago, but only got the dies fairly recently. This was a great way to reuse those items I got so long ago. The Diamond Press made the small dies so easy to cut out.

Supplies Used:
Authentique Paper (Explore Collection kit: Ten, Eleven, Details, Components die cuts), Lawn Fawn: (Happy Trails stamps and Happy Trails Lawn Cuts dies), Chameleon Pens, Versafine ink, Neenah Solar White paper, Diamond Press die cut machine Pin It

PAPER GIRLS CHALLENGE BLOG: Challenge #146 - Black & White

Today on the Paper Girls Challenge Blog is our fantastic challenge #146, using only Black and White. I adore challenges. I love re-imagining how I can use up my materials in different ways to  create fun new things. I'm often inspired by techniques that I see online, especially YouTube. My favorites are Kristina Werner and Jennifer McQuire. Both ladies are uber-talented, and have so many ideas.

I was watching one of Kristina's videos, when I realized I had everything I needed to recreate my version of her project using supplies I had on hand.

Concord and 9th is one of my current obsessions. I adore almost everything they come up with, and I'm pretty picky, so that's saying a lot. One of my favorite stamps that I love trying to play with in different ways is their Hello Lovely stamp set. I really love that depending on how you use it, it takes on completely new levels of complexity.

This is pretty simple, and came together rather quickly. Use an embossing buddy, or some sort of prep powder for this, as you really do not want any stray white powder on the black paper. Then with Versamark and your favorite white embossing powder, heat emboss the image. Then use the white gouache paint to create areas of lights and darks in the embossed image. Let dry, and finish with a sentiment. That's it!

Check out the blog for our PG Challenge #146 - Black and White and share with us your new creation! We have quarterly prizes and would love to see you create with us.

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After creating this, I also realized that it would also fit the Concord and 9th challenge blog, Where Creativity Meets C9 challenge for Watercolors. Enjoy!

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PAPER GIRLS CHALLENGE BLOG: Happy 6th Anniversary!

Hello! It's a Happy Anniversary to the Paper Girls Challenge Blog! They are 6 years old today. Which is amazingly exciting! They are a bunch of great ladies who are pretty darn talented. Today's challenge is all about 6's.

I ended up creating a rainbow card with 6 washi tapes and 6 enamel dots. I love how clean and simple it is. Pin It

AUTHENTIQUE PAPER: Party's that POP! with Authentique

Hello! I wanted to share a fun idea that would be easily repeatable for any holiday or occasion. I created two for Valentine's and St. Patrick's Day using our Lovestruck and Shamrock collections, but depending on what paper collection you use, you could also use them for weddings, showers, or my favorite, birthdays. 

I started with a set of Cake Pop / Push Pop plastic holders. I found mine on Amazon, but there are tons out there at other stores.

I looked for a set that was able to have a lid that could be resealable. 

 

Then I created all kinds of confetti. I punched matching paper until the paper couldn't take it anymore, then I cut those punched areas into strips and added those to my pile. Then, I cut mini strips of colored tissue paper, then cut those strips down to mini pieces. 

It's not horribly time consuming, but it will take more "fluff" than you originally think. 

 

Once all of your confetti and fluff is all cut and punched, put it aside to decorate your plastic holders. I found that the best glue for this was dry adhesive, so got out my Xyron 3" sticker maker. Any strong, non-liquid adhesive (edge-to-edge, strong runner, or strip adhesive) would work best since you will be adhering paper to plastic. 

I cut my paper down to 3x8", then added adhesive. It was enough paper to wrap around the plastic holder, with a little bit of extra coverage in the back to stick the paper to itself. Once you add your paper, decorate with stickers, firmly adhering those to the paper. Then stuff those plastic holders and stick on the lid! 

Once your confetti poppers are all put together, you do need a bit of force to make them pop open, but the results are worth it! 

I would probably use these for indoor use, as you could easily clean them up. 

 I hope that you create some fun party poppers of your own!

 

Supplies Used:
Authentique Collections: Lovestruck Collection (Two, Details stickers), Shamrock (Four),

Other Supplies: Cake Pop / Push Pop plastic holders, confetti punch (WRMK), Xyron 3" sticker maker

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Diamond Press Stamps and Die Sets - INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY

Recently I was introduced to a fantastic (new to me) company, Diamond Press by the fabulous Beth Kingston of Kingston Crafts. Diamond Press has great stamp and die sets that make crafting super fun and easy. So easy in fact, my kiddos were able to craft and create without any assistance from me. They have a mini die cut and embossing machine that is just amazing.

Isn't it just the cutest? I was pleasantly surprised on both how easy it was to really use, as well as how well it works. I really loved how well all of the stamps and dies worked together. Some of the stamps have matching die cuts, and some of the die cuts work by themselves. There are even great sentiments that go along with each set.

Everyday Words Nesting Cutting Dies Bundle 
This die cut set made sweet tags that you can use with sentiments, or by themselves with a stamp. I added some gorgeous ribbons to dress these up just a little more. A super easy tag, that looks fabulous in just a few minutes. 

Check out the video for these tags!

 In The Kitchen Stamps, Dies, Inks and Embossing Folders (airs 2PM EST / 11 AM PST)

This is probably one of my favorite stamp and die sets now. I just loved the little Kitchen-Aid style mixer. It's just too fun to add interesting colors to. These images were easy to color and add details to with both my Prismacolor pencils and Chameleon Markers. The fussy cut images were all edged in black marker to cover any cutting issues.

(I loved these cute recipe cards!)

Nature Stamps, Die Cuts, Inks and Embossing Folders (airs 11 PM EST / 8 PM PST)

I loved the stand-alone dies in this set. The bow was just a perfectly interesting bow with a lot of sweet detail, and the birds and butterflies were just too adorable when colored. 

 

Two crafters, Pam and Mistyana and I have a great giveaway* that we are launching on Instagram later today! Make sure to check out my Instagram later this morning for the details*!

*US residents only for this giveaway. Machine color to be determined by Diamond Press.

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AUTHENTIQUE PAPER: A Colorful Christmas Pedestal Frame

When I created an Autumn version of today's project, I knew that I also wanted to create a Winter decor item as well. I imagined a snowy scene, filled with trees and snowflakes. I couldn't resist pairing the wonderful "snow" that I found earlier this year, with Authentique's Colorful Christmas.

 Today's project started with a lightly painted wooden base. I used some glitter mist from my stash, and added in some painting medium to soften the color. I then added in the trees. The two that were larger, I cut off the back of the tree, making the back of two of the trees flat. This was, they would fit into the frame once both pieces of glass were added back into the frame.

Once the trees were situated, I added in a piece of Colorful Christmas Seven.  This was a perfect backdrop for the trees in front. Before adding in the front glass piece, I glued in the bottom layer of snow. A few pieces were kept loose.

 Even the back of this is pretty! The stars from Colorful Christmas Seven are just beautiful.

 I then added strips of paper covering the front, sides and top of the frame. Gluing them with the Art Glitter Glue and burnishing really well will not only lock the top in place, but also give structure and detail to the frame.

 The tag was a tag from my stash, covered in a part of Colorful Christmas Eight, and a pair of Details stickers. The last touch for the topper of this frame was a beautiful bow.

Once the entire decor piece was put together, a couple of the Details stickers covered a smashed tree section, and added some great detail.

Another season, and another gorgeous home decor item. Wishing you a fantastic holiday season.

Supplies Used:
Authentique Collections: Colorful Christmas (Two, Six, Seven, Eight, Details Stickers)
Other Supplies: wood and glass pedestal frame (SPC Crafts), ribbon (May Arts), mini trees (Michaels), faux snow (Hobby Lobby), Art Glitter Glue, color mist (Heidi Swapp), twine and wooden tag (Maya Road) Pin It