12 Kits with Sharron!

The last day of a long, cold January!  But we have plenty to warm your heart today with a most amazing kit for the 12 Kits of Occasions from our hostess Sharron Gregory!  We are celebrating Valentine's Day and we received the most adorable kit. It was just jam-packed with teeny cellophane bags of die cuts and embellishments in the most unique Valentine colors of pink, peach, strawberry, tan, and white.  The Teresa Collins "You Are My Happy" patterned papers were adorable, and there were little die cuts and stamped images to match each sheet!  Aaaand mini elephants....

Lots and lots of mini elephants!  I could hardly stand the cuteness!  (Never knew this Martha Stewart punch existed)!

I used them on my first project with some washi tape and this adorable sentiment.  Sharron sent us two panels of die cut hearts and I used the negative piece as a stencil since I participated in the class all about them last weekend with Online Card Classes.  (I still haven't even had a chance to look at Day 4 :)!

I used Wendy Vecchi's white embossing paste over a piece of paper that was misted with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists in Guilded Gold and Cherub Pink.  Such a fun shimmery card in real life :).
I couldn't put the elephants away yet...

This time I lined them all up in a row to fit the sentiment.  I could imagine telling my daughters, "I love you thiiiiis much (the length of a 4 elephant parade and beyond, of course)" !!

More sweet die cuts.  This time some love birds and a teeny, leafy branch.  The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse Stamps Sweethearts set.  The tan paper has a very subtle, texture that reminded me of woodgrain.

Another fave in the kit box was this typewriter image and some coordinating sentiments.

I chose this one and decorated it with mini hearts.  I sliced the  typewriter top at the "paper feed" part so I could make it look like this note was rolling out, hot of the presses ;)...

And one more try with white embossing paste.  I used a stencil from Hero Arts and lots of the glorious sequins that Sharron sent.

We learned a trick in class from Debby Hughes to pour glitter over the embossing paste after you remove the stencil and the paste is wet.  So shimmery!  Love the sweet die cut "hello".

The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse Stamps My Heart set, which Claire just happened to release new dies for this week!  See them here and here, along with the most adorable Mini Mail tiny envelope dies!

I have no doubt that I will be using Sharron's kit again this weekend!  There is so much good stuff left and two weeks until Valentine's Day!!

Be sure to stop over at the 12 Kits Blog for links to everyone's blogs and the supply list!  Ohhh, and to see our special guest Michelle from Pretty Periwinkles who made the most fabulous cards with this kit!  You can also always check out or Facebook page and Pinterest board, too!

Stencils 4...Texture!

Today may have been my favorite of the Stenciled class at Online Card Classes.  We learned about adding texture with stencils and I used Wendy Vecchi's  white embossing paste for the first time.  Soooo much fun!

Debby Hughes had the most fabulous suggestions and jaw-dropping sample cards.  I was inspired by her ideas and made this:

I spritzed the card first with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Verdigris which is a blue/green color with flecks of gold. Then after it dried, I used a stencil I made with the negative of PTI's Hexagon Coverplate and added the paste over just the top left corner and let it dry.

I stamped and die cut feathers from Waltzingmouse Stamps Fine Feathers set in peach (Fresh Ink) and Delicate Gold.  Bent them a little and cut into some of the edges to make them even more wispy.  Added just a bit of gold and white sparkle twine to catch some of the gold in the background.  This lovely sentiment is also from Fine Feathers.

I think I'll be using this idea to make more "thinking of you" type cards, such a soft and lovely look!

Stencils 3...and a Sketch!

Still working on homework from Day 1 of the "Stenciled" class offered by Online Card Classes.  I was inspired by Laura Bassen's technique of inking a background stencil with Versamark ink and then heat embossing.  I used a dotted stencil from Heidi Swapp and clear embossing powder.  

This card also features Rita Wright's sketch of the week at Freshly Made Sketches.

Here's my card.  The paper is from My Mind's Eye "Love Me"collection and the sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps Frame-It set.

I decorated hearts cut with Sizzix Hearts, Primitive #3 die with stamped images from Fresh Cut Florals by WPlus9.

If you don't own a polka dot background stamp, this is a great, economical option since stencils are typically cheaper!

Stencils, Part 2

More stenciling!  This time I used inking techniques with a Heidi Swapp butterfly stencil.  I used several Tim Holtz Distress inks with the ink blending tool.  As for the card layout...I must admit that I am having a bit of a hard time with this tilted panel look, lol!  I just feel like I should straighten it or something :)!  But I was hoping it added interest to a relatively simple card.

The sentiment is from Waltzingmouse Stamps Fine Feathers set. After inking the butterflies, I heat embossed with A Muse Studio's Diamond embossing powder.

I am having so much fun!  Hoping to be back tomorrow to show some more "homework"!

Stencils!

I am taking my very first online stamping class this weekend!  It's called "Stenciled," and it's offered by Online Card Classes.  Yesterday, we were taught some awesome misting and inking techniques by Debby Hughes, Julie Ebersole, Laura Bassen, and Jennifer McGuire.

My first card is made with a homemade stencil I cut using PTI's Hexagon Coverplate and two mists, Heidi Swapp Georgia Peach and Tattered Angels Yellow Daisy.

I made a Valentine tag with some very old bumblebee stamps from Pink Paislee and sentiments from Waltzingmouse Stamps My Heart set.  The big bee is stamped and heat embossed in black on vellum.  He has glittered wings and is layered so he is ready to take flight!

Round one of homework done, let's see if I can get some more projects done today!

Orchid is in...

Come over to the Team Talk Blog today for some Waltzingmouse Stamps inspiration featuring Pantone's "Color of the Year" for 2014!

Challenge Chicks' Chalet

It's time for another edition of Challenge Chicks!  This month Anna challenged us to make a winter wonderland.  I decided to go to the Swiss Alps where the winter scenes are aplenty, and used Waltzingmouse Stamps Alpine Christmas set!

I stamped the mountain range on die cut pieces and layered two over each other.   The sentiment from the set is heat embossed. The snowy background is from a favorite background set that I have had for years, "Filagree Snowflake Background" by Peddler's Pack Stampworks.

The chalet was colored with Copic markers and then I added Stampendous Crystal Snow glitter at the top.  The mountain range and snowflake were glittered up with Stardust Stickles.

Now it's your turn to play along.  You can upload your creation to Splitcoastampers and use the keyword CHXJAN14 or you could link your blog post to our Facebook page HERE.  Can't wait to see what you make!

Like much of the country, we've had our share of winter inspiration.  These pictures are from our front yard this past Thursday!

Here's to staying warm this week!

Off you go to see what the other chicks have made!

Anna

Diane

Jeanne

Kelli Jo

Lydia

New Year Sketch

Finally got time to play with the Freshly Made Sketches sketch that has been going on for the past few holiday weeks.  This one is by Amy O'Neill!

I decided to make a New Year card with some fun Christmas/winter paper I got on sale from Heidi Swapp. The little piece that looks like washi is actually from Crate Paper's Bundled Up collection.

The sentiment is from Hero Arts "Banners & Messages" and the stamped circles are from PTI's "Confetti Garland Borders" set. Instead of mini banners, I used some rhinestones and leftover baubles and things from my 12 Kits of Occasions packages.  Part of the reason is because I am really bad at cutting out those little banners evenly, haha!  I really think I need to get some dies to remedy that.

The wood veneer stars are from Studio Calico, one painted red, one left plain, and 2 others inked with Delicata Gold.  The gold sequins and silver snowflake were from kits!

Can't wait until the new sketch reveal this week...I've been missing their sketch inspiration over the holiday break!  :)