All That Scraps Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

It's the first Wednesday of the month so that means the All That Scraps Wednesday Challenge has a theme of "anything goes".

I hummed an old Otis Redding song  "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" the whole time I was coloring up this C.C. Designs Sailor Trevor and Dock (both digital). I always think of my sister when I hear it because that is one of her favorites. I kept it simple, letting the images take center stage. The patterned paper is Webster's Pages and I added the banner for a regatta feel. It's hot as heck here so I would love to be sitting on a dock somewhere!

Products: C.C. Designs (digital) stamps, Webster's Pages dp, Taylored Expressions die, Spellbinders Nestabilities,Twinery Twine, Kaisercraft pearls, Copic Markers

Copics: Skin-E000, E00, E11, R20; Hair-E33, E35, E37; Sailor Suit-B91, B93, B95, B97, B99; Shoes-C3, C5, C7; Lifebuoy/Scarf-R24, R27, R29, C00, C1; Dock-W00, W1, W2, W5, E44; Water-BG70, BG0000, BG72
 
I realize that summer is a busy time for so many of you but I hope you will set aside some time to join in on the challenge. There is a great prize being offered and in order to be eligible to win, your project must include a stamp that is sold in the All That Scraps shop whether it is any of the wonderful in house designs or from the various other stamp companies that ATS carries. Be sure to link up your project with Mr Linky by next Tuesday at 10PM EST and only one entry per person please.

Take care and I'll see you back here soon.

Nature Girl

It's been too hot to go outside so I've been getting more stamping done than usual. Air conditioning is my friend although I hate to think about the bill as it runs constantly. The temperature was 104 on my deck yesterday afternoon, factor in the humidity and that translates to 111. I hope you are staying cool wherever you live.


Today's card is for this week's My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club (MFTWSC30) sketch challenge. I realized that I had not stamped this Pure Innocence Out On a Limb girl yet and so I went in search of patterned paper to match her. I selected Lily Bee Picket Fences and everything else just fell in to place from there. One thing I did do different this time was stamp in Memento Rich Cocoa rather than the usual black.

Products: My Favorite Things stamp and Die-namics, Lily Bee dp, PTI cs, felt and doily die, Copic Markers

Copics: Skin-E000, E00, E11, R20; Hair/Shoes-E55, E57, E29; Dress-E510, E51, E53, BV0000, BV01

Thank you for stopping by. I'll be back tomorrow with another card.

Wrist Pincushion

When I saw that the August My Favorite Things Guest Design Team challenge was Embellish Yourself (create something to be worn, accessory, etc), I knew immediately what I wanted to do for it. I've been wanting to make a wrist pin cushion for a while now. I visit quite a few sewing blogs on a regular basis (thanks to Google Reader) and had spied several versions that I liked. Yet somehow they never quite fit the vision I had for mine. 

I started out by picking out fabric for the wrist band. If you must know I have a whole drawer of fat quarters to choose from! I then cut three flowers using the My Favorite Things Rolled Daisy Die-namic from different colors of felt and then rolled them up. I usually glue these when making for cards but this time I threaded a long needle with twine, inserted at the bottom all the way up through the flower center. I then made a french knot and inserted the needle back down to the bottom to secure it. I also cut two round felt pieces using a Spellbinders Nestie and  a plain circle from another fabric. I sewed the fabric circle up yo yo style placing stuffing inside before closing up. I sandwiched one of the felt pieces, the stuffed fabric piece and the three felt flowers and hand sewed them together hiding my stitches underneath the felt flowers. I cut two leaves from the My Favorite Things Tree and Leaf Trio Die-namics, overlapped them and then sewed on with another french knot. I recycled some clam shell packaging to cut a round piece of hard plastic punching two small holes in the center with my Crop-a-dile (you need something hard between your skin and those sharp pins). I made the wrist band from fabric using fusible interfacing to create stability and attaching velcro for the closing. Finished measurements were approximately 8 1/2 inches in length and two inches wide.

The final step was to assembled the wrist pincushion by stacking the layers: fabric wrist band, plain round felt piece, hard plastic piece, the top flower piece createed earlier, and then sewed them all the way through to the wrist band back. I added touches of felt glue here and there to add even more stability. It would probably make more sense if I had taken photos as I assembled but frankly I consider this a prototype. I can already see ways to improve the process as well as the look of the design. A fun variation would be to use the My Favorite Things Rolled Rose Die-namics as well as the new one being released this month. I want to make several of these in different colors and give as gifts to my sewing friends.

 

Please note that when this is used as wrist pincushion there would be real sewing pins inserted, not these cute decorative pins! Those were for effect only!

So that's it. What do you think?

Hi There

A good Sunday morning to you!

I have my eye on some new My Mind's Eye 6x6 pads revealed at CHA-S so I've been trying to use the ones I own in order to justify the purchase. I've used my Lime Twist and Stella Rose pads a lot but yet it doesn't look like I've even made a dent. I stamped The Cat's Pajamas Away We Go onto Copics X-Press It cardstock, colored with Copics and then cut out. I mounted the stamped piece onto a banner shape cut with a TCP Banner Cutup. I embossed the TCP Cloud Border with my Cuttlebug and then sewed it on with a wavy stitch. I am submitting this for The Cat's Pajamas Tuesday Challenge (TCPTUES169) which is to include any TCP transportation type stamp. I actually already had this created before the challenge - love it when things work out like that!

Products: The Cat's Pajamas stamp and CutUps, My Favorite Things Die-namics, My Mind's Eye dp, PTI button, Copic Markers

Copics: Balloon-YG01, YG13, YG17, BG70, BG72, BG75, YR12, YR16, YR18, BG0000, BG10,C1; Bunny-E50, E51, E53

I hope all is well with you.

Sweet November Preview Day 3- Josie and Mia

Welcome to the last day of Sweet November stamp previews for August. Today we are featuring the Fairwees "Josie" and "Mia."

First up is Josie. I wanted to also feature the new Sweet November Mason Jar stamp so I decided to make a gift card.  I stamped the jar and then just the lid portion onto Copics X-Press It cardstock, coloring all with Copic markers. I then stamped the jar again onto a piece of acetate with StazOn ink. I made it shaker style by creating a sandwich with a backdoor inside the card so the recipient could easily extricate the money without destroying the card. The Little Something sentiment is new also and goes perfectly with all the Fairwees.

Products: Sweet November stamps, Crate Paper dp, My Favorite Things Die-namics, StazOn ink, Copic Markers

Copics: Jar/Lid-BG0000, BG10, BG11, C00, C1, C3, C5; Skin-E000, E00, E11, R20; Hair-E33, E55, E29; Wings-BG0000, BG10, BG11; Clothing/Shoes-Y21, Y23, Y26, R00, R30, R32

Next is Mia and I decided to go a little more "granola" with her. The Swiss Pixies Birdhouse is a digital stamp and be can found here in the All That Scraps store. It is also available in rubber too here. I printed it onto Copics X-Press It cardstock and then stamped Fairwee Mia onto the same square, inking around the edges with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen. I made the base card skinnier than normal then cut out the main panel with a Lacey Square Spellbinders Nestie. I cut another piece from the same Nestie in order to complete the vertical sides. For the border I first used my Fiskars corrugating tool onto a strip of kraft cardstock. I then cut a strip from it with the new C.C. Designs Fairwee Tiny Scallop die. I dabbed on   some cream and yellow acrylic paint here and there with my finger. The border also disguises the fact that I combined two pieces to make the lacy vertical borders.

Products: Sweet November stamp, C.C. Designs (digital) stamp, My Favorite Things Notched Tag and Die set, My Mind's Eye dp, Kaisercraft pearls, Twinery Twine, Spellbinders Nestabilities, Copic Markers

Copics: Skin-E000, E00, E11, R20; Hair-E33, E35, E37, E29; Clothing-R30, R32, R35; Birdhouse-W00, W1, W2, W5, E41, E42, E44; BG0000, BG70, BG72; Leaves-YG0000, YG93, YG95; Butterflies-Y21, Y23, Y26

I've loved making projects with these wee little fairies so I hope you have enjoyed them. Be sure to also click on over to guest designer Kiara Lee. Amy, the creator of the Sweet November line has some beautiful projects to share and also outlines the details on how to win some very generous blog candy just by you leaving comments on each designer's blogs, including mine.

The entire group of Fairwees along with the three sentiments, new die and jar stamp will be available for sale at the All That Scraps store on Monday, August 1.

Sweet November Preview Day 2 - Emaline and Daphne

Welcome to Day 2 of the Sweet November stamp previews for August.  Today's projects feature the Fairwees "Emaline" and "Daphne."

First up is a card featuring Emaline. After coloring with Copic markers I cut the image out. I then attached it to a Martha Stewart paper doily that I stamped with a Sweet November sentiment that is also part of this release. I used all Pink Paislee Soiree patterned paper.

Products: Sweet November stamps, C.C. Designs Cutters, Pink Paislee dp, May Arts ribbon, Martha Stewart paper doily, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Copic Markers
Copics: Skin-E50, E000, E11, R20; hair-BG10, BG11, BG13; Wings-Y11, Y15, Y26; Dress/Shoes-R83, R85, RV17

For my next card I used the Collage sheet from the Pink Paislee Soiree collection for my background panel which makes for a really easy card. I covered up the party reference in the label section with a label diecut that I stamped with a another fun new Sweet November sentiment stamp. I colored up Daphne with Copic Markers giving her some hot pink hair. Easy and fun!

Products: Sweet November stamps, Pink Paislee dp and tissue, My Favorite Things Die-namics, PTI die, Kaisercraft pearls, Copic Markers
Copics: Skin-E000, E30, E11, R20; Hair-RV00, RV23, RV04, RV17; Wings-YG01, YG13, YG17; Dress/Shoes-Y11, Y15, Y17, BG10, BG13

The Fairwee collection will be available for sale at the All That Scraps store on Monday, August 1. Be sure to also click on over to guest designer Kiara Lee. Amy, the illustrator behind the Sweet November line has some beautiful projects to share and also outlines the details on how to win some very generous blog candy just by you leaving comments on each designer's blogs, including mine.

I'll see you back here tomorrow for the last of the August Sweet November previews.

Sweet November Preview Day 1 - Fairwees Jilly and Piper

Welcome to the first of three days of Sweet November stamp previews for August. I couldn't be more excited about the Fairwee collection. I love anything mythical and whimsical and these certainly fit the bill. Now if you were at Summer CHA you may have already seen these. But if like me you weren't (picture sad face here) you are in for a real treat. For the next three days we will be previewing 6 Fairwees plus some extra surprises. Today's projects feature "Jilly" and "Piper." Now how can you go wrong with names like these?

First up is Jilly. I saw a "tiny dancer" vibe to her so I colored her up with the colors that I think of for my beautiful niece Anna who is a ballerina extraordinaire. To reflect Anna's Chinese heritage I gave sweet Jilly some jet black hair and Asian skin. After coloring with Copic markers, I cut her out and placed her among some oldie but goodie embellishments from Making Memories. The patterned paper is Echo Park Be Mine.

Products: Sweet November stamp, Echo park dp, My Favorite Things Die-namics, PTI buttons, Making Memories acrylic frame, heart and flower, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Copic Markers
Copics: Skin-E50, E51, E53, E55, E11; Hair-C3, C5, C7, C9; Wings-C00, C1; Dress/Shoes-RV0000, RV00, RV10

Next up is Piper. If I had to pick a favorite in the Fairwee group I would definitely have Piper at the top of the list. She looks as though she fully knows the keys to a happy life. Wouldn't it be nice if we felt that way all the time? I colored her with Copics and then cut out with a Spellbinders Nestie inking around the edges while it was still in the die. I then matted again with two other Nestabilities. The paper is all My Mind's Eye Lime Twist.

Products: Sweet November stamp, My Mind's Eye dp, C.C. Designs Cutters, My Favorite Things Die-namics, Melissa Frances resin piece, Fiskars border punch, Spellbinders Nestabilities, Copic Markers
Copics: Skin-E000, E00, E11, R20; Hair-YR30, YR31, YR23, Y35; Wings-C00, C1; Dress/Shoes-YG21, YG13, YG23, BG0000, BG10, BG11

These will be available for sale at the All That Scraps store on Monday, August 1. Be sure to also click on over to guest designer Kiara Lee. Amy, the creative mind behind the Sweet November line has some beautiful projects to share and also outlines the details on how to win some very generous blog candy just by you leaving comments on each designer's blogs, including mine.

I'll see you back here tomorrow for another Sweet November preview.