Perfectly Pleated Ribbon

Hello everyone,

Love beautifully ruffled or pleated ribbon?  It looks stunning when used to frame a coloured image.  Check out my tutorial at Scrapbooker's Paradise for creating this easy look.  No sewing required :)

Hugs & happy crafting!

Great Catch Champ!

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all well.  It is currently snowing here, but summer promises arrive soon, if no where other than in my craft room...

For card details, please check out my post at Scrapbooker's Paradise.  Thanks so much for stopping in & I hope you have a wonderful Easter!

Hugs,

Dawn

Playing in Paradise - Easter or Spring

Hello everyone,

I'm back with a quick post to invite you to come Play in Paradise!  Our theme this month is anything Easter or Spring goes.  In spring, I am always anxious to play in the dirt and plant beautiful flowers, so I used that as my inspiration.

I started with a rough, unfinished wooden sign from a dollar store and applied a layer of gesso.  I adhered the designer paper with a gesso transfer technique, added the stamped flower with a tissue transfer technique, and added the computer generated sentiment similarly to how a tattoo artist transfers a drawing to skin, only using a Copic multiliner & tissue paper instead of a needle & whatever paper they use.  Add a layer of something to seal it all and it can be hung outside in the garden.

Supplies:

Wood sign

Gesso

Nautical paper

Stampendous jumbo spider mum stamp

Tissue paper

Mod Podge or other glue and sealer

Black Memento ink pad

Copic sketch (R20, 22 & colorless blender)

Copic black multiliner 

The team has made some gorgeous projects to inspire, so I hope you will pop by to check them out, as well as all the challenge details.  Then come and play!

Thanks so much for stopping in.  Hugs & happy crafting!

Glitter everywhere!

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all well and enjoying some beautiful spring weather.  I am afraid I have been dreadfully absent from the land of blog.  As my wee one gets older, I am having a hard time justifying spending so much time in front of the computer.  He is growing up so fast, and I know if I miss these moments, I will never get them back.  So, I haven't been doing as much crafting or blogging and I plan on cutting back until he starts school.

A quick post then to invite everyone to get a head start on Christmas and join in a new challenge at Christmas at Sweet Stampin'.  We have a really fun theme this month - 'Glitter Glitter Everywhere' - and it was.  I kept my project quick and simple, making glitter covered gift tags using some of my favourite Christmas ornament dies.  They are so sparkly!

We have a fantastic sponsor - one lucky winner will get 5 digis from StampArt Design!  I hope you will pop by Christmas at Sweet Stampin' to see the beautiful cards the team has made and then join in with us.

Thanks so much for popping in!  Hug & happy crafting!

Salt in the Air...

Hello everyone,

I hope the weather is glorious wherever you are.  It has been a little chilly here, so this layout was just the thing to remind me of the warm summer sun.

For details, please pop over to my Showcase post at Scrapbooker's Paradise.

Thanks so much for stopping by & happy crafting!

Stamped Easter Eggs?

Pop over to Scrapbooker's Paradise to check out my super easy tutorial.  Enjoy!

Playing in Paradise 11

Hello everyone,

I hope you are well and have a great weekend planned.  It is Friday and time for a new Playing in Paradise challenge.  It is our talented Pam's turn to host this month, and she has chosen a really fun theme - use a black and white or sepia photo/image with a splash of colour.  I have to admit, when I first saw the challenge I thought it would be really easy, but it turned out to be tougher than I thought.  I coloured the sweet Silver Fairy by Whimsy Stamps with almost every shade of grey pencil I own, and added my splash of colour to the wings.  Then I tried photographing it... I must have taken at least 20 photos, but I just could not capture the colours and shading as they appear in real life.  I'm not sure why.

I used some beautiful black and white papers from the new Limelight collection by Kaisercraft.  This photo shows the embossed detail on the white paper.

Pop by the Playing in Paradise challenge to check out the all the challenge details and the gorgeous projects the team has created.  Then come and play along with us!  I'm looking forward to seeing your take on the theme.

Supplies:

Image - Silver Fairy by Whimsy Stamps stamped with black Stazon on Bazzill smooth white cardstock and coloured with pencils.

Paper - Kaisercraft Limelight

Other - Spellbinders Captivating Squares die, sentiment is retired SU, mini fiskars butterfly punch

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hugs & happy crafting,

Dawn

I've got a quilt to keep me warm

Though I won't need it; the weather has been glorious!  I hope you have all been well and that your corner of the globe is thawing as well - if it was frozen.  A new challenge starts today at Christmas at Sweet Stampin' and this time our theme is 'it's cold outside.'  It is so wonderful getting ahead on Christmas cards - I hope you will join us!

I wanted to make a flat card (CAS) for mailing and I challenged myself to stay away from snowflakes - seems I put them on almost every cold and snowy card.  Turns out this was a lot harder than I thought.  Then I finally got some inspiration from a quilt.  After all, what is better than a  nice warm quilt when the mercury takes a dip?

Supplies:

Image - Wee Stamps Miss Frosty in rubber by Whimsy stamped on watercolour paper in black Stazon and coloured with Distress inks
Paper - Tim Holtz Merriment stash - it has lots of little pieces that were perfect for this layout
Other - glitter for the snow and Marvy Snow marker for the trim on the snow woman's hat and scarf, needle and thread

You should definitely pop on over to Christmas at Sweet Stampin' for some gorgeous Christmas inspiration - the team has made a feast for your eyes!  Then come join in the fun.  This month we are sponsored by Yours or Mine Papercrafts who are offering a $10 voucher to one lucky winner!

I would also like to enter my card in these fun challenges:

Stampin' for the Weekend - Sparkle and shine

Christmas Card Challenges - CAS

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Photo inspiration

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge extra - anything Christmas

Magnolia-licious - CAS

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hugs & happy crafting,

Dawn

Escape to Spring

Hello everyone,

Have you had enough of winter?  I most certainly have!  This card was my attempt at escaping to spring...

For project details & supplies, please pop on over to the Scrapbooker's Paradise inspiration blog.  Thanks so much for stopping in & happy crafting!

Hugs,

Dawn

Our Little Monster

Hello all,

I hope you are well and keeping warm.  I have a quick post today to share a snippet of my little monster.  My photography skills are truly lacking, so I really lucked out when I got this shot of my son.  He looks so menacing, yet still adorable... it just makes me giggle.

If you'd like a peek at the full layout or for a complete list of supplies, please pop over to my post at Scrapbooker's Paradise.

Thanks so much for popping by & happy crafting!

Hugs, 

Dawn

Scent with Love - Playing in Paradise

Hello everyone,

Is it the weekend yet?  How about spring?  Shucks, only February...  well happy Love day!  I hope cupid is good to you.

A new Playing in Paradise challenge starts today and our talented Linda has a really fun theme this month.  Do you like flowers and ribbon or lace?  How about doilies and charms or little trinkets? Pearls or bling?  Stick pins, stickers, chipboard die cuts or buttons, brads or eyelets?  All you have to do it make a project with any 5 of these items and link it up for a chance to win.  I hope you will play along!

For my project, I chose flowers, lace, doily, charm and pearls.  Shocking, I know! ;)

Isn't this little mouse super cute?  This image was really fun and quick to colour and the sentiment, along with a few others, came with it.  Gotta love that!

All the flowers were handmade using sizzix dies.  Each petal is individually shaped and glued onto a base.  I do love making my own flowers - it is really relaxing and you can make them any colour to match your project perfectly.

The team has made some beautiful projects to inspire you again this month, so please do pop on over to the Playing in Paradise challenge to have a peak and get all the challenge details.  

Supplies:

Stamp - Crafters Companion Thanks Petal

Ink - black stazon, distress inks (black soot, barn door, pumice stone, forest moss, antique linen, tattered rose, vintage photo)

Paper - Teresa Collins - You are my Happy, Bazzill card

Flowers - Sizzix Susan's Garden - mini daisy and mini petals, Tim Holtz tattered flower garland

Other - BoBunny doily, Kaisercraft lace, pearls, charm, twine and stamens from my stash

Thanks so much for stopping by and for taking the time to leave a comment.  I really appreciate each one.  I am so looking forward to this crazy week being over and catching up with everyone over the long weekend :)

Hugs & happy crafting,

Dawn

Tropical Christmas

Hello everyone,

What a busy week!  I hope you are all well & keeping warm... When February comes around my head always goes on vacation somewhere tropical.  I am so tired of the freezing cold, the snow and shoveling, not to mention the flus and colds and what is up with the sun setting before supper?  I am so ready for spring!

This month at Christmas at Sweet Stampin' we are helping you beat those winter blahs with a 'Tropical Christmas' theme.  Santa might just love a vacation on the beach and I think this little parrot looks very fashionable in Santa's hat ;)

Admittedly, I think this might be our toughest challenge to date, but the team has come up with some brilliant inspiration, so be sure to pop by Christmas at Sweet Stampin' and check them out.  This month we are sponsored by the Hobby House who are offering the winner a fabulous £10 voucher!  I hope you will join in!

Supplies:

Stamps - Parrot & branch (Magnolia), hat (LOTV), Sentiment (Amy R)

Paper - Watercolour card & black cardstock

Ink - black Stazon & Distress inks

Other - Spellbinders Captivating Squares

I would also like to enter these fun challenges:

CHNC - Use a die cut or punched shape

CHNC challenge extra - anything Christmas goes

Sparkles Christmas Challenge - anything goes

Thanks so much for stopping by and for taking the time to leave a comment.  I really appreciate each one!  I will be back tomorrow night with a new Playing in Paradise challenge and I am really looking forward to catching up with your blogs & crafts on the weekend!

Big hugs,

Dawn

Sealed with Love

Hello everyone,

I hope you are well and keeping warm!  A very quick post to share a very quick card and a link to a very quick tutorial that I created for Scrapbooker's Paradise.

A while back, I used sealing wax to create a little wax seal.  I followed the directions very precisely, but still ended up catching the wax on fire - many times - and used an entire stick and a half of wax before getting one seal that was actually usable.  I have come up with a much easier - and safer - way to create these cute little embellishments in any colour your heart may desire!  To learn how to make your own, check out my post here.  I hope you enjoy & give it a try!

Hugs & happy crafting,

Dawn

You're Too Sweet!

Hello everyone,

I hope you have been well and are keeping warm.  Today's share involves taking my paper crafting tools into the kitchen to make some edible Valentines.  That poor little puppy is almost too cute to eat... almost...

These were so much fun to make, and my 4 year old even joined in and decorated some of his own.  They make a great gift... as long as your husband doesn't find them first (or maybe that's just mine?).

For a full how-to including supplies, please pop over to my post at Scrapbooker's Paradise.

Thanks so much for popping by and for taking the time to leave a comment.  I very much appreciate it!

Big hugs & happy crafting,

Dawn

So Happy Together

Hello everyone,

I hope you have been well and keeping warm!  I am so happy to say that we are finally over our colds/sinus infections/ear aches/and everything else that has been afflicting us for the last 3 months!  I'm knocking on wood with my fingers crossed - I wouldn't want to jinx us, but it is sooooo nice to be healthy again.  We just have one more Dr. appointment to make sure my son's ear is healing well and then hopefully it is over.  I guess it is now time to take down the Christmas decorations and get caught up on everything else that has been neglected...

I did take some time to clear a spot on my table and make a layout for Scrapbooker's Paradise.  Here is a peak:

For project details and supplies, please pop over to my post at Scrapbooker's Paradise.  Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to leave a comment.  I really appreciate all your support, especially over the last few months.  I am really looking forward to getting organized and back into a regular routine and catching up with everyone.

Big hugs & happy crafting!

Dawn

Playing in Paradise - Frosty Winter

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all well and keeping warm!  It is time for a new Playing in Paradise challenge, and with the new year comes a new format.  Instead of sketches, we will be using themes.  To kick things off, our talented new designer Lee-Anne has chosen a 'Frosty' theme.  Include the word, snowflakes or do a winter inspired project.

For my project, I cheated a bit and cased one of my own previous CAS cards.  I have been 'under the weather' so I'm not sure I would have been able to get a project done otherwise.

Lots of glitter and shimmer on this one:

The team has made some gorgeous projects to inspire you, so pop by the challenge to check them out and get all the details.  I hope you will join in!

Supplies:

Hot Off the Press Lacy Snowflake template

Stickles

Glitter

Ranger Sticky embossing powder

white cardstock

silver and icy blue shimmery cardstock

Sizzix embossing folder

Tim Holts banner die

Amy R Snowman Sayings sentiment

Hugs & happy crafting,

Dawn

Create your own enamel embellishments

Hello everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and Santa was good to you!  We have unfortunately been sick with various colds, sinus infections and ear infections through the entire thing.  I want to say that things are finally starting to look up a little, but I am afraid I will jinx us...

I have put together a little tutorial for creating your own enamel embellishments on my Technique Tuesday post at Scrapbooker's Paradise.  In it, I demonstrate how I created this pretty, glossy, translucent flower:

Pop on over to the Scrapbooker's Paradise blog for the complete how-to!

Thanks so much for stopping by & happy crafting.