Make It Monday - Working With White!

I'm a colorful person... I find white paper difficult to work with. :) I think simplicity is nice but it can't always express ME. Today on Make It Monday, I'm giving white a try. What do you think? I used one of my favorite embossing folders from The Paper Studio for the background. The look is classy, but I needed some color! I created the flower using my favorite Provo Craft die (it's for Cuddlebug, but I use it in my good, ole' Sizzix). Oh, you don't recognize the paper? It's pretty hard to find-- it's scraps from a Boden catalog. Boden is one of the few catalogs that comes in non-shiny paper-- perfect for trendy card accents. Oh...

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How To: Add A Watermark To Photos

I've seen many bloggers using watermarks to display their name or blog name on their photos. Watermarks reduce image stealing and copy right infringement. When I searched for the easiest way to add such marks to my photos, I came across Easy Sector's free Batch Photo Watermarker software. This free software allows me to add a watermark logo or phrase to my photos individually or in batch! Above is what the software looks like. The right side allows me to choose my watermark and the right side lets me save a batch of watermarked images AND the watermark itself for later. Some tips I've found helpful while using this program: 1....

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Balloon Card Re-do

When I created my Congrats With Soaring Balloons card, I wasn't perfectly pleased with the outcome. The card just didn't pop the way I originally envisioned. I decided to spruce it up for another first birthday party. The original with "dull" surfaces: The re-do! A first birthday card with a bit more pizzazz: I covered the "Congratulations" with a J sticker and outlined it with Stickles in Waterfall. I also grabbed the "1" sticker that arrived on the party invitation to replace the quote. Here's the final product, the card glued to a blue gift bag with baby flipflops tied on with silver ribbon:...

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Happy 1st Bday- Using my fav stamp set!

I finally have an occasion to make a birthday card-- a friend's baby's 1st birthday! So I broke out my FAVORITE stamp set by Close To My Heart. It's called Nursery Bash and it's adorable! I fussy-cut the giraffe. His feet and mane have some dimension (they are sticking out). The giraffe dots have brown glitter. I can't wait to give this to the birthday boy! I'd like to enter this card in a few challenges: -Clear It Out, glitter it! -A Spoon Full Of Sugar, birthday cards -Ladybug Crafts Ink, favorite stamp -The Stamping Boutique, stripes and dots -Tuesday Throwdown, dimension and texture -Cards For Men, anything goes -Make...

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Pinterest Projects For Kids

Are you trying to keep kids entertained during the long summer months? :) Pinterest has lots of inspiration for just that! Check out some of my fav finds for kids crafts: Tutorial: Spring Butterflies…with the TP rollsfrom ucreatewithkids.blogspot.com 1 Fish 2 Fish Red Fish Blue Fish cards from prekfun.com crayons in summer!!!this would be a cool thing to do with your kids in the hot aussie summer. so fun for them too see them melting. and how amazing does it lookfrom  etsy.com mini moss terrarium from a reused lightbulbfrom  instructables.com  ...

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Pinterest for Crafts Using Food!

Pinterest has amazing hidden treasures for the artist in you or your kids. Use these clever ideas and use FOOD objects for masterpieces! :) apple stampfrom  kokokokids.ru okra stamp from  bkids.typepad.com celery stamp from  maureencracknellhandmade.blogspot.com I love a yummy soluti...

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Pinterest for DIY Crafts!

My newest obsession and one that I think won't die any time soon is Pinterest. This new website and iPad app allows users to create boards and pin anything from the web. You can follow others and "repin" their finds too. The pictures lead to the original articles or blog posts. I've garnered tons of inspiration in just a few weeks. Be sure to follow me on Pinterest! Here are some DIY and crafts from my DIY + Crafts board which look so fun: how to make sidewalk chalk... from ohmyhandmade.com giftbox templates from ...

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Made My Own Background Paper (and destroyed a book!)

Hi friends. Today I found a book under my bed that I started, hated, and never finished. I've been wanting to use book pages for new layouts... Here is my first ever attempt. I ripped a book page out, stamped it with a few different stamps, added the purple lace, stamped the LOVE ribbons on extra book paper, dabbed them with ink, added the bow. TIP: After stamping tags with black ink, you can quickly "color" them by dabbing them with ink pads. I used ColorBox Pigment Brush Pad. This was a lot of fun and I still have 300 more pages to work with. :) PS-- don't read the words too carefully... they are a bit inappropriate! Ooops! :) I'd...

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First Card Camp Card - Mixed Sentiments

I need to get my butt in gear for card camp. Here's our first color combo: It's a little intimidating. I actually forgot to add blue, but I'm going to go back and add blue bling to the middle of the 2 flowers!  It was my first time trying to use sentiments as the focal point- a really neat idea over at The Spotlight Challenge. I mixed them from 3 sets! It says, "tweet, tweet     buzz, buzz     ROAR!" :) The inside squares are shimmery purple and orange- quite reflective and beautiful! I'd like to enter:Simon Says Stamp and Show - a wordDream Valley - ribbon Stampin For The Weekend - favorite things (pink!)Easy...

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Octopus Card in Craft It Forward Competition!

Oh my goodness! One of the cards I made is in the Craft It Forward competition! I made this card for an org that sends cards to sick children in hospitals! Now I can win a $500 donation to that org. PLEASE vote for me? It only takes a click! And check out the lovely Send A Smile 4 Kids and send some of your cards to hospitalized childr...

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Octopus For A Sick Kid!

When I read about Send a Smile 4 Kids, I just knew I had to participate. The week's challenge is to use animals-- an actual challenge for me, as they are not my forte. :)  Check this embossed blue guy out: The stamp is from Paper Source and the center of the floss bow is a brad from Recollections. I'm going to be sending it to Send A Smile and they'll give it to a hospitalized kid who could use the cheering up! :) I encourage you do to the same! Challenges I'm entering: *Send A Smile For Kids Challenge - animals *Card Makin' Mamas - for a child *Penny Black Saturday Challenges - pesky critters (it counts, right? :) *Just Some Lines...

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A Card I Have Pride In!

After my previous card turned out rather blah, I took some quiet time to think about why. I realized it! The previous card used no colors, styles or papers I love. I'm going back to pinks and ribbons and embossing and bling! =D My college roommate is having a her first baby! It's a girl, so naturally, I have to make a cute card. I find that I work best when inspired, so I was pumped to see this card at the CASE challenge at Fussy & Fancy: I set out to create an envelope-looking background. It's like a jigsaw trying to get the stripes to go the same way:  Congrats is over-used, so I went with JOY on a peachy paper:  I used...

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Congrats With Soaring Balloons

I don't like this card! :) I can't figure out the missing piece. I was shooting for a masculine congrats card with some different heights.  Balloons! Unknown stamp. It's hard to see the contrast that is added by the space between the light paper and the base.  Stamp by Kolette Hall. Saying: "Life is a great bundle of little things. -Oliver Wendell Holmes"  Here is the sketch I based it on: It's a Lily Pad challenge here. I also entering these challenges:  *Crazy 4 Challenges C4C92- string *Bugaboo Stamps - masculine ...

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