12 Kits of Occasions: May with Joyce

Today is the last day of the month and our 12 Kits of Occasions group has some nautical/masculine cards to share with you.  Our hostess this month is Joyce Mehrberg of Cards by the Sea and what fun it was digging into the great big envelope of materials Joyce prepared for us.  Here's a little peek of our kit before we all dug in and scavenged through it.

With lots and lots of ideas swirling through my head, I decided I had better make a few Father's Day cards while I have absolutely no excuse to make a nice masculine card.  Honestly, these cards did practically put themselves together.

First up...the card I am going to give to my husband, despite the fact that he always tells me, "He's not my Father".  Seriously.  Every. Single. Year.  Wonder what he would do if I ever decided to acknowledge that fact and not give him a card?

I love the rope trims Joyce stamped for us and the very touching sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps.

The second card goes to my own Dad.

Joyce sent this A2 sized panel with Dad stamped and another sentiment on the lower half.  I covered up that sentiment with a stamped banner and make a very quick and easy card I am sure my Dad will like.
Nothing too fussy for him.

This card is going to my son who is going to be a first time father next Fall.  I loved the balsa sailboat that Joyce included in our kit along with the geometrical cover up die cut.

My last card is a masculine birthday card.

I layered the Papertrey Ink Text block die cut over some cork that Joyce included in our kit. I love that die, it makes a great card without even having to stamp a sentiment.  The banners were cut from a piece of the patterned paper that Joyce included in our kit.

Want to see more from the 12 Kits of Occasions group?  Head on over to the 12 Kits of Occasions blog so you can hop around to see what the rest of the team has done with Joyce's May kit.

All the supplies are listed on the 12 Kits of Occasions blog under the tab Monthly Kit Supplies 2014 here.

We have two guest designers joining us this month.. Lindsay from Occasional Crafting and Sherrie from A Little Bit of Everything Me.  Make sure you stop by their blogs and see what they have done with Joyce's kit!

Fusion Card Challenge #10

Welcome to Fusion Card Challenge #10, a challenge where you can use either the sketch, the inspiration photo or a little bit of both to jump-start your creativity.  We had some fabulous card submitted for Challenge #9 and I hope you will find your own card HERE.  Ready to see this week's challenge?

This week I decided to use both the sketch and the photo for my card.

The sheet music patterned paper was the first thing I focused on when I first saw the photo for this week's challenge.  The red polka dot and white plates were also high on my list of inspiration for this card.  I made a shaker card using an Impression Obsession die that does all the work for you.  I punched my own confetti using a mini punch and glittery patterned paper and layered it all onto a woodgrain embossed kraft card base.  I used my Silhouette to cut a multi-loop bow and it's hard to see in the picture but that is very shiny black chart tape as a borer for the sheet music.  

You have two weeks to play along with Challenge #10...the deadline is Monday, June 2nd at noon PST.  Hope to see your card in our gallery very soon!

Betty J

Dannielle Robeson

Deepti

Jeanne Jachna

Julia Aston

Katie Brooks

Kelly Griglione

Kimberly Wiener

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan

Michelle Folland

Michelle Lupton

Sindu

Stephanie Severin

Guest Designer Top Dog Dies: Butterfly Finisher Dies

Today is my last day as a guest designer for Top Dog Dies.   Top Dog Dies is a new online store that offers their own brand of wafer-thin and steel-rule dies, along with dies from brands you already know and trust, including My Favorite Things, Lawn Fawn, Taylored Expressions, Savvy Stamps and Cheery Lynn Designs.  Top Dog Dies is also the leading U.S.  retailer for Tattered Lace, a new line of intricate dies designed by British designer Stephanie Weightman.

My project today uses Top Dog Dies Butterfly Finisher and Mini Tag Dies to create a custom-made gift bag.

I bought a plain burlap gift bag at Michaels and added my own Top Dog touches to make a gift bag that could be used for either a birthday, baby or a "just because" gift.  A cute gift bag makes even the simplest gift special.  I used the Top Dog Die Butterfly Finishers elegant scrolled detail die in both patterned paper and vellum.  I added the butterfly center, antennae and butterfly trail in glittery teal paper.  I used a paper punch for the scalloped border and added some pink gathered ribbon along the top.  The cute tags are from Top Dog Mini Tag Die Set and the cute butterfly is another die cut from the Butterfly Finishers Die set.  Our neighbor just had a baby girl and I think this bag will be a cute way to package the baby gift.

I would like to thank Meagan Morris of Top Dog Dies for inviting me to be a guest designer these last few weeks...I had a great time and really love the dies she sent me.

Card Concept #10: Use a Coffee Theme

Ready for a little coffee break?  

Today, Card Concept Challenge #10 is all about America's favorite wake-up beverage...Coffee!

All you  have to do is make a card based on one of six card making styles AND use a coffee theme. 

Here are the six styles.  Which one are you?

                                                        Clean and Simple

                                                        Clean and Layered

                                                        Clean and Graphic

                                                        Freestyle Collage

                                                        Shabby Chic

                                                        Classy and Elegant
                                                 

Here's the inspiration photo to start you thinking...

I represent the Classy & Elegant style and I did a lot of stamping on this one and added several elements of the "Classy & Elegant Style" such as layered textures, sophisticated sentiments and sparkling embellishments.

I used a now retired stamp set from Craft Lounge that was one of the very first stamp sets I ever bought when I first discovered the magic of clear stamps and ink.  Despite the length of time, this set is still trendy enough for today's challenge.   I loved the retro coffee makers...stamped in the colors from this week's inspirational photo and also tried to capture the contrast between the bright colors and the kraft background from the photo too.  I also got to bring out my paper crimper to make the banner look like the belly band from a Starbuck's coffee.  If you've never tried it, crimping is FUN!

Ready to make your own Coffee Themed Card?  I bet almost every stamper has at least one stamp set that is based on coffee, so get busy!  You have two weeks to play along, this challenge ends on Monday, May 26th at noon PST.  

Please be sure and stop by and visit the other Card Concept Design Team Members participating in this week's challenge:

Tracey McNeely

Geri Greening

Kerin Sylvester

Narelle Farrugia

Karen Davis

Guest Designer Top Dog Dies : Mini Tag Dies

I'm back today with Day 2 as Guest Designer for Top Dog Dies.  Top Dog Dies is a new online store that offers their own brand of wafer-thin and steel-rule dies, along with dies from brands you already know and trust, including My Favorite Things, Lawn Fawn, Taylored Expressions, Savvy Stamps and Cheery Lynn Designs.  Top Dog Dies is also the leading U.S.  retailer for Tattered Lace, a new line of intricate dies designed by British designer Stephanie Weightman.

Today I am sharing a couple of cards I made using a very versatile set of dies, one's every single crafter should have on hand.  I am talking about Top Dog Dies Mini Tags.  This is a set of 6 small tag dies in a variety of shapes and sizes.  I can't tell you how many times I have nearly finished a card only to find I hadn't left space for a stamped sentiment.  Now I have six cute choices for just those occasions, and also lots of tags to choose from when I just want to add a cute touch to one of my cards.

My first card made use of every single shape die in the package.  I cut them all out with coordinating patterned papers and added some enamel dots for variety.  I stamped the sentiment on one of the blank tags.  This card literally took me seconds to make and is nice and flat for easy mailing.

I know.  No where near Christmas time, but the round tag totally reminded me of a cute Christmas ornament and I couldn't resist.  I cut them from glitter paper, added some cute little bows, sentiment and a few rhinestones.  This is just another example of how a tag doesn't always have to be used as a tag making this die set even more versatile.  

I'll be back next Friday with my final post as Guest Designer for Top Dog Dies...this has been a blast!

Fusion Card Challenge #9

Welcome to Fusion Card Challenge #9...each week the cards submitted for our challenges keep getting better and better...here's a link to last week's favorites...hope you see your card in our gallery!

Every two weeks we post a new challenge with three different ways to play along:

                                           1) Use the sketch

                                           2) Use the Inspiration Photo

                                           3) Combine them and use a little bit of both (Fusion)!

Here is your inspiration for Week #9:

This week I combined a little of both.

I loved the black, yellow and white combination from the photo as well as the banners from the sketch.   I used Lil Inker Spring Flowers Die Set and created some very dimensional flower embellishments.  Once I started layering them, I had to force myself to stop.  Can't you just see those flowers done in red and whites for a beautiful dimensional Christmas poinsettia?  I can't wait to give that a try next holiday season.  I also used a Stitched Mat Square as the flower pot and the great big "Hello" sentiment from Darling Diamonds Stamp Set.
Still need a little more inspiration?  The Fusion Design Team would love for you to visit and see what we all have created for you.  You have two weeks to play along with our challenge...the challenge ends on Monday, May 19th at noon PST.  Have fun!

Betty J

Dannielle Robeson

Deepti

Jeanne Jachna

Julia Aston

Katie Brooks

Kelly Griglione

Kimberly Wiener

Lyndal Higgins

Lynn Mangan

Michelle Folland

Michelle Lupton

Sindu

Stephanie Severin

Card Concept Challenge: Monochromatic Purple

Did you know that monochromatic colors are one of the characteristics of a Classy and Elegant card?  I know I didn't realize it, although I found myself shades of one color many times on the cards I created.  This week, the challenge over at the Card Concept is to use monochromatic purple on a card... and did I ever!

 I used a variety of purple patterned papers cut into sun ray strips stitched together to create my background and a beautiful and elegant tea pot from Serendipity Stamps for my focal point.  Mary over at Serendipity really outdid herself with the design of this teapot...the gorgeous rose cut-outs and the beautiful pierced details make this officially my favorite die from Serendipity so far!

But wait...there's more!  At the risk of sounding like an informercial...I also finished the inside of the card with the companion die to the teapot...a matching tea cup and inspirational sentiment from Serendipity Stamps.    All of these products are part of the latest Serendipity Stamp release and make a Classy and Elegant card or a Clean and Simple card...the saucer can easily be snipped of and you have a beautiful tea cup all on its' own.
Have you seen all the beautiful (and purple) cards over in the Card Concept gallery?  There is still lots of time left to create your card and link it up...the challenge ends next Monday at noon PST...hope to see you there!

Guest Designer...Top Dog Dies

I have a fun post today...at least I think so!  I am guest designing for Top Dog Dies.   Top Dog Dies is a new online store that offers their own brand of wafer-thin and steel-rule dies, along with dies from brands you already know and trust, including My Favorite Things, Lawn Fawn, Taylored Expressions, Savvy Stamps and Cheery Lynn Designs.  Top Dog Dies is also the leading U.S.  retailer for Tattered Lace, a new line of intricate dies designed by British designer Stephanie Weightman.

I am sharing a tutorial over at the Top Dog Die Blog for a Cloth Baby Book using a Butterfly Die and Butterfly Die Finishers set I was lucky enough to work with.  Hope you will check it out and let me know what you think!

Top Dog Dies Blog