Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Kiss a Frog


Hi Crafty Friends,
We're "blinging it on" at Delightful Challenges today.  I'm using the Royal Frog from Digital Delights by Louby Loo - so cute!!!

I've added pearls and gems for the "bling" challenge along with Wink of Stella glitter brush on the crown.  The flowers were cut on the Silhouette and then inked with VersaMagic Chalk Ink, the leaves are a Martha Stewart punch.  I used Jaded Blossom's Layered Frame and Journal dies for the mats.  My Royal Frog is colored using Copic markers.

I hope you play along with us.  This week's prize sponsor is
http://www.cutnpastememories.com/


Don't forget that today is the last day to order from the Close to My Heart Spring/Summer Catalog.  We have an amazing new catalog going live on Friday.
Just visit my CTMH website to place your order - link is at the top of the sidebar.

Photobucket

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Travel the World


Hi Crafty Friends,
It's my week for posting on the Digi My World Design Team blog and I'd like to share a card I made using the Travel the World set.

My daughter began a new job which will be requiring some travel and she just got her first passport so I made this card with her in mind.

Travel the World
This set has lots of great images for you to use.  When you import the png files into Word, it's really easy to create a scene by moving images to the front or back and sizing them to meet your design needs.  This set can also be purchased as a clip art file.

I've also used lots of Jaded Blossom goodies:
Card Mat Dies
Layered Frame and Journal Dies (arrow)
Flag Die
Candy Charms Die
and
Simple Sayings Candies (stamp)

So glad you could stop by.

Today is the final day to order any retiring products from the Spring/Summer 
Close to My Heart catalog.  Just click the top link in my sidebar to go to my page where you can place your order.  Here's a link to the list of retiring items:  CTMH Retiring 


Photobucket

Monday, July 28, 2014

Getting to Know Your Creative Side - A Unique Blog Hop

Hi Crafty Friends,
I hope you had a great weekend.  I'm so glad you've stopped by because today's post is a little different.  It's a long one so you may need to pull up a chair and maybe grab your favorite beverage!

I was asked to participate in a unique blog hop that is going around the blogesphere, I was tagged by the talented Sharla Richards whose blog is This Thing Called Life, you can read her post HERE.  I first met Sharla when we were designers for SKDigis and later at Open-Minded Crafting Fun.  Being on design teams is such a wonderful way to bring crafty hearts together. Sharla is so very talented.  Her Copic coloring is amazing and her clean style allows you really focus on her wonderfully colored images.  I think we're kindred spirits through our love of Copics and design style.  

So a little about MY creative side - I started paper crafting when my youngest daughter finished her master's degree at the University of Illinois in 2008.  We picked up a scrapbook at one of the bookstores and I told her I would "scrap" her collegiate memories.  After purchasing plastic shape stencils, fiskar cutters, and some paper, I started the book.  Then my SIL showed me her Cricut and the true journey began.  I joined the message boards, the Cricut Circle, a few challenges, and started my blog (all with the help of my online friends).  I applied for my first design team (Fantabulous Cricut) and so it went.  Card making and Copic markers (which I said I would NEVER buy, nor stamps!) came into my life along with digital images and teaching at my local scrapbook store.  My true passion was born.

I have always loved creating things with paper and fabric.  I began sewing when I was 15 and made all of my clothes through college.  I took tole painting lessons and was really into that until I got pregnant and couldn't handle the fumes.  I still crochet a little and have learned a bit about knitting, but paper crafting has consumed me. There for awhile the hubs thought I was having an affair with the UPS man - so many supplies were being delivered to my door!!!

What I am working on now??
I am on two design teams; Delightful Challenges, and Digi My World, so there are always cards in progress on my desk.  

I also teach a Copic coloring class (my ladies have been with me for 3 years!) so my classes are always in the works as well.  


And, I've started as a Close to My Heart consultant, so I'm familiarizing myself with the newest products and trying to build my business:  http://larelynsartini.ctmh.com - if you'd like to order through my website.  


What Do I Create? 

 I love, love, love making cards.  I have completed two scrapbooks with one more needing to be finished.  I have also made several mini albums and some altered art (canvas, glass blocks, composition books) and I love making treat boxes and favors.  I now have a Silhouette Cameo and will be doing a guest design spot for SVG Cutting Files.com in October, so I'm really having fun with cut files!    I'll also be a guest designer for Jaded Blossom in November.  These gals have fabulous stamps, dies, and boxes and bags for favors so I'm having a great time with their products making treat holders and things other than cards.                                 

                                                                                                                                
How My Creative Process works

I'm old enough to be from the era in which everything matched (eeeek!) so I'm a paper-first kind of gal.  I select my papers, design my card layout, and then color my image which will reflect my color choices in the papers.  I just can't seem to even come up with an idea until the paper "speaks" to me.  Weird, I know, but that's the way I work.  

My Style, How does it differ?

I have a simple, clean style.  It isn't very often that I add a lot of embellishment.  Shabby or distressed is a real stretch for me.  I do love ribbon and adding a few pearls or gems and I love, love, love layering and matting!!!

How Do I get and Stay Inspired?

I'm inspired by the gals who create the wonderful files that I have the privilege of using  It's a thrill to create cards for the special people in my life.  And, I'm most inspired by the amazing creations that are shared on blogs, Facebook, and Pinterest.  So many ideas, so much talent!!  


Ok, enough about me...and on to the talented ladies I've tagged. 

First, I've tagged Evelyn Holmberg whose blog is My Little Craft Blog.  Evelyn is a co-owner of the Cut It Up Challenge Blog.  You'll love seeing the amazing things Evelyn creates using cut files and her tutorials are fabulous!!  Evelyn and I met in blogland when we both designed for Melinda Beltran at Cooking with Cricut (now My Papercrafting World).  I know you'll love visiting her blog and I can't wait to learn more about her Creative Side on her post next Monday.

The next friend is Jane Savage.  Jane is a crafter from the UK and a new addition to Delightful Challenges.  Jane's blog is Paper, Pens, and Pretty Things.  Jane has a lovely style and her coloring is beautiful.  She's been on several design teams and her work has been selected as tops in lots of challenges.  I think you'll love visiting her blog and I'm sure she'd love to have you as a follower.

And finally, I've tagged Avril Watson.  Her blog is Crafting in the Bedroom (such a cute name).  Avril is another crafter from the UK.  We met as design team mates on Open-Minded Crafting Fun.  Susan Kennedy has brought so many fabulous crafters together with her OMCF challenge blog.  Avril uses both colored images and cut files in her creations.  She has a talent for creating the perfect scene or adding the perfect embellishment to make her designs special and unique to her.

Well that is it for this lengthy post!   Thanks for visiting and sticking with me to the end.  I hope you have a wonderful day!!   You won't want to miss Evelyn's, Avril's, and Jane's posts, they will go live on Monday August 4!!  
Photobucket

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Add Ribbon


Hi Crafty Friends,
It's time for Delightful Challenges.  This week our challenge is to add ribbon.  I decided that since I was doing a "scene" card, I would use the ribbon as part of the scene so my ground is made of American Crafts dotted ribbon.
For my image I've used Swinging Dolly from Digital Delights by Louby Loo.

I used my Silhouette to cut out this file from Miss Kate Cuttables.
The card is 5x7

Here's a close-up of the digital image.  I did cut off the branch on the top.

I hope you'll join in our challenge.
This week's prize sponsor is


 Link your project HERE.

Photobucket

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Button, Button

Our Delightful Challenge this week asks you to include buttons or brads on your project.  My BFF brought me some super cute shaped wooden buttons.  I think these little flowers are just the right embellishment for my Jubbly Hippo from Digital Delights by Louby Loo.

The papers are from my craft stash.  The image mat is a Spellbinders scalloped circle die.  The scalloped circle card base and mats are from SVG Cutting Files.  I used Jaded Blossom's Mini Tag Dies to cut out the sentiment and slipped it under the American Crafts twine.  Jubbly Hippo was colored with Copic markers.

This week's challenge is sponsored by



Photobucket

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Make a Splash


Hi Crafty Friends,
Today is my design team day on the Digi My World design team blog.   I'd like to share a cute summer project using the Digi My World Mermaids set.


This set has some really cute images as you can see:
Mermaids

I added my mermaid to Jaded Blossom's new Candy Caddy die and also used the Ticket Book die and a sentiment from the Happy Summer set.  The little fish is part of the Fish On set.

I also used my own homemade crinkle ribbon and some Queen & Co. Bubbles.  The waves were cut using a border punch and I colored the mermaid with Copic markers.

Thanks for stopping by.
Photobucket

Friday, July 11, 2014

Close to My Heart




Yes, I took the CTMH plunge and am now a consultant.  I really love the Cricut exclusive cartridges and the CTMH companion stamps.  I'm finding that the CTMH card stock cuts beautifully in my Silhouette and I love the ink pads so I figured, why not!
CTMH provides us with an exclusive CTMH website so that our friends (that's YOU) can order through us without having to attend a party, order a catalog, etc.  Not that hosting a party wouldn't be fun (I would love to get crafty with you!!), but sometimes a girl just wants to get her stuff - that's how I've always ordered.   So here's the link to my website if you'd like to browse.  If you'd like to place an order, that would be wonderful!!!  
Anyway, there are quite a few retiring products (here's the link) along with the July stamp of the month.  If you order $50 (before tax and shipping) you can get the stamp for $5.  
Pretty cool, huh?
If you do place an order through my site, please email me (lsuesart @ aol . com - without the spaces) or leave a comment here and I'll put your name in a drawing for some CTMH goodies.  

Thanks for supporting my new creative endeavor.
Photobucket

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Hot, Hot, Hot


Time for a new theme at Delightful Challenges.  We're asking you to make something using WARM colors.  I'm using the Digital Delights by Louby Loo image called Ice Cream Roxy.


The sentiment is from the Flower Power Accessory set and the papers were in my stash.  I love this solid color twine from The Twinery.  Of course I used Copics to color my image.

This week our challenge sponsor is



Photobucket

A note of Thanks


The family on one of my daughter's former softball players raises Walla Walla Sweet Onions.  Every summer they send us a carton.  Hubby has been known to eat an onion sandwich when they arrive LOL!

I always make them something "onion-y" for their thank you card.

The onion is from a vegetable set I found in the Silhouette Online Store.  The card base is from SVG Cutting Files.  I used Jaded Blossom's Flag Dies  and Kind Thanks sentiment set.  Just a little twine bow to finish it off.

Hope you're having a good week.
What day is it?   HUMP day - woohoo!!!  (love that commercial)
Photobucket

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Have a Sunshiny Day

Hi Crafty Friends,
I'm having so much fun with my Silhouette and SVG Cutting Files.  Today I made a treat/gift box perfect for summer goodies or, in my case, necessities for a day in the sun (lip balm, hand sanitizer, and sun screen).   The cut file is the Sun Glass Treat Box found HERE.

The monthly challenge at SVG Cutting Files is "only three colors" hence the white, purple, and gray.  I used the Flag dies from Jaded Blossom along with a stamp from JB's Happy Summer set.  I also used JB's gusset gift bag to hold the gifts and finished off the project with washi tape and Doodle twine.
Thanks for stopping by.  
Photobucket

Monday, July 7, 2014

Birthday Fishes


Hi Crafty Friends,
The family is gone for a week so my Silhouette, computer, and Cuttlebug are close at hand on the kitchen counter.  I plan to craft as the spirit moves me LOL!

I've been wanting to play with my new Jaded Blossom stamps and dies and also cut more of the fabulous SVG Cutting Files images on my Silhouette.  So today I created a project for Jaded Blossom's monthly challenge, "Anything Summer."

Here's my little treat bag project:

from Jaded Blossom:  Ticket Book Dies and Happy Summer stamp set
from SVGCuttingFiles:  Fintastic Fish and Fish Bowl Slider Card(seaweed).
The fish is on an action wobble.  I also added Bubbles from Queen & Co. and used a wave border punch.  A little inking here and there and the treat bag is finished.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you're having a Happy Summer.

Photobucket

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Flower Power Sky

Hi Crafty Friends,
It's time for July's new release at Digital Delights by Louby Loo.
For my Delightful Challenges design team project I'm sharing Flower Power Sky and a sentiment from the Flower Power Accessory set.

I love her bell bottoms and peace t-shirt.  I actually think I had a similar outfit!!
I've used papers from American Crafts, Spellbinders Wonky Rectangle dies, Doodle Twine, and EK Success punches.  This week's challenge theme is MY FAVORITE THINGS and the dies, punches, and twine are some of my favorite embellishments to use.  I colored Sky using Copic markers.

You can join in our challenge by creating something using your favorite embellishments.  Be sure to let us know what they are.  I encourage you to visit our Delightful Challenges blog to meet the newest members of our design team.  You'll get to see their first projects for our group.  While you're there, be sure to link up your FAVORITE THINGS project for a chance to win this week's prize from





www.diesrus.com


Photobucket

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Best Friends


Hi Crafty Friends,
It's my design team day at Digi My World and I'd like to share another cute image. This is from the Besties set found HERE.


Besties (BFF)
This is such a fun set.  It also comes in Clip Art if you're not wanting to color the images yourself.

The sentiment is from Jaded Blossom's Simple Sayings Candies set mounted on one of JB's Candy Charms and Banners dies.

Thanks for visiting.

Photobucket
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...