I'm a Cover Girl!

I'm a cover girl!  One of my projects is featured on the cover of the recently released Handmade Home Decor, a special issue from Paper Crafts magazine.  My project's the twine wrapped candle holder you can see at the bottom of the cover.  I'm honored to have a project selected to be on the cover.  It's been so exciting to see a magazine cover with one of my projects on display in craft stores and regular bookstores!

It's a super simple project that dresses up a plain glass vase/candle holder with twine.  To give it a spring look, I added a pair of felt flowers made with a die from The Cat's Pajamas.  A little lace adds a girly touch that is a nice contrast to the rough texture of the twine. The pictures in the magazine are much nicer than my at home, amateur photographer ones, I promise.  This issue is full of great ideas for things you can make for your home using the paper crafting supplies already in your stash--be sure to check it out!

Something Fun and Cute

This week, Paper Crafts magazine is highlighting their new special issue called Card Design Handbook.  I'm really excited that one of my cards is featured in the section of the issue that highlights style, so I thought this would be a good time to share it.

I made this fun and cute baby card using stamps from the Sweet Dreams stamp set from Clear and Simple Stamps.  The set's cow image is positioned over a debossed "moon".  The background panel's randomly stamped with stars in the same color ink as the paper for a subtle pattern.   I added the sentiment at the bottom of the panel, dividing it from the little scene with a button embellished satin ribbon strip.  The panel's set on a yellow gingham panel that's machine stitched around the edges.

This is such a great issue with fabulous samples for all of the basic "rules" of paper crafting--I've spent hours looking at it!  And, there's even a handy glossary in the back that PC's made available as a free download (HERE).  If you check out the card used to illustrate the definition of fun and cute, you just might see something familiar there . . .


Materials Used:
Sweet Dreams and Stars Plus stamp sets, Trendsetter Blue and Perfect Little Black Dress inks, Trendsetter Blue, Say Yellow to Your Fans, and A Blanc Check cardstock, Say Yellow to Your Fans satin ribbon (Clear and Simple Stamps); Hopscotch-Double Dutch designer paper (Lily Bee Design); Swiss Dot embossing folder (Cuttlebug); markers (Copic); button (Papertrey Ink); 1 3/4" circle punch (EK Success); yellow baker's twine (Divine Twine); foam tape; sewing machine

Great Taste

I was lucky to be able to participate in one of Paper Crafts Magazine’s recent special issues, Stamp It! 3 Ways. Along with the talented Lindsay Amrhein and Julie Campbell, I worked with the Sugar Rush set from Paper Smooches and created a fun, summery drink mix packet holder as my project. You can see it on page 76 of the issue. It’s out on newsstands and in crafting stores now.

The photo in the magazine is so much better than mine, but here it is anyway. I went super summery, using an orange cardstock to make the bottle tag. I dressed it up with some coordinating dotted orange on orange patterned paper, matted on yellow cardstock. I picked yellow to tie it in with the colors I used when I colored up the glass image to look like a cool, refreshing glass of lemonade. The “you have great taste” sentiment is stamped in orange ink on a yellow sentiment flag piece. A little button tied with orange twine finishes it off. Once it’s hung from a water bottle and filled with a drink mix packet, you’re good to go.

Materials Used:
From i {heart} papers: Paper Smooches Sugar Rush Stamp set, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black and Tangelo inks, Copic markers (Y11, Y13, Y18), My Mind’s Eye Lime Twist-Fly a Kite 6x6 paper pad, Spellbinders circle dies, Divine Twine orange baker’s twine, Sticky Thumb dimensional dots

Other: Daffodil Delight cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Sweet Mango cardstock (Gina K Designs); Lemon Tart button (Papertrey Ink)