echo park + imagine crafts blog hop

Hi everyone!  Welcome to this stop on the Echo Park Paper and Imagine Crafts Blog Hop!!  I was so excited to choose ink colors to coordinate with the "Magical Adventure" collection!

 Don't you just love it when you can find ink colors that match paper colors perfectly??

 I used the yellow ink to stamp the stars on the top of the label:

And I used the red ink to stamp the word "magic" in the bottom of the label - both before adding the "birthday" die cut:

I also used these three ink colors, along with these awesome letter stamps, to add the recipients name to the tag for the envelope:

Now, it's really really hard to tell in the photos, but I sprayed this amazing shimmer spray to the front of the card - I tried to get the light just right so you could see it:

Can you tell?  Trust me, it's all sparkly and fun...just not easy to photograph.

Now, be sure to leave a comment on this blog post, before hopping along to the next blog, for a chance to win this incredible prize package!

After you say hello, follow along to the next blog on the list - I'm sure you're going to find lots of inspiration as you go!  Good luck!
Echo Park Paper
Jana Eubank
Mary Prasad
Terre Fry
Kimberly Crawford
Alison Heikkila
Jennifer Vanderbeek
Wendy Sue Anderson - YOU ARE HERE!
Roni Johnson
Nadine Carlier
Anya Lunchenko
Mark Melnick
Neva Cole
Becki AdamsMonica Edwards
Jowilna Nolte
Imagine
This contest ends at midnight on Sunday - the winner will be announced on the Echo Park Paper Blog (HERE) on Monday (October 10th), so be sure to check in to see if you are the winner!

valentine treat boxes|reverse confetti blog hop…

Hello there friends!  Welcome to this stop on the Reverse Confetti blog hop! 

You should have just arrived from my buddy, Stacey Schafer’s blog!  If not, please join us at the beginning and hop all the way through – start HERE!

Our challenge for today’s hop is “ABC Valentine” – which means Anything But a Card!  Now, I don’t know about you, but I feel like “Valentine” is synonymous with “Card,” but I’m never one to back down from a challenge.  If I can’t make a card, I’m going to share some candy!

I started by using my Silhouette to cut out these cute milk carton boxes.  The heart shaped die in the “Puppy Love Confetti Dies” set was the perfect size to cut a heart/hole in the front of each box.  I backed the open space with a 2”x2” piece of transparency paper so the candy wouldn’t fall out.

After allowing the glue to dry, I began assembling the boxes and filling them with delicious candy hearts. Then I started working on the gift tags.

I stamped four puppies (three boys and a girl) onto some patterned paper – white with text. Then I pulled out my pastel pencils and added some color to each puppy.  After they were colored, I used the coordinating die to cut them out.

Next, I cut four tags with the square tag die (listed below).  I also stamped extra puppies onto patterned paper and cut out the bows, attaching them over the white puppy bows.

I added the puppies, the “I love you” paper to the tag bases and tied them to the treat cartons.

I love being able to create fun and unique packaging options for store-bought treats!

Speaking of treats…be sure to check out the special Valentine’s Sale at the Reverse Confetti Shop!

 

And now, please hop along and see what Sarah Gough has in store for your viewing pleasure today! As you are hopping along, be sure to comment at each stop along the way for a chance to win a $15 gift certificate. Comments close on Thursday at noon CST and winner will be announced on Friday!

   

reverse confetti new release blog hop…

Hi there!  Happy Thursday – and welcome to this stop on the Reverse Confetti Blog Hop!  You should have arrived here from Stacey Schafer ‘s blog.  If you’re just joining in, please hop over to the Reverse Confetti blog to start at the beginning!

For today’s project, I used the “Sugary Sweet Sentiments” stamp set, the “square tag” and “puppy love” Confetti Cut dies to make these little Valentine’s Day treats.

I found these cute heart-shaped suckers and knew they’d be a fun little treat to share with some special kiddos. ;) The best part about it is that the cute tags were so quick and easy to make and they really make the treat special. 

I started by creating the tags with the “square tag” die – cut from papers found in Echo Park’s “Fine & Dandy” collection.

I didn’t want my tags to be “traditional” in valentine colors, but I wanted it to be obvious they were for Valentine’s Day, so I added a die-cut heart, with a die found in the puppy love die set. I added a heart to the center of each tag.

The arrows were part of a border sticker.  I cut them all apart, then cut them in half, tucking them under the hearts.

Finally, I used versamark ink to stamp the sentiment and black embossing powder to finish it up!  I used a simple white ribbon to tie the tags onto the sucker sticks.  And now I’m excited to have one little Valentine’s Day project already checked off my list!

By the way, if you love dressing up store-bought treats with a little handmade touch, you’ll definitely want to check out the sugary sweet stamp set – everything from suckers to mints and fish…lots of fabulous ideas and I can’t wait to try something else!

Now, don’t forget, this is a fabulous Reverse Confetti blog hop with lots of amazing ideas from the designers using all of the amazing products released this month – all of which are available TODAY!!  Just click over to the Reverse Confetti Shop after you’re done with the hop.  Your next stop will be the uber talented Sarah Gough – you won’t want to miss her awesome projects!  Have fun hopping along! :)

  

favorite scrapbookers blog tour…

I feel so honored to have been tagged by one of my own favorite designers, Jen Gallacher in a fun "favorite scrapbooker/blogger" tour that has been going around blog land recently.  I’ve been a big fan of Jen’s for a very long time and have been honored to work with her in several different capacities over the years.  Right now we’re working together for Echo Park/Carta Bella Paper…and it’s awesome!! 
First, the Q&A:
1. What am I working on right now?
A better question might be…”what am I not working on right now?”  Seriously, I have so many projects that are “in the works.”  I usually don’t multi-task with my design work – I’m normally a “start one project, finish it, and clean up before I start the next project” kind of girl.  But right now – it’s chaos around here.  Don’t believe me?  Well, just take quick look at my work area:

I won’t say it’s not organized…because, believe it or not, I know exactly which pile contains what I need – I just haven’t taken the time to put the piles away yet.  This is unusual for me – but this is real life…and a glimpse at what I’m working on right now. ;)
2. How long does it take me to create a project?
I am a slooooooooooooow designer.  I feel like Speedy Gonzolas when I’ve completed a project in 3 hours or less.  I tend to overthink things and take longer to get started than I should…but I don’t know how to change that.  So that’s that. 
3. What are my favorite things to create with at the moment?
Oh goodness, that’s almost like asking me to choose my favorite child!  It’s too hard to choose one or two – so here are several things I’m loving right now (some old, some new):
My Cuttlebug.  I’ve had this thing for years and hardly ever used it, but we’ve been doing a lot of bonding over the last several months and now I can safely say that I LOVE it. :)

My Silhouette Cameo.  Seriously, I LOVE it!  I use it mostly to create bags and boxes and things like that…but I also love cutting shapes and letters with it.

I recently made a pillow at the Doodlebug Design Team Retreat, we used a Silhouette to cut iron-on transfers…and now I want to make more fun pillows..you can never have too many, right?

And all of the fun AUTUMN and CHRISTMAS collections I get to work with right now!




4. How does my writing/creating process work?
This is a hard one to answer.  Since this is my “job” and a lot of my designing is based on assignments, it’s most likely that I will start with product.  Then I will chose photos based on the collection I am working with or the theme that I am assigned.  However, when I am creating something JUST FOR ME, I start with a photo or a story…something special that I want to remember…and work forward by choosing products that support my photo or story.  The second way is my favorite way, but I am flexible. :)
5. How do I become inspired and stay inspired?
I find inspiration everywhere!  Magazines, books, food packaging, the talented women I work with and so many other talented crafters that I admire from afar.  I love perusing Pinterest and other online galleries.  I find that more often than not, if I just sit down with either a story I want to tell, or a product I am really excited about using, the inspiration will just come.  I guess that is why I love this hobby so much – it’s not a “stretch” for me and I truly enjoy it so much!
6. What is my signature style?
I don’t really know what my “signature” style is…but I will definitely say that I fall in the “cute & simple” spectrum.  I’m not technique-driven…and don’t do a lot of complicated things on my projects.  I like bright colors, clean lines, and straight-forward designs.  I admire ALL styles of scrapbooking and paper crafting, and I’ve tried my hand at many different things, but I always come back to my clean, cute, and simple ways.


I have decided to play by the “three strikes” rule for this blog hop.  I tried to tag some of my favorite scrapbookers to be next on the tour – and they had all been asked already.  SO, here’s the deal…I am tagging ANYONE who is reading this right now. If you would like to hop on board and share a bit about you, please consider  yourself tagged!  If you want to leave a comment, I’ll edit my post to add a link to your blog right here:

Taunya Butler!

Thanks again, Jen, for tagging me to take part in this fun blog hop.  And thanks to everyone else for reading my blog and following along on my scrappy/crafty adventures!

Happy Monday! :)