All About Food

 As I thought about this blog post, it occurred to me that this card truly is all about food.  The Fork and Spoon image (Hero Arts) is obvious, but there's also some honest-to-goodness bakery twine here, chocolate-colored pearls, and the patterned paper is from DCWV's La Creme.    Mmmmm, dessert, anyone?

It is a simple design, and it is an anniversary card.  Forks and spoons go together, as do special couples, right?

Challenge entered:  52 Pick-Up - "anything goes"

Remember my "Je t'aime" card from last weekend?  It tickles me pink how much notoriety it has gotten!  It's featured at The Kraft Journal today, it was repinned over 65 times on Pinterest, it is on Technique Tuesday's Facebook Page, it's the winner at Inspired by Stamping's Inspiration Challenge, it was featured on Splitcoast's Facebook Page, was a Favorite of the Week at Splitcoast, and has been viewed over 1200 times there.  WOW!  I guess that was my 15 minutes of fame.  ;-)

This weekend I have major gardening in my schedule.  I will not be on the computer too much, so I will see you all next week!  Enjoy your weekend, whatever your plans may be.



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Fork and Spoon - Hero Arts; ivory - PTI; Early Espresso - SU; (houndstooth)
Paper: La Creme Matstack - DCWV
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: bakery twine
Other: chocolate pearls - Recollections

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Play Date Cafe 129 - Damask

Dusk, Magenta and Seedling -- these are the new Play Date Cafe colors this week!

Though I think all the colors look fabulous together, I had trouble matching up the top and middle colors to things I already had in my stash.  I found some Creative Inspirations Paints (have I told you lately how much I love them??)  that fit the bill (listed in supplies at the end of this post).

The damask stamp is Purple Onion (my very first PO stamp!), which I heat-embossed on white cardstock.  Then I painted Denium shimmer paint over it.  See how dark the color looks in the jar below?  These paints are more sheer than they first appear.  You can layer the paint to build up your color, though.

The purple petals are from old SU chipboard pieces I have, and the rose is Anna Griffin (bought dirt cheap at a Tuesday Morning shop).

Our sponsor this week is DeNami Design, so one lucky winner gets to shop with them!




Before I go, a big HELLO to the new Followers I see on my sidebar!  It means a lot that you like my stuff enough to put your picture there.  :-)

Thanks so much for joining me today!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5"
Stamps: Vintage Damask - Purple Onion Designs; Everyday Sayings - Hero Arts
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: VersaMark, Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: lace (eBay); white braided trim - Waverly
Other: heat tool; White embossing powder, Plum and Denium paints - Creative Inspirations Paints; oval punch - SU; molded flower - Carolina Collection - Anna Griffin; chipboard leaves - SU
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Birthday Greetings

At Creative Inspirations Paint, the challenge this week is "Tags".  You don't have to use CIP paints to play, but if you have 'em, we'd love to see them!  If you use them, list the colors and your name will go into the drawing twice.  For all the challenge details, please visit their website link mentioned above.

I am so excited to show you my card.  :-)

I took a regular, oval manila tag that looks like this:

I brushed Mocha Latte on one side.  These paints dry very quickly, which is nice.  Taking a tiny bit of paper towel, I dipped my towel in the lid of Chocolate and dabbed it on the tag.  I did the same with Carmel, too, to soften the deep brown.  I stamped a greeting on it, then tied on a ribbon.

The nice folks at Sweet Stamps let our design team pick out a few stamps, and I used two of them on this card (click on the image to see it in the store):

I used the front cover of a Webster's Pages 6 x 6 paper pad as my card front.  I saw this oval, and knew exactly where I'd place my tag.

I love how the Creative Inspirations Paints turned my plain-vanilla manila into shabby-chic spectacular!

Thanks so much for joining me today!



Dimensions:  4.5" x 6"
Stamps: Lace Border, Birthday Greetings - Sweet Stamps
Paper: white card base - PTI; Webster's Pages
Ink: Crumb Cake - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black- Tsukineko
Fibers: lace; taupe satin ribbon - Michael's
Other: pearls - Recollections; Mocha Latte, Carmel, Chocolate paints - Creative Inspirations Paints
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Je t'aime

This is my second post for today.  Please scroll down one 

post for a Tuesday Trigger butterfly card.

I'm back again today, and I hope you don't mind.  I had some time to drop in for a challenge that is new to me.  It's Inspired By Stamping, where my friend Tammy is now on the DT.  I just had to play in her honor!  Here is the inspiration pic and we are to use a doily plus kraft/pink/cream.  

Another challenge entered: The Kraft Journal (Tammy's favorite haunt) - "Use Your Stash".  (I'm using a bit of leftover doily and an already-stamped strip of paper right beneath the ribbon).  I'm also playing at Papercraft Star, where the challenge is "Something French".  You KNOW I'm all about that!  

These drop-dead-gorgeous papers are from Pink Paislee's London Market.  I don't even remember buying these, though it's obvious that I did.  Just glad I found them hiding in the credenza.  :-)  

The Eiffel Tower and sentiment are from my new Technique Tuesday set, Mon Ami Paris.  LOVE it!  I found great prices on stamps at Overstock.com.

The tower is stamped on ivory cardstock, as is necessary for the IBS challenge.

(pardon the lighter appearance of these closeups;
I am still getting the hang of my new camera and photo-editing the pix)

I punched the star out of a cereal box with my new Fiskars punch. I bought it just so I could make glittered chipboard accents. ;-)  

After punching, I glittered it, then sprayed with hair spray so it'll all stay put.  Then I cut a piece of pearl/gem tape and glued it on top.  Please pardon our appearance as the glue is still drying underneath.  LOL  I just couldn't wait to photograph it and upload!

What are you doing tomorrow?  Any special plans?  None for me.  It's supposed to rain a couple of inches, and we really need it here in the Philadelphia area.  We're down about 6 inches.  Nice day to stay inside and craft! (like we ever need an excuse)

Thank you all for visiting, and commenting.  You make my day, you really do!

Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Vintage Wallpaper background - Market Street Stamps; Mon Ami Paris - Technique Tuesday
Paper: London Market - Pink Paislee; white cardstock - PTI; Very Vanilla cardstock - Su
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Crumb Cake - SU
Fibers: pink satin ribbon - Wright's
Other: doily - Wilton; cereal box; star punch - Fiskars; clear glitter - SU; gem/pearl tape - Recollections; pearls - Queen & Co.
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Tuesday Trigger Butterflies

I'm playing along with the Tuesday Trigger challenge this week, and here is the inspiration pic:

Such a cute dress!  I thought the butterflies looked like they had been watercolored, so I played with my Creative Inspirations Paints.  Another focus:  the armholes.

The butterflies were die cut with Beautiful Wings Embosslit from Stampin' Up!, using white cardstock. I painted each one in the colors of the inspiration dress.

See the "armholes"?  I used a 1" circle punch to dress up the corners.  And just check out that shimmer on the 'flies!  I have a list of the paint colors used in the supplies at the end of my post.

Another challenge entered: Papercraft Inspirations, from the UK - Punched Shapes.

This is for my friend, Maria F (aka rieslingmama), who lives in Germany.  Maria kindly surprised me with a Tuesday Trigger card she made and a package full of German items, like sheet music, a menu, wine labels and more.  She congratulated me on my weight loss thus far (I am now down 17 pounds since 2/6/12) and gave me encouragement.  How sweet is that?!

And can I just say a few things about Creative Inspirations Paints?  These paints are so amazingly beautiful, and have many good qualities about them.  I even took a picture of the 59 colors, so you can see the range of hues:

Things I love about CI Paints:

• They dry quickly (just mix paints with a little water to help slow drying time if you need to)
• The shimmer is out-of-this-world
• You can use it on cardstock without paper warping, but the range of paintable items is almost limitless
• To blend two colors together, as I have here, just wet your paintbrush and gently blend where the colors meet
• A little goes a long way
• So many colors!

Thanks for joining me today!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Essential Messages - Hero Arts
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Other: 1" circle punch - SU; Peach, Burnt Clay, Rustic Red, Tickled Pink, Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Plum paints - Creative Inspirations Paints
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Inspired by a Honeybee Print - Emboss Resist Tutorial

I've got a tutorial to show you today for the Emboss Resist technique, using the Blockheads set, ATC Honey Bees:

I was inspired by a print, offered as a free download from Victoria Magazine. (there are two prints at that link) You can see the image below HERE as a PDF file.

I love that the stamp set has different words included, so you can create your own sentiment/phrase.  I used gold embossing powder on mine.  The label was kind of a happy accident, and fit perfectly over the honeycomb panel.  A bit of lace and pearls added finishing touches.

Now, please go easy on me; I'm not a pro at tutorials.  :-) Note that I've used only Distress Inks by Ranger on this project, but you can use any dye inks you wish.

1. Rub an Embossing Buddy or dryer sheet over paper,
so you don't get stray 'freckles' of embossing powder.

2. Ink up stamp with VersaMark watermark ink.

3. Sprinkle clear embossing powder over image, and tap off excess.

4. Use heat tool to set image.  I use a wooden clothespin on
small papers, so I don't burn my fingers.

5. Begin layering colors. Antique Linen Distress Ink is first.
Use a light hand and a swirling motion to put the ink down
with a sponge (even a makeup sponge would work.)  Do not
pat sponge on paper; it creates a different look altogether.
Swirl color all the way to the edges of the paper.

6. This is the image after a coat of Antique Linen.
It's too light, so we need to add more colors.

7. Scattered Straw is next.  Pick up color from ink pad with your
sponge.   Dab off color once or twice onto a scrap piece
of paper, so the color is not too intense.  Sponge in a
light, swirling motion almost to the edges of the paper.

8. Time for Frayed Burlap.  Again, pick up color with the
sponge from ink pad and dab off once.  Sponge lightly around the edge
of  the honeycomb image, to the edges of the paper.

9. With Walnut Stain, lightly go over edges of paper.

10. Go back to center of image with more Scattered Straw.
Think of a warm glow, leaving the very center of the image lighter.

11. Make a card base from white cardstock.  Stamp edges with  flowers
from stamp set, using Scattered Straw and Frayed Burlap.

Don't forget the envelope!  I used Scattered Straw and Walnut Stain here.

Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have on this project.  It was fun to put this together for you!

Play along with  the Blockheads Emboss Resist Challenge by linking your creation with the linky tool below, and be sure to visit the Blockheads blog link for more details:


Thanks for coming by.  I always love when you visit.  :-)



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: ATC Honey Bees - Blockheads Paper Arts
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap, Walnut Stain, Scattered Straw - Ranger; VersaMark - Tsukineko
Fibers: lace - JoAnn
Other: Gold, Clear embossing powders - Stampin' Up!; heat tool; pearls

Play Date Cafe 128 - Hello

Flaming Pink, Bright Orange, and White -- the new palette for the Play Date Cafe this week!

I really like this combo, but still felt drawn to go heavy on the white.  I'm pleased with the result:

The sentiment is from Hero Arts, one of my new sets.  I recently got lots of HA goodies, including some pretty crocheted lace (great price, too!), from my mailman.  My 13 YO tells me I have "too many sentiments now".  Ha!  I beg to differ. They are quite essential.  :o)

Just HAD to add a pearl somewhere, you know.

The prize for one lucky player this week will come from the oh-so-fabulous Play Date Cafe Vault.  There's always good stuff in there.

We have a brand new member joining our Design Team soon!  The announcement will be made today at the Play Date Cafe.  Many of you will know her face and name.  She is ultra sweet and oh so talented, and we're lucky to have her aboard with us.

Come play with us this week!  I think these colors are going to inspire LOTS of you.  Can't wait to see what you've got!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Everyday Sayings - Hero Arts
Paper: white - PTI
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: Tangerine Tango pom pom trim - SU
Other: Big Shot; Sugar embossing folder - Sizzix; die cut stickers - K & Co.; Corner Rounder punch - EK Success