Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Last Minute...

Ran short on some Thanksgiving cards so I quickly put together this card...


I love that sketches can make a card come together especially when in a hurry!  Today's card is using Seize the Sketch shown here...


Here's the full card...



I was trying to capture those glittery letters from the DCWV Glitzy Glitter Matstack...sorry about the lop-sided look, but I promise it's pretty straight in person...hehehe.  All the stamps and dies are from Avery Elle and will also enter for the November challenge too!

Mahalo for stopping by for this super last minute card!



Monday, November 25, 2013

Picking Up the Pieces Monday Vol. 2

Happy Monday...I hope!  Welcome back to another edition of paper piecing.  One of the reasons I love to paper piece is because I'm not the best at coloring.  I love Copic markers and LOVE how you can create so much depth and shading, but unfortunately there are no classes here in Hawaii to learn the awesome art of Copic coloring. Everything is paper pieced except for her skin...I attempted the Copic coloring.

On to my paper pieced card with another fun technique...using double stick tape to create glitter strips! Chari made some beautiful Christmas cards with this technique and I had to try it out.

Dandelion Designs CL-17 Aloha Set, Lawn Fawn Stitched Journaling Die, Memetno Luxe Love Letter Ink, Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Copics, Lawn Trimmings twine, Distress Glitter in Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers and Seedless Preserves


I hope you enjoyed today's paper pieced card and fun glitter technique...until next time...MAHALO for stopping by!



Sunday, November 24, 2013

His and Her Christmas

Sunday already?!  It was so nice to get some mom time in and even better to have some ideas pop up in my head while playing at the playground and going for some pumpkin and cinnamon frozen yogurt after.  I had to get some homework done for the OCC:Holiday Cards Workshop and came up with this...

For Him...



Kept with muted colors, but couldn't help myself with the silver embossing on the Cottage Cutz die.  I first did a single tree die cut, but it was so boring to me I decided to make it more like a silhouette for the silver tree.  It was hubby approved.

For Her...



I took the same layout/design and used a more festive approach with the red background pattern paper from Lawn Fawn Fa La La paper pad and added rhinestones and pearls.



I'll be honest I'm not a fan of intricate dies because of the patience you need to take all the bits and pieces out, but this tree really is worth it.  There was also a tip to get the metal shim to help cut intricate dies better.  I'm on the fence with this because if I made that purchase I probably would be buying more dies!

Hope you'll visit again for tomorrow's post to see the next edition of "Picking Up the Pieces Monday."  Hint...it's got some Hawaiian flair!

Friday, November 22, 2013

I Believe in Embossing

YES!  It's Friday...and the best part is I'm not oncall!  This weekend I plan to spend as much time with my kiddos as possible.  They are growing too quickly for my liking.  My favorite moments are listening to them chat in the backseat about Christmas.  They are getting excited and its very contagious.  My 7 year old is on the fence about Santa, telling her brother that she believes in Santa, but thinks that moms and dads have a lot more to do with presents then Santa does.  Oh if I could just stop time and keep them believing forever!

On to my card following this week's CAS(E) this Sketch

Fresh Squeezed Stamps On Trend, Fresh Squeezed Stamps Words to Live By, Versamark, Judi Kins Diamond White embossing powder, clear embosing powder, Avery Elle Winter Blend sequins, Quickutz Santa's Sleigh


I have had that Santa's Sleigh die for years and absolutely love it!  Every year I bring it out and add him to just about every  holiday creation I can.  I thought it perfect for the sketch...


I tried to capture the bling of the sentiment...



Do you guys have any holiday item (die, embellishment, stamp, etc.) that has to be used each year during the holidays?  I'd love to hear about it! 


Monday, November 18, 2013

Picking Up the Pieces Vol. 1 and Craft Room Makeover!

Aloha gang!  Welcome to the first edition of Picking Up the Pieces Monday in which I will be sharing every Monday my most favorite technique of paper piecing.  I've been enjoying The Holiday Card Workshop from Online Card Class and wanted to share some things I've learned.  My card today is using pattern paper from Doodlebug Design's North Pole 6x6 paper pad.  I LOVE 6x6 pads because they are perfectly scaled patterns for card making.

Avery Elle Holiday Fill in the Blank w/ dies, Avery Elle Sequins, Doodlebug Design Pattern Paper North Pole, American Crafts Rouge CS, Timeless Twine Christmas Twist, Memento Ink in Cottage Ivy
 

The technique to use on the 2nd day of class was die cut inlays which allows your card to have a pretty smooth surface.  For my tree I wanted a little dimension and used some Avery Elle Evergreen Blend sequins and Kraft Blend for the stump.  I added some Timeless Twine in Christmas Twist to continue with my traditional color card and there ya go...a fun and festive card!

Challenges I would like to enter this card in...
Avery Elle I Love You Challenge
Curtain Call: CAS-ual Christmas
CAS-ual Fridays: CFC 120

 

So on to my craft room makeover.  Here is the before (I dreaded showing this!)...


In my defense I know where everything is! 
Here is where my hubby works miracles...


Wow right?!  I recently got happy mail for my first ever publication in Paper Crafts Magazine that will debut in March!  As a surprise gift, my hubby said it was time for me to get organized and he purchased a few things from Stamp-n-Storage.  I HIGHLY recommend their products as they are reasonably priced, shipped quickly all the way here, and truly make a difference in organizing everything!

The finished room...


It took me a few days to adjust where everything was but I absolutely LOVE it.  Mahalo hubby!!!  Everything has a place, but I'll confess my desk needs a little tidying up...again.  Recently the hubby added this fun decor using some inexpensive frames and adding his own sheet metal from the hardware store that were only $1!


I can finally have guests in my craft room...lol!  If anyone is ever on Oahu I would love to meet up and craft together!

Mahalo for stopping by and letting me share...have a great day and week!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Using Distress Glitter...again!

Aloha friends!  I'm quickly hopping in to share this card that I'm wanting to enter into a couple of challenges.  Thanks so much for your kind words from my other post.  I've overcome the cold and crossing my fingers the kids continue to stay in good health.  It always seems so hard to keep them from getting colds this time of year!

So here's the card...


Y'all know how much I love my distress glitter, so here I went at it again using a background stamp from Hero Arts.  I got these cute wooden "book labels" (I think that's what they were called) bought in the bargain bin at Archiver's and used that to frame my sentiment. 

The sketch I followed from CASE(E) this Sketch


and since the Simon Says Challenge for Wednesday was Thanks/Thankgiving I'll be entering that as well.

All right back to work I go since I'm on call.  Mahalo for stopping by!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Kitty Bee Designs Mid Inspiration for Challenge #12

Happy Aloha Friday!  You've got one more week to load up any project with the theme of fall colors to Kitty Bee Designs.  Here's my sneak peek...


A little hint...I was playing around with my new A2 flip-it card dies which pair up perfectly for Kitty Bee stamps!  Thanks so much for stopping by and for more inpiration check out the blog at Kitty Bee Designs!  Mahalo for taking the time to stop by and have an AWESOME weekend!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

The Sentiment

What a whirlwind of events this past 3 day weekend!  I had a successful craft fair despite the rain and thank all my family, friends and sweet strangers that still shopped through the weather.  Unfortunately I caught a cold and was completely out on Sunday and most of Monday, but pulling through since it's a short work week.

Anyway, I quickly wanted to enter this card for the next Lawnscaping Challenge making the sentiment the main focus of my card...


I was going for the crazy Christmas sweater look...hehehe.  Took a bunch of Lawn Fawn Fa La La pattern paper and went to town!  Quick and fun.  Also wanted to introduce the latest idea brought to you by the hubby.  He gave me this awesome idea to do a series every Monday called "Picking Up the Pieces Monday."  I thought it was hilarious but it will incorporate my most favorite thing...paper piecing!  So stay tuned every Monday for a card or project using paper piecing.

Mahalo for stopping by and have a great week ahead!

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Moxie Fab Mahalo to Cath Edvalson


Aloha and welcome to this fabulous gathering of crafters that adore and admire the Moxie Fab Cath Edvalson!  This blog hop is epic, and I hope Cath FEELS the love we send from whatever part of the world we live in!

If you're going in order you should have arrived from Alyssa Scritchfield's blog.

Where to even begin?  I had been stalking the Moxie Fab posts for about a year and finally got the courage to enter one of the Tuesday Triggers to celebrate Cath's mom's birthday.  Before then I was completely intimidated by the entries.  When I heard her mom was vacationing in Hawaii, I knew I had to make a Hawaiian card for her mom!  Do you guys remember that?  If interested you could check out my card HERE.

I have never had the honor of meeting her in person, but with her daily posts of inspiration and weekly challenges in the Moxie Fab World over at Paper Crafts Connection Blog I feel like she's just a phone call away.  Her challenges pushed my creative side to new heights and her keen eye for spotting trends is a talent no one will ever come close to.


So how do you make the perfect thank you card for the perfect blog hop?!?  Well I put a lot of pressure on myself and then it just came down to going simple.  Who wouldn't smile at a rainbow and butterfly?!

I cannot thank Cath enough for her many years of inspirational bliss.  I'm surely going to miss it and can't wait to see and hear about her future endeavors!

To continue on, check out the AMAZING list of well wishers...I'm #155 if you're going in order.  Just click on the links below and you'll see more creations just for our Moxie Fab Cath!  Mahalo for hopping by!!!

Our Moxie Fab Thanks to You, Cath!

1. Moxie Fab World  96. Anieszka Malyszek  191. Jimmi Mayo  
2. Keren Baker  97. Kate from i {heart} papers  192. Julie Overby  
3. Jennifer Ingle  98. Cindy Lawrence  193. Eva Dobilas  
4. Debby Hughes  99. Lori Tecler  194. Ren-Yi Lo  
5. Virginia Lu  100. Penny Ward  195. Jessica Shelton-Buffa  
6. Nina Yang  101. Leigh Penner  196. DoBea Alberts  
7. Karolyn Loncon  102. Christina MacLaren  197. Nicole Rixon   
8. Lori Barnett  103. Heidi Van Laar  198. Debbie Corbari  
9. Kim Hughes / Paper Smooches  104. Giovana Smith  199. Lawn Fawn / Kelly Marie Alvarez  
10. Becky Oehlers  105. Katrina Hunt  200. Leigh Ann Baird  
11. Donna Mikasa  106. Kathi Rerek  201. Betsy Veldman  
12. JJ Bolton  107. Glenda J. Wyatt  202. Natasha Kara  
13. Jocelyn Olson  108. Heather Campbell  203. Wanda Cullen   
14. Daniela Dobson  109. Ardyth Percy-Robb  204. Shemaine Smith  
15. Amy Wanford  110. Erica Hettwer  205. Lydia Fiedler  
16. Sylvia Blum  111. Danielle Walls  206. Jenn Shurkus  
17. AJ Otto  112. Fresh Squeezed Stamps  207. Leslie Hanna  
18. Taheerah Atchia  113. Lynn Mangan  208. Lenny Sacr�as  
19. Laura Williams  114. Kim Kesti  209. Chunyuan Wu  
20. Kimberly Crawford  115. Kelly Booth  210. Berenice Rendon  
21. Vera Yates  116. Stephanie Severin  211. Brenda Weaver  
22. Jaclyn Miller  117. Michelle Lupton  212. Sabrina Alery  
23. Amber Kroening  118. Angelica Suarez  213. Debbie Marcinkiewicz  
24. Lindsay Amrhein  119. Sarah Martina Parker  214. Lyndal Higgins  
25. Miriam Prantner  120. Ashley Nguyen Newell  215. Pattie Goldman  
26. Irit Shalom  121. Jessica Witty  216. Jenny Martin  
27. Anabelle O'Malley  122. Jennifer Rzasa  217. Michelle Bala  
28. Michele Gross  123. Jennifer Priest  218. Julie Smith  
29. Teri Anderson  124. Angie Tieman  219. Linda Auclair  
30. Alice Wertz  125. Bev Gerard  220. Tyra Babington  
31. Pamela Ho  126. Asty Purbasari  221. Darnell J Knauss  
32. Elena Roussakis  127. Megan Hoeppner  222. Jennifer Jackson  
33. Lorena Canto  128. Pia Overgaard  223. Amy Sheffer  
34. Tara Cardwell  129. Nina Brackett  224. Piali Biswas  
35. Joscelyne Cutchens  130. Linda Lucas  225. Lori Hairston  
36. Ashley Harris  131. Judy Rozema  226. Charlene Bopp  
37. Annette Allen  132. Lynn Mercurio  227. Deanna Woodland  
38. Jessi Fogan  133. Erin Thiem  228. Ceal Pritchett  
39. Lindsey M-P  134.  Carolyn Gimpel King  229. Vanessa Menhorn  
40. Christine Dring  135. Smitha Katti  230. P. Kelly Smith  
41. Tasnim Ahmed  136. Susan Liles  231. Therese Calvird  
42. Alicia Thelin  137. Lisa Arana  232. Rachel Izakowicz  
43. Ashley Marcu  138. Kalyn Kepner  233. Frances Byrne  
44. Kryssi Ng / Mama Elephant  139. Rachel Kleinman  234. Holly Shepard  
45. Katie Gehring  140. Wendy Price  235. Geri Greening  
46. Angi Barrs  141. Kim Dellow  236. Gretchen Belknap (same as #186)  
47. Tracey McNeely  142. Melissa Elsner  237. Shirley Bampton  
48. Jen del Muro  143. Laura Pryor  238. Julia Stainton  
49. Sarah J. Moerman  144. Ivanka Lentle  239. Diana Slaughter  
50. Laurie Willison  145. Ashlee Townsend  240. Kim Heggins  
51. Cristina Kowalczyk  146. Michelle Liimatainen  241. Melissa Phillips  
52. Iwona Palamountain  147. Juliana Michaels  242. Jennifer McGuire  
53. Shanna Vineyard  148. Ilina Crouse  243. Beth Matson  
54. Tiffany Johnson  149. Suzanne Bier  244. Kanan Pandya  
55. Laura O'Donnell  150. Sherry Wright  245. Chrissy Larson  
56. Lisa Adametz  151. Barb Housner  246. Kristi Schurr  
57. Laura Bassen  152. Kim Makortoff  247. Tammy Hobbs  
58. Ryann Salamon  153. Stephanie Washburn  248. Windy Robinson  
59. Clare Buswell  154. Alyssa Scritchfield  249. Wida Miller  
60. Gayatri Murali  155. Niki G  250. Erum Tasneem  
61. Laurel Seabrook  156. Colleen Dietrich  251. Barb Murphy  
62. Christine Traversa  157. Sharyn Tormanen   252. SRM Stickers  
63. Melania Deasy  158. Karin �kesdotter  253. Judy Marino  
64. Michelle Williams  159. Erin Taylor  254. Noelle McAdams  
65. Jamie Gracz / Avery Elle  160. Jen Carter  255. Katie Brooks  
66. Lin Brandyberry  161. Cristina N��ez (Yainea)  256. Unity Stamp Company  
67. Michelle Woerner  162. Susie Wittwer  257. Cheryl Valadez  
68. Kim Howard  163. Becky Olsen  258. Jennie Harper  
69. Amanda Coleman  164. Lori Craig  259. Latisha Yoast  
70. Dana Warren  165. Tessa Wise  260. Ang Mansfield  
71. Kelly Griglione  166. Courtney Kelley  261. Danielle Flanders  
72. Taylor Usry  167. Maureen Merritt  262. Niki Meiners  
73. Emily Branch  168. Alice Golden  263. Shelly Kurth  
74. Amy Tsuruta  169. Chrissie Tobas  264. Els Brigé  
75. Rae Barthel  170. Stasia Sloma  265. Jane Beljo  
76. Erin Schreiner  171. Heather Hoffman  266. Stacy Croninger  
77. Stacey Schafer  172. Annette Witherspoon  267. Susie Moore  
78. Sarah Gough  173. Tarynne Wise  268. Gaby Creates  
79. Joni Andaya  174. Amy Kolling  269. Sylvia Nelson  
80. Lalo  175. Chari Moss  270. Lucy Abrams  
81. Maria Fischer  176. Carol Wilson  271. Lee Murphy  
82. Laurie Schmidlin  177. Shelly Greybeck  272. Britta Swiderski  
83. Yvonne Yam  178. Maureen Plut  273. Michele Kovack  
84. Tifany DeGough  179. Bree Tetz  274. Valerie Stangle  
85. Deirdre Horgan  180. Meredith MacRitchie  275. Nancy Krueger  
86. Cheiron Brandon  181. Dawn Turley  276. Heather Doran  
87. Beverley Brown  182. Marisa Gunn  277. Isha Gupta  
88. Tenia Nelson  183. Simone Naoum  278. N@ Ali  
89. Jamie Greene  184. Stephanie Muzzulin  279. Dawn Schuster  
90. Veronica Zalis  185. Richard Breaks  280. Ginny Henriquez  
91. Jennifer Scull  186. Gretchen Belknap  281. Joyce Mehrberg  
92. Lizzie Sanchez  187. Libby Hickson  282. Cathy Andronicou  
93. Glitz Design  188. Hannelie Bester  283. Rebecca Fellows  
94. Lea Lawson  189. Julie Campbell  284. Cornelia (fun stamping) Wenokor  
95. Heather Nichols  190. Lisa Henke  285. Anita Recksiedler  

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Friday, November 8, 2013

Kitty Bee Design Challenge #12

Happy Aloha Friday gang!  I'm back with another project using another adorable Kitty Bee Designs original.  This week's challenge is to use fall colors since the season is upon us.  Here's my sneak peek...


As always, to see the project in its entirety, I would love it if you would hop on over to Kitty Bee Designs Blog and check out the rest of the design team's awesome projects!  It's guaranteed to make you smile on this fabulous Aloha Friday.

Tomorrow is the Aiea Elementary Craft Fair so if you're on Oahu, this project will actually be sold their!

Mahalo for stopping by!

P.S.-If you're ever wondering how to do any of my Kitty Bee Designs projects or what products I use for them, you can look them up HERE.  I have a tab at the top of my blog named "Fun w/ Kitty Bee" that is frequently updated with my latest project.  Hope you'll check it out!

Monday, November 4, 2013

Getting ready and more minions!

Aloha!  I wanted to share a few things I have been working on the past few weeks.  I've always wanted to do a craft fair and last year finally got the courage to try it out.  It was so much fun, and I had such positive feedback, that I decided to do it again this year.  So I've been working furiously trying to make inventory!  For anyone on Oahu (or anyone that wants to fly out here ;-) I will be at Aiea Elementary on November 9th from 9am-2pm.  Hope to see you there!

I've been loving the Minion trend and saw TONS of them during Halloween so it inspired me to do a little post-it note holder...


They're such cuties that I made a bunch...


in varying faces...



I finally had a project to use up all those yellow metallic papers I had in my stash and of course googly eyes!

A hot seller for me was the gift card holders...



They're simple mini envelopes (the size of a gift card), held together with a belly band.  Perfect to dress up any GC!  Of course I had to use my Kitty Bee Designs stamps!!

And lastly these fun magnets using glass tiles...


I have tons more including cards and notepads...just wanted to share some highlights.  I've been dying to enter all the fun challenges out there, but am focusing on this craft fair first.  It definitely helps support this very addicting hobby!  Mahalo for stopping by!!!


More to Love!

  • Ombre Sunshine
    Ombre Sunshine

  • Big Mahalo Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Magazine
    Big Mahalo Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Magazine

  • Watercolor Cornucopia
    Watercolor Cornucopia

  • Going Monochromatic with Hero Arts
    Going Monochromatic with Hero Arts

  • Sending Aloha...and a card set
    Sending Aloha...and a card set