Wish Big with Avery Elle and a GIVEAWAY!

As promised this is what I was working on...

Head towards the bottom for details on my giveaway!

I've had the Avery Elle Ellie stamp set sitting on my desk for a while.

Do you do that? 

 I find that if I put new purchases away I forget to use them!

So I end up with a pile on my desk which forces me to play, 

then I can put them away.

I took the dies from the Avery Elle Finished Frame Die set

to create a starry card panel...

See those stars? With my smaller dies I tend not to cut them a part.

I've always loved the look of those panel die cuts that have either falling hearts

or stars, but they can be a bit pricey.

I decided to use the stars on my card panel and die cut twice to create

my own starry background.  I used some distress inks in 

chipped sapphire, faded jeans, salty ocean and tumbled glass for an ombre look.

Behind the card panel I smooshed some Versamark and sprinkled with 

Judikins Egyptian Gold embossing powder, then heated for some sparkle.

That sweet elephant and stary balloon was watercolored with distress markers,

then die cut and adhered with foam tape.  For even more sparkle I splattered some

Wink of Stella in clear glitter...love how it reacts with distress inks!

I wanted to play along with the latest 

and 

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

As a little MAHALO to all who stop by,
I'm giving away a some crafty goodies I picked up during my shopping spree.

These cork stickers and felt clips were too darling not to pick up
and I would love to send them to one lucky winner!
Would love to hear from you.
You have until 4/20/15 at midnight to comment to win.

Mahalo for stopping by!!

First Christmas Card for the Season!

Happy Hump Day friends!

I've been feeling a bit sluggish lately with work but this quote was a great

reminder of why I do what I do!  All too often I find

myself learning so much about life through my patients.

And on to my card, because crafting is my fuel to

keep me sane...haha!

I was hoping to capture that fun sparkle

 in the DCWV Glitzy Glitter matstack.  It's such a fun paper to die cut 

especially because the glitter doesn't get everywhere!

I used the Avery Elle Fill in the Blank

Holiday Dies with those sweet bells and with the matching stamp set,

red heat embossed the word Christmas.

I wanted the bells to appear dangling from the word merry.

And that folks is my card!

I'll be entering

and

Mahalo for stopping by!

Shaped Lunchbox Notes

Monday officially ends summer in our household which means making those lunchbox notes quick!
The latest Virginia's View Challenge 

 inspired me to make some fun lunchbox notes in a speech bubble shape.

Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Journaling Card, Lawn Fawn Scripty Hello and Thanks,

Lawn Fawn Jessie's ABCs, copics, Hero Hues India Ink Black, glossy accents

Using dies to create shaped cards can be a lot of fun.  Easily done by folding paper in half and placing the top of die slightly above the fold line so that it cuts the shape while still having a card fold on top!  I encourage you to look through your dies and see what kind of shape cards you can make.

Hope everyone's weekend is going well.  See ya again soon!

Mahalo for stopping by!!

It's July?!

This past week I've been struggling a bit.  First off I cannot believe it's July already?!  I have to get caught up with my friend's birthdays and anniversaries which is the main reason for this post today.  The other news...over the weekend I lost one of my patients that I took care of for almost 3 years.  I will miss seeing and chatting with her weekly.  I found it ironic that this happened as I'm also contemplating making a move in my career...it's scary and exciting. I'd be leaving my comfort zone of 8 years, but on the other hand I'll be learning new skills and doing exactly what I know I'm meant to do.  Ugh...transition is hard!

On the brighter side I needed to get an anniversary card out to my dearest Colorado sister!  She and her husband love the beach so that was my inspiration.

Lawn Fawn Life is Good, Lawn Fawn Happily Ever After, Lawn Fawn Beep Boop Birthday

Lawn Fawn Let's Polka paper, copics, Memento inks in Tuxedo Black and Rich Cocoa

By now you know I'm addicted to Lawn Fawn and turned those sweet little crabs into a his and her couple.  Do you like the little bow tie and teeny flower?  Both are die cuts from the Beep Boop Birthday set.

So that's it for me.  Of course the challenge junky in me is entering this card in a few challenges:
Virginia's View Challenge: Die Cut
City Crafter Challenge: Let's Go to the Beach
My colors were inspired by: Curtain Call

Mahalo for stopping by!!

Picking Up the Pieces Vol. 20: Watercoloring with Avery Elle

Happy Monday!  This is the first time...in a long time...I'm super happy the weekend is over!  Work has been crazy and being the oncall nurse has been even crazier.  I do love my job, but after several long days of not having a lunch, I'm beat!

Now on to my happy card...

Avery Elle Write It, Avery Elle Custom Panels Die, Tim Holtz Splatters Stencil, Clear Embossing powder, 

Distress Markers, Distress Ink Weathered Wood,Hero Arts India Ink Black

I was in love with the latest Avery Elle release...have you seen it!?  I placed my orders on release day (to make sure they didn't run out) and received it in the mail in 2 days!  Talk about speedy service!!  

The scripty font and the fabulous Custom Panels Dies were a MUST HAVE...of course among a few other sets that I hope to play with soon!

So I just traced over the words with distress markers and went over them with a water pen to bleed the colors. Then used the Tim Holtz Splatters stencil to create the background and die cut that funky panel.  I loved the look of the fountain pen so I just stamped a bunch of them and clear embossed to give it a slicker look.

I was inspired by the next Retro Sketches

I'll also be entering again in Virginia's View Challenge: Stencils.  If you haven't checked out her challenge...you must!  She has fabulous tips and inspiration every month and it truly motivates you to give it a try.

Mahalo for stopping by!

Special Thanks!

I'm screaming from Hawaii...can you hear me!?

I could not believe it when I received 

the most amazing e-mail 

from thee Holly Anderson of Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking 

magazine!

I've been chosen as an honorable mention for the 10th annual Stamping Royalty

amongst some INCREDIBLE paper crafters.

Me?!?

So my card will be published in the July edition of Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking and I'm hoping it'll get your attention enough to vote!

I would sure appreciate it!

I want to thank all the lovely people that visit my blog and the amazing comments you all leave me!

It is because of you all that I had the courage to take the chance and submit. 

The card below is to show my sincerest gratitude...

Hero Arts Bubble Confetti stencil, Simon Says Stamps Thanks Word Die,

 Distress Inks in Mowed Lawn, Squeezed Lemonade and Peacock Feathers

white embossing powder, black cardstock and Wink of Stella clear glitter pen

This was a fun one to do!  I used the stencil and a sponge dauber inked with Versamark to create the panel and cover in white embossing powder then heat set. 

I took the different distress inks and created the emboss resist distress background.

Then I placed the panel onto the card base along with the stencil to match the pattern.  Taking the same distress ink colors to match the area, sponge daubered inside the stencil to create the surrounding card panel.

Fun and easy!

Have you checked out the 2nd challenge for Virginia's View? It's all about stencils and I'll be entering this card in it.  Also entering A Blog Named Hero: Build a Background....

As always MAHALO for stopping by and I hope you'll check out my Honorable Mention Card in Paper Crafts and Scrapbooking Magazine in July and vote!!!

Watercolored Lunch Box Notes...Stenciled 3 ways!

Happy Wednesday everyone!  Today I've got some itty bitty's measuring at 3inx3in...perfect for the lunch box notes that I need to restock up on for the kiddos.

This is how it all started...but keep on going because I promise it got better by my third bitty card!

I was going for the bokeh look.  First I masked the edges with painter's tape, swiped some Distress Inks in Ripe Persimmon and Squeezed Lemonade and used Heidi Swapp's confetti stencil to create the dots using Hero Arts Orange Soda and a sponge dauber.  After allowing to dry (using a heating tool) I stamped out the sun (with the mask still on) and the sentiment.  Of course I was not fully satisfied and followed the sentiment "never give up."

Here's another go at it...

Now this one I liked!  Of course it's in my favorite color (like my hair highlights!) Again masking the edges, swiping Tumbled Glass and Peacock Feathers Distress Inks, and then taking a chevron stencil and spraying with water (tip...remove stencil right away otherwise the water pools and the pattern gets lost).  Allow to dry (using heating tool), remove mask, then stamp out the sentiment.  All my cards are using the fabulous Hero Arts Stamp Set "You're a Rainbow."

Finally...I had to do a rainbow of colors...

This time I took my Distress Markers and colored away and instead of spraying water over the stencil I used a waterbrush pen to trace within the stencil.  I kinda liked the effect...a little more imperfect, but still cool!


I was completely inspired by a new challenge by the fabulous Virginia...

and A Blog Named Hero Challenge

And another look at them...

Until next time...have a fabulous day!  Mahalo for stopping by!!!