Free Ribbon?

The finalists are up on the May Arts Blog and I just read that there is a giveaway going on to let the Ribbon Lady know who your favorites are! The talent and projects on just this one post is amazing! I loved being on this team and sure would like to continue! Leave a comment on the May Arts Blog for your chance to win three free spools of your choice from the summer release!

For the Love of Science

This past school year, I had a difficult time getting my oldest to understand the importance of homework, especially in regards to practicing his weekly spelling words or doing the arithmetic flashcards. I still don't think I suceeded! But, when it came to signing up for summer school classes, he was ever so excited about anything science! I imagine he will be a hands-on learner rather than a book learner.

Today's card, made in mind with the May Layers Challenge over at Young Crafter's Unite...reminds me of the specimen boards I was required to put together in late middle school, although I think this was is much more beautiful! I was intrigued by this challenge because I still wanted to create something clean and crisp, yet meet the requirements of many layers. I've got seven on this card!
1. The base, stamped with the sentiment.
2. The wood grain border.
3. The patterned paper panel.
4. The tag, and custom push pin.
5. The cork label.
6 and 7. The butterfly! (It was stamped and fussy cut twice for added dimension.)

What do you think, did I still manage a clean and simple card?

It's going to be a busy week! I've got a fun Skipping Stones Design post on Tuesday, as well as the start of the The Craft's Meow July Release! My newest set will be debuted on this day! Then, the rest of the week is more fun The Craft's Meow releases, Friday I have a fun project for Artful Delight, and I just might throw in a fun announcement as well! Our family dog is not doing well, so I'm trying to pre-schedule as much as I can predicting that I won't have the time, or heart, to craft.

Itty Bitty

Ever wonder what to do with those itty bitty stamps included in sets? Try reaching outside the box and use them by themselves to create cool and funky backgrounds through multiple stamping!

Over on the Artful Delight Blog I have a quick tutorial to show you two ways on how to do this, both creating a huge impact! Both cards feature the stamps from Lawn Fawn's Sunny Skies, the really fun and versatile set included in this month's Artful Delight card kit! I'm playing along with CASology's first ever challenge too, to incorporate a sun into your CAS project.

 Here's my second card, please stop on over at the Artful Delight Blog for an explanation of what I did!

There's still a lot of time to play along with the two sketches posted on Artful Delight for your chance to win next month's kit! Details are here, I hope you find some time to make a project (or two!)!

Round Two

A favorite photo of your children. Your first published card. A thoughtful note from a friend. A business card that could land you a big promotion. All treasured items not to get lost and should be visible every day! Re-purposed and inexpensive items that you might already have on hand plus some beautiful May Arts Ribbon are all you need to create custom, colorful bulletin board from scratch! This project is for my round two submission for the May Arts Design Team! I really would love to make this team for a second term!

 

First, gather your supplies. I picked up a frame without a backing or glass from my local salvage store for only $.75! (I spray painted it with my color of choice (a pretty blue to match this frame here!) and allowed time for it to thoroughly dry.) To cover the interior of my frame size of 14 x 12 inches, I needed almost a full roll of May Arts ribbon. My choice was woven burlap in natural (I couldn't pass up using this particular ribbon, even though May Arts currently doesn't have it in stock, it matched my decor perfectly! Some other fantastic options include their large wired burlap ribbon here, their 1/2" woven burlap here,  their 1.5" natural burlap striped edge wire here or any of the 5/8" twill here-offered in so many color options!!) The ribbon needs will vary depending on the size of the frame. A piece of foam core, some packing tape and spray paint are the only other supplies needed.

 

Start by cutting your foam core to fit the interior of your frame and cut ribbon that extends 1-2 inches beyond the length and width of the foam core. Cut enough ribbon that when placed side by side, it covers the whole length and width of two sides of your foam core. Keep the ribbon in place by shipping tape on the back side of the foam core.

Weave the ribbon loosely, until the majority of your foam core is covered. Tighten one corner of the weaving, and spray adhesive onto the foam core and press the woven ribbon in place. Continue with one side, the middle and finish at the opposite corner of where you started, being sure to pull tight the weaving as you go! (My mom helped me with this portion, as four hands are better than two!)

Complete the board by securing the loose ribbon with shipping tape on the back side and tuck securely into your new trendy looking frame!  I covered the backside with a roll of brown kraft paper, but you can skip this step if you needed and then also attached a hanging mechanism.

I also created a few, fun custom push pins to my board. This rolled ribbon flower push pin was created by coloring white 1/2" solid/wrinkled ribbon (EA01) with marker, folding the ribbon onto itself lengthwise, snipping the top portion and rolling onto an adhesive backed punched piece of paper, which was then adhered to a trimmed stick pin.

This next cute little flag pin was created by snipping a piece of orange chevron twill (382-34-28) into a banner shape and gluing it onto a stick pin!

Well,  I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial featuring May Arts Ribbon and perhaps even make a bulletin board for your office or craft room! Can't beat trendy, custom, function and thrify decorating! I'd really like to hear your thoughts on my tutorial, so if you have time, please leave a comment!

Darling Damask

Skipping Stones Designs is celebrating their newest release, Darling Damask with a blog hop to go along with the debut of this week's inspiration challenge.

This set is timeless. The patterns are so beautiful. They are designed to create a seamless pattern when covering a large area, or, they can be used just by stamping once too! The sentiments are classic as well, with a beautiful font that coordinates. I went with a modern design for the timeless patterns, by stamping them first in grey and yellow and cutting them into banners and placing on a solid, clean white background. A sentiment included in the set was also stamped onto a white banner, and then a few rhinestones were placed to set the tone for a more fresh design. I'm going to enter this into Moxie Fab World's Stamp It! Cards Week: The Birthday Card Challenge too!

I also wanted to mention that Skipping Stones Design is having an open design team call too! Please read about the details here, and consider trying out. These stamps are fabulous, the team is fabulous, everything is fabulous about Skipping Stones Design!

I'm the first on the hop, next is Stephanie Mino! There is a complete listing over at the Skipping Stones Design blog, as well as all the challenge rules, details and prizes!

Cloud 9

If you paint in your mind a picture of bright and happy expectations, you put yourself into a condition conducive to your goal. ~Norman Vincent Peale

A great new blog called Cloud9 celebrating Wplus9 stamps is having their first blog hop with a fun, bright and happy inspiration photo.

I randomly stamped the petite images from Wplus9's Mother's Day Bouquet in various colors pulled from the inspiration picture and the sentiment comes from Ever After. To reflect the grass skirt, I added some old school crimped paper and tied a bow with some May Arts natural burlap string.

Been Thinking

Hello Friend(s), been thinking about you a lot.  My parents are in town this week so this is a pre-scheduled post. Crossing my fingers and hoping it works. I often times think of all the lovely creations that I'm missing but by the time I go to check my Reader I know I will become overwhelmed...best to just start afresh after the house is back to normal...

Today I have a post up over at the Artful Delight blog featuring items from the new July Card Kit. (One amazing kit, let me tell you! You can find out all the contents here...)

There is no stamping on this card, just some inked edges of the wonderful patterned and solid paper included in the kit (I did add a touch of felt for the tab, but that is the only thing not included besides the ink.)

I also followed the July sketch I designed for Artful Delight. Please consider playing along, because if you win you have a choice of receiving the August Artful Delight scrapbook or card kit!

Bringing the Outside Inn

Happy Birthday to my talented blogging pal, Erin, the mastermind behind the beautiful photos and posts at the Outside Inn. A mutual, and talented, blogging pal Jen, from Jen Shears Designs, and I have teamed up today to wish Erin a happy birthday in a very Erin style, by playing in a challenge (since I couldn't get in gear to organize a hop...but the thought was there!)! Both of us are participating in Lawnscaping's Use Dimension Challenge and using Lawn Fawn sets.

I brought the outside in for Erin's card today by featuring some fussy cutting and use of dimensional adhesive on the ferris wheel from Lawn Fawn's Admit One and clouds from Sunny Skies. The background sky and rolling hills were misted before attaching all to the card base.

(In another nod to Erin for her love of challenges I'm going to enter this in Moxie Fab World's Stamp It! The Birthday Card Challenge!)

I hope that you can swing by Jen's blog to see her birthday card for Erin, and then stop by Erin's blog to wish her a very happy birthday!

Patriotic

The Skipping Stones Design Team is thrilled to be teaming up with the fabulous designers from The Ribbon Carousel to bring you a patriotic blog hop! My card today features a custom background made with white paper, some distress stains and the script stamp from Skipping Stones Design's Garden Kiss Stamp.

Lets talk prizes! Hop along and leave some blog love for our designers for a chance to win one of 2 great prizes! The Ribbon Carousel will be giving away a ribbon carousel and Skipping Stones Design will be giving away a stamp set of the winner's choice! Winners will be announced on Saturday at 8:00 PM EST!

Remember that Skipping Stones Design has an inspiration challenge over on the blog as well. For the month of July we are doing inspiration pictures instead of sketches!

Derek

When I first met Derek-my husband's nephew- he was a shy five year old boy, about the same age as my youngest now. He was fascinated that I could draw people and animals, and I was fascinated with his never ending curiosity. I watched him from the back standing tall and proud walk down the aisle after his father holding the rings for our wedding and a few weeks back, I watched him walk down the graduation aisle, standing about four more feet taller and so much more full of pride as he was about to receive his high school diploma. Congratulations Derek!

There's a new sketch up over at The Craft's Meow Blog today and the playing time is open all month long! My card today features the graduate's school colors three, yes, three! of The Craft's Meow stamp sets: Retro Foundations, Grads & Dads and Typically Teen!

I hope this month's sketch inspires you and that you have a chance to play along. Details and more inspiration can be found on The Craft's Meow Blog !