Wild thing.....

Hello bloggy friends! I hope you had a great week and your weekend is full of fun.

Embossing paste has changed my life! For this card, I even COLORED the embossing paste and added glitter. I used a piece of the embossed design leftover from my giraffe tag and cut out this larger heart. The scalloped heart was in my leftovers bin from something else I had made and obviously didn't use it. The round tab and speech bubble are also from that piece of cardstock. If you haven't tried embossing paste, I encourage you to check out some youtube videos and give it a try. It's really fun and easy! Here's my card:

I pieced together my 'wild thing' sentiment using the Happy Mail and Lots of Love stamp sets. The remainder of the sentiment is also on the Lots of Love set, as is the heart. The sweet monkey can be found on the all Around Everything Accessories set.

Here's a closer view of the embossing paste that I tinted in brown. While it was still partially wet, I added some Martha Stewart glitter for a little more pizzaz. Love it. The heart is from the new Stitched Sweethearts dies and layered over the Stitched Scallop Heart die. The background layer is the 3x4 journaling die.

Products:
My Creative Time, 3x4 journaling die
My Creative Time, Round tab die
My Creative Time, Round speech bubble die
My Creative Time, Stitched Scallop heart die
My Creative Time, Stitched Sweetheart die
My Creative Time, All Around Accessories stamp set
My Creative Time, Lots of Love stamp set
My Creative Time, Happy Mail stamp set
My Creative Time, Wow, So Many Candles stamp set {the musical note}
Bo Bunny, Love Letters 6x6 paper pad
Embossing paste, glitter, ink, sheer ribbon, bling

Thrifty Thursday with MCT

It's time to use up those scraps and pieces you didn't use on other projects! I don't know about you, but I always have pieces I've cut for other projects that maybe turned out to be the wrong color, or didn't fit the finished idea, or whatever. Thrifty Thursday is the perfect time to use up some of those bits you hate to thrown away.

My first card is a super simple idea I saw on Pinterest. I had extra hearts lying on the worktop and couldn't bear to toss them. The worked out perfectly on this hexagon embossed piece that I had saved from a card that I messed up. Together they make Valentine magic! :) Add a ribbon, a red mat, and done! Hearts are the smallest of the Stitched Sweetheart dies, and the sentiment is from the Puffy Hearts Just For You stamp set.

My next project is a simple one-sided Valentine using the 3x4 journaling die. It's the perfect size for making multiple cards, for the kids' classrooms or party invites and such. I had this one leftover from my December Dailies album, which is not *quite* finished. The heart and airplane are also leftovers They worked so well on this little card! I used the small heart from the Puffy Hearts for you stamps and the teensy heart from Once Upon a Time to create my background. The airplane and sentiment from Plane and Simple, and the Be My Valentine sentiment on the heart is from You Had Me at Chocolate.

I love cutting multiples and using foam tape to make my own dimensional 'stickers' and did that with both the plane and the heart on this card.

Be kind to Mother Earth and recycle when you can. Every little bit helps! ♥

Product List:
My Creative Time, Stitched Sweetheart dies
My Creative Time, Puffy Hearts Just For You stamp set
My Creative Time, Plane and Simple die and stamp set
My Creative Time, Once Upon a Time stamp set
My Creative Time, You Had Me at Chocolate stamp set
My Creative Time, 3x4 Journaling die
Ink, ribbon, foam tape, hexagon embossing folder

Inspiration Wednesday with MCT

Two posts today again. Scroll to the next post to see another embossing paste project. Thank you!

Welcome to Inspiration Wednesday. Today's creation was inspired by a lovely black and white card I saw on pinterest. I used washi tape instead of ribbon scraps for the circle design behind my "Love" word. 

Below is the piece the inspired me. I love the way the scraps of ribbon were used behind the open circle, and used that idea on my shaker with the washi tape. The black and white is striking, I love it!, and I may have to do one like that at some point too. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/42573158951904445/

For my Valentine version I used the word "love". The font is called Zapfino Linotype One and probably came on your computer. If you don't have that one, there is a copycat font called Sloop Script Three that is a free download. Flowers are mini primas (sorry, folks. These I did not make myself.) Shaker filler is glass seed beads and heart confetti in red and gold, with a few lips thrown in. LOL

Inside sentiment is from My Creative Time, 100% Sweetness stamp set.

And for the curious, this is the back side of the shaker. Easy peasy!

Be inspired, crafty friends, and keep the mojo going! Thanks for stopping today. Come back again tomorrow for Thrifty Thursday. ♥

More embossing paste love

After the classes I took this past weekend, I fell in love with embossing paste. I can see me using this stuff a LOT when I get some better stencils. I have only a few and they are not exactly what I was looking for, but I wanted to play so I picked up a couple anyway.

This one is for a friend who recently lost her beloved little puppy, Buster. I hope it will cheer her, even just a little. Hugs to you, Deb.

The sentiment and paw prints are by Pink by Design, scalloped lacy heart by My Creative Time.

The rows of hearts are where I used the embossing paste. I first sprayed my base with Vintage Pink Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels, then added the hearts. While they were still wet, I sprinkled with glitter. Love the look!

Products:
DIY Embossing paste
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Vintage Pink
Martha Stewart glitter
My Creative Time scalloped heart
Pink By Design Furry Friends stamp set
Misc. jewels and gems, twine

Try Me Tuesday with MCT

I have two posts up today. Click the home tab and scroll below to see another embossing paste project!

Welcome to another new feature this year with the My Creative Time Design Team. Every other Tuesday we'll be sharing a different technique. Hopefully there will be something new for you to try in addition to techniques you may already have mastered. This week, we are sharing dry embossing.

Typically, dry embossing is done using embossing folders, i.e. Cuttlebug, Sizzix, Tim Holtz, Quickutz, etc. But today I'm going to share one way you can make your own dry embossed designs using your dies!

It's not hard to do and you probably have everything you need on hand. Here is my finished card.

I used the technique on the hearts and red band, as well as the lettering.

Here's how I did it. I used two sizes circles, a heart, and the letters , i lve u, from the Fun Alphabet Lower Case dies by My Creative Time, as well as the middle size of the stitched layering hearts also by MCT. I used a graham cracker box for the chipboard.

Cut two for each shape or letter, gluing them together to make a thicker piece, and place each on post-it tape, or washi tape - painter's tape works too - anything that is safe-release, in the design you want to emboss.

Tape the shapes onto the piece you are going to emboss and run through your machine using a rubber embossing mat and embossing plate; whichever configuration works in your machine.

It will come out looking like this.

As you can see, I ended up doing the embossing directly onto the front of my card instead of using this red cardstock piece. Instead I chose to do the small red band below the message. Once I finished making my embellishment and adding the red band, I added a pretty rub on border along the bottom. I've had this pack of Basic Grey rub ons  in my stash forever and thought it was the perfect touch to this card.

Thanks for coming by today. I hope this technique is one you'll try with your own dies. It's easy and fun and with your dies you have endless possibilities!!!

Products:
My Creative Time, Fun Alphabet dies, lower case
My Creative Time, Stitched Sweetheart dies
My Creative Time, Stitched Doily die
My Creative Time, Rolled Flower die
My Creative Time, Stitched Circle die
My Creative Time, Stitched Layering hearts die
Basic Grey border rub on, cracker box (chipboard), black twine, small scrap of lace, stick-on pearl, easy release tape

Giraffe Tag

For my second post today I'm sharing another stencil and embossing paste idea. I had fun making this tag with the giraffe stamp I've had in my stash for years. Never used it till now! It was one I snagged for a buck at Joann and is actually for a baby shower invite. I just masked off the time, date, rsvp stuff. Isn't he cute though?

I actually used two kinds of embossing this time. I used the stencil over the tag base and stamped with versamark, then heat embossed with clear powder. I used the same stencil to create the same animal print look with embossing paste onto a piece of vintage cream cardstock. I colored a little clump of paste adding drops of walnut stain re-inker until I had the shade I wanted. While it was still wet, I added brown glitter. Once it was dry, I cut out the heart shapes.

The cloud and speech bubble are by My Creative Time. The sentiment is by Pink by Design.

Products:
My Creative Time, Cartoon clouds dies
My Creative Time, Round speech bubble dies
My Creative Time, You're so Cool - tiny heart stamp
Pink by Design, Jungle Fever stamp set
DIY Embossing paste, clear embossing powder, versamark ink, twine, ribbon
Giraffe stamp, unknown

Made in Minutes Monday with MCT

I love this new feature for 2014...Made in Minutes! This is where we share with you ideas that you can do yourself in mere minutes. For my first Made in Minutes project, I made these super cute Valentine arrows. They took about 10 minutes to make....for all of them! For the pointed end, I used the middle size of the new Stitched Sweethearts dies, and the arrow end is the arrow from the 4x4 journaling die set. I modified it slightly by cutting off the points at the top and turning it around.

And the hearts....so super sweet with the adorable new Peachy Keen faces on them! Peachy faces make everything extra super cute!

One more idea - you can (if you want to) add a candy to each of the pencils instead of a peachy face. Voila! Sugar upper! I'm sure the teacher would be thrilled to have more candy in her classroom on Valentine's Day. LOL

I also did these milk flavoring straws. These took about the same amount of time as the four pencils, only because I added a little tag that needed to be cut, stamped and tied on. So fun and super easy. The kids will be pleased with them, I'm sure. :)

So there you have a few 10 minute ideas for classroom Valentines. Have fun and just think, you'll be the first one finished if you start right now. ;)

Products:
My Creative Time, Stitched Sweetheart dies
My Creative Time, 4x4 Journaling die set - arrow
My Creative Time, Teeny Tag Holidays
Peachy Keen Stamps, Sweet On You Face Assortment (PK-1357)

Embossing Paste background

My first attempt at using embossing paste! I like how it turned out, but will make the embossed area a little larger on my next card. I used a card design by Debby Hughes for my first try.

I didn't have embossing paste so I took to the interwebs....Pinterest to the rescue! I made my own, thanks to Gabrielle who shared her simple recipe.

Here is my finished result.

Products:
DIY embossing paste (link above)
Tattered Angels glimmer mists, vintage pink and pearl
My Mind's Eye, Lost and Found Heirloom 6x6 paper pad and coordinating enamel dots
My Favorite Things leafy flourish die
My Creative Time, Stitched Sweethearts die
My Creative Time, More of My Favorite Sayings sentiment
Other: key charm, adhesive pearls, oval die

Love coupon book

Welcome to my favorite day of the week! :) I wanted to share with you this simple and fun little project I threw together.... Love Coupons! So fun for Valentine's Day. These would be great for kids too with coupons for a free ice cream, one day of no chores, movie night, pizza, sleepover, or whatever, and more stamping and embellishing on the coupons. 

I cut the book cover and coupons using the 4 by 2 1/4 inch ticket from the Quickutz nesting tickets die set. The oval and banner across the front are dies by My Creative Time. All the postmark stamps are also by My Creative Time, and the hearts border by My Favorite Things. 

The Love stamp on the cover and all the stamps on the coupons inside are by My Favorite Things.

Each coupon is perforated and can be easily removed.

The polka dot heart stamp is by My Creative Time, and the "you" sentiment is Ali Edwards, by Technique Tuesday.

Products:
My Creative Time, Post Card Add-ons stamp set
My Creative Time, Vintage Label and Banner dies
My Creative Time, Surprise Pop-Out Card die
My Creative Time, Puffy Hearts Just For You stamp set
My Favorite Things, Love Coupon Book stamp set
Technique Tuesday, AE Studios, Everyday Words
Quickutz nesting ticket dies

New Challenge at MCT!

It's time for a new challenge with the My Creative Time design team. For this challenge we're using a sketch (see below product list). Sketch challenges are my favorite. The original sketch is a 8.5x11, but I adapted it to fit my 12x12 format. My base cardstock looks blue, but it's really green.

In this image alone, I used seven MCT stamps and die sets. Can you find them all? I went a little nuts again, but it's easy to do with the versatility of these products. In the end, I think I used a total of fifteen sets on this page, and multiples from some of the sets.

My husband. He is all these things and more, and I am so lucky to have found him! He is just as much my best friend as he is my hubby. We laugh all the time and really enjoy each other's company. And the older we get, the sillier we are. Mostly it's fun having him around, but some days I do have to chase him out to his shop for a break. LOL ;) The words come from the Tab Notes set, tiny heart from the You're So Cool stamp set. Flags are from the Chocolate Greetings stamp and die set.

I super love this adorable typewriter image from the Once Upon a Time stamp set. The sentiments that come with it are so perfect. Our "once upon a time" has a wonderful and happy ending. For all our ups and downs, we always end up back on the same page. And don't forget the XOXO die.

That's my layout for today. I hope you enjoyed it with all the goodies I crammed onto it. LOL I'm a little proud of myself for learning how to add a zillion things to one page without it looking cluttered or overcrowded when I finish. At least, I hope it doesn't look all cluttered, anyway. Either way, I like how this one turned out and it's a great pic of my hubs - not easy to accomplish in itself! ;) Thanks for coming by! Be sure to check the other designer layouts as well using this fabby sketch and please join us and link your layout for this challenge on the My Creative Time blog. ♥

Products:
My Creative Time, Fun Stitched Edges
My Creative Time, Build-a-Postcard
My Creative Time, Script Type Backgrounds
My Creative Time, 4x4 Journal Die + More (arrows, banner)
My Creative Time, Circle Tab Sentiments
My Creative Time, Circle Speech Bubbles die
My Creative Time, Treasured Moments
My Creative Time, Once Upon a Time
My Creative Time, Stitched Sweethearts and XOXO dies
My Creative Time, Chocolate Greetings
My Creative Time, Tab Notes
My Creative Time, You're So Cool
My Creative Time, Type Calendar
My Creative Time, Puffy Hearts Just For You
My Creative Time, Postcard Add-ons
Fancy Pants, Like Father, Like Son collection

the sketch: