just breathe

This card was fun & easy to make! There’s a lot going on in my life right now and I needed something to help make me feel grounded. American Crafts ANYTHING is that thing which grounds me. I can always turn to anything AC and feel inspired. It’s also my fail safe brand that just makes me feel like I’m in my zone! Do you have a brand that makes you feel that way?

Kraft Cardstock is also something that I turn to time and time again Oh, and that cherry shade of red from American Crafts….MY FAVE

Anyways, don’t forget…”just breathe”…

Materials:

• Schlosser Designs Stamps Outside The Box
• American Crafts everyday Paper, Dear Lizzy crochet flowers, and Dear Lizzy brad
• Memento Ink
• Bazzill Kraft Cardstock

thinking of you

Here’s a Thinking of You card that I made with some American Crafts, Dear Lizzy schtuff!

I wanted to try something new, something I’ve seen a thousand times on scrapbook pages, where the artist tears the paper and folds it back to reveal a different paper or journaling.

Materials:

• American Crafts Dear Lizzy paper, felt embellishment, and rub-ons
• Sewing Machine and Thread
• Pink DMC Floss
• CTMH Edge Distresser

"b" card

This card is a melting pot of different products! The background was created simply by stamping a Schlosser Designs Hexagon-a-thon stamp repeatedly to create a honey comb!

Materials:

• Schlosser Designs Stamps, Hexagon-a-thon
• Clear & Simple Cardstock
• CTMH Grey Flannel Ink
• Basic Grey Sugar Rush patterned paper and button
• American Crafts Thickers
• Jenni Bowlin stick pins
• Michaels Ribbon

Ruffled Heart

Here’s another photo taken with my DIY Lightbox! I created this card using some new American Crafts Letterbox trim and paper paired with new Coredinations Jillibean Soup cardstock. I used some Glue Arts ribbon adhesive to hold down the ruffled trim! The hearts were cut by my Cricut.

Materials:

• American Crafts Letterbox Paper and Trim
• Core’dinations, Jillibean Soup Cardstock
• PTI cardstock
• Maya Road heart pin
• Martha Stewart Glitter
• SU heat & stick powder
• Cricut w/George Cartridge

Click to go to sketch!

Kite Flying Congrats

Here’s a picture I took with my new DIY Light Box that my hubby helped me make! This is also my 2nd installment of Practicing Creativity’s new stamp set, You’re Dandy, which is available for purchase now! Do read more details about my DIY lightbox, please scroll down!

Materials:

• Practicing Creativity, by Courtney Baker, You’re Dandy Stamp Set Only $12.99!!!!!!
• American Crafts Paper
• Studio Calico Designer Paper (Whodunit Kit)
• Perfect Match Ink, Fresh Snow & Dark Chocolate
• Stamp N Stuff embossing powder, white detail
• Fiskars Apron Lace border punch
• Hemp Twine (Wal Mart)
• Sewing Machine and Brown Thread

DIY Lightbox

I used Studiolighting.net ‘s Tutorial (Homemade Light Box for Product Photography)!

Materials:

• 5 pieces of foam core project board (30″x20″), $1.98/ea. at Target
• White Masking Tape, .99/ea. at The 99 Cent Store
• 4 Small Work Lamps, 6.98/ea at Lowe’s
• 4, 100 watt natural light lightbulbs, 3.98/pack of 2 at Lowe’s
• Exacto Knife
• Ruler
• I spent less than $50, the lighting is what you’re paying the most for!

My Advice:

• This light box works GREAT for what I need it for. I have a dinky Canon Powershot A480 and it works just fine.
• Do get familiar with your camera settings and find the function to adjust your white balance. I customized mine to adjust to the lighting in the light box.
• Do utilize photo editing software to adjust the white balance even more!
• This light box would ROCK if you have a camera with an external flash. Just bounce the flash off the top of the box and onto your subject, the picture will be seamless!
• If anyone has an old DSLR Camera that they don’t want anymore just send it my way

Today is Groundhog Day and I was SO looking forward to an early Spring! Although, I really shouldn’t complain… 65 Degree weather in the desert in winter isn’t bad But, I DO miss green grass and leaves on the trees! Here’s my ode to spring, a card I made with some goodies (Dear Lizzy) I scored from American Crafts at CHA Anaheim:

First Signs of Spring

This week's challenge is brought to you by...

Click to go to shop!

Isn’t the model TOO CUTE for words!!!! And look at those adorable handmade hats!

My Card:

A little birdie told me...

I created a card for a mom-to-be! This card with one of those cute hats would be awesome!

Materials:

• American Crafts Letterpress Zing Finish Paper
• American Crafts Letterpress Flair
• PTI Ribbon Dark Chocolate
• Maya Road Stick Pin
• Prima Marketing Flower
• Sewing Machine and Thread

For more details about this challenge and the special new release, Blueberry and Strawberry Fairies, from Pixie Dust Studio, go to the Etsy Inspired Challenge Blog! Pixie Dust Studio is kind enough to give away one prize package of the new releases to one lucky participant!

Kelly, Latisha, Elizabeth, and ME!

Elizabeth Kartchner is one of the sweetest people in the industry! She’s genuine and kind!

Be sure to check out her new book, 52 More Scrapbooking Challenges! Courtney Baker and I were talking about how much we loved the book! I’ve gone through it a dozen times

Dear Lizzy, the line from American Crafts, hits stores in March, so keep your eyes peeled for this delightful line!

picture taken by Charlene!

My Cool Tote!

My all-time favorite release from CHA Anaheim is the new release from American Crafts, Dear Lizzy! Not only is Elizabeth Kartchner gorgeous, but she also has exquisite taste!

Sidenote-The shade of red incorporated is my favorite shade of red and I actually hunted down a sheet of cardstock thinking it was Bazzill, and when I found out it was American Crafts, I purchased 10 sheets

My favorites include the pennant paper, the rosette ribbon trim, the berry thickers, and the fabric paper! Dear Lizzy told us that her favorite item from the release is the pennant paper as well!

Click to see release!

The other American Crafts Releases ROCK MY SOCKS too!

Check out I Do, Abode, Botanique, and Heat Wave!

Signed Copy of 52 more Scrapbooking Challenges

I had the privilege of meeting this BEAUTIFULLY kind woman, Elizabeth Kartchner (aka dearlizzy, as in the American Crafts Paper Line)!!! She was so sweet and so kind! She even gave us signed copies of her new book, 52 more Scrapbooking Challenges! There are 162 colored pages CHALK FULL of inspiration! There are quizzes, tips, pointers, technique tutorials, and the inspiration is just ENDLESS!

One of my favorite pages:

This book FORCES me to step outside my comfort zone and entering into new techniques and new ways of thinking about scrapbooking! This ain’t your mama’s how-to scrapbook binder! Oh, and the Uber famous Uber Fab, Beth Opel helped write this fabulous publication! You will definitely get your money’s worth with this book!

Click to order!

Follow Elizabeth on twitter HERE!