Dream Medallion Wall Hanging

Did you hear the news? Craft Warehouse had announced their 2014 Design Team. I'm excited to be returning as a member of their core team, they are a great company to design for. You can check out the entire team here. 

Today I want to share my latest project, a wall hanging made of accordion fold medallions using fun patterned paper and some awesome chipboard letters.

 

I love these chipboard letters because of their size and how versatile they are.  They are great for a decor piece like this or for banners.  

 

For details on how I finished the letters and how I made all those medallions with some fun paper from Echo Park, check out my post on the Craft Warehouse blog with a step by step tutorial, here.

 

Black With Two March Challenge & DT Call

 

Black With 2 has a fabulous challenge for you this month.  A great pallet of Lemon and Thyme based on a dominant black background.  Check out the inspiration board for a sketch and all the inspiration you need to create your own layout for the March challenge.

 

 

Here's my take on the inspiration board.

 

Don't forget to check out the Black With 2 blog for more layouts by the design team.

 

 

 

Also, some exciting news to share...Black With 2 is currently having a DT Call

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking!

Black With 2 February Challenge

Well January just flew by, but the good news is that means there is a new challenge up on the Black With 2 blog.  Check out this awesome inspiration board for February. 

 

 

 

Here's my take on the inspiration board.

 

 

I embossed the magenta colored cardstock with my big shot since I didn't have any patterned paper that worked for this challenge, I created my own by embossing it. 

 

 

Here's a closer look at the flower cluster.  Check out all the design team inspiration and more at the Black With 2 challenge blog.

 

Thanks for looking!

Christmas Card Inspiration

Today I want to share with you some Christmas card inspiration for any of those last minute card makers out there.  I was featured as a guest designer for Craft Warehouse recently and these cards were featured on the Craft Warehouse blog. 

 

 

All the cards feature product from Lawn Fawn.  This Merry and Bright card is the simplest and all the details can be found here.

 

 

The sheet of tags are perfect for gift card holders.  Step by step instructions for this card can be found here.

 

 

This is one of my favorite cards.  Made using a coordinating stamp and die set from Lawn Fawn, I love that you can have a the look of fussy cutting without actually having to fussy cut the image.  You can get all the details for this fun sequenced card here.

 

 

And last but not least, the Merry Christmas mantel card.  There are so many great stamps and dies in one set the creative possibilities are endless.  Check out the steps to create the brick pattern and the mantel here.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking!

Black with 2 November Challenge

Welcome to November!  A new month brings a new challenge for the Black with 2 challenge site.

 

Here's this months palette

 

 

I love this palette, it's full of rich colors, set on a dominant black background.

 

Here's my take on this months challenge

 

 

Check out the Black With 2 blog for the DT's inspiration for this challenge and for the details to play along.  Don't forget there are prizes for layouts and cards.

 

 

Thanks for looking!

 

ScraPerfect Announces New Design Team

I've had some exciting news to share for a while and now and I can finally share.  I'm excited to share that ScraPerfect has announced their new Design Team and I was fortunate to be selected as one of their new DT members. 

 

Check out the ScraPerfect blog for a list of all the talent selected for the DT and check out the ScraPerfect website for all the awesome products they offer. 

 

 

Happy Halloween Wall Hanging

 

I recently came across this cute unfinished wood wall hanging that says Happy Halloween.  For five bucks I couldn't pass it up as I knew it would be perfect for some of my Halloween Zappy Dots.  I also found some fun Halloween paper from Doodlebug Designs that work perfectly with the Zappy Dots.

 

I painted the edges and base with black acrylic paint before covering with this fun chevron paper.

 

Here are close ups of all the Zappy Dots used from the Too Cute To Spook flair button set.

 

Love this ghost / Boo Flair button.

A fun curly cue pumpkin!  The sign is larger than 12 x 12 so I covered one side with the patterned paper and then lined up a second sheet so the patterns matched as best as possible. 

In real life I have a huge fear of spiders, but this guy is super cute!

 

And Halloween would not be complete without a black cat.  How cute is that heart shaped nose.

 

After I adhered the paper I cut around the excess paper with a craft knife, you could also trace an outline and cut it out before you adhere it.

 

Supply list

 

Unfinished wood Happy Halloween

Black acrylic paint

Black ink

Patterned Paper

Zappy Dots

Ribbon

 

Zappy Dots used

Too Cute To Spook

 

 

 

 

It's A Cupcake Birthday Party!

I'm so excited to share with you my first project created for Zappy Dots!  I received a selection of birthday and cupcake themed Zappy Dot flair buttons to create this project.  I had so much fun creating these cupcake goodies, hope you enjoy this sweet party set.

 

 

Cupcake Card

 

My first project was the cupcake card. 

 

 

This is actually a pocket card and the top of the cupcake slides into the base.  To make the card I traced to cupcake shapes (I used a chipboard shape, but anything would work) onto cardstock and cut them out.  Cut one in half where the top of the cupcake meets the bottom, this will make the pocket and the insert.  Now attach patterned paper to the two front pieces.  You can't tell by this picture and the patterned paper I used, but I ran the paper through a paper crimper before adhering to the cardstock piece.  For both pieces I adhered a rectangle of paper and trimmed around it.  Ink edges if desired.

 

 

To make the insert piece, trim a piece of cardstock to fit your cupcake, mine was 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".  On one side mark the bottom ends to what the bottom end needs to be, I marked mine at 1/2" on both sides.  Trim from mark to opposite corner to create an angle, repeat for other side and attach the wide end to the back side of the top of the cupcake.  Now add your embellishments.  I love how this Zappy Dot works with this card and papers.

 

Cupcake Box

 

 

To make the box I covered to cupcake chipboard shapes with patterned paper, both sides.  On the sides that were going to be the front and the back I crimped the paper I used for the bottom adhered to the chipboard.  Time to embellish the front and add that special Zappy Dot!  To create the actual box, I traced the bottom portion of the cupcake onto to a piece of cardstock, then using my score board, I scored one line down the bottom of the outline I just drew and measured 1" made another score line and trace the same portion of the bottom of the cupcake.  Use scissors to cut out the box, being careful to leave "wings" on both sides to form your box.  Fold up and adhere together the box and adhere to the inside pieces of the chipboard cupcakes.

 

Cupcake Toppers

 

 

Next up is the cupcake toppers.  I love how these turned out and they are really so simple to make, they would be great for a party with cupcakes.

 

 

All you need is a flower shape die (or any shape you want) in a couple sizes.  I used the 3 above for the toppers and the wreath.  For each cupcake topper you need one large and medium flower and one lollypop stick. 

 

 

After you cut your shapes ink the edges if desired. 

 

 

place a little hot glue on one end of the stick and adhere it to the back side of the smaller shape.  repeat with the front side of the larger piece, the stick will be sandwiched between the paper. 

 

 

Then attach your Zappy Dot.  For these I placed a foam dot on the inside and attached with a dab of hot glue.

 

Wreath

 

Last but not least I made a fun wreath using the same die cut shapes.

 

 

For the wreath I die cut several pieces of each color and size, I always cut extra so I have a nice variety to choose from.  Start with a 6" wreath form, mine is an mdf base, you could also make one from chipboard.

 

 

For each flower I used the end of a small paint brush to gently shape the petals adding a 3dimensional look.  Ink the edges.  A flat layer of flowers around the wreath.  Now layer the top row of flowers, every other one will have a Zappy Dot center and the others will have a small flower center. 

 

 

The flowers with 3 layers are attached to the base while the flowers with the Zappy Dot center is adhered with a foam pop up adhesive.

 

Hope you are inspired to create your own Zappy Dot Cupcake Party!

 

 

The following are the Zappy Dots used for the Cupcake Party.

 

Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday

Cute Cupcakes

 

 

 Thanks for looking!

Zappy Dots Design Team!

 

 

I'm so excited to share that I've been selected to be a member of the Zappy Dots first ever Design Team.  I've been sitting on this news for a bit and I'm so glad that I can finally share it!  You can check out the official announcement on the Zappy Dots blog and check out all the talented design team members. 

 

 

Thanks for looking!!

Black With Two - August Challenge

I'm thrilled to be designing for this fun challenge site Black With Two!  If you are not familiar with the site, it offers a monthly challenge which features a dominant black background and a color pallet to create a layout or card from.  I've been having fun designing for them and hope you join in the fun.

 

 

August Challenge

 

 

 

Pallet: Dominant Black with Sunset Orange and Tropical Waters, plus 5% white

 

Here's my layout for August, I used some of my stash with papers from My Mind's Eye and Echo Park.  The stickers are also from Echo Park.  The flourishes are cut from a larger flourish and used in multiple spots. 

 

Hope you join in and create a layout or card for the challenge.  Check out the Black With Two blog for more details.

 

 

 

Thanks for looking!

 

Black With 2 Design Team Announcement

 

 

It's official!  I'm now officially a design team member for the challenge site Black With 2!!! I'm so excited for this new opportunity and look forward to creating for the monthly challenges.  Click on the link to get all the details and meet all the new designers and check out the other design team members and their work.  Check back August 1st for my first layout created for the August color challenge. 

 

They are still looking for a few good layout designers too.  If you think you have what it takes, check out their design team call too.

 

There's still time to enter this months color challenge, here's the pallet.

 

 

Thanks for looking!

 

 

Craft Warehouse Announces 2013 - 2014 DT

 

Craft Warehouse announced their 2013 - 2014 on their blog today.  I am so excited to be a returning designer this year.  You can check out all the new and returning designers here, or check out the list below.

Amanda De Jong - Scrapbooking

Arin Flynn - Paper Crafts/DIY

Denise Johnson - Mixed Media/Altered Art

Elizabeth Wiederspohn - Paper Crafts

Erica Thompson - Scrapbooking

Holly Gagnon - Paper Crafts/Card Maker

Jenifer Cowles - Seamstress

Katie Stilwater - DIY/Paper Crafts

Keri Sallee - Mixed Media

Michelle Wofford - Paper Crafts/Card Maker

Staci Wendland - Seamstress

Stephanie Paxman - DIY

 

 

Thanks for looking ~ Michelle