Beautiful

It's a beautiful thing when you can have the best of both worlds. Swirlydoos November kit is so jam packed with swirly goodness that there is always left over product once my reveal day LO's are done. I can then use what I have left between my main kit and all of the add ons to use for challenges, contests, tutorials and yes, even my work to showcase the gorgeous stamps for Heartfelt Creations. I also used this particulat LO for the Stop the Hoarding Challenge at Swirydoos..I hoard my Dusty Attic Gates..I have a ton!! So stop saving those "pretties" because they're pretty...Use them!!! That's why you bought them!!


I stamped the Swirly Autumn Leaves PreCut Set onto the cardstock, then stamped the single Open Leaves cut them out, and sprayed with Glimmer Mist, then adhered them over the stamped images to match the pattern.


I then punched different size smaller flowers with the Posey patch die using mulberry paper, distressed the edges a bit, and layered and formed the flowers then used Glimmer mist to color in Pineapple then touched the edge of the petals in Scarlett and added a green flower punch underneath along with some wire swirls that I covered with floral tape.



The Dusty Attic Chipboard "Beautiful" was painted with Apple Barrel Acrylic paint in Satin Cream and slightly sanded for a distressed look.


I painted the Dusty Attic die cut gate with Tim Holtz Crackle paint, and when it dried, inked with soft brown ink, then misted with Glimmer Mist in Scarlett and added some May Arts vine ribbon. Kind of looks like a rusty old, but beautiful gate.

Tuscan Flowers

I have gotten a lot of requests on wanting to know how I shade my stamped leaves and also how I made the flowers on my "Faith" LO. So instead of a photo step by step tutorial, I will be creating a video tutorial . It will be up by next weekend. So grab some cardstock, your Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die, your Glimmer Mist and get ready to create the latest of my flowers creations. The flowers on my LO were missing something, so I rummaged through my Sizzix collection and found a Sizzix Sizzlets die that looked like stamen. I purchased it last year after seeing the Punch Bunch Demonstrator at CHA creating flowers, and I purchased the book The Paper Bouquet. After seeing Gerry Van Gent use a similar punch in her latest flowers, I remembered I had the Sizzix one...Thanks for the inspiration Gerry!! Then I dicovered that Lisa 9Kaye222) did stamen also. You have got to check hers out, just another twist!! Love it, thanks for sharing Lisa!! These 2 rock the flower world as well!!

Faith***Stuck On You Sketches*** 11-12-10

This week I am the Guest Designer for Stuck On U Sketches, and this is the LO I did following the sketch by the wonderful Vanessa Waller. I had been hoarding the beautiful paper from K and Company "Tuscan Sun", and decided to use it for the Stop The Hoarding Challenge at Swirlydoos. The designers entries are always for inspiration only. But it forced me to finally cut open that paper pack!! I was also inspired by The Color Room colors this week. Palette # 32... So warm and cozy and feels like Autumn.

The leaves are from Heartfelt Creations and I misted them with Glimmer Mist in 3 different colors. I die cut some small flourishes from my Sizzix Sizzlets collection. I also misted the lace with GM in pinapple. The clock was stamped from my Tim Holtz Lifes Possibilities stamp set, then cut out and adhered to LO. I die cut the journaling block using Spellbinders Nestabilities set Labels #1 and used a Heartfelt Creations stamp for the journaling.

I created the flowers to match the paper using the Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Floral die to make the sunflowers in 2 layers. I cut out a warm orange cardstock then sprayed on Glimmer Mist in Scarlet and Golden Terre Cotta. I misted them slightly and scrunched them for texture. The middles were created the same way I created the middles for my Name that Flower tutorial and misted them in Pineapple. The butterfly is from one of the collections I share with everyone. I covered it in Rock Candy Stickles for some vintage shimmer, adhered by the body and lifted the wings for dimension.
The letters were die cut with Tim Holtz Vintage Market strip die. And you can find my tutorial for the decorative circle for Swirlydoos here. Thanks for all of the inspiration I find everywhere and to all the scrappers who pay it forward. I do this every chance I get.

Heartfelt Creations Reveal

Hop on over to the Heartfelt Creations Blog to see what the designers have created this week!! If you love stamps and cards, then you are going to love what you will see. Heartfelt Creations has some of the most talented cardmakers and scrappers around. I am proud to call myself a Heartfelt Creations Design Team member. These women are so talented!! I just love incorporating the beautiful stamps into my Swirlydoos LO's. Then check out my tip to get larger stamped images!!

Angel Eyes

This Lo is a design team project for Heartfelt Creations, and I have the both of best worlds by incorporating my Swirlydoos kits with them. Everything (except ribbon) on the LO is from this months Swirlydoos kit "Simply Irresistible and I used Heartfelt Creations to enhance the LO. I also presented this LO for the round Robin challenge at Swirlydoos. Once a month the girls host a Round Robin where scrappers are placed on to teams of 4. The first scrapper on the team does a layout and is followed weekly by the next person who lifts the first scrapper and so on till the last scrapper is done..It is so cool to see the different variations of the first lo posted. And a lot of fun. I was 1st in my group for November.
I used my favorite leaf stamps on this page. The other leaves are from Heartfelt creations as well. From the same set as the same ones I always use. I stamped them, photocopied the stamped image, enlarged it and voila!! larger leaves... I Glimmer Mist my leaves in 2-3 colors, then enhance with a contrasting but compliment color..One trick is to stamp using Tim Holtz distress ink, so when you mist it with Glimmer mist, it kind of bleeds...I use 2 different greens, then paint Glimmer Mist on a different color or ink a different color.

I used my sewing machine onto some grosgrain ribbon to gather it and use as an embellie.
I shared some butterflies for your collection. I used Stickles and Glimmer
Mist on them

***Stuck On U Sketches Fall Mini Swap***

This is the mini I created for Brenda for the Fall Mini Album Swap we started in September at STUCK*ON*U*SKETCHES. I really enjoyed making this one for Brenda although it pales in comparison to the one she created for me!!. I love the fall colors, so rich and yummy!! I love sunflowers and warm tones...I am inspired to creat another one!!! A birdhouse mini like the one Brenda made for me...Maybe in some Pretty Prima paper, covered in Prima flowers!!! Maybe, I will use my Swirly kit to do one...Yea, thats it... A Swirlydoos Birdhouse Mini Album!!!..Oh the possibilities!!

***Stuck On U Sketches Mini Album Swap***

Nanne from Stuck On U Sketches invited me to do a mini album swap a couple of months ago. I decided to join in on the fun. I was paired with Brenda Smith, a very creative scrapper!! I just received my Gorgeous album in the mail yesterday and was blown away by the creativity!! She created this beautiful Album from the prettiest fall papers and embellies. You think you are looking at a cute birdhouse, then you remove the roof and ...A MINI!!!! It has pockets, and hidden tags and just yumminess with every page!! If you know Laura Denison, then you know this wonderful piece of art was made from one of her patterns!! I follow The Paper Trail, and get inspired!!! Looks like Brenda did as well!! Thank you Girls at Stuck On U Sketches Nanne, Leah and Sandi, for hosting a wonderful swap, and thank you Brenda for the little piece of heaven you mailed my way!!!

Simply Irresistible***Swirlydoos*** November Kit

Simply Irresistible is the latest kit from Swirlydoos. I enjoyed working with all of the new goodies that I have not had the pleasure of working with before. Tattered Angels Chalkboard Mist in Peacock is wonderful!! I sprayed just about all of the blue paper I used on my LO's. It gave the paper a gorgeous blue shimmer.

I shared with you on how to make the Prima Eliza flowers. I just wanted a pop of color against the steely blue colors.I call them Swirly Sweetheart Daisies.
The files for the swirly vines can be found at Swirlydoos. I love the Teresa Collins metal book plates we received in the kit.

I punched some medium sized Retro flowers and after I hit it with Chalkboard mist, I outlined win white with my Opaque white gel pen for design and topped with a Prima Pearl.

Did some machine sewing on the border before I wet distressed and inked the paper. Used the Prima flower vine backing, cut in scallops and wove ribbon through it. I added more of the swirly vines to the already beautiful Prima vine.

I shared some butterfly files in 4 different colors. I added Rock Candy Stickles and edged them with Icicle Stickles and cut apart a Prima say it in pearls piece for the body and trails.
I printed up letters in Microsoft Word and cut them apart, inked them . I cut up hundreds of letters in different styles...I love the little letters.
I love the new Prima jewelry. I used the Chalkboard ist in Peacock to spray all of the blues in this LO, including the prima flowers. This LO is also used for Heartfelt Creations . I love the leave stamps they have. The set I used here has 6 different sizes. I only used 2 sizes in this one. But they are beautiful!!

Go check out the Video tutorial for the decorative punched circle. I added some pearls to the design.
I tore some peekaboo corners to this, and punched the Prima Flower vine backing to peek through the torn background paper.


I love when we get cardboard in our kits. I just love tearing and distressing it. You cant see the shimmer in the LO, but it is incredible in real life. I also used a thickened gesso for texture, then used Glimmer Mist over it when it was dry. Once again, used the Decorative Circle technique on this one. The photo is of my friends newborn babies foot..The baby's daddy is one hell of a photographer. Photography by Steven Stoeckle. (The daddy)...Steve and Cady have generously allowed me to use the photo Steve took, for my LO.
I used the flowers I created for this one as well. And love my favorite Heartfelt Creations leaves.
When we were at camp last year, we all shared our dies, I bought chipboard with me and punch about 25 of these Tim Holtz hinges. I really need to get the die!!. I used TH crackle distress paint on them, then rubbed a little Distress Ink over it using my finger which brings out the details in the cracks.
I glimmer Misted my all time favorite Heartfelt Creations leaves in 2 different colors of Glimmer Mist. I also used the same color on the blue butterflies just on the edges of the wings.
Just some closeups of the flower. They are so easy and fun to make.

I never thought to use this color combo, but it worked. This is my sisters grand daughter Nichole. We call her Nikki...She has this amazing mop of red hair and the reason why I tried this peachy color on the blue paper. So Nikki's hair was really the inspiration.
I used 3 different colors of Glimmer mist on the Heartfelt Creations leaves.

I also used my Ribbon Rose buds that I created with a beautiful silk ribbon I found at an estate sale, and I added some stamen in the middles for these. And the butterflies are the peach ones.
We get lots of Dusty Attic from Swirlydoos. I have quite the stash now. I painted the gate with Tim Holtz distress crackle paint, then rubbed some TH Spiced Marmalade distress ink in some spots and rubbed it in. I also rubbed some into the background paper to blend in with all of the embellies. I know this was quite a long post, but I always have questions about my techniques. So I try to cover everything.