Cardabilities DT Reveal #72

It's time for my 2nd DT reveal for Cardabilities.  Karan came up with another gorgeous sketch and i got inspired to do a cute masculine card for my friend's son, Tristan (whom you've surely seen on some of my past layouts), who turned 2 this month.

I used some scraps from one of my all-time favorite KaiserCraft collections, Up, Up & Away.

I kept the card simple but yet fun enough for a 2 year-old to enjoy!

Karan's sketches are so versatile and fun to play with.  Now i can't wait to see what kind of card it will inspire you to create.  Click HERE to see more takes on this sketch from the Cardabilities DT!  You have until April 13th to link up your creation!

Spring Window Card (Crate Paper March Challenge)

Creating, creating, creating!  That's what i have been doing the last couple days!  I have received my Limited Edition kit for April from My Creative Scrapbook and it's a BEAUTY!  I can't wait to show you my creations early next month!

Today, it is time to share a little card i put together for the March Challenge on the Crate Paper blog.  The challenge was to add some Spring 'flutter' to our project by incorporating either a butterfly, dragonfly, bee, etc. 

I cut out my butterfly out of the Pretty Party collection, and used different patterned papers, stickers, twine and a button, all from Crate Paper.

It was a fairly simple card to make, but so perfect for Spring.  Now if only all the snow could melt where i live! hehe

Thank you for 'fluttering' by! :)

Gift Bag & Card Set Tutorial (MCS March GDT)

I am sharing a tutorial today at My Creative Scrapbook on how to make your own Gift Bag & Card Set with the March Limited Edition kit, or any other supplies you want to use.

Here are some instructions so that you can create your own Gift Bag & Card Set:

First, you will need a few extra elements that are not included in the Limited Edition kit, namely a large paper gift bag and a smaller regular paper bag, about 3.5" wide and cut 4.25" long at the opening.  You can also use one of your favorite border punches to create a fancy border on both the bag and the card.

Use your border punch and punch out 2 border strips out of regular cardstock the same width of your paper bag.  Glue the borders on a piece of patterned paper about 3.5" high.  Stick to the bag.

Cut out a circle about 4.5" in diameter out of your patterned paper making sure to include some of the flower designs.  Then, fussy cut some more flowers out of the paper that you will be using on both your bag and card.

Now you need to distress the chipboard circle. Cover it with white gesso and heat it up to make it bubble and add some texture.  You can then add a coat of white or off-white paint and then, while the paint is still wet, dust it lightly with yellow or gold glitter.  Once dry, you can dab it with some yellow-tone distress ink or chalk.

Stick the paper circle on your paperbag and then line it with the chipboard circle.  Add some lace ribbon along the edge of the patterned paper strip.

Add some of the flowers that you fussy-cut out of the patterned paper and add one of the flowers from your kit.

And your gift bag is now finished!

Now on to the card:

Note that i finally decided not to use the resin frame included in the picture on this project.  I am saving it for a layout that i will be sharing with you later on this month on the My Creative Sketches blog.

Cut a card base about 5.5" square out of cardstock.

Take the small paper bag and distress the opening a little.  Cut out the 'Loved' card out of the Webster's Pages paper.  Insert the card inside the paper bag just enough so that you can still see the word 'Loved'.  Glue the bag to your card base.

Punch out another border out of your cardstock about 3.75" wide.  Glue the border on a piece of patterned paper about the same width. Add a strip of ribbon.  Stick on your card on top of the paper bag.

Add all the rest of the flowers you fussy-cut out of your patterned papers.  Add as many as you'd like on your card, spacing them in a nice flower arrangement design.  Add a smaller flower from your kit.

You can now recreate this project with any paper collection you want to use, in different themes and colors.  I am sure that a special person in your life would truly appreciate such a pretty handmade gift from you!

Visit My Creative Scrapbook all month for cool tips from the DT using the fabulous March kits!

Family Heirloom (PaperHaus Sketch & Prima PPP)

Spring is just around the corner and when i think Spring, i think GREEN! All shades of it!!! :)

Prima's March PPP is all about greens also.  Check it out:

While inspiring myself on this beautiful palette, i also decided to play along with this month's sketch challenge at PaperHaus Magazine.  The winner will be guest designing for PaperHaus next month.  If you've never checked out PaperHaus Magazine, you are missing out on an extensive gallery of amazing talents!  Click HERE to take a free look at their current issue.

Now let's see my 'green' project:

My niece Ella is so adorable in this picture, proudly wearing this family heirloom of a costume, passed down from a few generations on her Mom's side of the family.

The border was made using a Prima mask and embossing paste.  I then inked it with different shades of green ink mixed with a little black.

Although i love the color green (my blog decor is proof enough), i have to say i tend to stay away from too much of it while scrapbooking.  This layout was definitely a challenge for me.

How about you?  Do you often go green? :)

Family (My Creative Sketches March GDT reveal)

This month, My Creative Sketches came up with another beautiful sketch to play with for the chance to win a GORGEOUS prize!  Look at these goodies up for grabs!!!

I soooo wish i could play for a chance to win!!!

As part of the GDT for My Creative Scrapbook, i was able to be part of this exciting reveal.  Here is the sketch for March, followed by my layout.

This is an old (well, not so old i guess) family picture that i had never scrapbooked for no particular reason.  It is pretty much our only 'grown-up' family portrait which was taken 3 years before my dad passed away in 2004.  I'm hoping to be cherishing this picture AND layout for a long time to come.  Times goes by so fast, and sometimes we tend to forget that it all starts... and ends... with family.

I created this layout with some leftover products from my Limited Edition March kit from My Creative Scrapbook: the gorgeous yellow patterned paper and the resin frame both from Webster's Pages and the large white flower from Prima.

 For all of you who like to dabble in a little mixed media on your pages and are wondering how i came up with this look on my chipboard title, i used a mixture of gesso, acrylic paint, embossing paste, distress inks and smooch glitz.  It's a trial and error thing until you succeeded. :)

 My chipboard leaves were done with mostly gesso and a couple shades of distress inks, and i added Stickles to my cut-out butterfly.

 

 I used a Prima mask as well as distress ink and embossing paste to make the hexagons below.  I then added the same effect on the cut-out paper hexagons.  I am in love with embossing paste!

 

Take out your paints, inks, papers, scissors and embellishments and create something beautiful this month inspired by the sketch above from My Creative Sketches.  You can see more inspiration from the DT right HERE and link up before April 14th .

Cardabilities Sketch#71 DT Reveal

Yes, it is my first DT reveal for Cardabilities today!!!

I have gotten the list of sketches that i will have to play with during my DT term, and let me tell you, Karan, the owner of Cardabilities, did an amazing job!

Let's cut the blog talk short and reveal Sketch #71:

I decided i wanted to go all romantic and elegant with this card, but keeping it simple at the same time.

I did some embossing for the background that i then distressed with some white ink.  Half a doily, a few beautiful Prima flowers and some pearly accents, and voilà... I really love the result!

By choosing 'best wishes' as the sentiment, i could easily give this card away to somebody for their birthday, to a special couple for their wedding day, or even to a person taking on a new job or going on a away on a trip.

Now i urge you to visit Cardabilities and see my fellow DT gals' takes on this gorgeous sketch.  Link up your card for a chance to be a featured designer!

 

*NEW* Winners

Well, as promised, i said that if i didn't hear from the original winners of my giveaways by Saturday, i would be picking new winners.  It is now Sunday and i am here to share *new* winners!!!

Once again, Sugar helped me pick the 2 lucky ladies...

The *new* winner of giveaway #1:

The *new* winner of Giveaway #2:

Congratulations, *new* winners!  

Please contact me at nicutopia(at)hotmail(dot)com to give me your mailing address so i can send you both your prize.

If you do not contact me by Saturday, March 16th, i will be forced to pick new *new* winners the following day. :)

My Creative Scrapbook March GDT Reveal

Once again, Pam at My Creative Scrapbook has come up with gorgeous kits for you!  Let's not waste any time and see the beautiful products contained in each kit.  To get a complete list of products included in these kits, visit My Creative Scrapbook and, at the same time, take the time to look over all the DT's projects.  They have outdone themselves again this month!

MAIN KIT

Creative Kit

Limited Edition Kit

Album Kit

I had the pleasure of working with the Limited Edition kit full of KaiserCraft and Webster's Pages papers and stickers as well as some of the newest Prima releases.

Here are my projects along with close-ups!

I Love You

I Want To...

 

Our Flower Girl

 

Love Bird Card

Gift Bag & Card Set

 

And there you have it!  All the projects i was able to create with just one kit!  Plus, i have some leftovers so i will be sharing with you another layout a little later this month inspired by the March sketch at My Creative Sketches.  So stay tuned for that as well as a tutorial on how i created my Gift Bag & Card Set.

As mentioned above, if you want to find out more about My Creative Scrapbook kits, click HERE!