DIY Valentines

This is my second post today. If you've traveled here from the Practical Scrappers blog, please scroll down to see today's snow themed layout!

It's a new year and time for new challenges at the A Muse Studio Challenge Blog! Woo Hoo! Tracey is hosting the first challenge, and it's to celebrate your new goodies. Show your love for something new to you by combining it with one of your favorites. Whether your paper crafting favorite is a color, tool, or technique, use it to showcase one of those new, never been used items we all have. 

Link up your project to the A Muse Studio Challenge blog by January 26th for your chance to win some great A Muse Studio products. You can find out more here.

When I heard Tracey's challenge to use our new items, I knew exactly what I wanted to do! I picked up some A Muse Studio glassine envelopes a few months ago and hadn't taken them out of the package. With February 14th quickly approaching, today was just the right day to use those envelopes to make some pretty valentines!

My favorite paper crafting technique is paper piecing. I'm a sucker for detail cutting! I started out with a doily and some washi tape from the new Valentine catalog. Next, I stamped the heart, from the Sending My Love set, onto kraft cardstock and patterned paper. After cutting them out, I adhered them to the front of the envelope and added pearls. In the open space on the left hand side, I added the names of the recipients in permanent, acid free marker.  

To coordinate with the CA-UTE envelopes, I created these Valentine cards:

 

I started out with the card base, adding faux stitching with the same permanent marker. After cutting a layer of kraft paper, I added pieces of washi tape and rounded the corners. Of course I had to add the piece of doily I trimmed off the envelopes to the card front. This I Heart You stamp is also from the Sending My Love stamp set. I first stamped it onto white cardstock and then again on patterned paper. I cut out the patterned paper heart and adhered it to the white piece. 

Creating the set of cards and envelopes was fast and easy. You could create a set to give away as a gift or give away individually to those you love. Who says Valentine's Day has to be for couples?! I'm going back to the days of grade school and handing out valentines to all my friends. 

SUPPLIES

Cardstock: A Muse Studio (Sugar, Kraft)

Patterned Paper: BasicGrey (Fiction 12x12 Paper Pack)

Pearls: A Muse Studio (White)

Punch: Martha Stewart Crafts (1-inch Corner Rounder)

Marker: Bic Ultra Fine Acid Free (Black)

Washi Tape: A Muse Studio (Valentine Collection)

Doily: A Muse Studio (4.5 inch)

Envelopes: A Muse Studio (Large Glassine)

*You can find A Muse Studio products in my webstore

Practical Scrappers Challenge :: Negative Space

Good morning! Today is my first post with the Practical Scrappers On Trend Team! Today we're showcasing projects using NEGATIVE SPACE. 

At first, I thought of creating a layout with a single picture and lots of wide open space. However, I chose to create a card instead. Leaving a background white, blank, and without texture or ink was hard for me. I wanted to add some faux stitching or another layer of patterned paper. Forcing myself to abide by the 'Less is more' rule was fun, and I love the result.

The camera and sentiment were separate pieces stamped onto a circle punched from white cardstock. I then paper pieced the grey patterned paper and pink heart. To balance out the smaller sized circle, I added some washi tape and pearls. Just because you choose to have negative space in your project, doesn't mean you can't add some bling!

The rest of the On Trend Team has created some great projects for you! Make sure you head over to the Practical Scrappers blog to see more. I'm so honored to be on this talented team!

CARD SUPPLIES
Cardstock: Paper Cut (White, Pewter)
Patterned Paper: American Crafts (Dear Lizzy Neapolitan 6x6 Paper Pack)
Stamps: A Muse Studio (Sending My Love)
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black)
Pearls: A Muse Studio (White)
Washi Tape: Studio G (Green), A Muse Studio (Valentine Collection)

Sketch It Saturday :: Light Up My Life

Good morning, and thank you for joining me today as I bring you a new sketch from Unscripted Sketches! Our Design Team ROCKED. IT. this week with their gorgeous creations. You must head over to the blog after you check out my card to see all their projects!

Remember, this sketch is just a starting point. We can't wait to visit your blog or photo gallery and see what you've created using it as your inspiration. Here's what I've created this week:

Rather than a stripe of paper across the middle of the card, I added some washi tape from A Muse Studio's new Valentine's catalog. The scalloped circle was punched from grey patterned paper and layered with the punched white circle. I stamped the light bulb onto the circle and paper pieced the pink heart as an accent. I've been going CRAZY over this new baker's cording. Yes... baker's cording. It's exactly like baker's twine; however, it's thicker and more heavy duty. I've noticed bows hold better shape with the cording and packages look fabulous wrapped with it! A Muse Studio has released it in two colors... Check it out here.

Thanks for stopping by... Don't forget to head over to Unscripted Sketches to see the full Design Team and to add your own creation! 

CARD SUPPLIES
Cardstock: Paper Cut (White, Pewter)
Patterned Paper: American Crafts (Dear Lizzy Neapolitan 6x6 Paper Stack)
Stamps: A Muse Studio (Sending My Love)
Inks: Memento (Tuxedo Black), Copic Multiliner (Black 0.5)
Washi Tapes: A Muse Studio (Valentine Collection)
Baker's Cording: A Muse Studio (Seattle)

Welcome, Little One

Happy Monday! In a previous post, I shared some great news. If you haven't read the post, let me sum it up: I'm going to be an aunt! My brother and sister-in-law had their first ultrasound and found out the sex of the future-spoiled-thing. Let me just say this: The kid's already freakin adorable. I'm going crazzzzzzzy, because they're choosing to keep the gender a secret to everyone but immediate family until the baby shower. How can I buy lots of clothes, and make cute gifts, and plan a shower without TELLING ANYONE?! Since I can't contain all of my excitement, I created this fun little card:

Note the blue AND the pink?! No secret clues here. I cut two strips of A Muse Studio patterned papers and tore one edge to create the look of Washi Tape. Next, I paper pieced the grey and pink elephant. I adhered the elephant to white cardstock and cut out the image. The white edge makes the image pop in front of the cork. Yes, CORK! The Canvas, Cork, & Burlap Challenge at Moxie Fab World has really inspired me. Since remodeling my craft room, I had cork squares just laying around to be thrown out. The material, once used as an inspiration board, tore apart easily. It was just the right color and texture for this adorable card! The sentiment was stamped in black ink and added to the card with foam risers to mimic the dimension of the cork. The faux stitching was added with a black marker after all the pieces were assembled. 

I hope you've enjoyed today's card. Many baby updates to come... 

CARD SUPPLIES
All A Muse Studio
Cardstock: Sugar, Blush, Seattle
Patterned Paper: Onyx Gingham, Blueberry Polka Dot
Stamps: Little Peanuts (sentiment), Under the Big Top (elephant)
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black)