Happy Birthday to My Sister!

I created this mini album for my sister's birthday.  I don't think she has ever received a mini album ... she only makes them.  I am entering this into Cheery Lynn Design's Challenge 143 Silver and/or Gold.  I've listed the dies I used along with the photo.

In addition, I am entering it into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge titled Simon Says ... Emboss It; my project has several embossings, including dry embossing on the flowers using some of Tim Holtz's Texture Fades embossing folders and heat embossing using stamps and some gold embossing powder.

Below:  check out the cool Cheery Lynn Design Lace Corner Deco I.  It is in a pack of three that I can see myself using a LOT!

I also used my Cricut Expression 2 to make the beautiful flowers.  I am so happy that I purchased the Flower Shoppe cartridge.  It has come in handy many times, as is evident from this album.

Below:  don't you just love the flower?  I used Tim Holtz's Tattered Florals die along with grungeboard and a lot of doodads.

Below:  the English Tea Party Doily was cut and fan folded to make a little design under the flower.  Don't you love that flower?  My sister made it ... is it okay to regift something back to the person who gave it to you?

Below:  I just love this butterfly!  It's another Cheery Lynn Designs die from a set of three titled Small Exotic Butterflies #1 with Angel Wings. Check out the deco corner, too!

 Below:  it was fun to just free-form cut the flower and then add stickles to give it the bling.  The silver blue leaf is from a Christmas flower pick.  I used some Adirondack Alcohol Ink to give it a blue tint.  The bling in the corner is a package of gold holographic glitter that was in my stash; I stamped a Tim Holtz design and then added the glitter to the top. Unfortunately, there's no label, so I don't know who to credit for this gorgeous flash of golden shine!

Below:  the letter press is a grunge block that is a Tim Holtz creation. Check out his post with a video tutorial to see how to make one for yourself!

Below:  this is how the mini album looks when it's fanned out from the front and back.

Below:  don't you just love all of the goodies that I used on the ring?

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention the paper that I used.  It's K&Company's Julianne 12x12 paper pack.  I couldn't find it online anywhere ... waaaahhhh ... I love this paper, and my stash of it is rapidly being depleted.

Congratulations!

A friend recently retired, and this card is offering her our congratulations.

I am entering this into the Mojo Monday 353 contest, Cheery Lynn Design's blog challenge #140 In Stitches, and Sparkle 'n Sprinkle's July Challenge.

I am smitten with this butterfly die that I purchased a few weeks ago from Cheery Lynn Designs; it's one of the three in the Small Exotic Butterflies #2 with Angel Wings die set.  It is beautiful by itself, but adding Sparkle 'n Sprinkle's Midnight Madness embossing powder makes it absolutely gorgeous.  I only wish that I could have better captured the embossing powder's iridescent shimmer in the photo; you must try it yourself ... you will become so enamored with it!

Happy Birthday!

I just love how this card turned out. I used an embossing folder to create the background using plastic from a package.  Cool beans!

 

Pretty Posies

I am going to give this cute little flowerpot to a friend who is recuperating from surgery. This is my first attempt at posting a video on my blog.

  

Pansies are so Pretty

I had this canvas sitting around doing nothing.  Well, I couldn't let that happen, could I?  So, I added a layer of gesso followed by numerous layers of paint, stain, modeling paste.  After that I was stumped.  It sat on my shelf, mocking me as if to say, "You can't finish me.  Nananana boo boo!"

Yesterday, I played some more, adding some of Tim Holtz's metallic stains and paints along with some Dylusions stains. Then it appeared that the canvas was taking on a decidedly purple and pink tone.  So off to my favorite place for vintage photos, The Old Design Shop, to look for ... I didn't know.  So I added purple to the search box.  When I saw this picture, I knew it had to be the one!  My mom loved pansies. She said that they looked like they had little faces.

The rest just fell together.  I wanted to finish it last night, but there were other more important things on my agenda.  This afternoon, I went "shopping" in my newly organized craft space for lots of doodads and flowers.  (It sure pays to make up flowers in advance!)  Within an hour, it was finished.  I am so happy with how it turned out!

UPDATE!:  I had this idea to make some of the pansies 3D, so I printed more copies and did just that!

And here are two closeups of the flowers:

I am entering it into Simon Says Stamp's I Ought to Use This More challenge.  Considering that I found some goodies in boxes that I had completely forgotten, I guess I really should use the items more!