Technique-a-Week Beyond The Basics: Inlaid Die Cutting + Video

  Are you looking to take your card making and scrapbooking to the next level?  One great way to do that is with die cutting.  Inlaid die cutting is one of my particular favorite techniques that really gives your cards a WOW factor. Welcome to Technique-a-Week Beyond the Basics Video 2! I have several different inlaid tips and… Read More »

Creating With Glazes and Stencils

A nice quick way to make a background for your card is to use some Prism Glace or embossing paste with a stencil. Vicki Boutin recently had a new release and I was over the moon with it. It’s intended for scrapbooking, but I created a card with several elements of the release. I might add that I… Read More »

Tomorrow I Clean, But Today It’s Mixed Media

Yes.  I’ll clean tomorrow.  Today, I’m playing with my new Vicki Boutin mixed media goodies and starting a new art journal. I started creating an art journal to practice techniques and experiment with different mediums.  It has quickly become something I love doing.  I generally don’t share it with anyone because it’s…well, an experiment process. The scientist in… Read More »

Using My Time To Learn New Skills

I was planning on retiring for a year before I actually did it.  I knew that I needed some time away from people.  I worked in a really crowded high school surrounded by 3000 people every single day.  I was sick constantly and I never had any time or space to myself. I wasn’t expecting that the rest… Read More »

Experimenting With Mixed Media

I’ve been watching a lot of Vicki Boutin Live lately.  I just love Vicki Boutin.  She’s a mixed media artist with a product line through American Crafts and she makes it seem perfectly normal to love experimenting with different mediums and materials. Plus, she’s all about getting messy in the process. She’s my hero!  I love to experiment… Read More »

3D Flower Dies and Wide Washi Tape

I’ve been working on my inlaid die cutting technique-a-week video for this week and just realized that it is Tuesday! Tuesday means that I have cards due for my design teams! You know that means that I need to make a quick card so I pulled out some of my fabulous Altenew Washi Tapes and the Peony 3D… Read More »

Stamping and Scrapbooking: Black and White Photo Challenge

The Challenge YOUrself Scrapbook Challenge for this month is Black and White Photo.  Remember this challenge requires that YOU are in the photo! Honestly, I have so few photos with me in them.  I’m sure that my husband and kids have some, but my camera is full of other people and things.  I find this a true challenge… Read More »

Die Cutting Techniques: Inlaid Die Cutting

This week’s Technique-a-Week video will be focused on some die cutting techniques.  Die cutting is one way to take your cards to the next level. I did no stamping on this card.  It is created with two dies, artist markers, and some heat embossing. I’ve noticed over the last year or so that the price of dies has… Read More »

Create 2 Quick and Colorful Cards to Brighten Someone’s Day

I have 2 cards to share with you today that go along with a couple of the latest stamping trends that I used in my Technique-a-Week video: Rainbows and black outline stamps with no color. The first card I created quickly using some rainbow patterned paper from MFT Stamps.  I love shopping at MFT Stamps.  They always have… Read More »

A New Normal With Time For Creativity

Life has a new normal since I retired.  There is a nice cadence to the days.  Now that I’ve moved and settled in, I have time to do the things I’ve been putting off for the last 30 odd years or so. You know the stuff you put off: walks, bike rides, painting, needlepoint, DIY projects, scrapbooking, reading,… Read More »

Single Layer Card With a Color Challenge

I’ve been playing with watercoloring using my inks for the last two weeks. I just can’t get enough! Of course, I have nice watercolor paints that are actually sitting in my drawer while I play with my inks. I can get away with less craft supplies when I want to…but, why?! Today’s card was created using the Atlantic… Read More »

New! Technique-a-Week: Beyond the Basics Week 1

Finally!  I’m getting my Technique-a-Week video series going!  This video series will be a technique series for people who have the basics of stamping down and want to learn more and take their cards and scrapbook pages to the next level. I have a printable PDF that you can download to a digital file on your computer.  The… Read More »

Using Your Crafting Skills For Home Decor Projects

Moving is exhausting.  You pack all your stuff up, move it, then unpack everything.  Plus you end up doing a lot of searching for home décor and furniture to fill the gaps of what you need to make your home feel like home. It’s also expensive to move.  The moving boxes and moving method  start off your ever… Read More »

Creating Cards With Crazy Layers

Tuesday is always the day that I work on my design team cards for the weekly challenges.  I started with this week’s layout for the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge. I’m not gonna lie…it has a crazy number of wonky layers. I’ve been on this design team for a little over a year and I have really been enjoying… Read More »

Artist Watercoloring 101: 2 Ways

Altenew has a new artist watercolor pan set that I have really been enjoying playing with.  I shared two of the other cards that I made from the Altenew Academy class called Artist Watercoloring 101. The two pieces I’m sharing today are from two other lessons.  I’m using a new stamp set that I got from Concord &… Read More »