Fun and Mental Changes

OOOOO... Copic Airbrush [drool]!  Yep, I can't seem to get enough of it as of late.  So when the Make It Colourful design team was challenged to create a new and different background... I broke out my airbrush (what!?!  It's new to me!!!) So the concept for a nice airbrush is to use colors that compliment your design, that way when you spray, it makes the image pop.  For example, the browns and reds that I used for this are enhanced by the Y23 Copic airbrushed around the edges.  And if slight overspray occurs, the "mist" just adds to the color palette instead of being covered by it.  Also, I wouldn't have sprayed a color like blue because slight overspray would REALLY stand out on top of these earthy hues.  I hope that makes sense.  Here's a list of Copics that I used for this.... E00, E02, E04, E08, E39, E50, E51, E59, Y23, Y26 and W3.  Y23 is the color that I used on the apron as well as airbrushing the background with it.  I really love how this turned ou

I just ADORE the Copic Airbrush system that I got for my birthday this year!  "But it's not your birthday."  I KNOW!  I scored it back in February and have had a BLAST playing with it ever since... I'm so spoiled! So the card featured here is a make and take that is scheduled at Paper Vineyard (Chandler, AZ) on April 2nd.  Since a Cricut Swarm will be happening that day with the theme "Margaritaville", I decided to run with the lime imagery.  I used my Cricut and my Gypsy to create templates and then used the Copic Airbrush to create the lime pattern.  After that, I used that TOTALLY ADDICTIVE Glitter Ritz and the burnish technique to create the "ribbon" band and then finished this off with creating a SCRATCH & SNIFF LIME for the top of the card!  SOOOO FUN!!!  I can't wait to do these with everyone... I just hope I bring enough! *** You'll notice that the simple addition of the American Tag HomePro nailheads really made this one POP

LOTS coming down the pike for The Burtonesque Dolls so you're definitely going to want to stay tuned!!!   But for this week, the challenge is an "anything goes" challenge with a Burtonesque flair and you're probably going to want to play along with us!!!  The winner of this challenge wins a guest DT spot, super special button and TWO FREE digis from next week's NEW RELEASE!!!  Alright... how about some inspiration? So, during the last Dolls challenge for Mars Attacks I searched quotes online since I hadn't seen the movie and was at a loss on what to create.  Well, I found this AMAZING quote so I saved it, filing it away to use at the perfect time.  Yep.... NOW is the perfect time (sheesh, that was quick)!!!  This image fits this quote PERFECTLY!!!  With a second glance at the wings... one is clearly an angel's wing, but the other??? Fairy maybe?  hahahahahaha!  I am so thrilled with how this turned out!  I'm so gaga for it, in fact, that now I'

This week over at Paper Vineyard's design team, I was challenged to make something "lush" using the new My Mind's Eye products that arrived in the store last week, so I went GOLD BABY!!!  The gold Starfoam stickers were the perfect touch to make what would have otherwise been a pretty, but basic card, and make it elegant.  And the new Tim Holtz Type Charms are out of this world!!!  I was really pleased with this one that took me all of ten minutes to complete (gotta love those stickers) but looks like it's worth a million bucks!  Now I have to add..... this ended up being what it is because the piece of My Mind's Eye paper that I was using for the design team design ended up taking on a life of it's own so I ended up having to use remnants to make today's project.  But it was worth it.... check it out!  My VERY FIRST ultra-mini album!!!  This thing is like 3" x 3"!  I LOVE how it turned out.  Now you need to see it in person to really see ho

Ok gang... I only have a couple of announcements for today. FIRST, I will be selling creations that have been featured on this blog at Paper Vineyard's sidewalk sale on March 26th!!! I'm so excited (and so nervous)! All the cards are priced $2-$4 with cards that include handmade and coordinating envelopes priced at $5. There are also layouts that are priced at $7. Thank you to Lois and Tanya for helping me!!! You guys are the BEST! And SECOND.... IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!!!! Time for my Favorite Things Birthday Give Away!!! I notified all the sponsors from last year's with a few new ones (as I've added quite a few new favorite things this year). I'll keep you posted as the sponsors begin to respond... I'm super excited. I can't wait to get this one underway. I'll be including my favorite nail products along with some of my favorite crafty goodness. I'm hoping this year's prize haul will blow last year's out of the water, so stay

So, four days ago I got the Tim Holtz Rosette die and YESTERDAY found the Sizzix Accordion Fold Flower die!!!  I am now a MASTER of folding, flipping and attaching those wonderful rosettes!!!  Check it out... I made 20 in one hour! Let me share the secret grasshopper.... I discovered yet ANOTHER use for my oh-so-beloved Tonic Studio Glass Cutting mat.  Because the mat is lifted up off the crafting table by rubber feet, it is SOOOOOO easy to prepare the surface (in this case, a glue dot in the center of a flower)  that the accordion folded flower will be attached to, place it next to the cutting mat.... actually pushing it up under the lifted cutting mat so the glue dot is right next to the bottom edge of the mat, preparing your rosette ON TOP of the mat, then SLIDING the rosette off the cutting mat onto the waiting glue dot.  No lifting or trying to maneuver the rosette!!!  Let gravity do all the work!  I then finished off the rosettes with another glue dot on top sealing the roset

This is what I'm doing at 2 AM!!!  I got the Tim Holtz Rosette die two days ago and decided I needed to use it at least once, so I got to work.  Well, since I was already cutting the rosette, I decided to pull out my scalloped circle Spellbinders and make another paper flower.... AND since I was making flowers, and one of them was a rosette bringing to mind roses, I decided to make some ribbon roses.  I have to say, the one made with the tule-type material turned out a bit better... crisper.  But MAN!  I cannot get a good shot of it! The white one definitely photographs better and I'm so freakin tired, I really should just leave it at that... if I knew what was good for me.  News flash.... I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR ME!!! So here I am STILL trying to get a good shot of the black rose....[**YAWN**].... I love this rose.  Nope, not enough detail.  Maybe if I get out of direct light? Crap!  NICE SHADOW!!!  Someone put me out of my misery here please.  Oh well!  Ta

Wow, funny challenge over at The Burtonesque Dolls this week... MARS ATTACKS! Create an original project inspired by the Tim Burton film Mars Attacks featuring the color green.  I have to be honest here; as much as I love Tim Burton films, I haven't ever seen this one.  I based my project SOLELY on the name.  I think that's what I'll do this weekend... rent a movie.  I know there's a free rental coupon for Blockbuster floating around this house somewhere.  LOL! So anyway, the image I used is "Soho" from Kenny K and I thought it was cute and PERFECT for this challenge.  What I DIDN'T figure on is that the 3 inch size was going to be a challenge to color all by itself!  SHEESH!!!  If it wasn't for the fact that I had this card in mind to send off to someone, I would have enlarged it a bit to make it easier to color, but I wanted it to be an A2 size to stick in the mail.  This one was TOUGH!!!  I don't think I've ever used my pens quite so....

So I just finished April's Copic Coloring Palooza project and I'm thinking I need to name this class the Scrappy Stuff Palooza!!!  I got a little carried away playing in my craft room!!!  So April's Copic Coloring Palooza at Paper Vineyard will not only include my FAVORITE ALL-TIME-STAMP (that you get to keep, by the way, if you take my class), but we're also going to dive into learning how to use some of my favorite scrappy tools.  I'll show you the completed project, and then I'll go over EVERYTHING I used to make it. So, I used Copic Markers for this (after all, this is for a Copic Class) as well as the new Copic Airbrush.  BUT THEN..... I used The Cinch, the Zutter Distrezz It All, Zutter's Corrugated board, SmoochSpritz AND the American Tag HomePro!  This was SOOOOOOO MUCH FUN TO MAKE and I can't wait to show all of you how to use all this great stuff!!!   Add to that getting to use my Graphic 45 Halloween In Wonderland papers with the web ribbon

Ok, so I could go into this whole long thing about all the stuff I'm gaga over, cuz you know how I'm gadget girl and all, but today's post is SUPPOSED to be about using (recycling?) things from your kitchen to create a project and to share a special recipe with everyone.  "BUT I WANNA TALK ABOUT GADGETS!!!!"  So we'll do the quick version of my favies and then get on with the real stuff! #1 - What you see in the pic (below) is VERY misleading.  At first you just think that the nail heads shown are brads maybe????  NO WAY!  These nail heads are from the American Tag HomePro.  Now I don't have one in my possession (yet), but I got to use the one they have over at Paper Vineyard during a demo and FELL IN LOVE!!!  This thing is UNBELIEVABLE!!!!  Don't believe me??? CLICK HERE , HERE and HERE !  Those are just SOME of the embellishments you can add to your projects with this thing (yes, it does metal corners!!!)!  Needless to say, Paper Vineyard has a 2