Mix It Up!

I believe that it is coded into our DNA that "mixing things up" is "bad". I mean, why else would it be so hard for us papercrafters to use papers from more than one "collection" in our projects? Well, today I'm here to tell you that it is ok. The world as we know it will not come to an end if you mix patterns and colors on the same project. In fact, you may find it quite liberating. You may also find yourself using up a lot more of your scraps!

Luckily, Close To My Heart makes mixing easy and stress-free. Each of their gorgeous paper packs has what's referred to as a "hero" pattern - the bold, dominant pattern in the pack. However, each paper pack also has a more subtle, smaller pattern which is a lot more versatile - and easier to mix! For the card that I decided to make, I used Pattern #19 from CTMH's "Make It From Your Heart - Volume 1". It features four "banners" perfect for showcasing four different patterns of paper. First, I'll show you the paper packs that I chose to use. They are:

"Laughing Lola"

"Surf's Up":

"Tommy":

and "Chantilly"

Now, seen together like this, one would cringe at the thought of ever using them together on the same project. However, here is the card that I created:

Cute, right? I used a strip of CTMH's Slate Washi Tape down the center of each banner and tied it all up with a bow. Ooo, I'm thinking of all the scrap pieces I can use this way!

So let this be a lesson to you - we may be pre-programmed to resist "mixing", but fear not! It can be done - and can be cute, too!  :-)

What Do You Do With That?

Have you ever been browsing your favorite store, seen something that looked really cool, purchased it, then put it in a drawer or closet never to be seen again? Yeah, I've got plenty of that stuff - in my craft room. Tons of cool, fun stuff that I just had to have, but have never used. Well, today I decided that I was going to do something about that. Today I brought out something I bought years ago, and never used - a box of Melissa Frances™ Mica Flakes.

What the heck do you do with that? Well, they're shiny, so they would be a great way to add some flash & bling to a project. My first thought was of the stamp set that comes with the "Laughing Lola" Card-making Kit from Close To My Heart. I just love that starburst background stamp, and I thought it would be cool to bling-up those rays. My first step was to stamp the image. I chose to stamp in white ink on black paper (figuring that flakes would show up better on a dark color).

Next, I applied Liquid Glass to the outsides of the rays (I knew I would be covering up the middle, so I didn't bother putting anything there).

Then I sprinkled the Mica Flakes onto the glue - just like glitter. I found, however, that when I did this and shook off the excess, the mica flakes were so big that the space between the rays got covered up. Hmmmm. I guess this was not the best image to work with when using the mica flakes.

Soooo...I decided to go a different route and use the mica as some sparkly snow. I pulled out my favorite "Flakey Friends" stamp set, stamped one of the snowmen, and applied the Liquid Glass and mica to the "snow".

This worked much better! I finished the scene off by adding some Stickles™ to the snowflakes (adding several of my own).

How fun! I went back to my original stamped image from "Laughing Lola" and "weeded" through the spaces in between the rays with a paper piercer. This ended up working pretty well for clearing out the spaces (except on the sides - the spaces there were just too thin to bother), so I finished the rays and this is the final card:

Flashy, huh? So the Mica Flakes experiment was a success. Just remember that if you are using them, they are much bigger than glitter, micro beads, or most anything else you would sprinkle onto your projects...just something to keep in mind when planning how to use them.

Laughing Lola

I must apologize for the delay in my posting. I have been SO good at updating every Wednesday, however this past Wednesday I started a full-time job - after being at home with my kids for 12 1/2 years! It has been a HUGE adjustment! I have not had the time to even turn my computer on in the past three days. SO, today I am going to post the three cards that you will be able to create with the "Workshop on the Go Laughing Lola Card Kit" from Close To My Heart. The kit costs $24.95 and comes with it's own Exclusive D-sized stamp set, Laughing Lola B&T paper, cardstock, White Daisy cards and envelopes, Baker's Twine, Purple Gems, and an instruction booklet. When you've completed the kit, you will have 15 cards (5 each of 3 designs). I love the stamp set that comes with this kit! Here are the three designs that you will create:

The stamp set also includes several images that you can cut directly on your Cricut machine using the "Artiste" cartridge. Fun and easy! Be sure to check this kit out on page 68 of the Autumn-Winter 2013 Idea Book!