Thursday, March 29, 2012

Creating Keepsakes Guest Blogger Today!

Hi Everyone!

I was so thrilled when Nicole Larkin contacted me about sharing step outs on the CK Editor's Blog for a technique I used on a layout in the March/April issue of Creating Keepsakes.
















It is a pretty easy technique, but does take a little time and patience. The perfect activity for watching movies or catching up on some of you favie tv shows.

The supplies used:
Bazzill kraft and white card stock
Hambly Overlays and rub-ons
Ruby Rock-It Vintedge patterned papers
Authentique letter stickers
American Craft thickers
Maya Road kraft tag
Prima wood buttons
May Arts fine black twine
DMC silver embroidery floss

If you try this technique and post it online somewhere, leave me a link so I can come visit and leave some love!
B-


Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Ruby Rock-It Bella Boy Banner

Delivering a cute Bella Boy banner as promised!

The panels are being suspended by a wood pants hanger for photography, and I have shared the front and back of each in order.

The burlap was die cut first and then the paper was machine stitched onto the burlap. The die cut stars were then adhered to the paper side for extra dimension.



































Please come back tomorrow as I have another fun bit to share!

B-

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Bella Girl Banner

Rachel asked the design team if we would all contribute banners for the Ruby Rock-It Bella Fundamentals booth at the CHA tradeshow. I LOVE making banners and was so thrilled to make a banner with the Bella Girl collection! (Tomorrow I will share the Bella Boy)









To make it even more interesting, I made it double sided so that it could be viewed from all sides. It also is in separate pieces so it can be tied together in any order or any amount of sections and the little rosettes just tie into the knots between each panel.














The burlap was die cut with my Tim Holtz movers and shapers heart in my Sizzix Big Shot.














The pieces of paper were then machine stitched onto one side and the other side would show through the heart!














The hearts that were die cut out from the burlap were then adhered to the center of the stitching on the other side for a little more dimension.














Cute felt, chipboard and sticker pieces were then added for the fun details.














That is some very happy crafting right there my friends!

:o)
B-

Monday, March 26, 2012

Ruby Rock-It Tiling Tutorial

I shared a fun and easy to make (just takes a couple of tools and some patience!) on the Ruby Rock-It blog last week. The luscious August Moon collection is perfectly complimented with a beautiful picture of Laurel and some machine stitching.



















If you are from Australia or New Zealand and interested in becoming a part of the Ruby Rock-It design team, there is a ton of great information and dates on this post.

Thanks for visiting!
B-

Monday, March 12, 2012

DST Monday

DST, otherwise known as Daylight Savings Time.
It is the hardest time of the year for me, my biological clock is set to Pacific time, I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and it is where my clock was set growing up. So moving to Utah 16 years ago was a little hard on my system, and you think I would have adjusted by now (It is okay when the clocks go backward) but I haven't and I really struggle to get my brain to bed at a reasonable hour and an even harder time getting it to wake up in the morning. This isn't helped at all by the fact that I am a hard core night owl!
So today unraveled from the beginning when I got up on time, went to play tennis and someone hadn't gotten a sub so there weren't enough of us to play. No exercise or cathartic hitting of the tennis ball. Big Bummer.



















Today was a deadline today as well. Paper Crafts had a deadline for submitting to their Sept/Oct issue. No submissions for me, just no juice in my coconut!

Top all of that off with other pressing expectations and I am ready to crawl under the covers and wait for tomorrow to start all over again...

But I didn't, I kept it together and followed through with what needed to be done. I am looking for the silver lining in all of my frustrations. I think it is in tomorrow when I will feel so much relief that my deadlines are dealt with properly that maybe my brain will be willing to shut off at a reasonable time of night and let my body have a good nights rest.

Are you having as hard a time as I am? Does it wreak havoc with your system, or do you love the change?
(I do love the extra light at night, but that doesn't help me get to bed any earlier, lol!)

Well at least it is a sign that Spring is just around the corner, and I do love that!!
B-

Card:
Authentique patterned paper
Hambly silver and white cloud overlay
Webster's Pages letter stickers
American Crafts glitter thickers

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Bertie's Back!

Welcome back to my second post as a guest designer for Avocado Arts!

I am so excited to share a little treat container that highlights Bertie!














I masked Bertie with the speckled egg, and then colored with Copics. The "Hey Chick" sentiment is so perfect for a little gift to doorbell ditch a friend who might need some love from her peeps!!


















To make the little container:

1) Cut a piece of patterned paper (I used Little Darlings from Graphic 45) at 5" x 12" and score at 5 1/4", 6" and 6 3/4"
2) Cut a hole in the front used a die cut shape (I used Spellbinders Labels Two), and then frame by using one size larger and one size smaller than the shape used for the original hole. Adhere frame in place.
3) Stamp Bertie and friends, color, fussy cut and adhere with dimensional foam. Cut paper to look like grass and adhere.
4) Fill cello bag with peeps or other goodies, staple closed, and adhere to inside front and back of container with double sided tape.
5) Cut a piece of paper 5" x 1 1/2" and score down the middle at 3/4".
6) Adhere to front and back of container, punch holes in top, thread ribbon through and tie in a bow.
7) Stamp sentiment, trim and tie onto bow with twine.

Happy Spring Peeps!!
B-

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

August Moon

It is August Moon March at the Ruby Rock-it blog, and I made two cards that I just adore with this new collection!
I will share one here, but you will have to head over to Ruby Rock-It if you want to see the other  ;o)
















Happy Wednesday!!
B-

Friday, March 02, 2012

Avocado Arts Guest Designer for March!

I was so excited to be contacted by Lisa and invited to be a guest designer in March! This is such a darling release, and the other designers are so inspiring, it is a little hard not to be intimidated or overwhelmed, but thanks to all of you who have popped over to visit and share your enthusiasm for Avocado Arts with me!

Springtime Celebrations arrived while it was cold and dreary in the middle of winter, and was such a fun, breath of fresh Spring air that I had to make something right away with it!














Did you know this darling little chick has a nick name? She is Bertie, the ChickPea! Chic, classy and always well dressed in her polka-dotted egg, she is sure to turn heads anywhere she goes!
















The wonderful egg with the zig-zag pattern on it was hinting to me that it needed to be stamped with my Glue pad and then sprinkled with delicious colors of microfine glitter. Messy! But oh my, I love how vibrant and sweet it turned out!















Just one thing, make sure that your glitter is properly burnished into the glue before handling! (ask me how I know, lol!!) All of the little eggs were perfect until I put adhesive on them and then gently pressed them into place...

Oh well, if it were perfect how would the recipient know it was handmade  ;o)
















Thanks so much to the entire Avocado Arts Pit Crew for this wonderful experience! Don't forget to visit again on the 8th when I share again!

Best!
B-

Happy Easter Chick:
Springtime Celebrations
October Afternoon patterned paper and letter stickers
Archival Jet Black
Prisma color pencils
Midori Seam Binding ribbon
Memory Box die cut
Maya Road posies
May Arts twine
Doodlebug letter stickers

Happy Easter Eggs:
Neenah smooth white
Tsukinko Glue pad
Archival Jet Black
Doodlebug microfine glitter
McGill tag punch
Midori Seam Binding ribbon