Contagious Crafts

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Final Day of Fresh Brewed February's Blog Hop!!!

Good morning dear friends!!!

Today is the final day of our February Blog Hop...we hope that you have had as much FUN as we have!!! Now it's your turn to let your mind soar and create!! You can find these little cuties at Fresh Brewed Designs!!!

While I was trying to concentrate on male oriented cards...after visiting all my teamies blogs my mind just kept saying "PINK"!!!!

So I set aside the male ideas and just gave in!!!

I first saw the card style that I have used on the FABULOUS Norma Lee's blog...you can find the template and a tutorial on Norma's blog which is located...HERE!!

So here is the PINK!!!...

please click on the first image for a full screen view...

I used the new "Cutie Bug Lollipop" image...

a closer view...

the inside with the Valentines sentiment...computer generated...

the card style is a four step card...LOVE is also computer generated...

Well...it was fun doing the PINK...I still have many ideas for numerous uses of these sweet little bugs...I never knew I could get so hooked on a BUG...LOL!!!

Hop on over and check out more DT inspiration at Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge blog!!

Materials Used:

Digi Image-Cutie Bug Lollipop-Fresh Brewed Designs

DP-Best Creations Inc.-Item #GP530-"Jubliee"

Dies-Spellbinders Grand Decorative Ovals One, Grand Classic Ovals

Copics-Bug W000, 00, 01,RV00 & 02, nose RV02 & 34

Lollipop RV00,02 & 34

Background RV0000,000

Glamour Dust on the wings and swirl on lollipop, Glossy Accents on the eyes and nose

Frantage and pearls-Live and Love Crafts

Flowers-Wild Orchid Crafts

Ribbon and charm are from my stash

AND before you go...don't forget that we have our month long challenge at Fresh Brewed Designs Challenge blog!!

Until next time...your visits and comments are so very much appreciated!!!

Monday, February 10, 2014

A Fresh Brewed Blog Hop!!!

Good Monday morning my dear friends!

OH MY!!! I'VE CAUGHT A BUG!!!

Don't you worry, you'll want to catch it too!

It's time to check out Fresh Brewed Designs New Digital Stamps for February.

There are 5 new images being released today, but you will have to HOP in full to see them all!

If you are arriving here from Marji's blog, then you are right on track!

If not then you need to skip on back to the start at Freshly Brewed Challenges.

I am so excited to share my project with you. My card features the NEW DIGI created by our VERY talented Heather!!!

And with no further ado...from this month's release is "Cutie Bug Cake"...

this little guy is just SO CUTE...
he reminds me of my Grandson on his first birthday all covered in cake and icing...

the card is a very simple style...almost like an envelope on it's side...
I wanted to showcase the digi so went light on the embellies...
but I did add Frantage...just couldn't resist...LOL!!...

As much as I hate to see you go I am the final stop on this adventure...feel free to start again for a second peek at all the WONDERFUL projects my friends have created!!!
Just hop on back to Freshly Brewed Challenges if you want to refresh your viewing pleasure...

Be sure to hop through in full for a chance to win a free digi from this release!!!

This hop starts today, February 10th, and ends on February 12, 11:59 PM EST.

Have a happy and blessed day.

Hop order:

Freshly Brewed Challenges

Amy

Kim

Me (Beth)
Heather
So just hop on over to visit our SUPER TALENTED CREATOR of these little cuties... Heather!!

Well that is that for day one of our blog hop...please join us for the next two days as we will be posting some more creations featuring Heather's February digi releases!!!

I always have a hard time with male cards as I LOVE frills, lace and fancy add ons but for me this release has me imagining many ideas for birthday cards...or actually many male oriented cards!!

Materials Used:
Digi-Fresh Brewed Design New February Release!!
DP-Piggy Tales "The Ants Go Marching" collection
Frantage-Live and Love Crafts
Ribbon and buttons are from my stash

Until next time...your visits and comments are so VERY much appreciated!!!

Friday, February 7, 2014

Fussy and Fancy Challenge #107 "Be My Valentine!"

Good Friday morning all!!

Today marks the beginning of a brand new challenge over at Fussy and Fancy with another AMAZING sponsor...Marianne Design!!!!

Come on over and join the fun, check out my teamies GORGEOUS inspirational projects...most of all we'd LOVE to see your creations...plus you have a chance to win a FANTASTIC prize from our WONDERFUL sponsor!!!

I just LOVE their dies so I decided not only to use them in my project but I thought that I would try my hand at my VERY FIRST TUTORIAL...knuckle biting...stomach churning...should I or shouldn't I...will people even care??? And finally JUMP right in with a TON of pictures and this time I am not kidding when I say that this post is VERY picture HEAVY!!! I just had coffee with my friend Karen...she laughed when I told her that my post would be "Picture heavy"...she said "You always say that!" Well this time it is with so much truth that I state...

WARNING: THIS IS A VERY LONG AND PICTURE HEAVY POST!!!...

I thought it would be a good idea to make my Granddaughters' Valentine's "cards" into folders that they could use to store all the Valentines that they will get from friends!!

Here goes...

For a closer look at ALL of the pictures please click on the first image for a full screen view and slide show.
I started by cutting a piece of red card stock to 8"X12" and then scoring this at 5-1/4" (this forms the front and back of the folder) and again at 10-1/2" or slightly over (this is for the flap so make sure that you add enough so it folds over nicely)...

Above it looks like I scored at 5-1/2' but as there is no 5-1/4' marker on my scoring plate I moved the paper from the left edge to 1/4" making up the 1/4" difference...if you have a scoring tool that will give you that 5-1/4" measure then use that...

Next I used Marianne Design CR1236, the largest die in that set and cut two pieces from double sided patterned paper...

I scored each one right down the centre with a valley fold and then again down the center of each half created, with a mountain fold (on the side of paper being used as inside of the folder)...

Next I used Marianne Design LR0111 to make two fancy cut outs on the flap...

Before I started putting my folder together I cut four 7-3/4"X5" pieces of the double sided DP paper to decorate the inside and outside of the folder...I sewed these on with my sewing machine but you could just as easily use a strong adhesive tape...my favourite is Sook Wang.

Now it is time to adhere your two DP side pieces to form your folder using a strong adhesive tape...I used my Sook Wang 1/4" tape...keeping the picot edge of the die over the edge so it shows when finished...

Next I cut one 7-3/4"X1-1/4" piece of the double sided DP for the inside of the flap and adhered it with Sook Wang. After that was done I applied Sook Wang to the outer edges of the flap and adhered some lace with pearl string running through the middle...

For a "latch" I cut out a tab from Marianne Design CR1236...

Attach this to the front of your flap, add a magnet for keeping your folder closed...

And you are ready to decorate!!!

Here is mine decorated...

I used Tilda with Spring Heart from the new Lost and Found 2014 collection...

I added a pearl to the "latch" and a chiffon ribbon above the latch...

the folder opened a smidge to show the inside...

a closer look at Tilda...

I cut around her leaving a thin border so I wouldn't lose the little hearts floating around her...

she is sitting on handmade flowers (with pearls in centers) using Marianne Design LR0111...

and some cream cherry blossoms and tiny pick roses from Wild Orchid Crafts...

flourishes cut from Marianne Design LR0150 & LR0151 and LR0111...

I added some fern branches cut from Martha Stewart fern branch punch...

and the sentiment is computer generated then cut with Spellbinders Classic Hearts...

I added a stick pin and key heart charm from Live and Love Crafts...

and another handmade flower surrounded by cherry blossoms, flourishes and ferns...

PHEW!!! Hope I didn't lose you way back there!!

That concludes my first tutorial and a view of my Granddaughter Calla's Valentine's folder...still have Mia's to do...but I promise no tutorial this time...LOL!!!

Materials Used:

DP-My Mind's Eye-Lost & Found TWO-Blush "Sweet" Bouquet Paper by Jen Allyson

Stamp-Tilda with Spring Heart-Magnolia-licious

Die Cuts-Spellbinders Classic Hearts

Marianne Design CR1236,LR0111,LR0150 & LR0151

Flowers-Wild Orchid Crafts

Stick pin and charm-Live and Love Crafts

Pearl lace, pearls, ribbon and magnet are from my stash

Copics: Hair E33, 34, 35 & 37...Skin E000, 00, 21 & R20...Dress RV11, 32 &34...

Socks E50, 51 & 53...Bow RV000, 00 & 11...Shoes E30, 31& 33...

Heart E0000, 000 & R30

Challenges I will enter:

Magnolia-licious-"Anything Goes"

Magnolia Mania-Challenge #84 "Hearts"

Marvelous Magnolias-Challenge #61 "Seeing Red"

Tilda's Town-Challenge #90 "Be Mine"

Time for Magnolia-Challenge #45 "Be my Valentine"

Totally Tilda-Challenge #89 "Pink and Red for Valentine's"

Lovely hAenglar or Sweet Magnolia-Challenge #87 "Pearls and Lace"

Sweet Stampin'-Love/Valentines

Color Me Creative-Challenge #86 "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"

Well that really is the end of this VERY LONG post...thanks for HANGING in there!!! Your visits and comments are so very much appreciated!!!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

"Choose Your Challenge" at Fresh Brewed Design's Month Long Challenge!!

Hello dear friends!!

Today is my first "official" post as a new Fresh Brewed Design team member!!

And the beginning of our month long challenge...

For prizes and RULES (PLEASE READ THE RULES CAREFULLY) they are listed below...

TWO PRIZES to be WON:

The winner of this challenge (chosen by random.org) will be given 3 digis of choice

The FBDDT will choose one lucky participant to be a guest designer for the following month.

As a guest designer, you will be given your choice of 3 digis AND be featured on our blog.

RULES:

You can choose to create using this sketch and/or use this photo as your inspiration piece.

We will need to be able to clearly see one of these two pieces in your card / project.

If we can't see the sketch or that your card follows the photo, it will not count. Sorry :(

You may enter this challenge up to 5 times.

If you don't have an FBD image, don't worry. You can still play along.

If you DO have any of our stamps, we would LOVE to see them on your project.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN! We love to create for the LOVE of creating. We want you to enjoy what you make and look forward to seeing your projects.

As I am on the "Inspirational photo" team I will be working with the photo...

As soon as I saw "Steamy Romance" I knew that it was the digi for me...and my husband of course!!! I decided to do up a little Valentines Day card for him using this PERFECT digi and the February's Inspirational Photo!!

And here is my card...

please click on first image for closer view and slideshow..

I cut out a half heart using Spellbinder's Classis Hearts...

cut out heart borders using Joy! Crafts Heart Border #6002/0078...

I put them through my Zyron in order to glue them to my card...

and added pearls...

I added some ribbon, a carnation, pearl/crystal spray under sentiment...Happy Valentine's Day is computer generated...

my card opened to show both the sentiment...also computer generated and...

"Steamy Romance" created by our LOVELY and TALENTED Heather...

a closer look at the digi...

I tried to create steam rising from the latte but didn't want it too dark so it shows very faintly in this picture...

I added carnations and a single rose to try to capture some of the elements in the photo and digi...

So there you have my first attempt at "Photo Inspiration"...I hope that you like it!!

I played with the wording of the sentiment for my husband and finally came up with "We're like a great latte...coffee and cream with plenty of steam!!!" Hey what can I say...after all these years the romance remains...well most of the time!!

Materials Used:

DP-from my stash and sorry I have no idea who makes it or what it's called...yes it's been

in my stash that long!!

Digi-Steamy Romance-Fresh Brewed Designs

Dies-Spellbinders Classic Ovals Large and Classic Hearts

Joy! crafts-Heart Border

Flowers, pearl/crystal spray (under "Happy Valentines") and pearls-Wild Orchid Crafts

Ribbon is from my stash

Inks-Ranger Distress Ink-Tea Dye...inked around the image and on sentiment tags

Copics-Coffee Cream-E50,51&53

Coffee Cup-E35,R39&89

Rose-E0000,000&01

Steam & Leaf-G21,24&28

Carnations-R46...I didn't have any carnations in a colour that matched so I

inked them with this copic marker

Challenges I will enter:

Sweet Stampin'-Love/Valentines

A Creative Romance-Challenge #17 "Show us some Love"

Wild Orchids Challenge Blog-Challenge #96 "Love Is"

Until next time...your visits and comments are so very much appreciated!!!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Some "Fresh Brewed" News!!!

Well happy Wednesday everyone...actually that was the title of my very first post...LOL!

A post two days in a row!!!

Today I have some exciting news to share!!

I've been asked to be on the Fresh Brewed Design team and today the LOVELY Heather will be announcing us nubbies!!!

Heather's designs are called "Fresh Brewed"...well because they are freshly brewed from Heather's creative mind!!!

I chose one from Fresh Brewed's Alice in Wonderland collection because they intrigued me...I was also POSITIVE that I had some Alice in Wonderland themed paper in my craft room. Well after an exhaustive search that paper was nowhere to be found...did I image that I had it or was it sucked into the black hole of my ever expanding craft room...that is the mystery!!

Anyway I went to "Plan B" and used some GORGEOUS Graphic 45 paper from the "Once Upon a Springtime" collection...

I made it into a window style card using a Go Kreate die...

please click on the first image for a slideshow and closer view...

this is Heather's "Drink Me" digi from her Alice in Wonderland collection...

I decided to make this a tea party as I found this cute little tea pot charm in my stash...
the sentiment is computer generated...

I added some ribbon, crown stick pins, pearls, flowers and of course...Frantage...

just a little...tee hee...

So that is my first "Fresh Brewed Design" DT card...I hope that you will hop on over to the Fresh Brewed Design Challenge blog and check out the work of my other new team mates!!! I had so much FUN with this image!!

Materials Used:
DP-Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime 8"X8" paper pack
Die-Go Kreate XXL Frames Flower #1 #360020
Crown stick pins, pearls and flowers-Wild Orchid Crafts
Punches-Fern punch-Martha Stewart and Small Tag punch-Marvy
Charm and ribbon are from my stash

Until next time...your visits and comments are so very much appreciated!!!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Happy Birthday to a "Vintage" Friend!!!

Hello dear friends!!

Hope that everyone is keeping well...today we have a sunny day and even though it is cold and windy I find that the presence of SUN just makes everything seem so much better!

Today I would like to show you a birthday card that I have made for a long time friend...hence the "Vintage" in the title!! I know that she won't mind me calling her "Vintage" as she is like a fine vintage wine...she just gets better with age...LOL!!!

I also found myself gravitating to the vintage look...Fussy and Fancy is having a "Vintage" Challenge right now and after scrolling through all the lovely projects that have been posted so far I found myself inspired!! I didn't get to contribute to this one as it's not our team's turn...AWE...but I have to tell you that the contributions by Team A are just PHENOMENAL!!I hope that you'll pop on over to check out all of the projects that have been posted both by the DT and our fabulous followers!!! And if you haven't contributed yet you have to join us as our sponsor this challenge is the FABULOUS Live and Love Crafts!!

Okay so here is my card for my dear friend Debbie...

just a warning...this is a picture heavy post...AGAIN...

I made the card in a book style with tabs and a "book marker" with blue seam binding and attached a zipper charm (the one with BEAUTY written on it) that moves to mark pages...

I added the vintage lace with rhinestones to the front and back covers...

and pearls along the edge and on the tabs...

a closer look at the front...the top sentiment is a Whimsy stamp...

Happy Birthday is a Hero Arts stamp...words stamped and cut out separately using a Sizzix /Hero Arts die/stamp set...

this is Tilda with Vintage Outfit from the LCM13 collection...

the sentiment is computer generated...

I masked the Tilda with Magnolia Chicken Wire stamp (sorry not sure of collection)...

I was experimenting with a different background look...

Tilda in Evening Dress LCM13 collection masked with Tilda Dressing Table LF14 collection...

sentiment computer generated...

and a closer look...

this is Elephant Show Tilda from the LCM13 collection masked with Rose Package from LF14 collection...

sentiment computer generated...

a closer look...

and this is the final page with my birthday wishes to her...

I am going to add a pocket for a gift card on the blank page...

So that is my "Vintage" birthday card!!!

Materials Used:

DP-Magnolia-Vintage Paper Pack-Magnolia-licious

Stamps-Magnolia (all named above) and Whimsy Sentiments-Magnolia-licious

-Hero Arts Sentiments

Dies-Spellbinders Classic Ovals and Just Rite Custom Dies Vintage Labels Four

-Sizzix/Hero Arts #657775

-Magnolia Doo Hickeys Peaky Floral Tabs WL13 collection

Lace, zipper charm and Frantage-Live and Love Crafts

Flowers, bead clusters, seam binding and pearls-Wild Orchid Crafts

Challenges I will enter:

Magnolia-licious-"Anything Goes"

Marvelous Magnolias- #60 "Pretty Pearls"

Midweek Magnolias- #81 "Winter Blues"

Totally Tilda-#88 "Masking"

Time for Magnolias- #44 "Wear Something on their Head or in Hair"

Until next time...your visits and comments are so very much appreciated!!!

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Puttin' on the Spritz!!

Welcome to a rare Saturday night post!!

Recently I have rekindled my love for House of Mouse stamps...my very first stamp was actually a House of Mouse cutie!!! This has come about due to my visits on Sue Drees blog "Sue's Rubber Stamping Adventures"...Sue has inspired me with her AMAZING cards!! Then I finally put it together that I had been receiving Monday Feed Blitz e-mails from Buffalo Stamps and Stuff with Sue as the main artistic contributor!!!

Anyway here is my card using a House of Mouse that has been sitting in my drawer for years and never used...AWE!

When I was trying to decide on a name for my post the first thought that came to my mind was "Puttin' on the Spritz"...then I looked at the name on the stamp and would you believe that that was actually the name...LOL!!!!

Well here is my card...

I stitched the layers of cardstock together...

click first picture for slide show ...