currently.

I found a new challenge blog called Challenge YOUrself and their latest challenge was "around here." Now I'm not normally a selfie taker, but I did happen to take one before work the other day (I was trying out some new eyeliner + mascara). So I printed that photo off and grabbed one of my currently cards.

This layout came together pretty quickly + I got to use some things from my stash that I haven't yet used! I used the MFT file folder die cuts and TCW silhouette script mask. I used distress ink blending on the mask and I cut out the file folders from scraps of paper. Also for the first time... mirror banners from DCWV. I grabbed these on impulse from Joann.com one day and I think they are adorable! I inked up one of my favorite Unity stamps ever, ever and die cut some feathers randomly to tuck those in.

Thanks so much for looking! :)

supplies
die cuts: Kelly Purkey (feathers); My Favorite Things (File Folders); 
die cut machine: Spellbinders Grand Calibur
stencil: The Crafter's Workshop (Silhouette Script)
inks: StazOn (claret) ; Tim Holtz Distress Ink (barn door, festive berries, worn lipstick)
pen: Sakura Identi-Pen
shaped clip: The Paper Studio
mirror banners: Die Cuts with a View
stamp: Unity Stamp Co Christy Tomlinson (SHE-art print texture)
vellum: Die Cuts with a View

home tour: my scrapbook room.

May is a fun month because it marks 1.5 year point in my house. I shared the one year updates and hopefully will have tons more to share at the 2 year mark!

Today I'm going to share a tour of my scrapbook room/office. These photos were taken in March and it has already changed since then. I haven't made it to Ikea yet, but it's still on the list! I recently purchased a rug from Target and I am looking for an Ott Light for better lighting in here.

This houses mostly my stamps. I have them in all of the fabric bins. One of the fabric bins has my ribbon and twine. The little jars on the far left have Studio Calico and Freckled Fawn wood chips and pieces. The white baskets are from the $1 spot at Target and hold my washi tape. I have a few complete albums scattered around the house in baskets, but the last three year's of albums are here on these shelves.

My Ikea Expedit was purchased off of Craig's List for $125. I have moved and re-arranged things on here about 100 times and it now looks way different from when I took these photos. I am still trying to figure out the best storage solutions for this room.

I prefer a clean, 'everything in its place' look vs what a lot of people have in their scrapbook rooms. I don't want anything out; I like it all put away. I utilize the closet in this room for a lot of my storage. I have 3' wire racks that are packed full of stuff. I actually recently have made room to add one more shelf which will be really nice.

These are my Cricut cartridges, white boxes labeled with what's inside (cards, extra adhesives, etc), my Spellbinder's Grand Calibur (I found on clearance at Meijer for $49!

The wire baskets came from the $1 spot at Target. I actually have four and they hold dies, embossing folders, and DT product/projects.

I hung a peg board in the other half of the closet and all of these wire baskets came from Hobby Lobby. They hold mists, my Grand Calibur plates, and photo paper.

My Cricut is also kept in my closet. Against the south wall of the closet, I found these perfect metal shelving units at Home Goods. I think I'd like to go back for more. They had three colors. They're metal with three "shelves" that are actually more like buckets. They can hold a ton of stuff! So I have paints and mists, as well as ink pads I don't use regularly.

Behind my door I have a shoe pocket full of my punches. I don't have many punches and I don't use them very often either.

You can view the listing photos, my 6 month update and some of the first projects I tackled HERE. Stay tuned for the next room tour!

May promotions at Scrapping Turtle!

the road less traveled | Sparkle N Sprinkle May Reveal/Blog Hop.

Welcome to Sparkle N Sprinkle's
 May 1 New Reveal Blog Hop!

This month we are doing something a little different. Instead of releasing new stamp sets, all the designers have been creating projects with Dreamweaver stencils, using various techniques and products.

Be sure to visit the SNS blog all month long, as well as the designers' blogs to see different techniques used with the stencils. Each designer always posts two different projects to the SNS Blog and four different projects to their personal blogs each month. All Dreamweaver stencils, soap, and embossing pastes are 20% off until May 3. Once you finish the blog hop, head on over to the store and start shopping. The Large Feather is the stencil featured with this month's Technique Video Kit.

On May 3, one GRAND PRIZE WINNER will be selected from the comments left on the designers' blogs. Please leave a comment with each designer in order to be eligible for the grand prize. You never know who the mystery designer will be that has the winning comment.  

The winner will be able to choose $55 worth of any products listed under the Stencils and Templates category, mica powders (Pearl Ex), glitters, embossing powders, flock, and sticker paper or adhesive sheets.

The Grand Prize Winner will be announced on June 3 on the SNS Facebook page, the Designer's blogs, and here on the SNS Blog.  

The Blog Hop order this month is:

Eret
Anne
Ashley
Marie
Belinda
Diane
Shona

We love reading your comments and hope that we have inspired you as well.  If you can not leave a comment for some reason, please email icinganne@yahoo.com with your comment and the name of the blog or the designer you are commenting about.

The Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenge also begins today.  There are lots of prizes and recognition badges.  Come check out how you can become a SNS Featured Artist as well.  The theme is always Anything Goes using Loose Glitter, Embossing Powder, and/or Flock.

We hope you enjoy the New Reveal Blog Hop as much as we do.  Thanks for joining us and remember to comment on each of the Designers' blogs to be eligible for the Grand Prize. Last month Diane was the mystery designer with the winning comment. Wonder who it will be this month????

Hey everyone! I'm so excited to be a part of SNS as a guest designer. I loved working with these stencils and embossing paste. I'd never used embossing paste before! Let me tell you about my project.

First I taped my stencil down to a piece of paper. I worked with the Dreamweaver zebra skin stencil for this card. I applied a good layer of Dreamweaver white embossing paste over the top of my stencil. I removed my stencil carefully and then applied my embossing powders one at a time, tapping off the excess. I used cherry (EP228S), raspberry sherbet (EP243S), lemon (EP242), spring willow (EP388S), and skylight (EP212S). Then I heat embossed the entire card base. The embossing powders I chose are all cosmic, semi-transparent embossing powders and they look beautiful.

Next I grabbed a sheet of vellum and the Travelin' stamp set (630). I love the sentiments with this stamp set. I stamped my sentiment with Versamark ink and then used black detail (EP171S) embossing powder. I heat embossed my sentiment and then adhered the vellum to my card base. I used my Xyron X2 Adhesive Runner and I love how the vellum helps tone down the bright zebra print, yet you can still see the colors.

For finishing touches I used some brads from my stash in colors that coordinate with my embossing powders and tied on some ribbon. I especially love the colorful zebra print on black cardstock.

Thanks so much for looking and commenting! Your next stop is: Marie!

adventure.

I've found a bit of free time lately and I'm enjoying scrapping again. I found this sketch at Stuck?! Sketches and I loved it. I used one large 4x6 photo instead of the two smaller photos.

Believe it or not, this is an actual film camera photo! I was afraid to take my iphone with me (good thing, because I immediately tipped over!) so I bought one of those cheap water cameras. Only a few of the photos turned out but I am glad to have them.

still have to add the date + journaling

Thanks for looking! 

supplies
stamp: Elle's Studio (Saltwater Summer Happiness); Studio Calico; Sweet Stamp Shop (Ahoy kit);
ink: StazOn (jet black); Tim Holtz Distress Ink (peacock feathers)
dew drops: Freckled Fawn
stickers: Lily Bee (Sweet Shoppe); SN@P! by Simple Stories; 
die cuts: Elle's Studio (Summer Lovin' Note Tags)
patterned paper: Simple Stories (Good Day Sunshine); Studio Tekturek (One Way Ticket)
shaped paper clip: The Paper Studio

sweet|ScrapMuch?!

Today is our Sketchy Friday reveal on the ScrapMuch?! blog and my last post as part of the design team. Here is our sketch:

Here's my page. I really tried to use up the MME On Trend chipboard pieces.

I know Easter was a couple of weekends ago now, but when I started working on this page it was Easter weekend. These photos are from 1985. I still need to add my journaling and the date. Thanks for looking today and make sure you visit the ScrapMuch?! blog to see how the other ladies used this sketch.

Thanks to Laura, Eileen, and Elaine for having me for the past year!

friendship is like a well watered garden | Sparkle N Sprinkle.

I'm on the Sparkle N Sprinkle blog today, sharing a card I made with one of the new April stamp sets. I made this card using the Friendship Flowers stamp set (702). 

I'll share a peek of my card, but you have to go to the SNS blog to see the full reveal and details about my project.

I love finding unique ways to use my stamps and I hope this inspires you to try something different with your stamps! Visit the SNS blog for more ideas!

other supplies
ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (scattered straw; broken China; shabby shutters; picked raspberry)
die cut: Hero Arts Frame Cuts (Tag); Paper Smooches (Hearts)
die cut machine: Spellbinder's Grand Calibur
wood veneer: Studio Calico
adhesive: Brushable Glue (54) 
flocking: Soft N Sparkle in Petal Soft (SS116)
 

my Nerium experience.

I recently had a friend approach me about a free trial of Nerium AD night cream. She sells the stuff, wanted me to try it for seven days, said a lot of people are using it. I have sensitive skin and use products my dermatologist recommends but I figured I'd give this the old college try.

I took before photos. I applied the cream at night before bed (after running and showering, which is why my face is so red!). I took after photos. This stuff is supposedly "age fighting" and "age defying." Well, I didn't notice a difference. Maybe I needed to use it longer than seven days. Maybe my 30 year old skin hasn't aged enough to need an age fighting product. Whatever the case may be, I am not selling/endorsing/making money off of this post, which I why I can say that you should not waste your money on it. I should also say that this is just my experience.

Here are my results:

Age-Defying Night Cream

NeriumAD Formula

$110

30 ml/1 fl.oz.

This clinically tested age-fighting product is powered by our excusive NeriumAD® Formula. Age-Defying Night Cream contains the most concentrated, powerful form of our proprietary NAE-8® extract. It is designed to adhere to skin for maximum delivery of key ingredients. Apply at night when skin is in its rest-and-repair cycle.

You can visit the Nerium website and view some of their testimonials, which I've got to admit, are pretty impressive.

friendship | Sparkle N Sprinkle.

Hey there! I am feeling Spring in the air and I have a bright bouquet of flowers to prove it! For this card, I used one of the April new release stamp sets Friendship Flowers (702) and some Copic markers. 

I stamped my image with VersaMark and heat embossed with Black Detail embossing powder (EP171). This detail embossing powder is quite amazing.

I used Elephant Gray flocking (FL111) on the watering can. 

To finish the card, I added a strip of 1/2" Tear-ific tape and sprinkled on the Dogwood Rose Velvet Glitter (GM2021) - this stuff is seriously amazing. It feels like suede and it does NOT flake off of the Tear-ific tape! Finally, I grabbed one of the sentiments, stamped it with Versamark, and heat embossed it with Raspberry Sherbet (EP243) Cosmic semi-transparent embossing powder. I love this slightly pearlescent, light pink color. I fussy cut my sentiment and used Zap Dots to give it some dimension. 

Isn't that a pretty bouquet?! Check out the SNS blog all month to see how other design team members are using this stamp set + a few other new release April stamp sets.

thanking God for you||Scrapping Turtle.

Scrapping Turtle is having a mini crop over at the Turtle Soup forums. My challenge is to use a stamp on your project. Here's my card for the challenge:

First I spread a thin layer of gel medium on my card over a polka dot stencil. After it dried, I started heat embossing with the PWP Mini Flowers stamp set. Then I mixed some gel medium + gelatos to create the darker pink color and stamped a couple of times with the same Mini Flowers stamp set and one of the stamps from the PWP Art Textures stamp set. 

After that, I put the stencil back down on my paper and spritzed some of the Lindy's Stamp Gang over the top. I also added some splatters. The Sunset Pink mist is a very light pink when used alone. Then I heat embossed my sentiment, which was chosen from the PWP Scripture stamp set. Finally I grabbed some of my distress ink mini pads and started blending around the edges of the card.

For the final touches, I added some enamel dots and ribbon. I hope this gives you some inspiration to pull out your stamps and use them on a project for our mini crop!

supplies
stamps: Paper Wings Productions (Mini Flower; Art Textures; Scripture)
inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Spun Sugar; Milled Lavender)
ribbon: American Crafts
embossing powder: ZING! by American Crafts (opaque grapefruit); Ranger Super Fine Detail (silver)
gelato & gel medium: Faber-Castell
enamel dots: Studio Calico
stencil: Prima Marketing (Poppies and Peonies)
mist: Lindy's Stamp Gang (Sweet Treats)

you are so nice [card]|Stick It Down.

Hello there! It's starting to get to a busy time of year with the weather getting nicer and more activities being planned. I love it :)

Today I'm sharing the card I made for the April Stick It Down card sketch. Here is our sketch this month:

Here is my card:

I used a Unity Stamp + clear embossing powder for the background. Then I used four distress inks to blend and resist the stamped image. Instead of the frame and the large circle die cut, I used the stars in a half circular frame. Sort of combining the two separate parts of the sketch. I love that the stars follow the same color scheme as my inks.


Thanks for stopping by today. Make sure to visit the Stick It Down blog where you can see inspiration from other designers and link up your own projects!

supplies
inks: Tim Holtz Distress ink (scattered straw; wild honey; picked raspberry; festive berries); StazOn (claret)
puffy stickers: twine + ink
stamp set: Paper Smooches (word salad)
gold die cut labels: a Studio Calico kit

There is beauty in simple things | Sparkle N Sprinkle.

I'm on the Sparkle N Sprinkle blog today, sharing a card today with one of the Sparkle N Sprinkle April stamp release sets: Spring Window 704.

This is just a sneak of my card... you'll have to visit SNS blog to see the full reveal:)  

other supplies inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink (picked raspberry; wild honey; spiced marmalade)
stencil: The Crafter's Workship (Mini Bricks)
vellum: Die Cuts with a View

sugar & spice|ScrapMuch?!

Hey everyone! I'm sharing THE cutest layout today on the ScrapMuch?! blog. Today is Sketchy Friday and we have a fantastic sketch + I have photos of the cutest little baby. This is my friend's daughter. She turned one year in January. How great do these papers match those photos?! Meant to be. Here's our sketch:

My page came together really quickly. The colors in the photo were perfect for the papers I chose and since there were gold accents in the photos, it made choosing accents on my page super simple too. Here's my page:

I stayed pretty close to this sketch, but I added some extra embellishments. I had so much 'stuff' that coordinated so beautifully that I just kept adding and adding things. I got to use some stuff from my stash + a mix of new things so that was really great too! 

So enough about my page. I want to see yours! Be sure to stop by the ScrapMuch?! blog today to see what the other girls did and you can link up your own page HERE.

supplies
patterned paper: Studio Calico (striped); We R Memory Keepers (script); 
chipboard shapes: Studio Calico + Hello Forever; Crate Paper (Notes and Things)
stickers: Pink Paislee (SwitchBoard); Basic Grey (Hey Girl!)
die cut shapes: My Mind's Eye (On Trend); Studio Calico (blue/gold);

Sparkle N Sprinkle April 2015 reveal winner.

April 2015 Reveal Winner

Thanks to everyone who participated in this month's release.  One Grand Prize winner will win the entire collection revealed this month! This month FOUR new rubber stamp sets were introduced.   The sets are:

Get Well Friends #701   (digi version DIGI701)

Friendship Flowers #702   (digi version DIGI702)

Old Well #703  (digi version DIGI703)

Spring Window #704   (digi version DIGI704)

 One Grand Prize Winner was selected from the comments left on the participating Designers' blogs.  
The Grand Prize Winner will receive each of the New Reveal rubber stamp sets (or digi versions, if preferred)

Congratulations goes to  Jodie Stoddard
who said...

Wonderful card. I love how you made your brick background. I would never have thought of that technique. Thank you for sharing.

April 2, 2015 at 10:32 AM

Her comment came from Diane's blog.

Please email Anne at icinganne@yahoo.com to claim your prize.  Be sure to include your mailing address and phone number (if you are an international winner).

love || Scrapping Turtle spring blog hop.

Welcome to the Turtle Soup design team spring blog hop! Lots of spring inspiration from the design team, some individual blog prizes, and the overall main randomly selected blog hop prize. Visit all the blogs on the hop before April 9 at 11:59 pm EST and leave a comment on each blog. Finish at the Turtle Soup blog where you'll leave a comment for another entry into the randomly drawn prize winner, which will be announced Friday April 10.

Hello everyone & welcome to the spring blog hop! We're so glad you could join us! Follow along on the blog hop and leave comments every where you stop for a chance to win a prize package! We're all sharing spring projects and I have a card to share today.

For my simple spring project, I created a card using the new cracked pistachio Distress Spray Stain + a Hero Arts stamp set. I inked up the stamp and stamped the image several times with Versamark. I covered my stamped images with white embossing powder and heat embossed it. Then after it was dry, I used a resist technique with the spray stain. I love how this spray stain gives a mottled background appearance.  So pretty! Next I just added some American Crafts glitter ribbon, a die cut from MME (On Trend collection), and the gold bling for a final touch.

As a special thanks for participating in the blog hop and visiting my blog, I'm offering a spring themed prize package as well! Use the Rafflecopter below to enter and then hop to your final destination: Turtle Soup blog.
a Rafflecopter giveaway