Hearts and Flowers

Happy Valentine's Day! There'll be lots of hearts, flowers and chocolates passed around today. My family owns an Italian restaurant and Valentine's night is always crazy busy, especially when the holiday falls on the weekend. My husband and my sons will go in early to prep and I won't see them until the wee hours of tomorrow morning. The last time Chris and I celebrated Valentine's Day as a couple was 16 years ago. It was the first year we were open and he called me around 10PM and asked me to get dressed to come up to the restaurant. He had a table decorated just for us. We sat down to a nice quiet dinner after the rush and he served an entree named for me...the Steak Wendy! It's an 8 oz. filet topped with his own crabmeat au gratin sauce and garnished with three large shrimp sauteed in garlic butter. It was beautiful! It's still one of the most popular items on our menu and I love the love story behind it.

Today's post is part of the Hearts and Flowers Video Hop! In each video we will be sharing projects with hearts and flowers to get you inspired for spring crafting.

Some of the videos in the hop will offer a giveaway, so be sure to check the description boxes for instructions on how to enter for your chance to win. I’m offering a set of pre-cut Vintage Valentine images from Taylormadecards4u.com, cut using my Silhouette Cameo, as the prize for my channel.

Leave me a comment in the comments section below the video on YouTube telling me what kinds of videos you’d like to see in the future…card making, mixed media techniques, projects or art journaling - tell me your favorite!  The hop lasts through Thursday, February 20th. giving you plenty of time to watch and comment on each video. Prize winners will be announced by February 25th on each individual channel and a list of all the winners will posted on the Taylormadecards4u.com/blog.

I’m always on the lookout for a “new to me” card design and I recently discovered the Impossible card. (Check out the new card kit at Club Scrap highlighting an impossible card design!)

It turns out that it’s super simple to create and you can easily adapt the base for any size card you want. I picked out some of the images from the Vintage Valentine set and I’ve sized them to fit on 5x7 inch card bases. Watch the video for details on how to create this design and how easy it is to adapt the size! ( The decorative panel pieces for the cards I created are one 2¼ x 3 ¼, one ¾ x 3 ¼, two 4¼ x 1½ and one 4 x 1¼).

The first card highlights a stencil technique using Perfect Medium and Perfect Pearls mica powder. It's the perfect combination to add a little shine to your project! (All supplies will be listed at the end of this post).

I used another stencil technique to decorate the panels on this cute card with Perfect Medium pens. 

Isn't this sentiment perfect for your favorite "galentine"?

I am in love with this card! That secretary image is just adorable and I found a stencil and stamp image in my stash to complement the theme.

I used a limited edition panagram stencil from Club Scrap, applied the new Deco Foil Transfer gel duo and embossed with gold Deco Foil for a fun foiled design!

This card would be perfect for your favorite teacher...mine happens to be my mom!

Be sure to check out all the other fabulous channels and be sure to leave comments on YouTube for a chance to win more prizes!

Monica Taylor https://youtu.be/J7miBF6SqKk

Janie - The Craft Princess https://youtu.be/iiBJAFJnDe8

Jeanie Ellis https://youtu.be/HEIUulZhp0A

Mynn Kitchen (On A Stampage) https://youtu.be/25u8F3cltgY

Brandi Mahon (Stamp Me Some Love) . https://youtu.be/697qOnxSCN4

Karen Bolton https://youtu.be/-H74Lil4OAE

Annalisa Gibson: https://youtu.be/Int0GV6M-sM

Creative Pixie Designs https://youtu.be/d7XTDIvZ0qE

Debbie J’s Crafting Corner https://youtu.be/z-IkE7Zu1BM

Renee Moran https://youtu.be/8FxMuU6s4OE

Amanda - Rise and Procraftinate - https://youtu.be/tNGn0uFlGag

Jennifer Holder Schoolcraft https://youtu.be/kGZUnChTC40

Wendy Chapman Bellino https://youtu.be/cIMuXDxv11s

Thanks so much for stopping by and Happy Valentine's Day!

SUPPLIES LIST:

Below you can find a list with all the products used today. Links to multiple online shops are available. Just click the static image below to be redirected to the LinkDeli product list. When the bookmarklet opens, click your favorite store link below each item. Compensated affiliate links may be used – that means if you make a purchase using my links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work on this blog!

Rangerink.com has a new loyalty program where you can earn points when you complete activities like making a purchase, creating an account and referring a friend. You can redeem the points for rewards from Ranger Ink Retail Shop. There are lots of new products coming soon, so sign up to earn 30% off your first retail order! Click here to start shopping!

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10,000 Thank Yous!

Janie "The Craft Princess" has asked some of her fellow crafters to be a part of a 10,000 Thank Yous celebration video hop as a way of saying THANK YOU to her 10,000 subscribers! Ten sponsors, who have been an important part of Janie’s crafting journey, have donated a total of over $450 in prizes!  

Each crafter will offer a gift certificate or a prize package from one of the sponsors on their Youtube channel. Hop along to each channel to find out what that prize is and how to be entered to win. In the description box below each video on Youtube, you will find a link to hop to the next channel. The prize for my channel is a $30 gift certificate to Thermoweb!

In order to be entered for the prize, share your favorite craft/art tool, your name and where you are from, ex. Waterbrush Wendy from Louisiana. Type your answer in the comment section below the video on Youtube! The hop giveaway is open thru Saturday, January 18, 2020, and winners will be announced on each channel shortly after. In order to leave your comment, click HERE to watch on Youtube so that you can hop to the next channel. 

I am using two products from Thermoweb to create a gatefold easel card with Club Scrap's January 2020 Confetti page kit, Gina K Designs Glitz Glitter Gel and Deco Foil transfer sheets in gold. The Confetti kit features a sheet of fuschia/gold Rinea foil and it paired perfectly with the gold accents! (All available supplies will be listed at the end of this post.) Gatefold Easel Card Template: https://bit.ly/39Xjr5J

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Deco Foil transfer sheets worked well with Club Scrap's bookbinding glue for stamping and foiling the image. Be sure to watch the video for details!

  

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! 

SUPPLIES USED:

Below you can find a list with all the products used today. Links to multiple online shops are available. Just click the static image below to be redirected to the LinkDeli product list. When the bookmarklet opens, click your favorite store link below each item. Compensated affiliate links may be used – that means if you make a purchase using my links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work on this blog!

Click HERE to shop at Rinea and get 10% off of your order!

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Flippin' Recipe Stand

I have a stash of favorite recipes that I've collected over the years. Some of them are cherished family recipes, but the vast majority are my tried and true favorites. I have them written on note cards, old envelopes, pieces of paper and printed from the internet. I needed a recipe book for easy access to all of them. I found a few ideas on Pinterest, but they weren't exactly what I was looking for. I wanted something large enough to house all of my current recipes, adaptable to add new entries as I discover them, AND a stand to hold them while I'm cooking. So, I tapped into my inner engineer and came up with a design to reflect just what I wanted!

Today's project is part of the Crafter's Collaboration Holiday Video Hop. In each video, we will be sharing themed projects to get you inspired for your holiday crafting. Some of the videos will offer a giveaway, so be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win! The hop will be active through Saturday December 7, 2019. Winners will be announced on December 10th on each individual channel and a list of all the winners will be posted on the Taylormadecards4u.com/blog. Click HERE for the full list of participants or you can start by watching my video below.

Click HERE to download a written set of instructions to create your own recipe stand!

My recipe stand features the recipe cards and gift tags from the Holiday Baked Goods digital kit by Taylormadecards4u and printed card stock from Club Scrap's Trattoria collection. (All available supplies will be listed in the supplies list at the end of this post. )

I added a cover and decorated it by trimming the little baker from one of the Holiday Baking tags. The title was stamped with one of my favorite font stamp sets from Concord and 9th - the Sophisticated Script. I also created some colored dividers and stamped headings to categorize my recipes for quick access.

Lastly, I printed and decorated the gift tags from the digital set and they are ready to add to my baked gifts!

                               

Click HERE to check out what the rest of the Taylormadecards4u Inspiration has created and be sure to stop by the TMC4u store for the holiday sale!

Let the holiday baking begin!

SUPPLIES LIST

Below you can find a list with all the products used today. Links to multiple online shops are available. Just click the static image below to be redirected to the LinkDeli product list. When the bookmarklet opens, click your favorite store link below each item. Compensated affiliate links may be used – that means if you make a purchase using my links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work on this blog!

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Back to School!

I love fall... and school supplies!

My favorite part of fall was "back to school" shopping. New clothes, shoes, haircuts, and school supplies! When I was in elementary school in the early '80s, we had to cover our textbooks. It was a creative process using brown paper bags that mom saved after grocery shopping. We weren't really recycling, but you didn't throw those things away. You might need them for something!

After we covered our books, we could decorate them to our little hearts' content! That was waaaaay before craft supplies were popular. All we had were crayons and a limited color selection of Sharpie markers 🙄.

I'm channeling my inner "grade school Wendy" and came up with a fun "back to school" book project for the Crafter's Castle Back to School video hop, featuring Taylormadecards4u.

Click HERE to watch the video on YouTube. Be sure to read the detailed instructions in the description box below each video. There you will find the full list of hoppers and guidelines to enter for a chance to win a Taylormadecards4u Passport to School digital kit. The hop lasts through Saturday, Sept 7, 2019, giving you plenty of time to watch, subscribe and comment on all 7 designers' videos for your chance to win!

I was inspired by Teresa Morgan's cascading mini-album, but I made a few adjustments to fit my project. 

I am fascinated by interactive cards and books, and this one is no exception. I added some die-cut windows in each pocket to house ATCoins that I will make to fit inside. With a gentle tug to the left, the accordion spine mechanism cascades out to reveal all the inside "pages".

Slide the pages to the right, and they neatly fold back into a book!

The top pocket allows for easily removing the ATCoins for closer viewing!

The Passport to School digital kit has numerous backgrounds and images for decorating. The sweet image on the cover is my favorite!

If you are inspired and want to create one of these little albums for yourself, click HERE to download a free copy of the PDF file I created with detailed cutting and assembly instructions. I have also designed an SVG cut file of this project as a bonus prize. Leave a comment below for your chance to win!

Visit Monica Taylor's blog to check out more inspiration from the Taylormadecards4u design team using the Passport to School kit and add-ons. Stay tuned for more "back to school" projects from the Taylormadecards4u design team on September 15!

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Christmas in July!

It's hot outside and I'm hot inside and longing for some relief from the heat! Here in Louisiana, the temps have already been soaring into the 90's and it's not even August yet. We had a cool front come through yesterday and it was a BEAUTIFUL day! This morning was a comfortable 67°. I feel the fall coming on...just in time for the Christmas in July video hop!

I'm participating in the first annual Christmas in July video hop organized by Monica Taylor of Taylormadecards4u. There are 14 participants in the hop sharing lots of Christmas-themed cards as well as some fabulous giveaways! I'm offering a $25 gift certificate to Club Scrap on my channel. Click HERE for a full list of hoppers and prize offerings. Be sure to watch and comment on each video for your chance to win. Leave your comments by July 31 and all prizes will be announced on August 5 on the Taylormadecards4u blog.

I’ve made a set of three Christmas cards featuring Club Scrap’s Holiday Mail card kit as well as some Retro Santa digital images from Taylormadecards4u. (All available supplies will be listed in the supplies list at the end of this post).

Card #1

Club Scrap’s monthly card kits include supplies to easily create twelve handmade greeting cards. Each kit will have a coordinating set of unmounted stamps as an optional add on. I created my own background print using one of the stamp images from the Holiday Mail stamp set. I also used some of the cutapart tags from the kit as well as a Retro Santa digital image from Taylormadecards4u.

Card #2

I kept this card fairly simple using the vintage mailbox stamp image as the focal point. The matching ribbon included in the kit made a gorgeous bow accent! I stamped the image using versamark ink and heat embossed with fine detail white embossing powder. I inked the edges of the black card stock with Club Scrap's white pigment ink and some Earth ink on the card base. I trimmed one of the cutapart letter tags to insert in the mailbox!

Card #3

This last card features a sentiment image from the kit and another Retro Santa digital image. The embossed background was created using a discontinued Tim Holtz Alterations embossing folder. The sentiment was heat embossed with fine detail white embossing powder and the dry embossed card stock was dusted with Club Scrap's white pigment ink. The baker's twine and card stock are from the Holiday Mail kit.

Click HERE to leave a comment on my video on YouTube for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate from Club Scrap. There are lots of other prizes to be won, so be sure to leave comments on the other videos in the hop as well. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope this inspires you to whip up some Christmas cards of your own!

SUPPLIES LIST:

Below you can find a list with all the products used today. Links to multiple online shops are available. Just click the static image below to be redirected to the LinkDeli product list. When the bookmarklet opens, click your favorite store link below each item. Compensated affiliate links may be used – that means if you make a purchase using my links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support of my work on this blog!

CHALLENGES ENTERED:

Watercooler Wednesday WWC231 "All About Occasions" Challenge

Christmas Card Throwdown : July Theme Challenge

Crafty Creations Challenge # 395 Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge # 351 Anything Goes!

Club Scrap Black and White Technique Challenge 07-2019

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