Susan Weckesser Design Team and How to Create a Dior bow Video Tutorial

I absolutely adore Susan Weckesser and today I am happy to announce that I have been selected to be on Susan's first design team. If you are not familiar with Susan Weckesser, check out her Twitter and Facebook feeds. She is a fellow Albertan who is full of magic and smiles.

Here is the announcement

On another note, I've got a "How to create a Dior bow" video tutorial over on the May Arts blog for this project. Come by and say hello!!!

Until next time

Toodles

Unity Guest Designer- September

Hello everyone and Happy Monday!!!! Fall is definitely in the air and I love the slightly cooler evenings. School is well underway now and the kids are absolutely loving it. I also now have 2 days where I'm alone, but can now see my girlfriend Jen more which I LOVE.

This month, I'm so very honored to be the Guest Designer over at Unity Stamps. Unity Stamps were some of my very first rubber stamps I had, and my fondness for them has grown 10 fold. Come by the Unity blog to see today's post (a spooky layout with Dylusions Spray, Molding Paste and Doilies)

Last week, I created a pretty butterfly card for my first Unity Guest designer post which you can read HERE. I'm going to share with you the card today and for a few great close up shots, go on over to the Unity Blog.

This butterfly stamp from Unity is my favorite butterfly stamp, and Lord know, I have a LOT!!! I've colored the images using Faber Castell Aquarelles. Hope you love it!!!

The ribbon is from May Arts and matched PERFECTLY to the card. Blues and browns together are so pretty. You can find the ribbon HERE. Thanks so much for stopping in today. I hop all of you have a FANTASTIC MONDAY

Until next time
Toodles

Dixie Pieces February Kit- Coloring Book

I love kits!!! The fact that someone else takes the time to make them and select matching goodies is amazing. Especially when you receive a kit that BLOWS YOUR MIND!!!!

Hey everyone, I'm here today to share with you the new Dixie Pieces February kit called Coloring Book. This kit is filled with wonderful black and white prints and a handful of color to give it that extra POP.

I'm absolutely loving the papers from Canvas Corp and Doodlebug Designs. These are such great quality papers and are beautiful to alter with color. Here are my projects I created for this months kit.

This first layout was colored using Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists and I love that it went from black and white to rainbow. I created the banner from the felt that is included in the Coloring Book Kit.

Next a Black a white layout with a pop of color. I think this is a favorite photo of our daughter. Balloons are really fun aren't they???

How about a little card too? I used some Worn Lipstick distress ink to give this one a little color.

Now I have one more layout as well, but I've got that posted on Dawn's Blog today. She was so sweet to ask me to Guest Blog a while back and I am honored that she asked. It is a little personal, but I speak up about my depression. So make me smile and head over there to see it and leave some love.

Toodles

The Robin's Nest and Helmar do Valentines Day

Valentines Day is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate than with a little GLITTER!!! Hey there everyone,I'm here today to share with you a Valentines card I created using some amazing papers from The Robins Nest.

For this card I selected Teal Glitter Card Stock, Glitter Cream Animal Print and Red on Red Rope papers. I'm adore the combination of creams, whites, reds and teal here. With that hint of black for contrast. To add a little bling to the card, I used Metallic Red Dew Drops. I love how well the glitter papers adhere together using Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive. The Dew Drops are adhered using Helmar Gemstone Glue.

I died the bow with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Bahama Blue/Jazz Blue.

 And now for the full card. I love how that little Metallic Dew Drop makes the perfect "O".

Perhaps a little unconventional for a Valentines card color wise, but I know that my husband is going to love it.

Thanks so very much for stopping by today. Don't forget, if you are attending CHA this coming week, stop by The Robins Nest at booth #1656 as well as the Helmar Booth #1262 where I'll be for the whole show.

Until next time
Toodles

A Vintage Noel Card

What can I say, I'm a Timmy fan and his 12 tags of Christmas always gets my attention. So when that first tag came out, I had the perfect piece of canvas goodness to create it with. Hi everyone, I'm here today to share with you my take on Tag 1 this year.

For this card I used the smallest canvas banner and first sprayed it with Vanilla Breeze Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist. Before it was completely dry, I stamped the banner with a postage stamp I have. The ink ran to really give a vintage feel. LOVE IT!!! Pretty Pretty Pretty I say

I love how easy it is to fold and manipulate these canvas pieces. To create the dimension, I used Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots. This helped lift the folds to give them that height I was looking for.

Isn't the color of that banner sweet? Against all that cool winter colors, it really gives the card a POP. Now take a look at those beautiful silver flower embellishments. The so reminded me of pointsettias, so out they came. They are from Creative Charms and went perfectly on this card. In the Antique Flower Medley pack, there are both gold and silver flowers. YUMMO!!!

One more picture hehe, showing the banner and flower a little closer. You can also see the Glimmer Mist on the foliage too.

The perfect additions to any Vintage card I'm positive. These canvas banners and Vintage Flower Medleys are so pretty to work with and I love how the end result always blows my mind.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Let me know what you think. I adore your comments here on the blog, so don't be shy!!!

Until Next Time

Toodles

Made with Love

There is something so special about gifts made with love. That little extra thought that goes in to make something perfect. The heart that one used to create it and the time that someone selflessly put into it. Yup, I'm a big fan of homemade gifts.

Hi everyone, I'm here today to share with you a card I created using some wonderful papers from My Little Shoebox and the Sewing Notions Die Cut . I added a little pleated ribbon, twine and buttons to finish the card off and I know exactly who I'll be sending this one to.

I'm absolutely adoring that little spool and could a pin cushion get any cuter? I think not. Well, I'm off to do some more creating, so I hope you all have a fantastic Tuesday. Until next time

Toodles

Sweater Weather

Get out your sweaters and scarves, bundle up, and welcome Fall! With the “Sweater Weather” kit from Dixie Pieces all of your fall pictures and projects can be complete. Papers include Little Yellow Bicycle Hello Fall, Crate Paper Farmhouse, and coordinating Bazzill cardstock colors. Embellishments include a Maya Road acorn chipboard book, Fancy Pants buttons, Elle’s Studio stickers, phrase stickers, ribbon, and more. This kit is jam packed with goodies, sure to complete many beautiful layouts, cards, or projects.

This kit is full of wonderful goodies and I had such a great time creating my first design team projects for Dixie Pieces. Here is a photo of the Sweater Weather Kit.

When I opened this one up, I started thinking of projects right away and the first one I finished was this 2 pager. I added some Glimmer Mist in Tiger Lily and Tattered Leather. I also used a few stamps as well. To create some dimension I used Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots. Man I love this stuff

Next a layout of our two munchkins painting. The colors were just perfect for this photo.

Lastly (for today because I still have more projects using this Dixie Pieces Kit to share) a sweet card using some of the buttons from the kit. I created the bow with patterned paper and love how it turned out.

Take a look at the Sweater Weather Kit available at Dixie Pieces. you will absolutely love it and the possibilities are endless. I'll be back tomorrow with some great news, a few more projects and some Halloween recap.

Until then,

Toodles

Be the Change

I Love great sentiments and quotes. Sometimes a few words can make such an impact!

Hi everyone, I'm here today to share with you a card I created using one of the prettiest quotes out there. An I Brake for Stamps stamp called  Be the Change. This has been one of my favorite quotes for years and I absolutely love that I've finally found it. I Brake for Stamps has some of the prettiest quotes and sentiments out there, so make sure you take a look.

For this card I first stamped the sentiment with Versamark and used Sparkle N Sprinkle Copper Kettle embossing powder. I then used Distress Inks in Spiced Marmalade, Broken China, and Dusty Concord  to create the background colors. I added a little water so they would blend a bit too. All of the products on this card are from the November Kit available soon from Dixie Pieces.

Here is the end result. I hope that you like it and would love to hear your comments.

A simple card that really showcases the beauty of a simple sentiment. Thank you so much for stopping by today. Make sure you take a look at the specials available right now at the I Brake for Stamps shop. There are so many stunning flower stamps that are on sale. When you purchase, save a little cash by using my Design Team code SAVE10ERIKA. You will save yourself 10% on your purchase. Who doesn't like saving a little money right???

I hope that you all have had a great weekend. Until next time

Toodles

Magic

I love the color palette of the peacock. There is truly something so magical about the combination. So much so, that it inspired my newest blog design. So I thought what better way to create than to use the proud bird as inspiration.

Hi everyone, I'm here today to share with you a card I created using the Stack-a-Bellies Paisleys from Basically Bare. I used the chipboard pieces and painted 2 black, 1 with Broken China Crackle paint and the smallest with Organic Garden Glimmer Glam. Then I stacked them up, added some white/black marker doodles and some Stickles and a pretty Peacock Paisley was born.

The Stack-a-Bellies embellishments are perfect for every project. They really add dimension and hold paint mediums so well. Grab some Paisley Stack-a-Bellies today and see where your imagination takes you. Until next time...



PS- I've got little Blog Candy giveaway going on right now and it includes some great Basically Bare goodies. Go check it out!!!

Toodles

Erika Taylor