Wowza...Easter Blog Candy

Angela at Angelwood is sharing some rather amazing cards and crafts by herself and daughters. Boy oh boy...those gals have talent!! If you scoot on over to Angela's blog she also has 3 huge sets of blog candy to share also. Be sure to visit soon...her candy ends a week before Easter on 4/16/2011

A Faery Cake Recipe...

I'm always in search of ways to recycle cool trash. My Faery Cake idea was born with the help of two empty chipboard spools from spent rolls of tape and ribbon. I'd love to share my recipe in hopes that more people will make this fun little project. Please be sure to visit my blog and share links to your cake!

Ingredients

• two chipboard spools from tape, ribbon, etc. in 2.75" and 4.5" (any two sizes you have on hand will work)
• one sheet pink 12x12 cardstock (for 12 roses and one 6.5" diameter scalloped circle for our cake base)
• one sheet 12x12 black & white designer paper (to cover 2 layers & make a 5.75" diameter scalloped circle for our cake base)
• fairy image (mine are Emerald Faeries by Debs Creations in Australia )
• assorted pink crystal & pearl faux flatback gemstones
• glitter glue
• pens, markers, paints, etc. to color your fairy image (I used Copic markers)
• May Arts Ribbons - #SK18 1.25" green silk, SK08 1.25" dk. green silk, BY66 green leaf trim, BY16 dk. green leaf trim

Tools

• scissors
• hemostats (makes cardstock roses so easy)
• ruler
• craft knife
• tacky craft glue
• hot glue gun
• sewing machine
• 2" scalloped circle punch and/or
• Cricut die cutter & Accent Essentials cartridge (optional)

Color your stamped image as desired, highlighting wings & clothing with glitter glue. Be sure to cut out image with a 3-section tab at the bottom, as shown in photo above. Later you’ll attach the image to our top layer of the cake with the tabs.

Trace perimeter of the spools in designer paper (DP) and chipboard and cut circles that will be the tops of our layers. Measure perimeter & width of spools and cut 2 strips of DP to fit. Adhere DP strips to perimeter edge of spools and chipboard circles.


Measure tab on your image, using craft knife cut a slit in the center of smallest circle to fit this tab. Insert tab and fold tabs back, glue in place on the underside to keep fairies upright. Glue this layer to matching chipboard circle and glue to the top of the smallest spool to form the top layer of the cake. Assemble your bottom layer in the same fashion from the larger spool.


Stack, center & glue layers with small layer on top of the larger layer to complete your undecorated 2 layer "faery cake".

**After assembling the cake I decided to add a pink scalloped base. So be sure to cut 2 scalloped circles from the Cricut Accent Essentials cartridge – one DP in 5.75” and one 6.5” pink cardstock. These were layered and glued to the bottom of the cake. If you don’t have a Cricut, a doily or plain circles will work too.

Make 12 total pink cardstock roses - 9 using 2" scalloped circle punch and 3 2.75” roses cut from the Cricut Accent Essentials cartridge. If you do not know how to make roses please check the tutorial on my blog below.

Cut 6 - 3” pieces of MA #SK08 dark green silk ribbon. Using hot gluegun fold to fashion leaves as shown in the photo above. Attach two leaves to the back of the 3 largest roses and set aside.

Run a gathering stitch down the center of 24” of May Arts (MA) ribbon #SK 18 and gather. Gather and glue around top layer of our cake. Glue length of MA #BY66 green leaf trim around bottom layer of cake and begin decorating by gluing flatback pearls and small roses! Hot glue 3 largest roses with silk leaves to base of top layer.




Decorate area around fairies with small pieces of MA #BY16 and BY66 and flatback pink crystals & white pearl gemstones. Glue in place with tacky craft glue.

Our cake is done! Please don't let anyone taste the cake...I posted mine on my Facebook page and a friend thought it was a real cake!

Button Freebie...

I'm just loving this new button craze in cardmaking and papercrafts and wanted to share a link I thought my visitors would enjoy. Check out this cool vintage-looking button card which is a freebie from Dana at Paper Daydreams... Be sure to visit Dana's blog to see the wonderful card she made with hers!

I'm off and running today to try to finish up a tutorial I'm making...wish me luck!!

OWH I've been missing you...

It has been so long since I sat down to put together cards for OWH. Taking MIL to her appointments and running back and forth to the beach to get ready for the upcoming season have eaten into my creative time so it felt great to make a few I thought I'd share. *If anyone is interested in volunteering to make cards for our deployed troops please click the link at the top of the right sidebar here...............>

My cards are made on a kraft 5.5" x 4.25" card, with a black layer under scraps of Cosmos Cricket vintage cardstock. I don't usually stitch on these cards since I'm usually making them assembly line method but decided to stitch down a narrow scrap of black dotted paper. They just seemed to call out for something coffee related so I stamped the cardstock with an old SU mug and restamped and paper pieced Bo Bunny Double Dot with a heart glazed with Ranger Glass Effects. The sentiment was computer generated with a boatload extra so I can keep making more coffee-related cards for the troops! I hope you enjoy...

Spring's First Full Moon Walk on the Beach

My DH and I had a great time taking a walk after dark on the beach in Fenwick Island, DE. I was so thankful I took my camera considering I rarely get to see a full moon reflecting over the beach and ocean. It was an awesome sight I wanted to share with my paper-loving friends!

Francis admiring the full moon.

WINNER and Handcrafted Roses!!!

Yay...Babe O'Mara! You are the lucky winner from my blog hop offering of one digital Emerald Faery stamp. Congrats to you! I hope you'll stop by Deb's Creations or the Facebook page to leave a photo of your card. I can't wait to see it.

Here are a few photos to show you how easy it is to make handcrafted roses...

I punch a 2" scalloped circle of cardstock then cut in a spiral like this. Fold beginning point over with a tiny dab of glue, begin rolling your rose. Hemostats are helpful for rolling.
Roll around cut spiral to round center and glue in place with hot glue and press rolled rose into glue.

Here I am gluing roses on to my Faery Cake seen below...

EMERALD FAERIES PREVIEW BLOG HOP and BLOG CANDY...

If you hopped here from Deb's blog you're on the right track! I'm stop #3 on your fun way to meeting the whole new design team while sampling some wonderful new designs from Deb's Creations.

You're going to love the latest release of the newest whimsical little creatures in the Emerald Faeries Collection, by Australia native Linda Catchlove.

Without further adieux, please meet the newest additions to the Emerald Faery family...





...........Little Willy & Mia








Hi, I'm ISLA..................................


We've been padding around the studio making a special faery cake to celebrate this momentus occasion. It felt so magical creating this fun little cake topper. Willy & Mia are the perfect pair for my special recipe!!

Cake measures 3.5" h x 4" w, faeries add another 2".

It just wouldn't be a party without some yummy candy to go allow with faery cake! Those of you who frequent my blog know I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to share links with my visitors to yummy blog candy from around the blogosphere. Well!!! I'm please to let you know each Deb's Creations DT member will be giving away one of your choice of the new digital Emerald Faery stamps. Hey, Deb's easy to get along with, if you prefer you may chose one of the original four faeries too. Your pick. To win your very own digital Emerald Faery you must: 1) be sure to follow my blog, 2) leave a comment to this post with your email address. Please, don't forget the email address! Stop back here Friday, March 18th to see who won.

Here's your list of blogstops for today....please come back soon to say hello and see what new here in the Button Box!

Vicki
Deb
Ronda (you're here)
Denise
Tracey M.
Louise
Viv
Debbie
Julie
Tracy
Cabio
Sammie
Anita
Bron
Kirsten
Sammi B.
Natalie Z.
Marley
Alyssa

Challenge Loot!

Check these out!!! This is what I chose with the ABC DT Challenge gift certificate I won with my Tilda Valentine card (see below.)

I'm going to try to make a few quick cards for OWH with them this afternoon. Come back to see if I finish. I'll post one right here if I do. Maybe I need to set a timer on myself to see if I can make one in a half hour!

* * Whatever you do...be sure to stop by here later tonight for a special event!! There'll be lots to see and some candy at last! * *

Stamps 'n Dies...Oh My!

I've been on a quest in recent weeks to find the perfect labels die with matching stamps. So many have come on the market in recent months I thought an article about them would be both helpful to me and my fellow blogging cardmakers. Well, let me back up a bit. I should clarify that there are many die and stamp sets period, not just "labels" per se but all sorts of beautiful shapes.

My cousin sent me a note yesterday about buying several sets from Papertrey Ink so I'll begin there. They have many wonderful matching sets of all sorts of shapes with matching stamps. You can find dies or matching stamps for as little as $5. If you're looking to wet your feet with a small investment...I really like their Fillable Frames grouping. The matching stamps are here. My current must have is sold out but you can see the Button Boutique here.

Clear Dollar Stamps has a unique idea. They sell lots of dies and stamps too but I found it interesting that they have a great set of stamps designed to work with the Cricut Storybook cartridge...may favorite cartridge! Check out Marquee Labels and Storybook Inspiration for some cool backgrounds and sentiments that will really customize your Cricut label diecuts. Check out this page for an awesome set of dies and matching stamps too.


My Favorite Things Die-Namics have a bunch of great shaped dies and a couple sets of matching labels & stamps. This is the company that got me started on my quest to find the perfect set to purchase! The cool sets here are just $19.95 for stamps and matching die. I should run order now, shouldn't I?!

Prickley Pear has an interesting bunch of shaped dies with matching stamp sets. I love these sets but wish they also had labels! Be sure to see my fav on page 2...the dragon flies :-)

Waltzing Mouse in the UK offer a wonderful selection of stamps that are compatible with Spellbinder's Nestabilities. Who wouldn't love stamps that work with our favorite dies?

Verve's Cut Above Dies are lots of fun. Be sure to click on each design and check the matching stamps sets at the bottom of the page.

If you are like me and love the ticket trend on cards, you've got to hustle over to Whimsy Stamps and check out their dies and stamps. This shop carries all the great Ann Vento Raindrop Echo ticket sentiment stamps as well as a complete line of other matching dies and stamps. This week the stamps on are sale at 25% off too! But the best gem I found looking around this great store were digital stamps to fit the Nestabilities. You'll find them here in Raindrop Echo also.

Last one up today is Gina K Designs of Stamp TV fame. I highly recommend subscribing to Stamp TV so you get their videos for lots of interesting cardmaking techniques, tips, etc. too. They have a wonderful selection of stamps to work with the Nestibilities also.

Well folks, that's about it for today. PLEASE leave me a comment if you have a lead on other sets of dies and matching stamps!!! I'd love to see your favorites. Thanks so stopping by and please come again soon.

News-Worthy Week!

The highlight of my week was coming home to a package from fellow artist extraordinaire, Leslie Avila. Leslie made me a wonderful beachy colored canvas collage that is as extraordinary as she. Thank you and HUGE smooches out to this sweet gal.

My beautiful collage is covered with interesting things to see...painting, stamping, flocking, beading, sewing, piecing, Swarovski crystals...I could go on and on. It is amazing and I will treasure it forever! Can you believe she made this for me??? Do yourself a favor and visit Leslie's blog sometime soon!

It has been a whirlwind week...running with my MIL to appts. and lunches with she and her delightful sister and dinner with my galpal, Bonnie plus planning and scheduling a last minute cruise to the Virgin Islands for hubby & I next month!! Woohoo! We have been wanting to visit Mazatlan in Mexico for 2 years but it just wasn't in the cards with current oil prices making airfare so expensive. We opted for something that was a better value and included meals!! Oh my, on our last cruise I actually got tired of eating but this a shorter one so we should be okay. All that is left to plan now is return airfare and one night hotel...sheesh...what a relief.

From that to blog candy...http://cardsbyrbowen.blogspot.com/ Check out fellow Magnolia-licious member, Rene's, blog candy for a $20 gift certificate to the Magnolia-licious store. Hurry over to check it out...the contest ends 3/11!


Well, I hope you had a chance to read my post below about my granddaughters' Valentine card which was inspired by the wonderful photo from ABC DT Challenge blog. I was thrilled to peek in on the blog this morning to see I won first prize and a gift certificate!! Woohoo!! Big thank yous to the ABC DT!

A Sneak Peak of the Emerald Faeries...

Oh my! Excitement is brewing over at Deb's Creations. Two new Emerald Faeries will make their debut on March 15th! Here's a little teaser of what you will see...

If you have a sec hop on over to the Emerald Faeries' Facebook page here. OR if you'd like to shop and chat it up with other friends of Deb's and folks who also love the Emerald Faeries check out Deb's Creations page by clicking this link. When you're finished and totally in love with the faeries, like me, you'll want to head over to Deb's Creations store to start buying a faery or 2, or 3!!

Here's a little slideshow of some of my Emerald Faery creations...please enjoy!

This selection of cards were created from the current collection of Emerald Faeries that are now available for purchase at Deb's Creations storehere. You'll have to have them all!!

Keep checking back for blog candy I will be posting in the next day or two :-) I can't wait!