Arden's Blog

Another fun rosette video

2012-01-29T04:51:00.000-08:00

Rosette Video uses paper from an old dictionary and ribbon.

Domo Arigato

2012-01-08T16:40:00.000-08:00

This card is for the first challenge of the New Year at MFT! And also Simply Create (more than 2 layers)

I finally broke into my origami papers I had bought in Japan. The stamp is from MFT's Pure Innocence Good Fortune. The purple plaid background was a mistake. I thought I had used white, which I put in my Cuttlebug using the Asian Plum Blossoms folder. I had spent an hour carefully coloring in the plum blossoms with pastels. Then when I went to glue it, I noticed that the back looked better than the front. Go figure! The "Good Fortune" is stamped onto MFT DieNamics First Place Award Ribbon. Her hair flower is a Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch with a little pearl inside. Thanks for looking!

Monday's card

2012-01-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

I made this card for the MFT January Guest Designer's Challenge (MFTGUESTDT0112). You have to paper piece something. Soooo, I used the You're So Tweet Pure Innocence stamp and paper pieced her dress, ribbon and shoes. Having bifocals is not a help here!
The recipe: For layers, I used DieNamics Tag You're It (tied with Pink Sorbet twine), Decorative Doily and Stampin' Up Scallop edge punch . In felt, I cut two green leaves from the DieNamics Leaf Trio (in the Sheltering Tree set) and a white rose from Mini Rolled Roses. I inked the tag with Tim Holtz Broken China Distress Ink. The words were stamped with Versafine Deep Lagoon. The girl stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black and colored with copic markers.

Thanks for looking!

Paper Bag Shabby Shic Flowers

2012-01-01T10:50:00.000-08:00

Items needed:

Paper lunch bags
Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Tea Bag
Colored ink or chalk (I used Color Box Rose Coral Chalk, but brighter might be better)
Glimmer Mist Sparkle
Elmer's Glue
Stampin Up Bliss stamp
Stampin Up XL Scallop Circle

I was inspired by this Youtube tutorial

First, cut 5 Scallop Circles from the paper bag.

If you want to, you could stamp an image (Bliss stamp above for example) on your bag first, or add the ink later.

Crumple up your little circles in your hands. Then open up the circles and ink the creases with Distress Ink. You can color the edges with acrylic paint too.

Spritz a bit of water and glimmer mist on your mat and rub the flower circles in them, getting them wet. If your ink is water based, it may separate into colors into your paper.

Then glue the middle of them onto each other with a big dab of white glue.
With a twisting motion, pinching from the center, twist and crumble to form flower. Glimmer mist again and add a center.
The key is that the flowers need to be a bit damp and you need to use a big dab of glue for it to work.
Sprinkle with more Glimmer Mist.
Add a button for the middle.

This will work with tissue paper, thin paperstock or even some of those colorful paperbags from stores.
Viola!

And I made one from paperstock too. This time with 7 blossoms.

and it looks great on a card--

MFT Sketch #52 - Last one of 2011! MFTWSC52

2012-01-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

I used the Anne La Pointe LOVE stamp from MFT, a few DieNamics (Faux Crochet, Rolled Rose, Vintage Flourish. I colored the pansies with Copics, added a Cuttlebug embossed ribbon and 3 little dew drops that I made. I used Liquid Pearls Buttercup for the center of the pansies and a Martha Steward rose leaf punch under the felt rose. The ribbon is sheer, but sparkles a little. Thanks for looking!

You showed me the way...

2011-12-31T11:26:00.000-08:00

I made this card for my former supervisor to thank him for being a fantastic mentor. One of my best ever and while I'm sorry that he is moving on, he does deserve a break! I'd been looking for a perfect lighthouse stamp for a long time. I used lots of inking on the white paper so it would look aged. The paper is from Tim Holtz and I used my cappuccino twine. Unfortunately I can't read the handwriting on the stamp label - Stary Stamp? 1004F (not findable on the internet)..

New Year's Card

2011-12-31T11:10:00.001-08:00

Have you ever made a card starting with the sentiment from Inky Antics? I couldn't resist this one. I paired it with a Stampin' Up Birthday Bakery, colored in with Copic Markers. The embossing is Cuttlebug Organic Flourish. I plan to give one to a Jenny Craig buddy. Makes me want to bake just looking at it!

Santa Paws

2011-12-18T07:59:00.000-08:00

Two new Christmas cards I made using my Paper Smooches Santa Paws stamps.

This one is adapted from: http://lisaslifelines.blogspot.com/2011/07/cas-al-fridays-challenge-10.htm

l

I got the idea of the above one from:
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2094639?&si=fleas
I made the top like a tree and tree skirt instead of dots.

Dried Flower Tag

2011-12-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

I've been infatuated with dried hydrangeas and always love to see how many colors of beige it's possible to try in a project. I used one of My Favorite Things Anne La Pointe Peppermint flower pots on one of my new MFT Tags (thank you, Black Friday sale!)... For years I've wanted to make an all beige quilt after taking a class from Alex Anderson (ok it's half-done!) The paper on the tag is a Halloween Tim Holtz print (I cut out the skeleton!) and Stampin Up paper that's all about botany.
The paper bag flower is really fun to do! I just used a lunch bag and a scallop punch. After scrunching it, then I inked it with distress ink and chalk then lots of glimmer mist. The key is scrunching right after you add the Elmers. I'm definitely going to make more of these.

thanks for looking!

Hoo?

2011-11-27T18:35:00.001-08:00

I saw two owls outside my kitchen window last winter and I had to make this card for Christmas!

This card uses Paper Smooches Chubby Chums (owl), Hang Ups (branch) and Santa Paws (hat). I used Fun Flock on the hat. The Sentiment was from My Favorite Things, Stephanie Fizer Christmas Owls. I used Martha Stewart branch punch also. The paper was from Memory Box. Thanks for looking!

Reindeer Games

2011-11-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

I had to try to tangle lights around the cute reindeer from Paper Smooches. Kind of fun! I used lots of Copics (for the reindeer E31, E37, E57 and the lights: Y02, B24, B29, G07, R29, YR09 and Y28). I used 3D Crystal Lacquer for the lights and Rudy's nose and Star Dust Stickles for the middle of the snowflakes. Stamps were from Paper Smooches: Santa Paws (reindeer), Alpha Dots (Tis the Season) and Hang Ups (light bulbs.) Peapod twine for the light strands. Nestabilities Deckled Rectangle for the label.

Thanks for looking!

Christmas Package

2011-11-27T13:55:00.000-08:00

I made this out of the little sprig of holly in the Paper Smooches Hang Ups stamps. I used a Cuttlebugs Snowflakes folder and highlighted the snowflakes with Crystal Stickles. Thanks for looking!

Boy Scout Card

2011-11-27T08:37:00.001-08:00

I won a prize from My Favorite Things with this card (OK it was a random drawing) but it was $20.00!

2011-11-27T08:23:00.001-08:00

I went to a Stampin' Up camp this summer and here's a couple of the cards we made. I already gave them away!

Peep!

2011-04-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

This card is for the Wee Memories Twinery challenge. I used a fun image from Marshmallow Peeps coloring pages: http://www.coloring-book.info/coloring/coloring_page.php?id=128 which I colored with copics. I also added MFT dienamics clouds and fresh cut grass from felt. The Happy Easter Do you know Where your PEEPS are stamp is from Cat's Pajamas. I used Lemon Yellow twine.

Penguin Bunny - Easel Card

2011-04-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

I just love Hambo stamps - and had to make this card for their weekly Hambo Hoedown. I used the Penguin Bunny digi stamp colored with copic markers, nesties, Cuttlebug Spots and Dots (colored with Crystal Color Lacquer on my Cricut egg from Easter 2010, a Fiskars threaded water punch with some scrap blue yarn, green felt grass My Favorite Things felt and dienamics diecut. The easel card instructions are here: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/easelcard

Happy Trails

2011-03-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

This card is for one of our interns who is leaving us for a great job. I used My Favorite Things' Ride em Cowboy stamps and put jean-paper on the dress and boots. I colored in the rest with my Copics. I used my twine for the lariat.

2011-03-20T14:43:00.001-07:00

Just bought My Favorite Things Boy Scout stamp and tried out this week's challenge.

Lavender

2011-02-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

My most complicated card yet - I used MFT's Lavender stamp, some Martha Stewart punches, lots and lots of layers.

New stamps

2011-02-12T12:40:00.000-08:00

I downloaded really cute digistamps from PaperSmooches (bird and thanks) and tried them with a Judith birdhouse stamp and MFT's Dienamics grass.

I also bought the new PaperSmooches Birthday Buddies package - and tried out the cute dog and saying.

Snowflakes

2010-01-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

I just got the When It's Cold Outside cartridge and decided to try and make one of each snowflake - I failed but had fun anyway. Sometimes you can't figure out the design until you make it - even then we had fun guessing. I used Origami holographic papers for the shiny stuff - it's inexpensive and works well with a new blade. (go to 100-yen or Daiso Japan store).

1) The first one says Believe and is totally scraplifted from RenateSmalley;

http://www.cricut.com/messageboard/tm.aspx?m=5823635

These are my "own" - simple!

2) Trees

3)Doves

3) Deer?

4) Snowmen

5) Ice Skates

6) Skis

7) Eiffel Tower?

8) Gingerbread men

9) Candy

10) Reindeer

11) Nativity

12) Dreidels (in retrospect, I should have made this one blue)

13) Angels

PDDU Cornucopica Challenge

2009-11-23T07:21:00.000-08:00

Bitten by the Bug Contest - October

2009-10-25T22:51:00.000-07:00

This is the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America. In this challenge, we had to emphasize numbers. I used Design Studio and made a 100 with an embedded fleur de lis symbol. I tried to wrap it like a present. hope I win!

April Bitten by the Bug Contest Entry

2009-04-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

This contest required you to put ribbon on your entry. I used Stamps by Judith for the basket and leaves and butterfly. I colored the basket with my Copic markers; the itty bitty flowers were Flower Soft (Summer); colored the butterfly with glazed markers to make it shiny. The ribbon flowers were from my ancient stash. Corners were from Jasmine with stickles I made myself. It's for my mom - hope it survives the mail.

Bitten by the Bug Contest - Theresa Rose Designs

2009-03-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

I used the Storybook Cartridge and Cricut Design Studio for the cross and a bunch of Judith stamps.

Bitten By the Bug Contest Entry- Danish Paper Mobile

2008-09-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to make a paper mobile after visiting Denmark in March and seeing all the fantastic papercuts. This is my version using my bug. It's perfect to hang in a window.

I used Joys of the Season for the star (p. 64), ribbon frame-5.5" blackout (p. 65); Celebrations for the candles-1/2", (p. 96); and Paper Doll Dress Up for the trees - 4" (p. 73) and a little bling for the berries.

Newsprint Retirement card-2007

2008-09-01T19:18:00.001-07:00

For this card, I used a newspaper clipping generator and wrote a "news story".

You are so cool (2007)

2008-09-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

I made this card for a friend's son who is just starting Basic Training for the Navy.
Cuttlebug snowflakes, Penguins from Zooballoo, Words from AMU.

Baltimore Album Flower Basket (2007)

2008-09-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

I got inspired by Baltimore Album quilt designs of flower baskets and I had to make this card.

vase - cut by hand from Christine Adoph's Imaginations
Green was Adornit - Carolee's Creations Cumberland Vine
I used assorted items from WIMG (bldheart, the leaves from rose2, hydrangea, stem1 (without the leaves)) and ZB (branch).

Boy Scout crafts and card (2007)

2008-09-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

Here's some of my Scout cards and Paper Dolls.

1 & 2. Wood Badge Boy Scout Leaders

I made an adult male and female Boy Scout Leaders. In one variation, I gave them their Wood Badge beads. One is wearing her silver beaver necklace; one is wearing his Wood Badge training neckerchief.
I used most everything at 4"
body blackout (skin-tone) and Peachy Keen stamped the faces
cowgirl shirt (brown)
promby pants (green)
witch tie
Santa Hair (male)
Prom girl hair (female)
pioneer boy and girl shoes
groom1 bowtie at 1.5" for tiny beads
angel necklace6

3. Scout Bouquet
This bouquet is for a good friend who just earned her Silver Beaver award in Boy Scouting. I made a little paper doll of her. One side she has her silver beaver necklace, the other side her Wood Badge beads. I used a fleur de lis from Accent Essentials, owl from Paper Dolls, balloons from Celebrations and congrats from Beyond Birthdays. The cup is a Friends of Scouting gift mug.

4 Silver Beaver

My challenge was to try and make a beaver from Zooballoo - and it had to be silver...

I think with a little imagination, it's a beaver!
(I used a 3.5" (shift) [I had to cut it a bit to make it symmetrical]; a 4" (Lower Layer, shift) for the tail and cut the face down for the teeth. The Thanks is from BB, 4"

5. Lead from your Heart

I made a layout of a card that I gave to my staff when I was the Wood Badge Course Director. It has symbols and remembrances of our course.

Halloween 2007 Cards

2008-09-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here's some of my cards from Halloween last year.

The Witch is In

Love this stamp from North Woods! I gave it to my boss - good thing she has a good sense of humor!

Frankie:
George - Rectangle2 3.5" for head (lime green)
Rectangle2 1" for ears (lime green)
Rectangle2 1.5" for neck (lime green)
Circle, 1", cut in half; and Rectangle1 1" for bolt (silver)
Doodlecharm - Snwflks-s 1" (black) - they aren't exactly the same size - I liked that
and Snwflks-s 1.5" in white for eyes
Palmtree -s 3" in black for hair
I inked in the mouth.

My DD says that the "real" Frankenstein isn't green and doesn't have a bolt...at least she's doing her homework for Senior Lit.

Gone Batty?

I was SO inspired by Loribrat's "oh bats" post that I had to do this one for my admin at work. My husband said they needed ears - so I cut off ZB's fox ears (ouch!)

George 1.5", circle (black) for bat head
Jasmine 3" diamonds (black) for bat wings
1" diamond (cut in half) for bat teeth
ZooBalloo 5" fox (use the ears) for the bat ears
AllI Mixed Up 1.5" for the writing

I'm so frazzled

2008-09-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm so Frazzled...

I was inspired by this Art Impressions stamp.

Animal Kingdom at 3"
Oval was Fabulous Finds, bookplte 16 insert at 3-1/4"

Krusty the Clown - Bitten by the Bug Challenge

2008-09-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

This week's challenge was to use the clown cut from Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge. I had just finished making paper dolls for my niece's birthday and I was really tired of "cute" - so I thought of making Krusty the Clown. I was inspired by web photos of Krusty and the line "Have a Krustacular Birthday" from a Hallmark card online. I used the clown cut several times for his outfit and shoes; the gloves were from prom girl, the bow tie from the groom, the hair from 2 cuts of Frankenstein's bride. Post OptionsHope you like it.

Bitten by the Bug Challenge - Christmas Stocking

2008-08-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

Here's my entry to the Bitten by the Bug Challenge using the Christmas Cheer Stocking. I love Victorian theorem paintings and Baltimore Album Quilts. The stockings reminded me of old fashioned cornucopias. I used Paper Doll for the fruit, Joys of the Season for the bird, ZooBalloo for leaves. I used CosmoCricket paper for the background because it looked old.