Happy New Year!

I hope all of you enjoyed the holidays, and the celebration of an old year ending and a new year beginning.  I know I was having a lot of fun!  Now I feel relaxed and ready to meet all of the challenges and fabulous things that 2012 will bring.  :o)
Before I begin the post on the fun project I completed, I wanted to give you a heads up about my upcoming events.  I will be teaching a super fun mini album on the 14th.  You can see the details here.  I am also teaching a card class at Scrappin' Bunnies on the 21st.  You can check that one out here.  Both of these classes are filling up, so don't delay in getting in on them!
On the 28th, I will be having a crop from 10:30 - 6:00 and will also be introducing the new catalog.  I will have more details on this event as I figure it out. LOL  I only have 6-8 spots for a crop, so if you want to join me for the crop part of it, let me know pronto!!!
Okay...here we go on the projects.  First, you need to know about the special, so here is some information on that:

JOIN THE CRAZE! WHEN YOU PLACE A MINIMUM ORDER OF $25 FROM THE
Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book, you can get two new products for just $15: the
My Creations® Collage Cubes (a Spring/Summer 2012 sneak-peek product!) and
the exclusive My Acrylix® Rock the Block E-size stamp set. That’s a retail savings
of almost $30! You're going to love the Collage Cubes and the Rock the Block
stamp set, which work together for interactive, 3-D fun.

 

So, what did I do with this darling set?  I decided to post my first Braille project and make Dane a letter matching game!  I will say that after I made this, there are a few things I would have changed, but I still really like how it turned out.  Forgive the pictures...I need to learn how to take better pictures that show the work better!  I suppose that will be another item added to my goal list.  :o)

Before I began, I chose my color pallet.  I decided on Honey, Pear, Desert Sand, and Black.  I cut six 6x6 pieces of Colonial White cardstock, and stamped them up:

Besides the random stamping, I also used the rock 'n roll, masking, and base and shade stamping techniques.  I really had fun, though I do have my favorites of the pages.  :o)

After the stamping was done, I turned them each over and lightly marked the back into 2x2 squares just as a guide for the Braille.

With my slate and stylus, I wrote one letter in each square.  There were enough squares to do two of each letters, and my son's name twice, too!

I then cut each page into 2x2 squares to fit on the blocks, and glued them on using multi-medium.  You could also use Mod Podge for this step.

Once the squares were done, I painted the base a dark brown with a paint dauber.  Sadly, I forgot to take a picture of that, so you'll just have to imagine until I post another time.  :o)

Here is his name in Braille.  I love it!  I really think it is fascinating!

I'm sorry this is such a long post, but I also wanted to share ANOTHER fun special for Studio J!  Check it out!!!

Glitz Glitter Gel Technique Blog Hop

Welcome to our Technique Blog Hop!  This month there are 13 of us highlighting the “Quick Glitz” Technique as shown on page 35 in the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book!  This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique.  If you would like to start from the beginning, please visit this link to Debi's Blog.  While there you will also find a listing of all participants and their blog addresses if you should get lost or want to reference a blog along the way.  Let’s get started!

If you are coming from Melissa's Blog, you are on the right track! 

 This month, I thought I would show the use of the Glitz Glitter Gel on chipboard shapes.  I first inked the snowflake with Crystal blue, then applied a thin layer of the silver Glitz over top and set it aside to dry.  I did the same thing with the heart using Chocolate ink and red Glitz.  I thought adding a bit of red to this card would really pop.  Who doesn't like a pop of red?!  I popped the heart up with some foam tape and stuck the pin clip through the foam tape.

 Here is a closer view of the glittered snowflake and heart.  I don't know if you noticed, but I stamped snowflakes lightly on the Grey Flannel cardstock.

Supply List:   

• Wonderland Level 2 Paper Packet (X7146B)
• Snowflakes Stamp Set (D1480)
• Silver Glitz Glitter Gel (Z1482)
• Red Glitz Glitter Gel (Z1484)
• Chocolate Ink (Z2111)
• White Daisy Ink (Z2163)
• Crystal Blue Ink (Z2117)
• Foundry Pin Clips (Z1612)
• Dimensional Elements Flurry (Z1225)
• Dimensional Elements Hearts (Z1278)

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Please continue onto Rachel's Blog where you will find some additional artwork highlighting this technique!  Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my variation and happy hopping!

January's Mini Album Workshop

Hey, check it out!  I'm posting something that is not a blog hop!  LOL  I have been trying to plan this workshop for about a week in between Christmas busy-ness.  Is that a word?  Anyways, you all know what I mean.  This time of year is absolutely insane.  By the time I was through tonight, I looked at my room and had to laugh!  Check out the mess I made! 

I was too excited with how it all turned out to wait and clean things up (because let's face it, that's going to take hours!) before taking pictures of the project, so  forgive the mess.  This is a little mini album made out of Close To My Heart kraft card bases.  We made one at convention last summer, and I thought it was so cute, I just HAD to design one to teach for a workshop!

This is the front.  I love the way the title turned out.  It has a 3D effect when you see it in person!  Keep on going and check out the other pages.  I hope you like it!

Page one has a little hidden journaling spot that is held down by the little corrugated star.

Page two also has a hidden journaling spot in the form of a cute 3x3 card! 

No hidden journaling on this page.  I guess I wanted to shake things up a bit!  LOL

More hidden journaling!!!  These tags slip behind the photo mat.

Last page, and a little book type of hidden journaling.  I like the block quilt design of this page.  I was inspired by some of the artwork in the current Close To My Heart catalog.

I will be teaching this class on Saturday, January 14th from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. We will be creating it at my house, so I am limited on space.  I can only have 8 people.  The cost is only $25.  Payment will reserve your spot.  Don't delay!!!

Leave a comment and let me know what you think!  :o)

Happy Scrappin'!

December Stamp Of The Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Stamp of the Month Blog Hop highlighting this month's stamp set, "Mad About You".  This stamp set allows for some great versatility so hop with us and see what creativity we have to share with you!

If you have arrived here from Kim's blog, you are on the right track! So... let's get started!

December first happens to be my wedding anniversary, so this stamp set worked REALLY well for me!  I can see myself using this set for all kinds of things, though.  I really enjoyed it, and it goes really well with my very favorite tool, the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge!!!  I really don't know if I will ever do another project again without utilizing this cartridge.

So, here is my hubby's anniversary card!  I hope he likes it.  :o)  I used LOTS of different cuts from the Cricut cartridge.  It makes designing a card so much fun!!!  Especially since I really love having a very dimensional card!

Check out the heart!!!  It works perfectly with a heart box from Art Philosophy!!!  Isn't that great?! 

These flowers were fabulous, and easy!  I don't know if you can see the sheen on the flowers, but I sprayed them with the spray pen full of a mixture of water, Pearl Paint and Desert Sand re-inker.  It gives an antique gold sort of glimmer!

So, can you tell I like the tattered look?  :o)  The tickets were sprayed, crinkled, and distressed, too.  Just like the flowers!!!  So...this isn't a card that would fit in a conventional envelope.  I guess I'll just have to put it in a gift bag.  LOL  Though, I just had a thought that it would be fun to slip a gift card into the heart, too, along with the tickets.  I think I'll do that!!!  I'll surprise him with an i-tunes gift card.  Hehe!!!

Here's my supply list:

• Cricut Art Philosophy Collection (Z1686)
• Roxie Level 2 Paper Pack (X7140B)
• Mad About You My Acrlix Stamp Set (S1112)
• Rhinestone Designer Brads (Z1360)
• Shimmer Designer Brads (Z1349)
• Mocha Opaques Adhesive Gems (Z1333)
• Spring Blossom Paper Shapes (Z1266)
• Spray Pen (Z1380)
• Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint (Z1039)
• Inks: Black, Desert Sand, and Tulip
• Re-inker: Desert Sand

Thank you for taking the time to stop by... I hope you enjoyed the card!

Now hop on over to Melissa's blog where you will find another inspirational use of this stamp set!

November Technique Blog Hop

Welcome to our Technique Blog Hop!  This month there are 11 of us highlighting the “Ghosting” Technique as shown on page 45 in the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book!  This blog hop is a great big circle so you can start wherever you want and continue through to see all the fabulous artwork incorporating this technique.  If you would like to start from the beginning, please visit this link to Debi's Blog.  While there you will also find a listing of all participants and their blog addresses if you should get lost or want to reference a blog along the way.  Let’s get started!

If you are coming from Judy Faye's Blog, you are on the right track! 

This was a new technique for me, and I decided that I wanted to make a fall card with it.  I just love this pumpkin stamp, and I thought it would be perfect for this technique!

I wanted the words in the pumpkin to really stand out, so I stamped those first in Autumn Terracotta.  Then, I stamped the pumpkin on top of that with Versamark ink, and embossed it in clear.  I sponged the whole thing with chocolate ink.  

At this point, it is just a resist technique...now the fun begins!  I placed a clean piece of cardstock over the image, and ironed it with a hot iron!!!  Just make sure that you turn the steam off!  :o)  This will pretty much remove the embossing.  I stamped the swirls in New England Ivy, and misted over the whole thing with a mixture of pearl paint, Desert Sand reinker, and water.  I love the shimmer it gives!!!

I cut different leaves from the Art Philosophy cartridge at 1 1/4", and an acorn at 1" from some scraps I had left from the You & Me paper.  I also cut a stem from that paper, and a scalloped circle to go behind the pumpkin circle.  I hope you like it!

Supply List: 

Chocolate Ink (Z2111)

Autumn Terracotta Ink (Z2101)

New England Ivy Ink (Z2135)

Desert Sand Reinker (Z2218)

Versamark Ink (Z891)

Clear Embossing Powder (Z821)

Spray Pen (Z1380)

Create-a-Shade Pearl Paint (Z1039)

Autumn Terracotta Cardstock

Creme Brulee Cardstock

Barn Red Cardstock

Colonial White Cardstock (1388)

You & Me Patterned Paper

Clear Card (Z1309)

Thanks for stopping by!  Please continue onto Michelle's Blog where you will find some additional artwork highlighting this technique!  Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you thought of my variation and happy hopping!