Kind Creations: March 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Just Us Girls #130 - Using Zippers!

Happy Saturday! Is everyone getting ready for Spring Break? I've got four more work days next week and then I'm done for a week and a day! So much going on this month too! But the best thing going on today is the Just Us Girls Wild Card Challenge! This only happens when there are five weeks in the month, and then the hostess gets to choose whatever type of challenge she so desires! This week our very talented and immensely cheerful hostess is Elise! She chose to have us use zippers on our creations! Oh so fun!

This is what I created with a normal, everyday zipper....a pretty flower! Couldn't you see this as a nest if it was in brown? Darn, I wish I had a brown zipper! That's another project to write down for the future! I just rolled the zipper, secured it with some hot glue, then added some pretty pearls in the center! I added stacked strips of paper from Crate Paper's Portrait Collection and scalloped the edges. The sentiment on the self-made banner is from So Sentimental stamp set from My Time Made Easy. I added the leaves using a PTI die (can't remember which one!), and voila!! Done!

Here's the fabby sketch I used from Clean and Simple. I thought this was so cool!

The JUGs design team has some equally fabby inspiration for you on the JUGs blog. We also are bidding a fond farewell to our March Featured Designer, Marisa Ritzen. She did a marvelous job for us this month! Here are the blogs you can visit for that inspiration I was telling you about.

March Featured Designer, Marisa Ritzen

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! Enjoy your stay!

Friday, March 30, 2012

My Time Made Easy Preview Day 1 - Card Cover Up

Happy Friday all! I'm here today with the beginning of previews of the April My Time Made Easy release! I can't believe April is on our heels! April has always been a crazy month for my family and me. My birthday, as well as my late brother and grandmother, is on the same day in April. I was married in April, as was my brother. Easter tends to fall around my birthday/anniversay too! Such a busy month! Plus it's closer to summer too!

Anyway, we have some great stuff being released this month. For today's preview, I'm using the new template called Card Cover Up. The gift set I made is for my mom, and it's a note holder. Here's a look at the entire gift set. I took the notes out to show you the great new digital paper I used to line the note holder. It's called Tapestry Trends. It pairs very nicely with SU's Poppy Parade paper.

Here's a closer view of the template. I even decorated a pen to match! The label on top is from the new digital stamp set called Fine Finish. I "colored" it in GIMP using the colors from the paper. The word "Mother" is from another new digital stamp set called Spring in Bloom. I layered this oval on a cut file that was released last month called Fine Finish Tags.

I used SU's So Saffron grosgrain ribbon to decorate the sides and added a tailored bow. Love that look!

Here's a close up of the flower and sentiment on the notepaper. They are both from the new Spring in Bloom digital stamp set. The flower was also colored in "GIMP" using the colors from the paper. I love that saying.

Last shot of the template empty. I love this paper and the template looks so pretty lined on the inside with it.

You can see more from some of the design team today. We have a new member to the team: Kimberly Morrow! Please welcome her! You can also go to our Gallery to see tons of inspiration! I have all the links you'll need listed below.

MTME Blog

The new release will be live on Sunday, April 1st! You can purchase, download, and start creating! Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Pretty Palette #53

Hello friends! I'm a little late getting my card and post done this week. It seems that time has been getting away from me lately. Maybe because it's the great weather we've been having! But I couldn't pass up this awesome Pretty Palette color challenge from My Time Made Easy! Look at these yummy colors! Reminds me of ice cream and summer, which was my inspiration!

The colors this week were taken from the Wind My Girly Gears digital paper pack from MTME, but I went a different route. I wanted to use the Cake and Ice Cream cut file and the papers the pack (although fantastic in design!) just didn't work with the cut file for me, so I used the Darling Dots digital paper pack instead. I actually re-colored one of the papers in GIMP to match the aqua in the color graphic above. Very easy to do! Then I cut the ice cream cone using the cut file (resized to 50% of the original size), my Cricut, and red, pink, daffodil, chocolate chip, and creamy caramel cardstock. I layered the pieces together and added the baker's twine for the stem and some Star Dust Stickles to give the look of "jimmies". I added the sentiment from On Display 1 stamp set in eggplant ink. Super simple, but it took some pre-planning.

I followed this week's sketch from Clean and Simple. It was so perfect for what I wanted to do.

You can see more great cards on the following blogs!

Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Just Us Girls #129 - 3D/Template Challenge

Hello out there! It's Saturday, so that means another challenge from Just Us Girls! This week, Dana is our hostess with the absolute mostess, and she's challenging us to box up a note card set with choose your own sentiments that the receiver can use for various occasions.

So here's what I came up with. I started with this clear pillow box (thanks to my friend Romaine for reminding me that this is a pillow box not a puffy box!) and cut cardstock bases that would fit inside. Then I used Damask Designs from PTI and stamped it in Melon Mambo and Marigold Morning. I cut some die cuts and sponged some Melon Mambo ink around it then stamped the sentiments in Versafine black ink. The sentiments are from Communique Curves sentiments and Damask Designs. I tied the sentiment tags with some baker's twine and filled the box with the cards, the sentiments, and some clear filler. The ribbon was simply tied around the box to keep it all together.

This is what the cards look like when the sentiments are placed on the bottom of the cards.

To see more ideas for this challenge, stop by the blogs listed below.

Marisa Ritzen, March Featured Designer

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great weekend!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Pretty Palette #52 and Our 1st Anniversary!

Hi everyone! Have you heard that the Pretty Palette and the Pretty Patterns challenges from My Time Made Easy are celebrating their 1st anniversaries? Both challenges are giving away $25 gift certificates just for participating! You can check it out here and here. I've combined both challenges in my card today.

The Pretty Palette colors this week were taken from the Serenity digital paper pack. I used two of the patterns in this card. I started by stamping the sentiment from Bee Loved Sentiments stamp set in Versafine black ink. I love that ink because you get such a crisp image. The flower was created by first cutting the flower out using the My Bee Loved cut file then stamping the flower from the Bee Loved stamp set in Memento tuxedo black ink. It's colored with copic markers. The center was glittered up with Star Dust Stickles. It's attached to the card with dimensionals.

Here's the fabby sketch I followed.

So why not play along in both challenges to up your chances of winning those $25 gift certificates. Here is some inspiration by the Pretty Palette design team.

Thanks for stopping in today! It's been a lovely St. Patrick's Day weekend here in Western New York. I hope your week is just as nice as it is here! Have a good one!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Just Us Girls #128 - Color Challenge

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! It's Saturday and time for another Just Us Girls challenge. This week is our color challenge, and our fabby Kathryn has chosen these very pretty, springy colors...light pink, spring moss, and cream.

I wanted to color, so I pulled out one of my Pure Innocence girls from My Favorite Things. This one is called Fairy Girl. These girls are perfect for paper piecing (something I love to do), so I colored and paper pieced! The decorative paper is an old one from October Afternoon called Thrift Shop (I think!). The green paper is Spring Moss from PTI. I added some pretty pink ruffled ribbon from SU, some Prima flowers, and some butterflies punched from the dp. Love these colors!

The girls have created some beautiful cards for your inspiration. You can see them on the blogs below.

JUGs blog

Marisa Ritzen, March Featured Designer

Also, we have the prize winners from the Creating is Fun/{ippity} blog hop. They are:

{ippity} prize winner: Lizzie

Contact Maria Levine to claim your prize.

Creating is Fun winner: Hannah

Contact Martha Pineda to claim your prize.

Congratulations to those winners!

Thanks for stopping by today! Drink some green beer and have fun!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Creating is Fun/{Ippity}Blog Hop

Monday, Monday! What can make a Monday better? A combined blog hop with Maria Levine's {ippity} design team and Martha Pineda's Creating is Fun design team. Maria is an endorsed {ippity} chick and Martha owns a store called Creating is Fun which sells ribbon trims and buttons. How fun! I've got the blog hop list below, but you should start at Martha's Creating is Fun blog and follow along. If you are hopping with us, you should have arrived here from Bonnie's blog.

So here's what I came up with. I used this adorable stamp set from {ippity} called Wise Guy. I started with the paper from DCWV called The Crafty Stack. I colored him with copic markers. Then I used this pretty lacy ecru ribbon from Creating is Fun and strung some grosgrain ribbon through it.

I decorated the inside using the owl stamped in Sahara Sand and this sentiment from the set (one of two). Wouldn't this be great to give to your special guy?

I used this week's sketch Pretty Patterns sketch from My Time Made Easy.

Below is the entire hop list. Make sure you comment on all the blogs to get yourself entered in a great contest! The winner will get an {ippity} prize from Maria Levine and a $25 gift certificate to Creating is Fun. If you see any of the {ippity} images you like, go the this link, choose Maria Levine as your {ippity} chick, and order!

Martha
http://creatingisfun.blogspot.com/

Maria
http://riacreations.blogspot.com/

Julie
http://www.juliemakescards.blogspot.com/

Andrea
http://whimsycrafts.blogspot.com/

Shemaine
http://www.shemainesmith.blogspot.com/

Bonnie
http://www.bonitarose.com/

Lisa (that's me!)
http://kindcreations.blogspot.com/

Rachel
http://rcbogner.blogspot.com/

Carisa
http://ladyguineveresinkyfaeries.blogspot.com/

Vickie
http://allidoisstamp.blogspot.com/

Rebecca
http://messydeskcrafts.com/

Angie
http://angieblomdesigns.blogspot.com/

Ashley
http://hearthugsdesigns.blogspot.com/

Carrie
http://www.carrie-tumblingaround.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by and happy hopping!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Pretty Palette #51

Happy Sunday and welcome to my blog! Next Saturday is St. Patrick's Day, so the Pretty Palette team is challenging you with the colors of the Irish flag...green, white, and orange.

St. Patrick's Day reminds me of party time and this morning we had to turn our clocks back, so I combined those two ideas and came up with this. The clock image is from On Display 1 stamp set and was stamped in Marigold Morning (retired SU color). The sentiment is from Sign It stamp set. I used Gardening Greats Nomad's Pea Pod digital paper pack for the octagons. All of these products are from My Time Made Easy. I pierced holes around the edge of the panel and added some Star Dust Stickles on the clock for some sparkle.

The sketch was taken from the I Spy Sketch Challenge blog. I loved this one because it was so different. I cut the hexagons with my Cricut machine. I realized later that I have a Creative Memories hexagon punch in two different sizes! I could have used that!

For more inspiration, stop by these blogs.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Just Us Girls #127 - Technique Challenge

Hi everybody! Are you ready for another new challenge from Just Us Girls? This week is our technique challenge, and our very talented Andrea chose the Faux Embossing with Die Cuts. You can find it on SCS in the Resources section here.

I started my project by choosing this flower paper from Jillibean. Then I die cut the brown flowers using the Upsy Daisy die from My Favorite Things and adhered them to the same brown paper. I ran it through my Cuttlebug using the embossing mat. I couldn't believe how it really pushed the die cut into the paper! So cool! I finished it off with three more flowers from the same die set in a larger size and some green leaves. The sentiment is from Everyday Basics from PTI. (This set must have been a free one because I don't see it on their site.)

I used this sketch from Card Positioning Systems. Great sketch!

You can see more inspiration using this technique on the following blogs.

Marisa Ritzen, Featured Designer

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great weekend!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

New {ippity} Release Today!

Hi everybody! I'm checking in to tell you that there's a new release from {ippity} today that you can check out. Maria Levine is an {ippity} chick and you can order the new stamps from her. There's a blog hop going on today too! Stop by Maria's blog to see what's going on, see the new stamps, and find out how you can order them from her!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

My Time Made Easy - A Year in Review and Pretty Palette #50

Hi everyone! I have a double whammy from My Time Made Easy today! We have our monthly Year in Review and current Pretty Palette challenge, so I've combined them. Here are the Pretty Palette colors. They are taken from the Under the Cabana digital paper pack.

For the Year in Review, we use something old with something new. I'm using the new Round Off digital stamp set with the previously released Under the Cabana digital paper pack, the Berry Sweet Basket template, and Some Punny Easter digital stamp set.

This template, in its original size, is huge! I wanted something smaller, so I reduced it to 50% of its original size. So cute! I printed out one sheet of the Under the Cabana paper and cut out the template. I created the label using the new Round Off digital stamp set. I layered the sentiment on there (from the same set) and added the bunny in the middle of the flower from the Some Punny Easter digital stamp set. I colored them in GIMP so it matched the paper.

Here's a side view. The template actually has some diamond cut-outs on it, but I chose not to use them because this paper looks like a basket weave pattern. I used a SU flower brad to attach the handle.

Here's the card. I used the same paper pack and digital image. I just enlarged the image a bit to fit the card. The brads are the same ones used on the the basket.

The card uses this sketch from Card Patterns.

Now there are quite a few blogs that you have to visit for more My Time Made Easy inspiration.

My Time Made Easy Design Team

Lauren Meader

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Pretty Palette Team

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great day!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Just Us Girls #126 - Sketch Challenge

Hi friends! The ol' blog has been pretty active these last few days! Today I have a sketch from Just Us Girls that our very talented Lynn created. That middle panel can be interpreted in many different ways, too!

Here's my interpretation. I've been dying for the right sketch to use this stamp and die set from My Favorite Things called Sew Nifty. I used the My Mind's Eye paper pack called Rosy. I love these colors. Anything with black looks fantastic! The main panel was embossed with an embossing folder (I don't remember the name of it!). The dress form was die cut and then stamped with black Versafine ink. The sentiment is from the same set and I cut the strip into a flag on the end. A red button was added on the other end of the strip. The ribbon is black satin by Offray.