Festive Friday number Eight!!! Wow...We're four months down!

Welcome to the eighth installment of Terri Sproul's 2012 Festive Friday Bloghop! Spring is in full swing - unless you are in South FL (spring has skipped us). You should have arrived here from Amanda's Page. To get back to the beginning of the bloghop CLICK HERE.

Happy Friday! This is a card created using Unscripted Sketches #147. This card is simple and has a classic Christmas nostalgic feel - full of pattern and texture. I wouldn't usually put together such busy patterns, but the color palette really helps them work together. I'm really pleased with the results.

Since my stash of paper hasn't been getting used up like I've planned - I joined a paper scrap swap group and sent off about 100 pieces of varying sizes from 8" x 10" to 3" x 5". And I received a fresh supply of uber yummy scraps to play with. This month we are swapping handmade flowers. If you would like to be part of the swap group - leave your info in a comment spelled out {yourname at email dot com}. All of these pieces were in my package except the stocking sticker and the poinsetta scallop border. This card is made ONLY of SCRAPS, some Miracle Tape and a Chipboard Sticker...and I have another lovely card!

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Just one week to go until the Big ODD Show National Scrapbooking Day Extravaganza!!! I will be part of this LIVE online streaming event {for two demos maybe three}. Don't forget to purchase your raffle tickets for the Charity Wings Fundraiser and the grand prize Cricut Expression 2 giveaway - $5 gets you three chances to win.  : ) Sb

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The next stop on the Festive Friday Bloghop

is Laura at Scrappin' Daphne - CLICK HERE.

A Sweet Strawberry Basket Redux for Leslie Rahye's Earth Day Bloghop!

I am so excited to be participating in this EARTH DAY Bloghop. I love recycling. I am an avid greencrafter and am always repurposing interesting things in my projects. My project is a repurposed strawberry basket which has been completely transformed with May Arts "Candy Coated" ribbons.

Bright pink, orange, and yellow gingham ribbons are woven around the rungs of the basket. A thin teal velvet ribbon in woven like an overhand stitch at the top and also edges the horizontal lines of the basket. This redux is completed with a fancy bow and snowflake beads glued on the bottom for feet. I have every intention of prettying up a plain potted plant with this bright and lovely basket...but I couldn't resist filling it with some sweet treats. Happy Earth Day!!!

Please scroll down to click on the squares below to continue to all the fantastic artists on the hop...and remember, please Think GREEN! Sb

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On May 5th I will be having my online "LIVE" debut on the Odd Show National Scrapbook Day Live Extravaganza. There is a Cricut Expression 2 being given away at the event - this is a fundraising raffle for the Charity Wings organization. Prize will be shipped internationally. Click HERE to get your tickets before they are gone! Just $5 gets you three chances to win and all proceeds go to charity...a WIN - WIN for you and for Charity Wings!

Easy Festive Recycled Holiday Packaging decorated using Unscripted Sketches #155

I started out with these things...

and turned them into this lovely upcycled gift box!

Here's my creation for today's Unscripted Sketches #155! Since it's Earth Day tomorrow, there's also a piggyback challenge to use something recycled this week. I used several things that were salvaged from the recycling bin. First a press and seal corrugated package I received a book in from Amazon, a section of some crumpled up Christmas wrapping paper and a bar code tag that was on a something at Christmastime. C'mon...admit it. I know I'm not the only one hoarding tags and holiday paper scraps. 

I fashioned the corrugated into a gift box top and bottom and fastened corners with staples. Quick and easy. Then I grabbed a section of eyelet lace for the top border and affixed with Miracle tape. I double matted the Santa on green cardstock and some festive green mulberry paper. The finishing touch was adding a satin bow on my recycled tag and this lovely rustic gift box is complete.

This package is ready and waiting for summertime Christmas shopping. Have a great weekend! Please join me again tomorrow in a celebration of EARTH DAY. I am participating in a special Earth Day Bloghop hosted by my super crafty pal Leslie Rahye : )

What is Sketch it Saturdays at Unscripted Sketches? Every Saturday morning a new sketch is posted for the week. Flip the sketch, rotate it… create a card, a scrapbook page, a wall hanging, digital, paper, fabric, paint, anything your imagination comes up with! There is no right or wrong way, as long as you are using the Unscripted sketch as the inspiration for your creation! And everyone is invited to join in the fun...and post your creation on their page for all the world to see!

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On May 5th I will be having my online "LIVE" debut on the Odd Show National Scrapbook Day Live Extravaganza. There is a Cricut Expression 2 being given away at the event - this is a fundraising raffle for the Charity Wings organization. Prize will be shipped internationally. Click HERE to get your tickets before they are gone! Just $5 gets you three chances to win and all proceeds go to charity...a WIN - WIN for you and for Charity Wings!

H'OWL' Lovely Greencrafting Can Be... a Project using Sakura Hobby Crafts

Happy Wednesday! Earth Day is just a few days away, so I am sharing a greencrafting project. I am giving new life to this vintage metal stained glass owl frame. I really love the aged patina and oxidation on this metal frame.

Remember these when you were growing up??? I sure do! Those kits that you fill up with colored crystals and then bake them in the oven...I loved making them. Now they are cheap plastic with goopy glitter glue that don't last. I bought this owl at one of my local Indie Craft Shows from a crafty friend of mine who searches out and unearths vintage treasures. I brought this hootie back to life...with Sakura Hobby Crafts Crystal Lacquer and mica powders available at Viva Las VegaStamps!.

How I painted the papers: I put down a paper brushed with a little water and picked up the mixer color and painted it on. For most colors, I painted on both sides. This resulted in an aged paper look which has some translucency to it. I repeated for each color I made - this is how I ended up with all the lovely papers pictured above. 

After painting - I set aside to dry on waxed paper - this absorbed the excess moisture and kept my little colored pages from sticking. I really love how the Crystal Lacquer alone with a small touch of water soaks through the paper and becomes translucent with the feel of vellum when dry. It really gives the similar effect to that of of resin coated paper.

So I set off to begin collaging the paper to the frame using the Crystal Lacquer as an adhesive.

I selected a yellow painted paper and used Crystal Lacquer to glue paper to back of frame on desired "moon" sections.

When dry, I trimmed outer edges with a craft knife and on the inner borders, gently tore edges back from metal edge. I was careful not to expose sealed edge.

After fully collaging all sections with desired colored papers. No it's not pretty on the back, but it's doing the job. This will be mounted in a shadow box later and nobody will ever be the wiser.

Completed front view of collaged papers to frame. I could have stopped here...but I'm really going to make this "POP".

To add additional detail I started by adding the black colored Crystal Lacquer to the feet with a toothpick.

With a paintbrush, I mixed up some Pearl Citrine with Crystal Lacquer and added more color in the moon. Then I added a several other colors to add more depth and interest. The added wetness caused some warping, so as it dried, I gently pushed a dome in the center from the back - voila...instant 3-D!

I continued adding various mica colors to enhance other colored areas until all areas were complete. I left the head, wings and tail as they were because I liked the contrast.

Then I flood-filled each section with Crystal Lacquer and set aside to dry until all cloudiness disappeared. I left this to dry overnight.

Completed "OWL" Suncatcher

Have a wonderful Wednesday :) Sb

Save the Date - Earthday Bloghop this Sunday 4/22!

I will be participating in this special "Earth Day" edition of a Leslie Rahye's Bloghop. See you there! Sb

Merry! Merry! Who-Ville Greetings using Unscripted Sketches #154

Here's my creation for today's sketch #154! If you are keeping track - this is Christmas card number 16. The background paper, zig zag stripes and the Grinch's trusty Pup is from my Grinch Paper Craft Pad. It is chock full of fun images and sentiments...and enough embellishment pieces to make at least 50 cards. The wavy blue frame is a piece of fun foam that I embossed with a candy cane stripe embossing folder to add some texture. The dog sentiment was a pinch out from a die cut sheet that I mounted on a larger piece of white cardstock. I made a wonky square shape and mounted on a scrap of the red patterned paper. So fun and festive!

What is Sketch it Saturdays at Unscripted Sketches? Every Saturday morning a new sketch is posted for the week. Flip the sketch, rotate it… create a card, a scrapbook page, a wall hanging, digital, paper, fabric, paint, anything your imagination comes up with! There is no right or wrong way, as long as you are using the Unscripted sketch as the inspiration for your creation! And everyone is invited to join in the fun...and post your creation on their page for all the world to see!

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On May 5th I will be having my online "LIVE" debut on the Odd Show National Scrapbook Day Live Extravaganza. There is a Cricut Expression 2 being given away at the event - this is a fundraising raffle for the Charity Wings organization. Prize will be shipped internationally. Click HERE to get your tickets before they are gone! Just $5 gets you three chances to win and all proceeds go to charity...a WIN - WIN for you and for Charity Wings!

Festive Friday #7 Combined with a Creation Using Unscripted Sketches #148

Welcome to the seventh installment of Terri Sproul's 2012 Festive Friday Bloghop! Spring is in full swing - unless you are in South FL (spring has skipped us). You should have arrived here from Amanda's Page. To get back to the beginning of the bloghop CLICK HERE.

This card was created using Sketch it Saturday's #113 over at Unscripted Sketches. This project began with leftovers from another holiday project, {I love using up my scraps}and a bag of mulberry paper pieces I picked up at crafty yard sale held at my local SB store. I stamped and colored in these festive trees using my water brush with markers and the ornaments are colored with gelly glaze pens.

Even though my creations may look perfect, they are indeed an adventure, each with their own, ups and downs and near misses. I have to confess a mistake on my card. Under the sentiment is another melted embossed mess of the sentiment.

I point this out because I want everyone to know that I am not an expert at the art of stamping, but I am a PERFECTIONIST. I usually make a couple tests prior to stamping on my final project, which leads to a LOT of extras and leftovers...so I didn't do that this time. My stamped image came out fine first time out, but then I decided to emboss it with some gelly glitter embossing powder - WHOA...what a mess. This product ended up filling in most of the letters because I couldn't get the extra EP out of all the holes. So what did I do???? I found a scrap of the paper that matched up to the striped pattern and restamped and plain embossed with clear EP. I cut the bottom edge with a fancier scallop to mirror the bottom edge and to take away from the fact that I was pasting over a mess. I like to call this a "happy accident"! BTW this card is available at my shop SalonD'Arte on Etsy along with some of my other crafty treasures.

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Three weeks to go until the Big ODD Show National Scrapbooking Day Extravaganza!!! I will be part of this LIVE online streaming event {YIKES!!!}. Don't forget to purchase your raffle tickets for the Charity Wings Fundraiser and the grand prize Cricut Expression 2 giveaway  : ) Sb

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The next stop on the Festive Friday Bloghop

is Laura at Scrappin' Daphne - CLICK HERE.

Happy Spring...Happy Easter, too!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter and share my fully embellished embroidery hoop to hold my "painting with stamps" project I did for Viva Las Vegastamps! It didn't take much. A section of vintage lace, some pink seam binding around the outer edge layered with a frilly purple ribbon. Topped off with a large purple organza bow! Simply lovely : )

This plant is next to where I park at work. I have an observation about this year's CRAZY weather...this plant has flowers that bloom once a year. This is it's SECOND bloom since January. Very strange but these flowers just make me smile!

Hoppity...Hop...Hop...Easter's here! Twenty-seven days and counting!  Sb : )

Happy 3 Year Blogiversary to Unscripted Sketches!!! Sketch #153 Debut

We’re celebrating THREE years in blog land so CLICK HERE to join our blog party! We’d like to thank everyone who has visited us over the past three years. We’ve seen lots of changes over the past three years and I think you’re going to like the newest ones, too! There are prizes to be won - so come on over and play!!! AND....Drumroll Please....the new Design Team is ANNOUNCED! YAY!!!

It's an anniversary for me as well. This weekend marks one year on the Unscripted Sketches Design Team! The time has flown by - and it has been so much fun. Great News! I will be continuing on with this fantastic group of designers. When joining Unscripted Sketches a year ago, I was challenged to create something once-a-week. This has blossomed into a creative whirlwind for me...I am creating almost daily now. It all began with a sketch!

I have been a loyal follower of Unscripted Sketches since it began. I was cruising around on twitter and the internet and just happened upon it. I look forward to receiving the weekly Sketch-it Saturday in my email inbox every Saturday afternoon - it's my weekly dose of creative inspiration. This remains true now that I am one of Unscripted Sketches Design Team members - I don't peek at what is coming from everyone each week. I LOVE the surprise every Saturday.

Here's my creation for today's sketch...the GRINCH is back! This is Christmas card number 15.

I hope everyone has a Happy Easter! Please don't forget on May 5th I will be having my online "LIVE" debut on the Odd Show National Scrapbook Day Live Extravaganza. There is a Cricut Expression 2 being given away at the event - this is a fundraising raffle for the Charity Wings organization. Prize will be shipped internationally. Click HERE to get your tickets before they are gone! Just $5 gets you three chances to win and all proceeds go to charity. WIN - WIN!

Roaring and Ready...Chick's Spinning His Gears! Leslie Rahye's Hippity Steampunk Blog Hop

Welcome to Leslie Rayhe's Hippity Steampunk Bloghop. This is where Spring, Easter and Steampunk have craftily collided. I am totally hooked on Steampunk and had so much fun creating this project to share today!

Presenting.... "Steampunk EGGship"!

Hope you like my Steampunk Chick! He's ready to zoom off to his next adventure! Stay tuned...there will be a how-to coming to a galaxy near you.

Below are the super crafty individuals participating...just click a box to hop to the next stop! Hoppity...Hop...Hop...Easter's on it's way....Sb : )

Santa's Keeping Watch While the Bunny's AWAY! Christmas Card #14 using Unscripted Sketches #152

Its been 14 weeks now and I'm still making Christmas cards weekly for the Unscripted Sketches Design Team Sketch-It Saturday post! Sorry, the Grinch goodies just wouldn't cooperate with this sketch...but this super cute "Rusty Pickle" Santa sure fit the bill. 

This week's creation is an assortment of holiday paper pieces...background and "Ho-Ho" border are from DCVW holiday stacks, Santa is cut out from a piece of Rusty Pickle 12x12 paper that has many Santas, and the circle is a leftover piece of Memories Complete holiday paper. Santa is double matted with gold and green cardstock scraps. I used some Miracle Tape to hold this altogether. This is a huge card! Preparing for my craft show, I came across a kit I have for a hanging magnetic clipboard project I've never made...and guess what??? The chipboard backing the same EXACT size...so this lil' guy is going to be immortalized with modge-podge. I'll post a photo when complete...maybe on an upcoming Festive Friday. 

What is Sketch it Saturdays at Unscripted Sketches? Every Saturday morning a new sketch is posted for the week. Flip the sketch, rotate it… create a card, a scrapbook page, a wall hanging, digital, paper, fabric, paint, anything your imagination comes up with! There is no right or wrong way, as long as you are using the Unscripted sketch as the inspiration for your creation! And everyone is invited to join in the fun...and post your creation on their page for all the world to see!

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Saturday is the big announcement of the new Unscripted Sketches Design Team and our 3 year Blogiversary! There will be Prizes!!! It's already April - are you working on your holiday cards yet??? Friday the 13th of April is the next Festive Friday. See you there!  : ) Sb