Chalked Up Valentines

Yesterday I needed a distraction so I decided to play with my Taylored Expressions goodies and use the chalkboard technique.  I made a few Valentines and I'm super happy with how they turned out.

The stamp I used for both cards is called Graphic Greetings Valentine & I stamped it with white pigment ink then heat embossed it with white embossing powder.  Once the embossing was dry, I used a sponge to smear some white pigment ink on the image for the chalkboard look.  The adorable little tag on my first card is from the Designer Mini Tags die cut set and the I used the Heart Cutting Plate on both cards ~ love the look of that!  Oh and the pattern paper is Love Letters from Bo Bunny.

... and my second card ~ a chalkboard heart!

Thanks for buzzing by today ~
hope your day is filled with love and happy thoughts!

Wonderful Wishes...

Popping in this morning to share a clean and simple card using the new Flower Power set by Crafter's Companion.   I also used a sentiment from the Sentiment Swirls set ~ which is turning into one of my GO TO sets for sentiments!  

Have a great Wednesday!

Office Parties...

Today's fun creation is the perfect card to give a co-worker, boss or someone on your staff for their birthday.  

I love the combo of the great set by Gourmet Rubber Stamps called Just Wanted To Say & the October Afternoon pattern paper in the 9 to 5 Collection.  A match couldn't be more perfect! I also thought the sentiment matched well with the "typewriter font" & it's from the Everyday Sayings set.  I stamped the image in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and then just colored in the keys with a coordinating marker.

Bold New Flowers

Welcome back Monday...I missed you!  I can't tell you how much I needed a fresh start today & a major  attitude adjustment!  I was a little grumpy this weekend...to say the least!   However, I did manage to escape my grumpies for a bit and ink up some fun new images from Crafter's Companion.  I am LOVING these big flowers from the brand new Flower Power set which is part of the new Sheena Collection.  Then I stamped this pretty sentiment from the Sentiment Swirls set directly on the pattern paper.  All of the images were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink.

Hope you have a great start to your week
~ thanks for buzzing by today ~

be mine...

Happy Saturday...
Just a quick Clean & Simple Valentine to share today.
I used the Truffles set called Elegant Valentine
by Gourmet Rubber Stamps.

No chit chat today...off to stamp!

GRS January Color Challenge

Post #2 for today... and it's another challenge card.
I guess it's been a "challenging week" ~ LOL!!  

On the 25th of each month, the designers for Gourmet Rubber Stamps have a color challenge.  Here is the color palette for this month!  YUM ~ so soft and pretty.

So...my card started out closer to the color palette, but when it was all said and done, I'm not sure if I missed the mark or not.  I do love it...so at least I have that going for me!  I used the new Rustic Floral Appetizer set along with pattern paper from Basic Grey's Lucille Collection.  For the background, I stamped a script background from the Sealed with a Kiss set in Antique Linen Distressed Ink.  Then I used my Memento Dew Drop Inks in Bamboo Leaves and Rhubarb Stalk to in up the flower.  I love the Dew Drop ink pads because they have a point and it's super easy to get into small areas of a stamp.

I know you'll want to see what the other designers came up with, so don't forget to hop around and take a look!

• Deb Felts

• Jeni Allen

• Kendra Wietstock - You're Here

Kelli Palmer

• Taylor Usry

• Jennifer Ingle 

• Stepanie Lee

You should totally play along with this color palette and post your fab creation on the GRS Facebook page so we can make lovely comments about your amazing work!

CAS-ual Fridays & Crafter's Companion Challenge

TGIF ~ it's a CAS-ual Friday here on my blog because the Crafter's Companion Team is joining in on the CAS-ual Friday Challenge this week to bring beautiful color to your cards with Spectrum Noir Markers!  The challenge is to use MARKERS on your Clean & Simple styled project!

For my challenge card, I used a new set from the Stamp-It Australia Image Collection that just came out for CHA.  The name of the set is called Dreamy Daisies and it has some beautiful floral and butterfly images with a few very handy sentiments too.   I stamped the image with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and then colored it with my Spectrum Noir Markers.  For the final touch, I added some trims from May Arts.

Hope you have a chance to play along on this challenge ~ I know there will be a FABULOUS prize this week from Crafter's Companion.

HEY ~ Have you seen my new Crafty Facebook Page ~ Kendra's Paper Creations?  Come on over and "LIKE" my page so we can chit chat and have some fun!

Use Your Imagination...

It's Thursday already ~ where in the world did this week go?  I've either been stamping or driving/waiting kids...it's been a busy week filled with activities, but I did have some time to create this pretty card using some Stamp-It Australia images.  The background image is from the Discovery Collection and the sentiment is from one of the new sets called Time to Dream.

Here's how I made this super easy card:

1. Stamp the image in white pigment ink on white paper.
2. Heat emboss with white embossing powder.
3. Use a sponge to apply 2 colors of Distressed Inks and apply in a circular motion.  I used Peeled Paint & Faded Jeans.  I used green first and then added just a touch of blue.  
4. Mat the stamped image to a slightly larger piece of white cardstock & attach to the card.
5. Use a sponge & Antique Linen Distressed Ink on the edges of the Kraft cardstock & stamp the sentiment in Tuxedo Black Memento ink.  
6. Add some ribbon and a button & BOOM you're done!
   

Have a great day & if you're in the path of this arctic blast...STAY WARM!

A few CAS Valentine cards...

I've been creating like CRAZY over the last few weeks.  I'm having a BLAST stamping all sorts of projects in a zillion different styles & today I have three Clean and Simple cards to share.

First up ~ It was freezing cold yesterday so I hid in my studio with the fireplace roaring & played with my Chevron Stripes Coveralls Background stamp by Gourmet Rubber Stamps.  This stamp is a HUGE background and there is so much you can do with it!  Not only can you make great backgrounds on your cards, but here I stamped it in red ink on kraft cardstock and then used my heart die cut to trim it out for my tag.  Then I also used the same stamp for the turquoise border and just trimmed a 3/4" strip to add on my card.

For the adorable Sizzix tag, I simply stamped the lined stamp from the Noteworthy set in Sky Blue Memento Ink and then added the LOVE YOU sentiment in Love Letter Red Memento Ink.  After I added the Chevron heart to the tag, I popped up a little polka-dot embossed heart & then some red/white twine.  My finishing touch on the card is the punched edge at the top.  I love it ~ so simple but so fun!

My next two cards are for the CAS-ual Fridays challenge this week.  The challenge is Long & Short ~ which means one long side and one short side to the card.

For both of my cards I used the Just Wanted To Say stamp set for the telephone and then I used the sentiment from Happy Heart Day on the first card & Everyday Sayings for the second card.  All of the sets are by Gourmet Rubber Stamps.

Go play along on the CAS-ual Friday challenge this week ~ it's super fun and they have a new challenge each week.

just saying hello...

Just looking you up today to say HELLO!  Hope your Tuesday is starting off well.  

I'm excited about my fun little card today.  I have to say, it's probably one of my favorites that I've made with this new FABULOUS Appetizer set by Gourmet Rubber Stamps called Just Wanted To Say...  This set is SO FUN!   The pattern paper is from October Afternoon's 9 to 5 Collection ~ fun color combo huh?  The notebook lined image {stamped in gray behind the telephone} is from the Noteworthy Appetizer set and the sentiment is from the Simply Sentiments set and everything is stamped with Memento Ink.

This card is also for the CAS-ual Friday challenge from last week ~ to make a long/short card {one long side and one short}.  The measurements for this card is 4"x6.5".  Make a great clean and simple card and share it on their blog!

Well this card reminds me...I have a few friends to call today!  Time for some good old BFF chit chat!  Have a GREAT day!

At-A-Glance Studio Calendar

For the past few years, I've made a calendar to put up in my studio so I can quickly glace at dates.  I like to see the whole year right in front of me, so I make the calendar as a 12x12 layout.   I use a 3-ring 12x12 page protector with the binding at the top and then just thread some ribbon through it to hang it from the shelf in front of my desk.  Then once the year is over, I simply slide the page out & put it in my scrapbook to use it as a cover page for that year.

My Twenty-thirteen calendar uses Kraft cardstock as the base, a free printable calendar from Finding Nana, and then punched out assorted shapes for each month using this great pattern paper from Pebbles, Inc called Seen & Noted ~ totally LOVE these papers!  I finished it off with chipboard numbers by American Crafts and gems by Kaiser Crafts.  EASY PEASY ~ I won't get tired of looking at this all year long!

Here are a few close-ups of the punched out embellishments I added to each month...

Oh ... I have some fun news today ~ Crafter's Companion is releasing 10 NEW Sheena Douglass stamp sets today.  I am so excited to get these sets inky... Go take a peek.

Ahhhhh...a finished project!

WOOHOOO!  This week I finally had time to sit down and finish my December Daily Album.  I'm not sure that I've ever finished an album that quickly, but with the help of the fabulous Simple Stories products, it went pretty quickly.  I also planned ahead and wrote down what each page would have on it & made sure I took photos for the planned pages.   For an album like this, it is very important to write things down as you go and put some effort into planning ~ otherwise, the project will never get finished.  And I have enough unfinished scrapbooking projects laying around my studio!

So here are the rest of my pages...

and here is the final page that recaps the whole month...

Hope you enjoyed seeing my busy December.
Lots of activities, family, and tons of fun!

Warm Fuzzies...

I just gotta say that this little guy gives me super warm fuzzies when I see him.  This adorable image is part of the Mulberry Woods Collection for Crafter's Companion and the set is called Birthday Wishes.  I stamped the image with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and then colored him with my brand new Spectrum Noir markers.  Not too shabby for my first try with these new markers.  I'm just a beginner with these new alcohol ink markers so I'll be checking out out all of the fabulous tutorials on the Spectrum Noir website.

Have a Happy Weekend!

Supplies Used:
Stamps ~ Crafter's Companion (Mulberry Woods ~ Birthday Wishes)
Ink ~ Memento Tuxedo Black

Markers ~ Spectrum Noir (OR1, GB5, DG2, DG4, BT2, BT4, BT5, BT9, PP3, PP5, PL1, PL2, BG2, BG4, BG6, CR8
Pattern Paper ~ Pebbles Inc (Seen & Noted)

Elegant and a little bit Vintage

Hi there friends...what a week ~ has your's been crazy too?  The weekend is fast approaching & I hope you have some fun plans.  I'm not sure what I'll be doing, but I'm leaning toward including some scrapbooking in my plans!

Enough chit chat  ~ on with my crafty post ...  I've made a card with a bit of a vintage-feel to it today.  I used two of the new Stamp-It Australia Image Collection sets by Crafter's Companion (#67 & #61) along with some paper by My Mind's Eye and ribbon from May Arts.

Have a VERY special day!

GRS Truffles are so yummy!

Can you tell that I've been stamping  A LOT lately?  LOL!  It's been fun to get back into the swing of things on the blogging/crafting front and with so many great products out there, it's pretty easy to be inspired.  These new Truffles sets by Gourmet Rubber Stamps are a blast to work with.  My first card uses the Enjoy the Ride set...

And next up is one of my favorite little sets called Thinking of You...

Have a great day & thanks for buzzing by...

GRS Monthly Appetizer Release!

Today is the 15th and that means it's RELEASE DAY for Gourmet Rubber Stamps.  Each month we have two new Appetizer Sets which includes 4 images and/or sentiments.  I'm totally excited about this release because it could possibly be my most favorite Appetizer Release EVER!  I simply ADORE both sets.

The first set is called Just Wanted To Say... and it includes a great retro images of a typewriter, dial telephone, and a megaphone.  SO CUTE!  The card I made for this set uses the typewriter and is a fun valentine that typed up a little message that says... "{love}U" with a heart button & a die cut U.  I also colored in the typewriter keys to make a heart.  The bold sentiment is also part of this great set.

The next card uses the gorgeous new set called Rustic Flowers.  The images in this set are AMAZING!!!!  It's gonna be seeing a lot of ink ...that's for sure!  I used my markers to ink up this image...make sure you don't use alcohol markers (like Copic or Spectrum Noir) ...you must use water based when coloring directly on your stamps.  I have a feeling this might just be my next "go to" set ~ it's a MUST HAVE!  Also, the sentiment I used on this card is from the Perfect Phrases set.

Wanna see these lovely sets in full...check out the GRS Blog for the sets.  Hop over to Kelli Palmer and 

Jennifer Ingle's blogs and see what they came up with today.

Wonderful Birthday...

Happy MONDAY!  Yes, I know I am pretty much all alone in LOVING Mondays!  I just feel like it's a fresh new start each and every week.   It was an exciting weekend in the crafting world with CHA going on in California and TONS of new product releases from every craft company under the sun!  Crafter's Companion is no exception with their WONDERFUL Stamp-It Australia Image Collection.  I just can't ink up these babies fast enough!

Today I'm showing a card that I made using this great flower from Set #7 where I stamped it using Tuxedo Black Memento ink directly on pattern paper from October Afternoon.  Then I used one of the pretty sentiments from Set #61.  Such a quick and simple card and the splash of gold really makes it POP!

Check back in tomorrow because there's ANOTHER new release to share with you ~ and this includes two sets that I AM IN LOVE WITH ~ SERIOUSLY!

Saturday LOVE...

Hello LOVELY Peeps!  I'm in such a good mood today and thought I would share a sweet little card I put together this morning using some new goodies from the latest Taylored Expressions release.  I'm pretty much loving how it turned out!  Now my original intent was to do the Clean and Simple Postage Challenge over on Splitcoast Stampers; however, I think this card missed the mark on the "Clean & Simple" look...but that's ok.
 
I used the beautiful Hearts Cutting Plate for the bottom of the card & did a tone on tone look {saving one of the cute little hearts for the tag}.  Then I added some new Echo Park Love Story pattern paper on top ~ gorgeous huh?  The inside of the postage die is the Graphic Greeting Valentine stamped in Angel Pink Memento Ink.  I added a doily and ribbon then used a cute little tag from the Designer Mini Tags and added that red heart that I saved earlier.  Then the final touch are some stamped hearts from the Gourmet Rubber Stamps set called Sealed with a Kiss.  OK...enough chatter...here's my card!

OH ... I HAVE NEWS ~ I'm really excited to announce that I just started my own crafty Facebook page called Kendra's Paper Creations.  You will still see my work right here, as well as over there; but we'll also have some fun chats, answer questions, look at great products and maybe have a give away now and then.  Come on over and LIKE my new page!

Crafter's Companion...Day #3 Peek

Can you believe it...I blogged 5 days this week!  I guess I had lots of goodies to share with you.  Today's post includes another sneak peek from Crafter's Companion & another new image from the Stamp-It Australia collection ~ it's called the Image Collection.  This was a super simple card to make because the vine and the verse are all in the same stamp ~ so just stamp, cut, mat and boom!  I added the little embossed butterfly for some texture.  The pattern paper is from the Lost & Found Collection by My Mind's Eye.  They have such beautiful vintage patterns...perfect for all of my lovely new CC stamps!

No worries...you won't have to wait much longer to buy these new stamps ~ they will be up on the website very soon!

Have a great weekend ~ I know I'm gonna get super INKY & I hope you do too!

GRS Sketch January Challenge

Wow!  Today is the 10th of the month already & that means it's time for the GRS design team Sketch Challenge.  Each month we're given a "Recipe", and we just have to make it our own!  Here it is for this month...

 
I used the Happy Heart Day set which was one of the new Appetizer Sets for December.  I also used the new Polka-Dot Cookie Cutter Stencil on my pattern paper.

I know you'll want to see what the other designers came up with, so don't forget to hop around and take a look!

• Deb Felts

• Jeni Allen

• Kendra Wietstock - You're Here

Kelli Palmer

• Taylor Usry

• Jennifer Ingle 

• Stepanie Lee

You should totally play along with this sketch & don't forget to post your fab creation on the GRS Facebook page so we can make lovely comments about your amazing work!

Another little peek...

Ohhhhh....what do you think of this???  I just love this new border stamp that is coming out as part of the new Stamp It Australia Line from Crafter's Companion.  Cool huh?   I just stamped the image twice on Kraft cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink for the border of my card and then I added some gorgeous pattern paper scraps from My Mind's Eye.  A bit of ribbon and a tag with a sentiment {from another new set} ~ VOILÁ ~ quick and simple card finished!

These new sets will be on the website soon after CHA next week!  Enjoy!

Sneak Peek Day for Crafter's Companion!

OH MY GOODNESS!  I am so excited to share a sneak peek for the new Crafter's Companion CHA Release.  There's a bunch of new sets coming out this time around and it's all from the Stamp It Australia line...WHICH I LOVE!!!  These sets will be going up on the website pretty soon...but until then, here's a scrapbook page that I made using images from FIVE of the new sets!

As you can see, I had tons of fun using the new images to make this scrapbook page & they are perfect for my Italy photos.   These are photos are at one of our favorite spots ~ Trevi Fountain {in Italian ~ Fontana di Trevi}.  You toss a coin over your shoulder in hopes that you will return to the lovely city of Rome...I could toss about a million coins into that fountain ...that's how badly I'd love to go back!

Here are a few closeups for a few of the elements on my page...

Oh ... did you know that Crafter's Companion has a Challenge Blog?  The challenge this month is "Anything BUT A Card" ...so this is also my challenge project for this month!  Make sure you enter so you have a chance to WIN a gift certificate to the store!

Follow Your Heart...

Happy New Week Peeps!  The kids are back in school today and it's a fresh new week!  LOVE IT!!!  I've got lots on my TO DO list so it's time to be productive!!!

Today I'm sharing a new card using the brand new set by Gourmet Rubber Stamps called Compass.  This set is one of the new Truffles sets which is a new product line.  They are two image sets that run about $7 ~ gotta LOVE that price!  I stamped up my images using Cocoa Memento ink and dug out this cute paper from my stash by My Mind's Eye.  

You're gonna LOVE these new sets by GRS ~ go take a peek!

Fun with Crafters Companion Images!

I was able to get all inky over New Year's and had some fun with some images from Crafter's Companion.  This adorable fuzzy guy & sentiment are both from the Mulberry Woods Friend stamp set.  The ink is Tuxedo Black from Memento.  

Other Supplies:
Pattern Paper ~ Basic Grey (Max & Whiskers)
Ribbon ~ May Arts
Colored Pencils ~ Prisma
Cardstock ~ Bazzill
Sparkly Fluff ~ Brown Sugar