Encouragement

Hebrews 10:24-25 

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Everybody needs a little encouragement once in a while. It seems sometimes we can't find the words or don't have the answer and just seem lost! This card is for those moments! :)

Recipe:
DP: Basic Grey
CS: SU - Melon Mambo, Choco Chip
Stamp Set - SU Whimsical Words

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Dreaming of Spring

In need of some spring weather. Over winter, over the cold and definitely over being sick!!! This stamp set with the flower was on of the first stamp sets I purchased. I really haven't used it much... but always love when I do. I just stamped the flower in different colors and then cut it and layered with so saffron.

Recipe:
 Stampin UP
 Stamp : Looks like Spring, Sincere Salutations
Paper: So Saffron
Ink: Rose Red, Elegant Eggplant, Brocade Blue, So Saffron

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Splish Splash

So this was a lot of fun. I made the scallop square paper by taking whisper white and using my reinkers. I used, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, and Soft Suede. I followed a tutorial on SCS. Pretty much you take reinkers and drop randomly on your CS and then spray it with water and take another piece of Cardstock and squish it on top, then peel it off and you have 2 pieces of CS to use. I then used the die cut to cut it out. At first I wasn't quite sure what to do with it... and thought it was screaming 70's - so I grabbed the only little almost "bug" I could find - distressed it a pinch and it came out PERFECT!!!

Stampin UP - Melon Mambo & Whisper White CS
INK - Melon Mambo, Early Espresso
Stamp Set - Sentimental Journey

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

My first Emboss Resist

I was looking through different resources on SCS (www.splitcoaststampers.com) and came across the emboss resist technique. I have never tried it before and decided to give it a go. Everything in white was stamped with versamark and then I put clear embossing powder over it and heated it with heat gun. I then used Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry,  & Old Olive to sponge around the image and then used Bashful Blue on the rest. Then took a tissue and wiped off the ink from where I had embossed. I am pretty happy with it -What do you think?

Recipe:
Stampin Up - Apple Blossom (Hostess Set)
INK: Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Bashful Blue
Clear Embossing Powdeer

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Flower Brooch

Lately I have been on a card kick, so I figured it was time to show something else... a rosette brooch.

I made this flower to attach to my purse. I also have one that stuck on a hair band to wear in my hear. This purse was a little tough to get the pin through. But it finally worked! Only a few finger pricks! HA! Now just need to pick up a few different colors!

Paper Circle flower with tutorial

I am just loving these paper flowers and they are SUPER EASY to make - there were a few requests from yesterday on how to make these, so I figured I would share.

Lets start with a picture of my very first one -

Like I said after roaming on Etsy for awhile. I kept seeing this style flower on Hairbands. I was describing it to my husband and said, "look it's just a circle on top of a circle with it scrunched in the middle". He immediately said, Yep, sure is. So instead of cutting fabric - which I hate, (die cuts are the BEST!) I  went straight to my desk and began creating one with paper. So here are my tips...

Circle Paper Flower How to:
1. Punch about 5 circles each a little big bigger than the last. My smallest circle here is 1 3/4.

2. Make each circle into 2 circles by using your bone folder and rubbing it all over on both sides to distress the fibers and then carefully pull it apart. I learned this awhile ago from Mary Fish's Stampin Pretty blog - You can view that video here http://www.stampinpretty.com/2010/08/ppa-divine-redesign-plus-a-new-video.html

TIP - I use Stampin UP Cardstock which is thicker and is able to divide into two pieces. By pulling it apart it helps it crumple and and then reshaping is easier. Other CS may work, I am just not familiar with it!

3. If you want to sponge and distress the edges, now is the time.

4. Now you have 2 options - 1. take each individual circle and crumple it in your hands, uncrumple it and stack them biggest to smallest then punch a hole in center and stick a brad in there OR - 2. stack biggest to smallest and then hole punch in middle and stick a brad in there.

5. Then start in the center and squish it upright and bring each below circle upwards and squeeze it together. If you do this SUPER tight, you will end up with a flower like the yellow flower featured on the card above. Then spread it flat again, leaving it as tight as you prefer. If you like the softer blue flower, you do this less squishy and spread it flat again, you will have a flower like the blue one above. Both are adorable and can be made in numerous sizes!!!

AND there ya go!!! Did that make sense? First time I had to explain anything. So if you have questions, let me know.

Please leave me a comment! I love them. And it's good to know people are out there! Stop in and say HI!

Recipe:
Stampin Up-
 Paper: Bermuda Bay, So saffron, Crumb Cake
Ink: Early Espresso
Stamp: Afterthoughts
Rhinestones

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Mojo 175 & fun with flowers

 So I have seen a lot of flowers made out of fabric and this type of flower caught my eye. As soon as I saw it, I knew I could attempt to make it out of paper! Sure enough I did! And it is just beautiful!!! I plan to make a TON more! The rest of card just reminds me of my life right now. Being in a new town. Trying to get connected and make this home and sometimes just feeling a bit lost!

The sketch is this week's mojo monday -

Head on over and play...

Recipe: Basic Grey DP
Stampin UP - Sentimental Journey Stamp Set, Early Espresso Ink, Crumb Cake CS
Flower is made out of Crumb Cake CS.

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Subtle Rain

I always wonder what to write and how much information to give. Not just about whatever picture I am featuring. But about everything. I wonder if people are similar to me and follow lots of blogs, but mostly just glance at pictures and skim for anything really exciting. So I tend to be short and to the point with most posts. Maybe i need some balance though....

This stamp set is a from Unity. I was so excited when I discovered Archivers carrried these mini stamps set! This was my favorite one. I colored it in with copics and a few markers. The umbrella was done with the same copic but darkened by putting 2 layers of color. I love how copics blend and add depth.

Recipe:
Unity Stamp Set
Ink: Choco Chip, Taken with Teal, Melon Mambo
Paper - Melon Mambo, So saffron
Ribbon - Melon Mambo

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Forever NOLA

The Fleur De Lis will forever remind me of my time I lived in New Orleans. My husband and I spent 2 years there. My son was born there. And I met the most amazing friends there.
So this card is perfect for all of them! :)

It was a sketch for a mojo monday a while ago.

Recipe:
Stampin Up Vintage Vogue Stamp set - the tag is from there too, but not sure the name of that set.
Ink: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard

Enjoy!
Colleen G.

Manhattan Always

I borrowed this embossing folder from a friend yesterday - and now it's def. on my wish list! I tried a couple different techniques, but this was my favorite. After I embossed it on white paper, I sponged over the top of it and then just added the Happiness Always Stamp. EASY as can be!

Recipe:
Stampin Up - Manhattan Flower Embossing Folder &  Whimsical Words Stamp Set

Enjoy!
Colleen G.