Guest at Decorate To Celebrate - 4th of July Celebrations!

EDITED TO ADD - Picked in the Top 5 at Stamp Something Thanks so much!!!!!


A few weeks ago I made a set of napkin rings with some Digital Delights images and the ladies over at Decorate to Celebrate spotted them and asked me if I'd like to be a Guest Designer for them! It just goes to show, sometimes things just drop in your lap when you aren't expecting them :)
It is a brand new blog and it's designed around paper crafters, and any other crafters, using their skills to make decorations.
This time the challenge is for the upcoming 4th of July celebrations here in the USA and even though I'm an Englishwoman I was happy to be a guest!

Challenges:
Decorate to Celebrate 4th of July
Going Grey - Anything Goes (2 entries only)
Totally Stampalicious - Anything Goes
Whoopsi Daisy - Free and Easy
Bearly Mine - Anything Goes
Anything Goes - Summer
Aud's Sentiments - Summertime (and a sentiment)
Prairie Fairy - Summertime Fun
Totally Papercrafts - Summer
Moving Along With the Times - Anything But A Card
Diva's by Design - Anything But A Card
Stamp Something - Punch Something
Lilypad - Ribbon

Project Recipe:
Mini Watering Can - Hobby Lobby (on clearance at $1.23!)
Paper - DCWV (from years ago)
Ribbon - Michaels
Sentiments - Karen Foster Design Patriotic Words and Karen Foster Design American Phrases
4th of July Sticker - The Paper Studio
Firework Stickers - Hobby Lobby
Punches - Martha Stewart Deco Shells and Martha Stewart Lace Heart

I made the rosettes by first of all punching a strip of paper with a decorative edger punch. Then using the punch design as a guide I scored in between each guide, made a fan fold and made the rosette. I used wooden skewers for the sticks and added sticker sentiments to the center of the rosettes, finally I added a red, white and blue plaid ribbon tied into bows on each stick. Then I added a piece of oasis cut to fit the can and stuck in the sticks. I finished it with colored tissue paper, a sticker sentiment and coordinating ribbon.
I'm sure many of my paper crafting followers have supplies like this in their stash and sometimes we need to "think outside of the box" when crafting and this would be the perfect time!
Come along and see all the creations and join in the fun at Decorate to Celebrate!
Katie

Cooking It Up #60 - Make Mine a Double Green Punch!

It's a new recipe over at my Cooking It Up With Katie challenge blog and this week the ingredients are:

Use Green (a little or a lot)
Add some Punching
Make it a Double (use two of something)

Challenges:
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Papercutz - Anything Goes
Moving Along With The Times - Anything Goes
Digi Doodles Shop - Anything Goes
AI Factory - Anything Goes
Friday Mash Up - Punches
Wags N Whiskers - Use a die or punch
Totally Gorjuss - 1, 2, 3 Your choice (I chose 1 image, 2 papers and 3 colors (green, blue and white))
Desert Island Crafts - Pick 3 (I chose No flowers, Words and Punches)
Gingerloft - Under The Sea
Take A Word - Exposed

Card Recipe:
Image - Mermaid by Gingerloft
Medium - Copic Markers
Paper - K and Co Citronella
Border Punch - Twirling Ribbon by Martha Stewart
Sentiment - Creative Imaginations Oceanside
Ribbon - Hobby Lobby

This is such a gorgeous image and the water looking paper and punch I think went really well with her.
It was nice to limit myself to two colors as well and I think it added to the whole "Undersea" feel to the card.
We'd love to see you put on your aprons and join us over at Cooking It Up With Katie this week.
Katie

Pile It On - Travel Around The World in 7 Days

This week at Pile It On we are sponsored by Sparkle Creations and our challenge is "Travel Around The World in 7 Days!"
So you can choose any sort of travel to depict on your projects.
Sparkle was very generous with stamps for the Design Team and they were so much fun to work with.

Challenges:
Inspire Me Friday - Anything Goes
Papercutz - Anything Goes
Crafts 4 Eternity - Anything Goes
Moving Along With The Times - Anything Goes
Digi Doodles Shop - Anything Goes
AI Factory - Anything Goes
Chamber Maids - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Partytime Tuesday - Anything Goes (2 entries only)
Top Tip Tuesday - Square
Papertake Weekly - Sketch
Cute Card Thursday - Use A Sketch
Peartree Designs - Colorful
Craft Your Days Away - Show Us Your Layers
Digi Design House - Paper Piecing
House of Gilli - Lots of Layers and Faux Stitching
Sparkle Creations - Photo Inspiration (lilac, pink, lemon, white)
Tuesday Throwdown - Brads or Eyelets
Thrilling Thursday - Buttons, Brads or Bows
My Mum's Craft Shop - Flowers
Paper Romance - Summer
Wags N Whiskers - Use a die or punch
Delicious Doodles - Teenager
Mami Doodles - Let's Get Girly
One Stop Craft - In Stitches
Totally Gorjuss - 1, 2, 3 Your choice (I chose 1 image, 2 ribbons and 3 papers)
Let's Ink It Up - Embellish It (must use rubber stamp)

Card Recipe:
Image - Crusin' Chloe
Medium - Copic Markers
Paper - 3 Bugs in a Rug Chloe Mini Floral
Sentiment - Heidi Grace
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Gathered Ribbon - Offray
Floral Ribbon - Michaels
Flowers - Paper Mania
Pearl Brads - Recollections

This was such a cute to paper piece and with this "flower power" style paper I thought it was perfect for the little bug!
So know it's time to pack your suitcases and get traveling with us over at Pile It On this week!

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Valentines Day Card

It's time for another challenge at A Spoon Full Of Sugar and this week we are giving you a theme challenge! It will soon be Valentine's Day and I'm sure you are all working on those beautiful cards full of hearts and love! Well those Valentine's cards can now be linked to our challenge and you may well be the winner!

Challenges:
AI Factory - Anything Goes
Digi Doodles Shop - Anything Goes
One Stitch At A Time - Anything Goes
Woodware USA - Anything Goes
Penny's - Anything Goes
Paper Cutz - Anything Goes
Wee Memories - Anything Goes (max 2 entries)
Fairytale Challenge - Flowers
Simply Create - Use Your Punches
Aud's Sentiments - Love Theme
Craft Your Days Away - Love
Bunny Zoes - Love Is In The Air
Lexi's Creations - Valentines
Moving Along With The Times - Sketch and Flowers
Stamp Something - Something Cute
One Stop Crafts - More Than One Fold
The Stampman - Distressing
The Crafty Pad - Something Girly
Craft Your Passion - Use 2 Patterned Papers

Card Recipe:
Image - Sending My Love Kaela
Medium - Copic Markers
Paper - Fine and Dandy Tickled Pink by My Minds Eye
Sentiment - Cloud 9
Roses - Wild Orchid Crafts
Doily - Wilton
Punches - Martha Stewart

I made this card into an easel style as I just love the way it displays the image and the recipient will love to show it off!
I hope you've enjoyed this card and we'd love to see your Valentine creations over at A Spoon Full Of Sugar!

Think Ink Guest Challenge - Punching!

A few weeks ago I won a challenge at Think Ink and the prize was to be a guest designer for a challenge and to set the challenge too!
So today's the day and my challenge to you all is a super simple one, I want to see you using Punches! Now there are so many fabulous ones out there (I'm a little addicted to the Martha Stewart ones myself) that I know you don't need an excuse to play along do you?

Challenges:
Moving Along With the Times - Sketch
One Stitch At a Time - Season or Event
Alota Rubber Stamps - Let's Celebrate Christmas
Scrappy Frogs - Merry Christmas
Lexi's - Traditional Christmas Colors
Crafty Pad - Red and Green
Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club - Anything Goes Christmas
Papercutz - Christmas with lots of Bling
Stamps R Us - Sparkles and Scallops
Meljens - Sparkle and Shine
Oldie But Goodie - Glitter (old image and NO digi)
Treehouse Thursdays - Glitter
Simon Say Stamp - Sparkle
Crafts and Me - Glitter
If The Shoe Fits - Tickle me With Tinsel (make it sparkle and shine)
Fresh Brewed - Show Your Own Style (more is more and lots of sparkle!)
Paper Romance - Favorite Things (at the moment my are anything glittery and shiny)
Anything Challenge - Let It Snow
Crafty Calendar - Winter/Snowflakes
2 Sisters - Snowflakes
Totally Papercrafts - Snow or Snowflakes
Paper Play - Let It Snow
Stampin B's - Snowflakes
ECP - Snow
Stamping Vacation Music in You - Winter Wonderland
Rainbow Lady - Edge It
Digi Doodles Shop - Anything Goes
Hodge Podge Shop - Anything Goes

Card Recipe:
Image - Post A Note by Artful Inkables
Paper - A Homemade Christmas by DCWV
Medium - Copic Markers
Paint - Puffy by Tulip
Glitter - Glamour Dust by Viva Decor
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Snowflake punch - Emagination Crafts
Ribbon - Michaels
Sentiment - Hobby Lobby

I again used one of my favorite Christmas card technique which is to use Puffy Paint for the snow and while it is still wet I sprinkle it with super fine glitter and then heat it to pop it up. This is so easy, really inexpensive and I think it adds a great dimension to your project. It looks wonderful on the fur on Santa's suit too :)
I hope to see lots of you playing along this week so be sure to add your entry at Think Ink
Katie