Mama Elephant Sending Lots of Love

 Hello everyone! It's Amanda from Twiddler's Nook again today with some more fun Mama Elephant inspiration. I adore the striped heart in the Mod Heart die set and have wanted to pair it with one of the To My Dearest critters for a while. Well, I finally just got everything out and played! It turned out so sweet too!

I used the dies and stamps to be sure everything was going to fit the way I wanted it to. Then I started ink blending, stamping and coloring. First, I did a little trick to get my ink blending to show up on the heart with the whole rainbow. Super simple but does take a moment of thinking ahead.

I simply took a white cardstock panel, flipped the die over on it and traced the outline. We know the pencil won't show because it's outside the cutting area of the die and this way I can plan my rainbow blending a little easier.

Once the blending was done, I ran the panel through my die cutter with the die, flipped it over to keep the pieces in the die and used washi tape to adhere them together before removing them from the die. You can't see the washi at all because I used a mostly white/transparent one so I could also just add my foam tape strips at the same time.

Next, I chose the cute Hammy from To My Dearest to stamp and color. After I colored, I stamped a sentiment on the paper and then used the coordinating die to cut him out. I also stamped some small hearts and used the dies to cut them out too.

Finally, I cut the ragged edge rectangle from Mod Heart out of kraft cardstock. Then I inked it up with Distress Oxide ink in Gathered Twigs and Ground Espresso for a worn paper look. I spritzed the panel with water and blotted it dry before adding foam tape to the back and popping it up on a white card base.

Next, I added the rainbow heart and finally Hammy and the tiny hearts floating away. For finishing touches I added black glaze pen to his eyes and glossy accents to his nose. Then, I used stardust Stickles for all of the small hearts.

Simple card but so sweet and sure to make someone's day.

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day! 

 

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:   

Copic Markers

Quick and easy spring flower card using the Friendly Florals dies from Concord & 9th

Short on time?  I have a quick and easy card today.  

Once again, I'm using the Friendly Florals die set from Concord and 9th.  It's such a fun die and I LOVE those little bees!  I had several assembled flowers left over from a previous card.  So, that step was already finished.  That sentiment is from the Versatile Greetings die set from Altenew and was also already assembled.  I have a bin full of assembled sentiments from this set.  When I don't have much time to create, it helps to have some of these steps already completed.

I embossed the background with the Flower Frenzy embossing folder from Spellbinders.  After embossing, I added just a tiny amount of white ink across the raised areas.  The easiest way to do this is with a large, flat blending brush.  You can also use the ink pad direct to paper if you're careful.  You just want to lightly rub across the raised areas.

I added the die cut oval, flower, and sentiment, to the top of the embossed panel for one of the quickest cards I've made in a long time.

Hope you're inspired to get crafty!

Cathy

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:  

Anniversary Tulips!

Hello friends!  My darling husband and I are right now as you are reading this [she hopes] on a ferry boat to Mackinac Island to celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary!  We were both born and raised right here in Michigan - but NEITHER of us has ever visited our [no cars allowed] Island!  

To celebrate our special day, I created this card in honor of the tulips [though they were white] I carried down the aisle!

Welcome, Spellbinders Wonderful Tulips to my ever-growing collection of tulips!!  

Here is how this peek-a-boo card came together:

I first foiled a half-sheet of Hammermill white card with the Tulip plate, and sentiment, using a satin foil.  Then I added color, using the coordinating Layering Stencils and three shades of ink for the tulips, and two shades of green for the stems/leaves.

The set comes with a die to cut the floral outline on the right side, leaving the straight edge of 

cardstock as is.  I then created a side-fold A2 card [4.25 x 5.5 inches] and used the same die

to partially cut the front of my card.  The stenciled tulips were then simple aligned and glued

to the front panel.  I used an unlabeled stencil from my stash to add a little interest to the part of my card that will show, and strategically place a circle of plain white into the fold for my inside sentiment.

Isn't she lovely?? I LOVE the detail the layering stencils give to my tulips!

=] Michele

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:  

The stencil Michele used is not currently available.  Below are a few suggested substitutes.

Mama Elephant Planner Clips

Welcome friends! It's Amanda from Twiddler's Nook for another Doodlebugs guest design post. This time I'm not sharing a card but a fun way to decorate your desk or planner with super cute paperclips! They are really easy to create, totally addicting and would make a fun gift along with something to use yourself.

Here's a look at the set I created this time. So many sizes for different uses. The large one could hold your planner more flat while writing in it while the others are great for keeping your place in your planner, book or use it as a regular paperclip on your desk.

To create these I started by stamping the images I wanted to use and colored them with copic markers. Using the coordinating dies I cut the images out, plus 3 additional blank ones too. I glued the colored image to one blank, then glued the other 2 blanks together. You should have 2 sets of each image now.

Next, I add double-sided tear tape to the back of the colored ones and the front of the blank stack. remove the release paper from the blank ones and position your paperclip where you want it. I put it as high as I can, where the points of the metal ends rest along the bottom of the image. Next, I add strong liquid glue all the way to the edges of this, remove the release paper on the back of the colored stack and adhere them together.

*Tip: I don't find that acrylic blocks put pressure in the right areas on these so I do take a moment to hold the layers together for a good hold. 

This was my first large, double clip and I am loving using it to hold the page I'm writing on in my traveler's journal. It's the cutest, totally makes me smile and holds everything more flat than the others.

When I created this guy, I actually intended him for my desk at work for a little extra happy but he happens to hold my folder of mini photos closed in my traveler's journal closed perfectly, so that's where he lives for now. This size is also great to use as a bookmark.

Also, my boss was eyeing this guy, reminding me of when her birthday was so I think I better make a set of them.

Finally, I just had to make a few with the new Little Froggy Agenda cuties! They are my favorite! The happy colors and cute images are perfect!

Remember, you can add finishing touches to these for that little extra as well. I used black glaze pen on any eyes I could, white gel pen highlights on the frogs and glossy accents on things like snail shells, cattails and noses. Then I also added sparkle with stardust Stickles to the sparkles in Hammy's hands and the lights on the bus.

I have to know...will you give these a try? For yourself or a friend? 

I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day! 

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:   

Copic Markers