A Little Heart Shrine

This little heart shrine made with Crafty Chica's Sizzix dies is dedicated to Frida Kahlo. It now adorns the gallery wall I have in my studio. Follow this link to the Sizzix blog for a tutorial to see how I made it!

Video Tutorial: Mix Your Favorites to Make Your Own

The fact that I LOVE patterned papers is evident everywhere in my studio, actually my whole house. Look and you'll find stacks stashed away in bins, on shelves, and under-the-bed boxes!!! While I absolutely love having them around, they pose a decision challenge when I actually go to create...sometimes I JUST CAN"T CHOOSE! If you are the same way, you might find an easy answer/reminder in this video tutorial. It is a SUPER-SIMPLE-could-not-get-any-easier-than-this technique. 

Let's start by looking at the supplies.
Supplies:
Hello Butterfly Stamp/Die Set
Origami Love Printed paper
Ori Wings 3D Stickers
Berry Black True Color Fusion Ink
Cardstock: Whip Cream
Easy Glide Permanent Adhesive Runner
Journey Foam Squares - Small
Other: scissors, trimmer 

And here's the video tutorial for you.

I hope you enjoy!
 

Card Tutorial: Follow Your Dreams

Who doesn't love a beautiful nature-inspired encouragement card! If you wish to make one like the card above, follow along. Let's start by looking at the supplies.

Supplies:
Dreams Follow Bundle
True Color Fusion Ink: Candy Apple, Denim Days, Hazelnut Blend, Lemon Grass, Rock Candy, Summer Days
Amaze machine
Cardstock: Golden Glow, Candy Apple, Denim Days, Whip Cream, Butter Cream
Easy Glide Permanent Adhesive Runner
Journey Foam Squares - Small
Other: scissors, trimmer
 

Start by stamping the images on cardstock.

Die-cut the stamped images using Amaze machine along with the corresponding dies.

Layer the die-cuts together to create dimensional embellishments.

Trim Whip Cream cardstock to 8.5" x 5.5". Fold in half to make 4.25" x 5.5" card. 
Trim Candy Apple cardstock to 4" x 5.25". Attach to card. 

Arrange the butterflies and flowers on the card.
 

Add the sentiment block to finish the card.

I hope you enjoyed today's tutorial!

Card Tutorial: Hello Origami Butterflies!

Origami has long been one of my paper crafting favorites. No wonder I'm loving the origami trend in crafting and home decor these days. One collection inspired by origami is Origami Love by Richard Garay. From papers to stamps to dies, this collection has a lot of fun elements to love. That's also the collection I used to make the butterfly card above. If you wish to make this card, follow along. Let's start by looking at the supplies.

Supplies:
Hello Butterfly Stamp/Die Set
Origami Love Printed paper
Berry Black True Color Fusion Ink

Captivating Coral True Color Fusion Ink
Amaze machine
Cardstock: Golden Glow, Odacious Orange, Candy Apple,
Whip Cream, Butter Cream
Easy Glide Permanent Adhesive Runner
Journey Foam Squares - Small
Other: sewing machine, scissors, trimmer
 

Stamp the butterflies on cardstock using the Hello Butterfly Stamp/Die Set and Berry Black ink.
 

Die-cut the stamped butterflies using Amaze machine.

Stack the butterflies as shown.

Trim cardstock to 8.5" x 5.5". Fold in half to make 4.25" x 5.5" card. 
Trim print paper to 4" x 5.25". Attach to card. 
Attach the stacked butterflies to the card, leaving the wings free.

Machine stitch down the middle of the stacked butterflies. Sculpt the wings with your fingers as shown.

Stamp the sentiment and cut the block with scissors. Mount to the card.

Here's the finished card. 

I hope you enjoyed today's tutorial!

Seasonal Decor Tutorial: Halloween Monster House Diorama

This sweater weather and all the craft pumpkins in the stores have put me in the mood for some Fall crafting of my own! And Halloween is the most fun Fall festival for me. So, here's a little Halloween diorama, or may I say, die-o-rama using Tim Holtz's newest 'frighteningly fun' dies for Sizzix.

Supplies: 
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 5PK - Silly Monsters 
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 3PK - Trick-or-Treat 
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 4PK - Feather and Ravens
Sizzix Movers & Shapers L Die - Artful Dwellings 
Sizzix Big Shot Machine Only (White & Gray)
Sizzix Accessory - Cutting Pads, Standard, 1 Pair (Purple w/Silver Glitter)Sizzix Accessory - Standard Magnetic Platform for Wafer-Thin Dies  
Other: Gelatos colors, PITT pens, watercolor paper, watercolor pencils, dimensional adhesive, numeric stamp, trimmer, paint brushes, water cup

To diecut the above shapes, create the following Sizzix Sandwich -  on a Sizzix Accessory Magnetic Platform For Wafer-Thin Dies, lay another Sizzix Accessory - Cutting Pads, Standard, 1 Pair (Purple w/Silver Glitter). On it, place a piece of water color paper and on it lay out the Silly Monsters, Feather and Raven, and Trick-or-Treat dies blade side down. Cover with the other Standard Cutting Pad. Pass the whole Sizzix Sandwich through the Sizzix Big Shot machine.  

Die cut Artful Dwellings by placing paper on the blade side of the die and sandwiching the set between a pair of Standard Cutting Pads and passing the whole Sizzix Sandwich through the Big Shot machine.
 
Trim five pieces of watercolor paper to 9" x 6". Cut out a window from each piece, reducing each subsequent window by about half an inch all around. When you stack these papers, the windows should line up to look like a tunnel.

Color the die-cuts and window frames using Gelatos colors and watercolor pencils.

Add details to them with PITT pen. 

Attach the die-cuts to the windows as shown to create a fun arrangement that tells a story.

Attach the Artful dwellings diecuts to create a roof line. Stamp a house number. Add the raven to make it a bit sinister.

Now, you get creative! I put the feather in the hand of the big fat red monster on the front step and the tree branch in the hand of the batty monster hanging from the ceiling. Can you imagine if you were tickled with a feather or had a tree branch dangled menacingly over your head while you were trick-or-treating???

And yet...look at those brave little kids that still dared to stand their ground and not leave till they got their candies! The monsters were more silly than scary after all!

Have FUN with these dies. Tell your own Halloween story!

HUGE LABOR DAY SALE going on right now!

Note: I am a project designer for Sizzix. Sizzix provided me with the above dies to create the above project. If you click the links to buy these dies, I will earn an itsy bitsy portion of the sale. Use the code SZB2015 at checkout. You get 15% off and I get an itsy bitsy portion of the sale. It's win-win!  

Book Review: Understanding Color in Photography

The cover photo had me before I even turned the first page of Understanding Color in Photography by Bryan Peterson with Susana Heide Schellenberg! I have read Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure before and knew this book too will show me to look at color in photography differently. Whether it's the corrugated metal wall on pages 24-25, or the fishes on p. 33 or the serene seascape on p. 103, I just can't stop looking at the photos! There are not only technical tips to improve your color composition but also the nudge to take a look at everyday things with fresh eyes. For instance, on page 65, the author talks about looking at a flowering window box as a potential out-of-focus color. He urges the photographer to look at not the objects but the line, texture,  shape, form, pattern, and color. With comparison shots throughout the book accompanied by the author's explanations of what he changed to create the different effects, this book is going to a wonderful addition to any photographer's reference collection.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
 

Video Tutorial: How to Create a Back-to-School Encouragement Card

Beginning of the school year is such a great time to give your beloved students a note of encouragement, something that reminds them to stay focused and motivated as they settle into their routines. With that thought in mind, I created the above back-to-school encouragement card using the RG Days Collection by Richard Garay. Watch the video below to see how I made this card starting with a list of the supplies I used.

Supplies:

Socks Off Stamp/Die set

RG Days Printed Paper

Buttercream Cardstock

Denim Days Cardstock
True Color Fusion Ink pads: Black Licorice, Lemon Grass
Raw Gold Silk Luster
Amaze machine
Easy Glide Permanent Adhesive Runner
Journey Foam Squares - Small
Other: acrylic block, trimmer, scissors, pen

Here's the video tutorial:

 

Have fun making encouraging cards!