Zva Creative May DT Blog Hop!

Zva Creative and the Design Team welcomes you to join us this month for a blog hop that we feel is always extra special!

As you know, Zva offers so many beautiful color groupings for pearls, flowers and crystals.  We want to make sure that they shine bright for you, so each designer was asked to share a creation using a specific color or color combination on their blog hop project.  

The Blog Hop begins at Kim Hughes' blog. She will have the complete list of all blogs that are participating in case there is a glitch along the way. If you would like to play along, just follow along the blog path.  I am linking to one of the Zva designers and that designer is linking to the next and so on. Be prepared to be inspired along the way. Hidden on FIVE of the blogs is a Zva Creative prize package ...YAY! Winners will be randomly chosen after the hop is over, so it's important to leave a comment on as many blogs as you can along the way.

The Blog Hop starts today, May 30th and runs through midnight US Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, May 31st and the 5 winners will be announced on Wednesday, June 1st on each of the five winning blogs. The full list will be found on Kim Hughes‘s blog as well (linked above). We will do our best to notify each winner, but it's best if you can pop in to all of the blogs once again on Wednesday...plus, you never know what kind of inspirational creation that you may find there. All you need to do is leave a comment on this Zva Blog Hop post...you do not need to leave a comment on each and every designer's blog post to qualify. The more times you leave a comment along the blog hop path though, the more chances you will have to be one of the lucky winners.

Supplies: Flower: (4.25” Peach Flower) Zva Creative, Cardstock: (kraft & white) Papertrey Ink, Patterned paper: (Boy Charming paper, Hip-hooray collection) My Minds Eye, Rubber stamps: (Kindness CL 02095) Just Right Cling, Pigment ink: (vintage sepia) Tsukineko, Brass die templates: (Curved Rectangle S5-006) Spellbinders

Today I'm sharing an easy one... so easy because Zva's large flowers make such a statement that it doesn't take a whole lot to make a beautiful card. Here I simply made my card from kraft, adhered patterned paper and a sentiment stamped die cut, then lastly I adhered Zva's 4 1/4" Peach Bermuda Blooms Flower (FL-04CA-106). That's it... easy peasy:)

The blog hop begins here: Kim Hughes 

Your next stop is here: Jillian Deiling Cassity

Thank you SO MUCH for joining us!

OWH Memorial Day Blog Hop

Hello everyone! Welcome to Operation Write Home's Memorial Day Blog Hop!  There are many talented card makers participating-- I encourage you to visit as many as you can! This hop features missing you cards. Here's mine...

To Create Card:

1) make card from cardstock

2) distress, ink and adhere patterned paper to card

3) ink cardstock rectangle, stamp flower with acrylic paint

4) stamp sentiment and adhere to card

5) tie on twine

I'm so thankful for all of our military heros and their families... much sincere thanks to them all for the sacrifices that they make daily for our country. It is a honor to be able to make cards and send them to Operation Write Home so they can be put to good use.  If you are new to Operation Write Home, please click over to find out more about an incredible organization.

Your next stop is Brenda's blog: Infinite-Possibilities. Enjoy! 

Supplies:

Cardstock: (natural) ANW Crestwood, (kraft) Papertrey Ink, Patterned paper: (Hazel Special Fine Floret Paper, Stella & Rose collection) My Mind’s Eye, Rubber stamps: (Fabulous Florets) MFR, Clear stamps: (Daily Design Sentiments) Papertrey Ink, Specialty ink: (brown) Technique Tuesday, Chalk ink: (jumbo java) Tsukineko, Paint: (Wild Plum) Ranger, Fibers: (jute, twine) Papertrey Ink

Finished size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Go-to Gal Designer Challenge

Happy Wednesday! And this is a special day here on the blog because its Go-to Gal challenge time!

Going forward on the last Wednesday of the month the Go-to Gals will take turns picking a manufacturer and challenge each other to create something using products from that manufacturer. Kind of a fun little hop to see how we put some of our favorite goodies to use. There are really no rules... some times we all play, some times we don't. But it will ALWAYS be fun!

Today we are sharing some October Afternoon projects. I used the 5 & Dime collection which I swooned over when I first saw it at CHA. I love the soft pink, drool over the roses... and especially dig all of those sweet vintage images.

Here is my card...

I stamped the flower images on the card base and added patterned paper, stitching, a stamped sentiment and a few embellishments. I like it because it reminds me of all of the good things that are blooming in my yard...

...visually, I love this time of the year! Nothing beats green.. all of that lush color & new growth.

So now its time to check out the other Go-to Gal's blogs! Stop by and say hi to Betsy, Jennifer, Julie, Kim & Teri! 

Thanks for visiting here:) Happy Wednesday!

Supplies Used: (8x8 Paper Pad, Printed Chip Shapes, Miscellaney, Stamp Set: 5 & Dime collection) October Afternoon, (bling) Zva Creative, sentiment & chalk ink (A Muse Studio), other (thread & twine)

Card Creations 9 Blog Hop Winner

Good morning everyone!

Thanks for stopping by over the weekend for Paper Crafts magazine's Card Creations 9 Blog Hop! I'm glad you all like the Perfect Pearls technique... I too will be using that a lot more in the future:)

I'm just stopping by today to announce my blog's winner...

55. Laraine R said...

Simple and elegant!! Beautiful!!

MAY 20, 2011 1:25 PM 

Congratulations Laraine! You've won a copy of Card Creations 9! Please email me at windyrobinson@gmail.com with your mailing address so we can send lots of inspiration your way. Thank you!

Paper Crafts magazine Presents: Card Creations 9 Blog Hop

Hi everyone! Thanks for joining us today for Paper Crafts magazine's Card Creations 9 Blog Hop!

It's a fun day because...

• you will get to see nine never-seen-before projects and hear some insights from the designers about what it's like to work on Card Creations 9.
• there's a fun prize over at Paper Crafts Connection. Check it out... three lucky winners will receive a copy of Card Creations 9 and one of these prize packs from Crate Paper!

• and you can win your own copy of the issue by leaving a comment on my blog today (or if you'd like to purchase it you can find it HERE).

What a great way to launch into the weekend!

I loved working on Card Creations 9 because as a designer you can let your creativity run wild. There are very little limitations on the type of cards you submit because there really are cards in this special issue for every card creating occasion.

Today we were asked to share a card inspired by the cover of Card Creations 9. I immediately knew that I wanted to try a clean & simple layout like Kelley Eubank's Birthday Bike Card... but let me tell you that simple... is NOT that simple for me:) On my third attempt I created one I liked (no wonder I'm always up so late;)...

... clean and simple, but still very me in design.

For this card I also found inspiration in Carolyn King's story about the creation of her Missing You Map Card (you can find the story HERE). The story inspired me to make a card that I can send to a friend that is far away. 

Lastly I pulled the brown & kraft combo from my own Simply the Best Card.

Here is one of my favorite parts of the card...

See the shimmer? After stamping the butterfly (but while my dye ink was still wet) I brushed the image with Ranger's Perfect Gold Perfect Pearls... cool huh? Super simple... I may be using that technique more often! 

Ok. Enough from me... don't forget to visit the eight other uber-talent ladies who have created some stunning cards for you...

• Chan Vuong
• Teri Anderson
• Vanessa Menhorn
• Cristina Kowalczyk
• Julia Stainton
• Kim Hughes
• Betsy Veldman
• Kalyn Kepner

And don't forget to leave a comment here for a chance to win a copy of Card Creations 9.  Ask away, do you have any questions?... Or maybe you could share your favorite thing about Card Creations? Are you new to Card Creations? All comments must be posted by midnight (MDT) on Sunday, May 22. A winner will be posted Monday morning. 

***** CONTEST CLOSED*****

Thanks again for visiting today!


Supplies Used: cardstock (Kraft by Papertrey Ink), butterfly stamp (Butterfly 3 by Judi-Kins), sentiment (Essential Messages by a-muse studio), ink (Walnut Stain Distress Ink by Ranger), Perfect Gold Perfect Pearls) Ranger. 

Country Charm Blog Hop!

Hello all! Welcome to the Flourishes Blog Hop!

Tags and labels are two very trendy items that have hit the card making market in a long time! And, to help you add style and pizzazz to your creations, Flourishes has teamed up with Spellbinders Paper Arts to make sure you have the perfect set of stamps to match a darling set of tag style dies.

Wonderfully whimsical and reminiscent of Grandma’s calico prints, Flourishes  “charming” set offers three labels that coordinate perfectly with Spellbinders Grommet Tags (S4-322).

Designed by Becky Fleck, you'll also find 6 beautiful sentiments and 4 accent stamps to dress up your labels! Pair that with Flourishes Country Charm Borders and you have the perfect set to make darling cards in minutes.

Flourishes coordinating Country Charm Borders set features five border strips that match the labels set to a tee. What fun!

Because Flourishes knew this set was a match made in heaven with Spellbinders Grommet Tags (S4-322), both design teams are joining forces for a fun-filled show and tell blog hop!

Here is what I’ve created for the hop…

I absolutely adore the sentiments on this set… wouldn’t this card be fun to give to your best girl friend to thank her for all of the memorable moments of kindness that you have collected as a result of her friendship?

Now be sure to visit all of our other contributors for even more fabulous inspiration....

Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Heidi Blankenship

Beth Pingry

Margie Higuchi

Holly Simoni

AJ Otto

Latisha Yoast

Kazan Clark

Terre Fry

Becca Feeken

Julie Overby

Linda Duke

Sherry Cheever

Christine Emberson

Gloria Stengel

Judy Hayes

Michelle Woerner

Tina McDonald

Tonya Dirk

If you like the new Flourishes stamps, both the Country Charms Labels and Country Charms Borders are available now -- just click the links to see.

Thanks to Flourishes for inviting us to be a part of their blog hop… it’s been so fun! And thank you for stopping by today! Happy Stamping!

Other Products Used: Patterned paper (Echo Park’s Little Girl Collection: Gingham Gabby), Paint (Ranger’s Snowcap Acrylic  Dabber), Ink (Clearsnap’s Warm Red Chalk Ink), Adhesive (Glue Dot® Memory Dots), Tool/other (Imaginisce’s I Rock tool & Rhinestuds).

Happy Mother's Day

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.  ~Tenneva Jordan

Happy Mother's Day to all of you amazing women who care for and nurture your children, your friends, your family and all that you encounter in your life... celebrate today! 

Image by The Graphics Fairy.

More for Mom

Do you have plans for Mother's Day yet? None here, but it has been so busy lately that I'm going to enjoy the down time. I am hoping it is nice enough to get some gardening done. My kids think we'll be looking for a new dog on Sunday. Our family pup of nearly 14 years passed away right after Christmas, so Campbell and Hadley have been lobbying for a new puppy and decided that they are getting me a dog for Mother's Day (every mother's dream, right?).

Anyway, on to today's card...

... perhaps it will serve as more inspiration for you if you are still planning on making a card for mom.  When I made this card, I designed it for myself...lol. Yes, this would be my dream Mother's Day card... it has everything on it that I love...

... houndstooth...

... black & white elements...

... touches of pink...

... stitching...

... a tag...

... bling...

... kraft...

... roses...

... inking...

... and last (but not least) satin ribbon.

It just doesn't get any better than that for me. So when my initial version of this card (actually a tag) was not picked up for the May/June issue of Paper Crafts magazine, I reworked it into what you see today and it now is in the pages of Card Creations Volume 9 which has recently hit news stands.

Have a nice Saturday!

Quick & Simple...

... Mother's Day Card. Tonight I have a quick Mother's Day Card idea for you... it's a clean & graphic card that is super simple and quick (so YES, you do still have time to make mom a card)!

I used the backside of American Craft's Snake River Campy Trails embossed paper and simply layered it with Cosmo Cricket's Chipboard Alphabet stickers and GCD Studios Soul Food Word Stickers. A card made in minutes:)

Variation: emboss a piece of cardstock and adhere to a card base... use a lot of white space as a design element on the card... adhere "MOM" chipboard letters and then embellish with tiles, embellishments or hand written words above and below. 

Happy Friday!