Fabulous Birthday Girl

Greetings All and Happy Long Weekend!!  YAY!!  We are hanging around this weekend as I vowed to never travel on these busy holiday weekends.  The traffic simply makes me insane!  So we're sticking close to home, enjoying the pool club opening, lacrosse championship games at Gilette Stadium, and visiting family.   We will be celebrating my darling sister-in-law's birthday as well!  I took the opportunity to bust out this week's MFT sketch to get me started.

Her favorite color is purple so I started there adding grey and yellow as my accents.  I've been dying to ink my new ALM - I've Got Your Back.  It has been inked with Momento and she is colored with my Copics.  I paper pieced her shirt and the letters U and R using papers from MME.

I used the sketch pretty literally and simply shifted my main panel making it slightly askew to accommodate the large flowers I created.  I added ittiy bitty micro pearls to the corners of my main panel and used lots of Hero Hues Latte Chalk Ink to distress all of my edges. 

I used the Photo Corner and Chevron Stripes Die-namics to compliment the background.  I used an embossing folder to give a bit of richness to the middle layer (white) behind the flowers.  It really added just the right amount of texture that I was looking for.

I used both the Royal Rose and Rolled Mum Flower Die-namics layered together to create the fun and fluffy flower cluster.  I added a resin flower in the center of each one for some added depth and color.

I kept my interior simple and crisp, using my favorite Finishing Flourishes, for my greeting.  

Thanks so much for popping in today!!  Don't forget to come join the MFT fun at the sketch gallery here!

Have a fun, safe and creative long weekend!!

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

Paper and Such Challenge Time!!

Greetings Friends!!!  Today is a very fun day over at the Paper and Such Challenge Blog.  It's a brand new challenge, a favorite technique of mine, paper piecing!!  Come on over and join us!!! 

I've chosen to use the Paper and Such - Bitty Love set.  It's just so cute and lovely and was just waiting to be inked up!  I used a bunch of delicious scraps that have been on my desk recently pulling in bright colors and fun patterns.  I inked the image with Momento ink and colored with my Copics.  I used my Sakura glitter pens for the tiny bee and honey on the top of the pot.  I paper pieced the label on the front of the jar for a tiny bit of extra dimension. 

This is such a sweet set and it's really so lovely and quick to create with!  I can't wait to slip this cutie into one of my kiddies lunchboxes this week! 

See you tomorrow, here at Paper Canteen, with more fun posts!! 

Crafty Hugs!
Meredith

Mo's Digital Image Challenge #41 - Paper Piecing

Good Sunday Morning Everyone!! I am so excited to be playing along this week as paper piecing is one of my VERY favorite paper crafting techniques!!

Today I chose to use Lacie with her delicious ice cream cone as my main image. I printed Lacie once on white cardstock and then again on the yellow, flowery Martha Stewart designer paper. I trimmed out her adorable frilly dress and set it aside. I then colored Lacie with my Copic markers and trimmed her out.
I carefully added adhesive to her dress and lined it up and placed it just so on top of my colored image. I set Lacie aside and created my card.
I started with a base of SU! chocolate chip textured cardstock. The next layer is light blue textured cardstock, consecutively followed by the same MS flowery DP, lemon yellow cardstock, and light blue cardstock.
Each layer is individually stitched (you can't see the back layer on the light blue textured cardstock as the stitch I chose was too close in and got covered by the MS DP).

I then took 3 light blue circle stickers and added them for a bit of visual interest along with forming a corner with light green rhinestone strips.
I then created my sentiment layer using Lawn Fawn's Partly Cloudy set. I used the green polka dot layer from a mat stack that I have and a scrap of SU! DP to put my "keep the sun in your heart" sentiment on. I also, as you can see, stitched both sides with a zig zag stitch.
Once that was all placed down I then added Lacie to the right hand side using 3-D foam adhesive.

I hope you enjoy and are inspired!!!

Have a great Sunday!!

XOXO-
Meredith

Robyn's Fetish Wacky Wednesday Freebie!!!

Hello Everyone!!! Welcome to another fantastic Wacky Wednesday Freebie!! Today we had the pleasure of working with the ever adorable Gretchen!!
She is just so CUTE!!!

I was feeling in a "simplistic" mood...which is unusual for me!! But I like to try to force myself to branch out and try different styles as often as I can so I went with clean and basic for this.

I started out with a scrap of MS pink cardstock for my base. My next layer is from a Mat Stack and is primarily chocolate brown with faux cross stitched hearts in a variety of colors.
I then (knowing I wanted to incorporate this sheer, polka dotted, turquoise ribbon - cut a line right in the crease of my card, threaded it through and tied it into a super cute fluffy bow.
I then set to coloring Gretchen. I colored her face, hair, legs, shoes and cutie apron with my Copics. I then ran some polka dotted DP through my printer and paper pieced her DRESS!! Paper Piecing is one of my favorite techniques!!! I love the added dimension it lends to a project.

I matted Gretchen to a scrap of light blue paper and stitched a zig zag in chocolate brown just down the right side of the panel.
I then added a Doodlebug sentiment "Just Plain Happy". Stamped in SU! Purely Pomegranate on a scrap of white cardstock, backed with the same light blue. Lastly, I added a tiny heart puffy sticker - super throwback to my early 1980's sticker collecting days!!
I hope you enjoy my creation!!

Now don't forget to check out my fellow DT members creations!! I ALWAYS fine fabulous inspiration through each and every one of them!!!

• Alicia
• Carina
• Jeanette
• Kristyn
• Leanne
• Mia
• Michele
• Michelle
• Stephanie
• Suzanne
• Wendy

Now...off you go to the Challenge Blog to grab your freebie!!!

Thanks for visiting!! See you Saturday for our weekly challenge!!!

XOXO-
Meredith

The Character Cafe New Release Hop!!!

I'm thrilled to be hopping today with the TCC Design Team!! The first Friday of the month is NEW RELEASE DAY here at TCC!!! I was lucky enough to work with Izzy Elf!!! Isn't she simply THE CUTEST!?!?!?!!? You will want to make sure to hop along so that you don't miss one of the teams stunning creations!!! If you arrived here from Billie's blog then you are on the correct path!!! If not you can start HERE and enjoy hopping along!

You'll notice that I have a couple of different pictures. I wanted to take pics outside today but it's raining here in the Northeast so I was stuck finding a good spot inside! Which can be difficult. So I show one photo with no flash and one with a flash.

For Izzy, I started with SU! Hunter Green paper. My card is 5x5 with all corners rounded. I then chose my first layer from last years SU! Holiday Paper measuring down 1/4" and rounded all corners as well. I then set my base aside and started working on Izzy.

I colored her with my Copics and Sakura paint and sparkly gel pens. I twinkled up her ears and hair with a glue pen and gold glitter as well as the pom poms on the toes of her elf slippers. I used my silver paint pen to deck out her collar and cuffs.

For the gifts surrounding her, I decided that in lieu of coloring that I'd paper piece them. So I chose 3 different patters of the same SU! Holiday paper. I trimmed them down to 8.5 x 11" and ran them through my printer printing the image 3 times over. I trimmed out each gift VERY CAREFULLY and laid them over the black and white image. I then used the same paint pens to color their ribbons. I then as a finishing touch added a green self-adhesive rhinestone to the middle of each bow on the gifts.
I then matted Izzy (with corners rounded) on some of my FAVORITE PTI Pure Poppy paper (corners rounded) and used my sewing machine to zig zag stitch around the perimeter of the matte. Izzy was finished. Now to add the finishing touches to my card.

I pulled out some wired ribbon that I just bought yesterday at Michael's. I was thinking the size and pattern may overpower the entire card but it worked great!! I tied it using the very quickly becoming famous "Buttony Bow" created by my friend Joanne!! (if you're interested you can see her tutorial on this. She's a WIZ...the tutorial is on my sidebar).

I then added Izzy complete with her matte using 3-D adhesive dots. Very lastly, I used my SU! Star punch and punched 3 coordinating starts out of the same paper and added them as a decorative touch on the upper right hand side of the card to balance everything out.

Thanks for hopping along with us!!

Your next stop is Angela's blog!! Her creations are as gorgeous as her blog!!!!

Here are the rest of the details about this rockin' hop:

• Comment on all blogs to be entered to win the FULL RELEASE & become a follower (if not already)
• Discount code is "Remember" to receive 40% off from Friday (blog hop start) to Friday, Nov. 13 at noon
• Each DT Member will draw a winner from their comments to receive the image they worked with
• If you post about the blog hop on your blog or elsewhere, let us know and we'll add an extra ballot to the tree
• All draws will be made and posted on Wed. Nov. 11th (Remembrance Day)

Happy Hopping!!!

XOXO

Robyn's Fetish Wacky Wednesday Freebie!!!

Welcome to Robyn's Fetish Wacky Wednesday's!!!

Every Wednesday there will be new cards to look at on the DT's blogs and a FREEBIE IMAGE each week on Robyn's blog!!! This week's image is this this ridiculously sweet and adorable Dolly and Present stamp!! I LOVE her!! Such a GREAT image for a card for a little girl.
I had so much fun creating with this!! I ran and got lots of mis-matched but still matched (you know what I mean =) papers and just started trimming...a little bit at whim. I stitched through some of the designs on the first larger piece of Basic Grey designer paper.

I then colored Dolly and her gift. I ran a piece of Kraft paper through my printer in order to paper piece the eco-friendly looking wrapping paper. I wanted to keep the wrapping paper a little quiet because I really wanted to sparkle up the ribbon. I think the effect worked out nicely!

She's layered on 2 layers of distressed SU! cardstock and one piece of distressed Basic Grey. Again...all stitched together.
I, once again, have used the Buttony Bow technique with a large piece of brown grosgrain ribbon with white polka dots, jumbo blue button and blue gingham.
It was a cold but gorgeous day here in MA so I brought the card outside to photograph. No place is better than outside!! But I don't always have the luxury depending on the weather or when I need to photograph and post! Which is why I always post SO many different angles, lights and settings for all of my creations.

I hope you enjoyed my Wacky Wed Image!!! Don't forget to go grabs yours and participate!!!

Thanks for visiting!!

And don't forget to go shopping!!!

XOXO

Robyn's Fetish - Wacky Wednesday!!!

Welcome to Robyn's Fetish Wacky Wednesday's!!!

Every Wednesday there will be new cards to look at on the DT's blogs and a FREEBIE IMAGE each week on Robyn's blog!!! This week's image is this cutie patootie Shopping Grannie image!! I LOVE her!!
I printed our darling Grannie out first on white cardstock and then on some adorable PTI designer paper. I then trimmed out her dress and paper pieced it onto the white cardstock image. This is a technique that I love doing with regular rubber or acrylic stamps and finally got brave enough to trim out some 12x12 DP down to 8.5 x 11 and run it through my printer! It worked great!!
I love the look it gave to our shopping Grannie! I then set to coloring the rest of her. I left her hair a beautiful silvery grey. Her purse is a pretty olive green colored with my Copics and clasped with a little gold from my gold paint pen. I dazzled up her socks just a bit with my sparkly, Sakura gel pen and then gave her some super comfy looking purple shopping shoes!!!

Her shopping bag reminded me of my FAVORITE store's shopping bags. What store is that you ask?? Why Bloomingdales, of course!!! Well back in the days before I had kids...now I'm a lot more thrifty and shop at other places. BUT...it's still my favorite store!!

I added some pretty pink tissue paper to peek out of the bag wrapping whatever it is our Grannie bought today!! ;) I've been dying to use these circle cards that I bought EONS ago at The Paper Source. So I matted Grannie and corner rounded each corner. I adhered her to the orange card base and stitched the two together with purple thread on my sewing machine. I added a button trio (something I LOVE to do) threaded and tied with various matching ribbons. I then worked on the sentiment "Shop till you drop..." So true in my world!!! I could shop for HOURS!!! DAYS EVEN!! I LOVE IT!!! I did the same technique on the sentiment. I mounted it to the same purpleish paper from PTI and zig zag stitched around the perimeter, rounding the corners here as well. I then adhered this piece to the card. Lastly, I added some K&Company rub on designs to complete the look. (the flowers and 2 pearlesque buttons to Grannie's left)
Don't forget to check out Robyn and Donna's awesome online store!!!

www.robynsfetish.com/shop

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to go grab your freebie image!!!

XOXO-

QKD Royal Wednesday Release Day Hop!!

Happy Wednesday and NEW RELEASE DAY!!!!


FIRST AND FOREMOST!!

27% off of all QKD stamps (excludes separates and customs)
15-20% off of all Past Kits (royal, get inked!, The findings and Take 3)
10% off of all paper packs
55% off of all clearance
10% off of all acrylic blocks
10% off of all grab bags
20% off of the scrapbooking kit section (does not include royal kits)


I am BEYOND thrilled and honored to introduce to you TWO new mermaids!!!!

You should have arrived here from Alex's blog for this exciting hop!! If not, you can start the hop at the beginning HERE!

In this post I am introducing you to Charlotte Metalwin!! She is soooooo spectacular with her gorgeous fan and matching hat/veil combo as well as her awesome flippy "cheerleader" style skirt. The design possibilities are endless!!! I also LOVEEEEEEEEEE the claw footed ottoman that she has to perch herself on!!

Now...onto my creations with her. I've done two entirely different designs to show the amazing flexibilitiy with all of Maigan Lynn's creations. Seriously...endless!

My first creation with Charlotte is a 5 x 7 card done in fall colors.

The base of the card is a gold shimmery cardstock from Bazzill papers. The other designer papers are all from Crate Paper with the exception of the ivory that Charlotte is stamped on and the blue that it's matted on...they came from my scrap bin. =) I LOVE when I can pull stuff from that overflowing bin.

Besides gorgeous Charlotte the main focus of this card is the large flower in the background. It was in the center of a piece of Crate Paper. I trimmed it out, covered it in Versamark Dazzle ink and heat embossed it. I then used my cinnamon stickles to embellish it a bit more to make it pop. I love the effect!!

Charlotte was inked in a combo of Brilliance Pearlescent Jade ink and Versamark Jumbo Java Multi-surface chalk ink. It gave her a more muted effect while still allowing me to use fine embossing powder to heat set her. I used a variety of Copics, sparkly Sakura gel pens as well as my fine art colored pencils to color her. I added the buttons at the end as there seemed to be a large space just calling out for an extra little something. I truly love how this card turned out ESPECIALLY compared to my second creation with Charlotte!!
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My second project is an altered notebook. I have LOTS of these as I am DEFINITELY an alterable hoarder!!! (who am I kidding...I'm simply a crafty hoarder!!! ;) but aren't we all??? Anyway...this notebook is simply black and white with a cool flourishy/damask pattern. I have a few of them (of course) but it was screaming to me PINK!! SILVER!! BLACK!! WHITE!!! so I ran with it. The notebook itself didn't need much as it is so decorative already! So I started with Charlotte. I stamped her in Brilliance Graphite Black Pigment Ink and heat set her. ( I do this MOST of the time as it helps keep any markers, etc from bleeding outside the lines ) I wanted to really funk her out so I did her hair in mostly jet black Copic with pink and silver streaks running through. Her hat and super fabulous corset are colored with my silver paint pen. I colored her skirt underneath in a variety of pinks and blacks knowing that I was going to create a skirt on top. But I wanted it to have some depth to it. Her skirt was stamped, heat set and cut into small strips and glued individually to create the fullness that it appears to have. It was labor intensive to glue each strip but the effect is SO worth it!!

Her ottoman was next!! I colored the legs of it with my silver paint pen and painted the "claws" with my Sakura sparkly gel pen. I outlined the cushion with seed beads (meticulously dipping each one onto my glue pad and lining them up as best I could with my craft tweezers) and then I covered the ottoman cushion itself with Doodlebug Designs Inc crushed velvet fun flock.

I am madly in love with her!! =) She looks so sassy and fabulous!!!

I then stitched her to a piece of silver cardstock using pomegranate thread. I used a variety of scrap to add behind her and cut out the pink scallop for the left side of the journal using my SU! slot punch. The stickers are from a recent purchase at Michael's. Lastly I added some beautiful coordinating ribbon for the spiral binds.

QKD: http://qkd.blogspot.com
Shannon: http://shannonssentiments.blogspot.com
Jules: http://julietds.blogspot.com
Penny: http://penny-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/
Vicki: http://qksc.blogspot.com
Maria: http://riacreations.blogspot.com/
Kelly: http://kellystamps.blogspot.com
WIS: http://whimsicalinksorority.blogspot.com
Bev (SG) http://getcreativesg.blogspot.com
Andrea: http://mystampingheaven.typepad.com
Victoria: http://eatstampsleeprepeat.blogspot.com/
Lara: http://youwantthecookie.blogspot.com
Anessa: http://alienanessa.wordpress.com
Helene: http://2amscrapper.blogspot.com/
Nina: http://creatinginsolitude.blogspot.com
Alex: http://paperandstring.blogspot.com/
Meredith: http://www.papercanteen.com
Linda: http://linda-scrap-atc.blogspot.com
Nancy: http://craftynancy.blogspot.com
Anita: http://happypapercrafthappenings.blogspot.com/
Sara- http://saracreativemind.blogspot.com
QKD: http://www.katstamps.com/store---------


I had THE best time creating with Charlotte!!! I hope you enjoy her as much as I do!!!

Thank you for visiting!! Onto Linda who has something new to show you as well!!!

XOXO-