Spellbinders: August Guest Designer!

Hi Friends! 

Welcome back for more Die-cutting inspiration & fun! 

I am super duper excited to be guest designing again this month for the amazing team at Spellbinders! 

I love their fabulous product range and couldn't wait to create with more of their intricate metal dies. 

If you didn't see my first Guest Designer projects, 

you can check them all out HERE. 

For today's post, I received two gorgeous die sets to create with.....

Shapeabilities Sew Sweet Trims set 

from the Sew Sweet Collection by Tammy Tutterow

& 

Shapeabilities Posies and Pennies set

also from the Sew Sweet Collection by Tammy Tutterow

Aren't they both divine?!!

So many creative possibilities with both these dies! 

Here's what I have created.....

Sigh! Aren't they the prettiest?!!

So.much.gorgeousness!!!

I have combined the Crate Paper: Maggie Holmes: Flourish collection with these incredible dies for both of these dreamy cards!

The pink and mint color scheme is just divine! 

Let's take a closer look at them both....

"Hello Beautiful"

Hello beautiful, indeed!

For this card, I used the scalloped die to create the fancy 'trim' on my patterned paper card base. 

I then combined white cardstock & the faux stitched rectangle die to create my foam mounted card base. 

I die cut a mix of green pattern paper leaves, as well as a variety of the flowers. I layer the smaller flowers into the larger ones for added dimension & embellish the centers with buttons.

I use the small flag die as a banner, and anchor it with my card sentiment.  

For finishing touches, I add cotton floss, buttons and a tiny chipboard heart to complete this sweet greeting card!

Just gorgeous!

The second card is just as sweet.....

Oh.my.heart!!!

This is my kinda happy mail! So very beautiful!

 I combine both die sets for this pretty card!

I feature the scallop base for the fancy card front, & then embellish it with the Sew Sweet Trim. This particular trim is a fave of mine because, as you can see, it allows you to thread your ribbon through it! 

Talk about being both clever and pretty! 

Simple & sweet cards that will bring smiles to all who receive them! 

And speaking of smiles.... 

While I was originally typing this post, my sweet girl asked me to create a card for her to give.

In her own words, 'it needs to be fresh, young and fun - for a thirteen year old girl. And not too cutesy either' lol! She really makes me laugh! 

So I very quickly whipped up this 'young & fun' card using both die sets & the Pebbles Patio Party collection....

"Enjoy the Little Things" 

Fun, yes?! 

I hope she liked it! 

& there you have it! 

A few quick, & easy but oh so lovely cards with Spellbinders Dies!

Feeling inspired?

See more carfty ideas in the Spellbinders store HERE

Thanks so much for visiting today, 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Elle's Studio: Celebrate Stamp & Shaker Card Sets

Hi Friends! 

Welcome back for more Elle's Studio inspiration! 

For today's post I am sharing two super sweet card sets that feature our new 

Celebrate Stamp & Celebrate Journaling Tags 

from our August Kit & new releases!

Aren't these fun?!! 

You can see why I just fell in love with the Celebrate Stamp! With icons, sentiments, border trims & even a 'build your own tassel balloon' - this stamp has it all! 

I start with simple white cardstock 4" x 6" card bases, the Shine 6 x 6 Paper Stack and choose a Celebrate Journaling Card (or two) for each card.

Here's a look at the simple stamped his 'n' hers birthday card set.....

Nothing says birthday celebrations more than cake & balloons! 

For this card, I trim the rainbow stripe paper from the Shine 6 x 6 Paper Stack to 3 3/4" x 5 3/4" and adhere to the front of the card. I stamp the pink cake Celebrate Journaling Card with tiny yellow stars, and layer it onto the pink card. I foam mount these layered cards, and attach to the card front. Using a die cut tag from the Exclusive August Kit, I stamp the 'make a wish' sentiment & foam mount this sentiment beneath the cake image. Next, I stamp the balloon & tassels in permanent pink ink. I stamp the string in black ink, and then fussy cut each piece. I give the balloon and tassel a light watercoloring, before attaching to the string. Once dry, glue the balloon to the card, and use sequins and dimensional paint for finishing touches. 

Super sweet!

I use similar techniques with my masculine card, opting for a different color scheme, & using a 'real' tassel over the stamped one for a little interest. Instead of stamping a sentiment beneath the cake, I use the scallop trim stamp in teal ink. 

Simple stamped cards, but oh so effective! 

For my next set of cards, you'll need to use the glassine (cellophane) bags that the Elle's Studio Wood Veneers come in! Never throw these bags in the bin again, they're the perfect size for shaker cards and pockets!

Don't these cards scream party fun!?!!

To create the 'shaker', trim the top of the clear bags, so that the top is as short as it can be without being cut open. Stamp the Celebrate Journaling Cards (I added the Let's Party sentiment & stars to the balloon card), insert into the bag & add sequins. 

Trim any excess off the base of the bag, and then seal the bag (shaker pocket) at the back of the card with a small piece of tape. To hide the edges, use super sticky, double sided tape, and embellish with pom pom trim. 

Pom poms are perfect for parties, and give your pockets a super fun element that also provides a very polished look!

Love it! 

Birthday Cards that are SO much fun! 

I hope I have inspired you to try simple stamping and sequin shakers for your card making! 

Thanks so much for stopping by today, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Cocoa Vanilla Studio: More Than Words Mini Album

Hi Friends!

My turn to share the Cocoa Vanilla Studio love,

with my sweet take on the make it 'mini' themed assignment!

I just adore creating mini albums & for today's mini I am making a feature of the fabulous 

6 x 6 PAPER PAD!

ALL the papers featured in this album are from this paper pad - so cool!

Let's get started....

"Picture Perfect" Mini Album

Oh.my.heart!!! 

How beautiful is our More Than Words collection?!! So super pretty! 

The dimensions for this mini are 3" x 6", so we can make the most from our 6 x 6 PAPER PAD papers. I have made the cover from chipboard sheets which I cut to size. 

No chipboard? No problems! 

Simply recycle the cardboard from your cereal boxes; 

it's fairly sturdy without being too thick, and makes an excellent substitute!

I decorate my cover with the pretty grey chevron paper, as well CHIPBOARD ACCENT STICKER frames & banner. I also embellish the cover with ACCESSORY STICKERS, ENAMEL SHAPES & some coordinating ribbons and tassels from my stash. 

Here's a closer look....

Wonderful, indeed! Such a lovely lil keepsake album! 

Let's look inside....

Does it get any cuter?!! Just adore these two!

I back my chipboard cover with the butterfly pattern paper, and embellish it with a DIE CUT EPHEMERA sentiment and a CHIPBOARD TITLE STICKER heart. Simple, but very pretty!

Now to create all the pages!

The 6 x 6 PAPER PAD papers are single sided, so back two sheets together at a time, and then trim them straight down the center ( 3" x 6" size). Repeat this process until you have acquired enough pages to 'tell your story'! Such a quick & easy mini album to create! With so many pretty patterns in this pad, your only difficulty will be deciding which ones to use!

I embellish my first page with that gorgeous CHIPBOARD ACCENT STICKER frame for my darling photograph, ACCESSORY STICKERS, CHIPBOARD ACCENT STICKER heart & those sweet ENAMEL SHAPES. Gor-jus!!!

So sweet! & that ledger paper is just divine!

To add emphasis & interest to these sweet pages, I've divided them with sheet of vellum from my stash, as well as added a 'punched' trim to the edge of the page on the right hand side. Such soft and subtle points of interest really create that sense of special and something to treasure!

Loving that CHIPBOARD ACCENT STICKER Hello Lovely - the perfect adornment to this photo! Such pretty pages for my darling girl!

The next pages are for my Mr Cool Kid......

LOVE this for sure!

I've opted for the blue and grey tones in the MORE THAN WORDS collection to create a more masculine feel, as well as those fun arrow embellishments. Awesome!

Lots of ACCESORY STICKERS  and DIE CUT EPHEMERA pretties here!

More of the cool kid!  

This time I've used the CLEAR STAMPS over the vellum sheet for a bolder, more masculine look!

Nawwww! Such a cutie! The Love that face EPHEMERA sums it up perfectly!

More DIE CUT EPHEMERA love with that divine, soft floral frame! Just beautiful!

Also, how fabulous is this that CHIPBOARD ACCENT STICKER?

 Not only is the sentiment super sweet, but it also serves as a terrific focal point for this single photo spread.

I've doubled up on DIE CUT EPHEMERA labels here to create balance within my design.

I love the continuity of the typewriter font journal stickers from the ACCESSORY STICKERS - a firm, core fave of mine from all of the Cocoa Vanilla Studio collections!

Last page in my mini & isn't it the sweetest?! An unforgettable moment in time that I am so glad I've documented!

For finishing touches, I add pom pom trim to the edge of the chipboard cover for added interest and texture. 

Put the cover & pages all together, punch with your Crop-A-Dile or similar hole punching tool. Attach with metal rings & Voila!

A super simple, but OH-so pretty, mini album in minutes! Love it!

I hope you're feeling inspired to use your Cocoa Vanilla Studio 6 x 6 PAPER PADS for mini albums!

Thanks so much for visiting,

til next time,

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo

Elle's Studio: August Kit & New Releases!

Hi Everyone!

It's time for another awesome Elle's Studio reveal! 

And like every month,
this month's kit and add-ons are simply Aaaaaaah-mazing! 

Here's what I'm talking 'bout....

August Exclusive Kit

Totally awesome!!!

& to compliment this exclusive kit are some incredible Add-ons....

Acrylics, veneers, puffy stickers, stamps - oh.my.heart! LOVE it all!

And let's not forget the fabulous 

Digital Cut Files & Printables

Told you it was all awesome!
I know I say this every month, but I just can't get enough of Elle's Studio!!! It's all SO good!

Here's a quick looksee at what I've created with this kit so far.....

Acrylic Mini Album with August Kit & Add-Ons

The new Acrylic Album plus this month's kit were just perfect for documenting our recent family vacation! I just adore the {heart} THIS acrylic on the cover!

Here's a quick flick through of my album featuring lots of our Add-Ons too!

The 6 x 4 cards in the August Kit are the perfect size for the new Acrylic Albums!

& the Jane Alphabet stickers are ideal for personalizing your stories with! 

How cool is that memorabilia pocket made from our Noteworthy collection?! 

I've filled it with all our keepsake tickets, passes and odds & ends from the trip.

And those veneers!!!

So perfect! 

For my USA friends, the Gold Coast is where all the theme parks are in Australia - so it's a dream  holiday destination for our children! 

(plus there may have been a relaxing resort for mum & dad too!)

Day 1 & tons of fun spent by the lagoon 'Pool in the Skies'! 

The 3 x 4 cards are always so fabulous - it was great to make a feature of them in this mini album!

More of the awesome Jane Alphabet Stickers, August Kit supplies and Noteworthy collection. Loving those super cute Little Photo Flag Stickers!

As my album cover is aqua, I have kept to a cool color scheme for this mini - so lots of blues, greens & purples! 

Forgive me, there's a really personal story about the restaurant to go on 'the details' card - so I left it blank for photographing. But how cool is that veneer?! 

A few theme park photos for the remainder of this cute album! 

Yes, we met Shrek & rode in the garlic bulb carriage! Lol! Such a fun day! 

Totally awesome! 

Such a fun way to document those holiday snaps! 

Hope it inspired you to use your kits for mini albums too!

Next up, I've documented my lil man starting school for the first time....

"First Day"

Oh how adorable! He was SO little (& so excited too!)

With so many Back to School elements in the August kit, this was the perfect opportunity for me to document this milestone moment! Proud Moment, indeed!!!

You'll also spy lots of our awesome Add-On items here including the ABC Wood Veneer, Back to School Acrylic, & even those fabulolus Purple Puffy Alphabet Stickers!

Here's a closer look for you.....

How good is that sentiment? !! 

Work hard, be kind, good things will happen

Wonderful words of wisdom that resonate so well with my sweet boy's memories. 

You'll see that I tucked the "Back to" part of the Back to School Acrylic beneath my photo, as this worked better for my son's story. 

Nothing says 'school' better than ABC's & 1,2,3's!  Love these details! 

I mount my Purple Puffy Alphabet Sticker title onto the ABC Wood Veneer for added impact - so cool!

Whether it's back to school or just a school based memory, the August kit has definitely got you covered! 

And that's all I can share with you today!

I'll be back on the 13th to showcase more of these fabulous products, 

I hope I have inspired you to get creating!

You can get all your Elle's Studio supplies HERE 

Never want to  miss out again? 

Start a kit subscription HERE 

Thanks so much for visiting, 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo 

Pinkfresh Studio: Simple & Sweet Summer Days!

Hi Friends! 

Welcome back for more fresh & fabulous Pinkfresh Studio inspiration!

For today's post I am sharing all the 8.5" x 11" scrapbook layout love with the divine 

Simple & Sweet collection! 

Hope you enjoy seeing what I've created!

First up is this minty delight, 

" Beautiful, Happy Memories"

 

Beautiful happy memories, indeed! Aren't they just the sweetest together?! 

I just adore the simplicity of this design! So clean, and concise - all about my precious photograph! 

I am also loving that refreshing color scheme, and those pretty floral layers!

I start with an 8.5" x 11" base with reverse side of pattern paper, GOOD COMPANY (that mint color is just divine!!!), and I layer it with a 7.5" x 10" white cardstock base. I stitch the two layers together, and then build up my page. 

Let's take a closer look....

So much pretty here! 

On careful inspection, you'll spot the gorgeous Emerald City Liquid Watercolor (which I have watered down immensely) forming a striped, freshmint base for my photo cluster. To this, I add those blue floral Die Cuts, and a fussy cut tag from pattern paper FRESH AIR.

My photo is embellished with that fabulous STITCHED FRAME, and that striking DIE CUT black heart with gold foil dots. In keeping with the gold embellishments, you'll also spy scattered GOLDEN ACCENT PUFFY STICKER hearts.  SO good! 

I embellish the photo frame with that sweet PUFFY STICKER heart, and then use the PUFFY STICKER words to create my vertical title. 

For finishing touches, I stitch the DIE CUT labels to the top of my page, and embellish with a CHIPBOARD STICKER sentiment. Voila!

So cool and refreshing! 

 

My second layout is warm, citrus-y sweet & just screams Summer....

"Sunkissed"

Isn't this gorgeous?!

Summer days never looked so pretty!

I've kept with the soft mint highlights, but opted for a brighter color scheme with those sweet lemons! Most of the lemons have been fussy cut from pattern paper, LEMON LUSH, but you'll also spy a few DIE CUTS & a PUFFY STICKER too!

Like my previous layout, I have adorned my photograph with a fabulous STITCHED FRAME, as well as layered fussy cut labels from pattern paper FRESH AIR beneath it all too. So cool! 

Here's a closer look....

I've made use of as many of the yellow PUFFY STICKERS as I could, as well as scattering mint ENAMEL DOTS throughout my design too! I've foam mounted my gold foil DIE CUT title to add emphasis and interest to my page. 

To create balance, I anchor my design with that rectangle CHIPBOARD STICKER. I love how such a simple embellishment can bring it all together - just incredible! 

Such a pretty page for my pretty girl! 

And there you have it! 

My Simple & (oh-so) Sweet takes on 8.5" x 11" layouts for Pinkfresh Studio!

I hope they have inspired you to get creating with this gorgeous Summer line! 

Thanks so much for visiting today, 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo