Fred, She Said Fabulous Flowers Blog Hop

Welcome to the Fred, She Said Fabulous Flowers Blog Hop!  Summer is here and the flowers are bursting, and the FSS team wants to share a botanical bonanza with you!  If you have arrived from Carolyn’s blog, you are right on track.  If you are just happening by, you will want to start on the Fred, She Said Blog.

Collect a secret word on each blog along the way, leave us some love on our posts and follow the directions at the end of the hop for your chance to win this FABULOUS PRIZE!

One winner will receive:
$25 GC to CropStop
£15 GC to Bearly Mine Designs
$25 GC to Fred She Said Store

My project is a clean and simple card using the inspiration of the petunias in hanging baskets along my front porch!

My card uses the Wee Hummingbird & Petunias Pre-coloured SET. I used the purple colored design, but decided I wanted to make the hummingbird pop. So I paper pieced a different hummingbird and added some sparkle with a Sakura Gellyroll Stardust Clear pen. I love that Fred, She Said Pre-coloured sets make creating beautiful cards quick and easy no matter what your papercrafting experience may be!

Your secret word on my blog is Happiness.

Your next stop on the hop is Karen's blog.

My Black and White Period

Three weeks ago I participated in a color challenge at the Heart 2 Heart Blog. The challenge was to use Black and White with a pop of color (see blog post here). That was the first time I used these paper flowers and since then I've kept them on my crafting table and seem to be inspired to create simillar cards. I'm calling this my "Black and White Period" in my papercrafting! :)

The scoring on the black paper was inspired by this post.

Recipe:
Black and White Cardstock (Close To My Heart)
Just Blooms Petal Paper Flowers (Close To My Heart)
Sparkles: Red, Pink and Purple Assortment (Close To My Heart)
Sparkle Flourishes (Close To My Heart)

Sugar and Spice Studio J Layout

Today is the last Studio J layout that I completed as part of the Studio J 5 pack I received with my Convention registration. This layout was the most fun because it started with the Mischief paper packet, which is a Halloween theme. By cropping the Halloween candy sticker the cupcake liners were made and a digital brad and staple made the cherries. So cool.

I did have a difficult time coming up with pictures. I kept looking through birthday photos, and at one point I thought I should go visit a bakery. Then I focused on the poem: Sugar & Spice, and anything nice. That's what little girls are made of. That led me to the photos of the little girls in my family! On the left page at the top is my mother. The bottom two pictures are my grandmothers. The right page is my great aunt and my niece with a picture of me as a toddler!

Each of the small pictures should have stitching, but I inadvertently forgot the right page. No problem I'll add it by hand when I get the layouts.

It's a Staycation Studio J Layout

Growing up I was lucky enough to have a backyard pool. It wasn't the coolest thing since it was above the ground, but it was what we could afford. At few years back the current above pool was taken down as the sides were rusty and it looked like it would collapse soon. In 2010 our family decided to take the plunge and put a new in-the-ground pool. I also insisted on the spa hot tub thingy! Of course that meant the money for a family vacation wasn't there, so we've been on a staycation for the last couple of years!

This layout was put together almost exactly as directed. The element I love the most is the pennant stickease!

40 Rocks!

Today is a milestone birthday for me. Jolene made this awesome set with Close To My Heart products like the a My Creations Recipe Box, Roxie paper packet, Irresistibles™ Eclectic Chipboard Die-Cuts and more! Thanks Jolene!

This is my second post today be sure to check out my Studio J layout from Disney below.

The Best of Times Studio J Layout

Today, I'm going to share another Studio J layout from Convention 2011. I'm not a die hard Disney fan but who wouldn't get excited meeting the characters and getting your picture taken with them!

This layout was a deviation from the directions. I know I'm a rebel! So I didn't use any specific techniques. This was a true 10 minute layout. I picked the paper packet and design. I deleted a lot of the preplaced elements. I uploaded and dropped in my pictures. Then I wrote the journal piece. Finally to complete the layout a placed a sticker and brads. Faster. Simpler. Easier. That's the way Close To My Heart's Level 1 Studio J scrapbooking can be!

Best Convention Site Studio J Layout

Here is the second layout from my recent work with Studio J. This year's convention site is Dallas, Texas. I'm not sure that can compete with last year. Disneyland was the best convention site!

I stayed true to the layout direction with this one.The scallop border is actually the same circle sticker used on the dark blue cardstock piece. You crop the circle then it's a simple copy and paste along the page to create the border. I thought that was a cool technique!

Rainforest Cafe Studio J Layout

For the last week I've been working on some scrapbooking with Studio J, Close To My Heart's digital online scrapbooking program. As part of our Convention registration we got a 5 pack  and directions to complete the layouts. Since I'm getting ready to go to Convention in another 22 days I thought it's about time to scrapbook last year's pictures!

I just noticed an oops on this layout. I created the green striped ribbon by creating two text boxes overlapping. The first one had Topiary paper as the background and a space bar for no text. The second box was a bit bigger and I chose no background paper. I placed the box on top of the green and filled it with forward slashes in Colonial White. It seems on the left page I got carried away with the slashes! When I get the layout I'll add something to cover it, maybe a rainforest animal cut from the Cricut.

A Father's Day Card

I found this Father's Day card in my stash. I remember making it for a card class years ago. The paper and stamps are retired Close To My Heart products. What I really like is the envelope for the sentiment and the circle shaped tag. The directions for folding the envelope came from a book, Journal of Paper Engineering. I recently came across this book on my shelves and am eager to try another technique.

FSS Design Team Showcase & Giveaway

Check out the Design Team Showcase at the Fred She Said Blog today. This is my project using the Dragonfly Flower Doodledallion Set. I recently gave this card and journal to a dear friend who had been under a lot of stress.

Recipe:
Dragonfly Flower Doodledallion Set (Fred She Said)
Cotton Candy Cardstock (Close To My Heart)
Dotty for you Paper Pack (retired Close To My Heart)
My Creation Journal (retired Close To My Heart)
4 My Friend Stamp Set (Close To My Heart)
Prisma Glitter (Close To My Heart)
Rhinestone Brads (Stampin Up)
Black Pen for Stitching (Copic Multiliner)

Fred She Said is giving away a $25 GC to their store to a random blog commenter :) Please leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. ONE random winner will be chosen from one random DT Showcase blog post. Please make only one comment per DT post and please include your name. For a listing of DT Showcase participants, please go to the Fred She Said Blog. Commenting on all DT Showcase posts is not a requirement but increases your chances of winning:) Please comment by Friday June 22. The winner's name will be posted on the Fred She Said Blog June 23rd. Good luck!

Quick Thinking of You Cards

There are three people that have my thoughts and prayers with them today. I wanted to let them know. I quickly made these cards this afternoon so I can get them in the mail tomorrow. I haven't bought a card in awhile but I overheard someone recently saying they spend $5 on a greeting card! For that price you can by a digital image like the Corner Rose at Fred She Said and use it again and again on cards.

Recipe
Kraft Die -Cut Cards and Envelopes (Close To My Heart) *scallop piece was cut off
Colonial White Textured Paper (Retired Close To My Heart)
Colored Cardstock: Dutch Blue, Taffy, Amethyst (Close To My Heart)
Corner Rose Digital Image (Fred She Said)
Durables Square Studs (Close To My Heart)

Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Color Challenge

This week over a the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog the challenge is all about black and white plus one other color! For my card I used a sketch #26 from Clean and Simple Stamping.      

Card Recipe:

All items from Close To My Heart

Black and White Cardstock

Black Ink

Diverse Backgrounds Stamp Set (for stamping on white paper flower)

Just a Number Stamp Set

Just Blooms Petals Paper Flowers

Bitty Buds Assortment

Sharing Some News

 

I have a confession. I'm not a fan of outline stamps and coloring them. Maybe it's because my paper crafting style is to create clean and simple, and quick!  So when my friend Nancy introduced me to digi stamps at Fred She Said I was thrilled. The artwork is beautiful. I can quickly print and create something special. Recently I was shopping at the Fred She Said store and saw there was an open call for Design Team Members. Today I'm happy to announce that I am now part of that team. You can see the official announcement here. Now in addition to Close To My Heart products I will also be sharing some paper crafting projects with Fred She Said Designs on my blog!

Card Recipe:
Diamond Rose Pattern (Fred She Said)
Cutting File - Ornate Oval Frame (Fred She Said)
Black and  Grey Flannel Cardstock (Close To My Heart)
Decor Jouranling Spots (Close To My Heart)

How Tweet of You

A quick thank you card I made using the June 2012 Stamp of the Month: Life Is Tweet. Instead of coloring in the bird I used paper piecing, my favorite thing to do with outline stamps. This is the first project I made with the Florentine Paper Packet. I also used one of the Color-Ready Garden Wooden Shapes.

This card was also an excuse to try my new Tim Holtz Paper Rosette die. I love how easy it is to make rosettes. No scoring necessary the die already perforates the folds. Love it!