Spread Your Wings & Fly!

Today I'm super excited to be Guest Designing for Top Dog Dies.

Top Dog Dies is a new online store that offers their own brand of wafer-thin and steel-rule dies, along with dies from brands you already know and trust, including My Favorite Things, Lawn Fawn, Taylored Expressions. Savvy Stamps and Cheery Lynn Designs. Top Dog Dies is also the leading U.S. retailer for Tattered Lace, a new line of intricate dies designed by British designer Stephanie Weightman.

Top Dog Dies is also doing a GIVEAWAY for the whole month of April. Everyone who comments on my blog will be entered for a chance to win! The winner will receive $50 worth of exclusive dies from Top Dog Dies (their choice!). 

All you need to register via the Rafflecopter app on the page to enter. Deadline to enter will be Wednesday, April 30 at midnight Central Standard Time.

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Ok, onto my project!
Top Dog Dies sent me 3 different dies. (shown in picture below).
Steel-Rule Die (Circle Mini Album) and 2 Wafter Thin dies (butterfly and Bella Doily Die)

At first glance I was all set to create a mini album because, after all, that's what the die was intended for.  But I decided that was too simple and expected to I decided to use it on a layout instead.

So here's what I created.

I cut out 3 of the doily shapes from white card stock and layered them on the background papers.

I cut out the butterfly shapes from some Imaginisce patterned paper (Welcome Spring) .  I added some rhinestones to the centre of the butterfly bodies.

I cut out 2 of the circle mini album shapes from patterned paper and used them to create a 'flap' to reveal another photo below.  (you could easily add more photos & journaling here). (on the Top Dog Dies I'll share I attached the layers together).

If you hop on over to the Top Dog Dies blog I have a tutorial of this project posted there.

Supplies used:
Top Dog Dies (Wafter Thin Dies: Butterfly & Bella Doily; Steel-ruled dies: circle mini album)
Imaginisce: Welcome Spring collection (patterned papers, die cut tags, rhinestones)
Core'dinations Colorcore Cardstock (white)
American Crafts (White Thickers, Slick Writer marker in black)
Maya Road (twine)
Xyron (Megan Tape Runner)
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L (foam squares)

Thanks for stopping by today.

Don't forget to leave a comment her on my blog for a chance to win $50 worth of TDD exclusive dies!

Mr. Nutcracker

I'm so excited to share this new holiday creation that I made.

Isn't he just the cutest?

I'm up on the Imaginisce blog today sharing this Nutcracker that I created using THIS cut file from SVG Cuts and the new christmas collection, Colors of Christmas from Imaginisce.

He stands approx. 12" high and is about 3 1/2" wide.

I used some white Core'dinations cardstock and embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder (for the beard).
I also some large clear rhinestones (part of the Colors of Christmas collection) on his chest.

I tied some twine (The Twinery) around the top edge of his boots and some May Arts ribbon around the bottom portion of the stand.

 For the boots and hat I used Core'dinations Core Couture in white ("White Gloves").

I used the i-rock tool to adhere some white & turquoise colored Glam Rocks on his hat and some small black ones for his eyes.

I also used some Core'dinations Glitter Silk cardstock (red) for some sparkle and added texture.
It was super easy to put together and I just love how it turned out.

Supplies used: Imaginisce (Colors of Christmas: patterned papers, rhinestones, glam rocks (white, black & turquoise glimmer), i-rock tool, i-bond tool); Core'dinations Colorcore Cardstock; Silhouette Cameo; SVG cut file, Xyron (1.5" and 2" Create-a-Sticker machine; Sookwang double sided tape


Thanks for stopping by.

Crafting with Stencils

I'm sure that many of you create projects using stencils.
Well, I must admit using them is not part of my comfort zone.
So when Xyron and StencilGirl teamed up I knew I was in for a challenge!!

I thought about what I would create for days.
I wanted to create something totally out of the box.
In the end I made a layout (my comfort zone) BUT I did create a layout that was not my typical style.  AND I even got out my glimmer/spray mists and tried a bit of that too.

So I began with a white 12x12 piece of Core'dinations cardstock.

I used several coloured inkpads (i.e. yellow, light brown, olive green, turquoise) and began sponging the ink over the Stencil Girl stencil.

After the inking was done I open my glimmer mist bottles and splattered a bit of colour around on my page. I really had fun with this!

Then I added my patterned papers, photo and embellishments using my Xyron Mega Runner.

Supplies: Xyron (Mega Runner), StencilGirl (6x6 Stencil: Centered Circle); Core'dinations Colorcore cardstock, Imaginisce (Bushel o' Fall collection: patterned papers, diecuts, gems, stickers), alpha stickers; Colorbox (ink)

Don't forget to check out the company blogs for a chance to win some great prizes!!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Have a super weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love this time of year. Everything about me makes me happy.
PLUS we get to spend time together with our family. And I love that too.

Yesterday we had turkey dinner together with my folks and my brother & his family. It was wonderful.
I made 2 pumpkin pies that were gobbled up in no time. (like that? ... 'gobbled up' ?? Haha! I crack myself up!)

Just thought I'd share this fun project with you as it's fitting for today.  I'm sharing my project on the Imaginisce blog today so feel free to check it out there for a brief step by step (without pics though ... cause I was not on the ball when I was creating this! :()

I used the new fall collection from Imaginisce called Bushel o' Fall. 
It's a great collection and I love the colours & patterns.

I used some Core'dinations TH Kraft Core on here too. Embossed the cardstock before rolling it into the cone shapes.

Supplies: Imaginisce (Bushel o' Fall: patterned papers, diecuts, bling, i-bond); Core'dinations Colorcore Cardstock, Xyron (9" Creative Station, Teresa Collins foam squares and tape runner); Raffia


Thanks for stopping by.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Our Great Adventure

Hi there,
Just wanted to share with you today a mini album that I created for one of the classes that I taught a few weekends ago at BC Crop for Kids.

It's super easy and was quite fun to put together. I did an accordion style album which resulted in a cheap & inexpensive way to make a book.  I made the entire album using Core'dinations Colorcore Cardstock and Imaginisce's Outdoor Adventure collection.

Here's the front cover. I used Core'dinations Colorcore Cardstock (TH Shattered) for the cover and some Imaginisce Outdoor Adventure patterned papers and journal card/stickers, etc.

Here's a side view of the 'spine'.

A top view so you can see how the pages open up.

Inside cover & page one.

On the inside cover I used the packaging (patterned cardboard piece) from the sticker sheet and adhered that to the center of the cardstock. TIP: This gave some added reinforcement for the outside covers.

For the pages in the album I used a 12" x 6" piece of patterned paper and just scored them every 3" creating a folded page to insert into the accordion folded spine of the album.

Page 2 & 3

When I added stickers to the outside flaps (of the pages) I adhered the back with red patterned paper so that when only half of the sticker was showing from the other side you'd see a patterned paper. Not plain white (from the sticker).

I love how the stickers add visual interest and dimension.

Page 4 & 5

I created some folded cardstock 'mini's to place more photos or journaling.

These were created with Core'dinations TH Kraft collection.

Page 6 & 7

Inside of page 6.

Inside of page 7.

Last pages.

 And that's it.
Super simple to put together. Of course, it's easy when everything works together so well.

Thanks for stopping by!!