A NEW LOOK AND A POSTING SCHEDULE FOR YOU

My blog will now be streamlined with a posting schedule. If it’s scrapbooking you are interested in, check the Saturday blog…..If you want color inspiration for your cards or scrapbook pages, visit the Thursday blogs. A particular focus each day!

Here’s the schedule:

MAP IT MONDAY – I’ll show you a specific layout map & what I made using it – you can come up with something on your own using the same map!
TUESDAY TIPS – I’ll focus on something specific & show you how (i.e. stamping techniques OR some kind of papercrafting tip)
WHATEVER WEDNESDAY - no explanation needed!
THINK ABOUT COLOR THURSDAY – a color combination for you to try
FAST FRIDAY – something quick & easy
SCRAPBOOK SATURDAY – I’ll share a scrapbook layout with you

If you email me a pic of something you create based on my blog, I might post it!
If you like my blog, you can subscribe to it (click on this little icon while visiting the blog )

or just go to http://www.lahinks.blogspot.com/ whenever you want to check in & see what's new! If you have technical trouble, please let me know. I will also try to keep you informed of anything new in between my monthly newsletter emails on my blog.

Hope you like it!

Linda :)

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS

I think it’s time to post some Christmas card ideas. If you plan to make your own Christmas cards, planning time is over! It’s time to create. Here’s an idea for you to use a beautiful holiday stamp set (page 34 of the current catty). It’s a set that was introduced last year, so you may have it ready to go!

CS: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White
Stamp set: Season of Joy
Inkpad: Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red
Punches: Wide Oval, 5-Petal Flower, ½” circle
Other: Mat Pack, Sponge Dauber

I used the tiny poinsettia stamp to make a plain white cs into a designer paper – I stamped flowers in both Baja Breeze and Riding Hood Red. Then, I sponged the edges of the white cs to soften its look against the card & sponged the "Merry Christmas” oval while I was sponge-happy. I paper pierced the red strip with a Stampin' Up mat pack. If you don't have a mat pack and enjoy stamping, I would highly recommend getting one - for under $10, it can give any card a detailed look. When I adhered the red strip, I left a little of the Baja Breeze card showing in between the white cs & that red strip. I punched the center from the red 5-petal flower so the Baja flower shows through, creating the center of the flower.

This card is fairly quick to make & would be easy enough to make in a large quantity. Maybe I’ll get one in the mail from one of my customers?!

Time to get the Christmas tree out! Our turkey is in the oven & beginning to smell yummy! I just couldn’t have a Thanksgiving weekend without roasting a turkey. It sure was nice to not cook a turkey on Thanksgiving Day, though!

TTY on Monday!
Linda

CRAZY ORANGE CUPCAKE

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. Here comes a nice happy, happy birthday card!

Recipe:
CS: white, brilliant blue, only orange, real red
Inks: Classic Stampin’ Pads - only orange, real red, brilliant blue, basic black, Stampin’ Write Markers – real red, only orange, brilliant blue
Stamp set: Crazy for Cupcakes
Other: dimensionals, real red grosgrain ribbon, mat pack

The base of this card was first stamped in both real red & only orange inks, using the birthday tooter horn stamp. I colored in just a little bit of each tooter. The paper piercing was done & the ribbon was tied around the blue cs before it was attached to the card base. The cupcake has a different piece of cs for each part. The candle was a bit difficult to adhere, but I just cut a tiny piece from a dimensional to give it depth. Frosting was stamped in basic black on white cs, and the sprinkles are colored with markers. The white "frosting" is popped up with dimensionals.

Linda :)

GIVING THANKS FOR SECOND GENERATION STAMPING

GIVING THANKS

A Thanksgiving card, what else? Make it for next year, or substitute another word on the tag & a different image for any time of year (birthday cupcakes, Easter bunnies, whatever).

RECIPE:
CS: really rust, very vanilla
Inks: Classlic Stampin' Pads - old olive, really rust, close to cocoa
Stamps: Fall Flair (Level 2 hostess set)
Punch: small or large oval, Crop-a-dile
Other: Hodgepodge Hardware oval ring clip (yep, each little type of hardware has its own name LOL), natural hemp twine

I did 2-step stamping for two of the leaves on vanilla cs with close to cocoa & really rust inks. The middle leaf was stamped in old olive, as were the “thanks”. The background leaves were stamped in second generation stamping, which means that after inking up my stamp, I stamped once (first generation) on scrap paper, then impressed a second time without re-inking my rubber stamp onto my card (second generation). It gives a more subtle & softer look so the main image on vanilla CS become a stand-out focus. I sponged the "thanks" tag with really rust.

I hope you have a blessed, happy, and peace-filled Thanksgiving. This blog gives me joy, so YOU are one of my blessings!

Linda

SWIRLY FOR YOU

Hello! Baking a pie in the oven - smells really good! This card looks regal, don't you think? It would make a nice card for just about any occasion - anniversary, get well, thinking of you, birthday, even a graduation!

RECIPE:
Cs: Note Quite Navy, Always Artichoke, whisper white
Stamp sets: Say It with Scallops, Baroque Motifs
Ink: always artichoke Classic Stampin’ Pad, VersaMark inkpad
Punches: scallop square, scallop edge
Other: heat tool, embossing buddy, clear EP, coluzzle circle cutter

I scallop edge punched the bottom edge of the card & adhered the artichoke CS strip just above the scallops. I cut only one large Not Quite Navy circle with the coluzzle cutter & then cut it apart. The big swirly motif is stamped in VM & embossed with clear EP. Circle edges are distressed to add dimension. After adding the circles, I adhered the "for you" with dimensionals.

BASHFUL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Good morning!

Today I am giving you a sneak peek at one of the cards we'll make at the December 9th Stamp Camp! Email me to register!

RECIPE:
cs: bashful blue (card), purely pomegranate, wild wasabi, whisper white
stamp sets: Upsy Daisy
ink: Classic Stampin’ Pads - bashful blue, purely pomegranate, wild wasabi, VersaMark inkpad
Punches: large oval, wide oval, designer label, ticket corner, ¼” circle or Cropo-a-dile
Ribbon: ¼” grosgrain – bashful blue
Other: heat tool, sponges, brads, embossing buddy, clear ep, dimensionals

I stamped the main image and verse with VM, then heat embossed with clear EP. The background was sponged (I'll show you how at camp. I adhered the layered image with dimensionals, and I punched a small hole on the card just below the image piece. After attaching the ribbon, I applied dimensionals between the wasabi & pomegranate punched pieces. The very bottom wasabi wide oval was adhered without dimensionals. Tada!

Have a nice day!

Linda :)

TRUE BLUE DENIM FRIEND

The blue on this card reminds me of a comfy pair of blue jeans.

RECIPE:
Cs: white, night of navy
Dsp: wintergreen
Stamp sets: Punches Three (Level 1 hostess set), Say It with Scallops
Ink: certainly celery, night of navy
Punches: scallop square, ticket corner
Other: mat pack, dimensionals

This card is paper pierced & layered. I think Night of Navy inked lightly on white CS gives the appearance of denim. When I paper pierced the "denim", the blue jeans got their stitching!

Have a great day!

Linda