Happy World Cardmaking Day!!!!

Hello, and Happy World Cardmaking Day!!!  Isn't it so amazing and wonderful that there is a day dedicated to this wonderful craft?
My card today involves no stamping. WHAT?!?
I used a kraft cardstock base along with papers and embellishments from Pink Paislee's Snow Village collection.
I hope you get some time to make a card, or two or three today! I can't wait to browse and see what other folks have made.


Make sure you check out some other amazing folks and their creations for World Card Making Day HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Friends...

Hello! Today I have a card to share using a new Sizzix Framelit die and stamp set by Stephanie Barnard.  I stamped my leaves in Mellow Moss ink (SU) and then dabbed the leaves with a course sponge to remove some of the ink.  I love the distressed look it gives the leaves.  I also sponged distress ink (Antique Linen) over all of the paper edges.  The designer paper is from Pink Paislee.  It worked out perfectly that the bird on the paper appears perched on top of my sentiment banner! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

my heart is yours....

Here is a very CAS Valentine for you!  The sentiment is from a Unity itty bitty.  I colored the heart with some copic markers.  The strip of blue heart DP is from Pink Paislee.  I have had that paper for a few years and I pull it out whenever Valentine's Day is near. I added a felt heart and some baker's twine from The Twinery.  Easy peasy!

I am still trying to squeeze out the last 5 days of my December Daily album.  I am so over Christmas! LOL!  I think that is why I am "stuck".  It is just sitting on my studio table glaring at me.  Sigh.....5 days in nothing, right? I can do it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Hop on over to Paper Maniac...

Stamps:  Pink Cat Studios Billy Stamps

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  kraft cardstock, white cardstock, Pink Paislee Old School patterned paper

Accessories:  Copic markers; May Arts ivory burlap string; vintage button

Hello! Today I have a fun birthday card using some Pink Cat Studios stamps.  Being the mother of three boys, I am a big fan of their Billy stamps.  Lily is pretty darn cute, too!  I colored the image with copic markers and sponged some distress ink around the edges.  I used some fun Pink Paislee DP from the Old School collection.  I love the muted primary colors that are perfect for everything "little boy"!

Make sure you check out the progressive sale going on at Paper Maniac.  Currently, the clearance items are marked down an additional 20%.  The Billy stamps and the Old School DP are both marked down.  Get them before they are gone.  Paper Maniac is making room for all the new CHA releases headed to the store!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

FWF-Forever Friends paper shadowbox

Hello! Happy Friday! Today I have a sweet little paper shadow box frame.  I can see me making more of these in the future.  I turned my into a door hanger/ornament.  I added some twine through the top and a vintage button.  I tucked it behind the box, because it was distracting in the photo!
There is a great tutorial on SCS on how to make these HERE.

I used stamps from Unity July and September KOTMs. I used a scrap from a doily, and made a rolled rose from some Pink Paislee 365 degree DP.  The background square is cut from a pair of old jeans.  I used distress inks and crackle paint on the paper frame.  I paper pieced the branch and bird with Pink Paislee DP, too!  I think that's it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Wanna FREE Halloween kit?

Hello all of you Paper Maniacs!  If you get the newsletter, then you already know about the FABULOUS Halloween kit giveaway.  If you don't subscribe to the newsletter, then you definitely are going to want to sign up so that you can see photos of this wonderful Halloween card making kit.  For every order over $100, you get a kit packed full of wonderful Bazzill cardstock, ribbons, rub ons, designer paper from Echo Park, Basic Grey, Pink Paislee, SRM stickers and more!  If your order is over $150, then you will get an add on kit that includes stamps to match your papers from Basic Grey, Pink Paislee, glitter and more!

All of the cards above are made using supplies from these kits! (the card I made in the previous post is made with supplies from this kit too If you have a big wish list, now is the time to get that order in so you can score these FREE kits!

Thanks for Stopping by!

Emily

Tuesday Trigger-Momento Mori

Hello!  Today's Tuesday Trigger is this old, spooky looking tombstone.  I was inspired by the whole Halloween theme and made a very CAS, muted color kind of card.

I used some Basic Grey Eerie DP for the front of my card.  I simply scored across the top of the panel and then folded it down to expose the reverse side (the orange strip).  I applied a rub on from Pink Paislee's Twilight collection and tied on some black burlap string.  Easy Peasy!

Thanks for stopping by and for all of your sweet, supportive comments yesterday.  It means the world to me!

Hugs!

Emily

You're A Grand Old Flag...

 Paper:  kraft card stock, DP Pink Paislee 360 degrees, recycled cardboard

Ink:  Tim Holtz distress inks in Walnut Stain and Old Paper

Accessories:  vintage buttons, seam binding, gingham ribbon

Hello!  This week we are having a patriotic theme at Paper Maniac.  I decided to make something other than a card, and decided I need some more Americana decor in my home for the holidays.  The base of my door hanger is heavy duty cardboard.  I covered the front with a piece of kraft cardstock that I sponged with distress ink.  I used DP from Pink Paislee's 360 degree collection.  Instead of stars, I adhered old vintage buttons to the blue panel.  I distressed the edges of all of the paper.  My hanger is some seam binding that I crinkled and sponged with distress inks also.  I finished off the top with a gingham bow.

There are a lot of great products on sale in the Paper Maniac store this week!

All stickers (except SRM Stickers)
Rub-Ons
Die-Cuts
Bling
and Accessories
33% off!

Little Yellow Bicycle Products are
40% off

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

HUGE Sale at Paper Maniac!

ALL Graphic 45 and Pink Paislee products are 40% off this week only at Paper Maniac!  Get yours while quantities last!

There are many more products available in the store from these companies.  I just put photos and links of my favorites!

FWF-Embellish magazine butterfly color challenge

Happy Friday to all my Friends With Flair!  Today I made a card with some stamps from Unity's May KOTM and used the embellish magazine challenge-kraft, black, green and butterflies!  I LOVE the butterfly from this kit.  It is probably one of my favorite butterfly stamps!  I used a stamp from an ippity set, Season of Joy and stamped it on an old book page and then cut it out to mount the butterfly on.  The houndstooth is Artisan tape from Pink Paislee.  I also used kiwi kiss CS and a MS punch. I added some bling to my butterfly and paper pierced underneath the sentiment.

embellish magazine blog hop!

Join me today along with Embellish Magazine for a blog hop filled with creativity, tips, inspiration, and prizes. 

Don't forget to leave comments on every blog.  Embellish is offering four prizes for 10 lucky winners.  The winners will be randomly selected from each of the blog hop participant blogs.  A comment left on each of the blog hop participant's web site will give you an entry to win one of the prizes, which include Lawn Fawn stamps, May Arts twine, Subscription to Embellish Magazine, and A New Design crinkly stained ribbon.

For my card I used a stamp from Unity's May KOTM.  I paper pieced the wings and the heart with DP from Pink Paislee and Bo Bunny.  I distressed the edges of my paper and sponged Soft Suede ink (SU) around the edges.  I used jute twine to tie around the bottom of the card.  My card base is kraft CS and is 4.25 inch square when folded.  Your next stop on the hop is the fabulous Maile Belles.  If you just found us, make sure you go back to the embellish blog so you don't miss anyone along the way!

Embellish Blog

Ryann Salamon

Tessa Wise

Charlene Austin

Renee Van Stralen

Lori Roop

Julie Campbell

Sara Martina Parker

Tammy Fite

Heather Pulvirenti

Regan D'Agostino

Emily Niehaus

Maile Belles

Tiffany Johnson

Anya Schrier

Leigh Ann Baird

Amy Rohl

Mariana Grigsby

Kelly Marie Alvarez

Michelle Woerner

Tina Fussell

Maureen Plut

Brenda Weaver

Julie Lacey

Ashley Cannon Newell

Embellish Blog

Paper Manic salutes our nation's heroes...

Stamp:  Flourishes Tag lines set

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  Neenah solar white, Pink Paislee 365 degree DP

Accessories:  May Arts red burlap string, white button, SU punches

Hello!  This week the theme at Paper Maniac is "HEROES".  I decided to make a patriotic card to send to someone who is returning from active duty.  I kept the layout clean and simple.  I am in love with my May Arts burlap string!!!! It just seems to go with anything and everything!  It is super affordable, too...only 6 cents a yard!  Both the red and the blue paper are from Pink Paislee's 365 degree collection.  I think this collection is perfect for summer with it's bright colors.  I also love that the paper pads have a mix of solids and patterns.  Hope you take a moment this holiday weekend to thank a hero in your life!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Paper Maniac is all about Chipboard this week....

Stamps:  Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous

Ink:  Distress Ink in Walnut Stain

Paper:  Pink Paislee Queen Bee

Accessories:  chipboard album, bling, satin ribbon, Tim Holtz mask

I love to decorate chipboard albums with patterned paper and embellishments.  So much fun! When you are finished, you can give them as a gift, ready for the receiver to fill with photos!  The inside of this is unfinished, for now.  I just used the chipboard and traced around vanilla CS to use as the pages.  When the occasion arises, and I need a quick gift, I can add photos or quotes.  I find that people love to get little mini albums filled with quotes, as much as photos!
I always cover the back with coordinating patterned paper, however I left the back blank, to show you the unfinished chipboard.  If you are in a pinch and don't have any chipboard, you can always cut apart an empty cereal box and decorate it to make an album!

Paper Maniac has TONS of fun papers, and embellishments to decorate your chipboard projects with! Make you sure you stop by! :)

Hope you are inspired to try a mini chipboard album out!

Emily

FWF-Under My Umbrella-ella-ella-a-a-a....

 Stamps:  Unity March KOTM

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  black, white, DP Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage and 365 degrees

Accessories:  Houndstooth CB folder, oval punches, nesties, Offray ribbon, metal adhesive stud

SO....how many of you will be singing that Rhianna song all day long now?  LOL!  I used Wednesday's SCS sketch for this card.  LOVE that sketch and LOVE this girl and her umbrella!  It was super fun to paper piece and I wanted to make her rain coat houndstooth because it reminded me of a jacket I SHOULD have bought last month on Overstocks.com.  sigh... you snooze you lose!

A CAS card and key chain gift...

 Stamps:  Flourishes Tag Lines

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest, Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage

Accessories:  MS punch, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Fragments, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Ball Chain kit

This week Paper Maniac is featuring CAS cards.  I made this Thank You for a friend and also wanted a little something to go with it.  I decided to give my new Tim Holtz Fragments a try and  make a key chain that matches my card!  You can find a great tutorial from Tim on how to use Fragments HERE.

Since the key chain would be getting a lot of wear and tear, I also wanted to somehow seal the back.  Sorry I am technically challenged and haven't done the You Tube video thing yet, so I just have photos and explanations, but it is really pretty darn easy!

Here is how I embossed the back.  I rubbed my versamark pad across the back of the key chain.  Make sure your embossing ink pad is nice and juicy!  I also scraped it on the sides, but only in a few places.  Next you want to make sure to have your embossing powder ready.  I used silver.  I dumped on the powder and then set the fragment on a piece of scrap paper.  Make sure that you get your heat gun nice and hot before doing this.

As soon as the powder melts, turn of your heating tool and dump some more powder on and heat again to the point of melting.  At this point you want to have your stamp ready if you are going to stamp into the melty powder.  If you over heat, you get a smokey look under your fragment. (I learned this from experience!)  

I was happy that I didn't get the second coat of powder on the entire thing, because it gives it kind of a distressed look.  You can easily peel the melted embossing powder off of your stamp when you are done, so don't worry about ruining your stamps!

Hope you give this a try!  The Ball and Chain kit is only $3.99 and the Fragment charms are $9.99 for 48 charms in various sizes and shapes.  You can make key chains, necklaces, tags for your cards and scrap book pages and more!  I think my next project will be to make a necklace for myself!  I will make sure to share it with you all when it is finished!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Cupid...

Hello!  I hope you all had a great weekend!  Sorry I didn't  post anything yesterday, but kind of a crazy weekend!  I actually made this card a couple of weeks ago, but never posted it!

The DP and stamps are from Pink Paislee's Cupid collection!  Gorgeous stuff!  I found a great online deal right after Christmas and was able to get everything in the collection for 50% off!  I have oodles of stuff and I really like their clear stamps.  They stamp beautifully!  I think I posted about this a while back, but it is worth mentioning again!  Can't wait to get my hands on some of the new lines they are coming out with!  The postmark, the cupid, and the xoxoxoxo are all stamped in rich cocoa.  I distressed the edges of all of the paper and added some buttons from my stash.

We are supposed to get hit with 6 more inches of snow tonight so I will be busy getting all of my DT work done tonight for the week in case of lots of snow days!!! It's fun to have snow days, but not a lot of stamping gets done with 3 boys running around!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily

Fleur de lis Valentine-second post!

Here is my card for the day!  I decided to make it before I took the boys out to play in the snow.  This is for the Ways To Use It Challenge over on SCS (to use something new) and also for the Limelight sketch.  Pretty much everything I used on this card is new!  I fell in love with Pink Paislee's new Cupid collection.  I got it at 50% off just before the holidays, so I was able to buy every single thing!  I also bought a bunch of bling at Michael's the other day in the dollar spot.  We were to use buttons with the Limelight sketch, so I guess I cheated a bit. LOL!  I used the Bella brads from the Cupid collection and added a rhinestone in the middle. The stamp is also from the cupid collection.  I had never tried Pink Paislee stamps before, and I am very impressed!  They stamp beautifully.  Thanks for taking a peek!
Hugs!

Emily