Ornament Card (Merry Monday

Hi friends! Spent some much needed time in my studio on Monday and got out of my funk. It's a good thing! This was a card I knew I'd like to make as soon as I saw the Merry Monday challenge on my Facebook feed. As a reminder, you can follow my blog (and many others!) on Facebook. Here's the link to my Facebook Fan Page. I am on Facebook a lot, and I find it's great when I can incorporate the blogs I follow into that. :)

Here's the graphic for the challenge:

I had made this card a few years ago, and that was my jumping off point for this card. I knew I wanted to make a card with a removable ornament. I die cut the card front, so the ornament will lay flat for mailing.

I used my TCP Ornament CutUps, Framed Up CutUps, Celebration CutUps, and Vintage Holiday stamp set.

Here's a shot of the card interior. I used some washi tape to hold the ornament in place.

This is fun, I like that if you didn't want to hang your ornament on the tree, it gives a nice 3D feel when the card is standing open.

This paper is Stampin' Up! I also used some American Crafts glitter paper in gold and a large gold brad for some sparkle.

That's all for me today, Happy Thursday!! :) 

hugs, Noelle

Paper Smooches Pinked (and pink!) Valentine (PS SPARKS Challenge)

Hi all, it was really really good for me to get in my studio yesterday and make those Valentines. It lit a spark under me that I'd been missing and I made two more for challenges! GO ME, I am so glad! This is the first one I made, it's for the Paper Smooches SPARKS Designer Drafts Challenge. Here's the layout photo.

And here's my card again. I used my new PS set Sweet Hearts, and Pinked Circles dies. I cut a full white and full pink circle, then cut the white one down and adhered it to the pink.

 I stamped all over both with hearts in 2 shades of pale pink and VersaMark. Then I stamped the sentiment in red. I stamped the pick card stock strip that got layered behind the circle with a line of red hearts.

That was all the stamping, the background is a DP, and then I added some pink and red twine and some mini heart puffy stickers for fun.

This might be the Valentine I give to my hubby this year, but if not for him, then probably for my Mom. I hope you like it!

xoxo, Noelle

TCP TUESDAY 254 -Valentine's Home Decor/Mailbox Trio

Hi all, iiiiit's Tuesday and that means it's time for another TCP Tuesday Challenge! I am your Hostess with the Mostess for this week, and I really hope you will join me in creating a Valentine's (or love themed) home decorating item! I made this fun mailbox trio, but the possibilities are really endless with this. You could make a banner, a wreath, a wall hanging, or maybe some kind of decoupaged something-a-rather. :) The idea for this challenge was sparked when I saw my local Target store pulling out their Valentine's home decorations that they sell. They're cute, but so many of them are pricey, and not nearly as cute/fun/unique or customized as I could make myself. Why buy when you could create, which is so much more fulfilling! :)

Here are the Details on how you can join in on the fun:

1. Each Tuesday a new challenge will be posted here on this blog as well as on our Splitcoaststampers forum and ourFacebook page.
2. If you want to play along you just upload your design using the InLinkz button below*. If you want to display your pretties on Splitcoaststampers use keyword TCPTUES254. Only the entries uploaded to the Inlinkz button will be considered for Swanky Stamper at the end of the month.
3. You must have your project posted by Monday, 12 midnight EST to be eligible to win the week’s Cat Cash.
4. Cards and projects must have at least one Cat’s Pajamas Stamp or CutUps die in the project.
5. On the following TCP Tuesday, the week’s winner will be chosen from the previous challenge and will receive a Cat Cash Voucher for $10.00.
6. At the end of the month, The Swanky Stamper will be selected from all the weekly entries. The Swanky Stamper will receive some of the stamps from our next release and get to play along with us at our Pajamas Party and Blog Hop. AND… They’ll even get a special spot in the Gallery highlighting the project that won them the gig and a snazzy badge to display on their blog.
7. The Swanky Stamper will be announced the First Monday of the month on Splitcoaststampers, Facebook page and this Blog.

So, here's where I started with this. 3 metal mailboxes purchased last year at Target's Dollar Spot (1$ each). They have them again this year, I already checked for you! :) Then I purchased 3 mismatched candlesticks at the Arc Thrift Store, total cost was around 5$ for these. I was tickled to find a couple with hearts on the base-PERFECT for this project! I used some ivory spray paint I had leftover to paint the candlesticks. Whilst in between coats on that, I started working on my boxes. I decided to go with three separate themes for the boxes. The tall one is "Key to my Heart." The medium one is "Mustache You to Stay." The small one is "Love Letter." But of course you could make them all the same theme, or just in a general Valentine's theme, or even customize them based on who you are making them for-that would be really fun.

I decoupaged decorative paper onto the main box part of each box. I used a window punch (only punching half) to leave room for the flags. For the front and the back of the mailbox, I traced the outline of the lid piece on a piece of scrap card stock. Then I cut it out very carefully staying just to the inside of the line I drew (make sense? You want it slightly smaller that the outline so it doesn't overhang). Then I did a dry fit and trimmed where needed. When I was convinced my template was pretty perfect, I used it to trace onto 6 decorative papers. These also got decoupaged onto the mailboxes.

For the front of each box, I used the Heart Rosette CutUps, and a punched DP circle accented with other CutUps that added to the theme of that particular box.

I added a straw, and the heart banner from Bitty Banners CutUps to each mailbox flag for fun. On the side of each box I did stamped dies to set the theme.

The "Key to my Heart" one used Key Phrases Stamps, Framed Up CutUps and the Key to Your Heart CutUps. 

The mustache themed box used The Mustache Set,  Mustaches CutUps, and Luggage Tags CutUps. The sentiment also used Simply Said.

The stamp one was fun, and used some stamps I hadn't even had a chance to ink up yet: Love Letters.
And I also used the coordinating dies: Stamp Trio CutUps.

I kept the flip side of each box pretty plain-I didn't want to go TOO overboard (yes, I understand "too overboard could be considered a relative term, lol).

On the back of all the boxes, I used the Heart Trio CutUps.

I hope you like my project! This is the perfect centerpiece for my new/old dining room table-so fun!

Valentine's Hugs, Noelle

Some Valentines

I told my sister this morning that I have been avoiding my studio like the plague. And I have, I don't know why really except I've been feeling really blocked lately, and I am fighting a fear that I will get in there and not be able to produce anything. But today I am putting together a little Valentine's package for my goddaughter and my best friend from college. They live in CA, and I want to get it in the mail later this week or early next week. My friend is really into the steampunk look right now, so I thought I'd make her a steampunk valentine, but the end product looks way more Victorian in style, lol.

I have a package of vintage look valentines I had from a few years back. I thought this shoe was cute, since we both love to shop for shoes! ;) I stated with some rose print DP, and a heart doily, and the layered on the shoe  and some other ephemera. I added a die cut row of hearts at the top, a few gems, and a stamped banner with the sentiment that I gave some movement to.

The second card is for my goddaughter. I have this cute Feeling Cupidy set that I hadn't inked yet. I stamped Cupid Bun on a die cut that I'd cut previously and not used. The die is a Lawn Fawn Stitched Journaling Card die set. 

I colored Cupid Bun with Copics, added some flock to his wings and  some Frosted Diamond Stickles to his nose and tail. I picked up some cute things to fill up that felt bag for her that's in the background.

Behind Cupid Bun is a doily, a Heart Rosette CutUp in red, I left it flat, to look more like a doily, and some DP. 

That's all for me today. I will be back at midnight TONIGHT EST with the new TCP Tuesday Challenge, and I promise, this is one you aren't going to want to miss! :) In the meantime, I will try to stop cowering in fear about crafting, haha.

Have a fabulous day, Noelle