IHP DT Challenge: Something New

The theme for this month’s i {heart} papers Design Team challenge was pretty loose: all we had to do was use some of NEW stuff that Kate’s been getting in from the Summer CHA buying spree. Not difficult at all, if you ask me!

There are soooo many gorgeous new paper pads that the challenge for me was deciding which to use. I wanted something that would work for a masculine gift, since I’ve been doing so much girlie stuff lately. The colors in the Breeze pad from My Mind’s Eye were so deliciously different from what I’ve been using lately that I couldn’t resist playing with them. And I took full advantage of the fact that in these collections, all the papers are meant to work together. So I used as many as I could at one time in this patchwork-style treat can (paint can from my stash) and matching birthday card.

For the oval panels, I used some of the new Lifestyle Crafts (Quickutz) dies – the Nesting Oval and Nesting Lacy Oval ones. And to give it a more masculine look, I cut the lacy oval shapes from self-adhesive Corkstock. It cuts like a dream and is perfect for something like this!

Oh, here’s a hint when you’re adhering paper to curved surfaces like this paint can: roll the piece of paper over the edge of a table to give it a bit of curve before you stick it on. It makes things much easier! I used my favorite decoupage medium for this job – Royalcoat satin finish.

The image and text for both of these are from an adorable oldie but goodie set that Kate still has in stock – Changito Baker. I just used some scotch tape to omit wording from the stamp when I did the card. Cute Changito is colored with Copic markers.

Make sure you check out the New Items page at IHP. And if you already have some new stuff and want to play along with us, just upload it to the SCS or PCP gallery with the keyword ihp0911.

Now go see what the rest of the fabulous design team did with the new stuff:

• Deb
• Gretchen
• Kendra
• Loretta
• Lori
• Lynn
• Tracy
• Kate

Happy hopping!

Crochet Madness!!!

There probably isn’t a craft I haven’t dabbled in at some point in my life, or at least tried my hand at. Some stuck; some lasted a month or two and faded away. I started crocheting when I was very young, and have picked it up now and again through the years. Recently I was tempted to play with yarn again. Take a look at what I’ve made over the last few weeks and see if you can figure out why…

A snuggly little pink bunting, and

a little sweater set with not one, but two hats. I couldn’t make up my mind.

Yup! My son and daughter-in-law are gonna make me a grandma, and it’s a little girl!!! I’m so excited I could explode! Baby isn’t due the beginning of January, though, so we’ve got a while.

In the meantime, once these were done I started looking at what else I could crochet, and found this entire world of something they call Amigurumi, which is basically little crocheted animals and things. I decided to start with this little Chinese rabbit called Tuzki. He has pipe cleaners in the arms and legs, so he’s sort of posable.

I’ve got lots more patterns downloaded – this is gonna be fun!

Anyhow, lots to get done this weekend that does not involve a crochet hook, so let me get moving!

Have a great weekend.

Not yet, but I’m ready!

No, it’s not fall yet, but there’s a definite hint of what’s to come in the air. I have a love-hate relationship with fall. On one hand, the temperatures are milder, there’s a clean crispness in the air, and my birthday falls smack in the middle of it. On the other hand, it means winter is coming; that alone is enough to make me dread the fall.

Anyhow, while I’ve been taking the last couple of weeks away from card making and revisiting my old hobby of crocheting, summer has definitely slipped away (if not officially, then at least atmospherically). It made me want to revisit my favorite autumnal paper pad that I got from i {heart} papers from last year – SEI’s Moonrise. And the gorgeous embellishments (which Kate still has a couple of in stock) that coordinated with the papers just begged to be used with this week’s Clean & Simple FTL #157 layout.

While I was digging through my older stuff, I found this Stampendous set called Happy Everything, which is really a little gem (and which Kate also still has in stock). A little snippet of brown satin ribbon finishes it off.

Will I send this card to someone this fall? I’d like to think so, but my track record thus far is not good when it comes to actually putting cards in the mail. Anybody else out there have that problem?

Happy everything,