Monday, October 28, 2013

Monday Random Cuteness

What's this?  A little diversion from papercrafting!!?  Well, there's so many neat supplies in my Paper Jungle, that I couldn't resist.

So here's a little Monday random cuteness:

First  up, let me show you some Twinkle Toe shoes I blinged up for my granddaughter Charlotte. (Isn't she a peach!?), using the fantastic rainbow ombre sheets of adhesive Dazzling Diamonds from The Buckle Boutique.

To make these, I first traced the shoe's upper outline on paper and then cut a pattern to use with my fancy gel-resin sheets.  Once I was satisfied with the pattern, I just taped it onto the paper backing behind The Buckle Boutique's great product. I used regular ol' scissors (nothing fancy!) to easily cut this pattern out. I peeled back the adhesive, and laid the gems adhered to the sheet, onto the new turquoise-colored sneakers. It really wasn't needed, but just for a little extra security, I put a bead of clear-drying, water- resistant glue along the edges where the Dazzling Diamond met the shoe, because you never know when a toddler's feet find puddles.

Next, let me introduce you to my craft-du-jour: needle felting.  I took a GREAT class in needle felting at Kathy Davis Studios last week, taught by the wonderful Janet, an employee of KDS.  With needle felting, you'd use unspun wool and a very sharp needle (like those shown in this picture, next to the mouse) to make the wool dense against itself. It's hard to explain, and far easier to do.

It's fun and the pricking allows you to take out any aggressions you might have. The shaping of the wool is in your hands and in your imagination.  Here are two more projects I made last week:




Finally, congratulations to DONNA of "Indiana Inking" for winning the Blog Candy I offered late last week.  Donna has won the Close To My Heart Sparkle & Shine paper pack, like the papers I used to make the 20 cards in the challenge shown here last week.  Donna, please send me your address, via my e-mail: cardmonkey@comcast.net.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

WIN! and 10 More Great Cards from the 20 Card Challenge

Have you started the 20 card challenge?  Think of how you'll be able to make real headway in your Christmas card production if you could knock out 20 cards in 3 hours! 

Yesterday, I introduced the challenge -- and showed you the first ten of my 20 cards I made on Monday in less than 3 hours, using Close To My Heart's new "Sparkle & Shine" paper pack. Below, I'll post the second half of my cards. But wait, before you go, I have blog candy!!

YES, for one lucky follower*, if you leave a comment here not later than Friday, October 25 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, you could WIN a Close To My Heart "Sparkle & Shine" paper pack yourself! (MSRP $9.95).   In your comment, tell me whether you have started making your cards for this holiday season, how many handmade cards you typically make each year AND leave me your e-mail address. (*Also tell me how you follow this CardMonkey blog.)   PLEASE leave the e-address a "safe" way so that spammers don't get ahold of it ... it doesn't happen often, but it can. For example, I'd leave my e-mail this way: cardmonkey at Comcast dot net. 

Here are the cards you could be making with this beautiful new paper:











If you missed the first 10 cards of the 20 I made from the single paper pack, please do scroll down to yesterday's post.  Also, if you would like to SHOP for a paper pack, embellishments, stamp sets, ink pads etc., please visit my Close To My Heart website at http://cardmonkey.ctmh.com. 


DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The 20 Card Challenge

Are you up for the challenge?

Take three 12x12" matching sheets of your favorite designer paper ... combine it with just one complementing color cardstock sheet (12x12") or two half-sheets of two colors ... and one sheet of white, if you choose.  Use no more than three stamp sets and three ink pads, on-hand embellishments ... and just three hours ... to convert 20 A2 (4.25"x5.5") plain white cards into TWENTY (20) unique Christmas cards.

Here are my twenty unique cards:


For my challenge, I took three sheets of the brand new Close To My Heart Sparkle & Shine paper. This is a double-sided paper.  I used a half-sheet scraps of ruby, juniper and white to complement.  I used just three stamp sets from Close To My Heart: Santa Claus (C1567), Frosted Card Workshop (D1562), and Perfect Fit-Holidays (B1412), along with gems, twine, buttons, glitter tape, and red mini-accents. 

To make these cards simple to replicate, I did not use any electronic cutting machines -- just a paper trimmer and micro-tipped scissors.  I used a tape runner and white glue for my adhesives, nothing fancy.

...and the best part, I designed and made all 20 of these cards is less than 3 hours!

Let's take a look at the cards, individually:












... Come back tomorrow to see the next ten cards! 


DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Halloween Bling Party featuring The Buckle Boutique products!

Welcome to the Buckle Boutique Halloween Bling Party, featuring the Halloween projects made with the rhinestones and products that sparkle, from The Buckle Boutique, where I have the privilege of serving as a Design Team Member. 

The sparkle on The Buckle Boutique bling shines brighter than a harvest moon, and is sure to scare the bejeebus out of any man who thinks you have spent a small fortune on carats!  The Buckle Boutique bling makes any project booooo-tiful!


Here is my project for this Party:



I have blinged out a masquerade mask -- perfect for Halloween as well as Mardi Gras!  I used black Dazzling Diamonds adhesive sheets that cut easily and quickly using my standard scissors. I then punched holes around the perimeter of the mask,  using my Crop-A-Dile, and wove seam binding ribbon in turquoise, in an easy saddle stitch.  I put some more Buckle Boutique rhinestones at the temples of the mask. I trimmed sheets of the rainbow colored Dazzling Diamonds to use as eyelashes and for other embellishments.  Pretty, isn't it?  


Have you seen all the other nifty ways you can bling out your Halloween projects?  Hop over to Pinterest for some great ideas -- just search for "rhinestone pumpkin" or "rhinestone Halloween".  (The pumpkin at right is a Pinterest-featured project.) 

Are you interested in creating your own projects, even those you can easily cut using your Cricut?  


Well, do *I* have a deal for you!

This weekend only (October 19 and 20), receive a 15% off your total order from The Buckle Boutique. Use code friends15 at checkout!  This discount cannot be combined with any other offer, is limited to in-stock merchandise and is not applicable on custom or previous orders. 

For more nifty Halloween projects using The Buckle Boutique products, hop on over to the other Design Team members' blogs as we strut our stuff. 


Your next stop is my good friend, LORI

In case you get lost along the way, here is a full list of the designers featured on this Bling Party.  Please don't forget to leave some love along the way!

Cathie ~ http://thebuckleboutique.wordpress.com
Shawn ~ http://craftychicsblog.blogspot.com
Ellen (CardMonkey) ~ http://cardmonkeyspaperjungle.com
Lori ~ http://scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com
Stephanie ~ http://geekinglasses.typepad.com
Niki ~ http://scrappingwithniki.wordpress.com


DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

REMINDER:  This weekend only, October 19th and 20th, receive 15% off your total order from The BuckleBoutique! Use code friends15 at checkout! Discount cannot be combined with any other offer, is limited to in stock merchandise only and is not applicable on custom or previous orders.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

"Sparkle & Shine" This Holiday Season!


It's hard to believe that Christmas is just 79 days away! Are you ready to Sparkle & Shine this holiday season?

I'm turning to the new releases from Close To My Heart in its brand new "Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide" for my inspiration. 

Let me show you some of the cards and home décor projects I have made using some of the fabulous new papers and stamps now available from my Close To My Heart site:

This is most certainly my favorite card I've made so far this Christmas season.  I used the Sparkle and Shine Paper Pack in the Holidays from the Heart Gift Guide, coupled with CTMH cardstock in "Whisper".  I used CTMH Exclusive Inks in Black, Ruby and Daisy White, and the Santa Claus (D1567) and City Scape (D1563) stamp sets.  This card pattern is called a Tri-fold Shutter Card, which I folded slightly different from norm.

This card also uses CTMH's Sparkle & Shine paper.
The stamped image is one from the October Stamp of the Month
set called "Scandinavian Wishes", and stamped/hand painted
using CTMH pigment inks.
 
But certainly, the most "Sparkle & Shine" is in the banner and home décor Christmas tree I made (shown at the top of this post), incorporating Sparkles Flourish gems on the tree and on the banner. I cut the banner using the Cricut/CTMH Exclusive "Art Philosophy" cartridge. The banner's top layer is the currently available "Frosted" paper, incorporating solid cardstock in Ruby and Twilight.

Here are the stamp sets I used for these projects:




As always, the Stamp of the Month Stamp Set is available for just $5.00 with a qualifying $50.00 purchase. I would be honored to be your Close To My Heart consultant, and would love to SHOW YOU HOW to make these projects! 
Are you local to me in Southeastern Pennsylvania?  I will come to your home gathering or workshop free* to teach you and your friends how to make these cards, the banner and/or the tree. (* Instruction is free; there is a small cost to defray materials expenses, depending on what you and your friends want to make. Ask me!) 

Contact me at cardmonkey@comcast.net to schedule this today!

I can also offer another opportunity how to make these projects: We will be making the banner shown here at my "Holiday Décor and More" class scheduled at Kathy Davis Studios (303 Horsham Road, Suite G, Horsham, PA) on Thursday, November 7 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.  The fee of $35 includes the class and all materials  you'll need to make this and other holiday projects!  Please drop me a line or leave a comment if you'd like to register.

NOW UPDATED!!  If you place ANY order via my CTMH website, please CHECK THE BOX that asks if you'd like to join my CardMonkey's Paper Jungle Followers party.  Then, YOU will be entered into my personal contest to WIN up to $25 in free CTMH products at the end of the month! Go to CARDMONKEY.CTMH.COM.  win! win! win!! 

 

DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,

Friday, October 11, 2013

Card Kitchen Witchiness

It's time for another Jillibean Soup's Card Kitchen (card kit) card, this one from the October collection.  And again, I modify them just a bit to make them my own.

This month's patterns use Bella Boulevard paper and tabbed Index Journaling cards from LilyBee Designs. For my changes, I colored in the moon behind the witch with Copic Marker (Y38), added a knot-fringe of baker's twine from The Twinery to the button, and some Close To My Heart Itty Bitty Bling to the bats (gotta have bling!).

Do you celebrate Halloween?  Granddaughter Charlotte is going out as Tinker Bell this year -- and of course, she'll be adorable!  No, I didn't make the costume but I did buy it for our recent trip to Disney World, where it was so stinkin' hot, she didn't wear it. Then it will be perfect for a slightly chillier night for trick-or-treating.



DeFiaNtLy DiFfeReNt & CreAtiVeLy Yours,