Teaspoons and Teacups Birthday Card

Wow!  These Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop days are passing fast!  I've tried to come up with new ideas for my same old stamps.  It had been ages since I inked up my mom's Stampington teaspoons stamp.  I played around with a paper palette (vintage Basic Grey) and decided to stamp the spoon handles onto vellum.  I only inked the handles, not the labels and stamped twice.

I layered over a panel cut with my new Sizzix borders and doilies set my friend Madelyn gave me for Christmas - thanks Mad!  You're the best!  I thought this Tim Holtz chipboard sentiment was perfect and added some staples for a touch of grunge.  ;0  I used the doily from the same set to layer with my stamped teacup.  I've told you before, this stamp is by Prima and I cut the words off of the stamp and glued them to the side of my wood block to make the image more versatile.  I hope you like my design!

To see my other coffee creations click HERE.

In other news, I am working on a new mini album and was going through some of the albums I have made and was delighted to flip through this album first blogged HERE.  The video can be found HERE, just in case it doesn't load for you.  The entire album is tea party themed and uses the same collection of stamps I've used in my card today.  I hope to upload some other flip through videos for you of my albums soon, so let me know if you'd like that.  Thanks!!!  <3

I'm sharing with:

Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

A Bit More Time to Craft: Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft: Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments: Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown: Creative Borders

Fashionable Stamping: Make it Feminine

Penny Black and More: Anything Goes

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Pink and Black Musical Dies Pocket Card

Hello!  I'm on the Tutti Designs blog today showcasing this music lovers tag pocket card.  I hope you will hop on over for more photos and details.  Our lovely new Musical Stave and Violin dies pair perfectly together!  You will love these!

I'm also sharing with:
Really Reasonable Ribbon: Summer + Ribbon
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper
Simon Says Stamp: Use Patterned Paper
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends: Anything Goes
Glitter 'N' Sparkle: Anything Goes
Creatalicious: Anything Goes

Skinny Teacup Card with Flower Wreath

Hey folks!  Day three and the Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop numbers building quickly!  Today I have a card I am super excited about to share with you.  I often sketch out my designs beforehand to help work through things on paper, so I can maximize my craft time.  This sketch just flowed off the pen and I was so anxious to try it out.  I will be using it again with other elements soon, so keep a lookout.  I gave this to my amazing friend Bonnie as a belated birthday card.  She is such a classy lady, who loves tea and color!

I cut two spellbinder wreath dies, one from patterned paper and the other from thin chipboard to layer over my stamped circle.  I stamped another cup and fussy cut to add dimension.

I tucked in one special flower and several bulk flat flowers from my stash on each side.  I was really pleased with this look and happy to save on flower costs.  The special flower is from HL and the others are Prima.  There's just something satisfying about making unusually shaped cards, don't ya think?  Thanks for visiting today and enjoy today!

To see my other coffee creations click HERE!

I'm sharing with:

Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

Stamping Sensations: Use Your Favorite Stamp
(My Favorite Teacup Stamp & Prima Stamp)
Dies R Us: Celebrations
Card Mania: Buttons and/or Bows
Scrapbook Stamp Society: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp: Patterned Paper
heARTful Stamping: Summer + Stamp

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Beginners Tutorial Mixed Media Coffee Art

Hiya coffee lovers!  Today I have a fun project to share with you.  I realize so many of you blog hoppers are intimidated by creating mixed media projects, but many of you have told me how much you enjoy reading about my processes.  With that in mind, I came up with a simple DIY home decor project tutorial just for you.

I had an idea of what size I wanted my finished project to be, so I cut two pieces of heavy chipboard down to 5x10".  This size was perfect because it worked well with my last full sheet of burlap paper, which I really wanted to include.  ;0  To cut chipboard, I use an old paper cutting blade (which I mark as OLD with a sharpie, not to confuse) in my standard paper cutter.  First I cut at the right size on one side, then flip my panel upside down and cut at the same size on the back.  You can use scissors to even up any frayed edges.  I also sand lightly along my edges with fine sandpaper.

I glued the two pieces together with Beacon 3-1 glue.  This glue is perfect for mixed media because it has a little give before it dries.  If I put a flower in the wrong place, I have about a minute to push it where it should go.  It has a super hold once dry, similar to hot glue.  (But it smells...)

I wrapped the edges of my panels with Tim Holtz tissue tape.  His new line of tapes are super adhesive, unlike washi, but have the same transparency.  Burnish your tape well.  I also sand mine with fine sandpaper to remove some shine.  Alternatively, you could adhere paper at this point and wrap around the edges.  Use what you have and just go for it!

I cut a third chipboard panel to 4 1/2 x 9 1/2" to use to raise my burlap panel.  I sponged the burlap and tissue tape with Distress Oxide in Vintage Photo.  You could use any permanent brown ink you have on hand.

I was dying to test out Tim's new cling foam stamps.  I put a little black gesso on a cosmetic sponge (see you DO have the tools you need for mixed media!) and applied to my stamps.  I had a wet baby wipe on hand to quickly clean them.  I used a ruler to find the center point of my panel, then stamped my letters accordingly.

You could definitely use cheap black acrylic paint for this part, but paint is a must when stamping onto such a heavily textured surface.  Look how cool!  It reminds me of a vintage coffee sack.

I used an awl and mouse pad to pierce the corners of my layers and inserted four brads.

I cut my die cuts from thin chipboard.  I painted the dies with Prima Patina Effects paint.  It is a textured paint, which you can also use as stencil paste.  You could use cheap acrylic paint if you like.

I added in a Tim Holtz sticker sentiment.

Last, I attached a loopy bow and handmade flower.  I have a flower tutorial HERE if you're interested.  You could certainly use a purchased flower.

If you want to get started, but need one or two things, I've provided links to each item below for your convenience.  You will enjoy shopping at the Funkie Junkie Boutique and may just get hooked on mixed media after all!  Thanks for visiting.  I truly appreciate it!

To see my other coffee creations click HERE!

Sizzix® Bigz™ Die - Tea Time by Tim Holtz®	(APRIL pre-order) Sizzix Bigz Die - Scroll by Tim Holtz	(February Pre-order) Prima Art Extravagance - Patina Effect Paste Set 3pcs 50ml	(February Pre-order) Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 21PK - Small Tattered Florals by Tim Holtz
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Peacock Feathers	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Frayed Burlap	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Small Talk	(February Pre-order) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Block Upper Cling Foam Stamps
Prima Art Basics - Heavy Gesso - Black 17 fl. oz. (March Pre-Order)	(February Pre-order) Tim Holtz Idea-ology Butterfly Design Tape	Medium Weight 12x12" Chipboard (12 Sheets)	Prima Art Extravagance Rust Paste Set
(February Pre-order) Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 4PK - Detailed Butterflies, Mini by Tim Holtz

I'm sharing with:

Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

Happy Little Stampers: Anything Goes w/Dies

Craft-Dee Bowz: Anything Goes w/Handmade Bow

Scrap and Craft: Anything Goes w/ Option Add String, Twine or Ribbon

More Mixed Media: Anything Goes w/ Option Purple

Altered Eclectics: Anything Mixed Media Goes

Cards und More: Anything But a Card

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Embossing Folder Stamping Coffee Card

Welcome to the Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!  I am so looking forward to spending a week hopping around to all of your blogs for inspiration.  This one of my favorite events in all of crafty blog land!  :)

I colored this mug for the winter hop and never used it, so I pulled it out to speed things along.  You can get the image for free HERE.  Thanks Faith!  I removed the World's Best Coffee Logo from my image before printing.  I stamped it with a Kaisercraft triangle texture stamp, repeating stamping on my background.   I bundled a handmade flower from my tutorial HERE and another freebie digi from Julee of Verve Stamps.  (PS. I heard from the source that brand new coffee stamps are soon to be released in the Verve shop!  Eeeeeeeek!)

I spied the embossing folder laying in my space from the card I made HERE.  Suddenly those little circles looked like coffee stains!  :)  I inked up the EF with Evergreen Bough and Frayed Burlap and did some embossing folder stamping.  I splattered some Lindy's Stamp Gang spray and heat set.

I struggled with what third element I would add to my bundle and finally decided on snippets of the amazing Tutti Designs Flower Orchestra Corner die.  I hope you like my card, inspired by the colors of the sea.  See you again tomorrow with a special post!

To see my other coffee creations click HERE.

I'm sharing with:

Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

613 Avenue Create: Stamping w/Embossing Folder

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends: Anything Goes

Craft-Dee Bowz: Anything Goes w/ Handmade Bow

Happy Little Stampers: Anything Goes w/ Dies

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Use Your Imagination

Through the Craft Room Door: Always Anything Goes

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Coloring On The Go Pencil Pouch

I treated myself to a tiny little craft purchase a couple of weeks ago that just downright makes me happy!  I have sewn one of these before for my paint brushes, and was thinking about doing another for my pencils.  I googled it and came across this pencil holder wrap for less than $5 with free shipping.  You can find it HERE on eBay.  I am really enjoying coloring a little each week and have already gotten a little better at it.  It is so nice to see all of my colors laid out.  (My poor table is covered in paint splatters... ROTFL!  But I did rearrange my things and am loving it!)

When I received several of my mom's Prismacolor pencils, I decided I would dig through my collection and pull out my "good" pencils.  I had been keeping them in a baggie, but that was noisy and because they are all different heights, it was hard to find the right one without dumping the whole bag out each time.  Plus, I wanted to be able to color in the car on our trip to FL.  This really worked well!  Here are some WIP photos of my coloring.

One of my mom's most beautiful Penny Black stamps, colored softly in my lap in the car.  I stamped in Antique Linen for a no line effect.

A Power Poppy image, just waiting to be turned into a card.  I colored this in low light while my girls slept in the hotel room, and when I turned on the light - I'm like YIKES!  LOL!   Maybe a little messier than I was going for...

It's hard for me to color without wanting to grunge my project up.  For this month's Power Poppy challenge, I created this card with a Distress Ink watercolor resist background, then used colored pencils to go in and add different colors to the petals of the various flowers.  What a funky background!

I decided to try the inlaid die technique, and have to say I don't know how these CAS girls do it!  I must not have mounted my border on straight, because the inlay didn't fit perfectly.  :(  I stamped a herringbone background and cut with a Tim Holtz label and mounted a TH butterfly die over the label.  The sentiment is part of a coffee cup stamp, but I had cut it off and mounted it to the side of that stamp to make it more versatile.  A second cut of vellum helps the butterfly stand out more.  Not my best card ever, but it was fun to try something out of my element.

So what has you excited on the market and what are you buying or saving for this week?  And are you trying any new techniques or different styles just for the heck of it?   Do share!  >>> big hugs to you <<<

See you tomorrow for the start of the Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!  :)

I'm sharing my card with:

Power Poppy: Bug Me

Crafty Creations: Anything Goes

Mod Squad: Colorful Creations

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Use Your Imagination

Shopping Our Stash: Think Pink

Use Your Stuff: Try Something New
The Crafty Addicts: Anything Goes w/Option Summer Colors