Coming Soon!

Here's a sample of one of my new dies that will be coming out in the Sizzix Fresh Vintage collection this June!

You will need:
Sizzix Big Shot
Sizzix Fringed Flower by Eileen Hull (almost here!)
Sizzix Leaves by Eileen Hull (shipping in May)
small white frame
Extreme Glitter Paint- Plaid
matboard scrap for background
tissue paper
spray mist- yellow
glitter brad
sentiment with white distress ink
glue dots

Instructions:

Paint frame with glitter paint using random strokes. Feel free to leave more glitter in the folds and creases. Let dry. (Oh this is fun stuff- doesn't show up in this pic so well but quite glittericious)

1. Print or stamp sentiment and snip ends for a banner effect. Ink edges with white.
2. Layer 20 pieces of tissue paper on top of smallest fringed flower on Bigz Fringed Flower die. I used the packaging from the tissue paper and folded it to size. Die-cut flowers. 
3. Assemble flower by securing brad in center hole. Spray with desired color mist. Allow to dry. Ruffle up edges using a pencil eraser.
4. Cut 2 leaves and draw in details if desired. Assemble flower and banner on frame with glue dots.

Happy Spring everyone! 11 days till wedding :-)

Countdown

I am still alive. Just a little crazy. Jess's wedding is coming up FAST and there's still so much to do. Where would I be without my generous friends that are always so happy to help me?  In big trouble- that's where...

Promise to write more later. Lots going on behind the scenes including: fun ideas for my Fresh Vintage dies available in June, info on CHA Summer Workshop, new design teams I'm working with and (trust me) lots more... but now, time for bed! Tomorrow I go see the florist about centerpieces, pick up paper for table favors, doctor's appt... etc.

Wedding Invitations

Today we hop! Click on the blue Designer Connection logo and take a trip around the webring to see what our talented group has come up with today. The theme is wedding projects. And how convenient for me- we have a wedding coming up within the month :-) Here's a peek at the invitations I designed for my daughter's wedding.

She really liked how they came out. I love the colors she picked (although I was pushing for aqua...) and her theme is hearts. So I created some heart flowers in Illustrator and laid everything out.

Normally I would have printed them myself but because these were a very important job, I sent them to a Signature Printing to be printed on nice heavy cardstock. When I got them back, they looked pretty plain. Jess happened to be home that weekend so we went to town with some adhesive backed half pearls which we added to some of the flower centers for a 3D effect. We also decided to use a bellyband to hold the packet together. Their wedding logo was printed and punched from a scalloped circle.

If you look closely at the logo, you will see that the cakestand base is two J's back to back (one is reversed). I used the Mandolyn font from Duetica. This is my fave font! So elegant and flowing but still readable. This font system is amazing because you can select from 10-20 options of each letter in a font family so that no two are alike- so many options to customize your layout and make it just the way you want it.

When I think about it, the stand is a cool metaphor for marriage. Two individuals working to support what they will build together- their life, family and dreams. sniff sniff. Hard to believe I will have a married daughter in less than a month! Will be posting more as the day draws closer...

Craft Critique

This week was pretty crazy. Ray is still getting acclimated to living here at the house. And I am painting like a madwoman, trying to get everything looking good before the wedding which a little less than a month away! Today we got the living room all put back together. One day at a time...

Here's a photo of the necklace that my daughter Pam designed and is making for all the bridesmaids for Jess's wedding. I think the blue, silver and pearl combo is so elegant!  Pam has always loved beading and has been designing her own pieces for years. I still have a pair of Santa Claus earrings she made for me when she was about 10- she got tons of orders when people saw mine. She also just opened a shop on Etsy- I'll pass her info along when I get the URL.

I had a nice chat at CHA with Sarah Moore, editor-in-chief of Craft Critique. If you don't already subscribe, you'll want to sign up! Once you are on the list, you will receive their daily email where you will see reviews of craft products, special events, contests, and blog carnivals. I love it- I don't know how anyone can keep up with all of the new crafty products out there! If I am considering buying a new tool or product, first I go to the archives and read the reviews of what other crafters thought of it before I purchase it. All reviews contain 3 pros and 3 cons about the product. And if someone doesn't like the product, they will tell you! I appreciate the advice- hate wasting money a product that won't work.

Anyway, I am excited to tell you I am now a Special Reporter for Craft Critique! I'll let you know when my first article comes out.

CHA Wrap Up

Hi everyone! Remember the Sizzix Triple Play blog hop that we had right before the holidays last year? Well, it was so much fun that we decided to keep the group going. If you click on the Designer Connection logo on the sidebar, it will take you around the ring of participating designers. Such fun! Our first event is today and if you hop around to each blog, you will see each of our CHA wrap ups. 

In addition, there's an amazing prize being offered to a lucky person- a Cricut Expression! There is a treasure hunt to find 9 Cricut logos sprinkled throughout the hop. If you find them all, you can be entered to win. For details on the treasure hunt visit Julie McGuffee's blog to get more info- she explains how it works.

On to CHA... I hardly got to walk the show because I had a booth in License & Design and spent most of my time there. On the last day when it was slow downstairs, I did run up and take a look. Here's what I saw:

• pennants and banners
• rosettes
• lots of vintage
• retro kitchen
• text
• crossover- sewing and food related crafts
• masks and mists
• flowers flowers flowers!

I guess the most exciting thing for me at this show was to see my Sizzix Power Panel up  in the booth! It's called Fresh Vintage and features my signature ScoreBoard dies as well as a several varieties of 3D flowers. My thought in designing this collection was to use unexpected and recycled materials like old sewing patterns, tissue paper, coffee filters, old sheet music, ledger sheets, crepe paper, etc to cut the dies from.  

My favorite thing about being at CHA is the chance to meet and reconnect with all of my amazingly talented designer buddies! What I love about the group is how everyone supports and encourages each other. I think we are all grateful to have found a group of people who "get" us. I am already looking forward to the next show. See you there!