pages and projects and tips, oh my!

Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore. Obviously there’s just way too much color and pizazz here on this blog. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

So much to share today! Let’s get started!

Here’s another page from the gorgeous Miss Loni Stevens. She’s using those wonderful Silhouette Bookends! They look amazing bordering that large photo! And I love how she embossed the heart and “16" with Hero Arts stamps! So stinkin’ cute!

(P.S. I don't know why the coloring is off on this. No matter what I tried I couldn't get it to be the gorgeous soft pink and red that it's suppose to be. "If I only had a brain....")

Supplies
Hero Arts: the dots and the vines
QuicKutz: bookends_1345, swirl_1429, heart_1439

How about this page from ever-so charming Miss Nichol Magouirk! Love how she used a background stamp to pattern-up her tree...or...well...everything on her page! Nothing like making your own patterned paper, eh?

Supplies
QuicKutz: tree_1123 (Silhouette), grass_1027 (Silhouette)
Hero Arts: S5141 Four Leaf Grid, S5208 Designer Woodgrain, D5214 Birdy, K5175 Houndstooth, G5188 Live in the Moment
Other: Stamp Ink (VersaMark, Memories Black, Staz-on Jet Black), Patterned Paper (Dream Street, Cosmo Cricket), Brads (Doodlebug), Embossing Powder (American Crafts)

And now for the lovely Miss Jen Gallacher and this gorgeous card! Love the mix of the embossing, die cutting and stamping! Not to mention the colors definitely fit in our land of Oz today . . . they are gorgeous!

Supplies
QuicKutz: Flower_1021, Polka Dot embossing folder
Hero Arts: Precious Baby stamp set, Sky’s the Limit stamp set, Pearls
Other: Photo corners (Canson), Ribbon (Offray & Sons), Pop Dots (All Night Media), Stamping ink (Stampin’ Up, Memories, Inque Boutique), Pen (Inque Boutique), 2” Circle Punch

Instructions:

1. Use the Polka Dot embossing folder to emboss on orange cardstock.
2. Wrap satin ribbon around the rectangle twice and knot before adding to card with photo corners.
3. Use the multi star stamp from the “Sky’s the Limit” stamp set to stamp brown stars on rust cardstock.
4. Trim and mount on card.
5. Use the Flower 1021 shape to cut a flower from teal cardstock (I ungrouped the inside and outside of the flower and only used the outside outline of the shape for this card.)
6. Mount on card with pop dots.
7. Use the open star to stamp sand colored stars on white cardstock.
8. Punch out with 2” circle punch and rub edges with brown stamping ink.
9. Use black ink and the “so precious” sentiment from the “Precious Baby” stamp set to stamp a sentiment on the circle.
10. Mount circle on flower.
11. Use the crown stamp from the “Precious Baby” stamp set to stamp a black crown on oatmeal cardstock.
12. Use a dark brown marker to color in portions of the crown.
13. Add three tiny pearls to the crown.
14. Trim and mount on card with pop dots.

So the other day I asked our resident Guru, all-wise and all-knowing, customer service extraordinaire—Brian, a.k.a. The Great and Powerful Oz, what was something that he gets a lot of questions about, either over the phones or at shows. He said this tip from designer Angela Urbano is something people love when they hear it. Apparently Angela used this tape back in art college and found it worked great with all her QuicKutz shapes, especially the letters in her titles.

Here’s what she says about aligning letters in your title:

The tape I use is by 3M Scotch® MagicT Tape 811 (Matte Finish- Removable). This is a matte scotch tape that can be used over and over.

1. First cut your desired title and align the bottom edge of your first letter to a guideline—the edge of your table, a ruler or pencil line, etc.
2. Cut a strip of tape the length of your title and add an extra 2" so you can hold the tape on both ends.
3. Holding the tape strip on both ends, pick up your first letter by positioning it along the bottom of your tape strip. Continue to align your letters on the strip until you have your entire title/word on the strip.
4. Take your title and figure out the placement by moving it around your page. You can tape it down and change your mind. That's what is great about this tape, you don't have to commit until you've seen it in various positions.
5. Once you know where you would like to glue it down, turn the title over to expose the back of the letters, add adhesive, flip the entire strip over and place it on your page.
6. Hold a couple of minutes until glue dries and lift the tape off and voila!

I love this tape because I can tape photos, shapes, titles and other bits down until I am ready to permanently adhere them to my page. What's even better? I save me tape strips for my next layout. You can find the tape at any office supply store like Office Depot, Target, Walmart, etc.

Now that’s a great tip!

What was that? Oh. Yes. Glinda would like me to tell you all who the winners are for yesterday. She loves a happy “little” blog and nothing makes her little munchkins happier than getting prizes, not even a lollipop from The Lollipop Guild (sorry guys).

The winner of the Zing Embossing Powders is:
Mary Botolotta, who said: “you guys are totally making me want a silhouette!!! now stop it!! just kidding..love all the ideas.and thank you for the wonderful giveaways...i'm just hoping that my name gets picked!!”

The winner of the Hero Arts stamps is:
Jennie, who said: “Wonderful prizes. I always love the sneak peaks of products "coming soon!"”

And the winner of the QuicKutz dies and embossing folder is:
Pam K, who said: “That little boy is a cutie and I love the prizes. I've been drooling over that photo frame since it came out.”

Congratulations ladies! E-mail us your contact information at customerservice@quickutz.com and put QK/HA BLOG WINNER in the Subject line. We’ll get that right out to you!

And we’d better not forget what’s down that yellow brick road for tomorrow’s winners. Here they are! FABulous stuff!

From Hero Arts:

From QuicKutz:

Don't forget to check out what's happening in the Emerald City over there on the Hero Arts blog. Fun stuff indeed!

[this contest is now closed]

Comments

[Ute John]

And yet another great day with new ideas - and a great tip about aligning letters ! And the prices today are really terrific.

[Jennifer B]

wow! once again awesome post, love, love, love the giveaways! oh, I got chills :)

[Leah M.]

I love the "So Precious" card. Adorable! I really hope I win those stamps. They are some of the ones I have wanted!

[Helen]

Love Nichol's LO. Beautiful!

[Amy V.]

Thanks for the tip, I'm headed to write it on my shopping list right now. And love the wizard of oz thing you've got going on today! :o)

[Julie]

Thanks for all the fantastic inspiration.

[Jackie]

Great tip and wonderful projects! Love the tree page :-)

[Vera]

Wow, the samples get better and better and the giveaways just keep coming! Thanks!

[MMG]

I love these great tutorials... I cannot wait to try this out!

Thanks for the chance to win.

[Erika M]

I'm so loving all the wonderful projects that I'm seeing on both of the blogs! It's great to see two of my favorite companies work together.

[Jodi Geers]

Love the tape tip!

[Andi Sexton (rrlscrapgal)]

Oh my... I am so glad I have this blog in my reader now! LOTS of awesome tips and great show and tells.
Thank you again, for sharing how things are made, and which dies/stamps are used....

And LOVE your giveaways!

[lacyquilter]

I just keep drooling and hoping. Love the layouts.

[Roberta]

Enjoying all the great tips and beautiful work! Someone will be very lucky to win one of the prizes- hope it's me!!!

[Trista]

I really love the layout today! Thanks for sharing your great ideas! Fingers still crossed!

[cathy a]

The bookends on the photo are so great, I have never thought of framing a photo that way, thanks for the inspiration ladies.

[2amscrapper]

I love these ideas and great prizes

[Ann I.]

Wonderful ideas! The SB Tree layout is adorable! Thanks for the chance to win!

[Sarah M]

Wow! More wonderful projects! I think I'm falling head over heels in love with Nichol's work!

[Diana Fisher]

Just when I didn't think the stuff from HA and QK could get any cuter! Thanks!!

[Stephanie]

thank you for the inspiration and the give aways are just gorgeous !!
I love the tree LO !!!

[Christine]

That bookends idea is so great! Seriously considering getting a Silhouette again! Loving the patterned paper created by Nichol, too.

[laura rangel]

They are all nice layouts....thanks for the ideas and awesome gifts.

[Creative Heart Deb]

Thanks for offering such wonderful prizes! But then again...your dies and embossing folders offer each of us unlimited creative possibilities!

Deb

[Melanie K.]

I am now bidding on Silhouettes on ebay ... hubby will kill me if I win, but I have to have one! I have to!