Beautiful DSP!

Hello and Welcome!

I hope all my readers are having a wonderful week.  I hoped to get this post up yesterday, but life gets in the way sometimes and that's just how it goes! My lovely little is off at school today, so I have my craft space to myself and I am so excited to share today's projects.  I treated myself to some new Stampin' Up goodies and I couldn't wait to use them!  Ok, ok...I actually signed up to become a Stampin' Up demonstrator and these goodies were part of my starter kit!!!  I am so excited for this next step in my card making journey and I hope that I can be an inspiration to those in my immediate area and beyond.  Be on the lookout as I update my blog to reflect this new adventure and get things started!

I decided to get right to work sharing these new projects using the "Share What You Love" DSP and the Rectangle Stitched Dies.  I was so excited to see the challenge over at TGIF Challenges because their focus this week is to feature a DSP! What luck!

Here are today's cards... 

Thank You Card #1

Thank You Card #2

As you can see, both cards feature the gorgeous DSP "Share What You Love" as well as the coordinating cardstock Rich Razzleberry.  The Rich Razzleberry cut out also features the Rectangle Stitched die cuts which after only two cards are soon to become a favorite of mine! See below for the card deets and some additional photos! 

Step-by-step instructions

1.) Start with a piece of 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Rich Razzleberry cardstock.  Don't want scraps?! Go ahead and make two cards like I did above and change up the design. 

2.) Cut a piece of "Share What You Love" DSP to 4" x 5 1/4" for the background layer. 

3.) Send a piece of Rich Razzleberry through the Big Shot using the Rectangle Stitched die cuts to create a detailed stitch around the outside as well as a window like cut out in the middle.  

             

4.) Add a die cut flower with leaves in Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive or create a popped sentiment above some velvet ribbon.

5.) All stamps are from the "A Big Thank You" set and are stamped in either Fresh Fig or Crumb Cake.  

A beautiful card that lets the paper do all the work for you! 

These cards were inspired by the following challenges: 

TGIF Challenge #196

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

P.S....Don't forget to check out my finished "she shed" here! It was a wonderfully fun home project and I hope it helps you to create an inviting and inspiring craft space.  

Keep Austin Crafty!

Colorful Birthday!

Hello and Welcome!

Today's post is featuring a very colorful birthday card! I have to admit this was a little out of my comfort zone, but I did have fun with the colors and rainbow of balloons featured on today's card.  I had a very festive photo as inspiration from the wonderful team at The Card Concept, so I took that photo and tried to run with it.  

Here is today's card...

A few close-ups of the detail on the sentiment strip are below.  When you don't have just the right kind of background paper, you improvise and make your own!

Here are a few deets on today's card...gotta be quick because today's the day of our little's dance recital! She and her tutu are ready!

1.) Card base measures 5" x 7".
2.) Balloons are a Sizzix die cut and stamp set.
3.) All stamping is done in Tuxedo Black ink.
4.) Each color of the rainbow side strip was (lovingly) cut and glued together in the matching paper of the die cut balloons.  Perhaps a separate post to show a step-by-step of that process?!?

Today's card was inspired by the following challenges: 

Freshly Made Sketches #372

The Card Concept #107

SHE SHED! Don't forget to check out the final post on my NEW she shed! Everything is moved in and the space is officially ready for crafting! A few more decor details are still to come at a later date, but this girl has been creating and (hopefully) inspiring from my lovely little space! 

Keep Austin Crafty! 

She Shed...It's Move In Day!

Hello and Welcome!

Well, it's finally here! It's move in day! I am so excited to share this final post regarding my closet transformation from junk collecting storage closet to wonderful, organized "she shed".  This has been a fun remodel project and I am so glad that I moved forward with making it happen.  It was a weird thought at first to transform a closet into a craft space, but when I really looked at what the closet was being used for I thought "why not?".  It has only been a few days and  I love this new space.  It is organized, bright, cheery and like every other major project that I do...long overdue.

You can check out my two earlier posts here and here.

So without further ado, here is my final "she shed" space!  Enjoy!

            

The items that were most important to me with this transformation were this: 

1.) Lots of storage...check out the two shelves above the desk, the storage shelves under the desk and cool wire baskets on the pegboard.

2.) Lots of light...most of my work is done once the house is quiet for the night.  We installed these wonderful lights under the shelf that give off so much light you'd think it was the middle of the day when it's really the middle of the night. 

3.) Easy access...check out that cool purple pegboard with its handy baskets and hooks.

4.) A place to call my own...check, check and check! 

Wouldn't be a proper "renovation" post without a Before/After picture!

Unlike other samples that we saw on Pinterest, etc., we decided to keep the doors on the closet.  This keeps my 4 year old from decorating my desk with princess stickers and it serves as a good way to close things up because I promise my craft space is never this clean.

A shout out to my wonderful Dad for all his work helping me bring this project to life!!

Well, I hope this little project has inspired you to find your crafting space or make one if you don't have one.  I promise you will be so glad you did!

Keep Austin Crafty!

Clean and Simple

Hello and Welcome!

A happy Tuesday to all of you.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I love when a card just comes together so nice and neat.  Sometimes I go through so many changes to a card that I can't even remember what my original thought was and sometimes cards have to be scrapped all together.  But that's the creative process and don't we all love it?!?

However, that wasn't the case with today's card...

It just brings a smile to my face seeing that beautiful bouquet of flowers.  I love that the burst of color really helps to make them the focus of the card. 

Step-by-step instructions

1.) Start with a piece of kraft cardstock as the card base (the finished card measures at 4 7/8" x 3 1/2").
2.) Cut two pieces of cardstock (one white, one kraft) at 4 3/8" x 3" for the two layered pieces.
3.) Die cut the shape of your choice (I chose a circle for this card) on the piece of kraft cardstock.
4.) Adhere the two layered pieces to the card base.
5.) Stamp the bouquet in Stampin' Up Early Espresso.
6.) Add the coloring of your choice to the stamped image. I used my Firefly Alcohol Markers in the following colors: Pale Green, Vivid Green, Rose Red, Old Red and Yellow Ochre
7.) Die cut a banner shape and stamp a "Thank You" sentiment in Stampin' Up Early Espresso.
8.) Adhere the sentiment die cut using adhesive dimensionals
9.) I added a silver button and linen thread for extra dimension.

See a close up of those bright colors below...

I will be entering this card into the challenges listed below.

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Alcohol Inks

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Clean and Simple

Keep Austin Crafty!

Pink is my signature color...

Hello and Welcome!

Well, a little late with today’s card, but better late than never! We had a busy Saturday and while it was a little chilly the sun was shining! I am here to share a cute birthday card that I made for one of my daughter's friends.  Of course, making a birthday card for a 4 year old involved a lot of PINK! And we were totally ok with that because “pink is my signature color”...one of my favorite movies if you couldn’t tell!

And here is today’s card...

Step-by-step instructions 

1.) Cut a piece of white card stock 5” x 5”

2.) Cut a piece of light pink card stock 4 1/2” x 4 1/2”

3.) Cut a piece of dark pink card stock 4 1/2” x 1 1/2” and a pice of white cardstock 4 1/2” x 1”

4.) Stamp the Happy Birthday sentiment in SU Powder Pink

5.) Die Cut a few simple and elegant butterflies in shimmery pink card stock and adhere to the card base

6.) Add three pearl adhesives to the top right corner for extra flair

Hope you enjoy this clean and simple, but fun birthday card!

Want to see what’s happening with my she shed?! Check out the posts here and here! We are almost ready for move-in day!

Entering this card into the following challenges: 

Freshly Made Sketches #371

The Card Concept #106
Clean and Simple and perfect inspiration for a fun and totally pink birthday card

Keep Austin Crafty!

Ps...wrote this post on the iPad this evening so I apologize in advance for any typos I might not have caught :\

She Shed...Nearly there!

Hello and Welcome! 

I'm back today to share the progress on my new craft closet! And boy have we made some progress! We've gotten so much done that hopefully my next post will feature move-in day! I am so excited for this remodel and I am ready to start crafting in my new space! 

If you are new to the site, you can visit my first remodel post here.  We started by prepping the space and of course measuring everything out based on our designs (thank you Pinterest for your endless ideas and inspiration - I can officially say this is a major Pinterest success!).  The closet received a good cleaning and a fresh coat of paint (much needed!). 

Day 2 saw the installation of the cabinets, the second storage shelf and my amazing purple peg board.  Yes, you read right...it's purple.  Go big or go home folks! 

So here we go...

Custom made cabinets which sit under the workspace tabletop are installed.  The closet is about 22" deep, so facing the cabinets out would not have allowed for alot of space to get items in and out without running into the walls.  Taking that into account, we decided to face them in since they will house the larger scrapbook size storage boxes.  

Cabinet Installation

Time to take some measurements for the second storage shelf.  The top shelf was original to the closet and it was pretty much the perfect height to be reached without steps, so we left that shelf as is and installed a second shelf underneath for additional storage.  

The Man, The Myth, The Legend...My Dad! 

Look at those good looking shelves and tabletop!

Storage shelves and tabletop complete

And last but not least, my new purple peg board! I am so happy with how this turned out.  The picture doesn't quite do the color justice, but it is a deep, beautiful purple.  If you are interested in the color inspiration, I have included the paint colors at the end of this post.  Note: The "Favourite Jade" color will be used for some accent items like frames and storage buckets.  Check back for the "move-in" post where I'll show you how I utilized that color!   

Purple PegBoard...The Finishing Touch! 

So there you have it folks! A simple design and a fairly painless project to transform an unused closet into a beautiful craft space! Have you updated a space like this in your home or just want to share some of your thoughts on your favorite craft spots?! Leave a comment below! Check back next week for MOVE-IN DAY!!!

The Color Inspiration

Keep Austin Crafty! 

Flirty Flamingo!

Hello and Welcome!

A happy Tuesday to all of you out there! Today's card is just too darn cute! I got these flirty little flamingos at Michael's a few months ago and was super excited to finally put them to good use for today's card!  This is a CraftSmart set with one die cut and multiple stamps.  Hope to use these again real soon!

And here is today's card...

Step-by-Step Instructions: 

1.) Start with a 5" x 5" white cardstock as the card base.
2.) Cut a 4" x 4" black cardstock for the first layer.
3.) Cut a 3.5" x 3.5" white cardstock for the second layer.
4.) Each colored cardstock is 1/4" in width.  Once the pieces are glued down to the white cardstock, trim the excess colored portion. 
5.) Stamp the flamingo feathers in SU Powder Pink ink and the flamingo outline and sentiment in Tuxedo Black.

Here's a close up of this little cutie!

And because I am trying to get better about not forgetting the inside of my cards and couldn't resist adding another flamingo...here is the inside of the card.  

I hope this fun, colorful and happy card brought a smile to your face.  I know I'm feeling a little bit more cheerful after putting this one together!

I was inspired by the following challenges for today's card:

CAS(E) this Sketch #304

Keep Austin Crafty!

Heartfelt Gratitude

Hello and Welcome! 

Another week has come and gone and as expected this year is already flying by.  Despite being busy getting our little one ready to go back to school, playing bus driver for all her fun-filled activities and just being a mom, I was thankful to have some time to sit down and design a quick card inspired by a few challenges this week.

Here is today's card...

 

My goal for this year is to work on providing more step-by-step instructions and supply details for the card.  I am still working on the best layout for providing that information, so please bear with me while I work out the details. 

Step-by-step instructions: 

1.) Start with a piece of white cardstock cut to 4 7/8" x 3 1/2".  

2.) Measure and cut the following cardstock pieces: white cardstock 1'' x 4 7/8" and 1 1/4" x 3 1/4", cardboard cardstock 1 1/2" x 3 1/2". 

3.) Stamp the white cardstock pieces from above with the stamp of your choice to create a custom stamped background.  I stamped using the SU Crumb Cake ink. 

4.) I die cut a vellum circle to add an extra layer underneath  my die cut butterfly.  

5.) Measure and cut the following cardstock pieces: black cardstock 1 1/2" x 7/8", white cardstock 1 3/8" x 3/4". 

6.) Stamp the white cardstock from above with the sentiment of your choice.  I choose the "Heartfelt Gratitude" from the SU A Big Thank You set in SU Crumb Cake ink.  

7.) Add the finishing touch with some beautiful, copper sequence.  

I hope you find this information helpful! I think this may be a card to copy in the future with different themes.  The layout and colors were so much fun to create with! 

I was inspired by the following challenges for this card: 

Tuesday Morning Sketches #485

Color Throwdown #525

Keep Austin Crafty! 

Oh and don't forget to check back this week for updates on my new craft closet! It is coming along nicely! 

She Shed...kind of...

Hello and Welcome!

Well, it's finally happening! I am getting a she shed...well not exactly.  I haven't been forced to actually having a shed in the backyard (although my humongous backyard could handle it), but I have decided to convert one of our extra closets into a crafting spot!  My own little spot of the house to create, be inspired, leave a mess or keep tidy.   

After searching Pinterest for ideas and inspiration, I finally decided to move forward with this project.  So I drew up a design, picked some colors and got to work.  I have enlisted the help of my wonderful dad who is helping bring my craft room to life.  Since I started this blog to share crafting ideas, I thought I would share this project as well. 

So Day 1 or rather "demo day"...for those fans of Joanna Gaines!

I wish I had taken a true "before" picture.  The picture above is after a major Christmas break clean out which involved several trips to the Goodwill and also a fresh coat of paint.  You can see that we have removed the moldings from the bottom of the closet.  We also removed the original bar where clothes would hang.  New shelving has been painted and my dad is putting the finishing touches to my custom made cabinets.

Stay tuned for more craft closet updates!

Keep Austin Crafty!

Mini Cards

Hello and Welcome!

I am back today to share a project that I am loving at the moment! I recently went through my scrap bin and found some wonderful treasures that I decided to turn into some "mini" cards.  I made two sets of each card and I can't wait to find the perfect time to gift these cuties out.

The green cardstock card came out as my favorite because I thought the lovely sentiment just worked perfect on the background.  The telephone cardstock card was a close second because I thought that paper was just cute and fun.  

Each card measures 3.5" x 3.5".  For each layer, I took off  0.25" of cardstock to ensure even measurements on each side.  My new Sizzix Big Shot to the rescue to make the square cut, stamp one cute sentiment per card and presto...a quick mini card set.  

   

Each card features a different Stampin' Up ink: Dapper Denim, Powder Pink, Crumb Cake and Early Espresso.  I did my best to match the card base to the ink to tie the colors together.

Playing along this week at...Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Use Something New

Keep Austin Crafty!   

Just a friendly note

Hello and Welcome! 

Happy New Year again! I am kicking things off right by playing with some new goodies that I received for Christmas! So without further ado, let's get things started!

Here is today's card...

Start with a cardboard colored cardstock cut for a 3 1/2 x 4 7/8 card as the base.  Next, cut a piece of white cardstock to 3 x 4 3/8 for the bottom layer and the inside sentiment base.  I stamped the images onto the white cardstock using the Stampin' Up A Big Thank You stamp set along with the following inks: Fresh Fig, Powder Pink and Garden Green.  I have been having fun stamping my own paper as the backgrounds rather than using designed cardstock.  I feel like it gives it just a little something extra.  I'm still learning how to position stamps, use multiple layers of ink, etc. but like everything else...practice makes perfect! I added a few strips of white satin ribbon and stick on pearls for a little extra flair.

And here is this week's sketch from Freshly Made Sketches, which I used as a jumping off point.  I'll also be participating in the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: Something New.     

Keep Austin Crafty! 

Happy New Year!

Hello and Welcome! 

To the first post of 2019! No card to share today, but I wanted to wish all of my new stamping friends a wonderful and happy new year! I cannot believe how quickly 2018 flew by and I have no doubt that this year will do just the same.  2018 was exciting for me since I finally took the plunge and started this blog and I am glad I did.  It has been a pleasure sharing my creations with all of you, reading your comments and seeing all of the beautiful projects that are out there.  Thank you for welcoming me into the stamping and paper craft community!

Who knows what 2019 will bring to this little family! But I wish all of you a happy and healthy new year!  Now that's get crafty!

Sincerely,
Angela

Keep Austin Crafty!