Fingerprint flowers and Butterfly thumbs...a new canvas!

I'm back with another fun little art project that you can do with your kids (or on your own as well).  Its been a little trend in our house lately that the days my daughter is home with me we do some kind of 'art' project.  I call it Homeschooling Art Class 101...lol!  There's so many fun things you can do with a little bit of paint, a blank canvas and a few tiny fingers and thumbs!  Here's what we came up with!

I've created a little step-by-step video tutorial to show you just how easy and FUN this is to do!  Both my daughter and I are very proud of it and think its pretty cool that the flowers and butterflies are made from our finger and thumb prints!  We have lots of homemade paintings with hand and foot prints from the kids but we've yet to do something like this!

 Here's the video! I hope you like it! 

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!  Have a great week!

A sweet little birthday card and another video tut...

I'm back today with another By Lori Designs Inspiration Tuesday post!  For my card today I've used the adorable digi from the Little Beans line called Olive.  This card layout is one of my favourites.  Its super fast, easy, only uses 3 pieces of paper but still looks a bit fancy with the complete scalloped edges!  I used lots of bright fun colours and added some teeny tiny butterflies from my SU Sizzix Embosslits die.  The sentiment, (my go-to Birthday sentiment) is from Wax Fruit Comapany. 

Here's a little close-up of the butterflies...(I think I need to clean my camera lens)

I've been asked by a few people how I make the base of these kinds of cards.  There are a ton of tutorials out there since I've figured it out but I thought I'd try one of my own and show you how I do it.  Like I mentioned when I posted my first YOUTUBE tutorial, I'm just having fun, and playing around with my video camera and movie editing software.  I still haven't figured out all the 'editing' in's and out's like how to speed things up etc...so I apologize for the length of this video but thanks for watching! 

Make sure you swing by the By Lori Designs blog to see the rest of the wonderful inspiration.
Have a great week!

Supplies used:

Image:  Little Beans Olive Digi from By Lori Designs, sentiment from Wax Fruit company

Paper:  Beckett Expression, Bazzill cardstock

Spellbinders Nestabilities Lacey Squares (large die), Copic markers, Stampin' Up Sizzix Embosslits Beautiful wings die, 3d pop dots.   

Crafty space.....

I meant to post these pics of my new office/craft room a while ago.  I took this first picture just after I unpacked and organized everything and since then I've added a few more things.  But this is the general idea.  Ohhhhh its sooo nice having everything in its place again.  Its been a complete transformation.  The walls used to be a light neutral brown with an old cherry finished desk and credenza...ugly, boring...BUT did the trick!  We took advantage of having everything packed up from the flood and repainted the room.  The water damage ruined the old furniture so lucky for me I got to go shoppin' for some new stuff.  I wanted a bright happy space and have to say I am more productive since I spend alot more time there now! 

 I picked up these cubed modular storage pieces on sale at Michaels.  There are a ton to choose from and you can stack them how ever you want.  They work GREAT for all my crafty stuff.  Everything has its place, tons of nooks and drawers and slots etc...I've yet to hang some art on the large wall....

 I found this cute little wall decor idea from Umbro.  I like the fact you can change up what you want to display on each little hanger.  I hung some of my most favourite cards.

 Ive since added a bright orange clock to the left of the flowers (also by Umbro)

 I love this little corner for my daughter to get crafty, just like mom!  My favourite part is the old vintage folding table.  Fits perfectly in the corner. 

 I found this shabby window frame/hook piece at an antique shop on one of our Sunday antique outings.  It was only 5 bucks!  I was soooo happy!  Its the perfect place for my daughters crafty aprons! 

One of my other favourite things about the room is the curtians.  I searched forever online at Hawthorne Threads and finally decided on this awesome Amy Butler print.  I love it!

 So thats it!  I always love to see how other people decorate and organize their crafty spaces, I thought I'd share mine!  Have a great night!  Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Inspiration...

 Welcome to another fantastic Inspiration Tuesday with By LORi Designs!  My card for you today features the sweet sweet Puddle Jumper Penny!  Love her!

 As much I love the CAS style I love changing things up a bit too.  I used the current sketch over at The Deconstructed Sketch Blog.    I love sketch challenges as it takes all the guess work out for me.  Other than colouring (on detailed images) thats the part I spend most of my time fussing over.....the layout.  If its already done for me then I can put my own little spin on it and *bam* its done!  (did I mention my middle name is Emeril?...lol).  Although that probably makes me a lazy crafter, I'd rather be colourin' up my next image instead of spending hours fussing until I like it...'sigh'...Plus I have a TON of embellishments that have been gettin' no love lately and I've promised myself that I have to start using the buckets of twine, buttons, pearls, charms, doilies, brads, etc...i.e. I've had those metal heart brads (bottom left of my card) for about 9 years now...seriously...pathetic, I know...I think A&E needs a  new show called Crafty Hoarders...I could totally be on it! 

K, tangent over.  Lets move on...I've also made this card for the current BLD Challenge!  Hearts - check out the Challenge Blog to see the gorgeous inspiration pic and play along for your chance to win a free digi!

I'm also playing along with the sweet girls over at The Pink Elephant!  The challenge is to use 'Print' in your project!  The dp i used all has a very faint vintage looking print...its there..I promise!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you enjoy your week!

Supplies used:
Image: BLD digi 'Penny'. 
Beckett Expression paper.  
Copic markers: E0000,000,00,11,37,R20,YR12,14,18,V01,04,05,09,C6,7. 
Designer Paper: Prima 'Sweet Fairy'.  
Twine from the Twinery. 
Nestabilities: Circles. 
Heart/Key charm:  Making Memories.
Tulle/pearls - Michaels 
Heart brads, doily: stash
Layout by The Deconstructed Sketch Blog - DS39.

Just dropping you a line...

Happy Friday everyone!  I meant to post this earlier this week (specifically for Valentines Day) but as usual the week got away from me.  I made about 7 of these cards to send to some family members for Valentines day.  I picked up this adorable stamp by Stamping Bella from my fav lss The Paper Pickle! 

I wanted to keep it reallllly simple and easy since I was making 7 at once.  So I stamped the image onto SU kraft cardstock with memento ink in tuxedo black and coloured it up using my copic markers.  I used my white prismacolor pencil to colour in her socks.  I love the effect of white pencil crayon on kraft, it really makes that area 'pop'.  

Thought I'd play along with some challenges this time:

Colour Create Challenge

Stampin for the Weekend

I was too late getting in for the 'anything goes' Stamping Bella Challenge this week :(

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

I can't pull it off...AND a Happy Vintage Valentine!

Ahhhh, I have tried and tried to create beautiful distressed, shabby chic, vintage looking cards like the ones I drool and oogle over on the bloggernet everyday and I'm never fully satisfied with my finished product! (hence the title of this post..lol). Although this adorable PJ - Ella Two from By LORi Designs makes any card adorable, I feel like my card is unfinished or missing something. I absolutely love the distressed, vintage, rustic, looking cards and projects I see...I have all the necessary tools to create such things...you should see my stash. I do have my own style which leans to the heavy side of CAS. But I love trying new styles and I can pull it off on canvas, so I will just have to keep trying! Anyway, today's card features Ella Two from BLD! One of the January releases! She is so cute in her boots and I love her pretty little dress!

I tried to make the panel with the image on it look like an old vintage picture (in colour lol) and went to town with my copics and Tim Holtz distress inks and sponges. I used a fancy spellbinders die and some stampin up flowers and antique brad, found some cream lace trim and tried to piece it all together. I know, we are all our own worst critics, its hard stepping out of our comfort zone, but well worth it in the end!

Anyway, I thought I'd post a 'non-traditional' type of card for Valentines day! I hope you pop by the By LORi Designs Blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has to inspire you today! You won't be dissapointed!

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week!

A new technique, a birthday 'challenge and a sketch!

I have had this adorable image coloured up since last November!  Its a stamp from Stamping Bella illustrated by the talented and sweet Christy Croll!  When our basement flooded, I managed to save a few stamps, paper, and of course my copics!  I had some time to colour and I tried a few new techniques, one being the 'colour with no lines technique'.  I saw this amazingly done at Make it Crafty  and like I mentioned in an earlier post, you can see the technique masterfully done HERE!

I stamped the image onto beckett expression paper using Memento ink in Desert Sand.  I used my copics and a whole lot of prismacolor pencils to achieve the look I wanted.

I'm playing along with a few challenges today too!  The Pink Elephant is turning 3 this week!  Yay Happy Birthday!  They are challenging you to use PINK!

Also Im just getting in under the wire over at Deconstructing Jen!  I love this sketch blog!  I think the challenge ends today but there's still  time left!

Hope you're enjoying your day!  Thanks for stopping by!

Mixed Media, little birdie with a big heart...

Here's my latest.  Mixed media on canvas.  My mom has been here since Friday and we decided to get messy and this is what I came up with.  Its totally not my usual style and definately not what I thought the end result would be but I went in with 'no plan' (which was hard because I always have a plan).  I just rolled with it.  My mom's is still a work-in-progress, its gorgeous and can't wait til its finished!

My fav lss The Paper Pickle has a ton of awesome art supplies from paint & stencils to rubons and brushes for mixed media art!  I've been collecting quite a stash and have to put them to use!  Here are the supplies I used:  Magenta Acrylic Paints, Claudine Helmuth Paints, Liquitex acrylic inks, Faber Castel India Inks, stayz-on ink pads, Kaiser Craft Rub-ons, Crafters Companion stencils, Basic Grey dp, doily, bubble wrap, punchinella, mesh, foam stamps, clear and rubber stamps, old book paper, music sheets, oh the list can go on and on....Just wanted to give you an idea on how you can create your own piece of art!  So much fun!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

You sprinkle Joy....

Happy Tuesday! Welcome to another Inspiration Tuesday at By LORi Designs! Today I'm posting an image created by the super talented daughter of Lori Boyd - Hannah Boyd!!! She has designed her own little line of ADORABLE digi stamps called Bug & Roo! This is PEYTON! I cannot get enough of her, she is so squishy cute to look at!

I've paired Peyton with a wonderful digi sentiment from The Wax Fruit Company owned by the totally sweet and talented Arielle Gordon! Seriously love her designs and sentiments which I almost always use with a BLD image! They just seem to go together perfectly! I love this sentiment because it reminds me to try and sprinkle a little bit of joy everyday!

Please swing by the By LORi Designs Blog to get your dose of inspiration. They are all amazing and I guarantee will inspire you!

Thanks for stopping by!