What a Bug!

Hi all!

For this week’s design, it all started with a challenge I am entering requiring a Joy-Fold Card.  I wanted to use a 2 Cute Ink digi as the "hidden treasure" inside.

Front 

As it Unfolds

For my "hidden treasure," I used 2 Cute Ink's recent release "Cupcake Ladybug."  I used WordArt to add a sentiment over the bug.   For those of you following me, you know that I have been trying to learn Photoshop better to color digital images....I had fun with this one practicing some shading (cupcake topping) and some texture (cupcake wrapper) - as well as how to give my ladybug a black face without losing her eyes and nose.  I wish I could provide a tutorial for you - but, quite honestly, I just kept hitting buttons until I got lucky!  Hopefully soon I will know the program well enough to provide solid tips.  I do have to say - I may never use my Copics on another digital image.

"Hidden Treasure"

I enjoyed making this special-fold card . . . and I'm off to make another one for the challenge.  You see, I need a lot of birthday cards, so made this a birthday card.  When I finished - ooops - read instructions.  The challenge card needs to be a Valentine's card (requiring hearts should have been my clue!).  So now off to make a Valentine's card.

Marvelous Monday - Cupcake Bird

Happy Monday, All!

For this week’s 2 Cute Ink card, I wanted to use the Cupcake Birdie - simple with some patterned paper behind it.  I "painted" the image with Adobe Photoshop - still practicing my skills of painting with the gradient tool.  Makes for a quick and simple birthday greeting.

Bear Collection

Hi Everyone,

Today I am bringing you a card made with Butterfly Bear from 2 Cute Ink's Bear Collection.  The Butterfly Bear captures the playfulness of a relaxing day in a garden.  This stamp makes for very cute Valentine's Day card.

Enjoy the fabulous projects from our designers through the new year.  Have a crafty 2014!

Tweet Gradient with Balloon Birdie

Hi Fellow Crafters,

Thank you for joining us on the blog today.  Whew!  The holidays are behind us, and now I must have 40 Valentine cards ready by the first of the year.  Perfect time to bring you some quick & simple cards.  

Today I am bringing you a slightly different way of coloring your digital stamps.  For some time now, I have been wanting to learn how to use the gradient tool in Photoshop for select elements of a digital stamp.  I found a great tutorial and had my balloon on the Balloon Birdie digi colored (gradient) in no time at all! (Yes, I am just so proud of myself....tee, hee.)  So this cute card is ready to go in less than five minutes!  Very easy project!

You can learn to gradient color your digital stamps here, compliments of Adobe.

Fox Present

Hi Everyone,

It's great to be back with you today!  

We are bringing you another inspiration-packed week from the design team. My card today features 2 Cute Ink's new Fox Present.  Enjoy!  And have a very Merry Christmas!  I will see you right back here next Monday.

Penguin Extravagamza!

Thank you for visiting my blog today. It is so much fun to play with new files and bring you different projects each day that showcase different styles.  Sit back with your favorite hot beverage and be inspired this week!

Today I am bringing you a card using 2 Cute Ink's newest members of the Penguin family - Ice Skating Penguin and Penguin Gifts.

I embossed the front of a lime-green card.  I printed the penguins in the middle of a clip art Christmas ornament - then printed an ornament slightly larger for the blue matting.  The penguin ornaments hanging from a couple of Poinsettia flowers make for a cute, festive card.

Enjoy this week's posts....and we'll see you again next week.

Warm winter wishes!

Hi everyone,
It's Timi here with another Christmassy Card. This one features the cute Gingerbread Boy image.
After printing the image onto heavy card, I coloured it in with markers.

I layers some patterned paper and washi tape and added the image. For some extra texture I added a chipboard tea cup element.
To enhance the wintery feeling of the card I heat embossed the title with some white embossing powder wixed in with some mixed spice-scented embossing powder.

I hope you like it,

Timi

Let it Snow!!

Hi everyone, it is Timi here today with a card that features the Snowman Girl digi stamp. I am going to show you how I created the winter background and the double masking for some extra dimension.

Here is the card

and this is how I created it:

Take one sheet of patterned paper, a piece of white card and the image printed twice.

Layer the white card and the image. Glue them together with some removable adhesive. Cut out the other image and place it on the top of the first one with some removable adhesive.

Take a long piece of scrap paper and cut a wave in it, just like it was a hill. Secure it down on the bottom of the image with some washi tape.

Now start inking with distress inks. I used two different colours. Make sure that these colours coordinate with the colours on the patterned paper.

To add more interest to the background, sprinkle water on the layers of paper. Leave it stand for a moment, give a little time to the ink to react to the water. Dry it with a heat tool. Add some white splashes too.

The only reason for the double masking is to add more texture. We don't mask out anything with the middle layer. It is just a frame-like feature to the image.And this way it is a lot easier to match the snowy hill effect.

The next step is to assemble the card; glue the layers together with permanent glue and add some embellishments.

Last step is to remove the mask over the image and colour the image in with some markers.

I hope you liked this short tutorial and how the card turned out in the end.

Happy Crafting,

Timi

Christmas tag

Hi everyone, it is Timi here.
I am back with a tag for Christmas featuring the Gingerbread Girl digital stamp.
Recently I like to create tags, they are so versatile. You can add them to Christmas presents or just send them as they are.

It was a quick tag to make which is great in the big Christmas rush.

I hope you like it,

Timi

Sweet Reindeer Lights

Hi Everyone,

Welcome and Happy Monday! I'm so glad you joined us today.  2 Cute Ink's Little Reindeer make a sweet collection - clearly Reindeer Lights is perfect for the holiday season.

Today's card is a shaped card using a free label file (Maggie's Label 3) from Magnamity.  I took the "label" file and sized it to to be 5-1/2" x 5-1/2".  I welded it to a rectangle for the card base.  I resized the label for each layer, then added a strip across the front (accented with a border punch).  The reindeer is colored with Copic Markers - with Stickles added for the Christmas lights, his nose, and accent dots in corners.  He is popped up alongside a big holiday wish created with just a word processor.

  

This card brought a little serendipity - I did not intend for the card shape to resemble a Christmas ornament.  When I was finished, however....there it was!  So I added a piece of rumpled ribbon to the top to finish off the ornament.

Have a fabulous crafty week, and I will see you next Monday.

Sweet Snow Globe

Hi Everyone,

Isn't this such a wonderful time of year! In some parts of the country, the crisp fall air is combined with beautiful soft snow.  Yet I am able to still enjoy temps in the 80s!  But that doesn't stop me from the inspiration of snow-themed ideas - and what says snow better than a snow globe!  This snow globe houses some special 2 Cute Ink characters - The Gingerbread Boy and Gingerbread Girl - dancing around the Sparkle Tree.

  

Sweet Lady Bug

Hi Everyone,

It's Monday! Today I used the cute little image Sweet Lady Bug.  I used two techniques with this image.  I printed and colored the lady bug (both on the front and inside with a sentiment)....I also cut a couple strawberries on my eClips and pieced them together for an embellishment.  The fabulous word art is a free image by Elegant Wordart by Bethany.

Inside Sentiment

Enjoy all the fabulous projects this week, and we'll see you right back here next Monday. 

Feel better soon!

Hi, it's Timi here.

It is now November and it's getting colder and colder here. I want to show you a card featuring this very cute Winter Owl image to remind you to stay warm and not to catch a cold. This image is so sweet, I like the way he has the little earmuffs.

I printed the image on heavy weight sketch paper and coloured it in with Promarker. I cut the whole image out with circle die using a little trick to save the tree branch that is overhanging.

I chose a very busy patterned paper for my background and that is the reason I didn't use so many embellishments.

I hope you like this card

Stay warm,

Timi

Sherlock Mouse

Hi Everyone,

This is such a fun time of year! Leftover Halloween Treats, Thanksgiving approaching, Christmas shopping, Holiday Festivities with friends....the list of activities and events are endless.  With Christmas on its way, many of you are scrambling to get Christmas cards made.  I challenge you to spend some time working on those everyday cards for all the other activities throughout the year.  

Today I am excited to share Sherlock Mouse.  Don't say you weren't warned - this little guy can be addictive!

Inside Message

Enjoy this week's projects, and we'll see you back here next Monday.

Doesn't get Easier Than This!

Hi Everyone!

Today I am back with more inspiration - this time for a quick & easy card.  We are so glad you can join us. Today's card uses the Panda Love digi stamp.  Pretty much two pen colors - and a couple rectangles for matting.  Doesn't get easier than that!

Have a great week! 

Halloween Sweet Bag

Hi all,

It is Timi here with very cute little sweet bag for Halloween.
There aren't many kids in our area, and I know those few who come to my house so I prepare special little sweet bags for them.
I used the Frankenstein Mushroom image in this project. After colouring and cutting out the image, I glued it to the tag which is attached to the sweet bag with some ribbon. On the tag I will add names of kids who will turn up the day for sure.

I used one sheet of 12x12 Halloween patterned paper to create the bag and decorated with a "POISON" sign on the back.

I hope you like this quick Halloween idea.

Check out the rest of the Halloween ideas coming up on the blog.

Timi

Magical Monday

Hi Everyone!

I have spent the past several weeks focusing on Thanksgiving cards....with those finished and ready to go out, I chose Harry Potter Owl to help someone celebrate a "magical" achievement.

Inside Sentiment 

Have a fantastic week! 

Happy Thanksgiving Card

Hi everyone,
I am back with a Thanksgiving card that features this Cute Turkey image.

I coloured the image with Promarkers and cut it out. I chose some nicely coordinating patterned paper and layered them before I added the image to the card. It was a quick card, but I liked how it turned out in the end.

I hope you like it too,

Timi

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi Everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you...that's what this Cute Turkey is saying.  This little guy is such a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving with all of our friends and family. 

We are so super excited to be featuring the Cute Turkey all week - and even better, he will be featured on a card in Cardmaker Magazine on sale October 22 (digital issue on sale now).

Enjoy this week's posts, and we'll see you right back here next Monday! 

I detect a birthday!

Hi everyone, I'm back with a fun shaker card using the  Watson Mouse image.

After printing the image I coloured him in with my promarkers and cut it out. I created the the big magnifying glass using some acetate and some fun foam. I cut out lots of little mustaches with my electronic cutting machine and put them behind the glass. The sentiment says: I detect a birthday! and the birthday part is in the inside of the cards.

I hope you like my detective shaker card,

Have fun with these very cute images,

Timi