Domino Necklaces

I stumbled upon this site "The Enchanted Gallery" one night doing "stumble upon" and fell in love with it. I was intrigued with the art and also the thought of making jewelry out of dominos. I guess there are a lot of people out there making them. So I did a simple one to start out with and I made these to give as a small gift to each woman that is going through a retreat this weekend. I will be there working behind the scenes the whole weekend and Saturday night is a banquet type meal that is candle light and is awesome so I made these to put at every place setting for the women. I thought it was a lot of fun to do and then just give away. Since they were soo simple by design they really did not take me that long to make I made them all in a day and that was at two different sittings. I started with a domino that I bought at Toy's R US, I used a fairly cheap bead for the top part to use like a bail to thread the cord through (the one posted has a chain, but I will be using black hemp on all the rest. The glue I used was E-6000. Kimberly has this all posted in great detail on her blog/site so you should go check it all out and look at her stamps as well. I ordered some and can't wait to put them to use on some of these for Christmas gifts. But, anyway... I made 70 of these and I used Tim Holtz alcohol inks and blending solution and used like 3-4 different colors. I stamped my heart shape with a permanent ink and then I wrote the word Love on them. I then sprayed them with an sealer and then I went back and gold embossed them and added the rhinestone with the same glue. I have never used that glue before and believe me it is a strong glue. If you want to see more domino necklaces do a search or go to Esty there are a ton out there... who would have ever guessed that? Not me! but maybe I am just clueless! LOL... I think I will only be using about 50 of them so if anyone would like to purchase one let me know... I will let you have it for 10.00 or maybe I will give a few away as some blog candy!! LOL.. maybe that will get someone to leave a message on my blog!! Well, anyways, I plan on making more, but have them a little more artsy fartsy flair to them. So, stay tuned and who knows when the next one will appear! Thanks for stopping by and looking! oh... and the Kimberly's blog/site link is linked to this post title or you can find that blog on my side bar!

Housemouse Monday Challenge #23

Ok... here is my first entry to my first challenge here.... I love this image and thought it would be a cute image for Valetine's Day. It really isn't one of the traditional images one might pick for something like this, but when I look at these two they certainly look like they are longing for each other's friendship... :O)



I used Basic Grey's Urban Praire. I used my Bic Mark-it's to color the image and some colors pencil too. I cut out and around part of the image and placed the matted image on pop-dots (that is why my dots look a little off, but they are not, it's my photography skills apparently) I also placed the tiny heart on a pop-up dot too.
THANKS for looking.

Housemouse Monday Challenge Designer Team

ok.. I just ran across this blog today and I must say I am in love with it at first glance. Having mice and rats as pets I ADORE housemouse stamps! So after looking around and reading this blog I thought... what the heck... The only thing better would be to receive the stamps for free!! If you too would like to visit their blog the site is linked to this post title. So, here is my reply to their post:

1. Why you would like to join the team: Well, first because I adore mice and rats and little critters!.. LOL.. as pets that is.. when I first discovered the housemouse stamp site looking for real mice stuff, I instantly fell in love with these stamps. I personally think these stamps have such personality that just comes alive in their images. I ADORE not only the original housemouse stamps, I adore the happy hoppers and Gruffies as well. I have never attempted to go for a designer team position, but feel like this would be a great fit for me. Mainly though, I would like to be an inspirtation and encouragement to anyone and everyone creatively as an individual and as a team member.

2. Show three samples of your best work on the post: Hope you like what I chose... you can find more of my cards in my gallery, the link is at the top of my blog... thanks for looking..

Holly Berry House Stamps

I keep getting looks at this card, per this stamp. So I thought I would repost it again on the front page. If you have never had a stamp like this or used one in a layer type technique, you should really try one. I love how these turn out. They are a little more work, but well, worth the extra effort. I used a lot of stickles on this one and it looks like a confection in real life. So maybe you too should invest in one of these stamps! I actually have 7 layers on this, seperated by pop-up dots... If you come here to look, please leave me a message, everyone always comes and looks, but very few leave a message! :O)

Use that pattern paper challenge....

I did this lo for a challenge on scrapbook.com for my ETG the challenge was: "We all have it. We all love it. Yes I do mean patterned paper ! For this challenge, let your PP take center stage. Use it to cut out your own amazing embellies and flowers. Use as much as you like, as many patterns as you like, just have FUN!! All coloring agents and any metal embellies are allowed. Also you can use anything you like for the title."

So consider challenging yourself to do the same, limit yourself to a certain supply or just a few and then attempt to do a layout using "just" those supplies. You just might be surprised at how much you can really do with a limited amount of supplies.



ok.. so I used DCWV Pet stack for this... LOL.. I know I know, but some of that pp is super cute! The background pp is K&Company - Wild Saffron. I cut the flowers, the heart and the side boarder from the paper (the pet stack), the little owl I made out of pp and some distressed pp. The title is cut from the same pp that is the boarder around the pictures and the arrow I cut from a green stripe from a piece of pp that I made myself and doodled on it. I used the opposites attrack cricut cartridge for the title, doddled on the page some and added the little chain, tag and page anchors. Behind that picture with the anchors there is hidden journaling.

Hidden journaling reads: I see a young girl growing into a young lady. You are becoming independent, responsible and growing into being very much your own person. You have a kind and caring way about you. You are very sweet, but you certainly have a sassy side to you too. You are becoming more beautiful with each passing year. I love what I see! Love Mommy

Also, Rachel took these pictures of herself too, which I love! That is also why there is a shadow in the center pic it is her shadow. She messed around with the one on the top left in photoshop and changed the color around, I love the fact that all these pictures are looking at you at a kind of different angle too on the layout.

YIKES!!

THIS is what we woke up to yesterday morning! It was 11-12 inches of snow and it was a snow day for the kids because all the schools were closed. It is really pretty but digging your car out or your driveway after the snowplow comes by is not soo pretty they dumped like 3 feet of snow around cars and at the end of everyone's driveway, which stunk! Oh well, today it's back to normal, well sorta, some kids went to school and some didn't. Go figure. Just thought I would share our weather for those not as fortunate and never get snow! LOL... want some? I'll send it your way, we certainly have plenty!

Alrighty, I have added my embellishments....

And this is the end result of my artist trading cards being complete now on the front. I still have the back to do before they are called complete. Just wanted to post the finished product. If you have not read my blog, all these atc's started with the image of my face. The how I did it is below, down a few posts. If you try this out send me a link I would love to see what others of done. Thanks for stopping by and if you left me some comments.... double thanks!

Ok.. so here is my SECOND digi layout...LOL I promise to stop counting after 5, well maybe...

(sorry Mindy, I promise my next one will be traditional) and I must admit this could get to be addicting. This lovely kit is called "Happy New Year" and is from http://sweetblossomdesigns.blogspot.com/ I downloaded it just a few weeks ago and I am soo loving this lo of my 2 boys. This kit seemed just perfect for boys too which is a great thing, although I am sure very it could be used many ways. These little owls are super cute. I did this in Print Shop 23 Deluxe. Some of the other small elements, such as the brown brads, the metal plate and the brown torn paper is from "absolutely autumn" from http://sweetblossomdesigns.blogspot.com/. The paper is called "patriotic paper" and because it does not have a sheet with it stating the facts of how you can use it I don't have any idea where I got it from but it is the the blue and the background paper. I will have to go back and figure out where the ric-rac and the red pp from. I also dropped some shadows behind the little owls to give it some depth and behind the picture and the flurish type vine. Also, the vine was blue in the kit and I changed it to this more white color.

Also, if you click on my title to this post it will take you directly to Sweet Blossom Designs where there is great digi kits!! Free and for sale!

Thanks for looking

My FIRST Digital Layout!

OK... this is my very first complete digital layout that I have liked. I thought since I have been collecting digi stuff, I should at least give it a try. I did love making this, no mess to clean up, but I also love to just get my hands on things to and make that mess regardless of cleanup, if you know what I mean. I thought since I was giving Stephanie a plug on her freebie kit, I should at least try it out and show ya what you can do. Now even though this layout has a lot of her kit in it, I still used some other kits and mixed them. I just wanted a little splash of another color (I am so like that) so I pulled in some elements from another kit called "Spontaneous Delight" by Shally Princess @ http://www.shabbyprincess.com. I do love how this turned out and the only thing I would suggest when making kits from my first time user perspective is add ribbon or fibers! I love love love ribbon and fibers, but that is just me, but I kept wanting to put some ribbons on here and had a hard time looking for some in my downloads. Which brings me to another question? How does one organize their digi scrappin downloads to keep them organized and know where stuff is?? By seperate files for paper, embellishments, ect? If you have any great suggestions there for me, leave me a note, I sure could use some! Also, for my picture I took it into my photo editing and changed the color to match the papers and also added some distress to it, which looks great on this layout. So, be brave and mess with youe photos too and try different things out there. Thanks for looking and remember to stop by Stef's blog and link it to yours! If you like what you see, just click on my title to this post and it will take you directly to her blog! Enjoy and tell her Nina sent you!

Do you want to make a unique personal Artist Trading Card?

Well, if you do you might want to read this. This is the picture I started out with. It is a recent picture of me and the base to all the ATC's that follow in this post. If you read further down I will tell you how I did them... Enjoy and if you do some link them back to me I would love to see them!





Here is the picture that I worked from after I did the following. I did this in Printshop 23 Deluxe. First I just brought in my picture that I wanted to work with. Turned it into a black and white image. Then I went into photo tools and adjusted the color. I turned my Gamma all the way to 100 which lightened it quite a bit. Then I also adjusted the brightness so it lightened it a bit more. Then I saved it and then I went into Effects and applied a special effect. I chose the cloud one which made it look like this. Then I printed off several of them just measuring under 3.5/2.5. Then I just took my black millenium pen and outlined the main parts of my face and then I just got creative and did my designs. I colored my designs with my Mark-it markers by bic. I also added some glittery chalks and still need to add a little more embellishments to them before I call them complete. I think I will try some more with a differnt face position or use one of my children's faces. I am going to have fun making some more of these! Below are all the ones I am working on right now......

Ok... although I still need to add some embellishments to these I was soo excited about how much fun I had making these that I had to show them off before they were completely finished. I will post them when they are completely done. These were a lot of fun to make and they are definately one of a kind, lol, all with my face! How fun is that? These would also be a great fun project for any child that has that creative side to them. So, if you come by and see these and want to trade an ATEO I have some of these for trade so just leave a message here or leave me your email I would love to trade.

Freebie Digi Scrap Kits By Stef

Well, I thought I would share some great freebie digi kits with you from Steph Scraps blog. She designs these herself and would love to have some traffic come through. So I am giving her a plug here, plus we all get an extra add-on if 10 people place a link to her blog, so go check her out and if you love what you see, and you will, link her! Her link is in my side bar under "Places I Love To Hang" or click on this title. Although I don't digi scrap, I just kind of mess around in it right now, it is all kind of new to me, I do love to downloads her kits and a few others because some day I will sit down and make a digi layout. I might just try this new kit out and do one, if I do, I will post it here and give Steph all the credit. He blog also has some more great links to other digi blogs. So, if you are a digi scrapper make sure you check them out, they are great eye candy!

PLEASE bare with me

I am in the process of redoing my blog, have lost all my great links.. tear tear - ugh... will be back later

More Cards and are't they cute!

I made these 3 cards using the Euphoria Basic Grey Paper. I sooo love this paper it is soo soft, pretty and has a lot of interest in it. I pretty basically used that same pp and same color of cardstock for these 3 cards. I also love to use the same supplies and see how many different looks I can get while using them. Although each card has the same color palette and some of the same elements each card is uniquely it's own. So try doing the same, use the same stamp image, a piece of clip art and/or elements and see how many different looks you can come up it, but mostly have fun!