10 Ways to get your Crafty Mojo BACK!

It happens to all of us - we run out of ideas, lose our mojo, whatever you want to call it. It can be frustrating and frightening but don't panic! I've got 10 things to try (and 3 things to NOT do) when you're in a creative slump.

I made this card while practicing tip #5 - combine techniques you already know to create something new!

I used alcohol inks with stencils (like last week) and combined it with Jennifer McGuire's alcohol press technique, which is not only an easy way to get a 2-for-1 background, but it also helps you clean your stencil! 

Watch the video:

Studio Light Winter Video Hop

Today, I've got tons of ideas for making holiday gift tags and gift card wrappings, and lots of tips for getting more from both your specialty tag dies as well as other winter-themed dies. And if you don't have these dies, I've provided alternative ideas so you can get the look with what you already have.

Today's video is part of a hop to show off some of the newest release from Studio Light, so hop and comment for a chance to win a prize pack (one prize pack available on each stop of the hop, so the more you watch and comment on, the higher your chances of winning)! All comments must be left by November 19 and the winners will be announced on the Studio Light YouTube channel on November 22.

Start with my video here:

Evolution of an Idea (AND FREE Eat, Sleep, Crafty Retreat sneak peek class!)

 

Sometimes, it's fun to start with a simple idea and then just see where it can take you! That's exactly what I did with these 4 anniversary cards!

I needed them quick so I thought I would simply use this Studio Light heart die, some metallic cardstock and a piece of gray cardstock (made with my gel plate and Catherine Pooler inks).

Pretty. But it needed more pop! So I cut the die again from red cardstock, so I could inlay a few of the hearts.

Then I cut the die from the gray cardstock to get 2 cards using that one panel. First, I used the red outline 

And finally, I knew I had to do a full inlay:

This is a great die from Studio Light - you can use it on its own, or fill in some or all of the pieces for a different look. Hearts like this will never go out of style and they make for very quick and easy anniversary and Valentine's cards.

If you love to learn new techniques like die-cut inlay, fancy folds, working with alcohol inks and more, join us at the Eat Sleep Crafty Retreat on November 13-14. 

These topics are taught by me and 4 other amazing crafty teachers! The classes will be live via Zoom (so you can craft along and ask questions when you need to!), and they will be recorded so you can refer back to them, or watch them later if the time doesn't work for you.

AND if you want to 'try before you buy', there's a FREE class happening this Wednesday at 4 pm ET (and it will be recorded in case that time doesn't work for you!) Click here to sign up!

Case Me A Christmas Card (2021)

 

I'm excited to be once again helping Michelle Lupton kick off her annual Case Me A Christmas Card event!

Michelle and I each chose a card the other made as inspiration and set out to make our own version. If you were here last year, you'll remember that this is where my LIMES concept was born! 

This year, I've refined the process to make it even easier to use an inspiration piece and create your own, unique take on it! 

Be sure to watch my video to see my inspiration and how I made my 3 very different, but clearly inspired Christmas cards! (I've linked to Michelle's video on my YouTube channel):

Sunflower Thanks

Congratulations to this week's Featured Stamper, Mom42Gran21.

I chose this card as my inspiration

LIST: Colours (autumn tones of orange, green, red, purple, blue, gold accents), Elements (3 flowers, leaves, stamped sentiment strip, torn edge), Techniques - blended? background

INCLUDE: colours, flowers, leaves, gold accents

MODIFY: one flower, fewer leaves, inlaid die cut, gel plate/ stencil technique on background and flower/leaves, die cut sentiment

EXCLUDE: torn edge

SPIN: Square card

This card is a a real mix of products from a number of my favourite companies. The sunflower is from A Jillian Vance Design, and I liked the outline design so much that I got out some Waffle Flower leaf dies that also have that outline.

To colour my cardstock background and inlaid pieces, I used my gel plate and some stencils. I love how the starburst stencil on the flower actually makes it look like there are more petals. And if you look closely, you can see the stencil pattern on the flower centre as well - I just blended dark brown ink over top of it so that I could retain the subtle pattern.

One More...

After making the third card in this post, I had a bit of a brainstorm about using the full slimline die cut to make a card. This time, I used the full die cut, and 'wrapped' it around a square piece of white cardstock. Here's the back of the card:

The top flap is shaped, and doesn't fully cover the base of the card. I turned the stamped image so that this is a side folding card (and it will be able to stand). 

I also love how versatile this floral stamp is - it doesn't have to be a Christmas card - with different colours it can work all year long!

One Die Three Ways!

 

Congratulations to this week's Featured Stamper, Robin (Stamperrobin).

I chose this card as my inspiration:

LIST: Colours (white, peach, green), Elements (landscape layout, fancy die cut, frame, floral, stamped sentiment lower right, embossed background, pearls, ribbon), Techniques (stamping, die cut, embossing)

INCLUDE: landscape layout, fancy die cut, frame, floral, stamped sentiment

MODIFY: colours (peach to red), format, 

EXCLUDE: embossing, pearls, ribbon

Today, I'm sharing 3 different ways to use some Studio Light Slimline dies. These products are all available at Canadian shop Ecstasy Crafts

I started by creating a card, using the dies the way they were probably intended. Note this card is 4.5 x 8.5 inches, so it's a bit wider than the usual slimline size.

I cut the biggest die from green paper, the next size from gold mirror cardstock and adhered them to a white card base.

Then I created a panel for my top layer - I cut strips of the green and red papers from the double-sided Christmas paper pad and adhered them onto some printer paper. I added strips of white cardstock above and below the strips and then trimmed it with the smallest slimline die.

I created my signature negative frame by cutting the larger diamond from the striped panel, and then popping up the smaller stitched diamond (cut from red paper) 

Here are two other ideas with this die set:

A gift-card holder by scoring the largest die cut at 2 5/8" from each end to create a little envelope.

A 4.25" card using part of the slimline die cut.

Calm & Bright

Congratulatiions to this week's Featured Stamper, Akiko (apsudano).

I chose this card as my inspiration:

LIST: Colours (blue, green, yellow, orange, black, kraft), Elements (trees, tent, stamped sentiment strip, twine, black frame), Techniques (inkblending, stamping, die cutting)

INCLUDE: blue, green, yellow, kraft, trees, stamped sentiment, inkblended sky, 

MODIFY: trees are inkblended vs stamped, yellow star instead of yellow tent, white frame and sentiment, 

EXCLUDED: twine, tent, sunset sky

I started by using a new stencil from Studio Light to create my trees. I used the treeline portions of the stencil and Spruce ink to create layers of trees, using different pressures to create the look of perspective in my little forest.

I blended Juniper Mist ink from the top to the tree line to create my night sky. I used a white paint marker to splatter some snow over the panel.

I used a Studio Light die set to create my star, but in an unexpected way. The larger star die has textured rays in it, but it was too big for my scene. So I cut a larger one and then cut it with the smaller die so that the texture would be on the smaller star.

I blended it with yellow inks and stacked it up. My sentiment is a retired sentiment from Neat & Tangled, heat embossed with white powder.

Gift Card Holder with a Date!

How fun is this?! It's a tag/gift card holder using dies from Studio Light. I also used some double-sided paper from one of the Paper Pads and that means it's very quick to make and get a finished look.

I embellished it with a calendar stamp from a Planner Essentials set - this comes with a blank calendar, numbers and fun little dies to add accents, like I have here. So without saying a word, this says 'Do not open until December 25'. 

By changing the colours, this innovative set could work for any occasion!

Christmas in July (Layered Snowflake)

 

Congratulations to this week's Featured Stamper, Deb. 

I chose this card as my inspiration:

LIST: colours (navy, white, periwinkle), elements (repeating geometric floral die cuts, large sentiment strip for die cut sentiment), techniques (die cutting)

INCLUDE:  layered die cuts, colours, horizontal sentiment strip

MODIFY: one snowflake instead of multiple flowers, stamped sentiment, narrower strip, navy to dark periwinkle

EXCLUDE:

SPIN: add iridescent embellishments

To create my layered snowflake, I used a two-part die from Studio Light. I cut the 'window' portion from my Drive In cardstock, and then used both parts to cut the white snowflake. I turned the white snowflake before gluing it to the blue panel, so you can see some of the blue showing through.

I blended Tranquil ink onto my white cardbase before popping up the snowflake panel to create some dimension.

The EBE sentiment was stamped with Versafine Onyx ink onto a Color-Me Strip. I stacked 3 strips together for dimension.

I finished the card with some Dew Drops from Lucy.

Canada Day Video Hop

Happy Canada Day!  I’m excited to be joining a group of crafty Canadian YouTubers in a video hop, and we’re celebrating by featuring Canadian craft products and shops.  See below for more details, discounts and prizes!

I'm also celebrating Christmas in July and my projects all have a holiday theme, although they can easily be changed up to work at any time of the year! If you like to get a head start on your Christmas cards, click here for more information, and a FREE ticket to the Card Maker Success Summit that's happening July 15-18.

Start with my video here and then hop and comment for a chance to win!

Hop Details:

A total of 16 shops and 2 Canadian papercraft magazines have generously sponsored today’s event and we’re giving away over $1300 in prizes!  After you’ve finished watching my video, please leave a comment for your chance to win, and then click on the link in the description below for the next person in the hop.

 The more you comment, the higher your chances of winning. (Please indicate if you are in Canada or elsewhere as a few prizes are restricted to Canadian addresses only.)  All of the giveaway details are on Emily’s blog.

 If you get lost along the way, please head to Emily’s blog for the full list of participants:

Comments close at 11:59pm EDT on Sunday, July 11, 2021 and all winners will be announced on Saturday, July 17, 2021.

Discount Codes:

Creative Scrapbooker

Contest Entry Form

https://creativescrapbooker.ca/artfromtheheart

codeword: CANADA21

Ecstasy Crafts 

$25 off $50+ order using code BLOGHOPCA

Jennifer Edwardson

15% off with CANADADAY

Valid July 1-11

The Paper & Ink Boutique

20% off with CanadaDay20

This coupon code is valid July 1-31 and can be used once per customer during that time period. Gift certificates, classes, take&makes, Jennifer Edwardson Creative Kits, Big Shot Machines, Gemini Jr Machines, pre-orders and Scrappy Hour are excluded. 

Penguin Palace

20% off using code CDAY20OFF

Valid from 30 Jun 9:00pm to 11 July 11:59pm PDT

Pigment Craft Co

15% off using code CELEBRATECANADADAY

Valid July 1st 2am EST - July 4th 10pm EST on all products in the Pigment Craft shop. Cannot be used towards free shipping minimums or to cover shipping fees.

Scrap ’n Stamp

20% off with Canada20

Scrapbook & Cards Today

10% off using code SCT10

This exclusive offer can be used on any online classes, stamps and dies sets and kits on the Scrapbook & Cards Today website. This offer is not valid on events, subscriptions or the SCT Sampler.

Two Scrapbook Friends

20% off with VIDEOHOP21

Valid July 1-10

Code is valid on most items in our store. There are a few things that are excluded and those can be found under our FAQs.

Your Next Stamp

30% off with CANADA

July 1-11

Hello

Congratulations to this week's Featured Stamper, Elizabeth (beadsonthebrain).

I chose this project as my inspiration:

LIST: Colours (dark brown, pinks, green), circle, dry embossing, 'pie' shape, 

INCLUDE: colours, 

MODIFY: circle becomes wreath, 

EXCLUDE: pie pieces, embossing

SPIN: 3D project to card, added gold

I was attracted by the rich brown background and the pops of pinks and green. I immediately thought of making a wreath, and this new Studio Light wreath has lots of leaves for me to add colour.

I cut it from gold satin cardstock, and inlaid it into a brown panel. Then I cut it again from white cardstock, coloured the leaves with Copic markers and inlaid them into the wreath.

For my sentiment, I cut Hello from Ellen Hutson's Block Words die set from the inlaid panel, and also from white (and the E from gold). I coloured the white letters and inlaid them into the panel. 

I used Essential Squares dies to create my negative frame.

Beyond Strips - 10 MORE clever ways to use your cardstock scraps! (and great news for Canadian Crafters!)

 

Are you tired of 'stripping'? LOL! In today's video, I'm sharing 10 OTHER ways to use up your cardstock scraps!

And in other news! If you're a Canadian crafter who's sick of waiting forever for goodies to arrive from outside of Canada, and paying taxes at the door, why not check out Ecstasy Crafts. This is the shop where I got the Studio Light triangle die used in the 4th card (see below).