Thank You with All My ❤

Hi all!  This past Thanksgiving holiday has me feeling extra thankful for all the wonderful things in my life.  I have an amazing husband, three gorgeous and sweet children, a job I LOVE, and friends that feel more like the sisters I never had.  Life is good.  :)


The warm, fuzzy feelings led me to make this thankful card for MFT's Wednesday Stamp Club 48.

I kept with a very literal interpretation of the sketch and used the same Die-namics, Well-Worn Greetings, with the coordinating stamp set.  The heart was cut from red felt using the Notched Tag Die-namics.  I added a bit of flair by using the Simply Scallops Die-namics for some trim in cream card stock.  This card felt "homey" to me, so I reached for some twill ribbon and added a big bow in lieu of using a floral embellishment, like the sketch.  Feel free to take some creative freedom when designing cards using the sketches.  They are only to be used as inspiration and you can change it up as you see fit.  :) 

I get asked pretty frequently HOW I stitch so perfectly around ovals and circles.  I took some step-by-step pictures this time so you can see how I do it.  


Die-cut your shape, and stamp as desired.  (Ignore the messy heart, which I "fixed" with a felt heart for my finished project.)  Use a pencil to lightly draw a line about 1/8" from the outer edge of your shape.  Erase and re-draw as needed until you have it as smooth as possible and as evenly spaced as possible.  

Now, use your sewing machine and stitch ONE STITCH AT A TIME, following your pencil line.  The needle should poke THROUGH the pencil line.  Keep your stitches as consistent as possible.  It is especially AWESOME if you can finish in the same hole you started in.  (like I did here)

Using a WHITE eraser, rub over your stitches to remove any remaining pencil lines that are showing.  Depending on the thread you use, you may be able to skip this step.  Now, pull the threads to the back and adhere.

You'll be left with a (mostly) perfectly stitched oval (or circle).

Here is this week's WSC sketch:

Remember, you can get all the details by visiting the MFT Blog and the MFT forum on SCS (look for the most recent WSC thread).  You'll need to upload your card in the SCS gallery using the keyword shown on the sketch. You will have the chance to win up to $20 in MFT money. One winner is chosen at random each week!

Go get sketchy with MFT!

Supplies:

InLinkz.com

May I Have This Dance? Teaser Time Day 1

Hello there!  It's MFT Teaser Time and you know what that means... in one short week there will be LOTS of new MFT goodness available to YOU.  I've had a BLAST using all the new MFT Die-namics and stamp sets and can't wait for the rest of the week!  But first, let me show you what I've created with the new Who's that Girl & Guy stamp set, May I Have This Dance?  I loved it so much, I used it twice.  :) 


First up, I created this romantic card using May I Have This Dance?, Mini Tabs Foursome, and the new Skyline Die-namics (LOVE it).

The image was colored with Copic markers.  I stamped a sentiment from the set on the Mini File Tab (LOVE the big ones, LOVE the new small ones).  :) 

The floral embellishment is a stack of various Prima flowers and a flocked brad.

Here is a peek inside the card.  Check out the amazing Skyline Die-namics die.  I LOVE it. The tiny window cutouts are ADORABLE.  I used another included sentiment from the set.

After I made that card, I was feeling a romantic, black and white movie type of vibe and I decided to revisit the "monochromatic coloring" Copic technique and make another card.  My goal was to make it look like a black and white polaroid picture.  I used the Skyline Die-namics, and the NEW By the Letters Die-namics on this card, as well as the Hearts a Plenty and Homespun Birdhouse (heart) Die-namics dies.

I love the style of the alphabet.  It is simple and sweet.  It works with a large variety of styles from cute to elegant!

Here is a peek inside the card, using the Skyline Die-namics die again, as well as a beautiful sentiment from that stamp set.

Here are the soon-to-be-released Die-namics I have used on my cards.

Here are the details about the upcoming release on December 6 at 10 PM EST:

• You can attend the New Release Party on December 6th from 8-10 PM EST HERE in the MFT forum, where you can enjoy fun, games, and PRIZES!
• The MFT release, including all new stamp sets and Die-namics, is on December 6 at 10 PM EST.  You'll find all the newest products HERE at release time.
• The guest designer contest is ON!  Check out the forum for details on how YOU can win $200 in stamp sets and Die-namics, and play along with the MFT Design Team for a month.
• If you'd like to see all the teasers for today, please click on over to the MFT Blog NOW.  Be sure to leave comments as you go for the chance to win one of 2, $10 gift certificates given away daily.  The winners will be posted on December 6 just before the release party, on the MFT blog.

Supplies:

InLinkz.com

Creative Chat - Desk Tour & Favorite Tools

It's time for the MFT Creative Chat. The My Favorite Things Design Team Creative Chat is a monthly feature, where we are challenged to explore our creative spaces and share valuable organizational methods, tools, and shopping strategies with you. You'll be able to peek into our creative spaces, ask questions, and share your own ideas in the MFT forum.  This month, we were asked the following questions:  

Show us your desk.  How do you have things set up, and why?  

What are your "go-to" tools?  Tell us what you can't live without.

Visit Kim's Blog for a full list of designers that have taken up the challenge and get ready to delve into the minds of our creative team.

I love when the Creative Chat comes around each month.  It "forces" me to make my stamp room "company ready" and get things clean and organized, which secretly makes me SO HAPPY.  I love sitting down in a clean stampy space (side-note: Dear Autocorrect, please stop changing stampy into stumpy), although it only lasts a couple minutes.  LOL

I made a VIDEO this month where I take you on a desk tour and share my favorite tools with you.  You can watch it HERE or click the "play" icon below!

For those of you not interested in a video, I also am writing it out in a "photo tutorial" format.  I aim to please.  :) 

Here is my stamp desk.  I cleaned it for the occasion.  Normally it is a total disaster.  I took a picture of it "before" and then realized I couldn't use it because I had new products laying ALL over the place.  OOPS.  LOL   I keep my desk pretty bare because once I start stamping, stuff is EVERYWHERE and then I don't have room to work.  LOL  I have lots of stuff within arms reach that I need, but that doesn't necessarily need to be on my desk.

I use a Pampered Chef Tool Turnabout to house my Prismacolor pencils.  I don't use them very often, but I don't like to get up to get those, so they stay on my desk, to the left.  You can also see my iPhone sitting there.  If I am stamping, it is there with me.  I am usually multitasking playing Words with Friends, or checking my e-mail obsessively.  Just keepin' it real. LOL

I always have this little embellishment organizer on my desk.  It houses my most-used "normal" brads in black, silver, pewter, and 3 different sizes of aged copper.  It's looking kind of empty, let's refill shall we?

I buy lots of brads when they go on sale at Hobby Lobby or Michaels and then empty them into these plastic bags.  When my organizer is running low, I just refill it from my stash.  If my stash is running low, I start shaking (signs of withdrawal - joking... sort of).

Ahhhhh, now my OCD is happy again.  (joking again... sort of).  LOL

My two most frequently used ink pads:

I like to keep a nice assortment of acrylic mounts on my desk and accessible.  These are my fave.

This picture drives me nuts.  It reminds me how badly I wish I had bought ONLY Copic SKETCH markers.  Having a mix of Ciaos and Sketch markers drives me insane.  I need the number on the cap.  Every time I convince myself that I am going to replace them all with sketch markers, my frugal side pops in and stops me.  One day...

I like the X Cubes for my Copic storage.  I like to separate things into like categories to make them easier to find.  I also must have my Copic color chart.  I like Sharon's which you can find HERE.  THIS is where I buy my Copic markers (when you "add to cart" they are cheaper than they show on the site).

This is a gift from Arlene that I LOVE.  It's a Surebonder Detail High Temp Glue Gun and I LOVE it for adhering large embellishments to cards and using to create MFT's rolled flowers.  It holds SO well and dries quickly!  (PS: it is on the stand backward right now.  When I used it, the tip goes over the white thing and you can peel any drips right off.)

I keep my smaller tools in another Tool Turnabout from Pampered Chef.  As I was editing this picture, I went and cleaned out some of the stuff in there that I hardly use, so it's not quite as full now.  

Here are my most-used tools from my Tool Turnabout.

• paper piercer - use for brad holes and removing the liner off sticky stuff
• quilling tool - use for making rolled flowers
• pen and pencil - making light, erasable marks on paper, jotting down measurement notes
• teflon bone folder - doesn't leave shiny marks on your card stock when creasing.  Expensive, but well worth it.
• assorted scissors for ribbon, misc, and adhesives

I also love my centering ruler.  (Michaels, around $3)

My Teflon Bone Folder.  Love it. 

This is the paper trimmer that I have (and love).  Here are the pros:

• 6 inch base, so I rarely need the "arm" thing
• wire cut line to help decide where to cut
• lightweight and easy to maneuver around my usually messy desk
• measurement grid is printed from underneath, so it will never wear off

You can buy one HERE.

I use a Scor-Buddy to score my card bases.  I also have a full-sized one, but this one is my most-used.  It's small and cute.  LOL 

I keep my embossing tool and Swarovski crystal heat-setting tool (Michaels) nearby and always plugged in.

Ahhhhh, sweet, sweet Janome Sew Mini, how I love thee.  It's small, cheap, lightweight, and I've been using it for YEARS without incident.  I love it SO much that I have a brand new backup that I store in the closet.  When this one breaks (knock on wood), I'll be prepared.   

• extra scoring blades
• Eclipse masking tape
• sanding blocks (for fuzzy edges of card stock)
• Basic Grey sanding tools

My most-used adhesives. Red line sticky dots, tape, and dimensional dots.  Love.

My paper-piercing pad takes a licking and keeps on ticking... but I NEED a new one.  Anyone know where to get one EXACTLY like this one?  

Some more frequently-used adhesives: glue sticks, glue dots, mono adhesive, more dimensional dots.

I feel the need to have lots of mounting blocks.  What if I want to use every stamp in a clear stamp set without cleaning them??? (sarcasm)

Shelving unit to the right of my desk, within arms-reach.

Bad lighting in my stamp room = the need for plenty Ott Lites.  I have 5 in there... 2 of them are on my stamp desk.

One last look at my very tidy stamp desk.  Within 30 minutes the desk was TRASHED!  LOL  

Thanks for joining my on my desk tour.  :)  I'll see you tomorrow for the start of MFT Teaser Time!