Category Archives: Martha Stewart

So Thank-Fall” Getting Cricky Blog Hop

eCraft, Fundamentals 2, Jen Allyson Celebrates, K Andrew Designs, Martha Stewart 30 Comments
Welcome to the “So Thank-Fall” Getting Cricky Blog Hop!!

Welcome to this month’s Getting Cricky Design Team Blog Hop!!  Each of us, along with our Special Guest – Letillia from Diva of 5, are so pleased to have you here with us!!  Along the way, you’ll see NEW ideas for creating cards and projects with Kristal’s stamps sets!!

If you’ve hopped along from Janis’ Blog, then you are in the right place!! And, as I’m sure you know by know, if you just happen to be one of my faithful readers (thanks to all of you), please be sure to start at the beginning with Kristal’s blog.  I’d hate you to miss out on any of the fun!

In case this is your first time to hop along with us, there are some things you should know about K Andrew Designs Art Stamps.  Each of Kristal’s stamp sets benefit charity and $1 per stamp set goes to benefit the charity noted on the stamp set package. Currently Kristal is donating to the following charities: Cancer Angels, Storefront Shelter for Homeless Children, Intrepid & Fallen Heroes, E. Glaser Pediatric AIDS  Foundation, Doorways Shelter for Women & Children (Domestic Violence), Wayside House for Women, Camp Good Days & Special Times, Adopt a Classroom, and Autism Research Institute. Kristal will donate $1 for every stamp set sold, (retail or wholesale) to the charity noted; you can imagine how wonderful this will be over time, I’m sure.  Each time you purchase a K Andrew Designs art stamp set, someone around the country is receiving some good help!  This is exactly what Kristal means when she says “Stamp Good, Do Good!”

If all of that wasn’t reason enough to get you opening a new browser and going to K Andrew Designs, these stamps are all made and assembled here in the USA ensuring all product materials are safe and that jobs are being provided and maintained here in America.  You can learn even more about Kristal’s stamps (and pick some up for yourself) by visiting her online store: K Andrew Designs

To say “THANK YOU” for hopping along with us today, we have TWO coupon code specials for you to take advantage of for THIS WEEKEND ONLY (thru Sunday, October 23rd):

fallblessings for 25% off the Fall-O-Ween set

shipitfree for FREE SHIPPING!!

Kristal’s newest stamps sets are LARGER sets — perfect for cards, layouts, and so much more…  For more details or to make one these sets YOURS, please click on the preview:

Crafty Friends
Owly-Hoo
Pirate Party! LARGE SHEET (Faces included–but separate so you can use other face stamps)
Pirate Tales & Fish Scales (LARGE SHEET)


For my first project, I’m featuring the Fall-O-Ween set and Winter Wishes set shown below.

Fall-O-Ween
Winter Wishes

Our theme this month is “Thank-Fall”…you know something Fall related that we are grateful for.  Fall is my second favorite season and I’m thrilled to report that our leaves are finally turning their usual amazing colors.  I live in the foothills of some mountains…one of them we lovingly call MY mountain.  The pictures in this layout are not my own, but nonetheless I am grateful for this amazing Fall View:

All of the paper used in this layout is from Core’dinations.  The photos are matted very tightly to a red piece and the orange accent piece was punched along the top and bottom edge with the Martha Stewart fall leaves edge punch.  I tried the EK Success Layering Punch for the small maple leaf in the top right corner but returned it because it doesn’t work like as well as I’d like.  The bigger leaves were cut with my eCraft using I think the Fundamentals 2 SD Card.  The “Be Thankful” tag was also cut with my eCraft, as was the title “autumn”.  To get this sentiment combination I used the B and E from the “Best Witches” sentiment along with the word thankful.  The word delightful comes form Winter Wishes and Blessings is from the Fall-O-Ween set as well.

The other thing I am most thankful for (at this time of year especially) is family.  Though intended to be a card design, the “center step” template made the perfect display for a recent photo of 5 of my favorite kids:

Here the jack-o-lantern edge was punched with a Martha Stewart punch and layered on the card.  I cut a cloud and moon with my eCraft added some ink to both, stamped the bat  from the Fall-O-Ween set on the cloud and added “Harvest up some fun” as the sentiment at the bottom.  The moon and cloud were attached using pop dots for added dimension.  Man I ♥ these kiddos severe!

Unfortunately, I am so far behind in sending out blog candy for previous winners, I don’t have any to offer at this time.  Be sure you visit my DT sisters’ blogs though for ways to win some K Andrew Art Stamp goodness because I know many of them are offering a stamp set as blog candy.  Next up is my awesome friend and DT Sister Ildi, the Craftin’ Mama!.  Please click here to visit her blog.

Here’s a list of the entire hop, in case you get lost along the way or want to revisit anyone:

Where is Fall at ANYWAY

"Bow"dacious, eCraft, K Andrew Designs, Martha Stewart 13 Comments

So last Sunday after posting my Simple Sunday project I got ready for church and headed out.  I was soooooooooooooo excited when I opened the door and Fall like temperatures and weather were waiting to greet me.  That excitement was short lived…it was 72 the next day and 80 the rest of the week.  Yesterday it was mid 70′s and today is supposed to get to the mid-eighties.   Am I complaining…no, not really.  There are a lot worse climates to live in than mine, but I do miss Fall.  It’s my second favorite season you know…the colors, the food, the feeling…Fall just feels good.  Not to mention it’s the one time a year when pretty much everyone starts taking a look at what they are thankful for…all of this was the motive behind the project I’m sharing with you today.  Allow me to present my first center step card:

There are so many “unusual” things about this card…unusual for me anyway.  I’m uncertain about if I like it or not but I’m posting it anyone (a few of you have said I should post more of what I make whether I like it or not…you know you are so this is just for you).  Ok…so let’s talk about what’s so unusual…first it’s the first time I’ve ever tried this technique of a fold before…I like that part at least.  Second it’s unusual because these are not colors I ever work with…not in this combination anyway.  I almost never use orange…in fact, except for some recent Halloween projects I’ve done I can’t remember ever using orange in a project.  Third, I don’t usually use patterned paper for anything more than a mat behind a solid sheet of paper.  Fourth (we are on 4th right), ummmm…I know there was a 4th unusual thing about this project, but I forget now.  Maybe it was that I don’t usually do any fall themed items, maybe it was that I don’t usually ever have this much contrast in a project, maybe it’s that I don’t usually make things just to make them (usually everything I make has an intended recipient), or maybe the 4th unusual thing about this card was I triple layered the leaf and stamped at an angle…maybe that’s a lot more than just 4 unusual things…

Supplies Needed:
1 5.5 by 11 sheet of cardstock for card base
Score board of some kind (I used my Martha Stewart one)
The instructions found here
A Maple Leaf Cut (I made my own using Photoshop and SCAL)
Lace Ribbon (Martha Stewart)
DIY Glimmer Mist to color the lace (green and gold used here)
Embossing Tool/Gun
Adhesive (Mono Tape Runner, Foam Dots, tape)
Ink (I used Chocolate Chip from Stampin’ Up)
Ribbon for a bow (from my stash)
Stamps (I used K Andrew Designs Fall-O-Ween)
Scrap paper to decorate your card base

Once you get the card base cut and scored, you are ready to decorate.  I created a layered maple leaf in SCAL and cut each layer a different color, lightly inked the edges with Chocolate Chip ink from Stampin’ Up, and pieced it together.  Then I stamped my sentiment from K Andrew Designs Fall-O-Ween stamp set (shown below) and set it aside.  Next I added the decorative layers.  The animal print paper is from the DCWV Lady Couture stack, the paper layers in the center are just from my stash.  I also used the Lady Couture paper under the lace but you can’t see it really well.  The printed paper was cut at 4.25 by 1.25 (cut two of these).  The center step base piece was cut at 4.25 by 2.25 and I added two or three more layers cutting them 1/8 of an inch smaller each time.  The strip under the lace is .75 by 5.25.  You may want different measurements, or you may find mine useful.  Either way, it’s up to you!

For the bow, I tied it using my hideously ugly peg bow board and taped it to the back of the center piece.  Man I love that bow board I’m telling you!  I may line the inside of the card to cover the tape from the bow and lace but I’m not sure yet.  The lace just didn’t look right white and so I broke out my DIY Green Glimmer Mist and got all inky.  I then added some DIY gold and dried the lace using my embossing tool/gun and I’m still not quite sure it looks right but….

I then added foam dots to the back of the maple leaf and adhered to the center piece and called it good.  I really like this card fold and will likely make more cards using it in the future.  Be sure to head over to K Andrew Designs and pick up YOUR Fall-O-Ween set then show me what you create with it!  This is the PERFECT set for Halloween, Fall, and NUMEROUS other things…here’s just a few mix and match ideas for ANY occasion ”for you friend”, a little fun”, for a sweet little friend”, “blessings to you” (wedding maybe), etc.  If I had to describe Kristal’s stamps in ONE word, it’d totally be versatile!  Till next time friends!

Getting Cricky Blog Hop – Winner Chosen, Congrats Cathy!

"Bow"dacious, K Andrew Designs, Lettering Delights, Martha Stewart, Spellbinders 58 Comments

Talk about the pressure…I was selected to be apart of the Getting Cricky Design Team about a week and a half ago and here we are at my first official hop!  YAY!  Kristal, I so hope I do not disappoint!

So…if you’ve been hopping along the path, you should have arrived here from my DT Sister Brenda’s blog.  If you happened to just stumble across my blog or are a loyal subscriber (thank you I love my subscribers more than you will ever know), please be sure to visit my dear sweet friend Kristal’s blog to start at the beginning.  We are all featuring her three new sets that she will officially release in just an hour on her UStream.  Just click the image below to be taken to her channel.  It begins at 6pm PST or 7pm MST or 8pm CST or 9pm EST…(see I covered pretty much everyone except my European and Island friends I think).

Now…here are the projects I’ve created for this hop…first up is my favorite project thus far.  Erin Spanstastik, I’m sorry for the loss of your Great Aunt, this one is for you:

I used some pink Colorbok paper from Wal Mart as the card base, patterned paper from my stash (only available that I’ve seen at Michael’s), ribbon, Martha Stewart lace, Butterfly Circles Spellbinders, and the AMAZING brand new stamp set Sympathetic Sayings.  Erin I will have this in the mail to you soon, I hope you love it!

Next up, I have a toilet paper roll album that, to be quite frank, I’m not thrilled with.  Kristal and my DT Sister’s love it though and so I promised I’d feature it as well.  This project features the Winged Things set.  I love this scripture/thought, it is one of my favorites and I can personally testify that it IS true.

Next up is a smash effort using the Winged Things and Coffee and Tea for You and Me sets.  Sugar comes from Coffee and Tea for You and Me and Sweet comes from Winged Things.

The Coffee and Tea for You and Me set was also featured in my eCraft blog hop projects.  To go to that post, please click here.

See…I told you these sets are AWESOME!!!!!  Please make sure you join us for the UStream!  Kristal has LOTS of amazing things in store…maybe even a free stamp set or two, but you have to tune in to find out.  Speaking of free stamp sets…I will be giving away my all time favorite K Andrew Design stamp set for this hop…Positive Thoughts!  Check out what it looks like if you don’t know:

If you don’t already have any of Kristal’s stamps, now’s the chance for you to win them FREE!!!!!  What set’s her stamps apart you ask?  First, they are created of the highest quality polymer available, they smell amazing, they stamp even better than they smell and…likely most importantly, a $1 from each stamp set sold goes to charity.  Kristal also matches that donation dollar for dollar.  What’s not to love about a great product, created by a great person, that helps a great cause right?  Proceeds from the Positive Thoughts set benefit Storefront Children’s Charities.  You can read more about this charity at www.kandrewdesigns.com.

Next up is my DT Sister Amy from Love To Crop.  Please be sure to go visit her and see what she has in store for you.  In case you get lost along the way, here is the entire line-up:

Kristal http://gettingcricky.com

Amanda  http://amandascraftsandmore.blogspot.com/

Brenda http://createbyburffrau.blogspot.com

Faith http://faithfulecreations.com <<<YOU ARE HERE>>>

Amy http://www.lovetocrop.com <<<GO HERE NEXT>>>

Janis http://PauseDreamEnjoy.blogspot.com/

Becky www.squirlygirlcreations.blogspot.com

Lisa http://indymermaid.blogspot.com/

Shawn http://craftychicsblog.blogspot.com/

Deb  http://www.scrappingmamma.net

Janice http://stampingwithjanice.blogspot.com/

Kathy http://the3esblog.blogspot.com/

To be eligible to win the Positive Thoughts stamp set, please leave a comment letting me know what set you like best from this release.  Receive an extra entry for being an email subscriber!  Good luck and see you soon on the UStream!

She is all that and some

K Andrew Designs, Martha Stewart 3 Comments

Usually by the time my homework is done, I’m wiped and ready to get in prone position wherever I can.  Sometimes I don’t even make it to prone and fall asleep in my living room chair.  Tonight however, I finished all my homework and found myself still wide awake.   Crafting soothes me (once I’m finished with something I love…the process sometimes aggravates me to no end) and so I decided to pull out my K Andrew Designs stamp sets and see what I could come up with.  These stamps are divine and so many ideas passed through my brain…don’t worry I’ll get them out and into reality soon enough so you all can see them.  I am a stamp snob now remember…Kristal’s stamps just add to that lol.  They are just beautiful to work with.  Super firm polymer (yay because squishy stamps annoy me), they pick up ink well and then transfer it to your medium (in my case usually paper) quite well also.  The set that needed to get inky with me tonight is the new Amazing You set.  I used the sentiments “amazing”, “beautiful” and “brilliant” to create this page of one of my all-time favorite people:

Click picture for larger image.

Click picture for larger image.

All the paper used came from my LSS in this huge package for like 15 bucks.  It’s one of my favorite solid color card stocks because it has a solid core, it’s nice and thick, AND it’s cheap!  I did use lots of other things to so be sure to check out the supplies list below.

Supplies Needed
Flat backed pearls
Ribbon
Lace
Paper
Martha Stewart Punch About the Page Set of your choice (here I used hearts something…lol)
Adhesive (scotch tape and ATG)
Bling
K Andrews Amazing You stamp set
Vintage Photo Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)

Ok…so, the piece of paper that’s punched around the page is a 10.25 inch square then I punched it using my heart whatever punch set.  The brown background/photo mat is 8 wide by 7 high.  I lined up the sentiments I wanted to use on my EK Success plastic lined ruler, grabbed m HUGE stamp blog, inked them up with Vintage Photo and stamped…voila!  When I was finished with stamping this page still looked a little plain to me so I added the flat backed pearls and bling and I think it’s just PERFECT now!  Now I have to make a bigger light box so I can photograph my layouts in it!

Enjoy, Explore, Believe

"Bow"dacious, Martha Stewart, Spellbinders, Unity Stamps Leave a comment

I used to only make cards when I had a special occasion arise that needed one.  Now I make cards just because I can.  My “bow”dacious board helps me make some of the most incredible bows now and this one was inspired by the pillow cases on my bed.  If you’ve read the About Me page, you know that purple is my all time very favorite color for a lot of reasons.  After making my “bow”dacious board, I decided I wanted to push the envelope a little bit on Becca Bows.  After the first double ribbon bow came out so well (you can see that here), I made a few more.  I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with this double purple one but then it finally came to me:

I have no idea who I’ll give it to, but I sure like looking at it…don’t you?!?

Supplies Needed:
6 by 12 cardstock for base
Martha Stewart Double Arches Deep Edge Punch
Scraps for the Spellbinders cuts
Ribbon
Adhesive (ATG used here)
Bling
Unity Stamp Set She Said
Patterned Paper for background (I think mine is 4.75 x 4.75)

I stamped the image first then used a Spellbinders die to cut it out.  I used a label set but I forget which one now.  Then this is mounted to the largest Lacey Square at an angle for dimension.  I cut a piece of matching paper (from the Lacey Square piece) 5.75 by 5.75 square for the inside and will likely add a white layer too to make writing inside the card or stamping easier.  You can add your bling wherever desired.  Oh yes before I forget…the background paper that the bow is tied too wasn’t heavy enough on its own so I added a piece of cardstock behind it to make it stable enough to support the bow.  Such an awesome sentiment…what can you enjoy, explore, and believe in today?