Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Creative Card Crew Challege #88 Teen

Creative Card Crew challenge #88 is a teen theme. At first this challenge threw me. I had no idea what to do for a Teen project. It seems all my teen does is text, listen to music, and play video games.

Then I ran across the ElenaK digi image and decided this is perfect; heavens knows my son would give anything to be a Rockstar.



Our Challenge Sponsor
Kenny K Downloads


Prize: 3 Digi's


I began by printing the image and coloring her with Copic markers and adding accents with my Sakura Gelly Roll pens. I fussy cut the image and set it aside while I assembled the rest of the card.


I used patterned paper from the Hey Kid paper stack by Pink Paislee. For the background, I used Ranger's Clear and Gold Embossing Powder and the Rockstar stamp set from Inkadinkado. I highlighted the sentiment with my Signo Uni-ball gel pen.


I used a EK Success punch and backed the open spaces with Scor-pal tape. I filled the star-shaped holes with gold embossing powder and heated it to create an "enamel" feel to the "stage."

I adhered all of the paper components to a purple card base and popped the image p off of the "stage." I finished the card off by adding faux stitching with my Signo Uni-ball white gel pen.

I look forward to seeing your interpretation of the Teen challenge. Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting.

Dana Desmond


Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Good Day, Designer Collaboration at Pixel Scrapper

Today is one of the most fun at Pixel Scrapper--COLLABORATION DAY--!! Collaborations are when all designers create kits that all collaborate together, using the same theme and color palette. You get slightly varied styles that all work together. I have created several very different layouts using elements from the Good Day Collaboration Bundle.

The first one uses mostly elements from Marisa Lerin's portion of the collaboration. It is very bright, but uses a limited color palette of mostly yellow and pink. The open flowers remind me of crocheted doily centers. I think they work very well with the pictures.



The next layout mostly consists of elements from Melo Vrijhof''s kits in the collaboration. Her style for this kit is more free-flowing watercolor images, with many different colors. I love the 4-square watercolor block background. Kelli's dress in the picture is completely covered in sequins and when the light hits it, rainbow spots of light reflect on every surface around her. So I wanted to being that though together using all of the rainbow papers. The gray border paper from the kit just keeps the focus on the photos and bright colors without letting your eye wander around the page and get lost.


These layouts feature only two of the many talented digital artists who participated in the collaboration. As you can see below the bundle if loaded with every type of  scrapbooking element you could ever want. 



I love this kit so much, I'm going to being working on a hybrid project for it, similar to the mini album project using Already There that I posted yesterday. I will do my best to make sure the video quality is much better this time. (I was going to promise and decided maybe that is a bit too strong. I'm not that confident in recording skills yet.)

If you want to be able to play with these wonderful images, head over to Pixel Scrapper. You will definitely have a blast finding fun ways to use them.

Keep coming back to find more projects made with this awesome collaboration. Until then, thanks for stopping by and happy crafting,

Dana Desmond

Monday, May 18, 2015

Hybrid Mini Album using Already There Digi Kit


I made this mini album using the Already There digital kit by Violet Irisonva. This kit can be found at Pixel Scrapper. As you can see it has tons of inspirational quotes and lots of real estate for photos, journaling, and memorabilia.




First, I apologize for the poor video and sound quality. I'm still learning, so it will get better. I still wanted to share my latest project.


All the papers and elements of this kit are separate digital files. I first created the base pages (the ones that say, "Place Photo Here") in Photoshop Elements 10. I printed them on my Epson Workforce 7520 on heavy cardstock.

I used my Silhouette Cameo to print and cut the other loose elements I show you at the beginning of the video. I embellished each page a bit more with the loose die cut pieces.

I made pocket pages out of the 4 x 6 journal cards that come in the kit. All of the tags were created using the leftover papers I had printed.

One of the best parts about using a digi kit to make physical projects is that you never run out of a design or element you like. You also get to choose what type of paper it is printed on. I printed this on heavy cardstock, but when I decoupage, I use regular copy paper. So digi's are perfect for any application.

I have tons more mini albums made using traditional scrapbook paper that I will be sharing in future videos. I might even talk in them.

If you like anything you see, let me know. I make custom albums of all sizes as well.

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting,
Dana Desmond

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Creative Card Crew Challenge # 87 Embossing

This fortnight challenge over at Creative Card Crew is to create a paper project using embossing.

I used the Berry Sundae image set from Sparkle N Sprinkle for my card.



#87 Embossing - Wet or Dry

Our sponsor for this challenges is 

Prize: Up to $15 in Digi's


I began by printing the image and sentiment on a piece of Simon Says Stamp #120 cardstock and colored it with Copic markers. This digi set has many sentiments that work perfectly with this image.I then used my Signo Uni-ball white gel pen to add highlights to the image. 

Using an old paint brush, I lightly coated the "glass" portions of the image with Diamond Stickles.
Since the Stickles was a thin layer, it dried very quickly, allowing me to add a coat of Glossy Accents over the area.


Using a Spellbinders die, I cut the image piece, a brown mat layer, and a cream piece of index cardstock. I dry embossed the index layer using the Swirls embossing folder from Cuttlebug. I thought this pattern coordinated well with the swirl of the pudding.

I then embossed a Lavender Moon piece of cardstock from Papertrey Ink, using the Swiss Dots embossing folder, also by Cuttlebug. I wet embossed the edges of a piece of white cardstock using 1/4" Scor-pal tape and Rangesr's Enchanted Gold embossing power. The creamy color of the embossing folder coordinates well with the creamy color of the pudding and it adds a bit more sparkle to the card. 

I added the the Lavender Moon panel to a black cardstock based. I popped the focal image up on foam tape and finished the card off by adding faux stitching with my Sakura Sepia Metallic Gelly Roll Pen.

Please join us over at Creative Card Crew. Your project does not have to be a card, just a paper craft. I look forward to seeing what you create.

Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting.
Dana Desmond

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Brought to you by the letter "Nn" for Jellyfishing...

Like yesterday's layout, this one was also created using the Shine digital bundle by Sheila Reid. This bundle can be found at Pixel Scrapper. Yesterday I used this bundle for a birthday layout, the soft colors and the beautiful images were perfect for a very feminine layout.

Today's layout is a bit more beachy. I wanted to capture this awesome moment between my daughter and her boyfriend's son. Jacob is new to us and the only child in our immediate family. So, that means everything he does is adorable. This little boy has filled my heart with love faster than I ever though possible.


Jacob crawls in bed with Kelli wanting to do his flash cards. He is going along, doing very well naming the pictures and Kelli is helping him with his letter sounds. They get to the letter N and Jacob proudly announces the picture is “Jellyfishing!” I’m guessing he has been watching a bit too much Spongebob. Oh, the glimpse of a child’s world.

As I mentioned yesterday, this kit is very versatile; that is what I like best about digital kits. You can make them work for so many different applications.I urge you to head over and check out this bundle and all the other digital goodness available at Pixel Scrapper.



Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting,
 Dana Desmond

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

60th Birthday Surprise Party Digital Layout

My layout today was created using the Shine digital bundle by Sheila Reid. This bundle can be found at Pixel Scrapper. Even though I have used this bundle for a birthday layout, the soft colors and the beautiful images definitely have potential for all kinds of spring or baby layouts. The word art in the kit is absolutely inspiring.

Mom thought she was going to a 40th birthday party for my cousin Andy. When she got there, we told her the bakery had messed up the cake and that is was so bad she had to look at it. She got halfway across the room before she saw the “60” on the cake.

I urge you to head over and check out this bundle and all the other digital goodness available at Pixel Scrapper.