A Love Kinda Month

It's February...already! And this month is all about love and Valentine's Day and red and pink and hearts! As a single person I focus on the love I have for my kids and my nephews, so I usually get them all chocolates or something small. I'm pretty sure they know how much I love them everyday of the year, but I do get caught up in all the pretty packaging and hearts and shinyness everywhere. 

I created a 5X7 Valentine for my mantel and used words that remind me of my folks, because as crazy as they could make each other, their love was strong and timeless. I still hear the love in my Dad's voice when he talks about Mom and how much he misses her.

My base layer is a piece of cardboard from my TH stash, sprayed with Candied Apple, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo and Tarnished Brass. The large heart was from an old grungeboard set I had again sprayed with the same colours. My old Scrabble tiles are layered on TH burlap,and even though the burlap has the adhesive back, I used glossy accents to adhere it because of the extra weight of the tiles. My aged flowers are sprayed with the Wendy Vecchi Mica Spray in buttecup and the red rose is edged with my Emerald Creek Charred Gold! I added two chipboard pieces from Southern Ridge Trading Company, (these heart flowers may have been discontinued but there are tons of others to choose from) one done with Charred Gold ep and the other stained in the same colours as the background.

Here are a few close ups of my project!

Once I had attached the tiles, I pulled some of the stings off the burlap so it had a more frayed look.

I wish the mica sprays showed up better in the pictures, they are so pretty and shimmery!

I just love the texture I can get with my Charred Gold embossing powder.

 Thank you for stopping by and I hope you are having a wonderful week!

Cathy

Challenges Entered

Frilly and Funkie Be My Valentine
Sisterhood of Crafters "Red" Challenge 

Are You Ready?

It is that time of year again, when suppliers, designers, retailers etc get together and see what's new for 2017!! And exciting new things showed up in my Design Team package for Emerald Creek!! New stamps, new embossing powders and some favorites and these new amazing stones! I can tell you right now that yes, yes you do need them! I already need more!

I knew as soon as I got my first ever Eileen Hull die that this was going to be the base for this project!

Emerald Creek embossing powders go with everything! And this is no different.

I embossed the hinges and latch with Emerald Creek Hammered Metal! It really is one of my favorites EVER!

The roses in their original state on the left and then altered and ready on the right. Stained with the same colours as the box and then embossed with Emerald Creek Charred Gold! Another favorite, it just gives the perfect vintagey vibe.

I used EC cardstock and cut out another set from the die. The cardstock pieces I stained in Tea Dye and Dusty Concord. I used Ranger Embossing Ink through the TH stencil Flourish and embossed it with Emerald Creek Charred Gold. 

I edged my flowers in Charred Gold as well. Look at the texture and colour you can get in one custom embossing powder!

You can see the Amethyst stones on  the corners of the lid and Moissonite as screw tops on the hinges. Everything just works together.

I think everyone needs a jewel encrusted trinket box! Amethyst on the corners and Pyrite as fasteners on the latch.

 

And the hinges work so you can actually use it...perfect spot for all the new little things coming soon from Emerald Creek!

I used flowers and some chipboard and embossed them in Charred Gold so they all looked aged and vintagey, and to change up the small ivory flowers, I embossed them with Champagne.

Thank you so much for stopping by and having a sneak peek of what's coming from Emerald Creek at CHA's Creativation! Hope to meet some of you there!

Please stop by my team mates blogs and see their incredible projects too! Grab a cup of coffee or tea and get comfortable, you do not want to miss any of this week's projects!

Deb

Jess

Katelyn

Cassandra 

Products Used: 

Emerald Creek Charred Gold Embossing Powder
Emerald Creek Hammered Metal Embossing Powder
Emerald Creek Gun Metal Embossing Powder
Emerald Creek Champagne Embossing Powder
Emerald Creek Dragonfly Brads
 Emerald Creek Vintage Shoe Charm

Amethyst Stones - coming soon!

Pyrite Stones - coming soon!

Moissonite Stones - coming soon!

Southern Ridge Trading Company Scroll Borders 

Eileen Hull Train Case Die by Sizzix

Tag #12 - Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016

Thank goodness there are 31 days in December!! I made it!! all 12 tags of 2016 and one was even a winner!! That was definitely one of the highlights of my creative year! I still went with a Christmas one because I already knew what charms I wanted to use :) Amazing work everyone that participated in the Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016, it has been so inspiring to see all the different takes on each tag and to see how inventive everyone is when they don't have the exact supplies!

I was quite excited that I had the burlap to use. I really love it! I did not have the shadow press supplies so I just used one of my dies and embossed a piece underneath with Oil Rubbed Bronze from Emerald Creek.

Look at the texture in that embossing powder!! Emerald Creek has some of the most incredible custom mixed embossing powders!

Enjoyed the journey with Tim and all of you for this year. I think I may just have to do it again if Tim does 2017, plus I have developed a small addiction to tags!! LOL

Hope you all have a safe and happy New Years Eve!! Cheers to 2017 being full of inspiration, new friends and don't forget to support your creative friends near and far.

Thank you for stopping by!

Cathy

 

Tag #11 - Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016

Holy Heck!! I don't think I have cut it this close in the previous 10 months!! BUT....I made it...barely!! 

Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016 - November Remix!

And I know you're all thinking, here comes another Christmas project, but NO, I had no rub ons of any kind that were wintery, Christmasy, or autumny!! I only had some that were...BEACHY!! So this is how it went!

I had coloured rub ons that were beachy and had gotten the tropical dies awhile ago, so it had to be a beachy tropical tag this month!

Yay!! I did have some cork and the cardboard to use, and for my attachments I used the Emerald Creek Angel Fish and dyed them in Turquoise alcohol ink.

I used some extra twine I had in my stash and a piece of drift wood I picked up on one of my trips to the beach with my nephews!

And voila....my November tag is completed! And now I want it to be summer so I can go to the beach, enjoy the sun and find more driftwood and seashells!! :)

I sure hope I have the supplies for the December tag LOL Or we may be heading to the beach one more time!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you are having a wonderful week!

Cathy

 

Let The Festivities Begin!

Yay!! It is time for a new blog release from Emerald Creek!! Today is the release of  "Heartfelt Freedom & Festivities- pt 2" I will be continuing on with my full steam ahead to Christmas! And if you've stopped by in the last month or so, you've seen some of my favorite holiday stamps!

I started with my blue background piece. I stamped and embossed the snowflake stamp in Iridescent Shimmer and Soft Fallen Snow, I then sprayed over that with Distress Spray in Broken China and Brushed Pewter. The second layer is watercolour paper sprayed with Evergreen Bough Distress Spray, then splattered with water and dried. then stamped the Christmas Polka stamp in Evergreen Bough and on the corners I stamped and embossed the snowflake image in Iridescent Shimmer.

I also stamped and embossed the snowflake pattern in Iridescent Shimmer on my Cardinal image. I then watercoloured it with my Candied Apple Distress Marker and Spiced Marmalade for the beak. I fussy cut my cardinal out and put him aside.

I used my Sizzix Christmas Cardinal die so I could use the branch part for my stamped image. I then embossed the branch in Burnt Copper Leaves and the pine needle parts with Vintage Ivy and Forest Foliage.

Look at that beautiful Burnt Copper Leaves ep texture!! One of my faves!

I tucked a couple of pine cone charms in the branch  because...well cutest pine cones ever and it's a pine branch! :) And look at the texture from the custom embossing powders!

Just before I put all my pieces together, I attached the silver glimmer balls and the wish script with a thin piece of hemp twine and tied it around my polka layer.

Thank you for stopping by and please make sure you check out the amazing projects from my fellow Design Team mates!
Sara Emily
Claudia


And please head to the Emerald Creek blog and share your festive project with us! You could win a $50 GC to stock up on your Emerald Creek favorites and maybe try something new too!

Emerald Creek Supplies Used:
Cardinal Stamp
Christmas Polka Stamp
Snowflake Stamp
Wish Script Connector Charm
Silver Glitter Beads
Pine Cone Charms
Iridescent Shimmer EP
Soft Fallen Snow EP
Burnt Copper Leaves EP
Vintage Ivy EP
Forest Foliage EP
Arctic White Cardstock

Other Supplies Used:
Distress Spray in Evergreen Bough and Broken China
Distress Ink in Evergreen Bough
Distress Marker in Candied Apple and Spiced Marmalade

Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out some new incredible Emerald Creek products!
Have a wonderful day!
Cathy 

Challenges Entered:
Simon Says Stamp - Christmas Critters
Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Tis The Season  
Southern Ridge Trading Company - Christmas

Love this stamp!

My new favorite stamp is the Christmas Polka from Emerald Creek! I want the stamp to be the focal point and try to keep it simple. I did one a couple weeks ago with  red and Tea Dye and Vintage Photo and I loved that one (had more embellishments) but I wanted to try a couple other colour combos. 

I used the original color combo again because I do love it and then tried 2 others.

 

The one thing that I remembered to do with this one was emboss my red piece with the poinsettia folder before I attached it! I love the little extra texture it gives. Unfortunately I forgot that step on the other two, but will remember for the next batch, This combo is the Candied Apple Marker and Tea Dye. I used a very fine liner brush to paint in the scroll parts.

This combo is Stormy Sky and Brushed Pewter. The pewter really does stand out more in person than it does in the photos. I just could not capture the shimmer it gives.

This combo is Pine Needles and Tarnished Brass. I think embossing the gold piece of cardstock will make the next batch pop just a bit more.

To pain in the scroll work, again I just used a very fine line brush and sprayed my Tarnished Brass on my craft mat and picked up the colour from there. It does take a bit of time, but it's so worth it.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you all have a wonderful weekend with some creating time!

Cathy

A New Canvas

I am in full on Christmas mode and working on getting projects ready for a craft fair I have at the end of the month. One of the things I am doing is creating canvasses where people can just add their picture of choice and it's ready to go. I am using different background ideas and colours, but as almost always my Distress Colours get used! :)

I did the background of this 12X12 canvas in layers of Tea Dye, Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain. I then used the line stencil and the splotch marks stencil to add another layer. The line one I used clear texture paste, then scraped my palette knife across the canvass to add some brighter spots.

I found heart shapes from an old grungeboard set, and Southern Ridge Trading company ( the barbed wire heart) and Emerald Creek charm. All the things I embossed I used San Tropez tan, also from Emerald Creek.

The center part is where someone puts their picture.

I know I'm biased but I just love how the line stencil and clear texture paste turned out! I may have to do this again on another canvas!

Thank you for stopping by and also I appreciate those of you who take time to comment! I do read them all!

Have a great Wednesday!

Cathy

Angel Wings

I saw the Frilly and Funkie Challenge when it was posted, but I didn't really have winged things or images. Then I got the amazing Cardinal stamp from Emerald Creek and that prompted me to search through my stash. I found these Tim Holtz wings and an idea was born. I then received the #10 tags that I had ordered from the Funkie Junkie Boutique, things started coming together.

As soon as I saw the Cardinal stamp it reminded me of my Mom. She loved cardinals and every year still, I buy a cardinal ornament for my tree in memory of my Mom. 

I did a background on one tag in copper and evergreen bough and vintage photo. The top tag i did in Picket Fence and Wendy Vecchi Mica Spray and just a spritz of Dylusions Mica Spray. On the top tag I used my thinlits and cut out the word and the design. Attached my tags together so the bottom tag was visible. 

Added a little Emerald Creek Pinecone, after I embossedd it with soft fallen snow embossing powder and I rusted up my Emerald Creek birdcage charm, using the Finnabair Rust Pastes and added that to the little branch. the branches are embossed in Vintage Ivy and Forest Foliage from Emerald Creek, such amazing texture!

Beautiful cardinal image from Emerald Creek and watercolored in with Ken Oliver Color Bursts and used Onyx Frost to embossed the feet and around it's beak for a little sparkle.

I colored the metal wings with alcohol inks then added some Distress Glitter Dust in Vintage Platinum.

I rusted up the forevermore charm after I had stained it with alcohol ink.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

Cathy

Challenges Entered:

Frilly and Funkie Things with Wings

Southern Ridge Trading Company - Your Favorites