Hello weekend!  Hello to YOU too.  ;)  I just have one quick question for you today.  If you take a second and give me your feedback (pretty please?) you will be entered to win a little pack of cardstock from my stash…  I’ll make it worth your while.  :)

- What blog post (from this blog please from the last month or two stands out in your mind the most?  Why did it stick in your head, and did it inspire you to create something?

Tomorrow, Heidi shares the projects from the class she is teaching today.  I, for one, wish I was AT her class today, but at least we get all the details tomorrow.  :)

Go create.

~Alyssa~

Today I have a fun flower tutorial for you!

Here is what you will need:

A sheet of cardstock (I used Winter White)

Assorted Mists

A Brad

Stencils or a die-cutting machine

1. Mist cardstock randomly.

2. Choose the area you want to use for your flower, and trace flower stencil on the back.  In the center of the flower, trace a circle.  (note: My flower stencil measures 5′ across and the circle measures 3-1/4″ across)

3. Cut out both the flower and the circle.

4. Spiral cut your center flower, and then fold your spiral in half length-wise.

5. Roll your spiral into a flower center.

6. Take the scalloped edge, and wrap it around in a circle, folding a bit as needed.

7. Glue edge to scrap cardstock.  Add flower to the center.

8. Add a brad for the flower center.

9. Turn flower upside down and mist with a dark spray, allowing the mist to “ink” the edges of the petals.

10. Wrap petals up and scrunch until you love it.

11. Let dry.

~Alyssa~

P.S.- You have until Sunday night to leave a comment a both “Font Challenge” posts for your chance to win!

Yesterday, Alyssa brought you a layout with three different fonts and today I get to do the same, only with a card. It has been a little while since I made a card, so this was fun for me!

Using my Cricut Expressions, I cut the first font using the “Plantin Schoolbook” cartridge. After cutting it out of Couture Cardstock’s “Baby Blanket“, I cut a rectangle around the word hello and then mounted on top of Couture Cardstock’s “Brandenburg.“  This added a fun, tag-like appearance, while giving the word some dimension.

I then cut the word out using the cartridge “Alphalicious”, again mounting on the dark pink color for shadowing and dimension!

Finally, I used an old standby of mine, the “Opposites Attract” cartridge. This font is quite swirly and I find that it adds a feminine touch to whatever I am creating.

I decided to go with font number 2 above, I think that it appealed to me because of the casualness of the font… it gave a little bit more whimsy to the card.

Which font would you have picked?

Leave me a comment letting me know and I will randomly pick a winner on the 1st of July… you will get a stash from MY stash! 

xx Heidi

(Cardstock used: Brandenburg, Baby Blanket, Snow)

Today and tomorrow, Heidi and I are bringing you something new, different, and totally fun!  It’s a font challenge.  Here’s how it works.  Each of us has created a project for you, and we are going to show it to you using 3 different fonts.  My project is a layout, so I am going to show you the same project using 3 different die cut fonts, and I want your feedback on what you liked and why.  Hopefully, we can all learn something about how the look of different fonts changes the overall look of our project.  I know I had fun playing with the different options!

**There is a chance to win at the bottom of this post!**

So, I first partially created a layout, until I got it to the point where I would normally add the lettering.  Then I cut out my title using 3 different fonts, and Sprinkle cardstock.

Then I laid each title on my layout to see which one I liked best.  I used several different placements too.  By the way, this is hard for me to show you a partially completed layout!

This font (above) is called “Freestyle Script” and although at first it seemed appropriate, once I saw it on the layout it seems too light and insubstantial to work well.

This one, called FAFERS Handwriting Font, is better, and closer to what I was looking for.  While I like the look of it, it feels a little too sporty for my artsy, graphic layout.

This one is Impact, an old standard.  It doesn’t have the flair I usually prefer in my fonts, but it does stand out more then the others, is easily readable, and complements the graphic nature of this layout quite well.

Here is how I finished the layout:

So, what do you think?  Would you have made a different choice?  Leave me a comment and let me know what you think and why.  I will send one random commenter a few handmade cardstock flowers! (leave your comments by Friday night at 11:59 EST to be eligible for the drawing).

Come back tomorrow to see Heidi play with a few fonts of her own.

~Alyssa~

Supplies used: Couture Cardstock “Alabaster Columns, Canvas, Sprinkle“

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be showing off the work of  Sasha Halloway today. Sasha is not only incredibly talented, but a strong woman, a friend, and someone whom I admire very much!! Here is a little bit about Sasha…

Given that your basic needs have been provided for, what would you do with the last $20.00 you have for the week; if it’s only Wednesday?

What I do now with money SAVE IT. Every week we get rid of all of our $1, $5 and $10 bills and put it in a safe that we do not touch. Add it up at the end of the year. It works you will be amazed at how many times you just pull out a $20 when you have change in your purse already.

Is there something about yourself that you think makes you unique from others?

I have moved literally non-stop every 2-3, or 3-4 years of my life. I was a military brat before joining the service myself, I have visited almost every country out there from deployments, TDY’s, PCS or just holidays with the family. Plus even though for 16yrs I’ve rocked the combat boots .. I can still vacuum in a pair of stilettos. (Umm, Sasha? Can you take a picture of this for me??!!)

How would you describe your scrap style?

I think my style is a bit of a lot of things.  I call my style hodge podge at times because I love mixing and matching different patterned papers and making them work together, and then there are days I consider my style very clean.

First up… “That Face”

Okay, seriously… those pinwheels are fantastic! And I just adore how she uses photoshop to perfectly make her photos coordinate with the layout. My favorite part of this layout? The color enhanced word “loves” in her journaling strips. Incredible detail.

“Star Player”

How cute is this? I am continually blown away by Sasha! She can make the cleanest layouts, all while rockin’ the negative space because her details are absolute perfection.

“Book Club”

This layout is super fun and I adore that she scrapped this subject. The photo is taken from an intriguing angle, and the colors that she paired together make for a spunky, eye-catching, page!

Thank you for playing with us this month, Sasha!!

(Are you sad that there isn’t more from Sasha? Well, don’t be! She is serving an “extended edition” GDT spot with us… so look for her next month as well!)

xx Heidi

ps. Tomorrow Alyssa has a fun font blog post… and a giveaway!

Ready for the Couture Cardstock take on the newest The Color Room Palette?  This bright and sunny palette uses Couture colors Firelight, Crush, Lineal and New Leaf.  Here is what I did with the palette:

Upload your take on the palette for a chance to win a Couture Cardstock prize pack!  See you there!

~Alyssa~

Check out what Andrea B. made using Cosmo Cricket’s Garden Variety and Couture Cardstock’s Spring Valley Monochromatic Family and White Monochromatic Family.

What a fun gift idea!  I know several people who would enjoy getting that as a gift!  Thanks Andrea.  :)

That wraps up our Cosmo Cricket blog swap!  I hope you have enjoyed seeing all these amazing projects from both design teams!

~Alyssa~

“A Perfect Partner! Yes, yet another perfect pairing… Couture Cardstock’s Harvest Moon Monochromatic Family, a collection of seasonal orange hues, coupled with Cosmo Cricket’s earthy and spicy “Earth Love” line is a winner!” – Couture Designer Andrea Amu

I love how Andrea created this pinwheel! The two colors of paper add visual interest, and those little twists of cording? The perfect touch to the earthy toned colors, and whimsical feel of this card.

Couture Cardstock: Harvest Moon Monochromatic Family “Persimmon, Burning Ember, Acorn Squash, Corn Husk”; White Monochromatic Family “Winter White”

Come back tomorrow and see our last Cosmo Cricket pairing, with Andrea Budjack!

xx Heidi

I love me some Cosmo Cricket! This line is fun and so colorful! I just want to jet set around and then scrap using this line. However, it is also great for other themed pages. I found it easy to do school themes, boys, fall, and even personal themes. It’s go lots of graphics and simple shapes. Easy to use with the browns in Couture Cardstock’s Confectionary Monochromatic Family.

Here is a page I made with Cosmo’s Joyride and Couture Cardstock Confectionary Monochromatic Collection:

The ledger paper in the Joyride collection is perfect for layering and gives the perfect backdrop to the circles! I used a circle mask to create a left and right area of color with Glimmer Mists in Riptide. Then I ripped the top and bottom unevenly and layered another circle paper with more color behind it. The base paper is Couture Cardstock in Bon bon. I also created the circle die cut by punching various sided circles in cardstock scrap (Bon bon again!) and cutting around it with my X acto! Ink the edges and attach to the page next to the photo for some visual interest! I also added a “moth eaten” look to the edges with a variety of hole punch sizes punched randomly. I love using this technique!

Jen

Supplies: Couture Cardstock (Bon bon), Cosmo Cricket patterned papers (Joyride), Glimmer Mist (riptide), Ribbon (Martha Stewart), hole punches (Fiskars and EK Success).

When I first received my packet of Cosmo Cricket, and saw that “Joyride” was the collection that I had received, I knew immediately what pictures I was going to use. I have been holding onto these precious photos of my son, Jax, on his way home from the hospital the first time and not only were the colors perfect but the theme was boyishly right on!

I used Couture Cardstock’s Whole Grain Monochromatic Collection, in “Oat” and “Sunflower Seeds”. The background is spritzed with Glimmer Mist and I used Distress Ink to shade in the various sized circles on the page. I just adored the laned lines of the “Round-A-Bout” paper and all the little cars, arrows and fun details that “Joyride” offers, perfectly assisted me in capturing the mood I wanted to bring to this page.

(Couture Cardstock: Whole Grains Monochromatic, Black Monochromatic)

Tomorrow Jen Matott show a little Cosmo Cricket love, and Andrea Amu will be up on Saturday!

xx Heidi