Saturday, August 31, 2013

Frosted Designs BIG announcement :)

  An Announcement!!

All of you have been so patient while you waited for our big announcement... and here it is!!


Frosted Designs is opening our very own store and kit club!! 
Now you will be able to get your scrapbooking, card making, and mixed media supplies from us!!  :) We have stores in both The United States and Australia so we will be able to ship worldwide! The store will be open one week from today! We will be sharing information with you next week about some of the things you can look forward to seeing in the store, and starting in October, our kit clubs will be available!  In the mean time, be sure to sign up for our newsletter (using the form on the right sidebar) so that you can receive coupons and be the first to know about the products that are available!

Will there be changes to the challenges?
And to put your mind at ease... our challenges here at Frosted Designs will remain the same! We will offer a challenge every other Friday and you do not need to use supplies purchased from us to participate.... we just want to keep on challenging you!!  (However, the blog will be getting a make-over during the next few days!)

wooooo hoooo....right?
I am soooooooooooooo excited, I hope you feel the same way!
I hope you join up via the newsletter so you don't mss out on a thing!

Friday, August 30, 2013

Camp Helen State Park

 It starts with a beautiful stroll through the park, this use to be a private "summer" residence built back in the 1930's which sits on 185 acres.
It is surrounded by 3 sides of water, this is a rare fresh water dune lake.
 We then discovered it was .6 miles to the beach, did I mentioned we were carrying a LOT of beach stuff with us?
 It was worth the walk because it was the most un-touched, gorgeous walk through sand dunes.
There was an abandoned pier that we made "camp" under. By day 4 of the trip I am hugging any and all shade that I can find.
 My Nauti Girl purchase from yesterday was put into good use, filled with some frozen Bahama Mama, it was a treat to have after lugging all that "stuff" to the beach.
 A little friend was hoping for some treats and kept me company all morning....no treats though or I would have been inundated with dozens of noisy begging birds!! This one just kept walking up to me and looking at me in a questionable fashion!
Now, if you want to know about the most fascinating and SCARY feature about the ocean here, then you can read my article called Black Ocean...:) oh yeah...

Thursday, August 29, 2013

proximate: adjective


 favorable to growth or comfort : mild
 marked by or diffusing sympathy or friendliness
 displaying or marked by genius

pronunciation
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Fab 'n' Funky - #182 You Can Stick It!
 House of Cards - Month Two: Shabby & Vintage

I used netting and some ink stained lace to create a shabby look. The netting is held down with hand stitching and left loose around the edges. I added the candle sticker on top of the pumpkin sticker and added a raffia bow to the candle. One of my favorite things is taking stickers and combining them and embellishing them!

To really keep the sticker secured to the netting I used Helmar's 450 to ensure that it stays right where I want it too!

Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive
Reminisce - stickers

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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

jape: verb

to say or do something jokingly or mockingly

to make mocking fun of

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Simon Says Wednesday- Anything Goes
 Creative Inspiration - Inspired by: Anything goes


I free hand painted the tree trunk but used all sorts of odds and ends for the dots ( erasers, wine corks, the end of paintbrushes, etc. )

Recollections - glitter sticker letters
Viva Decor - pearl paint
Apple Barrel - acrylic paint

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Having a great time on vacation, Jamie and I are plowing our way through some Pinterest recipes, last night we ate bite size apple pies and at the beach I got to see my first Royal Tern.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Try it on Tuesday - Fancy Edges


 -must see 3 different edges punched or die cut or even fancy scissors

I think this is a fun challenge, to get out those border punches, decorative edged scissors or even to cut a border with your die cutting machine...or maybe tear an edge! Mix and match them and have fun, that's the important part of making anything, isn't it?


 I layered all 3 of my edges together with a running stitch along the top piece.

Cricut - Paper Trimmings. p. 53
Bug Bites - sentiment
Martha Stewart - drippy edge punch
Fiskar - waterfall punch
S.E.I - paper and border
Faber Castell - PITT pen
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a little excerpt from vacation :)


Monday, August 26, 2013

rowel: verb

to goad with or as if with a pointed disk at the end of a spur

 vex, trouble

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Creative Inspiration - Inspired by Anything Goes
Inkspirational - #34
I swear, I think the same letters used on the CASE are the same ones I used. I had these rub-ons like forever and they were not user friendly because they were printed so close together that it was like impossible to cut them apart to use, so in the spirit of Donna Downey, I just took the whole sheet of the blasted things and rubbed them onto the base of my card. Problem solved, now they are gone!


I took my distress ink and rubbed it across the rub-ons, just love the resist it creates, the bird was dipped in the melting pot of UTEE and the chipboard branch was cut free hand and tinted with the same distress ink.

My Mind's Eye - rub-ons
Cricut - French Manor, p. 39
Martha Stewart - doily
CARDZTV - sentiment stamp
Ranger - distress ink, melting pot
Recollections - pearl

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Kraken: noun

a fabulous Scandinavian sea monster

pronunciation
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Anything but a CardLet your Imagination Fall into a Fairy Fantasy

After dividing and transplanting some aloe a couple of weeks ago, I kept looking at it thinking it looked like a Kraken rising up from the sea the way the plants leaves twisted and turned, which made me think of mermaids, which in turn made me think of my friend Jamie....so I made a mermaid planter for her.
...so squint if you need to, but doesn't the aloe plant look like a Kraken?

( As you read this, Jamie and I are currently traveling down to Panama Beach, Florida for some fun in the sun time!! woo hoo!!  Frou Frou drinks, hopefully some hunky men to oogle, white sandy beaches, pool...::sigh:: )
anyhoo...
The mermaid Cricut cut actually had her right arm extended with a Neptune's fork in her hand but I trimmed off the fork and bent her arm over for a more dimensional look. She is attached with big fat chunky glue dots.

I added a string of shells around the outside rim of the saucer, and mod podged some green and blue layers of tissue paper along with some swimming fishes.

I added some sand and shells to the top layer of soil to carry on with the theme:
( look at the cute little baby aloe poking up through the ground! ...or should I say a baby Kraken? )

Cricut - Pirates and Mermaids cartridge
recycled fruit container

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Postprandial: adjective

occurring after a meal

pronunciation
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Paper Smooches - August 19-25 Cool Shades challenge
All That Stickles -"The Great Outdoors" Linky Party

I took the digi image and enlarged it for my horizontal card, knowing that it would pixelate but I had planned on outlining it with liquid pearls anyway. I also added an extra outline of stickles to make sure the original inked outline wouldn't show. I gave it a shot of Goosebumps too so when I inked in his color, he would have even more texture.

Coral was the hardest color to come up with, so at first I mixed stickles together but it wasn't quite right until I added a gelato layer over the stickles on the beak and feet, I love the yummy layers of yellow,orange and melon to get a wonderful coral color.

Paper Smooches - free digi
Viva Decor - Liquid Pearls
Ranger - stickles
Helmar - Liquid Scrapdots
K&Co. - pattern paper
I Imagine - Goosebumps spray
Recollections - glitter sticker letters

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

permeate: verb

to diffuse through or penetrate (something)
 
to pass through the pores or interstices of
 
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Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
 
 
Cricut - Wildlife cartridge
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wow, not feeling very verbose at the moment, I discovered my balcony in disarray this morning, I thought a raccoon had plundered his way through it but during clean up I have come to the conclusion that a hawk had his breakfast there....there is one less Blue Jay in this world.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

mot juste: noun

the exactly right word or phrasing

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You know, there is nothing like self-imposing a challenge on top of another challenge. I am really enjoying trying out different card styles, but will admit that classy and elegant is one of the harder styles for me to achieve, so on top of that I decided to make a classy and elegant Halloween card...seems a little bit like an oxymoron doesn't it? lol 

 So I pulled out some delicate black lace and pearls to go along with the floral printed vellum and a framed sentiment, then hand stitched around the vellum to hold it in place.

Cricut - Happy Hauntings, p. 47
Bugbites - Magic Spells stamp set
everything else came from old stash

Monday, August 19, 2013

Paper Playtime - #17 Pearls

Pearls, I love them! 
I wear mine mostly to church and wasn't going to write about that but I looked up 
the meaning of the pearl and it said:
With it's humble beginnings, Pearls symbolize innocence and a pure heart, and help us get in touch with the simple honest things of life. Pearls symbolize the best within us.  Honesty, Purity , Wisdom and Integrity.  They remind us to walk with Dignity. Pearls can stimulate your femininity and help with self acceptance. They lift your spirits and make you feel calm and beautiful.  
it also said:
"Vibrates to the number 7" ( and the #7 has significant meaning in the bible....hmmmm )
also they were inherited from my mother ( and she is a Gemini ) and it said this:
Astrological Sign:  Cancer and Gemini
Now I am a Pisces and it says:
Elements: Water
wow, no wonder I love them so much!
And if you want to read the emotional reason as to why I love my mother's pearls so much then you can check what I wrote: My Mother's Pearls
Also there are pearl idioms:
cast (one's) pearls before swine
 to waste something good on someone who doesn't care about it. (From a biblical quotation.) 
or
a pearl of wisdom
an important piece of advice
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Begins: Monday, Aug 19
Ends: Sunday, Sept 1
Sponsor: Cardz TV Stamps http://www.cardztvstamps.blogspot.com/
Prize: 1 set of stamps
(must have USA address)

I'm on a Halloween kick I admit, ya'll must be use to my early "occasion" cards by now. In the beginning of September I will be putting out the Halloween cards and tags so I need to be ready! I had this great black moon die cut in my stash that I have no idea where it came from but I thought it would make a fab Halloween card especially with the spider dangling off his head.

I used a large pearl for his eye and then liquid pearls to decorate him with....and I see from the close up that I had one liquid pearl drop that didn't cooperate, but oh well, that's what makes it a handmade card, lol

Ranger - Liquid Pearls
Faber Castell - PITT pen
Cricut - Happy Hauntings, p.
BugBites - Magic Spells stamp set
everything else - stash

I hope you join us over at Paper Playtime Pearls challenge, we look forward to seeing you there!

Frosted Designs - Chipboard challenge


Hi everyone, it's time for a little Frosted Designs Monday inspiration to get you motivated to enter our weekly challenge, which is CHIPBOARD!!  You can get some great inspiration to get you motivated, here, here, here, and of course here! No excuses now, go play!


I used my Cricut to cut out the heart and inserted the spider's thread into one of the openings and secured it with dry tape and then glued the heart onto the paper. The spider is lifted up just a notch just to bring it up to the same level height as the chipboard. I also added a smidgen of black gelato around the outside edge of the spider web for a little shadowy effect.

I used my paper trimmer to cut strips of chipboard for the border around the card. Painting it with black acrylic paint and then coating the border strips with crackle for a little more spooky interest.

Cricut Craft Room - Love Sweat Suit ( weekly free image )
Happy Hauntings - p. 54 ( spider )
Ranger - stickles, distress crackle paint
Helmar - Liquid Scrapdots, Gemstone Adhesive 
Faber Castell - gelato
Me & My Big Ideas - gems

also entering this into:
Craftin Desert Diva's Link Party - #13 Anything Goes

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Borborygmus: noun

intestinal rumbling caused by moving gas
( well, this is one for the books!, lol )
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This is my first time entering a challenge for My Sweet Earth, a blog run by Susan K. Weckesser.
using this for your inspiration:
AugustCreatetoLiveChallenge

The sweet ripe taste of ...apples. 
Up here in the mountains we are known for our crisp variety of apples so I was inspired to paint some apples...well, one apple anyway. We will be having an apple festival the last week in August so I wanted to have something apple related for sale in the Art MoB.

 I also wanted an apple related verse by Robert Schuller so I chose:
"Anyone can count the seeds in the apple but only God can count the number of apples in a seed."

My background is a combination of paints and stains, with the embossed lettering for added texture. Then the apple branch was painted on with acrylics and stains with an outlining of pearl paint.

Ranger - distress stains, barn door, vintage photo, peeled paint, brushed pewter
Viva Décor - pearl pen, dark brown
Plaid - acrylic paint, nutmeg brown
Apple Barrel - acrylic paint, Kelly green, khaki, yellow flame, white
Delta Creamcoat - bright red
Crafters Workshop - stencil, TCW261

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side note:
One of my little art canvas was used for advertisement in the Laurel Magazine for the Art MoB! :)
 You can see it here.
If you do go to the link to see it, mind giving me a like?
Thank you!~

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Simon Says - Monochromatic
Aud Sentiments - #87 Anything but a birthday card
Inkspirational - #33


what? 2 cards in the same week that are monochromatic? What is becoming of me?

I've really been trying ( honest, I have ) to use up my stash items, you know those things we hold onto for years and for whatever reason they don't get used but there they are, secretly mocking you...oh wait, I might be the only one who has stash that mocks them, lol Anyhoo....I have had these animal sticker letters since 2006 ( hangs head down in shame ) and when I saw the Inkspirational challenge, I just knew I could use them, with the letters of the inspiration piece inspiring me.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Gamy:adjective

having the flavor of game; especially: having the flavor of game kept uncooked till near tainting

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Jo's Scrap Shack - Anything Goes
Little Scrap Pieces -  Fun Friday Linky Party!
Simon Says - Monochromatic
 
I don't do a lot of monochromatic cards and rarely anything monochromatic intentionally, mainly because I just love an abundance of color! So, thinking of creating a monochromatic Halloween card kinda made me itchy, but in a good way, because I like to make myself stretch a little bit out of my box, don't you? I mean, that's the main reason why I enter challenges.

I always have fun playing around with spooky moons and this one turned out well. I spritzed water on the card stock die cut and then dragged it through the distress ink, blotted and voila, a spooky moon just perfect for a Halloween card. ( I have a Halloween tag coming up in the Cricut Magazine October issue which uses the same technique. ) I also ran the edges of the moon through the same distress ink while the paper was still damp so that it wicks a little bit of the ink into the card stock.

Usually I pick one area to talk about, but today I had to choose 2 because I LOVE the little sign post that comes on the Paper Smooches stamp set, Happy Camper. I have such fun fitting sentiments in it and this time I found a clear sticker that fit perfectly! It's so CUTE!!


Paper Smooches - Happy Camper stamp set
Owl, sentiment - OLD sticker stash
Graphic 45 - pattern paper
Faber Castell - PITT pen
Close to my Heart - net stamp
Ranger - distress stain
Cricut - Paper Trimmings, p. 52 (moon)
( which is actually the circle from the base card that I made the day before! waste not, want not!! )

Friday, August 16, 2013

Balthazar:

an oversize wine bottle holding about 16 times the volume of a normal bottle

pronunciation
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Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
Sparkles Monthly challenge - #47 Up, Up, and Away
Paper SmoochesAugust 12-18 Designer Drafts challenge

OK, so I messed up, but sometimes I get too excited about an element and skip a step I had planned to do! :( In this case I meant to run my sky pattern paper through the printer for the sentiment but just got too darn happy over the bear and the balloons and next thing you know they were adhered to the paper!! I really hate it when I do that, but I persevered onward anyway, I simply wasn't going to waste the paper or the time I had put into the making of the bear.

 I masked off the "s" in hugs and used the stamped sentiment from the set.

I love to paper piece so I had a lot of fun withe bear. ( As I can attest with the above confession ) He has 3 layers, the original dark brown polka dot, then his lighter dot muzzle and then another layer for the body which I snipped off parts ( the back ear, the tail and the back leg ) so that I could get a little dimension into him. Added some glossy accents to his nose and tied the balloons around him and set him free to fly!

Reminisce - cloud pattern paper
Paper Smooches - Happy Camper stamp set
Helmar - Liquid Scrapdots
Ranger - Glossy Accent, stickles
Sakura - Glaze pens
Faber Castell - PITT pens
everything else - stash and scraps