May I Have this Dance?

Yay, MFT teasers for December start today! I have a sample using the newest in the WTG series, May I Have This Dance? You'll also see a couple of fab new die-namics!

Isn't that image just darling? I am in love with this new Skyline Border die-namic, isn't it awesome?! I had big plans for this card, I'd pulled out patterned paper and was going to do a bucket load of layers, but when I saw the image and skyline border on the white card base it just screamed to be left as is! I love the dreamy effect of the buildings surrounding the dancers.

I coloured the image with Copics and the dress has a layer of spica glitter pen. My sentiment was stamped on an adorable Mini Tab - love these!

Inside the card I have used the negative space left from cutting the skyline border to sponge a cityscape. I love this effect!

This month the Guest Designer contest is Play Tag - so I wanted to show you a gift topper tag I made recently, I hope you'll play along with the contest, being a MFT designer for the month is awesome!

I've used the Own Your story set, some distress inks and flowers and a pearl swirl from Zva Creative for a vintage look.

Lots of stamping and over stamping on this tag - it was nice to get back to my stampy roots! The seam binding was hand dyed with distress inks.

Here are the details about the upcoming release on December 6 at 10 PM EST:

• You can attend the New Release Party on December 6th from 8-10 PM EST HERE in the MFT forum, where you can enjoy fun, games, and PRIZES!
• The MFT release, including all new stamp sets and Die-namics, is on December 6 at 10 PM EST.  You'll find all the newest products HERE at release time.
• The guest designer contest is ON!  Check out the forum for details on how YOU can win $200 in stamp sets and Die-namics, and play along with the MFT Design Team for a month.
• If you'd like to see all the teasers for today, please click on over to the MFT Blog NOW.  Be sure to leave comments as you go for the chance to win one of 2, $10 gift certificates given away daily.  The winners will be posted on December 6 just before the release party, on the MFT blog.

Here are the Die-namics I've used today:

 Thanks for stopping by!
 

Tips for cutting intricate dies

Good morning! I'm back with another video ahead of tonight's start to MFT teasers!

Recently I had a couple of questions about cutting intricate die-namics in the big shot and what it means to "shim" when you cut. I've made a quick video with a couple of tips, and my new best friend when it comes to cutting, this adapter plate.

Keep in mind, most die-namics won't need this extra shim to work perfectly, but if your machine is having trouble getting a clean cut - try some shim, it works wonders!

View full size on YouTube

 Thanks for stopping by!
 

Creative Chat - Desk Set-up

It's time for the MFT Creative Chat. The My Favorite Things Design Team Creative Chat is a monthly feature, where we are challenged to explore our creative spaces and share valuable organizational methods, tools, and shopping strategies with you. You'll be able to peek into our creative spaces, ask questions, and share your own ideas in the MFT forum.  This month, we were asked the following questions:  

Show us your desk.  How do you have things set up, and why?  

What are your "go-to" tools?  Tell us what you can't live without.

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Here's a quick video of my stamping desk - you'll see what I keep on hand and how I have everything organised :-)

View a larger version on You Tube here.

Visit Kim's Blog for a full list of designers that have taken up the challenge and get ready to delve into the minds of our creative team.

 Thanks for stopping by!
 

Zva Creative November DT Blog Hop!

Zva Creative and our talented Design Team welcomes you to join us this November for a blog hop that we feel is always extra special because it is the first hop for many of our new 2011-12 team members!  We also thought it would be more fun to add even more chances to win our blog hop prize!  See details below.

 

As you know, Zva offers many beautiful color groupings for pearls, flowers and crystals.  We want to make sure that they shine bright for you, so each designer was asked to share a creation using a specific color or color combination on their blog hop project.  If you like Zva's products you can find a list stores and online retailers that sell Zva HERE.

 

The Blog Hop begins at Windy Robinson's blog. She will have the complete list of all blogs that are participating in case there is a glitch along the way. If you would like to play along, just follow along the blog path.  I am linking to one of the Zva designers and that designer is linking to the next and so on. Be prepared to be inspired along the way!

 

Hidden on FIVE of the blogs is a Zva Creative prize package! Winners will be randomly chosen after the hop is over, so it's important to leave a comment on as many blogs as you can along the way.

 

The Blog Hop starts today, November 28th and runs through midnight US Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, November 29^th.  

The 5 winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 30th on each of the five winning blogs. The full list will be found on Windy Robinson's blog as well. We will do our best to notify each winner, but it's best if you can pop in to all of the blogs once again on Wednesday... plus, you never know what kind of inspirational creation that you may find there.

 

All you need to do is leave a comment on this Zva Blog Hop post...you do not need to leave a comment on each and every designer's blog post to qualify. However, the more times you leave a comment along the blog hop path though, the more chances you will have to be one of the lucky winners.

 

To increase your chances of winning:

* Comment to let us know that you posted on your Facebook page about our hop (link to any of the blog hop posts)

* Comment to let us know that you "tweeted" about our hop (link to any of the blog hop posts)

* Comment to let us know that you asked your local store to carry Zva creative products.  If they already do, that's fantastic, maybe you can suggest other products that they don't carry

So you have FOUR chances on each blog to win one of our FIVE prizes!  That's a lot of chances to win!

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Today I'm working with the most gorgeous irridescent jewels. They're so unique and shine in a way photos can't do justice too!

I wanted to create a simple card that really let the jewels stand out, with some simple sponging and stamping I created a one layer card to act as a base for all that sparkle!

I sponged the circle with Antique Linen, Old Paper and Tea Dye distress inks before stamping the snowflakes with Soft Sky and Marina Mist ink from SU. The snowflakes all got a gorgeous Zva Creative center - I've used rhinestones CRW-04CB-123, and a bow in Marina Mist ribbon tops it all off! 

I wish you could see this in real life, those jewels really do make for a simple but elegant Christmas greeting.

If you need to start at the beginning, the blog hop begins here: Windy Robinson.

 

Thank you for joining us!

 

P.S. Next month's blog hop will be happening one week early so mark your calendar to join us on Monday, December 19^th for another inspiring Zva blog hop!

 Thanks for stopping by!
 

WSC 47 - All about the tag!

Hi everyone, it's time for another sketch challenge with MFT!

This is a simple layout featuring a central tag, I had lots of fun with this one, though I did tilt the tag, I just couldn't keep it straight!

I've used PI - Calendula and left her uncoloured. The sentiment is part of a larger one that I cut in half. My tag is pretty simple, I wanted to focus on that gorgeous paper. It's topped with a genuine vintage button from my Grandma's stash.

Instead of creating an insert like I usually do, I've stamped directly on the card using Walnut Stain distress ink.

Be sure to check out Kim's blog for all the designers playing along this week - you won't want to miss their gorgeous creations!

To play along with WSC, create a card with the provided sketch and upload it to SCS using the keyword MFTWSC47. A new sketch will be posted each Wednesday on the MFT blog and also in the forum. Each week one random winner will win a $15 voucher to spend at MFT, and if you use MFT stamps on your creation, you'll get a $5 bonus taking your voucher win up to $20! We'll be chatting each week on the sketch thread, so come join us in the MFT forum!  

 Thanks for stopping by!
 

Stamps: PI Calendula (MFT Stamps) Paper: Farmhouse (Crate Paper) Ink: Walnut Stain Distress (Ranger) Dies: Medium Simply Scallops Border, Tag You're It Die-namics (MFT Stamps) Other: Button, Hemp Twine, Jumbo Eyelets

WSC 46 - Knit Happens

It's time for the 46th sketch challenge of the year - whew! Have you done them all? I know I have a couple I have to go back and do! Apologies for the poor photos in this post, I had to take them with the flash.

I've used the adorable new Knit Happens a la mode and paired her with some of my fave paper ever from the MME Lime Twist collection. Lots of die-namics on this one, you should be able to spot the bracket tab, jumbo ric-rac (new to my collection!) and my favourite pretty posies.

The flash on my camera did all kinds of icky things to the kraft cardstock but here's the inside of my card. Two more sentiments from this cute set!

Be sure to check out Kim's blog for all the designers playing along this week - you won't want to miss their gorgeous creations!

To play along with WSC, create a card with the provided sketch and upload it to SCS using the keyword MFTWSC46. A new sketch will be posted each Wednesday on the MFT blog and also in the forum. Each week one random winner will win a $15 voucher to spend at MFT, and if you use MFT stamps on your creation, you'll get a $5 bonus taking your voucher win up to $20! We'll be chatting each week on the sketch thread, so come join us in the MFT forum!

 Thanks for stopping by!
 

Winter Cuties VIP Collection!

It's time for this month's VIP collection from MFT....and yay, this month the collection features two adorable new additions to the Pure Innocence line!

You can grab your VIP collection here right now - remember, once they're gone, they're gone and this month is bound to sell out fast!

I made a Criss-Cross card with PI Holly Girl and also used the Oval Open Scallop Doily Die-namic included in the collection. Pretty simple - my usual colouring and paper piecing.

I used the File Tab Die-namics to add my sentiment to the pull out piece.

For my second card I used the Ice Princess PI - she was just calling out for a sparkly costume so I glittered away! I kept the rest of the card simple with some ruffled seam binding and my sentiment on the Oval Tab Die-namic.

Isnide is super simple - with just the image and another sentiment from the set!

Pure Innocence Winter Cuties VIP Collection $37.95

Pure Innocence Ice Princess stamp set

Pure Innocence Holly Girl stamp set

Winter Cuties Sentiments mini (VIP exclusive stamp set - will never be offered for sale or be available again $9 value, FREE)

Oval Open Scallop Doily Die-namics Die

 

Don't forget to stop by Kim's Blog for a list of all the designers with gorgeous creations for you today!

 Thanks for stopping by!
 

Stamps: PI Holly Girl (MFT Stamps) Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Cranberry Crisp (SU) Paper: Silly Season (Kaisercraft) Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento) Cranberry Crisp (SU) Dies: Oval Open Scallop Doily, File Tab, Jumbo Scallop Die-namics (MFT Stamps) Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders) Other: Ribbon, Rhinestones, Copic Markers

Stamps: PI Ice Princess (MFT Stamps) Cardstock: Tangerine Tango, Black (SU) Paper: Honey Cake (MME) Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento) Tangerine Tango (SU) Dies: Oval Open Scallop Doily, Oval Tab Die-namics (MFT Stamps) Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders) Other: Glitter, Seam Binding, Rhinestones, Scallop Square Sizzix Die, Copic Markers

WSC 45 - Christmas Caroler

It's time for sketch number 45 for Wednesday Stamp Club - where has the year gone?!

This week I took the sketch in a clean and simple direction, using the cute new PI Christmas Caroler.

All pretty simple - I coloured the image and paper pieced her dress. I just love the new Wonky Scallops border - I embossed it after cutting for a little extra dimension.

Inside I've shadow stamped the image and added a couple of sentiments from the set.

Be sure to check out Kim's blog for all the designers playing along this week - you won't want to miss their gorgeous creations!

To play along with WSC, create a card with the provided sketch and upload it to SCS using the keyword MFTWSC45. A new sketch will be posted each Wednesday on the MFT blog and also in the forum. Each week one random winner will win a $15 voucher to spend at MFT, and if you use MFT stamps on your creation, you'll get a $5 bonus taking your voucher win up to $20! We'll be chatting each week on the sketch thread, so come join us in the MFT forum!  

 Thanks for stopping by!
 

Stamps: PI Christmas Caroler (MFT Stamps) Cardstock: White (SU) Paper: Silly Season (Kaiser Craft) Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento)  Dies: Wonky Scallop Border, Snowflake Trio, Tag You're It Die-namics (MFT Stamps) Other: Rhinestones, Copic Markers

Creative Challenge - Vintage!

In 2011, MFT is working harder than ever to inspire you, and we have come up with something we think you'll really enjoy. Our Design Team Creative Challenge is a new monthly feature, where we challenge our design team to explore their creative side using a specific theme, product or technique. This month, we're exploring the lush vintage style.   Please visit the MFT Blog to see exactly what we've been up to, you'll find a full list of designers that have taken up the challenge!

One of the things I love most about designing for MFT is the wide range of stamp lines and styles we get to work with. There really is something for every taste and today we're focusing on vintage sensibilities!

I've used the new Vintage Cameo set, along with the matching Oval Decorative Doily, Faux Crochet Border and some rolled flowers - Mini Rolled Roses and the Rolled Mum.

I kept my card mostly neutral with a hint of yellow. Once I had stamped and cut my cameo piece, I layered it heavily with some Rock Candy crackle distress paint from Ranger, it curls as it dries so I place it under something heavy once it's completely dry to even the peice out. This time I left a little of the curl in to add to the distressed look.

I used Scattered Straw distress ink to sponge my papers, edges and flowers.

Inside my card I went for a clean and elegant look, repeating the cameo stamp.

Here are the Die-namics I've used today:

 Thanks for stopping by!
 

Stamps: Vintage Cameo (MFT Stamps) Cardstock: Black, Vanilla (SU) Paper: Vintage Timeless (Kaisercraft) Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento) Scattered Straw Distress Ink (Ranger) Dies: Decorative Doily, Vintage Cameo, Mini Rolled Roses, Rolled Mum, Faux Crochet Border Die-namics (MFT Stamps) Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders) Other:Vanilla Grosgrain (SU) Pearls, Crackle Paint