Heartbeats....#2

It's time for another addition of Heartbeats from our resident Cardiologist!

The Card-iologist keeps us up to date on what's new and exciting in the world of Crafting and ways that you can incorporate it in your life!

As we head to the end of a long hard winter, it seems everywhere you look, spring is being embraced! From soft muted pastels to cute bunnies and chicks, it seems Spring is a reason to be happy! Personally this winter has been long and hard with lots of snow, so I am more than happy to think of spring rain, Easter eggs, and crocus tops...

Another trend I see being used all over the paper crafting world is HYBRID crafting. Everyone is finding ways to use digital images, sentiments, papers and templates to incorporate with their basic paper crafting supplies. I have tried digital scrapbooking before and while I find it fast and easy, I miss the feel of paper and the simple joy of coloring with markers! But HYBRID scrapbboking is kinda the best of both worlds! And you can use the same idea for cardmaking as well.

Here are some sites that offer FREE downloads:

1. Free Digital Scrapbooking.com

2. Shabby Princess

3. Bee Crafty Downloads

4. My Grafico

Also recently Kristina Werner (two peas garden girl) did a video fro her Finally Friday series at Two Peas in a Bucket with a little tutorial on making a hybrid card...check it out:

You can use papers, embellishments or digital stamps...just print them out on cardstock. I print mine on Georgia Pacific 110lb. paper (I get it at Walmart) because my go-to white paper (Papertrey ink Stampers Select) is very thick and tends to get stuck in my printer (it's kinda old).

SO......for this week's challenge from the Card-i-ologist...use some happy Spring colors and try out the HYBRID method and use something digital.

Here is my sample....I used a freebie digital image form Papertrey Ink from when they were having their special release countdown, and some digital paper I downloaded (I don't remember if it was free or not) from Nicole Seitler at www.SugarplumPaperie.com.

recipe: digital paper- SugarplumPapiere.com Nicole Seitler

digital image- Papertrey Ink

satin ribbon, rhinestone star

Please use the keyword RESQ34 if you upload your project to Splitcoaststampers or another online gallery. And don't forget to link your blog or gallery back here in the comments section so everyone can check out your creations! Thanks for playing along!

Thanks for stopping by today!

You are what you eat!

Well, I certainly hope that's not entirely true!

But anyway, today's post comes from the Nutritionist! With lots of people making New Year's Resolutions last month to lose weight (myself included), I have gathered some tips and tricks on losing weight that have helped me in the past (I lost 30 pounds last year and have kept 2o of it off!)

1. DON'T SKIP BREAKFAST! - I am not a breakfast person in general but I find that if I eat cereal, fruit or toast with my coffee, I am more able to wait for lunch than waste a snack at 10am.

2. DON'T SKIP OUT ON A FAVORITE FOOD! - when you pass on one of your favorites, you FEEL like your dieting and it makes you want it more. Have a small portion of a favorite and be happy.

3. EATING OUT - when going to a restaurant, look at the menu on line and decide in advance what you are going to have, something grilled and light on the sauce!

4. NOT COUNTING EVERY BITE- all those little "tastes" add up in the end! Even if you are not going to account for it, it still happened! Setting some rules like, "I don't eat in the car or watching TV" can help.

5. EXPECTING TOO MUCH TOO SOON - "Well, I have been dieting for a week and I haven't lost anything!" The only healthy way to lose weight is "slow and steady"...around 2 pounds per week. When you set your expectations too high, you are easily dissapointed.

~adapted from Weight Watchers online

OK so on to our challenge for today! "You are what you eat!" Make a card using anything that is edible...food, drinks, whatever!

Well, if we are living in fantasy land, I am a CUPCAKE! Since I bought this Martha Stewart cupcake punch I am anyway! I just love this thing! I have made myself a cute and yummy stash of these cupcake cards using up all my scraps, how awesome is that!?

here is a baby card...

and a birthday cupcake card....the possibilites are endless! I crimped a piece of creamy caramel for the cupcake base first and then punched it so it looks like a cupcake cup.

recipe (for both cards)- stamps- Papertrey Ink Birthday Basics, Mega Mixed Messages, polka dot basics

cardstock- certainly celery, tempting turquoise, white, creamy caramel, scraps of PP

ink- tempting turquoise, black

accessories- ribbon, scallop punch, black sharpie marker, crimper

Here is a card my 6 y/o daughter Gia did for this challenge too...she wants to be a cupcake also!

Please use the keyword RESQ33 if you upload your project to Splitcoaststampers or another online gallery. And don't forget to link your blog or gallery back here in the comments section so everyone can check out your creations! Thanks for playing along!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Snakeskin...a new way!

I love to learn new techniques! I also like to use things I have lying around instead of actually buying things! SO I saved this plastic netting from a bag of oranges....and I came up with a great way to make a snakeskin looking background!

Here's a short tutorial!

Supplies:

- 3 coordinating ink colors (I used Dusty Durango, Creamy Caramel, and Crushed Curry)

- The plastic netting from the supermarket (I have found it on oranges and sometimes broccoli...just give it a rinse)

- Daubers, Sponges or makeup wedges (I buy them at the dollar store, they are great for blending)

1. Lay the netting flat as you can....you may want to tape it down

2. Start tapping with the sponge using the color you want to be most dominant (I used the Durango)

3. Move the netting slightly up or down, like a 1/4 of an inch and using a clean sponge go with the lighter color and tap it on. You can see here what it starting to look like...

4. Move the netting again in the opposite direction you moved it last time and add in the last color (creamy caramel) in a small amount as an accent.

Now it should have the look of snakeskin! (see second picture for final look)

5. If you turn the netting 180 degrees you will get a completely different look...you can even try it with glimmer mist sprays... The sample on the right is what happened when I turned it 180 degrees...

This is what it looks like using Glimmer Mist Sprays...

And here is the sample I made...I used this cowboy image I had sitting in a box of all my other stamped images! Perfect card for a rough and riding Dad (of which mine is NOT) LOL

recipe: stamps- SU Bronc Buster, PTI Men of Life

paper- Dusty Durango, Creamy Caramel, White

Ink- Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Creamy Caramel, close to cocoa

accessories- large eyelets, ribbon, stapler

So, give it a try! Find something that looks like a net to use as a mask! I'd love to see what you come up with!

Please use the keyword RESQ32 if you upload your project to Splitcoaststampers or another online gallery. And don't forget to link your blog or gallery back here in the comments section so everyone can check out your creations! Thanks for playing along!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Just a Minor Change here....

I am changing the day I post a new challenge from Monday to Friday....there are just wayyyy too many challenges that I like to play along with on Mondays! I hope to see you all here on FRIDAYS for a new challenge starting next week!

SO the next challenge will be on FRIDAY, February 12th....I have a great tutorial for you so come on back!

Check Up Time!

Well, I don't know about you but I am due for my yearly check up!

Yes, it's hard to think about going to the doctor when you are NOT sick but really, it's the most important thing you can do for yourself! Go and get your blood workup, height, weight, and all around check. Your doctor can tell you if you need to eat better, lose weight, etc.

And, after you get an A+on your report, you really feel good about yourself!

So for today's challenge....

Do an inventory check up!

- Go through your stamps....pull out ones that haven't seen ink in a while and give them a try!

- Also, you could try to use up some scraps but even better is using a sheet of patterned paper you have been hoarding for a while! Go ahead and use it already!

- You may find some things you want to get rid of to make room for some new things! - And if you are like me, you can put together a list of necessities you need to order (I am running so low on dimensionals!)

Here is my sample...I used an old SU set that I borrowed from my MIL, some ribbon and patterned paper I received in a swap but have been hoarding for who knows what reason and I even made a box of things I am going to send to my friend's DD who loves to scrapbook!

recipe: stamps- SU Vases in Vogue

paper- UNK patterned paper, crushed curry, dusty durango, white

ink- pallette noir

accessories- felt ribbon, rhinestones

technique- paper piecing

Please use the keyword RESQ31 if you upload your project to Splitcoaststampers or another online gallery. And don't forget to link your blog or gallery back here in the comments section so everyone can check out your creations! Thanks for playing along!