Spring Card with The Robin's Nest and Gel-á-tins

 

Hello again, TRN fans, and welcome back to our blog.  I hope you are all beginning to see the signs of Spring wherever you live.  Here, in the mid-South, we had a fairly mild winter, so I fear we may have a HOT Summer awaiting us.  If you are needing a bit of Spring inspiration, however, I hope you will visit the Daisy Days blog hop, sponsored by The Robin's Nest.  There is still time to hop and leave a comment to enter the giveaways at each of the 18, yes, 18 blogs, and a grand prize from The Robin's Nest.    The odds are certainly in your favor to win, so I hope you will try to visit and have some fun with us.  All winners will be announced at The Chattering Robins blog on Sunday, April 21st.

There is still more news to tell you.  The Sorbet Glitter CS collection is still on sale this month at 20% off.  Also this month, we are teaming up with another wonderful company that I am sure your are familiar with, Gel-à-tins.  All of their stamp sets come in these cute metal tins for storage.  They also carry their own brand of embossing powders, some of which are scented.  Here are the products I get to play with.

 This is a super duper easy card, and here is my finished piece.  I think this would make a wonderful Mother's Day card, don't you?  It is so Springy, and certainly feminine.

1.  Stamp and emboss one of the petals 7 times onto the reverse side Pink Crackle Glitter CS.  Cut out the petals and set aside.  (Tip:  When trimming embossed images, always leave a tiny bit of CS around the edge so that the embossing powder does not chip off.  If you do not like the edge showing, you can always ink the edge with a matching color.)

2.  Stamp and emboss the doodle circles "live", 'laugh", 'love" onto scrap vanilla CS.  Cut out each circle and set aside.

3.  Lay a piece of double-sided adhesive down, sticky side up.  I used a jumbo sized (1") glue dot for this.  Arrange your petals as you adhere them to the glue dot or adhesive.

4.  Add your word circle to the flower center with a large foam dot.  Add pink gumdrop tear shaped dew drops to each petal.  (See finished card photo above).

Foam dots give some dimension to the flower center.  (See photo below).

5.  Just as you made the flower petals, stamp three open petals onto the front side of kiwi sorbet cardstock using shabby shutters distress ink.  Cut out each and set aside.

6.  Trim blue raspberry sorbet CS to 5" x 6-1/2", adhere to front of white card. (See photo below).

7.  Punch 1" x 7" strip of shocking pink CS with scallop eyelet edge punch, adhere to front of card, as shown.  Trim excess.  (Tip:  I like to cut my strips longer than I need so that I can center the decorative edge on the card.  I have also found that a wet glue works best when adhering paper to the glittery side of this cardstock.)

8.  Arrange large flower, leaves, and  word circles onto card front, as shown in finished card photo above.  Add tiny heart to "love" word circle.  Use glossy accents to adhere large clear circle dew drop.

Supplies Used:

The Robin's Nest Pink Crackle Glitter CS
The Robin's Nest Blue Raspberry Sorbet Glitter CS
The Robin's Nest Shocking Pink Sorbet Glitter CS
The Robin's Nest Kiwi Sorbet Glitter CS
The Robin's Nest Gum Drops Tear Dew Drops
The Robin's Nest Large Clears Dew Drops
5"x 6-1/2" White Card (Michaels)
Gel-à-tins Stamp Set (Doodle Garden)
Gel-à-tins Unscented Gelly-Powder (Pink of Me)
Stamp n' Stuff embossing powder (Sea Mist Pearls)
Colorbox Pigment Ink (Pink, Moss Green)
Distress ink (Shabby Shutters)
Martha Stewart edge punch (Scallop Eyelet)
Foam dots

I hope you have enjoyed my card project today, and will visit our blogs often for more fun and inspiration, as well as updates on new TRN products and monthly sales at The Robin's Nest online store.  Also, please check out the Gel-à-tin's website, as well, to see their latest products.

Thanks again for stopping by, and have a very happy Spring and a wonderful week!

Barbara

Daisy Days Blog Hop with The Robin's Nest

Hello everyone, and welcome to The Robin's Nest Daisy Days Blog Hop.  You will not only find a ton of inspiration from each of the designers, but there are also tons of prizes being given away this weekend.  The Robin's Nest is generously giving away a prize "Daisy Package" from each blog, valued at $15.00, which will include tear drops, paper, and embellishments.  In addition, The Robin's Nest blog will be giving away one Grand Prize worth $25.00 towards purchases from their online store.  All winners will be posted on The Robin's Nest blog on Sunday, April 21st.  In order to enter for a chance to win, you will need to leave a comment on each blog with a way to contact you, and like The Robin's Nest facebook page.  

Obviously, the theme for our blog hop is daisies.  Therefore, I decided to add a ton of daisies to my altered wooden birdhouse.  This is just a flat, laser cut, wooden shape that would make a wonderful Spring addition to your home decor.  

Below is a picture of the bare wooden shape.

1.  Paint edges of birdhouse with acrylic paint.  

2.  Trace, trim, and adhere Red Glitter Sorbet CS to cover the top portion of the birdhouse, as shown.  Ink edges with Festive Berries distress stain.

3.  Trace, trim, and adhere Kiwi Glitter Sorbet CS to cover the bottom portion of the birdhouse, as shown.  Ink edges with Shabby Shutters distress stain.

4.  Trace, trim, and adhere Blue Raspberry Glitter Sorbet CS to cover the birds on each side of the birdhouse, as shown. 

Round his little body at the bottom.  Ink edges with Faded Jeans distress ink.  (NOTE:  Turn bird house over, right side down, on top of reverse, unglittered side of CS.  That way, your pencil marks will not show.)  Add two mini dew drops from the Halloween collection for eyes.

 5.  Trim 1/2" strips of chipboard and glue to top edge of roof.  Miter the top corner.

 6.  Edge punch 1" strips of  Shocking Pink Glitter Sorbet CS.  Ink edges with Festive Berries distress stain (or ink).  Glue to chipboard strips.  Miter the top corner.

7.  My birds need a way into their home, so I found these wooden shapes at Michaels.  I believe this one is a thought bubble, but I saw it as a cute hole for my bird house.  All I had to do was trim away the excess with a craft knife.

8.  Ink the opening with Shabby Shutters distress ink and glue to center of bird house.

9.  Adhere yellow diamond drops from the Sunset collection to the roof, as shown.

10.  To make tiny wings for the birds, punch a scrap of Aquamarine Glitter Sorbet CS with a small oval punch.  Cut in half diagonally, trim one of the sharp corners.   

Adhere to each blue bird with a 3D glue dot or foam dot. 

 11.  Paint wooden bird on branch image with Distress inks in Faded Jeans, Shabby Shutters, Forest Moss, and Walnut Stain.  I used a small brush to paint the branch, leaves, beak, and feet.  

12.  Glue wooden bird to bird house opening. 

 13.  Die cut fence piece from chipboard. Paint with light ivory acrylic paint.  Distress with sanding block.  Adhere fence piece to bottom of bird house, as shown.

To make the daisies:

14.  Color a 12"x12" piece of Leopard Silver Glitter Print CS using multiple colors of distress ink, as shown.

15.  Die cut multiple sizes of daisies with the bloom nesting die.  Fold and manipulate each petal before layering each progressively smaller petal and offsetting the petals for more fullness.  

16.  Arrange flowers and leaves as desired.  Add amber and yellow dew drops from Halloween collection to flower centers.  I also added a black dew drop to the wooden bird's eye.

Supplies Used:

Red Glitter Sorbet CS

Kiwi Glitter Sorbet CS

Blue Raspberry Glitter Sorbet CS 

Shocking Pink Glitter Sorbet CS

Aquamarine Glitter Sorbet CS

Leopard Silver Glitter Print CS

Halloween Dew Drops

Sunset Diamond Shape Dew Drops

Light Ivory acrylic paint (Ceramcoat)

Distress Stains (Festive Berries, Shabby Shutters, Faded Jeans, Forest Moss, Walnut Stain)

Small oval punch (Stampin' Up)

Bloom Nesting Die (Lifestyle Crafts DC0074 )

On the Fence edge die (Sizzix-Tim Holtz)

I hope you are enjoying our blog hop and that you will take some time to visit each blog and leave a comment for your chance to win.  Also, please leave a comment at The Robin's Nest blog, The Chattering Robins, to enter to win the grand prize.  And while you are there, check out their fantastic products and sales items in their online store.  Sorbet glitter cardstock is a whopping 20% off this month.  

I want to thank you for stopping by today.  I would love for you to follow my blog, but it is not necessary to win.  A list of participating blogs is shown below, with a direct link to each.  Enjoy the rest of the hop, and good luck on the giveaway!

Barbara

Blooming Daffodils Card

Hello Robin's Nest fans, and welcome back.  I hope everyone had a wonderful and blessed Easter holiday.  For my first project of the month, I made this  beautiful card for Spring using the gorgeous Glitter Sorbet Collection card stock from The Robin's Nest.  I am in love with this paper collection.  The colors are absolutely gorgeous with glittery swashes across the front, and the reverse side is a complimentary color without glitter, perfect for card making.

1.  Cut 12"x12" Aquamarine Glitter Sorbet card stock in half to 6"x12".
2.  Place short edge of card stock along the ornate edge die and cut out.

3.  Cut a second piece of card stock 1-1/2" x 6" and die cut this piece using the same die.

TIP:  To help you see where to place your card stock on these edge dies, draw straight lines with a white pen and mark the center of the die.  This will help you make straight cuts.  

 

4.  Fold card in half with glittered side out.  Adhere reverse side of second die cut along front edge, as shown.

The edge made by the second die cut gives you a horizon line to place your daffodils, so they are not floating in the air.

5.  Punch multiples of the daffodil punch in both green scrap card stock (3 complete) and Kiwi glitter sorbet card stock (12 flower heads).

Cut three complete green daffodils

Cut the two flower heads six times for total of twelve

6.  Adhere the first daffodil image in the center, and continue adhering the remaining two on either side.

7.  Snip off the excess stem from each Kiwi flower head and adhere them to each of the green images, as shown.

8.  If you have been following me, you know by now that I am a glutton for dimension.  Dry emboss the remaining six flower heads using a large ball stylus tool and a piece of fun foam.  If you do this from the reverse, you will "cup" the flower.   Turn it back over to the front and gently push the center back down.  This will give you a nice form to your flower.

9.  Put a small bead of white glue in the center of each flower, and using a pair of tweezers, lay the embossed flower on top, a bit offset from the bottom one.  This gives the appearance of more petals.

10.  Allow to dry, then glue tiny orange neon dew drops to the flower centers.  Isn't that pretty?

I also glued a few pink and purple neon mini dew drops to the bottom of the card front.

11.  Cut out just the word "BLOOM" from the Core-dinations Seasonal embossed card stock.

12.  Sand the letters,  and distress with peeled paint.

13.  Die cut another piece of Aquamarine Glitter Sorbet card stock using the Fancy Tags 2 die cut and distress edges with peeled paint.  Adhere to card, as shown.

14.  Adhere "BLOOM" over Fancy Tag with foam tape.

15.  One last thing to do was punch a beautiful pink butterfly from the pink sorbet card stock, adhering only the body of the butterfly and allowing the wings to remain free.

Supplies Used:

Aquamarine Glitter Sorbet card stock 
Kiwi Glitter Sorbet card stock
Shocking Pink Sorbet card stock
Neon Orange Mini Dew Drops
Neon Pink Mini Dew Drops
Neon Purple Mini Dew Drops
Sizzix/Tim Holtz Alterations On the Edge die - Ornate
Spellbinders Fancy Tags 2 die
Tim Holtz Core-dinations Seasonal embossed card stock
Paper Shapers Daffodil craft punch
Martha Stewart butterfly punch
Distress Ink - Peeled Paint
Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive

I hope you have enjoyed this Spring card, and that I have inspired you to pull out those punches and dies and get busy making some easy cards using The Robin's Nest gorgeous papers and dew drops.  Check out their newest products  and sale of the week while you are visiting their online store.

I also want to invite you to The Robin's Nest Daisy Days blog hop on 12 April  There will be prizes given away; over a $290 retail value.  There are 18 chances to win a daisy package, retail value of $15.  One Grand Prize will be a gift certificate to their online store:  Retail value of $25.  So be sure to come back and visit The Chattering Robins Blog on 12 April, and don't forget to tell your friends.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by, and have a wonderful, crafty week.

Barbara

Two Cards, Two Looks

Hello everyone.  Welcome back to my blog, and my second monthly post for The Robin's Nest.  Before I get to the project, though, I want to tell you about a fabulous sale going on this month.  All tear shaped dew drops are 20% off this month.  There are not only new shapes, but new sizes and colors, too!  So head on over to the the store and stock up now.  We are also teaming up with Mod Podge this month, so I will be using their Mod Podge One-Step Crackle Medium in one of my projects today.  This product is awesome and I hope you will also visit their website to check out their line of products as well.

Today, we are going to play with die cuts and fabulous papers from The Robin's Nest.  There is just no better combination, in my humble opinion.  So, let's take a look at my first card.

1.  Die cut both butterfly shapes from Mango and Birthday Glitter Stars card stock.

Photo 1

2.  Ink solid butterfly wing using white pigment ink, direct to paper.  Remove excess ink with clean paper towel.

Photo 2

3.  Apply Twinkling H20's to solid butterfly wing.  I discovered that the white pigment ink mixed with the H20's to give a bit of an opaque, pastel color.  As it turns out, I liked this effect a lot.  Allow the H20's to air dry for a more sparkly shine.

4.  Stamp News Print stamp onto solid butterfly with black ink.

5.  Use your finger to apply glitter glue to open butterfly, then adhere to solid butterfly.  Layer both  butterfly bodies and adhere to wings.

6.  Adhere open wings to solid wings.  Cover body with Walnut Stain glitter glue.

Close-up of glitter glue on body of butterfly

7.  Die cut two leaf shapes from Kiwi Glitter Sorbet Card Stock.  Color with Moss Green H20s.

8.  Trim gray card stock to 6-1/2" x 9".  Fold in half to make 6-1/2" X 4-1/2" card.
9.  Trim Awning Glitter Card Stock to 6-1/4" x 4-1/4".  Adhere to gray card.
10. Adhere leaf stems to card front, as shown.  Attach butterfly with foam dots.

Close-up of wings popped with pop dots

My second card is basically using the same supplies, but achieving a very different look.

1.  Die cut both butterfly shapes from Mango and Birthday Glitter Stars card stock.  (See photo 1).
2.  Ink solid butterfly wing using white pigment ink, direct to paper.  Remove excess ink with clean paper towel.  (See photo 2).
3.  Apply a coat of white pigment ink to inside of embossing folder.

4.  Run Mango butterfly wing through your die cut machine to emboss.  The white pigment ink lightens the card stock in the debossed areas.

5.  Continue to add various colors of pigment ink to the high spots on the wings.  (NOTE:  Remember these duo daubers from years ago?  These work really well for adding spots of color to your work).

6.  Adhere open wings to solid wings.  Cover body and wings with mini dew drops.  Adhere tear shaped dew drops to outer edge of wing.

7.  Die cut two sets of poppies from green card stock and scraps of Mango Card Stock for the poppy flowers.  Attach the Mango flowers to the green flowers and coat just the flowers with a coat of Mod Podge One-Step Crackle Medium.  

8.  Allow the medium to dry.  Heat the crackle medium with a heat gun until it begins to burn.  It will leave this beautiful shadowy look to your flowers.  Of course, be careful whenever heating your paper and mediums.  

Top flower unburned, bottom flower burned

9.  Die cut Blue Raspberry Glitter Sorbet Card Stock with Catillion Frame die and adhere to light gray 5"x7" card. 
10.  Glue poppies and butterfly to card, as shown in finished card photo above.  Add foam dots to the butterfly for dimension.

Supplies Used:

The Robin's Nest Mango Card Stock
The Robin's Nest Birthday Glitter Stars Card Stock
The Robin's Nest Awning Glitter Card Stock
The Robin's Nest Blue Raspberry Glitter Sorbet Card Stock
The Robin's Nest Kiwi Glitter Sorbet Card Stock
The Robin's Nest tear shaped dew drops
Mod Podge One-Step Crackle Medium
Memory Box dies (Maribelle Butterfly) (Selena Butterfly) (Cottage Leaf) (Catillion Frame) (Prim Poppy)
Cuttlebug embossing folder (Paper Lace)
White pigment ink pad
Black archival ink pad
Twinkling H20's (Pink Azalea)(Sky Blue)(Sunflower)(Moss Green)
Inkadinkadoo News Print rubber stamp
Stickles glitter glue (Tropical Tangerine)(Walnut Stain)
Foam dots


I sure hope you enjoyed my cards and will be so inspired by The Robin's Nest beautiful papers and embellishments that you will stop on over to The Robin's Nest online store to stock up on those fabulous tear shaped dew drops and gorgeous, high quality papers and embellishments.  I also want to encourage you to visit The Chattering Robin's blog for more inspiration from the wonderfully talented design team.  Oh, and just a quick reminder to enter their monthly design challenge for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate in their online store.  How fun is that?

Until next time, I hope everyone has a wonderful, crafty week, and thanks so much for stopping by!

Barbara