Top Ten Blog Hop 2017

ETA:  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  Congrats to the winner of my prize pack.....Random Generator picked #12.....Nicole!  Please pop me an email at lauracox@lycos.com!!  Again Congrats.....and thanks for all those who left a comment and participated in the hop!!

Welcome to your next stop in our Top Ten of 2017 hop!!!  You should have hopped over here from Marcia Dehn-Nix's blog and your next stop will be Irit Shalom!

I'm so excited to be blog hopping with these talented crafters.....make sure you visit everyone!  A lot of talent, a lot of giveaways, and soooooo much inspiration!  See the bottom of this post for the entire list to make sure you don't miss anyone!

And here we go with my Top Ten of 2017:


#10: BoBunny, Blessings, and Kreaxions

This shaker card combined stenciling, die-cutting, bright cheerful distress inks with BoBunny papers for my #10 fave....more info.....check THIS POST.


#9:  Halloween Blocks.....Carta Bella is always a fave....and you can see that in several of the projects I've created this year....these blocks were one of my fave projects.....and on display at Hannah's (local scrapbook store and gift store in Antioch, IL)....this one with the Haunted House collection.

#8: Christmas Blocks....Carta Bella for the win again....their Very Merry Christmas collection (also live and in person at Hannah's)

#7: Fall Flip.....

This home decor project was a two-fer.....fall on one side, and Halloween on the other....and all made with the Pebbles Midnight Haunting collection.



#6:  Cozy Winter LO....more Carta Bella love....the Cabin Fever collection....
 

 
Ok....had to share this one even tho my pic isn't perfect (this one is on display at Hannah's also, and the lighting was sub-par that day)....but I'm anxiously awaiting some snow so I can fill this one with pretty snow pics....it's SO fun....right down to the sparkling copper gold deer ribbon border. ;)


#5:  Home is Where the Heart Is.....and where home-made home decor is....

Carta Bella's Welcome Home Collection and a little creativity = adorable every day home decor.....this collection is one I have more projects in mind.....just LOVE.


#4:  He Pulls at My Heart Strings....and even more of a fave since it's this little guy that has just left for college....time flies!  Perfect with the Fancy Pants Sweet Nothings collection.

More info on this post HERE.


#3:  Julie Nutting Halloween Home Decor

I'm a huge fan of these doll stamps....and seldom get the chance to play.....so this project was a fun one to do at one of the crops I attended this year!

#2:  Believe and BoBunny

This memory verse clipboard with it's twine and tags and bright colors....love....more info HERE.


and drum roll for my #1 of 2017.......

My first try at mixed media/art journal creating.....a combination of Color Burst, Distress Crayons, stencils/paste, stamps, black ink, and a Julie Nutting doll ended up in a colorful bold statement that reminds me every day and in every way that:  I. AM. BLESSED. 


Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I have a fun little giveaway....I'm kinda into the buffalo plaid craze this year.....are you?  If you are, make sure to leave a comment today....you'll be entered to win a sweet little buffalo plaid set of goodies, and a few fun scrappy/paper crafting goodies too.  Not going to spoil the surprise, but will be a great prize pack--so make sure you comment....will post a winner on January 1st to start 2018 with a bang!

Blog Hop List

Christine Meyer

Kathy Skou

Kathleen Graumüller

Teri Anderson

Susie Bentz

Janice Daquila-Pardo

Giorgia Rossini

Laurel Seabrook  

Aimee Kidd

Mary Ann Jenkins

Keren Tamir

Lee-Anne Thornton

Heather Leopard

Tifany DeGough  

Sue Eldred

Melissa Elsner

Laura Whitaker

Anita Mulcahey

Ashley Smith

Simone Schermann

Shelly Kurth

Monique Liedtke
Suzanna Lee

Marcia Dehn-Nix  

Laura Cox

Irit Shalom

Nicole Martel

Carolyn Johnson

Tenia Nelson

Samantha Taylor  

Rebecca Keppel

Judy Hayes

Isha Gupta

Traci Penrod

Tracy McLennon

Karen Hunter

Lyne Blodgett

Anna Sigga

Lisa Moen
Kat Benjamin
Wendy Antenucci  

Mixed Media Monday

I dabble in mixed media....but rarely post....don't know why!  Thought I'd share this LO today using mixed media goodies from UmWow Studio, and there's also some Pretty Pink Posh sequins in there!

If you aren't familiar with it.....UmWow Studio has some of THE best chipboard around for mixed media!  I used acrylic paints, distress inks and archival ink (to stamp) these pieces.  They don't warp, and they dry super fast.  Love them!  

Gotta love those Documented Hashtag Banners too:

All of the UmWow confetti chip pieces are fun too--give you a lot of options....I used the circle confetti on this LO...painted it with Weathered Wood Distress Paint, then added some Picket Fence, then stamped with black Archival Ink, and finally brushed the edges with Distress Black Soot Ink.  

Thanks for stopping by today!  Enjoy some crafty time today!

Practical Scrapper Tutorial....Gelatos Tagged!

As a member of the Specialty Team over at Practical Scrappers....I get the chance to do tutorials!!

My tutorial on how to make this tag background is up over there today, but I'll share some here too!
 

If you'd like very detailed instructions.....my pictorial over at Practical Scrappers is HERE.

But I will share that I used 3 complimentary shades of gelatos....colored them onto the
tag, and then blended with my finger to get this:

 

 
 And then I used a damp paper towel to remove some of the gelato (since they react with
water) to give it a feathery look like this:

And lastly, a close up of the details after it was finished:

I am in love with these Prima Doll stamps!  They make for a fun mixed media project!
Remember to stop by Practical Scrappers to see the complete tutorial and let me know
what you think! 

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Echo Park-Be Mine
Stamps: Prima Julie Nutting Doll stamp-Riley; Prima Build a Swirl set (swirls & flowers);
Tim Holtz Visual Artistry Curious Possibility set
Ink:  Distress Ink- Black Soot; Memento Black Tuxedo
Tools:  Prima Stencil-Crackle; Copic Markers; Adirondack paint daubers-Snow Cap &
Pitch Black; Faber-Castell gelatos (Watermelon, Squid Ink; Bubblegum); Glossy Accents (black)
Embellishments:  Want2Scrap rhinestone swirls; Queen & Co. Rox; Kaiserkraft pearls;
Hug Snug seam binding; Tim Holtz trinket pins and Idea-ology Philosophy tags;
Recollections lace and stud trims.

Mixed Media Fun....

Thought I'd share what I created today at an awesome mixed 

media class at a store called Linnie Blooms.

Was a great time, and Linda Barutha was a great teacher!

Played with Faber-Castell Gelatos, brush markers,

and Claudine Hellmuth foam stamps to make this canvas bag.

A huge THANK YOU to Linda for the great class, and

to Kimberly Congdon for putting it all together!  Thanks

for a great day gals!