A Note from Brit

Thank you for stopping by my blog! I have now moved over to my own domain for more room to grow, so make sure to check my new site and blog out at brittaswiderski.com. :)

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Surprise!

You know when you start making a card, and it comes out completely different that you imagined it would? This is one of those. I love it, though. I decided to try out my Prismacolor pencils on kraft paper, and I'm SO happy with the results. Wow- that rich color adds so much to the card. I recommend trying it out for yourself. :)

I made this for the Hero Arts 30 Grand challenge (read about it here), so I wanted to use some of my favorite stamp sets, and here's what happened:
 
  
Supplies: Cardstock- Papertrey Ink, Ink- Tsukineko, Colored Pencils- Prisma, Corner Rounder- WRMK, Stamps- Hero Arts ( CL340, CL383, CG128, CG133)
What do you think? Have you tried this technique in your stamping experiments yet? I love it!

I'll be back sometime this week with a inspiration post that I've been working on- lots of links, lots of pictures, and lots of inspiration coming your way. You've been warned. :)

Love,

Brit

P.S.- GO USA! USA! USA! I <3 Hockey.

Friday, February 26, 2010

I'm in love.

These new stamps are my new best friends. So versatile, so pretty. I'm in love. :) Here's how I used my new loves recently:
 
  
Supplies: Cardstock- Papertrey Ink, Ink- Papertrey Ink, Stamps- Papertrey Ink (Butterfly Dreams and Dot Spot), Ribbon- Papertrey Ink, Button and Button Twine- Papertrey Ink, Corner Rounder- WRMK.

 
  
Supplies: Cardstock- Papertrey Ink, Patterned Paper- Papertrey Ink, Stamps- Papertrey Ink (Studio Style), Buttons and Button Twine- Papertrey Ink, Ink- Tsukineko, Colored Pencils- Prisma, and Corner Rounder- WRMK.

I also received this beauty in the mail the other day from Kiss and Tell Cards on Esty. It's perfect! And look how it came packaged:
 
  
I can't wait to use it on all the backs of my cards. I highly recommend Karissa's shop- she's wonderful!

I'm scheduling time to do a little scrapping this weekend. I'm guessing the product will be more cards with all of these super adorable stamps. Thank you for stopping by today; hope you'll be back soon!

Love,

Brit

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Butterfly Crazy... Part 2

Despite my ridiculous schedule right now, i couldn't resist sitting down to use my new Papertrey Ink supplies; they were just begging to be used! I sat down with kraft cardstock and my new stamps in hand and got to work, and this is what happened:
 
  
Supplies: Cardstock- Papertrey Ink, Ink- Tsukineko, Stamps- Papertrey Ink (Butterfly Dreams), Ribbon- Papertrey Ink (Summer Sunrise), and Corner Rounder- WRMK

 
  
Supplies: Cardstock- Papertrey Ink, Patterned Paper- Papertrey Ink, Button Twine- Papertrey Ink, Ink- Tsukineko (Black) and Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream), Stamps- Papertrey Ink (Butterfly Dreams), and Corner Rounder- WRMK.
I'm also keeping up with my Project 365- taking a photo a day. So far, so good, and I'm really getting into the habit. I love it :) You can check out my photo calendar here, I update it every week or so. Here's the picture I think I'll use for today. If you live in the Twin Cities, you certainly are familiar with this:

 
Be back tomorrow with a couple more cards and my new best friend. :) What have you been doing with your newest purchases? Time to break 'em out!
Love,

Brit

Monday, February 22, 2010

Butterfly Crazy.

You could say that I've went a little overboard lately... with cleaning, with buying new clothes and scrapbooking supplies, and... butterflies. They're everywhere. You don't believe me? Ask my roommate. She finds, like, three a day in random places in our room. Yeah. Everything is totally necessary, though. No worries.

Here's the most recent card I sat down to make. I wanted something that would be really versatile, and this is what happened:

Supplies: Cardstock- Papertrey Ink, Ribbon- Offray, Stamps- Hero Arts (Butterflies) and Papertrey Ink (Autumn Abundance), Ink- Tsukineko, Colored Pencils- Prisma, Pearls- Hero Arts, and Corner Rounder- WRMK.

Today was also a biggg day because IT arrived. My highly-anticipated Papertrey Ink order from last week. Want to see how excited I was? Well, you asked for it:

(or watch it here on YouTube)

Links to the products in the video: Buttons, Notepads, Studio Style, Dot Spot, Butterfly Dreams, Button Twine and Silk Ribbon, Ribbon (I bought summer sunrise, not orange zest, by the way), Pretty Pastels Patterned Paper, Cardstock Basics, Perfect Match Cardstock.

I can't wait to play with all of my goodies! Hopefully I get a little bit of time in between homework assignments and class this week. Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Love,

Brit

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day!

As a present to you, I'll show you what I made for Christmas presents {two and a half months ago... ha}.

Four sets of five cards for the varies sets of parents in my life. These were so fun and easy to make. Making four cards at a time is just about as easy as making one card. I'd do this again in a heartbeat!

 
 
1. Thanks #1: Supplies- Cardstock- Bazzill (Grey) and Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream and Spring Moss), Ribbon- Papertrey Ink (Spring Moss), Corner Rounder- WRMK, Stamps- Papertrey Ink (Autumn Abundance) and Hero Arts (CG128- Three Flowers), Ink- Tsukineko, Stickles- Ranger.

 
2. Thanks #2: Supplies- Cardstock- Papertrey Ink (Pure Poppy and Vintage Cream), Patterned Paper- October Afternoon, Stamp- American Crafts, Scalloped Punch- McGill, Ink- Tsukineko, Corner Rounder- WRMK, Thread- DMC, Other- Newspaper.
 
3. Happy Birthday: Supplies- Cardstock- Kraft (The Paper Studio) and Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream),  Stamps- Hero Arts ( CG130 Butterflies and S5208 Designer Woodgrain), Happy Birthday- Printed with computer, Ink- Distress Ink by Ranger, Colored Pencils- Prisma, Stickles- Ranger, Corner Rounder- WRMK, Thread- DMC.
4. Take Care: Supplies- Cardstock- Papertrey Ink (Lemon Tart, Vintage Cream, and Smokey Shadow), Stamps- Papertrey Ink (Autumn Abundance and Polka Dots Basics II, Clear Embossing powder and ink- Ranger, Ink- Tsukineko, Colored Pencils- Prisma, Corner Rounder, WRMK.
5. Thinking of You: Supplies- Cardstock- Papertrey Ink (Spring Moss and Ripe Avocado), Embossing powder and ink- Ranger, Ribbon- Offray, Corner Rounder- WRMK, Stamps- Papertrey Ink (Autumn Abundance) and Hero Arts (CG102 Antique Brocade).

So there they are- five quick, simple cards that got rave reviews this holiday season. While we're at it, why don't I share a few projects that slipped through the cracks from December as well. I love these, so I can't just not share. :)

Here's a Christmas one that I did for the "cards that give" challenge at Hero Arts (but never submitted for... haha). The money, folded into forths, slides in and out easily, and the card still looks fine without the money there. Love this idea- I'm sure they'll be more like this sometime soon.
 
 
Supplies: Cardstock- Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream), Patterned Paper- Basic Grey, Stamps- Hero Arts (CG128- Three Flowers and CL343- Holiday Sayings), Corner Rounder- WRMK, Ink- Tsukineko, Colored Pencils- Prisma.

And here's one that's a little more appropriate for this time of the year. A congrats card for an engagement :) My roommate's friend is getting married. It's crazy to me to think that someone my age is planning a wedding.... I mean, other than me. My fabulous dream wedding in the fictional part of my brain :)
 
  
Supplies: Cardstock- Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream and Spring Moss), Stamps- Papertrey Ink (Polka Dot Basics II and In Bloom), Ribbon- Offray, Pen- Signo, Embossing Ink and Powder- Ranger, Ink- Tsukineko, Corner Rounder- WRMK.

So I hope you enjoyed your trip down this strange holiday post. :) I love the random things that I find on my hard drive while organizing. Ha!

Have a wonderful day for all of you lovers out there. :)

Extra Love,

Brit

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Hola. Guess what I've been up to?

Well, a lot. Largely, my time has been taken up by being pretty darn uninspired, but I know the creative juices will start flowing again soon. I can feel them coming back a little, which is good- I haven't made anything in almost two weeks. :/ But two weeks ago, I did make this little cutie:

 
A birthday card for my roommate, Alex, using the technique that Jennifer McGuire shows you how to do in this video.

 
Supplies: Cardstock- Papertrey Ink, Embossing Ink and Powder- Ranger, Stamps- CG140 and CL340, Inks- Distress by Tim Holtz (greens and blues) and Colorbox (black), Corner Rounder- WRMK, Buttons- Papertrey Ink, and Floss- DMC.
1. I also did a little shopping today. It's a good thing they had a pretty small picking of the new CHA releases, because I'm saving up for a HUGE order from Papertrey after the release tomorrow night. Good lordy, it's going to be like a $200 dollar order. So therefore I picked up some essentials- clear embossing powder and brown colorbox ink, as well as some of the new American Crafts lines and this super-versatile Hero Arts stamp set:

2. Yesterday evening, I finally broke down an ordered a stamp for the back of my cards from kissandtellcards on esty. I've been in love with it ever since Jennifer McGuire mentioned it on Twitter. So adorable!
3. I've been setting type for the past couple weeks in one of my design classes. It's knitpicky and tedious, but an amazing experience to work with type in its truest form. Hopefully I'll get some shots of our finished project to show you. Here it is in progress:


 
4. I've been taking karate. Oh yes, this girl is well on her way to a yellow belt; I'll be ki-ya-ing all the way there. Pictures to come. I look absolutely ridiculous in my uniform, so it'll make for some awesome pictures.

5. Happy olympics and happy valentine's day tomorrow. Olympics are my favorite t.v. there is... oh goodness, I can't get enough! I hope I'll have enough time to sit back and watch them a few of these days. I'm going out to dinner with my sweetie tomorrow night to celebrate v-day. It promises to be super yummy. Recent us picture:


Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Brit

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Eh, fell of the blogging wagon again.

I have so many ideas for posts but haven't gotten around to them yet. Once I find my memory card reader, maybe I'll be more motivated to post. Ha! How all is well. I'm so excited for the new Papertrey Ink releases. Uh, hello? Matching dies? Paints? Felt? I'm practically in heaven, not to mention the new stamp sets that they're previewing right now. So. Very. Excited. Some of my favorite images:

 
Dawn McVey is awesome. I love this!

 

 
New background set? Yes please.


Can you see why am over-the-moon excited? Yes. Yes. Yes.

I'll be back soon, promise.

Love,

Brit