Sketch of the month - February card

I mentioned last month that I'd be doing a sketch a month and I figured I'd alternate layouts and cards so as January was a layout sketch here is this months card sketch! A digital template of the sketch is available for a limited time so grab it while you can!

I again decided to go with Boxer products and LOVE this paper by Boxer, Princess Paisley is just delicious! I really dig the pink and green color scheme. I used the sentiments words from a previous free printable blog download of mine and this card just came together so easily! All supplies except cardstock are by Boxer.

I really LOVE this paper! Check it your local scrapbook store to snag some for yourself! It's just so fun and 'springy'. Anyway February is nearly here so just posting this a few days early to give you the heads up for February's sketch!

Enjoy!

Di

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Stamping card

As a member of the Boxer design team I was pretty slack during the latter half of 2010, but vowed to make up for it in 2011. As a team we decided that we'd have potential weekly themes to create things, a challenge of sorts. This week on the Boxer blog was stamping challenge. Naturally that to me means sentiment stamps for cards.

I dug into my Boxer stash for this one for paper, rick rack, stamp and the slide mount. It's an old slide mount from discontinued Boxer stock years ago. Have I really been with Boxer that long? Sheesh! Anyway I like the card, the pop of purple is accented by a purple button on the slide mount. I figure it will do well as a guys birthday card, I struggle to make those!

Enjoy the weekend!

Di

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January free card printable

Time for another free card printable, this one is January and features a birthday theme. You can download it here

• To use download the file & unzip
• print onto letter size cardstock
• cut sheet in half, fold each piece in half to create 2 cards
• add patterned paper as shown
• add embellishments

I love the simplicity of printables! Perfect for quick and easy cards. I opted to ink the edges of my papers and cards but I could have simply left them clean if I wanted. Honestly I think I'm going through another inking phase right now....

Supplies: My Printable Download; Papers: Boxer; Ink: CTMH;

The second card I chose to put the paper all the way to the edges and a little wider. This left room for a small accent, so I chose some rhinestones to accent the sentiment.

Supplies: My Printable Download; Papers: Boxer; Ink: CTMH;

I love that these were quick and easy to make! In future I may just print out a few of these sheets and have them handy whilst creating other projects so I can use scraps of paper up! This design is perfect for those 1"-2" strips we get left over on some projects!

Enjoy!

Di

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Sketch of the month - January layout

Happy New Year! I had some time off in December and used that time wisely to get ahead and get craft projects done for January :) Yes I started the New Year off already ahead! I did this because I have decided to focus on FITNESS for 2011. Last year (weird saying that huh?) was all about transition for me and finding balance between fitness and crafting. Well this year the balance is gone, I've paired down my crafting responsibilities and I craft for fun and just 2 teams now. As such I am dedicating more time to those two teams rather than spreading myself thinly. 

So onto the New Year and a sketch a month. It may be 1 a month it may be more, I haven't really decided I'm just going to go with the flow! So here is the layout sketch for this month!

Naturally I made a layout with this sketch and decided to combine it with a Boxer project. Maybe that will be my "theme' each sketch? Anyways here is Nancys cute little girl Bella in a layout I made for Boxer. All products except cardstock are by Boxer and available online or in your local scrapbook store.

Wishing you all the best for the New Year! 2011 is going to be a great one, I can feel it!

Di

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Saturday Special

Good morning! Bob is back in the da house! Yay! Albeit after a 3 hour flight delay, but he's here. It's been so freakin' quiet here! I've not really got as much done around the house as I'd hoped but it was a CRAZY week. Taught three classes, went to a movie preview and basically spent time organizing and decluttering as well as chatting to Bob on Skype. Are you all using Skype? Man it's AWESOME! Especially for long distance chatting, like the phone but with video! Awesomesauce! Anyway yeah that 5 days just flew by!

And today it's SATURDAY! ALREADY! For the folks in England you know what Saturday is right? Yep Saturday is Tiswas day! Wow used to love that on Saturday mornings, dating myself here, lol, Phantom Flan Flinger and all, oh and the dying fly of course. Anyways here is a little creativeness for you for the weekend! Just a card using the new Boxer chipboard and flowers...

Supplies: Paper, Chipboard, flowers: Boxer; Cardstock: DCWV; Photo corner: 3L

Also remember I'll be blogging and vlogging in future! Did you see yesterdays trial run? Let me know of any topics you want me to vlog about, I'll take requests ;) I'm also going through some of our files as we have some home movies I can clip to put on youtube/facebook :) Love social media!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Di

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Boxer Published Cards

Today I thought I'd share a couple of cards published in the latest edition of Ready Set Create magazine. The February/March issue is packed with seasonal ideas, design team inspiration, as well as reader layouts and projects. Check it out at readysetcreate.com

When the submissions we're being accepted I was playing bigt ime with the newest Boxer products I'd received so it was only natural that I'd be using Boxer products for my submissions for this issue. This card below features the newest papers and stamps from Boxer. Love the paisley and matching striped paper.

 

I decided to work on a St Patrick's Day card for this issue using Boxer papers too, this one features the green gingham paired with the shamrock paper. One of my "go to" designs for scraps, but I do love it. Works everything regardless of card theme!

 

More projects coming soon!

Di

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Cards with new Boxer products

Sharing a couple of cards I made recently using the new Boxer products. First up is a card using the new black & white stripe paper, new stamps, black grosgrain and the new cardstock flowers! Love this design for quick and easy cards.

 

 

I also made this card using the new black & white stripe paper, new daisy paper, black grosgrain and the new sentiment stamps. Loving these new card stamps!!!

More projects soon!

Di

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Boxer layouts - dog papers

If you've paid close attention to the Boxer blog over the past few years, you'll know that I absolutely ADORE the doggy papers! They were what drew me to Boxer, made me apply for the Design Team and honestly I could scrap forever with their doggy papers :) I love scrapping my dogs but for this layout I decided to scrap a page for a friend, and specifically her dog Guido.

This page features both new and old dog products, again Boxer going the extra mile to update those older papers by coordinating them to the newer papers! Awesome! Here is the new Bone paper with the older woof words and woof stripes paper. Also on this page is part of the new new dog transparency!

The layout is completed with bone ribbon, brads, metal embellishments, alphabet stickers and dog bone charm all from Boxer! I also used the stitching ruler for the hand stitching.

On the layout below I combined those same papers, new bone paper, woof words and woof stripes, with the new dog transparency and a photo of one of my furbabies. This is Sky :)

 

Also on this layout are ric rac, grosgrain ribbon, brads and a metal rim tag. Love how everything coordinates down to the exact color match!

More projects soon!

Di

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Boxer Project - New Papers & Stamps

I am loving the new pink papers from Boxer!!! I especially love how they coordinate with some of the older papers in the Boxer store, for example the new crown paper, and new pink polka dot paper go great with the existing pink gingham paper! So cool that Boxer do this!!!

Also on this page are the new Boxer princess stamp set and new luggage tags! Loving those luggage tags!!! To finish off the page I used Boxer brads, ribbon and stickers.

More projects coming soon!

Di

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Published cards - Just Cards Magazine

Sharing my latest publications in Just Cards Magazine Vol 16. This mag is packed full of inspiration for cardmakers, and each card has a small how-to tutorial with it, perfect for beginners! Vol 16 is out on newsstands now!

First up is a card using one heart... one mind products. I usually send in a ton of cards each quarter that I have lying around the scraproom collecting dust and this was one I made a while back using ohom for some submissions. It didn't get picked up for publication then (they chose another card of mine) but it found it's way into print via Just Cards!

This next card was made back in 2008 I think, maybe even 2007, using a sketch of mine. Love the Basic Grey papers, and wow MM rub-on alpha's! Definitely an oldie but a goodie!

Next up this card is fairly recent, when I say that of course I mean it was made in 2009 at least. With the lead time of magazines it can be 6 months to a year before you see your work in print. So I condsider anything within the same 12 months a good timeframe. I beleive I made this card for my manufacturer Monday postings early 2009, using HOTP papers.

This card was another oldie, from 2008 I think again a manufacturer Monday project using Dreamstreet papers. Simple yet stunning. It took me three looks through the magazine before I realized it was my card! Shows you how old this one is :)

When I submit cards to Just Cards or other mail-in publications I always purposefully make some cards using Boxer products. I aim to get one card in the magazine using my Design Team products. Loving the Boxer sentiments stamps and I am so looking forward to showing you all the new Boxer products soon!!!

Ok I think that was it for this issue. If you do pick this issue up you'll see loads of stunning cards of all types, sizes, shapes, styles and mediums. There really is somethng for everyone in this mag!

Di

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Sneak Peeks of New Boxer Products

One of the greatest things about being on a manufacturer design team hands down is the new releases! Being among the first to play with the latest and greatest. I'll state here and now that this seasons releases from Boxer are by far some of my favorites, lots of black and white, pinks, greens and geometric patterns, plus new cardmaking stamps!!! BE STILL MY HEART! Seriously loving the newest stamp sets!!! Anyway here is a little sneak peek at some of the latest Boxer releases, black and white paisley, daisy print, and embossed die cut flowers, plus a princess stamp set. Basically everyone on here is Boxer aside from the pink cardstock! Awesome...

I also thought I'd share a project I made recently using the Winter Stamps set from Boxer. These are really great stamps great for any winter project. For this project I used the following supplies: Mint tin; white grosgrain, blue grosgrain, assorted tags, winter stamps, snowflakes on blue paper, blue buttons; alphabet stickers; chain; tin template;

 

Even though Winter is already on it's way out and the days are getting longer I am still on a kick using these Winter stamps! The snowflakes are probably my favorite in this set. Nice sizes and styles, and perfect for stamping on the Boxer metal rimmed tags! They can also be paired with the Christmas stamps for greeting cards. On the card below I used: white grosgrain, blue grosgrain, assorted tags, winter stamps, holiday words paper; Christmas stamps This card was published in Ready Set Create December/January edition.

My favorite type of card is one that is simple, and focuses on the sentiment. I like lots of open space on cards. It helps that these tend to be the quick and easy kind of cards too! On the card below I used:blue grosgrain, assorted tags, winter stamps, holiday words paper; This card was published in Scrapstreet December issue.

To round off this post

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Recently Published Cards & Scrapbooking Projects

Ok stopping by today to share some recently published work in Scrapstreet Ezine, and Ready Set Create Ezine. I love the ezines, and they seem to like my work too :) Good to know ;) Any in the December 2009 issue of Scrapstreet Magazine I had a card published so sharing that first. You can see the December issue of Scrapstreet online for free so check it out!

My card features all Boxer Scrapbooks products, including their awesome acrylic stamps! There are always stamp sets I reach for again and again and the winter ones from Scrapstreet are one of those sets. What's not to love with the snowflake and Snow wording?

Supplies: Cardstock: DCWV; Paper, tag, ribbon & Stamp: Boxer Scrapbooks

My second project published recently was in Ready Set Create December/January issue. I love the new landscape format Jen implemented so much easier for viewing on my screens!

Again my card featured all Boxer Scrapbooks products, when I'm playing with a certain paper making projects I make extra's for the Ezines and the Boxer Blog. Always good to have more projects than you need :) As it turned out everything I made got published in some way or another so it all worked out fine!

Supplies: Paper, tag, ribbon, eyelet & Stamp: Boxer Scrapbooks

I'll be sharing more projects soon so keep checking back or sign up for email updates (over there on the right side bar) or check me out in a blog reader like bloglines or google reader! So easy to keep track of blog updates with a reader!

Di

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Celebrate today for tomorrow we diet!

It's the end of 2009 and a new year starting! I love this time of year. It's a time when we all start afresh and make goals for the upcoming year! I really love the color combo of black, white and silver for new year cards, it's classic and timeless yet also bright and cheerful!

Boxer Supplies: Black Polka Dot paper; Celebrate Ribbon; Stickers;

Also sharing today a card I made for the Boxer blog earlier this month. Love this design for those scraps, it's a design I use over and over, always good for those little strips of paper we have leftover from projects and takes no time at all to whip up. Great to make for Cards for Heroes.

Supplies: Cardstock: DCWV; Paper, stamp & tag: BOxer Scrapbooks; Around the block labeler.

Wishing you all a happy new year,
all the best for 2010!

Di

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Boxer Project

I don't know if it's just me, but taking photo's of these projects is sometimes really awkward! Case in point this calendar page. You totally CANNOT see the shimmer or the shine of some of these papers, which is what ties together the whole page! Darnit! Anyway the silver cardstock has come out totally white in the page :( Just trust me that the frames around the photo are silver and I added some shimmer ink to the patterned paper which also didn't come out in the photo. You can see the silver a little around the "December" sticker though, so just imagine that theme throughout ok? lol

Boxer Products: 6x6 Calendar, Calendar Stickers, contemporary holiday words paper,

This suits my holiday theme perfectly and I LOVE text paper, almost as much as my passion for polka dot paper!


Di

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Published - Just Cards: Holidays

Sharing a publication today in Just Cards: Holidays, Special Issue. Loving the special issues that they are doing, the wedding one was awesome, and I see they are going to be doing a birthday celebrations one soon also! This issue should be on the newstands still :)

Just one card in this issue. Don't remember submitting it for this issue specifically but Just Cards hangs on to cards incase they fit another publication. Which works out fine by me ;)

This card features Boxer Scrapbooks supplies, and some stamping :) Simple yet effective. Good if you are making a TON of cards! Remember they don't all have to be different, save yourself the headache :)

Boxer Supplies: Holiday words Paper; slate grosgrain ribbon; Winter stamps;

Looking at the image the watermark is 2008 which shows how long ago I submitted this card! At least it made it to print eventually, lol!

More soon!

Di

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Sincere thank you!

This week I thought I'd share a card I had published in this months Scrapbooking.com issue! One thing I have always loved about Boxer is that they coordinate the newer papers to go with some of the older paper, allowing us to get a 2nd use from our stash. The striped paper on this card is from the calendar papers (fall) and it really goes well with the older orange dot paper. Plus the ribbon coordinates with both! Awesome!

Boxer products: Fall stripes; orange dot; orange grosgrain; Thank You stamps;

Check out your older Boxer papers and see which of the newer papers you can coordinate them with! Definitely gives your older papers a second wind!

Di

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Sunday Sunday

There is a new digital kit available at Scrapwow, it's the RAKscraps November Add-On kit and designed by me :) The color palette is delicously fall deep and rich autumnal colors. A great kit for any occasion really! On sale for just $3.95

Coordinating with the kit is a series of Quick Pages I designed. Each one is a 12x12 Quick Page with transparent windows, simply add your photos and journaling and you' re page is done! Available in my Scrapwow store only!

Check out my digital stores for more quickpages, templates and digital kits: Scrapwow, 3scrapateers and Di Hickman Designs

Today I thought I'd also share a care that was published in the current issue of Ready Set Create. This one is a get well card, and ANY dot paper usually works well for this kind of card and I LOVE dot papers :)

Boxer Supplies: Green multi Dot paper; Dog lovers buttons;

More projects coming soon!

Di

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Monday Musings

Friday was a busy day, with phone calls to family back home, grocery shopping, working out, cooking and household chores. Amazing how time flies with just general everyday life 'stuff'. Saturday we did the usual stuff. I cleaned the kitchen, Bob tinkered around the house doing his projects.

Saturdays are my day off from exercise so I have a cheat day and don't watch my diet so much. In the evening we went to Souplantation and I nearly lost my wedding ring down the drain :( Yeah I know I lost weight but haven't lost that much recently! I only got this one in September (our 10 year anniversary!). Apparently though the body SHAPE is changing (as happens) and my fingers are much thinner than they used to be. I went to the bathroom, washed my hands, and when I shook them to get the excess water off before turning and grabbing some paper towel to dry them - My ring flew off, and rolled around the sink! Thank heavens the drain holes were small! Otherwise I'd have lost it. Guess it's time for a new/smaller ring!

Sunday I kept busy busy busy! I started the third phase of P90-X, cut Bobs hair, did some household chores, tidied up my scraproom/office, caught up on some TV and did some creating (sharing that tomorrow). Hopefully the productivity from Sunday continues throughout the upcoming week!!!

Anyway sharing another Boxer card today. Whilst making the card I showed on the blog last week I whipped up another using the same supplies. Always good to have one card to send and another to put aside in the stash for a rainy day :)

Boxer Supplies: Lavendar dot paper; Plum Brads; lavendar grosgrain;

More cards soon!

Di

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Monday Musings

Well I seem to finally be getting over the flu! My cough isn't as bad as it has been, still there but definitely getting better (hurrah!). We had date night Friday, Indian food was consumed along with beers, gosh how I LOVE Indian food!

It was brought to my attention that the card sketch this week didn't have the PNG files in the download, so I'll get that fixed this week then put that back up for download on Wednesday with the new card sketch (fingers crossed). Guess I just had a busy week last week and it slipped my mind, I thought I'd done them and just zipped up the file too soon! Ah well!

The weekend went pretty weirdly. We had some meals out, and our plans seemed to get squished on. Saturday we did get out to do some shopping. I needed new underwear so trip to Victoria's Secret was in order, more on that another day. We kinda decided Sunday that we'd go riding, but then Bobs bike had a leak in the front fork. I'm a worrier too, so no way we were going riding with that potential hazard! The good news is that Rowher Flats, our nearest off-roading area, is back open after burning down a couple of years ago! Hurrah! Big cheer for that!

Thought I'd share some Boxer cards throughout October I had published recently in Ready Set Create magazine. I LOVE LOVE LOVE making cards and Boxer products make card making a snap with coordinating papers and supplies :)

Boxer Supplies: Lavendar Dot Paper; White grosgrain; Small tags; Silver brads;

I have LOTS to do today, and lots of blog posts I want to prep for the upcoming month. The flu thing really set me behind, and playing catch up with work projects the last week or so has meant not much time to invest in the blog etc. Hopefully I can change that this week!

Also I thought I'd mention that I am back to working out daily! I did basic sessions last week, but hope to take that up a notch this week. I did a double session today (Kenpo X and yoga) and I feel great! I hope that's a sign that I am definitely over the worst of the flu and on the road to healthy again!

Di

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Monday Musings

Well I feel like I've lost a week of my life with this damn flu! It's been over a week now, and I am still not completely over it. Other people I know who have had it are on week 2 and 3 so I guess I get to suffer a little longer. I do feel a whole lot better than I did though, so that's at least some comfort! Before I got sick my friend Rosie asked me to be Guest Designer for her challenge blog, I accepted, got sick and ended up just getting this card made right under the wire! Urgh. I hate being late for anything but I guess flu is as good an excuse as any right? Anyway The first challenge for this month was a sketch, you can see the sketch and all the DT examples here: Rosie-Dee's Challenge

Paper: MAMBI; Cardstock: DCWV; Font: Vladimir Script; Digital Frame & Stamp: Glitz

Well other than that, not much to update with really, other than coughing and sneezing. I think I mentioned that Bob caught the flu too right? Can't imagine where he got that from *cough cough* lol. Sharing is caring right? Anyway we've been a right pair. We didn't even celebrate Halloween despite invitations to 2 party's :( We didn't even give out candy to trick or treaters because we'd be spreading our germs to all the kids, which we really didn't think the parents would appreciate! In all a pretty boring Halloween really. I have felt well enough to do some digital designing, so I've pretty much just been doing that for the last couple of days, working on a kit for November for RAKscraps, and trying to finish up a holiday kit I had in the works back in September but never finished!

I also thought I'd share another Boxer calendar page this week, using the 6x6 calendar. I've said I love this size, but I really really do! So fun and quick to put pages together! The thing with this size, is that simplicity really is the key! No need to put lots of elements on the page, just let the patterned paper do it's job!

Boxer Products: 6x6 Calendar, Calendar Stickers, fall stripes paper, fall leaves paper

Di

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