Friday Freebie - Digital Freebie!

Yep it's time again for another digital freebie! If you'd like to win a $5 coupon for my digi store, just sign into the comments. I'll pick a winner (or two) on Monday, so check back soon! Good luck!

Also new products to the digital store this week: My #1 Dad kit! Perfect for fathers day, or masculine pages.

All digital products available at my digital stores: Di Hickman Designs or ACOT.

hugs

Di

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Theme: BABY

My theme for June is Baby. I already shared the baby invitation I had published in the April/May edition of Paper Trends but here is another card I sent in too, which they didn't pick up. Love the color scheme on these papers. Not overly 'boyish'. Nice and subtle.

Supplies: Rhinestones: Westrim Crafts; All other supplies: one heart... one mind,

More baby projects every Thursday this month!

hugs

Di

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Card Sketch June #2

Thanks for the emails and welcomes back to blogging. The time off did me good, but I found I really missed blogging, yep I am addicted. Anyway although I never reached any mind blowing decisions, I DID get some much needed R & R.

This weeks sketch is below and features 3 cascading panels. As always the sky is the limit. The digital template is available free in my digital store for a limited time, so snag it while you can

After struggling like heck with last weeks sketch, this weeks came together in a snap! A few of the sketch girls said they struggled with this one, though you wouldn't know it from their gorgeous cards. I think the key is finding a focal point and building the card around that. Loving these Brad buddies from Hot off the Press. The word 'wishes' is metal, with a hole for a brad on the dot of the "i". I decided to switch out the red heart brad it came with for a green brad to match the color scheme of the card.

"Wishes" card by Di Hickman Supplies: Cardstock: DCWV, Bazzill; Paper: Target; Metal Word: Hot off the Press; Brad: one heart... one mind; photo corners: Heidi Swapp' Pen: Ranger;

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"Thank you teacher" card by Natalie Dever
Supplies: Cardstock: Georgia Pacific, Coredinations color core; Stamps: CTMH, Papertrey Ink; Ink: Adirondack, Copic, Tombow; Other: cuttlebug embossing folder, ribbon, sewing machine

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"Floral" card by Annette Taylor
Supplies: Flowers and die: Scrapagogo, Gems: local shop, Paper Trim: Doodlebug, Paper from stash and sent thru the Robo, Rub Ons: Art Warehouse

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"Time with you" card by Lynn Anne Cutler
Supplies: Prism cardstock; Karen Foster Design paper; Crate Rub-Ons; UHU glue stick; button; Stampin’ Up! pen; cork; acrylic paint

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"Tiny Miracle" card by Kim Hughes
Supplies: Cardstock: Core'dinations (taupe and white); Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms (Baby Love/June release);Ink: Tsukineko; Paper: Basic Grey (pink); Ribbon: Beaux Regards; Safety Pin: Making Memories; Punch: McGill (scallop square); Scissors: Provo Craft

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"Thank You" card by Raechelle Bellus
supplies- pp and sticker: Melissa Frances; cs: Bazzill; buttons: Foofala; ink

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"Shared" card by Beverley Todd
Supplies: Cardstock: DCWV & Bo Bunny; Velvet Trim: Making Memories; Sentiment Stamp: Cloud 9 Designs

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"Happy Birthday" card by Louise Connell
Supplies: Papers – SEI Such a Girl; Cardstock - Bazzill; Stamp – Sugar Nellie; Sentiment stamps - Woodware

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"Dad" card by Jan Tatomir
Supplies: Paper: SEI; Chipboard: SEI; Large Brads: Making Memories; Letters: American Crafts; Rubs: Doodlebug

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"wedding" card by Jackie Western
Supplies: backing paper is from the K & Co Wedding 4 x 6 mat stack, rings and glasses are both Sizzix die cuts and the bride and groom was cut on the Robo by a friend. The card is finished off with a piece of white organza ribbon.

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"Floral" card by Wendy McGlinchey
Supplies: White, yellow and black card stock, Elusive Images Flower Stamp, Printworks Flower Shop solid mini flower stamp, Versafine Black ink pad and Cuttlebug Birds and Swirls embossing folder.

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"Anniversary" card by Ruth Trice
Supplies: Stamps by Anna Griffin, Stampin Up!, and Lavinia Stamps. Gel pen by Sakurra, Scallop Square punch by Woodware.

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"U" card by Jo Willis
Supplies: Papermill and DCWV cardstock, MOD by Autumn Leaves papers, K&Co letters to go, MAMBI Chester monogram rub-on, Making Memories ribbon.

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"Party" card by Jackie Price
Supplies: We R Memory Keepers Denim - scraps of Stitched Strips & Stitched Blocks; Studio G Stamps; cat’s eyes ink

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"Happy Birthday" card by Pearl Liu
Supplies: Clover Happy Birthday pps, Cuttlebug Happy Birthday Embossing Folder, Dena Design Birthday self Adhesive Chipboard

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"grow" card by Chrys Rose
Supplies: Bazzill cs; WRMK pp; Fontwerks rub on; Basic Grey rub on

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"Love..." card by Kristin Shulz
Supplies: Cosmo Cricket patterned paper, Queen & Co bold sequins, American Crafts Thickers, DCWV and Creative Memories alpha stickers

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"Happy Birthday" card by Linda Flinders

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As usual link me up in the comments if you make a project with the sketch as I love to come check them out! More soon! Di

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Tutorial: Envelopes

I've had a few comments lately about envelopes so I thought I'd take a few minutes to expand, which turned into a tutorial of sorts ...

Yes I make about 99% of my envelopes. It's very rare that I use store-bought envelopes, though I do have some in my stash. I use the envelope templates from one heart... one mind, which are fabulous layered templates, and worth every penny! So if you see envelopes on my blog, almost all of them are made with those templates. I love the square one (tougher to find square envelope templates) and the longer style envelopes. Even on the rare occasion I do use a pre-made envelope, I usually add an envelope liner (again I have a template, but its easy to make your own, just trace around the envelope and cut slightly smaller). I really do think adding a matching envelope gives a greeting card that extra special touch!!!


The thing I love about making my own envelopes is I can make any size I want to fit a card. Even if you aren't using a template its pretty easy, just think of it like wrapping a gift.

• Green Tip: You could simply take an existing envelope, carefully unseal the edges and use it as a template. Works great and saves $$ on buying templates. You just have to remember which envelopes are your templates so you don't use them!

I've mentioned before that I use DCWV stacks and old papers from my stash for envelopes. Some people might think this is a waste of scrapbook paper, but trust me, there is NO WAY I could ever use the amount of paper in my stash if I didn't make envelopes from it too! We all have those older papers, stuck in the back of our stash, ones that won't see a layout ever (you know you have those too! Admit it!). So I figure USE them! From a 12x12 sheet of patterned paper, I can get an envelope and card. With some left over for use on another card, or notecard/gift tag etc.

• Here I used a 12x12 piece of DCWV patterned paper, traced around the template and cut it out. You can see here that I stayed close to the edge of the paper when tracing the template to take advantage of every piece of the paper.
  

• Score and fold the envelope, then apply adhesive to the larger flap.

• Once the envelope is done, I then set about making the card. As the paper had preprinted sentiments and patterns I used these to my advantage.

Supplies: Paper: DCWV; Epoxy: Creative Imaginations; Acrylic: JoAnns;

• Once finished I had a few scraps left over. As I have 2 more sheets of this paper I opted NOT to save them, and threw them into the recycle trash. I could have quite easily made a card/gift tag from these scraps though! In fact I may go dig them out of the trash and do just that!
  

Remember though that this isn't limited to scrapbook materials. There are TONS of envelopes sitting around your house just waiting for a chance to be made.

• Green Tip: Think about using existing materials. Like newspaper, magazines, printed paper (use the reverse), you kids doodle sheets, wrapping papers, brown paper bags, old scrapbook papers... and many more! Just look around to see what you have on hand.
  

• Green Tip: Remember too that envelopes don't have to be made from paper! You can use material, thin plastics like polythene and vinyl, really think outside the box!

I hope you think twice next time you're out and think about buying some envelopes. If you're a scrapbooker you have everything you need right at home to make your own envelopes.

Happy Envelope making!

Di

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I'm Back! & Freebie winner

Yeah well I took a week off as promised to my buddies Nancy & Robin and I do feel better for it so that's good. But here I am back blogging and with little to say. Still sorting through some issues with the whole creative blog thing.

Meanwhile here is the winner of the Friday Freebie from 30th May

Jennifer: Cute blog candy! I love that smiley flower. :)

Email me Jennifer with your address etc :)

More news soon

Di

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Card Sketch June #1

I mentioned I'd be on a blog-cation for a little while but back for card sketches and a few other updates. So here is this weeks card sketch! As usual the digital template is available free in my store for a limited time.

I struggled with this one. Seem to be on a good project, blah project kinda roller coaster lately. I used leftover congrats paper from theme projects last month, paired with some ribbon from the month before, cardstock and old HS acetate flower, and finished with a brad from an office supply store.

"Congratulations" by Di Hickman
Supplies: Cardstock & Paper: DCWV; Ribbon: Cosmo Cricket; Flower: Heidi Swapp; Misc Brad

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"Enjoy" card by Kim Hughes
Supplies: Cardstock: Core'dinations; Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms (Paradise Found/June release);Ink: Tsukineko; Other: Jute

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"Catch a rainbow" card by Jackie Western
Supplies: Paper is Three Bugs in a Rug 6 x 6 Summer pad, rubber stamp by Rubbadubbadoo

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"Sincere Thanks" card by Louise Connell
Supplies: Papers – Fancy Pants Floral Chic; Brad and flowers – HOTP; Sentiment stamp – A Muse Artstamps; Ribbon from stash

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"Celebrate" card by Linda Flinders

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"Ethan" card by Annette Taylor Supplies List: Patterned paper – Making Memories and a RAK, Ribbon and pearls - Angel Crafts ribbon kit, Alphas and photo corner – Making Memories, Rub On – Art Warehouse, Chipboard – Pressed Petals, Crackle Paint – Tim Holtz, Inks – Versamagic chalk inks

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"Be Creative" card by Natalie Dever
Supplies: Cardstock: DCWV; Patterned Papers: Webster’s Pages, College Press; Die Cuts: Making Memories; Button: Autumn Leaves; Stamp: Fancy Pants; Punch: Martha stewart; Ribbon and bling unknown

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"Happy Birthday" card by Jackie Price
Supplies: Scraps of KaiserCraft Lonestar and KaiserCraft Rough & Tough; cat’s eyes; white pen

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"True friends" card by Jo Willis
Supplies: DCWV cardstock, Polar Bear Press paper, Heidi Grace quote stamp, black Versafine ink, felt flower (Cuttlebug die-cut), HOTP button various rhinestones and black gel pen.

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"Smile" card by Pearl Liu
Supply List : SandyLion Licorice Lane pp & Sticker Collection , Bazzill cardstock, Brilliance Graphite Black Inkpad, Maya Road Sheer Ribbon

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"Live Your Passion" card by Jan Tatomir
Supplies: Paper: Scenic Route; Cardstock: Archivers, Bazzill; Ribbon: Strano Designs; scallop Flower: Technique Tuesday; Button: Vintage; Rub-On Stitching: DCWV; Staples: Making Memories

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"Get Well Soon" card by Raechelle Bellus
Supplies: pp: Jenni Bowlin and Best Creations; felt: Fancy Pants Designs and MM; button: MM; DMC floss; ribbon: unknown

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"You're Timeless" card by Kristin Shulz
Supplies: Cosmo Cricket patterned paper, Making Memories metal frame, Heidi Swapp chipboard clock, Queen & Co Bold sequin, K& Co and Daisy D rubs

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As always if you do make a card with the sketch, hook me up in the comments as I love to come check them out! Di

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Taking a blog-cation!

After a little bit of thinking I've decided to take a vacation from the regular blogging schedule. I'll definitely be back on Wednesday for the weekly sketch and maybe the odd post here and there, but I need a little break from the routine :)

Got to recharge the creative juices :)

hugs

Di

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