United We Three ~~~ Funtoolas "Vintage Treasures"

Once again I wanted to show off this amazing kit from Funtoolas. I wanted to show off (with better pics) the first page and follow up with the second page.

"United We 3"

"United" again 

Ribbon Bud and Paper Towel vines

Rose stamp from kit

old green ear ring

Flower cluster and bling

 "We Three"

Please come join me at Funtoolas July Sparkle and Bling challenge for a opportunity to show off  any type of handmade flower on your craft project. One lucky random winner will receive a RAK.

Schwiet Garden ~~~ Ribbon Rose Bud

Every odd day of the month I will present a new gardening tip. The best news is you don't have to be a green thumb to have success with these tips because they are suggested tutorials for flowers to be included in your crafts.

Every rose garden should have some rose buds, so today I'd like to share with you a rose bud tutorial. These rose buds are made from snips of ribbon and truly look elegant on a page. 

Please come join me at Funtoolas July Sparkle and Bling challenge for a opportunity to show off  any type of handmade flower on your craft project. One lucky random winner will receive a RAK.

Schwiet Garden ~~~ Paper Towel Vines

Every odd day of the month I will present a new gardening tip. The best news is you don't have to be a green thumb to have success with these tips because they are suggested tutorials for flowers to be included in your crafts.

So far we've done leaves and flowers so today's gardening tip is vines. Here's a simple tutorial for making paper towel vines. I made these vines for the first time on the last page I created and I was amazed at the simplicity in this vine.

Please come join me at Funtoolas July Sparkle and Bling challenge for a opportunity to show off  any type of handmade flower (OR LEAVES) on your craft project. One lucky random winner will receive a RAK.

Schwiet Garden ~~~ Gabriella's 6 petal Rose Bloom

Every odd day of the month I will present a new gardening tip. The best news is you don't have to be a green thumb to have success with these tips because they are suggested tutorials for flowers to be included in your crafts.

After I discovered how simple and amazing Gabriella's 6 petal blooms look I became addicted. I believe I add this flower to probably 75% of my layouts. I've even been known to bring my punches and glue dots to conferences and make these flowers as I listen to the speaker. Being a visual and hands-on learner, making these flowers actually improve my concentration. 

Please come join me at Funtoolas July Sparkle and Bling challenge for a opportunity to show off  any type of handmade flower (OR LEAVES) on your craft project. One lucky random winner will

Schwiet Garden ~~~ Realistic leaves

Every odd day of the month I will present a new gardening tip. The best news is you don't have to be a green thumb to have success with these tips because they are suggested tutorials for flowers to be included in your crafts.

Today's flower is actually a leaf. What garden is not complete without some leaves and what scrapbook layout doesn't look amazing with flowers and leaves. This tutorial is brought to by an amazing member of the Funtoolas , Lisa. Check out her realistic leaves here.

Please come join me at Funtoolas July Sparkle and Bling challenge for a opportunity to show off  any type of handmade flower (OR LEAVES) on your craft project. One lucky random winner will receive a RAK.

July Funtoolas Kit "Vintage Treasures" Release ~~ United

I am deeply honor to be a member of the Funtoola design team. This kit has always amazed me with its botanical aesthetic appeal and July's kit "Vintage Treasures" is by far continues this trend with beautiful, vibrant colors and remarkable flowers both on the paper and as embellishments. To see this incredible kit in action please stop by the Funtoolas blog to enjoy what Lisa's (aka kaye22), our featured guest put together,. Also feel free to check out her blog.

I made two projects with this kit. One is mini album built into a church to honor my brother's recent wedding. The design is based on a pattern written by the amazing Laura from Following the Paper Trail. I also created a stand- up album from an acrylic 5x7 frame that I filled pictures of myself and quotes to remind me to hold my head high. Please come back to my blog every few days as I reveal both albums.

For today I am showcasing my favorite page from my brother's wedding album. This page is based on the current Funtoola's sketch.

One of my favorite things to do is create handmade embellishments.Here's the tutorial I followed for this page:
realistic leaves
ribbon buds
6 petal roses
paper towel vines

 

I would love for you all to join me in a challenge to show off your sparkle and bling this July. One lucky random winner will win a little RAK from my stash.

Love in an Investiment Good Ones Pay Off

Happy Father's Day 

I want to share a stand-up album I created for Dallas's father using a cheap, acrylic frame and the rings from an old two-ringer binder . As some of you know, we're going through a rough patch. This album reflects this time, so don't think the title "Mistake" has anything to do with the birth of my son. It's what his father calls this time; I call this time a "Lesson", yet maybe we should see it as an "Investment."

I used Andea's Tut on woven stitch and followed Paulien's sample.

Notice how the transparency flips back on the binding. Each layers flips over in an album as demonstrated by Heidi Swapp.




And another layer.





Mistake or a Lesson or an Investment- Good Ones Pay Off



Good Ones Pay Off. The background paper is Pion design ~~ Pontiac - For Father. A RAK from Flying Unicorn. I added sweeps of red paint to create a water color effect.

"Lesson" was cut on my Silhouette along with the love tickets.

The green leaves are made following Lisa's tattered leaves tutorial

This is the bottom most layer. I used. I tied a sailor's knot in the twine.

This is a close-up of the Petaloo Mulberry flowers and the masking I did on the "Mistake" title.

Here's the title "Investment" finally spelled correctly. Thank goodness a heat gun un-sticks hot glue.