Paper Crafts magazine presents Card Creations:Get Inspired Blog Hop

Happy Holidays Blog Hop Peeps!  I can't believe it's already December!....where does the time go?....  It's an exciting month isn't it?  Card Creations: Get Inspired, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years....Did I mention Card Creations: Get Inspired?  That's the news I've been waiting to tell you about!

It's an all new publication from Paper Crafts based on their very popular Get Inspired column featuring cards inspired by everyday things.  Like shoes, throw pillows, shoes, sweaters, mirrors, shoes, plates and cups, jewelry....did I mention shoes?....the list goes on.  I bet you didn't realize there's so much around you to inspire fantastic paper creations?  I had SO much fun creating for this issue....photos are my favorite things to inspire my creative side.... They gave us 40 different photos of typical things you'd find, well, anywhere, and asked for literal and interpretive creations inspired by them.  I tried to make 2 for each all the photos....80 total.....BUT..... I only got 35 done....tee hee....  It was SO much fun!  Some were really easy to create from, but others were really hard.  I found the literal creations the easiest to make on most of them, however my favorite creations were the ones I took creative licence with.

Now here we are today!  I was one of the lucky ones invited to participate in Paper Crafts, Card Creations: Get Inspired blog hop!  Our challenge today was to take a photo of something from our own home to inspire a new creation.  Since I am a decorator and have loads of homes I help out for the holidays, I decided I HAD to use my holiday mantle as my inspiration for my creation for this....its so glittery and sparkly....I love it!  There is NOTHING I love more than to over-stuff my mantle with fabulous ornaments, each sparkly and gorgeous....*yum*....

I don't use tradtional color combos for my holiday decor, and have used it to inspire other paper creations....check out my 2010 Stampin Royalty card here.....  My favorite time in this room is at night, a fire roaring, lights twinkling, spiked caramel apple cider in my mega mug....*aahhhh*....Keeping to the parameters of the original challenge they gave us, I choose to make 2 creations, one literal and one interpretive!....since I'm currently bed-ridden with a kidney stone, I had time....

This is the literal creation....can't you tell?....  I've had these fabulous holiday words for a year now and am excited to be finally using them.  I didn't have 'believe' so I used 'Christmas' instead.  Wanna know how I made the lush 'ornament' garland along the bottom?


1. Gather up your items.  Large and small glue dots (Zots), glitter (Martha Stewart), buttons, pearls or rhinestones and your card..  FYI - I used the Cuttlebug houndstooth folder for the top panel of my card.

2.  Cut your strip of large glue dots to separate each one (this makes it easier to place them where you want).

3.  Adhere 3 glue dots in a random pattern (not to close together).  Sprinkle with same color glitter.  Repeat 3 times.   If wanted - Add small glue dots and add dazzling diamonds glitter.   *TIP* when adhering the glue dots, plan on clustering 1 of each color in a loose group.

4.  Embellish with buttons, pearls and rhinestones.

Lush and lovely!  I did the happy dance when it was finished - *LOVE it*

Now, on to the interpretive one....and my favorite....a little shabby chic creation with lots of whites and I've added in the glitter and sparkle with the sentiment and the pin.  See that fan-tab-ulous shimmer paper?  Sorry, I picked it up on my recent trip to Copenhagen, but it's made by Annie P Paperie.  I think there may be a place in New York....for those of us on this side of the pond....check out her fabulous things here.

Have you been inspired?  I certainly hope so!  As a thank you for joining me today, leave a comment below and you'll name will be entered into a drawing for a copy of this fabulous issue!  THEN visit the Paper Crafts Connection blog and be entered to win an AWESOME new Martha Steward tool, the Craft Station!  The Craft Station includes a 12”x12” LED light table and glass cutting mat, a cutting shuttle and movable ruler arm, three cutting blades and cartridge, a metal stencil, a stylus, five 12”x12” tracing templates, a cutting knife and an alignment guide. Retail price is $165 - AWESOME!!

Now head off to Lorena's blog and check out all her inspiration!  If you got lost, here is the list of the ladies on the blog hop:

• Chan Vuong
• Kalyn Kepner
• Kim Hughes
• Carly Robertson
• Kristin Tierney
• Lorena Canto
• Lynn Mangan
• Sarah Moerman
• Teri Anderson

Don't forget you can find inspiration in anything around you.  Don't believe me?  Check out the Card Creations: Get Inspired and you'll see how easy it is.