Fancy Drum

Today I have a quick and easy card to share with you. Since holiday's are a busy time of year I thought I'd share something that only takes a few minutes to whip up and yet still looks festive and pretty.

Supplies and Tools used on this card:

Christmas Quilt Embossing Folder (Couture Creations)

Circle & Scallop Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Music Background Stamp (Stampin' Up)

Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink (Ranger)

Fancy Drum Die (Memory Box/Poppystamps)

Sponge Daubers

Scotch Foam Mounting Tape

St. Nicholas 2 Stamp Set (Graphic 45)

I'd love to see what you've been creating, so stop by the current link party and showoff any creation that includes a product or two from one of the companies carried in the Cropstop store.

Frosty The Snowman

Today I have a fun Frosty the Snowman card to share with you. This card features a wintry background created with Color burst powders and Inka Gold.

Supplies and Tools used on this card:

Ultramarine Blue Color Burst (Ken Oliver)

Beaded Snowflake Die (Memory Box/Poppystamps)

Platinum Inka Gold

Sentiment from Martha Stewart set

Holiday Words Stamp Set (Inkadinkado)

Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink (Ranger)

Scotch Foam Mounting Tape

I'd love to see what you've been creating, so stop by the current link party and showoff any creation that includes a product or two from one of the companies carried in the Cropstop store. 

Blanket Plaid

Hello Friends. Today I'm sharing one last "Ocotober Plaid" post. I call today's pattern, "blanket plaid" because it reminds me of a warm and cozy throw you might snuggle up under on a cold winter evening.

Here's how I created this design:

• Traced a double wide line of brown down a piece of kraft card stock
• Traced three thin lines of teal and then repeated step one
• Turned my cardstock 90 degrees 
• Traced a double wide line of teal
• Traced three thin lines of brown

I couldn't decide which style to use with this plaid -- rustic, classy, vintage???? I finally decided to do a "dressed up" plaid  with some pretty Petaloo flowers and scalloped edging.

Supplies used on this card:

• Markers
• Scallop Basic Edges 2 (My Favorite Things)
• All things are possible stamp set (Heartfelt Creations)
• Meadowbird Branch die set (Memory Box)
• Teastained Teal Flowers (Petaloo)
• Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink (Ranger)
• Burlap String 

There's still one week left to enter the October Challenge so be sure to stop by our Current Challenge and link up any project that includes a product or two from one of the companies Cropstop carries in the store. Remember if you link up something that includes a plaid element your name will be entered twice in the random drawing for a prize!

Guest Designer - Darlene Pavlick

 It's guest designer Friday again, and today we have a super cute card created by the talented Darlene Pavlick of Dar's Crafty Creations! Oh my, I just love the adorable little scene she's created with Memory Box Dies!!  Darlene shares how she created this card....

"The card I have created to share with you today can be used for a variety of occasions or just as a note card.  The 'deer' little scene I've created makes me smile ... I hope it makes you smile too!

It all started with the background utilizing inks and embossing.

For the embossing,  I used a Darice 'Cloudy Sky' embossing folder and did a little outlining with a white Gelly Roll pen to help add even more dimension to my clouds.

While the Memory Box 'Deer in the Trees' #99275 die cut was still in the paper, I did my coloring using Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers.

Isn't this new Memory Box 'Woodland Bridge Frame' (#94039) awesome?  I love the bridge concept and I turned the little deer into a 'fawn' by putting the spots on his rump!  More coloring done with the same Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and inks.

I wanted to create dimension in the scene so I've cut out 3 additional 'Deer in the Trees' die cuts and glued them all together with the colored one on top.

My sentiment is by Sue Wilson but you could use any number of stamp or die sentiments."

Crop Stop Product Used:

•  Tim Holtz Distress Inks
• Darice embossing folder 
• Memory Box dies
• Craft sheet
• Spectrum Noir 
• ATG Gun
• Scor Tape

I'd love to see what you've been creating of late so stop by our CURRENT LINK PARTY and showoff any project that includes a product or two from one of the companies Cropstop carries in the store. Hope to see you there!

Guest Designer - Kitty

It's time for another guest design spot here on the Cropstop blog! Today we're featuring the work of Kitty of Fit Kitty. She created an elegant butterfly card to inspire us. I just love the embossing and the pretty polka dot paper behind her butterflies!

Here's what Kitty says about putting this gorgeous card together:

"Hello, everyone!  It's Fit Kitty here!  Today I'm excited to be a Guest Designer at Cropstop!  Thank you to Esther for inviting me!  For my project, I decided to make a quick and easy anniversary card featuring butterflies. 

This quick and easy card worked out well for me considering my husband's health, which has left me with little time for crafting at the moment.  I started by die-cutting the Oriel Butterfly from patterned paper, the Lunette Butterfly from white cardstock, and then the Butterfly Buttons from teal cardstock.  I adhered the butterflies together, Lunette onto Oriel and Button onto Lunette.  I embossed a white cardstock panel and stamped the sentiment (I recommend stamping the sentiment before embossing, but I had no problem stamping on the embossed cardstock).  I layered the embossed panel onto teal cardstock and then onto patterned paper.  I finished off the cardfront by adhering the layered butterflies and embellishing with a number of sequins.  Lastly, the cardfront was adhered to a top-folding white A2 card base."

Products used:

Dies:  Memory Box Oriel Butterfly, Memory Box Lunette Butterfly, Poppystamps Butterfly Buttons

Embossing folder:  Cuttlebug Floral Screen

Clear stamp:  Sentiment (Hero Arts Everyday Sayings)

Ink:  Lawn Fawn Peacock

Patterned paper:  Echo Park Dots and Stripes

Cardstock:  Recollections

Equipment:  Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Spacer A, Cutting Pad B, Replacement Adapter C, Fiskars Personal Trimmer and Replacement Blades, EK Success Craft Tweezers

Adhesive:  Scotch Advanced Tape Glider and Refills, Ranger Multi-Medium Matte

Other:  Sequins from my stash

Now it's your turn -- Stop by our CURRENT LINK PARTY and showoff any project that includes a product or two from one of the companies Cropstop carries in the store.

September Link Party - #43

I realize that fall officially begins the end of this month, but I'm not quite ready to let go of my summer yet. So....today I'm sharing one last summer card before I start into sunflowers, pumpkins, falling leaves, and all things autumn!  Here's a fun little summer scene I created with dies and layered on an embossed (and sanded) doily.

Supplies used on this card:

• Lattice Embossing Folder (Creative Expressions)
• Texture Fades Doily Embossing Folder (Sizzix)
• Core'dinations Pastels (Core'dinations Cardstock) 
• Sandpaper (or Sand-it-gadget)
• Wreath Die Set (Spellbinders)
• Funky Florals #1 Thinlits (Tim Holtz Alterations)
• Meadowbird Branch Die Set (Memory Box)
• Sentiments Five Die Set (Spellbinders)
• Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide (Ranger)
• Sponge Daubers
• Tiny Pearls
• Purple Ribbon
• Mounting Tape
• Cuttlebug
• ATG gun

 Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for September:

Create a project that includes a doily of any kind (embossed, die cut, stamped, or bought) and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw.

Guest Designer - Darlene Pavlick

Hello blog friends - it's time for another Guest Designer Friday! Today we're sharing the work of one of my talented friends, Darlene Pavlick of Dar's Crafty Creations. Darlene is one of those sweet people who has offered to guest design here on Cropstop whenever I have an empty space to fill! More than once she's been a "lifesaver" when I needed someone, and always a creates the most beautiful cards to share with you! For this post she also included a picture tutorial for you...So without further ado here's what Darlene says:

"Happy Friday Everyone!

I'm  so excited today!  

I've once again been asked to guest design for the CropStop Blog.  YEAH!!

Here's what I've created using products they carry in their store.

It all began by creating my focus flower which is 'Daisy Delight' by Memory Box.

I've die cut it twice from white card stock then colored the popped out pieces of the one panel using Spectrum Noir alcohol Marker CT4 and then colored second panel which will be my outline piece using Spectrum Noir alcohol Marker JG1.

 After coloring, I die cut my framing panels using the 'Wrapped Stitched Frames' also by Memory Box.  I've used the largest frame for my actual frame but used the next size down 'inset' to adhere my flower to.  Once I had the outline adhered I then pieced in the yellow flower petals.

 Next came my background panel.  I wanted to use coordinating colors with my focus flower so I used Tim Holtz distress oxide inks and watercolor paper.  I actually used Lucky Clover & Amber but as you can see where the green & yellow combined, I ended up with blue!  It happens!  Duh!  LOL

I used Scotch ATG adhesive to adhere my background panel to my white card base.  

Then, started building my layers.  Next came the large frame  ...

Then my focus flower panel which was popped up using mounting tape for added dimension.

Lastly, I added this adorable little 'Bee' by Elizabeth Craft.

It too was popped up using mounting tape."

Thanks Darlene for filling in today -- You did a fabulous job!

Now it's YOUR turn!! Stop by our CURRENT LINK PARTY and showoff the projects you've been working on that include a product or two from one of the companies carried in the Cropstop store. I hope to see you there!

July Link Party - #41

Hello friends! Today I'm sharing my updated tutorial for creating a weathered wood background. I originally posted this on the Wordpress blog, but since we are no longer using that site I thought I'd post it over here as well.

Step One: Gather your supplies - White Glue, Paint, Stiff Cardboard, Sandpaper
Step Two: Cut your cardboard to size and using a Scoring Board, create boards every 1/4 inch
Step Three: Cover your entire piece of cardboard with white school glue and let dry till tacky

Step Four: Paint over your tacky glue with your choice of paint (I used Blueprint Sketch Distress Paint ---- NOTE: do not apply using applicator, remove lid and use a paintbrush!)
Step Five: Dry using a heat gun (if you did it correctly, cracks will appear)
Step Six: Add a coordinating color of paint  and heat set (I added Hickory Smoke Distress Paint)

Step Seven: Apply a little bit of Picket Fence Distress Stain and rub in with your finger (heat set)
Step Eight: Re-score your lines
Step Nine: Sand edges and center to create a rough, worn look

Here's how I finished creating my card:

• I added a piece of blue Petaloo lace across the bottom of my wood background
• I die cut a bird cage using the Gilded Birds die (Memory Box - Poppystamps) from dictionary page
• In the bottom corner I added greenery and branches cut from the Fall Foliage Thinlits (Tim Hotlz)
• I created crinkle ribbon using seam binding and Wild Honey - Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide (Ranger)
• I created three flowers by layering punched dictionary pages and adding a tiny pearl to the center
• I tucked a pretty little bird from Mitrushova Art into my ribbon
• The top of the cage features one of the dictionary page flowers glued over a Burlap String bow
• Underneath is a tiny die cut tag (Cuttlebug) stamped with a sentiment from Dina Wakley's Little Birdies and inked withe Walnut Stain Distress Oxide

 Now it’s your turn to share the projects you’ve been working on! As always our link party is "Anything Goes" with these few simple rules:

1. Create ANY new project using a product or two from one of the companies CropStop carries in the store. (It’s ok if you didn’t buy it from us, and also fine if it’s a product we don’t currently have it in stock as long as it’s from one of the companies we carry!)
2. Please, no back-linking old projects
3. Limit 5 entries per challenge
4. Link your project here, link back to this post, and mention the CropStop Challenge in your post.

We’ll choose one random Winner who will receive a prize from the CropStop Store! (100 or more links = two winners and two prizes!) Thanks so much for linking up with us, we look forward to seeing all your great entries this month. Grab our badge and help us spread the word that CropStop is a great place to play along!

Optional Twist for July:

Create a project that features a handmade wood background of any kind and I'll enter your name twice in the random draw (for each project linked)!

Happy 4th

Since Independence Day is just over a week away, I decided to create a fun  patriotic card to share with you today. When I received the Poppystamps balloon dies in the mail, I knew I wanted to do something "different" with them. So instead of using them to create a birthday themed card, I used them on this bold and bright July 4th card!

To create my card I:

• tapped out some Ken Oliver color bursts (Ultramarine Blue and Alizarin Crimson) on two separate sheets of watercolor paper
• spritzed my colors with water and heat set 
• cut a complete set of blue and red Happy Balloons (Poppystamps - Memory Box)
• added the red letters to the blue balloons and the blue letters to the red balloons
• embossed the top part of a piece of card stock with the Stars embossing folder from Darice
• scored a line under the stars and stamped a patriotic sentiment from America Collection (Amy Design) in Mermaid Lagoon Distress Ink
• popped up my balloons with mounting tape, added a few tiny punched stars, and matted it on coordinating blue card stock

Since you have to cut two sets of balloons to get the letters to coordinate, you may as well make two cards! Now it's your turn to share what you've been creating! Stop by our CURRENT LINK PARTY and showoff any project that includes a product or two from one of the companies Cropstop carries in the store. Happy Crafting!

Embossing Fun

Hello friends! I'm back today to share some embossing fun with you. Today I have a "peachy-pink" card that features both dry and wet embossing.  Let's get to it....

To create this card I:

• Inked up one side of my Tim Holtz Alterations Roses embossing folder (Sizzix) with Versamark Watermark Ink
• Placed a piece of light pink card stock in the folder and ran it through my Cuttlebug
• Sprinkled Brilliant Sparkle Gold Embossing Powder (Cosmic Shimmer) over the card stock and heat set
• I matted the pink piece on kraft card stock and set it aside
• Next I, cut three Small Billow Flowers (Memory Box) from white card stock
• I inked these with Versamark Watermark Ink, dipped them in Brilliant Sparkle Gold Embossing Powder (Cosmic Shimmer), and heat set them
• I added a piece of pink card stock behind two of them and left one see through

• Using the Hello Doily die set (Sizzix) I cut a paper doily from white card stock
• I also cut a kraft sentiment using a Stamplorations die
• To create my crinkle ribbon, I inked up some Hug Snug seam binding with Tattered Rose Distress Oxide (Ranger), spritzed it with water, balled it up, and dried it with my heat gun
• Inside I added a strip of punched lace (Martha Stewart border punch) and one more billow flower 

Now it's your turn to share the projects you've been working on. Please stop by our CURRENT CHALLENGE and link up any project that includes a product or two from companies Cropstop carries in the store. I hope to see you there!

Guest Designer -- Donna Phelan

On today's "Guest Designer Friday" I get to share yet another beautiful card created by our talented guest designer, Donna Phelan of Crafting By The Beach. Donna is sharing another great tutorial with our blog readers that includes lots of photos! Here's what Donna says about putting her pretty floral card together:

"Good Morning!

I am happy to be back as a Guest Designing on the CropStop Blog.

No sentiment, just a pretty all occasion card! 

Here's how I created it!

I layered 2 of the My Favorite Things Cross Stitched Rectangles together, die cutting in White card stock.  This creates an easy and decorative frame.

I die cut the Memory Box Distress Windham Collage from White card stock and topped it with my pretty Cross Stitched Rectangle frame.  I then layered a piece of pretty Violet card stock behind that.  Adhering a piece of Fun Foam using Scor Tape to the back of all of those layers.  The Fun Foam gives this panel a nice sturdy feel.  

Next I cut the pretty Dogwood Blossom Corner die by Poppy Stamps

from Violet and Green card stock.  I cropped the flowers from the Violet piece and layered them on to the Green vine.  Topped with Adhesive Pearls.

My butterfly is from the Memory Box Butterfly Exhibit die.  I just snipped the largest butterfly from the die cut and again backed it with the pretty Violet card stock.  
It just POPS! 

Added one more Adhesive Pearl.

As always, a little bit of dimension.  I flipped up the butterfly wings a bit.

I stamped a wee little butterfly on the inside as well as a little vine.

Sending Love Stamps by Gina K Designs.

Inks in Rich Razzleberry and Wild Wasabi."

Thanks for sharing your talent with us again this week, Donna!
Now it's your turn....stop by our CURRENT LINK PARTY and showoff any projects that include a few products from companies Cropstop carries in the store! I'll look forward to seeing your work appear in the gallery!