VC Rocks-Blog Hop

Welcome to the July Blog Hop for the VC Rocks yahoo group! This is the first blog hop I have ever been involved in, other than looking, so I hope you enjoy the projects I've made for today.

You should have arrived here from Carolyn's blog, Inking the Night Away.

As I mentioned in a previous post, when I first saw the new Level 1 Hostess set, Because I Care, it really didn't appeal to me and I figured I wouldn't use it very much. I am finding that I like this set a lot.

One of my new favorite color combos is Marina Mist and Early Espresso. It lends itself well to the vintage style, which I am so fond of, as well as bold contrast.

If you haven't tried using Smooch Spritz yet, what are you waiting for? That stuff is awesome. It gives quick color and shimmer for fast easy cards, or helps with a dramatic effect.

Here's how I made this card:

• Base card is a standard size 4.25" x 5.5" in Early Espresso
• Marina Mist mat is 4" x 5.25". I sponged the edges with Marina Mist ink.
• Using Log Cabin Smooch Spritz, I covered a 4" square of the Presto Patterns DSP and then misted over that with Vanilla Shimmer. I then tore two of the edges and inked all four sides with Early Espresso ink.
• The small Early Espresso mat is 2.5" x 3.75". I distressed and inked the edges.
• The Naturals Ivory piece is 2.25" x 3.5". I distressed the edges and then sponged it with both Marina Mist and Early Espresso.
• I inked up the Hydrangea with Marina Mist and Always Artichoke and stamped it on a scrap of Very Vanilla, cut it out, and then popped it up with dimensionals.
• The sentiment is stamped in Early Espresso.
• The Mini Library Clip and Linen Thread just give it that nice little extra touch.

Here is a list of supplies:

• Stamps: Because I Care
• Ink: Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Always Artichoke Marker
• Paper: Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Naturals Ivory, Very Vanilla, Presto Patterns DSP
• Accessories: Log Cabin and Vanilla Smooch Spritz, Mini Library Clips, Linen Thread, Distressing Tool, Sponges, Dimensionals
  

My second project features several items from the Summer Mini Catalog. You can keep this little Notepad Tin in your car or purse and always have paper handy for those things you want to remember.


Here is a list of supplies:

• Stamps: Tropical Party, Favorite Thoughts, Dreams Du Jour
  
• Ink: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise
  
• Paper: Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Island Oasis DSP
  
• Accessories: Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Rhinestone Brads, Corner Rounder, Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Ruler, Exacto Knife, Metal Tin (This is one that SU used to sell, but any will work.)
  

Here is the inside of the tin.

How I made it:

Outside

• The Old Olive mat on the front of the tin measures 4 1/4" x 4 7/8". I cut the DSP to 2" x 4 1/4", rounded the corners on both pieces and then adhered the DSP to the cardstock.
• I then covered the seam with the Old Olive grosgrain.
• I used the sentiment stamp from Dreams Du Jour to stamp the word Life. I colored just that word with an Old Olive marker and then used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to place it.
• I cut out the large Pumpkin Pie flower from a piece of the DSP and popped it up with dimensionals, then stamped the other flowers from the set and cut them out. I misted a couple of them with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz.
• I stamped the frond in Old Olive and cut around it. Using a tip from Jackie Topa, I then sponged the edges of the frond with ink to help cover up any white areas I didn't want seen.

Inside

• The DSP for the bottom of the tin (under the notepad) measures 4 3/4" x 5 3/8", the lid measures 4 7/8" x 5 1/2". Use plain copy paper to make yourself a template as you will need to play around with rounding the corners and measurements will vary depending on the type of tin you use. I rounded the corners on this project with my paper snips, usine a template I made.
• The bottom DSP is adhered with glue dots, and then the notepad adhered on top of that.
• For the lid, lay your pen on the DSP where you would like to place it, using a pencil draw a line on either side of the pen. Using a ruler and exacto knife, cut two slits in the paper along your pencil lines, just long enough to pull the ribbon through to make a loop. Place your pen in the loop, pull the ribbon tight enough to hold the pen. Flip the paper over and tape down the ends of the ribbon
• Next I stamped the sentiment from Favorite Thoughts in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White cardstock and matted that with Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive
• The flower was cut from the Island Oasis DSP and spritzed with Vanilla Shimmer.
  

I hope you have enjoyed the blog tour so far. There are some very talented ladies on this hop and the next one is Nancy's blog at Fancy Nancy Kay If you should happen to get lost along the way, or there is a broken link, you can find all the blogs on the tour at the VC Rocks Blog.


Have a great day!