Lisa's Creative Niche: March 2015

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

The Alley Way Stamps April Blog Hop!!!

Hello, and hip hip hooray!!!! It is hop time with The Alley Way Stamps, and that means new stamps, new inspiration, fun and a giveaway woot woot!!!

For today I decided to use the Blast Off Stamp Set to create a fun and perfect boys card...

I used a diecut star and the spotlight technique to create this card. I had seen a similar look created by the amazing Kristina Werner and I had a blast creating this card. To get this look you need to start by stamping the rocket and stars onto cardstock. Next diecut your star from the center of the rocket and set to the side. Color the rest of the rocket and smaller stars with various grey Copics/markers, and go over the full panel with grey/black distress ink. Then Color the diecut star in bright colors to help it stand out, and adhere it back with the rest of the image (sort of like a puzzle). This technique is great to do with lots of images, so I hope I've inspired you to try it!

I am entering this card into the Simon Says Stamp Challenge: anything Goes

Now let's get on to some giveaway details:

Today's winner will get all three new sets!

If you want to be that winner, all you have to do is follow the Rafflecopter instructions on The TAWS Blog!

You can pick and choose which ones you want to do, but the more you comment, the more chances you have to win!

For our friends that are on not Social Media, you can comment on The Alley Way Stamps Blog to win - we will randomly pick from either the Rafflecopter participants or commenters!

This runs today only (March 31, 2015), so don't miss out on your chance to win!

This super adorable Mini Set, Far Out, is FREE when you spend $40.00

or more during the month of April 2015.

So, are you ready to hop???!!!

Marina - Go HERE NEXT :)

Meredith

N@Ali
Simonne

Tanja
Tracy

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Hopping!!!
Lisa

Monday, March 30, 2015

Off to the moon...

with The Alley Way Stamps new stamp sets!!!! yay!!!! It is Monday and Sneak Peek day #3 for The Alley Way Stamps! If you want to see what the other sets are looking like make sure you go to their blog and check out all of the sneaks! I had fun with the Phone Home Set when I started making this little card...

Supplies Used:
Stamp: (Phone Home) The Alley Way Stamps
Ink: Memento
Various Copics
Glitter
Wood Veneers: Studio Calico
Patterned Paper: Studio Calico

I started this card by stamping the moon and this little spaceship on a separate cardstock. I then colored them in with various Copic markers. A little glitter was added and some fussy cutting. Popped them up with foam on my patterned paper, stamped my sentiment added some more glitz and a few stars and ta da!!!

I am entering this little guy into the Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by and Happy Crafting!
Lisa

Saturday, March 28, 2015

DCWV & Tombow Burlap and Gold Blog Hop!!!!

Hi, and Welcome to the Gold and Cork Blog Hop with Tombow USA and DCWV! We have 2 days full with gorgeous projects using GOLD and CORK! You probably came here from Karla Der, but if you happened to stumble across my blog go to the DCWV Blog to start!

Now onto my project that I've created to share with you today...

Supplies Used:

View blog post for supplies

Can I just say that I am totally in love with using these two manufactures together?! I had never tried the Mono Multi Liquid Glue before... but I think I have a craft crush on it now! For my layout I did a lot of mixing and matching papers from the Gilded Stack, and then I went back and created my embellishments from various punches/die sets paper and cork. The cork is already adhesive so I didn't have to worry about trying to get it to stay on my project, I was however curious how I could attach other papers to it. That's where the Tombow Xtreme Adhesive and the Mono Multi Liquid Glue came to the rescue. The Xtreme Adhesive holds things very securely as this is a strong adhesive. The Mono Multi Liquid Glue was great to use on the more intricate cuts, and held just fine to the cork. The shine found in the Gilded stack is totally drool worthy and I just know I'm going to need another stack soon, as I can't get enough! Now onto some more fun stuff...

*GIVEAWAY Details:

To win, visit and comment on the participating blog posts. You have until March 31^st at 11:59 EST to comment. A winner will be picked randomly and announced on April 1^st 2015.

Tombow will be giving away: Tombow Xtreme Adhesive, NEW Tombow Adhesive Dots, NEW Tombow Foam Tape and everyone’s favorite the Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue!

DCWV will be giving away: The DCWV Gilded Stack, a 4x4 Cork Stack, Insta Kraft Album, Accordion Album and a set of Birthday Photo Props!

Remember to “Like” Tombow USA and DCWV on Facebook.

Tombow USA Blog

Saturday, March 28th:

Lisa Lahiff <<< YOU ARE HERE

Tina McDonald

Tombow USA Blog

YOUR NEXT STOP IS Tina McDonald!!!

Happy Hopping/Crafting!

Lisa

Friday, March 27, 2015

Spread your Wings... Mixed Media

Hello!!! And thank goodness it is Friday! I am exhausted after this week of being sick and trying to get things done for Madeline's Second Fourth Birthday Party... whew! Anywho, I took some time this week to get a little messy and play with the new accents released by Piccolo at SweetStamps.com... these accents are so fun to change and make into your own thing! Take a peek at what I've created...

Supplies Used:
Art Stencil TULIP LATTICE 6x6 as66002
Birds & Cages Accents LA130
Bold Florals Accents LA131
Enamel Embossing Powder Fluid
Enamel EP CRANBERRY WINE
Enamel Powder MERMAID TEARS
Enamel Powder TURQUOISE LAGOON
Enamel Powder MOSSY GLEN
Peerless Water Colors Bonus Pak Small
Embossing Paste WHITE
Glastique Finishing Glaze
Distress Spray Stain BRUSHED PEWTER
ATC Mini Art Stencil VICTORIAN ROMANCE asm022
Swirly Doodle Butterflies Clear Stamp Set AF4602

I started by wetting my watercolored cardstock and then dropping in various colors from my peerless water color set. Once this dried I used my ATC mini stencil and white embossing paste on various parts of the background. Next I embossed the different accents in various enamel powders. These enamel powders are so beautiful in person, they have a gorgeous shine and shimmer! I then used the Glastique to adhere the accents to the dry background. To finish it off I used a sentiment from the Doodle Butterflies Stamp Set.

I'm so happy with the way it turned out, the colors and everything about it just make me feel good.

Before I started working on this little peice of art I was inspired to do something with birds from The Monthly Mixed Media Challenge:Birds of a Feather, and I'm so happy I did!
I'm also entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Challenge: Anything Goes
and finally into the NBUS Challenge #4: These accents are all never been used stuff, yay!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Crafting!
Lisa

Thursday, March 26, 2015

I am the Luckiest... wedding layout

Hi! Today I'm popping in to share this lovely Wedding layout I created with lots of DCWV goodness! This photo is from a childhood friend's wedding and I just love it! When I busted out some of my DCWV stacks I found the perfect papers to go with it! PS - all of the embellishments are made from DCWV paper too, woot woot! Check it out...

Supplies Used:

View blog post for supplies

Have you seen the DCWV Premium Paper Collections at JoAnn's? They are gorgeous! And each back is coordinating with specialty papers like the Laser Cut paper I trimmed and layed on the base of this layout. I love the intricacy of this paper and I feel like it is the real backbone of this layout. Anywho, from there I mixed and matched some papers from the Sunshine and Gilded Stacks. All of my embellishments were created by using dies and patterned paper, a great way to save $ when crafting!

Hope this has inspired you on how to mix and match stacks/papers by DCWV, it's such a fun thing to do!

PS - some side notes, on the DCWV blog there is a post for the Spellbinders blog hop, and we have another hop coming this weekend with Tombow, there might be some goodies too! hint hint!

Happy Crafting!
Lisa

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Party... like it's 1999

woot woot!!! It's Wednesday!!! And while there isn't much partying going on at my house when I'm stuck with a cold and an ear infection (bust out the fiddle boys!), at least on my card there is quite the par-tay...

For this card I busted out some Glitter, various sizes of double sided adhesive and some of The Alley Way Stamp Sets: Bubbly, Wish Big, and Yappy! It was fun to make a mess with the glitter and splattered background, but maybe next time I will make sure all of the glitter lids are on tight, doh! hehehe! Hope this brings you a smile on this hump day! ( It's ok if you are singing the Prince song now, cause I am hehehe! )

I am entering this into the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge

Happy Crafting and thanks for stopping by!!!!
Lisa

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

TBT - on a Tuesday

Hi! So sometimes when I want to clear my head I like to just grab stamps I haven't played with in a while and just have fun... When I saw the Throw Back Thursday Challenge at WPlus9 I knew this would be the perfect challenge to do just that...

I first looked in my scrap box and saw a small rectangle sitting on top so I grabbed it and used it as a mask on my cardbase. I then stamped all of the small images that can be found on the WPlus9 Very Vintage Florals set in various colors. Next I stamped the label and sentiment on separate cardstock along with some more flowers and leaves. I fussy cut all of these out and adhered to my framed cardbase. I added a few pearls and ta da!

I love how this turned out and it makes me want to bust out even more smaller images on other sets and let them shine too!

I am also entering this into the Simon Says Stamp; Wed. Challenge Spring Pintrest Inspiration
and in the Simon Says Stamp: Monday Challenge: One Stamp More Than One Way ( I used my flower to create my frame and as an emebellishment )

Thanks so much for stopping by and Happy Crafting!
Lisa

Monday, March 23, 2015

CardMaker Magazine Blog Day

Hello again! Welcome to post #2 for me today, woot woot! You will actually find this one posted on The CardMaker Magazine Blog, so if you have time I would love for you to stop by and check it out!!! :) Here is a sneak...

Woo hoo, I see some DCWV stencils and adhesive fabric... what could I be making? Click here to find out!

Happy Crafting!
Lisa

Never Stop Dreaming - Watercolor & Washi

Hi and Happy Monday! Today I'm sharing a dreamy little card here and on The Alley Way Stamps Blog using the new Wigwam Stamp Set, washi tape, and watercoloring...

To create this card I first started by stamping the teepee image on white cardstock. I then covered it with various washi tapes and fussy cut. I stamped the teepee image a second time and trimmed just the door flaps, adhering them with foam adhesive. The teepee image was stamped a third time onto watercolor paper along with the sentiment. Next I used my peerless watercolors to paint the ground and the sky. To add in a gleam of gold I watercolored with a gold spray mist. I then added some flicks of gold. Finally, the washi taped teepee was adhered to the watercolor paper, matted and adhered to the cardbase.

I love the soft and dreamy feeling the watercoloring gives to this card against the bright and patterned teepee. I am entering this into the following challenge:
Retro Sketches: #157

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Happy Crafting!
Lisa

Friday, March 20, 2015

SweetStamps.com Blog Hop!!! Giveaway too

Welcome to the SweetStamps.com Sweeties Spring Release Blog Hop!!

Who's ready for some nicer weather?

Here at SweetStamps.com we are super excited about our Spring release!

We have some fun new clear stamp sets, a bunch of great new Piccolos and some new stencils!! You can check out all the new products here!!

And if you missed us mentioning, we also now have our Glam Girls in Digital form! Which can be found here!!

You should have arrived her from the amazing Kendra's blog! If you haven't and would like to hop with us, please go back to the Sweet Stamps Blog to start at the beginning!

Giveaway Details: Be sure to follow each blog and leave comments along the way for your chance at winning! We will randomly choose 12 winners from all the comments left! woo hoo!!!

Today I am sharing a traditional layout using the new Basket weave stencil and the new Easter Egg Accents...

Supplies Used:
Art Stencil BASKET WEAVE as46019
Easter Eggs Little Accents A173
Easter Eggs Mini Accents A174
Easter Eggs Small Accents LA128
Glastique Finishing Glaze
Shades™ Ink Spots SPRING PASTELS
COPIC Sketch Marker
DCWV Paper Packs: Serenity Cardstock Stack, The Dots, Stripes, & Plaids Stack, The Shimmer Stack

For my egg accents I went over all of them with a white gesso first. I did this so that when I colored them in the colors would appear brighter. I then used copics to color them in various colors. Lastly I adhered them together and went over them with Glasstique in Gloss finish.

Thanks for stopping by! Your next stop in the hop is the lovely Monica's blog!

We hope you are inspired all along the way!

Check out all of Sweet Stamps "sweet" goodies here!

Happy Hopping

and...

HAPPY SPRING!

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