The Junk Hippy "Holidays" Roadshow!

I am so excited to share the information for my upcoming appearance at The Junk Hippy "Holidays" Roadshow in OKC!  Kristen Grandi is the creative brainchild who has invented such a fabulous, unique event of one-stop shopping for everyone on your Christmas list.  I attended the debut Junk Hippy Roadshow here in OKC back in June of this year.  I absolutely loved everything about it.  If you are a lover of vintage, ecclectic junk and all things handmade then you will love it too.  In fact it has been such a hit, Junk Hippy has over 7,500 followers on their Facebook page.  And that is just since June people!  Won't you help Kristen continue her rise to fame by liking her Junk Hippy page on Facebook?  She is so close to 8,000 and if you could check it out, you will be glad you did.  Quick to note, even though the Junk Hippy Roadshow originates here in Oklahoma, Kristen has taken this fabulous show on the road!  This summer they were in Amarillo, followed by a show in Arlington, TX.  There are shows scheduled in Little Rock, AR and Houston, TX for Spring 2013.  You will definitely want to follow, as the Roadshow could soon be arriving to a city near you!  :)

Junk Hippy "Holidays" is this Saturday & Sunday in the Centennial Building at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds.  If you live locally, please be sure to leave me a comment letting me know if you would like to be in a drawing for 2 free admissions!  I hope to see you soon!

Amy

50 Shades of Basic Grey Blog Hop

I am happy to be a part of the newest theme over at Paper Issues:  50 Shades of Basic Grey!  For the theme, I had to choose one of their newest collections to work with.  They are all very pretty, but my personal choice was Lucille.  Not only because of all the robin egg blue contained within the paper, but because Lucille was my precious grandmother's name, so that was a given for me.  :)

I make lots of perpetual calendars, but this is a first to create on a vintage ceiling tile.  You probably can't tell from the photo itself, but it is rather large.  The overall measurements of the tile itself are 2' X 2'.  It started out white, with tons of rust.  I decided to paint it that sweet aqua color to accentuate the papers.  Adding some Saddle Brown StazOn really gives dimension to the beautiful texture in the metal and adds some distress to the piece.  Rather than choosing only 1 or 2 papers, I really wanted to showcase lots of the beautiful designs, so I opted to create a patchwork pattern for the calendar grid.  Coupling lots of vintage findings with the BG Lucille Collection Pack, embroidered tags, Snippets & wooden buttons makes for a rather elaborate calendar.  My favorite element of the overall piece is definitely the prize ribbon I made using a vintage tart tin, that crazy cool vintage brooch and some yummy ribbon.  The pennants are magnetic so that is an extra fun interactive touch.  Imagine the possiblilties of the designs you could create with those sweet little triangles.  :)

Now onto the important stuff & a giveaway!

As I mentioned, I am part of the 50 Shades of Basic Grey Blog Hop.  Those of us on the hop are showcasing the endless possibilites of what you can create using the delicious papers from Basic Grey.  Here is the order..

Ashli http://purplemailbox.blogspot.com/

Kate http://www.scrapsation.com/

Sarah http://www.vintagepearstudio.com/

Pamella http://happytobecreating.blogspot.com/

Amy B http://www.curlyqmosaics.blogspot.com/  You are here!

Melissa P http://www.melissapriest.com/

We are hoping that you would like to join in the fun by linking up your own fabulous creations. Either using your favorite Basic Grey goodies, or simply using the color "grey" which is so hot right now. Just be sure to keep it PG...I have heard that 50 Shades of Grey is pretty steamy...I personally haven't read any of the series yet....of course all of my friends say it is a definite must read!

Paper Issues is going to be giving away 3 prizes!  Now is your chance to win one of the 3 new Basic Grey Collections!  Who wouldn't love to win some swag!  Here are the rules to win:

1. Like Basic Grey on FB http://www.facebook.com/BasicGrey?ref=ts&fref=ts

2. Like Paper Issues on FB http://www.facebook.com/PaperIssues?fref=ts

3. Leave a comment that you did both

4. Link up a project for a Bonus entry

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Amy :)

Earth angel, earth angel, would you be mine?

So I am very into songs and sayings as inspiration in my creations lately.  I love how such a simple statement or few words can convey different thoughts or memories in every person that sees it. 

Today I would like to share my newest babies, my "earth angels."  I recently went to an architectural salvage auction and scored over FIFTY architectural pediments!  I absolutely love these things.  Decorating the outside facade of old buildings, each piece reveals such history with all the dings and distress in the wood.  I love all the chipped paint, the ornate carvings and uniqueness in each and every one. 

Most of my mixed media works like my windows are always on such a grand scale, it is sometimes nice to work from a smaller base.  I decided to make 10 of these fellas for my recent art show and they were a very popular item.  I only have a few left, so I am thinking I will save 2 of them for my Jack & Sam.  What a sweet keepsake for them.  Knowing that their mama created them will make them extra special for years to come.  Even though they can be little monsters most of the time, they are definitely my little earth angels.  :)

As for the details on these pediments, I will give you a quick run down on how I created them.  Basically I took the pediments in their worn state and stamped a newsprint background using black Staz-on for a bit of a grungy look.  Next, I found these small globes that I sawed in half.  This had to be the hardest part of the project.  Have you ever tried to saw through a resin ball using a coping saw?  Let me just tell you, it is no fun!  Next, I painted a fun robin egg blue color on the alternating bands for added interest and a pop of color.  After sealing the globe with polyeurethane, it was ready to glue onto the pediment.  Next, I needed to find a way to adhere my wonderful vintage wings to the globe.  As you have seen in many of my projects before, I LOVE using these wings.  They are so unusual.  So unusual, I am sad to say there are no more to be found.  I originally scored 20 of them at an estate sale about a year ago and can officially say, I have finally used every single one!  I got in touch with the daugher about the wings and she says her mother used to create them in the early 50's out of liquid composition.  Unfortunately I have searched all over the internet trying to find such a mold or the rubber composition she spoke of with no success.  So, if any of you know where I could find it I will be happy to compensate you nicely!

I digress I know, but back to the details...

I decided to split the wings down the center and affixed them onto the wood using E600.  Totally toxic, but definitely has a super strong hold.  Next, I grouted around the globe and wings to accentuate the dimension.

To finish, I did lots of brainstorming for different phrases or words to add at the bottom.  Once the words "earth angel" rolled off my tongue, I knew that was it!  Not only do you think of the old doo wop hit from the Penguins, but it also makes me think of people in this world that are truly angels on earth.  Whether it is those special people in my life that I love, or simply a person that is all about saving our planet, they all evoke happy thoughts.

The letters are all from vintage games...scrabble, anagrams & keyword.   The fabulous plaster letters came from a vintage art deco movie titling kit.  Truly vintage and so rare, I love this stuff!

Girlie Show Wrap Up & Holiday Happy!

Well, hello everyone!  As you can probably tell from my blogging hiatus, it has taken me awhile to recoup from all the Girlie Show buzz!  The show was a great success once again!  I made lots of new friends, and had many return customers.  It's always great to see everyone at the Girlie Show.  Such a festive, fun atmosphere!  :)

After cranking out the pieces for such a large show, it is always fun to finally sit back and share with you all of my newest creations, a little at a time.  My newest window, titled "Peace, love & JOY" was inspired by an email advertisement I received a few weeks back.  It is so amazing what inspires us to create isn't it?  Using the beautifully rich red/cream background paper coupled with the cream and aquamarine tile makes for a very festive piece.  Not initially intended to be specifically for Christmas, it sure seems to fit right in with the holiday colors!  However, I think this color scheme works beautifully year round.  What I especially love about this piece is the added dimension of the kraft paper on top of the glass.  Such a happy piece, a constance reminder for peace, love and joy!  :)

Since this piece has such a festive feel, it is the perfect time for me to share with you the newest theme going on over at Paper Issues!  "Holiday Happy" entails anything that the holiday season may mean to you.  From gift tags, to layouts or home decor, we would love for you to share with us!  There is also a very festive prize up for grabs if you play along.  Please stop by Paper Issues for all the details!

Darcy & I @ Girlie Show 2012

The holidays are officially upon us!  Let the festivities begin!

PS, I want to send a special thank you to my wonderful friends Darcy & Jemellia who helped me out so graciously during the Girlie Show.  I couldn't have done it without you!

PARTY. ROCK. POWER SHOP.

It's almost here!  The 9th Annual Girlie Show OKC will be here in less than 10 days! 

As many of you know, I am a mosaic artist.  I am excited to say that I have been selected to be in this year's show once again.  :)  This is actually going to be my 6th showing as one of the girlie girls.  Of all the art shows I have done in the past, this one is by far my most favorite.  It is a fast-paced, high-energy, exciting show/party all wrapped into one.  How many art shows out there offer fabulous entertainment, delicious food, the coolest/rockin' music, and the most unique/wonderful art all packed into one event?  The Girlie Show it is! 

I know most of my readers live in other states, even in other countries.  I will tell you though, if you live in Oklahoma or any states remotely surrounding this area; this is definitely a must see to believe show! 

I apologize for not posting in awhile, but as you can see I am busily getting ready for this big event.  The Amy/one-man-factory is in full force, burning the midnight oil!  I must give thanks to my Frankie though...if it weren't for his maddening carpentry skills, I would be in trouble!

Hopefully I will be back before the show with a few sneaks to peak your curiosity further! 

Talk to you soon!

Amy

It's World Card Making Day!

My family knows me as the card making queen whenever I am not too busy working on my mosaics.  Right now I am very busy getting ready for a big art show that I will give details about in the very near future.  :)

Since I haven't had the luxury of time on my hands of late, I thought I might share with you some cards I made several months ago that I have never shared on my blog.  I initially had created them for a Crate Paper Color Challenge, and loved the way they turned out.  One was sent to a dear blogger friend, Valerie.  The other I gave to my aunt for her birthday.

In addition to paper & cardstock, I incorporated lots of other materials...copper, feathers, vintage pom pom trim and a bingo marker.  By doing so, it made for lots of lovely texture. 

I have shared some cards with you for World Card Making Day, and now it's your turn.  I would love to see some of the cards you have made recently or even today for that matter!  Paper Issues is having a giveaway on Facebook in honor of this special day.  By posting one of your lovely creations on their page, you have a chance to win a $20 gift card to Paper Issues!  Please go here for all the details!

Have a great Saturday Night!

Amy

Fall'n for Flair

Paper Issues has issued the newest theme:  Fall'n for Flair.  With the start of fall finally here, it is refreshing to feel a bit of crispness in the air.  Especially here in Oklahoma, where we are known for 100+ temperatures all summer long it seems.  As for the flair, I am all about it!  You know me for my mosaics and my calendars.  I would have to say my calendars are dripping with tons of flair, wouldn't you agree?

Today I share with you 2 calendars I created for 2 sisters both with their own sense of style.  As you can see they were each custom created to suit their favorite color schemes and patterns.  When designing them, they both gave me artistic license to create.  It is so fun to play with these calendars with so many little bits and doodads.  So much vintage goodness from years gone by.  Having a huge stash of numbers I have collected over the past few years, it is almost like putting together a puzzle every time.  I hope that Holly and Heather have been enjoying their calendars, month after month!  :)

Don't forget to share your "flair" projects with us at Paper Issues.  You might just be featured with your awesome project, and there is some "fabulous flair" up for grabs.  Check out the info for the giveaway here, and link up here!

Happy Tuesday!

Tag, You're It!

Good morning! I am excited to present to you Paper Issues latest theme: Tag, You're It! To get this party started, we are having a blog hop with some fabulous projects and a killer giveaway you will definitely want to win! Here is a list of all the girlies participating in the hop to get you started...
1. Bethany http://ribbonglitterandglue.blogspot.com/
2. Christina H http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fchristinaheeren.blogspot.com%2F&h=-AQHbWcze&s=1
3. Kelly Jo http://www.kellyratcliff.com/
4. Melissa Gener http://www.missygener.com/
5. Amy B. http://www.curlyqmosaics.blogspot.com/

6. Ashli http://purplemailbox.blogspot.com/

In honor of the newest theme, I created a sweet gift bag embellished with tags for a dear friend of mine's birthday. She has lots of beautiful "keepsake" books she has created over the years that are true masterpieces. Dripping at the seams with tons of ribbon, fabric, ephemera and notes from dear friends I knew she would appreciate these sweet tags to add to her collection. To make these reusable for her, all the tags are simply clipped together by use of a clothespin covered in some Hambly woodgrain washi to make it extra pretty. I created the tags using lots of Tim Holtz dies and 7Gypsies goodies. My favorite 2 would be the copper birdcage with the glass glittered bird and the K & Company Naked Chipboard Tag I completely transformed with the use of aqua chalk ink, the lovely Cradle Robin Nest from Prima and the white vine created from Tim Holtz' Regal Crest Die.

The trophy you see is the actual present. Let's just say the tags are the "icing on the cake." :) For the trophy itself, it is completely transformed from it's original state. I wanted something to hold the bird in, so I opted to use a trophy cup. The cup turned out beautifully. I used German Glass Glitter on it. My first time ever using the stuff. Talk about beautiful to the naked eye. I wish you could see it in person, these pictures just don't do it justice. As for the trophy, I filled the top with krinkled kraft to create a nest if you will. The paper medallion was created using Crate Paper, May Arts ribbon & a Martha Stewart felt cupcake to top it off. Lastly, I added the kraft tags on there. See? The possibilities are endless as to what you can do with tags. They are so versatile, they can dress up just about anything. They are not just needed to dress up packages anymore! :)

In keeping with my typical style, I favor using vintage or upcycled pieces in my work. As mentioned, the trophy & the clothespin are completely given a new life. The ornate vine on the tag I created is from a vintage vinyl tablecloth with such amazing embossed texture. The "give" tag was created using a vintage "sight words" card I simply trimmed down and tied some seam binding to.  Speaking of upcycled, I am also sharing this project with the folks over at Lessology since their challenge this month is "It's A Wrap!"

Okay, now onto the "issue" at hand. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Paper Issues is having a huge giveaway in conjunction with this newest theme, Tag You're It. The grand prize is an eBosser from Craftwell! Can you believe it! It is a $200 value! All you need to do for your chance to win are a few simple things: follow my blog, Paper Issues, and like Paper Issues on Facebook. Easy peasy!

Be sure to continue following on the hop to the amazing Ashli for more inspiration. Make sure to share your "tag" projects with us at Paper Issues, we would love to see what you've got! Lastly, if you are in the market for some fabulous scrapbooking goodies please be sure to peruse Paper Issues' Shop and use promo code CURLYQ for a 20% discount!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous day!
Amy

All About Me Banner & New Paper Issues Theme!

Sam came home from school the other day with a big white piece of paper shaped like a banner. His teacher sent it home for him to create "an all about me" banner to be hung up in his classroom for the entire year. The teacher also said that it was to be completed with the help of parents and could be as simple or elaborate as we wanted. As soon as I saw that parents were to help and that it could be elaborate, of course I saw that as a green light to get creative. I had to keep in mind that Sam is only in Kindergarten and is still very much trying to learn his ABC's, let alone write each and every letter. I wanted to create with Sam but also using it as a tool to help him practice his writing and hand control with cutting and coloring.

To create the banner, we started with the white 12X18" base. Digging through my stash, I came accross some cool Cavallini file folders that repeat the alphabet over and over in rich, warm colors. I opened it up and it fit perfectly into the banner shape. All I had to do was cut the triangle at the bottom and staple it on. Next, I gave Sam some vellum and had him trace the entire alphabet once in pencil and then again in Sharpie. I punched each letter out with a 1/2" hole punch and randomly placed them directly onto the folder. I cut Sam's name out using the Cindy Loo Cricut Cartridge. The black cardstock worked perfectly to emulate a chalkboard. I gave sam a white oil pastel to color in his name. It shows up so well against the black. We then decided to go through pictures that show who Sam is, and what he loves. We chose 10 different pics to represent his love of swimming, his birthday, Halloween/candy, his brother, catching frogs, hats, his dog Murphy, going on trips/hotels/cabins, his I-touch/music, and IHOP! I printed them at 1" and foam mounted them to create some dimension. Sam loves helping me with those foam dots, I always seem to find them stuck to walls, doors and anything else he can get his hands on. :) I cut a few white squares and had Sam draw with his favorite color red a smiley face and the number 5 to represent his age. The last part was creating the ribbon to tie it all together. I printed and cut a photo of Sam on his first day of school. Then I drew a circle and had Sam cut it out in yellow stripe and red. I cut all around the edges to give it a fringed appearance. We took some MME Lost & Found II striped paper and stamped all the things that represent each photo. I had Sam help me find all the letter stamps to spell out the words. That was probably the most timely process of all. Sam picked out some ribbon, we added the "I am" and the shiny heart for the finishing touch. Sam was so proud of it, he was so excited to bring it to his teacher. For photographing purposes, I hung the banner using a vintage wooden pant hanger. I found and purchased 18 of them at an estate sale last weekend for $0.25 a piece. Score! I think I will be incorporating them into future projects. :)

Now onto the Paper Issues Theme! This week's theme is "Apple for the Teacher." There are some crazy cute projects that have already been linked up. Be sure to check out the blog hop as well. There is an amazing "FITkit" up for grabs so it is a win-win for you to stop by. Until next time! Amy

Back to School!

Last Wednesday was the 1st day back to school for my little guys. Jack started 3rd grade and it was particularly special for Sam as he started all day Kindergarten. I had been dreading that day ever since my kids were babies. Knowing that someday both my babies would be in school all day, no longer at home with mama to keep me company and share special times with....the thought of it just made me sad. I am proud to report that I didn't cry in front of Sam at all. He was nervous but he held it together and was a big boy. After I left the school, it hit me about 30 minutes later. It wasn't only that I would miss them being underfoot, it was recalling special memories of when they were just infants. Time goes by way too fast. I know, I know, I better suck it up and accept the fact that there will be many more goodbyes along the way. Like when they turn 18 and move away for college? I try not to think about it too much. :)

Anyways, the boys wanted to cheer me up by making me something special that I could look at every day while they are at school and be reminded of them. Thanks to Jenni over at the Vintage Umbrella, she shared a wonderful painted canvas that was so cute and easy for my boys to do. It seriously only took them about an hour from start to finish, and they turned out beautifully. Of course Jack is my deep thinker. His says, "Your love reaches all the way to my heart." Sam's says, "I love you so much & I will miss you when I'm at school." Pretty much straight and to the point isn't it? :)

As I said, they started back to school last week so I have had 4 days without them here and I am starting to settle into a routine. During the day I plan to get lots of stuff accomplished so that I can make time for fun when the boys get home. I have the best memories of arriving home from school as a child with a delicious snack waiting and the warm, beautiful smile of my mother anxiously awaiting my return. :)

Paper Source Owl Mosaic & Giveaway Winner!

It's about time I share one of my newest mosaic creations, Hoot #2. Awhile back I shared my first owl window, and couldn't resist making a newer version using the ever popular owl paper at Paper Source. That place has to be the coolest store ever. I live in Oklahoma and the closest one to me is 3.5 hours away. Every time I go to Dallas, Paper Source is at the top of my destination list!

A few days ago, I logged into Facebook and was pleasantly surprised that Paper Source featured my owl window on their page as well as on their blog! Talk about one happy girl, I have been on cloud 9 ever since. :) As I am sure the rest of you are, sometimes it is nice to get recognition for your work. It definitely gives me incentive and drive to create more!

As for the window, the owl mosaic is completely created from vintage plates, a Bella Blvd flower, a vintage bingo marker and copper wire for the legs. I love the patterns in these plates, especially the harvest gold/brown ones. Don't they mimic the feathers on the owl's belly perfectly? :)

Now onto the Giveaway...the winner of the Cricut August 2012 magazine and my very first publication is...Sabrina Alery! Congrats Sabrina! Thanks to all of you for your sweet comments, and for following my blog! I appreciate you!

My Very First Publication & A Giveaway!

Would someone please pinch me? I can't believe it when I see it, but I actually have my very first project in an actual magazine! Early in the year a made a gift for a dear friend's daughter. Since I adored the way it turned out, I decided to submit it to a magazine. What did I have to lose? I am not one who ever submits to magazines, not really sure why. Maybe it is the fear of rejection? Or simply procrastination? Who knows. Let me just tell you, when I received the request of submission for my project, I was ecstatic! That was many months ago, and ever since I have anxiously awaited its arrival. On August 1st I went to my local bookstore and there it was, shining in all it's glory! :)

To celebrate this big accomplishment for myself, I would like to celebrate with you and give a signed copy away to one of my wonderful readers! It is the Northridge Media Cricut Magazine for August 2012! This magazine is full of wonderful creations that I am sure you will enjoy. To be eligible, all you need to do is make sure you leave a comment and follow my blog. Simple as that!

Be sure to stay tuned as I unveil my 2nd project chosen for publication on September 1!

I hope you all have a pleasant evening, and thanks for stopping by! :)

It's time for a "Wishy Washi" Blog Hop!

"Wishy Washi" is our newest theme at Paper Issues! In celebration of the newest theme, several of the design team girls have put together a showcase of projects showing off their "wishy washi" side. :) Why wishy washi? Because Freckled Fawn is sponsoring a fabulous giveaway! They are giving away a $25 gift certificate to their online store! Loaded with the most unique and whimsical washi tapes on the market, I know you will jump at the chance to win such a fantastic prize!

For my featured project, I have created a magnetic dart board that will service double duty over the next few weeks. My son, Sam will be turning 5 this Thursday and we have a huge circus/carnival birthday party planned for him. With his party quickly approaching, I need to get on the ball (no pun intended) and start preparing. What's a carnival without tons of games? Going through my tremendous stash of junk I can't seem to let go of, I remembered purchasing this dartboard 8 years ago and have never put it to use. Let me start by telling you that this metal board was super cool, except for the fact that it was a "truth or dare" dartboard! Are you kidding me? I can only imagine a group of teenagers getting a hold of this! I decided to "repurpose" the board to not only act as a perfect carnival game but also as a gift for Sam to proudly display and play with in his room. (not as truth or dare, but as darts!)

Going with carnival colors, I painted everything in aqua, black and kept the red circle on the outer edge. Tapering down some big vintage numbers washi tape, I created the inner circle. I love the look, it almost has a roulette wheel feel to it. Radiating out for visual interest, I added more numbers washi tape and the super cool red pointed finger tape from Freckled Fawn's Post Office Set. I am sure you are wondering about that elephant on the ball? It is an image from Norma Cornes I purchased at Dreamstime.com. Talk about great photography! Printing it on photo paper and fussy cutting around it, I glued it to the center for the perfect focal point of the piece. I added a few stamped images here and there, and created a magnet out of this amazing cast iron vintage #5 to represent Sam's special birthday. I made it as a magnet so that it can be removed while playing with the darts. :)

Finishing it up last night, Sam came over and saw the finished product. He disappeared into the other room and came back with his little coin pouch. He told me that he wanted to give me his $ for making this for him, and that he loved it. That is a moment I will never forget. Talk about the best compliment for a mama. I love you my little Sam. :)

Back to business! As I mentioned earlier, this is a blog hop! I am at the tail end of the hop, so if you haven't already visited all the other showcased projects, please be sure to check them all out!

1. Christina H- http://christinaheeren.blogspot.com/
2. Patricia http://www.roebuck-adventures.blogspot.com/
3. Audrey http://audreysreflection.blogspot.com/
4. Missy http://www.missygener.com/
5. Amy B http://www.curlyqmosaics.blogspot.com/

Are you ready to see what you can win? Aren't these tapes delish? Be sure to check out Paper Issues for all the details about how you can win! Not only follow Paper Issues, but following my blog as well is very much appreciated!

Lastly, don't forget to visit Paper Issues for all your scrapbooking needs! Just enter CURLYQ for a 20% discount! Have a great day! Off to do more party planning! :)
Amy

I am so excited!

I just discovered that Ormolu featured one of my calendars on their blog today! I am doing a little happy dance right now! :)

http://ormolu.typepad.com/blog/2012/07/reader-spotlights.html

Have a wonderful night everyone, I know I will!

I Can See "Clearly" Now...

Guess what? It is time for Paper Issues' newest theme, I Can See Clearly! This time around we want to showcase your "clear" projects. You can link up transparencies, washi tape, vellum yummies, anything! The best part about it is the HUGE, fantabulous giveaway that goes along with it! Lowri of the PaperVine has graciously put together a prize pack anyone would love to win, and it could be yours! Visit Paper Issues for all the details, and to link up, link up, link up!

In honor of the newest theme, I decided to create my sister-in-law's birthday card going in that direction..the use of "clear" materials. I have lots of great printed overlays, but I decided to incorporate packaging plastics as my clear component as well as a creative way of "going" green. :)

To start with, I knew I wanted to capture lots of confetti, as I have seen lots of it around the web lately. This great chipboard scalloped frame (sent to me in a RAK from Michelle Hernandez) was the perfect border. Going through some of my Cricut die-cuts, I found the letters "happy" and tacked them down to the kraft first. Next I punched lots of bright, glittery, festive papers and trapped the dots behind the plastic by using my handy dandy sewing machine. I love the zigzag stitch, it creates such a nice, secure hold. To create the base, I simply cut some strips of scrap papers from MME, Jenni Bowlin, etc. I sewed them to the center of the dot embossed card and then put the confetti oval at the top. Feeling that it needed a little something else, I started dabbling with more plastic scraps and black staz-on. I used a banner stamp from Girls' Paperie Jubilee and then fussy cut around the pennants. Lastly, I stamped "birthday" on the plastic oval using a Stampin' Up stamp from the Bursting with Joy set.

Again, please don't forget to link up your projects over the next 2 weeks for your chance to win, and possibly be in the spotlight! Paper Issues loves you!

Thanks for stopping by, and a special thanks to Michelle for the wonderful element that was perfect for this card! :)

Amy