Got some thrilling news (I'm branching out!!!!!) :O)

I've been sitting on some exciting news!...

...and I'm still flippin' out, 'cause I can't believe I'm a Caardvark! Squeeeeeeek! (Doesn't that sound like a creature made of paper, who snarfles up beads 'n' brads instead of ants?) If I was a critter, that's the critter I'd be! (Wait a minute! I am that critter!) ;O)



A...Intro to cardvaarks!
B...A tree challenge (& prize) from Taylored Expressions & inspiration link list
C...digital paper freebies (with trees & tree text)

And 1...Ways to customize digital paper

2...cheap tricks for...

• rounded corners (no punch)
• distressing edges with scissors
  
• gutting strips from patterned paper
• making it rain
  

A) Intro to cardvaarks!

If you haven't heard of Caardvarks' then
(where have you been? in an alternate dimension of time & space?) hehehe ;O)

You're in for a treat!



You can check out the new Caardvarks Crew here.
(And I get to play with that insanely talented bunch. Somebody pinch me! I feel like the cool kids accidently let me join their clique!) ;O)

The Challenges are always so open-ended. You can use anything to play along with the theme & there's an easy way to link your card on each post...then it gets to live in the yummy galleries & is entered to win. :O)

B) A Tree Challenge

The theme is trees. Wanna play?
You can play along by making any tree-themed card or project & linking it here
the challenge is sponsored by Taylored Expressions.

(Link up your tree creation by April 30th) to win this set!...

Want to get inspired for the tree challenge?
See some gorgeous creations (made with the prize) here:

• By Taylor: A gorgeous tree scene & another soft n pretty one here
• a mind bogglingly cute one here
• sweet one with all the tree accessories here
• more cute branching out here
• Lovely leafiness here
  
• By Ana: Stunning gift set & Another sweet set & her cute birdhouse
• Sweet tree cards by Charmaine & her cute birdhouse on a branch card & her gorgeous gift set
• All of Donna's Branching out cards here DROOOOOOL! You rock Donna! :O)
• Jackies adorable owls
• Jami's stunning flowering tree
• Dawn's gorgeous owl card
• Denise's branching out beauty & another one
• Jen's You're a hoot card & pretty in pink one & a perfectly paper pieced one
• Jodi's sublime scene & a sweet swing and sky & You're a hoot & bird house
• Karen's pretty paper piece & miss you Owl & gorgeous flowering branch
• All Lynn's branching out cards here. Gorgeousness!!
  

now when you win the set, you'll have a couple links to get inspired, hehehe



Click to see yummy stamps at...


C...A digital paper freebie (with trees)

Need something to use for the challenge? Here's a digital paper I made with some trees & the text of the Walt Whitman poem Song of the Redwood Tree

click the pics to try the JPG out




if you prefer PDFs or you're having trouble try right click & save as
or drop me a line melstampz@gmail.com
(I tried for hours to load the PDFs to splitcoast no luck. I need a degree in computers, lol.)


This digi paper uses very little ink in printing, since it's pale (which means you can also colour it...)

-1-

customize digital paper

White cardstock (this is neenah white)
Water colour Pencil crayons
Coloured thread & needle
Optional:
Cuttelbug embossing folder
Gesso or white ink

Step 1) Print digital patterned paper (but save ink by printing in black & white)

Step 2) Get nice colour by colouring by hand

Step 2) Stitch it- Decide card size & lay stamp or image on to see where to pierce

(This tree stamp is called Riley Tree & I got it from Paper Garden Projects here.)

Step 3) Stitch areas on the patterned paper for textured interest

To make the textured strip...
I printed the coloured section of the Whitman text & embossed it while it was fresh out of the printer. It picked up a little bit of embossing powder...

then I ran the text strip through a cuttlebug embossing folder (Perfectly Paisley) & brushed it with gesso. I've coloured a section of that digital paper, but left some black & white for you to use as-is or colour how you like, if you like. :O)

-2-

Cheap Trick A)-make a rounded corner with no punch (that has a higher radius than puches) by tracing something round on the back of your paper & cutting it out with scissors.

Cheap Trick B) Use your scissor edge to distress aka CHEAT ;O)
(It smooths out cuts of corner rounding too)

Cheap Trick C) If your layout calls for layers use a variation of the gutting technique to save the bits that would be hidden. Cut out strips & save them for another project

Click the pic for a bird's eye view of the rain....

The beads of rain are seed beads tied on string & adhered to the back of clouds. It took a while, but the results were fun. It moves and makes a rain kind of sound... :O) The clouds are watercolour paper that I cut out, painted with grey, & edged in silver metallic pen.

P.S.

The card feet tutorial (and template) is here:

(today the ol' blog should be called: Crazy Caardvark Critter!)

P.S. There'll be one more post today. The last sneak peek at the Little Paper Shop sets...

:O)