Often people ask me about the name of my blog and I have been considering Altered Life Designs as a design name. So when the art journal challenge at Digiridoo Scraps was about something life altering it was the perfect opportunity to write about it.
Here is the result. It took a bit and the layout style is way outside my usual box but I enjoyed it and like the feel it has. I posted it a couple of days ago and was amazed to wake up the next morning and find it had been chosen for the GSO Blog. That is a total surprise not to mention a first for me. It was a delightful though humbling event to wake up to especially given the talent I was surrounded by on the SO blog.
The kit is from Sharing our Past ATC from MC designs and can be found at Digiridoo Scraps. Guess I should get back to a bit more layout making. The card thing has kind of taken over lately! 
It's been a long tough week with a couple of munchkins not well, so no template this week. Hopefully next week! In the meantime I will leave the others up from the last couple of weeks if you would like them.
This weeks card sketch at Split Coast Stampers was a nice one with circles. I really liked the layout and knew it would be perfect for this digital card quote and kit from As You Wish Designs (you can find them at Shabby Pickle).
I layered up the printed digital kit, added a flower, button, ink and bling, raising the quote and embellishment on 3d mounting tape. This would make a great card for many occasions and one I am glad to add to my stash.
It's funny how when you make something, like the word art sentiment stamps that I am giving away, how you suddenly start to notice these things around. Obviously a lot of digital scrapbooking word art would fit the category.
Then just this week while blog hopping from a thread at Split Coast Stampers I came across a couple of sites that sell "digital stamps". They are fun too! Some of them the cutesy type ones you would traditionally find on a rubber ink stamp. I never even knew that kind of thing existed.
See what happens when you go and explore a different arena of paper crafting!
This week because I played with a sketch by someone else I have not done a template that can be a give away. However I did not want to leave you without a gift for dropping by.
As I have been assessing my current stamps it became apparent that there are not many sentiments. A lot of cutesy type images from about 10-15 years ago and a few new ones purchased just recently. That needs to be remedied!
Then it struck me I could make some digitally. So that is what I did today. Made a digital Sentiment Stamp
The stamps are shown larger than print size which is small enough to fit on 2.5 – 3 inch base. They come in PDf ready for printing on your choice of background as well as jpeg, png, and a brush set. If you are using the digital files you can of course resize them to suit your needs. They make great word art too!
Something else that happened at the same time was learning how to print on my offcut scrap pieces of cardstock. I really really like the River Linen Paper from Red River Papers and always keep my scraps. Sometimes the small ones are used for little shapes or for stamping on with real stamps.
However I had some bigger pieces and after figuring out the drop down sizes menu on the advanced section of the printer setup screen I was about to "user define" what size cardstock I wanted it printed on.No more wasted scraps!
This piece is about 2.9" x 5.5 inches. So those odd bits of paper that you like are worth hanging on to if your printer has this capability. You might want to check it out.
A little inking, a little 3d mounting tape and you have a nice sentiment stamp ready to put on a card.
So would you like it?
Ok – you talked me into it then!
This one is up indefinitely so if you know anyone who could use it please send them this way. Leave me a comment please of you do download it.
TTFN – S
I started posting in the gallery at Split Coast Stampers back when I made my Architectural Pineapple for Kelleigh Raztlaff's blog hop.
After looking around for a while I finally spoke up and introduced myself in the forums. The welcome has been lovely and I have a great thread going where I am asking all sorts of questions about inks to try and get myself educated on all the different ones.
During the conversation in my intro thread I realised I am a Split Coast stamper. When we go home to Australia I have to go to Perth and Sydney with both of them being "home to my family.
I also live on the Gulf Coast in the Middle East. So you can truly call me split coast..LOL
Anyway – this week I decided to jump in and join one of their challenges. A card sketch challenge! Note to self – think about running an occasional challenge here with my templates?
This is the result. I have used the very beautiful kit Where the Heart Is from Jennifer Labre designs at The Digi Chick.
Papers were printed out after I made myself a template.
Those questions I have been asking are paying off and I broke out my new stamps and inks for this one. Versacolour was applied to all edges. The stamp and sentiment are from Close to my Heart and were applied using Versacolour and Stazon inks. The brad and brown twill are CTMH as well.
Anyhow I enjoyed it and I am off to post!
Happy Freedom Day to the USA – and I hope all my American friends enjoy celebrating this momentous occasion in their country's history.
Without further ado, because I know you all want to go and party , here is today's freebie – my Celebrate Mini Kit. Made just for you all by me to commemorate my special friends and heart ties to the USA.
Three gorgeous papers, stapled star, date stamp for July with a separate date marker, string and a celebrate twill ribbon. A bonus file included is the printable cards featured yesterday . Americana enough to use for the 4th, varied enough to use for any other layouts or papercrafts.
I even scrapped a layout using the mini kit.
The word art, white brush work and Mayors button were made for this layout and are not in the mini kit.
Download here. Leave me some love if you do. Link me up if you use my mini kit to scrap your celebrations, or make something else, so I can come ooh and ahhh!
Have an awesome day!
If you downloaded my free printable card file earlier today this is the tutorial post showing you how to put it together. If you have not downloaded it yet then what are you waiting for?
Go and grab it now, print it off and let it dry while you read how to assemble it. Only available till the 5th
Cut it all out.
If you are just using the already completed card adhere that to a card stock base and you are right to go. If making the hybrid card then read on.
Now use something to rough up the edges. Here I have a Making Memories distressing tool. This is neat but I had it a long time before I discovered what it was to be used for….do you have tools like that?
Cool huh. Use a bit of scrap paper to catch the tiny shards if you want to clean up easily. I have been know to use sandpaper, nail files and the odd brick or two to achieve this same effect.
Now distress the edges of your star even more if you like that look. You could do all the edges but this time just the star for the star treatment. Used a blue and rusty looking brown from Versa Colour with a finger dauber for this project. You could use a cotton bud or even paper towel over the end of your finger to get a similar finish.
Then used a brown ink to stamp the word celebrate on some twill. You don't have to do this if you don't want – there is a paper ribbon on the printable.
Adhere all the layers as pictured on a dark blue cardstock base (or your choice) using some 3d mounting tape to raise the star levels up. Then either adhere your paper ribbon over the top or hot glue a real one if you go that route.
There you have it. A nice easy hybrid card to make someones day.
And just because I like making your day – check back tomorrow to see what the sneak peak is.
Just a quick post – hope on over to The Hybrid Chick today where I am heading up the new challenge. A twist on the "traditional" paper to digi challenge we are turning the tables and going the other way. Come check it out!
You are going to want to play as there is a $5 gift certificate to the Cutting Files for one random lucky participant in the challenge.
Now I am a dinky di Aussie through and through. However I have a lot of friends who are not. Being an expat expands your horizons so much and you get to experience so many other celebrations.
One of these is the 4th of July. American Independence Day.
Many of my close and dear friends are from the USA and we have had many "freedom celebrations" with them. We have also experienced a 4th of July in the USA. Is was a wonderful night by the river with a big band, fabulous music and lots of fireworks – not to mention awesome food. My munchkins had a blast.
It is not unlike our Australia day celebrations back in Perth or Sydney really. Sharing with friends and having a good time remembering all that brings us together.
Yesterday we had some of our American friends over for an afternoon of games and fun. I wanted to make them happy so decorated my foyer with a few little Americana items.
My freedom banner from last year was perfect to jazz the place up a little.
Of course I made a hybrid card from this weeks free template.
They were surprised and touched, liking the banner so much I sent it home with them. Giving is such a fun thing to do.
Which means it must be time to give you something too . How about that card above in printable form. The jpg comes with two cards – one ready to cut off and attached to a base. Nice and quick.
The other one is ready to cut apart and assemble like mine. Check back later today for a tutorial on how to do that. I have included a paper twill ribbon with the word celebrate on it just in case you don't want to stamp your own real twill or ribbon.
Download this file – and please leave me a comment if you do! If you want to share it – please send your friends here too. This link is only up till the 5th.
ETA - Link has expired but if you would like the card you can find it along with a Celebrate Mini Kit here
Enjoy your 4th!
Here is a sneak peak of something coming your way tomorrow. I'll give you a hint – it's not a card.
For more free 4th of July or celebration goodies you might like these.
TTFN!
This week I had the chance to play with a fun paper pack from Donna of Quirky Twerp. The Happy Little Fourth Paper pack is fabulous for both scrapbooking, card making or any hybrid project you might want to tackle. Of course it goes perfectly with my 4th of July inspired Template. If you are just coming by then check out yesterdays post for the free template.
Isn't that just too cute? Now, the button on the front is real. I just wanted to give it a little dimension without going the whole hybrid route. Here is what I did, which took all of about 5 minutes.
Printed out the 4th of July card. Then got hold of some thread, a co-ordinating button and a needle. The needle is a Chenile 24. Big enough slot to get the thread through easily and still slim enough to go through my button holes. I knew keeping my embroidery needles out was a good idea instead of packing them up when we moved.
Now poke a couple of holes through the button slots and through the card to mark your place. Makes it easier to sew the thread too.
Get a fair bit of thread in your needle and double it over. You want it nice and thick. I am using DMC thread as it comes – doubled.
Without putting a knot in your thread start from the top and go down through to the back.
Then come back up to the front again.
Now tie it in a knot on the front of the button, taking care to pull it tight enough that the button sits nice and secure against the card front. Not so tight though that it buckles or tears the card stock.
Simple and easy but that step up from a printed card. Adhere the card to coordinating cardstock base and you have a nice card to share with someone on the 4th of July – or anytime. It would make a fun birthday card too.
But wait – there's more! JK. I have always wanted to say that.!
Donna liked my card and she has decided to collab with me and give it away – to you for free. So I made another variation with her Happy Little Fourth paper and we have a set of two printable 4th of July cards, or any day for that matter. All ready for your celebrating. Just print and go – or embellish a little.
Pop on over to the Quirky Twerp blog where you can say hi to Donna, and download the free printable 4th of July cards.
TTFN!
Wow can you believe another week has gone by. That may be due to me being busy concocting another free Card Crafters Template for you. Last weeks is down now. Sorry if you missed it!
This one will be up for a week also. Inspired by the upcoming USA national holiday celebrating Independence day on the 4th of July this card template is also perfect for any occasion.
Here is a card I made with it using a kit from Quirky Twerp called Happy Little Fourth.
Kind of appropriate hey?
So without further ado here is the preview of the template. This week it is two variations of the same card in digital format on the same page.
You can download it here.
Come back tomorrow and see how I put that card together with just a little embellishment. Also there could be another free giveaway - but the would be spilling the beans if I told you any more.
Right now I have a date with a 10 year old, a pair of scissors and over ten inches of hair to be cut and donated to Locks for Love. Pics to come.
TTFN.
S
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