Cut 'n Paste

Thank you kindly

This weekend I spent a lot of time working on upcoming projects, helping my hubby with some renovation projects, and working on an upcoming trip the two of us are planning. We are having a tough time deciding between trying to visit someplace new, or returning to a place that we love. On Friday night we actually purchased some flights, but had to cancel them the next day due to a conflict with Rick's work...so, we're hoping to get something booked this week.

I am also hard at work, with my co-host Terri Brush, on details for our "La Dolce Vita" Italy 2016 retreats. Things are slowly coming together with our Italian partners...August is a month when so many Italians are on holiday and businesses are closed, so it has been a bit difficult to get the info we need in order to finalize and open registration, but we are working on it :)

The card I'm sharing with you this week uses the same "Blissful butterflies" stamp set by My Favorite Things that I used in the layout I shared last week. I love that stamp set and have used it many times in workshops I have taught, and personal projects. The watercolor stamping technique is the same here as the one I demoed in the layout video from last week. (If you didn't see the video, you can check it out here.)

Finally, I wanted to let you know that my friends over at Ellen Hutson have a sale going on right now:


CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE SALE. The Melissa Frances "Classic Elegance" 6x6 paper pad which has the antique ledger paper which is on the left side of the card at the top of this post is included in the sale. It's one of my favorite paper collections that I ever designed, and this is your chance to grab it at a great price! There is a direct link to the paper pad in the list at the end of this post.

Here are some of the products used to make the card featured above:

My Favorite Things Clear Stamps, Blissful Butterflies by Lisa Johnson Designs

My Favorite Things Die-namics, Blissful Butterflies by Lisa Johnson Designs

Ranger Watercolor Paper, 10 pk

Melissa Frances Classic Elegance 6x6 Paper Pad

Tim Holtz, Remnant Rubs, Numbers

Ranger Distress Marker, Mustard Seed

Ranger Distress Marker, Tea Dye

Ranger Distress Marker, Victorian Velvet

Ranger Distress Marker, Worn Lipstick

Clear Acrylic Block, 3x4 Rectangluar w/ Alignment Grid

Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black

A study in red...

I have was enjoying experimenting with watercolors last month and made a series of thank you cards which I stamped with stamps from Stampin' Up!, then watercolored. The first card I am sharing with you used a bold color scheme of cranberry and kraft cardstock and tan/cream/black. The patterned papers used on the card are from Melissa Frances, October Afternoon, and another line whose name escapes me now (and unfortunately, I am not at home to look in my studio for the paper pad I used).

The 'thank you' is typed with the font called 'Dasha' which is my go-to favorite calligraphy font. I printed it on my computer, then mounted it on chipboard in order to get some depth on the card front.

Thanks for visiting me today. I hope you are having a great week!

(The flower stamp, and the no.14 stamp are both from Stampin' Up! stamp sets. If you would like to know the set names, just let me know and I'll look it up and post them once I am back home.)

A picture is worth a thousand words mini album

Paper craft posts have not been seen here on my blog much over the past year, but that doesn't mean I'm not crafting, it's just that either the projects are for work projects, or I run out of time to photograph them before giving them away, or, I simply procrastinate in photographing them! However, today I finally have a project to share with you. I have been experimenting more and more with combining bookbinding techniques with scrapbooking supplies which has been a really fun exploration.

The album shown here uses the Melissa Frances "Classic Elegance" collection, which is one of my all time favorite collections in the whole wide world. We were right on point trendwise with this collection when it was released 18 months ago. The combination of pastels with the crispness of the black accents makes it such an eye catching collection of papers and embellishments.

I also used rubber stamps for the flowers (Stampin' Up!), postage mark (very old Melissa Frances) and the "A Picture is worth a thousand words" title (My Favorite Things Document it Stamp Set - which is one of my favorite stamp sets right now).

The inside of the album has a combination of scrapbook papers and vintage papers.

Thanks for checking out my project! Enjoy your day.

Copic marker Fun!

Today I am on my way home from Norway after a wonderful time teaching workshops. These images are from the brand new Melissa Frances "Mixed Media Doodles" patterned paper (PA420). This paper offers one side that is all illustrations, and one side that is full color artwork. Check it out:

I had the pleasure to offer a demo at Bikuben in Strommen and play with using my Copic markers to color the illustrations on the patterned paper. I was in a Springish mood, so I picked nice, bright colors! Some close ups of my coloring is shown at the top of this post. And for those of you who also love Copic markers, you will be happy to know that the markers blend amazingly well on the Melissa Frances patterned paper. Yeah!

Thank you ever so much card

Things have been very quiet around here lately. January is always a busy month around the Peeler household and this year was no different. While I don't always update this blog super regularly, I post with more frequency on facebook, so I do invite you to friend me there. I still plan to share my business trip to Eketerinburg Russia with you, it was amazing. Full of good people and amazing food.

I have a busy year ahead in 2014. I already have several teaching trips booked and then there is the Creative Lifestyle retreat, "La Dolce Vita", that my business partner Terri Brush and I are hosting in Tuscany Italy in May and June. Speaking of which, we have had ONE spot open for our May 31 event. The event sold out rather quickly when we opened it. However, due to a cancellation a spot is now available. I invite you to check out our website here, and let us know if you are interested in joining us.

Moscow • September 2013

This is a much overdue recap of the whirlwind 5 days I spent in Moscow at the end of September.  I had been invited to attend the Moscow Craft Exhibition by the Melissa Frances Russian distributor. I was scheduled to teach 2 classes at the exhibition and 1 class at a local shop (before heading to Ekaterinburg to teach more classes at a shop there.) This was a return visit to Russia for me, I had been in 2009 (also to teach scrapbooking workshops) and LOVED both the city and the beautiful Russian people I met. So, I was excited to return.

My hosts absolutely spoiled me by taking me to fabulous cafes and restaurants and showing me the sights of the town. One night, after teaching,  they even surprised me with an outing to the world famous Bolshoi theater to watch "La Sonnambula" opera - which was wonderfully preformed!

After the exhibition, I taught a workshop at a local Moscow craft store and I had the youngest student I've ever had in that class - the little daughter of the shop owner. She was a sweetie, very well behaved and was REALLY into helping me with my giveaways during class.

It seemed like I had barely arrived, when it was time to leave Moscow for Ekaterinburg. A special thank you to Anastasia, who did most of the organization for my trip, Nadya who made me feel very welcome while taking me here, there and everywhere while showing off her city to me, and Christina who did an awesome job translating my workshop.

Do svidaniya Moscow, until next time...

Thank you card

(Supply list: Patterned paper - Top left, middle left (pink) and across the bottom all by Melissa Frances, The paper top right and middle right are by GCD • Cardstock - Bazzill • Tag - Avery Office Products • White and Pink Baker's twine - Hemptique • Chipboard border by Melissa Frances • Rhinestone brooch by Melissa Frances • Fabric Heart by My Little Bicycle • Mother of Pearl Buttons are vintage • Other: Silhouette Die cutting machine and cream acrylic paint)

Things have been really busy here over the past week. I've been getting ready for an upcoming business trip to Russia! I had the privilege to teach workshops there in 2010, and I am really looking forward to a return visit at the end of this month. I will be teaching in Moscow and Ekaterinburg. My understanding is that the workshops are already sold out. If that changes, I will post about the classes here in case any blog readers want to attend.

I made the card I'm sharing today this weekend. I owe someone who did me a favor a thank you, and so this card will be popped in the mail soon.

Thankful for you card - Happy Mother's Day

(Supply List: Jewell Patterned paper (PA363), C'est la Vie Cardstock Stickers (GN544),  Cream Pearls (GN297), Other, non Melissa Frances supplies: Vintage ledger paper, old white and cream buttons, sewing machine and white thread, kraft shipping tag, pink seam binding and scalloped chipboard trim.)

Our family celebrated Mother's Day on Monday as my Mom and Dad will be travelling on the actual holiday. This is the card that I made and gave to her as we celebrated what a kind, generous and supportive Mom she has been to us. As our relationship has shifted and changed over the years, I always come back to how eternally grateful I am that I was born to whom I was born to. My Mom is fierce in protecting those she loves, full of love and support, yet is not afraid to gently rebuke when necessary.

To those of you who are celebrating Mother's Day with your mom this weekend, I hope that you have a great day. For those of you who have lost a Mom and the day brings pain...I hope that it also brings memories of the good times. For those of you who have a mother who does not bring those warm fuzzy feelings, I'm sorry. I hope that you have found peace in your situation.

Hugs and love!

Workshops in Norway

I can't believe that it's been a whole month since I last shared with you here on my blog. It seems as if time is just flying by at the speed of sound!

I have been kept busy with newborn photography, work and organizing upcoming teaching and travel. Speaking of which, I am happy to share that I will be back in Norway for some workshops at Bikuben at the end of this month. This will be my fifth visit to Bikuben, and I love Ellen, Egil, the girls at the store and the customers, so many of whom come to see me each time I visit.

I will be teaching three workshops at the store:




Please visit the Bikuben website here for workshop details and pricing.

Love, love, love...

(Supply List: Patterned paper: Strictly Business (PA406), Adopted Ancestors (PA408), Red Chevron from the Countdown to Christmas 6x6 paper pad. All patterned papers by Melissa Frances • Charcoal, White, Pink and Kraft cardstock by Bazill • Vintage ledger page and paper • Sewing machine and white thread, Silhouette Cameo Electronic Die cutting machine)

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching I was challenged to make a Valentine's card to be featured on the Melissa Frances blog. I wanted to make something that was still vintage and pretty, but that I could also give to my sweet heart for the holiday. I don't know that he will particularly care for the little Victorian boy - in fact, originally I didn't have him on the card. But at the last moment - after everything else was glued down in fact, I just couldn't resist adding him.The beautiful "February" is from an antique ledger that I have in my stash. I just tore out one of the pages that had a Feb. date on it.

I have always had a love affair with paper. I love combining patterns from different collections and juxtaposing very modern and clean design with vintage. This card is a pretty good example of that. It was inexpensive to make, because the supplies are all paper. But by adding the stitching it does give it depth so that it is not 'flat'.

I hope you enjoyed my Valentine greeting.