Don't Join Me On the Naughty List!!

Yes I was on the Miss Tracy's "Naughty List" because I was late getting my blog post done for this month's fantastic Front Porch Kit.  Why you ask...because I was having so much fun designing my projects...that's why.  You can stay off the list by placing your order right now.  You will not be disappointed, I promise. 

This month's kit is called Time to... and the possibilities are endless.

 Here are a few sneek peaks...

I was so excited when I saw the kit contents. The color palette is beautiful and the papers have a modern yet vintage feel. I recently lost my "Little Granny" she was 102 years young.  I was so excited to create two projects that honor her.  She was a lifelong crafter and I have so many wonderful memories of creating with her.  The Gallery will be available to view later next week...and you will recieve full tutorials for 5 projects on the Instructional CD which will be included in your FP Kit! You will love scrap-lifting these wonderful creations and hopefully add your own unique spin on them!

The full kit and contents will be revealed this Monday 8/22.

Don't end up on the "Naughty List"...order yours today online at http://www.frontporchkits.com/ or you can order by calling or stopping by the LBH.

http://www.frontporchkits.com/

http://www.frontporchkits.typepad.com/

http://www.thelittlebluehouseblog.blogspot.com/

P.S. Be sure to check the Front Porch blog and the Front Porch Design Team's blogs...

they are posting sneaks too!! Post your comments for a chance to win a FREE kit!

Have fun creating...

Elaine

Inspiration at Its BEST

 

Have you ever seen something that absolutely takes your breath away to the point that you feel you must try it NOW.  This is what happened to me when I went to Christy Tomlinson's Blog and saw this canvas.  I kept hearing about She Art and finally had the the time to go check it out.  Christy had just posted this Summer Challenge and Inspiration. Christy had been inspired by Junelle Jacobsen and I was inspired by Christy.

Fortunately I was able to find a canvas that I had stashed away and then I just started pulling out paints, stamps and inks. It was so perfect because it was my BEST friend Hilary's birthday and I wanted to make her something so she would know how special she was to me.  Let me also state for the record that in all my years of crafting I had NEVER EVER painted a canvas.  At first I was oh so controlled but then it hit me and I decided to let go.  The center of the canvas is made of rolled paper, at first I so wanted it to be the perfect heart, but then I realized that no heart is perfect it is what is in the heart that is perfect.  Love, friendship, laughter,hurt and all those moments we share.  After I constructed the paper rolls and attached them I began the process of decorating the canvas.

I painted a free form heart (seriously - no template) and I stamped wish  inside the heart.  The other heart is cut from a cardboard box, inked with several colors of ink. and then I attached a few small pieces of music paper.I attached a key tied with twine.

The pearl drops are Ranger Perfect pearls and the butterfly is a metal embellishment from my stash.

I stamped in the corner with several stamps and attached a metal heart charm.  I then took out my doodling pens and began to write in various places on the canvas.  Special words to descibe Hilary and our relationship.

I stamped an "H" for obvious reasons and added a few other swirls to enhance it.  You can see I wrote Faith on this paper roll. 
I can not express to you the sense of joy I had creating this canvas.  I want to thank Christy and Junelle for sharing their inspiration.  And to take it further I am going to proof this post ONE time and then hit publish - It's not about PERFECTION - it is about the JOURNEY.

Elaine

Hot Glue and Alcohol Ink Tutorial

This is the technique I used on the June Front Porch Kit layout -
A Place in the Sun. 
It is for the blue wave pattern you see going across the two pages.  You will see below you can form the hot glue into any shape you wish.  

 Supplies:

Craft mat that will hold up to hot glue - I used the Ranger mat

Hot glue gun

Ranger Alcohol Inks

Pencil

Ranger Glossy Accents

Draw your shape on the craft mat or go freestyle

Squirt hot glue over the shape - I found this works on larger patterns but is difficult to control on finer details

Let the hot glue cool - this only takes a few minutes

Stem and leaf pattern

Flower pattern

Scroll pattern

Flourishy Pattern

Side view so you can see how much glue

Now dab with alohol inks

Peel from mat

Finished Product will be attached to project with Glossy Accents

Make sure you check out the great projects at The Little Blue House and check out the gallery and projects at Front Porch Kits and the new Front Porch Kits Blog.
Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Have fun trying different shapes and post and let me know what magical glue designs you create.  The Howell family is heading north to Michigan for a Family and Friends Fourth of July.  Stay safe and God Bless the USA and our Troops

Elaine

Tags ...Tags and More Tags

I hope you are all having a great summer.  The Texas heat is definitely upon us...my car thermometer read 107 when I left the Little Blue House yesterday.  This is a good time to be inside crafting.  At the LBH we have our wonderful Blocks and Base with Tag sets as part of our Creatuive Buffet classes (check out the website for pics).  We started the tag sets last October and have released some really cute ones with each new season.  Don't despair if you have not started yours, it is not too late and we are planning to continue them as each new season approaches.  I needed a way to store mine and since we could no longer get the Maya Road tins - I found this option instead.  The box is from the Container Store and costs about $1.99.  They come in several colors but I really liked this chocolate brown.  The box is about 8" x 4 1/2" x 9"

Of course I could not just let it be plain :( what fun is that?  So I took a piece of paper I had left from the Prima Crad kit class.  You will need three 12" strips that are about 2 1/2" wide.  Wrap them around the box making sure the front piece is centered so no seams show.  Continue around to the back of the box.  I wanted the edges to be pretty so I attached some ribbon to the top and bottom of the paper strip.

I then added a few Prima Flowers from my stash and also a beige felt rosette that I made with the Sizzix 3D Flower die (you can order from the LBG because we are a Sizzix ordering site). I then added a few leaves that I sprayed with Tattered Angels Hula Hoop mist. Stuff (very technical term) some ribbon loops behind the flowers for some added dimension. I then cut a tag - and cleverly wrote "Tags" on it and attached just behind the flowers. We are working on new tags so check the website for announcements.
Post a comment on what you think the new set will say...
Stay Cool
Elaine

BLOGOPHOBIC!! That's my problem....

Before I explain my title I wanted to share with you my layout from this month's Front Porch Kit One Sunny Day.  The kit this month is so amazing and you will have such fun creating out of it - I know I did.  The Gallery will show you all the projects that the Fronch Porch Designer Gals created but remember the bonus in our kit is that you get a CD that has detailed (and I mean detailed) instructions (measurements of papers, ink and paint colors,etc.) on how to create the featured projects.  To help clarify the featured projects - when you go to the website - click on Kit of the Month - you will see the design board with all the items that are in the kit.  Then scroll down to see the list of all the papers and great "stuff" you will receive - and...right below that is the featured projects- these are the ones on the CD.  Personally speaking if you see something on one of my projects that you have a question on - shoot me an email - ehowell0324@att.net or post on the blog and I will gladly answer any questions you might have.
 My featured project this month is the "Beach Baby" layout.  This is one of my favorite pictures of Kristen (even though the photography is not great) that I have of her at the beach.  When we lived in Boca Raton, Fl a group of family and friends would go to Marco Island Beach for a long weekend in July.  It was such a fun time and so many memories were created there.  On the CD I have the instructions on how to make the beach scene at the bottom of the layout - shells made from flowers, sandcatles from sanpaper, pylons from the box and finally our little crab friend from chipboard flowers and frames.

OK...so what is BLOGOPHOBIC...well it's me. 

I have been so worried about posting the perfect blog posting that I completely psych myself out - and end up not posting at all because I want it to be perfect.  My daughter Kristen is in China and she is posting on her blog and I love it - that's what made the light go on - PERFECT it is NOT but I still enjoyed it -so...I hereby promise to post.  So now that I have told you about my phobia - post yours.  Thanks for continuing to follow and especially for your patience ...Miss Tracy :)

I hope you have a great day.

Taxes hmmm ...or Front Porch Kit... YIPPEE!!

   

It is finally here - the April Front Porch Kit. As you can see it is entitled Fresh From the Garden. Don't be left out this month - pre-order your kit NOW!!  at http://www.frontporchkits.com/.

There are so many beautiful things in the kit for you to create with. Below is a sneak of some flowers I created with my kit. This is one of the projects that will have step by step instructions for you to follow.

Take a break from that tax preparing (UGH!!)and make sure to catch us LIVE!!! From the Little Blue House on Ustream fror the big reveal.  Here is the link that you will need http://www.ustream.tv/channel/front-porch-kits. 

The Broadcast is Firday April 15th at 8:30PM CST.

Tune in to the show early and be sure to join in the chat for a chance to win fun prizes! You need to create a log in to be a part of the chat. If you live in the Keller, TX area and would like to join us that night for the behind the scenes crop, give The Little Blue House a call to reserve your spot! The number is (817) 431-7930!

Spring Break Frame Making....

This past week was spring break for my daughter Kristen.  She attends the University of Arkansas..Woo Pig Sooie!!!  Kristen and her friend Shirley are going to be sharing an apartment next year (I am still nervous about this) and they wanted to create a couple of frames for their new digs.

 At the Little Blue House one of our projects is a beautiful embossed frame.  (Class cost is $35)  The one at the studio is made with beautiful spring papers and has a decorative cross on it (we added their initials instead) The great thing about the LBH is any of our home dec items can be changed to match your style.  You can bring your own papers or pick from our collections in the store   So....that is what we did. 

I had some Razorback paper at home and since Kristen is a Zeta Tau Alpha and their symbol is a crown we added that paper in as well, finishing it off with some cute red, black and white prints.  

 Shirl is a Kappa Delta and since we were working on short notice I did not have any white rose or nautilus paper, so we added the words with flourish to her frame. 



Kristen putting on final touches



Shirley lining up the two stacked frames



 These girls are beginning crafters (Kristen swears the crafty gene skipped a generation) and you can see how great their frames turned out.

And...the Winner is....

The winner is Debra White...Yea!!!  Stop by the LBH to claim your prize.
Thanks for posting & make sure you check out the Front Porch Kits gallery.
The projects are amazing and hopefully they will inspire you.  Easter is around the corner and this little guy would love to follow you home.

I created the "Me & My Peeps" minibook to celebrate Easter. It is an accordian book that you can use as a decoration too.  He is soft and fuzzy and filled with cute mini tags.  The paper line is Peep by We R Memory Keepers.  There are a ton of embellishments that accompany this line and that would make any project pop!
Stop by and check them out.

The Big Day is Finally Here!!

I want to personally invite all of you to join us for Friday Night Live! This will be our first live webcast from the LBH! Here is the link and the show details:

Friday, 3/18

8:30pm

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/front-porch-kits

Not only will we be showing the Front Porch Kit contents and featured projects but I will be demonstrating a fun new technique.."The Mush & Skwush".  Lolly created this awesome technique and I named it, and ...I also used her leftover on my project. Hmmm....where is it??

My Krafty Kitty will not be joining us on the webcast but if you would like to craft along with our demo, here is what you will need.

Old towel

Squirt Bottle with water

Card stock Strip 1 1/2 inches tall by 12 inches long

Card stock or chip board strip 1 inch tall by 6 inches long

Helmar 450 Tacky Glue or Glue gun

We will be giving one lucky web-viewer a "Little Birdie Told Me..." Kit and don't forget one lucky commenter will win one too!! All comments posted on the LBH blog (on each of the Sneak Peek posts) will be entered into a drawing to WIN a free KIT!!

And...win an additional prize from ME if you leave a comment on my blog.

See you (nope you will see us) Live on Friday Night!!!

Elaine

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I am wearing my green....and  feeling so lucky that I am able to create....

A Little Birdie Told Me So....Sneak Peeks

The birds outside are twittering away and so are we at the LBH..
Yep this Friday we preview the

Front Porch Kits

 ..Live and in person on the net...does anybody know how many pounds you can drop in two days??!!  Ok..this is all you get from me..check out the other LBH Gals blogs to see some other sneak peeks. 

Hmm .... glittery and fuzzy .....

"hAPPY gO LUCKY"

 Before I show you a sneak peak of my new "Happy Go Lucky" layout that I designed for The Little Blue House, I wanted to show you a few pictures from my recent trip to Quebec City, Canada. My husband has been traveling almost every week to QC for business. For Christmas he surprised me with an invitation to join him for a long weekend to enjoy the Winter Carnival. My gift was presented in the form of a mini scrapbook--yes I am rubbing off on him--actually my sweet daughter Kristen helped him with this task. Very creative folks in QC - the flower garland is made from those insulated windshield covers- guess they don't need them as much as we do in Texas- the second photo is a tree and decorations made from bubble wrap.

The city was amazing and we had such a good time -
So whether it is a winter trip with someone you love - or - the really cute new springish (word??) paper line Lovey Dovey from Bella Blvd made into a layout- both can make you feel "Happy Go Lucky" ... and BTW the names are perfect ...               Circle of Love - Bear Hugs - Sweatheart - Borders 'N Blocks -                     now I just have to decide which pictures I want to put on my layout.

Stop by and see our new projects AND new stuff is arriving daily!!  If you have a minute post what has recently made you feel "HAPPY GO LUCKY"!

Get It Together- Ribbon Organization

Okay now you can see what a mess I had with my ribbon.  It was stored in nice little floss boxes but then I had wider longer lengths and they wouldn't fit.  So I went to another type of ribbon box, baggies and the catch all basket.  Way too many places to look and storage space was becoming an issue.  So last week I converted to Tracy's method and I must say it is great.  Works on all ribbons, laces, twines and flosses.
It does take a little time but you can wind away while catching up on your favorite TV shows.

 Before..





 

After..








It looks so pretty and it is now so easy to pick the perfect ribbon for your projects.

As you can see my little Lily cat was worn out after all the winding...she thought it was play time. Now that you are organized stop by and see all the beautiful ribbons we just received at the LBH.


Whatever method works for you...try and take this step this week and we will see you back at The Little Blue House.