The Amy Doodle Of It All . . .

Had so much fun going

Had so much fun going for a walk with my husband and Mom in Law :-)

Cricut Card Technique

I was asked again about this technique I showed awhile ago,

so I thought I would re-post it...here you go!

Here is a simple and
really fun way to jazz up your Cricut projects. It's fun because
you can be as creative as you want using ink pads, stamps, paint, watercolors,
etc!

You'll need a few
different Distress inks, a blending tool and sponges for each color, and two
background stamps. First cut out your Cricut image using white paper. After it's
cut out, leave it on the sticky sheet and take it to your workspace.

I
used the "Summer in Paris" cartridge to cut out a detailed Hot Air
Balloon.

You should start
with this . . .

Start by inking up
your blending tool. (make sure to use a different
sponge for each color)

 

Then start blending
working from the outside of the image and moving in. Use very light pressure.
It's better to start out light, because you can always add more.

When
you have the first color the way you like it, start adding more
colors.

Repeat the same
process with your second image(usually the overlay)

 

Next use your background stamps to create some
texture. Stamp on cut outs.

 

 

Peel off the unwanted portion of the cut out, and
SLOWLY remove the image. Because you have been pressing down on the image, it
will be a little hard to remove. I like to work with an exacto knife to get the
image up in one piece.

Next I stamped a background on a coordinating
piece of paper, added a flower, pearls, a stamped phrase, and ribbon for a
complete card!

Have Fun!

Operation Write Home

There is a wonderful Simon Says Stamp Blog Hop that is for Operation Write home, a wonderful organization who care about our military, and want to support them through creativity and encouragement. I love our Men and Women in the Armed forces, and am grateful for the sacrifices that they and their families make everyday. Here is my Card for OWH.

I wanted to make a card that was really patriotic, but was easily and quickly replicated so I could make many of them to send to OWH. I think this Eagle Head stamp from Art Impressions is perfect, and I loved the verse that goes with it. I embossed the image with white embossing powder, and then went over it with Distess inks in Festive Berries & Salty Ocean with my blending tool.

(I'm not completely happy with the blending, but you know how it goes the more you make the better you get...so I'm anticipating the 10th one being AMAZING ; )

Using Photos for inspiration!

So, I am sorta addicted to creating color palettes! I do them for everything...a jumping off point for a painting, inspiration for decorating, creating a scrapbook layout, or putting together an outfit. It's right there in nature displayed in the perfect color combinations...inspiration!

 

Use photo editing software, adobe, adobe illustrator, phtotoshop, paint.net, etc

You make 6 little squares with your box tool.  Just about any photo editing software now a days will have a eye dropper tool. So, you use your eye dropper tool to pick up colors from your inspiration photo and fill those squares with your colors that you've chosen! (that would be the paint can tool for most programs) And viola! and picture can now create the perfect color combination. I have found in most nature photographs the colors really work harmoniously well together(takes the guess work out of what works and what doesn't). Have fun!

Here's some photo inspiration:

 

Wacky Cake!

I have got to share this link...We were all craving something chocolate and I'm layed out flat with a massive neck and back pain issue. This is problematic since I am THE BAKER in the house. My husband (being the amazing guy he is) decides he will try a new recipe I found. Wacky cake! or also known as Depression cake. I found it on this lovely site called Sweet Little Bluebird. She goes on to explain the origins of this cake and how to make it:

" I did a little research on Crazy and Wacky Cake recipes. These cakes were created during the Great Depression, when eggs, milk and butter were very hard to come by.  The cakes are also known as Depression Cakes.  People were pretty resourceful during those hard times.   It took some creativity and baking science to create a cake without eggs or butter.  You don't even need a mixer. Genius! "  -Mary

My whole family went nuts for this cake! I topped it with a thick yummy homemade buttercream (because let's face it back pain or not, the promise of chocolate buttercream is enough to get anyone moving again!) I was really surprised how moist and yummy this cake is, and even more thrilled that it's literally done in one dish...That means I have a recipe that every kid in my house can make on their own! I can hear it now..."Ok, you can go to your friends...if you make MOM A CHOCOLATE CAKE!"

Simon Says Stamp!

SO EXCITED!!! Just received my "Simon Says Stamp" kit of the month! April's kit is filled with a very cute stamp set, and papers in the color scheme of yellow, grey, black, and turquoise! So Fun! Can't wait to create with it.