Caroline's Creations

And she's back...

I believe this is my first post of 2015!

Sorry to have been MIA the past few weeks. Truth be told, I was a bit burnt out with crafting and blogging after taking on a bigger role in the Caring Hearts Card Drive this year. Lots of work right up until Christmas. Then the holidays themselves, with three adult boys home and parents and sister visiting from out of town.  Plus, I started another contract at work January 5th, and am now working full time for the first time in YEARS. Not sure how everyone else manages it :) I now go to the gym for 7:00 a.m. and do everything else after work or on the weekend. Not a lot of time or energy left-over for creativity...

I DID get to go to my annual scrapbooking retreat with my besties in Wisconsin in January. SUCH a good time. It felt so good to re-connect with my gals, and to remember how much I love scrapbooking.  I'll be sharing a few lay-outs here in the next few weeks.

But today is all about Paper Smooches and Valentine's Day.

Kim Hughes is celebrating four years in business, with lots of extra fun on the PS blog.

I made my Valentine cards this year using the goodies from Jen Sherkus' "Monster Hugs" kit. But I had to get inky for THIS CHALLENGE:

I've been having fun making patterned paper with embossed images and Distress Inks. I learned this technique from the very talented Heather Telford.

Here's the process:

Heat-emboss assorted PS heart images on 5.5" x 4.25" card stock. Blend two-to-three colours of Distress Ink over the embossed images, using a foam tool.  I used Worn Lipstick, Tattered Rose and Gathered Twigs (thinking of roses, chocolate and kisses!). Splatter the panel with water and spritz with Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist. Dry it and add more stamped images in the distress ink colours. Here's a close up of the final effect:

 I then cut the panel into three smaller pieces and used them to make three LOVE U cards.

 This one uses the PS Love die, the U from the new Sassy Script stamp set, and some Pretty Pink Posh sequins.

Number two uses a sentiment from the PS Fancy Frames stamp set, and the heart border from the PS Heart Dies. I used Worn Lipstick to custom colour my row of little hearts. Looking at this photo, I realize I glued my panel on UPSIDE DOWN!

This one's a little over the top, but fun! I cut a stitched heart (Lil'Inker Dies, as is the new stitched rectangle mat) from the panel, and mounted it over matching card stock. The "thanks" is another PS die; I sponged more Worn Lipstick onto white card stock in a gradient of colour before cutting out the sentiment.

A satisfying afternoon's work!  Beats being outside today...-34 C.  Brrr!

Make sure to check out the Paper Smooches blog for more fun and inspiration!

Happy crafting,

Caroline