Free Digi Friday: Violets (& an Enabler Alert!)

Roses are red, 

Violets are blue...

What will you make

With this digi for you?

The wild violets overrunning my boyfriend's lawn were the muse for today's free Violets digi.  Those of course are not the elegant long-stemmed version I drew, but they did put the thought in my head..it's funny where you find your creative inspiration!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Violets

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Enabler Alert: 45% off & Giveaway

Just wanted to share a few things going on at Scrapalicous USA right now. First off, Cindy is offering a 20% discount on everything in the store. Scrapalicous's everyday prices are 25% off retail so this means 45% off everything in the store!!! Use code Clearance20%

Also, sign up for the newsletter HERE to stay up to date on latest sales/new items.

Like Scrapalicous USA on Facebook for a chance to win a Spellbinder's Grand Calibur Machine! We're only about 350 fans away from the drawing...so spread the word!

Free Digi Friday: Butterfly Fairy

Here's a butterfly fairy to flit around your spring crafty projects...enjoy!

Also, help me celebrate my 1st Blogaversary and enter to win some giveaways! Click HERE for all the details and how to enter. Don't miss out...tomorrow's the last day!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Butterfly Fairy

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Have you *liked* the ScrapaliciousUSA Facebook page yet? Be sure to get on over there so that you can be entered to win a Spellbinders Grand Calibur. Tell all your friends...the sooner we get to 1000 Fans, the sooner someone wins! Please tell them Victoria sent you.

Free Digi Friday: Crazy Daisy

April showers are supposed to bring May  flowers, but around here, the spring bulb flowers and trees have been flowering for weeks! Today's free digi is inspired by nature with a bit a funky twist. Enjoy!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Crazy Daisy

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Have you *liked* the ScrapaliciousUSA Facebook page yet? Be sure to get on over there so that you can be entered to win a Spellbinders Grand Calibur. Tell all your friends...the sooner we get to 1000 Fans, the sooner someone wins! Please tell them Victoria sent you.

Free Digi Friday: Easter Basket

Just a little more than a week to go until Easter, but the bunny delivered this basket early...just for you!  Happy crafting!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Easter Basket

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Have you *liked* the ScrapaliciousUSA Facebook page yet?  Be sure to get on over there so that you can be entered to win a Spellbinders Grand Calibur.  Tell all your friends...the sooner we get to 1000 Fans, the sooner someone wins!  Please tell them Victoria sent you.

Oh!  And stop over at the Scrapalicious USA store, too.  Enter promotional code Clearance15% at checkout for additional savings. Since most of the products at Scrapalicious USA are already 25% off suggested retail...add this and that's a whopping 40% savings. WOW!

Free Digi Friday: I'm Not Irish, But...

Dorinda, this one's for you!

Just in time for the big party day, today's free digi is a modification of last week's "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" word art.  I rearranged it just a tad for so that those of you who don't have Irish blood get kissed, too. J

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: I'm Not Irish

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Have you *liked* the ScrapaliciousUSA Facebook page yet?  Be sure to get on over there so that you can be entered to win a Spellbinders Grand Calibur.  Tell all your friends...the sooner we get to 1000 Fans, the sooner someone wins!  Please tell them Victoria sent you.

Free Digi Friday: Kiss Me, I'm Irish

Top o' the morning to ya, lads and lassies!

Today's free digi is this wee Kiss Me, I'm Irish word art.  Whether you're Irish, of Irish decent like me, or are only Irish on March 17th, this should be fun for all of your St. Patrick's Day projects...have fun!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Kiss Me, I'm Irish

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Just a reminder to enter to win a Spellbinders Grand Calibur:  all the details are HERE!

Free Digi Friday: Yarn Addict

Today's free digital stamp is inspired by the boys.  Both are hard core yarn addicts.  Now, while Ollie just likes to play with and roll around in it, Dodger likes to eat it, so I have to keep my yarn locked away.  The little kitty here is definitely a Dodger...his eyes get great big and black when he's "hunting".  J Enjoy!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Yarn Addict

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

CADB Super Bowl Blog Hop: Masculine Card, a Tutorial, & a Free Digi!

Whew, what a mouthful!

This weekend is SUPER regardless of whether you'll be watching the big game. In honor of this very Man-Oriented weekend, we designers at Card A Day Blog decided to do a Blog Hop with a Masculine Theme. Come on, we all need as much inspiration as possible for creating non-girly cards, right? Oh, and of course there are giveaways, so be sure to visit all the blogs (list at the end of this post)!  

Now, put your lace, ribbon, and flowery papers away! I'm going to give you a tutorial on how to make this very masculine (and very cool) metal gear panel I used on my brother's birthday card, but first let's talk about the card...

A Couple Details:

• My brother is a painter by trade, so I loved this 7 Gypsies "News Flash" card (I know, the guy's hanging a poster, but he's got a brush in his hand, so it made me think painter). The vintage feeling, male image, and neutral colors keep us well within the manly realm.

• When in doubt for masculine images to use, reference Tim Holtz!  While he can branch out into feminine, the king of distress keeps things pretty manly-to-gender-neutral.  This large TH clock image was stamped onto vellum with StazOn Jet Black.  The vellum started out white, but I colored the BACK side with distress stain to make it work with the other elements.
• The clock button was also distressed to make its original bright finish more brassy and antique.  On this element, I used Alcohol Inks to adjust the color.

Okay, on to the star of this card...the embossed and distressed metal panel...

Metal Panel Tutorial:

Note:  The process to create this metal panel contains many techniques by Tim Holtz.  I give credit where credit is due, however I have not seen a project where he combines them in this way.

• Start with a strip of aluminum duct tape from the heating and cooling department of your local home improvement store.  Adhere this to Ranger glossy cardstock and emboss with Tim Holt'z Retro Circles texture fade.  Tim himself recommends using glossy cardstock as a base when embossing metal tape and he's right...it really makes the embossing crisp.

• Pounce on Alcohol Inks and Blending Solution to "tarnish" the metal.  I used Ginger, Mushroom, Caramel, and Copper Mixative colors.

• Pounce entire strip with VersaMark ink pad, then apply clear embossing powder.  Hold the strip by the edges over a trash bin and flick the back hard with your finger.  This removes the excess embossing powder. I gave mine several good flicks because I wanted a random, bumpy texture.  Tim Holtz calls this the "Orange Peel" technique and it's a good description for the texture you'll get. 

• Melt embossing powder with heat tool.  Make sure embossing is completely cool before continuing to the next step.

• Pounce on brown acrylic paint, followed by black acrylic paint until desired coverage and color is achieved.  I used Americana Burnt Umber and Lamp Black.  Allow to dry completely before continuing to the next step.

 

• Using a damp paper towel or baby wipe, rub the high areas lightly to remove some of the paint.  Continue until the desired effect is achieved.

• Spray metal strip with Krylon Crystal Clear to lock paint in place and give it a beautiful shine.  Truly, don't skip this step, it makes overall effect and color so rich!

That's the tute!  Hope you get a chance to play with this combination of techniques, it sure was fun!!

Now, don't miss out on the other blogs in the hop.  Many are giving away prizes on their individual blogs PLUS there's a big prize on the Card A Day Blog.  Check out all the details below.

Oh, that reminds me, this weekend only, I've got another free Valentine digi for you.  I'm calling this one "Love Nest".  Get it while the gettin's good, because on Monday, it's GONE!  Happy Hopping!

**EDITED**

This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Love Nest

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

It's BLOG HOP TIME!
The designers at Card a Day Blog are joining together to do a blog hop this weekend! The theme is Masculine cards! Let's not let the guys have all the fun on Super Bowl Sunday....let's get a little of our own fun in!
To join in....visit all the participating designers by visiting their sites, some are having prize give aways...so make sure you pop in! Make sure you comment on all the blogs too, because at the end of the weekend, they are going to send a list of all who commented on their blog, and we are going to do a grand prize drawing of all comments on each blog!
So JOIN IN TODAY....comment on the main blog page, and visit the other hop pages and comment there too!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Ranger Glossy cardstock
Pattern Paper: Cosmo Cricket ‘Circa 1934’; vellum
Stamps: Stampin’ Up! ‘It’s Your Birthday’; Tim Holtz ‘Life’s Possibilities’
Inks: VersaMark; Alcohol Ink ‘Ginger’, ‘Mushroom’, ‘Caramel’, ‘Copper Mixative’, ‘Blending Solution’; Americana acrylic paint ‘Lamp Black’, ‘Burnt Umber’; StazOn ‘Jet Black’; Distress Ink ‘Old Paper’; Distress Stain ‘Brushed Corduroy’
Embellishments: Aluminum tape; Tim Holtz texture fade ‘Retro Circles’; Zing embossing powder ‘Clear’; 7 Gypsies journaling card; JHB clock button
Tools: Sizzix Texture Boutique; Krylon ‘Crystal Clear’; heat tool; foam ink blending tool; deckle scissors; vellum tape; Wondertape; tweezers; TH paper distresser; Zot glue dots

Free Digi Friday: Conversation Heart

Yay, Friday's here!

Before I get to today's digi, I want to remind you that the Card A Day Blog Super Bowl Blog Hop starts tomorrow!  Be sure to stop back this weekend for the hop list to some Masculine-themed card inspiration and a chance to win a great prize on CADB...and...

another FREE Valentine Digi

from me, available Saturday and Sunday only.  

Don't miss out...it's super cute, if I do say so myself. J

Now, here's this week's new digital stamp for your crafting pleasure.  In honor of upcoming St. Valentine's Day, today's image is a Conversation Heart...you know, those little pastel candies that express mini sentiments o' love.  Have fun with it and stop back tomorrow for another!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Conversation Heart

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Skating on Thin Ice

I'm really behind on featuring the Ice Skate digi from a couple weeks ago, but the "skating on thin ice" idea struck and I wanted to see where it would take me.  It led me to play with aluminum tape and plastic packaging to create two distinct icy elements on this tag.

A Couple Details

• The cracked ice background was created by layering aluminum duct tape (found in the heating and cooling section of your local hardware store) on top of a manila tag and embossing it using Tim Holtz's "Cracked" texture fade.  I then used swirls of Picket Fence Distress Stain and pounces of Snow Cap Adirondack Paint Dabber to cover the entire tag.  Once dry, rubbing with steel wool reveals the metallic shine of the aluminum tape on just the "cracks".  Finally, a generous spritzing of Perfect Pearl Mist gives the surface a luminous glow that you just don't get credit for in the photo.

• The icy snowflakes were created by embossing plastic packaging using Tim Holtz's "Snowflakes" border texture fade.  I then colored the plastic with a little Aqua and Silver Mixative Alcohol Ink and cut around the flakes with deckle scissors.  I wanted the flakes to surround my skate image, so I cut the border into three pieces, then layered them as desired and attached them with glue dots.

Challenges:

Crafty Bloggers Network: Challenge #10 - Distressing

Simon Says Stamp & Show: A Song Title (Jethro Tull's "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day")

Crafting When We Can Challenges: #10 - Something Not Intending for Crafting (Aluminum Duct Tape)

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge: #116 - Buttons & Bows

Supplies:
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up! ‘Naturals Ivory’; manila tag
Pattern Paper: My Mind’s Eye Lost & Found ‘Portobello Road’
Image: ‘Ice Skate’ by Paper Squirrel
Inks: Distress Ink ‘Old Paper’; Alcohol Ink ‘Aqua’, ‘Silver Mixative’; SU! watercolor pencils; Perfect Pearls Mist ‘Perfect Pearl’, ‘Heirloom Gold’; Distress Stain ‘Picket Fence’; Adirondack Paint Dabber ‘Snow Cap’
Embellishments: Hug Snug seam binding ‘Ivory’; crepe paper; Tim Holtz tissue tape ‘Nostalgic’; buttons; aluminum tape; Distress Stickles ‘Rock Candy’; corsage pin; packaging plastic
Tools: heat gun; Zots glue dots; Fiskars deckle scissors; foam tape; foam ink blending tool; felt ink blending tool; circle punch; TH paper distresser; scallop scissors; steel wool; Sizzix texture boutique; TH texture fade ‘Cracked’, ‘Snowflakes’

Free Digi Friday: Mittens

We really need mittens around here lately!  These coordinate well with last week's Ice Skate for your winter-themed projects...have fun creating!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Mittens

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Free Digi Friday: Ice Skate

An item of winter decor inspired today's Ice Skate image.  This should be a fun one for winter activities scrapbook layouts, cards, and other winter projects.  Enjoy!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Ice Skate

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

We finally got some snow today and it looks like it actually might stick around...oh, yay (she said in a sarcastic voice).  

Free Digi Friday: Santa’s Naughty Helper…and a CHALLENGE!

Who’s ready to have some Christmas Challenge fun?!

As soon as I created this sassy Santa’s helper image, I knew that I wanted to make her part of a challenge!  Isn’t she fun?

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Santa's Naughty Helper

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

The Rules

·         You do not need to be a follower of this blog (although I would love you to be J).  However, if you are a follower, you will be entered into the prize drawing twice.

·         Your project can be anything (card, scrapbook page, tag, etc.), but it must include the “Santa’s Naughty Helper” digital stamp.

·         You must mention Paper Squirrel and include a link to this post in your blog post.

·         No re-posting the digi image…please always link back to this post in order to share.

·         You have until midnight (EST) on Thursday, December 22, 2011 to enter.

·         One winner of the prize pack will be randomly drawn on Friday, December 23, U.S. addresses only.   If an International winner is drawn, you will have your choice of 3 digital stamps from my archives.

·         In addition, one entry will be selected for the honor of “Top Nut” and will be awarded a special badge to post on their blog.

The Prize Pack

I really hope you’ll join in on the fun…I can’t wait to see your creations!

Free Digi Friday: Candy Cane

It's Friday again and time for another free digital stamp!  (Wow, did you guys like last week's Mod Christmas Tree...I'm so glad...let me know when you make something with it, I'd love to see it!)

Today's "Candy Cane" is tied with a big bow and is great for cards and gift tags.  Happy creating!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Candy Cane

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Free Digi Friday: Mod Christmas Tree

Happy Friday, everyone!

Today's an especially great Friday for me because I have the day off and am spending a fun shopping weekend with my mom and sisters in celebration of my mom's birthday.  Woo-hoo!

While we start our Christmas shopping, I thought you might want to get a jump on some Christmas cards with this Mod Christmas Tree digi.  A simple design that is great for making multiples!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Mod Christmas Tree

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Need more inspiration?  Visit Card A Day Blog for a new Christmas card idea everyday until mid-December!  Definitely stop by on Sunday to see my card that kicks off the "Christmas Around the World" theme.  Oh, and did I mention that there's a monthly challenges with PRIZES?!

Hey Pumpkin, Best Witches!

Happy Halloween!

I'm squeezing in the last of my Halloween projects just under the wire! I'm sad to see it go...creating for this holiday is so much fun. But of course, there's always next season...and more wonderful holidays are on their way.

I've got two projects to share with you today. The first is a "Best Witches" card showing off this past Friday's "Witch Girl" digi. And remember my goal to make something with each and every stamp set that my PayPal addiction has brought to my mailbox lately? Well, one of those sets was a Halloween set, so I wanted to squeeze that one in tonight too!

First up, "Best Witches"...
I printed the "Witch Girl" on SU! Sahara Sand, colored her with markers, cut the ends like a banner and added layers of Halloween-y papers, buttons, and twine.

Close up of the "Witch Girl" coloring:

A scalloped edge, a few buttons, a touch of twine...

Challenges:

Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges: Challenge #45 - Halloween

Jelly Park Challenges: Costume Challenge

Delightful Sketches: Colour Challenge - Purple, Orange, Green & Black

Paper Play Challenges: 11 Week #43 - Halloween Witches

Next, we have "Hey Pumpkin"!
The "Haunted" stamp set from Cosmo Cricket is such quirky fun...I just love the crazy pumpkin and the non-scary skeleton that is waving at his pumpkin friend. The base on this 4"x4" ornament is a scrap of cardboard covered in pattern paper. The skeleton was embossed in Zing Opaque White, the pumpkin stamped in SU! Pumpkin Pie, then embossed in Zing Clear powder.

Kind of spooky how the skeleton seems to be glowing in this photo:

Challenges:
The Paper Players: Challenge #70 - Anything Goes Fall Theme
Designed 2 Delight: Saturday's Designer's Challenge - Pumpkins!
Do You Stack Up?: DYSU Challenge #43 - Halloween

Best Witches Supplies: 
Paper: Stampin’ Up! cardstock ‘Sahara Sand’, ‘Pumpkin Pie’; DCWV
Image: ‘Witch Girl’ digital stamp by Paper Squirrel
Stamps: Cosmo Cricket ‘Haunted’
Inks: Colorbox pigment ‘Black’; Versamark; SU! Stampin’ Write markers; Martha Stewart markers
Embellishments: hemp cord; buttons
Tools: SU! ¼” circle punch; hole punch; glue dots; scallop scissors

Hey Pumpkin Supplies: 
Paper: Bo Bunny Press ‘Dem Bones’; Stampin’ Up! cardstock ‘Old Olive’, ‘Apricot Appeal’, ‘Basic Black’
Stamps: Cosmo Cricket ‘Haunted’
Inks: Colorbox pigment ‘Black’; Versamark; SU! craft ‘Pumpkin Pie’
Embellishments: hemp cord; photo corners; Zing embossing powder ‘Opaque White’, ‘Clear’
Tools: 3M foam tape; Tim Holtz paper distresser; foam ink blending tool; hole punch; heat gun
Misc:  cardboard

Free Digi Friday: Witch Girl

Just a few more days until that magical night called HALLOWEEN!  Today's little Witch Girl digital stamp is just in time for you to whip up some last-minute Halloween projects.  She's all dressed up in her costume and ready to ring your doorbell trick-or-treating!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Witch Girl

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Friday digis are usually only free for one week.  Become a follower so you never miss out!  :-)

Free Digi Friday on Hiatus

Hello dear followers,
Free Digi Friday will be on hiatus for a couple weeks while I am in North Carolina attending the High Point Furniture Market for my real job.  (I love it, but it really gets in the way of playing in the craft studio sometimes!) 

While I do have several posts scheduled and will be bringing you more Fall, Halloween, and other crafty goodness while I'm away from home, the digis will have to wait.  However, I promise it will be worth the wait...I have a super cute one in mind for when I get back!

Free Digi Friday: Spooky Tree

Another Friday, another Free Digi!  Today's is a "Spooky Tree" that should be really fun for Halloween projects, so get crafting!

**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Spooky Tree

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Remember, Friday Free Digis are usually only free for one week, so become a follower, so you never miss out.  :-)

Free Digi Friday: Pumpkin Trio

Friday just couldn't come soon enough this week...hooray for the weekend!  :-)

Today's free digi is a Pumpkin Trio that will work with all your fall projects from Halloween through Thanksgiving.  Have fun creating! 


(Jack-o-lantern faces are not part of the digital stamp.)



**EDITED**

Friday Free Digis are free for one week. This digital stamp is now available for purchase. To order, go to the side bar, enter the stamp name shown below and click 'buy now' to pay via Pay Pal.

Cost: $2.00

Stamp Name: Pumpkin Trio

I will email you the file within 24 hours of receiving payment.

Just a reminder that the Card A Day Blog Christmas Blog Hop starts tomorrow.  Twelve members of the CADB Design Team will have some Christmas Card inspiration for you Saturday and Sunday and many will have blog candy (including me!).  Don't miss out!

And never miss a free digi, please become a follower.  :-)