Color Me Sweet Challenge {and Some Photo Tips}

Hi everyone I am over at the Sweet Stamp Shop blog today with another Color Me Sweet Color Challenge and some photo tips. This color challenge is all about the BRIGHTS. Perfect for these hot August days. 

Here are the colors:

Lemon, Lime, and Pink Berry

Color Challenge

Here are the rules:

1. You must use the color palette only (neutrals are ok…ex- black, white, cream, etc)
2. You must use Sweet Stamp Shop
3. You must upload to Sweet Stamp Shop Flickr to be entered into the challenge (you can tag "color me sweet" on the photo) (Don't have a Flickr? It is fast and easy to sign up and great way to show off your work)
4. You must have LOTS of fun and spread the word

 Are you a journal-er?? I am, I write a lot especially when I am having a not so good day, it really helps me sort everything all out and put it all into perspective. So when I was perusing pinterest one day I came across this quote and thought this is PERFECT for my blank journal that has been waiting to be decorated. What better to be on it than a BRIGHT PINK elephant just blowing bubbles and not giving a care in the world...

Here is how I made the journal:

I found some letters in my stash and adhered to my journal with some strong liquid glue (just to ensure that they wont pop off down the road) and then painted over the whole entire journal with green acrylic paint. I let it dry and then used my Hero Arts paint dauber in pastel yellow and lightly brushed over the green. I used my waterbrush to gently blend it in a little bit. I then dabbed just a bit to the bottom of all the letters and went back over with my water brush and blended the paint up just a little bit to create an ombre effect. After letting it all dry I randomly stamped in Hero Arts Neon Pink and in my yellow paint dauber various size stars all over. Then I stamped pink bubbles going up in various sizes fading to small and used my glue pen and went over all of the bubbles and sprinkled pink glitter to make them pop a bit more and add some texture. I then inked a piece of paper about the size of the elephant I was going to stamp with the Neon Pink and then stamped my elephant with the  yellow dauber over top of the pink. After drying I used my glue pen to trace over the elephant and added some clear glitter for sparkle. Cause he is just that kind of elephant!

Here is a card I just had to make using the color challenge and the On Cherry Street Magical Kit!

Have you seen the NEW On Cherry Street Kits from Sweet Stamp Shop?? They are adorable and SOOO much fun for cardmakers and Pocket Style Scrapbookers. Here is a fun card using the color challenge above. I couldn't help but put a gold frame around prince charming tho. Everything is from the kit except the gold frame and white card base. I used embossing powder on the wood star to

Here are the stamps and kit I used for both my Journal and my card!

Photo Tip: So I have been asked about blurring the backgrounds of your pics using your cellphone and how to achieve that look. I have a couple apps that I use to get the look. I haven't found one app yet that will "do it all" for me and I find that I hop around between apps. 

Apps to get: 

• I purchased Big Lens for $.99 This is a GREAT app for blurring because you can choose what you want to be blurred and what you want to be in focus. I use the lasso, which you draw all around the project and then it fills the center in. Whatever appears in red is what will be in focus and the rest will be the blurred section. If you happen to go to far off the "edge" you can use the eraser and simply erase. The drawback to this app (and hopefully will be changed in the future) is you cannot crop pictures. You can either load a photo from your gallery or you can take a photo and edit and crop later.
• Once I have finished in Big Lens, I then open it up in Pixlr Express+ and you use the focal option to enhance my project even more. You can choose between linear and circular, this will really depend on the project you are working on and which to choose.You can also finish editing in this app or choose some of the others I mentioned HERE.
  
  
  
  
  
  So, below are some examples of some different edits.
  
  
  Here is the original. You can see it needs a little work. It needs to be cropped, the background needs to be blurred and it could be brightened up just a tad.
  
  
  
  Here are the two different edits I did the first using the two apps above and the second is after I uploaded it to my computer I used Pic Monkey just to brighten it a bit more. I prefer the editing features they offer for that over the ones in the two apps. Doing all three steps took about 5 min max. It is quick and uploading all the photos from my phone took longer than actually editing the picture.

For using both of these apps there is no set guidelines when it comes to blurring the background in my picture. I don't have a specific setting/strength that I put each one on. Every picture is its own and will require you to play around with the apps. You never know maybe you find you only need one and are happy with the results. You just gotta have fun with it and experiment around and play. 

Here are the sets I used. You can find all of these in the Sweet Stamp Shop.

Elephant Hearts

Fishy

Magical

Royal Wish

Thanks for stopping in 

xoxo 

Danni

Color Me Sweet Birthday Coasters {and Photo Tips}

Hi everyone! It's another Color Me Sweet Challenge and some easy basic photo tips for you!

We are going to do something special for our next challenge, a little giveaway. Yay! Who doesn't just love giveaways?!?!? I know I do. So, to up the anti we will be giving away a free digital download to the winner...Thanks Nicole :) So make sure to spread the word and play along.

Here is the next color me sweet challenge: Kraft, Black, Soft Apricot

Color Challenge

Here are the rules:

1. You must use the color palette only (neutrals are ok…ex- black, white, cream, etc)
2. You must use Sweet Stamp Shop
3. You must upload to Sweet Stamp Shop Flickr to be entered into the challenge (you can tag "color me sweet" on the photo)
4. You must have LOTS of fun and spread the word

I made up some fun coasters stack using the brand new Enjoy Calligraphy set (which you can pick up in the shop HERE.) to that will be a perfect homemade birthday gift.  To see how they were made make sure to stop on over to my blog for all the details.

These coasters are pretty simple to make. I painted some wood squares and let dry. I then sanded the sides down to expose the wood a bit and very lightly sanded the center to smooth out for stamping. Using the Enjoy Calligraphy I stamped the sentiment in the center. I then used the stars from the new On Cherry Street Kit that just came out and stamped the three sizes in two corners and then stamped the smallest in the opposite corners. I finished off with some diamond stickle's across the dream it. I wrapped some ribbon and added attached a tag with a birthday sentiment i stamped from Elegant Sentiments and the Just The Basics set.

Photo Tip:

We have gone over lighting (HERE), close up settings and object placement (HERE). So today we will take a look at backdrops, it's pretty simple and straightforward, although choosing the wrong one will ruin your photo. This really comes down to a LESS IS MORE!

There are a couple options when it comes to backdrops. 

A) you can use just a plain solid color(white, black, blue, red, green, etc)

 B) Or you choose something with a mini print or "natural" look

(For example wood grain, which you will notice I use in about 90% of all my photos. 

It works and I get consistently great results, plus it sort of acts like a "trademark" you see that paper and you then associate it with my cards :) type of thing.)

Why are you choosing a small or neutral print??? You want to choose a small print, since a basic point and shoot does NOT have the same blurring capabilities as a dslr camera. If you choose a paper that has too large of a print or to many things going on you are really doing yourself a disservice, because you are taking away from the main focus and what you are really trying to show which is YOUR PROJECT. If you aren't sure, try some different ones out. When you are out shopping, stay on the look out for the PERFECT backdrop. Here are some no fail perfect backdrops to look for: Wood-grain (any and all styles), Ombre (light to dark or dark to light), Mini Dots, Narrow slanted lines, or tone on tone (for example, pink paper with subtle pink hearts or something) You might even find you already have some of these in your paper stash. I have all my go to's pulled aside in my backdrop stack so I don't accidentally cut into them.

For the base I just use a simple white. It's neutral and matches everything. You can try a few different thing when it comes to the base. For example, your table a chair, a piece of wood, etc. play around and find your style. :)

Have you been enjoying these photo tips? Have questions or need help. Just let me know. I would love to see some before and afters too, leave your blog address below so I can come visit. 

Enjoy Calligraphy

On Cherry Street Magical Kit (stamp set available ONLY in the kit. NOT for individual sale)

Elegant Sentiments

Just the basics

All of these sets are available in the shop HERE.

Thanks for stopping in and don't forget to "like" Sweet Stamp Shop on facebook HERE.

xoxo

Danni

New Fusion Challenge and Team Up with CAS(E) This Sketch

Hi everyone some exciting things are happening today we are teaming up with all the girls at CAS(E) This Sketch and have a TON of inspiration to show you.  Rules are still the same you can use either the sketch, the photo, or both and you can link up at both challenges.

Don't forget to stop over and congratulate all the winner on the last fusion challenge HERE.

PROCEDURES:
1. Play with just the sketch challenge.
2. Play with just the inspiration photo challenge.
3. Or you can create FUSION by combining BOTH challenges into one card.
4. Use the challenge graphic and link back to Fusion in your post.
5. Please read the other considerations on the Our Rules Page before playing along.

 

I combined both the sketch and the photo on my card. I just loved the elegance and color palette which made it designing my card a flash. 

 I used watered down liquid glue and splattered it on my card and then sprinkled some glitter over it I had some fun gold and kraft triangle paper that matched perfectly for my pennant. I layered it with the laugh and today sticker and then added the let loose which I stamped using the Stinky Skunk set from Sweet Stamp Shop. To finish it off I added some flowers and ribbon and a cute little gold glittered heart. I just loved how this card came together. :)

Stinky Skunk

Make sure to head on over and check out the rest of the Fusion Design Team and don't forget to Head on over to CASE this SKETCH and check out all their inspiration.

Betty J
Cathy Weber
Dannielle Robeson
Deepti
Jeanne Jachna
Julia Aston
Katie Brooks
Kelly Griglione
Kimberly Wiener
Lyndal Higgins
Lynn Mangan 

Michelle Williams
Michelle Lupton
Sindhu
Stephanie Severi

 

Thanks for stopping in!

Happy Crafting 

xoxo 

Danni

Sweet Stamp Shop June Release #1

Hey everyone welcome to the first June release and A BRAND new sweet illustrator...Boy, we are all just swooning over Evelyn and her amazing hand drawn images. Just go HERE to pick them up in the sweet shop. You will def want to grab your coupon code too for 10% off all the new release sets for today ONLY... just use JR310 at check out. 

There are THREE new releases today: ( I used Elephant Heart and Monkey Business)

Juggling Act

Elephant Heart

Monkey Business

Ok so, I went a little crazy making cards lol the sets were just way too cute and I had sooo many ideas in my head. Had lots of fun creating with Evelyn's image :)

I also used these sets as well which you can find in the shop HERE

Dad

Feeling Today

Happy Birthday

Hedgehog Kiss

Just The Basics

You Had Me At

Make sure to stop on over the sweet blog to check out more inspiration and video's using the new sets....They are all AMAZING!!!

Thanks for stopping in 

xoxo

Danni

A Quick Hello

Hello everyone!! Just wanted to pop in and remind you all that there is still time to play along with the current Fusion Challenge...Just go right HERE to link up :)

I was inspired by my friend/Sweet Stamp Shop Design team girl Retro Hip Mama (You can find her super cool blog HERE) and her lovely little outfit she found while shopping that I needed to make it into a card...lol....

so here it is

Ok, so maybe you're not crazy about black and yellow...no problem you can use the photo for inspiration or the sketch or combine them both. Just go HERE to find all the details and link up your creation

Here are the stamps I used from Sweet Stamp Shop (just go HERE to find them in the shop):

Baking Love

Elegant Flowers

Thanks for stopping in and have a great night!

xoxo

Danni

Sweet Stamp Shop May Release #1

Hey everyone, you know it's going to be a great day when the sun is shining and Sweet Stamp Shop is having a new release :) I know every month I talk about how cute and awesome the release is, but REALLY it is so stinkin cute!

This is HANDCRAFTED

 This set is so versatile and has so many fun ways to use it; you will definitely want to check out the rest of the design teams projects for sure :)

Dad's Tool Box is the perfect one to make those Father's Day cards.

This next one cracks me up every time...So stinkin cute!

 Stinky Skunk

While this stamp set is geared towards boys, I just thought it was so funny to make a girl "stinky" b/c you know, girls are always the first to be "it wasn't me" lol

Well make sure to stop by the Shop to use your release day code to get 10% off the new release sets. MR110 for 10% it is good for TODAY ONLY!

Here is the list of some other fun sweet sets I used today as well:

Dia De Los Muertos

Too Hip

Zombies

You Had Me At

Baking Love

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to head on over to the Sweet Blog to see the rest of the design team and enter for a chance to win a Sweet Stamp Prize :) Sounds like a great day to me!

xoxo

Danni