TaDa Creative Studios: Back To School!

It's Back to School and I created a card/backpack ensemble with TaDa Creative Studios' Yee Haw Collection. Come see my blog post Back To School with all the detailed pictures and other inspiration of the same theme! Here's the picture of the ensemble (the rest are on TaDa's Blog)...

Back To School Ensemble by Margie Higuchi
Supplies - Patterned Papers - TaDa Creative Studios (Yee Haw Collection); Stamp: HeartFelt Creations; Ink: Clearsnap (Donna Salazar); Dies: Spellbinders Paper Arts (S4-231 Labels Seven; S5-082 Nautical Frame andAccents); Adhesive: ScraPerfect (The Best Glue Ever) & SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L (3D Square Foams); Other: Brad, Apple Eyelet and Text Stamp, Hook & Loop Tape

ETA

Back To School pictures (for my mom in Japan who doesn't FaceBook but does surf my blog - lol!!)...お母さん、高校の２０１３年度写真です（写真のところにクリクすると大きく見えますよ）。バスに乗る前に、家の玄関前にて。（貴之・高３＆浩之・高１）

Taka - Senior Year!!

Taka & Hiro being cooperative

"Mom, you are pushing your luck...are we done yet?!"

...and so it begins, another school year. Taka's last high school year (sniff, sniff...)

Dont' forget to visit TaDa's Blog and let them know what you think of the ensemble :0)

Thanks for stopping by!!!
MargieH

ScrapMart: GLITTER~!

Did you know that ScrapMart participates in Scrapbook Expos held around the country?! Well last weekend, they were at the Chicago location (St. Charles IL) and I had fun demonstrating various products - mostly Spellbinders™ Paper Arts die templates and GLITTER!!!!

Spellbinders and Glitter On Parade!

For those who know me, I don't do GLITTER (I'm a Stickle Person)...I WAS a glitter virgin! LOL!! After I played with American Crafts Glitter Collection (they have many kinds of texture: micro beads, ultra fine and chunky glitter, tinsel, etc.), there was no turning back. ScrapMart folks (love them!!) taught me a cool technique that I'd like to share with you.

Round About card by Margie Higuchi
Supplies - Stamp: JustRite Papercraft (Lattice Background stamp); Ink: TSUKINEKO (Black VersaInk); Glitter: American Crafts (Black Pop! Micro Beads, White WOW!); Die: Spellbinders Paper Arts (S5-115 Round About); Adhesive: American Crafts (Red Line Tape); Other: White Shimmer Cardstock, Black Shiny Cardstock

See the background on the card front? I first applied thick red lined double sided super strong tape on the entire surface and then spread white glitter on top. I pressed real hard to make sure they all stuck on the tape and tapped the excess off.

Then I STAMPED ON TOP OF THE GLITTER! Love it!! I did the same with the navy card (first picture, next to the Round About card on the left) as a border and then COLORED WITH COPIC MARKER!! How COOL is that?!

I was only going to show a couple of steps. BUT since I'm going through all this, I made another card. A slightly different version. To finish the edges, I covered the edges with narrow red line tape and covered with black micro beads.

Are you familar with Spellbinders Cut·Fold·Tuck dies? If not, watch CutFoldTuck video below...



I used S5-115 Round About set for this card. Since I didn't have shiny two sided black and white paper, I stacked white and black paper together to create a similar look.

Then added Want2Scrap's newest color in their pearl collection - Gun Metal! LOVE!!! This is what I created Round About Two card :0)



Round About Two card by Margie Higuchi
Supplies - Stamp: JustRite Papercraft (Lattice Background stamp); Ink: Ranger (Distress Ink Black Soot); Glitter: American Crafts (Black Pop! Mico Beads, White WOW! Ultra); Pearls: Want2Scrap (Gun Metal); Die: Spellbinders Paper Arts (S5-115 Round About); Adhesive: American Crafts (Double Sided Super Sticky Red Tape - 1" & 1/4"), ScraPerfect (The Best Glue Ever) and SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L (3D Square Foams); Other: White Cardstock, Black Cardstock

How do you like this technique?! Do you use glitter? What other adhesives do you use to keep your glitter in place? I'd like to know!!

Thanks for stopping by!
MargieH

Authentique Paper: August '12 Color Challenge

I was at Craft Fancy (my LSS) a couple of days ago and came across Authentique's Curiosity Collection. Before I knew it, the papers were in my bag...in the car! How'd that happen?! Heehee...

So since I have them, I thought I would participate in Authentique Paper August 2012 Inspiration Color Challenge...it's been awhile.

From the color palette, I created this card below. I used the flip sides of "studious" and "learning" papers. The tags were from "desire" paper and were fussy cut to be used as accents.

Back To School by Margie Higuchi
Supplies - Cardstock: Core'dinations; Patterned Paper: Authentique Paper (Curiosity Collection); Ribbon: Offray; Pin and Wooden Button: Maya Road; Twine: Divine Twine; Ink and Pearls: Ranger (Distress Ink and Liquid Pearl); Dies: Spellbinders Paper Arts (S5-131 A-2 Matting Basics A, S5-135 Fancy Ribbon Threader, S4-126 Classic Squares LG); Adhesives: ScraPerfect (The Best Glue Ever) and SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L (3D Square Foams)

Again, I used Spellbinders™ Card Creator series to put it together. This time, I used S5-135 Fancy Ribbon Threader set. TOOK NO TIME and ALL with EMBOSSED edges = LOVE!!

I inked the edges of the die cuts. The slotted openings in the Ribbon Threader die cut (dark green patterned paper) can be used in many ways: thread a ribbon and tie a bow in the middle; leave as is or create a border like me.

So that's my take...maybe before the deadline (Sept 12 @ Midnight PST), I can do another one. How about you - give it a try!

Thank you for stopping in!
MargieH

ScrapMart: Love

As promised, I am going through the details on the KURETAKE: Wedding Challenge posted Friday night. Made that challenge within 15 minutes before it ended! YIKES! Here's the card for those who haven't seen it yet...

Love Card by Margie Higuchi
Supplies - Patterned Papers: Carta Bella (Paris Girl Collection); Ink: Clearsnap (Queue Ink); Embossing Powder: Sparkle 'N Sprinkle (Pink Glitter Embossing Powder); Embossing Pen: KURETAKE ZIG; Pearls: Want2Scrap; Dies: Spellbinders Paper Arts (S5-131 A-2 Matting Basics A, S5-133 A-2 Polka Dots, S5-146 Botanical Swirls and Accents, S4-364 Spiral Blossom Four and S5-099 Jewel Keys); Adhesives: ScraPerfect (The Best Glue Ever) and SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L (3D Foam Squares); Other: White Cardstock

First off, I LOVE Spellbinders™ Card Creator Series collaborated with Designer Cindy Echtinaw. You will notice that S5-133 A-2 Polka Dots has a ton of cuts so I put wax paper between the die template and white cardstock. The paper came out SO EASILY! Love it!!

I cut two of S5-133 A-2 Polka Dots largest die template to create the card base - one for the card front and the other for the back piece.

Then I scored the back piece ¾" from the top and adhered together with the card front die cut.

I used ScraPerfect's The Best Glue Ever because of its fine tip and I don't use too much of it, a little goes a long way with this adhesive :)

Notice the intricate embossed design in the motif die from S5-146 Botanical Swirls and Accents, just BEAUTIFUL!! I pulled out my KURETAKE ZIG Emboss Pen - great for detailing like this! I also used the emboss pen to edge S4-364 Spiral Blossom Four, added the glitter embossing powder and heated it. Can't really see it in the picture but IRL, it's wonderful!

After I cut/embossed/stenciled the "Love" die cut from S5-099 Jewel Keys and cut/embossed a base from A-2 Matting Basic A, I assembled as shown below. Added Want2Scrap pink pearls for the finishing touch and it's ready to send!

For cardmakers, I highly recommend Spellbinders Card Creator Series! The time it took to create this A2 card and not waste paper (from mis-meaasuring) was SO FAST = LOVE THAT!!

Thanks for visiting me!
MargieH

KURETAKE: Wedding Challenge

I'll be giving information on how I created this on Sunday under ScrapMart's post but I had to give this KURETAKE Wedding Inspiration Challenge a try! So here goes...

I used the ZIG Emboss Pen to stencil through this beautiful detailed Spellbinders die template. The best thing about this emboss pen is that it can get a crisper embossing when I used my pink glitter embossing powder (see on my finished card). A big embossing ink pad can't do this!

The blossom also got a touch of the emboss pen, it's hard to see on the picture (maybe click to see a closer look?) and I heat embossed the same pink glitter embossing powder. Look very pretty IRL!

Love Card by Margie Higuchi

"LOVE" how it turned out...sorry for the pun :0P
Be back with more information!
MargieH

ScrapMart: Bounty of the Harvest

Today for ScrapMart, I thought I'd share a window card created with Spellbinders Paper Arts' newest releases - Decorative Labels Twenty-Seven and Labels Twenty-Seven, and the new company, FarmHouse Paper Company's Sugar Hill Collection.



Bounty of the Harvest by Margie Higuchi

Supplies - Cardstock: Core'dinations (Vintage Collection); Patterned Paper: Farmhouse Paper Company (Sugar Hill Collection); Stamps: JustRite Papercraft Inc (Nature's Nested Sentiments Set); Ink: Clearsnap (Mix'd Media Inx by Donna Salazar); Dies: Spellbinders Paper Arts (S4-380 Decorative Labels Twenty-Seven, S4-376 Labels Twenty-Seven and S5-073 Orchard Harvest Tags and Accents); Adhesives: ScraPerfect (The Best Glue Ever) and SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L (3D Foam Squares); Other: Sandpaper

For the window card, I used these dies to create the layers that frame the window as well as its opening.

LOVE the details on Decorative Labels Twenty-Seven!! If you ended up with this die set, I would recommend wax paper between the die template and cardstock. It helps the paper to pop out of the dies.

For the inside, I used layers of Labels Twenty-Seven and leaves from Orchard Harvest Tags and Accents to create this focal point. To add dimension, I added 3D Foam Squares to adhere and inked through the leaf die as well as sanded the embossing = LOVE!

Have a great day!!
MargieH

Core'dinations: Core Cards Creative Frenzy

Putting in my hat for the Core'dinations Card Design Team Call! So here goes...click on images for a closer look :0)

Beauty of Fall by Margie Higuchi
Supplies - Cardstock: Core'dinations; Pearl: Want2Scrap; Die: Stamp: JustRite Papercraft Inc (Nature's Nested Sentiments Set); Ink: Ranger (Distress Ink Black Soot); Spellbinders Paper Arts (S5-112 Carnival Dream, S4-324 Ribbon Banners and EL-023 M-Bossabilities Tweets & Twigs Folder); Adhesives: ScraPerfect (The Best Glue Ever) and SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L (3D Square Foams)

I love how the cardstock took to the pressure from Spellbinders™ M-Bossabilities™ Tweets and Twigs folder. It also can handle the intricate cuts, folds and the many tucks I had to do on these Cut·Fold·Tuck Carnival Dream die set...there are three layers in the center piece - so durable!

Just Because by Margie Higuchi
Supplies - Cardstock: Core'dinations; Patterned Papers: Authentique Paper (Loyal Collection); Pearls: Want2Scrap; Stamp: A Jillian Vance Design (Quatrefoil Background Set); Ink: Clearsnap (Mix'd Media Inx by Donna Salazar); Dies: Spellbinders Paper Arts (S5-147 Resplendent Rectangles, S4-364 Spiral Blossom Four, S5-086 Bitty Blossoms and S5-028 Nested Pennants); Adhesives: ScraPerfect (The Best Glue Ever) and SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L (3D Square Foams)

Speaking of intricate cuts, the Resplendent Rectangles dies are part of the Majestic Elements line from Spellbinders which won the Innovations Award at the summer CHA (Craft & Hobby Assoc.) trade show last month. Core'dinations cardstock had no trouble being cut like this and hold its own when used as a shaped card. I used the three largest nested die to create a beautiful card front. I created a collage of step outs - click to see larger image and short explanation...

Bounty of the Harvest by Margie Higuchi

Supplies - Cardstock: Core'dinations; Patterned Paper: FarmHouse Paper Company (Sugar Hill Collection); Stamp: JustRite Papercraft Inc (Nature's Nested Sentiments Set); Ink: Clearsnap (Mix'd Media Inx by Donna Salazar); Dies: Spellbinders Paper Arts (S4-380 Decorative Labels Twenty-Seven, S4-376 Labels Twenty-Seven and S5-073 Orchard Harvest Tags and Accents); Adhesives: ScraPerfect (The Best Glue Ever) and SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L (3D Foam Squares); Other: Sandpaper

I used Core'dination's Vintage Collection to bring out a fall inspired look...doesn't it go well with the patterned papers?! LOVE!!! The flip side gives the inside of the card a beautiful finish and does not distract what I added to it.

So there you have it! Hope you enjoyed it as much I enjoyed the process! Keeping my fingers crossed - wishing everyone who applied much luck!!!

Thanks for stopping in!
MargieH xo

Julianna Hudgins: Guest Designer

Can I just say I am BLESSED and a DREAM came true?! Julianna Hudgins and her Design Team Coordinator, Holly Simoni, asked me to be their FIRST GUEST DESIGNER on the Positively Me™ Blog!!!! Ummm....YES!!!!!!!!!!

I have known this sweet, talented, inspiring and wonderful lady for several years...before she became this well-known jewelry personality on TV, trade shows and other venues. We "met" WAY BACK when both of us were on a Yahoo Group called NJScrappers. Julianna asked people in the group to help her kit, etc. but I could never go...a distance for me to travel :0(

But we finally got to meet when both of us attended 2006 Summer CHA (Craft & Hobby Assoc.) trade show in Chicago....took us five years to finally meet! LOL!!

MargieH and Julianna Hudgins
2007 Summer CHA - Chicago IL

Sorry for the blurry picture and this was taken in 2007...I think we were rushed the year before in 2006! LOL!! I don't think we have a picture of us together since! Next show...update picture, Jewels!

Visit Positively Me Blog's Guest Designer Margie Higuchi - Jewel Goddess Scrapbook Page post and leave comment, she would love to hear from you all! She has a REALLY COOL DESIGN TEAM with some great inspiration and out of the box ideas :0)

This is my project that I created with her Want2Scrap collaboration of chipboard and bling products...

BFF by Margie Higuchi

Thanks for letting me share my excitement with you all!! SQUEAL!!
MargieH

ScrapMart: BOO!

Although we are enjoying the summer in the Chicago area, I am already thinkin' FALL!!! LOL! During 2012 Summer CHA (Craft & Hobby Assoc.) trade show, I was kindly given a sampler package of Carta Bella papers.

Carta Bella Booth at 2012 Summer CHA

Carta Bella Booth at 2012 Summer CHA
All Hallow's Eve Collection displayed on the left

In the package, there were a couple of sheets of the All Hallow's Eve Collection! Giving myself a challenge on how to use the two papers, I came up with a 6x6" card.

Boo! card by Margie Higuchi
Supplies - Cardstock & Letter Stickers: American Crafts; Patterned Paper: Carta Bella (All Hallow's Eve Collection); Ink: Ranger (Distress Ink Black Soot) and Clearsnap (ColorBox Donna Salazar Mix'd Media Inx Jasmine); Dies: Spellbinders™ Paper Arts (S4-330 Nested Tombstones, S4-333 Spider Web and S4-280 Halloween Fence Scenes and Shapes); Adhesives: ScraPerfect (The Best Glue Ever) and SCRAPBOOK ADHESIVES BY 3L (3D Foam Squares); Other: Googley Eyes

I LOVE Spellbinders newest seasonal releases (available NOW!) - S4-330 Nested Tombstones and S4-333 Spider Web! Included in this card front is S4-280 Halloween Fence Scenes and Shapes set - it's such a perfect border for the bottom edge!

The spider from S4-333 Spider Web, I stenciled through the die with Donna Salazar's Mix'd Media Inx Jasmine and used it in the inside of the card as an accent! LOVE!!

It helps that the papers were double-sided! The flip side of both papers were used on the larger tombstone and the fence among other accents. Add glittered white Thickers and googley eyes - it's ready for a cute spook!

Thanks for stopping by...I'm hoping to get some CHA pictures up but deadlines and life gets in the way so please stay tuned!

MargieH xo