Emily Branch Designs | Branch Out.: September 2010

Etsy Inspired #107--9.25.10

Happy Saturday all!! It's post day for Etsy Inspired and this week's shop is a really fun one to find inspiration in! makes rustic and charming paper clay folk sculptures, which means no molds are involved at all, everything is sculpted by hand! Here's a sampling of something of the products that you'll find in this shop.

Black Cat with Pumpkin Hat

Christmas Tree Clay Sculpture

Personalized Stork with Baby

Aren't these sculptured pieces super creative and fun? She even can make personalized pieces like your own pet dog!!

So, since I am in a total holiday crafting mood, I decided to take two Christmas pieces and create cards for them using Basic Grey's new holiday line, "Jovial. Here's the pieces that I was inspired by this week.

I just love these two snowmen friends! I think they're perfect for the

holiday season! I decided to use the snowman stickers that are part of the collection

then paper piece those cute little legs!

"Tis Better to Give" Card

close-up of sentiment

close up of the snowman's legs and flocking

Green Wreath Ornament

For this piece I was inspired by the circles that are impressed into the clay. I decided to punch out circles and layer some on top of others to create an overlapping effect.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

close up of the sentiment

closeup of the wreath details

And this fabulous shop is giving away an equally fabulous prize to one of the winner's this week. A lucky winner will win this paper mache cupcake and four "sweet" tags.

How cute is this prize!?

Our wonderful sponsor this week is Blackleaf Studios. They design beautiful and trendy clipart, digital stamps, stationery, candy wrappers, embellishments and other fabulous creations. One lucky winner will win following flip flops clip art image from Blackleaf Studios.

So, now it's your turn to play. Visit our shop for the week, and choose an item to create your inspiration piece on. Make sure to post your creation to Etsy Inspired Challenge Blog by Friday, October 1st at noon! One lucky winner will win the adorable cupcake sculpture with tags and another winner will win the fun flip flops clip art from Blackleaf Studios. Don't forget to also take a look at the beautiful and amazing work of the Etsy Design Team to help inspire you and get crafting!

MATERIALS:

"'Tis Better to Give" Card

Cardstock: (Kraft, Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink.

Chalk Ink: (Chestnut Roan) Clearsnap.

Fibers: (Red stitched ribbon) Maya Road.

Accents: (Snowman stickers from Jovial collection) Basic Grey. (Tiny Type letters) Cosmo Cricket.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas " Card

Cardstock: (Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink.

Patterned Paper: (Christmas Tree, Crushed Velvet, Naughty, Blizzard, Shopkeeper, Scarf from Jovial collection) Basic Grey.

Chalk Ink: (Chestnut Roan) Clearsnap.

Fibers: (Green trim) Prairie Bird Boutique. (Jute twine) May Arts

Accents: (Brown buttons) Creative Imaginations.

Paper Therapy Design Team!

  Hello friends!! I am sooo excited to finally be able to share with you that I have been asked to join another fabulous design team, complete with awesome weekly challenges, a monthly prize and a weekly winner selected by the design team! Paper Therapy is an awesome challenge! Not only do you get to submit your creations, you also get to meet other crafters in an online community. You can learn new styles, tips, techniques and meet new friends!

  I will also be working with a wonderful group of talented ladies whose blogs are posted on the right! So, how it will work out is that every monday a brand new challenge will be posted (they are sooo cool!), and you will a week to submit your design! The Design Team will then choose a winner and they'll receive an awesome blinkie to share with the world that they're a Paper Therapy challenge winner. An added bonus is if it's the first week of a month the winner will not only receive the blinkie, but ALSO a prize!! Yayness

  Our first Paper Therapy challenge starts on October 4th so add this challenge to your reader and play along! Now you can design along with me and the other ladies from both Etsy Inspired and Paper Therapy every week! Have a great evening.

New Layout for Memories Live On!

Hello all!! This past weekend was SUCH a creative one! I was able to design cards all day long on saturday, and then after taking my hubby to the airport for a business trip to Hawaii (no joke--he went snorkeling today!) I came home and spent hours on this layout! It took a total change of direction once I added the tinsel, and I knew that my shabby chic style worked it's way in! I hope you all find inspiration in what you can do with Cosmo Cricket's "Mitten Weather" collection and some old-fashioned tinsel from Melissa Frances.
  I have put up my own little tree in my room ever since I was a little girl, so over the years I have collected many ornaments. My trees and style has evolved since then, but one thing has remained the same--I love tree-trimming and collecting ornaments. In fact every year my mom and I spoil each other with the prettiest, cutest, sweetest and most unique ornaments we can find.
  When my grandmother died twelve years ago my mother gave me an ornament of hers that I treasure today...a pink and white orb with an indented space of silver glittery sparkle. I adore this one ornament, as it's the only thing I have of my grandma's. That one ornament has sparked my love of antique finds to decorate my tree(s) with.
  The layout shows our main tree that we cut down at our favorite tree farm decorated. It was my first Christmas cutting down my own tree to share with my hubby--our first Christmas together. The tree holds my grandmother's orb, my lovely vintage and beautiful "save-when-the-house-burns-down" ornaments and a Swarovski crystal garland that simply sparkles. The other two trees are my pink tinsel tree with little glittery ornaments and hand-stitched felt ornaments, and my husband's mini tree that got a little loving face-lift this first Christmas together!

Vintage Christmas Two-Page Layout

Vintage-style ornaments hung from jute twine

Some yummy flourishes from Paper Trey Ink (and a matching die too!)

Fabric stickers from American Crafts inked to an aged perfection...

love that tinsel!

Vintage buttons an Artisan Elements create a sweet frame. Move the same

element around the page to unify the design.

Adding a little inked doily brings the viewer's eye

back to the layout. The glimmer mist around all the pictures and paper

adds a nice touch.

Gather the ribbon and put tinsel over it to make a little embellie

Another close-up of the ornaments!

Hope you enjoyed a little holiday cheer!

Some old, but new to share with you!

Hey everyone! So, I am taking a break from an Etsy post to share some cards that I have been working on between submission calls and Etsy posts! Today, I went to one of my LSS, and bought some yummy new Jovial paper and accessories from Basic Grey and some fabulously fun "Snowy Day" from Crate Paper's new line complete with accessories for Christmas gifts! Lots of goodness to work on over the next few months! But here's some deliciousness to look at for now!

"What's up?" Card

detail of ribbon treatment on hot air balloon

Gift Box Wrap

"You are a Fab Friend!" Card

detail of heat embossing technique and handmade notecard

Baby Boy Card

detail of paper pieced branch

Hope you enjoy! I'll be making lots more cards this weekend---hope y'all get to crafting as well! Have a great weekend!

MATERIALS:

"What's Up" Card

Cardstock: (White) Bazzill Paper.

Patterned Paper: (Blue Sky from Sweet Summertime collection) Echo Park.

Accents: (Pink, yellow buttons) Basic Grey. (Green buttons) Joann’s.

Fibers: (Yellow twill, yellow, green, turquoise and pink satin) Michael’s. (Yellow floss) DMC. (Brown Gingham) All My Memories.

Other: (Label die) Spellbinders. (Corrugated cardboard). (Arial font) Microsoft Word.

Gift Box Wrap

Cardstock: (Kraft) Papertrey Ink. (Dark pink, light pink) Bazzill Paper.

Rubber Stamp: (Flower Wood Backgroud) Hero Arts.

Dye Ink: (Rich Cocoa) Tsukineko..

Color Medium: (Green marker) Copic.

Fibers: (Green cabbage rose ribbon) Creative Imaginations.

Other: (Circle, & label die) Spellbinders. (Corrugated Cardboard) (Kraft gift box) Michaels.

Party Invite

Cardstock: (Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink.

Clear Stamps: (Damask, flourish, flourish border) Prima.

Rubber Stamp: (Sentiment) Hampton Art Stamps.

Dye Ink: (Rich Cocoa, Cantaloupe) Tsukineko. (Soft Leaf) Stewart Superior.

Fibers: (Jute twine) May Arts.

"Your are a FAB Friend" Card

Cardstock: (Black) Bazzill Paper.

Patterned Paper: (Table from Basics collection) Basic Grey.

Clear Stamp: (Flowers from Heidi Grace set) Fiskars. (Sentiment from Mod Squad) Papertrey Ink.

Pigment Ink: (Dragonfly Black) Clearsnap. (Opera Pink) Tsukineko.

Embossing Powder: (Clear) Judikins.

Fibers: (Pink satin ribbon).

"Baby Boy" Card

Cardstock: (Kraft) Papertrey Ink. (Brown) Michaels.

Patterned Paper: (Assorted papers from Creenhouse Mat collection) K & Company. (Downstream from Brook collection, Refinish from Restoration collection) Crate Paper.

Clear stamps: (“Baby Boy” sentiment from Baby Boy set) Three Bugs in a Rug.

Dye Ink: (Rich Cocoa) Tsukineko

Fibers: (Green mesh, jute twine ) May Arts.

Other: (Decorative edge scissors) Fisakrs.

Etsy Inspired #106--9.18.10

Happy Saturday!! It's that time of the week again---Etsy Inspired post day. And, can I just take the time to say how much I enjoy being a part of this team?! I have met such lovely, kind and talented ladies who work hard every week to come up with beautiful designs, and it's been an honor to be on this team....don't fret, I'm not going anwhere.

But, now on to the post. This week's shop is Pegasus Maiden, which specializes in using beautiful ostrich and hen feathers in unique ways. They have a colorful collection of feathers that make up headbands, and hairclips! Here are some examples of my favorites from this shop.

Rosie Mini Hat Headband

Velora Headpiece

Cranberry Pink Rose

I am seriously in love with the designs, if I had had more time this week I would have made a second design using feathers in my design. This weekend I think I may buy some feathers to experiment with! But, now onto the piece that inspired me.

Soft Purple and Burgandy Butterfly Feather

I was inspired by the feathers crafted into butterfly motif! This design totally amazed me! I had never even thought of using feathers in that way! So, I decided to incorporate the butterfly into my design and take the color scheme from the inspiration piece to be the "popping" colors in my design. I thought it would be fun to layer the butterfly dies, with the two-sided paper that coordinates with the inspiration colors on the bottom layer. I think it makes a nice contrast!

"Hello Friend" Card

detail of the sentiment, rub on's and ribbon

detail of the butterfly die

Pegasus Maiden is offering a very fabulous prize to one of the winner's this week, a one-of-a-kind beautiful hairpiece picture here. Such a lovely piece! I'd love to win it!

Prize from our Etsy shop, Pegasus Maiden

This week our sponsor is Schlosser Designs. They're a fabulous store that sells some fun, graphic clear stamps, but also sells kits to make your own gifts, sewing patterns and smaller versions of the main gift sets. Check them out!

So, now it's your turn to play. Visit our shop for the week, Pegasus Maiden and choose an item to create your inspiration piece on. Make sure to post your creation to Etsy Inspired Challenge Blog by Friday, September 24th at noon! One lucky winner will win the beautiful feathered headpiece and another winner will win two stamps of their choice from Schlosser Designs. Don't forget to also take a look at the beautiful and amazing work of the Etsy Design Team to help inspire you and get crafting!

MATERIALS:

"Hello Friend'" Card

Cardstock: (Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink.

Patterned Paper: (Romance and Ashton from Analee collection) Prima.

Clear Stamps: (Flourishes and sentiment from Embellishments set) Papertrey Ink.

Dye Ink: (Pixie Dust) Tsukineko.

Chalk Ink: (Creamy Brown) Clearsnap.

Fibers: (Mint green sheer) Creative Imaginations.

Accents: (Crystal stick pins, kraft envelope) Maya Road. (Pearls) Kaiser Craft. (Scalloped Border & flower rub on) Prima. (Lace rub on's) Hambly Screen Art.

Other: (Butterfly die) Spellbinders

Etsy Inspired #105--9.11.10

Happy Saturday!! Today is not only the Etsy Inspired blog challenge, but it also a day of remembrance. Almost every adult remembers the significance of September 11, as it marks a day of great sorrow, loss and tragedy. A day not unlike all the rest where men, women, wives, husbands, children, friends, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts woke up, went to school or work, or boarded a plane not expecting anything unusual to occur. However, September 11th was not a day we will forget, neither today nor the future. Many families will mourn this day for the tremendous loss that they have endured. And, I pray that our Lord will be bring peace for those who lost a loved one on this day. I pray that those who died did not die in vain for a worthless cause, but that in their life they demonstrated the character and resolve to those they knew as they lived out on this last day of their life on Earth. God's blessings of comfort and peace to the families of the 9/11 victims.

Now, on a happier note, this week's shop is Handmade Whimzy. This shop makes a variety of brightly colored and funky-printed, textured home accessories such as decorative pillows, scented sachets and aprons. They also sell gift items such as earrings, bracelets and bookmarks. This week they are graciously offering one winner a lavender and chamomile eye pillow! Here are some of their fabulously whimsical creations.

Wasabi Green Bouquet Hair pins

Michael Miller Cocoa Peace flower Inspired Scented Sachets

Tumbled Roses Apron

Mini Bookmark Trio

And, here are the adorable little hair pins that inspired my card

Trio of Hair pins

Okay...okay, I''ll admit that one of the main reasons that I chose these hair pins was because the colors used appear in my new Restoration paper and accessories from Crate Paper! The inspiration for my card came from the floral motif of the hair pins, and the main colors for my card are the gray, yellow and teal of the hairpins.

This week our sponsor is Craft Brulee. Our sponsor is a new scrapbooking store based in the U.K. They sell handmade items and embellishments such as lace and lolly pop flowers as well as rubber stamps. They are giving our second winner a $10 USD gift voucher to use in their store!

So, now it's your turn to play. Visit our shop for the week, Handmade Whimzy. and choose an item to create your inspiration piece on. Make sure to post your creation to Etsy Inspired Challenge Blog by Friday, September 17th at noon! One lucky winner will win a lavender and chamomile eye pillow from the shop, and another winner will win a $10 USD gift voucher from Craft Brulee. Don't forget to also take a look at the beautiful and amazing work of the Etsy Design Team to help inspire you and get crafting!

MATERIALS:

"Congrats'" Card

Cardstock: (Kraft) Papertrey Ink.

Patterned Paper: (Refinish, Lace, Ruffles, Doilies from Restoration collection) Crate Paper.

Dye Ink: (Chestnut Roan) Clearsnap.

Fibers: (Mauve Jute twine) May Arts.

Accents: (Chipboard frame from Restoration collection) Crate Paper. (Scalloped circle cardstock sticker from Restoration collection) Crate Paper. (Gray pearl stick pins) Maya Road. (Alphabet stickers) Cosmo Cricket.