Santa mermaid

Today the Chibitronics team has the great pleasure to collaborate with Waffle Flower. They make the most unique stamps, and I fell in love with the set called The SEAson with this handsome Santa mermaid and his fish friends.

I made the Christmas decorations on the seaweed light up using LEDs by Chibitronics. It turned out really fun! I used red lights for this, and it looks super christmasy and fun.



I made a front panel that hid the circuit. I punched holes where the light would show up and backed with vellum. I colored it red using copics before adhering it on the back of the panel.



Here's my (messy looking) circuit. I used a pull tab switch that I learned from Eiko on the Chibitronics team. I used some packaging tape on the inside because my regular one was missing, no one will see the mess anyway. Except for you, and you won't tell anyone, right? ;)

If you go to todays post in the Chibitronics blog you will be able to see all of my teammates cards and creations using Waffle Flower products.

Aqua Tint Sunflower

I made this while making samples for the Aqua Tint Pens release. The stamp is by Crafters Companion and I loved coloring it with the Aqua Tints. I used Holly Leaf, Olive Jade, Moonlight, Harvest Moon, and Smoked Quartz. I'm not a great watercolorer but even I get great results with these babies. I did however not make the background, it's a patterned paper that I really think is cute! And more Kraft!

Elephant Hugs

I got some cool dies from MFT and this window is one of them. I think it's so fun! I used some elephants by Mama Elephant and dies by Winnie & Walter for this cars. I honestly can't for the life of me remember what I used to color this card. I'm guessing it was the Spectrum Noir ColorBlends, but I'm not sure.

I like the layers that are made using the window and die cuts and the cute elephants. And the kraft colored card base is also nice. I need to use more kraft, it's pretty!

Flying Elephant Card

This was a card I made back when the Aqua Tint Pens was released. Look at that color! The pigmentation is amazing in these pens. I used the colors Onyx Black, Starry Sky, Aquamarine, Moonstone, Solar Red, Sterling Silver and Cosmos to color this card. So you can get the soft colors of the balloon and elephant by diluting the color using water. But you can get that fantastic blue on top too by using it as is.

I'm really happy with this card, it's so sweet with stamps by Mama Elephant. That baby elephant is just adorable.

Lucky Duck window card

Interactive cards are so much fun. I got this die by Lawn Fawn that makes a window that you can open to reveal a surprise message. I used a big background die by Kaiserkraft and the super cute ducks by Lawn Fawn.



I colored the tub to look like the old enamel type tubs. Super cute! And those bubbles. I had a lot of fun with this card. I added a small magnet to the window so it wouldn't pop open by itself.

I really like having the matching dies to stamp sets, no fussy cutting is my jam. I don't really mind cutting out images but just pop them through the Gemini (or in this case Diamond Press) is so easy and fast.

Resist card with Aqua Tint Pens

This little card was a super quick one. I made this while crafting with friends and I was given these resist cards, I think by Theresa Collins, but I might be wrong. I had the Aqua Tint Pens close by and just scribbled a little colorful background on top and voila.

This color combo is adorable, it's Moonlight, Pink Champagne and Soft Jade.

Glitter paste background

See, I told you I wasn't done with this set yet. Still playing with the cactus set by Concord and 9th. This time I used some lovely glitter paste for the background and used colored pencils for the big cactus.

For some reason, these cacti are so much fun to color. Not many details and a large enough surface to cover. It makes me happy to not have to think about shadows and stuff like that once in a while.

I'm pretty sure this is the last cactus card for a bit. But they will probably show up again later.

Cactus on black background​

I love the look of copper embossing powder on a black background, and colored pencils to color. I think it looks super dramatic. I'm not happy with the sentiment, the embossing acted weird on top of the colored pencil and copper embossing powder. I'm not sure what happened. But I didn't want to toss the whole card so I let it be. Sometimes you just have to take a step back and leave it alone.

The stamp set is from Concord and 9th and this is not the last card you'll see using that set. I had a lot of fun with it!

Bright poppies

I went to this amazing Art journaling class with Vicky Papaioannou a few weeks back. I got this Stampendous stamp set with Poppies in my kit. They are big and lovely and I felt like I needed to color them properly once. I kinda forgot that bright reds are pretty hard to color with. In the end, it turned out ok I think, I used Spectrum Noir Illustrators for this. I stamped in grey so the lines wouldn't stand out as much.

I Hand cut the vase and flowers and added them on top of an old Christmas patterned paper, it kinda looks like wallpapers in the background. I popped the flowers and table up on foam tape and I think it gives some extra depth to the card.

These are the colors I used for my card: DR1, DR4, TN8, DR5, JG4, JG5, GB1, IB1, JG3

Big and​ small cacti cards

I would not lie if I said this cacti stamp set by Concord and 9th is one of my all time favorites. I'm not sure why I love it so much, it's just one of these sets that makes you happy.

I made this card using one of the large cacti while crafting with friends. I think it turned out pretty awesome. I used the Aqua Tint Brush pens to color it. They are so much fun and super pigmented.

These are the colors I used. Holly Leaf, Olive Jade, Smoked Quartz and Sterling Silver.



I also tested blending the Aqua Tints brush pens on a piece of watercolor paper and I liked this tiny part so I just diecut it and used as a background for this tiny cactus in the set. So cute! I didn't put down the colors used unfortunately because I love that combo. It looks so vintage-y.

Coffee and friends

In our house, there is a saying: Do not get between mom and her coffee. I really love my coffee. So this Coffee Love stamp set by Altenew was a must-have. I stamped up the images randomly and did some messy (very therapeutic) water coloring, using my Spectrum Noir Aqua Markers.

Coffee and friends really make the perfect blend. Especially if there are cookies involved, and maybe some crafting after that.

I used these colors to color my card: Chocolat, Charcoal, Desert, Lime, Begonia, Kingfisher, Navy

Ink blended diecut background

I have a confession to make. I love the big background dies that I see used everywhere now. Die cutting is so much fun and there's so much you can do with a background like this cover plate by Altenew. I just keep getting cheap and not getting them. I have another one by Winnie & Walter that is one of my favorite dies ever so I'm not sure why I keep being cheap. They are pretty pricey but so worth it. I splurged a bit and got this beauty and had a lot of fun fiddling with piecing these two cards together.



I think this white one is my favorite of the two. I used the speech bubble stamps by Winnie & Walter that I think is so fun! Black and white used together with bright colors are up in the top of the list of color combos in my book.

I will keep playing around with this die and maybe I'll get a few more after that. Now I want to create a shaker card using this one. I have a lot of ideas. I hope you will enjoy seeing more of this die ahead.

Sweet peas

I loved this Sweet Peas stamp set by Altenew right away, it looked super easy and fun to color. I used my Spectrum Noir Illustrator markers for these. Colors listed below.



I started by making this pink one. I wasn't sure what to do with the background but I ended up ink blending the corners and that made it look kind of dreamy. I really like the effect. I do have a super hard time blending though. Everyone says the distress Oxides blend like butter, but not for me. I'm probably doing something wrong because I get streaks that takes forever to blend out. But I love the look so it's worth the effort.



Since I stamped up two card fronts at the same time, in case I messed up, I made a blue card too. I actually have no idea what colors Sweet Peas come in. I have a vague memory I planted some the first summer after we got the house and they were soft pink. Would have been. If they had bloomed. I put them so close that there was a dense mass of greenery, so heavy it tipped the support I put up. And not a single blossom. Probably because I planted so many of them. I don't have a green thumb at all.

Anyways. Here are the colors of Spectrum Noir Illustrators I used for these two cards: FS1, FS2, PV3, PP4, TB1, TB2, TB3, YG1, YG2

Light up glitter vellum window

I made this card as a tutorial for Chibitronics, I think it turned out pretty good. If you would like full instructions on how to make it, pop on over to this post.

This card is super extra. I used more lights than I ever did on a card before, I had so much fun with it. And I think the glitter vellum window makes it special.



I used regular vellum and embossed it with WOW Neutral Ultra Shimmer embossing powder. I also added Nuevo Drops that's clear with glitter in it as an embellishment.

Unicorn with glowing rainbow

Today I'm up on the Chibitronics blog with this cute card! I used stamps, dies, and decorations from Uniquely Creative. I haven't shared the news here on the blog but I am now a member of their amazing design team. I fell in love with the quirky style of their stamps and dies. I mean look at this chubby unicorn, what's not to love???



I love the rainbow die cut, so I decided to light it up using Chibitronics. It makes the card even more magical, don't you think?



You can find a full step for step guide over at the Chibitronics blog.



The cutest little unicorn, and to light the rainbow up you squeeze his little butt, LOL!

Have a lovely day and thanks for stopping by!

Chibitronics and Winnie & Walter bloghop

Today I'm part of a collaboration blog hop between two of my absolute favorite companies in the craft world. Chibitronics and Winnie & Walter. I have stalked followed Winnie & Walter since the start and I adore their wonderful products. And I found the perfect sets to pair up with some fun Chibitronic lights and effect stickers.



You can enter the giveaway by commenting on the blog posts along the way. You have until 11:59 PM CST next Tuesday, May 29th in order to be eligible for the giveaways.  Chibitronics are giving away a $30 starter kit so you have everything you need to start making fun interactive cards with lights. Winnie and Walter are giving away a $30 gift certificate for you to spend on their lovely products. Good luck!



I totally fell for the birthday themed stamp set called Wish Big with Evelin T Designs and I found some dies, In a Word: Birthday Tiles Cutaways, that was to die for. Sorry, couldn't resist it! The big birthday words were perfect to make a window with lights behind with and to add some extra fun I used a blinking effect sticker.

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To use an effect sticker is not hard at all. Just connect the negative side of the battery to the - on the effect sticker and then on to the - on the LEDs. The + side of the battery (the top) goes to the + on the effect sticker. Then another connection from blink on the effect sticker and to the + side of the LEDs. My picture of the inside was after the foam tape was added and it looks super messy so I drew a picture of the connection instead.



The switch is of the type you pull out to start the lights. I have gotten the idea from Eiko on the Chibitronics team, it's pretty brilliant, here's a picture from a previous card to show you what it looks like.



So the switch is in the shape of an X and the copper tape goes around it to connect both sides of the cut circuit. I find that it doesn't drain the battery as easily because there is no connection before you want it. A regular push switch sometime connects when something is put on top of it or when you mail the card.



Now hop on to the incredible Vanessa Amann and see what she came up with.

If you get lost on the way, here's a list of all the stops. Have fun!

Chibitronics Blog
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Eiko Uchida
Kelly Szafron
Wei Wei Wang
Kelly Griglione
Tiffany Au
Lesley Oman
You are here ---> Maya Isaksson
Vanessa Amann
Gayatri Murali
Heather Hoffman
Jessica Lin
Kate Capper
Keren Baker
Lea Lawson
Lydia Evans
w&w blog

Chibitronic supplies used:
Red, Yellow, Blue MegaPack (30 stickers)
Circuit Stickers Effects Add-On
Copper Tape
Conductive Fabric Tape Patches

World autism day blog hop

Today I and the Chibitronics team is part of a bloghop for Autism awareness and we are lighting it up blue. April 2nd is the World Autism Awareness Day and the color blue is often used as a symbol together with the puzzle piece.

I think most of us are somehow connected to someone with autism, through friends or family. They are all amazing individuals in their own unique way and have a different perspective of the world that can be pretty fantastic. That's why I selected the sentiment Don't forget to be awesome. And of course, I lit it up blue using the blue Chibitronic LEDs.



To make the card I stamped and colored the front panel and cut out the balloons that are going to light up. To color it I used a couple of Distress Oxide inks and smooshed the background in them, focusing mainly on the bottom of the card where the dog would be stamped. I used my Misti to stamp the dogs in blue. I then colored the dogs using Spectrum Noir Illustrator markers in cool greys with pink for the cheeks. Then I added some Sparkle to some of the areas, glaze for the noses and eyes, and some white accents.

I also marked where the switch would be placed and sketched in the circuit.



As usual, I did everything backward and had to flip the battery. I added a fabric patch to make sure the copper tape won't break if it moves around a bit. I later added a piece of printer paper under it to make sure the tape wouldn't touch both sides of the battery. If I had put the battery the right side it would not have been necessary.



As usual, I forgot to take a picture when doing the switch. Basically, I just cut the paper using a craft knife. Added the switch I used fabric patches again on the inside of the switch and the edge of the paper where the switch is attached. I did this to make sure the copper tape doesn't break from sliding back and forth. Better safe than sorry. You can see the strip of printer paper here too.



Here's the back of the switch, you can see the sliding mechanism.



I glued the finished card to a card base and added some Nuvo Drops to make it a bit more fun. I love these adorable pups by Mama Elephant.



And here's the card all lit up. I hope you hop on to see the other cards on the hop. You can find links to the rest of the team creations on the Chibitronics Blog post. I hope you enjoyed this card and the short tutorial.

Supplies used for this card:

Chibitronics:

• Red, Yellow, Blue MegaPack (30 stickers)


• Copper Tape


• Conductive Fabric Tape Patches

Spectrum Noir Illustrator Markers: IG 1, IG2, IG3, IG6, IG7, IG10 FS4

Spectrum Sparkle: Macaroon, Moonlight, Clear Overlay

Stamps: Mama Elephant - The Dog's Woof

Glow up fireflies

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Today I'm up on the Chibitronics blog, showing how to make this fun card. I used LEDs and Glow in the Dark embossing powder by WOW! and they make such a fun card. I absolutly had to get the Lawn Fawn fireflies as soon as I saw them, I knew they would make a super fun light up card.

To see the full instructions check Out this blog post at the Chibitronics blog.

I'm a lucky duck

I totally fell in love with the new Lawn Fawn release so I went a bit crazy when I visited my favorite store. These cute ducks had to move home with me and I love the mini picture frames and the peekabo backdrop. Naturally I combined all of them, more is more, right?



The inside complete the sentiment so the whole thing reads I'm a lucky duck to have a friend like you.



I made the backgrounds to the frames using Distress oxides, I colored the ducks using my Spectrum Noir Illustrator markers (FS6, FS9, BO2,PP4, IG1) and added some patterned papers as wallpaper behind the frames. I added details with a white gel pen and some Glossy Accents to beeks and feet.

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope to be back soon with another project.

Light up windows with colored LEDs

I had so much fun doing the Chibitronics - MFT stamps blog hop this Friday. If you haven't hopped along yet you can find the post here. There's still time to hop today. If you leave comments along the way you can win prizes, and there are some pretty awesome projects along the way.



Anyway, today I blogged this card on the Chibitronics blog. If you hop on over there you will get the full photo tutorial and a nifty trick how to hide copper tape in narrow spaces.



The houses are a cut file by Pretty Crafty Stuff, you can find the link in the sidebar. I'm thinking about making some new designs for the shop. I haven't made any in a long time and I have some ideas. I'm also happy to get suggestions on new files. I can't promise anything but if I get inspired I might just cook up a new batch.

I'll get back to nursing my cold and feeling sorry for myself now. Maybe I'll watch some Olympics, so far Sweden is doing pretty great :) Are you watching? What are your favorite sports in the winter Olympics? I enjoy watching figure skating and alpine sports but my husband is mainly watching curling. It's a bit slow for my taste.