A few new Pentel pens, a little doodling, and a colorful tag came to life!
After testing a few new Pentel pens, I enjoyed working with them so much that I decided to use them to create the background for this week’s tutorial. The smooth ink flow and vibrant colors made it easy to build sections of doodles, patterns, and details, resulting in a fun and unique backdrop for the tag.
Video Tutorial:
To complete the tag, I added an embossed word and a paper flower embellishment. Those simple additions were all it needed to complement the bright, colorful background and bring the design together.
Suggested Materials:
Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other
Celebrate in color with this free rainbow birthday clip art printable.
This month I am excited to be participating in a birthday-themed printable blog hop! For my contribution, I’ve created a fun and versatile printable page of birthday clip art in bright rainbow colors. Filled with festive images, cheerful accents, and playful designs, this free printable is perfect for all kinds of paper crafting projects. Whether you enjoy card making, scrapbooking, journaling, party décor, or handmade tags, these colorful elements are ready to add a celebratory touch to your creative projects.
The rainbow-inspired palette makes this printable especially fun to mix and match with a variety of crafting styles and themes. Simply print the page onto your favorite paper or cardstock, cut out the designs, and start creating. The vibrant colors and whimsical birthday elements make it easy to design projects that feel joyful, energetic, and full of personality.
One of my favorite things about printable clip art is how flexible it can be. Use the images individually as embellishments, layer them together for dimensional designs, or combine them with patterned papers and ribbons for even more creative possibilities. The bright rainbow colors also work beautifully for children’s birthdays, summer celebrations, classroom projects, and festive DIY decorations.
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Grab the free Birthday themed PDF here: [Birthday]
My go-to printer brand for years has been HP. I also use their ink supply service where I pay a monthly fee and they send me ink cartridges as needed. It comes out to be a lot less money this way and I don’t have to keep track because they do all the tracking for me. The HP Envy Inspire is a great-priced machine that will produce beautiful prints.
If you are looking for a great crafting-weight paper for printables, I have a new favorite. It is double sided matte photo paper by Koala. It is heavier than copier paper but not quite as heavy as cardstock. It is a great medium weight for layering, folding, and more! They have different weights, I have been using the 48lb double sided photo paper for printables. It is available on Amazon.
Step back in time with this week’s FREE printable, a page of retro homemaking ephemera.
This week’s free printable is a page full of retro homemaking ephemera from days gone by. Inspired by vintage kitchens, recipe cards, household notes, advertisements, and the charming graphics of mid-century life, these printable elements capture the nostalgia of a bygone era.
Perfect for junk journals, scrapbook pages, mixed media projects, card making, and other paper crafts, these vintage-inspired pieces add character and storytelling to your creations. Simply download, print, and cut out your favorite elements to add a touch of retro charm to your next project.
Link at the bottom of the page!
My go-to printer brand for years has been HP. I also use their ink supply service where I pay a monthly fee and they send me ink cartridges as needed. It comes out to be a lot less money this way and I don’t have to keep track because they do all the tracking for me. The HP Envy Inspire is a great-priced machine that will produce beautiful prints.
If you are looking for a great crafting-weight paper for printables, I have a new favorite. It is double sided matte photo paper by Koala. It is heavier than copier paper but not quite as heavy as cardstock. It is a great medium weight for layering, folding, and more! They have different weights, I have been using the 48lb double sided photo paper for printables. It is available on Amazon.
Time to share crafty posts with Create-it Link Party.
Our Grand Lives took me back with a post about foil. There are a ton of creative ideas for littles here. But foil was one of my favorite materials when teaching at the college level. It was affordable, malleable, and a great working surface. If you haven’t worked with foil, you should give it a try. And, throw a ball of it into your dryer – it will surprise you!
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Weekly Features are now being shared in the Pinterest Create-it Link Party Board. You can see them all here: [Create-it Link Party on Pinterest]
On to the Party
This is a great opportunity to showcase your latest blog post, recipe, craft tutorial, or any other creative project you’ve been working on! We love seeing the incredible ideas from our community.
To keep things fun and organized, we have a few simple rules to ensure the party runs smoothly. Happy sharing!
Here are a few simple rules:
Link to a specific post, not your homepage.
Link up something YOU made/wrote/created.
Giveaways, other link parties, or business links are not accepted.
Don’t link and run. Try to visit at least one link and show them some love. You may make a new friend.
Stop by to see how blending foam, stencils, and Bloom Paint created this eye-catching design.
For this week’s tag tutorial, I am working with products from DecoArt to create a tag full of color, texture, and visual interest. I used DecoArt DecoEarth Paint to create the background, building up a rich foundation with its beautiful matte finish and earthy tones.
To add texture and pattern, I incorporated DecoArt Bloom Texture Paint through a stencil. The raised design adds dimension and contrast to the surface that complements the painted background. Together, these products make it easy to create layered mixed media effects that bring a simple tag to life.
The tag background comes together through layers of blended and stenciled paint, creating a rich mix of color, texture, and pattern. Applying the paint with a blending foam produces a softer, more diffused effect than a paintbrush, allowing the colors to blend seamlessly.
After applying the Bloom Paint through a stencil, I used a heat tool to activate the blooming effect and create rich texture. As the paint blooms, the color naturally lightens, enhancing the dimensional effect.
Video Tutorial:
To complete the tag, I added an ephemera sentiment that ties the design together and helps unify the color palette.
Suggested Materials:
Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other
Turn a simple card into something special with this gorgeous glitter technique.
While visiting the ArtGlitter booth at Creativation, I discovered a beautiful glitter technique that immediately caught my attention. Since I didn’t have the exact products used in the demonstration, I decided to experiment with supplies already in my craft room. With a little creativity and improvisation, I was able to recreate the look and achieve a stunning sparkling finish. The finished panel became the perfect focal point for this elegant handmade card.
I love the band of glitter and the way it instantly elevates the design. To complement the sparkle, I paired it with gold foiled paper and a gold-embossed sentiment. The metallic accents tie everything together beautifully, creating a card that feels both elegant and eye-catching while still being simple to assemble.
Video Tutorial:
Suggested Materials:
Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other
Download a page of beautiful printable washi tape strips perfect for your paper crafting.
This week’s free printable is a page full of lovely washi tape strips! Created at the suggestion of a crafty friend, this collection features a variety of decorative designs that are perfect for adding interest and layering to your paper crafting projects.
These printable washi tape strips are great for junk journals, scrapbook layouts, card making, planners, mixed media projects, and so much more. Simply print, cut, and use them anywhere you would normally add washi tape to bring a touch of vintage charm and creativity to your next project.
Link at the bottom of the page!
My go-to printer brand for years has been HP. I also use their ink supply service where I pay a monthly fee and they send me ink cartridges as needed. It comes out to be a lot less money this way and I don’t have to keep track because they do all the tracking for me. The HP Envy Inspire is a great-priced machine that will produce beautiful prints.
If you are looking for a great crafting-weight paper for printables, I have a new favorite. It is double sided matte photo paper by Koala. It is heavier than copier paper but not quite as heavy as cardstock. It is a great medium weight for layering, folding, and more! They have different weights, I have been using the 48lb double sided photo paper for printables. It is available on Amazon.
Adventure is calling! Grab this free “Explore • Wander • Camp” SVG and create something perfect for every outdoor lover.
Whether you are heading out on a camping trip, hiking the trails, or just dreaming of your next outdoor adventure, this free SVG is perfect for the outdoorsman at heart. The “Explore • Wander • Camp” design celebrates a love for nature and adventure with a stylish look that can be worn all year round. Create t-shirts, mugs, signs, tote bags, and more with this versatile outdoor-inspired SVG.
Not sure what Cricut tools you need or should use? Check out this post – What tools to Buy.
Need to know about the different vinyl products available? You can learn all about it at About Cricut Vinyl.
Need a printable heat setting chart? You can download this one free: [heatguide]
Are you confused about the different colors of mats? This article will clear it all up for you. Which Mat Do I Use?
SVG Hop Images:
My fellow SVG creators are joining me in a fun hop featuring Camping – themed SVG files! Each design is free to download and perfect for adding a special touch to your projects. Explore the variety below and get inspired!
Weekly Features are now being shared in the Pinterest Create-it Link Party Board. You can see them all here: [Create-it Link Party on Pinterest]
On to the Party
This is a great opportunity to showcase your latest blog post, recipe, craft tutorial, or any other creative project you’ve been working on! We love seeing the incredible ideas from our community.
To keep things fun and organized, we have a few simple rules to ensure the party runs smoothly. Happy sharing!
Here are a few simple rules:
Link to a specific post, not your homepage.
Link up something YOU made/wrote/created.
Giveaways, other link parties, or business links are not accepted.
Don’t link and run. Try to visit at least one link and show them some love. You may make a new friend.
Soft pastels, beautiful stenciling, and a technique inspired by Dina Wakley come together in this week’s tag tutorial!
I absolutely love the soft pastel colors on this tag. The color palette was inspired by the sticker I selected, which provided the perfect combination of gentle hues and subtle contrast. The technique itself was inspired by a tutorial from Dina Wakley, and I enjoyed adapting the process to create my own version. The layered colors blend beautifully together, creating a dreamy background that complements the focal elements while allowing the pastel tones to shine.
The Deco Earth paint from DecoArt performed flawlessly throughout the project. It applied smoothly, offered excellent coverage, and worked beautifully through the stencil without bleeding or clogging the design. The paint’s rich pigmentation and matte finish added depth and texture to the tag, helping to enhance the soft pastel palette while creating crisp, clean stencil details.
Video Tutorial:
Suggested Materials:
Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other
