no rules, just happy crafting
I am home and unpacked from the Creativation trade show in Phoenix, and I’m ready to talk some faves! You can find a lot of photos on my Instagram – I tried to post as I gathered faves. In this article (there are a few affiliate links) I will share some things I’m most excited to get and use, as well as why!
From her first line, I’ve always enjoyed Amy Tan’s paper lines with American Crafts and this is no exception.
Rise and Shine brings in Amy’s signature happy colors and fun designs, and adds in some new products as well.
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Here’s a little wooden desk organizer –
LOOOVING the tape strips + epoxy accents…
What you’ll always hear me praise – is that this line is fresh & new but still goes well with many of her older products. YES for making the things I still have from older lines feel relevant and extending that shelf life. YES for making timeless products that rock.
And yes, I am officially obsessed with succulent plants because they were everywhere and so cute!
American Crafts now includes Pink Paislee, Pebbles, Crate Paper and more! They’ve become absolutely huge and had a large section on the show floor with all their latest and greatest – as well as their signature designers. Today I want to share with you my favorite offerings that will be sold under the actual “American Crafts” brand.
First up, let’s talk Amy Tangerine’s new “Plus One” line.
Continue reading “CHA Winter 2014: American Crafts (Amy Tangerine, Dear Lizzy, and DIY shop)”
It is no secret that I love Amy Tan’s colorful and fun product lines – and Cut & Paste is no exception. Her newest line continues to expand her product offerings while still staying true to her signature style and being products that can mix & match with her older lines.
This collection contains 22 double-sided patterned papers, two specialty papers, coordinating Thickers, stickers, and two beautifully designed embroidery stencil kits. New favorites include stitched vellum pockets and die-cut, dimensional paper. Add a bit of color with Cut & Paste!
I’m a fan of hand stitching. It doesn’t take as much time as you might imagine, it can add both color and texture to your projects, it is inexpensive, and it really is fun. Amy Tangerine released two embroidery stencil kits, and today I want to take a closer look at this product and tell you what I think. The best way to really see this of course, is via video. Here is a quick video showing the kit in action:
Above you see my first attempt. I was playing around and I wanted to just test things. Just see how it would work, how I could play with paper + stitching and if it would be easy (or hard) to do a more complex design. While I don’t like my finished product – and that’s ok – I do really like how simple these stencils are to use. Everything you need right down to needle + thread is included, and the stencils are sheer enough (yet sturdy) so you can potentially layer paper and very precisely figure out where the stencil should go.
Now here’s a more successful attempt at layering paper + stitching:
I really like the shapes, and while a bit more time consuming I think they are a lot of fun and I’ll enjoy playing with them more. I could make accents with paper to later add to projects, or I can stitch directly onto projects!
While I have and am using the set with mostly shapes, there is also an alphabet set that you can purchase. Which one you would want I think depends on how you see yourself adding stitching. Here’s a layout I made – one of the shapes included on my set is the word “love”.
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Overall I think this is an excellent product – and it is really well done! The supplies you need to get started are all included, and the stencils are durable enough that I think they will last a long time. You can find Amy’s stencil kits in stores now, including 2peas, Simon Says Stamp, Blue Moon, and Scrapbook.com.