Designs by Latisha Yoast

I'm still out of town, but I had time to pick a winner before we start our long drive back to San Diego. On Monday or Tuesday I will have a new post. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and Thanksgiving. My winner is: Great notecards, Latisha! Thanks for the opportunity to win!--Amy November 29, 2008 5:04 PM Amy please email me your address :)

This is a super quick project to make as a gift, or for even yourself.  I made a set of 6 monogram notecards for my sister, using some Just Rite product and left over scraps that we all have Here are a few of the things that I will be using,  Just Rite Monogram stamp set, I'm using the Curlz set and the mini alpha ribbon left over patterned paper some sort of punch or nesties The note cards are 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches, this is just one sheet of paper with those dimmensions.  Next find some scrap paper, I cut mine at 1 1/2 by 4 1/4 and layer it at the top of the cardstock. Next up is tying your ribbon, depending if you are going to just knot your ribbon or tie a bow the length will vary, if you want to conserve ribbon, I suggest just tying a knot.  Using the little Alpha set from Just Rite, I wrote out my sisters name, then using the large curlz alpha, I placed the letter "k" underneath her name (last name starts with a k)  To make it easy, I stamped the entire image in blac...

Happy Thanksgiving I hope all of you are having a wonderful day! As I said in an earlier post, this is the first time in 10 years that we have made it home for Thanksgiving, due to the fact that my husband is in the military and we have been on the opposite coast (east) from our family, except this year (for a month longer).  So we have made the 10 hour drive to be with my Dad & siblings.  My sister had a baby about 10 days ago, so I decided to make her some burp cloths.  I have seen them in baby boutiques and they were too much money I was will to pay for them, so I just made them myself.  I went and bought a pack of burp cloths and baby safe material, the rest I had at home.  I used a Trajan alphabet set (pti) to monogram my sisters last name.  I didn't use my nephews name just in case they have more children they can use them over or keep them.  The stamp of the baby resting on the moon is from the Rock a Bye stamp set from Flourishes , its a really sweet set & was perfe...

I'm sure you have seen these done, on many blogs out there, my friend Chris and I saw them and kind of winged it, on how to make them, so here is a little tutorial to help you out.  Here are the products I used for this project.  You will need the mini legal pads that you can find at your local office supply store, take the pads to the copying/printing center and have them cut your pads in half.  My Office Max charges me 75cents for each cut, and they cut 6 pads at a time so its only $1.50 to cut them.  Your 12 pads are now 24 mini journal pads ready for you to alter. You will need a 5 3/4 inch by  8 1/4 sheet of cardstock score it at 2 11/16 in and then again at 3 inches you will now have something  that looks  like a folder I took some designer paper that I wanted to put on the front, one piece longer than the other and put a piece of adhesive in one spot to hold the paper together, while I stitched along the edge.  You can completely leave this part out, I just liked the way the...

Here is a 6x6 scrap book page that I made for my Dad, for an album that I'm making him for Christmas. I used the Floral Fantasy Garden from Flourishes, to stamp and emboss the little flowers randomly that you see at the top left & bottom right corners.  On the photo, I used the "Life is Sweet" sentiment from Sweet Treats and stamped it in the corner and then stamped 2008 (from the Holiday Greetings set) below it.  I distressed a piece of paper, and then used it to journal on, to finish off the page, I ran some twine around the page a few times. I really liked the page, but I didn't want to make another one for myself (a lot of work goes into a page lol) so I took a picture of the page, cropped it and then made a hybrid page in Photo Shop Elements.  Once I figured out the layers, it came together really fast!!  So here is my first hybrid page.  If you have any kind of photo editing program, give it a shot, you might like what you see. Fantasy Floral Garden has alw...

I think I have around 10 Christmas cards done so far, I know I am way behind but I have time.  This year, I don't think I'm going to mass produce cards this year, for a couple of reasons.  One, I have far too many cute holiday stamp sets to choose just one to use.  Two, I have found when I make more than 5 or 6 of the same card, by the time I get to #7, my mojo gets zapped and I start to not be excited about my Christmas cards.  So I am just going to make a couple here and there and use all of my favorite stamps.  For years I have made a prototype (which took forever!!) and then I would cut, stamp and assemble, this works fantastic for most crafters, but this year, I just can't commit to one card LOL. Here are two I made over the weekend, both are really simple cards, but the one on the right I added ribbon and rhinestones.  After adding the embellishments I decided that it really looked fine without them, so I didn't add them on the second card.  I know thats a one pos...

Its Sunday and all I have made this weekend is one Christmas card, maybe I can get on the ball later.  Last week I found a slab of MME Christmas paper & it actually is really pretty, I am loving it so far.  Thank goodness Michael's is finally getting some good paper!  Anyhow, I put a piece of adhesive on the back of the dp to keep it in place when I sewed over them.  I put some striped red/vanilla grosgrain ribbon along the front of the dp and then added red velvet ribbon on top and added a ribbon slide too.  I'm trying to make a pretty Christmas card without it being too heavy, the post office here is very picky and add a surcharge to just about every card I send out because of the ribbon knots or embellishments that they can feel. Using the Labels 2 die (from Spellbinders) I cut and embossed my paper, then I left my paper in the die & using a sponge dauber and distress ink, I inked up the paper.  By leaving the paper in the die, I get the clean crisp edge to it, it al...

Okay, I am not a kit person.  I like to pick and choose my products and so signing up for a kit kind of scares me.  However, with Unity Stamp Co . they give you a preview of the monthly kit and you have the option to opt out.  LOVE THAT!  I am not affiliated with Unity, I'm just a happy customer.  So with that said, a few days ago I got my November kit of the month in the mail. Unity has picked up a few new artists, Lindsey and Lisa.  Well they helped design this kit, and they are the bomb and have a pulse on what is cool. The first card up is around 5in x 3 1/4 in, I think... I used some Basic Grey Urban Prairie dp, and distressed the edges using a Tim Holtz distressing tool & then sponged the edges just to make it pop a little.  I put a piece of tape in between the paper layers to hold them in place while I did a zig zag stitch around the perimeter.  Let me back up for a second, before I did all of this I stamped the image onto my paper in Adirondack black soot ink, its a nic...

I know I used the labels 2 die again from Spellbinders, but really I can't help myself lol, I love Nestabilities they are one of the best tools for papercrafters.  Anyhow, I decided to play along with a challenge on SCS, I took my inspiration from the poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, such a great poem.  Also, for the first time I used a sketch from 2sketches4you , I believe its sketch #13. The girls who create the sketches along with their design team have some serious talent.  My card looks really plain compared to theirs, so go check them out.  It looks like they give out a prize too. I started out with some kraft paper (its the new white meat lol) and used some of my Sassafras paper to layer on top.  Using a distressing tool, I distressed the edges of my dp and then placed it on my card base and stitched along the edge (it doesn't need to look perfect).  I think it just looks cool, if you are wondering why I sewed on my card :)  I used my lab...

Do any of you get the newsletter every week from SCS?  If not sign up for it, they always have the best tutorials.  Today, the tutorial was on Sparkly Stained Glass , it wasn't hard at all, you just have glitter everywhere lol.  I stamped my image on the clear card stock that Flourishes sells (its very thick) and quickly heat set it, because I stamped with stazon.   You don't want the heat to get too close or else it can warp the cardstock.  I then put Diamond Glaze (you can use crystal effects) and sprinkled some glitter over the glaze.  It take a while for it to dry.  Once it dried I took a copic marker (any alcohol marker would work) and went over the front of the image just to shade and darken it up a bit.  You can skip this step if you want.  I cut it out and tried to get it on my card stock, but nothing seems to want to stick to glitter, so I put a brad through the center of my poinsettia and put a glue dot on the metal part and that worked perfectly.  This is really easy...

Just a quick and easy card today.  Winter is coming so that means lots of friends & family under the weather.  Its always nice to get a card in the mail when you are not feeling well.  I used the Quilt set from Papertrey Ink, for my image and sentiment.  I ordered a set of the new label dies from Spellbinders (I'm waiting on another set too), they are so flipping cool.  I have a few spica glitter pens, so I used them to color in the quilt squares.   Here is a little tip, when I put a button on my bows, I first run twine through the button and double knot it, I then get a glue dot, put in on the back of the button and attach it to the bow.  Glue dots are super strong, so your button will stay put. "on the mend" PTI stamps, kraft, basic black & vintage cream cardstock, ribbon from SU, button from MM, twine, labels die OUT TO BE PUBLISHED

I actually made this card yesterday, from the inspiration challenge.  There were pictures of really cool looking felted scarves, I chose one that had blue/cream/brown colors in it.  I used a very simple design for the card and added some pretty satin ribbon and nesting flowers.  I actually made the flowers.   Here is how I made the flowers. 1.pick out some pretty paper that coordinates 2. start cutting out circles, they look better when they are not perfect 3. make sure the flowers can nest on top of each other, largest to smallest 4.  crumple or distress the circles 5. put adhesive on the paper and start layering. "merry n bright" MME christmas paper, satin ribbon, MM buttons, twine, Merry n Bright stamp set by SU

Are any of you playing along with the VSN (virtual stamp night) over on SCS?  I have only had a chance to do one card so far.  The challenge is to stamp an image at least 3 times in a row to form a line (theme is from A Chorus Line musical).  I seriously need to make some Christmas cards, so I stamped this ornament 3 times and colored it in with Copic markers.  My inspiration came from a pack of My Minds Eye paper I picked up this week, its Christmasy and really pretty with a vintage feel to it.  After I stamped and colored the ornaments I cut them out.  I used a really small hole punch, to punch a hole on either side of the center ornament and ran some sheer ribbon through it and tied a knot.  I just felt I needed to put something there.  I really like this card, I thought it was in contention to be mass produced, but it didn't get my husbands nod of approval lol.  Well whether he likes it or not, this card will be sent to someone this year lol. "Merry Christmas" All tha...

First a little talk and then the cards... they are related My husband has been in the service for almost 10 years now.  We left California when our daughter was three and started on our adventure, sponsored by the Navy.  Our daughter is now 12 (almost 13 eeck) and our son just turned 8.  I know this makes no sense, but let me explain.  We have never been home for Thanksgiving since we first left California, because we have been stationed on the east coast.  So this year, we will drive to my Dad's house, he lives in N. California (9 hour drive) and my kids will actually get to be with their Papa on Thanksgiving.  A lot of military children spend their holidays without family near & sometimes their Dad or Mom who is in the service is deployed.  Most years we are alone, because Jess is out to sea or we adopt some single sailors so they can have a nice dinner & it makes it feel more homey with more people around.  So that is why this is so extra special, this will be the first ...

A lot of my friends, do not like to color and do not like lots of stuff on their cards.  So this is for them, a simple, functional & classy card.  I did add some color to the champagne bottle, but not much & no blending involved.  I used Copic markers, but you could color it with anything and it would look great.  Now that I'm looking at it, I probably should have colored the bottle green.  Have you ever noticed imported wine and beer are in green bottles?!  If you are drinking real champagne its in a green bottle, but this is just a card and it doesn't matter lol.   I used the new You are Invited stamp set from Flourishes LLC .  There are so many possibilities with this set.  The sentiment is from the Holiday words set.  I added some velvet ribbon and rounded the corners and this baby was done.   Stop by the Design Teams blogs to see what they have in store today Cindy Julie Faith Laura Linda Susan seriously they are rock stars of stamping, they will knock your socks o...

Ok this is a little long, but I'm sharing cards from the new stamp sets released today from Flourishes LLC .   I will show you the card and then I will show you the complete stamp set.  If you go over to the Flourishes blog , they will let you know about all of the sales that they have going on (like your favorite Basic Grey paper & new release bundle).  Don't forget to check out what the design team ladies have created as well. Julie Linda Laura Cindy Susan Nancy Sharon Jan Marie Faith and Cindy Haffner is playing along too  "let's get together" You are Invited stamp set, Ambrosia Basic Grey paper "fun times" You are Invited stamp set, Urban Prairie Basic Grey paper, SU chipboard, twine, basic grey buttons You are Invited stamp set "give thanks" Figs and Pomegranates stamp set, Diamond glaze, pretties kit, circle nestabilities Figs and Pomegranates stamp set "Happy Thanksgiving" Autumn Flourishes & Mixed Greeting stamp sets,...

I''m back from Disneyland, we really had a wonderful time.  My kids are on cloud 9 and I think it might last until Christmas.   Here is a card I made & sent to my secret sister last week.  Its super simple & post office friendly.  I really don't like to add another stamp for postage, it pains me.  The dp is by Basic Grey & the cardstock is kraft.  The image and sentiment both came in my Oct. kit of the month from Unity Stamps. If you don't have anything going on later, 7pm east coast time, there is a chat over on the Flourishes forum on SCS.  There will be sneak peaks of the new stamp sets being released tomorrow (wednesday).  I will be posting my projects for the release, Wed, Thurs & Friday. I'm glad to be home, hopefully I will have time to surf around and check out all of your blogs.

This was a really surreal day, the kids were unbelievably lucky.  While we are in line to enter the park, we get word that the Jonas Brothers were going to be taping the Christmas special for ABC.  So we get to the castle and low and behold they are going to be there.  We wait for about 15 minutes and then, the Jo Bros come out for a sound check and then for reals for the tv & cameras.  This would have been the highlight of our trip, getting to watch them perform, I mean my kids seriously love the Jonas Brothers. About 2 hours later, we are in line to the Haunted Mansion and guess who is a few people ahead of us... Jeanette McCurdy, she is an actress on Nickelodeon called I-Carly.  The kids were star struck, but Jacob chatted with her a few times.  He stood next to her in the elevator and was telling her that he really liked her show & she was telling him about things coming up and the movie that was on tv.   At this point we all are on cloud 9 & can't believe how cool ...

Guess where I am... a hint, the happiest place on earth... you guessed it DISNEYLAND I will post pictures later I brought my laptop & I have wifi in my room Its Jacob's birthday this weekend so we are here celebrating

Here is another card I made using the Love Nest stamp set.  I used today's limited supplies challenge, lsc193, to use a rectangle, a circle and your only embellishment you can use is ribbon.  This is actually going to go to my sister, she can use these cards to send out as baby announcements or thank you cards.  She is having a boy and is due next week.  I will have to package these up sometime this weekend. "love grows" old olive cs & ribbon, basicgrey urban prairie dp, kraft & vintage cream cs, copic markers I actually made 6 of these, its really easy to mass produce simple cards like this Until they get packaged, they go in a little basket out in the open so I can see them as a reminder to mail them out. The winner of Love Nest goes to: AMY congratulations email me your address I will be giving away Open to Love this week all you need to do is go over to the Flourishes Blog and check out what is posted today, then come back here and tell me what your favorite ...

Here is the card I did for the Wednesday sketch challenge over on SCS.  I have a cold, so this card took me forever to make, nothing seemed to be coming together right, but in the end I actually love it.  The branch is from the Love Nest stamp set and the pine branch & ornament are from the All that Glitters stamp set, both are from Flourishes .  Here are the steps on how I made this card. stamped the branch in close to cocoa stamped the ornament hangers in black stamped the ornaments with Adirondack ink masked the ornaments using Eclipse masking tape stamped the pine branches using Palette ink uncovered the masked images colored in the ornaments with a Copic Marker stamped the sentiment in Adirondack ink added my bow & this baby was done "Joy Christmas Card" recipe: All that Glitters & Love Nest stamp sets from Flourishes LLC, real red cardstock, vintage cream cardstock, rusty pickle designer paper, Palette ripe avocado ink, Adirondack pitch black ink, Copic mark...