Look Ma, I'm on the TV!

A bit late with this, but back in April, Martha Stewart had an all-Etsy show where the entire audience body was made up of Etsy sellers and segments featured Etsy seller how-to's and an Etsy employee fashion show.

I happened to appear on the show and officially crossed two things off my bucket list:

• Be on TV
• Meet Martha

I was over on the SEI blog yesterday sharing a layout that documented my experience using the lovely SEI Mayberry collection.

Materials Used: SEI Mayberry Collection

Thank you, Etsy!

Thanks for stopping by!

- KRAFTY pearl

Embody + Quick Acrylic Paint How-to

I love designing my own layouts, but I also really love playing with sketch challenges. I enjoy the challenge of making the sketch mine... incorporating my design style and interpreting it with my own twist.

For what I had in mind, I rotated the Kaisercraft May #1 Saturday Sketch by 90 degrees clockwise. Here's the rotated sketch:

Inspired by the Kaisercraft Saturday Sketch, super cute Paper Smooches Boob Tubes stamp set, and photos of my mom and I as complete mirror images when we were toddlers, I created this layout titled "embody". I love these pics of us because I embody all of her facial expressions and mannerisms. I am my mother's daughter. :)

Here's a closer look at the heart pennant banner:

The hearts are one of my favorite parts about this layout. I love the varying shades of pink! If you're interested in making your own painted heart embellishments, here's a really simple tutorial.

You'll need: KaiserColour acrylic paint, Kaisercraft paint brush and punched pattern paper

I love KaiserColour acrylic paints!

1. Punch out hearts from different pattern papers
2. Using a paint brush, lightly paint the hearts. Be light-handed so don't over-saturate the heart and cover the original pattern on the paper
3. Let dry and affix to your layout!

Used: Kaisercraft pattern papers, Kaisercraft KaiserColour acrylic paints in Pretty Pink, Candy and Hot Pink, Paper Smooches Boob Tubes stamps, Close To My Heart alphabet stamps, EK Success heart Paper Shaper, Me & My Big Ideas rhinestone stickers, Wilton doily

This layout so happens to meet this week's Creating Keepsakes challenge to tell the story on one page. I'm all about single page layouts! :)

So whaddaya think?

Thanks for looking!
- KRAFTY pearl

Thanks for linking:

• Get Your Craft On! Tuesday
• Making Monday Marvelous
• Craft-O-Maniac Monday

My Little Shoebox & Two Peas!

I love My Little Shoebox papers so I was happy to learn that Two Peas is running a MLS challenge and I thought, why not give the challenge a try! The Harmony collection reminded me of my small Momiji doll collection and inspired to create this layout, 'my sweet momiji collection'.

Used in this layout: My Little Shoebox papers, cardstock, tag, and alphabet stickers. Martha Stewart punches and glitter. Fiskars trimmer and fingertip detail knife. Offray ribbon from Michael's.

Here's a closer look: I added glitter to the MLS tag to give it a pop of shimmer and dimension.

By cutting down the height of some of the alphabet stickers, I gave it a less contrived and rigid look. I used Martha Stewart punches (love them) to create border strips and took the heart remnants to create a trail of hearts.

By stamping a polka dot background in a light pigment ink, I subtly lightened and added dimension to the paper. I also hand cut clouds and trimmed with light glitter.

So whaddaya think?

P.S. For too long, I have put off posting and sharing my layouts, so one of my goals for 2011 is just to share some of my work and ideas with the friends, family and other craft lovers like me, starting with this blog and my Two Peas gallery.

- KRAFTY pearl

Yummy Brookies & Perfect Kraft Goodie Boxes

What is a brookie? Well, brookies are the best combination of sweet yummy goodness that has a delicious crisp cookie aroma with a softy and gooey chewy brownie center!

brookie = brownie + cookie!

I had clipped the Clinton Street Baking Company's brookie recipe back in November last year from Daily Candy. I then pulled it out during Christmas weekend and gave it a go with my very special someone...because it just seemed so appropriate to have cookies, or shall I say brookies, out for Santa.

The recipe is quite simple which is why it first made the cut into my recipe clippings pile. (I don't have a lot of time so I like simple!) I've always wanted to bake but it wasn't until that eventful evening that I decided (with much encouragement and support) to give the baking thing a try. Since then, I've been perfecting the recipe as well as making small adjustments to make it just right for my own personal taste.

And so this past weekend, I decided to bake these sweet treats as a big big thank you to a very special someone's very generous sister. I picked up the Martha Stewart Goodie Box Combo kit a few months ago waiting for the perfect occasion to use them! Here's the finished product:

The kit is awesome because it comes with everything you would need to package all your small sweet treats - boxes, label stickers, ribbons, tissue paper, and baker's twine.

I decided to top off the box with a pretty fuschia 1" ribbon to match the colors of the accompanying card I made. I love Kate's Paperie satin ribbons for their selection of vibrant jewel tones and various widths!

I even had enough from the brookie batch to spread the sweet goodness to a friend celebrating her 21st birthday :) and a neighbor 'just because'. I presented them in another box size in the kit and finished it off with baker's twine and a label sticker used here as a seal:

So whaddaya think?

- KRAFTY pearl

ReMarthable Martha!

Back in 2008, I had the pleasure of joining a bunch of scrapbookers at the Martha Stewart show when she first introduced her brand of scrapbooking and crafts products. Today, I had the pleasure of being a guest of a guest again and it was awesome of course!

Today's Martha Stewart show featured the launch of the Simply ReMarthable contest, gorgeous Japanese flower arrangements by Kenji Takenaka , and a meatless roasted tomato lasagna recipe from Brucie's owner, Zahra Tangorra. Lastly, also featured a 'Tangled' birthday party invite how-to created with the use of Martha's 'punch around the page' punch.

Always an awesome day to be able to be in the presence of awesomeness! Here are some pics:

Gorgeous flowers (mostly sweet peas in all colors!):


Gorgeous Martha on her awesome set:

Until the next post!
- KRAFTY pearl