Friends & Family Sale at a Keaton Row Retailer Thru 5-2-14

Today, I am sharing a lookbook from a sale at Les Nouvelles, one of the retailers Keaton Row works with.  I love this swimsuit and cover up! Be sure to check out this lookbook with three pages here.

All Regular priced items are all 25% off through May 2, 2014.  Discount price does NOT show up on the Keaton Row site, but IT WILL SHOW UP ON YOUR PURCHASE INVOICE!  Sale items are priced as marked (red letters).

Fashion Friday: Lacey Layered Tops for Summer

Hello again, and welcome to this weeks Fashion Friday!  Today I am featuring a lookbook of Lacey Layered Tops I love!  Wearing a lace top with sleeves is a great idea for those of us who won't wear sleeveless and still want a Summer look and feel!  Think you can't wear a crop top if you don't wear junior sizes?  Just layer it over a cami top (no bikini top option)!   You can find the lookbook here:  https://keatonrow.com/lookbook/5357d724b99629f31e008998/1

Take a look at the price on the black crop top pictured below, it's less than $23.00!  Three of the tops are under $30.00, and two under $50.00

Want to see more of my Keaton Row Daily Deals?  You can follow my KR Bargain board here:

http://www.pinterest.com/clare_dempsey/keaton-row-bargains/

You can follow my Keaton Row Facebook Page here:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clare-Dempsey-Keaton-Row-Personal-Stylist/680458295343827

Or follow me on Twitter using the button on the right hand side of the blog.  My favorite from the collection is this top:  

Since I'm over 40 I would wear it with a cami top underneath!

Happy Easter with FCCB Challenge 207

 Happy Monday and welcome to another Monday challenge!

Challenge #207 Easter or use a Bunny

This Weeks Sponsor

Aurora Wings Etsy Store

Winner will receive $10 in digital images

~This Weeks Challenge~

Easter

Create a project using a bunny or an Easter project

To qualify for the prize, be sure to use at least 1 Cricut cut on your project and if it's not obvious, let us know what cartridge you used.

Inspired Heart (window), New Testament (Angel), Martha Stewart Seasonal Cake Cartridge (Easter)
Aurora Wings (digital Stamp)

I made this card for my Step-Mother-In-Law.  She always sends a beautiful card on the holidays and loves angels!  So, I cut the angel using New Testament, I hand traced the wings on some plastic packaging and embossed it.  Once embossed I used Art Glitter Ultrafine tip and Crystal Ultrafine Transparent glitter.  I used Aurora Wings Hydrangea Sprite Big Eye fairy for the angel and colored it with Copic markers.  I also used flowers from this same digi on a larger scale around the outside of the window.  The widow is cut with Inspired Heart and the Happy Easter is from Martha Stewart Seasonal Cake Cartridge.   For the He is Risen, I use printed this in Microsoft word as I have no Easter stamps.  Below is a close up look at the Angel's face!  I added some of the Art Glitter to add a pop of color and some texture.  

Happy Easter!

Wishing everyone Easter Blessings!  So, thankful for all of holy week!  For more details on this card, please visit my blog tomorrow!  I will list the source for the angel and all of my Cricut Carts for the FCCB weekly challenge.

Tips for the Perfect White Paper Project

Supply List
Art Glitter Ultra Fine Glue Tip
Art Glitter Dries Clear Glue
Art Glitter 85 Crystal Ultrafine Transparent
White Card Stock
White Vellum
Cricut Sweehearts Cartridge
Cricut Damask Décor
Cricut CCR software

One of Clare's all time favorite paper crafting color themes is all white!  It's all about simplicity and texture and there is nothing as elegant!

Here are some tips for working with all white:
1)  Create texture:  use multiple medias such as white card stock, white vellum, ribbon, etc.
2)  Make it pop:  use glitter to highlight areas and make them pop!
3)  Add dimension-use more than one layer by cutting more layers or adding embellishments.

For this card Clare wanted to make a wedding card that was all white for her step sister.  She loves the lacy wedding dress cards, so she decided to make my own. She started with Cricuts Sweetheart Cartridge and  used the card image of the bride.  She added an image from the Cricut Damask Decor and welded it.  She thought the bride needed some head dress, so Clare used another Damask Decor image on her head. 
Clare says you can get this lacy look with any digital cutter, just combine a bride image with a lace image and weld.  Below you can see the two images she combined for her card using the Cricut.  Similar images can be made with a Silhouette, or other cutter.

She backed the cut with plain vellum.  Clare then used the Art Glitter Ultra fine glue tip to high light the vellum and the white paper.  She hoped to achieve the look of re-embroidered lace.  Clare loved the way this turned out!  To finish the head dress, Clare tied a simple bow and glued it to get the look of the veil.  Clare decided to stamp the sentiment inside the card to keep the card look clean.

Thank You's and Client Recruiting Cards

This week I am working on thank you cards for my customers who have placed orders.  Of course my first clients, are my sisters and I have made them some extra special cards.  I am entering this card into the Whiff of Joy Challenge 177:  Use Lace.  The stamp is called Shopping Willow and I tucked a tiny lace doily from CTMH under her.  Can you see the charm?  It says Sweet, so the whole sentiment is "Thank you, you are so sweet."  Don't forget you can distress your lace too!  I love this Shopping Willow and she will be making an appearance on lots of my client cards, and I miss you friend cards.  I'll just suggest we make a shopping date!
Along with thank you's I am making client recruitment cards for my Keaton Row Stylist business.  I want to send out some cards to people who don't have email, or Facebook and still love fashion and let them know what I can do for them.  So, I made up this card using some scraps in the stash and a dress form stamp.  I love the zipper lace trim from CTMH!  The dress form is Inkadinkadoo.

Fashion Friday: Spring Trend Neutrals

Now that I am working in the fashion industry again, I will be blogging on Friday's about Fashion.  Today I am sharing a big trend for Spring 2014:  Neutrals!  I like to add texture to my neutrals for that extra eye catching detail!  I love the geometric details in the white blouse and repeating them in the black purse!  And the pin tucks in the white blouse are such a pretty feminine detail!  I put together this lookbook that would be perfect for 9 to 5:  https://keatonrow.com/lookbook/53480aba908f0db34200f096/1
Deals for this lookbook:  Nude blazer under $30.00!  White blazer $44.00, white geometric blouse under $50.00, pencil skirt just under $34.00 and hand bag is under $50.00!
I love Keaton Row for their great styles, great retailers, free styling services, free shipping to US mainland customers and great return policies!  Don't forget, if you visit me at Keaton Row and request a lookbook in my first 2 month as a stylist (April and May), you will be entered in a drawing for  $25.00 gift cart to spend at any Keaton Row Retailer!  NO purchase necessary to enter or win!  You can find me at Keaton Row here:  https://keatonrow.com/stylist/claredempsey

Try it Tuesday: A Free Fashion Stylist for A Chance to Win!

I am excited to announce I have started a new job as a fashion stylist for Keaton Row!  Keaton Row was created to make the luxury of a personal stylist available to all women.  So, this Try it Tuesday, I am asking you to try my stylist services at Keaton Row!  Be sure to read my entire post to see how you can enter my drawing for a $25.00 gift card. 
As I stylist, I work with clients to add to their personal wardrobes, in their personal styles and within their personal budgets.  I can also shop for gifts for my client's hard to shop for loved ones!  And this service is free for all of Keaton Row's clients!  KR clients pay the same price for their items as they would at the retailer, and the KR stylist is paid a commission from the sale by the retailer.
Here is how Keaton Row styling works: 
1)  Sign up as a Keaton Row client and request me as your stylist.  Here is my profile:  https://www.keatonrow.com/stylist/claredempsey  Be sure to fill out information on how to reach you,  preferred time for contact, and size information.
2)  Request a Lookbook.  Just make a request for an item(s) or an outfit.  I will contact you to discuss your style and your preferences color, pattern, fabrics, and care instructions.
I create a collection of clothing and/or accessories to meet your needs in a photo collage format with links to details about each item.  I send you a link when your Lookbook is finished. The photo at the top of the post is an example of a Lookbook.
3)  Visit your Lookbook or any of my public Lookbooks. Once in the Lookbook you can click on an individual item.  Here is what an individual item screen looks like.

You can get more detail from the pink product link that takes you to the retailer's site.  And you will see that their is truly NO charge for my styling services! 

4)  Check out if you see something you like.  Purchase is not required for a chance to win, please below for drawing details!   Just add the item or items you like in the Lookbook to your shopping cart and checkout.  The client can purchase an item or items with one check out.  So, if you buy multiple pieces from multiple online retailers, you have only one check out.  I love this feature!

Shipping within continental US is free and if you need to make a return, most of our retailer have free return shipping.  Only one of our retailers has a return shipping fee of $10.00, Les Nouvelles.  Refunds are made with in 28-30 days depending on retailer. 

Gift Card Drawing Details
To celebrate my new job, and get my clients excited about having a personal stylist at Keaton Row, I am holding a drawing for a $25.00 gift card.  Anyone who signs up as a client, requests a Lookbook and replies to my Lookbook, will be entered into the drawing for the $25.00 gift card to use at a Keaton Row retailer.  You do NOT NEED to purchase an item!  I just want you to see how I can be your Keaton Row Stylist and how well my Lookbooks suit your requests.  You can reply to me about  your look book via my email address, post to my Facebook page, tweet me, or via the phone.  You can find my public Lookbooks at https://www.keatonrow.com/stylist/claredempsey at any time.

For more information about being a Keaton Row client, visit this link with Frequently Asked Questions:  https://keatonrow.com/learn-more/client-faq

Want to know about becoming a Keaton Row Stylist too?  Visit this link and be sure to tell them I referred you please!  http://blog.keatonrow.com/category/stylists/

Spring Cleaning Challenge at FCCB

 Happy Monday and welcome to another Monday challenge!

Challenge #205 Spring Cleaning

This Weeks Sponsor

Silly Shells Stamp Set

~Design Team Inspiration~

~This Weeks Challenge~

Spring Cleaning

Create a project using a cartridge or cut you have never used before.

To qualify for the prize, be sure to use at least 1 Cricut cut on your project and if it's not obvious, let us know what cartridge you used.

Here is my card for the week:

I used Alphalicious for the oval and the scalloped oval.  I never use this cart, but it came free with my first Cricut.  And I also used Art Booking, it is just too new for me to have had a chance to use it.  The flower stamp is from Mark's Finest and is actually Gladiolas, but I colored them to look like Fuchsias.  Happy Birthday is in the same set from Mark's Finest and the Enjoy and Sending My Love are Close to My Heart.  The pink patterned paper is We R Memory Keepers and the purple patterned paper is DCWV.  I colored my flowers with Copics.  

You might be interested to know that I went through my cartridge book storage drawer and out of over 70 carts, I found only 3 I hadn't used.  Alphalicious, Art Booking and  which I bought for the 3 D Back Pack Gift Box.  I am just not a big font person and Alphalicious is not my favorite font!  I haven't used Art Booking because it is so new!  Okay, those are my excuses and I'm sticking with them!

More Fabulous Flowers with Art Glitter

Supply List
Art Glitter Green Gala Glitz
Art Glitter Gold Gala Glitz
Art Glitter Dries Clear Glue
Art Glitter Ultra Fine Tip
Art Glitter 79 Ultrafine Opaque Black Glitter
Art Glitter92 Ultrafine Transparent Bananan Glitter
Graphic 45 Curtain Call Collection paper (sheet music)
Crate Paper Random Collection Victorian paper (chevron)
Teresa Collins Stationary Noted (Notebook Owl paper & saying)
Dew Drop The Robin's Nest
Zva Creative (yellow swirl bling)
Forever in Time Gem Swirls (green swirl bling)
Jolee's BBK Silver Mini Flowers (flowers on chevron Strip)
Liquid Glass
Copic Markers (R27, YR18, 100, G24, G94)
Coffee Filters
Sizzix Susan's Garden Poppy Die
Black Card Stock
Yellow Card Stock
Green Card Stock
Red Card Stock
Ball Stylus
Tweezers
Cricut (Boy Die cut)

One of Clare's all time favorite flowers is a Poppy.  She has been wanting to make a paper poppy forever, and she finally found a Poppy die she wanted by Sizzix.  She cut three of each petal shape using coffee filters, because she wanted to capture the fragility of the Poppy Petal and make it realistic.  Since she used a die, she cut all three layers in one pass.  She then colored the petals with Copics in YR18 Sanguine, R27 Cardinal Red and 100 Black.  Once the petals were dry, Clare used a ball stylus to shape the petals.  For the center of the poppy, she cut the black and yellow pieces and curled them per the instructions (with a tweezer) that came with the Sizzix Susan's Flower Garden Die and then added Bananan Ultrafine Tranparent glitter using the Art Glitter Ultrafine Glue tip and Art Glitter Dries clear glue.  She used the same method to apply Black Ultrafine Opaque Art glitter to the black center die cut pieces. 

For the very center of the flower she layered a Robin's Nest Dew Drop over the Art Glitter Bananan using the Liquid Glass between the dew drop and the glitter.  This is such a fabulous sparkly look!  On top of the dew drop, Clare used the Art Glitter Ultra Fine tip to add a fine detail of black Art Glitter. 
For the teeny tiny bling flowers on the rhinestone bling, Clare used a few grains from the Art Glitter Gala Glitz, Gold Gala Glitz for the green flower center, and Green Gala Glitz for the yellow flower center.  

 

 

She loves that she can't get add such a pretty tiny finishing detail with Art Glitter products!  The Green Gem Swirl was getting lost on the black Graphic 45 patterned paper, so to make it stand out a bit more, Clare used the Art Glitter Ultrafine Glue tip and Green Gala Glitz.  This is a great way to add more weight to an embellishment and sparkle!

Here is another tip Clare loves to use: match your colors perfectly by using your markers!  The boy die cut and the Crate Paper were not exact matches to the orange red of the poppy, so Clare used the same Copics she used in the Poppy to color the die cut and the paper a bit to match and pull the whole page together!

To see more of Clare's work, please visit her blog Cricutcraftyclare.BlogSpot.com.