World Of Michael Trent

Happy Saturday everyone.  I've been spending the last few days making Valentine's Day cards for the blog.  Today, I might even make a shaker card [insert a gasp here].  I am not a fan of shaker cards but, maybe, after I make two for my nieces, I will change my mind.  LOL The inspiration for today's card came from a card by Jen del Muro for Reverse Confetti .   I loved how the scalloped Love Note Confetti Cut worked with the embossed cardstock over it.  Click HERE to see their original blog post.   To make my card -   (1) make the card base.  Round two of the corners.   (2) using the scallop die cut, cut a piece of red cardstock and adhere to card front.  Trim left edge.  Die cut the next size down with white cardstock.  Emboss with your favorite heart embossing folder (I used Heart Blocks by Cuttlebug) and adhere to red cardstock. Trim left edge.   (3) using the Hearts Die, cut some of...

With the New Year comes new resolutions. But since that word never really worked for me in the past, I am going to change it to "goals". So one of my goals for 2015 is to send some   of the cards I make to people!!  I mean put them in an envelope, address the envelope, put stamps on it, and put it in the mail. You would think, with all the cards I make that would just happen automatically.  But it doesn't and I really don't know why.  I know, I am bad!!   To get me moving in the right direction, I am finally making a few birthday cards using the "Inlaid" technique I have seen done over the past year.  I really think this was the biggest trend of 2014  and I have wanted to give it a try.  And, since I am making a few for myself, I thought I would turn it into a step by step for those people that want to see how it's done.   As you can see from the photo at the top, using this die allowed me to make 7 cards at once!   Step ...

Good morning everyone!  Well Summer is in full swing here!  It has been over 100F for over two weeks now.  I am not complaining.  It is Brasil.  And it is Summer.  I just wish the air would move!  I have not used the hot water in the shower for a few weeks now since the cold comes out warm!  My only concerns are the water for the animals and I put ice cubes in their bowls to chill the water.  They are not moving much anyway.  LOL Poor Sasha cooling off on her back and praying for a breeze! As for the pups...they are getting BIG!  Next week they will be 2 months old and we have started to look for new homes for them.  Our very good friend Mara, and her daughter Barbara, decided early on that they wanted Whiskey!  Very happy about that since black dogs are harder to get adopted than lighter colored ones.  The vet stopped by they other day and gave them all their first set of shots.  She also told us...

Happy Birthday To Me! Hello everyone!  Just having some fun with the subject line of my post today.  I have turned 50 - but I am not freaking out over it. Honestly, I feel better at 50 than I did at 49!  LOL Sorry I have not posted anything in a few weeks.  My friend Eleni - who I know for over 30 years - came all the way from Houston, Texas for the holidays and to help me celebrate the big 50!  Also, unlike in the USA, the holidays here in Brasil mean that things slow down, stores and restaurants close, and people go on a month long vacation. Especially in our small town! It's been quiet and so has my blog!  I hope everyone had an amazing holiday, that you got great art supplies, stencils, boxes of dark chocolate double stuff Oreos, and maybe a puppy! Wishing everyone a fantastic 2015!!!   I did not get many presents for my birthday - at my request - but I did get the BEST Birthday Card EVER !!!  My BFF, Sue Macken, made me this car...

Hello everyone.  Today is a double whammy day.  I have the above Hanukkah card here on my blog and two other cool, mixed media type of Hanukkah cards on StencilGirl's blog!  3 cards in 1.   Please click HERE  or the photo below to check out the other two cards (but not until you check out this card first - LOL). The cards look like a lot of work - but they aren't.  But I do love the colors and the designs.   Step by Step: 1.  Cut the dark blue cardstock for card base.  Cut silver cardstock and adhere to dark blue cardstock.  Set aside. 2.  On a piece of scrap white cardstock, trace 1 of the large "candles" and 8 of the smaller "candles" from the Shattered stencil. I suggest using a pencil to trace and then go back with a permanent marker afterwards. Using the different elements on the Shattered stencil, design each of the "candles" with a pencil.  Then trace with the permanent Marker. Then ...

Hello everyone.  Are you looking for a one of a kind, fantastic piece of art for a holiday gift?  Or are you the type that loves to just help out for important causes?   Well there is an amazing auction going on that was started by the fantastic  Jessica Sporn  -  to help raise awareness about  female genital mutilation and to help bring an end to this ceremony imposed on young girls.  All proceeds from this auction will be donated to  http://www.pastoralist-child-foundation.org/ , an organization devoted to educating and empowering girls with vital information needed to resist FGM and forced early marriages, and to adopt safe and peaceful Alternative Rites of Passage to womanhood. There are currently 47 pieces in this auction including books, clothing, jewelry, and amazing pieces of art by some very very talented artists including Jessica Sporn, Jodi Ohl, Ronda Palazzari, Kirsten Reed, Judy Shea, Dina Wakely, Franc...

Gosh, I meant to do this post last Friday. Where does the time go?  Anyway, while all of my American friends and family were having feasts for Thanksgiving and, since this is not a holiday that is celebrated here and we have no one to celebrate with, we went shopping.  If you are a crafter, you probably know the Kaisercraft brand.  If you are not a crafter, Kaisercraft is an Australian company that manufactures small craft items made from wood, as well as stencils, papers, stamps and more.  But they are really known for their wood products.   We have a town about 20 minutes away, called Pedreira , which is also known for their stores selling MDF wooden products.  Pedreira probably has over 200 different stores just selling MDF products that range from small little dollhouse pieces all the way up to pieces of furniture. Some of the stores are small little shops and others are huge warehouses.  It's crazy!!  Arts and crafts is huge h...