Tag, you're it ;- )

     Well, for the Creative Freebie Challenge at The Outlawz, I decided to due another tag, especially with the Christmas Party being tomorrow. It would have been done yesterday, except for needing to let the glitter glue dry. Then today, a piece went missing :- p Kind of figures, doesn't it ;- ) So after searching for way too long, I remembered that the DCWV Christmas Stack (which all of the papers are from) has another sheet with the element on it and just re-did it. The image is from Sandi Huggett and you can find Sandi's work at Sandi's Samples here. I used Diamond Stickles on the candy canes, Sparkly Fluff on the top, heel and toe of the stocking,  Perfect Pearls on the body of the stocking. I applied a line of Crayola Pip Squeak glitter on the line between the  papers and glitter gel pen to the gift box that was cut out from the DCWV paper. There is also white gel pen added to the NOEL. The stocking image was printed twice and popped up. I'm not sure whose the holographic snowflakes are, because the company name is cut off of the package > . >

     I was out decorating for the birds, ha ha ;- ) and ... 

     The sun is setting way, way to early and it's way to far south :- ( 

     Well, back to work for me. Thanks for dropping in. Drop in over at the Outlawz and join the next round of the Freebie Challenge. Check it out here. Please leave a comment before you go. It means so much to me to hear from you ;- ) Have a wonderful weekend!

Summer wedding

     If the days are longer, how come there isn't enough time to do all of the summer things I like to do? What about lazy, summer days? They seem to be busy, busy, busy and there always seems to be more that I wanted to get done. Today's card fought with me on design and papers and elements, but finally... I won, ha! I used digital stamps on the front and inside. That was my starting point. I've had the files for awhile, unfortunately the only thing it said was PINweddingcouple. I couldn't find it with a search and I don't know where I got them so, I'm afraid I can't properly give credit for these lovely images. I cut the image with nesties, inked it with Concord Distress ink, added clear glitter gel pen (flower centers and the word LOVE) and matted it with pearlized black Bazzill card stock. All the pattern papers are Basic Grey Wisteria. I took light lavender card stock and stamped it with flower stamps using Perfect Medium and brushed it with pearl Perfect Pearls, to give it some interest (I also added so Perfect Pearls to the oval with the Bride and Groom and gave the plain card stock a slightly pearlized finish - it doesn't really show in the photo). I stamped ribbon from Michaels with Fresh Snow ink from Paper Trey, the sentiment is from Clear Stamps and added flower brads from Recollections topped with black pearls.

Click photo to enlarge

     On the inside, is the second image and more papers from the Wisteria collection. I used Photo Shop to edit both images using replace color to make the image more purple (it was originally greyish-brown). I added the text here as well. I used a new font, for me, called Black Rose. This is the script font that the names are in. It is a bit fancy for the more modern look of the card, but I liked it and wanted to use it anyway ;- ) It is a free font and you can find it by doing an internet search. The other font is Brush Script MT which is a standard font.

Click photo to enlarge

     What would I do differently? I'm probably too close to this one now to answer that >.<  I am going to enjoy the wedding though ;- )

     Thanks so much for stopping by, using up some of your precious summer time. Please leave a comment before you run on to picnicking,  swimming, sailing, smelling the flowers and just enjoying the day with you kids. Your comments do mean a lot to me.

Hats off to the graduates!

    Well despite the rain, I did get my last window box potted today and made 2 cards. The puppy and I decided to plant between the raindrops, but of course as soon as we got out, it started drizzling again. It was a good thing that I got that new window box, because as I was scooping the stones out of it, I suddenly saw the top of my table through what should have been the bottom of the old window box, Yikes!

 The first card is the same as the graduation card that I posted earlier. I did like how it turned out and I know the mother of the graduate I was making the 2nd one for liked it too, so I made the same one for her daughter.

     For the directions for this easel card, click here. The second card is for another girl from the same school, so I've used the same school colors. The pennants were made with the Martha Stewart Seasonal Cake Art cart. I used a lime green Sharpie marker to draw the green line down the center of the yellow middles of the banner to add more interest and the green backgrounds were embossed with Swiss Dots. The 2011 was done on the Gypsy with Plantin Schoolbook. The brads are Painted Brads from Recollections and the ribbon is Class Act (2010) from TPC Studio (I believe the have the same style this year too). The grad cap is an embellishment from Jolee. The background paper is from Paper Studio's Graduation Paper Pack (the same as I used for the other cards).
 

     I haven't done the inside of this card as I usually do, because I haven't decided how I'm going to finish it yet, so I wasn't sure which paper to use on the inside.

     I think the rose card is still my fav, though this is a nice change of pace. I tried a number of different things on the yellow part of the banners, but didn't have stamps small enough to fit on them. Looking at it now, I'm thinking that cap might need some perfect pearls on the edges to give it some bling and more dimension (though it is 3d in person ;- ). 

     Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment so that I know you were here. Your 2 cents means very much to me. Have a great and blessed rest of the week.

Graduation season, too!

     Aaarragh! I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted.  It's been crazy. We've picked up my son from college. He survived his freshman year! Yahooo! I've been lunching and visiting with friends with whom I've needed to catch up. Had to work on photos for the bulletin board honoring the confirmands at our Church (after doing the board totally for Good Friday and then totally over again for Easter, it needed to be re-done with the items I made to honor them). I am responsible for the board with the help of my tall, long-armed husband.

     At the confirmation, (it was split into 2 ceremonies this year- long story) my husband takes the photos and then I am responsible for editing them. I then,  put them onto a disk and each family receives one. So, this has all kept me very busy.
     I started this graduation card and kept working on it in small bits. It's not very detailed, but I would decide what I would do and then get to that one thing the next day. It was so disjointed, but I really like this easel card. There is no sentiment yet, because I haven't decided which graduate is getting this one. I have 6 total to do and I think only 2 may look like this one.  The rose is from the Walk In My Garden cart, done in her school colors. The oval and scalloped oval were done with nesties and I can't remember which cart the graduation cap was from. It was left over from some favor boxes, I made for my son's graduation last year. If you are interested, just leave a note and I will check the file in Design Studio and see which cart it's from.  The paper is from Paper Studio's Graduation Paper pack.

     I used a Perfect medium pen and Perfect Pearls in, (I believe) Sunflower, to accent the rose. I did the same with green Perfect Pearls on the leaves and stem. (Click the photo to see a larger image.) I used a white opaque pen on the word "grad".
     What would I do differently? I've thought about it a lot, since this card was done so helter skelter. I considered outlining the word "grad" with black gel pen, but my hand is not that steady. You could use a different outline method on the flower, such as stickles. I like the clean and uncluttered look of this card though. What do you think?
     Thanks for stopping by and spending some of your precious time on my blog. Please leave a comment. It is very rewarding to me, to know that you were here. Have a Blessed week.

Altered Easter Gift

     Today I worked on an altered project. For Christmas, I had made my friend's 3 daughters, altered items, because I'm not allowed to buy them Christmas gifts anymore. I was suppose to stop when each one reached 21. Well, that's just no fun. I don't have much family and they are like family to me, so at first I bought the oldest giant Hershey bars, because they were her favorite and didn't cost much. Then, after 2 of them were 21 and the 3rd seemed to think those Hershey bars looked awfully good, I started making them all gifts and giving them all Hershey bars and the youngest also got bought gifts, for Christmas, birthday and Easter. Now, all 3 are over 21, so I try to think of something to make, if I have time. I may start making a special gift for 1 and rotating, but this past Christmas I had a plan for 3 altered items, but time got in the way and I realized I'd only finish 2 per, so I figured I could give them the 3rd for Easter. For Christmas, each got a post-it note holder with a mini-sharpie and a purse-sized calendar (I found them at Michael's for $1 and they were extremely nice inside) with a pen to match. Each set is different. Here is the one for the middle girl, whose Easter gift I worked on today.

Sorry, the photos are so bad, but I had finished them so close to delivery time, 

I'd forgotten to take pictures and DH took these there,

 after they were opened with his camera phone.

     Today's item is a jr. legal pad. The heart is from the Storybook cartridge, as is the corner flourish. Today's pictures are a bit better, but you can't see that I added perfect pearls to the heart to give it some shimmer. I didn't want to add glitter, because I didn't want it coming off on her. I can't remember what the paper was, because I put the leftovers aside, so I would be sure to have them to make the final project. If you are interested, just leave me a note and I will look harder. I used a white cardstock cover, because the patterned card stock for this set was too thin and I didn't have enough of the fuchsia (it is Core'dinations) to make a cover. I'm not sure I would have wanted that anyway, but that's water under the bridge.

The top paper is more of a lightish sandy-yellow than the very yellow

it appears in the photo above this one.

Inside

Back

     What would I do differently? well, I might have heat embossed the heart. I had done that on the other parts of the set. Also, I would have used the lighter color for the heart on the inside. I glued it before trying it on for size and really didn't like it, but it was too late. I had made sets like these for the secretarial staff at our Church, as a secret gift, only using composition notebooks instead of the jr. legal pads. They were also made with 4 different themes (we have 4 secretaries) and 4 different paper color collections. I may post them at the end, when I finish all 3 jr. legal pads. Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment, they mean so much to me. Have a blessed week.

Bunny hopping for the guys.

     Well, I finished the card for the male college students on my list.  I basically just changed the colors on the front and used a different paper on the inside.

   Compare to the card for the gals from last post.

     If you hadn't read the earlier post, the pockets are for packets of Fun Dip. I've known these students since at least kindergarten. Most of them went to grammar school with my son.

     I thought I'd show you the background paper I made,  since you can't really see it with the images on the card. It's a great idea when you need paper and plain colored paper just won't do. Info in previous post (the boy's is gold perfect pearls however.)

     I've finished them all, up to the point of the water coloring. I have to mention that these Bugaboo bunnies are very mischievous. My husband cut out the bunnies (I was tired of cutting out black rectangles myself) and by the time he got upstairs to my craft room, 14 of the bunnies had disappeared. I know I had cut and scored all of the card bases ahead of time, so I could just assemble them all and when the time came, 5 bases were missing. I had the 2 1/2 inches of cardstock that was cut off of them, but they were nowhere to be found. <.< Very suspicious. I wonder were the bunnies put the cardstock and what they plan on doing with it?  Here is a photo of all of the finished cards together.

     Again, a special thanks goes to Creating in Carolina for the original idea. Today she has another cute card on her blog and a free jelly bean svg.  I'd also like to mention that Letraset is having a give-away, where you can win all 3 Promarker blending sets. Check out the details at this  Going Buggy post. Enfys always has some great inspiration on her blog too.

     Thanks for stopping by. Please, leave a comment if you have time. They really mean a lot. Have a week filled with joy and creativity!

Casing a Bunny ;- )

     Well this one, owes a special shout out to Carolina Girl, over at Creating in Carolina. She had such a fun card on her blog and I was just stuck on what to make for the college students for Easter. Sooo I cased her idea. You can see her card here. It just put such a smile on my face. I went and a bought the stamps from Bugaboo Stamps. I had found Fun Dip at Walmart last week and thought it would be fun to send the college students, in the pocket card, like I made for them before with a packet of cocoa.   It would bring back memories, from when most of them were in grammar school together. You can find the directions for making the pocket card here.

     I made the background papers, using Perfect Medium and a stamp by Studio G, then I added Perfect Pearls Opal, one row at a time. When the whole piece was done,  I spritzed some water into the air with a mini mister and ran the card stock through it. The Bugaboo bunny stamps were sized and colored in PhotoShop Elements 3. I noticed while looking at the picture, that this card has the one square, I missed coloring 2 of the dots. I'll have to fix that <.<

The sentiment is another  Studio G stamp and the sticker is from Sticko. The inside has paper that I had leftover, from covering large Hershey bars, for the daughters of one of my friends at Easter last year. Very handy! The sentiment is a Studio G stamp, embossed and I used my nestibilities. The stamp under the candy is from Craftsmart.

    
     The guy's version will be a bit different and I'll post it, when I get one finished. One done, 8 more to go ;- )  What would I do differently? Well, I wouldn't have used the bunny with the unpainted dots ;- ) My sunrise may look a bit like a sunset.  I did think about glossing there noses, but there are too many of them. Maybe if I was doing one card.  Nothing else, because I'm too close to it and have 9 to do total.
What do you think?

     Thanks again to Carolina Girl. Check out her great work, (the link was above and is also on my right margin.)  I just peeked over there and she's offering a free SVG, that's available for 5 days.  Thanks for stopping by and please comment if you have time. They really mean more than you know.

Flowers... Sort Of.

      Well, we're finally heading into the weekend. Today I don't have a card, though I did have to make one more of those easy Thank-you cards, that are 2 posts earlier, for the Elders to sign, to be sent to the confirmation teachers at our Church. Evidently, my adding skills aren't what they use to be :P So, after that I finished up the daffodil I started yesterday. I had used the SVG that Penny Duncan had created. Hers turned out beautifully.  To view Penny's tutorial and/or get her SVG click here. Here is a photo of her finished flowers.

     Now I have created the Beginner cards cultivar variety of the daffodil. I did not have the correct color of re-inker to get yellow, so mine are orange. Also, I just did the flower part, because I didn't have the right wire or florist tape, but here you have my first try (my Expression needs a new blade, but I knew this was just a first attempt).

     So, not too bad. I had inked the edges, but the color blended in. I meant to try a brown before taking the photo, but I didn't. There is gold perfect pearls on the flower, but it doesn't show up well. I have some time to practice before Easter. 
  
    The other thing I tried today was Cosmo Cricket's Glubers. Now if you don't know what a Gluber is, it's a giant (in this case 2 inches), glue dot. It enables you to more easily make large fabric, ribbon and even paper flowers.  I had some fabric I won in a quilt hop, so I thought I'd try that. It is cream with a small white pattern, which is hard to see after I rolled it, for the flower. I set embellishments on it for the photo, to show a possibility, but I won't decorate it until I know what project I'm going to use it on. I might also be able to dye it with ink. I have a test piece of fabric drying overnight.

     I had made a trip to a different Michaels today, to look for a new quilling board. I found that Michaels is clearancing out what little quilling supplies they have. No boards, but I did pick up some quilling paper. I can't find my board (looking for it has been a major time eater for a few days now) and haven't quilled in years, but I have taken out some books from the library and would like to use it to make some card embellishments. As soon as I get a 40% coupon for Hobby Lobby and some time, you may be seein some of those creations here. The Michaels I was at had a lot of clearance items. They had a bunch of regular ribbon for $1, and I got my favorite guy paper pad from Basic Grey, Granola for $4.99 (12x12). Picked up some $1 stamps and some clearance embellishments and then had to hurry, because I promised DS I'd only be 5-10 minutes and he was waiting in the car. Got a partial save because DH came in to use the bathroom and then he went to the Office Max, so I knew I had a few more minutes, though I still heard that it took me more than 5 min ;- )


     I had planned on doing more this evening, but then the news came on and well, I wasn't much into crafting after watching the video from Japan. My mind was a bit distracted. So please offer up a prayer for the people there and be sure to hug your loved ones..... again. Thanks for sharing your time with me. Your comments keep me going. Have a blessed weekend.

Imagine card for 2 year old boy

     Well, I thought I wouldn't get today's card finished, phew ;- ) Right in the middle of it, DH and I had to finish up the taxes, in order to finish the forms for next years college financial aid. At least this time DH, started out in my guest chair and I was able to do two things at once, but about 1/2 way through, he took over my desk and that caused card making to grind to a halt. We eventually finished the taxes, but then the cranky printer needed some coaxing to print out the inside sentiment, before I could call the card finished and take it's lovely photo.
     Here are the directions for today's card. I used the Imagine and Nursery Tales. The background is one of the patterns from the cart, cut in a 5 1/4 inch square, that I then  cut to to 5 1/4 X 4 on the paper cutter (I sure wish Provo Craft had realized that this was an important ratio and included it).  I used the bunny on the mushroom image cut in layers at 4 1/2 inches.  I cut a Nursery Tales pattern circle at 1 inch and one at .8 inches, as well as a number "2" from the Birthday Blast cart that I filled with the pattern from Nursery Tales that I used in the background paper, cutting it at .8 inches.  I added 1/16 in. high dimensionals to the second layer of mushrooms and the number "2." I used 1/8 in. high dimensionals to the bunny and the flower.  I added the butterfly from the layer of the bunny image and attached to the number "2." I also cut out a sentiment from Birthday Bash, which was on page 25, (the main image is a birthday cake) and was the shifted sentiment on that page. I filled it with a light green color from Nursery Tales. I used glitter pens to add accents, as well as adding Judi Kins Diamond Glaze, on the large mushroom and Perfect Pearls on most of the images to give them some sparkle (hard to see in the photos, but very nice in person). I used Martha Stewart brown flocking on the cattail.

 This photo kind of shows the Perfect Pearls. Click on photos for a larger view.

This photo shows a close-up of some of the details.

     The inside, is matted with the dark patten, cut on the Imagine at 5 1/4 square inches and recut to 5/14 X 4 inches and a light green pattern cut on the Imagine at 5 inches square and recut to 5 x 3 3/4 inches (both from Nursery Tales). I made a digital sentiment in PrintShop, using the font SNF Jester Curls and cut it to 4 3/4 x 3 1/2 inches, adding images of the bunny, flower and butterfly all cut at 4 inches relative.

     What would I do different? I should have rounded the corners, at least the two, right ones. I don't like how the pens looked on the flower and I should have just added the Perfect Pearls and used a Viva Decor Pearl Pen for the center or a gem. Well, I'm glad you were able to stop by and am always excited when you leave comments. Thanks for sharing your valuable time with me. Have a great week!

Cocoa Pocket Card

     I have nine college students, who live away from home, that I try to send a little love. I planned for the next card to be a pocket card that would hold a packet of cocoa. (Who knew it would warm up in the midwest.) I looked around the internet, but most of  the ones I found were more box size, or just over size. I really wanted to stay with an A2 card, if I could, so I designed one my self. While choosing my papers, I realized I had 2 designs. One for the males and one for the females. Today, I show you the one I made for the females, since that's the only I've done ;- ) I have three to make for them.

     To start I  cut the paper 5 1/2 inches by 11 inches. Then I scored it at the 2 1/2 inch point and the 6 3/4 inch point. I then rounded the corners. The second photo shows how it will look when it is folded up.

     I then choose a pink paper from Paper Studios Pastel Cardstock Pack for the bottom mat and cut it to 5 1/4 x 4 inches. The next mat is a pattern cardstock with glitter and texture, that came from a JoAnn exclusive, they had the Christmas before last called Peppermint Forest. It was cut at 5 x 3 3/4 inches. I used my nestabilities to cut the large scalloped oval and stamped it, with the sledding polar bears from Inkadinkado's Clear Stamps Christmas Characters and also, the sentiment from the same set. The image was stamped with Papertrey's Enchanted Evening Ink and the sentiment with Colorbox's Enchantment Aqua Ink. I colored the snowflakes and the swirls in the image with Gelly Roll Clear Star. The clothing on the bears and sled were colored with Steadtler  Watercolor Pencils and also some highlights on the scarf with the Gelly Roll and the hat with a White Glaze Pen. The black on the bears (nose and eyes) is a Glaze Pen and a used Copic Markers BG10 to shade the bears and B00 to give some definition to the snow and add a base to the image. I also inked it with Broken China Distress Ink.

     On the in inside, I cut a different piece of glitter, embossed cardstock from Peppermint Forest for the front of the cocoa pocket. I planned the cuts to get the images from the paper. I cut a 1 x 2 1/2  inch rectangle of the pink paper, and rounded the corners. I then used my ATG gun to tape the sides of the pocket up. I used Versamark Dazzle and a small snowflake from the Inkadoo stamp set and randomly stamped the paper, then I stamped it with a sentiment from Hero Arts Big Hugs in Tsunkinako Black Ink. Each one of these cards is a bit different inside, due to the different characters on the paper. I didn't pop up the image on the front, due to the fact that the cocoa, already makes it tight in the envelope, however, on the inside I popped up the sentiment, since it's at the bottom and below the the bulge made from the cocoa. Unfortunately, I was out of 1/16 inch pop dots, but I'm thrifty, so I cut up the surrounding paper and used that. Shown below.

     The sentiment label was inked, except for one. That was the first one I put on when I was scrambling around to find my pop dots and so I forgot to ink that one. I get distracted by one thing and forget what I meant to do, hate that.  I decided I should make tags to go in the pockets with a personal note for each one. I stamped a tag with Big and Bossy using a grouping of snowflakes stamp and filling in with the small snowflake stamp and embossed it with White Embossing Powder. My plan was to spritz it using a mini-mister filled with Turquoise Perfect Pearls, water and Broken China Re-Inker. I found that one of my mini-misters is not a mister but a mini-jet sprayer! Well, that was interesting. I dealt with that and the first tag, which is too dark, but I'll live with it . I filled a new mister and did the other 2 tags and also added Worn Lipstick Distress Ink to the tags and wiped off the excess from the embossed areas.

I added Martha Stewart twine and will write a note on the back of this one and creatively on the front of the others.

     So, there you go, 3 card down and 6 more to go. They will probably be basically the same, but with different papers, but who knows. We will see where creativity leads that day. What would I do differently? Well, I am thinking of looking for snowflake buttons for the front yet or buttons in coordinating colors. With a total of 9 cards I didn't want to get too detailed or difficult.  I think I might have papered the inside of the pockets. I also might have embossed 1 or both of the sentiments, again trying to keep it fast. Thanks for coming back and looking. Drop me a word about how you see things. 

Finally, a card with a new technique.

     I mentioned in the post from January 24th, that I started one way with this card ended up somewhere else and here is the story. I started with one idea,  then I ran across some vellum sentiments that I liked, so that started pushing the card in a very black and white way. Then I found some paper which was very graphic. I'm writing this from downstairs and without going upstairs to my craft room, the memory has gotten a bit hazy already of all the elements, but when  showed the total to DH he really didn't like the main paper, which had become a focus for me. I had even tried to force the vellum sentiment to fit into one of the rounded black rectangle shapes with a white inside. Basically, the paper was all rectangles in black and white. Very bold. I stepped back and realized this wasn't where I'd meant to go in the beginning at all and now I was forcing it.
     That evening, going through blogs, I saw the main, original idea sparked again on Lucy Abrams blog. Now, the next morning, when I confidently went to execute this great idea, it dawned on me, I think I used those elements on her daughters wedding card, this past summer :- ( I went to check my photo library and there was no photo of her daughters card. It is one of the 3 or 4 that I forgot to photograph.   >.<   Well, I can't chance that, so time for a new idea. Looking around my table there is a stamp I've wanted to use, but haven't had the time to really play with, with some techniques that I wanted to try. AHA!
     So here goes. I took the Hero Arts Starry Night stamp and inked it with all Ranger Inks in Dusty Concord, Chipped Sapphire, Faded Jeans,  Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw, Fired Brick and Worn Lipstick. I then spritzed the stamp with some water and added Perfect Pearls. The first example, was my first try, and I didn't think I had used quite enough water, because my mini mister was running out, so the edges didn't blend as much as I would have liked. In the second one you can see, I overcompensated ;- ) Then I got better in the third, but I had used too much Perfect Pearls (might have had something to do with opening it upside down and not wanting to waste any) and so it blocked the transfer of the ink in spots, especially on the setting sun. On trying to repair that, I smeared it. I can recover it by cutting off the snow and adding that part separate or backing it in white. I decided I liked the effect of the first one after all and will hold on to the other two for something else (probably use the second one to punch something out of or as backing paper). You can't see the pearls in the photos, but it gave it a nice iridescence.

Here is the front.

  
     Both the blue and grey papers are from Core'dinations Super Assortment from Hobby Lobby. I used Viva Decor's Holo Iridescent Glitter Liner on the snow and some of the branches, as well as Gelly Roll Clear Star pen on the stars. The font is the Word Art from Gypsy Wanderings and it has a shadow. I had difficulty deciding on the size because it's shown with the Happy over Birthday, but they are not attached and I needed them side by side. I started an 1.25 inches and I believe I finally cut it at 2 inches. Trial and error all the way. I used a pearl to dot the I. Another thing you can't see is I ran the white sentiment through my Xyron and added Martha Stewart Crystal Fine Glitter.

     The inside is the same papers with a digital sentiment. I used Snell bd Bold for the main font and Snowcaps for the "B"'s and "P". I then added Glitter Liner to the tops of the capitol B's and P. The embellishments are Silver Holographic Snowflakes, but the top of the envelope was gone, so I'm not sure whose they are. What would I do differently? I'd probably put the Happy and the Birthday closer together on the front. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with this card. Let me know what you think. Thanks for spending some of you very precious time with me.