Sunday, May 30, 2010

Birthday Invite



This is my grand-daughter's 4Th Birthday party invite. I finished it yesterday, and her mom said that she liked it, so this is what will be in production starting today. I wasn't sure how many she would need, so I needed to use only supplies I have in large quantities, or supplies I can easily obtain. Yes, this invite is mass produce-able. At the present count, my daughter needs 30. Yeah, I'll have them all done by Friday. It's only 30! It looks like alot, but actually when you start making them, it does go pretty fast. The trick is not to make individual cards. Cut all the card stock first. Stamp everything on the card stock pieces next. Then add the little stuff. For instance, all the butterflies will be die cut, then I will add adhesive to them, dip them (usually 3-4 at a time) into flock, and they will all dry during the same time. The crowns will be stamped on scrap card stock from the castle pieces, then all punched, then I'll add the crystal effects on all the little circles, and they will dry together too. At the very end, do you assemble each card. If you noticed, I didn't matt everything. When you are producing alot of cards, you want to get the most out of your products. So, I edged all the card stock in basic brown, and juniper, to give the card stock depth, and give the illusion of matting without using my card stock. It also cuts down on weight and bulk, when you mail them. Neat little trick, huh?
This is one of those cards that uses product from 'everyone'. So, here goes the recipe:
Solid Card Stock: kraft & very vanilla (Stampin' Up!)
Pattern Paper: wishful thinking (Fancy Pants)
Inks: basic brown & so saffron (Stampin' Up!), hollyhock & twilight (CLose to my Heart), & hibiscus (Paper Trey Ink)
Blender Pen: (Stampin' Up!)
Stamps: castle (Auntie Amy), cherish the moment (Close to my Heart), & tiny tags (Stampin' Up!)
Die cuts: labels four (Spellbinders)
Ribbon: flirty (Stampin' Up!)
Butterfly: beautiful wings embosslit (Stampin' Up!)
Flock: cotton candy pink - sparkly (Our Craft Lounge)
Thread: linen (Stampin' Up!)
Button: aunt gert's garden (SEI)
Rhinestone: clear & light pink (Crystal Stickers)
Flowers: white (where memoreis are created) & green (prima)
Punch: 1/2" inch circle (Stampin' Up!)
Dimensional Adhesive: crystal effects (Stampin' Up!)

If you have any thoughts, please share. I am always curious as to what others think of my work. In my bubble, they are all beautiful. I try not to make things 'half-ass', and I believe that if you are going to do something, do it well. But especially, if your name is on it, put your best foot forward.
Also, welcome to my new follower. I hope you enjoy what is posted here.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

hand-made embellishments


My girl friend Ronda is a fellow papercrafter. She is a girly-girl, too. So, one of her birthday presents were some hand-made embellishments. I made a 'group' of flower embellishments and attached them to a strip of 'clear' cardstock, that way, she can remove the flowers and the adhesive of the backs will remain tacky.
The top flowers were made with shiny fabric. I cut the flower shapes from a die cut. I found these totally cute little rhinestones in the wedding section of one of those large craft stores. (They are marketed to be placed in floral arrangements to help continue the 'bling' theme.) I threaded the rhinestones threw to the center of different color buttons, to add a little color.
The bottom flowers are actually made from napkins at Starbucks. No kidding. I just punched some flower shapes from the napkins and layered them off-set. I used a fabric brad to hold them all together, and added some tiny rhinestones to give the fabric some sparkle.
Thanks for looking. I am working on my grand-daughters 4th birthday invites, so those cards will be posted soon. I also want to make a paris themed card, so look for that too!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Happy Birthday Ronda (MOJO 140)

This is the birthday card I made my friend, Ronda. Her birthday is this month. Not today, though. There are a group of us that get together quite a few times a year. We always share dinner and drinks, and a whole bunch of laughs. So, anyways, back to my story...We got together Tuesday for dinner, drinks and lots of laughs. We always have a great time. It gives us a chance to take time out from our regular lives, and just be 'us'. If that makes any sense.
The card uses product from everyone. That seems to be typical for me lately. The card base, buttons, and stamps are from PaperTreyInk. The other solid card stock is from Stampin' Up! The pattern paper is from Fancy Pants. The lace is from a large hobby store. The two-tone ribbon was purchased by the yard, from a small, local stamp store, (I don't have a maker). I used markers from Stampin' Up! to 'color' the words. I used both Stampin' Up! and PaperTreyInk inks to stamp the jar of buttons and a blender pen (SU) to color the buttons in the jar.
I also made some embellishments for my friend Ronda. I did take a photo or two. I'll post those tomorrow. Some come back soon to take a look!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Howdy!

I want to let everyone know that we are back in town! We left for Seattle, Washington the morning of Friday May 14th. This little vacation was mine and my husbands present to each other to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary, as well as joining some wonderful friends as they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. We spent a day and half in Seattle taking in a few sights and reconnecting with those wonderful friends. We boarded a Princess cruise ship (Golden Princess) late Saturday afternoon headed for Alaska! The cruise was relaxing, the sights were breath-taking, the time we spend together was priceless! As you all can guess, we ate too much! and we took some wonderfully gorgeous photos. I will be posting some of those photos soon. (they were taken with my husbands camera, so I need to have him upload those of me.) Alaska was beautiful, and very peaceful this time of year. We visited Juneau, Skagway, Ketchican, and Victoria in Canada. Each town had their own charms, their own beauty, and all the people we met along the way were friendly and polite. We arrived pretty early Saturday May 22nd, into Seattle. We were able to check into our hotel by 10am. My husband and I went shopping in downtown Seattle, grabbed some lunch, and a movie. We got back to our hotel to change and get ready for a professional baseball game. The Mariners were playing at home - Safeco Field, against the Padres. We ate hot dogs and garlic fries and had a wonderful time. (My first pro baseball game.) We got to sleep in late today, and catch an early afternoon flight home. So, after we got the cars home, picked up our dog, and got everything unpacked its now 1020p.
I want to thank everyone for their patience and I promise there are some wonderfully beautiful photos coming your way! I have some embellishments and cards to post soon, too.

Bonjour

I purchased a stamp set for myself for my birthday in Feb. The stamp set is basically all birds. There is a nest, a branch, and a cage stamps to go along with the bird theme. I love that stamp set. I use it as much as I can, because I just love the images. Well, look what I found! The same stamp company has put out a 'Paris' themed stamp set, too! Oh yeah, I will be posting some things created with this stamp set soon. (this stamp set was purchased in a chain store in Seattle Washington.)

Friday, May 14, 2010

Happy Graduation

We needed a graduation card for a Senior this year. I used the graduation announcement as my inspiration. I used the new graduation stamp that is in the back of the Summer Mini from Stampin' Up!. I used real red craft ink and heat embossed the 'happy graduation'. I had a scrap piece of night of navy card stock and ran it through my Big Shot with a Stampin' Up! texture plate. The flourish is from a Christmas stencil that can be viewed in the home decor catalog from Stampin' Up!. I used the silver shimmer paint and a dauber to apply the color of the flourish.

thank you for looking. Please post a comment, as they always make my day. Sorry this is so short, but I am running out the door. Take care and have a wonderful weekend.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Yvonne's Bridal Shower Cake


Ok, here is her cake. The cake itself is half chocolate and half vanilla. The filling is home-made whipped cream with sliced strawberries. The cake decoration is roughly simple. (Simple in design.) If you have ever worked with fondant, you know that it is not forgiving.
I dirty iced the cake in white buttercream. Then completely iced the cake with light leaf green. The fondant wedding dress is pieced on top of the icing. (I don't like the way fondant taste, so I wanted regular icing.) After placing the wedding dress on the cake, I brushed ivory luster on the dress skirt. I added some 'lace' to the top of the dress. To help 'hide' my seams at the waist, and carry over the lines from the flowers, I added a shell border. The tiny bridal flowers are wrapped in the same ribbon I put on the bridal shower card. I added some ribbon roses to the bottom hem of the dress. In the upper left and right corners of the cake are these rhinestone clusters. You typically add them to floral arrangements to help give everything some bling. I thought how cute to add them. I finished the cake with a light sprinkle of edible glitter. Don't all girls like bling?
Well, thanks for looking. I will be posting a graduation card next. so stay tuned. I just love to recieve comments. Have a blessed day.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Congratulations Yvonne!


I made a Bridal Shower card for one of the nicest ladies I know at work. She works the 3p-11p shift, and she is a super person. The 3p-11p shift wanted to give her a Bridal Shower sorta before she runs off to Las Vegas to get married. We all love her. I was asked to make her cake. So, come back tomorrow, and I should have photos to post. But, I wanted to make her a card, too. So, here it is. I wanted the cake and card to reflect her colors. Yvonne's wedding dress is ivory and her flowers are Calla Lilys. So there isn't much color to work with.
To make her card, I used some new paper from Basic Grey to give the card some color. I didn't want overwhelming colors to take over the card. I used a heart border punch from Stampin' Up! on a separate scrap of Basic Grey pattern paper. I sponged the edges with Close to Cocoa classic ink, to give some dimension to the layers. I cut the 'dress' out of Glass Slipper paper. I have a few different rolls of tulle, and so I added some white tulle onto the skirt of the dress. I had a long scrap of ivory ribbon so I wrapped a small piece around the waist line of the dress, and the rest of the ribbon along the edge of the card. (The ribbon at the waist line, also help hide my gluing of the tulle.) I added a row of half pearls just above the ribbon to give a decorative touch to the waist line. I had a flower shape button that was just screaming to be added, so I did. I felt the card needed a little bling, so I created my own flourishes with some rhinestones at opposite corners (upper right and bottom left). The top left corner, felt empty. So, I cut a tiny butterfly, using my beautiful wings embosslit from Stampin' Up! There is a flower on the pattern paper at the bottom right corner of the card, so I added a chocolate brown half pearl to the center of the flower. The ribbon along the edge of the card looked naked, so I added a light green flower and my own pin. I kept a corsage pin (don't ask why), so I added some tiny beads and a light green pearl to the pin. I pinned this little creation through the ribbon knot. I used glue dots to keep the beads/pearl from slipping.
I am really satisfied as to how this card came out. I'd love to hear from you. Post a comment, and make my day!

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

I want to wish all the Mothers who follow my blog, and those who stumble upon it, a Happy Mother's Day!
My husband surprised me on Friday, by bringing these flowers home. In his family, you only celebrate your mother on Mother's Day. So, when he walked in the house with flowers, I just assumed they were for his mother. They were for me! How wonderful is that!
I celebrate Mother's Day, honoring all mothers out there. If you're a mom, this day is special for you, so why not celebrate it with friends, sisters, and blog followers who are mothers?
Take time out of your special day, to do something special for yourself. Whatever that may be.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Simply 'Happy Mother's Day!'

I was playing around with my Watercolor Trio stamp set, getting ready for my Open House today, and made this wondrerfully simple card. I used my markers to 'color' the stamp, mist with water and stamped on my cardstock. I didn't want my greeting to be too dark, so I inked my stamp with Close to Cocoa classic ink. I liked the way this simple, yet pretty card turned out.
What do you think? Like it, love it, too simple for your taste? Let me know. Post a comment. I'd love to hear what other's think.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Saturday's Open House


These are the cards you will make at my Open House on Saturday, May 8th. Please arrive between 12 noon and 3p, so you will have plenty of time to finish, and visit. I have two different cards, both with different techniques on purpose.
The first card, uses 4 different techniques, with a host of different products. I wanted a card that used alot of product and many different techniques.
The second card is a minimalist card - quick and easy. One layer, uses one stamp set & markers.
There is a supply fee of $5 to attend. Come out, make some cards, and see the new Stampin' Up! products in the Summer Mini catalog. You will use both clear mount and wood mount stamps, a stencil, some Smooch sprays, meet some wonderful ladies who like to paper craft, and be eligible to win a door prize!
Can't make it? Purchase a kit! Kits come with all the card stock cut and scored, along with any embellishments, a supply list, and complete instructions (including color photos). Don't live in Albuquerque, there is a $5 shipping fee.
Want to make the cards with your friends? Have a workshop/private party! Share with your friends the joy of paper crafting!
Contact me for details! Come back tomorrow to see some last minute, quick and easy Mother's Day cards.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Bunco/Bunko




I play Bunco/Bunko, and I have a wonderful time. If you aren't familiar with this game, it is a dice game that requires 12 people (usually women) to play. I just so happen to play with an awesome group of ladies. And, as you all know, Mother's Day is right around the corner. So, I have made each lady a 'Happy Mother's Day' card, and a book mark.
I made the book marks out of mega paper clips, and in a variety of colors. That way, each lady could select their favorite color. (I also included a close-up). At the centers of the flowers on the book marks, there is a silver brad to hold all the layers of card stock (petals) together. Some of the centers have clear rhinestones on top of the silver brads, and others have half-pearls. Just in case you wanted some bling, or not.
All the Mother's Day cards are the same -its easier when mass producing. However, one lady we play with doesn't have children. I didn't want her to feel left out, so her card say 'for you'. So she knows that she is valued and loved, even if she's not a mom.
All products used are stampin' up! I used Pale Plum & Mellow Moss card stock and classic inks. The flower for the cards, is from the 5th Ave. Floral stamp set. I did the 'water wash' technique on them. If you have any questions, please post it here, or email me.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Happy Mother's Day



Mother's Day is one week away. I'm more organized this year than last. But, I am still not 100% done :/ I have made my Mother, her card. But I'm not too sure she will like it, and I'm not sure if its 'done'. I was thinking of putting a rhinestone flourish on the upper right corner, or some sort of sparkle detail on the digital image printed on linen. But I'm not sure if it will be too much, or give it the right amount of sparkle. Post your opinion on the rhinestone flourish, or the added sparkle to the flowers in the digital image. I need to mail it out by Wednesday, so I'll take your advice until then.
I used several, (and I mean several) company's to make this card. I will do my best, to get everyone mentioned. Here it goes:
Stamps: Stampin' Up! (Bella Toile, Medallion, All Holidays)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! and Paper Trey Ink (Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Confetti White, Kraft, & Aqua Mist)
Ink: Stampin' Up! & Paper Trey Ink (craft white, craft chocolate chip, Close to Cocoa classic ink, & Aqua Mist)
Spray Ink: Clear Snap (Vanilla, and Log Cabin)
Embossing powders: stampamania (ultra detail clear, and ultra detail glacier white)
Punches: Stampin' Up! & Martha Stewart (Boho Blossom, 2 step bird & coral)
Embossing folder: Stampin' Up! (square lattice)
Die cuts: Sizzix & Spellbinders (Top Note & classic scalloped ovals)
Buttons: My Favorite Things (chocolate kiss)
Ribbon: Stampin' Up! (Flirty)
Half Pearls: Crystal Strickers (3mm Pearl)
Brads: Paper Studio (silver)
Digital Image: The Vintage Workshop (May's free image)
Printable Linen: Milliken (Printed Treasures)
Rub-On: Karen Russell (Narratives - swatch book)

Post your opinion on the rhinestone flourish at the upper right corner, or the added sparkle to the digital flowers. Or, if neither is what will complete this card. I'm open to any suggestion.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Of The Earth

I have a friend who selected the Of The Earth hostess stamp set when we closed her workshop. But, she was uncertain as to what to do with this stamp set, so I broke mine out. I have made her 3 different cards, to give her some inspiration. I wanted to use colors and pattern papers that would be easy to change, and random stamps that could be easy to change also. The card recipes follow, along with suggestions as to what to change.
From left to right: I used Sage Shadow card stock. I stamped the text in Basic Brown classic ink. The text stamp is from Charming stamp set. But, you could easily change that to any text, or random image. I stamped the flower repeatedly in Sage Shadow classic ink. I stamped the bird image in Close to Cocoa classic ink on a scrap piece of Sahara Sand card stock, and cut it out. Punched a scallop square and attached. To change this, just use your favorite color card stock, and accent with any neutral.
This card is easy. The card base is Kraft. I used a piece of chipboard and my bone folder to create the outline box on the inside of the card, to create the raised area on the outside of the card. I used another piece of chipboard and drew some light pencil lines. Stamped my words in craft white ink, and heat embossed with white embossing powder. Erased my pencil lines and used my white gel pen to outline the box. I inked the flower in Basic Black classic ink and stamped near the bottom line. Stamped the butterfly in Basic Black classic ink on a scrap piece of Kraft card stock, cut it out. Used my stylus to give the wing a bit of a curl, and attached with a glue dot. To change this, use any color base card stock, and use neutrals for your outline and stamped images. The neutrals don't have to be opposites, you can use coordinating colors - you just want some visual interest.
I used two coordinating scrap pieces of recently retired DSP. Matted those onto a piece of Sahara Sand card stock. Wrapped a scrap piece of ribbon around this matted piece. I gave the ribbon a little fold and added a brad for interest. I stamped Simply Thanks in the center of a scrap piece of white card stock. I colored the floral image with markers, huffed and stamped. I matted this piece onto 2 scraps of coordinating card stock. To change this card, use any two coordinating pattern papers. Add interest to the over lap pieces, either with ribbon, or a strip of card stock. To change the words, use any words. If your text is small, when you stamp your floral image, make this a second generation stamp.
Thanks so much for looking. Today is the First day to order out of the Summer Mini Catalog! Have your order sent to your home, by ordering off my website: www.InkWithSharon.stampinup.net