Smiling Today, Card

I got a chance to head into my craft room today.  I have a few cards that need to be mailed out.  But, sometimes most times, I need a little inspiration.  I had recently purchased a few new items, and wanted to craft with those.  I just need a sketch.  So, I headed over to a 'new' favorite:  Friday Mashup - #195 sketch and project (use 2/+ embellishments)  I used the sketch and the embellishment requirements ( paper blossoms, a button, resin lock, lace, cotton ribbon, and pearls).

I purchased a new pattern paper pad from a big box store: Color Bok:  Signature.  It is a collection of shabby chic double sided patterns.  Very pretty. {smile}  The thing that really caught my eye, is the tab piece at the upper right corner.  Just love the thought of that.  And so, thats just what I did!

The sentiment says:  Thinking of you today and smiling.  I really love this sentiment.  {smile}  I will be mailing this card out to my friend Denita.  She is a very good person, and we have a good time when we get together.  I just want her to know that I was happy she came out to my house so we could craft.  {smile}

Here is the recipe:  The card stock is crumb cake card stock by Stampin' Up!  The two pattern papers is actually the same page, I just use both sides {smile}.  

I cut a piece of blushing bride card stock, by Stampin' Up! and trimmed the edges with the open scallop trim hand punch.  I thought this type of scallop would look prettier.  I adhered these pieces together, and then used my sewing machine to add a simple machine sewn border.  I thought it added a bit of charm to the card front.  

I stamped my sentiment onto vellum card stock, by Stampin' Up! in versa mark ink.  I sprinkled on some white embossing powder, and then heat embossed the sentiment.  I used the  We Go Together stamp set by Paper Trey Ink.   I layered a piece of white polka dot and light aqua pattern paper under the vellum.  I cut the same flag end to both pieces.  I also made the polka dot pattern paper a bit longer.  I stapled these two papers to the upper right corner of the card.

I added a piece of white lace to the lower third of the card.  I strung blushing bride cotton ribbon, by Stampin' Up! through the 'holes' in the lace.  I adhered a white resin key hole over the lace/ribbon combo. 

I distressed two paper blossoms and a vintage button with white paint and glitter.  I thought it added a little shabbiness to the card {smile}.  I first added the pink blossom above the key hole.  Tied some cream twine through the light aqua button and tucked it just under the pink blossom.  And finally, I slipped the white rose bud in at the top of this embellishment pair.  

Finally, I added a trio of white half faux pearls to help add some softness, some sweetness to the card front.  I added a medium pearl to the right side of the staple, and a pair of tiny pearls between the embellishments and the sentiment banner.

I hope you get a chance to create a card for this challenge.  I'm sure you will fall in love with the sketch!  Carve out some time today, and create something beautiful and wonderful!  But, before I go, I was wondering, do you hand deliver or mail your hand-made cards?

the Scent of Roses

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope each of you has a chance to create.  Create something fabulous!  Something pretty.  Something you love.  {smile}  I use the word, 'create' because I think it encompasses all forms of self-expression.  Because isn't that what we are doing?  Doing what makes us happy, what calms us, what gives us joy!  I also don't mean this for just those of us who paper craft.  I want to wish everyone who crafts, joy!  Bakers, quilters, painters, paper-crafters, wood-workers, auto mechanics, welders, . . . everyone who creates something with their hands, uses their free-time to practice their 'craft', and everyone who finds pure joy in what they do!  {smile}

I had time today to create a greeting card.  And yeah, in my favorite color: pink.  I don't have a particular occasion for this card, but rather just the desire to create something pretty {smile}.

I stopped by Crafting by Designs to see what these talented ladies have been crafting.  The current challenge is: Pretty in Pink.  I got this!  This is an inspirational challenge site!  So check it out!

I also stopped by Retro Sketches, because these ladies are sure to inspire!  This is the current sketch:

The thing that I love the best about their sketches, is how simply beautiful they are!  It encourages clean and simple designers, and everything all the way to me!  Love the layers!

and here is what I created:

and here is how I created this card:  I started with Pink Pirouette card stock (SU!) for the card base.  The pink floral music sheet pattern paper, is actually a digital download.  I trimmed this paper and then sponged Soft Suede classic ink (SU!) along the edges, so that no white paper would peak through.   [all digital downloads are printed on whisper white card stock(SU!) and the edges are sponged with soft suede classic ink (SU!)]

I cut a piece of the cream/kraft polka dot pattern paper to 3 1/4" x 3 1/4".  (And yeah, another digital download.)  I added some machine stitching all the way around.  I wrapped a piece of Venetian crochet trim (SU!) around the polka dot piece.  The wrapped a piece of blushing bride 1/4" cotton ribbon just over the top edge of the crochet trim.

I printed the ticket (another digital download) and fussy cut the ticket out.  I added foam tape to the back of the ticket to 'lift' it off the front of the card.

I took a plain white paper blossom, and plucked the center out of the blossom.  I sponged Blushing Bride classic ink (SU!) on the tips of the petals.  I brushed picket fence paint (Ranger) to the petal tips, and then sprinkled the paper blossom with Dazzling Diamond glitter (SU!).  I adhered the paper blossom to the card front with my glue gun.  (love my glue gun!)

I added a strip of champagne colored half faux pearls just over where the two trims join.

I tied a simple bow with the same pink cotton ribbon, and adhered it just below the paper blossom with my glue gun {smile}.

I cut a strip of Very Vanilla card stock (SU!)  5/8" wide  (just over a half-inch) for my sentiment.  I stamped the sentiment 'Have a SWEET day.' in soft suede classic ink.  The sentiment comes from the Garden Variety stamp set (PTI).  I used my scissors to create a shallow flag-end to the banner.  I used my tape runner to apply some adhesive to the back of this sentiment banner, and added one lone staple to the left of the sentiment.

And finally, (right?) I adhered a trio of clear iridescent sequins to the card front.  At this time, I finally added the card front to the card base.  That way, the machine sewing and staple are not viewed on the inside of the card.

I am happy with how my card turned out.  It's not what I originally set out to create, when I walked into my craft room and sat at my craft desk.  I actually began working on a pink Christmas card.  It never came together.  {frown}  Oh well.  But I am really happy with what I did create! {smile}

Just Because in Shabby Chic

~ photo heave post ~

Howdy, and welcome to my little piece of blog-land.  I apologize for being a bit absent, but I was under the weather.  So much so, that I actually went to the doctor's office, and was not able to post for my #100 days of happiness {frown}.

So, today is my new start of my 100 days of happiness, and an entry to two paper craft challenges {smile}.  Now, onto my paper craft for today.  I created a card.  I wasn't sure as to what the sentiment should be, or would be.  So, I kept it simple, and open:  Just Because.
I just love the sketches over @ Mojo Monday so it was only obvious that I stop there and use this weeks sketch: #340

One of the great things about the internet, is that it allows you to connect with a wide variety of folks from different corners of the world.  I follow, and am followed by other crafts from a variety of countries, and thanks to google translator, I am able to communicate with these super talented crafters.  One of the challenge blog sites that I stalk follow, is from Russia: Shabby Chic.  Here is the current color challenge:

Just look at these beautiful colors and graphics for this challenge.  (It is open until April 15th, 2014)

here is what I made:

I used Blushing Bride for the pink, Pear Pizzazz for the green, Pool Party for the blue, all from Stampin' Up!  Now, for the card recipe:  All card stock edges have been sponged with crumb cake classic ink (including the leaves).

I started with  Blushing Bride card stock for the card base.  I had a scrap piece of this beautiful kraft-neutral colored pattern paper from Recollections, and thought it added a little bit of elegance, without taking away from the main panel.

The main panel for this card, that is tilted, is actually a digital paper I purchased last week.  I love the mix of colors, patterns, text, and graphics.  

I ran the main panel through my sewing machine, to add some character, and a little country charm.  I purposely sewn a crooked line.  And it is actually harder not to sew a straight line {smile}. 

 

I cut a paper doily in half and adhered it to the top third of the digital paper.  To help 'hold' the doily in place, I wrapped a length of Blushing Bride stitch ribbon around the digital paper.  I tied a simple bow with cream twine and added a multi-loop bow of the blushing bride ribbon.

The sketch doesn't have the doily shape, but I thought it added a softness, and a feminine piece.  I thought the cream twine added a little country charm to the bow.

The blossoms were actually hand-made from white crepe paper.  I used a sponge to add color.  To create the blossom, I punched out several 5-petal shapes.  I used a sponge to 'color' the white crepe paper.  I stacked the blossom pieces and crinkled them.  The blue blossom has 7 blossom pieces stacked.  The pink blossom has 5 blossom pieces stacked.  And the green blossom has 3 blossom pieces stacked.

I used a leaf die to create the leaf stem.  I used a scrap piece of pear pizzazz polka dot pattern paper, that has been retired from Stampin' Up!.  I used my 2-way glue pen to add some adhesive to the sides of the 'leaves' and sprinkled on some dazzling diamond glitter.

The banner pieces is from Maya Road.  I just love this layered, stitched piece.  I stamped the sentiment in Staz-On ink in a dark brown.  

Finally, I added three random sequins, and one silver glitter butterfly.

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you have been inspired to create something beautiful for both of these challenge sites.  This card will be available to purchase at my craft fairs in May, 2014.  Hope to see you there!

Thank You, my Friend

Can you believe that the work week is already half over? Well, the talented folks over @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge, have the perfect sketch for you, to get those creative juices flowing!  The only thing that we ask, is that you use Stampin' Up! materials.  Here is this weeks sketch:

See what I mean?  Very user-friendly!  Those circles can be just about anything: stars, butterflies, flowers, hearts, etc.  And the text paper can be pattern paper. The sentiment can be a banner, or keep it as a narrow rectangle.  Now, take a look, at what I did with this great sketch:

I knew what I wanted to do with this card; paper blossoms on butterflies.  But, I needed a color scheme.  A friend sent me a link to a blog that she thought I would love.  And she was right!  Here is the inspiration photo I used, and click HERE to go to  the site. (I have pinned some of the other images to my 'Inspiration' board @ Pinterest.)

Isn't this a great inspiration photo?  I used pool party card stock for my card base.  It was roughly the closest thing that I had to the blue on the table cloth.  I matted the First Edition DSP onto basic gray card stock.  The butterflies were cut with the butterfly die and emboss lit.  I used naturals card stock for the butterflies.  I used mostly whisper white card stock for the flowers.  The largest one I sponged more mustard classic ink onto the scallop circles.  The tiny, rolled flower, I sponged calypso coral classic ink, onto the scallop circle before I rolled it.  The middle flower, I used regal rose, pink pirouette and whisper white card stock and the trio flower punch to create the flower.  The two larger flowers used the new tiny brads to hold the flowers together. 

 Instead of a text rectangle, I wrapped some blushing bride twill ribbon around my card.  For my sentiment, I stamped three tags and used the jewelry tag to punch out the shape.  I took a gray button from the neutrals collection and glittered it up!  I used white bakers twine to tie the tags onto the button, and added a bow.

I made this card, for a dear friend of mine.  She always takes the time to think of me, and she is always there when I need someone.  This card is too fragile to just stuff in an envelope.  So I'm going to mail it to her in a box, under some tissue paper.  So, she will have a 'gift' so to speak, when it arrives in her mailbox.  

Now it's your turn!  Lets see what you can create with this user-friendly sketch and your SU! supplies!