Christmas Wrapping

Howdy! and thank you for stopping by!  Glad you are here.   I have another gift I 'wrapped' and wanted to share with you what I did.  Typically, my favorite Christmas colors are Blue, Green, and Kraft/Brown.  And so, I have made a few gift bags using those colors {smile}.

The lovely ladies over @ Vintage Cafe Card Challenge  have a 'Gift Wrapping' challenge.  And so I want to play along.  If you want to play too, you still have time, as this challenge is open until Dec 26.  {yahoo!}  So even if you are finishing things up on Christmas Eve, take a photo and upload it as soon as you can, and you too, can play along {smile}

Their only requirement:  your 'play-along' must be in 

Shabby Chic, Vintage, or Rustic style.

*Please be aware, that this challenge site is in Russian language.
They do have a translate button. 

here is what I did:

Recipe:  I used a plain kraft handled bag as the bones of this gift.  I used mint macaroon card stock as my matt.  I machine stitched a scrap piece of the holiday kraft DSP from Stampin' Up! (retired).  I added a strip of holiday music sheet to the center, from Stampin' Up! (Home for Christmas DSP)  I added a strip of burlap ribbon and mint macaroon lace the center.  I machine stitched the ribbons to the front of the bag, but didn't stitch to the ends.  I tied my gold sating ribbon through the center of the large snowflake cut with a Paper Trey Ink snowflake die, using dazzling diamond glitter paper.  I tied a few trims to the bow: aqua pom pom trim, gold tinsel, and a gold sequin mini ornament.  For my tag, I wanted a pop of color, so I added a Starbucks gift card to the handle with thin gold ribbon.

closer look at the embellishment

This gift wrapping is for a very best friend.  N, has been through it all with me.  And I love her dearly.  She is the one who ran my first marathon with.  And she is the one who has encouraged me to join the Duke City Challenge.  She is my confidant and the one I turn to when I need a shoulder to cry on.   The gifts inside are trivial.  I have a small box of chocolates:  Lindt Peppermint Truffles, a small box of Christmas Jelly Bellys, a Doterra hand cream and lip balm, and a gnome Christmas ornament. The sweets are because I love her.  The hand cream and lip balm are for her soul.  And the Christmas ornament is something she loves: gnomes.  So, I made sure that the wrapping was special!  

N, paper crafting style is 'less is more' while I just want to keep adding things.  I hate 'white space', and N, she loves 'white space'.  I love all things shabby chic and vintage with a little retro thrown in there.  While N, loves classic and modern.  So, I tried my very best to make something a bit more her style.  

Well, I am off to another holiday gathering.  But don't fret.  I will be back to play along with a few more challenges I eye spied.  {smile}  And I need to get my Christmas ornament photographed.  Take care, and I hope you come back soon {smile}.

Happy Mother's Day + Blog Candy

Happy Mother's Day, to all of you who are celebrating!  I wanted to celebrate today with you all, and  give away some candy!  Blog candy that is!

here is the candy I am giving away:

The blog candy consists of one yard total of my favorite trims and two button cards of my home-made clay embellishments. 

The trims: one foot each of crochet trim
burlap ribbon, and pale pink crinkled seam binding:

one button card with two clay buttons:

one button card with clay embellishments
a disc with bird and flowers, a blossom, and a cameo

The clay embellishments are made from white sparkle clay and baked to cure. These embellishments will add a shabby touch to any craft.  Each clay embellishment is attached to the button card with a glue dot.

And here is how you enter.  Leave a comment with this post, letting me know your favorite childhood memory.  It can be anything; a family vacation, a stuffed animal you received on your birthday, the best cake your mom made you, whatever.  Also, include a way to contact you, if you are randomly selected as my winner, so I can mail you your candy.  (Candy will be mailed on Tuesday, in a padded envelope.)   Good Luck!

Oh, one little detail.  You have until Monday, May 13th @ 11pm MST to leave a comment, to be eligible to win.  One comment per person.

the sweetest sounds to mortals given

are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven

~William Goldsmith Brown

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Hello Baby

On this Friday, Jennifer is our sketch design artist for the sketch challenge over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday.  Jennifer has created a wonderful sketch.  I think it works for a large variety of paper crafters.  This sketch is very workable if you're a CAS type of gal, or a layering fool (like me) {smile}.

the sketch:

When I saw the sketch this week, the first thing I thought of was to stamp flowers in the opposite corners.  But then, that just didn't seem like 'me'.  The other thing that came to mind, was to use some products that I just love, but are retiring from Stampin' Up! this month.  A way to use things I like before I can't.  

here is what I created:

The card base is made from River Rock card stock.  I love this shade.  It's a neutral that has some green in it.  It looks like a linen shade, to me.  And then I decided to use some pretty soft colors, to help showcase this shade.                                            

The large panel is made from pool party card stock.  I used the distressed polka dot background stamp.  (Another retiring product.)  I stamped the polka dots in whisper white craft ink and white embossing powder.  I heat set the embossing powder.  I sponged some pool party classic ink on the all the edges, and randomly over the embossed polka dots.  I used a kleenex to wipe any ink off the embossed polka dots.    

   

The card base is made from River Rock card stock.  I love this shade.  It's a neutral that has some green in it.  It looks like a linen shade, to me.  And then I decided to use some pretty soft colors, to help showcase this shade.                                            

The large panel is made from pool party card stock.  I used the distressed polka dot background stamp.  (Another retiring product.)  I stamped the polka dots in whisper white craft ink and white embossing powder.  I heat set the embossing powder.  I sponged some pool party classic ink on the all the edges, and randomly over the embossed polka dots.  I used a kleenex to wipe any ink off the embossed polka dots. 

The upper corner has a strip of crochet trim and burlap ribbon stapled to the corner.  I layered a fabric blossom on top of a silver glimmer paper flower.  I stamped the baby ticket and adhered it on top of the ribbon tails.  The pink panel is made from pink pirouette card stock.  I stamped the doily in whisper white craft ink and used white embossing powder.  Heat set the doilies, swiped pink pirouette classic ink across the raised doilies.

As with the sketch, there are two embellishments at opposite corners.  I wanted to make a soft, pretty, sweet card for a baby shower.  So, I didn't want to specify a girl or boy baby.  That's another reason for the pink and blue.  I also selected neutral vanilla-colored embellishments.  I did all the stamping with basic grey classic ink.

The bottom corner has a postage stamp and a ticket.  Both pieces were stamped in basic grey clasic ink onto very vanilla cardstock.  I layered them, and added the button to hide the text.  I tied some white bakers twine through the button.

The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, in basic black classic ink.  This is my version of a clean and simple card.  It isn't one layer, or 'flat'.  But, it is a pretty basic card for me {smile}.

I hope that we have inspired you to play along with us @ SFF.  We would love to see what you create with our sketch!

~stop by Sunday, May 12th, for your chance to win some blog candy~

Anniversary 'Love Letter's

It always feels like an accomplishment when I get a chance to play in some of these wonderfully creative challenges that I see each week.  The graphics are always pretty and inspiring.  The design team members are always clever and creative.  

The Ribbon Reel Challenge Blog has a very beautiful inspiration board, for their challenge this week.  They also ask that you include buttons, ribbon and twine in your creation.  

Here is their inspiration photo:

and here is the card I created:

I started with a Aqua Mist card stock, by Paper Trey Ink.  This color is just so pretty and vintage.  I took a piece of Pool Party Textured card stock by Stampin' Up! and dry embossed with my Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder by Stampin' Up!.  The pattern/text aqua paper is actually a scrap piece of a Christmas pattern paper from Scenic Route, that is easily 4 yrs old.  I added two coordinating washi tapes to the rop right corner, by Recollection.  The red polka dot pattern paper is from a Valentines collection by Authentique, I believe.  I 'hid' the seam with a strip of burlap ribbon by Stampin' Up!  I wrapped some red bakers twine around the main panel and tied an aqua button to the front of this card, creating a tiny bow.

The tag is actually a digital download found here.  I tied a multi-loop bow with pool party seam binding by Stampin' Up!.  I then tied an aqua button and heart shape tag to the center of the bow with some red bakers twine.  I really wanted to add some sparkle, so i applied glue and silver glitter to a mini clothes pin, and clipped it to the tag.

For my sentiment, I stamped 'Happy Anniversary' in Soft Suede classic ink, onto a 1/2" vanilla card stock.  I used a square punch to create the banner ends.  This sentiment piece is adhered to the card front with foam tape.

Thank you for stopping by.  Hopefully I get through my chores and have time to play in another challenge!

~stop by Sunday, May 12th, for your chance to win some blog candy~

Shabby Thank You

Happy Tuesday.  I hope this week has gotten off to a wonderful start for you.  Me, busy like usual.j  So, I'm not sure how any other speed feels.  The weekend was good.  I had a chance to relax for an afternoon.  So, that allowed me a chance to recharge.

The wonderful ladies over @ Nacho Average Challenge have another wonderful sketch challenge for you to try.  The sketch is pretty basic.  So, you do have some room to embellish and create a busier card.  Or, leave it clean and simple {smile}.

this week's sketch:

I just love the row of circles.  There is so much potential here.  Keep the row of objects as circles, and use buttons, flowers, or soda pop caps.  Or change it up, and replace the shape with another shape: stars, rectangles, hearts, etc.  The only suggestion that I have, is if you change the number from 5, to keep it an odd number: 3.  I think the same type of number stays true to the sketch.  

Ok, so for the rectangle strip, this can easily be replicated.  Make it a banner of pattern paper.  A strip of wide ribbon.  A stamped piece.  I would make sure that the bottom isn't straight.  So a decorative end.  A hand-held punch can easily be used to create that decorative detail.  Like I said, 'a sketch with alot of potential'.  Love it.  And so will you {smile}.

here is what I did:

I'm not a generation X, Y, or any recent name.  All that white space makes me crazy.  So, I dry embossed a piece of crumb cake cardstock with the houndstooth embossing folder.  I sponged crumb cake classic ink on all four sides.  The card base is basic black card stock.  I love how these two neutrals look together.

I cut my banner piece out of vanilla card stock.  I stamped the large sentiment piece is basic black classic ink.  This large sentiment pieces comes from the From the Heart stamp set.  I just love the font and the decorative curves.  I wanted to continue the black on vanilla look.  So, I stamped the flourish frame in basic black classic ink on very vanilla cardstock.  I used the matching label punch, to punch the shape.   

For the five circles, I selected the blossom trim from the Spring Mini Catalog.  I love the clean lines.  But, I'm a fan of layering.  So, I cut a strip of the fabric burlap ribbon, and created a box pleat.  Then I machine stitched the pleated ribbon.  I used red sticky strip to hold the pleated ribbon and the row of fabric blossoms to the card front.  I then wanted to add a splash of color to the field of neutrals.  So, I hand-dyed vanilla seam binding with pink pirouette re-inker.  I used my heat gun to speed the drying time.  I created a multi-loop bow with the hand-dyed seam binding.  To hold it all together, I used a black glimmer brad.  

I hope that we have inspired you.  I know that I would love to see what you create with our sketch @ NAC.   Please, play along with us. {smile}

Banners of Blue

Happy Friday.   I'm glad you had a chance to stop by and take a look around.  This week over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday, I am the designer of this weeks sketch.  How cool is that?  Anyways, you know me.  Love a challenge, and the whole creative process of it all.

Here is this weeks sketch:

See how much fun this is?  There is alot of potential for this sketch, just take a look.  The arrows can be arrows or some other horizontal piece.  The tag can be a tag, or any other vertical rectangle.  The scallop circle on the tag can be a flower, a star, a butterfly, a circle, or any other shape.  The sentiment placement, well, that's a no brainer.  Put that puppy on the right lower corner of your creation.  To me, easy peasy.  And I hope you don't get stumped or derailed by the arrows.  Remember, this is a sketch.  Play, have fun! and lets create!

Here is what I did with the sketch:

When I went in my craft room, I knew that I wanted to make something vintage.  I have a wonderful girlfriend, who I call my sister, but we aren't blood relatives.  Well, she got some horrible news from her doctor, and her heart is hurting.  As well as her family, and friends.  Anyways, I wanted to make a card for her.  She is very special to ALOT of folks, who only want the very best for her.  So, I made this card with her in mind.  I will be getting this out to her in the mail today.

As you can tell from my sketch, there is alot of horizontal lines.  I wanted to add a little more vertical lines, to give the card a nice balance.  The pattern paper I selected from the Fan Fair DSP collection I cut, so the lines would be running up and down.  I also  made my tag's orientation tall.  To add a bit more vertical, I added a hand-stamped ticket to the left side of the tag.  

I used my square hand held punch to create the flag ends of the horizontal tape measure pattern papers. Also from fan fair dsp.  As is the tag.

I used the first edition DSP for the scallop circle.  I used the silver glimmer paper for the butterfly, and the butterfly die.  I used very vanilla cardstock and the fusion flowers die for the blossom.  I cut one lone blossom from the floral trim, to help build the center portion of the butterfly.

For my' sentiments, I did a double banner.  I stamped the words in basic black classic ink onto very vanilla card stock.  

I used the burlap ribbon for the top of my tag.  I also added some pearl jewels to the card, to help give it a feminine look.  All edges of each paper piece has been distressed with crumb cake classic ink and a sponge.

I hope that we have inspired you to play along with us this week, using my sketch @ SFF.

HB, Mom

Happy Friday!  I hope your week is going well.  Mine, crazy busy at work.  I have been coming home exhausted everyday this week.  So, the weekend is a welcome site!

And, as it is Friday, the wonderfully talented ladies over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday, have another amazing sketch for you to try.  This week, Jennifer is our sketch designer.  She has provided a sketch that will allow you some creative freedom.  Here is her sketch:

Here is what I created with this beautiful sketch:

This card was a joy to create.  I pretty much followed the sketch.  Right down to the floral object.  The card base is soft suede card stock.  The first layer is primrose petals card stock.  The main panel is pink pirouette card stock.  I used my vintage wallpaper embossing folder.  I then rubbed my white craft ink pad across the raised design.  

I layered the floral lace and the burlap ribbon, and machine stitched them to the card front.  I then tied a simple bow.  I added a trio of banner pieces.  The blossom I created myself.  It was actually alot of fun, and very joyful.

I started with white card stock.  I stamped the blossom from Mixed Bunch in pink pirouette classic ink.  I stamped 4 blossoms, and then punched them out with the blossom punch.  I cut one petal off of one blossom.  And I cut two petals off another blossom.  Then I cut three petals off the another blossom.  And then cut the last whole blossom in half (4 petals on each half). I used a wooden kabob screwer to bend and roll the petals.  I used glue dots to hold each layer together, and stacked the blossoms.  I used the blossom petal punch to create the leaves.  I distressed the leaves by hand.  aka: I lightly spritz the leaf with water and hand scrunched and bent the leaf.  I distressed the edges of the blossom petals and leaves with white craft ink and glitter.  To add a bit some sparkle, I added a scallop circle of  champagne glitter paper. 

I hope that you get an opportunity to play along with us @ SFF.  We would love to see what you create!

I added a hand-stamped Birthday sentiment, that is 4yrs retired from Stampin' Up!.  

I also added a shell butterfly pin from my embellishment stash, to this card.

And finally, I added a glue dot to the trio of banners, to help secure them to the card front.

Happy Birthday MOM!