Wedding Music

The weekend is upon us, and it's a beautiful day, today! The sun is shining and there are snow clouds in the sky.  It's a good day, to sit in my craft room, with the blinds open and view is beautiful.  I'm not sure how you craft, but me, I listen to music.  All kinds of music, everything from Van Morrison, Poco, to Creed.  And we all know how music changes your mood.  A nice simple beat of regae can turn an otherwise 'rough' day, into something 'happy'.  And the fast beat of metal can cause you to drive faster, and a bit more aggressive.  Well, for me, the same is true with how music can influence my crafting.  I tend to listen to 'old' music to create a calmer mood in my craft room.  It allows me to think clearer and not rushed.  

The reason I rambled on about music, is because Holly over @ Our Creative Corner, has asked us to: "take inspiration from a song and work it into any papercraft project you'd like. Just make sure your post includes the song title (and if possible the artist) that inspired you!"  What a creative idea!

Here is my card:

Angel from Montgomery by Bonnie Raitt

I wanted to make something 'pretty' and I wanted to use this fabulous sketch @ Sasya-Sketch, here:

I know, I wasn't very creative with this sketch.  But, it was just so beautiful, that I wanted to use it, in its original state.  No flipping, no changes, just keep it as is.

This card is also another one of my collaborations of a 'million' products.  No restrictions, just create.  So, here we go.  

I used pattern paper from Cosmo Cricket.  I used solid card stock from Paper Trey Ink and Stampin' Up!.  I used ink from Paper Trey Ink and CTMH.  I used crochet trim from Paper Studios.  My main flower is a collaboration from several.  The yellow one is from a company that is no longer around.  The white one, is a 'naked' flower mean for 'coloring'.  The next white flower below that one is one I cut from waffle paper and then adding dazzling diamond glitter to the tips.  The two white leaves came from a wedding floral sprig.  The tiny yellow flower comes from Webster's Pages.  The tag comes from Melissa Frances.  The buttons are a collection of Amuse Studios, Paper Trey Ink, and CTMH.  The stamps are from Stampin' Up! and Amuse Studios.  The label is from Amuse Studios.  I used a distress paint on the edges of the pattern paper pieces.  I made a cluster of various rhinestones at the top of the main flower.  The large half faux pearl was added at the end of this creation.  I added a string of half faux pearls to the bottom of the sentiment, and wanted to continue that elegance, that softness.  I think the scrap piece of crochet trim helped.

Thank you for stopping by.  Leave me a comment, I'd love to know what types of music help you create!

You're Sweet, Thank You

It's Tuesday, and I hope this week has gotten off to a good start for you.  Me, yes.  I'm really enjoying my day off from work.  No, I'm not sick.  Just a scheduled day off.  I have no plans to drive into town, and the snow has been falling for a few hours now.  So, it's good to be 'isolated' and no deadlines to get to.

For those who know me, I get up early, everyday.  Yes, even Saturdays, Sundays, and days off.  So, this morning I was looking at some of my bookmarked favorite blog challenge sites, and well I found three I can enter.  So, here they are:  the Sketch (lay-out) came from Card Patterns, the Color scheme came from CR84FN Color Challenge, and the 3-D/Template challenge came from Just Us GirlS.

Lets start with the 3-D/Template Challenge.  Just Us GirlS, wants you to create a 3-D item, using a template.  Easy peasy, right?  I wanted to create a card & gift in one.  So, I remembered that I had purchased a template from Adela Rossol, it was the Gift & Card Combo.  Just Us GirlS, also has a few requires, they want us to include: ribbon, button(s), and flower(s).  Sounds pretty, and girly, and that I can do!

I needed a color scheme to get going with papers and embellishments.  I headed over to CR84FN color challenge.  This week, they wants us to use Kraft, Yellow, and Gray.  Sounds pretty.  And if you look at the inspirational photos, there are butterflies, doilies, lemons and a heart.  I can use those.

Now, for a layout.  I headed over to Card Patterns, they always have a great design.  Easy to work with.  In their directions, they say you can rotate the sketch, so that is what I did.  I needed one that is vertical.

Here is what I came up with:

For those who know me, if you take away any company/manufacture restrictions, I can use just about everything in my craft room.  And with no company/manufaturer requirements, that's what I did!

Lets get started with pattern paper.  I used paper from Cosmo Cricket, Memory Keepers, and Melissa Frances.  (I used papers from my scrap box.)  The solid card stock is all from Stampin' Up!.  Crumb cake is the card base.  I did various matts in whisper white, going gray texture, and the inside 'gift' was made with very vanilla.

I used three ribbons total. For the outside of the card/gift, I used a crochet trim from Stampin' Up! and a polka dot Kraft ribbon from Paper Trey Ink.  On the inside, I used going gray taffeta ribbon and white bakers twine from Stampin' Up!.  

The butterflies were a collection.  The embossed butterflies are from an emboss-lit by Stampin' Up!, and the inside butterfly is actually a stamp I stamped twice (one on card stock and the other on vellum) from Paper Trey Ink.  I added half faux pearls from Stampin' Up! to the center of the butterflies, to help convey a girly, feminine 'feel'.

The buttons are a miss mash of Paper Trey Ink, Amuse studio, and CTMH.  For the buttons on the front, I sprayed  them with spray adhesive, and then dipped them in dazzling diamond glitter, by Stampin' Up!. I finished them off, with a spray of clear sealant.  (I didn't want the glitter to rub off, when I was working with them.)  

For the flowers on the front of the card/gift, I stacked a paper blossom on top of a fabric flower.  I hot glued this floral creation to the top of a gray heart cut from gray textured card stock.  I also distress the edges with some picket fence paint.  

The tag on the front of the card/gift, I cut from a die and stamped the sentiment in going gray classic ink.  I needed a small and simple tag, so not to distract from the pretty paper and embellishments.  I chose this sentiment, because I plan on putting candy inside the box, as the 'gift'.  How yummy!

I used the new frame dies from Stampin' Up! to create the inside window.  I stamped a leaf flourish in snow pigment ink and heat embossed the 'window' with clear embossing powder.   I added some kraft paper shred inside the box so you could see the white embossed leaves on the 'window'.  

The inside sentiment comes from Paper Trey Ink.  I added two hearts cut from the gray textured card stock to the inside, also.  One is under the embossed butterfly and the other is on the stamped butterfly.  I added half faux pearls to the butterfly bodies, to continue the design from the cover.  I tied a yellow heart-shaped button with bakers twine, to the gray taffeta ribbon. I will fill this box with my friends favorite candy: chocolate covered gummy bears.  

I opened the card/gift combo, so you could see the back of the 'card'.  I wanted to show you that I did pay attention to detail and use one large scrap to decorate.  I  also believe that if you continue the same elements and designs through-out your paper craft item, you will achieve a cohesive design with elements that 'belong' (because they are repeated). 

Thank you for looking.  I hope that you get a chance to play along in any/all of these fabulous challenges.