Sweet, Vintage Christmas Gift Card Holder

Howdy my paper peeps!  I've been busy.  Busy like a little bee {smile}.  But, I did want to take a moment and share a new craft I am working on.  It's a gift card holder.  And I make a lot of these.  So the idea, or template that I use isn't 'new', but the holder is.  {smile}

I make many of these for the holiday craft fairs.  They are super sweet, and super easy to use during the busy holiday season.  They make perfect stocking stuffers, sweet little additions to gift bags, and boxes, great teacher gifts, or hostess gifts.  Purchase a gift card to your recipient's favorite store, and simply tuck it inside to a wonderfully beautiful holder.  Easy peasy!

I love adding machine stitching, it is so sweet, and home-y.  The round tag is hand-stamped with 'Merry Christmas'.  Simple and sweet.  And here is the inside:

The sentiment on the inside is always heat embossed.  I believe the raised lettering is a very elegant touch.  I tucked a gift card inside, from one of my favorite shops for the photo shoot.  I defaced their logo for legal reasons.  But, we all know I have a deep love for them.  {smile}  There is room on the panel where the gift card sits, to write a personal message for the recipient, too.  

Oh yeah, the pattern paper is from Tilda.  The card stock is a very old retired card stock from Stampin' Up! (bordering blue).  I used a very retired stamp set by Stampin' Up! to stamp the tag: Fancy Flexible Phrases in brocade blue classic ink.  And finally, for the inside, I used a stamp set  from Paper trey Ink: season's greetings.  I tuck the finished gift card holder in a clear cello bag, with a bag topper, so whoever purchases one of my gift card holders, the holder stays fresh and untouched.  {smile}

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope all is well, where you are.  I'm off to finish several more. {smile}

Love Birds, Card

I love to paper craft {smile}.  And I sometimes love a challenge.  A very dear, and special lady had asked me to make her a Black & White & Blue wedding card.  But she didn't have any other requests.  Wow, creative freedom!  She must know a few artists {smile}  

I like choices.  And I assume everyone else does too.  So, I made her a few cards to choice from.  I posted one yesterday, and I have one more today.  So, lets get started!

To help me focus on the task at hand, I stopped by a new favorite challenge site:  Friday Mashup.  This week's challenge over @ Friday Mashup, they have both a sketch, and a theme (Up and Away).  I didn't get that creative and incorporate a hot air balloon.  {frown}  In my defense, I was looking for a sketch and not a theme.  I have a theme wedding.  And now, I am kicking myself, I think I could have done a wedding hot air balloon.  And this is New Mexico, we host the world's largest hot air balloon mass ascension.  Hind sight, right?  Let's see the sketch:

and here is what I made:

This special occasion greeting card is a large card for me {smile}.  The finished card size is 4 1/2" x 6 1/2", and has an accompanying envelope for a 5" x 7" card.  I wanted to make sure that my embellished card would fit inside, without mashing any of the embellishments.  

Recipe:  The card base is Pure Black by Paper Trey Ink.  Love their heavy weight card stock.  

The blue matt is Island Indigo card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I used Authentique pattern papers, Classique and Spirited.  I used the tone on tone blue pattern paper.  I wanted blue, but not a specific pattern.  The black doily pattern gives interest without competing with the focal piece.  To help convey a home-made touch, I added a simple machine stitch border.

I used a wide white crochet trim and a pale blue velvet ribbon.  I just love how soft and classy these two trims looked together.   This main panel is adhered to the card front with foam tape to allow space for the crochet trim and velvet trim room to wrap around the card front.

The focal image is actually one of those journalling blocks from the Classique collection.  I selected one with no quote or busy graphics.  I hand stamped my sentiment, in Jet Black StazOn.  I used two different stamp sets, but love how the fonts really work together.  For the journal block: Fancy Flexible Phrases.  For the sentiment banner piece: Teeny Tiny Wishes.  Both of these stamp sets are from Stampin' Up!

Focal Piece:  I cut down a 3" x 4" journal block.  Rounded the corners and adhered to a scrap piece of pure black card stock.  I stamped my sentiment, with my fingers crossed.  I adhered a bird cage metal embellishment from Spare Parts.  I added a large blue blossom above and just left to the top of the bird cage.  I added a scrap piece of cream lace trim to the 'bare' side of this blossom.

For the two white and two blue blossoms flanking the large blue blossom, I first added some white acrylic paint to the petal tips, and then immediately dunked them into a tub of dazzling diamond glitter.  I added several leaf sprays cut from black tone on tone pattern paper from the Classique collection.  I adhered this piece with foam tape to help lift it off the card front, and to allow for the height of the trims.

Finishing touches:  I wanted to add some classic and sparkling touches.  So, to finish the focal piece, I added two pearl string loops.  And then to continue with the classic pearl touch, I added a spare black pearl flourish piece to opposite corners of the card.  And finally, for the sparkling touch, I added a collection of blue faceted sequins in the same opposite corners.

This card is also finished on the inside.  I have a white panel matted with a piece of the Island Indigo card stock.
Thank you for stopping by!  Hopefully I have more time to craft this week!

Pink Sparkle

Welcome.  I've been a bit busy, so I apologize for my absence.  I ordered some crafting supplies from a few different places:  an Esty shop, and Stampin' Up!.  Stampin' Up! has started their Sale-A-Bration campaign.  They have some new pattern paper collections and some new designed rubber stamps.  Always a great purchase!  {smile}  

I haven't 'noticed' flair buttons before.  But lately I have noticed them everywhere!  and well, I want to see how fabulous they are to craft with.  So, I headed over to Easy, and found some that are reasonably priced, great graphics, and wonderful customer service, @ aflairforbuttons.  One of the packages of flair buttons I purchased, are these: {Aqua} Let Them Eat Cake.  I know that I am typically a 'pink person', but the shade of aqua, caught my fancy {smile}!

Ok, now that I have some great supplies, I needed a little direction, so I head to Mojo Monday, for their sketch challenge this week.  And since this is the first Monday of the month, it is a prize challenge.  Here is their sketch

and here is what I made:

Recipe: the card base is white card stock by Paper Trey Ink.  The tannish grey pattern paper (sahara sand and whisper white) is called Something Borrowed DSP, by Stampin' Up!.  The floral pattern paper is Sweet Christmas, from Tilda.  I matted the floral pattern paper on Rose Red card stock, by Stampin' Up!.  

The silver glitter paper, was cut with the tasteful trims die, both by Stampin' Up!.  I added some pale pink seam binding.  I attached these to the front of the card with some machine stitching.  I tied a thin silver cord into a simple bow.  I added a multi-loop bow of the pale pink seam binding.   The rhinestone flat-back button is also new this season.  

I cut a tiny tag from whisper white card stock, using the tiny tag die by Paper Trey Ink.  I stamped the sentiment in sahara sand classic ink, using the fancy flexible phrases, both by Stampin' Up!

I added a appliqué I found in the clearance section of a big box sewing store.  There were actually three in the bin, so I bought them all.  {smile}  I added a flair button to the upper corner of the appliqué.  I selected the Marie Antoinette image with an aqua polka dot background.  I loved the matching pink dresses.

I added a trio of white sequins and a trio of rhinestones to add some bling and some visual interest.  I have posted this card in my Easy shop: InkwoodDesigns.  I have also entered this card in the Mojo Monday sketch challenge.

Thank you for stopping by.  Hopefully, I get a chance to craft more items and I promise to share with you.  {smile}

Shabby Sweets

I'm not usually fond of Mondays.  It's basically bitter-sweet for me.  You see, I don't work weekends or Tuesdays.  So, Monday, is basically a lone work day.  But this Monday, is especially wonderful to me! No, I don't have the day off.  I am a guest Designer @ the Shabby Tea Room {smile}!  How fabulous is that?  I know!

Well, over this past year, a few design teams I was on, changed owners or shut down, which opened some of my free time.  And as a paper crafter, if you have extra 'free' time, that just means you make more stuff for family, friends, and yourself.  So, I have been doing more paper crafting, and it has given me 'time' to actually play along with some of the challenge sights that I use to just visit.  

I earned the guest designer spot this week @ the Shabby Tea Room, from my win in their Challenge #164, found here.  That inspiration board had beautiful spring flowers and some canning jars.  I made my mom's Mother's Day card using their inspiration photo.   That card was alot of fun to create.  I was super excited when I found out that I won, and then I was even more excited to be asked to be a guest designer.  I have to admit, I mostly paper craft for myself.  I truly find joy in the whole process of creating.  But, when someone loves your stuff/work so much that they comment, purchase, and/or ask you to create something for them, well, it's pretty intoxicating.

Ok, enough of my blah, blah, blah.  Let's get to this weeks challenge, over @ the Shabby Tea Room! The super talented ladies, have come up with this great inspirational photo.  They ask that you use: blue, pink, white, and flowers.  

Sweet As Sugar

This has got to be the cutest cupcake ever!  (And yes, I bake, too!)  The colors are soft and sweet.  I just love the polka dot paper, the pink sanding sugar on the pillow of frosting, and that delicate pink rose. Yum!  I hope you get inspired! I sure did!

I didn't have any restrictions as to what products/companies I can use.  So, I basically used stuff from everyone.  This card, is basically a mish mosh of the collection of products I have. All the paper pieces (pattern and solid) came from scrap box.  (It's a box that originally held a case of printer paper reams.)

The card base is crumb cake cardstock from Stampin' Up!.  I love this stuff.  The paper is basically kraft.  But the weight and coloration is excellent.  I used whisper white card stock to matt the main panel on.  I really wanted to accentuate the white pattern in the main panel.  The main aqua blue panel is Be Amazing from Mind Mind's Eye.  I just adore the softness of the aqua -blue shade and the pattern is easy to coordinate.  The bold pink polka dot pattern paper, is from Lost & Found 2 Blush collection, is cut to 1 1/2" wide and flagged at the end with a square punch.  

For the middle panel, I used pink pirouette cardstock, from Stampin' Up! as my base for this.  I matted a piece of that beautiful floral print pattern paper from Lost & Found 2 Blush collection to it.  I just adore this floral paper.  It has pink roses on it, in various shades of pink, everything from light to dark pink.  The aqua leaves on the pattern paper is just gorgeous.  The white lace trim I added, has an unfinished side, so I machine stitched that, so it would be all gross, with jagged pieces poking through.  Then, I machine stitched a strip of Aqua Mist satin ribbon, from Paper Trey Ink, to the card front.  This aqua color goes so well with the aqua-blues in the card.  I created a bow through a rhinestone buckle and adhered that to the card front.  I really loved the sparkle from the sanding sugar in the inspirational photo, so I really wanted to add some sparkle to my card.  I tied a white Paper Trey Ink vintage button with some pool party bakers twine from Stampin' Up!, and added it to the other end of the satin ribbon.  I love how this little addition really balances the card.  To create the tiny tag on the button, I used a sentiment from the fancy flexible phrases stamp set and jewelry tag punch, both from Stampin' Up! 

For the collection of tickets/tags, I used two different digital downloads: vintage tickets and shabby tickets, found here.  I fussy cut them out and layered them on top of each other.  I used foam tape behind the cupcake ticket to lift it off the card front.

The paper blossoms were hand-made.  I used three colors of cardstock to create the progression of blossom's color: whisper white, pink pirouette and rose red, from Stampin' Up!  I used the vintage floret dies from Heartfelt Creations.  I used my foam pad and stylis to create depth to the petals.  The petals are held together with a pale aqua-blue brad.  Once assembled, I sponged blushing bride classic ink to the tips of the petals.  Then, all the petals received a brushing of picket fence distressing paint, from Ranger, and a dunk into my tub of dazzling diamond glitter, from Stampin' Up!.  I created the leaves with aqua mist card stock, from Paper Trey Ink, and sponged Juniper classic ink, from Close To My Heart, over the leaf tips.

And finally I added a lone half pearl from Melissa Frances to each of the corners.  I thought this little addition would help soften the whole look of the card, and help pull some of the whites forward.

Thank you so much for stopping by today.  I hope the design team has inspired you to play along this week over @ TSTR.  I know the ladies would love to see what you create with this week's fabulously yummy inspirational photo!

this card is for sale in my Etsy shop

Spring Roses

A dear girlfriend is celebrating her birthday this week.  And, yeah, she is pretty crafty.  In fact, she taught me how to do scrapbook pages.  So, I really want to make her something special.  I created a card and box combination.  That way, one creation does two jobs.

To help get my mojo working, I visited a few different challenge sites, to see what their challenges are this week.  I really needed a starting point: a color combo, a sketch, and a technique or embellishment requirement.  And here is what I found: the Shabby Tea Room (#166),  Mojo Monday (#293), and Just Us GirlS challenge (#188).

color combo:  pink and green

(and include a sewing element):

a button and machine stitching

the sketch:

rotated veritcle

a technique:

(use white ink)

white craft ink and white paint

and here is what I made:

Wow, so where do I start, with my notes.  These card-box combos are alot of fun to create.  You create a card, add on a box, and let you gift 'shine' {smile}.  This template was purchased here.

The card/box base is Vanilla cardstock.  I used Paper Trey Ink cardstock.  It's a heavier weight than Stampin' Up!, because I needed a heavy weight cardstock to hold up to the layers.

We'll start with the front.  I rotated the sketch 90 degrees, so it would be a portrait orientation.  I used a piece of sage shadow card stock, hand-stamped the text with white craft ink, and heat embossed white embossing powder.  I used some digital papers I had on hand.  I selected rose prints that have pinks and greens in them.  I matted the larger paper with shell card stock.  To define it from the main panel.  I then  added some machine stitching.  I didn't use two circles like the sketch.  Instead, I used a circle and a square.  The back square in a text pattern paper.  The forward circle is actually a digital image of pink macaroons.  I think these little cookies are a fabulously-glamorous birthday cookie.  I matted this circle onto a darker green cardstock.  I used white paint to distress the edge of the circle.  I also hand-stamped the doily in white ink and used white embossing powder, on vellum card stock, to create the lace doily.

I used a white/black text pattern paper for my strip.  I also matted it with a beige and ivory floral pattern paper.  I took a strip of pom-pom trim and machine stitched that piece on, too.  I added a hand-made white clay blossom to this strip.

I used two different shades of pink seam binding.  The lighter pink seam binding was tied into a multi-loop and one of my hand-made white clay buttons was tied onto the bow with cream twine.  I added a circle tag.  I hand-stamped 'celebrate' on a circle tag.  I distressed this tag with white paint, and tied it to the bow.  The darker pink seam binding was tied around the card-box combo.  I used a rhinestone brad to secure the seam binding to the spine of the box.  

Ok, for the inside, I continued the white stamping and white embossing.  I used a flourish stamp to add the white swirl to the rose digital paper.  The 'happy birthday' square is hand-stamped in black ink on vanilla cardstock.  The cupcake image is cut from a digital paper.

The front of the box, is decorated with a cream and green pattern paper.  I stamped text onto it, with white craft ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder.  I matted the pattern paper onto mellow moss cardstock.  I added a decorative label with stamped 'Birthday Wishes'.  I added a circle of pink roses.  I also stamped 'friends' in black classic ink onto a different pink floral pattern paper.  I added a heart of silver glimmer paper.

Inside of the box, is two glassine bags of hand-made white clay buttons.  I altered a clothes pin with silver glitter.  I used this glitter clothes pin to hold the two glassine bags closed and together.

I left the back au natural.  Thank you for looking.  I hope you have a chance to play along with your favorite challenge site, too!  It's alot of fun, to create something beautiful for someone.