Roses, for a Friend

Hello.  Life has gotten a bit messy lately.  Well, actually the whole month of May, was a living nightmare.  I know, how poopy.  But, I am a strong woman, and I have endured a lot worse, unfortunately.  And, that little piece of knowledge still hasn't taken the sting off of the horrible treatment I have endured at work.

I didn't get my June Happiness challenge out.  Actually, I haven't sat down to write it, yet.  I will.  It will be super late.  But, it will get done.  Because that is what I need to focus on now.  Happiness.  Peace.  Joy.  Reflection.  Family.   Friends.  

I made a few cakes, and posted images on various social media accounts.  Just quick little creations, that unfortunately didn't take a lot of effort, but did bring me some joy {smile}.

Today, I actually went into my craft room.  I haven't been there in over a month.  To say the stress and depression from work has really put a wrench in my creativeness, is a severe understatement.  But, I walked-in, head held high, and began looking through pattern papers to inspire me.  Then, I searched from some favorite embellishments: trim, ribbon, and a button {smile}.  I created a card.  I'm not sure who for, maybe my Etsy shop.  But, I wanted to craft something.  Something pretty.  Something simple.

I stopped by a few challenge sites, to get some of those old, forgotten creative mojo juices flowing.  I am entering this card in three challenges.  Not unique for me.  But, some very dear challenge sites.

My first stop was Mojo Monday.  I was incredible sad, when I read that they will no longer be active.  That little bit of news made my heart sink a bit deeper.  But, I truly understand the reasoning.  

My next stop was Word Art Wednesday.  This group of talented ladies, really have a lot of talent.  The write-up is always inspiring, and uplifting, so for that I am truly grateful.

And my final stop is Crazy 4 Challenges.  Their challenge this week:  rose.  June is rose month, so this group of talent paper crafters want to see a rose, or two, or a whole garden of them!

and here is what I created today:

Recipe:  I used my favorite kraft card stock for the base.  I used my favorite vanilla card stock for the main matt.  This card is a typical A2 size card: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".

I used three different but beautiful pattern papers from French Flea Market.  The text pattern paper is just gorgeous.  What can I say, I love the writing.  The floral pattern paper is so pretty, and nostalgic.  And finally the blue damask is just timeless.  It also really high lights the blues in the small florals.  I just HAD to add some machine stitching to this card.  I did a simple single border stitch.  I used silver glitter paper for the parallel stripes.  I separated the glitter strips with a scrap piece of blue lagoon ribbon.  I thought that the blue ribbon also high lighted the blue blossoms.  {smile}  Pretty happy that it matchy-matchies.  And yeah, I machine stitched it to the card front.  I added two different, but beautiful trims in place of the vertical strips.  I added a cream crochet eyelet trim, and a green cotton embroidered trim.  The trims are attached to the card front with a simple zig-zag stitch.  (yeah, more machine stitching {smile})

For the sentiment piece, I found a pretty font, simple wording.  I stamped the sentiment in early espresso classic ink onto very vanilla card stock.  (my favorite vanilla card stock.)  And then matted it with that beautiful blue damask pattern paper.  I used foam tape at each corner, to help lift the sentiment off the front of the card.

I added a single floral button to the sentiment piece.  I cut off the shank with a pair of heavy duty scissors.  And viola! my card is complete.  And I am happy with how it came together.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I hope you have a chance to play along with any or all of these beautiful challenge sites.  And remember, we all need time and space to get through some of life's messes.  Thank you for your support.

Printed Flowers in My Garden

Howdy.  I hope you are well.  I have been working on my 'month of happiness' goals.  I hope you have, too.  Or at least journalling what you are grateful/thankful for each week.   I have.   I think that, recognizing what has brought me joy, or what has lead me down the road to joy, makes my heart feel rejuvenated.  {smile}

I needed to make a card for a girl friend.  You see, I mailed her one a few weeks back, and it never made it to her house.  Super sad.  It was a 'Thank You' card, for her support on a fund raiser.  So, I set out to find some inspiration on the internet, to get me started.  I stopped by a few favorite challenge sites:  Crafting by Designs, Really Reasonable Ribbon, and Mojo Monday.

I stopped by Mojo Monday, first, to get the sketch!  I thought that their current sketch, looked easy to work with.  And, as always, it's 'user friendly'.

My next stop, was Crafting by Designs.  I wanted to see what their current challenge is:  Girls or Flowers.  How super sweet, and I can do flowers!

My last stop, was Really Reasonable Ribbon, and they have a Flower theme challenge.  But, remember, you need to include ribbon, lace, or trim on your paper craft!

and here is what I crafted:

Recipe:  this is a typical A2 size card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2").  The two pattern papers, is actually the same paper.  I used both sides {smile}.

I cut the pink pattern paper too short, (as illustrated in the sketch).  But, to me, it looked 'too short'.  So, I added a strip of champagne glitter paper, and used a lace edge hand-held punch, to create the decorative border.  I love how it looks.  The glitter paper adds the right amount of interest and sparkle.

I used my sewing machine to add a simple border around the pink pattern paper.  I then adhered the floral pattern paper.  I added a simple machine sewn border to that paper, as well.  

I sewn the seam binding to the card front, to secure it.  I just love how the sewing machine adds so much character and homespun look and feel, to a card.  {swoon}

I cut a rectangle of very vanilla card stock, and stamped my sentiment using soft suede classic ink.  I used a favorite stamp set from Paper Trey Ink; Choose Joy.  I adhered the sentiment piece onto a scrap piece of the champagne glitter paper, and adhered the sentiment to the card front with foam tape.  

I tied a double loop bow with the seam binding, and tied a vintage button to the bow with kraft twine.  To finish the card, I added a cluster of clear sequins to the right side of the card.

I hope that my friend likes the card I made her.  Unfortunately, if I don't purchase tracking, I can't count on the United States Postal Service to deliver my cards.  I have had bad luck, when it comes to mailing my hand made cards.  My cards require extra postage, and require hand canceling, and they seem to get 'lost' at the post office.  How frustrating, and annoying.  So, I won't focus on the lack of professionalism, or providing the service that I have paid for.  Instead, I will look at this as an opportunity to hand deliver my card to my friend {smile}!

  

XO's For You

Welcome.  I hope you are having a good first weekend of the year!  Me, I'm doing good.  {smile}  I don't know if it is the 'freedom' I feel, now that my craft room is clean and organized, or I simply found some mojo.  Either way, I will take it!

I visited a favorite sketch challenge blog site this week, Cardabilites, and finally got a chance to sit down at my crafting desk, and whip up a card.  Ok, I don't really 'whip-up' a card.  For those who know me, a 'fast' made card still takes me an hour or so.  This one, a bit longer.  I wanted to use some pattern papers I had already cut.  So, I dug through my scrap box to find: colors that I liked, pattern that went together, and papers that made me smile.  Simple process, really.  Now, I just needed to sit and put it all together.  And that is not always so easy.  Three hearts later, and two different blossom centers, I found created what works for me.  

To start, the sketch looks easy to work with.  Use a doily, add a blossom, and you have your two circle elements.  Well, that isn't exactly the direction I went.  

Recipe:  The card base is crumb cake by Stampin'Up!.  The first text matt is from Melissa Frances.  The next blue matt is a pattern paper I received as part of a prize from playing along with the lovely ladies over @ Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge.  The pink main panel is the only piece of this pattern paper from Bazzill I have left.  I sponged the edges with crumb cake classic ink, by Stampin' Up!, adhered them together and then did a purposefully 'sloppy' machine stitch.  I went around the card twice.

My first circle element is a doily.  The doily was cut with a doily die, by Paper Trey Ink, using glitter paper by, Stampin' Up!.  The second circle element is a circle {smile}.  I used a white text, aqua pattern paper I think is from Carta Bella.  (It's another scrap piece.)  I used a die to cut this 2" circle.  For the cluster in the second circle element, I built my piece.  I cut a heart shape from some cream felted wool.  I used a retired heart die, by Stampin' Up!   I cut the same heart shape from some silver polka dot vellum card stock.  The flower shape was cut with another retired die, by Stampin' Up!  I used a small scrap piece of another pattern paper from the collection by Bazzill.  The smaller blossom was cut with the same retired die, by Stampin' Up!, but I used some aqua mist felted wool, by Paper Trey Ink.  I ran this circle collage through my sewing machine, using a simple stitch.  

I tied some cream twine through a cream vintage button, both by Paper Trey Ink.  I used hot glue to attach the button.  The leaves were made with a scrap of green pattern paper from Nostalgia.

I added a scrap piece of cream crochet trim, by Paper Studio.  I didn't have a long enough piece to wrap around the card front.  But after 'playing' with this trim, I found I really like how it doesn't cover the card front.

I didn't add blossoms and banner for my sentiment.  Instead, I made a multi-loop bow with 1/4" silk ribbon, by Paper Trey Ink.  I also cut a tag from Whisper White card stock, by Stampin' Up!.  I used the tiny tag die, by Paper Trey Ink.  I stamped my tag with two sentiments from the same stamp set, by Stampin' Up!.  This set has been retired for over 6 years.  I sponged the edges of the tag with more crumb cake classic ink.  

And finally, to give my card a more feminine feel, I added a collection of white half faux pearls and clear rhinestones.

I originally set out to make a St. Valentine's Day card.  So, that is why the sentiment is 'XO's For You'.  This card will be for sale in my Easy shop, HERE.   I hope you enjoy the rest of your first weekend this year.  I am off to the kitchen to make some fresh bread.  Nothing fancy, just white bread.  But it makes the house smell wonderful! and it tastes amazing!  I'll post a photo on my InstaGram page, HERE.

  

Light Bubbles: bokeh

Howdy!  I hope you are well.  Me, yes.  Thank you.  I had another arts and craft fair this past weekend (Friday and Saturday) at one of my favorite places:  Tramway Community Church.  The folks there are so nice, helpful, and just a joy to be with.  {smile}

Anyways, my mom came up to spend some time with me, and help me sell my paper crafts.  And let me just say, that it was pure joy!  We talked, and sold, and talked some more.  It was really wonderful to spend some time with her, and just hang out!  I made a little money, which is always sweet, especially during this time of year.  So, pluses all around!

For those who don't know, I live in the east mountains of Albuquerque, New Mexico.  And well, we are just below 7500 feet.  Sunday it snowed like crazy.  So my husband got a chance to use his snow plow for the first time this winter season.  And the weather created a delay in my mom getting back on the road to head home.  It did give us a little more time together, but just not the same.  It's kinda like be held hostage at the airport.  You have food, a bathroom, and the people you are traveling with, but all you really want to do is leave.  [No hard feelings mom {smile}]

I wanted to make my mom a card, to say 'thank you' for her help, and let her know that I really enjoyed the time we spent together.  So, I went looking on the internet, and wanted to see if anything out there inspired me.  Well, of course I found something!  

I ran across this photography technique called: bokeh.  It's when parts of the image and/or light are out of the field of focus.  So, when you are photographing something and there is light in the background or side portion, and this part of the image just isn't in focus.  Looks pretty.  And so I ran with it!  

gold, is the accent color

silver, is the accent color

So, both cards are made with soft suede card stock as the base.  The 'blue' piece is aqua mist card stock.  I cut 3-4 branches from a Memory Box die.  I punched 1", 3/4", and 1/2" circles and a trio of snowflakes from vellum card stock.  I added several clear faceted sequins, and then added gold/silver sequins.  

I die cut the letters for 'JOY' out of gold glitter paper.  For the silver version, I heat embossed 'noel' in silver and then stamped 'JOYEUX' in soft suede classic ink.  

The final touch, was a spritz or two with iridescent spray.

But now, that I am writing this post, I think, why did I make my mom a holiday card to say 'Thank You'???  Ugh, sometimes my mind just gets stuck.  As I am preparing for yet another holiday craft show, my mind is stuck in holiday mode.  Sorry mom.  Let me get back into my craft room, and make something a little more appropriate. 

Anyways, I hope you like these, and I hope I have inspired you to create something unique and wonderful!