Floral Friend; Card

Howdy!  I needed to get a few cards in the mail, and so I set out to find some inspiration.  Along the way, I stumbled upon a new (to me) challenge site, and visited two favorite challenge sites.  The inspiration was infectious!  I hope you agree!

Let's start with the new challenge site, that I 'found'.  This is an east European challenge site.  They don't have a 'translate' button, but google translator works pretty well.  [Just copy and paste the text.]  Shabby Scrap.  Their current challenge is to use rose(s) on your project.  And your project can be just about anything! A card, a page, an altered item, a tag, a book, etc.  (I'm sure you get the idea) You will be amazed at the creativity of their design team.  This challenge runs from Feb 25 - March 24.  And here is their photo:

Ok, so now on with another of my favorite challenge sites.  {smile}  This next one, is another challenge site from eastern Europe - Shabby Chic.  This challenge site does have a 'translate' button.  So it's super easy to play along with {smile}!  Their current challenge  is to use butterflies.  Or simply one butterfly.  A very creative and feminine work by their design team.  Their challenge runs through March 25.

And for the finally challenge, it's one that is truly dear to me:  Just Us GirlS #333.  I started playing along with their challenges when I first started blogging.  Their current challenge for 'Word Week' is Flowers!  How wonderful!  I love adding flowers to my cards and projects!  You will certainly be inspired by their design team!

So, I have combined the challenges, not too hard really,
and created a card for a very dear friend!

Recipe:  I created another A6 size card.  To create the card base, I used a heavy weight card stock: Soft Sky by Stampin' Up!.  I just love the soft, pale blue color.   

I added three different digital papers.  I printed my digital papers onto whisper white card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I just love how clean the images come out, and how true to color they print.  

Anyways, I used a pale blue, pink floral pattern paper for the main paper.  I just love how pretty this digital paper is, and the way the pale blue background really makes the pink roses pop!  I cut the paper down to 4 1/8" x 5 3/4".  I sponged crumb cake classic ink along the edges.

I printed a library card, digital paper and cut it down a bit.  I used my corner rounder punch on two of the corners, and sponged the edges.  I adhered these two papers together, and then added my machine stitching.  I wanted the butterfly on the library card to 'pop', so I added dimensional glaze to it.

For the tag, yes, it's another digital paper.  I used my tag punch to create the top piece.   I added some aqua blue crinkled seam binding and tied a simple bow with some thin blue tinsel.  (I just love how soft this tinsel is!)  I added some foam tape to the back of the 'tag' before adhering it.  

I tied some twine through the trio of aqua mist vintage buttons before adhering them to the card front with my glue gun.  I also adhered the trio of blossoms with my glue gun.  

For the sentiment, I used the Signature Greetings stamp set by Amuse Studios.  I stamped the words in versa mark onto some card stock vellum, and used an antique gold embossing powder and heated the embossing powder with my heat gun.   I hand cut the banner ends, and added adhesive where the words are, so you wouldn't see the adhesive through the vellum.

I stamped two butterflies onto a scrap piece of the same vellum with Archival Black ink by Stampin' Up! and used markers to color the backs of the butterflies.  I folded the wings together to give them a 3 dimensional look.  I adhered them to the card front with dimensional glaze.  

Thank you for looking!  I hope you have been inspired to play along with any (or all) of these great challenge sites!

Berry Pretty Basket

Howdy! and welcome!  I hope this new year is off to a wonderful start for you! {smile}  Me? well, I have been in my craft room, when I'm not shoveling/plowing the new snow fall.  So, I'm doing good! {wink}  Last month, I met this charming lady, Elma.  Elma, just loved the crafts she saw at one of my Holiday Craft Fairs.  Anyways, Elma, is putting together a Trash to Treasure Trunk Show, and  invited me to participate (be a vendor) at this years Trash to Treasure Trunk Show, and well, I accepted.  {super happy!}  I have been brain storming as to what I could create/craft to sell at the Trunk Show, and I believe I have a few 'new' crafts to sell! {Yeah!}

My main focus, is to craft/create stuff that is repurposed.  Because let's face it, isn't that the whole premiss behind a 'Trash to Treasure' Trunk Show?!

I found a stack of these plain white berry baskets in my craft room.  Originally, I purchased them to decorate for Easter.  And I did.  But only 4 were used.  So, I have quite a few left, and I knew I could do something 'pretty' and shabby chic with them.  I took out my bin of fabric scraps, trim, and sewing machine and I decorated the outside of one berry basket.  [It's my 'sample'.]  

and here it is:

I stacked a strip of red velvet, a strip of red and white seersucker, and a strip of white eyelet trim, and machine stitched them together.  Adhered the layered material to the outside of the white berry basket.  Made a hand sewn red velvet blossom, and adhered over the seam of my stacked material.  Viola!  Now, before we get too far ahead of ourselves, I haven't 'finished' this berry basket yet.  I haven't quite decided on what to add to them.  I was thinking about adding a tag,  or leaves, or an altered clothes pin, or shred, or a doily, or something else.  I just wanted to share my creation with you.  I believe that I will 'package' these gems in cello bags, that way you can 'see' it without leaving finger prints.    And unfortunately I don't come up with a price yet either. {frown}

But stay tuned, I have been 'working' on a few fabric banners and wreaths, and I want to share those with you soon.  {smile}  I hope you have been inspired to create something 'new' out of something old.  {smile}

Card Suitcase

Howdy!  A BIG thank you to everyone who came out yesterday (and Friday) to the Tramway Community Church Arts & Craft Fair!  This festive and handmade event would not have been a success with YOU!  And a personal Thank You to my customers; new and returning!  It was a very enjoyable experience.  And wonderful to see everyone, and taking the opportunity to chat and say 'hello'.  {smile}

here is a photo of my booth:

I was very happy with how I displayed my products.  I did change it up a bit from last year.  So, it always feels good to make it 'fresh & new'.   One of the 'new' display items, was how I displayed some of my larger, more embellished cards.  I placed them in this sealed chipboard suitcase.  The outside of this chipboard suitcase, is this sweet mint green color, while the inside is a luscious pink color.  Right up my alley!

suitcase:

I wanted to decorate or at least jazz up the inside.  But, I didn't want to distract from my cards.  So, I looked through pattern papers I had on hand that were similar to this beautiful mint green color.  And viola!  Look what I found {smile}.  I printed my 'sign' on card stock weight vellum, by Stampin' Up!. I used a coordinating chipboard piece to anchor the bottom of the vellum to the pattern paper, and a chipboard heart to cover the adhesive at the top corner.  

Thank you for looking.  I have many more pieces to craft before my next craft fair - La Cueva High School, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Dec 5th (8a-5p) and Dec 6th (9a-4p).  If you are in town, stop-by!  You won't be disappointed.  My booth is B-34.  I'm in the B hall.  Hope to see you there!  

Paper Flowers

Happy you could drop by {smile}.  I wanted to share this sweet 'forever bouquet' with you.   It is another Bunco prize.  This sweet small bouquet has 4 pink paper blossoms, 4 vanilla paper blossoms, and 8 tiny white blossoms.  

I originally altered this mason jar to hold the paper blossoms.  However, it looks . . . odd.   I have come to the conclusion that the bouquet is too small for the container.  {frown}  So, I set out to find a 'better' container.  And, yeah, I had a smaller glass jar in my craft room.  Shocking, I know {smile}.

Anyways, I am in the process of painting that jar.  I used 2 coats of cream chalk paint and then a top coat of white chalk paint to create the above (masterpiece) mason jar.  So, I am in the process of doing the same to the glass jar.  Hopefully I will have a chance to share that jar, once it's done.

For the pink blossoms, I used the new spiral flower die from Stampin' Up!.  I ran my pink pirouette card stock through my paper crimper 5-6 times before I die cut the blossoms.  I rolled them, and used my glue gun to hold the blossom together.  I brushed the tips of the petals with clear crackle paint and dusted each blossom with dazzling diamonds glitter.

For the vanilla blossoms, I used the pansy punch from Stampin' Up!.  I punched four blossoms for each flower.  I cut a petal or two off each punch and pieced the blossom together.  I brushed the petal tips with white crackle paint and dusted them with dazzling diamond glitter.

The white tiny blossoms were created with a retired punch by Stampin' Up! (boho blossom).  I punched two florals for each blossom, and used clear crackle paint and glitter to the petal tips.

The leaves were made with the pick a petal punch by Stampin' Up! (retired) along with a pear pizzaz polka dot DSP (retired, too). 

To create the shapes, I used different 'tools' to bend the petals/leaves.  I also used my stylus to create curves.  I sponged all the edges of the papers, so it would give definition to the petal/leaf shapes.  I sprayed everything with water, and used my heat tool to speed the drying.   (This step creates a permanent, tough as steel, shape.)

All blossoms were attached to wires, and the wires are covered with florist tape, to hide the different colors, and to give the bouquet a finished, collective look.

Thank you for stopping by!  I hope you have found some inspiration here {smile}

Paper 'Inspire' Blossoms

Creating is such a wonderful outlet for me.  It allows me to focus on the task at hand, and use the other side of my brain.  If you stopped by yesterday, you saw some beautiful hand-made paper blossoms that I created.  The encouragement came from two wonderfully supportive girl friends, who enjoy paper crafting as much as I do.  Well, after I had made those 'Dream' Blossoms, in a variety of colors, I wanted to create a different looking paper blossom.  So, back into my craft room, I went.

I created these paper 'Inspire' blossoms.  And, I wrote a tutorial, that Amazon Kindle has published.  The e-book is published in a variety of languages and can be purchased and downloaded here.  I also made a pair of these 'Inspire' blossoms to sell in my Etsy shop, here.

Thank you for looking.  I hope you have found some inspiration here, and create something beautiful!