Day Dreams

I am addicted to Pinterest.  I just love the things people pin.  It really gives me ideas of doing crafting things {smile}.  One of the things I saw, were these beautiful paper blossoms.  But, the frugal part of me, didn't want to drive into town and purchase them.  Instead, I set out into my craft room, to see if I could make them.  That's the craft girl in me!

The talented Kim, over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday gave us a creative sketch.  I was able to use my hand-made paper blossoms!

here is the sketch:

I love the colors and the lay-out of this sketch.  The use of various pattern papers, the cluster of paper blossoms.  Just plain pretty.  

here is what I created:

I started with pool party card stock.  But, you know me.  I thought that it looks too flat.  So, I used the very vintage wheel and pool party classic ink.  But, I thought that it needed a pop of something.  So I used white craft ink, white embossing powder and the distressed polka dot background stamp.  Heat embossed, and sponged some pool party classic ink along the edges.

For the top note shape piece, I heat embossed the hello doily back ground stamp onto old olive cardstock.  I heat embossed the large doily.  I fussy cut the doily out and sponged ink along the edges.

I had-made the paper blossoms.  I used a floral die to create the bottom blossoms.  I used the trio blossom punch to create the center piece.  I brushed white craft ink along the edges of the petals and dunked the paper blossoms into a tub of dazzling diamond glitter.  I used the silver glimmer paper to punch out the leaf shapes.

I used the lots of tags die to cut the decorative label.  I stamped the sentiment in basic black classic ink.  I wrapped crumb cake seam binding around the main panel and tied a multi-loop bow.  The card base is made from crumb cake cardstock.

I hope that you are able to play along with us @ SFF.

Notes Measured

Happy Friday!  I hope you have had a chance to get work settled, and have an opportunity to play along with some of your favorite challenges.  The wonderfully creative Maria, over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday, has a lovely sketch for you to work with.  Here is her sketch:

Here is what I did:

I wanted to create a card with some pretty spring-themed colors.  It's been snowing here, and all I see is white, green, and brown.  So, I decided to work with some Stampin' Up! soft subtle colors.

The card base is So Saffron card stock.  I first stamped the large doily (Hello, Doily!) in VersaMark and used some white embossing powder.  I heat embossed the doily partially off set.  I stamped the outline stamp in so saffron classic ink randomly on the card front.  

I used the Music Notes wheel and Basic Grey classic ink, to create the music sheet.  I used the Measure Stick wheel and whisper white craft ink and white embossing powder to create the measuring tape.  I layered these two pieces.  I used some Pink Pirouette re-inker to dye the very vanilla seam binding.  While it was wet, I crinkled it.  I hurried the drying time, with my heat gun.  I laid the dyed seam binding across the two stamped pieces, and then machine stitched along the seam binding.  

I used the scallop heart stamp and basic grey classic ink, to create the heart piece.  I used the matching die to cut the scallop heart out of whisper white card stock.  I used the small heart die, from the same set, to cut the so saffron heart.  I used dimensionals to lift the yellow heart off the front of the scallop heart.  I added some pearls around the border.  I stamped the banner piece in basic grey classic ink, and then hand-cut the banner,  I adhered the banner with a dimensional, to lift it off the hearts. 

I dyed a longer piece of very vanilla seam binding, and created a multi-loop bow.  I tied the bow with some white bakers twine and added a button from the Artisan Embellishment kit.  I tied the bakers twine into a bow, and glued a pearl to the center of the bow.

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope we have inspired you to play along with us @ SFF.

Welcome

I have to admit, I struggled a bit with this week's sketch over @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge.  The sketch is great, don't get me wrong.  My mind is just elsewhere.  I am co-hosting and assistanting with a Baby Reveal Shower next weekend, and I am making the Thank-You boxes, making 2 rag quilts, cutting the decorative card stock for the kids gift bags, helping with the food, and making the decorations.

Here is this week's sketch:

Here is what I created:

The card base for this card is soft suede.  The main layer is pink pirouette.  I stamped Hello, Dolly background doily in versa mark, and used white embossing powder.  I wanted the main panel to have some visual interest.  I made a tag out of water color paper.  I sponged the edges of panels and tag, to give the card a vintage look. I stamped the limb stamp in jet black staz-on pigment ink.   I used my re-inkers and aqua painter to 'paint' the image.  I re stamped the bird out in soft suede classic ink, fussy cut it out and used foam tape to pop the bird house.  I restamped the limb in basic brown ink and 'painted' that one also.  I took my 3/4" circle punch and punched out various spots of the second 'painted' image and used foam tape to lift the circles off the card front.  I added a row of 5 half faux pearls below the sentiment.  I adhered the tag to the card front with more foam tape.  I thought that this card was missing something,  I'm not always a fan of a lot of empty space, so the is how the silver glitter butterfly came about.  For my ribbon treatment, I first attached a strip of crochet trim and then added a piece of vanilla seam binding.  I took a longer piece of the brown striped bakers twine around the card front.  I added a half faux pearl to the center of the bow.

I hope that all of you get a chance to play along with us @ Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge.

Design Happiness #46

WOW! can you believe that it is already Friday!  Well, I'm having a fun time working with these different challenges, and learning a few things to help my stampin' business.  The wonderful Tina from Sketch Frenzy Friday has designed a wonderfully creative sketch for us and YOU to work with.  The thing that I love the most about these great sketches, is that they allow you some creative freedom and use the wonderful Stampin' Up! products.  I mean how much more great can it be?  So, if you are a super fan of these products, but are either looking for a great challenge, or some inspiration, I encourage you to play along with us and take on the challenge.  We would love to see what you create!

Here is the sketch:

At first when I saw this sketch, I thought, ugh, I'm not a big fan of partial circles on cards.  But, then, I just let the sketch lay around for a few days, and then it occured to me, 'I don't have to make the half circle a piece of paper.  I can make it an image (medallion stamp, or a ring of butterflies, or...)  The rectangle could be a sentiment, or a label, or ...    So, don't be limited by just what you see, but what you 'see'.  Then I was looking for some inspiration, so I headed over to one of my favorite challenge sites, that I find a lot of inspiration; CR84FN color challenge.  This week, the colors are light pink, yellow, and a neutral.  It just sounds pretty and feminine, so that was the look that I was going for.

Here is their inspirational photo and quote:

Here is my card:

For this card I used So Saffron as my 'yellow'. and Pink Pirouette as my 'light pink'.  For the 'neutral' I used both black and white.  I first stamped the floral image in so saffron classic ink, onto so saffron card stock, randomly, and the very vanilla tag.  Then I stamped the 'hello doily' background stamp in versa mark and then poured white embossing powder on it.  Heated this gorgeously detailed image with my heat gun.  I created a flower with pink pirouette and first edition dsp with the bird & bloom die.  I created a tag with the lots of tags die and cut it out of very vanilla cardstock.  I stamped 'for you' in basic black classic ink  Then I a string of half faux pearls along one edge and a silver glitter butterfly to the other side.  I matted this whole piece onto a piece of basic black cardstock.  The card base is Very Vanilla cardstock.

I'm really happy with how this card turned out.  And I hope that you join this Sketch Frenzy Friday blog hop and see what Tammy F. has created.  And join us for a challenge.

World Card Making Day!

As this weekend is coming to a close, I hope that you have had a chance to enjoy sometime to relax and  unwind.  That for me translates to: paper crafting and baking.  To celebrate World Card Making Day, I had a card class at my home.  I know these economic times are difficult, and there doesn't seem like there is an end in sight.  So, for WCMD, I wanted to share some tips and tricks on making your paper crafting supplies last longer.  Little ideas to help get more cards out of a roll of ribbon, how to ink, use, and fall in love with a background stamp.  How to use some scraps to make a card, quick.  What to do with the left overs from a Scrapbook page kit.  See, useful tips and tricks, and we got to make 4 cards!

The first two cards are made from scraps.  The first card uses scraps from the Tea Time simply scrappin' kit.  The second card uses scraps from Cheerful Treats DSP.  I used the same stamp set, to show how a simple sentiment can get alot of mileage.  I used You're Cherished stamp set, but the Thank You Kindly stamp set would be perfect, too!  I used the same ribbon and base cardstock for both cards.  

Tip:  I also made 'poor-man' bows.  Wrap a scrap piece of ribbon around the front of your card, and then another small piece around the wrapped piece.   Tip:  use the string of rhinestones to add sparkle to your card.  They are already lined up, so you don't have to center or space them.  Trick: when stamping on pattern paper, use the lightest or less patterned paper.  Also, stamp your sentiment in a dark color, such as black or dark brown.  You don't want your words to compete with objects or get lost in a busy pattern.  Trick:  use the pattern paper from the same package, because they already coordinate. 

The second two cards are made with stamps that may seem intimidating or over-whelming.    The first card uses a background stamp: Hello, Doily, and an abstract object: Timeless Treasures.  The second card uses a stamp set with a large font: Hand-Penned  Holidays.  I used the same cardstock for both cards.  I used the same colors of ink, too!

Tip: use a brayer to ink a large or background stamp so you get even coverage.  Tip: swipe wax paper over your cardstock before using a stylis to score your paper.  It helps create smooth score lines.  Trick: when using a large stamp, stamp off the cardstock, so the image is not centered.  That way, you don't have to be perfect.  Any variation will look beautiful.  Trick: stamp the background stamp in a light color and your object in a dark color.  Trick: add a large faux half-pearl to the knot of linen thread.

Here is a card, that my granddaughter made for her mom (my daughter):

Thank you for looking.  I hope that you were able to carve out sometime to create, and exercise the other half of your brain - the creative side.  I hope you stop by again, soon! Take care.

Doilies Everywhere!

This is the second post for today.  Please scroll down for this morning's post 'Kitchen Diva'.

 *CAUTION PHOTO RICH POST*

(please click on each photo to enlarge the photo, so you can really see the detail)

As most of you have seen on the internet, Doilies have really made an impact this year in paper crafting.  I don't really know why.  But, just take a look around, and they are everywhere!  I don't mean that in a bad way.  I have been using them, or their likeness on my paper crafting items myself.   I just want to emphasise their popularity!

The creative folks are Stampin' Up! have come up with some super fun projects and cards!  And here are a few photos of those items!

The first photo is a simple holiday gift box.  The large stamp is heat embossed on the top of the package and tied with some crochet trim.  Not alot of work, and not alot of product, but just look at the visual impact!  WOW!  The next 3 photos are cards.  They all use a various sized doily stamps, but they all have their own creative style!  So, no matter what your style is, you can surely use a doily stamp!  Even if you stamp the doily and use a circle punch to punch out the image and use it as a tag!

The collection is called, 'Flirtatious' and I think it is just that!  Very fun, fresh, and flirty!  This collection has two stamp sets in it, also.  The large doily stamp is actually one of the background stamp sets, called, 'Hello, Doily'.  There is another stamp set, that has 4 various smaller doily stamps in it, called, 'Delicate Doilies'.  The wonderfully creative folks @ Stampin' Up! have also created a matching specialty pattern paper, Flirtatious Designer Series Paper.  The colors used in this collection are: Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Wisteria Wonder and Whisper White.  These totally girly colors are crisp, and clean.  You also get two sheets of laser cut doilies!  How fabulous is that?
 

But that's not all!  The folks @ Stampin' Up! have also designed some fabulous fabric by the same name (Flirtatious).  Here are two photos that showcase their fabric.  This first fabric photo, uses the Flirtatious fabric that is sewn onto flour sack towels as ruffles!  The last photo, is of a toddlers cardigan sweater with the fabric used as ruffle accents (again) sewn to the front.  (this item is also showcased in the Big Idea & Catalog, page 127)  Thank you for looking!  I hope these photos have given you some fabulous ideas! and have gotten your creative juices flowing!
Please contact me to place any size order for any of these wonderfully new items, or some of your other favorite items! @ bachnucmed@excite.com