Let It Snow, in January

Howdy, and welcome back.  I have been busy crafting, but not busy photographing what I have created {frown}.  But, I will work on being better at sharing what I create here, and on my Facebook page.  To be honest, sometimes, its just easier to take a quick pic with my phone and upload it on Facebook.  Yeah, that makes me sound lazy.  Honest. But lazy.  So, a New Year's Resolution has been declared!

I am playing along with three challenges: Just Add Ink, Paper Craft Crew, and Word Art Wednesday.  So, let's get started!  I stopped by Just Add Ink blog, and they have a color inspiration photo for their current challenge.

When I saw this photo, I instantly thought of a new line of holiday paper from Prima: Santa Baby.

For a little bit of direction, I stopped by the Paper Craft Crew blog.  Their current challenge is a sketch.  Perfect!  Here is that sketch:

I'm pretty sure I can work with this! {smile}

Finally, I headed over to the Word Art Wednesday blog.  Their challenges are Anything Goes, Family Friendly.  And the design team will certainly inspire you!

and here is what I created:

Recipe:  I created a standard A2 size greeting card (5 1/2" x 4 1/4").  I used PaperTrey Ink's Aqua Mist card stock for the card base.  I just love this soft, pale water color!  I added a piece of the 'houses' pattern paper from Prima: Santa Baby.  I thought it looked sweet, and cozy.  

The next layer is the mugs of cocoa pattern paper from Prima: Santa Baby, matted with Autumn Rose card stock by PaperTrey Ink.  

I then wrapped a piece of cream lace and pale pink seam binding around the second layer (similar to the sketch), and then I machine stitched these layers together.  I added my layered stack towards the right (as in the sketch).  I machine stitched the sentiment panel to the Aqua Mist card stock.  I slipped on a 'tree' paper clip.  And used foam tape to adhere it to the paper paper layer.  

I tied a double bow with the pale pink seam binding, and tied a tiny pale pink ornament to the bow with some gold and white bakers twin.  I adhered a paper blossom from the Prima: Santa Baby collection just above the bow.  I punched out some leaves and stuck them in behind the paper blossom (as in the sketch).  

I added a trio of crystals (as in the sketch) from Prima to the front of the card; two below the bow and one next to the tree paper clip.  I thought that they added the right amount of sparkle, even tho they are two different colors: aqua and pale pink.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I hope that you have a chance to play along with any or all of these challenges!  Enjoy your weekend, and I hope to be back soon!

Office Boss Card

Howdy, and welcome.  Sorry that I have been 'missing' from my blog.  I have posted a few things on my Facebook page.  You are always to welcome to check that out.  I try to post different images there.  Only to help keep it fresh {smile}.

I made a card today for my bestie.  She is a terrific lady, and our lives have gotten very busy with our own families.  So, we haven't been hanging out as much as we use to.  We have started scheduling 'dates' each month, just so we don't loose touch.  Todays world has become so hectic and overwhelming, that most of us don't have time for ourselves, let alone some of our most cherished friends.  {frown}  It's not always by choice, but rather a simple lack of time.  

I am entering my card into three different, but equally beautiful challenges.

Let's start with the sketch.  I headed over to the Paper Craft Crew Challenge.  Their current challenge is a beautiful sketch.  One that is simple, but easily expandable.  Great, right?

My next stop was to get a bit more direction.  So I stopped by the Tic Tac Toe Challenge.  A super fun and creative challenge site.  They use tic tac toe boards, so it allows you structured freedom.  Gotta love that!

stripes, ribbon, floral

And last, I wanted a bit more influence, so I stopped by the Double D Challenge.  This creative site has themes, items, and just a great variety of different challenges.  Their current one: twine!  How super fun is that? and twine is very easy to work with.  Give it a go!

and here is what I created:

Recipe: this card is a typical A2 size (5 1/2" x 4 1/4").  Blank inside.  

I used bashful blue card stock by Stampin' Up! for the card base.  (its a discontinued color)  I just love the softness, and the true blue color.  I also used not quite navy card stock by Stampin' Up! for the matting.  For the same reason.  The pureness of the blue, the beautiful heavy-weight of the card stock.

The pattern papers are from a digital collection I purchased.  I printed the stripes and small print onto whisper white card stock by Stampin' Up!.  The slick-ness of this card stock takes ink beautifully.  The large print, base pattern paper was printed onto white linen card stock by Paper Trey Ink.  The sturdiness of this card stock, along with the texture, makes it beautiful to print on.  {smile}

The stripe panel is adhered to the card front with foam  tape.  The sentiment is adhered to the card front with foam tape, as well.

I tied bashful blue satin ribbon from Stampin' Up! (retired) to the 'tag' piece.  I tied a blue button to the center of the bow with a copper & cream twine.  The star I made.  I used sparkle white clay, and a star mold.  

The sentiment is hand-stamped.  I used ultra detail antique copper embossing powder for the sentiment.  I used the Label Love stamp set by Altenew.  And the final touch was the trio of copper sequins by Prima.

Thank you for looking.  I need to get this card in the mail!  Have a great day!  And I hope that you have a chance to play along with any/all of these challenges.  {smile}

Beautiful You Card

Howdy, and welcome!  Today I wanted to share with you a card I hand-crafted.   I wanted to make something pretty, with a generic sentiment.  This card isn't for anyone, so nothing specific.  I just wanted to paper craft.   I set out looking at a few of my favorite paper challenge sites to get some direction, and I found some very fun challenges.  So, let's get started!

I wanted a bit more direction, so I decided on a sketch challenge.  I knew what I wanted to use, I just needed a little more direction.  So, I stopped by the Paper Craft Crew challenge site.  This challenge site mostly does sketches.  But every now and again they will throw in a theme, or tic tac toe board, but they will always inspire you!  

I didn't rotate or flip their current sketch.  I used it as is!  I also did not switch out the blossom images for any other shaped item.

Since I already knew what pattern paper I wanted to use, and I now have a sketch to work with, I decided to play along with the wonderfully talented ladies over @ Word Art Wednesday.  Their challenges are : anything goes, family friendly.  

You will be pleasantly surprised by this design team.  They are very creative and talented, and the submissions are pretty great too!

and here is what I created:

Recipe:  this blank inside greeting card is the typical A2 size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".  I used cream card stock by Paper Trey Ink for the card base.  This card stock is a beautiful heavy weight, so it stands up to my embellishing!  The main panel matt is Kraft card stock by Paper Studio.  I just love the neutral soft color of kraft. {smile}

The pattern papers are digital.  I use my at home printer to print these.  I used whisper white card stock by Stampin' Up! for 3 of the pattern papers.  This card stock has a 'slick' feel to it, and allows the card stock to take the ink from my printer beautifully! I have zero complaints.  The small square that has the sentiment on it, I shrunk down.  It would have printed 6" x 6", but I wanted the whole sheet of paper to be my focal piece.  And I just love the sentiment.  That piece I printed on Linen card stock by Paper Trey Ink.  I felt the added texture would help give my card some depth, and not be so flat.

I cut my top pattern paper, so that the mix of floral images would have some blues in it, to help tie the bottom pattern paper that is a blue collage with copper dots.  

I added a simple border stitch with my sewing machine.  I think it adds a 'homespun' look/feel.  

To hide the seam where the two pattern papers overlap, I added a scrap piece of white cotton trim, and topped that with a scrap piece of pale pink seam binding.  I added a little machine stitching there too.  It holds the card front together, and continues with the machine stitching along the card's edge.

The pink polka dot pattern paper, I flagged the end, for visual interest.  

To make my 'tag' piece, I simply added my pattern paper square to a scrap piece of the same Kraft card stock I used for the main matt.  I used my scissors to make the tag shape at the top.  I used a traditional hole punch to give my tag that finished look.  I threaded a piece of pale pink seam binding through the hole and tied a simple knot.  I then tied a simple knot of pale pink tinsel to a rich brown button, and hot glued it to the top of my seam binding bow.  I adhered the tag to the card front with foam tape, to help elevate it off the front of the card.

The paper blossoms are from my stash.  The brownish blossom is from Prima.  I just loved the color.  Not quite brown.  Not quite copper.  The white paper blossom and the little pink paper blossom are from LemonCraft.  I added some white paint and glitter to the petals, of both blossoms.

Thank you for stopping by and having a look at what I created.  I hope you have been inspired to play along with either or both of these challenge sites.  Enjoy your Friday!

Springtime in Primrose

Howdy, I wanted to share another Thank You card I made with the Primrose collection by Bo Bunny. I stopped by a few challenge sites to get some inspiration.  I used the same pattern papers in the same sequence.  I just added different paper blossoms, and different ribbon.  {smile}

I stopped by a new to me craft challenge site: Paper Craft Crew Challenge.  Their current challenge is a sketch.  Their sketch is easy to use.  I flipped the sketch upside down.

I just love the current challenge over @ Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge, Spring/Easter theme.

And one last final stop, is Word Art Wednesday.  Their current challenge is: Anything Goes & Family Friendly.  

and here is what I made:

Recipe:  a typical A2 card (5 1/2" x 4 1/4").  I used kraft card stock as the card base.  I love this soft, neutral color.  I used 3 of the pattern papers from the Primrose collection by Bo Bunny.  I just love the soft, innocent colors: spring green, warm vanilla, and a sweet pink.  The polka dot, and honey comb patterns add a sweet vintage, shabby chic appearance.

The floral pattern paper and the green honey comb pattern paper were machine stitched together.  I did a purposefully sloppy double border stitch.  

I used the pink trefoil pattern paper as middle stripe.  I wrapped white cotton trim, and this beautiful brown check ribbon around the pink trefoil pattern strip.  I machine stitched them to the paper.

My circle piece is actually a 2 1/2" circle layered onto a paper doily.  I just love these delicate doilies from Stampin' Up!.  

I stamped my sentiment onto a decorative label piece.  Instead of a button, I used a bow for my other circle element.  I thought it added a special softness, and femininity.

I added a white clay bee, for the small circle element on the opposite side of the large circle element.  

I also jazzed up my large circle element.  {smile}  I stamped several leaf trios, into two green inks.  I added a larger mint green blossom, as my main blossom.  I tucked 2 tiny pink rose buds at the top of the main blossom.  I added a pink rose and a brown blossom to the lower left of the main mint blossom.  

And finally, I added a trio of flat back half pearls.