Green, the color of harmony

Happy Friday.  I have been crafting some holiday ornaments for our family reunion.  Stay tuned for a few photos of those.  But, today, I want to share a card I made for a very special friend.  I used this week's sketch from Sketch Frenzy Friday.  Tammy is this weeks designer of the sketch.  Tammy has given us a great sketch, that I am sure you will easily be able to incorporate into your crafting.

The first thing I noticed about this week's sketch, is how versatile it is.  If you follow me, you know that I am a huge fan of text paper, and those flag-ended strips.  So, I really had fun with this one.

I just loved the rectangle piece at the top, but I love portrait orientation cards.  This card was a labor of love.  Because yeah, there are quite a few steps.  But, I just love how it turned out.  I cut a piece of old olive card stock, and inked the en francias background stamp with versa mark ink.  I did that finger tap stamping.  I didn't want all the words to be stamped.  But rather a random look.  I used white embossing powder and heat set the text.  I inked the 'very vintage' wheel in old olive classic and ran along both sides of the card.  I used a kleenex to buff the old olive classic ink off the embossed text.  I did a simple machine sewn border on this main panel.  I scrunched the lower right corner of the card.  I thought it added a little visual surprise.

For my rectangle piece, I actually created a tag.  I used the Etc. DSP for the green stripe piece.  I matted very vanilla card stock.  And ran a simple machine sewn border to that piece, also.  I love repetition.  I wanted to add a doily to the tag, but I didn't want it to 'steal the show', so I used vellum card stock and the perfect pennant die.  I used crumb cake seam binding to create my multi-loop bow.  I thought the neutral color would pull your eye to the top of the card.  I created and adhered a button out of clay, using the button & blossom mold, to the center of the bow.  I also added a pearl to the button.

For the blossoms, I cut several floral pieces with the blossom die.  I bent the petals to give them some shape.  I brushed whisper white craft ink along the petal edges and sprinkled on dazzling diamond glitter.  I adhered the trio of blossoms to the lower edge of the vellum doily.

I wanted the bottom of the tag to have a bit of flair, so I added a trio of flags.  I used very vanilla card stock and the square lattice embossing folder. to give the cardstock some texture.  But I wanted to add more,.  So, I repeated the machine stitching along the middle of the banners.  I also topped their point of origin with another clay button and pearl.

For the sentiment, I stamped 'amazing you' from the Express Yourself stamp set, in basic black classic ink.  I flagged the ends and folded the long tails.  I used foam tape to lift the sentiment off the card front.

Thank you for stopping by.  Leave me a comment on your opinion of machine stitching.  I'd love to know what you think!  And break out your cardstock and favorite stamp set, and create something using our sketch.  We would really love to see what you create!

create

I have some productive plans for this weekend.  I need to clean my craft room.  I basically 'know' where everything is.  But, it really needs to get put back together.  My son-in-law is racing this weekend, too.  So, I'll be out at the race track, showing my support.  And, I need to spend some time with my grandchildren.  So, fun-filled, and busy.  But, I'm sure that your weekend is busy too.

Before the weekend, gets off to its official start, lets swing by the Sketch Frenzy Friday challenge blog to see what we can create.  Tammy, is this week's sketch designer, and here is her sketch:

the sketch

here is my take on this week's sketch:

I just love how wonderfully pink pirouette and calypso coral pair together.  And so, with no restrictions, I chose to work with these two colors.

The main panel is calypso coral with distressed polka dots heat embossed in white.  I just love how these polka dots look worn and vintage.  

For the strip of card stock that runs across the middle of the card is pink pirouette with some stamping.  I inked the very vintage wheel in calypso coral and ran it horizontally.  I inked the en francias back ground stamp in basic black classic ink.  Then I tapped the card stock, so that the text would be random.  I brushed some whisper white craft ink across this same panel randomly.  And lastly, I sponged some crumb cake classic ink along the edges of the panel.  I matted this piece with basic black card stock.  I used the scallop edge border punch to create the decorative trim.

Now, for this little cluster.  I stamped the grossamer lace in versa mark and heat embossed in white on vellum.  I just love this stamp.  And yeah, it's a retiring stamp. {frown}

The butterfly was created with the butterfly die.  I used pink pirouette card stock and stamped the en francias background stamp onto this butterfly piece.  I then edged the butterfly with whisper white craft ink using a paint brush. Then dunked the butterfly into my tub of dazzling diamond glitter.  (the glitter adhers to the wet craft ink, and when dried, the glitter is fixed to the ink)  I layered a circle of first edition dsp. I also cut a blossom piece from pink pirouette card stock.  I made the button with some clay and a new button mold by Stampin' Up!  I tied the whole piece together with some linen thread.

For the sentiment banner, I used very vanilla and calypso coral card stocks.  I stamped the 'create' in basic black classic ink.  This word is from the creative elements stamp set.

I hope you have found some inspiration here.  And I hope that you play along with us.  Use your favorite color combinations, stamps and papers to create a beautiful paper craft to share with us @ SFF. 

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.

Vintage You

There are a few colors that I just love.  Yes, love.  I love the hue, the depth of the richness, the feeling it provokes.  LOVE it.  Pink Pirouette, Soft Sky, Aqua Mist, Latte, Shell, Crumb Cake, River Rock, Sweet Blush, and Vanilla.  These colors are soft, sweet, and perfect for shabby or vintage paper crafts.

But, there are other colors that pair so nicely with these, that it is amazing how wonderful they look together.  My case in point, is this card that I made for the Nacho Average Challenge, this week.  The wonderful ladies over @ NAC, have a great sketch for you to try this week.  

here is this week's sketch:

here is what I created:

I started with Calypso Coral cardstock.  This color is rich and beautiful.  I thought that it help high light my accent colors.  The main panel is actually very vanilla cardstock matted with River Rock cardstock. I used the Very Vintage wheel and River Rock classic ink, to create the background stamp.  I wanted to add some contrast, so I used the Music Notes wheel and basic black classic ink.  I added three separate lines of music notes.  

The blossoms were made from very vanilla card stock, and sponged with calypso coral (outer petals) and pretty in pink (inner petals) classic inks.  I added a pearl jewel to the centers.  I used whisper white craft reinker and painted the tips of the petals and then dumped the whole blossom in dazzlling diamond glitter.  I used old olive cardstock and the build a blossom punch to create the leaves.

For the sentiment strip, I used lace border punch and whisper white card stock to create a decorative edge.  The very vanilla cardstock strip is only 1/2" wide.  I stamped the sentiment in basic black classic ink, using the Loving Thoughts stamp set.  I added a strip of very vanilla seam binding and a neutral glimmer brad to attach this multi-loop bow to the sentiment strip.  

The butterflies were stamped on very vanilla card stock using the Kindness Matters stamp set.  I fussy cut two of the butterflies out.  I scrunched the cardstock to create 3D butterfies.  I didn't want them to look too flat.

I sponged all the edges of all the cardstock with crumb cake classic ink.  I wanted everything to have some depth, and I didn't want the edges to look too 'clean'.  I gave the whole card a spritz (or two) of my home-made white frost shimmer mist.  (Sparkles are pretty!)

Each of us, on the design team, have shared our own  takes on this sketch @ NAC.  However, a majority of us did blossoms {frown}.  But don't let that stop you from using any other object for the cluster.  I know that I would love to see hearts, or a cluster of butterflies, or . . .

~stop by Sunday, May 12th, for your chance to win some blog candy~

Bunco/Bunko

I play Bunco/Bunko, and I have a wonderful time. If you aren't familiar with this game, it is a dice game that requires 12 people (usually women) to play. I just so happen to play with an awesome group of ladies. And, as you all know, Mother's Day is right around the corner. So, I have made each lady a 'Happy Mother's Day' card, and a book mark.

I made the book marks out of mega paper clips, and in a variety of colors. That way, each lady could select their favorite color. (I also included a close-up). At the centers of the flowers on the book marks, there is a silver brad to hold all the layers of card stock (petals) together. Some of the centers have clear rhinestones on top of the silver brads, and others have half-pearls. Just in case you wanted some bling, or not.

All the Mother's Day cards are the same -its easier when mass producing. However, one lady we play with doesn't have children. I didn't want her to feel left out, so her card say 'for you'. So she knows that she is valued and loved, even if she's not a mom.

All products used are stampin' up! I used Pale Plum & Mellow Moss card stock and classic inks. The flower for the cards, is from the 5th Ave. Floral stamp set. I did the 'water wash' technique on them. If you have any questions, please post it here, or email me.

SU! Birds Card Class #2

Here is another card we will be doing for my SU! Birds Card Class. I saw a card that Ann Fitton had done using this stamp set-Spring Song. And fell in love with it.

I see some stamp sets and think 'oh, thats cute' or 'I like the images, but how to use it?' It is really wonderful when you see a card, or a project using that stamp set, and you get that ah haa moment. This card is a little more subdued then the first card. I want to have a little something for everyone. The card base is bashful blue. Its a pretty color...just not very usable. I think that this blue color goes very well with the soft suede card stock. I want to use alot of product from the occassions mini. So, if you have purchased a stamp set you can 'see what else to do with it.' Thank you for looking.