Celebration Tickets

Howdy, and welcome.  I am still working on Christmas/Holiday themed crafts, but I think most folks are done with looking at those.  So, I am sharing some other paper crafts with you today - handmade cards.  It's like 'a hug with a fold in the middle' - how super sweet is that saying {smile}.

I am entering my card(s) into two challenges.  One a recent play-a-long, and the other is 'new-to-me'. So, let's start with the recent play-a-long:  Time Out Challenge.  Their current challenge is 'inspired by a word'.

I have chosen: Celebrate!

And the next challenge stop is a 'new-to-me' challenge:  Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  Their current challenge is, well a sketch of course! {smile}

What originally caught my eye about this sketch, is the potential!  The circle can be a circle, a snowflake, a large blossom, a doily,  etc.  The possibilities are endless, and I just love those!

and here is what I made:

Recipe:  I used crumb cake card stock by Stampin' Up! for the base of this card.  I just love the soft, creamy kraft color.  The pattern papers are from  three different manufacturers.  I've been working hard at using what I have, and not hoarding collecting craft supplies {smile}.  It's a work in progress.

The pink ledger pattern paper is from Bo Bunny.  The mint polka dot pattern paper is from Core'dinations. and the random ticket pattern paper is from American Crafts.  I just love how these soft, sweet colors mix so well {smile}.  I layered the pattern papers on top of each other, and then did a simple border stitch with my sewing machine.  I just love the homespun look this gives my crafts.  I wrapped a piece of cream cotton trim, and seam binding around the lower third of the card, and sewn it in place.  Tied a double bow with the seam binding, and hot glued it to the front of the card.  I stamped and cut a wreath from the same crumb cake card stock, to repeat the color.  My sentiment is a stamp from Close To My Heart.  I stamped it in black ink onto a textured white card stock, then matted it with a scrap piece of pool party card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I used foam tape to lift the sentiment off the front of the card.  I added some rhinestones to give it some bling, and tied a vintage button with a gold bakers twine to add to the sparkle.  The blossom was glittered and adhered to the card front.

I couldn't decide if I liked this card with pink or blue seam binding, so I simply made both.  {smile}

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you get a chance to play with either or both of these challenge sites.  Until my next craft share, have a great day!

Welcome Christmas

Howdy.  I hope this post finds you well, and still have some holiday spirit left after countless hours standing in line, searching for a parking space, and logging in your required hours at work.  {smile}

I, like so many of you out there, I have different groups of friends, and they all want to get together for the holidays.  So, the crafting for family and friends doesn't really stop until, well, never.  It does slow down the few days between Christmas and News Year.  

For this particular group of friends, we always do a white elephant gift exchange.  There are only 2 requirements, $10 limit, and must be something craft-y.  Check, and check.  I grabbed a package of white coffee filters, and the ring from a mason jar.  

I am entering my creation into a 'new-to-me' challenge:  Crafty Calendar Challenge: It's Christmas.  You are free to create anything, JUST make sure, your creation matches their theme.  Check.

And here is what I came-up with:

Ta-Da!  I made a Holiday Ornament.  I cut each coffee filter into quarters, and then a rough circle.  I dyed the cut coffee filters with tea.  Dried them in the dryer; its fast and super easy.
I added the silver star and thin satin ribbon 'hanger' before adding the coffee filter folds.
Then, I created rough folders with each 'circle', and hot glued them to the ring of a mason jar lid.  I lined them up, and got them pretty close, so there wouldn't be any gaps.
I took tiny cream colored paper flowers, and painted them with a shimmer pearl paint.  Then I added glitter while the paint was wet, so the glitter would adhere.  I added an odd number of blossoms, to keep the wreath 'interesting'.
The final addition, is the 'Merry Christmas' banner.  I hand-stamped the sentiment in archival black ink onto white card stock.  I cut flag ends, and bent the strip into this fancy looking banner.  {smile}
Viola.  Something sweet, vintage, shabby chic, and with a bit of country charm.  {smile} Just my style!  Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you have been inspired to create something beautiful for those special folks in your life.

Watercolor Wreath

~ photo heavy post ~

Howdy!  and welcome to my little piece of blog-land.  A place where I craft, cook, and share.  Ok, I share more crafts than baked goods here, but I do both!  (I post more food photos on Instagram.  Don't really know why, but I do.)

Anyways, I want to share with you a card I made.  It's a Christmas/Holiday card.  I know, you aren't really surprised, are you?  I wanted to try a technique I saw on Michelle Wooderson's blog: Mish Mash.  She calls it 'embossing + watercoloring'.  I think it's beautiful in a eclectic way.  It's basically emboss resist but instead of sponging color (ink) onto your paper, you use water colors.  Now, how gorgeous and fun does that sound?  So, I wanted to give it a try.  But first, I need a challenge to play along with.  So, I set out into the vast 'land' of the blog world and found TWO great challenges to play along with:  Just Us GirlS and Divas by Design .

So, the lovely ladies over @ JUGS, have a wonderful holiday theme challenge:  Wreaths!  Oh boy! right up my alley!  Here is there inspiration board:

For those of you who have not been to the JUGS site, they have changed their challenges.  So, this week, it is a word challenge.  I love the different format they have adopted.  It keeps their site fresh and new!  So, join them this week.  Make something with a wreath.  Have fun.  Craft.  and share!

The wonderful ladies over @ Divas by Design, have a fun and easy challenge: anything goes.  So, craft something that makes your heart happy! and share it with us!

Ok, here is what I made!

Recipe:  I used Aqua Mist cardstock for the card base.  I used the pattern papers from the Library Ledger paper pack, by Paper Trey Ink.  I used the Tasteful Trims die by Stampin' Up! to cut the scallop trim.  I did some machine stitching along the edges of the top panels.  I tied some gold bakers twine from Stampin' Up!, around the middle of the card.  I used a vintage button to add a little something to the bow.  (Aqua Mist button by Paper Trey Ink)

The ticket at the top is a digital download.  Love those little things: tickets and digital downloads. {smile}  The sentiment was hand stamped in Soft Suede classic ink by Stampin' Up!.  It paired very nicely with the rich chocolate browns in the ledger paper.

I stamped the wreath in versa mark ink onto the pattern paper.  I heat embossed antique gold embossing powder, for the wreath.  Love the subtle shine.  I used my aqua painter for the water coloring.  First, I just 'painted' plain water over the embossed areas.  It's like prepping your work surface.  This allows the paint to 'move' over the area.  For the 'paint' I used a few drops of the Pool Party classic re-inker by Stampin' Up!.  I dipped the tip of the brush into the 'color' and simply washed the embossed wreath with paint (aka: re-inker).  To add a little more depth, I splattered some more color onto the painted wreath.  I used crumb cake and pool party for the splattered colors.

I had some much fun making this card, I made some gift card holders with the same technique:

I had a lot of fun making these.  But as you can tell, once I start something it kinda becomes what I do.  And I want a variety of items at my craft fairs, so I stopped at 4 gift cards.  I don't want everything to look the same.  {smile}  Making these gift card holders really allows me to use my scraps in a fun, and festive way!  

Sidetone:  I had so much fun with this technique that I didn't (couldn't) stop to take a photo.  That's why these gift card holders are already packaged for sale.  Sorry for the glare of the clear bag.

Thank you for looking.  I hope I have inspired you to create something new, and challenging!  Why not try emboss resist but with watercolors!