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.

Spring Roses

A dear girlfriend is celebrating her birthday this week.  And, yeah, she is pretty crafty.  In fact, she taught me how to do scrapbook pages.  So, I really want to make her something special.  I created a card and box combination.  That way, one creation does two jobs.

To help get my mojo working, I visited a few different challenge sites, to see what their challenges are this week.  I really needed a starting point: a color combo, a sketch, and a technique or embellishment requirement.  And here is what I found: the Shabby Tea Room (#166),  Mojo Monday (#293), and Just Us GirlS challenge (#188).

color combo:  pink and green

(and include a sewing element):

a button and machine stitching

the sketch:

rotated veritcle

a technique:

(use white ink)

white craft ink and white paint

and here is what I made:

Wow, so where do I start, with my notes.  These card-box combos are alot of fun to create.  You create a card, add on a box, and let you gift 'shine' {smile}.  This template was purchased here.

The card/box base is Vanilla cardstock.  I used Paper Trey Ink cardstock.  It's a heavier weight than Stampin' Up!, because I needed a heavy weight cardstock to hold up to the layers.

We'll start with the front.  I rotated the sketch 90 degrees, so it would be a portrait orientation.  I used a piece of sage shadow card stock, hand-stamped the text with white craft ink, and heat embossed white embossing powder.  I used some digital papers I had on hand.  I selected rose prints that have pinks and greens in them.  I matted the larger paper with shell card stock.  To define it from the main panel.  I then  added some machine stitching.  I didn't use two circles like the sketch.  Instead, I used a circle and a square.  The back square in a text pattern paper.  The forward circle is actually a digital image of pink macaroons.  I think these little cookies are a fabulously-glamorous birthday cookie.  I matted this circle onto a darker green cardstock.  I used white paint to distress the edge of the circle.  I also hand-stamped the doily in white ink and used white embossing powder, on vellum card stock, to create the lace doily.

I used a white/black text pattern paper for my strip.  I also matted it with a beige and ivory floral pattern paper.  I took a strip of pom-pom trim and machine stitched that piece on, too.  I added a hand-made white clay blossom to this strip.

I used two different shades of pink seam binding.  The lighter pink seam binding was tied into a multi-loop and one of my hand-made white clay buttons was tied onto the bow with cream twine.  I added a circle tag.  I hand-stamped 'celebrate' on a circle tag.  I distressed this tag with white paint, and tied it to the bow.  The darker pink seam binding was tied around the card-box combo.  I used a rhinestone brad to secure the seam binding to the spine of the box.  

Ok, for the inside, I continued the white stamping and white embossing.  I used a flourish stamp to add the white swirl to the rose digital paper.  The 'happy birthday' square is hand-stamped in black ink on vanilla cardstock.  The cupcake image is cut from a digital paper.

The front of the box, is decorated with a cream and green pattern paper.  I stamped text onto it, with white craft ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder.  I matted the pattern paper onto mellow moss cardstock.  I added a decorative label with stamped 'Birthday Wishes'.  I added a circle of pink roses.  I also stamped 'friends' in black classic ink onto a different pink floral pattern paper.  I added a heart of silver glimmer paper.

Inside of the box, is two glassine bags of hand-made white clay buttons.  I altered a clothes pin with silver glitter.  I used this glitter clothes pin to hold the two glassine bags closed and together.

I left the back au natural.  Thank you for looking.  I hope you have a chance to play along with your favorite challenge site, too!  It's alot of fun, to create something beautiful for someone.

Bold Colors

I need to change gears, so to speak.  The lovely ladies over @ Nacho Average Challenge have a color challenge for you to try this week.  The colors are bright and bold.  Lets see what you create!

here are the colors:

these aren't colors that I normally use, so this was a challenge for me too

To help pull the Melon Mambo color in the card, I did some random stamping and created a focal point.  The summer starfruit was easier for me to incorporate.  I made a simple banner flag with the dsp and card stock.  Then I did a repetitive stamp in the same color.  The DSP has the summer starfruit and island indigo.

I hope you get a chance to play along with us @ NAC

Happy Mother's Day + Blog Candy

Happy Mother's Day, to all of you who are celebrating!  I wanted to celebrate today with you all, and  give away some candy!  Blog candy that is!

here is the candy I am giving away:

The blog candy consists of one yard total of my favorite trims and two button cards of my home-made clay embellishments. 

The trims: one foot each of crochet trim
burlap ribbon, and pale pink crinkled seam binding:

one button card with two clay buttons:

one button card with clay embellishments
a disc with bird and flowers, a blossom, and a cameo

The clay embellishments are made from white sparkle clay and baked to cure. These embellishments will add a shabby touch to any craft.  Each clay embellishment is attached to the button card with a glue dot.

And here is how you enter.  Leave a comment with this post, letting me know your favorite childhood memory.  It can be anything; a family vacation, a stuffed animal you received on your birthday, the best cake your mom made you, whatever.  Also, include a way to contact you, if you are randomly selected as my winner, so I can mail you your candy.  (Candy will be mailed on Tuesday, in a padded envelope.)   Good Luck!

Oh, one little detail.  You have until Monday, May 13th @ 11pm MST to leave a comment, to be eligible to win.  One comment per person.

the sweetest sounds to mortals given

are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven

~William Goldsmith Brown

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Remember this . . .

time well spent.  

That is a wonderful memory that makes you feel warm, loved, and truly happy.  The kind of happy that evokes a smile inside out.  Few things in life give me this.  My children/grandchildren are the first things that come to mind.  I believe that it is their innocence.  Their thirst to experience life.  My dog, Sasha, is a running second.  I have to admit, its this 'unconditional love', that feeds my soul.  It gives me a feeling of calm and the courage to 'spread my wings'.  It's from this passion that motivates and inspires me to create. 

With Mother's Day right around the corner, ok, tomorrow.  I'm sure you have a memory that makes you happy, proud to be a parent.  Whether its the first time your child rode their bike without training wheels, their first ballet recital, their first time in a T-ball uniform, their first 'A' on a spelling test, or any other wonderfully sweet exhibit of their independence.  These milestones are actually stepping stone in parenthood.  Because your love started when their first breath took yours away!  Now, you need to nurture their desires, their interests, their passions, their independence.  Help them become responsible, loving, mature people, who have a passion, an interest, a goal.

The talented ladies over @ the Shabby Tea Room have a beautiful challenge this week.  The inspirational photo has a collection of stacked soft, neutral blankets in a wicker basket.  They ask that you also use some dry embossing and stitching to help add some texture.

Here is their inspirational photo:

This inspirational photo, stirred these parental feelings in me.  The different textures, the ruffles, the stripes, the crispness of the wicker, the contrast of the white numbers.  A collection of 'life', so to speak. 

This photo brought memories of my daughter.  I know that just sounds crazy.  But, this stack of blankets are 'her'.  She is a warm and compassionate woman to her friends.  A loving and patient mother to her children (she has 3, with one on the way).  A best friend and partner to her husband.  And a wonderfully warm, kind, and funny person to everyone who interacts with her.  She values her family, and is grateful for her blessings.  So, her Mother's Day card was made with this inspirational photo.  

here is what I made:

This collage is the result of the inspiration photo.  All the different elements make me think of her, my daughter.  The dry embossing comes from the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder by Stampin' Up!.  I sewn a border around the card front with my sewing machine.  I find the hum of the machine soothing.

I used two different neutral floral pattern papers: the rectangle with the glitter photo corner, and the matt behind the black pattern paper on the doily.  The floral pattern paper shows how she isn't exactly a girly-girl, but still very much a woman.  

The mini post card is actually a digital download, from Ephemera's Vintage Garden: little blackbirds, found here.  It represents her love for keeping in touch with family and friends.

The clock image, is hand-stamped onto a piece of a balsa wood sheet.  The stamp comes from Hero Arts: Keeping Time.  The clock represents how time flys!

The 2 cent stamp and the ticket stub, are stamps from Stampin' Up!: Postage Due and That's the Ticket.  These two pieces represent the memorabilia from different family vacations.

The white shabby resin lock, is from Melissa Frances.  The lock with bow represents home.  My daughter does everything that she can to keep a clean, comfortable, and loving home for her family.  

The white paper doily is from Martha Stewart: Doily Tags.  This soft, sweet addition, reminds me of the softer side of this  adventurist mom.

The black and white text paper, is from Prima: Printery Collection.  This is the contrast to the doily.  My daughter is a strict but fair parent.

The butterfly is made with a grey puffy fabric.  The center of the butterfly is made with a floral shape of glimmer paper and a fabric blossom; both by Stampin' Up!  I love the butterfly.  To me, it represents 'change'.  Life is full of change.  So embrace it.  Or it'll run you over.  The fabric blossom represents growth.  My daughter's growth as a young woman, wife, and mother.  This collection is for the sweeter side of her.  She is a strong person, but also tender-hearted.

The two trims across the card front were selected because of the inspiration photo. The mix of textures, fabrics, and neutrals. I added the trio of buttons to represent the way a mother 'holds her family together' with love, praise, and support.

Also, I just love this grey-ish polka dot distressed pattern paper by Glitz.  It looks like fabric, to me.  I thought it paired nicely with the over-all look of the card.

Finally, the sentiment says it all!  This sentiment comes from the Everyday Moments stamp set by Teresa Collins.  'I want to always Remember...'.  I believe that this sentiment is very personal to each person who reads it.  And I didn't want to add a generic sentiment. But rather an unique sentiment to go with an unique, special card, to celebrate Mother's Day!  

Thank you for looking.  I hope I have inspired you to play along with the latest challenge over @ the Shabby Tea Room.  Let the photo help you create something wonderfully beautiful and personal {smile}.

Happy Mother's Day, to all of you who have 'children', whether they are human, canine, bovine, etc.  When we nurture, love and support another, we in turn help ourselves grow.  

~stop-by tomorrow, for a chance to win some blog candy~

Hello Baby

On this Friday, Jennifer is our sketch design artist for the sketch challenge over @ Sketch Frenzy Friday.  Jennifer has created a wonderful sketch.  I think it works for a large variety of paper crafters.  This sketch is very workable if you're a CAS type of gal, or a layering fool (like me) {smile}.

the sketch:

When I saw the sketch this week, the first thing I thought of was to stamp flowers in the opposite corners.  But then, that just didn't seem like 'me'.  The other thing that came to mind, was to use some products that I just love, but are retiring from Stampin' Up! this month.  A way to use things I like before I can't.  

here is what I created:

The card base is made from River Rock card stock.  I love this shade.  It's a neutral that has some green in it.  It looks like a linen shade, to me.  And then I decided to use some pretty soft colors, to help showcase this shade.                                            

The large panel is made from pool party card stock.  I used the distressed polka dot background stamp.  (Another retiring product.)  I stamped the polka dots in whisper white craft ink and white embossing powder.  I heat set the embossing powder.  I sponged some pool party classic ink on the all the edges, and randomly over the embossed polka dots.  I used a kleenex to wipe any ink off the embossed polka dots.    

   

The card base is made from River Rock card stock.  I love this shade.  It's a neutral that has some green in it.  It looks like a linen shade, to me.  And then I decided to use some pretty soft colors, to help showcase this shade.                                            

The large panel is made from pool party card stock.  I used the distressed polka dot background stamp.  (Another retiring product.)  I stamped the polka dots in whisper white craft ink and white embossing powder.  I heat set the embossing powder.  I sponged some pool party classic ink on the all the edges, and randomly over the embossed polka dots.  I used a kleenex to wipe any ink off the embossed polka dots. 

The upper corner has a strip of crochet trim and burlap ribbon stapled to the corner.  I layered a fabric blossom on top of a silver glimmer paper flower.  I stamped the baby ticket and adhered it on top of the ribbon tails.  The pink panel is made from pink pirouette card stock.  I stamped the doily in whisper white craft ink and used white embossing powder.  Heat set the doilies, swiped pink pirouette classic ink across the raised doilies.

As with the sketch, there are two embellishments at opposite corners.  I wanted to make a soft, pretty, sweet card for a baby shower.  So, I didn't want to specify a girl or boy baby.  That's another reason for the pink and blue.  I also selected neutral vanilla-colored embellishments.  I did all the stamping with basic grey classic ink.

The bottom corner has a postage stamp and a ticket.  Both pieces were stamped in basic grey clasic ink onto very vanilla cardstock.  I layered them, and added the button to hide the text.  I tied some white bakers twine through the button.

The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, in basic black classic ink.  This is my version of a clean and simple card.  It isn't one layer, or 'flat'.  But, it is a pretty basic card for me {smile}.

I hope that we have inspired you to play along with us @ SFF.  We would love to see what you create with our sketch!

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