Season of Peace & Joy Combo

Howdy! and the holiday crafting keeps keeping-on! {smile}  I needed a new focus (aka layout) so I headed to an old favorite: Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.  They always have some easy-to-work-with sketches, so it was a no-brainer!

and, see what I mean?  easy-to-work-with sketch!

and here is what I made:

matching card and gift tote

I made a matching card (blank on the inside) and gift tote, using Mojo Monday current sketch!  Once I saw their sketch, it did not take me long to whip this up!  When I started with this sketch, I created the card first, so let's start there!

Recipe for the card: for the card base, I used Mossy Meadow card stock by Stampin' Up!.  Its this rich deep green, that is just gorgeous in real life!

The pattern papers I selected are old.  Probably 5 years old.  The main deep red, and the sentiment block are both Basic Grey.  The striped paper and the blue polka dot paper are Bo Bunny.  I matted the striped paper onto Marina Mist card stock by Stampin' Up!.  Did a quick and easy single border stitch with my sewing machine.  I also sewn the cream cotton trim and green seam binding to the pale blue polka dot pattern paper.  

I hand-stamped my sentiment onto a journalling block.  I used early espresso embossing powder to give the sentiment a presence.  The stamp is another old-y.  It is an Anna Griffin from 10/+ yrs ago.  I matted the journalling block with a scrap piece of the mossy meadow card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I adhered the journalling block to the card front with foam tape.

I kept the snowflake embellishment from the sketch, and used a wooden snowflake from Stampin' Up!.  I believe it is 2 years ago.  I also included a retired Stampin' Up! brad, from their Occasions catalog (4/5 years ago).  I didn't add any adhesive to the snowflake.  The brad is what secures it to the card front.  (That way the snowflake will turn.)  And viola!

Recipe for the tote:  I wanted these two items to match, so I used Mossy Meadows card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I had a large enough scrap piece of the same papers, so I used them.  

I ran out of thread, so I could not do any machine stitching on the stripe pattern paper.  (We live 28 miles outside of town in the mountains.  So I did not jump in my car and drive into town for thread.  Especially on Black Friday with all the crowds.  Sorry.)

I matted the stripe paper onto Marina Mist card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I just love how this blue highlights the blue in the striped pattern paper.

I cut a wider strip from the pale blue polka dot pattern paper.  This time, I didn't add the green seam binding.  Instead, I used Ocean Tides polka dot ribbon, by PaperTreyInk.  I flipped the ribbon over, and used the solid side.  I like how this 'softer' side of the ribbon matched the blue polka dot pattern paper.  This ribbon wraps all the way around the tote, and ends on the side at the banner's end.   (and yes, I have too much ribbon.  And no, I am not a hoarder.  I am a collector {smile}.)

I used the same journalling block for my sentiment piece.  I hand-stamped the sentiment and heat embossed it with early espresso embossing powder.  I matted the journalling block with a scrap piece of mossy meadow card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I adhered the journalling block to the front of the tote with foam tape.

I added another large wooden snowflake by Stampin' Up!.  and secured it to the front of my tote with a retired brad by Stampin' Up!.  

Thank you for looking.  I have a few more projects to complete for my last upcoming craft fair!  And yes, I am getting more and more comfortable with my new upgraded photo editing software.  {smile}

Clear Box - Gift Bag

Howdy!  I wanted to share with you a new gift bag that I am making for my Craft Fairs this year.  Typically, I add a decorative panel to a brown paper bag.  But, I wanted to add a new dimension to my gift bags.  So, I have added my decorative panel to a clear box, and made it a tote.  

Recipe:  The solid red card stock is Riding Hood Red card stock from Stampin' Up!  It is retired for a few years now.  But I just love the vintage faded red color.  The pattern paper is 25th and Pine by Basic Grey.  I matted the floral pattern paper onto a scrap piece of mint macaroon card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I added a single border stitch with my sewing machine.  The sentiment 'label' is actually cut from a sheet of pattern paper.  I added some sweet blush stitched ribbon from Paper Trey Ink.  I liked how this color of pink complimented the pink in the pattern papers.  I attached the sentiment 'label' with a pair of antique pearl brads from recollections.  And to add a little sparkle, I added a retro silver star mini ornament.

The clear boxes are 5" x 5", and 2" deep.  I left the top flap in tack.  That way, there is a way to 'close' the bag/tote so items don't fall out {smile}.  At first, I was struggling a bit, with how to 'package' these clear box gift bags/totes.  The clear boxes unfold, to lay flat.  Ta Da!  Now, all I have to do is slide these gift totes into a clear bag.  I need to figure out a price.  Don't fret, I will still have my typical paper gift bags {smile}.   Thank you for stopping by, to see what I have been working on.  Now, it's time to bleach some bottle brush trees!

Roses & Reindeer

Well, the crafting hasn't stopped.  But, I am taking a small break to post a few pictures.  I love sharing what I create, but I always under-estimate the amount of time it takes to photograph, edit, and post images. {frown}

A wonderful lady who works at my Dentist office, came by my last craft fair (@ Tramway Community Church) and purchased all of the gift card holders I had created.  {smile}  It is very nice to 'sell out'.  And this gave me the push to create some new ones, using some different pattern papers, and embellishments.

These little cuties are a blast to create.  It really forces you to think differently.  The space to embellish is only 4" x 2 1/2", with a slope.  So, it needs to be minimalist, without looking bare.  It's always good to have a challenge, right?

I forgot to photograph these before I packaged them.  So sorry for the cello bag glare.  

Speaking of packaging.  What is stamped on the bag topper is what is heat embossed on the inside.  Also, there is a dot on the back of the bag topper, to show what color of embossing powder was used for the inside.

Recipe:  The top gift card holder:  I used the roses G45 Christmas paper for the outer flap.  The polka dot pattern paper is Aqua dots & stripes by Echo Park.  I used garden green card stock by Stampin' Up! for the base.  I also used the new real red cotton ribbon by Stampin' Up!.  It is soft and ties some beautiful bows.

The bottom gift card holder:  I used Eskimo Kisses by Basic Grey.  That paper is easily 3 yrs old.   I only had scraps, so the top panel piece wasn't wide enough to fit across the whole card.  So I made it into a panel.  I added a text pattern paper So Noted by Carta Bella.  The gift card base is made with Pool Party card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I also used the new cotton ribbon by Stampin' Up! in blushing bride.  

I tied on snowflake charms from Stampin' Up!.  Yeah, they are new this holiday season.

I created two different by equally perfect sentiment pieces.  I stamped both in real red classic ink onto whisper white cardstock; both from Stampin' Up!. 

Look for these and many more different styles of gift card holders at my next craft fair this Saturday @ La Cueva High School, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Thank you for stopping by.  I'm heading back into my craft room, to finish some more gift card holders.  And a few more cards, gift bags, and gift card/box combos. {smile}

a Splash of Daffodil Delight

I love creating.  Paper crafting, is the most accessible for me.  I have a 'ton' of paper crafting supplies, as I'm sure you all do too {smile}.  So, walking into my craft room and sitting at my desk, is as effortless as breathing, for me.  Creating, allows me to express myself, find joy, challenge myself, and it feeds my passion.   I love all kinds of creating; sewing, cooking, baking, cake decorating, paper crafting, and altering common items.   I also love sharing what I love doing.  So, that was the original push to creating this blog - an outlet to share what I make.  However, I don't share so much food, as I do crafting.

Today, I found out that I was last weeks winner @ the Shabby Tea Room, in their 'Open Window' challenge {smile}.  Thank you ladies for selecting my card.  Once I saw their challenge, I kinda already knew what products that I wanted to use.  I just needed to find an hour or so, to sit and create.  I have searched Lauren Meader's shop My Time Made Easy, and I'm narrowing down my choices.  And don't worry, I'll share my creation with you {smile}.

Today, I stumbled upon a different challenge site, Friday Mashup!, and they have a wonderfully creative challenge this week, called Hey, Get the Lead Out! with a wonderful twist: select a neutral with a splash of color, and use your pencil (#2).  Here is their inspiration board:

Here's your Mashup Challenge:

1. Create a project using "your choice of a Neutral & a Splash of one Bright Color".
2. Create a project "using a Pencil (regular graphite #2)".
3. Or Mash it Up and create a project "using pencil & your choice of a neutral & a Splash of a Bright Color".

Ok, so if I told you that my neutral is crumb cake, you wouldn't be surprised, right?  And my splash of one bright color is Daffodil Delight.  And yeah, I used my #2 pencil {smile}.  The talented Lili over @ FM  also included a great tutorial, found here.  

here is what i made:

I used crumb cake card stock for the base of the card.  I had a scrap piece of this beautiful kraft and white floral pattern paper from Basic Grey, little black dress.  This scrap piece was a bit too small, so I matted it onto another piece of crumb cake card stock.  I distressed the edges with picket fence distress paint.  (I love this paint so much, I think I'm addicted.)  I added a strip of a yellow pattern paper from Teresa Collins.  I did a banner end, to give the card stock some pizzazz.  I wrapped a piece of daffodil seam binding around the top and tied a multi-loop bow.  I tied a yellow button distressed with picket fence paint and dazzling diamond glitter, with some cream twine.  I added some random swipes with the distress paint to the bow.  I made the flowers by hand, of course!  I used two different size scallop circles to create these little beauties.  I punched the scallop circles out of very vanilla cardstock and sponged daffodil delight along the scallops, and tightly wound.  I added a tiny floral punch piece from silver glimmer paper as their leaves.

I added some machine stitching around three sides of this card.  I think that little touch, adds a sense of 'home'.

I stamped my sentiment piece onto very vanilla card stock.  I used basic grey classic ink, and stamped off twice.  I used my #2 pencil to trace and shade.  I don't have one of those blending tools, so I used my finger.  I know its not precise, but it worked beautifully.  This technique reminds me so much of the chalkboard technique.  So, it was very comforting to try a new technique, and have a familiarity with it {smile}.

If you want to try your hand at this beautiful technique, please do.  It is rather pretty when you add just a splash of color, as with the challenge restrictions.  But, it isn't a restriction as so, but rather a venue to allow your pencilling to 'shine' and take center stage.  Add your pencil technique to the FM site.

love this card? purchase it here

St. Nick

Happy Saturday Morning!  Whew.  This has been a busy holiday weekend, and I'm glad that I had a chance to sit in my craft room and create.  But, when I tell you this was a labor of love, I mean it.  Wendy, from Our Creative Corner, has a wonderfully delightful challenge for you this week.  

Here is her inspirational photo:

Wendy, uses this long weekend, to decorate her house.  And she wants to see a Christmas tree of sorts used on your paper crafting project.  Sounds pretty simple, huh?  As one of my design teammates says, 'it's the simplest that can be the hardest'.  And boy is she ever right!  So, when I saw this photo, I knew exactly what I wanted to use.  A starting point of sorts.  My resin christmas tree.  How pretty, huh?  So, at first I altered a box, to create a Christmas box.  Oh my.  That did not come together as I had envisioned it would in my mind.  Ok, so, I tried to alter a hinged lid tin, you know, to hold christmas tags.  I couldn't get that to come together either!  Was I trying too hard?  Or simply limiting myself to this resin tree.  So, after going through two different Christmas themed lines of pattern paper, and countless hours.  I came up with this simple (not really) coaster hanger.  

I used one of those cardboard coasters that measures 4" x 4".  I used an 6" x 6" pattern paper pack.  Since the object is small in scale, I felt that the patterns on your typical 12" x 12" pattern paper would be too huge.  I wanted a pattern 'small'.   I did a little stamping, too!  I inked the 'Merry Christmas' stamp in pear pizzazz, old olive, and always artichoke classic inks.  I wanted the image to look old, worn.  So, I figured the variations in color would seem weathered.  I also used my blank stamp and old paper ink pad to give all the pattern papers a dirtied-look.  And front and (almost) center is that resin Christmas tree.  I'm a fan of texture and visual interest, so there are a few different things.  The buttons are hand-sewn on.  The text paper is both distressed and punched using a lace border.  I also stamped a holiday sentiment on it.    The fabric rolled flower helps 'join' that otherwise empty corner.  I die-cut the star out of textured white paper and distressed the edges.  I punched three different flower shapes out of the same 6" x 6" pattern paper pack, to keep the scale of pattern consistent.  I have it all together with a metal brad.  And then I topped the brad off with a faux half-pearl.   The 'Season's Greeting' tag was printed @ 70% scale.  I added a scrap piece of crochet trim to help soften the paper seam.  I used my crop-a-dile to punch the hanger holes.  I strung some pretty polka dot ribbon thru and knotted it at the back.  

This little pretty can either hang on a door or your tree.  Let's see what beautiful work of art you create with our challenge: use a Christmas tree on your project.  For some added inspiration, and to get those creative juices flowing, hop on over to the Our Creative Corner blog, and see what these super talented ladies have created!  You won't be disappointed!

Our Baby Boy

Happy Saturday!  And, let me start by saying, Murphy is right!  If it can/will go wrong, it will.  :/  

Tui, from Stampin' Time has a fabulous challenge for you over @ Our Creative Corner.  It's a masculine challenge.  Now, before you change blogs, lets examine this.  Ok, so if you are a follower, or frequent visitor, you know, that I don't do masculine.  I don't have boy stuff.  I have girl stuff.  I love pinks, ribbons, bows, buttons, bling, and all this girl-y.  So, I embraced the challenge.  And I encourage you, too, to embrace the challenge.  Step out side of your comfort zone, or the proverbial box.  Here are a few helpful hints.  Remember, boys are 'harder' than girls.  Instead of 'soft' embellishments, think 'hard': like metals, wood, corduroy.  Does that help?  

Here is my Masculine Project:

A 'close-up' of the bottom row of boxes.

This is one of those Solo ShadowBox's.  They come in either black or white.  Neither of which I wanted.  So, I selected white.  And then I painted it in a light beige paint.  I thought that it warmed up the stark white.  Then, I rubbed a nice, warm brown ink pad along the top rim to give it a 'walnut' look.  

I selected some of my all-time favorite photos of my grandson.  And then edited the photos, so I could control their size, without distorting their proportion.  Adding the tiny embellishments, was actually kind of fun.  Thinking small really does change your perspective.

Now, before you go a little crazy with what products I used.  I'll just let you know that I used products from 10 different companies.  Yeah, my craft room, is basically a store.  But, if you can name 7 of the companies I used in the comment section, your name will be entered in a drawing for a full roll of ribbon.  I'll draw a name at the close of this masculine challenge brought to you by Tui, and Our Creative Corner.

Not Big on Pink

Happy Saturday to ya'll!  Well, I am hosting Our Creative Corner this week.  And I have to admit, I love coming up with some fun challenges for you.  For those who know me, know that I am a girl-y girl.  I love all things pink, and little feminine touches of ribbon, buttons, bling,  and pearls.  But I have girl friends who don't like pink.  Crazy, I know.  So, for this week's challenge, I thought we could make something pretty for those who aren't a fan of pink.  

Make a paper craft item (card, layout, scrapbook page, 3-D item, etc) using any shade of blue, add some texture (ribbon, fabric, floss, etc) and something metal (push pin, charm, brad, etc).  And the twist is to add a smidge of pink.  Any shade of pink.  And not too much.  (if you need a number, make it 1/5 or less pink.)  To get some extra inspiration, please stop by Our Creative Corner and see what these super talented ladies have created.  You won't be disappointed!

Here is what I have made:

 

 And if this seems too busy for your taste, I made another sample to show that less can be more.

Both cards were made from my scrap box.  I'm on a thrifty kick these days.  Please join us for this fun and create challenge!

A little bird told me...

I made this card for a challenge. For this challenge, you need to make 3 cards using stamps from a specific company and mail them in. Their people will select the winners. But, you also receive 3 cards in return of the same level of expertise you send in! I thought "how cool is that?" My first card entry is my granddaughter's birthday invitation (without the printed inside). This is my second card entry. As with card #1, this card (#2) has alot going on (for a detailed list of products, please contact me privately). I stamped the bird scene on Stampin' Up! watercolor paper, and used Stampin' Up! watercolor crayons to 'paint' the image. The 'school paper' paper seemed to be lacking something, so I 2nd generation stamped the bird cages on it. The words, 'a little bird told me...' is from a generic $1 bin stamp. The flowers are my own creation. I saw this bunch of silk flowers at one of those big craft stores in the clearance bin. I took the flowers apart, added some paper flowers and some rhinestone brads. I edged all the card stock with a sponge and some antique ink, just to soften the edges.

Thanks for looking. If you follow, my daughter did like the sample baby shower invite. However, she isn't wild about the teddy bear. So, we are changing it. She has requested a lion. I will post those soon. I want to save tomorrow's post for the father's day card I am making my husband. Take care. If you have a moment, post a comment.

MOJO Monday Challenge #123

Here is my entry to the MoJo Monday Challenge #123. I did my first ever circle card during the Christmas 2009 season. I fell in love with the whole concept. So, when I had an opportunity to create a circle card for a challenge I HAD to do it!

For those who know me, know that I can create a card/project with one product or one product line. I can also create a card/project with (feels like) 50 different companies! This is one of those cards! Ok, here are the companies I used: Paper Trey Ink, Basic Grey, Stampin' Up!, Fiskers, Bazzil, Paper Studio, and Yours Truly.

And, here we go! For the black scallop circle, I used the die, Big Shot, and Basic Black card stock from Stampin' Up!. For the solid card stock, I saw this beautiful texture Bazzil paper from one of those large crafting stores, and fell in love with it. I used that as my matt for the inner circle and for the rectangle scrap on the card front. The two different and contrasting pattern papers are from Paper Studio. I thought that they really complimented each other nicely. :) The ribbon I used is from Yours Truly, I believe the color is moss, but don't quote me. I threaded the ribbon through the button to tie the bow. I'm pleasantly pleased with the final product. The green and cream buttons are from the Vintage collection from Paper Trey Ink. The black button is from Basic Grey. The bird and swing stamps are from Basic Grey, also. I stamped the swing with Stampin' Up! Basic Black classic ink. I stamped the bird with a hybrid ink from Paper Trey Ink, Avocado. The sentiment is from a clear stamp set I purchased a few years ago from fiskars - yes, the paper cutting people.

I know, it seems like I used everything in my craft room. And guess what, I didn't. I have organized my craft room pretty well, so I'll take some photos this week. Now remember, its not 'clean' but it is used!

Thank you for looking, and sitting through the long list of suppliers. Please leave a comment if you can.

Friends

There is a small group of us ladies (5), who, have stuck together over time. We value each other's friendship, and cherish each others company. I don't know if age has anything to do with it [we are all over 30, some over 40 :)] but we each know that there is someone out there who we can count on. That is for everything. Unfortunately, it takes a little work, for all of us to get together. So, every December, we meet at this one particular restaurant and exchange gifts. Oh, did I mention that we are all talented paper crafters? We are. Its funny, no two of us has the same style. But we all ROCK! Well, with the economy in the toilet, I decided to shave a few dollars off my expenses and make each one of these very special ladies a little something. Its a little 'box' that holds little note cards (3" x 3") and envelopes. I made each box in the favorite colors of each lady. I also stamped each note card specific to what each lady likes. Well, need less to say, they were a hit. I took a few pictures of my finished project, which for some reason, I always seem to forget, and after viewing the photos, I should have taken more. Oh well. So here are a few (and I mean a few) photos.

I used products probably from every company out there: Stampin' Up!, Paper Trey Ink, Close to My Heart, Basic Grey, SEI, and more. If you would like the supply list for any specific card, please email your request. The box template (Keeping Tabs) I purchased from Paper Trey Ink. I just love them. I print them off onto copy paper, and copy them directly onto card stock. Pretty easy!

Thank you so much for taking the time to take a look. Remember, comments always make my day!