First Tri-Shutter Card & More

Well, since my last post, here’s what I’ve been up to:

Left to Right:

A) Sympathy Card

B) Sympathy Card detail

C) Grunge Valentine

D) Welcome Baby Boy Card

E) My first tri-shutter card! (Birthday)

F) “A note of Thanks”

(Click on hyperlinks to view in my Scrapbook.com gallery and for specifics)

Thanks so much for looking and for your comments!

Sunday Scrappin’ July 5, 2009

TA-DAs

• Birthday card for a friend, based on SK011009 (sketch at Paper Craft Planet, original attributed to Becky Fleck). I love the Wisteria line from BasicGrey. The beads were threaded on to craft wire, and the base (which you can’t see), is lavender cardstock. The letterpress tag is from Paper Source.

• I bought these beautiful letterpress tags from Paper Source and they are true inspiration for cardmaking. This follows a sketch by Melanie Muenchinger (SK120608 at Paper Craft Planet). All materials are from Paper Source except the PP which is from Making Memories Travel Collection.
• I also worked on my altered book.
• And, because I hate to miss a challenge, I did this little tag to fulfill the “Summer” challenge from last week’s Sunday Scrappin’.  All materials are from Target, except the cute epoxy flip-flops.

TO-DOs

• fix anniversary card for husband (oops)
• buy some graph paper

I probably won’t  do next week’s challenge, which is “and the 4th of July is all about red, white and blue, let’s create a page using those colors. It doesn’t have to be a 4th of July layout just use the patriotic colors.” I’m on deadline for some projects, so I’d best deal with some non-crafting stuff before I go on VACATION!!!

Stash Challenge: patterned paper scraps

I didn’t get a lot of crafting done this week, but I made two cards.  The first one is a good demonstration of how to use those tiny scraps of patterned paper you have in your stash.  Some of the flowers  are design elements from small bits and pieces of patterned paper I had lying around.  I also used miscellaneous stickers and brads to give it a more random/natural look.  As part of my USE YOUR STASH month-long challenge (see sidebar), neither card is made using newly purchased materials.

Detail of flowers:

MATERIALS: white cardstock, Marrakech paper pad;  assorted flower brads (“Spring Fling” line from Making Memories); epoxy stickers (owl, butterfly, leaves on flowers) from Paperchase, flower stickers (Jolee’s Boutique by EK Success); flowers cut out from scrap pp; alphas are “French Market Alphabet Stickers” (Rusty Pickle, ST71).

THANK YOU CARD:

MATERIALS: white cardstock; Marrakech paper pad; decorative tape (self-adhesive ribbon) from Martha Stewart, alpha stickers (Sarah Milne’s “Sumner Squares” for Scenic Route (SRS 494).

NEXT POST: Creative ways to REUSE candy boxes and other containers for craft storage.

Easter Cards and Earth Day Scrap Challenge

If you want details, you can browse the individual cards here or here.

But here is the sum of my cards for Easter 2009:

And since it is April, the month of Earth Day (22nd)…I have pledged not to buy any scrapbooking material this month and to use my stash as much as possible.  I’m thinking of having the pledge run from April 22 to May 22.  Anybody else interested??

Sunday Scrappin’ 3/15

Come join us over at Sunday Scrappin’ the weekly meme for paper crafters.

TA-DAs for this week:

Actually, it was pretty darn good…two cards and a layout!

NEW BABY CARD (Sunday Scrappin’ “use pastels” challenge):

Patterned Paper is  Heidi Grace for Fiskars “Baby Boy/Buggy”; scrap of gold ribbon, blue brads from Frills (Textured Trios-Spring) from Queen & Co.

BIRTHDAY CARD for ALICE (my niece)

White cardstock, covered in “Blossoms on Chocolate/Pinwheel” double-sided PP from Paper Source (#23908); ribbon and brads (lavender/green set) from Making Memories (#27199); Cosmo Cricket – Hello Sunshine Collection – 12×24 Die Cut Button Fashions – Alphabet

OREGON, 2005

I’m finally going through my old photos and starting to get them in scrapbooks…these are from a trip/conference to Eugene, OR (these bridges aren’t in Eugene, but nearby).  As it often is in the PacNW, it was a grey and drizzly day, but still very beautiful.  I wanted to use muted colors that would complement the photos.  I might go back and add some journaling, but we’ll see. PP: Making Memories Travel Collection; Cardstock stickers: Scrapworks Magpie Collection.

TO-DOs:

I don’t plan on getting much accomplished this week since I’ll be in Denver, CO.  However, I WILL take lots of photos to scrapbook (maybe in another four years or so…LOL).

Sunday Postcard Art: Flowers

This last week’s theme over at Sunday Postcard Art was flowers.  As usual, I’m a Jenny-Come-Lately (I think most people do theirs the week before…), but since it is probably the only crafting I’ll do this week, there you have it.

I liked the stamped image so much I almost left it just like that.  But I figured that wouldn’t really qualify as “art.”

before Lyra messed with it

after Lyra messed with it

MATERIALS & TECHNIQUES: Stamped image (place unknown), embossed with Candy Violet EP. Border: Martha Stewart paper, colored image with Stabilo aquarelle water-soluble colored pencils, sponged lavender pigment ink over entire card, brads are from Making Memories.

Two Layouts and a Tutorial (sort of)

Hey there loyal blog readers (all three of you!),

It might seem that I’m posting a lot more frequently (which would be true) and it might then follow that I’m just chock full of free time and have nothing pressing, right? Wrong. Actually, the opposite is true. However, I’ve taken to using scrapbooking as the carrot at the end of the stick. IF, and only IF, I get a certain amount accomplished in the morning, I’m allowed an hour or so of scrapbook time. So, the fact that I’m scrapbooking more means I’m actually getting quite a bit of work done.

Ok, with that disclaimer out of the way (guilty much?), I present the following for your viewing pleasure. These two layouts are for my wedding album and are from the rehearsal that was held at the beach. Apologies for the blocked photos and/or blurred photos—-nothing personal!!

First, we have one that features photos of my jr. bridesmaid and another bridesmaid hanging out at the beach:

Beach Bums

No one can accuse me of sole allegiance to one brand, LOL…here we go with the MATERIALS: patterned paper is “Beach Fun Flip Flops” (American Traditional Designs); top mat is Capris “Basil” (Luxe Designs); tag is from Target dollar bin; “Beach” acrylic stamp (Imaginisce); 5th Avenue Shimmer Stickers (Making Memories); Round vellum “Brite” tags (Making Memories); flower embellishments (Marcella by K); ribbon (American Crafts)

Next up we’ve got another layout that uses a technique for which I’ve included a brief tutorial. I’ve been surprised by several people who have told me they haven’t tried embossing yet. The only reason I’m surprised is because these folks create amazing stuff with complicated techniques and embossing seems like child’s play by comparison! I’ve been embossing for at least 15 years and I feel dumb that it is my only real “technique.” At any rate, my latest fascination is with embossing chipboard. So without further ado:

Candid

As you can tell, the photo is pre-journaling. This is how I did my chipboard letters.

• Cover all chipboard letters with a pigment ink. I used ColorBox’s “Tropical” multi-color stamp pad for a really neat effect.

• Lay out letters on a scrap piece of paper and sprinkle LIBERALLY with embossing powder of your choice. Remove letters and tap off excess. I used JudiKins Rainbow Sparkle Lite because I wanted the color of the pigment to show through AND because glittery/clear EPs are much easier to use than solid colors (I’ll get into why in another post sometime). (FIGURE 1)

• Incidentally, you’ll find it easier/less messy if you use tweezers (mine are from Making Memories) to handle the letters (FIGURE 2)

• Emboss (with a heat gun) each letter one at a time, making sure to completely melt the EP. Wave the heat source around as to avoid burning the EP. Yes, you CAN use a hair dryer, but it takes a lot longer and the heat is less focused. I’ve had my heat gun for over 10 years, paid $15 for it and it still works great. (Figures 3 & 4)

1. 

   Figure 1

   

   Figure 2

   

   Figure 3

   

   Figure 4

   MATERIALS not mentioned: Maya Rd. chipboard; patterned paper (Target!); tag (Target); ribbon from stash

Goodbyes and Open Doors

Two recent projects.

First, is my postcard for this week’s challenge over at Sunday Postcard Art. The theme is “doors.”

This is an interactive postcard . Since once the door is opened it isn’t meant to be closed, I didn’t remove the ribbon completely in order to photograph the version with the door open. Sorry.

door postcard (closed)

door postcard (open)

MATERIALS: scalloped cardstock (Target kit) on Strathmore watercolor postcard; 5th Avenue shimmer stickers (Making Memories); acrylic/clear stamps–Swirls V: I by Rhonna Farrer (Autumn Leaves); paper by Anna Griffin (AG933); flower cut from an old notecard I received (Pepperpot by Gift Wrap Co.); Ranger Clear E.P. on Black Pigment ink (ColorBox); metallic red curling ribbon; black eyelets (for latch).

Now, while I have been working mostly with scrapbooking and cardmaking, I do like to do other types of projects. I altered this plain wood picture frame for some friends who are moving away. The picture is a well-loved photo of the four of us together.

altered picture frame

I painted it with DreamCoat acrylic paint, used an Amy Butler designer mat (K&Co) K, some ribbon from my stash, some wooden tulips I picked up years ago, and a Sharpie!

Sunday Scrappin’#37

I’m writing this on Thursday, actually, so this will be an experiment with the auto-post feature. I won’t be around this weekend so, I won’t be able to Mr. Linkify over at Sunday Scrappin‘. But I did do this past week’s challenge: something fruity!

I’m quite pleased with how it turned out. It might be the basis for a larger summer-themed LO someday. Or, an oversize card to send to someone. We shall see.

MATERIALS: yellow scalloped cardstock (Target Scrapbooking Card Kit); red & black cardstock (Wasau Paper Classics Cardstock); black eyelets (Paper Source); 5th Avenue Shimmer Stickers (MakingMemories); White-Out; Green Sparkle embossing powder (JudiKins); Glossy green cardstock (for the rind).

As for my TA-DAs:

• happy birthday cake postcard (challenge)
• 2 condolence cards (posted below)

MATERIALS: stash stuff; leaves are “Decorative Accents” (BlackInk-Creative International Papers); mulberry paper square; stash vellum, stash ribbon

This is for my dear MIL whose kitty passed away.

MATERIALS: stash; “Meadow Flowers” ribbon (Michael’s); “Love Kitten” stamp (262D from All Night Media); embossed “Country Hearts” kit from Rubber Stampede

As for TO-DOs…NONE! Out of town guests!