Oh Holy Night - A Card Set

I had promised to make improvements to one of my Christmas card ideas and I did jump on that quickly.  Here's the result.  I left the black cardstock die cut made with my Die'Sire nativity die as the stand out on the card and backed part of the die cut with some gold glitter cardstock.  The gold ribbon is once again from the stash - a piece of recycled material that works very well as an offset to the centerpiece.  The sentiment is a Heartfelt Creation stamp onto a Stampin' Up Apothocary framelits die cut.

A few more cards to add to the card stash and I get to say that I've used some of those stored up supplies and tools.  Yay!

Oh Holy Night - A Christmas Card

It's no secret - Christmas season is on it's way.  I, like many of you, seem to collect craft supplies for making Christmas cards without actually using them along the way.  This year, I made a bunch of cards as my "main" card rather early and decided to dedicate myself to using these supplies to make a small amount of cards to supplement my card sending ways.  This card is one example.

This card is a win and a fail in a few ways.  Rather than detract from your experience, I'll just say that I intend to make some improvements and leave other foibles to remain in the card design.  The centerpoint of the card is the black cardstock die cut made with my Die'Sire nativity die.  I wanted it to stand out and I think that was accomplished.  The gold ribbon is from the stash - a piece of recycled material that I'm proud to have put to good use.  The sentiment is a Heartfelt Creation stamp onto a Stampin' Up Apothocary framelits die cut.

How about you?  Any Christmas cards in the future?  I've been seeing a few of you joining in the preparation.  I'll look forward to more inspiration.  Now, I'm off to plan the improvements to this card design and make a few duplicates for the card stash.

A Thank You Tag

We recently hosted a comment party to give away a few pieces of blog candy.  One winner has yet to contact me-

CREATE OUT LOUD


My hope is that this lovely lady will email me at viralscrapa AT gmail DOT com and provide me with mailing information so that I can get the prize out to her.  Thank you to everyone who commented to win.  Your encouragement and participation is greatly appreciated. 

Which leads me to today's post- a thank you tag to include with our second winner, Diane Loughrey.  Diane won the Spring Distress set of ink pads and stains.  I couldn't resist thanking her for participating. 










Here's the tag details:

• The patterned papers are Stampin' Up's Attic Boutique.  
• The flower was stamped and cut from colored cardstock with  my Heartfelt Creations Tattered Blossoms set.  The flower has some Glass Shards Glitter applied with my Crystal Accents to create the dimensional glint on the flower.  The center is made using my Good Earth- Earth Elements.
• The sentiment was stamped with a Simon Says Stamp sentiment stamp in brown archival ink.  The frame is cut using my Stampin' Up Apothecary Accents Framelit die.
• All papers are edged with some Vintage Photo Distress ink.
• The floral die cut is from my Spellbinders Floral Flourish cut from green cardstock. 

Diane has emailed to say she received her package last week.  I'm watching to see what she creates with her new supplies!

A Praying for You Card

This card was totally inspired by a Pinterest pin. Thinking of a patterned paper with a large floral led me straight to my Stampin' Up Attic Boutique collection in the stash.  I picked out patterned paper to coordinate.

The most interesting part of making this card was making the shadow for the framed sentiment.  I used another pin with these instructions to get me there.I cut the frame out of white card stock three times, slicing the pieces apart as shown.

I used four pieces to glue to the back of the die cut out of yellow patterned paper.  This is a fantastic technique for making matting behind metal dies that aren't nesting.  I think it really makes the front of this card. 

On the inside, I layered some matching patterned paper from the collection and colored card stock creating a small space to write a heartfelt note.

I've linked this up with Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #129: Anything Goes.  Come on over to join the fun or just gawk at some amazing art.

 

A Third Card for the Gift Set

O.K. This is one of my favorite cards of the set and that I've made for a while.  I think it might be that background paper.  Or the brown, blue and yellow color scheme.  Or the ribbon.  Can't say other than, the picture doesn't do this card justice.  I really like how it turned out.  Here's the details:

• Patterned paper is Stampin' Up's Attic Boutique bought on clearance earlier this year and sitting in the stash.
• Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret stamps and dies stamped with brown Archival Ink and die cut on my new Grand Calibur using blue cardstock and glassine paper. 
• A piece of brown textured ribbon from the stash- at least a year old.  It is workin' this card...
• The sentiment is stamped in brown Archival Ink using my Heartfelt Expressions stamp set and cut with my Apothecary Accents framelits die.  I used a hole punch to create the holes for the ribbon.
• I couldn't keep this card clean- those edges are inked in Vintage Photo Distress Ink, baby! 

On the inside (where I'd boo boo'd it and left a printed sentiment on accident- watch your card making on old supplies ladies!) I placed a small strip of patterned paper, a piece of ribbon and one spare vintage floret.

On to the last card and a box.  I'm gonna get it done?  Christmas is really coming.  It's not slowing down...

A Happy Birthday Wish

You'll have seen my acetate butterflies from the stamp convention.  I decided that one of these lovelies had to make their way (actually 2 because I layered them) onto a card.  What better than this card meant for my twin sister, Angela. 

The doily is a Market Street Stamp (sadly, they've moved on to better things and are no longer in business) which I stamped in brown archival ink and distressed with Vintage Photo and Scattered Straw Distress Ink.  I then fussy cut the doily out for use on the card. 

Each patterned paper was also distressed with the same inks- it blended the color differences (a trick from my Pattern Play online card class).  I simply cut the five different papers the exact same way and made the patchwork from the pieces.  I looked at all the remaining pieces and thought- such a waste.  Then I remembered the hundreds of patterned papers I've owned for a very long time (each of these pieces is probably at least 2 years old if not much longer) and decided that getting them used and to such good effect was well worth it.  Having said all that, the scraps when into the scrap container.  I might use them sometime. 

You'll see the ODBD Fancy Foliage die cut, the Stampin' Up Apothecary Accents Framelit sentiment tag and the teeny, tiny pearl accents. 

Happy Birthday, Sis!  It should be a great day for us!

Thinking of You Card

I had a strong desire to play around with the masking techniques from my recent Creative Chemistry 102 class.  I also desired to play around with the sticky embossing powder techniques.  This card was born of that playing around.

I first created the background paper using an Ink Blending Tool and several colors of Distress Ink (Scattered Straw, Peeled Paint, Seedless Preserves, and Vintage Photo)  I tried to keep the colors bright and light.  I laid the honecomb stencil over the top corner and applied some Vintage Photo with the blending tool.  This created the lighter "masked" portion of the background paper.  The edged were distress with my distressing tool and then inked with Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Ink.  I stamped the background image using my Delicate Twining stamp.  I used a water brush and Shaded Lilac Distress Ink to color the flowers and Peeled Paint Distress Ink to color the leaves.

Each of the layers of asters were stamped using my Heartfelt Creations Delicate Asters stamps and embossed with the sticky embossing powder.  I used Ranger's Rock Candy glitter directly after heating up the powder.  The glitter sticks to the embossing powder and then I cut each flower out with my dies.  The center of each flower is a little Shabby Shutters Distress Glitter applied with a dot of Crystal Accents.  The ODBD Fancy Foliage green cardstock swirls and the Heartfelt Creations Ornamental Add On brown cardstock florish were added for interest.

The sentiment frame was cut out of kraft paper (like the card base).  Before removing the cut, I applied Vintage Photo Distress Ink with the blending tool leaving the beautiful outline on the frame.  The sentiment was stamped using brown Archival Ink and then the frame was attached using foam squares.  A few pearl accents and I thought the card was done.

This card was satisfying- beautiful result, fun elements to put together and some playing around without exactly knowing it would all work out.  I can see a fair bit of stress relief poured into this little card.

I'm linking this up over at the Moxie Fab World in their Cards for Cath.  I've mentioned my enjoyment of Cath and her lovely posts over at the Moxie Fab World on more than one occasion.  This is because she has been such an inspiration to me.  Sadly, she's decided to move on to greener pastures and do other things.  This announcement came as such a shock to me- she's been a mainstay for my online blog reading for years!  I'm hoping my sadness at her leaving is a small measure of the great and wonderful things ahead for her.  She really is Moxie Fab!  So long, Cath!  I'll hope to see you in your next endeavors.

I'm also linking this up with the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog: Anything Goes Challenge, The Paper Girls Challenge #43: Cut It Out and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #104: Anything Goes. Come join the fun!

Creative Chemistry 102- Shabby Chic

I still have a few techniques that I've not tried yet.  I'm hoping to get to them this week.  I thought I would share this last photo which was sitting in the blog queue un-posted.  This technique is pretty cool.  I used this rather small die cut from my Stampin' Up Apothecary Accents Framelits because it seemed to have the correct style.  I can see where a larger die cut would be more impressive, but you make due with what's at hand when you are in class!

The technique is accomplished by laying down a layer of Black Soot Distress Paint over the entire die cut.  Be sure this layer is completely dry before the next step.  I then stamped using Embossing Ink the swirl images from a Fiskars stamp set.  I embossed the images with clear embossing powder.  After the piece had cooled, I covered the entire die cut in Picket Fence Distress Paint.  Any light color would do.  The pink shade is particularly nice.  Allow the paint to dry slightly and then spritz some water on a soft cloth and wipe over the embossed area.  The water will lift off the Distress Paint and create the soft, shabby look.  I'm not sure this technique would work well with non-Distress acryllic paint which aren't reactive with water, but you might give it a try just to see.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again.  One of the reasons Tim Holtz is a papercrafting rockstar to me is that he encourages us to use what we have and to look at what we have differently.  For a not-so-closet-craft-hoarder that is a encouraging inspiration.  I want to encourage each of you to do the same. Play and try.  It will eventually pay off.

Celebrating 23725 Days of You

The dearest Jan, my co-worker of the famous sage bush incident,  had a momentous birthday last week.  I made this special card for her to highlight the occasion.  I'd kept the post from you to keep it a surprise for her and forgot all about it until now.

It's tough to say where all the patterns came from.  Most are MME's The Sweetest Thing- Tangerine.  However, there is a bit of scraps from here and there including the solid cardstock which are pieces from the scrap pile.  It feels good to use these scraps- so efficient.  However, with all the paper in the Scrapbox, I sometimes wonder if I could afford to let a scrap or 1,000 go.  Oh well, no sense changing who I am now.

The chipboard elements (border on the left and the buttons) came from MME's The Sweetest Thing- Lavender collection.  One of the ladies at work was taken aback by the "60" on one of the chipboard buttons.  Then I pointed out how each button has a different number, the theme??, get it???  O.K., I'm weird I know.  We've established this before (remember the sage bush flower incident mentioned above?).  Moving on... the swirls were cut using my Floral Flourish dies and the frame for the "of you" portion of the sentiment was cut from my Stampin' Up Apothecary Accents Framelits.  The oval was cut using my Creative Memories oval cutters.
 

 

The inside demanded some attention.  The sentiment was stamped using my Peacock Feathers Distress Ink (a new favorite, perhaps?).  I ended up using my Stampin' Up paper piercing Essentials Pack to pierce the shape into the cream cardstock and fussy cut the shape following the piercing.  The patterned paper creates a ribbon like effect and it just seemed like some pearls would add to the feel.

What do you think?  Great card for a milestone birthday?  She loved it and was very touched.  Not nearly as touched as I feel when I think about my friend who I hope will stay close long after the work is over.

Happy Birthday, Jan!  I love you!

ETA:  I entered this card in the Ready-Made Embellishment Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.   There's still a few weeks to come join the fun.  The challenge closes on October 21st.  I also entered this card in Simon Say Stamp Monday Challenge: Say It With Stamps.  There's still a little time to join the fun.

 

Little Boy Birthday

My nephew turned 7 last week.  I knew this was coming, but the little boy cards are not the easiest, so I found myself scheduled for a Peter Piper Pizza party and no card.  I've just completely taken a vow that I will not spend money on greeting cards.  No.matter.what.  When you own enough stuff to fill (and then some!) a scrapbox, you have no business spending hard earned cash on cards.  What does it mean to own a scrapbox, you might ask?  Check it out here. 

So I reached into the scrapbox and found a primary paper stack.  Fun stripes and stars throughout, I simply cut 3/4 in. strips and adhered them to a kraft paper card.  The sentiment came from a Fiskars set I've had for a long time.  I stamped the sentiment with Faded Jeans Distress Ink and then die cut the frame with my Apothecary Accents Framelits.  I left the cut in the die after running through my machine and used my Ink Blending Tool to apply some Faded Jeans Distress Ink to the edges of the tag.  This card doesn't scream 7 year old, but I'm pretty sure the 7 year old doesn't notice a store bought card any more than they notice a hand made card.  The focus (fortunately?) is on the present.  Still, it's a passable card and I had fun making it.  I can claim 20% of eight different 4 x 6 pieced of patterned paper were used up out of the stash.  It sure doesn't seem like I'm going to consume this stuff anytime soon!!  I'm having fun trying!

A Wedding Shower Card

I had a need for a wedding shower card.  Not knowing the happy couple real well, I stammered for inspiration.  I knew that I was going to include a gift card as the shower is a long distance away.  I wanted to make something appropriately formal for the occasion that was also quite functional.  Thus this card was born.  The black and white paper is from the stash.  It's actually from a friend's stash that she "de-stashed" years ago.  I picked out my favorites and in the stash this matching set of papers stayed until just such an occasion.  The shower invitation sparked the color scheme, black and white with an accent of teal.  I so love the Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret because it has a classic elegance all it's own.  I stamped with Peacock Feathers Distress Ink and die cut the layer of flowers.  I used a glue pen to randomly apply a translucent glitter on the petals.  The flower centers were made using a Pearl Pen.  Looking at this close up, I'm wishing I went with a pre-made pearl, but you don't notice the shape of the pearl drop in the overall card.  At least that is what I'm telling my perfectionist self...

The inside was created to provide a little pocket to slide the gift card inside.  I printed the sentiment on the computer and used my Stampin' Up Apothecary Accents framelit die to cut the shape.  The teal mating was fussy cut to match.  Simple, yet functional card that I hope the bride enjoys.  Now, to get working on that wedding celebration card...

I entered this card on Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Stamping All-stars.   There's not much time left, but those flowers are a stamping all-star in my stash.  They are a go-to tool when I need pretty!  There's not much time left.  Head on over and join the fun! 

Happiest of Birthdays

This lovely card was built around the Stampin' Up stamp and die set, Apothecary Art stamp set.  The flowered frame was stamped with black Archival ink and the sentiment in the same ink.  The flowers were colored using my Distress Markers (Scattered Straw, Worn Lipstick, Stormy Sky, and Peeled Paint).  A little Scattered Straw was applied to the frame and then cut with the Apothecary Framelits.  The framelits set didn't come with stacking dies, so I fussy cut the piece of pink cardstock to frame my sentiment.  The flowers come from a Making Memories set of paper flowers that is likely at least 3 years old.  I random pearl accent in each center adds to the romantic feel as does the bling swirl out of the flowers.  I used my Scor-Pal to score the eight lines framing the front of the card and then sanded the paper with an emery board.  I really like this technique to frame the card front and with the bold pattern of the paper, it works very well.  The leaves were cut using the Cricut my Picturesque cart and shaped and inked to create dimension. 




The inside begged for a finish.  Here I die cut a Tilted Banner and stamped with the matching sentiment stamp inking the edges with Vintage Photo Distress ink.  A layer of the same patterned paper creates a decorative inside. 







Just a couple tiny pearls to accent the sentiment and the inside is done.  This card was made for my boss' birthday from the team.  We needed a black Sharpie to write on that patterned paper, but she knew who we were and it worked lovely.  Happy Birthday, Nancy!

I've entered this card in Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog: Stamping All-Stars and  their Wednesday Challenge blog: Anything Goes.  They are always good fun, come on over and join us.

I've also entered this card in The Shabby Tea Room's Week #182 Sweet Summertime.  Check it out.

Happy Birthday Card

A while ago- while I was distracted with my scrapbooking effort- one of my blog friends graced me with an unexpected gift.  You might remember Loly.  She was the winner of our first ever blog candy award. You can check out Loly's work at her blog, Card Ville.  I recognized her name in a post at Paper Crafts Connection as a winner.  In part because I like to live vicariously, I promptly jumped over to her blog and posted a comment congratulating her on the win.  She responded graciously offering me one of the prizes.  Apparently Loly already was the proud owner of a set of Stampin’ Up!’s Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack, Pierce Mat, and Paper-Piercing Tool.  I couldn't let it stop there, so I ended up shopping on the Stampin' Up website. 

Thus, this card was born.  The sentiment frame is made using Loly's gift and the matching frame die I picked up at Stampin' Up.  The sentiment is stamped with Worn Lipstick Distress ink which was also used to color and edge the frame.  I just love how this made a perfect match to my patterned paper which came from the stash- so old that no manufacturing information is printed on it, ha ha.

The medallions were stamped using my Worn Lipstick Distress Ink and the Mosaic Madness stamp set and colored with my Scattered Straw Distress Marker.  The frilly crochet ribbon is a small leftover scrap I picked up at a local ribbon store (can you say ribbon and fiber heaven?).  The bow is made from a piece of white ribbon that I colored using my Worn Lipstick Distress ink.  I used a piece of paper to press the ribbon down onto the stamp pad and colored both sides.  It ended up a little ombre, happy accident!


On the inside I thought to take a page from another blog friend, Karon who blogs over at Karon's Krafty Korner, and decorate the inside.  That little medallion was fussy cut after stamping and coloring.  All papers are edged with Scattered Straw Distress Ink.

I really like how this card turned out.  I wanted a chance to publicly thank Loly for her generosity and let her know how useful I'd found her gift.  Thank you, Loly.  You're one classy, generous lady.

I've linked this card up over at Make It Monday: #154.  They have a weekly Anything Goes challenge just for fun.  It's a great place to go for inspiration and to share your creations.  Check them out.  

I've also linked up to the Creative Corner Challenge: Anything Goes and Word Art Wednesday's: Challenge #94.Come join the fun!