Colourful Medallions

I patterned this card off of one by Jennifer McGuire (click here to see my pin of it) back when Simon Says Stamp released the Delicate Dahlia die I used.  Jennifer did two things on her card, 1) she cut out some of the flowers using the die, coloured them and reapplied them on the page and 2) she used the die as an embossing plate.

It's the second technique I tried here, but either my paper was too thin or my sandwich was too thick, as in a few places the die cut into the cardstock, tearing it.  Once I'd coloured over the medallions with markers you couldn't see it as much, but I'll probably experiment with that some more.  I must admit, my colouring job was very fast, which shows in my going outside the lines in a few places on the blossoms.

The sentiment is from the Fiskar's Laugh Sentiments set, inked with the same markers I used for the flowers, a mix of Crayolas and Stampin' Up markers.

I wonder if I should add rhinestones to the centers...

Pink Swan

I made this card for a 10 minute challenge using pink, pale green and grey, but didn't finish it in the time frame and so am just posting it here.  Adding the green was a challenge for me as it's not a shade I like, but it did look good as plant matter behind the swan.

I used a new die set that folds over, giving a cool flower look to the outer circle.  I added the pink gel pen after putting the white circle on, so my lines aren't as straight as they should have been.

The swan is an embossed image (from a brass plate), which I coloured over with a versa marker and then laid chalk over.  The marker gives the chalk something to stick to so it doesn't rub off on your fingers.  The tag is a spellbinder die.  I originally stamped the sentiment with pale pink ink, but it was too light and so went over it with a gel pen.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections
Nellie's Multi-frames: Incire Flower 2, Round Doily
Spellbinders Standard Circles small, Fancy Tags 2
Happy Embossing Swan brass stencil
Chalk: Inkadinkado brights
Versa marker
Stamp: Kaisercraft friendship sentiments
pink gel pen

Orange Rose

I worked an off-site for the store last week so I'm still pretty tired from it, hence the older card I'm publishing today.

Orange and yellow are not my favourite colours, so this card was a stretch for me.  The ribbon is dark green velvet, though it's hard to see that in the picture.

The rose stamp is from Stampin' Up and is 2 rubber stamps on top of each other.  They're hard to line up so I don't use the stamp as much as I'd like (and yes, I have a line up tool, though not a stamp-a-ma-jig, but it still doesn't line up properly).  I added the clear rhinestones to balance the rose, as I stamped it off center in the circle.  The dragonfly is a dollar store find.  Not sure where the sentiment is from.  If you're interested, ask in the comments and I'll look it up.

Stained Glass Card 2

I wanted to try a stained glass card where the 'iron' contrasted, so came up with this white backed card. For this one I put the die on the front and back, so it would look good inside and cover the specialty paper, but didn't quite line my frames up properly so there's a bit of overlap.  Ah well, can't do everything perfectly the first time.

I used a flourish from a German stamp set I bought to surround the medallion, reflecting it on one side.  The reflection came through very light so I went over it with a black marker, which meant going over the other one too.  Again, there's no sentiment as I don't know what to use this for (but I'll think of something).

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections
Dies: Spellbinders - medallions 4, fancy framed tags 2
specialty papers

Stained Glass Card 1

A while back I posted a card with a medallion shaped window.  Well, here's where the window came from.  I was trying to make a medallion card, and messed it up and so ended up cutting the medallion out so as to not waste it.  (It's Spellbinders D-lites Medallions 4).

I used specialty paper from Germany to do the stained glass effect.  It's halfway between wax paper and tissue paper in consistency, but allows light through beautifully.

I hand cut the circle out of both blue and red paper (muffing the blue one a bit so there's a tiny sliver where there's no paper), with one combo for today's card and the reverse for tomorrow's.

Here's what I made of the card:

I cut the flourishes on the Silhouette and die cut the tag (Spellbinders Fancy Framed Tags 2).  The flowers are from the dollar store (my rose dies hadn't come and I wanted to try adding flowers to a card).  I haven't put a sentiment on yet, as I'm not sure what I'll use this for yet.

Winter Scene

I've had the idea for this for a while, to do a window scene.  Originally I had the oval scene without the blue frame, but it looked odd, so I added it.

I used a acetate cover to make the oval window, and sponged green ink down 3 times, moving acetate and paper covers so the grass is darker further away.  It occurred to me when I was done sponging the green that if I wanted a winter scene I should have used blue/grey instead.  Ah well, it's an Ontario winter, where there's still green grass under the snow. :P

I stamped the tree and deer and some white snowflakes (which I should have embossed), then inked a bit of blue around the top of the oval so there was a bit of definition to the edge of the oval.  As mentioned above, the frame was added at the end, which meant I had to rip off some of the embellishments and reglue them on.  Namely the wire tree from my Um Wow Studio kit and one of the 3 roses (which, I'm proud to say, I made myself).  Had I added the frame first I'd have put the flowers around it, rather than having them make a line to the side.  They were supposed to balance the tree, but the frame makes them look out of place.

The flowers were my first attempts with the Spellbinders rose creations dies.  I'm very happy with how they turned out.  I used 2 layers for the smallest flower (almost a bud), three for the opposite one and 4 for the one in the center.

For the ribbon, I tied it using a template I made based on the instructions from this blog post by Becky Gerrison.  It worked beautifully, and took less time than usual, as I wasn't fussing with the bows and trying not to waste ribbon (by having my ends too long and cutting the excess).

I used liquid applique last to make some puffy snow on the scene.

Anyway, here's my card:

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections
Stamps: Stampendous - Winter Trees
Inks: Memento, Versa Magic white, Crayola markers (deer)
Silhouette - cut oval frame
Die: Spellbinders rose creations dies
Embellishments: Um Wow Studio wire tree, brad, ribbon, liquid applique

Paper Flower Attempts

I've wanted to make my own paper flowers and use them on cards for some time now, but it's only recently that I've actually started learning how to do this.  Indeed, though I have a cutting file for rolled roses I've been largely unsuccessful at making them (due in large part because I've been trying to roll them from the inside out, rather than the outside in).

Anyway, here are some of my recent attempts at making paper flowers.

The first is some rolled tissue/crepe paper (the stuff you hang for birthday parties).  I basically took it, folded it and cut petals, then tried to roll it so it would look decent.  When I was done (with a much larger flower than I can probably use considering the size of my projects) I flicked reinker ink at it to give it some colour.

The second and third flowers are rolled from cutouts (you can see one in gold behind them).  The white flower was rolled backwards but kind of worked.  The second one, in gold, was rolled properly.

The last two flowers on the top row are quilled using the turn over technique.  They look very nice and once my quilling tool arrives I'll be making more of those (for the record, a sewing needle stuck in an eraser does work as a mock quilling tool but not very well).

The last few are much better attempts.  I punched several flowers out and just stacked them around a brad in the first pink flower.  The one next to it used the same punch but this time I used folded crepe paper (like what I used on my fluorescent girl card last week).  I inked the edges of the paper a bit.

Finally, I die cut some rose blossoms from the Spellbinders Rose Creations die, moulded them and glued them together.  I like how they look and use some on the card I'm unveiling on Wednesday.

Fluorescent Flower

I seem to be reaching for fluorescent colours lately.  I did this card for a challenge, not realizing the challenge was already over.  The challenge was to do something new.  I wanted to try using distress ink reinkers  and saw a video where someone blew the ink to make a cool tree.  Not having a straw, I tried to blow on the ink to make my flower stem and leaf.  Yeah, didn't work.  I ended up using a stir stick (which I have around for spreading glue) to spread the ink.  I also used it to spread the second line of ink into grass.

The flower is punched on a die cut circle and raised.

I wasn't sure how I felt about the card until I added the sentiment.  Then I liked it.  Kind of.  Not my best card, but I'm getting out of my comfort zone, which is good.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections
Stamp: Hero Arts - small solid flower; Kaisercraft - friendship sentiments
Ink: Hero Arts fluorescent pink
Distress reinter - peacock feather
Spellbinders standard circles small

Butterfly Thank You Card

I've started trying to strategically place my die cuts so I can use the window they make on other cards.  For this one, I die cut a butterfly, and put some punched butterflies near by for fun.  The flower and flourishes were done on my silhouette.

Supplies:

Cardstock: Recollections

Spellbinders Jewel flowers & flourishes

Martha Stewart butterfly stamp and punch

dollar store rhinestones
jelly roll metallic pen
Kaisercraft rub on Life (inside the card)

Showers of Sympathy

An odd choice for my next card, I know, but I did this last week and I don't want my cards to get too backed up.  This is the first dedicated sympathy card I've made.

The clouds are from the Um Wow Studio kit, the jewels from the dollar store (they included the only tear shaped ones I have), the sentiment is from Hot off the Press's Stamp and Punch set and was stamped in white Versa Magic ink.  The medallion is a Spellbinders standard oval large die cut, with Local King Rubber's poppy 2 stamp done with several crayola markers (I did the 2 tone thing again).  To finish it off, I sponged some grey memento ink around the flowers.

Papertrey Ink Contest Winner

I am absolutely jumping for joy right now.  For years I've been an admirer of Papertrey Ink's stamps and dies, and entering their monthly release contests.  I've wanted to order from them for ages, but their shipping costs to Canada are high, so I've had to justify the buy by making it large and could never make myself do it (what with all the other craft purchases I've been making).

Well, today I'm one of their contest winners!!!

I cannot believe how lucky I am.  I am so happy right now I'm literally jumping up and down for joy.

When I calm down some I'll start looking through their catalogue again.  :D  I feel so incredibly blessed.

Classy Piano

This is a card design I did last year but never had the chance to post.  Simon Says Stamp's current challenge is Black & White with a splash of color, so I decided to redo the card, using coloured ribbon and rhinestones instead of black and clear.  There's an embossed top panel, separated from the white paper with velvet ribbon.  I added a few rhinestones into the swirls to make the stamp look even classier.

 Voila!  I did a green card too, but it ended up looking black in photos, so I'm only posting the red here.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections
Stamp: Prima cling stamps (Just a little note? - there was no name on the package)
Embossing Folder: Couture Creations Swiss Dots
Ink: memento black
Imaginesce (clear) / dollar store (red) rhinestones
velvet ribbon

Wishing You Well Card

I made this card following the sketch for JustRite's 88th card challenge.

And here's the card I came up with:

I used JustRite's Vintage Rose Medallions for all the stamping, including the smaller stamps on the backing paper and flag.  I used a purple Stampin' Up marker for the stamps, but included a second Crayola purple on the roses of the main tag.  The circles were cut with Spellbinders Standard Circles small and affixed using pop dots, and I cut the flag ends by hand.  I finished off the card with a piece of purple ribbon I bought from a fabric store.

Blast Off Interactive Card

I've been very lucky this holiday season, as I found myself winning several contests I entered.  One of them, via Papercrafts Connection, was for the following stamp set by Cas-ual Fridays, named Countdown.

My first thought on seeing the countdown wasn't for New Year's, but for a rocket ship (I think my love of SF is showing).

But I wasn't thinking of just any rocket ship card, I was thinking of an interactive one.  I cut the penny slider track freehand with a craft knife and used several pop dots and some cardboard to make the slider.  I stamped the rocket ship on white cardstock and coloured it with Crayola markers before fussy cutting it out.

For the background, I added stars and a planet from my space set and a galaxy from the Countdown set and coloured those in with markers too.  Then I stamped the countdown  At this point I realized I should have used dark paper for my background as my space was white.  So, I inked the paper with dark blue memento ink, staying away from the coloured areas so I wouldn't ruin those.

Originally I'd made the card so the slider didn't have a backing, but it was harder to use than I expected, so added the black backing after the fact, being very careful where I put the pop dots so as to not interfere with the slider.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections, thin cardboard
Stamps: Cas-ual Friday - Countdown, ? space set (alas I threw away the packaging for that set so I don't know what it's called or who it's by)
Crayola Markers
Memento Ink
pop dots

Fluorescent Style

I made this card for Faber-Castell: Design Memory Craft's January challenge: 

CREATIVE RESOLUTIONS.*

Document your creative resolution(s) for 2013 in some form of art.

The first challenge I faced was finding something from Faber-Castell to do the challenge with (as it didn't seem right to not use one of their products. The first thing that came to mind were these:

Yes, those are fluorescent Color Lites pencil crayons.  My father bought them for me in West Germany back when I was a child (and there was a West Germany).  I loved them so much I tried not to use them, because once they were gone they'd be gone for good.

So, what are the resolutions I'm fulfilling with this card?  

1. use more (homemade) flowers on cards

2. use fancy paper for backgrounds (ok, post it notes aren't 'fancy', but it is an unusual choice for me)

3. push my boundaries and craft in ways I'm not entirely comfortable with (fluorescents fit that bill)

I used the pink to colour crepe paper (the rolls you hang from the ceiling for birthday parties) and punched out flowers.  A also used the pencil crayons (all but the orange) to colour my girl.  

I painted over dollar store rhinestones with glow in the dark fluorescent yellow nail polish for the centers of the flowers, so they'd match the theme, and used post it notes for the backing/framing (both yellow and pink).  And yes, I used a tape runner on them, knowing their own stickiness wouldn't hold up.  Finally I tied a very bright fluorescent green ribbon on the bottom.  Voila.

And here's a close-up of the flowers and her face.

I was a little afraid the fluorescents would burn your eyes when I came up with this idea, and if the colours were all as bright as that ribbon, it would.  But I'm really happy with how this card turned out.

I would love it if Faber-Castell brought these pencil crayons back (I'm assuming they're no longer available as I looked for them in Germany last year and couldn't find them).  I'd also like to get some of the new Faber-Castell Gelatos.  They look pretty cool. :)

Supplies:

Papers: Recollections cardstock, post-it notes, crepe paper

Stamp: There She Goes: Sparkly and Bright

Pencil crayons: Faber-Castell Color Lites, Berol Canadiana (for the black)

Tween Brands glow in the dark fluorescent yellow nail polish

thin wire (for holding the flowers together)

rhinestones

*Whoops, I forgot to add the link when I posted this.

Flower Flourish Window Card

I think this is the best card I've ever made.  At the least, it's one of my favourites (and so will be staying with me for now).  And I made it out of a mistake.

This was supposed to be a medallion card.  I'd cut out Spellbinders Medallion 4, only I did it wrong (I made this a few weeks back and can't remember what went wrong with it).  In order to not waste the cardstock I cut out the shape entirely, not sure how I'd use this large window card.

Then I got some ideas.  I ran through some other dies and got the idea for this card.  With the dies still on I inked the flower with white ink and the leaves and flourishes with metallic green ink.

I cut a strip of parchment paper and stamped Thank you! and put a butterfly to cover the tape spot (I used vellum tape, which was supposed to be invisible but wasn't.  I'd wanted the butterfly at the top of strip not the bottom). 

Voila:

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections, parchment paper
Stamp: Stampendous - Proud Peacock
Spellbinders Dies: Medallion 4, Aster Flower Toppers, Jewel Flowers and Flourishes
Ink: Versa Magic white cloud, Encore ultimate metallic green
Jolee rhinestone

Blue Rose Card

Despite feeling horrible I managed to do some crafty things today, including making 2 cards.  Here's the second card I made, using the first of my Um Wow Studio embellishments.

I started by die cutting and embossing the oval out of white cardstock.  With the metal die still in place I stamped both the rose (using markers) and notation (using ink).  I tried to sponge tan ink around the edges so it would go with the corrugated cardboard heart better, but I forgot to wipe the excess black ink off the die first, so it's much darker than I'd intended.  Live and learn.  I used pop dots to affix the oval and glue tape for the hearts.

The hearts and embellished paperclip are from the Um Wow Studio December kit. :)

I've posted a close-up of the rose stamp.  Normally when I colour stamps with markers I only use one shade, this time I added a second blue and green making the rose a bit more realistic.  I really liked how it turned out. 

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections
Stamps: Close to My Heart - Sweet Moments, Stampendous - Cling Music Score
Ink - Memento
Markers - Stampin' Up, Crayola
Um Wow Studio Embellishments
dollar store rhinestones
pop dots, glue tape

Um Wow Studio December Kit

The first of the three kits I won from Um Wow Studio arrived last night.  Here's a picture of it:

And yes, it arrived wrapped in a pattern.  I'm wondering if I can incorporate that into one of my projects...  The kit uses a lot of embellishments I've never used in card crafting before, a fabric flower, a wire nest, painted corrugated cardboard.  In fact, shy of the doily and the printed heart I'm not sure I've used anything like these at all.  DeeDee just unveiled the January kit, which is so pretty - pink and white (and I'm not generally a fan of pink).

So, another goal for this year: Use all of the products from the Um Wow kits on projects this year.  That should help stretch my creativity. :)

I also took a trip to a bead store in Toronto yesterday and picked up some pin supplies for those embellishments.  If things go according to plan I'll made up some pins to use on upcoming projects.  I've also decided, again to push my creative boundaries, to enter more challenges.  I entered a few last year and had a lot of fun with them.  It's time to get crafty!

Crafty Resolutions

Well, I hope everyone had a nice New Year's Eve.  Now that the new year's begun, it's time to think of what we want to achieve this year.  I've found if I don't make goals I don't accomplish them, so here goes (note, I decided my resolutions were too generic so I've edited this post to make them more specific, and thereby easier to judge whether I'm achieving them or not):

1. learn new crafting techniques
    - how to make paper flowers
    - use more fancy ribbons and pins on my projects
    - use my new die cuts on cards
    - learn paper folding techniques from the craft book I got for Christmas
2. practice the techniques I've already learned and master them
    - improve my 'ink painting' (or is that called sponging?)
    - keep making some clean and simple designs but also make some fancier designs
    - do more ink resist cards
    - make my own patterned papers
3. use products from my stash (the ones I tend to forget I own)
    - shaped buttons
    - patterned and specialty papers
    - beads
    - background stamps
    - stickers
    - rub ons
4. start drawing and using pencil crayons again
5. use watercolours or acrylics on my cards or paint actual pictures again
6. have fun!
7. keep my crafting area clean

Now to put this list next to my crafting table so I remember these. :)

What are your resolutions for the year, crafty or otherwise?