Monday, March 31, 2008

Butterfly Gift Set

I made this gift set for my son's teacher. She is going for brain surgery. I know that sounds scary but she really needs it and she sees it as a good thing!!
I figured that she would need some thank you cards because I know that she is going to receive lots of flowers and gifts while she recovers!
So I pulled together this set! 8 Thank You cards that are all the same with the exception of the color. The background paper is made using one of the flowers from the Text Boxed set (from Papertrey Ink). The little image is from the Borders & Corners {Oval} set. I drew the butterfly onto light cardstock and then traced it onto all the different colored cardstock and cut them out.
Well, I hope they are helpful to her! I know we will all miss her and wish her well and a speedy recovery!
Thanks for visiting.
Donelda

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Star Light Star Bright

I love Jen's Limited Supply Challenge (161). It's called Why, oh why and she has encouraged us to look through our hoard of embellishments and find the things that we bought and are now wondering why oh why did I buy that!!!
Well, over a year ago, I picked up this bottle cap. Now, what was I thinking...I'm Canadian!! It's not like I can make 4th of July card....wellm maybe I can for my Americian friends :-)
If you have some time, you should definately go visit the gallery for LSC161 -- the cards are great but the stories are hilarious!!
Supplies: Cardstock-Night of Navy, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!), Ink-Night of Navy (SU!), Stamps-Take a Bough, Text Boxed (Papertrey Ink), Accessories-bottlecap (unknown), stickers (Making Memories), glitter (unknown), corner rounder.
Thanks for visiting.
Donelda

Friday, March 28, 2008

Tagged Sunflowers

It took me over a week to get this card finished, photographed, and uploaded, but here it finally is!! I made it for the Ways to Use It Challenge 158 by Julia over at SCS.
The challenge was to make a card incorporating a tag or tags. Well, I love this tag shape!! I have one that I think I got off a garage sale item. So I took it and traced it out 3 times on Kraft cardstock and cut them out. Then I stamped this cute sunflower from the Text Boxed set from Papertrey Ink in Barely Banana craft ink (SU!). Once it dried, it wasn't showing up too much so I added some edges in More Mustard (classic). The centers are Chocolate Chip ink and the leaves are in Garden Green (both from Beautiful Blossoms, PTI). The edges of the tags are sponged with some close to cocoa ink for dimension and I added some of my new Linen thread that I just got from SU!. I LOVE it!! If you like hemp, then you'll love this linen thread! It is so much easier to tie and lays nicer on the card!!
I'm sorry but I don't have the names for the brown desinger paper nor the striped desinger paper.
Thanks for visiting and have a sunflowery weekend!!
Donelda

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

I Love My Boy

I Love my boy!! He is just the best. A few summers ago, we were having an SCS get together here and one of the girls took this "snap shot" when my husband and son stopped in to say hi. She sent it to one of the ladies who live here in town (Hi Robin!!) who printed it off and surprised me with it!! It is such a great photo!!
I started this project out with a $1 wooden heart from the Dollar Store, painted it with blue paint, stamped the Polka Dots (Papertrey Ink) and then added some ivory to distress it a bit. Then added some rub ons, buttons, and tags. I stamped that white flower with the smaller Papertrey Ink polka dots too!!
I love the result! This is hanging in my crafting room!
Thanks for visiting,
Dnelda

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Blog Hop and Papertrey Ink

Over at Papertrey Ink, Nichole decided to try something that sounded like a lot of FUN!! She wanted to have a BLOG HOP, where we could go to each other's blogs and get inspiration!! I LOVE blog hopping!!
Each month, she will give us a challenge to do and we are asked to load it up on our blog for others to check out! This month, the challenge is to use RIBBON as the focal point of a project! Now, sadly, I have yet to be able to purchase any of the new PTI ribbon, but Nichole said we could still play as long as we used at least one PTI product on our cards. Well, all the stamps I've used are PTI!!! Also, I couldn't decide between three different ideas so I made all three and loaded all of them here on my blog! Edited to read: I am thinking we must have one project only...oh, which one to pick...guess I'll go with Project #1 as my entry. Just enjoy the other two :-)
Project #1 - This is a corset card where I laced this ivory organdy ribbon between eyelets! I kept the stamping light (most of it is stamped off) in order to not overpowere the ribbon. The inner part of the card pulls out to reveal the inside of the card. Supplies: Stamps-Beautiful Blossoms, Green Thumb, Paper Tray (all Papertrey Ink), Cardstock-Pretty In Pink, Very Vanilla (SU!), Ink-Regal Rose, Mellow Moss (SU!), Accessories-vanilla organdy rib bon, eyelets, corner rounder.
Project #2 - This card's focal point is roses made out of wide polka dot ribbon. It is easy to make floral roses with ribbon by pulling one edge of the ribbon together along the wire and then wrapping it in circles. I also used ribbon to "sew" along the edge of this card. The paper has dots that can be poked out to make it like aida cloth! I bought it at my local scrapbooking store but they did not have the distributor name on it. If I can find it, I'll edit the name in here! Supplies:Green Thumb, Borders&Corners{Oval and Square} (all Papertrey Ink!), Cardstock-Blue (unknown), whisper white (SU!), Ink-Night of Navy, Old Olive (SU!), Accessories-light and dark blue polka dot ribbon, white satin ribbon, olive grosgrain ribbon (Michaels' $1.50 bin).
Project #3 - is actually my favorite!! I really liked Lisa Johnson's idea of stamping on the twill ribbon. So I decided to try it out!! I love this leaf stamp from the PTI Text Box set. I stamped it on some twill using Old Olive classic ink from Stampin' Up. I added a piece of olive ribbon on top and then a lighter celery ribbon on top of that. A sentiment and some background stamping.... and voila, a great birthday card with the ribbon being the main attraction! Supplies: Text Box, Faux Ribbon, Polka Dots (all Papertrey Ink), Cardstock-Old Olive, Very Vanilla (SU!), Ink-Old Olive (SU!), Accessories-twill (SU!), olive and celery ribbon (Michael's $1.50 bin)
Thanks Nichole and everyone at PTI for such a fun event!! I can't wait to see what next months' challenge will be!
Donelda

March 25 - Design Basics Lesson #12

This is my 12th lesson in my own exploration of Design Basics. I am using a book called Design Basics Index by Jim Krause. It is an excellent book and I've learned a lot. If you are interested in the 11 previous lessons, you can check out the list on the right side bar!!
The next few lessons are about FLOW! Not a new concept but interesting to read about and really focus on when making cards and making scrapbook pages. In his book, Jim talks about how there is visual flow in a piece and that learning to see and create flow within a piece is important! Jim talks about obvious elements that create flow (e.g., arrows) but that there are other means of influencing the eye's exploarion od a design that is more subtle.
Today, the lesson is about DIRECTING THE EYE. Jim talks about the obvious importance to keep the eye within a layout vs. sending it off the edge.
Interstingly, Jim talks about those of us who have been exposed to "Western" languages which read left to right tend to strongly perceive visual direction from left to right as being forward and fast! Images that move from right to left is perceived as backward and slow. Very intersting.
Sorry for the simplicity of the cards today!! I had to whip them up really quick!!
On this first card, the fish is facing to the left.... according to Jim's lesson this makes the eye move off the edge of the card. And I agree!! When I look at this card, my eye doesn't easily go to the sentiment...I look at the fish and then move off the card to the left. Weird!!
Now, on this second card, everything is in the same place, except the little fish are facing the other direction - to the right! Just like Jim says, this totally makes me move my eyes to the right and on to the sentiment thus keeping it within the layout!! Weird :-) LOL
I know that for many of us who also scrapbook, this is a well known technique that we keep in mind. However, I've never really thought of applying it to card making! Cool!
Please be aware that this will be my first of 2 posts today. You see, tonight is the Papertrey Ink's BLOG HOP!! Yeah!! That means I will be posting my challege card(s) tonight for everyone to check out!! So I'll see you all again for my second post later tonight!!
Donelda

Monday, March 24, 2008

Fun Fold Card Challenge

Today's challenge at SCS is to make a Flap Fold Card (Try a New Technique #161). It looked like a fun new fold so I decided to give it a try. For directions, follow the link I've included above.
I've had this awesome Making Memories paper for a LONG time and I've just had a really hard time finding a way to use it. Part of the problem is that I've not had cardstock that matched close enough to the colors in the paper. However, I've just recently bought the Soft Subtles cardstock multi-pack from Stampin' Up and realized that 3 of the colors match the colors in this paper - green, blue and the pink. So, I pulled it out to use it for the base of this card!!!
I used my Provo Craft scallop scissors to cut the circle of Celery cardstock around the circle image and flap!
Overall, I kept the whole thing Clean and Simple!! The stripes certainly took center stage. I am waiting to hear if a co-worker had her baby this past holiday weekend. I think this card will be workable for either a boy or a girl!!
Thanks for visiting.
Donelda

Friday, March 21, 2008

Same Stuff, Different Cards

I made these cards for Jen's awesome Limited Supply Challenge #160!! It is an awesome challenge. Jen challenged us to use "just a few stamps and colors to create very different looks"
The rules were ...we could use a few stamps, the same patterned paper, and some cardstock!! I LOVE this kinda challenge...right up my alley.
I started out making the olive leaf card. I covered most of the card front with that cool polka dot paper from Scenic Route. Then, I stamped the leaf from Stampin' Up's Sketch an Event using Basic Black ink. I colored it in with old olive ink using a watercolor brush. I then used a dauber to sponge Close to Cocoa ink (SU!) around the edges of the main image and the designer paper. Finished it off with the sentiment.
For the second card, I really wanted to make it fun and funky. I only covered 2/3s of the card base with the same designer paper. I also stamped the leaf more horizontal than the other image and used Not Quite Navy (SU!) ink. I colored the leaves in wiht NQN ink using a watercolor brush but then finished it off with some Stickles (Waterfall). I finished off the image and designer paper panel by swiping the cardstock edge on the NQN inkpad!! I then used my watercolor brush to "smudge" some of the ink around the edges. Added the same sentiment and voila, a totally different card using the exact same materials!
Gotta say "thanks" to Jen for such a great challenge!!!!! This was so much fun!!!
Thanks for visiting.
Donelda

Thursday, March 20, 2008

You Make My Day!

My friend Chris game me this award a few days ago. It has taken me a few days to get it copied and loaded onto my blog. Thanks Chris you are such a sweetie!! Sending out "YOU MAKE MY DAY" wishes to some of my dearest friends!!!

I have also been tagged by Yanitza and Tickle Me Pink! I need to share 7 random/wierd things about myself and tag 7 people. Here goes: I never ate broccoli until I went to University, I have a small cowlick, I have unattached ear lobes, my baby fingers are both crooked, I know how to play the flute, I get cold burps, I reverse my b's and d's and p's when I am typing as well as when I am printing quickly!! There you have it, 7 weird facts about myself that you probably never knew.

I will be having a 4 day weekend which means lots of stamping time. Hopefully I can get some projects finished, photographed, and ready to post!! Thanks for visiting.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

March 18 - Design Basics Lesson #11

Hello again and welcome to my next lesson. This is my 11th lesson in my own exploration of design basics. I am using a great book called Design Basics Index by Jim Krause. If you are interested in seeing all the other lessons, feel free to check out the links listed on the right.
For the last 3 lessons, I've been exploring the idea of heirarchy in a visual layout. The visual heirarchy is the idea that your eye is drawn to the item that is at the "top" of the visual heirarchy and then moves to the supporting elements. We have already explored how this element at the top of the heirarchy can be there because of it's size and also because of it's color. Well, today we are going to consider an item that is the most conceptually intriguing element.
I've got to say that this card was so much fun to make. Look at that stamp image....it is actually one of my crocuses that grew in my garden last spring! There is this great web site that allows you to take images and frame them, including a stamp frame! When you look at this card, there are lots of rectangles, but the most intriguing element is clearly the stamp (on which I applied the cracked glass technique). When your eye looks at this card, what is your eye instantly drawn to?? For me, it is that stamp - hands down!!
Supplies: Cardstock-Kraft, Elegant Eggplant (Stampin' Up!); Ink-White Pigment Ink (Rubber Stampede), Basic Black(Stampin' Up!), Stamps-Paper Tray, Borders & Corners {rectangle} (Papertrey Ink); Accessories-ribbon(unknown), photo paper (Kodak), clear embossing powder (Stampin' Up), Scallop scissors (Provo Craft).
I would be very interested in seeing your cards made with an intriguing element at the top of the heirarchy! Thanks for dropping by!
Donelda

Monday, March 17, 2008

Beate's weekend sketch challenge 38

Well, the weekend has come and past but I did get Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #38 done, it just took me a bit to get it photographed and uploaded!!
I got the stamp as a small prize in Jessica's ATC swap (she gets eveyone who enters her house to vote on the swaps and decides on winners!! so much fun!). It is a g studio clear stamp set and I LOVE this little owl that is in it!!! The striped paper is from a paper stack from Die Cuts with a View. I thought it would be fun to change the directions of the stripes!
Thanks for visiting! Have a great day! Oh, and happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Coloring on Dark Cardstock

Sorry I've not been around....I was away since Wed for work!! I was just playing around trying to use up some of the item in my "USE UP" basket. You know, the place where you put stamped images you didn't us, pieces of background that were left over from other projects, punched shapes that didn't get included.... sheesh, my basket it soooo full it is overflowing!! Well, this image had been stamped on Mellow Moss cardstock and was a leftover piece from a technique I taught at our SCS get together last summer. The technique is Coloring on Dark Cardstock and you can another card I have made using this techique HERE. It is pretty simple to do but is a dramatic effect. It is nice to do something different like this once in a while! Behind the flower is a frame stamped and inside that I smudged Pastels to blend with the image colors and the background paper! The flower image is popped up on a few pieces of cardstock glued together. Supplies: Cardstock-Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Mellow Moss (SU!); Designer Paper-Stella Ruby (Basic Grey), Stamps-flower (Magenta), Paper Tray (Papertrey Ink), Around and About(SU!); Ink-Basic Black (SU!); Accessories-Prismacolor Pencil Crayons, Pastels (SU!). Thanks for visiting.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

New Color Combo

Well, I don't know if it is a new color combination to everyone but it certainly is to me -- AND I LOVE IT!! I was playing a few days ago and decided I wanted to use Kraft. Then I hauled out a few other peices of scrap to see what would go and when I placed this Cranberry Crisp and Mellow Moss with the Kraft, I fell in love. I also added a bit of Chocolate Chip for a bit of umph!! I guess I should check THIS SITE where it shows different color combinations from Stampin' Up colors -- just to see if these colors are on there!! I just looked and although they have Mellow Moss, Cranberry Crisp, and Chocolate Chip, they don't include the Kraft, which is what I love about it!! The card is pretty straight forward. the images on the Kraft panel are Stampin' Up stamps but I don't have names for them. They are stamps I recieved as "prizes" from my Stampin' Up demo and they don't come with names (or at least I didn't get them). The stamps actually have boxes around them, however, I chose to use my Chocolate Chip marker to color in the stems only. Supplies: Cardstock-Mellow Moss, Kraft, Cranberry Crisp, Chocolate Chip (all Stampin' Up!); Ink- Chocolate Chip (SU!), Stamps- 2 different stamps with stemps (SU!), Green Thumb (Papertrey Ink), Accessories-Chocolate Chip ribbon (SU!), Chocolate Chip marker (SU!). Thanks for visiting. Donelda

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Carmen Carmen where are you???

Carmen! I have no way to get ahold of you. If you go to my Splitcoaststamper gallery and send me a private message with your address, I will send the bookmark to you!! Since you were the first one to actually ask for it!! :-)

March 11 - Design Basics Lesson #10

Hello and welcome to another one of my lessons on design basics. I have been using a book called Design Basics Index by Jim Krause to teach myself about this topic. If you are interested in seeing the previous lessons, feel free to check out the list on the right column of my blog!
Lesson #10 - Visual Heirarchy - Color
Today we are continuing the lesson on visual heirarchy. On the last lesson, we considered how size makes one element become the "top" item in the design with all the other elements having a supporting role. Today, we are looking at how COLOR can make one element be the initial item our eye is drawn to ... or the top element in the visual heirarchy. Here, this lovely pink butterfly stands out upon the mainly black card. This card was extremely difficulty to photograph so in real life, the butterfly is so much "pinker" (it is actaully Pixie Pink from Stampin' Up! so if you know that color you can see how it is washed out in the photo). So, this whole lesson may not work / make sense if you are just looking at the picture here. I wish I could bring the real card into each of your homes so you can see how the pink automatically draws your eye to it!! Perhaps instead, you should make a similar card....just so you can see :-).
Thanks for visiting.
Donelda

Monday, March 10, 2008

Old Color Combo Challenge

This color combination is an old one from Splitcoaststampers (Color Combo Challenge 155 - Basic Black, River Rock, and Whisper White). It is such a classic and elegant color combination!! I LOVE IT!!! I decided to make a bookmark and holder using these colors. I based my general design on one I saw on Godelieve's blog a while ago -- she makes great stuff! The black was folded and then stitched using my sewing machine. Then I made the focal image for the outside. I finally bought a wheel handle from SU! I did it because I LOVE this wheel called Forever Flowers. I'd love the flower stamp that is in the matching set but I won't use the rest of the set so I refuse to buy it. If anyone has the set and would love to get rid of the one flower stamp in it, give me a ring :-) LOL. I colored in the leaves and flowers using a paint brush (one of my favoite coloring options!). It just looks so elegant!! The inside bookmark is made using a piece of River Rock cardstock. I attached a bit of the colored image to the bottom as well. Then, I inked up just a small part of the wheel using my black marker and rolled just that section where I wanted it on the top! I added a sentiment, a swirl (from Delight in Life), and left some room to stamp the recipient's name when I give it away to someone (yeah right, who am I kidding...this will go into my 'for keeps' pile). Well, maybe I'll try to really give it to someone!! Anyone out there want it?? Thanks for visiting! Enjoy your day! Donelda

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Flower Trio

I did another multi-challenge card today (or should I say cards!) I started out wanting to do the debossing challenge from SCS's Try a New Technique 158, and also wanted to do Jen's Limited Supply Challenge 158. It was so easy to combine the two. Then, when I had them finished, I realized that they also would work for the Arty Girlz challenge -- SPRING!!
I started out with some cardstock weighted vellum and stamped my Megenta image using StazOn black. The image is actually one stamp, but I cut them apart to make the mini cards (Jen's challenge was perfect for this). Once the ink was dry, I turned it upside down and "scratched" the vellum using my stylus. It makes white lines in the vellum and, although hard to tell in the photo, looks cool in real life. I decided that I didn't want to color in the actual flowers but decided to add color to the square behind the flower images. To color vellum, you can use oil pastels and some kind of oil, like baby oil. since I don't have any paper oil, I use my Japanese Mint Oil. Let me tell you these cards smell great (the smell dissapates over time so not to worry). You just blend in the pastels with a q-tip soaked in a bit of the oil (not much is needed).
Then, I simply matched the background colors to the cardstock and gingham prints. I mounted the images on white so the colored areas and de-bossed areas would be obvious! And added a sentiment. You should check out the little "bling" on the yellow card. It is a teeny tiny flower gem by Heidi Swapp! Can't believe I just bought them 2 days ago and actually put one on a card. I usually hoard such items for a while before using them :-)
Thanks for visiting. Enjoy your weekend!

Friday, March 7, 2008

Color Challenge with some interesting colors

I don't usually do the color challenges on Splitcoaststampers since I rarely have all that is required (I still don't own the pastel colors - yuck - I just don't like pastels!!). However, I am trying to be more "flexible" these days!
The color challenge for Feb. 19th was Orchid Opulance, Pumpkin Pie, and Certainly Celery. I read that and thought - yuck!! But again, I am trying to break out of my "regular" creative box so I decided to give it a go!!
I pulled out my Green Thumb set from Papertrey Ink. I love the grasshopper in the set but I've only used it a few times. Shame on me. So I decided to make him my focal image. I then got a bright idea that if he were sitting on a flower stem, it would probably curve down. One of the great things about using acrylic stamps is that you can stick them onto the acrylic block in different ways so I took the longest stem from this set and bent it when placing it on the block and then stamped it coming out of the rubber boot. Just enough bend for my little grasshopper to sit comfortably!! I stamped him twice and cut him out and popped him up a little. I generally feel like the regular dimensionals are too high so I usually glue 3 layers of cardstock and use it intead, just the right height!!
In the end, I kinda like this card -- love the images and layout, not so keen on the colors but they are growing on me ( a little ).
Supplies: Cardstock-Whisper White, Orchid Opulance, (Stampin' Up), green designer paper as close to certainly celery as I had (unknown); Stamps-Green Thumb and Paper Tray (Papertrey Ink); Ink-Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery, Orchip Opulance, Basic Black (all Stampin' Up!); Accessories-green satin ribbon (Michaels 1.50 bin), black marker (Zig).
Thanks for visiting,
Donelda

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Calgary Stampede Mini Album




I am addicted to making mini albums!! I haven't worked on my "regular size" album in over a year, however, I have been enjoying making these little

home-made albums.


This one features us at the Calgary stampede. I cannot go into details about everything I did, but I will share some of the more interesting points.



The cover is made using a picture from Clip Art - the ones right there on your Microsoft Word program!! I enlarged it and then cut out the individual pieces and put them back together. I put together a small tutorial so if anyone is interested, I could post that later.


The whole book is put to gether using my Bind It All. I love my bind it all and if you love making little mini books, you should definately get one!! You might see some maple leaves throughout the book...well, that is a stamp and I actually cut them each out. Yes, I am a bit "CRAZY" but I really wanted them cut out!!


This will definately be a great keepsake for many years to come!! And it was a lot of fun to make!


Thanks for visiting. Donelda

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

March 4 - Design Basics Lesson #9

Hello and welcome to my 9th lesson in my exploration of Design Basics. I am being guided by a great book called Design Basics Index by Jim Krause. I am learning so much!! If you are interested in reading the rest of the lessons, they are all listed along the right side of my blog! Enjoy.
Today's lesson is a continuation of the concept of Heirarchy. In the previous lesson, I learned that there is a "visual heirarchy" where your eye follows whatever element is at the "top of the heirachy" and down through the supporting elements. There are many ways that this heirarchy is created -- size, placement, color, or a conceptually intriguing element.
Today I am going to focus EMPHASIZING SIZE to create the heirarchy of a visual piece.
--------> On card #1 you will note that the size of the candles is much larger than the text! Thus, the visual picture on this card is emphasized making it the element you look at first! Then your eye might travel down to the text below and then maybe the box enclosing the image. Thus, these are the supporting elements. This design idea is almost totally cased from My Paper Creations blog except I don't own the great Papertrey Ink stamps that she used (which make the candles) so I had to improvise!!
------> On card #2 you will note taht the size of the sentiment is much larger than the candle image. Thus, the text "HAPPY" is emphasized because it is larger (and specifically the word Happy) making it the top element of the heirarchy. This word is what your eye likely looks at first, and then through the rest of the supporting elements, the word birthday, the candles, and the box enclosing the image.
------> Finally, on this 3rd card, there is no clear emphasis to any one element. The candles and the sentiment are about the same size making it difficult to see one as being more "important" than the other. (Color might make the candles be emphasized -- I will be covering color with this concept in a following lesson -- might be able to use this card again).
Jim says that "a lack of clear visual ranking between elements is perhaps the single most common failing of a design". He goes on to explain that when there is no visual heirarchy, the piece looses the interest of the viewer!
Well, what do you think. Do my first 2 cards have more interest?? than the 3rd card?? Does the 3rd card look boring in comparison?? I find this whole concept very interesting! I will be exploring this further!!
Supplies:
Large Image: Stamps-Text Box, Beautiful Blooms, Paper Tray (all Papertrey Ink), Ink-Brilliant Blue, Real REd, Glorious Green, Summer Sun, Only Orange, Basic Black, (all SU!), Versamark (Tsukineko); Cardstock-Whisper White (SU!), Accessories-White Mailing Labels 8160 (Avery), White embossing powder, Black marker (Zig)
Large Sentiment: Stamps-Simply Stamps (Plaid Enterprises), Beautiful Blooms (Papertrey Ink), Fun with Shapes (SU!); Ink-Glorious Green, Not Quite Navy, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie (all Markers from SU!), Baisc Black, Summer Sun, Ruby Red (Pads from SU!); Accessaries-Black marker (Zig).
Card 3: Stamps-Fun iwth Shapes (SU!), Paper Tray (Papertrey Ink); Ink-Glorious Green, Not QuiteNavy, Ruby Redm, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, Basic Black (all SU!), Paper-Whisper White (SU!); Accessaries-Black marker (Zig).
Thanks for visiting. I hope you enjoyed this lesson and that you are learning as much as I am!! Donelda

Monday, March 3, 2008

Thank You Jessica

A very wonderful person ~~ Hi Jessica~~ sent me a great goodie package at Christmas and it included some blue flocking.
I wasn't sure what I would do with it until I saw a beautiful box at Michael's that swirls in brown flocking on it. I knew I'd have to give it a try. Next problem, how to make it stick?? I remembered reading an add for The Essential Glue Pad and figured that was the ticket but it was no where to be found around here. Until a few weeks ago, I was in my LSS and there it was sitting on the shelf!!
Ultimatly, the card is not my usual style but it was so much fun! Flocking is not for the weak at heart -- it is messy stuff and I do need lots of practice getting it to stick better!!
So Thanks Jessica for the wonderful flocking (and all the other goodies that came with it too)!! I have a bunch of other projects that I have floating around in my brain!! You will see them in the coming weeks for sure!
Thanks for visiting.
Donelda

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Favorite Color Moos

Over at Make a Moo or Two the challenge was to make a Moo using your favorite color! Well, I have two colors that are very close but my very favorite color is .... green!! That is why my blog is geen!! And my second favorite is brown. So, I made my moos mainly using green but also adding a little bit of brown!
What, you don't know what a moo is?? Well, it is a little card with the size dimensions of 2.8 cm x 7 cm (1.1" x 2.8" approximately). Here is one of my earlier sets - the them was Friends.
I don't generally make cards in this style, but over on the Moo site, this vintage collage look is very popular so I decided to give it a try. It was quite difficult afterall but I think I might have pulled it off -- or gotten close!
Ultimately, these will go on Easter cards (you'll note that one girl is holding an egg basket and the other has bunny ears on!!
Thanks for visiting. I'd love to see your Moos!! Give them a try, they are lots of fun!!
Donelda

Hubby's Sympathy Card

Yes, this is a very sad day. You see, my husband's favorite shirt finally wore out!! Yup, can't be worn any longer and he was terribly broken up about it. He threw it out in the garbage but I secretly pulled it out and snatched a small bit of it....cause I KNEW I had to make a card out of it!!
I have used removable glue on the sentiment so that I could initially give it to hubby as a sympathy card for his shirt. Inside temporarily reads "We are so sorry about your loss. Time will heal the pain. Remember the good memories". At first he didn't get it and then it made sense and he had a great laugh!!
The sketch follow's Beate's Weekend Sketch #37. I will replace the sentiment with a Happy Birthday as this will make a great masculine birthday card!!
See, you never know what beauty lies in your garbage :-)
Thanks for visiting.
Donelda

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Faux Papertrey Ink Pattern Paper

Well, I just saw that Nichole Heady over at Papertrey Ink had given a challenge to some of the ladies on her Design Team. The challenge was to pair their favorite clear product with new Everyday blessings patterened paper . Here is what Nichole did. And also the others:
Well, I wanted to play but I don't actually have any of the new paper...yet!! But I didn't want that to interfere with my fun. So, I decided to make some FAUX Papertrey Ink Patterned Paper by using my Papertrey Ink stamps. As well, I must confess, I also do not own the new PTI colored ink yet either....so I used the colors that I have that are the closest... Soft Sky and River Rock from Stampin' Up. So, what do you think?? Is it close?? Do I get bonus points for trying??
For the clear item, I used one of my yummy Maya Road clear flowers. Then, using my Faux Pattern Paper, I attached it using spray adhesive and then cut around the flower using my hobby knife. I attached a large brad from Making Memories in the center. The rest of the card is pretty straight forward. I stamped the same small images onto the strip of Soft Sky using Versamark ink. And the sentiment was stamped with River Rock inside of a piece of Hodgepodge Hardware from Stampin' Up. All of this was placed onto a River Rock card base. I kept the rest of the card fairly simply since I wanted the pattern paper flower to take center stage!!
Well, I hope you like my attempt at this great challenge!! Make sure you check out the rest of the ideas from the Papertrey Ink Design team!!
Thanks for visiting.
Donelda

Blue Flowers

Blue Flowers are my favorite!! They amaze me. So today when I saw the soft blue room for the inspiration challenge, I wanted to make a card with blue flowers.
The flowers are "masked and stamped off" using two different blues. I love the framed look!! It mimics the white mirror on the wall! And the blue gingham is inspired from the bedspread!
If you are looking for a fun challenge, you should definately check out the Saturday Inspiration Challenges at SCS.
All stamps are Papertrey Ink!!
Thanks for visiting.