Sunset Happiness

Today I have a different sized card that fits into a 3 5/8 x 6 1/2 inch envelope.You know, the size you buy at the drug store to pay your bills with (for those remaining dinosaurs among us that don't pay bills online!).  It uses the new Sheena's Sketch stamp, called "Happiness".

I started by stamping the image in black ink, onto white card stock. I punched a circle out of Eclipse masking tape for the moon, and positioned it over the quote. Then I colored it with the wonderfully affordable Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers.  I used the colors as shown. For this image, I mostly used the broad chisel tip, because I needed wide swaths for the sunset sky and ground. I carried a little of the lightest yellow, CT1, as striations over the moon.

I layered it onto black card stock, cut about an inch wider than the image so that I could use a decorative punch on the right side. (I amazed myself that I actually thought ahead enough to do that, LOL!) Then, it was adhered to a saffron yellow card base.  Three little black rhinestones were the finishing touch.


Hope you enjoyed my card, and that you are having a wonderfully relaxing Sunday!

Schoolboy Poppet

Today I have an adorable schoolboy Poppet card for you.  Doesn't this image just melt your heart?  I think it would be great to give a teacher as an end-of-year thank you, or to wish your son luck on his first day of school.  Or even for graduation, and you could write inside, "I remember when you were this tall..."

 

I started by stamping the image in black ink, onto white card stock. Then I colored it with the Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers.  I used the colors as shown.


I embossed a one inch strip of grey-blue card stock with a paisley folder, to reprise the paisleys in the wallpaper. I adhered the image, and then added a large antiqued brad and some ribbon flags.  Tip: if you have trouble poking the ribbon with the brad, use an awl / hole piercer to make the hole in the ribbon first. A bit of adhesive or a mini glue dot keeps everything in place while you are poking away.

I layered the image onto kraft and then red card stock, using a very narrow mat border. The card base is also kraft, with a layer of red. Can you guess what the plaid and paisley paper is?  Remember I am sometimes known as the frugal stamper.  It's cut from rolls of wallpaper that I got for a quarter at a garage sale!  How fun!

Because I literally have a whole roll of this wallpaper, I decided to do a matching envelope with the Envelobox Creator. I used a 7 3/4 inch square of paper, and grooves E and H.    That's all for today.

     

Traveler's Wings and Encaustic Wax

Today I have a dreamy card made with Stamp-It's new "Hummingbird Wings" stamp. You know how the image really dictates the feel of the card?  Well this lovely quote just said "artsy" to me, so I pulled out my encaustic wax supplies to do a background with lots of motion and texture.  Not to worry, if you don't have encaustic wax, you can get a similar feel with the polished stone, shaving cream or heated pearls technique, among others.

After making the background, it was layered on black and then on a lavender base.  I stamped the main image in black ink, onto white card stock. I did a border embossed swirl on the right of the image, to reprise the swirly tail feathers.  I then sponged around it with lavender, blue, and amethyst inks. I layered it on black, adhered it with dimensionals, and added some tiny pearls as a finishing touch.

This card went together so quickly that I decided to make a custom envelope with Crafter's Companion Envelobox Creator.

For an A2 size card, I get good results starting with a 7 3/4 inch square of paper and scoring opposite corners on the E and H grooves.  I found this purple and blue paper in my stash that coordinated like a charm. I love making the envelopes special as the finishing touch for the recipient.

I think this would be a great Bon Voyage card or a Graduation card, with a sentiment about "exploring your world" inside.

Happy Be-ribboned Birthday

Today I have another Anthony and Burt card for you.  I decided to do a birthday card, because I can always use more of those.  Doesn't Burt look like he is just drooling over that chocolate icing?

As with last week, I decided to keep my card today fairly flat and easily mailable.  I did add a ribbon treatment, but it isn't so lumpy-bumpy that it violates the post office's 1/4 inch rule.


I started by stamping the image and greeting in black ink, onto white card stock.

Then I colored it with the Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers. I was getting good results using DG2 and DG4 for the frog's body.


I layered the image onto cocoa brown.  Using a hole template, I used a pencil to mark 3 1/8 inch holes to the left of the greeting, and then punched them.  I tied three short lengths of three coordinating colors of gingham ribbon through and under and knotted them on the left, as shown.

I had some tan and green scraps of designer paper that I thought worked well.  I also made a paper "band" by folding the top and bottom edges of a strip of paper and layered that on for subtle added interest.  This then went onto a second layer of cocoa brown card stock.  I attached the image/ribbon layer to it with dimensional pop dots.  I then layered it all onto a mossy green base and the card was finished.  Oh, I did add some glitter glue to Anthony's wings.  You can't do a card with one of these images and not glitter the wings!

Anthony & Burt love chocolate!

Anthony and Burt love chocolate -- and so do I!  Don't you just love this cute image from the brand new Crafter's Companion Anthony and Burt collection, "Never Too Much Chocolate"?  And in case inquiring minds want to know, Anthony is the fly and Burt is the frog, an unlikely friendship indeed.

I decided to keep my card today flat and easily mailable, because I like to have some cards on hand that I can mail by dropping it into the mailbox, without having to stand in line at the post office to get it hand canceled. Are you the same way?

I started by stamping the image and greeting in black ink, onto white card stock.

Then I colored it with the Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers.  Here's the Spectrum Noir marker colors that I used.  Love the richness of the colors!

Next, I layered the main image onto a scalloped frame in mossy green, and the greeting onto scalloped red.  Then, the hunt was on for background paper.  Look what I found in my stash -- it is called "Espresso" and the rings are meant to be coffee.  But I decided they looked like chocolate swirls, and the artist's vision always wins ;-).  I'll let you in on a secret - this was free artist's paper from the middle of a paper studio magazine.

I then layered it all onto a mossy green base and the card was finished.  Oh, I did add some glitter glue to the wings. Sometimes, with a busy image and rich colors, you really don't need to load up with embellishments.

Lilacs & Fairies Card and Envelope

Hope you are all having a good Sunday! Today I have a card and coordinating envelope for you, using new stamps from the Paint Fusion line by Sheena Douglass, and accented with a pretty fairy from the Fairyopolis die-cut decoupage sheets.

My first step was to stamp the lilac and leaves in black, and then color them with the Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers. I used DG2 and DG4 for the leaves, and PL1, PL2, PL4 for the lilacs. These markers blend beautifully, and won't break the bank.

I also stamped the greeting in black. It is from the Flower Fairies Friends Heliotrope set. I hand cut the greeting in a banner shape and notched the ends.
Next I cut the lilac and leaves out. I put a crisp white layer (with opposite corners rounded) behind the main image, dry embossed with a floral design to carry the theme.

I then 'auditioned' the leaves, lilac, and fairy till I was happy with the placement, and then I glued them down onto the white. I added some extra dimension to the fairy with pop dots and layers on the wing, dress, and face from the die-cut sheets.

I made a card base of mauve, and then a layer of mossy green. I added a brad to the greeting and made a little wave and mounted it on the mossy green layer. The brad is partly functional to keep the left side of the waved greeting sturdily in place. This was then adhered to the mauve base and the card was done!

Next, I made a coordinating envelope with beautiful green paper from the Fairyopolis 12x12 Paper Pad. See the subtle butterfly design? It is so easy to make envelopes with the Envelobox Creator. I started with a 7 3/4 square piece of the paper, and scored it on opposite sides at markings E and H on the Envelobox scoring tool. So easy and fast! Watch the 40 second video at the above link. My envelope is a flat, standard A2 size, but the tool makes it so easy to make envelopes with depth for thicker projects.

Hope you enjoy it!

Fucshias & Fairies Altered Clipboard

Today I have an altered clipboard for you, approximately 6 x 9 inches, using new stamps from the Paint Fusion line by Sheena Douglass, and accented with a cute little fairy from the Fairyopolis die-cut decoupage sheets. (Yes, I'm a sucker for a guy in tights.)

My first step was to paint the clipboard white, using fast drying acrylic paint. While it was drying, I stamped the fuschia and leaves in black, and colored them with the Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers. I really appreciate how very affordable these markers are.

Next I cut (and cut, and cut, LOL). Do your cutting while watching Downton Abbey and it will seem less tiresome. I positioned everything without glue first, to get a sense where I would lay the thin tan ribbon for the branch. Then, out came the Modge Podge. I adhered the ribbon, leaves, and fuschia, and in the bottom right, I adhered the large flower and leaves. I sat the fairy in the middle of the bottom flower, giving him an extra leaf as a cushion. I figured he might be stuck there for a while.

Everything then got a cover coat of Modge Podge, and was allowed to dry overnight.

Now for the fun part -- ribbons and bling! Once again -- dive into your ribbon stash; find all those short bits and pieces of pink and purple ribbon and tie them to the top. (Yes, in case you are wondering, I have an amazing endless ribbon stash.) Next, I used crystal glaze as a glue, and embellished with seed beads, rhinestone hearts, and flat-backed pearls. For the metal top, I used strong sticky sheet adhesive and poured on more seed beads and pearls.

Since this isn't a flat clipboard, it would be hard to write on. But you can put heavy duty magnets on the back and put it on your fridge as a note holder.