Thursday, April 29, 2010

Crabby Birthday

A sea themed birthday card that I did the other day.  The crab image is a coloring page from here.... the word art I did on my computer.  I added some blue sea themed beads that my friend gave me a while back and matted the image on red and brown cardstock. These layers are held together with eyelets.  The whole thing is mounted on my blue cardbase with small checked photo corners.  As you know by now, masculine cards don't come easy for me --- but I think this one passes the test.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

I Challenge You - Martha Stewart Scoring Board Background

My friend picked the challenge for this week, and it was..........."Use the MS Scoring Board to create a background on your card."  At first it seemed a bit hard, but then it became fun!  Here's the first card I made for this week's challenge.

Supplies used on this card:
  • Fiskars Tisket/Tasket Border/Corner Punch
  • Homemade Dew Drops w/pearl finish
  • Scallop Scissors
  • White/Pink/Green Cardstock
  • Pink Embossing Powder (flower)
  • Chalks (both the sentiment and the flower)
  • Dimensionals (for popping up the flower)
  • MS Scoring Board (lattice background)
  • Nature's Beauty flower/sentiment stamp (Creative Stamping)

 I used the same stamp (Nature's Beauty flower/sentiment stamp - Creative Stamping)on this card, but created a quilt background with my scoring board.  I cut small squares with a square punch and stamped a design (Anna Griffin) on the polka dot pieces. The rose was stamped on polka dot paper (Creative Stamping) with Versa Mark and colored with chalks.  I popped parts of the rose up with dimensionals.  A brown ribbon tied to the right completed this card.

 For this card a scored straight lines down a white piece of card stock and chalked over them LIGHTLY with black chalk.  It came out gray as I had hoped!  The image is off the back of a calendar - the butterflies are punched -- the butterfly trail is added with a felt tip pen.  Sentiment is Studio G.  I matted the "wall" (made with the MS scoring board) and added a black ribbon and white polka dots around the edge.

 This one is very similar to the one I posted last week as a sneak peek (here).
Supplies used on this card include:

  • Kitty clip art from here
  • Crayola Markers
  • Circle/ Scallop Nestabilities
  • Small silk flower
  • MS Daisy Dot Border Punch (both the border and the mini flowers)
  • MS Scoring Board (to make that tile design on the pink background)
  • MS Branch Punch
  • Small Flower punch / Hole Punch
  • American Crafts DP (Romance Love Fool)
  • I printed the sentiment on my computer (to read click the picture to bring it up big)
What a fun challenge.  As always --- if you wish to join in the fun leave a comment with a link to your blog.
Now go here to see what my friend created for the challenge this week.
Oh, BTW -- here's a link that has LOTS of projects to use a scoring board on.  I found it inspiring and you might too!
I also have another previous post using the scoring board to create a background to view go here .

    Tuesday, April 27, 2010

    Congratulations!

    Congrats to my friend "Sophia" on being a Shining Star this week over at Stamin' Sisters In Christ with her simple/floral sympathy card. 

    Friday, April 23, 2010

    Sad Puppy

    Didn't I tell you I was in the mood to recycle?  Well that sad little puppy came off the front of a store bought notecard.  And....as you can see Easel cards are a hit this week!  I used my computer to create the word art, added two bone brads to the sides to attach it to the card base.  The top of the card has green cardstock with lines scored on it (using MS scoring board) and covered with kaleidoscope transparent  embossing powder.  The small flowers are out of a border punch (MS Daisy Dot) and the other "do-dads"  are from Provo Craft (Ornamental Die). Also used the circle/scallop nestabilities.
    Since this puppy looks so sad I made him into a "Missing you" card and it's already in the mail to a good friend that I miss!

    Thursday, April 22, 2010

    Flower Quilts

    For these two cards I used my MS Scoring board to create the squares on the background paper.  Then stamped the flowers (Inkadinkado - Flower Garden) in versa mark and chalked them. I then went over the scored lines with a marker.  I've had this project in mind for a long time (using those square stamps to create a quilt like look), but just now got around to doing it. The scoring board was a great help in keeping things lined up and even.
    Other supplies used on these projects include: MS branch punch, Circle/Scallop/Blossom Nestabilities, Blue Ribbon, Misc. Cardstock
    I created the flowers using a technique I saw somewhere on-line. Unfortunately I can't find it again to link to.  I decided to do a short tutorial on them just in case one of my readers (who hasn't already seen a tutorial on them) wants to know how they are done.
    Start with six scalloped circles. (You can also use flower punches if you have them in the size you want your flower to be.) Mist these circles with water and...
    ...crumple.  Next unfold and stack together like this...
    Using a paper piercer - pierce a whole in the center to put a brad through.
    Fold all the layers up around the brad and wa-la - you have a flower!

    Wednesday, April 21, 2010

    Recycled Material - Music Card

    This easel music card is made using mostly recycled materials.  The image came from a magazine (I think it was an old issue of Martha Stewart Living), the flowers are dictionary pages, the music score is from a book I got at the thrift store, and those fancy "do-dads" (Prove Craft) and branches (punched with the MS branch punch) came from the bottom of a box used to ship paint (my husband brought it home to me). The sentiment is printed on my computer and matted on black cardstock.  I also used the circle/scallop nestabilities.
    This card inspires me to sort through my "stash" and recycle more things!
    Though I didn't make this card for any particular challenge -- there are two that I can enter it in
    1. Stampin' Sisters In Christ - Use Flowers
    2. Our Daily Bread - Recycle It

    Tuesday, April 20, 2010

    Sneak Peek and Stampin' Sisters Challenge


    I actually made this easel card for next week's "I Challenge You" post, but I wanted to enter it over at Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge this week.  So........I'm giving you a sneak peak into what the challenge will be next week   Will it be a polka dot challenge? a floral challenge" nestabilities challenge? or something else??? Come back next Wednesday to see.
    Supplies used on this card include:
    • Kitty clip art from here
    • Crayola Markers
    • Circle/ Scallop Nestabilities
    • Small silk flower
    • Fiskars Border Punch (both the border and the mini flowers)
    • MS Scoring Board (to make that lattice design on the pink background)
    • MS Branch Punch
    • Small Flower punch / Hole Punch
    • American Crafts DP (Romance Love Fool)
    • I printed the sentiment on my computer (to read click the picture to bring it up big)

    Monday, April 19, 2010

    Blue Scripture Card

    Here's the same verse done in a different color and with a different MS bird stamp.  This one uses the MS Daisy Dot border punch as well as the MS scoring board.  A rather plain design with not a lot of embellishments, but I was in the mood for a "less is more" type card.

    Scripture Card



    I enjoy making cards with Scriptures on them to encourage those I give them to.  It will probably be an "I Challenge You Wednesday" theme one of these times - but not next week!
    Here's a card I did recently with an encouraging  verse from  Matthew on it.  I printed the verse on my computer, and used my versa mark to stamp the MS bird on it.  Then I used my chalks to bring the image out and matted it on a brown piece of card stock (put through the paper crimper first).  The Border punch is also Martha Stewart (Daisy Dot).  I added some scored lines on the right, a few rhinestones, the fancy heart do-dad (Provo craft die cut), and inked edges to finish it off.

    Friday, April 16, 2010

    Birthday Bag - inside

    These little scallop note cards are inside the birthday bag. Along with an altered note book...
    Supplies:
    • Life Bundle Stamp (Kolette Hall)
    • Precious Friend Stamp (Kolette Hall)
    • MS Branch Punch
    • Fiskars flower border punch (the small flowers on the wreaths)
    • Misc. colored cardstock
    • Chalks
    • Misc. Ribbon
    • American Crafts Everyday DP
    • Circle/Scallop Nestabilites
    • Flower/Hole Punch
    Also included in this little gift bag are a few non-homemade items ---- but I'll let those be a surprise when my sister-in-law gets it!

    Thursday, April 15, 2010

    Birthday Bag

    I belated birthday gift for a special sister-in-law.  I haven't had much time to make anything special till yesterday.  Since I already had most of the bag completed, I worked on some stuff to put in it.  The bag directions came from The Cat's Pajamas, and was pretty easy to make.  I did alter the way the bottom went together, as I just couldn't get mine to cooperate with me.  Come back later to see what's inside this fun to make bag.
    Supplies:
    • Circle/Scallop Nestabilites
    • MS Scoring Board
    • Felt tip pen (faux stitching)
    • Blue Ribbon
    • Black Embossing Powder
    • Life Bundle Stamp (Kolette Hall)
    • American Crafts Everyday DP

    Wednesday, April 14, 2010

    I challenge You - Stitching

    The challenge for this week is to use stitching on your project.....either hand stitching, machine stitching, or faux stitching.  I had a lot of fun with this challenge -- guess I must have been in the mood to stitch.  Most of these creations I've had done for two (or more) weeks because we've been hosting a guest speaker and his family and I knew time for creativity would be short then.
    Here's the first one
    I have wanted to make this card for some time, and it turned out to be fairly easy to do.  I freehand cut the chicken and all it's "accessories" (beak, crop etc.)... added a bit of brown lace to the bottom and mounted it on my card.  I stitched a row of brown x's up one side and added a few dew drops to the top right corner.  The sentiment was made using a Studio G alphabet set and red ink.  I know a few friends (who raise chickens) who would enjoy this card.

    Supplies: Four colors cardstock, Textile Embossing Folder, Flower Punch, Dew Drops, Wide Pink Ribbon, Mary Engelbreit page a day calendar (image), Colorbok Velum Quote, Pink embroidery floss

    This card was SO MUCH FUN!   I traced a tree shape, cut out and stitched around the trunk and tree. Both are embossed - one with the swirls folder the other with swiss dots.  Stamp sets used: Autumn Leaves (flower sun), Hampton Art (sentiment), Owl (Dustin Pike digital stamp), Inkadinkadoo (grass stamp).  The little flowers were punched with a Fiskars Flower Border punch.

    Supplies: Image from here, Best Occasions DP, Scrappy Cat Swirls stamp, pink embossing powder, purple/pink embroidery floss, scallop scissors, circle/scallop/blossom nestabilities, crayola markers, wide pink ribbon

    Supplies: Every Day Stack DP, Embroidery Floss, Blue Rhinestone, Flower Punch, Hole Punch, MS branch punch, Blue/purple ribbon, purple cardstock

    I had a lot of fun on these cards.  Stitching may be a little time consuming, but it's worth the effort in the end.
    Now go here to see what my friend came up with for this stitching challenge.

    Thursday, April 8, 2010

    A Wreath For You

    So much fun building this wreath with my new MS punch (a gift for my 11th anniversary).  
    Supplies:
    • MS branch punch
    • Fiskars border punch (little flowers)
    • butterfly punch
    • Stampin' Up Sentiment
    • Misc. Cardstock
    • Yellow Ribbon

    Wednesday, April 7, 2010

    I Challenge You - Sneak Peek

    Since summer proves to be a busy time - we've moved the I Challenge You blog post to every other week.
    I picked the challenge that will be displayed next Wednesday, but I'm not telling what it was. I'll share a sneak Peek with you today and showcase my first ever Easel Card!  This card will be one of my Mother's Day cards.  The sentiment reads: "Mothers are the stitches that hold a family together."

    This card contains the feature for next weeks challenge  --- come back then and see what that is!
    Supplies used:
    • The teacup image came from here
    • Sentiment printed on my computer
    • DP - "Cherish" tag - Best Occasions
    • Rhinestones
    • Pink Embroidery floss
    • Paper Piercer
    • Scallop Scissors
    • Circle/Scallop/Blossom Nestabilities
    • Crayola Markers
    • Pink Striped Ribbon
    • Glitter (on flower)

    Tuesday, April 6, 2010

    Castle #2 back of album

    Inside this last pocket there are some little fold-over notes with red embossed flowers on them.

    Hopefully the girls will enjoy their castle albums when they come next week!

    Monday, April 5, 2010

    Castle #2 part four

    Inside the left pocket you'll find:

    Inside the right pocket you'll see some little notes:

    Saturday, April 3, 2010

    Castle book # 2 part three

    The little girl on this page comes from here.  Inside the envelope there are various stickers, much like the ones in the first castle.

    Friday, April 2, 2010

    Inside the Castle

    Here's the first two pages of my castle book.  It includes a little notepad for Brittany to write on, each page is stamped with a flower stamp.
    Tomorrow is I Challenge You Wednesday -- but come back Thursday for the next two pages.

    Crabby Birthday

    Here's a sea themed/masculine card that I made the other day.
    The coloring page comes from here, and the word art I did on my computer.  I added some sea themed beads that my friend gave me a while back - matted the image on red and brown paper.  Eyelets hold these layers together.  I mounted the main image on blue cardstock with small checked paper in all the corners. 
    Simple, fun, and not in the least bit girly!

    Thursday, April 1, 2010

    April Bulletin Board

    Here's the new Bulletin Board Decoration for the month of April.  I used my 201 Paper Piecing book for the lamb pattern, the MS lace border punch, and printed the verse on my computer.  I embossed the finished lamb with Swirls Embossing Folder.