Accidental Design

This card was one of those happy accidents that some times occurs during the creative process.  You know the ones, like when you are trying to do something totally opposite of what you end up with, or have no clue about what you want to make in the first place.

I was sitting at my table trying to decide what to make for my VC roomie when I saw a piece of gauze that was left over from one of my daughter's school assignments.  That was an interesting project.  She needed to make bone marrow, moss, and fish oil.  Very fun.  Anyway, back to the card...

So there's this white square of gauze just lying there, as I go to pick it up and toss it in my "spare parts" jar, I see my bottles of Smooch Spritz out of the corner of my eye. Hmmm...wonder what would happen if I sprayed the gauze with some color.  And that was how it all came about. :)  Not so terribly exciting, but fun nonetheless.  I played around with other color combos too so you may see those in future projects.

This one uses Log Cabin Smooch Spritz, and Vanilla Shimmer Smooch mixed with some Baja Breeze ink.  Once it was dry, I cut it to size and then started pulling on the edges to distort the square shape and get some fraying.

For the sentiment, I used the Modern Label punch and the technique I mentioned in this post.  "Hello" is from the set Happy Greetings (retired).  I stamped two of the more ornate flowers from Mixed Bunch in Baja on Whisper White and then used the Blossom punch.  The center of the flower is also from Mixed Bunch stamped in Chocolate Chip and punched with a 7/8" circle punch.  The 3/4" punch will crop it closer to the image, but I liked the look with the added ring of white.  To hold the flower together I used an Antique Brad.  Love those things!!

Since the gauze has layers, I used a liquid adhesive so that it would soak in, grab the fibers and bind it to the paper.  I didn't want it to separate and start pulling away from the cardstock later on.  The Baja mat piece was embossed with the Stripes folder.  All the elements were inked with Baja Breeze and/or Chocolate Chip.

How about you?  Do you like using unusual design elements, or do you stick to the tried and true papers and embellishments?

Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Happy Greetings (retired)
Paper: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze re-inker
Misc.: Blossom, Modern Label, and 7/8" Circle punches, Antique Brads, Metallic Brads, Log Cabin and Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Misting Bottle, Gauze, Distresser from the Cutter Kit Tool, Sponges, Scotch Quick Dry Liquid Adhesive

Very Feminie Swap

For this swap we were to make very feminine cards.

I really like the designs in the Patterns Paper Stacks, they cover all styles from elegant to fun.  To dress up the DSP even more, I used one of the flourishes from the Vintage Ornaments stencils (retired) with Pretty in Pink ink.  Several punches were used on this card and I think they added some wonderful frilly detail.

For the flower, punch out 3 flowers with the Blossom punch from the Pretty in Pink DSP.  After lightly misting them with water, crumple them up into loose balls.  Let them set for a few minutes, then carefully unfold them and set aside until they are completely dry.  To speed the process, you could dry them with a heat tool.  Once dry, sponge the edges with Pretty in Pink.  The center of the flower used Raspberry Ripple and the Boho Blossom punch; and Gumball Green and the Itty Bitty Shapes punch, with a pearl.

Stamps: Four Frames, You’re a Gem

Paper: Early Espresso, Gumball Green, Pretty In Pink, Raspberry Ripple, DSP Subtles Patterns Paper Stack

Ink: Early Espresso, Pretty in Pink, Raspberry Ripple

Misc.: Blossom, Decorative Label, Scallop Trim Border, Boho Blossom & Itty Bitty Shapes Punches, Victoria Crochet Trim, Basic Pearls, Vintage Ornaments Décor Stencil (retired), Dauber, Sponges, Dimensionals, Cutter Kit Distress Tool (retired)

Have a great day!

A Charming Farewell

This adorable little set is on the retiring list and will no longer be available after May 31st.  Charming was originally marketed to coordinate with Stanpin' Up!'s Simply Adorned jewelry line.  However, it is a great set for adding little details to a scrapbook page or even being center stage on a card.

The patterned paper for the focal point is from the Beau Chateau DSP.  I stamped the script image from Charming in Early Espresso.  I didn't want it to be to dark or bold so I just barely touched it to the page.  The flower was colored with Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz markers.  The Pear Pizzazz mat behind the flower is from the 2010-2012 In-Color Patterns Designer Paper Hostess Pack, which is currently on the Clearance Rack (while supplies last).

All of the cardstock/paper pieces' edges were sponged with their respective ink colors.  The focal point was first sponged with Blushing Bride and then lightly sponged with Early Espresso.

I didn't want to use just a plain rectangle for the word Create, but I didn't have a punch that would make the right size decorative piece needed.  So I created my own...

Cut a strip of paper just a hair less than 5/8" of an inch wide.   Stamp the word or phrase of your choice.  Turn the Modern Label Punch upside down and place the strip of paper through the punch from the "top"

Like this...

Line up the paper, and then punch.

For the other side, place the strip of paper through the punch from the side making sure that the image is pointing up out of the punch.

Again, line up your paper and then punch.

Viola!

I added some small pearls and then popped it up on dimensionals.  You can use this same punching technique to make a longer label too.

Stamps: Charming (retiring)
Paper: Blushing Bride (retiring), Early Espresso Textured (textured cardstock is retiring), Pear Pizzazz Belle Chateau DSP (retiring), 2010-2012 In-Color Patterns Designer Paper Hostess Pack (retired, but currently in Clearance Rack) (retiring),
Ink: Blushing Bride Pad and Marker (retiring), Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz Pad and Marker (retiring)
Misc.: Modern Label Punch, Basic Pearls, Pear Pizzazz Pleated Ribbon (retiring), Dimensionals, Sponges

Have a great day!

A Rare Card

Today's post is most definitely a rare event and probably won't happen again for a long, long time...

I intentionally used bold bright colors on a project!

Yep, I did it. I broke out some of the brighter In-Colors and the new Just Add Cake DSP.

You may be aware from comments I have previously made, as well as looking at past blog posts, that bold bright colors are not my first or favorite choice. I am really trying to step outside my comfort zone once in a while though, to see how the other half lives. :)

Anyway, since I have such a difficult time with these types of colors, I figured I better get a little inspiration rather than attempting something on my own. This is my interpretation of Stampin' Up!'s sample on page 66 of the current Idea Book and Catalog.


The base of the card is the new Island Indigo; unfortunately in my picture it's not showing up as bright as it is in person.

Here is a close-up of the banner:

I am (im)patiently waiting for my order with SU's white Baker's Twine. It won't be here until Wednesday, so I used some string I had lying around. The Baker's Twine is much nicer.... Both sentiments on the card are from Bring On The Cake (which is also shown on page 66).

Stamps: Bring On The Cake
Paper: Island Indigo, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White cardstock, Just Add Cake DSP
Ink: Baja Breeze, Blushing Bride, Island Indigo, Poppy Parade, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi Markers, Basic Black classic ink pad
Misc.: Scallop Trim Border punch, Basic Rhinestone Jewels, Tag Punch, String

To make the little banner for "wishing you a wonderful day", I used my tag punch to punch out the edges. Any type of square shaped punch will do.

Place your paper into one of the corners of the punch and center it as much as possible, then just punch to get the fun little ends on your paper.


In celebration of my bold bright birthday card, I am giving away some blog candy! :)

Just leave a comment on this post by midnight Wednesday, August 24th for a chance to win one package each of SU's Basic Rhinestone Jewels and Basic Pearls.



Please let me know either your favorite color combination, or the colors that you struggle with the most. I will feature some of the combinations I receive in future posts.

I will use random.org to select a winner Thursday evening. Don't forget to leave an email that I can contact you at in case you win. If your comment is selected and I can't reach you, I will have to select someone else.

Have a great day!

VC Rocks Blog Hop ~ Punches Galore

Welcome to the final blog hop weekend of the VC Rocks season. If you'd like to find out more about VC Rocks or to see how to join up for next year's fun, check out the VC Blog. You will also find all of the stops for this hop listed on the site.


If you are following along on the blog, you should have come from Diane's blog, Stampin Ldyglfr62 . She has some fabulous projects on her site.


As the caption states, the theme this round is punches. We were challenged with making projects that showcased the wonderful punches that SU offers, both past and present.

My card today is actually inspired by one of the beautiful cards that I received from my VC Roomie, Mary Jo. I changed the colors and switched out some elements to incorporate our theme of punches, but the layout is from her fabulous card.

Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze and Soft Suede is the color theme I chose. I tried to incorporate as many punches as I could without it looking ridiculous.


The bird is stamped with Versamark on a sheet of Soft Suede from the Neutrals Patterns DSP stack and then embossed with clear embossing powder. I sponged some Cherry Cobbler on it and then punched it out using the Bird Builder Punch. The Baja Breeze piece was created with the Scallop Trim Border punch. The DSP and trim piece is popped up on dimensionals.

That wasn't enough punches for me, so I decided to create an accent piece for the card. These are the unassembled elements:

I cut the knot off the string from a Mini Vintage tag and used that to thread my button. The button "back" was created using First Edition Specialty paper which I sponged Baja Breeze onto. It was then punched out using the matching punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack and adhered to the button with Crystal Effects. Since the cord of the Mini Vintage tag is silky, I used a small drop of Crystal Effects on the knot to keep it secure on the button.

The round Mini Vintage Tag was stamped in Cherry Cobbler with an element piece from the stamp set Artistic Etchings. The same stamp was used with Baja Breeze as a background for the friends tag that was created with the Jewelry Tag punch. The friends tag and Mini Vintage tag were then tied together using Linen Thread and the button adhered with a mini glue dot.

Here is a close-up of the completed accent piece:

It was attached to the card with a Mini Library clip.

Punches: Bird Builder, Jewelry Tag, Scallop Trim Border, Itty Bitty Shapes Pack
Stamps: Fabulous Florets, Artistic Etchings, Tiny Tags. Afterthoughts (retired), Punch Potpourri (retired)
Paper: Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, First Edition Specialty Paper, Patterns DSP Stacks-Regals (Cherry Cobbler), Neutrals (Soft Suede)
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Versamark
Misc.: Itty Bitty Buttons, Mini Vintage Tags, Mini Library Clips, Linen Thread, Crystal Effects, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Sponges,

Well, I hope you enjoyed my project today!

The next stop on your hopping journey is Barb's blog, The Love of Stamping. Check out her fun projects!

If you get lost along the way, find a broken link, want to start at the beginning, or just want to check out some more great projects, please visit the VC Rocks Blog.


Have a great Day!

Casing Myself

Since all the supplies were still laying out on my table, I decided to make a card based on the supplies I used to make the scrapbook page for the VC Rocks Blog Hop this past weekend. You can see the page in the post below.

I got a little sponge happy on this one, but I like how it turned out and will be using it for the demo swap at my upline's group meeting.

I used all the same colors as the scrap page, but switched out the DSP and the embellishments.


Everything except the card base was sponged-told you I got a little carried away. :) The pearl was again colored with a Sharpie maker and placed inside the jumbo eyelet. I ruffled the ribbon by placing a length of sticky strip down and then pressing the ribbon on to that, scrunching it as I went along. I used the Espresso marker to color the word "dream" from the sentiment stamp in the Razzle Dazzle set for the tag. Then pinned the tag to the ribbon using a safety pin from the Vintge Trinkets.


Stamps: Razzle Dazzle (the word dream from the sentiment)
Ink: Baja Breezer, Early Espresso, Certainly Celery
Paper: Greenhouse Gala DSP, Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Early Espresso
Misc: Jumbo Eyelets, Jewels Basic Pearls, Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon, Sizzix Bigz Die Fun Flowers, Vintage Trinkets, Linen Thread, Jewelry Tag Punch, Sponges, Sticky Strip, Sharpie marker

Perpetual Birthday Album

The original design for this album was done by Richard Garay. These are great little books to give as gifts, and if you use a Simply Scrappin' Kit, it makes it so easy to decorate.


I'm trying to use up some of my stuff on hand and get rid of older or non-SU items. I made this one for my Mom to give to one of her co-workers as a gift.


Here are some more of the inside pages.


Now that I have them down, these are pretty easy to make. I am working on a tutorial and Richard has given me permission to share it with others, so watch for that in the next few weeks.



Enjoy!

Flowers from Bird Wings?

So here is a fun way to use the 2-Step Bird punch and not make a bird. You can make tulips! I saw this idea on one of the swaps I received at the Milwaukee Regional I attended last week. I will be posting pics from that in a few days.



Punch out three of the little wings and layer them on top of each other. I used one of the new core colors - Cherry Cobbler. It is a beautiful rich red and it's going to be one of my new favorites, along with Marina Mist. See how well they go together...

Stamps:Bella's Bloom Ink: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red
Cardstock:Early Espresso, Always Artichoke, Marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Extra Large 2-Step Bird Punch, Top Note Bigz Die, Distressed Texturz Plate,
Sponge Dauber, Whisper White Grosgrain, Glue Dots, Tombow

The stems are the leaf from the bird punch. I cut the Marina Mist Top Note in half and sponged the edges with Baja Breeze and sponged the edges of the tulip petals with Riding Hood Red. The Always Artichoke strip was run through the Big Shot with the Distressed Texturz plate.

Tiny Vintage Tags

I really like the new punches that SU has come out with! The little tag punch and Tiny Tags stamp set are so fun to use. I think the tags add that perfect little touch to your cards. And while I am generally not a fan of a scalloped edge, I do like the new Scallop Trim Border punch. What's really great is that right now, you can get this punch Free during Sale-A-Bration. It has a matching corner punch in the Occasions Mini.

For these I used a card base of Kraft cardstock. The Bella Bleu dsp lent itself nicely to the color scheme of yellow and blue. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I really like this DSP. I have had it for quite a while and this is the first I have used it. It has some gorgeous patterns and a great muted/natural color scheme.

The flowers are from the Vintage Vogue stamp set. Would it surprise you that I absolutely adore this set???? For those that know me probably not. :) I stamped the large flowers in So Saffron on Barely Banana cs, the smaller flowers are stamped in Barely Banana on banana cs and Brocade Blue on Kraft cs, the leaves are also stamped on Kraft cs in Always Artichoke. I distressed the mat pieces and inked the edges of all the pieces in coordinating colors.

I couldn't find my Natural Linen thread (need to do some organizing!) and I thought the Hemp Twine was too thick for the look I was going for, so I "split" the Hemp Twine into two strands to attache the tag. It worked great, plus it stretches the amount of twine I have!!

For this one I used the masking technique. I stamped the large flower from Vintage Vogue in Rich Razzleberry and the leaves in Old Olive on Naturals White cs. I then masked them with a post-it cut into each shape and stamped over that with the French Filligree background stamp in Soft Suede. The small flower and scalloped edge are Crushed Curry, the mat is Rich Razzleberry and the base is Soft Suede.