Holiday Gift Idea: Note Card Set

Okay crafters ready-set-let’s get it going for the December challenge over at Eclectic Ellapu! 

December’s theme is “Can be a Gift or anything Festive.  For my DT project I did a set of note cards with matching envelopes in a cute little festively decorated bag.   Let’s dive right in to the project. Starting with the cards, the base is cut to 3 ½ x 4 ½ and the mats are ¼ inches.  The toppers are from a cut-a-part page from Michael’s Recollection brand.  I usually save the name strip for the post but I think I discarded it when I was cleaning up after the project was complete (sorry folks).   I am certain that I got it at Michaels and it is Recollections.  There are 12 little 3 x 4 toppers.  It is one sided PAPER, not card stock.  My base card is Michaels 110 cardstock (vanilla/cream).  The inside of the cards are blank.  I made the matching envelops using my WRMKs punch board.  I saw the gift sack on Pinterest.  Here are the instructions.   The sack on Pinterest was made with Antique Ticking (it’s the material they used to cover mattresses with back in the day).   I did not have any ticking, so I used some Muslin and it came out perfect!  If you can sew a straight line, you can certainly make these.  I was so pleased with the end result.  I decorated the outside of the bag with a large gardenia (didn’t have a poinsettia), some berries from JoAnns, some stemmed gold beads (Michaels Wedding section) and used my Tim Holtz Holiday Greens thinlets dies #658759.  I cuffed the bag by folding it down but I did not stitch it in position, I tied a piece of jute loosely to close the sack and attached a tiny tag using my Stampin Up thinlets –Cheerful Tags #141838. The bag itself can be a gift too after the cards are removed.  I attacked the embellishment with glue dots instead of hot glue for easy removing; 2 gifts in 1!!!   Til’ next time Happy Holidays (and the race begins…lol).  Here are a few pictures of my project.

 

Gift bag with 12 blank note cards.

 

Here's a peek at the 12 little note cards.

 

Joyce

 

 

 

 

Birthday Wishes Steampunk Style!

Hey everybody,
   Back with another post, this time I'm sharing one of my birthday gifts.  This year I challenged my paper-crafting BBF Lesia from Mema's Crafts, to make a b-day card for me that included (1) a derivative of my favorite colour (which is red), her challenge was to use PINK and (2) one of my favorite styles...STEAMPUNK.  She did a crazy amazing job!!! I-LOVE-IT! and I think you'll love it to.  She fussed about the challenge all through creating this card. So, I had no idea what it was going be like.  I was thrilled to def when I saw it.  The inside is really cute too, she kept the theme flowing all the way through. Wonderful job Lesi-Les!  You rocked it girly-girl, just like I knew you would.  To see more of her beautiful works, click on the link above and check out her blog.  Can you believe I was the teacher, years ago?  Now, she has totally left me in the dust with the card making.  I call her the Card Whisperer (lol).  When I want to make a fancy card, I usually consult her first.   Check out my b-day card below.   Enjoy, til' next time...

 

I love the hardware and the postage stamps. After she coloured the image, she popped it up on some foam, added some lovely WOC flowers, and she used several Tim Holtz dies.  The inking really gives a vintage feel.  Awesome!!!!!!!
 

Here is a view of the inside with my Panera gift card, thanks Lesi!

 

Happy Paper Crafting New Year!

Hello everybody,
     Well (big sigh)...It's a new year. Another year we are blessed beyond measure to be able to create and share new and incredible paper goodies.  I was just thinking, the first month is almost gone and I haven't blogged a thing! Oh my! I decided I'd better get going, if I planned to meet my goal of blogging at least once or twice a month. Though I haven't blogged since November 2015, I have been a busy lil' bee.  If it's not my actual job of being a medical review nurse, then I've been busy in my crafting studio (yes, I've changed from calling it a lab to a studio...sounds more chic-lol).   Hmmm (tapping my chin)...let's see... I've made several cards using dies from my favorite folks Spellbinders, I've watched a lot of Becca from Amazing Paper Grace video's and made some of her cards, I finished one of at least five mini-albums to scrap my European vacation memories, I've played with my Minc Machine (thank you to my Scrappin BFF Lesia from Mema's Crafts), and today I finished a folio album tutorial by Ginger Ropp of My Sister Scrapper...whew!   So, the folio is actually my first project started and completed for 2016.  I'll show you the cards that I worked on first and then I'll do later a post for the folio.

The first card I cased from Becca Feeken, it uses her Lacey Tiers die, Spellbinders Times Rectangles, Foundations Victorian Iris (color) card stock, Recollections Cream 110# card stock, Spellbinders Nested Lacey Pennants, Recollections gems stones/brads, Wild Orchid Flowers, cream seam binding, greeting is from JustRite Stampers "Ever After Antique Labels One", sentiment is from Stampin' Up stamp set "God's Blessings" (this one may be retired), foam tape, and ink is by Stampin Up Bordering Blue (retired).

 

 

This card was inspired by Lesia from Mema's Crafts.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure where she got the idea or layout from. In this card I used Spellbinders Heirloom Legacy die, Heartfelt Creations "Burst of Splendor" 12 x 12 paper pad, Recollection cream cardstock (110#), greeting is JustRite Stampers' Large Fancy Sentiment, the sentiment from Ki Hampton Art, no name but the catalog number is SC0585,the ink is Stampin Up's Mossy Meadow (new color) #133645, and some foam tape. 

 

 

Card #3 was inspired by Marisa, who also used Becca Feeken's Lacey Tiers.  Additional products I used for this card are: Want-2-Scrap pearls, Stampin Up Very Vanilla satin 5/8" ribbon (retired), Wild Orchid Craft Ivory Cherry Blossoms, Textured Green card stock from JoAnn's, Recollection cream card stock (110#),  Prima patterned papers from an old 12 x 12 pack called "Fairy Flora", the greeting and sentiment are from Crafty Secrets "Card Sentiments Large", foam tape, and the ink from Stampin Up Mossy Meadow  #133645.

 

 

Moving right along, I have another inspired card.  This card was done as a shape card on Pinterest.  I'm not big on shaped cards; although, I will do one every now and then. I didn't like it as a shaped card, so I decided to add a rectangle base.  I also wanted my inside finished.   I used Spellbinder's Radiant Rectangles, baby pink textured card stock from Recollections, White 110# card stock from Recollections, Stampin Up Blushing Bride/Pretty in Pink inks, Wild Orchid Craft flowers rose buds, foam tape, and JustRite Stampers "Ever After Antique Labels One" clear stamps. 

 



  

Okay, well that's it for now.  I hope you enjoy the cards, Til' next time,

Hugz from me!

(Joyce Ann)

 

Diamond Filigree Background Stamp

Hi everyone,
    I hope all is well for you this evening.  I felt a little energetic and decided to play in my craft lab today.  I will share my little creation later in the post.  First, I want to share some sad news...I decided to close my store.   Yeah, I wasn't selling like I thought I might, even with self advertising on FB.  Although; I have to say, I'm really not broke-up about it.  I NEVER planned to have 25 cards in the store at one time let alone 100, which is what I was paying for.  I did it for one month and that was enough for me.  Just more work that I didn't need.  I don't mind selling my card and altered projects but when it turns my crafting into another job, that is where I draw the line! So no sorrow or sadness, more like a relief; one less thing to monitor and worry over.  Other sad news, my blog has been acting up really bad.  My post for Mema's Crafts last challenge did not post as scheduled.  I have timed all my post for her challenges and they have all posted automatically without a problem until this last one.  So I just corrected that and it is now posted.  The card is called the Graduate (I think).  It's really cute (once again, my thought).  
   Okay, so on to what I did today.  You know how you just keep collecting beautiful dies and stamps and say you are going to make something but you never do; then life gets in the way and then you don't have time?? Well, I decided today, I had some energy, I got out some stuff, look at some cards that inspire me and got to work.  And so that I would stay focused, I decided to take my energy as far as it would go and stop there.  My problem is I over work it and try to either come up with some spectacular design on my own and try to finish it all in one night.  I mentally and physically exhaust myself, I get frustrated, I end up rushing through the project, not giving it my best, disliking it, not finishing it, and being pissed because I wasted my crafting supplies.  Well, I just decided that would be a NO for today.  I would do what I could and when my mind started to wonder too much, that was it for that project or card for the day.  I was able to get the front of the card done today.  I did not do the inside yet but it will be something simple maybe just plane colour coordinated panels and I haven't made an envelope either.
   I used the JustRite Stampers Diamond Filigree Background stamp to make this adorable little A2 (4 1/4 x 5 1/2") card.  I also used Spellbinders Belly Bands Two, Stampin UP classic ink and cardstock Marina Mist, Recollections White cardstock, some white seam binding (love seam binding!!), some Recollections tiny flat pearls, and Wild Orchid Craft white Sweetheart flowers.  What a simple but elegant little birthday greeting.  Tip: Background stamps can be very difficult to control if you don't have large and steady hands (I have neither).  Thinking within my crafting box...I decided to use my Prima doll block.  The large Prima doll stamping block (I do not believe this to be it's official name) measures 6" x 8", this is more than enough room to accommodate most of your background stamps.  It also has a handle for even better control and pressure distribution.  So, if you don't have one, this is one of those highly recommended items (smile).   For my next venture I'm going to try a little game. I'm going to close my eyes, spin around my craft lab (pray I don't fall), point to something, and whatever I see when I open my eyes is what I have use in or on the next project/card.  Enjoy...

 

Hugz from Moi

Zebra Print Wall Hanger

Happy Turkey Day folks!
I know you're all probably hanging out with the folks, giving thanks or our many blessings. We have only but to look at the daily news to know just how blessed truly are. 

I want to share a Zebra print wall hanger I did for a co-worker.  She really likes the hot pink, black and white animal print; so I decided to make her hanger with those colours.  The print is a bit busy for me, so I needed to keep it simple with the embellies.  I left spaces  where she could post little pictures of her children, herself, quotes, or Bible verses that she likes. Supplies: gross grain ribbon, hot pink cardstock, Zebra print designer paper, WOC and Recollections flowers, charms,  rose bud strip, bling, and tassels.

Thanks for stopping by, Hugz from me