Mojo Monday 309...Celebrate...

This week I'm getting caught up on photos and editing, and while I was at it, I even got a new card made in time to participate in the current sketch challenge at Mojo Monday.

I was in the mood for some bright colors, so I pulled out the Glitz Pretty In Pink 6x6 paper pad and found just what I wanted...dark pink with brown and tan...perfect for easing out of summer and into fall colors. And in the spirit of honesty, the sentiment placement came about solely because I forgot to leave room for the sentiment where I originally had planned it. Yep, that's what happens around here when I try to be creative on the heels of a migraine that only allowed me 3 hours sleep the night before...heehee.

So after I had the center pieces all assembled and glued together, I pondered using one of the memo pins with sentiment tag that I'm so fond of...but then decided I wanted to be a little more resourceful than that. I began the search through some of my lesser-used sentiment stamp sets to see if there was something in my stash that I could play around with. Luckily, there was...and it was a perfect fit!

And here's the current inspiration sketch that the card was based on. As I so often do, I made little "alterations" between the sketch and my finished card design, but this time, just some slight ones...

Here are those pink and plum stamens again...the ones I almost didn't buy...once again, the perfect "fit"...

The tiny brown roses were shipped to me by mistake. I ordered white lilies, but got brown roses...hmmm, someone trying to tell me something? lol  I did get the white lilies, and was told to keep the brown roses...and what do you know?  Once again, something I thought I'd get no use from is the perfect little touch on top of the shabby ivory fabric rose...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   Glitz Pretty in Pink collection          Edge punch:   Martha Stewart Doily Lace

Die:   Sizzix Flowers Branches & Leaves          Fabric flower:   Frogfeathers on Etsy

Paper roses:   LayoutsFromTheHeart on Etsy (pink);   Wild Orchid Crafts (brown)

Stamens:   ChocolateLetters on Etsy          Pearls:   Prima          Sentiment stamp:   Papertrey Ink

Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com           Miscellaneous:   handcrafted stick pin, hemp cords, tea-dyed cheesecloth

So there it is...a card where I forgot to leave room for the sentiment I'd originally planned, embellished with a small bunch of pink stamens that I hesitated hitting the "buy" button on, and brown roses that were a mistake shipment that I almost gave away because, really, when would I use brown roses???...and somehow it all came together in a bright and sassy and shabby card that I'm very happy with.  Go figure! :)

Thanks for stopping by to visit today!

So Sweet of You...

Monday's card was pale and pastel...today's card is anything but!

It's been a while since I've participated in the weekly challenge at The Shabby Tea Room, and it's high time I fixed that.  And this week's Mojo Monday sketch looked like a lot of fun, so why not combine them both? So that's just what I did...

The Shabby Tea Room's "Vegetable Garden" inspiration photo is a wonderful vintage image, and the challenge was to feature fruits or vegetables, along with text, on our project. Since oranges and pears went together with my sentiments better than veggies, I chose to use those in the digital collage. And as you can see, I did make a few "tweaks" to my final design from the Mojo Monday sketch for this week - the card changed to square, the single banner turned into two on each side, and I moved the floral cluster just a bit...

  

Here are a couple close-ups of the floral cluster...

And a detail shot of the pearl and crystal stick pin that holds the little sentiment tag...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   My Minds Eye Miss Caroline/Dolled Up and Fiddlesticks collections;

Echo Park For the Record 2 Tailored collection (oranges)

Dies:   Cheery Lynn Designs Italian Flourish doily;   My Favorite Things Royal Leaves

Sentiment stamps:   Paper Sweeties "So Sweet of You," "You Make Me Smile," and "You Are Amazing" sets

Pearls:   Recollections          Flowers:   Wild Orchid Crafts          Stamens:   ChocolateLetters on Etsy

Miscellaneous:   cheesecloth, handcrafted stick pin

Digital collage elements:   Fruits, vintage label, aqua background paper:   TheGraphicsFairy.com

Brown background paper:   AlteredBits.com

Thanks for visiting today!

Mojo Monday 301

Hi, there...not used to seeing me on Sunday, are you? :)  I'm working on some projects that I can't post for a bit, and in between working on them, I'm trying to make some cards that I can share now.  My little room is filled with half-finished projects these days...but it's sure a fun "mess."

Today's card is inspired by last Monday's Mojo Monday sketch.  I wanted to play with one of my newest embossing folders and use my Rose Creations die for a frilly center rose, and this sketch was perfect for that.  Here's how it turned out...

I turned the sketch on its side for my card...

Instead of gluing the lace strip down on the ends, I adhered it only in the center (beneath the flowers) and left the ends free for a looser, shabbier look.  The leaf flourishes and paper roses hold it down except for the very ends...

I wanted a golden yellow rose for the center, but with all the colors of cardstock in my stash, not a one was the right color of yellow gold. So I die cut a cream cardstock rose, and used yellow gold acrylic paint, dry-brushed around the edges, to get the two-toned color I was looking for.  I think it worked pretty well!

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   My Minds Eye Miss Caroline/Howdy Doody collection

Dies:   Spellbinders Rose Creations and Foliage Two;   Sizzix Flowers Branches & Leaves;

Memory Box Woven Circle

Embossing folder:   Cuttlebug Modern Wallpaper            Lace:  TheFunkieJunkie.com

Mini roses:   Wild Orchid Crafts           Pearls:   Recollections            Hug Snug seam binding

Miscellaneous:   cheesecloth;  handcrafted pearl stick pins

Thanks for visiting today!

Mojo Monday 300...

I took a break from a couple projects I'm working on to play with Mojo Monday's 300th sketch celebration...it's a fun sketch, so I couldn't resist the temptation. :)

Pink seems to be popping up a lot when I choose my paper combos for cards these days, and today's card is no exception.  This time, I mixed it with gray, cream, and green...

Here's the Mojo Monday sketch it's based on:

The large center rose started as a white mulberry rose from the craft store. I wanted to color it a very soft pink, so I sprayed it with Spun Sugar Distress Ink diluted slightly with distilled water.  It looked too pale at first, so I spritzed again (while still damp) very lightly with Worn Lipstick diluted ink.  

As I carefully dried it using my heat tool, I was pleasantly surprised to see it drying much as my rayon seam binding does when I spritz it...the dye ran to the edges, giving them a deeper tone than the rest of the surface.  I was getting a two-toned rose without even trying...gotta love that kind of happy little surprise!

The small scalloped circle inside the fancy-edged square appears as though it's cut from the center of the square, but actually it's a separate piece popped up a bit with foam tape. Originally I wanted to punch the circle out of the square, but realized that the paper below it was the black damask as well...and I didn't want that paper to show through. But I didn't have enough of the floral wood stripe left to cover the back of the punched-out circle completely. What I did have, however, was a piece with a seam that I could match to the seam in the background paper. So it gives the illusion that you're seeing the background paper through a punch out...but you're not.

You can see part of the edges of the scalloped piece in the photos below...on the first, it's easier to see it's a separate piece...

...but in the next two photos, where it's in the background, it looks like a punch-out...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   My Minds Eye Bramble Rose collection (grey rose wood print, black damask);

Glitz Pretty In Pink collection (stripe);   Authentique Cherish collection/Cherish C (cream solid)

Dies:   Spellbinders Adorning Squares;  Sizzix Flowers Branches and Leaves

Sentiment stamp:    Paper Sweeties "You Are Amazing" set

Rose crocheted lace:   Prima          Pearls:   Recollections          Flowers:   local craft stores

Miscellaneous supplies:   pearl stick pin, cotton lace, cheesecloth

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit today...I hope your week is going well.  

For my USA friends, have a happy and safe 4th of July celebration tomorrow!

Mojo Monday 297

I'm sneaking in an extra card this week... :).  When I saw this week's Mojo Monday sketch, I knew it was one I wanted to make...it was just a matter of making it happen in time...but I made it!

It's another slightly shabby card in aqua and purple, with accents of coral-pink...some of my favorite colors (well, I actually have lots of favorite colors, in case you haven't noticed...ha).

Here's today's card...

I followed this sketch pretty closely...

Mini roses in purple and coral  accent the lower corner of the square frame...

I doubled the banners to the right side, giving them just a little dimension...

To the right of the jeweled heart stick pin, a little piece of crumpled white doily and cheesecloth peek out from the center of the cluster of roses...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   Prima Nature's Garden collection (purple ledger, pink & purple print), Botanical collection (aqua text)

Dies:   Spellbinders Classic Squares Large and Small;   Sizzix Flowers Branches & Leaves

Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com          Flowers:   Wild Orchid Crafts          Pearls:   Recollections

Embellished Maya Road heart stick pin          Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder

Miscellaneous supplies:   cheesecloth, Wilton doily

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit today...I hope you're having a fun weekend!

 

Just Because (it's Friday)...

As the old saying goes, "better late than never."  The sketch today's card is based on was a weekly challenge at Mojo Monday the first week of May.  I got as far as getting the patterned papers cut and stitched before I had to start packing up my work room for the cabinet install, so I couldn't participate in a timely manner. But I love the sketch, and the card was almost finished, so finish it I did...better late than never. :)

I went back into my 12 x 12 patterned paper drawer and pulled out some older favorite patterns. The result is a bit of a study in contrasts...burlap and distressed edges embellished with pearls, flowers, and lace...

Here's the sketch the design is based on...

I made the bow by pulling out about 6-7 long strands from a piece of burlap, and tying them into one large, loopy bow. It's a little tricky holding them all together while you're looping, but once it's done, a little dab of hot glue on the back makes sure the bow stays put...

The floral cluster takes the place of the scalloped circle in the sketch, and the small snippet cut from some tea-dyed scalloped lace takes the place of the lower banner strip in the sketch...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   Graphic 45 Fashionista/Vintage Cherries (dot);  Botanicabella/Eden's Symphony,

 Love Letters, and Secret Garden

Dies:   My Favorite Things Doily Duo, Royal Leaves;   Sizzix Flowers Branches and Leaves

Laces:   TheFunkieJunkie.com        Pearls:   Recollections        Sentiment stamp:   Fiskars

Flowers:   Wild Orchid Crafts       Miscellaneous:   burlap, pearl wire spirals

Thanks for stopping by for a visit...have a wonderful weekend!

Mojo Monday 287 - Feel Better Soon...

Before I share today's card, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge and thank you for the sweet comments and emails I've received on my posts.  I started the new year with the desire to answer and acknowledge each comment left on my blog posts, but I've already let myself down on that promise.  Please know I do read them and they make me smile...and I hope to do better! :)

One question I received last week is one that I've already answered a few emails on in the past...but it was asked again, so I'm thinking maybe it's time to answer it here on the blog.  The question is about how I do the edge treatments on the patterned papers - most specifically the white edges. I almost always ink around the outer edges of the patterned papers I use...no matter what other treatments I plan to apply...usually with VersaMagic Gingerbread or VersaColor Cocoa, which are both rich, golden-brown colors.

For white edges, I use a dry-brush technique with white acrylic craft paint...put a little bit of paint on a small flat-edge brush, wipe a bit off on your mat, then LIGHTLY apply the paint to the edges, letting the uneven bristle marks show. I like to use the brown ink even underneath the white acrylic paint dry-brushed around the edges, because the light brown makes the white stand out even more.

Today's card is a good example of how I use all three techniques that I favor...inking, dry brushing, and distressing with an edge distresser.  I still use an old Making Memories edge distresser that came in a goodie bag at a CKU back in 2005, but when it disappeared for a while, I purchased a Tonic edge distresser, and now that the missing tool is found and back in the supply drawer, I just use whichever of the two jumps into my hand first...LOL.

It's been a while since my time to create has jived with current challenges...I had some time last evening, and decided it was high time I worked on a current sketch, so I chose this week's Mojo Monday  inspiration and got to work.

When I send "get well" cards, I like them to be bright, colorful, and filled with flowers.  I've been on a bit of a "pink" streak lately (and you'll see some of the results of this "streak" throughout the next couple of weeks), so this time I decidedly went after a different color combo...blue and orange...(well, there's a tiny bit of hot pink thrown in for good measure...wink).  So this card happened...

based on this inspiration sketch...

There's a cluster of colorful mini roses and leaves on top of a large, shabby white fabric rose, with loose pearls scattered here and there, a bright orange Hug Snug bow off to the side, and a "jeweled up" and painted memo pin to hold the little sentiment tag...

Beneath the shabby rose cluster is a piece of cheesecloth, and a piece of cardstock flourish pointing up to a small corner cluster of pearls...off to the side is a snippet of scalloped crocheted lace and the paper doily peeking out...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:   Kaisercraft Miss Nelly collection (blue dot);   Crate Paper On Trend collection (yellow); 

Prima Zephyr collection (floral)

Dies:   My Favorite Things Royal Leaves;  Memory Box Elegant Scrollwork       Doily:  Wilton

White shabby rose:   Frogfeathers on Etsy      Paper roses:  Wild Orchid Crafts       Pearls:  Recollections

Scalloped Lace:   TheFunkieJunkie.com       Hug Snug seam binding       Tim Holtz memo pin       Cheesecloth

I hope your week is going well so far...thank you so much for dropping by for a visit!

A Sweet Little "Twofer"...

I haven't participated in any challenges since before Christmas, so it felt good that I could actually participate in a couple current challenges this week, and even better, that I could combine both challenges in one card.  The first is Lenet's  "Happy Birthday in Pink and Blue" challenge over at The Shabby Tea Room , and the second is the weekly sketch over at Mojo Monday . The perfect way to end the week!

I was able to get some good use from my new printer with the background patterned paper used on this card.  It began as the aqua paper from Karen's  Lattice Collection at The Graphics Fairy.  I did a little recoloring in Photoshop Elements to make it less aqua and more blue, and to darken it a bit to fit with the colors in the challenge. After a little bit of tinkering, I got just the color I was going for, along with reducing the size of the pattern to better fit the size of the card. I turned the sketch on it's side to fit on this portrait-orientation card...

Here are the challenge photos I was working from for this card (direct links are up above):

  

After turning the sketch, I substituted the scalloped oval with the floral cluster...gotta have a floral cluster to be a Korner card, right? :)  You can see why it was impossible for me to ignore that inspiration photo...right up my alley with that cluster of roses! 

Supplies:

Patterned papers:  The Graphics Fairy (digital paper);  Echo Park Be Mine collection (pink pattern)

Cuttlebug Textile Texture Embossing folder         EK Success Dotted Scallop edge punch

My Favorite Things Royal Leaves die         Lace:  TheFunkieJunkie.com      

Pearls:  Recollections         Mini paper rose:  Wild Orchid Crafts  

Miscellaneous:  craft store fabric flowers and stamen;  handcrafted pearl wire spiral;  pink ribbon

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit.  I can't believe it's Friday already...another week has flown by way too fast. Have a great weekend!

Going Back In Time...

Happy Friday!  Am I the only one thinking that January is buzzing by so fast it's hard to keep up? January usually drags a bit for me after the hectic pace of the Christmas and New Year holidays...but not this year!

I haven't had a lot of time to participate in current sketch challenges lately, but that doesn't mean I don't use sketches anymore...as with the card on last Friday's post.  Today's card uses another older sketch...a  Mojo Monday  sketch from a little more than a year ago (better late than never, hmmm? ).

Shades of deep pink and bright red are accented with green, white, and complementary purple...total shabby fun on this upbeat card...

Here's the sketch it's based on...I followed this sketch almost to the letter...

A couple handmade pearl wires are looped though the flower cluster ...I'm so glad I held on to those spools of colored wire from years ago when I used it on my scrapbook pages ...

On the other side, a twisted piece of pink wire from the larger flower, and a pearl flourish to offset the pearl loops on the opposite side...

Supplies:

Patterned papers:  Echo Park This & That Graceful      Flowers:  Wild Orchid Crafts & local craft store

Dies:  My Favorite Things Decorative Doily Duo and Royal Leaves;  Spellbinders Standard Circles Large 

and  Fancy Framed Tags Two

Pearls:  Recollections      Sentiment stamp:  Papertrey Ink      Hug Snug seam binding

Miscellaneous:  cheesecloth, handcrafted pearl wires

Thank you for visiting today...have a wonderful weekend!