CAS Elegant Wedding Thank You Notes

It doesn’t get any simpler than these. Two die cuts, two stamps, two ink colours, one piece of ribbon and some foam dots. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

I hope the people my sister gives these to enjoy them! I don’t think I can add anything else, these are so simple!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Thanks all ways-PTI
Ink: hawaiian shores-PTI, archival black-Ranger
Paper: aqua mist, ivory, black CS-PTI
Accessories: man and wife dies-PTI, foam dots-Jody Morrow, sheer ivory ribbon-stash

Robot Thank You Card

I made another thank you card for my sister to give to someone in her wedding party. This time it happens to be her ring bearer who is also my little guy, Spencer. I’d show you a picture of him in the wedding but every single one of my photos turned out blurry. I take so many still photos, I didn’t have my camera settings right for people moving down an aisle. I’m looking forward to the pro ones.

I used a stamp from Clear Dollar Stamps and did my best to make the head look like it was made from very shiny, reflective metal. Then I made the rest fun, happy colours which matched the paper and ribbon colours. This was the Mojo sketch from a week or two ago and once again, I didn’t get it linked in time, ugh! I hope my little guy likes it!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: CDS, thanks all ways-PTI
Ink: Memento black, archival black-Ranger
Paper: black CS-PTI, green CS-SU!, DP-scraps
Accessories: copic markers, red grosgrain ribbon-stash, foam dots-Jody Morrow, pinking shears

Girl on a Summer Day Water Coloured Card

I made this card for my sister to give to her flower girl as a thank you. I used a sketch but as usual, I missed the deadline to enter. Dang it.

Isn’t this just the girliest card ever? I’m sure the young lady in question will love it! At least I sure hope so! It’s pretty simple so not much to tell. The flags are hand cut from double layered washi tape. The focal image is stamped on water colour paper and coloured with Distress markers. The dress is worn lipstick, much brighter IRL, more like the colour of the background and even closer to the scalloped border. No idea why it isn’t showing up brighter. Huh? I have to remember to add my WMS ‘do not discard, please recycle’ on the back. If she doesn’t want this card anymore, I at least want the buttons back! I used my favourites!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: SU!, thank you- Flourishes seaside life
Paper: watercolour paper-stash, DP-Girl’s Paperie, pink CS-PTI
Ink: Memento black, worn lipstick Distress, chocolate-PTI
Accessories: rhinestones-Dollarama, buttons-SU!, PTI, washi-MME, twine-Divine Twine, Distress Markers, Circle Nestabilties

PTI Blog Hop–Larkspur Sequinned Bookmark Card

This month’s theme is all about sequins. It was harder than I would have thought to find sequins. The ones at Michaels were horribly gaudy! I phoned to ask if they had any and the clerk went to look. I had already told her I wanted pastels and she came back to tell me they had two packs and where they were. When I found them, they were in super metallic Christmas colours – red, green, blue, silver and gold! Seriously, they need new staff!

I finally found a roll a white iridescent sequin trim in the bridal section and removed the string holding the sequins together then airbrushed them for colour. Unfortunately, they aren’t faceted like many I’ve seen people using lately and I wish they were but they will have to do.

I embossed and coloured the larkspur first without a clear idea what I was going to do to make it into a card. I used Distress markers to watercolour it using a loose, painterly technique and not necessarily staying in the lines. Though I have to admit, that is outside my comfort zone so I sort of coloured in the lines first then added some colour outside the lines after. Then while the colour outside the lines was still wet, I added the sky/background colour.

TIP: Leaving white around the outside of the image and not taking the paint to the edges of the paper adds to the ‘painterly’ effect. Sorry the picture is a bit dark, it was the only way you could see the lighter painted areas at all.

Once I trimmed out the image on the sides, I realized it was pretty tall and thin. I could have trimmed the top but I got the idea to make it into a bookmark. I needed a card for a young friend’s recent baptism and then thought about this sentiment and it all fell into place! (We baptize as teens or young adults, not as babies.) She is quite the artist and paints a lot so I knew she’d appreciate it. To hold the bookmark in, I used an old tool, the Basic Grey Notch and Die tool, to cut the circular notches.

I hope you have fun looking at the rest of the projects on the hop. If you’d like to visit again, be sure to sign up for RSS or email subscriptions on my sidebar. Thanks for visiting.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Out on a Limb Sentiments, Year of Flowers Larkspur-PTI
Ink: Versamark, Archival black-Ranger, lemon, lavender, wisteria, chartreuse, moss-PTI
Paper: watercolour paper-stash, rustic white-PTI
Accessories: Distress Markers-Ranger, sequins-Simplicity, Copics and airbrush system, Notch and Die tool, Masterstroke seam binding ribbon, white EP-stash, Crop-a-dile

Miniature Doll Bedroom with Matchbox Bed

As I’ve mentioned before, I swap quite a bit with Swap-Bot. I love getting fun mail, it makes an ordinary day much happier. I run a smaller subgroup which allows like-minded people to have even stricter rules and swap specific themed items which is fun but lots of work. One of my groups is Matchbox and More and I hosted a swap to make a doll bedroom.

The requirements were to use a matchbox as a bed, make a floor and two walls, one with a window and decorate the window and the room in general. And make or buy ‘someone’ to ‘live’ in the room. The matchbox used is approximately 2x1.5x0.5” so it’s pretty small. I used swatches from an online fabric store to make the sheet and blanket. The bottom of the blanket is loose so the drawer can come out then tuck back in. The headboard is actually part of the matchbox sleeve that folds up.

The room was sent flat so it is hinged on two sides but only temporarily adhered on the third side. The table is designed to fold flat too. The doll is made from felt and her features are sewn on using  thread as even one strand of embroidery floss was too thick! The curtain rod is part of a BBQ skewer and the curtains are more sample fabric with brad tie backs. The outer part of the window was cut with a square die but I didn’t have a die that perfectly cut the inner squares as the muntin bars would have been too thick so I used a die to cut the outer part of the square then trimmed the rest with an x-acto knife.

If you ever decide to join Swap-Bot, look me up. My username is thebragal.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Paper: Spring Moss, ivory CS-PTI, floral DP-Cosmo Cricket, wood DP-MME, chocolate CS-scrap, wall art-Little Darlings-Graphic 45
Accessories: all stash unless otherwise listed, brads-CTMH, square Nestabilities

Eiffel Tower Merci Card

I made a ton of thank you cards for my sister for all her wedding showers and engagement parties. Since there were so many multiples and I haven’t posted them until now, along with lots of swaps, I didn’t post much December and January. My kids and I also made lots of cards for Newtown but they didn’t turn out blog worthy as I was hurrying. I hadn’t noticed how bad those months were until recently and I’m so sorry. Bad blogger. Here’s what I was up to!

I don’t do CAS very well but I was proud of this. I usually hate when I make CAS but not this time, yeah! I can’t remember for the life of me what DP this is, maybe Echo park? A basics pack? Sorry. I feel like I am always apologizing on this blog. Bad photos, forgetting sources, not enough posts… I would help if I got a few more comments so I had some feedback that let me know what you guys think!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE

Stamps: a.muse
Ink: archival-Ranger
Paper: black CS-SU!, white CS-PTI, silver paper-stash, DP-Echo Park?
Accessories: rhinestones-Zva, foam dots- Jody Morrow, WRMK corner chomper, circle Nesties, Cuttlebug embossing folder

WMS Oscar Dress Inspiration Challenge

Yep, I’m guilty of watching the Oscars even though I didn’t watch a single movie. I mean really, how many movies do you think I go to while breastfeeding a newborn last year?? LOL!

So that means my Oscar experience is all about the dresses! That made Claire’s challenge perfect! I was inspired by several dresses and the Oscars in general in making this card.

It looks kind of purple here but I thought Gloria Reuben’s dress was navy so I used it was inspiration for the navy and other blues in the card and the floral motif made me think of using a fabric flower.

This dress worn by Anne Hathaway (click on her name for a pic with better colour)  inspired the pink in the horse and especially the pink flower.

Catherine Zeta-Jones' dress inspired all the gold on the card. The star, the gold on the carousel horse and the matting underneath, the stripe of mica flakes, the gold-embossed sentiment and the gold beads in the center of the flower.

I also added a star, which of course look so much prettier IRL, to add to the theme of the Oscars. (its so reflective it looks misshapen but I swear, it isn’t!) Which is also why I used music paper when I cut the doily; the theme was Music of the Movies this year.

I really wanted to colour the horse in brighter colours but the only bright pinks I have are the low RVs. As in RV00, 02, 04, 06 and I DETEST the latter two. The are pretty much fluorescent! Ewww! So I settled for softer colours but overall, I’m proud of the colouring. I added some music themed washi to the inside to acknowledge the music theme the Oscars had this year. I also used crystals inside the flower to mimic the bling of the Oscars, the glitz, glamour and diamonds! They are hard to see but look so nice!

Claire, I hope you will accept my entry, I know my main image isn’t WMS but I only have three sets and two are sentiments! The other is Rescue Remedies!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: horse-Flourishes, sentiment-WMS
Ink: Memento black, versamark
Paper: navy CS-Stash, white CS-XPress It, music DP-MME, gold CS-SU!
Accessories: star shaped red line tape, red line tape, foam dots-Jody Morrow, gold glitter-MS, gold druk beads-Fire Mountain Beads, other beads-stash, fabric-Fabricland, labels 1 Nesties, Sakura white gel pen, Copic Opaque white, leaf, washi tape, gold mica flakes-stash, PTI doily die, gold EP-SU!, Glossy Accents-Ranger

Fight Like a Girl Get Well Card

I thought I had already posted this but I guess not. I got this set free as part of the a.muse October breast cancer campaign. You only had to pay $3 shipping! What a great deal!

Sorry about the background. I should have used kraft instead of white. Not enough contrast. It’s hard to see but there is a squarish ‘think pink’ stamp in the set and I stamped it as a background alternating between stamping it horizontally and vertically. Click to enlarge the picture to see it better.

I am working hard to get better at colouring hair. In my opinion, it is the only type of Copic colouring I still really struggle with. Not that I am a genius at the rest but I think I have achieved intermediate status for most. But hair, yeesh! At least I am remembering to leave highlights and in the right places but getting them to look realistic is so hard. I’ve watched tons of videos and they make it look so easy but when I go to do it, well, it isn’t and takes lots of practice!

Sadly this is for a friend of mine who is struggling with cancer. I helped her with her kids when she had breast cancer the first time. Now the beast is back. Fortunately, now her kids are grown but this is just so unfair. I made it a while ago so I hope she enjoyed it.

I’ve entered this in the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge 92 to make your own Wallpaper: stamp your own background on your creation. It’s a technique I love doing so I was thrilled to see this challenge. I just hope my card isn’t too fussy to qualify! It certainly is more CAS than most things I make!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE

Stamps: sentiment and background-a.muse, girl-MFT
Ink: Memento black, pink pirouette-SU!, sentiment pink??
Paper: blush CS-PTI, white CS-Xpress it, DP-Basic Grey, doily vintage typing paper-stash
Accessories: doily die-PTI, ribbon-Miss Alaynia Etsy, corsage pin-Michaels, beads, charm-local bead store, foam dots-Jody Morrow

Pet Sympathy Card

A sweet lady has been coming to support me and help handle my autistic son. It’s her job to help parents of children with mental illness but she’s a parent too. She has an autistic daughter herself so when I found out her daughter’s cat died, I had to make a sympathy card for her.

I took the photos during the day so the colours are a bit off; the orange is darker and the DP is brighter so they match better, sigh… oh well. Daylight mixed with my photo lights confuse my camera’s sensor. I made this as she was arriving and she had to take it with her so there was no time to rephotograph it later.

I used the CASE study 129 but since my kids dumped water on my computer, thankfully it is fine, I missed the chance to enter. Grrrrr…… I might have added some more embellishments to match the original but when I asked her mom if she would notice them she said probably not so I went with just the one cat. The style of this cat suits a teenager so I thought it was perfect.

This is the card I was CASEing. I hope you like my take on it. I really liked the twine bits from each embellie. Thought is was cute and very clever. I was working from memory so I didn’t notice the one rounded corner; wish I had done that. oh well.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: sympathy sent-MFT, flourish Vintage labels-PTI
Ink: archival black-Ranger
Paper: Max and Whiskers-Basic Grey
Accessories: twine-PTI, cat-Jesse James buttons

Friends Forever–Verve Sketch

This card was for Feb week 4 of Viva la Verve Sketches. The ones they post at SCS. My kids spilled water on my computer so we had to let it dry out before I could post it here. I don’t know if you have to use Verve to qualify to win or if you can only win if you have played all 4 sketches but I liked the sketch so I played anyway. (ETA: yep, all 4)

I am really proud of this one. It’s been ages since I used my old stand by of pink and brown. Feels good to come back home! I have a few tips for you in achieving this shabby look.

Tip 1: To get a beautiful distressed edge, add water before rolling, squishing and pressing the paper. It’s a softer look that just shredding the edge with a distresser or scissors or your nail. The opposite side of the paper will show which is a lovely, shabby look. I used a Q-tip and water with Perfect Pearls in it. Never pass up an excuse to add some pearlized water! but you can add some ink in it to colour the white edges if you wish, either to match your paper or a brown for distressing. If you want some torn sections, do that before or after because it won’t tear well while wet! See photo below for some close up areas.

Tip 2: Spritz with diluted colour mist using pearl water. Just a little bit gives it an aged, stained appearance. It can be subtle but really helps bring the card together. I used it on all the corners except the ribbon banner corner. Fill a Mini Mister by Ranger  about 1/8 full with water and to 1/4 full with ink. Test and adjust until you like the intensity. You may need less darker inks and more lighter ink.

Tip 3: When you look at a sketch, think beyond your initial impression of what items should be used for a particular component. The horizontal element in this case was a scalloped strip. I could have gone with a scalloped punched paper strip or a scalloped edge ribbon which would have been even more interesting. But this ribbon treatment is miles above both of those IMHO. And if you immediately thought of ribbon for the banners, try thinking of ribbon next time. Or vice versa. What is even more interesting is combining them!!

Tip 4: Stamp on non-traditional surfaces and in layers. Stamping on the doily didn’t turn out perfect but that's what I wanted. The tips of a couple letters ended up on the holes and the texture isn’t perfect (part of the stamp too) but it looks vintagey! I also stamped the music on the striped paper which already had some texture on it from the manufacturer. If it hadn’t, I would have added some texture or script or something to it.

Tip 5: This isn’t specifically a shabby tip but a general tip. Cut apart or unmount that wheel stamp you never use! They are cheap and a great source of images. I now have 12 different words and 2 or 3 images! I wouldn’t have used that wheel hardly ever! (I bought it knowing I would cut it apart based on someone’s recommendation) The music image I used is also a wheel I unmounted. I leave it naked, no EZ Mount even, so I can apply it freehand which gives it a shabby or grunge look depending on how much ink I use and how dark the colour is.

Do you like the tips? The angled photo with props? These are also changes I’m considering trying out though it may seem slow to adopt as I use up some older photos. Let me know. Only though feedback can I make sure you get what YOU want out of this blog!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: music wheel, friendly words wheel-SU!
Ink: spray ink-Mr. Huey Boss Lady Studio Calico, chocolate-PTI, melon berry (stamped off)-PTI
Paper: chocolate CS-PTI, vintage typing paper for doily-stash, dp-MME
Accessories: perfect pearls-Ranger, pearls-Dollarama, flowers-stash, leaves-unknown silk cut smaller with rose creations die-Spellbinders, Doily die-PTI, ribbons-stash, sewing thread, foam dots-Jody Morrow, Scor-Tape, Ribbon-May Arts

My New Resolution

I’ve read a lot about blog branding and promoting yourself as a blogger. I am not exactly that girl. I want to be that girl. The stamping rock star. The one Paper Crafts Magazine asks to be part of their next special issue sending stamp sets her way and requesting special projects. The one who posts blog candy every 100,000 hits to her blog and gets mobbed at every CHA. But alas, I am just a mom with 3 kids. One with sweet 12 yo with ADD, one spunky 6 yo with autism and one very cute 14 mo baby whose neurons I pray fire normally.

I am a woman with several serious illnesses who struggles through every day with cooking and cleaning and who uses crafting to keep herself sane and even somewhat happy! Not that my family doesn’t keep me happy but they also at times make me want to make me tear my hair out and crafting settles me down, relaxes and rejuvenates me and even mentally invigorates me so I want to, even need to, go back to them.

In the process of crafting, I also think I make some really nice stuff that is worth publishing so that others can look at it whether it be eye candy or inspiration for your own projects. But I’ve come to think that maybe that’s not enough; just publishing pretty projects. Do I want to try out for more design teams in hopes of maybe on day landing on one that actually makes money; (lots of work for a pretty rare opportunity)? Am I good enough (maybe not)? Have a style that sells? Or should I focus on trying to sell my cards in an upscale market? I’ve been considering these questions a lot lately but those are personal to me.

As far as my blog goes… Maybe I need to offer more to you, the reader. So I am going to try to offer more tutorials, tips, techniques, gift ideas, product reviews and videos. Sound good? I’d LOVE to hear some comments so I know what you’d like to see more of. Keep in mind I’ll do my best. I won’t be able to commit to a Make it Monday or Fab Friday or anything like that. But when I produce content, it will be top-notch. There, I’ve spilled all of my thoughts and feelings out to you all. Let me know what you think and I’ll use those comments to tailor my content. If I don’t get any, I’ll just keep on trucking as is.

In friendship

Rebecca