Shabby Thank You Card

I’m so sad that Sweet Sunday Sketches is closing. So I had to play the last sketch ever!

I made the blue flower, it seems some of the petals moved from where I put them, they aren’t supposed to be aligned but rather offset. I guess I have to glue them! The middle is made with a Paper Pen by Viva and microbeads! I haven’t made a really shabby card for a while so I took advantage of this sketch which was PERFECT!  I dyed my own ribbon by airbrushing several colours on it then dripping on some alcohol and scrunching it. I was quite happy with the variegation. The glitter strips are Scor-Tape and glitter which I burnished on before tapping off the excess. I airbrushed the other flowers as well. The rose was made with Rose Creations die by Spellbinders and the Thanks is an Echo Park die.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered In: Sweet Sunday Sketch

Shabby Praying for You

I can’t believe I haven’t posted this yet. I made it all the way back in June! I gave it to someone who lost their father. I find this sentiment makes a great sympathy card.

I made it so long ago, I really don’t remember what stuff I used. Sorry! But I thought it was stil worth showing! I know I coloured the wood veneers with Copics and used Mat Arts ribbon for the tag. There’s gold embosing paste applied through a Tim Holtz stencil. I think the papers are from Bo Bunny but I don’t remember the name of the paper pack. The die is by Simon Says Stamp.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Nautical See-Thru Shaker Card

I think I may have invented a new type of shaker card! At least, I’ve never seen one like this before!

It has two clear panels so you can see through to the inside of the card. You will see more in the next photos. I have barely used some of my card kits so I’ve been going back to them to make some more cards. Because it was Christmas-based, and I don’t celebrate, I skipped December’s kit. So I really missed having a new kit to play with. Mine never arrive here in Canada until at least the 27th or 28th so January’s isn’t here yet.

This shot is through the window with the card open. The cloud is actually on  the inside! So it’s basically a double layer window card with shaker bits inside! It was really fun to figure out how to make this. I ended up using a craft knife to cut the card base. I was worried that no matter how I die cut it, I would end up with those yucky marks from my cutting plate. So I just traced and cut on a pencil line marked using the waste cardstock from the center of the red frame.

Here is what the inside looks like. I added a matching die cut to cover the adhesive. The boat bottom was similar enough to just use a second die cut. However, I had to cut my own sails. But they are super simple to cut!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered In:

Retro Sketches 195

Roses n Washi Card

Do you ever make cards with no sentiment so you can add one later? I often make cards with no room for a sentiment {insert sheepish grin here} but for this one it was deliberate.

I used a washi sheet from Lifestyle Crafts. That way you aren’t limited to a long, thin strip! The black and white stripe is all washi! Then I added some gold glitter tape, leaves and huge flowers from a die cut pack by Maggie Holmes. When I got to this point, I couldn’t decide what to use. Thank you? Sympathy? Get Well? So I left it and will decide when I need a card and have none with a saying on it I like. I added some rhinestones and sequins and called it done!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Watercolour Heart Hello

I loved the journaling cards that came with this Simon Says Stamp Card Kit. So I decided to make one of my own and layer it with one from the kit.

The strips on the left are from the paper pack but htey really look like washi don’t you think? I gold embossed the heart which means each line is raised and therefore holds in it’s pown little puddle of watercolour. This gives a different look than if you choose to stamp on an already coloured panel. I made the tassel using my Bow Easy. I’ll have to show you how to do that one day. I’m starting to make a list of things about which I want to either Periscope or make videos. Let me know in the comments or by email if there are topics you’d like me to cover. You can find me on Periscope under @rednie.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Winter Doll Tag

I’ve got a cute little mixed media tag for you today. We are having a green winter so far so I’m posting  this wintery project!

Can you believe the weather? Some parts of North America are blanketed in snow and here in Southern Ontatio, we’ve had what can only be described as a heat wave! It was 55/13 degrees here! Yet Buffalo, only a 2 hour drive away, is covered in 6’ of snow!! Yikes! Funny how some Americans think Canada only consists of the great white north!

Anyway, back to the tag! I used a Julie Nutting Doll by Prima. As much as I love the tall dolls (7” high), it was refreshing to use this smaller doll. I guess she is about 4” or less. The snowflakes were sone using a stencil and light stencil paste. The texture is lighter so the paper colour can shine through somewhat and it has a spongier, less slick surface than other pastes and will aceept ink sponged over top if that’s the look you want. I meant to add some ribbon but it always sags and messed up the photo and gets wrinnklesd in my storage box so I will wait until I plan to use it to add the ribbon.

The snowbanks were hand cut and glittered using a glitter embossing powder. I added texture ot her coat/dress?, boots and hat using a textured cloth dipped in alcohol. I think the fabric looks like a sweater and the boots look like suede. Be sure to add alcohol texturing before colouring other areas or mask them off. A speckled face won’t look good! This technique can also be done with reinkers to add colour to fur or other highly textured surfaces. oh and yes, those are pink tights, not sunburnt legs! I didn’t realize until I was done that it looked like that! ha ha!!!

The border on the bottom didn’t turn out quite like I had hoped. I tried a partial die cutting technique to get the border cut along the bottom but leave it attached at the top edge. So I aligned my plates so they would only cut the bottom. I guess the die is so narrow and intricate that it didn’t work well. I would have been better off to cut it and glue it on under the top tag. Oh well, I will learn from this too!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Gift Card Holder Idea

Did you know you can make a gift card holder from a toilet tissue roll? They are exactly the right size when flattened!

If you are grossed out at the thought of reusing something from the bathroom, use a paper/kitchen towel roll cut to your desired length. I think I’ve heard in half is just right.  I covered mine in patterned paper but you can also paint it if you choose. Sometimes they are made from a great colour of kraft cardboard and you can use it plain! 6x6” paper is large enough if I recall correctly. (I made this ages ago!) I start by stapling the bottom closed and flattening the sides with my bone folder. I trim the top and bottom if necessary. They are usually fine but occassionally they are wonky.

I tend to add lace at the bottom before I glue on the paper. You can use liquid glue or Scor-Tape. Then I add some embellishments to the top edge. You can add wire, ribbon or twine as a hanger. I added some beads to mine. I hope you like this idea and can incorporate it into your gift giving. Easy Peasy right? If you use this idea, I’d love to see what you make!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Dashing Through the Snow Card for The Shabby Tea Room

I love the sweet pastels in this week’s The Shabby Tea Room inspiration photo. The soft blue and white are so lovely and wintery.

I cut the blue paper with a die with a wave shape and mounted it on a white 5.5x6” card with silver paint pen on the edges. I cut a shaker window and added a ton of filler! I’ve got a bit of everything in there from 5 types of sequins, seed beads, glass glitter and Martha Stewart star and heart glitter. I didn’t put a backer on becuase I wanted the ‘slope’ to show through. I added some snowflakes with rhinestones glued on and last but not least I added the word die cuts.

I know it’s a busy time but be sure to join us this week! You know you’ll need thank you cards and/or get well cards soon! and who doesn’t love a wintery snowman or snowflake card so off you go to your crafty space! Go, Go, GO!! Make sure to leave some love for all the SUPER Talented girls on the design team! We all work really hard to bring you some awesome inspiration each week!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Paper: patterned paper: silver bells-Kaisercraft, white CS-PTI
Ink: faded jeans, broken china Distress
Accessories: Labels 1 Nestabilites, dashing, wave-Memory Box, shaped rhinestones-Nail salon, snowflake dies-MFT, acetate-PTI shaker filler-MS glitter and microbeads, Pretty Pink posh sequins, theresa collins sequins, recollections glass glitter, Lucy’s Cards sequin mix, Pilot silver paint pen, fun foam-Michaels

Shabby Doll Card

I am getting a bit sick of all the wintery-ness around right now. So when I got a new pack of lovely summery paper, I had to make something happy and fun!

Isn’t that ombre stripe amazing? I know those sheets will either be hoarded or the first used up! I stamped the music paper at the bottom, I think it really looks great! The brown paper is actually copper metallic paper. So pretty. Do you enjoy paper piecing? I LOVE it! I almost always use a marker to add some shading, it gives it more depth.

So when I was partly finished this, I started broadcasting on Periscope! Have you been over there yet? I thought, “OMG, I do not need another social media pressure on me.” But it is actually really fun! It’s very simple (or at least the app for my phone was) and just took a few seconds to join. I just used my FB deets. broascasting took only a few seconds to figure out too. Once I got a good signal, I was ‘on’ in less than a minute! I do hope you will come by and follow my channel! My username is @rednie.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered in:

Mojo Monday 428

RECIPE
Stamps: Prima Julie Nutting Doll, music-Sentimentally Yours
Ink: Memento black, berry sorbet-PTI
Paper: Bo Bunny, blush CS-PTI, X-PRess It white CS, copper-Unknown
Accessories: flower-Prima, flair badge brad-American Crafts, lace-LFS, sequins-Lucy’s Cards

Coffee Lover’s Blog Hop

I was inspired by two recent cards made by my favourite bloggers when I made this card. And of course by the theme of this blog hop!

Jennifer McGuire made a card using an ombre glitter technique and I used the same idea for my embossed snowflakes on my vellum. I stamped them in Versamark then applied tiny amounts of embossing powder in the precise spots I wanted it. I started with gold in the center, then platinum, then silver and last but not least, white. To make sure my powders didn’t mix, I tapped each one off individually.

But when you tip the paper to the side, the powder gets in places you don’t want it to go. And if you try and brush it off, you might disturb the Versamark underneath. So, I very carefully and very quickly I flip the paper over until it is completely upsidedown. Centrifugal force keeps the powder in place until it is upsidedown and then the powder falls off without getting where you don’t want it to go. I use a small bead scoop to apply the powder accurately. I don’t heat it until I’ve finished all the colours.

I used part of a page protector  and my Fuse tool to make a pocket like the one Kristina Werner showed recently. I  loved the metallic printed vellum she used in the back but I didn’t have any so I made my own. (see above) I added the vellum then sealed the bottom and sides. Beads and sequins from Lucy’s Cards and a wee bit of Martha Stewart glitter joned the vellum then I sealed the top. Here’s a tip for you, before adding all the shaker goodies, check that your seals are fully sealed. Mine looked fine but the bottom layer didn’t fully melt. It wasn’t hard to reseal it but I had to pickup quite a few shaker bits and put them back in.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered In:

CAS-Ual Chic 06 Snowflakes

Coffee Lover’s Blog Hop

 

RECIPE
Stamps: snowflake-DRS, small confetti stamp, mug, winter sentiment-SSS
Ink: Versamark
Paper: vellum-PTI, patterned paper-Bo Bunny
Accessories: gold EP-All Night Media, silver EP-SU!, platinum, white EP-Hero Arts, sequins-Lucy’s Cards, Pretty Pink posh, Glitter-Martha Stewart

Deer in the Forest Card

I don't do a whole lot of sponged backgrounds so it was fun to do the backdrop for this card. It was easier than I thought it would be.

I coloured the areas underneath the birch trees with Copic marker to get the grey areas. I just kept peeking under and adding more but I think I will die cut some acetate and use it as a stencil next time.

I also coloured the deer with Copic markers. I looked online for a reference and I 'm pretty happy with it. The background is made with a stencil and clear embossing paste. You can see it best along the right side.

I'm entering this in the Fusion Card Challenge and CAS-ual Chic 06-Snowflakes

 

 

Enjoy, Rebeca

Glitter Wreath Winter Card

Welcome to another The Shabby Tea Room Challenge! WE have a FABULOUS inspiration photo for you this week! I know it’s a busy time for most people but I hope you can join us!

I stamped the background with some tone-on-tone sketchy snowflakes. I’m afraid it’s very hard to see. Then I swiped the edges across my Versamark ink pad and sprinkled on some white embossing powder. It looks like that snow stuff stores spray on the corners of their windows in the winter. The card base was sponged with tone-on-tone ink as well using a diagonal stripes stencil. The sentiment was heat embossed with platinum embossing powder.

The wreath was formed from pine branch die cuts covered in silver and aqua glitter. I added lots of pink star confetti die cuts the two deer and lots of sequins. Last but not least I added the silver string. You can see the sparkle somewhat but it’s so amazing IRL!

Isn’t this photo lovely? I wish I’d had a ballerina to use for mine! So head on over to TSTR and take a look at the super talented gals projects! So much wonderful inspiration! You can post any kind of crafty project in any style! Be inspired by the tree, the holidays, the colours, the lace or the ballerina! Or something else I missed! Be sure to leave the design team some love while you are over there!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered in:
CAS-ual Chic 06 Snowflakes
Friday Mashup – Use Dies
Sparkle and Shine Challenge
Simon Says Wednesday “Let it Snow”

RECIPE
Stamps: SSS (sentiment) and unknown snowflakes
Ink: blush, aqua-PTI, Versamark
Paper: blush, aqua, hibiscus-PTI, white scraps, teal-Bazzill
Accessories: white pine bough-ELizabeth Crafts, Deer-Impression obsession, Fun-Fetti stars-CAS-ual Fridays, ModPodge, flower sequins-Paper Sweeties, platinum sequins-Theresa Collins, clear sequins-Lucy’s Cards, Platinum and white Embossing powder-Hero Arts, stencil-MFT, string-SU!,  clear wink of Stella pen, Martha Stewart glitter

Belated Shabby Tea Room Card

Hi to all my readers! I apologize for posting this so late but I’ve been sick and so has my entire family! But good news, there is still time to work on our challenge!

I didn’t see a tree in the inspiration photo, I saw a cake! These babies are so cute right? Thank you to Bugaboo Stamps for the image I used. It’s very hard to tell but the rain drops (baby shower, get it??) on the background are texture paste sprinkles with very fine glitter.

I know there isn’t much time for crafting over the holidays but this one is worth it! I hope you will visit The Shabby Tea Room and play our challenge!We love to get comments on the blog so be sure to leave some love!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Teacher Thank You Gift Boxes

This week the challenge was to make something for someone in our community. I decided to get a couple of gift certificates for my children’s teachers and decorate the packaging.

I used a gift box die and a couple of tag dies. Overall this is very simple but since I’ve had strep for the last week, it was all I could muster up.

I hope you play along with Jennifer’s challenges too.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Thank you from SSS
Ink: lipstick red-SSS
Paper: Simple Stories DP, kraft, chartreuse CS-PTI
Accessories: pillow box, tag dies, twine-PTI

Graduation Card for Mojo Monday

A young friend graduated in the spring and recently had his graduation party. I used the most recent Mojo Monday sketch for his card.

It’s pretty plain, I always struggle to make masculine cards once the recipient is past about 11 or 12 years old. Before that you can still get away with some cuteness!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered In:

Mojo Monday 422

RECIPE
Stamp: unknown
Ink: archival black-Ranger, Vintage photo Distress
Paper: Scarlett Letter DP-Basic Grey, CS-PTI
Accessories: ribbon-stash, brads-Making Memories, buttons-Basic Grey

Share Handmade Kindness Challenge

So have you heard about this challenge? Jennifer McGuire started this challenge to share something handmade with others. This week we were to share with friends or family.

I made this necklace for my BFF. She is a piano player, teacher and general music lover. I know that she adores the shape of a treble clef so I made her a treble clef pendant out of sterling silver wire. I’ve already given it to her and she LOVES it. Now I have to wonder what the coming weeks will bring if we’ve already covered friends and family!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Fall Feathers Card

I’m quite late jumping on the feather trend. I like feathers but I’m not a huge fan or anything. But I’ve seen so many fabulous cards by many talented designers that I had to give them a try.

I used a ton of paper packs for this card, 5 in total! I also used a sketch but it’s long since closed. The die cut feathers were die cut then stamped using my MISTI tool. I coordinated the inks to match the papers and used three different metallic embossing powders.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered In:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Throwback 

RECIPE
Stamps: Feathers-PTI, sentiment-SSS
Ink: brown archival-Ranger, vintage photo, barn door Distress ink
Paper: WR Memory Keepers, 7 Gypsies, Glitz, Maggie Holmes,
Pink Paislee, canyon clay CS-PTI
Accessories: feather dies-PTI, rick rack-stash, gold, copper EP-SU!, other ep-stash

Fall Thank You Card and Candle

We have another fabulous inspiration photo this week at The Shabby Tea Room. I love the softness of the photo and the fall colours.

I decided to make a card and a candle as a gift. It will probably be a hostess gift at some point. I added lots of sparkle using gold glimmer mist and a Wink of Stella pen. The ribbon on the card is sari silk ribbon I bought from eBay. It’s so lovely to work with.

The background was stencilled with ink then I stamped over it before I removed the stencil. Then I sprayed it with gold glimmer mist. I also added some to the card base.

The candle is one from the dollar store in such a cute little tin. I added paper to the bottom and wrapped gold twine around the lid. On top I added layers of paper, seam binding ribbon and a cute little apple die cut. If you die cut corrugated cardboard and it flattens too much, use a fine tipped embossing stylus to pull up the bumps.

I love having small gifts on hand to use in a pinch. Do you create items to have in your stash besides cards?

We’d love to have you join us this week at the The Shabby Tea Room. You don’t have to make a card, make anything you like! We love to have as many participants as we can get, new friends or old.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered in:

CAS-ual Fridays Chic Challenge: Tic Tac Toe (closed)

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Throwback – Autumn

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Anything Goes

Paper Players Fall Thank You Cards

Graphic have embedded links to challenges.

RECIPE
Stamps: French script-SU!
Ink: Antique linen, vintage photo distress, kraft-PTI
Paper: chocolate CS-PTI, vanilla, olive, various browns CS-SU!
Accessories: fall dies-Echo Park, leaves-Elizabeth Craft, sentiment-Mama Elephant

Beach Paradise Mixed Media Canvas

I’m planning on painting a large three-part canvas for my bathroom. To test out the paints I bought and to help me know what proportions of colours I’d need to mix, I painted this much smaller canvas board.

For the background I spread an uneven layer of texture paste not covering it all up as I like the canvas texture. Then I went over that with a great stencil from Red Lead Paper Works and more embossing paste. Next I painted it with acrylic paints, first the sand (a mix of unbleached titanium white and metallic gold), then the sky and finally the sea. The metallic-ness of the gold got a bit lost in the mix so I dry brushed the sand with the gold paint.

It wasn’t enough gold for me so I went over it with gold Gilder’s Paste and that turned out much more shimmery. The gold sat up on top of the lettering and looked so pretty! So now I had my trial for my larger canvas. I remembered to write down my approximate paint mixes then decided to embellish it as it turned out so well. I will put it up downstairs during the summer months. I’ve added air dry clay shells, Prima flowers, sequins and shell beads, buttons, ribbon, real fish net, rhinestones, die cuts, twine, wood veneer, a coin, brads and a pearl stick pin.

The shell ‘sequins’ area really cool. They are real shell beads called heishi beads and basically look like sequins! I got them at Art Beads.com and I highly recommend them for any application. I might even use them in a shaker card! I know this is out of season but honestly, I could make beachy themed items all year! And I probably will! Stay Tuned!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered In:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: Throwback. I forget when it was but this was for the Paradise challenge.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Anything Goes

RECIPE
This is a pretty big list. Let me know if there’s anything in particular you’d like to know about.

Floral Ampersand Thanks

Freestyle collage is fairly new to me but I try! I think some of the journaling cards in the last SSS kit are so fun and lend themselves to this style.

I used more mirrored cardstock in the upper left corner of the journaling card. It looks green because it is reflecting a colour from the background. Try to disregard that will ya? I made the little paper clip flag using self-adhesive ribbon which made it so easy!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Entered in:

RECIPE
Stamps: SSS hearts and sentiment
Ink: angel pink-Memento, black archival-Ranger, soft stone-PTI
Paper: DP, &, card-My Mind’s eye, Card base-blushing bride-SU!
Accessories: cork-WRMK, sequins-Lucy’s Cards, Krylon gold leafing pen, ribbon-unknown