Card: Faux Cloisonné

I tried a new technique! It's called faux cloisonné and I used it to make the round medallion.  You can see how to do it in the You Tube video here.  Instead of using black UTEE (like in the video) I used regular embossing powder in copper (you just have to use more coats than the UTEE).  Also, I used die cut Grungeboard  instead of chip board.  A thick coat of Glossy Accents helps to give it more dimension.   It turned out so pretty...I'll be doing this again!  The sketch I used is Mojo Monday 214.

Paper

Gabrielle Collection (Bo Bunny)

Card Stock

Bittersweet (Bazzill)

Stamp (for cloisonné)

Anna Griffin

Silhouette shape

round_doily_C20091012222051_20509 

Additional Supplies

glittered alphabet stickers (My Mind's Eye)

filigree butterfly brad (Bo Bunny)

brown organdy ribbon

Grungeboard (Ranger)

copper embossing powder

Pearl Ex powder 

Glossy Accents (Ranger)

Card: Vintage Autos

This card was made with the sketch for Mojo Monday 213.  The ivory eyelets in the corners remind me of the white sidewalls on those awesome vintage automobiles!

Paper
A Proper Gentleman (8x8 -  Graphic 45)
plain paper for card liner ( Millstone - Neenah Classic Laid )

Card Stock
Raven ( Bazzill)
burgundy (Bazzill)
Millstone (Neenah Classic Laid)

Stamp
Happy Birthday (Verve)

Additional Supplies
ivory eyelets
burgundy gem brad (My Mind's Eye)

Tag : Batty

Only a couple more days 'til Halloween and I have another Halloween tag to share with you.  The La Creme paper that I used already had the flocked border at the bottom.  For the flourish detail at the top, I used clear embossing ink and clear embossing powder then inked over it with black ink.  Love those spooky red bat eyes!

Paper
La Creme (DieCuts With A View)

Card Stock
black

Die and Embossing Folder
Creepy (Cuttlebug)

Stamp
Flourish from the Urban Grunge stamp set (Tim Holtz Visual Artistry)

Additional Supplies
tiny red gems
assorted black and red beads
red wire (Darice)
jump ring
black ribbon (Offray)
red metallic tread (DMC)
black eyelet

Tag : Beware

Halloween is just around the corner!

Paper
The Spider's Web (My Mind's Eye)

Card Stock
black
tiny scrap of green for the pumpkin stem

Dies
Jack-O-Lantern #2 (Sizzix)
Phrase, Beware (Sizzix)
Ghost, Bats & Boo (Sizzix)

Stamps
Faded Text Background (Stampabilities)

Additional Supplies
black glitter
black felt swirly die cut ribbon
assorted black and orange ribbon
large gold eyelet
tiny black gems
gold Pearl Ex wash*


*Pearl-Ex wash recipe:
4 parts  Pearl Ex powdered pigment
1 part gum arabic
sufficient water to mix

Put these ingredients into a small container with a lid. This mixture can be allowed to dry into a cake and reconstituted with water to your desired consistency.

Card: Happy Day

The October theme for the My Mind's Eye blog challenge is "Fall."  I used the Stella and Rose - Gertie 6x6 to make this birthday card.

Paper

Stella and Rose - Gertie 6x6 collection (My Mind's Eye)

plain paper for the card liner

Card Stock

Butter Dotted Swiss (Bazzill)

Merry (Core'dinations)

small scrap of ivory

Stamp

Birthday Blossoms (Stampendous)

Silhouette Shape

decorative_borders_C00107_24282

Die

Fall Leaves (Cuttlebug)

Additional Supplies

Lush Red ribbon (My Mind's Eye)

buttons

handmade cording

Card: Birthday Bicycle

I am loving all the the bicycle imagery that's been showing up in papers and stamps.  This birthday card was made for my sister who rides her bike quite regularly.

This particular bicycle was cut with my Silhouette.  I cut it once in green and once in the dark brown and then cut the green shape down until I had what would be the painted metal parts of the bike and then glued it over the brown bicycle. 

Paper
Marjolaine 6x6 Collection (BasicGrey)
Marjolaine die cut shapes (BasicGrey)
Scrap of light blue for the inside

Card Stock
brown (Bitter Chocolate by Bazzill)
olive green (Core'dinations)
blue (DieCuts With A View)

Silhouette shape
bike_C02753_1

Additional Supplies
silver mini brads
mini alphabet stamps
daisy applique
bit of lace
bit of ribbon
blue seam binding
mini green button
paper flowers and leaf (Prima)
gems
Marjolaine brad (BasicGrey)

Album: This Boy

Whew! I think summer is finally starting to wind down.  We have been experiencing much cooler temperatures here and getting some much-needed rain!

This cute little 8x8 album was made as a shower gift.  Almost all of the paper is Echo Park's A Walk in the Park collection.  I used my Bind-It-All to do the binding and the Martha Stewart photo corner punch for the corners of the front and back covers.  The details are below.

Front cover:

Pages 1 and 2:

Pages 3 and 4:

Pages 5 and 6:

Pages 7 and 8:

Front Cover:

Paper and Card Stock
A Walk in the Park Collection (Echo Park)
Bazzill card stock

Die Cuts
bookends_1340 (Silhouette Studio)

Additional Supplies
flocked chipboard letters (Lush Green by My Mind's Eye)

Pages 1 and 2:
Paper and Card Stock
A Walk in the Park Collection (Yellow-Echo Park)
Trick or Treat Collection (Orange-Fancy Pants Designs)
Bazzill card stock 

Core'dinations card stock (yellow tag in the pocket)

DieCuts With A View card stock (tan on monkey)

Die Cuts
monkey_C20090817003201_2581 (Silhouette Studio)
born_to_be_wild_phrase_C00456_20509 (Silhouette Studio)
library_pocket_2249 (Silhouette Studio)
simple_tags_C00079_23067 (Silhouette Studio)
 
Additional Supplies
black gems (monkey's eyes)
buttons
silver brad 

Pages 3 and 4:
Paper and Card Stock
A Walk in the Park Collection (Echo Park)
Bazzill card stock
Core'dinations card stock (lion)
DieCuts With A View card stock (handsome little man)
pre-cut tags (Little Black Dress Designs)

Die Cuts
lion_C00041_28466 (Silhouette Studio)
film_strip_C00483_20387 (2 stacked and welded together) (Silhouette Studio)
phrase_words_circle_baby_C00185_21585 (Silhouette Studio)
circle cut with my Silhouette
  
Additional Supplies
gold gems (lion's eyes)
eyelets

Pages 5 and 6:
Paper and Card Stock
A Walk in the Park Collection (Echo Park)
Offbeat 6x6 Collection (red octagons, green on page 6- BasicGrey)
Frosted Collection (green on page 5-Fancy Pants Designs)
Trick or Treat (orange on page 6- Fancy Pants Designs)
Bazzill card stock
Core'dinations card stock

Die Cuts
ribbon_slot_us_1986 (Silhouette Studio)
Folder_0243 (Silhouette Studio)
"Together" cut with my Silhouette in Rockwell Extra Bold 
  
Additional Supplies
Eva glazed brads (BasicGrey)
Martha Stewart photo corner punch

Pages 7 and  8:
Paper and Card Stock
A Walk in the Park Collection (including the "notes" journal spot-Echo Park)
Core'dinaitons card stock
DieCuts With A View card stock

Die Cuts
giraffe_C20091104221056_20509 (Silhouette Studio)
  
Additional Supplies
silver star brads (Making Memories)
silver spiral paper clips
Martha Stewart photo corner punch

Card: Happy Mother's Day!

s

To add a little shimmer to this card  I painted a wash* of Micro Pearl Pearl Ex over the large floral print paper.  The inside of the card was decorated with the inside of the oval that was cut for the front and flowers fussy cut from the large floral paper.


Paper
Lush Blue (My Mind's Eye)
confetti vellum

Card Stock
DieCuts With A View

Silhouette Shape
24_label_frame_tag_C00907_19210 (modified)

Stamps
One Person (Verve)

Additional Supplies
pearl brad - Lush Blue (My Mind's Eye)
ribbon -  Lush Blue (My Mind's Eye)
white flatback pearls -  Making Memories
flocked dot tulle (Hobby Lobby)
teal ink
clear embossing powder
Micro Pearl Pearl Ex wash*

*Pearl-Ex wash recipe:
4 parts  Pearl Ex powdered pigment
1 part gum arabic
sufficient water to mix

Put these ingredients into a small container with a lid. This mixture can be allowed to dry into a cake and reconstituted with water to your desired consistency.

Card: My Mind's Eye Challenge #22

This month's theme at the My Mind's Eye challenge is "April Showers."

Paper

Lost & Found Portobello Road (My Mind's Eye)

Card Stock

DieCuts With A View

Stamp

Heartfelt Phrases (Verve)

Silhouette Shapes

cute_umbrella_C00475_20509

Tag_0100

Additional Supplies

handmade rose

ribbon

lace

Twinkling H2Os (Sage)

silver dew drops (Robin's Nest)

Card: Graduation Time

It's getting to be that time of year; graduation season is just around the corner!  I made this card last year - hence the "2010"!   The recipient of this card is a young man who aspires to become a comedian so two elements on this card are a reference to that.  Reference number one is the Charlie Chaplin figure and reference number two is the script to the right of the sentiment which is an excerpt from Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County."  If you click on the photo you can get a closer look.

Paper

Recess (BasicGrey)

Card Stock

DieCuts With A View

Stamps

 Life's Possibilities Set (Tim Holtz Visual Artistry)

Ink

Broken China (Ranger Distress Ink)

brown

Embossing Folder

Distressed Stripes (Cuttlebug)

Additional Supplies

text from an old book

clock rub-on (Heidi Swapp)

Destiny tag (Tim Holtz)

pewter brads

clear embossing powder

My Core’dinations Creative Frenzy

Core'dinations card stock is pretty cool stuff - unlike anything else out there.  It has a nice weight and comes in fabulous colors and styles and its fun to play with!  If you really like something what could be better than a chance to try out for a design team that gives you the chance to work with such a fun product?  So... here goes!

First, a masculine card with sanded Core Essentials:

This little purse looks deceptively large in this photo but it is a diminutive 2.5x4.5 inches - the ideal size for a gift card!

The vintage look of the Times Nouveau Collection by Graphic 45 is perfect with the Core'dinations Vintage Collection.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing these projects and feel inspired to make some creations of your own!

Project Details:
Happiness Card:  

Card Stock
Core Essentials and Vintage Collection (Core'dinations)


Paper
Transatlantique (Graphic 45)

Stamp
Happiness Found (Verve)

Embossing Folder
Patchwork (Sizzix/Tim Holtz)

Additional Supplies
Wander philosophy tag (Tim Holtz)
handmade cording

Purse Gift Card Holder:

Cardstock
Core Essentials (Core'dinations)

Die Cuts
purse_C00281_20509 (Silhouette Studio)
tag (Sizzix)

Embossing Folder
D'vine Swirl (Cuttlebug)

Additional Supplies
crystal swirl (Prima)
silk flower (Hobby Lobby bridal department)
ribbon (Offray)
"love" rub-on (Cloud 9 Designs)
pearl stick pin (Jenni Bowlin)
crystal corsage pins
vintage cameo 

Mother's Day Card: 

Cardstock
Vintage Collection and Black Magic (Core'dinations) 

Paper
Times Nouveau (Graphic 45)

Stamp
One Person (Verve)

Additional Supplies
rayon seam binding 
red and black buttons

Card: For Amy

Paper and Card Stock

Offbeat - 6x6 (BasicGrey)

brown card stock (Bazzill)

white card stock

turquoise card stock

Rubber Stamp

Anna Griffin

Ink

Walnut Stain (Distress Ink by Ranger)

Additional Supplies

brown crystals

nickel  brad

Card: My Mind's Eye Sketch Challenge #21

"Celebrate Today" is the theme for this month's sketch challenge at My Mind's Eye.

Paper
Andrea Victoria Collection (My Mind's Eye)
White Vellum

Card Stock
Strathmore

Stamp
Happy Birthday (Verve)

Additional Supplies
black embossing powder
small gold brads
gold picot ribbon (Michaels)
black grossgrain ribbon
circle die (Spellbinders)

Card: Think Spring!

This card  definitely makes me think of Spring!

Paper

LilyKate Collection (BasicGrey)

Stamps

Gentle Thoughts from the Garden Collage Set (Stampin' Up!)

Silhouette Shape

3d_ruffle_flower_C02598_1

Additional Supplies

Dew Drops - Water, Flame (The Robin's Nest)

Ink - Peeled Paint (Ranger), Midnight (ColorBox)

Card: Opéra de Paris

Black can be soooo hard to photograph.  Observe a case in point.  This picture really doesn't do this card justice.  The card was for the birthday of my musically gifted (though not operatic) friend, Steve.

I used my Silhouette SD to cut the scroll frame out of copper metallic paper and it was adhered to the black card stock with glossy acrylic medium.  I then painted over the entire surface with the glossy medium twice, letting it dry between coats.  The gloss has a really nice look and, just like stain brings out the grain in wood, the gloss medium brought out the metallic of the metallic paper.  A window was cut in the card stock and the photo was mounted from the inside.  The vintage postcard image of the Paris Opera was free from The Graphics Fairy and you can upload it from this link.
If the card was a little beat up it would look just like an antique souvenir from the Paris Opera House!

Paper and Card Stock
black card stock (Bazzill)
copper metallic paper (Paper and More - paperandmore.com)
glossy ink jet photo paper (HP)
Silhouette Shape
frame_flourish_1413
Clip Art
Paris Opera (The Graphics Fairy)
Aditional Supplies
Glossy Acrylic Medium (Liquitex)

Card: Enjoy The Journey

This card was for my brother-in-law's birthday and it was fun to make!  I cut the gears and the keys with my Silhouette SD - love it!  To give the appearance of rust on the gears I first used Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder, heat set it, then sprinkled on just a little Fire Brick Distress Embossing Powder and heat set it again.

I cut a cool set of keys and mounted them on the inside of the card.

Paper

Recess Collection (Basic Grey)

Stamps

The Journey (Tim Holtz Visual Artistry)

Silhouette Shapes 

gears_border_C00420_20387

modern_key_C00116_19547

Card: True Love

With Valentine's Day just a few days away, it's the perfect time to post this wedding card!  The colors of the wedding were red and black and I chose to reflect that in the card.  It's a little hard to tell from the photo but the card stock behind the "true love" is a silver mirror finish metallic. 

Stamp
Love With a Flourish Collection by Rhonna Farrer (Autumn Leaves)

Card: A Proper Vintage Gentleman

This card is for my Dad's 86th birthday.  I know he'll get a kick out of the "A Proper Vintage Gentleman"!  My Mom and I were discussing if he was vintage or antique - we never really did decide!

Paper
A Proper Gentleman (Graphic 45)

Silhouette Shape (under the rosette)
antique_doily_C00673_20509

Card: For John - Soar

Paper
Periphery Collection (BasicGrey)
vintage sheet music

Rubber Stamps
French Ledger (Stampers Anonymous)
Far Off Posts (Inkadinkado)
Ornate Postcard (Stampendous)

Edge Punch
Lattice Arch (Martha Stewart)

Tag Tuesday Challenge - Winter

I love snow!  As I write this the snow is falling outside, adding to the 5 inches we had Wednesday into Thursday.  So, as I was working on this tag I had the perfect inspiration just outside my window.
I was motivated to do this bright moon with a silhouetted tree and a dark winter sky by a gorgeous card I saw on-line a few weeks ago (click here to see it).  There is a tutorial on how to make the card at Operation Write Home's Stars and Stamps blog and you can see the tutorial by clicking here.  The sentiment is a verse from Robert Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.  Go to Kard Krazy for links to some great tags!

Tag Tuesday Challenge - A Bit of Fabric

Even though I own enough fabric to give Christo a run for his money, I had a hard time deciding what to do.  In the end, the Clover yo-yo makers were put to good use and I used the small round, large flower and large heart ones for this tag.  If you've never seen the Clover yo-yo makers, they are pretty cool.    I also made this tag with a mosaic since I didn't do it right last week! :)  Check out the other cool tags at Kard Krazy.

Inchie Stamps

Flourishes (Inkadinkado)

Card: All I Have Seen

Paper
Granola 6X6 Collection (BasicGrey)
Life's Journey Correspondence Ephemera Kit (K & Company)
old sheet music

Stampss
sentiment - All I Have Seen (Stampin' Up!)
old photograph - Lost and Found (Tim Holtz/Visual Artistry)
script in background - Faded Text Background (Stampabilities)
script on sheet music - French Ledger (Stampers Anonymous)

Additional Supplies
vintage buttons
photo turns (Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts)

Tag Tuesday Challenge - Mosaic

For this week's tag challenge at Kard Krazy I used some of the remnants from a card I made recently (click here to see it) and many more bits of miscellany that fill my craft drawers!  After looking at Louise's tag more closely I see that hers is indeed more mosaic- like than I realized.  Mine ended up being a collage.  That's what I get for not paying attention!

Card: Fabulous!

I made this fabulous "fabulous" card for a friend.  One of her favorite words is, you guessed it, fabulous!

Paper

La Creme  (DieCuts With A View)

Rubber Stamp

Fashionista Ladies (Hampton Art)

Bling

Vintage Gems Gold and Silver (Jolee's Boutique)

Card: Butterflies and Bling

Paper

Mariposa (DieCuts With A View)

Crystal Swirl
Prima