Moonlit Birthday

     I am combining challenges here. I have a sketch and a mini silhouette focal image and gems. 

Card with Envelope

Card Sketch #96

     The silhouette is formed with Melanie Muenchinger's Fabulous Flowers stamp set. To form the background, I swiped Dusty Rose and Moonlit Fog ink on my acrylic block, spritzed it, and smooshed it with acetate. I then smooshed some more onto ivory card stock. 
     The inside of the card is (as usual) is made with scraps from the front of the card. The border Moonlit fog scalloped border on the bottom was a happy accident while die cutting the ribbon I used on the front of the card - love when that happens.

Inside of Card

Materials List:

    Patterned Paper: Gina K Designs - Softy Spring 

    Card Stock: Gina K Designs - Moonlit Fog

                                                     Dusty Rose

                                                     Ivory

     Ink: Gina K - Moonlit Fog

                           Dusty Rose

             Momento - Tuxedo Black

     Stamps: Gina K Designs: Fabulous Flowers

     Copics: R85

     Dies: Cheery Lynn - Allison's Ribbons

               Die-Namics - Blueprint #3

               Elizabeth Craft Designs - Bees

     Embellishments: Decorative Brad

                                 Elizabeth Craft Starfoam - Pink

                                                                            Ultrafine Glitter

                                                     

Challenges

Crafty Cardmakers - Pearls/Gems - #13 - *
Pixie's Crafty Workshop - Use Snippets - #53 - *
Stamp TV MIUM - Silhouette - *
Sketch n Scrap - Sketch #96 - # - *

Birthday Puppy

     Here is a birthday card for a 1st birthday. I'm hoping this puppy will be just the ticket. 

Card with Envelope

     This card is very similar to a tri-fold shutter card. I got the directions for this card base in a Karen Burniston class that I took a month ago. There is a spinner cut on the upper fold that allows the party hat to appear above the card when it is opened. 

Card Closed

Card Flat

Materials List:

     Patterned Paper: Pebbles - Lil' Buddy Collection

     Card Stock: Gina K - Black Onyx

     Ink: Momento - Tuxedo Black

     Dies: Elizabeth Craft Designs - Prop 4 Set

                                                        Buster the Dog

               Stamps of Life - Birthday 4 Cookie

                                          Doggone Cute

     Stamps: Stamps of Life - Birthday 4 Cookie

                                              Doggone Cute

     Copics: C1, 3, 5, 7. W1, 3, 5. YG17, 25. YR23, 24, 27. O

Challenges

Alphabet Challenge - C is for Cake - #8 - *

Cute Card Thursday - Birthday - #29 - *

Send A Smile 4 Kids - Die Cuts - #14 - *

Tulip with Borgello

     I saw this background technique in a Papercraft Essentials Magazine (Issue 141). I am including my own attempt at a tutorial for this at the bottom of this blog entry. 
     

     In order to color this tulip with Copics, I used the flicking technique. It seems so much easier for me than the blending. In the end I guess there is a certain amount of blending that occurs with this method, but it isn't quite as smooth. 

Inside of Card

Materials List:

     Patterned Paper: Gina K - Parisian Garden

     Card Stock: Gina K - Wild Wisteria 

     Ink: Momento - Tuxedo Black

     Dies: Quik Kutz - Nesting Dolly Ovals

     Sihouette Oval

     Stamps: Gina K - Elegant Flowers 2

                                  Fabulous Flowers (inside of card & envelope)

     Copics: V000, 0, 01, 04, 05, 06. YG 91, 93, 95.

     Embellies: Ribbon

Challenges

Curtain Call - Tulips - Inspiration Photo - #5 - *

Delicious Doodles Challenges - Ribbon & Flowers - #17 - *

Get Creative Challenges - Flowers & Lace - #9 - *

Stamp TV MIUM - Flowers - *

Tuesday Morning Sketches - Sketch # 399 - #1 - Favorite

A Short Borgello Background Tutorial

1. Chose several sheets of patterned paper. This paper is Gina K's Softly Spring.

 2. Cut each sheet of patterned paper into strips. I cut 4 from each sheet 1/2 inch wide.

 3. Glue the strips tightly adjacent to each other on a very thin card stock. It is important to use thin card stock, because at this point you are cutting through 2 layers on your trimmer. After step #5 you will be trimming 3 layers. Hint: Make sure you thoroughly apply the glue to each strip. Every corner; every bit has to be adhered to the card stock.

 4. Turn the strips a quarter turn. Cut strips once again. I cut at 1/2 inch wide.

 5. Glue the strips tightly adjacent to each other once again on a very thin card stock. This time stagger the strips. For this card I glued the stips at 1/4 inch intervals. Hint: Same note of caution: make sure you thoroughly apply the glue to each strip. Every corner; every bit has to be adhered to the card stock.

6. Now you are ready to use this background as you please. You may choose to trim it to use for a mat. You may also use it in your die cut machine to cut any shape you wish. This is when it is most important to have everything glued down to the very edges.

Flamingo in Petals

     I got this stamp set from Stamps of Life last summer. I hadn't used it yet and decided to give it a try. I stamped and colored with Copics. I had to look up what color flamingo legs are. It turns out there are several options: pink, black, or pink with black knobby knees. I went with the last choice. 

     This patterned paper is a new paper at the craft store. It is BoBunny's Petal Lane. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was perfect for flamingos. I made my own flower using several Elizabeth Craft Designs dies and a brad. 

Inside of Card

Materials List:

     Patterned Paper: BoBunny - Petal Lane

     Card Stock: Gina K - Black Onyx

                                        Dusty Rose

                                        Wild Dandelion

     Ink: Momento - Tuxedo Black

     Dies: Elizabeth Craft Designs - Bunch of Flowers 3

                                                        Victorian Flower Overlay

                                                        Flourishes and Branches

              Spellbinders: Big Scalloped Ovals

     Stamps: Stamps of Life - Flamingos 2 Stamp

     Copics: RV10, 11, 13, 14. N1, 3, 5.

     Embellies: Decorative Brad

Challenges

Crafty Cardmakers - Things with Wings - #50 - *

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - Patterned Paper - #268 - *

Rooster in the Coop

     A friend of mine gave me this stamp that she found at a thrift shop. It is a Stamps Happen stamp called "Rooster Postcard". When she gave it to me I thought, "What in the world am I going to do with this stamp?"

     I decided to use Karen Burniston's "Chicken Wire" die to put this rooster in his place. What a trial I had pulling this chicken wire out of the die. I had to cut 4 of them for the two cards and I tore every single one of them. I think I managed to cover up pretty well. There is a pocket to hold the tag just in front of the chicken wire.

Inside of Card

     I used Copics to color the rooster and Distress ink to isolate each postcard in the background. 
     The patterned paper is Graphic 45 - Place in Time. Several years ago, I bought several sheets of the August papers which were full of sunflowers. I've been trying to use some of those had to have's from the past. The drawers are getting to full in the craft room and I need to put some of the stuff to use.

Materials List:

     Patterned Paper: Graphic 45 - Place in Time (August)

     Solid Paper: Gina K - Black Onyx

     Ink: Distress - Weathered Wood, Frayed Burlap, Wild Honey, Peeled Paint, Tattered Rose

            Gina K - Dark Chocolate

     Dies: Elizabeth Craft Designs - Chicken Wire

     Stamps: Stamps Happen - Rooster Postcard

                  Gina K - A Year of Flowers

     Copics: BV04. R22, 29, 37. Y11, 18. G46, 85. Y26, 28.

     Embellies: Metal Sunflower

                     Ivory, Blue, Green Twine

Challenges

Crafty Cardmakers - Things with Wings - #3 - *

NBUS - Boo-Boo - #143- *

Pixie's Crafty Workshop - Use Snippets - #61 - *

Stamp TV MIUM - Metallicard - *

Through the Purple Haze - Use a tag - #4 - *

Texas Bluebonnets

     My daughter sent a pic of her new daughter and 5 month old nephew basking in the March Texas Bluebonnets. Brooklyn was pretty much oblivious to the new adventure, but Williams truly wanted to get his hands on the wildflowers.       

Sketch #126

     For this page I grabbed an "OLD" line of paper from My Mind's Eye. It was old when I purchased it. I got it at the Scrapbook Outlet Store in Destin, FL (no longer there, sad face) several years ago. I questioned my choice right up until the moment that I added the scarlet Coordinations paper. Looking at the striped paper, I'm guessing that the red paper was probably included in the line, but I didn't see any of it at the outlet store. This is one of the tragedies of buying paper after it is picked over. On the other hand the advantage is using creative choices to overcome lack of choices, not to mention the price point.

     The bluebonnet on the tag is from Susan Tourney's Gardenscape dies. Each leaf and petal individually shaped and inserted.

      The bluebonnets in the upper right corner are from Deadbeat dies - two pieces per flower. Easy - Easy - Easy.
     The country stars on wire were a fun find after Christmas 2 years ago at Hobby Lobby. They were from a mini Christmas tree garland at a great price. They came to 5 cents per star. How about that?

     I placed the page in a 12 x 12 shadow box for display. I may end up gifting this one, but it is for me to look at until Mother's Day.

Materials List:

     Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye - Wild Asparagus

     Solid Paper: Coordinations - Scarlet

     Ink: Distress - Vintage Photo

             White Pigment

     Dies: Elizabeth Craft Designs - Tags

                                                        Garden Notes: Bluebonnet

                                                        Alphabet Caps I

                                                        Banners

              Deadbeat Designs - Bluebonnets

     Edge Punch: Martha Stewart - Floral Lace

     Silhouette: Font - SW Swirl Dance

                       Snapdragon Snippets - Flourished State Texas

     Embellies: 3 Country Stars from Christmas Garland 

Challenges

Sketch-N-Scrap - Sketch #126 - Entry #10 - *

Hoppy Easter

     I am combining challenges once again. I have the Sketch 'n Scrap card sketch and the Stamp TV MIUM challenge, which is an Easter card with no flowers.     

Sketch #95

     Making a card with 3 banners was an easy trick, but the 1/8 inch breaks in the banners added an eye-catching treat. 

Inside of Card

Materials List:

     Card Stock: Gina K Designs - Black, White

                                                      Ocean Mist

                                                      Lemon Drop

                                                      Lovely Lavender 

                                                      Grass Green

     Ink: Brilliance - Moonlight White (Pigment Ink)

             Momento - Tuxedo Black

     Stamps: Gina K Designs: Spring Fling

                                               Happy Spring 

     Copics: G03, 05. Y11, 13.

     Elizabeth Craft Designs: Curvy Leaves

                                              Hoppy the Frog

     Punch: Oval, Scalloped Oval

         

Challenges

Stamp TV MIUM - Easter; no flowers - *
Sketch n Scrap - Sketch #95 - #6 - *