Friday, March 20, 2020

Geek Is Chic

     Yes, this bookmark is removable! This Marci is a couple of years old, but she is new to me. The patterned paper is from a company in Sweden. Every time I buy a sheet, I feel like I have satisfied a guilty pleasure. It is a pinch more expensive than other card stocks, but when you hold it between your fingers, you feel like there is something substantial there.


     This sketch by Lisa Hidy is the bones of this card. I designed it for Sketch N Scrap. There is a friendly competition going on over there with call outs for exemplary work and a random prize drawing every month.
Card Sketch #166 by Lisa Hidy
     This Marci may be from the archives, but the dies used on this card are new. The book mark and "READ" dies - as well as the sentiment - were part of the November La La Land Club Release. I used the letters that fell out of the "READ" die on the bookmark. The base of the bookmark is a piece of solid blue paper with a row of blue stars across the bottom. I used all 12 inches of this star strip on the card front, bookmark, and inside the card.
Bookmark
     The flipped side of the bookmark is a lighter blue. I added a plaid as well as a brown border strip.
Back of Bookmark


     I added an "on your birthday" sentiment to the card. I have special plans for this card. I won't be able to go into details here. It would ruin the surprise.
Inside of Card


Materials List:
    
     Card Stock: Gina K - Warm Cocoa
     Patterned Paper: Maja Designs - Denim & Friends
     Stamp: La La Land - Reading Marci
                Impression Obsession - On Your Birthday
     Dies: La La Land - Bookmark
     Ink: Momento - Tuxedo Black
           Gina K - Warm Cocoa
     Copics: Skin - E000, 00, 11, R20
                Hair - E42, 43, 44, 47
                Skirt - B91,93, 95, 97
                Shirt - BG70, 72, 75, 78
                          RV10, 11, 13, 14
                Shoes - B91, BG72, E53
                Glasses - RV13
                Hair Ties - RV14
                Books - B91, 93, YR14, 32
                Book bag - E53, 55, 57
     Embellies - 1/2 inch seam binding - Tobacco


Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Mishap Under the Cap

     Back in 2013 I was just starting to try out stamping, die-cutting, and card-making. I designed a card for my brother's birthday. He loves baseball!!! It ended up being - and still is - my very favorite card that I have ever made. It sits on a shelf in my craft room with a row of cards made with Lili of the Valley stamps. As much as I love the girlie Marcy and Mollie of La La Land Crafts, I also love the little boys from the Lili of the Valley collections. This little guy is no exception. 

     My crafting friends who visit my craft room are always asking if I will kit the card so they can make it too. My friend Diane came over a week ago and asked if she could get a kit of it. Because of the COVID-19 travel restrictions, I was able to find time to make 8 kits to give to some of my friends.


     For the inside of the card, I made a much smaller cap skeleton and used the leftover stars that were just sitting on the table after finishing the front of the card.

Inside of Card
     Here is the original card from 7 years ago. This Authentique paper is VERY old, so I had to find some newer paper from which to make the kits. The paper from Photoplay that I used to make the new version is also pretty old. I bought a bunch of it to make Christmas cards (that never happened). 



Inside of Original Card
On the Shelf



Materials List:
    
     Card Stock: My Colors - Casa OlĂ©
                                        Snowbound
                                        Java
                       Bazzill - Candy Buttons
     Patterned Paper: Photoplay - Luke 2 
                              (Authentique - Hope)
     Stamp: Lili of the Valley - Ooops!
                Gina K - Happy Birthday To You
                Kitchen Sink - 3 Step Baseball
     Dies: Our Daily Bread - Double Stitched Circles 
             Poppy Stamps Inc - Picket Fence
             Die-Namics - Blueprint #18
             Elizabeth Craft Designs - Sports Charms
     Silhouette File: Baseball Hat by Snapdragon Snippets Designs
     Ink: Momento - Tuxedo Black
            Gina K - Charcoal Truffle
     Copics: Skin - E000, 00, 11, R20
                Hair - E43, 44, 47, 49
                Shirt & Shorts- E43, 44, B41, 45
                Shoes - E41, 43, 42, 44
                Leaves - YG63
                Ball - E31, 33
                Vase - E11, 13, 15
                Water - B000
                Flowers - Y18, E44
                Sky B0000
                Ground C0, 2 (E43, 44)
     Embellies - Twine - Brown & Blue
                     Marker - Red Fine-Tipped (Marvy: Crimson Lake)


Sunday, March 15, 2020

Super Mario Birthday









Materials List:
     Patterned Paper: Downloaded - halegrafx.com
     Card Stock: Scraps - Yellow, Light Blue, Blue, Green, White, Black
     Dies: Karen Burniston -Outdoor Scene
                                       Tropical Scene
                                       Coffee Charms
                                       Word Set 2 - Birthday
              Lawn Fawn - Stitched Hillside Borders
              Papercrafter Magazine - 14 Nesting Dies
   Silhouette Files: Downloaded from - AlwaysWannaSmile
                                                       Pinterest Store
             Die-namics - Always Time for Tea
             Spellbinders - Fancy Tags 
     Punch: Ionic
     Embellies: Black/White Twine
                    Gray Enamel Glitter Dot
     Copics: Skin - E000, 00, 11, R20
                 Hair - E21, 23, 25, 27
                 Cup - C0, 1, 3, 5
                        - RV91, 93, 95
                 Dress/Bow - BG10, 11, 13
                 Bunny - C00, 0, 1, 2, R00
    
Challenges

Cards 4 Galz Challenge - Stamping - #24 - February 28

Friday, March 6, 2020

Cruise Homework

     I have finally finished a couple of projects left over from the crafting cruise I took last month. The first is a card designed by Becky Morehead. I didn't have the stamp for "Beach Babe Marci", so i substituted for this "Summer Vacation Marci". 


     It seems that I am a bit addicted to coloring a menagerie of Marci's. I have joined the La La Land Club and one arrives every month. I can't wait to color the February Marci and only 9 days until March Marci is revealed. 


     I have started adding a touch of white gel pen here and there in my coloring. I also tried something new this time. I have a shoebox full of peg stamps. The little flowers on Marci's headband are the ones I chose. I got these stamps at an estate sale 3 years ago. I never think to use them. Maybe this will encourage me to reach for the shoebox on a regular basis.
     I designed an inside for the card. I chose sandals from a Burniston die and added 3 of the flower peg stamps in the corner.


     Karen Burniston also designed a card for homework. I had such a good time bringing  these beverage glasses to life. I used my Copic markers and the white gel pen.




     I still have the one HUGE project left. A treasure chest with a drawer that contains a hidden mini album. I mis-cut two pieces of paper and as a result, I have to order more before finishing it. That will be a blog for another day....


Materials List:    (for Summer Vacation Marci card)
    
     Card Stock: My Colors - Black Magic
                                        Snowbound
                                        Dare Devil
                                        Black Magic
     Patterned Paper: Photoplay - Set Sail
                                               (Sail Away, Bon Voyage)
     Stamp: La La Land - Summer Vacation Marci
                Rubber Stamp Tapestry - Peg flower stamp
     Dies: Burniston - Sea Animals 
                              Beach Charms
                              Crosshatch Rectangles
                              Word Set 1 - Greetings
     Ink: Momento - Tuxedo Black
            Gina K - Denim Blue
     Copics: Skin - E000, 00, 11, R20
                Hair - E42, 43, 44, 47
                Blouse - B32, 34, 37
                Skirt & Headband - G41, 45
                Floatie - Y11, 13, 15, 17 (White Gell Pen)
                Flower & Trim - R22, 24, 27, Y11(White Gell Pen)
                Sandels - B34 37

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Pokemon Card Insert and Pop Up

     Here is a card made for my grandson's birthday. I bought him two Pokemon stuffies and wanted to give him the Pokemon cards for each of the two characters.  


     I thought this Pop Up card die set by Karen Burniston would be a perfect way to present them. (This would also be a fun way to gift baseball cards.)

     I made the card 4.25" x 8", in order to have room for two Rockin' Rectangles,  I glued 2 heavy duty baseball card sleeves to be visible in each window. I placed a Pokemon card in each sleeve. 

     This video shows the Rockin' Rectangle in action.





     I got into a might of Grammy trouble right here. I asked my grandson, "What is your favorite kind of Poke Ball?" He answered, "The Master Ball". I wrapped his gift up to look like a Poke Ball or Poke Box - if you will. Unfortunately I got a bit turned around in the process. the blue is supposed to be on the top with the red stripes on the blue. Classic type of error made by an accident prone Grammy like me.





     Follow-Up: My grandson announced as he started opening presents, that he was going to save this box for last. I was so tickled that he was looking forward to opening it. He just loved the two stuffies. When he left the pile of gifts to blow out candles, he grabbed those to stuffies and headed for the kitchen. IT WAS A HOME RUN!!!  ...before and after the opening of the gift!!!!

Materials List:
    
     Card Stock: My Colors - Snowbound
                                        Dare Devil
                                        Black Magic
     Patterned Paper: Digital Paper - Pokemon by Valentay
     Wrapping Paper: Blue
     
     Dies: Burniston - Rockin' Rectangle Pop-Up
                               Word Set 2 - Birthday
             Sizzix - Circles
     Embellies - 2 Heavy Duty Card Holders
                      1 Pokemon Pog
                      1" black satin ribbon

Sun & Wind

     I colored Spring Molli on my crafting cruise. There was a layout competition, in which we were each given some card stock and patterned paper. I started out with this Molli and . . .


this sketch by Lisa Hidy from Sketch N Scrap. I turned the sketch a quarter turn clockwise. 

Sketch #196 by Lisa Hidy
     I used the Copic markers we were asked to bring for the cruise projects. Luckily, I had what I needed for Molli to fit in with this paper. This is once again my new favorite hair color. I will probably use it repeatedly until I tire of it. The skirt was colored first, then blender fluid placed on a square of denim, which I dabbed once onto the skirt. This gave the skirt the denim texture. Since I wanted to fussy-cut Mollie and those flowers in her hand were originally a bouquet with very thin stems, I decided to cut out the flowers and add them to her hand as a nosegay. The buttons on her blouse are 3 gray enamel dots, which are repeated in one other place on the layout. We were playing with yellow Nuvo drops earlier in the day, so each of the centers of the flowers are made with this medium.


     When I turned it in for the competition, it wasn't finished. I just didn't have the resources I needed on the cruise. I entered it "as is" in order to receive a ticket for the raffle drawing. I didn't win the raffle, but I did win a Karen Burniston die as a prize in the competition.

     After returning home from the cruise, I added a couple of things to finish it off. First I took this "You are my home..." sticker and placed in on a die cut circle approx 1/4 inch larger in diameter. I then added a brown wreath with black leaves (like the ones on the top patterned paper) and orange, pink and blue flowers with Nuvo centers (just like Molli's). It is pop dotted to the layout. 


     Gotta love the Silhouette Cameo!!! You can have any title; any size; and mats to boot. The first pic looked like Brooklyn was in the sun. The second pic of her sliding down the slide with hair flying made me think of wind. Hence the title. On the pic below you see no flourish on the frame I constructed. I added it later (scraps on the table) and retook the layout picture. 



Materials List:
    
     Card Stock: My Colors - Black Magic
                                        Snowbound
     Patterned Paper: Echo Park - Gingham Gardens
                                                Pirate's Life
     Stamp: La La Land - Spring Molli
     Dies: Sizzix - Circles
             Spellbinders - Wreath
     Silhouette File: Font - Big Bold Brown Nose
                            Wind Flourish by Snapdragon Snippets
     Ink: Momento - Tuxedo Black
     Copics: Skin - E50, 51, 53, R20
                Hair - Y21, YR23, E15, 37, 47
                Blouse & Boots - R81, 83, 85
                Skirt - B91, 93, 95, 97
                Flowers - same as blouse & skirt
                Leaves - G82, 85
     Embellies - My Mind's Eye - Enamel Dots
                      Nuvo Crystal Drops - Dandelion Yellow