Retiform Technique Male Card

Retiform Technique Male Card

I needed to make a card for my Father-in-law and I wanted to make him a card which was a bit different.  Cards for males you seem to find that they have sport or drink or vehicles on them because it is not easy to make masculine cards. 

On a ready-made cream card base (5 x 5") with Desert storm Memento Dewdrop ink and a sponge circular blender I used the Retiform technique to create the background for the E-Z Rub on Transfers.  I had been gifted these from another crafter and I  had never used such a resource before.  This particular set was of marina images from the past which I thought were a little different.  

I rubbed the transfers on in different places on the front panel not worrying too much if the whole image did not transfer completely as this gave the image character.  In my craft stash I found a suitable 'Happy Birthday' sentiment to adhere on top of the images to complete my project.

I would love to know what you think about my project, so please leave a comment.  Thank you.

Till next time, keep crafting!

Lorraine

:o)  

Cross-Stitch Cards

Cross-Stitch Cards

Whilst I was resting (Bed rest) after being in hospital I could not do any craft cards so I decided to do some cross-stitching instead.  I could do this in bed with very little resources necessary.  Here are the ones I achieved and how I presented them when they were complete.  

 I did not realise that I had two of this cross-stitch card designs but I thought I might as well complete them both.  The only difference is that on the latter one I used a darker pink embroidery thread to outline the flowers.  These were little kits from Cross-stitch magazines that I had kept.  They had card bases which were already printed for them.  All I had to do was insert the cross-stitch and adhere this with strong double-sided tape and then close the inside of the card also with strong double sided tape and the cards were complete.  I did not stamp a sentiment inside the card because I was waiting until I know what occasion I am sending them for.  The envelopes were stamped with my 'Happy Mail' stamp and the duck holding the envelope so the recipients know these are not bills!  I do this to all my card projects as I feel that when someone picks the envelope up off the floor they will instantly feel better when they see they have some 'Happy Mail'.  This completed these projects.

This cross-stitch I put into one of my craft stash card bases with a circular aperture.  On the bottom of the card base, I stamped a garden gate and a stone wall with a cat walking across this.  I put a pink ribbon on the inside panel when I was adhering the cross-stitch so that it would not be seen when the inside panel was adhered closed.  Then on the front of the card I tied a knot in the centre of the left-hand side of the card base.  Inside the card to follow the theme I stamped 'Welcome to your New Home' and stamped a tree as well.  Then on the envelope I stamped two houses and my 'Happy Mail' stamp.  This completed this project.

This cross-stitch project was very small, it was just the bunny's head.  But the kit had provided a coloured printed image of the bunny having a bath in a barrel.  So I used this and adhered the cross-stitch behind this on a piece of Blue card stock (5 1/2 x 3 3/4") this was adhered to front panel using foam tape to give the card some dimension.  The White card base was a ready-made card (5 3/4 x 4).  I put a silver sticker 'Happy Birthday' at the top left-hand corner and used my silver border stickers all around the edge of the coloured image.  Inside the card to continue the theme I stamped some bubbles and the duck holding the envelope.  Also I had a piece of the Blue card stock left over which measured (4 x 1/4") and I added some of the silver border sticker to this as well before adhering it to the bottom of the inside panel.  On the envelope I added the same Blue card stock with the silver sticker border (5 1/2 x 1/4") along the bottom.  I stamped some bubbles and the duck holding the envelope representing 'Happy Mail'.  This completed this project. 

 

Originally this cross-stitch was a Christmas one, but I decided to change it to a more general image so the hat became all red rather than it being a Santa's hat.  I put this into a ready-made card base with a circle aperture that I had in my craft stash.  On the front of the card I die cut the sentiment "Many thanks" on Red card stock which had been adhered to double sided sticky foam.  This meant that I could adhere the sentiment straight to the card front without any further adhesive, I just had to remove the backing paper.  I had some of the red card stock left where the sentiment had been cut from so I sent this back through the Big Shot with a variety of different sized hearts from my die stash.  These too were now sticky on the back and on foam so I could arrange them around the cross-stitch image.  I put one inside to continue the theme and stamped the sentiment '...for your kindness' which finished off the sentiment from the front. (Many thanks ... for your kindness)

On the envelope I stamped the sentiment 'Happy Mail' and at the bottom left-hand corner of the envelope I stamped two hearts to continue the theme to the envelope too.  This completed my project.  

That was 5 cross-stitched images which I had converted into cards.  I would love to know what you think about my projects, so please leave a comment.  Thank you.

Till next time, keep crafting!

Lorraine

:o)    

One Sheet Wonder Designer Purse

One Sheet Wonder Designer Purse

I watched Connie Stewart's video tutorial on her YouTube channel called 'One Sheet Wonder Designer Purse'.

I followed Connie's instructions to construct the purse, although with the handle I added gold foil to the outside and the DSP on the inside. (Connie's instructions just use the DSP)  

To close my purse I used a Velcro circle and for embellishment I added a pearl heart on the front.  This completed my project.  

I would love to know what you think about my project, so please leave a comment.  Thank you.

Till next time, keep crafting!

Lorraine

:o)     

Magnolia

Magnolia

Retro Rubber Theme Challenge #83 is 'Anything Goes!!'

So for my submission for the theme challenge I looked through my old stamps that I was gifted from another crafter who no longer stamps but does other types of crafts instead.  I found a stamp of a little girl, which I thought was cute.  Then I remembered that  as I was looking through Amazon a couple of days ago for a particular Ballerina stamp (I had seen a crafter use in a project); I had seen a different stamp of the same character and she was called "Magnolia".  I then proceeded to look up the stamp I had chosen to use and I could not find it anywhere; which brought me to the conclusion that it must be quite old.

So to complete my submission you would need Black Memento Ink and Prismocolor Pencils.  I had a ready-made card base in my craft stash (6 x 4").  I cut another of these ready-made card bases in two so that I could trim a piece to (5 1/2 x 3 3/4") and put this through the Big Shot in a retired Stampin' Up embossing folder.  I chose this because it seemed to go with the crosses on the stamp.  While the Big Shot was out I cut a (4 x 3") oval in White card stock and a (5 x 3 3/4") in a Pattern Vellum.  I also cut out a small oval in dark Purple card stock (2 x 1 1/4").

Next I stamped the Magnolia image onto the white oval card stock and coloured this with my Prismocolor Pencils.  I added Wink of Stella to her dress and the crosses and I blended the background with my Zest blend solution.  After finishing colouring, I stamped on the inside of the card a long star border at the bottom and a sentiment which said "With Love On Your Special Day".  On the envelope I stamped the same star border at the bottom and the duck with the envelope and the 'Happy Mail' at the top right-hand corner so my recipient will know that this is not a bill!

I adhered the dry embossed card stock to the base with foam tape to give dimension.  Then I put snail down the middle of the Vellum so this would not be seen because of the image.  The stamp image was adhered straight to the Vellum using snail adhesive too.  

I was not sure what I was going to do with the small Purple oval.  So I used the melon punch from the Stampin' Up 'Fruit Basket' stamp set and punched a small semi-circle at each end of the oval.  I then threaded a (1/2") Purple ribbon through the semi-circles.   I then created a loop at each end and secured the edges with strong double sided tape on the back.  I used the same double sided tape to adhere this to the bottom of the card base.  From my craft stash I found a small sentiment saying 'Friend' so I used the double-side tape to adhere this to the Purple ribbon and this completed my project.  

I would love to know what you think about my project, so please leave a comment.  Thank you.

Till next time, keep crafting!

Lorraine

:o)     

All Hearts with Tatty Ted

All Hearts with Tatty Ted

Inspire.Create Challenge this week is a Sketch challenge #014 as shown below:

My take on this sketch is as shown below:

I only used Black Memento ink in my project today along with WOW Clear embossing powder.  To colour my images I used Spectrum Noir Alcohol markers as follows: (DR2, DR4, GG3, GG4 and GG5).  

So initially I found that I had a White ready-made card base measuring (5 1/2 x 5 1/2") ideal for this project.  I cut a piece of White card stock (5 1/4 x 4") and dry embossed this with a heart embossing folder on the Big Shot.  Then I cut a piece of Red card stock (5 1/4 x 1 1/2") and adhered this to the embossed card stock with double sided tape to make the whole piece measure (5 1/4 x 5 1/4") square.  Whilst the Big Shot was out I used a heart border die to create a pattern on a piece of Red card stock (4 x 5/8"), this was adhered using double sided tape to the top of the White heart embossed card stock leaving a (3/4") gap at the top.

Now for the stamping.  I used my stamp positioning tool so that if I needed to I could stamp an image again to get a darker image etc.  First I stamped the inside of the card with a heart border along the bottom edge and a sentiment from Stampin' Up Petal Palette stamp set which says "Some Things Are Just Meant To Be - Like The Two Of You Together".  Then on the bottom left-hand side of the envelope I stamped another heart image and in the top left-hand corner I stamp a duck holding a letter and the words "Happy Mail" so the recipient knows that this is not a bill!  I stamped the same heart image from the inside of the card onto the top right-hand side of the card base to ensure the theme of the card is running through.  

On a piece of White card stock (3 1/2 x 2 1/4") I stamped a Tatty Ted image twice.  I then stamped the same images with Versamark and covered them with WOW clear embossing powder and heat set this with my Heat Gun.  This gave me a shiny black raised edge to colour in.  So using the Spectrum Noir Alcohol markers listed above I coloured both images the same.  These were adhered to the bottom right-hand corner of the card base leaving (1/2") at the bottom.  With a Black gel pen I added this to Tatty Ted's eyes and nose.  Also some highlights with a white gel pen.  This completed my project for the challenge.

But I wanted to used this card for my niece's wedding to her girl friend.   l added some Wink of Stella on the hearts and when this was dry I adhered some rhinestone initials of the girls. 

This completed my project.  I would love to know what you think about my projects, so please leave a comment.  Thank you.

Till next time, keep crafting!

Lorraine

:o)                                      

Hippo Thanks

Hippo Thanks

MFTs (MFTWSC378) Sketch Card Challenge #378 this week is as below:

My design for the sketch challenge is this:

For my design I used Pool Party (Stampin' Up) and Black (Memento) inks.  I also used the following Spectrum Noir Alcohol markers to colour the images (IB3, BT8, OR2, OR3, DR2, DR4, FS3, GG3, GG4 and GG5).  I also used a white and a black gel pen for parts of my design.

From my craft stash I found a ready-made White card base (5 1/2 x 5 1/2").  First I die cut a stitched square  (2 3/4") on my Big Shot through the front panel in the centre but (1/2") from the top.  I cut another square (3 1/4") in White card stock for the image.  I used the same (2 3/4") stitched square die and also another measuring (3") together to create the frame in Black card stock.  I cut two of these on the Big shot and adhered them together with wet glue and left them to dry.  Next I cut another (3") stitched square out of Acetate and two stitched rectangles one in Black card stock (2 1/2 x 1") and a White one measuring (2 x 3/4") for the sentiment.  

I then used my MFTs Stencil Cloud on the White card stock for the image.  I gave this a little while to dry completely before stamping the main images.  Then with my MFTs BB Happy Hippos, I stamped a hippo, some balloons and a little bird all in Black Memento ink using my Stamp Positioning Tool so that I could ink more than once to get a really crisp black line.  Then I added Versamark and stamped again.  Quickly I then added WOW Clear embossing powder and heat set this with my Heat Gun.  I repeated the process with a hippo and a bird on the bottom left-hand corner of the front of the card base too.  Whilst I had my ink out and the stamp positioning tool I stamped the sentiment 'Big HUGE Thanks' onto the White rectangle shaped card stock.  This was then adhered with wet glue straight to the Black larger rectangle shaped card stock.  I also stamped some balloons inside the card to continue the theme and the little bird onto the bottom left-hand corner of the envelope.  As normal, I stamped my 'Happy Mail' stamp and little duck with the envelope in his mouth on the envelope too so that my recipient knows that this is not a bill!  

Now the images could be coloured.  So using my Spectrum Noir Alcohol markers I started from the lightest to the darkest and then came back with the lightest at the end to ensure that the colours had blended.  I added highlights onto the balloons with a White gel pen and also dots to the cheeks of the hippo and bird.  The eyes were brightened with a Black gel pen too. I adhered this to the back of the front panel using double sided sticky tape.  I coloured the little bird on the front of the envelope and the balloons inside the card too.  

Next, I cleaned the piece of Acetate with an alcohol wipe to ensure all the dirt and grease was off it.  I then adhered this to the Black frame with wet glue and left this to dry.  I used my craft knife to cut thin strips of thick foam tape to match the size of the Black stitched frame.  I put these around the edge of opening of the square aperture leaving no gaps.  I then removed the top paper and added another layer on top of this.  I used my embossing buddy all around the inside edge of the sticky foam strips to try and stop the shaker pieces sticking to the edges.  I then added sequins and some seed beads to the middle of the square before removing the backing paper off the foam tape.  I used the embossing buddy on the back of the acetate square as well before I carefully adhered this onto the top of the sticky foam strips.  

Using my trimmer I cut a piece of Peach card stock (5 1/4 x 5 1/4") and adhered this with double sided sticky tape to the back of the front panel to disguise the back of the image and where the alcohol markers had bled through the card stock.  I then adhered the sentiment with foam pads underneath the shaker square.  

Finally, I adhered three sequins to the front panel of the card.  This completed my project.  I would love to know what you think about my projects, so please leave a comment.  Thank you.

Till next time, keep crafting!

Lorraine

:o)

Heartfelt Thoughts

Heartfelt Thoughts

The Color Throwdown card challenge this week #486 (ctd486) is a colour challenge using the colours: blush, pink and peach.

My card design for this challenge is below.  

So to make my card I used Tattered Rose (Distressed Ink), Peekaboo Peach (Stampin' Up), Cottage Ivy and Rose Bud (Memento Dewdrop) inks.  Also Versamark for the sentiment.  I used Stampin' Up 'Amazing You' stamp set for the image and the sentiment.

In my craft stash I found a ready-made White scalloped card base measuring (5 3/4 x 4"), I cut a piece of Peach card stock to (5 1/2 x 3 3/4") and also a piece of White card stock to (5 1/4 x 3 1/2").  The Black card stock was a piece of scrap from my black scrap folder (I always keep pieces such as this as they are so handy for sentiments.)

I used a stamp positioning tool when I was stamping so that I could double stamp if the first stamp was not clear or had missed bits of the image.  This is also useful because with the stamp I chose I needed to ink up in two different colours, one for the leaves and one for the flower head at the same time.  I stamped the image in a very pale pink which was the Tattered Rose, a darker pink which was the Rose Bud and a peach which was the Peekaboo Peach.  The leaves were obviously, the Cottage Ivy.  The whole image was not shown on the front as I just wanted the flower poking in from the edges.  I continued the theme inside the card by stamping a full image in Rose Bud and Cottage Ivy and before wiping my stamp clean I 2nd generation stamped on the front of the envelope which gave me a lighter image.  Oops! I forgot I also used Black Memento Ink too in this project, that was for the Happy Mail stamp and my cute little duck holding the envelope which I put on the top left-hand corner of the envelope so the recipient knows it is not a bill!

Next I adhered the stamped card stock with double sided sticky tape to the Peach card stock.  I then cut a piece of 1cm wide Dark Pink ribbon and with a thinner double sided sticky tape I adhered this to the ribbon and placed this across the centre of the stamped imaged and fastened it at the back of the Peach card stock.  After this I did the same as before, added double sided sticky tape to the back of the Peach card stock and adhered this straight to the card base.  

The sentiment was next.  I used my embossing buddy on the Black card stock scrap and stamped the sentiment 'Sending Heartfelt Thoughts' in Versamark and covered this in WOW White embossing powder which I then heated with my Heat Gun.  After letting this cool a short while, I cut a banner edge to both ends and added small foam pads underneath and put this in the centre of the card front panel.  This completed my project.

I would love to know what you think about my projects, so please leave a comment.  Thank you.

Till next time, keep crafting!

Lorraine

:o)