Use It or Lose It

You may have seen from my Workspace Wednesday post that I have been having a clear out and looking at using up different kits that I had put together.  These were the result of the bits and pieces that I found.

 It took some time to get into it.  The papers are brighter and busier than I am currently using.  However once I got into it I actually enjoyed putting the pieces together and liked the end result.  And the best thing is now the kit isn't hanging about and I have some great cards to give away.

I had some of the pink ribbon and buttons left and while I could have put them away I decided to keep them out and designed another couple of cards to use the last of the bits.  I had matched the ribbon to my mist but when I went to spray it was more red than I had anticipated.  So I made two cards at the same time.

Sympathy Cards

A lot of thought goes into my sympathy cards.  It is hard to get across just the right message. Sad to have had to do so many of late.

This one started with the inspiration word stamp. The papers were just the right tones that I wanted .  I have been trying different layering ideas and the dictionary page gave a great layer to add to the mix.

 

Colours: sahara sand, blush blossom, calypso coral, wild wasabi, white

Stamps:  pleasant poppies and trendy trees (SU), inspiration (PTI), spatter (IO)

Finishing touches:  papers orchard (HG).  dictionary page, striped ribbon and pearls (SU), distressing tool, stitching

This card started with a paper pad that  I had recently received along with the stamp set.  It was a chance to have a play with some new supplies.  I like the torn vellum layer as it broke up the textures. 

 

Colours:  sahara sand, certainly celery, bravo burgandy

Stamps:  flowers (BG), whimsical words (SU)

Finishing touches:  vellum, ribbon and pearls (SU), stitching

It all began with the journal card and a new embossing folder.  I had a play with the sanding paper to see how it would work with the folder.  Simple but effective card.

Colours:  white, baja breeze, riding hood red

Stamps:  n/a

Finishing touches:  arrows embossing folder and essentials hardware clip (SU), journal card (pink paislee), buttons, sanding tool, sandable paper (echo park), maraschino bakers twine (TT)

Wish big

Making cards for special people rates high on my crafting things I love and you get to add special touches that are unique to the person that you are giving them to.  And as I make them I am thinking of and praying for the person that I make it for.

The idea for these cards came from this card from Danielle Flanders and this one by Maggie Holmes from a Studio Calico Kit that I had pinned on my pinterest board Cards for Her.  Great to have inspiration at your fingertips, especially when you haven't been creating for a while and are in a bit of a rut.  I used my alpha die from Papertrey Ink to recreate the WISH tag effect.  I had a couple of cards to make and decided to use the cut out letters to create another card rather than throw away or drop them in the bottom of a pile somewhere.  The washi tape made it super simple to do.

Colours: very vanilla, baja breeze, calypso coral, blushing bride
Stamps:  stylish sentiments - birthday and happy trails (PTI), sketchy flourishes (inkadinkadoo)
Finishing touches:  paper and ruffled ribbon (SU), watercolouring, rhinestones, headline alpha die (PTI), stitching, eyelet sticker, flower embellishment (rosies studio), essentials hardward clip (SU), washi tape

Farewell cards

On a sadder note.  We have been farewelling friends. Our amazing family ministries pastor at church is moving to Auckland for more adventures.  So I had the opportunity to make cards for her from our home group and for her hubby from ICONZ - the boys brigade group that our boys go to. I love being able to do cards that are specific to the person that is receiving them.  I managed to catch a photo of one of the cards and am gutted that I didn't take one of the other.  For both I started with a dictionary page word.  This one is taken from this card on my cards for him board on Pinterest.

Colours:  white, not quite navy, tangerine tango, black

Stamps:  monster mash (CDS), happy trails (PTI), notes (studio G)

Finishing touches:  dictionary page, for the record paper (EP), stitching, dimensionals, speech bubbles punch (EKS), rockies edging scissors

And another farewell card was needed for someone at my Husbands work.  I kept the same theme going with the dictionary page and was inspired by the new Stampin Up mini catalogue pg 10, to use dots and the colours.

Colours:  white, going grey, black, daffodil delight, taken with teal

Stamps:  little pieces and ciao baby (SU), happy trails (PTI),  arrow (studio g)

Finishing touches:  stitching, watercolour brush, dictionary page, washi tape, charcoal bakers twine (the twinery), petite curly label punch (SU)

Wonderful words

I saw the water colour feature on this card by Danielle at Homespun with Heart.   I had started out wanting to try my new bike die and put the two together.  The sentiment from Wonderful Words by Papertrey Ink were perfect for the recipient of this card.

Colours:  crumb cake, cherry cobbler, rose red, pink pirouette, so saffron

Stamps:  wonderful words additions (PTI)

Finishing touches:   heart punch, (fiskars), vintage bike die (memory box), wrought iron fence die (spellbinders), water colour brush, stitching, wonderful words die (PTI)

Using Sentiment Cards

I had quite forgotten I had done this card until I went through my photos.  My starting point for this card was the sentiment embellishment.  I pulled out the colours and was away.  I picked up some of the echo park sandable paper while on my travels to Canada and was keen to give it a go.  I have tried the co-ordination range and found it too thick.  The paper works well as it is still sturdy enough to sand.  It is a great chance to use the different embossing folders that I have.  I traced a circle shape onto the cardstock and then rough stitched around a couple of times.  I liked the end result. Something different to try when stitching instead of the usual around the edges that I do.

Colours:  sahara sand, baja breeze, calypso coral
Stamps: n/a
Finishing touches:  sandable paper (echo park), stitching, buttons, die cut sentiment (K&C), bird embellishment (recollections), pins (heidi grace), ruffled ribbon, victoria crochet trim and vanilla flower trim (SU), happy days measuring tape embossing folder (x-cut)

I love Maile Belles work.  She has a beautiful simple style and she often works on different angles.  This is my take on her style using some new washi tape that I bought.  So quick and simple when all the elements are ready to go.

Colours:  white, baja breeze, night of navy

Stamps:  n/a

Finishing touches:  die cut sentiment (K&C), washi tape, buttons

Just a few cards

Way back when I had an opportunity to spend time with my Mum and sister for a scrappy weekend. Usually I organise a number of pages and at least have an idea of cards that I want to do.  This time as it was short notice I threw in my bag a whole lot of bits and pieces along with stamps that I haven't used or are favourites and went.  I have started a few different layouts that I need to finish.    A little time putting together the different bits and pieces that I had brought with me and these are the cards that I came up with.

  

Colours: daffodil delight, basic grey, very vanilla

Stamps:  hello sunshine (PTI), pattern pieces (SU)

Finishing touches:  ribbons (SU), buttons, stitching, washi tape, papers (MME)

 Colours:  bashful blue, night of navy, white

Stamps:  fancy flourishes and stylish sentiments - birthday (PTI)

Finishing touches:  seam binding ribbon, square lattice embossing folder, beautiful wings 

embosslits and silver button (SU), 

Colours:  riding hood red, basic grey, going grey, white

Stamps:  lots of spots (CDS), background basics - retro and papertrey (PTI)

Finishing touches:  washi tape, buttons, maraschino bakers twine (the twinery)

 Colours:  very vanilla, calypso coral, going grey

Stamps:  background basics - retro, stylish sentiments - birthday and fancy flourishes (PTI), ciao baby (SU)

Finishing touches:  ruffled ribbon, designer frames embossing folder and rhinestones (SU), washi adhesive sheets (WAMK),   flowers (prima)

 Colours;  black, white, old olive

Stamps:  background basic - inspiration and stylish sentiments (PTI), punctuation (KP)

Finishing touches:  washi tape, domino tiles (JB), stitching, anchor and brad, charcoal bakers twine (the twinery)

 Colours:  not quite navy, old olive, very vanilla

Stamps:  background basics - retro and hello (PTI)

Finishing touches:  hello die (PTI), ribbon

Colours:  crumb cake, sahara sand, not quite navy, early espresso

Stamps:  grunge me (PTI), graph paper (verve)

Finishing touches:  rectangle rounded die (verve), button, faux stitching, alpha stickers, peg (pebbles)

Colours:  very vanilla, rose red, tempting turquoise, garden green, black

Stamps:  draft (amy tangerine) 

Finishing touches: headline alpha die (PTI), sketch papers (amy tangerine), ribbon, washi tape, buttons, stitching, anchor and brad

Colours:  tangerine tango, night of navy, very vanilla

Stamps: in the stars and itty bitty banners (SU) 

Finishing touches:  ric rac ribbon, washi tape, itty bitty banners die (SU), 

Great additions to my card stash.

Page Maps Anniversary Challenge - shape up card

Page Maps 7th Anniversary Celebration

I tend to keep to the standard half A4 sized cards.  So the challenge was to create a card based on the sketch in any size. 

I decided to keep adding to my boy collection and realised I hadn't inked up my Up, Up and Away set from Stampin Up.  It goes so well with a set of papers I have from My Minds Eye with hot air balloons.  As I looked through my stash to see what else I could use I came across the quote card from Pebbles.  So I went big on this one.  Love how it turned out.

 

Colours:  crumb cake, not quite navy, baja breeze, early espresso, tangerine tango
Stamps:  up, up and away (SU),
Finishing touches:  papers (MME), quote card and clothes pin (pebbles), buttons, twill tape (SU), paper shapers speech bubbles punch (ek success), stitching

Page Maps Anniversary Challenge - 1-2-3-4 Challenge

Page Maps 7th Anniversary Celebration

A card challenge this time.  

 Use the sketch and the number of elements to create your card.

I started with the colours.  The patterned paper that I found set the rest of the card.  I found my stash of vellum and have been using it more lately.  I liked how it softened the pattern allowing it to show through.  A solid layer would have covered a lot of it up

Colours:  baja breeze, pure poppy, old olive, very vanilla

Stamps:  impressions (bella!), le chateau (kaiser)

Finishing touches:  vellum, victoria crochet trim and vanilla flower trim (SU), carribean bakers twine (the  twinery), edgers No 1 die (PTI), brad (francheville), secret admirer quote sticker (kaiser), stitching