Thursday, October 24, 2013

Delightful MOJO316

 

           I just knew that I had to use the Burlap Ribbon that I picked up at our new Hobby Lobby – it’s less than 2.5 miles from our home.  That’s a dangerous location for me!  LOL!  Because the ribbon is so wide I played with the sketch and decided to square it up!  It’s 5.5” squared so it will fit inside a 6x6 envelope.

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Plain Jane Psalm 37:4

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! - Soft Suede

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Venetian Romance DSP, Tangerine Tango, Soft Suede & Pistachio Pudding CS

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Stampin’ Up! – Lacy Brocade EF; Spellbinders – Beaded Circles & Classic Scalloped Squares   

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Robert Stanley Collection for Hobby Lobby – Burlap Wire Edged Ribbon; Prima Flowers from stash; American Crafts - Ribbon

This is a straight forward design once I figured out the elements on the “page”.  I played with the size here and there and ended up with the circle and square about the same size so I beefed it up with an embossed mat for the sentiment.  I did not have ribbon that really made a statement so I looked first to a large round button to sub for the bow.  I ended up using the Prima Flower that I dug out of my stash.  This is ready to go whenever I need a card to encourage a friend.  When we delight in Him, He does give us the desires of our heart because our focus is so much on Him that what we want lines up with His best for us!

Many Blessings,

Donna



Friday, October 18, 2013

For You On Your Birthday with MOJO 315

 
           Why is it when it’s a really important card, and you’ve got a really good idea how to use the MOJO sketch that things just are more difficult than usual?  It is our daughter’s 30th birthday day tomorrow.  I wanted a really special card for her and this one was just a struggle.  In fact, there will be pictures of 2 cards because I did one and still wasn’t satisfied with it, so I started another one.  Both cards are 4¼” by 5½” with a left hand fold.  I knew I wanted to do the Eiffel Tower this year since our daughter & her husband had loved being in Paris while they were in Europe at the end of the summer, so I set forth to create!!!!
For You Card
·       Stamp set(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Artistic Etching, Apothecary Art & Vintage Verses (SAB2013, retired)
·       Ink(s):  Versamark Watermark Stamp Pad
·       Paper:  Best Creations – unknown name; Stampin’ Up! – River Rock (retired) & Very Vanilla CS
·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Stampin’ Up! – Labels Framelits; Spellbinders – Classic Ovals Large & Classic Scalloped Ovals Large; Heartfelt Creations – Decorative Lace Border
·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Zing – Glitter Finish Black EP; Basic Grey – Black velvet ric rac; Kaiser Craft – Sparklets Ebony
As I began work on this card, I went to my Scrap Rack to look for some fall themed papers for this card and ran across these Best Creations papers. I liked the black in them and the stripes had a rich touch to it with the black velvet stripes.  I wanted a more sophisticated look as my little girl is not a little girl anymore at 30.  Black is so classy and elegant so I selected these papers and went about the process of pulling it all together from items that I had on hand.  I did have to borrow the Eiffel Tower ss from a good friend and paper crafter co-conspirator!  (Thank you, Sandi!)  I just wasn’t satisfied with my effort last night – maybe I was just too tired to think straight!
When I went back to my craft room this morning, I started on the 2nd card below using Perfect Pearls Medium.  It’s the same size as the first.  I did go by our new Hobby Lobby – just a bit over 2 miles from our home – and found on clearance no less, the Tim Holtz Eiffel Tower Bigz Die which I snapped right up and ran home and began to work on the 2nd card also using the MOJO 315 sketch.  I took a few more liberties with the sketch on this one.
Happiest Birthday Card
·       Stamp set(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Apothecary Art; Heartfelt Creations – Bold Falling Leaves
·       Ink(s):  Versamark Watermark Pad – Ranger – Perfect Pearls & Perfect Medium
·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Basic Black, Crushed Curry & Very Vanilla CS
·       Dies & Embossing folders:  LifestyleCrafts – Nesting Ovals; Stampin’ Up! – Fancy Fans EF; Sizzix – Tim Holtz Fleur de lis & Eiffel Tower    
·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Zing – Glitter Finish Black EP; Kaiser Craft – Sparklets Ebony; Stampin’ Up! – Jewels Basic Rhinestones
Rachel’s birthday always makes me think of clear, crisp, cool nights and beautiful fall leave colors.  It’s usually about peak time for fall color up in the mountains so I wanted to do fall leaves with a bit of shimmer.  I actually haven’t used Perfect Pearls before on any project so I followed directions and off we went.  While I liked the effect of the leaves metallic shine, I think I chose too bold of a color for the background paper with the Crushed Curry cs, but it was a fun experiment.  I like Perfect Pearls and will play with them again soon!
                Thanks for stopping by!  Oh, I chose the first card to give to Rachel.  It just looked more like my beautiful girl!
Many Blessings,
Donna

                                                                

Friday, October 11, 2013

Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much with Viva la Verve

 
           As soon as I saw this sketch and saw the inspiration photo, I immediately thought fall.  I love the banner at the bottom of the sketch brought to mind my Hearts A Flutter stamps and dies from Stampin’ Up!  I knew they would be a perfect.  My husband and I drove up to the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia yesterday – yes it was misty and a bit too early for the best colors.  But it was pretty and mostly sunny by the time we had lunch in Blowing Rock, NC.  This was the best time for us to go since the rest of the month is super busy, so I was really in the mood to create a fall themed card.  The stamped sentiment goes well with my thoughts of my marriage to my husband.  It pretty much sums up our marriage!  He is my blessing, and my life is so special with him in it!
·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Lean On Me; Stampin’ Up! – Hearts A Flutter; Papertrey Ink – Summer Hills
·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry, Old Olive, & Marina Mist;  Memento – Rich Cocoa 
·       Paper:  Basic Grey – Pyrus “Callery”; Stampin’ Up! – Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie & More Mustard (retired) CS
·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Verve – Pointed Flower Die; Spellbinders – Classic Ovals Large & Classic Scalloped Ovals Large; Stampin’ Up! – Hearts A Flutter Framelits & Chevron EF
·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Antique Brads & Jewels Basic Rhinestones; American Craft Ribbon
The colors from the inspiration photo just yelled FALL to me!  So I went back a ways to my stash of Basic Grey in my craft room!  Yes, I know it’s from the distant past, but what can I say?  Once it’s gone, it’s gone so I hoard it!  But I knew that these colors were good matches to the inspiration picture with a Basic Grey twist!  Once I had the papers all mapped out, the rest of the card came together.  I choose to go square at 5.5” rather than rectangle shape due to the large size of my pennants.  After stamping the pennants and flowers and die cutting them out, it was pretty much assembly time.  I like my Basic Grey Magnetic Precision mat for lining up items to make sure that they are straight when there are different items that need to be lined up!  I do wish that more of the BG patterned paper was visible, but take my word for it, the colors were there from the inspiration photo!  LOL!  One thing I did notice AFTER the pennants were pinned to the back of the embossed Always Artichoke CS, that the rounded corners were flipped from the sketch, but just take that as my “creative license”!
Thanks so much for stopping by to take a look.  If you like what you see, please sign up to follow my blog so that you are notified when I post a new project!
Many Blessings,
Donna




Tuesday, October 8, 2013

The Reason for the Season & MOJO 314

 
           For whatever reason, I had trouble getting my head around this sketch.  I played and played with the colors.  (There is a close up of the top part of the card that shows a green diagonal stripe to explain the green circle that jumps off the card!) even took it apart and redid some of it after I realized that I forgot to emboss the green circle.  Go figure where my head is!  For some reason, I had my heart set on doing a Christmas Card.  I looked through a lot of my stash of papers – ever the paper hoarder – and ended up with a Stampin’ Up! DSP.  I have a Heartfelt Creations Christmas Paper Pad that I completely forgot about until right now!  Donna, ya’ gotta’ get your act together, girl!  Anyway, this is my offering for MOJO contest week.  Perhaps not my best, but not as bad as I thought it would be at first.  I think the gold ribbon with the embossed flower that is supposed to be a poinsettia instead of lilies added a nice touch to it!
·       Stamp set(s):  Heartfelt Creations – Pristine Lilies & Shepherd Scene
·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Cherry Cobbler; Versamark – Watermark Stamp Pad
·       Paper:  Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green & Very Vanilla CS; Festival of Lights DSP Stack(retired) & Be of Good Cheer DSP
·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Heartfelt Creations – Cross & Lilies die; Spellbinders – Classic Scalloped Circles & Lattice Rectangle; Provocraft – Snowflake EF
·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Ribbon – Stash; Zing – Embossing Powder Gold with Glitter Finish; stipple brush; Pop – Up Glue Dots
This card measures 4¼ by 5½ inches with a left hand fold.  One of the reasons that I went back to these papers is for the Cherry Cobbler inks and papers.  This is Stampin’ Up!’s best red in my book.  I love this red, and this is such a deep elegant color from the Regal Collection.  I thought about going red on red with this one – and I may make this card later with a Cherry Cobbler circle, but today it’s Gumball Green.  The thing that I did differently with this card was my use of a stippling brush on the sentiment rectangle rather than matting it.  I thought that would be too much going on in that corner.  I’m also glad that I choose stripes for this card, too!
Thank you for stopping by my blog today!  I love hearing from you and would like to encourage you to join my blog if you enjoy my offerings.  That’s it for now!
Many Blessings,
Donna

 



Friday, October 4, 2013

A Dynamic Duo with MOJO Monday 313!



As soon as I saw the challenge on Dynamic Duos – this is the first time that I’ve tried to participate but didn’t finish this card in time – I knew that I wanted to use a black card base.  I don’t have circles as large as I wanted for the MOJO Monday 313 challenge, but I did have these wonderful hexagon shape so…. Here is my take on both challenges.

·       Stamp set(s):  Papertrey Ink – Delightful Dahlia Additions; Stampin’ Up! – Itty Bitty Banners

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Blushing Bride, Primrose Petals & Gumball Green

·       Paper:  Cosmo Cricket –  Tea for Two 6 x 6 Pad; Stampin’ Up! – Blushing Bride, Primrose Petals, Gumball Green, Basic Black & Very Vanilla CS

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Papertrey Ink – Delightful Dahlia Die; Lifestyle Crafts – Nesting Hexagons; Stampin’ Up! – Bitty Banner Framelits & Honeycomb EF

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Basic Jewels Pearls Large and Primrose Petals 3/8” Stitched Satin Ribbon

  My hexagon embossing folder was not large enough to emboss the entire hexagon so that’s where the pink themed patterned paper came in – to cover the right side of the hexagon with it.  I played around with my new PTI’s Delightful Dahlia Additions stamp set for the circles.  They just didn’t look right without some leaves so I HAD to add some green leaves from the same stamp set.  I added some smaller hexagon die cuts to the Blushing Bride CS randomly across the area. I am pleased with the overall look of the card, particularly the shape of it since it is a cross between round and square, don’t you think?

That’s all for now.  I really appreciate you stopping by my blog and taking a look.  Please feel free to leave me your thoughts about this card if you are so inclined.  I’d love to hear from you!

Many Blessings,
Donna