clean and simple

Flowering Flourishes

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I think this will wrap up my adventures with this particular bridal shower invitation sample set.  I think I just might like this one the best.  I like the layers and different inks used with the added layer of embossing.

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New stamps come out all of the time, but sometimes it is nice to go back to your favorites.  This set, Flowering Flourishes, is definitely one of my go to sets.  The detail is just beautiful and they layer so nicely together.  The simple elegance of it is so striking.  Just a one layer card today, even though the stamping has a bit of extra to it.  I did add a little extra sparkle here and there, sparkle is a must for this soon to be bride.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Bloomin’ Love

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I do enjoy making something special by request.  It isn’t always easy to start, but once you do, the ideas just begin flowing.  This is my first go at a bridal shower invite.

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The brides colors are a blush pink and navy blue.  My blue looks a bit royal purple here, but it is a deep navy.  How about this lovely framelit die cut?  I thought I might go a bit bonkers trying to get it all detailed out, but I managed.  I am not always the most patient one, but this die requires it.  I had to put it through the big shot back and forth several times to get all of the cuts done.  It was worth the fussing though.  The detail is amazing.

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I might have gotten a bit carried away on the inside stamping.  I was chatting while I stamped and before I knew it, it had gotten pretty busy.  If this one ends up being the choice, we might have to print the details on velum to be an overlay.  That would be pretty though too.  Love is definitely in the air.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Know What I Love?

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My youngest is in the throws of re-decorating her room and the colors are so awesome.  I thought I would work with them for a few projects.  She has real red, basic gray, smokey slate, whisper white and basic black.  I used Stampin’Up! color names because that is just how my brain works anymore.  You get the idea.

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Either way, this card was so quick and fun.  I just used a bit of the stamps available in the Know What I Love stamp set.  We may still be in winter, but I couldn’t wait to start with some spring things.  Rain is so welcome, and flowers won’t be far behind.  How exciting!

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The card is pretty basic, just a few layers.  I do love it when a stamp sentiment fits inside a punch I already have.  It just makes life easier and definitely more fun.  If I hadn’t been distracted with other projects, this card would have come together in about twenty minutes, including design time.  That is what you get when you have great product to work with, and I definitely do.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

First Sight

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I keep getting drawn into playing with water colors.  Maybe that is just my thing for right now, and I love it.  The effect is just so soft and subtle.  And it isn’t even very tricky.

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I do have a hard time putting embellishments on top of this kind of card front.  So I settled for a short strand of basic pearls and a hint of Wink of Stella.  I drew a few hearts and hi-lighted my stamped flourish to give it a little interest.  You have to turn the card to see it, so it is very subtle.  I didn’t want much to get in the way of the color blending.  When I tried different ribbon options it just was this huge separation that was pretty sad.  Clean and simple does the trick today for sure.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Thank You Friend

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Last Christmas my stamping group had our own holiday party.  Part of that adventure was a crafty themed gift exchange.  Not going out and buying new necessarily, but cleaning out old product that you don’t use anymore and making a gift of it.

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Today I have made this special handout for a Sunday lesson I am teaching and I was able to use some of the fun gift I received.  The embossing folder and lovely sequin trim to be specific.  I sure had fun experimenting.  The paper I embossed on is a heavy water color paper and I thought I would be doing something with a dark blue wash.  It didn’t look like I wanted, so it stayed clean.  I think it turned out rather nice.

I made an extra for a different friend.  She always posts these super inspiring quotes on Facebook that bring me so much joy and hope.  I thought I would share back my way.  I love good friends, I truly do.  We all have a greater purpose and I hope the young women I am teaching today can find a way to theirs.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Flowering Fields Thank You

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

So I was looking through my blog site and discovered this as a draft and not a blog.   Oooops on my part.  I really loved this one too.  Enjoy!

 

While browsing a catalog I came across this book.  The title was awesome, but to be honest, I knew I had to make a card that looked like it.  It sat at my desk for several days until I had a little time to experiment.  I got my inks out and went to work.

Flowering Fields Thank You

I went back and forth on using just ink, or a versamark with gold embossing powder.  I went with just ink and then used my aqua painter with some ink to add details and make the flowers a bit more prominent.  Aren’t these pretty?  Yet another awesome free set during Sale-a-bration!  Wheeee!  The thank you came from Another Thank You.

Flowering Fields Thank You

I masked the water color paper and brushed it heavily with water before I added ink.  I added, dobbed, and added more until I was satisfied.  So much fun, honestly.  I could do that a lot.  Wouldn’t it be fun if we could just hide away in a creative bubble?  Either way, I absolutely loved making this card.  But not more than sending it to share a very special thank you.

Flowering Fields Thank You

Have a creative day!

Moana

Sky is the Limit

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I love it when a card comes together better than intended.  This is a mix of three awesome products, one of which is free during Sale-a-bration.  How great is that?

Sky is the Limit

The mottled dsp stack is fantastic.  The color combinations and patterns are so strong.  They lend a masculine feel, but I don’t think they are exclusive.  The free stamp set is actually really versatile.  This is the sentiment, but there is a great plane, fun clouds and some other elements as well.  I wasn’t too sure about it, but my youngest talked me into it.  I am so glad I did.

Sky is the Limit

I layered two pieces of very vanilla with the spacing I  needed.  I used just a touch of snail to keep them together during the embossing.  But before I  did the embossing, I stamped the sentiment in the upper right trying to predict a bit where a smooth place would remain.  When I placed the papers in the folder, I centered the sentiment in Asia, or the part shown, so it would stay smooth.  It worked great!  I wanted the embossing to stay lined up, so I picked up one side, put two dimensionals down, then picked up the other side and did two more dimensionals.  I raised up the levels and kept the embossing lines in place.  I am in love with this folder.

Sky is the Limit

Have a creative day!

Moana

Inspired First Sight

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I have a thing for unique mugs and my oldest daughter gets me.  She found this little treasure and couldn’t resist.  It reminded me of simple water coloring, so I thought I would create a card around it.

Inspired First Sight

Of course it had to be water color somehow to go with the simple brush strokes on the mug.  I matted a card base with painters tape to leave me a clean 1/4″ border and brushed the whole surface with plenty of water.  I then dabbed my aqua painter in the ink colors to coordinate with the mug and created a very soft background.  When I was satisfied I went looking for the perfect stamps.

Inspired First Sight

One of the new sets in the spring catalog caught my eye.  It is called First Sight and has more than one use.  It isn’t all about Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day but really has several uses.  For me, that is when a set gets purchased.  Having a stamp for just one use better be pretty darn amazing to get into my collection.  And as of today, the catalog is live so you can have the stamp set too.  How fun!

Inspired First Sight

Have a creative day!

Moana

Just For You Gift Set

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One of these days I will be able to create beautiful calligraphy like this, but until then, thank you Stampin’Up! for making yet another beautiful phrase for me to use!  Isn’t it just so pretty?

Just For You Gift Set

The set has three secondary phrases to go with it.  However, I think that it could stand alone quite easily.  You do know how I love to make a matching gift set though.

Just For You Gift Set

I finally got on board and got the curvy corner trio punch.  I can totally see why it was on back order so much.  Love that guy!  This set was made with one sheet of dsp, and I have a section left still, and a single card base.  Not a lot of tricks here, just the basic layering with beautiful product to work with.  Nice.

Just For You Gift Set

Have a creative day!

Moana

Botanical Gardens Designer Vellum Stack

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

It is so nice to be able to sit and create something beautiful.  Some people have their best thinking moments in the shower, well, mine is at the craft table.  Now, if I could just figure out how to get more working space in my area, that would be wonderful.  I’ll have to get back to you on that one.

Botanical Gardens Designer Vellum Stack

This vellum paper though.  It comes in eight different patterns and you get three sheets of each in the stack.  And yes, it is only available during Sale-a-bration and is only a free item.  With a $50 purchase, you might choose this one as your gift.

Botanical Gardens Designer Vellum Stack

The card itself is quite simple.  I cut both my vellum and the card front sheet at 4 x 5 1/4″ and layered them together with glue dots.  I covered my glue with basic rhinestones, and then I went a little crazy and there you have it.  I then added a wrap of satin ribbon with a lovely bow on the front.  That front is layered on to the card base with lots of dimensionals and I called it done.

Botanical Gardens Designer Vellum Stack

Have a creative day!

Moana

Treat Boxes for Friends

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I worked ahead so I could enjoy the holiday.  These little treat boxes have already been delivered and hopefully enjoyed as well.

Treat Boxes for Friends

I am finishing up just a few things before the evening is done, and sharing this little bit of joy is one of them.  Just a little reminder to share more of yourself with those around you.  Even if Christmas was yesterday, keep the spirit going strong.

Treat Boxes for Friends

Have a creative day!

Moana

Big Gift Box

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How big is big?  This one took two 12 x 12 sheets to make it work.  This bag/box measures 5 x 6 x 6.  How awesome is that?  The gift inside is pretty much hilarious.  Another gift exchange for my husband at work.   Quite the group there.

Big Gift Box

I could have fit at least six stamp sets inside this guy.  That could double for DVD’s or any other combination for sure.  It is made with last years craft holiday paper so it is super sturdy.  I could have made a fun tag and decorated it more, but it was a quick make this morning.

Big Gift Box

Could I find gift tissue to match?  Nope.  No worries though, there was a Santa hat close by and it did the job quite well.  Actually, I think this might be a repeater idea.  I probably won’t remember it, like the measurements for the awesome bag.  It was a custom design for this huge mug.  One thing at a time, and getting last minute holiday fun done is more important.

Big Gift Box

Have a creative day!

Moana

Flameless Candle Favors

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Two days off in a row?  What is up with that I would like to know.  Well, these little babies are to blame.  Well, these are the ones left over from the original 150 I made.  Yes, there were 150.

Flameless Candle Favors

Our church youth group decided to go Christmas caroling to a few nursing homes in our area and well, the final decisions came a bit late.  We normally would have collected fuzzy grippy bottom stockings, or made knitted hats or something along those lines.  I live in a small town and couldn’t gather up enough of those kinds of things this late in the holiday season.  So, it ended up being a paper crafting moment, or two, or more.

Flameless Candle Favors

My Saturday was spent making these little treasures.  If you weren’t making a ton it would be a super quick craft.  I cut 6″ squares, scallop trimmed the tops, punched two snowflakes on opposite sides and tucked in a candle at the bottom.  The candles got a little extra grip from glue dots to make sure they stayed put.  It is a tight fit, but just in case.  They are tubes so you can turn the candle on and off without taking it out.  Pretty simple, but very nice.

As we sang the kids passed out lit favors to the nursing home guests.  It really was a lovely experience for everyone.  Christmas is about giving after all.

Flameless Candle Favors

Have a creative day!

Moana

Paper Pumpkin Re-Make

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What says thank you better than a big bar of chocolate?  A really pretty bar of chocolate with a coordinating card, that’s what!  I really like how this Paper Pumpkin set got used  so differently than I normally do.

Paper Pumpkin Re-Make

I have mentioned my teacher aides before and how awesome they are.  The holidays are the perfect time to share that gratitude.  Especially when they feel special and others get to see that too.  Okay, they are teenage boys that love to feel awesome and oh so cool.  This works very well, just like they do.

Paper Pumpkin Re-Make

I used the card base to wrap over my vanilla cardstock and it fit around so nicely.  I was able to give it nice little scores and get two swipes of fast fuse to keep this together.  After a hefty wrapping of ribbon, I know it is so secure.  These holly leaves and little adhesive backed berries are so adorable though.  I could definitely get into a die cut to make more of these.  I will have to look around for one.

It is fun to go to work when you have this kind of joy to share.  Besides, today is the last day of school before a very nice and long three week break.  Phew!

Paper Pumpkin Re-Make

Have a creative day!

Moana

Paper Pumpkin Makes Me Smile!

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

While I was visiting my children and parents during the Thanksgiving break I had a little fun with my November Paper Pumpkin kit.  My mother and I love to craft, differently mind you, but love it still the same.  So we sat down and did half of our kits together.  It was so much fun.

Paper Pumpkin Makes Me Smile!

Yes, this is only half.  The kit came with materials to make ten cards, two different designs.  I just loved them.  I usually don’t share these unless I do something different than the kit suggests, but it was the time spared that was the fun share.  My favorite part of crafting in any form is sharing it.

Paper Pumpkin Makes Me Smile!

And when you have kits as adorable as these, it is easy to share more than you might think.  These will be going to some special people, but not until they get some candy to go with them.  I will blog that part tomorrow.  I am going to turn the other five cards into candy bar wraps for the gift part and give them with these cards.  Fun stuff, right?  See you tomorrow then!

Paper Pumpkin Makes Me Smile!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Garden Green Gift Box

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Need a gift box or two?  During the holidays we are always looking for something to wrap a last minute gift or party favor.  That is what my husband needed for a work party tomorrow.

Garden Green Gift Box

They are having a white elephant gift exchange, so I thought a really great box would throw them off completely.  The ornament inside is nearly bizarre, but almost interesting at the same time.  It has a flying pheasant, with a hunting fest hung below, and then a pheasant call hung below that.  Yes, somehow I let that one not go on my tree.  I wonder how that happened.

Garden Green Gift Box

This box though.  I used two sheets of garden green cut at 8.5 x 8.5 and scored at two inches all the way around for the sides.  The top score lines were moved a smidge over so the lid would be just a bit larger than the bottom and fit snug.  Mission accomplished.  I used the snowflake stamp from the Perpetual Birthday Calendar set.  Love that one so much.  It gets used all of the time.  I put a whole in the center with a circle framelit, which gave me funny half circle edges on two of the sides, but I couldn’t see a way around it, so I just went with it.

The window sheet was embossed with the elegant dots folder and stuck down inside.  The sheet measured 4 x 4 and I used fast fuse to keep it in there.  I ended up wrapping the gift in some 6″ wide burlap ribbon and doesn’t that look great?  Surprised me too.  Then this lovely box was given a big hug with some satin ribbon, gold to match the stamping, after being sponged like crazy of course.  Now, the fun begins!

Garden Green Gift Box

Have a creative day!

Moana

Workshop Wonders

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

What do you get when you bring together some creative friends?  A really unique workshop that was more fun than work that is for sure.  Just look at these adorable projects they created!

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We really did have a wonderful time sharing ideas, laughing, exchanging gifts and enjoying a lovely luncheon.  I think they impressed themselves more than each other.  And I loved crafting with them.

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I already blogged mine on Saturday, but wanted to just show theirs.  Two of our group couldn’t attend this one and they sure missed out.  Next time I am sure they will share something wonderful.  The ladies liked the activity so much that we decided to do it twice a year, once in December and once in the summer.  I do love these gals!

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Happy Christmas Exchange

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I usually don’t get the chance to blog on a workshop morning, but since we are doing things a little differently, my morning is a bit different.

Happy Christmas Exchange

For today’s workshop, my club ladies are each sharing a project and making a kit for everyone to complete.  This is my contribution.  It does need to be simple, the prep work done, and the project should be able to be completed in 5-10 minutes.  We then get to come home with several different projects and my ladies get a chance to show off their skills too!  I call that a win.

Happy Christmas Exchange

This project is all about simple layering with 1/4″ borders, two stamps, two different sized square framelits and a touch of ribbon.  Oh, and sponging please, plenty of sponging.  Really, it should be pretty satisfying.

We are also doing a little gift exchange and I am bringing my big bin of retired product that is their own little clearance rack.  I drag that out every 3-4 months after I add a bit here and there into it.  This will be our third year doing this, and I think it is a tradition here to stay.

Happy Christmas Exchange

Have a creative day!

Moana

White Christmas

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I had intended on making a matching bag for yesterday’s card, but I spent so much time on the card I had to call it and move on.  Yet the large piece of velum was still waiting for me to finish it up.  I made an effort or two.

White Christmas

My original plan didn’t work because I didn’t punch my holes along the bag top evenly and the ribbon stitching looked horrible.  I cut off the top and tried again.  There were improvements, but it is still uneven.  It did look really nice with the card, but this is like the Where’s Waldo of crafting goofups to be honest.  Can you find them all?

White Christmas

How about this obvious one.  I was chatting to my daughter and not paying attention to my scoring and the measurements got off.  You don’t waste foil velum though, so I continued on.  That is when I goofed up the hole punching the first time, and a bit again on the second time.  I didn’t bother putting treats inside because I don’t know if I can let this goof off the desk.

But, the set does look nice even if I made mistakes.  I always tell my ladies that there are no mistakes, only opportunities.  I don’t know about this one, maybe an opportunity to learn from my mistakes?

White Christmas

Have a creative day!

Moana

Bitty Boxy Holiday Bags

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

I managed to sneak yet another project out of that paper set.  I still have enough for a couple of cards or a medium sized gift bag.  Dang, what a lot of fun I have had using this paper.  But these tiny little bags certainly do take the cake.  Aren’t they just absolutely adorable?

Bitty Boxy Holiday Bags

My husband was given a large bag of candy as a thank you and he brought it home.  And he opened it.  So that is just dangerous.  I knew I had to come up with several little bags to use them up.  I am getting there.

Bitty Boxy Holiday Bags

Three different styles of box bags to get me going today.  I am partial to a milk carton style to be honest, but the tiny pinch pouch is just so sweet.  I used up three scraps of paper with a touch of glimmer paper to give them some bling.  I don’t know what I love more, the cording or metallic thread, so I had to use them both.

Bitty Boxy Holiday Bags

Have a creative day!

Moana