clean and simple

Floral Gift Box

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

When my daughter came home this week for her university break she brought this little birdhouse box with her.  My mother had given it to her to deliver to me to try and create a version of it.

Floral Gift Box

I don’t have a diecut that would do this, so I had to think it out a little bit.  Although I had several frustrations, I ended up with something cute.

Floral Gift Box

I started out with a piece of paper 7″ x 8.5″.  I scored along the 8.5″ side at 2, 4, 6, and 8″ leaving an edge of a half inch.  I turned it one quarter around and scored it at 2″.  This became the bottom.  Along the top, with the long scores going up, I proceeded to cut with my trimmer, not scissors.  I cut along the score lines down to 2.5″ on all score lines.  This gave the top flaps.  Two of them were punched with the scallop tag topper and the other two were trimmed down a bit.  My design became a bit flawed and I had to improvise a bit.

Floral Gift Box

I stamped the paper with versamark ink and applied white embossing powder to give me the cute little flowers you see.  They turned out so pretty.  The rest of the box assembly was pretty basic.  I know I don’t give a lot of detail, I get impatient.  I am working on it.

Have a creative day.

Moana

Ray of Sunshine and Pretty Petals

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

How about another one of those crazy mornings, that absolutely ran away from me.  To be honest, I was helping out everyone else and didn’t get my own goodies done.  Everything came together and worked out so, no worries!

Ray of Sunshine and Pretty Petals

Is this designer paper adorable or what!  This particular print reminded me of a recently retired stamp that has the most beautiful poppies in it.  I do love it when everything goes together so nicely.

Ray of Sunshine and Pretty Petals

A simple layering of designer paper, with coordinating paper and a length of ribbon to bring it all together.  I did a double layer of tags and squeezed in this sunshine sentiment keeping everything in calypso coral.  Love that color.  Six pretty little flowers all sponged and centered with basic rhinestones and I am in love with this card.

Ray of Sunshine and Pretty Petals

 

Have a creative day!

Moana

Bombs Away Birthday

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Did you ever buy something just loving it and being so excited to use it?  That would be the inspiration for this card today.  When Stampin’Up! first started coming out with their own photopolymer stamp sets I was so excited.

Bombs Away Birthday

I would buy them and have an absolute blast.  But, as you get more, some get neglected.  This particular set was so funny to me that it was a must.  I pulled it out and remembered why I hadn’t used it yet.  I loved the sentiments but was stumped on what to pair them with.

 Bombs Away Birthday

Enter the super awesome brick wall embossing folder.  I used my brayer to roll some cajun craze on one side of the folder, embossed a piece of the heavy weight whisper white cardstock and knew I had found the perfect pairing.  The way the ink beads up a bit on the folder actually gave the bricks a porous look.  Unexpected and very welcome indeed.

Bombs Away Birthday

Simple layering, sponging to make me happy, and a touch of gold metallic thread and this project is ready to be mailed!  Would you believe I have three different guys in my life that this would be perfect for?  Yes, they are all very much alike.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Sending Good Thoughts

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

Yesterday quite simply just ran away from me.  Sometimes there are too many things to get done, too many people to help, and one too many places to go.  So, this was for yesterday.

Sending Good Thoughts

How about a nice masculine all occasion card?  Nice combination if you ask me.  When you have a great background stamp like Hardwood, the card almost finishes itself.  The front was stamped in early espresso and sponged lightly until I liked the look.  I tried something a little different for my inside stamping.  I just used this huge stamp at an angle and stamped opposite corners.  It worked out pretty good.

Sending Good Thoughts

I had to stamp my sentiment a few times though,  I wasn’t being very patient and then it didn’t look straight.  It doesn’t have to be perfect to make me happy, but maybe not look all wonky either.  A quick trip to the banner triple punch and my front layering was done.  How easy is that?

Sending Good Thoughts

 

I did layer the banner element up on dimensionals and accessorized lightly with two silver mini-brads.  That is all it needed.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Love

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

How would you suggest I celebrate my 200th blog post?  Some would perhaps do a give away, a special sale, or something else full of excitement.  I just might be a little different.  How about showing something simple, something that I love.

Love

How about just saying that I have loved my journey so far, and am looking forward to continuing.  I do love being creative, love sharing it with others, and love the joy that comes from helping others find they are creative and talented too.  There, love.

 Love

This cute little bag?  How about using a 6×6 piece of paper, like this Go Wild DSP stack, scoring it at 2″ on all four sides, quick snip on both score lines on opposite sides, and watch it come together.  A little hole punching for the ribbon, which I do love the dotted lace trim too much, and a sweet bow.

Love

One tiny stamp with one tiny tag layered on another tiny tag.  Two little basic rhinestones and it is all finished.  I do love a simple project that shares more than just pretty product that is fun to work with, it shows you care about someone enough to do something special.  That is what I love.

Have a creative day!

Moana

It’s Your Day

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I think I am ready for summer to cool off.  Looks like I am thinking of a spring day here.  My daughter told me this looks like a dress.  Would be a cute one.

It's Your Day

I thought it would be fun to use a stamp in a different way than intended.  This leave bouquet is in a thanksgiving themed set. Also, I hadn’t used pink pirouette for quite some time and decided to put the two together.  At first I wanted to use the flower punches as if they were a flower at the end of each stem.  Well, looking at them they created stripes of flowers.  Not so good.  They looked much better placed randomly.

It's Your Day

I used glue dots to secure them.  I didn’t feel like it, but I did sponge them all.  It made a difference, really.  Plenty of basic rhinestones to go around and I loved the sparkle it gave.

It's Your Day

The sentiment came from the endless birthday wishes set.  I really had ignored this one, but it is so great!  I love, love, love how you can partner the typeset phrases with pretty cursive ones.  A tiny tag with a bow in the middle and it was all done.  Of course I had to echo stamp the inside to match the front though, then it was really done.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Game On!

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Know someone who is taking on a new challenge?  Me too, and this card is just right for her.  I guess it could go for a lot of different occasions, even a child’s birthday card, use your imagination.  I sure did.

Game On!

The card base is bermuda bay and I kept it just to that one color.  The card front has a narrow boarder with the stamped front layered on another piece of bermuda bay cardstock and lifted up on dimensionals.  The simple sentiment comes from the Dear Heart set, along with this adorable little boy.

Game On!

He is prepped for adventure with a mask from the Calling All Heroes set stamped in coordinating ink.  I punched him out with the 1 3/4″ circle punch and layered that again with a 2″ circle punch of more bermuda bay.  A simple accent of striped grosgrain ribbon finished it off nicely.

Game On!

I sponged color around the edges of the card front, the inside panel and the circle punches.  Just softening it a little bit.  Now I can’t wait to give it to my friend.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Go Wild All Occasion Card

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Such a simple card for today, but it really makes me smile.  I did really try for a sentiment, some kind of cute stamped phrase, but couldn’t do it.  I just really liked it how it was.

Go Wild All Occasion Card

I guess that will leave this truly an all occasion card waiting for who knows what.  I think it leans more to the feminine side, but maybe a bit of room for masculine?  Your choice.

Go Wild All Occasion Card

The card base is made with tip top taupe layered with basic black and a front of this awesome go wild designer series paper.  I brought out the banner triple punch to give me these perfect banners.  I love not having to snip or make a square punch try to work.  I even repeated the pattern inside the card.  Not my usual, but I do like stamping on the inside.

Go Wild All Occasion Card

A touch of satin stitched ribbon around the banner trio and this card was done.  Super simple with a great look.  I think this might be my make and take for a demonstrator event I am attending this month.  Hmmmm…

Have a creative day!

Moana

Boho Chic Gift Bag

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

The UPS man brought this lovely little box yesterday that had some really fun things inside.  One of which was the new striped cotton ribbon.  I held off for a bit, but went for it when they went on sale.

Boho Chic Gift Bag

I wasn’t disappointed, let me tell you.  So, I wanted to make something that really put the ribbon out front.  No stamping today, how odd.  Some embossing though, had to have something.  The boho chic embossing folder is really too cool.

Boho Chic Gift Bag

That was also a new product I wasn’t very sure about.  As you can see, the pattern is great and will be tons of fun.  I haven’t gotten the designer series paper it coordinates with, but I will soon enough.  Can’t have it all, at once that is.

Boho Chic Gift Bag

 

This is one whole sheet of tangelo twist and two pieces of very vanilla.  With my trusty score board by my side, I can make all kinds of fun boxes and bags.  Such a great go to tool.  Highly recommended.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Thoughts & Prayers, Praying For You

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

How weird is it to make a card with yourself in mind?  I have to think that sometimes that is more than okay.  More than okay, it is a great idea!

Thoughts & Prayers, Praying For You

I have to say that I am proud of this little card though.  My thoughts were more than scattered as I sat down to work.  I have a small stack of scraps to the side that I just haven’t filed back.  Today I made this project entirely from scrap, with the exception of the pearls and ribbon.  How cool is that!

Thoughts & Prayers, Praying For You

That makes my work easier, cleans up that little stack, and keeps my main stash of paper untouched for one more day.  I do feel a paper order coming on though.

Thoughts & Prayers, Praying For You

 

I love love love this brick embossing folder.  It makes so many fun looks and I love how it is 6×6 so I can have my bricks facing how I want regardless of my paper direction.  Wheeee!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Thank You For Being You

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I am feeling a little extra grateful this morning.  There are those out there that step forward and go beyond their own limits just to be kind and take care of others.  Truly a beautiful thing.

Thank You For Being You

So, it had to be all about a special thank you.  Not to focus on too many distractions, just keep the emphasis on the thanking, specifically ‘you’.  With this totally awesome Larger Than Life Alphabet & Numbers set, no problem.  I am looking at this card across the room and it is so obvious what the card is about.  Perfect.

Thank You For Being You

The card base is the heavy weight whisper white card stock.  Love that stuff.  I just like knowing that the base will stand up to whatever I put down on the front.  Today’s isn’t heavy at all, but I know it won’t tip over or curl.  Happy days!

Thank You For Being You

 

What makes this project even better?  It has all kinds of fun, but it won’t need extra postage because it is flat.  How cool is that!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Seriously Amazing

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

You will have to indulge me one more day of paper pumpkin projects.  This is the other portion of my paper crafting fun day.

Seriously Amazing

These I made very traditional, just like the directions.  It was still super fun and I was much happier with the results than I thought I would be.  Sometimes simplicity can be so beautiful!

Seriously Amazing

How about tiny ones too?  Wouldn’t these be great for gift cards?  I think so too.  I don’t see these as either masculine or feminine, just fun.  So, that means good for either and makes them that much more awesome!

Seriously Amazing

All of these and the kit is only half used.  Yup, I get to make two more large ones and two more small ones.  And, of course I get the totally cute stamps to add to my stash.

Seriously Amazing

All of these fun cards have been added to the card file.  I so love having just the right card right when I need it.  I totally have helped out more than one friend in a bind too.  Share when you can, right?  Of course!

Have a creative day!

Moana

I’m So Grateful For You

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

After yet another awesome summer concert I am super exhausted!  So I asked my daughter this morning what color she thought this flower would be.  She talked about purple, orange or yellow.  I thought about tropical, but went with elegant eggplant.

I'm So Grateful For You

It is hard to tell, but there is silver ink painted over the purple.  Of course I had to get out my trusty aqua painter for all three ink colors I used.  Totally love that thing!

I'm So Grateful For You

There was a heavy amount of sponging as well.  I loved the sentiment, but it was the second half of the front sentiment and it was basically a dangling participle.  So, I just didn’t ink up the ‘and’ and the beginning.  Perfect!

I'm So Grateful For You

I may have been half asleep for this project, but it turned out really wonderful.  It is great when I get to sit back and be impressed with myself.  A job well done.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Larger Than Life!

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Turning 18 can be exciting, scary, or even uneventful.  As a parent it is definitely exciting and scary, but it would be nice if it was calm and even a bit subtle.  With my oldest daughter turning 18 next week, subtle is more likely the theme.  She is at university now, and I won’t be there to celebrate with her.  A care package is in order for sure.

Larger Than Life!

The new designer series paper packs are awesome.  I love that they measure 6×6.  You aren’t limited by the direction of the pattern because you have a larger area to work with.  Makes me so happy.

Larger Than Life!

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to work with this huge letter and alphabet set, but I went for it.  It is so huge!  But I think I will have a ton of fun with it.  I honestly think it would be so funny if I turned the period after the number abbreviation to a red exclamation point.  Could I deny her the birthday?  Stop my daughter from growin up any more?  Not likely.

Larger Than Life!

A clean and simple card is the theme here.  Celebrating birthdays doesn’t mean everything is to be all flashy, it could, but it doesn’t have to be.

Have a creative day!

Moana

One Big Meaning

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Today is workshop day!  As much as I dislike all the rush to finish up last minute to-do’s, workshop is always fun.  I get to work with a bunch of really great ladies that love to create and do beautiful work.

One Big Meaning

I set out for a super quick project this morning and found it.  I do love how a few good punches can make magic so quickly.  It really was a grab and go kind of card.

One Big Meaning

This was made with a card front in my ever so favorite newsprint designer series paper.  It is so light and clean.  The look of newspaper without all the mess.  Partnered with a card base in sahara sand, all it needed was a simple sentiment and a bit of fluff.

One Big Meaning

I love the new thank you set, One Big Meaning.  I like having choices of how I say thank you.  A heavy dose of itty bitty flowers and basic pearls and it was nearly done.  A full bow was too much, so I opted for a simple knot instead.  When you are working with the beautiful dotted lace trim you can’t go wrong.  Great stuff!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Remarkable You

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Working with great paper makes everything so much more fun.  Colored embossed paper, in such pretty colors?  Of course, why not!

Remarkable You

The project began with the new heavy weight whisper white cardstock, I love having such a heavy base, and gathered layers of stamping and more color.  The image and sentiment come from the same set, which is delicious by the way, and were stamped in black stazon.  I knew I would be water coloring, so that is the perfect ink to work with.

Remarkable You

I blended watermelon wonder with a touch of crumb cake and it turned out so nice.  I chose crumb cake because I was using linen thread and wanted to tie in the colors.  A large ribbon wasn’t going to work here.  It took too much focus away from the flower and sentiment.

Remarkable You

I think I would add a mat or two behind the flower next time, but left it alone for now.  It turned out nice, just right.  I do love a simple water color.

Have a creative day!

Moana

That Thing You Did

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

This stamp set is just the best.  The combination phrases really get me laughing.  This one in particular is my favorite.  You’re on my mind, but not in a creepy way.  How great is that.

That Thing You Did

I like how it looks all pretty and then this secondary saying just throws it off like crazy.  Almost like if you aren’t really paying attention, you will totally miss the joke.  My favorite.

That Thing You Did

A simple embossed background with the new cool boho chic folder.  I wasn’t sure at first, but that didn’t last long.  It is way cool.  Lots of options there.

That Thing You Did

This is short and sweet today because first, the card just doesn’t need a lot of explaining.  Second, I am posting ahead because I am taking my girls to a concert, that they have been waiting for since Christmas, and I wanted to focus on that.  I made this card as a thank you for my sister-in-law for letting us stay over at her place after the concert.  I also made a little matching tote with a bunch of other cards for her to use as part of the thank you.  Good stuff there!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Happy Thoughts for You

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

When I first subscribed to Paper Pumpkin it was all about getting exclusive stamp sets that I couldn’t purchase through regular shopping.  I didn’t want to miss out.  That was true in the beginning stages, but then the kits started getting better and better and the projects were almost better than the stamps.

Happy Thoughts for You

I had a hard time putting those great stamps to work after I finished up the kits.  So I tried something different this time.  With my last kit, I used the stamps separately before I got into the kit.  These are the stamps, but nothing at all to do with the card kit, which is fabulous by the way.

I am in love with the new heavy weight whisper white cardstock.  I love a white card and it just had to be sturdier.  Job well done.  Sahara sand might be my favorite neutral.  It goes so well with everything.  Just a hint of color without any obvious distraction.

Happy Thoughts for You

A little bit of simple layering and a bunch of dimensionals.  The aqua painter got involved again, it is such a great tool.  Using it along the stamped images to bring in the lightest amount of color.  What a great look and so easy to accomplish.  Finish it off with the lovely dotted lace trim.

Have a creative day!

Moana

One Butterfly Too Many? I Think Not…

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

It was time to gather the butterflies, and I didn’t even use them all!  There is another punch and framelit and other stamps as well.  Clearly I love these!  Can you blame me?  They are so beautiful.  I am getting excited for a new stamp set that is on its way.  It has a dragonfly in it and those are my favorite.

One Butterfly Too Many? I Think Not...

It is hard to match this combination though.  I wonder how many butterflies I have seen so far on my pioneer trek.  I might be too tired this morning to notice.  But today I get to come home.  This yellow is the accent color in my skirt and matching apron I made for this trek.  What an event it must have been.  I will have to tell you more later.

One Butterfly Too Many? I Think Not...

I layered up this beautiful butterflies after I sponged their edges pretty heavily.  I wanted them to be one color, but have a subtle difference as well.  It worked nicely,  I also used the tiny butterfly stamp from the perpetual birthday calendar set to create a flock of them flying up the side and across the top.  That was really fun.  With some heavy sponging that look was complete.

One Butterfly Too Many? I Think Not...

I didn’t know if I wanted to stamp my sentiment with so saffron or black.  I started with so saffron, decided it wasn’t bold enough, and offset a second stamping in black.  It worked out really well.  The photopolymer stamps really make things like that super easy.  I repeated some of those stamps on the inside and then blinged up the butterflies properly.  They do look grand, do they not?

Have a creative day!

Moana

Flower Patch Beauty

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

My husband was given a thank you note that inspired this simple creation.  I usually like more, but this couldn’t be more perfect.  The subtle layering of the flower, the gentle stem, and the touch of glitter come together to make this stunner.

Flower Patch Beauty

I did a narrow border with an additional layer of watermelon wonder and popped that combo up on dimensionals.  I thought about adding some of that lovely dotted lace trim, but didn’t want to interfere with the glitter or the stem.  Really, it turned out so nice.

Flower Patch Beauty

So, here it sits, in its simple glory.  I love this color and I love it even more in this beautiful card.  Maybe I should send this note back to the friend that inspired it.  They certainly are wonderful.

Flower Patch Beauty

 

Look for inspiration in every day life, it is there waiting for you.

Have a creative day!

Moana