Bloom With Hope Birthday

March 25, 2015March 25, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I don’t think I can ever get enough of this color combination. It is just so soft and elegant. I am trying to get my fix of coastal cabana in before it retires this summer. I really do love this color.

The sale-a-bration designer paper I used is already soft and pretty. But doesn’t it look even dreamier with velum over the top? Absolutely yes!

This cute box is open on top and is ready to be filled. My girls thought it should be filled with hershey’s kisses. How fun to have this out and ready to be shared!

Can you see the echo stamping I did on the inside of the card. It looks just as pretty in blue as it does in black on the front. I do love the inside stamped.

Well, this set speaks for itself, in volumes. You should try it out.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Perfect Pennants Birthday Bash

March 23, 2015March 23, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Aside from the rushed photos and my crazy allergies, I think these cards are rather fun! They are a definite challenge to the cloudy rainy day we have here. We need the rain and I need the pollen washed away. Actually, everything has a dusting of pollen that gives it a crushed curry look. Funny…

My mind is pretty darn blank today. Again with the allergies. But I needed some birthday cards and wanted to brighten up my desk. Mission accomplished.

The banner framelits really make a fun look. So simple to do, my favorite kind of excitement on a card. It doesn’t have to be all tricky and unique to give the right effect. Having everything all tidy and clean really gives a professional edge. Nice.

So, get out there and make some birthday cards! You know you need them and it is always nice to have them on hand.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Kinda Eclectic Ray of Sunshine

March 21, 2015March 21, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Eclectic is the true nature of this card. A little bit of everything coming together to create something beautiful. With these colors, stamped images, punches, and a perfect Walt Whitman quote, how could you go wrong?

Of course I had to layer in the 1/8th” fashion as is my thing these days. But it makes me happy, even if it seems a bit wasteful. I often punch or cut out underneath anyway, so it isn’t too bad. I didn’t think I would notice if I inked the edges or not in such a narrow border, but you totally do. It looked almost plain otherwise with this combo. Interesting.

When I stamped inside I used just the corner of the sunburst, it was just right. It made me think of a quilt block I have never been brave enough to try. I think I have seen it called New York beauty and it involves paper piecing to keep those points just so. Beautiful, but daunting. Maybe someday.

Well, today is workshop day, so I had to keep it brief. No time for a second variation of the card and a matching bag. I still have to get to the store before I go!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Just Kidding, Tap Tap Tap

March 20, 2015March 20, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I can’t even tell you how much this stamp set makes me laugh. Stampin’ Up! comes out with new photopolymer stamp sets during the year and their themes are all over the place. You need to look up this set and get ready to laugh.

I think this set would be perfect to share a little gift with a crafting buddy or two. I could put tons of little goodies in the gift bag. One of my favorite things.

This spiral border punch I used is so much fun. I have to be careful, or all of my projects are going to get that look. Do you ever fall in love with a product and just want to go crazy with it?

These tiny little buttons are part of a free gift with purchase set. They come along with the little twines you see on top of the tag. I pulled apart the strands for a lighter look. They come in all five colors, five yards each, and a collection of these little buttons. They are so sweet.

I think this will be project number two for workshop tomorrow. I picked the first one from a prior project and I will post the third in the morning. They are a fun mix for sure.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Wildflower Meadow Watercolor

March 19, 2015March 19, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

How about waking up to a ray of sunshine? This feels like a spring sunrise. The kind you wish you could get lost in, or just put on pause so you can stay there.

I was sulking over my blendabilities tragedy and wanted to play with color. So I pulled out some watercolor paper and decided to make a mess. I picked my colors, mushed some ink from my pads onto wax paper, sprayed them with water and started putting my paper on it to make patterns. Those colors were too dark, so I switched to the ones you see. Soft sky, daffodil delight and blushing bride. I repeated the process and the colors were just right. I dried it with my heat gun because I have no patience, sheesh…

I then stamped the wildflower meadow stamp in black stazon and went for it. I love the texture that shows through the ink. I finished it off with a tiny stamp from the Tap Tap Tap set to just say “hi”. I used the tiny oval to punch it out, inked it and backed it with another oval punched in daffodil delight.

A healthy smattering of basic pearls and a big hug in seam binding ribbon and this guy was ready. I raised it up on dimensionals and called it done. Kind of simple, but has lots of interest at the same time. Give it a try!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Painted Blooms with Lotus Blossom

March 16, 2015March 16, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

I finally gave in and cut into those whole sheet pieces of art in the Painted Blooms DSP. I have used several of the other patterns, just not the one lovely enough to be framed. I got brave and was really pleased with the results.

A trio of happiness for sure. Along the top left and top left of the paper it opens us, just like it would in a flower garden. I used those spaces for stamping and then again as my inside paper. It was as if I had stamped it, but didn’t need to. And I didn’t want to not use it, but it wasn’t the right balance for a card front.

This need to make matching gift bags is really starting to fill up my work station. I can count ten bags from where I am sitting. Seriously now, I need to do some gifting.

I really enjoy the combination of rose red and wild wasabi. They really are beautiful together. Sweet words, pretty colors, flowers and butterflies, my work is so happy here.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Let’s Celebrate Gold Soiree!

March 10, 2015March 10, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

How beautiful is this paper, right? Well, having it to look at is fun, but using it is better. Sometimes we hang on too long because it is so pretty. If you have it, use it. That being said, this is only my second project with this paper pack. Oooops…

This is on its way to becoming a six card set. I have a friend hosting a baby shower for her daughter and I am on prize patrol. Yup, the prizes will be card sets and the like. How fun will that be!

This was one of those cards that as I started I was pretty unsure. I though the calypso coral and garden green would just take over and my paper would be lost. Leave it to Stampin’Up! to have everything go together so perfectly.

I just kept going and was pleasantly surprised when it looked better than I thought it would. I really love the boarder stamp I used inside. It is so delicate. Why don’t you give it a try!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Kinda Eclectic with Flashback DSP

March 8, 2015March 8, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Yet another dip into the awesome annual catalog brought out this beauty! The Kinda Eclectic stamp set looked almost too trendy for my style. I think we found a middle ground, don’t you?

We’ve got just about everybody involved today. There is stamping of course, punches, framelits, stapling, and creative adhesive use. Phew, what a workout!

Actually, it wasn’t that hard. It really is great to have tools that are designed to create an awesome look so easily. It makes a master crafter out of just about anyone. You should really give it a try.

I used pool party, crushed curry and smokey slate. I think the inside stamping really gives it a nice look. And who doesn’t love a coordinating stamp and punch!

Well, I had better sign off and head to my next adventure. It would be making twenty sour cream box guys for a camp meeting this evening. How fun!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Painted Petals with Elegant Eggplant

March 4, 2015March 4, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I sat down to work on this blog project with only one thing in mind, purple.

I am totally feeling it. I haven’t used elegant eggplant in ages. I think it could have easily been a year. For shame…

The painted petals stamp set is such a useful set. The sentiments, all three shown here, are wonderful. The flowers have so many options. The additional graphic elements really give a lot of interest. I wonder how many projects I could make with just this set. That thought just sent my mind spinning.

It seems I can’t make a card these days without a matching bag or box. It makes for a really busy desktop. I obviously need to give more of this away.

The background is cardstock velum stamped with white stazon using lovely lace and then I embossed it. Sometimes the double treatment is necessary.

I hope you feel inspired to get out there and have a creative day!

Moana

Sheltering Tree

March 3, 2015March 3, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

Spring is in the air and blossoms are all over my fruit trees. I thought I would try to re-create that with my maiden voyage of this beautiful stamp set. It worked.

I tried to add more interest with white stazon flowers in the trees, but my color pallet was too light and they were kind of lost. Seeing them in person makes it easier that through a photo. I thought I could color with some blendabilities over the stazon parts, but decided against it.

The card base is wild wasabi with whisper white and blushing bride layers. To keep the boarders nice and tidy I adhered them with tombo multipurpose glue so I could wiggle them in just the right place. I love the skinny boarders, but they can be a bit tricky.

It needed some kind of embellishment, but it had to be subtle. The linen thread became the perfect choice and finished it off perfectly.

Now, with these cards looking so happy and ready to go, I wish I had a bunch more to send to all my dear friends.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Hello You

February 27, 2015February 27, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I was pretty unsure about using such a dark color. I normally would have brightened it up, but stuck with it. The results did come together pretty nicely I must say.

The designer paper from the Birthday Bash set had been fussing at me for a while to get out the Night of Navy. Isn’t it pretty paper?

The wording set is a combo of a stamp and a thinlit. The small words come from a huge set of stamps that really give so many choices. They are photopolymer so placement is super easy. The adorable ‘hello’ is one of five thinlits from the Hello You set. For being so delicate, it was super easy to use. Great results!

I went back and forth on adding the Boho Blossoms flowers or not. The card actually was lovely without them, but I kept on. I liked how they added just the right touch. If you are a clean and simple kind of crafter, just remove the flowers. It really does make a difference.

Either way, you should give this card a try. It uses a ton of fun products that come together in a way that only Stampin’Up! could. I so love how everything coordinates in every way. Especially with a monochromatic look like this.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Lotus Blossom Gift Set

February 13, 2015February 13, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I really wasn’t feeling well when I sat down to create today’s project, but knew it needed to be done. My first thought was to make a get well card. It didn’t do anything for me.

But a friend recently really helped me out when I was in an absolute bind. Doing something nice for someone is always my perfect inspiration.

So even though I was half asleep and feeling terrible, I managed to make something that I really loved. It might even make its way into next weekends workshop. Serving others is awesome!

This project set is all about Lost Lagoon and bows. I used the Big Shot for the large bow, can’t get enough of that huge bow. Then I brought in the Bow Builder Punch that is so popular right now. I thought they went nicely together. I focused on the Lotus Blossom stamp set. I tried something new to me. Instead of putting connecting sentiments on the inside and outside of a card, I connected them with the card and matching gift bag. The closure on the bag actually just tucks just under that bow and it holds it beautifully. How awesome is that! I used designer series paper from the Moonlight paper stack. Such pretty paper.

Well, I am super excited about this project. I hope you find it interesting enough to give it a try.

Have a creative day!

Moana

studio824

Creativity for all seasons and reasons.

Kindness

Bloom With Hope Birthday

Perfect Pennants Birthday Bash

Kinda Eclectic Ray of Sunshine

Just Kidding, Tap Tap Tap

Wildflower Meadow Watercolor

Painted Blooms with Lotus Blossom

Let’s Celebrate Gold Soiree!

Kinda Eclectic with Flashback DSP

Painted Petals with Elegant Eggplant

Sheltering Tree

Hello You

Lotus Blossom Gift Set