Wedding

Enjoy Your Special Day

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

With all of the crazy flood problems and evacuation orders in our area (Northern California), writing this blog almost seemed silly.  But, instead of constantly worrying, I thought I would try to do something a bit more productive.  This project was actually for Saturday, but I never seem to be able to get a blog in on workshop day.  Just a bit much for a Saturday morning I think.  So here you go!

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The ladies sure did love making these.  I was kind and did the die cutting for them, but that was just so the big shot would be available for the hot air balloon birthday card.  That was blogged the other day, and they loved it too!  I know how to challenge them, make them a bit crazy, and help them have a wonderful creative time.

This project idea came from another Stampin’Up! demonstrator, who got it from one of her friends.  Either way, Dawn’s Stamping Thoughts is the inspiration behind this project.  She used different colors and the white wink of stella covering the entire dragonfly, so only a tiny touch different. I added a bit of inside stamping.

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It looks so much more complicated than in really is.  The back piece of the dragonfly was die cut from whisper white and the detailed overlay from basic black.  They were glued together and the sections were colored in with the brush end of the marker.  I then went over all of the sections with gold wink of stella.  How easy is that!  It is so beautiful in person. I tried to get an angled photo just right to show off the shimmer, but it is so hard to capture those tiny little glimmers.  You really have to try it out.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Love…

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Okay, a little time off is nice, but that wasn’t my intention here.  Life took a busy turn and I am trying to get back on track.  I am out of town trying to enjoy time with my son and his new bride, help my oldest daughter with wedding plans, and manage a little bit of business as well.  I would like to say I am on vacation, but a bit too busy for that.  No fussing, just enjoy the love through it all.

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This simple card was made from an extra kit from a workshop last weekend.  Simple layers, this is all about those layers.  I wouldn’t have paired this particular embossing folder with items outside of nautical items, but I loved how it looked.  I made a large set of cards to blog ahead with and had the intention of sharing them with my new daughter in love.  She is adorable.  Living in a university town there are plenty of weddings to attend, so that is the job of this particular card.  They actually have three to go to in the next month or so.  Busy.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Marriage is a Journey

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

Time for something wonderful, like a wedding.  A white on white card with this much sparkle says wedding like nothing else.  It almost feels like a wedding gown.  So lovely.

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The entire card was made from one sheet of heavy weight card stock, plus a piece of dazzeling diamond glimmer paper.  That stuff is so fantastic to work with, but I am a bit stingy sometimes.  This time, I put it to really good use.

The layers were simple, with just a 1/8″ border added along to each one.  I used the center of the glimmer paper to die cut the floral images I used to decorate the front and the inside. Since it was covered by the other layers, you can’t even see the holes.  Great use of paper.  I also stamped and die cut my sentiment from another layer of the white card stock that was covered as well.  Even with a card this glamorous you can still be practical.

I stamped the card front with versa mark ink, sprinkled with heat n stick powder and heated until it was ready to receive something more.  It was actually pretty by itself, but I did cover the freshly sticky flowers with iridescent ice powder and then heated again.  You can see how beautiful it looks.  Capturing sparkle on camera can be tricky, but not with this technique.  It is that much more in person, really beautiful.

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Isn’t this sentiment set just so adorable for a wedding card?  I am looking forward to my 26th anniversary next month with my best friend, just fantastic!

Have a creative day!

Moana

A Special Congratulations

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When your daughter gets engaged it is a whole different feeling.  I don’t know how else to explain it, but it just is.  However, planning takes on a whole new level of excitement that is more than difficult to control.  Having two wedding receptions within seven months does slow you down though.  Creativity, don’t fail me now!

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I finally broke out this bundle to see just what all the chatter is about.  Well, it is really that amazing.  I am going to have a ton of fun working this set.  So many bloggers have really done some amazing work so far, I am going to need to get to work to catch up.  I bet when my daughter sees this she might just get some shifty ideas about wedding invitations. Some things just aren’t fun when you have to make them by the hundreds though.  Perhaps the wedding invite and not the general reception invitation though, definitely manageable.

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I went with metallic thread as to not distract from the detail of the die cut, but that won’t last long.  I see lots of different types and sizes of ribbon being wonderful here.  It makes me want to change this out right away, but I will leave it.  It matches the copper metallic embossing powder I used on the congratulations sentiment.  Simple and elegant.  Yummy.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Wedding Favors?

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What kind of summer has been going on here?  Well…I guess it has been about weddings. We just finished enjoying our son’s wedding and both receptions.  So much fun and truly a joy throughout the entire process.  Much easier to say that now that it is through.  Guess who is looking at wedding favor possibilities?  My oldest daughter.  Wow, two weddings in one year?  Okay…I guess…

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Not much to talk about here to be honest.  I have used a die cut I got from a thrift store and I don’t even know who makes it.  But it is totally adorable.  I don’t even know if I can fit an entire fortune cookie in it, but we are going to try.  The ribbon is current in this years catalog and I love it.  I might go with the other mint macaron ribbon though, a bit smaller scale, easier to work with and a touch less expensive.  The paper I have here is a retired paper from last year.  I will have to use regular card stock or find another paper that is close to the color she loves.  Shouldn’t be too hard though.  I would rather use designer paper instead of card stock so it can be patterned and avoid stamping, mass stamping actually.  I would never avoid stamping.

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Either way, you can get a tiny glimpse into the adventures ahead.  It should be more than wonderful.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Happy Father’s Day, a Day Late…

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Where have my blog manners gone?  Well, I had workshop on Saturday and one heck of an adventure before going, so couldn’t blog the projects we were going to make.  I will share them this week though, no worries.  Then there was Father’s Day, and these lovely little tuxedo boxes to make, nearly 85 all together.  So, you can see why I haven’t had a minute or two to share some of these goodies.

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This tiny gift box wasn’t my idea, thank you many people who are also so creative and share online, but I adapted to make it work for me.  They looked so adorable all lined up with treats poking out of the top, but I just didn’t have a moment to photograph them all together before they were given away.  Believe me though, there were many smiles from more than pleased men in my church congregation as they were passed out by the young women I work with.

The box was made with half a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 black cardstock and measures 1 x 3 4/2 and can hold a lot of little treats.  The tuxedo was assembled and then glued to the box.  All kinds of assembly lines were working with my family being so helpful.  The bow tie was obviously just a bit of ribbon with a knot in it and then trimmed to look kind of right and glued on with a glue dot.  The buttons went on in a bit of a whirlwind, but ended up looking pretty darn adorable.  The boutonniere was made from a retired tiny flower punch, punched twice, and attached together as well as the lapel with a tiny silver brad.  It was a bit extra, but added just the perfect touch.  The lapels and shirt collars were really eyeballed and scored with no real measuring in mind, just trying to make it look right.  I knew I had too many to do to make them too perfectly.

It was a great project that took quite a bit of time, over four days, with plenty of family help, but was worth every moment.  Way to be awesome dads everywhere!

Have a creative day!

Moana

I Do…

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

This is one huge, and most wonderful wedding card.  I think it is to the grandest scale I have done so far.  Must be because we are only a week away from our sons big day!  I think that I just might use this one for myself. I will have to think long and hard about what to write…

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This card measures 11 1/4 x 3 3/4″, how about that!  I used a sheet of 12 x 12 to put this one together.  The front is layered with a large piece of dazzling diamond glimmer paper with a special water color panel for the card front.  The lettering was done with the Larger Than Life Alphabet & Number stamp set.  It is, sad to say, retiring.  Along with this beautiful Lost Lagoon color.

I spent quite a bit of time moving ink along this piece.  Painting, distressing, drying, and then repeating all of that until I liked what I saw.  The stamping was simple.  The first layer was done with lost lagoon and then again with silver encore ink.  The result gave a shadow look, but it is still two dimensional and flat as can be.  The flowers aren’t of course, and I love the look.  Kind of like blossoms traveling in the wind.  It will be interesting to try and create an envelope for this one, maybe it is too beautiful to put it in one. Hmmm….

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Have a creative day!

Moana

For the New Two

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Weddings, weddings, weddings, someone has weddings on the brain.  I have to say that I am enjoying that very much.  This was the third project I used for my club ladies this last Saturday.  I hadn’t had them create a card and bag duo before, but they handled it quite well.

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This Brushstrokes background stamp sure has been fun to play with.  The ladies thought this was designer paper, not paper they would create.  So very useful and a ton of fun.  I am sad I waited so long to buy one for my collection.  I can think of so many possibilities, I think black and gold will be next for this stamp, perhaps gold embossing?

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I used the coordinating, or second half of the sentiment on the tag for the gift bag instead of the inside of the card.  It is fun to tie the set together not only be design and color, but by wordings as well.  It really puts the whole stamp set to work.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Beautiful Ride for Newlyweds

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It may be hard to tell, but there are an absolute ton of colors going on here.  I had a blast working on this set.  When I finally finished I was a bit surprised to see how late it got, but it was worth it for sure.  I love making wedding cards just for special people in your life. This one is no different.

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I worked the colors to create a sunrise look and I think it turned out really nice.  I was having a chocolate craving last night, so I settled for chocolate chip paper.  Not quite delicious, but it still worked out.  That led me to marina mist for the car color. From there everything else just came together.

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I wanted a gift bag to go along with the card to give the gift card something to go in.  I think I will put a tiny selection of rich chocolates around it, wouldn’t you like to get a treat too? Opening gifts can be exhausting for a newlywed couple, so they deserve a sugar boost along the way.

The details in this set are really busy and probably hard to notice.  I think a project like this should look simple even if you know better.  Not everyone knows how much work goes into a tiny work of art like this, but that doesn’t stop me from sharing them.  Just a few more weeks and this card will find its way to the deserving adorable couple.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Forever Begins Today

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I don’t think I can get enough of this pretty paper.  I am glad I managed to earn an extra pack of this paper during Sale-a-bration.  This particular pattern was my second favorite, hard to top it though.

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Another sad part about this card is that soon the blackberry bliss I used for the card base will soon retire.  I will so miss using it.  It was really my favorite.  Time to enjoy it as much as possible and get ready for some new colors.  I think I might get a little stash of it built up to enjoy though.

This card is like the others in the series, pretty direct and to the point.  I stamped my sentiment in old olive, punched it with the extra-large oval punch, sponged it with silver encore ink and shadowed it with another punch in blackberry bliss.  I raised them up on dimensionals and put them just to the side of a lovely ribbon tied with seam binding ribbon.  I could use that ribbon on just about everything.  I thought I wouldn’t love anything as much as the chevron ribbon that retired last year, but I sure do!

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Forever Begins Today

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Inspiration came from an unusual place this time.  I was pretty tired after a full day and looked through the events and chatted with my daughter a bit.  She didn’t have much either.  However, we had just gotten our nails done that afternoon and I went with her nail choice.  They were done white with a few pretty jewels tucked around the base of her ring finger nails.  I thought it was lovely.  So, here it went into the card.  This turned into one stunning card fit for any wedding or very special occasion.

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Of course weddings are on my mind like crazy.  Not only is my son getting married this summer, but my niece, my good friends daughter, and another few to boot.  It is a really busy wedding season for sure.  I will need wonderful cards like this for sure.

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The layers are very simple.  Just quarter inch two times over with the front layer embossed with the elegant dots embossing folder.  I tucked small basic rhinestones in each of the small ovals and it was wonderful.  Yes, that is a lot of bling, but wedding cards always deserve special attention.  This is the kind of card I could see a bride keeping in her memory book.  So exciting!

I had intended on putting the sentiment on the front of the card, but hated to interrupt the beautiful symmetry going on.  So I tucked in inside because it made it wonderful.  Without that particular sentiment the card could become all occasion, but special occasions for sure.

The sentiment was stamped in silver encore ink.  I wanted a bit more shine so I sprinkled clear embossing powder over the top and set it with my heat tool.  It took it up a notch and made me very happy.  I can see more of these coming together to help celebrate the many wonderful events coming up this year.

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Have a creative day.

Moana

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

Where was my crafty side yesterday?  Getting ready for a wonderful engagement party for my son and darling fiance, that’s where.  Not to mention making all of these bad boys.  Yup, over fifty of them.

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The game was to pick a gift and give it to the couple with your introductions.  As they opened it you had the opportunity to either tell them what the gift item would be good for, or offer wedding advice.

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Then, you got to ask them a question, a get to know you question. It was so great to get to know her, and my son with her, so much better.  Good food, good laughs, and even a pinata contest.  They each had their own and we all cheered them on to see who could bust theirs open first.  So many laughs.

Now we get to enjoy another fun day with them and other family.  Weddings can be just so exciting!  Loving every minute of all of this adventure.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

My Heart Smiles

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As my husband and daughter were heading out the door early this morning, I asked them to pick a pattern for today’s project from the Love Blossoms DSP stack.  Didn’t they choose awesome ones?

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I was initially thinking of a Valentine’s Day card, but this quickly changed into more than that.  It definitely has that vibe, but not exclusively.  I do enjoy a project that is versatile. I used new product like crazy today.  The paper of course, I hadn’t taken one piece out of the stack yet.  Such pretty patterns.  This stamp was a first too.  And wouldn’t you know it, the sentiment fit perfectly inside the extra-large oval punch.  Too perfect!  I hadn’t tried the fine tip glue pen yet, but it was perfect to stick down my tiny baby linen thread bow.  Can’t see my adhesive, can you.  Nope.  And of course, the lovely blushing bride glimmer paper.  It is so fun.  I know we can’t have glimmer paper in all of the colors, but wouldn’t that be fun?

This card was just blocked on heavy weight whisper white card stock, with the base also being heavy.  I really enjoy a white card, but the paper has to be heavy enough to hold up all the fun stuff on the front.  This paper is totally up to the task.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Rose Wonder

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This was a fun project for sure.  As you have heard me say so much recently, I do love to water color with my stamping.  I wasn’t sure if these two colors would come together in an attractive mix, but they did well.  Having the touches of navy with the blush as a primary is really enjoyable.

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I think I might be making the decisions a bit tricky for these bridal shower invitation choices.  I am not sure which one I like better between the two, guess I will have to come up with another one just for good measure.  I can’t spend too much time playing though, I have workshop coming this weekend.  It is fun to play though.

I stamped this huge wonderful rose on water color paper with stazon ink.  I didn’t goof it up too much, so I went with my first attempt.  I did a trial run with the colors on a scrap of water color paper just to check it out and I liked it.  So, I wet down my stamped image and got to work.  I spent a bit of time trying to be cautious, then I just went for it.  That is why I love to water color, it is pretty darn forgiving.  I even used my trial scrap as a background punch, cool right?  I do try not to waste.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Forever Begins Today

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This was for yesterday, however, yesterday was for my family and there wasn’t time to share this with you.  I am sure it was worth the wait though.  Aren’t these flowers just the best thing ever?

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One framelit set gives you all of these pieces, plus a couple more.  And they coordinate with velum, designer series paper just to name a couple. I have been planning this one for a while now, with a very specific goal in mind.  I am fortunate enough to have my son getting engaged and this is how I am going to approach the second reception.  What else could I possibly use for my inspiration piece, right?

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I do admit that once I cut into a piece of designer series paper for a card front, I look to the remainder of the sheet and immediately think of a bag or box I can make to coordinate.  I have a hard time stopping myself to be honest.  I also have a bit of a problem filing back my scraps of cardstock when I work.  All of these colors were available to me in my stack of put me away papers.  I put them to good use for sure.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Wedding Favors in Progress…

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I have to admit, I am a bit of a Stampin’Up! purist, but sometimes I have to dip into my other craft life for something very specific.  A workup of wedding favor rough samples for example.

Wedding Favors in Progress...

A friend is trying to make her sister’s wedding very special on a ridiculously tiny budget.  I thought I could help out a little bit with some of my tools.

Wedding Favors in Progress...

How can you not just love this adorable curvy box?  I am so glad this framelit carried over from the last holiday catalog.  I have used it so much.

Wedding Favors in Progress...

This one is a slightly larger version of a favor I made using the Go Wild DSP stack.  The shape was working for her, so I gave it a try.

Wedding Favors in Progress...

The original request was a pillow box though.  I brought out the die cut from my retired stash, yes I do keep those for sure.  I am addicted to die cuts and keep them all.  So, I embossed it as she had seen it done in tiny dots, also a retired folder.  See how I am?

I do have to admit that the die cuts are all other brand materials, but the wedding is on the beach and that is the theme all the way through.  I had the ribbon left over from a wedding favor production from last summer.  That was a fun one.  I made just over four hundred of those, yes four hundred.  It took quite a few movie watching sessions to finish those up.  Either way, these are some rough options for her to choose from.  See how creative you can be with some nice paper and a few good tools?

Have a creative day, what’s left of it anyway.  Can life just slow down a bit?

Moana

For the New Two

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Does this conjure images of a wedding couple or what?  I do have another idea though.  Honestly, I went with brighter colors for that other idea.

For the New Two

We often associate two as a couple, as in a relationship couple.  Friends of mine are currently working as nannies for a set of twins.  So, how about congratulating a couple on the birth of their twins?  Get it?  For the new two?

For the New Two

Well,  I thought it was very clever indeed.  There are plenty of gift ideas for baby boys and girls, but how about those twins?  It will take longer for triplets and such, but I am sure there is a way.

 For the New Two

 

This is made from a whole sheet of english garden dsp and isn’t it glorious?  I paired it with the thick backers twine and went cherry cobbler all the way.  A handful of punched and sponged hearts were the perfect embellishment.  A small doily helped to close it off.  The stamp is of course from the wedding set, For the New Two.  I layered the tags using the scalloped tag topper punch, happens to be on sale this week oddly enough, and the hearts border punch as well.  Quite the gift bag if I do say so myself, and I do.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Crazy About You With Elegance

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“When you feel terrible, can you still create something beautiful?”  That is what I asked myself last night.  I had an endodontist appointment yesterday that I thought was headed one way and took another.  So, I wasn’t feeling very creative.

Crazy About You with Elegance

Or so I thought.  I knew black was my base, I had been wanting to make something with black for several days.  But the flower I wanted to stamp with I had just used and didn’t want to just create another card in another color.  I pulled the Crazy About You set out and picked this flower out of it.

Crazy About You with Elegance

I was reaching for my momento tuxedo black ink when I saw the silver.  I thought it could be cool to layer the stamping.  Was I right or what?

Crazy About You with Elegance

I love how this turned out.  I did learn, and please trust me on this one, that you have to clean your stamp after each layering stamp.  I stamped in silver first and let them dry for a while.  I went back in with the black, but it was picking up silver and then I was putting it back into the pad and getting silver in it.  Not fun.  So I ended up cleaning the stamp after each black flower was stamped.  Not too tiring, but necessary.  And yes, my ink pad survived nicely.

Crazy About You with Elegance

I placed just a few of the large basic rhinestones in the centers of the black flowers. It is kind of hard to tell with my photos, but they are the perfect touch.  I added a touch of ribbon and left the sentiment out of it.  They turned out very elegant.  My matching gift bag has an angled purse look to it, and I absolutely love it.

Sorry for the long post, I was apparently feeling a bit chatty.

Have a creative day!

Moana

For the New Two

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I love an opportunity to use something beautiful.  I loved nearly everything in this particular suite.  The background stamp, Something Lacy, has quickly found its place in my heart.  I have used it so many times.   This could be project three for workshop, you think?

For the New Two

A good friend recently got married and I needed a card of course.  I used the inspiration from the Stampin’Up! Spring Catalog.  Denali wanted the flowers to be blue though.  She thought it appropriate with the idea of ‘something borrowed, something blue’.

For the New Two

Of course the designer series paper we are using for the thank you cards is actually called Something Borrowed.  She didn’t even know it.  Guess that means blue is perfect.

For the New Two

I stamped with white Stazon on vellum cardstock then colored select items from the back side with blendabilities.  I could have done quite a bit more, but wanted the focus to be on the sentiment.

For the New Two

It is all about the bride and the groom after all.  And this couple sure is wonderful!

Have a creative day!

Moana