Workshop Projects

Beautiful Banners

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Well, I certainly got distracted today.  Here it is nearly evening and I forgot I had this half way done.  Suppose I could finish it after all.  I was tempted to just skip today and save this for tomorrow, but let’s just share it.

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This project was all about the foil designer acetate that came out in this years catalog.  Not until I gave in to use it did I discover it was gold foil on one side and silver foil on the other. I was pretty darn pleased if I say so myself.  I do think I will try this project again with silver, because I do think I prefer blue and silver after all.  But this certainly is lovely.

I used four different banner thinlits and two of the banner stamps.  The layering was simple, just a little patience while I sorted out the positioning.  Both the silver and gold encore inks are so beautiful stamped on dark card stock.  I do tend to prefer the look of embossing powder when it comes to metallic ink, but it did just fine.  Such a beautiful sentiment.

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I started with the small banner cut in gold foil, but it was too smooth and shiny so I put it through the same embossing folder I used for the background paper.  And, it tied it together as well.

Such a lovely day of distractions, hope you had one too!

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

Weather Together with Love

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This is what I had in mind this morning, thinking of my recently married son and my soon to be married daughter.  Love is definitely in the air.  Then I read the news.  Seems like love is needed elsewhere today, and so much of it.

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It doesn’t take a lot to show someone you care about them and sometimes it is the little things that mean the most.  Little treat boxes, little hearts, and a little love.  This kind of thing really brings me joy.  Something wonderful from something a simple as a piece of paper.  Yup, just one piece of paper.

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The card was made with a half sheet, the front with one quarter and the box with the last quarter.  Hearts were stamped like crazy using the stamp from the weather together set. The word ‘Love’ also came from the same set.  I know I could have written it myself, but I don’t trust my writing all of the time and I wanted it embossed to really stand out.  After all, isn’t love the most important thing of all?

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Have a creative day!

Moana

You Are Awesome

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The other day my daughter was wearing a fun pair of pants that were so colorful and had a bunch of fun patterns.  Every time I looked at them I thought I should make a card.  So, I literally went digging through her laundry to find them and give it a go.  Inspiration comes from a lot of different places, but the laundry bin was a first for me.

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I went through my paper files pulling scraps of the different colors I wanted.  Most of the strips were fine, but some needed to be trimmed to give some diversity.  Once I had the color strips ready I cut a base from printer paper to adhere them too.  It was pretty easy to do because they were just stripes, nothing too tricky.

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I used one of the elements from the butterfly basics set to put a few black stripes down as well.  The piece was then trimmed to 4″ x 5 1/4″ and put through an embossing treatment.  I was able to slide the piece around a bit lining up the patterns inside the stripes and along borders.  I liked that part quite a bit.

The sentiments were stamped and layered with more basic black, but something still wasn’t quite right.  The stripes were too stark.  So, I got my trusty sponges out and went at the whole card front with smokey slate ink.  It hi-lighted the embossed areas more and gave a bit of a distressed look.  That is what I needed and I called it done.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

My Happy Day

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday was my birthday, and it was most certainly my happy day.  I made this project with that in mind.  Using my favorite go to ideas and things that make me happy.  Water coloring is awesome, both intricate and simple cards, and a myriad of other projects all bring me joy.  However, there is nothing more satisfying than a beautiful crisp gift box or bag.  I love making and sharing these, they really do bring me joy.  So I indulged myself a little bit here.

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Using an entire piece of designer series paper goes against my “make it last” mentality, but it was my birthday after all.  So I pulled out a piece that I loved and created just what I wanted.  I like to maximize the height so it can hold more of whatever I have in mind.  This one did get a bit of switching around.  The top of the bag needed to have enough space to hold the large ribbon and bow I had in mind, so it ended up losing just a touch of volume, but it was well worth it.

This ribbon though…it is so very nice.  It looks great in a knot, a simple bow, and creates lovely larger bows just like this.  While I may hesitate using my paper, I do not hold back using ribbon.  I love large bows and could put them on everything.  Something I learned from my mother to be certain.  In a workshop situation I wouldn’t go this large, my ladies would just get frustrated trying to make it pretty.  Can’t have that, but since this was for me, I let it slide a bit.  Then of course a simple layered circle tag set, stamped off once and sponged around the edges.

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Again, my favorite types of things.  Second only to sharing them that is.  The bow of course can just slide off so the box can be filled easily and used again.  I always try to make my gift bags and boxes that way.  They are too lovely to be used just once.  So, I make sure the recipient knows how easy it is to re-gift them.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Fiesta Like There’s No Manana

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

Here is one of the projects I made with my club ladies last Saturday.  Such a fun and interesting birthday card.  Plenty of color and who doesn’t just love an adorable llama?  Finally though, a project where I love the brightness of cucumber crush.  It is just one gregarious green there.

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Framelit cutting made pretty darn quick work of the elements for this project.  A little stamping before and after doing the cutting.  The llama was really fun, but I felt he was a little on the whimsy side to worry about painting and making him look too real.  Besides, his teeth really aren’t accurate, they come from the bottom not the top like a bunny.  Still totally adorable though.  The banners were stamped afterwards though.  Since you can see through the photopolymer stamps there is not a worry to be found.  Fun and easy to do.

Everything was put on tipped one way or the other to add to the silly look.  Nothing about this card says slow down, just have a bunch of fun!  And my club ladies sure did.

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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

It’s Your Day!

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How about a simple gift box for today?  This one doesn’t feel just about a birthday, but could be to celebrate any special occasion.  I do love to make a project that has several uses.  That way, when you need a quick gift box it is flexible enough to fit the need.

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One whole sheet of designer series paper went into this big box.  Simple scoring, nothing new or creative here.  Actually, kind of my go to measurements.  The tag was a bit more simple, but looked much better after it was embossed.  And with an adorable little bow paper clip to hold it in place, it was finished up just right.  I like how the clip and the ribbon go so well together.  I think I will have my group make a smaller version of this for workshop this weekend.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Happy 29th Birthday {Again}

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And the third workshop project has arrived.  Good thing too, since tomorrow is workshop! I often know further in advance what I want to do, but not this time.  I have been doing a lot of detailed water coloring and that doesn’t go well for large group instruction.  Folks need their own tools and materials for that kind of work.  We are doing one water color and that is stressful enough.

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Isn’t this one so adorable?  The paper, matching stamps, and the ease of stamping and die cutting the numbers really make this one fantastic.  It isn’t too difficult to make, but sure brings a smile. Believe it or not, I tried several times to add die cut flowers for a fun layered look, but had to leave them off.  Sometimes that happens.

I took the background dsp and put it through the bigshot  with an oval framelit centered.  I then took that piece and turned it over to fill that same oval hole.  The two sides coordinate so nicely I could resist.  I used the next smaller framelit to make an oval from whisper white.  The numbers were stamped in blushing bride, cut with their coordinating framelits and centered on the oval.  I did raise them up on dimensionals.  Then the sentiment was stamped centered over the top and bottom of the numbers.  The tiny ‘th’ was die cut first, then stamped.  The framelit for that tiny one doesn’t have a window to look through, so I had to.  But with photopolymer stamps you can see exactly where you are placing your image.

I stamped inside with the largest flower from the Birthday Blooms set in each corner using a different portion of the stamp to make it look different.  The center phrase ‘again’ was the last thing added.  How fun is that?

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Have a creative day!

Moana

June Weddings and a Sheltering Tree

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Planning a wedding and the receptions to follow can be an exciting time, although very stressful.  Wanting everything to be wonderful, people to be happy, and a general feeling of love in the air.  Sometimes things, or even people, get in the way.  Everyone needs someone to shelter them from stress and frustration.  That is this tree this morning.

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I am fortunate enough to have a son getting married this June to an absolutely wonderful woman.  It couldn’t be more wonderful.  The way this card looks is how I am attempting to transform my yard.  There will be other things too, really awesome stuff. but this look is all around.  My brain is full of wedding ideas these days.  No escaping it.

I stamped the tree base in black stazon and the leaves in mossy meadow.  The night sky is painted with night of navy.  I also painted the grass in mossy meadow.  I stamped sparkly flowers from the same set in versamark and added white embossing powder.  I added touches of daffodil delight around the ‘flowers’ to give them a bit of a glow.  They will be sparkly lights after all, and candles a plenty.  Wheeee!  There goes the wedding brain again.

I used tombo to glue the painting on another piece of night of navy card stock that has just a 1/8th” border.  Then that combination was layered onto a card base also in night of navy with plenty of dimensionals.  I left any sentiment off as well as additional embellishments. I couldn’t decide on any, so there you have it.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

A Little Organization Please?

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Sitting down to have a little fun and make something pretty can be cut short if you aren’t organized.  This can often happen when I get a little extra filing built up.  What does a crafter need to file?  More than you might think.  What I get built up is extra kits from workshops.  I used to just break them back down and file the unused paper back.  But I have found that it is a great way to make a quick card if you have materials all cut and ready to go.

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I don’t have to make the exact project, but the cutting is done.  All there is to do is pick a fun stamp or two and maybe a punch and it is ready.  For a busy mom on the go, the constant go, a quick creative burst is always needed.  So this morning I put this little number together and cleared up those kits.  Feels really good and looks adorable.  I love being able to make just what I need.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Balloon Celebration

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Experimenting with water coloring has become one of my new favorite things to do.  I am so young in this medium that it is a constant adventure.  I do try not to do it all of the time, but it might just be my favorite.  Hard to put that off.

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I did stamp off the balloons twice before they got to the card front.  I wanted dark color, but still opaque.  It worked nicely.  The second layer stamping was done only stamped off once to make sure it was seen well.  Also a good fit.  I did go over the balloons again with the aqua painter to smooth things out.  A bit of dabbing with a paper towel helped to create better highlight spots.  Fun and fun. I am still waiting for the back-ordered balloon punch, so I had to layer the balloons with just ink.  That is why I had them opaque.  To allow the layering to show the balloons behind, just like it would with a real bouquet of balloons.  I do think this card is good for just about anyone’s birthday, masculine too.  A really great project that was satisfying on so many levels.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Pedal Pusher Through Wildflower Fields

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I was so excited for this stamp set to show up I could hardly stand it!  Last year during Sale-a-bration Stampin’Up! added some new freebies half way during the sale to perk things up. It went so well they did the same thing this time.  This little set is one of them and it is the best!  It even made my husband grin.

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There are other sentiments, but this one is my favorite.  There are several different items that could be stamped in the basket, but I chose flowers to coordinate with my background paper choice.  Talk about riding through a spring meadow, wish I really could though. Having a tandem bicycle is something my husband and I can’t wait to have.  Maybe that is why I love this set so much.

I also broke out some markers to do my coloring.  I tend to prefer my aqua painter, but it is good to use other things too.  They worked great, of course!  I did water color the basket, the bike seats, and my country road.  What a fun time I had creating this project.  Like I said, I just got it yesterday.  The rest of my box is still on the kitchen table, not gone through, not inventoried or anything.  I just dug through it, got this set out and made something right away.  The sign of a great stamp set for sure.  This could also be a workshop project I think.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Hello Bohemian DSP!

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Guilty as charged.  I have loved this pack of paper and haven’t cut into one single sheet.  For shame, I know.  However, I have sorted that out and made something I quite like.  So much so that I think it will make it into this Saturday’s workshop.  I have a few ladies in particular that enjoy this paper as much as I do.

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I haven’t done a ‘z’ fold card for some time.  I saw some projects done by a few people I follow and thought I would give it a go.  The card turned out pretty darn good if I do say so myself.  Also, I love how I have been able to showcase so much of this fantastic paper.  The ribbon on the back of the card is also something new, but thought it brought a nice balance the the closed project.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Garden In Bloom

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Taking a few days off is kind of nice, but it was not intended.  Getting ready for a huge workshop can be really exciting, but also very time consuming.  Put that with still working full time and you get a bit of a circus.  Not to mention the adventures of everyday life.  Time to get back on track and have some fun!

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There is a lot of attention right now with Sale-a-bration and the Spring Occasions catalogs, and they are very exciting to say the least.  However, the annual catalog is so full of beautiful product it is hard to ignore.

I have been waiting to use this stamp set for some now and it was worth the wait.  I took one of the left over kits from Saturday’s workshop and paired it with this lovely set.  There are a ton more stamps in the set, but I focused only on the large flowers.  I think I could get stuck on this set and not repeat myself for some time.  Exciting!

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The card front is 4 x 5 1/4″ with an 1/8″ background piece of watermelon wonder and then placed on a standard card base.  Not too tricky.  I put the tags & labels framelit set to work for this lovely sentiment.  It is so pretty.  Then I broke out the fabulous ribbon that has been teasing me from the shelf.  I love, love, love big pretty ribbon.  It is just delicious to me.  The ribbon is the only item from the occasions catalog.  I would love it if Stampin’Up! would bring back some huge satin ribbon in next years annual catalog.  I will have to just wait and see.

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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

Hearth & Home Thinlits Fun

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

After a full day of workshop excitement, I finally have a few minutes to share the third project we did.  This one just about did my ladies in, but they managed though most of it.  I didn’t have to help too much really.

Hearth & Home Thinlits Fun

The base of this candle holder is made with old olive from one sheet of cardstock.  Two card bases with 1/2″ cut off from one side and 1/2″ score on the other with a score in the middle.  With two of these joined together, the box frame was made.  Four panels of heavy whisper white cardstock were put through the Bigshot in the Brick Wall embossing folder that had been brayered with old olive ink.  It gave the perfect mix of a soft brick wall that coordinates nicely with the base.

Hearth & Home Thinlits Fun

Cherry cobbler was used to create the window frames.  The Hearth & Home Thinlits set is simple, but what a great look right?  The window frame is a great focal point that I chose to back with velum to allow an opaque look in.  I had provided fun battery operated candles that fit nicely inside.  When they flickered it made it look like there was a very colorful set of Christmas lights going on inside.  So pretty.  A couple of buttons, some twine with a simple saying set the front panel apart from the others.  Along with a few little shrubs made from mossy meadow paper punched with a scalloped circle punch.  Really, a cute project all in all, even if it was a bit of work.

Hearth & Home Thinlits Fun

Hope your day was creative, mine sure was!

Moana

Workshop Fun

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Workshop was yesterday and this is the first chance I have had to share it with you.  Two of the projects you have already seen, but this cute little pumpkin is new.

Workshop Fun

I had the opportunity to attend one day of a scrapbooking convention with all kinds of lovely things to see, touch, and of course buy.  One of the many make and takes available was this cute little pumpkin.  When my friend and I would go by this particular area, there was always someone using the stations, but I knew I wanted to try one out.  I took a few photos of the samples and did my best.

Workshop Fun

There are a few other pumpkins on my counter, but this is the one I ended up making for my workshop ladies to play with.  I used  a piece of dsp cut at 6 x 12 and cut strips measuring 3/4″.  You get 15 strips from the sheet exactly, no waste at all.  They were stacked, clipped together, and punched with the ever handy crop-o-dile at both ends.  A hearty brad was used to keep the strips together, then you just fan them out.  Promise, they fan out nicely and curl into this pumpkin.  Then stamping and die cutting the fun leaves and place them where you like.  Some of the samples had ribbon, you could top it how you like.

Workshop Fun

Have a creative evening, since the day is pretty much done.

Moana