That Thing You Did

July 12, 2015July 11, 2015 ~ 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.

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.

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.

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

Just For You

July 6, 2015July 6, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes I feel like there are one too many butterflies flying around my craft area. But then I remember, you can never have too many butterflies! Especially when Stampin’Up! keeps coming out with even more exciting stamps to use. This set is just one of those types. I could just put these everywhere.

The color scheme is very simple, blushing bride and whisper white with tiny 1/8″ boarders. I do love those. Only one butterfly on this card front. The base image is done in blushing bride. The next layer, the detailed image, was stamped in versamark ink. That alone looked wonderful with the darker tone. A quick sprinkle of iridescent ice went over the versamark while it was still sticky and took a trip to the heat gun to melt it in place.

I tried to angle the photo to show you the almost purple glimmer that comes from the powder. You can kind of see it. Absolutely lovely stuff. The body and antennae are separate stamps that make the body. And yes, this is a photopolymer set. You just have to see through these stamps to get images just where you want them.

A quick sentiment from the same set and a tiny cotton ribbon bow, and it was done. I did stamp a few dots on the inside panel, of course.

Have a creative day!

Moana

You Are So Kind

July 1, 2015July 1, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Nothing says elegance quite like a white on white greeting card. I love how they look and how subtle their beauty is. I am not sure this will fit into a regular envelope with all of those layers. I think I will have to make a custom one.

I knew I wanted to use the new brick wall embossing folder, I have been so excited to get it. I also knew I wanted to use both sets of butterflies dies. I just didn’t know for sure how to fit them all together nicely. They ended up all layered together, all five of them.

I only used one stamp from the watercolor wings set for the sentiment. I haven’t let myself play with all of the other stamps. I do try to budget how much time I give to my craft each day, otherwise nothing else would get done.

I used the bitty banner punch to give me banner ends on my sentiment and layered everyone up with dimensionals. I glued my butterfly layers together using tombo and put the final butterfly object on dimensionals as well. I finished it off with basic rhinestones, a string of nine for the body, and a scattering along the left side and bottom. Just right.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Trust God

June 28, 2015June 20, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

So much has happened during the last week, even as I write in advance for this blog, I know my heart is both heavy and full at the same time.

Taking yet another child to university is so exciting, but reminds me of how little time we actually have with these children and how soon they grow up and leave home. Luckily, I still have a few more years with my youngest.

Then partnering that event with a demanding and fulfilling pioneer trek has surely put me over the edge. But in a good way. Even though it was surely to be physically and emotionally difficult, I have complete faith that I loved it and will treasure it always.

I created this set knowing how I would be feeling, and knew there would be a lot on my mind. The flowering flourishes has been one of my favorite stamp sets for a very long time. The results it gives are always different and very beautiful. This color combination is soft yet ornate at the same time. I wasn’t sure about layering the stamps over each other, but these colors allowed it. I hope you have enjoyed it as I did.

Have a beautiful, and very creative day.

Moana

Kinda Eclectic with a Ray of Sunshine

June 23, 2015June 20, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

This burst of sunshine should be posting while I am in Utah getting my Denali all settled at university. She is a huge burst of sunshine in my life, so it suits the day perfectly.

I have used the sunburst stamp from the Kinda Eclectic set in so many projects. It is why I bought the set, but the rest of it is just as beautiful. I am so glad that it carried over to the new catalog. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet.

I loved using the super smooth whisper white card stock to make a matching bag. It folds rather crisp, but is easier to manipulate that the other card. And of course I love the stamp. This set is done in hello honey and it works so well. I even got out an embossing folder to give it a little extra.

A simple card that is all about the saying and a few bright touches to bring it full circle. Perhaps this one will find its way to someone in need of a pick me up. Sounds about right!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Happy Father’s Day!

June 21, 2015June 20, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

What more do you need to say than that? I guess there are too many words to include in such an important day as this, but a card can only hold so many. It is a special occasion, so I did a little more than normal for this project.

A friend of mind recently stepped out of her front door to a scene similar to this card front. Of course hers was more accurate, and with a lot more trees, but you get the idea. It was a beautiful sunset and I couldn’t wait to put it in a card somehow. It worked out and was fun to arrange.

I hope you are all enjoying this special day in the way you would like. We are actually all over the place, but doing good things either way. I love all of the dads in my life!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Sassy Salutations with Flowering Flourishes

May 6, 2015May 6, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Let’s just say that my camera doesn’t always do me the best favors. It is pushing ten years of heavy use, guess that is to be expected. You get the idea though.

I was stumped for an idea, so I asked my youngest daughter for a little help. All I asked her for was a color, something to get me started. She said red, but not a love card. I took her challenge and had fun with it.

I don’t normally work in red, but I do like the results. I used two cut and ready card bases, retiring sad to say, for this set. One for the card and the other for the box. You could also make these from just one sheet.

I stamped on the velum with stazon and let it dry for a bit while I did the red stamping. I hid my adhesive under the stamping and my embellishments. Aren’t these just beautiful? When they went on sale I broke down and bought a couple of containers. So glad I did. They are also retiring.

Even though my camera didn’t help out too much today, I think you get the idea. Give yourself a challenge and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Ray of Sunshine CASE

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

What happened to yesterday? Well, it was absolutely all over the place! It started out with finishing up this batch of handouts for a church youth lesson, 32 of them to be exact. I had to enlist some family help to get them done in time. They really looked beautiful all splayed out on the dining table.

We were off to church and it was so lovely. My lesson went really well, because I have a great group of young ladies that I get to work with. I made sure to share the extras before I came home, no need to add to the large stack of blog projects. We went up the hill to have dinner with my husbands parents, spending much needed time there. Only to return home to remember a church girls camp meeting that I had indeed completely forgot. What a busy day.

I did CASE myself on this one. But I needed a sunrise background to match the phrase which went perfectly with the theme of my lesson. Inking up all of those backgrounds can give your hand a bit of a cramp. But since I was all over the place I didn’t have a chance to share them with you.

So, I missed a day, sorry about that. It should be a bit more calm today, I hope. Let’s hope work is reasonable. Oh, and I get to pre-order today in the new Stampin’Up! catalog! It doesn’t go live for another month, but that is a perk of being a demonstrator!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Guy Greetings Thank You

May 2, 2015May 2, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

How do you say thank you to a man with a card? Just like this. Simple, a bit of elegance, and a touch of humor, but just a touch.

Denali requested a special manly thank you card for her prom dates father. He is doing all of the driving for the two of them, neither one have a license, even as seniors, so they need a little help. Hence, the thank you. I thought that was adorable.

Also, it works for sharing with you today! This set doesn’t seem to be carrying over to next year, so we have to say goodbye. So sad, because it is a great manly set. Well, I won’t stop using it.

This is a quick project day, because it is prom day! When you have a young lady going to her first and only prom, you want to make it special. There are still some things that have to be dealt with, like sharing some joy and some basic chores. Other than that, we are all about getting pretty. Nails and hair are already done, so just enjoying the fun of makeup. The next photos I take will be filled with a lovely young lady and her good friend. Wheeeeee!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Little Buddy Birthday and Petite Pairs Retirement Party

April 24, 2015April 24, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Well, after yesterday’s absolute shenanigans, I really wanted to keep it simple. I think things went well enough. These are two stamp sets that I will really miss, not to mention basic gray.

It is hard to tell in this photo, but I did stamp that adorable armadillo all over this basic gray paper. The little lines of the stamp almost disappear, but not quite. Perfect for a treat or a little gift card.

I painted this adorable little guy with me aqua painter using basic gray, smokey slate, and a touch of blushing bride for his nose. Really, how adorable.

I used one sheet of card stock for this trip. I cut the paper to measure 5 x 8.5, just under a half sheet, to make the little bag. Then I took the 6 x 8.5 portion, turned it on its side and cut it in half so the two card bases measured 3 x 8.5 and then scored at 4 1/4. The card fronts and inserts measure 4 x 2 3/4.

There, I even gave some measurements, I am trying to improve what I share. One day at a time!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

April 15, 2015April 15, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I wasn’t sure what I would come up with last night. I had pulled some product to work with, but when I sat down to do it, I wasn’t feeling it. Total do over. How about this awesome stamp instead? Absolutely!

I had been waiting until closer to Mother’s Day to use this beauty, because it so reminded me of my mom. She always makes flowers look beautiful, no matter how they show up. Even in rumpled newspaper.

I had to do echo stamping inside, but wanted my gift bag to mirror the stamp as well. I think it worked out pretty good, don’t you? Both the card and bag were made from one sheet of card stock, plus a little scrap to frame my stamped image.

I really couldn’t wait to make the little pretend newspaper on this image, like so many other stampers have done. It was so fun, even if it was a bit tricky. You should totally give it a try.

Just looking at this set under my spotlights makes me smile. I absolutely love them. With workshop coming this weekend, I might have to change a project? No, I will stay firm, but I don’t want to.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Mother’s Love

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

This card is clean and simple, but perfect. I just got back from a trip visiting family and getting my second ready for university. I just had to make a Mother’s Day card right away. I wish I could just walk it over instead of mail it.

I am normally a stamp, punch, lots of layers kind of girl. But this stamp set just didn’t call for it. The stamps go so nicely together. I can see myself using these flowers all of the time. But I made myself wait until now. I hate waiting, but I love the feeling of something new to work with.

I also don’t usually stamp sentiments inside. I like to leave them blank for whatever I want to write, which is usually lots. But this set had such a perfect companion sentiment that I just had to, and then show you. Isn’t it wonderful?

Mom’s are the best, so they deserve beautiful things like this to know how much they are loved. I have many friends whose mothers have already passed, but don’t we all know a mother we can celebrate? Of course we do! Truly a great project.

Get out there and have a creative day!

Moana

Throw Back Thursday with Essence of Love

April 9, 2015April 9, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I so enjoy dipping into my older stamps to create something. It is easy to get caught up in all of the new product available. It is the perfect reminder that I love all of the stamps I buy, and they should still get used, even if they are retired.

As you can tell, this floral stamp still looks as crisp and beautiful as the first time it got used, which was nearly ten years ago. I even pulled out some retired paper. That venetian romance dsp set is so beautiful. I opened my last pack of it to make these cards.

I loved mixing all of these elements together. Any time I get to use oranges I am a happy crafter. This particular card set brings together all of my favorite things. Flowers, butterflies, elegant ribbon, more flowers, lots of orange (tangerine tango), and the most beautiful sentiments ever. Like I said, my favorites.

With all that said, get into your stash of your favorite things, make something beautiful, and have a creative day.

Moana

studio824

Creativity for all seasons and reasons.

Black Stazon

That Thing You Did

Just For You

You Are So Kind

Trust God

Kinda Eclectic with a Ray of Sunshine

Happy Father’s Day!

Sassy Salutations with Flowering Flourishes

Ray of Sunshine CASE

Guy Greetings Thank You

Little Buddy Birthday and Petite Pairs Retirement Party

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

Mother’s Love

Throw Back Thursday with Essence of Love