Calypso Coral

Suite Sentiments

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Mornings don’t always go as planned, and that is okay.  This set of cards was ready to go, but I had to choose to be on time for my carpool, or blog.  Blogging in the afternoon can be good too, just not my favorite.

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I wanted to use the cupcakes and carousel dsp stack for the focus on these cards.  The colors are so great.  They make me feel like having sherbet or frozen yogurt.  Yummy.  So I used two pieces of paper, trimmed them to size and used the extra pieces to accent the other.  Great way to use up the paper and get two cards done at once.

Suite Sentiments is an awesome stamp set.  So many great sentiments ready to be used, and all occasions covered too.  I went with a little more groovy ones to go with these odd colors and liked it.  I simply stamped with black stazon on velum cardstock and layered everything together.  All good and pretty darn easy.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Love You More

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Smudges and all, I love this card.  Leave it to me to use a stamp set that is filled with two step fruit images to use the flowers instead.  Like I said, I love flowers.  The fruits are great though, and I do plan on making fun projects with them too.  I actually used an old kit from nearly a year ago.  I love putting old kits to use.

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The prior kit had patterned paper in these colors, but has been retired, so I thought I would make my own.  Making background images is so much fun to me.  It takes me back to the roots of my stamping, using quality tools for endless creativity.  This stamp set is made for just that thing.  You will be seeing it a lot I think.

The flowers were stamped first in calypso coral and then outlined with the coordinating stamp.  They match, but don’t have to be exact.  It goes with the artsy look it is designed with.  Works even better for me.  And the sentiment, how perfect is that.  I opted to center the flowers with large basic rhinestones instead of the stamped center.  Either would have been nice, but I wanted sparkle.  A finishing touch of solid bakers twine with a sweet bow. It actually came together pretty quick, it helps to have leftover kits to work with.  That makes me fuss less when I have last minute class cancellations because I know I will put the pre-cut kits to good use eventually.

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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

We’ll Weather This Together

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A project can go through several phases, and some can be unexpected.  The original vision kind of got lost somewhere along the way, had some confusion, but ended up reasonably pleasing.  These ladybugs though, too much love there.

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My daughters have a canvas in their bedroom that inspired this little card.  I was looking at it recently and thought of the new stamp and framelit set that could help me create my own version.  I pulled some of my favorite pastel colors for the background and started the process.  The more colors I use the longer it takes me to become satisfied with how they blend and flow together.  I went through this one three different times and then once more when I added in the yellow around my little bugs.

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I water colored on a scrap piece a mix of pool party and blushing bride.  The umbrella was then cut out and hit again with more blushing bride.  The clouds and raindrops were cut from areas that just had pool party.  And yes, I did glue all of those parts down, even those little drops.  I love the dimension the thick water color paper gives to them. Before I stamped my sentiment I added a touch of wink of stella to the clouds and raindrops.  All the pieces were layered together and put in place.  And before the blog had even been finished I was able to use it to brighten someones day.  Wonderful.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Thanks to You I Grew Up Loved

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What a sweet, tender card.  I was thinking of my mother as I put this one together.  She is all about flowers and everything that go along with them.  As I shared this one with her, we shared a few tears.  Having a wonderful mother that helped you grow up loved is more than a blessing, it is an absolute treasure that we both share.

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This lovely card showcases the dsp almost as much as the sentiment.  It is hard to decide which is the focal point, so I will call it a draw.  I stamped the sentiment on whisper white and punched it with the most narrow portion of the triple banner punch.  I then created a border of calypso coral and repeated the punching  to give a nice quarter inch boarder that tied the entire card front together.  After a lovely bow tied with seam binding ribbon I decided to put the tag on an angle.  It turned out so adorable and yet so simple.  One of my favorite ways to work.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

You Wonderful Thing You

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Yet another adorable card in this series.  I sure have loved sharing this card set, even more so giving it away for someone else to share and enjoy.  The true joy of card making.  What a fun color combination for sure, one of my favorites.

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The seam binding ribbon I used got a little rumpled in the center of the spool.  However, I decided I liked the look of it and didn’t try to iron it out.  I have bought ribbon before that was ruffled on purpose and liked it that way.  So, instead of getting frustrated at the center of the spool, I just made the best of it and enjoyed the results.

The sentiment was stamped on whisper white and layered with a scalloped circle of calypso coral to coordinate with the card base.  Don’t you just love this paper?  Full of whimsy and cuteness.  The simplicity of the color scheme also keeps this one very clean and simple.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Thanks for Being You

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Day two in this adorable little series finds me fortunate enough to be in Utah visiting family, family, and more family!  How wonderful is that?  It is  more than fun, especially for me.  So many fun social opportunities.

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I do love this paper.  The little dandelions dancing in the wind are so cute.  Simple and fun but it will be the perfect thank you for the person who has been so kind.  Giving cards is always so much fun.  This gift set will be fun for my daughter to use.  And use it she will.

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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

Sending Good Thoughts with Perfect Pennants

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Everyone loves a fun surprise, especially me.  Last night my husband brought home some items from the store I asked for, and a few others to boot.  Several basic t-shirts, always need those, and this adorable top with my favorite colors.  Classic me, after my thank you’s were shared, my brain went straight to a card idea.  And that would be this little number.

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It also works out that I am trying to build a small arsenal of birthday cards for my mother-in-law.  She is so diligent in her efforts to send cards to all of her family, all the way down to great-grandchildren.  So, she keeps me pretty busy sometimes.

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This card was fairly simple by design and pretty easy to put together.  Only one stamp on a piece of very vanilla, punched and layered on some calypso coral which was punched as well.  Love that triple banner punch for fun like this.  The card front is made from very vanilla and layered with a strip of chocolate chip.  I put them together and ran them both through with an embossing folder so the pattern would be continuous.  Love that look.  I chose the boho chic embossing folder because it is nearly the same pattern as the coordinating scarf for my new top.  A reason for everything.  The banner tag was layered on the card front with dimensionals and I called it done.  I didn’t sponge anything or even stamp inside.  Don’t worry, I lived.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Banner Blessings Gift Set – Joyful

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I get to be out of town this weekend and enjoy some time with my two children away at school. Utah is so pretty this time of the year, the rain is making it even better.

Banner Blessings Gift Set - Joyful

This is the second card in the gift set I made for my daughter. Bright and cheery for sure. The color scheme certainly does go with the word joyful.  I love this stamp set.  Very inspiring and the writing style is awesome.

Banner Blessings Gift Set - Joyful

The card base is the heavy whisper white. Love having something this heavy to work with. I stayed away from white cards, but not any more.  I enjoyed sponging  the front to bring out the heart detail. A couple of hearts punched on the front and inside to coordinate.  Second card in the series is done. Wait til you see the gift box.

Banner Blessings Gift Set - Joyful

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

Thank You For Being You

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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

Thanks A Latte

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Well then, how about these precious little cups!  Last Saturday a good friend of mine came over to paper craft with me and we just got out several of my paper pumpkin kits and went to work.  Some were partials and some were unopened, sorry to say.  Busy crafter here.

Thanks A Latte

But this one is actually the current July kit.  By itself it is absolutely adorable.  I really let myself play on this one.  The instructions showcase simple stamping and there you go, totally adorable.  I had to watercolor.

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After making a lovely little wisteria wonder cup and a little plant set I knew I wanted to do more.  The next cup I took the flowering stamp, it could be a plant but I made them flowers, that would have been the plant growing out of the cup.  I created a pattern on the cup with it, colored them with markers, and then went to town with my aqua painter.  The cup is a little more than an inch square.

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The new flowers were punched with the floral punch from the itty bitty accents punch pack and the stems were from variegated embroidery floss.  A bit tricky to put together, but lovely at the end.

If you have ever thought about a paper pumpkin subscription, just look at how much fun you can have with them!  There was enough material to make eight cards in this kit, plus totally adorable envelopes.  And, I now have the so cute stamps that came with.

Have a creative day!

Moana

You’ve Got Me

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I love it when everything coordinates so perfectly, but today is all about the sentiment.  I love these paired phrases, simple but strong.

You've Got Me

The card layering is fairly basic and puts a few favorite punches to work.  A dash of basic rhinestones to draw further attention to the sentiment and the front was done.

You've Got Me

I don’t normally stamp inside a card, but this one needed it.  I zoomed in on the detail, but it actually measures barely over a square inch.  When that card gets opened, that is what you see. “You’ve Got Me.”  How perfect is that.

You've Got Me

This new paper pack is loaded with beautiful paper.  I just used one sheet for this card.  The green floral is the other side to the main floral front.  My little flowers are from scrap of the same sheet.  I love putting all everything to work.

Have a creative day!

Moana

A Whole Lot of Lovely

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Afternoons are good for blogging too.  Especially when you put your family first in the morning.  I do love a good routine, but sometimes you need to be flexible.

A Whole Lot of Lovely

I do try to say thank you right away, but sometimes you need a bit more.  Just like this little treat bag.  It is tiny, but is the right touch to emphasize the thank you.  I loved giving it away this morning at church.

A Whole Lot of Lovely

The new paper stacks are so fun.  This lovely floral pattern is one of many in the pack.  I do love floral paper, probably too much.  Either way, I thought the flowers on the paper matched the flowers in the hostess stamp set A Whole Lot of Lovely.  They look so nice together.

A Whole Lot of Lovely

Some stamping, a little bit of pearls, and plenty of ribbon and off we go!  Take the time to make a special thank you, it feels great to give it away!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Happy Father’s Day!

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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.

Happy Father's Day!

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.

Happy Father's Day!

 

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

Happy Heart Mini Treat Bag

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Could this treat bag be any cuter?  I don’t know, maybe.  I did buy some chocolate to put inside, but forgot to take a photo with them included.  Ooops, but it will still get in there.  I am actually going to give it away today.

Happy Heart Mini Treat Bag

I used the framelit set to cut out the bag bits.  While I was working the big shot I went ahead and cut out the ‘for you’ sentiment from the same paper, calypso coral. I did some sponging, but knew I needed something more for the bag front.

Happy Heart Mini Treat Bag

I used the heart framelit from the same set on some of the coordinating washi sheets.  I had planned on sticking it directly to the paper, but the embossing changed that plan.  I left it on  the white background paper it came on and liked it.  I did punch a few hearts with the bitty heart punch and stuck them on.  But not til I had embossed the bag front with the happy heart folder.  Those little hearts fit in pretty darn good.  I used my stylus to help tuck them in just right.  Before I did, I used my brayer and inked over the embossed hearts to make them pop a bit.  I got a little messy, so I went with that and sponged a bunch to help balance it out.

Happy Heart Mini Treat Bag

I used the row of dots framelit, also in the same set, to make some sewing punches for my ribbon.  It wraps around the back, but laces in the front.  I put it in a bow and tied my tag on.  I did stick the tag with a dimensional to help it stay just right.  Now, to get the chocolate in and give it to my friend.  Should be fun!

Have a creative day!

Moana

#You’re Welcome

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Literally, one of my favorite things has become a card and matching box or bag.  This little project set fits that perfectly.

#You're Welcome

The Balloon Bash stamp set is full of whimsy.  The saying is all cute and pretty and then has the punch line at the bottom.  How often do people forget to say thank you anymore.  They really ought to make a card, but the words would do.  This one just made me laugh.

#You're Welcome

Could the paper be any more exciting?  The Birthday Bash Specialty dsp is almost full of energy.  All kinds of confetti going on here.  I stamped the sentiment I wanted and fussy cut it out.  It didn’t look done, so I fussy cut a boarder as well.  I do prefer a framelit or a punch, but we can’t have that every time.  In the bottom corner I snuck a little star with a matching epoxy sticker over the top.  Just right.

#You're Welcome

I repeated the pattern on some calypso coral card stock with the confetti stamp from the same set.  Tone on tone is a beautiful thing.  A little treat bag with some heart candy and topped with coordinating chevron ribbon.  Just right.  I did sneak some of the retired sale-a-bration ribbon to wrap around the french fry box, love that die cut, just to give it a hug.  It really did come together pretty quickly.  And of course I had to sponge absolutely everything.  No holding back there.

Have a wonderfully creative day!

Moana

Adventure Awaits the Best Day Ever!

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This day was so much fun.  I know the Best Day Ever set is a retired sale-a-bration item, but it was the theme for the day.  First of all, it was the first day of a long awaited spring break.  Awesome!!

Adventure Awaits in more way than one

I have been working ahead to get ready for a trip to Utah with my family.  We are going to get some awesome things done, getting my second child all ready for university, and spending more time with other family.  Specifically, my oldest already at university and my parents.  Talk about yummy!

Adventure Awaits in more way than one

Could this bag be any more awesome?  I loved how the ribbon is tied and dangles all cool.  I got the idea from the card below, when my knot was just too big for the spot I had.  I was determined, and then cut off too much, and then loved the discovered result.  So I put it to work properly on the bag.  Love it!

Adventure Awaits in more way than one

These cards remind me of graduation.  There are so many kids I know graduating this year, and these feel like a great send-off.  Of course they are going to need a gift card inside, what graduate doesn’t need those?

Adventure Awaits in more way than one

To top it off, my daughter just made me smile.  We had gotten our nails done and she just stated that we needed to make a card with our nail colors.  Mission accomplished, and then some!

Adventure Awaits in more way than one

So, she called this #bestcardsetever!  How cute is that?

Have a creative day!

Moana

Gold Soiree with Banner Blessings Part 2

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And these are the other sides of that pretty paper from yesterdays post.  Can you see why I had such a hard time choosing?  Both sides are just so wonderful.

Gold Soiree and Banner Blessing

I hadn’t had the Banner Blessings set out for a while.  I still love it as much as I did the first time.  So fun and filled with beautiful wording.

Gold Soiree and Banner Blessing

I did have this ready this morning, really I did.  But the day has been more than full.  And most of it has been wonderful.  The other part?  Let’s just say that taxes aren’t nearly as fulfilling as creating cards and the like.  Oh well, sometimes we have to be human and get things done.

Gold Soiree and Banner Blessing

I can’t wait to send these out to special friends.  They really were fun to make.

Have a creative night, what’s left of it.

Moana