Yippee-Skippee in Love!

May 22, 2015May 22, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

There are times when how I feel just saturates what I create. Today’s project set is a perfect example of that.

Last night I finished a lovely book in a series I had previously enjoyed. I am a middle school librarian, so I have the perfect excuse to revel in young adult literature. Who am I kidding, I would read it regardless. I have always enjoyed reading what my children do and visa versa.

Love, true love, is an obvious theme here. Even though the series continues and I have to wait for the next novel, I was left all emotional and girlie and super in love. Hence, the color choices and such.

I used a whole sheet of 12 x 12 silver foil velum here. Two card fronts and a lovely bag. I poured out the chevron ribbon, because I love it so, and added a few elegant embellishments. I knew these cards could be for a variety of occasions, so I left the sentiment off the front. I will stamp the inside with just the right thing when I put them to work.

I might have to fill the bag with truffles or something lovely and give it to my husband. That sounds just right.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Corner Garden Gift Bag

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes I design a bag around a gift or to match some cards I have made. This time I wanted to work around a specific stamp. I wanted to do a tone on tone with the Corner Garden stamp set. The detail is fine and subtle, just the look I was going for.

The bag is large enough to hold plenty. It could hold a large set of cards and envelopes, or any number of things. It is sturdy too. A nice heavy cardstock bag with my favorite chevron ribbon. Bring on the heavy gift, I am totally ready.

At workshop Saturday my ladies teased me about my need to sponge the edges of everything. I was able to say that I had controlled myself and we only sponged one of our three projects. So I was feeling the need and definitely got busy on this bag. I just love the look it gives.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Stacked With Love

May 17, 2015May 17, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Today is all about the paper. The stacked with love dsp set is often overlooked in my stash. One side is Valentine’s Day, and awesome at that. The other is all of these really cool black and white themed prints. So functional.

However, I like to soften the look with sponging ink all around. I did an ombre effect across the diamond pattern. It is heaviest at the right where I placed the sentiment. I so love when a stamp has a coordinating punch. Just yummy.

I hadn’t known what to do with this pattern. It stumped me. When I put the Just Kidding sentiments to work, I wish I had tons of this sheet. There is four of each pattern in the stack, but not enough. I love this card. Luckily I have an embossing folder with a similar image. It is retiring, but I have mine. So exciting!

I also like how I sponged around the image to draw additional attention to it. A simple but effective technique.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Adventure Awaits Gift Set

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

I made this lovely set for a baby shower I went to today. Don’t you think motherhood is one of the great adventures in life? It will be her first, so it is definitely an adventure.

I have used three of my favorite stamp sets to complete this project. And yes, all three are retiring. I will be using them regardless. When I find sentiment sets that say just what I want, I have a hard time letting go. The new catalog has some fun options, but I can’t share them just yet. It goes live on June 2nd. Wheee!!!

I am realizing more and more how my camera is giving up on me. Sorry for the photo quality, but for now it will have to do. My main color really is pear pizzazz, really. I sponged my background paper to give it an ombre look that is so awesome with these patterns. I had to use my yummy chevron ribbon as well, and am truly sad that it is retiring. It is so great to work with. No whining, right?

When I finished the two sets of cards I was giving as the actual gift, they didn’t fit in my first bag. So I had to make another, get a bit creative, and pair them together. It worked out great! This bundle has 14 cards and envelopes in total! The ladies loved it, especially my friend.

I think everyone should have beautiful cards to give away, especially as special thank notes. That is why I love to gift these.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Happy Heart Mini Treat Bag

May 7, 2015May 7, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

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.

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.

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.

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

That’s the Ticket Retirement Party

April 22, 2015April 22, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

What is with all of the product in this photo? Well, I am beginning a series of posts that will last the next month. It is a retirement party, and these products are invited. I am trying to celebrate them, because I have had so much fun making beautiful projects with them.

When the new catalog comes out in June there will be tons of new product to oogle over. But, some have to step aside to make room. I really am bummed out about lots of them, but am trying to stay positive. So, welcome to my party.

As you can tell, I still have babies on the mind. Not for me, yikes! Several of my friends are becoming grandmothers for the first time or enjoying the blessing of another grandchild. It is infectious!

I used one sheet of wisteria wonder to make this trio. I cut a large square 8 x 8 and used my gift box punch board. I took the remaining strip, cut it in half and made two little gift cards to match. Aren’t they adorable? I chose the baby stamp from the stamp set and stamped tone on tone all over my paper before I folded it up. Of course I had to sponge it a bunch. Yummy.

All of the time I have used this ticket punch I have wondered how to incorporate the miniature tickets that punch out with the larger one. I thought they fit perfectly below my favorite ribbon ever, weep weep, the lovely chevron ribbon.

With all that said, I love these products I have shown you. Only a month left to get your own, unless they sell out sooner.

Have a creative day!

Moana

#You’re Welcome

April 12, 2015April 12, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

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

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.

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.

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

Crazy About You Little Birthday Buddy

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

This is one of the times where you don’t even have to think about coordination much at all. I wanted some chevrons in a baby card. Done. Pull the matching colors and some awesome tools and there you have it!

A girlfriend had asked about baby shower invitations with some of these components and I made some demos. They decided to do something different with photographs and never got to see these. So, I got to have the design fun and get to use the projects myself. Sounds like a win to me.

This little matching bag is not quite the size of the matching card, but it is so precious. Just right for a tiny gift and a gift card. What more could you ask for?

I think the little characters in the Little Birthday Buddy set are so adorable. I had fun coloring this toucan with the coordinating ink colors using blending pens. You always have the right marker color with those awesome tools.

Day one of the Utah trip has begun nicely. I got a surprise visit from my niece and got to shower my mother with beautiful cards. Awesome. Now I get to help her get caught up on her paper pumpkin kits. Also awesome!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Adventure Awaits the Best Day Ever!

April 5, 2015April 6, 2015 ~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

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!!

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!

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!

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?

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!

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

Have a creative day!

Moana

Lovely Amazing You and Wisteria Wonder

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

Well, I finally did it. I jumped on the ‘feather’ bandwagon. I really didn’t see the big interest, just thought it wasn’t my thing.

That is until a friend talked about them at our last workshop and how she thought they were different and looked nice. You know what? She was totally right. Something else to be grateful for that was carried over into the spring catalog from last fall, the feather set. More to buy, oooops!

I did enjoy taking the paper and softening it up with ink. With the card above I just gave it a gentle sponging all over with the coordinating wisteria wonder ink. Below I gave it the ombre look. The photo gives you an idea, but it looks better in person, of course.

And of course I loved that I got to use a favorite ribbon that hadn’t been out in a while. I do so love the chevron ribbon. Good stuff there.

As we head into the weekend I think you should take a little time for yourself, and have a creative day!

Moana

studio824

Creativity for all seasons and reasons.

Chevron Ribbon

Yippee-Skippee in Love!

Corner Garden Gift Bag

Stacked With Love

Adventure Awaits Gift Set

Happy Heart Mini Treat Bag

That’s the Ticket Retirement Party

#You’re Welcome

Crazy About You Little Birthday Buddy

Adventure Awaits the Best Day Ever!

Lovely Amazing You and Wisteria Wonder