Lost Lagoon

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

You Are My Everything

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There are days when I really don’t know what I want to make, but that isn’t today and it shows.  When I know who I am creating for it shines through.  The awesome extra free stamp set in this months paper pumpkin kit had the stamps I had to use.  How beautiful are they?  Well, I will be using them excessively I am sure.

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I knew I wanted to make a card for my husband with the two stamps  that share the phrase ‘You Are My Everything’.  It couldn’t be more perfect.  Once I knew that I knew the color pallet I needed and the medium as well.  Blues and water coloring are the perfect combination for him.

The technique of water coloring really doesn’t have a lot of guidelines.  I do start with a wet masked surface.  Then I begin to add and take away color, dry and wet again sprinkle and dab, and color all over again.  It is more of keep going til you get the results you want than a step by step process.  So much fun, really.

Then I stamped the large flower in bermuda bay, once stamped off first, here and there.  I added a fern stamp a few times, full strength not stamped off.  Then finished with the two stamps that make the sentiment.  I did a little echo stamping to coordinate the inside with the card front.  To complete the project I layered the art onto another piece of bermuda bay card stock and wrapped it several times in silver metallic thread.  Then up on dimensionals for a little extra style and sit back to enjoy the view.  I do love this card.  I think it looks like a beautiful batik fabric I would love to own and sew with.

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Have a creative day.

Moana

Thanks For Being You

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Aside from some very hasty photography, and as a result poor images, I do rather like this card.  Even though several of the cards in this series look similar, this one feels different.  I guess that can happen when you include black a little unexpectedly.  The ribbon is nice though, even if it is a bit strong.

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I hadn’t had the bitty butterfly punch out in quite a while, but it was just what I wanted.  I sponged them in silver ink and thought it looked like the raindrops had given them a bit of a sheen.  I also sponged the tag in the same silver ink.  A favorite touch of mine.

I couldn’t let myself use the other photo I had taken.  Just too rushed for something decent, but I still wanted to share it.  I raised up the sentiment and the butterflies on dimensionals and left it at that.

Have a creative day.

Moana

They Say It’s Your Birthday

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Fun, fun and fun. That is what this birthday card says to me.  When you have a fun paper that isn’t just masculine or feminine, you are fortunate.  This card can be for just about anyone, regardless of age too.  I call that a super win!  The series I started is nearly to an end.  I can’t wait to share the cute box I made to hold the whole dozen cards for the gift set.

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The tag was made using the triple banner punch.  Dang, I sure do love that tool.  When it first came out I thought it was a bit excessive, but I gave it a try.  I use it so much.  It makes layered banner tags so easy.  This one was whipped together super fast, layered up on dimensionals, given a tiny ribbon accent and slapped in place.  Honestly, this was one super fast card.  Again, the paper is a win.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Dear Heart, Sweet Boy

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This project was all about giving myself a challenge.  I grabbed a piece of dsp, decided on three colors, picked a stamp set I hadn’t used a long time and went for it.  This was definitely not my usual style, but it felt good.

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The card itself wasn’t too complicated, just one layer for the background.  I stamped my little boys on water color paper with black stazon and opened the ink pads.  Their faces were done with a very diluted wash of pink pirouette with the hair in tip top taupe.  I wanted them to look like the same boy just doing different things.

Each boy face was accented with one color only.  For the darker areas I kept the ink fairly strong.  When I accented I diluted it a bit more and even more for the outlined areas in the background.  I left it simple because I wasn’t really going for perfection, just soft coloring. I punched their faces out with the 1 3/4″ circle punch and a background of black with the 2″ circle punch.  They were arranged on the front and layered with a bit of dimensionals.

The banner was stamped from the same set and a light wash of each color was put on its own section.  Then each end was punched with the bitty banner punch.  I also put that up on dimensionals.  I repeated the pattern of paper inside with more dsp and a smaller piece of very vanilla to write my message on.  Such a sweet card, for a very sweet boy indeed.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Hey Dude, Get Well

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Making a custom card can be fun, difficult and frustrating all at the same time.  Masculine cards are an interesting creature to say the least.  It doesn’t have to be covered in metal, fire or tools to have the masculine touch you are looking for, but flowers will just not work obviously.

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I used some stamps from two different Paper Pumpkin sets to give me the phrase combination I wanted.  How perfect is the word ‘Dude’.  It works equally well for both depending on the recipient, but is fantastic for a masculine theme.

I decided to create a grungy water color look instead of searching through paper, background stamps, or anything else.  That way I had control of the look and feel and could stop when it looked just right.  I spent quite a bit of time adding, sponging away, adding, drying and repeating it all.  Now I love it so much I don’t want to give it away.  It was a special request though, so it will get to be signed by a school staff and delivered this afternoon.  Good thing I have photos, because this one is going to get created again.

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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

Your Presents

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Good morning to this bundle of happiness!  My daughter was teasing me about how I get these ideas, don’t know if they will work out, because they always look amazing.  Well, I don’t know if my original vision was achieved, but I do rather like how it turned out.

Your Presents

Wouldn’t it be fun to see a big pile of gifts like this?  With the holidays here and Christmas right around the corner, I guess it could happen.  It reminds me of growing up with the way my mother decorated and wrapped gifts.  She liked everything to coordinate, the wrapping, the tree, decorations, everything.  If someone gave a gift that didn’t coordinate, she would wrap it over to make it match.  She would approve of this card for sure.

Your Presents

Just one stamp set and all of this pattern just happened.  I bet if I worked harder I could have gotten more.  I know that I will get to use this for countless birthday cards.  A holiday stamp that can keep going on is my kind of stamp.  I just stamped and layered with glimmer paper.  The gifts were sponged lightly and a couple got bows stuck on top with glue dots.  A few stars inside and one on top of the pile and it was done.  So cute.

Your Presents

Have a creative day!

Moana

Workshop Wonders

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What do you get when you bring together some creative friends?  A really unique workshop that was more fun than work that is for sure.  Just look at these adorable projects they created!

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We really did have a wonderful time sharing ideas, laughing, exchanging gifts and enjoying a lovely luncheon.  I think they impressed themselves more than each other.  And I loved crafting with them.

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I already blogged mine on Saturday, but wanted to just show theirs.  Two of our group couldn’t attend this one and they sure missed out.  Next time I am sure they will share something wonderful.  The ladies liked the activity so much that we decided to do it twice a year, once in December and once in the summer.  I do love these gals!

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Have a creative day!

Moana

One Big Meaning Tiny Treats

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Welcome back and thank you too!  Going back to work yesterday, after taking a long weekend off, left me thinking I should give a little thank you to my student TA’s.  They are a great bunch and were honestly quite happy with these treats.

One Big Meaning Tiny Treats

I kept things very simple, because I knew they would really just want the candy.  So, I used some adorable retired ribbon, with an effort to keep it neutral.  I have young men and knew they wouldn’t appreciate anything too girlie.  However, I did give them color choices and they picked the ones they liked best.  Three of five kept the little tag in their things.  How cute is that!

One Big Meaning Tiny Treats

What do we gain from this?  First of all, saying thank you is so important.  Secondly, it doesn’t have to be huge and elaborate to be appreciated.  Honestly, these took me maybe ten minutes from start to end, including a quick set of photos.  Having great tools to work with makes all the difference.  Give something like this a try.  This punch combo is fantastic!  The 1 3/4″ circle punch is large enough that lots of sentiments fit inside quite easily.  Add the 2″ circle for a tiny border and it looks so great!

One Big Meaning Tiny Treats

Have a creative day!

Moana

Happy Age Awareness Day

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This birthday stamp set never gets old for me.  I think some of the phrases are just too funny.  I must have migrated here today because I am a little tired and have a bit of the giggles.  Maybe that is why my photos are all wonky.  Oh well…

Happy Age Awareness Day

I went with just lost lagoon for my color scheme.  Sometimes using one color is all that is needed. It helps to enjoy other parts of the project, like embossing or even just the sentiment.

 Happy Age Awareness Day

I put the banner triple punch to work today and really am pleased how they layer so nicely together.  Super simple to make without all of the frustration of trying to make a banner just right.  Thank you for that awesome punch!

Happy Age Awareness Day

Finishing it off with some of the new metallic silver thread also made me very happy.  It is like using ribbon without any of the distractions you sometimes want to avoid.  How fun is that!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Huge Thank You Part 2

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Here is the other half of the project.  You saw a bit of color at the front and probably suspected more cards.  How many?  How about ten?  Yup, I did the entire brights collection.  I knew this stamp and card idea would look wonderful no matter what color I used.  I wonder if I should do the other color sets?

Huge Thank You

All ten cards fit nicely inside this container that coordinates with both the gift set and the main card.  It also allows the large card to be on display without being in the way.  What a perfect way to brighten up your desk, right?

Huge Thank You

What card set would be complete without matching envelopes?  It just finishes everything off.  I only goofed one envelope with the stamp in the wrong corner.  It is hard to get everything right all of the time.  I can deal with that.

Huge Thank You

Now it is turned over to my daughter for nice signatures and gift giving.  It always feels good to say thank you, especially when it looks as beautiful as it feels.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Petite Purse Retirement Party

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Why is this little tiny purse all alone?  I wanted to showcase just it.  I have loved this die for so long now.  Admittedly, I am addicted to die cuts that make boxes and other such things.  However, this one has always been my favorite.

Petite Purse

I kept it very basic here, just showing off the adorable flowerpot dsp and only one little punch with a rhinestone.  Simple, but perfect.  Can’t you just see opening it up and finding a truffle?  Of course you can.

Petite Purse

I have changed out the top with other cutting or even removed it entirely and had an open container.  I have made different fancy handles, covered the top in little pearls or jems, or even smothered it button or butterfly closures.

Petite Purse

I am so glad these dies last so long.  This is one I have enjoyed and will keep in my collection for years to come.  Thanks Stampinup! for such a fun product!  What will you replace it with?  I wonder.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Petite Pairs and Punches Retirement Party

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Good morning to this retirement party!  Every time I get into one of those designer series paper stacks I get a surprise.  It is always something like, I don’t remember seeing this pattern, I should use this.  My poor brain.

Petite Pairs and Punches

I do really like this grouping here.  It is colorful but subtle at the same time.  Can you believe how many products will be retiring out of this?  The artisan label punch is one of my favorites.  It will stay in my stash for sure.

Petite Pairs and Punches

I also didn’t think to put this bright of a yellow with lost lagoon.  But I tried to use a daffodil delight card base to bring out the yellow, and it was too much.  Just a little bit then, not too much.

Petite Pairs and Punches

And to complete any card combo is a cute little bag.  This guy is made from one sheet of the stack.  A simple scoring, a bit of ribbon, and a flower from the other punching and it is just right.  And yes, a gift card will fit inside just right.  My cuteness must have an additional purpose other than being cute.  Who says that, right?  But it is true.

Petite Pairs and Punches

Have a creative day!

Moana

Mother’s Love

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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.

Mother's Love

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.

Mother's Love

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?

Mother's Love

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