Mossy Meadow

Country Basics

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

This particular project really made me slow down and think.  My usual haphazard color selection just didn’t work out, as you can tell from the huge collection of colors I have listed. This might be the most color I have used on one project.  It ended up kind of cool in the end, but not sure what it will end up serving as.

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One single stamp was the beginning, just the guitar.  The rest of the images were at the end and quite an afterthought to be honest.  I painted the guitar with cajun craze and the color adventure began.  I had thought it would have been fun to sew metallic thread in the guitar string area, but when I spent so much time on the painting I really wanted to walk away. Maybe next time.

Even though it can be a bit frustrating, it is also quite relaxing to work like this.  It also helps a lot with patience.  I know that if I just stick with it, eventually it will come together. Then, the next project doesn’t seem so daunting, because look at what I managed to pull out of the trash bin!

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I left it clean of sentiment and all other embellishments.  The images speak for themselves and that guitar, I love that guitar.

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

Corner Garden Bliss

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

As another catalog year comes to a close I have to be brave and say goodbye to the things that I have loved so much.  This card has so much of that in it.  The stamp, and three of the colors.  A very sad farewell indeed.

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I masked a piece of water color paper and stamped the floral image in black stazon ink.  I have loved this stamp so much.  I do think it will stay with me even when it isn’t available to purchase.  The only color I wanted for the flower petals was blackberry bliss.  So, that meant some had more color than others and they all got special treatment to make them look unique but coordinated.

Before I painted the leafs and stems I applied the soft sky background.  I knew that mossy meadow would cover easily and I still wanted to allow it to blend out a bit.  It worked like a charm.  The flower centers were painted in hello honey and allowed to blend out a bit into the flower.  After the painting was done I  just stared at it wondering how I wanted to distress it.  I didn’t want splatters or spots, but didn’t want to leave it either.

I decided to use a spritzer and water.  Several sprays later I started to like what I was seeing. I did some sponging with a paper towel to lift off some color, then a neat thing happened. I took my damp, inky paper towel and sponged from the bottom to the top which brought a very light amount of blackberry bliss with it.  It looked pretty great so I went with it.  I bet I couldn’t recreate it though, but I will most certainly try.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

June Weddings and a Sheltering Tree

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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

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

Everything Botanical

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Well, this project started somewhere else, but the results are great.  Sometimes it is hard to see past your ‘opportunity mistakes’, I managed though.  Once I fussy cut designer series paper I am totally committed.

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The free items you can earn from Sale-a-bration are all unique, but this one caught my eye right away.  A patterned velum paper that not only coordinates, but actually outlines designer series paper, well that is amazing.  I fussed a bit matching it up, but found the exact spot.  I almost did a 6 x 6 card just so I could see the whole pattern line up.  It would have been worth it, it looked so pretty all lined up.  I moved on though.

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My opportunities came from the glue experience.  I thought I could put tiny tiny dots of glue on little flowers and it would look kind of neat, and hide the adhesive at the same time.  Well, my tiny dots were not as tiny as they needed to be.  Several fixes later, it worked out.  Basic rhinestones, a larger sentiment with tag layering, and using one of the many coordinating framelits.  Phew!

I added a touch of inside stamping with a leaf from the coordinating stamp set.  I don’t usually go for a whole suite of product.  This one is different, I loved all of it.  However, it is my favorite color pallet, floral, and it goes together so wonderfully.  I couldn’t resist it.  So I didn’t.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

 

Courage Doesn’t Always Roar…

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I wasn’t sure about posting this one, it is definitely not my usual type of project.  And if I am being totally honest, it is a bit of a mess.  It wasn’t my idea, but I needed to make a sample, so it happened.

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I work with the youth in my church, specifically the young women ages 14-15, and this was our project last Wednesday night.  One of the girls had suggested this activity and we went at it.  I was to make the sample and I rushed through it a bit too quickly.  We only have a little over an hour to work with, so I was on a timer.  Also, this wouldn’t be my best crafting area.  It is so okay to know there are areas to improve in, and I don’t mind sharing my learning opportunities. (I don’t like to call them mistakes.)

I used two sheets of dsp for this project.  I love the paper. I did get a bit of teasing from the girls.  “Are those artichokes?”  Yes they are, and I love them.  The back side of the paper reminded me of a double wedding ring quilt pattern, so it was a win all the way around.  We were to modge podge pretty paper to a clip board, add some decoration, and finish it off with a favorite inspirational quote.  I have creases and bubbles, but I still love it. I also got into my retired stash of ribbon and found a bunch to use.  I will be happily using this clipboard.  I do need to sand the edges a bit, but otherwise, it is all done.

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Sky is the Limit

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I love it when a card comes together better than intended.  This is a mix of three awesome products, one of which is free during Sale-a-bration.  How great is that?

Sky is the Limit

The mottled dsp stack is fantastic.  The color combinations and patterns are so strong.  They lend a masculine feel, but I don’t think they are exclusive.  The free stamp set is actually really versatile.  This is the sentiment, but there is a great plane, fun clouds and some other elements as well.  I wasn’t too sure about it, but my youngest talked me into it.  I am so glad I did.

Sky is the Limit

I layered two pieces of very vanilla with the spacing I  needed.  I used just a touch of snail to keep them together during the embossing.  But before I  did the embossing, I stamped the sentiment in the upper right trying to predict a bit where a smooth place would remain.  When I placed the papers in the folder, I centered the sentiment in Asia, or the part shown, so it would stay smooth.  It worked great!  I wanted the embossing to stay lined up, so I picked up one side, put two dimensionals down, then picked up the other side and did two more dimensionals.  I raised up the levels and kept the embossing lines in place.  I am in love with this folder.

Sky is the Limit

Have a creative day!

Moana

Joyful

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Just like yesterday, thought I would plan ahead.  I haven’t even left for home yet, but I know I will be tired and fussy going back to work Monday morning after a lovely week off.  So, one more helper for me.  I could get used to this.

Joyful

Another card got the wrapped present sentiment look.  So perfect for Christmas cards I think.  I guess it would be great for birthdays too, and other gift giving occasions.  Well, I have some work to do!

More of the lovely Merry Moments dsp, soon to be retired.  These trees are so awesome.  At first they were not my friends, but I have grown to love them.  And even that silly coordinating punch.  One stamp for the sentiment, just a single word.  But it is perfect for the holiday season.  I love how this stamp, and the rest of the set too, have a water color style to it.  I have been practicing my water color writing, but will stick to stamps for a while yet.  Plenty of sponging going on here too.

Joyful

Have a creative day!

Moana

No Peeking

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

Planning ahead and definitely working ahead is what works best for today.  As this posts, I will be heading back home from my wintery holiday with family back to sunny California.  Not really good timing to let myself enjoy early morning blogging like I do.

No Peeking

For a simple card, there is a lot of dimension going on.  The ribbon and thread work great together with the tag duo and still manage to lay flat.  Three strands of ribbon were poked through the tags and then bound in linen thread.  I left the lengths of linen thread rather long and just curled them a bit with my bone folder.  Love it!  The ribbons were cut at different lengths to add interest and that finished the tag.  I thought it would be an adorable gift tag too.  Might have to make more of those.

Well, of course I sponged this lovely plaid paper before adding it to the card base.  A few wraps with even more thread were just what I needed.  I certainly have enjoyed this holiday card series, but we aren’t done yet!  Still five more cards to share.  So much fun!

No Peeking

Have a creative day!

Moana

Happiness and Cheer

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

A simple card like this can be so lovely too.  I really like the look of a ‘wrapped’ sentiment for a Christmas card.  Some of my favorite holiday elements are in this card.  I will be sad to see them go.

Happiness and Cheer

It is really just the paper and embellishments that will go, the metallic thread is a keeper!  I use that all of the time.  Maybe too much sometimes.  It was perfect for today though because it didn’t take over, but definitely made itself known.  I wrapped it a bunch to give more shine and couldn’t be happier.

This card series started out as a gift set but has turned into a reminder that simple can be so satisfying.  I do love having lots of tools and product to work with, but I really enjoy simple beauty.

 

Happiness and Cheer

Have a creative day!

Moana

Christmas Card Gift Set

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I have the pleasure of visiting my children and family during this Thanksgiving holiday.  Well, when I see my daughter I like to give her card sets.  So, I thought I would share them with you.

Christmas Card Gift Set

It couldn’t just be simple for me though.  I gave myself a challenge.  I let myself have one set of dsp and access to coordinating cardstock and only two stamp sets.  The challenge was to use these things, keep them simple but elegant, and make ten cards.

Christmas Card Gift Set

She is a young stamper and has loved having access to my supplies over the years.  But being at college she doesn’t have all of that, but does pretty well of course.  I thought I would make a set that she could see as doable for herself.

 

All of the cards are basic in shape, so they would fit in the card holder, with only one layer of dsp as the front.  A series of single stamping, sometimes an accent, and tag punches.  I am going to share her gift with you over the next week, so enjoy!

Christmas Card Gift Set

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

Oh What Fun Gift Box

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I actually started out with a different stamp set and a card in mind.  But I just wasn’t feeling it, so I changed gears.  I do really love what ended up in its place.  I love a pretty holiday box like crazy!

Oh What Fun Gift Box

I used a whole 12 x 12 from the Merry Moment DSP pack.  Of course I migrated to the huge dots.  I love all kinds of dots.  And I couldn’t stay away from these beautiful ornament framelits.  They are so wonderful.  I think that these will be all over my Christmas gifts this year.

Oh What Fun Gift Box

The Oh, What Fun stamp set is so full of fantastic sayings to make any holiday crafting one step better for sure.  They will make gift giving and card making quick and easy without looking that way.  Just yummy.  Oh, and these little embellishments are so adorable!  With twenty in a box they will find there way just about everywhere.

Oh What Fun Gift Box

Have a creative day!

Moana

English Garden with Flower Patch

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Can we just not jump right into the next holiday?  That is my theme for today.  I know everyone will be all into Christmas, blowing right by Thanksgiving, but I am going to take a break in between.  So, how about a lovely birthday card?

English Garden with Flower Patch

This paper is so absolutely wonderful.  I would love it in fabric so I could have it all around.  However, I wanted to partner a technique I recently learned with flowers, so I knew the pretty paper wouldn’t be the focus.  Is that even possible?

English Garden with Flower Patch

After stamping and punching out these pansies, I tried the technique out.  I used a very large stylus to just roll around the petals, slowly breaking down the fibers and creating curl.  Oh, you do this on a foam pad so you can squish a lot. It was so fun.  I did the same thing with the little leaves I made.  For those I punched a circle and then used the same punch to punch a section out of both sides giving the leaf shape.  It leaves kind of an apple core looking center behind.  Hope that makes sense.  One day I will get brave and try videos, not there yet though.  Lots of sponging for everything involved and tons of dimensionals.  This is one thick card, extra postage for sure.

English Garden with Flower Patch

Have a creative day!

Moana

Moonrise Wonderland

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This is the kind of thing I get to see all of the time.  The moon isn’t quite that large of course, but you get the idea.  I absolutely love it when you can see so much detail in nature.

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I started with the moon.  The punched image and the negative sheet were both used.  The moon was sponged inside the mask with So Saffron and detailed some with Delightful Dijon.  The beautiful trees from Wonderland were stamped in versamark ink, after a hefty rubbing with the embossing buddy, and then covered in black embossing powder.  I had to be patient with the heat gun to get all of that powder melted, but it is so lovely.

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I only used a few colors to create the background.  An aqua painter was  used along the bottom with Mossy Meadow to give me a bit of a hill and the ground.  Then Elegant Eggplant and Night of Navy were used to sponge in the sky.  I used the punched circle to mask the moon and it worked so nice.  Instead of using masking paper which is thin, I just used cardstock.  The ink has a hard time getting right up the to edge of the image and gives it a bit of a halo effect.  If yo don’t like it that way and want more exact detail, use something thinner.  This made me very happy.

It was layered up once on another piece of Elegant Eggplant cardstock and given a bit of height with dimensionals all the way around.  The inside cardstock was sponged lightly with more Elegant Eggplant just to tie it together a bit more.  All done!

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Have a creative day!

Moana

Vintage Butterfly Basics

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This project started out as something entirely different, but I love where it ended up.  Would you believe I thought I was going to make something dark and dreary with a Halloween theme?  Well…like I said, it ended up lovely.

Vintage Butterfly Basics

The floral images were stamped in black and water colored with blackberry bliss and mossy meadow.  The ferns were also stamped in blackberry bliss.  Then the soft suede ink was put to work.  Lots of sponging and swirling and edging went into image.  I ended up with something that look almost tea dyed.  Just what I wanted.

Vintage Butterfly Basics

A double layer of blackberry bliss became the frame for the card front.  Linen thread was pulled through my blackberry bliss sponge to give it a tint to coordinate.  The tan color it comes in didn’t quite go with the soft suede.  Extra attention went into dimensionals to give  lots of height.

Vintage Butterfly Basics

A narrow boardered piece of soft suede card was embossed with the brick wall embossing folder and then sponged to give additional detail to the embossing.  All together, these elements created something lovely, just lovely.

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

Planning Ahead for Christmas

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These cards feel like such a cozy Christmas, don’t you think?  We are making plans for a sunny holiday this year, but peeking out a window to a snowy scene is more than inviting.

Planning Ahead for Christmas

This window framelit set is sure to be one of my favorites.  Peeking through the window, could this snowman be any cuter?  I don’t think so.

Planning Ahead for Christmas

I love inside stamping.  It makes the card feel so much more complete.  Sometimes we need a place to write a nice long note, but other times it is just wishing someone a happy day, or a happy holiday.

Planning Ahead for Christmas

Most people enjoy displaying their holiday cards as part of their seasonal decorations.  These two swaps would definitely be a welcome addition to anyone’s Christmas decorations.

Have a creative day!

Moana