Satin Stitched Ribbon

God is Love

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

A quick stroll through my scrap pile kits and I found this treasure.  I swapped out the embossing folder and stamp sets and came up with something wonderful.  Before it was a different nature scene with a sympathy sentiment.  I like this one too.

5-26

The Trust God stamp set has finally reached retirement.  I cannot tell you how many times I have used this particular set.  This, along with yesterday’s Swallowtail, will join the special shelving unit of stay with me stamps.  I couldn’t part with it.  The new catalog has a couple of sets that are very nice, but in my opinion, won’t be replacing this one.

The tree was stamped in the center with early espresso and sponged with crumb cake.  That is the same treatment for the sentiment, which was punched with the also retiring extra large oval punch.  Dang, I am going to miss that one too.   I do enjoy trying new things, especially when it challenges my crafting.  Plenty of dimensionals and a touch of basic pearls finished this card off.

5-26 (1)

Have a creative day!

Moana

Remarkable…

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

This quite simply was round two.  I had this fun idea to emboss this flower with silver powder on black card stock.  Thought that would look pretty cool.  Then, I thought I would water color with a bit of silver encore ink and touch it up with wink of stella.  Can I just say that all went in the trash bin?  True story, not a good combination there.  Next try…better.

5-16

These colors are all I have on my brain lately.  The wedding is three weeks away and the reception I am hosting is four weeks away.  It is hard to find blackberry bliss in the spring out and about. I have managed what I can, and have had to let go of other ideas.  It is going well.  Just like this card duo.

5-16 (1)

Simple stamping and die cutting with oval framelits.  Touches of basic pearls to set it off and wrapped in pretty satin ribbon.  My kind of yummy.  After donating my stash of cards and bags for a fund raiser, this is the first one to begin the rebuilding.  All for a good cause.

5-16 (2)

Have a creative day!

Moana

Brushstrokes Through a Garden In Bloom

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

The ‘Brushstrokes’ background stamp finally made its way into my collection and I am wondering why I waited so long.  This project reminds me of a summer picnic.  The red checked table cloth, I think we have all had one at one time or another.

5-12 (1)

I stamped vertically and then horizontally with real red on water color paper.  I did tape it off first to give me the extra border I love so much.  The flowers and butterflies were stamped in black stazon and followed with the second step stamps to fill them in. Additional painting was done to sharpen the color some and touches of silver got in as well.

I used half a sheet of cardstock for the card base and couldn’t leave the other half just sitting there, so I made a tiny box to go along.  The black butterflies were stamped with the same set and I scored each panel measuring 7/8″ and topped it with a baby bow.  Adorable. Now another set can be added to the donation collection for Saturdays scouting fundraiser.

5-12

Have a creative day!

Moana

 

Happy Mother’s Day All Around

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

This to me is the ultimate way to celebrate Mother’s Day, when your children are doing wonderful things.  Like getting married to an amazing woman.  Our family is more than excited for the big day, just under one month now!

5-6

They didn’t want hand made invitations, and I have to say I was relieved.  I would have of course, but what a bunch of work!  I did decide to make a Mother’s Day card for my own mother though.  She loves to take my cards and place them around her house like little pieces of art.  This one is going to stay out for a long time. How fun.

5-6 (1)

Have a creative day!

Moana

Thanks For Being You

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

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.

4-4 (2)

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

Success Looks Good On You

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Don’t you love it when designer paper has such unexpected patterns?  This awesome paper from Sale-a-bration, which will end soon, has a few patterns that are so fun and different.  You  wouldn’t guess that this dotted pattern comes from a primarily floral set paper.

3-24 (1)

This project is the first of a dozen cards that I made for a gift set to share with my daughter. It is nearly spring break and my family gets to all be together.  She loves to paper craft with me, and actually kept me company through crafting nearly all of these.  So, you get to enjoy a different one each day.  The series will end with the coordinating container I made to store them all in.  It is so pretty.

The card is super simple.  Just one layer of dsp cut to leave a 1/4″ border, one strip of ribbon tied in a knot, and a layered sentiment.  I stamped in black stazon, punched with the decorative label punch, and then sponged with silver encore ink.  I did use a double layer of dimensionals to keep the tag high enough to clear the ribbon knot underneath.  Simple, right?  Sometimes simple is just right.

3-24 (2)

Have a creative day!

Moana

Hello Perfect Plum

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Living in the country has its perks, but sometimes it can be frustrating.  For example, when you live far enough out you are restricted to satellite internet.  It is slower for one thing, but when it is very stormy the weather interferes. Sometimes it stops it all together.  That would be this last weekend.  Bummer.  Let’s catch up.

101_1191

I made this lovely little gift set for a friends daughter.  She had the role of Violet Boreguarde in a children’s musical this last weekend.  Of course the gift bag needed to be filled with gum, because that is what Violet is all about.  That was so much fun!

101_1193

I also dug out one of my old stamp sets from 2004.  I wanted to create the look of bubbles, for the gum of course, and this set came to mind.  I don’t even remember the name of the set.  When you purchase quality it lasts for sure.  This set is twelve years old and worked like a charm.

101_1194

I brought in perfect plum, elegant eggplant and some gold encore ink for this set.  Violet did indeed get a golden ticket after all.  When the scene came for her to change into the large blueberry, she had this inflatable suit that literally made her look so huge and round and most definitely violet in color.  It was a great night.  The grin she made when she looked in the bag was fantastic.

101_1192

Have a creative day!

Moana

Because You’re So Nice

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Nice people are just, well, so nice.  Saying thank you is always fun and feels great, but why not take it up a notch.  That is just the kind of thank you a super nice person deserves.

3-3

My daughter got some much needed study notes help last night from a friend.  She had re-written her notes for a big test, threw away the old messy ones, or so she thought.  Yup, she threw out the new ones, with the latest additions as well.  She reached out to a friend and they came to the rescue.  Favorite candy bar, MilkyWay.  Mission accomplished and the thank you is on it’s way.

3-3 (1)

This is a smaller version of a sliding box I had made earlier last month.  Instead of using full sheets of 12 x 12, I used two 6 x 6 pieces.  Same principal of making the score lines just 1/8″ in and it works pretty darn good.  I think I would have liked it more snug, but the candy needed the room so I didn’t want to chance it.  My daughter was so excited to take it to school today and share it with her buddy.  Me too.

3-3 (3)

Have a creative day!

Moana

Everything Botanical

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

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.

2-8 (3)

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.

2-8

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.

2-8 (1)

Have a creative day!

Moana

 

Bouquet Bigz L Die Meets Thrift Store Skirt

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

My daughter gave me a challenge.  She took a photo of this wild skirt she saw at the thrift store she works at.  She wanted to see it made into a card.  Well, I took it a different direction.  And yes, the skirt looks this wildy.  How fun!

Bouquet Bigz L Die Meets Thrift Store Skirt

I made flowers using the Bouquet Bigz L Die with real red.  It was actually the maiden voyage of that die cut.  As I looked at it I decided I could spend way too much time playing with it.    I distressed the petals before I put them together.  Even though it adds time in the process, it was worth it.

Bouquet Bigz L Die Meets Thrift Store Skirt

I attached them to a rectangle of black cardstock so I could put the flowers on the ribbon and not the box.  Makes for easy opening and the opportunity to re-use both the box and the flowers.  This box though.  The pattern of this paper is more than fun, don’t you think?  And with a simple wrap of satin ribbon it was done and ready to be used.

Bouquet Bigz L Die Meets Thrift Store Skirt

Have a creative day!

Moana

Do Not Open Until Christmas

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

How cute is this ornament print designer paper?  Almost like sweet polka dots, but done holiday style.  Here is yet another card from the gift set.  Several of them would be great to use as gift card holders.

Do Not Open Until Christmas

One simple layer of paper, one single stamp and one punch.  Nothing complicated here.  I punched a hole in the tag for my ribbon to come through.  I tied the ribbon in a knot first and threaded the ends through the tag.  I did use a heavy card stock, but was still careful not to tear it.  The know popped through and finished it off just right.  I did really want to add ornament die cuts for extra fun, but made myself keep to the simple tool list.  Phew!  Hard work to keep things simple sometimes.

Do Not Open Until Christmas

Have a creative day!

Moana

Merry Moments Gift Card Set

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

A card that looks like a gift, but is a card, or is it?  I guess you could use this when you want to give a gift card and don’t just want to use the tiny envelope provided.  Either way, I like the look of a present shown here.

Merry Moments Gift Card Set

It has a hint of masculine with the color choices, but with that much ribbon I hesitated to give it the full masculine stamp.  You could probably get away with it though.  And I have to be honest, this is the first time I have used this adorable Christmas tree punch.  I guess I needed this awesome paper to inspire me to get it out.  It fit nicely as the gift tag.  So, I guess I will get to use it on other gifts this holiday season as well.

Merry Moments Gift Card Set

The DSP is layered on a piece of sahara sand cardstock with a narrow border showing.  I wanted to have a little more strength as I tied my ribbon on.  I do very much like a snug fit and probably winch it in a bit much sometimes.  I got the look I wanted though.  Why not give it a try your self?

Merry Moments Gift Card Set

Have a creative day!

Moana

Color Me Irresistible

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Fall events are starting to pile up and that means plan ahead and get it done early.  This isn’t quite early, just one week, but that helps, right?  There is a church youth dance coming up next weekend and we are hosting the pre-dance dinner party.  The theme is black and white, so we are going along with that for the decorations, and yes, party favors.  I think these will do nicely.

Color Me Irresistible

These two are very simple, as should any favor should be, especially if you need to make several quickly.  I started both of them with paper sized at about 4 x 6 1/2.  Simple scoring for the gift bag and a hole punch to thread through the ribbon.  Done and done.

Color Me Irresistible

Can you go wrong with a classic sour cream container?  I think not, especially when you are working with this ever so lovely silver foil velum.  I think silver wrapped candies or white mints would look so pretty inside.  Maybe even both?  Works for me!

Color Me Irresistible

Have a creative day!

Moana

Workshop Madness Day 1

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

In a prior post I mentioned a demonstrators workshop that I was able to attend.  There were a lot of ladies there and excitement was certainly in the air.  I thought I would go through some of the samples I brought back and show them to you.

Workshop Madness Day 1

The next five days will be all about Halloween.  For some reason, there was a lot more of that than the other holidays, maybe because it was closer.

Workshop Madness Day 1

This gift bag was created with scoring and cutting, and then layering up with lots of cute things.  The stamp and punch were actually carry over from the last holiday catalog and I am so glad.  Such a great set.  But the paper is new, and it is so cute!

Workshop Madness Day 1

This bag is made from the gift bag punch board and really goes together easy.  I hadn’t thought I could put this to use, since I adore my score board for bags, but I just might change my mind.  It doesn’t have to complicated to look great.  Sometimes a simple favor is all you need.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Larger Than Life Birthday Wishes

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Any wonder what today’s card is all about?  Couldn’t get any more direct that this and I love it!

Larger Than Life Birthday Wishes

A certain young man is having a birthday this month and his grandmother requested a special card.  I love personalized items, especially when you aren’t likely to see that name all of the time.  Call it childhood memories.

Larger Than Life Birthday Wishes

My youngest daughter might disagree as to who this should be for.  She might want to send it to a particular One Direction band member who also might be named Liam, but that isn’t going to happen.  She can make her own.

Larger Than Life Birthday Wishes

The Larger Than Life Alphabet and Number set is so wonderful for things like this.  I took the ‘happy birthday’ sentiment from That Thing You Did.  Some Cucumber Crush for a fun bright green and it was nearly done.  A touch of ribbon to bring it all together and I was happy.  I think Liam will be too.

Have a creative day!

Moana

All About Sugar and No Bones About It

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

When you get asked for a birthday card for a little boy, don’t you just think of dinosaurs?  This fun card could be for folks of all ages.  You know, the cards that tease you about being older than a dinosaur, or a fossil in this case.

All About Sugar and No Bones About It

I gave warning that I would be into this set like crazy, and I love every chance I get to use it.  I have a few more children’s birthday cards to make and I think they will all have a dinosaur on them.  Tee hee.

All About Sugar and No Bones About It

The card itself is very simple.  Narrow borders layered together with some very simple stamping.  I only used three stamps for this card.  I think it looks like this dinosaur is smiling.  I digress…

All About Sugar and No Bones About It

Simple stamping, basic color pallet, sponging on the edges and a touch of ribbon.  Keeping open spaces on a project isn’t my strength, but when I manage it, I realize that I really do like it.  I just forget.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Hello You

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

How do you decide what to work with?  Today, I went with my skirt as inspiration.  While I am not wearing black and white zebra stripes with butterflies, the colors are right on.  I could hold it on display and coordinate so nicely.  I love how it turned out.

Hello You

I have to admit, this is the first time I have used my file tab edgelits and I have had them for a long time.  I wanted to use them, just in a different way.  The paper helps out a lot here, and I like them vertical instead of horizontal the way a file folder would normally look.  Mission accomplished.

Hello You

In order to coordinate the inside with the outside, I took the small butterfly stamp from Kinda Eclectic and stamped away.  It makes me so happy to have the inside match the front.    The card actually is quite simple, with patterned paper like this you do have to have some limits, just some.

Hello You

 

Have a creative day!

Moana

Go Wild All Occasion Card

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Such a simple card for today, but it really makes me smile.  I did really try for a sentiment, some kind of cute stamped phrase, but couldn’t do it.  I just really liked it how it was.

Go Wild All Occasion Card

I guess that will leave this truly an all occasion card waiting for who knows what.  I think it leans more to the feminine side, but maybe a bit of room for masculine?  Your choice.

Go Wild All Occasion Card

The card base is made with tip top taupe layered with basic black and a front of this awesome go wild designer series paper.  I brought out the banner triple punch to give me these perfect banners.  I love not having to snip or make a square punch try to work.  I even repeated the pattern inside the card.  Not my usual, but I do like stamping on the inside.

Go Wild All Occasion Card

A touch of satin stitched ribbon around the banner trio and this card was done.  Super simple with a great look.  I think this might be my make and take for a demonstrator event I am attending this month.  Hmmmm…

Have a creative day!

Moana

Irresistible Beautiful Bunch

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

Some days the creativity flows effortlessly and some days it would be easier to birth an elephant.  That would be today.  I had to walk away two different times before I called it done.

Irresistible Beautiful Bunch

The color me irresistible designer series paper is so very cool.  I love that I get to choose which colors I want to create as well as others that are already done and full of interest, especially this black paper.  Isn’t it so elegant?

Irresistible Beautiful Bunch

These flowers just about took me down, they still just might.  I was determined to use these new pearl embellishments and picked this flower stamp and coordinating punch to frame them.  Well, they turned out too light with my method of water coloring and I didn’t like the boarder from the punch, even though it was small, it made the flower just too light.  I did more painting and added black ink in too.  Just a bit, but it is there.  Tried curling the flowers more, and then just about tore them up.

Irresistible Beautiful Bunch

 

I just put them in place and grabbed the ribbon.  I wasn’t going to use a ribbon, but a sentiment layered on tags.  When I gave it a try, I decided it wasn’t so horrible after all.  I am sure there could have been other things to help, but I just had to call it and walk away.  Either way, I really don’t hate it anymore.

Have a creative day!

Moana

You’ve Got This

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I love beautiful paper, just love it.  This Timeless Elegance set is truly wonderful to work with.  Once I cut this piece for a card front the rest of the card came together so easily.

You've Got This

The card base is very vanilla with a narrow background of the same color.  It isn’t easy to see, but it gives it just the right touch.  The stamping was also done on the same color and cut out with the tags and labels framelits.  That new set makes me very happy.  I like a tighter border in layering and this set does it well.

You've Got This

Of course everything is layered up on dimensionals, I have to have that.  And that ribbon.  I just got this one and couldn’t wait to use it.  The stitched satin ribbon is lovely, just lovely.  A pretty bow and then on to flowers.

You've Got This

The petite petal punch and the flower from the itty bitty accents punch pack make it work.  I filled the corner up nicely and gave everyone basic pearls in the center.  Simple and yet very elegant.

Have a creative day!

Moana