Very Vanilla

My Dear Friend

~ moanaj ~ Leave a comment

I focused on one image for today’s project.  It initially reminded me of a Japanese maple tree as it starts to change colors.  They are so vibrant.  As I started to paint them I noticed the flowers and the leaves looking different.  I thought it was more of a shrub.  Put your glasses on, right?

My Dear Friend

I put the aqua painter to work here.  I stamped the image in cherry cobbler and brought the color in with just water.  Then I added in old olive and mixed the colors, just as the leaves would be looking.  I decided I wanted the flowers to stand out more, so I darkened the centers to bring out the detail.  I can’t believe I didn’t notice the flowers the first time.

My Dear Friend

Talk about being generous with the basic rhinestones, but I wanted all of the centers to sparkle.  Such a pretty look.  Is it over the top?  Well, if it is for a dear friend, you want it special.  The friend stamp seemed a bit lonely, so I wrote in above it using an old olive stampin’ write marker.  First try even, not bad.

My Dear Friend

There are so many new products used today.  The framelits, the embossing folder, the stamp, and they work together great!  I even got all nostalgic thinking about an old friend that I just don’t get to see anymore.  Guess I know where this one is going!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Age Awareness Vintage Style

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By now, I should have made it back from Utah, survived running all over the place, crying several times, and collapsing after a long drive.

Age Awareness Vintage Style

I am writing this ahead, because this morning I should be up to my eyeballs in getting the last things together for our pioneer trek experience!  I put everything together I could before we went to Utah, but there are always last minute things ready to get in the way.

 Age Awareness Vintage Style

I haven’t used soft suede for a really long time and thought it would go with the theme here.  I also just got the oval framelits and put them to work for the first time.  These stamp sets go together quite nicely, don’t you think?  I used the banner punch for the very vanilla strips and finished up the soft suede layered banner with the side of the hexagon punch.  It makes great banner ends.  Who knew!

Age Awareness Vintage Style

Here I go again making my own background paper.  It is a fun challenge that keeps my brain fresh and lets me use more of my fun stamps!  We have a special birthday coming up next month for someone getting up there in years.  He has a great sense of humor and will just love this!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Trek Inspired Bordering Blooms

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Trek Inspired?  Well, of course!  Coming up next week around two hundred youth and adult leaders will be heading out for a three day handcart pioneer trek covering about 15 miles.  My husband and I get to participate as “Ma and Pa” for a group of eight youth who will be our “children” during the trek.  I don’t know if I am more excited or scared.  Good to be both though.

Trek Inspired Bordering Blooms

I have been sewing my pioneer outfit and have it ready to go.  I am actually typing while wearing it.  What a great pioneer thing to do, right?  I even have my hair in french braids and my straw hat on.  I thought it might be a good idea to try and walk around in these skirts a bit.  My lace will be getting dirty I think.

Trek Inspired Bordering Blooms

While I saw sewing I saw a card coming together.  Mix my two favorites, right?  I stamped with one of the border stamps in old olive on very vanilla.  I used my aqua painter and the other ink colors to color in the flower and leaf patterns.  Yet another background creation.  And now I have two all occasion cards ready to go.

Trek Inspired Bordering Blooms

Here is a sneak peek at part of my apron.  Can you see the colors coordinating?  I know the marina mist is a bit brighter, but it was close enough to get my brain creating.  Ruffles and lace and ruffles and lace.  My mother will be so proud.

Trek Inspired Bordering Blooms

I think I will do some more trek inspired projects to share while I am gone.  Yee-Haw!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Camp Bountiful in a Card

~ moanaj ~ 2 Comments

Spending a week with a wonderful group of ladies working together to serve the most beautiful girls, communing with nature and worshiping God, it is obvious why I created the card I did.

Camp Bountiful in a Card

Lovely as a Tree will remain one of my long time favorites, always.  Being surrounded by nature and removed from technology and distractions brings solace like no other.

Camp Bountiful in a Card

The girls, that huge group of lovely girls, worked together, learned together, laughed together, and cried together.  It was such a wonderful experience and I hope I get the opportunity to serve again next summer.

Camp Bountiful in a Card

It wont be easy to get back into the routine of life, but there isn’t a choice.  But, I can choose to keep myself in tune with the things I learned and felt.  I will continue to serve those I love.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Guy Greetings and Father’s Day Too!

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Card workshop is today and even though I am totally exhausted, I know I will have a great time.  This is one of the projects we will be making.  It is getting close to Father’s Day, so of course we had to make something to celebrate that wonderful holiday.

Guy Greetings and Father's Day Too!

Can you see the learning opportunity in this first photo?  I was chatting it up with my own father and wasn’t paying close attention.  I know my stamping is a bit wonky, but I neglected to use my stampin’ pierce mat with the one on the left.  Of course my image wasn’t as clear and even a bit void in the center.  Yes well, it didn’t click on that second attempt.  The one before is hiding behind that one.  I tried to re-stamp it, but even with the photopolymer being so very clear, the image was too detailed for me to line up perfectly.  It gave it a nauseating 3-D look that had to go.  We all learn, right?  Use that mat for best results with photopolymer.

Guy Greetings and Father's Day Too!

Some of my ladies like to have choices as they work, so this should work nicely.  The stamp set it so huge that not only do they have choices, they just might be overwhelmed.

Guy Greetings and Father's Day Too!

I have used just a touch of seam binding ribbon to add some color, just a little bit. A nice masculine card is definitely something to have on hand, and this fits the bill.  I am so glad this stamp set carried over because it is the best for making all kinds of manly cards.  Love it!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Congratulations to a Wonderful Man

~ moanaj ~ 1 Comment

Yesterday was such a wonderful day for my family, especially my husband.  He was able to participate in a graduation ceremony for earning his masters degree.  Working full time, teaching early morning religion classes, and completing his program in eighteen months with straight A’s.  Congratulations to a Wonderful Man, truly.  A card doesn’t sum up an accomplishment like that, but I needed somewhere to write the words that would.  Perfect solution.

Congratulations to a Wonderful Man

The new stamp set Happy Birthday, Everyone is obviously more versatile that just birthdays.  I used  one of the many phrases included in this host set to make my background paper.  I just stamped it over and over again, not even trying to be straight, and it turned out pretty well.  I added the congratulations from the Sassy Salutations set.  I used black paper as well to emphasize the main sentiment, all about the congratulations here.

Congratulations to a Wonderful Man

Even though it was for my husband, I though I could get away with a little of the dotted lace trim.  Almost compulsory there since it is new and coordinates so well.  I only used a tiny amount, no bows or anything.  Welcome to yet another wonderful In-Color.  Glad to have you Delightful Dijon!

Have a creative day,

Moana

Thank You for Mint Macaron

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Isn’t this lovely minty color so pretty?  This is the third of the five new In-Colors for Stampin’Up! and I am already having so much fun with them.  I wasn’t quite ready to let go of coastal cabana or some of the others, but this helps me feel better.

Thank You for Mint Macaron

I hadn’t made a bag or box for a bit, so I thought I would do both.  I am still using the same stamp set, A Whole Lot of Lovely, three days in a row.  That just goes to show how versatile this set is.

Thank You for Mint Macaron

Of course I got the new colors, but I also had to get all of the new lace trims as well.  I am quickly getting attached to them.  They are a little more subtle and opaque on my projects.  More of an accent than a focus.

Thank You for Mint Macaron

I left this bag rather simple.  I wanted to just see the stamped image and focus on that.  It really is pretty.  I know I will be using this one like crazy.  Speaking of crazy, that is what is in store for my day, so I had better get on it!

Have a creative day!

Moana

A Huge Thank You

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When a lot of people need to say thank you, you need a huge card.  This one measures 5.5 x 8.5, totally huge.  It has signing panels on both sides, plenty of room for everyone.

5-10 (2)

I had the opportunity to be a driver for my oldest daughters small business class field trip to Silicon Valley.  There was a lot of prep work, a hectic schedule, and highway time galore.  I thought it appropriate that the students thank their teacher for all of her hard work.

5-10 (3)

To make it a little better, I made a little something extra that I will share with you tomorrow.  You can see the top of them poking out of the holder.  It should sit nicely on her desk either at home or school.

5-10 (1)

My Denali will get the students to sign during the morning and give it to her during class.  It should be a nice thank you from all of us.  Sometimes we need to help others to be grateful.  Let’s call this an additional learning opportunity for the students.

I will share photos of the gift portion of the thank you tomorrow.  So festive and fun.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Guy Greetings Thank You

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How do you say thank you to a man with a card?  Just like this.  Simple, a bit of elegance, and a touch of humor, but just a touch.

Guy Greetings

Denali requested a special manly thank you card for her prom dates father.  He is doing all of the driving for the two of them, neither one have a license, even as seniors, so they need a little help.  Hence, the thank you.  I thought that was adorable.

Guy Greetings

Also, it works for sharing with you today!  This set doesn’t seem to be carrying over to next year, so we have to say goodbye.  So sad, because it is a great manly set.  Well, I won’t stop using it.

Guy Greetings

This is a quick project day, because it is prom day!  When you have a young lady going to her first and only prom, you want to make it special.  There are still some things that have to be dealt with, like sharing some joy and some basic chores. Other than that, we are all about getting pretty.  Nails and hair are already done, so just enjoying the fun of makeup.  The next photos I take will be filled with a lovely young lady and her good friend.  Wheeeeee!

Have a creative day!

Moana

Blooming With Kindness Thank You Notes

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A quick, but special, project graced my desk today.  I wanted to make special thank you cards for the young ladies that I teach in a church class.  They were to write about things that they were thankful for concerning our gospel lesson.  It was a really great experience for them.

Bloom With Hope

I only recently got this stamp set at my daughters request, so I have used it a lot.  I was so sad to see it put on the retirement list.  I have enjoyed every project though.

Bloom With Hope

I think this flower image would look stunning no matter what color I used.  It is just that lovely.  I decided to use early espresso so I could pair it with the retiring seam binding ribbon.  These have become my go to products.  Only positive thoughts here though.  I know something equally amazing will come our way.

Bloom With Hope

The card assembly was really quite simple.  Just a basic card cut to measure 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 and scored at 4 1/4.  A very vanilla single layer on top measuring 4 x 5 1/4 with a length of ribbon tied in a know.  I stamped full strength in the four corners and then stamped off once to do the gaps in between.  It gave it a bit of dimension and was super easy.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

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I wasn’t sure what I would come up with last night.  I had pulled some product to work with, but when I sat down to do it, I wasn’t feeling it.  Total do over.  How about this awesome stamp instead?  Absolutely!

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

I had been waiting until closer to Mother’s Day to use this beauty, because it so reminded me of my mom.  She always makes flowers look beautiful, no matter how they show up. Even in rumpled newspaper.

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

I had to do echo stamping inside, but wanted my gift bag to mirror the stamp as well.  I think it worked out pretty good, don’t you?  Both the card and bag were made from one sheet of card stock, plus a little scrap to frame my stamped image.

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

I really couldn’t wait to make the little pretend newspaper on this image, like so many other stampers have done.  It was so fun, even if it was a bit tricky.  You should totally give it a try.

Love is Kindness with Newsprint DSP

Just looking at this set under my spotlights makes me smile.  I absolutely love them.  With workshop coming this weekend, I might have to change a project?  No, I will stay firm, but I don’t want to.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Blooming With Kindness Trio

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This set started with an experiment, had some problems, then turned the corner and gave me something beautiful.  Pretty fun experiment there.

Blooming With Kindness

I started out wanting to use pink pirouette, saraha sand and very vanilla.  The papers looked lovely together, however, the way they looked on the very vanilla compared to whisper white made all the difference.

The pink looked so different on the vanilla that it made it look like my card stock was the wrong color.  That was odd for sure.  But I loved the paper I had created using the huge flower from the blooming with kindness set, so I had to get creative.

Blooming With Kindness

I made other cards using the front and inside bits I had stamped on the very vanilla.  Then I made another background piece on whisper white and the pinks were much more friendly.  And I ended up loving the secondary cards more than my original.  How about that?

Blooming With Kindness

Even though my results went a bit off, I do love the look I made.  I stamped the flower with versamark ink onto the card stock and quickly sprinkled iridescent ice powder on the wet ink.  I heat set it and while it was still tacky I hit it again with the powder and heat set it again.  You can kind of see how shiny and sparkly it is.

Blooming With Kindness

Each card got a different sentiment, and they are all so beautiful.  My daughter is the one that said we had to have the set.  She was so right, my creative buddy.

Remember, there are no mistakes in art, only opportunities.

Have a creative day!

Moana

Guy Greetings Woo-Hoo!

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This was an awesome set to make!  I couldn’t stop giggling at this little muscle man saying woo-hoo!  Really, so funny.  I was going for masculine here and think I nailed it.

Guy Greetings and Just Sayin'

The gift bag here is a tall one but still came from one sheet of card stock.  It measures 1 x 1 x 7.5.  Yup, pretty darn tall.  I think one of those huge candy bars would be awesome inside.  I like how I always want to put candy in my bags.  I did put some fairly stout items inside and my linen thread handle still held strong.  I couldn’t have a ribbon handle, no too girlie.

Guy Greetings and Just Sayin'

The mix of the image with the typeset paper along with the muscle man gave it a very vintage look.  I sponged everything to continue the look.  Even though you can’t see a lot of it, I think the alphabet embossing folder gave the texture I needed.

Guy Greetings and Just Sayin'

So how about you dig into your stamps and make something that brings a grin to you and the person you give it to.  That is why we do this after all, right?

Have a creative day!

Moana