mim#258: cover plate tags

Wow, look at me posting for PTI challenges three weeks in a row. And while I’m patting myself on the back, I’m even more impressed with myself because something in the circuit panel blew yesterday and there is minimal electricity in my house right now. Fortunately and thankfully, the refrigerator, two a/c window units and a handful of outlets were not affected. Unfortunately, the outlet for my internet box – not sure what the technical term is – does not have power, so I have to switch it out with the a/c when I want to get online. Good thing the temps are getting cooler at night.

So, back to why it’s kudos to me. The room where I craft does not get a lot of natural light; it’s located on the northwest corner of the house. That means I usually have a very bright overhead light on that illuminates the whole room. Last night, when I made this card, I had one table lamp that, in comparison, seemed to be like working in candlelight. Oh, how spoiled I am.

This week, Papertrey’s Make It Monday Challenge #258,  combining tags and cover plates, was presented by Laurie Willison. Because I tend not to use a lot of tags as tags, I usually make them on an as-needed basis to match the packaging. That meant that my tag for this Make It Monday would be going on a card, a guy’s card. This seemed to be a great way to add texture and keep it graphic, both go-to elements for me when making a masculine card. When the MIM video finished playing, YouTube was kind enough to recommend this video from Vicky Papaioannou and my plan for the card came together. Don’t you love when things like that happen?

Do you think guys wish upon a birthday star?

nancy

supplies:

stamps:  Wishes Come True and Simple Stars (PTI)

ink:  enchanted evening (PTI)

paper:  rustic cream card stock (PTI); passion fruit card stock collection (Recollections)

dies:  Tag Sale #3, Cover Plate: Stars, Seeing Stars, Coffee Cozy Details, Super Star Border, and Double-ended Banner (PTI); Linen & Canvas impression plate (PTI)

extras:  jute twine (Westrim)

happy fall y’all – no, not yet!!!!!!!!!

Papertrey’s August release contained a number of autumnal products and because I’m not at all ready for a change in seasons, I thought of skipping this month’s Create Along With Us challenge. Obviously, I changed my mind and even made two cards, both with a decidedly fall flavor.

The first card chosen as inspiration is Danielle’s pink Happy Fall card. With its lighter, more feminine colors, this card is perfect for that transition period of the warm days and cool nights of late September, which is probably part of the reason I chose it. Another reason is that I own the fabric tape Danielle used. Because I had yet to unwind that tape, this was the perfect opportunity to get it out.

 

Back in April, I described my approach to Create Along With Us. Another reason for my duplicative approach is that it pushes me to try things that I otherwise would not. Using a white leaf on an autumn card or pairing Soft Stone with these colors is not something I would do, but I love how they look on Danielle’s card… and on mine.

Another technique that I haven’t tried – it just didn’t seem worth the effort to me – is ink blending on word die cuts. Boy, was I ever wrong! It’s not much effort and the blended die cut has so much depth.

This card is my attempt at Betsy’s Inspired:  Blessed card. The flower cluster from Don’t Forget to Write seemed to be a good substitute and its stamp set was another item I had yet to use. After making this card, I’ve decided that I need to add some wheat to my collection. (I think I had decided that before I made the card.)

Hope you’re still enjoying some sweet summertime.

nancy

supplies (happy fall):

stamps:  Stitched Sentiments, Pumpkin Patch, Birthday Classics: September and Birthday Basics (PTI)

ink:  sweet blush, berry sorbet, harvest gold and classic kraft (PTI); rich cocoa (Memento)

paper:  soft stone card stock (PTI); white card stock (Recollections)

dies:  Leaf Prints (PTI)

extras:  fabric tape (Recollections); ribbon (stash)

supplies (prayer is a hug):

stamps:  Don’t Forget to Write, Botanical Silhouettes and Inspired: Prayer (PTI)

ink:  aqua mist, canyon clay, terracotta tile, summer sunrise, harvest gold, ripe avocado, simply chartreuse, fine linen and classic kraft (PTI); rich cocoa (Memento)

paper:  classic kraft and fresh snow linen card stock (PTI); watercolor paper (Master’s Touch)

dies:  Don’t Forget to Write and Happiness in Bloom Leaves (PTI); Stitched Rectangles (SSS); Inside/Out Stitched Square STAX (MFT Stamps)

it’s the pits: a card for mim#257

Each week, I try to play along with Papertrey’s Make It Monday Challenge, but I usually don’t finish a card in time to post. This week, I was determined to complete and enter my card for Make It Monday #257, sentiment strip grounding, presented by Lexi Daly.

Back at the start of July, I bought two pounds of cherries and pitted them the old fashioned way – with a sharp knife. From those cherries, my daughter made a cherry-blueberry crisp that was amazingly delicious. I mentioned to her that I wanted to buy more cherries and freeze them to have the crisp in the winter, but that I dreaded pitting all of those cherries and having my fingers be stained for two plus weeks. Brianna asked why I didn’t buy a cherry pitter and I explained that I had one many years ago that was worthless, so I’ve just stuck with the knife. She shared that her dad has one and insisted that it is easy to use. Fast forward one six-cherry pitter and five pounds of cherries later and I have a freezer filled with washed and pitted cherries just waiting for a cold winter’s day when Brianna bakes us a cherry crisp.

What do cherry pitters have to do with grounded sentiments? In actuality, nothing, but I incorporated that approach on a card using the cherry from Scent-imentals. I made the card for my father-in-law so that I could share the cherry pitter story. He lives in a nursing home a few states away and I like to send him cards and share little tidbits about what is going on in our lives. In reality, it is easier for me to make a card and write a note if there is a story that guides both; otherwise, I sit there staring at a blank page with my mind just as blank (for both making the card and writing the note).

One would think that after a woman pits five pounds of cherries, she would know exactly what they look like. Right? Well, the blank mind above apparently carries over into other parts of my life. After a “watercolor cherries” search on Pinterest, the following image jumped out at me, more for the design than the actual cherries.  Please note that the pin only went to the image and I was unable to find the original work of art to give credit to the artist.

I was not planning on doing anything that detailed since I am not an artist, but I did want to try to use the flow of colors. After working with a paintbrush for color placement and drips, I gave up and went to the smooshing technique. So much easier!

Sentiment strip grounding was a perfect approach with this card. The woodgrain tape was not only great for the sentiment strip, but it also symbolized a tree branch from which the cherries were growing. Obviously, I overthink things.

Hope you had fun visiting.

nancy

PS – One would think from the length of this post that I wouldn’t have any trouble filling a note card. ;-)

supplies:

stamps:  Scent-imentals and Flower Fusion #10 (PTI)

ink:  harvest gold, bright buttercup, hibiscus burst, pure poppy, scarlet jewel, green parakeet, new leaf and classic kraft (PTI); espresso truffle (Memento); VersaMark

paper:  citrus blend card stock (Recollections); watercolor paper (Strathmore)

dies:  Scent-imentals (PTI)

extras:  wood tape (Studio Calico); black embossing powder (PSX)

saf2016: watercolor like a master

This card is based on the poem "Jack Frost" by Helen Bayley Davis. And the photos neither do the watercolor technique or the card justice. Please do come back when I post better pictures to get a more complete story.

 

Jack Frost

Someone painted pictures on my

Window pane last night –

Willow trees with trailing boughs

And flowers – frosty white

And lovely crystal butterflies;

But when the morning sun

Touched them with its golden beams,

They vanished one by one!

~ Helen Bayley Davis

saf2016: gilded in gold

One of the small frames in The Pier collection by Crate Paper was gilded for this challenge. I'll take better pictures and share more about the card tomorrow. I just want to get this posted for now. Why am I always playing beat the clock?

saf2016: master color recipes

I'm posting very late, so I'll come back and add some background information along with products used.

saf2016: share your masterpiece

 

If I’m posting on my blog, it must be time for either Papertrey Ink’s anniversary celebration or Stamp-a-faire.  Since the weather is disgustingly hot and humid, it could only be Stamp-a-faire, a wonderful free online stamping event. To open the festivities, Nichole asked us to share THE PROJECT that we are most proud of, our masterpiece.

I looked through my photo file, remembered different projects, and thought about the why behind those projects I was considering. Should I pick that card because it was the prettiest? or that one because it was made to encourage my daughter as she worked on her last college film? or my first gratitude journal because of memories of blessings that it holds inside? or the “I Believe” mini-album that each of the girls in my Sunday School made because of the faith captured? After much deliberation, I decided to share a simple card. It is not in any way a masterpiece nor is it close to my usual style… unless I’m making a card for a guy.

Why this card? To understand, you’d have to know the way I approach card making. Usually when I make a card, I start with someone else’s card that I use as inspiration. I definitely try to make it my own, but it is rare that I look at a stamp or die and an idea for a card immediately comes to mind. That doesn’t bother me because I consider myself a crafter rather than an artist and I approach this hobby the way I would cross stitching or crocheting – with a starting pattern. To me, the inspirational card is similar to a stitching pattern, which I make my own with color, patterned paper and/or the actual stamps I own.

This card is my exception. When I saw the stamp set in Studio Calico’s Blue Note card kit, released in December 2013, I immediately knew that I wanted to use the stripes and stars stamps for a Fourth of July card. I even pictured it in my head! When I sat down to make my cards in June of the next year, I was so excited with how it turned out. The card was super simple, but with the layers of color that I love. To me it was perfect for an Independence Day card, but the best part was that it was all me from start to finish. And that is why this card is my masterpiece.

 

When I stopped by the PTI forum, there were a number of people whose plans for playing along were disrupted. Unfortunately, I’ve fallen into that group. My daughter has pneumonia so I’ve been playing nursemaid this past week, but still had hopes to sneak in a card. Last night, though, I got sick and spent the night curled in a ball with stomach pain. I’ve straightened out enough to be able to type this very wordy post and am determined to make a card on Monday. Such is life.

I hope you are enjoying your Stamp-a-faire experience.

nancy

PS - My daughter has joined the human race once again. The medicines and rest are working.

supplies:

stamps:  Let Freedom Ring (PTI); Blue Note card kit (Studio Calico)

ink:  pure poppy and enchanted evening (PTI)

paper:  white, pure poppy and enchanted evening card stock (PTI)

dies:  Super Star border (PTI)