CSSC155 Birthday Wishes

The challenge on the Crafty Secrets Forum Challenge is to do a ONE LAYER creation using Crafty Secrets products. You can stamp the card base, add texture to it or punch it, but you can only add one image layer to the base.

I did this simple birthday card to have one hand, and I love how it turned out. The picture doesn't do it justice - I just can't seem to get good lighting for my photos.  I embossed the base with a CB folder.  Then I used a piece from Crafty Secrets Earthy paper pack and ran it through the same folder, then tore the edges.  I used the sentiment from Crafty Secrets Fairyland set, embossed it with copper EP.  I inked the edges of the base card and the layer with Vintage Photo Distress Ink, then attached the layer.  Added a little copper Stickles. 

Stamps:  Crafty Secrets Fairyland.
Paper:  SU! Sage Shadow, Crafty Secrets Earthy paper pack.
Ink:  Versamark, Distress Ink.
Accessories:  Cuttlebug folder, embossing powder, Stickles.

Exploding Gift Card Holder

When Diane posted the Heartwarming Vintage/Crafty Secrets bi-weekly challenge on Papercraft Planet to create a gift card holder, my mind went immediately to this creation. I had seen the "exploding" boxes on different blogs, but completely fell in love with Elaine's Magic Boxes. Her designs and details are jaw-dropping. Mine is much more simplistic, and I really like how it turned out.

This box is for a friend of my daughter who is getting married 5/22. Still can't believe Jose is getting married. Jose is from Chile, and he and my daughter met and became friends in 8th grade. Many good memories that include him, but will write a brief of my favorite "Jose moment" at the end of this post. :)

The pictures aren't great because they were taken using a flash; no natural light because it was night time, so the colors are washed out a bit.

Using Versafine, I stamped each outside panel with stamps from Crafty Secrets "Cherish" and "Flourishes" sets, then embossed with gold EP. Inside each flourish I put the bride's and groom's initial using Justrite Font, embossed that as well. Used Deco corner punch and then inked the edges with Pumice Stone Distress Ink. Mounted those to metallic lavender paper, and then mounted to the box side panels. The lid was made from the same metallic lavender. Used MS Cornice edge punch for the sides. Cut and embossed a scalloped square Nestabilities and attached that to the lid. MS med and lg water lilly punches were used for the flowers on top. Ran them through a CB to add more detail to them, then attached to top. Some flat-backed pearls were added to the center of the flowers, and a tiny one in the center of each side of the top.

For the inside panels, I mounted this gorgeous gold embossed paper I've had in my stash for eons to the stiff backer board from a pad of decorative paper. This gave the box good stability, and also added perfect weight to give a good "flop" effect when the lid is taken off. I made and attached the stand for the card, then stamped and embossed the corners of a square piece of CS with a CS Flourish. Cut the square on the diagonal and attached it over the card holder. All the flowers and leaves were made from various punches, painted with Twinkling H2O's or sprayed with Glimmer Mist, and attached in various places with Stickles. One was attached to each panel. Four others were attached to acetate strips, with the other end being threaded through the flourished panels before it was attached. When the box opens, the panels flop down and the flowers on the acetate strips spring outward and sway. Again see Elaine's blog for more of those.

Okay, here's the "Jose moment": About five years ago I was in the grocery store checkout line with my daughter and six of her friends, getting supplies for a party at our house. All of these kids were in ROTC together, and all called me Mommy (still do). As I was about to pay for our goodies, one of the boys, Paul, was trying to get my attention and started bobbing up and down and saying "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" over and over. The others quickly followed suit, and soon there were seven teenagers bobbing up and down and repeating "Mommy....". Not loud or disturbing anyone. The cashier looked at them - and me - with a strange expression. I told them to shush and they all piped down right away. Jose happened to be standing right next to me. He flashed his brilliant smile at the cashier, and in his very thick Chilean accent said "we all have different daddies". Ay yay yay. I just shook my head, and then we all started giggling. Still not sure to this day that the cashier didn't think they were all mine, all from different daddies. : )

Heartwarming Vintage 3D Project

SCROLL DOWN FOR BLOG CANDY BELOW THIS POST!!!!

I absolutely fell in love with these shadowbox diecuts when I saw the first post from CHA back in January! So when Jan posted this 3D Crafty Secrets/Heartwarming Vintage challenge on Papercraft Planet, I had to jump on it! Jan sent me this gorgeous gold sheen diecut and I went to town. All of the gold pieces shown are part of the diecut kits. These diecuts can be decorated on both sides and closed to mail or hand deliver. But I did mine as a diorama, so it will remain open, and the backside is not decorated. The Crafty Secrets "Love" image on the left panel was embossed with gold EP onto ivory vellum then attached over a piece of CS from DCWV Luxury stack. The frame around it and behind it were stamped with Crafty Secrets Flourishes using Distress Ink. Ditto for the right panel. The center image from this site was printed from my computer, then image was cut/embossed with Spellbinders Labels 10 and attached on foam tape. The sentiments were printed from my computer, cut/embossed with Spellbinders Labels 10 and Fancy Tags dies, then sponged. Both were attached on foam tape. Embellishments on left panel: Prima roses misted with Glimmer Mist, punched leaves, Spellbinders Renaissance Heart charm with Stickles. Center panel: More Prima roses, punched leaves, Spellbinders Doodleparts swirl with rhinestone, cameo charm, Liquid Pearls on scallop. Right panel: Yep, another Prima rose, punched leaves, and flat back pearls.

Crafty Secrets #60 on SCS

One more post for today; keep scrolling down for the other two. The Crafty Secrets Challenge on SCS is to make a monochromatic card. I wanted to use this image and sentiment, so searched around until I found this sketch (SFYTT) on Jen Del Muro's blog. I chalked around the image, cut it out with oval Nestabilities. Used Deco corner punch on the mat. Also stamped and cut out the sentiment. Used the DCWV DP because it was a perfect match for the chalking. The lower piece was plain, so I stamped a couple of the Crafty Secrets Flourishes, then attached the sentiment on foam tape. Added some Martha Stewart ribbon. There was a snag on the ribbon that I didn't notice until after I had it attached, so I made the vellum flower to cover it. :)

Stamps: Crafty Secrets For the Girls, and Flourishes.
Paper: The Paper Studio, DCWV Luxury mat pack.
Ink: Stazon, Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Ribbon, Nestabilities, Pebbles chalks, foam tape, flower punches, Stickles, Deco corner punch.

Think I Lost it Again

Here are a couple of cards for some challenges I finished several days ago, but I'm not very happy with how they turned out so hadn't posted them yet. I decided to go ahead and post them because I haven't been able to come up with anything else, so guess the ol' mojo has taken a walk - again. Hope it comes back soon, and hangs around longer this time. :)

First up is the card I did for the Whiff of Joy Challenge. This week was a sketch by Heather for us to follow. I colored the Willow With Flowers image with Prismacolors blended with baby oil, chalked around her and added Flower Soft. I think all the layers were my downfall with this one, I don't know. At any rate, all DP is by Hot Off The Press, including the shimmery BG. Made the flowers from scraps of the DP.

Stamps: Whiff of Joy Willow With Flowers, Verve Artful Elegance.

Paper: Hot Off The Press DP, The Paper Studio CS.

Ink: Stazon, Colorbox Queues on the flowers.

Accessories: Flower and leaf punches, Flower Soft, rhinestone, Stickles, Pebbles Chalks.

This card is for the Crafty Secrets challenge on SCS. This one had a recipe to follow, to use ribbon or lace, brads or buttons, and paper piercing. Thought I would use the Mojo Monday sketch to finish up. Should have been pretty simple with all that, but after coloring the image from the Garden Girls set I couldn't seem to make it come together like I wanted. Bottom DP is from My Mind's Eye. Had a piece of wide lace that I attached to blue CS, and then the matted image over that. Did the paper piercing in the scallops around the image. The flowers were from a MS hydranga punch, attached with brads, then added Stickles to the brads. Corners seemed bare, so I added some swirlies in a couple different shades of blue.

Stamps: Crafty Secrets Garden Girls, Verve filigree Fantasy.

Paper: The Paper Studio, My Mind's Eye.

Ink: Stazon.

Accessories: Lace, brads, Stickles, Martha Stewart Hydranga punch, Pebbles chalks, Nestabilities.

Crafty Secrets Challenge on PCP

I have quite a few Crafty Secrets sets and have been wanting to play in some of their challenges, so trying the one Darlene Pavlick is hosting in the Crafty Secrets Group on Papercraft Planet. The theme is springtime and I thought I would use my new Fairyland set. The base card is 6.75 x 3.25. I got a bunch of these with envelopes in some blog candy from Chris Mott; think they may be SU! Anyway, stamped this cute little image with Stazon, colored with (what else?) Prismacolor pencils blended with baby oil. Cut it out and embossed with a long rectangle Nestie. The little notes were from a differen tCS set. Chalked all around it, then added Stickles to the flowers by the fairy and on her dress and wings, and also a "fairy trail" behind her wings. Went all around the base CS with Fiskars lace borders punch, the cut DP from My Mind's Eye to go over it. Sentiment cut out with smallest scalloped rectangle Nestie, embossed, chalked and popped up on foam tape.

Stamps: Crafty Secrets Fairyland and Bird Notes.

Paper: The Paper Studio CS, My Mind's Eye DP.

Ink: Stazon, Colorbox Queues.

Accessories: Nestabilities, Stickles, Fiskars border punch, foam tape, Pebbles chalks.

Showing Some Love

Another post today. Might be a third, but haven't quite finished it up yet. This card I made for the Crafty Secrets Challenge on SCS. I got this new set couple weeks ago and it has such pretty images. This card was super simple. Card base is sage green. The pretty CS with the scroll is double-sided, called Front Room/Parlor. I don't like using double-sided papers for cards because I feel like I'm wasting that other gorgeous side, but I attached this to the base and tried not to think about it. Cut a piece of vellum the size of the card plus 1/2" so I could wrap that around to the back of the card and that's how I attached the vellum. Stamped this gorgeous image with Versamark and embossed with gold detail EP. The little cherub is actually a button, though I wouldn't want to attempt to button that one! hee hee. Snipped off the shank and attached it to the vellum. Bada bing...super easy card, but I really like how it turned out.

Stamps: Crafty Secrets Cherish.

Paper: The Paper Studio CS and vellum, Paperloft double sided CS.

Ink: Versamark.

Accessories: Gold EP, cherub button.

SK120608 on PCP

I've been wanting to break into these Crafty Secrets stamps, so when I saw the Saturday Sketch challenge on PCP I went for it. Clear embossed the snowflake circle from Verve, then embossed each letter in gold. Cut the circles out with Nestabilities. Green DP is Cosmo Cricket Wonderland, other gorgeous DP is from Sandy Lion. Stamped the sentiment in the lower right corner with gold EP. It barely shows up in this picture for some reason, blasted by the flash maybe, but IRL it looks great. It says "to the world". This was an easy peasy, put together in about 10 minutes kind of card.

Stamps: Crafty Secrets, Verve.
Paper: The Paper Studio CS, Cosmo Cricket, Sandy Lion.
Ink: Versamark.
Accessories: Clear and gold EP, Nestabilities.

Day 4 of 12 Days of Christmas on PCP

On the fourth day of Christmas...four calling birds. Today's PCP 12 Days of Christmas challenge we can use birds or something showing communication. Don't have any phone images, so simply chose the Hello sentiment to go along with my four ladies, all from Crafty Secrets. Pretty simple one this time. I stamped the ladies on little squares cut and embossed with Nestabilities, inked the edges with silver and then ruby ink. Did the same inking on the sentiment tag, which is a Spellbinders ribbon tag. Ran the ribbon through it and put rhinestones on the ends. Also added a rhinestone to the center of the ladies, and then framed them with outline stickers. Cut the corners then inked the straight edges with silver.

Stamps: Crafty Secrets.
Paper: The Paper Studio.
Ink: Colorbox Queues.
Accessories: Spellbinders, ribbon, rhinestones, outline stickers.