Another Avenue

 I made another card using the Bo Bunny The Avenues paper. The mats were gilded with gold Guilders Paste and some Recollections bling was added. (The bling was messed up in the picture but I fixed it later. LOL)

I used one of my Open Flowers, a few Pretty Flowers and my Fleur de lis mats.

Fleur de lis Panel Card

I wanted to make a special card for my mother's birthday. I brought out a beautiful patterned paper from Bo Bunny, The Avenues, which I have been hoarding for a while now. It is one of those papers that are so pretty that it is hard to cut into. (I know all you paper crafters know what I mean:) I decided to go with two main panels of cardstock and one of my Fleur de Lis cut files for the focal point. I added some Recollections bling, seam binding, and some of my handmade flowers.

I was really happy with how it turned out.

Thanks for dropping by.

Chalk Board Card

I love the chalkboard papers and embellishments that are so popular right now. I have purchased several of them, but they have sat on my shelf for a while. Well I was inspired to use some of the My Mind's Eye Chalk Studio paper to cut out one of the boards and placed it front and center of a center step card. I used white pens, ink, and a chalk pencil to decorate it. (the bird and flourish came on the patterned paper) The name is in chalk so I spritzed it with hairspray to fix it and keep it from smearing.

I took a cue from the Prima chalk line and added some pops of color. The banner was cut from some older Echo Park paper, Hello Summer. The flowers were cut from my cut files and inked with Worn Lipstick and Squeezed Lemonade.

I stamped more decorations on the inside.

Colorful Step Card

I made another step card as a thank you. I wanted it to be extra special. Taking a cue from my glittery Mariposa patterned paper, I used some cheerful colors for the rose and "pretty" flowers. 

I added lots of pearls and made some butterflies. The butterflies were stamped and colored. They needed something a little extra. They got covered in glue and dry Stickles stardust glitter.

So pretty!

More Mariposa

I know the Mariposa paper from K and Co. has been around a while by now, but I still love it. To be honest, I have been hoarding it. LOL Well, I decided to finally use it, take pictures, and move on.

Here is a lovely card using Aged Mahogany Distress Ink on the Open Rose and Scattered straw on the Pretty Flowers. I used Aged Mahogany Distress Stain on the seam binding.

Orange Butterfly

I made this card a while back for a lovely young lady who had a birthday. She loves orange and this Mariposa paper from K and Co. seemed perfect. Of course I added some flowers and a Stickled butterfly.

I used Ripe Persimmon and Stormy Sky Distress Inks. I am really liking the combination.

Floral Greetings

Well, I have been making cards. I just have not taken the time to post.
Here are a few cards I made for my church. I used tattered flowers, pretty flowers, and open flowers along with my butterfly.

Butterfly and Pretty Flower decorations for mini and card

I posted pictures of this mini album that I recently made using long envelopes, chipboard, and cardstock. 

Before I gave it as a present, I made a matching Center Step Card using my butterfly and 
"pretty" flower cut files.

Here is a short video so you can have a better look.

The cut files for the card as well as the decorations for the long envelope mini are available in my Etsy shop.

Thanks for stopping by.

Glittery Butterfly Mini Album

I made this simple mini album using long envelopes. Then I proceeded to make it complicated! LOL

I started out with green #10 envelopes that I had left over from 2 Christmases ago. I followed Laura Dennison's instructions in this video from 2010.

Then I covered it in some K & Co. specialty glitter paper from the Merryweather line.
Since more is always better when glitter is concerned...LOL... I added some Art Glitter that my DH put in my stocking. (you got to love a man that buys you lots of pretty glitter :) 

This is one of my butterfly cut files.

Here is one of my "pretty flowers" inked with Distress Stains and glittered on the edges.

I added some cardstock to cover the binding and stained seam binding around it.

I covered everything in patterned paper and added some embellishments from by butterfly and diamond edges cut files.

 Some pages had 1 pocket adorned in pearls...

...and other pages had 2 pockets with pink rhinestones. 

I covered some of the flaps with butterflies and others with my Diamomd Edged medallions with a Pretty Flower in the center.

Here is a look at all the tags. 

Hope you enjoyed the pictures. I am going to work on my own mini album cut files to use instead of envelopes.  I will post pictures of it soon. 

Adding On and On

Ever get an idea for a card in your head and when you start to make it, it evolves into something quite different? That happens to me quite a bit. Sometimes seeing the actual card brings other ideas to mind. Sometimes I just have to fix mistakes and cover things up. I had to fix a lot of little mistakes on this card. I like how it turned out though.

 I made this card for one of my SILs for her birthday. It started out much differently. I was going to focus on the Pink Paislee London Market papers. Then I decided to stamp a sentiment. I was even going to be brave and stamp directly on the the card. Big mistake. I should have known that never works for me. So I put the flowers on the left side to cover up the stamp. Then the card was out of balance and I needed to add something to the right side. LOL  (I used my good old faithful Tattered Flower, Pretty Flowers, and Detailed Butterfly)

So I ended up with a different design than I intended, but it is still just as pretty. I guess that is all just part of the creative process. :)

The original idea for the card would have fit into a regular envelope. With all the changes I ended up needing a bubble envelope. I decided to stamp on the regular envelope...then it needed coloring because it looked too plain...then I needed to add more...decided to doodle...then add glitter glue...

I finally just had to quit and mail the card. 

It has not made it to my SIL yet so I guess this card is still on it's little journey...LOL

Lattice Edged Cards

I have more lattice edged cards to share. 

This one has the lattice edge around three sides. I added one of my detailed butterflies and my tattered flower & pretty flower combinations. The butterfly and flower cut files are available in my Etsy shop.


It still needed something else but I knew I could not hide the edges of a ribbon and a bow would be too much. So I gathered some white seam binding in the middle and topped it off with a row of pearls. I showed how to gather the seam binding on this post.



Since you can see the other side of the card through the lattice I added a little ink to the front edges.

When I was making the cross and lattice edged mat for my other card, I made an extra set (well, ok...I made a mistake in my measurements the first time...but hey, why waste good die cuts...LOL)

I added a seam binding flower and added  a pearl.

You can download the free cut files for the cross from  this post.

But I was not through with my lattice edged files.

I had to make a card that had the lattice on both sides of the card.

This one is simple but all that cut work adds a great touch.

All I added was a mat, some patterned paper, and a caption.

You can download the "hello" script caption here.

One more thing to share...

I had to make a box to fit the card I made in the last post.

I used the lattice mat and one of my detailed butterflies to decorated the gift box I made.

I show how to make the box on this video and the cut files for the box can be purchased here.

The entire Lattice Edged Design Package is available here.

Pretty flower tutorial and leaf tutorial

Hello my crafty friends. I made a few more paper flower videos. Today I will share the "pretty flower" video and on that I made on "leaves" . They are both short and hopefully helpful.

"Pretty Flowers" 

Pictured here are the "pretty flowers" and leaves along with a tattered flower. 

(I now have video tutorials on all three.)

"Pretty Flowers"

"Leaves"

You can download the cut files and templates here.

"pretty flower" 


leaves

You can also find a picture tutorial here. for the flower.

Don't for get that I also have a paper flower giveaway going on until the 21st.

Click here for more info.

Red, white, and ...black

Hello my blogger friends.

I just wanted to share this card with you.

I just love black and white damask. This Anna Griffin paper is so beautiful. The damask areas are flocked. That makes it feel really rich.

Of course red always goes well with black and white.

For these flowers,  used my "pretty flower" and "tattered flower" cut files.

See the tabs at the top of the page for tutorials and links to the cut files.

The small flowers are cut from red Bazzil cardstock and a block rhinestone was added to the center. The large flowers were cut from white cardstock and colored with Red Barn distress ink. The difference in color between the two flowers is very subtle, but I like it. I added clear bicone beads with a black center.

I used the same beads along with some black bugle beads to make this beaded trim.

I measured one inch increments along a piece of black ribbon. Then I took tiny stitches , added the bugle bead and then the bicone bead. Next I went back through the bugle bead from the bottom up. I secured that with a tiny stitch in the ribbon and reapeated these steps until I had the length of trim that I wanted.

If you want more info on the beaded trim, leave a comment and I will draw it out and post it.

Enjoy:)



5 Petal Pretty Flower

This was one of the first flower files that I created. I love this little flower because it is so versatile. It can be pretty and elegant or just cute. It also lays fairly flat. A lot of my flowers are pretty bulky so it is nice to have a flower that works well in a scrapbook or a card that needs to be mailed without a lot of special packaging. (I do put a piece of cardstock on top of it when I mail it. That keeps it from getting caught in the postal machines.)

Materials needed:

2 five pointed flower shapes

You will also need:

A stylus, paper piercing tool, rubber mat (or mouse pad), glue, and (if

desired) chalk, color spray, ink  or Mica powder.

If you do not have a paper piercing tool, just use a narrow smooth round tool such as a bamboo skewer, end of a paintbrush, or round toothpick. You could also use the upper end of the stylus (away from the ball at the end).

Directions:

1) Color petals with ink, chalk, mist, or mica powder.

2) Place a petal shape on the mat. Use a stylus to emboss each petal
making large circular motions with light pressure at first. Then go over
the petal again with smaller circular motions and medium pressure.
Do this to all the petals on both flower shapes. This breaks down the
fibers in the paper and allows you to mold the petals. (see figure 1 below)

3) Now use the piercing tool to press against the backside of each petal while holding your thumb against the front. Slide your thumb and the tool from the base of the petal to the tip. With a light pressure "curl" each petal downward. (Similar to pressing curling ribbon between scissors and your thumb)






4) Place flower shape on mat (or against your finger) and press piercing tool

against the center of each petal as shown.









5
) Use piercing tool to "round" each petal. I hold one side of the petal
with one hand and with the other hand I place the needle tool on the

front of the petal and press my forefinger against the back of the petal.
Starting from the center and working toward the edge, I use gentle

pressure to "curl" the edge upward. Then I switch hands and shape

the other side of the petal.



6) Use the bottom of piercing tool or pen/ pencil to press the center of the flower down, cupping the flower shape. (similar to the way this flower shape goes down in the center)

 

7) Pinch the inside of each petal at the base. (where the petal comes off

the center area)

 8) Curl the ends (tips) of the petal. I place the piercing tool at the back tip
 of the petal from the center to the right side. (see lines on red flowers
above)Then I use my finger to roll the edge of the flower over the needle
tool and downward. Then I do the
left side. (see image above)
The petals look like this when I am done.

9) Put glue in the center of one of the flowers. Place the other flower on
top, staggering the petals.

10) Add rhinestones, beads, glitter, or brads to the center and you're done.

Here is the cut file for this flower.

Pretty Flower