Friendship Preserved

Hey crafty friend!  Hand Stamped Sentiments has a challenge featuring Oh So Many of my favorite things this week...light blue, mason jars, tags...it truly was fun to make a card this week!  I had a sweet friend in mind when I made this little mason jar full of friendly words from Fabulous Phrases.

 Look closely...it's a shaker frame with shrink plastic words and chunky glass glitter!  I did a happy dance when I stamped the shrinky dink paper, cut it into banner strips, and hit it with my heat embossing gun, and they turned into these adorable tiny charms!

I piled them into a 1-3/8" round shaker frame, tinted the "jar" blue with Baja Breeze and an aqua painter, and tied a nice crisp bow on the mouth of the jar.

I added lots of country style pretties to the card, too...doily, linen thread, and a little "Thank You" tag in pewter with heart shaped bitty button (hard to see).  Embossed the Whisper White layer with Square Lattice, and finally added a little ribbon tag on the side of the banner.

What do you see in this challenge picture?  I took it quite literally!  Come join the fun at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week and share your project with us!

SUPPLIES:
STAMPS: Perfectly Preserved, Fabulous Phrases

INK:  Versamark Black, Versamark Clear, Pewter Stampin' Emboss

PAPER: Floral District DSP, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

ACCESSORIES:  White Organza ribbon, Linen Thread, Sizzlits Lg. Paper Doily, Itty Bitty Buttons, Small oval punch, Large Pearl, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Stampin Glitter in Baja Breeze & Silver, heat embossing gun

OTHER:  Shrink Plastic sheet (craft store/school supplies)

Bringing Good Cheer with Ornament Keepsakes!

...and challenges!  Technique, sketch, and color.

Time is at an absolute premium over the next couple of weeks in my little world, but not getting to participate in challenges makes me grouchy, ask anyone in my zip code!  So between homeschooling the kids today, dinner, and packing boxes, I eeked out a card that will spread over 3 challenges, all completely different.

Christmas in my all time favorite color combo - pink and green...

The challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week is Crayon Rubbed Embossing, a super easy technique that requires very little skill, but it's fun and really pretty!  The HSS site provides a video and lots of samples to get you started. It's basically emboss resist using wax and an embossing folder, instead of heat embossing.  What do you think?

This card was made with the new Ornament Keepsakes stamp set and Holiday Ornaments Framelits in the center. with the technique done on Whisper White with Old Olive brayered over the crayon rubbing.  That piece is backed with Silver Glimmer Paper. The background is Pink Pirouette embossed with the Stripes embossing folder, a strip of Whisper White stamped with the Good Cheer wheel, punched with Scallop Border and a couple of score lines are added atop the white strip.

Three of the Ornaments Framelits were used and folded lengthwise.  It's a cool way to layer them, because you can easily mail this card and it'll still maintain it's pop-up dimension.

Join in the fun at HSS this week!  Stretch your technique muscle and get a little blog love from us.  Click on the image below to visit the site:

Just Add Ink's blog challenges us to use this color combo - 

And, finally, a little shout out to one of my favorite challenges, Stamping 411 With The Operators. They have decided to take a break, indefinitely.  I know how life can get in the way of enjoying your hobby, and I hope these ladies find joy in the space they've given themselves.  They were one of the first challenges I participated in, and they've connected on a personal level to those who participate; our papercrafting world is small when you take the time to get to know your peers.    Their blog is chock full of free techniques and gorgeous cards, and will remain live.  Please visit them and give them a word of thanks or encouragement!

Vintage Book Monogram Wreath {Alphabet Inspired}

Hello friends!  It's time for another inspiring challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  This week we challenge you to use the alphabet in an unconventional way on a project.  My project has the alphabet on every square inch, large and small!

I made a wreath from an old book - an 1895 copy of The Best of Browning. It was on my shelf and falling apart.  I felt a little guilty, but when I looked up the value, it's only worth about five dollars.  And I definitely got five dollars worth of love out of this book!  I plan to make a bookmark from the spine also.

 It's really pretty big, measuring 18" across.  There are three layers of rolled pages, hot glued to a cardboard circle.

 The centerpiece is also an alpha...this is the Typeset Alphabet Bigz "C" from the new SU catalog - I scanned the 1-1/4" letter and blew it up to about 3" high, printed, and used it as a template to cut this larger letter with a craft knife. The medallion is made of 2" strips of Basic Black CS, punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch and scored along each scallop with the Simply Scored tool.  The circle and rose are die cuts from the 3-1/2" Circle Originals die.  A heavy smathering of glitter...Champagne Glass Glitter, Black, and Gold. Some of the glitter is retired...who retires glitter?!  This should not happen.

 I take my Alphabet Challenges seriously. You will find all of the letters here :)

 If you don't think you know who Robert Browning was, you probably remember this quote:

So sweet!

I found myself really getting sidetracked by the poetry.  

Won't you give this challenge a try?  

Surprise yourself! I know you have a crafty trick up your sleeve involving alphas in any way!

Click here to visit Hand Stamped Sentiments.

  

Below are some pics of the making of my wreath...more for my record keeping, but you might find them useful.

 Poor old broken book, meet hot glue gun!

 Rolling from bottom right corner.

 Sealing with glue on opposite corner.

 Dixie plate cardboard template, cover with book pages.

Glue layers of rolled paper, starting with a hole in center of base layer.

Use a 12-3-6-9 O'Clock pattern for good placement.

Make one layer or continue for a fuller look.  

I used 3 layers.

Add anything to center...Christmas ornaments, your name, a flower, a banner.  

Hot glue ribbon or hanger to back.

Thanks for stopping by!  

Have a blessed and creative day!

Erika

Wonderful Winterland Noel ~ HSS134

A little unconventional Christmas card...

For a crazy little color challenge this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments!

I had my mind set on a Christmas card, they are just lifting my spirits and making me happy lately, so I made it work.  The Wonderful Winterland set is playful and whimsical! It has super cute images.

These little duckies are walking across a glittery puddle.

A little Silver Glimmer paper and some glitter on the snowflakes and across the ice.
The Designer Flourish Frames jazz up any card!

 Head on over to HSS and give this color challenge a try!

SUPPLIES:
STAMPS:  Wonderful Winterland, Greetings of the Season
PAPER:  Pear Pizzazz, Tempting Turquoise, Watercolor paper, Silver Glimmer paper
ACCESSORIES:  Designer Flourish Frames, Mini Brads, Daffodil Delight 1/4" stitched ribbon, Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Polka Dot embossing folder, Aqua painter