Guy to Guy Cards

I've made an effort to pick up some papers more suitable for 'guy' use lately, and the sketch challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches seemed like a good place to start using them. 


I like the simplicity of this sketch, although if you take a look through the work that others are posting, there are some truly lovely interpretations! I think my favorite so far is this one, I love, love, love her color combo!

I made two, with a couple more to come today...these are destined for OWH...I'm making an effort to design cards that the heroes will feel comfortable sending to other guys. 

Supplies:

• Patterned paper: Recollections
• Cardstock: Bazzil (brown), unknown (cream)
• Ink: TPC Studios
• Stamp: Hero Arts
• Other: canvas fabric

Thanks for looking!


Meredith

Some Days are Better than Others...

...and yesterday was not one of those days!


I'm experimenting with some new (to me) techniques, which can sometimes mean a few 'oops' before getting the hang of it. 


Case in point...blending and silhouette stamping for the One Layer Wednesday Challenge...


Since the current challenge is to make a card size other than A2, I thought that it would be nice to make a quick set of 3"x3" notecards to send as a little gift. 


I started by masking the edges of the notecard, blending in a background, stamping an image, then stamping and heat embossing a sentiment...and ended up with this...

Not too bad, but the sentiment gets lost in the image, and I was not careful with the embossing powder, so there are flakes of it all around the sentiment...so, not gifting material.

Next up was this notecard...

Nicer...and I like it...except for when I picked it up to put it in the 'keep' pile...

I noticed that I had oriented the stamping the wrong way...the card opens backwards!!!

Ugh! Next try...I changed up the masking a bit to mask in from the edges, leaving the edges to be colored by the distress ink as well.

I ended up with this creation...

Hmm, I like it, but the white space is too large...it doesn't seem to be in proportion to the rest of the space...you know?

So, try again...this time with 1/8" strips masked around the edges...

Eureka! I love it! I added buttons to accent the intersections, stamped and embossed a sentiment...it is definitely what I was going for...and looks great for giving!

And then...

Really? I let my work surface get so messy that I totally messed up the back of the card!!!

That's it! I gave up for the evening and watched some Netflix! And today...cleaning up the craft room is what is on the agenda!

Thanks for reading my rambling!

Meredith

Supplies:

• cardstock: stash
• ink: distress inks by Tim Holtz and memento ink
• stamps: floral silhouette by hero arts and sentiments by tpc studios

Sketch Challenge

I'm enjoying making cards regularly again, and managed to put one together today to fit the sketch challenge over at the Stars & Stamps blog for Operation Write Home. 

I'll be putting together some additional cards following the same sketch later tonight...it goes together quickly, but looks nice!


Supplies:

• patterned paper:my minds eye
• ribbon:hero arts
• stamps:sentiment:tpc studio, flower:inkadinkadoo, frame:our daily bread
• die cut:spellbinders

Thanks for looking!


Meredith

Technique: Paper Weaving

Hello, hello!


If you are visiting from the Cardswaps message board, welcome! If you stumbled upon my blog from another place and decided to look around, why, you're welcome too!


I'm responsible for the weekly challenge on the Cardswaps board this week, with the assignment of 'technique'. If you have no idea what I'm referring to, please click through to the board and read all about it...then join in on the fun!


A little background...I spend way too much a bit of my time on the computer looking around and enjoying others creativity, mostly on Pinterest. (Which, by the way, if you do not know what that is...keep your sanity, stay away!!!) (Just kidding...if you want an invite, just message me on the board, and I'll be happy to send you one.) I came across this delightful card and filed the idea for later...well, happily, later finally came!


This week, we're going to give our trimmers a workout, while making some paper weaving! I've given directions for the size weaving that I made...but you can change it up to make whatever size you want!


Start by gathering the supplies you'll need for the paper weaving:

• cardstock 'base' for the weaving (mine was 6" x 6")
• strips of paper cut to equal widths (mine were 1/2"), and long enough to cover the 'base', you need enough to cover the base width and height...so, 24 for me (my base is 6 inches high and the strips are 1/2 inch wide, so it will take 12 strips to cover the width, then the height of my base is 6 inches, so it will take another 12 strips to cover the height)
• dry adhesive
• that's it!

I used paper from a coordinating pack I picked up at WM on clearance, its really bright, as you'll be able to see in the final pictures.

Next, run a single line of your dry adhesive across the top of your 'base' cardstock...I tried to take a picture of this...but it is beyond my meager photography skills to take a picture of clear adhesive on white paper!

Start applying your strips in whatever order you like across the top of the 'base'. Keep the strips right next to each other, trying to leave no space in between them. All going vertically across the 'base'.

Continue until the 'base' cardstock is covered completely.


Now, don't mind my two pieces that stick up from the top...it is just because the strips I used had patterns on part of them that I wanted to be a part of the design...there is no need for you to do the same!

Now take the strips that you still have, and start weaving them one at a time, over and under the vertical strips, these will make your horizontal layers.


Look closely at the picture and you will see that the first horizontal strip is on top of the first vertical strip, under the second, over the third, under the fourth, and so on...all the way across the base. Snug it up next to the top, just by sliding it up.

Grab your second horizontal strip, and start weaving it...but take the opposite side that you used for the first strip. In other words, weave the strip under the first vertical strip, then over the second, under the third, over the fourth, and so on.

Then slide that second strip right up next to the first horizontal one!

Continue alternating weaving the strips, always making the next one weave the opposite of the strip above it...be sure to snug the strips up tightly against the one above it.

Until you get to the end of your cardstock 'base', and it is fully covered. Doesn't it look fabulous!?!

Now, you need to secure the weaving, so that when you use it, it does not shift and come loose. You are going to think I'm crazy, but grab the bottom of the weaving and lift it up. It should pretty much stay in place as you lift it...that is why you were careful to snug the strips up next to each other.

Pull the weaving out of the way, and apply adhesive to the base...how much is up to you and should depend on how you are planning to use the weaving. If you will be leaving it in one piece, you will need to do the edges. If you are planning to cut it up, more adhesive would be better...you can see that I put quite a bit on, and you will see why, later.

Lay the weaving back down, carefully, you don't want any wrinkles at this point! If your strips came a bit loose, just use your fingers to snug them together before you lie them down on the adhesive.


Once the strips are stuck to the base, trim the overhanging edges even with the base. 

Voila! You have a masterpiece of paper weaving!


Now, what can you do with it?


One option, is to die cut a shape from the weaving...

...and use it as a fantastic element on a card!

And just in the spirit of full disclosure...I may have gone a bit crazy fitting die cuts into the space left on my weaving leftovers from the first element...

But look...they make such great elements for the inside, too!

Here is the complete card...including a matching envelope for sending.


I am also entering this first card in the challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments ~ Quilts 


The first quilt pictured has such bright colors, they are so lovely! 

Here are some other options for using your woven element...

Stitch around the weaving and make it a main element...

And these cards are for entry into the Shopping Our Stash weekly challenge ~ red, white & blue and/or stars & stripes. Don't they fit perfectly?

Use strips made of a punched border...

Use two contrast colors, one for the vertical strips and
one for the horizontal strips and leave the edges uneven...

Have fun weaving!


Thanks,


Meredith

Bright butterflies

Oh, how I love Pinterest! It is such a great way to gather inspiration, and so easy to find the item that inspired you when you wish to give credit for a great idea!


Just this morning I saw this card posted...and I could not help but recreate the fantastic boldness of it!


Here is the result...

So cool! This lovely card is destined for a young lady who is very much my 'daughter by another mother'. She calls me mom, and she is working at a camp for the entire summer! So this will go in the mail with a little surprise to hopefully keep her from missing us too much!


And as far as supplies go, this entire card was made with papers already out on my desk! I put together a tutorial for posting on Monday...and with the leftovers from that, plus pulling a piece of black out of the scrap bin, I was done!


Thanks for looking!


Meredith

playing with color

I've started following a few new blogs, with some incredibly talented cardmakers! As a result, I've been spending more time creating and experimenting with new techniques to me.

This card came about after viewing this post, she calls the technique color-emboss-color...and that is exactly what you do!



I colored a piece of cream cardstock with distress ink (broken china) on a foam pad, stamped the flowers (Unity KOM) in brown (Memento), stamped the diamond background (Unity KOM) with versamark ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder, then colored the entire piece again with the same distress ink, darkening the color everywhere except under the embossing...cool, huh?



And I'd just like to mention...how do you like the way the sentiment (Studio G) fits into the punch (EK Success)? Its like they were made for each other!

Thanks for looking!

Meredith

Cardmaker Time to Shine BlogHop

What a great day! Its sunny and cheery here in Albuquerque, New Mexico...and I'm surrounded by family ready to celebrate a happy occasion!

Welcome to my little corner of the Time to Shine BlogHop!

There is an awesome crop going on over at CardSwaps this week. Challenges and games will be posted May 16-19, 2012 and you have until May 22, 2012 to get your projects posted to the appropriate thread. If you haven't participated before, don't worry! There are many members that will be around to offer support and encouragement. You can find out all you need to know in the forum. At the end of the hop, will be taken to the crop and I do hope you join in. Collect the letters along the way and unscramble them to entered into the drawing for a prize for one lucky hopper! You will be given details at the bottom of the post. Don't skip ahead!!!

I decided to make a graduation card, because my daughter is graduating from high school this year, which means that most of her friends are graduating also...lots of cards needed!

I created some simple layers, simply using the back sides of the patterned cardstock to mat the shapes, and threaded the beads onto some jewelery wire then glued the wire to the top and bottom of the card. I stamped the peacock on the blue panel, then fit the sentiment into the space left above the bird.

Of course, I needed some sparkle...this is a celebration!!! I took a silver pen and outlined the wing feathers, then colored in the spaces on the curly tail feathers with a bright blue metallic pen. Its a little hard to capture in the photo, but it really sparkles!

Supplies:

The papers are from a pack by American Crafts, the beads and wire are from my jewelery stash, and the stamp is from Hero Arts. The glitter pens are by Sakura.

The criteria the project had to meet is that it had to be able to be used for a day in which someone has their “time to shine”, such as birthdays, graduations, weddings, bridging ceremonies, communions, or whatever. We were also asked to share something about our favorite memory of a day when it was our “time to shine”.

I remember lots of things about my graduation day, and the days leading up to it. It was such an important time for me, and set a pattern for lifelong learning that continues. In fact, just last February I finished the final test for my designation as an Enrolled Agent before the IRS. Which makes me not just a Tax Geek...now I'm a Master Tax Geek!

To be the center of attention for family, to receive recognition for accomplishments that I had worked hard for, these were good things, and have become fond memories. I have a house full of family with more on the way, and a huge party planned for Friday, where Elizabeth will be the shining star!

I am so grateful that it is my daughter's turn to "shine."

 Unscramble It game for hoppers... You will be unscrambling a word once you will collect a letter at each blog you visit. The hostesses can play along, because they don't know any of the letters but their own... I'm tricky that way. Once you collect ALL the letters, the last hostess in the blog hop will direct you to the thread in the forum where you can find all the details you need to enter the drawing. All hoppers collecting all the letters, unscrambling the word or phrase, entering the game by following the directions in the forum, and leaving feedback on EVERY blog they visit WILL be entered in to a random drawing held on May 23, 2012. ONE lucky hopper will have their name drawn and will win a prize!! Fun, right?? So, make sure you visit every blog and find the letters. Your hints are... it’s a phrase, it has four words, and it’s a way you will be able to shine.

OK... You arrived here from Colleen’s blog, I hope. If not, go back and check out her blog and collect your letter. Then collect my letter and hop on to Lora's blog. If you want to start over, feel free to start back with Brooke on the CardMaker Magazine blog.

My letter is...N

The list of hoppers, in case you get lost.

Brooke Smith -CardMaker blog 

Jeanette

Ashley

Anya Schrier      

Golda

Ivanka

Ana

Michelle Woerner

Judy L

Lisa

Trudy Sjolander

Jane

Angelina

Kimberly Crawford

Laura

Tammy

Carolyn King

Marlene

Tina

Susan

Colleen Schaan

Meredith ß You are here

Lora