Take a Journey Inspired by my Crafting Muse

Miss Monica over at TaylorMadeCards4U is turning 50! In celebration, we're bringing you a Journey inspired Hop full of amazing prizes! All you need to do is hop along and if you're inspired, create your own Journey Inspired project and link back to Monica's blog post.

Monica has long been my card making muse. Her eye for a vintage flair and her steampunk influence are what I aspire to create. I was honored when she asked me to hop along with her for her birthday and hope I am able to inspire you to try something new!

The greatest thing about mixed media is that anything goes. Any items you find laying around can be used and it's a great opportunity to upcycle! Keeping that in mind, here is my creation

I started out with a page from an old book. It had very few photos in it, but with our hop theme of "Journey" I thought this image was a great fit.

Using Ranger Distress Oxide Inks in Fossilized Amber and Vintage Photo, I used a sponge dauber to darken the edges of my photo.


Grabbing two rolls of washi tape, I adhered random lengths to the right side of my image.











Using a script stamp from Rubbernecker stamps, I stamped a little script in the lower left corner. It's tough to see, but it's those little details that make for an added vintage feel.

I then took a scoop of Dreamweaver Translucent Embossing Paste and mixed it well with a spritz of Walnut Ink in Terra Cotta. Using a paper towel, I spread it over the entire card front then hit it with my heat gun. This provided a glossy finish, and strengthened my very brittle book page.

I then hand tore the edges and opted to leave them white, for the simple contrast.

Finally, I stamped a sentiment from the Unity Stamp Co February Kit of the month in dark brown pigment ink and clear embossed it in the upper left side. It reads "Life Brings us to Unexpected Places, Love Brings Us Home." I thought this was an excellent tribute to our challenge!

I mounted my card front onto some terra cotta paper and onto a chocolate brown card base.

This card was very quick to put together and I'd encourage you all to give something like this a try!
More so, I encourage you to hop on over to Monica's blog and leave her some Birthday love, as well as read about all the ways you could win one of many fabulous prizes in honor of her special day!
Thanks for stopping by on your journey!

Girl Talk - Snarkfest

I love making coordinating card sets! Even if they're not always going to the same recipient, I think it's fun when papers, layouts, images, or sentiments align like the stars! Ha!

Today I have a witty set for you using the same image from Unity Stamp Co called Give Love - Laugh Lots. While this set comes with great sentiments I opted to pair the image with sentiments from So Suzy Stamps.

My first card features a So Suzy Stamp sentiment (say that three times fast) called Size Matters.
I stamped my image in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it with Spectrum Noir Markers. The sentiment was stamped using Versa Fine Black Ink. I simply mounted my 3.75 x 5 card front onto a corresponding color solid card stock mat, then mounted to 110 lb card stuck cut at 4.25 x 5.5 (just cut an 8.5 x 11 piece of card stuck in half and fold in the middle). I couldn't leave well enough alone and adhered some bling by Recollections.

For my next card, I used a sentiment from So Suzy Stamps called Faked A Sarcasm. Using the same inks as my first card, I stamped the image and sentiment, colored with Spectrum Noir markers and adhered bling from Recollections. All measurements on the second card match the first.

While the inside of my first two cards contain blank matted card stock, I did have to include an inside sentiment on my last card. Following the same techniques used on the first two, this time I paired my image with a sentiment called Good Friends Know.

While I love the sentiment as a whole, I feel that the last part of it makes a great punch line for the inside of a card. So hold onto your seats, make sure you're sitting down......I cut the sentiment in half. Yes, I cut my stamp. It can always be put back together if I want the sentiment whole again, but I actually do this with a lot of my stamps to provide more flexibility. It makes it easier than having to ink up just part of a sentiment, stamp it, then hope you cleaned it well enough to now ink up the other part and stamp it somewhere else.

Doesn't this make for a fun card with the sentiment split up? Don't be shy ladies. Grab your scissors. Admittedly I've only ever cut red rubber stamps.

If you are going to cut them. don't worry about a clean cut, or trimming them down after you cut them. Keeping them a bit imperfect at your cut line and not trimming them further makes them easier to piece together if you wish to put them back again. The pieces will fit just like a puzzle.

I think this makes a great coordinating set. I plan to list it in my Etsy shop as a three piece offering and think the coordination adds to the appeal. Let me know what you think!

Wine Bottle Gift Tags

With the holidays upon us, spirits will be high! Gifting a bottle of wine or champagne is perfect for many occasions. But don't give it naked! Dress it up with a wine bottle gift tag. These are quick and easy and I've created three different styles to show you today.

Using a tag die from Little B, I cut out some patterned foil paper from DCWV and stamped it with a sentiment from Hampton Arts. I fastened an eyelet and tied some gold ribbon that can then be tied to the bottle.

Simply stamping a simple To: and From: on the reverse side makes this ready for giving! 

The next tag is a very simple one. The sentiment is from Unity Stamp Co called Sorry Wine Does That. Because I used textured paper, I used my MISTI and stamped it multiple times to get a dark, crisp image. I then simply decorated it with Nuvo Crystal Drops from So Suzy Stamps. Using my scoring board, I scored a line at 1.5 inches so it would lay nicely on the bottle. 

The final tag is a lot of fun. Using a sentiment from So Suzy Stamps called Size Matters, the sentiment is embellished with leopard print gems. A scalloped boarder is adhered around the round bottle neck opening and features Nuvo Glitter Drops in Gold. A lace boarder is adhered around the base for a little added flair. 

Dress up your hostess gift this season with a quick and easy bottle gift tag!

For Her Eyes Only - Snarkfest

Need a great stamp set for your inner circle? Check out these sets from Unity Stamp Co. This three piece card set was made using the PMS Peggy set and She Used to Care set.

For the first card, the image is from the PMS Peggy Set. I stamped her in VersaFine using my MISTI to get a dark image. I then tore one edge of the paper. Using Distress Ink I dirtied up the card front, then inked the edges. The image was mounted on printed paper and using the design on the paper, I placed a handful of copper embellishments. The sentiment, from the She Used to Care set was stamped onto a pre-cut tag and mounted with foam tape. 

The second card in this set, utilizes the image from the She Used to Care set and sentiment from that same set. 

I stamped my image on white card stock, then cut it out using the Postage Stamp Die Cut set from Simon Says Stamp. I then mounted it on solid card stock and trimmed it flush with the edges of the die. This was mounted onto striped card stock and accented with Nuvo Crystal Drops from So Suzy Stamps. I tied hemp twin around the base and mounted the card front onto an A2 size card using foam tape. The sentiment is stamped on white card stock, then mounted on solid card stuck and adhered with foam tape. 

The last card in this set features an image from Hampton Arts. Stamped on a 3.75 x 5 inch size white card stock with VersaFine black ink. The edges and background are shaded using Distress Ink. The image was then mounted on printed card stock. The sentiment from the She Used to Care set is stamped on white card stock, adhered to another, larger piece of card stock, and embellished with Nuvo Crystal Drops. The image card stock was also embellished with matching Nuvo Crystal Drops. 

Overall I was hoping for a shabby chic look to this set. I love the sentiments and know they would be appreciated by my sarcastic group of friends. How about yours?

Quick Card - Truly Rest

Today I wanted to share with you a very quick set of cards I made, using images and stamps from Unity Stamp CompanyFor this card, I used the Truly Rest image and sentiment.

To make this card, I cut strips of blue cardstock into 12 x 3 inch strips. I then stamped 3 images onto each strip, using VersaMark and heat embossed the entire strip using Nuvo Embossing Powder in Classic Gold. I like to assembly line out my cards when possible and this was a great way to do so. I was able to stamp, then sprinkle, then heat emboss 3 images at a time this way.

I then trimmed my images into 2.75 x 2.75 inch squares and inked the edges in both a light and dark blue, smudging the corners for an additional distressed look. I then trimmed a piece of patterned paper into 3 x 3 inch squares, and a piece of green solid card stock into a 3.25 x 3.25 inch square, then matted my image.

I then selected two different patterns of washi tape, one in a blue and green chevron and one in blue polka dots. I placed one piece of the wider chevron washi tape at the top of a yellow 3.75 x 5 inch piece of card stock, and two strips of the thinner polka dot washi below it, leaving very little space in between.
Using blue dye ink, I stamped the sentiment onto my yellow card stock. I then placed my matted image at an angle atop my washi tape. I glued that piece onto a 5.25 x 4 inch piece of patterned paper and adhered it to my 5.5 x 4.25 inch craft card base. I placed 3 dots of Nuvo Crystal Drops in Midnight Blue.

If you haven't checked out the Nuvo line, you can shop at So Suzy Stamps for a wide variety of embossing powders, Glitter Drops, and Crystal Drops.

I kept the inside of my card simple. I matted a piece of white cardstock measuring 3.75 x 5 inches onto a piece of solid green card stock measuring 5.25 x 4 inches.

Using a bit of an assembly line, I was able to make 9 cards (2 sets for my Etsy shop at 1 for charity) within about 90 mins. I did let the Crystal Drops dry over night before packaging them.

These cards remind me of the hope Spring brings and I feel both serenity and cheer when I look at them! Let me know what they make you feel!

CYCI#98 Sketch Challenge

This week, the folks at the CYCI Blog present us with a clean and simple challenge! 

Here is my entry, using a great set from Unity Stamp Co - TINSEL IN A TANGLE {JILLIBEAN ITTY BITTY}

I wish the picture did all the sparkle justice! I used two layers of Wink of Stella on the tinsel, plus the candy cane striped paper is crazy sparkly, the ribbon has a silver sparkly trim, and the embellishments of holly leaves and dots provide some additional bling! 

I hope you feel inspired! 

Happy Crafting!!