personalized note cards

After weeks of snow and sub zero temperatures a little ray of sunshine popped into my office at work just to say "Hi!".  What a happy surprise to see one of my favorite people and she inspired me to make something full of Spring, Sunshine and Color! Some "Hi!" Notes!!

I started with one of my favorite alphabet stamp sets, lined up L, A, N, A in my MISTI and stamped out 10 of them on die cut rectangles. 

 

With this set the A and the V are identical so I was only one letter short.  I left the space for it and after stamping the LANA, I went back and stamped all of the missing A's.  This made the whole process go very fast!

I did plan to clear emboss all of the letters after stamping them in color by going back with VersaMark ink and re-stamping each card, but I forgot and pulled the stamps off the MISTI.  I didn't want to realign every letter and I didn't want it to be even a fraction off so I left them soft instead of shiny!!  I also could've gone in with my embossing pen, but I don't have enough faith in having a steady hand. 

 I mention this because I think we all run into glitches when we're crafting and it's fun to share how we deal them!! 

 I do love the way these turned out!  

I chose a mat color for each card front and die cut an edge just beyond the fold.  I like doing this so I can conserve my more expensive colored cardstock and use white for the inside of each card.  I also really like the way it jazzes up the back of the card.  Sometimes I put the decorated edge on the inside of the card, just remember to plan the cut so that the right side of the die cut is what will show.

Then it is just a simple matter of inking edges, adding dimensional tape and adhering everything together!

I had so much fun making these, they were like a burst of fresh air after the long winter!  Adding the butterflies and gems was also a treat!  All the Spring colors and sparkles!  I did take the time to stamp the dots in the flowers separately but wound up covering them all so it didn't make a difference.  I could've just added a dot of embossing powder or some Nuvo drops for the flower centers.  With so many rewarding options I wound up going for flat, no hole sequins on some; gems and/or pearls on others. 

I hope you have a colorful Spring! I will be making a box for Alana to keep these in 💙 I will share that soon!!

Wedding Day!

                                       

It comes to mind that I need to update the "About Me" portion of this blog as my middle daughter, Georgia, was married this spring and is now an entire US away from me in Florida!  My cute little paper crafting partner is now a wife and enjoying her own home & husband!

Georgia's wedding was beautiful and it was also the result of help from many loving hands.  You see, my new son-in-law, Billy was on deployment without knowing just when he'd be back in the US and further we didn't know of his leave dates or if he'd be allowed to travel because of the virus.  We only had about 3 weeks of time between "knowing" and the day of the wedding, so things around here were a whirlwind!

Just try renting some sort of venue, caterer, having flowers arranged or food prepared with only 3 weeks notice!  We found it to be impossible.... everyone was booked through June.... Solution: We had the wedding on our lawn.  We prepared the food - arranged the flowers (silks, fresh were 4 weeks to order) - did the decorating (with the help of many friends day of💖) - purchased our own tents (no rentals available1) & we were lucky enough to have a wonderful pastor who promised to make himself available no matter the day. Georgia found a dress that didn't need to be ordered

What An Adventure!!!

I thought I would share with you how we made our own announcements, thank yous and other paper crafted decorations.

I have to thank Nick at Unity Custom Stamps.  He made the rubber stamp for our wedding announcements and did a speedy job filling his blank so that we would receive our stamp as quickly as possible!!  Thank You Nick!!!

And it was beautiful!!  Because the month changed all I had to do was clip it out and write in the correct date.    First I stamped a background (Iron Swirls from JustRite) on ivory using several generations of stamping so that they were progressively more pale.  Each one was unique and so lovely!  I used Versafine Clair ink in my MISTI and gold embossed all 200 of them, some on vellum and some on the shimmering ivory paper!!  It didn't take as long as you'd think... maybe 3 hours!! Then I mounted the ivory paper on or under the vellum according to where I had the script embossed.  I still have not been able to choose which style is my favorite!!

Stamped on the vellum & mounted over cardstock

Stamped/embossed on paper

From there it was an easy matter to write in the date, once we had it, and get them sent off immediately since time was short!!  

   filling a candy bag. We also printed
"word" docs & accented them with
   die cuts that matched other wedding
elements & framed them

Here's the really fabulous part...  I carefully clipped out their names and used them elsewhere.  I'll share the "Thank you Gift tags" we put on the fill your own candy bags!!  I had to make a few more announcements and it was easy to insert their names back into the original stamp and flawlessly stamp again.  The trick is to just make one cut line and not trim edges after you've removed the cut away portion of the original stamp.  Then it will fit back together like a puzzle piece.

For Christmas I am going to remount their names onto a new cling so they'll have a "Billy & Georgia" stamp for envelope flaps, gift tags or whatever!!

What's also funny and not anticipated is that when friends and family began planning her wedding showers, I was not at all sure Georgia would still be here.  She was anticipating a May wedding and given the shower dates, I thought she might be married and gone before them!  As it turned out, they were married a week after the last shower -- another lesson in trusting God's plan!! I was excited to create invitations for one of her showers so I'll be posting a quick shot of those too!

 

Well, I hope you've had fun seeing & hearing about our Big Day!  I am still recovering ~ trying to catch up on ranch work and yard work ~ my craft room (Georgia's old bed room!) is a wreck but I'm looking forward to some quiet Autumn Days and the opportunity to make some fun stuff to share with you all!

Thanks for humoring me - I love sharing!  I hope God will bless your day with gratitude and friendship...

Day 5 Growing in Unity ~ Time's Up!

Good Morning All!!  Welcome to my fifth & final post of this Growing in Unity Week!  Thanks for dropping by to see what's on my craft table for today! Remember to leave a comment on each of the 5 GIU posts this week to be eligible to win $25 in random stamps from UNITY STAMP CO!!  Feel free to cut and paste the address link & share with all your crafty friends!

 ~ I will share names and links of the products used at the end of this blog ~



 REMEMBER:  CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR A CLOSER LOOK!



Since time is flying this week ;) I thought clocks would be a great subject.  I keep my eyes open for clocks at yard sales and discount stores for interesting frames.  The clock works can always be replaced if they don't work or simply left out if you love the look of round frames like I do. 

Carefully pry or unscrew the parts keeping the face of the clock protected & remove them.  I often use the original clock face in my project either by using it as the background or photo copying the numbers etc on it.  It is also the perfect guide to sizing the new clock face.

I like big images to put inside.  Today I chose Gypsy Warrior by Susi Blu https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/gypsy-warrior-exclusive-stamp-by-suzi-blu/

Oh my!  I love this versatile stamp!  I tried her several ways and decided on a brightly colored fussy cut version.  I have also in the past, layered in 3D fussy cut images. My advise is to always make sure that the raised images do not interfere with the movement of the clock's hands ~ if you're going to use them.

My first step is to photo copy the clock face onto inexpensive copier paper to experiment. Now I can stamp and manipulate without fear !!

I also use the MISTI so that I can preview what the stamp placement looks like before I stamp. 

Another reason I copy several clock faces is so that I can cut out the circle containing the second hand marks only and another with the #s too in case I want to copy them onto my actual card stock.

The water colored image is a great
example of photo copying the second
hand marks onto the water color paper.


 

You can tell that I like to do a lot of experimenting!! The size of the clock was too wide for my BIG SHOT machine (a great argument to get the super size one!!).  To use the embossing folder with the script to emboss the background I put my silicone embossing cushion over the folder and gently wacked it with a hammer.  The results were not consistent, but I liked the effect.  Another way I decided to add script to the background was to repeat stamping Unity's "You Are More Beautiful". I did this over the top of cardstock that I purchased already embossed, and it still worked beautifully!!  I Love the sentiment "Start Something New" from Unity also but I decided it was too big for the look I wanted.

experimenting with pearls
vs. numbers

Here are some more photos tracking my thought process just for fun and maybe some inspiration.  Once I get started it is hard to stop.  I now feel the need to run out and find some more clocks to revamp!!

Love this Gypsy stamp so much! Almost
went with her like this. So Zen I think!!

I finally decided to use this face with
beige pearls for numbers & seconds.
(I need to purchase more pearls!)

I heat embossed the images with brown

and then rubbed in pastel Gelato with

my finger tip on the flowers

LIST OF LINKS TO STAMPED IMAGES:

Gypsy Warrior https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/gypsy-warrior-exclusive-stamp-by-suzi-blu/

Start Something New  https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/start-something-new/

Flower Cluster  https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/midnight-kisses-kom-1116/

Beauty Sentiment & Butterflies  https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/best-year-yet-kom-1115/

Faceless Beauty  https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/faceless-beauty/

Miracle Sentiment  https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/perfect-in-every-way-kom-609/

Numbers  https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/bright-merry-moments-smak-1112/

Thank you for joining me all week! 

Don't forget to leave a comment on each day for your chance to win.  TWO WINNERS will be chosen and posted HERE and the FB Growing in Unity & Unity Show & Tell pages.  Sign up for e-mails to hear from this blog a couple of times each month ;)  Have a Great weekend

Day 1 Growing in Unity ~ Friendship

Hello everyone! I hope today finds you feeling great and ready to craft or maybe just hang out :)  WELCOME  TO THE FIRST DA Y OF GROWING IN UNITY ON MY "HI!" NOTES BLOG!!!  I am so happy to be part of the GIU team this year.  If you're familiar with my blog then you know that Unity Stamp Company is one of  my favorite sources for high quality cling rubber stamps, not to mention their AMAZING line up of designers.  LOVE 'EM!

 Look around and you'll see what I mean :)  I will put direct links to the rubber stamps I used at the end of each post to make it quick and easy for you to navigate.

This week's posts are all sponsored by Unity. Leave comments on all 5 of my GIU blog posts (Monday - Friday)for a chance to win!  THERE WILL BE 2 WINNERS ( yes. . .  2 of you!!) will be chosen from all those leaving comments & will receive A $25  grab bag of  Unity Stamps!!!

To kick off the week I thought a card highlighting love and companionship would be appropriate during our National Friendship Month! I started with this beautiful Phyllis Harris stamp, "Wishing Were Forever Friends".  It is stamped on watercolor paper & embossed in black.  I used Zig real brush markers to water color it, adding the sentiment once the coloring was complete.

            

 For stars that sparkled without being too obvious I placed varying dots of iridescent "Smooch."   It's all layered on paper that reminds me of the night sky, the foundation being a shimmery cardstock!  I left the edges of the water color paper curling up, I just liked the effect.  3 shades of blue bakers twine make the final accent.

click the photos for a quick tutorial to use the MISTI as a stamp positioner



STEP 3

STEP 1

STEP 2



What I used to cut out the finished piece.



The Completed Back view with black scallops slid
in under the star cut outs

Here are the Direct Links to the rubber stamps used in this post:

Wishing Were Forever Friends -a Boy & Dog  https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/wishing-were-forever-friends/

I’m HERE I Love You - Sentiment  https://www.unitystampco.com/shop/im-here-i-love-you/

Using Multple embossing powders

I LOVE my nautical stamps so much !!

I thought this would be the perfect project for a technique I made up.  I don't know if this is something others have shared, but I have messed with using multiple embossing powders on one project and I thought I would share how I do this with all of you !!

I have used this technique on many shapes, always starting from the outside in, but with the introduction of the MISTI stamping tool this is now much easier as you can color only certain parts, emboss, re-stamp and emboss again. The only problem I have with this is the reheating of what is already embossed, overlapping the "re-ink & sprinkle" stage AND not everyone has a MISTI !!

After choosing the image you'd like to stamp and heat emboss, choose the colors of embossing powder you'll be using and a scrap paper for each one to catch the excess powder. A lot of you use your powders from a small tub and spoon it over your project and this works ideally too.  I just don't have that kind of quantity in my colored powders!

Right is a photo list of the products used :)

I heavily recommend using an antistatic "embossing buddy". I got mine from Stampin' Up! but I'm sure they're sold by most paper craft retailers.  It is a little pillow full of corn starch I think, & tapping and rubbing it across any surface that will come in contact with your embossing powder keeps the powder from sticking where you don't want it.  I also use a small paint brush to remove any spots that I don't want showing up.  (The Embossing Buddy makes this nearly unnecessary)

I did use my MISTI to stamp, but an acrylic block would have worked the same for this technique.  Prep the paper with the anti-static Embossing Buddy.  Also prep the papers used to catch any spillage when using powders or glitters. This will make it lots easier to conserve every drop of unused powder.

I like to have it all set up in the order I want to use the powders with the lids off so that I can move quickly before there is a chance of spots of VersaMark drying out & not holding the embossing powder.  After I mounted the stamp in the MISTI with the paper held in place I inked her up with VersaMark clear embossing stamp pad. If you're using a MISTI you can do this step twice to insure a really nice coverage.  Just stamp your image and then ink up & stamp again without moving the stamp or paper.

REMEMBER TO CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR CLOSE UP IMAGES

Now for the quick part.  I sprinkle the first powder on out side edges of the stamped (mostly invisible) image.  Shake off onto the paper underneath remembering that where ever you allow the powder to flow - as it leaves the image  -will be coated & embossed in that color.

The first sprinkle of Powder-copper, poured off
direction of the corner so no powder touched
other areas.
Below is the second sprinkle - Gold

Go to the next powder color & apply to the next outside edge or up against the first color.  Shake off the same way, kowing that what it flows across (except for the already covered area ) will attract and be embossed as this second color.  I used gold, copper and deep green. Shake this off and so on.  You can repeat colors, or what ever.  If you wanted one color in the center only you would leave that space untouched until last and then when you shake it off it will mostly pass over the already coated areas & leave that color only on the patch of unused VersaMark. 



The original image now completely covered with
embossing powder, but not yet heated.  Now is 
the time to gently brush away stray particles
that you don't want marring your image. 

Each color of powder should be nearly free of foreign color (I do this a lot & have noticed no contamination) & can be returned to it's own bottle by lifting and funneling it with the catch paper.

Heat the image as usual until all of the powder changes it's texture from a dull powdery look to a nice high gloss, raised image.

After you've done it a couple of times it is really quite quick and easy and I think the results are stunning :)

I hope you enjoyed this idea & tutorial, I will be adding another how-to on creating  sparkle in ANY embossing image without having to purchase a bunch of different embossing powders!!!  Also keep watching for my completed Mermaid Project !!

PS After I was finished with the image  & before I heated it, I passed a sprinkle of gold over the whole thing. Only tiny bits stuck here and there & I really like the effect.  Experiment! Have fun!!