Something New, Something Old: Monochromatic Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. It is the first of the month. It is time for a new challenge @ Stick It Down Scrapbook and Card Making Challenge on FB. Joining is very easy. Just create a new project following this month's sketch. It can either be a single scrapbook layout, a double page scrapbook layout or a card. Choose one or choose all. 

For my card, I mixed new items and old items from my craft stash. For the new item, I used the Paper Rose Mistletoe Market. This collection has a green, black and white color scheme giving it a monochromatic look, something new and different.

For the old item, I used the Honey Bee Loads of Holiday Cheer stamp and die sets. I have used this set before. Time to use it again.

I die cut one of the patterned papers using the tree die. I stamped the tree on this die cut using a clear embossing ink. I poured black glittered embossing powder to the sticky ink then heat set it. I die cut two more trees on the same patterned paper and on a green cardstock. The tree will take the heart's place on the sketch.

For the wave of hearts, I die cut the string of lights on white cardstock. I recommend die cutting before stamping to get the best match. After die cuttting the string of lights, I positioned the stamp on the negative cut and picked this up with the acrylic block. I pieced the die cut on the negative cut to hold it in place for stamping. I prepped the die cut with an antistatic powder tool. I stamped the lights using black pigment ink. I poured black embossing powder to the pigment ink then heat set it. 

I colored the lights with green and silver gel pens. 

For the background panel, I used a green cardstock cut at 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". To add interest to this background, I used the discontinued Pinkfresh Studio Happiness Collection Decorative Frames Press Plate on the Spellbinders BetterPress Letterpress machine. I used an Altenew Green Opal Fresh Dye Ink for inking for a tone on tone effect. I added a thin cardboard to add more pressure. It looked really great!

I used the checkered scraps from the paper pack and die cut this using an Avery Elle slope die. 

I die cut a stripe patterned paper scrap using a die from the Hero Arts Wood Frame Infinity Dies to create the tree trunk. I adhered this to the back of the tree. I then adhered the green tree die cut and the extra patterned paper die cut off setting it to add the look of volume.

I adhered the slope to the letterpressed panel which is my take on the bottom portion of the sketch.

I adhered the string lights after using the position of the tree as reference. This is my take on the card sketch's wave of hearts.

I adhered the tree. I added a silver star sequin on the top of the tree. I covered the sequin hole with a green gem.

I added white gel pen details and glaze pen details to the lights. 

I adhered one of the Paper Rose Studio Embossed Die Cuts on the tree for the sentiment portion of the sketch.

I hope my card inspired you to create and join this month's SID challenge. Please check the FB post to see the rest of the sketches.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

A Collection of Cross Stitching on Paper, Volume 2

Pattern: Stars & Stripes

CrossStitcher Magazine, July 2026 edition

I did spotlight and repetetive stitching on the sampler. I chose this quilt like pattern from the sampler and repeatedly stitched it to fill a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" carstock panel. I made a shadow box for this to put it up for display, Stitched Panel in Shadow Box Stand-up Frame.

Pattern: Christmas Classics, Poinsettia & Baubles

Ultimate Cross Stitch Cards

I modified the color of floss for the backstitch of the poinsettia. I had hard time seeing the outlines using a red floss. I have changed the color 5 times. I even used the darkest red floss in my stash but it was still a no go. I used black embroidery floss instead. Stitching the outlines takes a longer time but it is definitely worth it.

Pattern: Blooming Beauty

CrossStitcher Magazine, Issue 424, July 2025

I did spotlight stitching on this large floral cross stitching pattern. I stitched on light blue cardstock. I posted this during World Cross Stitch Day.

Pattern: Pumpkin Patch by Susan Bates

The World of Cross Stitching Magazine, Issue 376, October 2026

Takeaways doing this project:

• This is a large pattern in which I did spotlight stitching. I made the cat the focal point of my stitching without giving consideration to the girl on the pattern.
• I figured a way to knot the single skein for the straight stitch. After threading the floss through the needle, have the two ends meet and knot it together. Cut off one of the flosses from the knot. Cut any excess from the knot. Someone must have known this before I did but it is a timesaver in adding a knot to the floss when doing the straight stitch.
• If in doubt about the backstitching, take reference on the stitched photo sampler of the pattern. You might see discrepancies with your stitching and that's ok. Unless it totally obscures the image, nobody would know that you did not follow the pattern.
• I was using a tiny sewing needle for backstitching since I am stitching on paper. The small pointed edge of the needle keeps the paper from ripping especially with those backstitches that had to be made on the center of a square. 
• In case you do rip your paper, apply a piece of tape on the back to keep the paper and any stitching together.

Pattern: Pumpkin Patch Plaid by DH Morris

Just CrossStitch Magazine, Volume 44, Number 4, Autumn 2026

I stitched only one pumpkin out of the three pumpkins in the pattern. I used an 80lb colored cardstock. I have used an 80lb cardstock to stitch on but this brand of cardstock, despite having the same weight, is softer and very prone to ripping. I changed to a smaller needle to have a bit of control over this. This is a very easy pattern since it only used two colos of embroidery floss and no straight stitch needed.

Supplies used unless specified:

80lb cardstock

Altenew Cross Stitch Canvas Die

DMC embroidery floss

Zebra Mildliner in Cardmaking

 

Hello! Welcome to my blog. For today's card, my creating prompts are to use Zebra Mildliner and to play in this month's Altenew challenge. My Zebra Mildliner is a mixture of chisel and brush tip markers. It is a set I bought at Costco specifically put together for journaling. It has limited colors and includes Zebra CLiCKART markers. 

I often use the Zebra Mildliner for writing, not for coloring. On this card, I used the Zebra Mildliner to add color to my project. I colored the burlap stamp from the Altenew Craft Your Life Project Kit: Stitched with Love with a brown Mildliner. Since my brown Mildliner is a chisel tip and the stamp is a large in size, I had to color the stamp three times to get a full coverage of the image. I spritz the stamp with water to clean it but instead of wiping the water off, I re-stamped the wet ink back to the paper. I noticed that the Midliner ink had minimal reaction to water which makes it a real good marker for journaling but not the best choice of marker for water reactive coloring techniques. I set this panel aside to dry.

I die cut the flowers and leaves from the same kit on white cardstock. I colored the flowers using red-orange Mildliners from the set. The colors don't blend with each other so it is more of creating layers of colors to create some texture. This is not my usual coloring style since I like my blending colors but this definitely works.

I die cut the button from the same kit on red cardstock. I die cut several pieces so I can stack the die cuts for dimension. I colored the center of the buttons up to the outline impression created by the die to add a highlight.

I die cut the sentiment on white cardstock using a die from the Altenew Stylish Greetings 2 die set. I die cut the sentiment three times to stack it for dimension. Before adhering it, I colored one of the sentiment die cuts with the same red-orange Mildliners, carefully swiping it from left to right. 

I noticed with these markers that I have to let the color dry before adding another color on top of it to get the best results. That's what I did with the sentiment die cut, I allowed the red-orange inks to dry before adding brown to the bottom of the sentiment.

I adhered the flowers and leaves on the burlap. I only applied glue on the flower centers and leaves so I can zhush these die cuts and add volume to the floral cluster. I adhered the sentiment on the bottom of this cluster.

I hope you like today's card. Let me know if you have used the Zebra Mildliner the same way I did. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at

IG: @zebrapen_usa

Altenew Challenge Blog #32

Birthday Card with a Gift Card Pocket

 

Hello! I am on the Blank Page Muse Blog with another card using the BPM Denim & Lace Digital Printable Kit. I used print outs from this digital kit this month on all my BPM posts. If you have missed the previous two, I added the links below if you want to check it out.

• Birthday Card with a Gift Card Pocket 
• Gift Card Holder on a Burlap Background
  

This print out is pretty by itself but I went ahead and add embellishments to it.

I flicked gold mica paint to the panel. 

I created faux chipboard buttons using the button digital print included in the kit. I poked holes on this stacked button and threaded a metallic blue floss through the holes.

I used a sentiment die cut on this card.

I added flowers to the card front. These flowers are also a part of this digital kit.

I printed the pocket which is also included in this digital kit. I adhered this to the inside of the card.

I adhered a sentiment strip die cut to the gift card pocket.

I hope you like today's card. Thank you for visiting my blog. Please visit the Blank Page Muse Blog for additional details of this card and for more inspiration.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Blank Page Muse is having a FLASH SALE! 20 HOT red rubber stamps are featured for sale with an amazing 50% discount. What a deal, right? This month's sale includes Halloween themed rubber stamps just in time for your Halloween crafting. This sale is good until September 27. 

If there is nothing on the sale category that interests you, BPM is generously offering a 15% discount to their online store. Just use the code BPMMaria when you check out.

Only 1 code per transaction please. Enjoy!

Something New, Something Old: Creative Gift Card Holder Greeting Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I am commissioned to create birthday cards with a gift card holder. Aside from this, I was motivated to look through my craft box and use items from my stash. One of these items is a black cat die cut which I got from a mail swap. 

The other old items I used on this card are stamps from Newton's Nook Designs. I was inspired by their latest blog challenge. 

My new item is the balloon die from Hero Arts which is a part of a previous My Monthly Super Hero kit. 

I stamped the NND Birthday Roundabout stamp on a watercolor paper. I prepped the watercolor paper first with an anti-static powder tool before stamping the image with a Versafine Onyx Black ink. I poured black embossing powder to the wet ink then heat set it. I colored the images with Zig Clean Color Real Brush using fall colors. I die cut this stamped image using the solid balloon die from the HA kit. I die cut a white pearl cardstock using the outline balloon die from the same kit. I die cut the string on a white cardstock.

I partially stamped the balloon hat on watercolor paper. I heat embossed this hat the same way I did with the images on the balloon. I colored it using the same markers and colors as the one I used on the balloon. I fussy cut the hat on the outline. I ran a black marker around the cut up to hide the white core of the watercolor paper. For the top of the party hat, I added embroidery floss to replace that portion of the stamped hat.

The cat was die cut in black cardstock. I stamped Newton's face to this die cut using white pigment ink. I prepped it with anti-static powder tool and embossed it with white embossing powder. I added the blush using pink acrylic markers. I snipped off the tail and adhered it to the back of the die cut. I added white gel pen details to the cat. I adhered the party hat to the cat's head. 

I die cut a brown cardstock using a Simon Says Stamp stitched rectangle die. I heat embossed the sentiment using white embossing powder. The sentiment is from the NND Newton Loves Cake stamp set.

I cut strips of cardstock and adhered it to the top and bottom portion of the backside of the balloon. I used a gift card to guide me with placement of these strips. These strips will slightly lift the balloon off the brown cardstock panel allowing the gift card to smoothly slide to and from the back of the balloon. I applied glue to the strips and adhered it to the brown panel. I adhered the cat on top of the balloon string. 

I trimmed a patterned paper and adhered the brown cardstock panel over it to make this into an A2 card. I adhered this to a top folding note card. 

Below is a video of how the gift card slides out of the balloon.

I hope you like today's card. I am so glad that I am able to create a commissioned card and at the same time join the Newton's Nook Inky Paws Challenge. I love joining their challenges but I have been MIA lately because of my schedule. 

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at

Newton's Nook Designs Challenge Blog

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge~Celebrate Stamping!

Cute Fall/Halloween Cards 4 Kids #13

Partial Die Cutting and Embossing Using One Die

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I had the opportunity to attend an online Altenew Cardmaking Workshop hosted by Mehnaz Diouman, @naaz_crafting. The techniques she shared was on partial die cutting, embossing with a die and stenciling over a die cut/embossed panel.

The most important supply on this card is a cover die. I don't have an Altenew cover die that creates holes on the paper. I used a Lawn Fawn cover die instead. 

As Naaz taught, we did partial die cutting first. This is tough using the old Sizzix machine which is narrow compared to the newer models of die cutting machines. Thankfully, I still was able to make it work. 

Without removing the plate from the cardstock panel, I added an embossing mat underneath the cardstock. I added a thin cardboard shim to make the embossing impression more pronounced. 

The next step is to stencil an image on the embossed/die cut panel. I chose an old Altenew product, the Silk Art stencil from the Craft Your Life Project: Silk Art. 

I used the Altenew Sticky Mat and the Altenew Mini Ink Blending Brushes for the ink blending portion of the class. The sticky mat wasn't even released yet when this stencil was released. The mini brushes are the perfect brushes to use on this stencil. This stencil has intricate stamens that I almost damaged when I used it before. Now, I learned to blend the color straight from the body to the tip of the stamen instead of a circular motion to prevent the stamen from moving and also not damage it.

I just did simple stenciling with the use of one colored ink for each flower. I went heavy with the ink blending on the flower centers and lightening the pressure on the edges of the image. The stenciled image on the open areas are hardly noticeable but it adds some color.

The sentiment I used is from the retired Altenew Halftone Stars stamp set. I pre-treated a black cardstock with an anti-static powder tool. I stamped the sentiment using a sticky ink. I poured gold embossing powder over the stick ink then heat set it. I fussy cut the sentiment leaving a small border around it.

To add dimension to this sentiment, I cut strips of black cardstock, stacked it and adhered it to the back of the fussy cut sentiment.

I always enjoy attending Altenew workshops. I learn a lot and get to enjoy other crafters' company even if its virtual. I am glad that Naaz held this workshop on a weekday since I am unable to attend the workshops held on weekends due to my work schedule.

I hope you like today's card. Thank you, Naaz, for sharing a great technique.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

 

Gift Card Holder on a Burlap Background

 

Hello! I am on the Blank Page Muse Blog with another card using the BPM Denim & Lace Digital Printable Kit. Isn't that burlap on the digital print very realistic looking? I like it so much that it inspired me to add a burlap background to this trifold print out. 

 

I pre-treated the area with an anti static tool then stamped the sentiment on the digital print using a black pigment ink. The stamps I used on this card is not from BPM. This post is to showcase this digital kit more and how versatile it is that it can be used with other brands of stamps.

 

I poured clear embossing to the pigment ink then heat set it until the powder has melted.

 

For the burlap background, I adhered a double adhesive paper to a heavy weight kraft cardstock. I die cut this panel using a burlap die. I removed the release paper.

 

Adding double adhesive to the intricate die cut made it easy to adhere it to an acetate. I burnished the burlap die cut to the adhesive to make it really adhere to the acetate.

I stamped a sentiment on the first inner flap of the gift card holder.

I hope you like today's card. Thank you for visiting my blog. Please visit the BPM blog for additional details on how I created this card and for more inspiration. 

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Blank Page Muse is having a FLASH SALE! 20 HOT red rubber stamps are featured for sale with an amazing 50% discount. What a deal, right? This month's sale includes Halloween themed rubber stamps just in time for your Halloween crafting. This sale is good until September 27. 

If there is nothing on the sale category that interests you, BPM is generously offering a 15% discount to their online store. Just use the code BPMMaria when you check out.

Only 1 code per transaction please. Enjoy!

I shared this card at

Challenge 9~Anything Goes #94