Harry Potter Themed Shaker Card

My 12 year old son got invited to to his friend's birthday. Nothing big. They are going to the movies, eat pizza and hang out at his friend's house. My son thought about giving his friend a card. His friend loves Ravenclaw, which is one of the houses in the Harry Potter movie. Although I have a couple of Harry Potter themed patterned papers (which is my sister's, by the way), I went on a trip to Scrapbook Factory at Fairview Heights, IL. This store is next to the closest local craft store near me. Lucky me because aside from the patterned paper I already have, they have new Reminisce Harry Potter themed patterned papers that are cut apart.

I let my son choose which of the cut apart design he wants to be the focal point of the card. I added details to this journaling card. I traced the letter R with a Versamark pen and added a sparkle black embossing powder for embossing. I also traced the rest of the sentiment with a Sakura White Gel pen. I blended Tim Holtz Distress Black Soot ink on the sides. To make the letter R pop out, I outlined it with a white gel pen.

I die cut a frame using Simon Says Stamps Stitched Rectangle dies on a white cardstock. I adhered an acetate to the back of this frame using a double sided tape. Next, I adhered thin strips of foam tape on the acetate to create a well making sure that it is hidden behind the frame.

Before I proceeded with the shaker element, I adhered a Reminisce Wizard 101 patterned paper to an A2 sized side folding note card. This patterned paper is cut a bit shy off 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I just trimmed off a little bit to let the white note card show around the edges. I centered the journal card to the patterned paper. I poured Twilight shaker sequin mix from Little Things from Lucy's Cards to the center of the journaling card. After I removed the adhesive foam backing, I adhered this on top of the journaling card.

My son wanted to give a gift card to his friend as a birthday gift. I was inspired to create this design by this week's freebie at Cricut Design Space. It would have been easier to use the CDS to cut the note card but if I aim for an A2 sized note card, I would need a longer cutting mat and a longer paper which I do not have. I don't like to customize the design cut just to fit a 12"x12" mat. So I cut a 6"x 6" white cardstock. I scored the right side at 1 3/4" to create the side flap that will hold the gift card. I scored both top and bottom edges at 1/2". I trimmed off the 1/2" part that is on top and bottom of the card body. I folded the tabs inwards. This will serve as a tab to apply adhesive on to keep the flap adhered to the card body.

Before I adhered the flap, I cut another patterned paper to 3" x 5 1/2". I adhered this to the card body, making sure the flap covers the part that does not have any patterned paper on it. Also, this is the time I worked on adding the sentiment to the flap. I heat embossed the greeting which is a freebie Lawn Fawn stamp. The rest of the sentiment was stamped with Versafine Onyx Black ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. This stamp set is from Ellen Hutson. Both stamp sentiments came in as one liner stamps. I masked parts of the sentiment to create this staggered look.

I applied a non-tack tape to the scored lines so I can blend ink on the flap. I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide in Faded Jeans. I added some water droplets and picked it up with a dry paper towel. I added some white paint splatters too. Once this has dried, I gently removed the tape. I assembled this part of the card by adding double adhesive tape to the tabs. I added more adhesive to the inside of the flap, leaving enough space to tuck the gift card. This will keep the gift card from falling. I adhered this to the inside of the card.

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

Maria Giselle B.

Fall Window Square Card

Hello! We have a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs Challenge Blog. The challenge is on Square Cards. Our challenge sponsor is Star Stampz. I am using the Thanksgiving Harvest Chibi digital image. I printed the image on Strathmore Watercolor paper. I colored the image using watercolor pencils and a water brush. I struggled in coloring this image that I have to search the net for a colored image of this digital stamp. Somehow, looking at it uncolored, it seems like the feather tail is attached to the girl and not the turkey. That is just me, okay?

After coloring the image, I cut a plaid Pebbles Patterned paper at 5 1/4" x 5 1/4". I created a circle window using Pretty Pink Posh Scallop Circles Die. I embossed a long word stamp on patterned paper using Wow! Gold Rich Pale embossing powder. The sentiment is from Concord and 9th Lace Leaf stamp set. I inked the edges of the patterned paper and the edge of the window to hide the white core of the patterned paper. I adhered the image panel to the window patterned paper making sure I center the image to the window. I inked the edges of the scallop frame. I applied foam adhesive to the back of this circle scallop frame. I adhered this to the window, making sure the pattern is aligned. I applied Spectrum Noir clear shimmer to the frame. This panel was adhered to a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" top folding kraft notecard. I added orange Doodlebug sequins to the front panel.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you join us in our latest challenge. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

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Colouring Challenge 4/18~Orange in Accents

Customized Stamp Sentiment Card

My friend at work just moved to a new house. She requested me to create a set of cards with a customized sentiment, “It takes a Village to Raise a Child.” She will be giving this away to her previous neighbors. After looking through the net for ideas, I settled on creating a village using my Cricut. I was tempted to purchase stamps for this project but I just made a purchase for a previous card project. I was planning to use some of the images on that stamp for this project but decided otherwise.

I utilized Cricut Design Space to search for a house cut image in my owned images. Fortunately, I have a house cut image in the Close To My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge. It is a simple yet layered cut which is just perfect for this project. I created duplicates of the house, undoing the lock aspect so I can re-size the image to create five houses with different heights and widths. I cut this on different colored cardstocks, trying to follow a rainbow order. I applied shimmer to the second layer of the house using Spectrum Noir clear shimmer pen. I made sure that the shimmer is on the areas that will show through the opening on the first layer. I adhered the first layer using foam adhesive for dimension.

I am using Stathmore Bristol paper for the background. I ink blended Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Salty Ocean on a 6”x 4 1/2" Bristol paper. I added water droplets to this blended area, then picked up the water droplets with a dry paper cloth. I also added splatters of white paint by diluting a white paint no an acrylic block, then flicking it off to the paper with the use of a small tip paint brush. I set this aside to dry.

I ink blended another piece of Strathmore Bristol paper with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Mowed Lawn. I blended some THDO Peeled Paint on the top portion of this panel. I die cut this using Avery Elle Custom Panels to create a hill. I set this aside to dry so I can stamp the sentiment later on.

I created the sentiment using Lawn Fawn Milo’s ABC stamp set. I am lucky that this stamp set covers all the letters needed to form the sentiment. It is a tedious task to put the letters together to create the sentiment. Not to forget, some of my alphabet stamps lost its stickiness that’s why it falls off from the acrylic block. A trick I used to prevent this is to apply a temporary adhesive on the acrylic block to keep the letters stuck to the acrylic block. Also, in using alphabet letters, I find it best to use a lined acrylic block. I was trying to use the Misti Stamping Tool but putting the letters together was not working out for me. And, before stamping the sentiment on the final project, I test it out on a scrap paper to see if the lay-out of the letters are right.

I treated this panel with a powder tool so I can heat emboss the sentiment. I stamped each line one at a time, using the lines of the acrylic block and my grid mat as a guide. I used Versamark ink, poured Hero Arts white embossing powder and applied heat right away with a heat tool. I repeated this process on the second line of the sentiment, too. If you have some warping after heat embossing the first line of the sentiment, just secure this panel with some non-tacky tape to your work surface to keep it flat while stamping the second line.

If you noticed, I used a different font for the ‘a' for added interest. The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn Party Animal stamp set. I masked the rest of the sentiment stamp to be able to stamp the ‘a’ only.

I trimmed the background panel to 5 ¼” x 4”. I adhered the hill next, trimming off any excess. I adhered the houses next with a strong liquid adhesive. I adhered some sequins to the sky background.

I adhered this panel to a white top folding A2 notecard.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Challenge #80~Anything Goes

Scrapbook Lay-out Complementary Card

 Hello! Don’t you like it when you can create more than what you intended? I got so inspired by the scrapbook lay-out I created for this month’s Pebbles Challenge Blog on Gratitude that I created a card using the same crafting materials and techniques. Not to forget, I have all this cut-outs from the scrapbook paper that I fussy cut which I hate to toss into the recycle bin.

One difference is the patterned paper I used on the card panel. I don’t have enough left to create a 4 ¼” x 5 ½” card. Instead, I used the polka dot paper for the background and the houndstooth patterned paper for the circle wreath background. I also used a different die cut sentiment and stamped sentiments. The die cut sentiment was cut on gold cardstock in this card compared to the patterned paper I used on the scrapbook lay-out. 

I attached the panel to a top folding A2 sized kraft note card. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

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Challenge 405~Anything Goes

Mixed Digi. and Clear Stamps Christmas Card

Hello, again. This is my second creation for our Christmas challenge at Incy Wincy Designs Challenge Blog. I hope you join us. 

The image I am using is from Knitty Kitty Digis named Tree Kitty. I printed the image on Neenah Solar White cardstock. I colored the image with Zig Clean Color markers.  I tried using a water brush to soften the colors but since the paper is not a watercolor paper, it was difficult to blend the colors without warping the paper. I used a lighter shade to blend the darker color. I noticed that these markers are highly pigmented when used on regular cardstock. I extended the tree with the use of a waterproof pen.

I could not achieve a good blend for the background using the Zig markers. Instead of re-doing the coloring, I fussy cut the image. For the background, I blended Tim Holtz Broken China Distress Oxide on Neenah cardstock. I splattered water drops to this panel, and picked the water with paper towel. I added water to a Finetec Pearl paint, picked up the pigment and placed it on an acrylic block. I flicked this pigment puddle to the blended background. I allowed this to dry before adhering the cut-out digi. image.

I cut a Lawn Fawn Knit Picky patterned paper to 4 1/4” x 5 ½”. Using the Lawn Fawn Stitched Square Stackable die, I cut a window square on the patterned paper which is large enough for the digi. image to show through. I adhered the image panel, centering this in the window. Since the theme is Christmas, I created a scene by stamping a Christmas hat on Neenah paper and coloring it with Zig. This stamp is from Mama Elephant Cool Penguins stamp set. I fussy cut the image. I added Sakura Stardust clear pen to the hat trim. I added Glossy Accents to the colored portion of the hat. I die cut a speech bubble from Lawn Fawn Into The Woods coordinating die. I stamped, colored and die cut a fish from Lawn Fawn Fintastic stamp set. I adhered this to the bubble and added it to the scene. 

For the sentiment, I heat embossed the word ‘wish’ from an Ellen Hutson stamp set on a LF red patterned paper using Hero Arts silver embossing powder. I cut around the embossed sentiment, leaving a small border around the image. I adhered this to vellum and cut around it again with a border around it. I cut a strip of green LF patterned paper and adhered this to the panel. I added Spectrum Noir shimmer pen to this strip. I adhered the sentiment to the strip and added some alphabet stickers.

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

Maria Giselle B.

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Challenge #40~Anything Christmas Goes

Challenge #47

Challenge #11~Christmas/Winter

Shaker Ornament with a Digi Stamp

Hello! I am late in posting for Incy Wincy Designs Challenge Blog. The challenge theme is Christmas. What a way to jump start your Christmas card making. This is one of my two creations for the blog challenge. Do come back to my blog to see the other project I created using our other challenge sponsor.

This is not my original planned card for the challenge. I printed the image from Fabrika Fantasy to a watercolor paper. I applied masking fluid to protect the images from the blending I did on the background using Tim Holtz Distress Crayons and water. I was able to achieve the background I want but when I removed the masking fluid, it made the images lighter. I could go for a no line coloring of the images but only the top portion of the images were masked. The bottom part of the images still has its lines intact.

Good thing, I was able to create a substitute for my failed first design. I printed the image on Neenah Solar White cardstock taking into consideration the size of the opening of the Lawn Fawn Snow Globe die. I colored the image with Prismacolor color pencils. It is a challenge to color the image since I printed it small. Just make sure the color pencils are sharp. Also, since the images are small, it does not require any blending at all.

I fussy cut the image so I can use a background I previously created using the the LF die. This background has dried Wendi Vecchi clear embossing paste on it. I die cut the window part and the back panel of the snow globe. I die cut the back panel twice. I used Neenah Classic Crest 110lb white cardstock.

The Lawn Fawn Snow Ready, Set, Snow stamp set coordinates with the LF Snow Globe die. I stamped the snow globe image to the window die cut using Versamark ink. I poured silver Hero Arts embossing powder to this, then heat set it. I masked the sides of the snow globe stand so I can blend Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress ink to the area. I lifted off some of the blending ink by stamping Lawn Fawn Woodgrain Backdrops to the area. I removed the mask. I colored the bottom stand with a small tip brown marker.

I adhered an acetate to the back of the snow globe window. I used a thin double sided tape to adhere the acetate. I used the solid snow globe die to cut the acetate. I adhered Darice foam strips around the window creating a well. I also adhered this foam strips to the rest of the back of the window snow globe die cut.

I adhered the background to the solid snow globe piece, using the window snow globe die cut as a guide. I adhered the colored digital image on top of the background. I adhered some Lawn Fawn Chunky glitter to the snow bank. I used a Sakura clear pen on the ice blocks for some shimmer. I poured more LF glitter to the center of the panel before sealing the shaker card with the window panel. If you have glitters escaping through the sides, just squirt some liquid glue through the sides and apply something heavy on top of the shaker card while it is drying.

I heat embossed the snow globe sentiment onto white cardstock using silver HA embossing powder. I die cut this sentiment using the coordinating die. I adhered this to the base of the snow globe using foam adhesive.

To make the snow globe into an ornament, I taped a thin ribbon to the back. I covered this with another solid snow globe die cut which I stamped first with To & From for easy giving.

This is not the first time I created paper ornaments. You can check my other two creations for more inspiration. One is a Phone and the other is an Angel.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant & creative day. I cannot wait to see what you've created for our Christmas challenge.

Maria Giselle B.

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Fabrika Fantasy Challenge Blog

Challenge 14~Christmas/Holiday w/ Optional Twist: Any Hanging Items

Challenge #20~Interactive Cards

Creating Embellishments from Patterned Paper, A Pebbles Thanksgiving Lay-out

Hello. I am participating in Pebbles' November Sketch Challenge on Gratitude. There are so many things to be thankful for in life. One of the things I am thankful for is my family which inspired me to create this lay-out.

I was going to create a lay-out on what Pebbles supplies I have on hand. Most likely, I was about to use the Merry, Merry collection from last year's Christmas since that is what I have in abundance. In my visit to our local craft stores here in St. Louis, I was lucky to find that they sell Pebbles' Halloween patterned paper. It is also nice that not all of the patterned papers have Halloween prints. Some have Halloween colors which made me excited as I create this lay-out.

I started off by trimming the B side of the Meow patterned paper from the Pebbles Spooky Boo paper collection to 9 1/4" x 12". I cut a circle large enough to fit my photo on the B side of the Let's Party patterned paper which is from the same paper collection. I outlined this circle with a DMC gold thread to make it look like a wreath. I secured the thread with mini-staples using We R Memory Keepers Magnetic Staple board. I adhered the photo to the center of the circle.

For the embellishments, I fussy cut images from several Pebbles patterned papers, Hocus Pocus, B side of the Pumpkin Plaid and Hauntingly Beautiful from Midnight Haunting paper collection which is last year's Pebbles' Halloween collection.

I positioned the fussy cut embellishments around the photo but before I adhered it, I worked on the sentiment. I die cut the sentiment on gold cardstock four times to create a stacked sentiment for some dimension. For the top layer, I die cut the sentiment on the B side of the Hauntingly Beautiful. I am using Honey Bee Bless Your Heart Honey Cuts die.

After adhering it, I applied some shimmer using Spectrum Noir Shimmer pen. I positioned this on the top of the photo. I started adhering the embellishments, only applying liquid glue to the center. I adhered the sentiment after. I created a supplement sentiment strip by heat embossing the sentiment on the B side of the Hauntingly Beautiful patterned paper. I used a Wow! Rich Pale Gold embossing powder. The sentiment is from Honey Bee Bless Your Heart stamp set. I adhered this to the top of the die cut sentiment.

I added a sticker to the bottom of the photo which is from Pebbles Heart of Home sticker collection. I got this as a part of a card kit from Simon Says Stamp together with the 6x6 pad.

The lay-out is pretty much done. It just needs some more embellishing. I added Stickles, Nuvo Crystal Drops and enamel dot to the flower centers. I used a needle to add Ranger Black Enamel Accents to the dots in the center of the small flowers. I added shimmer to the butterflies using Spectrum Noir. I adhered Pretty Pink Posh Clear Jewels to some of the flower centers. I adhered some gold leaf sequins to some of the clusters.

I hope you found some inspiration in today's creation. Have a blessed, brilliant & creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Challenge #93~Anything Goes

Challenge #96~Use 2 or More Patterned Papers

November 2018 Linky Challenge

#ACOTwinyourwishlist

Halloween Give Away

Hello. My creation today is for my youngest son's give away for their classroom Halloween party. My initial planned design for this give-away took a turn about since I bought the wrong craft item. I thought I bought a set of 20 piece 4 bar envelope, only to find out that I bought 4 bar note cards. Instead of making another purchase, I created a pocket using this 4 bar note cards.

I embossed the front of the note card with Sizzix Textured Impressions Spiders embossing folders. I applied thin strips of  double sided tape to the bottom and sides to close up the note card leaving the top open. Make sure you use a strong adhesive. I taught what I used was strong enough based on previous projects I've created using this double sided tape. But this tape failed me in this project. I have to re-apply adhesive to the note cards since they were opening up after I was done working on it. I think the candy was too bulky and the note card is stiff to accommodate the bulk of the candy. I tried scoring the sides but the note card is on heavy weight cardstock making it hard to manipulate. What worked in keeping the edges sealed is the super sticky red tape.

I ink blended the embossed area with Tim Holtz Distress Black Soot ink.

I did not want to put the cute images to waste so I created stickers out of the cut-apart Fun House patterned paper from Doodlebug  Pumpkin Party collection.The number of cut apart images in this patterned paper is just the right number of kids in my son's class. I cut the patterned paper using a paper trimmer. I adhered double sided tape to the back before cutting the squared images apart. I cut this at 2" x 2" then rounded the corners.

For the tag that will hold the sticker, I cut another Doodlebug patterned paper. This time, I am using the Spooky Spiders patterned paper from the Boos and Brews collection which is an older Doodlebug release. I cut the paper creating 2 1/2" x 3 1/4". Using the Concord and Ninth Bags and Tags die, I created a tag holder. Since the width of the cardstock is longer than the die, I just snipped off the sides where it was not die cut. I then punch notches to hold the sticker using We R Memory Keepers Envelope Notcher Punch. I don't know about you but I always get a work-out when I use this puncher. My hand was sore after punching forty notches for the tags. I punched on foil and wax paper to see if this puncher will loosen up but it didn't. I feel that the springs in the puncher locks up midway. Let me know in the comment section if you have any experience with this product. I will appreciate the feedback.

Back to the tag, I rounded the edges with a corner punch from EK Success. I inserted the stickers in between the notches. Using the tag hole as a guide, I added a dot to each cardstock pocket as a guide where to punch a hole on it.

My son chose Trolli Gummy Worms for this year's Halloween giveaway. After placing a candy pack in each cardstock pocket, I threaded a Halloween twine through the tag and the pocket holes, closing the pocket shut by tying a bow. This is when I noticed that the double adhesive tape is not working. Good thing, I have some red sticky tape to the rescue.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Have a blessed, brilliant & creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Challenge #20

November 2018~Anything Goes