Tuesday, December 31, 2019

New Year Twist Pop Card


Hello! Happy New Year to all of you! I created this interactive card to welcome the New Year. I hope you like it. I used the Lori Whitlock Twist Pop Card file to create this. I have the Back to School file but it wasn't hard to change the design into a New Year themed card. Also, very important, use a thicker cardstock for the twist feature. I tried using a thin cardstock and there is some difficulty closing the card back. Opening and closing the card should be smooth, which in fact is so satisfying to do.


For this second card, the only thing that I cut with the Cricut is the twist mechanism. I trimmed the elements of the card with a paper trimmer, using the measurements of the Cricut cut card. I also used a corner puncher, a scoring tool, and a metal die to re-create the first card. I used the negative cuts of the numbers from the first card so I don't put this to waste.

 

Thank you for visiting my blog. Cheers to the new year! Have a blessed, brilliant and creative year ahead!

Maria Giselle B.

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Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Pillow Give Away Box


Hello. I created these boxes for my son's classroom give away. I created a few extras to give to my co-workers. Inside is a chocolate treat. I used the Cricut Design Space to cut out these boxes. I used the Pebbles Merry, Merry Christmas collection.


To maximize the 12x12 patterned paper, I cut 4 pillow boxes on it. To allow the Cricut to do all 4 boxes on a 12x12 paper, I changed the size of the cutting mat to 12x19 then made sure that I positioned the paper where the boxes will be cut. I could have also used the Snap Mat feature of CDS but since this cut is simple, I used the measurement guides to know where the boxes will be actually cut. CDS leaves about an 1/8" margin in each side. I position the paper on the mat slightly offset so I can cut as close to the edge.


For the tag, I die cut the solid pattern from the same collection with a tag die from Paper Smooches Gift Tags 3 Die set. I adhered the cut apart sheet from the 6x6 Merry, Merry collection to this tag die cut. I secured the tag on the pillow box using a Doodlebug red twine.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Enjoy the holidays with your family and friends. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Monday, December 16, 2019

Ink Blended Scene Card


Hello! We have a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs Challenge Blog. Our challenge theme for today is Happiness. Since it is still pretty much the holidays, it can be a card with Merry Christmas and/or Happy New Year themes. I chose to interpret the theme as to what brings me happiness. The image supplied by our generous sponsor, Limited Runs, is a scene of mountain slopes covered with snow. Snow is very pretty undisturbed. I just don't like the cold it brings and the other hassles that come along with it if traveling. Looking at this image brings me peace, thus the sentiment.

I printed the image on Strathmore Bristol vellum paper with the help of the Cricut Design Space. I don't have any plans to cut the image using the Cricut. But the CDS is a big help for me when printing images since the laptop that is connected to my printer does not have a Word for Windows program installed in it. I made sure that the settings of my printer are on photo and matte since I plan to ink blend on the printed image. When this image got printed, I can see that the ink is still wet on the silhouette trees. I heat set this to dry to I can start applying ink over it.

I am using Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks on the sky and snow banks. The colors I used are Broken China, Stormy Sky and Faded Jeans. I used the Picket Fence Studios Life Changing Blender Brush to apply the ink. The good thing about these brushes is that I didn't have to mask off anything. I was able to apply and blend the inks well.

I colored the cabin with Zig Clean Color Brush markers. I drew in lines to make it into a log cabin. I added highlights with Prisma Color color pencils. I added snow to the trees and falling snow using Uni-ball Signo white gel pen. I am not really good at adding falling snow so I used a Simon Says Stamp Falling Snow stencil to guide me where to add the dots. I also drew snow on the trees. I then added Marvy Snow Marker on the roof and the snow banks.

For the sentiment, I applied Coliro Pearl Deep Space watercolor on the same Bristol paper. I heat set this to dry. I die cut the letters using Sugar Pea Designs Message Letter Board Die. I wanted the color to be more bold so I added more watercolor pigment to the letters. I adhered this to the panel.


I drew a Christmas tree in one of the windows. I applied Ranger Glossy Accents to the windows.

I created a frame by die cutting stacking two rectangle stitched dies on a silver mirror cardstock. The dies I used are from Mama Elephant Peek A Frame Creative Cuts and Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangle Dies.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day. Please join us in our latest challenge at Incy Wincy. I cannot wait to see what makes you happy or how you express happiness in your creation.

Maria Giselle B.


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Friday, December 13, 2019

Cricut Die Cut Trading Cards


Hello. My son asked me to create mini cards for his classmates. I allowed him to choose the critter from the Cricut Create A Critter Cartridge in the Cricut Design Space. I sized the images to fit a 3 in. x 4 in. panel. The cat is a bit smaller since it has to share the space with the greeting. I grouped the sentiment and the cat. I also unlocked its size so I can re-size it to fill the whole panel.

I embellished the cat with flocking powder on the ears and whiskers. After I adhered the layers, I applied Ranger Black Enamel Accents to the the eyes. I applied Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss Pen to the sentiment, cat's bow and the banana peel. I adhered a blue gem to the bow. I set this to dry.

For the panel, I die cut the card stock using a stitched die from the Mama Elephant Peek A Frame Creative Cuts set. I trimmed some patterned paper at 2 3/4" x 3 3/4". I rounded the corners using We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper. I adhered this to the stitched panel. I then adhered the sentiments and critters to the patterned paper.

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

Maria Giselle B.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Christmas Gift Present Box Gift Card Holder


Hello! I fell in love with this die from Honey Bee after seeing this in Jennifer McGuire's My Favorite Crafty Things 2019-Dies. All the possibilities for this die. It can be used for different occasions.

I am using products from the Pebbles Merry Little Christmas collection except for the solid colored card stocks. This is a nice to way to use up all those patterned strips that come with the 12 x 12 patterned papers. I used this as the ribbon wrap on the gift box. I don't even have to use the die to cut this portion of the project. I just have to cut the strip to the right length. I also see myself using washi tape for the ribbon wrap.




I die cut a tag from the Pebbles Merry Little Christmas Tag Pad to fit the gift card slot. I used the gift card die cutout die to die cut this to perfectly fit the slot. It is a nice surprise after the recipient removes the gift card. The only down side to this is it makes the gift card fall when the Fold Over Box Lid is pulled out. I think I should have made 4 layers of the Gift Card Insert rather than 3, as stated in the instructions. But there is an easy fix to this. I placed removable Glue Dots to the gift card so it won't fall off. Also, if I will re-create this project again, I will stamp a greeting on the Gift Card Insert before I stack and adhere the Windowed Gift Card Inserts to the solid piece. Lots of ideas to try when I use this die again.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at


 





Friday, December 6, 2019

Christmas Window Shaker Card


Hello! This is my second card for the Paper Smooches Challenge Design Team Call. If you are interested in seeing the first card I created, just go the previous post. This card involves some embossing, die cutting and masking.

I cut a 4" x 5 1/4" red card stock for the front panel. I stamped the circle sentiment stamp from the Paper Smooches Wavy Wishes stamp set using Versamark ink. I used the Misti Stamping Tool which I will be using again later on. I heat embossed this using Wow! Metallic Gold embossing powder. I die cut a circle window from this embossed sentiment, leaving the embossed scallop.

I am using a green top folding A2 note card. I die cut the same sized circle on this note card. I positioned the red panel over the front of the green note card. I repositioned the circle die on the same spot, securing this with tape. I also secured the window panel to the front of the card. I ran this through my die cut.

Remember, I left the circle stamp on the Misti Stamping Tool? I positioned the green note card in a way that I will stamp on the inside of the card. I created a circle mask using Post It. I will be masking the sentiment since I am creating a Christmas card. I stamped the image using Versamark ink, embossing it with the same gold embossing powder. After I removed the mask, I stamped the sentiment on the open circle area using Versamark ink. I heat embossed this with Ranger red embossing powder. I re-stamped this again with Versamark and heat set this now with Ranger red tinsel embossing powder. I re-stamped this a third time with Versamark and heat set it again with Ranger red tinsel embossing powder for a raised look.


For the shaker part, I am using a My Favorite Things Circle Shaker pouch. I tried gold confetti for shakers at first but I cannot believe how it cling to the acetate as soon as I covered the pouch with another acetate. It did this despite rubbing the anti-static pouch to both acetates. I had to undo this and thankfully, with the right tools, I was able to remove the acetate without creating a lot of damage to the red window panel. On the second time around, I lessened the confetti and put gold Doodlebug sequins and Martha Steward seed beads. This time, despite the confetti sticking to the acetate, you can still see the shaker elements moving around and you can also see the sentiment through the window.


I stamped holly leaves on the red front panel using a red dye ink for a tone on tone effect. These holly leaves are from the PS Warm Hearts and Merry Motifs stamp sets.

I added a Lawn Fawn twine on the center top. I added a gold ribbon die cut using a bow die from the PS Bow dies set. I adhered a red gem to the center.


I applied Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss pen to the sentiment circle as a last embellishment.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at


Thursday, December 5, 2019

Stitched Stamped Image and Stitched Frame


Hello. I am so excited because Paper Smooches is having a Design Team Call. Paper Smooches is very special to me because I got my first, ever online challenge win in one of their challenges. That was like 6 years ago. You can see the card I created by clicking on the sidebar with the Paper Smooches Icon with the header September 2013 Trend Watch Winner. My first two stamp sets from Paper Smooches are the PS Cyber Cafe and PS Hip To Be Square. I continued to join their challenges. I think my side bar is mostly from my accomplishments in the PS Challenges. And this DT Call is such a great opportunity not only to me but to everyone there who loves PS products. Good luck to all of us!

Now, onto my created card. I stamped the sentiment using Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Ink. You can use any light colored ink also. The stamp I used to create the sentiment is PS Garden Greetings stamp set. This stamp comes with individual letter stamps to spell Love. When I saw this stamp set, I have plans to create a customized sentiment of hello. I stamped the letter L on the center of a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" Neenah Solar White card stock. I slowly built the hello sentiment by aligning the next letter to the letter L. I created a mask for the letter L so I can have equal spacing of the letters. The H is from the sentiment hi in the stamp set.  I positioned the H close to the E. I covered the I with tape then applied ink to the H, removed the tape, then stamped the H on the card stock. I am using the Misti Stamping Tool which allowed me to repeatedly stamp the letter in case the impression wasn't too great during the first stamping.

I colored the letters using Copic markers. I poked holes on the lines of the stamped image using a craft pick. I threaded different DMC floss for each image. I added French knots to the flowers. I added sequins to the flowers and cactus, secured this using a French knot. I brushed in Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss pen to the flowers and cactus.

I die cut a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" Neenah Desert Storm card stock using PS Cross Stitch die. This die is smaller than an A2 flat card so I have to run the die twice through the Sizzix Big Shot. I moved the die to the area without holes, lining up the last row of open holes with the last row of the die. I also taped the metal die to the card stock to prevent shifting when I ran this though the Big Shot.

I cut a rectangular window at the center of this holed panel using a craft knife. I did some cross stitching using white DMC floss to create a stitched frame.

I traced the window of the stitched frame on the stitched sentiment panel. I trimmed this off. I adhered the stitched frame on a top folding horizontal 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" note card. I adhered a foam on the back of the stitched sentiment and adhered this to the open area of the frame.


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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at



Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Pink Holiday Card


Hello! We have a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs Challenge Blog. The theme for this challenge is Christmas Without Red Or Green. As the blog post title says, my color scheme is pink for this card.  My 7 year old will love this for pink is his favorite color.

Our sponsor for this challenge is Polkadoodles. I printed the image on Strathmore Bristol Smooth paper. I used several color mediums, Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Watercolor Brush markers, Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolor, Finetec Pearlescent Metallic watercolor and Tim Holtz Distress Ink. I felt that coloring this image will demand a lot of time from me so I colored this image in sessions. I don't believe I've colored something like this before. It was a nice experience. Slowly done but I love the result.


For this image, my sister's cat, Peppie, is the model. Since I've used pearl on coloring some of the images, this scene does not require a lot of embellishing. I added Pretty Pink Posh gems to the girl's snow cap flower accent, and Nuvo Clear Drop on the cat's snow cap. I might have gotten crazy on the falling snow on the background. I added Wendi Vecchi clear embossing paste using a Simon Says Stamp Falling Snow stencil. I sprinkled Tim Holtz Distress Rock Candy Glitter to the embossing paste while it is wet, then set this to dry.

For the sentiment, I heat embossed this using Delicata Rose Gold Pigment ink  and clear embossing powder. The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted Little Elves stamp set. I die cut the strip using Avery Elle Simple Sentiments die. I matted this sentiment strip with a pink mirror cardstock. I also matted the watercolored panel but I added some embossing on the edge using Lawn Fawn Stitched Borders die.

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

Maria Giselle B.


I am sharing this creation at







Sunday, December 1, 2019

Christmas Wreath Tag


Hello! I created these tags to join Lawn Fawnatics latest challenge. I am using the Lawn Fawn Tiny Tags die, Mini Wreath die and Tiny Tag Sayings on this tag.

I die cut the circle scalloped tag die on navy blue cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment using Hero Arts silver embossing powder. I also embossed the to and from on another blue scalloped tag die cut using the same embossing powder.

I die cut the wreath on silver glittered foam. I snipped the wreath open and glued it to the side of the scalloped tag. I used the stitched impression as a guide in adhering the wreath. The wreath wasn't long enough so I used another wreath die cut to fill in the whole scalloped edge.

I die cut the bow using red felt. I adhered this to the top of the wreath.


I threaded a Doodlebug twine thru the 'to and from' tag. I adhered this to the back of the wreath tag.

I added Nuvo drops to the wreath for the berries. This is also a good way of hiding the seam of the connected wreath.


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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at






Friday, November 29, 2019

Christmas Tree Card




Hello! This will be a short post since it is Friday today which means working weekend nights for me. I'll edit this as soon as I can so I can share to you how I created the card. I just wanted to make it to the deadline of Sugar Pea's Blog Challenge. If you have any questions before I get to the editing this post, feel free to post it under the comment section.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at




Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Thanksgiving Treat Box


Hello! I created this to give away to my co-workers for Thanksgiving. I am using a digital box cut from Cricut Design Space called Window Box from 3 Birds - Life's A Party cartridge. I used the contour feature to hide the window so I will have a solid box. I cut this on a double sided Close To My Heart patterned paper. I used a bone folder to fold the score lines created by the Cricut scoring pen. This box used very minimal adhesive. It just needs adhesive to attach the seam to the inside of the box.


To embellish the card, I die cut several solid colored cardstocks using Lawn Fawn Stitched Square Frame. I customized my sentiment using stamps from Neat and Tangled, and My Favorite Things. Since I needed a couple of this sentiment square, I used the Misti Stamping Tool. It was helpful in making the production time quick since I have to heat emboss the sentiments. I adhered this to the inside flap of the box.


For the tag, I die cut the tag from Paper Smooches Gift Tags 2 Dies on the same colored cardstocks I used for the sentiment square. To write the recipient's name, I am using a stamp from the Lawn Fawn Tiny Tag Sayings stamp set. I heat embossed this to the tag. I colored the heart with a Pilot Pastel Pink gel pen. I wrote the name of the recipient using the We R Memory Keepers All In One Freestyle Pen. 


The area to write on is small that writing on it with a foil covering the area is very tricky. I created a stencil to solve this problem. I created an extra tag and cut a hole on the areas where I will be writing on with the use of a craft knife. After I placed the foil on top of the tag, I lined the corner of the stencil tag to the tag. I used the open area as a guide for me to write the recipient's name and my name. 

I attached the tag to the box using a twine. 

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

Maria Giselle B.


Friday, November 22, 2019

Cat Christmas Card


Hello! I created this card to join in Gerda Steiner's Share Your Designs Challenge. I am using a free Gerda Steiner printable image called Kitten Bookmark-Relax A Little. I edited the image, removing the sentiment in the banner and keeping it blank so I can customize my sentiment. I printed the image on Strathmore Bristol Smooth paper. I colored the image using Akashiya Sax watercolor brush pens. I colored the image with my sister's cat, Carlito, as my model. I used the Marvy Snow Marker on the fuzzy areas of the snow hat for some dimension. I also added Ranger Enamel Accent for the eyes.


I painted the banner using Zig Gansai Tambi watercolor. I applied several layers of paint, heating it dry in between layers. I fussy cut the image. I lined the edges with a Memento Tuxedo Black marker for a finished look.


For the sentiment, I die cut letters to form the word joy. I am using Hero Arts Fancy Dies Alpha Uppercase. I die cut each letter several times using Pebbles Merry, Merry patterned papers. I adhered each letter on top of each other for a raised look. I adhered this to the banner area. I added shimmer to these letters using Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss pen. I added snowflakes to the banner to fill the empty space around the letters, and also for additional shimmer.


Still using the Pebbles Merry, Merry patterned papers, I trimmed one patterned paper at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I heat embossed a poinsettia image on this patterned paper using a stamp from Paper Smooches Merry Motifs. The embossing powder is Ranger Holographic embossing powder.

I trimmed a wide strip of peach dotted paper at 2" x 4". I inked the edges with Tim Holtz Abandoned Coral Distress ink. I adhered this to the embossed patterned paper panel. I adhered the cat using foam adhesive for some dimension.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at