Thursday, January 30, 2020

Birthday Balloon Card


Hello! Have you had those days wherein you have a creative idea on your mind but when you try to create it, nothing is working out? This card is one of those difficult card creation moments for me. I was going to give up after my third try but I said to myself, there must be some way to do this. So what do I do on a moment like this? I turn to the internet and search for a technique that is close to what I want to achieve on the card I am trying to create. I always seem to find help and inspiration from Jennifer McGuire's video tutorials. I can't really say that I used her Two-Tone Stamping Technique on this card but after watching her video, I got some direction on how to carry on with creating this card.

I stamped the solid balloon stamp from the Sugar Pea Birthday Balloons stamp set. I created a balloon mask as well so. I masked the balloon image that I want to be at the front before stamping another solid balloon. I used different colored dye inks using the color scheme of the inspiration picture as a guide. I used Golden Glitz Delicata pigment ink on some of the balloons. The ink is very juicy so I did a second generation stamping which is when you stamp on a scrap paper before stamping on the panel. 

This stamp set is a layering stamp set. I lined up the dots to the solid balloon image. I seem to get lucky with layering stamps lately. I also stamped these dots to the green balloons using White Shimmer Delicata pigment ink. 

I stamped the balloon strings after. I heat embossed the sentiment using a Ranger copper embossing powder.

I don't have a card stock that matches the color of the brown balloon. I inked the edges of a white card stock using the same dye ink I used for the brown balloon.


I applied clear Spectrum Noir shimmer pen to the rest of the balloons.

I trimmed the edges off the stamped panel. I adhered a fun foam at the back before adhering this to the brown inked panel. I adhered this to a top folding white note card.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at



Wednesday, January 29, 2020

See Through Shaker Birthday Present Card


Hello! I have another version of a card using Honey Bee Gift Card Present Box die set. I just got to make the most of what I can create using this die set. If you want to view my previous blog posts featuring this die set, here are the links to it: Christmas Gift Present Box and Ribbon Slider Card.

I am using products from Pebbles This Is Family collection. I die cut the present box insert using the B side of the Celebration patterned paper to create the window. I die cut a few more using white cardstock which I will use to create a well for the shaker. I adhered acetate to the back of the window patterned paper.

I looked through the collection but I could not find an ephemera or sticker that I can adhere back to back for the see through window. I did not want to change my design. I fussy cut the cakes from the A side of the Celebration patterned paper. I lined this up using a light box sandwiching a transparent thread in between. This will allow this cake to shake as well inside the shaker. I adhered the thread to the top and bottom of the window.



I adhered a happy birthday sticker sentiment to both sides.

Before pouring the sequins, I used the anti-static powder tool on the edges of the window to lessen any static cling. I poured various sequins to the well, then carefully closed the shaker by adhering the other patterned paper window.

For the gift box, I die cut two pieces of the tabbed part of the present box using the B-side of the Bike Ride patterned paper. I did this to allow the pocket to have more space when I insert the shaker to it. Instead of die cutting the wrap around ribbon, I adhered a sheer ribbon and tucked in the ends inside the pocket.

For the lid of the present box, I did not use the die to create this. I measured the lid of one of my already made present box. I added a 1/8" to the width. If I didn't customized this, this die cut would have been cut with a score at the center. But I wanted a 1/8" score so it can accommodate the thick shaker. I adhered the ribbon to this lid, lining it to the ribbon on the box. I sandwiched the shaker inside this lid, making sure I use a strong adhesive to close it up.

I added a bow to the lid using the same sheer ribbon. I also created a bow using a twine and adhered this on top of the sheer ribbon. I adhered a banner ephemera from the collection. I adhered this with foam adhesive.

Here is a short video showcasing this card.


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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at










Friday, January 24, 2020

Stringed Window Card


Hello! It is my sister's _'th birthday on Sunday. It is a big milestone for her. To celebrate this, I created this card for her.

I was planning to do a no line watercoloring with the flowers from the Altenew Adore You stamp set. The result did not turn out well. Instead of putting it to waste, I lined put the flower stamp to the watercolored image and re-stamped this using the Misti Stamping Tool and Versafine Onyx Black ink. I can't believe I was able to line the stamp! I usually have troubles doing this that is why I don't have a lot of layering stamps.

The watercolor I used is Kuretake Gansai Tambi. I fussy cut the image leaving a small white border around the image.

For the card base, I am using a top folding heavy weight white A2 note card. I am using the Altenew String Art Rectangles die to pierce the holes. I also used a rectangle die to cut out the window. With the left-over rectangle die cut, I used a smaller rectangle die and a smaller string art rectangle die to create a smaller piece to be the center piece of the card. I temporarily secured this small rectangle with a piece of non-tacky tape before I started threading the floss from the frame to the center rectangle. Despite trying to keep the center rectangle at the center, it still ended up askewed, which is still okay. The card has a bit of warping after the stringing. To straighten the card, I placed the card under something heavy, like my Sizzix magnetic pad.


To hide the taped string ends and add some sturdiness to the front of the card, I die cut a frame and the same sized rectangle using white card stock. I adhered this to the back of the front of the card.


I adhered the flowers and leaves with liquid adhesive except for the middle flower, which I adhered with foam tape. For the sentiment, I stamped the Altenew Label Love stamp using a purple dye ink. I die cut this with a label strip die. I die cut a couple more of purple card stock using the same die. I adhered this to the back of the stamped sentiment strip. I traced the letters with a white Sakura Gelly Roll pen for a more pop of white. I adhered this to the center rectangle.

I truly enjoyed creating this card. I love stitching or stringing, in this case. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.


I am sharing this creation at






Thursday, January 23, 2020

Chess Brownie Sale


Hello! Our parish school hosted a chess meet early this month. My 13 year old plays chess for our parish. My contribution to our chess club is to bake brownies for sale as a fundraiser for the club. To step it up, I created this stand-up packaging for the brownies using chess die cuts.

I was planning to create a chess board brownie but did not get to it due to time crunch. I had left-over chess piece die cuts which I was not able to use for last year's bake sale fund raiser. I use the Cricut to cut these chess pieces.

I asked my son for any suggestions on how I can use these die cuts. He wanted the chess pieces upright, just like a cupcake topper. I can't pierce the packaging so I designed this wrap-around paper with the chess piece upright.


I created a wrap around band for the brownie using card stock. I created a stand for the chess piece using a thin strip of card stock folded three times. I cut a slit on the band and slid the stand through this, securing the base of the stand with tape. I adhered the chess piece back to back on this support. I put the brownie inside the band.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at






Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Polychromos Colored Digital Image


Hello! I am late in posting at Incy Wincy Designs Challenge blog. The theme again is Anything Goes

Our sponsor is Dr. Digi's. The image I am using is called Recuperating Rita. I printed the image on Neenah Desert Storm card stock. I colored the images using Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils. I created a plaid pattern on the blanket and pillowcase using a brown colored pencil and a red Sakura Gel pen. I also added dots to the shirt of Rita with a pastel blue Pentel gel pen. I darkened the eyes of Rita with a black Sakura Glaze pen. 

I blended Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Tattered Rose for the wall, and Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Vintage Photo for the floor. I used several circle stamps to stamp on the wall using Tim Holtz Distress Ink Tattered Rose. The effect is so faint that it is hardly noticeable in the photo. For the flooring, I stamped a wood grain background stamp using Tim Holtz Distress Ink Vintage Photo. 

I did easy masking to apply the colors and the flooring accent. I used a Post it note to cover the part I don't want inked. I used the Picket Fence Lifesaving Brush to apply the color. I used a medium brush first for the larger areas, transitioning to a small brush to apply color near the printed image. I used this same masking technique to stamp the woodgrain pattern. Since it was not a customized mask, I missed areas close to the image. I drew the lines using a Tim Holtz Distress Marker Vintage Photo. But my marker is dried up. I didn't want to take a risk of switching to a different brown marker. Too much at stake having colored the image this far. So I picked the color pigment from the ink pad using the small tip end of the marker, then drew the lines.

I stamped the sentiment using the THDI Vintage Photo. Good thing I used the Misti to stamp this sentiment since I needed to re-stamp the sentiment two more times for a crisp impression. 

I cut the image at 4" x 3 1/4". I matted the image with a brown colored card stock. I adhered this to a plaid Simple Stories patterned paper but before I did that, using the yellow lines on the patterned paper as a guide, I drew gold lines on it for an extra pop of color. I used a gold Pentel gel pen for this and a ruler. 

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

Maria Giselle 


I am sharing this creation at



Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Ribbon Slider Card using a Gift Card Die


Hello! I created this interactive card using a die from Honey Bee which is intended for gift cards. I thought of why not extending the purpose of the die to creating something else. That's why I came up with this. Thanks to Jennifer McGuire's tutorial on Ribbon Slider Cards. I was able to use her technique with the die, thus, coming up with this interactive card.

I am using a Crate Paper Hello Love collection for this card. I die cut the base (which is the box, if it was a present), and adhered the two sides to create the pocket of the slider card. I die cut the cover of the present using another patterned paper. For the slider feature, I used the die that cuts out the solid part of the gift card holder. I followed Jennifer McGuire's tutorial on where to punch the hole up to threading the ribbon through the hole. I skipped the step of the bow. Instead, I snipped off the edge of the bow and adhered it to the inside of the present box cover, together with the sliding panel.  

To embellish the front of the slider card, I die cut a heart using the largest heart die from Lawn Fawn Stitched Heart Stackables die set. I die cut a pink ombre patterned paper from the same collection. 

I stamped the sentiment on the heart using Versafine Onyx Black ink. The stamps for the sentiment are from Honey Bee Bless Your Heart stamp set. I used a silver gel pen to trace the word 'Bless' for a simple embellishment.


For the slider sentiment, I mixed several stamps to create a customized message. The stamps I used are from Honey Bee Bless Your Heart stamp set, Clearly Besotted Little Elves stamp set (you don't have to limit Christmas-themed stamps to Christmas only), and Simon Says Stamp Fluttering By stamp set.

To let the recipient know that this is an interactive card, I stamped 'pull' to the box cover using Martha Stewart Custom Stamp Setting Kit and a light gray ink. I cut off the excess of the box cover to make it the same width as the box.

I am going to send this to my son in the Army who is scheduled to be deployed to South Korea on February 10. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at


 

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Welcome Home Sign Using Cricut


Hello! This is a late post of my created Welcome Home Sign for my son, Rudy. He went home and spent the holidays with us while he is on break from his Army Training. It was a very memorable two weeks for me since I am not certain when he will be home again. He will be finishing his training next month and will be deployed overseas after. 

I created this sign using the Cricut. I downloaded a free Army sign svg file which I amazingly was able to cut using the Cricut. The background patterned paper I used is from Authentique. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at


Monday, January 6, 2020

Waterfall Valentine's Card


Hello! I know it is too early for Valentine's when Christmas and New Year are not done yet. I just thought of getting a head start. Plus, I saw this collection available already at the local craft store, Checkered Cottage. This is also my card for our latest challenge at Incy Wincy Designs Challenge Blog. The theme for the challenge is Anything Goes. No image to color for this card. I am glad our blog moderator, Hev, allowed me to use this for challenge since I got busy this past week sending off my eldest son back to the Army, and my third son to his Young Catholic Musicians Winter Tour.



This cut-apart patterned paper with 2x2 elements is perfect in embellishing the Lawn Fawn Flippin' Awesome die. Imagine how many waterfall cards you can create just by using the 2x2 elements patterned paper. The patterned papers are from the new Simple Stories My Valentine collection.

The patterned paper doesn't have the same thickness as a cardstock but with the layering, it gave it enough stability for the interactive feature of the card. I lined the 2x2 cut apart embellishment with Versamark ink, poured Wow! Satin Gold embossing powder to the edges, and heat set it.

I die cut a light pink heavy weight cardstock using the LF Outside In Stitched Scallop Rectangle die. I masked the inner rectangle by using the stitched lines as a guide. I pounced Versamark ink on the scalloped edge and poured the same embossing powder to the edge. I heat set it after.

I stamped a sentiment using a stamp from the LF Love Letters stamp set. I adhered the waterfall feature to this panel, finishing off the card.


To personalize this card, you can write your sentiment on the last, back most panel of the waterfall card. Or, you can die cut another cardstock using the same scalloped die, score the top at about 1/2", then adhere it to the back to create an opening where a sentiment can be written on. Or, if you just want to save time, just write on the back of the background panel.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at




 


Thursday, January 2, 2020

Patterned Paper Christmas Card with a Foiled Sentiment


Hello! I know this is a late post for a Christmas card so I will make this a short one. I am using an older Simple Stories Christmas (December Documented) patterned paper. I love cut-apart patterned paper. The one I used for this card, there are 6 cut-apart designs on a sheet. A bit huge for an A2 card so I used it to create a 5"x7' card. I fussy cut the letters on one of the cut-apart for a focal sentiment. Using another of the cut-apart, I foiled the word Christmas to complete my sentiment. To do this, I chose the font first in the Cricut Design Space. I placed the cut-apart patterned paper on the Cricut mat. I temporally positioned the fussy cut letters on this cut-apart patterned paper. I used the snap mat feature of the CDS so I can see if the sizing of the font is to my liking. At the same time, I can move this sentiment to the area I want it to be drawn on. I partially covered the area where the sentiment will be drawn with a foil from We R Memory Keepers Foil Quill Peacock pack. With the We R Memory Keepers Foil Quill Pen already set up on the Cricut Explore machine, I fed the mat to the machine. I am telling you, this snap mat feature is a huge help and definitely, a favorite of mine in CDS.


Then, comes reveal time. I missed foiling some areas but overall I think the effect is pretty. I adhered the fussy cut letters with foam tape. I adhered this on a black card stock which I stamped with a striped background stamp from My Favorite Things. I used a Versamark ink in stamping, poured some Wow! White Pearl embossing powder and heat set it.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at