Holographic Vinyl in Greeting Card

Hello! I am organizing my craft room. On my table is a corner where I place newly purchased items that I would like to use first before adding it to the rest of my supplies. In this way, I will remember why I bought a product, and also make me remember that I have this product in my stach to hopefully avoid dual purchases. So for this card, the new items that I am featuring are the Paper Smooches You Are A Blessing die and PS Stitching Basic die set. 

I created this card to join the latest Paper Smooches Anything Goes Challenge. And, I created this to give to my 3rd son who will be celebrating his 14th birthday in July. One of his favorite colors is red.

I cut a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" red cardstock. I created a pattern hearts on this panel using the heart die in the PS Stitching Basic die set. This die creates holes for you to stitch on. Instead of stitching, I added the small circle die cuts created by this die from a Cricut Holographic Vinyl. It is like diamond painting. It is a very tedious process but very relaxing except if you lose a dot die cut. I only did this on the top and bottom hearts, leaving the middle row of hearts as is.

On a white cardstock, I die cut the PS You Are A Blessing die. The die cut also comes with a stitched frame which I did not use in this project. I kept this frame and the negative cut aside for a future project.

Using the rectangular negative cut created by the PS You Are A Blessing die cut, I positioned the rectangle stitched die from the PS Stitching Basic die set. The width of this stitching die perfectly fits the negative cut. I used partial die cutting technique to extend the height of the rectangle. Since this die just pokes holes on the paper, I used a craft knife to carefully cut the edges and create this into a frame.

I adhered the frame to the red cardstock. I used the negative cut created by the PS You Are A Blessing die as a guide in adhering the letters. I painted the colors with a red Karin Decobrush marker, putting the pigment on the bottom edge of the letters only. To spread the pigment, I used a Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Pen. 

To cover the holes of the hearts behind the sentiment, I used the left over holographic vinyl by adhering this to a top folding note card, making sure that it will be behind hearts in the middle row. I then adhered the red panel.

Thank you for visiting my blog. In case you don't know yet, Paper Smooches is retiring its brand. There is a retirement sale going on. I am truly going to miss this brand for its fun and playful images and fonts. Check out their site and see if there is something you like. 

Happy Birthday, Yrwin. You truly are a blessing.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day everyone! 

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

 

June 15-28 Challenge~Anything Goes

Music Inspired Birthday Card

Hello! My oldest son's birthday will be next month. He is deployed at South Korea. I am not sure how quick mail reaches S.Korea from the U.S. so I made this card and mailed it early. My son is a musician, thus, the theme of this card. 

I also created this card to join Altenew's latest color inspiration challenge. I am using Altenew Happy Birthday To You stamp set and Treble Love die set. 

On a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Neenah Solar Whitecard stock, I blended Altenew Paper Bag ink. I set this aside to dry. Once it has dried, I heat embossed the music notation repeatedly with the help of the Misti Stamping Tool to create a background. I used the Altenew Peach embossing powder on this. For the Happy Birthday lyrics, I repeatedly stamped this using the Misti Stamping Tool, heat embossing it with Simon Says Stamp Rose Gold embossing powder. 

I blended Tim Holtz Stormy Sky Distress Oxide on Neenah Solar White cardstock. I want to extend the die cut to 4 1/4" covering the whole width of a tall card so I partially die cut this paper using the staff die.. 

I adhered an acetate on the back of the staff die cut. I heat embossed the Happy Birthday sentiment on a blue vellum using Paper Source Navy Blue embossing powder. Using a Xyron Sticker Maker, I adhered two blue vellums on top of each other. I die cut the clef on this layered vellum. There is a bonus heart die cut with this cut which I used as well. I applied Zig Wink of Stella clear to the clef and the heart die cuts. 

I inked a blue cardstock with TH Stormy Sky Distress Oxide which will serve as the background for the window. I stamped different note stamps from the stamp set with Delicata White Shimmer pigment ink. 

I created the window on the inked panel by cutting these into two pieces. I adhered the staff die cut to these pieces. I adhered this window panel to the the blue cardstock using fun foam. I adhered the vellum die cuts to the window area. I adhered this to a top folding note card. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Altenew Challenge Blog

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge~Anything Goes

Challenge #228~All Occasions

Cricut Cake 3D Cut

Hello! I created this cake box to share a slice of the mango cake from my previous post to a co-worker who just celebrated her birthday this past week. It was a challenge to create this box. I have to use my Cricut Imagine to cut this. Yes! After a very long time of not using this machine, I have to use it. I don't have a cake box in my Cricut Design Space images. I know purchasing the image does not cost a lot but I still have some Cricut cartridges. This cut is from the Close To My Heart Artiste cartridge which I purchased used and already linked. It has a lot of cuts which I love but fail to use because it has become more convenient to use the CDS. Anyway, it was a challenge using this machine again. I realized that the Imagine mat is not as sticky as the Explore mats even if it is a new mat. My first attempt to cut was a failure because the cardstock moved. So on my next round, I taped the edges of the paper. The other difficulty I encountered is the sizing of the cuts. My cake box lid ended up being larger than the bottom. On my second attempt in cutting, I decided to modify the cut lid instead of cutting another cardstock for the third time with the possibility of another paper waste. I don't think the recipient will even notice this.

The other challenge is that after my machine has been in long time hibernation mode, it took a lot of attempts to break it in so that it will let the mat feed in. 

To jazz up the lid, since I am on a time crunch, I looked through my stash, instead of creating a new one. I found this Altenew stamped and colored flower ready to be used. I created a bow using a transparent washi tape adhered to a white cardstock which I cut into strips using a craft knife. I curled the strips using the Cricut scraper. I adhered the bows to the back of the flower, then adhered this to the lid. 

For the tag, I die cut a white cardstock using Lawn Fawn Tiny Tags. I colored in some black stripes using a Copic marker. I sneaked this under the flower using a glue dot to keep it secured.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

#MakeItWithMichaels

Challenge #511~Anything Goes

Cricut Father's Day Cake Topper

Hello! Happy Father's Day to all the fathers out there. I created this toppers to decorate the cake I bought to celebrate this day for my husband and our fathers, we call Amang (my father) and Pa (my husband's father) respectively. I changed our fathers greetings to how they are called as grandfather by my sons, Lolo (my father) and Daddy-Lo (my husband's father).

Another thing to celebrate for us is the opening of a Filipino bakery here in St. Louis, the Saint Louis Filipino Bread. They sell a Mango and an Ube cake. I opted for the mango since my youngest son loves mangoes, maybe he will like this cake and he will help me eat it since my husband is not a cake eater. 

The cut design is from Cricut Design Space. I modified the cut, slicing off a portion of the sentiment so I can customize it. I was planning to cut the names as well but opted to heat emboss it on the cut out mug. 

The secret to a successful Cricut cut is to make sure the blade is sharp. It sure could have saved me a lot of time, effort and resource if I acknowledged the signs that my blade needs replacement. Other than a warped cut, if your cut image comes off with the rest of the cardstock or paper when you peel if off the mat, that is one sign that the blade needs replacement. Good thing that I have a new blade replacement on hand. 

As for the warped cuts, I decided to use some of these cuts instead of throwing it. I adhered the mug cut out to the back of the same mug cut for added dimension. 

I cut extras of the solid mug so I can sandwiched a stick in between these layers. I wrapped the tips of these sticks with foil before sticking it into the cake. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

C# 134~Anything Goes

#MakeItWithMichaels

Polygon Background Blessed Card

Hello! I created this card for the Honey Bee Stamps Buzzworthy Challenges in FB. One thing I like about joining this challenge is that I work my creations around the limited Honey Bee supplies that I have. But I am slowly building up my Honey Bee Stamps collection.

I die cut different colored cardstocks based on the colors in the color palette. I am using the second to the smallest die in the Honey Bee Double Stitched Polygons Honey Cuts. After I have cut a good amount of it, I trimmed a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" typing paper to serve as a grounding place for the polygon die cuts. I run a tape runner over it and started adhering the polygons. 

For the sentiment, I die cut several pieces of the white cardstock using the HB Bless Your Heart Honey Cuts. I adhered this on top of each other to create a chipboard-like sentiment die cut. I applied embossing ink to the top layer using Wow! Mixed Media embossing brush. I poured Ranger Copper embossing powder to this, then heat set it. 

To complete the sentiment, I heat embossed the sentiment stamps from HB Bless Your Heart and HB Prayers stamp sets on a black strip of cardstock, using white embossing powder. 

I trimmed a sliver off from each side of the polygon background. I matted this on a black 5 1/4" x 4 1/4" black cardstock. 

I adhered the sentiment strips and die cut to the center of the panel. As a last touch, I adhered several sequins to the panel.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Honey Bee Facebook Buzzworthy Challenges

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge~Something Metallic

Christmas Scene Card

Hello! We have a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. Our challenge is on Pets/Man's Best Friend/Fur Babies. Our sponsor is Dr. Digi's House Of Stamps.

I looked online for images of a sleeping dog on a couch and this is how I got inspired to create this card scene. I sketched my idea, taking notes on what supplies I will be needing. I was aiming to use one patterned paper collection but I had to look into another paper collection, My Mind's Eye, for the wall and the floor. 

I printed the image on Neenah Solar White cardstock. I created a sweater for the dog (although it looks like a blanket to me) by tracing the outline on the patterned paper. I used a tracing light pad to do this. It was difficult to do this on a double sided patterned paper but I just did my best. I traced the lines with a marker. I fussy cut this and ran a brush marker on the sides. I created a matching cap for the dog. I stamped hat on the same patterned paper and on a white cardstock. I fussy cut this and layered the white trim to the patterned paper. The cap was too wide for the dog. Using the original image as a guide, I modified the cap to make it custom fit to the dog's head. I cut this on the line and ran a black marker on the sides. I added Marvy Uchida Snow Marker on the trim.

I  colored the digital image with Copic markers. I added details to the sofa by adding dots. I also added stripes to the slippers.

Working on the scene, I fussy cut the Christmas tree from a Simple Stories cut apart patterned paper. I  cut a My Mind's Eye woodgrain patterned paper to 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" for the front panel. 

I die cut the window frame using Mama Elephant Peek A Frame Creative Cuts on a white cardstock. I die cut this window on the woodgrain patterned paper, too. This die cuts the window with the intent to have the window open. Since I am not going to use this feature, I taped the window on the back. I inked the white window frame with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I adhered this to the woodgrain patterned paper, lining it up with the cut window frame. 

I trimmed a piece of MME dotted bluish-green patterned paper. I inked the edges with Tim Holtz Peacock Feathers Distress Ink to give it an aged look. 

I adhered the Christmas tree. I added gift stickers to the base of the Christmas tree. I added the sentiment sticker which I adhered first to a white cardstock and made it into a banner. I adhered a gold star sticker on top of the Christmas tree. 

I created a snowy sky backgound fro the window. I splattered Copic Opaque White ink on a blue cardstock. I dried this with a heat gun. I adhered this to the back of the window panel, making sure it shows through the window.

I adhered the digital image with foam square. I colored the Christmas tree dots with Tonic Nuvo Aqua Shimmer pen. I added Nuvo Crystal drops and set this aside to dry.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope to see your creations in our blog challenge. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day! Stay safe always.

Maria Giselle B.

Image Sponsor

My Son's Space Scene

Hello! If you came from my previous post, this is my 8-year old son's version of a space scene. He wanted to share his idea so I allowed him to play, too. I cut him a half of a Canson watercolor paper, right at 6". He placed his stamps pieces from Lawn Fawn Out Of This World stamp set where he wanted it stamped. My craft table does not allow two people working at the same time so I did the stamping for him using Versafine Onyx Black ink. He colored the images with Karin markers. He wrote speech bubbles for the sun and the planets which I hope you enjoy. 

Thank you for viewing my son's creation. I am sure he will appreciate if you can drop in a message for him. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day from both of us. 

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing my son's creation at

Lawn Fawn Challenge Blog

Floating Image Space Scene Card

Hello! I created this card for the Lawnfawnatics Blog Create A Scene Challenge. I also got inspired by the recent NASA launch last May. 

I created the galaxy background using Karin markers on Canson watercolor paper which you can appreciate more in the close-up photo below. I would like to thank Gladiis Moreno for the short video she shared on how to use Karin markers to create a galaxy background. I added splatters of gold paint from Finetec/Coliro Artist Mica Watercolor Paint set. I set this aside to dry.

Using the same watercolor paper and markers, I stamped the images from Lawn Fawn Out Of This World stamp set using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I dried the images with a heat gun before coloring it. I colored the astronaut's suit based on the SpaceX suit. I used a color pencil to create the U.S.A. flag on the suit. I fussy cut the images leaving a thin white border around it. I adhered a transparent tape on the back of the astronaut with a piece of tape. 

I die cut the frames from LF #Awesome. I stacked 3 layers of this frame. I adhered a skinny double sided tape to two corners of the frame. I loosely adhered the tips of the thread to these tape. I covered these thread with the same skinny double sided tape. 

I adhered the planets to the galaxy background. I rotated the frame to make it into a diamond shaped frame and give it a new look. I adhered this watercolored panel to the bottom of the stacked frame, and cut off the excess. For the top frame, I embossed this with Wow! Pearl Gold embossing powder using the Wow! Mixed Media Embossing brush to apply the embossing ink to the frame.

For the background panel, I was die cutting the LF Fancy Lattice Backdrop to the Paper Source Peacock cardstock but the negative cuts did not fell off so I decided to keep them attached to the the backdrop for an embossed/in-laid look. I applied a wide piece of tape on the back to keep all of the pieces intact.

After I treated the panel with an anti-static pouch, I painted the diamond pieces with the Wow! Mixed Media embossing brush. This works like a manicure for the nails. I think I overdid the paint on some areas but for the most part, I like this product. I poured the same pearl gold embossing powder to the area, then heat set it.

For the sentiment, I die cut a banner strip from the LF Flippin' Awesome die on the same colored cardstock. I had to partially die cut this banner so I can extend its length to accommodate the sentiment. The sentiment is from LF Lucky Stars stamp set. This was stamped with Versafine Onyx Black ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. 

I adhered the scene to the top of the panel and adhered the sentiment strip with foam adhesive to the bottom of the panel. I applied Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss pen to the planets.

I have a short video included here so you can see how the astronaut floats around the space.

Thank you for visiting my blog. My son, Ryan, did his space scene version using most of the products I used while these items are out on my table. Please check it out on my next blog post. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Lawn Fawn Challenge Blog

Cricut Holographic Vinyl On A Thank You Card

Hello! I created this card to join the Paper Smooches Challenge Blog on Flowers. If you have not heard, Paper Smooches is retiring. Kim, the owner and artist of Paper Smooches, who has gone through a lot of life challenges lately, is taking in a new simplified life. I wish her good luck as she takes on this new chapter of her life. I want to thank her for sharing her beautiful talent with all of us. Paper Smooches will always have a special place in my heart. My first ever blog challenge win is from Paper Smooches back in 2013. Since then, I've enjoyed joining blog challenges and continued to join Paper Smooches challenges, winning on some as you can see on my blog's side bar.

I am using the PS Rad Roses die. I die cut a red cardstock for the flowers and a green pearl cardstock for the leaves. I am applying Jennifer McGuire's technique to keep the placement of the die cuts intact when doing an in-lay technique. After running the die and paper thru the die cut machine, I flip  the die over, adhere a wide tape to the back of the die cut, then remove the die. This technique also keeps the clutter manageable since they are also stuck to the tape.

This technique also allows to ink blend on the die cuts. I blended inks to the red flower die cuts and the green leaves die cut for some dimension.

For the outline, I adhered a Cricut Holographic Vinyl on a white piece of cardstock. I burnished the vinyl to the cardstock with a Cricut scraper. A brayer is much better to use for this process to prevent scratch marks on the vinyl. Next, I die cut the PS Rad Roses die to this panel. I weeded the die outline carefully.

On a black 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" cardstock, I die cut the PS Stitching Thanks Die.

I adhered the vinyl die cut to this black cardstock, and then adhered the flower and leaf die cuts, piecing it in to the outline die cut.

I trimmed off an 8th of an inch from each side of the black panel. I matted this panel with a pearl white cardstock. I decided not to add stitching to the Thanks die cut. It actually looks like small gems with the pearl cardstock on the back.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day! I will miss you, Paper Smooches!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

 

Paper Smooches Blog~June 1-14 Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge~Something Metallic

Challenge #6-2020~Anything Goes

Acetate Birthday Card

Hello! I created this card to join the challenges at the My Favorite Things Blog. I am going for another 'one card for three challenges' again. I really enjoy mixing up challenges because it stimulates my creativity. 

I am using my handy dandy Cricut Explore II machine for this card. I sketched my lay-out idea and used the Cricut Design Space to help with the sizing of the image cuts. There is a project icon in CDS that allows you to see how your image cut/s will look like on your chosen project, in this case, I chose a card with a size of 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". 

The balloon cut image is cut together with the balloon string. There is another feature in CDS, the Slice, that allows you to cut a part of the cut image. That is what I did here. I wanted to layer the balloon on the string. I could have just cut the original image cut four times, then snip off the string with scissors, but that is a waste of cardstock since most likely, I will not use the extra string image cut. 

After all the images have been cut...and yes, including that less than an inch letters for the sentiments,  I inked one of the balloons with a soft blue dye ink. I heat set this to dry since I am going to emboss on this balloon. I stamped the MFT Diagonal Stripes cling rubber stamp on the balloon using Versamark ink. I am using the Wow! Lightening Effects for the first time. I mixed the Wow! Primary Blue Topaz embossing powder to the Wow! Glisten and the mix created a glittered embossing powder. It is actually cool. I cannot wait to use the other two Wow! Lightening Effects. 

I blended more ink to the balloon especially to the right of the balloon.

After I decided placement of the balloon, I drew lines on the back of the balloon so I can trim off the excess before adhering the balloon. This is easier compared to adhering the balloon first before trimming. I adhered the string cut then adhered the balloon on the front of a Hero Arts acetate card. I adhered another balloon to the inner front of the card to hide the adhesive, making sure I lined up the balloons. I adhered another balloon to the inner back side of the card so I have an area to write a personal message. Finishing it off with another balloon adhered to the back to cover the adhesive. The trick here is to make sure all balloons are lined up so it looks like one cut image on the front with a surprise inside. The string image cut also has a cover up on the inner front of the card. 

The colors I am using for the card are based on the color inspiration challenge. I created gradient of colors for the sentiment using two different hues of green cardstock. I temporarily adhered the letters to a Post-It Full Adhesive, having half of a letter hanging out and lining this with a T-ruler. I cut off the hanging part using scissors, keeping every cut piece. I adhered the letters to the banner cut. This is the most tedious job among all the steps in creating this card. An easy way to do this is by coloring the cut letter. Cover half of the letter, then color the exposed half of the letter. After which, cover the colored portion, and then color the other half. 

I added Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Glitter Gloss pen to the letters for more sparkle.

I adhered the same banners to the inner card front to hide the adhesive. I added a bowed twine to finish off the card.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

MFT Color Challenge

May 2020~Alphabet Stamps And Dies

Michaels

Challenge #234~Anything Goes

Sketch Inspired Card

Hello! I created this card to join Hero Arts' Challenges. I've combined two themes in one card. I enjoy doing that. It is not really about having an entry in several challenges but more on being able to create a card that suits several themes. It challenges my creative mind.

When I found out that one of the challenges is on hugs, this stamp set, Hero Arts Lil Hoot, came into my mind right away. I had this for a long time now. I like the cute images in this set and one of the sentiments in this set suits the theme.

I stamp the bear duo on a Neenah Solar White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I colored the image with Copic markers. I fussy cut the image leaving a white background around it.

Working on the sketch background, this is where I feel I had more difficulty in putting together. I was trying to incorporate a heart to the lay out but it just would not work despite changing patterned papers. When this happens to me, I walk away from my crafting table instead of wasting my effort and supplies. This crafting time out always work for me. When I come back with a fresh mind, I usually figure out what's wrong in the design that I am able to fix it, and finish the card.

I am using scraps of patterned paper. I used the A & B sides for the back panel and middle strip panel. Using this kind of paper is very convenient since most of the time, the A & B sides coordinate with each other. I inked the edges of this paper with Tim Holtz Distress Tea Dye Distress ink.

For the rectangular paper, I used a gold vellum. I added diamond cuts using an Ellen Hutson Diamond Designer die tying up with the diamond patterned paper.

I heat embossed the sentiment on a kraft card stock using Hero Arts white embossing powder.

I put these all together to re-create the sketch. I adhered this to a top folding kraft cardstock. I added Ranger Black Enamel to make the eyes pop. I made an enamel mess on one of the baby bear's eyes. Despite burping my enamel bottle on a rag, it just gave out a big blob of enamel. Oh, no! I scooped some of the enamel off to the best that I can. Despite doing this, since it is a black enamel, it left a black stain to the area. After the enamel has dried, I covered this black stain with a Sakura White Gelly Roll pen. Looks much better, what do you think?

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Hero Arts Blog May 2020 Challenge

 

Hero Arts Blog Challenge