Spotlight Stitched Slimline Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's project is a stitched card. The pattern I used is from Cross Stitch Floral Dreams by Durene Jones. The die I used is the Crafty Meraki Stitch-A-Cross slimline die. I used a Neenah Desert Storm cardstock for my stitching panel. 

There are 8 holes per inch on the stitching panel created by the die. Any design you use on this stitching panel will be enlarged. Finding a pattern that fits this stitching panel can be a challenge that's why I resort to spotlight stitching. This technique involves choosing a part of the pattern, usually the focal point of the pattern, to stitch on the stitching panel. 

Since the holes are large, I used 6 strands of DMC floss per stitch. I separate the strands from each other then put the strands together again before stitching. I just practiced this lately. It can be time consuming to do this especially when the strand gets knotted but this step makes a difference to the floss by making the stitch fluffy.

I die cut a slimline frame using a Trinity Stamp die on a darker kraft cardstock. I die cut two frames, adhered one on top of the other then adhered it to the stitched panel.

I stamped a sentiment form My Favorite Things Bitty Birthday Wishes stamp set on the same dark kraft cardstock using a purple dye ink. I die cut the sentiment into a strip using an Avery Elle die. I die cut five more pieces of strips and stacked in on top of each for dimension. I adhered the sentiment on the stitched panel. 

I adhered sequins to the stitched flowers for embellishment. I added Nuvo drops and Stickles to the centers of the sequins. 

I hope you like today's project. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Color Inspired Shaker Birthday Card

Hello. Welcome back to my blog. Several blog challenges inspired me to create this card. These blog challenges are linked at the end of this post.

The balloon frame was watercolored using a stitched scallop circle die from Pretty Pink Posh. I applied orange Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolor to a watercolor paper. Once this has dried, I applied a coat of Coliro watercolor as a second coating for a bit of shimmer. I did the watercoloring before the die cutting. You can also do the other way around.

Using a slightly larger circle die, I die cut a window on a slate cardstock. I flicked some orange Coliro watercolor to this windowed panel. I adhered an acetate to the back side of this window panel. I adhered the scalloped circle frame to the front. For the tip portion of the balloon, I created this using a stitched polygon die. I partially die cut the polygon this since I needed only half of it to complete the balloon design. I ran this through the die cutting machine again to add the stitching detail to the end part of the balloon.

For the shaker portion of the card, I adhered foam strips to the back portion of the panel, lining the circle acetate window to create a well. I pre-treated the sides of the foam with a powder tool. I poured clear sequins to this well. 

I trimmed a white cardstock larger than the circle window. I adhered some of the clear sequins to this panel. After the glue has dried, I adhered this panel to the foam adhesive to seal the shaker window. The shakers I used are from Pretty Pink Posh.

Working on the front of the card, I smooshed the Tim Holtz Hickory Smoke Distress Oxide ink on my palette. I spritz this with water. I applied this pigment to a watercolor paper. I applied several coats of the pigment to the watercolor paper. I die cut the sentiment to this watercolored paper. I also die cut this sentiment on scrap cardstock. The sentiment die is from Simon Says Stamp. I stacked the sentiment die cuts by adhering the colored cardstock on the back of the watercolored sentiment die cut. I added some Ranger glitter to parts of the sentiment die cut for a bit of sparkle.

For the subsentiment, I stamped this on white cardstock using an orange dye ink. I die cut this into a strip using a sentiment strip die. I also die cut an extra strip and adhered it to the back of the sentiment strip die cut. 

I adhered the sentiments to the acetate.

I added a string and bow to the balloon using a twine.

I added more adhesive foam to back of the panel before adhering this a top folding A2 note card.

Thank you for stopping by. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Scrapbook & Cards FB Challenge

Watercolor

Color Hues The Color Challenge Blog

Sketch Inspired Mother's Day Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I have a tons of inspiration in creating this card. I am able to join blog challenges again. I miss doing this. This is the reason why I got myself hooked into cardmaking and also into creating a blog. Designing commitments put me on a standstill in participating in blog challenges. I am very glad that I was able to fulfill my responsibilities quick enough to give me some extra time to create and participate in challenge blogs.

I enjoyed putting this card together. The difficult part is choosing the right elements that complement each other. I got my color theme for rainbow by doing a search online for a three colored rainbow. Luckily, I have a 6x6 patterned paper pad that includes all the colors of the three colored rainbow. Knowing your crafting products helps lot in creating a card. I have products from way back that I still use up to now. Another reason why I enjoyed creating this card is that I  was able to do some stitching on this card which I enjoy a lot. 

I was planning to use a neutral colored patterned paper from the same 6x6 patterned paper pad I used for the rainbows. I already die cut the letters but I didn't like the way it looked with the patterned paper rainbow die cuts. I die cut some plain cardstock and that seem to do the trick of making the sentiment pop. I adhered the patterned paper letter die cuts to the back of the cardstock letter die cuts to add a bit of dimension. Might as well put these die cut letters to good use rather than stashing it in my scrap box.

Off setting the alphabet die cuts gives it a different look, just like the flower die cut. Replacing letters with image die cuts can make the sentiment look playful. 

Adding embossing to a plain panel can add more interest to the card. Flicking paint can give it more texture and not too clean looking. I think I overdid my splatters. What do you think?

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

MFT Sketch Challenge #11

Cards 4 Mom/Special Ladies #9

Anything Goes

 

Shaped Mini Christmas Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I created this card to join the latest Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge with the theme of snowman.

To create my card, I die cut a light blue cardstock using the Honey Bee Coffee Cup Gift Card Holder die. I die cut the whole coffee cup. I partially died the part without lid. I cut this piece twice, trimming it just right above score line created by the die. 

On one of the panels cut above, I die cut a circle window on the center. I aligned this to the whole coffee cup die cut, temporarily taping it. I positioned this in the Misti Stamping Tool. I positioned the circle snowman stamp inside the window and picked this up with the Misti door. I removed the window panel. I stamped the image using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I colored the image with Faber Castell Polycromos color pencils. The image is from Avery Elle Holiday Circle Tags clear stamp set.

I swiped a baby wipe on the two-coffee cup die cuts. I embossed this piece with the Simon Says Stamp Refined Snowflakes embossing folder. Adding moisture to the cardstock prevents paper cracking when embossed. I adhered the window piece to the front of the coffee cup die cut, aligning the window to the stamp image. I adhered the other one to the back. 

I die cut the coffee cup lid on a a blue cardstock. I die cut two pieces of this. I adhered this to the lid portion of the coffee cup die cut.

I stamped a sentiment on the inside. You can temporarily adhere a gift card to the inner front flap, if you want to.

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

Maria Giselle B. 

I am sharing this creation at

Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge

A Cheery Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. We have a new challenge at Incy Wincy Designs. For this month's challenge, the theme is Woof/Meow +/or Love, Sweet Love. Our sponsor for this challenge is All Dressed Up. The image I used on this card is linked below.

I printed the image on white cardstock. I colored the image using Faber-Castell Polychromos color pencils. I colored the cat image with Bibi, my sister's black cat, in mind. To guide me with the coloring of a black cat, I watched this video by Andrea Kirk.

I added details to the head gear of the cat using Stickles. I fussy cut the image leaving a white border around it.

For the card base, I trimmed a heavy weight yellow cardstock to 8 1/2" x 11". I scored this on the long side at 5 1/2" to create a top folding landscape card. I stamped the front with a Hero Arts Tiny Flags Woodblock stamp using a yellow dye ink. This stamp is not wide enough to cover the whole card so I used a patterned paper to cover the unstamped area. I also did not make a good impression of the stamp image. I should have used a stamp positioner but since I did not, I'll just let it be, and make it look like it is a part of the design. 

I embossed the patterned paper to create triangular impressions on it just like the design of the stamp.

For the sentiment, I die cut the letters on patterned paper using My Favorite Things Spell Anything Alphabet Die-namics. I love the playful font of this alphabet die set. I also die cut this on a white cardstock to adhere it to the back of the patterned paper alphabet die cuts for some dimension. I adhered the letters to the card panel.

For the sub-sentiment, I heat embossed the sentiment from MFT Bitty Birthday Wishes on a pink patterned paper. I embossed this using white embossing powder. I die cut this into a strip using Avery Elle Elle-ments Simple Sentiments die. I die cut two more pieces of this strip on white cardstock. I adhered this to the back of the patterned paper sentiment strip, then adhered it to the card panel. 

I adhered the cat to the panel using foam adhesive.

I rounded the bottom corners with a We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper. 

I added floral sequins to the panel.

I added shimmer to the letter die cuts using Spectrum Noir clear shimmer pen.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you join us at Incy Wincy for this month's challenge. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Image Sponsor

I am sharing this creation at

June Challenge #129~Anything Goes

Challenge #64 - Anything Goes with a Featured Critter

July 2022 Linky Challenge~Anything Goes #3

Line Art Window Card

Hello! Welcome back. I am struggling to to get my creative juices back. I hope this is the card that will re-set my artistry. 

I created this card to join in three blog challenges. These blogs are shown at the end of this post. I enjoy challenging myself to create a card for more than one purpose. 

I die cut the flowers and leaves using the Altenew Craft-A-Flower Daisy Layering die set on white cardstock. I blended pink dye ink on the flower die cuts and green dye ink to the leaf die cuts. I only used one color of ink for each, just changing the ink blending pressure on each layer to achieve the color variation between the layers. I added details to the center of the flower by adding dots of glue to the edge and pouring a light gold embossing powder to it. I heat set this after then set it aside.

I die cut one of the dies from the Altenew String Art Rectangles die set on a yellow cardstock. I followed the sketch shown below for the design of my card. To create the windows, I used a rectangle die from the Waffle Flower A7 Layers die set. I chose a die that is slightly smaller than the piercings made by the string rectangle die. I also ran the string die on an acetate strip. I adhered this acetate strip to the open end of the rectangle by lining up the pierced marks with each other. I reinforced the holes by piercing it with a needle.  I threaded a glittered DMC through the holes. I don't have any rhyme or reason with the string art. To frame the windows, I did a back stitch. I used a gold metallic DMC floss for this. I trimmed an 8th of an inch off the sides so I can mat this with another cardstock.

For the sentiment, I stamped the sentiment on a white cardstock. The sentiment is from the Altenew Wild Hibiscus stamp set. I used the Misti Stamping Tool so I can re-stamp the sentiment a couple of times, with the last impression using a Versamark ink. I poured clear embossing after, and heat set it. I die cut this into a strip using a die from the Avery Elle Simple Sentiments die set. I die cut an extra strip and adhered this to the back of the sentiment strip for some dimension.

I adhered the flower and leaves with foam tape. For the back card panel, I cut a Lawn Fawn Speckled cardstock into 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". I added foam tape to the back of the window panel and on top of the foam tape showing through the back of the window. I also added a strip of foam tape to where the sentiment strip will be adhered. 

And this finishes off the card. I hope you like my card. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

 

May 2022 Inspiration Challenge #8

Sketch Challenge

Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog~Feminine

 

Ink Cube Painted Rainbow Mug

 

Hello! Nice to have you back on my blog. Today's card was inspired by Kristina Werner's Ink Cube Painting Technique. I usually prefer buying full sized ink pads for more coverage when inking a stamp. But with this technique, I appreciated the versatility of the ink cubes that I think I will now invest on ink cubes and reinkers instead of the full-sized ink pads. 

The solid cup stamp is from Paper Smooches. I am using Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Fired Brink, Abandoned Coral, Wild Honey, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon, Shaded Lilac and Salty Ocean. I used a Misti Stamping Tool to repeatedly stamp the coffee cup to a white cardstock. Just like in Kristina's video, I did direct to stamp inking, making sure the inks overlap, creating a rainbow-colored mug.

I heat embossed a snowflake on the center of the mug. The snowflake stamp is from Avery Elle Stamp Holiday Circle Tags stamp set. I used white embossing powder. 

I fussy cut the image leaving a white border around it.

I die cut a kraft cardstock with a scalloped square die from Lawn Fawn Flippin' Awesome die. I die cut a gray cardstock using a stitched square die from Mama Elephant Framed Tags-Union Square die set. This die only cuts the three sides, leaving one side uncut for a peek-a-boo effect. But I am not using this feature of the die on this card. I just needed a square die cut that fits perfectly inside my scalloped square die cut. So, I did partially die cutting by not putting the top cutting plate on top of the side that creates the crease. After running this through the die cut machine, I rotated the metal die so the side that cuts will be on the uncut side. I matched the die to the stitched lines created on the paper by the metal die. I placed the top cutting plate on top of that uncut side. I used a low tack tape to make sure the die does not shift.

I created a mask to cover the areas between the stitched lines and the edge of the square die cuts. Using a Simon Says Stamp Falling Snow stencil, I pounced Hero Arts Unicorn White pigment ink and Avery Elle Silver Fox pigment ink to the gray square die cut. I rotated the stencil to get more dots. And since the square die cut is not that large, I was able to use two corners of the stencil for each pigment ink. I used an ink dauber to apply the inks. 

I adhered the stitched squares to the kraft scalloped squares. I adhered the rainbow coffee cups on top. I adhered this to a gray Lawn Fawn Knit Picky 6x6 patterned paper cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". 

I created a wide strip using another gray patterned paper from the same LF patterned paper pad. I added stitching detail to the edges using a die from the LF Stitched Borders die set. I adhered this to the center of the panel. 

I die cut the sentiment on red cardstock using My Favorite Things Merry & Bright With All The Trimmings Dies. I adhered this to the wide patterned paper strip.

I die cut some hearts on holographic paper & tucked it underneath the coffee cups.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Caffeinated Christmas Challenge #4 #19

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge Wk 17~Anything Goes

Stitched Shaker Card

 

Hello! We are halfway through the month of April. Can you believe that? Anyway, for today's post, I am using an image from one of our sponsors in this month's Incy Wincy Designs Challenge on Easter +/or Animals. 

I printed the image on white cardstock and colored this with Prismacolor colored pencils. I fussy cut the image leaving a white border around it.

For the panel, I die cut a window on a leaf patterned paper using the Avery Elle Pierced Mat die. I gently stitched brown embroidery floss through the piercings to frame the window. I adhered the acetate to the back side of the window frame. 

I heat embossed the sentiment to the acetate. Before I did that, I temporarily positioned the fussy cut image on the window so I would know where to stamp the sentiment. The stamp is from Honey Bee Designs Paper Hug stamp set. After the embossing is done, I adhered the image to the front of the acetate with a liquid glue.

For the inside of the shaker card, I blended Tim Holtz Lucky Clover Distress Oxide to a white cardstock. I am using the SugarPea Designs Leaf Canopy stencil. I sprayed one side of this with temporary adhesive and laid it over the ink blended panel. I blended more of the Lucky Clover ink over the stencil, adding some TH Peeled Paint Distress Oxide on some areas. I heat set this to dry. You can see some of this leaf details on the close-up photo above.

I lined the backside of the window panel with foam adhesive creating a well. I added gold floral sequins to the ink blended panel and adhered the window panel to it. 

The window frame is cut at 4" x 5 1/4". I matted this with a green cardstock. 

I added gold flower die cuts to the edges. The die I used is from Paper Smooches.

You still have time to join the current Incy Wincy Challenge. We can't wait to see what you created.

Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Image Sponsor

AN IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM MIRTILLAMENTE

Mirtillamente, our other blog challenge sponsor, has started a fundraiser to be allocated to Save The Children to help children who are victims of the war in Ukraine. Eve, the owner of Mirtillamente, has exclusively made 3 digital stamps and 1 digital paper pad for this campaign. They are on sale at this link: https://www.mirtillamentecraftshop.it/197-mirtillamente-donations.

The proceeds will be fully paid to Save The Children, the payment receipt will be published in total transparency on all Mirtillamente social channels accompanied by the names of those who contributed by purchasing the products related to this campaign.

I am sharing this creation at

Challenge #8~Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Blog~Interactive

Hero Arts April Challenge

Mini-Album

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I created these mini albums featuring my sons' photos. It is a gift that I will be sending to my family and my husband's family. Do you recognize the colors? I got my color inspiration from the Ukrainian flag. This is my creative way of showing support to their country. 

The paper I used for the album is Canson Watercolor paper. I cut a sheet in half and scored it at 3", 6" and 9".  

The front was stenciled with some embossing paste mixed with blue and yellow inks. I blended ink and applied watercolor to some areas. The stencils I used are from Hero Arts. The sentiment is created using die cuts from Altenew and Sugar Pea Designs. The label die is from Avery Elle. I added a piece of washi tape and stamped the year which corresponds to the ages of my sons that will be seen once the album is opened.

I matted the photos with patterned paper. I added a sentiment washi tape for some embellishment.

To make the design consistent, I blended inks to the back cover using the same stencil and inks. 

I cannot imagine what Ukraine is going through right now. It is a situation no one wants to be in. My prayers for Ukraine and the Ukrainians. 

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

Maria Giselle B. 

I am sharing this creation at

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Blog~Add A Die Cut

Color Hues-Special Double Challenge

March Challenge~Anything Goes