Sparkly Sequined Christmas Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Do you remember when the flip sequins were on trend? It was 'ASMR' as my youngest would describe it. I bought a piece of that fabric to jazz up my son's shirt for Christmas about 7 years ago. Since then, the rest of the fabric has been boxed with the rest of my craft stash. Thankfully, the Inky Paws Challenge made me dig it up and use it on this card. 

The stamp I used is from Newton's Nook Newton's Stocking stamp set. I stamped the sock twice on scrap cardstock. I fussy cut the sock on one of the stamped images, and the trims on the other. On the sock piece, I traced this  with the wrong side up on the back of the sequin fabric. I cut this fabric following the outline. I cut the trims on white felt, using the cut out trims as guide in cutting. I adhered the trims to the sequined cut out using glue gun.

I stamped Newton on white cardstock. I colored him with my sister's cat, Bibi, in mind. I used Copic markers for coloring. I fussy cut the cat. For a fun twist, I cut off the hat from the cat. I replaced the Santa hat with a 3D Santa Hat adhesive. To make the cat cute and naughty looking, I tucked one of the ears inside the hat. I snipped one side of the hat to allow me tilt the hat on the cat's head. I used glue gun to adhere the Santa hat to the cat.

Now that the focal point is done, I created the background panel using Lawn Fawn patterned papers. I die cut the green paper using an Avery Elle die. The die poked holes on the die cut to which I stitched a green DMC Diamant metallic thread. The poked holes were accents only but it worked well with stitching. I love when I can stitch on a die cut! I layered this piece with a red patterned paper from the same paper pad. 

I trimmed a jade cardstock at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I spritz this lightly (although I did the opposite) with water before embossing it with a 3D embossing folder by Simon Says Stamp. The water loosen the fibers of the paper preventing any cracking. Since I overdid my water, I had a bit of warping. Using a strong adhesive to adhere this to a note card will fix the warping.

I adhered the patterned papers to this panel. I adhered the focal point to the green patterned paper die cut. I added two layers of adhesive foam to the back of the cat and the tail to even out with the dimension of the sock and Santa hat. I used a glue gun to add adhere the sock and Santa Hat. 

As I have mentioned, I used a flip sequin fabric for the sock. Below is how the sock looks when the sequins are flipped.

 

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

Maria Giselle B.

I shared this card at

Challenge #247~Holiday Sparkle & Shine #2

Mixed Media Sketch Inspired Greeting Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's card got its inspiration from the Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge. You will see the sketch and the link at the bottom of this post. I struggled at the beginning of creating this card. I almost gave up but my method of walking away from my frustration worked. Some of my projects are staged in its creation. I either am creating it simultaneously with another project, or I work on it in between house chores, or I work on it during my waking hours as a night shift person. I think the break gives me time to think about the project, improve it and try not to ditch it.

Back on the project, I love joining the Newton's Nook Challenges. I try to join if my time allows. I used stamps from the NND Let's Be Mermaids. I think this stamp set has been retired since I cannot find it in the online shop.

I already stamped and colored the cat on the gray cardstock panel but I did not like how it looked so I changed my plan.

For the background, I cut blue and purple cardstocks to follow the sketch. 

I heat embossed the seahorse and fish on a blue cardstock panel using the Hero Arts Iridescent Blue embossing powder. I treated the panel first before stamping the images repeatedly using Versamark ink to create a background. 

I created a stencil of these images by stamping the images on a Post-It Note. I cut the images off the Post-It Note to create a window. This does not have to be perfect. I blended blue dye inks on the images over the DIY stencil. Easy and simple coloring!

For the purple panel, I stamped the shell image repeatedly using Versamark ink. This time, I brushed a Grape Perfect Pearl Powder over the ink. I wiped off any excess powder. I lightly spritz this panel with water to set in the powder.

I stamped Newton on a white cardstock using gray dye ink. I colored the image with Copic markers. I fussy cut the image leaving a narrow border around it. I stitched sequins to the mermaid's tail. This is the most tenuous part of the project but isn't it worth it? I used a transparent nylon thread in stitching the sequins to the paper.

For the gray cardstock panel, I partly embossed it with a wave embossing folder. I lightly swiped the Versamark pad over it. I poured Judikins Iridescent Sparkle embossing powder over the sticky ink. I heat embossed this area until the powder has melted.

I adhered a blue rick rack over the seams of the sketch. I used Ranger Glossy Accents to adhere the trim to the panel which explains the dots on the trim. I could have used my glue gun although I am not sure if I would have done a better job adhering the trim. I am always messy when I use the glue gun.

I adhered the cat with foam tape. 

For the sentiment, I heat embossed the sentiment stamp from NND Birthday Roundabout on the same blue cardstock. I used Simon Says Stamp Silver embossing powder. I cut this to create this into a strip using a craft knife. I fish tail cut the ends to make it into a banner. I adhered this to the panel.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this project at

Newton's Nook Designs Challenge Blog #27

Inspired By Challenge Blog

Simon Says: Anything Goes

 

Color Inspired Graduation Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. My eldest son will be graduating in two weeks. How exciting is that, right? This celebration needs a card. Thanks to the latest Newton's Nook Challenge with their color challenge, I was able to create this card.

I die cut the shapes using a Honey Bee Stamps Double Stitched Polygons on yellow, green and purple cardstocks. I made the center polygon into a frame. 

I traced the outer frame of the window die cut on a kraft cardstock. I stamped the sentiment and the graduation cap on this panel. The pencil mark gave me an idea up to where I will stamp the graduation caps. I used a kraft die ink for the graduation caps to achieve a tone on tone look. The stamps I used are from the Newton's Nook Designs Newton's Graduation stamp set.

For the other polygons, I temporarily adhered it together with a tape. I stamped the graduation cap on these die cuts using a white pigment ink. It was hard to see the stamping on the yellow cardstock. If I will do this all over again, I  will use a yellow dye ink for stamping on the yellow cardstock.

I adhered the window frame die cut to the stamped kraft panel. I adhered the rest of the polygon die cut pieces making sure that the pieces are butted next to each other. 

For the star of the card, Newton, I stamped Newton on a white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I colored the image with Copic markers with Crystal, our dog, as the model in coloring. (Sorry for we don't have a cat.) I fussy cut the image to the line. I ran a black marker around the edges of the fussy cut image to hide the white core of the paper. I adhered this to polygon panel.

I trimmed off 1/4" on each side to make this into a 5 1/4" x 4" panel. I adhered this to a top folding A2 note card. 

I used the negative polygon cut as an accent to the inside of the card. The sentiment is from Ellen Hutson.

I hope you like today's card. It brings me joy each time I am able to join the Newton's Nook Challenges. I don't ever get tired of coloring Newton. I know I have a dog but I fell in love with Newton first before we adopted Crystal. I wish I can join more of their challenges often but my DT responsibilities pretty much take over my crafting time. That's why I appreciate the few times that I can participate in their challenges.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this project at

Newton's Nook Design Challenge Blog

Anything Goes ~ Weeks #696-697

 

Not Your Typical Christmas Colors

Hello! Welcome to my blog. Today's project inspiration is from the latest Newton's Nook Designs Blog Challenge which is a color challenge. I used a NND stamp and die sets that I have acquired a while back and have been itching to color. I know that the stamp is a Christmas theme stamp and the challenge colors are spring themed but that's what makes it challenging, right? Not to forget, I made this into a swing card for more fun.

The cat is colored with Tisoy, my sister's Siamese cat, as my model. 

The stamp set & coordinating die I used on this project is the NN Newton's Stocking. I stamped the cat image on watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I made sure the image is dry before coloring it with Tim Holtz Distress Crayons. I colored the Christmas stocking with a plaid pattern using the colors of the challenge. I die cut the image using the coordinating die. I heat embossed the sentiment on the stocking. I used Versafine Onyx Black ink with clear embossing powder. The sentiment stamp is part of the stamp set.

For the swing mechanism, I die cut a triangle on a green patterned paper. I die cut a small circle on the center of this triangle to hold the circle foam adhesive that will make the image swing. 

I trimmed a yellow and blue cardstock at 2 1/8" x 5 1/2" for the background. I embossed this using a snowflake embossing folder. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Newton's Nook Designs Challenge Blog #10

Anything Goes

My Favorite Things Stamps Christmas Card Challenge 

Adding Curtain Fold on Your Card

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's project was inspired by the current Newton's Nook Designs Blog Sketch Challenge. I am using the Newton's Nook A Cozy Day In stamp set. This is one of my favorite NN stamp sets because it portrays my sister and her cats. 

I stamped the image on watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx black ink. I used the Misti Stamping Tool in stamping the image. Since I am using a textured paper, I needed to re-stamp the image several times until I get a crisp impression of the image. I set this aside to dry but you can heat set it to speed dry it. 

I colored the image with water reactive pens, Tim Holtz Distress markers and Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. I colored the image with my sister and her cats, Bibi (the black cat) and Tisoy (the Siamese cat) as inspirations. I fussy cut this image on the line. I ran a black marker on the edge of the fussy cut image to hide the white core of the paper.

Working on the paper curtain, I trimmed a 10" x 5 1/4" double sided patterned paper. I scored this at 1"-3"-4"-6"-7"-9". I marked the top right corner on the short side at 1". Using the paper trimmer, I trimmed this paper diagonally from the pencil mark and the left bottom corner. I folded this diagonal patterned paper on the scored lines, making sure that the top is aligned. I also made sure that I folded this with the back of the patterned paper showing on every other fold. I applied glue to the back folds to keep the curtain fold together. 

Using a ruler, I marked each curtain fold (which measures 1") at 1/2" with a pencil. I punched a hole on this pencil marks. I set eyelets to these holes. I threaded a twine through the eyelets and allowed some extra twine to hang over the edge. I taped the twine to the edges of the curtain folded paper to secure it. 

For the card panel, I am using a blue top folding A2 sized portrait card. I stamped a background text to the card front using the same colored dye ink. I used the Misti Stamping Tool so I can re-stamp this large background stamp several times. 

I temporarily positioned the stamped image and the paper curtain on the card front to give me an idea where to stamp the sentiment. Once I like the layout, I removed the stamped image and paper curtain, and stamped the sentiment using a black dye ink. At this point, I don't want to take a risk of making a boo-boo. I stamped the sentiment using the Misti Stamping Tool just in case, I need to re-stamp it. And, I did need to re-stamp the sentiment three times.

I adhered the paper curtain to the card front. I knotted the ends of the twine. I added a dot of glue to these knots and adhered this to the card front. I adhered the stamped image with foam adhesive.

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Newton's Nook Challenge Blog #13

Paper Weaving

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's card was inspired by Newton's Nook Designs Color Challenge. This is a card is also a tribute to my sister's cat, Bibi, who was lost and now, found. He is finally home after two weeks of being lost. 

I worked on the weaving by trimming scraps of patterned paper at 1/4". The patterned papers I used have red and pink colors on it. After I've weaved the paper strips, I adhered this to a scrap of white cardstock. I die cut a slope on this weaved panel.

For the background, I used the Newton's Nook Designs Sunscape Stencil. I first inked the sun rays with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide in SaltwaterTaffy. I applied ink heavily near the center then lightly towards the sun ray ends. I cleaned the stencil then rotated it so that the stencil will cover the inked sun rays. I blended THDO in Spun Sugar on these open areas. Some of the sun rays on the stencil does not reach the end of the paper. I just rotated the stencil until I can find a sun ray that will reach the edge of the paper.

I stamped the image on white cardstock. The cat is from NND Netwon's Graduation stamp set. I colored the image using Prismacolor color pencils with Bibi's color in mind. It is always a challenge to color a cat black. I fussy cut the image leaving a white border around it. 

The globe was colored using the colors on the challenge. I added shimmer to the globe but this was not captured on the photo. 

To complete the scene, I die cut a strip of the slope on green cardstock. I stamped a speech bubble on the sunscape portion. I made sure this is dry before stamping the sentiment which is also from the same stamp set. I added shadow to the speech bubble with a blue color pencil.

I adhered the cat with foam tape for dimension.

I hope you like today's card. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Newton's Nook Designs' Blog Challenge

Inkspirational Challenge Blog

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge

Fringed Background Greeting Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I created this card to join in Newton's Nook latest challenge which I linked below. The card idea I have for the challenge is too hard to pass up. Thankfully, I finished this card on time for the challenge.

I am using crepe paper for the fringe background. I used a fringe die for this. For the oval piece, I adhered the yellow fringe die cuts to a scrap piece of paper before die cutting this panel with an oval die. For the rectangular panel, I added small dots of glue to the fringe die cuts. I adhered it to a yellow cardstock cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I poked holes on the upper portion of the fringe, and add sewing details using a gold embroidery floss. I layered the fringes starting from the bottom piece. I was going to use my sewing machine to sew the fringes to the cardstock but it was not cooperating so I just handsew it. 

For the image, I stamped the koala on a watercolor cardstock. I colored this with watercolor crayons. I fussy cut the image leaving a white border around it. The koala is from the Newton Nook's Pina Coala stamp set.

For the sentiment, I stamped this on a strip of watercolor paper. I add a wash of color to match the color of the fringes. I die cut these sentiments using a banner die. The sentiments are from the NN Pina Coala stamp set and the NN Summer Treats stamp set. 

I adhered the die cuts and the image to the panel using a strong liquid adhesive.

I love the texture the fringed crepe paper added to the design of the card. How about you? Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Newton's Nook Challenge Blog

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge

Sketch & Patterned Paper Inspired Card

 

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I just had a day of wanting to create something but couldn't decide what to create. A blog challenge always seem to motivate me. I guess I am having one of those overwhelmed days. Gladly, a retired Basic Grey 6x6 patterned paper helped me out get through my creative slump. 

For this card, I started first with working with the background panel. It is more involving compared to the focal point of the card. I know there are dies that can cut out this sun ray pattern but since I don't have one, I used the Newton Nook's Sunscape Stencil to help me with the cuts. I traced the sun rays on a scrap paper. I placed a number on each sun ray so I will not interchange the order of the sun rays. I cut this out with scissors and chose the patterned papers that I will cut out for each ray.

I adhered the cut out sun rays on another piece of paper cut at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". It was easier for me to adhered the corner sun ray first then worked my way through each sun ray. Who would think that I used a stencil to create this?

To complete the rest of the sketch, I used more of the patterned papers included in the 6x6 pad. The smaller scalloped edge was created using the edge of a rectangle die. The larger scallops were die cut using a border edge. 

I stamped the sentiment using a brown dye ink. The sentiment is from Newton's Nook A Cozy Day stamp set.

For the focal point of the card, I stamped Newton on white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink. The image is from NN Newton's Summer Treats stamp set. I colored the image with Copic markers. I added texture to the ice cream with Wow! embossing powders. I carefully painted Wow! embossing fluid to the ice cream, poured embossing powder, then heat set it. I fussy cut the image leaving a small white border around it. 

I die cut an oval shape on a red patterned paper. I die cut two more oval pieces and adhered this to the back of the red oval die cut for a some dimension. I inked the edges with Tim Holtz Walnut Paint Distress Ink. 

I adhered Newton to the oval with foam tape. 

Using the next small sized oval, I traced an oval outline on the oval die cut to create a frame. I used a black marker for this. I adhered this to the center of the panel.

I added sequins to the panel. I also added a red gem to the ice cream. 

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

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Newton's Nook Challenge Blog

 

Summer Mood Board

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge

Embossing Stylus on Stencil

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's card is my take on the latest Newton's Nook Blog Challenge: Rainbow Theme. I colored the sun in my card with rainbow colors.

I am also revisiting an old crafting technique where one uses an embossing stylus to engrave an image on paper using a metal stencil. In my card, I used a plastic stencil instead. The difference is that the plastic stencil tends to shift while you trace the lines. Securing the stencil with your fingers somehow prevents the shifting. Tracing it slowly also helps.

I traced the lines of the sun portion of the Newton's Nook Sunscape stencil on watercolor paper. I colored each sun ray with different colors of Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. I also used these colors to fill in the center of the sun being careful not to mix colors that will create a muddy color. I also dry the pigment with a heat tool in between colors. 

I stamped the image from NN Newton Scoots By stamp set on watercolor paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink. I heat set this before coloring the image using the same markers I used on the background. I colored the image with my sister's kitten, Cali Junior, as inspiration. I die cut the image using the coordinating die.

To ground the scooter, I engraved the hills portion of the stencil on black watercolor paper. I colored the hills with a brown Karin paint marker. I fussy cut the hills, leaving a small border on the top and bottom of the hills.

I created a short slider mechanism on the hills. I die cut the slider on the right portion of the hills keeping the negative cut. Ideally, a coin is used to make the image slide freely but the coin will show through that downhilss so I had to settle with stacked circle die cuts that are smaller than a coin. The only difference is that you have to do the sliding manually. 

I trimmed the sun panel to 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". I adhered the negative die cut from the hills to the bottom of the panel using the hills as guide for placement. I assembled the slider, then adhered this to the panel making sure the negative cut is lined up with the slider window. 

For the sentiment, I embossed this on vellum. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. I fussy cut the sentiment leaving a small border around it. I also die cut several clouds on platinum vellum. The cloud dies are part of the coordinating die set.

I used the Xyron Sticker Maker to add adhesive to the back of the vellum which is my preferred way of adding adhesive to vellum since there is no warping when I do it this way.

It is hard to see the slider mechanism on the photos because of the dark colored hills that's why I included a short video below showing the cat on the scooter slide. 

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

Maria Giselle B. 

I am sharing this creation at

Newton's Nook Challenge #23

Inkspirational Challenge Blog~Summer

June 2023 Linky Challenge~Anything Goes #94

CAS Sketch Inspired Card

Hello. Welcome back to my blog. Today's card is something that I usually have a hard time creating. Would you believe that I have difficulty creating Clean & Simple Cards? It is just that I love to embellish my cards to a point that it cannot be considered Clean & Simple. The advantage of CAS cards is that it easy to pull it all together compared to an embellished card. 

The sketch that inspired my card is at the end of this post. Just like my previous post, I mashed two blog challenges to create this card. I love the pink color theme of this card. 

This is also one way of using those scraps with that striped background. Trimming the cardstock in different widths adds additional interest to the background. This is also a way of using those small image stamps in a stamp set. 

I used white pigment ink to stamp the small images. I was undecided at first whether I should embossed the flowers or not. By the time I poured white embossing powder to this panel, some of the ink has dried up. But it's alright. I think having some of the flowers embossed while others are not added another point of interest to this card. 

I blended a white chalk ink on the edges of the striped panel. 

The sentiment was stamped using a pink dye ink followed by Versamark. It was heat embossed using clear embossing powder.

The cat was colored with my sister's university cat in mind, Tisoy. I colored the images with Copic markers. The stamp set I used for this card is Newton's Nook Designs Flower Garden stamp set.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

I am sharing this creation at

Newton's Nook Challenge Blog

AAA Cards Challenge Blog

Simon Says Stamp IG Challenge