Saturday, October 1, 2011

Simplicity

Today's post is inspired by one of the blogs I follow. (Seriously amazing. If simple cards are your cup of tea, I highly recommend this blog.) Anywho, basically the challenge is creating a card that speaks "simplicity". So often nowadays I find myself wanting more, more, MORE! So reading this post was particularly refreshing. I don't need a million things to make a lovely card; just some creativity and able fingers. So, to start this challenge, I immediately reminisced about making my first cards. All I had back then was paper, scissors, and glue. So I made a card using just those things.
I decided to omit a sentiment because that would take away from the simple design, and stamps and inks are things that "complicate" my cardmaking process. I did add a button and some embroiderly floss to the center of the flower because it needed something. I would like to add that both of those two items have been in my stash since I was about 16; long before I started making cards :) I'm not going to bother with a supply list; this supplies are too old and I don't remember. Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Until next time!
Jessica

Sunday, September 25, 2011

My First Attempt at Decorating Gift Bags

I have a little something different for today. Awhile back, I bought some plain white gift bags from Hobby Lobby because they were on sale. Each bag ended up being about $0.25, so this is a great alternative to the fancy bags that cost at least $1.00 at department stores. Here are the bags and tags I have decorated so far.


I tried to primarily use scraps and paper that I would not normally use. Since the gift bags are pretty good size (I think these ones are 10.5" X 7.5") you're not limited to smaller paper patterns like you may be with card making. Also, you can also you really bold and contrasting patterns that can be difficult to use in cards and scrapbooks. Feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Supplies:
The Paper Studio - Medium craft bags in white
Patterned Paper: DCWV - variety pack
Cardstock: The Paper Studio
Stamps: The Paper Studio -  Make a wish
Ink: StazOn - Jet Black
Other: Twine, embroidery thread, crayola markers, white gel pen

Until next time!
Jessica

Thursday, September 8, 2011

More Paper Strip Cards

Just a few more cards I made using leftover paper strips. They are pretty self-explanatory, but I'll leave the supply list below, nonetheless. Enjoy!

Supplies:
Cardstock Base: The Paper Studio - white
Stamps: TPC Studio - Greetings, American Crafts - Sentiments (frame)
Ink: StazOn - Jet Black and Azure, Stampabilities - Red

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to leave questions or comments!

Until next time,
Jessica

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Scrap Card

I'm always saving small paper scraps with the hopes that someday they will be put to use in a card or scrapbook page or some other project. Today, I decided to dive into my scrap pile to make a "scrap card". I have a certain way I like to store my paper scraps. I have a container for small pieces, one for larger pieces, and one for strips. I took my bag small pieces and paper strips and got to work.

First I took out some papers I thought coordinated.

Then I cut them to thin strips.

Then I glued them onto a scrap paper base (I use junk mail as a base typically because it is nice and thin).

Now that I essentially have a new patterned paper, I am free to do whatever I please with it.

For this particular project, I decided to cut out some tulip shapes and make a card.
You can't see it in this picture, but I added some glitter and clear embossing to the tulips to make them sparkle. For the stalks I just drew right on the cardstock with a black thin-tipped marker. I then stamped a sentiment in the corner. Feel free to leave questions or comments below!

Supplies:
Cardstock base: The Paper Company - ivory
Stamps: TPC Studio - Greetings
Ink: StazOn - jet black
Other: Millenium black pen

Until next time,
Jessica

Monday, August 8, 2011

Deja vu?

I know this card seems a little deja-vu, but I couldn't resist. I used the same dictionary paper as yesterday, but this time I did some clear embossing and then did direct to paper technique. I tried to apply more ink over the embossed areas to really make then pop and to add some dimension to the hearts. I then stamped "L-O-V-E" down the side. Expect to see more distress ink projects in the near future...

Supplies:
Cardstock base: The Paper Company -white (4-1/4" x 5-1/2")
Paper: from an old dictionary
Ink: Ranger Distress Ink in faded jeans, dusty concord, and crushed olive and StazOn - black
Stamps: Inkadinkado - circle and dots, Martha Stewart alphabet
Misc: American Crafts clear embossing powder, Versamark embossing ink

Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave questions or comments below!
Jessica

Distress Inks, yum!

First off I just want to say, "Wow!". I've been hearing about Ranger distress inks forever and I finally decided to give them a try (only took me 2 years ;). They are awesome! I just did a simple direct to paper technique for this card, but the colors are so vibrant and so easy to blend. Just stunning. I'm sold.
I cut some hearts out of paper that came from an old dictionary and did a direct to paper technique to apply the ink to each heart. I glued the hearts to the paper and added some bling. So simple, right?! If you want to learn more about Ranger Distress Inks, there are a ton of youtube videos in the "Thinking Inking" series. Jennifer McGuire did these videos quite awhile ago, but I still use them for inspiration. You can also check out this blog where she shows you more ways to use distress inks. What a talented person she is!

Supplies
Cardstock base: The Paper Company - white (standard size card 4-1/4" x 5-1/2")
Paper: dictionary paper
Inks: Ranger Distress Inks in Faded Jeans, Dusty Concord, and Crushed Olive
Misc: Rhinestones, corner rounder

Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave questions or comments below!
Jessica

Sunday, August 7, 2011

I love crafting...(happy sigh)

Hello again!
Today I have a card that was inspired while I was cutting up and old t-shirt for rags. I decided to cut the seams and the collar off the shirt so the rags would have a uniform texture (without any hard seams). I looked down at the cut seams and thought, "hmm, I can use those!" I knew immediately what I wanted to do.
I took a piece of scratch paper (about 2-3/4" square) and started to adhere my seams to it; butting them up right next to one another. I glued the scratch paper and seams on the card base. Then I cut a heart out of a piece of kraft cardstock (3" square) and popped it up on 2 layers of dimensionals. Those seams are thick, y'all!. Then went around the heart and added a sentiment with my white gel pen. This technique also looks great with strips of ribbon or paper! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below!

Supplies:
Cardstock base: The Paper Company - white (4-1/4" x 5-1/2" card size)
Paper: Scratch paper (2-3/4 x 2-3/4), Kraft cardstock (3" x 3")
Misc: White Pentel Sunburst Med Gel pen, Ribbons/paper/T-shirt seam strips

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Rolling with the Punches


Embossing powder and me: we have a love-hate relationship. They are so fun and colorful and add dimension and depth to almost any project. Yet, there's something sinister....No matter how I try, I rarely achieve a perfectly embossed image. I even switched from my off-brand embossing ink to VersaMark. Improved, yes; flawless, far-from. My problems frequently include too little embossing powder, or the stamped image isn't crisp, or there's rogue dust fixed in the wrong place...on and on and on. Today's card show one such "trial" with white embossing powder.

First I stamped on the colored blocks (1") and embossed with white powder, I matted them on white squares (1-1/8"). After adhering the matted color blocks on the card I stamped a sentiment with VersaMark and embossed with white powder. After heating I noticed there really wasn't enough powder for the crisp image I wanted. When you're adding more powder, time is a factor. So I got my powder ready, heated up my sentiment again and poured more powder on before the sentiment had time to cool. Alas, I was too fast! Can you believe that?! The card base was still so hot that the powder I poured on melted right to the paper. Grrrr! So I decided to just go with it. I did VersaMark direct to paper technique and sprinkled white embossing powder haphazardly to make the rogue powder look intentional. Not a bad turn out, just not what I had envisioned. Oh well. My saga with embossing powders continues....

Supplies:
Cardstock base: The Paper Company - blue
Paper: The Paper Company - various colors
Stamps: Inkadinkado - Circle and dots, American Crafts - Thanks
Ink: VersaMark - clear embossing ink
Accessories: American Crafts embossing powder- white

Thanks for looking! Feel free to leave questions or comments!
Jessica

Thursday, June 23, 2011

If at first you don't succeed...

I have been making cards for about a year and a half. I have made over one-hundred so far, and yet I still have those times when I finish a card, inspect it, and go....yuck. I challenged myself to take one of my "yuck" cards and try to salvage it. This is one such project. I am overall happy with the result. I do recognize there are certain flaws left, but ones that I can live with.
This is the original. Let me tell you what I think is wrong with this card.
1. The ribbon is too dark
2. The ribbon is too high
3. The embossed image is upside down
4. The stamping on the embossed image is hard to see and it's not visually appealing.
I think that's enough to start off with.

So here's the revised card.
First off, I took off the ribbon and when I did, it tore my paper >.< So I decided to distress the edges of the patterned paper to make it look like it was supposed to be that way. Then I took off the embossed image and decided to go with a stamped image on some specialty paper I purchased at Hobby Lobby. Then I took some thin fabric and sewed it to the card base to cover up more areas that had torn after I took off the ribbon, and to keep going with the new grunge look for the card. Then, I realized I had forgotten to open the card up while sewing, so I had sew the card shut. >.< So I cut the back off completely and made myself a new card base. Not perfect, but better. Also, not sure how appropriate the grunge look is for a sympathy card, but oh well. Thanks for looking! Feel free to leave questions or comments!

Materials:
Textured card stock - tan
Patterned Paper - DCWV variety pack
Stamps: Autumn Leaves - Flowers by Rhonna Farrer
Ink: Stampabilities pigment dye - purple

Until next time!
Jessica

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Many Thanks

Today's CAS (Clean and Simple) card is the result of my attempts to reduce my scrap pile. It's easy to make and only uses a few materials. I used a 1 1/8" square punch and a corner rounder to make the 3 patterned petals. The final petal is simply traced right onto the paper with a black marker, then text stamped in the middle. Thanks for stopping by! Please feel free to leave questions or comments!

Materials:
Cardstock: The Paper Studio - white
Paper: DCWV - variety pack
Stamp: American Crafts - Thanks
Ink: StazOn - Jet Black

Until next time,
Jessica

Saturday, June 18, 2011

CAS: Meant to Be

Do you ever buy variety packs? Of course you do, we all have. I have a habit of letting those hard to use pieces sit around and sit around because I'm never inspired to be THAT creative. I have had these small spikey paper pieces ever since I started crafting. I'll pick them up from time to time and try to use them, but each time they have thwarted me. They're too small for putting text on them, they aren't in the shape of anything, and the colors are too crazy for most palettes anyway. Then, I finally thought of a use for these small spikey pieces. Add some teeny googly-eyes, a popped up heart, some sentimental shmop, and boom, you've got yourself a card! (Think I used enough made up words in this post so far?)
I've always been a science geek, so it's really only natural for me to come up with some microbe-looking critters on a love card. Noted: this card is not for everyone. Eccentricity and good sense of humor required. Also note, when trying to work with teeny tiny googly-eyes, use liquid glue on the paper, and then position the googly-eyes with an exacto-knife. (or if there's an easier way, I would like to hear it :). Feel free to leave questions or comments!

Materials:
Cardstock: white-the paper company
Text: printed from Microsoft Word
Misc: 1/8" googly-eyes

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Use for an old Dictionary


I'm on an upcycling kick lately (if you don't know what upcycling is go here.) I know I only used part of a page of a dictionary that is hundreds of pages long, but I've been working on another project to use up more pages. If it turns out okay I may post it at a later date. Anyway, I used the "love" section of the dictionary and fancied it up with some patterned paper. I'm sorry I don't know where this paper came from; I've had it too long! Hope you all are having a wonderful Easter!

Supplies:
Cardstock: The Paper Company - Kraft
Dictionary page, patterned paper.

Any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below!

Thanks for visiting!
Jessica

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Happy day before St. Patrick's Day!

Hello all! Here is another card I made a few weeks ago before life got hectic. It's very easy to make and it looks stunning in person! The flower is simply 4 imperfect circles cut out of some thin felt-like material that was part of a bouquet I received a few years back. I crinckled the circles up and stacked them largest to smallest. I then fastened them into place onto the ribbon with a button and needle and thread. The sentiment is stamped right onto the cardstock. That about covers it! Feel free to leave any questions or comments below!

Supplies:
Paper: The Paper Company - white cardstock
Stamps: TPC Studio - Greetings
Ink: Staz-On - Black
Ribbon: 1 inch ribbed- Black

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Terrific Tuesday

Happy Tuesday all!
It's been a busy past couple of weeks...phew! This is a card I made a few weeks ago for a graduation that's coming up in May. The sentiment is printed from my computer on white cardstock in blue ink. The background is dry embossed with the Cuttlebug, and the stars are yellow cardstock with vellum overlay. I drew the stars and cut them out with scissors. All the stars have been sprayed with Maya Road shimmer mist. Unfortunately the photo doesn't do the shimmer justice. Oh well. Enjoy! If you have questions or comments feel free to leave them below! Thanks for visiting!

Supplies:
Cardstock: The Paper Company - white (base), teal (background), yellow (stars)
Vellum: The Paper Company - white
Embossing Folder: Cuttlebug D'vine Swirl
Embellishments: Brads: Spare Parts miniature, Maya Road Shimmer Mist - Cream

Until next time,
Jessica

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Happy Saturday!


I just have a simple card for today. Sometimes less is more ;) for the flower strips I just cut the pattern right out of the paper. Simple, huh? For adhesive, I used a glue pen since the flower strips are pretty delicate. Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
Cardstock: The Paper Company - white
Stamp: TPC Studio: Greetings
Ink: Staz-On black
Paper: ??? It came from a 200 sheet variety pack, a loooooong time ago.

Jessica

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Celebrate

Making cards makes me so happy. Here is one I have created recently using a piece of plastic that I got from some excess packaging after buying an item from the store. Can you believe that? It looks like store-bought transparency! Hope everyone has a wonderful, safe weekend!

Supplies:
Cardstock: The Paper Company light gray cardstock
Stamps: Autumn Leaves: Flowers by Rhonna Farrer
TPC Studio: Greetings
Ink: Staz On: Black
Ribbon: 1/4" ivory ribbon
Paper: I'm not sure which company because I've had the paper for such a long time!
Other: Pentel gel pen - white

Happy crafting!
Jessica

Saturday, February 19, 2011

I'm Back!

After being MIA for months, I'm back to share a few of my most recent creations.

One of the biggest reasons I started making my own cards is because I have the chance to use common items to makes something meaningful. In this card, the paper that the butterfly is stamped on comes from a puzzle book that is probably 15 years old. I found it in storage recently and immediately wanted to find a way to use it. Not only is it personally nostalgic for me, but it is also beautiful on a card as the pages are yellowed and antiqued. I think it really brings a lot of character to the card.

In this blogging...um...adventure lets's say, I hope to remind people that inspiration for cards doesn't have to come from the craft store. Look around and see what inspires you!

"Ingredients"
Butterfly stamp: Inkadinkado: Patterned Bugs
Ink: Stampablities brown pigment ink,
Generic embossing ink (I don't recommend this by the way)
Embossing Power: American Crafts clear
Miniature brad: Spare Parts
Cardstock: The Paper Company
Ribbon: some random 1" pink satin ribbon I found lying around.