An "Any Occasion" Card

I'm working my way through this Basic Grey paper pad...My husband thinks my card looks like a Christmas card, so I guess it's going to go in my Christmas Card stash for this year. It was not designed as a Christmas card, but I guess the color scheme lends itself to that theme.

This is my inspiration card:

And here is my card:

                                              

I haven't entered my projects into very many challenges this year. I'm going to do better at that for the rest of the year. This card has been entered in Challenge #18 Anything Goes~Creative Cutting Challenge. 

Shapes: I used my Silhouette to draw and cut the circle. The banner shape is from the Silhouette Store (Design ID #33147). I used my paper trimmer for the rectangles. 

Dies: Tim Holtz Tattered Florals and Sizzlets Little Leaves (SU!)

Paper: Basic Grey Fact & Fiction line

Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Fired Brick, Forest Moss, Iced Spruce, and Vintage Photo

Misc: Want2Scrap pearls, brad and lace from my stash

Thanks for stopping by!

More Chalk Art Cards

I have a few more Chalk Art Cards for you today. These cards are made following this tutorial on the Silhouette Blog. The paper and embellishments are from the Basic Grey Fact & Fiction line. The felt flowers are from the dollar bin at Michael's. The label shape and the sentiment are both from the Silhouette Online Store.

Thanks for stopping by!

Anniversary Card

It's two weeks until my 4th wedding anniversary and I have my card done. I usually wait until the last minute, but not this year! 

Right now, chalkboard art is very "hot" in the crafting world. Today on the Silhouette Blog they showcased a sketch and a card made with a chalk art print and cut. I followed this video tutorial showing how to make the print and cut file for the Silhouette. After I cut the shape I rubbed the cardstock with a piece of chalk then rubbed it off with a paper towel. I made my card according to the sketch. I love all the layers! All the patterned paper is from the Basic Grey Fact & Fiction line. I used the coordinating tape strips and  flag as embellishments. The leaves are from the dollar bin at Michael's and I think the flower is Prima. (It was loose in the flower bin, so I'm not sure.) Since the card is for my husband, I tried not to make it to frilly, but I had to get a flower on there somewhere. 

I love using a paper pad that has coordinating embellishments. All the matching is done for me and I don't have to worry about whether or not the patterns and colors go together.

I really enjoyed this chalkboard technique. I think I'm going to need to make a few more cards with the technique. Have you tried chalkboard art? Leave me a link so I can check it out!

Lone Wolf Design Team Showcase: Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Inks

I decided to take a break from the home decor projects and get a little inky. Those of you who know me personally know that I do NOT like to get my hands dirty. I'm quite possibly the neatest crafter you will ever meet. :) Now, my work space can get a little, um, well...very messy, but my hands...they will be CLEAN!

I haven't had much opportunity to use the Ranger Adirondack Alcohol Inks, so I decided to take the time to try out a few techniques.  Please check out this video by Tim Holtz that demonstrates application techniques for Adirondack Alcohol Inks.

For my first project I used alcohol ink on the plastic packaging from a Sizzix die. 

Colors used: Watermelon, Shell Pink, Wild Plum, Pink Sherbet

Colors used: Meadow, Lettuce, Pesto
 

Tim Holtz Tattered Poinsettia Die

I punched a hole in the middle of all the pieces and attached them together with a decorative brad. I used my heat tool to heat up the plastic and shape it. Be careful, the plastic is hot! It only stays pliable for a few seconds, so you have to work quickly. This type of flower would be great for an altered art project. I'm going to use mine on my December Daily this year.

Next I used colors of blue alcohol ink on foil. I didn't have any foil tape or foil paper, so I just taped regular aluminum foil to a piece of cardstock. I used a Sizzix embossing folder (Snowflakes 2) to add texture to the background.

Colors used: Stonewashed, Slate
Mixative: Snow Cap, Silver

I decided to turn my snowflake panel into a card front. I haven't decided if I'm going to use a sentiment or not. I still have a few months to decide. :)

Next I colored brads and paper clips. 

I placed a few drops of ink in a small plastic bag and dropped a few paper clips in. I rubbed them around to make sure the entire piece was covered in ink.

After the paper clips dried, I tied coordinating ribbon to the top. Now I have custom paper clips that will match the pages in my SMASH*book perfectly!

Colors used: Pesto, Purple Twilight, Pink Sherbet

I also colored some brads. For the red/pink ones, I just rubbed the tops of the brads on the felt after I colored the plastic for the poinsettia. For the white ones, I added some Snow Cap Mixative to a plastic bag and dropped the brads in. The coverage wasn't as good that way, so I would suggest just coloring the tops with the felt pad.

Alcohol inks are a great way to create custom color embellishments! You will always have the right color to match your project.

You can find these and many more products for your crafting projects at 25% off MSRP at Lone Wolf Designs, LLC. All you have to do is join the Lone Wolf Designs Discount Craft Supplies Facebook group. If you haven’t joined us yet, you’re paying TOO MUCH for your craft supplies!

LWD Design Team Showcase: 7 Gypsies Shadow Box Tray

I have challenged myself to be more creative this year, especially with my Lone Wolf Designs Design Team projects. Last month, I had so much fun making an altered canvas and I wanted to try another type of home decor piece for this month. I absolutely love those large printer trays that you can alter. I was hesitant to try such a large one for my first time, so instead I chose a smaller tray. I am highlighting a 7 Gypsies Shadow Box Tray for this project. I used the white tray that measures 6"x6", but you can get them in black or wood finish and in several different sizes from 6"x6" all the way up to 10"x12". I think I might try one of the large ones for Christmas.

Here is the finished project. Thanks to my good friend and fellow DT member Tami for the fishing net and the raffia. Those two items definitely give this project the "beachy" feel that I was going for. Last fall, my husband and I took a weekend trip down to Charleston,SC. We took a little bit of time and walked along Folly Beach. I love to have my toes in the sand! This was my first trip to the ocean since I moved to SC in 2007 and I wanted to commemorate the occasion with a special photo display.

The color scheme may look familiar. It's the same paper that I used on my altered canvas for last month's Design Team Project. I used my Tim Holtz Paper Distresser to really distress the edges of all the photo mats (Core-dinations cardstock that I picked up on clearance for 10 cents each(!!) at JoAnn's). I inked all the edges with Evergreen Bough Distress Ink.

TIP: When you distress the edges, REALLY distress them. If you only distress a little bit, it looks like you need a new blade in your paper trimmer and that just makes your work look sloppy. DISTRESS those edges!!

The large space is a bit smaller than 4"x6" and the three squares on the bottom are a bit smaller than 2"x2". I trimmed the large photo mat to fit inside the spaces and then trimmed the other layers 1/4" smaller than the previous layer. I used ScorTape to adhere the photo mats to the inside of the tray.

I used Beacon 3-in-1 Adhesive to attach the net and the rest of the embellishments to the tray.

I created a floral arrangement in the lower left corner using a Prima flower (Joulee-Tidepool), skeleton leaves, a stick pin from a recent swap (Thanks, Suzanne!), and a starfish charm. I also made a 4 loop bow with the raffia and secured it behind the flower.

In one corner, I used a large Idea-ology Corked Vial filled with seed beads. My original plan was to add sand to the bottle, but I didn't have any and I didn't want to buy a bag of it just to use a small amount for this project. I tried some brown/tan beads in the bottle (in lieu of sand) but it just didn't look right. I had these beads leftover from a stick pin project from last year and they were a perfect fit. A piece of knotted raffia around the neck of the bottle completes the look.

That "net" underneath my photo is actually a bath pouf that has been taken apart. Genius idea! I received the tag (Thanks again, Suzanne!) in a recent swap at The Scrap Cafe and knew that it was perfect for this project. I sure hope Suzanne doesn't mind that I deconstructed the tag!

To help balance out that tall bottle, on the other side of the frame I twisted a few long strands of raffia and glued it behind an Idea-ology Facet. I thought that crocheted button cover (Recollections) resembled a sand dollar, so I added it along with a few other sea shells.

The bottom of the tray has three sections. I put photos in the outside sections and an assortment of shells in the middle. I added the photo mats in each section. I know you can't really see the photo on the left, but it's a picture of a sign as you enter Folly Beach. For additional texture, I added small pieces of raffia in each section.

 A close-up of the sea shells in the middle section:

And here it is one more time:

Thank you so much for taking the time to look through all these pictures. Have you made one of these trays? Leave me a link in the comments. I would love to look at yours for inspiration for my next one!

You can find these and many more products for your crafting projects at 25% off MSRP at Lone Wolf Designs, LLC. All you have to do is join the Lone Wolf Designs Discount Retail Sales Facebook group. If you haven’t joined us yet, you’re paying TOO MUCH for your craft supplies!

Supply List (Available from Lone Wolf Designs, LLC)

• 7 Gypsies - Solo Shadowbox Tray - White 6x6 (7G12569)
• Tonic - Tim Holtz Paper Distresser (TO370)
• Ranger - Distress Pads by Tim Holtz - Evergreen Bough (THTIM32854)
• Scor-Tape 1/4in x 27 yards (SC202)
• Advantus - Tim Holtz Ideaology - Corked Vials (AVTH92899)
• Advantus - Tim Holtz - Ideaology - Advantus - Facets (AVTH92871)
• Prima - Joulee Tidepool (Item #567125)

"Your Style" Stick Pins and ATCs

The theme for the June Swaps at The Scrap Cafe is "Your Style." We had the choice of stick pins and/or ATCs to swap. I almost always do the stick pin swap. (My husband says I'm a stick pin hoarder!!!) This month I also decided to try out the ATC swap. I have never made them before, but they were kind of fun.

I'm not real sure what my style is, but right now it's HOT HOT HOT in South Carolina, so I'm thinking about the beach. My Lone Wolf Designs Design Team Project for June was a beach themed canvas and I loved the colors that I used, so I decided to carry them over into these swaps as well. I used my favorite distressing technique, Tim Holtz's Wrinkle-Free Distress Technique, to color my #8 tags. I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Salty Ocean, Broken China, and Evergreen Bough.

I used Studio 490 Wendi Vecchi Embossing Paste and the Polka Dotty Stencil to add some texture to the tag. After the paste dried, I rubbed Salty Ocean ink over the top. I used a Prima flower (Giselle-Mermaid) to anchor my stick pins.  To keep with the ocean theme, I used blue, green, and turquoise beads.

In this photo, you can see a bit more of the texture. I used a plastic knife to spread the paste. Instead of spreading it smooth, I used the teeth of the knife to add extra texture.

I used the same technique and ink colors to create the background for the Artist Trading Cards (ATCs). I used watercolor paper for the card base. I used the embossing paste and Lovely Leaves stencil to create some texture on the card. After the paste dried, I put the stencil back on top of the card and used Evergreen Bough to color the leaves. I finished the card off with some May Arts pleated ribbon and a Prima flower (Avante-Teal). I really am trying to use up my stick pins and added one to each card. (I did not make any of these stick pins. I have received them in swaps.)

Instead of smoothing the embossing paste flat, I used my finger and "lifted" the paste on each of the leaves.

Many of the products used for this project can be purchased at 25% off MSRP at Lone Wolf Designs, LLC. All you have to do is join the Lone Wolf Designs Discount Retail Sales Facebook Group. If you haven’t joined us yet, you’re paying too much for your craft supplies!

Friendship Card

I made 4 of these cute cards for a swap for our Lexington Card and Crafts  group. If you live in the Midlands of South Carolina, be sure to check out the Facebook group and join us once a month for some craft time.

I used OWH Sketch #174, patterned paper from the Basic Grey Fiction line, and a piece of Core'dinations cardstock. The ribbon is May Arts. The bird and friendship quote are from the Stampin Up! "Language of Friendship" stamp set with coordinating punch. I used a Viva Decor Pearl Pen to create two sets of three pearl drops. This is probably only the second time I have used it. I should get it out more often!

I love using paper pads when making cards. It takes the guess work out of matching. Everything already matches! I used SIX different pieces of patterned paper on this card. I'm sure I would not have been so brave had I not had a paper pad there to do all the matching work for me.