Using a Brayer

Project for a challenge. Masking with paper strips, brayer and my Close to My Heart stamp pads. Randomly place your strips on the cardstock, roll over ink then brayer over the strips, move the strips and repeat with a different color. Use any colors you like.

(Brayered pieces are the darker ones in the middle of above photo). You can use triangles, strips, squares or other shapes as you like.

Stamped the shells on the bottom and found some great ribbon in my stash to go with it!

You can even use your strips for cards or other projects. You really can't mess it up so try it if you haven't.

May!

Wow~ May- where has the time gone.
Just a little tag to show I have been doing things, jsut behind here. Several Close to My Heart stamps, a little masking to change the words, mixed papers and gotta love liquid glass.

Simple Father's Day Gift

The keyring was a big success with the preschool class and the grown ups! Easy to personalize for Grandpa, Dad, special Uncle or Father's Day! Add a single person or several!

Cut a thick piece of chipboard the size you want, cut a photo and a leftover paper the same- print your Dad (or other) in any font you like.

Punch a hole in all 3. Coat 1 side of chipboard with modge podge and immediately add the paper. Smooth out with sponge and allow to dry. Turn chipboard over and do same with photo. Allow to dry and add your key chain or key ring.

Have fun!

Graduation! "Now Playing...

Been a while since I posted, I have been a bad blogger!
I thought someone else might be planning to make something for a special Grad, this is for Paige's album!


"Now Playing
Proudest Moments"



The original photo announcement was copied in black in white onto a pale gold vellum.


Used a mix of products- Close to My Heart cardstocks, 3Birdsnest papers- stickers, miscellaneous embellishments & stickles.

Memorial Day !

Many of us have family out of state, and like to share things we do for the holidays- maybe a parade or a child's first sparkler. Photos are always great. So are cards, but I wanted to do a little more, so it became a mini album!

I started with Third Coast Stamp and Close to My Heart stocks, inks, markers. Made a card a little smaller than a regular card envelope, rounded the corners, added 1/4" larger pages. You can make yours smaller or larger inside or outside. Layered the pages inside. Add more if you like.

Add photos and bling . Adhere, staple or tie the fold with floss or ribbon, and you have a great surprise for someone long distance. Be careful what bling you add as you don't want it to get caught in the sorting machines in route.

Fits in a purse for a brag book, or stand on a table to display.

In Memory Layout

Alesha,
Today I scrap for you my friend.
You have left me wonderful memories,
midnight runs to my house because you just got
off work, retreats.
Your positive attitude when life was far from fair,
your giving heart, your great laugh, that smile.
Your drive to be the best Wife and Mother in
less than perfect odds.
Your courage to continually smile and
fight such unbelievable battles, and determined
to stay till Mother's Day.
God sent you to touch many in your brief time
here, you have more than succeeded.
Go in peace today, you will live in our heart.

May 13, 2009
(Tribute to Alesha Hartle who left us at the young age of 29.)

Photo Charms or Jewelry

Love Shrinky Dinks! Was playing around and wanted to do something a little personal for a tiny gift.
I took a photo and printed it from computer on Shrinky Dinks paper.
Be sure you use the textured side or lightly rough it before printing.
I used 4 x 6" photo because it will shrink to half size when you heat. Allow to dry about 10 minutes before touching the print area. I wanted a little color so I inked a Close to My Heart stamp with Moonstruck ink and stamped it directly on the photo (textured side of the Shrinky Dinky).

Regular inks will run when you heat them so I used Stazon on top of the moonstruck ink.
Cut around the outside of the flower or design and punch a hole to add an o-ring or string for a necklace, key ring, scrapbook page charm or whatever you like. I used a heat embossing gun to shrink. The Shrinky Dinky will start to roll up on you as you heat_ and that can be scarey, it will layout back out as it shrinks. Be sure to use a pencil or object that does not get hot to hold on to your charm while heat shrinking. Wala you have a personal charm!

"The Day I Was Born" Layout

This was a challenge from a special friend Sydney, and it was just that! I as several my age have limited photos of my birth, and most are an odd size and have the dates printed on the sides. I didn't have a lot to journal as I am not the "star is born" or most beautiful baby type for myself! lol I handwrote the journaling tabs because I was out of printer ink.

I used the photos and a link from some workshops I taught for customers 2 years ago to get the "tidbits" on my birth year.
http://dmarie.com/timecap/step1.asp gives prices, wages, songs, books, events and other information about the year you or someone else was born. It was fun to see that postage stamps were 3 cents and gas was 29 cents a gallon.

Papers were Close to My Heart "Daydream Level 2" and added my baby bracelet on the layout.

I am deciding if I want to add more embellishments and print the "tidbits" or leave them. If you haven't done a page on yourself take the challenge!

Book Mark and Holder

Sometimes we need something simple and easy to mail. Many are readers so bookmarks are useful and decorative. Make a matching holder and you have a great set!

Use a piece of 6-1/4 x 12 inch cardstock, cut your bookmark and holder, then score your holder.
Make your slit for your flap to slide in.
Decorate with scraps or something new and fun. I used Close to My Heart Silhouette papers.
I used one of the Silhouette stickease rounded tags on the bookmark then trimmed around it for a more decorative edge. Punched a hole to decorate.

Many ways and items to use for decorating. I don't recommend thicker ribbon or larger beads on the bookmark as it may not fit in the holder when closed. I used waxy flax and a spiral. There is also a clear "love" charm tied on.

Many options for themes.

House Treat Holder

I used this in some workshops and the ladies just loved them! They are one of those small projects with tons of uses!


These little houses are wonderful treat holders~ just lift the roof, decorate as bird houses and enclose seeds, give to someone who's moving, a real estate agent ...and other ideas below!

First cut your template, then random stamp (or if you have double sided cardstock print it right on the cardstock!), then score it.

Adhere your sides and bottoms be sure you leave your top flaps folded outside to support the roof.

Add chipboard or whatever papers, ribbons, embellishements you like.
You can take a small character stamp, to make several images to use for a mini playhouse if you like

Kids can color as they like and simply cut a slit in the image piece and insert it into a small folded piece to use with their house!

If you want you can attach the roof and add a ribbon or string to hang as a birdhouse or ornament.

"That's Amore" Flower Card

Have some friends and customers that wanted to try something different on a card using their cutting machines, some techinques and less stamping.

That's Amore papers by Close to My Heart .

The papers are reversible so you can have many different looks.

Cut the flowers with a Sizzix die in different papers. Inked the tags, sanded the blush cardstock and used the center from the flowers. Added a photo hanger in the flower and some waxy flax.

The tag is removable. You could certainly stamp a greeting on it, add some bling, eyelet or brads to pop any of the colors.

Cupcake Cards

Few cards using Close to My Heart "Cupcake Sprinkles" at a workshop tonite. Several variations and techinques.

This card was inspired by another CTMH consultant we added twists to it. Some grograin ribbon, embossing, and distressing, and a real ticket.

Embossing, distressing, liquid glass, sequin for top of cupcake, and a ribbon loop for the greeting tag.

A different take on the cupcake (not finshed) the greeting is not on the card yet. The cupcake paper was really from Valentine's Day. There are so many fun ways to use this stamp and many colors or embellishments to add.

"It's In The Glass" Card

This was fairly simple and a fun project. It could be used for a party invite, St. Pat's card, game nite, birthday or many other events.

I took a white card folded and cut a glass from it. Then used the left left over piece to make liquid for inside the glass ( move it in slightly to make your color smaller. I used Clover Meadow ( you could use pinks, reds or whatever you chose).

I lightly sanded down the sides to give a slight look of liquid in the glass, added random liquid glass and then heated to puff for foam, add a lot or a little. I also did a few dots down the glass for bubbles or drips.

Depending size you chose you can add a gift card or pack of Koolaid for a child. Can also stamp a greeting inside.

Change your colors or add colors for game night.

Could certainly use prisma, stickles, glitter or other around the side for more of a glass or sparkle look. Add a mock straw or a piece of fruit.