"When our eyes see our hands doing the works of out hearts, the circle of creation is completed inside us, the doors of our soul flies open and love steps forth to heal everything in signt"

-- Michael Bridge

Saturday, October 4, 2014

WCMD Mini Book Challenge

Is this not the best day ever - World Card Making Day ROCKS!! I am so inspired I can hardly help myself! I've got another post over on the CC2G Blog - This one is to make a mini book! If you've never tried to make one, you must rectify that immediately! They're a great way to start scrapbooking - but as I'll share today - not JUST for scrapbookers. So, I wanted to share a fun idea I saw on Pinterest. We all know that Ashley Cannon Newell is amazingly talented right? Well, she has a FANTASTIC tutorial on how to make a mini book/card set. Go check it out, I'll wait. The video itself is just flawless. You know, some videos when you go to create your own version of the project - it just ends up...off...somehow. Sizing doesn't quite work, you've got to tweak things... it doesn't quite come out how the person in the video's project did - technique wise (does this happen to anyone else - or just me?!?). Rest assured crafty girls - that will not happen to you with this tutorial. Flawless I'm telling you. Here is my take on this awesome project.
Here is a pic of all of the cards in this mini book:
Then here is another that is a bit different.
and then this is the set of cards included with this mini book:
On this 2nd mini book, I only used kraft paper to construct it, then just embellished the covers. I thought it would be too "plain" but that's not the case at all! The cards are so fun that they add the fancy it needs :) Cute right - and very easy. I kept my pages "clean" or plain (just like Ashley did in her video). That way the cover of the mini and the cards were the stars of this show :). Each pocket includes one card and a standard A2 envelope. I love the prospect of gifting it to someone as a card set, but encouraging them to use it as (or maybe give it to some one to use it as) as a mini "scrapbook" or picture holder afterward. Each pocket can fit about 10 pictures comfortably - which means this can hold up to about 50 pictures and is a great gift for peeps with kids in their lives. Give one of these to Grandma and after she's used all of the cards, she can fill it up with pictures and whip this baby out of her purse and show off her grandbabies in the blink of an eye! Anyway, I've made 4 of these in the past 5 days! It's THAT kinda easy and they are so much fun. I have big plans for these adorable mini books - I'm thinking Teacher Appreciation Day, friend's birthdays, etc. These are going to make lovely gifts. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that. I can't WAIT to see the minis you all come up with. Won't you play along with me?!?

WCMD Mixed media Challenge

I'm back again with another CC2G WCMD Challenge!! This one is hosted by the fabulous Tiff and I was super excited about it too! I love incorporating mixed media into my cards. Even if it's just mashing some guesso into the background or using a stencil with some plain white molding paste. Mixed media can mean SO many things - and all of them are just fantabulous! Here are my cards:
So what I've done is made a little card set using a variety of acrylic paint, masks and mists to create backgrounds/card bases. (I mean, I made a BUNCH of them - it was glorious - see!!!)
Then I stamped/heat embossed them with one of my most adored stamps ever by Christy Thomlinson. I just feel so empowered when I see this image. Will you be playing along with us? I'd love to see your mixed media projects!

CC2G WCMD Photo on a Card Challenge!!

Happy World Card Making Day crafty friends!! I am so excited to be hosting this challenge over on the CC2G Blog today! Aren't all the challenges so fun?!? So many talented ladies on this DT! Do you ever add photos to your cards? I've seen this wonderfully done on Pinterest and was excited to give it a try. Ok, so sometimes I post random pictures on Instagram/Facebook of rainbows, rainy days, the sun bursting through the clouds (does everyone else do this too?). I get so inspired by the sky. God is just seriously amazing - and I feel WONDER when I look up. I wanted to add that - a little wonder - to my cards ;). So in case you don't know about them, let me share, there is a lovely company (SocialPrintStudio ) that I use to print my Instagram photos. If you don't "know" them yet, you need to get on that. The photos are amazing quality - thick, sturdy, beautiful photos (and pretty dang cheap as well!!!). The last time I placed an order with them, I added a bunch of my Insta pictures of the sky - so I was VERY excited about this challenge!! Here are the cards I created:
For both of these cards I went deep into my stash and got out some patterned paper I hadn't played with in a while. Paired that with my Lawn Fawn Polaroid die, American Crafts Polaroid die, Paper Smooches sentiment stamps, and some twine/sequins for fancy :). I love how they came out! Hope you guys play along with me and this Photo On a Card Challenge!! I cant wait to see what you create!! Don't forget to stick with us CC2G gals all day - the fun wont stop cause it can't stop!! I'll be back later participating in the Mixed Media Challenge and I also made a so fun mini book/card set that I'll be sharing later - so stay tuned friends! Heather