Halloween Card

The papers are all DCWV and the witch was colored using Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.

Watercoloring Using Stamps and the Stampin' Spritzer

I thought you might like to see a technique video today...  This video is from Stampin' Up but you can use any stamp set and ink pads that you already have.  All you really need is a way to spritz water and some watercolor paper.  You might find experimenting with this technique a lot of fun... Give it a try!

Now go have a wonderful crafty day!

Bonnie

Suit and Tie? No Way!

It's all about the suit and tie, right?  W.R.O.N.G.  Not today... Today it's all about the Shirt and Sweater.  Let me show you this adorable card that I made...

Check out this card's decked out collar!

This card wasn't difficult at all to make.  The gorgeous double sided paper pretty much does the work for you.  I took a small piece that I had already cut off and adhered it behind the V-neck so it would look like the inside of the shirt.  Then you just cut a slit down the center.  Fold over and then move about 1/4" and fold again to get the collar to really set nicely.

I really hope that you enjoyed the card.  If you make one, share it with me... I would love to see it!  If you have any questions, just let me know.

Now go have a wonderful crafty day!
Bonnie

Up Against A Brick Wall

This project might look very involved and well, I'm not going to lie, it is a little more involved than a normal one layer card BUT you can do this... I promise!  I'm going to walk you through it step-by-step...


First of all, let's take a look at the finished card.  Here it is 'propped' up with the fallen bricks.

And here it is fully closed.  (Sorry about the quality of the picture on this one.  I actually forgot to take a picture of this one until I was doing the blog post.  By then, it was late and no natural light.)

It's an Easel Card and they are soooo easy to produce!  I'm going to teach you to make an Easel Card in ANY SIZE you want.  And you won't have to remember any exact measurements.  Deal?  Well then, let's get started...

For the base of the card.  The Easel part.  You only have to remember a couple of things and I'm going to explain that AFTER you make this base.

•  8 1/2 x 11 Cardstock
•  8 1/2 side across the top of trimmer.  Cut at 4 1/4.  This gives you two equal size cards.  Set one aside to use at a later date.
• 11" across the top of trimmer or scoreboard.  Score @ 5 1/2".
• 11" still across the top.  Score @ 2 3/4".
• Now crease you folds and you have completed the base!

Here is a side view so you can see how the base should make the triangle when folded properly.

Easy Tip Insert:

Now let me tell you how to use any size cardstock.  On the longest size, score in half.  Then score one of those halves in half. Voila!  There you have it... Your base!  From there you would just complete it as if making a regular card.  The only difference is that your top mat (or what would be the front of the normal card) will not get glued all the way down.  It is only glued to the folded over part.

Now, back to the slightly more complicated card above.  Set your base aside.  We are going to work on the mats.

The bottom mat (the one that looks like grass here)...

Cut you paper to 4 x 5 1/4.  Keeping in mind that the TOP of your mat will be the 4" size, make sure the orientation of your paper is correct.  Place adhesive on the back and put it on the bottom of your Easel Base.

The top mat (the one that looks like a brick wall)...

Cut you paper to the same as above 4 x 5 1/4.  Again, keeping in mind that the top of your mat will be the 4" size, make sure the orientation of your paper is correct.

Easy Tip Insert:

If you were making a normal rectangle top Easel card without the fancy curved edge, then this would be your finished size.  Decorate your card however you wish from here.

You need something to shape the top of your brick wall into a curve.  I'm going to be honest, I used a small plate.  You could use a can, circle framelits, freehand... It really doesn't matter what you use.  I say the simpler, the better.  So go ahead and cut your curve.  You don't need to cut much off, just get the curve how you like it.  Or hey, you could do it square!  Nobody says this part HAS to be curved...  This part is all just preference.  SAVE THAT CUT OFF CURVED PIECE!  We will be using it in a minute to give the card a completed look.

Time to stamp your sentiment!!  Just center up and stamp...

Now that you have your curve (or not curve...lol) and you have stamped your sentiment, we are going to work on the rowlock.  If you have some bricks that you can use in the pieces that you cut off, then you can use that.  DO NOT use the curved piece that you cut off.  You will be adhering this to the top of the front (so that when the card is closed it will look like a brick wall behind the rowlock.)  If not, grab a full sheet and cut off about two rows (across the short side).  We are going to be cutting half-size bricks.  When I did mine, I tried to leave some of the bricks with mortar on both sides and some of the bricks had no mortar.  After you get about 20 (I used 18 but your count will depend on your curve.  Just use however many you need.) half-size bricks cut, then cut dimensionals  into halves and place all along the curve.

Place your brick halves along the curve, adhering them to the dimentionals or shaker frame adhesive strips (I also placed just a tiny bit of liquid glue on the back of my bricks for strength).  So that you can utilize the brick halves without mortar, use the following order:  brick with mortar, brick without mortar, brick with mortar, etc.  My half bricks were a mix... Some had mortar on both sides, some no mortar, some only on one side.  Just do whatever you think looks good.  There is no right or wrong here.  After your rowlock is done across the top, you can adhere your brick wall onto the Easel Base.  Set your grass down, then fold over your base so that you can make sure where you are adhering the brick wall.  It's easy to get confused.  Don't feel bad about actually setting the card up to adhere the wall.  Better safe, than sorry...

The fallen bricks (or leftover ones from the construction)...

Again, a mix of bricks. Some full size, some half bricks.  You DO want to leave mortar on all edges here, though, because they are very visible down there all by themselves!  Figure out where you want your brick wall to stop and place a light pencil mark where the bricks will get glued down.  You just need a general idea.  You can adjust with that second stacked brick on top.  Using dimensionals or shaker frame strips and liquid glue, place your first bricks down haphazardly but making sure you are at your pencils marks.  You can 'prop' your brick wall up and check to make sure you have a good fit where your bricks are currently.  Once you get that first set on the ground, you can 'prop' your wall up and adjust with your second stack.

You should be good to go now.  You can place a sentiment on the grass if you wish.  I decided not to because I wanted my fallen bricks to be the focal point.  Again, it's all preference...

I don't think that I left anything out but this card is probably better suited to a video tutorial.  Maybe I'll have to do that.  If you have any questions, let me know.

Now go have a wonderful crafty day!

Bonnie

Butterflies, Butterflies, Butterflies (and Some Flowers)

I am loving me some Butterflies right now...  Well, I love real butterflies all the time but the ones that I am referring to are crafting butterflies...

Lots of butterflies and flowers...

How 'bout the two gorgeous cards above??  I used a faux watercolor technique.  I just simply took a piece of white cardstock (big enough to cover the butterfly die cut), some of my favorite ink colors, a few sponges and blended the inks randomly all over the white cardstock piece.  I then glued the inked piece to the back of my mat, making sure to cover the opening completely.  Then it was just a matter of securing the butterfly die cut back into the hole.  They are both adhered a little differently.  The top one is glued all the way down.  I then added some rhinestones for the body.  You can't really tell it from the picture but the bottom card has TWO die cut butterflies on the card.  There is a yellow one that is glued all the way down and then the top black butterfly is only attached at the center body.  The rest of it flies freely (grins)... I added a button and some baker's twine to the body of this butterfly. 

On to some more fun... Here are the three more projects that I completed...

Well, I hope you enjoyed the projects that I shared with you.  I know I sure enjoyed doing them!  It's a great day when you can spend it doing something that makes you smile...

Now go have a wonderful crafty day!

Bonnie

Birthday Card using Odorless Mineral Spirits

 

This is the sketch that I used for my inspiration.

I love how the card turned out. The ice cream cones were with a technique using colored pencils and odorless mineral spirits... What FUN that is!!

I hope you enjoy the card.

Now go have a wonderful crafty day!
Bonnie

Blue Bird Christmas

I stamped the image then used water based markers to color it in.  The patterned papers are some older retired paper lines that I had in my stash.  I don't know about you but I have more patterned paper than an army of crafters could use up in a whole lifetime... I'm going to try really hard to start using some of it up!  The sentiment is stamped in the same color marker as the bird and then layered with several different punches!

I hope that you enjoyed today's project!

Now go have a wonderful crafty day!!
Bonnie

Chase Your Dreams

Dreams. Hopes. Wishes.  We all have them but do we really go after what we want?  I think it's too easy to make excuses so we don't have to work harder for what we really want.  Or maybe we think those things are just way too far out of our grasp.  That they only happen to 'those people' (inserting whatever phrase you would typically use here).  But the reality is that you will never know if you can accomplish something if you don't ever try.  We only get one chance at this life thing, people, and we never know when that chance is up.  I'm a true believer in the 'Bucket List' and I don't think that you should wait until there is a tentative time stamp on your life to begin one.  Where does it say that you shouldn't start to check off those things on your bucket list when you are in your 20s?  I sure wish someone would have planted that thought in my head way back in my 20s. 
Now don't get me wrong here...  I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't be grateful for what you have nor for what you are given.  I just want you to stop and think... Is there SOMETHING that you want to chase but are too afraid to take that leap?  I encourage you to take off after that dream... See where it takes you!

This card reminds me of my niece.  She's in her teens now but when she was very little, she would go over to her grandparents' house and chase the butterflies... What a wonderful way to spend the day... In a beautiful flower bed of Lantana standing taller than your head, chasing pretty butterflies...  Thank you, Kelsey, for that awesome memory!

Now go have a wonderful crafty day,
Bonnie

Thanks card

I love how this card turned out!  I just dug into my stash of patterned papers and cardstock and grabbed a couple of stamp sets and there you go!!  We're done!!

I challenge you to go drag out some of your older items in your crafting stash and see what you can come up with!  Be sure and share it with me... I would love to see your work.

Now go have a wonderful crafty day,

Bonnie

Unfinished Cards

I just hit the motherload of unfinished cards... I was looking for a Cricut handbook that I had put down recently in my craft room and found these!
Boy, am I gonna be busy...  I'll share as I get them completed...

What kind of unfinished projects do you have hanging around your crafting space?

Wishing you a wonderful crafty day,

Bonnie

When Skies Are Gray

I love how this card turned out.  I will admit that I struggled with it to begin with...  I just wasn't feeling it or maybe my crafty mojo was way off because I still don't feel good today.  After working with several different patterns on the umbrella, it finally all came together.

I had my sweet parents in mind when I made this card.  I am so very grateful to have a wonderful relationship with both of my parents!  I love you, mom and dad!!

I hope you enjoyed the card.  Maybe it will inspire you to pick up some paper and scissors today.

Hope you have a wonderful crafty day,

Bonnie

Rough Day

My day definitely didn't start the way I had planned.  It all started Saturday morning when I woke up with what felt like a crick in my neck.  By Sunday morning, I was in tears.  Nothing to do but head to a critical care facility and get checked out.  They did lots of x-rays and gave me a shot for pain.  Then the Dr suggested that I go on over to the emergency room if the shot did not seem to be helping the pain.  Yeah, that's probably what I should've done but I just didn't feel like sitting at another emergency center for what surely would have been 2 hours or longer.  We had plans to go to my parents house for supper and to celebrate my mom's and my brother's birthday.  I was thinking if I could just make it through the day, maybe the shot would kick in and ease up my muscles enough to let me get over whatever was wrong.  If you don't already know, I have fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis.

I made it through supper and cake at my parent's house.  I don't remember much of it except that the shot (or nerves or something) set off extremely bad stomach cramps.  By the time we got back home, I left my son to entertain himself while he finished up his laundry and I went to bed!  6pm and I'm in the bed!  My neck feels a tiny bit better, not much but hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.  As far as the rest of me, I feel like crap now...

I didn't put a sentiment on this card.  I think I might use it as a sympathy card.  I never seem to have any on hand when I need them.

Hope you have a wonderful crafty day,
Bonnie

Leaf Card

It's been a couple of crazy days around my house!  We have taken FIVE LOADS to our local Goodwill drop box...  We've been in this same house for a little over 24 years now.  I think that can be good and bad...  It's nice to know that 'home' is always home but it's a lot easier to declutter everything if you MOVE every five years or so.

We worked hard on the shop and the utility room by the back patio on Wednesday and Thursday.  Alex has been doing a great job on the shop.  Finishing the mud on the drywall... getting it ready to paint... That has not been an easy task.

I took a break today... not feeling well!  I think that I got way too hot yesterday... I was outside in the heat most of the afternoon while Alex and I worked on the little utility room.  It was very hot and humid here.  Nice today... wish we would've waited until this afternoon.  We checked the temperature this afternoon when we went for a coffee break- 82 degrees... We rode with the windows down and I took my little furbaby, Fred.  He LOVED it...

I sat down at my table and worked on a quick card.  I stamped these leaves a few days ago and fussy cut them out, distressed the edges (I'm not sure if you will actually be able to see that or not) with my fingernail and then curled them just a little bit to give some dimension.  The vellum quote is one from an old pack that I've had forever... I'm trying to use some of my stuff up... I have enough to last me many, many lifetimes!  You guys know, right??

So here's my card for today... I'm not sure what I will be working on next... hmmmm, the possibilities!

I hope you enjoyed today's project!

Now go have a wonderful crafty day,
Bonnie

Pinwheel Card

It was a very productive day today!  My son and I took three loads of stuff to our local Goodwill... More loads going out of here tomorrow.  We are trying hard to clean years of clutter and storage out of our shop.

After all of THAT FUN...lol... I decided that I wanted to play.  Time for another card!  I stamped the pinwheels yesterday.  Then I colored them with my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers.  I fussy cut them out while watching tv last night (I'm watching all of the Walking Dead seasons again. Love that show!  Cannot wait til Season 5 begins!).

So enough chitter chatter... Here's my card!

I hope you enjoyed today's project!

Now go have a wonderful crafty day,

Bonnie

Your Kindness

Here's the card that I came up with today...  I absolutely love this color combination!  The supplies that I used were a mix of retired stuff from my crafting stash...

Let me know what you think...

Now go have a wonderful crafty day,
Bonnie

Deer Christmas

I'm going to admit something here...

I have a lot of embossing folders that I have had for a long time and I can probably count on one hand the times that I have went to the trouble to use them.  I don't know why because the end result is usually really nice...

So check out this Christmas card that I made some older patterned papers, cardstock and a retired stamp set.  I used my embossing folder to give the background cardstock some texture.  I colored in the stamp set with my water based markers and I love the end result!

I hope you enjoyed today's project.

Now go have a wonderful crafty day,

Bonnie