time to CELEBRATE

I am sharing a one layer card with bright vibrant colors today.  In preparation to enter the challenge of One-Layer Simplicity #2: "Can you repeat that?" I first wanted to use a big floral stamp and repeat stamping it, but it turned out to be a bit boring so I turned to see what I could do with my background stamps. 

I first made the masculine version but I like this feminine version a lot better:

The masculine version does not make me as happy as the feminine version, probably because of my bad choice of colors:

What's interesting is that I thought it could only become a masculine card (that's why I started with this second one), then because it didn't make my heart sing I changed up the colors and also my mind as to whether it can be a girly birthday card.  I guess I can't really envision the card before making it, thus always creating trash in my craft area. LOL.

The feminine version is linking up to:
One-Layer Simplicity - Can you repeat that?
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes
Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Valentine's Day

Hi everyone!  Just a quick post to share a Valentine's Day card.  I am very happy with the results of applying Distress Pint on wood veneer embellishments:

During Christmas sale I got quite a bit of wood veneer embellishments but I have not really used them until recently.  I love how Distress Paint gives full color coverage!

My card is based on the sketch from Mojo Monday:

The sketch looks complicated and I was intimidated when I first saw it.  I'm glad that I tried it out and made a V-day card.  :)  I've also played with the Wink of Stella Clear brush - I added the shimmer to the word "LOVED" and 2 (heart) 14.  The heart was added glossy accent after the shimmer has dried.  It is quite a bit of dimension.  Love it.

My card is linking up to the following challenges:
Artistic Inspiration - Anything Goes/Hearts
Crafty Your Passion - Love is in the Air
Lexi's Creations - Valentine's Day
The Paper Nest Doll - Anything Goes
Cheerful Stamppad - Love/Valentine
Pals Paper Arts - color challenge

Thanks for stopping by!

Stencils

Hope you had a fun superbowl weekend. 

I have been designing a lot of cards and some of them made use of stencils.  They are really popular now and I couldn't resist trying them out.  Many of them are somehow related to nature.  I noticed it after the fact but am pleased with that.  Who doesn't love our mother nature?

First up is this tree that I used silver embossing paste on a Dreamweaver stencil.  It is my second try but I'm afraid that I have yet mastered the skills of putting an even layer of paste over the stencil.  Nevertheless this simple card will serve a great masculine card.  I guess I'll practice more to make it perfect!

Next up is this birdie card.  I used a Memory Box Garden stencil to emboss a piece of white cardstock, then stuck it on a dark green cardstock at an angle, and finally added my famous Close to My Heart birdie.  I've previously tried embossing with stencil but I guess all stencils are different.  Note to self: need to find out the perfect formula for embossing.

This third card made use of the harlequin stencil by Tim Holtz, along with a stamp image from Stampers Anonymous.  It is a super simple monochromatic card.  Love the shades of blue and the vintage card on it.

Finally this is my favorite - double stenciling, using Heidi Swapp stencil and Memory Box dies.  I used an applicator to put distress on the butterfly.  Just love the ease and the great impact.  Of course, the rainbow colors make me happy too!

I'm digging up my mists and that would be the next thing to do with my stencils!

My butterfly card is linking up to
Less is More - Rainbow
Totally Gorjuss - Sunny colors
Come and get it - Butterflies
Avenue 613 - Anything Goes
Challenges for everybody - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

A quick survey and a CAS masculine card

I have asked a couple of men to seek advice on the cards they like.  My dad said that he doesn't really care for the designs of a card but prefers clean lines with few layers/patterns.  My brother said he loves to see something very creative, i.e. an effect that prompts him to ask "how did she do that?".  My boyfriend, who spends the most amount of time shopping at craft stores with me compared to my dad and my brother, likes to catch those moments where I bought a charm/paper/embellishment for a card but didn't use it eventually.  Apparently, he thinks the time spent on searching that item with me is a complete waste if it is not used.  I usually defend myself with the general argument, "That item now serves a different purpose that has not been realized."

I have also asked my co-workers and friends.  My conclusion?  Something clean and simple usually appeals to them.  Graphics, blues and greens (rather than brown and black), white space are also pleasant to their eyes.  One told me that he reads the hand-written message inside the card back and forth so he focuses on the inside rather than the front of the card.  So true.

After collecting opinions from them, I did a quick experiment.  I made the following card and asked them how they liked it:

There are many things I can criticize about this card but many of the men I ask like this card!  Have I been too harsh to myself when it comes to masculine cards?   Girls and Boys just have so different perspective.  I need to learn to look at it from a guy's perspective!

Do you know what kind of cards that guys like?  Please do share!

I'm linking up my card to the following:
Created with Love - Anything Goes
Paper Nest Doll - Anything Goes
Eureka Challenge - Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenge - No patterned paper
Digi Sketch Challenge - one for the men

Thanks for stopping by!

CAS birthday card

I am afraid the cold has come back.  Bummer I was well for just a few days then the sore throat and runny nose knocked at my door again.  I didn't even get to craft as much during those few days!

I am sharing a very simple birthday card today.  Even though it should not have taken a lot of time to make it, I did spend quite some time to plan the layout and colors.  It turned out a great masculine birthday card.  I am thinking that I'd like to shake things up a bit to turn it into a feminine one:

I first added the gray panel to the left of a top-folding card, then stamped the background in a pale blue.  The words are die cut from two different alphabet set - Happy from Lawn Fawn and Birthday from Memory Box.  Finally I die cut some bright stars to finish it off.

My card is linking up to the following challenges:
Stampin for weekend - birthday
Polka Doodle - Anything Goes (for the boys)
Addicted to Stamps & More - CAS
Nutcrafters - CAS

Thanks for stopping by!

Embellished Burlap Bags

Have you tried using the burlap bags from Close to My Heart to make gifts?  Let's learn some great ways to embellish them!

Santa Claus

Is it too early to make Christmas cards?  We have 11 months to go before another Christmas!

I have always taken pride in my early preparation and no stress during the holiday season, until last year.  A box of Christmas cards I prepared for my mom was lost in the mail.  I can't tell you how upset I was as I was used to the stress-free Christmas card making but last year the process was not so fun.

The lesson learned is to make them early and send them early.  In case it gets lost in the mail I will have enough time to catch up.  I like this activity as my creative outlet, not a source of stress!

To warm up my Christmas card-making mode I used one of the sketches from Make it from Your Heart Volume 2 and some stash:

I know it is too early to say this but I do feel a bit of relief after I have just ONE Christmas card done.  It's a good start, isn't it?

My card is linking up to the following:
Addicted to Stamps and More - Holiday
ABC Christmas challenge - Anything Christmas
Christmas card challenges - Polka dots
Avenue 613 - Anything Goes
Challenges 4 everybody - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!