Wedding Season is Approaching – Are you ready?

Are you ready for wedding season and all the gifts, cards and gift tags you will need on hand?  I like having cards on hand BEFORE we are on our way to a wedding.  Haha!  Who else usually picks up a card on the way?  No more!  Now I will be prepared with a super cute card I had fun making myself; a true gift from the heart.

These notecard sized cards were made using the very versatile Better Together stamp set.  I had fun trying different color combinations.  The first I made is Flirty Flamingo and Pear Pizzazz and the second for the YouTube video is using the new In Colors Fresh Fig and Lemon Lime Twist.  Then I played with Berry Burst and Tranquil Tide.  Comment and let me know which one you like best, or which color combinations you think would look good.  If you case this card I would LOVE to see it.  You can post a picture on my Facebook page:

To see the YouTube Tutorial for this project click here or just read the directions below:

Tutorial:

First choose your color combo using whisper white, a rose color and a leaf color.  Cut out your rose color cardstock using the largest oval in the stitched shapes framelits.  Rub the embossing buddy all over the front of the notecard and the oval.  Stamp sentiment in Versamark ink onto the oval.  Pour white embossing powder all over the wet image and tap off excess.  Return excess to the embossing container.  Stamp rose image using Versamark ink all over the front of the card, rotating to vary where the leaf points.  Pour white embossing powder over this image and tap off again, returning excess to container.  (Wipe off any excess powder that is not where it is supposed to be on both images if needed.)  Using the heat tool on setting 2, heat the embossed images until they set glossy.

Stamp the rose image twice with your rose color and twice with your leaf color onto a scrap of whisper white cardstock.  Color in the roses and leaves on both the scrap and front of your card using a blender pen and the ink in the lid of your ink pads.  Fussy cut out the scrap roses and leaves, leaving half of the rose image on the leaf color images and cutting off the leaf portion on the rose color images.  Use Snail Adhesive on the half-rose portion of the leaf cutouts and then stick the full roses on top, so the leaves are behind the roses.  Use Snail adhesive to adhere roses to the oval.

Place 4 Stampin’ Dimensionals on the back of the oval.  Peel off the backing and twirl Silver Metallic Thread to create a few loops using the dimensionals to help hold them in place.  When you are happy with the loops, adhere oval to the front of the card in the position of your choice.  Stamp the interior sentiment and envelope arrow images with your chosen rose color.  Done!

 

To purchase any of the items used in this project click on any link below:

Product List

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Hello New Day

When I wake up each new day I am optimistic about how much I will accomplish that day.  I feel like this fresh new day has given me a chance to do better than yesterday.  And then each day I am faced with Mount Laundry of Doom, dishes upon dishes (Ok, who spilled this under the table?! And when…?) and the toys seem to breed behind the furniture.  I probably escape too often to Facebook for a break from reality and so I often get less done than I think I can (or should) get done in a day.  Don’t they say procrastinators are optimistics?  So this morning, I told myself I would get something big accomplished; something to advance my stamping business: I will finally create my website!  Hip hip hooray!  Look!  I did it!

I know this website has FAR more tweaking to do, but I can be proud of the steps I have taken today to get me closer to my goal: Sharing the love of paper crafting to reach more and more people!  I will learn more as I go and not be afraid to just step out and jump right in.  Baby steps.

Crafting and creativity have such positive effects on your life.  According to researchers Ebersole & Hess, (1998) here’s a list of things that creative expression may do for you:

  • Create balance and order
  • Give a sense of control over the external world
  • Make something positive out of a loss, bad experience or depression
  • Maintain your sense of integrity
  • Help resolve conflicts, building better relationships
  • Make thought and feeling clear
  • A greater sense of well-being and personal growth

Studies even suggest you may end up living healthier longer with fewer visits to the doctor if you actively engage in creative pursuits!  Don’t feel guilty for taking time for creativity.  So get out there and do something creative today for your own health and well-being.  Even if you just do a baby step.

Cheers to crafting!

Deb Joy Smeak