Silver Filigree Handmade Card

I found this little flower sticker while tidying up. I used them for my aunty's wedding album and just have the one left. I wanted to do something with it.  

I always have a stockpile of already letterpressed sheets. This one was made using the Lifestyle Crafts Jubilee printing plates (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/jubilee-printing-plates.html) with silver ink (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-silver.html).

It was very quick and turned out basic and elegant!

Wedding Gift Card How-To

Here is how to make the wedding gift card featured in my wedding projects.

First, start out with your card. This one is a premade DoodleBug card, but can easily be replicated with any paper. It is 11 inches tall and 4 inches wide. 

Configure your printer for whatever message you would like. I chose "Congratulations."

Print the message on your card. 

Select a stamp you would like to use, embossing ink (pad or pen; I prefer the pen for this stamp because of all the detail), and embossing powder. I chose black to match the color scheme. 

Apply ink to the entire design. I used the pen, so I colored over all the lines a few times to ensure I got the whole design. If using an ink pad, just dab it on the ink a few times. 

Stamp the stamp on the card. Apply even and firm pressure but be careful not to move the stamp or your design will be smudged.  Lift the stamp straight up off the paper. It is helpful to hold the card with the other hand to ensure it doesn't move. 

Immediately pour embossing powder over the design. I do this step on a sheet of paper so I can pour the left over powder back into the container. 

Shake off the excess powder. I will have a Qtip handy to brush off some of the loose powder bits. 

Hold your design over a heat source. I use the toaster because I am cheap and already have one :). The powder will melt and turn into a raised design. Apply the heat until the whole design has melted. 

Let the paper cool and glue a black ribbon on as an  accent and you're done!

12x12 Scrapbooking Layouts

My scrapbooking has been taking a backseat to cardmaking. I am over a year and two weddings behind!  Nonetheless, here are a few of my favorite layouts. 

These photos were taking in Orlando, Florida at the Icebar. I like how the wording turned out, I tried to make it look like ice blocks. The paper is a water design, but I think it looks enough like ice. And a few glitter snowflake stickers top it off. 

These photos were from my friend's baby shower. I chose the green theme because I had the button brads that I wanted to use up. I chose three complementary green patterns, one with glitter to dress it up a bit, and randomly cut out and placed blocks around the page. I accented with some baby stickers as well as the invitation and the pacifier tag from the treat bag. 

This layout was made with photos of my family seeing my brother off on his first tour in Afghanistan. I found the clear wording sticker in my sticker collection and used it for a heading. I incorporated the Soldier stamp in brown ink and attached to green and white core paper with the edges filed off, to emphasize the frame. I created a replica of his dog tag using Sculpy III silver clay (http://www.sculpey.com/products/clays/sculpey-iii) and a ball chain from an old necklace. The photos are mounted on green paper and accented with punched out starts. I created a desert camo 'patch' using Lifestyle Crafts Military Set dies (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Quickutz-Lifestyle-Crafts-Rare-2x2-Military-Die-Set-/230856150326?pt=US_Die_Cutting_Machines_Dies&hash=item35c0194d36). 

This layout is my and my husband's engagement photos. I had these little rhinestone letters I wanted to get rid of, so I spelled out engagement on punched out squares of black and white lined paper. I spelled out photos with a different font on the other page to add contrast. I used the same black and white striped paper to frame the photos and a white iridescent ribbon. The ribbon is accented with three dimensional stickers. 

This page can be found in my Scrapbooking a Hawaiian Honeymoon blog (http://bmc2bmc2.blogspot.com/2013/01/scrapbooking-hawaiian-honeymoon.html). It's a two page layout of our trek up and down a volcano. I used a bright blue background with offset blue alphabet stickers for the title. I used a bright colored stripe accent paper with green tabs on two of the photos to add some information. I also accented with die cut bicycles and tropical themed stickers. 

This is one of my favorite layouts from my 2012 album (http://bmc2bmc2.blogspot.com/2013/10/scrapbooking-2012.html). I created a 'collar' title using ribbon and small circle cut outs. I stamped 'FRANCIS' on them to spell out his name. I added a 5x7 to a greenish brown polka dot page and accented that with dog stickers and a paw print plaque I created from texture paste. I cut out a bone shape to create a journaling space. 

Voo Doo Doll Handmade Halloween Card

I just made this today and I love it! I found these Voo Doo Doll  stickers at Michaels on clearance. 

I recently purchased a cheap-o printer from Walmart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-Deskjet-1000-Printer/14905973). So I have been playing with it. It seems to be working well! And, it seems to take all sorts of sizes of paper. The last printer struggled with custom sizes, so, so far I am VERY happy. I used it to print Happy Halloween on this 10x4 inch paper. 

This was the paper I chose. Spiders are fairly Halloween-y! So, I folded the paper in half making it a top fold card. I cut a strip from the front with a shape cutter scissors. 

I embossed a strip of black paper with Lifestyle Crafts web embossing folder (http://www.ebay.com/itm/QuicKutz-Lifestyle-Crafts-2x12-Embossing-Folder-SPIDER-WEB-Halloween-EF-BDR-043-/160668427069?pt=US_Die_Cutting_Machines_Dies&hash=item256895a33d) and used it as a belly band. I added a strip of orange and black ribbon and used the voo doo doll sticker to hold everything shut! 

Letterpress Handmade Cards

These projects all used the Lifestyle Crafts Letterpress, which I LOVE! (http://lifestylecrafts.com/epic-6-tool-letterpress-combo.html)

I created this simple card one day when I was just in a good mood. It uses the violet ink http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-violet.html and the Petite (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/petite-printing-plates.html) and Bubbly (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/bubbly-printing-plates.html) printing plates. I accented the project with a floral violet ribbon. 

This card was created using the Botanical printing plate set (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/botanical-printing-plate-set.html) with gold ink (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-gold.html). The tree is accented with tiny punched red hearts. I added HI at the bottom with stamps to add a greeting. 

I created these two notecards for a friend's at home business. I used the dark purple (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-dark-purple.html) and bright green (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-bright-green.html) inks. The first notecard was made with the Petals printing plate (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/petals-printing-plate-set.html). Lime green paper and a ribbon were used as accents. 

This notecard was made with their dark purple (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-dark-purple.html) ink and the Spooked (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/spooked-printing-plates.html) printing plates.  It is accented with a lime green ribbon and paper. The 3D flower was die cut (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Quickutz-Lifestyle-Crafts-Flower-2-2-5-16-Make-3-Minute-Cards-/370646037931?pt=US_Die_Cutting_Machines_Dies&hash=item564c39b5ab) mounted on a dark purple circle. 

This card was created as something nice to send to someone just to say hi. It was made using Posy (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/posy-printing-plates.html) and Blossoms (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/blossoms-printing-plates.html) printing plates. I used red (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-red.html) and navy (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-navy.html) ink. 

Baby Themed Handmade Cards

These projects were all inspired by family or friends having kids or their kids having birthdays. 

I created this card for my neighbor's baby shower. Its a delicate purple polka dot background. I used the Lifestyle Crafts Letterpress Petite plates to create the it's a girl and dotted lines (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/petite-printing-plates.html). I used violet ink (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-violet.html). I added a string of matching purple floss and Martha Stewart flower stickers found at Michaels. 

This card was made to welcome a new baby cousin. I used the Lifestyle Crafts Letterpress petite plates again (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/petite-printing-plates.html) with light blue ink (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-light-blue.html). I used Lifestyle Crafts Cookie Cutter boy shapes and circles in complementary blue colors and accented the phrase with a  blue satin bow. 

This was created for my friend's son's second birthday. He had received a fish tank for a gift and LOVED it! It is three complementary blue papers all 3 dimensional of each other. I added Lifestyle Crafts whale die to give it a maritime theme (http://lifestylecrafts.com/whale.html).

Handmade Wedding Cards

This post tags some of the wedding projects I have created. 

I used some clearance DoodleBug cards I found at Michaels to make this card; which would be a perfect card to include with a wedding gift.  It is a heat embossed bride and groom stamp on a white and black card accented with a black satin bow.  

I made this card as an example of an engagement announcement. It is silver Recollections Cards (prepackaged from Michaels) embossed with a Lifestyle Crafts circles folder. It features a 3D word block and a 3D bride and groom cookie cutter shape, also from Lifestyle Crafts (http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-WEDDING-or-ANNIVERSARY-DIES-Quickutz-Lifestyle-Crafts-Bride-Groom-Rings-Wine-/200720064166?pt=US_Die_Cutting_Machines_Dies&var=&hash=item2ebbd91ea6). It is held shut with a transparent silver ribbon. 

 These sexy little cards are for a bachelorette party. For this project, red lace is stretched over metallic black cardstock and glued onto a red A2 card. It is accented with black satin ribbon, a tailor bow, and rhinestones. 

This card was created for a wedding gift but would be really cute as a wedding invitation, too. I used the Lifestyle crafts Jubilee printing plates (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/printing-plates/jubilee-printing-plates.html) and gold letterpress ink (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress/ink/letterpress-ink-30-ml-gold.html). The gatefold gold paper is held shut by a belly band created with Lifestyle Crafts wave die (http://lifestylecrafts.com/waves.html).

Handmade Halloween Greeting Cards

Here are some examples of holiday greeting cards I have made. 

I made this Happy Halloween wine bottle label using the Lifestyle Crafts Letterpress machine. (http://lifestylecrafts.com/products/letterpress.html) It is an orange crosshatch background with a black bat, spider, web, and phrase happy halloween. 

This is part of a pop up bat Halloween party invitation I made. It uses the Sizzix pop up bat and an orange A2 card. (http://www.sizzix.com/product/656948/sizzix-bigz-die-bat-3-d-pop-up). The front features two ghosts and a graveyard scene with a yellow moon and the phrase Party Time. (http://www.quickutzoutlet.com/Border-Die--Graveyard_p_762.html)

This was the envelope I made for the invitation. It is an embossed spider web pattern from Lifstyle Crafts. (http://www.ebay.com/itm/QuicKutz-Lifestyle-Crafts-2x12-Embossing-Folder-SPIDER-WEB-Halloween-EF-BDR-043-/160668427069?pt=US_Die_Cutting_Machines_Dies&hash=item256895a33d)

This was the front of the card featuring a vinyl skeleton. 

Another Halloween card that I made using the Lifestyle Crafts Letterpress.  It's a 6x6 orange card featuring orange crosshatch and a black spider and web. It uses Lifestyle Crafts Petite printing plates (http://lifestylecrafts.com/petite-printing-plates.html) and the Spooked printing plates (http://lifestylecrafts.com/spooked-printing-plates.html).

This is a similar card to before only I used a spooky black tree from Lifestyle Crafts Botanical Letterpress plates.

(http://lifestylecrafts.com/botanical-printing-plate-set.html)

This simple card is a black vinyl skeleton on an orange Halloween-y cardstock. 

For more projects not featured here or to purchase something (even crafters have to eat!) feel free to check out my store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/bmc2, 

Handmade Military Greeting Cards

These are a few military cards that I have made.

This card was created to resemble a Queissner flag. These are the flags you see in peoples' windows. It is a red background with a white rectangle. Blue stars are added as necessary. 

This card was made to resemble to colors in the Marine "dress blues." The background is metallic dark blue with metallic white and red rectangles layered in the middle. A yellow ribbon is added and accented with a gold star. 

I made this card to recognize the Navy. It features a 3D stamp of the Navy logo on a textured dark blue background. It is accented with gold stripes. 

This card was made using a vellum eagle I found. It features a desert camo background with a stamp that says: Soldier  because of your bravery, courage, and sacrifice, liberty & freedom are still ours. We are deeply grateful. It is accented with paper gold stars. 

I actually sent a card similar to this to my brother while serving his first tour in Afghanistan. This card has a green camo background and is accented with metallic silver dog tags strung on a black rope. PFC stands for Private First Class and could be changed to accommodate any rank. 

This design was for a wedding or reception invitation. It was a lot of fun to create. It features a metallic green pochette card with a green camo backing. A complementary green cardstock features all of the invitation information and is accented with a small gold string and three gold stars.  This would also be a great invitation for a going away or welcome home party. The pochette is kept closed by a simple green camo belly band.

I saw something similar to this in a magazine. They just had boot print stamps. I wanted it to look like someone walking in mud, so I used a boot print stamp in a layer of modeling paste. I then painted it brown and accented the boot prints with water, which lightened up the paint. I added the phrase: some heroes wear capes.. mine wears combat boots on a three dimensional kraft colored paper.  This card would be great for a Mother or Father's day card for anyone with a parent in the Armed Forces. 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/130009583/my-hero-military-card? if interested in purchasing. 

For more projects not featured here, or to purchase something (even crafters have to eat!) feel free to check out my store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/bmc2.