A Guy Greeting Masculine Birthday Card and Faux Pinwheel Technique

The color didn't turn out very well on this card.  The Marina Mist looks right but the Basic Gray kind of looks like Chocolate Chip. Though I think that color would work well too!

I used the Pinwheel Technique on this card.  You can find the instructions for it here.  The size squares I used here are 1-3/8" for the decorative paper and 1-5/8" for the Marina Mist.  Now as you can see, the words on the decorative paper are turned a bit on my card.  Well, that's because I didn't think about how the pinwheel was going to fit on the base of the card before I began making the squares.  I just wanted to make sure I had the pinwheel large enough to put the car in the center.  Turning the pinwheel did make it fit on the card though.  I probably should have used the strip decorative paper instead of the words and then it wouldn't have mattered how it was turned.  I still like how it turned out, even with the words being turned.  

The "Happy Birthday" was from the "Crazy about You" set.

This was a pretty easy card to make. It took a few minutes to assemble the pinwheel but other than that it went together really fast.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

A Halloween Scene Candle Up-cycle Weekend Craft Project

Yesterday my friend Peggy came over and we played with spray paint and jars.  She had found this fun Halloween scene to put on jars and thought we could make them!

I had gotten this wonderful candle jar from my previous job.  I brought it home to recycle it and I had set it in the foyer closet and forgot it.  I'm glad I did.  When I went in there to get the cans of paint out I found this and thought I would upcycle it instead of recycle it!!!  Sometimes it does pay to be forgetful!!! LOL

SO, the first thing I did was removed the metal handle from the ring of the jar.  Then I needed to get the remaining wax out of the jar. A pretty simple task.  I just used a knife and pushed it into the wax and broke it up into pieces.  Then I was able to just shake the chunks out of the jar.  

Next I took some Dawn dish soap and cleaned out the inside.  I found a sponge with a little soft scrubby on the other side was extremely helpful!  

Then I filled the jar with water and set it in a bowl of water to soak off the label on the side and bottom.

Once that was done I dried the jar I wiped it down with rubbing alcohol and made a point to NOT touch the outside.  I didn't want any fingerprints on it.  I wanted it clean so the paint would stick. Once that was done and I made sure the alcohol had evaporated, I sprayed the jar with Krylon.  This color was a purple plum and then I had a can of blue metallic Rustoleum and I sprayed a little of it all over the jar to give it some sparkle and I added a lot more to the bottom to give it some dimension.  

Then the fun began!!!  We went to Adventures in a Box and downloaded the Halloween scene.  I used the witch for my jar.  There's a whole city scene.  You can do it all or in parts.  I also did a small jar with the car on the moon too.  It's not as nice as this is.  The jar was small so I didn't have room for a city at the bottom.  Go there and check out the designs.  Oh and there are also Christmas ones you can do too.  We opted not to do Christmas because we didn't like the idea of having glass outside in the winter.  Anyway, back to the jar. Once the image was downloaded and adjusted to the size needed it was printed out on copier paper and cut out by hand.  UGH!!  That took a little while but it is SO worth it.  Plus you can use the image over and over.  The original instructions have you putting the image inside the jar and tracing that way.  I found it too difficult, that is why we cut the image out.  I'm sure it would save a lot of time putting the image inside the jar and tracing that way.  You will have to experiment with yours and see which you prefer.  The paint on the bottom part of my jar is a little thicker than needed so I couldn't see the image anyway.  Plus cutting it out and taping it on the jar with removable tape was easier for me to do.  Like I groaned a few sentences back, I didn't like all the cutting, but it really was worth it.  I used an x-acto knife to cut out the windows. I did it while it was still on the jar.  Then I took the tip of the knife and scraped away the paint to make the windows look more like a window.   I did cut the witch out separately.  She was flying too high in the sky for my jar. So once I got her cut out I could place her anywhere I wanted in the sky.  I did not cut the broom handle or her thumb out. I cut them off.  I later drew them in with the marker.  The broom handle was done using a ruler to get it straight.  I didn't trust myself doing it freehand.  Anyway, it is done and I like how it turned out!

One more note here.  You do not want to use a Sharpe marker.  You want an India ink marker.  You want a waterproof marker.  You want a black marker.  I used a Faber-Castell artist pen 2.0mm  It has a nice tip to do detail but yet wide enough to color in the large areas.  I used my 50% off coupon from Michaels.  I'm sure most craft stores carry this type of marker.  

I just need to add a candle (probably a battery operated one) and I'm all set!!!  I have a shepherd's hook and I'll probably hang it from there on Halloween!!!  This was a fun project.  Though I don't see myself making anymore of them.  Mostly because I don't have any use for more!!!

Check here for more "Halloween Painted Jar Luminaries". There's 7 great ideas there.  Have fun!

Thank you SO much for stopping by to see my crafting stuff!!!

Wanda  

A Guy Greetings and Crazy about You Masculine Birthday Card

I had ran across an extra car I had stamped and I thought I would put it to use today.  So since the ink was Early Espresso I used Early Espresso card stock and layered the car.  I wasn't sure where I was going to go with the rest of the card, so I set it aside to think about it.  As I was putting my Neutrals decorative paper pack away, I thought I'd see what designs would work for a masculine card.  Well, these are the ones I came up with and I liked it.  I couldn't decide on just one so I went with three!!!  

I cut these little strips 1-1/8" x 3-1/8".  I set them in place on the top part of a 3-3/4" x 5-1/8" piece of Whisper White card stock. The Early Espresso layer is cut an 1/8" larger all around each side of the Whisper White piece.  And the base of the card is a folded half sheet of Whisper White.

I added a ribbon.  It's retired, but you get the idea and you can use some current ribbon or a strip of Early Espresso card stock.

The car panel is cut 1-1/2" x 2-3/8".  And the Early Espresso layer behind it is cut 1/8" larger on all sides. That panel was set in place using Dimensionals. 

The words are from the "Crazy about You" set.  I put them on my clear block and lined them up they way you see them in the photo.  I was thinking about doing the words on one line but I decided to just go with them on two lines!  Something more bold would probably look better there.  Anyway, it is what it is and I like how it turned out!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

A Gorgeous Grunge and Butterfly Thinlits Card and a Stamp Technique

Today's card comes to you via Terri's wonderful Stamp a Stack. This card is an extremely versatile card.  I didn't stamp any words on my card because I wasn't sure what occasion I was going to use it for.  It could be a wedding, birthday, sympathy, get well, or a thinking of you card.  

There's a fun little technique hiding behind the butterfly.  Look closer and you can see the darker shadowy looking butterfly.   It was made using the butterfly die.  You take some sticky Fun Foam and cut out two butterflies and then stick them together. You have to make sure you line them up exactly or the image won't stamp as nicely as you'd like.  What I did was after I got my butterflies stuck together, I exposed the tape from the back of the bottom butterfly and I stuck it to a piece of clear vinyl.  Now when I want to use the "stamp", I just take the whole piece and it will cling to my acrylic block.  Super slick, huh???

This card was super simple to make.  Just stamp some fun images from the Gorgeous Grunge set using Smoky Slate.  Then Stamp the butterfly.  Next a butterfly was cut using the Framelit and Pink Pirouette card stock.  The butterfly was taped in place and 3 sizes of crystal rhinestones were added.  One large, one medium, and five small ones.  Such a wonderful touch to the card!  Terri is so creative and I LOVE all the cards she has for her Stamp a Stacks.  

Thank you SO much for visiting today,

Wanda

A For the New Two Wedding Card

The other day I made green snowflakes and now I'm making green wedding cards!!!  What's with all the green?  And it's not one of my favorite colors to use either!!!  LOL But I do like this card. I was forced to use greens because of the pretty decorative paper!!

The base of this card is a folded half sheet of Mossy Meadow. The large layer is Old Olive with some images from the set stamped using Old Olive ink. 

The decorative paper came from the "English Garden" decorative paper pack.  I layered it using Mossy Meadow card stock.

The words are from the "For the New Two" set and stamped using Mossy Meadow ink.  The flowers around the edge of the circle are stamped in Old Olive.  The circle was made using the 2-1/2" Framelit and the Mossy Meadow behind it was cut using the next larger circle Framelit.  I set that piece in place using Dimensionals.

This was a super quick card to make.  And it's very green!

Thank you so much for stopping by today,
Wanda

A Traveler and World Map Circle Thinlits Card

I don't use my Circle Card Thinlits cutter very often.  I forget I have it until I run across a card that has used it.  I found this card (or something like it!!! LOL) made by Mary at Mary's Craft Room.  I thought it was such a great masculine card and I would get to use the Circle Card Thinlits! You can see her card here.  I changed the greeting but other than that it's a very close copy!!! 

This was a very easy card to make.  I first stamped the "World Map" and set it aside.  Then I took a piece of scrap paper and cut out the card.  I did this so I would know the placement of the map.  I wanted to cut both at the same time so I would get the inside round part right.  I trimmed the top, right side, and the bottom.  I lined up the map on the Early Espresso card stock and then I cut the pieces out.  

The camera and the train were stamped using Early Espresso ink.  The train was punched out using a 2-1/2" circle punch.  The camera was fussy cut.  The scallop was punched out and the words were done on my computer and punched out using the 1-3/8" circle punch.

It was a pretty quick card to make!  And it's a wonderful masculine card.  On the inside (behind the train), I punched out a 2-1/2" Very Vanilla Circle so something could be written on the card to the person receiving it!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

  

A Guy Greetings Masculine Birthday Card

If you are needing a quick and simple masculine birthday card, this is the way to go!!!  It doesn't get much more simpler than this.  Well, I suppose if you don't add the layers but then it would be a bit boring too!!  I like simple!  With Night of Navy, stamp a car and stamp the words.  I trimmed them up to look equal all the way around and I layered them with Night of Navy card stock.  The ribbon piece is also Night of Navy.  I was going to use some decorative paper but in looking though my paper stacks, I realized that I did not have the current Regals stack of paper.  I could have used last year's retired ones but I when I was heading for it, I saw the ribbon and went that route!  It worked out just fine.  The decorative paper may have been a bit too busy. I know it would have taken away from this clean and simple look!

I set the car and the words in place using Dimensionals.  I taped the ribbon onto the textured card stock and then glued that to a folded half sheet of Night of Navy.  I glue textured pieces because I feel that the tape doesn't stick as well.  There's too many hills and valleys and the tape doesn't make a solid contact.  I could use the Sticky Strip but it's just easier for me to glue.  Using the Sticky Strip would involve getting off my comfy chair and heading on over to my shelf to find the tape!!!   We can't have that now, can we?  LOL

Thank you so much for visiting today,
Wanda

A Sparkly Season Birthday Card

I'm excited to share this card with you today.  My sister had brought over a birthday cake layered card that I thought would be fun to remake.  The only thing was, it was done a while ago and all the items on it are retired.  Not that we can't use our imaginations and our current resources and redo it!  Like I just did today.  

When I saw this ballerina, I knew what I wanted to do with it.  This cake card came to mind.  I did struggle a little with it because I was just going to use the ballerina only and not the globe look.  But after stamping just the ballerina on the card stock I didn't like what I saw.  So I decided to use the globe and I'm glad I did. This is such a great card for a little girl, or for someone who LOVES ballerinas!

There's 3 pieces to the cake and they fold opposite of each other when assembled.  The measurements for this cake (which are different than the ones I saw on the original card due to the length of the ballerina.  You can adjust your cake pieces to the length of your focal item.  I just made sure the next two layers looked like they were in proportion to the rest of the cake.  So, for my pieces I cut the following out of decorative paper, 4-3/4" x 3/4", 6" x 2-1/2", and  8" x 1-3/4".   For the base of the cake use the 8" piece and fold it in half, but keep in mind which design you want on the bottom.  For the center piece use the 6" piece and fold it in half.  Again, you need to pay attention to the design you want.  If there is words on the decorative paper you will also need to pay attention to their orientation.  This piece will be added with the fold on the right side.  And for the top piece you will fold that piece in half and the paper (on my card) has the same side showing as the bottom layer of the cake.  

Once I had those pieces folded I used a corner rounder on the top corners of all three pieces.  I set them aside to work on the globe.  I stamped the globe and then the ballerina. I cut it out with the die that is in the "Seasonal Frames" Thinlits dies.  I colored in the ballerina and then I stamped the dots using VersaMark and some Heat and Stick powder.  I stamped the base of the globe and cut it out by hand, no die for that one.  

So to assemble my card, I first took a 1/4 sheet of Whisper White card stock for the base.  Then I took a piece of Pink Pirouette and added some texture with an embossing folder and I attached it to the base of the card. I glued my piece on because I think it holds better on textured pieces than tape does.  Then I took the base of the cake piece and I also glued that piece on, only because it was going on top of a textured piece. The bottom and side edges of the bottom of the cake piece needs to line up with the textured piece. Next I took the center piece and centered it on the opened cake bottom piece. Make sure this piece opens from left to right.  I left it that piece open and then taped the cake top piece on the inside of the center piece. I added the globe base to the inside of the top layer.  I also added a scalloped circle with the words that I had printed from my computer.  Then I folded the cake pieces shut and lined up the ballerina globe piece and glued it in place.  A bow was added to the base layer of the cake and the card was done.  It sounds a lot more complicated than it is.  I cut my pieces out of scrap copier paper first so I could better understand how to assemble them.  It was a very fun card to make and I could see myself making more in the future!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda  

A Guy Greetings, Gorgeous Grunge, and Wetlands Dad Birthday Card

Yup, another monochromatic card and again in black and white! That's only because I had cut out two cars and layered both of them yesterday.  It's something I often do and then I set the other one aside to get lost so I can find it someday and am happy because I found something almost finished!!! Crazy thinking!!!! LOL  Well, as per the norm for me, I did leave the layered circle on my worktable but it didn't get covered up or moved to the corner.  I actually used it, as you can see.   This card could use a little work on the greetings panel.  I wished I would have done the dots stamping off once.  I think the black dots are just a bit too dark for the greetings.  I do like this "Gorgeous Greetings" set.  I especially like the background on the large panel.  I think it would be a fun background for a cow focal image!!!  Anyway, this card is okay!  It was still fun to make and if you need a quick card, the one from yesterday was quicker but this one didn't take long either!

Thank you ever so much for visiting today,
Wanda

A Guy Greetings Birthday Card for Dad!

Today I opened up my 12 x 12 Neutrals paper pack.  I thought the striped piece would be great with the car from the "Guy Greetings" set.  This is a typical black and white card.  The words are from the "Happy Birthday, Everyone" set.  The car and words were also layered in black, and the base of the card is black.  WOW, this is a sort post. There's not a lot to say about this card.  It's a quick and simple one!!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

Skipping Stones Design August Challenge

Today I'm going to share a card I made for the Skipping Stone Design August Challenge.  I struggled a little with my card.  I had originally stamped the card using two shades of green and then colored in the round areas on the tree with blue, red, yellow, and orange.  I added some Stickles and glitter to those colored spots.  Then I had die cut a window and added a piece of transparency to it.  Then I added some more Stickles and glitter to make it look like there was snow on the window.  As it was drying I thought I would play with the set again and that is when I came up with the card I have here.  I do like how it turned out.  So much so that I abandoned the first tree for this one!

 I had stamped the tree here using VersaMark and I heat set gold embossing powder.  Then I took an olive colored ink pad and a blender pen and colored in the tree.  I added some rhinestones that I had colored with Sharpie markers.  The tree was set in place using sticky foam dots.  I like to buy the foam tape and punch out my own dots using a regular paper punch.  I wipe the sticky part with a rubbing alcohol pad and then punch. If you punch without the alcohol, you will have dots stuck to your punch. Plus you will still be getting out the alcohol wipes to clean off your punch!  Just thought I would save you some time and frustration. And yes, I'm speaking from experience!!! LOL

I found some fun Christmas decorative paper from the "Christmas & Winter stack from DCWV.  I layered my card in a pale green. The base of the card is white.  I added some green snowflakes using the Martha Stewart punch.  I know, green snowflakes!!!But it worked!!  And I liked it and that is what was even more important!!!  LOL  I added some very large clear rhinestones to the center of the snowflakes.  And I added some small rhinestones to the decorative paper.  I was going to color them the same as what was on the tree but the more I thought about how it would distract from the tree I decided to leave them clear, and I'm glad I did.

And while rummaging through my embossing folders I found a fun snowflake background one by Cricut.  

So to assemble the card. I folded a half sheet of white card stock on the long side.  Then I added a piece of green card stock.  Then the snowflake piece.  The decorative paper was then added and on top of that was the tree panel that I layered with green.  Randomly place the snowflakes on the card and the rhinestones and you're done!!

The tree stamp comes in the set you see above.  You can purchase it in the Skipping Stones Design store.

Thank you for stopping by,

Wanda

A Sparkly Season and Happy Scenes Halloween Card

My sister left me with her new stamp sets and I'm playing!  I've got lots of ideas and there's lots of stamp sets!!! Today I thought I would make another Halloween card.  I saw one on  a card on Pinterest and traced it  back to Mary Fish.  Here is her card.  I didn't have the same background paper as she did so I used the spider web from the "Happy Scenes" set.  I did change it a little.  I do like how mine turned out.  

I love it that this set has matching dies with it too!!!  Stampin' Up! is making me never want to cut out anything ever again!!! LOL

For my card I used a folded half sheet of Whisper White.  I stamped the corners with the spider we set from the "Happy Scenes" set.  Then I took a piece of Pumpkin Pie decorative paper and stamped the pumpkin face on it.  I used the die and cut out the hole in the center.  I stamped the "GREETINS" that came with the "Sparkly Season" set.  I stamped the stem using Old Olive ink and colored it in with Pear Pizzazz.  

The "spooky" die comes with the die set.  I set it in place above the "greetings".  I layered the focal piece with Pumpkin Pie card stock and I set it in place using Dimensionals.  It's a pretty simple card to make!

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda

A Happy Scenes Halloween Card

Today my sister dropped of some stuff for me and this was something that was in the bag!!!  It's the "Happy Scenes" set from the new Occasions catalog!!!  I thought it would be a great set to play with because it covers fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and winter!  All that in one set!!! So I'm sure you can see my wheels turning with this set!  I have LOTS of plans for it!!  Ideas were popping all afternoon.  The first card I wanted to make was a fall card but it ended up being a Halloween card.  Which is fine because I like Halloween too!  I didn't have any current Halloween decorative paper so I used the standard pads and went from there.

I used the striped Pumpkin Pie paper for my first colored panel.  Then some dotted Old Olive.  On top of that is my stamped image and I set it place using Dimensionals.  

To color in my image I used markers and sponges!! First I colored in the leaves and pumpkins with the Pumpkin Pie marker.   Then I sponged the ground with Old Olive.  I sponged the sky with Soft Sky and then I added a little Smoky Slate to the sky.  I sponged in circles to give the sky the look of a windy day.  I sponged the sky edges of the panel with Soft Sky and the ground edges were sponged with Old Olive. I layered each panel with Early Espresso.

On the Whisper White piece I stamped the words, which came with the set!!!  I had a lot of fun creating this card today!!

Thank you SO much for visiting,

Wanda

A By the Sea, Gorgeous Grunge and Happy Birthday, Everyone Masculine Birthday Card

Today I was trying to go for the postage/envelope look. I sort of succeeded.  I did have fun creating this card.  I think if I were to do it again, I may have tried other colors but for today, it is what it is!!!

I stamped the fish on a scrap piece of Whisper White card stock and colored it in.  I took a 1" square punch and punched the fish head out.  I set this piece aside.

Next I stamped the "happy Birthday" from the "Happy Birthday, Everyone" set using black Memento ink.  I layered it with Island Indigo. I added Dimensionals to the back and set the piece aside.  

I used Whisper White as the base of my card.  I added a piece of Island Indigo card stock.  For the Soft Sky piece, I used Island Indigo ink and the see weed image stamped off.  It doesn't show up well in the photo, but in real life you can see it.  Then I added some stamped off dots from the Gorgeous Grunge set. Then I used the embossing folder and textured that piece.  Oh, but before I did that I added a little piece of tape to my fish part and I set it in place on the card.  I then stamped the anchor from the "By the Sea" set. Now if you are going to recreate this card, I would recommend stamping the anchor image where you think it should go and then stamping the anchor again on the edge of the fish piece.  Once it's textured then you can match them up.  I was able to match it up enough but it would have been easier had the two anchors been stamped separately.  I taped the fish and Island Indigo piece in place.  Then I added the words.  As simple as that.  I like it.  It's a great card for the fisherman in your life!!

Thank you ever SO much for stopping by today,
Wanda