Sending You Prayers Card

Hi, Crafty Friends!

I'm back... This time with Team Xyron!!

Every now and then life has a way of reminding you how precious it really is. It's not all about the happy moments and joyous occasions. Sometimes we face hard times and loss.  Financial hardships, break-ups, or even death can bear down on us and plunge us into despair. And sometimes just we need gentle words to tell us we are not alone. Whether spoken out loud in person or silently and privately, a prayer can go a long way.

Today, I'll show you how I created this beautiful card. Some days you just got to let someone know... hey, I'm praying for ya!

Supplies Used

Mega Runner (Xyron)

Eileen Hull Journaling Cards, Flowers & Leaves (Sizzix)

Eileen Hull Journaling Cards, Hearts (Sizzix)

Eileen Hull Journaling Words (Sizzix)

Eileen Hull Leaves, Spring (Sizzix)

Eileen Hull Flower & Leaf Stitchlits (Sizzix)

Eileen Hull ColorBox Blends- Leaf, Frog, Berry, Bay, Beach (Clearsnap)

ColorBox Premium Dye Ink Mini- Coal (Clearsnap)

Sunshine Stamp Set (Pink and Main)

White Cardstock (Recollections)

Cardstock- Pink, Green, Black (DCWV)

Lori Whitlock- I'd Rather Be Crafting (Echo Park Paper Co.)

Big Shot (Sizzix)

I started with a standard A2 size (4.25"x 5.5"- folded) card base. 

I made the card using papers from the Lori Whitlock "I'd Rather Be Crafting" Collection. 

Measurements

Orange Paper - 4.25"x 5.5"

Geometric Diamond Paper- 4" x 5.25"

I layered at attached them to my card base using my Xyron Mega Runner.

Then, using my Big Shot and Eileen Hull Heart Journaling card die, I die cut yellow striped paper by using the heart insert with the outer rectangle die. Next, I backed the heart cut out with pink polka dot paper by just using the outer rectangle die.

Again, attaching the pieces using my Xyron Mega Runner.

Next, I die cut stemmed leaves from light green paper using the Eileen Hull Flowers & Leaves Journaling Card and the Spring Leaves die.

I  added depth by inking the edges with Leaf, Frog, & Nutmeg Blends inks.

Then added tiny vein details with a fine-tipped pen.

I die cut flowers from using the Flower & Leaf stitchlits.

I misted the flower slightly with water, then crushed the petals upward. 

Once dried, I inked the edges of the flower petals using Berry ink.

While the ink was drying, I die cut the word prayer from white & black cardstock. 

I gave it a variegated look using Bay and Beach ink.

Then paired the die-cut with a "sending you" stamp from Pink & Main's Sunshine stamps set. I stamped the phrase onto plain white cardstock using Coal dye ink. 

I attached my leaves then my flowers onto my card. I wanted it to hang over like a swag over a doorway. I set down and attached the leaves first then added the flowers over the leaves.

Then added my sentiment below my floral arch.

And here is my finished card...

It's not always easy finding the right words...

 But we can hope words of encouragement, faith, and understanding will help lighten a hard load on a heavy heart.

I hope you all enjoyed today's card and I hope you are inspired to send your own paper prayers.

Until next time...

Happy Crafting!

~Mitsyana

Flowers & Cupcakes... SWEET!

Happy Monday, Friends!! 

Today, I created this adorable card as part of the I Am Roses July Challenge! 

If you don't know what that is, you don't know what you're missing! These monthly challenges are a great way to get creative, participate in a wonderful crafting community, and possibly win some amazing prizes in the process!!

To participate, all you have to do is create something new that includes flowers on your project and link it on the I Am Roses Challenge Blog. And the best part ...you can use ANY brand flowers!! Yes, you read that right... you can use ANY flowers!!! More Details can be found on their blog, HERE.

For my project, I made a sweet little card... This stamp had the cutest little girl holding a stack of cupcakes... I just couldn't help myself! 

I Am Roses Supplies Used

White Handmade Mulberry Paper Flowers

Purple Tone Paper Flowers

White Small Rose May Paper Flowers

Soft Pink Cherry Blossoms

Other Supplies Used

Cupcake Brigitta Stamp (C.C. Designs)

Mixed Media Paper (Strathmore)

Clean Color Real Brush Markers (Zig/ Kuretake)

Big Shot (Sizzix)

Eileen Hull Leaves, Spring Die (Sizzix)

Jen Long Fancy Frame Die (Sizzix)

Edgeables Die (Crafter's Companion)

Mega Runner (Xyron)

3" Sticker Maker (Xyron)

 Cardstock-White, Black (Recollections)

Patterned Paper (Pink and Main, Lawn Fawn)

Double-sided Cardstock (DCWV)

ColorBox Archival Dye Ink- Wicked Black (Clearsnap)

Eileen Hull ColorBox Blends Ink- Leaf (Clearsnap)

Foam Adhesive

Chalk

White Gel Pen (Sakura)

Sparkle Pen- Clear (Spectrum Noir)

Paper Piercing Tool (Optional)

Scissors (EK Success)

Paper Trimmer (Swingline) 

MISTI Stamping Tool (My Pink Petunia)

I started by using my Misti stamping tool to stamp Cupcake Brigetta with Wicked Black ink onto mixed media paper. I colored her in using Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers. Then cut out the image by hand. I added red chalk to her cheeks using a small make-up brush, then added highlights to my image using a white gel pen.

I set aside my image and worked on my card base. I decided I wanted a 5.5" x 5.5" card (5.5" x 11"- folded in half). 

I cut out two pieces of 3" x 5" white cardstock, ran them through a Xyron 3" Sticker Maker, then die cut this beautiful and intricate lace design die twice.

I peeled each off its protective film and mounted them in the center onto a 5.25" x 5.25" piece of purple patterned paper, trimming off the overhang. Then, I attached it to the square card.

For the center of the card, I die cut fancy frames out of black and white cardstock. I layered and attached all the frames together, stacking the black frames on the bottom and the white frames on the top. I could have used all white but adding black to the bottom layers added visual depth. 

I also die cut a few leaves out of green cardstock using Eileen Hull's Spring Leaves die. Then I inked the edges using her Blends ink in Leaf.

I used a remnant from the fancy frame as a stencil to trace an oval out of plaid paper to go in the center of the frame. Then attached it using my Xyron Mega Runner.

I added foam adhesive to the back of my sweet little cupcake girl and mounted her onto my card, making her appear as if she was sitting on the edge of the frame.

I tied crinkle bow and attached the leaves to the frame. 

 I wound the wired stems around a paper piercing tool to create coiled vines. Then attached them onto the card base with clear-drying liquid glue.

And here is my finished card...

Isn't she absolutely adorable!! It looks like the cutie-patootie is having cupcakes in a beautiful garden!

All these shades of purple blooms are nothing short of gorgeous!! The pictures really don't do these flowers justice! They are even more stunning in person!

I hope you all enjoyed my tutorial! And I hope it inspires you to join in on this month's blog challenge... Just think of all the gorgeous flowers you could win!! 

For more amazing inspiration, don't forget to visit my design team sister!! All there projects, pics, and blog links can b found on the I Am Rose Challenge Blog, HERE!

Hope this started your week out with a smile!!

See you all next time!!

~Mitsyana

Flamingos in the Tropics

Hey, Crafty Friends!! 

Boy, is it HOT! I don't know where Spring went but it's long gone and hiding!

My kids are already out for summer break and they are enjoying all the sunshine. swimming, running, lots of screaming laughter... that's what we're down for in these next couple of months. All of which reminds me of my of my childhood days growing up in Hawaii. Tropical weather and visits to the zoo where at the foot of the entrance gates flamingoes await visitors. Yup, those were the days. They were a bit stinky but those flamingos sure were pretty! Lots of these majestic birds standing on one leg or rubbing beaks, occasionally spreading their wings for a stretch. How I want to share memories like those with my children.

So, when Blank Page Muse released my good friend Pam Bray's newest stamp set, it brought back all kinds of feels! I immediately fell in love with these stamps!! And when Kim (owner of Blank Page Muse) and  Pam asked if I would like to create with these stamps, I literally squealed!! I've always loved Pam's designs and of course, I had to jump at the opportunity! What's even better is that all of these stamps are made of deeply etched red rubber! So I know the impression is gonna be amazingly crisp and clear! And boy, was I right! It makes a HUGE difference, especially with detailed stamps such as these!

And in the spirit of my childhood memories, I created this #10 sized Tropical Flamingo Card.

Supplies Used 

Pam Bray Flamingo Row (Blank Page Muse)

Tim Holtz Tropical Dies (Sizzix)
Tim Holtz Stitched Ovals (Sizzix)
Tim Holtz Labels (Sizzix)

Mixed Media Paper (Strathmore)

Sun Drenched (Paper House)

Chalkboard Stack (DCWV)

Cardstock- Light Green, Orange

Vellum

VersaFine (Tsukineko/ Imagine Crafts)

Tim Holtz Distress Markers- Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Hickory Smoke (Ranger)
Clean Color Real Brush Marker- No. 052 Bright Yellow, No. 023 Scarlet Rd (Zig/ Kuretake)

Eileen Hull Blends- Leaf, Frog, Melon (Clearsnap)

MISTI Stamping Tool (My Sweet Petunia)

Hemp Twine

Mixed Media Glue

Foam Adhesive
Aqua Brush (Pentel)
Stylus

I started by stamping my faves from the set... FLAMINGOS!! I stamped them onto mixed media paper using Versafine Onyx Black ink.  Then colored in m images using my Tim Holtz Distress Markers. First coloring most of the bird with Worn Lipstick. I blended out the color using a water brush then went back in to add a second layer using Picked Raspberry to add more depth. Then colored the beaks with Hickory Smoke.

Once I was satisfied with my coloring and the images were completely dried, I cut out both flamingos by hand with scissors.

I die cut monstera leaves out of light green cardstock using Tim Holtz's Tropical Dies by Sizzix. I cut 3 leaves altogether.

Then shaded around the edges using Eileen Hull's Blends inks in Leaf, then in Frog.

After the ink was completely dried, I used a ball stylus to add dimension and shape the leaves.

Using the leftover scraps from my flamingoes, I stamped these little stemmed flowers using more Versafine ink. I didn't need the stems so stamping the entire stamp perfectly wasn't necessary. As long as all the flowers were intact I was good to go!

I colored these dainty flowers using, my Zigs in Bright Yellow, blended out toward the center with a water brush, then added Scarlet Red in the centers and blended outward with the water brush.

Once the flowers were all dried, I fussy cut them out, then creased each petal down the center to give them more dimension.

For the hibiscuses... again used dies from the Tropical set, and die cut from orange cardstock. I shaded along the edges using the Melon Blends ink.

I separated each petal from the flower and creased and folded them, then re-attached them to the cut-out centers with glue.

Disassembling them then re-assembling them gave them a whole lot more dimension.

For the card base, I cut patterned paper from PaperHouse's Sundrenched collection
to measure 3-3/4" x 9".

I used my Xyron Mega Runner to mount it onto a 4-1/8" x 9- 1/4" card base made from 110 lb white cardstock.

I  wanted a center focal point that wouldn't block out all that gorgeous ocean scenery. So, I die cut an oval out of vellum using Tim Holtz's Stitched Ovals. I ran the oval through my Xyron Crative Station with a 5" permanent refill cartritdge. Then adhered it to the card front.

I anchored the oval with a palm tree cut from black chalkboard paper die using the palm tree die from the same Tropical die set.

I attached foam adhesive sheets to the back of the flamingos and attached them to the oval then arranged the flowers and leaves and tucked in loops made from hemp twine.

I thought the "I'll stand by you... Today, Tomorrow, Always" sentiment went perfectly with this pretty pink couple. So I stamped it onto more mixed media paper and die cut it out using a label from the Tim Holtz Labels die set and shaded the edges with Eileen Hull's Sunshine blends ink.

And at the very last minute, I decided to re-mount the card front with a black mat mad with more of that deep black chalkboard paper. It gives a nice balance of black throughout the card, don't you think?!

And here is my finished card...

CLOSE-UPS

I hope you enjoyed this card tutorial and definitely take a peek on over to Blank Page Muse!! Pam Bray has so many more amazing stamps sets you need to check out!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Until next time...

HAPPY CRAFTING!!

~Mitsyana