Some Recent Projects to Share...

Here are a few projects that I recently finished. I have a friend going through a particularly challenging time in her life right now, and I wanted to create a card to send to her letting her know that she will be okay and to keep her chin up. I had several ideas in mind, but sometimes until I actually make them, I can't decide which one fits the person best, that I am giving it so. So a lot of times, what ends up happening is, I create 3 or 4 cards for one person, and of course I am only sending one. It ends up being good for me in the end, because then I end up with a card to put in my collection that is already made when I need one next. For me, it depends on the situation, but if I have a card already made, I send it before making one, but if it's for a special reason/occasion then I will make several like I did here. Again, I am trying to get this blog posting thing figured out so be patient if what I am writing doesn't fit the photo. After my first photo post, I realized that my photo, which I wanted to appear UNDER my text, actually appeared above it. I want to try and include the recipes for my projects under the photos for that project, but I don't know if it will actually end up where I want it. So, let's see how this one goes....

The first card is a regular sized card (5 1/2 x 4 1/4) and I used some scrumptious new paper by Chatterbox, called Artsylicious and also some Basic Grey from the Scarlet Letter collection. The small pieces of Riding Hood Red cardstock have a quote on them that says "Courage is the only magice worth having." And I used the Illuminations stamp set by SU! and used the word "cherish" but masked the word stamping only the "C". I embossed it directly onto the Basic Grey paper using Basic Black craft and clear e.p. The bright red dots on the photo are actually red rhinestones placed sporadically on the flourishes of the "C". I found another great quote that I printed on c.s. and put on the inside of the card that reads "What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Recipe: Illuminations stamp set, Riding Hood Red c.s., Artsylicious Vanilla DP (Chatterbox), Scarlet Letter DP (Basic Grey), Black Damask DP (My Mind's Eye), Red/black taffeta ribbon (from my scrap jar), black brads & red rhinestones (doodlebug), Black Craft, clear e.p., dimensionals

The second card turned out to be my favorite and is actually the one I sent to her. I found that great little angel saying stamp at my local Michael's the last time I was there. I also used some of the new Ambrosia DP by Basic Grey. Other than Stampin' Up! my favorite DP is by Basic Grey and that's followed closely by Daisy D's and Chatterbox. I also love K & Company a lot too! The Ambrosia paper matches SU's Tangerine Tango Designer Prints paper perfectly and I actually broke out my sewing machine for this card. The tags on the card were made with watercolor paper and then using the tag corner punch made to look like tags. I even reinforsed the hole to look like a real tag that you can buy. The prima flowers are a cream color and I sponged the edges to give them depth and definition. I used orange rhinestones in small and medium. I also used some of the new rope twine by SU on the larger tag. The stems are from the retired SU set The Art of Life. The inside of the card has a tangerine piece of c.s. and I used the retired set On Angel's Wings and stamped the scripture from Psalms , "For he will give thee angels............."

Recipe: The Art of Life (retired SU) stamp set, Angel saying stamp from Michael's, Ambrosia Dp (Basic Grey), Tangerine Tango Designer Prints DP (SU!), Basic Gray c.s., watercolor paper, Mellow Moss & Basic Gray classic ink, orange rhinestones, 5/8" tangerine grosgrain ribbon (from Michael's), rope twine, misc. buttons, sewing machine/thread.

The third card is pretty self explanatory, but I will comment that the blue DP is actuall retired SU from the Spring Silhouettes collection. The pink brocade DP actually came in just the pink and creme but I stamped an the ornamental image in basic black classic ink to give it some more character. That paper is from Tres Jolie. There are rhinestones on the flourish chipboard in black that may be hard to see, and the scroll image along the left side is from another retired SU set Artifacts. I also sponged the sides in basic black and used black diamond stickles on the halo above the word "angels".

Recipe: Artifacts stamp set (SU), Angels stamp (from Michael's), Spring Silhouettes DP (retired SU), Tres Jolie DP, Soft Sky c.s., Basic Black classic ink, Basic Black craft ink (for the chipboard), flourish chipboard (Maya Road), black rhinestones, rose organdy (from my scrap jar), black diamond stickles.

The fourth and last card was another favorite and it was between this one and the tangerine & basic gray card to send to my friend. This card was pretty simple. I used retired DP from SU, Afternoon Tea , one of my favs from a past mini catalog. I used my sewing machine again on this one with black thread and stitched the edges of the DP. I then stamped the flower and the leaves and watercolored them on watercolor paper and cut out. The scroll image at the bottom is actually a clear sticker that I bought at my local $Dollar Tree$, and there are 2 ribbons on this card- a black velvet and the fancy green ribbon, both from my stash of ribbon that I have picked up everywhere from Michal's to Big Lots to Wal-Mart to Hobby Lobby at various times. I LOVE ribbon....well, I LOVE all things pretty, but I really love PAPER, thus my blog name "Paper and Pretties". The rhinestone center in the middle of the flower is actually many rhinestones put together to make one. It's a larger one and then smaller ones around the outside.

Recipe: Embrace Life and Holidays and Wishes stamp sets (SU), Basic Black c.s., Afternoon Tea DP (retired SU), clear rhinestones, black velvet & green satin ribbon (unknown), clear scroll sticker from $Dollar Tree, sewing machine/black thread.