Spellbinders – My Crafts are Like a Box of Chocolates

Winter Elegance Coffee Card

December 7, 2018December 7, 2018 beccreates1

I had such fun creating a card for the Winter Coffee Lover’s Bloghop, that I decided to make 2 more cards! I’ve had trouble in the past with link up thingies if I’m trying to add multiple cards so I’m going to create 3 different blog posts. Hope that doesn’t drive anyone crazy!

Coffee-Lovers-Blog-Hop-fw18

For my first card, I used an Echo Park paper pad from a year or two ago, Bundled Up. Aren’t the colours gorgeous?! I just bought an older set of Spellbinders dies that matched some Nestabling I won. Remember Nestabling? If you are new to crafting, you’ve probably never seen it. It’s pearls or rhinestones shaped perfectly to fit the Spellbinders Labels dies. Buying the dies second is kind of backwards I know! I don’t know if they make it anymore. It used to be that Spellbinders was the only game in town for low-profile dies so a lot of companies matched stamps and embellishments to them. Now with so many dies on the market and stamp companies making their own dies, there’s no need for these products or they are redundant.

winter pearl coffee card.jpg

The focal image is from the die cut pack that matches the paper pack. But you could argue that the snowflake embellishment is the focus of the card! I took dies from MFT, Stylized Snowflakes and Layered Snowflakes, no idea which dies are which because I store them all jammed together on a magnet sheet! The blue layer was coloured with Copic markers and the silver one was coloured with a silver paint marker. The brad is also a matching embellishment.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Uncategorized

Pastel Hugs

August 21, 2017 beccreates1

Working with a sketch always makes me happy. I watched a video by Yana Smakula about using an embossing folder as a stamp. So I tried it combining the technique with our sketch challenge this week at Crazy 4 Challenges.

I used similar soft ink colours from Altenew with a folder from Spellbinders. The first try I got a gorgeous background but it was too bright for what I was trying to achieve. In the end I used only the lightest of the inks from 3 collections, blush, pink diamond and buttercream. To do this technique, you spread the inks randomly over the more solid surfaced side of the folder. Spritz the inks with water until they pool up. It might require more water than you’d think. Then add Bristol or watercolour paper and close the folder. To get a good impression, press well or use a brayer to add moderate pressure. The goal is to get a good impression with the ink but not with the ridges of the folder.

I wanted something light and fluffy at the top when I remembered about a fringe die I bought but hadn’t used. I didn’t have the right colours so I used white and very, very delicately inked it with matching colours. Then I added some lace and sewed it on with gold thread. For the three elements on the sketch, I tried a ton of embellies and flowers. In the send, I chose two layered flowers by Maggie Holmes and two Prima pearl clusters. A die cut and layered Hugs die cut with the same colours, just a bit darker, inked on it and a few sequins finished it off.

Join us for this fun sketch this week! It’s open until Friday at midnight when we post our next challenge.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Uncategorized

Congratulations Wedding Shaker

July 15, 2017 beccreates1

Shakers are all the rage and I can’t seem to stop making them!! Have you made any yet? If not, you have to try them! They are super fun to both the making and the playing! I keep mine for a couple days before making so my 5 year old son, Teddy, and I can play with them! He’s completely enamoured with all my interactive cards.

Do you even find you have a piece of patterned paper (My Mind’s Eye-Fancy That) that is so lovely you can’t bear to cut it up? I find that to be true often when a paper has a border or is a full-sheet design rather than a repeating pattern. The gold dots around the edges of this piece were so pretty, I couldn’t bear to cut it small enough for an A2 card so this card is a whopping 6×6”! Yes, you will have to buy oversized envelopes or make them yourself. But I think it’s worth it!

TIP: One way to mail an oversized card without buying or making special envelopes is to wrap it in tissue, add some washi tape, a pretty tag or an embellishment then mail it in a plain white 9×12” envelope cut down to size.

Instead of building from the bottom up to make my shaker, I decided to work from the top down. That way my shaker’s edges are hidden under the gold striped paper. This is an elegant way to create a shaker especially if you find you have trouble getting the layers to align and look neat. My paper was cut with an oval nesting die (Spellbinders) to create a frame for my shaker then the acetate was adhered to the back of the frame. You don’t need as much adhesive for this layer as there won’t be any sequins trying to escape! To make things easier, I used the nesting dies to cut fun foam Strong adhesive was added to the fun foam on both sides. I placed the fun foam on a scrap of a quilt patterned paper then added my sequins. Finally I placed it altogether!

Love this card? Be sure to Pin or Share!

With so many sequins, all this card needed was a layered black sparkly die cut sentiment (Simon Says Stamp/Wink of Stella) and a silk ribbon (May Arts) bow. I haven’t given this one away yet ~~because I’m still busy playing with it~~ there haven’t been any weddings or anniversaries yet but I hope the happy couple will love this card!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Uncategorized

The Shabby Tea Room Rose Thanks Card

July 19, 2015October 6, 2018 beccreates1

Hello and welcome to another Shabby Tea Room challenge. This week we have the loveliest photo and a great company sponsored us. DiesRUs.com has TONS of amazing dies!

I used an older Spellbinders die called Vintage Ovals (I think). Sadly it’s retired so they don’t stock it anymore but in trying to find it, I searched for ovals and vintage and I found so many fabulous dies I’d love to have. They even have the Elizabeth Craft series of Susan’s Garden dies that make lovely 3-D flowers. There are a few I’ve been wanting to try!

Isn’t this the best inspiration photo? I love all the white and soft pink with so many flowers. I wished I’d had a cameo in soft pink to add to this card but in the end, I decided to keep this flat so I could mail it. I used some Maggie Holmes die cuts and they are amazing. So many pieces in a pack! I used Retro Sketches #172 but sadly it ended on Saturday and this card had to be kept secret until now so I didn’t get a chance to link it up. Oh well, half the time I forget anyway! 🙂

Please be sure to visit The Shabby Tea Room to see the other fabulous designers cards based on this photo and don’t forget to drop by Dies R Us!

Enjoy, Rebecca

Uncategorized

Last but not Least, TSTR DT Application 4!

June 29, 2015 beccreates1

I went all out on this one. Shabby but bold!

I started with a rather painstaking process of learning how to use foil. My first three attempts failed miserably despite following directions from several different prominent crafter’s blogs! Grrr… But I finally got results I could use even if I didn’t love it. I applied Versamark through a stencil and clear embossed it. Then I added foil and ran my paper through my laminator. It melts the embossing powder so the foil can stick. Unfortunately, it also flattened the melted embossing powder causing it to spread out. So my pattern is a bit more messy than I had hoped for but hopefully that just enhances the shabby chic-ness.

I made the small white flowers, I realized that I hadn’t use the baby’s breath as inspiration at all so I made the closest flowers I could! I think they softened an otherwise quite bold card. I used the yarrow die set from Susan’s Garden. Sizzix used to manufacture them but now I believe you can get them from Elizabeth Crafts. I used the Paper Players sketch 225. and of course The Shabby Tear Room DT call.

Enjoy, Rebecca

Uncategorized

Navy and Pink PTI Blog Hop

April 25, 2015 beccreates1

Welcome to another PTI Blog Hop! My card was made when I was very tired this morning, I got up early because I couldn’t sleep, so please forgive a lack of inspiration. Overall though, I think it’s a pretty card worth posting.

I really wish PTI made a cardstock that was about halfway between blush and hibiscus and not peachy/coral like Melon Berry and Berry sorbet. Then I would have used that for the sentiment panel and the flowers would stand out more. IRL the sponging on the edges of the flowers shows more and they stand out from the background a bit better.

Such a gorgeous inspiration photo right? The flowers were made with a die from Memory Box and I took the time to shape them nicely before adding them to the card. I should have sponged them before shaping them though so I will make a note to myself for next time. Not only did they not sponge very smoothly but the tiny tab used to keep the flower 3-D

I love making lots of types of cards but I find myself using get well and thanks most so I love having lots of choices of sentiment in these two categories. This set, Healing Touch Sentiments, has lots of options. I am dying to get a Get Well die though. Anyone know of one? The only one I can find, from Hero Arts, isn’t in a font I like too well.

I used Cardabilities sketch 121 for this card. Isn’t it awesome? They have the best sketches for all cards but especially shabby chic ones.

Enjoy the rest of the hop! Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: fancy flourishes, Healing Touch sent-PTI
Ink: Paris dusk-Memento, hibiscus burst
Paper: DP-MME, cardstock all PTI
Accessories: Cherry Blossom die-Memory Box, Labels 8-Spellbinders, leaves die-SSS, gem-stash, border die-PTI
Tools: MISTI, Embossing stylus

Uncategorized

Lace and Roses Mini Pail

March 8, 2015 beccreates1

This is for the Shabby Tea Room Challenge this week.

I took a basic pail I got from either a dollar store of the Dollar Spot in Target and added some metallic rub-on to the outside. I quickly realized that, even with heat setting, it wasn’t going to set. Bummer. So I added some workable fixatif. Bad idea. It seemed to work but if rubbed to hard, it came off. Then I tried adding some red line tape to attach the lace. The first piece of tape wouldn’t stick at all and removed the rub on and fixativ from the area I was taping and a bit beyond. Seriously? I decided to embrace the uneven nature figuring it lent to the distressed look I was going for. At least the second piece of tape stuck.

Next I added a Spellbinders fancy label which I stamped and distressed with more rub-on. I used ribbon to attach the label and added some pearls. I didn’t have quite the right colour of roses so I added some Copic airbrushing to them. Perfect! These were adhered over top of some mini ivy die cuts. I used Copic markers on white paper to get just the right colour. Click on the photo to link to the challenge.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: SU! french script
Ink: Cup o joe-HA, melon berry-PTI
Paper: ivory-PTI
Accessories: vintage lace, raspberry rickrack-stash, roses-Really Reasonable Ribbon, pearls-Dollarama, pail-dollar store or dollar spot, ivy die-Memory Box, rub-on metallic paste-stash, Krylon workable fixatif, label die- Spellbinders

Uncategorized

Sparkle and Shine Snowflake Shaker Card

December 11, 2014 beccreates1

Whew! That’s quite the title huh?

I recently watched a video by Jennifer McGuire about making a shaker card with a sponged background. I decided to CASE her idea.

I used extra thick foam underneath so I’d have lots of room for shaker goodies. I always overfill so I gave myself some more room. There’s clear, white and a few silver sequins, microbeads and tinsel glitter. I also tossed in a silver embossed snowflake die cut I made for another project and didn’t use. My silver embossed sentiment didn’t show up too well against the shimmery background, should have used white, so I shadowed the letters with a dark grey Copic marker.

I’ve made this for a few challenges: Mojo Monday 375 and the JUGS challenge #270 “sparkle”.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: SSS
Ink: Versamark, Distress inks – Broken China, Faded Jeans, Dusty Concord, Seedless Preserves
Paper: all from SSS Dec Card Kit
Accessories: silver EP-SU!, foam sheet-Sticky Stuff Store, sequins-Pretty Pink Posh and SSS, snowflake die-large from Spellbinders, small from MFT, tinsel glitter, microbeads-MS, Copic marker, Perfect Pearls spray

Uncategorized

Blingy Baby Love for Unscripted Sketches #244

February 15, 2014 beccreates1

This has to be one of the cards I’ve made that I’m most proud of lately. It suits my signature style of simple shabby (shabby without too many layers or embellies) and my favourite category of cards – baby!

No special techniques here to explain. I kinda enlarged one of the circles on the sketch and omitted one but I think you can still see the inspiration! I enlarged an angled view of the sentiment. I drives me nuts when I use lovely gold EP and it photographs really dark, even black!

I hope you enjoy playing with this sketch like I did! It’s really fun when you realize that you don’t have to use each element as you see it. Change the shapes, sizes, proportions, flip; rotate, mirror, whatever you like!

We’d love to have more people play our sketch so be sure to come by Unscripted Sketches this week!

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: Graphic 45
Paper: Graphic 45
Ink: Versamark, Vintage photo distress
Accessories: pearls-Recollections, oval die-Spellbinders, ribbon (chevron and silk to thread buttons)-May Arts, buttons-ebay, lace-stash, focal stickers-G45, foam dots-Jody Morrow, gold EP-SU!

Uncategorized

Vellum Window Wine Glass Congrats Card

January 10, 2014 beccreates1

Whew! That’s a mouthful huh? This card loses so much in the translation to a screen. I am going to have to take some classes in macro photography because with me saying that with practically every other card, I have got to learn more.

I was inspired by the latest Mojo Monday Sketch #327 and C4C217 which had the lovely inspiration photo below. So used the colours (plus I added pink) and celebratory aspect of it for my card. I rarely mix metals but it seems to work with black and white. This cardstock is supremely stubborn and refuses to crease nicely despite scoring it properly and using my bone folder repeatedly or you would see my card insert had lovely stamped bokeh on it. I even jammed it into my floral frog to try and get the bokeh ‘confetti’ to show through the vellum. Oh well.

My camera wouldn’t focus on it because it was so faint then my camera moved slightly after I focused on a pen I held in front of it then moved it before shooting so it’s hard to see but you get the idea. Turned out so sweet. I found the trick to making it look good was to stamp very randomly and immediately generation stamp right near the first impression usually overlapping. I also added some more full impressions without the second generation and vice versa. I also airbrushed the background both the normal smooth way and with the brush tip to achieve a fine splatter pattern.

I added glitter to a brad for one heart, the two top ones were die cut from glitter tape, the ornate white one is a button with the shank cut off and the bottom one was cardstock layered 4 times and stamped with a Damask stamp using Versamark then brushed with Perfect Pearls.

Enjoy, Rebecca

RECIPE
Stamps: sentiment-SSS, wine glasses-unknown, damask-Gel-a-tins
Ink: versamark, pink shadow ink-HA, harvest gold-PTI
Paper: black CS-Bazzill, Vellum-SSS, white CS-scraps
Accessories: brad-stash, rhinestones-TE, button-Jesse James, heart dies-Lg-PTI, Sm-SSS, Perfect Pearls-Ranger, rectangle dies-Nesties, silver and gold embossing powder-SU!