For a Friend

I made these for a friend. I was surprised at how easily they came together and how awesome they turned out, I thought I would have had to make 2-3 before I began this project, but the first one turned out great!

The Lily file is Penny Duncan's. She has a wonderful tutorial here that I pretty much followed. I did substitute for a couple things I didn't have. Instead of watercolor pencil, I used watercolors; instead of craft floss I used dental floss (the stamens were a bit 'floppy', I'm sure the craft floss would have taken care of that); I added glimmer mist (cause I'm in love); and instead of floral wire I used twisty ties (I only needed a little, since my project was different).

It's difficult to tell in the above picture, but the flowers are pens. I love pretty useful stuff. I did have a hard time giving this away, might have to make some for me! The glass is a recycled spaghetti jar (washed out multiple times). Ribbon from Hobby Lobby, tag, twine and papers I had. Close up of the flowers, you can kinda see the glimmer mist.


Close up of tag. The stamp is embossed. It was from one of the first stamp sets I bought and the name isn't on the box. I think it was see-through something or another, as it was when acrylic stamps first became popular. The flower is made out of Basic Grey scraps and the patterned paper on the tag is from a baby boy paper stack sold at Hobby Lobby, not sure the brand (can't find it in the mess right now)-it isn't Paper Studio. Hope my friend likes it, and maybe you will be inspired to make a spring bouquet!

Challenges:
Creative Scrapbooking Diva-Weekend Challenge-flowers with a quote
Anything Goes-make your own embellishment-flower and tag
Do You Stack Up-Shine on-glimmer mist on flowers
DigiDoodle Shop-ribbons/bows
For Fun-Flower+sentiment
One Stop Craft Challenge-diamonds are a girls best friend-glimmer mist
Stamp Something- anything goes

Seeds to Flowers and a Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Spring Forward Blog Hop hosted by Celeste at Touched by a Butterfly and and Lora at Notes from the Scrapbooklady! If you are just stopping by my blog to stop, thank you! But the start of the blog is here, so be sure to go back to the beginning to get all of your spring bunny (or frog) hopping in! There is blog candy for up for grabs. What do you need to do? Hop all the way through and leave a comment for each person. The winner will be posted at both Notes from the Scrapbooklady and Touched by a Butterfly and will have one week to contact Lora or Celeste with a mailing address for their prize packages. Some individual blogs may be offering candy as well (with its own stipulations), I'm not this time, sorry.

Now that all of the details are taken care of, let's take a look at my project. I have to tell you, I was having a hard time creating for this, not sure why, it shouldn't have been hard. Everything I created I didn't like enough to include it in a blog hop. Until I came across Veronica's file (it is the scalloped circle and the sentiment, but I don't think it is free anymore), I saved it and when I came back to it a day later, I was able to create!
And a close up of the image (and you can also see the glittery details).


Ok, now for the details of how I created it. It is a 5x5 easel card. In order to create the easel, I cut (white cardstock) 10in x 5 in. I scored the paper and folded it at 5 1/2 inches and 2 1/2 inches (the smallest space will be the front of the card). I cut the brown paper (Color bok) and the pink, brown, yellow patterned paper (printed from the Imagine while my mother-in-law was babysitting it for a friend, not sure the cartridge) both 5inx5in. Rounded all corners w/ a punch. The scallop and sentiment on the front are Veronica's. The blue piece I cut from SCAL2, along with the flower (both in the library). The digital stamp is from Silly Shells, she hasn't posted in a year, but all her past digis are free. I added stickles (the generic kind from Michael's). For the bottom, the ribbon is from Hobby Lobby (again, added stickles). I raised it by putting hot glue on and letting it dry before adhering. The raised edge holds the top in place, and is essential to easel cards. Whew! That was long, sorry!

For those who are directionally challenged (even in blog~o~sphere) here is the hop order:

1. Lora at http://scrpbooklady.blogspot.com/
2. Celeste L. at http://touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com/
3.Brandi at http://joyfullycreative.blogspot.com/ <----ME! 4.Carrie at http://doubleclickconnections.blogspot.com/ <---NEXT STOP!
5.Celeste B. at http://ccscards.blogspot.com/
6.Karel at http://karelj.blogspot.com/
7. Kacee at www.youhadmeatscrap.blogspot.com
8. Melanie at www.arkmom-scrappilyeverafter.blogspot.com
9. Michelle at http://peanutbutterandjellydesigns.blogspot.com
10. Patti at http://lilbitcreations.blogspot.com
11. Sue at http://susanascorner.blogspot.com/
12. Tina http://lv2scrapandfibrofacts.blogspot.com/
14. Yolie At http://www.justyolie.com/

Have fun hopping!

Challenges:
Papertake Weekly-lemon singy (yellow)
For Fun-Spring
Digi's With Attitude!- anything goes
Anything Goes Challenge Blog-die cuts (circle and scalloped circle and flower)
Creative Inspirations- use a template (I had to look at my template for an easel card)
Crafty Creations- baby blue (half circle and inked edges on the image)

Flower Power

So I've been busy making flowers, of all sorts and kinds. They are fun and I have even experimented with some colors I would probably never use. But, I'm being creative, as these flowers aren't for me (and the people they are for could be more adventurous than I). Who are they for, do you ask (you didn't have to, I was going to tell you anyways), the winner of the January Diva of the month Challenge over at Creative Scrapbooking Divas. The challenge can be found here (feel free to join in, the more, the merrier). I will undoubtedly make more, as I seem to be yes... addicted~I'll join a support group next week :)

The Roses and Cala Lilies are Penny Duncan's files, and are surprisingly easy to assemble (she has tutorials on her site). The others are borders wound into flowers with cricut cut-outs on top. There is glitter on several, but it is difficult to see in this picture, so much prettier up close. Interested in these particular ones? Check out the challenge. It is open until January 30th.

I'm not sure if this counts, but 2 Sister's Challenge blog's theme is flowers, so I'm entering my hand made flowers.

Flowers of Thanks

I had soooo much fun making these flowers!! I had forgotten how great layered flowers look! Some of these are from Ileena (not sure which cartridge she used) and the smallest one (8 petals) is from a punch-Marvy Uchida. The brads are old ones, the glitter is stickles, the ribbon is Robert Stanley. The image is Meljens-(I did separate the Thank You, which was above the image) she has lots of great ones!
I used markers for most of the image, with the exception of the fur-which was pastel chalk.
Challenges:
I used Sentimental Sunday's sketch
I added doodling (in stickles) for PollyCraft Monday
Glittery/Girly/Glam-Creative Inspirations
Glitterbabe's Challenge-glitter+thanksgiving

Bouquet

My maids of honor and I decided we would do the bouquets (for 5 bridesmaids and myself), boutonnieres (for 5 groomsmen, groom, 3 ring bearers, pastor, 2 dads, 5 grandfathers) and the corsages (2 mothers, 4 grandmothers and one sister). Quite an undertaking, I tell you! After a couple hours of shopping and three nights working for five hours, we were done!

The lovely lady holding a bridesmaids' bouquet in the above photo is Savanna, a life-long friend.
The equally lovely lady 'hiding' behind my bouquet is my wonderful friend, Heather. It is hard to see, but I also added some stickels to the dots randomly in the large circle.
The ribbon running along the bottom of the pages (gold) and the ribbon used in the bow are leftovers from our bouquets. The purple is Offray brand 1/2 inch and the gold is Big Lots Holiday Gold Wired Ribbon. Fun Fact: The Easter Lillys in the bouquets were white and the gals colored them with fabric spray paint (they said it was fun~I wasn't there).
You can't have flowers without butterflies! The butterfly and the scalloped circles are from the Stamping Cricut Cartridge. The Cala Lily digi stamps (there are 3 total) are from Shell at Silly Shells Digital Creations (she has loads of free digis!)
The sentiment that worked so nicely with our creating of bouquets is from Ann at Sentimental Sundays. I colored it with pastels and added some stickles. Below you can see the lily again.
The sketch for this layout can be found at Creative Scrapbook Divas (I entered this in a challenge there). It really pushed me to be percise (all the photo sizes were designated), and to be creative in adding the details (hence the lilies, rather than the dots).

Other Challenges:
Anything Goes-the letter B-B is for Bouquet!
Connie and Mary-anything that glitters
One Stop Craft Challenge-Anything Goes
MamiDoodles-anything but a card
Little Paper Shop-Buttons and Bows
Flutterby Wednesday-Anything goes+fairy or butterfly
Creative Inspirations- Glitter, Glamor, Girly
Crafty Creations-Fables and Fairytales-getting ready for a fairytale wedding :)

Whew! That was a lot!

Beautiful You

I had so much fun making this card! The sketch I used is from Glitterbabe's Challenge Blog:I did my card landscape, but other than that I think I followed it pretty closely. Take a look.


On to the details: none of the papers I used had the brands printed on them (really wish they would do that so I could give them credit), the lace is from a stash my grandmother gave me (chances are good that it is nearly as old as I am. The petals on the sides (they look like hearts) are extras from the inside (which I will show you in a bit). The big flower is a traced image from the inside (again, you have to wait to see it). The blue pearls were on a sheet, maybe Creating Keepsakes? The digital image (blue) is from Stef of Glitterbabe (a freebie on her site). I just happened to have the stamp (embossed) from Autumn leaves which correlated perfectly with Stef's. I typed and printed off the sentiment. Here is an alternate view:

And one more:
Alright, on to the inside! This is the first card I have ever created that I did the inside before the outside. That is because Dawny of Pink Piggy inspired me by making her own pop up flower card and she inserted the tutorial on her site (please visit this link to see how to do it). The flowers that look to be black are really dark blue. This image is part way open:
This image showcases the sentiment, I believe it is from TLC or was it Sentimental Sundays?
And here it is fully popped up! Notice, Stef, the glitter on the center flower (just for you).

Do I have you wanting to make one of your own? I sure hope so :)

Challenges:
Glitterbabe's Challenge: use a Glitterbabe digi, glitter and sketch
Digi Doodle Shop-embossing (the flower stamp inside the big flower are all embossed)
Digital Tuesday- give thanks
Anything Goes- cute
Flutterby Wed- All winged things
Sentimental Sundays-3D with sentiment

Have a wonderful Tuesday!