Graduation Owl!

I needed a graduation card, and I couldn't resist making one of these little owls! I know I've seen a lot of these little guys made, but I was inspired by a card made by LeeAnn Greff (I've followed her blog for a long time!). You can check out her version here. It's pretty much the same, but I made bigger eyes and I used Pacific Point.

I also gave an extra black layer and popped up some parts for extra dimension. And I used the Black Taffeta ribbon - I love the weight of it, and it's so easy to push and pull into place!

Here's a little bit closer up of the owl - he is pretty cute, huh?! His little diploma is just a piece of 1 1/4" x 1 1/2" typing paper rolled up and tied with the 1/8" Black Taffeta. His wings were made with a Scallop Oval punch, just with the top part of it trimmed off. His graduation cap is hand cut out - but the rounded edge that sits on his head was made with the 1 1/4" circle punch.

And here's the inside, with the saying from the Word Play set. - Perfect for the graduate, don't cha think? And, guess what? - the set is still on sale for 30% off, but only until the end of May! (You can click on the "National Scrapbooking Month" ad to the right for more details.)


Thanks for stopping by,


Julie

Sailing into Thursday!

So this is a card I made for the Create with Connie and Mary Color Challenge 150. It was definitely a challenge when I saw the colors Poppy Parade, Sahara Sand and Not Quite Navy. I've been wanting to use the Poppy Parade, but every time I think to take it out I find something else. I guess it's just not one of those colors I'm drawn to.

But when I put these three colors together, I got a masculine and nautical feel. So I decided to use the Sail Away stamp.

Here's a close-up of the Poppy Parade Poly Stitched Twill. I love this ribbon - it's so nice to work with! It's soft, but makes a nice crisp knot!

And to color-in the Sail and the water, I used the Aquapainter with Sahara Sand ink and Not Quite Navy ink.

And finally, because it was a masculine card, I couldn't add bling, but the antique-brass colored brads added that little something I thought it needed! And I think once this card was all put together, it gave a Ralph Lauren Polo feel!?


Thanks for stopping by,


Julie

Big Wish for a Good Buddy!

I made this card for a good buddy of mine that's having a birthday this week! I've been waiting to make an Inset Embossed card with lots of circle punches - so here it is! I've seen a few different versions of these around blogland, but this is my version. I decided to use Marina Mist, Rich Razzleberry, Pear Pizzazz and Crumb Cake.

And here's the "Wish Big" from the Word Play set (which by the way is one of the sale sets this month! You can click on the link on the right side bar to see what else is on sale). I punched it out with the 1 3/4" circle, and added a little Rhinestone bling!

And I added a few more Rhinestones above the Razzleberry Satin ribbon to kind of balance out that side of the card.

Oh, and the base of the card has lots of circle punches stuck on, and then run through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice folder.


Thanks for stopping by,


Julie

A Couple of My Favorites...

The Occasions Mini will be over April 30th, so I took one last opportunity to share a couple of my favorite things! I used the Nature Walk set, the Botanical Gazette Designer Papers, the Say it Simply set (that one is so easy to look past on pg. 41, but two great sayings for only 7.95), Crumb Cake Seam Binding and the Framed Tulips Embossing Folder. I decided to follow the Sketch from Stamping 411.

And here's the sketch!

Here's a close-up of the bird. I just stamped it in Early Espresso and gave it a little Aquapainter 'brush-over' to kind of blend the feathers! But when I stamped it, I left the cardstock a little longer and trimmed around his tail feathers just to give a little overlap on that edge.

And here's a close-up of the Say it Simply "for you." I punched it out with the shorter edge of the Decorative Label punch. Also, I think you can probably see the background a little closer here too. I used the Square Lattice folder first, then "Double Embossed" with the Framed Tulips folder second! It all got a little Espresso sponging - and tah dah!!


I hope you make sure and get your favorites from the Occasions Mini before they're gone (April 30th is the last day to order from it!).


Thanks for stopping by,


Julie

Perfect Plum Printed Petals!

I made this card tonight for a couple different challenges combined! I used the color challenge from Create with Connie and Mary (Perfect Plum, So Saffron and Wild Wasabi), and I used the sketch challenge from Stampin' Royalty. I used the sets Printed Petals and Word Play (which will be part of a special sale starting May 1st!); and I used a lot of Big Shot dies and folders!

Here's a close-up of the main flower, stamped from the Printed Petals set in Perfect Plum. I layered the 1" and 3/4" circles on the center and then added the Saffron button tied with our new Baker's Twine (also coming May 1st - Yay, White twine!!).

The accent flowers are made with the little Sizzix die, Flower Fusion. Then I put the pieces in the Square Lattice folder and embossed them. I wanted them to coordinate with the card base.

One of my favorite things about this card is the texture! I used the Square Lattice and Perfect Polka Dots embossing folders to make things pop a little more. I didn't have my Designer Papers with me, but I think the Embossing Folders can really make plain cardstock feel more like a Designer Paper.


Thanks for stopping by,


Julie

It's a Sail Away Bleached Birthday

Here's another Sneak Peek from the upcoming Summer Mini Catalog! I used the new stamp called Sail Away. It's going to be offered as a single stamp. I kind of like that we have single stamp options, cause you know how some of us do have a lot of other things we can already put with those single stamps! :)

I added the birthday saying from the On Your Birthday set. And I used the Square Lattice Folder the background texture.

And probably my favorite thing about the card is the stamping and "coloring" of the sailboat. I stamped the image with Night of Navy Craft Ink and clear embossed it. Then I colored the sails with a q-tip and bleach! I haven't done heat embossing with bleach in a long time, but I LOVE the look of it! And definitely when you want to color in with bleach, it helps to have that heat embossed raised edge.

The one thing to remember when you bleach though is to test how the bleach will effect the cardstock you're using. Bleach on Crumb Cake turns a little vanilla-ish, yellowish! So when you want to coordinate your other card parts you'll know what goes best too.

The 5/8" vanilla grosgrain ribbon I chose has a little more yellowish to it, so it worked well. But when I went to add a vanilla background piece to the saying, I realized that it was a little off. So I added a little So Saffron sponging to help it! Now I think it all works well!


Thanks for stopping by,


Julie