Bella Carta

Fresca Flowers

Here's another great use for that empty soda can, turn it into a page full of flowers! 

These are made using the Big Shot and the Sizzix steel ruled dies (flower layers).  I positioned the can over the die several times and get lots of flowers to use.  I then matched them into blooms, used my crop-o-dile and punched a  hole in the middle of each and secured with a brad.  I let my Fresca can dictate the colors used : the colors are Tempting Turqoise and Gable Green, the stamp set used is Priceless and the sentiment is from Upsy Daisy.

{All Supplies from Stampin' Up! except the Fresca can}

 

 

Love that new Manhattan Style watch!

The new Manhattan style watch colors/stamps/projects is right up my alley (stylistically speaking!).  Crisp, sharp: blues/greens/greys.

I used my grey dsp from the Urban Garden collection with Baja Blue cardstock (which is cut for a square card at 5.5. x 5.5 in). 

I loved this card so much, I made a second! In Pink Piroutte!  Cause I think anything "pink is perfect!".

HapBEE birthday to Papertrey Ink!

Papertrey Ink is going to be celebrating two years in February! 

I'm just tickled to have had the time to do the Blog Hop this month (I missed in November and December thanks to the holidays and traveling).

This month's challenge was to create a birthday card (or birthday project) featuring PTI.  The cardstock is Summer Sunrise, the ribbon is Plum Pudding and the stamp set is Honeybees.  The card also features a photo - one of mine - of a bee on a thistle flower.  I thought they were a good match!  I background stamped the cardstock with the honeycomb shaped stamp. The sentiment is stamped with Palette Noir ink on vellum and is attached with a rhinestone brad from Imaginesce.

Enjoy and happy blog-hopping!

 

 

Cowboys and Blue Jeans (another ode to PW!)

Almost a month ago I made this card: Cowboys and Rock Stars on Kraft cardstock, using a piece of faux embossed leather fabric and the Top Note die.   I decided that while I love my Kraft CS - it just wasn't enough contrast to show off that fabric.

So, I made this card, on "Night of Navy" cardstock.  I stamped the medallion from the Wanted stamp set in Night of Navy also, just to give it some background.  The fabric came from the fabric store and I used my Top Note die (SU exclusive) in the Big Shot machine. I paired it with some linen thread and the "Howdy" stamp from the "A Little Somethin'" stamp set - new to the Spring/Summer 09 catalog.

Look closely, I pierced some of the stamped design and a little along the border - sorta reminscent of spurs, isn't it?  Piercing is going to be "big" this spring - just watch!  You'll see piercing shown off in the Sale-a-bration brochure (starting Feb. 1st).

And I'd like to thank Ree, for the ongoing inspiration she provides on her blog:  Confessions of a Pioneer Woman (and her incredible recipes!)

 

 

Scalloped Tarts!

This little card swings open with a rhinestone brad at the top and was inspired by the fun birthday card that my sweet PSF friend Sandy sent me!  I used the large single scallop from the Sizzix/Big Shot and cut two, from Rose Red cardstock.  The next circle is cut with a colluzle using the Raspberry Tart dsp and I used some Kiwi Kiss ribbon along with the new stamp set "A Little Something" this is a level two hostess set in the Spring/Summer Winter Idea Book and Catalog. The Rock Star is stamped with Rose Red ink on a piece of the pink dsp from the Raspberry Tart - I inked first in versamark and then in the Rose Red classic (dye) ink pad so that I could emboss it with crystal clear ep.   If you've never tried that - you can convert any dye pad fairly easily into a stickier ink suitable for embossing by stamping first in Versamark and then in your colored dye pad.  I used the large star punch to punch it out.

{All supplies from SU!}

Raspberry Joy!

I've been showing off the new  Raspberry Tart paper all week and I really {heart} this paper!  I've got a few more cards left to show you :-) so I hope you've been enjoying it too!

This card is on vellum cardstock and features the Top Note die cut.  I also used the word Joy from the "Join in the Cheer" die strip (its cut in one of the olive patterned papers).  Add some wide stitched red rose grosgrain and a rhinestone brad and you're ready to go.

This is a functional card base that you can use with almost any sentiment to cover a wide variety of occasions.  All supplies from Stampin' Up!

(I just noticed that little flare of light from behind towards the top of the card, that's from my tinsel tree that's behind the card stand.)

 

Chocolate-y Holiday Treasure!

Another short post.  My apologies but my wrists/hands (gardening) are hurting too much for verbosity this week!

This card is Piroutte Pink (a shade I adore!) with chocolate chip dsp from the Holiday Treasures pack, it is *yummy Christmasy goodness*!   You can quote me on that!

The sentiment is from Jolliest Time of the Year, stamped in Kiwi Kiss ink.  Old Olive wide grosgrain and a rhinestone brad complete the card.  The flower is die cut with my Big Shot and the Flower Layers die in matching dsp.

{All supplies from Stampin' Up!}

PS I know some new readers may be wondering what "dsp" is - its designer series paper, Stampin' Up's name brand of coordinating scrapbook paper.

Easy journal or notebook project

I saw this project on Splitcoast (I apologize for not remembering who to give credit to!) and just knew I wanted to make one!  These are quick, easy fun and very versatile!  Think of all the "themes" you could do!  These could be journals, note pads, Christmas wish lists, birthday/anniversary date lists, mini photo albums, etc.   This one is intended to be a gratitude journal, to remember the things I'm thankful for.

The project features the Top Note die cut as the basis for this nifty little journal.  I cut 6 of the top notes from Kraft cardstock, but you could easily make it bigger or smaller to fit your needs.  The covers are made by adhering dsp (I used Juntos, from the spanish language catalog) to the kraft CS.  I did that part before die-cutting.  Use your paper trimmer and trim off an edge (I used the long top side, but you could use the shorter left side also).   Then I used a Bind It All with a 5/8 in. spiral to hold it all together. 

I used my Big Shot with the Flower Layers die and a jumbo pewter eyelet to create the fall flower embellishment for the front.  The sentiment is from Define Your Life stamp set.  I punched two of the new Scallop  Square Punch from SU and layered them together to form a longer rectangle used to mat the sentiment.   Jumbo pewter eyelets are used with Always Artichoke ribbon to tie the journal together.

{All supplies from Stampin' Up! except the Bind It All}

I'm stumped for a title! {Sorry, I can't pick just one!}

I just need to say this .....

"*IF** you're not absolutely convinced that the Big Shot is the BEST die cut machine on the planet - read on .....

**IF** you have absolutely no intention of buying the Big Shot - you might want to step away now (there are plenty of other projects to blurf in my blog).

**IF** you're awaiting your Top Note die (they are backordered - at least for a short time) have no fear ..... there are plenty of other Sizzix dies to play with.

**IF** you have put away your Craft and Rubber Scissors now that Stampin' Up is selling die cut stamps .... you might want to dig them out!

**IF** you have a pair of gardening gloves, you might want to grab those too!

**IF** you love the color RED .... you might want to check out this project.

**IF** you look at EVERYTHING and think "I can make something with that" .... this may be the project for you :-)

**IF** you drink soda ... this is a great way to recycle!

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Have you read enough? Good - let's talk about today's card!

Any guesses as to what the large snowflake is made from?  If you guessed a Coca Cola can, you're correct!

Here's how:

1) After consuming your favorite canned beverage, rinse your can out real good and let it air dry.

2) Take your craft/rubber scissors (and this is the part I suggest getting out your gardening gloves for - preferably the kind with some grippy things).  Pierce the blades into the can, near the top seam, then cut the lid off.  Your goal here is to cut the top and bottom off - and then cut straight down.  This will leave you with a rectangular piece that you're now ready to die cut.

3) Lay your aluminum can sheet out on top of the die, as flat as you can go.  Your sandwich will be - clear plate, Sizzix Original - large snowflake die, metal, clear plate and roll it through the machine. 

Please be very careful or wear protective gloves.  The metal is very sharp.  You'll want to very carefully peel the die cut can away from the plates and very gently punch out the snowflake.  You can use a tweezers or pliers if you need to - although when I did this, all pieces separately easily.      

4) Once you've got your die cut snowflake, take off your gloves and choose some coordinating cardstock.

For this project I used Pure Poppy cardstock from Papertrey Ink for the card base.  I ♥ this color - its a beautiful, intense red.  The ribbon is the satin perfect match Pure Poppy also from PTI.  Next is a layer in Basic Black CS (SU) and a brushed silver CS mat (SU).

5) Start with the silver CS and wrap your ribbon.  Adhere that to the black mat.  Use the designer label punch (SU) to punch out a label in Pure Poppy, add your hodge podge hardware silver frame (SU).  Then add dimensionals to the words and adhere them within the frame.   

6)  Stamp "Let it Snow" (from Coldplay stamp set - SU) in black and the snowflake in Pure Poppy, and use your paper snips to cut apart the words.   I used dimensionals (cut each one into quarters) on the reverse side of the snowflake.  This will give it some lift :)  Gently press it into place on your card.

*I recommend using a sheet of bubble wrap between the card front and the envelope, just to protect it.  And some extra postage for the post office to treat it with care (non machinable rate).

This card is one of a kind and availale for purchase in my Etsy store.  <---- click to go visit.

 

A few more falling leaves ....

It's been stinkin' hot here, so its been fun to create some fall cards!  This is another one that uses the Juntos dsp and two punched scalloped squares to form a rectangle.  The really rust rectangle is the negative - its whats leftover from using the die cuts to cut out the leaves.

The Juntos paper is really pretty, I just adore the "really rust" colors - I think it speaks to (but with a spanish accent!)  the same things I love about the tuscan oranges and reds! 

And some of my favorite shiny copper brads (I hate that these were discontinued!).  I miss the changing of leaves - here in FL we have "evergreens" (trees that stay green year round, not just pines) and those that go "bald" (drop their leaves) during the winter months.  There is no pretty saffrons, rusts, oranges, reds as the leaves change colors and drop.  Its pretty much all or nothing (green or nothing!).  That's probably why "tropicals" like crotons are so popular for outdoor shrubs.