Posted on Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Thinking of You, and more

We are on the last Wednesday of the first month in 2015. Time flies so fast and I feel like still so many things to catch up with family, house work and ministry. But I trust in the One who gives me the strength to do what He has called me to do. I trust in Christ Jesus.

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

(Philippians 4:13, NLT)

I hope this truth speaks to you as well, especially when you start to feel overwhelmed by so many things you need to do. We always can find the strength God has provided for us through His son.

Sometimes, we just need to take a break. On my “break time” today, I had a chance to play with the new Neat and Tangled stamp set, Paper Cut Flowers. You wanna check out their blog for gorgeous inspirations done by the design team.

I went with clean and simple with this card. On a piece of watercolor paper, I stamped & heat embossed both flower & sentiment, and then added watercolor for the background. You can let it sit to dry or dry it using craft heater for faster drying. To finish the card, I added some gold sequins and twine.

Over Simon Says Stamp blog today is the Work It Wednesday first challenge of the year. They challenge us to create anything “NEW” – new product, new technique, etc. Since I create this card using Neat and Tangled new product, I link this up there 🙂

But I cannot stop thinking what else I can create using this pretty petals. So, I made one card 🙂 This time I am inspired by one of the Neat and Tangled DT member, Miriam Prantner. She shared on the Neat and Tangled blog a beautiful card using this Paper Cut Flowers stamp set.

And here’s my card:

The background I creating using the technique I learned from Catherine Pooler on her YouTube video tutorial how to create Batik Background. It is a fun technique, messy but turn out pretty 🙂

And this card I link up at Simon Says Stamp, Wednesday Challenge – Anything Goes this week.

Thanks for visiting today! I hope you like these cards 🙂

Supplies:

Neat and Tangled Paper Cut Flowers stamp set
Strathmore Watercolor paper (Walmart)
Watercolor paint (Target)
DCWV Glitter Metallics Matstack (Archivers)
4.24 x 5.5 card and 5.75 Square card (HobbyLobby)
Bazill Vellum Paper (Archivers)
CTMH Exclusive Ink Pads: Lagoon, Pacifica, Twilight (retired)
Versamark Ink Pad (CTMH store)
Ranger White Super Fine Embossing Powder (CTMH store)
Zing! Black Opaque Finish Embossing Powder (AC Moore)
My Acrylix Blocks 3 x 3, 1 x 3 1/2 (CTMH store)
Craft Heater (CTMH store)
Gold Sequins (assortment pack from Walmart)
Silver Sequins (CTMH store)
Clear Sparkles assortment (CTMH store)
Gold & White Baker’s Twine (Pick Your Plum)
Scallop Border Punch (CTMH store)
Micro-tip Scissors (ek Tools)
Adhesive runner & 3D Foam Tape

Posted on Friday, January 16, 2015

Joyful Holiday Blessings

Today I am playing with Virginia’s View Challenge #11 – Clean Slate. I really like her challenge that give us so many inspirations to create. I hope you wanna check our Virginia’s challenge and play along 🙂

This month main theme is Clean Slate. She provides these inspirations:

Aren’t they pretty inspirations? I am thinking of Christmas cards when I saw them 🙂 So, I created not only one but 2 cards:

I found the holly leave embossing folder at Hobby Lobby. Using my WRMK Evolution Advanced embossing machine, I embossed the front cards. The first card, I stamped and embossed the sentiment, then run it through the machine. And the second card, I run it through the machine and then added the stamped, heat embossed sentiment on a green cardstock.

Here are the close up on the sentiment, I used Winnie and Walter – The Big, The Bold and Blessings, Ranger Gold Princess Gold Embossing Powder and heat set it using my Craft Heater.

I finished the cards with twine and die cut poinsettia flowers (from Lori Whitlock) that I cut using my Silhouette Cameo.

Do you start early making Christmas cards or later?

Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Gold, Silver, One Layer Card

I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is approaching fast!!! I hope you all are ready for this special day. Today, I would like to share a quick Thanksgiving card I created. I am inspired by Virginia’s View Challenge #9 this month:

So many gorgeous pictures for inspirations, aren’t they? And I decided to go with one layer with gold and silver embossing only. A quick and simple Thanksgiving card.

I arranged the leaves from Thankful Heart stamp set (B1463) on 3″ x 3″ My Acrylix® Block and stamped them using VersaMark ink pad (Z891) randomly on the card. Then I added some Ranger Gold Embossing Powder (Z2066). Then heat set it using Craft Heater (Z555). After that, I stamped the sentiment using VersaMark ink pad (Z891) and added some Ranger Silver Embossing Powder (Z2067). I heat set it.

I love the metallic looking!

Inside the card, I added a piece of copy paper that I folded into two and used Scallop Border punch (Z1851) to punch the edge. I added it inside layer using adhesive in the middle of the card. Then stamped the Happy Thanksgiving from Thankful Heart set (B1463) using Autumn Terracotta Exclusive Ink Pad (Z2101).

I also link up this card at Inspire Me Monday, Week 150. Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Some Fall / Thanksgiving Cards

Last week my friend asked if I could make her some Fall/Thanksgiving cards. I am so thankful to be able to do this for her. I have been working on some cards and I would like to share some them that I made yesterday.

Lately, I have been so much fun with embossing and watercoloring. I tried some techniques on these 4 cards:

I really enjoy making them 🙂 Thank You for visiting, I hope you’ll like them too!

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I link up these cards at:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – Use Watercolor.

Inspire Me Monday – Week 145

Supplies:
Close To My Heart: Thankful Heart stamp set (B1463), Gold Embossing Powder, Craft Heater, Natural Buttons, Adhesive runner, Liquid Glass.
Others: Tombow liquid glue, Pearl gems, gold sequins, hemp cords, leave glittered foam, and watercolor.

Posted on Sunday, August 10, 2014

DIY Embossed Felt Business Card Wallet

I went to a blogging conference, Declare Conference, in Dallas this weekend. It was amazing conference for women. I got to meet some of my friends I met on Social Media groups (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blogging) IN PERSON!! We got to spent time together and I share hotel room with 3 of them. I will share some pictures later this week 🙂

So, when I found out that I would have roommates, I started to look for inspirations. I decided to make a business card holder/wallet for them because we were suggested to bring business cards to swap with others there. So, Pinterest where I went for more ideas. I found so many tutorials using sewing machine and they said that it was for beginner. I told myself, “Helen, this is the time to learn and try using your new sewing machine.” I tried. But failed. It was not because of their tutorials, but it was because of my lack of ability of using this machine! Check these sewing tutorials if you want to try 🙂

I still have LOTS of felt leftover from our craft making party last year and why not using felt and hand stitching, I talked to myself. And there went I tried. Adapting from this sewing tutorial, I made single card wallet/holder with felt. And I wanted some textures on my felt, not just plain felts. I remembered this embossed felt tutorial from Becky Fleck and decided to try when I made these business card wallet.

Supplies you will need to make this business card wallet/holder:

Felt
Iron
Needle and thread
Scissors
Rotary cutter
Pinking shears
Ruller
Spray bottle and clean water
Rubber stamp of your choice

my ruler is too long for this picture… sorry.

You will need 1 of 4″ x 2.5″ rectangle and 1 of 3″ x 2″5 rectangle. I cut my felt using my rotary cutter and quilt ruler, quick and easier than using regular scissors.

Lay the felt on top of the stamp that you want to use. For this first one, I laid my smaller felt on top of one of the butterfly rubber stamp from Denami Design – Fancy Flutters stamp set and using my spray bottle I sprayed the felt lighty with water.

The iron I used is a tiny one I found at Walmart (or you can find at any craft store). It is not too hot for craft projects. So, I press the felt on the rubber stamp with my iron for about 15 seconds. Don’t be too long. But if the impression is not what you want, you can press again for another 10-15 seconds.

Here’s what the embossed felt look like after the ironing:

Then last step is to put them together. Lay both felt on top of each other and stitch. I used blanket stitching to make the pocket. You can use the pinking shears before or after the stitching together for the decorated border top.