An Elegant Touch...

Friday, May 17, 2013

'Flowers in Vase' All-Occasion Card

The grass withers, the FLOWER fades;
nothing lasts except the word of our God.
It will stand forever.

Isaiah 40 : 8

Welcome to Digi Desserts Fridaze in connection with My Paper Crafting ! We, on the Design Team, are to create a project using a Digital File from the vast selection at MyPaperCrafting.com every Friday, share them with You and encourage You to visit over there, get the FREE Digi File for today, make a project with it and link it for all to see. The ‘winning’ designer is highlighted next week as a Guest Designer! It’s an easy and fun thing to do on the weekend!

For this week’s project I used the Free File offered last week on the TotallyTags and ATCs post on MyPaperCrafting. There are usually Vintage Digi Files offered on Thursdays and I just LOVE using them on my projects and giving them ‘An Elegant Touch…’! There are usually several ‘color options’ in each file, allowing for a vast amount of creativity along that line and sometimes I also put them in my FREE “Perfect Effects Free” program which offers even more color shading availability. This time I used one that Melin had offered – in which she changed the original bright colors to a ‘coolwash’ and subdued jewel tones.

I first printed the Digi on white cardstock and although it gave it a soft muted effect, I decided to print it on photo paper and see if it made any difference. It did. It is much clearer and brighter and I decided to use that print on this card and use bright jewel-toned papers with it. (I’ll use the ‘muted’ one for another project I have in mind sometime.) I used an Oval Coluzzle to cut the Digi and a frame of deep purple cardstock to mirror the flower color. I adhered that to a piece of mottled gold which highlights the flower centers. I then adhered the deep olive green ‘negative’ of a frame file that I had used for the ‘Spring Bunch Easel Card’ recently. I cut a piece of black cardstock – punched the edges with a Lace punch – in keeping with this week’s Theme on the MPC blog posts – and mounted the other layers on that. I then adhered all of that on a white cardstock card. I then added a black satin Double Bow and some tiny pearls to the card. I did not add a sentiment so that it might be used for any number of occasions. I might add an inside sentiment – or just include a handwritten note when I give it.

Close-up of the Digi -

Here are the files I used -

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Be sure to visit Melin at MPC and sign up for her blog and Newsletters, join us on the Blog Hops at various times of the year and check there weekly to see what’s offered in her Store! She offers Amazing Digi and Cutting Files and I’m SURE that you will find lovely items to enhance your paper-crafting projects! As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about what or how I have done on here - Happy Crafting! ;-}

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Here is the FREE digi-file for this week at My Paper Crafting. Be sure to stop over there, if you haven’t already, see all of the other creative projects, get the file, make a project of your own using a digi-file from My Paper Crafting and then link it there so we can see it, too!

FREE file -

We invite YOU to participate in our Digi Dessert Fridaze weekly posts. Spring is a time of "new beginnings" and we love to see things "take root, blossom and grow”....so, we decided it was a good time to announce some changes to our Challenges and Link Ups. Here is the link to Melin’s explanation of how things will work now. Be sure to pop over there and be included in the creative fun! http://www.mypapercrafting.com/2013/04/aprilprizes.html

Be sure to come back here often as I showcase other Paper Crafted Projects and Photo Digital Restorations that I make – several days each week. Sign up to receive my Posts so you’ll know when I’ve posted something – usually 3 to 4 times weekly. Tuesdays every other week are Cutting files from MPC – Thursdays are Tags and ATCs – Fridays are Digi Files from MPC - Other days may be other projects!

Check out my Tabs in the Header above to see what else I do and can do for you! Let me know if you have questions on anything here – or if I can do anything for You! Have a Great Week! See you again soon!

B’ Bye! Bye! B’Bye!

(You can take the Gal out of the Sky, but You can’t take the Sky out of the Gal!) ;-}

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Tag: Use LACE!

And thou shalt put it on a blue silk LACE,

and it shall be upon the mitre,

even upon the forefront of the mitre shall it be.

Exodus 28 : 37 (GNV)

Welcome to Thursday Totally Tags ‘n’ ATCs over at MyPaperCrafting.com! Every Thursday we on the Design Team will do a team post featuring Tags n' ATC's. We will have a specific Theme each week featuring an element, technique or embellishment. We’ll all come up with something excitingly different – using various types of tools, etc. to create our projects...i.e., Cricut, CAMEO, Spellbinders, punches, stamps, paint, material, lace, inks, etc. The sky's the limit! The only restriction... If we use SVG's or Digi's, we will only use those from the vast selection at PCW.

Spring is a time of "new beginnings" and we love to see things "take root, blossom and grow”....so, we decided it was a good time to announce some changes to our Challenges and Link Ups. Here is the link to Melin’s explanation of how things will work now. Be sure to pop over there and be included in the creative fun! http://www.mypapercrafting.com/2013/04/aprilprizes.html

The Theme for this week’s projects is ‘LACE.’ I LOVE lace in all manner of ways – in, on, under, showing, not showing, even in cooking sometimes (Lacey Praline Cookies!) – I’m just a Lacy, Feminine Gal and always have been! Making a Tag which incorporated Lace was a Treat and no problem for me - ;-} (Hahh! Until I started working on it! ) Ideas have been swarming my brain and I knew the minute I saw one of Melin’s newest cutting files that I wanted to use it for this, I knew the colors I wanted to use and then when I looked for a relevant Verse to use at the beginning – something which I attempt to do for each post I’ve ever written – and I discovered the one above, I knew it was all going be all right. There were some ‘technical difficulties,’ but I Persevered (my ‘WORD for 2013’) and am pleased with the final outcome.

* I used two of the three layers in the file for the tag itself – the taupe Lacey layer - and the light blue inset layer. I stamped the inset with a lace stamp inked with ‘Beige Opalescent’ ink and I inked the edges, also. You can see the glimmer of the ink in this photo.

* The large flower, tiny flowers, leaves and sprigs are punched and formed with an embossing tool. The large flower center is a rolled rose made from light blue lace hem tape. I added pearls to all flower centers.

* I made a double bow from the hem tape and adhered it to the top. I added a twine loop to the top of the tag. I can add a sentiment to the back side at a later time, depending on what and who I decide to give it to.

Here is the file I used -

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Here is the FREE digi-file for this week at MyPaper Crafting. Be sure to stop over there, if you haven’t already, see all of the other creative projects, get the file, make a project of your own using a digi-file from My Paper Crafting and then link it there so we can see it, too!

FREE file -

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Have You made any interesting Tags recently? I’d love to see them! Let me know if you have any questions about anything I’ve done here or on any other blog post - Blessings until next time!

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Thanks for visiting here today! I hope you take a few minutes to check all of the Tag/ATC creativeness on the other blogs, too! Melin should have a Free File for today on her blog, also! I’ll Update and have the file here as soon as it’s posted over there -

Be sure to remember MPC for all of your Cutting and Digital files. Tomorrow is our Digi Dessert Fridaze post, every other Tuesday is a Cutting File post and in between I may post some other projects.

B’ Bye! - Bye! - B’ Bye!

(You can take the Gal out of the Sky, but You can’t take the Sky out of the Gal!) ;-}

Monday, May 13, 2013

The Lady in the Hat – Thinking of You Card

Charm is deceptive and BEAUTY disappears,

but a woman who honors the Lord
should be praised.

Proverbs 31: 30 (GNT)

Hello and Welcome! I’m excited to be doing this, my third post in conjunction with a group I recently connected with after I began using my new-last-summer Silhouette CAMEO cutting machine. It’s a monthly post to showcase projects that members of the Silhouette Challenge Group have made using these wonderful machines. I am just Loving my Silhouette CAMEO!! You'll find a list at the end here of those who are participating this month, so you can visit them, also!

For this month’s project, I made a card to honor and send to a Very Special Woman in my life. A woman who is beautiful – and also honors the Lord – has been going through some very Hard times in recent months. I had initially planned to use a cutting file from another online source which I really appreciate for the intricate designs offered there, but I decided to use one of the NEW files from MyPaperCrafting.com – where I am on the Design Team. Melin, the owner and designer, has made some [more] absolutely lovely ‘Cut and Digi files’ recently! This one caught my eye immediately and I knew what I wanted to do and for whom to make it as soon as I saw it. I have had the Rubber Stamp of the Woman in the Hat for a while and was anxious to use it for this, too.

I grew up wearing hats to church, as it was a requirement in that denomination, and I continued as a grown woman – back in the day when people ‘dressed up’ to attend church (back in the Midwest). I LOVE hats and still wear them as often as I can for various activities. (No one wears them to church any more… *sad *)

Here is my card –

* The file I used was the ‘Square w/ Oval Flourished Frame card cf’ of which I cut the card base and the Oval Flourished Frame from light lavender cardstock. (I know it looks gray in these photos, but it really is light lavender - the same paper as the flowers on her hat - the same shade as the background on my blog.) I then matted the flourished frame on white and then black cardstock - all sized to fit in the cutting file.

* I stamped the Lady in the Hat (KK Originals) on white cardstock and cut her out. I carefully inked the cut edges with black, so the white wouldn’t show. I added a black velvet ribbon to the hat crown and then some tiny punched olive green leaves and light lavender Hydrangea blossoms to cover the band/flower motif on the stamp and add depth, interest and color. I added silver gilt from a DeccoColor Liquid Silver pen.

* I adhered the Lady with large foam PopDots to raise her above the Oval. I added black gems (Recollections) to several of the flourish ends.

* I stamped the ‘Thinking of You’ sentiment on a lavender scalloped-edge square and inked the edges in black. I adhered it inside, leaving space for writing a personal note.

Here is the File I used –

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I hope you have enjoyed your visit here. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me -

Do you have a Silhouette of any type? Are you looking for Silhouette inspiration, support, trouble-shooting? Are you interested in joining us for our group posting event next month? Then we’d love to have you join our Silhouette Challenge Facebook group. Contact Lauren by email ,if interested…

Please take a few minutes to visit the other gals who have contributed to this Challenge Hop today. You’ll find Lots of Creative Inspiration here! Enjoy! ;-]

SpringHoop Home Decor - Daily Dwelling

I Heart Labels: Flour & Sugar Jar Edition - The Thinking Closet

Bleeding Heart Card with Free Flower Download - Creative Turn

A NumbersGame - Learning Numbers with Your Preschooler - Lil Mrs. Tori

My First Silhouette Challenge Group Project - Tanya's Creative Space

Personalized Garden Post & Grandma Book (Silhouette Mother's Day Presents) - Whole New Leaf

Girly Superhero Decor - Coley's Corner

"A Cup of Tea" Customizable Art Printable - Tried & True

TheLady in the Hat "Thinking of You" Card - An Elegant Touch… (That's Me! Right here!)

B’ Bye! Bye! B’Bye!

(You can take the Gal out of the Sky, but You can’t take the Sky out of the Gal!) ;-}

Friday, May 10, 2013

Spring Bunch 'Banded' Card - Thinking of You!

Meanwhile, I am empty and need so much,
but I know the Lord is

THINKING OF ME.
You are my help; only You can save me,

my True God. Please hurry.

Psalm 40 : 17 (The Voice)

For this week’s project I used the Free File offered last week on Digi Desserts Fridaze. It’s the ‘Spring Bunch ds’ and comes in several color choices. I used the original colored one last week. (Spring Bunch Easel Card) I decided to use the one in shades of Cranberry and Peach this week – two colors I might not have thought to put together, but I rather liked how they worked together in the print. I made a Gate-fold-type card which is kept closed with a ‘belly-band’ bearing the punched and inked sentiment.

Card closed

Card with band off, partially open

Card standing open - and band

I printed the digi on Peach Cardstock and used Cranberry cardstock for the ‘frame,’ side panels and the ‘Belly Band.’ I embossed the Cranberry pieces in the ‘Leaves’ folder and then inked them lightly with Peach ink. I punched the front edges with a lacey MS punch and inked the edges with Cranberry ink.

I ripped the edge of the print and inked it with Cranberry ink. I added gems to three of the flower centers. I used the ‘negative’ of a cut from another project for the frame. You may remember that I like to use ALL aspects of my paper-crafting so as not to ‘waste.’ It worked perfectly for this card. I added tiny pearls to the edge of the frame.

I thought it perfect to let Someone Special know that I am thinking of them!

Here are the files I used -

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FREE file -

B’ Bye! Bye! B’Bye!

(You can take the Gal out of the Sky, but You can’t take the Sky out of the Gal!) ;-}

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Tag: Emboss - Birdcage and Bird

I am already in the soft embrace of the Eternal,
so why do you beckon me to leave, saying,
“Fly like a BIRD to the mountains.”

Psalm 11:1 *(VOICE)

The Theme for this week’s projects is ‘Emboss.’ I have made a Tag using the new ‘Birdcage and Bird cf’ and I’ve embossed three elements of it with three different embossing folders.

I made a ‘shadow’ background with my SCAL3 from White cardstock for the Gold birdcage. I embossed the background with my ‘Brick Wall’ folder on which I had first applied Gold ink.

I cut the Bird from Vellum, embossed it in the ‘Flourished Designs II’ folder and then lightly applied Light Blue ink. I made a small ‘corner piece’ from a scrap of Vellum, adhered one side of it to the cage and one side of it to the back of the Bird, which raised it up on an angle.

I cut 3 sizes of flowers from Peach cardstock using the ‘Butterfly ‘n’ Tag 221 cf’ and inked the edges with Gold ink. I embossed them in the ‘Butterflies’ folder. I placed the flowers on a spray of punched leaves and pine-type branches. I added Pearls to the centers.

I added a sheer White ribbon to the top of the Tag. I didn’t include a sentiment at this time, as I’m not sure for what Occasion I will use this Tag. I’ll decide that later.

Her are the files I used -

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FREE file -

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Have You made any interesting Tags recently? I’d love to see them! Let me know if you have any questions about anything I’ve done here or on any other blog post - Blessings until next time!

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Be sure to remember MPC for all of your Cutting and Digital files. Tomorrow is our Digi Dessert Fridaze post, every other Tuesday is a Cutting File post and in between I may post some other projects.

* (I have been reading about the new ‘VOICE’ version of the Bible recently and will use it as appropriate, which might allow some to understand in a more contemporary style of language… I use a variety of versions in an attempt to make the verses each post relevant to whatever the project is. Just FYI.) ;-}

B’ Bye! Bye! B’ Bye!

(You can take the Gal out of the Sky, but You can’t take the Sky out of the Gal!) ;-}

Pages

Friday, May 17, 2013

'Flowers in Vase' All-Occasion Card

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Tag: Use LACE!

Monday, May 13, 2013

The Lady in the Hat – Thinking of You Card

Friday, May 10, 2013

Spring Bunch 'Banded' Card - Thinking of You!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Tag: Emboss - Birdcage and Bird