Cornflowers Easel Card – Philippians 1:3,4

Whenever you cross my mind,

 I thank my God for you and for the gift of knowing you.  

 My spirit is lightened with joy

whenever I pray for you (and I do constantly) –

Philippians 1 : 3 & 4 (the Voice)

Hello!  How is YOUR summer going?  Summer brings lots of changes for many people and there are changes in the schedule on www.mypapercrafting.com, so I’ll be posting with other Design Team members once a week – either on a Wednesday or a Thursday – through the next couple of months.  Melin has been working hard and has come up with Many new files for us to showcase for you.  I hope you’ll see what I come up with each week!

This week I decided to use one of the newer cut files that Melin has made, the ‘Cornflowers Card Set cf.’ 

I like to make Easel Cards and hope that the recipient might display my handiwork for a time.  I know where this one is going, but I’ll not say much here on the slight chance that the recipient might read this and the ‘surprise’ of receiving it might be ruined.  Cornflowers – the ones that grow along the highways in abundance in my home state of Michigan – have long been favorites of mine.  I remember drives to Lake Michigan on summer afternoons and seeing them blow in the hot, humid breeze as we passed by them.  Bits of memory on a ‘homesick afternoon’ now…

The card is white cardstock.  I cut the background from a print cardstock in Periwinkle and Lavender and distressed the edges slightly.  I cut 2 of the lattice portion – one of lavender and one of black, which I offset slightly, so as to produce a shadow effect.  I adhered the lattice with foam pieces to add dimension.  I made the cornflowers from periwinkle cardstock and lightly inked them with a deeper blue ink.  I inked the centers more heavily and then inked the tips with gold .  I added blue gems to the centers.  I cut the stems from dark olive cardstock, and also punched some (MS) leaves and branches to tuck in with them.  I added a few tiny artificial flowers, baby's breath and gems.  I added some tiny (MS) punched butterflies, also.

For the inside sentiment, I chose the above stated verse – a favorite of mine - which expresses my thankfulness for someone who has been an Exquisite Friend.  I typed it in PSE 10, printed it on white cardstock, used a Spellbinders die to cut it – and the black and print mats for it.  These were adhered with foam pieces to the mat of lavender on the white card base, so they are raised to form the ‘prop’ for the easel.

Thanks for visiting today!  I hope you not only enjoyed it, but perhaps learned something…  I love to teach and share what I have learned and experienced.  Come again soon!  Enjoy YOUR summer!  ;-}

Here is my Facebook Page and I’d love it if you’d LIKE me there -   Just think about it…  ;-}

https://www.facebook.com/Lynden.AnElegantTouch 

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!  -  Bye!

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

Proverbs 16:24 - Honeycomb Easel Card

Pleasant words are as an honeycomb,

sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24

Hello!  How is YOUR summer going?  Summer brings lots of changes for many people and there are changes in the schedule on www.mypapercrafting.com, so I’ll be posting with other Design Team members once a week – either on a Wednesday or a Thursday – through the next couple of months.  Melin has been working hard and has come up with Many new files for us to showcase for you.  I hope you’ll see what I come up with each week!  Be sure to pop in over there daily and see what the other Designers have come up with -

This week I decided to use one of the newer digital files and one of the newer cut files to complement each other.  I made an Easel Card featuring the ‘Proverbs 16:24 and Honeycomb ds’and the ‘Hexagon Paper Lace cf.’ 

Front of the card - closed -

The card base is Kraft cardstock - I will add a stamped sentiment when I decide later -

I lightly inked the cardboard and digi edges with rust ink -

I adhered a yellow textured wallpaper behind the Honeycomb -

I then backed the cardboard with rust textured wallpaper - then adhered to the base -

I initially put the digi file into my free ‘Perfect Effects Free’ program to change the colors and the ‘textures’ to what I wanted.  I got to thinking about how much I enjoy the ‘Color Inspiration Charts’ that are featured on www.design-seeds.com - and I had chosen one to use with this project.   

It was 'close' and would have been OK to use -

I then wondered about the possibilities of making my own for projects.  After some Online research, I discovered that there are many sites that have the availability to make these and I checked out two specifically that were the easiest to work in and gave me my desired results.  I have examples of all of these online changes to follow –

Here are the files I began with  - and the changes I made -

Original file colors -

plus 'Blue Dawn' action -

plus 'Earth' action -

plus 'Tonal Contrast' action -

I put my changed digi file into these two programs and came up with these Color Inspiration Charts.

One was at this link: http://www.cssdrive.com/imagepalette/index.php    

  The other was at this link: http://www.generateit.net   

I decided to try another photo just to see what the second program would do with it – for future use – and for recommendation sake.

My Favorite! - Sterling Rose

Sterling Rose Color Inspiration Chart

Perhaps you’d like to try these sometime!

I like to use corrugated cardboard in my projects often and thought I’d share a bit about that, too.  I save little boxes and ‘packing’ to use in my projects.  It’s easy to peel off one layer of the cardboard if you spritz it with water, let it set a minute or two and peel it off with a tweezers.  You can also slide the tweezers down the ‘valleys’ of the corrugation to get all of the layer off.  Then just cut or rip the piece to fit your project.

Piece of cardboard I began with  today - white on one side -

 - tan on the other side -

I ripped the white off for today's project -

Thanks for visiting today!  I hope you not only enjoyed it, but perhaps learned something…  I love to teach and share what I have learned and experienced.  Come again soon!  Enjoy YOUR summer!  ;-}

Here is my Facebook Page and I’d love it if you’d LIKE me there -   Just think about it…  ;-}

https://www.facebook.com/Lynden.AnElegantTouch  

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!  -  Bye!

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

Swap to Hop Blog Hop - Softball Monkey Easel Card

It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth;

you made both SUMMER and winter.

Psalm 74 : 17

Your goodness is as high as the mountains.
    Your justice is as deep as the great ocean.
Lord, you protect both people and ANIMALS.

Psalm 36 : 6

Welcome to the “Swap to Hop Blog Hop” with Scrappin’ Sista Swaps. Today the swappers are bringing you some very special projects created using the cuts we exchanged during our Summer Animal Cut Swap.

If you've hopped along from Jenny’s spot, www.crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com,  then you are in the right place!!  If you are just joining me from your dashboard, or reading this via eMail, please be sure to CLICK HERE to start at the beginning with Jessica's blog. That way you’ll be able to get in on all the fun!!!

The little Summer Animal that I was to use to make my project for this Hop is this little Monkey throwing a softball, which was originally created by Julia Truitt, using the Cricut ‘Create a Critter’ and ‘Everyday Paperdolls’ cartridges. 

 Upon receiving this little guy in my envelope along with the others, I was immediately inspired to make a birthday card for a Dear Friend.   Although he has faced some tremendous health problems for many years, he still enjoys playing softball regularly on his local ‘retired Navy’ team in connection with the USS Hornet!  I thought this Little Monkey might cheer him up – and I included a pad of Post-its in the design of the Easel Card, so it would also be ‘useful’!

Card front - closed

I utilized the colors in my color scheme that Julia had used for the Monkey.  I used Kraft paper for the base of the card for an ‘earthy’ feel.  I used a lattice cut-file piece of silver cardstock (Tag 425 Cherry Blossom from www.mypapercrafting.com  - I'm on the Design Team there!) to represent the chain-link back-stop fence behind the pitcher.  I just MUST have Blossoms (- get it ??!!  *giggle*) on all of my projects, so I added the branch from the same cut-file to represent a small tree budding with tiny red flowers - without making it too feminine.  I made the flowers from ¼” punched circles and then ‘poked’ on a foam mat with my medium-point embossing tool.  Tiny dots of silver ink are in the centers.  I used punched pine branches (MS) and scraps from the punches to make grass and bushes from deep green polka-dot paper.  I searched on Google for an appropriate quote to use, printed it on white and matted it with red. 

Card - inside

I cut a slit in a piece of black cardstock and slid the Post-its ‘backing paper’ into it, to keep it in place.  (A new pad can be put into the slit later.)  I adhered the black cardstock mat to the card base.  I added some of the silver ‘negative pieces’ from the back-stop fence to the edges – representing the ‘softball diamond.’  I also added 3 diamond-shaped red gems to the bottom edge.  The inside sentiment, ‘Happy Birthday!,’ is my own hand-calligraphy.

Here is the file I used - I cut it with my Silhouette CAMEO/SCAL3 -

I’ll be anxious to send this to my Friend when it’s his birthday in the near future.  I hope he likes it.  ;-}

And what’s a blog hop without treats!  Candy Crush is not the only place to find candy!!! There are goodies sprinkled throughout the blog hop.  Be sure to stop at all the stops and leave some love on each stop.  To be eligible for any of the drawings, you must follow the blog hostess’s rules, as well as Comment on each stop.  We will check!

Here’s the line-up in case you get lost along the way -

1. Jess B. - http://thatzuneek.blogspot.com 

2. Shalana - http://scrappinwithshalana.blogspot.com 

3. Sher- www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com 

4. Jenny - www.crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com   

5. Lynden - http://aneleganttouch-lynden.blogspot.com   

6. Evelyn - http://mylittlecraftblog.wordpress.com 

7. Christel - http://onescrappinsista.blogspot.com

FYI...  Scrappin’ Swaps will be starting back up with full force real soon.  We’re looking for a few Admins to help manage the monthly swaps.  If you are interested in serving on this dynamic team, please send an eMail to:    askscrappinsista@hotmail.com   and put Scrappin’ Sista Swaps Admin  in the subject line.  Be on the lookout for the future swaps coming up.  We always PUSH the envelope and challenge you to expand your creativity.

I have a Giveaway here for one of you Lucky Visitors!  If You do these three things –

* Visit EACH participating Blog and leave a Comment – (Be sure to leave ME your eMail, so I can contact you should you win -)

**Follow Me here by eMail and -

*** LIKE my FB Page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/An-Elegant-Touch-/162889457132788

I will have Rafflecopter chose one of you to receive a set of 5 Cuttlebug Border Embossing Folders!

Front of package -

Back of package -

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed our ‘eye candy.’  Hop on over to Evelyn at http://mylittlecraftblog.wordpress.com   to see her amazing project!

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.

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!   Bye!

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

Travel Accessories for Vacation Mementos and Business

But I say, have you never consulted

with those who TRAVEL this world?
        They can tell you the complexions of many lands.
    But you’ve never permitted their witness
        in your courts of opinion, have you?

Job 21:20  (The Voice)

Hello and Welcome!  I’m excited to be doing this, my fifth 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.  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 some ‘Travel Accessories’  - One as a gift for a Friend and my Director in my new venture with Cookie Lee Jewelry who just returned from a Cruise trip.  I thought she might like to keep some mementos in a little ‘Travel Case' Gift Box.   Another item is for me to use at my Cookie Lee Parties to show ‘necessary information’ for the guests.  It’s a Purse Gift Cardholder that holds a Gift Card or a Business Card, which I can use in my display.  There are many other things these can be used for, and there are several other articles in the two terrific new file sets I used from ‘www.SVGcuts.com’ – The Travel Case is from the Summer Holidays set and the Purse Gift Cardholder is from the Luxury Purses set.  Be sure and check out their site and all of their fantastic cutting files!

Inspiration:  New Consultant Bag with New logo and design -

Travel Case Gift Box for Cruise Mementos

Purse Gift/Business  Cardholder

For the 'Travel Case,' I used papers that are the official ‘Cookie Lee company colors’ (Me & My Big Ideas - Mambi stack).  They are actually in the midst of changing their Logo this month and have chosen several ‘background options’ to use in their Consultant items.  I decided to use one of them, a Moroccan-type pattern in gray, as an overlay and to soften the bright pink stripe on the body of the case.   I found an image of the pattern in Google Images and made my own pattern in SCAL3.  I made one panel each for the front and back of the case.  I used gray for the trim pieces and faux-hand-stitched them with black pen.  I used silver paper for the ‘metal’ fasteners and handle, attaching them with silver brads.  I included some little ‘travel tags’ (from a K&Company stack – ‘Life’s Journey’) on the ends of the case.  I made a Hibiscus blossom for the top of the case and a luggage tag on which I will put her name in Calligraphy when I give it to her.

Travel Case with Lid off -

For the Purse Gift Cardholder, I used a remnant piece from the Mini-clipboard I had decorated recently to use at my Parties.  It will hold my Business card.  It can also hold a gift card.

**********

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 and perhaps some Freebies, also, here!  Enjoy!   ;-]

DIY Paper Star Lanterns   by Me & My DIY

A Jar of Gratefulness   by We ♥ Cards

Adding Easy Sketch Pen Detail to Silhouette Cuts   by It Happens in a Blink

Laundry Room Labels   by Unoriginal Mom

Kids Step Stool with Sass   by Joy & Gladness of Heart

Magnetic Perpetual Calendar   by Everydaypaper

Silhouette Fabric Ink {An Experiment}   by Create & Babble

Playhouse Signs: Who Will We Be Today?   by Suburble

How to Get a Second Wind Out of Your Gel Manicure   by The Thinking Closet

DIY Graduation Gift   by Super Sweet Life

A Silhouette Challenge   by Home at Eight

Oval Coffee Table Reveal & More!   by Give Me a Paintbrush

Stamped Gift Boxes   by Coley's Corner

Monsters UniversityT-Shirt   by Tried & True

Travel Accessories for Vacation Mementos & Business   by An Elegant Touch…

A Silhouette Challenge Project   by Mel Stampz

**********

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.  The second Monday of each month is this Silhouette Challenge - 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!)  ;-}