Veranda! New Paper!

I finally found some creative juices this weekend and wouldn't you know it, messed up my camera. I took pictures of the making of this card but had forgotten to put in my memory card so they all went to the internal memory and I've lost the cord to access that. So.....I'll try to explain this card the best I can with fewer photos.

I'd like to send a shout out to Andrew, my new friend from the United Kingdom. I know he's a fan of this paper so this ones for you!

I've been holding off on making something of this Veranda paper until today. Isn't it beautiful paper? I had the design for it in my head and I'm glad I finally had a chance to sit down and make something.

A long time ago when I used to be a teacher I remember one particular bulletin board I did where I just layered tons of handmade flowers along the bottom. I sometimes think that was one of my favorite parts of being a teacher! Anyway it was really pretty and that inspired me to do something similiar on a card.

This paper set was perfect for that and who couldn't use some spring in the middle of winter? This is a 6" by 6" card so you'll need to cut your card base 12" by 6". Fold that in half and when you're done with the card front, glue it to the card base. With this card you can have the opening at the right or the bottom, either is fine.

Cut your vanilla cream paper (my favorite of the neutrals) 6" by 6". Cut juniper cardstock 5 3/4" by 5 3/4". Cut 1" squares with your trimmer or a punch. I chose five of the six types of pattern paper and cut five squares of each. You'll notice the sides look roughed up. I used our edge distresser on all of the pieces of paper for this card to truly look distressed and shabby chic. I also used cocoa ink to darken all the edges too. I use a sponge tool to add that to the edges. Glue all the squares down in a grid pattern. I won't tell you this is easy but if you let go of the perfectionistic tendencies that we scrappers and cardmakers have, you'll stay sane. All the edges run about 1/8" apart from each other. See how I turned the striped paper to add a little variety?

I used the Endless Friendship stamp set for this card. It's one of my favorites as you'll notice if you check out the "projects by stamp set" links on the sidebar. The flowers are great for layering and there are a lot of different sizes and types which is just what I needed for this card. Stamp two of this flower in creme brulee and two in juniper.

Glue one on the top of the other after you turn it slightly so the bottom one shows through. Don't forget to ink and distress these too.

Stamp some centers in garden green and juniper, add any of the pretty center designs too in the same colors. Glue on the center of the flower.

Here's the juniper one. There are leaves in the st you can use too.

Take the two largest flowers in the set and do the same steps. This time use juniper and creme brulee for the flowers, garden green for centers and leaves. See how I rolled the creme brulee flower in the juniper on the outside edges?

Now layer the flowers on your card, left bottom. Play around with them until they look right before you glue them down. Add some creme brulee ribbon across the top. I just put down two lines of Tombow adhesive on the card and glue down the ribbons leaving edges to wrap and glue down on the back. This one is really pretty because of the design on it.

Stamp Friends to the End on a piece of vanilla cream paper measuring 2 1/4" by 1". Attach it with pop dots (costs more to mail so skip the popdots if you don't want to pay). Cut two small pieces of the vanilla cream cardstock measuring about 1" by 1/4" and stamp some very small words on the pieces in cocoa ink. I used the words from Grown with Love. Attach them together with a juniper brad and glue down next to the flowers as shown. Glue the whole thing to your card base and have fun showing it off!

How to alter a notebook

Remember yesterday how I told you all that I take pictures as I process through my papercraft, card or layout? These things don't always go smoothly so I end up taking a lot of photos and then editing later. Today I decided to show all my pictures and the process of altering this notebook to show you that it's totally okay to change your mind halfway through just like I do. I've altered one of these particular notebooks before, they are cheap, $1.00, and I found them at Michael's in their dollar section. They measure approximately 5 by 7 inches.

To decorate this one I used Key to my Heart paper, my absolute favorite, in fact, I bought six packages from the clearance sale (see right sidebar) and am considering buying more before they run out.

For the background cut colonial white cardstock paper 4 1/4 by 6 1/2. Cut the pattern paper 4 by 6 1/4. Distress both pieces with juniper ink.

Cut another pattern paper 6 1/4 by 1 1/2 inches. Distress. Attach two large pieces together then add the strip 1/2 inch from outside mat on the left.

Cut another piece of colonial white cardstock 2 1/4 by 2 1/4 and a matching pattern paper mat 2 1/2 by 2 1/2. Stamp a flower from the Tickled Pink stamp set on a scrap piece of paper in juniper ink then cut it out. Add it to the center of the small mats and attach at a diagonal to the notebook about 1 inch down from the top.

Stamp a small flower center in tulip ink and cut out then attach to the middle of the flower.

Stamp another small design inside the flower circle in juniper ink and you're done. But I wasn't. I studied the almost finished product and completely changed my mind, not liking the center flower at all. I felt like the juniper flower didn't stand out enough and the tulip center was too bright especially since their wasn't much of the tulip coloring in the background paper to make it "fit." I tore the whole middle flower off.

Instead I took out a second set of stamps, Endless Friendship. I used the flowers from that and stamped them in sorbet and the centers in juniper then cut them out. Add the three flowers to the center of the small mat and let them overlap. Take the "so happy" stamp from the Tickled Pink stamp set and stamp it in juniper then cut it out closely around the letters. Add it to the bottom of the notebook. Add a couple of sorbet colored ribbons to the top and bottom bindings and it looks so much better. These are completely low cost but wonderful little stocking stuffers or small gifts for that mail carrier who goes out of her way to give you good customer service or the secretary at your church who always has a smile on her face, you know who I mean, make them feel appreciated.