Hello and good afternoon dear friends!
Here's a simple card I made for a friend using Altenew Persian Motifs with Papericious Papers (Pretty Basics.)
The sentiment is by So Suzy Stamps.
The oval stitched die is by Peek-a-boo Designs and I've colored the image using Staedtler luna color pencils.
I've added a bit of glitter to the colored image but you can also heat emboss it using sparkly embossing powder!
Thank you for stopping by!
Have a lovely day! *Hugs*
One of the joys of papercrafting is we get to spread happiness, make some one smile, brighten someone's day.
It is the primary reason that made me take up cardmaking after the end of art classes that I took up during school. :)
We have an awesome facebook page that goes by the name of "Cards For A Cause - India"
You can check out the group : HERE
This group conducts various card drives wherein we crafters get an opportunity to contribute to a cause by sending out cards.
The most recent card drive was the : send cards to soldiers drive for which I made these thank you cards.
How'd I make these cards?
Here are the steps :
1. Created background using the Hypnotic stencil by Penny Black.
(Distress ink colors used were : Spiced Marmalade and Mowed Lawn)
The Indian flag consists of colors Saffron White and Green, so that was the color theme I wanted to go with.
2. Stamped the sentiment using the fantastic Thank You stamp by So Suzy Stamps.
3. Die-cut using a rectangle from the Rounded Rectangle Dual Stitched die by Peek-a-boo Designs.
4. Added navy blue sequins and matted it onto navy blue cardstock.
5. Lastly, added a glittery multi-colored strand of thread.
I also created matching envelopes for the cards after which I penned down a few words of thanks and then sent these out! ^__^
Before I sign off, here's one more picture :
I hope you liked my project. Thank you so much for stopping by!
Have a lovely evening! *Hugs*
Hello and good morning! ^__^
This post has been really overdue.
I created this neon ATC for a swap a while back.
Deets :
1. Stenciled background using distress inks with Rhapsody stencil by Memory Box.
2. Stamped the flowers from Altenew Persian Motifs.
3. Stamped sentiment using the Hello Friend stamp by So Suzy Stamps.
4. Added stitching towards the top and bottom edges. (49 & Market stamp - Gabi's Line Stitch)
5. To color, I've used Staedtler color pencils with Sakura pens in neon colors.
6. Added a bit of glitter + some washi tape and a tiny heart sticker.
7. Finally, matted it onto red cardstock and boom! The ATC was complete.
Thank you so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day! *Hugs* <3
Hello and good morning! ^__^
It's time for Challenge #10 over at Peek-a-boo Designs!
This time around the challenge is sketch inspired.
Here's the sketch :
From the gorgeous september 2016 releases, I created my project using a circle out of the Scallop Circle cutting die with the Floral Fantasy stamp set.
Steps :
Tinted white cardstock using Color Burst. (Violet)
Using the bigger die from the Scallop Circle die set, I kept only the circle portion and stamped the flower + sentiment from the Floral Fantasy set.
Colored the flower with distress inks. (Twisted Citron and Blueprint Sketch)
The strips of paper were cut out from black & white cardstock along with a strip from the paper tinted with color burst and adhered.
The background was created using pattern paper and project was adhered onto black card base.
And boom, the card was done.
To participate, click : HERE
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Have a lovely day!
Hello and good morning!
It's the first of August which means it's time for a brand new challenge over at Peek-a-boo Designs!
This time around, we have a beautiful inspiration board featuring a vibrant array of colors! ^__^
Image source : Pinterest
Out of this color inspiration board, you have to use atleast 3 colors in your project to participate.
To make my card, I used the Bubbles Stencil along with a sentiment from the Positive Vibes stamp set.
I've used distress inks to stencil and to include all 5 colors from the inspiration board, I used red as my card base.
Finished it off with some yummy looking acrylic dots and dull gold thread.
Here's a close-up :
So, that's that. I really hope you play along and join the fun!
To participate, click >>> HERE
Thank you so much for stopping by! *Hugs*
Hello and good evening! ^__^
Sharing today, a card I made for a friend's birthday.
I used distress inks for stenciling and dye inks for stamping.
Stenciled first and then stamped.
Added pink chevron washi tape bits to two sides.
Finished it off with a couple of skittles. (The round bead-like embellishments that are super cute and available at So Suzy Stamps.)
Products used :
Distress Inks (Ranger)
Picked Raspberry
Salty Ocean
Dye Inks
Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
Lilac Love - So Suzy Ink Bites
Stencils
Rhapsody - Memory Box
Texturized - TCW
Confetti - Heidi Swapp
Stamps
All Boy (Teresa Collins) - Fiskars
Roundy Sentiments - Peek-a-boo
Birthday Sentiments - Little Darlings
Solid Flower (Small) - Hero Arts
Thank you so much for stopping by! *Hugs*
Hello and good morning!
I have be waiting for this day ever since I saw the new products that were gonna be launched today and boy I am excited!
Yes! Peek-a-boo Designs (PABD) now have cutting dies added to their product list which are GORGEOUS!!!!
These are 100% made of steel and they die-cut like butter. I didn't need to pass the die more than once through my big shot when I was cutting and that includes the detailed lattice one!
This whimsical fairy card that you see in the image above is what I created using PABD products.
Here's a list of stuff from PABD July 2016 release that I used :
I used the lattice die-cut in portions around the card and also as a stencil! ^__^
This is one die-cut that can double up as a beautiful stencil too!
The white panel mounted on black card base is cut from the dual stitched rectangle die. (Second largest rectangle die was used.)
Stamping was done with black archival ink and distress inks were used with a round blending tool to stencil.
Locally purchased black and white glitter + stickers were added.
I hope you liked my project and will check out the fantastic array of projects the other DT members have put up!
To participate in Challenge #8 click >> HERE
Thank you for stopping by! *Hugs*
Hello and good evening!
Here's a card I made for a friend using So Suzy Stamps and Ink Bites. (All inks are by So Suzy Stamps except black.)
Kinda looks like one of those beautiful cherry blossom trees, what say? ^__^ I love this particular set of ink bites because it's a color co-ordinated set of soft pastel shades that make awesome cards for all age groups! And two shades of purple! Woo hoo!
Steps :
First, on a die-cut piece of cardstock I stamped the Bare Tree Tall stamp using the Pretty Pewter Ink Bite.
After that I used the Dot Splatter stamp and stamped it multiple times using Thistle Thicket and Lucky Lavender Ink Bites.
All of the ink bites that I used are from the So Suzy - Highland Spring Ink Bite set.
Stamped sentiment (Hello Friend) using black archival ink.
Next, using Carnation Pink Nuvo Drops I added a couple of drops to the tree and sprinkled glitter over it.
Matted it onto black card base, added a couple of heart stickers near the sentiment (purchased locally) and tied a silver twine.
Here's a close up :
And that's how I did it! ^__^ Thank you so much for stopping by and have a lovely day!
Linking this to : So Suzy Ink Bites Challenge
Hello!
This is going to be one long post so bear with me please. ^__^
Especially because this one has no pictures.
Recently, I got to know that a few of So Suzy Stamps were copied and were wrongly being sold in India.
I do not want my article to be about negativity, I only want to educate those new crafters who have recently embraced the hobby to know how to recognize the difference between an original product and a fake.
Let's take the example of So Suzy Stamps.
So Suzy Stamps are made in the USA with high quality red rubber. So when you see someone selling those exact same designs in clear stamps, alarm bells should go off in your head.
I know what you're thinking... how will we know that there is another brand out there who owns this design?
It's difficult when you're starting out. To be absolutely honest, there are some brands that even the most experienced crafters do not know of.
Any brand's work can be copied but here are a few things to keep in mind before you make a crafty purchase.
Google is your best friend
If you are in doubt or confused about a purchase, google it.
First try with the product name. If nothing comes up, use an element from the product and google.
Example : If it's a wedding dress stamp, google : wedding dress stamp images
You can even use this technique for stencil patterns, stickers etc.
While it is not foolproof, it can help you determine to a certain extent if the product you plan to purchase is original or not.
Cost
Usually the copied products are priced much lower than the originals. So if you see a product being offered to you at a throw away price whereas identical products by other companies are expensive, think, why is this product being sold so cheap?
Ask the manufacturer
Many manufacturers are not designers and illustrators. They source the design from illustrators, pay for it and manufacture it.
So, if in doubt you should ask the manufacturer for the source. If it seems fishy, you know you are dealing with a fake product.
Ask a craft store owner
Most craft store owners who have been dealing in the sale of craft supplies will know the difference between an original and a fake.
Many of these wonderful ladies help out and give advice upon asking so if you are in a doubt, do not hesitate to contact them! They will definitely guide.
Disadvantages of purchasing a fake product :
Performance
The fake product will give you inferior performance and will not give you the best results.
Resale value
If you buy an original product, you can re-sell it / destash it after you are no longer interested in using it and recover some amount out of the total cost of that item.
If it's a fake people will not buy it.
Also sometimes things are bought on an impulse and we crafters destash those (I know I have bought stuff on an impulse and destashed those items, brand new!) at MRP less 5 - 10% of what we paid for it. With a fake product, once again, it's not gonna be possible as people will not buy it.
So you see, while the fake product may come cheap, in the long run, it is nothing but a loss.
Reputation
Using a fake product will only hamper your brand value and reputation in the international markets. A major negative if you ask me.
I hope this article has helped you learn something new and encouraged you to make an informed decision leading to an ethical purchase.
Lastly, we have formed a facebook group to help people learn the difference between originals and fakes.
Join us if you are also a supporter of original products!
Check it out >>>> HERE
Have a beautiful weekend dear friends and happy crafting! ^__^
Here's a card I made to thank a friend.
Could I have said thanks over a phone or msg? Sure. But for a card maker, there is no better joy than to say it with a card. ^__^
How'd I make it?
A CAS project, I used the Flower Flourish stamp by So Suzy Stamps along with a sentiment stamp by Tim Holtz.
Stamped the flourish and sentiment onto cardstock and tied a ribbon.
The cardstock that you see here is the white textured cardstock sold by PABD. (Peek-a-boo Designs)
Colored parts of flourish using Sakura Pens.
Added glitter to parts of flourish. (I used pva glue and glitter with a thin brush but an easier option is wink of stella!)
Finished it off with a few pastel sequins. (From Craftin' Desert Divas)
And that's it!
Before I sign off, a quick close up :
Sparkly!
Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely day!
Hello and good morning! ^__^
Here's the post that was long overdue...
What happened was I made some ATCs, and then made some more and since they were all different, I decided to collaborate them into one big post!
So here goes..
The photograph that you see above was a part of a sneak peek of a gorgeous Limited Edition stamp set called Away We Go launched by Peek-A-Boo Designs.
You can read all about it : HERE
Next up, this set of ATCs was made using distress inks, stencils, washi tape, glitter, crackle accents, modeling paste, die-cuts and sequins along with some mini mixed media themed stamps by Peek-A-Boo Designs.
This one was made using distress inks with my favorite stamp - Phineas The Peacock by So Suzy Stamps.
The sentiment is a sticker.
This one has a mix of stamps from Studio G, Altenew and So Suzy Stamps.
This ATC has the Love Balloon and Celebrate stamps by So Suzy Stamps along with the usual suspects, glitter, washi tape and sequins!
This one was challenging, as the theme was love without using the colors : red and pink!
It has quite a few items like rhinestones, pearls etc. adhered to it but, the stamps used for this project are by So Suzy Stamps & Tim Holtz along with the Rhapsody stencil by Memory Box.
Last but not the least, this ATC features a Heidi Swapp stencil with a partial So Suzy Stamp (Stardust Dancing).
I'm sorry I couldn't describe the steps in detail for each and every ATC, because as you can see, they are all different and that would make this post painfully long!
But... if you have any query regarding any of these, drop me an email at : halak.shah@gmail.com OR leave a comment on this blog post and I shall reply to it at the earliest!
Thank you so much for stopping by! *Big Panda Hugs*
Hello! ^__^
A quick post today, sharing a with you a birthday card I made.
I made this using Bielo Cardstock, a sample of which was given to me as a part of the 3rd birthday celebrations at The Craft Shop. (Thank you Priya! It's really awesome!)
This cardstock is smooth and super sturdy, 300 gsm.
Also, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it took on the inks during stenciling, because these are not distress inks... these are dye inks! So despite me using dye inks, as you can see, it led to a nice, smooth blend.
It's pure white cardstock, which means it does not have subtle yellow / grey undertones, thereby making the colors look more vibrant.
All in all, I really enjoyed using it and will definitely be getting more of this cardstock to try with other mediums!
A fairly easy CAS project, here's a list of the stuff I used to make this card :
The sentiment (Happy Birthday stamp by So Suzy Stamps) was stamped using Archival ink.
The dye ink set is called Highland Spring and is also by So Suzy Stamps.
I used brads (by Kaisercraft), washi tape, glitter (both local buys) and some die-cuts (RAK from a crafty Pen Pal).
Also on the butterfly and the background you can see a script stamp which is by Tim Holtz.
Here's a close up :
This was one awfully tough to photograph project (blame the poor lighting) but I did manage to click a picture at a lower angle to show you the shimmer on the butterfly.
Oh, also used some mini pearls, a teeny tiny confetti star and some rhinestones in blue and purple on the butterfly. (From my stash.)
The various layers of shimmer! Sparkly sparkly! ^__^
And that's that!
Thank you so much for stopping by, have an awesome day!
Linking this to : The Craft Shop Contest
