Aspiring to Creativity: May 2019

Hello Everyone,

When the focus of you life is no longer teaching paper crafting classes and is filled with other things, like cooking 1/2 the meals for your daughter's family, or driving grandchildren around, or participating more in volunteer work, the time just flies by. I do have a couple of other posts in the works, but with Scrapbook Essentials BC has this class coming up soon, so I had better post these cards for you.

WHEN: Thursday, May 16th

TIME: 6:00 - 9:00

COST: $35 + GST

In today's post I am also sharing with you three tips. You will find them by the word "tip" in bold.

These four cards designed with Graphic 45's "Love Notes" used most of the cut-a-parts sheet along with some of the other sheets form the collection and some black and red cardstock. There is not as much fussy cutting as there is with some of my other designs.

So let's have a look at each of the cards. There will be a series of detail photos with each card so that you see some of them more closely for any of them you wish to make.

The Mandolin Card

This is how I do the mitering of corners with striped paper pattern strips.

1. Start by laying out the piano key strips as in the photos below

2. Holding corners flush, cut with scissors by overlapping inside corner to outside corner, on all four corners

3. Attach the pieces to 5 X 7 red cardstock leaving about a 1/16 inch border around the edge

Here are the close ups from different angles to give you help in the layering and assembly of the card.

The Trumpet Card

For this card I created a little tag using a die. Here is a tip for you. If you have a favorite smaller tag die, you will need to die cut one out of your choice of pattern paper and then trace an outline of that tag die onto the coordinating cardstock you chose to go with the paper. Then cut it out with your scissors. This will create a slightly larger version of the tag to attach the pattern paper onto leaving a narrow border all around it. You will see this tag in some of the following photos.

More details to view in these close ups.

One thing I need to mention is that on all the roses I used a Spectrum Noir Glimmer Brush. You do not see it much at all in the photos, except on this photo where there is a hint of it when you look closely.

The "Music Speaks" Card

This is a great Anniversary card, Valentines card, or just an I love You card.

A closer look from different angles will help you see more of the details.

Another tip for you. This is the second card that uses thread for embellishment, but ordinary or regular sewing thread is fine and the thread you see on these two cards is coat thread. A thread that is thicker used for sewing heavier fabrics for coats. As you can see it adds more texture by using the thicker thread.

"How Do I Love Thee" Card

This card uses more of the larger roses fussy cut out of the paper. You will see that the background paper has one of the larger roses, and the others are popped up fussy cut roses, leaves & buds.

Another tip when working with a background that has similar images to your fussy cutting. On the back ground piece, before you assemble your card, take an ink blending tool and an ink colour similar to the Distress Ink pad (not Oxide) to Gathered Twigs and lightly darken the background area where you will be adding similar fussy cut items. This will help to have the pieces you add stand out a bit more instead of blending into the background.