Dove Inspired Sympathy Cards - the Hungry Jpeg!

Seems that I have been making a lot of sympathy cards this summer so far.  I am always looking for new ideas  and I love how beautiful these doves came out.  I love using vinyl for more intricate files because it can handle the detail often much easier than paper!

The image is from The Hungry Jpeg.

Sometimes the simplest designs can help create the most beautiful cards that express much with few words.

The image on the left was removed with transfer tape.  It is the main image and the one

on the left it was what remained behind - leaving another beautiful image for a card.

This file was super detailed, but cut beautifully out of vinyl.  It's a good thing to remember

that there is no reason all cards must be made with card stock and paper.

The vinyl adds a lovely touch and transfers easily and needs little else.

I have another sympathy card to share soon, along with some birthday cards and new recipes.  I was feeling a bit "uncreative" lately but am getting some enthusiasm back.  I have to admit that a lot of my free time has been spent working on my diamond painting (I am still loving it) which is huge and I have collected many more to do - I love them.  It's a great way to just stop and take a breath.  I have also been doing more volunteer work and am getting ready to take over the presidency of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Oceanside so have been trying to get more organized so I can continue to find the time and energy for all of the things that I love.  I am still a work in progress!!

Enjoy what you love.......Life is too short.

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December Birthday Cards

Here it is a week before Christmas and I still have Christmas cards and recipes to share.  I guess I better make a real concerted effort to post a lot in the next week!!  And what's wrong with sharing a few Christmas recipes in January to get a jump start on the coming year - right??  Geesh...... one of these days I will do a better job of juggling all of it. But for now, until the little elves come and give me a hand, I will do the best I can!

I needed to get a few birthday cards made, so I tried to combine birthday and holiday and am really pleased with the results.  I made ornament embellishments for both cards using two entirely different files and designers, but kept the same greeting because it worked so well!

This design is from Craft Vectors (Dominic). It is one of his Christmas Baubles collection.

It was cut out of gold vinyl.

The designs were cut out of vinyl then transferred to adhesive backed acetate to mimic an ornament. Then each was glittered from the back side. It's a bit tricky to stay in the lines (my perfectionist striving self struggled with glitter that went awry), but I still love  how they came out!

This is the end result - after the adhesive acetate has been added

and it has been glittered from the back.

Here is the second design from A Little Hut and is part

of the Poinsettia  Gift Set.   It was cut from silver

vinyl and also glittered from behind once the acetate was adhered to the front.

This is a relatively simple way to get a stunning look.

This was the first card I did with simple sequins added to the card base. 

The sequins reminded me of falling snow.

I used the same font in both, cut out of vinyl but made this ornament a bit larger

and added the glittered bow.

More projects and goodies to come.....stay tuned!

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Glass, Glaze, Glitter and Glow!!

I love to make cards. Unfortunately the ideas do not always come as the need arises, but I try to push through it.  I have been in a rut lately, needing to make a LOT of cards for October and feeling overwhelmed and uninspired.

So when I decided to participate in a challenge on the "That's Scrap Inc" forum (for cutting machines), I was ready to push out of my comfort zone.... and push I did!  LOL  It was all about doing something with glass containers, vinyl and glitter. I love cutting vinyl because you can do the most detailed work with ease.  But I couldn't think of anything to do.  I scanned all of the vases and jars sitting stored in my garage. They were just begging to be used. But of course none of the dozens were quite right!!  So I finally settled on a trio of square candle holders.  I found a new website of designs from Lori Whitlock and grabbed some of her flourished leaves.  I also was drawn to a quatrafoil background that was a tracing of a design (thank you Lisa!!) .  It was starting to come together - at least in my head!!

So technically, I didn't really use vinyl - but it's close. It's patterned contact paper and it just said "fall" to me. I don't decorate for Halloween anymore with all of the kids grown and the grandkids away, so I chose a simple autumn theme to carry me through the next couple of months.  I am hoping that if I decorate for fall it will start to feel like it here!!  It will be in the 80s again today and then 90s this weekend  - ugh!  I am SO ready to pull out my boots and sweaters and cuddle up on the couch with my dogs in front of the fireplace. Somehow the ambiance of the air conditioner is less than comforting! But enough of my whining......

So here is my project.  I used the acrylic glitter glaze from Dick Blick (it has been waiting for some attention) and then used Distress Rock Candy glitter to further add to the sparkle on the inside. It added a nice background to the vinyl cutouts.  Then I picked up some battery tea lights from Michaels and added a variety of glass pebbles, both in the containers and sprinkled around.

Step 1 - paint glitter glaze and add dry glitter to coat.  It looks nicer after it dries!!

These are the products I used on the inside of the candle holders.

Step 2.  Apply the vinyl cut outs.  It was super easy to do with the transfer tape.

This is just a test run to see how they look with the battery candles!

A closeup of the larger center candle.

One side of one of the smaller candles.

Candles arranged for a day time display.  Love the colored glass pebbles!

The glow at night.........

The finished arrangement

I am really happy with the effects and they look really festive at night. I would definitely do this again.

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