Michael Strong 15 Challenge Card & a Giveaway Alert

Here is my card for the 15 challenge at enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group
The challenge requires to create a card with exactly 15 elements - no more, no less - and to use any Michael Strong's stamp (the card's basis doesn't count as one of the 15 elements).
When I read the challenge's requirements, the idea popped into my head right away.
I just love Michael Strong's stamps, as you could have noticed.
And what's the symbol of love? A heart, of course.
So I created the main motif - a heart made of flowers.
There are 14 flowers, and the heart itself is the 15th element.
It may seem very simple but it required some work.
I like its minimalist, clean look, as it enables to focus on the main motif.
Don't forget, sometimes less is more…

Ingredients:
Light blue leather textured CS for the card's basis
Red leather textured CS
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Flower Stamp (small)
Stazon ink - Black
Double sided foam tape

The heart
I stamped Michael Strong's Cloisonné Flower on red leather textured CS with black Stazon ink, 14 times.
I cut out 14 identical flowers, using TH scissors.
I arranged the flowers in a heart shape, and glued them one by one directly onto the card's basis.
I glued them 3D, using double sided foam tape, for extra dimension.

Tomorrow, April 1st, is my birthday, so I'm having a little Giveaway for my readers. Stay tuned…

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed.
Have a creative day! Dorly

Branches Arrangement Card

Here's the 5th card I made for this week as Card Captain of the enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group.
I made this Branches Arrangement card, a simple yet elegant card which fits any occasion.

Ingredients:
Cream CS for the card's basis
Beige paper
Chocolate brown CS
Dark gold and burgundy canvas textured CS
Martha Stewart's Gothic Arches edger punch
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Pot stamp (large)
Gold EP
Stazon ink – Timber Brown
Forest green and olive green half pearls in various sizes

I punched the beige paper using Martha Stewart's Gothic Arches edger punch, and distressed its edges a little with Stazon ink to give it a dark, contrasting frame.
I stamped Michael Strong's Cloisonné Pot on chocolate brown CS, heat embossed it with gold EP and cut it out using TH scissors, then I cut it into 2 separate parts to create 2 low containers.
I trimmed the dark gold and burgundy canvas textured CS into very thin stripes, and glued them on the back side of the containers.
The containers were glued 3D for extra dimension.
I also attached forest green and olive green half pearls in various sizes.

(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Gatefold Card With Inner Money Pocket

Here's the 4th card I made for this week as Card Captain of the enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group.
Today is Technique Thursday, so I'm going to explain how to make this card.
When creating this card I was inspired by an Israeli scrapbooking friend from Eilat. Her name is Tal Solomons (she doesn't have a blog…yet) and the basic card was her idea. I upgraded it by adding the inner money pocket.
You can put a tag in this pocket instead of money. I left enough space inside the card for writing wishes.
This card was minimally decorated, and it's also suitable for men.
It took me more time to write the explanation than to make the card… it's easy and fun to make.
You're welcome to try it. I'd be happy to see what you created.

Ingredients:
Cream leather textured CS for the card's basis (A4 size)
Basic Grey patterned paper - Boxer
Red and cream leather textured CS
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Flower stamp (small)
Stazon ink - Black
Clear and red blings
Double sided adhesion tape

I used one A4 sheet of cream leather textured CS to make the card's basis.
I cut it to the size of 28.5x15 cms.
I made creases and folded it into 3 exactly identical panels. The folds should be at 9.5 cms and 19 cms.
I made a diagonal cut on the right panel, starting at 4.3 cms from the top and ending at 4.7 cms from the bottom (be exact, as both panels should match).
I saved the cut-out piece to be used later as the money pocket.
Then, flapping the right panel on the left panel, I used a pencil to draw the exact line for cutting the left panel.
I cut the left panel along the line and checked that both panels flap to a nice closure.
Then I used double sided adhesion tape to attach the inner pocket (left from cutting the right panel, remember?) to the inner side of the left panel.

Here the pocket was made of the same CS as the card's basis, so it seems like an integral part of the card. To make the pocket more visible, use another paper or decorate this CS as shown on the outer panels.

I decorated the card's outer panels using Basic Grey patterned paper (Boxer), which I cut diagonally and a bit smaller than the flapping panels.
I punched regular and scalloped circles in 2 sizes (2 of each) out of red and cream leather textured CS.
I stamped Michael Strong's Cloisonné Flower stamp on red leather textured CS using Stazon black ink, and cut the stamped images with scissors.
I glued the stamped flower on the circle and then on the scalloped circle twice, creating 2 identical motifs.
I attached one motif to the inner money pocket for decoration.
I attached the other motif to the outer side of the card on its right panel. It was glued in the middle of the lower diagonally cut side, only half glued to the panel and half not glued (this will close the card nicely).
Finally, I added clear and red blings for extra glam.

(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Transparent Flowers Card

Here's the 3rd card I made for this week as Card Captain of the enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group.

Ingredients:
Cream leather textured CS for the card's basis
Black canvas textured CS
Martha Stewart's Quilted edger punch
CI patterned paper
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Flower stamp (small)
Transparency sheet
Stazon ink
Velvet covered brads

I punched the black canvas textured CS using the Quilted Martha Stewart Punch Around The Page Edger (I used only the border punch).
I punched circles in 2 sizes out of the cream leather textured CS and the black canvas textured CS.
I stamped Michael Strong's Cloisonné Flower stamp on a transparency sheet with Stazon ink: Teal Blue, Royal Purple and Blazing Red.
I cut each flower and attached it asymmetrically to the CS circles with velvet covered brads, each brad in the color different than the flower's.
The circles with the flowers were glued 3D for extra dimension.
(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Spring Card

Here's the 2nd card I made for this week as Card Captain of the enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group.

Ingredients:
Cream CS for the card's basis
Turquoise CS, punched using Martha Stewart's Garden Trellis deep edge punch
Basic Grey patterned paper - Pheobe
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Butterfly stamp (large)
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Flower stamp (large)
Black Stazon ink
Clear and red blings

I used Michael Strong's Cloisonné Butterfly stamp and Cloisonné Flower stamp, stamped each one of them with Black Stazon ink. The flower and the butterfly were hand-cut with TH scissors and glued 3D for extra dimension.

I added red and clear blings all over.

(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Spring Tag

I made this Spring Tag for the ISBF Spring Challenge in ATT.

For the background paper I used a recycled photo from a magazine.
I distressed and colored it with Ranger's Distress ink. I used Dusty Concorde, Broken China and Pine needle, spreading the ink with sponge daubers (oh, they're fun to work with!)
I stamped Tim's bird on white CS and cut it carefully, then glazed it with Glossy Accents and distressed it a little with Dusty Concorde Distress ink.
I added a tiny aqua bling for the bird's eye.
I used Tim's Elegant Flourishes die cut, from thin kraft chipboard, which was also covered with Glossy Accents for extra glazing.
The 3D flowers were made out of Polymer clay by a friend, and I added tiny blings to accent their centers.
I also added a bling flower.
I attached fluffy fibers in several colors to the tag, to give it a bit of a wild look.

(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Love Birds Card

Here's a new card I made for this week as Card Captain of the enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group.

Ingredients:
Cream CS for the card's basis
Shiny light bronze paper, punched using Martha Stewart's Birds on a Wire edger punch
Recycled cream mulberry paper with gentle embroidery on it
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Heart Stamp (large)
Michael Strong's Punch & Spell Alphabet Stamp Set
Gold EP
ProMarkers
Oval Large Nesting Paper Punch 1.5 x 0.75 inch by EK Success
Light turquoise half pearls

The heart
I stamped Michael Strong's Cloisonné Heart on white CS, heat embossed it with gold EP and cut it out using TH scissors.
Then I colored it with ProMarkers: I used Bright Green, Pastel Blue and Vanilla.
The heart was glued 3D with foam tape for extra dimension.

The word LOVE
I stamped the letters L O V E from Michael Strong's Punch & Spell Alphabet Stamp Set on white CS, heat embossed them with gold EP and then punched each letter out using the Oval Large Nesting Paper Punch 1.5 x 0.75 inch by EK Success.
Then I colored the letters with ProMarkers: I used Mint Green and Vanilla.
Each letter was separately glued 3D with foam tape for extra dimension.

I also added a few light turquoise half pearls for some glam.
(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)

My birthday is coming soon (April 1st. Seriously!) so I'm having a little Giveaway for my loyal readers.
I'll give you all the details soon, so stay tuned… In the meantime, you'd probably like to become followers of my blog and to leave comments, so you can have a chance to win the Giveaway.
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Full Moon And Sunny Day

For Those of you who are wondering about the weather in Israel...
Even in the winter when it's cold and it's supposed to rain, there's never enough water and the sky is usually clear.
Here's the view from our top floor, facing the Mediterranean sea:
And here's a nocturnal photo taken by my youngest son, on a night of full moon:

(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Show Time DECO

Here's another new deco I created.
Its theme is Show Time and anything related to theatre, cinema etc. will fit in.
There are 6 empty pages in the deco and its size is 15x11.5 cms, small enough to be sent in an envelope.
Six artists are going to work in it, one page per each, and I'm sure it will look fabulous when all the pages are done.
I'm going to make a few more new DECOs in different subjects soon, so if you're interested in working in this deco or in any of the other ones, please let me know.

For this DECO's front cover I used:
A recycled photo from an advertisement
A piece of black CS
The text Show Time, created using TH Vintage Market letters, cut out of white CS and covered with Glossy Accents for glazing.

For this DECO's back cover I used:
Silver CS
Textured red paper
A large Flourish stamp by IO
My personal details (covered with a piece of CS) were printed on the back cover, to make sure everybody knows where the deco should be returned to.
You can read more about Decos here

(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Through The Window DECO

Here's another new deco I created.
Its theme is Through The Window so let your imagination sweep you away, to whatever inspires you when you look inside or outside through the window.
There are 6 empty pages in the deco and its size is 15x11.5 cms, small enough to be sent in an envelope.
Six artists are going to work in it, one page per each, and I'm sure it will look fabulous when all the pages are done.

I'm going to make a few more new DECOs in different subjects soon, so if you're interested in working in this deco or in any of the other ones, please let me know.

For this DECO's front cover I used:
A recycled photo from an advertisement
A piece of white lace, which looks like a curtain
The text Through The Window, printed
A large Flourish stamp by IO

For this DECO's back cover I used:
A large Flourish stamp by IO
An arrow, freely cut with TH scissors from the advertisement's paper
My personal details (covered with a piece of CS) were printed on the back cover, to make sure everybody knows where the deco should be returned to.

You can read more about Decos here
(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly