Gold And Glitter Mingle Cards Swap

These are the cards I created for the Michael Strong Gold And Glitter Mingle Cards Swap, which took place at the enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group.

I made 2 very similar cards for 2 group members, one was sent to Australia and the other to the US.

I chose contrasting colors - black and gold, and the Gecko which is a symbol of good luck.

Supplies used:
Cream CS for the card's basis
Textured patterned paper - Making Memories - Metallique Floral Brocade Varn
Black CS
Shiny gold paper
Martha Stewart Deep Edger Punch - Garden Trellis
EK Success Corner Adorner
Michael Strong stamp - Gecko (large)
Embossing ink
Gold EP
Ranger's Stickles - green

Double-sided foam tape

Green envelopes

I chose a matt gold patterned paper which has a lovely texture to it, as if it's been embossed all over.
I punched both the black CS and the shiny gold paper, using Martha Stewart Deep Edger Punch - Garden Trellis.
I rounded the corners of another piece of the shiny gold paper and layered all the papers onto the crad's basis.
Then I stamped Michael Strong's Gecko on black CS, using embossing ink.
I heat embossed it with gold embossing powder and cut it with scissors.
The Gecko was glued 3D for extra dimension.
I decorated a bit here and there with some green stickles for glitter and glam.

(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)

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

Gecko Tag for Good Luck and Paisley Tag

Here are my 4th creations for this week as Card Captain of the enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group

Today it's Technique Thursday, and rather than sharing a specific technique I preferred to share several useful tips.
Therefore I created two tags on which it's easier to demonstrate my tips.

I decided to use the Cloisonné Gecko Stamp and the Cloisonné Paisley large stamp.

The colors I chose are earth tones, trying to match the stamped images and the embellishments to the backgrounds.

Supplies used:
Cream CS for the tags
Beige and cream CS
Vintage book's pages
Cuttlebug embossing folder - Distressed Stripes

Spellbinders Shapeabilities Dies - Fancy Tags
Crop-A-Dile
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Gecko Stamp
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Paisley Set (large)
Ranger's Distress ink - Rusty Hinge, Pine Needle
Embossing ink
Ranger's Green EP
Versacolor metallic Ink - 3 colors - bronze, gold and silver
Promarkers - Vanilla, Mint Green
Green pen
Big spotted brads
Flower eyelets
Ribbons and fibers from my stash

Double sided foam tape
Double sided tape

First I stamped the Gecko and cut it around.
Then I stamped the Paisley, heat embossed it, colored it with ProMarkers and cut it around.
I embossed the tags using the Cuttlebug and colored them with Ranger's Distress inks.
The Ribbons and the stamped images were all glued 3D for extra dimension.
Then I added the eyelets and the brads.

Now here are my tips for a better looking creation, no matter if it's a tag, a card or any other project.
The back side of the work looks messy - holes for the eyelets, ribbon strands hanging loose, brads' legs showing.
All these make each project look unfinished and non-professional.
To avoid this, simply cover the back side of your work, and none of the above will be seen.
I used a vintage book's page to cover each tag's back side.
Then I added a satin ribbon and some colorful fibers at the top of the tags.
You must admit they look better now.

You can also cover the back side of brads and eyelets or the ribbon's attaching place with small punched out or die cut papers, and use them as decorative elements.
Do you have any tips you'd like to share?

(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)

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

Gecko And Fish On Painted Background Cards

I'm Card Captain of the enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group for this week, so for 5 days I'll be showing you several works using Michael Strong's stamps.
I hope you'll find them inspiring.

Today's card #4 is a card with hand painted background and it's Technique Thursday.
I painted the background myself, using the technique shown at Michael Strong's tutorial.
I sure know how to paint, yet making my own background paper is fun and always gives surprising results.
Actually, I made 2 cards in similar colors but slightly different.

Ingredients:
Red leather textured CS for the card's basis (card #1)
Black canvas textured CS for the card's basis (card #2)
Aqua leather textured CS
Black canvas textured CS for the background
Acrylic paint – I used white, red, light blue and silver
Brushes, 2 sizes
Silver CS
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Gecko Stamp (large)
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Fish Stamp (large)
White and silver EP
Morocco Lace Edger Punch by EK Success
Martha Stewart Gothic Arches Edger Punch
Red blings and white half pearls

The Gecko
I stamped Michael Strong's Cloisonné Gecko on black canvas textured CS, heat embossed it with silver EP and cut it out using TH scissors.
The Gecko was glued 3D with foam tape for extra dimension.

I did the same with the Fish, using aqua leather textured CS and white EP
I cut stripes of the painted background paper and glued them on the silver CS. I punched scraps of black canvas textured CS using the Morocco Lace Edger Punch by EK Success and the Martha Stewart Gothic Arches Edger Punch.
I glued it all to the card's basis, and added the stamped image on top of it.
I also added a few red blings and white half pearls for some glam.


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

I'm In Glove

I made this card for the Michael Strong's Yahoo group August challenge, based on Mike's project: Faux Tie Dyed Backgrounds.
So I put my gloves on and I started playing with dye inkpads and baby wipes, in order to create hand-made special backgrounds.
The background is so dominant and special - I made a few of them and there are no two alike - that I needed only a few embellishments to complete my card. I matted it with gold paper to emphasize it.
I decorated my card with Michael Strong's Cloisonné Gecko stamp, stamped with metal Brilliance ink on black textured CS, which was also matted with gold paper (same as the card's background).
The Gecko was glued 3D for extra dimension.
I added a black pompon ribbon from my stash and metallic gold Dew Drops, and 2 black corners. It's a fun technique for creating special backgrounds, and I intend to use it again… stay tuned.
Photo of the day - my white Orchid in full bloom

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

Baby Girl Mini Album

I made this mini album for my friend M. and left room so she can fit photos of her cute daughter into it.
This mini album is very sweet and girly, therefore it's very different from what I usually design.
Keeping in mind that it's meant for a cute 2 years old girl, I used K & Company's Sparkly Sweet 6x6 paper pad, distressing all the pages with happy, girly colored ink.
The embellishments are in similar colors.
I used Michael Strong's Cloisonné stamps (quite a few of them) with and without EP.
I added pearls and blings wherever possible (not too many, I hope…)
I used shaped buttons, thick felt shapes, paper die cuts, and silk flowers attached with brads and glued 3D.
Between the pages I left room for journaling, on thinner album pages with white papers decorated with border punches and distress ink.
The album pages were attached together with metal binding rings, decorated with ribbons.
On the front cover there's a pink metal gecko for good luck, hanging on the top binding ring.

I added a photo of the front cover in daylight (with a few more ribbons...) so you can see the colors more clearly.
Happy birthday, dear M.
I hope you'll like it… and what's coming with it. Stay tuned…

Gecko Card For Good Luck

I made this card for an 80 years old man for his birthday.
I used patterned paper, distress inks, Michael Strong's Cloisonné Gecko rubber stamp in shades of green and a green brad.
The Gecko part was glued 3D for extra dimension.