Happy Birthday Hummingbird and Rosette Card

Here is my 1st card for this week as Card Captain of the enjoyMichaelStrongstamps Yahoo Group

I created this birthday card in optimistic colors with a romantic chic.

It is also my interpretation of this month's sketch (#43) at the group.

Supplies used:
Cream CS for the card's basis
Papermania patterned paper - Origins (2 pages)
Cream CS for the Ornamental die
Patterned paper for the Rosette (from a friend)
Recycled white CS (from a tea pack) for stamping
Sizzix Movers & Shapers Die - Ornamental by Tim Holtz
Sizzix Sizzlitz Decorative Strip Die - Paper Rosette by Tim Holtz
Michael Strong Cloisonné Hummingbird Stamp (small)
Embossing ink
Michael Strong Midnight Black EP
ProMarkers - Vanilla, Tulip Yellow
Ranger's Distress Ink - fired brick
Black lace
Sentiment - "Happy Birthday" gold rub-on
Tiny clear bling

Black gel pen

Double sided foam tape

I stamped Michael Strong's Cloisonné Hummingbird using Embossing ink.
I heat embossed it using Michael Strong Midnight Black EP.
Then I cut it and colored it using ProMarkers. I added a tiny clear bling for the bird's eye.
I distressed the background patterned paper and the Ornamental die using Ranger's Distress Ink - fired brick.
I used a black gel pen to draw faux stitches around the Ornamental die.
Then I layered the papers according to the sketch and added the black lace.
I added the rub-on sentiment.
The Rosette and the Hummingbird 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

Simple Love Notes Card

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.
Here's my 2nd card for this week, in strong, contrasting colors.
It is a 50 years anniversary card for an overseas friend.

Ingredients:
Cream leather textured CS for the card's basis
Red leather textured CS
Black canvas textured CS
Patterned paper - Background Papers Book 1 by Crafty Individuals
EK Success Edger Punch - Morocco Lace
Michael Strong's Cloisonné Heart stamp (large)
Embossing Ink
Gold EP
Ranger's Distress Ink - Black Soot
Black lace
Red half pearls
3D double sided foam tape

I punched the black canvas textured CS using EK Success Edger Punch - Morocco Lace.
I distressed the patterned paper using Ranger's Distress Ink - Black Soot.
I layered the papers and added a piece of black lace for a romantic look.
I stamped Michael Strong's Cloisonné Heart stamp (large) on red leather textured CS, heat embossed it with gold EP, then cut it with nail scissors and glued it 3D for extra dimension
I added several red half pearls 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

A Note from Paris - One Tim Stamp Page Swap

I created these pages for an Artist Choice One Tim Stamp Page Swap which took place at the AllThingsTim Yahoo group .
I made 13 similar (but not identical) pages, as you can see in the following photos.

Following the instructions, I made 6x6 inches pages using chipboard as my base.
Then I covered both front and back with coordinating papers so that no chipboard was seen.
The theme I chose was A Note from Paris.
I chose romantic, vintage background patterned papers with old postcards and letters on them.
I wanted to keep my pages neat and not overloaded, so they will have a Vintage look and a cool Parisian Chic.
The note here stands both for the written note (the letter) and the musical note.

Supplies used:
Chipboard
Double sided patterned paper for the background - Love Letters from Timeless Romance by BJ Lantz (I used 26 pieces cut out of 30x30 papers!)
White CS
Kraft CS
Red and cream leather textured CS
Transparent sticker sheet
Tim Holtz French Market acrylic stamp set
Tim Holtz Patchwork embossing folder
Ranger's Distress Ink - Fired Brick, Dusty Concord, Vintage Photo
Versafine ink - Onyx Black, Crimson Red
Oval Large Nesting Paper Punch 1.5 x 0.75 inch by EK Success
1 inch Circle punch
Sizzix Bigz Die - Ornate Tag
Spellbinders Shapeabilities Dies - Fancy Tags
Dark red lace
Color changing soft fibers
Bottle caps
Tim Holtz Adage Tickets
Nostalgiques paper clips - The Attic Collection by EK Success
Blings - clear, green and purple
Ranger's Glossy Accents
Sponge daubers
3D double sided foam tape

The page's front side
I wrapped the chipboard with the vintage background patterned papers so the chipboard's sides were also covered.
I was supposed to use at least one of Tim Holtz stamps.
I chose the French Market stamp set, which is all about Paris, letters, postal stamps and romantic swirls.
As for the use of one of Tim Holtz embossing folders, I chose parts of Patchwork related to my page.
Leaving a one inch margin on the left hand side of my page for binding, I stamped that part too (I couldn't leave it untouched), but in a way that will enable binding yet will also add some chic to the margins.
I added a piece of dark red lace on the right hand side of my page for a romantic touch.

I used several embellishments:
The word PARIS was chosen as the page's header.
It was embossed, punched with an oval punch and distressed with Ranger's Distress Ink (Fired Brick).
Then I glued it 3D on a tag cut out of Kraft CS using Spellbinders Shapeabilities Dies - Fancy Tags, which was glued to the page for some extra dimension.

I also used the musical note from the same embossing folder.
It was embossed, punched with a circle punch and distressed with Ranger's Distress Ink (Dusty Concord).
Then I glued it 3D onto a flattened recycled bottle cap, which was also glued 3D to the page for some extra dimension.
I used several different Tim Holtz Adage Tickets, distressed using Sponge daubers and Ranger's Distress Ink (Vintage Photo).
I attached the Nostalgiques paper clips to the Adage Tickets and glued them 3D with a thicker double sided foam tape for some extra dimension.
I added clear, green and purple blings to add some glam.
After all, Paris is the city of lights…

The page's back side
I used the back side of the patterned paper.
I added big tags cut out of red and cream leather textured CS using Sizzix Bigz Die - Ornate Tag.
I stamped them with the Carte Postale stamp, added color changing soft fibers in the punched hole and glued them 3D for some extra dimension.

I also added faux postal stamps I created by stamping, cutting and glazing with Glossy Accents.
These were also glued 3D for some extra dimension.
I added my name and my email address on the backs of my pages, printed on a transparent sticker sheet.

Here are group photos of all my 13 pages, front and back.

Now I'll be waiting for all the creative, artistic pages in order to bind them together into one beautiful book.
(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Baby Card for Lily

I made this card for the Michael Strong's Yahoo group "Welcome Baby" May challenge.
I made Lily something fancy to wear… and see what's written inside it!
You can find a tutorial for a baby card here and this is my own interpretation of it.

Ingredients:
Pink pearly canvas textured CS for the card's basis
Dark pink paper
Double layered ribbon and lace with hearts
White Gel pen
EK Success circle punch
EK Success Corner Adorner

I cut the pink pearly canvas textured CS to create the onesie shape.
I added double layered ribbon and lace with hearts for decoration.
I added stripes of the same CS (using its reversed side) with faux stitches, drawn using a white Gel pen, for the sleeves.

Inside the card I added the sentiment, printed on dark pink paper, its corners rounded. It says:

If Mom Says No

Call 1-800-GRANDPA

Do you think it's a fancy outfit for a cute little baby girl?
(You can enlarge each photo by clicking on it)
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed. Have a creative day! Dorly

Fleur De Lis Vintage Card

Today I felt like going back to Vintage.
I used strong, contrasting colors to create a romantic yet dramatic card.
This card is all in a French style: the Fleur De Lis, the book page and the romantic lace.

Ingredients:
White CS for the card's basis
Light blue CS
Fleur De Lis purple patterned paper (from my stash)
A page from an authentic vintage French book
Black canvas textured CS
Michael Strong's Fleur De Lis Die Cutters
Black lace
Ranger's Distress ink - Dusty Concord
Purple pigment ink
Purple and clear blings

I cuttlebugged the page from an authentic vintage French book, using Labels One Spellbinders Nestabilities.
I distressed the edges of all the papers.
I attached the black lace to the back side of the patterned paper.
I used Michael Strong's Fleur De Lis Die Cutters to cut out shapes of black canvas textured CS in 2 sizes.
I glued them 3D for extra dimension.
I added several purple and clear blings to add some glam.

(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