Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #332- Above and Below

So, I am sneaking this card in last minute (as I so often do) for Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #322, which is hosted by Lizzie Jones. Her technique is called "Above and Below" and just as the name indicates, it's to frame a sentiment strip with images both above and below! So whenever I am working on a card and start die cutting various images, I tend to make extras and then store them for future projects. It just makes sense as it's much easier and far more efficient when I already have all my supplies out and then I can store them for future projects.  Well this is that future project! Hehe. 😉

I took out a bunch of florals that I had pre-die cut and stamped and then simply started arranging them until I was satisfied! Here is the result:

So I began by die-cutting a white, top folding card base with PTI's newest Noted set. I am absolutely in ❤ with the stitched and pinked edges! Then I got to work on the floral arrangement and color scheme. If you browse through either my blog and/or Instagram account (@O2CraftMama) you'll soon figure out that I'm very partial to bright, vibrant colors and this card is no exception! 

As you can see, I used many different floral sets and from a few different companies! From Papertrey Ink I used:

-Dawn Mcvey's gorgeous florals: Farmer's Florals, Gran's Garden

-Betsy Veldman's Spring Border Flowers and Stitched Garden set. 

-Graceful Greetings II

-Nesting: Leaves from the coverplate and the sentiment from the stamp set. 

I I also used Altenew's floral set, it's the aqua flower in the above photograph. 

I also incorporated some smaller flowers and leaves from WPlus9:

-Freehand Florals & Southern Summer Florals 1

-The stitched banner is from My Favorite Things  (MFT Stamps).

To add more depth and interest, I also used a white gel pen and a black Pigma Micron to add some stitching and details to some of the floral centers:

As a finishing touch, I generously lathered all the florals with a coating of Zig Wink of Stella clear glitter brush pen. Unfortunately you can't really see it in the photographs but I assure you that in real life it is absolutely divine! I never get tired of using this product, it just makes everything "pop"! 

I  also scattered a few Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear Sequin Mix to finish off the card.

Finally, I also embellished a matching envelope with a super old Stampin' Up stamp (pink heart) and Papertrey Ink's mini envelope kit.:

So I might have gone a _bit_ (okay fine...A LOT) over board with the amount of flowers I used. 😁Haha, but I simply couldn't resist-- I feel that you can never own too many floral stamp/die sets! 

Thanks for stopping by and until next time...craft on! 

-O

Sneaking this one in...

My last minute entry for Papertrey Ink 's Transformation Tuesday hosted by Keeway!

These were created with minimal supplies as I had just returned from a lengthy trip and most of my "crafty stuff" ⬅ (technical term) had yet to be unpacked.  I created the 1st one a couple weeks ago and just couldn't quite put my finger on what it was that I felt was missing.  So I decided to transform it, prompted by this challenge. But I set a perimeter, namely that I would  challenge myself to essentially re-create the initial experience and only permit myself to use bare minimum supplies again. My thought was that it would be nice to have some go-to designs/sketches and colors to easily reproduce, even on a trip!

Here is the original: They are very similar but there were changes...let's see if you can spot them, much like Where In the World is Waldo style.  Haha, but I digress...

Here is a close up of the original card:

And here is the slightly transformed card! 

And the full card. Unfortunately the photo stinks because the at the exact time I was preparing to take pictures...the weather decided to change and the sun played hookie, leaving storm clouds in its wake. Perhaps I will post more pictures once I have better lighting!

And until next time...craft on!

Xoxo, 

Oreet

Masculine Version

As promised in my previous post, here is the masculine version:

Not too many changes from the feminine version-- I simply chose a bit more of what I thought was a more masculine interpretation of the rainbow, as in red rather than pink, navy blue rather than turquoise, etc,. 

I then switched out the "focal sentiment" with a die-cut birthday that I thought was a but more "blocky" and therefore more masculine, in my opinion! 

Until next time...Craft on! :)

-O

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

1. Seize the Birthday

I'm baaaaccckkk!

Yes, as my above subject proclaims...I'm finally back! As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm chronically ill and something as seemingly inconsequential as a cold, will make me sick for 2 months. So, though I have been making cards from time to time, I simply have not had the energy to update my blog. It's much easier to simply post on Instagram, though I'm vowing to be more present here on my blog from now on. Though if you want to catch me on IG, my handle is: O2CraftMama. All right, now down to business :)

I've decided to challenge myself-- It seems like I'm always low on masculine cards but yet have tons of feminine ones. So, I've decided that every time I make a feminine card, I will also make a masculine version. I think it's absolutely doable, especially since I already have the materials out and with only a few alterations, (be it color or images, i.e. flowers converted to stars)  I can quickly make a male version. And that's precisely what I did with the card in this post and the next:

First up, the feminine version:

I cut the cover plate out in  both white and black cardstock. Then using my Tim Holtz blending tool, I blended a feminine version of the rainbow-- using pink in place of red, turquoise rather than blue, etc. I cut and scored a top-folding A2-sized card and glue the black coverplate to it. Afterward, using my chosen pattern I inlaid and adhered the pieces into it. 

I cut two small strips of black cardstock and then stamped/heat embossed them with  "supporting sentiments" using sparkling, superfine gold embossing powder. Then using Lawn Fawn's amazing Big Scripty Words set, I diecut and stamped the "focal sentiment"

I finished the card off with various sized Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh,,,,aaaannnddd I'm done! 

Catch you in my next blog post, but until then-- craft on!

-Oreet

**I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

1. Lawn Fawnatics Challenge #25

2. Seize the Birthday