Cuttlebug Embossing Folders + Paper Rose = Beautiful Project

So, while visiting Curt's blog over the last few weeks I was inspired to come up with this completed project. He had posted these wonderful cards that really were fairly simple because the cuttlebug embossing folders did so much of the work. I think we all sometimes forget how truly wonderful these little folders are all by themselves. Yes, this post just emphasized just how wonderfully they stand on their own. So, first thing I thought was I would case them. Although I didn't have any of the folders he used, mainly because I wasn't sure how I would use them with other things, now I will have to buy some of them (thanks Curt). So, since I knew I wanted to make this as a gift set of cards I knew I wanted to put them in something that was more a keepsake once the cards were gone. So, I went to Hobby Lobby and bought one of those little brown paper mache type boxes. So, just like the cards I wanted the box to reflect the same kind of texture and look. So, this is what I came up with.

Below is the complete project: (double left click the picture for a much larger view)


The card stock on the box is from the Green Stack from DCWV and has little brown dots and also had those scrolls already on it. I sent the pieces through the cuttlebug to emboss and the sanded the embossing. I then added a gold metallic rub-on to the top of that to give it a more vintage look. I did that all over the box. For the lid I started off adding some ivory lace to keep with the Victorian feel and added a brown ribbon on top of that. I knew I wanted to use one of those paper roses that Helen had posted a tutorial on her blog a few months back that I had never made, but thought they were beautiful and wanted to give one a try.


I added a friendship verse that reads: If I had one gift that I could give you, my friend, it would be the ability to see yourself as others see you, because only then would you know how extremely special you are. I also added a little butterfly to the side to add some interest.



I really wanted to keep the overall box fairly simple and beautiful. I wanted the embossing, the verse and the simplicity to stand out. With the rose I added pearls to the top and coated them with a golden paint to make them match the rose and added some black crystals swirls as well. To not over due it, I left it at that.

I just loved how my rose turned out. I started with a golden yellowish orange card stock and followed the instructions on Helen's blog. I added to the edges of the hearts (see tutorial) Tim Holtz mustard seed distress ink. Then I went back and added a pink from color box right over the mustard seed. After putting the rose together, I then sprayed it with a purple glimmer mist. Then I went back once more and added a yellowish metallic rub-in to the tips of the rose petals. Once it all dried I also sprayed it with a "Deft" satin lacquer spray to seal it. I really do love how this overall project finished out.


I am such a "matchy" kind of girl, I wanted something on my envelopes to match my cards, so I decided to embossed just the flap on the envelope with the folder that matched the card. I was so pleased, an envie that matched!


The next two pictures is the set of all eight cards that will be placed in the box as a gift set!





I agree with Curt, this project is so much more beautiful in real life I wish you could see it in person. My box it much richer also in color, but I love how it turned out and I am sure I will be making these again! Thanks again Curt and Helen for the inspiration incorporated into my project!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a cheekie day!

House Mouse Challenge #41 - Red, White and Blue; any theme

This weeks challenge was a color one, although I threw in that brown for the cobblestone road and a hint of green for the trees, not sure if that is fair or not?! LOL.. but oh well, I guess I am one to push the envelop when it comes to color!! LOL... I figured if the mice could be brown, so could my cobblestone! I love this image and just bought it off the clearance at Hobby Lobby for just 2.00 so I was quite excited about that! I kept her white and added her acessories with the colors red, white and blue. Although her shoes kind of turned an orange color after I added the diamond glaze to make them look patten leather! LOL.. oh well, I used Martha Stewart x-mas stamps for those cute little houses, also bought on the clearance at wal-mart after Christmas, I think for 3.00! LOL... and then I used a cuttlebug embossing folder to make my cobblestone walk. The other little housemouse critters are actually stickers. Thought the street needed some other mice! I also stamped my trees in the background and added a hint of green chalk and then put this all together. I love fiber and I thought the perfect quote for this was "A road to a friend's house is never long" and that is what is on the tag.















well, that is it for me for this challenge, I think it turned out cute, so have a "mice" day!

House Mouse Challenge #40 - Wedding/Anniversary

This week's challenge was Wedding/Anniversary. How appropriate since Eric and I just celebrated our 10th anniversary. Although this in not the card I made him. To make this card I used my mirror image stamp. This stamp allows you to reverse an image by stamping the image onto the surface of this stamp and then you use that block to stamp your image in reverse (the image is always just a little lighter too). I don't use it a lot, but I do use it and I always love the results when I do. So, with that said, now you know how I achieved the double image in reverse. I decided to make one of the little mice white instead of the brown. Since we have had all different colors in mice and rats as pets I thought a little white one would be nice. I kept this clean and simple, which can be a hard thing for me to do at times. I went with a traditional red, black and white, I always think that is so elegant and sharp. I embossed the background with the hearts cuttlebug embossing folder and then on the black mat I used a fiskars corner/border punch to add a little detail in elegance without a lot of work. This card really did not take me that long at all, I would say I did it easily in a half an hour if not less. Ok... well, that is for me today, I am dang tired from celebrating the other night still, so I think I will post this and veg for a while! And remember you can always click the picture to get a closer look at the image.... OH and the inside says " two lives, two hearts, joined together in friendship, united forever in love". That is the verse we used on our wedding invitations I made 10 years ago though.



ok.. well, here's to another 10 years!!

Easter Cards

These are the Easter Cards I just made. I wanted to make some, but did not want them too complicated so I could make several. I already had some small blank colored cards, so I made an egg template and cut them into egg shapes and I embossed the top 3/4 of the egg with a cuttle bug embossing folder (luv those things!) so with using those they instantly add a big punch of lovely detail and then I just did the rest which was really pretty simple. I added a bible verse on the inside and called them complete! I also made these all from scraps except the cards themselves. Thanks for looking.