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Flower Cuties

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The Color Purple

August 10, 2014

Our friend and frequent guest designer Judi Kauffman is back with a tutorial she’s calling
“The Color Purple” – interesting ideas, lots of inspiration as always!

Thanks, Joset. I gave myself a pastel challenge a few weeks ago, but I’m always happiest when using bright and quirky color combinations – especially if purple is in the mix. Royal purple, lavender, amethyst, violet, plum, mauve, lilac, orchid, I even like puce!

Instead of projects with detailed instructions, this blog post is devoted to having fun with the color purple. And my not-so-hidden agenda is to encourage everyone to use color combinations that are way outside of the comfort zone.

Purple can be the star of the show (vases, a dress).

Purple can be an accent (wings, a background or border.)

Whether you use a lot or a little, it’s a color well worth exploring in depth.

If you’re a novice just gaining confidence with your color choices, allow me to posit a few questions:

What do you notice about my color combinations?
What do you like, what do you dislike? Why?
What do you think influenced my color choices?

To answer the last question first: Everything I see is a potential source for a palette, but for these projects I looked at flowers (Mother Nature has the super jumbo assortment of markers in her studio!) and at art history (two of the color combinations have roots in Impressionist paintings).

How did you answer the other questions?

Color is a matter of personal taste. I find it fun to reach for orange, pink, red, purple and olive, someone else might find that combination jarring.

Could you learn to enjoy colors that aren’t what you usually use? Would adding them to projects one at a time make sense, or would it be more fun to jump off the deep end, make a big splash?

I asked you to take note of my color combinations so you can use them as shown, select only some of what you see, or reject them altogether and go in a totally different direction.

Spend some time with the color purple this week!

Play with markers, pencils, paint, spray mists, paper and cardstock (patterned and solid colors). If you wind up with finished cards or a calendar that would be great, but it’s not necessary. The projects aren’t as important as taking time to experiment. Outline peel-offs in Black make it easy and fun.

Keep going:

Pick a different color for each of the next few weeks. With budget in mind, add to your collection of pencils, pens, and other supplies a few items at a time. Many manufacturers sell open stock so you can buy only one marker or one sheet of cardstock and then buy more when you find favorites.

SUPPLIES:

Elizabeth Craft Designs –

Outline peel-offs in Black
2560 Owl Circles
2556 Dragonfly Ladies 2
2565 Dragonfly Ladies in Circle
2566 Flower Cuties 1
2516 Asian Vases
2552 Balloons

Dies
728 Bunch of Flowers 1
758 Berry Branch
803 Metal Adapter Plate

Shimmer Sheetz
SS0216 Amethyst Gemstones
SS0218 Fire Opal Gemstones

Embossing Folder
E113 Hearts Entwined

Letraset –
ProMarkers in various shades of Purple and other colors

Worldwin Papers –
ColorMates Smooth & Silky 90# cardstock in White

Other –
Patterned papers and solid color cardstock, foam tape

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Videos

Flower Cutie Card

July 3, 2014

Hello friends – Karen Aicken here with a shimmery card that’s perfect for several different occasions.

I’ve been making cards for almost 25 years, and sometimes I just need a break from the standard A2 size (4-1/4 x 5-1/2″).  This is a larger card – 5 x 6.5″, that I purchase in packages at a craft store with a coupon. The package comes with envelopes as well, which is always a concern when you are using a card that isn’t a standard size.

Flower Cutie Hello Card _ 1

1.  Trim Blue Iridescent Shimmer Sheetz to 4-1/2 x 6″.  Save the 1/2″ strip for decorating inside the card.

2.  Emboss with (my favourite) embossing folder, Swirly Curves. You will have to do this in two parts, just be sure to line up your top cutting plate where the first embossing starts so you’re not flatten what you already embossed. The random swirls in the pattern hide any overlaps or gaps pretty well.

3.  Cut black card stock to 4-3/4 x 6-1/4 . Center and adhere the embossed Shimmer Sheetz panel to this using strips of double-sided adhesive.

4.  Cut a piece of ribbon 6-1/2″ long, wrapping it around the bottom of the panel about one inch up from the bottom edge. Tape the ends at the back. Cut another piece of ribbon and tie it in a bow on the right side of the ribbon. How long this piece is, depends on the ribbon you use and how you tie your bow. Trim ends.

5.  Adhere double-sided adhesive to a piece of white card stock that is big enough to fit the Flower Cutie Peel-Off, the collar and two additional Lady Bugs.

6.  Peel off the remaining liner from the double-sided adhesive and transfers the Peel-Offs onto the adhesive as shown in Els’ video HERE. Continue with the steps in the video, pouring on the Silk Microfine Glitter, brushing off the excess and polishing the glitter with your fingers. Then color with your choice of markers – I used Copics for this card.  Fussy cut all the pieces.

Flower Cutie Hello Card _ 2

7.  Die cut the HELLO from a piece of Black Velvet Adhesive Sheets and adhere to the card as shown.

8.  Arrange your colored Peel-Offs onto your card base as shown, using foam tape for height in places.

Flower Cutie Hello Card _ 3

9.  Cut a 4 x 6 panel of white card stock and mat on a slightly larger panel of black card stock. Adhere inside card along with the strip of blue Shimmer Sheetz from Step 1.

I left the inside of my card blank for now, but you can write a note inside when you send it. Alternatively, you could use one of the Elizabeth Craft Designs word dies to add a “Happy Birthday”, or ‘Thinking of You” etc.

Flower Cutie Hello Card _ 4

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope you will take a chance to play with these sweet Peel-Offs too!

 

Elizabeth Craft Designs Supplies:

SS 0103 Blue Iridescent Shimmer Sheetz

E119 Swirly Curves Embossing Folder

2567 Flower Cuties 2 Peel-Off Sticker in Gold

639 Warm Diamond Silk Microfine Glitter

501 Double Sided Adhesive

787 Hello die

406 Velvet Adhesive Sheets in Black

 

Other Supplies:

White Card Stock, Black card stock

Copic Markers

Foam tape

Blue/green sheer ribbon

 

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A Batch of Flower Cuties by Judi Kauffman

June 15, 2014

Our frequent guest designer Judi Kauffman is back. This time, she’s delving into her favorite way to make cards – “By the Batch” method. Learn how Judi created her 8 cards by this method. The cards are divided in 2 batches (4 per batch) and she provided photos and instructions. We hope you enjoy today’s post!

Thanks for inviting me to share some projects, Joset. I get the same question all the time: How do you have time to make so many cards? The best tip I can offer is to make several at the same time and keep them simple.

This batch of projects illustrates my point. I made eight cards, There is a mix of stamping and coloring, a tad of fussy cutting and a smidgen of layering. The pre-folded patterned cards were purchased by the box.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To create the first batch of four cards: Place Black peel-offs on white cardstock, leaving space between them so they can be cut apart as separate rectangles. Refer to the photo above. Cluster the “extras” from the peel-off sheet off to the side. TIP: Keeping these little pieces on the cardstock with the other peel-offs makes it easy to color everything with the same markers. If you want to make five cards instead of four leave more space between the two Cuties with daisy skirts.

2. Using your favorite markers and pens, color Flower Cuties and all small extra pieces as shown or as you prefer.

3. Cut apart the rectangles, mat with a narrow black border, adhere to an A2 (4.25” x 5.5”) patterned card base.

4. Fussy-cut around the leaves, flowers, butterfly, ladybugs and other remaining elements. Using foam tape for dimension, arrange and adhere these pieces. Refer to the photos above. (*I used all but ONE of the extras…the curved butterfly didn’t make it to the final projects)

5. To create the second batch of four cards: Instead of Black, start with Flower Cuties in Gold or Silver. Arrange some of the extra pieces (flower pot, butterfly, ladybugs) so they can be cut as a single unit with the Cuties. Using colors that coordinate with the boxed cards, color inside the lines with alcohol markers. Then color around the Cuties with one or more markers, halo-style, before cutting them out. This takes a bit more time than cutting a rectangle, but less time than fussy-cutting along the outlines! Optional: Using fine nib black and white pens draw faces and add details with a bit of doodling (two cards with polka dot background).

6. Stamp sentiments. Cut apart the lines of text and discard any unwanted words. Examples: Instead of the text on the stamp that said “I don’t think I want any more adventures” it is shortened to “I want more adventures” and instead of “If you’re already walking on thin ice you may as well dance” it is shortened to “you may as well dance.”

7. Using foam tape for added dimension, assemble the card fronts as shown in the two photos above and the two photos below.

More options: Use this same “By the Batch” strategy with a wide variety of Elizabeth Craft Designs Peel-offs including Jackie’s Dolls, Dragonfly Ladies, and more.

SUPPLIES:

Elizabeth Craft Designs –

#2566 Flower Cuties 1 in Black and Gold

#2567 Flower Cuties 2 in Black or Gold

Ranger Industries –

Dylusions by Dyan Reaveley “Say What You Mean” stamp set DYR34551

Adirondacks Earthtones Inks in Terra Cotta and Stream

Beacon Adhesives – ZipDry Paper Glue

Letraset – ProMarkers

Sakura of America –

Pigma Micron 01 and 05 in Black

Gelly Roll Medium in White

WorldWin Papers – ColorMates 90# Smooth & Silky Cardstock in White

Other – Lucky Charm and The Pier boxed cards (American Crafts); Foam tape (manufacturer of choice); Black speckled cardstock (manufacturer of choice); Basic tools including fine point scissors, craft knife, straight edge and cutting mat or paper trimmer

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