Garden of Grace: January 2022

Garden Shutters Collection

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~ Blessings ~

Monday, January 24, 2022

Interactive Birthday Flip Card for Amazing Paper Grace

Welcome to my creative space!

I'm really enjoying creating interactive cards with the fabulous Amazing Paper Grace Garden Shutters Collection. This sweet birthday card features the Daisy Delight Garden Shutters A2 Card Base (S5-479) die set. We're in the dead of winter with over a foot of snow on the ground and more on the way with temperatures below zero at night, so I just couldn't resist pulling out summery blues and yellows for this card to go with the beautiful daisies. A girl can dream, right??

Here's a view of the card with the shutters open:

It's such a fun and beautiful card. The sentiment and sweet daisies are included in the die set. The pull tabs are created using the Butterfly Bliss Garden Shutters 5x7 Card Base Set (S6-183).

Thank you Amazing Paper Grace for providing the dies used in this project.

Tips and Techniques

Don't you just adore the intricate lattice that fits the shutters? I cut a solid background piece and the lattice pieces from the same grungy blue paper (which is the back of the yellow patterned paper), then inked the lattice with a darker blue so it would pop against the lighter background. This entire card was cut from just one piece of 12x12" paper including the three base and shutter pieces, the lattice, and the pull tabs. I used scraps from my stash to cut the daisies.

This interactive card is three layers deep. You can cut all three pieces from the same 12x12" piece of paper like I did here or use papers that coordinate. Keep in mind that the middle piece is die cut for the shutters that flip, so the back of the paper will be part of the design as well.

The pull tabs are cut from the back of my patterned paper and the edges are inked. A second solid tab piece is cut. I inked this piece with the same darker blue I used on the lattice, so the word pull would be more visible.

There are three different daisies in this set. Each one has three pieces - two sets of petals and a center. Each flower is a separate die with all three pieces, so it's easy to know which pieces go together. After die cutting, I inked the petals before shaping. The centers are inked and would look great with just the inking, but for added texture and a bit of glittery sparkle I adhered Gold Flower Soft to the centers.

This sweet birthday sentiment is included in the set. I used Tombow Mono MULTI liquid glue on the back and let it dry before adhering. This glue stays tacky when dry works well for intricate die cuts like this. I used a ruler to help line up and center the sentiment pieces.

Amazing Paper Grace Dies

S5-479 Daisy Delight Garden Shutters A2 Card Base

S6-183 Butterfly Bliss Garden Shutters 5x7 Card Base

Paper:

Blue Fern Studios ~ Happy Accident

Patterned Paper Scrap ~ Yellow (for daisies)

Ink:

Ranger ~ Distress Ink: Scattered Straw; Faded Jeans; Broken China

Mixed Media:

Flower Soft ~ Gold

Adhesives:

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L ~ 3D Foam Squares

1/4" Foam Tape

Beacon ~ 3-IN-1 Advanced Craft Glue

Red Line Tape ~ 1/8"

Tombo ~ Mono MULTI Liquid Glue

Scotch ~ Quick Dry Adhesive

There are five dies included in the Circle Meets Square Set

Thanks for stopping by! I treasure your comments.

~ Blessings ~

Saturday, January 22, 2022

Introducing Amazing Paper Grace Classically Becca Collection with Blog Hop ~ "Let Your Dreams Take Flight" Card

Welcome to my creative space!

These cards feature the gorgeous Amazing Paper Grace Circle Meets Square Die Set (S5-491) from the new Classically Becca Collection. This versatile set can be used for 5x7" or square cards. I don't know about you, but I have quite a stash of beautiful 6x6" paper pads and was so thrilled to be able to pull them out to use on these cards. I used to create a lot of 6x6" cards and have gotten away from using this card size recently. It was nice to get back to this format again.

There's just something special about filling a background with gorgeous and intricate motifs. Although these dies are perfectly elegant, I just had to go with a girly grunge feel using beautiful slate blue, slate green, and grey colors. Everything is inked to add to the shabby feel of these cards.

They're embellished with handcrafted flowers cut from the Cinch and Go Blossoms (S4-1163) which are a part of this wonderful collection. I just adore that there are two different kinds of flowers included in this set. I've also cut a butterfly from the Butterfly Bliss Garden Shutters 5x7 Card Base Set and rose buds from the Candlewick Rosebud Dies (S4-1015)

Today's projects were created with dies provided by Amazing Paper Grace.

My Projects for Today

There are 10 dies included in the Cinch and Go Blossoms Set

What I made

I've used this fabulous Circle Meets Square die set to create a beautiful, shabby card ensemble. Keep on scrolling for more photos and details.

This 6x6" card could be used for a variety of occasions from a birthday to a graduation or even to offer congratulations on a new job. There are so many opportunities in life to "let your dreams take flight!" I just adore how the intricate circle pairs up with the square to create this amazing background for my card! The solid center of the circle gives a perfect visual contrast for the square.

My accessory with this die set is a smaller 4x4" note card which could be used for a thank you or a sweet note of encouragement. I kept this one more simple by embellishing with the handcrafted flowers, a sentiment and a couple small wood butterflies to show you a quick and easy card that can be created with this set. The square motif is so beautiful on it's own and fit perfectly onto a 4 inch card base.

The Classically Becca Cinch and Go Blossoms set (S4-1163) creates such gorgeous flowers. The petals and stamen are die cut then inked before shaping. I added Prills to the centers of the die cut stamen. To the three petal flowers, I added grey stamen from my stash. I've tucked a selection of Tim Holtz embellishments into the floral clusters and filled in around the clusters with prills and microbeads to add texture.

Here's a close-up of the lower floral cluster. I also added in a couple rose buds cut with the Candlewick Rosebud Dies (S4-1015).

Here are the flowers from the small note card. I cut and shaped all the flowers for both cards at the same time, so this card was quite quick and easy to put together. I just inked all the edges, glued the background pieces together, then adhered the flowers, sentiment, and butterflies. Easy Peasy!

One final look.

Designer Tip: Rubbing or brushing ink onto paper edges helps give a soft shabby chic and grungy feel to your cards.

These dies and plates are available from Spellbinders right now! Click here: Classically Becca Collection.

Supplies:

Accessories:

Paper:

Prima ~ Nature Garden Collection, 6x6" Paper Stack
Prima ~ Epiphany, 6x6" Paper Pad
Mulberry Paper ~ Cream
Cardstock ~ Kraft (for the card base)

Ink:

Ranger ~ Distress Ink: Antique Linen, Stormy Sky; Pumice Stone; Iced Spruce
Versafine ~ Onyx Black Ink

Embellishments:

Tim Holtz with Idea-Ology: Adornments, Nature; Quote Flair' Baseboards, Window Frames; Sprockets; Antiqued Gears; Bubbles
Us ArtQuest ~ Mini Prills - Ice Queen
Microbeads ~ White Gold

Adhesives:

Helmar ~ 450 Quick Dry Adhesive
Scotch ~ Quick Dry Adhesive
Beacon ~ 3-IN-1 Advanced Craft Glue
Beacon ~ Fabri-Tac
Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L ~ Crafty Foam Tape, White
Double Sided Tape ~ 1/4"

For more Classically Becca Collection Inspiration
Visit each Creative Team blog linked below for their take on creative paper crafting ideas using the Classically Becca Collection!

Visit Robin Clendenning
Visit Kate Skonieczna
Visit Joanna Wisniewska
Visit Patricia Manhire
Visit Agnieszka Posluszny
Visit Elena Olinevich
Visit Anita Kejriwal
Visit Katarzyna Bobrowska
Visit Tracey Sabella
Visit Becca Feeken at Amazing Paper Grace

I would adore hearing from you! Please leave a comment below letting me know how you will use these gorgeous dies!

Sweet Serenade Collection

Thanks for stopping by! I treasure your comments.

~ Blessings ~

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Encouragement Card with Tutorial Link for Watercolor Die Cuts

Welcome to my creative space!

Sometimes I create a card with a specific person and event in mind, but I also like to have cards in my stash that are versatile and can be used for a variety of events. The sweet sentiment from the Amazing Paper Grace Just a Note Sentiments Tag Clear Stamp & Die Set (SDS-169) is so encouraging and could be used for a birthday, graduation, thank you, or a note of encouragement.

I've used watercolors to create unique patterned paper for my die cut images including these amazing scrolled brackets from the Amazing Paper Grace Perfect Harmony Notecard Embellishments Set (S4-1149) and the smallest rectangle from the Fluted Classics Rectangles Dies (S5-475). You can find the full tutorial exclusively in the Amazing Paper Grace Creative - Creative Encouragement Community Facebook Group.

This lovely group includes exclusive tutorial content. I share a mixed media tutorial there on the 13th of each month. The tutorial for this project includes a detailed step by step photo tutorial teaching you how to create this one of a kind patterned paper for your projects. If you're not a part of this fabulous and encouraging group you can join HERE.

I wanted to keep the embellishments light and airy to help the watercolor diecuts to pop, so used creamy mulberry paper to cut the small cabbage roses and rose buds. The flowers are foliage are cut with the fabulous Candlewick Rosebud Dies Candlewick Sampler Collection (S4-1015) using the smallest blossom in the set. These dies create amazing roses!

Thank you Amazing Paper Grace for providing the dies used in this project.

Close-Ups

Here's a close-up of these gorgeous blossoms. I spritzed the back of the mulberry paper lightly before shaping. Three sets of petals are used to form the blossom which is shaped around a large stamen. I found these pearl colored stamen a while back in the bridal section of a local craft store. The rose buds are one set of petals shaped the same way, but glued down to the stamen to form the bud.

The floral heart charm from my stash is colored with Prima Metallic waxes to coordinate with the focal paper. I tucked in a few pearls and prills to fill out the cluster.

I wet and crinkled a length of rayon seam binding, then once dry, tied a triple loop bow for this lower cluster.

You can see in this photo how beautiful the watercolor die cut looks against the pink focal paper.

Here you can really see the amazing visual texture on the water color paper die cut. Yes you can stamp over the watercolor. Be sure to check out my tutorial for watercolor die cuts in the Amazing Paper Grace Creative - Creative Encouragement Community Facebook Group for all the details.

One final shot.

AmazingPaper Grace Dies

S4-1149 Perfect Harmony Notecard Embellishments

SDS-169 Just a Note Sentiments Tag Clear Stamp & Die Set

S5-475 Fluted Classics Rectangles Dies

S4-1015 Candlewick Rosebud Dies Candlewick Sampler Collection

Other Supplies

Prima ~ Royas Menagerie - Flutterby

Arches ~ Hot Press Watercolour Paper, 140 lb

Mulberry Paper ~ Off White

Cardstock ~ White

Tim Holtz with Idea-Ology ~ Baubles

US ArtQuest ~ Mini Prills - Minnie Pearls

Hug Snug ~ Rayon Seam Binding, White

Charm Shop ~ Heart Charm

Large Stamen (Floral department of craft store)

M. Graham Watercolors

Colorfin ~ PanPastel: Turquoise; Phthalo Blue Shade

Versafine ~ Onyx Black Ink

Finnabair with Prima ~ Metallic Wax: Sweet Rose; Indian Pink

Finnabair with Prima ~ Matte Wax: Old White

Helmar ~ Crystal Note Matte Varnish, Permanent

Helmar ~ 450 Quick Dry Adhesive

Beacon ~ Fabri-Tac

Art Glitter ~ Designer Dries Clear

Scotch Quick-Dry Adhesive

Double Sided Tape ~ 1/4"

Watercolor Wash Brush

Painters Tape