Sweet Stamps: Altered Birthday Frame

This is my last project for Sweet Stamps as a guest designer. I really enjoyed my time with them this month and loved working with all of their gorgeous stamps.

The Project
My grandmother celebrated her 92nd birthday this past weekend and I wanted to make her a gift and card set. I was thinking along the lines of something monochromatic and elegant, and here is the result.

The Process
Vellum is back in popularity right now and I thought it would be the right base for the wings of some butterflies. I used this medium butterfly stamp and stamped it onto vellum using white embossing ink and white embossing powder.

After heating it and cutting it out, I wrapped the butterflies with some wire floral stamen to make the antennae. If you want color on your butterflies, color the reverse side of the vellum with markers before cutting them out. 

I purchased a plain wooden frame from Target to hold a 5 x 7" photo. I chose a very wide frame so I had more room to decorate. Since I wanted more of a monochromatic look, I printed the photo in black and white. I toyed with the idea of painting a light coat of white paint over the frame, but decided the butterflies would stand out more over the dark wood. Instead, I painted some wispy tendrils using white craft paint. To make it more durable, I added Mod Podge over just the tendrils. 

I made a few small ribbon roses and adhered the butterflies and roses onto the frame with come clear craft glue. 

I also added some smaller butterflies I punched from vellum using a Martha Stewart punch that matched the look of my stamp. I finished it off with some adhesive pearls.

I made a matching card using vellum over white cardstock. I drew in the tendrils and wrote the happy birthday sentiment in Chinese with a white pen. I added three of my extra butterflies, a few pearls and some Prima ribbon. I hope my grandmother will like this matching set.

If you have a project with roses on it, please join Sweet Stamps this week in their roses challenge. 

I'm entering the frame in the following challenges:

Altered Eclectics: Anything Goes Altered Items

Ladybug Crafts: September Challenge Anything Goes

I'm entering the card in the following challenges:

A Little Bit Crafty: Clean and Simple

Really Reasonable Ribbon's Ramblings: #80 Shabby Chic and Ribbon

Thanks so much for stoppin' by,

Sweet Stamps: Paper Piecing and Western Challenge

I have two cards to share with you today as a guest designer for Sweet Stamps.

Paper Piecing Card
The current monthly technique challenge at Sweet Stamps is on Paper Piecing. Here is my contribution:

I started by stamping this bee on two separate sheets of patterned papers. I cut out the eyes and wings from the pale blue sheet and popped it on top of the yellow sheet.

I wanted a school theme so I placed the bee in front of a slate board and paper pieced some chalk and a chalk holder. I had the bee write the sentiment, which is actually this stamp. 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

365 Cards: Day 259 - In a Bubble

Lady Anne's Challenges: #11 Anything Goes

Western Card

The current weekly challenge theme at Sweet Stamps is Western. I made a shaker card for my nephew since he likes to dress up like a cowboy when he goes to Knott's Berry Farm. 

I made a scalloped frame around the photo using some punched circles of a horse silhouette stamp. Here is the card when it is shaken. 

I used a quick and easy washi tape technique to make the shaker element. 

If you would like further details on either card, please see this post. If you would like to enter the paper piecing challenge, please go here. If you would like to enter the Western challenge, please go here. 

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Divas by Design: Anything Goes

Inklings & Yarn: Inky Linky Party 30

Clear it Out Challenge Blog: Theme - Boys, Stash - Circle Punch

Thanks so much for moseying on by,

Sweet Stamps Guest Designer: ATC Card

The Challenge
This week's challenge theme at Sweet Stamps is ATC (artist trading card). It measures 2.5 x 3.5" and is a mini work of art. It can also be layered onto a card. Here is my contribution as a guest designer.

The Card
I go to a monthly ATC trade at my LSS, Pages from the Heart. The owner calls the customers her Peeps and there are Peeps decorations throughout the store. For the SoCal Shop Hop she had an Easter basket with a Peeps chick outfit you could wear for the photo op. Here is our ATC group posing with the Peeps Easter basket during one of our trades.

So when I saw this Bunny Peeps stamp set, I just had to use it for this month's ATC trade. It was just too perfect.

I stamped and embossed the sentiment in white on white cardstock. I cut out some tiny clouds as a mask and dabbed on some ink to create the background. Here is a peek at my process. 

I made 16 cards and passed them out to my peeps. For more information on this card, please see today's post at Sweet Stamps. To see all the other designers' card and to enter this week's challenge, please see this post. There is a $20 prize for the winner to use at Sweet Stamp's online store so enter your ATC this week. 

I'm also entering this in the following challenges:

Cards und More: #89 Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments Designs: Anything Goes

Loves Rubberstamps Challenge Blog: #69 Sentiment on Front

Thanks so much for hoppin' by,

Sweet Stamps Guest Designer: Butterflies

The Challenge
This month I am thrilled to be a guest designer with Sweet Stamps. I love working with their red rubber stamps which gives a much cleaner edge than clear stamps. They have weekly and monthly challenges, so there are 5 challenges a month if you'd like to participate. The challenge theme this week is Butterflies. If you have a project which features butterflies, then link it to this post at Sweet Stamps.

The Layout
For my butterfly project, I wanted to make a layout with butterfly patterned paper. I stamped my own background using just one stamp (Bold Medium Butterfly) in a variety of colors. To keep the emphasis on the colorful butterflies, I faded my photos prior to printing them. For more details on this layout, please visit Sweet Stamps' blog.

The Supplies

Cardstock: Bazzill

Patterned Papers: My Mind’s Eye

Chipboard Stickers: My Mind’s Eye

3-D Stickers: My Mind’s Eye

Alphabet Stickers: Doodlebug Design

Brads: My Mind’s Eye

Wood Shape: Studio Calico

Stamp: Sweet Stamps

Date Stamp: American Crafts

Ink: Prima Marketing, Stampin’ Up

Pens: Copic

Glitter Glue: Ranger Ink

I'm entering this in the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps and More!: Anything Goes

Flutter By Wednesday: #251 Anything Goes with butterflies or fairies

Thanks so much for flutterin' by,