COMMISSION# 18

Hi there! How are you doing? I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I wasn't able to go home for the holidays, but I am not alone this year. Hah. My sister was with me and we prepared a little something for Noche Buena. I haven't spent four Christmas Eves at home since I graduated from college. The first two I had to go to work. The third one (which was last year), I was on a bus with my siblings for a 10 to 12-hour ride home. We basically dozed on and off during the whole trip and slept almost the whole Christmas Day. That was just great (note the sarcasm here). And this year, we didn't get tickets again. Tsk. I managed to get my brother a ticket since his planned trip schedule was on the eighteenth. I couldn't go earlier than the twenty-third because I had to attend a friend's wedding out of town. So, my sister and I were left, together with her cat MuShi, alone in our apartment to celebrate the holidays. 

Anyway, I have prattled on again. I am actually here to post the, I believe, last two holiday cards I made for this year. It would take several months before I start off with holiday cards again. So here they are.

HPJ-2014-73: Merry Christmas

I received this commission from a student who happens to be from the same department in the university I attend. My roommates know her. I believe she is a friend of one of my customers and she might have been the one to introduce my Facebook Page to her. Awesome! I met with her to give her the cards the other day. She's such a sweet lady. I might see her more often when the classes start next month.

The color palette for the first one included blue, black, white, ivory, gray. I thought I could use the same materials from a previous project (the holiday frame card). I especially wanted the white poinsettia with glitters and a brad at the center and the papers from the My Mind's Eye Portobello Road 6x6 paper pad. Here is what I came up with.

 The card measures 4.5" x 5.75".

    I inked the card base and the papers and made some layering.

I used a paper doily as a background for the focal point. I then added a die cut. I put a glob of hot glue at the back of the poinsettia for dimension before finally adhering it onto the middle of the die cut. I affixed a couple of gold stamens and small crystals for added effect.

I stamped a sentiment onto a die cut tag and adhered it onto the card with foam tape. I also put together some metal charms and adhered the finished product onto the bow.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel White Board Paper, My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Two 6x6 paper pad Portobello Road and Breeze, paper doily, lace trimming, metal charms, self-adhesive crystals, stamens, glitters, Elmer's White Glue, All About Scrapbooking brad, Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black, Clear Stamps, Spellbinders Nestabilities A2 Card Creator Tranquil Moments Dies and Splendid Circles, Cuttlebug Machine V2 

HPJ-2014-74: Happy Holidays

I wanted the second card to be green and red. I still have some papers left from my Kaisercraft Pickled Pear Collection enough to make another card.

I used a black matting for the main patterned paper. I distressed the papers and inked them including the card base. I employed layering, but not as much as I did with the other Kaisercraft Holiday cards I made.

I made a wreath out of the red stamens that I have on hand. For the sentiment, I stamped a banner onto a piece of patterned paper and cut the image out. I handwrote the 'Happy Holidays' on it.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel Ivory Board Paper, Prestige Board Paper Zulu Black, Rives Board Paper Tradition Black, Kaisercraft 12x12 Pickled Pear Collection, My Mind's Eye 12x12 , lace trimming, self-adhesive pearls and crystals, stamens, Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black, Kaisercraft Clear Stamps Bundle of Joy, Spellbinders Nestabilities Captivating Squares Dies, Cuttlebug Machine V2

That was that. Thank you for looking today. Have a great New Year!

COMMISSION# 15

Hi there! Welcome to today's post. I'm sorry I haven't updated the blog for a while. I got caught up with Christmas preparations that I wanted to take the photos of all the goodies all at the same time.

This particular post is for a friend's custom order. She needed two Christmas/birthday cards. The first one is a frame card. She wanted to showcase the recipient's photo at the front like that of a picture frame. I found a tutorial on how to make one at Malin's blog. I originally thought of making a rectangular one, but I had a hard time with the inner rectangles not matching up. So I just went with the square one. I changed the dimensions though. Instead of a 6" base, I made it a 5.5". I don't want it to be too big. I am still more comfortable with smaller square cards.

I used papers from the 6x6 paper pad of My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Portobello Road Collection for the frame as well as for the inside panel.

I coated the frame with crackle paint.

For the embellishments, I added glitters around the edges of the poinsettia I cut out from a template I found online. If you're interested, you can get it here.

I layered two of each of the three sizes of poinsettia and adhered brads on top. I then placed gold stamens here and there to add more color.

I edited the photo that my friend sent me of the recipient at befunky.com. I used Tintype 1 and chose blue for the hue. I printed the image and adhered it onto the recessed part of the frame card.

I apologize for the low quality photos. I thought I used my digicam to take the photos, but apparently not. I remember I was in a hurry and I couldn't find the camera so I used my tablet. Tsk. I didn't get photos of the inside panels as well as zoomed ones for the embellishments. Hmf.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel White Board Paper, My Mind's Eye 6x6 paper pad Portobello Road, All About Scrapbooking brads, stamens, glitters, white glue, self-adhesive pearls and crystals, needle and thread, printed image, ColorBox Cat's Eye Queue Pigment Ink Pad Dune, Ranger Distressed Crackle Paint Rock Candy

HPJ-2014-68: Joy

The second card was to be medical-themed since it was for a med student. I looked for inspiration on Pinterest and scanned my craft magazines and decided on making something like these:

The card measures 4.5" x 5.75".

 I incorporated the ideas from the two cards above and came up with this. I drew the 'JOY' part. I haven't drawn for such a long time that the little skill that I may have had from years ago is gone. Tsk. Tsk. Anyhow, I managed to make something similar though not that pretty. Hmn.

I coated a piece of red cardstock cut into a circle with crackle paint and covered a cross with glitters. I added a small bough to complete the ornament. I left the tag at the bottom blank for the giver to write the recipient's name on.

I have decorated both of the inside panels.

I made a small envelope and adhered it on the top panel. Inside it I placed a piece of stamped cardstock for the message. The customer wanted this for the recipient's birthday and requested that a note be written saying that it shouldn't be opened until his birthday. I wrote it on a tag instead of writing it directly on the envelope. There was supposed to be a small puff sticker that would be used to seal it, but unfortunately it slipped while I was packing it. My bad.

Honestly, I don't feel good about this particular card. The front is a bit off. I could have done something better, but I didn't. It is like the front does not match the inside. The elements are not coherent. [sigh]. I guess I have to do much better on the next project. Thank you for still looking.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel White and Ivory Board Paper, Rives Tradition Board Paper Red, Graphic 45 Couture Collection 8x8 paper pad Lovely and Accessorize, Graphic 45 Typography Collection 8x8 paper pad Create, self-adhesive lace, crystals, baker's twine, string, silk ribbon, glitters, string, Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black, Beauty Premium Pigment Ink Pad Black, Artline Drawing Pen Black 0.4, Crystal Felt Tip Pen Red, Bo Bunny Clear Stamps Botanical Odyssey, Spellbinders Nestabilities Adorning Labels Twenty-Five, Spellbinders Shapeabilities Fancy Framed Tags One, Cuttlebug Machine V2

CARD# HPJ-2014-66: Maligayang Pasko

Christmas is just around the corner and here's another commission for a Christmas card. The customer wanted it to be a Filipino-themed Christmas so she asked for a parol for the main embellishment as well as Christmas lights. 

I've made several tent cards a few weeks ago and I thought that a tent card base would be able to show off the parol really well. I've tried a regular fold card with a die cut background at first, but it just wouldn't do. Here is the final look after adding some red and green elements as the customer suggested:

The card measures 4.5" x 5.75".

I honestly got a bit frustrated with the star because I wanted to do an origami, but I couldn't remember exactly how I made each point of the star when I was in high school. What added to my frustration was that I couldn't find anything similar online. There was this tutorial that looked close to the one I was envisioning, but the way the points are made is different. Well, after having my patience and energy drained, I decided on just using a piece of rubber foam for the base of the star and covering it with metallic paper since it is hard to make a tiny origami star like what I wanted. Fortunately, the rubber foam star looked good.

I adhered black strings onto the top of the window for the 'Christmas light wire' and added crystals for the actual lights.

I tied a length of red baker's twine and stuck three red stamens to add more color to the front of the card.

I hope the recipient likes it. Thank you for looking today!

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel White Board Paper, Prestige Board Paper Zulu Black, kraft paper, Rives Tradition Board Paper Black, Eno Greeting Wrapping Paper Book, Starburst Specialty Paper Dark Brown, Reynold's Wax Paper, My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Two Blush, # White Baronial Envelope, strings, baker's twine, self-adhesive crystals, brad, rubber foam, stamens, Uni-ball Signo Broad White, Spellbinders Nestabilities A2 Card Creator Tranquil Moments and Labels Thirty-Five, Cuttlebug Machine V2

COMMISSION# 12

HPJ-2014-50: Time To Celebrate

Here's another card with a box. It measures 4" x 3/4" x 7" when closed.

I love how this project turned out. You've seen my previous creations using the same papers. Though the paper collection was not Christmas-themed, it was very versatile. You can actually use it for so many different themes. I especially liked using it for my vintage Christmas cards. Now I only have a few pieces left from the pack. I wish I have another set. It would really be awesome.

By the way, this card was commissioned by my cousin and it was to have hearts, an 'I love you' and the name of the recipient somewhere. 

I had the red stamens from last year and when I looked through my stash of wooden embellishments I found a heart frame among them. I immediately thought about winding the stamens into the frame making a heart-shaped wreath and that was what I did. It looks really beautiful, I must say. The red color of the stamens accentuated the green and white background.

I stamped a banner from the Bundle of Joy stamp set on a piece of patterned paper and cut out the image. I then wrote the sentiment on it.

The recipient's name and the 'I love you' are yet to show themselves. Heh. The name was stamped on a small tag that went below the box inside the card. I stamped the 'I love you' on the inside of the box. I made a shining heart using Stickles to symbolize love (There's another heart!). Now the conditions are all met. Woohoo! Don't you find it lovely? I really really love it. I'd want to keep it, but it should go to the person it is supposed to go to. [sigh].

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel Ivory Board Paper, Prestige Board Paper Zulu Black, Rives Board Paper Tradition Black, Kaisercraft 12x12 Pickled Pear Collection, ?, paper doily, lace trimming, silk ribbon, Eno Greeting Wood Embellishment, self-adhesive crystals, stamens, Ranger Archival Ink Pad Jet Black, ColorBox Cat's Eye Queue Pigment Ink Antique Pewter and Olive, Artline Drawing Pen 0.4 Black, Ranger Stickles Pink, Graphic 45 Staples Antique Typewriter Wood Stamp, Kaisercraft Clear Stamps Bundle of Joy and Leaves, Spellbinders Nestabilities A2 Card Creator and Labels Thirty-Five, Cuttlebug Machine V2, Lil Sew 'N Sew Portable Sewing Machine

The next six cards are clean and simple. They have the same crisp white base and a small amount of embellishment.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel White Board Paper, Star Dream Specialty Board Paper Silver and Gold, kraft board paper, Graphic 45 8x8 paper pad Couture Collection Couture, buttons, glass beads, self-adhesive crystals, pearls, lace trimming, twine, baker's twine, silk ribbon, foam tape, Ranger Distressed Crackle Paint Rock Candy, Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black, ColorBox Cat's Eye Queue Pigment Ink Pad Cream White, Spellbinders Shapeabilities Fancy Framed Tags One and D-Lites Sprigs, Cuttlebug V2 Machine

The next set of cards is a collection of tent cards. It was my first time making them and it was really fun. I was able to put my horde of Christmas 3D stickers to pretty good use. I thought of making some with circle windows, but there would be more work since I don't have circle dies. I have to cut the windows and the frames using a circle cutter. Phooey. One day I will have those dies in my hands!

The finished cards were small at 4 1/4" all around, but they are such pretty things. I have decided to make them for my former colleagues as well.


HPJ-2014-57:

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel White Board Paper, Prima Marketing Just Us Collection, 

HPJ-2014-58:

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED:

HPJ--2014-59:

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED:

HPJ-2014-60:

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED:

The last set is composed of regular fold shabby/vintage cards.

HPJ-2014-61:

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel Ivory Board Paper, Prestige Board Paper Zulu Black, Rives Board Paper Tradition Black, Graphic 45 8x8 paper pad Couture Collection Style and Classy, organza ribbon, baker's twine, jump rings, bead, chipboard embellishment, self-adhesive crystals, Uni-Ball Signo Broad White, Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish, Cuttlebug Machine V2

HPJ-2014-62:

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel Ivory Board Paper,  Prestige Board Paper Zulu Black, Tim Holtz Paper Stash French Industrial Revolution, baker's twine, self-adhesive crystals, pearls, chipboard embellishment, jump ring, glitters, Spellbinders Nestabilities Lacey Ovals, Spellbinders Shapeabilities D--Lites Sprigs, Cuttlebug Machine V2, Lil Sew 'N Sew Portable Sewing Machine

HPJ-2014-63:

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel Ivory Board Paper,  Tim Holtz Paper Stash French Industrial Revolution, Graphic 45 8x8 paper pad Couture Collection Style, stamens, chipboard embellishments, Beauty Premium Pigment Ink Pad Black, Ranger Archival Ink Pad Jet Black, Ranger Distressed Crackle Paint Rock Candy, Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish, Cuttlebug Machine V2, Lil Sew 'N Sew Portable Sewing Machine

HPJ-2014-64:

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel Ivory Board Paper,  My Mind's Eye Lost & Found 6x6 paper pad Portobello Road, Beauty Premium Pigment Ink Pad Black, Ranger Archival Ink Pad Jet Black, Artline Drawing Pen 0.4 Black, lace trimming, baker's twine, silk ribbon, chipboard embellishment, self-adhesive crystals, Kaisercraft Clear Stamps Bundle of Joy, Spellbinders Nestabilities Fleur de Lis Squares and Captivating Squares, Cuttlebug Machine V2, needle and thread

That was all for this particular order. I will be posting my personal Christmas preparations on my tumblog soon. Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

CARD# 52: Christmas Wishes (Reblog From My Tumblr Blog)

Here is the link to the original post.

(Pardon the low quality photos. The battery of my digicam was dead so I used my tablet instead.)

It's now the fourth day of October. Christmas is so near. I haven't started with my Christmas preparation yet. I'll probably be in a panic soon. Haha.

This card is the first I made for the season this year. It is on the distressed/shabby side. I am planning to come up with several sets using different techniques. There will be the shabby/vintage set, a clean and simple one, a special fold (most probably a triangle trifold) and perhaps a mixed media set.

Going back to the card I posted here, I used the Kaisercraft Pickled Pear papers. I employed a lot of layering—from the background to the embellishment. I just love layers!

I adhered a piece of patterned paper from the collection inside the card and stamped the lower right part with something from the Kaisercraft Botanical Odyssey set.

For the main embellishment (the Christmas tree), I cut out bits of patterned paper and ran them through my Cuttlebug with a Spellbinders die. I snipped the die cuts into small pieces which I then layered onto a triangle cardstock. I added some leftover die cuts (the flourishes) from previous projects as well. I adhered a coupe of crystals onto the tree and affixed a snowflake charm at the top. 

I placed small pearls around the card. As for the sentiment, I stamped on a piece of patterned paper then cut the image out. I wrote 'Christmas Wishes' on it. 

The card comes with a matching box. The center is actually transparent. You can see the tree inside. I cut out a circle at the center of the lid and decorated it with a die cut (the same one I used for the card). I put in a piece of acetate behind for cover. I am quite happy with the result. It was my first time to create something like it. I think I am getting better with cutters. Haha.

I scattered some pearls outside the circle for additional embellishment.

I love the 'window' on the box. I might make more boxes with windows for the other sets.

Woohoo! Another project was done. With bits of paper and a little imagination one can create something pretty that can make someone happy. Thank you for looking. Have a wonderful day!

MATERIALS AND TOOLS USED: Bevania Splendorgel White and Ivory Board Paper, Kaisercraft 12x12 patterned papers Pickled Pear Collection, self-adhesive lace trimming, self-adhesive crystals, pearls, baker's twine, needle and thread, Ranger Archival Ink Jet Black, Kaisercraft Clear Stamps Bundle of Joy and Botanical Odyssey, Spellbinders Nestabilities Splendid Circles, Spellbinders Shapeabilities D-Lites Sprigs, Cheery Lynn Designs Fanciful Flourish, Martha Stewart Circle Cutter, Cuttlebug Machine V2