Gorguss Christmas Swap, Christmas Ornament, and Shabby Chic Box

Swap anyone?
I recently participated in a group swap and I had so much fun! The theme was Christmas, the required items were a few memory dex cards, and a Christmas Ornament. After deciding on a few little details, this is what I came up with...
I wanted to make sure I thanked my partner, so I began with a 4" square easel card and a matching box. I layered my stamped image, pink and white papers using the Spellbinders Labels Nineteen (S4-311) set.

The interior of the card is embellished with a glass snowflake, a pink label stamp from Santoro London, and grey snowflakes against the white background.
 I embossed the remaining snowflakes in pink and white inks on the exterior layer, adding sparkle with different embossing powders.

I also embossed the gorguss girl image, and added the stamped snowflake-layered with vellum snowflakes-made with a large Martha Stewart punch. Little details included sequins, Distress Oxide Ink in Iced Spruce, a pearl heart, and pretty pink ribbon to finish it off. The edges got distress Stickles for a little sparkle. 
Watch me make this box here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjVfVWN67c8
This beautiful and shabby Box was the perfect compliment to house my card, and I made it using my Cricut Explore Air 2, and a snowflake patterned paper that I distressed and layered. To complete the box, I layered a piece of glossy white vellum that I embossed with a Crafter's Companion Embossing Folder. I finished this with Vellum Snowflakes I made with a large Martha Stewart Punch, a gorgeous pink bow made with Seam binding, and some added tulle, twine, and a mini tag. 


Next was the Christmas Ornament, which I made layering papers and chipboard to make it sturdy. 

The base layer was a beautiful striped paper, and I decided to keep the top layer very feminine and pretty. For this, I stamped, colored, and layered a Gorguss girl image. To make her stand out, I distressed the background using Ranger Distress Ink, and to add dainty details, I embossed tiny little holly and berry images in white embossing powder.
For a fun presentation, I also gave my partner the cards and some goodies in a gorgeous pink-sequined stocking. 

This beautiful sentiment came from a Recollections Stamp Collection called Christmas Noél
I also added more snowflakes, this time in pink and white, with a pearl center on each. I used matching papers, and two Martha Stewart Snowflake punches, layered together, and glittered for sparkle.
To see the rest of the goodies and details, please watch my video, and leave me a thumbs up if you like what you see!
Be inspired, Be Blessed- Raquel 


Fall Banner Using Anna Griffin Monograms and Rosettes with Cricut

Hi all, 
Here I am sharing my latest make with my Cricut Explore Air 2, and my favorite
Fall Season Color combination!

I used an old DCWV I had reserved for a special occasion...and we all know how that story ends!
The paper has my favorite combination of black, white, yellows, greens, silver, and glitter!
To make it my own, I decided to use gold cardstock to also add little bees throughout.  I love to decorate with bees, and the gold color was perfect with the yellow hues. I also added silver leaves as a beautiful accent on each banner.




The Rosette and Large Doily are from Anna's Sophisticated Soiree. The letters and leaves are from Anna's Monograms, all available in Cricut Design Space.

Each letter is edged with Gold Glitter, applied with my Nuvo Glitter pen, and behind them, I used silver Cricut paper that I cut intricate doilies with. The paper is shimmery, and very elegant! Each Rosette measures 11.75", and holding it up is mesh ribbon interlaced with gold. I am so very happy with the result, and have a video showing you the process of making the rosettes as well as what to anticipate when making them! 
Enjoy-

Be inspired, Be Blessed- Raquel

October project with Gorguss Girl My Own Universe and Purse Card

Hi all,
I recently made some adorable cards using the Purse Card file from Cricut Design Space.
I decided to also make a coordinating card using the Gorguss Girl image "My Own Universe".
I think this makes a beautiful gift set, and can be suitable for many occasions.
Since October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, I was inspired by all the strong women I know to make something that every woman carries: a purse that tells her story. 
Below is my take on this beautiful card set, and this girl wears a crown!!
The image is colored with Ranger Oxide Inks, and Nuvo Glitter pens. The purse is made with DCWV papers, and I also used a Scalloped edge Spellbinders die for the background. The mulberry flowers are from Recollections, and the wooden dragonfly piece is from Michael's. I also embellished it in gold glitter. Dragonflies are very symbolic of beauty, strength, and graceful movement, so I thought it was a perfect touch for this card. 

Below you will find a tutorial with different takes on the Purse Card, and I hope that you are inspired to give it a try!


Be inspired, Be Blessed- Raquel 

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice...

Hi all,
Here I am sharing a Baby Girl mini album with Gorgeous soft details, a coordinating card, and a sweet fairy Watercolor Image for the cover!


I was asked to make this mini album with gray and pink hues, and I wanted to make sure it kept its innocent look. So I set out to make it super sweet! Each page has little scalloped tags that fit pictures inside, as well as pockets that fit tags for little notes, special cards, bows, butterflies, hearts, and flowers.

All in all, I tried to fit as much sweetness as possible in this little book. I even made rolled flowers and painted little white flowers which I covered in glass glitter. This, and the soft ribbon gave it a  shabby touch, without being too glittery. To finish, I hand-painted the fairies on the cover in heavy watercolor paper, and this gave it a super special look and soft texture. 
If you would like to see a video, watch it here:


Be inspired, Be blessed-Raquel 


Boy oh Boy!!



Hi all, 
This is a beautiful mini album made with my Cricut Explore Air 2, and several different Design Space Files. I used several types of papers, including some Corrugated Specialty paper from DCWV for the spine. The cover even has a Hot air Balloon that is also a Shaker!!


I was so happy with every page in this book, and made each with a different style, keeping it all in primary colors, suitable for any type of picture. All of the pages have plenty of room for pictures, as they each have tabs that allow mom to keep special pictures inside.

The front cover has the "Special Delivery" message, and the little joey is holding a kite with string. The front page has a wonderful little airplane, with a dimensional sticker, and the frame inside of the pocket has banners with small stars between each piece. 
I also created interactive pages with a removable Giraffe, tags for journaling, and a removable book with a peekaboo window.

Other pages even have a touch of texture with a clothesline, embossed hills, and hand-colored water scene where a whale is splashing away. The shell on the little snail even got a touch of oxide inks, and hand-doodling.
I love giving my projects a personal touch, and the pictures really do not cover it all. So watch my video for an even closer look!

Be inspired, Be blessed! Raquel 


Beautiful Lavender Card and Vintage Style Rolodex Cards

Hi all, I am sharing some projects with a feminine and vintage flair.

Following is the card I added, measuring 5"by7", in lavender hues, and a vintage touch.
I started by creating two rolodex cards that I added to my shabby base, distressed at all sides. I also added a stamped sentiment, which is tucked under some gorgeous vintage lace. The seam binding and vintage lavender button added the perfect touch, and for a bit of movement, I made it a shaker!!

The tea bag was even decorated with embossing thread to make it more authentic, and I made a pink flower for a pop of soft color, and added glitter to it.
All of the tea set pieces were up-cycled from packaging, and were beautifully cut with my Spellbinders Platinum 6!

For the Rolodex cards I also used vintage colors and a beautiful set of sentiments. One is a Bible verse, the other a sweet sentiment about friendship.
I used gold glimmer mist, my gold Nuvo glitter pen, washi tape, glitter, and sequins for little touches of glimmer throughout. I also added pink silk thread to the bottom pictured card, and a handmade flower.
I was very happy with the results, and you can watch a video here:

Be inspired, Be blessed- Raquel

When Vintage Meets Shaker !! Tags with Cricut Explore Air 2 and items from my Stash

Ohhh Child! 
Have you ever gotten so inspired by what you are making that you ask yourself, "Honey child!! Did you make that??"
Well, I had that type of fun making these gorgeous tags!! It was truly a great project from beginning to end. For all of these tags, I used my Cricut Explore Air 2, and Design Space, as well as a combination of frilly and delicate dies from my stash.

This one was all about Vintage Charm, and thanks to my Cricut, and some tulle, I was able to easily make this into a shaker card with lots of delicate bits of glimmer and sequins. I began using oxide ink to give it a smoky weathered look. For the background I used a large Stampin' Up stamp, I added embossing enamel on the edge for a bit of texture and shine,some sparkly glitter, and free-handed some lace designs with black ink.  The hat shape also got dressed up with small gems, and mulberry flowers. Lastly, some elegant touches of pearls finished off this tag. 


These other darlings also took a turn getting all gussied up. I made handmade flowers with several dies, stamped the backgrounds, dressed them up with lots of added texture with vintage laces, silk trim, pearls, gems, glitter, a felt flower from Petaloo, small glass beads, and acetate, as well as rub-on images. These tags represent everything I love about being feminine, and shabby!

Who doesn't love a vintage phone?

This lovely birdhouse is backed with vellum, and then topped with tiny enamel pearls.

This vintage Camera on a Tripod was transformed with tiny glass beads!


Watch this video if you want to learn more about how I made these!


Be inspired, Be blessed!
Raquel 

Gorguss Girl Cards with Cricut, Watercolor, and Lots of Cuteness!

Hi all,
Lately I have been more active on my youtube than on my blog, so it's time to update, and refresh these virtual pages.
Following are some cards that I made using Santoro London Gorguss Girl stamps, Cricut Design Space, different dies from my stash, and lots of fun details.


I love to use different mediums to color my images. 
I like to begin with watercolors, and then transition into Prismacolor pencils and Oxide inks. On this image, I also used paper piecing to add her little dress!

For a special touch I used stamps from Martha Stewart, and my Tim Holtz Stamping Platform to make a perfect coordinating envelope. The sentiment is heat embossed with white embossing powder onto a beautiful vellum piece that has glitter bits here & there. The heart stitched die added the perfect touch. My Cricut Explore Air 2 also allowed me to Write and Cut the sentiment in a balloon shape. Perfect!



This little beauty was hard to let go of!!
I made her using the adorable stamps in her set, and then had a blast coloring her in, as well as matching the little book, butterfly, and flowers. For the inside, I used delicate borders cut with metal dies from Spellbinders. This also added a slight embossed edge that I accentuated with a butterfly and beautiful pink and gold washi tape.


The envelope also got a Cricut Image added with the awesome Write feature. I then added more doodles to make it my own! 

Last but not least are a collection of little note cards that I stamped, and embellished in no time.
These were a blast to color in, especially with the variety of hair and color combinations possible. Each was also finished off with some glimmer, different sentiments, and little gem accents to make them shine.
I hope that you have enjoyed these quick and easy projects. I sure loved making them.
Be inspired, Be blessed!- Raquel 

ATC Vintage Photography Representing Rochester NY and George Eastman's Kodak





Thank you for stopping by!
I decided to participate in an ATC swap with an assigned group from Scrapdaworld with T'mika for the month of August ( Happy Birthday Tmika!!). This is my first time participating in this group, and I dove right in to make the ATC's with the theme: Represent Your State.
I decided to go with a Vintage theme, and Retro Cameras as Upstate NY is best known for Rochester N.Y. being the Imaging Capital of the World. My take on this, is the invention of Film Photography by George Eastman and Kodak.
The first thing I did was set my eyes on a vintage camera as a focal point, and I then came across the perfect image to use!! A young lady taking a selfie with a vintage camera, in front of a full-length mirror. This is a stunning photograph, and it shows her in full vintage glam, wearing a feather headdress, and a gorgeous beaded gown. Needless to say, I LOVE VINTAGE PHOTOS!!


I used my Cricut's Print & Cut feature to get this lovely lady onto some heavyweight cardstock, backed with sturdy chipboard, and also embellished her dress with glass microbeads. Her beautiful headdress also got a little glitter on it to stand out. (Tutorial video above) 
I then also used my Cricut to make a plume from heavy white cardstock, that I embellished with Glossy Accents, Superfine Glitter, Cream Enamel,and Silver Vinyl. The result was a super shiny and glimmered feather, reminiscent of the 20's headpiece. To tie it all together, I also added two embellishments in black and white embossed in silver glimmer and white tinsel glitter. That was the perfect place to add the Vintage Camera photo that I also embellished in order to give it an enameled look. I LOVED the results!!


All of the pieces got a trim in gold paint, and then I embellished the bags with matching toppers. The toppers were made with dies from my stash, and the word Smile, cut with a Little Yellow Bicycle die, out of black cardstock topped with Gold Washi Tape. The top layer is backed with Vellum that is sprinkled in glitter, and a white card base. 


I also added name tags made from Chipboard that I painted, stamped, embossed, and added their names in calligraphy with gold and black inks.




All of these little pretty packages have a little gift of words in Gold and Silver vinyl that they may use as they like, and are rimmed in gold Washi tape to give it a finished look. 
Thank you for reading my blog, I hope that you have enjoyed my little project!

Here is my assembly tutorial video:

Be inspired, Be Blessed- Raquel


Memorydex Cards with Tim Holtz Stamping platform, Gorguss Girls and Cricut Explore Air 2!!


This is a loaded post!
I have recently received the Tim Holtz Stamping platform from Tonic Studios and I am sooo happy that I invested in this tool!! Following is a project share using this awesome platform, as well as my favorite collection of Stamps: Santoro London Gorguss Girls, and another favorite: Cricut Explore Air 2.
First, I must say that I am a latecomer to the Memorydex swaps, but having participated in ATC swaps, I knew I would enjoy this, and decided to join a group swap for fun! I am so glad that I did!!
All of the memorydex cards were made with Cricut, followinf Lorrie Nunemaker's free file. This made the project super easy to make! THANK YOU Lorrie!!




This one was my FAVORITE!! Can you tell??

I used Mermaid Lagoon and Cracked Pistachio Distress inks on the mermaid's hair, followed by different colors of Prismacolor pencils to give it dimension. For shine, I added Sakura Clear Star pen, and Glossy Accents.
To make the Coral, I layered two pieces of cardstock. I used Spiced Marmalade Distress ink, and Ranger Embossing powders to make it look like real coral with shine!


I also added sequins to the Sand dollar. All of the dies here were cut with my Cricut Explore Air 2. The Stamps were distressed with the Cricut Distress tool for a weathered look.

 
For this teatime card, I used Cottage Cutz Cup of Love dies, as well as several other dies from my stash.


To make this flower cluster complete, I added a hear I made with plaster, painted in gold and pink, as well as tulle, and rolled flowers that I made from different pink papers. The centers each have a different type of pearl. The coffee "Foam" was embossed with Ranger Embossing powder.
For this card, I used Coffee dies from Spellbinders, and combined a banner stamp with coffee bean stamps. It was SUPER EASY with the TH platform!! Other dies and punches were from my stash also. The sentiment on the cups was made with Washi Tape :).
I colored the banner stamping with Ranger Distress and Oxide inks for a soft brown and pink look. 


To watch the process of the stamping and mermaid card, watch my video!




















Gorguss Girl Card Sweet Tea

Thank you for joining me!
Some images you never tire of, and for me, this is one of them. I recently made a mini album using this Gorguss stamp, titled Sweet Tea. This time, I am using this beautiful image to send a card that will go along with my previous post, which includes a devotional.



To make this card, I used watercolors and Prismacolor pencils, as well as paper-piecing techniques. This allowed all of my colors to remain vibrant and coordinate perfectly with the papers I selected.

Recipe:
Martha Stewart Royal Butterfly
Anna Griffin Border punch
Unbranded dies: Doily border, scalloped circle border, small doily, small banner
Border die for inside of card
Creative Memories punch (tiny butterfly)
Recollections Sequins
Stamps:
Santoro London Gorguss Sweet Tea
Little Yellow Bicycle Css-108
Heidi Swapp planner stamp

Enjoy the video, and please leave a thumbs up!!


Be inspired, Be blessed- Raquel



Multimedia Teacup Piece with Devotional

Thank you for joining me,
Today my post is dedicated to a journal entry and mixed-media piece I made using watercolor, pencils,and ink. It is based on Psalm 34:8. 
For me, to paint is to worship, so I aim to listen, not for perfection.



Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 34:8
You prayed long and hard to be in the relationship you thought you always wanted. “God, please allow me to be with the man you want me to be with, the one of your choosing. Not my will, but yours, be done…”

Sounds like a great prayer. After all, you believe that God’s intentions for you are better than your own. It’s also possible that you had previously chosen a partner without God’s blessing, and you learned the hard way how that turns out.

You are excited about your life with this modern-day Boaz, and yet, something seems amiss. You are confused by brokenness you are now witnessing. Is it possible God made a mistake? What now? Why isn’t his armor all shiny and strong? Wait a minute…do I see cardboard??

It may very well be that you were “shopping for a teacup.” (Humor me on this) You know, we women do this all the time. You stop into your favorite little shop. The one that sells the pretty little things you hope to find under a Christmas tree and the trinkets you dream to have in your Pinterest inspired home. (someday)

You select the teacup that you like, you admire its golden rim, and the way it sits on your thumb just right, or maybe even turn it over, look at the designer name on the bottom, and picture how great it would look when you’re drinking your favorite oolong, chamomile, or chai, with your pinky finger pointed away- and perfect Audrey Hepburn bangs.

It’s no surprise you are dumbfounded when God hands you the blessed vessel he has set aside for you. You open the box, and you see a chipped mug. You notice old coffee stains and maybe even fingerprints, and ask: “Are you sure God? How can this be what you have for me? After all, if you love me, won’t you give me the desires of my heart?”

To this he responds: “You are looking for the golden rim, and the designer label, but you are not paying attention to what I am pouring into him. You are crying over your mismatched set, and wonder why the porcelain wasn’t reserved for you, but what you don’t understand is that the contents that I fill this cup with, is what will truly quench you.”

You may have lived your life seeking to be filled so quickly, that once you receive this cup, you are even likely to want to guzzle up what’s inside. Only to then complain that now your lips are burning! Your heavenly father reminds you, that you are to be a lady, and sip slowly.

 Sister, to really enjoy this cup, you must take your time, handle it with care. After all, you have no idea what God has been doing to mold, shape, and sometimes piece together your Boaz. This vessel is meant to sustain you, to bring you warmth and keep you company as you seek God, but it is not up to you to determine what material it will be made of. God is taking care of that. He is the potter. Not us. So when you see him, be reminded that the chipped handle can be fixed, but prayer and a gentle spirit is what will lead him to want to always be in your hands. That, and a good biscuit*.
Be inspired,  Be blessed- Raquel SK


Hi Ho, Hi Ho, A Camping we will go!!

Thank you for stopping by!
Today I am showing you a step-by-step tutorial on how to assemble the amazing trifold Camping Trip Card from Crazy Cute Cards in Cricut Design Space. I cut all pieces with my Cricut Explore Air 2, and there are many!


Be sure to adjust your settings for the type of paper used, and if you like, add critters to the scenes for more interest! I kept mine very simple, but I'm sure it will be very well received!

Follow the video for steps to assemble this wonderful interactive card!


Recipe:
Core'Dinations cardstock in Green (12"*12" for base of card)
Momenta Cardstock in Brown (8.5"*11")
Recollections Cardstock in Olive Green (12"*12" for envelope topper, sleeping bag, and tent door)
Several Scraps in shades of green, gray, white, and enough white paper for the envelope (8.5"*11")
Ranger Oxide Ink in Vintage Photo for distressing
Liquid adhesive from Scotch
Double Sided adhesive from Ali Express


Be inspired, Be Blessed! 
-Raquel

Christmas in July Poinsettia Card Christmas Cheer

Thank you for stopping by!
I have gathered some supplies and begin my Christmas cards! This one is a simple card with a bit of golden shine getting you ready for Christmas Cheer!



I used my Cricut Explore Air 2, and Design Space3 to come up with this pretty card.
Playing with this combination of colors and the oxide inks is TONS of fun! Each background is unique, as the alcohol in the Color Shine reacts with the pigments in the Oxide inks. It's a must have!

 The background was made with Ranger Oxide Inks and Heidi Swapp Color Shine
The sentiment was stamped using a Stamping Up sentiment from the Sweet Essentials collection.
On the green tag, I used a Hero Arts stamp with American Crafts gold pigment ink for a subtle effect.
The label is an unbranded stitched label die that adds just the perfect amount of texture. 



The poinsettia is the eye-catcher of this simple card, and I finished it off with a splash of Gold Color Shine, as well as golden seed beads that will stay put with Glossy Accents.
To finish the card, I did manage to find more pieces of sequins in red, gold, and green.
I scattered these among the card topper, finishing the festive look perfectly!

For the video tutorial, follow along...
I hope this inspires you to get started with your Christmas projects!!

Be inspired, Be Blessed!-
Raquel 


Love your selfie Multimedia shaker card

Thank you for stopping by!
I hope you have had a wonderful weekend full of celebration! In this tutorial, I decided to use an image from my collection of watercolors, as well as items from my stash, and of course, my trusted Cricut Explore Air 2. The result was a playful card encouraging you to Love your Selfie!

I used my Spellbinders die to make a small Polaroid shaker, sealed with washi tape, and then finished it with small sequins. I also added a tag finished with a Heidi Swapp stamp and glitter. The watercolor image is also enhanced with glossy accents for her lips and accessories.

These are some of the supplies that I used. I also made the card base and envelope with my Cricut Explore Air 2, and the Striped Card from Spring Fling. These images are free with your access subscription.


I hope that you have enjoyed this tutorial.
Be inspired, Be blessed- Raquel 

Here's my latest project!

Boots & Bouquets, TCK#74

Hello friends, Today is reveal day for Tonic's craft kit: Boots & Bouquets. This is easily the greatest value available for exclusiv...