Monday’s Motivation

Welcome friends!  Happy you landed here today. As I stated in a previous blog post, I am beginning  a new series of courses that will help all skill levels successfully navigate crafting.  Even if you are here and you are not sure this is your niche, I hope I will at least expose you to something you might love.  What better place to start out than with a Valentine’s Day project!

Now my first big tip for beginners…try not to go crazy on too many colors.  I say to just pick three.  I chose pink, gold and white (not a color but it works).

This first project involves simple materials.

Supplies


White card front (Watercolor paper is best)
Watercolor brush
Watercolors
Spellbinders® Alphabet dies or stickers
Spellbinders® Arrow Die or Metal Arrow/Sticker Arrow

I first filled my brush with water and dipped it lightly into my watercolors and lightly stroked it across card then when dry, I added the letters “X” and “O” and then my arrow.  Pretty basic but very nice.  Easy peasy, right?

This next card is more for an intermediate crafter.  Not difficult but it involves more layering.

 Supplies 

White heart doily
Red glitter poly foam heart (Either a die or a pre-cut one)
Spellbinders® Alphabet Die or pre-made Alphabet stickers
Spellbinders® Classic Heart Nestabilities Die or pre-made poly foam glitter hearts
Metal Arrow
Gold paper-if using a die
Red Glitter Poly Foam-if using the Heart Die
Foam Dot
Various Buttons
3/8″ Sheer Ribbon
Red and White Twine
Forget Me Knot Flowers or Small Flowers of your Choosing
Stamen
Two Complimentary Sheets of Patterned Paper, cut to fit a 4 1/2″ x 6″ card base

Adhere patterned paper to card base.  Adhere doily to card.  Attach glittered heart to card with a foam dot. Adhere letters, arrows and buttons to card with hot glue. Tie a bow from sheer ribbon.  Adhere bow, flowers, tied twine and stamen to top of heart.  There you have it!   Again, remember to stick to just a few colors.

This next card is also simple but it is mixed media and so there are several steps involved.  If you have never done mixed media, I think it’s one of the most freeing forms of art.  I only scored this as an “advanced” card  because there are more techniques involved than the others.  This is mixed media at its simplest!  There are a LOT of things to do with mixed media. Hopefully I will have some of the real “pros” showcase that style in the future.  For now, here is a simple interpretation :).

Supplies:

White Card Base

Red Acrylic Paint
Gold Acrylic Paint
Paint brush
Stamp-I used “Faded Fragments” by Seth Apter found here
Spellbinders® “Coffee Ring” die by Seth Apter found here
Spellbinders® Arrow Die
White card stock
Metallic Gold paper or  a Metal Arrow
Alphabet Stickers or Spellbinders® Alphabet Font
Red glitter Poly Foam Heart or Spellbinders® Classic Heart Nestabilities® Die
Red Glitter Poly Foam-if Using a Die

Use a dry brush to spread acrylic paint onto card.  Allow to dry.  Paint gold paint onto stamp and press onto top of dried red paint. Die-cut Faded Fragments die from white card stock and adhere to card.  Die-cut “X” and “O” from card stock or use purchased stickers.  Attach to card as shown.  Die-cut arrow from gold paper or just use a metal arrow.  Embellish card with die-cut heart or pre-purchased poly foam heart.

So how did you do?  What did you think?  I already have more variations of these cards made.  Some are easy, others more difficult.  I will showcase them this week.

XO

Debi