Happiness Comes In Waves

While perusing my pile of water colored background papers, I came across an ocean colored one that I saved because it was too nice to throw away but too riddled with dark colored blobs.  I decided to test three new background stamps on it using various embossing powders.  I started with the jellyfish stamp and used clear stamping ink with clear sparkly embossing powder.  I stamped and heat embossed several times before moving on to the word stamp.  Again, I stamped with clear stamp ink but this time I sprinkled on copper embossing powder.  Even though the letters are blurry, they do look like they are underwater.  Using white embossing powder, I stamped and embossed the coral/sea urchins.  After mounting the embossed piece onto a turquoise card blank, I glued on some small pieces of coral, a broken sand dollar, abalone shell, teeny tiny shells and seaweed-looking yarn.  I am proud that I was able to convert an almost-throw-away water colored sheet into an interesting and usable greeting card.  Because the words on the card front are so hard to read, I stamped just the one line ' Happiness Comes In Waves' inside the card.  I think these words say it all and make this card usable for many occasions.  Free-styling card making is full of unexpected and pleasing surprises. Give it a try!

 

Paper Theater Crafts at HM Ben Franklin Crafts

 When I was recently at the Japan Hobby Show, I purchased some full size kits (see bottom photo) and was given this small sample to try.  At first I thought, 'Oh my, this is going to be hard because there are so many pieces', but it was actually quite simple to put together the cute bunny scene.  All the pieces of plastic-like paper were easy to take apart and glue down. The instructions were in Japanese but had easy to follow numbered steps.

I used the glue that I purchased from the Paper Theater vendors, but they told me any white paper glue would work.  I suggest a thin white glue in a small tip applicator.

Here are the kits I purchased at the Japan Hobby Show.  They sold hundreds of kits in various character themes. Our HM Ben Franklin Crafts Mapunapuna store has Paper Theater kits in stock and you might find Paper Theater kits in our other HM BFC stores too.  I think this is a satisfying new craft that will please you with the results that you will proudly show off to your friends and family.  Check out our Japanese craft sections in all our stores for new creative fun!

Ladybug Tag and Card Matching Tall Gift Bag

 Here are the tag and card that I made to match the tall gift bag in my previous blog post.  I think I did a pretty good job of finding papers and embellishments to match the gift bag.

For the card, I selected a printed card stock from an Echo Park 6x6 pad also used a sentiment card from an Echo Park pack. Both are available at HM Ben Franklin Crafts. The sparkly ladybug is a sticker and the flower is from a pack I discovered at HM BFC.

This tag was made from a scrap of printed paper that I discovered in my desk scrap pile.  It was cut with a die from a Hero Arts tag die set. The cord tie was chosen because the colors matched both the tag and bag. The stamped words and ladybugs (colored with Copic pends, cut out, and adhered with foam dot adhesives) were from an Echo Park stamp set purchased at HM BFC.

I think it's fun and fancy to make tags and/or cards to match gift bags.  It shows the recipient that you really went all out to make the gift special. Tip: It's a good idea to have gift wrapping sets made when you have the time so you will be less stressed to put them together right before they are needed.