Happy Anniversary…and more

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Happy Thursday Maja friends! Looking out my craft room window last week, I saw the most beautiful site! It’s Spring time here in New Jersey and my favorite tree in the yard is in full bloom…a Weeping Cherry tree. Every bough is bent over with an enumerable amount of blooms and it’s just a sight for the soul! With that vision in mind, I went for Maja Design’s Vintage Spring Basics, namely the 1st and 4th of May papers. Here’s what I came up with: I fussy cut an image of trailing flowers from the 1st of May papers. I then added some Star Dust Stickles to the middles of the flowers for a little sparkle. There’s a length of crushed silk ribbon, tied into a bow and adorned with the same color fabric flower. I also added a strip of lace and pearls as well. The edges are all distressed.Here are a couple of other cards that I’ve made over the past few weeks with Maja Design papers:

It’s Christmas time

Ska vi ta en fika

Thanks for stopping by…hope you have a wonderfully inspired day!

Feeling the Blues

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Hello Maja friends! I’m here today with a couple of card that I made using both Maja Design’s Vintage Spring Basics and Life by the Sea collections. I was really in a mood to work with blue, a definite diversion from my mostly neutral palette of cards. My first card features the Vintage Spring Basics collection:

When I make cards, I don’t throw any scraps away unless they are of the minutest of pieces. What I like to do is add them as panels to cards. There really doesn’t have to be any rhyme or reason, especially when your cards are shabby in nature, so you can basically do no wrong. This card features a bunch of scraps I had left over…I simply roughed up the edges and attached them. One thing I like to try to do is layer color effectively. You want to add opposite color spectrums (for the most part) when layering so that each layer is defined. If I stacked two blues together or two white, they would get lost in each other. Here I staggered the colors so you could see each individual panel.

My next card is more on the masculine side…before you shake your head that it’s not…I was going to say…about as masculine as I can get {grin}. This card features Maja Design’s Life by the Sea collection and it’s perfect for all these nautical stamps I see entering the marketplace:

My dad happens to be a boat lover so I thought this card would be perfect for him. This card features Navigate – bs, Bottle message, Bottle message – bs, Drop the anchor, Drop the anchor – bs, Landmark – bs papers. I did tie a little rope bow on there along with a seam binding bow and button. The only thing is…I don’t think this will fit in an envelope so I think maybe hand delivery is in order!

Thanks so much for spending part of your day with me, I really appreciate the visit!

Folding Fika Fabulously

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Hello Maja friends! A couple of weeks ago, I pulled out one of my favorite collections of Maja Design papers, Ska vi ta en fika. Then my mind started to wander…how can I make something really neat out of these papers? They are beautiful in and of themselves, but, what can I do differently with them? In a roundabout way, I came up with this card here:

If you remove the flower band (I call it a belly band, not sure why) the card can be opened by pulling on the two purple floral triangles. Inside reveals the sentiment.
Here’s the flat version so you can get a better feel of how it opens. The band is shown up at the top. It does not open, it simply slides from the bottom up to the middle to keep the card closed.The outside panels are all sewn and I added some Zva Creative flourishes, antique copper corners and Dark Chocolate Liquid pearl drops to both the top and bottom exposed panels.

To keep the card closed, slip the ‘belly band’ up onto it.The papers that I used from this collection are Kaffetåren den bästa är, Kaffetåren den bästa är-bs, Kärleksmums – bs and Lejas cafe. There was a lot of measuring, trial and error, frustration and tears (no, just kidding about the tears part). It took me most of the day to make, so if you’re looking to make something quickly, this is not the card. However, it was worth the work, I really like how it came out.

Thanks so much for spending part of your day with me, I hope you were inspired!

Painted Medallion…A Tutorial

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Hello Maja friends! One thing I love about this ~~obsession~~, er, hobby of mine is that I get to play with paper. I absolutely love to find new ways, either by my own accord or gleaning from the mega-talent that’s out there (like my team mates!) to manipulate paper into something beautiful.Today I’m going to show you how I make medallions, and how, in getting inspiration from others, you can add a bit of pizzazz to the design. First, here’s a look at the finished product:I‘m using Maja Design’s Vintage Spring Basics for my theme. I’m in love with the soft yellows of the March papers. To start, you need a scoring board, stylus, paint brush, pearl paint and coarse glitter. Cut a 1 & 1/2″ inch strip off of 12″ patterned paper. I used 1st of March-bs paper. Score paper at 1/4″ increments. I make the pleats a little bigger so that the glitter will be more visible.

Accordion fold paper, but not too tightly because we have to paint it and add glitter.Paint about 1/2″ inch from the bottom. I do this so that the white fades to soft yellow going towards the center. Be generous with the paint because…While it’s still wet, we’re going to sprinkle it with coarse glitter.Glue the ends together to make a circle.I use clips to hold it in place until the glue is dry.I attach the paper to cardboard so that it holds up better. I don’t want the paper to pop up from the card, so I also use lots of glue. I have tried hot glue in the past but not only do I burn myself everytime, it’s messy and I don’t have as much ‘play with it till it’s right’ time.Now I attach that whole panel to my base.I want to cover up both the seam and the middle so it looks like the color fades in then out.This is what happens when you sneeze while sewing. Good thing it’s a shabby card because then it looks like I did this on purpose. I use EVERY PART of my Maja papers, including the name strip. This ‘post card’ paper is the back of the 1st of March sheet. I layered that upon a strip of the front of said sheet, then a piece the backside of the 7th of April. I added a little pearl to the middle for interest.

Another pretty thick card, you’re going to need a box and a wee bit of extra postage to mail this one.Ancillary details are the Zva Creative flourishes, lace/button/hemp accent and the cluster of flowers at the bottom. I also accented both the card base and the medallion with White Opal and Buttercup Liquid Pearls.

Thanks for spending some of your time with me today…I hope you’ll try this out!

Vintage Spring Basics…Call to Me

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Hello Maja friends! By now you’ve seen some wonderful samples of the new Vintage Spring Basics by my fabulous team mates. I’ve got one to add to the show as well, this card is using the ‘May’ styles…full of delicate, pastel color and soft, ethereal designs:This card specifically features the 5th of May (both sides) and the 7th of May. In real life, the colors are a cross between the softest of pinks and subtle hints of plum. Therefore I added both colors to my card, pink with the flowers, satin ribbon and pearls and plum with the background papers and the iridescence of the crystals. The white flowers also have a pink/plum sheen to them. I added several mats (5 to be exact) and a small dotted scallop border across the top. The sentiment panel is a Floral Oval beneath a Labels Eighteen die. I sponged the inside of the top die with Pale Plum ink and stamped the verse in Cocoa ink. I also added a perimeter of liquid pearls for a bit more elegance. Here’s a view to show you the dimension…(aka not easily mailable! )I also added Pennant Trim die border to the bottom of the lace panel and adhered a Swarovski crystal to each banner. Included as well are several Zva pearl lines across the horizontal lace panel.

Here’s a glimpse of the lovely papers contained in this collection:

Thanks so much for stopping by…hope you have a wonderfully creative day!

Life in the Country…You’re So Sweet

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Morning Maja friends! Hope you’re having a great day so far. I just returned home from a week long vacation in Florida, USA and though I had a wonderful, relaxing time…I couldn’t wait to get back into my stamp room again! I drew my inspiration for today’s card from Maja Design’s Life in the Country collection. I am so attracted to the soft floral prints and the lovely patterns. So I put this card together and added a bit of ‘snow’ for a little extra appeal. Take a look:

YoureSoSweetMajaclean031413 Most of the edges are distressed with a paper distresser. I did stitch the middle panel with my sewing machine after adhering the ‘Summerbreeze’ paper to the kraft. That panel was attached to the back side of the ‘Read a Book’ paper. I added two more columns of said design underneath the sentiment as well. The row of buttons are sprinkled with more glitter and attached to a length of ‘In the Hammock’ paper. The seam binding bow was first crinkled, then tied. I then added a small hemp bow and a button locket. That was then tied over a strip of cluny lace. After all was said and done, I dabbed some tacky glue with my finger on certain parts of the card and sprinkled the snow glitter.

Here are a couple of close-ups of the ‘snow’ and bow/button details:

The sentiment has a bit of sparkle added to it, you can see that effect in the picture below, along with the chunky glitter accents:

Here’s a sampling of the lovely papers included in the Life in the Country collection:

Thanks so much for sharing a part of your day with me! Hope your day is wonderfully crafty!

A Whole Lotta Thanks

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Hello Maja friends! I’ve got two project to share with you today, one card and one tag. They do share some similarities, both are using Maja Design’s It’s Christmas time collection and they both share the art of ‘thanks’. I like to make a lot of thank you cards as of all the card sharing occasions, I think that gratitude is the most important. Everyone has Christmas, a birthday, Easter, etc. by design. Sharing a card with someone to thank them is an active occasion, an occasion that came to be because of the thoughtfulness of another. That’s what I like to celebrate. So, in light of my fondness for gratitude, here are a couple of projects:

And here’s a tag using the same papers:

I used the It’s Christmas time collection, specifically The Perfect Gift, The Perfect Gift (bs), Christmas Shopping and Sparkle (bs) papers. I tend to lean towards neutral or pale colors and usually add lots of flowers. The first card is a mix of fabric and paper flowers, thick jute, pearls and tulle. I also added some vintage lace, a border punch and some Zva Creative pearl swirls. The tag consists of just one paper flower, some Antique copper brads, vintage lace and some Zva Creative Iridescent pearl flourishes. I love the fact that even though Christmas is now a distant memory…I can keep on using these papers throughout the year!

I want to thank you for stopping by today and sharing a bit of your time with me…I certainly do appreciate it. Consider these creations virtual thank you cards to you!

Good Things Are Going to Happen

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Good day, blog friends! Happy Valentine’s day to those of you who celebrate this special day with your loved one(s)! I have found that most of us card makers do not actually give cards to others (me!), even on these ‘card-giving’ occasions. One of the reasons is that most of my cards are very thick and cannot be mailed without a box. I have to say, though, if I’m going to see the person, I will hand-deliver a handmade card. Speaking of thick cards, this one is no exception! I used Maja Design’s lovely ‘Life in the Country‘ collection of papers and followed Mojo Monday’s design:

I used Summer breeze, Sowing Seeds (bs), In the Hammock (bs) and Close to the Lake (bs) from Life in the Country. I distressed all the edges and added a bit of stitching to the inner panels. The flower accent consists of a crocheted flower, a Baker’s Twine bow, paper flowers and a Zva Creative crystal flourish. The sentiment is from Verve’s Brighter Days set.

Here is another card I made, more on the ‘Clean and Simple’ side for me, using Vintage Summer Basics 1935 (bs) paper. Featuring a few of my favorite things… paper flowers, Zva Creative crystals and some added lace, tulle accents and a paper doily:

Lastly, I have two projects I made both with the same theme, however one is a tea bag holder by itself and the second one is a card with the tea bag holder adhered to the card base. Both creations feature the Ska vi ta en fika collection:

The twine bow keeps the cover closed, so when that’s untied, the flap lifts up and there is a bag of tea inside.

I thought this was a cute gift for a friend. I used Lejas cafe, Kaffe tack, En kopp te, Havrerutor – bs papers.The stamps are courtesy of Paper Sweeties. I expounded on this idea and added the holder to a card, pictured below:

These papers are Cheesecake – bs,Två fröknar & Två fröknar – bs. Lots of pearls on this card, both solid and liquid, some more lace and the trinket in the middle was pulled off of a discarded Christmas ornament. I simply colored the gemstone with a purple Copic marker to match the papers. I like the fact that I could fold over the top flap of the tea bag holder and the back is a wonderfully coordinated pattern to go with the whole card. I have to say that I just love my Maja papers!

Thanks for joining me today!

Walking in the Forest…A Collection

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Hello once again, Maja friends! I’ve been creating quite a lot lately and I have to say that most of my projects are inspired by Maja Design papers! I keep them handy as I start to clear off my clutter of a desk and I have to say that they really provide such wonderful motivation. Today I’m sharing a card that I made with Maja’s Walking in the Forest collection. I love warm browns and earthy tones (as you’ve already seen from my previous posts) and today’s card is full of them:

The specific papers I used on this card are: Autumn in the air, Autumn in the air – bs, Jeans, Jeans – bs, Die cut letters – bs, Birch – bs, Fresh air. The medallion was made using an Alterations Rosette die and I brushed a bit of glitter around the edges of both the medallion and the sentiment panel for a nice sparkle. The crinkled seam binding was a happy mistake…I tried to make my own using a You-Tube video and ended up attempting to antique wet ribbon edges with distress ink…and the result was that the water separated all the colors out from the original brown that I had used. Green, blue, yellow and orange appeared…and who would’ve known…they are an exact match for the Walking in the Forest collection!

I’ve also posted some pictures of other cards I’ve made using this collection:

Dashing in the Snow…featuring Jean, Jeans (bs), Last Flowers (bs) and Flannel Shirt.

Cold Weather, Warm Hearts…featuring Flannel Shirt, Flannel Shirts (bs) and Bird Song.

Birthday Wishes…featuring Fresh Air and Fresh Air (bs).

Thanks so much for stopping by…I hope you glean some beautiful inspiration from this collection!

It’s Christmas Time…All Year!

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Andrea Ewen

Morning Maja friends! I was thumbing through my lovely Maja Design papers the other day and had immediately put aside my collection of ‘It’s Christmas Time’ papers, thinking…well, it’s not Christmas time anymore so I can’t use these! Boy was I wrong! I picked up the pack again and had a good look at all the beautiful papers inside. There are more than enough gorgeous designs to make an non-Christmas, every day card. Like so:

The specific papers that I used from this collection are: Christmas Thoughts, Snowflakes, Santa and the Tree (bs) and Spirit (bs). I sponged all the edges with distress ink and added lots of liquid pearls around the sentiment. Some fancy corner adornments, Walnut brown seam binding, Zva pearls and lace finish off the design. The sentiment is courtesy of Verve, and I do like to make a lot of my cards with a gratitude theme. I’m thankful for so many things, including being on this team and sharing some heartfelt vintage projects with you!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your day!

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