Thanks A Latte - Coffes Loving Cardmakers

Hello everyone.   Well, today is my last post as Guest Designer on Coffee Loving Cardmakers.  I've had a blast and decided, for my final week, to make a "thank you" card as a way to thank Amy for asking me to be the Guest Designer.  I hope y'all enjoyed my cards and if you missed any of them, there are links at the end of this post if you would like to check them out.  

Now, on to today's card.....

I started by adhering a piece of dark brown textured cardstock (DCWV) to the front of my card base. Then I stamped Hardwood (Stampin Up) on to a piece of white cardstock using Pumice Stone Distress Ink (Ranger).  Then I cut it using a Stitched Rectangle Die (Simon Says Stamp).

Next, I stamped Espresso (IO Stamps) on to a piece of white cardstock using Jet Black Amalgam Ink (Gina K. Designs) and then I die cut it using the largest die from the Stitched Rectangles STAX (MFT Stamps).

Next, I adhered the image to a piece of cardstock, which I then adhered to the card front, off-center. And I colored in the cups and steam using BIC markers.

And, lastly, I stamped the sentiment "thanks a latte" (IO Stamps) on to a piece of white cardstock, cut the words apart, adhered them to a piece of brown cardstock and then, using foam tape, adhered them to the card front. 

Done!  I was going to use Stickles on the cups but decided to stop and leave the card as it is.  Of course, I am now rethinking this decision....LOL

I had a lot of fun as the August Guest Designer for Coffee Loving Cardmakers and hope you enjoyed my creations.  If you are following on the Coffee Loving Cardmakers site, you can find my other 4 cards HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE and if you are following over on my blog, you can find the other 4 cards HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE!  

Thanks again so much and, until next time - 

Hugs from Brasil - 

~Michael

Feel The Love.....The Caffinated Love

Hello everyone...it's the crazy American....living in the countryside of São Paulo and I am back with a new Guest Designer card for Coffee Loving Cardmakers.  For this week's card, I am celebrating "caffeinated love" with a stamp set from Unity Stamp.    

I started by adhering a piece of red cardstock to my card front.  Then I cut a piece of white cardstock with the Hugs & Kisses Cover-Up die (My Favorite Things/retired), which I then adhered to the red cardstock.  Now, I know this is retired but a piece of designer paper with some X's and O's would work perfectly as well. 

I used Jet Black Amalgam Ink (Gina K. Designs) to stamp two of the coffee cup image and each of the sentiments from the Love to Go stamp set (Unity Stamp).    

  

I colored and fussy cut the cups, trimmed each of the sentiments and layered them on a piece of black cardstock.  Then I adhered the cups to the front - one with glue, the other with foam tape, and then the sentiments.

Lastly, I adhered some Diamond Glaze (JudiKins) on the top of each heart and placed to the side to dry.  It will dry hard and look great!

And, here's the final card.  I love how the Diamond Glaze hardens on the hearts.  

I hope you guys enjoyed this card.  It felt great to finally put some ink to these stamps and it's really such an easy, fun card to make.  I'd love to know what you think...please feel free to leave a comment below.  Thanks and until next time - 

Hugs from Brasil - 

Michael

Give A Crafter A Cookie Challenge No. 124 - Coffee Drinking Llama

Hello everyone!!  Did you know that even llamas love coffee....liquid life....java juice?  I didn't either until I found this image and made this card.  LOL 

Today's card is my Design Team project for the If You Give A Crafter A Cookie Challenge Blog and today is Challenge No. 124 - and it's all about llamas!  Here is the inspiration photo that the design team had to use in case you want to play along - 

In order to make something for this challenge, I needed a llama stamp, of which I had none, so I jumped on Etsy and started my search.  I found THIS adorable digital llama clip art set and THIS digital "Sweet Morning" coffee paper set, which went perfectly with the llama images.  So I bought them.  

I made a top folding A2 card base of white cardstock to which I adhered a piece of Kraft cardstock.  Then I printed one of the designs from the Sweet Morning dig paper and die cut it using the Quilted Frame Die from Avery Elle.

Next, I printed the image of the llama drinking coffee on to an A4 sheet of cardstock.  I was able to fit 4 of the image on 1 sheet so I figure I can make 2 cards.  

I fussy cut one whole image and just the llama on the second image.  Then I colored the llama with some Copic markers.  I used RV10 Pale Pink on her ears, cheeks,  and nose and E000 Pale Fruit Pink, on her body.  I did not want a stark white llama and the E000 gives just a hint of color.

I adhered the full image to the card front covering the oval center and then, using foam tape, I adhered the colored llama image.   

Lastly, I adhered some pink and orange Stickles to the bow, collar, cup, and steam coming out of the cup.  And a sticker/sentiment from the Small Talk Stickers (Ranger/Holtz).

And that's it!  Super easy and fun card to make.  Love this set of llamas and now I have options for so many cards.  I hope you liked this project.  Feel free to leave a comment below and, if you play along with the challenge, which I hope you can do, please let me know!  Until next time - 

Hugs from Brasil - 

Michael

I Planted Some Flowers in a Coffee To Go Vase

Hello everyone.  Michael here...again...with another Guest Designer project.  This is a card I have had in my head for some time now - using a "to go" cup as a vase.  Super simple to make and perfect for any sentiment or even a simple inspirational quote.  

I started with a top folding A2 card base of Kraft cardstock, a piece of white cardstock cut 3" x 5.5",  a piece of black cardstock cut 3.25" x 5.5", and a piece of brown fun foam cut just a smidge smaller to adhere under the black cardstock.  

Next, I die cut the Large Coffee On the Go die (Memory Box) using a piece of Kraft cardstock and a small piece of decorative paper.  Then I die cut Little Luxe Hello (Poppy Stamps) using a piece of black glitter fun foam with a piece of double-sided tape to the back.

I used my Misti Stamping Tool to stamp the Daylilies image (Anthony's Paper Craft) on to the piece of white cardstock.

Next, I colored the Daylilies and then put the card together.  I adhered the fun foam to the black cardstock, then to the card front, and then white cardstock to the black cardstock.   

Lastly, I distressed the coffee cup and adhered it to the front.  I adhered the lid with some small foam tape squares behind it, adhered the sentiment and then applied some Yellow Stickles (Ranger) to the flower.   

And that's it.  I love this die.  It's too bad that it's been retired.  I hope you loved this idea too!  See you guys next week.

~Michael

Stamplorations - 3D Christmas Tree Coffee To Go Ornament - No. 2

Hello everyone.  So, yesterday over on Coffee Loving Cardmakers, I showed how to make a 3D ornament using a digi stamp from Stamplorations.  You can check out that post HERE or HERE.  

Today, I am showing how to make a bigger, one-sided, 3D ornament.  It's more feminine but just as colorful.     

For today's ornament, I am using one of the images from the Bloomdala Coffee To Go Digital Stamp Set.  The first thing I did was to print 4 of the images at 110% on to an A4 sheet of white cardstock.  But I only use 3 images.

Next - time to color with BIC markers (my fav) and then fussy cut. 

On the first cup, I colored in the whole image. I like to do this so that I know exactly what colors I need for the 3D areas.  And, so that I don't waste a lot of time coloring parts that will not be used, I decided on what parts I want to make 3D and then colored those parts only.  

On the 2nd cup, I colored only the flower and leaves, and then fussy cut that part.

On the 3rd cup, I colored in the center flower as well as the smaller flowers coming off of the leaves.  I fussy cut those areas, as well as the lid to the cup.

Because the BIC markers bled through to the other side, which I expected to happen, I traced the cup on to another piece of white cardstock, fussy cut it, and adhered it to the colored side.   

Next, I stamped the sentiment, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" from the Christmas Mantel Set by (Anthony's Paper Craft) on the reverse side and then, using foam tape, I adhered the different sections I cut out to the front side giving it the 3D effect.  I also adhered the cup lid to the other side.  

Lastly, I made a hole in the lid where you would sip the coffee from, inserted a jump ring and then attached a small portion from a Beaded Rosary Chain (Spellbinders).  I also applied Glam Pink, Firefly, and Yellow Stickles (Ranger) to the 3D areas.

Making this ornament in this way with a lot of white on the reverse side allows for a special message to whoever you are sending this to.  Now I just need to send this to someone for them to hang on their Christmas tree. 


I'd love to know what you think of this project and the digi stamp from Stamplorations.  These "coffee to go" stamps are perfect for this 3D effect - not just for ornaments but cards also.  Please let me know by leaving a comment below.  And, until next time - 

Hugs from Brasil - 
Michael

Coffee Loving Cardmakers - Guest Designer - Stamplorations 3D Coffee Ornament No. 1

Hello everyone.  Thanks so much for all the love after my first "Guest Designer" post last Friday over on Coffee Loving Cardmakers.  It put a smile on my face all weekend!!

For this week, Week 2, I have two 3D Coffee To Go Ornaments that you can make for your Christmas tree, to hang from a window or even the rearview mirror in your car, which is where mine is.  Today I show how I made the smaller one and tomorrow, over on my blog, I will have a post for the larger size ornament.  
I've loved making 3D projects since I stumbled on Outlines Rubber Stamps years ago.  Sadly, they are out of business but I still love to find stamps that I can make a 3D project with.  And the "to go" coffee cup images from Stamplorations make it super easy!  Let me show you how.   

I had already decided to make this ornament with 3 "levels" so the first thing I did was to print 6 of the same image.  This project uses the Floral Coffee To Go Digital Stamp Set (Stamplorations).  You can also print this image 4 times and make 2 "levels".      

Then I grabbed my Ultra Fine Tip BIC Markers and fully colored two of the coffee cups.  Then I fussy cut them and ran a black marker around the edge to get rid of any white border.

Next, for the 2nd and 3rd "levels" I only colored in the parts of the images that I knew I would fussy cut.  

Ignore the small piece of the flower.  I colored that by mistake.

Next, I fussy cut the pieces for the 2nd and 3rd levels and ran a black marker around the edges to remove as much of the white border as possible.

Next, I adhered some foam tape to the back of one of the cups, adhered a piece of ribbon down the center, and then adhered the cup.

Next, I adhered foam tape/pop dots to the back of the 2nd and 3rd "level" pieces and then adhered them to each side of the cup.  

And, lastly, as I do in most of my projects, I added Stickles (Ranger) because everything should shimmer and shine - in this case, I used Glam Pink, Yellow, and Orange Peel.  I did one side, let it dry, and then I did the other side.   

Now I just have to wait a few months to put it up on the tree.  For now, it looks good hanging off the rosemary bush we have in the garden.  LOL

I hope you guys enjoyed this idea on how to make your own Coffee To Go Ornaments.  I'd love to know what you think so please, feel free to leave a comment below.  Remember to stop back here tomorrow for the step by step on the larger ornament.  

And, I'll be back next Friday with another project on the Coffee Loving Cardmakers site.  Until then - 

Hugs from Brasil -
Michael

If You Give A Crafter A Cookie Challenge No. 123 - CAMPING!!

Hello everyone!  It's that time again...time for the next challenge over on the If You Give A Crafter A Cookie Challenge Blog -  Challenge No. 123, which is all about camping, campfires, and smores.  Sadly, I have to admit, that I have never been camping.  But I still had fun making this card and it's such a simple, yet fun card to make.

First off, here is the inspiration photo that the DT had to work with - 

I have no traditional camping stamps and the digital stamps I found online were not really inspiring me so I went back to my stash and found a stamp set from Stampin Up called "Glamper Greetings".  I bought this about 2 years ago and I decided to finally put some ink to these stamps and go with a different sort of camping...a camper!!  

I started by cutting a piece of white cardstock with a stitched rectangle die.  Then I put the camper stamp, along with the sentiment, into my Misti and I stamped the images with Black Amalgam ink (Gina K Designs).

Then I got to coloring the camper the colors I thought I would want my camper to be should I ever buy one.  I also added the string of lights and the pie in the window to the image.

Next, I made a top folding A2 card base and adhered a piece of decorative paper to the front.  Then I adhered the piece with my colored image to the front.

Lastly, I added some Yellow Stickles (Ranger) to the string of lights and was done!

Here's the final card - 

This was such a simple and fast card to make.  I hope you will join us in this challenge.  Just click HERE to be taken right to Challenge No. 123.

Until next time - 

Hugs from Brasil - 
Michael