Wedding Folio With and Without Photos Using Echo Park Papers

Hello everyone!  Most of you know that my first love is to make cards.  But coming in a close second -  I also love love love to make handmade mini albums and photo folios.  There is something about building an album or folio from scratch.  I call myself a paper architect.  

Today I wanted to share a wedding folio that I made for Ruy's sister who got married a few months ago.  It was a very simple wedding and she is a very simple person who did not want a full-blown album with flowers, and ephemera, etc.  So I made this simple tri-fold folio.

The front of the wedding folio.

The inside when you open the front of the folio.

The folio with both the right and left flaps opened. 
There is a waterfall component on the
right side and flaps on the left and center.

The folio fully opened. 
I love all the flaps and flips!

If you are interested in watching, below are two videos.  The first shows the folio without any photos.  The second shows the folio with all the photos adhered and some fun things I did in the folio.  

I am trying to remake this for a tutorial but I have a few things in front of this.  I need more hours in my days!  I am sure most of you can relate. 

This is the wedding folio without the photos - 

This is the wedding folio with the photos - 

I used 3 wedding paper pads from Echo Park Paper in digital format, Just Married, Wedding Bliss, and Wedding Day, which are all available from SnapClickSupply. 

I would love to know what you think of this folio and if you would like to see a tutorial in a written and/or video format. Let me know by leaving a comment below.  

As always, thanks for stopping by the blog.  I really appreciate it.  Until next time - 

Hugs from Brasil - 

~Michael

Jars of Love Cards For Valentine's Day

Hello everyone. The other day while cleaning I found some wood jars I bought but never used.  I don't even know who made them.  And, my friend Debra also sent me a package of wood jars in a box she sent me - thanks, Debra!  So I thought...why not make some Valentine's Day cards with them.      

On the left are the jars from my stash. 
On the right are the jars I got from Debra.

I decided to make two cards using a jar from each package and with the same Bouquet die from Impression Obsession.  This die has a lot of pieces to it but it's so easy to work with. 

The first thing I did was to make a top folding A2 card base of white cardstock to which I adhered a piece of pink cardstock. Then I used my Stitched Rectangle die to cut another piece of white cardstock, which I adhered to a piece of fun foam, which I then adhered to the card front.

I did this twice.  I made one pink base and one kraft card base.

Next, I used Versamark ink and Fairy Dust Embossing Powder (WOW), to heat emboss the wood jars.  I absolutely love how this Fairy Dust powder looks!!  The larger jar has the word "love" cut out so I layered a piece of the pink cardstock behind it.  The other jar has a hole but I will cover that later.

Next, I die cut the Bouquet die using a bunch of different colored scraps...greens for the base and leaves and pinks, oranges, etc. for the different flowers.  

Then I started on the card front.  First, I wrapped some pink thread around the jar with the hole in it and I adhered a crystal to cover the hole.  Then I adhered the jars with wet glue and slipped the green plant stems behind them.

Then I adhered the different colored flowers to the stems.  Some I glued down and the larger ones I put a piece of foam tape behind it to make it 3Dish.

On both cards, I added Stickles to some of the flowers.  The jar with the pink twine, I added some stickers for a sentiment on the front.  Both say "Happy Valentine's Day" on the inside.

And they are finished.  I love all the open white space allowing the flowers to be front and center.  What do you guys think?  Leave me a comment below letting me know!  

As always...thanks for stopping by my blog today.  Hugs from Brasil - 

Michael

Crafty Elves Countdown to the Holidays - January 2020

Hello everyone.  My friend Debra (Meticulosity), and her friend Lisa (Life of a BZscrapper), came up with an idea at the begging of last year.  They decided to make 4 Christmas cards per month and 1 blog post per month showing the world what they made.  

They call themselves the "Crafty Elves". 

A few weeks ago Debra asked me if I would also like to be a Crafty Elf.  I said YES!  Who doesn't want to be a Crafty Elf?  And Lisa asked her friend Jessica (Polka Dot Orchard) to be an Elf.  

Now there are 4 Crafty Elves!

And, since I say, every year, that I will make a card a week so that by the end of the year I have a stash of handmade cards to send, and that NEVER happens, this will be a good thing because now I am forced to make the cards and do a blog post.  And, I will have a mixture of Christmas, Hanukkah, and generic holiday cards.  

Here are the cards I made for January 2020.   

Card No. 1 

I actually made this card as part of a "snowflake themed" blog post from a few weeks ago but saved this one for today's post.  I used a snowflake from the "4 by 4 Snowflakes" set from Anthony's Paper Craft with some Stitched Square dies from Gina Marie Designs.  Layered them on some decorative paper along with the "Fancy Celebrate" die from Poppy Stamps.  

Card No. 2

Sometimes you just need a super fast and simple card to add to a present or for a gift card.  I made these 4" x 4" square notecards using one of the prints from a 2019 December Daily that I got from Persnickety Prints.  You can find the file HERE.

I made my card bases by cutting white cardstock 4" x 8" and folding in half.  Then I printed the image of the coffee cup at 90% on to a piece of white cardstock.  I was able to get 4 images on one sheet.  Then I pulled out my Stitched Square Dies from Gina Marie Designs.  I used the 3 largest dies.  I used the largest (4"x4") to cut a piece of solid cardstock, the next die down (3.5"x3.5") to cut a piece of decorative paper, then the next size down (3 1/8" x 3 1/8") to cut out the images.  I adhered the image to the decorative paper and then to the solid cardstock.   

Card No. 3

For the next card, I went super simple.  I used "Light Up The Holidays" from Your Next Stamp.  I made a top folding A2 card to which I adhered a piece of decorative paper.  I used my stitched rectangle die to cut another piece of white cardstock.  I stamped the lights and the sentiment on the front, colored them with BIC markers and then I adhered this to the card front.  Lastly, I applied Glossy Accents to each lightbulb to give it a glass effect.    

Card No. 4

For my last card, I went very clean and super simple again.  I made a side folding A2 card base of red cardstock.  Then I used a Stitched Rectangle die and cut two pieces of white cardstock.  One piece I adhered to the inside for a holiday message.  With the other one, I die cut the Precious Mittens (98663/Retired) from Memory Box.  I adhered this to the card front.  This way, the red card shows thru where the die cut the paper.  I adhered a small crystal to the mittens and some Frosted Lace Stickles (Ranger) to the top of the mittens.  Lastly, I adhered a sticker from a sticker pack I got at Hobby Lobby over the holidays.

I hope you enjoyed all these cards.  Maybe they will inspire you to start making holiday cards early.  Please remember to show some love to the other "Crafty Elves" - 

Debra (Meticulosity)

Lisa (Life of a BZscrapper) 

Jessica (Polka Dot Orchard)

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my blog.  You can also follow me on Instagram where I post photos of crafty things, food, the dogs/cats, and interesting things I find in Brasil.

  https://www.instagram.com/worldofmichaeltrent/

Until next time....hugs from Brasil.

Michael

If You Give A Crafter A Cookie Challenge No. 134 - Retro!

Hello all!  It's time for a new challenge over on the If You Give A Crafter A Cookie Challenge Blog. This is Challenge No. 134 and it's all about "retro". Here is the photo that the Design Team had to use when making their card, should you wish to play along with us.  

I have to admit...even though my childhood consisted of 8-track and cassette tapes, playing Pacman and Ms. Pacman after school in the game room at the mall, trying to get all the colors to match on my Rubik's Cube, and attending the original Ghostbusters on opening night at the movie theater...I am NOT a retro card kinda guy.  But, for some strange reason, I ended up making 3 retro cards.  Go figure!

First, I had to find a retro image to use.  I went to Esty and found a digital stamp of a cassette tape, which you can find HERE. I printed a few, both at 30% and 35%, on to white cardstock.  Then I looked thru my digital papers and found some cool retro feeling papers from the "Best Day Ever Collection" by Sweet Shoppe Designs, which I printed out on to white A4 cardstock.  And I pulled out a set of "press alphabets" (Prima Marketing/retired) to use on the cassette tapes.

I made my top-folding A2 card bases to which I adhered the digi papers I printed.  

For the first card.....

I fussy cut two of the cassette tapes - one at 30% and the other at 35%, and, with the alphabet set and a stamp positioner, I stamped the words "Happy" on the 30% sized tape and "Birthday" on the 35% sized tape.  

Then I adhered them on the card front at an angle.    

And trimmed off the excess for the final card.

For the 2nd card....

I like this paper because it gives a feel of telephone cords that we all had growing up.  So I stamped "Hello" on one of the 30% sized tapes.  

Then I fussy cut the image, put some foam tape behind it, and adhered it to the card front. 

For the 3rd card...

I went with this orange and very retro-looking paper.  I stamped "You Rock" on the 35% sized tape.

And adhered it to the card front.

That's it.  My 3 "retro" cards.  For someone that is not a retro fan, I don't think these came out too bad. I do love the first card the best but all "rock" to me! Let me know what you think.  I'd love to know which one you like the most.    

Until next time....hugs from Brasil - 

Michael

A Not So Ordinary Valentine's Day Card

Hello everyone!  January is almost over and I needed to make a Valentine's Day card for a card swap group that I am in.  I did not want to make a typical red or pink card and wanted to go with purple.  

I started by going thru my paper stash.  I found a REALLY OLD (circa 2011) paper pad called "what's up" from Basic Grey with some flowered designs in purple and dark orange that I thought I could use.

I made a top-folding card base of purple cardstock. Then, using my stitched rectangle die, I cut a piece of white cardstock, which I adhered on the inside and a piece of orange cardstock for the card front. 

I placed the Inlay Heart Die (Poppy Stamps) on the orange cardstock, die cut it, and then adhered the orange piece to the purple card front. 

Next, using the same Inlay Heart die, I cut a piece of the decorative paper.  Then I carefully glued the pieces into the card front leaving the heart areas the color of the purple card base.  

Next, I die cut one of the "love" dies from the "All About The Love" set (Memory Box/retired).  I cut 3 of them and adhered them together.

Then I adhered the word to the card front and applied Glossy Accents on the word to give it some gloss.  This is very easy to do and I love the effect it gives.  I also added 3 purple sequins to the front.

So....what's the verdict?  I love the card and I love that it is not a pink or red card.  I'd love to know what you guys think!  Please leave a comment below and let me know.  

Also...I made a 2nd card using the hearts from the decorative paper but you have to hop over to my Instagram to check it out...

https://www.instagram.com/worldofmichaeltrent/

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today!!  I appreciate it.  I'm working on some new ideas so...until next time...

Hugs from Brasil - 

Michael

If You Give A Crafter A Cookie - Snowflake Challenge

Hello everyone!! Happy New Year - and welcome to 2020.  Crazy how time flies!  I hope everyone had a great holiday, whatever you celebrated and that you had a great New Year - because we all celebrate that! 

With a new year comes new card challenges with the If You Give A Crafter A Cookie Challenge Blog.  The first challenge, Challenge No. 133, is all about "Snowflakes" and here is the inspiration photo that the Design Team had to work with should you wish to play along - 

I know it's winter in many parts of the world but it felt a little strange to be making cards with snowflakes after the holidays.  But then I realized that it's never too early to start making holiday cards for 2020 and that is what I did.  I made two cards.

I started by cutting my A2 top-folding card bases from a piece of 12x12 white cardstock.   With the excess part, I stamped two of the snowflakes from 4 by 4 Snowflakes (Anthony's Paper Craft) using the Blue Raspberry ink cube (Gina K. Designs).  (Note - I change the color I use on the snowflakes later in the tutorial). 

There are 16 snowflakes to pick from and each one measures 1.25" x 1.25".  I knew that I wanted to add some crystals at the end so I picked two snowflakes that would work well with small crystals.  And I spaced the snowflakes apart so that I would have space to die cut them.

I adhered a piece of decorative paper to each of the card fronts using the Merry & Bright paper pad (Fancy Pants Design).  I die cut the snowflakes using a stitched square die (Gina Marie Designs) and, using the next size up, I die cut a solid piece from the same Merry & Bright pad.  

It was at this point that I realized that the snowflake color did not go well with the paper I chose so I went back and stamped the snowflakes again using the Blue Lagoon ink cube (Gina K. Designs) and then I die cut them again.

I adhered the darker blue paper to the card front and then I adhered a snowflake to that using foam tape.

I die-cut two sentiment strips out of white cardstock, placed them in my Misti, and stamped a sentiment on each one using Jet Black Amalgam Ink (Gina K. Designs).  "Happy Holidays" on one and "Peach, Love, & Joy" on the other.  Both are from the Christmas Sentiments 1 - (Anthony's Paper Craft).

Lastly, I adhered the sentiment strips under each of the snowflakes and then adhered some crystals to each snowflake.

I ended up making a 3rd card because, when I stamped the snowflakes in the Blue Lagoon ink, I stamped the wrong snowflake.  But you will have to check back here n the 25th to check it out.  

I'd love to know what you think of the cards.  Feel free to leave a comment below.  I do answer all the comments left.  It might not be on the same day, but I get to them in time.  And if you take part in the challenge please let me know so I can check out your card!  

Until next time....Hugs from Brasil.

~Michael