Saturday, December 30, 2017

Watercolor Santa Claus

Merry Christma! Well... alredy looking at the new year coming soon... but I wanted to make this little cute Santa Claus to come alive. 

I stamped the image in an ATC watercolor paper base and colored imperfectly while having fun.  Then I colored a blue background around... and when dried, I applied another layer but only in the center and around the image so Santa could stand out.


I used glossy accents and glitter in some areas I wanted to have dimension.  I also colored with red the very edges of the base.  Love how the colors mixed up on their on...


Finally, I used a fine sharpie to draw the lines in the image so it can be sharper.  Love the result.  Hope you love them too.


Thank you for stopping by and for a wonderful year.

Happy 2018!

Friday, December 22, 2017

Gifts For Baby Jesus - mixed media project

 Hey there...

If you've followed my social media pages (Facebook and Instagram mainly), you have probably noticed I've been working with some wine bottles for a while.  I had this project in mind (since last year actually), and have been procrastinating it for almost a year.

The initial idea was to dress three wine bottles as the three wise men... but then I had this cool inspiration about the gifts these wise men gave to baby Jesus and that was the idea in my mind the whole time.   

I wrote down all that these gifts symbolized and my mind ran very fast on all the cool things I could add to this project.  I love to make projects with symbols and representations...  So I'm going to explain one by one.  Bear with me... I hope you like it.


Myrrh, the gift brought by Balthazar, was a symbol of human condition.  Jesus was going to suffer and die... he was going to be a man.  So I used the brown colors to represent this gift.  Not only because the myrrh color is like this but also representing Earth tones... Earth... our planet... human planet.  Metals can represent our materialism as humans so I included some elements in metal but maintaining the shade selected.  I included burlap and wood (pieces of cedar wood and other wood made elements) to represent that he was born in a manger.  The wood also reminds us the fact that Jesus was son of a carpenter.  I included a round element (button at center) with an arrow to simulate the symbol of man.  This is actually the focal point when you look at all the elements as a whole.  The three different sized men represent the child, the young and the adult Jesus.  I also included the little woman because he was born from a woman, and since this gift represents human kind, I included both, men and women.  On the sides I stamped two wine bottles in cork sheet, because as a man, Jesus made his first miracle by converting water into wine.



Gold, was brought by Melchior. Jesus received the gift of Gold because HE is a king.  A King deserves the best fine clothes... shiny and valuable... with gems and precious stones...  So I used gold elements, glitter, stars, gems, sequins, and gold cords and fabrics to make this the shiniest gift of all.  



Then, the gift brought to Jesus by Gaspar was the Frankincense.  This is a symbol of worship... know what?  Because Jesus is God.



To represent the God condition thru the frankincense, I used white and ivory tones.  However, notice I added a little bit of blue... this is to represent the sky... or even better Heaven, since we always refer to Heaven as in the skies, right?  I used gauze fabric to cover the bottle and make a base before adding any elements, symbolizing all there has to be pure and clean.  
I included a dove as symbol of the Holy Spirit, and an Angel who accompanies God.  A cross, a chalice...they are both symbols of Christians and church... because Christians are the ones to worship God.  Also included lots of buttons with ivory, white and a little bit of silver shades.  I also included the word "Father"... as a reminder that God is our father.  



So these are my "Gifts for Baby Jesus" project.  This is one of those project one has in mind and takes a while but at the end is the process, and the outcome, and all that it represents what matters.

But there are more symbols...  Why did I used wine bottles?  And yes, there's a probability it has to do also with the fact I love and drink wine frequently so we have lots of bottles all the time...  But the truth is that I thought of it as a symbol of life... you know Jesus' blood converted into wine to commemorate his suffering in Mass...  So for me, using elements related to wine in all this project was a given.

The base of the project?  Well, I asked my husband to get me a magnum wine bottle wooden case. He found me one.  I knew these comes with engraved wine names most of the time, so I'm already thinking how to cover.  Then when I paid attention to the name of what's engraved in this case, despite the fact there's the name of the wine region, vintage year, etc... it says:  "Vigne de L'enfant Jesus".  I was in shock when I noticed the word "Jesus".  This means "Vine of the Child Jesus".  Wow! I was amazed and thought this was not a coincidence.  I might leave the wooden case just as is or probably paint it with some brownish stain and then add some mod podge... but other than that, I will probably leave the name of the famous vines in Burgundy after all.  What do you think?


Last thing I want to mention is that I place a crown to the three bottles. (by the way, they are cupcake covers I got from a baby shower and painted accordingly).   So the bottles in this project are not only the gifts brought to Jesus when he was born, but they are also the Three Wise Men or the Three Kings themselves... Gaspar, Balthazar and Melchior.... Frankincens, Myrrh and Gold.


I hope you were able to read until the end of this post because I was very excited to put all this in writing... It was all in my mind and I wanted so bad to make this mixed media project and show it to you.  Thank your for visiting my blog.  Comments are very appreciated.  Don't forget to stop by in my Facebook Page or Instagram ... whichever is better for you... I'm there as "Scrapper Myra".

Merry Christmas!




PS:   I love the Three Wise Men by the way.  I think that as a Christmas tradition, these are very strong from the Christian standpoint and the story of three wealthy men traveling long distances just to see a little baby that was meant to be the Savior, is just amazing.  They were following a star... I mean... stars are everywhere...  It shows what "crazy" and "wonderful" things people can do when they have faith.  Besides, from the fun, family, and kids' Christmas standpoint when the three kings bring gifts to children, it is more fun because they are three... they are kings so they are wealthy... and the gifts are supposed to be awesome, right?  Unfortunately, this tradition is weaker every year and Santa Claus is taking over.  I love Santa too... don't get me wrong... But I think we should treat our Kings better than we are treating them.  Just a thought.




Saturday, December 16, 2017

Arbolitos Navideños - LCSC#78

Se acerca la Navidad!!!!  Ya se sienten los aires navideños. :)

Hice unas tarjetas de estilo CAS utilizando sentimientos en español de Latina Crafter.  Por eso estoy escribiendo el post en español.  Cuando uso productos de LC trato de escribir el post en español... Solo porque sí... para honrar el idioma. jejejeje

Las tres tarjetas están coordinadas utilizando la misma base de papel blanco repujado con puntitos, y creando arbolitos navideños haciendo múltiples dobleces en "cardstock" y luego dándoles una terminación con Mod Podge y diferentes adornos.


Para algunos utilicé lentejuelas, joyas, cintas...


... Para otros estrellas de fieltro, más brillantes...


... y hasta cintas bordadas y papeles de diseño.

Lo ideal fue que una vez tienes la inspiración, haces unas tarjetas coordinadas que bien puedes utilizar individualmente, o puede ser un "kit" de tarjetas para regalo.


Espero les hayan gustado mis tarjetas de arbolitos navideños inspirada en el twist de Navidad del reto #78 de Latina Crafter.  Dense la vueltita por su blog para conocer cómo participar.
Aquí el link:  https://latinacrafter.blogspot.com/2017/12/reto-de-diciembre.html


Sigan disfrutando las fiestas!



Friday, December 15, 2017

Fabulous Birthday Girl


A friend at work wanted to surprise another friend with a card a birthday banner for her birthday.  She wanted these to be glamorous with the theme of shoes, bags, and bling bling... but not necessarily the pink cliché.

So I went for blue, black, silver, greens and a touch of red to make this card...



I used brads, stamps, jewels, banners, thinkers letters, rub ons, and more...  
The paper collection is an oldie... still have some from a DCWV pack... and is called "All Dressed Up".


For the banner I used same colors, same papers, and similar elements.   The letters are Thickers without colors, which I dressed with glitter to make them fabulous.



I used a red cord for the mini banner.  This is destined to be hung in kind of a closet area so the birthday girl can see when she opens the door.


Happy Birthday Cindy... Hope you like your card and banner...



Monday, December 4, 2017

Tarjetitas de Navidad LCSC#78


Hola a todos... 

Utilizando sellos de Latina Crafter con versículos de la Biblia alusivos a Navidad, hice estas cuatro tarjetas como parte de un kit.  Las voy a compartir para el reto de sketch de Latina Crafter. Ya van por el #78!!!!  Wow  este es el link con la información por si les interesa participar:   https://latinacrafter.blogspot.com/2017/12/reto-de-diciembre.html?m=1



Establecí un diseño sencillo que pudiera replicar con diferentes papeles y así repetí el proceso en todas las tarjetas.  



Primero estampé el mensaje en cardstock blanco y redondeé las esquinas.  Luego corté un pedazo de papel o cardstock para que sirviera como base del mensaje y le corté a mano el borde de la derecha para que pareciera un banderín.  Igualmente corté otro banderín para la parte de arriba y un borde para debajo y así enmarcar el mensaje.



Luego con círculos y el sello del arbolito coloqué un elemento extra en la sección de la izquierda.



Lentejuelas como toque final y ya tengo mis cuatro tarjetitas.  Espero les gusten.





Welcome Baby!

Hey there!

I made this card to welcome a little baby boy that my coworker and his wife are expecting.  So excited.  I know they will be such great parents. 


I made a scenery with baby animals to make a fun and colorful card using Autumn Leaves brand stamps.  These are so cute.  I colored them with watercolor pencils.
The blue background in the embossed paper is also painted with watercolors, and the dimensional cloud was achieved with snow marker heated ink.


The greens were achieved with different hand cut cardstocks pieces, placed in different dimensions, and then the animals positioned on them.   At the center a sticker with the word "baby".


Hope they like my card... made with so much love specially for them and the little one :).


#winecheeseandscrapbooking #scrappermyra #scrapbooking  #create #handmade #hechoamano #autumnleaves #stamping #papercraft #cards  #baby #babyshower #welcomebaby #watercolor #handmadecards #snowmarker



Friday, December 1, 2017

Love Card


Love, Love, Love...

I love Love.  

I made this card full of love using a lot of lace and ribbon....  I know I know... it was very fun to make it and I love the result.

The thing is that most of the lace you see in this imperfect heart shape... is stamped.  Yes, stamped.  Isn't that cool?



Look closer and see there's some real lace and ribbon on top of the heart, and at the center... but the rest was made using stamps from Unity Stamp Co.  Sentiment is from Unity too.


To make the heart I draw it on cardstock and on the opposite site place the ribbons, then cut the shape.

The base has real lace covering some cardstock too... 


Hope you love it.




Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Hurricane Award

 Hello all!

As you know, we've been living quite an experience after pass of Hurricane Maria thru our beautiful Puerto Rico.  I refer to it as "experience" because I don't like to call it something negative.  It negative in the sense that thousands of families have lost their homes, but I think this "experience" has also brought a lot of blessings and learning.

We've learned to respect Nature...  We've learned that being comfortable is not synonymous of being happy.  We've been able to confirm what a large amount of things we have that we don't really need to live; and we've found happiness by giving.  There is really a long list of things we've learned but there's is one particular one I learned and is that we also need to accept help when needed.  We are very grateful of our blessings and sometimes we just think we don't want to bother anybody.

So, we have helped and we have received help  from others.



As a family activity (for fun) I created this award for a member of the family who really took the extra mile helping everybody.  He helped with his company, with support, and of course he brought us ice when we didn't have electricity... LOL!



I used a transparency in which I hand draw a hurricane shape, then cut and painted with snow marker, that when heated creates a magnificent effect.


To create the award base I used a little box, a wooden stick and chipboard pieces, which I painted with Distress Ink, and then applied Mod Podge.   The effect is awesome. It looks like wood.


We awarded my brother in law on Thanksgiving Day and it was kind of a funny activity that at the same time embraced a very serious message... We are grateful.



Monday, November 20, 2017

Hello Gorgeous!

Hello gorgeous people!   Hope you are fine.

Here I am again, sharing a card I quickly made last weekend...  I already had this beauty colored with watercolor pencils, waiting for some inspiration...


So I sponged painted the border of the card base and place a piece of paper with beautiful colored lines that was just a background to a stickers packaging from BoBunny.  Yeah... it's packaging...

I also used half doily to create a more feminine look on framing the girl.  

The banner was made with washi tapes and bakers twine... helped with sequins and dimensional adhesives...

The sentiments were stamped in scrap paper pieces... never trash them... they are useful!

Inside the card I stamped "Happy Birthday"...

Hope you liked it! :)




Thursday, November 16, 2017

How do you spell your name anyway?

A friend celebrated her 40th birthday.

So... I remembered something that always gets my attention in her Facebook page.   Let me tell you.  She travels a lot. Right. She also goes to Starbucks all over the world. Her name is very pretty but it seems no one at Starbucks can spell it right. I believe she doesn’t tell the employees how to write it on purpose so she can enjoy all the different versions and interpretations of her name (that’s what I would do too).   And the cool thing is that she always shares a photo of the cup with the misspelled name...  This happens over and over and it’s kind of funny.

I think she should make an album identifying all places matched with the different photos of the cups with the different names.  Wouldn't that be cool?

So I made her this card. I needed to tell you that story before, so you can understand the different handwritten names in the cups silhouettes.


 I used stamps and stencils from Latina Crafter.  I also used some inkadinkado stamps, vellum, bakers twine and a brad.


The correct spelling of the birthday grit is Scarlette. I hope she likes it.  I gave it to her during her surprise party but she collected all the presents to see them later... so let's cross fingers.



Inside the card...?  Well, guess what?   I was supposed to give her a Starbucks gift card.  That would have been the natural gift with this card.  However, that night (yes, I pretended to buy it on the way to the get together that very same day...),  I didn't find an open Starbucks on the way.  We are still working businesses with limited schedules or some still close after the Hurricane...

So I just inserted a bill...  that I hope she spends on coffee.... LOL!



Did you like it?



#winecheeseandscrapbooking #scrappermyra #scrapbooking  #create #handmade #hechoamano  #latinacrafter #stamping #papercraft #cards  #birthdaycard #inkadinkado #stencil #handmadecards #Starbucks

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

A couple of CAS cards. Just because...

Hello...

I usually like to use more media when creating projects, and even for cards.  The feeling of stamping, painting, use textures and get the hands dirty is awesome. LOL!

However , sometimes can be probably because the lack of time, or the urge to just make something fast... but I sometimes make quick and easy CAS cards. Not only CAS because they are simple and easy to replicate but also because I made them relatively fast.


This is the case of these two.

One is a birthday card. It is for a friend... male friend. And I didn’t want the card to have too many details because when I start adding I usually end up with too feminine cards. So this is meant to be a male birthday card.


The other one is very suitable for anyone going through tough times or just a note card.


For both I used Unity Stamp Co stamps.


#winecheeseandscrapbooking #scrappermyra #scrapbooking  #create #handmade #hechoamano  #unitystampco #stamping #papercraft #cards  #birthdaycard #malecards #tequila #handmadecards #CAS

Sunday, November 12, 2017

You - Tiful !

Hey... Happy Sunday.


Here's an advise for you...

Be yourself. Find your own personality and just live. That’s key to happiness in some way.




Love this sentiment stamp because it can touch a lot of feelings and be relevant to a lot of people.

This is a card using  “Be a Beauty” planner Gal from Unity Stamp Co.


Hope you like it. Be yourself. Always.


#winecheeseandscrapbooking #scrappermyra #scrapbooking  #create #handmade #hechoamano  #unitystampco #stamping #papercraft #beyou  #Beyourself #beyoutiful #handmadecard



Tuesday, October 31, 2017

More Stripes and Plaid...

Made some more time to make these other  two cards to share with Unity Show and Tell challenge Facebook page. It is  about stripes and plaid with Unity Girls stamps. 

First one is Miranda Girl and I love her because she loves wine... just like me.  Actually this is a card I would love to receive. My birthday was about three weeks ago and I have to admit it was a very different birthday compared to other years. Since most people is lacking basic services in Puerto Rico, the reality is that there are other priorities. Just close people and family remembered my birthday, and those who had internet and were reminded by Facebook. LOL!   It was weird. I say I will celebrate same age next year. Yeah right. Hahaha!

 



I used patterned paper to dress Miranda and for the main background. Some washi tape with stripes framed the card.  I also balanced all out with sequins, buttons and twine with the sentiment which is like a sentence being completed. 

The second card features Christine Girl.  She’s a Christmas girl.  I also dressed her up with patterned paper and painting; and used similar elements such as button, twine, and washi tape. 


Do you like my cards?  Hope so. 

Keep praying for Puerto Rico.

#winecheeseandscrapbooking #scrappermyra #scrapbooking #mixedmedia #handmadecard #handmade #hechoamano #halloweencard #unitystampco #birthdaycard #washitape #paperpiecing #unityshowandtell #stamping #christmascard