Paper Blessings

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 18:05:00 +0000

Happy New Year BLESSINGS to you!

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Non-Traditional Colors - Valentine's Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 02:23:00 +0000

Today, I have a few valentines day cards for you in non-traditional colors, see what you think:

Yellow-gold

I used memory box dies: botanical stem, grape vine, tilda swirl, leafy sprig, spellbinders frame.

Purple-lilac color is more vibrant IRL..

I used memory box dies: grape vine, leafy sprig.,

Coral

I used memory box dies: grape vine, tall bamboo, brisol snowflake, botanical stem.

Click on picture for larger and better view. Thanks for dropping by. May you have a most wonderful and blessed day!!

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Valentines "Surprise in a Box" Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 20:57:00 +0000

Hello bloggers! Here are some of my "Surprise in a Box" Cards from my new Valentine's collection. I used Penny Black stamp set. The background paper on some of these are my own gelli arts prints. I think the card with the black and red heart on the last photo is one of my original prints. I am having so much fun experimenting with the gelli arts print plate. Will share what we made in last weekend's class later....we all had so much fun....also made some kraft and gesso floral tags....love 'em!

These will be added to my Etsy online shop. Thanks for stopping by. Any questions, let me know. Have a great & blessed day!

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Gesso,gelli prints and

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 23:20:00 +0000

Greetings and a Happy 2015 to you, Friends! I've started the new artistic year using lots of gesso on my work, tried some die cuts I hadn't used yet and am having loads of fun with printmaking! Here are some samples:

God's best to you in the New Year! Thanks for visiting.

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Celebrate Life art journal page

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 01:54:00 +0000

Hello blogger friends! Wanted to share this Art Journal page that we will be working on at our next Paper Blessings papercrafting class (see schedule top left). We'll incorporate tissue paper, shimmery spray mists, stenciling, watercolor markers, CTMH stamps...it's a quick one but when finished we'll see so much dimension. I will post when completed. Thanks for dropping in! Stay blessed.

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Peace on a grassy hill

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 00:13:00 +0000

Hello Blog Friends! This card should've gone in my prior post - simple boy cards, so I wanted to include it for you. On this card, I did some masking to make the sun and the grassy hill. Used Spellbinders "Labels One" s4-161 nestabilities to make a frame and then pop-dotted it to front of card. Stamp set is from Crafty Secrets Clear Art Stamps. Colored in with copics. I hand wrote " peace" on the actual frame.....reminds me of that wonderful song that says "peace, peace, wonderful peace coming down from the the Father above...."

Hope you enjoy! Tomorrow is Monday. May it be the beginning of a wonderful and blessed week for all of you!

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Boy Cards and Dry Wall Tape

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 14:46:00 +0000

Hello Papercrafters! Here are a few "simple style" cards for you. I used the Close to My Heart "Windy Day" stamp set....I love this set - includes a boy and a girl flying kites and has some great sentiments with it. Later on I will post an art journal page I made with this same stamp set.

Here's how I made the card:

- I stamped the images on cardfront (excluding the clouds).

- colored in images with copic markers

- after coloring in, I took some dry wall tape and used it as a background stencil - used Cashmere inkpad and lightly sponged the color randonly on the cardfront.

- I stamped the clouds on another piece of cartstock. Cut it out. Then used Crystal Blue inkpad to sponge color over dry wall tape on clouds.

Dry wall tape looks like this, I know, some of us didn't know that. lol. It has adhesive on one side so it's great for stencilling:

- the sentiment was stamped on another piece of cardstock, cut out to form a banner and pop-dotted to bottom left side.

Here's another "boy" card. I used Crafty Secrets "Little Boy" stamp set - what a cutie, right? I colored in with copic markers. After coloring in, I used a blending tool and sponged Broken Glass distress ink around the image. I pop-dotted the "curious cat" die from Poppystamps, Inc. on left-bottom of frame.

Well, time for you to go out and use some of that dry wall tape you may have sitting around your garage! Thanks for dropping by. Have a glorious weekend!

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Snowman, Poinsettia and Frostyville Border Equals What?

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 15:42:00 +0000

A card-in-a-box, of course! Hello Papercrafters! Today I played with "left overs" from last Holiday season. I know, is it too soon to be making cute snowmen? I think not. And since I had pieces/parts of snowflakes, poinsettias, stars, a Frostyville Border, scrap patterned paper, red and green cardstock,etc., I decided to made this card-in-a-box using the following items:

-snowman: Joys of the Season cricut cartridge, cut at 4", colored in with Copics
-poinsettia: last years K & Co left over embellishment
-frostyville border die: Memory Box at StarlitStudio, #98146
-glitter glue: Glitter Glitz from CTMH, Z1313
-card in a box: digital file from Cutting Cafe or you can make your own which is fun to do

Here's a closeup of the focal point of the box:

Here's what the total card in a box looks like:

And here is a close up of the border die so you can see the fine details of this steel die, love it!:

Any questions, please ask. Would love to hear from you. Please take the time to enjoy your day!

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Art Journal Pages

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 15:56:00 +0000

Happy Friday to you! As I mentioned before, I wanted to try art journaling for awhile now but never took the time to experience it with my own little hands! hehe. While on vacation at Hilton Head last year, I decided to research the subject, get my mixed media supplies together and try my hand at it. I didn't take any classes but I did find a most wonderful & informative blog (Vicky's) that really inspired me...I love her style....clean, artistic, not too messy nor dark. So I played with the supplies I took with me (of course, I also went to a local Michael's to get a few items) and I loved it! Here is a very simple page I did:

All I used was one of our new stamp sets from Close to My Heart, entitled "A Budding Friendship", a T. Holtz stencil ("Rays"), some distress inks and added some CTMH Liquid Glass to the flowers for lots of 3-d glossy dimension. You can find the CTMH items here at my online store.

I love the wording included in this stamp set, "You Are My Favorite Memory!" I think a special photo of someone could be added to this journal page and included in a scrapbook layout.

Here's a closeup of the Liquid Glass on the flowers.

Thanks again for visiting! Check out Vicky's Blog. Thank you Vicky for your wonderful inspiration!! You'll really get blessed! Any questions, please let me know.

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Memory Box and Poppystamps Cutting Dies

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 00:35:00 +0000

Hello Stampers! I wanted to post these cards made from Memory Box/PoppyStamps steel dies....I came across this company right before the Holiday Season last year (I know, where have I been, right?) and I just love them! Starlitstudios.net is where I purchased them. Cindy was/is a huge help and I am certain she appreciated my enthusiasm for these steel dies! Please take a look and see if you enjoy these dies as much as I did. (Click on pictures for a closer look.)

Frostyville Border (98146) (don't you just love its name?)

Donnington Tendril (98764)

Lunette Butterfly (98745)

I used this beautiful flourish on one of our first Art Journal classes. I will show you more of this class later.

Viva Tree Die (901)

Venita Flourish Die (98772)
Fresh Foliage Die (98502)

Thanks for stopping by. May you enjoy all the blessings of the day!

SUPPLIES:

Memory Box Company

PoppyStamps Die & Stamps

Starlit Studio

Frostyville Border

Donnington Tendril

Lunette Butterfly

Viva Tree

Venita Flourish

Fresh Foliage

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White Embossing

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 01:29:00 +0000

Hello Friends! I never get tired of white embossing on my stamped cards...it's an oldie but a goodie, right? In the brown card, I stamped all the images in Versamark first, added white embossing powder and heat embossed it with my heating tool. I then went back and stamped the same images, offsetting them just a bit to the right of the white embossing, in brown ink. I completed the card by inking the edges in Frayed Burlap and Gathering Twigs Distress inks. Please click on picture for close-up details.

For this pink one I used Distress Paints (peacock feathers, ripe raspberry and mustard seed) for the background. I just rubbed the paint colors in with my fingers (loved the messiness of it! hehe. Silly, I know.) Love the vibrancy of these paints! After it was dried, I did the same white embossing technique on this one. They look so much prettier IRL.

Thanks for taking time to visit me. Believing you will be inspired to stamp your own "white embossing" artwork! Stayed blessed.

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Happy New Year! Er, I mean Happy Spring!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 15:02:00 +0000

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Ok, I know I'm way behind! So sorry for that. Wanted to say hello to my blogger friends and believing with you for a great SPRING time in another week. With snow on the ground, it's hard to visualize that but hey we just keep believing, right? Here are a few items from my "Paper Blessings" papercrafting classes to inspire you:

Have a tremendously blessed day!

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Fall is in the Air!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 18:44:00 +0000

Autumn Greetings and God bless!

I wanted to share a few cards I designed for some of our "Paper Blessings" paper art classes. Hope you will enjoy these:

Thanks again for visiting me!

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Mini Book and Anna Griffin Folder

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 05:03:00 +0000

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Nautical Inspirational Booklet and

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:26:00 +0000

and a few other class projects:

Anna Griffin embossing folders

Spring Celebration card set:

Upcycled coffee cup sleeves:

Zenspiration artwork:

Thanks for dropping by!

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Winter Projects Gallery

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:12:00 +0000

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Just a few things....

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Welcome back friends! I wanted to share some of the things I've been working on lately....some are for my Paper Blessings Etsy Shop....some are projects from my Thursday and Saturday Stamping and Paper Crafting Classes I have every month and some are just goodies I've made for myself. Any questions, please let me know.

Altered Ceramic Pumpkins

RE-purposed - Mini Photo Album from empty Tissue Paper Rolls

Card made from vintage trimmings

"BOO!" Mini pennant banner

Class - Kalaidacoloring and Brayering - Autumn

Class - Kalaidacoloring and Brayering - Winter

Class - Holiday Cards made from Art Philosophy Cartridge

Class - Gifts for the Holidays - Mini Photo Album from TP Rolls

Journal Inserts were made from CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge Tags

Class - Gifts for the Holidays - Quick Treat Bags

Class - Canning Jar Gifts

Golfing Canning Jar Gift - Top of Lid

Class - Canning Jar Gifts

Cookie Mix Canning Jar Gift - Front Holiday Tag made from CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge

Cookie Mix Canning Jar Gift - Top of Lid Made from CTMH Art Philosophy Cartridge

Class - Cuttlebug Techniques - Embossing and Alcohol Inks

Class - One-Layer Card

Class - Cuttlebug Techniques - Direct to Folder Inking

Class - Faux Rust

Class - Cuttlebug Techniques - Wax Paper Flower

Class - Cuttlebug Techniques - Embossed Patterned Paper

Class - Autumn Cards made from Art Philosophy Cartridge

Altered Ceramic Pumpkins

If you live locally, would love to have you join our classes....class schedule is located at the top left of this blog and at River City Gift Shoppe website .....we do have SO MUCH fun!!

Thanks much for visiting me. Don't forget to count your many blessings today! Bye for now.

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September 2012: National Stamping Month

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:29:00 +0000

I forgot to add this video to the post below.....you'll enjoy it. Get a double "It's Your Day" CTMH stamp set for $5.00 for National Stamping Month with $35 purchase from August 15 thru September:

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Where are my photos? CTMH Specials!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:24:00 +0000

Hello Bloggers! Trying to find out what happened to my blog photos!!!! Yikes! Untill then.....

I wanted to share these truly amazing Close to my Heart Specials while I can:

Click on the links below to see these CTMH August Specials:

Between August 15-31, get your Cricut Artiste cartridge for $99.00. The Cricut Artiste bundle includes:

- Cricut Artiste (suggested retail price of $ 59.99), Three Stamp Sets (retail value of $17.95 each), & Three Dimensional Element chipboard sets (retail value of $4.95 each). That is a total recommended retail price of $128.69 for the much lower price of $99!

- Because you spent over $35, you can now purchase the It's Your Day stamp set for $5.00. This is a $35.90 value stamp set for only $5!

- Because you spent over $50, you can now purchase the August Stamp of the Month for $5.00 a value of $17.95!

That is a total of 6 stamp sets, 1 cricut cartridge, and 3 sheets of chipboard for only $109.00 before tax and shipping! GUESS WHAT? YOU SAVED $78.54! Treat yourself if it's available.

You will love this 2nd Artiste Cricut Cartridge exclusive to CTMH if the first one is any indicator.....I love the 1st cartridge, Art Philosophy...it is AMAZING and I use it all the time....just ask my stamping students!

Thanks so much for visiting stampers! God bless.

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Tutorial: ID-ing Your Ink Pads

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:51:00 +0000

Hello Everyone! I have a quickie tutorial for you. On my last post I showed you a super quick way to make faux washi tape using office labels! As I was doing that , I thought, hey I can also ID my ink pads using the same process. Here's what I did:

First, with a paper trimmer I cut a sheet of labels, lengthwise, into about 1/4 inch strips:

I then applied the color of my Distress Ink Pad on the labels....basically you're going to swipe the ink pad over the label until the label is completely saturated. If you begin swiping the color at the top of the label and then move in downward motion, you'll get full and quick coverage.

I let them dry a little before removing the paper backing on the labels and adhering them to the ink pads.

Tadaaaa! Here's what they look like....nice and orderly....it makes it so easy to choose the color I want now because I can SEE the vibrancy of the colors at a glance.

Well, hope this tutorial was helpful. Have an awesome weekend!

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Tutorial: Faux Washi Tape

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 18:14:00 +0000

I gave a presentation on Faux Washi Tape at our Ohio Gathering and I wanted to share this tutorial with a few pictures. As you know Washi Tape is pretty popular right now...basically, it is decorative tape on a roll that can be used on all papercrafting projects...on cards, on scrapbook layouts, on altered projects, etc. It can get expensive so I thought that we should be able to make our own FAUX washi tape, right? My version is so quick and easy....stamp your own designs on office labels then peel them off and place wherever you want to decorate! Quick, right?

First, I took an ink pad and "swiped" the color on the office labels and then I stamped a design over that. I also took a blending tool to apply the color on....it's a softer look...then I stamped the designs.

This was my original inspiration for my first washi tape design...yep, a kleenex box design!

Here are some finished washi tape labels:

I took those labels and cut them into strips, wound them around vintage thread spools, then tied twine around them. Another way would be to wind them up in rolls and use a teenie clothespin to hold in place. These faux washi tape sets would be great to include as a gift for any of your paper crafting friends! Note that I cut the edge of label with a scallop punch (or scissors) to give added dimension as shown on the yellow label below:

Here, I decorated a gift tag by placing the label at the bottom of tag; then I cut a square shape and adhered it to top of tag and punched the tag hole before threading the gold twine. I took the scraps from this and adhered them to a flower die, trimmed it and then rolled the flower, added twine and adhered it to bottom of tag.

Need a way to make party favor bags fast? Take a white mini bag and adhere a faux washi tape label to the center. Stamp a birthday sentiment. Add candies. Add ribbon. Tada...quick fun party favor bags!

Same thing below only I used red licorice twizzlers for my choice of candy:

In this card I took two decorated labels and cut them into 3 sizes, rounded the corners and then placed them on my a-2 card front:

So as you can see, making Faux Washi Tape is simple and fun! Would love to see your work when you try this out! Thanks again for visiting.

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July Specials for You at CTMH

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:27:00 +0000

PERFECT PAIRS - Free Paper Packets with Online Orders

Place an online order of $75 or more in July and we’ll send you a popular paper packet and coordinating accessory—a Perfect Pair—for free! That’s a retail value of up to $17.90!

Different Perfect Pairs are available on different dates throughout

the month so you’ll want to place more than one qualifying order to snatch several Perfect Pairs. Place your order early in the availability period, as the promotion is while supplies last.

Offer valid July 1–31, 2012. While supplies last. Additional

shipping/handling and tax may apply. Discounted products

do not count toward a qualifying purchase. Click here to see dates and paper packets info.

LIVE OUTLOUD! July Stamp of the Month

Spend $50.00 and get the July Stamp of the Month S1207A, for $5.00! Regular price is $17.95....what a deal for us! Click here to see Live Outloud stamp set.

Visit me here to see my online, 24/7 CTMH store. Any questions, please email. Thanks for looking!

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Happy 4th of July!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 18:41:00 +0000

Hello and God bless you in the powerful name of Jesus Christ and Happy 4th of July to you all!

I quickly wanted to share some of my patriotic artwork from classes and some I just made for myself...you all know how much I love Americana projects!

Thanks for visiting me and may God continue to bless America just as Psalms 33:12 promises, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." Enjoy your day celebrating AMERICA!

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Stamping Class Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 01:14:00 +0000

Thanks for visiting....here are a few cards from different classes I wanted to share with you:

I'll be sharing my Patriotic Goodness projects soon....I love all things patriotic, americana, etc! So come back and take a look. Thanks to you for visiting!

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Life is Tweet and Stampaganza

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Leeson) — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 19:34:00 +0000

Hello paper artists. I wanted to share with you the great deals going on right now at Close to My Heart....buy two stamp sets and got one free during their My Acrylix stamp celebration ending June 30th!

There's more! You can also get the Stamp of the Month, Life is Tweet, for only $5 when your shopping purchases total $50. Here's a look at Life is Tweet stamp set.....very cute, right?:

Visit my Paper Blessings CTMH online store here to take advantage of these delightful stamp sets and begin making some wonderful projects for yourself or to give to your loved ones. Thank you in advance.

Have an wonderful day!

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