Michael Strong 6th Anniversary Blog Hop

Happy 6th Anniversary 

to the Enjoy Michael Strong Stamps Yahoo Group!

A celebration Blog Hop has been organized by Hetty. 
I hope you enjoy the artwork along the way.
If you leave a comment on every one of the blogs in the 6th Anniversary Hop
you have a chance to win a give away.

To commemorate this 6th Anniversary we are supposed to share
our first Michael Strong stamp

and

the card or art project that we made with it.

Well, due to old age, I can't remember!

I think my first Michael Strong stamp set was the Mini Cloisonne Shapes.

(Click image for larger view.)
To celebrate, I made this pocket card 
using the mini flower and the mini fan from Mike's Mini Cloisonne Shapes.

This stamp set is so versatile! The possibilities are endless!
I used off-white cardstock (with flecks) cut to 4-1/4 x 11 inches 
and scored at 5-1/2 and 9-1/2 inches.
I folded on the scored lines, used a corner rounder punch
then added distress ink to the edges.
Stapled sides with mini staples to create the pocket.
 
My tag layers measured:
3-3/4 x 5 inches
3-3/8 x 4-5/8 inches
3 x 4 inches
You can make the tag  however you wish.
Just be sure it will slide into the pocket!
I punched a hole in the top right side of the finished tag
and used a strip of tulle for a bow.
Used tiny circle stickers for a little glitz.

Materials:
Stamps-Michael Strong Mini Cloisonne Shapes.
Also used Hero Arts, Printworks, Stampablities Stampin' Up!

Inks-wild honey, scattered straw, ripe persimmon, dried marigold
chocolate chip, old olive, mellow moss

THANKS SO MUCH for stopping by!
If you are following the hop, you have come from Jill P's Place 
Now it's time to proceed to Hetty's Craft Chaos blog
 where you will find a complete list of all the blogs in the 6th Anniversary Blog Hop!

Since we are an international group, we span various time zones.
If a blog has not been posted yet, please re-visit it later.

Thanks so much for visiting!
I hope you are inspired by all the creativity on the 6th Anniversary Blog Hop!

Altered Playing Cards

Inspired by Hetty's Altered Playing Cards, here are my altered playing cards.

I painted the cards with gesso as suggested by Claudine of Claudine's Art Corner.
Claudine introduced an Altered Playing Card Challenge
and has a Facebook Group for it.

When my gesso was dry, I painted with
Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabbers, Aqua and Raspberry. 

(If your dabber paint has become a clump, you can add water to thin, then use a paintbrush.)

Stamped Michael Strong Leaves with broken china and fussy cut them.

Cut words from velum and glued to leaves.

Used Lifestyle Crafts Goosebumps LACE embossing folder, 

cut a section then distressed with broken china.

Cut leaves flowers from printed paper scraps, gluing them as shown.

Stamped edges with a Club Scrap Textiles and Notions unmounted stamp 

using Stampin' Up! Lovely Lilac ink.

Color pencils used on Michael Strong Star stamp.

Added Clear Star Gelly roll pen for some glitz, which doesn't show in the image.

Laughter sentiment, unknown origin.

Happy Gals from ERA graphics.

Anniversary Card

Here's an anniversary card I made for our neighbors.

Stamps:

Hero Arts Four Hearts #CG426 cling rubber stamp

Stampabilities: Happy Anniversary wood stamp

 

Inks:

 Distress Scattered Straw and Versafine Onyx Black

Cuttlebug Heart Blocks embossing folder

 

Martha Stewart Daisy Edge Punch

T-Shirt Dresses, Crowns and Pillowcases

Here are the gifts I sewed for the birthday girls, Maegan-8 and Maddie-7.

I referred to Patricia Dunn's blog, My Patchwork Quilt again this year for sewing help. 

I was glad I took her advice and preshrunk the fabric and the t-shirts. 

Also, I like her method of working with quarter sections when you gather the skirt and sew it to the top.

It was very fun making the crowns. Quick and easy too.

 Used the free pattern found at We Wilson's.  

Note: don't make my mistake of forgetting to add seam allowance to pattern!

Since I cannot measure the head circumference,

I used  the Tot Toppers Head Sizing Chart giving an estimate of 21 inch head circumference.

Based on that, I decided the total circumference of my crown would be 20 inches.

Used 3/4 inch elastic for the back.

Used 1 yard of 45" fabric for my pillowcase, using an old pillowcase as my guide.

Finished measurement is approx 21 x 32 inches.

Burlap Bows

Continuing with "variations on a theme"...

made a bow with the burlap and added a brad

dry embossed the printed paper with Sizzix Postal

frayed edges with rotary distress tool

inked edges with bundled sage

punched  2 scalloped circles

(2" and 1-1/2")

cut a "paper ribbon" and inked with bundled sage

sentiment stamped with Stampin' Up! old olive ink 

weathered wood ink used on edges

lace strip added

burlap bow was tied

sentiment stamped with weathered wood

Thanks for visiting!

Brown Burlap Card

Variation on a theme...used brown burlap this time.

Brown cardstock base

Dry embossed printed paper, rotary distress tool to fray edges, then walnut inked

Old music paper-pumice stone inked edges

and a  Happy Birthday "ticket" layer-frayed burlap inked edges

Materials Used:

Old music paper, burlap

Inks: 

Distress- walnut, pumice stone, frayed burlap

Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip

  Sizzix French Script embossing folder