I had a lot of fun creating for Joy Clair this month! This is my last design team project and really like how it turned out. The colors are some of my favorite. I was pleased with how well everything went together even though they were from a few different manufacturers.
Spring Stroll
The Spring Stroll stamp set lends itself well to card makers. Have you ever had wonderful pattern paper in your stash as well as coordinating goodies that you really wanted to play with, but did not have the project for them? That happened to me with a line I have had in my stash for about three years. The colors are dreamy and remind me of spring. I decided to create a six card set and matching envelopes. The corner floral stamp on this set is perfect tucked in opposite corners of a envelope. To save time I used the same items on each card, but got different looks with each of them because of the double sided paper.
The Cards
To add a layer of interest and depth I used corrugated paper in mint and foam sheets I found at the dollar tree in pink. To color the images in Marvy markers were the perfect choice! The bows are another favorite thing in my stash! They are easy to make with liquid adhesive and add that perfect finishing touch along with Crystal Drops.
For the first three cards I used the pattern paper to create my card bases. The inside I mounted a sentiment with a matte to make it pop. By using pattern paper as a card base it really jazzes up the card and allows you, the creator, to use up some of your stash. Why buy a card base when you can just use something from your stash to create one?
To use up the scraps from the larger cards I created these standard A5 cards. By stamping the envelopes it really gave the set a special edge. Everything coordinates and is not perfectly matched. I do not like to make a set of the exact same card. I get board, but sometimes I want speed too, so I use the same items in different ways on each card. This allows me to stay inspired and creating a gorgeous card set!
Have you created spring cards? Go through your stash and see what you can come up with instead of buying special paper.
I am on the Joy Clair blog today with this set of cards. I did a live video making them and was so impressed with them that I knew they needed to be on the company’s blog. The stamp set is gorgeous and this technique is stunning and quick.
It takes a lot to impress me regarding a flower stamp set. Martha’s Garden stamp set by Joy Clair nails it. This set is my favorite flower set I am currently using. I created a set of cards with it and Aqua Flow Markers for a lovely watercolor effect. To take it to the next level I heat embossed the image. This not only gave the card depth and a level of sophistication, it also created borders for the color to pool together. Once each of the cards were dry I added a few Nuvo Dew Drops to finish them off.
Here is a video tutorial on how to create these cards:
Here are the close ups of each of the cards created in the videoThis one is my favorite. I like the color combo and the lovely wash in the white space.
These were so much fun to create and they turned out beautiful. The concept of randomly adding color where I think the image would go was fun. For me, if I stamp the image and then color it in I would not get that loose watercolor feel to the card. I can not wait to play with this stamp set again! What will you create?
Joy Clair not only has funny pun stamps full of sass they also carry a line of for Bible Journaling. I was immediately drawn to the Unashamed set.
Realization
Recently I discovered the one thing I prided myself on that did not happen to me in my adolescent years was rape or molestation. I had a pretty bad childhood full of divorces, abuse and moving from one low income apartment to the next. Every weekend I was in church between my parents’ homes. I thought He was this big jerk in the sky spewing wrath down on humans. The best way to avoid eternal damnation was to steer clear of sex (That was what every youth leader in the churches I attended said at least). So I did.
Out of the Mouth of Babes
My youngest asked me recently how old I was when I had my first kiss. I did not want to tell him. I said I was “to young” because I was only 12. He then asked me how old the boy was. I told him 18. The next question was “did he go to jail?” He did not, but I do know that he was brought up on charges years later of molesting his younger brother. I felt gross having to recall it. I feel yucky for typing I about it right now.
Of course he wanted to know how old I was when I had my next kiss. I did not want to answer that one either. I was 13 and he was 27 — a youth leader. The thing is I did not really want to make out with either of these men, but since my body seemed to like it and we were technically not having sex it was okay. 30 years later I realize it was not okay. I should have been able to say no and be respected AND they should have never ever looked at me like that since I was just a child.
A Mother’s Rejection
My Mom found out about the 27 year old. It was in 1988 and no one called the police. He no longer worked with the youth, but he still attended church. My Mom blamed me. She told me what an embarrassment I was to her and how young ladies don’t do that with boys. I was ashamed.
Now it is hitting me like a ton of bricks. As a mother myself with my youngest only one year older than I was when it happened I am mad at my Mom. There is no way I could ever blame my child for that and I would come unleashed on the person who ever did that to my kid. What was wrong with me? Why didn’t I have anyone protecting me? Was I a mistake? Again, I felt ashamed.
The Struggle is Real
I know those thoughts are dark. What I just stated is disgusting and it makes me feel gross. I am still struggling with feeling shame and angry at the men. I also still blame myself for it. Maybe I should have worn over sized clothes and no make up. Maybe it would not have happened. These are the things that victims of sexual abuse go through. Our thoughts are not right, but when does feelings ever really line up with facts?
Finding Reassurance Through the Bible
I then pulled out the Unashamed stamp set from Joy Clair and the rush of emotions and tears hit me like a ton of bricks. I got my Bible and started searching for scripture to help me through this. Psalms 103:3-4 “He forgives all your sin; He heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion.” I created this:
Forgiveness is an Action — Not A Feeling
After I got done with my Bible journal I made a card for my Mom. Though I will probably never hear an apology from her regarding this it is important that I work on forgiving her for me. This will be a process and I don’t feel very forgiving at the moment, but I need to do it.
I have not built up the courage to mail it to her yet. Emotionally I can not handle it going sore. I am terrified of what it will do to me if she responds in anger and lashes out at me. Every time I have tried to talk to her about anything that hurts me she gets ugly with me. I am not strong enough to deal with her anger at me regarding this.
Anger
Finally I created an ATC to document this time in my life and acknowledge the anger I do have.
This blog post was hard to compose. I really wanted to wrap something up in a pretty bow and present it to you, but that would not be authentic. Hopefully by having the courage to talk about the struggle I am going through 30 years after it will allow healing for someone else and/or awareness. You are not alone. We are in this together. Art can help heal! God uses art to speak to me. I no longer think he is a big jerk in the sky. Instead he is full of compassion and can handle all these emotions I have. I unashamed!
Valentine’s Day is my least favorite holiday. Every year when it rolls around I groan a little. I don’t have any particular reason on why I do not like it. It does bring a smirk on my face when I can create sarcastic cards for it though. Joy Clair has a new stamp set that is perfect for all the folks out there who don’t like cupid and his holiday. It is perfectly title “#Single”. I created this card using the new stamp set:
How to Create “Happy Singles Awareness Day!” Card
Tim Holtz Distress Oxide is how I created the background. When working with water based pigments it is important to keep the color theory in mind. Basically you want to keep all your red undertone colors(warms) together and blue undertone colors (cools) together. If you mix them you will get mud. That is okay if it is the look you are going for, but if not don’t mix things like green and red. The color that is the exception to this rule is purple. The only colors you can mix purple with are red OR blue. If you mix it with any other color you will get mud for this card I stuck with pink, red and purple (on the bottom).
This card has a square cut out that was created to use as a shaker. It also looks cute with an image in the box. I stamped the hearts and colored them in. I finished them off with a little clear glaze by Nuvo and Dew Drops.
After the sentiment had been stamped on the bottom, three coordinating ones were stamped along the bottom and finished off with the Nuvo Clear Glaze.
If the card front was not enough to make the recipient giggle the inside is sure to do so.
Do you like Valentine’s Day? Let me know in the comments!
Make sure to hop through all these amazing designers to see more of the new releases!
Joy Clair has amazing stamps that are being released. The “I Think You’re S’Whale” has snarky and silly sentiments as well as cute images. For this card I chose to use the Narwhal because I really wanted an excuse to stamp “You Make me Horn-y”.
To create this card I laid out a few different shade of blue Colorburst. I misted watercolor paper first with water. By misting it before sprinkling the color it allows the powder to stay on the paper. After the Colorburst was sprinkled I sprayed it with water again until the color and consistency was satisfactory.
I stamped the narwhal on a white piece of card-stock and colored him in with alcohol markers, He was trimmed out and paced on the cards with pop dots. a few dots of clear Nuvo dots completed him.
The stamp set includes bubbles and I stamped those in white. I added a little clear Nuvo Glaze on them and finished the card off with random placement of Nuvo drops.
This is a great card to give a loved one to make them smile. What do you like better a narwhal or whale? Answer in the comments!
And here are the other fabulous designers showcasing a few more releases!
