Dramatic Embellished Cards for the New Year

Dramatic Embellished Cards for the New Year - from the Flying Unicorn!

This is a card I created using the Flying Unicorns Jan kit - but embellished using the Floral kit add-on...called "Mixed Passion".  

Flowers, vines,and embellishments oh my!  Mixed Passion is a collection of everything pretty to add to the Main kit or the add on kits. The colors and embellishments will enhance your Kit of the Month creations or it can stand alone and you can create something magical on its own! 

The flowers that came in the Jan add-on Mixed Passion kit have a divine color and texture combination.  For my card, I opted to set aside the blush pinks and grab some red - bold, dramatic, eye catching floral berries and red cardstock. 

The patterned papers are from 13Arts Secret Letters collection that came in the January kit. Other embellishments on this card are from  components of the Small Art Big Passion mini-kit.  I did add my own gingham print ribbon to break up the solids. 

Why make dimensional cards?   

I love showing side views of cards and projects to give you a feel for the dimension of the card.   I've been asked so many times why I make dimensional cards that are definitely more costly to send and that require a trip to the post office.    Well truth is, I love flowers and embellishments.  I can make flat cards.  I have made flat cards.  And then I look at my box of flowers and ribbons and smile and start gluing and adding and clustering and smiling some more.    I do believe this card started off as being flat.  It morphed into a floral extravaganza.  Couldn't help myself.  

Reality = you need to make what you love.  Life is more fun and rewarding that way, especially if this is a hobby.  The real question is how to make what you love and then make it practical. 

How does one send dimensional cards? 

The answer is bubble-wrap or tissue or even paper towel. Nope - I do not buy small boxes to mail my cards.  I just add a little bubble-wrap , tissue paper ( or a layer of paper towel) to the front of my card before I stick it into the envelope.  If it doesn't fit into the envelope, then find or make a bigger envelope.  

I make a trip to the post office,  stand in line with my fellow neighbors, chat a bit, enjoy their company and mail my cards for a lot less than buying cards. 

Do dimensional cards cost more to mail? 

Do dimensional cards cost more to mail?  Yes. Thicker cards that cannot run through the postal sorting machines will cost more as will square cards.  Just keep that in mind.  But look at it this way - you did not buy the card at the store for $3.50 or $4.00. You have a unique, one of a kind, gift from the heart.  Add a printed or stamped sentiment to the card or write your own. Now you saved yourself time as well from standing at the card kiosk in the store reading, hunting, sorting though countless disappointing and tasteless cards.  Your sentiment will say exactly what's on your mind and how you feel.  Perfect!

  Cards are nutty crazy priced these days.  You saved yourself that cost and instead bought a package of flowers/embellishment you love and may be able to use on a few projects or cards.   Now that's a great value. 

Here are a few more views with a close up of the floral clustering. 

Thanks for stopping and looking.  Visit Flying Unicorn on Facebook and share your work with us on the Facebook page.  We'd all love to see it.    You can also see daily tutorials and tips on the Unicorn blog right here. 

Unicorn Kits and Add On Kits are limited

                                      so do not delay in getting yours!

Products:
Flying Unicorns January Small Art Big Passion Kit
Flying Unicorns Mixed Passion floral  add-on
13Arts papers - Secret Letter collection 6x6
Pre Folded Cards
Red floral Berries
Petaloo Botanical Floral Ephemera Grey
Petaloo Elements Textured Black flowers
Black Gingham ribbon from stash
Red cardstock
Prima  SIIC  - Postage

All things pretty is what our Mixed Passion Kit is all about. This month it includes: Petaloo Textured Elements Petaloo textured blossoms, Prima pink leaves, Botanica Pink Blossoms, Botanica Floral Ephemera Gray.

LemonCraft Design Team

LemonCraft has announced the 2016 team.  I'm very excited to be joining this fabulous company from Poland.  

They have a flair and gift for exquisite, delicate, divine papers and coordinating embellishments. 

You can see this announcement on the LemonCraft blog, right here.

Not familiar with LemonCraft?  ohhhhhh dear.  Not good.  I need to do my job as LemonCraft ambassador properly.  So let me show you some collections and tell you where you can grab yourself some goodies.  You can find an extraordinary array pf LemonCraft products at the Flying Unicorn, right here.  

This is LemonCraft's "Forget-Me-Not" Collection. Yes indeed - pretty unforgettable. 

 This is LemonCraft's "Hearts Painted" Collection.

  This is LemonCraft's "Never-ending Summer" Collection.

 This is LemonCraft's "House of Roses" Collection.

 These are LemonCraft's "flair button" sets for each collection. 

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These are a few of the pieces I made with LemonCraft in 2015

Thanks for stopping by.  Look for new LemonCraft magic in 2016.  and don't forget to grab your LemonCraft from the Flying Unicorns, right here.  

Create a Custom Drink Coaster Set - LemonCraft and Flying Unicorns

Custom Drink Coaster Set - from the Flying Unicorns and LemonCraft

January is a month to start a'fresh. This month, the Unicorns have the perfect "Off the Page" piece to help keep everything around you fresh as well. Included in every main kit is this handy unfinished, wooden coaster set.  Your job is to finish it any way you choose... as a gift for someone? Custom crafted for your home?  You decide. 

Make sure you scroll down to see two Giant tips when making this project. 

1.  The first tip is to create this project to last- even when you dribble your coffee or tea on it.  (whoops that probably just me that spills and dribbles).

2.  Second tip?  It's really super important...so keep reading and you'll thank me.

This is how it started.  I added the mug as a visual in case folks were not quite sure what a drink coaster set was.

I wanted something delicate, elegant and perfect for a sweet gift.  My obvious paper choice was LemonCraft from Poland...the House of Roses collection.  You can find all the collection right here at the Flying Unicorns.  While I used the House of Roses collection, trust that each collection is equally gorgeous, delicate and super sensational.  Just take a peek for yourself!   See the beauty right here. 

Here's my super important  project tip #1!

Other than the beautiful papers and the wood coaster set, then next most important product in this project is to use some sort of medium that will nicely adhere the paper to the wood, but then seal the paper as well as the wood to protect from the beverages that may get spilled and drip and slopped.  Not sure about your household, but in my household, that is all too real a scenario. 

Add a generous coating of gel medium to protect everything.  You can use the gel medium as the glue to hold the paper to the project.   13Arts makes a great gel medium - you can find it here.   

Is it easy to use?  

Is it easy to use?  Oh heck yes!  I'm going to take a moment to talk about the wonderful properties of gel medium and how to apply it to projects.   

First the properties:

As the description reads: Water - dilatable medium, waterproof and transparent when dry. Can be used as an all-purpose glue, image transfer, sealer, paint extender, and it create glazes and textures. You can apply it with masks and stencils or with different tools. You can mix it with acrylic paints and water color inks Achieve a gel. 

On projects like this, I use it as a glue to hold my paper in place by using a layer of gel under the paper the same way I'd use glue. Then I paint a layer of gel over the paper to seal it in place.  

 How to Apply the Gel:

I apply the gel to all parts of the project with an inexpensive foam brush.  They can be purchased anywhere and come in a variety of sizes.        

  I use the foam brush because:

• it has great coverage  - it can cover my project surface faster than a paint brush
• applies the gel smoothly without brush strokes that a paint brush can leave
• it seems to be able to squish into corners and little spaces where paint brushes  would need a bit more finesse
• yes you can even wash it out and reuse it - BUT for those of us on the lazy side, you can toss it out without guilt. 

  Confession time - I am the world's worst person when it comes to cleaning paint brushes.  I'm simply too lazy, or inattentive, or unconcerned, or whatever - pick your adjective.  BUT the foam brush is so cheap that I have no guilt when it gets hard and crusty.  Yeah for that! Boot -out it goes. 

Back to the project.  The papers chosen make such a difference here in the look you want to achieve.  I wanted more of a victorian tea time look - with a touch of elegance and grace.  Hmmm does that even make sense?  In my head it does.  LemonCraft is the only paper I can think of that would create that result. 

I wanted each individual coaster to be different but still be a cohesive set.   

Here's my super important  project tip #2!

Keep your coasters flat!   I repeat - keep your coasters flat! 

As much as you may want to add textures, stencils, molding pastes, lace, trim, flowers, micro beads, glitter, lots of paper layers, and whatnot.....don't do it!  Nope , just walk away and leave the embellishments on your scrapping table.  No coffee cup or wine glass will ever sit flat.  No good will ever come from that.  You'll be destined to messy catastrophes - unless you simply are determined to test the waterproof properties of the gel medium.  

Here are the details of the floral cluster up close.  I chose fabric flowers for the simple reason that once again, if a beverage drips on them, they do not get destroyed as a paper flower would.  

Kits and Add On Kits are limited

so do not delay in getting yours!

and stop by for all your new LemonCraft goodies too!  Divine! 

Supplies:
Flying Unicorns - Your Art Your Passion Main kit for Jan
Darice Wood Coaster Set ( included in the Main Kit) 9190-111
LemonCraft from Poland - House of Roses collection 
13Arts Clear  Transparent Gel Medium
LemonCraft - House of Roses Buttons
Lace
Prima Lyric Flowers 564452
Petaloo Spring Berry Cluster Pink 1105101 but these are great too
Hemp Twine
Floral Berries

Fresh and Fun Layout For January

January Flying Unicorns Kit of the Month is Here!

The January kit from the Flying Unicorn has a fresh pop of color to usher in the new year. 

Packed full of wonderful embellishments and papers from 13Arts Secret Letter Collection. The really interesting thing about this particular kit is that you can take the rich berry wine colors in the papers and make a bold statement or toss in your own accent colors and see where that takes you.  So that is what I did here. 

I used a lot of light pastel accent colors along with the 13Arts papers for this page to make it light and airy for the new year and to make it perfect for some sweet little girls.  

The photo is of my darling Great Nieces and  sweet Sister-in-law. This was taken right before they moved to Germany so the photo holds a lot of sentimental meaning.  The next time I see these little gals, they will be a few years older and so different.  

OK so what did I use here?  I used some Prima color blooms on the paper - Lime Wedge, Cotton Candy, and Soft Teal.  Then I added a few more pops of darker colors from Silks Acrylic Paints - Coral Berry,  Guatemalan Green, and Bolivian Blue.

You can see the cool laser cut wood words from 13 Arts that also came in the main kit.  I decided to leave them with their natural finish because it is just a clean light finish. 

The Unicorn store has a variety of Stickles. 

The moth is fussy cut from the 13Arts Secret Letter papers.  I topped it with Stickles glitter glue in Icicle.  I'm hooked on Stickles lately because they make anything a little glitzy.  

You can grab your kit right here. 

Main Kit Includes : Papers—13@rts Secret Letters Two of each—Remember Me- A letter to you—Dear Friend—Written Stories—My Memories—One sheet Little Secrets—EMBELLISHMENTS- !3@rts 6x6 mask Beautiful Moments Notes, Prima Flowers 583330, Stickers Secret Letter, Lace Stickers Prima 572303,Secret letters laser cut words, Prima Stamp Music notes 960803, 24” trim, 13@rts mist— Dirty Pink, Chalk ink Old Road, Flying Unicorn Adornments, Wood Laser Cuts by Prima

Supplies: 

Flying Unicorn Kit of the Month - Your Passion Your Art

13Arts - Secret Letters paper collection

Prima Color Blooms - Lime Wedge

Prima Color Bloom - Cotton Candy

Prima Color Bloom -  Soft Teal

Silks Acrylic Paints - Coral Berry,  Guatemalan Green, and Bolivian Blue

Stickles Icicle ( find a whole cool assortment right here)

Prima Clear Stamp - 

Kits and Add On Kits are limited

so do not delay in getting yours!