A to Z Challenge - 2019 - O is for Overlay and Owls

Koala's have always been my favorite animal and I have pictures or statues of them all over the house.  Lately though I've been drawn to owls.  Maybe I'm looking for their wisdom.  Anyway, at the recent Stamp and Scrapbook Expo I found these kits with some really cute owl overlays.  Overlays are clear acetate pages with pictures or words printed on them.  You lay them over papers to get different effects.

The kits come with two sheets of overlays with three designs on each so I have 24 cards I can make.  They also come with two sheets of adhesive glitter paper.  This is clear glitter paper but you can get it in a variety of colors depending on your project.   

One of the packs has black frames and some outline stickers that are multicolored.

 The first step is to cut apart the pictures.

Then you carefully stick the glitter paper on the back.  You have to go slow so there are no bubbles.   For the first one I decided to make a sympathy card so this is what I put together:

 I stamped a sentiment on a smaller card and adhered it to the inside.

Here is the finished first card.  I used some of the colored stickers on the envelope and chalked the edges of the front of the card black.  I thought it came out really well.  This is the first time I have worked with these kits and they are pretty easy to use.  Other than tips about how to put the glitter paper on the back there are no "directions" with the kits so you can do whatever you want with the pieces.  They give you a lot too so I know I'll have some extras.

The second kit had some cute owls cuddling so I decided to use them to make a wedding card.  The frames on this set were white instead of black.  I did the same procedure with adhering the sparkle paper behind the picture and then framed it and put it on the front of the card. 

 I decorated the corners of the front with these stickers and used some glittery pen to color them in.

I used some chalk ink to go around the edges to give it a little pop of color and a more finished look.

For the inside I used a tag and stamped another sentiment on it.

Here is the second finished card.  I used some washi tape on the envelope.  I'm pretty happy with this one too. 

These are the first things (except for the Sketchbook) that I have made since I moved all my craft supplies into the new studio.  It was such a joy to have the space and to be able to get to things easily.  I still have some stuff to move around and the more I work in it I may find that some things need to go in a different spot but for the most part it is working out great!   I have this wise owl as a mascot that I am going to put outside once we get to the yard decorating part of this adventure.  I do also have these cute owl curtains.  

But just so the Koalas don't think I've forgotten them, these two have prominent spots in the studio as well!

Another letter down!  This year the A to Z 10th Anniversary Challenge has been going very smoothly.  One year I didn't finish all the letters in time and had to go back to add them.  I don't think I'm going to have that problem this year, thank goodness.  Hope you liked these behind the scenes examples.  Come back tomorrow for the letter "P."

A to Z Challenge - 2019 - K is for Kits

I have to be absolutely honest.  I am a crafty person but sometimes I need a little kick start to get the creative juices flowing.  Occasionally I use kits to fuel the spark, like these from Paper Wishes.  The kits include the blank cards and the extra pieces to decorate it with.  Sometimes I follow the directions and then add or take off things to suit me.  This kit came with the metal stencil of the baby hands and feet that I can use over and over again.   

In the kit below there is a "jar" card to make for Christmas.  I found it as I was looking for jar examples for yesterday.  

I absolutely loved the colors in this tropical kit from Pinecone Press.  While there are directions to make cards on this one as well, they are not as detailed as the ones in the Paper Wishes kit and there are fewer embellishments.  

This gives the diagrams of how you can cut the papers to make the cards, but some of those papers are so pretty I'd like to use them for something else!  They also don't have any sentiments on them so I am able to make them into any kind of card I want, birthday, anniversary, friendship, etc. 

Same with these ones from Photoplay.  The basic card examples are there but there is a lot of room for interpretation.  

This is a kit for a wedding mini-album.  The form is there and there are some stickers and things to decorate it with but it is pretty easily adaptable to whatever I choose to make with it.  

I do have to say that with every card or album I make, I always add something or change the design a little so that I feel comfortable selling them as one of my creations.  I give credit to the company that I got the kit from as well.  I mean, anyone can get a kit and make the cards so I have to make them my own in some way.   

Now you know my secret.  Hope it hasn't tarnished my image as a creator but I have to be truthful in my business.  I wouldn't feel right if I wasn't.   

We are rapidly moving through the alphabet!  Hope you are enjoying this year's series.  Please go visit some of the other participants in the 10th Anniversary A to Z Challenge.