Maya Road Design Team

Three Styles of Embellished Cards

Hi Roadies! It's Jocelyn on the blog today. If you're a card maker, do you like to customize the card for the recipient? I have a stash of general cards, but I often like to make the card reflect the recipient's style. Today, I'm sharing cards in three different styles using several of the same embellishments.

First up:

For this card, I went for a summery, Americana, homespun style. To achieve this look, I used fabric and trims, and a summery color scheme.

I took an old pair of my daughter's jeans, cut off the pocket, and stitched the Mini Cloud and Apple Red Pom Pom trims to the top of the pocket. I also added one of the new Sparkle Sequin Bows and Felt Roses.

 

To finish the card, I layered patterned paper and added a Silver Mini Clothespin.

Next:

 

For my second card, I went with natural, outdoorsy feel for this travel card. To achieve this look, I kept the colors neutral and added natural elements (burlap and gold).

The card was designed to be a way to give the awesome necklace from Bethany Lane. I put the long necklace chain in the Linen Treasure Bag and ran a few stitches through it. Next to the bag, I added a Camera Clip. The clip was altered using gold liquid gilding to match the rest of the warm colors.

Since I wanted to repeat the gold theme, I adhered the Gold Glitter Dust onto the Kraft Butterfly. It adds a great sparkle to the card.

Lastly:

I was thinking of my teenage nieces when I made this card--it has a whimsical and fun feel to it. To achieve this look, I layered several embellishments with bright colors and different textures: the Tu Tu Tulle Flower, an Ornate Resin Frame, a Feather clip, and a Felt Rose.

To finish the card, I stitched the Mini Pom Pom trim to the top.

I hope these cards provide some inspiration for different card styles. Thanks for stopping by!


Products Used
Felt Roses-Milk White
Sparkle Sequins Bow-Shiny Silver
Mini Pom Pom Trim-Cloud White
Mini Pom Pom Trim-Apple Red
Wood Mini Clothes Pin-Silver
Vintage Linen Burlap Treasure Bag
Camera Clip
Glitter Dust-Sparkle Pack
Kraft Vintage Butterfly Pieces-White
Framed Sayings Transparency Pieces-White
Tu-Tu Tulle Flowers-Sea Blue
Ornate Resin Frame-Lemon Curd
Feather Clip
Felt Roses-Princess Pink
Mini Pom Pom Trim-Sunshine Yellow

Altered Bird Cage with Mini Album

Hi Roadies, Belly's here on my first blog for Maya Road today. A friend of mine gave me a metal decorative bird cage months ago, it is in black, I was thinking of using as a photo backdrop, but today I would like to show you how I altered it with Maya Road goodies.

I love what its look, you can hang it at home as decoration, or even you can use it to place on the wedding reception table.

Applied gesso and spray mists on the cage, tuned it into a bit shabby style.  I used three different colors of Linen Burlap Trim (Cream, Vintage Lilac, Vintage Lime) on the top and the bottom of the cage, making a good base for the embellishments, I even cut the trim into half, horizontally, to tie a small bow for the cage opening.

If you cut the Burlap Trim into half, better to take out few lines to make it a frayed look, be remembered to save them, it is super cool to use on the Wood Mini Spools.

I did also use the Small Organza Cream Roses Ribbon to decorate the base of the cage, I cut out the sides of the roses ribbon and save them to decorate the inside of the cage, it looks like flying through the Sheer Lowercase Alphabet "l o v e".

Don't hesitate to put together paper, wood, metal and ribbons for the mini album cover, it can always comes out surprisingly, I splashed on water-downed gesso to give the cover some effect.

Thanks for stopping by :)

 

Maya Road Products I used:
Vintage Burlap Trim - Lilac
Vintage Burlap Trim - Lime
Burlap Trim - Cream
Vintage Wood Mini Ruler
Wood Mini Clothes Pins
Wood Mini Spools
Small Organza Roses Ribbon - Cream
Time Flies Clock Transparencies - White
Preppy Stripes Trim - Khaki Pants
Big Leaf Charms
Mini Leaf Charms
Die Cut Kraft Doilies
Vintage Leaf Pins - Pearl Cream & Brown
Sheer Lowercase Alphabet Alanta - Clear

Puppy Love & a Tutorial

 

Hi Roadies! It's Jocelyn on the blog today with a card and tutorial.

I've developed quite an addiction to the Maya Road clips. They are so cute! Sometimes I'll leave the clips as-is, but often I like to alter them. I thought I would share a few different types of altered clips:

1) On the top left, I used a Ranger Alcohol Ink on the Geo Tag Love Clip. The color change wasn't dramatic, but it works for adding some subtle color.
2) On the top right, I colored the new Feather Clip with a Copic marker. This technique worked well for clips with tighter angles. I noticed I had to allow for a little dry time before picking up the clip.
3) On the bottom left, I gilded the Super Star Clip with Brass Liquid Gilding. It probably goes without saying, but I had to use the gilding in a well-ventilated area. This technique works great for clips with very fine details. To apply the liquid, I used a cheap craft sponge. Do not use a good paint brush as it will ruin the brush. Ask me how I know....
4) On the bottom right, I painted the Banner Love Clip with craft paint. Spray paint would work, too, but craft paint is inexpensive. It took a couple of coats and the drying time is longer, but the color is vibrant.

I also used one more technique, which is probably my favorite:

Using embossing powder, I heat embossed the Man's Best Friend Clip. Here's a little tutorial:

1. Press the clip several times into VersaMark--you'll want to get in the grooves. 
2. Carefully pick up the clip with a craft pick (or tweezers) and set it on a craft mat.
3. Sprinkle embossing powder on the clip. As a tip, I used the craft pick again so I could move the clip and pour back the excess embossing powder. 
4. Heat emboss the clip with a heat gun. 
5. Immediately after embossing, add a second coat of embossing powder (no VersaMark needed the second time). 
6. Let the clip dry for at least 5 minutes before touching it. Don't touch it right after embossing--it will burn!

I used the clip for a card I'll use for a friend getting a new puppy:

 

I started by embossing the background and layering two digital patterned papers. On top, I layered the Love Framed Sayings Transparency and a Vintage Doily Transparency. I tied the layers with Princess Jute Cording. Here's a close-up:

 

 

I layered the Man's Best Friend Clip over the Our Home Kraft Tag. Around the house, I added a few embellishments: the Gold Heart Tag Charm, Lucky Star Wood Button, and Mini Pom Pom Trim.  

 

Here's one last close-up of the clip:

 

 

 

I'd love to hear how you alter the Maya Road clips. Please let us know if the comments box. Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

Joy Mini Album

 

Hi Roadies! It's Jocelyn on the blog today with a spring mini album.

 

The pictures in the album are of my daughter from a few years ago. I've wanted to scrap them for some time, and the Maya Road products made the album so easy!

I started with the 5x5 Tab Ring Album and painted all of the pages white. I could have skipped this step, but I wanted the option of leaving some of the pages white. For most of the pages, I trimmed patterned paper to fit the chipboard pages.

On the cover, I knew I had to use the Oh Deer Resin Charm. That deer is adorable! I layered her over the Matthew alphas, which I painted and added glitter. Here's a close-up:

 

I'm not going to share all of the pages, but I thought I would share a few.

 

If you ever want something that has a big impact, the Tulle Mum works great. My daughter loves anything pink, and the color reminds me of her.

 

In the corner, I added a cluster of some Trinket Pins and a pretty Kraft Vintage Butterfly.

I added a Shipping Tag to the chipboard album:

 

The Pink Lemonade Cording--gah, I love it! It's thick and holds bows very well. I also used the sweet Love Heart Clip.

 

 

On the back of the tag, I wanted to cover up the bobbin stitching, so I added a stripe of Antique Pink Vintage Lace Tape. I like the texture it adds!

My husband and I refer to our daughter as "the bird," and I knew I had to include the Feathered Friend bird. It's supposed to look like the bird is holding the chipboard Heart, but I think I may have to adjust the angle a bit.

 

For this page, I added several altered embellishments. My favorites are the Kraft Butterfly and the cute Love Note Charm.

Still with me? For my last page, I went more artistic. I was inspired by some of Wilna Furstenberg's layouts.

 

I painted a few of the Decorative Buttons white. Once they were about 75% dry, I added spray mists on top. While I let the buttons dry, I used a waterbrush and painted the same mists down the page. I finished off the page with the Framed Sayings Transparency and layering the photo over it.

 

 

 

I hope I've inspired you to dig out some older photos and make a mini album. Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

 

Adding a Little Cheer to a Winter Day

Hi everyone! It's Jocelyn on the blog today with my first Maya Road post. (Eek!) 

I know it's not wintry everywhere, but where I live (South Dakota), we have a seemingly endless winter. Among all of the cold and snow, it's nice to drop a cheerful card in the mail for a friend. Sending some early spring cheer is nice, right?

I made a couple of cards that have some pops of color. First up, the "happy" card:

I love to add some layers and textures on cards, and this card has both. For the cluster, I did a little altering:

• Using my glue pen, I traced around the Kraft Vintage Butterfly, and then added glitter.
• I added dye ink and water and placed the Mini Canvas Tag in it.
• The Love Note Charm was dipped in silver gilding.
• I whitewashed the edge of the Wood Shipping Tag with white paint.

I layered these elements over the "happy" Framed Transparency. Here's a close-up:



I added some Pink Grapefruit Maya Mist, but I felt like the card needed one more item. I decided to add the gorgeous Rose Scallop Edge Trim across the top. I think I'll be adding this trim to more cards!




Next, I made a card with a "pocket:"

 

First, I did some watercoloring with the Green Apple Maya Mist. Next, I added foam tape to the patterned paper and then tucked several trinkets inside. Like the first card, I altered the products, like adding glitter to the Mixed Scallop Mini Triangle Banner and Heart Chipboard. For the Antique Feather, I painted it a lime green. I thought the colors looked good with the gorgeous Teal bloom!

Here's a close-up:



Behind the flower, I also tucked the Kraft Envelope. The entire envelope is tucked behind the patterned paper with the flower adhered to it. Wouldn't it be cool to add a hidden note or gift card?

Thanks for checking out my first post!

 

Maya Road Guest Designer: Megan Hoeppner Take Two

Hello, Roadies! So nice to be back in the creative MR saddle again today. Thanks for this opportunity to share a project! My name is Megan Hoeppner, and today I’m here to share a quick way you can use a mini album page to create your own custom scrapbook-page backgrounds.

 

I just adore this chipboard camera album, which I recently featured in my CreativeLive class (thanks a million, Maya Road!).

I had one extra page of the album that I didn’t end up using in class, so I decided to put it to use as a template on a page.

To begin, I traced the album page on my cardstock in a few different places, using different shades of watercolor pencils.

Once I had what I felt was a nice balance of cameras in position, I used my water brush to blend and soften the traced lines, and I used watercolor paint to add the heart “lenses” in the centers of my cameras.

Another favorite MR item on my list is the little Polaroid-style frames.

I knew they were small enough that I could use them to add several pictures of my daughter’s birthday party without disrupting the design.

I used dimensional glaze to adhere the bitty frames to my photos, which dries clear so I knew there wouldn’t be a problem with visible glue marks. Wanting a bit more texture, I then stitched around the hearts using tone-on-tone embroidery floss strands.

 

And I added a few lines of handwritten journaling, using nothing more than my favorite journaling pen.

Just like that, my layout was complete, and I was completely happy with it. I hope there are aspects of this design that inspire you in your own creativity. If you have any ideas for taking these techniques and using them in different ways, please share. I just adore being inspired by others and seeing many different directions a single idea can be taken in. It’s one of my favorite things about crafting!

Quick Photo Editing Using Your Phone

Before I go, I thought I’d also provide a quick tutorial on you can get the bitty images for the Maya Road transparent frames using nothing more than a free app for your smartphone and a single sheet of 4x6 photo paper (unless you want to print more images than than).

Here’s how you do it to it:

1. Open PicStitch (download first if you don’t already have this free photo-collage app).

2. Select the 4-up photo grid.

3. It defaults to a 1:1 ratio (a square), so you’ll want to adjust the aspect ratio to 3x4

4. Tap the first box and tap “upload.”

5. Select the photo you want to use and apply any edits you wish to apply.

6. Tap “done” and check to make sure the spacing/cropping is to your liking.

You’re half way there. Here are a few more steps to complete the process.

1. Fill in the remaining three rectangles in the grid and save the image to your camera roll.

2. Repeat with a second set of images, following the same steps.

3. Start a new collage.

4. Select the two-up grid.

5. Adjust the aspect to 6x4.

6. Drop in the two collages you just created and print this image.

Now, all you have to do is cut the images to the size of the small frames and put them on your page.

Note: For the larger frame in the set, I simply cropped down a basic 4x6 image of my daughter using my scissors. Nothing fancy there.

That about covers it, Maya friends! Thanks you for making me feel so welcome in this community. I hope you enjoy giving these techniques a go, and I can’t wait to see what you continue doing with Maya Road delights in general. Your creativity is so inspiring!

Warmly,

Megan Hoeppner

meganhoeppner.com

Maya Road metals for the making

Good day to all you Roadies! 

Some of my favorite new things at Maya Road are all the metals, both Vintage Metal Findings and wire clips. David (Caroline's awesome husband) is tasked with finding cool new metals, and the last few releases have been full of them. This layout about how I won't use the word "selfie" has quite a few of them on it, and I wanted to share how I make them unique with altering. 

Don't you love Maya Road for altering? :)

First, I love the wire clips (I'm pretty sure Caroline is the one that designs most of these, she'll share her sketches with us sometimes, it's a facinating process!). I also love that I can make them whatever color I want! 

How? If you press the clip (shown: Eureka Lightbulb Clip) into a Versamark pad, get it really good and sticky, then with a pair of tweezers and place it on a scratch paper, you can pour any color of embossing powder on it. Simply hold it in a inconspicuous place with the tweezers and use your heat gun to melt the powder. It's a quick process, the fact that it's metal helps that! I also embossed the camera in the upper left corner. Time to stock up on your embossing powders and metal clips, isn't it?!?!? :)

I followed the same process as above for the metal arrow, except I only pressed the tip of the arrow into the pad. If you use an embossing pen, you can do even more detailed work.

Another thing that is fun to do is add something to the viewfinder of the Vintage Oh Snap! camera. It's just big enough that you can glue a small bit in there. I like to use Glossy Accents or Diamond Glaze so it really hold it in there nicely. I've added a small die cut heart before and this time I used one of the lovely Mini Antique Metal Roses in Lime Green. It takes a few hours for the glue to dry clear, so start that early in the process.

Or you can leave the metal just as it is. There were so many sweet little trinkets released this past January! This Vintage What a Hoot Owl charm was so cute, I just had to sneak it onto my layout somehow. 

You'll have to try altering the metals, you get some really fun and unique results. Painting and sanding them is next on my list!

Other products used:

Turquoise Metallic Maya Mist
Cotton Candy Metallic Maya Mist
Lime Metallic Maya Mist
Mustard Yellow Metallic Maya Mist (sadly, very sadly, no longer available)
Mini Sparkle and Shine Resin flowers in Hibiscus
Uppercase Lisa Alphabet
Patti Mini Alphabet
Kraft Lucky Star Tag
Die Cut Kraft Doily
Say Cheese Camera Transparency in black
Chipboard Say What Speech Bubble
Stained Wood Heart Button
Alterable Crochet Trim in Scallop Lace
Photo Frames Chipboard set
Satin Scallop Edge Blooms in Midnight
Sparkle Trim in Party Pink
Crafting Jute Cording in Natural

 

Going minimalistic

Hey Roadies!

Ania here with a confession...

When I make cards...I often secretly long to go minimalistic... but I feel I "have" to add more and more... that non-scrappy people will think more of a card that's filled to the brim, rather than a card that's sleek & bare bones sort of..

But after creating a series of "filled to the brim"-cards, like this one, I felt like...ugh..no..

So I thought. Right. What do I need? Really? The name of the person getting the card preferrably, that always make them feel special. And maybe a  detail or two.  Like the chipboard star from the Supernova Chipboard set, painted, misted and crackled like the Lisa lowercase alphabet, which stands on the Antique pink lace tape.

Well, that card was a start..

I moved on, tryin to perfect the hunger for minimalism. A transparency frame balancing various Maya Road embellishments (like my absolutely new fave, the Vintage Captured Moment Cameras) around it, with the name of the reciepent in Bethany Mini Alpabet resting upon - once again - Antique lace tape beneath the transparency.

Then bam! My absolutely fave till now: A card with cardboardpainted Daniel Chipboard Mixed (such ubercool letters) and again: the aforementioned fave embellishment Vintage Captured Moment Cameras. And a few rub-ons and stamps.

Waddayathink? Less sure sometimes is more.

And the wide range & selection in embellishments and other stuff from Maya Road is sure to never disappoint whenever you need just the right detail :)

 

{aspiration}

Hello, roadies! :)

Figured I'd share this layout with you, describing my sweet daughter's current aspiration :)

I love this feather, it actually comes in two sizes and personally I have to admit I prefer the smaller ones :)

I'm quite fond of layering, in this case: transparency on paper - then kraft journaling tag, tu-tu tulle flower, burlap trim, vintage lace tape, tag (I *love* the cloud white shipping tags!) and finally, chipboard (painted, misted and stamped) :) Oh, and notice the new resin bird? :)

I adore the glassine bags, they're perfecly sheer and sized to hold a manila shipping tag. Also, the new color combos for the twine cordings? This is one of the cooler ones, Boardwalk Taffy!

I love the depth the glossy glaze gives to misted chipboard :) The upper's the new Daniel Chipboard Mixed Alphabet, while the large letter's the classic Lisa Uppercase Alphabet :)

Thanks for letting me share!

 

 

Happy 60!

Hello, Roadies! :)

When being asked to create cards for elders, I can't help but thinking oh, but then they'll want cards which's stuffed to the brim.

I dunno why, but I just imagine such cards pleasing the older generation. Plus, while some might it'll look too much (it's ok, we all have different preferences),  I personally think it'll make the cards look lush when having clusters of different materials and textures layered together - it makes each part stand out.

I'm especially in love with the various vintage findings..from the center bling, to the antique filigree butterflies and the new mini antique metal roses - here the one in cherry.

The various Maya Road trinket pins are a natural guest on such cards. Oh, and notice the linen heart piece? Love it, so versatile and such a great addition to cards!

Nevertheless. Next time you go for a card - try putting together different materials and layer them together. You might get surprised at how well it'll all fit together.

Since it's Christmas soon and that's like, all about sharing - here's another example on  layering different materials together. Paper, tulle pleat trim (in frosting, so, so versatile and pretty!), chipboard (and glitter on top of the mist!), linen and vintage pearl roses (pretty detail for them elder cards too).

Have a lovely weekend!