Happiness Blooms Here

Hello, Friends!  Spring is in full bloom here in North Carolina, and the flower gardens are starting to show off with beautiful floral displays.  This inspired me to create  a flirty, feminine card featuring Really Reasonable Ribbon Mulberry Flowers, 3/8" Coral rose Mini-Check Ribbon, and Iridescent Metallic String. 

I've clustered sweet Cherry Blossoms, Trellis Roses, and White Chrysanthemums around my focal image.  Then I added a sweet bow cluster tied with the Coral Rose Mini Check and Iridescent Metallic String.  The mini-check ribbon is also tied through the tops of some tags in a background layer.  Burlap string, a little floral charm and a soft pink Sweetheart Blossom help draw the eye. 

 Here's a little peek at the goodies I tucked inside the card.  It's always fun to turn a card into a gift!

Hope you all have a wonderful, restful weekend!

kathy

Busy Bee Shaker Card with Custom Dyed Seam Binding

Hello, Ribbon Lovers!  Question: What do you do when you don't have just the right shade of Really Reasonable Ribbon to finish off your project?  I always turn to seam binding ribbon, and custom dye it to match my project.  It's such an easy process, and really looks good on a girly grunge or mixed media card like this honeybee shaker card.

Here's how I custom dye my ribbon:

• First, cut about 1 yard of white seam binding ribbon.
• Next, select 3 complementary shades of Distress Ink. For this card, I chose Tumbled Glass, Broken China and Fossilized Amber. 
• Swipe the Distress Ink Pads on a non-stick craft sheet, then mist with water until small color droplets form.
• Dip the seam binding ribbon through the inky puddles.  Don't swipe, or the colors will get muddy. 
• Dry the ribbon with a heat gun between applications, and repeat until you are happy with the final result. 
• If your ribbon is wrinkled, you can iron with a warm iron.  But I like the crinkles! 

Top your custom dyed bow with a shimmering Iridescent Metallic String Bow to add the perfect but of sparkle.  Iridescent Metallic String picks up the colors in your project, so it goes with everything. Finish off your card with clusters of Pastel Sweetheart Blossoms for the win!  

I hope I've shared some ideas you can use today!  

Thanks for stopping by,

Kathy

 

Put on Your Easter Bonnet

Hello, Ribbon Lovers!  Do you remember Easter Bonnets?  I do!  Especially those mean little elastic strings that snapped under your chin to hold the Easter bonnet in place.  Well, today's card features a mighty cute Easter bonnet and a Light Blue Chevron Twill bow that doesn't cause any pain at all!  

Sometimes, wide ribbon can be difficult to work with.  But this 3/4 Chevron Stripe Twill is soft and supple, and it ties a beautiful bow! Really Reasonable Ribbon has it in loads of colors. And if you're not a fan of wide ribbon, it comes in 1/4" width, too. I've paired it up with my favorite Iridescent Metallic String on the cover of this 6x6 shaker easel card. 

 Here's a peek at the inside of this cute card.  I created a pocket that doubles as a stopper for the easel mechanism.  Then I used my envelope punch board to make a cute Easter egg envelope to hold all the goodies I tucked inside. 

Do you have a great Easter Bonnet story?  We'd love to hear about it in the comment section below.

Thanks for stopping by!

Kathy

Springtime at the Farmhouse

 

Hello, Ribbon Lovers!  Let's take a break from winter with this Springtime at the Farmhouse card.  I've dressed it up with 3/8" Pink Gingham and 5/8" Pink Diamond Satin Ribbons from the February Ribbon Club Assortment.  If the springtime sweetness of this color combination doesn't melt the snow, I don't know what will!

TIP: Create a quick and easy border with ribbon!  Layer the 3/8" Pink Gingham over the 5/8" Pink Diamond Satin ribbon for lots of texture and springtime softness. 

TIP: Use ribbon to draw the eye to this somewhat small focal image. Cluster ribbons and flowers around the center image so it  doesn't end up getting lost.

TIP: Add a touch of sparkle to your ribbon clusters with White Iridescent Metallic String.  I love this stuff so much, I buy it by the spool! 

You can also use ribbon inside your card!  It really dresses up the little packet of honey I tucked inside this box pocket.  Now the whole card feels like a gift!

I really loved the pastel ribbon assortment from this month's Ribbon Club.  They really brightened up  the dark and dreary month of February, reminding me that Spring would soon be back in season. It's not too late to get this pretty packet of pastel ribbons!  You can sign up today at Really Reasonable Ribbon.  Check out the details HERE. 

I hope this cheery card has warmed up this winter day!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Buzzing Bees, Blooming Flowers and Beautiful Ribbon

Hello, Friends!  Here's a honey of a card to get your weekend started right!  I was first introduced to 5/8" Tan Satin Ribbon with  Grograin Edge in the May Ribbon Club Assortment.  Mark me down as a fan!  This great neutral shade seems to pick up on whatever colors you use it with, and it ties gorgeous bows!   I love the way it took on a honey tone in this bee themed card.

It also looks amazing when paired up with Natural Burlap String, another of my "go to" textiles. 

I've used my Zutter Bow-it-All Tool to create some tiny burlap bows beneath these cute wooden buttons, too.

Inside the card, I've create a couple of pockets and filled them with all sorts of goodies.

Pink Baker's Twine makes a great tag topper and picks up on the pink shades in the floral designer papers. 

 
I also stitched up a little bookmark to tuck into the card.  This is topped with Topaz and Light Silver Diamond Grosgrain Ribbon,  I've attached a pretty key with Metallic Iridescent String, too. 

Do you ever use ribbon on the insides of your cards?  I think it adds a lovely surprise. 

I hope I've shared some tips and ideas that you can use in your next crafty adventure.  Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,
kathy

Sheer Botanical Beauty

Hello, Ribbon Lovers!  Today I have a sheer botanical beauty of a card to share with you.  If you haven't discovered the gorgeous Variegated Sheer Ribbon in the RRR shop yet, it's time to take a look!  It's become one of my absolute favorite ribbon styles.  Soft and easy to work with, it also has a little bit of shimmer from the iridescent threads that run through it.  It ties a truly bodacious bow, especially when you pair it up with some Iridescent Metallic String!  The color I've used here is the Red/Pink/Ivory combination.  It's the perfect match for the pink and rose hues in this shaker card. 

Here's a peek at the inside of this garden themed card.  By adding a 1" spine to my card base, I was able to create a box style pocket on the right and a standard pocket on the left.

Dress up a tea bag, cookies, and chocolate with your designer papers.  Then tuck them into the pockets with a bitty spoon and honey stick to keep them company.

Use a tiny clip to attach a velvet bookmark to the card base.  Now you're ready for the garden party!

I hope I shared some tips for working with ribbon with you today.

Thanks for stopping by!
Cheerio,
kathy

SO Much More Than Ribbons

Hey there, everyone!  Welcome by today as I, Karen, share some sweet projects I created for Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I always enjoy my crafting time when I'm working with the gorgeous products from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  One reason for that is because there's such a wide variety of products that help adorn ymy projects.  And it's not just limited to ribbons and trims (although their collection of all things spooled is AMAZING).  There's just SO much more.

For my first project, I used a small muslin sack to create a pretty little gift bag.  I added some die-cut foliage in gold; and then bundled some Iridescent White Metallic String and Gold Metallic String.  I also added a bow that's tied with a length of Twill with Silver Center-Stitch along with some gold pearls and a pretty White Magnolia Flower.

I always love using all the gorgeous trims found at Really Reasonable Ribbon, and of course those precious Stamens I love to tuck in my floral clusters.  Stamens are just the sweetest touch; and with oodles of gorgeous color choices all at the low prize of just $2.14 per 400 pieces, they're pretty hard to resist.  Aren't they just SO pretty tucked into my ribbons and flowers?  LOVE!!

For my card, I used brown cardstock for the base and some Echo Park patterned papers and stickers that I machine stitched together.  Next, I ran some Bluebird Plaid Ribbon across my card.  I used the Bluebird Plaid Ribbon along with a length of Tangerine Plaid Ribbon to tie my pretty bow.  I added some bundled Brown Burlap String topped with Double Head Stamens, Open Roses and a Mulberry Leaf.

By the way, don't forget the visit the Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog often for information about special sales and promotions.  There's always something exciting happening here at Really Reasonable Ribbon, and you won't want to miss a thing.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Blessings,

Karen

Easter Lambs, Bunnies and Chicks Shaker Card

Hello, Ribbon Lovers!  Kathy here with a sweet little vintage style Easter shaker card that features the Coral Rose Small Check Plaid ribbon from the April Ribbon Club Collection.   White Iridescent Metallic String adds just the right amount of sparkle and shine to the bow cluster.

 This shaker card is also an easel, so it's perfect to add to your Easter Home Decor. 

I've added a little pocket, chocolate treat and mini note card to the pocket inside the card.

With all the social distancing going on, I think it's more important than every to surround ourselves with pretty things to help us celebrate this wonderful holiday.  I hope this post has added a little cheer and beauty to your day today.  Stay safe and well!

Cheerio,
kathy

Pretty Ribbons and Spring Flowers

Hello Friends!  I Must Have Flowers always and always!  Do you feel that way?  I'm not much of a gardener, but I do love pretty floral papers and paper flowers on my projects.  This sweet little springtime card features beautiful ribbons from the March Ribbon Club Assortment.

Light Coral Diamond Satin Ribbon is absolutely dreamy with this paper collection.  I've paired it up with some Iridescent Metallic String in the bow cluster. Iridescent string always adds just the right touch of shimmer to a project.  I use it so often that I buy it a roll at a time.

 



Turn this pretty card into a gift by adding a couple of pockets on the inside.  Fill the top pocket  with a color matched tea bag, note card, and decorated honey stick.


 

Decorate a pretty bookmark with Coral Rose Swiss Dots Satin and Petal Peach Quatrefoil Satin Ribbon.  Stitch the paper bookmark pieces onto some canvas to make a  soft bookmark that will last a long time. 

I hope I've shared some tips, tricks and ideas you can use in your own crafty adventures.

Thanks for stopping by!
Cheerio,
kathy

Winter Botanic Shaker Card

Hello, Ribbon Lovers!  I trust you all had a joyous and healthy Christmas celebration.  Perhaps you are taking a day off from the festivities to play in your crafty space.  Christmas may be over, but New Year's Day, and winter birthdays give us a good excuse to create.  I had some scraps left over from my Stamperia Winter Botanic paper pad and thought I would use them to make this cheery shaker card.  It pairs perfectly with RRR Shimmer Satin Moss Ribbon and White Iridescent Metallic String.

Here's a helpful tip:  When you are working with scraps of a paper collection, cut squares from similarly colored papers.  Mat on cardstock, then arrange on your card.  These squares are 2" each, and fit perfectly on this 5" square card when matted on both green and ivory cardstock.

Inside, I layered more scraps of paper to create a pretty winter scene and a pocket with a tea bag and notecard insert.  This would make a great get well card, too!

Enjoy the rest of your holiday!
Cheerio,
kathy

Puttin' on the Glitz Ribbon Christmas Folio

Hello, Ribbon Lovers!  The holidays are all about puttin' on the glitz!  Even in our crafting!  Thankfully, Really Reasonable Ribbon has a wonderful selection of metallic ribbons that add just the right amount of sparkle to our holiday crafting!

This Red Glitz Ribbon has been paired up with Iridescent Metallic String for maximum shine. The really lovely thing about this ribbon is that it is surprisingly easy to tie.  It's not too thick, and not too stiff, so it makes gorgeous bows.  I've also used it to create a border on the cover of this Christmas folio.  1.5" Royal Blue Gingham Ribbon picks up on the wonderful blues in this vibrant collection.

If you'd like to take a peek inside this festive folio, then please enjoy this short video tour with tips and tricks.

Glitz ribbon comes in 10 glamorous shades, too. So if you want to add a little sparkle to your Christmas crafting, it's hard to beat!

Thanks for stopping by!
Cheerio,
kathy