Birthday card featuring stars, ribbon and a laser printed chalk greeting

I made this  card for my son's birthday!!  I started with a large envelope and made a white card to fit inside.  I found this blue colour printed background paper in my stash and thought it would work well.  I cut it to size, added a black ribbon and adhered it to the front of my card.  I added a wide variety of stars from tiny ones to a large gray multi die cut one!!!  I mounted the large one with 3D foam tape after gluing all the stars together on the back with tape.  I mounted the others with white glue using a fine tip applicator.  After they were dry I added the greeting which is a digital image which I laser printed and trimmed to size before tucking it under the edge of the star and adhered it in place using double sided tape.  I finished off my card by adding glitter and shimmer!!  I added pearly shimmer paint to the medium stars, clear glitter with a gel pen to the second smallest die cut in the large star and a silver foil confetti to the star on the right.  Perfect!!  A blue sky full of stars will be perfect for him!!        Therese

Birthday card that features a light house, some ribbon and a chalkboard greeting

More family birthday cards!!  I started with a large envelope and made a black card to fit inside knowing that I would be using this light house image which I trimmed from a used card.  I trimmed a red layer just a  bit smaller than the black card and embossed a line across the upper portion.  I used a black stamp pad to highlight the embossed dots and then added a bit all the way around to soften the transition from red to black.  I adhered my image to the upper left which left room on the lower right for my greeting.  I chose a chalkboard greeting from my stash that worked well and added some bits of coordinating ribbon before adding it to my card front using 3D foam tape.             Therese

Large birthday card with an embossed label, gift wrap background and lots of glitter

I made this birthday card amidst the Valentine's cards I was making so it ended up with this red, white and black theme. 
I started with a large red envelope and made a red card that fit inside.  I added this layer of cool gift wrap that looks like weathered wood that was saved from Christmas.  I created a background by gluing strips of red cardstock onto a piece of scrap paper and die cut a large label (SX) from the panel.  I embossed it with a large embossing folder with a delicate geometric pattern.  I had to trim off the two bumps on the sides to get it to fit on the front of my card so I glued those inside the top and bottom curved areas on the label.  I added a chalk board greeting to the middle of the label and then embellished it with red and iridescent dots of glitter glue.  After it was dry I glued this large focal element to my card front sandwiching a loop of light gray organza ribbon in between.  To finish off, I flagged the ends of the ribbon.  Really happy with how it worked out.  I am enjoying the large cards but it does mean that to stick to my plan of destashing large envelopes this year I cannot dig into my stash for a last minute card!!!!                Therese

First Birthday card of the new year

My brother's birthday is in early January and I should really learn to make his card in early December so it is ready to be mailed to arrive on time.  I am hoping it made it this year!!!  I used a piece of scrap paper which I created in an effort to not waste paint when I was working on other projects this past year.  I just haul out a piece of white paper and keep adding paint until I am happy with it.  Sometimes it takes several sessions to get it to be "right".  I cut the paper to size, layered onto orange and then onto a large white card.  I am hoping to make good use of my large envelopes this year in the creation of my family cards.  I added a sign post (TH) which I die cut from white core black card, embossed and then sanded a bit to age it.  It still needed a bit of something so I added some silver ink which did the trick.  I used kraft cording to tie the chalkboard greeting to the sign and then glued this large element to my card front.  I used 3D foam tape behind the greeting to give it a bit of dimension.  Love the colours of this one!!          Therese

A fun old bicycle image with a cool chalkboard greeting and some bakers twine

Still working on cards for my stash!!  This card features a cool image of an old bicycle (CLKER) which I laser printed on white cardstock, trimmed and sponged the edges with purple to coordinate with the bakers twine I had chosen.  After sponging I decided to distress as well so I had to sponge the edges again to eliminate the stark white.  I also decided to add some faux stitching to give the image a bit of punch.  I fussy cut a chalkboard greeting which coordinates with the sort of vintage feeling of the bicycle image.  I adhered the greeting to the background using 3D foam tape and then inserted bakers twine in the holes of label greeting and used double sided tape to adhere the ends to the back.  I adhered this large element to my card front.  I used 3D foam tape to adhere my bicycle image to my card. 

Therese

Two more cards that feature embossed resists with watercolour - card kits

A couple more cards for my stash that feature white embossing as a resist on watercolour paper!!  The rooster (SU) was a bit too detailed to work really well for this technique.  I added several colours - red, blue, green and yellow but because the design is too intricate there is too much white.  I went with it anyway and added some green for the grass and brown below that for the ground.  I coloured the sky blue!!!  I added a length of green satin ribbon adhering both ends to the back with double sided tape and tied on a short length with a single knot to simulate a bow.  I trimmed a laser printed greeting with decorative scissors (Deckle), sponged the edge with a bit of green and adhered it to my artwork with double sided tape by just tucking it behind the ribbon.  The ribbon was a bit loose so I added a little piece of double sided tape between it and the greeting to keep everything in place.  

The card on the right was fun to make!!  It was hard to actually see what the design was so I just added red and orange watercolour until the design show up!!  I did add a bit of black with a fine tip Sharpie in the center of the flowers and used a yellow gel pen to highlight the outside edge of the flowers as well.  I fussy cut one of my laser printed chalk greetings and edged it with a black marker.  Once I punched the holes I threaded through a gold satin ribbon and adhered both ends to the back of the watercolour paper.  Once I positioned the greeting I added 3D foam tape to the back so it would stay in place.  I tied a short length of ribbon to the one on the front with a single knot to simulate a bow.  I layered this large element to orange cardstock and then to the black card front from the kit.  

Love this technique!!!        Therese

CAS - Watercolour background, washi tape and some flourishes for a great birthday card

I have been wanting to play with this washi tape concept for a while and after making some a while back I had a better supply of coordinating ones so I decided to give it a go. 
I used a scrap of foam packaging to create the background along with a pink Distress ink pad and a bit of water in a spray bottle.  Worked out perfectly!!!  I dug through my stamps and found this flourish that I bought years ago and has seen very little use over the years.  I stamped it once in black and then inked only the top third of it and stamped it again going the opposite direction Perfect!!  I added three strips of washi tape.  Can you guess which one is the one I made???  I made the pink checkered one using double sided tape and tissue paper.  You can check out my tutorial here.    I trimmed this chalkboard greeting close and touched up the edges using a black marker.  I used double sided tape to adhere it to my background and thinking it still needed a bit of something I added two little pink rhinestones.  Next, I added three pink sequins in three different pinks adhering them using double sided tape.  I adhered this large element to a pink background and my card was finished!!!!!!!!!  This is probably as close to "Clean and Simple" as I will ever get so I am very happy with how it turned out!!!! 

Therese

Cards from kits - embossed backgrounds and with laser printed greetings

Another few cards made up from kits I have sitting on my desk from previous classes.  These are from this class and feature punchies glued to white cardstock embossed using an all over embossing folder (SU Lattice)!!  I changed up the kit a bit for the hearts card by adding a strip of vellum and a punchie greeting with rhinstones.  I folded the ends of the vellum over the sides of the background and glued to back with double sided tape.  I layered a laser printed punchie greeting (SU Word Window) over a label punchie (SU Modern Label) and adhered it over the vellum using double sided tape and then added two small clear rhintestones - one on each end.  I glued this large element to the front of a red card.  For the star card I had used only one coloured star punchie and all the others were white - nice textured look.  I added a chalkboard greeting which I fussy cut and then punched the holes on each side.  I threaded my ribbon through and glued each end to the back of the layer using double sided tape.  I tied a small piece of the same ribbon to the one on the front to simulate a bow and then decided to tie on a short piece of fun fiber in coordinating colours next to it.  Nice touch of colour!!  Card kits make getting card made up quick and easy!!            Therese

Silver, red and green for a very festive thank you card

I am having fun creating cards from my Christmas paper stash!!  For this one I chose three pieces of commercial handmade paper which features red dots and silver glitter!!  I adhered them on the front of a red card front spacing them evenly and then added two little strips of silver ribbon in between them.  I tied the card front using some fine silver cording which I tied off on the left and then mounted a chalkboard greeting from my stash over the strands using 3D foam tape.  Love it!!

Therese

Embossed heart background with a chalk greeting for an anniversary card

 I need an anniversary card for the weekend and so went looking in my stash of card kits to see if I had anything appropriate and found this card from my last regular card class.  Just goes to show you how versatile this technique is!!
The hearts were gathered from my heart punchie stash and glued to a quarter sheet of white cardstock then embossed with the lattice embossing folder (SU).  After trimming it to size (4" x 5.25") I added the ribbon onto which I strung the greeting before adhering both ends to the back of the layer using double sided tape.  The greeting was one created for the class using a chalkboard tag set which I downloaded from online.  I added the greeting using a chalkboard font after digitally removing the previous art.  I laser printed it onto white cardstock and trimmed it out of the large sheet and then fussy cut it to leave a slim border.  A small hole punch quickly punched the holes on both ends.  After adhering the greeting I glued the large element to the front of a red card and tied a short length of ribbon with one knot to the length on the front of the card to simulate a bow!!  It always special to celebrate significant anniversaries with special people!!!  Therese

September Cardmaking - quilted background with a chalkboard greeting

I love this quilted background technique!!   To create this background I laid coloured card stock shapes onto a piece of white cardstock to create a quilt pattern until I was happy with the way it looked.  Next, I passed it through my Big Shot using an embossing folder with a very tight design (SU Lattice) which helps the pieces incorporate into the background and gives the whole layer a quilted look. I downloaded this set of chalkboard greetings for these cards.  I did digitally embellish a blank one I created using a chalkboard font to create a few more greeting options.  I laser printed the tag greetings and provided scissors for the participants to trim them as they wished.  I trimmed mine to leave an even border all the way around.  I used an 1/8" hole punch to punch out the holes on each side.  I threaded ribbon through the holes and added the greeting to my quilted layer gluing the ends to the back using double sided tape.  I tied a small piece of ribbon to the one on the front using a single knot to simulate a bow.  I glued this whole layer to the front of a coordinating card.  Thinking it still needed a bit of something I added an embossed star over the central square.  That was better!!  Here are a few more I created at class.

Again, these are very versatile because the cardstock pieces can be any shape - stars, balloons, flowers, etc and I did use punchies on several of the background I created for my kits but die cuts would work just as well. 
While I was out there cruising the internet I did find a few downloadable chalkboard backgrounds which I will play with later.  It was fun to finally create cards with chalkboard greetings!!
Therese