Two all occasion cards featuring die cut butterflies from masterboard, layered punchies and handmade paper

I continue to make cards from the masterboard I created a while back.  I cut a yellow cardstock layer the same size as the piece of masterboard (3 5/8" x 4.25") I had trimmed from my letter sized masterboard. I had to use a small cutting plate (broken piece) to avoid cutting more than the butterfly from my large Sizzix die (butterfly and dragonfly).  I was reasonably successful with two passes.  I embossed the yellow pieces - a butterfly and a layer with a butterfly opening with two different embossing folders.  I die cut some bodies from black paper, trimmed them and adhered them to the butterflies.  I swapped the butterflies and then attached them into the openings using two pieces of regular tape on the back - one on the head and the other on the tail.  This allows the wings to be pulled up to give dimension to the card.

For my first card, I added a gold metallic layer to my kraft colour card front.  I used a corner rounding punch on the corners of my butterfly focal element and adhered it to my card front.  I auditioned some small flower punchies and eventually added two layered flowers and three small punchies.  The layered flowers were created using two different punchies attached with brads.  They were all glued to my card front using white glue in a fine tip applicator.  

For my second card, I created an ivory card and added a layer of commercial handmade paper in black.  I added my large butterfly focal element and then added five little star punchies on the right hand side in coordinating yellow cardstock.  I adhered them with white glue from a fine tip applicator.  

Therese  

Exchange card featuring a woven background, a watercoloured little gnome and a round greeting

One of my exchange cards for October!  I started with a large orange envelope and created an ivory card that fit inside.  I added strips of handmade paper across the card and then wove colourful strips of cardstock to create a back ground.  Once I was happy with it I glued all the ends to the card using glue stick and double sided tape to secure all the  pieces to my card.  I trimmed the top and bottom of the card to create an even edge.  The little gnome (digital from Birdie Brown) was laser printed on white and watercoloured.  I layered it with three different colours of card stock and then mounted it to my card using 3D foam tape.  I dug through my stash of greetings and found this round one (SU) which I had stamped a while back.  I added a little yellow leaf punchie in the center, layered it onto a red circle and then mounted it to my card using 3D foam tape.

Therese

A large card with a beautiful maple leaf on handmade paper and some ribbon and brads

This is another card I found in my stash of cards to be refurbished.  Again, it is one my sister made years ago which featured a large pressed leaf mounted to handmade paper.  Unfortunately, the leaf had missing pieces due to its travels so I managed to remove it and so dug in my stash of pressed leaves and found this one that worked well with the green and the handmade paper.  I wanted to add some ribbon below the leaf but that hid the end of the stem so I decided to cut the stem and rearrange the bottom down a bit.  I used white glue to position both pieces to the handmade paper.  When the glue was dry I added the maroon and gold ribbon which I had layered and mounted it over the bottom section of the leaf covering up the gap in the stem.  I added three little square brads which I coloured to coordinate with a maroom sharpie marker.  I glued the ends of the ribbon to the back of the green layer and then adhered this large element to the front of a large maroon card.  I was happy to be able to give this card another go around!!  Therese

A nautical themed card featuring a reused card front

 I am making up some large cards for my sister who a few years ago left a pile of cardstock and decorative papers at my house with me promising to make cards for her from her stash!! I have been making cards for her regularly and usually when I know I will be seeing her so I can give to her in person.  With Mom birthday celebration coming up I decided to see if I could get a few made.  I dug through my stash of cards to be reused and found this one my sister made years ago that features a paper napkin image of a schooner which she laminated onto a piece of white handmade paper - a very fun and effective technique!!  The greeting below it was stamped and clear embossed.  Not much had to be done as this was originally a large card so I trimmed it from the back and mounted the card front to a large white card.  Perfect!!

Therese

A birthday card featuring a teal doily, handmade paper flower and a shimmery flourish

I found this handmade paper flower in my stash and thought it would work well with my teal doily so I trimmed a couple more pieces off the whole for this card.  I started with a large envelope and I created a large sun yellow card to fit inside.  I wanted to tone down the card colour a bit so I used a doily stamp(SU) and stamped in a few times on the front using a blue ink.  Did just what I needed it to do!!  I adhered the two doily pieces in opposite corners of my card and the auditioned my handmade paper flower.  It seemed to need something  - a flourish maybe!!  But what colour should it be?  I did a search online to see what sorts of colours would work.  It was suggested that green, orange or gray would be good choices.  I dug through my metallic paper stash and chose this piece of junk mail which I saved because of its shimmery finish.  I cut it out with a large flourish (SX) die and trimmed it into two pieces before layering it under my flower.  Just what I needed!!!  I found this perfectly coordinating greeting in my stash so I trimmed it to size, highlighted the edges in teal and adhered it my card front using 3D foam tape.  Love it!!!!!!!  Very bold!!   Therese

Thank you cards featuring hand printed maple leaves, laser printed greetings and some border texture

A couple more Thank you cards!!  I found these printed maple leaves a while back and they have been hovering in my craft room for a bit!!  I printed these a while back using acrylic paint onto my own handmade paper!!  I trimmed down their backgrounds and added greetings - a punched greeting (SU- Word Window) with a copper brad and a vellum greeting folded over the edge of the handmade paper.  I added texture to their borders using an embossing folder on one and my tracing wheel on the other before mounting them onto coordinating card fronts.  Love these printed leaves!!  Therese

A thank you card featuring stitched handmade paper, a punched greeting and a glittery butterfly

I had a request for a few thank you cards so I had a go at making a few today!!  This one features a stitched handmade paper background which I made a while ago.  I simply tore strips of coordinating handmade paper (which I made myself) and then stitched all the way around with white thread using my sewing machine.  I adhered this background to a purple card, added the laser printed punched greeting (SU) and finished it off with a glittery butterfly embellishment. 

Therese

Handmade card featuring a beautiful cross, faux stitching and handmade paper

A while back I was asked to make a few cards featuring crosses for special occasions through out the year.  I am in need of a few more so I have started with this one.  This beautiful cross was downloaded from Art by Jean and she has some beautiful images and backgrounds there for all sort of occasions. I colour printed the cross onto white cardstock, trimmed it to size and added a yellow scallop punched border (SU)on the right hand side.  I mounted the image to a coordinating piece of handmade paper which I made myself and added a tiny black brad to the center of the cross.  I mounted this large element to a navy card front.  After I was done, I thought it still needed a bit of something so I added a bit of faux stitching around the image and that was better.  A card for any occasion!!

Therese

Friendship card with embossed handmade paper, a blingy heart and a stamped heart punchie greeting

Yet more stash cards!!  For this one I embossed a quarter sheet of handmade paper (made it myself) with a flourish embossing folder.  I love the subtle look of it!!  Added white seam binding across the width tucking the ends to the back than stitched it all the way around to a white card with purple thread in my sewing machine.  I added a layered heart shaped greeting.  I started with a large glittery heart which I gleaned from a commercial card, added a stamped heart shaped punchie greeting layered to a purple die cut with scalloped edges.  Makes a great card for a friend for almost any occasion!!

Therese

Handmade paper, crocus digital image and a little punched greeting for a quick card

Another paper background I found in my stash was this handmade paper one!!  I have a little bucket on my desk into which I have been adding trimmed backgrounds leftover from other projects.  I mounted the handmade paper (I made myself) to a light yellow card and went looking for an image that would compliment it.  I found this little laser printed crocus image (CLKER) which was just the right size so I watercoloured it, mounted it to a rectangle of yellow cardstock and added a small greeting (Word Window - SU) below it.  I distressed its edges before mounting to my card front over the handmade paper.
I am having fun making cards and using up my supplies but goodness me I have enough for more than a lifetime!!

Therese

A card featuring handmade paper as a background and focal element

I found this card kit well buried on my desk!!!!  Not sure how long ago it was created but that matters not at all because it goes together just as quick!!   I stitched the rick rack cardstock die cut to the handmade paper background then stitch all the way around and then glued it to the white card front.  I glued the yellow handmade paper circle to the pink flower die cut and then added stitching all the way around.  I adhered the flower to the card front over the rick rack border and added the laser printed greeting using 3D foam tape!!    Quick and easy!
Therese

Cards from kits - handmade paper and leaves

Another couple of card kits I made up!!  These are from quite a ways back and were discovered while I was looking for something else in a box which was packed during our move!!!  I used white glue to adhere the pressed leaves to the handmade paper which I made myself and then adhered this layer to a colourful card.  I added a distressed stamped greeting to the one on the right.  Loving card kits for cards that are ready in minutes!!

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

Christmas card class #2 and #3 - joy with a star

I taught two Christmas card classes yesterday!!  So much fun to listen to Christmas music and create!!  This is one of the card we made.  It is the same as the ones I made for this class a few weeks ago.  

I started by gluing a background to a coordinating card front and then added a colour printed JOY - PEACE ON EARTH trimmed to leave a border on the words.  I used a decorative font to create the JOY so it was easy to change the colour to accommodate the rest of the card.  I watercoloured the inside of the letters then glued it to the front of my embellished card and finally added the little star punchie using 3D foam tape.  The PEACE greeting is from a CD I purchased many years ago which I printed on kraft cardstock.  I added a few lines of tracing wheel texture to the PEACE card and the red JOY card.  I am finding all sorts of places to use this cool tool. 
These were really fun and fairly quick to put together.  

Therese

Sympathy card that features handmade paper background and focal element

I made up this sympathy card from a card kit I had in my stash.  I started with an ivory card and added some deep yellow handmade paper with natural inclusions which was torn to size.  I added a green border near the top (SX).  I added a bit of detail to the brown handmade paper leaf die cut (TH) using watercolour and tie some twine to the stem.  I glued it in place over the border and then added a flagged greeting with a little yellow maple leaf punchie. 
It is always a sad time when family members pass away.  We wish the family healing!!

Therese

Flower die cuts combined with handmade paper for great cards

I found these card kits sitting in my craft room when I was preparing for my last class and decided I should make them up and add them to my stash.   They have been sitting since March when I prepped them for this class.  It was fun to have the freedom to make them up a bit differently because time has passed and I did not have the original idea so clearly imprinted in my head.  I positioned the flowers differently and even made one a portrait card and used lace on it!!  No idea where the ribbon went - it was not in the envelope so I had to invent something new.  I sponged the off white lace with green ink to get it to coordinate but I like the look of it.  It was fun to see the decorative paper centers for the flowers as well.  So much has happened since then - so many other cards and projects created!!              Therese

Combining handmade paper, a die cut envelope and a tag to make a card

This card features a die cut envelope which I cut from heavy weight paper which holds a tag with a ribbon.  This was may sample for a past class and when the time came to get the kits ready I decided that the card would take longer to assemble than I had time for so it was scrapped and I went with a different design.  I found the supplies recently when preparing these kits for my recent card making class and you can see that they worked very well for that class.
For this card, I layered a piece of 4" x 5.25" handmade paper onto a coordinating dark purple card front.  I folded the die cut envelope and glued it together before chalking the edges to coordinate with the hand made paper.  I watercoloured the image (floral bird house - Anne's cards) on the tag and chalked the edges to coordinate with the envelope. I added a ribbon and used double sided tape to secure it in place.  I inserted the tag in the envelope and glued this element to my card front.  I added a layered punchie greeting to the top right hand corner to finish off my card.
I will add it to my card stash.           Therese

Friendship card made up from a card kit

I have a few card kits from my last class sitting on my desk and thought I should get those made up before the class next week.  I started with a green card front and layered on a stitched background which I created with strips of handmade paper in yellow and purple.  The cute little butterfly and the friendship greeting (digital) are from Melonheadz and were laser printed on vellum.  I watercoloured it on the back using the least amount of water possible to cause the least warping possible.  Once it was dry, I adhered the two decorative punchie pieces to the vellum and then adhered this element to my card front using double sided tape.
Friends are important in our lives and sometimes we should just bless them with something special "just because"!!

Therese

Christmas cards with handmade paper trees & sequins

I am behind on getting Christmas cards done monthly this year.  These are technically my March cards!!
I started with some handmade paper triangles which I created a long while back when I was regularly making handmade paper.  I created them on a spare screen sitting on my mould and used a baster to add the paper pulp which allowed me to include a lot of texture.  I chose to let them dry naturally which preserved all the details I had created instead of couching them.  They were needing a bit of touch up in colour so I colourwashed them with green acrylic paint and I dried them with my heat gun.  Worked very well!!
I added a garland using various fibers and stitching and used sequins to simulate ornaments.  They are all different but I generally used the same sketch which worked well with the size of the "tree".
For this one I used red rick rack which I positioned with glue dots and a few dots of white glue in strategic locations.  I added large gold sequins using glue dots and overlapped them over the rick rack garlans.  I adhered the tree to the background paper and added the gold star brad.  I adhered this large element to a red card front and added a laser printed layered punchie greeting on the top right hand corner.

For the one on the left I added white fiber for the garland gluing the ends to the back.  I added iridescent white sequins with glue dots.  I glued my tree to a white shimmery embossed background then added a white snowflake brad at the top.  I tucked a laser printed greeting just behind the tree and embellished a clear iridescent sequin which I applied with a partial glue dot.  This large element was mounted to a deep plum card front.

For this one I used shiny thread and some copper blending filament in my sewing machine.  I cut a length of each and wound them onto an empty spool so I could feed them into my needle at the same time.  It worked well though I was going very slow because I was incorporating the sequins as I went.  I started at the lower right hand of the tree and started my stitching.  Next, I positioned a sequin and manually adjusted the machine to stitch just before the sequin, in the middle of the sequin and just past the sequin. I continued to stitch in a zig zag pattern up the tree adding sequins (large blue, gold and copper) in the same manner.  I returned to the bottom in the same manner but did not add any sequins on the way down.  I really like the look of the blending filament and the shiny thread!!  I glued the tree to my decorative paper and added a gold brad at the top.  This one was coloured with a gold paint marker to coordinate.  I added a laser printed layered punchie greeting to finish off my layer and glued this large element to a rust card.

For this one, I stitched a garland with white shiny thread using a long zig zag stitch.  The tension was off a bit with the top thread being a bit tight so the zigzag is not as apparent as I was expecting.  I added four small fiber snowflakes using iridescent glitter glue then added dots along the garland as well.  While they were drying I layered my decorative paper over a snowflake punched border and glued this layer to a dark green card front.  I glued my tree to the decorative paper and added an iridescent snowflake charm to the top of the tree using a glue dot.  I added a simple laser printed punchie greeting to the top left.  It still needed a bit of something so I added a dot of  iridescent glitter glue to the centers of each snowflake in the border and I like that much better.

For this one, I added a garland using silver cording gluing the ends to the back.   I added tiny silver and blue sequins using partial glue dots in a bit of a random pattern.  I glued the tree to my soft blue floral background then added a silver star sequin using a silver brad.  I glued this large element to a blue card front.  I layered a laser printed oval greeting which I had sponged with a bit of green ink over a scalloped oval of blue cardstock.

It was great to use up these little trees and get some Christmas cards made!!  I have a few more ideas so hopefully this month I will get caught up.

Therese

A card from a kit with velllum and handmade paper

I made up this card from a card kit from my last class.  I love the handmade paper background for this card and used the colour scheme to colour the image using peach, pink, green and brown.  I coloured on the back of the vellum which mutes the colour slightly and protects it from being rubbed off.  I used an embossed label punchie as the mechanical means of attaching the vellum to the stitched handmade paper background.  I used double sided tape to attach the vellum and another piece to attach the whole thing to the background.  This whole element was adhered to the brown card front using a glue stick.
This one is off to a special person having a birthday very soon.

Therese