New dies - TH Wildflowers with brayered backgrounds for my card exchange

I have some new dies!!!  DH bought them for me for my birthday and they just came in!!  It took a bit of research to decide which ones I would like and I decided on the set with the queen anne's lace silhouette which is the first set of Wildflowers from Tim Holtz.  Wanting to experiment I dug through my stash of backgrounds and found these brayered ones (Kaleidacolour in pad) from quite a while back.  They worked well.  I cut the flowers out (the second one I cut twice -once from the front and once from the back).  I added a full black layer to the first one and only backed the flower with black on the second one and backed it with navy blue afterwards.  I added black ribbon (ribbon yarn) which my sister shared with me when I was there a few weeks ago.  Really nice!!  I added a length and then tied on a short piece to simulate a bow.  I added texture to the second on using my tracing wheel.  I mounted them to coordinating card fronts and then stippled the outside edges with dark blue ink.  Happy!           Therese

Stash busting - a highly texture embossed background made with scraps, stamped focal element and greeting

The scraps I used on this card were leftover from some fun brayered backgrounds (Kaleidacolour - Creole Spice)  I found in my stash a while back.  I mounted the five little rectangles to a piece of purple cardstock and embossed it with an allover pattern embossing folder (Lattice -SU) and mounted it to a coordinating green card front.  I went digging through my image stash to see what I could find to coordinate and this is what I found.  Stamped with a background and leaf in green and trimmed into a rectangle.  It fit perfectly on my background!!  I found a stamp set with this friendship greeting when I was looking for something the other day and made note that I should use it.  I stamped it in navy on white, punched with an oval punch (SU), layered it onto a silver scalloped oval punchie (SU) and mounted to to my card front using 3D foam tape.  I am really happy with how this one worked out!!!!! 
I have mined my stamp sets for greetings which I have overlooked because they are part of a set.  I found all sorts of really nice saying that I will now incorporate into my cardmaking.  Therese

Stash busting - a card from bits from way back

I found the pieces of these card in my long time ago stash and am not sure why I did not make it up at the time of creating the pieces but I finally made them into a card.  The image was inked with two colours and stamped onto ivory cardstock which was hand cut on the right hand side with a bit of wave.  I added the red layer which was also cut with a bit of a wave to the back on the right hand side. Thinking it still needed a bit of something I added a few lines of piercing with my pattern tracing wheel.  Fun!!  I layered this large element onto a coordinating green card.  Digging through my stash I found this greeting which coordinated perfectly so I sponged its edges with green and punched another label (Decorative Label -SU) from red cardstock, cut it in half vertically and mounted each half on either side of it and mounted it to my card using 3D foam tape. Perfect!!          Therese

Cards featuring a brayered background and some gold embossed images

Still making cards for my stash but have branched out into using supplies that have been sitting for a while.  These two cards feature brayered backgrounds I made years ago using the Kaleidacolour stamp pad - Creole Spice onto glossy cardstock.  I love this colour combo!!  For the first one, I added a bit of sponging using a torn paper edge to add a bit of texture to the multicoloured background.  I then stamped this ginko leaf image (SU) and embossed it with gold embossing powder.  I added a laser printed vellum greeting from my stash after tearing the bottom and top edges.  I added a layer of gold gift wrap before layering it onto this perfectly coordinating piece of background paper!!  With a large enough stash you can always find something that will coordinate!!  I layered this large element onto a navy card front!!!  Really love how this one turned out and how serendipitous it was to find a coordinating background paper (laser printed from Morgue File).  For the other card, I added a bit of definition to the background by sponging a few colours over the torn edge of paper to simulate a bit of a landscape.  I stamped and embossed in gold this set of trees (Lovely as a Tree - SU) and used my stamping jig to add a greeting in navy (SU).  I added a navy gros grain ribbon at the top and added three gold brads to finish it off.  I mounted this large element to a navy card front!!  Love this one too!!              Therese

A fun fold with some embossing and a round digital greeting

Another card from a kit for my stash!  These were featured in my March class.  This fun fold is best done with double sided paper so I used this gift wrap which I bought overseas years ago.  It is trimmed to 4" x 5.25" and slit on the center about 1.75" from the right hand side and when the flaps are fold out it reveals the embossing on the card front.  I used two small pieces of double sided tape right next to the fold to secure the flaps, added a length of ribbon from the bottom of the slit to the left hand side of the background securing the ends with double sided tape before adhering it to my embossed card front.  I created a layered greeting which features a laser printed digital greeting from Desert Diva and a scalloped circle cut with Nestibilities both sponged a bit on the edges and mounted using 3D foam tape.  This is my last kit so I will see about making these different next time around!!

Therese

Cards from kits - embossed and sanded backgrounds with fun digital images and one with a greeting

A couple more cards from kits and my stash is growing!!!  These cards kits are from my May Class.   The backgrounds were colour printed on coloured cardstock, stenciled, stamped and embossed with a swirl oval embossing folder.  After embossing I sanded them to reveal the colour of the cardstock which was a light lavender.  I love the velvety smoothness that the sanding creates!!  The backgrounds were glued to pink/purple card front.  I laser printed the images (umbrella from Broken Box Stock and pansies from Arthur's clipart) and trimmed them out using oval Nestibilities before watercolouring them.  I cut larger ovals in coordinating colours to layer them onto.  I mounted them inside the swirl pattern on the backgrounds of my cards!!  I did add a greeting to the umbrella one using a small laser printed font greeting (Word Window punchie SU) layered onto a yellow Modern Lable punchie from SU as well.  A very versatile sketch in that a small greeting can easily be added without modifying the design.  Therese

Cards from kits - a sanded background along with a fun tea digital image and some raffia

I am making cards for my stash and am making up card kits from past classes.  This one is from my May class which featured sanded white core backgrounds and fun image which created cards without greetings which are more versatile as they can suit more than one occasion.
This card features a laser printed digital image form Pixabay - Artsy Bee of a stack of coffee cups.  I love the colour on these cups!!!  I started with a red card front and sanded the embossed background to reveal the white core of the cardstock.  This leaves a very velvety smoothness which adds texture to the card.  I tied the green raffia around the background before adhering it to my card.  I used my distressing tool around the edge of the cup image and mounted it over the frame in the embossed design using 3D foam tape.  This was a really quick one!  Love having kits on hand for getting cards made fast!!

Therese

A shaker card with hearts for our anniversary!

I used an embossed (Lattice - SU) collage background for this card.  Collaging scraps is a fun activity which you can do anytime you have no project on the go or when your mojo is on strike.  You can use almost anything as a substrate - junk mail, a flopped background or a ruined layer!!  Just keep gluing scraps on until you have filled the whole area.  Once completely dry, you can stamp, sponge, emboss and even thermally emboss to make it more than the sum of its parts!! 
I decided to make a shaker card for my DH for our anniversary.  Have not made these often but they are always fun to do.  I cut a square opening with a frame using two Nestibilities square dies nicely spaced from each other on my magnetic plate in my Big Kick. I added a length of white seam binding from the edge of the opening to the right hand edge adhering the ends to the back with double sided tape.  I adhered a coordinating background behind the opening and then layered the whole piece onto brown cardstock and then to a blue card front.  I stacked heart punchies in the opening along with a few micro beads in green.  I added double sided tape to the back of the frame and adhered a small piece of plastic from packaging then added 3D foam tape all the way around to ensure that my little hearts and beads did not escape.  I positioned the frame over the hearts and pressed firmly to adhere my little shaker to my card front.  My shaker is not too shaky as I added a few too many hearts in it but they do move around a bit so it works well enough!!  I tied a short end of seam binding to the one on the front using a single knot to simulate a bow and added a little laser printed greeting using 3D foam tape just below the "bow".  I will be trying this again and will be more skimpy with my inclusions to ensure a better "shake" next time.  Cutting the frame with two Nesties works really well!          Therese

Card from a kit - a fun birthday cake, a sanded background and a layered greeting

Another card kit from my May class!  I love how this one turned out!!  The birthday cake is a digital image from Melonheadz which I sized and laser printed before trimming it out of the sheet using an oval Nestibilities die.  I found a layer just a bit larger in my stash and sponged it a bit to get it to coordinate with my background.  The background is coloured cardstock which was colour printed, stencilled and stamped before I embossed it with a swirl oval embossing folder.  I sanded it to reveal the original colour of the cardstock and it also gives it a really velvety smooth texture as well.  I mounted the background to a green card front, watercoloured the cake and created my focal element by layering the two ovals.  I used 3D foam tape to mount it to my card front.  I layered a laser printed greeting and mounted it onto a punched label (SU) in green before mounting in over the oval focal element using double sided tape on the left and 3D foam tape on the right.  Really like this one!!!               Therese

Card from a kit - a fun owl with sequins and a vellum greeting

This card kit was prepared for this class in May.   I discarded the raffia and added a small piece of ribbon instead.  The background was sanded to reveal the white core and it was mounted to a dark green card.  I watercoloured the little owl (laser printed digital stamp from Cre8tive hands), distressed its edges and then embellished them with brown watercolour.  I mounted it to over the frame in the background using 3D foam tape.  Without the raffia it was needed just a bit of something so I added a bit of ribbon in the lower right hand corner that coordinated with the card colour and that was better.  Still needs something so I dug out the sequins and found a few that coordinated so I added four of those using glue dots.  Afterwards, I decided I wanted a greeting so found this one printed on vellum which worked so I removed the copper sequin, added the greeting and replaced the sequin with a small cooper brads which worked just fine!  Pretty happy with how this one turned out!!          Therese

Cards from kits - sanding, raffia and a digital image of a rose

Another card kit which has been used to create a card. This was a kit that was part of my May class.  I sanded the embossed white core background and tied on the pink raffia before adhering it to a pink card front.  I used my distress tool on the edges of the rose image (Cre8tive hands) and mounted it over the embossed frame in the design.  I found an oval greeting (Birds Cards)  in my stash that worked perfectly so I sponged the edges of it a bit and mounted it to the left of the raffia with 3D foam tape.  I did embellish it a bit with colour and clear glitter gel pens.     Another fun card made up from a card kit!!!    Therese 

The last three truck cards from card kits

For my January class I created card kits that featured little truck die cuts.   It is a set - stamp and thinlit die combo from Stampin UP which my sister owns.  I was visiting a few weeks agon and cut a few more red trucks.  I really like these little trucks though with the card kits the layouts have all been very similar.  Black or gray cardstock to which I have added a white line to simulate pavement or stipple stamped to simulate a dirt road.  I added some green grass with watercolour to the torn green layer of two of these and like how that looks!!  I added a layer of collaged, embossed die cut "grass" to the bottom one and I like that a lot. Looks like a tree line. 

 I used balloon punchies with thread strings on the first two and added a load of hearts to the last one.  I chose the greetings from my stash so made them a bit different with bakers twine on one and seam binding on the other and a totally different flagged greeting on the last one.  I added some lines of piercings with my pattern tracing wheel on the last one to add some texture to the sky which I like a lot.  The trucks all got some clear glitter gel pen on the lights, windshield, hub cabs, running rails and front bumper which adds some sparkle.  On the last one I added some watercolour to make the truck two tone which really adds some interest to it. 

I have cut LOTS more little trucks - mostly red ones but I am glad I did cut a few more different colours to add a bit of interest to the next set of cards.  I will have see what other layouts have been use with this little truck to see if I can change things up a little.    I have used a few others things in the back of the trucks so I expect I can find a few other fillers which will change things up as well. 

Therese

A few more butterfly cards for my stash

 I had printed the butterflies for another project and they were sitting on my desk.  I decided to use them to make cards for my stash.  I used to different decorative papers for these two cards.  The aqua one is decorative scrapbook paper and the blue one is a digital decorative paper which I laser printed and trimmed down.  I added swirly die cuts (SX) to both of these in colours that coordinated with the background papers.  I had to sponge the edges of the focal element on the aqua cards to get it to contrast nicely with the background paper.  I added  laser printed greetings punched with the Word Window (SU) overlaid onto the butterflies. 

For these two cards I used laser printed two digital decorative backgrounds (Pixabay)  and trimmed them to size.  I mounted the to coordinating card fronts, added die cuts that coordinated (SX) and mounted little laser printed greetings punched with the Word Window punch (SU). 

Have really enjoyed making these cards and finding interesting colour combinations to make a variety of cards.               Therese

Cards for my stash - decorative paper, die cuts and laser printed butterfly images

 A few more cards for my stash.  I had laser printed two sheets of these butterfly elements expecting to make up a set of card kits for my last class and that did not work out a the time.  The image is one from Pixabay - Artsy Bee which I digitally manipulated to get several different coloured images to provide some variety.  So I took the challenge of making stash cards with them instead.  I started with this polka dot background paper (digital laser printed) which I layered onto green for my first card and blue for my next one.  I added some brown die cuts in between to add some texture and interest.  The first one has a set of little leaves (SU) and the other has a large swirl (Sizzix).  I added a small greeting in the middle which was laser printed, punched with the Word Window punch (SU) and mounted over the butterflies using 3D foam tape.

For this set of cards I used the same decorative paper (laser printed digital) for both cards.  I mounted one on dark brown and the other on green card fronts.  I added off white die cuts (leaves - SU, swirl - Sizzix) and laser printed Word Window greetings over the butterfly elements. 
This is a loose interpretation of the idea I had in my head when I first printed the butterflies so I am glad I kept at it until the design came together. A very versatile sketch that works for a wide variety of occasions.    Therese

Cards for my stash featuring the same background paper with different focal elements

 I had these card and background papers left over from a card kit idea for my last class that did not pan out so I used them for making cards for my stash.   The green lacy background is a digital image which I laser printed onto white paper.  I mounted them to coordinating green cardstock and went looking for focal elements that would work with them.  I found this cute little girl (eather Ellis) which was printed on vellum.  I coloured it very carefully with watercolour from the back and mounted it to a white piece of cardstock just slightly larger to give it a bit of a frame and attached them together using four tiny silver brads.  I mounted it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  For the next one, I found this laser printed image of the elephants in my stash (Pixabay - La Petite Femme). I layered it onto gray and mounted it to my card front with 3D foam tape.

 For my third card, I used this little birdie image (Birdie Brown) which I watercoloured to coordinate with my chosen elements.  I adhered the image to the peach layer, added a short piece of white ribbon and mounted my layered greeting over it.  The greeting is laser printed, oval punched and then mounted to a scallop oval punchie (SU) in the same green cardstock as the card.  I mounted this large focal element to my card front using 3D foam tape.
These few card went together fairly quickly as I had most of the elements in my stash!!

Therese

Cards from kits - fun fold with decorative paper and some embossing

 In order to get a few more cards made for my stash I have translated some card kits into cards!!  These are from my March class.  A very versatile sketch in that you can change up the paper and the elements to suit almost any occasion.  Since I designed these I have seen some used landscape as shirt fronts with a tie for guy cards and also with the folds facing the other way for a different look.  I suppose they might even work the other way in the landscape orientation if you put our focal element on the bottom edge of the card with the flaps sort of simulating tent flaps.  I will keep those in mind for next time around.
For these cards the front right hand edge of the card was embossed with coordinating embossing folders.  The decorative paper was cut from the left edge about 1.75" at the center point and a line scored from the end of the cut to each corner and then the flaps folded out.  I used a small piece of double side tape to secure each flap placing them very close to the fold and folding them back to secure them.  I added a short piece of ribbon or seam binding from the bottom of the V fold to the outside edge of the decorative paper securing the ends to the back with double sided tape.  These were then adhered to the embossed card fronts.  They all have round layered greetings.  The top one has a round laser printed greeting (The Spruce) which was punched out (1.75" SU)  and layered onto a brown scalloped circle (Nestiblilities) which was paper pierced in each scallop using a push pin.  The button (Torico) was fussy cut and water coloured to coordinate.  It was adhered in the center of the greeting with 3D foam tape and the layered greeting was also mounted to the card front using 3D foam tape.  I used brown thread and a needle to embellish the button before mounting it.

These two both have laser printed greetings (Netty's cards and Desert Diva with a cupcake) which I watercoloured.  Two coordinating layers on the first one with some clear glitter gel pen on the slim ring.  One scalloped circle on the second one with clear glitter gel pen on the scallops and the icing of the cupcake.  These were mounted to their card fronts using 3D foam tape.  It is fun to create with these card kits and certainly quick and easy as well.  

Therese

Stash cards that feature butterfly focal elements, die cuts and tiny greetings

I made these cards for my stash from elements I had printed for my last class and did not use.  I like this sketch and it has made some great versatile cards for a variety of occasions.  For these two I used a handmade background for the one on the left - acrylic paint over crumpled paper and scrapbook paper for the one on the right.  I mounted one on a gray card, the other on a dark green card.  I added coordinating die cut leaves (SU) to the butterfly elements using regular tape to adhered the ends to the backs.  I adhered these large elements to the card fronts I had created.  I added small greetings using 3D foam tape which were laser printed and punched out using the Word Window punch (SU).  

I will be blogging a few more as the week goes on!!

Therese

A Father's Day cards that features digital images - a plane, a greeting and some decorative paper!!

Made this card for DH for the weekend.  Not sure exactly what are plans are going to be but I am ever grateful for his presence in our child rearing years!!!
All the elements for this card were laser printed.  The cool plane image is from Arthur's Clipart, the greeting is from Desert Diva and the  coordinating decorative paper is from Morgue File.
I glued the decorative paper to a red card front after attaching a length of caramel vintage seam binding with double sided tape.  I layered the trimmed plane image onto navy cardstock and used my pattern tracing wheel to add pierced lines of texture.  I adhered the image to my card front using 3D foam tape overlapping the seam binding.  The greeting was trimmed, mounted onto red cardstock and also mounted to my card front using 3D foam tape.  To finish it off I tied a short piece of the same seam binding to the one on the front using a single knot which very nicely simulates a bow!!!!!!!  I did sponge the edges of the plane image with navy and brown and added just a bit of sponged colour to the greeting to dull its bright white look.  Perfect!!          Therese

A large card that features stamping, embossing and blingy punchies

My sister's birthday is coming up and I made her this card.  I found a large blue envelope in my stash so it is a large card which is not my usual size but I felt called to make it bigger than usual for some reason!! 
I created a white card and layered on blue cardstock which I embossed with an organic embossing folder both top and bottom.  I was happy to see that where they meet was not at all evident once the focal element was in place.  The focal element is a piece of alcohol ink background which I found in my stash and it coordinated perfectly with the cool ribbon I found last week which I used to back the butterfly frames.  I stamped the background with a solid daisy (Magenta) in several different inks - light violet, purple, light blue and medium blue overlapping as I went.  I used a small flower to fill in using the medium blue ink.  I stamped and embossed in clear embossing powder a large swirly image then added some stippling around the edges using silver ink and embossed that too.  It does not show well but I was wanting to echo the silver punchies I was putting over the ribbon.  I mounted the background to a black piece which I had already punched with the butterfly frame punch and then the scallop border punch.  I added the fussy cut greeting using tiny silver brads and mounted a piece of that gorgeous metallic ribbon in behind the butterfly frames using double sided tape.  I mounted my large focal element to the front of my card.  I mounted the silver butterfly punchies into the openings in the frames using tiny pieces of double side tape which leaves their wings free to be raised just a bit.  I added clear rhinestones to the scalloped border just below them.  I added four little black butterfly punchies (from the frame punches) to my card using the same double sided tape method as the silver ones.  I used a silver gel pen to highlight their bodies. 
Very happy with my card and it will be off to my sister in tomorrow's mail!!!  Therese

Exchange cards featuring a lace background, sequins and laser printed greetings

I made up these cards for my Card Exchange partners for this month.  I found a piece of plastic in my stash which was printed with a lacy floral pattern which was saved from a used greeting card.  I trimmed out two pieces (2.75" x 5.5") and layered them onto maroon cardstock.  I used double sided tape behind the most solid parts of the images to secure the plastic to the card stock.  I mounted these elements to green card fronts.  I used laser printed greetings from my stash which feature a butterfly oval frame from Birdie Brown and a font greeting.  I chalked the inside with a coordinating red and sponged the outside with a coordinating green ink.  Mounted the greetings to the card fronts using 3D foam tape.  They still needed a bit of something so I added three sequins to each card securing them with small pieces of glue dot and added clear glitter dots to the butterflies on the greetings.  That as better!!  They are off to my partners in today's mail.             Therese