Cardmaking - May - little boys

These cards were created with little boys in mind.  They feature decorative paper as the main element of the card which is a different way of approaching card making for me.  I love the little animals!!  I added two embossed and pierced rectangles and a colour printed greeting layered over a scalloped circle.  These are quick and easy cards!!
These fit in #8 envelopes which I purchased in bulk at an office supply store.  Some of the girls in class mentioned that they have been purchasing them at discount stores.  I thought they were a different size but  when I compared them this morning they are the same size so consider that option when buying envelopes.
THRIFTY TIP:  To make two #8 cards from an 8.5" x 11" piece of cardstock cut off two pieces that measure 3.5" x 11". The scrap that is left over (1.5"x 11") is exactly the right width for adding to the 11" (11" + 1.5"= 12.5") to make a 6.25" card (6.25 x 2 = 12.5).  Cut two 1.5" x 3.5" pieces and add to the two pieces you have already cut.  I usually hide the joint below an element or a layer.
In this case I added a piece of double sided tape below the two rectangles which holds in place the 1.5" x 3.5" piece I added to the front bottom of the card.  You could also choose to add a piece in a different colour which works just as well and uses up scraps.

Therese

Cardmaking - May - masculine

As you have probably already suspected I was featuring masculine cards this month.  Father's Day is coming and it is always good to have a few masculine cards in your stash.
These cards featured a decorative paper with bold stripes including gold which added richness to the look of the completed cards.  I echoed the gold by adding a layer below the images.  We sponged the images using a round template which left a nice white border all the way around the image - love that look! I coloured the details in the images using watercolour.  The images and the sponging template (transparency) were cut using my round Nestibilities.  I used the same bow technique I used on this card which involves punching a small hole in the greeting, pushing a loop of seam binding from back to front and inserting several small lengths into the loop.  The bow is formed by pulling both long ends to tighten it nicely.  It works very well with seam binding which is soft and pliable and makes a bow with very little bulk because there is no actual knot. The greetings were colour printed and trimmed with decorative scissors.  The digital images are from Arthur's Clip Art.  This site has a large index to help you locate the images you are looking for.
Take time to celebrate the best of the men in your life and let them know you appreciate them with a handmade card!!

Therese

Cardmaking - May - corrugated paper

Love the look of this corrugated paper!!  The red one on the right I bought years ago in a variety pack but I have since discovered a more economical option which is featured on the card on the left hand side.  THRIFTY TIP:  Check your recycle bin and look for any box that has been made up of fine corrugated cardboard. Cut it apart, lay a piece on a flat surface and wet the inside layer with a spray bottle or large foam brush. The water will be very quickly absorbed, then let it sit for a few minutes.  Start peeling off this wet layer by lifting an edge from one of the sides.  It should peel up perfectly.  If not, just wet it down a bit more and wait a minute or two and try again.  Gives you lots of corrugated paper in no time.  Want coloured corrugated paper??  Just paint with acrylic paint any colour you need for your project.
I added a large ribbon across the middle and layered on a colour printed image to which I added some photo corners.  These photo corners have been in my stash for a while and I was happy to get a chance to use them.  I liked the vintage scrapbook look, especially with the Eiffel tower image.  On one of the cards I stapled the corrugated paper to the card front and on the second one I simply glued it in place.  Just a different look!!   Added the three little diamonds to finish it off.  These digital images were colour printed but you could certainly consider using images from packaging or collage sheets or real photos.  All the images are from The Graphics Fairy. She has a  lot of images so use the search box to find what you are looking for.  Many of the girls at class were looking for more of this sailboat image.  Enjoy!!

Therese

Cardmaking - May - little tag card

Love getting together with others to create so had a good time last night with my cardmaking group!!
Our first card featured a little tag greeting!! I printed up a few Happy Father's Day tags so anyone who wanted to could customize their card.  We debossed the front so that the tag could easily be slipped into the slot and added decorative paper to the left.  I used the SU window punch to create the slot and only glued the outside edges of that layer to create a pocket for the tag to slide into.  The watercoloured image was  layered onto the front of the tag holder and a small piece of ribbon was stapled to the tag.
I laser printed these are digital images - the leaf is from Beccy's Place and the bison is from Arthur's Clip art.  Several  of the other images I used were from Clker.
I love digital images because they can be sized to suit any project and always print perfectly!  There are many places where you can download images for free so check out the links I have on the right hand side of my blog to see what you can find for your next project.

Therese

Exchange card

Made this card up for the card exchange with my card group the other night.  The art was already created so it was fairly quick and easy to put the card together - embossed background, black seam binding and a black layer all on a yellow card front.
The digital image is by Melon Headz Illustration.  She has a wide variety of images so check out her site!!  I have used several other ones here .  I created the art at the same time that I created these ones.  I love the bold look of this image and the message is inspirational!!  We all need to be reminded of what is important in life!!

Therese