Two more cards created with ATCs

I am still working on getting some cards made with my large collection of ATCs.   Here are a few more.
I used an ATC from a technique swap for this first card.  It was created using rusted metals.  I really like its arty look.  I found the embossed kraft frame in my stash and decided I could make them work as the major components for my card.  I used Aged Wood distress ink to highlight the embossing on the frame and then stitched it to my gray card front using black thread.  I added the ATC using homemade washi tape that was a similar colour to one in the ATC. Next, I added a colour washed laser printed greeting between the ATC and the card front.  It still needed a bit of something so I went digging into the stash looking for a 3D embellishment that might work. When I found this mangled bottle cap I thought it was perfect.  I found it on the ground somewhere along the way when I was out for a walk.  I made a hole in it with my awl and then attached it to my card front using a tiny pewter brad.  Done!!
I love the grungy look of this card!!

Here is the other card I made.  I used another of the kraft frames I had on hand and used blue/green ink on it instead.  I glued it to a blue card front, added some embossed mesh (window screening) on both the left and right sides using double sided tape and then glued the ATC over them centered in the opening.  The ATC was created on handmade paper using dimensional paint and mica powders.  I added a layered greeting below the ATC.

I am really enjoying working with ATCs.  They make wonderful cards!!  The perfect focal elements!!

Do you have a stash of ATCs that need to find a new home??

Therese

Corrugated star card

Working on the cards I will need for my family in June!!  I had this hand cut corrugated star in my stash and decided to create a card around it. I tend to like the natural colour of corrugated paper and stick to that colour scheme when I create with it.  This time I decided to glam it up a bit.  I added several colours of watercolour with broad strokes to the corrugated surface and after it was dry I rubbed Versamark ink over the ridges and embossed it with a glittery embossing powder.  That worked beautifully.  I glued an embellished circle punched greeting to the middle, stitched on a brown string and tied it with a bow. Next I went looking for another element with stars that would support the theme and found this embossing folder which worked very well.  So I embossed a piece of off white cardstock with it and then applied a bit of Aged Linen distress ink to the embossed areas to just highlight them a bit.  Layered all these elements onto a kraft card front.  

Therese

Another sponged silhouette card

Another sponged card!!  I have made a few of these lately.  You can check out the other ones here, here and here.  I love that I can create texture and lots of colour just using a sponge and ink pads.  The skyline is a digital image from CLKER and I laser printed it onto white cardstock. I punched a hole is scrap paper and used the hole to create the sun, masked it off with the punchie when I started creating the sky.  I used a variety of ripped paper masks to create the texture in the sky.  I layered my coloured image onto purple and green adding a greeting between them.  I punched my blue layer using the chevron punch (SU) and then embossed the rest of it using a herringbone embossing folder.  I layered all of my elements onto a yellow card front.   The first of the cards I will be needing for June!!

Therese

Exchange cards using SU digital images

 I created these two cards using colour printed digital elements from the StampinUP set - Sweet Sorbet Accessory pack.  I used Corel Draw to layout two different flowers and the corkboard border adding a greeting as well.  I fussy cut all the elements leaving a bit of a border.  I sponged the edges of the borders and left the flowers with the border showing.  I embossed a quarter sheet of kraft cardstock using a Quick Kuts embossing folder (QK), layered it onto an off white card front and layered on my elements in a nice arrangement.  I adhered the large white flower using 3D foam tape to give it a bit of dimension.

I will be sending these cards to my partners for the CCE cards exchange I am involved with.
It was the first time I used any of the full colour digital elements from this set and I am happy with how these cards turned out.  The most difficult part was deciding how big to make the elements so they would work together in my layout.

Therese

Thinking of you card

Made a card for someone who had to put down their four legged best friend this week!
I used coordinating decorative paper over an ivory card front and applied a strip of brown with polka dots washi tape where they join.
I layered the colour printed greeting over a coordinating layer of cardstock and adhered it to the card front using 3D foam tape.
Quick and easy!!

Therese

Christmas cards with sequins

I started these Christmas cards a couple of weeks ago in response to a challenge to create a card using sequins.  The challenge is over and today I thought I would get at finishing the assembly of the cards because all the pieces were cut and ready to go.
I digitally created the background paper using fonts, laser printed it onto letter sized white cardstock and then cut it into 2" sections.  I sponged the long edges and added scalloped borders (SU).  I created the ornaments using sequins and 1.25" circle punchies.  I layered them, made a hole using a push pin, double folded some heavy weight black quilting thread, inserted into the tiny brad and inserted the brad into the hole.  The thread created the look of a bow I was looking for!!  I glued three of these to my background and added the "string" above them using a black Sharpie marker.  I embossed the card front (SU), embossed my greeting below it using white embossing powder and added my focal element.

 You can see here the variety I created while I was at it.  For these red ones I added gold paper instead of punched borders and embossed my greeting in gold to coordinate with the gold sequins I used.  I also used a different embossing folder for the card front.

 For the green ones I used a different embossing folder and a different greeting.

For the pink ones, I used a couple of different greetings  - a layered oval one on the white and pink ones, and a die cut transparent one on the ones that had black borders.

I have trouble making lots of cards that are exactly the same. I am always wanting to change things up as I go along!!
I am really enjoying creating digital images for my cardmaking!!!  I have made 14 of these cards!!  These are the last Christmas cards I made so 14 more brings my total to 74!!  I am well along with what I will need for Christmas this year!!  That is my quota for May and June already done and stashed!!
Hope you are considering starting your Christmas cards early this year!!  If you are needing some inspiration check my blog (right hand side) for some links to Christmas card challenges, dig out some stamps and supplies you have had on hand for a while and get started!
The weather here has warmed up and it is feeling like spring!!  My garden is in.  With the rain yesterday and the heat they are predicting for this week I expect to have some green peaking out of the ground by next week!!

Therese

More tulip Mother's Day cards

I made my two daughters Mother's Day cards this year!!  Doesn't usually happen but this year while I was working on my card for my Mom I decided to make it happen!!  They will be pleasantly surprised!!
I used the single tulip image (CLKER), laser printed them on white cardstock, gave them a blue watercolour wash background and then painted them.  I stitched them in place on my stamped card fronts using white thread and my sewing machine.  The fronts had been stamped with a script background (SU) in green ink.  I added a length of vintage white seam binding and tied on a short piece to simulate a bow.  The laser printed greetings were embellished with a bit of watercolour and adhered using 3D foam tape.
I so appreciate the mothers my daughters have become!!  They stretch themselves every day to be the best Moms they can be!!

Therese

Sponged masculine card

I made this card for another exchange I am part of!! I printed a variety of silhouette images when I made these cards and I have a few left sitting on my desk so I decided to use one for this card.  I sponged blue on the top and bottom and added some green in the middle to create the horizon for the image.  I layered it onto a rectangle of decorative paper which had been distressed and added two trimmed punchies (Decorative Label -SU) - one on either side.  I added a layered punchie greeting and a bit of fiber as an accent.  I layered all these pieces onto a blue card front which I had sponged with blue and green ink and also stamped with a distressed background (Worn - SU).
I like it!!  I added the greeting with 3D foam tape and then added the knotted fiber using a glue dot.  I hope it will not be too thick to mail regular first class.  I always get them to check because you just never know with handmade cards!!

Therese

Serendipity & printed backgrounds

Was needing a few birthday cards for my stash so I decided to check my "to be used" bucket to see what I could use as a springboard.  There is always so much there that can be used!!
I started with the die cut I created when I made this card.  I started with a blue card front, layered on a white embossed layer, added the serendipity die cut and tied on a coordinating blue ribbon tucking the ends under the white layer.   I cut a laser printed greeting using the same Deco Label Framelits (SU) set I had used for the serendipity layer in the smaller size, embellished it with a bit of watercolour and added to my card using 3D foam tape.  I love that serendipity technique!  Here is a Pinterest posting with LOTS of links!!
For my other card I used a piece of colour printed background paper in white and blue. The Damask background image is from CLKER.  I cut it up into strips and glued it to the front of a blue card.  I found a strip of blue cardstock that matched in my scraps, embossed it, flagged the end and added it to my card.  I embellished the die cut greeting with watercolour and added it over the strip using 3D foam tape.
Two fairly quick cards using what I had in my stash!!
It is always a good idea to challenge yourself to create cards using your stash of bits and pieces!!  They are usually unique and fairly quick because some of the work is already done!!

Therese

Mother's Day card with tulips

My Mom loves blue and so when I made her Mother's Day card used her favorite colour.  I downloaded the tulip image from CLKER, filled it with white and layered up three to make a nice grouping.  I printed them on white cardstock and watercoloured them. Once they were dry I stitched them to my blue embossed card front.  I added a  length of white vintage seam binding and then layered on a watercoloured greeting with 3D foam tape and tied on a short piece to simulate a bow.
I created the greeting using the frame from "You're Lovely" stamp set (deleted the flowers) (SU) which I received digitally as a Saleabration freebie!!  I love that the frame works with the Deco Labels Framelit set (SU).  So easy to cut them out!!
Looking forward to seeing my Mom when we celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary!!

Therese

Anniversary cards

Have a couple of anniversaries this month besides my Mom and Dad's 60th so I made up these cards.  I colour printed the digital background I created for these wedding cards on quarter sheets in two different colours.
I layered them onto coloured cardstock, added a length of coordinating vintage seam binding and then glued them to card fronts.  I added colour printed greetings which had been punched out (SU) and sponged.  On the beige one I added an oval of darker cardstock behind the greeting and attached it over the seam binding using 3D foam tape.  To finish it off, I tied a short piece of seam binding to the first length using a single knot which nicely simulates the look of a bow.  On the blue one, I added the greeting using 3D foam tape over the seam binding, added some dots using a clear glitter gel pen (Stardust) and two little heart confetti.

Therese

Card with a cake!!

My youngest grand daughter has a birthday this week!!  I laser printed this lovely cake image (credit coming), watercoloured it and added shimmery paint to the fondant icing.  I used an oval Nesties to cut the image and one a size larger to die cut the hole in the alcohol ink background which leaves the image nicely framed on the card front.  I used a decorative punch on the two top corners and a scallop border punch (SU) on the bottom edge. I used a mini hole punch to add holes to the scallops and layered a yellow border punched piece of cardstock below it.  I added the laser printed greeting just below the image using 3D foam tape.  Purple, pink and yellow! The perfect colours for a little girl!!

Therese

60th anniversary guest book

I made this guestbook for my Mom and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary celebration!!  Here is the card I made for them.  This paper has come in real handy as I have used it for a couple wedding cards and some cards I made as a bridal shower gift as well.
I started with chipboard covers (packaging from something) which I cut to 8.5" x 5.5" and then covered with this elegant decorative paper.  I lined the inside with white paper and pressed them a couple of days to be sure they dried flat.  I created a cover sheet with details of the event and the pages for signing in Corel Draw and

laser printed them.  I cut them down just a slight bit smaller than the covers, punched the whole lot with my Zutter binding machine and added a 1/2" white wire binding.
To decorate the cover I stitched a sleeve of white tulle, gathered it and tied it off.  I found a beautiful silver toned heart button in my stash and cut off the shank so it would lie flat.  I used heavy weight white thread to attach it to the front cover and used the ends to gather the inside tulle to reflect the outer treatment.   You can see to the left a close up of the button and the beautiful shimmer of this paper.
Super happy with how this book turned out!!

Therese

Tulip exchange cards

A couple of cards I created for an exchange I am participating in.
I downloaded the tulip image from CLKER, laser printed them onto white cardstock and gave them a pale blue colour washed background.  Once that was dry, I watercoloured the flowers themselves.  They seemed to need a "bit of something" so I added a script background in a soft green colour.  Just what they needed!!  I stitched them to embossed backgrounds and glued them to white card fronts.  Added colour printed greetings that were punched out using the Modern Label punch (SU) and attached them to the card fronts using 3D foam tape.  I did add a bit of sponging to the embossing on the yellow card and some stippling to the edges of the white card fronts.
Have really been enjoying this card exchange.  I send two cards a month and it is fun to try something new regularly!!
Therese

60th Anniversary Card

My parents will have been married sixty years this coming week!!  We will be celebrating with family and friends this weekend.  Sixty years is a long time so I made them a very special card!!
I started with a large envelope and made a white card base that would fit in it.  I embossed two quarters sheets white cardstock, rubbed them lightly with a white pigment ink pad and embossed them with clear embossing powder.  It gives the raised areas a bit of lustre without adding colour.  I layered them on my card front and stitched them down using my sewing machine and white thread.
I added a double punched scallop border (SU) which I embellished with rhinestones and two layers of vintage white seam binding which I laid over the place where the two layers overlapped.  I added two embossed hearts and a punched greeting which I backed with vellum and adhered to the front of my card using 3D foam tape.
My Mom has been a sewer all of her life.  She made all of our clothes when we were little and most of our clothing well into high school - even our winter coats!! She has tackled a wide variety of projects for others as well, including a deer skin jacket - beautiful!!  She mostly sews for herself and my Dad now, tackles small projects and does a lot of quilting in the winter months.  They live independently and will soon be both over eighty.  I am looking forward to seeing them and letting them know how much I appreciate them!!

Therese

Birthday card with country charm

My youngest daughter's birthday is this week and I made her this card.  It features a mother and daughter cutting flowers.  I received this image in a swap years ago and several times tried unsuccessfully to incorporate it into a card.  Third time is a charm!!  The pieces fell into place and I am really happy with how it turned out.
I used a large kraft card base, added the gingham decorative paper and layered the trimmed image on the upper portion.  I die cut the embossed greeting and layered it over the vintage seam binding that I added to the bottom section.  I love that this card has a bit of country charm!!

Therese