Pink anniversary or Valentine's card

My sister, Sylvia, makes lots of her cards without greetings so they are appropriate for several occasions.  Love the versatility!!  So I decided to challenge myself to doing the same.  For this card I started with a white card and added an embossed pink background layer which I embossed with a floral flourish embossing folder (SU).  I like that it nicely fills the right hand side of the card with texture.  I added a length of white vintage seam binding and tie on another short piece with a single knot to simulate a bow.  I layered a pink heart punchie (SU) over a gold die cut (SU) which I mounted using 3D foam tape over a small piece of roses decorative paper layered over white cardstock leaving a very small border.  I mounted the heart focal element over the seam binding using double sided tape.  Love how it turned out!!  This card would be appropriate for a wedding, anniversary, Valentine's or possibly a birthday for someone special and I am encouraged to consider making more of my cards without greetings to make them more versatile!! 
Do you sometimes make cards without greetings??  I am coming to see the value of doing it especially when making cards for my stash. 

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

Blue heart card without a greeting

I have been working on cards with hearts for Valentine's Day but have created a few of them in non traditional colours and without greetings to provide them more versatility.  This one features a blue heart die cut from a collaged ATC from years ago.  I layered it onto a light blue heart die cut and went looking for a way to display it.  I decided to use an embossed frame which I manually embossed from an embossing folder.  I manually embossed it because the frame is surrounded by stars which I did not want around the frame.  I trimmed the frame by hand, added a length of blue ribbon to which I tied a short piece using a single knot to simulate a bow and then mounted the double heart focal element using 3D foam tape.  I found some coordinating cardstock and embossed a background using a heart embossing folder.  I trimmed it to 4" x 5.25" and adhered it to a white card front and finished off the card by adhering my framed focal element.   Certainly suitable for a variety of occasions and does Valentine's for anyone who loves blue!!                  Therese

Fun with digital stamps and heart punchies!

Looking for inspiration for Valentine's cards I got distracted with this hexagon digital stamp (SU - Lemonade Stand).  I created several honeycomb patterns using the single hexagon in the digital set and added greetings and images from a image font (2Peas - Peas).  The fun part of using an image font is that the images are instantly colourable!!
For the first card,  I added the "much love" image and coloured it red and left the honey comb pattern in black before printing it.  I trimmed it to size (4" x 5.25") and added heart punchies in each hexagon in a variety of red colours - the dark ones are actually shiny red which adds some fun to the card.  Thinking it needed just a bit of something I did some manual embossing with a hammer around the edges and near the greeting using the Swiss Dot embossing folder (CB).  I glued this embellished layer to a red card front.  A great card for anyone on Valentine's Day!!
For the second card I added a cute little daisy image and a font birthday greeting, laser printed it and trimmed it to size.  I added three little heart punchies and watercoloured the daisy to coordinate.  Did a little manual embossing with a hammer before gluing it to a purple card front. 
Had fun with these backgrounds!!  I have two more printed so they will show up in the next little while!!                   Therese

White on white anniversary or Valentine's card

After some success with making a white on white anniversary card I was on a roll so I worked on this card. 
The central medallion was created by layering three lace doily die cuts (SX) to which I added a pearly daisy punchie and a small round flower punchie.  I tied them all together using a rhinestone brad layered over a silver sequin.  I layered the embossed heart background over a white card after adding the length of white satin ribbon near the bottom.  I tied a short piece of white fiber to the left hand side with a double knot to add some interest and texture.  I adhered the medallion with 3D foam tape and then used white glue from a fine tip applicator to adhere the "love" (SX) die over the ribbon.  I placed a bit of weight on it until the glue was dry to keep it in place and flat. 
This card would certainly be appropriate for a wedding, anniversary or Valentine's Day!!  Gotta love versatility!!   
Therese

White on white anniversary card

You will find all sorts of inspiration on Splitcoast Stampers for white on white creations!!!  I have admired them all for quite a while and have made a few attempts but have not managed an all white one!! 
I started with a white card front and added six little embossed rectangles that were sitting on my desk.  They are a bit warmer white than the card which added some contrast right off the hop!!  I wanted a large embossed central element so I went looking through my embossing folders and found this border one which I have not used very often so I embossed a rectangle of white cardstock with it.  It seemed a bit boring to just have a rectangle so I dug out my TH edge die (not used very much) and cut the top and bottom using one edge and the left and right using the other.  That worked out better than I had expected!!  The "LOVE" die cut (SX) was sitting on my desk from Christmas cards and I thought it would make this into a lovely anniversary card but I felt it needed a bit of something below it so I dug through my lace stash until I found this nice small lace with scallops.  Perfect!!  It is a bit satiny so adds some luxuriousness to this focal element which was just what it needed.  I cut a piece and glued both ends to the back using double sided tape.  To adhere the die cut over it I used a few spots of white glue applied with a fine tip applicator in strategic areas and then gently laid it in place and added just a slight bit of weight and left it to dry.  I mounted the focal element to my card front using 3D foam tape and thinking that it needed just a little bit more I added the tiny white hearts all the way around.  I am super happy with how this card worked out and I look forward to challenging myself to white on white again!! 

Therese

DIY foam background stamp

I have been admiring the watercolour backgrounds created by several artists on Splitcoast Stampers!!  They are using products that I do not own so I was wanting to create a similar look using what I had.  So I dug out some foam packaging, a mount, ink pads, some white cardstock and some water in a spray bottle.  I tore a piece of the foam packaging so it would have rough edges and then used a palette knife to give it some texture by just digging it into the surface enough to compress the foam and mark it.   That worked beautifully!! 

I adhered it my stamp mount and proceeded to play with it and some ink pads to see what I would get.  To get a diffused look I needed a light spray water before stamping and then I just continued stamping in an all over manner without reinking!  The chalk ink pad is the one on the lower right  - much more yellow that I was expecting.  Two different pink stamp pads for the other two.  The one that worked the best was using a pink Distress ink pad and it was the right colour for the card I was making!! 
So I am happy to have "made" myself a fun background stamp and I will be playing with this idea for another while!!  I hope you will all consider experimenting with your tools and supplies when following the inspiration of an online creation!!!

Therese

Another sympathy card reusing a card front

Another card for the stash!  I reused a notecard front using it as a background on this card.  I love the colours - off white, green, gray and black!!  I trimmed the front to size and then punched a hole in near the bottom edge using the Modern Label punch (SU).  I added a length of vintage seam binding between the opening and the left hand side and tied another short piece to it to simulate a bow.  I layered this decorative piece to dark gray and then to a green card front.  I added a laser printed greeting punched with the Word Window punch (SU) into the opening using double sided tape.  Perfect for a sympathy card!!

Therese

The last of a set of monochromatic cards created with coordinating papers

These are the last two cards I created using the set of focal elements I created from a sheet of scrapbook paper by cutting out all the large floral elements on the sheet.  I layered the focal elements onto dark maroon cardstock. 
Check out the other two sets here and here. 
For my first card I started with a dark maroon card front and layered on strips of two of the other papers.  I added a length of wide coordinating gros grain ribbon adhering one end to the inside of the card using double sided tape and the other flagged end to the card front using double sided tape as well.  I applied glue stick to the area in between to get a smooth ribbon.  I created a little laser printed greeting which I trimmed with scalloped decorative scissors, pierced each scallop and sponged on a bit of colour.  I mounted it to the bottom edge of my large focal element before adhering it to the front of my card overlapping the ribbon using 3D foam tape. 

For the next card, I used two scraps of the original paper from which I trimmed the focal elements which I glued to my maroon card front at the top and bottom.  I trimmed a length of white cardstock using scallop decorative scissors, pierced each scallop and ran my tracing wheel along each length to create a line of piercing.  Love that little tool!!  I layered a length of maroon cardstock over it and then glued this element over the gap between the paper on the front of my card.  I added a length of coordinating gros grain ribbon on the right hand side of the card creating a slot on the spine in which I inserted the end of my ribbon and glued it in place with double sided tape.  I used double sided tape on the flagged end as well and some regular glue stick in between to get my ribbon nice and smooth.  I added a vellum laser printed greeting to my focal element by folding over the edges of the strip and adhering them to the back with regular tape.  I adhered this large element to the front of my card over the ribbon using 3D foam tape. 
I am happy to have made six cards with this challenge!!!  I have a few more sheets to go and we will have to see what comes of those.               Therese

DIY - Washi tape

I have a few rolls of washi tape that I have purchased over the years.  The ones purchased together coordinate but the groups do not coordinate very well so I am often left wanting to use the tapes but not finding what I need in the collection I have.  SO..... I decided more washi tape would be required before I could liquidate the supply I have.  Make any sense?? There is some logic to it but as you can see from the box that by the end of my Washi Tape making session I have pretty much tripled my selection!!  And so it is!  Those with clips have a carrier and those on the tube were made with the medical tape. 

I did a little bit of research on line looking for Washi Tape tutorials and found quite a few using several different techniques!!  I really like the translucent look of the ones made with tissue paper so I decided to give it a go!  I collected tissue paper, double sided tape, a pair of scissors and a scoring tool (AKA a bone folder).  For any tissue paper that was not smooth I gave it a bit of a press with my iron before getting started.  Once flat, I ran a length of double sided tape over the back side of the tissue paper and then carefully trimmed both sides with the scissors.  Next I burnished the whole length to ensure its adherence and smoothness.  It is best to work on a hard surface which reduces the amount of wrinkles introduced into the final washi tape.  I used clear double sided tape with a substrate as well as a carrier.  Having a carrier works the best when it comes to storing your newly created washi tape because you can just roll it up and it does not stick anywhere you don't want it too.  This washi tape is very sticky and therefore cannot be rolled onto itself like the commercial kind.  It does not tear easily because of the substrate but it has the translucent quality that the commercial ones have. 
For my second attempt I used a more opaque tissue which came wrapped around something and a wider different opaque double sided tape.  These two worked quite well together but the result is opaque and does not tear because of the plastic substrate as well.  It can easily be coloured with ink pads and stamped on to add some texture and designs which means it can be customized for any project.  Using wider tape allows you to cut it down in width and get twice as much washi tape for your effort. 
On my next attempt I used double sided tape from a local store which is very thin and has no substrate - just glue on a carrier!  This one works the best to make nice translucent tape that tears easily!!  You do have to be careful to use the clearest glue you can get.  Yellow glue will show through white tissue paper and affect the look of your washi tape.  Of course, if used on warm coloured tissue paper it matters much less.  Very close to the real thing though you cannot roll it onto itself because it is too sticky!!  I really liked this tape and it was fun to play in my supply of tissue papers!!  In the tutorials they suggested that the single coloured layer of paper napkins can be used in the same way.  Will try that next time!!
On my last attempt I used medical tape!! I laid out several strips on a the smooth back of a plastic place mat before applying colour with permanent ink pads.  I used tiny detailed stamps and coordinating permanent ink colours to add some texture and designs to these lengths of washi tape.  This tape does take colour reasonably well but is generally still quite translucent and when dry is the most like real washi tape as it can be rolled upon itself as it is not too sticky and tears very easily.  It is more difficult to get really bright and contrasting colours on this tape.  I have used watered down acrylics in the past and it works as well as the ink did. You can check out my Faux Washi Tape posting here!!   I will consider a coat of gesso on the tape when I try this next time.  It should give me a bit more opacity but also provide a better surface to which I can add paint or ink and get brighter colours.  This should allow a broader spectrum of ways to finish off the tape with colour, markers, stamping, etc which should provide a wide range of interesting washi tape that would more like the commercial ones. 
So I am very happy with my experiments with making my own washi tape!!  I most like the thin tearable double sided tape on the tissue paper and except for not being able to roll it onto itself it makes great washi tape.  It works for me because of the large variety of tissue papers I have. 
The medical tape works really well too and because it requires ink/paint and stamps it a good option for someone who had an abundance of those instead of a tissue paper supply. 
Be sure to create some coordinating washi tapes so you can combine them in your creative projects!!!!  Leave me a comment and include a link to your Washi Tape fun!!!

Therese

Sympathy card with a reused calendar page and some ribbon

A sympathy card for my stash.  I reused a calendar page which was donated to me a while back.  I love the softness of this winter scene.  I trimmed the page to 4" x 5.25", added a coordinating ribbon and adhered this large element to the front of a blue card.  I tied a short piece of the organza ribbon to the length on the card using one knot to simulate a bow.  I left the knot soft so the ends would not be too vertical.  I added a layered punchie greeting that consists of a laser printed font greeting (SU  Word Window) over a dark blue label (SU Modern Label) and adhered it with 3D foam tape.  Good to have a few of these on hand.            Therese

Thank you card sets using small envelopes

 I received a generous donation of cardmaking supplies which included some envelopes which are just a bit smaller than A2 so I have decided to use them to make Thank you card sets.  I love this paper!!!!!!!!  My daughter donated several scrapbooking kits to me a while back and this gorgeous paper was included in a fun paper pack.  The pattern is in the paper so I just trimmed it down to work with these cards and glued them to brown cards.

I watercoloured the laser printed digital greeting punchies and then layered them onto die cut scalloped circles before adhering them to my embellished card front.  They needed nothing more though I did try several times to include "more" to no avail so these came together fairly quickly due to their simplicity. 

Therese

Another set of Thank you cards

 I have made another set of Thank you cards!!!  The envelopes are just a bit smaller than A2.  I used brown cardstock for these and layered on some wonderful striped decorative paper. I watercoloured the greetings to coordinate with the paper and layered them onto decorative labels which I die cut with the smallest die in the SU Decorative Label thinlets set in coordinating colours.  I added ribbon to two of them, white fiber to the other one and just a strip of brown cardstock with flagged ends to the last one.

I am enjoying this process of making these cards!!  I only put single layer inserts in most of them but when I got to the two bottom ones I realized that in my enthusiasm I had fiber/ribbon on the inside of the card so those ones got full inserts instead. 

Therese

Thank you card sets in peach and orange

 In response to a generous donation of cardmaking supplies I have created several sets of cards for a wonderful person!!!  Some of the envelopes are 5.5" x 4 1/8" - just a bit smaller than the A2 sized envelopes so I decided to use these to make her a few cards. 
I started with some light peach cardstock and cut cards to fit in the envelopes (3.75" x 10.5) and found some paper that coordinated that I cut just slightly smaller to leave

a border all the way around.  I die cut scallops from the decorative paper, tied a ribbon or fiber between the opening and the edge and adhered these to the front of my cards.  On the one in the lower left hand corner I sponged colour onto the card front before gluing the decorative paper in place.  I watercoloured and sponged the my laser printed circle greetings to add a bit of colour and then adhered them in the openings.  I changed up the ribbon/fiber and the orientation to give them each a bit of a different look. 

Reuse photo calendar pages to create cards

 I have reused photos from a 4" x 6" calendar created by my sister, Sylvia.  She creates several different ones every year for sale and I am fortunate to get one for Christmas!! I trimmed the white frame off the photos which left them at 3.75" x 3.75" so I created a backer for them using Corel Draw using several vintage labels (Graphics Fairy) to which I added font greetings in a coordinating colour.  After laser printing them on white cardstock I trimmed them to 4" x 5.25", adhered my photos and then glued these large elements to a coordinating cards. When the photos are beautiful there is very little else you have to do!! These definitely deserve a second life!!    Therese

Birthday card from a kit

My final kit from this class.  I trimmed my decorative paper but failed to remember that the cuts had to go from side to side to get the spacing in needed so I ended up with a few more cuts to get the spacing to work.  I glued the pieces to the green layer and then added a length of ribbon which ran through the intersection of the pieces gluing both ends to the back using double sided tape then tied a short piece onto it using a single knot to simulate a bow.  I adhered this large element to a blue card front and then added my layered laser printed greeting which I had embellished with watercolour over the ribbon using 3D foam tape.  The "bow" slides so you can put it anywhere you need it on the length  to which you have tied it.            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

White embossing on watercolour paper - bright cheery cards!

These two cards were made up from kits I found on my desk from this class.  I love these!!!  I simply added watercolour until I was happy with how they looked and left them to dry.  For the left hand card I stamped and clear embossed a friendship quote (SU) in the center section of the background and then added three flower sequins in coordinating colours using tiny brads.  This focal element was layered onto coordinating cardstock and then onto a black card front.  For the right hand card I added a coordinating organza ribbon and tied a short end to the bottom section to simulate a bow before adding a laser printed chalkboard greeting over it using 3D foam tape.  I glued this layer to a coordinating cardstock and then onto a black card front.   I have a few more kits from this class so expect to see them in the next little while!!  I really fun technique!!  Therese

More monochromatic cards using a coordinating set of papers - birthday and sympathy

I have been working on getting a few more of these cards made up. Check out the first set here. I cut up the first sheet of paper by cutting out all the large floral elements on the sheet.  I layered them all onto deep maroon cardstock to create my focal elements.
For the top card I used an oval focal element which was created using Nestibilities.  I added a single layer on the maroon card front and stamped a greeting. Unfortunately, it was the wrong colour and crooked so I trimmed off the bottom edge of the paper and replaced it with a piece from the original sheet and added a strip of maroon cardstock over the joint.  I added an organza ribbon with a simulate bow and then mounted my oval focal element over it using 3D foam tape.  I added a layered punchie greeting on the lower right hand corner.

For the second card I used the same background paper and added organza ribbon as well.  I punched a slot in the spine of the card so I could insert the end of my ribbon and glued the end to the inside front of my card with double sided tape.  Tied on a short piece to simulate a bow on this one as well.  Added my rectangular focal element over the ribbon using 3D foam tape and adhered the layered punchie greeting using double sided tape.
It has been a fun challenge to create cards with this set of papers. 
Therese       

Christmas cards with non traditional colours - red, black, green and gold

My first Christmas cards of the year!!  I made these for a friend of mine who had a small piece of this gorgeous green paper with gold trees on it that was wrapped around one of her Christmas gifts.  I offered to make her some Christmas cards for next year with it!!  The trees were different sizes hence the different size of ovals on these cards.  I used my oval Nestibilities to figure out which ones would be good for card avoiding any of the folded or rough spots that had been on the corners.  I traced around the die and then cut them out with scissors  giving each one enough edge so they could be glued behind the ovals.  These are a bit smaller than A2 so I had to be really diligent when cutting my pieces because they all had to be just a bit smaller.   I gold embossed my greetings (SU) on the black layer, die cut the ovals and then glued the trees to the back of the opening after lining them up.  Finally I glued these large elements to the front of cranberry cardstock cards.  They are quite striking and not typical Christmas cards.  I have yet to make any for myself but it is in the works!!  Therese

Embossed background with a cute digital image

I need a few cards so I am making up the few card kits I have sitting on my work surface from previous classes. 
This one is from this class which features four embossed rectangles adhered to a coloured card front.  These ones were all different which adds interest to the the background.  I watercoloured the laser printed digital image (Cre8tive Hands) of a cute little bunny, layered it onto dark brown and added four little pieces of ribbon/lace with flagged ends to the right hand side using double sided tape.  I adhered this focal element to the front of my card using 3D foam tape.            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

Pink and green Christmas thank you card

I used the other set of strips in this colour scheme for my other card.  I glued the strips to a white piece of cardstock and trimmed them all to the edges.  I tied on a length of coordinating hand dyed seam binding gluing the ends to the back before adhering this large element to a dark pink card front.  I added the large chalkboard greeting with 3D foam tape and then tied a short piece of seam binding to the one on the front of my card using a single knot to nicely simulate a bow!!  Love this very bright and cheery green and pink colour combination!!  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

Tea themed photo birthday card

A card created using a photo from a tea related 4" x 6" photo calendar created by my sister, Sylvia.  This was from last year's calendar which I got for Christmas in 2016!!  Love this photo of a beautiful green heart shaped tea cup with a small pink peony on the saucer over a battenburg lace doily.  This is my favorite colour combo - pink and green!! 
I trimmed the photo to 3.75" x 3.75" and mounted it onto a green layer which I had stamped at the bottom with light green ink using a textured background and a leaf (SU).  I mounted this large element to the front of a dark pink card and added a laser printed birthday greeting (Birds Cards) punchie (SU) which I sponged with green ink all the way around and a bit of pink in the center using 3D foam tape.  Love how it turned out and relatively quick to put together!
If you are photographer/scrapbooker consider taking some photos that would work in your cardmaking and getting creative with them!!

Therese

Brown, orange and green with gold lettering for this card

I found these small pieces of decorative paper in my Christmas stash and thought I would use them for a thank you card.  I glued the strips to a rust coloured card front and added some metallic gold die cut letters - one per strip - to spell thanks.  I love the texture on these letters and the button too!!  I combined a green crochet thread with a length of thin brown wool and tied them to the top portion of my card above the letters using a couple of knots.  I added a gold metallic button to which I had tied a length of fiber which I dyed with a marker using two knots and adhered it to my card front over the knots I made in the threads using 3D foam tape.  Having some fun in my craft room!!

Therese

A fun thank you card in non traditional Christmas colours

Found another set of decorative papers in my Christmas paper stash that I used for this fun card!!  I glued the strips to a white piece of cardstock and trimmed them to the edge.  I die cut a scallop circle from the left hand side of this background, added a length of hand dyed seam binding between the opening and the side gluing the ends to the back before adhering this large element to a dark pink card front.  I watercoloured the circle punchie greeting and adhered it in the opening.   To finish off my card, I tied a short piece of seam binding to the one on the front using a single knot to simulate a bow.  A really fun and very festive card with green and pinks - my favorite colour combination!!           Therese

Green and red decorative paper with a fun angle

Another Thank you card for this Christmas season!!  I glued three dark green strips of  coordinating decorative paper onto the corner of a white piece of cardstock and trimmed them to the edges.  I embossed the balance of this layer using the Decorative Dots embossing folder (SU) and a hammer as I could not get the sandwich to fit in my Big Shot.  I like using the hammer because it allows a more random embossing of the texture.  I found the chalk board greeting in my little stash bucket, adhered it with double sided tape and then added a red metallic button die cut to which I had already tied some white fiber using two knots!!  A bit of a cooler palette for this card - I have been carrying around this paper for years and it is nice to finally find a great way to use it!! 

Therese

Thank you card with Christmas paper

Another thank you card for the Christmas season.  Once in my little stash of Christmas paper I found a few more scraps that worked.  I chose three script and two small green strips for this card.  I glued them to a white piece of cardstock and added a length of shimmery green fiber.  I watercoloured the round greeting punchie and mounted it over the fiber using 3D foam tape.  I tied a bow using a length of the same fiber over the greeting to finish off my card.  It is nice to have a few extra greetings around to make quick work of these cards. 

Therese

Cards made with coordinating same colour family decorative paper

I have several sets of these coordinating same colour family sets of decorative papers and have been wanting to use them for a while.  I have decided to give it a go and see what I can produce with them this year.  There are 10 sheets in this set - mostly florals but a couple with plaid and more soft designs.  I took a sheet that had several floral motifs and cut them from the background to use as the focal elements for this set of cards.  I made these two for my January card exchange and the others will show up over time.  They make very monochromatic cards and therefore have a certain appeal because of that.  After cutting out all the motifs I layered them onto coordinating cardstock.  For the left hand card I used one of the smaller ones. I used one of the other all over floral sheets for the background over a coordinating card front and added a rose organza ribbon on the right hand side.  I mounted the focal element at the top over the ribbon using 3D foam tape.  Next, I created my greeting using an eyelet frame die cut (SX) over a laser printed greeting (Bird's cards) punched with a large oval punch (SU).  There is very little overlap so I used regular tape to bind the two.  I used double sided tape on the top where it overlaps the focal element and 3D foam tape on the bottom where it overlaps the ribbon.  To finish off my card I tied a short piece of ribbon to the bit of ribbon you could see at the bottom of the card to simulate a bow.  

For the right hand card, I used the same floral paper for the background over a coordinating card and added the same pink organza ribbon gluing the ends to the back of the decorative paper.  Next, I adhered my layered floral element using 3D foam tape over the ribbon. I stamped the little birthday greeting onto the background paper and embossed it with clear embossing powder. 

Both of these cards needed a bit of something so I added clear glitter (Sakura Stardust) using a gel pen to the center of the flowers and little dots all the way around on the focal elements.  I added just a bit on the oval greeting as well.  That was better!!  They are off to my exchange partners in today's mail.  Therese 

Green and red decorative paper with fiber and a die cut button

For this card I glued four strips of green decorative paper to a white layer of cardstock.  I die cut a red metallic button and tied it onto this layer using some fine white fiber finished it off would a double knot to keep everything in place.  I glued this large layer to the front of a red card and stamped and clear embossed my Thanks greeting on the lower right hand side. 

Therese

Thank you card for Christmas - strips and metallic buttons

Have finally found a bit of time for cardmaking in my craft room!!  Christmas was good - quiet in a few spots, family time too and great food all the way around!! 
I have started on my thank you cards for those wonderful blessing which showed up over the Christmas season!! 
I usually use gift wrap from my gifts but no gift wrap as the gifts showed up in bags and boxes which will be reused!!  So I decided to use up some of my scraps and cut some strips in green and red for this card.  I flagged the ends of the strips and glued them to a layer of white cardstock and trimmed them even with the left hand side.  I die cut some buttons from gold paper that housed some of the small ornaments we used for our Grinch Trees Fundraiser before Christmas.  It was great because the very well used foam and cutting plates added some fun texture to the very shiny gold paper.  I added white fiber to them and tied it off with a double knot before gluing them to the left hand side of the strips.  I stamped the greeting on the red vellum strip and embossed it with gold embossing powder.  Finally I glued this large element to the front of a red card!!
It is great to be back in my craft room and I am looking forward to a few more cards!!

Therese

First birthday card of the year!!

It has been weeks since I was in my craft room being crafty!!  I hope you all had a good Christmas season and are considering your creative goals for the season!! 
I am committed to making Christmas cards year round so will be working with my sister, Sylvia's challenge when I can.  You can check out her Christmas Card Challenge here on her blog. 
I will also be working on home projects this year as I have been putting them off for 3-4 years and they need doing.
I am continuing my special occassion cards for family and friends and my bimonthly cardmaking classes as well. 
On that note, here it the card I made today for my brother who has an early January birthday!!!  I used one of my serendipity backgrounds which was embossed with the Lattice Embossing folder (SU).  I stacked a gold layer with it and then die cut the HAPPY (SX) word from both of them.  I backed the holes with packing tape and inserted the gold letters and made sure to add back in the openings from the serendipity in the a and the p s.  I used my homemade stamping jig to get my "birthday" stamped exactly where I wanted it and then embossed with gold embossing powder.  I like the distressed look of it!!  I layered on a gauzy fiber below it and added a gold round paper clip to which I had tied some raffia using a single stitch of crochet thread.  I backed this layer with green cardstock strips and then distressed them before gluing this large element to a tan card front!! 
I have the gold layer with the serendipity letters still sitting on my desk and they will likely be my next card of the year!!
I hope you will find a way to be creative this coming year and will take the time to share it with those around you!  At every moment we have the opportunity to make a different choice and today is as good a time as any!! 

Therese