January Cardmaking - bright die cuts, a large greeting and a few sequins

Our last card features a large central greeting (Desert Diva).  I downloaded the greetings and laser printed them large on white cardstock. I trimmed them to just less than a quarter sheet to leave a small border all the way around.  I die cut two pieces from some bright backgrounds made with ink on glossy photo paper.  They are only a portion of a label on one of Tim Holtz's label dies.  These were glued to the top and bottom of the card and trimmed even with the edges.  I embellished my labels for my second card with my tracing wheel, added some rhinestones and trimmed the edges to leave a border all the way around.  Next, we added fun sequins in coordinating colours using double sided tape.  Cards with large greetings are quite popular right now and I am seeing them everywhere!!  I really like these greetings from Desert Diva as they are digital and can easily be made any size you want!! 

Therese

January Cardmaking - die cut openings, thread and some sequins

For our second card I used a card off of Splitcoast Stampers which had openings on the left hand side which had been created using a large floral border die.  I do not own a border die which would be suitable so I decided to use individual dies to create a similar effect.  I used two dies from a Cuttlebug set of four hearts for this card.  I was careful not to have any extra marks on my cardstock as I die cut each individual opening.  Happy with how that worked out!!  I stamped my greeting next and then stamped a script background and a few flourishes to finish off the background.  I tied a green thread from one of the openings to the right hand side of the card and simply let the ends hang.  I used a piece of floral scrapbook paper to cover the back of the openings.  I mounted this large element to the front of a dark brown card.  To finish off the card I added three brown sequins using double sided tape.   For my second card, I used a large star die and them a long reach star punch to create the openings and backed them with gold foil from Ferraro Rocher chocolates.  I added gold embroidery thread and embossed the birthday greeting (SU) in gold.  

It was fun to use a card as inspiration and make it my own using the tools I have on hand.  This sketch is quite versatile as it can be changed up with colour, dies and greetings to accommodate a variety of occasions.    Therese

January Cardmaking - sanded background, thread and a 3D embellishment

Its is time to get back to making cards with friends!!

I started with this fun card that features a sanded background.  I embossed dark peach white core cardstock with the happy birthday embossing folder and then sanded it to reveal the core and give it a wonderful texture as well.  I corner rounded all four corners before wrapping a length of crochet thread around this layer several times and then tying and double knotting the ends over all the wraps to make a focal point.  I cut the ends short so they would be covered by my 3D embellishment.  I glued the wrapped background to a green card front before mounting my little gift embellishment with 3D foam tape.  The little gift was created using a rectangle of serendipity collage to which I tied a length of green crochet thread double knotting it at the top and adding a little bow.  I love how it turned out!!!!   I used aqua white core cardstock for my second card along with brown crochet thread and a serendipity heart in that coordinates.  I added three rhinestones to the heart for a little extra bling.  With no greeting this card can be used for Valentine's, an anniversary or a birthday card for someone you love.  

 A very versatile sketch which can be adapted for any occasion by varying the colour, embossing folder and the 3D embellishment.    Therese

Large anniversary card that features lots of glitter, beautiful ribbon and an oval laser printed greeting

An anniversary card for my sister and her husband.  I started with a large peach envelope and created a dark peach card to fit inside.  I had the dark peach glitter paper sitting on my desk from the last card I made so I decided to see if I could use it for this anniversary card.  I dug through my heart stash and I found the white glitter hear which I rescued off of a different card a while back. That would be perfect!!  I found some dark peach cardstock and traced the heart onto the back and cut it out on the outside of the line with my decorative scallop scissors.  I glued this heart accent to the peach glitter layer and thinking it needed a bit of a focal element I dug through my heart stash some more and found this white heart outline.  Perfect!!  I used a fine tip applicator with white glue in it to adhere it to my white glitter heart.  Continuing the theme I glued this layer to a white rectangle of cardstock and added a beautiful piece of salmon ribbon below it adhering the ends to the back with double sided tape.  I auditioned it on my card and decided to trim the white cardstock just below the ribbon which allowed just enough room for me to add the die cut accents which I had cut from the scraps using a TH label die to be adhered top and bottom.  Excellent!!  I adhered this large element to my peach card front before adding the laser printed oval punchie greeting (Birds cards).  I sponged the edges of the greeting, added a bit of glue below the ribbon to hold it in place before adding the greeting over it usind 3D foam tape.   I added some clear glitter dots with a gel pen to the accent pieces and I was done!!  Love it!!           Therese

Large birthday card that features a butterfly die cut, ribbon and splashes of glitter

I am working on January birthdays and this one is for my youngest sister!! 
I started with peach envelope and created an off white card to fit in it.  I had a used card sitting on my desk that I was inspired to use.  I featured this large die cut opening of a butterfly.  The original card had a string of butterflies mounted in the opening which I removed and strung onto my patio screen and I have enjoyed it for several years there especially in the summer when the breeze was blowing.  I decided to trim one of the large butterflies from the string to use on this card.  I trimmed the panel to fit on my card, added a ribbon across the top and a little laser printed punchie greeting (SU) which I watercolour to coordinate.  I watercoloured the card front in blue to create a background for my butterfly and embossed with D'vine Swirl (CB) embossing folder.  Unfortunately, I was not paying enough attention and it also embossed the outside edge.  I did run a bone folder over the embossing in an effort to remove it.  It worked a bit but I liked this card enough to just forge ahead and make it happen.  I glued my large panel to my embellished card front.  I glued the string to the back and added 3D foam tape before positioning it in the opening over the embossed space.  Love it!!  I added dots of pink glitter glue to coordinate with the antennae and set it aside to dry. I am really pleased with how it turned out!!!!!!!!!  Therese

Anniversary card with a gift wrap background, seam binding and some punchie hearts

I am working on cards for my family's special occasions!!  An anniversary card for my sister!! 
I started with a large blue envelope and made a blue card to fit inside.  I layered on a piece of beautiful gift wrap that coordinated nicely.  Digging through my stash looking for a white heart shaped paper doily I found this wonderful embossed gift wrap and decided to use it instead.  I cut one panel from the piece which was saved off of a gift a while back and layered it with the same cardstock as the card.  I glued it on my card front using glue stick.  I added a length of coordinating vintage seam binding overlapping my little square and a bit offset.  I added two heart punchies (SU) from my stash in silver and one stamped one (SU) in a delicate dot pattern.  I mounted them over the square using 3D foam tape.  The greeting (Bird's Cards) was laser printed and them punched with the large oval punch (SU).  I sponged the edges to coordinate before mounting it below the square with 3D foam tape.  It still needed a bit of something to I tied a short length of seam binding to the one on the card using a single knot.  Nicely simulates a bow and was just what this card needed to finish it off!! It is off to my sister and her DH in today's mail!!!!!  Therese

Large Christmas cards that feature ornament gift wrap, luxurious ribbon and embossed angel images

This is my final set of cards featuring this wonderful ornament gift wrap in reds, kraft and gold!!  For these two I created red cards that fit in large red cards which I picked out of my stash and added the panels of trimmed gift wrap before proceeding.  I added a length of the luxurious gold ribbon to each of them and tucked the ends to the inside securing them with double sided tape.  The images were stamped and embossed a while back and I found them in my stash!!  I ripped their edges, applied a bit of gold pigment ink and then embossed them in gold.  I mounted them to my card fronts using 3D foam tape and overlapped them over the ribbon.   I think the images were stamped in red and gold pigment ink and embossed with clear embossing powder and I really love the textured look of these cards!!     I have sixteen Christmas cards made already this year!!!!!!!!  Therese

Large Christmas cards that feature fun ornament gift wrap, angel images and layered laser printed greetings

Another set of Christmas cards!!!!!!!!!!!!  What fun I have been having!! Stash busting at its best!!

I have chosen large red envelopes from my stash and created red cards that fit in them.  I trimmed the decorative paper from gift wrap that came wrapped around our gifts during this holiday season.  The non creased sections were trimmed out and used to make these backgrounds.    I love the kraft, reds and gold colour combination.  

For the card on the left, I used a stamped angel image (SU) from my stash.  I coloured it with shimmery watercolours in red, brown and gold.  I layered it with gold and red cardstock, mounted it to my embellished card front and added a layered oval greeting with 3D foam tape.  The greeting is laser printed and punched (SU) then layered onto a red scalloped oval punchie (SU).  

For the card on the right, I also used an angel image from my stash.  This one had been stamped and gold embossed which really worked with this paper.  I coloured it with shimmery watercolours in red, gold and brown.  I layered the image in a coordinating dark red cardstock and glued it to my embellished card front.  I mounted a laser printed oval punchie greeting (SU) over a scalloped oval punchie in red and mounted it overlapping my image using 3D foam tape.  It has to be a record to have this many Christmas card made so early in the new year!!    I will try to keep it up so I can have my cards made well in time for Christmas this year!!        Therese

Another couple large Christmas cards that feature stamped & embossed images, gift wrap and textured elements

For the next set of large Christmas cards that feature this wonderful kraft ornament paper I made cards from red cardstock to fit the envelopes and adhered the trimmed decorative paper to them.  For the one on the left, I chose a gold embossed image of three trees (Magenta) from my stash that coordinated with the paper, coloured them with gold shimmery watercolour and distressed the edges all the way around.  I found the stamped greeting in my stash as well.  I trimmed it to size and flagged the right hand side before mounting it to my card front.  I decided to echo the ornament theme by adding a small ornament die cut (SX) which I embellished with a circle punchie which I embossed using an ornament embossing folder. Worked perfectly!!  I added a length of gold embroidery thread to hang it.  I adhered it over the greeting using 3D foam tape and glued the ends of the thread to the inside of the card using double sided tape.  I mounted the image with 3D foam tape to intersect with the thread and the greeting by putting it at a bit of an angle.  

For the one on the right, I used a poinsettia image combined with a tiny greeting (SU) which was gold embossed from my stash.  I used shimmery watercolours to paint the image.  Love the effect!!  I layered it onto coordinating cardstock and mounted it with 3D foam tape over a piece of luxurious gold ribbon which I mounted to the front of my card adhering the ends to the inside using double sided tape.  It has been much fun to create these large cards and using up some of my large envelope stash.   Therese

Large Christmas cards that feature beautiful gift wrap, luxurious ribbon and a layered ornament

I am working on another batch of large Christmas cards using gift wrap that arrived wrapped around our gift this season.  I love this one with its kraft background and the red and gold ornaments.  For these two cards started with the red envelopes and created red cards to fit.  I trimmed the "good" part of the gift wrap and and then cut panels that would fit on my card fronts with a bit of a border all the way around.  I trimmed and mounted lengths of this beautiful gold ribbon which was wrapped around a gift a few years ago and tucked the ends to the inside of the card and secured them with double sided tape.  I found the two ornament die cuts (SX) in my stash along with the Santa die cuts which were leftover from a previous project had been trimmed from used Christmas cards.  I embossed the ornaments with the Swiss Dot embossing folder (CB), gold embossed the top section using gold embossing powder and mounted the Santa images centered on the round part.  I used coordinating crochet thread to create a hanger and secured the ends inside the card using another piece of double sided tape and used 3D foam tape to secure the ornaments to my card front.   The layered greetings were created using items from my stash - stamped Noel (Quietfire Designs) oval punchies which I layered onto red scalloped oval punchies (SU).  I mounted these just to the right of the focal elements and overlapping the ribbon using 3D foam tape.  Really happy with the way these turned out!!!

Therese

Large Christmas cards that feature fun Santas, ribbon and a custom punched greeting

A few more Christmas cards from my pile of leftover Christmas gift wrap.  I was very careful when I unwrapped the gift from my son because I just loved these cute Santas on the silver background.  I managed to get four panels that were not wrinkled so I worked with those.  I chose large envelopes and made white cards to fit.  I cut red cardstock panels for the fronts and then trimmed my panels to fit with a small margin on each side.  I found the greetings in my stash (Desert Diva) so I trimmed them to size and then used the scraps from the red layers to layer them.  I cut the red layer a bit long and trimmed the one end with my Decorative Label punch (SU) by inserting it from the back so I could cut only one edge.  I love the lovely finish it gives to my greetings.  I punched a hole and inserted some black ribbon and adhered the greeting to the front of my card with 3D foam tape featuring one Santa nicely.  Next, I adhered the ends to the back of the panel before gluing this large element to the front of my white card.  Love these cards!!!!!!!!  Therese

Birthday card with an inked background, ribbon and a stamped focal element

I made this card for my sister in law whose birthday has crept up on me so I am sending it off tomorrow with a little prayer that it will arrive in time!!!!! 
I started with a large white envelope and made a white card to fit.  I found an inky background I created a while back using glossy photo paper and found some coordinating cardstock which I trimmed to have even borders on my white card.  The inky background was not going to be tall enough so I just trimmed it a piece off which will allow me to add something in the space.   I die cut an opening in the top portion, stamped a silhouette branch and birds image (SU) in blue ink on white and mounted it behind.  I added a bit of texture with a little squiggly stamp using light gray ink and then mounted my background to the blue layer.   I added a piece of silver satin ribbon in the space I created by cutting off a piece.  I could have trimmed the bottom section a bit wider but I think this works.  I added a punchie (SU) greeting which I had laser printed (Desert Diva) and to balance the words I sponged the bottom edge.  I masked it off with another punchie and applied blue ink until it was fairly dark.  Bonus - it makes the greeting dimensional as well.  I mounted it over the ribbon using 3D foam tape.  Feeling like it still needed a bit of something I added three little clear rhinestones on the ribbon and that worked really well.  Finished!!  In the mail tomorrow!!!            Therese

A large thank you card that features a delicate die cut, ribbon and a beautiful greeting

This card is for a special person who has been integral in getting a project I have been a part of off the ground by donating his precious time. 
I started with a large envelope and cut an ivory card to fit inside.  I found some scraps of this beautiful colour printed decorative paper (Morgue File) which I cut up and mounted to a layer of brown cardstock just a little smaller than my card front.  I die cut this embossed border (Spellbinders) and threaded through a coordinating green ribbon and adhered the ends to the back using double sided tape.  I added clear rhinestones to the top of each embossed section.  The greeting is one I created with the NOEL font and laser printed.  I trimmed it to size and then watercoloured the letters in green.  I mounted the greeting to a piece of the same brown cardstock I used for the background and mounted it using 3D foam tape.  I adhered this large layer to my ivory card front.  Very pleased with how this worked out!!  Most appreciate it when others offer their help with time and resources!!!  Therese

Subtle neutral background embellished with gold embossed mesh and a twine nest

 Have been working with a few others on a project for a while and we are now almost finished.  I have made this card for one of the people who have donated time and materials to help us get this project off the ground. 
I started with a large envelope and cut an ivory card to fit inside.  I mounted two scraps of this beautiful gray and pale yellow decorative paper (SU) on the front.  I trimmed a scrap of brown cardstock to size, distressed the top and bottom and then added a piece of gold embossed mesh to it using four square brads in gold.  I mounted this element over where the two pieces joined on the front.  The laser printed greeting punchie (Bird's Cards) I found in my stash and sponged the edge with a bit of brown ink and then mounted it to a kraft scalloped circle punchie (Nestibilities).  I added double sided tape to the back and then wound some kraft cording and gold embroidery thread all around it anchoring them when I could to the back of the greeting.  I added two strips of 3D foam tape to the back and mounted it over the accent strip leaving the "nest" of fiber to find its best place.  Feeling that the edges needed a bit more definition I used a gold gel pen and added faux stitching all around the edges.  That was better!!!   Nothing can really replace a handmade card when you are expressing your appreciation for what others have done for you!!!!!   Therese

Christmas cards that feature gift wrap from this season along with some small greetings

 Having decided that I will be using my supply of non A2 cards for my personal cards this year I have started on the pile of beautiful gift wrap which came with our gifts this year.   I love the fun vintage vehicle one which was floating around at our Christmas gathering this year.  It was very cool!!  I made two cards with that one.  Just added a coordinating layer, gray ribbon and a small layered greeting.  The other two were created from a lovely barn board paper using small gift

 tag elements which came on some of the gifts.  For the top one I die cut the greeting, layered it onto a label and used the front of the tag with the little toque as the main focal element.  Added a bit of stamping and some faux stitching to them before mounting them over the gray ribbon.  For the lower one, I used some coordinating twine I found in my stash and made a bit of nest gluing the ends in the middle and positioned the little greeting over it using 3D foam tape. 

I have a few more pieces of great gift wrap just sitting there waiting to be made up into cards.  I love thse cards!!           Therese

Fun cards that feature an embossed grid filled with hearts and flowers

For my exchange cards this month I decided to work with elements in a grid.  For the card on the left I chose a large envelope and created a white card to fit inside.  I trimmed a pink layer and then used my scoring tool to create a grid of squares.  I picked a piece of scrapbook paper than coordinated and cut 24 little hearts from it using a die (CB).  I positioned the hearts as I cut them and then rearranged a few until I was happy with the layout before gluing them into position.  I found a small greeting in my stash and mounted it with 3D foam tape of the middle of one of the hearts.  Pink and green is one of my favorite colour combinations so I love this card.  For the card on the right, I created the grid right on the white card front which was a bit more challenging because of how large the cardstock was but with a bit of flipping and being careful not to go too far I managed to get the diamond grid made.  I chose these fun flower punchies from my stash and again laid them all out before I glued them into place.  I added iridescent glitter glue to their centers and left them to dry.  I layered this cute greeting (Desert Diva) onto green and then pink which works really well with the flowers.  Once the centers were dry I added a length of blue ribbon and added my greeting over it using 3D foam tape.  I tied a short piece to the left hand side with a single knot to simulate a bow.  These will be off to my partners this week.        Therese

Little cards that feature serendipity die cut labels, blue felt die cuts and silver embellishments

I have decided to use my supply of non A2 envelopes in the making of cards for my personal use this year.  I am using the cute little turquoise ones that were donated to me last year for these.  I made this set  before Christmas.  For these ones I embossed the front using all different embossing folders.  I did cut a piece of mat board to size in order emboss a framed rectangle.  Did not work as well as I would have liked but the edges are softer which works as well.  I used the remaining piece of turquoise serendipity paper I created for the last set and was able to cut all the labels (SX) I needed from it.  Next, I cut white ovals (Nestibilities) that fit perfectly on the labels.  I decorated each oval with some fun elements which I cut from blue felt scraps.  I die cut flowers (CB) from the felt and embellished them with some swirls and leaves (CB) which I cut from green cardstock.  I added silver sequins to the middle of the flowers using silver brads.  I tapped the first one with the hammer to make sure the tangs were well seated and I dimpled the dome.  Decided that I liked the look so did all the others the same.  For the heart ones, I die cut a smaller heart from foil cardstock and attached them together with small coloured staples.  I glued the flowers and hearts to the ovals and then adhered those elements to the labels before adhering these large elements to my embossed card fronts using 3D foam tape.  Pretty happy with how these worked out.  I will be using these for thanking those who blessed with gifts over the holiday season!!           Therese

First Birthday card of the new year

My brother's birthday is in early January and I should really learn to make his card in early December so it is ready to be mailed to arrive on time.  I am hoping it made it this year!!!  I used a piece of scrap paper which I created in an effort to not waste paint when I was working on other projects this past year.  I just haul out a piece of white paper and keep adding paint until I am happy with it.  Sometimes it takes several sessions to get it to be "right".  I cut the paper to size, layered onto orange and then onto a large white card.  I am hoping to make good use of my large envelopes this year in the creation of my family cards.  I added a sign post (TH) which I die cut from white core black card, embossed and then sanded a bit to age it.  It still needed a bit of something so I added some silver ink which did the trick.  I used kraft cording to tie the chalkboard greeting to the sign and then glued this large element to my card front.  I used 3D foam tape behind the greeting to give it a bit of dimension.  Love the colours of this one!!          Therese