Christmas cards featuring large snowflakes layered with smaller ones and greetings

For these two cards I cut one piece of white cardstock  4.25"x 5.5" using a large snowflake die (SU).  Having carefully situated the paper on the die I was able to use both pieces - the die cut snowflake and the opening it created in the piece of white cardstock.  

The first card features the snowflake die cut which I sponged a bit on the outside edges with blue ink.  I added regular tape to the back of the openings on the ends  and applied blue glitter from the front which nicely fills them with blingy colour.  I dug through my stash of precut snowflakes and found a medium sized one which worked so I sponged its extremities as well.  I added a blue snowflake sequin and adhered all of them together using a silver brad.  I adhered it to a navy blue flecked card and added a greeting below.  The greeting is laser printed, has a flagged end and was glittered all the way around with the same glitter used on the snowflake.  I used double sided tape on the ends and a piece of 3D foam tape in the middle and added it to my card for finish it off.  Love that navy flecked cardstock as it creates a night sky in a minute!!     

For the second card, I used the piece of white cardstock which had the opening in it.  I trimmed it to 4" x 5.25" and mounted a very bright orange yellow and pink background which I created using alcohol and ink from leftover in the inkjet cartridges when we changed them out last time.  Love the contrast and how well the snowflake opening is highlighted.  I layered a pink round sequin, an orange flower sequin, a gold snowflake sequin and a fabric snowflake to create the 3D embellishment for the center which I mounted with a tiny white brad.  I found this stamped greeting in my stash, trimmed it to size and sponged its edges.  Next, I sponged the edges of the white layer to coordinate with the greeting and mounted this large element to the front of an orange card.  Added the greeting below the snowflake using double sided tape.  Love this card with its non traditional colour scheme!!    Therese

Exchange cards for my swap partners featuring glossy backgrounds, sequins and large laser printed greetings

 I made up card kits for my exchange cards this month!  They both feature some bright glossy backgrounds which I made with glossy photo paper and inks.  I used a variety of dies to cut pieces for these cards.  The large greetings (Desert Diva) were printed on white cardstock and trimmed to size. I embossed them both manually with different embossing folders.  I added faux stitching to first one and used my tracing wheel to add some texture to the second one.  The elements were assembled and mounted to coordinating cards.  I added the sequins using tiny pieces of double sided tape.  You can check the others here.  They will be on their way tomorrow!!           Therese

An all occasion card with a beautiful butterfly

Still working on cards for my stash!!  I started with this beautiful butterfly (Pixabay) which I colour printed on white carsdstock and trimmed. I layered it onto brown cardstock and then while rummaging in my background stash I found this one created using inks which worked really well. After trimming it to size I tied on a piece of coordinating ribbon and glued it to a coordinating card front.  I adhered my large focal element using 3D foam tape and positioned it over the ribbon.  I tied a short piece of ribbon to the one on the card using a single knot to simulate a bow.  Would work well as a sympathy card or for any occasion for a butterfly lover!!
Therese

Get well card with embossing

Another card for my stash using an alcohol ink polished stone background to which I added an embossed floral image (SU) in silver.  I chose a steel blue layer, punched out a scallop circle before I embossed it with a floral embossing folder (SU),  then sponged the edges with dark blue and layered it onto a deep yellow card front. I glued the focal image over the embossed layer which covered the hole I had created.  I sponged the scallop circle (SU) with some dark blue ink, pierced the scallops with a push pin and added a laser printed punchie greeting (Bird's Cards). Once I added to it the card with 3D foam tape I thought it needed a bit of something so I added yellow watercolour to the outside frame of the greeting.  That was better!!

Having fun creating some unique cards!

Therese

Another Thinking of you card

I made this card for the daughter of my friend. They are both cardmakers and she had surgery last week so I wanted to send her card with a springy feel!!  I thought this little umbrella (Broken Box Stock) would be perfect!!  I laser printed it, cut it using Nestibilities - Ovals and then watercoloured it.  I layered it over a blue oval and before I glued them together I punched the backer for my greeting (SU - Modern Label) out of the middle of the oval.  Doing it this way ensures that the layers always coordinate.
I used an alcohol ink/glossy paper background from my stash which I created when I was playing with markers a while back.  It was a bit sparse around the edges so I used a random background stamp to add a bit of colour to the edges and then stamped bubbles using a blue green ink all over the background.  I trimmed it to 4" x 5.25" and layered it onto a turquoise card front.  I cut a label (SX) from yellow cardstock, trimmed the sides off and then embossed it with a bubbles embossing folder.  I added a piece of white gros grain ribbon across the middle using double sided tape to adhere the ends to the back of the layer.  I adhered this piece to the top section of my card over my background.  I adhered my oval focal element over the ribbon using 3D foam tape.  I adhered the laser printed greeting (SU - Word Window) over the blue label punchie and adhered it to my card front just to the right and below my focal element.  This sketch is a slight modification from these kits which I created for my last card class in March.
I hope she is feeling better and that all went well with the surgery!

Therese

Foiled background and die cut acetate dragonfly!

We are hosting a Greek Feast this week and I wanted a beautiful card to give to our chef!  She offered her services for this feast to a fundraiser which was hosted earlier this year and we have just scheduled this culinary feast for this week!! She is a great cook so we know we are in for a treat.  We have invited a few friends  - it will be a fun evening!!
I created the pieces I used in this background years ago for an ATC activity.  The aluminum foil tape was adhered to strips of lightweight cardstock, coloured using alcohol inks and embossed with a script embossing folder!!    I cut the strips into pieces and started creating a mosaic by gluing the pieces to a black layer leaving a thin border all the way around.  I really like the look of it with the blues and greens all mixed together.  I chose this die cut "thanks" greeting which I created a while back and rounded the corners.  I was looking for a really nice 3D piece to use as an focal element.  I found this dragonfly die cut (SX) in my butterfly collection.  Its colours worked so well and it was just the right size to work with the greeting as well.  I used double sided tape to glue its body to the embossed background and added two tiny black brads for its eyes.  I added the greeting with double sided tape as well and then glued this large element to the front of a blue card.  I am really loving the 3D effect of this card.  The acetate dragonfly die cut was coloured with transparent acrylic paint which I created for a project a while back. Actually, way back in 2010, for a class I was teaching at the time at a local school!!  Time flies!!

Therese

Paper bead art charms!

 I am participating in a "3 for 3"personal swap with a member of one of my groups, Art Charms. The theme for this swap was Paper Beads.  I decided to expand on the paper bead idea and came up with three different charms.
For these on the left, I cut silver foil card using the Tattered Flowers (TH SX) die being sure to flip my paper so I could glue them back to back!!  I cut a middle layer out of regular cardstock and trimmed out a sliver so I could insert my double eye pin which I created using silver papers clips which you can see below.  Once the glue was dry I applied alcohol inks to first one side than the other and also did the edges.  I love the look!!!! I created danglies for them using head pins and E beads.

 For these charms, I used chipboard circles which I sliced in half, trimmed out a little section for the head pin and glued them back together!!  I coloured both sides and the edges using Sharpie markers and punched 3/4" circles from decorative paper then glued one to each side.  I love the dynamic look of this alcohol ink paper !!  Used the rest of it on one of  these cards.  I added a black initial on each side and finished them off with matte sealer.

I glued a small piece of decorative paper to a rectangle of regular white paper and rolled these beads on thick wire so that the decorative paper would be on the outside.  Does not require a very big piece to cover the outside of a bead and that is the only place it really shows.  I trimmed them to size, coloured the ends with a Sharpie, inserted my eye pin and created a loop on the other end.  I added little pieces of washi tape to decorate the outside and created coordinating danglies from head pins and E beads.

You can see here that I used pliers to straighten a paper clip, created loops on each end and then cut them in half.  They were plenty long enough to create my art charms.
These were very fun to make!!!!  I am stringing a metal penchant chain to the inside of a frame and will be showcasing my swapped art charms in it!!

Therese

Art Charms - houses & hearts

Art charms for two special people!!  On my Art Charms group the moderator is putting together a gift for daughters of a former member and I decided to participate.  We were to create house or heart charms so I decided to make two of each.  

The base of the heart charms is wooden heart shapes. I painted them red, stamped them in black using the heart stamp I used for this card and then embossed them several times with clear embossing powder.  I drilled a hole and added a jump ring. Changed it up a bit for the house charms.  I cut two wood shapes from thin strips of scrap wood for each charm using my exacto knife and sanded them so they would fit together nicely.  I laid an eye pin on one of them and hit it gently with a hammer to indent the wood so they would glue up nicely.  I used multi purpose glue and clamped them with bull clips until they were dry.  I covered one in printed tissue paper (came wrapped around a bottle) using the same glue as before.  Once it was dry, I sponged the edges with brown and then black ink.  I added a silver heart using a glue dot.  Thinking it needed a bit of anchoring I cut down a flat head pin so I could use it like a nail to attach the heart.  I coloured the head with a black sharpie.  I wrote HOME on the front and "a house with heart" on the back.  For the other house charm, I used an alcohol ink background and trimmed two pieces to fit the back and the front.  I coloured the edges of the wood charm using a black Sharpie and then glued my little rectangles in place.  I added a dimensional silver heart charm on this one and also used a cut down head pin as a nail to finish it off.  Used the same technique for adding the words.  

These are headed to the moderator in the next couple of days.  It was really fun creating these.  I have heard from a few in the group that they display their charms on a chain in their craft space.  What a good idea!!  My last swap partner put lobster claws on her charms so they could easily be attached and removed.  I thought that was a really good idea.  I need to source them out here for my next swap.  

Therese

Cards with die cut layers and full backgrounds

Have been pondering making cards with this technique for a while and after a discussion this weekend with my sister, I thought I would give it a try!!
I found some backgrounds in my stash - two alcohol inks on glossy and two all over watercolours.  I colour printed greetings that coordinated with the colours of my backgrounds onto white cardstock and trimmed them down to quarter sheets.  Next, I wanted to die cut holes in them which would allow my backgrounds to show through.

Cutting the holes is more difficult when the shapes are combined on one die which is the case with all of these images (SX and SU).   I cut the lower heart first and was unsuccessful at getting only the one die cut which I why I had to add another heart to it.  It is covering the extra cut.
For the others, I cut as much as I could using a small cutting pad (part of a broken cutting plate) and finished off the cut by hitting a cutting plate with a hammer to apply pressure only where I wanted to cut.  This worked reasonably well.
If the dies had been individual ones or framelits this would not have been an issue and the process would have been much neater and faster.  After cutting the openings I embossed the layers using several embossing folders and trimmed them down to fit over the backgrounds leaving a bit showing all the way around.  I used double sided tape to adhere them to the backgrounds and then glued these elements to coordinating card fronts.  I am pretty happy with the results though I will consider acquiring more individual dies for this technique to make it more time efficient.
A few more cards to add to my stash!
Therese

February card exchange cards with hearts

I made these two cards for my February Card Exchange.  I started with an alcohol ink background that I had stamped over with black ink.  It is on the top of the pile here. I added a few more images to fill it out and then cut it in half.  I layered each piece onto black cardstock and added a slim strip of black cardstock across the middle.  On the left hand card I also added a length of black 1/8" ribbon tied with one knot.  I created the hearts using scallopped die cuts I had received from my Secret Sister that were covered with Sookwang tape.  I added the little hearts in the center of the tape and applied red glitter to the rest of them.  That worked out very well.  I mounted them to the alcohol ink pieces using 3D foam tape.  I worked out my designs, stamped the red card fronts in black with a script stamp, added two quarters of a little white doily to each card and then mounted my main alcohol ink elements to my card fronts.  It was fun to create one portrait and one landscape!!  

Therese

Shabby chic card

I made this card for my Secret Sister on one of my groups earlier this year and scheduled it to appear here now that she knows who I am!!
I started with a taupe card and when I was finished it I signed my name on the back!!!!!!!!!!   Bummer, I cut the front off the card and remounted it to a warm blue card front and found a larger envelope to put it in!!!
I stamped the taupe card with a flourish background stamp (IO) in a blue green colour. I mounted over that a element I created that features a layered flower and some lace.  I used a backer that came with Prima Flowers as a base. I trimmed the top using a label die (TH) and a partial cutting plate in my Big Kick.
Having a partial plate allows you to position your plate therefore only cutting certain parts of a die!! I really like having that flexibility. Where did I get a partial plate??  It is the remnants of a full plate that broke in two pieces so in effect I have two partial plates!!
I distressed the outer edge, stippled the edges in several colours and then sponged on a bit of brown.  I added a short piece of lace across about two thirds down and attached the ends on the back using double sided tape.  I used the Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers die and cut the large one from an alcohol ink background that coordinated, a smaller one from gold coloured vellum and the smaller one from the scrap I cut off the top of the Prima packaging.  I added a button brad to hold them all together which I distressed with a green Sharpie marker.  I attached the layered flower to the layer using double sided tape and stamped a greeting below the lace using a clear stamp set in a blue green ink.
It is a little out of my ordinary in regards to style but I am trying to do create cards that will not give me away!!

Therese

Red and gold birthday card

Another card for my stash!  I started with a dark brown card front onto which I mounted a red layer which I stamped with a word background stamp (TH).  I found this warm coloured alcohol ink background which I also stamped with the same background stamp using red ink.  In my stash, I found this serendipity label which was left over from this card.  I layered an oval greeting over it which I had sponged with yellow ink to coordinate with the colours in the serendipity.  It still needed just a bit of something so I added red in the scrolly part using a bit of watercolour.  Just what it needed.
I started by mounting the alcohol ink background to the left of my card front and then added the ribbon across the middle of the card gluing both ends to the inside of the card using double sided tape.  I adhered the label/oval element to the card front with its center aligned with the right hand edge of the background piece.  I tied on a short piece of ribbon to the left of that which nicely simulates a bow.
Therese

4x4 art card!

For a swap on one of my groups I needed an alcohol ink background so I played a bit and ended up with a few.  I created these cards as well as these while I was playing.
I decided to doodle some funky flowers for my 4x4 art card.  I love the bright colours of this background and thought the funky flowers would show it off nicely.  I started by tracing the shape of the button on the background and doodled my flowers from there using fine tipped Sharpies in several different colours. I used black to create the stems and the border as well as a couple of layers on my flowers.  The buttons are colour printed and punched out - I like the way they look so real!!  I punched the holes out, sewed in some coordinating thread and used half inch glue dots to attach them to the center of my flowers!!  I am loving the contrast between my plain paper buttons and the bright glossy background.  If you are interested in making some 4x4 art cards I would recommend checking out Joggles art card video!! This one will be on its way to my partner in the next couple of days!!

Therese

Doodled alcohol ink backgrounds on cards

The card on the right was left partially assembled on my work surface after making these Bokeh cards.  I found it as I was trying to find enough space to create today so I finished it off!!  I layered a stamped butterfly punchie (SU) over a white one and tied them together with silver cord to create my focal element.  It works out well that the ends of the cord creates antenna for the butterfly.  I added a dotted trail below the butterfly using coloured fine tip Sharpies, trimmed and sponged my greeting and adhered it in place over the trail using 3D foam tape.  Another card for my stash.  

I do love those alcohol ink backgrounds!!  

The card on the left I will be using for my card exchange and features another alcohol ink background onto which I doodled with gel pens - several colours of blue and both a thick and fine nibbed white one.  I created some flowers and added an uneven doodled border.  I added a white punched border that features dots and flowers which I backed with some blue metallic paper trimmed to the edge of the border.  I layered this element to a dark blue purple card front and added an embellished colour printed greeting punchie (SU).  

Therese

Cards with alcohol ink backgrounds!

I am working on a swap that needs an alcohol ink background so I thought I would play around a bit and see what I could come up with.  While I was playing I came up with what I needed for my swap and made a few other cards as well.  Above on the left, a Christmas card.  I created the background by using my busted baster to create circles in green and red on the light red alcohol background.  I also added some thinner red lines using several size of lids which I have been saving out of the recycle bin.    I stamped my greeting in green and to give it a bit of punch I decided to add a bit of a bokeh effect by adding white pigment ink from my Brilliance Moonlight stamp pad sponged through several different sizes of circle stencil.  I stitched it to a red layer.  It has four embossed ornaments on the left hand side which I had to do by hand (hammer on a sturdy surface) because the orientation is wrong to get the whole thing to run through my Big Kick.  I added an embossed line around the rest of the main element using my scoring tool (MS).  

This adds one to my current count of 82 giving me 83 Christmas cards ready for this holiday season!!  

On the right, I added some thin red circles (lids), some solid circles (foam stamp) in red and yellow  and a bit of bokeh (Brilliance Moonlight ink) to this alcohol ink background.  I inked the leaf stamp using yellow, red and green ink and stamped it onto the 4x4 background.  I reinked it four more times and stamped it around the first image.  I added two orange strips which were embossed with a wood grain embossing folder and sponged with brown ink.  I added a colour printed greeting layered onto dark brown over several lengths of unraveled hemp cord.  

Really happy with these cards!!  I believe that the leaf stamp had never been inked before!!  I will be using the leaf one for my card exchange!  

Therese

Cards using ATCs

 On Saturday, World Card Making Day, I spent some time in my craft room making some cards for donation.  I decided to work with my stash of ATCs which usually makes the creation of a card quick and easy!!
These two embossed metal heart ATCs are ones I created years ago for trading.  You can read more about them here!!  I added a layer to each of them (black on left, orange on right), added them to red card fronts and stamped greetings.

I used alcohol backgrounds on both of these cards and ATCs from my collection!
I added a bit of script on the left hand one before I adhered the ATC along with a flagged greeting.

I love this ATC - a bit of a sewing theme!!  I adhered the ATC to the card front and stamped a small greeting on the right hand corner.  Love it!!

For the one on the left I added a multi layer background and a yellow one before I layered the ATC element onto the coordinating alcohol ink background and rust card front.  I added a small stamped greeting to the right hand corner.

For a friend who needs to know that we are thinking of you her I have created an angel card using an ATC I created years ago for trading. You can check out the details here!  I stamped the greeting on the watercolour background first, added it to my blue card front and then adhered my angel ATC equidistant from the top left hand corner.  I like the way the colours coordinate so nicely!!  I hope my little angel will be a comfort to her while she heals!!

Therese

Alcohol ink & ATC birthday card

This card features an ATC I made a few years ago.  I had these scraps of alcohol ink background left over from a "make & take" at the local scrapbook store - Scrapbook Lane - which is located in the Pharmasave in town!!
I cut some of the scraps into 1" squares and glued them down the two sides of a black card front and then measured the space in between and cut two pieces for top and bottom to complete the frame.  I added the ATC in the center using 3D foam tape.
The ATC was created using a slide mount (SX), an image printed on transparency, an alcohol ink background and a quote handwritten with a silver gel pen.  You can check out the details here.
I stamped the tiny greeting (SU) just below the ATC using black ink.
I love the vibrancy of this card!!

Therese

Washi tape Collage card!!

Our god daughter has a birthday next week and I made her a wahsi tape collage card!!  Super happy with how this one turned out!!  I started with an alcohol ink background  which I had sitting on my desk from a fun day with my sister.  I had stamped it with a script stamp but they had overlapped a bit and made it a bit darker which I found distracted from the whole.  So, I just covered it with washi tape!!  I used a whole strip of the diagonal black and white design which very nicely started a trend so I continued with some pink and polka dots and then a piece of checker next to that on both the top and the bottom!! It was working out well!! I then mounted it to a black card front.  I dug a checkered heart ( Meljens)  from my image stash and watercoloured it to coordinate, added some glittery details with a pink gel pen, fussy cut it out and added it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  I watercoloured my laser printed greeting (CLKER) and thought it needed just a bit of something so I added some pink heart punchies below it!  Just what it needed!!
I have not created a collage card in quite a while and think I will have to try the technique more often!!  It was fun to play with all the elements to make a pleasing design!

Therese

A couple more ATC cards!

Here are a couple more cards I created using ATCs from my collection!!
The one on the left features a beautiful koi fish image that was quite glittery.  I layered it over an alcohol ink background I made a while back adding a rust and blue layer along with a flagged strip with blue rhinestones which were coloured with a sharpie marker!!
On the right I layered the leaf ATC onto another alcohol ink background which I bokehed and stamped with a flourish in red.  I added the flagged greeting that coordinated in colour.
These are quick and easy cards because the focal elements are ready to go!!
How many ATCs have you collected?  Do you have them put away or on display? Do you think you will convert some into other projects like cards?

Therese

Alcohol ink play!

It has been a couple of weeks since I went and played with alcohol inks with my sister while she was on holidays!!! Time is flying by!!  We had a wonderful day!  I demoed the "Polished Stone" technique and we made several sheets.  We also played with applying the ink in several different patterns - swirls, plaid, stripes, etc. - each attempt created very different backgrounds. We worked on both glossy cardstock and photo paper. The ink was absorbed differently between those two but both worked well.

 I came home with a pile of paper along with a variety of embellishments too.  We applied alcohol inks to foiled card, foil tape, plastic buttons and charms, plastic die cuts, tiles, etc.  It was a fun creative day and it was great to spend time with my sister and her friends.
Therese