Birthday card featuring letter scrapbook paper, ribbon and a greeting with a paper button

My youngest granddaugther is so looking forward to school so I added bold letters to her birthday card!!  I decided to try the slimline card style using a #8 envelope which are common and available locally.  I created a yellow card to fit inside.  The scrapbook paper was a strip of letters so I cut it in two and stacked them.  I added a yellow ribbon over where they join and secured the ends to the back before adding it to my yellow card front.  I found a coordinating greeting in my stash, sponged its edges and added a little brown paper button (CB die cut) with gold string tied to it.  I mounted the greeting over the ribbon and then tied a short piece of ribbon to the one on the card to simulate a bow.  

Thinking of you card featuring a die cut opening of a dragonfly, a pieced collage background of paper scraps and a punchie greeting

We have a friend who had surgery this week after a couple of postponements.  A good thing!! 

I started with a blue card which I created to fit in a large envelope from my stash.  I pieced a paper collage of blue and pink paper scraps for my background and adhered to my card.  Love doing this!!

I attached them using regular tape on the back.  For my focal element I cut a square of blue cardstock, die cut the dragonfly, backed it with foil gift wrap and then added some texture using my pattern tracing wheel before mounting it over my background using 3D foam tape. The greeting was colour printed on gray, layered onto a white circle and then onto a pink scalloped circle (SU).  I pierced all the scallops with a push pin before mounting it to my card using 3D foam tape.  

It will brighten her day!!

Therese

Exchange card featuring masterboard background, embossed die cut butterfly and a little font greeting

Here is the first card I made with the masterboard I created a few days ago.  I trimmed the masterboard into 6 pieces and cut a blue layer of cardstock the same size as one of the pieces.  I laid them onto each other and aligned them over the butterfly on my large Sizzix die and to avoid cutting off pieces due to the proximity of the other dies I carefully positioned my small cutting plate (broken pieces) over the area I wanted to cut.  I did get a tiny cut on the lower left hand side which is covered by the greeting on my card.  I embossed the blue butterfly for this card and then added a black die cut body (on the same die) which I trimmed to the perforated edge.  I placed the butterfly into the opening of the masterboard piece and used regular tape to adhere the body of the butterfly to the back of the master board layer which allows the wings to be raised a bit to add dimension.  I decided to use a large envelope and made a kraft card to fit inside.  I added a blue colour printed background which had previously been stamped with a random texture background in a light green which worked very well with this focal element.  After adhering the background to my card front I added a strip of green cardstock to which I had added a length of narrow black ribbon gluing the ends to the back of the layer before adhering to my card front.  I auditioned my butterfly element and decided to add black to the edges to help frame it.  I ran a black permanent marker on all the edges.  That was much better!  I adhered this large element to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Finally, I added a small rectangular font greeting in blue to the bottom right corner.  I flagged the right hand edge and added three little dots with a black permanent marker on the left hand edge.  I like the way this one turned out.  One of my exchange cards ready to go!!

Therese

Christmas card featuring a nativity die cut, ribbon, a punchie star and gold embossed Merry christmas on gift wrap aqua and gold background

I am working at getting a few more Christmas cards made with these aqua and gold gift wrap backgrounds.  I cut the nativity wide this time and got a much large scene, gold embossed the greeting on the bottom section,  added a gold ribbon with a tie and then ran my tracing wheel a couple of times across the bottom.  I adhered the background to an ivory card and then mounted the large element I created over it.  Added a little gold star punchie over the stable to finish it off!!

Therese

Christmas cards featuring aqua and gold gift wrap, die cut Nativity and gold embossed greetings

These cards feature the last piece of gift wrap I have to turn into cards!!! Is it a wood grain in gold and light aqua which I have been mulling over exactly how I would use it!!  I started by digging out some aqua cardstock which I have had for a while and worked really well with this paper.  I die cut two nativities (Taylored Expressions) leaving a length of cardstock below.  I trimmed off the star and gold embossed the greetings on the bottom section.  I trimmed the bottom edges using decorative scissors.  I selectively embossed the middle section on the first card using a wood grain embossing folder and then added a length of gold ribbon.  I added a wider ribbon with a tie to the second card without any dry embossing.  I mounted the trimmed gift wrap backgrounds to ivory card fronts and then mounted the large elements I created over it.  I punched little star from gold metallic card (packaging) and adhered them in place over the stable.    Happy with how these turned out! Have a few more to go!!        NOTE:  Creating these during our self isolation during the Covid 19 panemic.     Therese

Christmas cards featuring a JOY ornament die cut, metallic paper, decorative paper and thread hangers

 Another batch of Christmas cards featuring these red ornaments I cut a while back.  I coupled the ornaments with metallic/pearly papers.  Some are very bright metallic foils and others have a more subtle metallic/shimmery finish.  The ornaments were die cut with a Sizzix ornament die from red cardstock scraps.  I added metallic/shimmery accents - an oval behind the JOY (TH-SX) and on the ornament topper cut, trimmed and glued in place.  The oval is cut using an oval Nestibilities which is just the right size to fit behind the word!  Love it!!!!  The cards all have scrapbook paper backgrounds which I discovered in my stash of scraps.  Very happy to have another few Christmas cards made up.  I am keeping my commitment of getting my cards made before I need them in November!!

Therese

Anniversary card featuring decorative paper hearts, a stamped greeting and some sponging

This is my second attempt with this card sketch.  I used rectangles last time and because I needed an anniversary card I decided to use hearts for this card.  I created a green card for fit in my large envelope.  I trimmed a subtle green background paper to fit on the front with an even border and then stamped my greeting in the upper portion in green ink.  I then checked out my hearts stash and found a good selection of  heart punchies and die cuts that coordinated with my green card and background to go ahead.  I laid out the top row first and found that the fact that they were pointy on the bottom did not create a strong line to help highlight the green as was the case on my other card.  I decided to trim the hearts a little to help create a line and then was pleased that it helped this set of elements stay within my decorative paper on the top edge.  Next time, I will find/create my elements before I stamp the greeting to ensure I have the distance I need between the greeting and the edge.  I turned over my background and created another row of hearts for my bottom edge.  Once they were both adhered to my background I glued this large element to my card front.  Still not completely happy with the bottom edge of my hearts I decided to add a bit of sponging on the bottom of the hearts to reinforce the idea of a line.  I positioned a mask on the bottom edge of the hearts and sponged a bit of green ink.  That was definitely better.  Next time I will sponge the ink first and then glue my elements over the sponged area.  I really like the interaction of the heart shapes on this card and am happy with how it turned out.  Will continue to play with this sketch because it is so interesting how the elements affect the design.  Makes me wonder how long those who created my inspiration cards took to get their beautiful creations!!
Therese

All occasion card featuring decorative paper and serendipity heart with a fiber bow

For my oldest daughter I am sending her this very cute all occasion card!!!!!!!!  I started with a small envelope and made a green card to fit inside.  I added a piece of colour printed decorative paper which I printed off a while back with strips of colour and a leafy pattern.  I punched a coordinating serendipity heart  and added a bright yellow layered heart (SU diecut).  I adhered it to the card front using 3D foam taper and then added the little turquoise bow using a small piece of glue dot.  I love the simplicity of this design!!!         Therese

Christmas cards featuring glittery pinecone backgrounds, die cut ornaments and silver foil accents

Made these Christmas cards using the last of this beautiful glittery pine cone gift wrap which arrived over the holiday season wrapped around one of our gifts.  I mounted the backgrounds to red cards.  I die cut the ornaments (SX) and then die cut the word (TH) out of the middle section.  These are not coordinating dies but they worked out really well.  Next, I dug out my oval Nestibilities to see if I would be fortunate enough to find one of them that would cut an oval appropriate for filling in the opening.  Yes, there is one that does the job perfectly!!!  I cut the ovals from silver foil and also cut the top of the ornament as well.  I trimmed the tops and used white glue to adhere them to the ornaments.  I used regular tape to adhere the ovals to the back of the the ornaments.  I added white thread hangers to them which I secured on the inside of the cards using regular tape as well and then used 3D foam tape to mount the ornaments to the card fronts.   Really happy to have a few more cards for my stash!    Therese

NOTE:  I am staying home as much as I can during the Covid 19 pandemic in hopes of not getting sick.  It has been nice to get ahead on Christmas cards during this time.  

Birthday card from a kit featuring a die cut doily, a cake image and a layered greeting

Finishing up the card kits from my September  card making class. I modified some the elements from this kit - I cut a doily (SX) from the circle, die cut the cake image (Black Berry Jelly) using Nestibilities and changed up the greeting and tied on the ribbon.  I mounted the background to my blue card, added the doily using double sided tape in the solid center and then mounted the watercoloured image centered over it using 3D foam tape.  I did add clear glitter for the icing and on the flames of the cake and sponged the edges in blue.  I found this long greeting in my stash, flagged the end, layered it with a coordinating blue cardstock and tied on the green ribbon on the left hand side.  I mounted it with 3D foam tape as well below the doily.

Therese

Christmas cards featuring red and blue plaid paper, a variety of images & greetings and some ribbon

I am committed to making Christmas card regularly over the course of this year so I will have them ready by December when I need to have them mailed out.  I decided to use up a piece of foil gift wrap that was around one of our gifts this past season.  It is a red and navy plaid so I just cut what was usable from the piece and got eight 3.75" squares.  I found cardstock that coordindated  - one red and one navy and cut eight cards and the corresponding navy layers for each card.  I dug through my Christmasimage stash and found a few that would work with this sketch and colour scheme.  I also dug through my stash of Christmas greetings and found some that would also work.  I created the cards one at a time after that.

The first one features a Melonheadz image of Santa and the baby Jesus.  I trimmed the image into a square, watercoloured it and added faux stitching all the way around using a permanent marker.  I mounted the navy layer to the red card, added the plaid paper square then mounted the image over the paper using 3D foam tape.  I added a strip of the same red cardstock below the image and mounted my laser printed greeting over it using 3D foam tape.
The second one has a similar sketch.  I added a length of white seam binding to the navy/plaid paper layer before mounting my sleigh image (Black Berry Jelly) with 3D foam tape.  It is watercoloured, glittered and layered with navy cardstock. The greeting is stamped in blue, layered on red and flagged on the right hand side and mounted with 3D foam tape.
The third one features a snowman paper cast which I made a long while back to which I added a little turquoise snowflake with a tiny silver brad.  The paper has turquoise lines which only show when you look at it from an angle.  The laser printed greeting is layered with red, has a folded ribbon on the right hand side and is mounted below the focal image with 3D foam tape.
The fourth one is a bit of a departure from the sketch.  Because the image was larger I tore the square in two and mounted the two pieces to the top and bottom of the navy layer.  I watercoloured the angel (SU) and ran the tracing wheel on all the edges before mounting it to the layer with 3D foam tape.  I punched a Modern Label layer from a scrap of foil turquoise paper which is glued to cardstock to make it stiff enough to mount.  I added a small laser printed turquoise greeting.  I mounted the greeting overlapping the image and added a bit of 3D foam tape to the bottom edge when it attaches to the background.

The fifth card has the plaid paper adhered to the navy glued to the red card.  I layered a die cut nativity image (reused card) onto a white scalloped circle (Nestibilities) which I mounted with 3D foam taper for the plaid paper.  I layered the stamped greeting (SU) with red and mounted it with 3D foam tape.  To finish it off I added a length of white seam binding below the elements and adhered the ends to the inside of the card with double sided tape.
The sixth one has a very similar layout featuring a layered image of a couple of friends out for a walk in a winter wonderland (reused card) layered onto a white scalloped circle with a laser printed image layered with red below the plaid square.  I trimmed the red cardstock with decorative scalloped scissors, paper pierced the scallops and added a couple of embossed lines to each side of the greeting.

For the seventh one, I embossed the navy layer and mounted the paper over it.  Not the best idea with foil paper.  I layered the image of a beautiful house all ready for Christmas (reused card) with turquoise and mounted it this layer using 3D foam tape.  I adhered this large layer to the red card.  I layered the laser printed greeting with red before mounting it to my card front using 3D foam tape.
The eighth and last card features a small die cut ornament in navy.  I used glitter pens to colour the top and the wavy band and added dots of clear glitter to the rest of the ornament.  I mounted it to a white embossed strip with 3D foam tape, added a red ribbon to the top and flagged the end of the strip before mounting it to the navy/plaid paper layer.  I added clear glitter faux stitching all the way around the navy layer and below the plaid paper.  I trimmed a laser printed greeting, layered it with red, flagged both ends and added some embossed lines on each side before mounted it to my card front.
It was really fun to be back making Christmas cards after a bit of a break.  I am very happy with how they all worked out and that they are all a bit different.               Therese

Valentine's card from a card kit featuring a serendipity heart, embossed background and layer with texture from a tracing wheel

Valentine's has come up so quickly!!  I was so happy to find a card kit from last month's Make and Take that I could use for DH card. 
I embossed my background using a heart embossing folder and adhered it to a black card.  I used the pattern tracing wheel on both long edges of the strip of embossed ivory cardstock before adhering it to my card over my background.  I added the serendipity heart die cut using 3D foam tape.  I dug through my little stash of greetings and found the XOXOX which I thought would work perfectly!!!!!  I flagged the end, sponged it a bit and then tucked in just under the end of the heart and I was good to go!!!!!!  Love having card kits on hand for last minute cards!!  Therese

Sympathy card from a kit featuring a serendipity bird, an embossed strip and a bit of fiber

My last sympathy card for this coming week!  I used a card kit from my January class to make this card.  I mounted my scrapbook paper to a green card front and them flagged the end of my embossed strip.  I tied on my coordinating fiber to the top portion before adhering it to my card front.  I highlighted the beak with a marker, added an embossed wing and a tiny black brad to my bird die cut (TH) to get my serendipity die cut to look like a bird.  I used a bit of colour on the bottom to make the branch seem more like a tree.  I mounted it with 3D foam tape below the fiber and then I added the layered greeting below that.   Therese

Handmade card Make & Take for Valentine's Day!

This is my sample for the Valentine's card Make & Take at the Wadey Visitor Center this week which is sponsored by the Historical Society. 

I have prepped over a dozen kits and am looking forward to making cards with a new group of people. 

This card features wonderful stitched background paper which I mounted onto a black card.  I embossed and then trimmed to a flagged end a strip of ivory cardstock.  I adhered it to the card after tied on a piece of red fiber.  I layered the little laser printed oval greeting punchie (SU) onto a scalloped oval punchie in black (SU).  

Had a wonderful response to the Make & Take and all the kits were made into cards by 6 people - including one gentleman -  around the table!!  It was a great afternoon and as always they were so creative!!!  Several made more than one and the extra little greetings and accents I made up were put to good use to create a few birthday cards!! 

The Wadey Center is a wonderful little museum which was the original home of Terry's grandparents.  It was moved to the new location from up the street and renovated inside.  Very beautifully done - a wonderful space!!!   

Therese

Anniversary card featuring a stamped heart focal element, a little punchie greeting and beautiful background paper

Working on family cards for January!!  For this anniversary card, I started with a light yellow card and a small envelope.  These envelopes were a great find at a thrift store last year!!
I found the background paper in my stash.  It was in two pieces so I taped them together on the back and trimmed them to the right size.  I added some blue mesh over the joint and then a length of yellow ribbon securing the ends on the back with double sided tape.  I adhered this large layer to the front of my card.  I punched the stamped heart (SU), watercoloured it and then layered it onto a yellow scalloped heart die cut (SU) to create my focal element.  I adhered it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  I found the greeting in my stash, sponged its edges in yellow and then layered it onto a blue oval which I trimmed with my scallop decorative scissors.  I used a push pin to pierce all the scallops to add more texture and interest.  I mounted the greeting below my heart using 3D foam tape.  Love that background paper!!  Therese

Exchange cards featuring wood grain tags, botanical prints and wildflower die cuts

My Exchange cards for this month!  I started with a hammered botanical print which I created with my Big Shot a while back!!  I trimmed them to fit on my brown layers which are just a slight bit smaller than the green cards created to fit in my smaller envelopes.  I sponged their edges with green and brown ink.  I used wood grain tags cut from Christmas crackers which our daughter included in our box of gifts.  I ran my tracing wheel over them and sponged their edges.  I added some coordinating fiber to the tops, added them to the botanical layer using 3D foam tape and then ran their ends to the back using regular tape to secure them.  I die cut two wildflowers (TH-SX) from brown cardstock and used white glue to adhere them to the tags.  I adhered the botanical layers to the brown and then to the front of my green cards.  Love the soft look of those botanical backgrounds!!

Therese

Sympathy card featuring wild flower die cuts, paste paper background and a glittery butterfly

 In need of a few sympathy cards this week.  This is the first one I made.  I started with the butterfly which is an embellishment I have had for a while.  I found some coordinating paper in my purple container of scraps which are actually paste paper from a while back. I trimmed the three pieces to fit on the front of a large white card and adhered them into place.  I decided to use these wild flower die cuts (TH) which worked perfectly with the paste paper strips.  I used white glue in a fine tip applicator to adhere them to the card front.  I trimmed my little font greeting, sponged its edges and adhered it to the front of the card.  I applied 3D foam tape to the butterfly and adhered it over the edge of the greeting. 

Therese

My last Christmas cards - nativity die cut, embossed greeting and star and a bit of fiber

I am on my last go for getting my Christmas cards made for this year!!!!!!  I hope I can keep the commitment to making them monthly next year because the pressure of getting them all done at the last minute is not much fun!!
I wanted to use this wonderful decorative paper that mimics falling snow so I die cut the nativity (Taylored Expressions) from coordinating cardstock, stamped and silver embossed the greeting on the bottom edge of the 3.5" piece and then tied on a piece of white fiber.  I cut a piece of 3.5" x 4" of the falling snow paper and embossed  a  star so it would appear above the stable.  I mounted the decorative paper first and then added the embellished nativity die cut.  Love how they worked out!!  I will be making as many of these as I need to finish up the cards I need for this year!! 

Therese

Cards made up from card kits featuring a die cut layer backed with decorative paper, fiber and embossed greetings

I am still making cards for my stash and using card kits from my desk to make the process quick and easy.  These cards were featured in my January Cardmaking Class.   The top one features a gold embossed Merry Christmas greeting, some die cut hearts and some fun sweater knit paper to back them.  I added a length of gold embroidery thread through the opening before adding the paper to cover up the openings.  That layer had been over stamped with a script and scroll design.  I glued this large layer to a coordinating card front. I added three little gold sequins to finish it off. 
The next card features leaf die cuts on the left with the same gold embroidery thread.  The third card features a rose pattern die cut opening and a blue fiber tied to the front.  I backed this one with hand decorated watercolour paper. 
A few more for the stash!!

Therese

A birthday card that features fold over rectangles to create an opening filled with a little flower

This card kit was featured at my Special Card Class in May   It features double sided cardstock with the back design being revealed when the middle section corners are folded up.  I cut four rectangles and scored the corner and then mounted them to a green card front.  It middle element was created by layering  an embossed flower shape over a 1.75" circle punchie and finishing it off with a 1/2" circle in the center of the flower.  I adhered it in the center.  I added the stamped greeting below with 3D foam tape.

Therese