Anniversary card featuring a paper collage background, a lacy heart die cut, some embossing and a stamped greeting

For this card I started with a large envelope from my stash and made a brown card to fit inside.  I created a paper collage for my background using paper scraps and regular tape on the back to hold them together.  I trimmed the collage to fit on my card before adhering it in place.  I die cut a lacy heart using one of my new dies - works really well with a thin shim.  I used the next die - a stitched heart - to cut an opening in a piece of brown cardstock and then embossed it with a flourish embossing folder.  I used white glue in a fine tip applicator to adhere the lacy heart to frame the opening.  I layered this focal element over my background and adhered it in place with 3D foam tape.  I stamped the greeting on ivory cardstock, trimmed it to size, flagged the end, layered it onto red cardstock and then ran my tracing wheel over both long edges to add a bit more texture.  I used 3D foam tape to secure it to my card front.  To finish my card I added some red rhinestones to my heart using little dots of white glue.  Works so well to have the glue in a fine tip applicator.  I left it to dry completely before pressing my card.  

Therese

Thinking of you card featuring a tree die cut opening, a paper scrap collage background and a little layered tag greeting

Another Thinking of you card for another friend who had surgery this past week.  

I started with a large brown card which I created to fit in a large envelope from my stash.  I pieced a collage background from green paper scraps simply using regular tape to secure them together on the back before mounting it to my card.  I die cut a tree (SX) from a rectangle of green cardstock, manually embossed the edges with a distressed embossing folder and added a line of piercing using my tracing wheel.  I mounted gold paper behind the opening before mounting this large focal element to my card front using 3D foam tape.  

I started with a little laser printed font greeting which I colour washed to coordinate with my card then added two pierced lines using my pattern tracing wheel.  I created a tag by layering two tag shapes in two different green cardstock which I had embossed, added my little greeting and then trimmed the edges of it to the side of the tag.  I punched a hole at the top and added a kraft fiber tie then mounted it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  

Therese

Christmas cards featuring stained glass ornaments, decorative paper and an embossed panel

Having committed to getting my Christmas cards made early this year I have already made more than half of what I need but staying at home has facilitated getting farther ahead so I have made this set of cards.  I cut the ornaments and trees from a sheet of beautiful stained glass glitter paper my sister gave me a while back.  I cut a strip off the large sheet and cut the first three ornaments with one of the dies in the Heirloom Ornament die set from Nestibilities.  From what was left of the strip I cut a round one (Nestibilities) and three little triangle trees.  I wanted to layer my elements on black which worked with the round ornament because I have the double set of the Classic Circles ( Nestiblities) so I was able to cut a black layer for it.  The trees were easy as they are just triangles.  For the teardrop ornaments it required a bit more engineering.  I had created myself a tool for practicing and teaching calligraphy at one point in time by whittling down the sides of two pencils and then tying them together so I could easily demonstrate the proper angle and how the flat nib forms the letters.  I went looking for it and found it!!!!!!!!!  I used it to trace the shape of the ornaments onto black cardstock.  I then fussy cut on the second line which was relatively easy.  Pretty happy with how that worked out and will have to keep that in mind for any other custom layers I might need to make.  I then die cut snowflakes to mount in the centers using a Cuttlebug set which I have not used very often but were the perfect size for these ornaments.  I mounted them to the ornaments using tiny black brads and added little white fabric snowflake in between.  Love how they turned out!!  Next, I created toppers for my ornaments.  I used my scallop decorative scissors to trim the edge of a thin strip of bright silver foil and then trimmed them into segments which would be right for each ornament.  I mounted them to my layered ornaments using white glue applied with a fine tip applicator.  For backgrounds I decided on this funky snowflake paper in my stash which was laser printed a while back from a digital wallpaper file.  I decided to add a layer of embossed silver cardstock between them.  I coloured a length of thick white thread using a permanent marker to create the hangers for my ornaments.  I used different embossing folders for all of them and mounted the silver pieces to the backgrounds and then added the ornaments using 3D foam tape, adhered the thread hangers to the back of the background paper using regular tape and then mounted these large elements to coordinating card fronts.  I punched silver foil stars for my trees and mounted them with the silver strip as a backdrop.  I added a small black snowflake and then a white fabric one to one of the trees to make it stand out.  I decided against greetings as they seemed to be balanced without them.  So another few cards to add to the stash!!         Therese

Exchange card featuring a die cut butterfly cut from a masterboard, an embossed cardstock background and some ribbon and a die cut frame

For my second exchange card I  started with a large black card that fit in a large envelope from my stash.  I added two pieces of scrapbook paper to create my background - a gray one at the top and a blue with a gray brocade at the bottom.  To create my focal element I embossed the blue cardstock layer (sponged previously) using the Swiss Dots embossing folder and mounted the masterboard butterfly in the opening in the same way as my first card - securing the butterfly's body with regular tape to the back of the masterboard layer.  I adhered a black body die cut which had been trimmed to the perforations to my butterfly which finished off this piece.  The small cut which occurred while die cutting is masked by the embossing.  

I decided to add a wide ribbon to this card and searched for an interesting way to incorporate it.  I decided to hang it from a silver frame die cut.  I slipped the ribbon through  and then added a small piece of double sided tape to the front of the frame behind the ribbon which kept it in place. I coloured two clear rhinestones with a blue permanent marker before positioning them in the openings in the frame and securing them with regular tape on the back. Next, I adhered the frame to the front of my card close to the top using double sided tape letting the ribbon simply hang from it.  I found a small font greeting in my stash which perfectly fit in the opening of my frames so I simply sponged its edges with blue ink before adhering it with double sided tape in the opening.  I trimmed both ends of my ribbon diagonally to be just above the bottom of my card.  Finally, I added my butterfly focal element adhering it to the front of my card over the ribbon using 3D foam tape.  I found this an elegant way to using wide ribbon on my card.  I will do that again!!   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

Front flap card featuring a little truck (digital), an embossed panel and a fun greeting

Father's Day is around the corner and I made this card for one of my son in laws.  He is a great Dad and we appreciate all he does for his family.  He is back at work after being home for a while due to the Covid situation.  I started with a large envelope and made a large black panel card to fit inside.  I added this cool subtle background paper with flash cards on it.  I choose a coordinating piece of brown cardstock and embossed it with a wood grain embossing folder, scored a half inch on one end and then mounted to my card using doubles sided tape and glue on the flap which I glued to the back of my panel.  I downloaded the truck digital from Beyond the Fringe Crafts, sized it and then laser printed it onto white cardstock.  I fussy cut all the way around, watercoloured the body, fenders, the wheels and the side window.  I used a clear glitter gel pen on all the metal and glass surfaces - lights, hubcaps, bumpers, windshield, window and door handle.  I added greenery (TH dies) to the back of the truck before mounting it to the front flap.  I watercoloured the greeting (DesertDiva), distressed the edges, added some ribbon flags and then mounted it to the flap above the truck using 3D foam tape.  Love how it turned out!!!!!  Therese

Christmas Card Kits - Card #2 features an embossed ornament die cut, decorative paper and two decorative coloured strips of cardstock

For Card #2 I put together a few elements including some white embossed ornaments die cuts from my stash.  I added a couple of strips of coordinating cardstock.  One trimmed with the Ribbon punch (SU) and the other trimmed to size and the other simply trimmed.  I did embossed some of them.  These are combined with a layer of decorative paper and coordinating card bases.  Again, these kits are easily assembled requiring only glue.  With a variety of backgrounds and coordinating strips every kit has a variety of cards.  I do love putting together various elements and using versatile sketch to provide some interest in these kits.  

Therese

Christmas Card Kits - Card #1 features Mary Engelbreit stickers, decorative paper and an embossed flagged strip

 

I have created a few Christmas card kits in response to a friend's request for kits to get started on her Christmas cards at a time when she has time on her hands.  I have created three different designs and made them so they can be simply assembled with glue.  

Card #1 feature Mary Engelbreit stickers from my stash.  I chose three different designs and layered them with red cardstock.  I made only one sample with the Happy Winter because I needed all the others in the kits.  In the end, I discovered that I had miscounted and had one left over to make up a second sample.  I always enjoy putting together card kits because I get to mix and match elements.  I choose a variety of decorative papers that coordinated with the stickers and then added a coordinated embossed and flagged strip and card bases.  I included single layer panel inserts because they are the easiest to glue to the inside of the cards.    Therese

Front Flap Birthday card featuring decorative paper, colour printed light house and round laser printed greeting

I need cards for the special occasions in my family in the month of June and have decided to follow a sketch I found on Splitcoast Stampers for a front flap card.  It has a tutorial but I am just working it out as I go along with what I have on hand.  

For this card I chose a large envelope from my stash and cut a blue panel card to fit inside.  I found a piece of blue foil decorative paper in my blue paper stash envelope that coordinated so I trimmed it to size and glued it on the front.  Next, I found the lighthouse image in my stash of coloured images. It is a photo of a lighthouse I took when we visited in PEI a while back.  I printed several sheets of images for a class and there are still a few around.  I layered the light house with brown cardstock and then distressed its edges.  I found a coordinating piece of blue cardstock in my stash to create my flap.  I scored the top edge at a half inch and folded the flap to the back.  I hooked the flap to the panel card and trimmed the bottom edge.  I found a piece of decorative paper that coordinated, embossed it with a leafy embossing folder and then adhered it to my flap.  I added two small pieces of double sided tape to my flap, added glue in between and adhered it to the back of my panel.  I found the round greeting in my stash and gave it a very light blue colourwash and then used a brown colour pencil to colour in the knotted wreath before layering it onto a dark teal circle.  I positioned my light house and greeting on my flap before adhering them in place.  The greeting overlaps the flap by half  and I positioned the light house just to the left.  I double wrapped and tied a length of kraft brown fiber to the top portion of the flap which adds more texture and interest to this card.  I cut a piece of white bond paper just smaller than my flap and adhered it to the panel card to provide a writing area for my message.  It is a versatile sketch so I think I will make a few more while I am at it and get the cards I need ready to go!!         Therese

Anniversary card featuring an embossed background and die cut label and an serendipity heart embellishment

My parent's anniversary is coming up and they will have been married for 66 years!!!!!!  Good on them!!  They are still living independently and are safe and well during this health crisis!  We are all grateful. 
I started with a large envelope and I made a white card to fit inside.  I chose a double sided white core green paper and embossed and sanded it a bit to get some texture on it.  I added a wide white ribbon and then adhered it to my card front.  I tied the remainder to the bottom portion using a single knot to simulate a bow. I rotated the knot on the ribbon to have the knot behind which gives a more elegant look on the front.  I die cut a white core pink layer and embossed it with the Swiss Dot embossing folder.  I sanded the dots and edges for texture and interest.  I dug through my serendipity stash and found this die cut heart that coordinated very nicely.  I tied on some pink fiber and mounted it to the label using 3D foam tape.  I mounted this focal element to my card front overlapping the ribbon. 
Therese

Anniversary card featuring embossed layers, border punched eyelet ribbon and serendipity hearts

Our daughter and son in law are celebrating their anniversary this month and I have made up this card for them. 
I started with a large envelope and created a brown card to fit inside.  I dug through my white core cardstock and found this similarly sized off cuts.  I embossed them with different embossing folders and then sanded their edges and middle to reveal the embossed design and them texture.  I adhered them to my card which left a gap perfectly sized for another scrap I had in my little stash.  I did not emboss the green one and trimmed it just a little longer.  I mounted red strip which was punched with the ribbon border punch from Stampin Up before mounting the green strip.  Thinking it needed a bit of something I stamped it with a script stamp (SU) in a dark ink which helped to unify the design.  I added two serendipity hearts punched with the SU heart punch over the green strip and then added three little brown rhinestones.  I found a coordinating greeting and mounted it just below the hearts.    Therese

Exchange cards with embossed backgrounds, die cut leaves and laser printed digital greetings

I have made up these two cards for my partners in this month's Card Exchange.  I started with larger envelopes and made ivory cards to fit inside.  I cut two quarter sheets of brown cardstock and embossed them using two different embossing folders - TH swirls, SU wood grain.  I had to trimmed each of them into two pieces to make them long enough for my cards so I chose long greetings from my stash that would bridge the gap.  

For the first card, the greeting is from Beccy's Place.  It is a free digital which I sized and laser printed.  To coordinate with my card elements I colourwashed it a bit with watercolour in green and brown and then watercoloured the flower in a warm yellow.  I adhered my two pieces of brown background to my card leaving the gap in the top section and mounted my greeting over it using double sided tape on each end.  I dug through my little stash of leaf die cuts (TH) and found these that worked with my greeting.  I applied glue on the back and tucked them behind before pressing them down.
For the second card, I used a laser printed font thank you greeting from my stash.  I trimmed both long edges with deckle decorative scissors and then ran my pattern tracing wheel on each edge.  I applied double sided tape on the ends and the middle and adhered it over the gap that was created when I adhered the trimmed background to my large ivory card.  I embossed two of the same leaf die cuts (TH) one in green and one in muted tones (Hammered Botanicals background) with the Swiss Dots embossing folder.  I applied glue to the back of the fronds before applying them to the card front.  I tucked the green one behind the greeting and overlapped the muted one over it.  These sketches are a little CAS for me but I like them.               Therese

All occasion card featuring a butterfly, sanded background and ribbon

Love how this one turned out!  I printed the butterfly digital from CLKER onto white cardstock and trimmed it out of the letter sized sheet.  I created the background by taping four pieces of cardstock with white/coloured cores together, embossing them with a swirly embossing folder (SX) and then sanding to reveal the texture.  I added a rainbow organza ribbon with a tiny white one overlaid and adhered their ends to the inside of the card using double sided tape.  I mounted it to a green card front. I watercoloured the laser printed butterfly in colours that coordinated with the background.  I distressed the edges, layered it with a gold/green metallic paper and then mounted it to my card front using 3D foam tape.           Therese

All occasion card featuring a beautiful butterfly, an embossed background and an embellished border

For this card I started with the butterfly image which I downloaded from Pixabay.  Once trimmed from the letter sized sheet of white cardstock I distressed its edges and then added a line of paper piercing using my pattern tracing wheel.  To highlight the yellow in the wings I layered it onto a light yellow piece of cardstock leaving a bit extra on the bottom for embellishing.  I punched it with the scallop border punch (SU), punched 1/16" holes in each one and then added two lines of embossing using my scoring tool  I really like all the texture on this piece.  I embossed a weathered brown cardstock with a swirly background, added a small strip of aqua over it and mounted this large element to an aqua card.  I mounted the large butterfly element over the strip using 3D foam tape to finish off my card.  Love the colours of this one!!  Appropriate for sympathy, get well, thinking of you or just as a note card to a friend!             Therese

Thank you card featuring a framed floral collage, a stamped greeting and some embossed elements

For this card I used a framed floral collage which I downloaded from Pixabay.  Once trimmed from the sheet of white cardstock, I distressed its edges and stamped the little greeting in black.  The greeting is from Taylored Expressions.  It was a freebie when I order my Bethlehem and Nativity dies last year.  It stamps very nicely!!!  I found a coordinating pink card and added gray randomly cut scraps which I embossed with coordinating embossing folders and then sponged with a bit of black ink to highlight the design.  I mounted the scraps to my pink card and then added the floral image.  Thinking it still needed a bit of something I added some faux stitching with a sharpie all the way around the edge.  That was better!!!!!!!          Therese

"You are awesome" card featuring a unicorn, an embossed background, ribbon and some clear glitter

This card features another unicorn image from Pixabay.  I love his magical body!!  I sized it, added one of the greetings I created with fonts and then printed it on white cardstock. After trimming out the image I added clear glitter with a gel pen to the stars on its rump and added a border all the way around the edge.  I added three little pieces of flagged ribbon securing them with double sided tape on the back of the image.  I found this weathered brown cardstock in my stash and decided it would work with this little unicorn.  I embossed it with a swirly background (D"vine Swirl - CB) and mounted it to a light aqua card.  I mounted my unicorn image over the embossed background using 3D foam tape to finish off my card.             Therese

" You are Awesome" card featuring a cute little unicorn, a custom font greeting, some ribbon and a sanded white core background

I was creating card components this week and I managed to create two different "You are Awesome" greetings by combining fonts.  This one features a font with open lettering which for this card I coloured in with a light pink and then added clear glitter using a gel pen.  I am really happy with both of my greetings and I will be making more using these fonts.  The unicorn was downloaded from Pixabay.  I sized the image, added the fun greeting and colour printed it onto white cardstock.  Once trimmed from the letter sized sheet, I coloured the open letters and added a border of clear glitter.  I created an embossed and sanded background using three different scraps of white core card stock.  I embossed them with three different polka dot backgrounds, sanded them and mounted them to a lavendar card front.  I added coordinating ribbon to my unicorn image before mounting it to my card using 3D foam tape.  I love that he is winking!!!

Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring an embossed circle, watercoloured funky flowers and a stamped and layered greeting

Still working on getting the final bunch of card kits from the September card making class made up into cards.  For this one I embossed the circle and trimmed off a sliver and mounted it to my card to which I had already adhered my background of scrapbook paper.  I die cut the image of three flowers (Black Berry Jelly) using my Nestibitilities, watercoloured the image and the sponged the edge with blue and green ink.  I mounted this focal element to my card front overlapping the circle.  To continue the theme I created a layered stamped greeting.  I stamped the greeting in green, punched it with a 1.25" punch (SU) and then layered it onto a 1 3/8" turquoise circle punchie.  I added a blue sequin flower using a green  rhinestone brad and mounted this little greeting to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Enjoying the process of using card kits and changing up the sketch.

Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring a stamped floral motif with embossed layers, a layered greeting and colour printed background paper

I really modified the components of this card kit which is from my September cardmaking class.  I trimmed out the circle to make a long sort of tag shape.  I trimmed the stamped image and then used the bottom edge of the tag to trace the curve on the back of the image then fussy cut it to coordinate.  Once trimmed I used an embossing folder and manually embossed around the little floral stamped element.  I layered the image onto the tag and punched two holes at the top and used the ribbon to make an innie-outie bow then added a bit of colour with markers and added a bit of glitter using my clear glitter gel pen.   I mounted the colour printed background to my green card, adhered the finished tag to the front on the left and then added the little layered greeting (font greeting with Window Punch - Modern Label Punch  - SU) to the card using 3D foam tape overlapping the tag.  I am really making interesting cards with these kits.  I would not likely think of this sketch if I was starting from scratch to make a card.  It is fun to be stretching my creativity with these card kits!! 

Therese 

Birthday card from a kit featuring an embossed circle, a watercoloured heart (digital image) and a font greeting

I am making up the final few card kits from my September cardmaking class.  For this one I embossed the circle and trimmed it.  I adhered the stamped decorative paper onto my aqua card, added a little strip of aqua cardstock from top to bottom and then adhered the trimmed circle to the right hand side of the card.  I trimmed the heart image (Melonheadz) and used a corner punch on all the corners.  I watercoloured the heart to coordinate and then added clear glitter to the dots and in the striped fabric and then sponged the edges with purple ink.  I mounted the heart image over the circle using 3D foam tape.  I tied the purple ribbon to the greeting and mounted it below the image using 3D foam tape.  I did a bit of sponging on the greeting as well to soften the edges so it would blend a little better.

Therese