Birthday card featuring a watercoloured laser printed digital landscrap, a paper collage background and a little font greeting

For this birthday card I created a green card to fit inside a large envelope from my stash.  I created another scrap paper collage background with blue paper scraps to create my water and sky.  I added a bit of water colour to my sky to soften the floral pattern.  I added a strip of green to lower the horizon line of my focal element - a canoe on a lake (CLKER).  The image is a digital one which I laser printed and trimmed to size.  I stamped some trees after placing a paper mask to protect the water and canoe area.  Next, I  watercoloured the image, layered it with a black cardstock rectangle and mounted it to my card using 3D foam tape. I flagged and layered my little font greeting and then mounted it to my card front using 3D foam tape on one end and double sided on the other.  

Therese

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

A birthday card featuring layered stamped floral elements, a paper collage background and a digital greeting

For this birthday card I started by creating a white card to fit in a large envelope from my stash.  I created a paper collage using paper scraps and regular tape trimming it to size before adhering it to my card front.  I found these little stamped floral elements in my stash (SU) and watercoloured them to coordinate with my background.  I layered them onto pink squares once they were dry.  I trimmed the laser printed greeting (Desert Diva digital) to the same size as the floral elements, watercoloured it and mounted it to a pink square of cardstock as well.  I played with the layout of all the elements until I was happy and adhered them to my card front using 3D foam tape.  To finish off my card I added five little clear rhinestones to the greeting.  Done!! Love the colours!!

Therese

Stamping on fabric and another little quilt top

I did some stamping on fabric while working on my little quilt top.  I used a background stamp (Worn- SU) and a dark red permanent ink pad to add a bit of texture to my fabric.  I stamped the strips I had cut for the border.   Worked very well!  I let them dry then ironed them on high to heat set the colour.  I really liked how the texture on the fabric worked with the other fabrics.  

 I started the quilt top with a panel of 2" squares which was already pieced.  I received it in a bag of fabric scraps last summer.  After cutting and stamping my fabric I added a red border around the panel.  I added a strip of gold fabric which I pieced using coordinating fabrics and then added another strip of red which created the proportions I wanted for my quilt.  Next, I cut strips of the golden palm tree fabric and stitched them all the way around.  I really like how it worked out.  I have put it away and am not sure when it will get finished.  I have garden coming in and am looking forward to a trip to go blueberry picking!!

Therese

Christmas card featuring a beautiful angel painted with shimmer watercolour, a border punched layer and an aqua and gold gift wrap background

This is my last card in the bunch which I created with the reused aqua and gold gift wrap which arrived on one of our gift this past holiday season!  For this card I used an image from my stash of this beautiful angel which was stamped in brown.  I coloured it using shimmery watercolours in coordinating colours.  Love how it turned out!!  I mounted it to a piece of aqua cardstock leaving a large border on the right.  I used my MS doily punch to decorate the right hand side and then added two embossed lines using my Score tool.  I mounted my aqua and gold gift wrap background to an ivory card and then adhered my large angel layer to it. Done!  It has been great fun to play with stamps and a lot of my supplies to make these cards.  I am very happy to be so far ahead in getting my Christmas cards ready for next Christmas!!!           Therese

* I have been creating my cards during my self isolation for the Covid 19 crisis.  The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day!!

Christmas card featuring a gold embossed season of light image, ribbon and an aqua and gold gift wrap background

Another fairly quick card!!  I stamped and gold embossed the Season of Light image onto the aqua cardstock, added a layer of gold gift wrap and watercoloured the flame.  I mounted the aqua and gold gift wrap background to an ivory card and added a piece of gold shimmery ribbon to the bottom section securing the ends to the inside of the card.  I trimmed the spine with a slot punch to create the opening in which I inserted the end of my ribbon.  A very nice look for this process.  I adhered my large focal element to my card front and I was done!!             Therese

Christmas card featuring aqua and gold gift wrap for the background, a gold embossed nativity layered with gold

Another card using that aqua and gold gift wrap from the past Christmas season! It is a very nice heavy weight paper which I really nice to work with.  I trimmed it to a 4" x 4" and adhered it to an ivory card.  I gold embossed this nativity stamp onto the aqua cardstock, trimmed it to size and then added a layer of gold gift wrap before adhering it to my card front.  I added a bit of colour to the center of the star and I was done!!

Therese

Front flap card featuring a tea set (digital), decorative paper and rhinestones

Still working on cards for special occasions in my family in the month of June.  This one is for my twin sister, Sylvia.  She loves tea and when I found this digital tea set I knew it would be perfect for her birthday card.  I arranged the tea pot and tea cup and added Happy Birthday using a font before printing the image on white cardstock and trimming it out of the large sheet.  I rounded the corners and layered it onto a light green cardstock to coordinate with the background paper I chose for my card.  I made this one another front flap card.  They have been fun to make!!  I started with a large envelope, created a white card to fit inside and then added this beautiful background paper.  It is a sheet she donated to me from her stash in an effort to downsize.  She has a very good eye for paper and the sheets she gave me are all very nice.  I found the stamped blue cardstock in my stash, trimmed it to size after scoring it at a half inch so I could adhere it to the back of my panel card.  I ran my pattern tracing wheel over it several times before attaching it to my card using double sided tape and glue on the flap.  I mounted my focal element with the tea pot on my blue flap after distressing the edges of the green layer using my distress tool.  I added several dots of pink using a gel pen on each of the corners to add a bit of interest.  We are looking forward to seeing each other somewhere outside with social distancing!!  Therese

Front flap birthday card featuring stamped decorative papers, some faux stitching and a digital image of a typewriter with a font greeting

I have been enjoying making these front flap cards!!  Much different than my usual A2 cards as I am using large envelopes for these which gives me lots of options when I start creating!!  I started this one with a large envelope and I created a gray panel card to fit inside.  I dug a gray wood grain 12" x 12" sheet of new decorative paper from my large bin and trimmed out a piece to fit on my panel card.  I found the second piece of decorative paper in my cardstock stash as it had been printed on gray cardstock.  I cut out a piece for my flap, scored a half inch from the top and folded over the little flap.  I hooked the flap onto my panel card and trimmed off the bottom to be even with my panel.  Because it was cardstock I simply treated it to a black border created with a black permanent marker and then added a hand drawn line on the inside of that with a fine tip Sharpie.   Next, I added faux stitching to my panel which was better.  The typewriter is a digital image is from CLKER which I sized and then printed on white cardstock.  I trimmed the image from the sheet, sponged its edges with green ink and then ran my pattern tracing wheel along all four edges to add yet more texture.  I layered my focal element with two shades of green cardstock.  I needed to introduce some green to my layers so I used a little solid square stamp (used for the first time today) and created little groups of three on the four corners of my  panel card and a raggedy row on my flap.  That really helped to tie these elements together!!  I adhered my  layered focal element off the right hand side of my flap and finished off my card by adding a piece of white bond behind my flap to give me a place to write my message.  

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

Exchange cards featuring stamped greetings, decorative paper and punchies

For my Exchange cards this month I have made another attempt at creating cards from a card sketch which I rediscovered in my Inspiration file.  These are pretty much CAS cards though they are not necessarily quick in that some thought and auditioning has to be done with the elements you are using to get good balance.  I used rectangles and hearts in my last two cards and I thought that circles might work well so I hauled out my circle punchie stash and put together a few in varying size ( 1", 1.25", 1 3/8", 1 3/4") which I thought would work together.  Next, I went looking for some subtle decorative paper which I could use with my little collections.  After that I created coordinating cards to fit in the large envelopes I had chosen.  I cut the circles in about half - one part just a bit bigger than the other with scissors.  On hindsight, it might have been better to use my paper cutter because it cuts straight.  I found two different greetings  to use and stamped them onto the subtle papers I trimmed out in a coordinating ink colour.  I used a square triangle in order to get the lines of elements perpendicular to the sides of the backgrounds.  My purple greeting was created with magnetic letters - I am still missing my mount - so you can see that the greeting is not really straight but this only became very evident once I was gluing my elements in place so I decided to just go with it!!  I arranged all the half circles until I was happy with the layout of them, moved them up a bit, added a length of double sided tape and then glued the bottom ones in place on the tape and then added the upper ones over them using white glue applied with a fine tip applicator.  The circles give a more balanced look for this sketch but I did have to strongly resist adding dots or "something" to them.  I am enjoying the challenge of this sketch and look forward to using other elements to see if other shapes work better than the ones I have used so far.               Therese

Birthday card featuring a stamped greeting, decorative paper and hand drawn bows

I have been reviewing my Inspiration file folder and found a few cards using a similar sketch and decided to see if I could make that sketch work for me.  I took me a while to decide what shapes I was going to use and finally chose rectangles.  I cut a brown card to fit in a large envelope and then found this subtle decorative paper which I thought would work well with it.  I used my Making Memories magnetic stamp set to stamp the greeting in dark brown ink.  My metal mount is MIA so I had to improvise - took a bit of time!  I have a lot of stamped greetings that were stamped before I was happy with the coverage and layout of the letters.  While it was drying I dug out my little stash of orange scraps and cut a variety of rectangles and auditioned them to make an arrangement above the words.  Once I was happy with it I adhered them in place.  I turned my background over and created another set of rectangles and glued them in place when I was happy with the layout.  After they were all mounted I thought they were a bit boring so I added little hand drawn bows on the tall ones and added kraft fiber bows to the two small ones.  It adds some texture which was nice.  On hindsight, I could have flagged the ends or cut them with decorative scissors or a border punch to add some interest.  I like the straight edges on the pieces which nicely highlights the greeting!!  Not as successful as the originals but I will try again.  Happy with the result!!           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

Birthday card featuring a fun cupcake with a star and some ribbon flags

A fun card for one of my grandaughter's birthday which is coming up soon!!!  I started with a large envelope and created an off white card to fit inside.  I cut the piece of polka dot red paper for my background and decided to embellish it.  With a black Sharpie I added some hand drawn circles and three dots in all the large circles and put a single dot in the each small circle.  Next, I coloured all the circles in with yellow.  Finally, I used the open end of a nerf bullet to stamp red circles in between all the other ones.  The result adds some pizzazz!! I adhered it to my card front.  I laser printed the cute little cupcake (Melonheadz) after adding the birthday greeting, trimmed it to size and then watercoloured it using shimmery paint on the icing and a clear glitter gel pen on the dots and the swirl at the top.  I ran my tracing wheel on three edges and just below the greeting on the bottom.  I punched the bottom with a scallop punch (SU) and then added four shimmery embellishments in the four full scallops.  I layered it with red cardstock and added seven little red checkered ribbon flags on the right hand side.  To finish off my card I used 3D foam tape to adhere this focal element to my card front.  I like how the star echos the little yellow circles in my decorative paper.          Therese

Birthday card featuring a watercoloured coffee cup, some hand stitching and embossed velvet paper

 I made this card for DH birthday later this week.  I found some brown velvet paper in a box of serendipity supplies when I was making this heart in support of front line workers who are out there every day during this health crisis.  I embossed it with a coffee bean border from Pink Cat Studio which belongs to a set I bought a while back.  I simply laid the rubber stamp on the velvet surface of the paper and passed it through my Big Shot with very little pressure. Worked really well!  I adhered this little piece of embossed paper to a piece of mottled watercolour paper which I had stamped with a script stamp (SU) in brown.  I added a strip of red cardstock which I border punched with a ribbon/eyelet punch (SU).  I added stitching by hand using ivory and gold floss using the holes in the border.  I tied another short end to the left hand side before adhering it over where the two paper join.  I adhered this large layer to a dark brown card front.  For my focal image I chose a large coffee cup (Stamp Barn) which I stamped and gold embossed.  I watercoloured the cup and added a bit of colour to the background to make it less stark.  I used my distress tool on the edge and then smudged it with a brown stamp pad to help it stand out from the background.  I mounted this large image to my card front using 3D foam tape and then trimmed and layered a small font greeting with brown which I tucked under its bottom edge and adhered in place with double sided tape.   Therese

A few all occasion cards featuring stamped backgrounds, die cut elements and ribbon & brads

I am trading handmade cards for seeds!!!!!!!  I was really happy to be able to make a trade with my friend as getting seeds locally might be a challenge during this time of isolation.  She put them in her mailbox and picked them up and left the cards in their place.  

The top two cards were made with backgrounds from my stash which were debossed with a circle Nestibilities and stamped with the Worn background (SU) and green ink while masking the center of the circle.  I found the serendipity circles in my stash and they very nicely fit in the debossed circles on the backgrounds.  I added a watercoloured cross on one and a glittered butterfly on the other.  Layered them opposite in colour - lavender on green and green on purple.  

For the next two cards I used some clear embossed resist backgrounds which I made in preparation for this class in January.   After clear embossing I watercoloured the backgrounds with coordinating ink which provided nice contrast and highlighted the resist.  I layered them onto coordinating card fronts and then cut brown leaves (TH) for the brown one and blue wildflowers (TH) for the blue one.  I added a ribbon held in place on one end with a coordinating star brad on the brown one and mounted the blue ribbon all the way across and added the silver star brad to the right side.  I mounted the elements to the card fronts using white glue in a fine tip applicator and tucked them under the ribbon before pressing them into place.  

These are mostly all occasion cards which can be used for a variety of occasions from birthdays to sympathy.            Therese

Christmas cards featuring glittery pine cone backgrounds (gift wrap), colour printed digital image of a cardinal, ribbon and layered greetings

Another set of Christmas cards for my stash!!  I trimmed the glittery pinecone backgrounds from a large piece of gift wrap that came off of one our gifts this past season.  I was able to trim about 15 or so 4" x 5.25" pieces.  I used six to create these cards.  These cards feature red card bases, the glittery green and white pinecone gift wrap, colour printed image of a cardinal, wide black satin ribbon and layered greetings.  The top set has stamped Merry Christmas greetings in red that are punched with a small oval punch (SU).  All of them are layered onto a larger oval punchie (SU).  Two are layered onto a scalloped oval punchie (SU) as well.  I have pierced the scallops on the large oval  punchies and added faux stitching/dots on the large ovals.  All are mounted with 3D foam tape as are the cardinal images.  

This set has laser printed greetings layered onto red cardstock.   All are sponged a bit on the edges.  I trimmed the middle one with scallop decorative scissors and paper pierced the scallops.  The last one has three little clear rhinestones on the end of the greeting.  

I am happy to be on track for getting my Christmas cards done by the end of the year!!!!  

I will have more cards with this pinecone paper as a background.  Will be inventing a different sketch with different elements!!        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