Birthday card featurijng some serendipity squares, embossed strips and a tiny greeting with butterfly

I am working on July cards for my family and friends.  For this birthday card for my sister I stamped a butterfly (Magenta) in aqua on the front of my large aqua card which I created to fit a large envelope from my stash.  It gives the background a bit of texture without interfering with the design.  I had a white strip of star embossed cardstock which I ripped in two and then mounted to my card front.  I mounted two aqua serendipity squares over them on the left hand side using 3D foam tape.  I mounted the third square at a bit of angle, tucked in a sponged laser printed greeting and then added the little butterfly sticker.  It is fun to be making cards again and trying out new ideas and sketches.

Therese

Thank you card featuring gift wrap background, a punched accent and a little punchie greeting

For this card, I started with a smaller envelope and created a white card to fit inside.  I tore a piece of this beautiful teal gift wrap (from England) and layered another piece of the same paper in behind with back facing front which is this beautiful pink colour.  You can see a hint of the pattern showing through the pink.  I punched a flower on the right hand side, flipped it and adhered it back into the opening using regular tape on the back to keep it in place.  I added a teal sequin on the front and a little silver brad to keep it in place.  I found the coordinating pink greeting in my stash.  I sponged its edges with teal ink and adhered to my card front over the torn gap using 3D foam tape.  I have enjoyed time in my craft room making these cards!!             Therese

Christmas cards featuring embossed foil gift wrap backgrounds, little greetings and vellum or fiber

 These are the last two cards I was able to make from the one piece of gift wrap salvaged from the Community Dinner we attended with our friends and neighbours. 
For this first card, I embossed the layered giftwrap/paper combo with the ornaments.  The bottom seemed plain in comparison so I added some dots to it by manually embossing them in place.  After gluing this layer to the front of my green card I added a length of red fiber to the top above the ornaments adhering the ends to the inside with double sided tape and then tied on a short piece to simulate a bow.  Next, I  added a little stamped punchie greeting over the fiber using 3D foam tape on the back.  I sponged and added dots with a gel pen to embellish the little greeting. 
For my other card, I embossed the layer background with snowflakes, added a strip of vellum before adhering it to my green card.  I added a layered snowflake embellishment (large silver, small silver foil, tiny red) over the vellum and tucked a small font greeting to the left of the vellum and snowflake.    Therese

November Cardmaking - Christmas cards with lace, foil, decorative paper and a silver embossed Peace On Earth

For our last card we made these fairly quick cards.  We started by adding a strip of silver foil to our decorative paper securing the ends to the back with double sided tape.  Next, we overlaid it with a length of lace which we secure in the same manner.  This large layer was then adhered to the front of a coordinating card.  We coloured our images and embellished our edges with decorative scissors or by tearing.  I tore the edges on both of mine and added a bit of green chalk on my torn edge which echoed the center of the poinsettias.  I added clear glitter with a gel pen to my dove which appears very glittery in real life and a little more mottled in the photo above.  I really liked how the subtle silver behind the lace echoed the silver embossing on the stamped images.

It was a most enjoyable evening and they have a few special cards to send this Christmas season!!

Therese

Christmas cards featuring a little truck with a tree, sponged & stamped background and torn snowbanks

 A few Christmas cards with these cute little trucks!!  I cut these a while back when I visited my sister.  It is a stamp and die set (SU) so I stamped and embossed them in black and the die cut them.  I made a lot of different colours but my favorites are the red and yellow ones.  The four backgrounds are blue scrapbook papers I found in my stash.  I cut them to 4" x 5.25" and then sponged several lines of blue using a torn paper strip which makes a mountain range.  Next, I sponged a row of green which makes a sort of horizon line.  Finally, I stamped a row of pine trees in green.  Always so effective!!  I embossed all the trees using the Manhattan Flower embossing folder which gave them all really neat texture.  I sponged the edges of the lighter coloured ones.  The little trucks were all embellished with glitter gel pen on the window, door handle, lights, bumper, running boards and hubcaps.  The wheels were coloured black with Sharpies and the fenders were watercoloured to coordinate.  For the first one, I added torn snowbanks at the bottom, added my truck using 3D foam tape in the center and double sided tape behind the wheels to give it a bit of dimension.  I added the tree the same way in the back of the truck.  I added a layered oval greeting (SU - punches) featuring a font greeting and glued this large element to the front of  a black card.  To finish it off I added some dots of iridescent glitter glue to the sky and let it dry.  For the second cards I followed the same procedure (oops! missed the tires - I will fix that) and stamped the greeting on the snow bank instead and left the sky as it was.  Glued to a blue card. 

 This card features a stamped greeting on the snowbank and iridescent sparkles in the sky created with glitter glue. 
The fourth card has manually embossed dots in the sky which I sanded to give them their white appearance.  I love this effect!!!!  On this one the greeting was stamped and embossed with silver embossing powder. 
Really happy with these cards!

Therese

Birthday card featuring a fun little fish, a collaged and embossed background and a digital greeting

My grandson's birthday is coming up and I have made him a card!!  I love this cute little fish (digital image from Blackbery Jelly) so I sized it large and printed it onto white cardstock.  I trimmed it close, watercoloured it and layered it with blue and yellow cardstock.  I created a background by gluing strips of torn cardstock to a substrate - mostly blues with one green one at the bottom.  I passed it through a dotted embossing folder and then adhered it to a navy blue card front.  I adhered the fish image to the background using 3D foam tape.  I found this laser printed greeting (digital from Birdie Brown) in my stash, waterecoloured it and layered it onto yellow cardstock before mounting it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  I added a bit of glitter to the candle and the bubbles using a clear glitter gel pen to add a bit of bling!!!  Really happy with how it turned out!!         Therese

Birthday card featuring colour printed leaves, a font greeting and some fiber and eyelets

Another card for upcoming family birthdays.  I started with another large envelope and created a green card to fit inside.  I digitally altered the leaf image (CLKER) by adjusting the colour to get the three colours - green, yellow and red.  I sized and arranged them in Corel Draw, added a font greeting and printed it on white cardstock.  I trimmed the image from the letter sized sheet and added some texture using my pattern tracing wheel.  I love the look of it!!  I cut a piece of brown cardstock and then tore it to create a gap and then added eyelets and red fiber to make an interesting design element.  I glued this tied up layer to the front of my card and then mounted my large image over it.  Have not used eyelets in years but really happy how this turned out.  I am enjoying making large cards. 

Therese

Doily Challenge - a large birthday card featuring a teal doily, a vellum greeting and rhinestones

Card #3 in my Doily Challenge!!  For this one I trimmed some of the center portions of the doily and featured them prominently.  I started with a large white envelope and created a light aqua card to fit inside.   After trimming the two large pieces of doily from the whole I laid them on my card front overlapping the middle flower.  I estimated the size of vellum greeting I would need and printed it on vellum.  I tore the bottom edge of the greeting and trimmed the sides to come just inside of the edge of the doily pieces.  I adhered the top edges of the doily pieces to my card with double sided tape and then tucked the vellum below them adhering it to my card front where the doily would hide the double sided tape.  Next, I added small pieces of double sided tape below the flowers in the edge of the doily pieces to secure those pieces.  I added rhinestones to the centers of all the flowers.  Liked that!!  I trimmed a flower out of the scraps of the doily and added two little hand cut leaves and mounted it just above my laser printed greeting.  Added a rhinestone to that one too!!  Love the simplicity of this one.  Elegant with a monochromatic colour scheme.    Therese

Doily Challenge - a large birthday card featuring a floral digital stamp (my art), a doily and some fiber

I created this card as part of my Doily Challenge.  You can check out my previous card here. I started with a large white envelope and created a black card to fit inside.  I used a "rubber finger tip" - a stationary tool - to stamp a texture on the right hand side of my card using silver ink.  It turned out quite good  -  similar to stippling!!  I started with some teal fiber and created a layer featuring the colours in it - dark pink, purple and a light teal blue.  I embossed the background with a script embossing folder, tore the bottom edge and layered it with silver paper (gift wrap).  I found this laser printed floral image (one of my own doodles) in my stash which worked well with the dimensions of my background  so I watercoloured it to coordinate.  I added a layer of white to extend the bottom and then tore it to echo the bottom of the layer.  I wrapped the fiber on the bottom of the floral image covering the joint with fiber.  I found a coordinating greeting in my stash so I tore both the top and bottom of it, sponged it a bit with aqua ink mounted it over the fiber using 3D foam tape. I mounted this large focal element to my background.   I trimmed a piece off of my teal doily to layer under my main focal element and then adhered this large element to my card front using double sided tape.   The dark card reduces the contrast of the dark doily which helps highlight my flower image.    Therese

August exchange card featuring one of my digital stamps, an embossed background and ribbon

My other card for my August monthly card exchange.  I started with a large purple envelope from my stash and created a yellow card to fit inside.  I embossed a piece of decorative paper and then ripped it in two as it was not quite long enough for my card!!  I drew this little flower image while watching a doodling video on You Tube.  I scanned the pages, cut out individual images and cleaned up those that needed it and then laser printed them on white cardstock.  FUN!!!!!!!  I watercoloured my trimmed image and added a green cardstock background to it.  I distressed the edges and added a piece of ribbon on the bottom edge tying off a short end to it using a single knot to simulate a bow!! I mounted my image to my card front using 3D foam tape.
It has been fun creating cards with my own images!!  Will be doing that again for sure!! Therese

Exchange cards featuring hammered botanical paper, a die cut butterfly and ribbon and bling

I created these two cards for my Card Exchange partners for this month.  I started with half sheets of hammered botanical paper which I created a while back with my Big Shot.  It is a very cool process where you place fresh botanicals - flowers, leaves, etc - between two sheets of white cardstock and pass it through your die cut machine which acts as a press and creates these cool images.  I added blue watercolour to the edges of these prints which really changed them up for me and made them look more like art.   I chose two large envelopes and made cards for them.
For my first card I created a light green card and added a decorative butterfly die cut in purple.  I adhered it using 3D foam tape and added clear glitter on the body and a few of the pieces in the wings.  I found a piece or torn green decorative paper in my stash and it coordinated perfectly so I placed it just below my butterfly which helped ground the background paper.  I added five tiny rhinestones to one of the dips to create a focal point and added the flight trail with a coordinating pen.  I glued this large element to my card front and then added purple dots to each side which nicely repeats the dots in the flight path.  I decided it did not need a greeting so I added an insert and I was done!!!
My second card was created in a very similar process.  I created a blue card for this one and added the same blue watercolour to the edges of my hammered botanical paper.  I so love the look!!  I found a torn strip of paper in my stash that coordinated so I added to the bottom of my decorative paper.  I added the butterfly using 3D foam tape and added some details using a clear glitter gel pen.  I added the same flight path using a coordinating marker and was pretty happy with it.  But it still needed "a bit of something" so I auditioned a few things and settled on this green gros grain ribbon which coordinated very nicely.  I added it to my decorative paper adhering the ends to the back using double sided tape.  I tied the remaining short end to the front using a single knot to simulate a bow.  That was better!!!!!!!!!!!  Again, I chose not to put a greeting on this card.  It holds its own without it.  Therese

Birthday card featuring a gardening image and a torn greeting

Still making cards for family!!  I chose this calendar page because the image depicts the tools of a gardener which the person I made it for certainly is. 
I trimmed the image from the calendar page leaving a white border.  I layered it onto navy blue leaving some spare cardstock on the bottom.  I chose a large envelope and made a brown card to fit into it.  I layered on a green layer leaving a very small border.  When I laid the layered image on the card it was a bit short so I simply tore the bottom section and adhered both pieces onto the green on my card front leaving an even border.  I tore the two edges of the laser printed greeting and adhered it to my card using 3D foam tape.  I like the look of the two different torn pieces being layered over each other. 

Therese

May Cardmaking - felted wool acorns with hand stitching and some torn decorative paper

I had used this card sketch for my last All Occasion Class which these ladies did not attend.  You can check out the cards here.  I cut these little acorns from felted wool and added some handstitching to give them a bit of definition.  The kits included rectangles or squares which gave them several options for lay outs.  For this one I tore a square of decorative paper and mounted the two pieces for a coordinating piece of  cardstock. I glued that to a coordinating card front.  The little acorns were glued in the gap and one was added to the bottom section.  I provided little greetings but chose not to put one on this card.  I may add an appropriate one when I decide where it will be going!! 
This was a our last card - always a quick and easy one!! 
We will be taking the summer off and get back to cardmaking in September. 

Therese

All Occasion Cardmaking Class - decorative paper, embellished paper flowers and some bling

For our last card we went with quick and easy!!  The kits had one piece of decorative paper which could be adhered to the cardstock layer as one piece either at the top or bottom leaving enough room for the embellished paper flowers to be adhered into place.  I chose to tear my piece for the first one in a curvy line which allowed enough space in between to add my flowers.  I added the final flower at the top along with a little colour printed greeting which coordinated with the paper before adhering to my coordinating card front.  For the one on the right I cut the decorative paper in two, adhered them to the layer and glued this large layer to my coordinating card front then added my little flower embellishments.  The last flower was added over the end of my flagged greeting.  The paper flowers were wedding paper confetti which I jazzed up with little blingy flowers from my local dollar store.  These were sold on a sheet just like the rhinestones. They are very brilliant and catch the light very nicely.  They add a special touch to these cards.  This card sketch could easily be made up without a greeting which would make them more versatile.  A great way to finish off our afternoon.  The ladies were happy with their cards and we all had a relaxing afternoon. 

Therese

A sympathy card featuring a stamped greeting, a butterfly die cut and a vellum layer

Another stash card!!  I started with the butterfly which was part of a mobile which I received in my birthday card from my daughter a while back.  I tied a length of silver cording around the middle, tied a double knot and trimmed the ends to simulate antennae.  I found a coordinating piece of scrapbook paper, a torn piece of vellum and a coordinating peach card front.  I used a rose ink to stamp the greeting on my card, added the vellum using double sided tape situated where it would be hidden my the strip of scrapbook paper and then adhered the strip over the vellum.  I added the butterfly using 3D foam tape to give it a bit of dimension.         Therese

Friends card featuring a digital stamp, ribbon and butterfly die cut

Another card for my stash!!  This one started with a panel from a used card which I cut to size and trimmed the corners with a corner rounder.  I embossed the right hand side of it using a distressed embossing folder passing it through twice to get the whole side done and adhered it to a soft green card.  I found a small piece of blue cardstock that had a butterfly opening, added silver foil to the back and a black die cut butterfly to the front (TH).  This is a set from Tim Holtz that has the solid and the intricate butterfly dies that coordinate. I used a small piece of double sided tape on the body of the butterfly to adhere it to the foil which allows the wings to be lifted for more dimension.  I tore the edges of the piece and then added more texture with my pattern tracing wheel.  I adhere this focal element to my card using double sided tape to ensure the integrity of the foil.  I found this bold greeting for Mud Maven which I had laser printed and trimmed.  I used the corner rounder on it as well and then added little ribbon flags on each side than adhered it below the butterfly on my card.  Love the colours of this card!!         Therese

Large birthday card that features torn paper, ribbon flags and a large reused card focal element

Another large card for my sister as I use up her stash of supplies!!  I reused a card front and used it as my focal element.  Love the flowers!!  I layered it onto a pink layer and added coordinating ribbon flags on the right hand side by added double sided tape to the back.  I created a large yellow card front, embossed the middle section and added the two sections from a strip of green paper which I tore in two - one at the top and one at the bottom.  I mounted my large focal element to my card front using 3D foam tape.   Worked out really well!!         Therese

Little pick up truck cards for Valentine's and birthdays

My sister bought the stamp and die set for the little pick up truck a while back and I have used it several times to make some little trucks for my card making!!   I made several in the last few days.  I used blue decorative paper to create the sky.  It is a very subtle floral pattern and works very well as it shows a bit like clouds.  I cut rectangles and glued them to the top of coordinating cards.  I sponged a green tree line on the top right and stamped pine trees on the other three.  I also added a torn strip to those three along with another green layer which I cut with my wavy cutter.  For the one on the top right I used a diecut green border which was cut from a green cardstock collage.  It works very nicely as well to create a tree line.  I embossed the bottoms with embossing folders that would created texture to simulate a road - distressed lines and some rough texture on the edge of one of Tim Holtz embossing folders.  I watercoloured the bottom edge of the trucks to coordinate with their colour and used a clear glitter gel pen to colour the lights, hubcaps, windshield, door handle and bumper.  I mounted the trucks with 3D foam tape leaving space in the back to add my accent elements.  I used punched balloons tied with thread for one, a variety of different sized and coloured red hearts for another one and created gifts for the other two.  I took die cut rectangles and tied thread to them from bottom to top tying a bow to finish them off.  I embossed afterwards which gave them much more texture which I liked much better.  The embossing did not bother the thread.  I mounted the gifts with 3D foam tape at the top edges and double sided on the bottom edges to keep them in place.  I stamped Happy Birthday on the bottom two and just added a few birds in the sky for the top two.
In the end, the truck filled with hearts can certainly be an anniversary card instead of a Valentine's one so I appreciate it's versatility.  Really love these cards and they are great for guy birthdays!!       Therese

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

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

Christmas cards - swirly trees, decorative paper and some different embellishements

I had a stack of these images which I put aside when I was getting ready for one of my classes.  So when I was making up Christmas cards to get enough for what I needed for this season I decided to make them up into cards.  As you can see I used decorative paper in a variety of ways to create the background I needed for them.  I had printed both green and red trees which were digitally manipulated before printing.  Love the versatility that this process provides.  I did use my tracing wheel on all the images because I love the texture added by the fun little lines of holes!! They were all mounted to coordinating rectangles of cardstock and adhered to the card fronts using 3D foam tape.
For the top left:  I used a piece of decorative paper 4" x 5.25", added bits of ribbon to the right hand side of the image before adhering it to my card front.
For the top right: I cut the decorative paper in two and added a strip of embossed cardstock in between.  I did flag both ends for more interest.

For the one on the left:  I cut the decorative paper into four pieces and mounted it to the coordinating card front then added green strips in between.
For the one on the right:  I tore the paper twice before mounting to a coordinating card front.

For the one on the left:  I tore the paper twice before mounting to a coordinating card front and added a strip of coordinating cardstock which I had embossed and flagged both ends.
For the one on the right:  I combined strips of cardstock to make the layer behind my image and added gold embroidery thread to my image gluing the ends to the back before adhering it to my card front with 3D foam tape.




So a few more cards for my stash which will be sent off to those on my Christmas list this year.

Therese