Christmas cards created by reusing card fronts and adding a layer and a greeting

Another three Christmas cards!! I started by trimming my cards to fit on my coordinating card fronts.  For my first card, I added a gold layer behind the beautifully foiled snowflake image, added the foiled greeting trimmed from the card with two tiny silver brads and then layered it onto a green card front. 

For my second card, I trimmed the beautifully foiled ornament from my card and tore the bottom edge to remove a quote.  I fit very nicely on my green card front.  To finish it off I simply added a font greeting from my stash layered with coordinating gold gift wrap with double sided tape!!


For my third card, I trimmed the front of the card and layered it with silver foil leaving it showing on the right and the left and it is also revealed through the star die cuts in the sky.  I added a small greeting printed on transparency to the lower left corner with two tiny white brads before I glued this large element to a dark blue card front. 

Therese

Harry Potter theme birthday card featuring a digital greeting, a shaker element and a book mark with quotes

My oldest granddaughter will be having a birthday soon so I got a card ready for her.  She is a fan of Harry Potter and has read all the books.  I decided to make her birthday card with a HP theme.  I started with a large black card.  I laser printed a script background, the birthday greeting (Pixabay) and the two sides of the fun HP bookmark on the same sheet of 8.5 x 11 cardstock.  I trimmed out the bookmark pieces, glued them to each other and then punched a hole to which I added a length of black ribbon.  I found some very good HP quotes online which were all designed and ready to go.  I trimmed the greeting, sponged the edges with black and layered it onto a gold paper.  Wanting to add a fun element I decided to add a shaker element to it so I cut a hole in the script background layer using a circle Nestibilities.  I created a shaker sandwich - a square of transparent plastic to which I added a foam tape border large enough to be hidden by the background paper filled with sequins, beads, heart paper punchies and some glitter.  I removed the release paper from the foam tape and placed another sheet of plastic over top.  Much easier to manage once the shaker element is sealed.  I mounted it behind the opening in the background using double sided tape, added a gear cut from gold cardstock and finished off with a gold brad that went through the shaker element.  Afterwards, I wanted to add a ribbon and fortunately there was room between the pieces of double sided tape to get my ribbon through.  I glued one end to the back on the edge of the round opening and the other end went over the top and was adhered to the back as well.  I mounted this large element to the front of my large black card.  I mounted my large collage greeting with 3D foam tape over the ribbon.  Lastly, I tied a short piece of the same ribbon to the one on the front between the greeting and the opening to simulate a bow!!! I am really happy how it turned out!!!           Therese

Large birthday cards that feature a shaker element, some decorative paper and some custom die cut greetings

 I saw a tutorial on shaker cards recently and thought I should give them a go.  It has been a while since I made one.  I created some custom greetings in Corel Draw and printed them on white cardstock.  After trimming them out I got started. 
For the first card, I chose a large orange envelope and created an ivory card to fit inside.  I added two pieces of this beautiful sunflower gift wrap to the front and overlaid a strip of yellow cardstock over where they joined.  To create my shaker greeting I die cut a star, added a piece of transparent plastic to the opening and then made a border of 3D foam tape which I cut quite thin so I could place it around the star shape.  I filled the opening with sequins, paper punched stars, beads, etc and then placed another square of transparency over it after I had removed the release tape.  It was a bit of a challenge in that I had to have a steady hand to keep all the little bits inside the opening while I removed the release paper.  I then mounted my shaker greeting to a background created using brown and orange cardstock.  I punched little stars on the bottom edge, applied double sided tape to the back and rubbed in some copper glitter.  Love it!! I mounted my large shaker greeting to the front of my card over the strip of yellow and I was done!!    It will take a few more to get the hang of it so I decided to make a couple more using pretty close to the same sketch.

For the second one I used another large envelop and created a white card to fit inside.  I added a green embossed layer and added a strip of brown cardstock with a strip of orange over it.  I added glitter glue in blue and green and adhered it to my card once it was dry.  I cut a yellow strip of cardstock, flagged the end and adhered it to my card.  I created my shaker greeting by die cutting a square, adding my transparent layers and filling the inside with glass beads - clear and gold along with some green sequins.  I used a brown marker and added a bow to the top of the square and dots all the way around.  I mounted it to a brown square of cardstock before adhering it to the front of my card using 3D foam tape.  Love the glitter glue border on this one!!
For my third card I chose a large lavender envelope and created a white card to fit inside. I layer on a piece of purple cardstock and then a beautiful piece of floral decorative paper.  I added a flagged strip of yellow paper to this one as well.  I die cut a circle to this greeting, added the transparencies and foam tape to create my shaker which I filled with glass beads, sequins and a bit of glitter.  I corner rounded the three corners I had access to, sponged the edges and mounted my shaker greeting to my card front using 3D foam tape.  I added a little string to my circle a balloon using a fine tip sharpie.  Another good one!!  One of these is off to my sister for her birthday and the other two are off to my card exchange partners for this month. 
Really enjoyed making these but they do require some time to get those shakers made without having little beads running in every direction!!            Therese

Two kids birthday cards with a small note card

The striped background paper on the first card and the dark blue background on the second card were a complete notecard in their previous life!!  I used the striped piece as a background for my large Happy die cut (SX).  I added "birthday" using a laser printed transparency which I trimmed added just below my die cut gluing the ends to the back of the layer.  I embossed a small rectangle with the D'vine swirl embossing folder and added a length of green mesh which I tied with silver embroidery thread which transformed it into a gift.  I used 3D foam tape to adhere it to my card front just below the greeting.  Really happy with how well this card came together.  Wanting to not waste the "hole" from the die cut,  I backed it with piece of embossed yellow cardstock and was sure to glue the "holes" which fell out of the "A" and the two "P"s  in their proper place by using my sample die cut which I store in the sleeve of the die.  I border punched the bottom edge with a scallop border punch (SU) and then punched tiny holes in each scallop. I cut the right hand side with a slot border punch and inserted a red gros grain ribbon leaving a portion hanging below the edge which I flagged.  The other end went over the top and was glued to the back.  I added a layer of green dotted scrapbook paper which I had ripped on the bottom to the front of a blue card and mounted my large focal element to the top portion of my card.  I added a little laser printed greeting below the die cut to complete my greeting and a little yellow star to finish off my card.    A very effective reuse of a card which transformed it into two new ones!!              Therese

Birthday greetings with printed transparency

Had fun making this card!!  I started with a botched piece of alcohol ink background on glossy cardstock to which I added several colours of watercolour and some brown stamping of a vintage map collage background.  It was much improved!!  I added the layered transparency with the car (CLKER) which I had stapled and secured with a little clip with some brown ribbon on it using double sided tape.  I colour washed my greeting, layered it onto a black ribbon slider and attached the ends of the brown seam binding to the back using double sided tape.  I glued the whole element to my brown card front.  Very happy with how this one turned out especially with that rescued background.

Therese

Yellow chunky book page

I created this cute little 4" x 4" chunky book page for a swap on one of my groups!!  I found this fabric paper in my stash and I thought this large flower was perfect for the yellow and bright theme.  I added the butterfly quote which was stamped on transparency and the little butterfly punchies which were given to me by a friend.  They were punched from some very bright and shiny paper!!  I added an embossed cardstock backer in green and sandwiched several coordinating ribbons in between before I stitched all the pieces together using yellow thread in my sewing machine.
I love making fabric paper and this one worked out so well for this project!!

Therese

"Through the Looking glass" chunky book page

I joined a swap on AFTCM for a fat book page with the theme of "Through the looking glass"!!  I decided to use a frame placed over silver foil for the looking glass.  I downloaded a frame from Graphics Fairy and digitally removed the horses that were inside the frame. I compiled my collage in Corel Draw - starting with the frame, inserting a tree (GF) and creating a stained glass look all the way around it using elements I created. Once I was happy with the look, I laser printed it on a transparency and trimmed it to 4"x 4".  I used alcohol inks and sharpie markers to add colour my design and then left it for a full day to dry completely!!  Once dry, I layered it onto a piece of silver foil which I cut just a bit longer to aid in binding if necessary and attached my looking glass to it using two little mini black brads on the frame.  I added an alcohol ink background to the back and bound the layers using black and white washi tape along the edges.  I added some very cool little metal fasteners which crimped on with pliers  - added just the amount of the industrial look I wanted.  I tied black and white bakers twine to one of them before adding it.  Really happy with how it turned out!!
It is off to my partner in tomorrow's mail!!

Therese

Another Serendipity card

I had this serendipity background sitting on my desk and needed a card for special someone so decided it would do perfectly.  After stamping it in red with my stipple stamp (SU) I trimmed the background to have an even border on a quarter sheet card, die cut a label out of the center portion and backed it with a piece of yellow cardstock.  I had a die cut greeting which I had punched the greeting out of for something else so backed it with this transparent greeting (laser printing on transparency) and it was just what it needed.  I sponged the outer edges to soften the look and adhered the whole element centered in the hole I had die cut in my background.  I added a short piece of red ribbon to the card front using a star brad!!  Really happy with how it worked out!!  I used a similar piece of serendipity for this card!!

Therese

Anniversary card

An anniversary card for a special couple!!
I started with a piece of decorative paper in teals and whites and added a gold layer to the back and glued it to my teal card front.  I added some very textured gold ribbon and added my main accent over it using 3D foam tape.  The gold embossed image I found in my stash and layered it over teal adding a laser printed greeting on transparency in between.
This one is going to be late!!  Time simply got away from me and I only managed to get this one made this morning!!  Doesn't happen too often and I heard they were going to be away for their anniversary so maybe it will arrive before they head home!!

Therese

Sympathy cards

 I have created three sympathy cards to have on hand.  I thought it easier to make some now than wait until I really needed one.  I used the same angel image for all three which I dug out of my stash.  These photos were laser printed on transparency and trimmed.
For the first card, I layered the image on a very light decorative paper which I ripped on the right hand side and then onto a light ivory card front.  I added four yellow brads to hold the image in place.   I punched a hole in the card front and then used the same punch to created a slot in the fold of the card through which I threaded a length of yellow seam binding and double knotted it on the front.  I added a double layered greeting using 3D foam tape and then trimmed the ends of the seam binding.

For this card I chose another low contrast decorative paper and trimmed it with a large margin all the way around.  I sponged it with ink and then attached my image using two yellow green brads.  I had just enough room to add some ruffled seam binding to the bottom along with a double layered greeting in coordinating colours.  The ruffled seam binding is easily done - apply a piece of double sided tape across the area and then start applying the seam binding to the sticky surface adding folds and bumps as you go.

For this card I chose another subtle decorative paper and cut it to 4"x 5.25".  I layered on the image and attached it with two rust brads and then wrapped a length of coordinating fiber to the right hand side and tied it with a double knot.  The laser printed greeting has been punched with the window punch (SU) and then layered onto a modern label punchie (SU).

I am glad to be able to add a few sympathy cards to my stash. It is always good to let people know you are thinking about them when they lose a loved one!

Therese

Angel card

Another card for giving!!  I found the angel (laser printed on transparency) in my stash.  This blue glittery hand decorated paper I made a while back worked well with the image and I found this greeting that did the same.  I attached the image to the decorated paper using black mini brads, tied on some black fiber and then glued the whole element to a black card front.  I ripped the edges of the saying, chalked them then added it to the card front using 3D foam tape overlapping the fiber.
It was fun to work with fiber again!!  It is amazing how many options there are for decorating cards!!

Therese

Paint technique swap card

On Just Cards we were challenged to try this paint technique and create a swap card with the resulting paper.  I love creating background papers so I joined the swap!!  For the technique you use dimensional paint to create a pattern on your substrate and while it is still wet you drip on several colours of acrylic paint and drag a credit cart through it.  As you can see I created swirls with my dimensional paint and used two different greens, a yellow and gold for the other colours.  Great look!!   You end up with globs of paint on the side of your paper after dragging your credit card over the whole thing so I used that paint on three more sheets of paper applying the paint using the credit card.  Creates a really cool look and lots of texture - more background paper.  Used some of those sheets for these cards.
For my card I printed a greeting and cactus image from Arthurs Clipart onto a laser transparency and trimmed it to leave an even border all the way around on my card front.  Trimmed my decorative paper to the same size, added a length of seam binding between the image and the greeting and attached it to the card using four small black brads.  I tied a small length of caramel seam binding to the green using a single knot to simulate a bow.
Swaps are fun because they often challenge you to try something you have never tried before.  This was a fun technique I will be using again.

Therese

Cardmaking - June - Transparency

I was playing around with a paint technique for a challenge and ended up making up several sheets in these two colours - pink/red and yellow/green.  I have seen many videos and tutorials where they use old credit card to apply paint but it is the first time I have tried it.  It works really well. If you been thinking you would like to try it I encourage you to give it a go!!
I printed Dover images on transparency to layer over my decorative paper and attached them to the card front using brads.  I added three little strips of embossed coordinating cardstock to the right hand side.  On the first one I used a corner rounder and am not terribly happy with the look - I think because the top one ended up round and looks like it doesn't go with the others.  So on my second one I decided to use a different technique and I am happier with that.  I also embossed the card front which helps add texure!!  The little felt flower was added last using a glue dot.
You can sign up with Dover to get emails regularly which highlight their collections and offer free samples.  Well, worth it for the free images they offer!!  Go here to sign up!!

Therese

Birth Announcement

Our newest grandson!!  He was born four weeks ago and both Mom and baby are doing well.
The design of this announcement is a cooperative effort between my daughter, my sister and myself.  My daughter wanted a large letter on the front of the announcement and because of a short timeline I had to consider other options besides cutting them all out by hand.  We had hoped to use my sister's Cricuit to cut them but, unfortunately, because we could not adjust the aspect ratio of the letters we did not have a font that would properly fit the front of an A2 sized card.  During a brainstorming session with my sister she suggested using transparencies which is the route I chose and I am very happy with the way everything worked out.
Once I had worked out the lay out I hoped that my daughter could provide a photo with the elements  - baby on the right and something cute on the left that would be hidden below the stem of the L and only revealed when the announcement was opened.  Yeah!  She did it!!  Apparently, with the camera in one hand and the puppet in the other!!  I did digitally scale down the puppet and moved it over and down a bit so it would be completely hidden behind the L and was fortunate that the background was very forgiving!!  He is a cutie!!
So after digitally modifying the photo I added his name and stats below it  - covered by the bottom part of the L in the scan.  Printed them all on heavy weight laser copy paper and trimmed them.  I also printed a backer with a welcome from the rest of the family - Mom and Dad and his brother and sister!!  The large L was adjusted to fit perfectly on the front and filled with a "marbled paper" background which I found in Corel Draw then colour laser printed on laser transparencies.   I used brads to assemble the pieces as I did not want any glue to show.  I put the brads in from the back and covered the tangs on the inside with diecut embossed buttons to which I had tied some white cording.  I also added a large one to the front for a bit of texture!!
So we welcome another member to the family.  We have grown by one every year for the last five years!!  We are grateful for the new little people that we will watch grow and for their parents who have chosen to bring them into the world.  It is the circle of life!!

Therese

Wax crayon and wallpaper backgrounds

This card features a decorative background that I created using wall paper and wax crayons!!  I read on Daphne's blog that she had used wax crayons on Anaglypta wallpaper for her cards so I thought I would give it a try!! I did not have the specialty wallpaper so I  used what I had which was very textured in a very light colour.  I cut the wall paper into pieces that would fit on my griddle (covered with foil) and just started applying wax crayon by rubbing them into the warmed paper.  Too easy!!  It was a very fun process and it created some really awesome backgrounds!!  I created backgrounds using wax crayons and cardstock a while back.  You can find them here!
So consider using what you have!!  I will be scanning my backgrounds for future digital use!
I created this card for a Orange and Yellow Colour swap on Just Cards!  The image is a digital stamp I downloaded from Michelle Perkett's blog.  She has some very cool images on there!!  I just watercoloured the laser printed image and mounted it over the rick rack using 3D foam tape.  The greeting was laser printed on transparency, trimmed and adhered with discreetly placed double sided tape.  A totally fun card!!  It is already winging it's way to my swap partner!!

Therese

All Occasion cards - wax crayon background

I was really wanting a punch of colour for my last card of this class so I decided to create some wax crayon backgrounds which never fails to add colour!!! These backgrounds are so fun to create!!

You need a warm surface so the crayons will melt. I used a griddle which I completely covered with foil to prevent the wax crayon from touching the actual surface of the griddle to preserve its ability to make pancakes for breakfast!! You do not need a lot of heat so 200 - 225F is hot enough. Place a sheet of white cardstock on the foiled surface and let it heat up a bit. Now, start colouring on your cardstock with wax crayons - they will melt as you rub them on the cardstock!! Just keep adding colour until you are happy with how it looks!! I sometimes use clear wax or a white/light coloured crayon to help blend the colours. I use a small plastic fork to hold my cardstock steady as I apply wax to the surface and sometimes use the tines to move the wax around and create swirly patterns in it. Needless to say, eventually the plastic tines become deformed by the heat and a new fork is in order!! I have removed the paper casings from my wax crayons to help the process go faster. I am using just scraps of wax crayons - the kind that end up in the bottom of the crayon bucket because they are broken into little pieces!! Ask any mother, and she will gladly donate you the broken crayons her children no longer use!!

Once cooled, I cut the papers down to size for backgrounds on my cards. I made them just slightly smaller than the transparencies so that they would not transfer colour to the envelope!! The images are from Dover, printed onto transparencies, trimmed & layered over the wax crayon backgrounds and attached to the front of the cards using brads!!

Just the punch of colour I was looking for!!

Therese

Cardmaking - Feb - filmstrip

I have owned the filmstrip die (Sizzix) since last summer and have been gestating on how it could be used in Cardmaking!! An idea emerged this week and I love it!! I cut one film strip and applied two strips of double sided tape to the back of it covering the little holes at the top and bottom, turned it over and added silver glitter!! Just the right amount of bling!! I added more tape to attach my transparency greeting into the right hand side opening and glued the whole thing to a layer of white cardstock and then to a coloured card front. I added a large die cut accent on the left hand side - hearts, flowers, happy faces and butterflies!!

Very happy with how this card turned out!!

Therese

Transportation - Steampunk ATCs

Have been working on ATCs for the last day or so!! The theme is Transportation in the Steampunk style!! I first had to do some research to figure out what Steampunk was and then do some searching around on the internet for images!! I did find some free images that would suit the theme so I resized them and printed off my sheet and got busy!! The backgrounds I downloaded from Cemerony - Freebie 11 which is a colourful map of Paris that I thought would be appropriate. The gentleman I downloaded from this Flicker collage group from an artist - artbychristi. The train is a Dover clipart image. The car is just one from the internet somewhere. The lady's dress is from a paper doll image - thought it had credits on the page but, alas, no!! I will see if I can find it and link it when I do. The lady's head is from one of Kelly Burton's collage sheets - I just cut out the head and layered it onto the dress. The woman's face is also cut from somewhere ages ago and I do not know where I got the original.

For the left one I printed the background to which I had added the gentleman's face then using acrylic medium I glued the transparency with the car over it. I surrounded the woman's face with an open metal ring and added some clear acrylic medium to glue them to each other and give it a nice glossy look. The round letters are a set of typewriter letters I created for myself before there were fonts that would do the same thing. I just punch them out with a 1/2" punch. The word " journey" is printed on label using a Dymo font. I added an A inside a black cogged washer - no idea where it came from. You can find star washers - toothed lock washers - at a hardware store and colour them with alcohol inks or Sharpies that would give you the same look.

The one on the right has lots of layers. I coloured the dress and added the head and collar from another image. I trimmed the oval gentleman, glued him to the altered tag, added twill with a safety pin and a little gold heart charm. The train is trimmed close, coloured and glued to the bottom edge. I did add a bit of a book page behind the lady so she would stand out more from the busy background. The little metal disc - $1 store years ago - seems to just belong there!!

So now onto the rest of my day!!

Therese

My Art - Yalphamingle - A

Our fat book page mingle has morphed into the Yalpha mingle!! I am so glad it is continuing on!! This year we will be featuring letters on our pages!! I started with A but it could have been any letter!! Though my letter looks black it is actually covered with silver foil paper! I got a new Cropadile at my SU party and really like it! It sets eyelets better than anything else I have used in the past - still not always perfectly but pretty close!! And in a breeze of time and with no banging!! A win - win in my books!! It sets several different sizes of eyelets along with other embellishments like snaps, etc. So I played with it for this page. Added black eyelets to attach my letter and three silver ones to the right hand edge. I added fiber to those!! The Cropadile is not as versatile as the Memories setter in that it cannot set them in the middle of a page so I will likely not liquidate the Memories setter just yet. My friend, Linda, used her Cropadile to punch a hole in a thick plastic game piece when we were making danglies at her house! Cut it like butter!! The Cropadile punches two sizes of holes and because of the design easily punches them through metal and any sort of chipboard, etc!! A versalile piece of kit!!
I laser printed ALWAYS and the list on a laser transparency! Very fun to make your own transparencies!! Printed off some keys and some large letters for future Yalpha mingle pages while I was at it to fill an 8.5"x11" page!! I have more art to scan and put up so maybe later this week.

Thanks for checking out my blog and get creative this week!

Therese