Birthday Card Set - birds of a feather scrapbooking element on some great polka dot decorative paper

My second last card for this large set of cards!!  To find out why and how I created these cards you can check out this post.
For this card, I started with a blue green card to which I added this very cool polka dot background paper which I got from my sister as we were playing with making #8 cards.  I added a blue green strip near the center to cover up some fold lines.  My sister, Sylvia, also gave me this large focal element which was part of a large scrapbooking paper which featured some great saying and beautiful doodly art before it was all the rage.  I watercoloured the image and glued it to the front of my card overlapping the little strip.  All that was needed after that was a little greeting which in this case was a watercoloured oval punchie with a laser printed greeting over a scalloped oval punchie (SU).  It was adhered to the card using double sided tape.

Therese

Birthday Card Set - Soft and subtle dragonfly die cut card

We are nearing the end of this card set!!  Only a few more to go!!  If you want to know why and how I made these cards you can check out this post.

For this card I started with a kraft card front and added  crackled decorative paper in a coordinating colour.  I created a textured strip to put across the lower portion by first stamping a crackle stamp in brown on brown cardstock then embossing with a textured embossing folder.  To add a bit of dimension I also touched it here and there with a brown ink pad to create some contrast.  I glued the strip to my card front and then layered on a decorative label punchie greeting which was embellished with shimmer watercolours just like the dragonfly.  The dragonfly got the same treatment as the ones on these cards.  Another pass through the Big Shot in the original die along with the embossing mat to highlight the embossed areas, a bit of shimmer watercolour applied with a small brush and then a small piece of double sided tape behind the body section before being applied to the card front.  I used a coordinating fine tipped marker to make a dotted line for the flight path and this card was done!!

Therese

A cute kids card with a distressed background paper

The background paper for this card was part of a calendar my sister gave me years ago and I created another card with the other half a few days ago.  I embossed this one with a polka dot embossing folder and used an ink pad to highlight the texture.  I did all the edges as well.   I found this tag that worked with it so went looking in my images stash to see what I could find that was the right size.  I found this cute image of two little fairies in a tea cup which worked perfectly!!  These stamped images were given to me by a friend quite a few years ago and it is fun to use them and remember the connection!!  I watercoloured the image, trimmed top and bottom with scalloped scissors and then pierced the scallops with a push pin.  I adhered it to my tag and then worked on a layout!!  I used the red scrap I had trimmed off the background just below the image and over the bottom of the tag and then layered a cute little laser printed greeting with triangles before adhering it to my large element.  I added a large brad to the hole in my tag before gluing the whole thing to a turquoise card.  Really like how this one turned out - not the typical kid's card!!

Therese

Birthday Card Set - a few flowers and another shimmery dragonfly

You can check out this post to find the details of why and how I have been creating this set of cards.

I started with a pink card and added the pink striped decorative paper.  I added a strip of brown across the lower portion and added a laser printed greeting which had been embellished with watercolour.  The dragonfly is left over from making these cards so I put the dragonfly back into the die and passed it through the Big Shot a couple of times to make sure it was embossed sufficiently to show all the detail.  With it still in the die I applied shinnery watercolours to the various sections to coordinate with my background.  I popped it out of the die, added a short piece of double side tape just behind its body and positioned on my card front.  That leaves the wings and tail free which helps give it some dimension.  I used a marker and created a dotted line to create its flight path and my card was finished!!

Therese

A birthday card with a collage feel

I created two sets of cards last week as a prize for a family event and packaged them in Ferraro Rocher chocolate boxes.  You can check them out here!!
This card is part of the cards I had started creating before I decided to make cards that fit in the #8 envelopes which fit so perfectly in those beautiful clear boxes!!
I started with a background from a calendar which my sister gave me years ago.  I had dismantled it but the paper was so cool I had saved it in my stash of background papers.  I found it in a box this week and thought I would see if I could make a card with it.  It was already a bit distressed and interesting so I decided to work with that!!  I used a TH embossing folder and embossed only the top portion and used light gray stamp pad to highlight the texture I had added.  I did all the edges as well.  I added a strip of handmade faux washi tape with a bit of a blue tinge and overlaid a piece of Paris themed commercial washi tape over it.  I stamped "hold on .... dreams" using my black Versafine stamp pad.  Wow!! It worked so well and was such a nice solid black!!  Finally I added a vellum birthday greeting with two square brads and glued this whole element to an orange/yellow card front.

Therese

Birthday Card Set - a background created with stripes of decorative paper and cute little cupcake digital image

I have been making card for a gift and if you want all the details of why and how you can check out this post.
For this card I started with a white card but you cannot see any of it because I created my background right on the front of the card from edge to edge.  I started with the little strawberries from my stash and added several other papers that coordinated then added two stripes of red cardstock.  I still needed one and figured it should be green to coordinate with the strawberries and I found a scrap of this green polka dot paper and I thought it was perfect!!  So I played with the layout and then glued them all in place one at a time trimming them to the edge of my card.  I watercoloured my laser printed greeting (Melonheadz) using coordinating colours and added it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  The plain red stripe needed a bit of something so I added pink and green sequins to it using glue dots - that was better.  Now, the green one looked a little plain so I added two lines of clear glitter gel pen and some pink daisy punchies as well.  They were calling for clear rhinestones even before I got them all in place.  I used the clear glitter gel pen to add dots to the little scallops on the strawberry strips.  Finally, I just had to add some clear heart bling to the last strip of pink decorative paper which seemed to complete the design.  Way more blinged up that what I usually make but I am sure a little girl will be most pleased on her birthday to receive this cool blingy card on her birthday!!

Therese

Birthday Card Set - a fun cupcake digital image with some very graphic decorative paper

Yet another card for the set!!  Click here to get all the details on why and how I am making these cards.

For this card I started with a dark brown card and combined two pieces of coordinating decorative paper to create a background.  I added a thin strip of brown cardstock over the place where they joined which gave the whole card a very dramatic look!!  I watercoloured the cute cupcake (Melonheadz) with shimmery watercolours in very subtle shades to coordinate with the background.  I added a thin border to the image using a dark brown permanent marker to help it stand against the bold paper before adhering it to my card front with double sided tape.  I added a bit of shading to the laser printed oval greeting, layered it onto a brown oval punchie and adhered it to the front of my card using double sided tape.  Really love how this one turned out!!

Therese

Hand decorated return address labels

I printed another set of return address labels last week and with the prep for our weekend plans I did not get to painting  them til today!!  I used the yellow and magenta ink spray that I created using the spent inkjet cartridges.    Needless to say the yellow had a bit of malfunction and so there was more yellow than I had originally planned to use so I just went with it and added a bit more magenta afterwards!!  They are bright!!!!!!  Have enough for another few months now!!

Therese

Birthday Card Set - a doodled flower with some bling

This card set continues to grow!!  To get all the details check out this post.
For this card I started with a pale pink card, added the striped paper and the doodle art flower sticker before adding the eyelet punched border (SU) which I embellished with clear rhinestones.  I watercoloured the flower sticker and added a bit to the oval punchie greeting as well.  I added the greeting using double sided tape once it was dry.  It looked like it needed a bit of bling as well so I added two small rhinestones near the flourishes.  I am very happy with how effective these stickers have been in my cardmaking!!

Therese

Birthday Card Set - a dragonfly background with a stamped floral background

I made a set of birthday cards for a family event recently!!  You can check out this post for the details!
For this card I started with a kraft colour card.  I layered on an orange mulberry decorative paper, added a deep red strip at the bottom then added a trimmed laser printed greeting and a little maple leaf punchie as an accent.  Next, I coloured my dragonfly using shimmer watercolours. I reinserted it into the die, ran it through the Big Shot with the embossing mat to better define the areas and then applied coordinating watercolours using a fine brush.  Once it was dry, I used a small piece of double sided tape behind its body to adhere it to my card front.  The leaves the wings and tail free which adds a bit of dimension.  I added a dotted flight path with a coordinating fine tip marker.  It was still needing a bit of something some I dug out a small flower stamp and added a few in the upper left hand corner and a few more in the lower right hand corner.  To keep them subtle I had to stamp off three times before stamping each one.  I created a border on a white scrap which I can use on a future card.  The addition of the flowers was just what was needed!!!
The dragonfly was a left over from making these cards!!

Therese

Birthday Card Set - a subtle colour palette and a cute tulip

Another birthday card for my set!  To see why and how I am creating these cards you can check this post!!
For this card I started with a blue green card front.  I added a gray strip across the bottom and layered on a layered oval greeting (SU).  I cut a piece of beautiful decorative paper and added it just above the greeting.  I watercoloured the tulip image ( Melonheadz)  in soft coordinating colours, layered it onto a rectangle of gray cardstock and mounted it to my card front using 3D foam tape.  I usually like this image in very bright colours but it works equally well in soft toned down colours.

Therese

Two sets of doodle birthday card kits

I have created two sets of doodle card kits as kids prizes for a family event this weekend!!

I downloaded the doodles from the internet, laid them out with birthday greetings in fun fonts on a quarter sheets in Corel Draw and laser printed them on white card stock.  I combined the doodle elements with fiber, punchies for central elements, single layer inserts and have included 8.5" x 8.5" pieces of bond paper along with a folding template for the creation of handmade envelopes which will coordinate with the cards.  I watercoloured mine but they could certainly be coloured with any medium - pencil crayons, markers, chalks, etc.  

A few hours of fun in a bag!!

Therese

Birthday Card Set - rainbow paper and a doodled butterfly

I made a set of birthday cards!!  You can check here for more details on why and how!!
For this card I started with a blue card.  I added the rainbow paper before gluing on the bottom double scallop border  (SU) which I embellished with clear rhinestones.  I started with the doodle butterfly sticker which came from a Doodle Art Book which I bought a while back.  After watercolouring the image I decided it needed some company so I checked my butterfly stash and found this set of three which coordinated and provided three different sizes as well.  I tied black thread to them to create their bodies and antenna and glued them on my card using tiny pieces of double sided tape.  Really like how that worked out.   I added a laser printed round greeting (Birds Cards) which I watercoloured to coordinate with my layout.
A fun card!!

Therese

Birthday Card Set - a leaf and acorn with a happy dotted background

Another card for the set!!  You can check here to see why I am making this card set and how I am making my card fronts.
For this card I started with a blue green card front.  I had this piece of dotted paper with a piece of dark blue cardstock on the one end from a previous creative project which fit perfectly on my card!!  I watercoloured the laser printed leaf/acorn image (Meljens), layered it onto deep yellow and mounted it on the top portion of this layer.  I added a laser printed vellum greeting below it folding the ends to the back and adhering with double sided tape.  I glued this large element to my card front leaving an even border all the way around.  A nice card for anyone with a fall birthday!!

Therese

Birthday Card Set - a funky monkey on bright striped paper

A kids birthday card for the birthday card set I am making!!  Check here to get all the details on why and what I am destashing to do it!!
I started with a blue green card front and added this wonderful striped paper which reminded me of a party!!!  I watercoloured this cute monkey image (Melonheadz) and adhered it to the lower portion of my card.  I added a strip of rust cardstock over the top edge of the decorative paper and added my layered punchie greeting (SU).  The greeting is laser printed, sponged on the edges and then layered onto a decorative label punchie which I adhered over the strip using double sided tape.  A really fun card!!

Therese

Card sets packaged in clear Ferraro Rocher boxes!!

My card sets packaged and ready to go!!!  I have used clear Ferraro Rocher chocolate boxes (30) which accommodate the cards and envelopes perfectly!!  I have printed a sheet with info that also includes an image of all the cards for the birthday ones and also includes the inside verse for the Christmas ones!! I put the sheet on the bottom of the box with the images and text visible from the bottom and sides and placed the cards inside of the paper. Works really well!!   I taped the sides closed to resist the boxes being opened.  

So when you have a hankering for a sweet treat consider choosing the 30 pack of Ferraro Rocher chocolates!!  You can enjoy the yummy insides, save the gold foil and the medallions for your cardmaking and reuse the box to make a card gift for the holidays!!  Practically no waste!!!

Therese

Birthday Card Set - a bold floral wreath on a soft floral background

Birthday cards for a gift!!  You can check here to see why and how I am making this card set.
For this card I started with a dark pink card front and added this piece of decorative paper which came from the same sheet as several of the others I made for this set.  I watercoloured the wreath (Melonheadz), added a coordinating greeting and watercoloured the edges.  I added a coordinating ribbon to hide where they join.  I glued this focal element to my card front using 3D foam tape to give it a bit of dimension.

Therese

Christmas Card Set - Snowman and nativity

Another prize for the silent auction at a family event coming up soon!!  I made eight of each design for a total of sixteen cards which I will package in a Ferraro Rocher box from last Christmas.  You can check out the Birthday card set I made for the other prize here.  These fit in #8 envelopes (6.5" x 3 5/8") which are available in most stationary/general stores in most locations.  I cut the card fronts from letter sized cardstock and added a section on the short end using the scraps leftover and taped them together.  It can be used on the front or the back depending on your design.  For these, I used that section for the front because I was gluing a piece of heavy weight decorative paper to fill the front which helps stabilize the extra piece.  I added instructions on the back to allow the recipient to reuse the card.  

I trimmed two 12" x 12"pieces of heavyweight decorative paper into eight pieces each that measure #3 x 6".  I made the cards just a slight bit narrower to accommodate the best use of the decorative paper.  I designed the greeting using a font called NOEL, laser printed them in a coordinating colour and punched them out with an oval punch (SU).  I punched coordinating scalloped ovals and glued the greetings to them after sponging their edges with a bit of coordinating ink.  I cut strips about 3/8" wide from scraps of coordinating cardstock for each set and tied 1/4" ivory silk ribbon to each using a double square knot.  I used two digital images for Dearie Dolls - a holy family and a cool snowman and printed them onto off white cardstock, trimmed them out and watercoloured them.  To assemble my cards I glued the decorative paper to my card fronts, added the greeting on the lower section then just above that the strips embellished with ribbon.  Next I sponged with coordinating ink all the way the coloured images before adhering them to my cards.   

I am not a fan of making lots of cards that are the same but in order to be efficient I did the best I could.  It was easiest to colour each part of the images at the same time while I had the colour ready to go - so I painted all the sweaters, then all the noses, etc which made it easier to do them all the same though I did deviate a bit as in some cases the sweater and scarf colours are transposed and the scarf accent colours aren't always the same.  I had better luck when I was doing the nativity - those are pretty close to being all the same.  

So another set of cards ready to go!!  

Therese

A card that features a hand decorated background with a serendipity heart punchie accent

The background for this card has been in my stash for quite a while!!  It was double embossed with a heart background stamps in silver embossing powder on a scrap of paper which was painted with leftovers from a project.  I trimmed it to the border and stamped with black in using a script background stamps (SU).  I layered it onto a blue cardstock then onot a black card front. The heart was punched from a serendipity background that coordinated perfectly then layered onto a silver scalloped edged heart die cut  (SU).  I added the laser printed vellum greeting to the back of the heart before adhering it to my card front.  To finish it off I flagged the end of the greeting.  Done!!  Another card for my stash!!
I never waste paint or colour medium of any kind!!  I always have sheets of paper sitting around ready to take another coat of coordinating colour.  It is fun to keep adding layers until you are happy with the paper and then use it in a new creation as a background, to create die cuts or to embellish with embossing powder as I did here.
Therese

Birthday Card Set - a light house on a stitched background

You can go here to see why I am making these cards.
I started with a white card front which I edged with a dark blue ink pad.  I took two strips of decorative paper, tore the side of one and then laid them next to each other offset just a bit.  I machine stitched them together using black thread and then glued them to my card front.  I added a dark blue layer to my trimmed image of a light house which I took in PEI many years ago.  I added a laser printed greeting to the bottom and trimmed it with decorative scissors.  I adhered this focal element to my card front using double sided tape.  I tried to center it but it just did not seem right so off to the side it went!!

Therese