Valentine's card with beautiful paper, a large greetings and a layered embellishment

I continue with Valentine's cards to add to my stash!!  I used this beautiful floral gift wrap for the background on this card.  I love this paper!!!  I bought years ago and I will soon be at the end of the roll!!!!!!!  It lasted a LONG time!!!!  I have only every used it for crafting!!
I trimmed the background and glued it to a black card front.  Found the greeting in my stash, layered it with gold gift wrap and mounted it over the background.  I added a 3D embellishment  which I created using a little trimmed heart which I found in my stash layered onto a little red heart die cut.  They coordinate nicely and I really like how this card worked out.

Therese

Valentine's card that features a blingy heart, seam binding and a laser printed greeting

Another Valentine's card!!  I used a fun background from Melstampz which I printed a while back, trimmed to size and mounted to a black card.  I added a length of dark pink seam binding adhering the ends to the inside of my card using double sided tape.  I created a layered heart focal element using a glittered heart, a silver heart punchie (SU) and a little darker teal heart die cut (CB).  After gluing them all together I mounted this large element to my card using 3D foam tape overlapping the seam binding.  I added a little laser printed greeting just to the left below the heart.                Therese

Exchange cards that feature dimensional paint, Mud Maven birthday greetings and a bit of bling

I created these cards for my card exchange this month!!  I chose large yellow envelopes and created white cards to fit.  I cut two light weight yellow cardstock layers one for each card.  I dug through my scrapbook paper stash and found these two papers that I liked and coordinated well with the yellow layers I had created.  I trimmed an opening in each one to accommodate my large birthday greeting (Mud Maven) which was laser printed onto white cardstock and trimmed.  I ran my tracing wheel all over them for a bit more texture.  I adhered my decorative papers to the yellow layers which resulted in most of the tracing wheel texture fading away and added a piece ribbon to each of them before adhering these large layers to my white card fronts.  I watercoloured my greetings, added clear glitter using a Stardust gel pen and then added clear dimensional paint to the stars.  Once they were dry, I mounted them to the fronts of my cards using 3D foam tape.  I thought they still needed a bit of something so I added a wavy border around the greetings using gel pens.  That was better!!  A bit of bling on the ribbon and I was done!!  They will be off to my swap partners tomorrow as today at -35C and I have decided to stay inside!!         Therese

Valentine's card with a doily, heart focal element and some embossing and thread

It is time to think of Valentine's!!! I am making a few cards for my stash.  I started with the focal element - a vintage heart digital which I laser printed a while back.  I used my Circle cutter to trim it out of the sheet because I did not have a circle die the right size.  Worked really well!!  I layered it onto this beautiful white paper doily and wanted some contrast so I added a circle of gold foil in behind.  The foil is from Ferraro Rocher chocolates!!!  Chocolate is always good and if it provides crafting supplies that is a double good!!!  I embossed a coordinating red card front with a script stamp (SU) and embossed it with gold embossing powder to create my background.  Added gold embroidery thread to create some upward movement in the background adhering the ends in the center where they will be covered by the focal element.  I glued my large heart/doily element to my card using 3D foam tape after stabilizing it with a circle of cardstock on the back.  I found the greeting in my stash, trimmed it before layering it with red and mounting it to my card using 3D foam tape.  Worked out well!!!!!!!!!  Therese

Card kits with bright paper, a large greeting and sequin embellishments

I made up a few of my card kits from the class to add to my stash.  

On the first one I used a different label to cut the bright pieces so I trimmed the greeting to the edges of the label and mounted them similar to my second card on my original post which you can see here.  I also added a little silver butterfly punchie to the mix of embellishments.  

For the second card I pretty much made it up as I did the original ones.  I did add some dots with a clear glitter gel pen all the way around the greeting in between the sequins.  I did add some embossed lines to my third card.  Card kits really make cardmaking quick and easy!!!  With all the pieces ready to go it often is just a matter of positioning and gluing them into place.  

Therese

You warm my heart card with an embossed and watercoloured heart, thread and a sanded embossed background

Working on Valentine's cards for my stash and decided that this greeting created a card that could easily be given to any family member on Valentine's or any other occasion as well.  I used solid white core cardstock, embossed it with a polka dot embossing folder and sanded it to reveal the core.  Love the look and texture of this layer!!  I trimmed the four corners with my corner rounder punch, added gold embroidery thread from top to bottom before adhering it to a blue card front.  I mounted the heart - gold embossed and watercoloured - over the thread using 3D foam tape.  I trimmed the laser printed greeting, flagged the end and tucked it underneath the heart adhering it with double sided tape.  A cute little card!!!!

Therese

Quilted cell phone case

 I have had the fabric for this case sitting on the ironing board for several weeks now and finally took the time today to sew up this little project.  I have been using the case my sister made since I got the phone from her.  It had a button closure and I would sometimes have it hang up on the button so I decided to make myself one with a zipper instead.  I chose a piece of fabric for the inside that somewhat coordinated with the pieces I wanted to quilt on the outside and stitched strips of fabric as wide as my base adding them incrementally by sewing the first two, folding the top one down and added another strips until I had the piece completely covered. 

 I folded over both top edges on one side and stitched in one side of the zipper and then did the same for the other side of the zipper.  Fortunately, the zipper was long enough to allow me to stitch in the pocket I decided to add to my case.  I simply used a folded piece of the lining fabric, quilted it so it would keep its shape and then added fusible webbing between the two bottom edges to make that nice and neat.  Next, I stitched this edge to the middle of my case on the side I wanted the pocket.  Next, I trimmed the ends, turned it inside out and stitched them up.  I turned the case outside out and then added a line of stitching on each end on the outside which

captured the seam allowances and left the inside of my case looking neat. I have enough room inside to add my headphones when I go to the gym and also a little room on the end for my little pointer.  I did have to hand stitch one of the allowances on the inside right next to the zipper to reduce its width because it was getting caught in the zipper as I open and closed the case.   I expect it will work very well and it certainly will store in my purse's middle section very nicely. 
It took longer than I expected but that is par for the course when you are learning as you go. 
Therese

Birthday card with flower die cuts, fiber and a bit of embossing

I was working on card kits for my class  and decided that this design would not work the best so I just made up the card.  I die cut the flowers on the left hand side of the pink cardstock layer. and then stamped the greeting in dark pink.   I added a bit of stamping in pink ink and some manual embossing to add texture to the layer before backing it with a dark floral scrapbook paper.  I added the little yellow thread afterwards so used a needle to get it between the layers which worked really well.  I glued the large layer to the front of a card brown card.  I added little yellow circles to the flower centers and three brown sequins to finish off my card.  Pretty happy with it!!!

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 birthday card with a candle digital, ribbon and chevron embelishments

Working on family birthday cards!!  For this one I created a digital image of candles, stars and a greeting which was inspired by a card on Splitcoast Stampers.  I created it in Corel Draw and am happy with the way it turned out.  I laser printed several and trimmed this one from the sheet.  I started with a large envelope and created a beige card for fit inside.  I found this wood background paper in my stash and pieced it together to cover the front of the card.  I watercoloured my image to coordinate with the bits of ribbon I chose to create flags on it.  Once dry I added double sided tape to the back and added several lengths of ribbon which I trimmed to make a pleasing group.  I mounted my focal element to the front of my card with 3D foam tape and added the blue chevrons below.  They are punchies I found in my little container of fun shapes.  Love how it worked out!!
It is on its way today!!

Therese

January Cardmaking - bright die cuts, a large greeting and a few sequins

Our last card features a large central greeting (Desert Diva).  I downloaded the greetings and laser printed them large on white cardstock. I trimmed them to just less than a quarter sheet to leave a small border all the way around.  I die cut two pieces from some bright backgrounds made with ink on glossy photo paper.  They are only a portion of a label on one of Tim Holtz's label dies.  These were glued to the top and bottom of the card and trimmed even with the edges.  I embellished my labels for my second card with my tracing wheel, added some rhinestones and trimmed the edges to leave a border all the way around.  Next, we added fun sequins in coordinating colours using double sided tape.  Cards with large greetings are quite popular right now and I am seeing them everywhere!!  I really like these greetings from Desert Diva as they are digital and can easily be made any size you want!! 

Therese

January Cardmaking - die cut openings, thread and some sequins

For our second card I used a card off of Splitcoast Stampers which had openings on the left hand side which had been created using a large floral border die.  I do not own a border die which would be suitable so I decided to use individual dies to create a similar effect.  I used two dies from a Cuttlebug set of four hearts for this card.  I was careful not to have any extra marks on my cardstock as I die cut each individual opening.  Happy with how that worked out!!  I stamped my greeting next and then stamped a script background and a few flourishes to finish off the background.  I tied a green thread from one of the openings to the right hand side of the card and simply let the ends hang.  I used a piece of floral scrapbook paper to cover the back of the openings.  I mounted this large element to the front of a dark brown card.  To finish off the card I added three brown sequins using double sided tape.   For my second card, I used a large star die and them a long reach star punch to create the openings and backed them with gold foil from Ferraro Rocher chocolates.  I added gold embroidery thread and embossed the birthday greeting (SU) in gold.  

It was fun to use a card as inspiration and make it my own using the tools I have on hand.  This sketch is quite versatile as it can be changed up with colour, dies and greetings to accommodate a variety of occasions.    Therese

January Cardmaking - sanded background, thread and a 3D embellishment

Its is time to get back to making cards with friends!!

I started with this fun card that features a sanded background.  I embossed dark peach white core cardstock with the happy birthday embossing folder and then sanded it to reveal the core and give it a wonderful texture as well.  I corner rounded all four corners before wrapping a length of crochet thread around this layer several times and then tying and double knotting the ends over all the wraps to make a focal point.  I cut the ends short so they would be covered by my 3D embellishment.  I glued the wrapped background to a green card front before mounting my little gift embellishment with 3D foam tape.  The little gift was created using a rectangle of serendipity collage to which I tied a length of green crochet thread double knotting it at the top and adding a little bow.  I love how it turned out!!!!   I used aqua white core cardstock for my second card along with brown crochet thread and a serendipity heart in that coordinates.  I added three rhinestones to the heart for a little extra bling.  With no greeting this card can be used for Valentine's, an anniversary or a birthday card for someone you love.  

 A very versatile sketch which can be adapted for any occasion by varying the colour, embossing folder and the 3D embellishment.    Therese

Large anniversary card that features lots of glitter, beautiful ribbon and an oval laser printed greeting

An anniversary card for my sister and her husband.  I started with a large peach envelope and created a dark peach card to fit inside.  I had the dark peach glitter paper sitting on my desk from the last card I made so I decided to see if I could use it for this anniversary card.  I dug through my heart stash and I found the white glitter hear which I rescued off of a different card a while back. That would be perfect!!  I found some dark peach cardstock and traced the heart onto the back and cut it out on the outside of the line with my decorative scallop scissors.  I glued this heart accent to the peach glitter layer and thinking it needed a bit of a focal element I dug through my heart stash some more and found this white heart outline.  Perfect!!  I used a fine tip applicator with white glue in it to adhere it to my white glitter heart.  Continuing the theme I glued this layer to a white rectangle of cardstock and added a beautiful piece of salmon ribbon below it adhering the ends to the back with double sided tape.  I auditioned it on my card and decided to trim the white cardstock just below the ribbon which allowed just enough room for me to add the die cut accents which I had cut from the scraps using a TH label die to be adhered top and bottom.  Excellent!!  I adhered this large element to my peach card front before adding the laser printed oval punchie greeting (Birds cards).  I sponged the edges of the greeting, added a bit of glue below the ribbon to hold it in place before adding the greeting over it usind 3D foam tape.   I added some clear glitter dots with a gel pen to the accent pieces and I was done!!  Love it!!           Therese

Large birthday card that features a butterfly die cut, ribbon and splashes of glitter

I am working on January birthdays and this one is for my youngest sister!! 
I started with peach envelope and created an off white card to fit in it.  I had a used card sitting on my desk that I was inspired to use.  I featured this large die cut opening of a butterfly.  The original card had a string of butterflies mounted in the opening which I removed and strung onto my patio screen and I have enjoyed it for several years there especially in the summer when the breeze was blowing.  I decided to trim one of the large butterflies from the string to use on this card.  I trimmed the panel to fit on my card, added a ribbon across the top and a little laser printed punchie greeting (SU) which I watercolour to coordinate.  I watercoloured the card front in blue to create a background for my butterfly and embossed with D'vine Swirl (CB) embossing folder.  Unfortunately, I was not paying enough attention and it also embossed the outside edge.  I did run a bone folder over the embossing in an effort to remove it.  It worked a bit but I liked this card enough to just forge ahead and make it happen.  I glued my large panel to my embellished card front.  I glued the string to the back and added 3D foam tape before positioning it in the opening over the embossed space.  Love it!!  I added dots of pink glitter glue to coordinate with the antennae and set it aside to dry. I am really pleased with how it turned out!!!!!!!!!  Therese

Anniversary card with a gift wrap background, seam binding and some punchie hearts

I am working on cards for my family's special occasions!!  An anniversary card for my sister!! 
I started with a large blue envelope and made a blue card to fit inside.  I layered on a piece of beautiful gift wrap that coordinated nicely.  Digging through my stash looking for a white heart shaped paper doily I found this wonderful embossed gift wrap and decided to use it instead.  I cut one panel from the piece which was saved off of a gift a while back and layered it with the same cardstock as the card.  I glued it on my card front using glue stick.  I added a length of coordinating vintage seam binding overlapping my little square and a bit offset.  I added two heart punchies (SU) from my stash in silver and one stamped one (SU) in a delicate dot pattern.  I mounted them over the square using 3D foam tape.  The greeting (Bird's Cards) was laser printed and them punched with the large oval punch (SU).  I sponged the edges to coordinate before mounting it below the square with 3D foam tape.  It still needed a bit of something to I tied a short length of seam binding to the one on the card using a single knot.  Nicely simulates a bow and was just what this card needed to finish it off!! It is off to my sister and her DH in today's mail!!!!!  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

Large Christmas cards that feature fun ornament gift wrap, angel images and layered laser printed greetings

Another set of Christmas cards!!!!!!!!!!!!  What fun I have been having!! Stash busting at its best!!

I have chosen large red envelopes from my stash and created red cards that fit in them.  I trimmed the decorative paper from gift wrap that came wrapped around our gifts during this holiday season.  The non creased sections were trimmed out and used to make these backgrounds.    I love the kraft, reds and gold colour combination.  

For the card on the left, I used a stamped angel image (SU) from my stash.  I coloured it with shimmery watercolours in red, brown and gold.  I layered it with gold and red cardstock, mounted it to my embellished card front and added a layered oval greeting with 3D foam tape.  The greeting is laser printed and punched (SU) then layered onto a red scalloped oval punchie (SU).  

For the card on the right, I also used an angel image from my stash.  This one had been stamped and gold embossed which really worked with this paper.  I coloured it with shimmery watercolours in red, gold and brown.  I layered the image in a coordinating dark red cardstock and glued it to my embellished card front.  I mounted a laser printed oval punchie greeting (SU) over a scalloped oval punchie in red and mounted it overlapping my image using 3D foam tape.  It has to be a record to have this many Christmas card made so early in the new year!!    I will try to keep it up so I can have my cards made well in time for Christmas this year!!        Therese

Another couple large Christmas cards that feature stamped & embossed images, gift wrap and textured elements

For the next set of large Christmas cards that feature this wonderful kraft ornament paper I made cards from red cardstock to fit the envelopes and adhered the trimmed decorative paper to them.  For the one on the left, I chose a gold embossed image of three trees (Magenta) from my stash that coordinated with the paper, coloured them with gold shimmery watercolour and distressed the edges all the way around.  I found the stamped greeting in my stash as well.  I trimmed it to size and flagged the right hand side before mounting it to my card front.  I decided to echo the ornament theme by adding a small ornament die cut (SX) which I embellished with a circle punchie which I embossed using an ornament embossing folder. Worked perfectly!!  I added a length of gold embroidery thread to hang it.  I adhered it over the greeting using 3D foam tape and glued the ends of the thread to the inside of the card using double sided tape.  I mounted the image with 3D foam tape to intersect with the thread and the greeting by putting it at a bit of an angle.  

For the one on the right, I used a poinsettia image combined with a tiny greeting (SU) which was gold embossed from my stash.  I used shimmery watercolours to paint the image.  Love the effect!!  I layered it onto coordinating cardstock and mounted it with 3D foam tape over a piece of luxurious gold ribbon which I mounted to the front of my card adhering the ends to the inside using double sided tape.  It has been much fun to create these large cards and using up some of my large envelope stash.   Therese

Large Christmas cards that feature beautiful gift wrap, luxurious ribbon and a layered ornament

I am working on another batch of large Christmas cards using gift wrap that arrived wrapped around our gift this season.  I love this one with its kraft background and the red and gold ornaments.  For these two cards started with the red envelopes and created red cards to fit.  I trimmed the "good" part of the gift wrap and and then cut panels that would fit on my card fronts with a bit of a border all the way around.  I trimmed and mounted lengths of this beautiful gold ribbon which was wrapped around a gift a few years ago and tucked the ends to the inside of the card and secured them with double sided tape.  I found the two ornament die cuts (SX) in my stash along with the Santa die cuts which were leftover from a previous project had been trimmed from used Christmas cards.  I embossed the ornaments with the Swiss Dot embossing folder (CB), gold embossed the top section using gold embossing powder and mounted the Santa images centered on the round part.  I used coordinating crochet thread to create a hanger and secured the ends inside the card using another piece of double sided tape and used 3D foam tape to secure the ornaments to my card front.   The layered greetings were created using items from my stash - stamped Noel (Quietfire Designs) oval punchies which I layered onto red scalloped oval punchies (SU).  I mounted these just to the right of the focal elements and overlapping the ribbon using 3D foam tape.  Really happy with the way these turned out!!!

Therese