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

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

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

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

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

Slow Stitching - tree #3

I have finished another tree in my Slow Stitching project!!  For this one I used black floss and did back stitch on on the black lines in the tree and then filled all the spaces with small seed stitches. Seed stitches are really like running stitches - in and out - but placed randomly instead of a line.  My star looks better this time!  I added several stitches from the points to the mid points which has helped a lot but it is still not really great.  I will keep practicing!!  I added three yellow daisies created with chain stitches which helps the design!!          Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring an embossed circle, watercoloured funky flowers and a stamped and layered greeting

Still working on getting the final bunch of card kits from the September card making class made up into cards.  For this one I embossed the circle and trimmed off a sliver and mounted it to my card to which I had already adhered my background of scrapbook paper.  I die cut the image of three flowers (Black Berry Jelly) using my Nestibitilities, watercoloured the image and the sponged the edge with blue and green ink.  I mounted this focal element to my card front overlapping the circle.  To continue the theme I created a layered stamped greeting.  I stamped the greeting in green, punched it with a 1.25" punch (SU) and then layered it onto a 1 3/8" turquoise circle punchie.  I added a blue sequin flower using a green  rhinestone brad and mounted this little greeting to my card front using 3D foam tape.  Enjoying the process of using card kits and changing up the sketch.

Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring a stamped floral motif with embossed layers, a layered greeting and colour printed background paper

I really modified the components of this card kit which is from my September cardmaking class.  I trimmed out the circle to make a long sort of tag shape.  I trimmed the stamped image and then used the bottom edge of the tag to trace the curve on the back of the image then fussy cut it to coordinate.  Once trimmed I used an embossing folder and manually embossed around the little floral stamped element.  I layered the image onto the tag and punched two holes at the top and used the ribbon to make an innie-outie bow then added a bit of colour with markers and added a bit of glitter using my clear glitter gel pen.   I mounted the colour printed background to my green card, adhered the finished tag to the front on the left and then added the little layered greeting (font greeting with Window Punch - Modern Label Punch  - SU) to the card using 3D foam tape overlapping the tag.  I am really making interesting cards with these kits.  I would not likely think of this sketch if I was starting from scratch to make a card.  It is fun to be stretching my creativity with these card kits!! 

Therese 

Birthday card from a kit featuring a die cut doily, a cake image and a layered greeting

Finishing up the card kits from my September  card making class. I modified some the elements from this kit - I cut a doily (SX) from the circle, die cut the cake image (Black Berry Jelly) using Nestibilities and changed up the greeting and tied on the ribbon.  I mounted the background to my blue card, added the doily using double sided tape in the solid center and then mounted the watercoloured image centered over it using 3D foam tape.  I did add clear glitter for the icing and on the flames of the cake and sponged the edges in blue.  I found this long greeting in my stash, flagged the end, layered it with a coordinating blue cardstock and tied on the green ribbon on the left hand side.  I mounted it with 3D foam tape as well below the doily.

Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring an embossed circle, a watercoloured heart (digital image) and a font greeting

I am making up the final few card kits from my September cardmaking class.  For this one I embossed the circle and trimmed it.  I adhered the stamped decorative paper onto my aqua card, added a little strip of aqua cardstock from top to bottom and then adhered the trimmed circle to the right hand side of the card.  I trimmed the heart image (Melonheadz) and used a corner punch on all the corners.  I watercoloured the heart to coordinate and then added clear glitter to the dots and in the striped fabric and then sponged the edges with purple ink.  I mounted the heart image over the circle using 3D foam tape.  I tied the purple ribbon to the greeting and mounted it below the image using 3D foam tape.  I did a bit of sponging on the greeting as well to soften the edges so it would blend a little better.

Therese

Birthday day card from a kit featuring a resist background, textured border punched strip and a glittered butterfly

Another card from a kit from my last cardmaking class in January  The resist background is silver embossed and watercoloured.  I changed up quite a few elements for this one - added a textured strip, replaced the oval with a round and removed the vellum layer.  I created the white strip by using the Eyelet punch (SU) on both sides of the strip and then adding embossed lines using my score tool.  I really like the look!!  I trimmed it to size and glued it over the front of my card.  I cut and embossed a circle to replace the oval in the kit.  I added a glittered butterfly to replace the white punchie from the kit.  I found a greeting in my stash, trimmed it to size using my cutter on both ends and scalloped decorative scissors on the top and bottom.  I used a push pin to paper pierced all the scallops and then sponged it with pink ink to help it blend in.  I mounted the circle with glue and the butterfly and greeting with 3D foam tape.  I added four little clear rhinestones to indicate the butterfly's flight path.  Worked out really well!          Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring a butterfly kisses image, embossed strip and decorative background paper

For this card I started with a card kit from September's class.  I decided to trim out the circle because it was already folded and used a different image as well to accommodate the trimmed piece.  I trimmed the butterfly kisses (Melonheadz), layered it with aqua and then trimmed the dark purple to size leaving a bit at the bottom which I trimmed with decorative scallop scissors.  I watercoloured the image, added clear glitter to the wings before gluing all the layers together and added dots of clear glitter to the scallops.  I layered a strip of aqua over a strip of orange and then embossed them with a chevron embossing folder.  I adhered my trimmed background to my dark green card front, added the embossed strip and then mounted my layered image over the strip using 3D foam tape.  Really happy with how this one turned out and I will be using that embossing folder again for strips - lots of nice texture and some direction as well. 

Therese

Slow Stitching - #2 tree

I have finished my second tree square in my current Slow Stitching project.  I am really happy with how these are working out!!  I first pinned the two halves to my blue square and used cross stitches in deep pink to secure them both to the background.  Next, I stitched up the right side with vertical stitching.  I did horizontal stitching on the left hand side.  I did my best to capture the edges while I was stitching which gives them a bit of a different look than the other squares I made.   I added a star to this tree as well but it is not much more of an improvement on the first one I did.  I will have to check my embroidery book and see what I am doing wrong as I am sure there are some that look better than that.  I also added french knots in yellow thread over all of it!!  Therese

Birthday card featuring glittered flowers, handcut stems, embossed oval and a small greeting

This kit is one from my January cardmaking class.  I am making them up to build up my stash of ready made cards.  I am changing up a few of the elements as I go because too much of the same does not work really well for me.  For this card, I adhered the stamped, embossed and watercoloured resist background to a coordinating card front.  I embossed the oval with a Swiss Dot embossing folder and adhered it to my card front.  I hand cut some leaves and stems, embossed them and then glued them to my oval.  I added the flowers using 3D foam tape after trimming the stems to a proper length.  I tucked the little greeting from the kit into the leaves and used a small piece of 3d foam tape to the end which I flagged.  I really like this one!!

Therese

Sympathy card from a kit featuring a watercoloured floral image, a layered punchie greeting and an embossed circle

I found another few kits when I was cleaning up my desk and because of the pieces I decided to make up the cards because there was not too much flexibility in the pieces without a bit of a redo of most of them.  They are from my September card making class.
To change it up a bit I trimmed the large circle and embossed it with a soft swirl embossing folder.  I adhered the background paper (stamped decorative paper) and the circle to the purple card front.  I trimmed the image into a rectangle and punched the corners using a little corner punch.  I found this fiber in my stash and ran it around the image and tied it off at the top.  I mounted this focal element to my card overlapping the circle using 3D foam tape.  I had punched a scallop oval out of the circle before adhering it to my card.  I used it to layer the font sympathy greeting which I sponged with a bit of green before layering them.  I mounted the greeting with double sided tape on the top portion and 3D foam tape on the bottom.             Therese

Birthday card from a kit featuring a cake (digital), some glitter and an embossed resist background

I am in the process of making up cards from kits from my last class in January.   I have changed up a few things - I created a completely new focal element using a laser printed cake (digital from Black Berry Jelly) which I punched with an oval punch and then watercoloured and glittered.  I layered it onto adhesive stock, trimmed it with scallop decorative scissors and then added glitter to make a fun border.  I mounted the embossed vellum to the pink oval using double sided tape and then added the cake element to cover the tape which can be see through the vellum.  I  mounted the oval element to my card front to which I had already mounted the stamped embossed resist floral background.  I found the greeting in my stash, sponged its edges with pink and mounted it to a bright silver metallic scalloped oval (SU). 

Therese

Cards from kits - birthday card featuring resist background, embossed vellum and sequins

I made this card very much like I made up the cards for my January card making class.   I used all the elements though I placed the maple leaf punchie on the outside of the vellum instead of below it and I used double sided tape to secure the sequins instead of brads.  The greeting is a laser printed one which combines a digital frame and a font greeting.  It was punched out using the modern label punch (SU).  I mounted it with 3D foam tape on the right and double on the left because the layered oval was also mounted using 3D foam tape.  The resist background was created with a large harlequin stamp (SU) which was silver embossed before the application of watercolour.  I really love the look of these backgrounds. 
Making cards from kits is so quick!  Everything is ready and you can be creative with the elements and often make very different looking cards.  I this case I pretty much followed the sketch.           Therese

Slow Stitching - #1 tree

I have finished my first square featuring trees!!  I really like how it turned out!!  I started stitching in one corner and kept going around and around until I was in the center and then tied off my thread.  I did add a small yellow star on the top but it doesn't look a lot like a star unfortunately but it does secure very nicely the top little portion of the tree fabric which works for me.  I added French knots as decoration on this one in a variety of colours.  I like the texture of the trees and yet the colours are still very visible though a bit subdued.  So far, I am not adding anything else though I did seriously consider it.    Therese

Birthday card featuring a resist background, an embossed oval and a balloon with a greeting

Still working on getting card kits made up into cards.  This one is from the January card class.  The background was created by stamping and embossing with silver embossing powder a heart image and then watercolouring all over.  Once dry, you simply wipe the embossed areas to remove any dried watercolour.  I adhered the background to a coordinating blue card.  I manually embossed the oval from the kit using a texture embossing folder and glued it at a bit of an angle on my card.  I added a lavender frame from my stash using 3D foam tape.  I added a shadow to the white balloon from the kit using a black Sharpie marker, tied on a black thread and mounted it inside the frame with 3D foam tape as well.  I found the little greeting in my stash, trimmed it to a tag shape, punched a tiny hole and used the balloon's string to loosely tie the greeting on.  I positioned the greeting and secured it with 3D foam tape.  The string hangs very naturally because I only loosely tied on the greeting.  I love how it turned out!!  Had I used been a red or yellow balloon it would have given the card a bit more punch!!           Therese

Birthday card featuring a cute little owl an oval frame and a background from Digital Graphics Cafe

I have been meaning to check and see what was new at Digital Graphics Cafe for a while and I managed to get there this week.  She has some new graphics so I downloaded a few new ones and decided to create cards for my grandsons while I was at it.  I layered the little owl over the middle of the oval frame - the colours coordinate so well!!!  I added a little font greeting before printing them on cardstock.  I also printed the background paper which I have used in the past and had already sized to a quarter sheet from the original which is larger.  The images coordinate very nicely.  I trimmed the background and adhered it to a gray card.  I trimmed the oval from the sheet, sponged its edges with aqua ink and them mounted this large element to my card over my background.  It was fun to really use a different technique and do some fussy cutting.

Therese

Anniversary card from a card kit featuring a resist background with hearts, an oval with hearts & sequins and a oval layered greeting

Another card from a card kit from my January Cardmaking class.  I used the heart resist background (silver embossed with watercolour) horizontally for this card.  I changed up the design somewhat by adding two heart punchies and layering them over the vellum.  I added the layered sequins which I assembled with double sided tape using the same tape instead of brads.  I dug through my greetings stash and chose an oval one for an anniversary and layered it using a turquoise scalloped punchie (SU) and mounted it with 3D foam tape.  I have a difficult time making several cards exactly the same as my mind its always figuring out other options.  I will probably have quite a few different version by the time I get all of these cards made up!!  Therese

Cards from card kits featuring watercoloured wildflower die cuts, lace and a thread

 

I have been working on getting the extra card kits on my desk made up into cards.  These are the last two from the January cardmaking class.  I used four flowers on the first one because I glued the first one not quite where it needed to be so I simply added an extra one to balance things out.  I had a spare in my stash of wildflower die cuts.   I used different ties - green fiber on one and green crochet thread on the other.  I really love these cards and left them without greetings in order to increase their versatility.    Therese

Birthday card featuring a rocket ship, framed greeting and background paper from Digital Graphics Cafe

Here is the other card I made using new digital images from Digital Graphics Cafe which I downloaded this past week.    I love the cool background paper.  The one I downloaded was a bit too much towards the aqua range so I made some adjustments to the image using Photoshop and it now coordinates with this rocket image much better.  I trimmed it to size after printing and adhered it to a green card front.   I trimmed out the rocket and the framed greeting as well.  It was interesting to be doing some fussy cutting for this card.  The greeting was added to the frame using a font.
It was a nice change to what I normally do when I am card making.

Therese

Cards for a gift - sanded embossed backgrounds, die cut flowers and leaves and ribbon

 I have my final physio appointment tomorrow and the physiotherapist and his team have been the very best so I have prepared a few cards to show my appreciation for their professionalism, kindness and caring. 
I went with a tried and true technique which I have enjoyed many times - embossed and sanded white core cardstock for the back grounds and die cut leaves and wildflowers (TH) for the focal elements.  I found my stash of white core cardstock so I had a few more colours to choose from.  Some of these are also card backs which are colour on one side and white on the other which also works for this technique and a good way to reuse cards.  I embossed and sanded the backgrounds, added a coordinating ribbon, tied on a little piece of cording and then adhered the flowers and leaves by adding white glue dots to the back and tucking them in behind.  Very happy with these cards and happy to be at the end of weekly appointments though I expect I will have to continue my exercise routine for a good while yet to get by shoulders strong enough for the rest of my life!!  Well worth doing all around.         Therese