Easter Wishes

Tomorrow Don and I have a lunch engagement with three other couples we met at Rock Steady Boxing. All four husbands have Parkinsons, at different levels. These three couples bless our us every time we are together.

I wanted to make a special Easter card. I came up with the idea of doing a card-in-a-box. It had been a long time since I made one. The first thing I had to do was find my instructions. It took me almost a full day to create the card. After that everything went a little faster. The three are now finished.

Stamps -- Blessed Easter (Easter Wishes on back panel), Tranquil Tulips, His Grace (John 3:16) and Beautiful Bouquets (Leaves)
Dies -- Cross of Hope Framelits, circle punch and round and scalloped dies
Card Stock -- Rose Red, Old Olive, White and Black
Ink -- Rose Red, Old Olive, Soft Sky and VersaFine Onyx Black

Getting Ready for Classes

Yesterday, I was trying to finish up my preparations for an upcoming class. I wanted to do a card for Mother's Day, but I also know that several in the class no longer have their mothers. So I wanted a card that could be used for other occasions. I think that this card works. 

For me, the challenge was finding the right Designer Series Paper. I feel that this is a little old fashioned but I love it. It reminds me of a dress my mother or grandmother would have worn. I also wanted a small design with a pretty accent color on the back. This piece of DSP is from Stampin' Up's "Botanical Garden" collection retired a number of years ago.

I love this fold. It is called the "Collar Fold". On this card, after finding the center on the DSP, I only cut down 1 3/4 inches. That allowed space for three "buttons".  The buttons were made using little scallop circles punched from Hello Honey card stock and topped with an enamel dot.

The card base is Mint Macaron card stock. The accent layer is Very Vanilla. I found that I had some Hello Honey ribbon which made the perfect bow. The sentiment is from the stamp set "Butterfly Basic" which is being retired this year. For the inside decoration I used a little "Cajun Craze" ink across the bottom for added interest.

Don't forget the inside

New Cards

I just finished this card last night. I had been wanting to make a card like this for a long time. I got the basic parts made and then I could not decide on how to decorate it. I tried numerous things but nothing seemed quite right. When I found the ribbon bow on the desk and tried it, I really liked it. I wanted to put three buttons on the front but unfortunately there was room for only two.

I chose Coastal Cabana for the card base. The accent color is Crumb Cake. The Designer Paper came from a pad called "Fresh Prints". The sentiment comes from a long retired set called "Well Scripted". I struggle with getting rid of some the older retired Stampin' Up sets. For me, some of those sets never go out of style.

The "Collar Fold"

After making my first "Shutter Fold" card, I wanted to try another one. I am thinking of doing this card in two classes that will be coming up in a couple of weeks.

For this card I used the heavy weight white card stock for the base. I found this designer paper in one of the stacks that I have. It is from s-e-i and is called Cold Springs from the Silver Valley Collection. Then I was able to find light blue card stock that matched the blue in the designer paper. Pretty cool.

The word "Congratulations" is from the stamp set called "Flourishing Phrases". The inside greeting "ON YOUR WEDDING DAY" is from the "Best Birds" set. I am still thinking that I would like a little decoration on the belly band by the word "Congratulations" but I am not sure what that will be right now.

The Shutter/Peek-a-Boo Fold"

Shutter Card

Such a fun project. I had been searching for instructions for this fancy fold card for some time. Then earlier this week I found the perfect video. Here is the link to "Dawn's Stamping Thoughts" video called "Peek a Boo / Shutter Card". There are so many talented gals out there who do an incredible job with their videos. I enjoy their talent and love learning from them.

I used Midnight Muse and Summer Starfruit card stock to create my card. I chose those colors because I wanted to use some of the retired designer series paper called "Patio Party. The inside sentiment comes from the set called "Bunch of Blossoms" and the "Happy Birthday" comes from the set called "Morning Meadow". I did have a little trouble with the shutter mechanism closing. I clipped the points on the upper layer of the shutter and then it worked beautifully. I am already working on a second card.

My First

My first "waterfall card". I wanted to do something different. I looked and looked and looked. Since I had never done a waterfall card, I decided that would be my challenge. Watched several videos. WOW! There is so many talented card makers out there. My card is a combination of several ideas that I came across.

For my card, I chose Smoky Slate and So Saffron as my color combination. The card base is Smoky Slate and So Saffron is the accent color. I used the large flower stamp from the set "Indescribable Gift" to stamp the four little squares. To add some interest on the band that holds the waterfall strip, I used a die from the new thinlets set called "Petals and More". It wasn't quite long enough so I cut it in half and stretched it out a little. The break got covered up when the waterfall strip got glued onto the band.

This verse is from the new set called "Hold On To Hope".

A New Card

I was looking for ideas for my upcoming stamp club meeting coming this weekend. So many wonderful inspirations. This is the first card I chose. It is called a "Double Point Fold". I did a CASE of a card I saw; I was having a hard time getting started. Here is a link to Lisa Curcio's blog Lisa's Stamp Studio. She created a video with great instructions. I am so thankful for all the talented people out there that are so ready to share their talent. Lisa also shares some great ideas on how to watercolor on Whisper White card stock in her video.

I made a card like this in the stamp club that I was a member many years ago. I enjoyed trying it again.

Four Fold Cards

These cards show my journey at making the four fold card. Some months ago this was my first attempt at making this design. I followed the tutorial that I found HERE. I used the Stampin Up sets called Touches of Texture and Butterfly Basics. It was a challenge but one I enjoyed working on.

For my second card I used designer papers that I had purchased at my local Jo-Ann store. I used basic black for the die cuts. Love how the black looks on the paper.

This last card was one that we did in our Create, Challenge, Encourage Stamp Club for our January meeting. We used the Delightful Daisy stamp set. The card base was basic black with Calypso Coral as the accent layer. The daises were stamped with Calypso Coral and Pacific Point ink. This layout becomes a little time consuming but I think it is well worth the effort.

"I Did It"

I have had this desire for the last few weeks to make one of the stair step cards that I had been seeing on Pinterest. I searched and searched trying to find a tutorial on how to make one. I found several but they all seemed rather complicated. Many were written with the measurements written in centimeters. I could have converted the centimeters to inches, but I wanted it done for me. I was being lazy, I guess. I finally found instructions that seemed to be ones that I could follow. After making several prototypes, I finally came up with my own plan. It was time to try using some of the new card stock from Graphic 45 that I had purchased not too long ago. Here is my card---

Here is a list of the things I used--

• A black card base cut to measure 11 1/2" x 6"
• Paper from the 12" x 12" pad of the Graphic 45 collection "Guilded Lily" 
• "Vintage Photo" Distress ink
• Spellbinders Petite Oval Dies for cutting out the image on the front of the card
• White seam binding (Hug Snug) that I had dyed with re-inkers, crinkled and allowed to dry
• Our Daily Bread Designs "Flower Border" stamp (stamped on natural card stock and heat embossed with gold embossing powder) then cut out with the Spellbinders Label 18 die
• flower stamp from Stampin Up's "Colorful Seasons" stamp set, cut out with coordinating die (stamped on Blushing Bride card stock using the Blushing Bride ink pad -- details added with the SU Primrose Petal marker and yellow Stickles)"
• Finished card size  --  4 1/4 " x 6" 

I hope to be able to share my instructions at a later date. I have to figure out how to write them all down so that someone else could follow them.

Pretty Papers

This was a fun card to make and easy too. The hardest part is deciding what "pretty" papers to use. These were papers from Graphic 45. The flowers were made using a die from Cheery Lynn Designs. You get a little different look depending on how you slide the belly band on.

You start out with a card base measuring 12" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4", 7 1/4" and 10 1/4 ". Fold and then decorate with some of those beautiful papers found in your stash. Each layer is cut 1/8" smaller than the measurement of the panel. I prefer the smaller borders, but that is my choice. I only used two different papers. Both sides of the paper with the brown was used.

Tri-fold Revisited

I think this turned out to be a very special card. I found this fold on Pinterest a couple of weeks ago. I had several pieces of scrap designer paper laying on my work space from another project. When I saw how to make this card, I decided to see what I could make.

I used a black card base then chose pieces that would fit each part. The card is so easy to make. The card base is a piece of card stock cut 5 1/2" x 11" and scored at 3" and 7 1/4". The card stock is folded with the two side panels folded over each other. I chose to have the smaller 3" panel on top. All of top pieces (layers) are cut 1/8" smaller than the measurements of the panel. I like the very small borders -- about 1/16". I think the smaller borders accent the beauty of the paper, especially when the card base is black.

The flowers were made using the Cheery Lynn Designs tea rose dies. I used Soft Sky card stock and sponged the edges with a distress ink.

This Little Piggy

What a fun stamp set! I loved this stamp set when I began seeing cards made with it. I got the set last month but had not been able to get inspired to use it. Yesterday was the "day". This is my card.

I have been looking at cards that are made with unique folders. There are so many. Yesterday I ran across a video showing how to make the "squash fold" card. I had done this fold years ago but had forgotten about it.This video sparked the inspiration I needed. "Here is the a link" to the video.

Here is the card that I made. The finished size of the card is a 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" square card. The card base is Stampin Up's "Lucky Limeade" accented with Calypso Coral and Island Indigo. I stamped my little piggy onto 90 lb. watercolor paper with VersaFine Black Onyx ink and heat embossed it using clear embossing powder. I used the Stampin' Up watercolor pencils and my aqua brush to color the image.

Such cute stamps.

Joy Fold Sympathy Card

Having fun making cards using the "Joy Fold".  As always, I have used several sets to make this card and I love all of them. I used "Colorful Seasons", "Best Birds" and "Flourishing Phrases" -- all by Stampin' Up.

For the card base I used Primrose Petal card stock. The inks I used were Memento Rich Cocoa, Blushing Bride and a touch of Primrose Petals in the centers of each punched flower.

July 16, 2017
This card was mentioned in the "Favorites for the week ending July 16, 2017 at SplitcoastStampers.

"Fancies" to "Die" For

Do you find it hard to make a card without using dies, thinlits, framelits or whatever they are called.

I DO!!!

I love coordinating stamp and die sets.

In preparing for an up coming class on "fancy fold cards", I have found I am going more and more to the beautiful dies and matching stamp sets that I have in my collection. This is the first card I would like to share. I think is called a "joy fold". The card base is cut 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", scored at 3". The small card is cut 3" x 8" and scored at 4". Each of the top layers are cut 1/8" smaller than the piece it is going on top of. You can make them any size you like; the small 1/16" border  happens to be my favorite.

I have used a Stampin' Up set  called "Best Birds" with the coordinating set of  "Birds and Blooms" thinlets. The card base is Bermuda Bay card stock accented with Pool Party designer series paper. I colored the branch with my SU watercolor pencils and a blender pen. After stamping and cutting out the flowers, I added some accents to the center of each flower with my Bermuda Bay marker.

In order to make the accent piece in the lower left corner, I cut several 1" black circles with a punch. Glued them together, one on top of the other. The leaves were stamped (tip of the branch), colored and cut out. On top of the leaves, I added three little flowers. The last one was popped up using a dimensional.

I am not sure what I will use this card for so I added a sentiment that will allow the card to be used for many different occasions.

Maddie's Birthday

On July 4 Maddie will celebrate her 12th birthday. Time is going so fast. I have often made her birthday card around the 4th of July theme. I wanted this year's card to be different.

So--- I made a Dutch Fold card. So cool and easy too. Maddie loves animals. I don't have many animal stamps so I decided to use dies that coordinate with the SU set "Best Birds". The card base is Crisp Cantaloupe card stock. Found a piece of the designer paper in the same color. The bottom squares are the reverse of the top piece. And black became my accent color.

I found two different instructions for making this card. I chose to use this set of instructions--Beyond Beaches and Blessings. Lynn did a great job in explaining how to make the card base for this fold.