Another Card

This will be our third card for this month's CCE Stamp Club -- Create, Challenge, Encourage. It is made using several of the stamps from the set "Butterfly Basic" and a die from the "Butterflies Thinlets" set. All are being retired this year as of May 31. The inspiration for this card came from many posts on Pinterest.

 These pictures show the steps to the finished creation.

One of God's beautiful mysteries--

From Caterpillar to Butterfly

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.

Tranquil Tulips Again

I needed a "get well card" to send to a friend. I had made this focal image with the Stampin'  Up hostess set called "Tranquil Tulips" but just couldn't decide how to finish the card. I loved the image and really wanted to use it. This is my final design. It's not a complicated card, and I am pleased with how it turned out.

I used a white card base. I stamped the tulips in "Calypso Coral" ink with "Old Olive" for the stems and leaves.

After getting the card together, I added a tulip to the inside of the card and one on the front of the envelope. I often forget to do that but it really does complete the card. The sentiment comes from one of Stampin' Up's classic stamp sets called "Thoughts and Prayers".

The inside

The envelope

Simplicity

I had breakfast this morning with a couple of special friends. I wanted to give them an Easter card. This is what I came up with last night. It was very simple but elegant. The card was made to fit one of my small envelopes -- 3" x 5".

Easter Treats

Sometime ago there was a die for making "Little Milk Cartons". I always wanted to get it but never had the money. A few days ago I ran across a video showing how to make one. Here is my little "milk carton". This one is 2-inches square and 1 1/2-inches high. That measurement does not include the triangle top.

The measurements  I used--
Start with a piece of card stock that is 8 1/2-inches by 5-inches.
With the short side at the top of the score board, score at 1 1/2", 3" and 4 1/2".
With the long side at the top, score at 2", 4", 6" and 8".

Here is the link to a great video--Pootles.

CCE This Morning--Oh What Fun

CCE stands for "Create, Challenge, Encourage". This is my goal for each of our stamp club meetings. Some of the gals came Friday afternoon because they couldn't make it this morning. So much fun with each group.

We did three cards. Each one different; each one loved by all. With this first card, we were talking and learning about coloring with colored pencils and gamsol. I have had this rose stamp for many years and it is one that I love to color with my Prisma color pencils. There is so much detail but it is just large enough to be easy.

The second card used the Eclipse Technique. You can see the post I did a few days ago here for this card.

The third card used the stamp set called "High Tide". This was a CASE of another card I had seen on Pinterest. Everyone enjoyed working on the card. I look forward to doing some other cards with this set.

For our challenge we did a sketch challenge. How do card sketches work?  Here is my experience. I had all these pieces laying on my desk for several days. I just couldn't seem to get it together. When I looked at the sketch for our challenge, I saw how this card could be put together. It worked.

Our Sketch Challenge

Tranquil Tulips In A Frame

For some time I have been thinking about using some of the new stamp sets to create "art" for the walls in my craft room. Yesterday I had a little time to myself so I went to Joann's. While there I was looking at the photo mats.  I found one with an opening of  3 1/2" x 5" which would fit into a picture frame 5" x 7". This morning I set out to create my picture. Using a quarter sheet of card stock I started to stamp the stems. Messed it up. Turned the paper over; started again. This time I messed up on the flowers. Went and got another piece of card stock. This time I was able to stamp a usable image. Found a frame that I have had a long time. Here is the end result. It looks so pretty hanging on the wall.

Heartfelt Blooms

Since I do not have the "Large Letters Framelits" and since I don't think I can afford them, I have been looking for other ways to do the "Eclipse Technique" that I see all over Pinterest. For this card I used the Sale-a-bration set called "Heartfelt Blooms". I stamped the flower three times on white card stock and then using the die from the set called "Celebrate You", also a Sale-a-bration reward, I cut out the word "you". Then taking the die, I cut three pieces out of black card stock. I then glued all three black pieces together and then added the piece from my stamped image on top. This creates a clipboard like piece. After gluing the stamped image onto the black card stock, I inserted the glued piece back into the cut out spot. Worked beautifully!  And I didn't have to use any dimensionals. It was just the perfect height.