Card Stash

When I haven't been crafting for a while it takes a bit to get back in the creative mindset.  So I usually start out with cards.  Small projects that use different techniques and get me going again.  And I add to my card stash.

Time to use some of the stencils that I recently purchased.  Blending colours combined with layering the word die to create a chipboard effect

Love this technique by Jennifer McGuire using acrylic blocks to stamp watercolour effects

 Love the ideas that Jennifer McGuire shares.  This one is a swipe technique with stamping

This last one is from a Scrapbook.com class by young scrapbooker Simon Hurley Step by Step Cardmaking Techniques

Sympathy Cards

A lot of thought goes into my sympathy cards.  It is hard to get across just the right message. Sad to have had to do so many of late.

This one started with the inspiration word stamp. The papers were just the right tones that I wanted .  I have been trying different layering ideas and the dictionary page gave a great layer to add to the mix.

 

Colours: sahara sand, blush blossom, calypso coral, wild wasabi, white

Stamps:  pleasant poppies and trendy trees (SU), inspiration (PTI), spatter (IO)

Finishing touches:  papers orchard (HG).  dictionary page, striped ribbon and pearls (SU), distressing tool, stitching

This card started with a paper pad that  I had recently received along with the stamp set.  It was a chance to have a play with some new supplies.  I like the torn vellum layer as it broke up the textures. 

 

Colours:  sahara sand, certainly celery, bravo burgandy

Stamps:  flowers (BG), whimsical words (SU)

Finishing touches:  vellum, ribbon and pearls (SU), stitching

It all began with the journal card and a new embossing folder.  I had a play with the sanding paper to see how it would work with the folder.  Simple but effective card.

Colours:  white, baja breeze, riding hood red

Stamps:  n/a

Finishing touches:  arrows embossing folder and essentials hardware clip (SU), journal card (pink paislee), buttons, sanding tool, sandable paper (echo park), maraschino bakers twine (TT)

Wish big

Making cards for special people rates high on my crafting things I love and you get to add special touches that are unique to the person that you are giving them to.  And as I make them I am thinking of and praying for the person that I make it for.

The idea for these cards came from this card from Danielle Flanders and this one by Maggie Holmes from a Studio Calico Kit that I had pinned on my pinterest board Cards for Her.  Great to have inspiration at your fingertips, especially when you haven't been creating for a while and are in a bit of a rut.  I used my alpha die from Papertrey Ink to recreate the WISH tag effect.  I had a couple of cards to make and decided to use the cut out letters to create another card rather than throw away or drop them in the bottom of a pile somewhere.  The washi tape made it super simple to do.

Colours: very vanilla, baja breeze, calypso coral, blushing bride
Stamps:  stylish sentiments - birthday and happy trails (PTI), sketchy flourishes (inkadinkadoo)
Finishing touches:  paper and ruffled ribbon (SU), watercolouring, rhinestones, headline alpha die (PTI), stitching, eyelet sticker, flower embellishment (rosies studio), essentials hardward clip (SU), washi tape

Lego card

What was a lego party without a lego card.  I had pinned this card from Yellowbear Stampin and this was my take on it.


Colours:  black, white, real red, pumpkin pie, pacific point, daffodil delight, garden green
Stamps:  stylish sentiments - birthday (PTI)
Finishing touches:  distress tool (TH), dimensionals, headline alpha die (PTI), circle punch (SU)

Farewell cards

On a sadder note.  We have been farewelling friends. Our amazing family ministries pastor at church is moving to Auckland for more adventures.  So I had the opportunity to make cards for her from our home group and for her hubby from ICONZ - the boys brigade group that our boys go to. I love being able to do cards that are specific to the person that is receiving them.  I managed to catch a photo of one of the cards and am gutted that I didn't take one of the other.  For both I started with a dictionary page word.  This one is taken from this card on my cards for him board on Pinterest.

Colours:  white, not quite navy, tangerine tango, black

Stamps:  monster mash (CDS), happy trails (PTI), notes (studio G)

Finishing touches:  dictionary page, for the record paper (EP), stitching, dimensionals, speech bubbles punch (EKS), rockies edging scissors

And another farewell card was needed for someone at my Husbands work.  I kept the same theme going with the dictionary page and was inspired by the new Stampin Up mini catalogue pg 10, to use dots and the colours.

Colours:  white, going grey, black, daffodil delight, taken with teal

Stamps:  little pieces and ciao baby (SU), happy trails (PTI),  arrow (studio g)

Finishing touches:  stitching, watercolour brush, dictionary page, washi tape, charcoal bakers twine (the twinery), petite curly label punch (SU)

Cards for boys

With birthday season upon us it was time to make some more cards.  I had pinned this card on my cards for him board on Pinterest and it was an easy option for a quick card. 

  I used the wrapping paper for the colours.  The bright maze puzzle stood out on the black.

Colours: red, black, silver

Stamps: lots of spots (CDS), Birthday bash sentiments (PTI)

Finishing touches: maze puzzle, silver and red embossing powders 

The next cards were inspired by a design on one of my boy's t-shirts 

Stamp the image directly onto the page.  Stamp another image onto white and colour.  Crop pieces of the coloured image and use dimensionals to lift off the page.

Colours:  brocade blue, wild wasabi, pumpkin pie, crumb cake

Stamps: boys will be boys (elzybells), stylish sentiments birthdays and happy trails (PTI)

Finishing touches: dimensionals, black embossing powder, ribbon, headline alpha die number (PTI), spritzer tool

Time to dust off the blog - Christmas creating

This must have been the craziest end of year, birthdays and back to school yet.  So these holidays while I had projects on the go, it was all I could do to keep up with them.  My holidays were well spent making memories and reading and relaxing.  Finally I am back to somewhat of a routine and am wanting to do so much more here.   First what have I been creating?  Christmas - yes I gave a sneak peak in this post and then didn't show the end result.  It all started with this card as inspiration.  With lots of great tags to use I mixed and matched the different elements and added some little details.

Colours: crumb cake, cherry cobbler, always artichoke, very vanilla, early espresso

Stamps:  vintage labels and postmarks (PTI), merry christmas (kaiser)

Finishing touches:  handmade holidays papers and tags (simple stories), rhinestones (SU)

Next there was the teachers gifts

 In our Stampin Up Christmas swap I received a beautiful set of Christmas cards.  The wise owl always works well with teacher gifts so I added some more using the sets that I have and I had my cards sorted.

Colours:  white, rich razzleberry, old olive

Stamps:  wise owl (PTI), all year fun (SU), dress up lily (PCS)

Finishing touches:  doily die (couture creations), dimensionals, dazzling diamonds glitter and rhinestones (SU)

 For the school teachers some stationery bits and pieces, clips, post its and magnets in fun colours.  And the kindy teachers, yummy apples with caramel dip.  

This one went down really well.  They all asked for the recipe.

And last on the Christmas front was my Stamp Club Christmas swap.  Sorry the photos aren't that great.  I realised in all the busyness that I hadn't taken any photos and my phone isn't that great.  I had pinned the ideas for recycling books and thought it would be great to fill with goodies to give as a gift.  Once I started making bits and pieces I was hooked.  As such I have lots that didn't go in so will have some fun creating my own cards.

Colours:  daffodil delight, baja breeze, not quite navy, certainly celery, garden green

Stamps:  just the ticket (PTI), punctuation (KP), ciao baby and a round array (SU)

Finishing touches: book, envelope, for the record papers (echo park), embosslits beautiful wings,  lots of tags die, round tab punch and chevron border punch,  7/8 scallop circle punch and petite curly label punch (SU), buttons, ribbons, just the ticket die , ric rac die (PTI)

As you can see I have been a busy girl.  Lots of fun when I get creating.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - Card sneak peek

My Christmas card list seems to get bigger every year. While I plan to get onto my cards early in the year so I know they are done it hasn't happened. I had an idea started from this card by Maile Belles and I bit the bullet, put aside some other things that need doing and got into it. I was pleasantly surprised to find they didn't take that long and I enjoyed putting them together.  Now to do the year in review letter that goes with it.  I will post the final result when they have been posted out.

Colours: crumb cake, cherry cobbler, always artichoke, very vanilla, early espresso
Stamps:  vintage labels and postmarks (PTI), merry christmas (kaiser)
Finishing touches:  handmade holidays papers and tags (simple stories), rhinestones (SU)