Tag: Cardmaking

Put A Drink On It!

Drinks H2O

Drinks inside H2O (2)

According to our Hostess, Frances Byrne, it’s Beer Drinking Day!  The challenge this week is to put some kind of a drink on your card.  I made this card for my best friend, Jeanine, who is also my boss at the beauty salon I’ve worked at for the last 16yrs.  Our birthdays are 2 days apart!  She is 10yrs. younger than me however!  I just love her and we often spend our lunch hour picking up fast food and spending the hour chatting and laughing.

The Steps:

Step 1:  I made the pop up inside the card first.  I used an older die set from Karen Burniston called 780 – Garden Bench.  I like to try to use currently available products but this bench worked so well with the Art Impression’s stamp of these two ladies.  4407 – Coffee BFF’s

Step 2:  The card is a 6″x6″ square. I cut two 5.75″ x 5.75″ squares from white cardstock.  I stamped one with the tree from this stamp set I bought from:Amazon link to stamp set

Tree stamp

I have purchased several sets from this seller on Amazon.  They all have not disappointed me.  The seller is GIMITSUI.  They don’t spend on fancy packaging and the buyer benefits.  This set is priced at $6.59  They are a Prime Member store and offer free shipping and free returns!  What!  I know!  You will not want to return them.  All of the stamp sets I have purchased from them stamp very well.  Here are two more sets that I adore and have already used.

You may remember the elephant set used on another C4C Sketch Challenge:

Aug sketch Elephant H2O (2)

Then I used PanPastels to stencil the clouds and hills behind the bench.  The other 6″ square I also used PanPastels and stencils for the grass and path: Snow storm and Clouds & Mountain and Split rail Fence

Drinks inside H2O (2)

Next I trimmed them to fit behind and around the bench.  Wait to adhere these two stenciled squares until later.

Step 3: I stamped the Art Impression BFF’s stamp.  I colored them with Copic Markers and fussy cut them out.  I glued them to the front of the bench just on the back side of their legs which makes them really look like they’re sitting on that bench!  I’ve had the AI stamp for awhile and have used them a lot.  But I really believe I saw Frances use this stamp exactly like this when the Garden Bench first came out.

Step 4: Cut two 6″ squares from a sky blue cardstock for the front and back of the pop up.  Now take a scrap of white cardstock that is about 2″ x 4″ and stencil this strip to continue the hills behind the bench.  Do the same thing for under the bench.   Adhere the strip that is for behind the bench to the bottom of a blue square. (Make sure it is positioned to fill in where the bench cut out is).  Do the same thing for the piece that is attached to the path/grass layer and adhere it to what will be the back of the card.

Step 5:  I used 3 die sets for the front of the card: 1434 Calligraphic Elements – 3

1161 – happy birthday  and Coffee Charms.  I cut the “Elements” from silver mirror cardstock.  I cut coffee cup with white cardstock and colored with Copic Markers.  I cut the top from Velum. The happy birthday is from dark blue cardstock.  Adhere them all to the front of the card as shown:

Drinks H2O

Adhere the other blue square to the back of the card and it’s done!  I can’t wait to see what you make this week!

Other Products use:

Beacon’s Kids Choice Glue

CutterPillar Pro

Michael’s Craft Store:  All cardstock

Sizzix Big Shot Pro

 

A lesson learned!

 Sept sketch H2O

It’s sketch week!

It’s also my birthday today!  I love sketch week because your card can be any theme.  So I made mine a birthday card.

I always will post projects I like, but also my “not so much” projects.  This one I really thought would end up cute.  I had some designer paper with all these pastries on it.  I thought it would be perfect to use with the dies I wanted for the four squares in this sketch.  However, once I saw it all together, I think it’s too busy and the paper competes with the feature “squares”.  So it just goes to show you, that even when you think you got this, it’s that one that will teach you a lesson!

The Steps:

Step 1:  The designer paper stripes measure 2″ x 7″.  The blue stripe is 1.5″ x 7″.

Step 2:  I used Elizabeth Craft Designs: 1118 – Stitched Squares  for the four squares.  Using the second to smallest die, cut four times from white cardstock.  Then I used a little yellow Panpastel to match the yellow in the paper.  It doesn’t look yellow in the photo because it’s pretty pale yellow.

Step 3:  I used two Karen Burniston Charm die sets for the squares:

1050 – Sweet Treats Charms        and         1041 – Coffee Charms

Sweet Treats Charms                                  Coffee Charms

I cut all of the dies I used from white cardstock and colored them with Copic Markers.

The Yellow Happy Birthday sentiment is Elizabeth Craft Designs: 783 – Happy Birthday

Step 4:  The base card measures 5.5″ x 7″.  Score an 11″ x 8.5″ pc. of paper at 5.5 on the long side.  Fold over for a book fold.  Then add all the elements in steps 1, 2 and 3 to the front of the base as shown.  Here’s another look at the card:

Sept sketch H2O

That’s it!

Thanks so much for stopping by and we can’t wait to see what you do with this sketch!

Other Products Used:

Beacon’s Kids choice glue

Michael’s Craft Store: White and blue cardstock

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

CutterPillar Pro

Sticky Specs

 

Color Blocking!

Color Blocking H2O

So I have to admit I wussed out this week!  I was going to use a different and way more ornate stamp set for this technique but the embossing was a mess.  So I chose instead a much simpler die set and the embossing worked well.  I also only made 4 color blocks!  The set I used is a stamp set from Elizabeth Craft Designs: Color My Easter Eggs stamp set

There are some great tutorial videos on this color blocking technique by Jennifer McGuire: Color Blocking by Jennifer McGuire

The Steps:

Step 1:  Cut a piece of white cardstock in a square that measures 5 x 5″.  Stamp the eggs with embossing ink and then use black embossing powder.

Step 2:  Cut the embossed square in half.  Then cut the two halves in half.  Now you should have four 2.5″ squares.  Color each square with a different color of ink and ink daubers.

Step 3:  Create a base card by scoring a 8.5″ x 11″ pc. of white cardstock at 5.5″.  Fold over for a tent fold.  Trim to 5.5 x 5.5″.

Step 4:  Now I taped with removable tape the two top squares together and centered them leaving a .25″ border at the top and two sides.  Then I did the same with the two bottom squares.

Step 5:  I finished off the card with “Happy Easter” peel off sticker and black border lines peel off stickers.  Both are from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

That’s it this first Sat. of September!

Here’s another quick look:

Color Blocking H2O

Thanks so much for stopping by.  If you haven’t tried this technique before, this is a great time to give it a try.

Other Product Used:

Michael’s Craft Store: White cardstock

Sticky Specs

Memento Stamp Pads

CutterPillar Pro

Split Stamping!

Split stamping card H2O

Well this week is really a fun challenge!  As you can see in the design team inspiration cards,  it is simply stamping an image or more and then cutting it up and putting it back together with space in between.  Jennifer McGuire may not be who first created this technique, but certainly her video on demonstrating the technique has been viewed by many and I feel is the one that made this trendy!: Jennifer’s video  My card is going to my fabulous neighbor, Diane, who is my next door neighbor.  Therefore, I decided to split this image only once because the stamp set I used, to me. wouldn’t work well cutting it up in thirds or fourths.

The Steps:

  I used a new set I purchased on Amazon: Kwan Crafts

Spilt card stamp set

The stamp set measures 6.5″ x  4.5″ and retails for $6.99.  This is the same seller of the adorable 2 set package I featured last Saturday.  You’ll notice that the package has no brand name.  I’m sure they’re made in China to be that inexpensive, but they stamp as clear as the “way” more expensive ones.  That’s because they don’t pay for fancy packaging and for all I know, don’t have to tack on a third party “brand” commission.  However they can sell at this price point, they sure have a lot of sets with all types of themes and images. Plus, I received the set in 1 day!

Step 1:  I used the “hydrangea”, bee, butterfly, two flowers, and “Have a blooming…” sentiment in the left top corner, from this set.  Once I colored it with Copic Markers, I cut the image in half as shown, but basically right under the top flower.

Step 2:  Next, I created the sentiment between the two halves on my computer and printed it out first on regular printer paper and made sure the size and length of the sentiment went across the entire width of the stamped card.  Then I printed it about halfway down an 8.5 x 11″ piece of white card stock. Then I taped, with removable tape, the two halves in Step 1, to where it allows the sentiment to go in between the two. Leave these two halves tapes together and measure what the length and width is now. Next, cut the sentiment layer cardstock that exact size, with the two halves still taped in place.  Mine measured 6.5 x 5″.

Taping how 2 halfs should go

Step 3:  Make a base card by scoring an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of coordinating cardstock at 5.5″ on the long side.  Fold over for a book fold.  Trim to 6.75″ x 5.25″.  Then attach the sentiment layer to the base card allowing 1/8″ border on all 4 sides.

Bottom layer split card

Step 4:  Apply foam squares as shown below.  I know, I used a lot. lol

Foam Squares

Now adhere the two halves over this layer as shown.  I find by taking off the backing of the 3 foam squares around one of the corners and line that corner right over the corner of the sentiment layer but don’t firmly press yet.  Then carefully pull all the rest of the backings off and carefully lay the rest of that half down.  Then do the same thing with the other half.

That’s it!

I really hope you will give this technique a try.  It’s really fun and we can’t wait to see what you cut up!

Other Products Used:

Michael’s Craft Store:  Foam squares. all cardstock

CutterPillar Pro

 

Inspired by a Book!

Woodland thanks H2O (2)

This week our Hostess, Francis Byrne, who  is also our team leader, has challenged us to make a card that is inspired by a book.  My card was inspired by Hansel and Gretel.  Why a child’s book you ask.  Well because I always have a book I’m reading, but I don’t read books that easily translate to a cute card.  I read military, or murder and detective mysteries.  Romance novels bore me out of my mind.  They’re too predictable.  For example I think Daniell Steel really only wrote one book.  All the others are the same story only the characters names and occupations are different.  I chose instead a book my mother read to me when I was young and sick.  It was both memorable and terrifying because at the end of our street was where the forest began in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  A lot of my elementary school pals played in that forest but not me!  So this is another easy, peasy card.

The Steps:

Step 1:  The card measures 6 x 4.75″.  Score an 8.5 x 11″ piece of white cardstock at 5.5″.  Fold over for a top fold card.  Cut a mat using the larges die from Elizabeth Craft Designs: 1120 – Stitched Rectangles

2017-07-30 12.38.42

I used a piece of wood look cardstock from Michael’s Craft Store. 

Step 2:  I used a discontinued die set from Karen Burniston when she was with Elizabeth Craft Designs called 914 – Outdoor Edges – 3 die set to cut a trees in the background look.  I cut a 3″ x 5″ rectangle from dark Green Cardstock.  Then used Removable Scotch Tape from Staples to attach the tree edge in this set to the very top of this rectangle and cut the “tree edge”.  Adhere this to the wood look layer.  I attached it with the lower edge of the wood layer just above the “stitch” line.

Step 3:  Cut out all the pieces for all 3 of Karen Burniston’s: https://karenburniston.com/woodland-animals-die-set/

Step 4:  The 5 trees are from a discontinued Karen Burniston set called Evergreen Pivot Card.  However, she re-released this set when she went on her own.  Below is a photo of the new one and the link: https://karenburniston.com/evergreen-pivot-panels/

Evergreen Pivot Panels

Step 5: The sentiment “thanks” is an Elizabeth Craft Designs die: https://www.elizabethcraftdesigns.com/products/thanks-1

I cut it once from yellow cardstock and once with green cardstock.  I glued the yellow over the green offset just a little.

Here’s a photo of all the elements of my card.  I like to get everything ready so I can try different layouts:

Once I like it then I start gluing things in place.  Here’s another quick look.  The sentiment “thanks” on this little forest scene is because I’m going to add it to the top of boxes of homemade brownies and cookies for my town’s Firehouses.  I live in California, 2 hrs. by car east of Yosemite.  Every year there is a fire in one of California’s beautiful forests.  And every year our boys and girls are sent in to relieve the ones up there that are completely exhausted.  Besides our hot dry summer days (it’s supposed to be 102 on Sunday) they carry 80lbs. of equipment on their backs.  One yr. that I delivered a similar package, I arrived just as one of the relief shifts were off their turn and returning back to the fire house.  You can’t imagine what they looked like.  Covered in black and grey ash, and could barely walk.  The shift going out to replace them, picked up their pace to each grab one of their returning house mates, and help them get into the fire house to shower, eat and sleep.  They will all do the same thing the next day…..for days! :

Thanks so much for taking a look!  I sooo appreciate my followers and remember you can ask any question and I will get right back to you!

Other Products Used:

Amazon:  Sookwang Clear double sided adhesive

CutterPillar Prp

Beacons Kids Choice Glue

Sizzix Big Shot Pro

 

National Sandcastle Day

Front seaside H2O

Inside seaside H2O

It’s a new month and a new Hostess who is Nicky Foden.  Because today is Sandcastle Day, Nicky has challenged us to put a sandcastle, sand or any beach theme.  One of my favorite die sets is Karen Burniston’s Adirondack Chair Pop Up.  The one I own is one she designed when she was with Elizabeth Craft Designs.   She has revisited this set at her new site:  https://karenburniston.com/adirondack-chair-pop-up/

The Steps:

Step 1:  Karen has an assembly video for this die set.  Click on the link above and you will find two videos.  One is for the original look of the Adirondack and a second one to make the chair look upholstered!  So the first thing I do for a pop up card, is to master the pop mechanism.  No worries, this one is easy!  I cut the “chair” pop up from white base weight cardstock or 80lb.  I use a heavy cardstock because I assume it’s going to be opened a closed a lot!

Step 2:  My base card is a 5.75″ square when folded.  This is the card that you will cut the chair into the fold.  Depending on what you will use for inside mats you may want to cut the two mats with the chair.  I chose for the bottom (under the chair” side) I measured  where I needed to out sort of a square under the chair.  And then to cover that hole when I attached the “sand” mat, I just adhered the same color cardstock under the chair and adhered the larger mat on top.  Both the “sky” layer or as I’m calling mats, measure 5.5″ square.

Step 3:  Cut two 5.5″ squares from white cardstock.  Using Elizabeth Craft Designs: “Earth and Sky”   I stenciled clouds with Aqua Marine Blue PanPastel.  Adhere this sky background mat to the top inside of the base card. The second one you will use on the front of the card.

Step 4:  Using Karen Burniston’s:  1038 – Tropical Scene

Tropical Scene

I cut the “waves” in white and blue for both the bottom inside and the front of the card.  I also cut the “Palm tree/sand dunes and “sea shells” and “sun” from this same set above.  I cut the little sand mound pc. twice. Once with the light brown cardstock and once with white cardstock.  I colored the little palm trees with Copic Markers.  Then I cut them off and adhered them to the light brown one right over the light brown trees.

Note:  This is a personal endorsement.  I do not receive any income from this company in either currency or products.  I have always felt that Karen almost always,  includes little decorator dies that you can use for so many projects with or without the die set they come with.  I’ve used these little sea shells and sun a lot.  For this project I used them on the front, inside, and in the bucket on the inside.

Step 5:  The two “Palm Trees” and “Pail” on the inside is from a discontinued die set from Karen B. that is called:  Palm Tree & Pail”.  I love this palm tree.

Palm Tree and Pail

Step 6:  Now just adhere all your cut and/or colored as shown on the inside and the front.  (I also created a personal sentiment on my computer and printed out on white cardstock.  I cut it out with a nested die set set and adhered it to the bottom of the inside of the card centered on the lower inside over the “wave section”.  I took the pictures before I added it to the card because it has the “receiver’s name on it.”  I don’t have her permission to post it on the internet.  Here’s another quick look:

Inside seaside H2O

Side view seaside

Front seaside H2O

Thanks so much for taking a look!  I know you’re time is precious.   Here’s the link to the challenge blog to see the rest of the design team’s cards for inspiration.  We can’t wait to see yours!  Crazy 4 Challenges

Other Products Used:

Michael’s Craft Store:  All cardstock

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

CutterPillar Pro

Elizabeth Craft Designs:  Clear Double Sided Adhesive 10mm

Beacon’s Kid’s Choice Glue

Make it Masculine!

Blue Classic Ford H2O

This last Saturday of July, our hostess Karen O. has challenged us to make a masculine card.  I purchased a digital stamp of this drawing of a Classic Ford, popular in the 40’s quite some time ago before I was blogging.  Therefore, I have no idea who the artist is.  I work 3 days a week in a beauty salon inside of an upscale senior community.  It is truly a blessing to work with my parents generation.  My parents both died young, so I appreciate their wisdom and humor so much.  This car would have been quite the car in the prime of their lives.  I thought this would be a card I could give to one of the “boys” that live there.

The Steps:

Step 1:  I sized and printed out the car on white cardstock.and colored with Copic markers B21, B23 and B24.

Step 2:  The finished card measures 5 x 7″, so score a piece of 8.5 x 11 at 5.5″ on the long side.  Fold over for a tent fold card and trim to the finished size.  Cut a rectangle piece of wood look cardstock that measures 6.75″ x 4.75″.  Adhere it to the front of the white base card.

Step 3:  Cut a rectangle from black cardstock that measures 5.75″ x  3″.  Cut the colored printed car to a rectangle that measures 5.25 x 2 and 5 eights.  Adhere this to the black one centered.

Step 4:  Using Elizabeth Craft Designs: happy birthday, cut once with silver mirror cardstock.  Using Elizabeth Craft Designs: Corners cut 4 also from silver cardstock.

Step 5:  Adhere the “silver corners” to the corners of the wood look background.  Adhere the step 3 mounted “car” to the card at .5″ from the bottom and sides of the wood background.  Then add the “happy birthday” as shown.  Here’s another look:

Blue Classic Ford H2O

Thanks so much for stopping by for a look.This is an easy challenge, so I hope you will show us your masculine card!  Your cards inspire us!

Other Products Used:

Michael”s Craft Store:  All cardstock.

Elizabeth Craft Designs:  Clear double sided Adhesive 10mm

Wink of Stella: silver for the metal on the car.

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

CutterPillar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sometimes the paper talks to you!

July Sketch H2O (2)

It’s sketch week!  I love sketch week!  I was a little stumped at first.  I decided to go through my paper stash, hoping for an idea.  Then I stumbled on a paper pack that I bought a couple of years back at the Scrapbook Expo.

simple-stories-paper.jpg

This paper pack from Simple Stories contains 24 double sided 6 x 6″ papers.  I decided to use it because it’s already filled with color coordinated paper!  So this week the paper itself created the IDEA!  It also made it easy and fast!  My two favorite things!

The Steps:

Step 1:  I chose the sort of Chevron stripe paper for the backing paper.  I trimmed 1/8″ off of all 4 sides so there would be a 1/8″ white border when this layer is adhered to the base card. I cut the smaller 3 squares with the red polka dot and the navy polka dot from this pack, and cut the blue from solid light blue cardstock so the sentiment would stand out.  I used Elizabeth Craft Designs: 1118 – Stitched Squaress

2017-07-23 16.40.23

I used the 5th die from smallest or the largest.  It’s a 9 die set.

Step 2:  Make a base card by cutting a 12 x 12 pc. of white cardstock in half.  Score one half at 6″.  Fold over for a “tent fold” card.  Then adhere the backing layer and 3 squares as shown:

July Sketch H2O (2)

Step 3:  I used this set of word dies from Diamond Press for the “Hello”:

2018-07-23-14-20-55.jpg

I cut it 4 times: navy, white, red and yellow cardstock.  I offset them all together just a little.  Then adhered the sentiment on top of the squares.  I KNOW!  3 STEPS AND YOUR DONE!

I love you all that took the time to stop by.  I hope you will give this months sketch a try!

Other Products Used:

Elizabeth Craft Designs: Clear Double Sided Adhesive 10mm

Michael’s Craft Store:  All solid color cardstock

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

CutterPillar Pro

Christmas in July!

Cardinal H2) (2)

Yep, this month’s host for the challenge blog is the talented Karen Ostergard,  the only member of the Design Team that I have met in person.  Somehow, thanks to FB, I feel like I know them all!  Karen has challenged the team, and you, should you take the challenge, to make a Christmas themed card this week over at: Crazy4Challenges

The Steps:

Step 1:  Cut a rectangle from white cardstock that measures 5″ x 6.75″.  Then put this through an embossing folder that resembles snow.  I used one from Darice called Dot.  I like it because the dot’s are small and close together.  The folder is exactly 5 x 6.75″.

Step 2:  Make a base card by scoring an 8.5″ x  11″ of red cardstock at 5.5″ on the long side.  Fold over for a book fold, and trim to 5″ x 7″.  Adhere the embossed layer to the front of the card.

Step 3:  I purchased this die set from Elizabeth Craft Designs: Garden Notes – Birds 1

As of this writing 7/10/19 it was on sale for $4.95! Click on link above! You get both birds!  (the Cardinal I used this week and the little garden bird I used on the card on the right:

Birds die set

 

Color Challenge H20

Cut the Cardinal bird out of white cardstock and color with Copic Markers R35, R37 and R39.  The branch is Copic Markers E70, E71, and E74. Bird face – Copic 100 Black. Bird nose – E31.

Step 4:  Using these two die sets from Elizabeth Craft Designs:

765 – Sprig with Berries     and     1088 – Garden Notes – Holiday Holly & Berries

Sprig and Holly

I cut the “Sprig with Berries” twice from an Olive cardstock and then added some ink shading with a darker green ink and finger dauber.  I cut a few of the “Holly leaves” in each size and from the same Olive green cardstock. The “branch” pc. from white  card stock and colored it with Copic Markers E70, E71  The berries cut from red cardstock.

Step 5:  I used this discontinued die set from Karen Burniston called: “Iron Fence Pop-up” and cut the fence die pc, from black cardstock.

Fence Pop UP

Step 6:  Assemble the card by adhering the black fence to the front of the card lining up the bottom of the fence with the bottom of the embossed layer.  Now add the “Sprig with Berries” and “Holly and Berries” where you like them.  I started with gluing the “Sprigs” end to end, then the “Holly and Berries”, and last attached the Cardinal on with foam dots.

Cardinal H2) (2)

Step 7: The sentiment is this one from Elizabeth Craft Designs: 1235 – Merry Christmas

Sue C Merry Christmas

I have to give a testimonial and review of a product that I had never heard of but decided to try.  It’s called StickySpecks.  It’s basically a sheet of clear double sided adhesive.  But, most of these kind of products are one solid sheet of adhesive poured over a sheet of non stick backing.  But StickySpecks are millions of tiny little “specks” of adhesive separate from each other, but hard to see the separation with the human eye.  I tried this product out with the Merry Christmas cut die sentiment.  I used Silver Mirror Stock and hoped this worked.  There are so many small negative pieces in die cuts like this.  When you lift intricut dies like this from adhesive sheets, a lot of the time in the small neg. holes the adhesive in those areas come up too.  It’s difficult to pull that excessive adhesive off without making a mess.  With StickySpecks, only what you want lift off the sheet easily and the negative pieces don’t.  Result:  No mess, easy, clean, precise sticker!

Here’s a YouTube video

Well, that’s it!  I have received no monetary compensation for this review.  In fact, I’m sure they don’t even know I exist…but I do and I highly endorse this product.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Other Products Used:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

Michael’s Craft Store:  All cardstock

Beacon’s Kids Choice Glue

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