Easter Cross

Inspiration

Easter is later this year (April 24!) so there’s plenty of time to plan and create Easter greetings. Here’s my first design.

 

 

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Lavender Lace (SU!)	5 1/2” x 8 1/2”; score at 4 1/4”   3” x 4 1/4”
Parisian Summer DSP (SU!)	4 1/8” x 5 3/8”
Barely Banana textured (SU!)	4” x 5”
Parchment Craft Vellum (Sweet Stamps)	3 1/2” x 4 1/2”

Ink

Versamark (Tsukineko)

Stamps

Wrought Iron Cross (Heartfelt Creations)

Accessories

Lavender Lace and So Saffron markers (SU!); Pearl sticker and Purple gems (Hobby Lobby); Decorative Oval Window Frame die (Heartfelt Creations); Long Rectangle Nestabilities die (Spellbinders); Grand Calibur die cut machine (Spellbinders); White embossing powder (Sweet Stamps); heat gun; glue; Glue dots; Foam tape; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Glider 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Image

Ink the cross stamp with the embossing ink, and stamp it on the vellum.  Emboss it with white embossing powder, and the heat gun.  Turn the image over, and color the image on the BACK - the flower in yellow, and the cross in lavender.

Trim the image closely.

Frame 

Use the light yellow cardstock, cut a window frame using the decorative die die, and emboss the shape.  Before removing the die cut from the die, sponge embossing ink on the exposed areas.

Remove the die cut from the die, and emboss with white embossing powder.

Assembly

Mount the patterned paper on the card base.

Using small pieces of foam tape, mount the frame die cut in the center of the card.

Cut a lavender rectangle using the Nestabilities die that measures 4”, and emboss the shape.  Mount the rectangle on the center of the window frame.

Mount the cross in the center of the rectangle.  Add the purple gems at each point of the cross, and a pearl sticker in the middle of the flower.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Daffodils for Spring

Inspiration

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a daffodil quite this color – but for this one I started with paper I really liked, and a new stamp set I’d never used, so I picked shading to match the paper as closely as I could.  And, of course, I always like the gatefold design for an elegant card.

 

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Rose Red (SU!)	5 1/2” x 8 1/2”; score at 2 1/8” and 6 3/8”
River Rock (SU!)	2” x 5 3/8” – 2 pieces   3” x 4”
Pretty in Pink (SU!)	1 7/8” x 5 1/4” – 2 pieces
Wedding Stripes DSP (Sandylion.com)	1 3/4” x 5 1/8” – 2 pieces
Stamper’s Select White (PaperTrey Ink)	3” x 4”

Ink

Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Stamps

Daffy Daffodils (Heartfelt Creations)

Accessories

COPIC Markers and SPICA Glitter Pens (Imagination International); Springtime Medley Die (Heartfelt Creations); Big Scalloped Oval Die and Grand Calibur (Spellbinders); Foam tape; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Glider 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Image

The image is stacked to create dimension - stamp the daffodil image twice in black on the white cardstock. I used these COPIC colors to shade the flower:  RV000, R39, and Y02. Color one of the images entirely, and on the second image color just the center cup of the flower.  On both images enhance the image with the glitter pens.  It’s a little difficult to see in the picture, but I used the “Blossom” color on the darker pink areas, and “Buttercup” on the flower center.

Use the matching die from the Springtime Medley die set to cut out the image you’ve colored entirely.  For the other image, cut out the center cup you’ve shaded, trimming closely with scissors. 

Assembly

Mount the layers of mat colors to each side of the gatefold card – green, then pink, then the patterned paper.

Using the scalloped oval die, cut and emboss a shape from the green cardstock.  Use the “Mint” glitter pen to add sparkle around the image. Add adhesive to the back of half of the oval, and mount it to the left panel of front of the card.

Using foam tape, mount the center cup exactly over the center of the full image.  Then add the stacked flower image to the green oval with foam tape.

Final Notes

Inside

Inside, I layered green (4 1/8” x 5 3/8”) and  pink (4” x 5 1/4”). I stamped the full daffodil image from the Daffy Daffodil set in black on a white panel (3 7/8” x 5 1/8”), and colored it with COPICs and SPICAs.  The only additional colors I used were YG91 and YG93 for the leaves.

The sentiment is from the SU! set called “Something to Celebrate”.  It is stamped in Rose Red on a scrap of the matching patterned paper, and punched out with the SU! “Designer Label” punch.

Thanks for stopping by!

Spring Birthday Wreath

Inspiration

Here in Texas, we’ve had a taste of spring for the last week after the cold winter blast we had for a couple of weeks.  It was 78 degrees outside today!

This card captures the spring touch – blush and green, and pretty roses. 

 

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Green Galore (SU!)	5 1/2” x 8 1/2”; score at 4 1/4”
Blush Blossom (SU!)	3 3/4” x 5”
Stamper’s Select White (PaperTrey Ink)	4” x 4”

Ink

Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Green Galore (SU!) , Blush Blossom (SU!)

Stamps

Floral Wreath (Gina K)

Accessories

COPIC markers (Imagination International); green ribbon; Sponge; Tape (PK Glitz); Bow-Easy; Glue dots; Foam tape; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Glider 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with deckle and straight blades (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Image

Stamp the wreath image in black in on the white cardstock.  Stamp the sentiment in green in the center of the wreath.

Color the wreath with COPIC markers.  I used these colors:

• Flower petals:  YR0000, YR00, R30
• Flower centers: Y13
• Leaves: YG11, YG13

Assembly

Cut the blush mat layer using the deckle edge.  Sponge the blush ink around the edges to emphasis the textured edge.

Mount green ribbon across the lower mat, using tape.  Tie a green bow, and mount it in the center of the ribbon stripe using a glue dot.

Mount the wreath using foam tape in the center above the ribbon.

Final Notes

Inside, I made another deckled blush mat layer, and sponged the edges.  I stamped a birthday greeting in black.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tree of Hearts

Inspiration

My last Valentine for this year – this one was for my husband, Joe. 

I got the idea of cutting up the image from a sample in a Stampington Take Ten magazine, but I used my new “Grand” sized dies from Spellbinders to shape the card.  Piecing together the pieces to line up perfectly was a little tougher than I thought it would be – even with the graph paper design on the mat paper, so it’s not quite as perfect as I would have liked.  Afterward, I decided the base card and the image layer could have used some distressing – maybe sponging on some color to enhance the layers.

Fortunately, Joe never sees all the flaws I do, and he loved the card!

 

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is about 6” x 6”

Crushed Curry (textured) (SU!)	6” x 12”, scored at 6”
Razzleberry Lemonade DSP (SU!)	6” x 6”
Whisper White (SU!)	6” x 6”

 

Ink

Early Espresso (SU!)

Stamps

Grow in Unity (Unity)

Inspiration

Grand Label One dies (Spellbinders); Grand Calibur (Spellbinders); 1/16” hole punch; Heart brads (Spare Parts); SPICA glitter pen – garnet (Imagination International); Foam Tape; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Glider 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Base Card

To create the base card, position the 6” grand die on the scored, folded card base so that the fold is just inside the blade of the die.  I found it to be a little tricky, so I used a couple of small pieces of tape to hold the cardstock in place as it goes through the die cutter.

Then I added the cardstock positioning it carefully and pressing the tape down.

Now, it’s ready to run through the Grand Calibur to cut the card out.  The folded edge should be intact.

 

Cut the mat from the designer paper using the next smaller die, and a white panel using the next smaller die.

Image

Ink the tree image stamp with the brown ink, and stamp it on the white panel.  Then color over the entire tree with the glitter pen.

Using the paper trimmer, cut image panel into 16 pieces – about 1 1/8” x 1 1/8” squares.

Then, using the small hole punch and the heart brads, randomly place hearts in the limbs of the tree.

Assembly

Mount the designer paper on the base card. The using foam tape adhere the image pieces to the designer mat.

Final Notes

Inside

For this card, I used the same paper stack inside the card.

I stamped the “love you” sentiment (Big Spring by SU!) in brown, and colored in the letters using a Rose Star Gelly Roll pen (Sakura).  I added a bigger heart brad in the middle of the heart in the word.

The valentine greeting is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set in Melon Mambo ink (both SU! products).

Thanks for stopping by!

Creative Valentine

Inspiration

This one doesn’t look much like a Valentine, but I made it for a friend who shares my passion for stamping and card-making.  In fact, she is more creative than I – she also quilts and knits!  Not sure where she finds the time!  Well, she gets this special greeting from me.  And Helen, in case you haven’t seen your Valentine yet – don’t peek!

 

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Blushing Bride (SU!)	4 1/4” x 11”; score at 5 1/2”
Pear Pizzaz (SU!)	4 1/4” x 5 1/2” – cut in half diagonally
Sahara Sand (SU!)	3 1/4” x 4 3/4”
Early Espresso (SU!)	4” x  5 1/4”

Ink

Early Espresso (SU!)

Stamps

Urban Tapestry (Tim Holtz) ; Grow in Unity (Unity)

Accessories

SPICA Glitter Pens (Imagination International); Pearl Stickers (Recollections); Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Glider 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars)

Instructions

Image

Stamp the text in brown on the sand cardstock.  Carefully tear the edges of the image.

Assembly

Mount the green triangle on the right half of the base card.

Stamp the flowered swirls in brown in the upper left, and lower right corners of the card.  Color the swirls with the brown glitter pen, and the centers of the flowers with the pink glitter pen.

Tear the edges of the dark brown panel, and mount it at an angle on the front of the card.  Mount the text image panel on the brown panel, rotating it slightly.

Add pink pearls at the top of the card, and green pearls at the bottom of the card.

Final Notes

As I mentioned, I used this for a friendly Valentine greeting, but you could use this for any occasion!

Thanks for stopping by!

Valentine Patterns

Inspiration

Another Valentine – one inspired by a sketch in the Summer 2008 Take Ten magazine – a Stampington magazine that always has great samples.  They publish hundreds of cards in each issue, many made with popular stamps that lots of folks use.  I always enjoy seeing how others have used the same stamps I have on my shelf at home.

For this card, I used a mix of patterns – a lot of variety on one card – especially for me!  I found the pink/green paper with hearts and lady-bugs at Joann’s – it’s a heidi grace design.  Once I picked that paper, I dug through everything I had to find other papers that matched.  Here’s the result.

 

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Off-white textured card stock (Marco’s)	5 1/2” x 8 1/2”; score at 4 1/4”
Gable Green (SU!)	5” x 5”   2 1/2” x 5 1/2”
Baby Girl Glittered Paper (heidi grace)	2 1/4” x 5 1/2”
Pink hearts patterned paper (unknown)	4” x 4”
Whisper White (SU!)	2” x 3”

Ink

Versamark (Tsukineko); Rich Cocoa (Memento)

Stamps

Always (SU!) ; Hugs & Wishes (SU!)

Accessories

Eyelet Circle Nestabilities and Plain Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders); Grand Calibur die cut machine (Spellbinders); Clear embossing powder; heat gun; pink ribbon; Bow-Easy; Glue dots; Foam tape; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Glider 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Image

Ink the heart image stamp with the embossing ink, then with the brown ink, and stamp it on the white cardstock.  Emboss it with clear embossing powder, and the heat gun.  Trim the image closely.

Stamp the greeting in brown on the lower right corner of the base card.

Assembly

Mount the strip of green paper across the middle of the base card, and layer the patterned paper on top of the green strip.

Cut a green eyelet circle using the largest die, and emboss the shape.  Cut a circle using the plain circle from the pink hearts paper.  Mount the plain circle in the middle of the green eyelet circle, then cut it in half.  Mount a half circle at the left end of the front of the card.

Mount the heart over the edge of the circle, using foam tape for a little dimension.

Finish off with a “Bow-Easy” bow mounted with a glue dot just below the top of the heart to finish it off.

Thanks for stopping by!

Valentine Petals

Inspiration

2 years ago when I first started blogging, I did a 14-day Valentine’s countdown, posting a different Valentine every day for the first 14 days of February.  Ever since then, I’ve been kind of slow on creating Valentines.  But I usually get “in the mood” and get a few made. Here’s my first design.

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Riding Hood Red (SU!)	5 1/2” x 8 1/2”; score at 4 1/4”   2 1/2” x 3 1/4”   small scrap
Pink Pirouette (SU!)	4 1/8” x 5 3/8”   2 3/8” x 3 1/8”
Candy Lane DSP (SU!)	2” x 5 1/4” –         2 pieces with different patterns
Very Vanilla (SU!)	2 1/4 x 3”   small scrap
Stamper’s Select White (Paper Trey)	2 1/4” x 3”

Ink

Rich Cocoa (Memento); Riding Hood Red (SU!)

Stamps

Bluebell BittyBloom (Stamping Bella); Teeny Tiny Wishes (SU!)

Accessories

COPIC markers (Imagination International); Pink Pirouette Ribbon (SU!); Word Window Punch (SU!); Modern Label Punch (SU!); Foam tape; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Glider 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Image

Stamp the image in brown ink – once on the larger vanilla panel, and once on the white panel.  Using COPICS, color the feet on the vanilla panel  (I used E0000 and E00).

Color the full image (except the feet) on the white panel.  Here’s the colors I used:

• Face & Hands: E0000, E00, RV10
• Petals: RV000, RV10
• Shirt, Basket, Cap: R35, R37, E47
• Berries: R35, G21

Cut out the fully color image – trim it closely, and cut off the feet, the hair curls, and the stem on top of the cap.

Assembly

Mount the patterned paper on the pink panel. Tie a knot near one end of the ribbon, and adhere it across the panel covering the seam between the different patterns of the paper.  Mount this set on the front of the base card.

Mount the smaller pink panel on the small red panel, followed by the vanilla panel with the image on it.  Now add the trimmed, colored image using foam tape on top of the image on vanilla.  Mount this set on the card front to the left of the knot in the ribbon.

Punch a decorative label out of the red scrap.  Stamp the Valentine greeting in red on the vanilla scrap and punch it out with the word window shape.

Mount the sentiment on the red label, and add it to the card.

Final Notes

Inside, I added a vanilla panel sized 4” x 5 1/4”. I stamped a friendship greeting in red.

Thanks for stopping by!

Monochromatic Flowers

Inspiration

I’ve now spent 2 days “home-bound” by the ice here in Texas - probably one more to go. We haven’t had any problems - just occasionally the power goes off for 15 minutes at a time. I’ve worked full days thanks to a laptop and VPN at my company, and have actually accomplished more in less time. There’s a lesson in there somewhere…

For the last few cards I’ve made I found I’m on a “keep it simple” design kick, and today’s card is no exception. It could be used for almost any occasion.  All the colors are a shade of teal (one of my favorite colors!).

Ingredients

Paper

Note: finished card size is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”

Baja Breeze (SU!)	5 1/2” x 8 1/2”; score at 4 1/4”   2 1/2” x 4 1/8”
Soft Sky (SU!)	2 3/8” x 4”
Walk in the Park DSP (SU!)	4” x 5 1/4”

Ink

Baja Breeze (SU!); Soft Sky (SU!)

Stamps

Wonderful You (SU!)

Accessories

Stamp-A-Ma-Jig stamp positioner (EK Success); SPICA glitter pen (Imagination International); Ribbon (Michaels); Bow-Easy; Glue dots; Scor-Pal; Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch); Rotary trimmer with straight blade (Fiskars); Scissors

Instructions

Image

The “Wonderful You” stamp set is called a 2-Step set because the stamps come with an outline and with the solid shapes. They produce a really nice effect, and the stamp-a-ma-jig makes it easy to get everything lined up properly. If you’ve never use one before, there’s a quick tutorial file on one of my FAVORITE blogs - Paperfections by Sharon Harnist.

Essentially, line up the plastic sheet in the corner of the T-square, then align the corner of the stamp, and stamp the image on the clear sheet. Use the image on the clear sheet to plan where you want the final stamped image to appear on your paper. Place the T-square in place with the clear sheet, then remove the sheet. Now ink your stamp and use the T-square to stamp it in the exact position where the clear sheet was. Voila! A beautiful image, perfectly aligned.

SO - for this image, use the Stamp-a-ma-Jig to stamp the solid shapes for the flower and leaves in the light blue ink. Then repeat the process to line up the outline of the flower and leaves, and stamp them in the darker blue ink.

Use the glitter pen to add sparkle to the middle of the flower.

Assembly

Adhere a ribbon around the middle of the patterned paper, then mount the patterned paper on the front of the card.

Mount the darker blue mat panel on the right of the front, and the image panel on top of that.

Finish off with a “Bow-Easy” bow mounted with a glue dot to the left of the image.

Final Notes

This could be a birthday card, or almost any other occasion. Inside, I added another light blue panel sized 4” x 5 1/4”. I stamped a birthday greeting in the darker blue  shade, using two stamps - together, they made a nice birthday wish. These stamps are from the “Kind and Caring” set by SU!.

Thanks for stopping by!