HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone!  Thanks to all who stopped by during the countdown to check out my creations, and to all for the kind comments you’ve left during the first 14 days of February.

Today there are TWO projects – a scrapbook page and a card, so this post is a little long.  Hope you enjoy both!

++++++++++++++++++++++CARD+++++++++++++++++++++++

Inspiration  This is the Valentine card I created for my husband.  This technique is called a crimped envelope card, and comes from the technique in the “Weekly Inkling” newsletter from SplitcoastStampers (subscribe).  The directions for the card from their website can be found here. It’s a quick and EASY card that really looks like a lot of effort.  And my DH loved it!

 

Ingredients

CARDSTOCK: Whisper White (SU!), Real Red (SU!)

STAMPS: Always (SU!), Fun Fillers (SU!), I Love You (PSX)            

INK: Basic Black (SU!), Real Red (SU!)

ACCESSORIES:  A2 White envelope, make up sponges, Heart to Heart punch (SU!), Gelly Roll clear star sparkle pen (Sakura), 1 1/4” and 1 3/8” circle punches (SU!), 1/4” red organza ribbon, paper crimper (Fiskars), Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch), Clear tape, Rotary trimmer with scalloped and straight blades (Fiskars)

Instructions

STEP 1:  Seal the envelope. Then use the trimmer to cut 1 1/4” from one end of the envelope.  The piece you’ve cut off will become the “lid” of the new envelope.

STEP 2:  Use a make up sponge, and lightly dab black ink around each both parts of the the envelope – it forms kind of a frame around each piece.

Punch some hearts from the red paper.  and outline them with the sparkle pen.

Wrap the ribbon around the lid, and tie it in a knot.  You can anchor it in the back with a piece of clear tape.  Attach the hearts around the knot on the lid.

Stamp the bottom piece all over with the hearts filler stamp in red ink.

STEP 3:  Place the larger piece into the crimping tool with the opening to the side, and crimp. 

Stamp the always sentiment in red ink on white paper, and punch it out with the 1 1/4” punch.  Punch a red circle with the 1 3/8” punch.  Mount the sentiment on the red circle, and the red circle on the lower left of the envelope.

STEP 4:  Cut a piece of white card stock measuring 4 1/4” x 4”.  Create a frame using black ink on the sponge, and stamp the images and sentiments in red ink.

Insert the decorated card into the envelope, and slip the lid on the top.

++++++++++++++++SCRAPBOOK PAGE++++++++++++++++++

Inspiration  Recently, I entered the Spellbinder’s design team contest.  I wasn’t chosen for the team, but I sure had fun designing in some new areas.  I don’t often scrapbook, and one challenge was to create a 12” x 12” layout. 

As I mentioned yesterday, the page I created was inspired as I worked on a Valentine card for a friend who wanted something “over the top” for her husband. The sentiment made me think about the almost 30 years I’ve been married and what a fairytale life we’ve led. I pulled out the photo album, and found 3 pictures from our lifetime together – A kiss from our dating days, our hands together on our wedding day, and a picture at a friend’s wedding about a year ago. I scanned them in, converted them to black and white to match the color theme and this is the result.   I put it in a 12” x 12” scrapbook frame and wrapped it up for him as his special gift.

Ingredients

CARDSTOCK: 1 sheet textured Real Red red cardstock (SU!) 12”x 12”, plus a small scrap (2” x 6”); 1 sheet textured Basic Black cardstock (SU!) 12” x 12”; 1 sheet metallic gold cardstock (Wassau) 12” x 12”; 1 sheet Whisper White cardstock (SU!) 8 ½” x 5 ½”; 1 sheet adhesive vellum (Generations)

STAMPS: Full of Life (SU!)                  INK: Basic Black (SU!)

ACCESSORIES: Large Scalloped Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Large Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Small Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Large Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Small Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Hearts & Stamps Die (Provo Craft), Hearts Ribbon (Michael’s), Cuttlebug (Provo Craft), Black and Red markers (Stampin’ Up!), Stamp Positioner (Stamp-a-ma-jig), Word window punch (Stampin’ Up!), Adhesive Transfer Gun 714 (Scotch), DimensionSquares foam mount (Generations), Clear tape, Rotary trimmer with scalloped and straight blades (Fiskars), Computer / Inkjet Printer

PICTURES: Your favorite photos of a couple who are celebrating a happy life together

Instructions

SENTIMENT: Using the Cuttlebug, create the mat layers using the Nestabilities. All three layers are run through the machine twice – first to cut, then to emboss. The black and gold layers are made using the Large Rectangle, and the white layer uses the Small Rectangle die. Mount the layers together using the ATG. Apply black dye ink to the stamp, and stamp it on the stamp positioner clear sheet using the Stamp-a-ma-jig. Clean the stamp; then ink the word “LOVE” using the red dye ink marker, and the remaining words using the black marker. Position the clear sheet with the Stamp-a-ma-jig over the white layer to center the sentiment, then remove the sheet, and stamp the image.

HEARTS: Using the Cuttlebug and the Hearts die, cut a set of hearts from the black, gold and red cardstocks.

PICTURES: Print the photos in black and white on glossy white cardstock. The ones in the sample are printed at 4 ½” x 3”. Using the Cuttlebug, create the mat layers using the Nestabilities. Each mat layer is cut; then embossed. The black mat is made using the Large Scalloped Oval, and the gold mat uses the Large Oval. Using the Small Oval, carefully position the opening to capture the picture to be displayed and use a small piece of clear tape to hold it in place. Run the picture through the Cuttlebug only once to cut it out. Mount the 3 layers together using the ATG.

PICTURE CAPTIONS: Print the words “a Kiss…”, “a Pledge…”, and “a Lifetime.” on the adhesive vellum paper using the inkjet printer, then punch them out using the Word Window punch.

RIBBON: Cut a 1 ½” x 12” strip of the black card stock using the scalloped blade. (Hint: You need to turn the paper around for a second cut to get the scallops on both sides of the strip.) Cut a ¾” x 12” strip of the gold paper using the straight blade. Using the ATG, mount the gold onto the black, centering it carefully. Then mount a 12” strip of the ribbon down the center of the gold strip.

ASSEMBLY: Using the ATG, mount the ribbon stack on the left of the red cardstock sheet, about 1” from the edge. Mount the pictures diagonally down the page, leaving enough space below each one for the caption. Peel the backing from each caption and mount it below each picture. Mount the sentiment in the lower left corner. Using the ATG mount a gold and black heart on the paper, then mount the remaining ones using the foam squares.

+++++++++++++++ COME BACK SOON! ++++++++++++++++

Thanks again for stopping by during the Valentine Countdown!  I’ll be posting once a week until another idea comes up for a lot of cards.  It’s time to think about birthdays and Easter and SPRING – time for more colors that pink, red, brown, and white.