Happy Halloween

Don't eat too much candy but enjoy the evening!

Gift - Christmas

I created this little gift which would contain these small sheets. The holder was cut with the Stampin Up! Petal Card die.  I used double sided Christmas scrapbooking cardstock. I added 1/8" hole on the outside flaps through which a length of 7/8" red organza ribbon has been run and knotted on the front.  I designed the small sheets to go inside with a gift on one corner. The person giving the gift would write the gifts the person has given them.  Things like "Friendship", "A hug when they needed one", "A break from the kids", "Prayer", "Family" & "Encouragement". 

Card Club - Bliss

I started with a super piece of velvet paper.  The deep green colored strip with flowers on it.  A friend suggested using only a strip which was a great idea.  Thanks Susan.  I started with a purple textured card. I used an always artichoke colored paper and placed a strip on the let hand side and cut the back layer of the label in the same paper.  I colored printed the Stampin Up! digital stamp with Perfect Plum and Always Artichoke and die cut it with the smaller sized Spellbinder label nestabilities Labels 18 die. I placed the velvet strip over the right hand edge of green strip. I punched 2 flowers with Stampin Up! punch and attached them with tiny white brads. I nice elegant card. I used the RGB codes prepared by Marie Shaughnessy. for the color printing.   Thanks Marie for the hard work.   

Card Club - Cricut Tree

This card was quite simple but very graphic.  I started with a white card.  I added some DP in blue swirls.  I cut the tree layers with my Cricut - Straight from the Nest cartridge.  The trunk layer is a full layer (4") - I used double sided paper that was a great chocolate brown on one side and had a funky design on the back which I would never have used.  I was not going to  miss it.  The green layer was cut seperately.  The trick was to glue the green onto the brown making sure holes and edge aligned perfectly.  As you can see it was a bit of a challenge.  I color printed a variety of greetings and punched them with the Stampin Up! Word Window punch.  Added a blank insert.

Card Club - Window & Flower Box

This card was a bit involved but I think it was worth it.  I cut the window pane with a QuicKutz die from Kraft cardstock.  I cut a 3" or so square of blue vellum.  Then behind the vellum a piece of ripped green bond to represent hills on the horizon.  This was glued to the card front allowing space below. I cut 45 degree angles off the brown rectangle of card stock to create a window box.  This was glued below the window. I selected silk flowers in a variety of colors then added a copper sequin and brad to hold the flowers in place.  I cut the foliage with the Stampin Up - Little Leaves sizzlet die.  I separated the leaves into 3 segments and glued those behind the flowers.  The greeting was color printed. Add my insert.

Card Club - Prima Flowers

We had a good group of ladies out for Card Club last night.  I started with a brown card.  I cut a Tim Holtz Ornamental die cut from designer paper.   I wanted the ribbon to the side so I tack it down to the card with a bit of double sided tape.  I was then able to glue down the die to the card front.  Then I tied the ribbon in a loose square knot.  I placed the small silk flower, then the medium silk flower and then finally the Prima Flower onto the brad.  I made a hole in the DP and card with a push pin then placed the brad through which holds the flowers securely.  Placed the insert and it's done.  I made cards with peach, white and hot pink flowers.

Card - Challenge #23 - Stitching

I made this card for the CST challenge which was stitching.  I decided to add real stitching.  I found this pattern on line.  I chose white thread on black card stock.  It takes a long time to do this.  I added some silver flower sequins held in place with silver tiny brads.  I chose a Old Olive card with a pink layer onto which the stitching layer was glued. I used lots of double sided tape.  I will press it under books over night.

Cool Tool - Scrap Storage

How do you store your cardstock scraps?  This is my third attempt at solving this problem and it seems to be working for me. I bought these magazine holders at IKEA.  I place my cardstock scraps in large ziplock bags where the taller pieces just stick out the top.  Easy to identify the color and search inside for the piece I need.  The cost is right as well.  Each holder stores 2-3 colors depending on how fat the ziplock bag is.  I have a zip lock for green, red, yellow, red, beige, black, brown, blue dark, blue light and orange. I recently added glitter and metallics.
I would love to hear about your system. Leave a me a comment!

Cards - Thank You Gift

 Here' the other cards in the gift of cards I made for a friend this summer.  I know she likes to give handmade cards. 

I started with a green card and I added a piece of Designer paper to the right hand side.  Then I added the ribbon over the left hand edge. I've been wanting to try this Folded Ribbon technique for a while.  You need soft ribbon. This one is soft like seam binding.  I used the steam iron to create the folds and have them stay in while I tried to adhere the ribbon to the card. I laid a strip of double sided tape to the card and carefully laid the ribbon down one fold at a time.  Once it was all down I trimmed the ends to the card edge.  I decided I needed a bit of insurance so I laid the narrow red ribbon over the folded ribbon and taped the ends to the inside of the card.  I added a Five Petal Punch poinsettia which is held in place with a gold brad.

 This card is Soft Suede?? I found a matching piece of Designer Paper which I placed on the right hand side of the card.  I cut a piece of ribbon and laid it over the left hand edge of the DP and taped the ends to the inside of the card.  The ornament is a Sizzix die cut from Ruby Red.  I cut the accents in gold cardstock and glued them according to the packaging.  I created a hold in the hanger with a push pin and used a bit of gold thread to "hang" the ornament and glued the ends to the inside of the card.


This card is Ruby Red I think.  I trimmed a piece of DP and adhered to the card front.   I added a strip of Old Olive which I stamped some texture on it with a small dots.  I stamped a greeting  and punched it out with the Modern Label punch.  Stuck that on the right hand side below the large poinsettia.  I added a small Old Olive punchie to the centre of the large flower.

Cards - Gift of Christmas Cards

 I made these as a gift for a friend this summer.  I'm just getting around to posting them now.  The cardstock is Stampin Up! Bayou Blue I think.  The decorative paper is SU as well.
Left: I ripped the decorative paper at the bottom and mounted 2 large die cut snowflakes by Cuttlebug.  The white was embossed with the Swiss Dots folder as well.  I punched a small flower to put in the centre.  All held in place with white brad.





Right: I started with a white card. I embossed the bottom 2/3 of the card with a Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder.  Then I placed a strip of decorative paper and placed it against the edge of the embossing.  I cut a .75 inch strip of Blue Bayou and embossed the greeting in white.  I added 3 small fabric snowflakes held in place with tiny white brads.

Card - Advent Class Cards

I was asked to help out with a "Getting Ready for Christmas" class.  The instructor is spending 8 weeks helping the group prepare for Christmas spiritually as well as practically.  Each week she has a related craft.  This week it was Christmas cards and she asked me to teach the card class.  We had an hour so I kept the cards simple to ensure everyone was able to finish their 4 cards in the time allotted.

I wanted a versatile design in which I could change the colors without affecting the entire design. Also, I wanted a card in each orientation of portrait and landscape to add variety.  I selected the these images: the manger scene is by SonLight Impressions which I have owned for years.  The candles I just bought this summer is by Sunshine Designs put out by Stamp Barn.  I gold embossed the central image on white cardstock then cut it with Nestabilibities Classic Oval.  I then cut a Nestabilities Scalloped Oval in a solid colored cardstock to coordinate with the designer paper.  These were glue together, I dotted each scallop with a Galaxy white opaque marker and a fabric gold snowflake was added with a Zot.  The designer paper was trimmed to 5.25x4.00 inches and glued to a white card. The central oval was mounted to the card with 3D foam tape which easily adds dimension. I had seven different color combinations so that there was lots of variety so each person got 4 different cards.

Card - Challenge #22 - Monochromatic

I made this card for CST weekly challenge which theme was  monochromatic.  I started with a Kiwi Kiss card.  I added some designer paper that I ripped and placed on the top and bottom of the card leaving space in between them.  I diecut snowflakes with Sizzix sizzlet dies in white cardstock.  I held those in place with tiny white brads.  I added a Stampin Up! word window punched greeting that was color printed.  I then spritzed the whole card with Radiant Rain in Pearl Green.

Card - Challenge #21 - Stitching

I made this card for the CST Challenge.  This week it was stitching.  I started with a white card and added a square of designer paper.  I added a white flower and a coordinating button in the centre held in place with a Zot.  I used a white marker to create the stitching then added blue dots with a marker.  Stamped greeting in blue ink.

World Wide Photo Walk - 2011

I was out on Saturday for the World Wide Photo Walk.  On the walk I chose we walked around Whyte Avenue for a couple of hours.  The weather was good, the sights were interesting, and the company was inspiring. There was a large group of us with cameras in hand that headed east.  Here's a few pictures I took on my walk.  Many of the shops had wares for sale on the street so pictures of those were fair game.  Some retailers were not very welcoming of our cameras.  We met together afterwards to share pictures, experiences, and just get to know one another a bit.  It was a very good day!

Calendars - Coaster

I made several of these coaster calendars for my Card Club members who signed up for the full semester.  I started with round coasters to which I glued decorative paper.  These were pressed overnight to ensure good adhesion. I produced the calendar in publisher and then cut it down to 12 small sheets.  I stapled those to a piece of cardstock which was glued to the calendar.  Then I decorated them with words, punchies, brads, buttons, and such embelishments.  I'm happy with the way they turned out.  I put sheet magnet on the back so they will stick to file cabinets, etc. in a crafter's area.

Cmas Card Challenge - October - Natural Christmas

I decided on a wreath for my Natural Christmas theme. I started with a dark brown card. I used a Martha Stewart branch punch on several shades of green card stock to create my greenery. I cut the wreath's back layer with a Soft Suede Nestabilities scallop circle. I glued at least 18 branches around the edge of the circle making sure to keep it within the 4.25 width of the card. I then layered a smaller scallop circle over the middle covering the ends of the branches. I cut a very vanilla circle with Nestabilities die and chalked the edge while it was still in the die leaving a nice border. Then I stamped a Stampin Up! greeting on the circle in Chocolate chalk ink. I added the raffia bow above the wreath.
I made 6 of these.
Total: 82