Cards - Easter Watercolor

I created 2 cards from the watercolor I painted for Easter.

Rolling hills with a beautiful sunrise is the first.

I chose my Newton & Winsor small palette.

A blue sky with green hills and birds in the sky.

Painted on Canson Fluid Mixed Media 154lb paper. Works really well.

A tree on this one with a sun in the blue sky.

The card bases for these cards is Stampin Up Soft Sky in the A2 size.

White quarter sheet inserts completes the card and the addition of an envelope and they are ready for the card box after spent overnight under heavy books.

Cards - Christmas SC Botanical

I thought I would use my SU Window Frame thinlits.  I was able to use the largest one!

A piece of Soft Sky as background with a strip of Chocolate Chip just off center.

The WeR Wildflower - Botanical DSP was cut and adhered with points instead of square. I added a Chocolate Chip smaller one with a gold square on that.  

The central element is from the SU Keepsake Ornaments digital set which I colored with Chocolate Chip and Soft Sky. It was color printed onto ivory card stock then punched out with the 2" circle punch. Adhered with 3D foam tape.

White insert and dstape with carrier on the flap.

I got carried away on this one.

The Botanical DSP as the background, then the largest Window Frame from Soft Sky card stock, then a gold square measuring 3 inches adhered with 3D foam tape.

Then I cut a green frame by placing 2 dies on my magnetic mat and adhered that to the gold.

Then another square this time in Soft Sky adhered with 3D foam tape then finally the 2" focal element adhered to the square with double sided tape.

A white insert and a ds tape with carrier on the flap.

The botanical DSP as a background again.

I cut the Chocolate Chip with the TH Vintage Cabinet die and adhered it to the DSP.

I cut the Soft Sky with the TH Mini Cabinet Card which I wrapped with Chocolate Chip ribbon onto which I had sewn a Soft Sky button.  It was adhered with 3D foam tape

I added an Old Olive paper clip with bow onto the right hand side.

White insert and ds tape with carrier on the flap.

Cards - Christmas - Self Closing

 I am carrying on making Christmas cards.  Again, these are the self closing kind which require no envelope and use up some of the 12x12 card stock I have in my stash.

For this card I used a warm green for the card base.  Cut 6 inches high and left 12 inches wide.  I then scored it at 5.5 inches then just short of 1" on the other edge for the flap.

I used the Tim Holtz Tattered Poinsettia die with heavy red card stock.  I used scrap green card stock to cut 3 leaves. 

I adhered a strip of the same red as the flower along the right hand side. Then a piece of gold gift wrap paper on the left hand side with a ripped edge overlapping the red strip. 

A white insert and some double sided tape with carrier on the flap and it's ready to go.  

I used a teal card stock for the base of this card. 

The decorative paper is from Stampin Up. I trimmed a bit off the bottom and top to have the pattern evenly placed on the card.

I spattered a strip of red with pearl metallic watercolor from my recent purchase. it was adhered on the right hand side.

I cut a star with the Sizzix Primitive #2 die and embossed it with it's folder.

I wrapped a length of red cotton ribbon over the DSP, taped the ends to the back, and adhered it to the left hand side.

The embossed star is adhered with 3D foam tape.  A white insert on the right with double sided tape with carrier on the flap.

This is the second piece of warm green card stock.

I added a piece of gold gift wrap on the left hand side an then added a strip of Soft Sky card stock with ripped edge to the right hand side.

I punched a branch with a border punch by Martha Stewart.  It was adhered with QuickDry glue carefully placed along the stem and leaves.

I cut an ornament with the largest of the 2011 Nestabilities Ornaments from a winter botanical DSP. I cut the hanger from warm green scrap and adhered with QuickDry glue. I punched a snowflake in the center from the same light blue card stock and held it in place with a tiny gold star brad. After punching a hole in the top of the hanger I added a length of Baja Breeze seam binding to it.  The ornament is adhered with several pieces of 3D foam tape.  A white insert and a bit of double sided tape with carrier on the flap and it is ready to go.

Cards - Christmas - Snowflake

I need to make more Christmas cards.

I browse my designer paper and chose this 1 sheet from the Season of Cheer DSP set by Stampin Up. I believe this is mistletoe.

The color in this set is Mossy Meadow but I had Always Artichoke instead, also Soft Sky as card bases in the A2 size. 

 I added a length of Mellow Moss seam binding topped with Cool Caribbean narrow rick rack with all ends taped the the back of the designer paper. It was then adhered to the card front.

For the snowflake I punched a MS Snowflake and a Stampin Up one and layered them. I added a large white sequin in the center all held in place with a tiny blue brad.  This was adhered to the card front with a medium Zot.

I added 3 white sequins adhered with Bling Zots. A seasonal insert with a white envelope completes it.

The next card is a DSP Split where I cut the one piece at 3.5 inches and flipped the small piece over and tape them back together.  I taped it to the front of a Soft Sky card base.

I then punched a border with the Stampin Up Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch in the same Soft Sky card stock.  It was adhered over the join in the DSP.

I found a large oval greeting with a color to match and adhered it over the border punch with 3D tape.

For this card I adhered the designer paper cut to 4.00 x 5.25 inches to the front of an Always Artichoke card base.

I added a strip of light blue across the card and trimmed the ends.

I added a snowflake accent make with the Martha Stewart large snowflake punch in 2 colors - white and blue.  All held with a tiny silver star brad with a silver sequin.

I added a greeting with a Word Window greeting in a similar blue color and mounted to a Modern Label punch in a similar green color.

This card is the opposite coloring to number 2.

Always Artichoke card base with a DSP Split piece of designer paper from the Season of Cheer set.

I used a border punchie in green this time to match with the card base.

I again chose a large oval greeting held in place with 3D foam tape.

A seasonal sentiment on a white insert and a white envelope.

A mirror copy of number 3 card with the alternate combination of colors.

This is Soft Sky card base with the same snowflake accent.

The greeting again is the same with the colors swapped.

A seasonal insert and white envelope.

Press overnight to ensure the tape sticks well

Great to have a few more cards in the box.

Cards - Christmas Ornament

I make another set of Christmas cards today as I had plumbers in for an inspection and a slow draining bathroom sink.

I glued some of the mosaic gift wrap to light card stock and pressed it over night.

I chose Cuttlebug 2 in 1 Ornament set die to cut the ornaments.  I then cut the hangers from silver designer paper and glued them with Quick Dry Adhesive.

I chose Orchid Opulence card bases in the A2 size. 

I chose Soft Sky for the embossed layer and used the Stampin Up Pine Bough folder.  I trimmed the layer before I embossed it. I glued it to the card front.  I added a silver star sequin to the center of the ornament and a short white grosgrain ribbon to the ornament and adhered it to the card front.

I had some left over inserts in the landscape orientation so I went with it.  White envelopes and I have 5 more cards in the Christmas Card box.

Christmas Card Challenge - Watercolor - January

 

I made these three watercolor cards for my Christmas Card Challenge - Watercolor for January.  I chose 140lb cold press watercolor paper.  I cut a piece of paper and taped to a piece of glass.  I drew my images by hand then painted them.  I traced the images with a black permanent marker after they were dry.  I them spattered them with watercolor.  I trimmed the images and I had cut it too short so on some of them you can see the line from the tape.  Live and learn.

The first is a candle and I used a gradient wash from blue to purple on the body of the candle. I added holly leaves and berries then added some different foliage. I added yellow, orange and red to the flame.  I left the foliage not touched by the black marker. I added a background to the bottom and the top.

The  middle is just a Bethlehem Star.  I tried to add spatter with bleach thinking it would remove the color but it did not.  Maybe I should have added yellow. 

The angel is a design I create years ago for a custom ornament.  A background was added to this one also with a spatter of blue.  I think I made the bow too small.  Still happy with it.

Special Project - Thank You Set 2

I made another set of cards this morning for the special project at Mom & Dad's.

I chose a piece of 12x12 designer paper in Soft Sky color with white polka dots and cut 9 circles with the Spellbinder smooth circle thinlets measruing 3.25 inches.  I again traced loosely the images of butterflies, garden and bird with a border with black marker.

Layered the white Cuttlebug Thanks Words embossed layer onto the card front. 

Used a brad to hold the ornament in place so it can be removed by the recipient.

Loving these! 

Birthday Cards

I made a few cards for my upcoming family birthdays.

I started with a card base in Not Quite Navy. 

I printed the sail boat from the Sail Away stamp set on Whisper White in black.  I used the Stampin Up Watercolor Wonder Crayons to color the image.  Night of Navy for the water, Not Quite Navy for the sky and Cherry Cobbler for the sails.  It was trimmed to 4.00 x 5.25 inches.

I printed the greetings in black on white card stock.

I flagged the right hand end of the greeting and mounted on the card front with 3D foam tape.

I chose a Soft Sky card base. I added a layer of Old Olive at 4.00 x 5.25 inches.  

I printed the grove from the Lovely as a Tree stamp set in black on white. 

I watercolored the image with Not Quite Navy for the sky.   A mixture of Always Artichoke and Garden Green for the grass and the trees. 

The image was trimmed to 3.5 x 5.00 inches and adhered to the green layer.

I printed the greetings in black on white card stock.

I trimmed the greeting and mounted on the card front with 3D foam tape.

I chose a Stampin Up Kraft card base.

I printed the Canada Goose from the Wetlands Stamp set in black on white card stock.

I mixed a color to match the Kraft card base which I used for the body of the bird, a lighter version for the breast and some greener version for the grass.

I printed the greetings in black on white card stock.

I chose the same color mixed earlier to shade the edges of the flagged greeting.  It was mounted to the card front with 3D foam tape. 

A couple of these off to those who are celebrating in July.

Farewell Card - Painted Blooms

A card for the lady who started the Welcome to my Kitchen fellowship group.  Nine of us met at her house in the fall of 2015 and brain stormed the mission, the activities, and division of responsibilities. It has been a huge success.

We have been going strong for nearly 5 years which means it is meeting a need.  I took charge of the group in 2016 when she needed more time to spend with her elderly mother.

This card is half sheet size so there is enough room for all the sentiments our ladies want to share.

I started with a 8.5 x 11 sheet of Stampin Up Soft Sky card stock which was folded in half.

I chose a sheet of the SU Painted Blooms designer paper - cut to 5.25 x 8.25 inches and adhered to the card front.

I placed a white paper doily in the bottom left hand corner, glued it down and trimmed it to the edge of the card.

I added a grosgrain ribbon in Rose Red wrapped around the card front along the fold and knotted.  Trimmed the ends.    I placed a circle of the same card stock over the doily and trimmed it again to the card edges.   I printed a sentiment banner in Wild Wasabi and Rose Red which I fussy cut to the border.  It was adhered to the card front tucking the left hand end under the ribbon.

R2Go Christmas Stack - Soft Sky Dove & Holy Family

I started with a beautiful dove glittered large card. I cut it down to leave me with this dove glitter image with warm blues, cool purples and glittered snowflakes.

I chose a soft sky card base onto which this layer was adhered in the tall or portrait orientation.

I printed the greeting in deep purple blue and punched it out with the Stampin Up Modern Label punch.  It was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.
 
I added 3 iridescent sequins with Bling Zots.

I added a quarter sheet insert for the sentiment inside.



 
This card is a similar sketch with the wide or landscape orientation.

I had just enough of these to complete the kit.

I cut down the card and added a strip to the right hand side to complete the card layer leaving a small border.

I added a silver foil SU Modern Label punch with a SU Word Window punchie adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.

This time 3 silver stars were adhered to the card front.

Ready2Go Card Kits - Festive Flurry Snowflake

I started with the Stampin Up Festive Flurry Ornament Kit.  I chose 4 of the 6 elements in the kit to make a set of card kits.  I printed a narrow border in the same color on the Soft Sky card front in order to ground the snowflake.  I adhered the largest Crumb Cake snowflake then the super sparkly glitter snowflake then the smallest Soft Sky snowflake which is mounted with 3D foam tape.  I cut the Crumb Cake circles that came with kit in half and it was mounted in the center of the card aligned with the bottom edge.  I printed greetings in Crumb Cake and cut them with the largest of the Bitty Banner Framelits and adhered it over the half circle. The greeting is from the Come to Bethlehem stamp set.

Invitations - Wedding Invitations

I prepared these cards as samples for wedding invitations for a friend who is getting married later this summer. 

The card base is white with a embossed white layer done with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder.  I wrapped a piece of wide white organza ribbon toward the bottom of the layer leaving room for the lattice die and taped the ends to the back. The lattice die was cut from aqua glossy card stock.  It was cut with the Stampin Up Lattice Die.  I placed a white felt flower cut with the SU Blossom Party Bigz die.  The small flower in the center was punched with a small punch in the same aqua card stock.  These layers are held in place with a tiny white brad through all the layers to the card front. I added some diamond shaped aqua pieces left over from the die cutting.  They are held in place with Zots.

The second one was a card with a top fold.  I placed a white doily on the card front and folded the extra to the inside of the card.  I cut a piece of vellum with the smooth circle Spellbinder Nestabilities which was adhered to the centre of the doily.  I then punched 2 hearts from white card stock with the Stampin Up Sweetheart punch.  They were embossed with the Sizzix Tropical Paisley embossing folder.  The one in front was adhered with 3D foam tape.  I added a piece of turquoise baker's twine wrapped around the card front above the doily. 

I will post the one she selected a little later once her guests have received theirs.

R2G Christmas Stack Kit - Winter Green

Here's another Ready 2 Go Christmas Stack Kit made with the 6x6 One Sheet Wonder cutting plan and card layouts. 
This time I used a retired Stampin Up DSP called Winter Green.
I chose the stripes as well as this bold floral pattern. I pulled 4 sheets of 12 x 12 which I cut into 6 x 6 pieces.  I decided to not use the set with the Stampin Up credit in the corner and besides I needed a some paper to make my card samples so it was a win win.

I picked Always Artichoke, Soft Sky and Certainly Celery for the card bases.
I chose the Owl Occasions Stamp Set.  The greetings are put on white card stock and cut to 2.75" square.  The greetings are mounted to the card front with 3D foam tape.
I chose Sage Shadow for layers on 2 of the kits and Certainly Celery for the other kit as I did not have enough of the Sage Shadow.  Good to have options.  The layers are 3.00" square.  The card stock strips are .5 inch by 5.5 or 4.25 inches.

The cards can be oriented in either wide or tall orientation.  The inserts provided allow the maker to choose.

This kit puts me in good shape for my June Christmas Stack Class.

Card - Stampin Up! Thank Yous

Here are the thank you cards for those who placed orders at my Stampin Up! book party.

I chose one of the papers from the Sweet Sorbet DSP series.  I layered it onto black card stock then I wrapped a piece of black thread around it and tied a knot.  I added the sentiment in Soft Sky to the You're Lovely stamp and printed it to fit one of the Deco Labels Collection Framelits.  It then cut. I added a bit of color to the flowers with chalk.  I adhered the DSP layer to a Soft Sky card then adhered the label to the card front with 3D foam tape.

Card - Soft Aqua Thanks

I made this card for a crafting friend who shared some supplies with recently.
The card is white then I added this layer of coated paper in a soft aqua color.  I ran it through the Big Shot with the Memory Box greeting die. I made sure to save the little piece from the A so I could glue it in place.  I mounted the piece on the card which allows the greeting to be the color of the card. I added a white and aqua accent of silk and card stock flowers all held in place with a small sequin on a tiny white brad.

All Occasion Stack Class - Double sided DP

Another very versatile sketch. I used Stampin Up! double sided designer paper. Selected my card stock to match the paper. Trimmed the DP to be just a bit smaller than the card. Then cut the DP piece and turned over the smaller piece and just butted it against the other. Glued these down to the card. Placed coordinated colored gross grain ribbon over the joint and glued it to the inside of the card front. With the tall version you will need to place a small slit in the fold to bring the ribbon to the inside. I punched a small daisy shape from the DP cut off and placed it in the centre of the flower and a brad holds the flower onto the card front. I ensured that the flower on the brown card was ivory as in the DP and white on the blue card. With no greeting these cards can be used for any occasion.