Cards - Charity - Butterflies

 More cards for the IWin Charity.

I chose the Crate Paper Designer paper which made the cut when I de-cluttered a while back because it had Stampin Up colors. Pear Pizzaz, So Saffron and Brave Burgundy.

For this card I have an A2 card base in Pear Pizzaz with a layer of DSP and a coordinating strip placed vertically. 

The greeting is a SU Decorative greeting punchie which has been warmed with the Laurentian pencil crayon - Arizona Topaz 80. Great match for So Saffron. Also I punched a green one and cut it in half and glued the halves offset at the back of the greeting.

The Martha Stewart butterfly punchie with black marker additions was adhered with a Bling Zot. White quarter sheet insert.

The other Pear Pizzaz card with a layer of DSP and a horizontal strip across the top third. 

A So Saffron Martha Stewart Butterfly punchie with black marker enhancements adhered with Bling Zot.

The greeting is a SU Small Oval punchie with a similar punchie cut in half and attached offset at the back.  The accent was then adhered with 3D foam tape.

A white blank quarter sheet insert added to the inside.

This set has So Saffron card bases in the A2 size.

This is a portrait (tall) orientation with a layer of DSP on the front then a strip of Bravo Burgundy mounted horizontally across the top third.

A yellow Martha Stewart butterfly with black marker embellishments held in place with a Bling Zot.

The greeting is a SU Modern Label punchie with a Word Window punchie embellished with the pencil crayon to warm up the white card stock.

A white quarter sheet insert added.

A So Saffron card base in the A2 size set in the wide or landscape orientation.

A strip of Pear Pizzaz card stock mounted vertically on the left hand side. 

The yellow Martha Stewart Butterfly with it's black marker embellishments attached with a Bling Zot.

The Modern Label punchie greeting this time in green with a similarly enhanced Word Window greeting with the Arizona Topaz pencil crayon.

A white quarter sheet insert.

These cards feature a Bravo Burgundy A2 card base with a layer of the designer paper adhered to the front.

A narrow strip of the deep red card stock mounted on the left hand side with a circle of So Saffron with the MS Butterfly punchie mounted onto it.  Black marker used to add the body and antennae.

The greeting is the Stampin Up Modern Label punchie topped with a Word Window greeting warmed up with a pencil crayon.  It adhered to card front with 3D foam tape.

A white quarter sheet insert.

This card is the same Bravo Burgundy card base with the designer card stock layer.

A narrow strip mounted vertically with a 1.75 inch circle punchie and a butterfly stick I found at the ReUse center the other day. Very blingy.

A Modern Label punchie with a Word Window greeting warmed up with a yellow pencil crayon which matched perfectly.

A white quarter sheet insert.

Hopefully my car will be ready to come home today after it's over night compression test.

Cards - A7 - Die Cuts

Another few cards today.  Again, A7 (5.25x7.25 inch) envelopes.

I started with an ivory card base.  I cut a piece of textured turquoise card stock to leave a small border.  

I cut a Tim Holtz Cameo Frame die cut from left over Stampin Up More Mustard card stock from yesterday's session. Trimmed a piece of watercolor designer paper to fit the middle of the die cut. 

The floral accent is a large daisy punchie in turquoise, topped with a small More Mustard one held in place with a turquoise mini brad. 

The cabinet die cut was then adhered to the turquoise layer with 2 more blue mini brads top and bottom.

I added the finishing border with a warm grey colored pencil and also added lines on the large daisy die cut.  A white insert and an ivory envelope to finish it off.

For this card the base is SU Tempting Turquoise card stock in 12x12. 

I used the negative piece from the Cameo Frame die cut to layer onto the card front leaving a tiny border. 

I placed a piece of the watercolor designer paper behind the More Mustard layer. 

I cut a Sizzix Leaf Stem die cut from warm green card stock then embellished it would pencil crayons. I cut a couple more leaves and added them below the opening.

I added a pencil crayon line along the inside of the die cut in a warm grey.

A white insert and an ivory envelope were added.

For this card, I chose a warm green card base. 

I ripped left over card stock in the More Mustard and the Tempting Turquoise and layered them with a piece of the watercolor designer paper.

I cut a flower with the Sizzix Flower Daisy #4 die from turquoise card stock.  I glued it to the front of the card with Scotch Quick Dry adhesive.

I added some texture to the flower with colored pencils. 

I mounted a tiny button in the center of the flower with a Bling Zot.

A white insert and an ivory envelope completes the card.

Christmas Card Challenge - Pencil Crayon on Kraft

I chose pencil crayons on kraft card stock for my challenge in May.  

I printed the main image from the Gentle Peace stamp set onto kraft card stock.  I then spent a pleasant evening coloring them with pencil crayons. Laurentian pencils I found the nicest to use.  I ran the black pencil along the edges to remove the lightest of the edge.

I chose a light blue card base to coordinate with the image as well as a strip of warm green to put behind the Holy Family image. 

I printed the sentiment onto kraft card stock, flagged the ends, ran a black pencil crayon along the edges and 

adhered it with 3D foam tape.

Adding a seasonal insert and an envelope and they are ready for the card box.

This next card I coordinated the card base with the edge of the frame of the stained glass window.  I chose a Pea Green textured card base.

I chose a warm brown strip of card stock to coordinate with Joseph's garment.

Both the main image and sentiment has black pencil crayon edges.

The sentiment is adhered with 3D foam tape.

This card has blue in the rays and a light mustard yellow in the window behind the family.

I chose a blue card base and a piece of coordinating card stock.  I added a bit of texture on the light piece with pencil crayon.

 

 

 

 

 

This card has a warm green card base onto which I rubbed gold pencil crayon to match the gold in the stained glass frame.  

I adhered the main image onto a layer of gold paper and trimmed around leaving a small border.

I cut the ends of the sentiment square this time.

I did a similar technique last year in March 2020.

Christmas Card Challenge - March - Madonna

The subject for the Christmas Card Challenge is Madonna.

I used the Gentle Peace Set by Stampin Up for the challenge in black on white card stock.  I then used pencil crayons to color the image of the Holy Family.  The outside frame was done with the metallic crayons.  I trimmed the image very close to the border.  I ran a black crayon along the edges.

I chose a deep warm purple textured card base.  I used my tracing wheel to add texture to the card front.

I then mounted the image to the card front with 3D foam tape.

I added a greeting in the top right hand corner also with 3D foam tape.




I added a green card base for this card and added the same texture to the front with my tracing wheel tool.

This image I gave the main characters different colored garments and put a purple border all the way around. It is mounted with 3D foam tape.

The greeting is a Stampin Up Artisan Label punchie mounted with 3D foam tape.

A few more cards in my card box.

These were time consuming but I really enjoyed the coloring same as when I was a kid.

Iced Cappuccino

Getting caught up on my cards for the Coffee Loving Cardmaker Summer Bloghop.


For this card I used the free digi from Stamplorations.  You can find the it here.

I printed it on a quarter sheet of white card stock.  I then colored it with pencil crayons.  I used blue for background, tan for coffee and pink for roses. I cut it out and traced the edge with a black marker to eliminate the white edge.  I added a small pink flower in the middle ban of the cup on the right because it felt too open.  I guess I could have stamped something there as well. 

I then embossed a quarter sheet of pink card stock with the Sizzix Softly Falling folder and trimmed it to leave a small border.  I then wrapped a piece of white seam binding around it and placed the knot on the right hand side. 
The coffee accent was adhered to the pink with 3D foam tape to give the ribbon some room.  Then it was adhered to the light blue card base.  Love it!

Stamplorations is doing a never ending challenge. You can link a card made with their stamps & images.  So I am linking to that challenge as well.

Art Card Stack Class

I am holding my Art Card Stack Class tonight and these are the cards we are making.  This is a very different from the kind of cards I usually make.  I had hoped that by offering something different it would be more popular and I would be able to capitalize on the trend of adult coloring books. Did not turn out that way.  I have a few ladies registered.

I will be bringing a couple sets of pencil crayons, and water color pencils with brushes.

I have 2 ladies who purchased the Stampin Up Watercolor Crayons years ago and would like to learn how to use them with the Aqua Painter (water brush) which was sold at the same time. We will use a clear mount for our palette.  I am looking forward to helping these ladies make use of the supplies they have.  I also have these supplies which I have not used a lot so we will have fun together.

These line drawings are printed on heavy card stock.  The designs are by Joanne Fink. She is an Orlando based calligrapher/designer.

I chose to mount them onto black card bases so no matter what color the participants chose it would match the black outlines in the art.  I wanted to add greetings but without hiding the wonderful art so I chose vellum as a substrate.  Again, with black letters clear embossed on the vellum so it all matches and does not conflict with any colors selected.  All held in place with tiny black brads.

My 2 Cents:
As a person who has spent the better part of the last 20 years working on cards, teaching classes, and in many involved in this craft I am disppointed in the lack of appreciation for them in the younger crowd.  I know that when the postage increased in our area a few years ago that was the final straw for some who just abandoned the practice completely.

Cards are not popular among the younger crowd and the older crowd struggles with the motor dexterity to handle the materials and tools. I, one day will no longer have people who will participate.  I am sad about that but that is for a day way in the future I hope. 

I was speaking to a young lady yesterday and she was not interested as she does not send cards at all.  I guess it's all on line or not done at all.



Laurentien pencil crayons - the brand I used when I was in elementary school. Can be applied light or heavy. Soft or bold are options.

Artist's Loft - Watercolor Crayons which are applied like pencil crayons then lightly moistened with a paint brush to blend the color(s) and fill in the white spaces.

Stampin Up Watercolor Crayons. They are solid color pencils so there is enough color in this box for me to paint the rest of my life and likely beyond that.  These are available under other brands.


A spray bottle to provide a bit of moisture when needed.  The Aqua Painter brush from Stampin Up.

I am looking forward to the class and sharing my knowledge and giving these ladies the ability to leave my class and continue to make art and cards.

Christmas Card Challenge - Oct - Black/Polar Bear

The Christmas Card Challenge this month is black and polar bear.  I have always cut polar bears with my Cricut so I decided I need something new.

After a search on line I found this coloring page image at Supercoloring.  I sized it to be the front of an A2 sized card at 3.75x5 inches. I added a black border and printed it on a quarter sheet of white card stock.  I then selected metallic blue, metallic silver and black from my Crayola pencil crayon set and started coloring.  I used the blue for the sky and the silver for the snow.  I added a bit more pressure on the shadow lines and just under the baby bear. I use the black for the noses, paws and ears.  I did not worry about going over the border because I was going to trim later. Once done coloring I trimmed it to the border.  I used the black crayon to color the white cut edge. The image was then added to a warm blue layer cut to 4.00x5.25 inches then onto a black card.  This makes a winter card which works for those on my Christmas card list that don't embrace it the way I do.

I've lost all my lists from my blog when Blogger made changes on Sept 29th.  It will take a long time to recover what I lost and some I may never remember.  It's amazing and silly how we come to depend on this on line world and a reminder how not in control of it I am. 

Coffee Card Challenge

I created this card to join the challenge at the Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.

I started with a graphic of a coffee cup which I downloaded from the internet.  I used pencil crayons to color the cup.  I filled a circle from the stencil onto the front of the cup. I added the Coffee Co. words free hand with the dark brown Staedtler Karat watercolor pencil.  I sponged on some Tim Holtz Distress Stain in Antique Linen to warm it up as it appeared too white against the background.  I kept adding shading until I was happy with it.

I started the background on a piece of taupe skytone card stock cut to 4.0 x 5.25 inches.  I used the The Crafter's Workshop - Mini Coffee Splotch stencil to create the coffee rings.  I dabbed some Tim Holtz Distress Stains in Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Gathered Twigs, and Walnut Stain from lightest to darkest onto a palette.  I applied the 2 medium stains with a sponge through the stencil making marks on the card stock.  I sponged a bit between the rings. I rubbed the edges with the Walnut Stain.  I wrapped a piece of ivory seam binding around the background and tied it on the front to the left leaving room for my cup.

I glued the back ground to a deep brown almost Espresso card.  Adhered the coffee cup focal element to the card front with 3D foam tape. I trimmed the ends of my seam binding.   I then spattered the card front with a wet toothbrush dipped into the 2 medium colors which unified the elements.   I'm super happy with the results.

House Cards

I created these cards for a monthly card exchange group.
I had cut a couple when I made this card so I chose to use the second one here.   The front layer was cut from white cardstock with the Folk Art Festival cartridge and the Cricut.  I cut the shadow from royal blue card stock.  I then layered a piece of red behind the heart and yellow behind the windows.  I created a hill with some green card stock which I just cut free hand.  I punched the sun from yellow using a circle punch and placing only a corner of the piece in the punch.  It needed something and I considered spattering but could not decide on a color so I chose pencil crayons instead.  I added some depth to the green hill and pulled some grass growing from it.  I created subtle clouds in the sky with grey and blue.  Pulled some sun rays from the yellow sun in the corner.  I added a bird in the sky with a black fine tip marker.

For this card I had printed this crooked house clip art which is available for free on several websites. I colored it digitally then printed it. I fussy cut around the edge leaving a narrow white border.  I create a grass layer with some ripped card stock which I glued down and trimmed to the card edge. I punched a sin with a circle punch and adhered it in the top left hand corner.  I created a sidewalk to the front door with a piece of white card stock cut by hand.  I adhered the house over the sidewalk. I pulled out the pencil crayons and added some depth.  Yellow sun rays from the sun, smoke from the chimney in grey, cloud was grey and blue, green grass growing up and a subtle image of a tree on the right hand side with green and brown. The embellished white layer was adhered to a navy card base which matched the house roof.

These cards are headed to their new homes today.