Card Club - April - Recycled Denim

Earth Day was April 22. I chose to give these cards an earth friendly focus where items were reused or recycled.

The flower is a creative use of old denim jeans. I used Sizzix dies for the flower, centre and leaf. The yellow and green fabrics are left overs from other projects. The gingham scrapbook paper was just what I needed. The denim colored yarn matched well and was stapled on. I added a color printed greeting cut with my Creative Memories oval cutter. I used a navy ink pad to smudge the edges of the card and greeting.

Photo - Beautiful Glass Tea Pot

I know this posting is not paper related. I include it because it feeds my spirit. During a shopping trip this weekend I found a glass tea pot for a song. I've wanted one for a long time but they are quite pricey. I now have a beautiful object that feeds me in two ways every time I use it. We had great weather this weekend and I know summer is very near. So I made a pot of iced Ginger Peach Tea and enjoyed some in a tall glass.

All Occasion Stack Class - Daisy Squares

I used several different SCB papers that included the yellow to match the wedding confetti daisies. The squares were punched with a Marvy punch. The squares were glued to the card. They could be arranged in several patterns. I placed the daisies over the squares and create holes in the daisies/square/card with a push pin. Insert a tiny white brad. Trim the SCB paper strip and glue in relation to the layout of the squares.

All Occasion Stack Class - Circle Buckle

I started with the ribbon on this card as well. I used chocolate brown, pink and rosy red cardstock for the card to provide a variety in the design. The white layer was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and glued to the card. The buckles were all cut in dark brown with a QuicKutz die and threaded onto the ribbon. The ribbon was taped to the inside of the card on top and bottom. The greeting was stamped in brown onto taupe cardstock, trimmed and layered onto pink cardstock and then trimmed again. This accent was then adhered to the card.

All Occasion Stack Class - Circle Collection

The inspiration for the card comes from the Go to Sketches magazine. The SCB paper collection is a retired StUp! set. It is a double sided paper which provided the variety of pattern needed for this design. I created the greeting in Corel Draw which allows me to print it in any color I want then I punched it out with the 1" punch. I cut the SCB paper circles with the smallest one on the Sizzix circle die. Simple but effective design.

All Occasion Stack Class - Flower Tag

I started with the ribbon for this card. I found scrapbook paper that work well with it. The SCB paper was trimmed and glued to the card. The ribbon is slipped into a slit in the fold of the card and taped to the inside of the card on both ends. The tag is a Sizzix tag die which was layered onto black cardstock and trimmed around with scissors. The flower is a StUp! punch done twice in SCB paper and pink card stock. The flower had a 1/8" hole punched for the rivet. Once complete, the tag is hung onto the ribbon with a length of white cotton thread.

Card - Exchange

I created these cards for my CC Exchange group. I designed the globe template then cut it out of white cardstock. Then I cut a 4" circle with my CM cutter then a decorative layer one size smaller. The black base was trimmed a smidge bigger than the template. Then I embossed it with a stripe CB Embossing folder and glue it to the card.

Left: The 4" circle is gold cardstock. The japanese paper has gold and geometric design. I punched some leaves in colors found in the paper and glued them on the base. I added a gold star brad just off centre.

Right: The 4" circle is pink foil paper and the next layer is a floral giftwrap. I added a StUp! Five petal punch then added StUp! Lattice die holes of pink foil and placed a pink rivet in the centre. I trimmed the circle to even with the top of the base then tied a coordinating ribbon on the join.

The inspiration for this card came from the Go to Sketches Paper Crafts magazine I recently purchased. It contains sketches from 6 designers. Each chapter contains the sketch and several cards based on it. It is very good magazine. Check it out at your local craft store.

Gift Card Holder - Baby Boy

One of the girls in the office had a baby in February. I put together a large card for everyone to sign and offer their wishes for the new baby and his parents. We had a great shower for them today.
I started with a MS Accordian Card. It was covered with brown fabric with an elastic to hold it closed. It provided plenty space for the sentiments. The first page had baby's name and a bit of a poem embossed on a ripped piece of vellum. The last page had a vellum envelope to hold the gift card. I saved one page so a photo could be added with a few balloons. The teddy bear is a Sizzix die which was cut a couple times for the different colors then layered. I added a ribbon around his neck and cut some balloons with the MS punch. All the elements were touched with a brown ink pad.

Card - Baby Boy

We have a new baby in the family. I made these cards for the baby shower. The baby stamp by SonLight Impressions was inked in brown and placed on light blue cardstock. In keeping with the ribbon I chose a tan colored paper as the next layer. Then a great chocolate brown layer with a ripped bottom edge. The ribbon is scotch taped onto the inside of the card.

Cmas Card Challenge - April - Nativity

Coming up with nativity images was a challenge. I have a small stamp of baby Jesus with a lamb. I think that the Holy Family, Bethlehem, wiseman, shepherds and nativity images would fit. I wondered "Where can I find these images?" I decided to recycle Christmas cards. I browsed through my collection and selected a few nativity related images.

Silhouettes - I used a QuicKutz die for the stable & holy family. I layered gold paper onto a red card then mounted the die cut on it. I added glitter to the star. On the blue one, I placed a layer of vellum stamped and glittered in the sky. I stamped the sentiment in black and embossed it with black detail powder.

Recycled cards - The orange card was stamped with a border stamp all around the edge. I cut the central image of hills, camels and Bethlehem from the old card and just glued it on. The young shepherd was cut from the old card then I punched the corners with a decorative punch. I took the back of the card and cut it a bit larger than the first and rounded the corners. The greeting was stamped onto a piece of the inside of the old card. It was great because all the pieces coordinated.
Recycled Cards 6 Silhouettes 2 = 8
Total Christmas cards: 20

Charmaine's Card http://tweedcurtain.blogspot.com/2010/04/nativity.html

Cmas Card Challenge - April - Nativity

Ovals - I cut the front of the old cards with my Creative Memories oval cutter. The top ones feature Bethlehem and the star. I embossed the cards the purple with a Cuttlebug embossing folder, the other with silver embossing powder with a background stamp. Added a coordinating metallic paper layer. Greeting stamped and embossed.

Oval with Baby Jesus - Cut the old Christmas card then 2 more layers in larger sizes. Added a stamped greeting. Ornament - I cut the ornament from the old card front. I applied pigment ink to the green card with the direct paper technique then applied gold embossing powder and heated. It added texture in a interesting way. I glued the ornament to the card then I added a small gold cording bow at the top.

Photo - Spring Flowers

I took a few hours off on Sunday afternoon and headed to the Muttart Conservatory for some picture taking. It was a great afternoon. The spring flowers were in the Feature Pyramid. They had tulips in several colors, daffodils and paperwhites, lilies just in time for Easter. I took about 300 pics. I took of few and created the collage posted here. I wandered the grounds some with a temperature of 15C.

Card Club - March - Monarch Butterfly

This a great looking card. It has different fold in it. The card stock paper is cut 11 x 4.25" then scored at the 5.5 then again 8.25 which is halfway on the card front. I folded the short flap back onto the front towards the centre fold. I cut the scrapbook paper to the card front with a small border. I then glued the rectangle onto the small flap first then turned the card over and trim it even with the fold. Now the leftover is glued to the card back which creates a full rectangle on 2 levels. The black layer was designed to leave a even border all the way around. The gold paper was trimmed to just a bit smaller. This layer was then glued only on the left side an attached to the small flap. The butterfly was adhered to the gold layer with a Zot. Check out the right hand picture to see the fold.

Card Club - March - Ribbon Slider

This paper was purchased as coordinating scrapbook paper. The card stock is a nice neutral beige color. I cut the paper to the card front size then cut both sheets at 1.5 inches then just swapped the patterns. I placed a slider onto the red ribbon with a heart punchie as an accent. The ribbon is placed over the join between the papers and taped to the inside. I offered a red apple as an alternative punchie shape. We had several color options in this design.

Card Club - March - Flower Trio

The cardstock is a great denim color which matched the scrapbook paper very well. I repeated the lines in the paper by ripping the paper vertically. I glued the 2 pieces leaving a space of cardstock onto which to place my flowers. I punched 3 flowers in a color that brought out the golden yellow in the paper. I mounted the flowers with denim blue eyelets

Card Club - March - Shimmer Watercolors

We had a good time at card club last night. I wanted to offer the option of an Easter card if some of the girls wanted one. I chose this image with spring colors.
The central image is a color printed watercolor which has been shimmered with Perfect Pearls distributed with alcohol in a mister. The frame is created with 1" stripes of paper in coordinating colors. The girls had the option to stamp a "Happy Easter" greeting in a coordinating ink color on the horizontal strips.

Card - Baby Boy

Here's a great card for a precious little boy. I started with the ribbon which I found in clearance at Michael's. Blue, tan and brown. I embossed the card with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dot folder, then wrapped the ribbon around the card. The tag was cut with a Sizzix Scallop Tag die, onto which I layered a small corner rounded rectangle. The giraffe was created with a Cuttlebug die. Tied the tag on with a piece of jute.

Card - Watercolor Thank You

I did these for my Card Club incentive. The watercolored image is from Magenta stamped in permanent black ink. I loved doing the images. It's been a long while since I took out my wc palette. A lot of different color options. The greeting is a small clear stamp set. I mostly painted the bird different shades of blue with a pink or red heart.

Simple Cards with Holder

Another set of simple cards. A lot of color options and uses small scraps of paper. I started with buttons in my collection and went from there. I layered 2 contrasting Stampin Up! Five Petal punchies and layered to button in the centre. A Zot holds the button down. The paper piercing are made with a Cutter Bee Bug that pierces a single row of holes. You just push it along and the wheel turns to create a line of nice evenly spaces perforations. I used my Scor Pal to make sure the lines were straight. The cardholder is my sisters design. The holder holds 4 cards and envelopes. I offered these as incentive to my Card Club participants.

Christmas Card Challenge - March - Gingerbread

Gingerbread can be men or women. They can be different colors. I like chocolate, but they could be tan, beige, and many various brown colors. Can they be red? Gingerbread houses work. Check out your stash for gingerbread stamps, die cuts, paper, brads. What types have I missed?

Here's my card for this Challenge.
I started with the striped gift wrap and found the other elements to match. I chose a red cardstock and the silver layer is again a nice heavy textured gift wrap. I die cut the gingerbread out of chocolate brown cardstock with Sizzix die. I layered a small piece of red behind the hearts on his belly. I added the the "icing" to his arms and legs with a Galaxy marker. I touched his eyes and mouth with a black markers as they are quite small. The small tag I cut with a Cuttlebug tag die then layered it onto the same cardstock red and trimmed it by hand. I stamped the snowflake with chocolate brown ink.

I made 6 of these cards to add to my stash.
Total Christmas Cards: 12.

Therese's card for this challenge. http://tmalakart.blogspot.com/2010/03/christmas-card-challenge-gingerbread.html
Send me a link to yours!