CAS Card Challenges

CAS on Sunday & CAS-UAL Fridays are running a new challenge for a clean and simple card that includes dry or heat embossing.  I decided to work with a stamp (Q130 Fresh Bloom from Stampendous) and a checkerboard Cuttlebug embossing folder.  I made it 3D by raising the top of the card using white  fun foam.

For instructions go to Simply Stamped

Flowery Card Sketch

My Card Crafts group is having a sketch swap for July.

I decided to go with blue and white and try out my new Martha Stewart punch.

I began by creating the "hello" using Microsoft Word and then trimmed it down and punched the edges with Martha Stewart's "Doily" edger.  I attached it to the blue cardstock with glue stick.


Next I tackled the flower by cutting a long strip of photo paper and edge punching it with my new Martha Stewart deep edge punch " Garden Trellis".  I recently had found a video for making flowers using border punches and wanted to see if I could make this one work.  I'm pleased with the result!  Of course I had to make my own changes, lol.  I attached the flower with a brad.


The butterflies were punched with Tonic's "Butterfly Multi-detail".  I detached the butterfly from the paper by snipping the top and bottom of the body.  I glued these on only by the body and folded the wings upwards.


I decided the ribbon would have been too much so I chose to leave it off.

Birthday Wishes 8

Benita from England sent me this lovely flowered birthday card.  The center image was stamped and colored and the card was dressed up with a ribbon, gems and a 3D birthday sentiment!

Birthday Wishes 5

Yipee, another birthday card has arrived!  This one is from Thelma who lives in California.  It has a 3D image in the center and a stitched border on either edge along with sticker dots.  Very delicate work!

Birthday Wishes 2

Wow, another surprise birthday card!  This one came from England.

The butterflies and flowers are 3D.  Isn't this card beautiful!

Birthday Wishes 1

My birthday is coming up soon and I was so surprised to receive this gorgeous card from Trish in Australia!  What a wonderful surprise!!!

Swap Fest 21

Here is a beautifully stitched card from Thelma in California.

In the center is a cute little 3D.

A Folding I Will Go

I tried out a new style card for Mother's Day for my sister.  I got the pattern from Penny and you can get it here.

I printed out different plaid sheets, tiles and a pyramid sheet that are all from Penny.  I took the tile and repeated it 12 times on a sheet in Microsoft Word and printed it out on glossy banner paper.  The rest of the sheets were also printed on the same type of paper.

I covered all the surfaces of the front of the card with the various pieces of the plaid sheets.  Then I attached the pyramid pieces and the teabag medallion.  Next the sentiments were added and lastly I applied "gems" to the medallion and the four inner corners.

Here is a side view that shows a close up of the back section.

This view is from the other side showing the pyramid head on.

This is what the front looks like when folded.  It fits in a business envelope.

The teabag medallion is a pinwheel pattern shown on page 13 in Tea-Bag Folding by Suzanne McNeil.

Deja Vu

I can't believe Mother's Day is here again.  It seems like just yesterday when I made my sister this card!

I got the idea from Kaboose and made my own version.  My sister likes red so I changed the color palette. I punched flowers out of various patterned red and white paper (two punches for each flower).  I had some red wire and cut a piece for each flower. Then I glued the wire to the wrong side of one punched flower and the matching flower piece   on top of that.  I cut a piece of styrofoam and glued inside the window box.  I added glue to the wire tips and poked them into the styrofoam.

I punched a border design ("Diamond" by Fiskars) to add to the front of the window box.  I also added patterned paper to the inside so it would show through the window.  The sentiment was done with Microsoft Word.  The window valence is real lace!

Here is a closeup of the window box.  Since the card was so dimensional I had to send it in a box!  LOL

Swap Fest 13

Today I received a lovely Spring swap from Connie in Denmark!

A very textural card with a dainty border and ribbon and  pyramid layered center flowers.

Happy Birthday Sis

My sister's birthday is coming up soon (April 17th) and I made her this card today!

This is a front view.  The card style is called "stair step" and is decorated with Sizzix die cuts.  The letters (Girls are Weird) are cut from stripped patterned paper.  The cake (Birthday Cake w/ Candles) I cut out several times using different papers.  Then I cut the cake pieces apart and reassembled using different colors.  The sun, glasses (Champagne Glass) and swirls (Multi Swirls) are also Sizzix dies.

This view is taken from above to show the "insides" of the card.  I used the same patterned paper and punched the border with EKSuccess border punch (Xmas lights).  I figured the lights were festive!

This view shows the card folded flat!

Here is some information on "stair steps"
...Split Coast Stampers
...The Stamping Studio Blog
...Crafting the Web
...Project Tuesday
...Get Your Stamps Out

Swap Fest 8

Here is the tunnel card my partner sent me for our swap.

As you can see, there is an old Chevy parked beneath the trees.  Isn't it cool!!!

Bloomin' Sketch

For a sketch challenge in Card Making International I made this card.

The patterned paper has been embossed with Cuttlebug's Swiss Dots embossing folder.  The center square on point is made on glittered cardstock and is glued on top of a light yellow ribbon which crosses the center of the patterned paper.  On top of the square is a flower I made out of the patterned paper (which is also embossed).

The flower instructions can be found on Valita's Designs & Fresh Folds.  The paper I used was not double sided so I cut pieces of the glittered cardstock to hide the outside edges underneath the flower folds.  I added leaves by folding some green paper in a similar manner and gluing in between the petals.  The center needed something so I glued a floral stamine (found in the bridal section of Hobby Lobby)in the center.

On the inside I used three scalloped circles cut out of the patterned paper and "tied" them together.  The border was created with the EKSuccess punch called "Daisy Chain".

This is the "sketch" that inspired the card.

Flower Power

I did an Easter exchange last year on my Dutch Paper Crafts group.  I was anxious to try out a new template I had purchased by Hot Off The Press called "Giant Flower Card".

I used some cherry blossom patterned paper and followed the directions on the template.  I practiced on some scrap paper first to get the hang of it.  Here is the finished product.

 

Swap Fest 3

Here's a sketch swap card from Lynda in Oklahoma.

The center with the fox has been built up in 3D layers.  The orange "dots" are faux jewels.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Here's another version of the pop-up card from earlier this week.

I used cardstock, a foam bee stamp and a flower punch on this example.  The daisy was a graphic that I printed out on the yellow cardstock.

 

Here's a side view that shows the "inner workings".

Here is what the card looks like when folded flat!

Sunny Days

Here's a fun card to make.  The base is made of cardstock and the decoration and greeting are made on acetate which is attached with four eyelets.

The sun (Soleil Points by Stampendous) was stamped with a permanent black ink pad (StazOn) and then different colors of liquid ink were dropped and allowed to mingle and then dry. I used Adirondack Alcohol Inks by Tim Holtz.  The inked side faces the cardstock and is then attached.

 

The greeting was made with Microsoft Word and printed on acetate made for my printer.  This was also attached with four eyelets.

As you can see from this side view, there is an upside down "v" shape on the inside flap.  This is called a "mountain fold".  This flap has a quarter inch flap that glues to the back to close the card.  The card stands by itself and also folds flat to fit an envelope.

This diagram shows the measurements I used on an 11 inch piece of cardstock.  These measurements can be altered to suit your paper and the size you wish to make your card.  The lines need to be creased with a bone folder and folded as the picture shows.  I attached the quarter inch fold to the back with some double sided tape for strength.  For a larger version of the diagram go here.

Paddy me Boyo

This is a card I made for my sister last March.  It is called a "File in the Middle" card and there's a video by Dawn that gives instructions.

  

The matte on the front was made with a border punch by Paper Studio.  The decorations were 3D scrapbook attachments.

This view shows the inside when open.  There is a section in the middle that has a "porthole".  When folded one way it shows the lucky horseshoes and ther other way shows the shamrocks.

 

 

I punched out some more of the border and attached it to the inside.  I also cut out and attached the light green shamrocks and then wrote the sentiment.  Around the "portholes"  I attached circular frames made with two circular punches (inside cut by smaller circle).

Circular Decor

This is a simple card made with a great Cuttlebug embossing folder of a Christmas Wreath.  Since it had poinsettia flowers on the wreath I decided to add a 3D layered poinsettia as I had done with yesterday's post.

 

 I decided to use white paper for the wreath to contrast with the poinsettia and the red cardstock.  Lastly I added a bow to top everything off.

 

Spring Has Sprung

"Spring Card" that is...  My card group (Just Cards) had a swap last December and one of the choices was a "spring card" (a pop-up card of sorts).  Since it was nearing Christmas I used the poinsettia as my theme.

 

I used red cardstock for the base.  The greeting was printed out from Microsoft Word and the flourishes were stamped in gold.  The poinsettia's were from a 3D sheet that I cut out and layered.

After making the first card I decided to try a couple more versions.  This time I used Cuttlebug's "Swiss Dots" embossing folder on the greeting.  One was made on red and one on green cardstock. 

 

Here are some tutorials for you...

...You Tube 

...Spirit of Creativity Tutorial & Tips Blog

...Craft House Tutorials 

...Andrea's Stampin' Moments

...Split Coast Stampers