January 2012 Card Group Cards

Today was our first card group meeting of 2012.  I designed 3 cards for the ladies to make and I eased them gently into the new year - nothing too tricky for them to do!  I had tons of frustration while prepping for today and I think I was very kind indeed to spare them the same frustration LOL!

The cause of the frustration?  A new Woodware huge punch that cuts multiple shapes - a bird, owl, branch and leaves.  I saw a card made with it at the Glitter Pot and thought it looked fun and would make a good card group project.  You punch out the bird and fold down the wing which looks really effective if you use contrasting double sided paper.  So I bought the punch and some paper and tried it out when I got home.  Oh dear - not consistent results by any means.  I can't say the punch is faulty, it's just a huge pain in the bum to use!  I could see 10 very tetchy ladies wrangling with this punch come card group day so I thought I'd better punch out the birds and branches myself.  It took AGES 'cos I'd get 3 good punch outs and then about 5 duff ones on the trot.  It chewed up paper and CS regardless of weight or thickness, I couldn't find anything in my stash that I got consistent results with.  I could have given up I suppose but I'd bought the thing to use at card group and I was determined I would use it!  So I gritted my teeth, said a few choice words and carried on.  But I have to say now I. Am. So. Over. This. Punch!  It doesn't reside in my craft room any more.  Let this be a lesson to me to avoid impulse buys - I had no business buying another bird punch when I already own the fabulous SU! one that works perfectly each and every time!

Anyway, a very simple card, just a Calypso Coral panel stamped with the Bella Toile background stamp, a branch, sentiment and a popped up bird with a rhinestone eye.  I stamped the Bella Toile stamp on the envelope flap too.

I started this next card weeks ago to use at the December 2011 card group meeting.  I knew I wanted to make a circle window card but everything I tried didn't look right and nothing gelled and I wasn't happy with it at all.  So I put it away, made another card in its place for card group and then went back to it a few days later to try again.  Much better that time I'm happy to say!  I stamped the Bliss flourish on the card front in Lucky Limeade ink and punched out with a 1 3/4" circle punch.  I punched a Calypso Coral 2" circle for inside the card and layered the stamped circle over the top.  I stamped the flower from the Bliss set by inking with Calypso Coral ink, stamping off once and then rock and rolling and then cut them out and popped them up around the circle.  Some Coral patterned paper at the bottom, a Limeade punched Scallop Ribbon border and a stamped sentiment finished off the card.

The third card all started with the gorgeous My Mind's Eye patterned paper.  Island Indigo, Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose matched it really well so that was my colour combo sorted.  I designed the rest of the card using my new Top Note die and Button Buddies stamp set - loving them both muchly!  I love that my Button Button set works perfectly with the Button Buddies set too!  I cut a whole Top Note from Island Indigo CS, cut half a Top Note shape from the patterned paper and layered that onto the CS shape.  I stamped the Button Buddies flower in Regal Rose ink and then stamped again without re-inking and the third flower was stamped in Island Indigo ink stamped off once.  I stamped the buttons onto Pretty in Pink CS, punched them out, placed them on the flower centres and popped the flowers up.  The very pretty 'thinking of you' sentiment from the Swirls and Curls Verses set finished off the card.

Supplies for bird Best Wishes card:
Stamps: SU! Bella Toile bg stamp, Hobby Art Best Wishes
CS: PaperMania 4" square white card blank, SU! Calypso Coral & Chocolate Chip
Patterned paper: Echo Park Victoria Gardens Wild Rose/Bluebird
Ink: SU! Calypso Coral & Chocolate Chip
Tools: Woodware Huge Multi Owl punch
Embellishments & accessories: rhinestone, 3d foam pads


Supplies for circle window Happy Birthday card:
Stamps: SU! Bliss & Curly Cute sets
CS: PaperMania A6 white card blank, SU! Calypso Coral & Lucky Limeade
Patterned paper: Coral paper from SU! In Color DSP stack
Ink: SU! Calypso Coral & Lucky Limeade
Tools: 1 3/4" & 2" circle punches, SU! Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch
Embellishments & accessories: 3d foam pads


Supplies for flower trio Thinking of You card:
Stamps: SU! Button Buddies, Button Button & Swirls & Curls Verses sets
CS: PaperMania square cream card blank, SU! Island Indigo, Pretty in Pink & Very Vanilla
Patterned paper: My Mind's Eye Fine & Dandy Tickled Pink
Ink: SU! Regal Rose & Island Indigo
Tools: SU! Top Note die, SU! 1 3/4" scalloped circle punch, 1/2" circle punch
Embellishments & accessories: 3d foam pads