January 2015 Card Group Projects

Yesterday afternoon was our first card group meeting of 2015 and a very happy afternoon was had by everyone!  As usual I designed three projects for the ladies to make, this time it was a birthday card with a matching gift box plus an inked background silhouette note card.

This note card has such a simple design but is so lovely.  I was inspired by Jackie at the Glitter Pot as she has a few of these style cards on display at the shop in different colourways and I loved them.  I thought the design would be good as a card group project and I must say the card did prove popular with everyone.  After I'd made the card it occurred to me that a set of these in a box would make a great gift.  I suggested that to the ladies and they enthusiastically embraced that idea so over the coming months we'll be making more of this design plus a box to place them in.

For this card I used a Petite Oval Nestie die to cut out a stencil and I applied Salty Ocean and Peacock Feathers Distress Ink through the aperture with ink duster brushes.  Then it was a case of simply stamping the silhouettes and sentiment in black ink.

I usually decorate the insides of my cards plus the envelopes but I just didn't get round to that before card group yesterday.  So today I've spent some time in my craft room finishing off the cards and envelopes.  Here's the stamped inside and envelope flap.

For the birthday card with a matching gift box I kept to the same design but used different colours and stamps so half the group made the So Saffron version and the other half made the Rich Razzleberry version.  Because I used different flower images, sentiments and colours it meant the ladies didn't have to wait too long for stamps and ink pads to become available.  I do tell them how good I am to them - I'm not sure they're always convinced though!

Here's the So Saffron, Rose Red, Early Espresso and Very Vanilla version.

Here's the Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, So Saffron and Whisper White version.

The cards are A6 sized and I used the SU! Flower Shop stamp set and matching Pansy punch to make the flowers. Here's the So Saffron card and envelope.

Here's the Rich Razzleberry card and envelope.

Here are the insides of both cards.

Here are both gift boxes.  The Gift Box Punch Board was used to make the gift boxes which measure 3 1/4" wide, 3 1/4" deep and 1 3/4" tall.  The Gift Box Punch Board has a reverse punch which makes an interlocking flap closure for a box but I must admit I don't like it.  I find it OK to interlock the first two flaps but the top two flaps prove more of a faff and could easily end up torn - plus they look a bit tatty after you've tried interlocking them umpteen times!  To keep my boxes closed I've made belly bands which slide on and off - I like that idea much better!  I cut strips of CS measuring 11 1/2" x 1", scored the strips at 3 3/8", 5 1/4", 8 5/8" and 10 1/2" and glued the ends together to form the belly bands.  I popped up die cut fancy squares on both belly bands and then popped up flowers on top of the squares.  I also popped up flowers on two sides of both gift boxes to finish off.

Supplies for 'Just a note' card:
Stamps: Personal Impressions Lindsay Mason Designs 'Hope Blooms' set, Waltzingmouse Stamps 'Say it with Style' set
CS: PaperMania A6 white card blank
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Salty Ocean & Peacock Feathers Distress Inks
Tools: Petite Oval Nestabilities die, Inkylicious ink duster brushes

Supplies for Birthday Cards:
Stamps: SU! 'Flower Shop', 'Wetlands', 'Morning Meadow' & 'Blooming with Kindness' sets, Hero Arts 'Fabulous Birthday'
CS: SU! So Saffron, Early Espresso & Very Vanilla, SU! Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron & Whisper White 
Patterned papers: Bazzill Basics Vintage Lace 'Laced Squares' & Echo Park Splendid Sunshine 'Sunny Stripe' (green dotty reverse side of paper used)
Ink: SU! Rose Red & Blackberry Bliss
Tools: SU! Pansy, plain & scalloped oval punches, 1/2" circle punch, Woodware multi flower punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dimensionals

Supplies for Gift Boxes:
Stamps: SU! 'Flower Shop' set
CS: SU! So Saffron, Rose Red, Early Espresso & Very Vanilla, SU! Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, So Saffron & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Rose Red & Blackberry Bliss
Tools: SU!/WRMK Gift Box Punch Board, SU! Simply Scored, SU! Pansy punch, fancy square shape from Sizzix 'Charms, Fancy' Framelits die set, SU! 1/2" circle punch
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dimensionals