February 2017 Card Group Projects

Yesterday we got together for our February card group meeting and a very happy afternoon was had by all!  Last month we used a sketch for all three cards and at the end of the meeting I set a homework assignment!  I asked the ladies to make a card using the sketch and I'm very pleased that most of the ladies took on the challenge and made a card.  It was amazing how different each card was!  Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos of the cards, d'oh!

The first card features the new SU! 'Detailed Dragonfly' Thinlits dies which are gorgeous.  I've used these recently acquired new SU! products with some oldie but goodie retired SU! products - I love mixing new and old items!  There are some SU! products that retire that I just have to keep in my stash, I can't bear to let them go - the 'Top Note' die and the 'I Love Lace' background stamp for instance.

I die cut a Whisper White 'Top Note' shape, stamped the lace background onto it using Crumb Cake ink and stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso ink.  I die cut an Early Espresso 'Top Note' shape, cut off the two sides, glued them behind the white shape and adhered the whole thing to the front of a Coastal Cabana A6 sized card base.  I die cut a Coastal Cabana solid butterfly, spritzed it with Champagne Mist spray and layered the Early Espresso detailed dragonfly shape over the top.  The Champagne Mist gives a lovely subtle shimmer to the wings.  I glued the dragonfly body flat to the card but placed half a Dimensional with the backing paper left on under each wing so that the wings remain popped up.

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope.  I stamped lace background strips and added drawn lines using an Early Espresso marker.

For the second card I used the SU! 'Moroccan Nights' set which I've had for a few months but not had time to ink up.  I used the 'Moroccan' patterned paper as a guide to what colours to use for the card.  I stamped the medallion image twice onto a panel of Cajun Craze CS using Cajun Craze ink for a lovely tone on tone look.  I added a strip of patterned paper and glued the panel to the front of a Very Vanilla A6 sized card base.  I stamped the sentiment and two images onto a square piece of Very Vanilla CS.  I die cut the piece using a square 'Stitched Shape' Framelits die and I popped up the Very Vanilla square.

Here's the inside of the card and the envelope stamped with the lovely medallion images.  I don't usually use Very Vanilla CS as a card base as it's a tad flimsy in my view.  The Cajun Craze panel on the card front strengthens the card and I also adhered a Very Vanilla panel on the inside so the whole card is sturdier.

For card number three I used orange which I very rarely do but I think it's good to step outside your comfort zone every now and then!  I paired Pumpkin Pie with Tempting Turquoise along with black and white and kept to a simple layout.  I embossed the fishtail flag shape with the Cuttlebug 'Leafy Branch' embossing folder, glued that to the front of a white A6 sized card base and stamped the sentiment.  I stamped the bird on a branch image (from the Taylored Expressions 'Embrace Beauty' set), cut it out with a circle Nestie die, layered it onto a larger die cut black circle and popped that up.  I punched a few flowers and used a fine black pen to add stamens to the flower centres.  I shaped the flowers a wee bit and glued them in place.  I used the pen to give the bird an eye and I rounded the top right corner of the card to finish off the front.

Here's the inside and the envelope.  I stamped a leafy silhouette image twice in black ink and stamped the sentiment in Pumpkin Pie ink.  The sentiment comes from a clear stamp set given away as a craft magazine freebie.  The freebie stamps are usually made of vinyl, not photopolymer, and it can be hard to get a decent stamped impression as the ink tends to bead up on vinyl stamps.  I've discovered that the SU! inks work really well with vinyl stamps though which is a real boon!  I used a smaller circle image from the 'Embrace Beauty' set to decorate the envelope flap.

 

One of the ladies, Jan, used the SU! 'Lift Me Up' stamps and dies to make her homework card.  Everyone was really taken with her lovely hot air balloon card so I said I'll include a hot air balloon card next time!

Supplies for dragonfly birthday card:
Stamps: SU! 'I Love Lace' background stamp, sentiments from SU! 'Butterfly Basics' set
CS: SU! Coastal Cabana, Early Espresso & Whisper White
Ink: SU! Crumb Cake & Early Espresso, Early Espresso marker
Tools: SU! 'Detailed Dragonfly' Thinlits die set, SU! 'Top Note' Bigz die
Embellishments & accessories: Champagne Mist spritz made using Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint & alcohol

Supplies for Moroccan lantern Warm Wishes card:
Stamps: SU! 'Moroccan Nights' set, Personal Impressions 'Medium Everyday Messages' set
CS: SU! Cajun Craze & Very Vanilla 
Patterned paper: SU! 'Moroccan' DSP
Ink: SU! Cajun Craze, Dapper Denim, Delightful Dijon & Emerald Envy
Tools: SU! 'Stitched Shape' Framelits die set
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dimensionals 

Supplies for bird on a branch Best Wishes card:
Stamps: Taylored Expressions 'Embrace Beauty' set, Hobby Art 'Best Wishes', SU! 'Garden Silhouettes' set, 'Sincere Sentiments' freebie set from Cardmaking & Papercraft mag #169, Jan 2017
CS: SU! Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black & Whisper White (thick & regular)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Pumpkin Pie, black fineliner pen
Tools: Cuttlebug 'Leafy Branch' embossing folder, MFT 'Fishtail Flags' Stax die set, circle Nestabilities dies, SU! 1 3/4" & 2" circle punches, EK Success small flower punch, Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Dimensionals