July 2012 Card Group Projects

It was our July card group get together today, an afternoon of crafting, chatting and a few chuckles - lovely!  First off I introduced the ladies to the Split Negative technique using Hero Arts stamps and a black, white and red colour combo.  For success with this technique you need to make sure you cut your image panels to the same size and stamp the image in the same place on both panels.  I cut my white and black panels into 4" x 4" squares and before stamping I placed each panel in my Stamp-a-ma-jig handle.  That way my images married up correctly when I cut the panels in half diagonally and arranged the black and white pieces.  I stamped the large Starburst Lace with VersaMark ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder on the black panel and stamped with black ink on the white panel.   I then repeated the process for the smaller circle element using the Starburst stamp - this time I stamped in Real Red ink onto white CS and stamped with VersaMark and heat embossed with white powder onto Real Red CS.  I find it easier to add some tape to the back of the two diagonal halves before I mount to a mat layer.  I matted my diagonal pieces onto Real Red 4 1/4" square panels.  For the smaller circle element I punched the circles out with a 1 3/4" circle punch, cut them in half and arranged the red and white halves onto a 2" black punched circle.  I've added a punched black circle to the centre and I popped the 2" black circle up.   I stamped a Best Wishes sentiment for the first card and added punched red and black circles.

I kept the layout the same for the second card - I just changed the orientation of the diagonal panels and used a birthday sentiment rather than Best Wishes.

For the birthday card I added a sentiment and a starburst inside the card.

Onto my second card design and I've used a lovely teacup and saucer image from a clear Kanban set called Coffee Shop.  I was immediately drawn to this set because of the damask designs on the images - oh, and the £4.99 price tag!  I saw a card recently that had paired yellow with teal and I mentally filed it away to have a go at using that combo myself.  The large square panel is SU! Barely Banana CS and I inked the stamps with VersaFine Deep Lagoon ink.  I cut the teacup out - including the inside of the handle - and I popped it up over a doily I'd cut in half.  I thought the Warm Wishes sentiment was perfect to use with the cuppa image!  I've scored embossed lines on the banana panel using the SU! Simply Scored tool and I added square jewels to finish off.  I used this teacup image a few weeks ago as a gift tag, it looks really sweet tied around the handle of a gift bag!

I designed a very quick and easy fourth card which was made using a ready printed, striped Hero Arts card.  I bought the cards in a pack of twelve and the pack came with four wood mounted sentiment stamps.  The cards have a white rectangular space on the front so you can stamp whichever sentiment you want.  The sentiments are 'Thanks for Everything', 'Thinking of You', 'Have a Fantastic Day!' and the one I used on this card, 'Sending Happy Thoughts'.   The stamp and card box set was half price in the Glitter Pot sale - half price Hero Arts sentiments, that's a bargain I couldn't pass up!  I found SU! Cherry Cobbler and Island Indigo colours  matched a couple of the stripes and I used those colours to add a butterfly to the card front.  The larger butterfly was made using a Cuttlebug die which has matching embossing folders.  After embossing the Cherry Cobbler shape I added an Island Indigo small butterfly cut out with a Martha Stewart punch.  I lifted up the wings a bit, added 3 gems to the Island Indigo butterfly and popped the Cherry Cobbler butterfly shape up on the card front.  

Supplies for Split Negative cards:
Stamps: Hero Arts Starburst Lace & Starburst, Best Wishes from Hobby Art, Happy Birthday from SU! Happiest Birthday Wishes set, Lovely Day from Penny Black
CS: PaperMania 5 1/4" square white card blanks, SU! Real Red, Basic Black & Whisper White
 Ink: VersaMark, Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Real Red
Tools: Stamp-a-ma-jig, circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: white embossing powder, 3d foam tape

Supplies for teacup Warm Wishes card:
Stamps: Kanban Coffee Shop clear set, Warm Wishes from SU! Cheer & Wishes set
CS: PaperMania 5 1/4" square white card blank, SU! Barely Banana
Ink: VersaFine Deep Lagoon
Tools: SU! Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: Dovecraft Tea Party doily, clear square gems, 3d foam tape

Supplies for Sending Happy Thoughts card:
Stamps & CS: Hero Arts Striped Cards with Messages stamp & card box set, SU! Cherry Cobbler & Island Indigo
Ink: SU! Island Indigo
Tools: Cuttlebug butterfly die & embossing folder, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: rhinestone jewels, 3d foam pads

Spring Blossoms Happy Birthday Card

It's no secret I find flower images very hard to resist and I thought the Kanban Spring Blooms set was absolutely gorgeous - and the price of just a tad over a fiver for the set made the purchase inevitable!  When I sat down to make this card I was in the mood for black and white with a pop of another colour and I chose zesty Lucky Limeade.  I had no plan for this card, I just pottered and played and it evolved as it went along.  Now, in my experience, that isn't always a recipe for success!  In this case though, I 'm quite happy how this turned out, quite an elegant little number I think!

The card measures 5 3/4" square.  I stamped the flowery corner images direct to the white panel with black ink and stamped flowers separately with Limeade ink, cut the Limeade flowers out and popped them up.  I used stamps and punches for my sentiment centrepiece - I've popped up the 'birthday' circle and the Limeade scalloped circle.  I added punched black dots around the scalloped circle and punched photo corners and flowers for two opposite corners.

I added a stamped sentiment and a couple of flower sprigs to a white panel for inside the card.  I stamped a black flower corner on the envelope flap and added a cut out Limeade stamped flower which I glued over the top.  What a very satisfying playtime in my craft room, most enjoyable!   What I'm NOT finding enjoyable is this chilly, damp weather, I so want to feel some warm sunshine!  I'm going to a charity event on Saturday morning, I'll be selling cards at a table top sale which is being held outside in a garden - I hope it stays dry at least, please keep your fingers crossed for me! 

Supplies:
Stamps: Kanban Spring Blooms clear set, Lovely Day from Penny Black
CS: SU! Lucky Limeade, Basic Black & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, SU! Lucky Limeade
Tools: SU! plain & scalloped circle punches, Photo Corners punch, flower punch from Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, Perfect Layers, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: 3d foam pads

CAS Punched Blossom Thank You Card

The SU! Mixed Bunch stamp set and matching Blossom punch are real favourites of mine and I'm always very happy to see a card made using these products.  I recently saw this great card on Pinterest made by Marelle.  How fab that the Modern Label shape layers over the top of the Blossom punch!  My friend Jan very kindly lent me her Mixed Bunch set and Blossom punch so I could play until I received my own.  I know she'll love this tip about the Modern Label punch but rather than just telling her I thought I'd make her a card so she can see it for herself.

I've CASEd Marelle's card design, just changing a few little things.  I used the Square Lattice folder to emboss my panel, I punched a Rich Razzleberry blossom and embossed three vellum Modern Label shapes with the Square Lattice folder before assembling the blossom.  I put a rhinestone brad through the holes of an Old Olive button, attached that as the centre and popped the blossom up.  I used the plain side of the dotted Old Olive ribbon as my leaves and I stamped the Thank You from the Curly Cute set in Razzleberry ink to finish off the front.

I stamped some flowers inside the card with Razzleberry ink, one is full strength and the other two are stamped off once first.  I stamped and punched a flower for the envelope flap.  Finally, I stamped and punched Old Olive centres and added them to the flowers.

Supplies:
Stamps: SU! Mixed Bunch & Curly Cute sets
CS: SU! Whisper White & CS vellum
Ink: SU! Rich Razzleberry & Old Olive
Tools: SU! Blossom, Modern Label & 3/4" circle punches, Square Lattice embossing folder
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Old Olive Scallop Dots Ribbon, Old Olive button, rhinestone brad, Dimensionals

Christmas Tree Gift Tags - 52 CCT Anything Goes Challenge

This week at the 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown challenge blog it's Anything Goes.  Hope you'll join in with this fun challenge as you can let your imagination run riot and make whatever you fancy!  There's some fab inspiration from Jacqueline and Mynnette as usual so make sure you check their cards out.  I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

I've taken a break from a card and got a head start on some gift tags.   Every year my card group exchange Secret Santa gifts when we get together for the last meeting of the year in December.  I make tags for each member of the group - plus me - and on the day of the November get together we each draw a tag and that's the person we buy a Secret Santa gift for.  Typically, I remember the day before the November meeting date "aaaargh, I haven't made the gift tags yet!"  So I always end up making the tags in a rush which results in me getting stressed and grumpy - plus the tags have to be very quick and simple.  I've taken advantage of Anything Goes week to make my Secret Santa gift tags - no stress, no grumpiness and nicer tags!  How smug will I feel that I actually made them in advance come November LOL?!  Of course, I've made them so far in advance that I may well not be able to find them come November 'cos I won't remember where I've put them!

I needed 11 tags in all and so I split the process into stages and did one stage at a time until I had all my elements ready for assembling.  Actually, it worked out faster than I thought it would.  I used a Hero Arts stamp/die combo set, Sizzix tag dies and some punches.  My colour combo is Lucky Limeade, Real Red and Whisper White.  The dot ornaments on the trees were punched from sparkly SU! red Glimmer Paper.

First off I stamped the trees, then I die cut the trees and the rounded tag shapes.  I then punched the glitter dot tree ornaments and the snowflakes.  I cut my ribbon lengths - which was great fun with my playful cat Tingha on the desk LOL! I glued the tag shapes together, punched the ribbon holes and added the ribbon.  I glued the glitter dots on the trees, adhered the trees to the tags with 3d foam tape so they're popped up and added the punched snowflakes.  I printed all the names onto a piece of white CS, cut them all out with a circle punch, stamped a snowflake over the name on each circle and I glued the circles to the back of the tags.  To finish off I added rhinestone jewels to the snowflakes.

Here's all 11 of my assembled tags.

Here's just one front and back of a tag.

There's a reason I didn't put names on the front of the tags - it occurred to me that the tags would make a great topper to go on a card.  So rather than the tags just being thrown away after the gifts have been opened, everyone gets an element to go on a card!  Yep, feeling pretty pleased with myself right now LOL!  Just have to hope the ladies at card group like them!

Supplies:
Stamps: Hero Arts & Sizzix Joy Snowman stamp & die combo set
CS: SU! Lucky Limeade, Real Red & Whisper White
Patterned paper: SU! red Glimmer Paper
Ink: SU! Lucky Limeade
Tools: Christmas tree die from Hero Arts & Sizzix Snowman Joy stamp & die combo set, Sizzix Rounded Tags Framelits dies, 1/4" circle punch, 1 1/2" circle punch, Woodware small snowflake punch, Crop-A-Dile
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Real Red grosgrain ribbon, Rhinestone Jewels, 3d foam tape

Two CAS Cards For Simply Stampin' Challenge #66

This week at the Simply Stampin' blog the challenge is to make a CAS (Clean And Simple) card.  To me, a CAS design means lots of white space, a clear focal point and few, if any, layers.  Using details like embossing and piercing add interest but not bulk to CAS cards.  The CAS style doesn't necessarily lead to a quick and easy card - as I discovered!  I first tried a one layer, masked and sponged card but that was too challenging as it turned out!  Many things went wrong so after several attempts - and a few choice words - I abandoned the one layer option!

So, for my first card I embossed a piece of Whisper White CS with a Designer Frames embossing folder and added the stamped vase of flowers from the Button Buddies set.  I trimmed the panel to size, stamped a separate vase, cut it out and popped it up.  I threaded white Baker's Twine through the holes of the flower buttons and attached them with glue dots.  I then popped the embossed panel up on the front of my A6 white card.  I stamped the sentiment and pierced a row of holes beneath to finish off the front.

For the inside of the card and the envelope I did some marker inking, stamping and punching.

Of course, you don't just have to use white CS for a CAS card, for my second card I've used Pink Pirouette CS for my card base.  I used my Simply Scoring tool to add some embossed lines and punching hearts from pretty Beau Château papers resulted in a simple and speedy card.  I offset Marina Mist CS hearts behind the paper hearts, popped the hearts up and added the pearls.  I thought the 'heartfelt thanks' was the perfect sentiment to go with the hearts and I stamped that in Soft Suede ink to finish off the front.

I used more pretty Beau Château papers for the inside of the card and the envelope.

  
I'd love to pop along and see your wonderful CAS creations for our challenge this week, so please do join us!  The other members of the design team are bound to have some fab cards to inspire you so make sure you check them out!

Supplies for it's your day! card:
Stamps: SU! Button Buddies & Happiest Birthday Wishes sets
CS: SU! Whisper White & Real Red
Ink: SU! Real Red, Tempting Turquoise & Pumpkin Pie
Tools: SU! Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Set, Mat Pack & paper piercer, plain & scalloped circle punches, Stamp-a-ma-jig
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Brights buttons, white Baker's Twine, Dimensionals & glue dots

Supplies for heartfelt thanks card:
Stamps: SU! Sweetheart set
CS: SU! Pink Pirouette, Marina Mist & Soft Suede
Patterned paper: SU! Beau Château DSP
Ink: SU! Soft Suede
Tools: SU! Full Heart, 1 1/4", 1 3/8" & 1 3/4" circle punches,  Simply Scored Scoring Tool
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Pearl Jewels, Dimensionals

 

Moonlit Teasels & Grass With Best Wishes Card

Nature silhouette stamps are a definite favourite of mine, I find them hard to resist and I recently succumbed to a new one which I received in the post this week.   This lovely teasels stamp is designed and made by Jacqueline (deezinesart) who runs the 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown challenge blog along with Mynnette.  I saw that Jacqueline had used her teasels stamp with the grass stamp from the SU! Inspired by Nature set to make a lovely card.  I already had the SU! set and was very happy to add the teasels to my collection! 

I made a punched circle mask for the moon, sponged with various colours of Distress Inks and stamped the teasels and grass. I sponged the edges of the panel with Chipped Sapphire ink and added a lovely pearly shimmer by spritzing Perfect Pearls mist over the panel.  I layered onto a black mat, stamped the sentiment and added the Marina Mist ribbon with a piece of Elegant Eggplant ribbon tucked into the knot and glued the panel to the card front.  To finish the front I added gems to the sentiment and ribbon knot.

Some simple stamping inside and on the envelope flap finished off the whole card.

I can't tell you how pleased I was after I finished this card 'cos I had major trials and tribulations earlier in the week trying to make a masked, sponged one layer silhouette card.  I was using the SU! Pocket Silhouettes set and no matter what I did something went wrong.  First I wasn't happy with my sponging then it was my stamping that went wrong and then when I got those right I got inky smudges on my pristine white card front - twice - grrrr!  So after several attempts I gave it up as a bad job!  I think this card came together so well for me as I didn't try the one layer this time and the silhouette images are larger and need fewer stampings so there's less potential for error!  I was chuffed to bits that this turned out well first time, phew!

Supplies:
Stamps: deezinesart Teasels, SU! Inspired by Nature set, Hobby Art Sentiments clear set
CS: PaperMania A6 white card blank, SU! Whisper White & Basic Black
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire & Dusty Concord Distress Ink
Tools: SU! 1" circle punch, Perfect Layers, sponge applicators, sponge dauber
Embellishments & accessories: SU! Marina Mist & Elegant Eggplant grosgrain ribbons, Perfect Pearls 'Perfect Pearl' mist, SU! Rhinestone Jewels

Inlaid Branches & Bird Warm Wishes Card

I saw this fab card made by Debby Hughes (limedoodle) on Pinterest and knew I wanted to CASE it and make my own version.  I started with a 5 1/4" square white card and die cut several branches out of a panel of Pear Pizzazz CS.  I then cut white branches to inlay into the pear panel - I taped them at the back to keep them in place.  I know you could just die cut branches and glue them over the top of a panel but I really like the look of the inlaid pieces, it's a subtle but polished look I think.  I rounded the corners of the card and the pear panel, added turquoise gingham ribbon and popped the pear panel up with 3d foam tape.  I stamped the 'Warm Wishes' onto white CS with Memento Espresso Truffle ink - this is a new colour for me, it's sort of a dark grey/brown - unusual but I like it!  I cut the sentiment out with a Labels Trio die, chopped off a tad at the left hand side and popped it up.  I then popped up the die cut bird and added some turquoise jewels to finish off.

I put a branch on the inside of the card and added a popped up birdie.  I used the SU! Decorative Label punch for the sentiment - I cut the top and bottom off a turquoise label and glued them to the pear shape to form a mat.  Isn't the "sending special wishes for a bright & beautiful day" such a lovely and versatile saying?  It comes from my newly purchased Hobby Art 'Sentiments' set - the sentiments in the set are lovely - warm and meaningful but not slushy!  I used the negative die cut shape from the birdie I used for inside the card, punched out a circle and popped the turquoise circle up over a white circle and then matted on a Pear Pizzazz circle for the envelope flap.

Supplies:
Stamps: 'Warm Wishes' from SU! Cheer & Wishes set, Hobby Art Sentiments clear set
CS: PaperMania square white card blank, SU! Pear Pizzazz, Tempting Turquoise & Whisper White
Ink: Memento Espresso Truffle
Tools: Memory Box Woodland Branch & Nestled Bird dies, Spellbinders Labels Trio die, SU! Decorative Label & circle punches
Embellishments & accessories: turquoise gingham ribbon, Kaisercraft turquoise rhinestone jewels, 3d foam tape