August Christmas cards: Holiday cheer

Last week I took a crafty road trip with my aunt Terry and my friend Lisa to visit Taylored Expressions and Memory Bound scrapbook store in Ankeny, Iowa. We knew we would have some down time for crafting, but I didn’t want to pack a bunch of random stamping supplies. Instead I planned ahead, designed my August Christmas cards, and did a lot of the prep work at home.

Here is the card layout I designed for August. It’s a different layout for me because I was also working with a sketch challenge. When I saw the sketch, with the space for three images along the right edge, I knew this snowman would be perfect. (This is actually one wood-block stamp with the right-facing snowman on one side and the left-facing one on the other side.) I used some patterned papers for an easy background and coordinating alcohol markers to color the images. I added the sentiment on a white strip above the images and finished the card with silver sequins. It’s hard to see in the photo, but I also used a gel pen to add sparkle to the white parts of the hats.

To prep for the trip, I cut, scored, and folded eight white card bases and stamped the sentiment inside them; stamped and punched out 26 snowmen (enough for eight cards and a couple extra); cut two pieces of patterned paper for each card (background panel and strip) and tucked the pieces inside the card bases; and stamped the sentiment on strips of white card stock. I packed all the pieces, as well as the coordinating alcohol markers, the sparkle gel pen, and the sequins, in a small plastic box (an old Stampin’ Up! stamp case). The other supplies, like glue, foam tape, and scissors, went in a zippered pouch. Here is a look at my paper-crafting supplies all packed up:

I also decided to bring a few things to make some Halloween cards, which is the box on the left. (I’ll share those cards in my next post.)

Once we sat down in the hotel lobby to craft, all I had to do for my Christmas cards was color the images, trim the sentiment strips, adhere everything to the card bases, and add sequins. I did make one change from the original card: I decided to use foam tape to adhere the snowmen and then tuck one of the sequins behind the image instead of gluing it on top. Here are the nine finished cards:

I think they turned out pretty cute! If/when I go on another craft retreat, I might consider prepping some cards like this. It was nice to just sit down and get to work without having to think about what I wanted to make. It was much easier to pack, too! I don’t typically make multiples of card designs (except for holiday cards), but I could plan out some card sets or something like that.

We definitely had a good time on our trip, and I came home with waaaay more crafting supplies than I left with! After I share the Halloween cards I made, I’ll do a post with some pictures of the trip. Until then, thanks for stopping by!

Multitudes of mushrooms

I am a sucker for mushrooms in crafts. I just think they’re adorable, and I love the forest and fairy themes that often accompany mushrooms. So earlier this summer I decided to make a card (or two) with each of my stamp and/or die sets that prominently feature mushrooms. It will take me a while to get through all of them (especially since I seem to keep collecting more), so today’s cards are the first installment.

I made these two cards using an old My Monthly Hero kit (Hero Arts). For the card on the left I used the stamps from the kit. I created the scene with masking paper (so some of the images look like they are behind others) and colored the images with colored pencils. I die cut the finished panel with a deckle rectangle die, inked the edges, and adhered it to a green card base. I finished the card with clear droplets and a bit of striped ribbon.

For the card on the right I used the dies from the kit to create a terrarium. It’s a shaped card, so I used the arched die to also cut the card base, leaving a small portion of the fold intact. The blue layer on the card front hides the flat fold. I also had to consider the bottom of the card because the piece for the base of the terrarium has little feet. In order to get the card to stand up correctly, I needed to die cut a base piece for the inside of the card as well as the front.

The most time-consuming part was creating the gravel layer at the bottom. I cut that piece out of dark brown for the dirt and two light colors for the stones. I glued the brown piece to the blue background and then pieced in the “stones,” trying to mixup the two colors. But I love how the card turned out, so I think the extra time was worth it.

Here is another terrarium-like card. Or maybe it’s a little fairy habitat. Either way, it’s cute.

I used two die sets to create the focal image: Cottage Terrarium and Mini Forest Plants (both from Poppystamps). I die cut the pieces in the mat from water color paper and then painted them. I used a white Posca paint pen to add the spots on the mushrooms and the lines on the left side of the jar. The lid of the jar is metallic card stock, and I used hemp twine to add a bow around the lid.

For the background I used the retired Tree Rings background stamp (Stampin’ Up!) and stamped it on a kraft card base. I think it’s the perfect background for this card.

This card and the next one were both made with the Nature Walk stamp and die combo (Ellen Hutson). To make this card I stamped the fronds and moth images on the card base for the background. I stamped the mushrooms and snail on white card stock and die cut them. I liked the idea behind this card, but I don’t love how it turned out. Something feels off with the background; I think maybe I should have stamped just one moth.

I decided to make this a belated birthday card, so I stamped “sorry I’m late …” on the front and “I took the scenic route” on the inside.

Now this card I really like. I used the Nature Walk stamp set again for the images and the Organic Elements stamp set (Ellen Hutson) for the solid shapes in the background.

I stamped six shapes in a grid on a white card base using four colors. Then I stamped five images from the set on white card stock, using the “filler” stamps to add color to the moth, mushrooms, and snail. (The filler stamp I used for the snail was actually the one for the smallest mushroom. I think it’s works for the snail, too.) I kept the frond and the flowers white. I adhered the images over the shapes, using foam tape for the colored images. I added a sentiment strip in the bottom right corner over the sixth shape. I finished this card (and the previous one) with some gold confetti.

I hope you enjoyed this first batch of mushroom cards. I’m not sure when the next batch will be ready, but I have quite a few other cards to share in the meantime. Thanks for stopping by!

Cheers to fifteen years

Today marks fifteen years of my blog. Crazy. That simultaneously seems like so long and no time at all. I wasn’t sure how to mark the occasion, so I decided to do what I do best: make a card.

This card is perfect for the occasion for a couple of reasons. First, this shade of blue is one of my favorite colors. And second, the panel with the fireworks is upcycled from an old desk calendar. I love to find ways to reuse things, especially cool or pretty papers.

I don’t think this card needs much explanation, but here are a few details. I used gold foil card stock to die cut the frame, the scalloped circle, and the numbers. I die-cut the word “hooray” twice and layered them together to give the sentiment a little more heft. And the pennants on the award ribbon are also trimmed from the desk calendar, which is great because I knew it would perfectly match the background panel. 

Whether this is your first time here or you’ve been following along for years, thanks for stopping by!

Kaleidoscope collection

A couple of weeks ago I needed to make a birthday card for a friend’s mom. She loves hummingbirds, and I thought of the perfect products — several items from the Kaleidoscope collection (49 and Market) that I’d purchased as a bundle, but never used. I have rub-ons, ephemera pieces, layered frames, and washi tape. And since I was making one card, I figured I’d make a couple extra. Here they are:

I think they turned out really pretty. It amazes me when I see other people do collage so (seemingly) effortlessly because I always struggle with this kind of layering. My brain wants to do it the “right” way. It’s helpful with a collection of products like this because everything coordinates, so at least I don’t have to second guess that part.

Everything on these cards is from the collection except the gray card bases, the linen thread used for the bows, and the word “birthday” on the pink card. That’s a stamp and the only stamping I did on the front of the cards.

For each card I started by using the rub-ons to add interest to the solid-color panel. Then I chose which ephemera pieces I wanted to use and played around with the arrangement. Before I glued them down, I added two or three washi tape “stamps” to the background. I finished each card with a linen thread bow to add a different texture.

I had a lot of fun making these cards, and I’m looking forward to creating more. I think these would make great card sets, too.

Thanks for stopping by! 

July Christmas cards: Splendid stockings

Recently I purchased the Stocking Stamp and Stitch bundle (Concord and 9th) on clearance — $6 for the stamp and die set together. I’d looked at the bundle in the past and thought it was cute, so I couldn’t pass up that deal. (As of the date of this post, it looks like they still have some in stock if you’re interested.) I especially love that the dies are versatile: you can use them to cut out the stamped stocking, without the stamps to make stockings with card stock or patterned paper, or with the special die insert to create stockings with small holes for stitching. For my July Christmas cards I created all three kinds of stocking and combined them to make nine cards.

I started by choosing a color palette: Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral, Old Olive, Mossy Meadow, Bordering Blue, and Dapper Denim (Stampin’ Up!). Then I stamped and cut out stockings in each color. I also cut out accent pieces from those colors as well as white and a darker green for the holly leaves. (It was a lot of die cutting. Whew.)

I stitched the stockings with the holes and adhered all the accents on the stocking bases, trying to mix and match the colors. (I ended up not loving the coral color in the mix, but I went with it anyway.) Then came the difficult decision of pairing up the stockings and picking a color for each card base. I thought about doing kraft card bases, but I’ve used a lot of kraft on my Christmas cards this year, so I wanted to go brighter.

I embossed the card bases with the Geo Blooms embossing folder (Taylored Expressions), but in hindsight a brick pattern would have been fun, too. I used the Wood Grain Planks die (Memory Box) to create the “mantle” on each card. I adhered the stockings with foam tape and added a mini metallic brad just above each stocking to look like a nail. To finish off, I added a banner with the sentiment “Warm Wishes” near the bottom right corner on each card.

Thanks for stopping by!