Nature card sets

Today I’d planned to share the collection of autumn cards I made last month for seniors in Minnesota, but apparently I forgot to take photos before I dropped them off. Oops. So instead I’m sharing a couple of card  sets featuring nature scenes and images.

I made this set using the On the Horizon cutting-plate die (Taylored Expressions) and the long-retired Epic Day This and That Designer Series Paper (Stampin’ Up!). I chose eight different patterns from the paper, cut the die with each paper, and then mixed the different pieces. I glued the pieces onto kraft card stock as I reassembled the scenes and adhered each panel to a coordinating card base. I did emboss the card bases first to add some subtle texture, although it’s difficult to tell in this photo.

I ended up with eight cards in this design. I kept two for my stash and, after adding sentiment strips, included two in the cards I brought to work last month. These last four I decided to group together into a card set. I didn’t want to add sentiments, so instead I finished each card with a small hemp twine bow.

The second set of cards has a much earthier color palette than the first set. (Sorry that the lighting isn’t great in this photo.) To make this set I used one of the alcohol ink backgrounds I made over the summer along with the Mushroom Medley die set (Concord and 9th). I cut the mushroom tops out of the alcohol ink background and the stems from a variety of neutral card stock colors. I glued the mushroom pieces together and then divided them into four groups of five mushrooms.

I used heavyweight white card bases for these cards, and I added a panel of white woodgrain-textured card stock to the front of each base. I adhered a dark brown die-cut frame on each card and then arranged the mushrooms in the frames, along with a few bits of greenery. To finish each card, I added two enamel dots in the upper right or left corner of the framed area.

I love how these mushrooms turned out, but I’m not sure how I feel about the white background on these cards. I used cream card stock for the mushrooms, and I don’t usually combine white and cream. What do you think?

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Big batch of cards

Earlier this month I brought a big batch of cards to work to share with the teachers and other staff. I enjoy sharing them, and it’s fun to see which cards my coworkers pull out as they flip through the assortment. It’s also a great way for me to focus on using patterned paper; this time I used three different paper collections. These layouts are all pretty straightforward and I have several photos, so I’ll skip the details. But as always, if you have a question, leave a comment and I will respond as soon as I can.

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Sweet Havana

A few weeks ago I needed to make a sympathy card. I decided to use the Sweet Havana stamp set and the coordinating dies (Mama Elephant). It’s an older set that I haven’t used a lot, but I love the style of the flowers and the jug/vase. Using the Spa Collection - Zen Garden set of mini ink pads (Catherine Pooler), I stamped and then die cut a bunch of pieces and began assembling the bouquets.

The first two cards I made were both sympathy cards (I figured I might as well make more than one while I was at it). I created two simple bouquets in blue jugs and added a banner that said “sending love and hugs”to each. Using foam tape I adhered each bouquet to a die-cut stitched white oval.

For the card bases, I chose blue card stock to coordinate with the color of the jug. I embossed the front of each card base with an embossing folder and then added one of the completed focal layers. Inside each card I added a white panel stamped with a sympathy sentiment.

I had enough pieces left to make a couple more cards, so I created two more bouquets. For the first card (left) I used a white card base and embossed the front with a floral frame embossing folder. Inside the embossed frame I stamped “thinking of you.” I added a banner that said “and smiling just because” to the jug of one of the bouquets and then used foam tape to place it below the stamped sentiment.

For the second card (right) I used the same embossing folder, but this time with a light purple card base. I used liquid glue to adhere the bouquet near the top of the open area within the embossed frame. I found a die-cut “hello” in the tray on my desk that coordinated with the flower colors, and I glued that below the bouquet. I finished this card with a small linen thread bow on the handle of the jug.

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Alcohol ink cards, Part 2

As promised in my last post, I’m back with the second batch of cards I made with my alcohol ink backgrounds. These cards have a loose nature theme — plants, flowers, animals, etc. — but I still turned many of them into birthday cards to add to my stash. Again, I’m only including the photos, so if you have a question, please leave me a comment.

I think the first two cards are my favorite, but I really like the Christmas card, too.

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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!

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! 

Doodled flowers

Today I have a short post to share a card that I made without any stamps, dies, or even stencils. Crazy, right? Instead, I created a couple of doodle-y flowers with a pen and paints.

When I started this little project I wasn’t thinking about making a card; I just wanted to try drawing something and painting it. So I used a Micron pen to doodle a couple of flowers on watercolor paper. I don’t consider myself an artist, and I certainly don’t do realistic drawing, but I think these flowers turned out pretty well. I’ve found that if I keep the pen on the paper and draw as much as I can in a continuous line —  redrawing over lines multiple times in a loose style — I’m usually happy with the results.

Once I was done with the drawing, I painted the flowers with Daniel Smith watercolors. You can’t really tell in the picture, but the blue I used for the background has just a little shimmer, which is fun. When the paint was dry, I added some details and shading with colored pencils. I also added a little white splatter using Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White.

I decided the finished panel would look good as a card, so I adhered it to a kraft card base and added a handful of clear droplets. For the finishing touch I wrapped hemp twine twice around the left side of the card front and tied it off in a bow.

I’m excited to try more little projects like this to improve my watercolor skills. Thanks for stopping by!

A new chapter

At the end of May my best crafty friend, Lisa, retired from her job. I’m a little jealous but mostly excited for her to have so much time for crafting, reading, and whatever else her heart desires. To celebrate this new chapter, I made Lisa a book-themed retirement card.

I started by using the Layered Books dies and the Shelves dies (Waffle Flower) to die cut a whole mess of book pieces, three shelves,  and a few accessories. I used two shades of purple card stock, two shades of green, a neutral stone color, and white for the books and accessories and woodgrain paper for the shelves. I glued together all the layered pieces and then started playing around with a layout.

I had planned to make an A2 card, but I quickly realized that I needed more space for all the books. So I looked through my stash of envelopes for a long one and then cut a white card base to fit the envelope (it’s approximately the size of a slimline card).

I sprayed the card front with Antique Linen Distressed Spritz (Ranger, Tim Holtz) to add some shimmer. It got a little splotchy it places, but that adds to the charm, right? Once that was dry, I started arranging and gluing down all the pieces.

It was a lot of fun creating all the piles of books (I have quite a few piles of books in real life, so I consider myself a bit of an expert). And the plant, teacup, and pencil holder are the perfect accessories. I stamped the sentiment “starting a new chapter” under the bottom shelf and finished the card with a few purple sequins.

Once I was done with the card front I had a bunch of books left over so I decided to add some inside the card. (I also liked that it took up some of the extra writing space.) For the sentiment I die cut the word “happy” and then stamped a few words to make the phrase “incredibly happy for you.”

I love the way this card turned out, and I know Lisa appreciated it. It was fun to finally use these dies. And believe it or not, I still had several die-cut books left at the end of the project — I guess I went a little overboard. But I’d rather have extra than have to stop in the middle of a project to cut more pieces. I may have to use a similar design to make a book-themed card set.

Thanks for stopping by!

Graduation cards

This year I have three cousins graduating from high school, so I needed to make a few graduation cards. With the exception of a sentiment set I bought not too long ago, I don’t really have any grad-specific stamps. That meant it was time to be creative!

For the first two cards, I chose a travel/adventure motif and focused on using some prints from an old pack of patterned paper from Stampin’ Up! For the card on the left I chose two Very Vanilla and Sahara Sand patterns. On one of the pieces I stamped images from the Traveler stamp set (Stampin’ Up!) using dark brown ink, cut it out with a deckle-edge die, and adhered it to an Early Espresso card base. I used a strip of the second pattern to stamp the sentiment, matted it with brown card stock, added some twine, and used foam tape to attach it to the card. I finished with a few metallic enamel dots.

For the card on the right, I didn’t stamp any images. Instead I arranged three pieces of patterned paper in a modified grid on a Sahara Sand card base. To break up the largest blue piece (which is printed with airplane schematics, though it’s hard to see in the picture), I added a small strip that looks like a city map. I stamped the sentiment on a fifth piece of patterned paper, matted it with black card stock, and added a blue card stock triangle at the upper left and lower right corners to look like photo corners. I finished the card with a light splatter of Distress Spritz in Antique Linen and a few enamel dots.

For the third card, I wanted to do something book- or reading-themed. I had the perfect stamp set from a My Monthly Hero kit (Hero Arts) from last year. I love this tree image, with all the books and other images worked into the leaves and branches, and I think it works well for a graduation.

I stamped the tree using Toffee ink on a panel of Toffee card stock (Taylored Expressions). I wanted to stamp the sentiment over the tree, but I had to play around a bit to figure out the best way to do that. I finally realized that embossing the sentiment gave it enough “oomph” to help it stand out. (I used VersaFine Onyx Black ink and clear embossing powder.) I did stamp the sentiment a little too far to the left, so to help the balance I added the image of the stacked books at the bottom.

I debated adding color to the tree but eventually decided I liked the neutral look. Instead I lightly splattered some Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleedproof White and added a few sequins. I rounded the corners of the Toffee panels and adhered it to a sheet of shimmery black paper. Finally I attached the whole piece to a white card base.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cards to share

I’ve been getting back my crafting mojo little by little, but now I’m behind on my blog posts. I just can’t seem to get everything together. Oh, well. Today I’m going to share a bunch of cards I brought to work to share with my coworkers. I wanted to celebrate spring, so there are lots of flowers, and some rainbows and unicorns for good measure.

I used patterned paper for many of the cards to make the process a little faster (at least in theory; I still spent plenty of time deciding on just the right layout or paper combination). Then I just added a little embellishment — ribbon, twine, and/or sequins — and a stamped or die-cut sentiment.

I tried to use as much of each patterned paper as I could, so I made several cards with leftover strips or small shapes. Using packs of patterned paper makes it easy to coordinate colors and patterns.

This is a layout I’ve used before that I really like. It’s a great way to use different patterns and/or textures because the repeated shape ties everything together. You just want to use a shape that’s kind of “chunky” and not too detailed — hearts for Valentine’s Day, leaves for autumn, trees for Christmas. The colors on these cards are a little fall-ish, but they are still some of may favorite cards in the bunch.

I focused on making cards for a variety of occasions/needs, so I used lots of different word dies and greeting stamps. I also made some cards with no sentiment on the front so they could be used for anything. (I might make more of those next time.) All of the cards are blank inside.

A rainbow die is an easy way to get focal images for multiple cards — just cut the shape out of multiple colors of card stock and then mix and match the pieces. (The die I used is from Taylored Expressions.) I combined the rainbows with fun patterned papers and several “colorful” sentiments. And I have some fun unicorn sentiments, so I had to include a few of those, too.

These are actually the cards that started this project for me. I had an old card kit that had been my mom’s, and when I was struggling to find some creativity I decided to work on the kit. I used the kit directions as a guide and changed up most of the designs at least a little, including using additional sentiments. I liked how the cards turned out, but they didn’t feel like they were quite my style, so instead I decided to share them at work.

Thanks for stopping by!