Son-in-law birthday card...

We just returned from a two-week trip to England and Germany. While we were in Heidelberg, Germany, we celebrated our son-in-law's birthday. This is the card I made for him:

For the vest and tie, I used some die-cuts my sister had given me long ago. I think this was the last of the die-cuts she gave me, but they were fun to use while they lasted.

In this photo, you can see the pocket (I inked around its edges) and the little buttons I created with Nuvo Drops.

I popped the entire vest up on foam tape.

On the inside, I created a mechanism that popped two additional messages out from under the "Happy Birthday" panel.

This picture shows how they slide back under the panel as the card is closed.

*****

We had a nice time on our trip, for the most part, but both came down with terrible colds while there. Our son-in-law is a pediatrician, so he was acting as our personal physician, prescribing a specific medicine regimen for each of us. Even with his personal care, we are still fighting those darn colds! 

Thanks so much for stopping by, and remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.

Cheryl

A not-so-scary Halloween cat...

 

I love this Halloween cat die set. This year I made it extra special by die-cutting his eyes from glittery self-stick ribbon. Don't you love the sparkle?

I added a couple of bats. Doesn't every Halloween card deserve a couple of bats?

The ribbon the cat is sitting on is from my stash. 

I used a silver metallic pen on the web string the spider hangs from, but it doesn't show up as well as it does IRL.

I stamped the sentiment and popped it up with a couple of thin foam strips.

I came up with a little Halloween poem for the inside of the card and printed it out with my computer. Feel free to use it, if you like.

One more die-cut bat finished the inside.

This is it for Halloween cards this year. I had so much fun making all of them. I know I've said this before, but they really are my favorite cards to make.

I hope you enjoyed making a few, too.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.

Cheryl

Halloween cards for the grands...

 

I had fun making five cards like this one for my granddaughters. The ghost die-cut is on an action wobble, so a little flick and it flutters! The bat is another die-cut with popped up wings. The sentiment was stamped and popped up, as well.

This is the inside of the card. The DSP (it's lightweight, like copy paper) was cut at 5 1/4" X 12" and scored at 3", 4", 5", 6", 7", 8" and 9". I lightly folded it on the score lines, but I did not burnish the folds--not yet.

I added double-sided tape to the backside of the left three inches and glued it down, making sure there was 1/8" of black on the top, left and bottom.

Then I added double-sided tape to the back of the right three inches and carefully added it to the right side of the card base. 

When that was done, I closed the card and firmly pressed down on the area over the accordion folds. The folds will adjust slightly so that the card easily opens and closes.

When that was done, I decorated the inside with stamped sentiments and die-cut bats and ghosts. The white panel on the right measures 2 1/2" X 5".

Another example of a card for a granddaughter.

And the inside.

This one is for one of the boys. The little pumpkin and the sentiment are popped up with foam tape. The background is an embossed panel that has been lightly inked using white ink and a finger dauber .

And there were pumpkins and speech bubbles for the skeletons inside!

Another card for one of the boys.

The design on the left was on the DSP. It was a little long and ran onto the first accordion fold, but I thought that was OK.

Also, the orange was light enough that I decided it did not need a white panel on the right. I stamped the sentiment directly onto the DSP and will be able to write a brief note and sign our names there, as well.

These were so fun to make and a great way to use up some of that thin DSP. They offer a nice surprise when they're opened, too. 

Thanks so much for stopping by, and remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.

Cheryl

Halloween lanterns...

 

I loved these lantern dies when I saw them online, so I just had to purchase them. I love that they are each just one piece. I fussy-cut a yellow piece of cardstock to fit behind each one and added the little die-cut bows.

I started this card by cutting a card base out of purple cardstock. Then I used a stencil and white ink to add some clouds to the front.

When the white ink was dry, I stamped the sentiment in the bottom right corner.

I also cut some very thin strips from black cardstock to serve as the strings.

 If you look closely, you'll see that I added a tiny orange gem to the knot of each bow.

The lanterns were popped up with foam squares.

To finish the front, I cut a black frame using two rectangle dies from a set of A2 layering dies. I glued this around the edge of the card front.

I stamped a simple sentiment on the inside and added a couple of stamped spider webs.

I made three of these cards, one for each of my sisters. Next year I'll make some to donate.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.

Cheryl

Halloween cards with a special feature...

 

This black and metallic gold cardstock came from an old 12" X 12" mat stack. In previous years, I didn't know quite what to do with it. This year I thought, "Why not just let it be the star of the card?"

I added a strip of plain gold metallic cardstock on each side of the printed piece, leaving about 1/4" of the black card base showing on each side.

The sentiment was heat-embossed with black embossing powder on an oval metallic gold die-cut. I popped it up with some foam squares.

I added the "special feature" on the inside. After stamping the sentiment, I used an old Martha Stewart punch to create a spider web border strip from gold metallic cardstock.

I glued the spider web strip only on the left and right ends. That way the person giving this card could tuck some cash or a gift card behind it.

I started this card by using some orange cardstock with tiny, black skulls printed all over it for the card base. The "BOO" die-cut was so intricate that I decided not to add anything else to the front.

The "BOO" is popped up with thin foam strips. You can actually see them in some places if you look carefully at this picture.

I have found that if I make sure there is no backing piece on the strip, it is easier to curve around letters like this. It's a little sticky to handle, but it works so much better.

I stamped "Happy Halloween" and then added a strip of the printed cardstock across the bottom, gluing it only at the left and right ends.

I added another stamped sentiment to the orange strip, behind which some cash or a gift card can be placed

This scene came from the same Halloween mat stack I mentioned above. It had some bats on it, but I added a few more die-cut bats and popped up their wings with foam dots. I also added those white eyes. I doubt that bats' eyes actually look like that, but I like the spookiness they add.

The sentiment was stamped, cut out and popped up with foam tape.

Once again, I added a strip of the cardstock and the same stamped sentiments as the previous card.

I used to send my grandchildren candy for Halloween, but now that their older (teens and 20s) I just send them a little cash so they can treat themselves. That is what inspired me to make these cards.

These have all been donated to the thrift store, so it will be interesting to see if they sell.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.

Cheryl

Balloons can work for Halloween cards, too...

 Want to make some quick Halloween cards? Here's an idea for you if you have some balloon or circle dies or punches:

I used some cardstock from an old 12" X 12" mat stack for my card bases. Then I just used some orange scraps to die-cut the balloons.

I have a stamp set that is nothing but different jack-o-lantern faces in several sizes, and I used some of those stamps to create the faces on my balloons. I chose only happy faces because I thought these cards might be suitable for very young children.

I had some very light weight string in my stash so I taped a length of it on the back of each balloon, wrapped it around the knotted end and brought it down to a glue dot at the bottom of my card front.

Each balloon was popped up with foam squares, which also helped hold the string in place on the back.

I used a computer-printed sentiment on the inside.

The sentiment on the front was also printed with my computer, cut out, and then popped up with some foam tape.

And here's a twofer:

This card front came from a cut-apart page in that old mat stack I mentioned earlier. I think it was supposed to be two separate pieces, but I just left them as one and cut a card base the right size for them. I think this card ended up being about 4" X 6 1/2". That meant, of course, that I had to use a larger envelope than an A2. 

I have saved many, many envelopes of varying sizes that have come with donated cards or otherwise been given to me. When I need an odd size, I find one that's just a little larger and then cut it down and reglue it, if necessary.

For the inside, I decided to use some colored cardstock, instead of the usual white. This yellow piece was lying next to my paper cutter, and I thought, "Why not?" I added a strip of printed orange cardstock and a little die-cut skeleton before stamping the sentiment.

All of these cards were donated to the thrift store. Halloween cards seem to sell quickly there.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.

Cheryl

An AI image for a little girl's birthday...

 

When I saw this sweet image offered online for anyone's use, I just couldn't pass it up. I thought any little girl would love it. After printing it out, I matted it and glued it to my card front.

I really didn't add much to it: a small pink gem on each ponytail bow and a stamped sentiment popped up with thin foam strips.

I printed a sentiment for the inside and after blending on a little pink ink in the corner, I added a die-cut cat.

I actually made two of these cards and donated them both to the thrift store.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.

Cheryl