More Valentines...

 

This was such a quick Valentine to make. I used some pretty, printed cardstock for the card base. I cut 1/8" off the right hand side of the front and then used a border punch to create the scallops (which also cut off an additional 1/8"). 

I glued a strip of pin cardstock to the right side of the inside back half of the base. When that was done, I rounded the corners of the inside (with the pink strip)

The die-cut sentiment was left over from making last year's Valentines, so I popped it up on the front of my card. I added a couple of die-cut hearts--the front one is glitter CS and the back one is cut from the same CS as the pink strip on the inside.

I stamped a simple sentiment on the inside. I think the pink strip adds a nice bit of color when the card is opened.

The word "Love" on it's pink background is a cut-apart from a 12" X 12" paper stack. I cut it out, backed it with some metallic gold cardstock, and popped it up with foam tape.

Then I added the word "You," also cut from metallic CS, and a few punched hearts. So simple, but I like how it turned out.

Once again, I stamped a simple sentiment on the inside.

For this card, I first cut a panel from a 12" X 12" sheet that included both the striped pattern at the bottom and a plain peach color at the top.

I stenciled some tone-on-tone hearts to the top section and then glued the panel to my slimline cardbase.

Finally, I die-cut the two cats, glued them directly to the card and popped up the die-cut sentiment, which had been printed with my computer.

A simple, stamped sentiment on the inside finished the card.

These were all fun to make and came together pretty quickly. They were all donated to the thrift store. The Valentines I've made for them seem to sell like hotcakes. I take 8-10 Valentines, along with an equal number of other types of cards, every week and they are almost always sold out within the week. It sure keeps me busy--and very thankful for my friend Lynette (My Stamping Addiction), who also contributes many cards to add to the mix.

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

Cheryl

3D hearts...

 

I created this pretty panel with a 3D heart embossing folder, using light pink cardstock. Then I spritzed it with some Heidi Swapp Color Shine called "Primrose." The spritzing definitely helped to create more definition of the 3D heart pattern.

In fact, I thought it had enough going for it that it really didn't need anything else. I matted it with black, adhered it to a white 4" X 5 1/4" panel and put the whole shebang onto a black cardbase.

The sentiment was stamped, die-cut and popped up on foam tape.

I love the different dimensions of the hearts. I also loved the shades of color that the Color Shine spritz added. Besides that, it's just plain fun to "spritz!"

The sentiment on the inside was stamped. I thought this particular sentiment would work for a love partner, a friend, or even a son or daughter. 

We probably all have a "You are the best!" sentiment in our collection of stamps, so think about using it for Valentine cards.                                     

My crafting space now looks like a Valentine tsunami came roaring in unexpectedly. I barely have a 6" square space on my counter in which to put together my cards. I have gotten all my Valentines done for the grands, and am currently working on more for other family members--while still making cards for the thrift store. It's a busy time, but lots of fun. I am truly thankful I can spend 2-3 hours each day making cards. It's my therapy!

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

Cheryl

Sending love....

 

I wanted to use up some snippets of DSP, so I created this Valentine using four different pieces. I am entering this card into Challenge #497 on the Snippets Playground blog.

After cutting my white cardbase, I also cut a metallic silver shadow for my X's and O's.

I popped my "sending love" sentiment up  on foam tape and then  scattered some tiny hearts across my letters.

I stamped a sentiment on the inside and added one more little heart.

I'm going to try to make a few more of these and use up more of those snippets. It sure feels good to put them to good use and not just throw them out.

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

Cheryl

To ink or not to ink...

 

A friend at my church had given me an envelope filled with card parts left over from a mostly used card kit. Some of the pieces were perfect to use for Valentine cards, so that's what I made with them.

As I was making the cards, I decided to try a little comparison test. I thought I'd do some ink blending on one and absolutely none on the other card. I'd look at them side-by-side to see which one I liked better.

The card parts for this card were the circle, the chameleons and the tiny hearts. I found the dotted DSP in my stash and searched out a small ink cube that was the right color.  I blended some ink along the outside edges of my DSP and glued it directly to a white card base.

After inking around the edges of the circle, I adhered the chameleons and hearts. Then I popped it up with some foam squares onto my card front.

The sentiment was stamped, die-cut, and also popped up with some foam squares.

For my second card, I cut the panel of DSP to 4" X 5 1/2" so that it covered the full length (but not the width) of my card front. Then I added a thin strip of matching cardstock down each side of the DSP. The rest of the card was made the same as the first card, minus the ink blending.

Both cards had the same stamped sentiment on the inside.

When I was done, and looked at them side-by-side, I STILL couldn't decide which one I liked better. Do you have a favorite? 

I will probably make a few more of these as I have more chameleons and more little hearts. There were no more scalloped circles in the envelope, but I can easily cut some of those.

The chameleons reminded me that my daughter had a pet chameleon when she was in college. It was an interesting pet--especially when it changed colors--but not a very cuddly one. These days, she prefers dogs and has four of them.

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

Cheryl

Sparkle, it's your birthday...

 

This sentiment is another one from Hannelie Bester (Desert Diva), that I had printed out long ago. I've been trying to use up some of my card parts, so I decided to pop this one onto a card.

This patterned paper has lots of sparkle. All of the white areas are glittery. You can see it if you zoom in.

It actually was a gift bag that I bought at Dollar Tree and cut up to use on cards. The back side had no glitter, so I used it last spring for some Easter  cards (you can see them here) and saved the glittery side until now.

I die-cut the sentiment and then popped it up on foam tape. As a sparkly embellishment, I added a gem in each of the colors found in the background pattern.

I added a stamped sentiment on the inside to finish the card.

I've now started making Valentines--most of them for donating--and I'll be sharing some of them in the near future.

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

Cheryl

Starting my holiday cards for 2025...

 

I had three window frames left from making a number of cards with them. I shared one of those cards with you in this post. I had run out of the images of the lighted tree I had used previously, so I decided to use an AI program to create another tree image with just a single star at the top.

After gluing my tree scene behind the window frame, I popped the whole rectangle up on foam tape.

I die-cut a white cat, blended a little gray ink onto it, and placed it in the bottom window pane. I think it looks like it's staring at that brilliant star.

The sentiment was stamped and also popped up on foam tape.

The inside was stamped with a holiday sentiment to finish the card. 

I used the other two window frames to make two more cards, just like this one. Three done...87 to go!

When I first created the tree scene for this card, I was concerned that it might be too dark an image. After putting together the first card, though, I decided I really liked it. I especially liked the way the tips of the branches were highlighted with light from the star.

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

Cheryl

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #215: Anything Goes or Cheers to You! (use a sentiment)...

 

If you're like me, you're gobsmocked that it is already 2025. It seems like we just entered the 2000's a year or two ago. It also makes me wonder how many cards we all have made in the last 25 years.

The themes for this first challenge of the New Year at Let's Craft and Create are "Anything Goes" or "Cheers to You!' (use a sentiment). I chose to make a card using a sentiment. Almost all my cards have sentiments on the front, so it was an easy decision for me. Here's the card I made:

I have this die that cuts a pretty, delicate floral corner design on a panel. I decided to cut it twice to really dress up my card front.

I wanted colors, other than green, behind the flowers in the cut-out design, so I cut small pieces of cardstock and glued them behind the openings.

To finish my flowers I added tiny Nuvo Drops to the centers and scattered three flat-back gems in each die-cut corner. 

The sentiment was stamped, using my stamp positioner, to get it straight and in the center.

I stamped another sentiment on the inside and my card was done.

I hope you'll play along with us. You can find lots of inspiration from the Design Team on the Let's Craft and Create blogsite.

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

Cheryl