Let's Craft and Create Challenge #223: Anything Goes or Lots of Layers (Option)...

 

We're cruising into Autumn and it's time for our September challenge at Let's Craft and Create. I hope you'll join in the fun and post your creation below. 

I opted to go with the "Lots of Layers" option. I remembered an old technique, which I decided to try once again. Here's my card:

I found an AI image online that was free to use for personal purposes. It was perfect for the technique I wanted to use, which is often called "Triple Time Layering." 

I started by sizing, then printing the image. I used a layering rectangle die to cut it to 4" X 5 1/4". 

I carefully centered two more layering dies on my image, holding them in place with some Post-It tape before running them through my die-cutting machine.

Once the layers were cut, I glued the outermost section, which looked like a frame, directly to my card base. Then I matted the other two pieces with the same cardstock that was used for the base.

Each matted layer was popped up with foam tape.

The sentiment was printed with my computer, die-cut and glued directly to the top layer of my card front.

The inside sentiment was also printed with my computer on a separate panel, then adhered to the inside of the card.

Now I hope you'll hop over to Let's Craft and Create and look at all the creations from the Design Team. They are an amazing group and I know their projects will inspire you.

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

Cheryl

Birthday cards for oldest and youngest grandsons...

 Two of our grandsons had birthdays recently. These are the cards I made for them:

Our oldest grandson turned 22 and this was his card. It's more of a "grown-up" card, since he's now an adult.

I miss making the kind of cards I used to make when our grandkids were young. I still make a few to donate but it's not quite the same when you don't know who they're going to.

I added some sparkle and shine to this card, just for fun. the sentiment is die-cut from silver metallic cardstock and the party hats are cut from silver glitter cardstock.

What looks like DSP on this card is actually a self-stick fibrous vinyl that the thrift store gave to me for making cards. It works great, especially for masculine cards.

On the inside I stamped a favorite sentiment. I also die-cut his age from the same silver metallic cardstock that I used for the sentiment on the front.

The slimline format for this card provided lots of room on the inside for the long, narrow sentiment, the big numbers, and a strip of the vinyl that's also on the front.

This is the card I made for our youngest grandson. I can't believe he is already 16! The years have flown by so fast.

I added the white mesh and glittery star die-cuts for interest. The smaller red stars were leftover from the inside design.

"16" was cut from silver metallic cardstock, adhered to the die-cut starburst and popped up on the card front.

The inside of the card was the star of the show. I cut the three-dimensional pop-out with my Silhouette Cameo. See where those small red stars came from?

Getting this pop-out to fold properly takes patience and perseverance, but I love the result, once I get it all to fold in the right direction.

We had a rather lazy Labor Day (although I did do the laundry!). I remembered, though, how nice it was to have Federal holidays off of work. Back then, I appreciated even a single extra day to rest and recuperate.

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

Cheryl

Fun with a friend...

As I noted in my last post, I spent last Friday afternoon crafting with my friend Lynette (My Stamping Addiction) in her amazing craft room. We chatted and crafted for about three hours and these cards were the result:

I had a sheet of light green paper with gold starbursts and white dots all over it. I thought it would make some pretty Christmas cards, especially when paired with metallic gold and forest green.

I used one of Lynette's die sets to cut all the pieces and then glued then onto the fronts of two pale green card bases.

When I got home, I cut a starburst from gold metallic cardstock and popped it up in the center square of each card.

I also gold-embossed "Merry Christmas" onto two strips of forest green cardstock and die-cut them. I popped these up, as well, with foam tape.

On the inside of each card, I stamped and heat-embossed (in gold) a holiday sentiment.

I had also taken with me a sheet of blue snowflake-patterned paper. I used another of Lynette's die sets to cut the pieces you see above and the navy blue frames. The frames and the pieces were glued to two white card bases. There was a die to cut center hexagons from the snowflake paper, but I opted not to cut those.

When I got home, I stamped a holiday sentiment in the center of each card with Night of Navy ink. I also die-cut three glittery snowflakes for each card and glued them on.

I looked through my Christmas sentiment stamps and found this one that actually had a couple of snowflakes included as part of the stamp. It was perfect for these cards!

Yay! Four more Christmas cards done.

I also made these two cards using Lynette's Altenew 3D embossing folder, Sunshine Blossoms. I used her coordinating stencil set to add color with inks and blending brushes.

At home, I added a heat-embossed, popped-up sentiment. 

I also used some gold metallic paint on the flower centers and added three peach-colored gems to each card. The gems have a very reflective finish, so they didn't photograph well.

These inside sentiments were also heat-embossed in gold.

It was such a fun and productive afternoon. Thank you, Lynette! And thank you for the 170+ cards you donated to the thrift store. You truly made my day!

And thank YOU for stopping by, and remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.

Cheryl

A little note with the biggest thanks...

Before sharing today's card, I just want to say how horrified all of us in the Twin Cities are at the shooting that took place Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic Church. My home is less than two miles from this church, and I have driven past it many times. I cannot fathom the pain and grief of all those who knew and loved the 17 children and 3 adults who were maimed or murdered.  If you are a praying person, please keep the Annunciation families in your prayers.

As Americans who care for and support each other, we simply cannot sit quietly by and let this happen again and again and again. Our children are too precious! We must figure out a way to keep guns--especially assault rifles--out of the hands of murderers. I believe that starts with making our voices heard and then working together to make this country a safer place for everyone. 

If you are still reading this post, thank you for letting me speak my mind on this subject. 

And now let's talk about today's card. The flower pattern and stitched lines on this card are all made with a background die. Once the design was cut into my white panel, I backed each area with colored cardstock. It's a little tedious to do this, but I love the result.

I added some Nuvo Drops to the flower centers to add a tiny bit of dimension, and, finally, I added a bird sticker (from Dollar Tree). I have a few of these stickers left and I really want to use them up.

The sentiment was stamped at the top before I glued this panel to my card front.

This photo shows the sentiment I stamped inside.

*****

I am looking forward to visiting my crafty friend, Lynette (My Stamping Addiction), this afternoon. We're going to have fun playing with each other's crafty tools and supplies in her fabulous craft room. Lynette also donates hundreds of cards to the same thrift store where I volunteer. Between the two of us, we keep them well supplied! 

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

Cheryl

Wishing you all the best on your retirement...

 

I have a stamp set of "wavy" sentiments with a coordinating die to cut them out. I used one of those sentiments on these cards. 

I used the die to trace a wavy cut line for each of the papers. That makes it easy to fit them together on the front of the card. The seam between the two papers doesn't have to be perfect because it's covered up by the sentiment.

I used papers from a mat stack of coordinating designs, and the only embellishing elements were the two leafy die-cuts. I decided I liked the simplicity of this design, though.

Each of the scalloped sentiment strips have been popped up with foam tape.

This is such a handy stamp and die set to have, and I don't use it nearly enough. I think sometimes I inspire myself by writing these posts and sharing my cards with you. lol

I'm not sure why, but I did not take a picture of the sentiment I stamped inside these cards, but it said, "The best is yet to come."

I heard a local weatherman on the radio saying that all signs point to a warmer and lengthier Autumn in my neck of the woods. I am hoping he is right, because it is a beautiful time of year. I love seeing the trees change color. The warm, brilliant reds and golds just make me happy!

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

Cheryl

If you regularly visit my blog, you may remember the flower die I used on a card in this post. I love the dimension you can achieve with it so much that I decided to die-cut three of the flower heads in pastel colors and use them all on a single card.

Each of the flowers has half the petals raised by putting short lengths of double-sided foam strips beneath them. This adds so much dimension and life.

The confetti stickers were some random ones I had in my stash and the sentiment was stamped and popped up with foam tape.

I used markers to color the flower centers and then added some sparkle with a Wink of Stella pen. I know you can't see it in the photos, but it's there!

What you can see in this photo is the way the petals are lifted up with the foam strips.

I stamped a sentiment on the inside. I wish I would have had more confetti stickers to put on the inside, but I had used them all on the front.

I thought at first I would have to make a special envelope for this card, but it fit well in a business size one. Now I'm going to look at my other flower dies and see if I can come up with ideas for using die-cuts of just the flower heads to make a card.

Last night we had a gathering of a few neighbors at a friend's house just two doors down from us. We have the nicest neighbors, so it was a lot of fun. These kinds of gatherings are extra special when you're no longer going to a job each day and socializing with your co-workers. So the motto of this story is: get together with your neighbors whenever you can!

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

Cheryl

Masculine cards using lots of DSP...

Last week, in this post, I said I was going to look for some 12" X 12" sheets of DSP that would work for masculine cards. Well, I found some and quickly made some cards. Here are two of them:

The measurements, scoring and general instructions for making these cards is in the post linked to above. 

I used black quilling strips on either side of the center panel. If you ever have a chance to get some quilling strips, they come in VERY handy when you need a narrow strip to finish off an edge. I have a package of assorted colors and use them a lot.

I used a couple of arched rectangle dies for the sentiment panel and its black mat. After stamping the sentiment, I added some holographic stars to fill in the space a bit.

I added a matted panel to the inside with another stamped sentiment and a few more stars.

This card has only the sentiment stamped onto the matted hexagon. Instead of stars, I added some black Nuvo Drops to the upper left and bottom right sides.

This card had a couple of different sentiments stamped on the inside. I realized, after stamping, that two exclamation marks was a bit much, but I figured anyone who receives this card will probably not even notice. Sometimes I over-think things.

I have several more sheets of this DSP in different colors. I will definitely make more of these cards to donate to the thrift store. I think the customers appreciate masculine cards, as they always seem to sell quickly.

I hope you all have a grand weekend. The temps are expected to be cooler here. I am excited to turn off the AC and open the windows. We have had our AC running continuously for a longer period of time than we ever have in the 27 years we've lived in this house. It's been a very warm summer.

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

Cheryl