AI images for Easter cards...

I found a couple of AI images online that were free to use. I thought they'd make pretty Easter cards, so here's how I used them:

The image that I used on these cards was perfect for this style of card. I cut my top-folding card front an inch shorter than the card back and sized my image to fit that space.

I picked three colors that were used in the image and chose some cardstock in those colors to make my bases.

Of course, the lavendar one was my favorite.

I had some pretty butterfly stickers from the Dollar Tree, so I used one on each card. I thought they were the perfect embellishments.

I stamped a sentiment on the inside to finish each card. The photo at left shows how it looked when the card was opened.

This was another AI image that featured flowers and butterflies.

This time I die-cut a butterfly for each card and then used some blending brushes to add ink so that they resembled the butterfly in the AI image.

I popped each wing up with a tiny foam dot and glued the butterfly's body directly to the card.

The scripty "happy easter" was also die-cut and glued directly to the card front.

As a final embellishment, I added a few gems.

Since I was printing out the AI image for these cards, I also printed out a sentiment for the inside.

I have saved this image and the inside sentiment in a Word document. If you use Word, and would like to have it, just send me an email (see the link under "Contact" on the righthand side of my blog's homepage).

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

Cheryl

A thank you and a vintage Easter card...

 

I was digging through my stash of borders the other day and found a short piece of the flower border used on this card. It was just enough to span the 4 1/4" width, leaving a tiny bit to cut off each side.

The card base had been cut long ago and was just waiting to be used. I thought the wood-patterned DSP was perfect as a background and a nice contrast to the deep red of the base.

In with all the other borders, I also found one that was a string of bees. I fussy cut two of them away from the border to use on this card.

The "Thank You" was die-cut and then backed with black cardstock before I glued it to the front of the card.

I stamped a simple sentiment on the inside. I think I should have put one of those bees on the inside, too, but the card was donated yesterday and sold right away.

I don't make many vintage-style cards, so this was a little out of my comfort zone. My crafty friend Donna (Design By Donna) gave me the vintage background panel a long time ago. Actually, she gave me several of them (thank you again, Donna!), but I had used all of them except this one.

Because it had some small pink flowers in the design, I added a vintage looking pink flower sticker toward the bottom.

The sentiment was heat-embossed with gold EP and popped up with foam tape. 

The fancy cross was die-cut, backed with dark brown cardstock and glued directly to the card front.

Because there was a bit of gold in the pink flower sticker (I know it doesn't show in the photo), I added a few gold gems to the cross.

The sentiment on the inside was computer-generated, and I added another flower sticker in the corner for good measure.

You may also have noticed that I did a little ink blending on the edges of my sentiment panel with linen-colored ink. I didn't add any ink to the sentiment area so that it would appear highlighted.

We are meeting with a flooring company today about having the wood floors in our entryway, living room and dining room refinished. We're hoping to have it done while we are away on an RV trip in late spring or early summer. We think it would be amazing to go on a trip for a couple of weeks and have the work all done while we are gone!

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

Cheryl

Using some scraps for Easter cards...

 

This card came about when I reached into my scrap box and found a long strip of the daffodil DSP. I glued it down to the center of my gold cardbase and then added a narrow orange strip on each side of it.

The sentiment shape with the yellow polka-dot edge was in my stash. I'm not sure where it came from. It might have been a leftover piece from a card kit. I heat embossed "happy Easter" and added it to the center of my card.

The little bird is actually a wooden button that my sister gave me. I added a cardstock wing (popped up, of course) to cover up the button holes.

I added three different sized gems for a little sparkle.

For this card, I adhered a floral panel from my stash. Then I cut a banner from a scrap of blue and added the heat-embossed sentiment shape on top of that.

Again, I added a little wing to cover the buttonholes on the bird and three gems to give my card some sparkle.

This is the computer-generated sentiment that I added to the inside of each card.

I loved making these cards. It always feels so good to use up some scraps and be pleased with the results.

Both of these cards were donated to the thrift store. I hope whoever purchased them feels good about sending them off to loved ones.                                                                                                                       

We returned on Sunday from a very quick trip to St. Louis, MO. My husband's cousin and her spouse celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Their daughter planned a surprise party, and it was fun to see how much they enjoyed it. It takes us 8 1/2 to 9 hours to get there, so we spent a LOT of time in the car on Friday and then again on Sunday. It was worth it, though, and nice to get away for even a short time.

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

Cheryl

Fun birthday cards...

I saw the idea for this card so long ago that I can't remember where it was. I think it was somewhere online, but it could have been in a store. I always look at the card section when I go to the drugstore.

I created the sentiments with my computer and found some free clipart for the images.

I thought the sentiment was pretty hilarious.  I sized it to fit a stitched rectangle die with rounded corners.

The chicken was fussy-cut and popped up on foam dots.

Just to keep it interesting, I made this one as a landscape, top-folding card.

I had to create the sentiment on the inside because the card I saw was blank on the inside. I think this sentiment works well for a birthday card, though.

I love to make cards that make people giggle. Do you have some favorite funny cards that you make? I know Riley and Co. has some really funny stamps. I don't have any of them, but I love their hilaraious creativity.

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

Cheryl

Easter die-cuts from a friend

 My friend, Donna (Design By Donna), kindly sent me three Easter die-cuts that included a line of cute bunnies in different positions with some embellishments like bows and carrots. Thank you so much, Donna!

I have made three Easter cards like this one:

I placed the line of bunnies behind a grassy plain. I added a little pink cardstock behind the cutout openings in the ears, a little pink chalk to their cheeks and a black dot for each eye. I also glued on the bows and carrots that Donna had included. She had cut everyuthing out of white cardstock, so it was easy-peasy to use a few alcohol markers to color them.

There are some small pieces of foam tape behind each bunny's head and ears to pop them up just a bit and add some dimension.

I cut a few clouds, inked their edges and glued them to my sky, except for the smallest one, which was popped up on foam tape.

The scripty sentiment was die-cut and adhered.

The sentiment on the inside was printed with my computer.

I die-cut two small Easter eggs for embellishments. I think some of my grandloves will enjoy receiving these.

I saw a card similar to this one on Pinterest. First, I covered the front of my A2 card with some blue DSP. Then I die-cut a branch, three eggs and three tiny bows, all from paper scraps. I also used a scalloped border die to cut the pretty edge on the card front.

After gluing down my branch, I used a white gel pen to draw three white lines to look like threads hanging from it. Then I glued on the eggs and bows.

This is what the card looks like on the inside when it is opened. Both sentiments were stamped.

It feels good to finally have a start on my Easter cards. I hope to make enough of them this week to send to family and friends. At the same time, I am making some to donate. In fact, yesterday I took eight Easter cards along with 8 all-occasion cards to the thrift store.

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

Cheryl

Thanks and Sending Hugs...

 

I bought this tree die not long ago, and this is the first time I've used it. It is just great for making quick cards, and I think it can be used for lots of different occasions. It would even make a cute anniversary card or Valentine.

After making my card base and adding the panel of patterned paper, I die-cut a scalloped rectagle out of white cardstock. Then, I centered the die on the white panel and ran it through my Big Shot. I centered this panel on the DSP and added a die-cut sentiment.

 

This card was made the same way as the first one. When I have some extra time, I may try the inlay method and cut all the little pieces from different color cardstock and then inlay them back into the die-cut. That will definitely take some extra time and patience, but I'm sure it would look really nice.

This is the sentiment inside the thank you card.

And this was the setniment I stamped inside the Sending Hugs card.

I am adding these cards to Darnell's (DJKardKreations) post about using dies per her IDEAS calendar. Check out her post for an explanation of what IDEAS is all about.

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

Cheryl

Two for St. Pat and a few chirpydoodles...

 

The bookbinder fold makes a quick and easy card for St. Patrick's Day. I decided to add some texture to my shamrocks this time and embossed each one with a different folder.. The sentiment was stamped, die-cut and popped up on a foam circle. A couple of gems and a baker's twine bow finished the front.

The inside had a stamped sentiment and a tiny die-cut shamrock.

I made a couple of these cards last year. They sell well at the thrift store because the sentiment, printed with my computer, is so much fun, so I decided to make some this year, too. 

The frog was die-cut, and I added some googly eyes to make this card even more fun. 

The little holographic shamrocks on either side of the last couple lines of the sentiment were stickers I had in my stash. They were the same size and shape as some in the DSP pattern.

I added a little of the DSP to the inside, along with a punched border and another little shamrock.

This sentiment was also printed with my computer.

I dug into my scraps to make a couple of chirpydoodle cards. The bodies were made with oval dies, the wings with heart dies and the tails and combs with a flower die. I inked around the edges of the wings and then popped them up with a foam square. I also put a little foam tape between the two halves of the folded oval to add a little dimenson.

Of course, I had to add some googly eyes to these chirpydoodles, too. he he

The legs and feet were drawn in with a felt-tip pen.

This is the sentiment I stamped on the inside.

I used the bookbinder fold for this card and added a couple of tiny butterflies.

For this chirpydoodle's feet, I used a small flowerstem die from a set that cuts a variety of flowers. I'm not sure if I like these feet or the drawn-in ones better.

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

These cards were so much fun to make. If you haven't tried your hand at chirpydoodles yet, you really should! They would be fun for kids to make, too.

I am happy to share that my grandson's swim team WON the State AA Championship! It was such an exciting meet.The top score waffled back and forth between Patrick's team and their chief rivals from one of the Minneapolis suburbs. They managed to take the lead for good in the last few events.

My grandson, Patrick, is in the back row on the far right with a big grin on his face.

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

Cheryl