Christmas in July...

 

I have lots of Christmas paper scraps, so I decided to use some of them to make some Diamond Flap Fun Fold cards. This card design is a great way to use up small scraps, and you can mix and match coordinating pieces, as I have done.

I picked several glittery patterns that featured the same color combinations. The only die-cut I added was the little holly cluster, which was left over from last year. The sentiment was also one from last year, and it was popped up with a bit of foam tape.

This is how the card looks when it is fully opened. You can see that I even used some narrow strips to decorate the space to the left of the sentiment panel. You wouldn't have to add DSP to that section, but I liked the idea of adding it to every section but the backside.

I plan to make more of these to use up even more scraps. 

If you'd like to try making this card, there are quite a few tutorials online, including this one. You can click on the link or you can search for Diamond Flap Fun Fold tutorial.

We have finally cooled off here in Minnesota and the smoke from the wild fires up north has drifted elsewhere. Mickey, the wonder dog, was delighted and spent the better part of the day lounging in the back yard. The 90+ degree heat will be back this weekend, but until then, we're going to enjoy open windows and sweaters after sundown!

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

Cheryl

Using more elegant paper...

If you read my blog regularly, you may remember the elegant paper I used on a couple of fan fold cards in this post. It was the red, black and gold design on a neutral background. It was still laying on my work desk, so I decided to make a few more cards with it.

These cards are all very simple layouts. I decided to let the paper be the star of the show.

The sentiment on this first card was a rub-on.

The only stamping I did was on the inside. 

The sentiment on the second card was stamped, die-cut, matted, and popped up with dimensionals.

And, of course, I stamped another sentiment on the inside.

I used another rub-on sentiment on this card and added a sheer ribbon, tied in a double bow.

A stamped sentiment on the inside finished the card.

These pretty papers had a linen-like texture to them, so it was hard to cut them up. I felt like maybe I should be sewing drapes with them instead of making cards.

These cards have all been donated, so I hope whoever buys them at the thrift store enjoys the rich patterned papers as much as I do.

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

Cheryl

Using up a couple more of those stickers...

Honestly, I almost NEVER buy stickers. All the ones I've been using lately have been given to me, mostly by the thrift store. They know I will do my best to turn them into cards to donate back to them.

Here are a couple of baby cards I made with two cute animal stickers:

I thought the zebra and giraffe were cute all by themselves, but even cuter when I added a little die-cut bow to each of them.

I used a border die to cut the pretty border on the right. Then I measured how much space I had left on the card front for the DSP and mat.

The sentiment was stamped, die-cut and popped up. Three tiny foam hearts were colored to match and adhered around the sentiment.

On this card, I didn't want the sentiment directly across from the giraffe's head, so I placed it on the bottom right. Again, it was popped up and three tiny hearts, colored with a marker, were glued above it.

This is what the cards look like on the inside. They each have a 3/4" strip of the mat cardstock glued to the right side, a stamped sentiment and some stamped booties.

I don't mind using stickers on cards if they are good quality ones. Of course there are some that I just have to toss, but I still feel wasteful doing it. If my grandkids were still small, I would give them those stickers to play with. 

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

Cheryl

Pretty modern oval dies...

Have you seen all the card examples online where they've used the "modern oval" dies? I've been coveting them for a while and finally caved in and bought some. Most of the die manufacturers make them and you can even find them on Amazon.

Because this is the first card I've made with them, I'm adding this card to Darnell's July NBUS Challenge #88.

I cut two sizes of the dies. The white one is glued directly to the DSP panel and the second pale blue one is popped up with foam tape.

The irises are stickers that I had in my stash. I also added three sparkly gems and a strip sentiment, which was also popped up.

On the inside, I stamped a sentiment on a pale blue panel instead of a white one, making this an anniversary card. Since I had a little strip of the DSP left over, I used a border punch to give it a scalloped edge and glued it to the bottom.

Even though it seems I have a gazillion dies, they always come out with something new that calls out, "Buy me, buy me!" 

So, while I certainly didn't need these dies, I think I will enjoy using them.

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

Cheryl 

Fan fold cards...

I decided some weeks ago that I was going to make fan fold cards for my daughters for their birthdays this year. Lisa Curcio has a great tutorial here, if you'd like to learn how to make them, too. 

These cards are so dramatic looking. I think they really pack a visual punch when pulled from the envelope.

I used three different pairs of patterned papers, and I'm really not sure which one I like best.

I used a delicate and very feminine paper for this card. I loved the soft colors against the burgundy mat.

I used a small lacy-edged circle for the sentiment and popped it up with some foam squares

The inside of the card is simple with just a stamped sentiment. 

I used a different patterned paper on this card that was more beautiful IRL than it is in the photo. Every part of the floral design is outlined in gold which isn't really apparent here.

The second marble-like print on the wider fan piece is gold and red, which compliments the floral print nicely.

The sentiment was stamped on a small scalloped circle which was glued to the black lacy-edged circle. Both were popped up with foam squares.

This paper was the same color combination as the previous one with the same gold outlining. 

These cards were a little fiddly to make, but well worth the effort. They were all 5" X 7", but there are several videos online that explain how to make an A2 version. Just search for "fan fold tutorial" and you'll find them.

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

Cheryl

In sympathy and friendship...

 

I made both of these sympathy cards from a single sheet of 6" X 6" piece of scenery DSP. I love these muted scenes for sympathy cards, so I try to make the most of each sheet. If you look carefully at the two pieces of scenery, you can see that they fit together to make one scene with the stream in the center.

I cut 3/4" off top of the 6" X 6" piece and then simply cut it in half so that each piece was 3" wide.

I also cut a 1" X 5 1/4" piece of wood-grain patterned DSP and adhered it over a narrow piece of dark green cardstock (the same cardstock that was used for the base) so that a 1/8" edge was exposed on the right hand side. 

After stamping a sentiment onto the scenery piece of DSP, I glued it to the righthand side of the front so that a 1/8" border showed at the top, bottom and right side. Then I glued down the woodgrain piece so that there was a 1/8" border on the top, bottom and left side of the card front. I allowed the dark green edge to overlap the scenery DSP to ensure there were no gaps.

The photo above is a better look at the other card, made exactly the same way.

Finally, I stamped a sentiment on a white panel and adhered it to the inside.

I think this is my favorite way to make sympathy cards. Do you have a favorite way to make them? If you do, I'd love it if you'd share.

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

Cheryl

8 is great and 9 is fine...

 

I like to put ages on kids' birthday cards from time to time. These two cards are examples of that.

I had an entire 12" X 12" sheet of the little girls and flowers pattern that you see in the two ovals. I've had it for a very long time, not knowing what to do with it. I finally decided I could isolate some of the girl images, cutting them out with one of my stitched oval dies.

Before I added the panel of DSP to the front of the cardbase, I added a length of lacy border sticker. It's so delicate and looks almost like real fabric lace!

The red "8" is also a sticker, but the tiny strip sentiments were printed with my computer and popped up with foam strips.

The die-cut oval was also popped up and embellished with a red twine bow and some gems.

You can see on this card that I did not always put the gems in the same place. I just looked for an open area that seemed to call for a little embellishment.

My friend Lynette has given me some children's birthday cards with ages on to donate to the thrift store, so I have a good supply of them for now. They sell quickly, though, so I'll need to make more before long.

This is the verse I stamped on the inside of each card.

Children's cards are so much fun to make. I'm a little sad that all my grandchildren are teens and young adults now. Their cards take more time and thought and aren't nearly as much fun.

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

Cheryl