To the perfect pair...

 

I saw a card like this somewhere online and decided I had to give it a try. I created a top-folding A2 cardbase with blue cardstock. I added a panel of DSP that was 1/4" smaller in length and width. Then I selected a square die and cut an aperture through both layers in the card front.

I added a pale yellow/green panel to the inside of the card. This color, along with the blue, were drawn from the leaf pattern on the DSP used on the card front.

Then I used some more of the blue cardstock to cut a smaller square, which was decorated with a die-cut leaf sprig and some gems. I popped this square up in the center of the aperture. 

A sentiment was stamped on some of the pale yellow/green cardstock, then cut out and matted with some blue cardstock. It was also popped up on the front of the card.

An additional sentiment was stamped on the inside, far enough below the blue square so that it didn't show when the card was closed.

You can just draw a pencil line on the inside across the bottom of the square aperture, and then stamp beneath that line. Once your stamping is done, just erase the line.

This is a fun card to make with an interesting end result. You can use any shape you want for the aperture, as long as you have some smaller dies of the same shape.

I love the way a frame is created when the layer on the inside is a different color than the card base and the DSP used on the front.

You could actually make a double frame if you first cut a larger aperture in the DSP before adhering it to the card front, and then cutting a smaller aperture. Had I done that, it would have resulted in a blue frame, then a yellow/green frame, and then the popped up blue square.

I hope you'll give it a try!

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

Cheryl

A cozy-looking card...

 

My sister has an embossing folder that creates this knitted look with cardstock. Months ago--maybe even a year ago--she sent me some pieces of cardstock she had embossed for me. I've used one of them on this card.

I used some extra sticky, double-sided tape to adhere the knitted panel. I didn't want it to lift up around the edges.

I didn't start out to make a get well card, but when I saw the knitted texture, I decided it was perfect for helping someone feel warm, loved, and taken care of.

The burlap flower had been in my stash for a long, long time. I honestly was perplexed about how I could use it, but when I made this card, it seemed like the perfect embellishment. I die-cut the leaves to add just a bit of green and glued them in place.

The sentiment was stamped onto the lacy-edged rectangle. It had been die-cut with one of the dies in my stash that I don't use nearly enough.

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

I still have a few of these embossed panels left, so I think I'll make another get well card and maybe some baby cards with them. They've been a lot of fun to use.

THANKS AGAIN, SIS!

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

Cheryl

Son-in-law birthday card...

 

Our son-in-law had a birthday this month, and this is the card I made for him. I'm not sure which set of directions or tutorial I used, but click here to go to a similar tutorial with clear instructions and dimensions.

This photo shows the "card" adhered to the inside and the sentiment on the front of it.

Finally, this is the innermost sentiment. It was stamped on the inside of the inner "card."

This card is really fun to make, and my son-in-law remarked about its unique design. He seems to appreciate cards that are a bit different from the norm. 

I am finally done making Halloween cards and have moved on to Thanksgiving cards. I don't make nearly as many of them, so it won't take me long to finish them.

Do you make cards for Thanksgiving, or do you move from Halloween to Christmas?

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

Cheryl

Balloon jack-o-lanterns...

 

Balloons for jack-o-lanterns is another idea I have used before. The difference this year is that I have a new set of balloon dies of different sizes.  I picked out three of the dies that would fit on an A2 card front. I cut them out from different shades of orange cardstock. I also cut out some black strings for the balloons.

The sentiment was stamped directly onto the DSP panel on the front of the card.

I pulled out my jack-o-lantern face stamps and selected one to fit on each balloon. 

The largest balloon was glued directly to the DSP and the other two balloons were popped up with foam tape.

The strings were glued to the DSP.

I cut an extra balloon for the inside and added it alongside the stamped sentiment.

If you have balloon dies, this is a quick and easy Halloween card to make. If you don't have the face stamps, they could be hand-drawn. I would suggest you draw them with a pencil first and then use a black, fine-point sharpie to fill them in. 

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

Cheryl

Would you like a little scream with your coffee?...

 

I have used this sentiment (printed with my computer) on cards in previous years, but I love it, and it always gets a fun reception from others. They usually tell me that the sight of the spider on the cup makes them squeamish.

The die-cut spiderwebs are always a fun addition. The skull and crossbones on the cup came from another Halloween die-set. It's a little small for the cup, but still works okay, I think.

The cup and it's "steam" are popped up with foam tape and glue dots.

The sentiment on the inside is actually a rub-on. I have a few of them, and--when I can remember to do so--I use them on cards.

Do you have some favorite card designs and sentiments that you use year after year? I am able to donate these cards to the thrift store, so I don't worry about giving the same card design more than once to family members.

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

Cheryl

Pocket card...

 

This card has a very simple design, but I think it will work well for someone who wants to give a cash or gift card treat to a loved one.

I created a cardbase with some striped cardstock. It came from an old Halloween paper stack with a couple of pages of cut-aparts. I used one of the cut-aparts for the focal point, matting it with some embossed orange cardstock and then popping it up with foam tape.

On the inside, I stamped a sentiment and then added a pocket beneath it with the striped cardstock.

I glued a thin piece of black cardstock across the top of the pocket and added a sentiment that had been stamped on a thin piece of orange cardstock.

This card was added to the "thrift store box," so I put a little note inside the pocket to let the purchaser of the card know they could insert a gift there.

I always give my teenage and young adult grandchildren money at Halloween so they can buy themselves a treat. I figured there are more grandmas out there like me!

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

Cheryl

Three little pumpkins, all in a row...

 

I had a lot of fun making both of these cards. The faces are from a set of Peachy Keen face stamps. I got two sets of face stamps (one for animals, one for humans) years and years ago. Peachy Keen is still in business, but they are transitioning to all digital images, so I don't think these are available any longer.

EEK!" was made from die-cut letters and glued directly to the DSP. The pumpkins and stems were die-cut and glued together. I inked the edges of the pumpkins and then stamped on the faces. I used a white gel pen to add the whites of their eyes. Once they were completed, I popped them up with foam squares onto a strip of green cardstock that I had embossed to give it some texture.

The die-cut spider was added just for fun. And the banner underneath the green strip? That was added because it was there, lonely and unused in my stash.

This is the stamp I used on the inside. A solid color stamp like this needs to be stamped a few times to get good coverage. That's when I really appreciate my stamp positioning tool!

I finally mailed out my Halloween cards today, but I'll continue sharing some photos of them over the next few posts.

Now I am ready to move on to Thanksgiving cards!

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

Cheryl