Chocolate bar card...

I went to a wedding shower a couple of weeks ago where the theme was cooking ingredients (like spices and other portable items) and recipes. I decided to give a chocolate-themed gift accompanied by three of my favorite recipes using different forms of chocolate. I included cocoa, chocolate chips, melting/baking chocolate, white chocolate, and some hot cocoa mix so they could have a soothing hot drink when they were done baking. I included recipes for Cocoa Drop Cookies, Zucchini Chocolate Cake and Dipped Ritz Cracker Cookies.

This is the card I made to go along with the gift:

This was such a fun card to make, and it didn't take nearly as long to make as I thought it would.

I found a tutorial on Splitcoaststampers that was clear and easy to follow. Their video can also be found on YouTube, so if you'd like to watch it, just click here.

Here's a look at it from another angle. 

I used some thin double-sided tape underneath the smallest squares.

I added a die-cut flourish to the darker brown "wrapper" and the gold foil was torn to give it a realistic look.

The sentiment was printed in brown with my computer, die-cut and popped up on top of the flourish.

This is the sentiment I printed for the inside. I actually used Google's AI app called Gemini to help me create it, so please feel free to use it for your own cards if you wish.

I had made one extra chocolate square, so I added it to the inside as a bit of embellishment.

I'd love to know if you've ever made one of these cards. They were popular a few years ago, but I haven't seen them lately.

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

Cheryl

Eight-card gift set...

 I have a friend that attends one of the same Tai Chi classes that we do. She's a wonderful gardener and has lots of house plants. When she offered me two of her house plants (a Crown of Thorns plant and a ZZ plant), I knew I wanted to give her a set of cards as a thank you for her generosity.

This is the front of the box I made to hold the cards. It's about 4 1/2" X 6" X 1". I used a 12" X 12" piece of cardstock to create it.

This pictures shows the box from the top with the cover open and the cards and envelopes inside. As you can see, the eight cards I made fit nicely in it.

These were the first two cards I made.

When the card with the aqua cardbase is opened, the hexagon is popped up inside. I've made a number of cards like this over the years. 

If you want to see another card I made using this technique, click here.

Here are two feminine birthday cards I encluded in the box. The one on the left features some canning jar stickers I've had in my stash for quite a while. I purchased them at Dollar Tree.

This card is super fun to make. I've also made them in the past, and you can see a couple more of them here, where I link to a tutorial on how it's done.

I also included two masculine birthday cards. The sunburst pattern on the bottom card is done with thin triangular pieces of paper, gluing the points at the center and working your way outward. I added a strip across the bottom to finish it off before popping up the circular die-cuts.

This card features six dimensional sticker squares. I've had them for a very long time, so I had to add some glue to the back of each one.

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

Finally, I added two sympathy cards. One with an embossed and lightly inked panel on the front and the other with one of the scenery papers I have in my stash.

My friend seemed to really appreciate this set of cards when I gave it to her. I hope she's able to eventually put all the cards to good use.

I volunteered at the thrift store again yesterday. As I was displaying some jewelry (part of my job there), a customer asked me if I was the person who brings in the handmade cards. When I said, "yes, I am," she said, "I love you!" I was a bit taken aback by such a strong statement. I guess she just really appreciates handmade cards. She continued to say that she had to get to the store early on Thursdays to get her pick of the cards because they sell out so quickly. 

I want to take this opportunity to say another BIG THANK YOU to Lynette of My Stamping Addiction, who donates many of the cards I take to the store. If you had been with me yesterday, Lynette, the customer would have told you she loves you, too!

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

Cheryl

Using leftover strips for Halloween cards...

 

This card was quick and easy,but lots of fun to put together. I started with an orange A2 card base. I cut a black panel that was 4" X 5 1/4", and before adding it to the front of the card base, I glued on three strips of DSP that measured 1 1/2" X 5", 1 1/4" X 5" and 3/4" X 5", keeping a 1/8" border on all sides and between the strips.

This layout is a great way to use up some leftover strips of DSP and could be adapted to almost any occasion.

After gluing my black panel with the strips to the card front, I die-cut a couple of little ghosts and backed their faces with black cardstock. I never like to leave open holes for eyes and mouths.

The sentiment was a cut-apart from an old paper stack. I popped it up with foam tape and also popped up the ghosts.

On the inside, I stamped a sentiment and glued on a bat die-cut that just happened to be laying on my worktop.

This is another Halloween card I made recently. I had a strip of the spider web DSP that was not large enough to cover an entire card front. I cut a 5 1/2" length of it and centered it on the card front. Then I glued a 1/8" strip of black cardstock down each side.

The sentiment was printed with my computer, die-cut and popped up with foam tape.

A spider die-cut was glued directly to the sentiment panel, and the other two spiders were popped up with foam dots.

I added a simple stamped sentiment to the inside and another die-cut spider.

When you read this, we'll be on our way home from a quick RV trip to northern Minnesota to visit Lake Itasca (the headwaters of the Mississippi River) and Itasca State Park. It's a beautiful area and usually quiet and restful this time of year. We love going there!

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

Cheryl

Another Christmas card...

 

Late last year I purchased this large "JOY" die, but I didn't have a chance to use it on any cards. I promised myself I would use it this year. I also bought the little penguin die set because I thought it was just the cutest.

To make this card, I first cut "JOY" out of glitter cardstock. Having all the letters connected makes it easy to glue it onto an A2 card front and keep it straight.

I placed a couple of snowflake stickers in the center of the "O" and added gems to their centers. I added the penguin after it had been pieced together, popping it up with foam tape.

I think on future cards, I'm going to try placing the penguin as though it is sitting on the bottom edge of the "O." I think that might look pretty cute. I could even create a scene behind it with a snowy landscape and a tiny tree or two.

This is the sentiment I added to the inside. 

I really enjoy making cards when I have some cute dies to work with. I also love using pretty holiday embossing folders, so you may see some embossed Christmas cards in future posts.

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

Cheryl

It started with a die-cut "thank you"...

In a container of odds and ends, given to me by the thrift store, was a die-cut, yellow "thank you" that had been run through a Xyron machine to turn it into a sticker. Whoever created it left it sandwiched between the adhesive material and the clear cover strip. I decided I needed to use it as soon as possible before I lost it in my card-making mess.

I added a piece of DSP in shades of blue that looked like the sky on the top half of my A2 card front and a green polka dot piece on the bottom half. The "thank you" was easily placed on the green portion since it had been turned into a sticker.

I have a die set that includes this fence and the tulips. I thought they'd add some interest and texture to the card. If you look closely, you'll see that I cut the tulip leaves and stems fromt the same green DSP as was used on the bottom of the card front.

The butterfly is a sticker that I had in my stash.

I added dark brown Nuvo Drops to each fence post where the die had cut a small hole.

Once I had my little scene adhered, I used my bowmaker to make a bow with some sheer blue ribbon. I added a narrow strip of double-sided tape across the join of the two pieces of DSP to hold the ribbon in place.

This is the sentiment I stamped on the inside. I added another butterfly sticker for some interest.

When I was volunteering at the thrift store yesterday, I was summoned by one of the employees to come to the area where these cards are sold. A customer wanted to talk to me. I thought it might be someone who wanted me to make a personalized card for them--I've had those requests in the past. 

It turned out that the customer just wanted to tell me in person how much she enjoyed the cards. She said she especially loved the sentiments I put on the inside of each one because they always seem to say just the right thing for her purposes. She confessed that she thought she purchased "half" of the cards I brought each week because she loves them so much. She also said, "Please don't ever stop bringing them in!" 

She has no idea how she brightened my day.

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

Cheryl

Sweet image for a Christmas card...

 

The thrift store where I volunteer gifted me a slew of pre-printed card blanks like the card base you see above--32 in all. It took me quite a while to decide what to do witth them.

I went through my Christmas die-sets and found one that created this little gingerbread baker. I thought it would make a cute card, so I started cutting out all the pieces that go into putting him together.

I used little containers to hold all the pieces for 16 of these images. Then, as I watched TV at night, I inked the edges and taped them together. 

The sentiment was the only part that was popped up on the card front.

This was the sentiment I stamped on the inside of each card.

I have gotten 16 of these cards completed and have started cutting out the pieces for 16 more of them. It's a great way to use up scraps!

We had my brother over for dinner last night to celebrate his 78th birthday. I'm so glad that one of my five siblings lives close to me. Family is a blessing!

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

Cheryl

More tri-panel Halloween cards...

In my last post I shared a trip-panel card that I had made for Halloween. I had so much fun making it that I decided to make four more of them.

I added a cutaway tag to the front mat of each card, popping it up with foam tape. I embellished each tag with a single enamel dot where the hole would be.

One of the most fun parts of making these cards was to create the little scenes on the center panels. I took out my Halloween dies and tried to put together something spooky.

I love having a cloud stencil, and it's fun to use it with different colors of ink.

These clouds got a little dark. Looks like a nighttime storm is brewing!

For this card I used another cutaway on the center panel, matting it with some black cardstock.

I should have taken some photos so that you could see the fun Halloween prints that make up the first, scored layers that are glued to the black card bases. They become visible behind the front "tag" panels when the cards are opened. If you make a card like this, you'll see what I mean.

I will have more Halloween cards to share with you soon--they're my favorite cards to make.

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

Cheryl