Heartfelt thanks...

 If you're a regular to my blog, I know you've seen me use this die (my sister's) before, but it's such a great die by Memory Box and helps to make a very quick thank you card.

I used the die on some kraft colored cardstock. Then I inked the tips of all the butterfly wings with metallic gold ink and added a black gem to the centers. Do you see that one that slipped off center? I did fix it after I took the photo.  I used a striped embossing folder on the bottom of my card front and then tied on a sparkly black ribbon. Easy Peasy!

Lifting all the wings a bit, adds some wonderful dimension and allows the color of the black mat to peek through.

I just happened to have this stamp, which I thought was perfect for the inside!

If it hadn't taken a wee bit of time to ink each of the butterfly's wings, this card would have been done in a flash. But even with the inking, it didn't take very long at all.

I am looking forward to a weekend with my sister, so I may not be floating around blogland very much. I will try to get back on my blog-visiting schedule come Monday, though.

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

Excited about Silhouette sketch pens...

I picked up a starter set of Silhouette sketch pens the other day and decided to give them a try right away. Here's what I created:

To make this card, I first designed the big sentiment in my Silhouette software. I used Lavenderia font for "Mother's" and Wonderlust font for the rest. Once the sentiment was done I used a purple and black sketch pen in my Cameo (in place of the cutting blade) to print it out. I did have to use a fine-tipped purple marker to fill in the letters of the word "Mother's" by hand because Lavenderia is a double- line font (it draws the outer edges of each letter). I have an idea for filling it in with the Silhouette software, and I'll give that a try next time.

After my printing was done, I switched to a cutting blade in my Cameo and cut out the card front. It was so easy to make sure my sentiment was straight and centered on my card front!









Next, I used some Spellbinder's dies to create my flowers, inking the petals before I put them all together. The leafy vine is a die by Cheery Lynn, and I have cut it apart to make it fit properly around my flower.







On the inside of my card, I once again used the Lavenderia font, but this time I printed it with my computer.

I stamped a little purple flower underneath to add just a touch of color.

I had so much fun making this card, that I actually made two! I can't wait to use my Cameo to write and then cut out even more sentiments. I also picked up a set of pen holders for the Cameo so that I can use many other kinds of pens when creating these sentiments. I'm certain you'll be seeing those efforts here on my blog.

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

Mother's Day gift baskets...

In my last couple of posts, I have mentioned that I was working on some Mother's Day gift baskets for the thrift shop where I volunteer.

To start my project, I gathered baskets and items (many of them new/unused) that were available at the thrift shop. I took them all home with me to put them together in an attractive way and wrap them in large bags with bows. I should have taken pictures of my process along the way, but I was in kind of a hurry to get them done.

Here's a photo of nine of the baskets I put together. I did end up making one more the next day to round my number out to an even 10, but I didn't take any photos of the additional basket.

Some of the baskets contain cups on which I vinyled "Best Mom Ever." I cut the phrase (Silhouette Design ID #128387) out of Oracal 651 permanent vinyl and adhered it to the cups.

For this particular cup, I actually just used a pretty font to type the words "Best Mom Ever" and cut that out with my Silhouette.

One of the most fun parts of making these baskets was creating the tags. This tag is another Silhouette file (Design ID #77389), and I love how there is a little card (see it peeking out on this tag?) that slips inside. I stamped "to" and "from" on each of these cards, but it's also a perfect place to write a personal note.

 
I also made a few of the bows on my gift baskets. I used an EK Success bow maker. I'm not sure it's available anymore, but it makes three different sizes of bows (I made the largest one), and I love it!

This is what the largest bow looks like when it is finished. They're so quick and easy to make. I found it was the perfect tool for a project like this, and it provided a great way to use up some of the ribbon we all collect over time. You could definitely use strips of DSP or wrapping paper to make these bows, too.

Finally, one last look at all my pretty baskets.

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

Cheryl

Super CAS card...

Whenever we have an electrical problem at my house, we call on my brother to come and fix it. And he always obliges!!! I saw a fun card on Pinterest that I thought would be perfect for his next birthday.

Since it is all white, it was really hard to get a good picture of it.

For my outlets, I cut two circles and then sliced off the top and bottom of each one.

I used a ribbon slot punch tool that I've had for years to make the oval(ish) openings in my outlet. If I would have thought more about it ahead of time, I would have made one slot longer than the other so that it looks more like a modern outlet. Oh well...there's always a next time. A 1/8" hole punch made the little round openings.

I put some light gray cardstock behind the openings to make them a little more pronounced.

Last year at the Scrapbook Expo I bought some little screw-head brads and used one of them on this card.

My sentiment on the inside is my own and is computer-generated.

This card really doesn't look like much in the photos, but I actually really like it IRL. I think my brother will like it, too.

I've been working on the Mother's Day baskets that I mentioned in my last post. I hope to have some photos to share with you soon. They've been super fun to put together, and I think they look pretty appealing. I sure hope they sell! My husband said that maybe he ought to go to the thrift store and buy one for ME for Mother's Day. I just gave him "the look" that silently says, "Don't you dare!"  He he

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

A little gift set of cards...

I had some time to make a little gift set of cards for a friend. She gave me some card-making supplies, and I wanted her to know how much I appreciated them, so I made some cards using the very supplies she had given me.

I made a little gift box for the cards using my envelope punch board. I probably should have found a 3D tulip to put on my belly band, since my cards all have tulips on them, but I love this Spellbinders "Build a Gerber Daisy" die set. I couldn't resist making another flower for my little box. I think they're so impressive.

This picture isn't a good one, but it does show the flower's dimension. I used six layers of petals on this one. It has so many petals that it's almost fluffy!

I also love adding the little seed beads to the center. I think they look almost real.

My doily background is a Lifestyle Crafts die-cut.










And now the cards:

I also made envelopes to match, as you can see in the photo below.

I used my Silhouette to cut the tulips for my cards. They were made with design ID #19693. My lacy border on each card was made with the "Border Stitch Lace" die by Marianne Designs. My stitched oval die is by My Favorite Things (I think. Too lazy to run downstairs and check).

I left all the cards blank inside so they can be used for any occasion, and my friend loved them!

Today, I spent the day volunteering at the thrift shop where I go each week. I asked my supervisor if we could use some of the pretty baskets they have on hand and fill them with things from the store that women would appreciate to make Mother's Day gift baskets to sell. She thought it was a great idea. We spent part of the afternoon gathering baskets and items to put in them. I brought home with me seven baskets with all the stuff to fill them up. I'm going to fill them and wrap them at home and then take them back to the store next week when they'll be put on display. I'll try to get some pictures of them when I've got them finished to share with you here.

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

Mother's Day will be here before we know it...

...and I always like to send each of my two elderly aunts a card to let them know I'm thinking of them.

I started creating this card by choosing a couple of pretty coordinating papers that came in a back issue of  Scrapbooking & Papercraft magazine. I adhered the papers to the front and the inside of my top-fold white card base.

I used a die from the Stampendous "Build a Pop Up Die Cut Set" to cut the fancy edge on my card front and then inked it a bit to add some definition. I also added a strip of Ric-Rac across the top (using my Xyron sticker maker) to anchor my sentiment (another thrift shop find).

My flower was made with a Spellbinders die set called "Create a Gerber Daisy." Instead of using the die for the center stamens, I decided to use some bronze-colored seed beads, which I adhered with Glossy Accents.

I don't know if you can see the sparkle on my flower, but I spritzed it with some  rose-colored Heidi Swapp Color Shine.

I cut a stitched oval for the inside of my card. I don't have any bona fide Mother's Day sentiment stamps (other than the one on the front of this card), but I thought this one would do nicely for the inside of my card. I left plenty of room so that I can write a personal note, as well.

We are finally looking forward to some REAL spring weather, which they say will grace us with its splendor in the next couple of days. I can't wait! I will be spending some time outside in my flower beds, getting them ready for another growing season. It's always fun to get my annuals planted and to watch everything begin to green up and bloom.

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

Congrats on your graduation...

I decided to make a couple of graduation cards to have at the ready this year. I'm not usually this much ahead of the game. In fact, I remember in years past when I have struggled to finish a card on the very day I had to give it to the graduate!

Here are a couple that I finished recently:

I used a Darice embossing folder (Graduation Hat Background) to add some texture to my white panel.

I created my tassel out of some silver embroidery thread, and I cut my jubilant graduate using a Silhouette cutting file. This cut file came with both a female and a male graduate, so I cut both at once and made two cards.

The graduate is popped up on foam tape.

I also cut the numbers for 2016 using my Silhouette. I don't recall for sure now what font I used, but it may have been Graphite Std.

On the inside of my card, I used the inlay method for my "Congrats" die-cut (Hero Arts). I love using the inlay technique whenever I can.

I heat embossed "you did it!" onto black cardstock and then cut it into a banner shape. I thought this tied in the black on the inside of my card, too.

Here is the masculine version of my card. I just love these happy grad Silhouette cuts. They come together in Design ID #77675, if you're interested in purchasing them.

These cards came together very quickly. Don't you love when that happens? Sometimes it takes me days to finish a card, but these two just took about an hour. And now I'm ready for this year's graduates.

One tiny little issue, though--if I don't end up using both of them this year, will I be able to pry off that 6 and replace it with a 7 for next year????

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

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #112: Card for a Man...

This month's assignment for the Let's Craft and Create design team was the often difficult "card for a man." I thought and thought about this one, wondering what I could create that would be a man-pleaser. I finally decided that men would probably find the words more important than the design, so I focused on the sentiments for my cards.

I used some beautiful clock-patterned cardstock that had some glittery--yet manly-looking--clocks and clock faces on it. Here's the first of two cards I made for this challenge.

I actually picked up this gorgeous cardstock at the thrift store where I volunteer. The pictures don't do it justice AT ALL. The clocks and clock faces have a wonderful glittery sheen - but it still works well for a masculine card.

On the right side of my sentiment panel, you can see that I've added a couple of loops of some cotton twill tape.

The clock face on my sentiment panel is from another piece of cardstock that only has plain clock faces on it (no glitter). I cut one of them out and added some bronze glitter around the edge.  I fussy cut the clock hands and added an adhesive-backed nailhead to the center.

My sentiment is my own and is computer-generated, with a few more of those nailheads to help define it.

For the inside of my card, I added one more plain clock face with a glittery party hat, which I cut with a Cuttlebug die.

My second card for this challenge features the same cardstock, but with a different sentiment (also my own and computer-generated).

I used a gel pen to add a tiny bit of gold to the word "birthday." You won't be able to see it unless you click on the photo and enlarge it.

The little squares at the top are exactly the same as the nailheads on the previous card, just a different shape.

The inside of this card is a little plainer, with just my computer-generated sentiment. Once again, I added some tiny gold touches to "Happy Birthday."

Finally, here's a photo of both my cards together. It definitely feels good to have a couple more masculine cards in my stash.

And now it's your turn! Visit Let's Craft and Create and click on the links provided there to all of the outstanding creations of the design team. You'll be amazed at the variety of perfect ideas for those hard-to-make masculine cards. I know they will inspire you!

Don't forget to add your creation to the LCC post so that you are eligible for the next prize give-away. I'm looking forward to your ideas, and I hope you don't mind if I CASE a few of them! lol

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