Easter tulips...

Sometimes a die cut and a card base is almost all you need to make a card. I have this lovely tulip die (unbranded) that looks pretty spectacular when added to a card front.

I decided to add some butterflies (from Dollar Tree) to my cards. I actually like this purple one the best with just one butterfly and a Nuvo Drops trail.

My sentiment was typed in Word using the Impact Label font. I fussy cut it out and added a white mat before popping it up on foam pads.

On the pink tulip card, I tried to suggest a scene of butterflies visiting the tulips in a flower bed. Not sure I pulled it off, though.

My butterflies started out as all white with a white pearl in the center. I used a small blending brush to add a little ink. I also drew in a few lines on their wings with a glitter pen. They look so pretty IRL.

The sentiment here was stamped with silver ink.

My inside sentiment was stamped, and then I added a few tiny butterflies, as well. Can you tell I really like my butterflies?

When this post goes live, we will be in Alabama, visiting my BIL. It is our first RV trip in sooooo long. We're going to enjoy every minute of it.

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

Cheryl

Happy Easter, happy Spring, happy, happy everything...

 

This is a card I made for my grandsons.  It's a card design from the Silhouette Design Store that I turned into a print and cut panel so that I could mat it, put it on a colored card base and add a few die-cut bunnies.

Here's a little closer look at those cute little bunnies. I chose to cut them out of gray cardstock (with white tails) so that they would show up a little better.

My sentiment on the inside was computer-generated.

Just for fun, I added another little bunny in the bottom corner. You can never have too many bunnies, right?

These cards were so quick and fun to make. Four of my five grandsons are teenagers, so their cards can't be too cutesy--but I don't think they'll mind a few bunnies. he he

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

Cheryl

Hey, chick...

 

Here are a couple of cards I made for my granddaughters. I used a Sizzix Circle Flip-it die set to make the card base and cut the patterned paper. "Hey, chick" was stamped with Versamark, heat-embossed with white EP and popped up on foam squares.

The starburst circle is an old Spellbinder's die and the chick die set is unbranded.

I did a little inking on the chick to give it a bit more dimension.

Here's a peek at the card when it's completely opened. As you can see, the circle has "flipped" to the other side, where I've stamped "Happy Easter," and I still have room to sign the card.

I've made a lot of cards with this die set over the years. They're quick and fun and can be used for lots of occasions.

Today was warm and very spring-like. I checked my front flower beds and noticed some of the flowers are beginning to poke their noses through. I think they're a little afraid to come out of the ground too far just yet. I remember one year when our last snowfall was in MAY! 

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

Cheryl

Happy birthday, gorgeous...

 

I made this card using a cut file from Dreaming Tree and my Silhouette Cameo. It was easy to cut out and fairly quick to put together. You can find the cut file here.

I cut the flowers out of white, shimmery cardstock and used a blending brush to add a bit of purple ink to the petals. I molded the petals with a stylus to give them a bit of dimension and then popped the top petals up with tiny foam squares.

The flower centers feature a small, gold starburst shape and a pink gem.

Because so much of the inner panel was exposed, even when the card was closed, I used a decorative background die to add some texture and design. I love how this looks! I did stamp my sentiments first, though, because I wasn't sure they'd stamp well after I had added the design.

This card has gone to my oldest granddaughter, who's birthday is today. She's very fashionable and lives in New York City, so I think this card is perfect for her.

I received my second COVID vaccination shot yesterday. I had some mild side affects today, but nothing serious. I had a minor headache and some body aches. A few ibuprofen took care of them, and I feel fine now. I'm so happy to be fully vaccinated. In celebration, my husband and I and his business partner (we're all vaccinated) went out for dinner to an actual restaurant that has limited seating. It was so much fun! We had a good time at dinner solving all the world's problems. Ha!

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

Cheryl

Sparkly hugs...

 

I used an unbranded background die and cut it out of white cardstock. I thought it looked a little like rays emanating from a sparkly source--if you squint your eyes and add a good dose of imagination!

I cut a piece of glitter cardstock to fit behind my die-cut and applied them both to a turquoise card base. I also used some Nuvo Drops to add a faux pearl to the center of each hexagon.

Hugs was cut from black cardstock and adhered to my card front. I also printed the word "sending" using the Impact Label font. I fussy-cut it out, inked the edges with a black marker and popped it up on foam tape. 

In fact, I have printed an entire sheet of words and phrases that I use often in the Impact Label Font. They have come in so handy! The font is free on Dafont.com, so if you don't have it on your computer yet, I recommend it.

On the inside, I added a simple stamped sentiment. This card was donated to the thrift shop and sold within a couple hours after putting it on display. I guess I'll need to make a few more of these! They would be fun to make in a rainbow of colors.

I am nearly done with Easter cards. I've been counting and recounting them to make sure I have enough for family and friends, plus a few for the thrift store. I'm almost there--just one more to make!

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

Cheryl

Corner pocket die...

 I received a pretty corner pocket die--the Flower Frame Corner Die-- from the In Love Art Shop. I thought my first try at using it would be to simply decorate a couple of the corners on a card front. 

[When shopping at  In Love Art Shop, don't forget to use discount code G-37356.]

For this card, I simply applied the die-cut corners to my card front as shown. I added a die-cut sentiment and a few pearls, and called it done!

The design of this die is really elegant, don't you think?

I can see using it on cards for almost every occasion.

For this card, I used the pocket die to create an actual pocket. I decorated a piece of cardstock with a pretty die-cut flower, a stamped sentiment and some gems. My thought was that a personal message could be written on the back of this panel or a gift card could be adhered to it with some double-sided tape.

This card could be made using a single piece of cardstock as your base and the insert as the message-bearing panel, or you could adhere the pocketed panel to a regular card base as I have done.

This is how I treated the inside of my card base--with a stamped sentiment and a strip of the same DSP that had been used on the front of my card.

I donated this card to the thrift shop and it sold right away, so someone liked it!

I'm hoping to find some more innovative ways to use this die, and I'll share them here on the blog when I do. 

Next week I will receive my second COVID vaccine shot. I'm anxious to have the process completed and to feel safer when out in public. I'm also looking forward to some family gatherings and maybe even going to see a movie again. How I've missed our regular Friday night movies!

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

Cheryl

So many leaves, so little time...

 In Love Art Shop sent me a fantastic Maple leaf die set called Enthusiasm Maple Leaf Decor Dies. I am VERY enthusiastic about this die set. It cuts beautifully, and the leaves are gorgeous. It contains three different sizes of Maple leaf dies, each with some pretty stitching on it. If you wish to purchase it or other dies from In Love Art Shop, be sure to use the discount code G-37356.

I went to work cutting out an entire pile of leaves from scraps of DSP in autumn colors. Once that was done, I began making some cards with them.

First, I adhered some of the leaves in a random pattern on a 4" X 5 1/4" piece of off-white cardstock. Once I had cut the excess off from the edge of the cardstock, I used an embossing folder to give it some dimension.

Before adhering it to my card base, I spritzed the entire panel with some Glimmer Mist, giving it a subdued, but really nice, sparkle.

The sentiment was heat embossed on black cardstock and popped up with foam tape.

I added a leaf to the inside and a stamped sentiment. This card will be donated to the thrift store. Get well cards sell quickly these days.

For this card, I added leaves down the left side of some DSP until it was sufficiently filled. Once again, I cut off the excess after they had all be glued in place.

One of the middle-sized leaves was given a coating of Perfect Pearls for some added sheen, and then I adhered a die-cut strip sentiment with some foam tape.

A few sequins and a gold cord tied in a bow finished the front of this card.

The inside of this card has a stamped sentiment. I could have (maybe should have) put a leaf inside, too. This card is in my stash, so I may still do that.

This is my favorite card of those I made. The leaves were all spritzed with Glimmer Mist before I added them. The smaller leaves were popped up a little by putting a small foam square underneath the center.

A sequin was added at the base of each stem. I had cut off the stem of the small leaf because it looked a little strange resting on top of the other stem.

My sentiment was computer-generated, die-cut and then popped up on foam squares.

Here's a close-up view of the top two leaves. It shows the pretty stitching that is on each one.

Here's a peek at the inside stamped sentiment where I have, once again, added a leaf for decoration.

I decided to use an aperture die-cut, adhered to a slimline card base, to make another Thanksgiving card. I've inked the edges of each of the leaves, given them a spritz of Glimmer Mist and adhered them inside each aperture.

My sentiment was stamped, fussy-cut and adhered with foam tape.

This time the inside of my card featured two leaves and a stamped sentiment.

I can't "be-leaf" I made it through all those leafy cards. They were fun to make and, since I still have leaves left, I plan to make a few more. I've put the rest of the leaves into my Autumn/Thanksgiving supplies box, because I think they make lovely Thanksgiving cards.

Once again, you can find this awesome die set here. Be sure to use the discount code G-37356.

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

Cheryl

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #169: Purple and Green or Anything Goes...

There's a new challenge in town, and I hope you'll join in on the fun. Let's Craft and Create Challenge Blog is beginning a new March challenge that asks our readers to create a card or other project using purple and green, or to follow their crafting spirit with an "anything goes" entry.

I was thrilled when I saw the purple and green suggestion for this month. Purple happens to be my favorite color, and when it's paired with a bright spring green it looks so fresh and inviting.

My sentiment was created on my computer using the Impact Label font. I also created a mat for it by using a Distress Oxide ink to color a piece of cardstock, which I then cut to size. The matted sentiment has been popped up on foam squares.

I cut my flowers and leaves from white cardstock and blended some Distress Oxide Inks onto them. It's such a quick and easy way to color die-cuts.

My die-cut panel was backed with a spring-green cardstock and then popped up on my card base. The scalloped edge on my card base was created with a Fiskars border punch.

A ribbon bow was added for good measure.

I matted my inside sentiment panel with another piece of the same green cardstock that I had used on the front.

The sentiment was stamped using a very old stamp set, which I think is no longer available.

I hope you'll join us for this challenge. It may even lift your spirits to use some decidedly spring colors on your creation. Be sure to check out all the inspiration from the Design Team on the Let's Craft and Create site. To make this challenge even more fun, there is a prize up for grabs. Be sure to check it out!

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

Cheryl

A masculine card with Art Deco style rectangle die...

I always struggle to create masculine cards for my stash, so when I received these rectangle dies from In Love Art Shop, I thought they might be perfect for a masculine card. They're called Nesting Rectangle Photo Frame Dies on their site, but I think they have an Art Deco appeal. The discount code you can use to purchase them is G-37356.

It took a few tries to figure out how to cut the delicate lines of this die successfully, but once I did, it cut beautifully. Here's what I recommend:

1. Always use quality cardstock that isn't too thin.

2. Place a piece of waxed paper between the cutting side of the die and your cardstock and secure both the waxed paper and the cardstock to the die with a little washi tape or other removable tape.

3. Use a shim on top of the cardstock. I like to use a piece of a foam sheet that mailed items are often wrapped in, but I think you could use a scrap piece of cardstock, too.

4. Finally, run the die through your die-cutting machine only once. This is important. I found that when I tried to bring it back through the machine, the cardstock would move ever so slightly and the die would then cut through one or more of the delicate lines of the design.

Once I had these steps figured out, the rest was easy! If you have some delicate dies that give you a little trouble when you use them, try these steps and see if they help.

My retro car looks so much better IRL. I cut it out of off-white cardstock and then used a finger dauber to add some color to the embossed areas. I also added some glossy accents to the headlights and some Nuvo Drops to the center of each wheel. Both the car and the sentiment rectangle are popped up on foam squares.

I have this fun stamp which I thought was perfect for the inside of my card. 

I then decided to use the smaller of the two dies in the set to make a more feminine card. I used the same process for cutting out this die, and once again, it worked perfectly.

I've had this cute bird-patterned cardstock for a long time, so I figured it was time to use it! I made my card base, attached my rectangle die-cut with some spray adhesive and then added my flowers, bird and sentiment.

My flowers were cut from white cardstock, and I blended a little ink onto their centers.  I also inked the edges of the leaves and my bird.

On the inside of my card I stamped a sentiment and added a strip of cardstock along with one of the birds that I had fussy-cut from the sheet of patterned cardstock.

I've been dreaming up some other ideas for these rectangle dies, and I hope to share them with you in the future. I think the style of these dies is so classy, and they definitely work well for any kind of card.

We've got a fabulous stretch of weather ahead of us, and I'm really looking forward to seeing all our snow melt away. I'm more than ready for Spring!

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

Cheryl