Valentines for girls...

 I turned to a couple of AI images to make some girl Valentines. I tried to find the images online again in order to offer a link for you here, but after doing an extensive image search, I could not find them. I did, however, find another group of similar Valentine fairies here that are free to use.

I first sized and printed the images, then added each of them to a scalloped and stitched rectangle of red cardstock.

I really didn't do much to the images, other than add some sparkle to their wings with a glitter pen. I'm sorry you can't see it in the photos. All of the sentiments for these cards were printed with my computer.

The sentiment on the front was matted with red and popped up with foam tape.

The sentiment on the inside was printed on a white panel and embellished with a punched heart.

This card was made the same way as the first one. The only difference was that I centered the front sentiment here since there was plenty of room beneath the image.

Once again, I embellished the inside with a punched heart.

These were pretty simple cards to make, once the images and sentiments were printed and ready.

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

Cheryl

Valentines for boys...

It's always harder for me to make Valentines for boys than for girls. Here are a couple that I made recently:

I've used this little monster many times for children's birthday cards, so why not use it for Valentines, too?

The rectangle he sits on has been raised up with foam tape, as has the computer-printed sentiment.

To make this monster extra cool, I cut a pair of glasses out of glossy black cardstock. Leaving the lenses in place, I glued them to his face.

The teeth and claws were added with a white gel pen. Normally, I cut them out of white cardstock and glue them on, but they are so tiny, I thought drawing them on would suffice for this card.

The hearts were actually part of the monster die set. So maybe this set was meant to be used for Valentines after all.

I added some Glossy Accents to the "warts" on his forehead where they had been scored in by the die.

I already had this bat in my card parts, so I just needed to use a circle die to cut out a ball. I used a red pen to add some stitch lines to it.

The computer-printed sentiment was added to a label punch-out (also from my card parts) with some foam tape. The label was then glued directly to the card front and an enamel dot was added to each end of it.

I added a punched heart in the upper right-hand corner to make it look more like a Valentine.

The bat was popped up with thin foam strips and the ball was added with a round pop dot.

I think a little boy will like this card, don't you?.

I printed a sentiment panel for each card and adhered it to the inside.

I need to find a few more ideas for boy Valentines so I'm off to Pinterest to have a look around.

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

Cheryl

Flying by...

 

I had a  piece of DSP that featured mostly a blue sky, scattered with clouds. I immediately thought of my kite dies. It would be the perfect backdrosp for them!

I used a few scraps to cut out kites, strings and bows. I added the kites with foam tape.

I also added a computer-printed sentiment with some adhesive foam strips.

The strings and bows were glued directly to the DSP.

The DSP was matted with yellow paper and the matted piece was glued to my A2 card front.

Easy peasy!

The sentiment for the inside was also printed with my computer.

*****

I'm certain you've all heard of the recent ICE shootings that resulted in the death of a young woman here in Minneapolis and two wounded people in Portland, Oregon, where my daughter lives. I hope you will keep all the residents of both cities in your hearts and prayers. The shootings have caused much anger, distrust and unrest, which is deepening the divisions that already exist. These two beautiful cities could really use some peace right now!

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

Cheryl

I'm just a bit slow...

 

These two cards were created with AI images that you can find here if you are interested in using them. I thought they were so much fun and would make a couple of great belated birthday cards.

I used a 4" square stitched die to cut out each image and adhered them to a dusty lilac card base.

I dry-embossed a strip of the same cardstock with a dotted embossing folder, matted it with a white piece and added it to my card front.

My only other embellishment was an enamel dot. It wasn't quite the right color to begin with, so I colored it with an alcohol marker.

This was the inside of each card. The sentiment was printed with my computer, and I added the stamped balloons and stars.

I thought these cards were so much fun and just a little different from other cards I've made. If you'd like a pdf of the images and inside sentiments, just email me at paperpanacea(at)gmail(dot)com.

Do you make belated birthday cards? I don't often see examples of them online, but we should probably always have one handy, just in case, don't you agree?

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

Cheryl

Let's Craft and Create challenge #227: Anything Goes or Something New (new home, new year, new baby, etc.)...

 
It's a new year and a new challenge at Let's Craft and Create. The option for this month's challenge--Something New--is perfectly timed. In fact, my final card for 2025 (see my December 31 post) was a New Year's card and the card I have created for this challenge is a New Home card. Both a New Year and a New Home hold exciting possibilities! I can attest to that--I've seen a LOT of new years and have lived in fourteen different apartments and houses in my lifetime. 

To make this A2-size card, I first cut the dark blue pieces. The strips across the top and down the left hand side are both 1 1/8" X 4". The strip across the bottom is 1 1/8" X 2 3/4". The blue square that holds the focal point is 2 3/4" X 2 3/4".

I cut my DSP just 1/8" shorter and narrower than each of the dark blue strips.

This little mushroom house is one of my favorite dies to use for a new home card. It's so whimsical and fun.

I added some gold metallic marker to the spots on the roof. I also used the marker for the doorknob and to add some spots to the tiny mushroom.

The images have been popped up with foam squares, and the sentiment was stamped with Versamark and heat-embossed with white EP.

Here is a peek at the inside. I stamped the word "Congratulations" and then stamped the second sentiment beneath it. 

A second little mushroom die-cut was added at the top.

I hope you'll take a look at all the other inspiring projects the Design Team has created. You'll find them on display at Let's Craft and Create. You're sure to be inspired to join our first challenge of 2026.

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

Cheryl

A thank you card from bits and scraps...

 

Before Christmas, the thrift store where I volunteer received some crafting materials that included some small squares of DSP popped up on slightly larger squares. There were quite a few of them--at least 10--and they were made from all different patterns and colors of papers. Someone's scraps, maybe? The thrift store didn't want to try to sell them and offered them to me for cardmaking. I took them home and just looked at them for a few days, trying to figure out how to use them.

When I began cleaning up my Christmas cardmaking mess, I ran across a blue piece of DSP that was just the right size for a card front. It had shades of blue on it with a couple of stitch lines.  I wanted to use it on a card immediately--it wasn't worth storing somewhere for another day.

I trimmed it to the exact size I needed and then ran a dark blue ink pad around the edges so it would stand out against a gray cardbase. 

I went through the pre-made squares the thrift store had given me and found this one that had blue and gray in the striped pattern.

I die-cut "Thanks" out of navy blue cardstock and glued it to the top square. When that was done, I glued the bottom square to the front of my card.

In the photo at left, you can see how the striped square is popped up on the larger, yellow one.

I added a couple of enamel dots below the square for embellishment.

I stamped a sentiment on a white panel and adhered it to the inside of the card.

I think this would be a good thank you card to send to a guy. No flowers, no frills, and a CAS layout.

Now...what should I do with the rest of those squares?

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

Cheryl

Happy New Year...

 

I just received the address of a cousin to whom I wanted to send a holiday card. Since Christmas has passed, I decided to make him and his wife a New Year's card, and this is what I came up with.

I started with some DSP that had a glittery fireworks pattern on it. I cut the numbers for 2026 a couple of times out of red cardstock and stacked them for added strength. Then I popped them up on my card front using some thin adhesive foam strips.

I also added some clear adhesive gems to some of the ends of the starburst. You may be able to see them if you enlarge the photo.

I have exactly one die that cuts out "Happy New Year," so I decided to use that die-cut on the inside. I also cut a couple of fireworks star bursts from some silvery glitter cardstock.

This was a quick card to make, mostly because the DSP did most of the work for me. Love when that happens! 

I hope you all have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2026. Thank you so much for all your visits to my blog in 2025 and going forward. I love reading your comments and just knowing that others appreciate handmade cards as much as I do.

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

Cheryl