Twofer challenge #37: Leaves...

 I've been in a card-making frenzy this past week, so while I was at it, I decided to join in on the latest challenge over on the Twofer Card Challenge Blog.

I considered using some favorite leaf dies that I often use for Autumn cards, but I decided instead to use a die that I haven't used in ages. It's a leafy frame, and I've only ever used it as a leafy frame. This challenge was a good reason to try using it in some other way.

Here's what I came up with. The card on the right shows the leafy frame in its entirety. The card on the left uses the same die-cut, but in a very different way.

This card was quick and easy. Cut a card base from some patterned CS, add the frame, butterflies and a gold, heat-embossed sentiment. Done.

My butterflies were die-cut from metallic gold CS, and each was given a green gem just beneath the antennae.

My sentiment on the inside was also heat-embossed with gold EP.

For my second card, I die-cut the frame again, but this time I cut the leafy fronds away from the frame and from each other. Then I created a planter using a scrap of dimensional CS that looked like it had a mosaic pattern on it. Each of the "tiles" is glossy, so it looks very cool IRL.  I first cut an oval from my scrap of CS. Then I cut a small, straight piece off the bottom and used the side of the oval die to cut a curved piece from the top. Once that was done, I simply added my leafy fronds.

In this photo you can see how I've popped it up on foam squares to give it some added dimension. I didn't glue down the entire lengths of my fronds either, I simple glued them to the back of my planter.

The orange strip underneath my planter has been dry-embossed with a Swiss Dots EF.

I added a simple, stamped sentiment on the inside.

It's always fun to use my supplies in new ways. If you think so, too, I hope you'll join in on the challenge over at the Twofer site.

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

Cheryl

A card gift set...

I recently made a couple of card gift sets--one for a friend and one to be sold at the thrift store. Since both sets were virtually the same, I'll only share one of them with you today.

 I first selected a background die and six different colors of cardstock to put behind it. 

After adhering the background die-cut to the colored cardstock, I glued that to a white card base. I cut a stitched oval for each card and then began picking out the sentiments I wanted to use and the embellishments. These first three feature die-cuts: leaves, a flower and a balloon.

For this card, I curved my sentiment in my stamp positioner so that it would fit the top of my oval (not sure why it looks like a circle in this pic).

I inked my flower a bit, added a glittery center and a few gems.

For the green card I simply added a sentiment, a couple of leaves and some clear sequins. Once again my oval looks like a circle, but trust me, it really is an oval!

For this trio of cards, I used stamped sentiments and dimensional stickers. The orange card (and the blue balloon card) received a few Nuvo drops and I adhered some gems on the pink card. I left the sympathy card a little plainer. I always try to make "quiet" sympathy cards.

Each card had a stamped or computer-generated sentiment on the inside, too. I included six envelopes with each set, and for my friend I added six postage stamps so that she wouldn't have to go hunting for a stamp when she used the cards.

These card sets were fun to make. I kept the embellishments really simple so they came together quickly.

My tulips are now up, and the bunnies have been feasting on them!! The bunnies are really cute, but I get so frustrated with them when they destroy my flowers. I guess I should check out the plant store to see if they have any organic bunny repellent.

I had my hair cut at the salon for the first time in over a year today. I told the stylist not to be shocked at the way my hair looked since I'd been cutting it myself for the past 12 months. She was very kind and said it didn't look too bad. It certainly feels good to have a decent cut once again.

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

Cheryl

Three more Easter cards...

 

This card involves mostly die-cuts (three peeps and Happy Easter), but to dress it up a little, I added a plaid strip down the left side. My peeps were cut from scraps of DSP--oh, how I love using up those scraps! "To my peeps" was computer-generated using the Impact Label font. I changed the color of the font to bright pink to better coordinate with everything else on my card.

My peeps are popped up on foam squares.

On the inside of this card, I added a printed sentiment.

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A couple of my grandchildren received these cards. I hope they liked them!

I have a die that cuts an entire border of bunnies--just their heads and front paws. I cut out the border and then cut the bunnies apart so I could use them on these cards.

I used some circle dies to cut some apertures in my top panel and then positioned a bunny in each one.

If you look closely, you can see that I have popped the bunnies' ears up with tiny foam squares.

My front sentiment was heat embossed, and an inside sentiment was computer-generated.

The inspiration for this card began with the wood-grained oval. It was in my card parts, and I felt I just had to use it. I also had these flowers sitting there from my hydrangea card that I featured in my last post. They, too, had to be used.

I cut a wide, lacy strip to place beneath my oval. Then, the oval was popped up on foam squares.

My flowers all have Nuvo Drops in their centers.

The sentiment was stamped with Versafine ink and a few enamel dots were added to a couple of the top and bottom corners.

Inside, this card also has a computer-generated sentiment.

I just ordered a couple of new Easter dies today, so my brain has already moved on to next year's cards. A day doesn't go by that I don't think about the next cards I plan to make. 

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

Cheryl

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #170: Anything Goes or Add Flowers...

 I LOVE the month of April in Minnesota. The weather turns warm enough to forego jackets, the threat of snow is minimized, if not completely gone, and the flowers begin to bloom. 

Let's Craft and Create has chosen "Add Flowers" (or alternatively, Anything Goes) as a challenge theme this month. This challenge fits my love of April to a t, so I created an Easter card that is chock-full of flowers.

I started with a gorgeous sheet of hydrangea-patterned cardstock that I had in my stash. I'd been saving it for just the right project, and I decided this was it!

I wanted to use as much of my 12" X 12" sheet as possible, so I made an angled tri-fold card. There's probably a better name for it, but I can't think of it at the  moment. I marked my 6" X 12" piece at the 3" point on the left side and cut a straight line from there to the upper right hand corner. Then I scored it vertically at 4" and 8" to create a 4" X 6" tri-fold card.

On the front of my card, I added a fancy oval (Spellbinder's) that had been stamped with my Easter sentiment. The oval was popped up on foam squares.

Then I die-cut a slew of flowers out of white cardstock and lightly inked them with a blending brush, The flowers were molded with a stylus, glued together and adhered to my oval. The final touch was to add some Nuvo Drops to the center of each one.

On the third section of my card, I added a die-cut circle, complete with a computer-generated sentiment, and another flower.

I adhered some coordinating DSP to the back side of my middle section because it shows when the card is closed. Then I adhered some narrow strips of silver cardstock to the top edges that were visible when the card is closed. I felt this added a finishing touch. 

A couple more flowers were added to the top of the backside of the middle panel. To give a tiny bit of relief from the explosion of hydrangeas on this card, I added a couple of white butterflies (stickers from Dollar Tree).

Now I hope you'll join in the fun of creating with flowers. Of course, you can enter with an "Anything Goes" project, too. We're happy to see all of your creations, and there's a prize up for grabs, as well. Check out what the Design Team has made to inspire you at Let's Craft and Create.

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

Cheryl

To a sweet chick...

 I had a die-cut chick and a couple of flowers sitting on my work surface and decided they had to be used on an Easter card. Here is what I created:

I die cut my sentiment twice and layered them together before adhering it to the card. 

I popped my chick up on foam squares and added a tiny punched butterfly to the top of his shell.

My flowers didn't have any stems, but I had a grass border die that cut some long grass, so I used it for my stems as well as a bit of a grass base for my flowers. Some Nuvo Drops were added to the centers, along with two more butterflies to finish my card front.

This Easter card went to my oldest granddaughter, so the inside sentiment is very fitting. It was created on my computer.

I made this card very quickly with scraps and die-cuts that were already on my work bench. Love when that happens!

I wish you all a very happy Easter, if you celebrate, or a wonderful weekend if you have other plans.

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

Cheryl

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