Happy caterpillar card...

 

I'm always looking for ideas for children's birthday cards, and this is one I found on Pinterest. I happen to have a 1" circle punch, so I used it on a few scraps to make my circles for this card. The white background piece was embossed with a dotty embossing folder and then edged with gold cardstock before applying it to my card base.

Once I had my circles punched out, I inked around the edges with some green ink. Caterpillars are often green, aren't they?

I used a Peachy Keen stamp for the face and a butterfly body die to get the antennae.

The circles for the body were popped up with one layer of dimensionals. The head was popped up with two layers.

I stamped a sentiment on the inside to complete this card.

If this one sells quickly at the thrift store, I think I'll make a few more of them. It's so quick and easy--definitely fun to make.

Do you have a favorite child's card design to make? I'd love to know what it is.

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

Cheryl

Good friends are like stars...

 

I had these punch-out sentiment strips in my stash and wanted to finally use them. I created a card base that had a front that was 1" narrower than the back. I added the checked DSP to the front and a strip of navy blue cardstock (for some nice contrast) to the inside right edge.

I popped the sentiment strips up on dimensionals and then scattered some  punched stars around them.

As a final touch, I added some Stickles to the stars for a little sparkle.

I stamped a sentiment on the inside. In this photo you can see the strip of blue cardstock that is exposed when the card is closed.

Since I donate the majority of the cards I make to the thrift store, and they generally sell out every week, I often wonder if handmade cards encourage people to send more of them. I sure hope so!

Have a great weekend, and thanks so much for stopping by. Remember to laugh--a little or a lot--every day.'

Cheryl

Sending love and hugs...

 

Recently I purchased this cute die set of cats spelling out the word "love." I thought it would be a fun set to have on hand for quick cards.

I also wanted to use up some scraps of DSP, so I cut some 1" strips and adhered them to my A2 card base. Then I arranged my cats as though they were sitting or playing on those strips.

My sentiments were printed with the computer, cut out and popped up on foam tape. My only embellishment was to adhere a few enamel dots.

I stamped a sentiment and a tiny heart on the inside.

These were such fun, quick cards to make, and I love that I used scraps to make the card fronts--even for the cats!

We are getting our little RV ready for our next road trip to a family reunion. I will have a chance to visit with my oldest brother and his wife. We haven't seen them in several years, so it will be nice to catch up

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

Cheryl

For the loss of a fur baby...

I wanted to make some cards for the loss of a pet, and since I had a new doggy "edge" die, I came up with these:

I had purchased not only the die, but also the pawprints and hearts stencil.  Those two tools are perfect for making quick, but very sweet cards for someone mourning the loss of their pup. I will donate these to the thrift store. It seems that people are always looking for cards for such a sad occasion.

I don't think we usually distinguish between male and female dogs when sending cards, but I thought I'd make one in pink and one in blue anyway.

For this top-folding card, I cut the card front an inch shorter than the back so that my stenciling would show through.

The puppies were cut on the edge of a piece of silver metallic cardstock so that it left a thin strip to fit across the front of my card.

I also matted my stamped sentiment with the same metallic cardstock.

I added a left over strip of the DSP to the inside to finish off the edge of the stenciled area. It's placed so that it doesn't show when the card is closed.

*****

We just returned from a trip to Illinois for my DH's class reunion. We are now getting ready to attend a family reunion. It's a busy summer!

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

Cheryl

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #209: Anything Goes or Add Buttons...

 

Happy summer, everyone! 

Today is the beginning of a new challenge at Let's Craft and Create. As always, you can enter under the "Anything Goes" umbrella, or you can choose to enter by adding one or more buttons, as I have done.

Here is my card:

I created a template for this cloche hat card 12 years ago, but I haven't made them in a very long time. If you'd like to see more cards like this one, check out this post.

For today's card, I chose some yellow cardstock for the base and a yellow with white polka dots for the exterior. I lightly inked around the edges of my hat and added a white cardstock hat band, cut with a stitched strip die. 

I also selected a button die and cut several layers for the flower-shaped yellow button. I layered them up to add some dimension. I like to use die-cut buttons, rather than actual buttons, because they don't create a "bump" in the envelope that may result in extra postage.

Here's a better look at that flower. I die-cut three layers of white petals so that it had lots of dimension.

I also added some white thread to the center of my button. I have a "thing" about putting thread in buttons before applying them to cards. I guess I just don't like to see a naked button. lol

I added a stamped sentiment on the inside that I thought was fun and fit the card design.

This card will fit in an A7 envelope.

Now it's your turn. I hope you'll check out all the inspiration from the Design Team at Let's Craft and Create. 

I look forward to seeing your creations and commenting on many of them.

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

Cheryl

Just a quick post with a masculine card...

My online crafty friend Donna Of Design by Donna has inspired me once again to enter the latest Tuesday Morning Sketches challenge.

Here's the challenge #763 sketch:

Here's my interpretation of the sketch:

I really needed to make more masculine cards, so I used the sketch to create this one.

The die-cut hat and the sentiment panel were both laying on my work desk, left over from Father's Day. I decided they would work just fine for a masculine birthday card, too. 

The hat looks a little strange in the photo because it is cut out of metallic gold CS that has a grainy sheen that doesn't photograph well. I inked the hat band through the die.

The sentiment and the hat were  both popped up on foam squares.

I cut the banners with some long banner dies I have, but don't use nearly enough.

On the inside I added a short gold banner and a couple of stamped sentiments.

I think this sketch was so perfect for a masculine card, which is why I wanted to share it here. I need a record of it so I don't forget to use it again!

I hope you had an awesome Independence Day. We had a lot of rain, but it did stop in time for some fireworks displays.

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

Cheryl

Happy mice make happy cards...

 

These two exuberant mice are AI images created by Shari Gravett. She shared them on the Printables and AI Art Sharing Facebook page. 

Aren't they fun? I love their big, happy expressons.

Both of these cards were made as bookbinder cards. 

I added a pink mat to the image on this card and also to the piece of striped paper. A pink piece of twine was used to add the bow.

The sentiments were stamped, cut out and adhered to the image.

This card was made exactly the same way, but with different colors. The mats on this card are navy blue.

This is the sentiment that was stamped on the inside of each card.

I actually made four of these cards (two more just like these two) and donated all of them to the thrift store. I think some little kids will love getting them.

*****

We began hearing fireworks at night this week. Luckily, Mickey doesn't seem to notice them. I know some dogs are terrified and may even require medication.

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

Cheryl