Boxes made with Envelope Punch Board

This Christmas I'm trying to spend more time making Christmas gifts rather than more money buying them. Last week I used my Envelope Punch Board to make several little boxes that will hold an assortment of wrapped tea bags.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Paper: Soft Sky, Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Wild Wasabi card stock; Blue Citrus Stack patterned card stock (DCWV)
Accessories: Envelope punch board, Scor-Tape (Scor-Pal)

I had seen several of these boxes online, along with tips and explanations of how to make them, but I didn't really "get it" until I sat down to make them myself. I went through a few sheets of scratch paper, but once I had it down I was able to make the boxes pretty quickly.

The first thing you need to do is determine the length and width you need for your box. The tea bags I was using were 3-1/2" x 3-1/2", so I found that size under "card size" on my Envelope Punch Board. For that size "card," the size of paper is listed as 6" x 6", and the score line is 3". To account for the depth of the box, I added one inch to the paper size and one inch to the score line measurement to get a second score line (so my card stock was 7" x 7", and I scored at 3" and 4"). Note: The depth of my boxes are about 3/4". I didn't try it, but I think you could play around with different sizes (e.g., adding two inches instead of one) to make boxes of other depths. Just be sure to adjust the paper size and score lines accordingly.

Once the measuring is done, it's just a matter of following the directions on the Envelope Punch Board and remembering to add the second score line on each side. In other words, on the first side of the paper, line up the edge to 3", punch and score, then slide the edge of the paper to 4" and punch and score. Turn the paper 90º counter clockwise, line up the first score line at the score guide, punch and score, then slide the paper until the second score line is even with the score guide and punch and score again. Repeat for the remaining two sides, and if desired round the corners with the reverse punch.

The punching and scoring will create a square in the middle of each side; two sides of the square are from the punches, and two sides are score lines. On each square, trim along one of the score lines up to the first crossing score line to create tabs and to allow the box to fold properly. (This is easier to understand with a picture, but I forgot to take a photo at this step. If you have questions, leave me a comment, and I will try to explain further or add a photo to the post.)

Use a bone folder to crease the score lines and fold together two opposite corners, securing them with a strong adhesive, such as Sticky Strip or Scor-Tape. Then fold up and adhere one of the remaining corners, leaving the last corner open so the box can be filled.

I decided to use belly bands to close my boxes, so I cut a 2"  x 12" strip for each box. I measured the box to determine where to make score lines on the strip, then I folded the strip into a band and secured the end of the strip with strong adhesive. That's it! The recipient slides off the belly band to open the box, and he or she can reuse the box if desired.

My boxes perfectly held five tea bags, and I could have squeezed in one more. What else could you put in these boxes? Here are a few possibilities:
Gift cards or cash
A set of small cards and envelopes
A set of gift tags
Earrings, necklace or bracelet
Small notepad
Trading cards
Lego minifigures or other small toys
Wrapped candy or chocolates
Hair clips or barrettes
Mini photo albums, brag books or picture frames
Ribbon or other crafting embellishments
Memory cards or thumb drives
Keychain
Christmas ornaments

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Thanksgiving

Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
– Native American saying

We Thank Thee
For flowers that bloom about our feet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For tender grass so fresh, so sweet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For the song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For blue of stream and blue of sky,
Father, we thank Thee.
For pleasant shade of branches high,
Father, we thank Thee.
For fragrant air and cooling breeze,
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.

For this new morning with its light,
Father, we thank Thee.
For rest and shelter of the night,
Father, we thank Thee
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

May the sense of gratitude we cultivate on this day spill over into all the days to come.

One-layer framed trees card

I have been in love with Stampin' Up!'s note card and envelope sets lately. I really like working with the smaller size, and they make it so easy to whip up a quick set of cards to give as a gift. That was just what I needed a couple of weeks ago when I sat down to make a very belated wedding gift for a friend.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Lovely As a Tree, Hardwood
Paper: Whisper White note cards and envelopes
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Gold sequin trim, Glue Dots, Mono Multi liquid glue

This image from the classic Lovely As a Tree set was the perfect focal point because my friend and her husband were married at an arboretum. And I wanted a clean design that would be appropriate for just about any person and any occasion. I was really happy with how this design turned out, and when I look at it, I don't even really notice that it's a one-layer card.

To make the card I stamped the tree image in the middle of the note card with Chocolate Chip ink. Then I made a mask by trimming a piece of scratch paper into a rectangle large enough to just cover the image. (Note: In my experience, paper makes a better mask than card stock because the thickness of card stock prevents the image you will be stamping on top from reaching all the way to the edge of the mask, and you end up with a narrow white border around the mask. If you do use card stock to create a mask, cut it just a hair smaller than what you need to compensate for that border.) I applied a thin layer of Mono Multi liquid glue around the edges of the scratch paper and let it dry. This is an important step; if you don't let the glue dry, your mask will adhere to your card. But once Mono Multi liquid glue is dry, it has just enough tackiness to be a great re-positionable adhesive. I placed the mask over the stamped image and stamped the Hardwood stamp onto the card with Crumb Cake ink. I carefully removed the scratch paper and set it aside for the next card -- I made a set of ten of these cards and used the same mask for all of them. I added three gold sequins as a simple embellishment.

I wanted to dress up the envelopes a little, so I stamped the Hardwood image on the flaps, again using Crumb Cake ink. I also stamped a group of three little leaves on the front of the envelope with Chocolate Chip ink. There are a few of the leaves stamped inside the card, too, but the rest is blank so they can write whatever greeting or message they want to.

I will definitely remember this design for future cards. I could easily switch out the focal image -- imagine flowers, birds or even a long quote -- and have another set of beautiful cards. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 12: Jolly snowmen

We made it! Today is the final installment of my 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series. I've enjoyed sharing my cards, and I hope you've enjoyed seeing them. For this last post I'm sharing two cards with adorable snowmen images.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: KB's Heart Looking Up (Endless Creations), Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches)
Paper: Basic Gray, Whisper White card stock; Holiday Thyme Designer Series Paper (DSP)
Ink: Basic Gray, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist; light gray alcohol marker (Copic C1)
Accessories: Square Flip-Its #2 dies (Sizzix), Frosted Sequins, Glue Dots

We got snow (and very cold temps!) early this year, and it's already making me grumpy about winter. But this little snowmen looks so happy about the snow that I can't help smiling at least a little.

I love that this image fits in the Square Flip-Its dies, and I kept a simple design to go with the clean line-art image. I used DSP on just one side of the card and stamped a sentiment on the bottom of the layer. A few silver sequins and snowflakes are all the embellishment this little guy needed. (On the back of the flipping square I adhered a blank square of Whisper White card stock so I can write a simple little message.)

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: KB's Snowman Knitted (Endless Creations), Jolly Bingo Bits, More Merry Messages
Paper: Soft Sky, Lost Lagoon, Whisper White card stock
Ink: Basic Gray, Tangelo Twist, Soft Sky, Lost Lagoon, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, light gray alcohol marker (Copic C1)
Accessories: 1-3/8" square punch, All Is Calm washi tape, Frosted Sequins, white baker's twine, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

This stamp from Endless Creations is a fun one, because on one side of the block is the image with the snowman facing left, and on the other side of the block is the mirror image. Love it! (Actually, the snowman image from the previous card is the same type of stamp.)

I stamped, colored and punched out four of the images and grouped them together on a square of Lost Lagoon card stock. I adhered that near the top of the card base, which I had stamped with a few scattered snowflakes. At the bottom of the card I added a piece of silver striped washi tape, a strip of Lost Lagoon card stock stamped with a greeting and a piece of white baker's twine tied in a bow. I finished the card with a few snowflake sequins.

Thanks for following my 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series. I hope you found some inspiration for your own holiday cards or cards for any occasion. I'd love to know which card(s) were your favorites; just leave a comment below or in any of the other posts in the series. (For links to all of the cards posted as part of the series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post.) I'm going to take a few days off from blogging, but I'll be back next week with other cards and projects. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 11: Trio of trees

We're in the home stretch of the 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series, and for this penultimate post I have a clean and simple card that features a trio of trees.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches)
Paper: Mossy Meadow, Chocolate Chip card stock; Holiday Thyme Designer Series paper (DSP); Whisper White note cards and envelopes
Ink: Old Olive
Accessories: Pennant punch, Frosted Sequins, Ice White Pearl Pen (Viva Decor), Dimensionals, Glue Dots

I used the Pennant punch to make the triangle tree shapes and then cut and glued on strips of Chocolate Chip card stock for the trunks. I wanted the middle tree to stand out, so I used DSP instead of card stock, added a few Pearl Pen dots and adhered a silver sequin behind the top of the tree. The middle tree is also adhered to the card with Dimensionals.

I wanted to do something different with the sentiment on this card, so the front says "Fa la la la la," and the phrase continues inside the card with "la la la la." I just hope no one who receives this card complains that they got this song stuck in their head.

Check back tomorrow for the last installment of my blog series. And remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of the series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 10: Nature's beauty

Welcome to the tenth installment of my 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series. Today's card features one of my favorite holiday themes: the beauty of nature.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Nature's Gift (Close to My Heart)
Paper: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla card stock
Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Mossy Meadow
Accessories: Birch Tree embossing folder (Darice), corner rounder, linen thread, Ice White Pearl Pen (Viva Decor), Dimensionals

This card really wouldn't have to be for Christmas or the holidays at all. I used a few dots from a Pearl Pen to create the look of falling snow on the focal image, and I stamped a holiday greeting inside the card, but if you changed those two things, this would be a beautiful all-occasion card. And it's a great masculine design, too.

To create the background, I embossed a 4" x 4" piece of Crumb Cake card stock with birch trees. Then I lightly rubbed my Crumb Cake ink pad directly on the embossed card stock. It's an easy way to add a little emphasis to an embossed pattern.

Remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of my blog series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 9: Merry mouse

How are your Christmas or holiday cards coming along this year? Have you already finished them? Or are you having trouble getting started? If you're looking for some inspiration, you've come to the right place. Today is the ninth day in my 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series, and I'm going to share a card featuring a merry little mouse.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Christmas Story and Jolly Friends (Penny Black), Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches)
Paper: Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla card stock
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, colored pencils (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Ovals Collection and Deco Labels Framelits dies, Occasions Paper-Piercing Pack, paper-piercing tool, pearls, gold baker's twine, Dimensionals

This card was a bit challenging for me. I stamped, colored, cut out and pierced the focal image, but then I couldn't figure out what to do with it. After playing around with different colors and layouts, I decided to use a Real Red card base to pull out the pops of red in the focal image. To add some interest to the base, I stamped a background stamp filled with Christmas-related words.

For the mat I die cut one of the Deco Labels shapes from Chocolate Chip card stock. I cut off the rounded sides of the shape, leaving just the bracket-type edges, and adhered it vertically to the card base. I used Dimensionals to attach the focal image over the mat and added a pearls at the top and bottom of the mat. To finish the card I wrapped gold baker's twine twice around the bottom of the card and tied it in a knot.

Remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of my blog series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 8: Skating penguin

Welcome to the eighth installment of the 12 Days of Christmas Cards. Today's card is a clean and simple single-layer note card.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Winter Penguin (Lawn Fawn)
Paper: Whisper White note cards and envelopes
Ink: Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Real Red, Soft Sky, Old Olive, Tangelo Twist
Accessories: Frosted Sequins, Crystal Effects

Isn't that penguin a cutie? This is a great card design if you need to make a lot of cards and/or if you're short on time. I simply stamped the penguin, a few snowflakes and the sentiment (I placed the word "happy" so it looks as if the penguin has written it with his skates). Then I colored the penguin with markers and used Crystal Effects to add a few sequins. That's it!

Remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of my blog series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 7: Stocking cards

Welcome to day seven in my 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series. Are you starting to feel the Christmas spirit? Today I'm going to share a design for stocking-shaped cards.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Paper: Shimmery White, Baked Brown Sugar card stock; Candlelight Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper (DSP); cotton, cocoa Crinkles card stock (Wausau Paper)
Accessories: Holiday Stocking die, gold baker's twine, Scor-Tape (Scor-Pal), Mono Multi liquid glue

Start with a piece of 5" x 11" card stock and fold it in half lengthwise. Place the folded card stock on the Holiday Stocking die so the fold is just below the top of the stocking shape and run the die through your die-cutting machine. This will be your card base. Using DSP, cut another stocking shape and adhere it to the stocking card base. The DSP I used is actually a piece of clear acetate with a pattern of red flocking. To adhere it to the base, I strategically placed small dots of Mono Multi liquid glue behind the flocking.

Cut out the pieces for the stocking toe, heel and cuff from a coordinating or contrasting piece of card stock. I used Crinkles card stock because I wanted some texture to complement the flocking. Adhere the pieces to the stocking (note that the cuff will stick up past the fold of the card base). If you're feeling particularly ambitious (and well-organized) you could add the recipient's name to the cuff with die-cut letters or stickers. Punch a hole in the upper left corner of the cuff and add a loop of ribbon or baker's twine. Then all you need to do is stamp or write your greeting inside the card

These cards are too large for A2 envelopes, but they fit perfectly in 5" x 7" envelopes. Or you could make your own envelope from DSP that coordinates with the stocking.

Remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of my blog series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 6: Mini mittens

Today is the halfway point of my 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series, and I have to admit that I'm proud of myself for writing a post every day. I was worried I would forget one day, but so far, so good. For today's installment, I have a simple vintage-inspired note card featuring a pair of punched mittens.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: More Merry Messages
Paper: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler card stock; Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper (DSP) Stack; Crumb Cake note cards and envelopes
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Accessories: Mitten punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, linen thread, pearls, sponge, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

I love these little plaid mittens! To make them, I punched two whole mitten shapes from the plaid DSP. (Be sure to flip the paper over when punching one of the mittens so you get a right and a left one; otherwise both thumbs will face the same direction.) Then I punched out just the bottom part of the mitten from Cherry Cobbler card stock twice to get the cuffs. I glued the cuffs to the mittens, added a little pearl to each one and adhered one end of a piece of linen thread to the back of each mitten. To make it look like the mittens are hanging, I used a Glue Dot to attach a small Early Espresso circle along the middle of the linen thread. Then I used another Glue Dot to attach the circle to the front panel on the card. I placed the mittens in an arrangement I liked and then adhered them to the panel with Dimensionals. The rest is just a quick stamp and some sponging.

Remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of my blog series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 5: Winter window scene

Welcome to the fifth installment of the 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series. Today's card, a winter window scene, would be a great card for anytime during the winter, not just the holidays.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Cardinal in Trees (Paper Source), Filigree
Paper: Whisper White, Baja Breeze card stock
Ink: Baja Breeze, Real Red, Soft Suede
Accessories: Grand Madison Window die (Poppy Stamps), Simply Scored tool, Mono Multi liquid glue, Dimensionals

I made some beautiful Christmas cards with the Cardinal in Trees stamp last year (see A change of colors and More wintry trees), and I was excited to discover that it was the perfect size for my new Grand Madison Window die. So I set out to create a scene of looking out a window at a peaceful winter snowfall. I think I accomplished my goal with this card.

For the focal image I used markers to apply ink to the rubber stamp and create the multicolored image. Then I adhered the image behind a die-cut window.

I created the look of wallpaper on the top half of the card base by stamping the Filigree background stamp with Baja Breeze ink on Baja Breeze card stock. For the "wainscoting" on the bottom half, I used the Simply Scored tool to make a score line every 1/4" on a piece of Whisper White card stock. I adhered that piece to the card base and then added a narrow strip of white along the top to look like a chair rail. Using Dimensionals I adhered the window piece to the card front. I love the crisp combination of white and blue with the little pop of red from the cardinal.

Remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of my blog series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 4: Shaker card

I hope you're enjoying my 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series so far. I always like making Christmas cards, and it's been fun deciding which design(s) to post each day. For today's installment, the fourth in the series, I'm going to share a festive shaker card.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Ornamental Season (Unity Stamp Company)
Paper: Whisper White, Soft Sky card stock; white mini oval shaker overlay (The Paper Cut)
Ink: Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Lost Lagoon, Soft Sky, Pear Pizzazz; light gray alcohol marker (Copic C1)
Accessories: Oval shaker card pouch (Impression Obsession), Holiday Frame embossing folder, All Is Calm washi tape, 1/8" silver ribbon, silver glass glitter, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

This card is really pretty in person, and I don't think the photo does it justice. The lighting wasn't quite right, so the soft color pallet looks a little dull.

At any rate, this was a straightforward card to make. I stamped and colored the image then adhered the shaker pouch with glitter over the image. I debated how to decorate the white overlay when I remembered I have the Holiday Frame embossing folder. It was the perfect frame for the shaker, and I like how the embossing picks up the swirls in the stamped image. I used silver washi tape to make a border along the top and bottom of the overlay, added a silver bow and adhered the overlay to the card base with Dimensionals.

Remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of my blog series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 3: Pretty papers

Welcome to the third installment of the 12 Days of Christmas Cards. The two holiday cards I'm sharing today feature patterned papers, specifically the Season of Style Designer Series Paper (DSP). This DSP was from Stampin' Up!'s 2013 holiday catalog, but you could easily substitute other papers. Or if you really like these patterns, you could buy the digital download and print your own paper.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Whisper White card stock; Season of Style DSP
Accessories: Banners Framelits dies, Scripty Joy die (Lawn Fawn), Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, gold sequin trim, Glue Dots, Mono Multi liquid glue, Dimensionals

I love the cheery feeling of this card and the combination of stripes and polka dots. The die-cut "joy" is the perfect sentiment and ties everything together.

To make the focal panel, I started with a 4-5/8" x 3-3/8" piece of Whisper White card stock. I glued on the two pieces of DSP (the striped piece is 1-1/2" x 3-1/4", and the polka dot piece is 3" x 3-1/4") and added a piece of ribbon to hide the seam. I placed a Crumb Cake banner on the lower half of the card, tucking the end under the ribbon. The look of the banner is very subtle, but I wanted to break up the polka dots and create a solid background for the sentiment. For embellishment, I replaced the dot in the "j" with a gold sequin, and I also added three sequins to the top half of the card. I wrapped a piece of baker's twine around the ribbon, finished it with a bow and adhered the panel to a Cherry Cobbler card base with Dimensionals.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Holiday Greetings Square (Paper Source)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White card stock; Season of Style DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Baked Brown Sugar, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive markers
Accessories: Square Flip-Its #2 dies (Sizzix), gold sequin trim, gold baker's twine, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

When I saw this stamp with all the different holiday words in the store, I knew right away I wanted to make a card like this. So when I got home I was relieved to find that it did actually fit in the center square of this flip-card die.

My starting place for this card was choosing the DSP. Then I used the coordinating markers to color the different words on the rubber stamp before stamping the image on Whisper White card stock. (That was definitely the most time-consuming part of this card design.) I matted the image with Old Olive and adhered it to the card base with Dimensionals. After die cutting and adhering the pieces of DSP, I added a few gold sequins and a touch of gold baker's twine on the left side of the card. On the reverse side of the center square I added a square of plain white card stock where I will write a little message and sign my name.

Remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of my blog series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 2: Shimmering snowflakes

We're getting more snow today, so for the latest installment of the 12 Days of Christmas Cards I'm going to share a simple but striking card featuring snowflakes from the Endless Wishes stamp set.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Endless Wishes
Paper: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou card stock; silver paper (retired)
Ink: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou
Accessories: Frost White Shimmer Paint, Frosted Sequins, sponge dauber, Crystal Effects, Dimensionals

I pulled out some retired products for this card: shimmer paint, silver paper, and Blue Bayou ink and card stock. It's fun to get out those old products and see what you can create when you combine them with newer goodies. If you want to create this card but don't have those items, you could easily substitute similar products, such as silver Encore ink, silver foil sheets or glimmer paper, and Lost Lagoon card stock and ink.

I really love how this card turned out. I started by stamping a few of the largest snowflakes in Soft Sky ink on a piece of Whisper White card stock. (When making a collage-type background, I always start with the largest image and work toward the smallest so it's easier to fill in white spaces as I go.) Then I stamped the middle snowflake using Frost White Shimmer Paint. To apply the paint, I shake the bottle, remove the cover, dip a sponge dauber into the paint left in the cover, tap the paint on the stamp and then press the stamp onto the paper. I reapply the paint each time I stamp and clean off the stamp when I'm done, just like I would with ink. Finally I stamped several of the smallest snowflake in Blue Bayou, making sure to leave an open space for the sentiment.

To embellish the focal layer, I used Crystal Effects to adhere three silver sequins below the sentiment and a sequin at the center of each of the large snowflakes. Then I matted the white card stock with a piece of Soft Sky. I adhered a strip of silver paper across the Blue Bayou card base and used Dimensionals to attach the focal panel.

Remember, for links to all of the cards posted as part of my blog series, check out the main 12 Days of Christmas Cards post. Thanks for stopping by!

Day 1: White Christmas

Welcome to the first post in my 12 Days of Christmas Cards series. Today I have a simple card featuring a vintage-looking scene made with the White Christmas stamp set.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: White Christmas, Hardwood
Paper: Soft Suede, So Saffron, Pool Party, Very Vanilla
Ink: Soft Suede, So Saffron, Pool Party, Tangelo Twist
Accessories: Ovals Collection Framelits dies, Banner punch, Occasions Paper-Piercing pack, paper-piercing tool, Neutrals Candy Dots, sponge, Dimensionals

I stamped the images using Soft Suede ink and colored in just a few details with markers. I cut out the scene using the Ovals Collection Framelits dies, pierced a border and lightly sponged the edge. Pool Party and So Saffron banners add a little bit of color, and everything is adhered to a Soft Suede card base stamped with the Hardwood background stamp in Soft Suede. You could change the sentiment or omit the So Saffron banner to make this card appropriate for other winter holidays.

Come back tomorrow for the second entry in my 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series. Thanks for stopping by!

12 Days of Christmas Cards

We received our first snowfall of the season today -- I went out to shovel twice -- so it seems like the perfect day to share Christmas cards. I made a few single Christmas cards in August, but since then I've been making five cards of each design (too many more and I start to get tired of the card). I created a total of sixteen different designs, and I shared two of them earlier this fall ("500 blog posts and a Christmas Star" and "Nature's Peace simplicity"). I'm going to share the rest of the designs in a 12 Days of Christmas Cards blog series. I'll post a Christmas card (or two) each day for the next twelve days, and I'll keep a list of all the posts here for easy reference.

Although I'm calling it a series about Christmas cards, several of the designs are not specific to Christmas and would be appropriate for season's greetings or winter wishes. To see any of the cards in the series, click on the links below.

12 Days of Christmas Cards
Day 1: White Christmas
Day 2: Shimmering snowflakes
Day 3: Pretty papers
Day 4: Shaker card
Day 5: Winter window scene
Day 6: Mini mittens
Day 7: Stocking cards
Day 8: Skating penguin
Day 9: Merry mouse
Day 10: Nature's beauty
Day 11: Trio of trees
Day 12: Jolly snowmen

I hope you enjoy the series and find something to inspire you. Thanks for stopping by!

Cupcake square flip card

I know I've been sharing a lot of birthday cards lately, so I hope you don't mind one more. I basically spent the whole month of October needing to make another birthday card. The good part is that I got them done and delivered (well, most of them; I still have late birthday wishes to send to one friend); the bad part is that I didn't get to make extra cards to help replenish my supply. I'll have to add that to my to-do list, although with the holidays coming, I'm not sure I'll have much time in November or December, either. At any rate, here is the last birthday card I cranked out during October:

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Create a Cupcake
Paper: Coastal Cabana, Real Red, Crumb Cake, Whisper White card stock; Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper (DSP) stack
Ink: Crumb Cake, Real Red
Accessories: Square Flip-Its #2 dies (Sizzix), Decorative Dots embossing folder, Banner punch, Cupcake Builder punch, rhinestones, Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack, paper-piercing tool, Glue Dots, Mono Multi liquid glue, Dimensionals

I love the combination of colors and the fun patterns in the Fresh Prints DSP, and I think they look really cute with this cupcake.

This card looks a lot harder to make than it was. I used the Square Flip-Its #2 dies from Sizzix to cut out the card base. And the great thing is that the set also comes with dies to cut out paper for the sides of the card (as well as different sizes of square dies for creating layers for the "flippy piece") so I didn't have to do all kinds of crazy measuring and cutting of DSP to go around the square. Easy peasy.

For the focal point on the flippy piece, I cut a square of Whisper White card stock, stamped the sentiment along the bottom and then pierced a border around the top and sides. I punched out the pieces for the cupcake, embossed the bottom piece with polka dots, adhered the pieces together and then attached it to the middle of the white square with Dimensionals.

For the back of the flippy piece, I cut another square of Whisper White card stock, stamped the sentiment at the top and added a couple of stamped hearts. I know there isn't a lot of space for a message, but all I needed to write was something along the lines of "Hope you have a special day" and then sign my name, so for me it was perfect.

Next week I'll start sharing all the Christmas cards I've been making, and I have two designs that use the same Square Flip-Its dies, so be sure to check in next week. Thanks for stopping by!

Thank-you card in neutrals

I like to think that I'm fairly eclectic when it comes to my color choices in papercrafting. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a bold and cheery color palette, and other times I reach for softer, more subtle shades. Of course, I have a few go-to favorites (which are always evolving), but I like variety, too. I don't know, however, if I've ever made a card using only neutral colors. Until now, that is.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Six-Sided Sampler, Just Sayin'
Paper: Kraft, Basic Black, Whisper White card stock
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Basic Black marker
Accessories: Chalk Talk Framelits dies, Decorative Dots embossing folder, Itty Bitty Accents punch pack, rhinestones, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

Originally I was going to stick with just Kraft and black for the colors on this card, but it was looking a little too dark. I tried a few other colors in the mix, but nothing else seemed to fit, so I went with white. I think the white accents brighten it up just enough. 

When I use 12" x 12" card stock to cut a card base, I cut off a 4" x 12" piece, trim 1" off one of the short sides, score at 5-1/2" and fold the card base. (If you are making several cards, cut the 1" strip off one side of the 12" x 12" card stock first, then cut the remaining piece into three 4" x 11" pieces.) The card will be 4" wide instead of 4-1/4", but nobody will notice the difference. You could even have an element of the card -- such as an arrow, banner or other shape -- go over the edge of the card a bit, and the card will still fit in an envelope.

I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig tool and Memento Tuxedo Black ink to stamp several floral hexagons from the Six-Sided Sampler set across the card front. I used the 1" strip I cut off the Kraft base to create a banner and to punch out one small flower. I distressed the edges of the banner with my bone folder and adhered it to the card base where I wanted my focal image.

Since the background images are bold, I needed an equally bold base for the focal image so it didn't get lost on the card. I cut one of the Chalk Talk Framelits shapes out of Basic Black card stock, embossed it with the Decorative Dots embossing folder and adhered it over the Kraft banner with Dimensionals. For the sentiment I used a marker to apply ink to just the "thanks" part of one of the stamps from the Just Sayin' set and stamped it on Whisper White card stock. I cut that into another banner shape, adhered it to the Basic Black card stock and added a few punched flowers and rhinestones.

Do you like the all-neutral look, or do you prefer lots of color? Thanks for stopping by!

Stripes and circles

I've been busy, busy making Christmas cards, and I'll be ready to post them on my blog soon. But before I get to those I want to share a few non-holiday cards I've made recently. Today I'm going to share three fun birthday cards for kids.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Happy Birthday Chick (Unity Stamp Company)
Paper: The Glitter Stack card stock (DCWV); Primrose Petals, Whisper White card stock
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, colored pencils (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Circles Collection Framelits dies, gold sequin trim, Daffodil Delight pompom trim, Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), Dimensionals, Glue Dots

This card is 4-3/4" x 4-3/4", and I love the fun colors. I also like how all the circles -- the focal layer, the sequins, the pompom trim, the circles in the stamped image and even the rounded corners of the DSP -- play against the stripes in the background paper.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Year Fawn (Lawn Fawn)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black card stock; The Glitter Stack card stock (DCWV)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, colored pencils (Prismacolor)
Accessories: Brights Candy Dots, Dimensionals

I love the color combo in this striped paper. (It's from the same pack as the paper in the previous card, but these are the more "boyish" colors.) And they work perfectly with this cute image.

Unlike the previous card, this one has a lot of straight lines and sharp corners. So to bring in a little contrast, I curved the greeting image into a banner shape before I stamped it (one of the benefits of photopolymer stamps). I placed three candy dots in the lower right corner to add more round shapes and to repeat the orange color.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Perfect Party
Paper: Pink Passion, Lavender Lace, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White card stock
Ink: Pink Passion, Lavender Lace
Accessories: Circles Collection Framelits dies, rhinestones, Polka Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug), iridescent shreds (unknown), Dimensionals, Mono Multi liquid glue

The background for this card was fun to make. I used the Circles Collection Framelits dies to cut different sizes of open circles in three colors of card stock. I arranged the circles on a piece of Whisper White card stock, glued them down with Mono Multi liquid glue, embossed the whole piece with a polka dot embossing folder and then adhered it to the card base. I didn't want to cover up the background with a large image, so I stamped a simple sentiment, cut it into a banner shape, added some iridescent shreds behind it and adhered it to the card. A few rhinestones add a little extra sparkle.

Thanks for stopping by!

Classic Nintendo controller birthday card

My sister, brother and I played our fair share of video games growing up, and I think we had every Nintendo system out there. My brother still loves video games, so for his birthday earlier this week I decided to make him a card featuring the classic Nintendo controller.

Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Seriously Amazing
Paper: Basic Black, Smoky Slate, Poppy Parade, Basic Gray card stock; Designer Series Paper (DSP) Patterns Pack - In Color
Ink: Poppy Parade, Project Life journaling pens
Accessories: Word Window punch, Horizontal Slot punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, Neutrals Candy Dots, Mono Multi Liquid Glue, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

This was actually pretty quick and easy to make (once I did an online image search to remind myself what the controller looked like). Here are a few dimensions and tips:

• The Smoky Slate base is 3" x 5", and the Basic Black layer is 2-5/8" x 4-3/4".
• The Poppy Parade circles are punched out with the circle from the Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack. The Smoky Slate squares behind the circles are 1/2".
• The shapes down the middle are made with the Word Window punch and the Horizontal Slot punch.
• To make the direction controller on the left side, I cut the cross shape out of a piece of the grid paper I use to stamp on at my workspace. I glued the cross on a small piece of Basic Black card stock and then trimmed of the extra card stock. I traced that onto a piece of Smoky Slate card stock and cut around the traced lines, leaving a little border. Then I glued the Basic Black cross (with the grid paper on the back) onto the Smoky Slate one.

My brother said this was a great card, so I think that's a success. For next year I may have to figure out how to make a Mario- or Zelda-themed card. Thanks for stopping by!