Letterpress Style Thank You

I don't know about anyone else, but I am so ready for Spring.  This Winter has brought much colder weather than I have seen a quite some time, and I find that I am able to tolerate it much less.  We have been blessed with a mere fraction of the snow that some areas have had; and that's a very good thing as far as I am concerned.  With any blessings should come thanks, and "Thank You" just happens to be our theme at the Card A Day Blog this week.

I was reminded, by something in my wanderings around the web, that I haven't used my Spellbinders' Impressabilities in a long time. So I decided to get them out and use one for today's card.  If you're not familiar with Impressibilities, they are very thin metal templates that can be used in many ways; such as embossing/debossing, as a stencil, cut apart and the pieces used as embellishments.  I have used mine in a 'letterpress' style.  Letterpress is a style of printing where the type is set, ink is applied and the paper is pressed into the type to pick up the ink.  This method also leaves an impression in the paper.  This is, essentially, just what I did with my template.

I used a splatter mat to keep from getting ink on my table and applied ink directly from my stamp pad to the template.  I carefully placed my piece of cardstock on the inked template and put it in the proper sandwich to run through my Cuttlebug.  The result is a lightly embossed inked impression.   I inked the edges of this piece just a bit to help it stand out against the card base.

Once I had my embossed layer prepared, I wrapped three strips of 3/8" satin ribbon around the center.  I then die cut two layers for my sentiment.  These pieces were also inked just a bit on the edges.  I stamped my sentiment, and then layered all three pieces using foam tape.

This was a slightly messy project, but really quite easy to accomplish and is no problem at all to clean up.  I hope you'll decide to try this type of design style.  Even if you don't have the Impressabilities, you can use the same method with an embossing folder, and a deeper impression can be obtained.  You can see an example of that here.

 

Supplies:
     Paper:  Recollections
     Dies:  Spellbinders "Timeless Rectangle"
     Impressabilities:  Spellbinders "Flourish"
     Inks:  Tim Holtz Distress "Dusty Concord" by Ranger and Stampin' Up "Wisteria Wonder"
     Stamp:  Stampin' Up "Blooming with Kindness"
     Ribbons:  Ellen Hutson

'Til next time.....

Big HUGS!!!
CHRISTINE

Don't BUG Me!

It is SO still the season for catching all those nasty bugs that keep floating around.  I hope you've been able to avoid being in that situation.  On that note we, at the Card A Day Blog, have some Get Well inspirations to share.  I received some really cute supplies from my dear sister for Christmas, and decided to use some of them for today's card.

My card was a fairly quick one to make once I decided just what I wanted to do.  First I'll show you the main supplies I used.

The two stamp and die sets were part of my Christmas gift.  Now, here's my card:

When I was getting out my supplies I thought I would stamp the 'bug' outline and color it, but there were a few dp scraps sitting next to my new sets and one just caught my eye.  So I lined up the outline stamp where I wanted it on the scrap, and used the die to cut it out.

In the same stack of scraps I found a piece of handmade paper that was perfect for cutting out the clouds.  The handmade paper gave the clouds some nice texture.

I'm not sure you can see the texture in the photos, but it shows up nicely in person.

Next, I cut a scrap of blue for some sky, and I tore a piece of kraft card to use for the ground.  I used two brown-toned inks to color the edges a bit without making the ground too busy-looking.

After stamping the sentiment, I laid the 'sky' down with my ATG, and used foam tape to affix the ground pieces and the car.  I used a double layer of the foam tape to lift the lower ground piece above the car.

My card base, which is sized at 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" to fit a standard A2 envelope, is a dark navy blue, so I added a white insert for the message and signature.

The pictures don't really show it off very well, but this card is very cute in person and will certainly help brighten the day for someone who isn't feeling quite up to par.

Details:
     Stamp/Die Sets:  taylored expressions "Wheely Great" set and hampton art "Welcome Home" set by doodlebug design inc. and Sizzix.
     Inks:  VersaMagic "Ocean Depth" Chalk Ink and Memento "Desert Sand" and "Rich Cocoa."
     Cardstock:  Gina K Designs "In the Navy" and Neenah "Kraft."

Thanks, as always, for your visit.  Please know that I truly appreciate the time you take to spend with me.  'Til next time.....

Big HUGS!!!!!
CHRISTINE

Who Loves You

Happy Wednesday, everyone!!  It's a beautifully bright sunny day where I am.  I hope your day is just as lovely.  And speaking of things 'love'ly, I have another Card A Day Blog Valentine inspiration for you.  Just as in my previous Valentine post, this card is definitely not your traditional "Cupid's Holiday" offering.  I do hope you like it, and it inspires you to go out of the usual Valentine zone and try something different for your loved one this year.  I think my card is ideal for one of the male valentines in your life.

This card came about because I was being so indecisive about which card design I wanted to use; I had three different ideas in mind.  So, I decided to pull out some of my bits and pieces of items left over from previous card-making sessions.  We're not talking about just scraps of paper, but you'll see.  I ended up with a totally different design from what I had expected.

In one of my envelopes of previously made, but unused, ephemera I found a large die cut label perfect for a background.  I also found several punched hearts, including a sweet sparkly one.  Another package search revealed a leafy branch and a cuter than cute die cut owl.  With those few pieces, all I needed were a sentiment and a card base.  Well, I found the card base in a stack of cut card stock, and I decided to create my own sentiment.

Okay, okay, enough blather.  Here's my card:

 

I first inked the background label to give the edges more definition so it wouldn't just fade into the kraft card base.  It seemed an ideal backing for an owl on a tree branch.  I mounted the background using foam tape.

 



I next took the leafy branch, which had originally been cut from white paper and colored with markers, and gave the leaves some dimension using a stylus and mouse pad.  I attached the branch with Scotch Quick-Drying Tacky Glue.

 

I then used the foam tape to affix the owl perched on his larger branch so it would look like the smaller branch was growing out of the larger one.

 

Next, I started working on my sentiment.

 



I decided what my owl would say, typed it into a word-processing document and printed it with brown ink onto Stampin' Up 'Very Vanilla' cardstock.  It had taken me awhile to decide on the shape, but I thought it would be cute as a ribbon flying in a breeze.  I tried it out first by writing it on scrap paper and hand cutting to determine whether I would like it and what the sizing should be.  After applying a bit of ink on the edges, I used the foam tape to apply the sentiment piece.

 

All I had left to do was apply the sparkly heart to the owl's chest.  Once the inside of the card is finished, it will, of course, say, "Your Valentine, That's Who."

 

 

I just adore this sweet little card.  I think my hubby will like it, too.  It was such fun putting this card together!  I hope you had fun reading about it.

 

Thanks so much for visiting.  'Til next time.....

 

Big HUGS!

CHRISTINE

ALWAYS.....

.....in my heart.  That is how I feel about you, my dear readers.  Welcome back!  This is my first post for 2014 as well as my first post of the year for the Card A Day Blog.  And we're kicking off the CADB year with Valentine's Day.  My inspiration today actually comes from a guest designer, who wishes to remain nameless, but I think most of you can guess who I'm talking about from previous guest appearances.  This isn't your typical splashy red Valentine, but if you look closely you will find a tiny red heart peaking out.

This card is very cute, but it's also easy to make, especially if you like to color, as the featured image was colored with copics.

This little girl and her sentiment are from the My Favorite Things "Pure Innocence" collection.  If you're not familiar with this line you should definitely take a look; they are so adorable.  Two scraps of design paper were used; one for the sentiment and one to create a colorful off set border.

A white mat was embossed, and a piece of twine wrapped and tied on before mounting to the white A2 sized card base.

I really love this sweet card, and thank my 'guest designer' for her contribution.

Thanks so very much for your visit today.  I hope to see you again soon -- and often!!

'Til next time.....

Big HUGS!!
CHRISTINE

A Winter's Night

As we speed through the remaining days until Christmas I bring you my final card of 2013 for the Card A Day Blog.  Our last theme of the year is "Snow" so I have made a quick, but very striking, card for you.  It has been very cold and icy in our area, so I was inspired to make a card which depicts that feeling. 

I started with a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of 'In the Navy' cardstock from Gina K Designs for the look of a night-time background.

I used two dies to cut the pieces for my scene from a scrap of shimmery off-white card, and used the same scrap to cut a piece which I ran through my curvy crimper for the snowy groundcover.

 

 

The die cut border and the snow were affixed with foam tape and I used tacky glue to attach the tree.  I left many of the branches and snowflakes free, but tacked some of them down using the same glue.

I affixed the front panel with the foam tape to the A2-sized kraft card base, and then used a glitter pen to add a little bit of sparkle around the edges of the panel as well as some of the snowflakes.  I hope you can see the dimension in this angled photo.  You also get a peek of the inside.

I had trimmed the navy piece for the front panel as well as the cut snowy border since it was longer than I needed, so I used those leftover pieces to bring the design to the inside of the card.

This really was a no fuss, no muss card.  The intricate dies cut beautifully with the cardstock I used.  If using a lighter-weight paper it can be helpful to use a piece of waxed paper between the die and the design paper for easier removal of the cut.

Thanks for stopping by.  I always love reading your comments.

Here are the details:
          Dies:  Memory Box 'Frostyville Border' and Snowflake Tree
          Paper:  Gina K Designs 'In the Navy' and Stampin' Up 'Kraft'
          Pen:  Sakura Gelly Roll 'Clear Star'
          Adhesives:  Scotch 'Quick-Drying Tacky Glue' and ATG

'Til next time.....

Big HUGS!!
CHRISTINE

CHEERS for the New Year

Hi, everyone!  Well, December is upon us, and the holiday season is in full swing.  We're sharing some "New Year" card inspiration over at the Card A Day Blog.  The card I have for you today was done during a Stampin' Up session.  So, as you might imagine, it was made using all Stampin' Up products.

The card base (A2 size 5 1/2" x 4 1/4") and stamped layer (5" x 3 3/4") were cut from 'Very Vanilla' card stock.

The stamping was done using the "Happy Hour" stamp set.  SO cute.  The design paper was cut at 1" x 3 3/4" and mounted on a piece of card just slightly wider but the same length.

The label pieces were made using the "Labels Collection Framelits Dies" and the accent piece was punched using a 1" circle punch and mounted on a 1 1/4" scalloped circle.

All the layers were affixed using double sided adhesive except for the accent piece, which was mounted with foam taped for just that little bit of dimension.  Some inking was done to the card front before mounting to the card base, just enough to help it stand out.

So that's it!  Quick and easy enough for multiple card-making.  I hope you're enjoying your card making and all your other preparations for this wonderful time of year.

Thanks for visiting, and 'til next time.....

Big HUGS!!!
CHRISTINE

CHRISTMAS THANK YOU

At the Card A Day Blog we are showing examples of "Christmas Thank You" cards this week.  I wanted to stay in the spirit of Christmas, but I didn't want my card to be too 'Christmas-y' looking.  So, I used a little gold and a lot of flourish, and came up with a tasteful, but quick-to-make card.

I started by choosing the stamp for the sentiment.  I knew I wanted something with a little bit of the flourish I was planning, and a Just Rite 'Be Happy' set provided the perfect stamp.  I used my favorite Versafine 'Onyx Black' ink for stamping.

I used a die set from Spellbinders to cut the layering pieces.  You should be able to see some embossing in some of the photos.

I chose black and white for the wonderful contrast and the formal look.   The die cut pieces are layered using foam tape and mounted on a patterned paper backed with solid black.  The gold card stock is from Stampin' Up and the solid black as well as the patterned paper are from Recollections.

The whole layered piece was then affixed using my Scotch ATG to a solid white Georgia Pacific card base.  You can see the dimension a bit better in the next photo.

As you can see, a quick and easy, but still very elegant design.

Thank you so very much for your visit!  I'll see you again soon.

'Til next time.....

Big HUGS!!!
CHRISTINE

Shining Star

Welcome!!  For my post this week for the Card A Day Blog I've designed a super quick and easy Christmas card.  Our theme this week is 'Christmas Ornaments.'  Just to be very clear, we're not making actual ornaments, although the card could have an element that can be removed and used as an ornament.  We are definitely featuring cards that include ornaments.  It could be an ornament-shaped card or it can be any shape card featuring one or more ornaments in the design, be they stamped, die cut, sticker or whatever.  So, here is my offering:

I was going through my collection of dies looking for my wreaths and ornaments.  That was my original idea.  I came upon this wintery frame, and knew immediately what my card would look like.  The frame has embossed snowflakes in the design as well as the snowflake-looking cuts around the outside.

I decided to use a pearly white cardstock for the frame, and mount it on a navy blue background.  I used a frosty white ink and an opaque white pen to create a snowy look.  The star ornament was cut from a scrap of sparkly holographic wrapping paper which was first glued to cardstock for stability.

I think the embossing on the frame shows up pretty well in the photos, but not so well in the star which is a star within a star.  I used a bright cherry red embroidery floss to attach the ornament to the frame, tied a double bow and then affixed everything with foam tape.  Here are some angled pics to show the dimension.

                                                 

 I did consider leaving the star free-floating, but I didn't intend for it to be removed so I used the foam tape so keep it stable and show off the bow a bit better.  And that's it!  Really quick.  I haven't done the inside yet, thinking I would wait until I know who will receive the card, but I do believe the greeting will be done directly on the dark card base using white embossing powder.

One of the nice things about this card is that even though there is dimension, it is still very flat for mailing.  The remaining details are few:

           Paper:  Gina K Designs "In the Navy"
           Ink:  Color Box "Frost White" pigment
           Pen:  Inkssentials "Opaque White"

Thanks, as always, for stopping by today.  'Til next time.....

Big HUGS!!
CHRISTINE

A Christmas Bouquet

Welcome!!  I'm so happy you've come to visit.  As today's designer for the Card A Day Blog I have a fun gift card holder to show you for our theme of Christmas Gift Cards.  I had seen some variations on this card style some time ago, so I knew right away what my design would be.  Now, if you have a good imagination you might see some poinsettias, but if you're like me you'll see a pretty pot filled with lovely Christmas-y red flowers.

Let's start with the empty flower pot.  I wanted my card to fit into a standard A2 sized envelope so I had a bit of figuring to do.  I cut the single sided patterned card stock at 8 1/4" x 4 1/2".  It could have been wider, but I wanted the card to look balanced.  Any wider would just look strange.  I scored at 1 1/8" from either end and right in the center at 4 1/8".  I folded the piece in half, then tapered the two sides, leaving tabs on the front to attach the front and back together.  The two scored ends are folded to the outside creating the rim of the flower pot.  I taped the ends down lightly; then secured them with a pretty red ribbon.  You could also cover the white with different paper as desired.

For the actual card holder, I used a coordinating piece of card cut at 4" x 3 3/4" with the design side to the back, and the top corners rounded.  I used an old gift card to measure for the corners that would hold the new gift card, and made the corners from a scrap of green card.  I used the same green for the die cut leaves and several red scraps to die cut the flowers.

I layered the flowers using liquid glue, then affixed them with thin foam tape.  I added the leaves, some pearls for the centers, and, just for fun, a little white dove.  I was careful when placing the flowers not to let them overlap the top edge too much (needing the keep to the 4 1/4" card size), and to be sure the card went easily into the base.  Here's a photo with the gift card inserted:

You can see the 'flower pot' next to the insert.  Here is a closer look at the flowers:

All you do is insert the gift card and slip that piece into the base 'flower pot'.  A greeting or signature can be written on the card before the gift card is inserted.

So that's it.  You can easily adjust the sizes if you want a bigger bunch of flowers, as well as changing up your papers and colors for any season.  By the way, this was another card created entirely from scraps!  This time I didn't even plan it that way; the right sized pieces just happened to be right where I needed them.

I hope you'll have lots of fun making your gift card holders, and thank you so very much for stopping by today!!

'Til next time.....

Big HUGS!
CHRISTINE

Warm Wishes

Hi everyone!  Today, at the Card A Day Blog, we are featuring cards for Thanksgiving.  I've been wanting to make a card using a quilt design, so that's what I have for you.  I do have quite a collection of quilting books, but I just searched for a design online. The pieced design is a very common and well-loved star pattern.  My card doesn't have quite the contrast that I would put in an actual quilt, but I'm fairly pleased with the way it turned out.

I used a 4" base of scrap on which to do my piecing.  The pieces are 1" squares, except for the center square, which is 1 3/8".  I used various scraps for my piecing, including a scrap of glitter paper to add just a little sparkle to the quilt.  I inked the edges of all the pieces before assembling.  The centerpiece is a 1" dimensional sticker which says "Happy Thanksgiving."

When it came to mounting the quilted piece, I decided on the rich yellow to set it off.  Before affixing to the card base I added the vertical strip for some extra interest.  Then I finished it off with some white 'stitching'.  Gotta have stichin' on a quilt, ya know!

I found a nice patterned piece to brighten up the inside of the card, much like fabric one would use for a quilt back.  I added some of the 'quilt' squares, and stamped a sentiment.  Here's a closer look:

That's it for my Thanksgiving quilt.  This card was really fairly easy to pull together.  I used four papers (because of the size of the scraps I was using), but you could use as few as two colors for the block design.  So, what are you waiting for?  Do a search for quilt block designs, pick one out, and make a pretty quilt-style card for your next occasion!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Here are some details:

     Papers:  K and Company, Stampin' Up, DCWV
     Inks:  Memento 'Desert Sand' and 'Potter's Clay'
     Sticker:  Recollections
     Stamp:  Inkadinkado 'Harvest Inchie Bundle'
     Misc:  Inkssentials white opaque pen, Scotch ATG and Quick-Drying Tacky Glue. foam tape

'Til next time...

Big HUGS!!
CHRISTINE

Vrolijk Kersfeest!

"Christmas Around the World" is the theme this week over at the CARD A DAY BLOG, and I wonder if you can guess, by the title of my post, just where in the world is being highlighted by my card.  Well, it's really quite simple.  I haven't made an iris fold design in quite awhile, so I wanted to make my card using iris folding.  I didn't remember where iris folding had its origins, and decided to do a little research before starting my project.  It turns out that the technique of iris folding began in the 1700s in Holland, so that gave me my inspiration country.

The Dutch celebrate Christmas in much the same way as we do in the U.S., but they have separate celebration days for gift-giving and for the religious ceremonies and church-going.  Here is a brief description from Love to Know--Christmas:


"In the Netherlands, holiday traditions include Sinterklaas Avond, the midwinter hoornblaazen, and special celebrations on Christmas Day.

Sinterklaas Avond

Sinterklaas Avond - St. Nicholas Eve - is celebrated annually on December 5 and is considered the eve of Santa Claus's birthday. On this eve, Sinterklaas journeys to the homes of every child in the Netherlands and leaves small gifts and treats for them to enjoy. Sinterklaas is the Dutch equivalent of Santa Claus, but he looks quite different from the jolly man depicted in western culture. Sinterklaas is tall and slender, and he wears dark red robes and a hat similar to a bishop's attire. In many traditional images, he is elderly and has a long white beard.
Sinterklaas Avond celebrations actually begin several weeks before December 5, often as early as mid-November. Sinterklass is believed to live in Spain, and he arrives with great fanfare on a steamship at the start of the holiday season. Amsterdam and other port cities generally hold great celebrations to herald his arrival, including parades, ringing church bells, and children's parties.

Sinterklaas is accompanied by his assistant Black Peter (Zwarte Piet), who is dressed in 16th century Spanish attire to symbolize Spain's dominance over the Netherlands during that era. But Black Peter's face is covered with soot and he rides a mule, a stark contrast to the more joyous colors of Sinterklaas's red robes and white horse. It is Black Peter who goes down each home's chimney to leave gifts for the children, though in some legends he is also said to punish disobedient children.
Just as children in western cultures leave cookies for Santa Claus and may leave a treat for his reindeer, children in the Netherlands leave their shoes filled with hay, carrots, and sugar for Sinterklaas's horse. In the morning, the horse treats have been replaced with gifts for the children.

Midwinter Hoornblazen

Rural eastern areas of the country celebrate different Christmas traditions in the Netherlands. In addition to Sinterklaas Avond celebrations, this area is well known for the midwinter hoornblazen, or midwinter horn blowing. Handmade horns - three- or four-foot horns carved from birch or elder saplings - are blown over wells to announce Advent and herald the birth of Christ. The low tone produced from these horns resonating over the wells can be heard for several miles, and it is not unusual for several farms to seemingly call to one another with their horns. In some areas these horns may be blown each day of Advent, or they may be reserved for the first or last days of the spiritual celebration.

Christmas Day

December 25 is still a holiday in the Netherlands, but since most gift-giving is done on Sinterklaas Avond, this later part of the holiday season is generally more spiritual and involves more church services, concerts, and recitals showcasing religious material. This day is a time for family gatherings and delicious meals, including special breakfasts and formal dinners.

Christmas decorations in the Netherlands include rustic Christmas décor such as pine and holly boughs, simple lights, and candles. Many homes do have Christmas trees, and they may be decorated with all types of lights and ornaments or they may be simpler than western holiday decorations. Themed trees are especially popular. Another popular decoration is poinsettias (kerststers), which are often used as centerpieces, accents, and other holiday décor."


Well, now you know almost everything about Christmas in Holland (The Netherlands).  Since their tradition includes Christmas trees, I decided that my iris fold design would be in the form of a tree.  So without further delay, here is my card:

 

For anyone not familiar with the iris folding technique; it starts with a pattern (usually numbered) which indicates the placement of folded bits of paper to form a design.  The design has been cut from a piece of card, and the folded bits are taped or glued to the back of the design.  The "iris" appears when the card is turned to the front.  Here is a photo of my pattern and the cut design: 



When I was looking for my iris pattern among my Christmas supplies, I came upon a single card kit packet that I had gotten at a trade show or maybe in a class.  So I decided to use the kit as my base, and I pulled papers to coordinate.

I used three scraps to cut the strips for the iris design.  The piece of ribbon came in the kit, so I tied the small bow for the top of the tree, and used a scrap of the ribbon for the iris center.

The faux photo corners were cut from another piece from the kit (green) and bits from one of the papers used for the strips, and layered.  The sentiment came from a sticker pack.

Then the inside needed some color.  I used another of the scraps from the tree as a mat, stamped and embossed the greeting on a piece of white card and layered them.

Now, if you haven't already guessed the translation of my title, of course it's "Merry Christmas."  I don't personally know anyone who speaks Dutch, so I elected to use English on my card. 

Here are the supplies I can tell you about:
     Paper:  design scraps from Recollections
     Sticker:  Dazzles from Hot Off the Press
     Stamp:  Gina K Designs "Very Merry Christmas" set by Theresa Momber
     Embossing Ink and Powder:  Versamark ink, Stampendous "Detail Gold"

I used therm-o-web Sticky Dots to affix the bow and foam tape to adhere the centerpiece to the card front.

Thanks so much, as always, for visiting with me today.  I hope you've enjoyed your brief visit to Holland to learn just a bit about their Christmas traditions!

So 'til next time.....

Big HUGS!!
CHRISTINE