Holiday Stamping!

I was able to spend the holiday weekend in my craft room happily creating! Wanted to make sure that I got at least one card entered into the current Double D challenge that features banners. Used a sweet Bugaboo image on my gatefold card, flipping a second image so that I could have the little cutie facing her friend. So cute! The banners were made with scraps from my stash.

  

Supplies: 

·    Digi- Bugaboo (Love Angel) 

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Inside sentiment- DDDoodles (Love Pass It On)

·    Background heart paper- Hobby Lobby

·    Other papers and scraps of paper doilies from my stash

Entered into:  

Double D’s Challenge- Banners Challenge                 

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #434-435 Anything Goes                   

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- April                                

It was fun to make a card with this set from Bugaboo, which includes the image, sentiments and even a few patterned papers. After coloring the sweet image, I attached him to a to a card base this is super easy to make and really rocks! (Actually, I’ve seen these called rocker cards, wobble cards, and swing cards. But by any name they are FUN! You can find the instructions HERE.) I do have to admit that after making this card I am REALLY hungry for cookies. Sadly, it snowed all day and no travel is advised. Plus… do you think running to the store for chocolate chips would be considered “essential”? Ha! I’m entering this card into several challenges including Outlawz Thursday Challenge (requires a map or sign. I think that both the front and back sentiments might qualify as signs?), Do-Al[l[ Kreatives (Swing Card) and Path Of Positivity Challenge (Since I started stamping nearly 25 years ago I’ve loved making creative fold cards. Usually they are fairy simple like this card… and the gatefold that also appears on this post. But I’m just finishing a Waterfall Card and also love making Tri-shutter and Z-fold cards when I have time. They always provide a nice “WOW” factor.)

 

Supplies: 

·    Digi and Sentiments- Bugaboo (KIDZ Cookie Card Kit)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Assorted background papers from my stash

·    Circle templates from my scrapbook stash

·    Card base- Instructions found HERE

Entered into:  

Jan’s Digi Stamps- Anything Goes-#11

The Paper Shelter- #422 Digital Challenge

Outlawz Challenge- Twisted Thursday- Anything Goes (Optional TWIST: Maps or Signs)

Do-Al[l] Kreatives #40 Swing Card

Path Of Positivity Challenge- Challenge #79 (Optional Twist- Style)

It doesn’t feel like today is Easter Sunday, mainly because of the winter weather, and the safe at home orders means no friends or family can join us to celebrate. I'm thankful that my hubby and I were able to attend church this morning. Albeit… we were in our jammies… in our recliners… which was actually kinda nice! So, to make it feel more like Easter, I made a few Easter cards. This is the first, made with a vintage SU stamp, a free digi sentiment and a scrap of upcycled calendar page. I also added some wonderful texture with mini flower sequins that I picked up from Simon Says Stamp. These are actually becoming a favorite embellishment, and look great with a single dot of Buttercup Liquid Pears in their center. Adorable! (I provided a closeup of the front so that you can see the mini sequin flowers. I also added several around the inside sentiment. I really do love them!) 

  
 

Supplies: 

·    Bunny Stamp- Stampin’ Up! (From a retired set)

·    Front sentiment- Embossing Arts Wood-mount stamp (company is no longer in business)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Inside sentiment- Free digi from Love SVG (Easter Blessings)

·    Assorted background paper and scrap of upcycled calendar page from my stash

·    Mini Flower Sequins- Simon Says Stamp (Sequins Tiny Flowers Vanilla01)

·    Liquid Pearls- Buttercup

Entered into: 

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Add Some Texture                              

Polkadoodles Challenge-Week 15 Anything Goes                                   

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays                                                       

Bugaboo Stamps- April Spring Fling       

Paper Scrap Basket

I am posting a few cards in which I've used paper scraps to make a basket of flowers and Easter eggs in the next few days and decided to write instructions in a separate post. I'm sorry they are messy! I seldom provide tutorials... so hope this works for you. 

Above are samples of two baskets. The one on the right is the one detailed below. The other version was made from lighter colored paper. After it was put together, I added shading with a tan marker and highlights with a white colored pencil. 

 STEP 1- Cut a scrap of cardboard into a square to make a base for the basket. I upcycled a tissue box, but any similar weight of cardboard will work. The This adds strength so that you can actually put things into it! (I usually make a small square basket. You can make the basket any size you prefer.) Cut paper into 1/2 inch wide strips that are at least an inch longer than the length needed. (You can use kraft or tan cardstock, or use strips from a brown paper bag!) 

 STEP 2- Attach a strip of adhesive along the left edge of the base, line up the strips and press the ends to attach them. (I prefer double-stick tape but other options will work.)

 STEP 3- Attach a strip of adhesive along the right edge of the base.  Fold the strips around and across the base, bringing the ends up at the right side. Gently line them up, and then fold the ends onto the adhesive and press to attach them. 

 STEP 4- Flip the base over and it will look like this. 

 STEP 5- Attach a strip of adhesive along the bottom edge of the base. Line up the paper strips and press the ends onto the adhesive to attach them. 

 STEP 6- Lay the basket base on the table so that the back of it is facing down. Gently fold the bottom strips up over the front of the basket so that they line up nicely, then crease them across the bottom. 

 STEP 7- Flip the base over and add a strip of transparent tape to all three sides to secure the ends of the paper strips.

 STEP 8- Gently weave the paper strips from the bottom, up through the horizontal strips, alternating the over/under placement of the strips. (See photo of the finished basket for help)  This takes a bit of maneuvering, but if you take your time and work gently you shouldn't have any rips. When finished, trim the loose ends along the top of the base. 

 STEP 9- Cut one strip of kraft scrap that is a bit wider than the other strips to serve as the top strip of your basket. For my sample basket, this top strip is 3/4 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches long. Attach a small amount of adhesive along the upper right and left top of the basket's back. Gently attach one end of the top strip to the left side, don't press it down securely yet. Wrap it around the front of the basket, so that it is slightly "taller" than the trimmed strips, and fold the remaining end onto the adhesive on the right side. Check to see if placement looks correct. If it does, press the ends securely to attach. 

If desired, you can fold the top strip so that it extends a bit at the end, like with the tan basket below.

 STEP 10- When finished, you'll have created a woven "pouch" into which you can insert anything you desire, flowers, Easter eggs, or maybe even a small treat or gift card? 

Glimpses of wonder

It’s Friday, so time for another challenge at QKR Stampede!  Stop by the challenge, which is always “Anything Goes” and several prizes are awarded. Maybe you’ll be inspired to enter a card or two yourself? This week, I decided to make a simple… yet very powerful… card. I used a digital stamp that is one of my favorite scriptures. I paired it with a postcard that I have saved for many years because the photo takes my breath away. The photo corners and rust-colored gems help to draw attention to the beautiful colors in the photo. I'm entering this card into several challenges including the We Craft Cards Quarantine Challenge to use something we own that we’ve barely- or never- used. I have so many items that fit into that category... but opted to make a card that includes four such items- the digi sentiment, the postcard that I found at a Goodwill at least a decade ago, the gems (I have tons in many colors) and the orange photo corners (that picked up years ago to use on Halloween cards but always forget about them when October rolls around!) 

Supplies: 

·    Sentiment- Eureka Digital Stamps (Be Still and Know)

·    Postcard, photo corners and gems from my stash

Entered into:  

We Craft Cards Monday Challenge- Quarantine Challenge

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #434-435 Anything Goes                   

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #129 Anything Goes

Jan’s Digi Stamps- Anything Goes-#11

Friday also means I get to share DT cards for the Colour Crazy Challenge. This challenge is also an “Anything Goes” but it adds a requirement- the creation needs to include coloring in “any colouring medium you like, onto any project you like, and in any colours you like.” I’ve never outgrown my love for coloring… which is why making cards is stress therapy for me!!

Our sponsor this week is a new company for me named “Ikes’s World.” Since it’s spring, I chose this cute image named, appropriately, “Bunnies” (which is just $1.00!) Spectrum Noir markers and a Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen adds a bit of color and definition to the bunnies and a few butterflies (one is on the inside of the card) which are from a Bugaboo image. The background photo is upcycled from an old calendar page. I fussy-cut the momma bunny and her kidlets, then tucked them behind an old vintage window pane, using an Exacto knife to cut the frames out so that the little bunnies are partially hidden. So cute! The inside features another bit of the calendar page, plus an old wood-mount sentiment stamp from Printworks. I’m entering this card into several challenges including  Simon Says Wednesday Challenge’s Spring Mood Board  (my card features spring flowers and butterflies), the current Butterfly Challenge (I included the Colors- Wisteria and Wheat, and the  Themes- Wood Effect/weathered wood window frame plus two Butterflies) and the Path Of Positivity Challenge # 79 (my style includes often upcycling items or using items in unusual ways. This card provides a lovely example of that… and explains why I have boxes of old calendars, sheet music from the 20’s and 30’s, old cards and office supplies plus lots of antique lace and ribbon from my mom’s box of treasures!)

 

 

Supplies: 

·    Bunnies- Ikes’s World Digital Image (Bunnies)

·    Butterfly- Bugaboo Digital Image (Frame it HAPPINESS)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Inside Sentiment- Printworks Rubber Stamps “Easter Blessings” (No longer available) 

·    Assorted background paper and upcycled calendar page from my stash

Entered into:  

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Spring Mood Board         

Butterfly Challenge- #140 W for Waterfall Card  

Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #117
Scribbles Designs Challenge- #87 In Bloom          

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- April 2020 #37                                    

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration & Challenge- Animals

Path Of Positivity Challenge- Challenge #79 (Optional Twist- Style)

The final card for this posting is a cute one that features the adorable pup named Patch from Di’s Digi Stamps. The sentiments are both freebies from a site named Mudmaven (that offers lots of wonderful freebie sentiments.) The large circle is cut from a purple document plastic! (If you follow my blog you’ll be familiar with plastic document folders as they are one of my favorite accessories. They come in a pack of assorted colors and can be found in the office supply section of most stores and sometimes dollar stores. They're cheaper than colored vellum and are more translucent.  The plastic is also very easy to fussy-cut with a sharp scissor. I try not to waste the tiniest scrap… so the stars are also made from this purple plastic wonder!)

Supplies: 

·    Digi- Di’s Digi Stamps (Party Patch)                                                 

·    Front Sentiment- Mudmaven Freebie (Wishing You a Very Happy Birthday)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Inside  sentiment- Mudmaven Freebie (Celebrate)
·    Assorted background papers and black photo corners  from my stash
·    Circle and star templates from my scrapbook stash

·    Purple plastic document folder from my stash

Entered into:  

Di’s Digi Stamps- Birthdays                                                                   

The Paper Shelter- #422 Digital Challenge

The Sisterhood of Crafters- Kid’s Cards

Pattie's Creations Challenge- #169 Birthdays

Reasons to Celebrate

I wanted to create a card for the Art Impressions challenge named “Bloom Where You are Planted” and decided to use assorted mini floral wood mounted stamps from AI that I’ve had since the late 90’s. (They are no longer available, but I did check and found a few of their current watercolor bundles have stamps that would work beautifully to make these bookmarks.) I set up a page of a scripture verse in 4 columns to fit on an 8.5 x 11-inch sheet of paper. (I’ve provided a screenshot of the page set up which allows for the top part of the card to fold back and down. When magnet strips are attached, they sandwich the page of the book and hold the bookmark in place.)  I printed the page onto a sheet of cardstock and added the floral edging to the scripture with stamps and several pastel-colored ink pads before I cut them into strips. I trimmed the ends with decorative scissors, attached a strip of teal vellum to the back of the printed flap and added two strips of magnetic tape. (You can buy this as any craft store. However, I discovered that I didn’t have any on hand. So, I improvised and cut a refrigerator magnet into squares and attached two of them to the inside of the bookmark with double-sided tape. Worked beautifully!)

I made this card for a friend who loves shabby chic cards so added ribbon and lace. Plus, I know that she loves to send cards, so I cut one of the other scripture strips in half and used the printed part to make a sentiment that I attached to the front of the card. I plan to write my note on the inside of the card on a post-it… and explain that she can remove her bookmark, and the post-it note, and have a card that she can share with someone else! She loves to upcycle so I know that she’ll love that idea.

 

 

Supplies: 

·    Assorted mini floral stamps- Art Impressions wood mounted  stamps (no longer available)

·    Colored with assorted ink pads from my stash.  

·    Front Sentiment, scripture bookmark, and magnet instructions are all computer generated.

·    Inside  sentiment-  We Are 3 Digital Sentiment Set “Smiles”

·    Assorted papers, vellum,  ribbon, lace, magnet strips and double-stick tape 

·    Fiskars Decorative Scissors- Victorian

Entered into:  

Art Impressions- #279 Bloom Where You Are Planted                          

Simon Says Monday Challenge- Add Some Texture                              

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #434-435 Anything Goes                   

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- April                                

This image from The Paper Shelter is appropriately named “Happy.” She makes me smile! After coloring her I paired her with a bold flowery background, fussy-cutting a few of the flowers to scatter across the front and inside of the card. So cute!

Supplies: 

·    Digi- The Paper Shelter (Happy)  

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Inside Sentiment- Printworks Rubber Stamps “Easter Blessings” (No longer available)  

·    Assorted background papers from my stash

Entered into:  

The Paper Shelter- #422 Digital Challenge

The Sisterhood of Crafters- Kid’s Cards
Lemon Shortbread Challenge- Anything Goes #117

Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #500 (Optional twist- For the Girls) 

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #129 Anything Goes

Jan’s Digi Stamps- Anything Goes-#11

Digi Doodle Studios Blog- Challenge #26 Easter/Spring

For my final card this challenge I made a sweet birthday card to add to my stash of kids cards. It features a Bugaboo digital image, colored with Spectrum Noir markers. To give it a special touch that any kiddo will love, I adhered the image atop a fun card base that really ROCKS! (Actually, I’ve seen these called rocker cards, wobble cards and swing cards. But by any name they are FUN!) 

Supplies: 

·    Image- Bugaboo Digital Stamp (Theodore Birthday Sign)

·    Colored with Spectrum Noir alcohol markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·    Assorted background papers from my stash

·    Circle templates from my scrapbook stash

·    Easy instructions for card base here HERE (except I used plain circles instead of scalloped ones.)

Entered into:  

Bugaboo Stamps- April Anything Goes      
Outlawz Challenges- Monday Greeting Challenge- Geometric Shapes

Di’s Digi Stamps- Birthdays                                                                   

Pattie's Creations Challenge- #169 Birthdays

2craftycrittercrazies Challenge- April 2020 #37                                    

Do-Al[l] Kreatives #40 Swing Card

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Fridays