Category: cardmaking

Kick Start Butterfly

I’ve been decluttering and organizing over the past several days – craft supplies and magazines for the most part (a long overdue task). What I haven’t been doing is playing much with stamps!

So today was a “get back into the saddle” day for cardmaking. I pulled out my Online Card Classes Kick Start course notebook, which I finally put together yesterday with all the class printouts, and turned to a lovely card by Jennifer McGuire. In fact, in the lesson, she shows five variations of this same design.

KickStartButterfly

 

The background was stamped first with white ink and then again with green for a shadow effect. The next time I make a card like this, I’ll use a background stamp that lays down a little more ink as I think that would be a bit more effective. I dry embossed the butterfly to give it a bit more texture and dimension on the page.

Love Notes

Now you didn’t think I’d stop at just one die-cut envelope card, did you? I became a bit obsessed and made more envelopes in different colors. I even tried all of the other stamps in the “Four Hearts” set, but my favorite stamp for this purpose is the one that would be considered to be a “reverse” stamp.

LoveNotes

Supplies: Amuse Studio envelope die; Glitter paper (Target)

Die Cut Valentine

I wanted to create a Valentine-themed card without a stamped sentiment, because I wanted the background to have some texture. so turned to the Hero Arts Alphabet Dies for an “X” and an “O.” To create the pattern on the die-cut envelope, I stamped one of the hearts from the Hero Arts “Four Hearts” set in a row (alternating direction) to give me enough surface for the envelope die. I used the Pale Tomato shadow ink – I couldn’t believe how beautifully it stamped with the heart stamp. Really enjoying using the shadow inks!

XOCard

Supplies: Amuse Studio envelope die; Amuse Studio wood grain impression plate; Glitter paper (Target)

Valentine’s Mittens

Yesterday I stumbled upon the Restoration Hardware Baby and Child website. I honestly have no idea exactly what led me there, but once I was there, I was mesmerized. The site is full of imaginative and fun spaces!

I particularly liked a child’s room decorated for the winter and set out to make a card with the photo as my inspiration. I wanted to capture the knit print on the bed covers, as well as the gray and red paired with the white. (I find this color combination particularly appealing, especially for the winter.)

ValentinesMittens

Since it was Valentine’s Day, I added some hearts. I had several fits and starts with the card, trying a couple of different ideas for how to add the sentiment. In the end, I decided just to stamp directly on the card base in gray ink (black ink seemed too harsh). So many details, so little time! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Supplies: Impression Obsession Nordic Stripes background stamp; Simon Says Stamp Mini Hearts; Hero Arts Soft Granite Shadow Ink; ColorBox white pigment ink; Stampin’ Up cardstock; Amuse Studio mitten die

Online Card Classes Kick Start Card

I enrolled in the Online Card Classes Kick Start course last fall, but for a variety of reasons, I didn’t make any cards.

 

After the tremendous mojo boost I got from the Clean and Simple 2 course, I decided to revisit the Kick Start materials!

I had a bunch of strips left over from my Neat and Tangled Valentine’s Card, so started with those and made a card based on one that Jennifer McGuire shared in the Kick Start class.

Kickstart1

 

I am amazed time and again by how well the Hero Arts shadow inks work. I used the Soft Granite shadow ink for the “Awesome” sentiment and got a great impression. When first stamped it looks blotchy, but as it dries, it magically smooths out!

Supplies: ColorBox white pigment ink; Encore silver ink; Stampin’ Up gray cardstock; Spellbinders dies