Card Pressie Gives Me a Smile!

My friend and cardmaking buddy made me a little card and delivered it yesterday morning to my doorstep!  It's absolutely adorable, and I love it!  She is using a die from My Favorite Things that I gave her. . .just because.  This was her way of thanking me, and I do love this kind of thank you!  

Charlene makes such cute and lovely cards and don't you just love the details.  I oohed and aahed over the clouds, because I would love to have that stamp, but she says she's had it for years!    I just had to share her card and her thoughtfulness.  THANK YOU! Charlene.

My Brother Has A Birthday!

My brother is having a milestone birthday in early, early May, and he will suddenly be two years old than not just one, as he reaches the beginning of another decade!  I am on a cardmaking spree right now trying to get all of my early May cards completed before I leave for my four-day Girls' Get-Away Cardmaking Retreat, which is my present to myself for Mother's Day.  I know it will be oodles and oodles of fun, laughter, and hilarity as those are the kinds of ladies who are going.  I predict a thoroughly marvelous time!

Back to my brother's card for his birthday.  I made a card similar to this one last spring, which was inspired by a Liz Thayer design.  My previous card sported a mustache, and while my brother has a mustache and a beard, just a mustache didn't seem like him as he has never had just a mustache.  I decided his card would be stamped just as the stamp comes with cake and candles.  My card, as in the previous version, has more paper layers than Liz's original, but I retained the collage of masculine-oriented paper patterns.  I'm sure my brother will love his card, and he will know I've been thinking about him as I was making his card and getting it ready for the mail.

The inside creation has now been completed and designed to coordinate with the outside, and I've added a humorous verse about aging that I think my brother will enjoy.

 (Card inspired by a Liz Thayer design and modified by me.)

Recipe:  Stampin' Up papers:  Basic Black cs, Soft Suede cs, Very Vanilla cs, 2013-2015 Neutrals dsp stack (Chevron-Soft Suede/ Scallop-Crumb Cake), Modern Medley dsp.  SU stamp: See Ya Later.  Memento Black, SU Soft Suede (distressing).  SU Early Espresso Chevron ribbon, pearls.EK Photo Corner punch (inside). Size: 5" x 6-1/4"

Feel Better Soon!

A good friend is under the weather and needs a little card to perk her up.  I decided to pull an old, but very well liked paper collection to use: Stella Rose by My Mind's Eye.  I like the blues and yellows, which makes it just the right combination for this time of year in the Northwest.  Sometimes, its a bit gloomy and rainy and sometimes the sun is shining with a 75-degree day.  Each day tells a new weather story, and I'm sure, from past history, there's still some wintery weather left for Mother Nature to bring, but today we'll throw in a little spring to remind us of what's coming!

I decided to case a little card made several years ago by my sister, Heidi Gonzales, (My Lil' Scrap Corner), but change it up a bit by enlarging it and adding a navy mat layer for a bit more color.  Enlarging the card allowed the card elements to be spaced apart more, becoming more visible.  I also wanted to make sure my flowered paper layer presented lots of the yellow flowers to coordinate with the golden-yellow polka dot paper.  My handmade paper flower is a bit different, as I added blue-green felt as an under layer, making the blues in my hand-dyed crochet lace pop.  (The lace was colored with Copic markers).

A number of Stampin' Up demonstrators and cardmakers are going on a little Girls' Get-Away Cardmaking retreat, and my friend (and my Stampin' Up upline) is busy preparing all kinds of yummy foods and crafting ideas for us to take part in, but is also feeling a bit under the weather.  I chose a Here For You sentiment to let my friend know that if she needs any help preparing before we go, or whatever, I am ready to pitch in, as we want her to spend time recuperating and not wearing herself out.  I think she will enjoy her little card from me.

Below is the finished inside of the card, designed to coordinate with the outside, with a little feel better soon verse made from me.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up (SU) cardstocks: Very Vanilla (base), Night of Navy.  Patterned: My Mind's Eye: Stella Rose - Hattie Boy Tapestry, Hattie Happy Bouquet, Hattie Buddies Argyle Dots.  SU stamps: And Many More (sentiment).  My Favorite Things dies: Poinsettia (blue-green felt), Photo Corners (inside).  Papertrey Ink die: Delightful Dahlia (leaf).  SU die: Flower Fold BigZ (newsprint - 2 sizes), Windows Frames (modified).  SU punch: 7/8" Scallop punch (flower center).  SU ribbon: Very Vanilla seam binding.  May Arts: twine.  Stash: 3/4" Crochet lace (Copic-colored), buttons.  Computer verse.  Size: 5" square.

A Birthday Boy Card!

One of my nephew's has a birthday in April.  I can't believe he is already going to be eight!  For some reason making little boy cards throws my creative juices into a panic.  Probably, because I find making masculine cards much more difficult whether they be for men or boys!  It's also probably because I have had far less experience with this cardmaking genre than with feminine cards!  I need to force myself to make several masculine cards in a row, so I can feel what the masculine cardmaking groove feels like!  Maybe, I can learn to enjoy it right from the get go, and not start with that, "Oh no. . .a masculine card, what will I do!"

I saw recently saw a card by Diana Eichfeld using Stampin' Up's Boys Will Be Boys stamp set and the sponging/ burnishing effect using the Sale-A-Bration Irresistibly Yours designer paper in a rainbow array of colors.  I loved the look of it so much that I decided to CASE her card.  Thank you Diana for your ideas using this stamp set.

I did change my card some by adding a zigzag punch border around my card front before adhering it to the double mat layers of white and red cardstocks.  I also double matted my image using the Spellbinder's Pinked Circles, which look very much like Stampin' Up Starburst framelits, but there are many more sizes to choose from with the Spellbinders dies.  Color choices on my little robot are my own, and my sentiment is double matted and uses the Apothecary framelits as well, but I did modified my die cuts considerably to achieve the double mat effect.  I also used gears from the Spellbinders Sprightly Sprockets instead of modifying the Starburst framelits.  I think my little nephew will be excited about his little robot card.

Below is the inside created to coordinate with the outside design, and my little robot's birthday message explaining his late arrival.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up: cardstocks--Real Red, Pacific Point, Whisper White, Daffodil Yellow, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Brushed Silver; dsp--SAB/ Irresistibly Yours; stamp--Boys Will Be Boys; inks--Real Red, Pacific Point, Daffodil Yellow, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive; framelits--Apothecary Arts (modified); 3/4" circle; 1-1/4" circle.  Spellbinder dies: Circles SM, Pinking Circles, Sprightly Sprockets,  Punch: EK Zig Zag border.  Copic markers.

Another April Birthday to Celebrate!

I needed another April birthday card, and time was running short.  So, what else is new in my world. . .time is always running out!  I went searching in my finished card stash, which is running rather low at the moment. . .and found nothing there that I thought was just right person I needed the card for.  Then, I scurried to my "To Do" box of cards, which held card kits to make and half finished cards that I just hadn't seemed to get around to finishing.  Much to my pleasure, I found a Liz Thayer card design started last year at one of her cardmaking events but never finished.  The black lattice layer on vanilla, matted in black was complete, along with the little Petite Petals flowers with pearls.  The small striped paper with ribbon layered over was also in place, but there was no sentiment and no other pieces to add to the card in the ziploc bag, except a vanilla cardbase.  It looked like it just needed more, but I had no picture to see what it's original completed design was meant to be.  So, I thought I would finish it off with some ideas of my own to make it the birthday card that I needed.  

I added a Coastal Cabana aqua mat layer beneath the black layer and cut a larger vanilla cardbase to fit.  I added a Coastal Cabana paper bow on top of the ribbon with my new Stampin' Up Bow Builder punch (2015 Occasions catalog) and a little scalloped circle birthday sentiment tag to hang underneath.  I really liked the look it, and it looked like a finished card now.  It was ready to send off in the mail tomorrow as soon as I finished the inside!

Below is my finished inside design to coordinate with the card front creation.  In making my birthday verse, I used the same computer font for the front birthday tag.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up: cardstock--Very Vanilla, Coastal Cabana, Basic Black; dsp--Retro Fresh (2014 Occasions-retired); stamps--Petite Petals; punches--Petite Petals, Bow Builder, 1" Circle, 1-1/4" Scallop Circle; die: Sizzix Lattice BigZ; ribbon--3/8" Ruffled Trim-Coastal Cabana; Pearls.  Sentiment: computer-made (Gisele Script Bold/ 24.  Finished size:  4-1/2" x 5-5/8"

Enjoy Your Birthday Day!

One of my cardmaking buddies will be celebrating her birthday in April.  I wanted to make a card that conveyed how much I wanted her birthday to be super enjoyable, so I chose to make a card from a card kit designed by my sister and my first cardmaking mentor, Heidi Gonzales (My Lil' Scrap Corner.blogspot), because the planned sentiment was perfect. . .Enjoy Your Day!  (Of course, she will enjoy her day. . .fellow cardmaking buddies are taking her to lunch!)

I pulled out the kit paper pieces provided and the picture of the original card.  After mulling it over, I decided I wanted to liven up it up even more by adding more colored layers, which is much more my style than a single cardbase + front layer.  To do this, I added two more layers of colored cardstock that accomplished not only adding more color (the original design had a single-layer vanilla base + front), but it also enlarged the card size from the standard A2 size.  Those of you who have read my blog before have probably noted that I have mentioned several times in past posts that I like cards larger than the A2 size.  I added a new gold card base (Crushed Curry), cut a larger vanilla layer to use between the gold base and my new dark teal layer (Island Indigo).  I also punched the corners of the patterned top layer and the new teal layer with the WRMK "Stub" Corner Chomper.  On the whole, I think the whole card is even more eye-appealing than it already was in its original lovely design.  I think my friend will be please with her Enjoy Your Day birthday card.

My next step was to create an inside design that coordinated with the finished outside.  I added dark teal scalloped trim to my birthday card verse, which I composed and printed from my computer.  Next, a added some little cork flowers with pink Goosebumps---incorporating the flower idea from the front.

Recipe:  SU cardstocks:  Crushed Curry (base), Island Indigo, Very Vanilla.  Pattern Papers: DCWV: Adhesive Cork; MME--Miss Caroline-Dilly Dally/ Dolled Up/ Fiddlesticks.  Papertrey:  Stamps-Mini Blooms (sentiment); Dies-Delightful Dahlia (leaves), Tag Sale #6.  MFT dies: Fishtail Flags. SU punches: 5-Petal Flower (ret.), Boho Blossoms (inside), 1" Circle, 1-1/4" Scallop Circle, 2-3/8" Scallop Circle, Scallop Border (inside).  SU Sizzlits: Lots of Tags.  WRMK Corner Chomper: Stub.  Queen & Co.: Goosebumps Twinkles.  Stash: Dark Celery felt, Embroidery Floss, button.  (Size: 4-3/4" x 6").

Smile! It's Your Birthday

Happy Days!  This card was chosen as a

SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS FAVORITE OF

WEEK ENDING - APRIL 19, 2015

Number two daughter, Jackie, is having a birthday in April.  I've been wanting to make her a card that depicts photography...her first degree from the Art Institute of Seattle.  I say first, because along the way in deciding what she wanted to do when she grew up, her career path changed, she went back to college and graduated with her degree, becoming a registered nurse.  She is due to return to school this fall to finish off her associate R.N. degree with her B.S.N. (Bachelors of Science in Nursing).  But, I diverse. . .back to Jackie's card.  As you can now tell, photography has become more of a hobby than a life-long career endeavor, but you never see Jackie without her camera.  She loves to take pictures, thus the photography theme for her card.

I had all the goodies I needed from Stampin' Up to complete my photography birthday card, and I pulled them all out to get started.  I chose Stampin' Up's Sweet Taffy dsp and selected the paper with the various shades of pink overlapping rows of petals giving it the ombre-like shading and paired it with whites and grays.   I decided my Snapshot camera stamp should be colored with Copics to match the colors in the papers I chose for the card.  My card design evolved into a collage effect of photography paraphenalia: the camera, the frame, and the film strip.  It needed a little femininity, so I added a double-layered butterfly (could be the subject of the photo to be taken).  I think Jackie will like her photograph collage card.

To finish off the card, my final effort is to complete the inside in a design that coordinates with the outside.  I added a little saying and matted in the outside colors and used the ombre-like patterned paper to make decorative corners around the verse.  Here's a peek at the finished product.

Recipe:  Stampin' Up: cardstock-- Melon Mambo, Basic Gray. Whisper White, Basic Black;  dsp--Sweet Taffy; stamp--Snapshot, And Many More (sentiment); framelits: On Film; punch: Note Tag, Elegant Butterfly; Embossing folder: Perfect Dots; Pearls.  EK Punch: Film Strip, Triple Butterfly punch.  MFT dies: Photo Corners.  Finished size: 5-1/2" x 6".  (SplitcoastStampers Thread: April 19, 2015-Thread #1).