Six Days of Valentine's Day Goodies: Day 1

I made a bunch of fun Valentine's Day cards.

Merry Christmas 2012: A Family Photo Christmas Card Idea

 

Make a Large Christmas Card

I was so excited when I found the perfect envelopes for our client who prefers to send out big Christmas cards.  What I mean by "big" is that he prefers the cards to be 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" instead of the usual 5-1/2" x 4-1/4".  I came up with this card, which is based on a card that is featured on page 20 of Stampin' Up's 2012 Holiday Catalog.
He was thrilled!

Purple Flip-Up Card

I'm so tired of making the typical 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" card!  So here is my shot at a flip-up card:

Beautiful Color Combos

Aren't they beautiful?  Every year, Stampin' Up! comes out with five new colors that are only available for a limited time.  I am totally in love with this year's combinations.  Here's a look at the old stand-by Early Espresso combined with three of the new colors:  Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral,  and Wisteria Wonder.  I'm in love, love, love!

Use Your Scraps

Remember this post, where I showed you how to make paper rosettes?  I mentioned that after you die-cut the scallop circles, you would have little parts of the smaller scallop circle left over. 

Make a First Holy Communion Card

I was contacted by a new client to make invitations for her son's first Holy Communion.  Big challenge for me...I realized that I don't have any religious paraphernalia in my papercrafting supplies.

I always love to take on a new challenge.  I wanted to make sure the card was appropriate for a little boy.  Several of the crucifix stamps that I could find were either too intricate or had lots of flowers and vines on them.

I decided to use a punch to create a cross and print the words "First Holy Communion" instead of trying to find the right stamps.

Baby Shower Invitation

I just completed a job for a client who requested "fun" and "different" invitations for a baby shower.  She didn't want the printed ones that you can order online.  (Woo hoo!)

I emailed her a couple of choices.  The first sample started out just being a "onesie" card, but I thought it needed to be more than that.  I cut the onesie into two pieces.  That way I was able to get two cards from one "onesie" (are you confused yet?!) and there would be more room inside the invitation for the wording.



I also sent her this old stand-by as another choice:



She suggested onesies and a clothesline, so I came up with this, and it was the winner!



So fun to make! 

Dazzling Details

Have you ever discovered something new and then asked yourself, "How in the world did I live this long without this?"  Well, once you add Dazzling Details glitter glue to your projects, you will definitely know what I mean. 

Make a Large Christmas Card with a LOT of Bling

Most handmade cards are made by using 1/2 sheet of 8-1/2" x 11" cardstock.  This makes the card end up measuring 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".  (Like the size of an invitation.)

One of my clients requested bigger cards this year.  Hmmmm....that is a challenge!  I'm just so used to making standard-sized cards that it is difficult for me to "think bigger."

What I decided to do was to use a smaller card and just add some additional background elements to make the card bigger. 



I used an entire sheet of cardstock for the card, so the final card measures 5-1/2" x 8-1/2".  Yes, it is a lot of paper, but I like the results!

For the bling, I used glittery cardstock, which meant no messing around with glue and glitter.



A nice little touch of bling at the top of the card to pull it all together and balance the colors:



Coming up on Tuesday:  supply list.  There are tons of supplies for this card, but don't let that scare you!  Promise?

Thanksgiving Card: Tutorial

Remember this cute little goose?  It is a stamp that is part of the "Cherish Friendship" stamp set.  This cute little bowl of cherries is also a part of the set.  Can I just tell you that I was up until 1 am making a bunch of these?  Trust me, it's a fun card to make!  Too bad our Thanksgiving plans won't be very exciting this year.  I would have loved to have given them to my aunt as a thank-you for hosting us.  :(

I've listed the supplies and cardstock measurements below. 





Supplies:

 

 

  

 

 

Cherish Friendship stamp set

Blender Pens

Watercolor Pencils

Well-Worn Designer Series Paper

Linen Thread

Watercolor Paper

River Rock card stock

Cajun Craze card stock

Stazon Ink

Stazon Cleaner

Measurements:

Start with a piece of 4-1/4" x 11" cardstock, scored at 5-1/2"

Invitation for My Dad & His Brother's 75th Birthday Party: Tutorial

I finished the invitations for the upcoming birthday bash in honor of my dad and his twin brother's 75th birthday.  It really is quite challenging to combine creativity with age-appropriateness.  Birthday party invitations usually call for balloons and confetti and fun stuff like that.  However, those things really didn't seem to fit.  This is what I came up with.  It is really easy to make.  Take a look:



I used drywall tape to break up the plain blue background.  I'm telling you, every papercrafter needs to have drywall tape on-hand.



They have lived on opposite sides of the country pretty much all of their lives, so there really aren't many pictures of just the two of them together.  I thought this baby picture was cute, no? 



I love this denim ribbon by Stampin' Up!  I wish I could buy/make denim-looking paper.  (Hmmm...does anyone know how?)



Be sure to cover the brad fasteners with a piece of cardstock to make sure your finished product is nice and clean-looking.

Mishmash: Part 2

Alas, here is another mishmash masterpiece.  Let me just say that making mishmash cards has been so liberating for me.  I am so OCD.  The fact that these colors don't really match seems to work for me, though.
Try it!  Throw all of your scraps and stuff into a big pile and go to town.  You might surprise yourself!  Share your creations by leaving a link to your blog in the comments section below.

A Mishmash of Color & Stuff

Mishmash is actually a word.  Did you know that?  It really is.  It's in the dictionary, so it must be legit, right?  It's spelled "mishmash" or "mishmosh," however you prefer.  Either way, it means the same thing.  "A hodgepodge of stuff."  (That's a HODGE podge, not a MOD podge...hee hee  :) )
In the ever-ongoing process of cleaning my craft room, I decided it was finally time to finish all of the half-finished card projects that were cluttering my desk and getting on my nerves.  I decided to blend everything together...I put EVERYTHING, including scraps of paper and embellishments that could never seem to find homes, in one big pile, grabbed coordinating colors, and went to town.
Here is today's example of a mishmash card.  I'm pleasantly surprised with the results.  These are colors that I would never use all together at the same time, yet somehow they seem to work.
You know what they say...desperate times call for desperate measures.  I have been desperate to clean that room, and darn it, one day it will happen.


Come back tomorrow for an even more mishmashed card.  You'll be inspired.

Halloween Party Invitation Template & Tutorial

Now that you have your masks made, below is an invitation you can make for a fun party for your daughter and her friends and their dolls.  I like the color combos, don't you?  They are kind of creepy and classy at the same time.  :)






   

Let's get started making this fun pocket invitation!

Click HERE for the template.

For this card, we are going to use the pocket template for a 5" x 7" card.  (The template also includes a pocket for a 4 1/4" 5 1/2" card.)





 















Now you try it!