Quick Cards

At stamping group this past week, I spent some time coloring some flower images I had stamped out a long time ago.  I used Copic markers.  In the next few days, I spent some time picking out some coordinating papers and putting the images onto some cards.  I needed some all-purpose cards I could use for get well, sympathy, and birthday cards at the spur of the moment.  Here are the results:

It certainly helps to have a lot of tools to hanging around!  I used a Martha Stewart border punch on the second set and a Sizzix rick-rack die on the first set.  I also like having a lot of papers to choose from.  I knew all those paper pads would come in handy!  You just never know what you might need!  I also found a little sentiment stamp from Hero Arts that coordinated perfectly.  A little twine, a few buttons, and some glitter glue didn't hurt either.  Now I am all set for when I need a card!

I hope your day is blooming pop up card

I made several cuts using the Cricut Everyday Pop Up Cards cartridge to make this card.  Three cuts are used for the outside of the card:  the window box, the flowers, and the stems.  OK--I used a punch for the yellow flowers!  The sentiment is from Paper Trey Ink.
       Here is the inside of the card:

I found a wonderful tip on an internet blog which recommended glueing the flower stems to the window box, rather than have them flop around inside the window box, as the directions from Cricut state.  When I used the Cricut directions, my flowers did not pop up, they just lay flat.  With them glued to the backside of the window box (an extra piece glued to the front of the pop up) the whole structure pops up properly.  

    Below is a side view so you can see the pop up structure:

I used Stampin' Up cardstock, which cuts nicely on the Cricut and is crisp enough to show off the pop up.  The wood texture stamp is from Hero Arts.

I hope you have a blooming day!

St. Patrick's Day 2015: My lucky charm book

Here are some pictures of a little book I designed for a group get-together on St. Patrick's Day this year.  It is a chipboard "lucky charm" book.  Each interior page has a window cut-out with charms attached, so as you flip through the book, the charms play upon each other.  Each page has also a little tag and an Irish blessing along with a little sticker.  I got the little stickers from Hallmark years ago.  I hope you have fun looking at my cute little "charming" book!  I have yet to decorate the covers.  I made two of these little books using the smallest page of my Accucut flip album die coupled with a single "Convertible" die for the cut-out.  The pages are covered with various green/St. Patrick's themed papers I have collected over the years.    

Cricut Explore Birthday Card

I am always in need of birthday cards, so I jumped at the chance to make this cute candle card from the Cricut Design Space ideas.  I have a subscription, so I didn't need to pay any extra for the design.  I cut out two of these and will make many more.  I also added some Stickles to the candle flames (not shown in the picture above.)  I liked the idea of a design already planned out and ready to go, including the envelope.  The Explore cut everything out fabulously and all the images line up perfectly.  No sweat, no brain power, just simple crafting fun.

Showering Blessings

This little pop up card was fun to make, and is very pretty in pastel Bazzill Bling cardstock.  I had leftovers from a couple of baby chipboard books that I made so I made some matching cards.  The pop up umbrella is of course from Cricut Everyday Pop Up Cards cartridge, as is the layered sentiment on the front of the card.  I cut the Showering Blessings from a thin die I have had for a while--cannot remember the name of the company--besides the company is called something else now.  The buttons on the front of the card are cut from Paper Trey Ink button dies.  A few stickles on my umbrella make it shine.  I hope you have a sunshiny day, not a rainy one!  Maybe this umbrella is more of a parasol!

Go Wild!

Here is a cute pop up card I made using a hodge-podge of stuff!  I first made the giraffe pop up and then raided my craft room for "go withs".  The card turned out to be a little large at 6" square, but the giraffe has a long neck!  This giraffe was cut on my old Cricut, now retired, since I got the new Explore.  I love the Explore!  The cuts are perfect.  I expect to make many posts about projects using the Explore, since I have played with the new machine almost constantly since I got it.
     Back to the card--I used some two sided paper, circles on one side, solid on the other, a Hero Arts digital stamp, colored with Copics, a Hero Arts giraffe stamp, some Hobby Lobby border stickers to assemble the front of the card.
     Here is the inside giraffe pop up:

Very fun!