Happy Graduation!

Sorry for the blurry picture--I must have been in a hurry to upload.  I have been busy, busy cardmaking and can't wait to share all my creations!

I needed three graduation cards, so here is what I came up with.  I used my new paper weaving die I got recently from Inky Antics.  Such a fun die, but I had thumb problems--pain and swelling--from making so many paper woven cards!  I will have to pace myself with these!

I had gotten a fabulous little 6" paper pad from Jo Ann's on sale--full of colorful solids that I thought would be good to have on hand for my Cricut cutting.  They were so colorful, and did I say glitzy?!  I set the colorful strips off with a black background for this card.

When I first got the paper weaving die, the directions indicated to use quilling strips for the woven strips.  So I did!  But I didn't realize until I already made two (so much weaving!) that the directions called for 1/4" quilling strips.  I had been using 1/8" strips.  Duh!  So when I made this card I hand cut my strips to 1/4".  I did find that the weaving goes so much better if you actually use a scant 1/4" or just a little less than 1/4" wide.

I think the colorful strips set off with a black background were the perfect backdrop for the little graduation figure (Stampington) which I have had for years and haven't used for years.  I used a regulation blue for the graduation robe, but if you were thoughtful and not in a hurry (like me) you could customize the robe to the school colors.

So, three graduation cards finally finished and ready for the mail.  Check that job off!  Thank you, papercrafting supplies!

Happy Mother's Day!

This is the card we are going to make in Children's Church tomorrow.  I got the design from Lia Griffith.  I love her projects, and she has easy downloads if you belong to her site.  Check it out: liagriffith.com

No affiliation, I am just a fan.

This is a cute cactus design that you punch holes in and then stitch with embroidery floss.  The inside of the card says  "Thanks for helping me grow."  I love it that these are so cute and fast and easy.

Thanks, Lia Griffith, for helping me have a happy mother's day!

Encouragement Card

I made this card as an encouragement card for the college students at our church as graduation and finals approach.  Inside it says, "It's the journey, not the destination that counts.  Go with God, wherever He may lead you, and you will do all right."

I used the Cricut Explore program to create the arrows on the front of the card, importing a simple arrow image and changing the colors of the arrows and varying placement of each.  Then I "print and cut" each card front.  I stamped the sentiment onto vellum and made a vellum band around each of the card fronts before placing the fronts onto the prepared cards.  I had printed the card insides with Word.  The final touch was the little arrow sticker embellishment, which is not only attractive, but also helps hold the vellum band in place.

I have to say, the sentiment stamp (My Sentiments Exactly) was my inspiration for this card.  I got it at Hobby Lobby and knew it would be the perfect message for an inspiration card for students.  I think the vellum, which I also got at Hobby Lobby, stamped beautifully.  I made 22 of these!  Lots of work for my little bug!  and my printer!  and me!  I know the card won't be as appreciated as the gift card that goes inside, but at least the kids know we are thinking about them.

Playing with Chibitronics Light Up Cards!

What you are seeing in the picture is my first light up card!  I used the kit from Chibtronics to make the light up circuit.  So much fun!

I again got the idea from Big Picture Classes, this time from a class called Interactive Cards for Kids.  The card above lights up beautifully (the eyes of the mask on the left light up when you press the flower on the right).  But, and this is a big but--you have to use three layers of thick foam adhesive tape to keep the battery in place.  (The battery is below the red flower on the right.)  This is way thicker than any shaker card I have ever made.  More about that later.

Anyway, I made the card front in its entirety first.  I embossed a piece of aqua cardstock with a tropical embossing folder and then rubbed one of my new loves over the top of it--Nuvo Embellishment Paste, in copper.  I then stamped, colored, and cut the images from My Favorite Things Tiki Party stamp set and arranged them on the card.  I then poked holes in the eyes I wanted to light up and followed the directions given on the Big Picture class site.  Very successful, but like I said, a thick card.

So-o-o-o, I went to work fixing this problem.  Here is my next card, with my "fix" included:

This time, after making the card front in its entirety, I punched a 1 3/8" square hole in the bottom right of the finished card front.  When I made my circuit, the only adjustment I made was to make sure the folded card stock that holds the battery is no bigger than 1" square.  I then made a layered adhesive "box" around the 1" folded card, added a 1 3/8" square with a 1" square cut out in the middle out of matching brown cardstock and affixed that to the top of the layered foam adhesive.  I added only a single layer of foam adhesive to the rest of the card front and slipped the card front over the "box", centering it on my folded 110 lb cardstock notecard.  (You really have to use the heavier cardstock as a card base.)  Finally I added a bouquet of flowers over the "box" to hide the battery button assemblage.  This way, only the battery assemblage is thick.  It makes a much nicer presentation

Anyway, if you want to learn more about how I made this fun light up card, head over to Big Picture classes.  I can't quit pressing the flowers to light up the eyes!  Very fun!  I will, however, give this card only to older children since it does contain a lithium button battery.

Cute animal silhouettes!

Aren't these animal cards adorable?  I had so much fun making them!  I saw the idea for them on another website (Jennifer Maguire), but she used a swipe technique.  I had no luck with that, so I just used colorful inks and then added more color with color pencil where needed.  Such a cute party birthday card!  And I used bits of Ranger stickles glitter glue on the hats and balloons.  It's a party in a card!  Love this Hero Arts stamp set!  I may get the matching dies--I can see a whole box of "animal crackers" stickers!

Cake, anyone?

I saw Jennifer Maguire's post recently on monochromatic stamping, in which she made a cake card, and was intrigued with the idea.  I always need birthday cards, so I found this cake stamp by Hero Arts for half price at Joann's and went for it.  I think it fit the bill!

Here is Jennifer's original post:   http://www.jennifermcguireink.com/2017/03/mono.html

I have used all of the inking products she mentioned in her post previously, but never came up with such a WOW idea!

Instead of just framing the images, though, as she did in the post, I decided to turn my images into shaker cards.  One for a guy, one for a gal!   It's a party!  Love, love this technique!

Peacock Proud!

I had so much fun with my Hero Arts Peacock Layering Stamp set, as you can see in the picture above.  I made tons of peacocks with various inks and then had fun laying them out into cards.  On some of the cards I incorporated some stenciling done with embossing paste and then colored with inks.  Such fun!  The peacock is my emblem, as many of you know.  I have collected many peacock stamps in my lifetime, but I think this layering one is the most fun.  I also bought the matching die, but I found I really didn't need it, plus it is difficult to stamp in just the right position to use the die, plus you have to add his feet.  I just stamped and then cut by hand--not really such a big job.  Love this stamp set!