Christmas Cards 2013 showing 2 cards with same layout

one layout design -- 2 different cards

striped mitten card

striped stocking card

employee of the month special creation

Oversized easel-type card for Employee of the Month Congrats

School District starts EOM recognition and 1st recipient is Middle School Secretary

My teaching position is a split of duties between middle school (7th-8th graders) and high school home economics classes. So when the middle school secretary was honored, I wanted to create a very special card for this very special lady. She's our angel!

The card has a whole range of techniques, supplies, and vendors! There's tracing, stenciling, embossing, inking, embellishing, sanding, cutting, etc. The angel image is a re-purposed image from a thank you note card. Some of the vendors include Paper Wishes (yellow heart brad), Martha Stewart Crafts (congrats ribbon), Elmer's Craft Glues (adhesives), etc.

Anniversary card

Layers of details

Anniversary card for my brother and sister-in-law

I'm excited to hear from my sister-in-law April to get her reaction to this card. 18 years!! I've added some number symbolism through some of the details (small punched hearts, stamped hearts, brad hearts). There is a total of 5 family members for them/3 children. The kids are 13, 10+, and 6+.

The layers include doilies, stamping, cardstock/papers, felt, brads, glitter dot embellishments, etc. Some of the specific supplies and vendors are: 3 different heart stamps and rickrack border stamp= Martha Stewart Crafts, ink-Enchanted Evening Ultimate Metallic Encore ink pad= Tsukineko, Inc., pastel glitter dots= EK Success, Adhesive Mat Stack and The Once Upon a Time Mat Stack cardstock= DCWV, 3 heart brads and colored print tab (shown on inside view)= Hot Off The Press through Paper Wishes.com, small heart punch, "Joy" stamp, and "Love" stamp= Studio G.

front/cover

close-up of the top portion of card's front

close-up of the bottom portion of card's front

inside view

Card-making: using a new gadget

New gadget bought on clearance!

traditional "greeting" card

First of all about the new gadget: a few weeks ago while in JoAnn Fabrics I checked a clearance section trying to focus on paper crafting items. And behold, Fiskars tab punch was on clearance for $1.97!!! Yes! For that price I couldn't pass it up. I've used some tabs in the past that have come as embellishments within a kit or pack but rarely die-cutting or creating my own.

 So the recipients of the card are friends I haven't seen or heard from in awhile and I thought a simple "hello" kind of thinking-of-you card would be perfect to add some tabs.

I inked edges of my papers to add definition. I stamped ink onto 1 tab to distinguish it from the other. I made the top flower shape smaller and with different petal shapes to add distinction between the layers. Here's the greeting card:

 front of card (above); scanning on the printer faded out the lavendar in certain areas--sorry.

inside completion of card; very simple= stamped a round purple ink pad onto the cardstock and then stamped the white inked "hello" scalloped circle on top; then I lightly traced over the letters in pencil so they would be readable.

supplies/vendors:
1. The New King James New Testament (paperback)= Broadman & Holman Publishers
2. "hello" scalloped circle stamp, white ink pad, brad= Studio G
3. tab punch= Fiskars
4. lavendar card stock= Colorbok

Making a card using coordinated papers

Using coordinated patterned papers to make a birthday card

Female recipient

Posy flower and simple leaves

Last week was a crazy one full of family obligations, travel, battling the heat, and struggling with health issues enflamed by the heat. Squeezing in time to create cards was very difficult. I did a few quick and easy ones by embellishing pre-printed notecards. But by using a set of coordinated papers, I was amazed how quickly I put together this birthday card for an aunt:

front cover of card

inside completion of card

Some of the supplies/vendors:
1. The Ava Collection 2011 by Purple Paislee= all patterned papers
2. Studio G= gray ink pad, "make a wish" stamp
3. Martha Stewart Crafts= "best wishes" and "happy birthday" ribbons
4. Elmer Craft Bond adhesives/glues

 I had already had the 5 x 7 inches golden orange cardstock folded and the other patterned "mat" of cardstock came sized 4 x 6 so it just needed to be adhered. I just free-formed cut the leaves. I also keep a variety of stencil shapes handy so the 2 flowers and 1 rectangle were easy to get traced, cut, inked, and adhered. Easy-peasy!!!! A very summery sun-shining tropical retro looking birthday card!

2nd installment of embellished pre-prints

Embellished pre-printed note cards

Another design...a different approach...masculine receiver

I tried to keep it simple...I know...that's extremely hard for me to do. But I really really tried this time!!! I used some sisal twine to give some roughness but I used the glittered dots to add some shine and texture against the dark chocolate brown background of the pre-printed design. Inside I used a leaf shape to continue the flower/weed images from the front. And I've repeated colors of beige, gold, and blue to help make color consistencies.

What do you think?







cover of notecard





inside completion of notecard



Some of the vendors for supplies include:

1. Studio G for all stamp images

2. Gold color cutter pen

3. Elmer's Glue Craft adhesives

A year later: same angel image used for a different card

Angel image (from a bookmark) was used one year ago

New card--different way to use the image

The angel image looks so very similar to a great niece of my husband that I had to use the bookmark image (trimmed, of course) for a birthday card for his niece. Last year I used pleated doily sections on each side of the angel to look like her wings. See my blog page on right side

This year for his sister's birthday (grandmother to the girl) I decided it would be her turn to have a Bridgette-inspired card. For this year's use of the angel image, it has also been trimmed, but the focus for the cover has been split between her and the ribbon embellishments.

Do you have a favorite?








front cover

Ribbons 1 & 2 can barely be read (blue-best wishes; green-congratulations) and 3 is impossible (Happy Birthday).



inside view of how I completed card

Some of the vendors for supplies include:

1. Studio G for Queen Anne's Lace pattern paper, flower brad, "make a wish" stamp, gray ink

2. Martha Stewart Crafts for all 3 ribbons

3. Guidepost organization for angel bookmark(s)



Preprinted note cards: how to embellish

Embellishing note cards:

Using a pre-printed design how do you add to it?

I decided to try to stick to a color palette of chocolate brown, creamy yellow/beige, denim blue, and light blue. With that as the start-off point, I'm happy with some parts and not so thrilled about others. The happiest aspect was the dark brown ink used to edge the papers and used for the stamping. I'm also thrilled with the repeating of "hi" brad and "just wanted to say hi" stamp. Tell me what you like about the note cards.

front view of "hi!" note card

inside view of "hi!" note card



front view of "hello" notecard



inside view of "hello" notecard



Some of the supply vendors include:

1. all stamps and brads are from Studio G

2. blue floral vellum stickers are from Current Catalog

3. adhesives are from Elmers Craft Bond series

Another graduation card style

Card for male high school graduates:

Only 2 guys took my spring semester parenting class so this is what I styled for them in order to express congratulations:

A little bit of bling but not ultra dainty like those shown in my other posting today.

Graduation cards for high school seniors

Cards for high school graduates:

Layouts and stamped focals are repeated; it's only the colors and embellishments that change from one card to the next in order to save time. These are some examples of what I did for my gals:

Adorable baby congrats card

Grandchild congrats card:

Border embossed card=Studio G
"joy" stamp=Studio G
purple ink stamp pad=Studio G
floral pattern paper=Studio G
border sticker=Studio G
decorative tape=Studio G
congratulations ribbon=Martha Stewart Crafts
glue/adhesives=Elmer's Craft Bond
lavender card stock=Creativity Works

I just love the bunny cut from the beautiful floral paper! The bunny's shape was stenciled with a template pattern that I had altered in order to get an appropriate size that I was happy with.

Alternating coordinating papers for 2 diff looks

Different looks using same papers:

Supplies are from a variety of vendors: Creativity Works, Jolee's, Studio G, Hallmark, and more. The small embellishments are repeated to provide continuity.

Easter theme bookmark #5 (final)

Alleluia

Some of the previous ones made mentioned in this series of postings that I forgot to scan are similar in formatting to this one. I love the bold colors of the glitter papers!

Alleluia--Rejoice--Jesus Saves!

Supplies list:
1. glitter and regular pattern papers= Colorbok
2. 2 colors of cardstock= personal stash
3. stickers, jewels, and button/pin are from various vendors
4. glue= Elmer's Craft Bond
5. pigment ink stamp pads (several colors)= Studio G

Easter theme bookmark #4

His light shines from morning til night

For this bookmark, I've used a different layout format and am very pleased with the result:

Easter--His Light

Supplies list:
1. stickers were purchased from different vendors
2. cherry pink cardstock and bookmark image= personal stash
3. glue= Elmer's Craft Bond
4. white pigment ink stamp pad= Studio G
5. decorative scissors= personal stash
6. argyle pattern paper= Colorbok

Easter theme bookmark #3

Jesus Cares & Watches Over Me

Using one of the pattern papers from the first masculine Easter bookmark, I've used it here for a feminine receipient. The garden theme-inspired bookmark is cheerful and charming with  the ladybugs, daisies, and birds.

Jesus Cares & Watches Over Me

supplies list:
1. white pigment ink stamp pad= Studio G
2. Harvest yellow tone-on-tone dots pattern paper= Studio G
3. glue= Elmer's Craft Bond
4. 2 other pattern papers= Colorbok
5. mint green cardstock and stickers= personal stash
6. daisy flower embellishment= HOTP/PW

Easter theme bookmark #2

Jesus is the Lamb; King of Kings; Lord of Lords

Another bookmark to be given to a guy, but this one is young adult age, so I took creative license to be a bit more youthful with inking and color selections.

Jesus is the Lamb of God--King of Kings--Lord of Lords


Supplies list:
1. 2 colors of cardstock and various stickers= personal stash
2. pigment ink stamp pads= Studio G
3. glue= Elmer's Craft Bond
4. polka dot pattern paper= Colorbok

Easter theme bookmark #1

Jesus is the light of the world:

I've also made 4 others that I forgot to scan before I mailed that used other papers and were styled differently. "Rut-ro!" This Easter theme bookmark is for a guy, so I was wanting to keep all selections fairly clean and crisp. The lamb, cross, and tomb are reminders of Jesus' journey to be our Savior, the light of the world.

As personal bit, the past 2 evenings where we've been attending church since we've re-located, presented "The Living Lord's Supper". It was a powerful, dramatic telling not only of Jesus' last few earthly hours but also shared characteristcs and background on each disciple.

Jesus is the Light of the World

Supplies:
1. blue cardstock and stickers= personal stash
2. olive green cardstock and pattern papers= Colorbok
3. glue= Elmer's Craft Bond
4. printed ribbon= Studio G

Cards for family--birthday

This card was made for my sister-in-law's birthday this week. Her favorite color is blue but as I put this together with the different coordinates, some of the other colors in the patterns show more distinctly.

I'm really enjoying using baker's twine as an alternative to ribbon.

Supplies:
1. Sunny Day pattern papers by Lydia Collection
2. baker's twine by We R Memory Keepers
3. Elmer's Craft Bond glues and adhesives squares
4. 4" x 6" white card base and envelope (not shown) by Current Catalog
5. mini jeweled florettes by Petaloo.com at Hobby Lobby
6. Enchanted Evening by Encore Ultimate Metallic Ink Pad by Tsuineko, Inc.
7. others from personal stash

Card creation for family: #4 of 4

Here's the last quick installment for recent card creations for family members. This one is a birthday card for one of my aunts:

**Birthday card for my dad's younger sister, my Aunt Rachel: cover and inside views**

This card came together rather quickly because I focused on coordinating everything mainly through the Studio G collection (flower image).

Supplies:
From Studio G=
1. epoxy brad
2. cardstock sticker
3. 2 pattern papers
4. make a wish stamp
5. gray pigment ink
6. sage green pigment ink
From EK Success=
1. Spicy Butterflies (and itty bitty flowers) dimensional stickers
From Elmer's Craft Bond
1. glues and adhesives

Card creation for family: #3 of 4

This is a 2nd card created for my niece this week. She not only had a birthday but she also received word of getting accepted to medical school. So I just had to create a special congrats card for the occasion:

**Congratulations card: cover and inside views**
I'm super pleased how well everything coordinated!

Supplies:
1. dots clear glitter sticker border and stripes clear glitter sticker border=Sweet Blooms collection by Colorbok
2. yeah chipboard punchout, lilac pigment ink, dream big epoxy brad, all pattern papers, mini butterfly punch=Studio G
3. glues and adhesives= Elmer's Craft Bond
4. jewels/border stickers=All That Bling by Jolee's