Simple Adult Birthday Card

What a week! This week I have been struggling, a combination of failing to pace myself and being in a flare up has seriously reduced my crafting time. However I needed an emergency birthday card and decided to play with colours and see if I could make an adult birthday card with the Sweet Ice Cream Stamp set.

When I first saw the set, I thought that it was perfect for a children’s card and loved the sentiment. I was a bit worried that it wasn’t suitable for an adult, but I think the sentiment and then the bubbles/sprinkles, look good on an adult/ grown up card.

Measurements:

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (10.5 by 29cm scored at 14.5cm)

Inside White Panel - 10cm x 14cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Inside White Panel - 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

4." x 5.75" (4” by full length scored at 5.75”)

Inside White Panel - 3.75” x 5.5”

For the stepped up card I have added a layer which is the height of the card 14.5cm (or 14.8cm/ 5.75”) by 8cm (8cm/3.25”.)

The video below shows how to make, this super simple card. You could use any colour card base and different colours. I love that it works with Very Vanilla and Whisper White (it will work with Basic White as well).

I hope to get back in to the craft room soon. What have you been playing with?

CASED blended Pinecones

I have been watching You tube again, whilst trying to conserve my spoons (I feel like someone stole them all again… ) one of my favourite videos is by Justine Hovey about not copying cards but using them as inspiration. You can find the video here

I have used this inspiration before for one of last years Christmas Cards using the gorgeous Peace and Joy stamps and dies (they are still in my craft room, I loved those dies, so perfect for Christmas.) I actually used Gorgeous Grape on my last card, this time I thought I would be more traditional.

I was struggling to create a card with the pine cones, when I use a stamp set, I try to use every stamp in the set on at least one card. Some stamps are easier than others, I usually use Pinterest, but there are limited ideas most examples use designer series paper and the punch. I therefore thought of this card, as the ink blending added interest to the pine cones. My original test cards were in Poppy Parade (one of my favourite Christmassy reds, for a bright Santa-esque look) and Night of Navy which is one of my favourite Stampin’ Up! colours.

Measurements

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (10.5 by 29cm scored at 14.5cm)

Inside White Panel - 10cm x 14cm

Outside gold Panel – 9.5cm x 13.5cm

Outside layer – 9cm x 13cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Inside White Panel - 10cm x 14.3cm

Outside gold Panel – 9.5cm x 13.8cm

Outside layer – 9cm x 13cm

Imperial

4." x 5.75" (4” by full length scored at 5.75”)

Inside White Panel - 4” x 5.5”

Outside gold  - 3.75” x 5.25

Outside layer – 3.5 x 5”

My original cards were a bit round as I was being a bit specific with the placing, I am not sure that it works, my Shaded Spruce card was more random. I was trying to avoid the circular placement of the pine cones.

You could use this idea for snowflakes from Snowman Seasons or most other Christmas stamp set. I think I like the Night of Navy and Silver the best. Which is your favourite?

How I prepare my co-ordinating dies

Although in my last post I stated that I prefer clean and simple cards, to overly complicated ones, I adore punches. But I must confess that I have a number of dies. I mainly use layering dies, however, I have a number of stamp sets that have co-ordinating dies. I feel I don’t use them enough, so have challenged myself to use them more. To inspire myself and check they are all present and working, I complete a number of actions.

I first check that all the dies are present and correct and that they are the dies I am expecting ( I am not aware that a different die set has appeared in an envelope but it is good to check). I then take a picture, some people scan or photocopy the dies to show their position or alternatively they draw round the dies to show where they go.

I then carefully remove the dies, from the backing sheet as the double sided tape used is very sticky. I usually add a piece of magnetic sheeting to the card to add the dies to. The magnetic sheet I used in the video below came from Pink Frog Crafts. I then count to ensure that I still have all the dies (some little dies can disappear, I have a magnetic wand to find the pesky things.)

I had already stamped the Hand-Penned Petals stamps in Basic Gray, I then use my die cutting machine to die cut the items, I used my Mini Stampin’ Cut and Emboss, which I call Dinky. I cut each die cut for the co-ordinating stamps and then each die in Basic Black. For layering dies, I use Basic Black for the base and then Basic Gray for the layers. I add all the die cuts to pieces of Basic white.

I love having the inspiration for card sketches in a format that I can take it with me. The inspiration could be kept in a stamp case or a notebook.

Clean and simple trees - choose your own decoration

I recently watched a YouTube video by Inkhill revival about ‘the Secret to buying supplies you will actually use,’ it was an inspiring video, which made me think about my style and what I love to create. Looking at my favourite cards I realised that I am a clean and simple card marker. I love cards with lots of white space (not sure that these are the cards my mother likes though.) I love making multiple cards in my limited time in the craft room. I also find it hard to return to part started projects so I prefer to finish what I am doing. I have a huge box of unfinished projects and I am trying not to add to the collection of pieces in the box. I have also realised that I need to use up my stash, so while making cards I have been thinking what I have on hand which will work and make each card individual.

For this card I wanted to use a tree I haven’t used from Perfectly Plaid, I also wanted to play with the Evening Evergreen. I love the colour but I found that it was too dark. I was also playing with the red to match, I tried Merry Merlot, but found it to be too dark. I used Cherry Cobbler, ink which I think compliments the second generation stamping I used for the tree.

Measurements:

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (10.5cm by 29cm scored at 14.5cm)

Inside White Panel - 10cm x 14cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5cm by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Inside White Panel - 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

4." x 5.5" (4” by full length scored at 5.5”)

Inside White Panel - 3.75” x 5.25”

Each card uses different embellishments, I have used Metallic Pearls, Gilded Leafing, Gold Glitter, Gold embossing powders (from Stampin’ Up for the gold and Stamps By Chloe WOW embossing powder in Kir Royal.) and a star embellishment. I have also used different stamp sets to add different sentiments. As well as changing the green/red colour combinations. I am still in love with the Just Jade, Cherry Cobbler combination which is in the Joy to the World Kit.

Soft Suculent and Poppy Parade with WOW Kir Royale embossing powder

The video below shows how I made the cards:

Top Tips-

• I stamped off on scrap paper before using the Evening Evergreen ink on the card, this tones down the colour (it is very very very dark.)

• When using the sticky notes, they do not have to be expensive ones, you could use any you can find.

• The sticky notes will soak up the ink, so can not be used more than twice, if you continue using them the ink transfers to the stamp and you will end up with random words on your card.

• You could use the Stampin’ Write Markers, but these work better on Cling stamps.

I love the slight differences between the cards and that they still work. The choice of decoration works as you could customise each card for the reciepient, use up your stash. Alternatively you could choose a favourite and make multiples quickly. My favourite is the the card with the Metallic pearls, which is yours?

Simple Sweet Ice Cream Birthday Card

One of the first Bundles which I loved in the January to June Mini was the Sweet Ice Cream Stamps and co-ordinating punch. I decided that I didn’t need the whole suite but I adored the stamps and punch.

This card doesn’t use the punch but it is a simple card which can be used to make multiples. I have used two of last years In-Colours Magenta Madness and Just Jade with Cinnamon Cider to create the perfect cone. I love the colours they are bright and perfect for a birthday. But the card could work with any colour you could choose, I would recommend using the Cinnamon Cider for the cone. I personally used a second and third generation image to create the cone. The card could also work with the other sentiments in the stamp set.

Measurements:

My Metric

10.5 cm x 14.5 cm (10.5 by 29cm scored at 14.5cm)

Inside White Panel - 10cm x 14cm

Metric

10.5 cm x 14.8 cm (10.5 by full length scored at 14.8cm)

Inside White Panel - 10cm x 14.3cm

Imperial

4." x 5.5" (4” by full length scored at 5.5”)

Inside White Panel - 3.75” x 5.25”

The video above shows how I made the card.

To step the card up, stamp on a white layer, add lots of glitter (I used Stamps by Chloe  Sparkelicious glitter in Unicorn Sparkle, I have to say it goes everywhere though ) But you could add any glitter you may have. Do you prefer the glitter or the sequins?