Summer Fun Card Fronts

A few years ago, before I became more of a card maker, I used to belong to this card club. This business closed years ago, probably at least 4 or 5 years now. Each month they sent me a kit with all of the parts that I could make 2 cards. I loved these kits, but sometimes they lacked a little something. Another gripe I had was often times, like when it included ribbon, it was such a small amount. So if you weren't good at tying bows, there was no room for error. I still have many many of the kits they sent sitting in a drawer un-assembled. So I dug one out and took it apart. Here was their sample: I cut the cards apart which gave me 4 card fronts. I trimmed them down, and added a mat layer of black. I made the black mat at 3 3/4" x 5. The receiver can mat it down to a white card, or choose another color card.

Then I decided to make a few more of my own. The top 2 cards used the green layer that I had from cutting the cards I made above. The bottom 2 are some green I had on hand, which I ran through my Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder by Stampin' Up. The flip flop embellishments I bought many years ago from a big box store. I typed up my own sentiments in, I believe it is, Word Perfect. The ribbons are all stuff I had on hand.

And another version with green ribbon and a lighter shade of green.

I just wanted to show how you can add a little and make a so so card look even better. And when you find a layout that you like, change some accessories to give it a different look.

These will be for my Summer Fun Card Front theme on my favorite MB.

I'm Dreaming of Spring

Yet another example of bad pictures. This card I made for the "I'm Dreaming of Spring" theme for my Favorite MB. I embossed the background with a folder, and then stamped the flower scene on watercolor paper. I used my alchohol markers to color the images in. (I am still not sure how to use them!) The sentiment is from the set the flower came with. I punched it out with my Stampin UP Curly Label punch. Then for the mat for it, I punched two pieces of brown cardstock, cut them both in half and then matted it.
I think this may be the last of this cardstock color. :( I like this color (can you tell?) I have a file folder of miscellaneous colors of Cardstock that I have been trying to use up, and this is one of them. The green and other purple "Beyond Borders" cards seen below were also in the file folder.

Isn't he cute??

Okay another example of bad pictures with my cell phone. I'll have to see if I can get a better picture of this little guy in the light. I originally made these for my Masculine theme for my Addicted to Cardmaking swap on my Favorite MB. But I think instead I am going to use these for the kids cards theme I have in April. The papers are all ones I had on hand. And the cards were ones I got forever ago in a pack with matching envelopes. The swirly pieces are actually the debossed side of an embossed piece of cardstock which I inked up my brayer and ran it across the back (debossed) side. The one card I used Pool Party ink from Stampin Up the other I used Pacific Point. The other piece of paper on the cards are from mat stacks which have been collecting dust in my craft room. I used to buy the stacks when they went on clearance, but I never used them, so I have piles of them. I have to stop doing that!!!

Oh and the sentiment I typed out on my computer, then punched it out with the word window punch, and added that to a modern label punch.

Based on a sketch swap

I made these 2 cards for my Based on a Sketch swap in January. The embossed pieces are actually from a RAK I received some time ago. Someone (I think it may have been LKRhodes) embossed some cardstock pieces for me in white. I added a little color with the purple and used them on my cards. There were a few different styles in the stack, this is just two that I used. The flower I made using Stampin Up's 5 petal flower (punched 2 times) and a 5 petal smaller punch (also punched 2 times) which is now retired, and I am unsure what it is called. The center is just a large white brad. The sentiments are from Stampin Up's set "Curly Cute".

Cards for a swap - Beyond Borders

I have to say I have been being very lazy about taking pictures of my creations recently. Most pictures I have been taking are with my cell phone and not very good. Or they are ones that I take when I actually swap out my swaps, which generally tend to be rushed and also not very good. These are 2 examples!

These are cards I made for February's "Beyond Borders" Card front swap that I host on my favorite MB. The first one you can see the colors a little better, but I included the second picture because I used three different color card bases. Just trying to use up some of my stash of cardstocks. :)

Addicted to Cardmaking swap - December 2011

These cards were made for December's theme, "Specialty papers." The papers I used are hand made papers that have metallic details added. I have always loved red, black and white together, so of course I had to make them that color! I used sentiments from Stampin' Up's "Pursuit of Happiness" (121970 clear, or 121907 wood) on the one on the left, and "On your Birthday" (only available in wood - 111664). I have had these papers for a while, someone had given them to me as a gift (Terri was it you?), but I wasn't quite sure how to use them. I think they turned out pretty nice!

Card Front swap

I am trying to get back into the swing of taking pictures of my swaps. It isn't always easy to remember! These were the swaps I made for my "based on a sketch" theme for my card front swap on my favorite MB. I had received a bunch of pieces of cardstock that someone had embossed for me a few years ago, and they have been sitting here, while I didn't know what to do with them. Well, I pulled them out, used some inks to rub over the image to give it some detail and added them to the card. I added the hand made flower and voila! You can't tell from the picture, but the ends of the banner are raised slightly to give the illusion that the banner is floating. I wanted to add a picture of the sketch, but it appears that was saved on the old computer! Doh.

Devastating Fire- Help Needed for a fellow Crafter's Family

As a member of the Card Fairy Army on my Favorite MB, I was made aware of a very devastating story. A fellow member on my favorite MB has posted the story on her blog. Two of her children and their families lost their home and their belongings in a tragic fire last week. In the home were also 2 grandchildren. Thankfully they all escaped the blaze unharmed. They escaped with each other and the clothes and shoes that they had on. The next day the one son-in-law went in and found the flag which draped his father's casket. If you'd like to read the whole story, it is found on Kymberlee's Blog. They are asking for help for these two families. No gift is too small. More details on that are also listed on Kymberlee's blog. Both of the men, both named Nick, proudly serve in the US Coast Guard.

Even encouraging words would be great. Why not send a handmade card if you are a crafter. The address is also on Kymberlee's blog.

Boys Birthday Cards

In continuing with the Kid's birthday cards theme, these are the ones I created for the boys. For some reason I am really into Robots this year! I just think they are cute! I picked up this unmounted cutie at a stamp show, I believe last year. I knew I was going to use this stamp when I posted the boy's theme! I colored them with my Marvelous Markers (Stampin' Write Markers) from Stampin' Up. The little hats are stamped on patterned paper then paper pieced onto the image. The sentiment is from the Lots of Bots set by stampin' Up. I believe the hats came from the Sock Monkey accessories set. These were fun to make. Again I couldn't decide on the colors. I thought the grey color was more robot-like, but the blue matched better.

Girl's Birthday Cards

I decided to do a Kid's Birthday card swap on my Favorite MB. Swappers could sign up for Boys or Girls or a combination of both. I went with a stamp that my hubby bought for me about 3 Christmases back that I HAD TO HAVE. Sadly this is the first time she's seen the light of day! I tried my hand at using some of those alcohol markers, and although I am sure I didnt use them the proper way, I am pretty happy with the results. The background I embossed with Stampin' Up's Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder which I ran through my BigShot. I finished it off with the sentiment punched out and layered with circle punches and the scalloped circle punch. I couldn't decide if I liked the sentiment on the white or the purple, so I did some of each.

Quilted Thinking of You

I have always liked the looks of the quilted card made with the Top Note die! Here is another spin on it which I created for the Summer Month's Fronts swap on my favorite MB. The theme for June was Thinking Of you. The sentiment is from Sincere Salutations. The papers and ribbons were all from stuff I had on hand, which coincidentally came from a RAK (Random Act of Kindness) from someone on my favorite MB.