Daydreams ACK Part 4

This is the final set of cards from this Daydreams Artful Card Kit (ACK) from HOTP.  YAY!!!  I already made 13 cards, so with the 3 I made today, I ended up with a total of 16 cards & 1 tag from this kit.  I DID have a few tags left over that I've put in my stash to save for another project.

Card #1 (above):  For this card I started with the pink print and die cut a rectangle from the center of it before matting it on black paper & gluing it to the card front.  I matted the multi-colored print & added it, then matted the pink piece I die cut and added it.  Then it was time to create a focal.  As you can see, I layered several die cut and cut out pieces for the focal before surrounding it with a couple of die cut arrows - all from the kit.  I DID take a thin strip of the black and threaded it through the die cut "button" leaving ends on either side to look like it's attached via them to the piece behind it.  Finally, I added a cut out sentiment - also from the kit - and my card front was complete.

Inside:  

Scraps of the papers and another cut out create a border for the inside.  The "Best Wishes" is stamped using a stamp from HOTP Tiny Words & Images stamps, and the other greeting is from Birthday - Female (Crafter's Companion Compendium).

Card #2:

Next up is a card made using scraps - cut into narrow strips & glued with a bit of an aqua background showing.  I matted this on black from my stash - using black also to create a border across the top (along with a thin strip of scrap from the kit).  The focal is ones again a collection of cutouts and die cut layered on top of each other.  The sentiment on the border is a cut out but used another stamp from HOTP Tiny Words & Images stamp set.

Inside:

As you can see, the inside has another mat created with strips of the patterned papers - this time layered on black (since I didn't feel the aqua showed through as well as I would have wished on the piece on the card front).  I added a cut out and a couple of die cuts from the kit, and stamped the message with a JustRite stamp from their For All You Do stamp set.  

Card #3:

At this point, I had very little of the paper left, though I had several cutouts and die cuts remaining.  I decided to go for a smaller A2 sized card, and turn it into a Center Step card base which is a good style for using up strips of paper.  Other than strips, I had a small 1 1/2" x 2 1/4" or so piece of patterned paper which I matted with black and added near the bottom border as you can see.  I added the dream catcher die cut, and layered a cut out greeting on a larger tag die cut before moving to the inside.

Inside:

I chose a die cut layered with a cut out for a focal element on the black border.  On either edge of the thin black border, I added the black stair-step die cuts from the kit.

Tag:

At this point I had very little left.  I used a couple of scraps to make this tag - adding some black ribbon from my stash.  Here's what I had left of the kit:

Most of these pieces are really tiny.  The cut out tags will go in my stash for use at a later time.  The largest strip I'll keep as it might be good for a border somewhere.  The rest goes in the trash with no regrets.  :)

Daydreams ACK Part 3

Today I have six more cards from the Daydreams Artful Card Kit (ACK) from HOTP, so with the 7 I've made previously, that brings my total so far to 13 cards.  I'm pretty sure I'll get at least 2 more cards from the kit, so there WILL be a "part 4".  Most of the stamped messages are from Crafter's Companion Compendium stamp set (CCC).

Card #1:

First up is a slimline card with background made for a sketch challenge on a message board I frequent.  I started with a piece of the black print cut to fit on this slimline card.  Then I cut pieces of pink and green scrap (the green was a glitter card stock) as per the sketch and put them in place on the card.  I used a large die cut from the kit as a mat for the sentiment, and then added a flower die cut to the lower right corner.  Then I added a sprinkling of beads - and a sequin (center of larger flower) to finish the front.

Inside:

A black strip forms a border on the inside - with die cut flowers to brighten it up.  The sentiment is from CCC the sheet called Thank You.

Card #2:

Next up is a card made using one of the diamond prints and the black print - combined with yellow & pink card stock mats from my stash.  The focal is a die cut from the kit, and the sentiments are two cut out pieces from the kit.  The "Happy Birthday" sentiment was made with a stamp from a set I got in a card making magazine - set is called The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady.  

Inside:

A border was created using scraps of the diamond and black prints and the yellow card stock.  I added a cut out with a stamped "Celebrate" (stamp from JustRite's Enjoy the Day stamp set).  The other stamped greeting is another CCC stamp from the sheet called Birthday - Female.

Card #3:

This time I started with a pink card base and the black print for the background.  The main part of the border is a die cut from the kit, but I added a pink metallic strip along the top edge - and used the scraps of that same strip as the "thread" for the button in the center of the dream catcher.  Both the button & the dream catcher with feathers were die cuts from the kit.  The sentiment was a cut out from the kit.

Inside is more of the border & black print paper, along with another dream catcher die cut.  The stamped sentiment is another CCC - this time from the Thinking of You page.

Card #4:

This time I started with a cream colored card base and embossed the front using an MBossabilities folder from Spellbinders - the one called Elite.  I then inked the raised portions with a coordinating ink before adding a strip of the border patterned paper, and a layered focal/greeting element made from die cuts and cut outs from the kit.

Inside:

Inside I used black from my stash to mat a piece of another border patterned paper from the kit, then stamped a greeting.  this time it's from CCC's With Love page.

Card #5:

Next up is a card that uses the pink patterned paper for the background, but it is triple matted - twice with black (from my stash) and once with that border patterned paper.  I added a black border strip of card stock from my stash to anchor the focal which was created with layers of die cuts and cut outs from the kit.

Inside:

The border is created with more of the black and the patterned paper - and the greeting is a cutout from the kit.

Card #6:

This final card features a rabbit that had been stamped and colored for another card - and then not included in the final product.  It sat in my stash until I decided it was perfect for this card.  The background is made of the striped paper, a strip of white (from my stash), all matted with black from my stash.  The focal is layered up using scraps from the kit, die cuts from the kit, and a cut out greeting - also from the kit.

Inside:

A die cut border from the kit forms the base for the inside, and a stamped greeting (again from the Thinking of You CCC page) completes this card.

Strength and Weakness

It's been too long since I did some Bible journaling, but I can see why because it's taken 3 days to get as far as posting this - even though it's a fairly simple page.  I just plain have less time to do this than I did during the height of covid!  Protecting the page with gesso and doing the illustration took the first day.  The words/lettering took the second day (the pen is less likely to get clogged by the gesso if it has dried for at least a day).  Then, it took me a third day to get around to posting it.  To read about what this passage & the illustration mean to me, check out my other blog here.  Below you will read about the steps I took to make this page.

1) As I mentioned above, the first thing I did was to apply 3 thin coats of thin gesso to protect the page from bleed through.

2) Next, I stamped the hummingbird using a Stampendous stamp from the sets of stamps (and matching dies) called Hummingbird.

3) Then I colored in the hummingbird using Inktense pencils & a water brush, and used the same to highlight the verses to which I referred.  Notice that the eye turned out dark enough that you can't see the letters behind it.  Mistakes like this happen!  I fixed it by putting the hard to read word in parenthesis beside the hummingbird.

4) After leaving the page to dry for a day, I came back to do the words.  Most of them are just printed with a Small sized Pitt Pen, but some were made like "bubble" letters so I could fill them in with color.  To do that, I used my Scroll and Brush markers.

Daydreams ACK - Part 2

Today's cards come from an old HOTP Artful Card Kit (ACK) called Daydreams.  Five years ago I made a card from this kit which I posted here. Today I have 6 more cards from the kit - with plenty of materials left over for a "Part 3".

Card #1: 

This first card is a slimline card.  I matted the background paper with black, added a die cut border piece from the kit and layered a sticky-backed bead border on top.  I added some HOTP stickers to the tag and glued it to the dream catcher focal (both from the kit).  A silver sequin appears to attach it in place.  I added an arrow die cut in the lower right corner, then a sprinkling of black beads to finish the card front.

Inside:

Don't ask me why I didn't mat the piece of patterned paper on the inside - it just slipped my mind as I was too focused on creating the border from scraps of black paper & the rest of the border die cut - no beads on the inside!  The stamped sentiment is from Crafter's Companion Compendium (CCC) - the page called Thinking of You.

Card #2:

Once again I matted the background with black.  After adding the rest of the die cuts I had put with this paper, I added a couple of alphabet stickers to form the word "HI", and then some Jewel Border Dazzles to create a bit of a frame.

Inside:

The border is scraps of black & patterned paper - with 3 diamond die cuts punched out from the border on the inside of the previous card.  Then I just added a stamped greeting (another from CCC's Thinking of You).

Card #3:

A floral print and a plain black paper form the backdrop for this focal - a die cut label topped with a cut out and die cut flowers - all but the black paper is from the kit.

Inside:

Scraps form the foundation of the border for the inside - a scrap of black layered with a scrap of the floral pattern, layered with a cut out - all from the kit.  I stamped the cutout with a CCC stamp from the Birthday-Female page.

Card #4:

One corner of this patterned paper makes a great background & focal image combined when I mat it with black paper from my stash.  I added a stamped greeting (CCC - Birthday-Male) and a couple of die cuts to completed the card.

Inside:

Once again I used a scrap of patterned paper for a border on the inside - this time adding a cutout from the kit.

Card #5:

This time I used the opposite corner of the paper to form the background - once again matted with black from my stash.  I used a strip cut from patterned paper & matted with black to form an upper border.  A cutout from the kit forms the focal - embellished with a couple of die cut flowers (also from the kit).  A small cut out greeting in the upper left corner completes the card front.

Inside:

Inside I used the remaining scrap of this patterned paper, matted with black, to form a border that the die cut tag sits on.  I added Dazzles to it to create the message and a flower Dazzle sticker to "attach" the tag to the border.

Card #6:

This final card is a slimline card - as you can see.  I combined scraps from two papers for the background, and added a black ribbon border before matting it with black.  A cutout sentiment and die cut flowers - both from the kit - complete the card front.

Inside:

On the inside I have more of the floral paper with black from my stash to create a border.  To this I've added a cut out and a die cut flower.  Voila'!  6 more cards from this kit.

HD Santa and Friends - Together at Christmas

Today I have another set of Hunkydory cards - this time made from their Santa and Friends kit - the set called Together at Christmas.  As usual, I added from my stash as well.  Here's what the set looked like.

And here are the 5 cards I made from it:

Now for a closer look at each one:

Card #1:

This card uses some lavender card stock from my stash, a corner of the AS (Adoreable Scoreable card stock in the set), a focal & two sentiment pieces from the set, and a couple of corner stickers from my stash.

Inside:

I used an oval frame from the set to surround the lavender card stock on which I printed a message (no name Christmas Word Stamps).  I added a cute little snowman stamp & die cut from HOTP (Snowglobe) to bring in a bit of the red from the card front.

Card #2:

Here I created a focal by cutting a piece of the AS to fit inside a silver poster board die cut (Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles Two).  I added a sentiment threaded through from ribbon (from my stash) before attaching it to the die cut.  Then I matted a larger piece of the AS for the background, and added the focal with fun foam for dimension.

Inside:

Inside, I created a border using scraps of the AS, the lavender matting, and a narrow silver strip.  I added a little die cut I got from a friend, and a stamped message (Crafter's Companion Compendium {CCC} - sheet called Warmest Wishes).

Card #3:

This card uses dies from Card Making Magic's Octogon Box Kit 6 x 6.  I didn't make it 6 x 6.  I think the card is 5 1/4" in diameter.  After cutting the card base, I cut the silver (using two of the dies) and glued it in place.  I cut an oval from red paper using a die from Spellbinders' Grand Ovals die set.  The focal die cut from the set, and a sentiment piece from a HD Little Book of Essential Sentiments, completes the card front.

Inside:

Inside was a die cut piece of AS matted with a die cut piece of red (all dies from the octagon kit).  I used my Lifestyle Circle Cutting Dies to cut a red mat for the greeting die cut from the set.  Then I added a "hanger" of Dazzles stickers to make it look like a Christmas ornament.

Card #4:

Next up I created a background from a piece of the AS and matted it with silver.  I turned an oval die cut frame on its side and put the focal die cut inside that - adding more stickers to make it look like a hanging ornament.  A sentiment from the set finished the outside.

Inside:

Inside I used a border strip from the set - and a little embellishment piece which I "hung" using more of the same stickers.  The sentiment is another from the no name brand Christmas Words stamp set.

Card #5:

This one is a slimline card - as you can see.  I simply cut a piece of AS, wrapped a ribbon around it for a border, matted it on black paper, and added a cut out sentiment (printed from a Debbi Moore freebie).

Inside:

I used the leftover AS pieces for borders either side - matting them in black as I did for the card front.  The stamped sentiment is the same as the last card.

May Digi Challenge

 

Today's cards are ones made for the "Digi-swap" challenge on the message board I frequent.  For it, I needed to use papers I printed from a digital file.  I re-sized the images for these first two cards before printing, then printed the others at half letter size.

Card #1 (above): As you can probably tell, I used a metallic gold card stock to mat some paper from my stash, then die cut a fancy mat from the gold to mat the printed digi paper - which I cut to shape.  The sentiment was from a Hunkydory Little Book of Essential Sentiments.

Card #2:

Here I used the printed digi paper for this beautiful background.  I added a die cut matted sentiment (Card Making Magic - A5 Box Kit) and a dollar store dimensional butterfly sticker.

Inside:

Another of the butterfly stickers adorns the inside of the card where I stamped a sentiment from the Crafter's Companion Compendium (CCC) - page named Birthday - Female.

Card #3:

Both the green and the patterned papers are printed from digi papers.  Once again the sentiment is die cut from Card Making Magic (Thinking of You word dies) - the background from the printed green digi, and the main sentiment from white card stock from my stash.  I also used a narrow strip of the green for border - adding a white ribbon from my stash, and a butterfly sticker.

Inside:

More of the green and patterned papers create border & mat on the inside.  Then a simple rectangle of white with a stamped sentiment from CCC Thinking of You page fits inside the mat - decorated with a butterfly sticker.

Card #4:

This one not only has digi papers, but also is a step card - which meets a second challenge on the board. The focal is a Hunkydory image a friend gave me from a Picture Perfect paper pad (as is the one inside the card).  The sentiment tags are from my stash.

Inside:

More paper forms borders inside.  The sentiment is another CCC - this one from the sheet called Celebrate.