Ugly Papers PLUS

Today I'm using another "Ugly Paper", but this time, I went looking through my stash until I found another patterned paper and some solids that looked decent with it.  Since most of my ugly papers are NOT double sided, it's been a bit challenging, but this time I decided to pick another pattern and use it as if it were the back side of my paper so that I could mimic some of the YouTube videos that I had been seeing.  I started out assuming I would just copy those, but I'm not good at copying!  So, some look a little like the cards here, and for the rest I was definitely doing my own thing!  Also note that all of these cards are 5 x 7 sized rather than A2.  Focals, sentiments & embellishments mostly came from Hunkydory's Pop-a-Topper book of Ladies Choice - I noted in the descriptions below where something else was used..

Here's a picture of the ugly paper I started with:

But I added a pretty light aqua stitched patterned paper, and several solid colors - aqua, teal, navy, tan, and gray.  And here are the cards that I made.

Card #1: 

This is one of the cards that was made using something similar to the template shown in the video - however, I cut my diagonals from squares that were 4 1/2" square rather than 4".  I also chose to make it look like my pieces were matted (though in actual fact the mats were just the rectangles around the whole card).  What looks like mats on the diagonals were actually just narrow strips I glued in place.  I also used a leftover piece of the narrow strip to create a "ribbon" to hang the greeting.

Inside:

Using leftover strips of papers and card stock, I created this layered border - and then added another embellishment.

Card #2:

I created the basic card fronts using my papers and card stock before I knew what I was going to use for focals, etc.  Sometimes that means that the end product is quite different than what I had originally envisioned.  This one is a case in point.  The background with the ugly paper is actually matted strips of it with space between - but you can't see that because of the large focal that covers that space!  I had a square of teal card stock that I had cut out from behind something and it turned out to be a great mat for the focal when turned on point.  The framed focal was glued directly to the card, but the sentiment was added with foam tape.

Inside:

Once again, the inside is simply a border created with some of the papers I'd been using.  Another die cut element from the Pop-a-Topper pad adds interest.  I'm sure I'll stamp something inside, once I've decided what I want to say.

Card #3:

While I thought the first card was interesting with it's diagonal shapes, I thought it was also fun to do the same thing with both pieces from the same paper.  Once again, the diagonals a "matted" by gluing narrow strips in place.  So much easier - and less waste besides.  

Inside:

This time I used the narrow strips not only to mat the top and bottom of the triangular piece, but also as a narrow border from which my little embellishment hangs.  As you can see, I added some ribbon from my stash to make the embellishment more interesting.

Card #4:

I can't decide whether the card I showed at the top of this post (Card #2) is the one I like best of these, or if this one is.  This card uses what I think of as my "go to" sketch - a focal above, with a sentiment/border below.  This time the focal is one piece, and the sentiment area is multiple papers with a simple greetings.

Inside:

I really like the inside of this card as well.  The light colored panel looks so good with the border strips, greeting, and embellishment.

Card #5:

Here I have another from my "go to sketch".  This time, instead of Hunkydory Pop-a-Toppers, I used a Hunkydory Little Book (LB) page for my focal - this one from the Little Book of Memorable Moments.  The "ugly" paper serves as a background with a plain green card stock mat on top.  I cut the LB page down so it fit in the upper portion of the mat.  I then cut a piece of plain navy for the bottom portion.  Finally, I added a greeting that was die cut (Card Making Magic - 5x7 Card & Box set) from white card stock.

Inside:

Inside I used scraps of all three to form borders surrounding the blank space I left for adding a message - either stamped or hand-written when I decide to whom this card will be sent.

So, I have FIVE 5x7 cards made using this paper - some with pieces of coordinating patterned paper, some just with card stock added, but all have something added beside focal/sentiment/embellishments.

Sept Digi Papers Challenge

Today I have 4 cards created using printed digital backgrounds, my Stampscapes stamps, and greeting stamps.  I think the colors of these backgrounds are GORGEOUS - and they work really well with my stampscapes stamps.

Card #1 (above):  Here the sentiment stamp is from MayMay Made It - a set called Blessed Inside & Out (the inside of the card will say "He gave me so much to be thankful for."  As you can see, I used several of my Stampscapes stamps - flying birds, two horses, and a man with a walking stick. 

Card #2:

Once again this card has a sentiment from Blessed Inside & Out.  The inside will say "I will start with you".   As you can see, I also added a heron & a flock of birds.  I was careful to wipe the stamp below the heron's legs after inking it, so what was meant to be water ripples didn't show up on the grass!😃  I also only stamped a small portion of the flock of birds.

Card #3:

I love the way the little man rowing the boat draws the eye on this card.  That and the flock of birds were the Stampscapes stamps on this one.  The little "Peace on Earth" sentiment is from HOTP's Christmas Tags and Trims.

Card #4:

This card was actually the first one I did, and I learned I can NOT stamp on top of darker colors, even though stamping with black, and have it turn out the best.  Live & Learn.  That sentiment stamp is from HOTP's Christmas Labels & Trims.  As you can see, I used three Stampscapes deer to complete the scene.  Once again, I was careful to wipe off the ink on the grass some had below their legs - and even part of their legs so they would look right amongst the fog.

More Ugly Papers

Today I have more makes using up my "ugly" papers.  Some makes turn out better than others, but it's a fun challenge to see what I can come up with!   Here's a look at the paper I started with:

It's a 12" by 12" sheet that looks MUCH better at a distance than it does up close!  I really don't care for the distressed look, but if you like it, you might like this paper, too.  Anyway,  here are some of the cards that I made using this paper.  (I already made another card that used this paper.  Check out Ugly Papers Round 2 post.)  I'll show you several more here (I had TWO sheets!).

Card #1:

The first card I made was a square card.  I simply used a large cutting die (With Heartfelt Thanks by Card Making Magic) to create the front panel and glued it in place.

Inside:

 

I used the same die set to cut the center out of this paper and give me a place for stamped greetings.  These were from Crafter's Companion Compendium (CCC) page called Thank You.

Card #2:

As you'll see as I share the cards I made from this paper, the colors in it varied widely.  Here I used red to mat the small squares I cut from one portion of the paper - though I could not have used that color on other pieces of the same paper!  The focal is a floral selection from my stash - leftover from a card kit.  The stamp is from the CCC With Sympathy page.

Inside:

The same sort of matted squares help form a border on the inside - along with some more of the flower leftovers.  The stamped message is another from CCC's With Sympathy.

Card #2:

This card uses paper from the same sheet, but an orchid/lavender color is what felt best to go with this section.  I glued the patterned paper to an embossed piece (HOTP Leafy Vine) of white card stock before wrapping the lavender ribbon around either end of it.  After gluing the entire panel to the card front, I added 3 little bees that I found in my stash - attaching them with little foam dots.

Inside:

I did something similar to create a border on the inside, using a merlot colored ink to stamp the sentiment (CCC Thinking of You page).

Card #3:

Okay, this isn't the card - but is the piece I expected to use on the card.  However, it looked too plain.  So, I decided to emboss it (Cuttlebug's Anna Griffin Rosa) - and it didn't help.  In fact, I ended up putting it in the embossing folder wrong so I got a debossed look - not the end of the world, but didn't help the ugly paper I started with! As I was contemplating what to do, I suddenly got a look at the other side of the paper:

Such a pretty embossed pattern on the white back side of the patterned paper!  I liked that so much better that I decided to use it to make my card:

As you can see, I simply added a dark pink mat and a die cut greeting (Creative Expressions Stacked Happy Birthday) and called it good.  I wish that I had thrown on a ribbon border with bow, but it's too late now.

Inside:

I finised the inside with scrap border strips and a stamped message (CCC - Birthday Female).

Card #4:

Another card, another matting color.  As you can see, this section of paper looks really good with brown matting.  I started by cutting strips and matting them to use for the background.  I then was able to use a square piece (cut from the center of the paper removed by the die cut on the inside of the first card), turned on point to look like a diamond, to form the backdrop for the focal sentiment (die cut using 2-dies from Thinking of You Word Dies by Card Making Magic - words from scrap of card base, shadow from the same matting brown card stock).  I thought about using a white card base, but it just didn't look good on that.  Then I tried cream colored - no better.  Finally I found a light lavender piece of card stock in my stash that went relatively well - and made the card base from that.

Inside:

Once again, I used brown to mat an additional strip of patterned paper to form a border inside.  Then I stamped a message (from CCC's Birthday Female).

Card #5:

I really had a hard time working with this paper.  It was the same section of paper as card #2 above (remember I had two sheets of it).  I found myself staring at the yellow centers of the flowers saying to myself, "those sure are ugly - wish they weren't there".  Then it hit me.  I could simply slice them out!  So, that's what I did.  It left me with two sort of triangles as you see in the card.  After inking the edges, I glued them to a white panel and then wrapped blue-lavender ribbons to create a border on the inside edges. It took me quite a long time to find a piece of card stock that would blend well enough to use as a mat for that created topper.  After gluing it in place on the mat, I added a bow, a silver jewel dazzle, and a stamped sentiment (JustRite's Celebrate Today Vintage Label Four).

Inside:

 

Inside is another strip of paper wrapped with ribbon for a border.  I also added a silver Jewel Dazzle on the ribbon.  The sentiment is stamped using a CCC stamp from their Celebrate page.

By this time I was down to just a few little pieces left.  Ordinarily I would have found a way to use them to make a card, but since the colors really didn't go together (even though it was all from the same pages) I decided to just let them go.  6 cards (remember one was in a previous post) from two 12 x 12 sheets of card stock doesn't seem like that much, I was VERY happy to have use up this paper!

Pretty Papers!

The last several posts have been about using up my ugly papers, and frankly I was tired of looking at them.  SO, I decided to make some cards using PRETTY paper and techniques learned while working with the ugly ones.  Today's cards are a result of that choice, and I LOVE them!

I chose 3 papers from a 6x6 pack from Stampin Up called Feels Like Frost:

These are double sided papers, so here's a picture of the other side:

I'm not at all sure that the front of the papers goes with the back, but the fronts certainly coordinate well as do the backs.  As it turned out, I didn't combine papers much unless I was using the silver foiled side - but that's getting ahead of myself.  I started by using a triple one sheet wonder pattern by StampHappyNZ (see video here) and chopping all three papers the same way:

I had expected to make the cards up the way she demonstrated in the video, but four things changed that. 1) I wanted to make 5 x 7 cards instead of A2 (I ended up with four 5x7 and 2 A2), 2) I wanted to decorate the insides of my cards - not just the outsides, 3) I didn't feel the backs of my papers coordinated well enough with the fronts, and 4) I couldn't BEAR to tear the larger pieces & layer two different ones the way she did - the papers were just too pretty as they were!

Below are the 6 cards that I made. The papers are so pretty that it's hard to choose a side and cover up the other!  I ended up using the silver side for half and the scenic side for half - though I hadn't planned it that way! 

Card #1:

I started by looking for some card stock that would blend nicely with the scenes.  I didn't find card stock, but did find this Glitzy paper that looks SO GOOD with it!  As you can see, I used the paper to narrowly mat the paper (and later, the stamped sentiment).  Not wanting to waste this gorgeous paper, I used a die to cut a large piece from the center that wouldn't be seen and used it elsewhere.  I found a ribbon that blended nicely, and wrapped it around patterned paper & mat before gluing to the card front.  Then I simply created a sentiment from white card stock and a stamped message (stamp from JustRite's Antique Christmas Tags One). After matting it, I added it in place above the ribbon using foam squares for dimension.

Inside:

Inside I simply used a couple of the other cut strips that used the same pattern, matted them, and used them to border my stamped sentiment (from large no-name Christmas stamp set).

Card #2:

This time, I decided to use the silver foiled side, but left the panel intact once again.  This time I matted it with a silver foiled poster board from my stash, then added it with foam tape to a larger embossed white panel (a 3D folder from Crafter's Companion called Sparkling Snowfall).  Next, I wrapped the ribbon around all 3 layers, tied a bow, matted all on another silver panel (actually, all silver mats have the centers cut out so as not to waste this special card stock), and glued the whole to the front of the card.  I then found a sentiment from a Hunkydory Little Book of Essential Christmas Sentiments and added it with foam tape to complete the card.

Inside:

I wanted to carry the foiled theme to the inside of the card, and remembered these lovely foiled inserts that I had gotten from Crafter's Companion.  I forgot to stamp a sentiment on it, but it really makes the inside look pretty.

Card #3:

Once again, I chose to use the last of the large cut panels on it's own.  This time I stamped directly onto the panel using one of my Mom's stamps.  I narrowly matted the panel with white card stock and then tied a ribbon around it with a bow.  After cutting a frame from the glitzy paper and gluing it to the front of the card to serve as a mat, I added the prepared panel using foam tape.

Inside:

I prepared a border using the glitzy paper, white card stock, and a little piece of the same paper I used on the card front - then glued it in place at the top of the card.  Next, I die cut the word wonder from the glitzy paper using a die fromTim Holtz word dies called Happy Holidays: Script and added it on top of the border.  The stamped message was created using one of my Mom's stamps.

Card #4:

This card is the last of my 5 x 7 cards in this set.  At this point, I'd used all the larger panels of patterned paper and some of the smaller strips.  I stared at them a bit to try to figure out what to do with them.  I realized that I could cut several of the strips into squares that were all the same size.  I proceeded to do that with the strips I had in front of me and ended up with 8 squares.  I had a piece of silver left from cutting out the insides of mats and I cut a white piece of card stock just a bit smaller than the silver and glued the squares (silver side up - alternating those that had more silver with those that had less) to that white card stock.  I had to put them pretty close together to get all 8 on the card stock, but was left with a fairly large strip of white between the columns of squares.  I wrapped silver ribbon around this & tied a bow at the top. Then I glued the panel to the silver & glued both to the front of the card.  I found another sentiment in the Hunkydory Essentials book and added it with foam tape.

Inside:

Using a couple more small strips of the patterned paper, I matted them on silver and added them top and bottom before stamping a greeting (from my large no-name set of Christmas sentiments).

Card #5:

By this time, I had only bits and pieces left, so decided to use them on an A2 card.  I found a die cut silver piece (Spellbinders Captivating Squares) in my stash & decided to make a little "stack of presents" on it using bits of paper & silver ribbon.  As you can see, I matted the presents with a narrow white mat.  After gluing them to the silver piece, I glued the whole to my card front.  I found a couple of sentiments in my Hunkydory sentiment book that I thought would work great to complete the card front.  After gluing those in place, I turned to work on the inside of the card.

Inside:

There were two small strips of patterned paper left that I could use as borders. When I started pulling scraps of the silver to mat them, I discovered a piece that had a pretty edge left over from die cutting a border.  I thought it made a perfect decorative mat for my paper strip borders.  The stamped sentiment was again from my no-name large Christmas sentiments.

Card #6:

You thought I had used up all my paper pieces on the last card??? Well, I did too!  However, as I was cleaning up, I found I had missed one strip of the patterned paper!  What to do?  It was bigger than I wanted to throw away, but was only a small piece!  As I pondered it, I suddenly imagined it as a small focal panel on an A2 card, and began to create this final card.  I found some scraps of a pretty light blue paper in my stash, that I thought would coordinate well.  I cut a panel from white & embossed it (Leafy Vine embossing folder from HOTP).  I was really pleased with it - it embossed a lovely deep impression!  I glued a strip of the scrap patterned paper down the left side of this panel, then added the matted small focal, and a strip greeting (from Mom's stamps & dies) using foam tape.  I matted the panel with a narrow piece of darker blue before gluing to the front of the card.  

Inside:

I added a strip of the matted scrap patterned paper & a stamped sentiment (CCC - Birthday Female) to complete the inside of the card.  This last card was an unexpected surprise made from just a tiny strip of the patterned paper - but it turned out to be my favorite of all of them!