Butterfly Thinking of You

This card used elements I had made ahead so that helped make the card faster to make since the focal elements were already mostly done.

Background: a pretty butterfly & daisy paper with blue background that came in a freebie pack with a paper crafting magazine.

Mat: Black paper cut using a Spellbinders die from the Fleur De Lis Rectangles set.

Focal: I started with white glossy card stock that had been inked with alcohol inks.   I cut it with a JustRite die from Vintage Labels 3. Next I stamped & embossed the frame on this die cut piece, using a JustRite stamp from For All You Do Vintage Labels Three. I colored it with a variety of inks until I got a color that blended well with the background paper.  For the sentiment, I used a stamp from HOTP Butterflies stamp set - heat embossed with black powder.  This piece was added with 3-dimensional foam tape.

Butterfly: The butterfly was a layered die cut I had in my stash, but I added inks to make a yellow-orange color that coordinated well with the rest.  After I got the color I wanted, I covered the whole with embossing ink & heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.

I don't have a picture, but for the inside, I used strips of the patterned paper with narrow black ribbon.  Then I stamped some framed sentiments using stamps from: HOTP "Tiny Tags, Little Labels & Greetings", JustRite "Cast All Your Cares" and "Be Strong".

Birthday Waterfall

This card was another challenge card, where I was supposed to make an interactive card using a chevron design.  At first I thought I'd use a chevron embossing folder, but then decided to create my own chevron look using strips of striped paper.  The trick was that because it was an asymmetrical stripe, I had to cut strips both lengthwise & crosswise to make it work.

I haven't made very many waterfall cards, but it really wasn't very hard.  I'll have to do more!  I followed the instructions on Theresa's 100 Moveable Parts Cards CD from HOTP.

The waterfall was created on small rectangles that had been cut with a Spellbinders Scalloped Rectangles die.  The various elements on them were from HOTP - most of them were transparencies, but they were from a variety of HOTP card making packs.

Gold Condolences

This quick card was for a timed challenge that called for using stripes & gold. 

Background:  This really wasn't a normal "background", but was instead washi tape from my stash that created a frame around the focal element.

Focal: The focal itself was die cut using a Marianne Cut & Emboss die, cut from cream colored glimmer paper.  This was backed with thin gold metal strips cut to fit behind the cut out parts of the focal.

Sentiment: The sentiment was stamped in gold ink using a stamp from HOTP Heartfelt Greetings stamp set.  Then I heat embossed it with gold embossing powder over top of the stamped sentiment.

Found Objects

I love the way this card turned out!  It was another for the timed challenges on National Card Making Day (PWMB).  This challenge was to use a found object from around the house.  My "found objects" were pink and purple sheer fabric that came on a couple of bouquets I was given.

Background: The background is a flocked paper from HOTP.

Focal: The focal was cut from cardstock with a Spellbinders die from their Card Creators "Stationary" die set.  This was covered with the sheer fabric - purple on top of the pink - only adhereing it with tape on the back.  As I taped it to the card stock, I pulled it gently taut - which meant the fabric floated a little bit above the card stock in the center. 

Finishing the Focal: Dazzles finished off the focal - the silver jewel border, the cupcake, and the sentiment - all are from various Dazzles sticker sets.  Because the fabric floats on top of the card stock, you get a really neat 3-D look for the sentiment.

Thanksgiving Blessings

Here's another time-challenge card - this one was to use a barnyard animal.  The only thing I could think of was to use this stamp of cats. 

Focal: White cardstock cut with Spellbinders Card Creator die (Modern Stationary) & outlined with thin brown border Dazzles stickers from HOTP.

Focal picture: stamped on a patterned paper with brown ink & colored with markers - not sure who made the stamp.  I've had it for awhile.

Sentiments: Raised sentiment on green paper was stamped with brown on a green paper that had been cut & embossed using a Spellbinders Labels 20 die.  I used a brown pen to frame the green (running the pen along the raised embossed edge), and mounted it with dimensional tape.  The stamp itself was from JustRite's "Grateful Heart".   The other sentiment is also JustRite - this one from "Sympathy Vintage Labels".

Fall Birthday

I made several card for timed challenges on the PWMB for National Card Making Day.  This one was in response to a challenge to use a stamp for the background. 

Background: Damask background stamp from JustRite on cream paper with brown ink. 

Focal: The pumpkin is a small stamp from HOTP colored with watercolor pencils.  The sentiment is a JustRite stamp from the set "Grateful Heart".  Corner treatments are from a Dazzles "Nested Frames Stickers" set in brown. 

Ribbon Treatments: Leaf ribbon from Paper Wishes, grosgrain ribbon from my stash. 3 little orange flower sequins finish it off.

Christmas Flip

Today's card was made for a challenge on the PW Message Board.  It was made differently than other flip cards I've made, because it was made using the instructions posted on that thread.  It was made using the following supplies:

• Card Base: double-sided card stock from DCWV.  Stripes were enhanced using HOTP Dazzles - Black Thin Lines, Black Jewel (silver edge cut off & remaining used for flower centers), and Camera (which was placed on top of a piece of ribbon from my stash. Though you can't see it in the picture, the card base is cut & the portion that extends past the front fold is flipped out.
• Focal: Mat cut using "Antiques Labels One" die from JustRite & outlined with a black Sharpie. Focal itself is from HOTP Ebony Color Me Christmas Greetings Topper pack - colored with red Gelatos.  
• Inside: Mat is cut from black paper with same die used for mat on the front.  I fussy cut the cream-colored inner piece.  The message is stamped with stamps from JustRite's "Mix and Match Christmas Blessings", except for the signature which was done using an embossing pen.  The whole was then heat embossed with Garnet PEARLuster embossing powder.