A Couple Quickies

There were several fun challenges on the Paper Wishers message board for World Cardmaking Day.  Fortunately for me, there were a few that ran longer than a week!  That let me play too!  

I was able to make two cards and post them just before the time ran out.  The first was this cold weather card.  I had 3 requirements to meet for this challenge: 

• Either a Z-fold or a cutaway card
• Something round
• Sequins, jewel Dazzles, or rhinestones

I had very little time to make these two cards, but was able to complete this one because I used the "Winter Wishes" Artful Card Kit (HOTP).  The background paper, and focal elements all came in the kit.  Here's what I did:

BASE CARD & BACKGROUND PAPER:

• I started with the background paper.  I wanted it to look like it all fit together from the front, but have the bottom part on the back page.  I decided to use a border die (Spellbinders) and run it at a bit of an angle to give an interesting cutaway.  
• I cut my paper to fit the card front with a bit of a white border - then glued the top part of the paper to my card (above where I wanted the cutaway).  Next I opened the card and lined my die up carefully where I wanted it.  I made sure that the top plate of my cutting sandwich lined up with the fold of my card, so I wouldn't accidentally cut part of the card back. After running through the die cut machine, I cat away the bottom portion of the card front along the fold.
• Next I took, the piece of patterned paper I had cut off with my cutting die, added adhesive, closed my card and carefully lined the paper up on the inside of the card below the card front.

FOCAL:

• After punching out the elements I wanted from the die cut sheets, I fussy cut the printed banner.
• I put foam squares on the outer frame and lined it up where I wanted it.   Before removing the release paper, I glued the center circle & banner flush to the card.  Then removed the release paper from the foam squares & adhered the frame.
• I put the mittens on even thicker foam squares and added them in the center of the circle as you see in the picture.

FINISHING:

• Now all I had to do was add white Jewel Dazzles in the center of a bunch of the snowflakes.

This next card was a bit easier to make because it was a standard left fold card.  HOWEVER - that meant I had to think a little harder to come up with an idea for it!    Here's what I ended up with:

For this card, the requirements were that it:

• be a standard left-side fold
• Have buttons or brads
• Include something square or rectangular.

For this card, I found some old patterned paper (HOTP) that I'd had for quite awhile & decided it would make a good background for my card.  I cut it just smaller than the card & outlined it in pen before gluing it to the card front.

For my focal, I decided to use a brad buddy (HOTP) to get that brad requirement out of the way quickly.  I put that coffee cup brad buddy on a rectangle of plaid paper matted on white card stock - after I added black lines around the edge and near the bottom.  After attaching the brad buddy to the rectangle with the "marshmallow" brads, I glued the whole piece to the front of my card. 

Now all I needed were some finishing touches.  I pulled out my Dazzles & that gave me what I needed.  I pulled a couple of streamers from a birthday set and used them for steam.  I found a Dazzles sentiment I thought would work (actually cut the "s" off the end of the word "Holidays" so I could say what I wanted to say).  I added 3 little stars on the yellow faux ribbon strip, and a little swirl in the rectangular red box below the coffee.  Short, sweet, and met the requirements!