A 4 in One Sketch

Today I have 4 cards - similar but different.  The basic card was introduced by Jann McCollom in a Zoom meeting that I attended.  Before I get to that, though.  I just want to highlight how useful it is to have some basic shaped dies - especially if they create pretty edges as you use them!  For this reason, you'll see that I use the Textured Notes cutting dies A LOT!  Similarly, now that I have the Spotlight on Nature circular dies, I expect to use them a lot too - and I DID use them on the last card in this set.  I suggest that you look for these types of cutting dies as ones that you'll use over and over again!

Anyway, back to this set of cards.  They start with 4 coordinating pieces of patterned paper that are each 4 3/4" x 3 1/2".  Note that if there is a direction to them, you want them all going the same direction.  Other than that, you simply make two cuts for each of the 4 pieces. First, in portrait orientation, cut at 1 1/2".  Then turn each of those resulting pieces 90 degrees to landscape orientation and cut at 3".  You now have the four pieces you can see in each of these cards.  Mix and match them - mat them - add a focal and greeting. Voila'!  You have FOUR A2 sized cards!

I used the beautiful Seasons of Green and Gold papers (unfortunately discontinued now), but you could use anything - there are some gorgeous papers that are currently available - check them out here.  Mostly, I just combined them with coordinating cardstocks (Basic White, Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Mossy Meadow, Garden Green) and some Gold Foil paper. Then I added cutouts from the papers, a stamped focal, stamped or die cut greetings, and a few embellishments from my stash.

Here are the details:

Card #1 (above): 

Background: The background pieces were narrowly matted on Gold Foil - then on Very Vanilla before being added to the Mossy Meadow card base.  

Focal: The focal was stamped on Very Vanilla cardstock using Mossy Meadow and Old Olive inks and the Christmas Greenery stamp set.  I added a bit more color with Old Olive Stampin' Blends and Mossy Meadow Stampin' Write markers before cutting it out with the matching dies.   I die cut 2 mats using Textured Notes cutting dies - one from Very Vanilla and one from Mossy Meadow.  I then used my paper cutter to cut a third mat from Old Olive that would fit between the other two. I then added my prepared focal with dimensionals. The greeting was die cut using an old Moonstone cutting die from my stash - out of Old Olive and Gold Foil.  It too was added with dimensionals - then the whole thing was glued to the card front.  

Finishing: I finished with 3 pieces from the Low Profile Sparkle Dots.  

Card #2: 

Background: This time I narrowly matted the patterned paper pieces on Basic White before adding to an Old Olive mat and then to the Basic White card base.

Focal: I again used 3 mats - two Old Olive and one Basic White.  This time all three were die cut using the Textured Notes cutting die set.  After gluing the 3 pieces together, I glued them to the center of the card front.  Next, I fussy cut a pine sprig from the papers and added it with dimensionals.  The sentiment was again cut using the Moonstone dies - this time with Old Olive and Basic White cardstock.

Finishing: Again I added some little embellishments - this time from the Traditional Sparkling Sequins.

Card #3: 

Background: This time the pieces were again matted on Gold Foil - then on Very Vanilla before the whole was added to the Mossy Meadow card front. 

Focal: This time I used some oval dies from my stash (from Kat Scrappiness) to cut the mats for the focal. The focal itself consists of fussy cut pieces from the paper.

Finishing: The mat for the sentiment was die cut using the Textured Notes dies and Mossy Meadow cardstock - and I just used my cutter to cut a piece of Very Vanilla to fit inside.  Note that I decided this paper and focal didn't have to just be for Christmas!  I turned this one into an anniversary card for an upcoming December anniversary.  The final touch was a ribbon bow using the Mossy Meadow & Gold 1/4" ribbon.

Card #4: 

 

Background: This last card base was made using Garden Green cardstock.  I again matted the patterned paper pieces on Gold Foil and then on Basic White, before adding them.

Focal: I went for pretty simple with the focal on this one - a greeting cut from Gold Foil (Creative Expressions die).  I again used a triple mat - Basic White and Garden Green were die cut using Spotlight on Nature dies, then I used the 2 3/8" circle punch to cut the Gold Foil mat that goes between the two. 

Finishing: This time, I finished my card with a bow made from a bit of gold 1/8" trim (love it - wish it hadn't been discontinued).