A little birdie told me...

We have a special challenge this week at Just Us Girls Challenge #718, partnering with Time Out Challenges! You will find all of the fun details there. By entering the linky tool below you will automatically also join Time Out! Our theme is Birds!

Also, your project will gain twice the visibility... You will double your chances to be chosen as a design team favorite and your project may be showcased in one of the challenge blogs. Whether you join from Time Out or from Just Us Girls  you also have a chance to win $25.00 store credit to Waffle Flower Crafts. 

My card was completed with our daughter in mind as she just left her first "real" job after college for a big company. And little did she know that her close coworker got an offer the same day at the same company! Birds of a feather!!!!!!

Products I used:

Sizzix: Robins in Hats die set

My Favorite Things: Cloud stencil, baby clothesline die

Stampin' Up!: A Little Birdie Told Me stamp set

Waffle Flower: Nesting Rectangle Frames die

Distress inks

Versafine: Onyx black ink

Holographic silver cardstock

It was really fun making the little matching birds. Aren't the skinny stick legs funny coming out of the boots?!! I  assembled them and they sat on my desk for a few weeks while I thought about how to put them on a card. I ran across the clothesline dies and thought they would look better than me drawing a line for them to stand on...and that set the card in motion. I stenciled a panel of white cardstock with clouds, then arranged the birds. I added the rectangle frame and stamped the sentiment. Inside, I stenciled clouds again to carry the theme over and make a place for the end of the sentiment. Looking back at it now, this card could be a baby card for someone who just found out that they are expecting.

We hope you will join our fun collab this round with Time Out Challenges!

-Carol

Oh Christmas Tree

This month at Christmas Craft Creations we are using Designer Paper. Seems simple enough, right? I saw this tree die in my stash and decided to use five different paper patterns for my CAS card. I didn't add a sentiment, but used Merry Christmas paper for one of the trees.

Products I used:

Hampton Art: Patterned Tree stamp and die set

Assorted patterned papers

The Greetery: Postal die

I cut out four trees from designer paper, and four from heavy weight white cardstock. I adhered the patterned trees on top of the white ones for thickness. I added a few shiny baubles as ornaments.

I die cut the postal die and arranged the trees on it.

I adhered an A2 sized piece of patterned paper to the front of my A2 card base, then attached the postal panel to the card front. That's it! Inside the card I stamped the sentiment: Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.

We hope you will join us this month by creating a card with designer papers. I'll be watching for your creative ideas in the gallery!

-Carol

Hoppy Easter

I didn't want to let the Easter season go by making only one card with this bunny set, so here is my second card with these adorable little guys! I am playing along at Global Design Project GDP #436 where we are asked to CASE Jay Soriano's card. I saw the vertical lines and the topsy turvy shapes along the midline, as well as the loosely placed sentiments. I haven't made this style of gate fold card for a while and I love the removable centerpiece so much. In person the grass doesn't look as sparse as it does in the photo. My idea was to have the bunnies peaking out from the garden.

Products I used:

Simon Says Stamp: Bunny Trails stamp set

American Crafts: Floral paper

Versafine: Onyx Black ink pad

Copic markers

Distress ink pad

Ink blending brush

The card base is an 8 1/2" x 5 1/2 piece of cardstock. Score in from each 5 1/2" end at 2 1/8". Trim a hair off each short edge so the two "gates" don't touch.

Cut 4 of the same size circles, three out of light-ish weight cardstock and one out of a sturdier weight. The latter will be the top circle that you decorate. I inked blended green on the heavy circle for the grass background. Stamp the bunnies and color with Copics. Fussy cut the bunnies. Ran a scrap of lime green cardstock through my paper crimper, then cut narrow strips. Bunched it all up in my hand to further make it messy.

Fold two of the circles in half. They should look sort of like tacos. Adhere them to the other light weight circle with the folds butting up to each other in the center of the flat circle. Now you have two tacos facing outward from each other on top of a flat circle, right? Decorate your fourth circle, then adhere it to the tacos side (not the flat side) of the mechanism you previously made. WARNING: Make sure to line up your decorated circle so that it's top edge is lined up against the taco folds. (On my first try, my bunnies were off center instead of ears up toward the top of the card.)

This card can also have a top fold card inside (slightly smaller than A2) adhered to the center portion of the card base. Decorate the front of the closed top fold card and leave the inside of it for  a handwritten message.

Mat the two "gates" with patterned paper and if you wish, stamp a sentiment. Hold the gate fold base closed, the mechanism slides down the two inner gate edges from the top (making sure the left gate and right gate are separated into the two tacos). I know this sounds crazy, but it works. See last photo...look at the mechanism carefully.

Happy Easter season!

-Carol

Birthday Envelope

The envelopes from the My Favorite Things Paper Goods die set have served me well. I have made several different styles of cards using them. Here is another use today, as deemed "The Project" at Craft Roulette #205 (also Craftroulette.live) last Friday evening. The parameters are:

Project: Include an envelope

Colors: Party

Element: Crown

Random: 3 strips of paper

As you can see, I went all in with party! I have hoarded the candle patterned paper for a while, and thought my design would start there. The envelope parts were already die cut from my last project, including the tag, so I assembled the envelope and stamped the tag with HB2U - Happy Birthday to You. The birthday crown is gold metallic paper, but my photo shows it to be dark. I added matching twine and tucked the tag in so it can be removed and replaced over and over. I love an interactive card! It is also interactive because I popped up the envelope on an Art Impressions Action Wobbler. The envelope shakes and wobbles back and forth with a little pull on it. And I added three strips of matching cardstock across the middle of the card.

If you haven't ever watched Craft Roulette, it is on You Tube on Friday Nights, 7:30 EST. People form all over the world watch, comment and participate by making a card that is due by Sunday night at midnight Mountain Time.

I can't wait to give this to my daughter for her birthday!

-Carol

Lucky Me

March is here already and we are speeding toward the next holiday, St. Patrick's Day. Our sweet teammate Stephanie is hostess this week at Just Us Girls Color Week Challenge #717 and has chosen green, lime green + one color of our choice. I chose raspberry. I have a few shamrock stamps but I wasn't feeling that look today. Instead, I shopped my stash and used dies, punches and a stencil to make my "whimsical" rainbow card. (I call it that because, well, the colors and those loosely interpreted shamrocks.)

Products I used:

My Favorite Things: Inside and Out Stitched circle dies (rainbow stripes)

Simon Says Stamp: Whoa You're Amazing die 

Sugar Pea Designs: Card Front Elements Builder scalloped rectangle die

Stampin' Up!: Small flower/shamrock punch

Handheld tiny circle/hole punch

Lucky die: Not sure what brand it is...maybe Stampin' Up!

Pink and Main:  Rectangle patterns stencil

Concord and 9th: Mini ink pad

Ink blending brush

I cut 2 circles at a time to create each rainbow stripe, using green, lime and raspberry cardstock. Next, I punched the "shamrock/flowers" and the gold glitter cardstock dots. I die cut the white scalloped rectangle, then ink blended green ink in a small area. I stenciled over it with the same color. I guess it simulates raindrops? That area just needed something, so...

I arranged my rainbow and shamrock/flowers (whatever they look like to you) and adhered them to the white panel. I die cut one gold glitter and two white cardstock "lucky" sentiments and stacked them for thickness. I took the M and E from the Whoa You're Amazing die to spell Me, obviously.

I adhered the scalloped panel to an A2 lime green panel, then adhered that to a white A2 card base. In person the card has just enough sparkle to make it "magical" like the holiday.

We hope you will join us this week with the pretty greens and a color of your choice! Check out the design team's great ideas they created for you, too!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

-Carol

Thinking of You

I am back with my first spring card of 2024. I made an Easter-themed double bridge card. It is for Craft Roulette #204, which was another fun episode. We were challenged to make the following:

Project: Thinking of You

Element: Hear(s) and/or Ear(s)

Colors: Fairy Tale

Random: Stamped Background

I decided to play along with As You See It Challenge #318 with my Easter-themed card.

Products I used:

Simon Says Stamp: Bunny Trail stamp set (bunnies, carrots, back sentiment)

Concord and 9th: Thinking of You stamp set (sentiment)

Ellen Hutson:  All Inside stamp set (sun)

Versafine: Onyx Black ink pad

Copic markers

Altenew: Artist Markers

Stampin' Up!: Dotted embossing folder

Strip of acetate

First I decided on the type of card I was going to make, and I have made the Double Bridge Card in the past but it didn't want to fold flat. I had to try it again. Here is a tutorial for it from The Pampered Stamper.

After I made my base, I stamped, colored, and fussy cut the bunnies and carrots. I cut two white panels for the center of the front and back, and stamped the sentiments on them. I stamped a sun on the front panel for my background along with the " Thinking of You sentiment. The sun made those carrots grow in the garden! I thought about stenciling clouds i the background, but I thought the card was going to be busy enough already. The clouds and blue sky are implied.

Next I embossed another white piece of cardstock with dots. I like that they are wonky and not uniformly lined up, since my card is whimsical, like a fairy tale. I cut 1" strips of the embossed cardstock and attached them to the columns of the bridge card, front and back. The bunny ears cover the required element and the colors for a fairy tale are pretty much any bright or pastel.  I attached the carrots and bunnies to a strip of acetate across the front of the card base to create a bridge. On the back of the card there is space for a handwritten message to the recipient of the card.

Well, I better go add this to the Craft Roulette site...can't wait to see what everyone came up with this week!

Happy Spring!

-Carol

Paradise

I have something old, something new for my mini album this month at Mini Album Mania. I love the boxes and other "encasing" ideas on Pinterest for mini albums. I made a box by the talented Sam at Pootles Papercraft for my album. I used the meander book tutorial again with a whole different theme this time. Each new album has a different feel, purpose and design elements. It is a fun project and I couldn't resist making one for a friend who loves the beach as much as I do. 

Products I used:

PoppyStamps: Whittle Seaside Sentiments stamp set

Simon Says Stamp: Picture Book Croc die

Sizzix: Summer Days dies, Vacation Words - Block die set

My Favorite Things: Seaside Seagulls stamp and die sets

Memory Box: Whittle Flamingo, Whittle Fish Trio, Marina Sailboats die setss

Concord and 9th: Mini ink pads

Gold cardstock

Vellum (behind Paradise word)

Michael's (?): Gold embossed pineapple patterned paper

Stampin' Up! Classic ink pads

Small circle punch (thumb tabs)

Scalloped edge punch

The box that holds this little 3" x 3" mini album is the perfect size and can be embellished in so many ways. I attached the gold cord to be able to tie the box shut, then adhered the patterned paper and scalloped edge piece over it.

The album is fun to make. Gathering products for the inserts is also fun. Non-directional patterned paper works best with this meander book fold (the inside pages). My first album can be seen here and you get a different feel due to the themes of each. My inserts were put into the album like they are pictured, starting on the top left and ending at the top right for a message to the recipient.

Join us this round with your mini album ideas. There are millions of them on Pinterest to choose from and make your own! Check out all of our design team ideas, too.

See you back here soon!

-Carol