Seasons Spring Double Gate

      Here is a card made with the Graphic 45 Seasons collection. The card base is made with kraft paper on a double gate fold card base. 

     The entire card is matted with Brown Eyes from My Colors card stock. The "Bloom bright all Season" is a piece of Ephemera. I made a collage consisting of a die cut flower, one of the chip board buttons (painted purple) with a knot of ivory seam binding, and a fussy cut bouquet of tulips from the patterned paper.

     The middle panels are handmade pockets with a die cut tag in each. The pockets are made by trimming a pocket and a tag in half. The sentiments on the tags are stickers.

 

 

     The front panels are made from a trimmed piece of ephemera. The embellishment is removable. I painted a mini clothespin with purple acrylic paint, matted a 7/8 inch square "spring" sticker on ivory, and added it to the clothespin. This is attached to a loopy bow made with seam binding.  

     I added a belly band with a hand made pinwheel over the ends, which makes the belly band appear endless.

     I will be making 16 cards and 4 calendars with this Graphic 45 Seasons Paper. All of these SEASON cards can be made using:

• one sheet of each of the patterned paper 
• one sheet of each of  Prints and Solids

In order to make All Seasons cards and calendars, you only need purchase the following items once:

• Tags and Pockets
• Chip Board
• Ephemera
• Stickers

Stay tuned for more cards this year.

Spring

Spring Double Gate Card - You are here!

Spring Shutter Card

Spring Seed Pack Holder 

Spring Center Step Card

Spring Calendar

Summer

Summer Poppy Block Card

Sweet Summer Pocket Card

Summer Pen Nib Butterfly

Summer Embroidery Hoop Easel

Summer Impossible Calendar

Autumn
Autumn Joy Fold Plus
Autumn Patchwork and Feathers
Autumn Shaker
Autumn Scarecrow
Autumn Calendar

Winter

Winter Birdhouse

Winter Cozy Snow Day

Winter Pop Up Gift Card Holder 

Winter Box on Card 

Winter Calendar 

Materials List:

     Patterned Paper: Graphic 45 - Seasons

     Card Stock: My Colors - Brown Eyes

                                        Kraft

                                        Concord Grape

                      Bazzill - Sawdust

     Die: Burniston - Flowers & Bee

           Stamps of Life - Stitched Tags

     Ink: Inking - Frayed Burlap

     Embellies: 1/2 inch Cream Seam Binding

                     Mini Clothespin

                    Twine - Purple & Cream 

                    Gems - Starfoam Stickers (Pink)

                    Paint - Deco Art (Dazzling Metallics - Purple Pearl)

Challenges

Challenge Up Your Life - Spring Flowers - #38 - *
Crafty Calendar - 2 or More Layers - #238 - *
Crafty Friends Challenges - Springtime - #10 - *
Dragonfly Dreams - Flowers - #116 - *
Pile-It-On - 3-D Embellies & Stickers - #117 - *

Polar Birthday

     This card was made for a friend who had a January birthday. I worked so hard on the inside of the card, that I was happy to let the sketch lead the way for the front of the card. As a result, I ended up with a card front fitting of the details inside. 

Card and Envelope

     I hope you are joining us at Sketch~N~Scrap. Today there is a fun sketch by Lisa for you to try. Enter your creation before the end of the month to be eligible for a fun prize.

Card Sketch #116

       I made a card using this Burniston die last October. Karen Burniston visited the store where I teach my classes. She demonstrated a card using this Tag Book Pop Up die. I remember the relief when we were assembling it. This die is super easy to put together. This is one of those cases where the card is easier than it looks. I presented it to my friend at dinner in January and well you know the WOW factor was there. 

Inside of Card

Materials List:

     Patterned Paper: Authentique - Frosty 1 & 4

     Card Stock: Bazzill - Sea Salt

                                   Her Majesty

                                   Sugar Wafer

                                   Date Swirl

                       My Colors - Sea Foam

                       Gina K - Lovely Lavendar

                                    White

     Dies: Burniston - Cupcake Pop-Up

                               Birthday Charms

                               Word Set 2 - Birthday

                               Winter Animals

                               Tag Book Pop Up

                               Labels & Circles

     Punch: 1 inch corner                                                   

     Embellies: Starfoam Stickers - Pink/Silver

                     Really Reasonable Ribbon - Tulip Grograin 5/8"

                                                             Anastasia White Crochet Lace 1/2"

    

Challenges

Always Fun Challenges - Zoo Animals - #9 - *
Crafty Catz - Pretty Ribbon - #63 - *
Dies R Us - Tag You're It - #8 - *
Get Creative Challenges - Ribbon - #62 - *
Through the Purple Haze - Add Turquoise - #35 - *
UnstampaBelles Challenges - Something New - #45 - *

Like a Tea Bag

      My husband told me a month ago that he needed a retirement card for his boss. I have pained over this. I couldn't think of anything that I liked until he brought me this quote:    

A woman is like a tea bag: you never know her strength until you drop her in hot water. - Nancy Reagan

I had suggested a Z card, but when we were talking in my craft room my husband pointed to a Shutter Card and said, "That card has a lot going on." Final decision: tea theme on a shutter card. 
     I have had this Gorguss stamp for quite some time, but have never used it. There is a tag on the cup that says "Drink Me". I can't think of any occasion for which this sentiment is appropriate. I decided to use it, but cover the words with flowers.

 

     With Copics markers, I practiced the skin and hair before coloring on the stamped image. The hair on the stamped image looks darker, because there are more details in the image. As you can see, I gave absolutely NO attention to the "Drink Me" tag.

     I added some tea elements from a Die-namics die set and some trim from an old Ionic edge punch.

     I printed the quote on heavy card stock and die cut it with a Spellbinders die. I used the die again with Gray Stone paper to frame the quote.

     I also cut mats for the back of the card base using patterned paper. Colleagues will sign those with a handwritten message. I will add those later.

Envelope

Card Laying Flat

Materials List:

     Patterned Paper: Kaiser Kraft - Wildflower Collection (Spring, Vines, In Bloom, Fleur)

                              Dear Lizzy - Christmas Winter Wishes

     Card Stock: Gina K - White

                       Bazzill - Gray Stone

                                   Lime

                       Silver Metallic

     Ink: Stampin' Up - Bermuda Bay 

            Momento - Tuxedo Black

            Distress - Hickory Smoke

     Stamps: Santoro - Sweet Tea

     Dies: Karen Burniston - Flowers & Bee

             Die-namics - Always Time for Tea

             Spellbinders - Fancy Tags 

     Punch: Ionic

     Embellies: Black/White Twine

                    Gray Enamel Glitter Dot

     Copics: Skin - E000, 00, 11, R20

                 Hair - E21, 23, 25, 27

                 Cup - C0, 1, 3, 5

                        - RV91, 93, 95

                 Dress/Bow - BG10, 11, 13

                 Bunny - C00, 0, 1, 2, R00

    

Challenges

Cards 4 Galz Challenge - Stamping - #24 - Winner !!!
Color Inspiration Monthly - Colored Image - #30 - March 6
Crafting with Butterflies - Special Folds - #3 - Winner!!!
Fashionable Stamping - One for the Girls - #18 - *
Gem of a Challenge - Spring Flowers - #8 - *
House That Stamps Built - TicTacToe (Twine, Patterned Paper, Flowers) - *
Pixie's Crafty Workshop - Use Snippets - #1 -  *
Star in My Pocket - Make it GIRLY - #18 - *

Raggedy Ann Valentine Project

     This was Valentine making session #2. My granddaughter, Elena, is 3 and attends Pre-School. She needed 8 Valentines for her class. She loves dolls especially the dress up part. I thought she would like assembling a doll for her Valentines. 

      I used a Raggedy Ann Silhouette file. This one is called "Annie Doll Cute as a Button" by Stinkin' Cute. I'm not sure where my head was when I chose this design, as I didn't think about ALL of the pieces there were in the making of this card. I spent 8 hours cutting and gluing in preparation for Elena to assemble these cards. 
     Since Elena is just 3, I decided to place the letters/sentiment on the card before she worked on it. I made the doll into stickers for her to place on to the shaped card base.The big hair behind her head was too big to run thru my sticker maker, so I also glued those on ahead of time. 

Sticker sheets

    The doll was divided into 5 stickers:

1. the legs and shoes
2. the dress, arms, and pantaloons
3. the face and front hair
4. the bow
5. the heart-shaped button

Elena at Work

     I demonstrated how to put one doll together - that was all she needed. She put all of the cards together by herself!!! You can see there was a little difficulty matching the legs to the pantaloons, but that certainly doesn't distract from the finished product. 

SUCCESS!!!

A little somthin' somthin' on the back

Donut Valentines

     Today I made Valentines with my grandson, Lucas. He needed at least 22 plus one for his teacher. He was a donut with pink frosting and a milk carton hat for Halloween. I chose donuts because he LOVES donuts! 

Halloween Donut

     While the Silhouette was cutting all of the donuts, frosting, and sprinkles, Lucas stamped the inside of the cards using Gina K Kraft ink and the MISTI. BTW: It's so easy even a five year old can do it.

     Lucas punched small hearts from a variety of punches as I glued them on.

     Lucas colored the frosting on the stamped donut on the inside of each card.

Inside of Card

     Lucas had had enough of stamping, so I stamped the card fronts. After sorting all of the donuts, frosting, and sprinkles, Lucas made stacks of the four donut parts needed to complete one donut as I glued them together and onto the card front. I was more than a little happy to find this Silhouette cut file. I didn't want to stamp and color or glue sprinkles on individually for 24 cards.

Front of A2 Card

      After making 24 of these cards, Lucas was pretty much maxed out on card making, so I made the teacher card myself. It is a larger card - 5 1/2 x 6 1/2. I also made a large donut for Lucas to take home and play with (the most important part).

Teacher Card

Inside of Teacher Card

      I'll be making Valentines with my 3 year old granddaughter, Elena, later this week. She only needs 8 plus a teacher card. I am still in the brainstorming process - wish me luck!

Materials:

Stamps: Stamps of Life - donuts 2 stamp

              Gina K - Lovely Ladybug (Valentine sentiments)

Silhouette File: Miss Kate Cuttables - Donut and Donut Hole

Ink: Gina K - Kraft

Momento - Tuxedo Black

Markers: Permanent Chalk - Black

                 Crayola Washable

Punches: Miscellaneous Hearts

Challenges

Pixie's Crafty Workshop - #319 - Snippets - #11 - *

Dating

      This is a fun 2-photo layout sketch from Sketch N Scrap. You have all month to upload a picture of the layout you make using it. It was so interesting to design the borders for the patterned paper in the center. I am looking forward to seeing how the challenge entrants treat it.
 

Sketch #146

      Here are two pictures of my brother and his wife taken when they were dating in the late '60s. The patterned paper in the background is very hard to see in the picture. I chose it because it is so delicate. I then framed it with the most beautiful thing I could find in the craft room. I chose this lace, then made a paper border to the inside using roses on gray wood grain. Finally, I embellished it with die cut hearts and gray enamel dots.    

Papers I Used

Materials List:

     Patterned Paper: BoBunny - Bella Rosa (Damask, Shutters)

                                               Double Dot (Wine, Island Mist)

     Ink: Gina K - Cherry Red

            Distress - Frayed Burlap

     Dies: Stamps of Life - Hearts 2 Die For

     Punch: ek - 1" Corner

               Martha Stewart - Alphabet

     Embellies:  Silver Enamel Dots

                     Ivory 1 inch Lace Trim