7 cards ~ 1 sheet of 12x12 cardstock!

That is not totally true!  I used 2 5x7 and 5 4 1/2x5 1/2 white cardstock card bases.  Also, on 3 cards I used 4x 2 1/2-3" pieces of solid cardstock, either for contrast or to "stretch the last piece.  But... if you have a piece of paper you love and you are careful how you cut it, you can get multiple cards,  The picture directly above shows my scraps, not much.  There might have been a piece or two on the smallest rickrack that I lost.  I wasn't actually trying to do this, it just worked out when I was cutting to get the most out of the flower pattern.  The paper is Basic Grey, Urban Couture, that my sister, Pat *Hi Pat & Thanks* gave me!  The top 2 cards are the 5x7 cards.  I didn't do much, just some pearls and PTI Double Ended Banner die that I used on all 7 cards.  The second 2 have Vintage Cream cardstock, brown satin Ribbon, Michael's and PTI Beautiful Blooms II, 1 &3 respectively.  These were made with cream felt.  The 5th card has a small shipping tag covered with a scrap of the paper, brown rolled roses & some satin Hobby Lobby trim sprayed with Glimmer Mist.  It took the dye beautifully!  The last 2 cards are the same as the Greeting cards, just smaller.

So, if you have a favorite piece of paper you are hoarding, think it through before you cut, and USE IT!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Oops' more Rolled Roses!

Here are 2 more cards with my favorite, right now, however you know I LOVE all of my PTI dies!  These cards are 4 1/4x5 1/2 white cardstock.  They are top fold.  The mats are 4x 5 3/8.  This paper came from either the clearance stack from AC Moore, or that older Me and My Big ideas stack.  Micheal's satin ribbon was tied in a knot around the center of the card.  A Wilton doily was cut in half and adhered to the top of the ribbon.  The pink one was lightly inked.  Lace that came from AC Moore was adhered under the ribbon.  Large, medium and small rolled roses flowers were cut from the solid paper and adhered to the center of the doily.  A PTI Love Lives Here butterfly was used to cut coordinating paper. A small pearl was added to the center.  A sprig of Turning a New Leaf die. 

There is room on the bottom to stamp a sentiment.

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Rolled Roses card! (Hey, it's been a while ;)

OK, I know I was obsessed with my Rolled Roses dies get them HERE and HERE .  While I was getting you the link, they have a new LARGE die, HERE .  Oh dear, do you think I need it?  Maybe Simon Says Stamps will have a sale & I won't be able to resist it!

So, back at the card.  This is a 5x7 white cardstock Greeting Card.  The top panel, 4 3/4x4 1/2 is American Crafts, not sure which collection it is from, if you want to know, ask & I will look it up.  The bottom panel is 2 3/4, raspberry Bazzil cardstock.  A  green ribbon, Michael's was tied in a knot at the seam.  A pretty soft green, pearlized cardstock from my stash, I think it came from Michael's, was cut with PTI turning a New Leaf die.  Mat Stack 4 was used to cut white cardstock.  PTI Beautiful Blessings sentiment was stamped in Raspberry Fizz ink.  1 large, 2 medium and 1 small Rolled rose were cut with the raspberry cardstock.  I used the pearlized straight pins from Michael's in the center of each rose. 

The color didn't turn out as well as I would have liked, even after editing.  The solid color is a PRETTY Raspberry color.

I do have to share a short story about the sentiment.  Last night my precious baby, 17, was driving home with 3 friends from a concert.  He took a wrong turn and got off the interstate in the wrong place.  He had been driving 65+ mph and when he got on the other road he was going 40-45 mph.  As he was driving the drivers side front WHEEL, not the tire, came off his car!  He was able to get the car under control and pull over.  All 4 boys are safe.  The car did sustain damage but it can be fixed!  Those precious 17 year old boys are safe!

GOD is GREAT!  I know his guardian Angel had him get off the interstate and get on the street with the lower speed!  In EVERY ordinary day there are a THOUSAND miracles!!!!!!!
Thank you for looking at my blog!
Susan

Stamping with Acrylic Paint ~ Ashley Newell style

Have you ever stamped with acrylic paint, on canvas for a card front?  I never tried it until I saw This post .  First let me say my card does not hold a candle to hers, Ashley's is beautiful.  These 2 are my first attempts.  I did purchase some Making Memories paint after I tried this with my old stash of craft paint from my boys Cub Scout days.  I haven't tried to make anymore cards with this technique, but I will.  Just to let you know, you can buy canvas by the yard at Hobby Lobby.  I bought about  1/2 yard and was lucky enough that is was on sale when I got it.  Be sure and check the laces & trims when you are there, especially if you like the cards on previous posts. 

These cards are 5x7 white cardstock, greeting card sized.  The mat is 4 1/2x 6 1/2.  The canvas piece is about 4x6 on the top card and a little smaller on the bottom one.  You want to tear the canvas so it has the ragged edges.  I painted on a base of paint and let it dry.  I them smeared a bit of creamy colored paint on the top one and gold on the bottom one.  Just enough to add some additional texture.  Ashley suggests that you use a stamp that has areas of solid rubber and are not to fine detailed or intricate.  I chose my  Hero Arts Life of the Party Dots background stamp.  I covered my stamp in contrasting acrylic paint and stamped it directly onto the painted canvas piece.  My disappointment in my cards is not my technique but more the colors of paint I had available.  I will try the new paint I bought and post those cards when I do.  I used some wide pieces of vintage lace and tied dyed seam binding around the canvas.  Buttons threaded with bakers twine, additional buttons and pearls on the bottom one were added.  They both have sentiments stamped on PTI Double Ended Banner made with white cardstock.

Try this technique, it is fun.  Be sure and check out Ashley's card, it is so pretty!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Ashley Newell inspired cards

First off let me say that I like all of these cards, but I LOVE the top brown one!  It is the card I told you I would share, yesterday.  It was made with just a 2x7" piece of the PRETTY brown Damask paper.  So now I will tell you about the inspiration.  I have been in a rut!  I have struggled all summer to make pretty cards.  Maybe it is the heat, I don't know.  A few month ago I found an fabulous blog AshleyNewell.com .  You can find her blog HERE .  She is AMAZING.  She is a photographer so her cards always look awesome and she makes the most soft, feminine and just gorgeous cards!  She really make some of the prettiest cards I have seen on the web.  So while I was struggling to come up with a new idea, I studied her design.  These cards are not copies of a card, they are just the "feeling" I get from her work.  She uses a LOT of lace and trim.  I went to Hancock Fabric and scoured their trim & lace.  I found several things I liked.  I bought only white and cream because you can spray or use the new Tim Holtz stains to dye almost any trim.  Even satin trims will take the color.

The cards all are 4 1/4x5 1/2 white cardstock base.  They are all top fold.  The mats are 4x 5 3/8.  The patterned paper is 2x3 3/4.  I used my ATG gun and ran a strip of glue on the bottom edge of the patterned strips & added the lace trim.  Those were adhered to the mat.  I took PTI Fillable Frames #10 for card 1&2 and the matching stamp.  Fillable Frames #4 was used for the 3rd card.  I used all 3 PTI Butterfly dies and the Martha Stewart 3 in 1 Classic Butterfly punch.  You can get that punch for 40% off at Michael's for $6.  The stamps are all PTI Signature Greetings.  The frames are adhered with pop dots as are some of the butterflies.  Some are glued directly to the frame.  The pearls are Michael's Recollection brand.

Go take a peek at Ashley's blog and see if you agree with me, she is AMAZING!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

July 2011 Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

Each month Nicole Heady, owner of Papertrey Ink does a Blog Hop Challenge on her blog.  I typically don't get around to making a card for it, it is due by 11pm that day.  Seriously, am I that organized?  Make, photograph, edit, and post a card in a 8 or so hour time frame!  Me??  Rarely!  But, this time I was lucky.  While I was in Charlotte I made about 60 cards.  A lot of those are a set of 6, or even the same set of six in  a different color or paper.  The 2 cards pictured were some of what I just made.  I LOVE that patterned paper.  The blue background with the orange doily patterns!  So bright & cheery!  The paper is from the stack I have shown before that I got on clearance at AC Moore in Charlotte.  The cover was missing so I don't know what it is, sorry.  Really sorry because it has some pretty paper.  Those cards in the post before.  The ones with the BEAUTIFUL Damask brown paper, ahhh.  LOVE that paper.  Wait till I post the one I made with the last scraps.  Soooo pretty!

OK, back to the card.  4 1/4x5 1/2 white cardstock, top fold.  The mats are 4x 2 3/4.  White satin ribbon is tied in a knot at the seam.  PTI Mat Stack 1 was used to cut white cardstock.  I inked the edges with blue ink.  PTI Beautiful Blooms II #2 was used to cut the solid mat paper in alternating colors.  A button was threaded with button twine and sewn onto the flowers.  Turning a New Leaf die was used to cut green paper, and that was tucked behind the flower.  The Mat Stack was adhered to the card front with pop dots.  A sentiment was stamped on the solid mat.  Simple!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Summer Card Camp 2011 ~ Week 3 Challenge

Here is my card for Summer Card Camp 2011 ~ Week 3 Challenge.  These pictures wee taken outside and I don't have my Photoshop so they are not edited.  I will re-shoot at home so you can see close-up pictures.  The card base is 4 1/4x5 1/2 white cardstock.  The fold is on the side.  The patterned paper is from a stack I got on clearance here in Charlotte.  The cover was missing so I don't know what the brand is but it is pretty paper.  The patterned paper is 4 1/8x4 and the brown paper is 4x1 3/4.  Cream organza ribbon, Michael's,  is tied in a bow at the seam.  Darker cream cardstock was cut with PTI Doily Details die.  PTI Beautiful Blooms II #1 was sued to cut cream felt.  A red button was sewn in the center with button twine.  I made a stick pin with a corsage pin and glass pearls from WalMart.  The tag is PTI Tiny Tags and is stamped with Pure Poppy ink.  The trim is red lace is from Doodlebug Designs inc. 1977 Christmas asst. 

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Masculine Card

I had time to do a quick post before I leave for Charlotte.  I will not give dimensions for the cuts on the S-fold card.  You can read about them on This Post  I used Basic Grey paper, Tim Holtz Curiosities Stamps, Papertrey Ink Spiral Notebook page die, PTI Fillable Frames #11 die, Stampin Up stamp, PTI Dark Chocolate ink and Vintage Cream cardstock.  Its a pretty cool card and great for a man in your life.

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Pocket card

The Make It Monday card challenge today is a pocket card.  My favorite designer, Dawn McVey did today's video tutorial HERE  I am leaving town tomorrow so I had just a few minutes to make a card for the challenge.  My pictures didn't turn out so well, for some reason.  Probably because I was in a hurry!  The card base is 4 1/4x5 1/2 white cardstock.  the card front is SEI Black Orchid.  It was cut at 4x5 3/8.  The pocket is 3x5 1/2 black cardstock.  I used PTI Edger #1 and cut both ends of the black strip.  I scored and folded it at 2 1/4 and adhered the edges with ATG tape.  I stamped Dawn's Signature Greeting with VersaMark and heat embossed white embossing powder.  I used the small and medium Rolled Roses die to cut cream felt.  You can get the die HERE  They were added with glue dots.  My tag is PTI Mat Stack 1.  I used it to cut white cardstock and added black ribbon and a white button. 

I cannot wait to make more of these cards when I have time.  So cute and so easy!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

PS  I will try and post from Charlotte.  Otherwise it will be 2 weeks!

PTI Blooming Button Bits cards

This is another large post of the same card in different colors.  I made a HUGE batch of these cards to sell.  I sell most of my cards at Curves where I work out.  I have told you I donate the money to Missions at my church.  My money specifically goes to South Africa and last year I donated enough to dig a well thanks to the generosity of the ladies who work out at Curves in Leawood, Kansas.  Hi ladies!  I make several of the same card and feature it as the "Card of the Week".  This one is that card for next week. 

It is Super Simple.  I stamped the leaf in both Spring Moss and Simply Chartreuse on a square of white cardstock.  I found 1 large and 2 small buttons of the same color and either threaded them with button twine or layered a gem on top.  I buy only clear gems in bulk.  Did you know you can color your own gems with a  Sharpie?  You really need a Sharpie or the ink will rub off.  The buttons were adhered to the leaves.  I took a 4 1/4x6" piece of coordinating cardstock and embossed it with Seeing Spots embossing folder.  The extra hangs out off the end and gives you a flat space to put the sentiment on or just for interest.  I tied coordinating ribbon in a knot in the area where the embossing ends.  The button piece was added to the card front with pop dots.  Some of them have the sentiment stamped directly to the panel and some I used PTI Double Ended Banner die to cut white cardstock and stamp. 

SIMPLE and quick to make.

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Summer Card Camp 2011 ~ Week 2

Here is my card for the Challenge for week 2 in the card camp.  Jennifer McGuire showed a technique that is sort of reverse embossing.  You "stamp" Versamark in a rectangle direct to the paper, add white embossing powder, take your stamp that also has Versamark on it and "kiss" the embossing powder area.  You remove most of the powder.  She was MUCH better at it than I was.  I am not sure if my technique was poor or if her stamp was better for the technique.  I did the best I could but there was still a fair amount of embossing powder left where I "stamped"  I tried to clean it up with minimal success. You then heat set the powder.  I used watercolor paper and made my own watercolor ink by smearing ink on my craft mat, adding water to paint the leaves.  I used a combination of PTI New Leaf and Simply Chartreuse ink.  The ink only sticks to the paper where you removed the embossing powder.  The rest of the image stays the white.  I then edged the image with Lemon Tart ink.  The image piece was mounted on Simply  Chartreuse cardstock & wrapped with button twine.  An Orange Zest button was threaded with button twine and added to the top of the twine bow.  The card base is 4 1/4x5 1/2 white cardstock.  A 3 1/2x5 piece of Pure Poppy cardstock was stamped with hero Arts Antique Writing stamp and Versamark.  That was mounted on a piece of 4x5 1/2 piece of Orange Zest cardstock.  Those pieces were adhered to the card front.  The embossed piece was adhered in the left corner, to hide the butterfly (see previous post with that stamp), with pop dots. 

Jennifer's card is so pretty.  I made 2 attempts at my "embossing" and the second one was better but not perfect.  I like the technique but it is hard to master so I am not sure it will go into my repertoire!

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Burgandy ~ Day 3

This is another card that showcases, Burgundy.  The base is 4 1/4x5 1/2 white cardstock.  The mats are 4x 2 3/4.  I took a scrap of the stripe and cut it with PTI Large Rickrack border die.  It was glued at the seam.  Cream felt was cut with PTI Beautiful Blossoms II #3.  A glass pearl, WalMart was sewn into the center of the flower.  The flower was adhered with a glue dot.  The sentiment was stamped with Scarlet Jewel in on a piece that was cut with my Cricut,  It was in my "cut" drawer.  When I cut things I typically cut multiples and keep them in a drawer.  I believe this is from Just Because Cards but I am not 100% sure.  If you need to know, ask & I will look it up. 

VERY simple card, but pretty.

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

Burgundy Card

This 4 1/4x5 1/2 white cardstock base card showcases the color Burgundy.  The 4x2 3/4 mats are a patterned paper that is from my stash, meaning some older paper I own.  The solid is an Archivers cardstock.  The burgundy organza ribbon is from Michael's, and is tied in a knot at the seam.  The flower is made from some burgundy handmade paper from my stash.  I cut it with PTI Beautiful Blooms II #2 die, 5 times.  4 were folded into quarters and one was left flat.  The four folded flowers were adhered to the flat one and a small button was sewn into the center with black button twine.  The stamp is a Hero Arts sentiment stamped in Vintage Cream.

The folded flower is easy to make and you could use a scallop punch to have the same results.

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan

S-fold Card

This S-fold or Z-fold card is 4 1/4x5 1/2 white cardstock.  It is folded in half and then the front is folded back towards the fold. (Is it right to use fold 3 times in 1 sentence?)  That is the best way to describe it.  I hope the different picture angles will explain what my wording had trouble with.  The patterned paper is from PTI Holiday Cheer.  Like the last card, I don't think that paper is very Christmas-ey, so it works well for an every-day card.  2 pieces of the patterned paper were cut at 5 1/4x 1 7/8, and 1 at 5 1/4x4.  Two 3"  white cardstock circles were punched out and one 2 1/2" Scarlet Jewel cardstock circle was cut.  One white and the scarlet jewel circles were layered and a burgundy fabric YoYo, handmade by my Mother, Donna Whitley, was added.  A pink button was sewn into the center of the YoYo.  The second white circle was added to the backside of the card lining it up behind the front circle.  A sentiment box was added to the front to be stamped at a later date. 

This is a simple card but it looks MUCH more complicated.  I hope my pictures will clarify the awkward wording!  Ask if you have questions.

Thank you for looking at my blog!

Susan