Sending Warm Hugs Card

I've recently been participating in the Altenew Fan Group challenge for the month of May, and each day there's a different prompt. One of them was to create a card using a stamping technique. I hadn't tried no-line stamping before, so I decided to give it a go for this card.

First I stamped the outline of the floral focal point in Altenew's Rose Quartz light pink ink. I've normally seen people use light gray ink, but I didn't have any light gray, so I figured the light pink would work instead. After stamping the image from Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Dear Dahlias set, I used the coordinating stencils to color the image using the green, red, and purple colors from Altenew's monthly challenge on their blog. I really like how this turned out. I'm not good at coloring images, so I love Altenew's layered stamp sets and stencil sets that do the shading for me! 

For the background, I decided to emboss the A2 card panel using Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Bewitching Rose 3D embossing folder. It's a very large embossed pattern, and I like how it peeks out from behind the stamped floral focal point. 

To finish the card, I stamped "Sending warm hugs" in white pigment ink onto the focal point, and then I adhered the focal point to two layers of foam to give it some dimension. 

Challenges I'm entering:

May 2024 Inspiration Challenge (altenew.com): 

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (ends 5/12/24)

Can You Handle The Pressure? (cyhtp.blogspot.com): ATG with dry embossing with optional twist of flowers (1/3; ends 5/22/24)

We Love Stamping: Vintage or ATG (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Stamping Sensations: Moodboard or ATG (1/3; ends at the end of the month) 

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game! (stencilfun.blogspot.com): Girly or ATG (I used a set of stencils to color the floral focal point) (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with twist of Flower Shoppe (3/4; ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Use die cuts (the floral focal point was cut with a coordinating die)  (4/5; ends 5/15/24)

Double D Challenges (daranddiane.blogspot.com): Flowers for Mom (2/3; ends 5/12/24) Prize winner 5/14/24 Spellbinders Sweet Pea die set

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (3/3; ends 5/12/24) C10

No more challenges. 
 

HB2U Pop Out Card

My son's birthday is this month, and I wanted to make a special card for him, so when I saw this pop out cut file in my Silhouette Card Making & Paper Crafts FB group, I knew I wanted to try it out for my son's birthday card. A huge thank you to Sabine Harris, the creator of this cut file. She generously donates many beautiful designs to that FB group!!

After opening the cut file in my Silhouette Design Studio program, I chose the ocean-themed paper pack I wanted to use and decided what papers to use for what parts of the card. I used a coordinating card stock for the card base and the mechanism that makes the pop two flaps pop out. 

I adhered the parts together and chose the ephemera I wanted to include. I die cut the wooden rowboat using an Altenew set aptly titled: Wooden Rowboat die set. I colored some of the pieces with my Ohuhu alcohol ink markers and adhered all the pieces together. Then I added foam tape to the bottom piece and a double layer of foam tape to the top panel. I adhered the wooden rowboat with more foam tape (this is going to be hand delivered, so it can be as thick as I'd like 😁. 

For the inside of the card, I kept it simple and added a little bottle from the ephemera pack. I attached a stamped message ("Enjoy your day" from Altenew's Build-A-Flower: Larkspur set) with a bit of twine and popped the bottle and the message up on foam tape. After I took the photos, I added a personal message to the two pop up flaps. This was a fun card design, and I definitely plan to use it for other occasions. 

 

 

Challenges I'm entering: 

Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #82 (secretstamper.com): ATG with a fun fold (ends 5/24/24)

New tab (timeoutchallenges.blogspot.com): Alphabet magnet letters C5 (3/5; ends 5/22/24)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (2/3; ends 5/12/24) C10

Allsorts challenge blog: Spots and/or stripes (1/3; ends 5/16/24)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Use die cuts (the rowboat is made of die cuts) (3/5; ends 5/15/24)

Gatefold Easel Card for Creative Creases #82

It's time for a new challenge over at Creative Creases, and I'm honored to be a guest designer! If you'd like to join the fun and enter your fun fold project in the new challenge, here's the link: Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #82 (secretstamper.com). We'd love for you to join us!

I did a set of gatefold easel cards for a few of the homebound moms I send cards to, and I used a Lori Whitlock cut file I purchased in the Silhouette Design store to cut the card base, belly band, and layers. I added some word art of Proverbs 31:30 for the inside panel and picked out some pretty floral papers I wanted to use. I found some coordinating card stock for the card bases and set to work cutting everything out on my Silhouette Cameo 4. Then I glued all the parts together and set to work on the dahlias for the belly band and the stenciled flowers I added to the sentiment panel inside the card. The dahlia dies are from Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Dear Dahlia set. I die cut all the pieces out of various water color papers I had painted on, used Lindy's Magicals on, and/or used shimmer sprays on and then assembled the pieces to create the dahlias. I popped them up on foam tape for some dimension. The stenciled floral on the inside sentiment panel is from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Vintage Tapestry set. 

Here's a look at what the card looks like when first opened:

Now here's how it looks when the easel is set up:

Close up of the verse:

Here's a close up of the dahlias die cut from papers I had made with sprays, water colors, and Lindy's Magicals:

 Challenges I'm entering:

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (3/5 for the week; 3/10 for the challenge)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with twist of Flower Shoppe (2/4; ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Use die cuts (the dahlia is made of die cuts) (2/5; ends 5/15/24)

Double D Challenges (daranddiane.blogspot.com): Flowers for Mom (1/3; ends 5/12/24)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (1/3; ends 5/12/24) C10

Inspiration Station (inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com): Photo prompt: I was inspired by the flowers and created a floral-themed card

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG or optional twist: For a lady (ends at the end of the month)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with option: For the kids (ends at the end of the month)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (4/6; ends 5/12/24)

Gem of A Craft Challenge (pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com): ATG (1/2; ends 5/16/24)

No more challenges. 

Faceted Frames 60th Birthday Card

My brother-in-law is turning 60 soon, so I thought I'd make him a special card to celebrate. I used some Lindy's Magicals and did some ink smooshing on a panel of water color paper to create the blue background. Then I used Altenew's Faceted Frames 3D embossing folder to emboss the panel. I first tried inking the embossed portion with white pigment ink, but I didn't love how that turned out. Then I used blue ink but didn't like that, either, so I ended up using my new Brutus Monroe Sterling Shimmer Splash to cover the embossed portions. I also used the shimmer splash to add a few splashes of silver to the blue background panel. They don't really show up in the photo, but there's some nice shine in person. 

The "60th" was die cut and the "Happy birthday" (from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Bewitching Rose set) was stamped with VersaMark ink and embossed with white embossing powder. I adhered the blue panel to a top-folding white A2 card base. 

Close up of the embossed portion:

Close up of the Sterling Shimmer Splash:

 Challenges I'm entering: 

TIME OUT Challenges: (2/5; ends 5/22/24) (I'm hoping the "TH" I die cut qualifies as looking kind of like the alphabet magnet dies in the photo) C5

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 2/10 for the challenge)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Use die cuts (the "60" and "th" are die cuts) (2/5; ends 5/15/24)

The Diva's that cut ....paper! (die-cut-divas.blogspot.com): Monochromatic (1/4; ends at the end of the month) 

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (1/3; ends 5/12/24)

No more challenges. 

You Are Loved Eclipse Card

A relative of ours lost her son back in early February, and having lost my nephew that same month, I've been keeping her in my prayers along with my sister and her family. I wanted to reach out and let her know she's still in our prayers and is so very loved, so I made a special card using a die cutting technique I've been seeing a lot of but had never tried. It's called the eclipse technique, and the process is to die cut a sentiment from a panel and then pop it up on the panel. 

To make this card panel, I used some water color paper and did some watercoloring in light blues. Then when that was dry, I sprayed Lindy's Magicals Starburst Spray over three small flower stencils to create some texture on the panel. Then I die cut the "you" using Altenew's Mega You die and popped it up on two layers of yellow foam. I kept the small pieces from the die cut and glued them back in for the "y" and "o." Then I added some die cut pieces from Altenew's Craft A Flower: Daisies and adhered them randomly on the card. The "are loved" sentiment came from Altenew's Craft Your Life: Bold Bouquet set. Can you tell I'm a big fan of Altenew?! If you are, too, come join the fun over at Time Out Challenges where the winner will receive a $15 gift certificate to Altenew!

 Challenges I'm entering:

TIME OUT Challenges: 

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 1/10 for the challenge)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge: Light and airy (I'm not exactly sure what that theme means, but I think of daisies as light and airy, so I'm hoping this qualifies) (1/5; ends 5/13/24)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Use die cuts (the dahlia is made of die cuts) (1/5; ends 5/15/24)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game! (stencilfun.blogspot.com): ATG with stencils with option of girly (1/3; ends at the end of the  month)

No more challenges. 

Peony Dream Mother's Day Card

With Mother's Day around the corner, I thought I'd work on my last of three Mother's Day cards I want to make before May 12. I've already made a card for my amazing mom (see my post here: Carrie's Custom Cards: 3-Panel Mother's Day Card for Creative Creases #79 (carriescustomcards.blogspot.com) and my lovely daughter-in-law (see my post here: Carrie's Custom Cards: Mother's Day Teepee Card for Creative Creases #81 (carriescustomcards.blogspot.com), so now it's time for a special card for my wonderful mother-in-law. 

To make this card, I used the instructions for Connie Stewart's Diamond Gatefold Card found here: How To Make A Diamond Gate Fold Card: Beginner Friendly Too! (youtube.com). I chose some pretty double-side pattern paper and created the card base. Then I used Altenew's CAF: Peony Dream die set to make a pretty peony using vellum, glitter gold card stock, and a scrap of yellow card stock. I used scraps to make the leaves, also. These Craft-A-Flower sets are great for using up my snippets!

After adhering the layers of the peony with liquid glue and foam tape for some of the layers, I added the flower and leaves to the front panel of my card. For the inside of the card, I stamped "Happy Mother's Day" and die cut it using a Gina Marie Designs stitched hexagon die. Then I added another leaf from the Peony Dream set that I die cut in vellum and the same glitter gold card stock I used for some of the layers of the peony on the front of the card. 

Challenges I'm entering:

Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #81 (secretstamper.com): ATG with a fun fold (ends 5/10/24)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG or add one or more flowers (5/8; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week, 2/10 for the challenge; ends 5/5/8/24)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with optional twist of Sweet Treats (3/6; ends at the end of the month)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with option of A Splash of Color (ends at the end of the month) Top Rocker April 28-May 5

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (3/6; ends 5/15/24)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Feminine (1/5; ends 5/6/24)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge: ATG (2/5; ends 5/1/24)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting (doubletroublechallenge.blogspot.com): Thing 1: ATG Thing 3: yellow, green, and pink from the photo Thing 2: entered Beautiful Blossoms, Creative Creases Challenge  and the Paper Funday (1/4; ends 5/5/24)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (ends 5/10/24)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (2/2/; ends 5/6/24)

Gem of A Craft Challenge (pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com): ATG (ends 5/3/24)

Allsorts challenge blog: Use a stencil or ATG (ends 5/4/24)

As You Like It Challenge: Clean or Fussy and Why: I definitely prefer fussy! Bring on the layers! I think a card looks extra special with lots of layers/embellishments! (2/3; ends 5/1/24)

Doodle Challenge (rabiscochallenge.blogspot.com): ATG (ends at the end of the month) Winner 5/9/24 Paper Shelter prize

Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week: Diagonal: Flowers, free, die cuts (1/3; ends 5/9/24) 

 

Mother's Day Teepee Card for Creative Creases #81

It's time for a new challenge over on the Creative Creases Challenge blog, and I'm back as a Guest Designer. If you'd like to join the fun by entering a fun-fold creation of your own, please add your link here: Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #81 (secretstamper.com)

I've been working on Mother's Day cards over the past few weeks, and this one is for my lovely daughter-in-law. Allie is an excellent mom, so I wanted to make her a very special Mother's Day card. She and my son have a 21-month-old son and another baby due in October. We are so excited about the new baby! 

This teepee card is composed of (3) 4 inch by 4 inch squares I scored on the diagonal and assembled to create the teepee. I used  velcro dots to close the final flap to make the card stand up, but the card will fold flat if the velcro dots are separated. If you'd like to watch a tutorial about how to create a teepee card, here's one by Sam Calcott of Mixed Up Craft. Hers uses 5 inch squares but otherwise is the same type of card design: Teepee Fun Fold Cards Any Size You Want! - YouTube. I used a pair of velcro dots to keep the flap closed when the card is in its teepee shape. This one I'm going to hand deliver, but it does fold flat when the velcro dots are separated from each other. 

After creating the card base for the teepee, I added some pretty floral pattern paper and then created 2 flowers and 4 leaves from Altenew's CAF: Peony Dream layering die set. Some of the card stock I used for the flowers I created myself using Lindy's Magicals, water colors, and some shimmery sprays. It's so much fun to play with mixed media!

I stamped the "Happy Mother's Day" sentiment using a retired CTMH stamp and die cut it along with a larger stitched circle die to put behind it. 

To finish the card, I added some blue sequins and pink translucent sequins and shapes for a bit of sparkle. 

Close up of the flower I die cut using the water color cardstock I had created with water colors, Lindy's Magicals, and shimmer sprays:

Close up of the flower I created with different shades of plain pink card stock. There's a bit of shimmer to the leaf bases because those I die cut out of water color cardstock I had used water colors and shimmer sprays on:

Those are tiny, translucent pink hearts by the sentiment: 

Challenges I'm entering: 

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 1/10 for the challenge; ends 5/8/24)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (1/5; ends 5/1/24)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 4/30/24)

Shopping Our Stash Weekly Challenge Blog: Mother's Day Card (ends 5/6/24) C13

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG with option of adding one or more flowers (ends at the end of the month)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with option to add a splash of color (ends at the end of the month) April Honors Pick 5/5/25

Gem of A Craft Challenge (pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com): ATG (1/2; ends 5/3/24)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 5/3/24)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (1/3; ends 5/3/24)

As You Like It Challenge: Clean or Fussy and why: I am definitely Team Fussy! The more layers the better 😂! I love to add fun layers and create a lot of dimension on my cards because I think it looks extra special that way! (And possibly because I'm not very good at CAS 😅!) (1/3; ends 5/1/24)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (2/6; ends 5/15/24)

The Diva's that cut ....paper! (die-cut-divas.blogspot.com): Make a spring card (ends at the end of the month) Die Cut Divas Favorite 5/4/24

Doodle Challenge (rabiscochallenge.blogspot.com): ATG (ends at the end of the month)

No more challenges. 

 

Grand Carnation Thank You Card

My parents recently treated me to a 9-day trip to Arizona with them, and I wanted to make them a special card to thank them. It was a lovely trip, and the sunshine and beautiful spring flowers really lifted my spirits. 

To make the card, I pulled out Altenew's BAG: Grand Carnations set and used some blue glitter paste through one of the stencils that comes in the set. The panel I stenciled over was one I had watercolored and sprayed with different shades of blue. 

I stamped the carnations and leaves using my Sizzix Stencil and Stamp Platform, and then I stenciled the flowers and leaves with the coordinating stencils that come in the set. I chose reds, yellows, and blues to match the prompt for this month's Altenew Inspiration Challenge. 

The flowers are large, so I had to trim off the bottom of the yellow ones so I could fit that cluster as well as the stand-alone red carnation on the card front. I adhered the red carnation and several leaves using glue dots since I needed something quite strong to adhere to the glitter paste on the background panel. I added foam tape to the yellow carnation and buds as well as the sentiment (also from the same BAG: Grand Carnations set). 

Close up of the flowers:

Inside the card:

I highly recommend Altenew's grip mat for stenciling. It holds the card stock and stencils in place beautifully!

Challenges I'm entering: 

Inspiration Challenge April 2024 with Bridget Casey (altenew.com): (ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Make your own background (1/5; ends 4/22/24) Winner of $25 gift certificate 4/25/24

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (1/3; ends 4/21/24) C10

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG or add one or more flowers (4/8; ends at the end of the month)

As You Like It Challenge: Cute or Floral and Why: I love flowers and enjoy making floral cards and projects like this one because they are so pretty and elegant. (3/3; ends 4/17/24)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week, 2/10 for the challenge; ends 4/24/24)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with optional twist of Sweet Treats (2/6; ends at the end of the month)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with option of A Splash of Color (ends at the end of the month)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (1/6; ends 5/15/24)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game! (stencilfun.blogspot.com): ATG with stencils (I used a stencil for the background and also to color the stamped flowers and leaves) (1/3; ends 5/4/24)

No more challenges. 

Book Bind Explosion Card For Creative Creases #80

It's time for a new challenge over on the Creative Creases Challenge blog, and I'm back with another Guest Designer card that features a fun surprise on the inside. The idea for this card design comes from Connie Stewart, and she calls it a Book Bind Explosion Card. Here's a link to her video if you'd like the measurements and details: 🔴 Book Bind Explosion Card: Make A Card That Bursts With Surprise! (youtube.com)

I needed a birthday card for my lovely daughter-in-law, so I chose some pretty double-sided pattern papers, white card stock, and SU!'s retired Framed Florets and Celebrate Sunflowers bundles. I did the stamping and die cutting to decorate all the panels and then added a few blue sequins and some pretty white ribbon to finish the card. This card design has a lot of space, so it's a great design for using up pretty papers or adding extra sentiments and die cuts to personalize the card. 

I hope you'll join us over at the Creative Creases Challenge where it's always anything goes with a fun fold project. Here's the link to the current challenge: https://wp.me/p4bS0N-bEQ

Cloes up of the sentiment:

Inside the card with the explosion part closed. I popped the oval die cut up on foam tape for some dimension. This card will be hand-delivered, so I wasn't concerned about its thickness:

With the first inner panel lifted up:

2 inner panels showing:

All four inner panels showing:

Challenges I'm joining:

As You Like It Challenge: Cute or Floral and Why: I love flowers and enjoy making floral cards and projects like this one because they are so pretty and elegant. (2/3; ends 4/17/24)

Creative Inspiration Challenges: ATG (2/2; ends at the end of the month)
 

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week, 1/10 for the challenge; ends 4/24/24)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with optional twist of Sweet Treats (1/4; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG with option of adding one or more flowers (3/8; ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Interactive (1/5; ends 4/17/24)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Spring Flowers (1/5; ends 4/15/24)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with option of A Splash of Color (ends at the end of the month)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (1/3; ends 4/14/24) C10