Lunar New Year Shaker Card

I decided to make one final last-minute card to participate in the Lunar New Year Challenge, and I found the cutest little Lunar New Year Snake in the Silhouette Design Store! I downloaded him and did a print and cut of him for this card. 

For the inside of the shaker, I stenciled Altenew's Rose Gold Shimmer Relief paste through Altenew's Warp Speed stencil and let that dry. Then I created a shaker pouch using a page protector sheet that I fit around the panel and then taped down on the back. I added beads in blue, red, and gold and then sealed the last side of the shaker pouch and adhered the pouch to a white A2 card base. I added my little snake to the front to finish the card. 

I've recently become an affiliate for Altenew, so if you are interested in ordering something lovely from Altenew and would like to use my link, thank you very much! Here's the link: Carrie's Altenew affiliate page 

Here's a look at the stencil after I added the paste through it:

And the fun reveal when I removed the stecil!

Challenges I'm entering: 

Lunar New Year Challenge: unlimited entries; ends 5/31/25

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (3/5; ends 6/4/25)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (4/5 for the week; 9/10 for the challenge; ends 6/4/25)

Crafty Catz: ATG with option of Make Us Smile (I hope my little party snake gives you a smile😄) (2/3; ends at the end of June)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (2/3; end 6/13/25)

Celebrate Fireworks Card

I recently discovered a new card challenge called Lunar New Year, and I thought it would be fun to play along with the challenge. I'm coming in at the last minute but hope to be more prompt next month now that I know about the challenge 😃

For my card, I chose a cute snake image over at the Silhouette Design Store, and I downloaded him and did a print and cut using my Silhouette Cameo 4. Then I colored him up using my alcohol markers before creating a red and gold background for him.

For the red background panel, I heat embossed the fireworks using Altenew's Fireworks stamp set and 2 colors of Altenew embossing powder: Rose Gold and Platinum. Then I adhered the red panel with the fireworks on it to a panel of gold cardstock. I added that to a white card base and popped up my little party snake using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape. I just love his sunglasses and party hat! 

Challenges I'm entering:

Lunar New Year Challenge: unlimited entries; ends 5/31/25

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (3/5; ends 6/4/25)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Emboss it (3/5; ends 6/2/25)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (3/5 for the week; 8/10 for the challenge; ends 6/4/25)

Crafty Catz: ATG with option of Make Us Smile (I hope my little party snake gives you a smile😄) (1/3; ends at the end of June)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (1/3; end 6/13/25)

 

Billowing Peonies Tri-Fold Sympathy Card

A crafting buddy recently lost her cat who had been battling cancer, and I wanted to make a sympathy card for her. I pulled out an old favorite: Altenew's Billowing Peonies stamp, stencil and die set. This 8 1/2 by 11-inch stamp set has two floral stamps, and I chose the largest of the two to create my tri-fold card. 

For the card base, I followed the instructions in Lynn Dunn's video here: Z Fold Card with a Surprise Inside | Two Ways. I made the landscape version of her card. After cutting and scoring the white cardstock base, I trimmed pieces of watercolor cardstock I had watercolored using Altenew's Moss Watercolor Brush Marker to cover the three panels of the card. Then I trimmed the Billowing Peonies to fit the panels. Finally, I stamped the "Heartfelt sympathy" sentiment on the middle panel from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Bewitching Roses set. 

I've recently become an affiliate for Altenew, so if you are interested in ordering something lovely from Altenew and would like to use my link, thank you very much! Here's the link: Carrie's Altenew affiliate page 

Challenges I'm entering:

Creative Creases #103: ATG with a fun fold project (I'm on the DT and am entering just to share a fun fold idea)

little red wagon: For a friend (1/3; ends 6/3/25)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 6/10 for the challenge; ends 6/4/25)

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Flowers (1/3; ends 6/8/25)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (1/5; ends 6/4/25)

The Paper Shelter: ATG or Enjoy the Outdoors (1/2; ends 6/4/25)

Allsorts challenge blog: ATG Happy, happy, happy 16th birthday to you! (3/5; ends 6/6/25)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of masculine (unlimited entries; ends 6/12/25)

Colorful Options: I chose the green, yellow, and pink from the palette (ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with Optional Twist of Celebrate Something New (6/6; ends at the end of the month) 

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the main focus (5/6; ends 6/12/25)

Bearded Iris In Our Prayers Card

Yesterday a good friend texted to ask me to pray for her mom whose cancer may be back after a 12-year remission. I immediately prayed for her and then made her a special card that I mailed out today. 

To create the card, I started by making a white, top-folding A2 card base. Then I trimmed a piece of white cardstock to fit the front of the card and ink blended it with Altenew's Sunkissed Crisp Dye Ink. I then put Altenew's Linked Spots and Dots stencil over the panel in my splatter box and sprayed Altenew's Sunkissed Metallic Shimmer Spray over the stencil. I let that dry while working on the stamped and die cut iris from Altenew's Build-A-Flower: Bearded Iris set. Once the panel I had sprayed was dry, I added the flower and leaf to the panel using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape. Then I stamped the "you're in our prayers" sentiment from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Flourishing Garden set and trimmed it to fit where I wanted to put my sentiment. I added a few gem sparkles from Altenew's Smoky Quartz Gem Sparkles set to finish off the front of the card.

For the inside of the card, I stamped "sending love and hugs" from the same Flourishing Garden set and then trimmed the sentiment and adhered it to the inside of my card. I added a die cut from Altenew's Zero Waste: Berries & Branches set that I had die cut in white cardstock and ink blended with more of the Sunkissed Crisp Dye Ink. 

I've recently become an affiliate for Altenew, so if you are interested in ordering something lovely from Altenew and would like to use my link, thank you very much! Here's the link: Carrie's Altenew affiliate page 

Inside the card:

 Challenges I'm entering: 

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges**********: ATG (3/3; ends 6/2/25) C10

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game!: ATG with stencils with optional theme of bouquets (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

little red wagon: For a friend (2/3; ends 6/3/25)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 6/10 for the challenge; ends 6/4/25)

The Sisterhood of Crafters: Flowers (2/3; ends 6/8/25)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (2/5; ends 6/4/25)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the main focus (4/6; ends 6/12/25)

The Paper Shelter: ATG or Enjoy the Outdoors (2/2; ends 6/4/25)

Allsorts challenge blog: ATG Happy, happy, happy 16th birthday to you! (4/5; ends 6/6/25)

Colorful Options: I chose the oranges from the palette (ends at the end of the month)

No more challenges. 

Sending Love Sympathy Fun Fold Card

I recently watched a video by Susan Campfield in which she created what she called a Panorama Pop-Up Card. I loved the card design and plan to make more of them using different colors. If you'd like the dimensions and instructions, here's a link to the video: Panorama Pop-Up Cards Suestampfield Crafternoon Creative Escape May 2025

Because this was a sympathy card, I chose black for my pop-ups on the front of the card. But I like to make my sympathy cards cheerful and uplifting, so I also used the pretty pink, yellow, and blue color palette from Altenew's Monthly Inspiration Challenge this month. I die cut some flowers from Altenew's Craft-A-Flower: Dendrobium Orchid set out of yellow cardstocks and watercolor papers I had watercolored and/or sprayed. I used a die cut foliage piece from Altenew's Zero Waste: Berries & Branches set that I die cut out of watercolor paper I had watercolored using Altenew's Dusk Watercolor Marker Refill. Then I die cut the "Sending Love" sentiment from Altenew's Strong Oak Stencil and Die set. I used watercolor paper I had watercolored with Altenew's Baby Pink Gouache. Then I ink blended a bit of Puffy Heart Crisp Dye Ink onto the top of the die cut sentiment for an ombré effect. I arranged my sentiment and die cuts on the largest of the pop-up panels on the front of the card and added them with Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape and Art Glitter glue. I also stacked several die cut sentiments together for dimension on the sentiment. 

For the inside of the card, I stamped and heat embossed the "with deepest sympathy" stamp onto black cardstock. The stamp is from Altenew's Build-A-Flower: Columbine set. I trimmed the sentiment panel and added it to the inside of the card using more foam tape and then added 3 rhinestones to embellish the panel. 

I've recently become an affiliate for Altenew, so if you are interested in ordering something lovely from Altenew and would like to use my link, thank you very much! Here's the link: Carrie's Altenew affiliate page 

Inside the card:

Challenges I'm entering: 

 May 2025 Inspiration Challenge | Congratulations Card Ideas: 

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Emboss it (2/5; ends 6/2/25)

Creative Creases #103: ATG with a fun fold (I'm on the DT, so I'm entering my card for inspiration only)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges**********: ATG (2/3; ends 6/2/25) C10

Allsorts challenge blog: ATG Happy, happy, happy 16th birthday to you! (2/5; ends 6/6/25)

Can You Handle The Pressure?: ATG with embossing with an optional twist of jungle animals (2/3; ends 6/11/25)

Craft Rocket Challenges: Flowers (unlimited entries; ends 5/28/25)

Colorful Options: I chose the blue, yellow, and pink from the palette (ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with Optional Twist of Celebrate Something New (5/6; ends at the end of the month) 

Crafty Catz: ATG (5/5; ends 5/29/25)

No more challenges. 

Corner Fold Sympathy Card

For this sympathy card, I took out the Daisy Bed 3D embossing folder I recently purchased from Altenew and embossed some black cardstock and some watercolor cardstock I had colored with yellow watercolors. I had stamped the sentiment on the black cardstock using VersaMark ink and then added white embossing powder and heat set the sentiment before embossing the panel. 

I wanted to try a new fun fold called a Corner Flip Fold Card. If you'd like to see the instructions and measurements, check out this link: Create Magical Pop-Up Cards! | Corner Flip Fold Card Tutorial. I followed Tami's instructions except that I didn't add a pop up to the inside flap. I think that would be really pretty and hope to try that in a future card. 

To embellish the card, I added 2 flowers I stamped using Altenew's Mini Delight: Wild Geraniums stamps and coordinating dies. I added a foliage die cut from Altenew's Zero Waste: Berries & Branches set. It was die cut from some cardstock I had watercolored using Altenew's Dusk Watercolor Marker Refill. 

For the inside of the card, I die cut the "sending prayers" sentiments and shadows from Altenew's Versatile Greetings 2 set. I kept to the yellow, pink, and blue color palette along with the black and white in order to participate in Altenew's monthly Inspiration Challenge. 

I've recently become an affiliate for Altenew, so if you are interested in ordering something lovely from Altenew and would like to use my link, thank you very much! Here's the link: Carrie's Altenew affiliate page 

It wants to pop open, so here I'm holding it closed with Altenew's Perfect Picker tool:

Top View:

Inside the card:

Standing up:

Challenges I'm entering: 

May 2025 Inspiration Challenge | Congratulations Card Ideas: 

 simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Emboss it (1/5; ends 6/2/25)

Creative Creases #103: ATG with a fun fold (I'm on the DT, so I'm entering my card for inspiration only)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges**********: ATG (1/3; ends 6/2/25) C10

Stamping Sensations: Feminine or ATG (1/3; ends 5/28/25)

We Love Stamping: 4-legged friends or ATG (1/3; ends 5/28/29)

Allsorts challenge blog: ATG Happy, happy, happy 16th birthday to you! (1/5; ends 6/6/25)

Can You Handle The Pressure?: ATG with embossing with an optional twist of jungle animals (1/3; ends 6/11/25)

Craft Rocket Challenges: Flowers (unlimited entries; ends 5/28/25)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Bright, Cheerful (5/5; ends 5/28/25)

No more challenges. 

AECP Homework for With a Twist class: Lesson 4: Cut it Oddly

Sending Prayers Pitcher Vase Card

Some family friends are recovering right now after the husband fell into his wife, and I wanted to make them a special card to let them know we are praying for them as they recover. I decided to use Altenew's Monthly Inspiration Challenge's color palette since I think the colors are so pretty and cheerful. 

I started with a 5 by 7 inch card base I created out of white cardstock. Then I cut a strip of watercolored paper I had sprayed with Lindy's Tiffany Lou Blue Starburst Spray. It's got a lot of shine in person that doesn't really show up in the photos. I adhered the strip of blue to my card base and set about die cutting and ink blending the pitcher (from Altenew's Pitcher Vases set), orchids (from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Dendrobium Orchids), and the various foliage pieces die cut from Altenew's Zero Waste: Berries & Branches set using Altenew's Mountain Mist, Rubellite, and Maple Yellow Crisp Dye Inks. I used red tape to adhere the die cuts to the back of the pitcher when I had them where I wanted them, and then I played around with different backgrounds for the pitcher and decided on just a plain white die cut from Altenew's Ornate Nesting Dies set. I added 2 layers of fun foam behind the white die cut to give it some dimension (I just used the same Ornate Nesting die to die cut the fun foam layers). Then I added my pitcher and flowers using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam tape. 

For the sentiment, I die cut the words and shadows for "Sending prayers" using Altenew's Versatile Greetings 2 die set. I added a layer of fun foam behind the shadow dies for dimension. 

To finish the card, I added some enamel dots from Altenew's Colorful World Enamel Dot collection.

I've recently become an affiliate for Altenew, so if you are interested in ordering something lovely from Altenew and would like to use my link, thank you very much! Here's the link: Carrie's Altenew affiliate page 

Close up of the vase and flowers/foliage:

Challenges I'm entering:

May 2025 Inspiration Challenge | Congratulations Card Ideas: Ends at the end of the month

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the main focus (3/6; ends 6/12/25)

Colorful Options: I chose the blue, yellow, and pink from the palette (ends at the end of the month)

little red wagon: Flowers (ends 5/28/25)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Bright Cheerful (4/5; ends 5/28/25)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (5/5 for the week; 5/10 for the challenge; ends 6/4/25)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of masculine (unlimited entries; ends 6/12/25)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Creatalicious Challenges: ATG (3/3; ends 6/14/25)

Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog:  Spring + A sentiment (5/5; ends at the end of the month)

Cut It Up: Send Me Flowers (2/3; ends 5/26/25)

A Place To Start: ATG (8/8; ends at the end of the month) 

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with Optional Twist of Celebrate Something New (5/6; ends at the end of the month) 

Crafty Catz: ATG (4/5; ends 5/29/25)

Craft Rocket Challenges: Flowers (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Congratulations Spanner Card

I recently completed Level 1 of Altenew's AECP program, and for the final project, I needed to create a set of his and her cards with 4-6 cards in each set. This card is one of the cards from the masculine set I created. 

This is a spanner card, and I used the measurements and instructions found on Lisa Curcio's YouTube channel here: 🔴 You Can Learn to Make This Amazing Spanner Panel Card in Minutes. I also have the measurements and listed below my photos. 

Here's a look at the card when the side panels are lifted: 

Now here's a look when the center panel is lifted:

Card with coordinating envelope:

Measurements: 

Red cardstock: 

• 5 1/2" by 8 1/2" scored at 4 1/4" and cut at 1 1/4" from each side up to the center scoreline to create 2 side panels

Silver cardstock: 

• (2) 1 1/8" by 4 1/8" 
• (1) 2 7/8" by 4 1/8"
• (1) 4" by 5 1/4"

Black cardstock: 

• (2) 1 1/8" by 4 1/8" 

Ink smooshed watercolor paper stamped with Altnew's Dotted Pinwheel Stamp Set: 

• (2) 1" by 4"

White cardstock stenciled with Cloud Scene Stencil using Stormy Sky Distress Ink: 

• (1) 2 3/4" by 4" 
• (1) 3 3/4" by 5"

Acetate: 

• (1) 1" by 5 1/2" 

Instructions:

After trimming all the pieces listed above and stenciling the cloud panels, I began adhering the layers to the card base. I added the strip of acetate to the inside of the 2 side panels so those panels move as one. 

I used Altenew's Raised Sentiments embossing folder to emboss the "congratulations" sentiment on the front of the card and the "you're incredible" sentiment on the inside. On the back of the acetate strip, I adhered another red strip I stamped with "Happy Graduation" from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Flourishing Garden stamped to cover the back of the sentiment strip on the front of the acetate. I added a bit of black ink over the embossed sentiments by running the ink pad directly over the words and then added a bit more ink on the red strips to give them a distressed look. 

I die cut and assembled 2 birds from Altenew's Bird Bath Layering Die Set using red, black, and silver cardstock and adhered the larger one to the center panel that shows on the front of the card and the smaller one on the sentiment strip inside the card. 

To create the coordinating envelope, I embossed the envelope flap with the Cloudy Days 3D embossing folder. 

 

Altenew products used: Bird Bath Layering Die Set, Dotted Pinwheels Stamp Set, Raised Sentiments 3D embossing folder, Craft-Your-Life: Flourishing Garden, Cloud Scene Stencil, and Cloudy Day embossing folder 

I've recently become an affiliate for Altenew, so if you are interested in ordering something lovely from Altenew and would like to use my link, thank you very much! Here's the link: Carrie's Altenew affiliate page 

Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases #103: I'm on the DT, so I'm entering my card just for inspiration

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of masculine (unlimited entries; ends 6/12/25)

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Add a Sentiment (ends 6/3/25)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Graduation (3/4; ends 5/25/25)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (4/4; ends 6/2/25)

Crafty Gals Corner: Fancy ____ (I chose Fancy Fold) (1/3; ends 6/9/25)

Cardz 4 Galz: Things with Wings (2/3; ends 5/28/25)

The Paper Shelter: Dots and/or Stripes (1/2; ends 5/28/25)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with Optional Twist of Celebrate Something New (4/6; ends at the end of the month) 

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (4/5 for the week; 4/10 for the challenge; ends 6/4/25)

A Place To Start: ATG (7/8; ends at the end of the month) 

Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week: Die Cut, Metallic, and Stenciling

Mountain Scene Shaker Card

My oldest son turns 28 this weekend, and I wanted to make him a special card for his birthday. He loves to go hiking and misses the mountains in Washington state where he was stationed for 2 1/2 years while he was in the Marines. I purchased Altenew's Mountain Scene stencil so I could create a mountain and forest scene for his card. I also used Altenew's Cloud Scene stencil and did some masking of the mountains in order to create the clouds above them. I was able to visit while my son and daughter-in-law lived out there, and it is incredibly beautiful. They were near Puget Sound, so the ocean, mountains, and forests made for a gorgeous setting. 

I decided to make this into a shaker card because I think my 2 year-old-grandson will enjoy shaking it and hearing all the beads rattle around in his daddy's card. Plus, shakers are just plain fun for any age! I recently saw Nicki Baxley create a full-front shaker card at the Stress-Free Cardmakers Summit, so I thought I'd do something similar but in a slimline size. 

After creating the shaker pouch, I adhered it to a piece of metallic cardstock 1/4 inch larger than the pouch and then adhered that to a slimline card base that matches the blue cardstock I used for the "happy birthday" sentiment (from Altenew's Versatile Greetings 2 die set). I then die cut a crane from Altenew's Red-Crowned Cranes die set from the same metallic cardstock I used behind the shaker pouch and adhered the sentiment and crane to the front of the card. 

I've recently become an affiliate for Altenew, so if you are interested in ordering something lovely from Altenew and would like to use my link, thank you very much! Here's the link: Carrie's Altenew affiliate page 

Masking the mountains before creating the clouds:

Homework for AECP class: Masking Unleashed. 

Challenges I'm entering:

Word Power: ATG with words as the focus (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

{Cupcake Inspirations}: Trees (1/3; ends 5/30/25)

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges: Add a sentiment (2/3; ends 6/3/25)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Masculine (1/4; ends 5/25/25)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (2/3; ends 5/30/25)

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

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with Optional Twist of Celebrate Something New (5/6; ends at the end of the month) 

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (4/5 for the week; 4/10 for the challenge; ends 6/4/25)

Cardz 4 Galz: Things with Wings (1/3; ends 5/28/25)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG with option of masculine (unlimited entries; ends 6/12/25)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Crafty Catz: ATG (1/5; ends 5/29/25)

A Place To Start: ATG (8/8; ends at the end of the month) 

Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week: Die Cut, Metallic, and Stenciling

Colorful Options: I chose the blue, green, and orange/brown from the palette (ends at the end of the month)