Open Stars

Using a small star die inside a large star, I created open stars for this fun-for-any-age card. I used my scoring board to add subtle lines to the white layer. Matching buttons, lightweight string and a tiny tag greeting finished off the simplistic, clean look. And did you catch the visual triangle (small green stars?)

Bookmark Technique

When I use strips of paper to give a bookmark look, I like to leave them loose at the bottom. I feel like this adds depth and really shows off the "bookmarky" feel.

On these cards, I paper pierced the tag simply by following centimeter marks on my ruler.

Large flowers from WalMart scrapbooking section. Burlap flowers from Hobby Lobby. Leaves cut from the Cricut. Sentiment stamp from Meijer.

Guy's Get Well

A family friend had a double hip replacement and I was headed out the door to sit with his wife (one of my besties) during surgery. All the get well cards in my stash were flowery. So I pulled up this quick design from my Pinterest board. I knew immediately that the Americana/travel pad I had purchased from Hobby Lobby would be perfect. It was finished quicker than I would have found a parking space, walked in the store, located a card that was the right design with the right message and the right price, paid and walked out again!

More Thank Yous

About six cards of one style is most often my max. Then I get bored. There were a lot of people to thank during my brother-in-law's ordeal, so I made several styles! Here are a few more for you to enjoy.

Controlling the Scrap - Version 2.1

I saw this card and fell in love with the simplicity. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to do duckies or elephants, so I did one of each.

Card dimensions: 6.25" x 4.5"

Embossed Mat: 6" x 3.25" (I had to run this through my Texture Boutique two times to get the length =)

Elephants (from Holiday Cakes): 1.26" x 1" (Cut 10 of these to get the contrasting ears. Hide the ears on the second set so it won't cut them out.)

Duckies (from Everyday Paper Dolls): I placed ten in a row with kerning at -0.20, then welded them together. I ended up trimming a bit off each end.

Again, scrap cardstock, scrap designer paper, scrap ribbon...

Controlling the Scrap - Version 1.2

Last (for now) but not least is another card lift that I liked b/c it not only used scraps but it also had the ability to show off some of the busy papers that I tend not to use from my 6x6 pads. Their print is usually too busy or large to see the detail when I add all the other layers. With the large mat and no competing image or die cut, you can see it well in this sketch.

These took a little more planning for two reasons. #1 I don't have a variety of colored stamp pads-which would have made the sentiment less time consuming. Instead I pulled out my Spectrum Noir markers and used those to coordinate the sentiment. #2 I had to do a few trial and error cuts from my Cricut for the label. It probably doesn't help that I'm a bit picky and refuse to just go with the first one that fits =) Even then I put these five cards together fairly quickly.

Card dimensions: 4.5" x 6.25"

Mat: 5.5" x 2.5"

Bookmark style strips: 1.25" x 4" and 1.25" x 3.5"

Label (from Gypsy Wanderings): 3.2" x 1.4" (unlock ratio)

 You will notice a little extra detail on the floral patterned cards below. I felt that the sentiment I had stamped for the others was a little too mod so I went with a scripty sentiment on these. It looked a bit boring with the very white card base and brown ink, so I punched a scalloped border from the center almost to each edge. I then adhered a coordinating strip of cardstock underneath.

Thanks so much for joining me on my "lose the scrap" journey. My scrap pile feels a bit more under control now and my stash is ready for the next spur of the moment event we are invited to =)

Two Hearts Become One

Card size: 4" x 8" (this was sized to put on an adhesive photo card easel)

Cartridges:
hearts, All Occasions Cake Art (Martha Stewart)
labels, Once Upon a Princess

Supplies:
embossing plates, swiss dots and script
pearls, Martha Stewart
gems, ribbons, stamp and cardstock, misc

Hot!! Birthday

Card size:
5.5" x 4.25"

Cartridge:
flames, Dude!
firetruck, Everyday Paper Dolls

Supplies:
circled stars patterned paper, Blink of an Eye SixBySix by My Mind's Eye
orange chevron patterned paper, Fly a Kite LimeTwist by My Mind's Eye
aqua subtle patterned paper, Away We Go SixbySix by My Mind's Eye
cardstock, clips and string, misc

Challenges:
Skipping Stones Design, sketch challenge #142
Freshly Brewed Challenges, #110 Hot, Hot, Hot!!! challenge
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges, #90 masculine challenge

Two Oh!

Card size:
5.5" x 4.25"

Cartridge:
number banners, All Occassions Cake Art
stars, Gypsy Wanderings

Supplies:
text and aqua  patterned paper, Dear Lizzy Neopolitan
orange subtle patterned paper, India Bloom by Basic Grey
cardstock, twine and string, misc

Challenges:
Unscripted Sketches, challenge #172
ColourQ, challenge #151

Time to Relax

Card size:

5.5" x 4.25"

Cartridge:

fisherman and boat, Cricut Sampler

Supplies:

orange mat and circle, Away We Go SixBySix by My Mind's Eye

background patterned paper, Blink of an Eye SixBySix by My Mind's Eye

red diagonal stripe patterned paper, Life of the Party by BasicGrey

blue swirl patterned paper, Everyday Flair SixBySix by My Mind's Eye

kraft cardstock and string, misc

Challenge:
Stampin with the Dragon, sketch challenge

Just a Note on Your Birthday

Card size:

4.5" x 7"

Cartridges:

none

Supplies:

chipboard butterfly, Colorbok

gems, studioG at WalMart

white cardstock, ribbon, misc

Country Fair Pony

Card size:

4.5" x 7"

Cartridges:

horse, Once Upon a Princess

Supplies:

patterned paper, Everyday Flair Six by Six by My Mind's Eye

buttons, studioG at WalMart

white cardstock, ribbon, misc

B is for Birthday

Card size:

6.25" x  4.5"

Cartridges:

scalloped circle, Martha Stewart All Occasions Cake Art
bee, Create a Critter

Supplies:

patterned paper, Neighborhood Collection by Crate Paper

twine, The Twinery

white, kraft and colored cardstock, button, misc

Valentine's Day for 14 Year Old DD

Card size:
6.25" x  4.5"

Cartridges:
Martha Stewart All Occasions Cake Art

Supplies:
patterned paper, white and pink cardstock, ribbon and stamp, misc

Surf Birthday

Card size:
5.5" x 4.25"

Cartridges:
car, Woody from Dude!

Supplies:
patterned paper, white and colored cardstock and photo corners, misc

Cele-skate Birthday

Card size:
5.5" x 4.25"

Cartridges:
skater, Skater1 from Dude!
"Celebrate", Birthday Cakes plain phrase feature, page 71

Supplies:
patterned paper, Complete Boy by Jen Wilson for My Mind's Eye
kraft and colored cardstock, misc

Snowmobile Birthday

Card size:
5.5" x 4.25"

Cartridges:
snowmobile, Sled2 from Dude!

Supplies:
patterned paper, Complete Boy by Jen Wilson for My Mind's Eye
twine, Denim from The Twinery
border punch, EK Success
kraft, white and colored cardstock, misc