Fun with Chevron

Another versatile greeting on a non-gender specific card. Could be used for get well, thinking of you or birthday. I used one line of atg adhesive to stick the strips to my Creative Memories cutting mat. Then I used the CM circle cutter to cut the circles out of the strips. I cut circles from the plain paper and trimmed slightly to make "buttons" that would fit inside the spaces. My 1/16" served as button holes. Hemp twine around the project added a bit of a rustic touch and some texture.

Black and Cream on Kraft

This card was so fun and easy, I made six. I felt like it could fit a variety of occasions. Sympathy, Get Well, Birthday, Thinking of You, etc.

Ombre Butterflies

This card was made at the request of my daughter, who was attending a personal bridal shower for her friend. I had paint chips at my disposal from having painted the girl's bedrooms over Spring Break. I made two cards, not sure what greeting my daughter preferred. And I used the colors from every other sample, therefore one card has darker has a darker feel to it. I used a small amount of glue down the center of each butterfly so the wings could "lift up" a bit.

Hemp cord from Darice, weight #10. Butterfly punch by Martha Stewart. Pearls from Hobby Lobby.

Bright and Cheery

I purchased two paper pads that sat on my desk for a very long time. I still don't feel like I've used them to their maximum potential. But I loved the cheery colors and the designs on the paper. Since I didn't have a specific occassion in mind to make these cards for, I decided the "for you" greeting would work on the front and then I could make it fit the occasion when I use them and add my inside sentiment. It could be "for you...to cheer you", "for you...on your birthday", "for you...just because", "for you...to get well", etc. It was a also a win because it utilized the remaining titles I cut and didn't use from my friend's special card (see previous post). Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention in that previous post that I actually cut two sets of paper for that card because I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to pursue. So, that's why the middle photo below looks oddly familiar (but notice I didn't handstitch on it...another test run using paper piercing which I didn't like nearly as much as stitching).

Back to this post...the cards with the tags below show a really neat way to use a short scrap of ribbon when there isn't quite enough to tie. And I like to bump the ribbon up to show depth, so I use a small glue dot to hold the ribbon in place.

Box of Sunshine

I found the idea on Pinterest to send a box chock full of yellow items to someone who was sick or in need of a pick me up. And seriously, if that doesn't cheer you just thinking about it, there's something wrong!
So my girls and I went on a treasure hunt. We got most of our stuff at Party City. That store is awesome for something like this because you don't have to buy a whole package of one item...you can buy just a few pieces of a variety of things. Besides, they have super cool little party favors =)
And of course, a sunshiny package requires a sunshiny card...

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 =)

Controlling the Scrap - Version 1.1

My next card was one that utilized narrow strips of three coordinating papers. I went a little less crazy with that one and only did four =) I LOVED how this one turned out and feel like the de-bossed white background added just the finishing touch I needed. My embossing folders had a little too much detail and were too small for the card size I was working with. So I ended up going for a simple quarter inch vertical stripe using my Martha Stewart scoring board. I was even able to use up some of my miscellaneous mini brads that I have had FOREVER! I adhered the strips by only one line of glue at the top so they would "hang" and add a bit of dimension at the bottom.

Card dimensions: 4.5" x 6.25"
Mat: 4.25" x 6"
Strips: .75" wide by 4", 3.75" and 3.5"
Sentiment strips: 4.25" x .75"

Controlling the Scrap - Version 1.0

My scrap pile from card making was getting wildly out of control. So when I came across a few samples on pinterest I loved that looked like they would put those scraps to good use, I set up a mass production system on my workspace.

My first card was one that used various sized squares and rectangles, including a background mat that could have detail in one corner.  I can always use a stash of "generic" cards. So I pre-stamped seven penants of each sentiment (get well, good luck, celebrate and thank you) to have on hand so I can grab them, adhere them, print a pertinent inside and run out the door =) I went a little crazy weeding out any scraps that coordinated and were in the right dimensions. I did TEN takes on that one!

Card dimensions: 4.5" x 6.25"
Mat: 4.25" x 6"
Top rectangle: 2" x 1.5"
Bottom left rectangle: 2" x 4"
Bottom right square: 2" x 2"
Other supplies: scrap ribbon, misc buttons

Flowers to Cheer You!

Card size: 4.5" x 6.25"

Image: Thanks! by Mo's Digital Pencil

Supplies:
markers, Spectrum Noir
paper, October Afternoon Woodland Park
doily (behind image), lace and cardstock, misc

Sweet Oklahoma

Card size: 4.5" x 6.25"

Image: Sweet Oklahoma by Saturated Canary

Supplies:
markers, Spectrum Noir
paper, gems, ribbon and cardstock, misc

By Your Side

Card size: 4.5" x 6.25"

Image: misc coloring page found online

Supplies:
markers, Spectrum Noir
paper, American Crafts Color Crush
border punch, EK Success
twine and cardstock, misc


Challenges:
Feeling Sketchy Challenge #63

Digi Makeover Challenge #94 - All Tied Up

My Time to Craft Challenge #227 - Spots and Stripes

Rain on Your Parade

Card size: 5” x 5”

Cricut Cartridges: boots, Paisley page 49 cut at 2.5”
doily (scalloped circle), All Occassions Cake Art, page 37 cut at 3”

Supplies: raindrop paper, A Walk in the Park by Echo Park; yellow and fuschia glitter cardstock,
Mango Frost cardstock matstack by DCWV; kraft, black and colored strips, misc; embossing, swiss dots folder by Cuttlebug

Challenges entered: I missed the deadline to enter this but I received the inspiration to do this card from last week's challenge at Color Throwdown.