Halloween: Haunted Mansion Inspired Cards

 

"Welcome foolish mortals". I miss Disneyland so much, especially when it's decorated for Halloween. We'd hoped to go this year but COVID...

Anyway, one of my favorite rides any time of year is the Haunted Mansion. I love all the detail they put into the attraction and at Halloween it's totally decorated with a Nightmare Before Christmas theme. If you ever get a chance to do Disney for Halloween, it's so much fun! So when I saw this collection of layered cut files at Creative Fabrica included a "Haunted" Castle, I had my theme for this year's Halloween cards. Disclosure: I am an affiliate so if you buy this file here, I do get a small benefit. 

Supplies: 

• Halloween Background Paper (I used the Spook Hill collection from Michaels)
• Metallic and Glitter Scrapbook Paper
• Black Cardstock (Recollections 110 lb)
• Halloween Words ( Tim Holtz )

You can buy pre-made cards or cut your own. I cut my own from the Recollections Black cardstock measuring 7x10 to create a 5x7 card. Score down the middle. 

Cut background papers 6.75x4.75. Attach to cards. 

Download cut files and import design of choice into your electronic cutter's software. I used my Cricut Explore 2 and the Design Space software and deleted a couple of the layers, leaving 3 layers to cut. 

I did a combination of colors and mirror and glitter papers. 

Once you have your "houses" assembled, then layer onto prepared cards. Add the chipboard words. I also embellished with a couple of self adhesive rhinestones which the post office just loves! 

Enter if you dare! 

Every Child Should Be Celebrated On Their Birthday: Box of Balloons

 

April was a blur for me with getting my mom back to full health. So with doctors appointments and follow-ups ( many, many, MANY follow-ups) I didn't have a lot of time and even less energy for creating. But on a stop at my regular Starbucks, I got the jolt I needed and not just from the mobile order I was picking up. 

This location that has become my go to during the pandemic (shout out to the Hayden & Thompson Peak store in Scottsdale) and is partnering with an organization called Box of Balloons which works to provide Birthday Boxes to kids who might otherwise not have a birthday celebration. That hits my heart.

I LOVED my birthdays as a child because my Mom and Dad always made sure they were special. This was back in the day when parties weren't events planned like the D-Day invasion. Home, friends, family, but always special. Always a theme with matching invites, decorations, cake etc. I tried to make my son's special because that's what I knew and my husband, whose experience was different, was initially confused but loved making our son's birthdays special too. 

So when I saw this drive for decorations, favors etc. I knew I could put my skills and my tools like my Cricut Explore to good use for a good cause! There's a reason why I grabbed up the "Happy Cake Day" Hot Buy paper stack at Michaels! 

Supplies: 

• Happy Cake Day Paper Stack ( Michaels )
• Jewel Glitter Paper Stack ( Michaels  )
• Paper Scraps
• Cardstock 

This Happy Cake Day stack is SO much fun. You really need to get it if you see it and no I don't get a commission! It's just a great stack. Foiled and plain papers that all coordinate with each other and so much fun. 

There are a few pages with panels like this that you can cut for multiple cards etc. LOVE these in all of the paper stacks I buy. So I trimmed some from this sheet and another similar one to use as the focal for each card. 

Using cardstock I had on hand ( this was also a great way to use up existing supplies) I cut all the cards 5x7 and kept things fairly simple cutting the coordinating paper panels for the card to 4.75x6.75 and 4x6. I had fun just picking coordinating papers from these stacks and my stash. 

Everything's better with glitter right? So I grabbed my paper scraps which were the perfect size to use to mat the focal panels I'd cut. They really make the cards look festive and fun. I was having so much fun, I ended up making about 3 dozen cards!

But wait! The other thing perfect for birthdays are tags and what's a better way to use up paper scraps than making tags? 

I grabbed a bunch of coordinating scraps and from the larger pieces, I cut some Balloons and Stars using my Cricut Explore and just had fun mixing and matching all of the paper scraps and cutouts. I layered the diecuts and attachd with foam dots to give the tags some dimension and then added bright ribbons. 

I couldn't forget the great team at my go to store. I LOVE the Starbucks Mobile App which allows me to order ahead, pop in and pickup my drink and I must go there enough because different baristas recognize me by name and know if my drink is ready, being worked on, that I want a straw etc. So I also made a long overdue Thank You card for them!

I had this cut file in my collection and used the Slice function in Cricut Design Space to add some coffee beans. I added a couple of the balloons left over from making tags since they're doing the Balloon Box drive, and  used a sheet from another favorite Recollections Stack, "Let's Wander" along with light green glitter paper and white cardstock. 

Being able to do what I love and give back to kids to hopefully make their day just a little brighter was EXACTLY the infusion of inspiration I needed. We're all in this world together. 

Sharing At: 

Our Hopeful Home

Halloween: 2020 Cards Using the Spook Hill Stack from Michaels

 

I make cards all year round for all holidays, birthdays etc. but Halloween through Christmas and Hanukkah is full production mode. If you've been around my blog for a minute, you know that I am a helpless paperholic so I always love taking advantage when Michaels has deals on their "Hot Buys" especially when they're either buy one get two free ( I mean c'mon!) or they're on sale for $4.99. Mr. Chocolate will try to convince you that I own all of them. Not true. But many? Yes, that I admit to! 

I picked up this stack called "Spook Hill" (by Recollections) on one of their buy one get two free ( I get giddy just typing that!) and it was so my style! It includes foiled and non-foiled papers.  Now oddly, I can't find it on their website but it is available on Amazon.

This isn't a tutorial post but almost all of my cards are 5x7 and I used Black Recollections 110 lb cardstock ( Michaels ) for most of them w/ the exception of a couple I made using a heavy piece of 12x12 paper from my stash. 

I went with the color palette of the stack: Black, grey, gold, white. 

I cut panels 5.75 x 4.75 and layered with gold foiled transparencies ( previous Michaels trips!) and cut out some Halloween images using my Cricut Explore which I layered using foam tape. For the Haunted House image, I added windows using paper scraps I had on hand. 

Finished everything with gold self adhesive rhinestones in gold! And yes, those of you who know who you are, they're on their way. Boo! 

Why Yes I Do Still Make Things! RAK Thank You Cards Essential Workers

Followers of this blog must wonder "does she actually ever make anything anymore?" and the answer is "she does!"

Things have been crazy busy for a while between a lot of work things, real life things, and some things had to give. I make stuff all the time. What I haven't had or made as much time for is taking photos and editing them to put up here on the blog, or writing blog posts besides my weekly party.  I finally made sure I did. 

Regardless of what our Governor decides next week (which is when he's supposed to make his decision) about relaxing our shelter at home order, we will continue to practice social distancing based on the modeling that shows we haven't yet hit our peak. I'm in a high risk group and don't want to take any chances and I'm also an only child to my little Mommy. So that's that. 

We go out strategically. Grocery shopping and essentials and do some takeout dining to help support local businesses. I've been making it a point to thank the people working who are keeping us going and don't always have a choice whether to be there. I wanted to do something more and one glance at my scrap paper stash gave me the idea to make "Thank You" cards that I could give to them. Maybe it's silly but I'm appreciative of them doing the work to keep us all going and unfortunately I've witnessed some people whose manners are let's just say, absent. 

I bought this great Park Lane Paperie in a curbside order from JOANN's. I like heaving (110 lb) card stock for my cards and this is perfect plus tons of colors to work with. Then I grabbed my baggies of scrap paper leftover from other projects and played. 

I cut each sheet in half so they measure 4.25 x 5.5.  The focal sentiment I did in PrintShop and printed out in three different colors. Measured and cut panels 4 x 5.25 from the scraps and then just mixed and matched. 

Some I did with more than one paper. Others just one sheet. Some embellished w/ glitter tape. Others just simple with the sentiment matted on coordinating scraps. 

I'm trying to be mindful of all that people are going through and I think the world can always use a bit more kindness don't you? 

Foiled Again: Foiled Paper Sympathy and Thank You Cards

Sharing a few cards I recently made using some fabulous foiled papers. I am totally addicted to textured, foiled, glitter papers. OK , pretty papers period.  

Timing is everything and right when I bought my Minc foil applicator, I started seeing tons of gorgeous papers that were already foiled. They just take things up to such another level don't you think? 

Fortunately, I have found some wonderful 12x12 pads at Michaels that I stock up on when they have their "Hot Buy" sales ( $5 and/or 70% off) or when they have their specialty papers on sale. 

This one is Indigo Kraft and Champagne foiled. It's such a rich color combination. I needed to make a Sympathy card and thought this would be good as an alternative to black. 

I kept this simple using one  sheet of the paper from the stack, white cardstock and a computer generated focal. I printed the sentiment twice, trimmed one of the sentiments close to the border and then mounted it with foam tape to give the card some depth. I also used some gold mirror paper to frame the sentiment. This card is sized 5x7.

For these Thank You notes, I used a sheet of this foiled wood paper and vinyl feathers by Art Minds that came in a pack. Also Michaels. Again I kept these simple by using a panel of the foiled paper and framing the feather panel with gold mirror paper. The feathers were applied to light blue glitter scraps. These cards are sized 5.5 x 4.25.

These papers make it so easy to make your own cards since they do all the work with how pretty they are! 

Black White and Antique Gold Birthday Card

Sharing an easy birthday card that requires no cutting machines or equipment besides a paper cutter and a punch. 

Supplies: 

• DCWV "Decor Noir" Stack ( I've had this one for a while so not sure if it's still around but I know I've seen similar stacks at JoAnn)
• Black Cardstock ( I used Recollections 110 lb, Michaels)
• Antique Gold foiled transparency ( Michaels)
• Cream and Antique Gold glitter scraps
• Recollections ( Michaels) Washi Tape
• Self adhesive 3D sticker embellishment strips ( stash)
• Star Punch
• Foam Tape
• Double sided tape ( I used my trusted tape gun)

The Deco Noir stack includes a couple sheets of different sentiments / sayings like the one I used for the focal. Cut from sheet, trim, add two strips of washi tape, add 3D embellishment strip,  mount to cream glitter scrap. Punch Antique Gold star from glitter scrap and mount with foam tape as shown.

Cut the black cardstock to 5x7 and trim a sheet of the "alphabet" paper from the stack to the same size. Adhere to front of card.  Cut  the transparency to 4.5 x 6.5, and layer the front panel to it, then adhere to card and voila. Done and done!

Baby Boy Cards

I made a couple of cards this weekend to congratulate new parents and grandparents on the arrival of a new bundle of joy. I decided to keep things fairly monochromatic in hues of blue . 

Supplies Used: 

• White Cardstock (Recollections, Michaels 110 lb)
• Pale Blue 12x12 Glitter Paper ( Recollections, Michaels,  Holiday Glitz and Glitter Stack)
• Light and Medium Blue 12x12 Cardstock (Craft Smith, Michaels Blues Stack) 
• Baby Boy cut file (Silhouette Online Store Design ID #17765)
• Onesie cut file (Silhouette Online Store Design ID # 59708

Misc: 

• Gold paper scrap
• Heart punch
• Washi Tape
• Adhesive ( I live for my tape gun)
• Paper Cutter
• Silhouette Cameo 3
• Foam tape

Instructions: 

• Using paper cutter, cut and score white cardstock to 5x7  card
• Cut blue glitter paper panel to 4.75 x 6.75
• Cut pale blue cardstock to 4.25 x 6.25
• Layer glitter and pale blue panels as shown. 
• Add washi tape to opposite corners as shown
• Download, size, cut "Baby Boy" and "Onesie" images. 
• I cut sets of images from the glitter paper and from the medium blue paper. I like giving images a little bit of a shadow by layering them. I find this gives them some depth. 
• Mount cut  images to card panels using foam tape
• Punch heart from gold scrap and mount to center of onesie

I made matching panels for the inside of the card but forgot to take a pic when they were blank. You can see a little peeking out from the card that's laying down. 

Valentine's Day : Blasts From The Past

Yay! I have my laptop back and didn't lose anything and I'm so happy! Have some photo editing to do for some things I've worked on recently and have to re-install some stuff,  but in the meantime, thought I would take a trip down memory lane and re-up a few Valentine's Day home decor and card projects from past years.  Projects are linked in the titles. 

Home Decor

Valentine's Lanterns:

Easy Valentine's Canvas: 

This is a really quick way to add some Valentine's decor that can actually stay up all year long and not look out of place. Neutral colors make it versatile. 

Easy Blingy Love Letters

This is another thing that you can leave up all year long. 

Easy Vinyl Charger: 

I actually did this in "traditional" Valentine's colors ( primarily since it was a stash bust from an extra charger I had from Christmas)

Cards 

Mizuhiki Cord Valentine's Cards:

Handmade cards using Mizuhiki Cord (found w/ Origami supplies)

Metallic and Bright Valentine's Day Cards:

Vintagey Valentine's Cards

Valentine's In Gray and White

Hope you've found some inspiration!