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! 

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!

2018 Christmas Cards

I haven't been posting a lot, but I have been busy making things including my 2018 Christmas cards. I'm old school and while I know there are all kinds of cool things you can order online I still like making my cards. 

I was a little frustrated this year ( and have seen other card makers and paper crafters express similar frustration) that both Michaels and JoAnn had very paltry supplies to choose from. Usually there are several paper stacks and coordinating embellishments but both stores disappointed this year. I was able to find two stacks by Recollections that I liked and who am I kidding? Like all crafters, I had "stash" from prior years. Not the point Mr. Chocolate so don't even start. 

This year, I incorporated adhesive foils in my card making. I like to spread the love so I used my Cameo 3 to cut my Cricut adhesive foils :) 

For this one, I went with a monochromatic approach using SEI white on white papers, silver glitter paper, silver metallic foil and iridescent sequins. Sized and cut the "dot tree" (Silhouette Online Store) and then layered onto a metallic white panel, then glitter panel and SEI panel as shown. Finish with iridescent sequins. 

Since I can never settle on one card to make, I usually make a few different ones. This year, I made three different versions. For the second one, I used black cardstock as the base card, and then cut my focal using metallic gold foil (Cricut) , layered onto black cardstock, trimmed closely and then layered using foam tape onto red velvet paper panel, matted with black and onto coordinating papers. Finished with iridescent sequins and red self adhesive rhinestones. 

For the third card, I cut a snowglobe image ( Silhouette Online Store) from the gold foil and like the ornament card, layered onto cardstock, trimmed, layered onto white and silver panel as shown and then used panels cut from the Recollections pack I did find this year. Again finished with iridescent sequins. 

While I might have been cranky that my favorite stores didn't have the selection I wanted and I am happy with the papers I did find, c'mon, we're creatives...less is not more. More is more!! 

2018 Halloween Cards Gothic Grey Gold and Purple

Michaels Recollections collections continue to make my card making life easy! I 

I fell in love with these papers the instant I saw them. The colors and designs were perfect for my more gothic Halloween style, and the fact that they were already foiled left me with not a lot to do. 

I was also thrilled that it happened to be when the focal papers and washi tape were 50% off AND on a day when I had an extra 20% off coupon on my phone. 

I knew I had coordinating papers in my stash at home since I tend towards similar styles and colors. I couldn't wait to get home to start playing! With sale and coupons, my cost for the new materials was $5.99!  

Supplies: 

New: 

• Recollections Halloween Cards stack, 24 double sided sheets
• Recollections Moonlit Manor Paper Pack, 24 sheets
• Recollections Foiled and Spider Washi Tape

Stash:

• Black and White Cover Stock (Recollections)
• Gold Foil Paper (Recollections)
• Black Kraft and Gold Foiled Stack ( This was a Michaels "Hot Buy" when they have 12x12 Stacks for $5)
• Misc. Embellishments
• ATG  Tape Gun and Tape

The cards are all 5 x 7, trimmed from 8.5 x 11 sheets, and then scored using a scoring board. I selected sheets and trimmed panels of the Kraft Black and Gold foiled papers measuring 4.75 x 6.75 ; trimmed panels of the Halloween Cards stack and layered onto the gold foil paper and attached to cards as shown. 

I had some gold Halloween themed word stickers in my stash so I mounted those on scraps of cardstock and mounted to the cards with foam tape. To embellish I used the washi tape, and Stickles Glitter Glue. 

September Celebration Cards

I make probably one or two cards a week during non-holiday times and don't post them all but sharing two special ones. 

My two oldest ( as in length of time, not age!) friends happen to share the same birthdate. Same date, one year apart. So my birthday "twins" each got this card, using washi tape one of them gave me for my own birthday last year. For the birthday cards, I used the "Confetti Stack" by DCWV that has coordinating birthday papers, and cut layers of a cake in two different colors using my Silhouette Cameo. I alternated the layers of the cake and glued them together then added to the center of the card with foam dots. 

The second card was for a friend celebrating Rosh Hashanah. Since apples are a prominent part of celebrating Rosh Hashana, I had fun doodling an apple and then using the Recolor app to color it. 

After I colored the apple, I chose coordinating papers from my stash to make the card. 

I had this gorgeous brocade looking paper ( Recollections, Michaels) that went w/ the colors,  accented w/ coordinating glitter papers, printed and layered the sentiment as shown. 

Hanukkah Card and Tags

Ack. I've been without a computer for almost a week which is a lifetime in blogging years. Backup your stuff people because we always think it can't happen to us and then boom, new hard drive. 

In the meantime, made Hanukkah cards and tags for a couple of friends. I'm tickled that the tags I started making a few years ago for one friend get asked about by her relatives "Is she making any this year". 

I've always loved shiny and glittery things so I had a lot of fun working with gold foiled and glitter papers found at Michaels. The foiled papers are a combination of Recollections, Craft Smith, and DCWV stacks. Add to that my weakness when Michaels has their specialty papers 10 for $10 and I'm in paper hoarder heaven. 

For the card, I cut a menorah on my Cameo ( image found in the Silhouette Online Store) and then just hand cut the candles and flames freehand. I double cut the menorah and gave it depth using foam dots by layering one piece atop another. Blue and gold glitter papers were layered on top of a foiled piece. Simple but I am really happy with the outcome. 

For the tags, I just like to play around with bits and pieces with no particular plan. I just want the colors to work with each other so when I package them, they look like a set. 

My signature paper style is tearing things. I just can't not have some ragged edges! 

With freaking out over my computer crash, would  you believe I forgot to take pics of this year's Christmas cards? I did manage to take pics of a set of Christmas tags I made as a gift! Whew. 

Papers used here are from the Traditional Christmas paper pack from Oriental Trading Company along with some of my glitter and foil stash. 

Lazy Frame Makeover and Thanksgiving Printable

This quick frame makeover was the laziest project in the history of lazy projects. It took longer to make the printable than update the frame.  I love neutrals and black and white in case you can’t tell. I did try for a few years to do the color thing and I LOVE nature's colors this time of year , especially here in the PNW where the leaves are brilliant right now. But I went back to my comfort zone this Thanksgiving.

See ….proof! I had a metallic orange frame that’s been part of my décor the past few years. It just wasn’t going to go with what I had in mind for my mantel this year. I thought about painting the frame which wouldn’t have been that hard, but I was tired and I did mention this was a lazy project right?  Thank goodness for self adhesive glitter tape!

For this project you will need:

• Simple frame
• Glitter tape ( I used Recollections from Michaels)
• Printable

I dis-assembled things, cleaned the glass, and said goodbye to the previous printable. Then I just went around the edges of the frame with my (black)  glitter tape. This does not require advanced crafting skills. This does not require ANY crafting skills.

Then I printed out the printable I made in PicMonkey. I couldn’t decide on a font so I made three versions.

and the one I printed out

Oh did I mention I'm sharing them? Click on to bring to full res, right click to save as. 

Confession. I goofed on my sizing when I printed it but waste not want not. Instead of reprinting, I just mounted it onto some gold cardstock that was the right size for the mat. Done and done!

Happy Accident: Silver and White Wedding and Thank You Cards

I didn’t set out to use papers and embellishments from one company but that’s how these worked out. I needed to make a few cards and it wasn’t until after I’d chosen the papers and coordinating embellishments that I realized they were all Recollections from Michaels. Some might say that I spend too much time at a certain craft store because these were not all purchased together.

I used a silver polka dot glitter paper, a silver cardstock weight paper and a silver and white swirl. All papers are 12x12. Cards are all 5x7.

For the wedding card, layered the papers as shown and tied silver ribbon around the corners of the panels.

For the Thank You cards, I used a package of die cuts and unfinished wood embellishments, randomly placed.

Finished up some of the cards with dots of Liquid Pearls.

It's A Bird It's A Plane It's Super Hero Father's Day Cards

I’ve been on a paper diet lately, resisting the temptations of all the paper stacks calling my name. However, I couldn’t resist one stack I saw at Michaels…the Comic Heroes stack from Recollections.

SInce College Boy is a self described comic geek, it went without saying that this had to be part of my collection. Then I started thinking about Father’s Day cards and what a perfect match!

Supplies Needed:

• Comic Heros paper stack
• Cardstock
• Computer generated image
• Washi Tape
• Rhinestones

For the card focal , I created an image in PicMonkey and then printed on plain white cardstock. I thought the could shaped comic bubble worked with the papers. Trimmed, matted with black and then again with another scrap of cardstock.

The papers are so detailed that I didn’t need to embellish a lot. I punched stars from another sheet from the stack.

I had some washi tape that coordinated with the paper I used for the stars and reminded me of the dots you often see in comics.  I used foam dots to adhere some of the stars and others I trimmed and laid flat with tape.

To finish, I added a few tiny red self adhesive rhinestones around the cloud bubble.

Up up and away!