Papercrafting: Copper and Berry Layered Pumpkin Thanksgiving Cards

 

Cardmaking has always been and probably will be my first love. I should probably have kept track of the number of cards I've made! And I love making Thanksgiving cards to send to friends and family. This year, I went with copper and berry for my colors. Technically, the "copper" is considered rose gold but it's copper to me! 

Supplies:

• Scrapbook Papers (I had these on hand. Craftsmith, Craftsmart, and Recollections from Michaels.)
• Layered Pumpkin SVG (I used one from Creative Fabrica)
• Digital Cutting Machine (I used my Cricut Explore 2)
• Tape Gun and Spray Adhesive
• Iridescent Sequins

The great thing about "building up a paper collection" (or what Mr. Chocolate calls "How can you possibly need MORE paper?") is how you can pull out different stacks and mix and match. It's also a  great way for me to find inspiration. These were the stacks from the stash I used. 

I downloaded the image, imported into Cricut Design Space and used 3 of the 4 layers. (Orange, Pink, and Grey).

This is the first layer. 

Second layer.

Layers one and two. I used a 3M Spray Adhesive to attach each layer since they're so delicate. 

And finally, all three layers combined! For the cards, I used a 110lb cream cardstock (Recollections) and then cut panels from the paper stacks I'd selected. 

I used foam tape to attach the layered pumpkin to the cards just to give things a little depth. To finish, I grabbed some iridescent sequins from my stash and used a dimensional glue to attach. 

Sharing At: 

Papercrafting: When Supplies Collide. Black White Metallic Handmade Paper Cards

 

As I've said before, I love it when a plan you didn't have comes together. I can't be the only one who picks up things as I see them, not specifically having a plan in place about what I'm going to do with them, right? RIGHT? I did that with a package of handmade paper scraps at Blick Art Materials a while back and then on my last trip to Dollar Tree, I found two sets of epoxy stickers that coordinated perfectly. The timing was perfect since I needed to make a couple of cards. 

Supplies: 

• Handmade Paper Scraps (Blick Art ...can't remember the price but around $5 I think)
• Epoxy Stickers (Dollar Tree) 
• White 110lb cardstock (Recollections, Michaels)
• Black and White Scrapbook Paper (Michaels)
• Black Cardstock Scraps
• Foam Tape
• Adhesive Tape Runner 

I couldn't have coordinated these if I'd tried! 

I cut the white cardstock to 7x10 for 5x7 cards. Then I selected the handmade papers I wanted to use along with a sheet of black and white scrapbook paper from my stash, cut in panels as shown and adhered to the card. 

I selected a trio of stickers from the gold and silver sheets and mounted on squares of black cardstock scraps. Then mounted these using foam tape down the center of the cards as shown. 

For the silver stickers, I chose a handmade paper with glittered silver polka-dots. 

For the gold stickers, I chose a piece of black, gold, and white handmade paper. 

This is a great cardmaking project if you don't have a cutting machine and/or if you're a beginning cardmaker! 

Papercrafting: Birthday Magic

 

I've been busy with updating and making home decor. I was thankful that a friend had a birthday so I had a reason to make a card, my first love!

Supplies: 

• Recollections Paper Stack, Spring Inks (Michaels)
• Recollections White Cardstock 110 lb (Michaels)
• Black and White Polka Dot Paper
• Capitol Chic Designs Die Cuts (Michaels)
• Crafter's Square Embellishments (Dollar Tree)
• Foam Tape
• Tape Gun

I pulled out some supplies from my stash. The Capitol Chic Designs die cuts,a while I picked up at Michaels awhile ago when they first came out. It's great having more diversity in crafting supplies and I love their work! I chose a couple of images to use as the focal for the card. I also love that Dollar Tree has increased and expanded their craft supplies and find a lot of embellishments there. 

I chose a foiled-marble paper from the stack that coordinated with the die cuts, and them made a card from white cardstock (5x7) and cut a panel (4.75x6.75) from the polka dot paper. 

I've had this Martha Stewart scoreboard forever and use it for all of my cards. I scored the 10x7 cardstock panel down the middle to create the 5x7 card, then applied the marbled panel and die cuts using foam tape to mount.

I skipped the cupcake stickers and just went with the rhinestones in coordinated colors to embellish. 

Et Voila!

Cardmaking: Layered Geometric Heart Valentine's Cards

 

Happy Love Day Creative Peeps! Whatever you're doing (including not doing) today, wishing you a day filled with love...for self, partner, spouse, friends, family...however you define it! 

Sharing the cards I did this year which continue my obsession with layered cut files! 

Supplies: 

• Black, White, Pink Glitter Cardstock
• Scrapbook Paper
• Layered Heart SVG file 
• Foam Dots
• Heart Shaped Scratch Stickers
• Digital Cutting Machine

The star of these are the Scratch Off stickers I used for the interior which I found at Dollar Tree and like so many of my Dollar Tree purchases I'm asking : "Why didn't I get more?!"

The file I used for the heart is from Creative Fabrica. It comes with several more layers than I used and I deleted the ones I wasn't going to use in Cricut Design Space. I cut the hearts using my Cricut Explore Air 2. The SVG file can be used with other cutting machines. 

For the cards themselves I used black cardstock and scrapbook papers from American Crafts "The Color of Memories" collection (SKU #s 348947 and 320417) I found a JoAnn. The pink glitter paper is by Recollections from Michaels. 

It always helps me to change the colors in Design Space to the actual colors I'm working with, Keeps things straight in my brain! Sized to fit my cards, then cut each layer. To assemble the hearts, I used small foam dots and then used my tape runner to adhere to the card. 

I printed the word "love" on white paper, trimmed and mounted on the American Crafts paper and then applied the scratch off sticker over it. I wrote a little "scratch here" note when I signed the cards. I hope they do some other shapes with these scratch off stickers! Aren't the cool?! 

I love sending cards to family and friends and these were a hit! 

Fall Crafts: Layered Leaf Cards (Intermediate to Advanced Skill Level)

 

My first love was and remains card making. And the more I play with my Cricut Explore Air 2 and layered SVG files, the more I stay in love with card making. SVGs are Scalable Vector Graphics which means they can be re-sized easily in things like Design Space. 

Supplies: 

• Layered Leaf Images (I used a bundle from Creative Fabrica)
• Cutting machine (I used my Cricut Explore Air 2)
• Scrapbook Paper (I used CraftSmart "Dark Elegance" which I bought last year at Michaels and is no longer available but you can use comparable dark papers)
• Recollections Gold and  Copper Foil cardstock (Michaels)
• Coordinating Plum Cardstock (Stash)
• Cream Recollections 110lb Cardstock (Michaels)
• Copper Foil
• Fall Themed Embellishments ( I used K&Co border stickers from my stash)
• Coordinating Sequins (Michaels
• Foam Squares
• Dimensional and Double Sided Adhesive
• Paper Trimmer and Scoring tool

The first step was to decide on the focal image for my cards. I knew I wanted a leaf theme, especially since living in the desert, I miss the changing leaves of my former Pacific Northwest home. I found this set of layered leaves at Creative Fabrica.  If you do choose to purchase, full disclosure...I get a small benefit if you go through my affiliate link. 

Download, extract, and import chosen design into your machine's software, in my case Cricut Design Space. If you don't have a cutting machine you can print out the PNG images and hand cut using scissors and an X-Acto knife. 

I selected the leaf from the bottom row, leftmost image. 

I deleted two of the 5 layers in my Design Space Software because I liked how just three layers looked. Then I cut each layer from the colors I chose ( plum, foil gold and copper). 

To assemble, attach the middle layer ( gold ) to the base ( plum ) using foam squares. Since the top layer is more delicate, I used a spray mount. 

Here's the middle layer mounted to the base. Since you need to work fast with the spray adhesive, I didn't take pics of the top layer but you get the idea...spray the back, lay atop the middle layer and done. 

Once I had my leaves assembled, I made my cards by cutting the cream cardstock to make 5x7 cards, cut panels of the copper foil cardstock to 4.75x6.75 then selected papers from the Dark Elegance Stack and cut to 4.5x6.5. I added the Fall themed border stickers and then mounted the leaves to the cards. 

To finish, I grabbed some coordinating sequins from my stash and added them along the stem of the leaf using Glossy Accents dimensional glue. 

But of course I wasn't done! Copper is such a fall color to me that I wanted a touch more so I'd picked up some copper foil on a trip to Michaels and thought I'd do the interior sentiment using the foil tool that works with my Cricut. 

For this step, you need to make sure you get the foil as taught as possible atop the paper you want to foil so I used painter's blue tape to tack it down. The Cricut foils also come with tape strips to do this. 

It still needs a little give so don't worry if it's not absolutely flat. Then select a font or image for whatever you want to foil, follow the instructions for the tool / in Design Space and send to your Cricut. 

I chose the word "Fallsgiving" since this time of year for me is about celebrating the gifts of Fall. It was also a great way to use up the copper, and plum scraps from this project which I used to mat the sentiment! I adhered these to the inside of my cards using my tape gun. 

My way of giving a little bit of Fall to friends and family! And the pictures don't do the metallic goodness of the colors justice so if you are seeing this on here first and know you're getting one, just wait! 

Papercrafting: More Cards For Box Of Balloons !

 

I wrote in May about an organization called Box Of Balloons that works to ensure that children get to be celebrated on their birthdays. They were then partnering with several of my local Starbucks locations to collect cards, wrapping, decorations etc. and as a Cardmaker and a Mom, it was right up my alley. I did it for the sheer joy of combining those two loves and because I want every child to know the feeling of being special on their birthday. 

I was honored and humbled to receive the following email from the local chapter President, Amy:

"I'm so impressed with your handmade cards and gift tags and wanted to say THANK YOU so much for your wonderful donation.

I've been putting a card and gift tag in each birthday box I've been creating and it adds such a personal touch to each box. Thank you so much for donating these as I'm sure they took a lot of time and energy to create. They're so beautiful and made so well and I'm just blown away and grateful :) "

I was thrilled they were happy and would be put to use and immediately planned on making more! As I've written about (probably ad nauseum!) June was a bust for creating between prepping for a planned move and spending an unplanned week in the hospital. So once things had settled ( somewhat...life is life!) in July, I wanted to get back to it and on Saturday dropped another three dozen cards in the mail! 

Supplies:

• Birthday Themed Papers (American Crafts, The Color of Memories Collection from JoAnn and Happy Cake Day stack by Recollections from Michaels)
• Cardstock
• Birthday Themed Washi Tape ( Park Lane, JoAnn) 
• Glitter Papers ( Recollections, Michaels) 

 This time around I used some American Crafts birthday themed papers I found at JoAnn along with some Park Lane birthday themed washi tape I scooped up on sale there. 

Like some of the sheets from the Recollections "Cake Day" stack, this sheet had panels I cut up to use as the focal for the cards, matting each with coordinating glitter papers. The washi tape coordinated perfectly with the colors (and it didn't hurt that it was an additional 50% off clearance). 

The Balloon background paper is from the same American Crafts collection. I kept things simple, matting the image on glitter paper, then another coordinating paper ( great way to use scraps) and attaching to the card with foam squares. 

Since I still had plenty of papers from the "Happy Cake Day" stack I previously used (and may or may not have bought another stack when Michaels had another buy one get two free Hot Buy sale which is my kryptonite) I made some more using those. 

Unintentionally, I usually make my cards in a portrait vs landscape orientation...no reason...just do...but since these panels didn't lend themselves to that, made some that way too. 

It's very fulfilling to feel like doing something you absolutely love can make a difference. Especially now. Especially in a child's life!