TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Halloween Pumpkin Cards

Halloween is just around the corner and I have alot of cards to send.  I had always sent 1 to my grandkids and my grandnieces and well people keep having babies and this year I have had to add 4 more children.  So I needed a total of 13 Halloween cards!  Oh my!!
Well I decided to make simple ones.  A friend of mine had a pumpkin card die that she bought from Stephanie Barnard. You can get it HERE.  Line up the main die piece slightly off the fold end of a base card and cut out the pumpkin.  Then cut remaining pieces to decorate your pumpkin.  Easy Peasy.  I whipped out a bunch.  Still have more to make but at least I started and I can be finished in time to get them in the mail!  That's a win for me!

I also found this simple little card on Pinterest.  Could not get the link to work but it looked easy enough to C.A.S.E. with just a picture.  I used a 4" circle and put it through an embossing folder... die cut out some leaves which I also ran through a few folders...glued the top of an acorn in the middle.  I swiped a little Tim Holtz walnut stain ink or the tops of the leaves and the pumpkin too.  The little curlys on acorn cap sides is just a piece of brown coated floral wire wrapped around a pencil.   Sometimes you just have to use whats on hand...lol  I found a sheet of scrapbook paper in my stash that had words on it and I just cut out the word pie.  Now this card can be for Thanksgiving or a fall birthday, or even Halloween.  Just put a different sentiment.

That's it for today.........til next time!

HAPPY CARDING!!








Monday, October 16, 2017

ANNA GRIFFIN STYLE IMPROMPTU

Hi everyone!  Beautiful fall day here today and as my Mondays go I'm busy, busy, busy with grandkids and Monday night family dinner.  Now that all is done I have time to sit and relax and share my most recent cards.

Last Friday I popped in on my friend who had another one over to make a guy card and a birthday card.  I showed up with no intentions on carding but just to chat.  Well needless to say creative juices were flowing and I offered up some suggestion on the guy cards they were making (boy I should have taken a picture of their final card) and they turned out great!  The second card they were making was a birthday card using an Anna Griffin embossing folder.  The two of them did a glitter technique on their cards and then took the rest of the pieces to assemble at a later time.  I also had brought home some pieces to work on at home.
The one on the left was the Anna Griffin embossing folder.  I wasn't thrilled with the turn out so I tried again.  Since I did not own the same Anna Griffin folder I use a Cuttlebug one that looked similar.  I liked this a bit better and I needed a birthday card !
Both of these cards are 5x7.  I really like this size and I think I may do more cards in this larger size.  Sometimes I think we all tend to stick with what is comfortable.  4.25 x 5.5 cards are so convenient.  You can get 2 from 1 regular piece of card stock and envelopes are easy to come by.  But, I also think that a more elegant card should be bigger and this certainly fits the bill.

Well now I wonder what to work on.  I still need a few more Christmas cards but I'm also working on my Advent Calendar.  Hmmmmmmmm...decisions decisions.
Until next time

HAPPY CARDING!

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

G45 CHRISTMAS and then some

Ahhhhh.....the start of my favorite pastime.........making Christmas cards and using my favorite line of papers....Graphic 45.  I don't think I can ever have enough of the G45 Christmas line.  I love the retired ones just as much as I love the new releases.  There is something comforting about G45.  I think it may be the fact that it reminds me of Christmas's past.  Where things were simpler.  The colors are so warm.  
Today's card it pretty simple.  I'll let you in on a little secret.....2 of the papers are not from the Christmas line.  That pretty little plaid is actually from the Raining Cats and dogs line.  I needed a plaid and did not have the Christmas one but this one worked just as well and......well the green swirly paper is just a piece I had on hand .  I don't even know where I got it.
I used a Die'sired Christmas Blessing die that I got a deal on at my local Tuesday Morning.  I think I payed $2 for it!!  Great Deal though reading it as Christmas Blessings is quite difficult because the word Christmas doesn't look like Christmas at all.  I lined the inside with Very Vanilla since the card base is black.
Now a little peek...in my last post I mentioned making that snowflake card in different colors.  Well I got started and here's some samples of just a few that I did.
Red and Green shimmer paper...love it!  This time I too the largest snowflake and glued it down on the left side of the card.  Then the right points of the snowflake interlock with the right side flap keeping the card closed.  I wasn't sure if it would work but it did.  Whipped these 2 between Paw Patrol and Shimmer and Shine cartoons on Nick Jr.  Had the grandkids today and they kind of hog the T.V.  LOL

Have a splendid day and til next time....................................
HAPPY CARDING!

Monday, October 9, 2017

CHRISTMAS? Where has time gone

Hello!!  I cannot believe that it has been July since my last post.  I have had such a crazy summer.  My sister had knee surgery and my son was hospitalized and time really got away from me.  I didn't get to spend much time with my ladies group either.
The other day I headed to Hobby Lobby to see what kind of fall crafts were out and boy I couldn't believe Christmas Trees were decorated and there was Christmas everywhere!  I did manage to pick up some fall and Halloween colored embellies but truth be told all that Christmas got me in the mood for more Christmas cards.  So I went ahead and clicked on the Sizzix die I have had in my cart at Amazon and waited.  Well it arrived yesterday.  Yep on a Sunday!  Fed Ex doesn't know that Sunday should be a day of rest.  LOL Anyway this is the die I bought seen here
So very easy to make and I think I'll be making these in an array of colors.  Sure will make my cards for Christmas go quickly.
Here I did it in Black with light blue.

     
















I think if I use Red or Green shimmer paper for the base and then cream for the inside it will look quite Christmasy!

Now that I'm in the mood I'm going to head to the craft room and start my producing and maybe come up with a few more Christmas card idea's.  But first to finish my Halloween cards.  I'll post those soon.  Til then.........................

HAPPY CARDING!