Twinkle, Twinkle

I wanted to bring out the sparkle in the patterned paper by putting some on the stamped image. I covered the cat with black glitter glue.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Uptown Rubber Stamps
Ink: Versafine Onyx
Paper: blue cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Creative Imaginations)
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels, ribbon (Making Memories), Stickles

Ric Rac

Instead of ribbon, add interest to your cards by using Ric Rac. Keep the size of Ric Rac relative to the other parts of the card. This particular Ric Rac is velour. On another note, I coloured the leaves with gel pen since a translucent medium, such as ink, would not show its true colour on the coloured cardstock.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampendous
Ink: Versafine Onyx
Paper: orange cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Creative Imaginations)
Accessories: gel pen

The Sum of the Parts

By moving the heavier line of the patterned paper to the bottom of the card I was able to balance the layout with a larger sentiment. It almost looks as though the "legs" are supporting the "body".

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Inkadinkado
Ink: Versafine Onyx
Paper: yellow & grey cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Heidi Grace)
Accessories: seam binding (stash)

A Balancing Act

This piece of patterned paper was more challenging to work than anticipated. Once the rectangle was cut to fit the card front, I realized that it seemed "top heavy". To counterbalance the weight, I stamped the sentiment at the bottom.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Inkadinkado
Ink: Versaink Onyx
Paper: yellow & grey cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Heidi Grace)
Accessories: brads (stash)

Matching Pattern Design to Image Design

I used the same patterned paper as in the last post, but used it differently. This was necessary in order to work with the horizontal image.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx
Paper: orange cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (Heidi Grace)
Accessories: brads, ribbon & sticker (stash)

Working with Larger Patterns

Because of the larger size of the pattern in this paper, I couldn't layer the face of the card as I like to. To create the illusion of layers without making the patterned paper smaller I inked the edges of the patterned paper.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: witch (Penny Black), sentiment (Hero Arts)
Paper: orange & yellow cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Heidi Grace)
Ink: Versaink Black Onyx, Colorbox Queue
Accessories: ribbon & brads (stash), Spellbinders Labels

Cornered

In an attempt to balance my card layout, I put the ribbon and bow on the corner of the card layer. Just a little change from having the ribbon horizontal or vertical.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Paper: orange & grey cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (Heidi Grace)
Accessories: Spellbinders Circles & Scalloped Circles, ribbon (stash), Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

Image on Image

To add more interest to my main image I stamped a sentiment on the pumpkin.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: pumpkin (PSX), sentiment (Hero Arts)
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Paper: orange & grey (Bazzill), patterned (Heidi Grace)
Accessories: buttons (stash)

Finding Fonts

Though I haven't used many sentiment images as the focal points of my cards, I realized the significance of the type of font. Here I chose a font which shared characteristics of the patterned paper.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Impression Obsession
Paper: orange cardstock (Bazzill Aztec), black cardstock (stash), patterned paper (stash)
Ink: Versafine black, Colorbox Cat Eye
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels, EK Success border punch, button (Doodlebug), ribbon (stash)

Piecin' Pumpkins

Didn't have a large pumpkin punch or die, so I cut out pieces with an oval punch. Then I ran the pieces through the Birds & Vines embossing folder. For a final touch, I inked the dry embossing and edges of the ovals before adhering them together.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Paper: orange (Bazzill Aztec), black & green cardstock (stash), patterned paper (stash)
Ink: Colorbox Cat Eye
Accessories: Marvy Oval punch, Emaginations Grape Leaf Punch, ribbon (stash)

Squares within a Square

A perfect card recipe that uses up scraps is to cut or punch eight 1 1/2" squares for a 5 X 5 card. Just space the squares evenly apart.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up
Paper: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), green & yellow cardstock (Bazzill), black cardstock (stash)
Ink: Versamark Black, Colorbox Queue Chalk
Accessories: Creative Memories Square Punch, Spellbinders Circles & Scalloped Circles

Tone on Tone

In an attempt to create a tone on tone image I learned that the ink should be somewhat darker than the colour of the cardstock. Although the image was more distinct when first stamped, when it dried, the scarecrow faded somewhat. I stamped the image again, this time in a brown ink and saw an opportunity to use Gold Glimmer Mist and took it.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PennyBlack
Paper: brown & green cardstock (stash), patterned (Debbie Mumm)
Ink: Colorbox Cats Eye
Accessories: Spellbinders Ovals, brad (stash)

Chalk One Up

On this card I first dry embossed the patterned paper with an embossing folder and then embossed the pumpkins with a brass stencil. To enhance the dry embossing, I "stenciled" the pumpkins with chalk.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Paper: brown & green cardstock (stash), patterned (Debbie Mumm)
Accessories: Quickutz Diamonds & Dots Embossing Folder, Lasting Impressions brass stencil, ribbon (stash), chalks (Pebbles Inc.), Spellbinders Labels 8

Top Brass

I used a brass stencil to dry emboss the sign post. To give the dry embossing a little lift, I stenciled the image with ink. A rectangular Spellbinders perfectly cut out my stamped image to fit into the dry embossed space.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Paper: cardstock (Bazzill)
Ink: Colorbox Queue chalk
Accessories: Dreamweaver stencil, Doodlebug ribbon, Spellbinders Rectangles

One Down, 29 to Go

Once again I used the design in the patterned paper to my advantage. I framed the sentiment with die cuts made from two ovals and a scalloped oval. The black "ring" was cut by using two ovals at the same time. I used the "ring" to trace a line on the orange scalloped oval to cut out my window.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Paper: white, black & orange cardstock (stash), patterned paper (scrap)
Accessories: Spellbinders Ovals & Scalloped Ovals, brad, button & embroidery thread (stash)

Last One, I Promise

I know, I am supposed to be working on Hallowe'en cards, but I was so pleased how with the way this watercoloured image turned out that I had to make a card with it. For a change, I used part of a die cut and made the image realistic by adding a bow.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: dress (Inkdadinkado), sentiment (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: white cardstock (stash), patterned (Chatterbox)
Ink: Versafine
Accessories: ribbon (stash), watercolor pencils, Spellbinders Labels 1, Stampin' Up oval punches, brads (American Crafts)

A "Krafty" Get Well

When I saw this die I just had to make a card with it! I used Core'dinations cardstock for the Band-aid and sanded it to make it look roughed up. I took this look one step further by using my Colorbox stylus and some chalk ink to highlight the dry embossed letters. Thanks Ursula!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Paper: kraft cardstock (Bazzill), pink cardstock (Core'dinations), patterned paper (K & Co.)
Ink: Colorbox Queue brown
Accessories: brads (Bazzill), Quickutz metal embossing folder

Another Take on Double Matting

I was hoping to use three panels cut from rectangular Spellbinders, but the regular die size wouldn't work. Plan B: used two Label die cuts instead. I thought that the scallop on the rectangles looked nice with the antique image.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: dress (Inkadinkado), background (Stampin' Up)
Paper: mauve & black cardstock (stash)
Ink: Staz On Jet Black
Accessories: Spellbinders Label 8, ribbon (stash)

Dressing Up Chipboard

I first covered the chipboard with a coat of grey ink. Once completely dry, I stamped the separate pieces of chipboard with a background stamp. Then I secured the two pieces of chipboard together with a glue dot. This is certainly one way to make a unique card.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up Filigree background
Ink: grey (Colorbox), silver (Encore metallic)
Paper: mauve (stash), Thunder (Bazzill)
Accessories: chipboard, ribbon & brads (stash)

Christmas Card #3

We incorporated non-traditional colours into this Christmas card, making a Floral Soft snowman its focal point.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Amuse
Paper: white, Hillary & Sparkle cardstock (Basic Grey), patterned paper (Memory Box Dew Frost)
Ink: Staz On Jet Black
Accessories: clear half spheres (stash), Spellbinders Ovals, Scalloped Ovals & Label 1, EK Success Snowman punch, Polar White Floral Soft & glue, Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder

Christmas Card #2

Here we brought a punched image to life by dry embossing it.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Paper: Parakeet (green) & Burgundy (red) cardstock (Bazzill), Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses patterned paper
Accessories: Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses brads, EK Success tree punch, Spellbinders Scalloped Circles, white ribbon (stash), Cuttlebug Lace Tree embossing folder

Christmas Card #1

Here we incorporated two different sets of Spellbinder dies to create a frame for an image. It was easier to get the image centred by stamping it first and then cutting it out with the die. The frame was made by using a square and a label die at the same time. Core'dinations cardstock was sanded to bring out the core colour of the pink paper and add to the distressed look. We also faked ribbon by dry embossing cardstock in an embossing folder.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Paper: patterned paper (BG Eskimo Kisses), Juneberry (red) cardstock (Bazzill), Core'dinations pink cardstock
Ink: Colorbox Queue maroon chalk
Accessories: BG Eskimo Kisses buttons, embroidery thread (stash), Cuttlebug Herringbone embossing folder, Spellbinder Square & Labels 1 Dies

Monogram Card #3

Here I've tried to show the dramatic difference in using borders of different sizes. I added texture to this card by dry embossing the patterned paper. Note the difference in pattern size of the patterned paper and the embossed pattern.

One student brought out the embossing even more by highlighting the raised parts of the paper with ink and a Colorbox Stylus. Thanks Marilyn!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Sizzix Acrylic Alphabet
Paper: Robins Egg (blue) card base, Vanilla Bean (brown) cardstock & Dewfrost patterned paper (Memory Box)
Ink: Colorbox Queue dark brown chalk
Accessories: Sizzix Sizzlet Alphabet Die, Spellbinders ovals & scalloped ovals, ribbon (stash), Cuttlebug Textile Texture embossing folder

Monogram Card #2

Here we took advantage of the border in the patterned paper. Then we used duplicate die cuts to frame the oval. The button on the bottom right of the card was used to draw the eye to the corner of the card and then to the inside of it.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Sizzix Acrylic Alphabet
Paper: Robins Egg Blue cardbase, Vanilla Bean (brown) carstock & Dewfrost patterned paper (Memory Box)
Ink: Colorbox Queue dark brown chalk
Accessories: Sizzix Bigz Die, Sizzix Sizzlet Alphabet Die, button (American Crafts), embroidery thread (stash), Spellbinder Ovals

Monogram Card #1

The first of the three monogram cards shows how to make a slightly patterned paper more attractive by dry embossing it. A die cut was used to anchor the monogram. Coordinating Sizzix products allowed us to stamp an image and cut a letter to fit in it. Inking the edges of different layers in the card added dimension.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Sizzix Acrylic Alphabet
Paper: Bazzill Rosey cardstock, BG Sultry Peony patterned paper
Ink: Colorbox Queue dark brown chalk
Accessories: Sizzix Bigz Die, Sizzix Sizzlet Alphabet Die, Spellbinder Oval, Sizzix Floral Flourishes & Vines embossing folder, Kaiser chocolate pearls

Scrapaganza

Just wanted to explain my absence. I was privileged to be a part of a great community of crafters who attended Scrapaganza at the Croatian Hall in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario this past weekend. The event was hosted by Deb & Alison of O.C. Scrapbookers. It was a pleasure to spend time with old friends and make new ones. Thanks to the wonderful registrants who made my first formal card classes a great experience for me. I look forward to putting the ideas that were shared with me to good use. Over the next few days I will be posting the cards that we made in the classes. Enjoy!