Monday, January 31, 2011

Glitter with Gold


To highlight the heart in this patterned paper, I chose an iridescent glitter glue with a hint of gold. That way it would coordinate with the ribbon and brads. This is just another way to draw attention to a particular element on a card front.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Papers: ivory cardstock (Staples), patterned paper (K & Co.)
Ink: Encore Metallic Gold
Accessories: ribbon (stash), antique gold brads (Making Memories), glitter glue (unknown)

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Textured Butterflies


Because this ribbon was somewhat plain, I chose to give the butterflies more texture and I used Distress Stickles. The coloured glitter glue only enhanced the colour of the butterflies.

Only with the Bow Easy can I get a nice tight and flat bow out of gros grain ribbon!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Papers: off white cardstock (Staples), patterned (K & Co.
Ink: Distress Pumice Stone
Accessories: ribbon (stash), Worn Lipstick and Aged Mahogany Distress Stickles

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Months of the Year Stamps


These stamps aren't just for calendars. I used October for Hallowe'en cards, December for Christmas cards and saw it fit to use February for a Valentine.

Unlike yesterday's card, I chose not to highlight the butterfly; I didn't want it to distract attention from the beautiful pattern in the ivory ribbon.

Here I have used the other half of the same piece of 12 X 12 paper that I used on my last card. I balanced the border doily with the big bow.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Papers: ivory cardstock (Staples), patterned paper (K & Co.)
Ink: Distress Punice Stone
Accessories: ribbon (stash)

Friday, January 28, 2011

Stickin' With Stickles


I really like the results achieved with this product line, but am still a rookie at using it. I don't have any trouble with the application of it, but am not sure which colours to choose. Since this butterfly was already pink, I chose an iridescent glitter glue to work with the clear rhinestones. I love how this patterned paper contained the currently popular doily icons that I could integrate as my card border.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: My Sentiments Exactly
Papers: off white cardstock (Staples), patterned paper (K & Co.)
Ink: Colorbox Chalk Blackberry
Accessories: ribbon (stash), glitter glue (PSX Diamond)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Spellbinder Nested Hearts


The new Nested Hearts by Spellbinders are just gorgeous. My only problem with the dies is their size. The largest one (used here) warrants a 6 X 6 card base, larger than most of the cards that I make. I thought the end result was worth the half sheet of pink cardstock. Lines of double sided adhesive were used for the application of the glitter.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Inkadinkado
Papers: pink cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (K & Co.)
Ink: PSX Fuschia
Accessories: Spellbinder Nested Hearts, glitter (Martha Stewart Tourmaline), ribbon (Fabricland)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Roll With the Ribbon


As luck would have it, I had a patterned ribbon with colours that matched my patterned paper. The small scale of the pattern in the ribbon compliments the larger scale of the pattern in the paper.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), patterned (Basic Grey Sultry)
Ink: Colorbox Razzberry
Accessories: ribbon (Costco)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

A Non-traditional Valentine


Though this card doesn't have the hearts or cupids usually found on a Valentine, I see no reason why it couldn't be used as one. The sentiment is the same. There's no need to restrict yourself to common themes or icons when creating occasion specific cards.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: large image (PSX), small image (Rubber Stampede), sentiment (Stampin' Up)
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), pink cardstock (stash), patterned papers (Basic Grey Perhaps), green vellum (stash)
Inks: Fresco Chalk Florentine Pink, Versamark, Distress Ink Bundled Sage
Accessories: green ribbons (stash), pearls (Kaiser)

Monday, January 24, 2011

Building a Sentiment


Though I have many stamps, sometimes I don't have the right size for the space. I have seen many people use "Happy (heart) Day" in place of Happy Valentine's Day, and think it is sweet. This also allowed me to use a sticker that I've had for some time. I rounded the corners of the card for something different.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: Close to My Heart
Paper: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific)
Ink: Colorbox Chalk Rouge
Accessories: Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, sticker (Mrs. Grossman's), corner rounder

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Gettin' Krafty


I don't know why I don't use kraft cardstock as a base more often, because it is the perfect neutral card base. This card is unique in that I have coupled a stamped heart with a die cut one.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up
Papers: kraft cardstock (stash), patterned (K & Co. Madelaine)
Ink: Colorbox Chalk Chestnut Roan
Accessories: ribbon (stash), border punch (EK Success), Spellbinder Hearts

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Lovin' Lacey Spellbinders


As soon as I saw Lacey Spellbinders I knew they were a must have. Besides Squares, they are also available in Circles. To softly highlight the rose, I coloured it with chalk.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Paper Inspirations
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), Clover cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (Basic Grey Perhaps)
Ink: Distress Pumice Stone
Accessories: Spellbinder Squares & Lacey Squares, Chalk (Pebbles, Inc.), ribbon (Fabricland), brad (stash)

Friday, January 21, 2011

Every Wreath Needs a Bow


For my bow, I chose a silver ribbon to coordinate with the clear bling and silver ink. This pulls the card together.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: image (PSX), alphabet letters (Technique Tuesday)
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), Vintage Pink cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (Bazzill Perhaps)
Ink: Fresco Pink, Encore Silver
Accessories: ribbon (stash), Spellbinder Circles & Scalloped Circles & Tags, rhinestones (Kaiser)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Flowers, But No Chocolates


What's Valentine's Day without flowers? I love how this matching, patterned flower satisfies my requirement of 3 elements. The text pattern works well with the patterned paper.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: "V" (Sizzix alphabet), small alphabet letters (Technique Tuesday)
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), burgundy cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (Basic Grey Perhaps)
Ink: Colorbox Merlot
Accessories: alphabet die (Sizzix), Granite Glimmer Mist, flower (Prima), Spellbinder Rectangles & Hearts & Scalloped Hearts, button (stash)

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Tree Versatility


I would have to say that the most versatile stamp images are those of trees. They can be "dressed up" to suit any occasion. Here a heart does the trick.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: image (Inkadinkado), sentiment (My Sentiments Exactly)
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), patterned (Basic Grey Eva)
Ink: Colorbox Chalk Blackberry
Accessories: embossed heart punch (Martha Stewart), Spellbinder Long Rectangles, small scalloped scissors (Fiskars), ribbon (stash)

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Just a Bite


To add interest to the die cut heart, I stamped part of a flourish on the cardstock while it was still in the Spellbinder die.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Papertrey Ink
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), patterned (Basic Grey Eva)
Ink: Distress Aged Mahogany
Accessories: Spellbinder Hearts, ribbon (Fabricland), embossing folder (Quickutz Stripes Label), buttons & embroidery floss (stash)

Monday, January 17, 2011

The Real Thing


Text patterned paper is all the rage these days. One way to achieve the same look without the expense is to use a second hand book. I got a used dictionary, aged pages and all, for $3.00. The velvet brads and rose add to the soft, romantic look I was trying to achieve.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Papers: ivory cardstock (Staples), patterned (K & Co Brenda Wilson
Ink: Colorbox
Accessories: Spellbinder Hearts & Scalloped Hearts, sticker (Mrs. G's), ribbon (stash), patterned scissors (Fiskars Clouds), velvet brads (stash)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Image Swaps


I received this image in an image swap. Many years ago, it was commonplace for stampers to participate in swaps; each participant would mail the hostess multiples of the same stamped image (in black ink on white cardstock), along with a self-addressed, postage paid, envelope. The hostess would redistribute one of each of the different images to the participants and mail them back. It was a good way to try to use images and then decide if this was a stamp that you would want to own.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: unknown
Papers: pink cardstock (DCWV), patterned (Basic Grey Eva)
Inks: black (unknown), Distress Worn Lipstick
Accessories: Spellbinders Squares & Labels 8, ribbon (Fabricland), embossing folder (Cuttlebug Victoria)

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Back to Heat Embossing


To give this heart image the texture of real lace, I chose to heat emboss it. Dimension was achieved by adhering it to the card front with foam squares. A wider ribbon not only balances the design, but helps to fill the "white space". Besides, doesn't a big satin bow bring a box of Valentine's Day chocolates to mind?

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Papers: pink cardstock (DCWV), patterned (Basic Grey Eva)
Ink: Colorbox
Accessories: embossing powder (PSX Claret), ribbon and button and cord (stash)

Friday, January 14, 2011

On to Valentines


The next 30 cards will be Valentines made with a variety of old and new.

Flourishes are very popular these days, especially those in rhinestones. I like how they peek out from other elements of a card design.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), patterned papers (Basic Grey Eva)
Ink: Colorbox
Accessories: rhinestones (Zsa), ribbon (Fabricland), embossing folder (SU Finial Press), heart die (Sizzix), Labels 8 Die (Spellbinders)

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Stencils and Stitching


Add ImageHere's my solution to use all of the littlest bits of patterned papers from this paper line. I punched out each of the squares the same size and distressed them with white ink. After adhering the squares to the face of the card and layering the dry embossed snowman (made from a brass stencil), I used a scalloped ruler as a guide to paper pierce. I did the faux stitching with a white gel pen. The brass stencil was left on the snowman so that I could chalk only on the raised areas. Signo makes the best white gel pen!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), blue cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (Creative Imaginations)
Accessories: brass stencil (American Traditional?), chalks (Pebbles), acrylic snowflake (Dollarama), white gel pen (Signo), Creative Memories Square Punch

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Three of a Kind


In an attempt to stick to the Rule of 3 for design balance, I used two buttons and an acrylic snowflake. For a different twist on this card of the same patterned papers as many others, I used ric rac instead of ribbon.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), red cardstock (DCWV), patterned papers (Creative Imaginations)
Accessories: ric rac (Wright's), buttons & embroidery thread (stash), acrylic snowflake (Dollarama)

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Watch for Falling Ice


This icicles border punch is one of my favourite and a perfect choice for this card. It completes the border of striped paper, brads and lines of glitter. I'm still debating whether or not I should have somehow made the snowman's heart red...

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), blue cardstock (Bazzill), red cardstock (DCWV), patterned (Creative Imaginations)
Accessories: blue glitter (Art Institute), brads (stash), border punch (Martha Stewart)

Monday, January 10, 2011

Buttons and Brads, Oh My!


Here I thought the two brads at the top and the one button at the bottom not only fit the spaces perfectly, but also balanced the card. Try different combinations of embellishments of the same colour to add interest to your cards.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), red cardstock (DCWV), patterned papers (Creative Imaginations)
Accessories: brads, buttons & embroidery thread (stash)

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Sparkling Snowballs


The way I best like to give snowballs life is with glitter. To maintain a variety of cards to use in the current season, I chose to make this one a Thank You card.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: image donated by Wendy B.
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx & Colorbox blue
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), red cardstock (DCWV), patterned papers (Creative Imaginations)
Accessories: Spellbinder Circle & Scalloped Circle Dies, brads (stash), gros grain ribbon (stash), iridescent glitter (stash)

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Super Sparkle


Bold brads and a lines of glitter enhance this card. Sometimes standard sized brads are too small; larger ones can be used, rather than buttons. A perfect line of glitter is achieved by using a strip of double sided tape.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), blue cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Creative Imaginations)
Ink: Colorbox
Accessories: rhinestone brads (Creative Imaginations?), Cuttlebug Snowflake Embossing Folder, glitter (Art Institute)

Friday, January 7, 2011

It's a Given


Since this patterned paper included a sentiment, I just took care not to cut it out of the piece I planned to use on the card front.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), blue cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (Creative Imaginations)
Accessories: Cuttlebug Snowflake Embossing Folder, gros grain ribbon (stash)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Glitter Glamour


First I stamped and embossed this image with Sparkling Black embossing powder. To bring more attention to the sentiment on this card, I encircled it in glitter. I used a glue pen around the circumference of the cardstock and applied the glitter. To give the marshmallows a satin finish, I filled them in with Pearl Liquid Pearls.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: image (Uptown Rubber Stamps ), sentiment (?)
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), red cardstock (DCWV), patterned papers (Creative Imaginations)
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx
Accessories: Spellbinder Labels, ribbon (stash), glitter (Art Institute), gros grain ribbon (stash), circle punch (Marvy)

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Acrylic Embellishments


I planned to use a glittered snowflake from a package I had used many times before, but they were too large. In my search for something smaller I found smaller, clear acrylic snowflakes. I must say that I really like the acrylic embellishment. Keep an eye out for these goodies during your Boxing Day shopping.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), red cardstock (DCWV), patterned paper (Creative Imaginations), ribbon (stash), acrylic snowflake (Dollarama)

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Cuts from Die Cuts


I die cut the tree out of coloured chipboard and cut part of it off to be able to fit all of my design elements within the card front space. I used Rock Candy Stickles to give the "snow" texture and sparkle. To avoid having to cut out the skinny branch arms of the snowman, I first stamped him on the patterned paper and then stamped a second image on off white cardstock. I merely trimmed the arms off of the second image and adhered it directly on top of the first stamped image.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: image (Inkadinkado), sentiment (Close to My Heart)
Papers: off white cardstock (Staples), brown and green cardstocks (Bazzill), patterned (My Mind's Eye)
Inks: Memories Wheat Dye Ink, Colorbox Chalk Chestnut Roan & Creamy Brown
Accessories: Sizzix Bigz Tree Die, Rock Candy Distress Stickles, twine (stash), oval punches (Stampin' Up), coloured chipboard (Die Cuts With a View)

Monday, January 3, 2011

Triple Combo


When I saw this card design idea, I just had to give it a try. Love to incorporate different patterned papers in one card design. Distressing the edges of all of the elements with Antique Linen ink gives the card design cohesion.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Papertrey Ink
Papers: patterned (stash), off white cardstock (Staples)
Inks: Distress Antique Linen and Colorbox Olive Pastel
Accessories: Spellbinder Circles, oval punch (Stampin' Up), ribbon (stash), snowman punch (EK Success), pearl (Kaiser)

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Mix'em Up


With a limited selection of markers to choose from, I had no choice but to combine two different colours to get a green to match the stripe in the patterned paper. I suggest you do a test on a scrap piece of paper and let it dry before colouring your card image. Inks from ink pads can also do the trick.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Whipper Snapper Designs
Papers: white cardstock (Georgia Pacific), patterned paper (American Traditional)
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx
Accessories: Cuttlebug Snowflake Embossing Folder, ribbon (Fabricland), markers (Marvy & Tombow), Spellbinder Circles & Scalloped Circles Dies