Framed Art

To showcase this die cut, I created a frame with a die cut, embossed square. One patterned paper of a collection served as the "wallpaper" for the heart, while another, coordinating, patterned paper was used for the shape. The ribbon anchors the framed heart to the card front; its cut at the bottom draws the eye down the card to the sentiment. White on white also adds elegance to cards.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up
Papers: white cardstock (stash), patterned papers (Basic Grey)
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Accessories: ribbon (Fabricland), brad (stash), Spellbinder Squares and Scalloped Hearts

Put Some Pattern in Your Heart

Perhaps the best way to add interest to a Valentine is to cut a heart out of patterned paper. I kept the background of the heart simple so that I could stamp the sentiment beneath it. Putting the bow on the lower, left hand side of the card balanced the card layout. Another simple, yet elegant card.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: flourish (Inque Boutique), sentiment (Hero Arts)
Papers: white cardstock (stash), patterned (Basic Grey)
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Accessories: ribbon (stash), Sizzix Hearts Die

Outlines

Another way to bring attention to the focal point of your card is to frame it with lines. I chose a gold gel pen to go with the sentiment on the embellishment. Gives the card a crisp and clean look.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Hero Arts
Papers: white cardstock (stash), patterned paper (Bazzill)
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Accessories: heart & ribbon embellishment (Wendy), gold gel pen (Creative Memories), Spellbinders Heart Die

Home Made Glitter Hearts

I made my own glittered hearts with sticker paper. Once the die cuts were made, I used a glue stick on the surface of the hearts to adhere the shapes to the front of the card. Once the hearts were on the card face, I peeled off the sticker paper backing, exposing the sticky side; when I poured out the glitter it stuck to the hearts.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white cardstock (stash), red cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (KI Memories), sticker paper (stash)
Accessories: ribbon (stash), glitter (Art Institute), border punch (Martha Stewart)

Red Flowers?

This time I used a floral image, but stamped it in red to go with the Valentine themed patterned paper. Gave it a little dimension by stamping the flower centre twice and lifting it with a pop dot. Added some bling by using glitter on double sided tape.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: flower (Hero Arts), alphabet (Technique Tuesday)
Papers: white cardstock (stash), red cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (KI Memories)
Inks: Colorobox
Accessories: ribbon (stash), glitter (Art Institute), label punch (Stampin' Up)

Hearts & Flowers

Flowers of various sizes, but significantly bigger than the hearts in the patterned paper, worked as good arrangement for the front of this card.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white cardstock (stash), red cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (KI Memories)
Accessories: ribbon, paper flowers, buttons & brads (stash), Martha Stewart border punch

If It Works for You...

Here I used part of an image of a bird. Stamping and embossing it in red coordinated it with the heart patterned paper. I chose shiny brads to go with the glittery embossing powder.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Stampin' Up
Papers: white cardstock (stash), red cardstock (Bazzill), patterned paper (KI Memories)
Accessories: scalloped circle punch (Stampin' Up), circle punch (Marvy), brads (stash), ribbon (stash)

Valentines = Chocolate

Cards for this season don't necessarily have to have hearts or red on them. Pinks and browns with elements such as butterflies, make a pretty card for February 14th. This card didn't require any particular image because the rectangle of butterfly/floral patterned paper serves this purpose.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: pink cardstock (stash), patterned papers (SEI)
Ink: Colorbox Queue Chalk
Accessories: brads & ribbons (stash)

Ribbons & Pearls

I found that wider, satin ribbon and pearls also complimented the lace stickers. First I stuck to traditional colours, as dictated by the patterned paper; then I mixed in some green, since this paper had this colour in it also.

Natalie

Card Recipes
Papers: white, burgundy & green cardstocks (stash), pink cardstock (Bazzill)
Ink: Colorbox Queue Chalk
Accessories: ribbon (stash), pearl brads (Wilton), stickers (Mrs. Grossman's), Spellbinder Rectangles

Buttons to Bows

Heart stickers are also an inexpensive way to embellish a Valentine. I complimented an ornate sticker with a dry embossed ornate frame. Though I often use buttons on borders, I thought the ric rac and satin bows would also put a nice finish on the card border.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white & green cardstocks (stash), pink cardstock (Bazzill), patterned (Basic Grey)
Accessories: buttons & embroidery floss & ric rac & ribbon (stash), Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, sticker (Mrs. Grossman's)

Sweetin' It

I added a little pizzaz to this card by layering some clear mini beads over the heart image. This would draw attention to my focal point.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: dotted circle (Hero Arts), heart (CTMH)
Ink: Colorbox
Papers: burgundy & pink cardstocks (stash), patterned papers (stash)
Accessories: circle punches (Marvy), ribbon (stash), clear beads (stash)

Use Multiple Die Cuts

I thought that the combination of hearts of different sizes made a good focal point for this card and also provided balance for the larger sentiment.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: unknown
Papers: white cardstock (stash), pink & brown cardstocks (Bazzill), patterned (Chatterbox)
Ink: Colorbox
Accessories: Sizzix heart die, ribbon (stash)

Inexpensive Embellishments

At this time of year, heart shaped doilies are readily available. They are an frugal way to dress up a card.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: red & white cardstock (stash), patterned paper (CTMH)
Accessories: doily (Hallmark?), Quickutz alphabet dies, ribbon (stash)

A Purple Valentine?

I often use images found on old calendar pages and took advantage of the heart in it to turn it into a Valentine. Used the cracked glass technique to age the image and chose a background that suited the theme of the card.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: background (Stampin' Up)
Papers: white & purple cardstocks (stash)
Ink: purple (Sentiments PSX), brown (Staz On)
Accessories: calendar, ribbon (stash), clear embossing powder (PSX,

Use Traditional Colours with Non-traditonal Images

Although this isn't necessarily a Valentine image, I used red and black to make it seasonal. Go through your stamp images and get creative!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Papers: red & black cardstocks (stash)
Ink: Staz On black
Accessories: brads (Doodlebug), ribbon (stash)

Using Die Cut Letters to Shorten Titles

I thought that this was a unique way to present a sentiment on a card. If you don't have larger die cut letters on hand, you can always use alphabet stickers.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: two pink & green cardstocks (Bazzill)
Accessories: Sizzix alphabet dies, Sizzlet alphabet dies, ribbon (stash), rub ons (Making Memories), brads, (Doodlebug)

Non-Traditional Valentines

Who would have ever thought that a card with a rooster on it would make a good Valentine? Actually, I had seen a similar card, but changed "birthday" to "Valentine's Day" to suit the occasion. Didn't have a stamp for all of the wording, so tried my hand at writing some of the words. Try it, you might like it!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamps: sentiment (Hero Arts), rooster (PSX)
Ink: Staz On Brown
Papers: kraft, red & ivory cardstocks (stash), patterned paper (Paper Patch)
Accessories: brown marker (LePlume), brads (Bazzill), small heart punch (Emaginations), fibres (stash)

Coordinating Hearts

While I work on some new Valentines, I will be posting cards I made over the past 5 years, sharing some older, but still relevant, ideas with you. Though this is a simple card design, it provides the opportunity to easily pull things together but punching a heart out of the same patterned paper used on the bottom. Takes away the struggle of "matching" embellishments.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white & black cardstocks (stash), patterned paper (Paper Patch)
Accessories: Sizzix heart die, ribbon (stash), black brads (Doodlebug)

A "Lovely" Valentine

This image was another I received in a swap and recently used to practice my water colouring. I tried to continue the "heart" theme in the image, using red as one of my colours and embellishing with the heart ribbon.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Uptown
Ink: Staz On
Papers: white, red & grey cardstocks (stash)
Accessories: Spellbinders Circles, Fiskars Border Punch, water colour pencils, ribbon (stash), Copic marker

Dressing Up Embossed Images

This is another idea I came across while blog hopping. The embossed image is embellished with punched daisies and colour coordinated, half spheres. I debated over whether or not to chalk the grasses, but would have tried if I had a second image to work with. Guess I need to purchase this folder too!

Natalie

Card Recipe
Papers: white, blue, pink & yellow cardstocks (stash), burgundy hand made paper (stash)
Accessories: Cuttlebug Embossing folder, daisy punch, Robin's Eggs (acrylic half spheres), ribbon (stash)

Sneak Peak 2

Another Card from our New-soon-to-be released January Card Kit.

Again we started with a white card base and added small pieces of patterned paper and matching cardstock. Using multiples of the same size and shape die with different paper makes a pleasing centre. Yep, I learned this trick from Natalie. I popped up the block with the saying. After inking the edges of the card and white block with the light purple, I decided the effect was too washed out, so I gently rubbed black just along the edge.

Diecut shapes in the kit are pre-cut and embossed so you can create without having to purchase the diecut tool or dies. *Caution* Using Spellbinder dies can become addictive.

Info on the entire January Card Kit is contained in the post below.
Debbie
Card Recipe
Paper - Doodlebug, Cardstock - Bazzill
Diecuts - Spellbinder Labels One
Stamp - Inkadinkado Round Frames
Ink - Tsukeniko Graphite Black, Pretty Petunia

Sneak Peak 1

Thought we'd give Natalie a very well deserved break for a day or 2 and give you a sneak peak of a couple of the cards that can be made from our New-soon-to-be-released January Card Kit. Bare with me as my scanning skills aren't up to par.

We've used white card bases and simply added a little patterned paper, matching cardstock and a Spellbinder diecut which we've stamped, embossed and inked. Easy, peasy!!!

Both the circle stamp image and the inner saying are from the Inkadinkado Round Frame set and the Spellbinder die is from the Large Pinking Circle Set. Although the diecut is only one layer it appears to be several by simply embossing it and stamping the circle image in a darker colour.

The card kit includes Card bases, patterned paper, cardstock, Spellbinder diecuts and envelopes to complete 16 cards. Also includes step-by-step instructions. Kit can be ordered here www.scrapaholics.ca/store/index.php?target=products&product_id=3218

Watch for another card preview tommorrow.

Debbie

Card Recipe
Paper - Doodlebug, Bazzill Cardstock
Stamp - Inkadinkado Round Frames
Ink - Tsukineko Graphite Black and Pretty Petunia
Diecut - Spellbinder Large Pinking Circle

Simply Perfect

I never seem to have enough masculine cards and once again found myself in need after the holidays. This design popped into my head; unfortunately, the scan doesn't clearly show the edges of the card. To balance the card, I put the ribbon down the right, the same distance from the "e" in gratitude as the distance from the left side of the squares. This is also a great way to use up small scraps of coordinating patterned papers.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Colorbox Queue
Paper: white & blue cardstock (stash), patterned paper (Junkitz)
Accessories: ribbon (stash), Creative Memories square punch

Saturday's Agenda

Shortly, I'm off to take in the Torch Run with fabulous friends. Wishing you all a wonderful start to the New Year. Have a great idea in my head for a masculine card and hope to get it posted Monday. Take care,

Natalie

Blending with Pencil Crayons

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R

This too is an older stamp of mine that cherish. On this card I tried my hand at blending different colours of pencils. The "openness" of this image allowed me room to learn.

Natalie

Card Recipe
Stamp: PSX
Ink: Staz On Onyx
Paper: green, white & brown cardstocks (stash), yellow cardstock (Bazzill)
Accessories: buttons (Making Memories), embroidery thread (stash), water coloured pencils (Staedler), brown sand (Stamp Doctor)