A Snow Globe Card for Marcel

At the Card a Day Blog, the theme is Snow… I just had to do this card for my husband’s memory, to help me remember to believe in the reason for the season and to find some joy in it… it may be a few years until I do.
Snow globes are one of my favorite ornaments… I love snow too, and thought that it would be a great idea to have snowflakes as the highlight of the snow globe.  I took a few items off of a couple of cutting files from my silhouette Studio… a hexagon base from one item, and a snow globe from another, then the Believe phrase.  I digitally colored the items, then combined everything (the snow globe is actually three layers).
Here is what I cut out:

A hint of the layering with dimensional tape:

And the final card:

Thanks for visiting! Hope my card inspired you to remember someone too!

A Clean New Year Card

Hi! I made a quick and clean designed New Years Card, taking my inspiration from the Freshly Made Sketches here.  I made it with my silhouette, so I could co-ordinate all the colors of the items in the card. Used the honeycomb embossing die to make a base for my 5”x7” card.

My computer is acting up a bit, so before it dies, I will just share some quick pictures of the before part of my design and then the final card…. enjoy!

The picture of what I cut out… used everything except the rust colored buttons.

Then a bit of the detail that I got by just painting on some glue to create a textured, somewhat glossy surface on the flowers and buttons.

I really like it, I hope you do too!

 

Visit the Card a Day Blog tomorrow when we start one of my favorite themes! Snow! (And yep! We’ve got snow where I live so I’ll have some great inspiration!)

A Very Happy New Year Card

Over at the Card a Day Blog, I have the pleasure of making the first card of December, with a new theme! New Years! Its hard to believe that we have to start thinking about the New Year already! That means I’m really behind! I made a really simple card that I hope inspires you!
In this card, there are 5 layers, some I did digitally (no cut) and others I print and cut out, adhering them to the card with dimensional tape.  The layers in order, back to front:

1. 5”x7” rectangle filled with a red texture pattern I had on my computer.
2. 4.5” x 6.5” rectangle filled with a pattern I bought at the Silhouette store.
3. A snowman that I colored digitally
4. A birthday banner I changed into a New Year banner
5. Wavy “snow” edge made of a scalloped border that I ran through my cuttlebug, using a new favorite embossing plate  from Cricut, designed by Anna Griffin, called “Foulard”

Here is what I print and cut to adhere dimensionally:

Here is what I printed as a card “base”:

And the final result!
Sorry that I didn’t have time to note all the file names I used… I do hope you like the card though!
At the Card a Day Blog there are just two weeks of card making posts to do before our Christmas/Winter Break!  Its almost as good as an advent calendar, the excitement of the end of the year for our card making!  Enjoy!

A Warm Thank You Card

One of the first quilt blocks I ever made with my sister was a Maltese Flower Cross, hand appliqued quilt square we did for a block of the month in the Quadra Island Quilters group we belong to.  I thought it made a very festive looking block that using Christmas colors would fit right into being a Christmas thank you card! Its as close to a paper piecing card that I’ll ever make (really don’t like fiddling around too much with cards…the quicker the better is my motto)
Here is where I got the inspiration!

I downloaded the pattern and copy and pasted it into my Silhouette Studio Program… traced the outside edge, digitally colored the pieces, and resized them to make an approximately 5 inch square card.  I made a background piece with a word border which repeated “Thank you” (you could have lots of fun with the program doing this, or opt to hand write a message around the edge too.
Here are the two screens in my Studio program showing the pieces ready to print and cut.

It looks complex, but it is really assembled quite easily… Attach with glue or double sided tape as necessary:

1. Cross the green stems, corner to corner and centered…
2. Put the crown like golden flower petals down, almost touching both sides of the green stems.
3. The center red circle should just cover the bottom of all of the golden flower petals.
4. Arrange the  golden buds topped with the white strips on the arching stems
5. Attach the leaves and red flower buds on the remaining stems towards the corner.

All in all, I think it will be a special card for someone on my list who loves quilting

I’ve really been enjoying what other card makers have been posting on this theme at the Card a Day Blog, I hope you have too!

8 Little Lights, a Card for Hanukkah

I am posting a card for the Card a Day Blog today, and the theme is Hanukkah.  Its not a card that I would usually make as I have no one to send it to, so I am a bit out of my comfort zone… therefore the reason to try to make it even more special   I decided to do an easel card, and I adjusted the easel card file by Bird  - “Christmas Pudding Easel Card”. Using the cut file with my Silhouette, I  basically by just used the card base and adding an extra colored circle. The menorah was a cut file I found in the Silhouette store. 

The pictures below are from the start of my project to the finished, folded card.  All that is left to do is to print or stamp Happy Hanukkah in the space that is viewed when the card is opened.

 

Simple, yet special…. my favorite thing to do when making a card (K.I.S.S.)

Have a great card making day!!!!

An Italian Christmas

For those who have followed my blog, you know about my trip to Italy last month… With the Card a Day Blog theme of Christmas Around the World, how could I not focus on Italy?  I got my inspiration from this website that tells about traditions in Italy at Christmas, particularly where it discusses the Urn of Fate, where a large decorated bowl is filled with presents, and each family member takes one until the bowl is emptied. 

I used my Silhouette, and the following cut files:

• basket weave card by Samantha Walker
• presents border by SEI
• presents by SEI

Hope you get inspired to find a new tradition for your family this year!

Here are the elements of my card… the part of the bow and the presents have to be put onto another page to print and cut out…

And the final product…

Thanks for coming by! See you at the Card a Day Blog tomorrow too for some more Christmas Around the World!

Just Monkey’ing Around!

This week’s theme at the Card a Day Blog is Kiddie Card.  I found a few dies for my Silhouette that made me feel like a kid again

I was originally going to do a plain embossed background, but it felt too busy. I finally decided to use some corrugated cardboard that I had as a frame background, with a plain piece of kraft paper on top.

Digital cutting files used:

• monkey hanging by Samantha Walker
• 5 label shapes by Lori Whitlock

The Design Studio screen before cutting it out:

….. and the final product:

 

I’m so glad you decided to visit my blog and have some fun (and hopefully be inspired to).

I hope you enter the challenges at the Card a Day Blog! For more information on our challenges, click here.

Canadian Thanksgiving Card

It is that time of year already.... Harvests are coming in, and families are getting back to the daily routine of life.  I wanted to create a thanksgiving card that could be used for more than one occasion Most “Canucks” I know are quite understated on how they celebrate Thanksgiving….it is more of a family gathering event for my family than one that includes card-giving. So here is my effort, I hope you enjoy it!

There is a house close by that has a yard full of sunflowers in full bloom right now. I’m thinking the birds are going to be very thankful this year! So I knew my card had to include sunflowers!

As usual, I made my card with my Silhouette… if you don’t have a Silhouette, I hope this card inspires you to raid your stash for embellishments of choice, grab some scissors/ribbons or whatever to make your card your own!

Finished card size: 4.25 inches by 5.5 inches

Paper used: 65 lb white coverstock from Staples

Files used

• sunflower by Lori Whitlock
• live simply, dream big, etc. - vinyl phrase by Kolette Hall
• 3d ribbon bow by Alaa' K
• bracket frame single fold square background by Jamie Koay

Here is what my Silhouette Studio screen looked like before cutting:

The finished card, inside and out!

 

 

 

Thanks for visiting from the Card a Day Blog!!!

Ahhhhhh Autumn!

Thanks for visiting from the Card a Day Blog. I get to start off September with a new theme, Autumn! Its more than just a new theme for me too, I also did a video tutorial, and I even did something inside the card!!!

Elements:

Card base: 4.25 x 6.5 inch side fold

Silhouette files:

Phrase (I separated and deleted the “is” from the is a Second Spring line):autumn is a second spring, fall flower - vinyl phrase by Kolette Hall

Background frame: 3 bird on branch cutout tags by Alaa' K

Leaves: leaves by House of 3

Screens before cutting/ printing:

The final results!

 

Don’t forget the challenge at the Card a Day Blog! You can enter one card per theme (we have approximately four themes per month), and have a chance to win a great prize! September’s themes are:

1. Autumn
2. Canadian Thanksgiving
3. Kiddie
4. Halloween

For more information on our challenges, check out more here.

Print and Cut Tutorial

Here is my very first tutorial, well more of a how I do print and cuts with my Silhouette, using the Studio Software.  I can see where making tutorials would be addictive, and with a bit of planning can be quite fun to do.... hmmm, perhaps after I get back from my vacation this month!
For those wondering how I did the tutorial... I used a great product called LiteCam HD. Super simple to use, and it didn't bog down my computer's processor too! You can find out more about it here http://www.litecam.net/en/

With Faith We Bring HIM Joy! Card

What a wonderful theme for this time of year…. Summer days are shortening into Autumn, and there is so much faith that everyone shares, even if it is just that spring will come again.  The card I made is multipurpose, for celebration or comfort. I picked one of my favorite verses that comforts me knowing that because of my faith, the savior has joy… it’s a great thing to know.  There is some great gospel art to download at lds.org, the one I picked was here. I opted to make the card as a print and cut with my Silhouette… one way to make a nice looking card with one sheet of paper (well, two in this case as the picture below is just the pieces for the card front, not the card base).

And with a little bit of dimensional tape, voila!

A Simple Embossed Card with Glitter

I was a bit concerned with the embossed theme at the Card a Day Blog… I use embossing folders frequently, but not as the main thing on the card. Everyone’s creations at the Card a Day Blog are so different, I’m sure they’ve inspired you as much as they have me.
I made a quick and simple card. I embossed the card front, applied glue and glitter to areas of the embossed design (one color at a time), and then printed and cut the sentiment and adhered it to the card…. super simple!
I think the glitter was just enough to make it extra special.
Cardstock: Ivory coverstock from Staples
Embossing Folder: Stylized Flowers from Cuttlebug
Glue: Quickie glue pen
Glitter… Glitter Ritz Opaque Micro Fine Glitter: “Green Mist”, “Moss Green” & “Copper”
Sentiment: 4 card sentiments by Samantha Walker , a print and cut with my Silhouette, adhered to the card with foam tape.

Come back tomorrow when Cindy Foster continues with the embossed theme!

Slide Up Pop-Up Card

For “My Choice” for the theme at the Card a Day Blog, I took my inspiration from Biata at Split Coast Stampers on Youtube… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vjtaZoAqPw  (I love her videos, they are so inspirational!)
This is such an easy way to make a card that can be as elegant or fun as you want.  I wanted to make it quick, so I did all of my designing with Silhouette Studio to make my card front and embellishment.  The card took one page of card stock for the base (4.25 inches square, top fold), and one page of cardstock for the front and embellishment. It is a neat way to do a print and cut, and now that I have the base saved as a project on my computer, I can do another slide pop up card so easily!
You can easily make this card without a cutter… I just like doing print and cuts so I can get the whole card color coordinated easily. I’m not going to go in depth as to how to make it as the youtube video is so good at that part of it (and she does it without a cutter).
Here is my card in the program:

Not shown is the area of this paper that I used to be the slider, the paper that is just to the left of the top right image.
Once I put it all together, I simply wrote hello! with an gel pen in the surprise area created when the ribbon is pulled to pop up the card. I also “painted” the embellishment with ModPodge dimensional magic.
I just love the way it turned out, and think I will have fun with the technique in future cards.

Thanks for visiting from the Card a Day Blog! Keep those cards coming in the challenges there as they inspire us all so much! Check out the challenges for August and enter!!!
The themes for August are:
Your Choice · Using Die Cuts · Embossed (Wet or Dry) · Milestone Birthdays · With Faith
Oh! I almost forgot! I am going to do a tutorial this coming month on how I make print and cuts with my Sihouette program using a great and inexpensive program to make the tutorial… more news on that soon!!!!

Happy Travels Card

Thanks for visiting from the Card a Day Blog! Our theme is travel, so I made a quick card with my Silhouette using 5 files (one of them a free one this week!). I digitally colored them in the Studio program, and set the outside edge only to cut. What I am hoping is that my pictures show the dimensions of the card. I used thick foam tape and glue sticks to make the clouds fold over each other.  If you like stamping, the cloud border would be ideal to stamp a favorite travel saying too!

Card dimensions: 1/4 top fold (4 1/4 “ x 5 1/2 “)

Silhouette files (use what you have on hand for inspiration):

• Sun (sorry, the program doesn’t give me more information, I think it is from Silhouette though)
• Airplane Side View (design #43179)
• Arrows from the free shapes this week!
• Loni Leah Happy Travels (design #42468)
• Cloud Border (design #2320)

The great thing about doing print and cuts like this is that you can co-ordinate the colors in the card, and print and cut out a neat card using just one sheet of paper, instead of having to dig out several pieces of paper to cut out each piece of the card separately…. such a time saver and money saver! Love it!

Visit the Card a Day Blog tomorrow for more travel card inspiration from Lucy Kelleher!

Home Card

This week’s theme at the Card a Day Blog is New (home, job, school, etc).  I chose to do a new home card.

I’m working on my home (major back yard work --- well, major to me!), so I needed to do a fast card.  If you’ve been following my card posts, you know that fast to me usually involves doing a print and cut with my Silhouette.  I chose some monogram letters at the Silhouette Store from Samantha Walker, a bracket frame from Kolette Hall, and a print and cut label from Silhouette…

I resized the monogram letters and digitally colored them to match the green in the label… then  set them to no cut. Spaced them on the screen to be able to fit in the label afterwards. It is definitely easier to show you what my screen looked like in the design stage

Then I found a piece of bazzil cardstock in pale green that didn’t overwhelm the other colors in the card. Rounded the corners of the card with my large corner punch, and simply glued or taped everything on.  I used simple coloring pencils to make faux “brads”… could have done about anything (as you can see by the buttons, I was toying with them too LOL)

Hope you are enjoying your summer! I’ll be posting at the end of the week about my back yard projects…. its going to envolve a work party

Enjoy - This is the Good Stuff Card

 

I wanted to make a card for my step-son and daughter-in-law, and I think it just fits into the new theme for the Card a Day Blog, don’t you?!

The card dimensions are 6 inches wide by 5 inches tall. I made some print and cuts by digitally coloring and or combining these cut files from Silhouette (I used the offset tool to cut them out with a little white border).

• sailboat by Hero Arts design # 10817
• summer borders by Miss Kate Cuttables design #42855
• phrase: enjoy by Silhouette design #10024
• toy airplane by PPbN Designs design #39528

Here’s what my studio screen looked like before I cut it out

I had fun using a couple of different thicknesses of glue dots/tape, and allowed the tail trails of the plane to “bounce” upwards naturally.

All in all, I think its an over all good masculine card for almost any occasion

You are Awesome!

Welcome to a new month and a new theme at the Card a Day Blog!! Friendship! Here is the card I came up with!

I used my silhouette and chose these files:
'you are seriously awesome' card by Loni Stevens
border grass with grass clump by Samantha Walker
Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter
I had to adjust the card so that it would make a 3”x5” card front.  I added a rectangle, set it to no cut, and colored it the same color as the grass border (also set to no cut, and colored). The Benjamin Bunny file was already a print and cut (beautiful, eh?!), so I just placed it in the top rectangle of the card file and set it to no cut… Here is what my screen looked like:

So, it really was a super simple card to make once I had the graphics picked. I love print and cuts! Just gives enough texture and layers to make a neat card that isn’t just printed. My printer is almost out of ink (Yikes!), but I’m glad the way the green printed anyways… looks distressed and fits in with the way the texture is on the bunny’s hat, and almost looks like the grass blended downwards. I was really crossing my fingers, as I didn’t have time to get some ink this morning before work!!!
I used a fern pattern embossing folder for the card base (front side only), and a contrasting paper that co-ordinated with it to glue the “print & cut” onto.
I plan to give this to my dog’s God Mother who looks after him when I have to be away from home… lucky dog, she’s taking him out canoeing the next time she takes him for his sleepover!
You’ve got to love friends like that- they are awesome!
Don’t forget to join us in the fun at the Card a Day Blog and enter our challenges! For more info, check it out!
http://cardadayblog.blogspot.ca/p/challenges.html

Spring Birthday

Thanks for joining me from the Card a Day Blog, with the first card in our Spring theme! Spring is the season for new life, and this certainly rings true in my family - 5 birthdays! Needless to say I combined the themes!
I made this quick card trying to utilize the “rule of thirds” to balance out the composition. I started by raiding my paper stash to pick out some spring colors. Bright pink for my granddaughter, who will receive this card. Pale blue for the sky that is not so rainy anymore where I live (thank Heavens!). The HappyHappyHappy paper is from a Circuit pad “beyond birthdays” that I’ve had for a while.  The bird on a flower branch is from Silhouette Studio’s designer Rhona Farrer “House of Three”, called “House of 3 bird collage”. 
The card base is 5” x 7”. I glued the pink paper on top of it and trimmed it to match.
The blue strip of paper 2 3/4” x 6 1/2”, I wrapped and glued on the Happy Happy paper on the bottom third of the strip.
In Studio, I chose the bird inspiration and resized it and flipped it so it faced the way I wanted it to.
I made the Birth Day title and print and cut both items out. Here is what my screen looked like:

Once I had everything together, it was a simple glue or tape it to finish it!

I hope you enjoyed this card. Remember to visit the Card a Day Blog tomorrow for some more Spring inspiration from Jill! And don’t forget that you inspire us too! Join us in our April Challenge at the Card a Day Blog!