Masculine BirthdayVersion 1

I saw Laurie Schmidlin's card (see it here) and really liked the angled front on her card.  This is my first version of her card:

FRONT



INSIDE

Supplies:
Card Base: A2 Black CS (Michael's)
Kraft CS (Michael's)
Striped Paper (Glitz Design)
Distress Stripes embossing folder (ProvoCraft)
Be Happy stamp set (SU) - Front
Terrific Tags stamp set (SU) - Inside
Tea Die Distress ink pad (Tim Holz/Ranger)
Black ink pad
Punches:
Squares: 3/4" (SU), 1-1/4" (SU), 1-3/8" (EKSuccess)
Circles: 1/8", 1/4" (Fiskars), 1/2" (SU)
Tag Punch (SU)
Photo Corner Punch (SU)
Round Tab Punch (SU)

3"x3" Envelopes

This is sort of a long post....

I very often need to make 3" x 3" square envelopes for all of our 13 grandkids' cards.  Decorative paper can be costly and I rarely find anything in my stash I'm willing to use for envelopes.  I also don't like using copy paper for the envelopes. 

I've always believed in supporting small town businesses to keep their doors open, and the folks at our small town newspaper, the Pioneer Press, go out of their way to keep their office supplies reasonably priced.   After figuring in the cost of gas for my car, I now buy all my A2 envelopes and printer cartridges from them much cheaper than at the big box stores (and it's a drive of a few blocks rather than 225 miles!). 

So, I asked Thomas at the Pioneer Press office if they sold paper heavier than copy paper.  He pulled out a package of 24 lb. paper.  I bought some to try it.  When I got home, I discovered that 24 lb paper is bond paper, which we used as our letterhead paper in the law offices!  It cut, scored and folded perfectly!  So, I now have the perfect paper for envelopes.  The 3" square envelopes ended up costing me 5 cents each (2 envelopes per sheet).

So, if you have to make small envelopes and prefer a nicer paper, try bond paper!

Thank you to Thomas and Dawn at the Pioneer Press office for always going out of their way to make my crafting affordable!

Layered Leaves

I started stamping and cutting out leaves, and I had no idea what I was going to do with all of them - this is how they ended up in a card:

Supplies:
A2 Card Base - White CS
Nature's Vein stamp set (CTMH)
Sentiment: Holiday Seasons stamp set (Inkadinkado)
Background: Forest Moss Distress ink (Tim Holtz/Ranger)
Close to Cocoa, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust & Always Artichoke ink pads (SU)
Espresso Adirondack ink pad (Ranger)
Sentiment: Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge (ProvoCraft)
1/8" Rust Holiday Ribbon (Michael's)
1/8" Circle Punch
pop dots for sentiment

Butterflies - Again!

Lately I seem to be on a butterfly binge!  Thank you to Glenda Jones for the original idea for this card.  I saw it and just had to try it.  I used two colors for two looks.  I hope you like them!

Supplies:

A2 Card Base

Very Vanilla, Rich Razzleberry or Not Quite Navy CS (SU)

Elements of Style stamp set (SU)

Sentiment: Elementary Elegance stamp set (SU)

Rich Razzleberry or Not Quite Navy ink pad (SU)

Beautiful Wings embosslit (SU)

Framed Tulips Embossing Folder

Rich Razzleberry or Not Quite Navy 3/8" Taffeta ribbon (SU)

Bisque Liquid Pearls (Ranger)

Doily Card

I just got my Delicate Doilies Sizzlit die last night and had to play with it right away.  The original idea for this card is from LeeAnn Greff (Thank you!), and I changed it up a bit to use the doily die and the Edgelit die I've had for a while.  LeeAnn's card was tan, cream and black, and I wanted more color!

Supplies:
Card Base: A2 Very Vanilla (SU)
Certainly Celery CS (SU)
Certainly Celery ink pad (SU)
Espresso Adirondack ink pad (Ranger)
Whimsical Words stamp set (SU)
Flowers #2 Embossing Folder (Sizzix)
Adorning Accents Edgelit Die (SU)
Delicate Doily Sizzlit Die (SU)
Circle: Plantin SchoolBook Cricut cartridge (ProvoCraft)
1/2" Cream Organdy ribbon (JoAnn's)
BowEasy Bow at 1-3/4"

Chevrons - Fast & Easy

I am always trying to come up with new ideas for a masculine card for the many guys in my family and this card is all about the paper I used!  I cut the paper strips at 1" x 2-1/2" and then used a 3/4" square punch.  I placed the 5 strips evenly across the top, then used the cut out pieces along the bottom.  Simple!

Supplies:
Card Base: A2 Baja Breeze (SU)
Kraft CS (Michael's)
Striped Paper (basicgrey)
Black ink pad
Sentiment: Phrases for a Friend stamp set (SU)
3/4" square punch (SU)
Light Blue Candis (craftworkcards)

Halloween Card #10

Splat Witch!

I admit right up front that I copied this idea from Sharon White (You can see her original design here: http://www.sharonsscrappyspace.com/2012/09/spooky-cards.html).  I saw her cute little witch and just had to play with the idea and this is the card I came up with - Sharon's "splat" witch (a witch running into a brick wall!).  Of course, I didn't have the right punches, so I used a Cricut cartridge instead.  So, here's my version of Sharon's witch:

Supplies:
Card base: A2 Black
Red, Lime Green, Purple, Orange CS (American Crafts)
Bricked & Checkered Embossing Folders (Tim Holtz/Sizzix)
Merry Monsters stamp set (CTMH)
Black Ink (sentiment)
Aged Mahogany Distress ink for bricked background (Tim Holtz/Ranger)
Pennants for Cape & Hat: Stand & Salute Cricut Cartridge (ProvoCraft)
Shoes: Happy Hauntings Cricut Cartridge (ProvoCraft)
Ovals: Plantin SchoolBook Cricut Cartridge (ProvoCraft)
Legs: Word Window Punch (SU)
Hair: Extra Large Oval Punch (SU)
Deckle Scissors (cape) (Fiskars)
Toothpick, copy paper & Close to Cocoa (SU) marker for broom
I free-handed her hands & used black marker for nails

Halloween Cards #8 & #9

Jar of Spiders

We made a similar card this past week at our monthly 10-Club gathering and I thought it was so cute.  I didn't have the same stamp sets, so this is my take on the card.  Thanks to Pam for the design!

Supplies:

Card Base A2 Black CS

Drippy paper (Cloud 9 Design)

Herringbone paper (My Mind's Eye)

Pumpkin Pie CS (SU)

Lime CS

Black ink pad

Pumpkin Pie ink pad (SU)

Spider stamp: Holiday Seasons stamp set (Inkadinkado)

Sentiments: Merry Monsters stamp set (CTMH)

Jar stamp: Little Treasures stamp set (CTMH)

Spider Web embossing folder (SU)

Large Oval punch (SU)

Modern Label Punch (SU)

Pumpkin Pie 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon (SU)

Lime 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon (JoAnn's)

Halloween Cards #6 & #7

Owl Witches Style 2

These are another take on yesterday's cards.  Thank you Chris Kolly for the idea for these cute little witches!



Supples:
Card Base A2 Black CS
Pumpkin Pie & Very Vanilla CS (SU)
Lime & Light Green CS
Witch Hats paper (Cloud 9 Design)
Sentiments: Merry Monsters stamp set (CTMH)

Black & White ink pads
Owl punch (SU)
Large Oval punch (SU)
Curly Label punch (SU)
Lime 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon (JoAnn's)

Halloween Cards #4 & #5

Owl Witches

There are only slight differences between the two cards below: the paper I used for the background (all the cards need to be slightly different for each of the grandkids!), ribbon, and sentiments.  Again, thanks to Chris Kolly for her owl witch design!

Supplies:

Card Bases A2 Pumpkin Pie CS (SU) & Lime CS

Very Vanilla CS (SU)

Black & Light Green CS

Drippy Paper (Cloud 9 Design)

Potions Paper (Cloud 9 Design)

Sentiments: Merry Monsters stamp set (CTMH)
Pumpkin Pie ink pad (SU)
Black & white ink pads
Owl punch (SU)
Large Oval punch (SU)
Modern Label Punch (SU)
Orange 1/2" Polka Dot satin ribbon (KI Memories)
Lime 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon (JoAnn's)