A CAS Birthday Card in Yellows and Orange

 

This week the  Color My Heart Color Dare is to use Buttercup, Honey and Sunset.  Have I mentioned that except when paired with maroon (Go Hokies!), I do not care for the color orange?  Well maybe if I just use it as an accent...   The challenge over at Heart 2 Heart is to make something clean and simple.  Not my usual style, but that is why they call it a challenge, right?  The theme for the Papercraft Star challenge is Happy Birthday, so I need a clean and simple birthday card in yellows and orange.  Can y'all handle another butterfly?  This one was stamped in Buttercup and then sponged with Honey, Sunset and a bit of Chocolate after I cut him out.  I had planned on putting him on a swirly background, but I was near A. C. Moore and needed a new Cricut mat, and you know how you can't just get one thing and leave?  I just happened to see this leafy branch embossing folder.  An appropriate background, don't you think?  I enjoyed the challenge of clean and simple and will most likely make more CAS cardsin the future.  Here is the inside of the card:

 

 



I cannot believe that I have combined three challenges!  I am usually happy if I can combine two.  Thank you for stopping by!  Now check out the blogs mentioned above and see how others have answered the challenge.  Until next time, Hansi

 

Materials used, all from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Buttercup and Colonial White cardstock

Ink:  Buttercup, Honey, Sunset and Chocolate

Stamps:  Find Your Style (retired), Card Chatter - Birthday

Embellishments:  Brown opaques

Other:  Leafy Branch embossing folder from Cuddlebug

 

 

 

A Card With No (Gasp!) Embellishments

 

This is another "thinking about you/praying for you" card made for the Cards in Envy challenge which is for cards that will mail easily.  That is, cards that will fit in a regular envelope, not require extra postage or hand cancelling and have no embellishments thicker than a shirt button.  I challenged myself to make an interesting card with some dimension using paper and ink only.  I used sponge daubers to ink the butterfly stamp with Vineyard Berry layered over Smokey Plum on all but the outer edge of the wings.  On the edge I lightly dabbed on Smokey Plum followed by a bit of Bamboo to "gray out" the color.  After I cut out the butterfly, I sponged the edges with more Smokey Plum, colored the body with black marker and then attached the only the body so that the wings lift.  Before attaching the butterfly, I masked off all but the antennae and stamped on the card with black.  The half medallion was cut using the Paper Lace Cricut cartridge.  I cut two "lace" pieces and one background out of metallic paper and stacked them.  This is my favorite way to get the effect of a metal embellishment without the thickness, weight or expense.  The theme for the current challenge is stripes or polka dots, so I used is my favorite striped paper which just happens to come from a Halloween paper pack even though I have never used this paper pack for a Halloween card.  Here is the inside of the card:

 

 

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

 

 

Materials used, all from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Moonlight (retired), Colonial White and Avonlea Off White cardstock, Reflections metallic paper pack from Michael's

Stamp:  Find Your Style (retired)

Ink:  Smokey Plum, Vineyard Berry, Bamboo, Black plus a black marker

Other:  Paper Lace Cricut cartridge





Unscripted Sketches Meets the Dynamic Duo

 

This week's colors for the Dynamic Duo color challenge are Island Indigo and Pool Party from Stamp It Up. 



Twilight was clearly an equivalent color for Island Indigo, but I was not sure what to substitute for Pool Party.  Then  I saw that Karen Day, a member of the design team, had used paper from the retired Cuisin' pack, so I followed her lead and chose Twilight and Juniper as my colors to use with this layout from Unscripted Sketches:

 

 

Here is the inside of the card:

 

 

 

 

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

 

 

Materials used, all Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Cruisin' (retired)

Stamps:  Find Your Style (retired), Say It in Style (retired)

Inks:  Juniper, Twilight, Black

Embellishments:  Black Sparkles, Ribbon from Michael's

Other:  Paper Lace II embossing folder from Cuddlebug, Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge, Martha Stewart butterfy punch







Freshly Made Sketch 74

 

 

I am needing "thinking about you/praying for you" cards for too many friends.  I often find myself turning to this butterfly from the retired Find Your Style set from Close to My Heart.  I start by inking the stamp with a sponge dauber.  Then after I cut it out, I sponge the edges and sometimes a little farther in.  To give this card added dimension, I used pop up foam to attach the sentiment and attached only the body of the butterfly, so his wings can be lifted.  No, I did not attempt to stamp on embossed paper; I stamped the shadow before I embossed the paper.  This layout was provided by Alissa Chilton for Freshly Made Sketches.  She calls it her go to sketch and I can see why.  If you haven't checked out Allisa's blog, Rocky Mountain Paper Crafts, I highly recommend it.  She does beautiful work and has inspired me to pay more attention to the inside of my cards.  Here is the inside of this one:

 



 

 

 

Here is the sketch:

 

 

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

 

Materials used, all from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Florentine (retired),Chocolate and Colonial White cardstock

Ink:  Twilight, Chocolate

Stamps:  Find Your Style (retired), Card Chatter - Sympathy

Embellishments:  Brown Opaques, Chrystal Stickers Mosaics by Mark Richards from Michael's

Other:  Cuddlebug Paper Lace II embossing folder, Art Philosophy Circut cartridge







Tag You're It at Heart 2 Heart

 

 

I am combining the Heart 2 Heart challenge to create something using a tag with the Papercraft Star challenge theme of Hello.   Papercraft Star is a new challenge blog for me and they give you advanced notice of what the themes will be which really helps with planning.  This is "For Always," my favorite current paper pack from Close to My Heart.  The patterned papers are all neutrals and work well with just about any color, a concept I am putting to the test working though my stash of cardstock.  This time I used it with Lagoon.  I also love the vintage feel of this pack.  The pocket is a new product for me.  It comes with a tag, but I chose to make my own using the Cricut Artist cartridge and then trimming it at the bottom so it would fit.  Here it is extended:

 

 

 

To attach the opaque over the hole, I used liquid glass to attach a piece of paper to the back of the tag to cover the hole and then used more liquid glass to glue the opaque to it.  The flower was cut in graduated sizes with the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  I sponged the edges, curled the petals, layered them and attached the completed flower with pop up foam to help it keep its shape.  The brad is covered in an almost velvet corduroy.  I wanted to use velvet ribbon on the tag to complement it, but the ribbon was too bulky to tie.  Here is the inside of the card:

 

 



 

 

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

 

Materials used, all from Close to My heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  For Always

Ink:  Black, Lagoon, Desert Sand

Stamps: "Say It in Style, Cherished Flourishes, Dreams Come True (all retired), Ornate Textured Background by Stampabilities

Embellishments:  Black mini medley (retired), Posh Journaling Spots, Black Opaques, Pearl Flourishes, Ribbon (Michael's)

Other:  Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge, Cricut Artiste cartridge





Love is in th Air at Heart 2 Heart Challenges

Four posts in a little over 24 hours?!  How did I get to be so productive?  Simple.  I got to spend a rainy, snowy Saturday papercrafting with my friends while my husband played single father to our very special daughter and he didn't call even once!  Of course, one of the cards I made had to be an "I love and appreciate you" card.  I first saw this overlapping card within a card on Brenda Rose's blog, Rose Blossom Legacies .  Here is my version unfolded:

 

 

I stamped the roses with black pigment ink (love pigment inks!), embossed them with clear detail powder, colored them with alcohol markers and then fussy cut them.  Can you say tedious?  In the process I cut apart the stamped image, so I could put the large rose on the outside and the two smaller ones inside.  I love that Close to My Heart has come out with smaller sparkle flourishes, but none of them fit the way I wanted them to, so I cut one to arrange it to my liking (Why be limited by what's available?) and embellished my embellishment with a rhinestone designer brad.

 

One of the February challenges over at the Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog is "Love is in the Air."  This card fits perfectly.  As I look at the other entries, I see that Kelly Brandt posted the same type of card using the "For Always" paper on her blog, Scrapper Chic, but with a different result.  It just goes to show the versatility of this paper and that great minds think alike.  Thank you for stopping by!  Now hop on over and see the other beautiful cards at Heart 2 Heart.  Until next time, Hansi

 

Materials are all from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted: 

Paper:  For Always

Ink:  Black pigment and "regular" black

Markers:  Ruby, Sweet Leaf, and Olive

Stamps:  Happy Valentine's, this year's January Stamp of the month and an old valentine Stamp of the Month, I do not know which year

Embellishments:  Small Sparkle Flourish, Rhinestone Designer Brad

 







The Other Side of Chantilly

 

 

 

Close to My heart's new Chantilly paper pack, with all that pink, is this season's "girl" paper as you can see from my previous two posts, but Chantilly has another side.  Literally!  Turn over the sheets of "pink" B&T paper and you will find the blue, green and yellow that is perfect for this "welcome baby boy" card.  I totally CASEd it from this card on Shelly Nimitz's blog, Just One Piece:

 

 

 

 





 Here is the inside of the card:

 



 

 

Thank you for stopping by! Until next time, Hansi

 

Materials used, all from Close to my heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Chantilly paper pack

Ink: Twilight, Pear

Stamps:  Rylee's Footprints and Tiny Hands from Stampabilities, sentiment from Hampton Art





A Freshly Made Girl's Birthday Card

 

 

 

This girly girl birthday card, the second of three cards I made using Close to My Heart's new Chantilly paper pack, is based on this Freshly Made Sketch:

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

 

 

Materials used are all from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

 

Paper:  Chantilly paper pack

Ink:  Black

Stamp:  Joyful Birthday

Embellishments:  Thistle and Lime Green Stickles, Black Opaques, Pink Glitter Gems

Other:  Cricut Artiste cartridge









There is a New Challenge in Town

 

 

 

There is a new challenge in town! You know we card makers like to embellish which can create issues when it comes to mailing cards, so the idea behind the Cards in Envy Challenge is to create cards that will easily fit into an envelope and not require additional postage.  The entire card can be no more than 1/4 inch thick and embellishments no thicker than a shirt button.  On the first Monday of the month there will be a sketch challenge and on the third Monday a themed challenge.  This is the sketch for the inaugural challenge:

 

 

 

Thank you for stopping by!  Now please head on over to show your support and to see what the others have created.  Until next time, Hansi

 

 

Materials used, all from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  Chantilly paper packet, Pear cardstock

Ink:  Black

Stamp:  Joyful Birthday

Embellishments:  Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Black Opaques, Pink Sparkles

Other:  Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge





Unscripted Play

 

My box came Tuesday!!!!  I finally got to play with some of the new Close to My Heart paper!  This is the "For Always" paper pack.  I had two flowers cut from Blush cardstock left over from another project, so I distressed them with white daisy and blush and then edged them with black.  After curling the petals, I attached them with foam tape to keep them from flattening and embellished.  Here is a close up:

 

 

I used this layout from Unscripted Sketches:

 

 

 

Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

  

Materials used, all from Close to My Heart:

Paper:  For Always, Blush, Black and White Daisy cardstock

Ink:  Blush, White Daisy, Black

Embellishments:  Black Mini Medley (retired), Sparkles Black Flourishes

Other:  Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge





Yes, My Cats Send Valentines! Don't Yours?

Luna and Phoebe, AKA The Feline Moon Goddesses on facebook, have over 900 friends.  Now their little paws would be a mess if they sent valentines to everyone, but they do send them to a few special friends and four legged relatives.  I have been wanting to try a white on white card, so when they commissioned me to make some valentines for them, I did this white on white CAS card.  I popped the square with the cat and heart up with some foam tape to give it some dimension.  It is postcard style, so here is what the back looks like:

Needless to say, I had to create the greeting on my computer.  The layout is this one from Freshly Made Sketches :

Thank you for stopping by!  You can stop laughing now...  Until next time, Hansi

Materials used are from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  White Daisy cardstock

Ink:  Tulip (retired) and Slate

Stamps:  Mad About You (retired), cat from Inkadinkadoo, paw prints from Recollections and All Night Media

Other Stuff:  Heritage embossing folders from Cuddlebug









Color My Heart With Blush and Cranberry

 My black and white birthday card featuring A Pop of Cotton Candy won the Color My Heart Color Dare for the week which means, not only did I get a nifty Diamond Award to display on my blog, but I was invited to be this week's guest designer on the challenge to use Blush and Cranberry.  This card uses the same layout and concept as this card, but what a difference color choices and embellishments can make!  I used the Cricut Artist cartridge to cut three flowers (accent 1, page 73) in 3, 2.5 and 1.5 inches, sponged the edges and across the ends of the petals with cranberry ink, shaped the petals and then stacked them with pop up foam between the layers.  I used the Cuddlebug Tiffany folder to emboss cardstock, carefully trimmed the edges with a rotary cutter and then cut off two inches from each end to make the top panels.  For the bottom panel I laid a 4 x .75 inch piece along the long side of the frame to emboss it.

Thank you for stopping by! Now hop on over to the Color My Heart Color Dare to see what the others have created with Blush and Cranberry.   Until next time, Hansi



Unless otherwise noted, all the materials I used came from Close to My Heart
Paper:  Blush, Cranberry, Colonial White, and Slate cardstock
Ink:  Cranberry
Embellishments:  Just Blooms Paper Shapes (retired),Pewter Designer Brad (retired)
Other:  Cricut Artiste cartridge, Cuddlebug Tiffany embossing folder





An Unscripted Heart

 

 

This year I have been in a black, white and red mood for valentines.  This one, based on this week's Unscripted Sketch, gave me an excuse to play with my Cuddlebug.  I did not have a sentiment stamp that fit the space I wanted to use, so I used my computer to print one on cardstock and then popped it up with foam tape. Problem solved!  Here is the sketch:

 

 

 

 

Thank you for stopping by.  Until next time, Hansi

 

 

Materials used, all from Close to My Heart:

Paper:  Colonial White and Tulip (retired) cardstock

Embellishments:  Just Blooms Paper Shapes (retired), Tulip brads from the Spring Blossom Mini Medley (retired)

Other stuff:  Cricut Artiste cartridge, Cuddlebug Paper Lace II embossing folder, foam tape







Fancy Folding





 

 



They call them challenges for a reason!  The Heart 2 Heart challenge to create a card using "fancy folding" was, well, challenging.  The only cards I have made that involved more than folding a sheet in half to make a card base have been gateway cards like this one from last year:

 



After scouting out the blogs, I settled on a diagonal double pocket card.  Haley published a link to this easy tutorial on her blog, The Ink Scrapper.  The main challenge with the folding is positioning your 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper so that the pattern on the paper ends up where you like it.  This is not an issue with an over all consistent pattern, but a paper where different parts of the sheet have different graphics is another story.  I test folded a piece of printer paper and made this cheat sheet to help me visualize what part of the paper would show where:

 

Using one of my all time favorite paper packs from Close to My Heart, La Belle Vie, I went to work.  You may have noticed that I flipped the butterfly card.  This is so the part of the back of the sheet that I liked the most would show.  On the rose card, I cut one of the corners rather than folding it and then used an edge punch from ek.  My one gripe with Close to My Heart has been their recent use of colors on their papers which are not available as inks.  I found that using a sponge dauber to apply Vineyard Berry (retired) over Smokey Plum directly on the stamp approximated La Belle Vie Mauve on the butterfly.  I cut the pearl opaque flourish to make it fit how I wanted.  I can't wait to get some of the new, small flourishes!

Head on over to the Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog to see what other Close to My Heart fans have come up with.  I am definitely going to try some other types of fancy folded cards!  I think I will try a napkin fold card like Kim made next.  Thank you for stopping by!  Until next time, Hansi

These are the supplies I used, all from Close to My Heart unless otherwise noted:

Paper:  La Belle Vie, Colonial White cardstock
Ink:  Vineyard Berry (retired), Smokey Plum, Bamboo, Black
Stamps:  "Find Your Style" (retired)
Embellishments:  Opaques Pearl Flourish, brad and button from Antiqued Gold Mini Medley, Designer Pewter brad (retired), light tan and pearl opaques, Sweet Leaf ribbon (retired), black ribbon from Michael's
Other Stuff:  Artiste Cricut Cartridge, border punch from ek