Christmas Accordion Display Card

I had a lot of fun piecing together this accordion display card using the Nordic Noel paper pack (on clearance!) and Nordic Noel buttons and red pom-pom trim from Stampin' Up.  The pattern came from a card kit from the uber-talented Christine Adams with CTMH.  It actually uses two 12 x 6 strips of cardstock that you adhere together to make a double-wide accordion card that has so much dimension and is truly a gift in itself!

Here it is unfolded--feel free to click on the image to make it larger and in more detail:

 Here is both of the right and left front covers.  I just LOVE those gold reindeer paper clips from the current SU holiday catalog!  Sentiments are from the Frosted WOTG stamp set (CTMH) and the 2014 October SOTM (CTMH, both retired) stamped in Cranberry ink:

 A few peeks at some of the inside facets of the card...

 (Sentiment above is from Card Chatter Christmas, CTMH, retired)

And one more time all closed up!

Other supplies used: Tim Holtz tiny attatcher, white 3" Wilton doilies, gold polka dot washi tape (CTMH)

Woodland Embossed Gift Box

I had a lot of fun this morning trying out a new technique--embossing AND stamping using an embossing folder!  I love the 3-dimensional effect this technique creates, and I think you will, too!

I used this card and tutorial for inspiration to make my gift box, as well as the Stampin' Up Woodland embossing folder, cocoa and white cardstock (CTMH), Cocoa and Outdoor Denim inks (CTMH) and a rubber brayer.  The gift box is also from CTMH (retired) and has a magnetic flap enclosure to keep photos, note cards, and mementos nice and safe!

Using the rubber brayer, I rolled Outdoor Denim ink onto the embossing folder (the side printed "Sizzix") and then stamped three trees using the CTMH's Always Grateful stamp set in cocoa ink on the same side of the embossing folder.  Then, I placed the white cardstock in the folder and ran it through my Cuttlebug.

Here's an up close view of the awesome texture of the embossed trees!  Finally, I did this a second time (without stamping the trees) and cut down the embossed cardstock to cover each side of the box, matting it with cocoa cardstock.

I am really excited with how it turned out, and I can't wait to gift it to a friend (or my MIL who LOVES trees) this winter!  I also am eager to try this technique to make a few note cards, too!

Nordic Noel Christmas Cards

When the holidays approach, I tend to hit up craft therapy to keep me calm and content!  Here are some fun Christmas cards I whipped up using CTMH's colonial white die-cut cards and Stampin' Up Nordic Noel paper pack (both on clearance!).

My favorite part is in the details--feel free to click on each image to see it closer and more indepth.  I love the red pom-pom trim and Nordic Noel buttons, and especially the gold-tone reindeer paper clips (all from SU!).

Papers used: Nordic Noel (SU!)
Ink: Cranberry (CTMH)
Stamps: Frosted WOTG stamp set (CTMH, retired), Pear and Partridge WOTG stamp set (CTMH, retired)

Owl Baby Girl Card

How can a Halloween stamp set be used for a baby girl card?

Easy!

I paper pieced this adorable owl with pink chevron patterned paper (Ivy Lane, CTMH) and let her peek through a hold punched out of a wood-grain embossed pieces of Crumb Cake cardstock (SU).  I love how she turned out!

Supplies used:
Sentiment: wood-mount stamp from Michael's, source unknown
Owl: What a Hoot (CTMH)
Ink: Black
Smoothie baker's twine (CTMH)
Woodgrain embossing folder (SU)

Woodgrain Cards in an Instant

 Back again today to share with you a few more woodgrain embossed cards that I made using MAMBI's Cards in an Instant sentiments, which I scored from Michael's craft store.  I used either a kraft-colored cardstock (crumb cake from SU) or a white cardstock and ran it through the woodgrain embossing folder (from SU) using my Cuttlebug machine for the card backgrounds.  Then, I either backed the sentiment card with patterned paper or popped it up using foam tape and adhered it on the card front.  The cards were either embellished with pink enamel dots (flamingo dots, CTMH) and/or houndstooth washi tape (also CTMH) for some added interest.

This card was featured on my previous blog post by itself...but here's another shot of it in the grouping...

 This one features the white woodgrain (LOVE this look!) and pink chevron patterned paper (Ivy Lane, CTMH)...

 And this one features yellow patterned paper (Pemberley, CTMH) and the polka dot embossing folder (Cuttlebug) used on white cardstock for an added layer on top of the kraft woodgrain base...

These sentiment cards were a cute (and affordable!) find--check them out here to get an idea of all the ones included in the pack.  They made up into such fast, easy, and cute & trendy little cards!  Gotta love that!

Fall Leaves Woodgrain Cards

Wanted to share with you a few fall cards I made using my new woodgrain embossing folder.  I just LOVE how they turned out!  I am a big fan of birch trees for their white bark and gorgeous fall leaves, and when I saw this card on Pinterest, I knew I just had to get busy with my white cardstock and woodgrain embossing folder (SU) and crank out a few like it of my own!

Basically, I ran the white cardstock through my Cuttlebug and then swiped the raised pattern with Bamboo ink (CTMH) directly from the inkpad.   I love how this technique really made the grain POP!  Then I stamped and fussy cut several fall leaves using the Autumn Splendor stamp set (CTMH, retired) using the "rock and roll" method with the following inks: barn red, creme brulee, goldrush, vineyard berry, and olive (CTMH). The acorn was stamped with chocolate ink and cut out, as well.

The sentiment is one of my FAVORITES for this time of year--a season that just oozes with GRATITUDE!  It is from CTMH's Always Grateful stamp set and states: "Gratitude turns what we have into ENOUGH"--SO TRUE!  I selectively inked the top of the sentiment with cocoa ink and the last line was inked with vineyard berry ink (both CTMH).  Then I backed it on Cocoa cardstock, cut it into a tag shape, punched it with a small hole punch and tied some brown baker's twine through, popping it up with some foam tape.

So I hope I've inspired YOU to play around with some fall crafting supplies today!  What a perfect way to tell someone how GRATEFUL you are to have them in your life this season!

Woodgrain Embossing Folders

Hi there, friend!  Just wanted to share with you some things I have recently learned about embossing folders. This spring, I got a Cuttlebug machine and have really enjoyed playing around with all the embossing techniques you can do it.  However, I recently ran into some problems with the woodgrain embossing folder.  Let me explain.

I recently purchased my woodgrain embossing folder from Stampin' Up.  It was my first folder from this company--my others are CTMH (Close to My Heart) folders and I have one from Cuttlebug (bought from Michael's).  While the woodgrain embossing folder from SU was $1 cheaper than the one offered from CTMH, I immediately realized that you get what you pay for once it came in the mail!  Here you can see SU's folder (made by Sizzix) compared with CTMH's folder--big size difference!

 The other great feature about CTMH's folders is that they feature this little slit at the top.  This allows you to feed through cardstock strips to get a continuous pattern for 12x12 scrapbook pages, for example.  Love this feature and I have used it often on my pages and it is super easy to match up the pattern!

Well, the problem that I was running into with my woodgrain embossing folder was the cracking and tearing of the cardstock once I ran in through.   I usually emboss my patterns using white core cardstock (made by CTMH) and I am usually pleased with the results.  Here, here, and here are a few card examples I have tried and I love how the white pops through--I often sand the raised edges to give it a distressed look.  However, with the woodgrain, I wasn't getting a distressed-looking image--I was getting a cracked and torn look that I wasn't as pleased with.  Check it out below...

Apparently, after a Google search, I realized that this problem is not unique with me--a lot of people have had issues with cracking and tearing of paper (even using solid-core cardstock) with this particular embossing folder pattern.  So, I gathered some tips from these sources and tried a vellum cardstock shim and regular cardstock shim, and also tried to be careful to emboss with the grain.  I was still disappointed.  It didn't seem to matter whether I embossed with or against the grain, and the vellum shim simply tore apart after a few uses and didn't seem to help.

So what DID finally help?  Well, thanks to a friend of mine (thanks Anna!) who gave me some SU cardstock, I finally was able to emboss without the cracking issue using SU's 80 lb. weight cardstock.  I tried Early Espresso and Crumb Cake and was very pleased with the results.  No tearing.  No cracking.  No need for shims.  No need to fuss with the grain of the paper.  You can see the difference below! 

So now I have the option of the solid look AND the distressed look, on whatever color cardstock I choose!  Bonus!

Hope this might help you if you get stuck with this particular embossing folder pattern!  Hope you have a creative day and thanks for stopping by!

Be Still Canvas Frame

 Last week was a bit of a crazy one!  We got the news that my Dad took a nasty fall and suffered a vertebral fracture, landing him in the trauma center flat on his back and awaiting extensive surgery.  Our family lifted up many prayers for his healing and comfort (and continue to do so), and yet, we also felt it hard to be so far away (he was several states away) and not be able to do something.  Well, that is where papercrafting came to the rescue!  We were not only able to send him cards (hand-drawn by the kids, papercrafted by me, and store-bought), but I was able to put together this little 4x4 canvas frame for his bedside!  

Let me tell you how I put it together (it was a quick and fun little project!).  I found the canvas in a frame from Michaels--it was on an endcap near their framing department with all the artistic canvases (they also sell a white frame version).  Then I picked out two black-and-cream patterned papers from my stash (a newsprint and a damask print from SU).  I cut the damask into a 4x4 square to fit the canvas and adhered it with Tombow permanent adhesive.  Then, I tore two corners from the newsprint paper, inked up the torn edges with Desert Sand ink (CTMH) and a sponge and adhered these down in the corners.  For the sentiment, I used one of my favorite stamps from CTMH, Be Still, stamped in black ink (Versamark) on colonial white cardstock.  I inked it up the colonial white cardstock with Desert Sand ink and matted it on Bamboo cardstock, then adhered it to the canvas.  Lastly, I used some metal cross embellishments (Michaels) popped up with 3D foam tape--you can see the dimension it provides in the next pictures...

I really love how it turned out!  It sits up using a little dowel rod/hole system (or it can be hung) and I pray it will be a source of encouragement for my Dad as he convalesces with family for the next several weeks!  I love when my passion for papercrafting can be used by God to bless and encourage others, especially those near-and-dear to my heart!  I hope you, too, can be a bright spot in someone's day with your craft, my friend!

Matryoshka Doll Cards

One of my favorite parts of teaching my first grade daughter geography this year was how we were able to "travel" to so many amazing and interesting countries.  Russia was no exception!  When I saw this matryoshka doll stamp set (Happy Place by CTMH), I thought of my daughter and our "trip" to Russia...but also how mothers are like daughters...and how daughters are like grandmothers, and how we all interact as women in both our biological and our spiritual families...sort of like these nesting dolls!

Here's what the entire stamp set looks like--it has cute family-oriented sentiments, too.

I am over the moon excited about a new purchase I made--a Cuttlebug!  It is an embossing/die-cutting machine that I saved up for and bought with my Michael's coupon yesterday.  Yes!  Yesterday!  It did not take long to crack open that box and give my new dotted embossing folder (another purchase yesterday) a try!  After I ran the cardstock through the machine, I simply sanded down the raised pattern with a fine-gauge sandpaper block (SU) and the white core shows through!  This is true with all CTMH cardstock--it all has a white core (unlike SU's or Michael's cardstock...I like both for different reasons).  Even the kids got involved this morning--my son and daughters all had to give it a try before we started school today!  Very fun!

I must say that the color scheme for these cards and even some of the card patterns were directly inspired/CASE'd from these beauties made by Karen Pedersen.  I had fun paper-piecing many of the matryoshka dolls using patterned paper from the Jubilee paper pack (CTMH) and ruby or Indian corn blue cardstock.  For those I did not paper-piece, I simply colored in using CTMH's coordinating watercolor pencils.  I honestly love how BOTH techniques turned out!

Supplies used: Happy Place stamp set (March SOTM by CTMH), Jubilee paper pack ((CTMH) which includes the Indian Corn Blue cardstock), black ink, scalloped scissors (Michaels), Ruby cardstock (CTMH), ruby chevron ribbon (CTMH), 4" paper doily (Michaels), red baker's twine (SU), random assorted buttons, watercolor pencils (CTMH), dotted embossing folder (Cuttlebug), watercolor pencils (CTMH), fine-tipped scissors, 3D foam tape, red adhesive dots (for cheeks in first card pictured, Michaels)

I will have to post more about how to make these fabulous bows--they are actually not tied like a traditional bow and they always come out looking perfect!  Learned it from Karen Pedersen's blog--I will try to post a link!  In the video (at 3:20), you will see her tie the bow with waxy flax, but I used baker's twine for the same effect and just strung it through a button to tie it off.  Love!

Karen has also posted a wonderful embossing technique tutorial here.  I plan to use the inking technique with my embossing folders soon, and plan to purchase a few more folders from CTMH this month...hello, can we say CHEVRON?!!

If you want to join in the embossing craze, here is a link to a killer deal for a Cuttlebug (I paid just a few bucks more at Michael's with a coupon).

I also put together a "like mother, like daughter" one-page layout using these beautiful matryoshka dolls!  I will post that later when I find the perfect 5x7 picture of me with my girls!

Babycakes Baby Cards

Welcome back, friends!  Today I am sharing with you some baby-themed cards I created using the CTMH's paper packet Babycakes.  It makes for very "on trend" cards with the yellow and gray color palette and works perfectly for baby boys AND baby girls!  Above you will see a group shot, and throughout the blog post, you can see each card closer and in more detail, especially if you click on each photo and scroll through the gallery!

In addition to the papers, I used colonial white card bases (CTMH), the gorgeous monarch butterfly punch by Martha Stewart embellished with bitty sparkles (CTMH), the modern label punch (SU), and sunset ink (CTMH)

 I added some sunset baker's twine (CTMH) to this card (above) and stamped with Short and Sweet stamp set (SU) for the sentiment and the cute little diaper pin.  I also stamped a few lines in chocolate ink (CTMH) on the card below.

 This card uses a congrats stamp I found in a dollar bin at Michael's...

A few more beauties...

Colors used: Slate gray, sunset orange, buttercup yellow, chocolate brown

 Some of these card patterns came from the Make it From Your Heart vol. 2 idea book (CTMH)--I love this book because it is super affordable (less than $8) and is jam packed with double-page layouts, single page layouts, and tons of card patterns which are super easy to follow!  Hope you enjoyed today's posting...and perhaps got your baby fix like I did :)  Have a creative one and I'll see you here again soon!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!  Thank you for joining me each day on my December Card Extravaganza! I hope you were able to get some creative ideas for your Christmas cards this year.  Please enjoy a blessed time with your family and friends celebrating the true reason for the season...our Savior Christ the Lord!

'Tis the Season Card

Happy December! I will be embarking upon a daily blogging extravaganza to showcase a new handmade card I have made in anticipation of the Christmas season. Some cards are designed for Christmas Day...others have more of a wintry theme, but either way, sit back, grab your favorite warm beverage, and enjoy the eye candy! Be sure to stop by each day for fresh inspiration! I hope you and yours have a truly wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Supplies Used: Season of Style stack pack/washi tape/journaling tags (SU)

Let It Snow

Happy December! I will be embarking upon a daily blogging extravaganza to showcase a new handmade card I have made in anticipation of the Christmas season. Some cards are designed for Christmas Day...others have more of a wintry theme, but either way, sit back, grab your favorite warm beverage, and enjoy the eye candy! Be sure to stop by each day for fresh inspiration! I hope you and yours have a truly wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Supplies used (SU): Season of Style stack pack, Season of style journal tags, silver gemstone flourish (Michaels), poinsetta (CTMH)

Candy Cane Stripes

Happy December! I will be embarking upon a daily blogging extravaganza to showcase a new handmade card I have made in anticipation of the Christmas season. Some cards are designed for Christmas Day...others have more of a wintry theme, but either way, sit back, grab your favorite warm beverage, and enjoy the eye candy! Be sure to stop by each day for fresh inspiration! I hope you and yours have a truly wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Supplies: Wintry Wishes stamp set, (CTMH), white daisy die-cut cards (CTMH), red grosgrain ribbon (personal stash), Real red marker (SU), Season of style stack pack (SU)

Season of Style Cards

Happy December! I will be embarking upon a daily blogging extravaganza to showcase a new handmade card I have made in anticipation of the Christmas season. Some cards are designed for Christmas Day...others have more of a wintry theme, but either way, sit back, grab your favorite warm beverage, and enjoy the eye candy! Be sure to stop by each day for fresh inspiration! I hope you and yours have a truly wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Supplies used: Season of Style stack pack and journaling tags (SU), Silver glitter trim (CTMH), white daisy die cut cards (CTMH), silver gem flourish (Michael's), foam tape

Paisley Christmas Cards

Happy December! I will be embarking upon a daily blogging extravaganza to showcase a new handmade card I have made in anticipation of the Christmas season. Some cards are designed for Christmas Day...others have more of a wintry theme, but either way, sit back, grab your favorite warm beverage, and enjoy the eye candy! Be sure to stop by each day for fresh inspiration! I hope you and yours have a truly wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Supplies used: Green paisley and brown floral patterned paper (SU), Ruby cardstock and ink (CTMH), Frosted WOTG stamp set (CTMH), round durable studs (CTMH), Olive ink (CTMH), round epoxy gems (CTMH)

Washi Tape Wonders

Happy December! I am currently embarking upon a daily blogging extravaganza to showcase a new handmade card I have made in anticipation of the Christmas season. Some cards are designed for Christmas Day...others have more of a wintry theme, but either way, sit back, grab your favorite warm beverage, and enjoy the eye candy! Be sure to stop by each day for fresh inspiration!  I hope you and yours have a truly wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Supplies used: Season of Style washi tape (set of 3, SU), Season of Style stack pack (SU), glitter adhesive gems and silver baker's twine (CTMH), stamped sentiment CTMH Year Round Cheer in black ink

Chevron Journal

Remember this post from last month?  Well, I left off these chevron shapes off the cards from the SU Paper Pumpkin kit and glued them on this canvas journal to make a trendy little gift for my sister-in-law.  I also used a button from the kit, too.  Supplies used: Noted backgrounds stamp (CTMH, retired) in slate ink, seriously stamp/dots/ink splatter stamps in outdoor denim ink from various SU Paper Pumpkin kits, red baker's twine (SU), canvas journal (CTMH).  Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!