Card Making Wish List!

 

Today, I'm sharing my wish list -  10 crafty things I fell in love with in 2022 (and 4 cards I made using them)! What's on your wish list?

Sunflower Thanks

Congratulations to this week's Featured Stamper, Mom42Gran21.

I chose this card as my inspiration

LIST: Colours (autumn tones of orange, green, red, purple, blue, gold accents), Elements (3 flowers, leaves, stamped sentiment strip, torn edge), Techniques - blended? background

INCLUDE: colours, flowers, leaves, gold accents

MODIFY: one flower, fewer leaves, inlaid die cut, gel plate/ stencil technique on background and flower/leaves, die cut sentiment

EXCLUDE: torn edge

SPIN: Square card

This card is a a real mix of products from a number of my favourite companies. The sunflower is from A Jillian Vance Design, and I liked the outline design so much that I got out some Waffle Flower leaf dies that also have that outline.

To colour my cardstock background and inlaid pieces, I used my gel plate and some stencils. I love how the starburst stencil on the flower actually makes it look like there are more petals. And if you look closely, you can see the stencil pattern on the flower centre as well - I just blended dark brown ink over top of it so that I could retain the subtle pattern.

Throw Back Thursday - Light Up Christmas Cards

 

Today, I'm looking back to last year, when I made these very special, light-up Christmas Cards with some Birch Press Design dies and EZ lights from Pear Blossom Press. These lights don't required any kind of circuit building - just slip the battery in, tape them to your card and you're done!

If you haven't seen how EZ these lights are to use, check out my video here:

Crystal Happy Birthday

 

Congratulations to this week's Featured Stamper, Martina (Martinaskaartjes)!

I chose this card as my inspiration:

LIST: Geometric background, colours (green, purple, black), birthday die cut sentiment (Layered)

INCLUDE: geometric background, birthday card

MODIFY: added more colours (green-aqua-blue-purple), stamped sentiment, 

EXCLUDE:

SPIN: square card

I started by stamping the Birch Press Crystal Lingo slimline background twice on my square panel, using Fade Out ink and leaving a white strip in the centre.

I masked each area and blended ink into it, using Lime Rickey, Aquatini, Fiesta Blue, Suede Shoes, Flirty Fuschia. When it was all blended, I spritzed shimmer spray over it.

I finished the card with a large Waffle Flower Birthday sentiment stamped with Versafine ink.

Stained Glass Celebrate

Congratulations to this week's Featured Stamper, Cara Denise. 

I chose this card as my inspiration:

LIST: Stained glass, flower, colours (yellow, pink, purple, red, blue), stamped sentiment, dry embossing on the background

INCLUDE: stained glass, flower, some of the colours (blue, purple, yellow, green)

MODIFY: combined the stained glass and floral element, die cut sentiment

EXCLUDE: flower embellishment, dry embossing

SPIN: square card, 

I started by stamping the geometric Crystal Lingo stamp onto white cardstock, and embossing with clear powder. I then cut it with the top layer of the Lotus die set (with the narrowest outlines). I also cut the lotus from black cardstock and inlaid it into another white panel. Then I blended ink onto each piece of the die cut and laid it into the black die cut outline.

Negative Die Cut Techniques

Today, I have a new video showing how I used 4 negative die cut techniques to make 2 positively amazing cards!

Simple Birthday

Here's another simple birthday card, this time for my sister. I often gravitate to a circle-on-square layout - I love the symmetry and simplicity of it. But simple doesn't have to be boring.

I used the Birch Press Radial Circles die to add some interest and movement to my gray background, and the circle has a full rainbow of colour blended softly onto the edges, and fading toward the centre to give a dimensional, bubbly feel to it.

I left the sentiment very simple so that the colours can be the star of this card.

Christmas Star

 Congratulations to this week's Featured Stamper, France Martin.

I chose this card as my inspiration:

LIST: solid coloured background with stars, big star focal point, sentiment banner, white cardbase

INCLUDE: dark background, star

MODIFY: technique, colour, star shape

EXCLUDE: Sentiment

SPIN: Sparkle

This card has a long story behind it. It (and many others!) was made to be donated to a retirement home in my locked-down city, to people who won't be able to go out to family or have family visit them over the holidays.

I started with some old Stampin' Up Pacific Point cardstock and I blended Suede Shoes ink on the top and bottom. Then I spritzed it with some Brushed Pewter Distress stain.

I cut a Simon Says Stamp star from silver glitter cardstock and glued it in the centre of this very simple card.

I made some other designs as well:

Here's a video with the story of this last-minute Christmas cheer project:

12 Tags in less than 12 Minutes!

 

Like last year,  I made a quick video of highlights of how I made my 12 Tags of Christmas for 2020!

If you want details, please scroll back through my recent blog posts and you'll be able to find lots more information.

Snowflake Gift Set

Head to the Birch Press Design blog today to see how I made this co-ordinating gift set!

Embossed Backgrounds

 I'm on the Birch Press Design blog today with these shiny Christmas cards! I hope you'll check it out!

Joy, Peace, Love

I'm on the Birch Press Design blog today with this simple, but spectacular, graphic Christmas card!

25 Days of Christmas Tags 2020 - Day 11

Welcome to Day 11 of this year's 25 Days of Christmas Tags event. All the details can be found here on Tracey's blog.

Today's sponsor is Birch Press Design.

I started by creating my tag with some blue foil paper from the Polished Foil pad. Then I laid the Pinpoint Radial Circles die over top and created the pattern on my tag background. I backed the foil onto some black cardstock for studiness.

Then I created my snowflake with the 3 layers of Frosty Flakes dies. The top and bottom layer are white and the middle layer is the same blue foil.

The reflective foil gives this tag a real retro look and a ton of reflection!

Changing Seasons

I'm on the Birch Press Design blog today with some ideas for getting more from the Christmas Ornament and Labels stamp set!

Using Square Stencils with Stencils 360

 

I'm on the Birch Press Design blog with cards I made with two different methods for turning your stencils!

Multi-shaker Thank You Card

 

I'm on the Birch Press Design blog today with this pretty multi-shaker card using the new Cora Layering die set!

Autumn Wreath Card (and VIdeo!)

I'm on the Birch Press Design blog today with this fall wreath card that I made with a Christmas die set (and it's on sale right now for less than half price - link below!)

Using Dies All Year Long

Congratulations to this week's Featured Stamper, Mary (MaryEB).

I chose this card as my inspiration:



I focused on:
-Christmas theme
-offset layered die cut

I changed:
-star to snowflake
-colours
-background technique

This snowflake is actually made from two triangle Christmas tree dies from Spellbinders. I cut two from white cardstock, and used Distress Spray in Pewter to splatter some shine on them.

I created a blue watercolour wash background and then spritzed it with Tonic Sparkle Spray.

I offset the two tree dies to create this loopy snowflake, and then added some Pearl White jewels from Pretty Pink Posh.

This card is one of 6 I made for my latest video, which is a collaboration with Jenny Colacicco, showing how to use any of your dies at any time of year!

Going Over the Edge

I love my 4.25" square card format, but was a bit stumped about how to use this new Thanks die which is longer than the card. Then I remembered it doesn't have to fit on the card, as long as it fits in the envelope!

More cards on the Birch Press Design blog.

Learn to Swink!

Want to learn how to swink? Head over to my YouTube channel and watch my video (and then Laurel's) for an in-depth tutorial on the fastest, easiest-ever cardmaking technique!