Card Revisited

Card Revisited

The previously shared quick card can be just as lovely in a color as it is in black and white. Today I made the card in olive green on white and put the knot near the bottom instead of the top.

I hope you'll enjoy this version!

Materials

• Paper and Cardstock
• White cardstock; a standard card plus a piece 4" x 5 1/4"
• Post-it notes to be used as a mask
• Stamps
• Gina K Studio floral stamps of choice
• Small sentiment stamp of choice
• Inks and Embossing Powders
• Olive green dye ink
• Embellishments
• Olive ribbon, 1/4" side, about 12" long

Instructions

• Follow the instructions for the previous post, substituting olive green ink for black.
• Prior to mounting the white panel to the card front, gently and carefully rub the edges of the panel on the ink pad to lightly ink the edges.
  This will provide additional contrast between the two panels.
  
  
  
• Don't forget to add stamped images to the inside of the card, too!
  
  
  

A Quick Hello in Black and White

A Quick Hello in Black and White

Because I like to do more complicated cards, especially kinetic cards, people seem to think that is ALL that I like to do, but in reality, quick and easy cards are something I love, too. I really love a card that is clean and simple, perhaps even bordering on elegant. And I especially love a card I can put together in just a few minutes that still looks like I fussed over it.

I also seriously love the beauty of black and white cards. There is something about the stark contrast that appeals to me. I have rarely seen a black and white card that didn't appeal to me.

Here is a quick card (seriously, under 10 minutes) made with one stamp set, black ink, and a piece of ribbon. This basic card idea can be used for nearly any occasion; just change up the stamps and sentiment... it is one of my "go to" cards, for those occasions that sneak up on me that demand a great card when I don't have a lot of time.

Materials

• Paper and Cardstock
• white cardstock (5 1/2" x 8 1/2", folded to make a standard card, and 5 1/4" x 4")
• Post-it™ Notes, for masking
• Stamps
• Stampendous Clear Stamps, Dotty Daisy
• Inks and Embossing Powders
• Versafine Ink Pad, Onyx Black
• Embellishments
• Gross-grain Ribbon, 1/2" width, Black, about 15 inches
• Small Rhinestones, Clear, such as those available in Kaiser's Rhinestone strips
• Tools
• black marker (I like Sharpie Markers because they don't bleed through)
• Adhesive of choice

Instructions

• Mask off about 1 1/2" on one side of the 4" x 5 1/4" panel using Post-it™ notes.
• Stamp the large flower stamp somewhat randomly on the uncovered portion of the panel, making sure to stamp off the edges and onto the mask.
• Stamp the dotted swirl between the stamped flowers, also being sure to go off the edges.
• Use the black marker to fill in with more dots right up to the flowers.
  Cover the area as desired.
  
  Please note: the picture below shows the stamped area on the right; I stamp the panel UPSIDE-DOWN because I find it easier to have the area I am stamping on my right than on my left. The area being stamped will be on the LEFT side of the card!
  
  
  
• Remove the mask.
• Tie the black ribbon around the panel, aligning it at the edge of the stamping.
  Apply a little adhesive if needed to hold in place.
• Stamp the sentiment at an angle at the lower right corner of the panel.
• On the inside of the main card, at the bottom of the right side, stamp two of the smaller flowers and some swirls.
  Fill in dots as needed to fill in the card.
  
  
  
• Affix the card panel centered on the front of the card.
  
  
  
• Add a tiny rhinestone to the center of each of the large flowers.

Four Purses Card

Four Purses

This card is based on a card by Lis Whiting. When I first saw her card I fell in love with the little purses, and knew I just had to make a card like it. I was inspired! Unfortunately, though, I couldn't find the little purse stickers so I decided to make my own. I used a variety of punches and materials I had on hand to make my version of the card (Totally CASEd from hers!)

My card is monochramatic in pink; I have a loved one who is battling stage 4 breast cancer, and the card is for her. The next time I make a card like this, though, I will probably try the wonderful color scheme from Lis's card.

Materials

• Paper and Cardstock
• Bazzill Blossom
• White cardstock scraps
• I used pink papers by Mellissa Frances and Daisy D's. Use patterned paper of your choice.
• Embellishments
• Small pieces of narrow ribbon and or floss.
• Assorted mini-brads
• Prima Sprites 2, Fuchsia
• Pink Ribbon, 1/4" width, about 12"
• Punches
•       NOTE: These are the punches I used, but many other punches would be suitable. Experiment!
• EK Success Slim Line Large Punch, Real Estate Sign
• EK Success Whale of a punch, scalloped tag
• EK Success Whale of a punch, Circle, 1 3/4"
• EK Success Whale of a punch, Square, 1 3/8"
• EK Success New Style Medium Punch, Scallop Circle, 1"
• Martha Stewart Medium Punch, Scalloped Circle, 1"
• EK Success Circle Punch, 1/2"
• EK Success Circle Punch, 3/4"
• Fiskars 1/16" Circle Hand Punch
• Cutting Tools
• Fiskars Portable Trimmer
• Cutter Honey Bee Scissors
• Adhesives
• 3D Large Circle Foam Dots
• Glue Dots, Mini Size

Instructions

• Tie a bow in the center of the piece of ribbon.
  Set aside.
• Cut a 5 1/2"x11"piece of the Bazzill cardstock.br Scor and fold at 5 1/2" (in landscape orientation) to make a 5 1/2"x5 1/2" square card.
  
• Cut four pieces of the Bazzill cardstock, each 2 1/4"x2 1/4".
  Set aside.
• Cut four pieces of a lighter toned patterned paper to 2 1/8"x2 1/8".
  Mount these onto the reserved Bazzill squares.
  Set aside.
• Cut four pieces of a darker toned patterned paper to 2"x2".
  Mount onto the the reserved squares.
  Set aside.
• Cut a 5 1/4" square piece of the lighter toned paper used above.
  Center the bow on the front of this paper, and wrap the ends around to the back of the paper and glue or tape into place.
  Mount the paper onto the front of the card.
• Mount the four squares onto the front of the card.
  Set the card aside.
• Create the four purses.
• Punch a Real Estate Sign out of a striped patterned paper.
  Fold it in half.
  
  
  
  Use a small piece of foam tape to seal the open edge.
  Trim the fold edge as shown.
  
  
  Trim the other side the same way.
  The main purse is formed.
  Punch a scalloped tag out of white cardstock.
  
  
  Align the bottom of the tag with the open edge of the back of the purse piece and glue into place.
  Fold the top of the tag over the fold edge of the purse to form a flap.
  
  
  Attach a small loop of ribbon or fiber to the fold of the scalloped tag.
  
  
  Affix the flap to the purse with a glue dot.
  Punch a 1/16" hole in the tip of the flap.
  Add a square mini-brad through the hole.
  
  
  
  The first purse is done.
• Punch a square of one of the brighter papers.
  
  
  
  Fold up about 1/4 of the bottom edge of the square.
  Affix that folded piece to the back with some foam tape, forming the purse body.
  
  
  Punch a 1" Scallop Circle out of white cardstock.
  
  
  
  Fold the scallop circle in half and center on the top edge of the purse body.
  Affix the scallop to the back of the purse body.
  Trim the purse body from the lower corners to the edges of the scalloped flap.
  
  
  
  Prepare a handle by punching first a 1/2" circle out of white cardstock.
  Punch a ring by punching a 3/4" circle on the white cardstock, ccentered around the hole left by the first punch.
  Cut the ring in half.
  
  
  
  Attach the half circle to the back of the purse body to form the handle.
  
  
  
  Affix the front of the flap to the body of the purse with a glue dot.
  Punch a 1/16" hole centered near the edge of the flap.
  Attach a circle mini-brad through the hole.
  
  
  
  The second purse is done.
• Punch a large circle out of a light-toned patterned paper.
  
  
  
  On the wrong side of the circle, fold in two sides about 1/4" each.
  
  
  
  Use a small piece of foam tape to affix one of the folded panels to the back; affix the other flap with glue of choice.
  Create a ring of a darker toned patterned paper by double punching with the 1/2" and 3/4" punches (described in more detail in purse II.)
  Punch a scallop circle out of white card-stock.
  Fold the circle in half.
  Make small slits along the fold in the circle.
  Pass the ring through the slits in the circle.
  
  
  
  
  Glue the scallop circle in place.
  
  
  
  Punch three 1/16" holes near the purse edge of the scallop circle and insert three mini flower brads.
  
  
  
  The third purse is finished.
• Punch a large circle out of double sided printed paper.
  
  
  
  
  With the lighter toned side up, fold over about a third of the circle to form a flap.
  Trim off a portion of one side.
  Use the cut piece to help guide your cut from the other side, making sure they match.
  
  
  
  Crochet a 1 1/4"chain from some ebroidery floss.
  
  
  
  Punch two 1/16" holes near the fold, but toward the front of the purse.
  Use a floss threader to pass the ends of the floss through the holes.
  
  
  
  Attach the ends of the floss to the inside of the purse flap with a small piece of tape.
  Curl the flap slightly around the end of the crochet hook or other small cylindrical object, and affix the flap with a glue dot.
  
  
  
  Punch a 1/16" hole in the edge of the flap. Attach a small star brad through the hole.
  
  
  
  The fourth purse is finished.
• Add a purse to the center of each of the four squares on the card with a 3-d foam dot.
• Stack two Prima flowers together with a brad in their centers.
  Affix the flower to the center of the card with a 3-D foam dot.
  
  
  

Another Magic-Lid Box!

I have another Magic Lid Box... but in a very different size. I hope you'll enjoy it.

Magic-Lid Pencil Box

I ran out of patterned papers that coordinate with the projects I shared this week, but I wanted to do ONE last item that would match all the other things I created. So I opted to make my OWN patterned paper using a hydrangea stamp and coordinating inks. The stamp added a lot of texture to the print and the colors were exactly what I wanted. Keep this trick in mind when you want to create something... plain white cardstock is something most crafters have a lot of on hand, and inks and stamps can turn it into the perfect "designer" cardstock!

Materials

• Paper and Cardstock
• White cardstock, 4 1/4" x 11"
• Stamps
• Penny Black Clear Stamps, Allegra, Hydrangea
• Distress Inks
• Broken China
• Milled Lavender
• Dusty Concord
• Embellishments
• About 15 inches of white organza ribbon
• Tools
• Score-Pal
• 3" round hydra sponge
• Adhesives
• Red-liner tape (or other very strong double-sided adhesive), 1/8" width

Instructions

• With the 4 1/4" x 11" cardstock in landscape orientation, score at 2".
  
  
  
• Mask over the 2" portion of the cardstock with piece of paper (a Post-it Note works GREAT for this.)
  
  
  
• Stamp the hydrangea randomly all over the remainder of the cardstock, varying the inks as desired.
  For this particular project I decided to leave no gaps between the stamped images, but you can stamp it however YOU want... it is your designer paper!
  
  
  
  Remove the mask.
  
  
  
• Flip the paper over so the back side is up.
  Mask the back side so the 2" portion is exposed but the rest is protected.
  Sponge the 2" portion with the Broken China ink.
  
  
  
  Remove the mask.
  
  
  
• In landscape orientation, score the cardstock at 1" and 1 1/2", and then at 10 1/2".
  
  In portrait orientation, score the cardstock at 1", 2", 3" and 4".
  
• Cut off the small rectangle at the bottom right of the piece (this piece will be 1/2" x 1/4".)
  Reserve the piece to use to aid in measuring the placement of the triangular cut-out pieces.
  
  Cut vertically on the 4 score lines across the bottom of the cardstock, up to the horizontal score line which is 1/2" from the bottom edge.
  
  Working with the side that is mostly white up, mountain fold on the score line that is at the 1 1/2" mark.
  Using the cut out piece, measure and mark 1/2" from each of the score lines along the fold line.
  
  
  
• With a straight-edge, draw a diagonal line from the marks to the intersection of the two score lines and along the score line, as shown.
  
  
  (Note that the last triangle, at the 1/4" tab, gets marked horizontally to the edge instead of to the fold.)
• Cut along the drawn lines.
  
  
  
• Open up the piece.
  With the wrong side still up, valley fold on all of the the long score lines.
  Valley fold all the shorter score-lines except the one at 1"; mountain fold that one.
  
• Apply red liner tape to the long 1/4" tab on the print side, right next to the fold.
  
  
  
• Remove the red liner from the tape and align the edge of the cardstock with the fold so that a squared tube is formed.
  Apply red liner tape to the edges of the first and third bottom tabs on the inside of the tube.
  Fold in the second and fourth tabs.
  Remove the red liner from the tape.
  Fold in the first and third tabs, pressing to adhere to the other two tabs, and forming the box bottom.
• Apply red-liner tape to the outside of the 1/4" flap at the top of the box.
  Forming the lid of the box around the rest of the box, carefully align the edge of the lid with the fold of the tab.
  
  
  
• Press onto the red liner tape to finish the lid.
  
  
  
• Tie a ribbon around the lid with a bow.
  The box is finished and measures 1" square by 8 1/2" tall when closed.
  
  
  

This box is a great way to give small, long items such as pens or pencils, crochet hooks, a tire guage, etc. I hope you'll give it a try.

Smiles,
Kathy

Card Organizer/Matchbox Calendar

NOTE: The cardstock I am using in these two projects is pearlescent with a great deal of sparkle... it doesn't photograph well, but does look great in person... and it coordinates with the papers used this week for the CD Folder album, the Seed Pocket, and the Magic Box.)

Card Organizer

This organizer is a great way to keep track of those special days throughout the year and get your cards made early so you don't miss any! With 12 pockets, one for each month, you'll have plenty of space to put them as you get them made and keep track of them until it is time to mail them.

Materials

• Paper and Cardstock

• 8 sheets of 12" x 12" Pearlescent Blue cardstock
• 2 pieces of poster board or lightweight card board, each 6" x 8"
• Scraps of paper and cardstock to coordinate with pearlescent cardstock
• Two pieces of patterned paper, 3/4" x 8" each
• One piece of patterned paper, 3 1/4" x 3 1/4"
• One piece of cardstock about 2" x 3", for punching tag

Embellishments

• K&Co Cottage Garden dimensional stickers, Hydrangeas
• About 18" of white organza ribbon
• 1" binder coil for Bind-it-All (I used white)

Tools

• Scor-Pal or Scor-buddy     (
• Tag punch
• Bind-It-All
• Purple fine-tipped marker
• Crop-a-Dile (I used it only as a hole punch)
• Wire cutters for cutting binding coil

Ahesive

• Tape gun or other glue of choice

Instructions

• Cut two piece of the cardstock into two 6" x 8 " pieces each.
  Glue these to the front and back of the two pieces of poster board to form the covers.
  Add the strip of patterned paper along the binding edge.
  Set aside.
  
  
  
• Score each of the remaining pieces of cardstock at 4".
  
  
  
• Fold each piece on the score lines.
  Place the fold against the top of the Scor-Pal.
  
  
  
  
• Score each piece at 6".
  Fold each piece on the score line.
  
  
  These are the pages of the organizer.
• Put the Bind-it-All on "D" for punching pages.
  Place each page into the Bind-it-All punch, one page at a time with the bottom fold closest to the edge of the machine, and with the open end down in the machine.
  
  
  
  Punch the page.
  
• Turn the page so the bottom fold is outside of the machine, but the open end is still down in the machine; punch again.
  
  
  
• Punch the covers on the edges with the patterned fabric in the same manner (do NOT move the setting from "D".)
• Make a stack of the pages.
  Place the front cover on top of the pages, right side up.
  Plave the back cover on top of the front cover with the right side against the front cover (down).
  Align the punched holes.
• Cut two 6-coil pieces off of the binder coil.
• Put one of the coil pieces through the punched holes from the cover side of the stack.
  Bind in the Bind-It-All according to manufacturer's instructions.
  
  
  
• Cut out each of the month's from the organizer blank (I used the one I found HERE rather than re-invent the wheel.
  Affix one of the organizer calendar blank pages to each of the pockets in the organizer book.
  
  
  
• Affix the ribbon to the front of the organizer so it can tie around the center of the organizer.
  Adhere the square of patterned paper to the front, diagonally, over the ribbon.
  Adhere the hydrangea dimensional stickers over the diagonal square.
• Make a small tag using the plain cardstock scrap and the punch.
  Punch a hole in the tag.
  Neatly print "Card Organizer" on the tag with the purple marker.
  Add a small tail of ribbon to the tag, through the hole.
  Attach the tag to the hydrangeas with a foam dot.
• Tie the organizer closed with a bow in the ribbon.

My second project for today is a very quick and easy Matchbox Calendar.

Matchbox Calendar

This project is a wonderful way to use up scraps of patterned paper or cardstock. Perfect for the purse, these calendars are very quick and easy to make, and are a wonderful little gift for a friend.

Materials

• Paper and Cardstock

• Scrap of Pearlescent Blue cardstock, Cut to 2 3/4" x 5 3/4"

Embellishments

• K&Co Cottage Garden dimensional stickers, Irises
• About 6" of white organza ribbon, tied in a bow

Tools

• Scor-Bug or similar tool
• Scor-Pal or Scor-buddy
• Stapler with standard staples

Instructions

• Download this Calendar Blank (in PDF format) and print it.
  (Note: this is a 2011 calendar. Updated calendars can be found here: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
  
  Cut out each of the months along the solid lines.
• Using a Scor-bug or similar tool on the Scor-Buddy, perforate each of the calendar pages at 1 3/4" from the top edge, as shown.
  
  <! photo of scor-bug />
  
• Stack the calendar pages in order, with January on top (I use a little adhesive near the bottom edge of each page to hold them together.)
  Set aside.
• Score the piece (in landscape orientation) at 3/4", 3 1/2", and 3 2/3" (the triangle on the Scor-Buddy.)
  Valley fold each of the scores.
  
  
  
• Place the stack of calendar pages inside the smallest fold.
  Staple the pages in place with a single staple, as shown in the following photo.
  
  <! photo of stack stapled into place />
  
• Tuck the edge of the matchbook lid under the lip of the stapled end and set aside.
• Attach two Irises to the matchbox lid.
  Attach the bow to the matchbox lip, over the staple.
  
  
  
• The Matchbox Calendar is done.
  
  
  

Here are the two projects re-visited:

 I hope you have enjoyed your visit with me this week. I don't post this regularly as a rule... just on occasion (I have a couple of jobs that keep me pretty busy, plus I am recovering from ACL reconstruction surgery, which means LOTS of therapy), but I hope that when I do find time to create again, you'll come by for a visit and leave me a note. A Smiles,
Kathy