Stair Step Easel Birthday Card

My "baby" has a birthday last week, so I made her this pretty stair step easel birthday card with the Wildflower Birthday DSP, Arched Wishes stamp set, and Everyday Arches dies.

To create this stair step card, I began with a 4-1/4"x 12" piece of cardstock that I scored at 1-1/4", 2-1/2", 4-1/4", 6", and 9". then folded as shown.

Next, I attached a 4-1/4"x5-1/4" piece of coordinating cardstock to the front of the back fold to create the tall back panel.  You could certainly use a contrasting color if you prefer.  Embellish as desired.  (I added 4" wide strips to the front small panels: two 4"x1" and one 1-3/4"x4".) 

Instead of coloring in the cupcake, I paper pieced it on other pieces of the Wildflower Birthday DSP suite.  The pretty flower and leaf accent was from the included die cuts.  I added several Party Dots to finish off the card.

I decorated the back with the Arched Wishes stamp set and then wrote my message on the inside of that fold.  That way, she can stand the card on her desk (if she'd like) without sharing the entire message.

I think this card helped her feel special since we weren't able to be with her on her day (though we did already celebrate together early)!

July Technique Blog Hop: Interactive Elements

This month's technique blog hop features interactive elements.  (Think: I like to move it, move it!)  Be sure to visit everyone on the hop for some fabulous ideas!  (If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Wendy's blog.  From here, you'll visit Melissa's blog next.)

Since my husband and I recently celebrated our 26th anniversary AND we are RVing out West, I knew that I had to make a pretty special card.  The Wander Cardmaking stamp set and Thin Cuts were what I had to use with the limited supplies that I brought with me, and they were perfect!  (I was inspired by a card I found on Pinterest HERE but put my own twist on the design.)

After inking the sentiment up in Toffee, Sapphire, and Evergreen, I stamped it onto White Daisy cardstock and then used a Wander Die Cuts frame and arrow to highlight the "belly band" sentiment.  I fussy cut the s'mores stamp after stamping with Toffee ink.

Here's a closeup of the mountains inked up in Mink and Evergreen plus the river inked up in Glacier and Sapphire then brushed with Clear and Sapphire shimmer brushes.

If you're interested in creating a similar card, here are the specs: I stared with an Evergreen 4.25"x5.5" panel.  I then cut two Evergreen pieces that were 5.5"x5" and scored at 4.25" (to make a 4.25"x5.5" panel with a tab).  Next, I cut from the scored line to .75" from the bottom of the opposite edge.  Finally, I adhered the "wings" to the back of the base panel.

Finally, for the center panel, I cut a piece of White Daisy cardstock 4"x5.25" and a piece of Wander patterned paper at 4"x6".  I folded the excess across the top to make a tab to adhere the Wander paper to the White Daisy base.

I had a lot of fun creating the mountain scenes on the "wings" and then the little camper scene on the center panel.  After Thin Cutting the trees, I sponged them with Sage and Evergreen inks respectively and stamped the center images in the same colors.  After stamping the camper in Sapphire, I fussy cut it and then colored the wheels and hitch with my black journaling pen.  It may not show very well, but I painted the pond with clear shimmer brush so that it shines in the "moonlight."

I inked the sentiment in Toffee and Sapphire, and then inked the campfire in Sundance and Toffee to create my final sentiment for our anniversary card.

My husband was pretty impressed with his anniversary card!  Here we are at (windy!) Yellowstone Canyon on our anniversary.

Here's to 26 years!

Thanks for letting me share my interactive anniversary card with you!  Please leave a comment before you hop on over to Melissa's blog next to continue the July Interactive Elements Technique Hop.

Heart2Heart Challenges: Slimline Cards

 Slimeline cards are all the rage again, so this week's Heart2Heart Challenge is to make one and share with us.  The typical slimline card measures 8"x3.5", but as long as yours is long and skinny then you can join (plus use some CTMH products)!

I had fun using the Happiness Lives Here paper collection, Blue Belle glitter paper, and my Fancy Borders Thin Cuts to make the wavy edge.  

To make sure that both layers matched, I layered my thinner glitter paper piece on top of the patterned paper and then die cut them together.  My die wasn't long enough to cut the entire length, so I lined the die up for the second cut as best that I could, knowing that I would cover the seam or gap with my sentiment.

I stamped the sentiment panel in Blue Belle with the Sentiments by Melissa Esplin stamp set.  A few Blue Belle glitter gems finished off this simple card nicely.

Now it's your turn!  Be sure to create a slimline card using something from CTMH and join us before the end of January.  You can find inspiration and link up HERE.

November Stamp of the Month Side Stair Step Card

This card was a lot of fun to make!  You definitely want to have a paper trimmer to make it.  (I taught this side stair step card to my VIP Facebook group.)

I used the November stamp of the month, You Warm My Heart, paired with the Serenity paper collection.  I used the color of the year, Blue Belle, with Sapphire and Toffee inks and cardstock, plus gold shimmer trim, Blue Belle glitter paper, and a gold glitter gem.

Here's a side view so you can see the different angles and layers.

I'm adding this card to the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #422 Tic-Tac-Toe Serenity color palette, column 1.

The Pretty of Paper-Piecing Technique Blog Hop

This month's technique blog hop, the Pretty of Paper-Piecing, was honestly a challenge for me!  I think you're going to learn a lot along this month's hop.  (If you're already hopping then you've probably arrived from Lauren's blog.  From here, you'll visit Darlys next.)

My project might not be what you were expecting when you thought of paper-piecing.  While I was struggling for ideas, I turned to Pinterest (of course), and all of the paper-piecing projects were for quilts.  One thought led to another, and I decided to create a sunburst card.

I used strips of scraps from my Summer Vibes collection.  As you can see below, the pieces behind the focal sentiment are a hot mess.  I maybe should have trimmed them a little more at an angle (less rectangular and more triangular), and I wish that I had added some gold shimmer trim.  The thing is, because I was using scraps, there's really no way for me to make it again unless I start cutting up big pieces of paper.

For the focal sentiment, from the July Stamp of the Month, For My Beautiful Friend, I first inked up the sentiment in Lemonade, then Smoothie, and the Candy Apple before stamping it on the White Daisy rectangle.  Even the Smoothie mat was a scrap that I cut down a bit.

Here's another quick card that used paper piecing for the focal sun.  I stamped it first in Lemonade, then again on scrap in Black.  I cut out the Black circle center and adhered it to the Lemonade sun.

Thanks for letting me share some quick & easy paper-piecing projects with you.  After leaving a comment, hop on over to Darlys's blog to continue.

Happy 22nd Birthday!

Our older daughter turned 22 on Sunday!  My, does time fly!  We celebrated with a small family gathering, and here is the card that I made for her.

I was on a shaker card kick!  Our shaker kits make it so much easier to make a fun, interactive card.  I knew that she would love the colors and this patterned paper from the Stitched Together collection.  I followed a Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 4 sketch for the design.

After adhering the floral B&T to the peach B&T, I used my largest circle Thin Cut die to cut out the window.  I stamped the birthday sentiment from my Just Saying stamp set in Sapphire and then added the little hearts from the (retired) May stamp of the month, Time to Celebrate.

The next step was to carefully add the clear window and shaker kit 3D foam ring to the back of the front panel. I added a sprinkle of retired sequins that matched well and mini silver star confetti (available now) to the card front, and lots of foam tape squares from the shaker window kit to raise the entire panel off of the card front.

I carefully placed the panel on the card front.  Finally, I fussy cut a ladybug from a scrap of that beautiful floral paper and then created a bow with pieces of the Sweet Leaf zip strip.

I stamped the "Full of Beauty" stamp on the inside.

Thanks for letting me share her birthday card with you!

I'm linking this card up to the Color My Heart Color Dare #398- Tic Tac Toe, and I used all of the colors!  (Aren't they pretty?!?)

Color Dare #398

May Stamp of the Month: Time to Celebrate

The May stamp of the month is a great set of sentiments that you can use year round.  Join this blog hop for great ideas!  {If you're already hopping, then you've probably arrived from Krista's blog.  From here, you'll visit Janet next.}

I made this double-easel fold card for our daughter's 19th birthday (tutorial info below) using the new Aurora paper pack. 

The balloon shaker window was supposed to highlight the gorgeous northern lights paper but didn't do that as well as I had hoped.  I stamped the sentiment in Sapphire.  I wish you could see how pretty the Lagoon clear acrylic arrow is in person!

Here you can see the main front panel with the folded part pulled down.  I drew the balloon string and then added Sapphire crochet thread "bow."  Don't you live the silver star confetti in the balloon shaker window?

I framed the inside panel with more of the northern lights pattern and stamped the sentiment in Sapphire and Evergreen.

If you're not interested in the tutorials, I'd love for you to scroll to the bottom to leave a comment and then go visit Janet's blog next on the hop.

To create the double-easel fold card, I started with a piece of 4-1/4"x11" Evergreen cardstock that I folded in half to make a top-fold card.  (You can enlarge the photo below to see the pieces and dimensions also.)  The front folded panel is a piece of 4"x10-1/4" Sapphire cardstock scored at 5" and 2-1/2".  The patterned paper was 3-3/4"x7-1/4" that I cut into two pieces, 3-3/4"x5" and 3-3/4"x2-1/4".

For the Sapphire panel, fold the "middle" score up in a valley fold and the smaller piece down in a mountain fold.  If you're not making the shaker "balloon," then don't cut the circle out of the patterned paper front panel.

I thought I would use a balloon Cricut cut for my birthday balloon but didn't like any of my choices.  Instead, I used a circle Thin Cut placed where I wanted the balloon to float.  On the Sapphire base, I added a square of the northern lights paper that I used Sapphire, clear, and Wisteria shimmer brushes on to add more sparkle.

Because our shaker window foam and acetate kits are much larger than I needed, I used the next larger circle Thin Cut and cut the size I needed from the original acetate circle. At first I thought the acetate had cracked, but when I peeled off the clear film backing, it was perfect!  Next, I placed my cutout circle where the window should be and then built my circle of 3D foam tape to contain the glitter around the cutout.

Next, I removed the cutout circle guide, peeled off the foam tape backing, added in the silver mini star confetti, and adhered the acetate circle.  Finally, after drawing the balloon string, I added the front decorative panel over the window.  (Next time- if there is one- I will use foam tape across the top of the panel to help offset the depth of the balloon.)

Thank you for letting me share a part of our daughter's quarantine 19!  Thank you in advance for taking the time to leave a comment before you hop on over to Janet's blog to continue the May Time to Celebrate blog hop.

{Click HERE for all the hop participants and their blogs.}

Tuxedo Fold Birthday Card

My sweet mother-in-law recently celebrated her birthday, and since we couldn't spend it with her, I decided to make an extra-special card for her.  I fell in love with the tuxedo fold card, and this is what I made for her.

It even folds flat for mailing.

I used the Celebrate Today collection and my CTMH/Cricut Artistry collection for the cuts.  I had fun embellishing the die cuts with various shimmer brushes.  (I don't love the Sappphire shimmer on Bluebird card stock, but what is done is done.)  I added a few white enamel dots for some dimension.

Honestly, this card was a challenge to make!  I watched a great video tutorial HERE, but it turns out I didn't have the correct card stock measurements.  The third try was a charm!  Then, my pop ups didn't work quite as well as I had hoped, but they're still pretty cute.  If you'd like to learn how, I'm adding a photo tutorial below.  I'd love a comment!

Begin with a piece of 8.25"x12" card stock for your card base.  (I chose Lemonade).  Score vertically at 2-3/4", 5.5", 8-1/4", and 11"

Turn your card stock 90 degrees.  On the left side (based on this view), mark at 2-3/4" and then score the first section only at 5.5"  On the opposite side (the right side in this view), score the 1" panel only at 5.5" and then score the 1" and next section at 2-3/4".  Now make the diagonal scores from the top center down to the left mark and from the top center down to the bottom right score mark.

 Cut away the top portion of the 1" section and then trim the tab at an angle (top and bottom).  The cuts are marked with Xs.

Next, cut out both top squares (first sections) and the triangles in the center sections.  These pieces are marked with Xs.

Now fold the "house" in half.  All of the vertical score marks get folded in to make the box.

Fold the triangle flap "lapels" out or down.

I forgot to include the dimensions for the cross pieces to make your pop ups, so be sure to watch the excellent video tutorial too!  Thanks for letting me share!