Apple Thank You Card Duo

Last fall I was flipping through an older paper pad and when I saw this 12x12" sheet with the apples - I decided to pull it out and make a couple of teacher appreciation cards for my stash. These ones are a full 6" square - not a size I usually make because of the additional mailing costs for a square card. Since these ones will be hand delivered to our grandkids teachers though, I decided to go ahead with that card size!

I tried to do a pop up inside this first card, and added a window in the front. I can't remember what I did to mess it up (haha) but in the end I made that (sad) little shaker to try & salvage the card. The little Bookworm is from Karen Burniston and he is just too cute. I also added some rainbow holographic cardstock to brighten up the cards since the patterned & cranberry cardstock are very dark.  Below you can see the inside of the first card.

The second card has a large die cut apple, with a stamped sentiment. For some fun, I added the apple on with an Action Wobble spring so it bobs and wobbles. I think that was probably the last time I used an Action Wobble until recently when I've pulled them out again. I seem to go in phases with those things!

Below is the inside of the second card. These two cards were the first ones I pulled out of my card bin to give our daughters for the grandkids teachers, supplemented with the ones I've made recently.

Supplies used:

Apple patterned paper - K & Co (old, I've been hoarding it)

Double Stitched Circle dies - Divinity Designs

Rainbow Holographic cardstock - Recollections

Thanks die - Crafty Meraki

Stardust Glitter Pen

Transparency

Various filler - my stash

Bookworm - Karen Burniston

Black Pen

Sakura white gel pen

Grey Topic marker

Educators Rule stamps - Altenew

Catherine Pooler Inks

Glitter Dots - Ecstasy Crafts

Peel off Border - Ecstasy Crafts

Wink of Stella

Action Wobble

Apple of My Eye stamps & dies - Trinity Stamps

Teacher sentiments - Penny Black

Twine

Four Winter Scene Cards

I hope to work on holiday cards all year long, so here are the ones I made in May.

Since I was so happy with how the die cut deer looked on the Mini Slimline cards I shared in April, I used the die again for these 5x7" holiday cards! (You can see the other cards HERE).  Of course the cards started with the pretty scenic patterned paper which I cut into 4x6" panels. They were matted with 4.25x6.25" blue cardstock and mounted to the card bases. 

I lightly placed the deer where I would want it on the card fronts, then stamped the sentiment on the front. I added the deer (which were cut from white pearl card stock) with foam tape then added a few silver snowflake stickers for some sparkle.

I stamped the same sentiment inside all four cards and added a single snowflake sticker inside. I'm so proud of myself for USING and not hoarding this pretty paper, which I bought back in early November. I just cut into four sheets (had to hold my breath, ha ha) and used it.

Supplies used:

5 x 7" card blanks and envelopes

Patterned paper - Winter Backgrounds (6 x 6"), Paper Rose

Deer - Elegant Deer, Pocket Full of Happiness

White pearl cardstock

Catherine Pooler inks

Sentiment - Christmas Classics, Stampin' Up

Snowflake Peel-Offs - Stamp On It

Inside - Wonderful Christmas, Waffle Flower

School Themed Sheetload of Cards

I have a note in my planner to make the grandkids their 'Back To School' cards in May. While the end of August sounds like it's a long way off, past experience reminds me how busy things get in the summer and I don't want to be scrambling mid August trying to get those five cards made and mailed/delivered. I decided to pull out the May 2024 Sheetload of cards and some school themed papers and this is what I came up with! I do have a YouTube video as well, which you can find here:  

As I said in the video, once I got the card fronts all done and was deciding how to decorate them I chose to only make two of them into Back To School cards. I didn't want the grandkids to all get such similar cards, so the rest of them are Teacher (and teachers aid) appreciation cards.

I adhered apple stickers to white card stock & fussy cut them out so I could pop them up with foam tape. Since so many come in a package, I added one to each card front and the inside, and will probably add one to the envelopes as well. I liked the look of the stacked washi tape with the apple stickers so each card got the same thing. The kids cards are blank and the others all have a sentiment stamped inside.

Wanting them to be a little different from each other, I decorated the eight cards with four different stamps/dies/placement.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - School Days, Miss Kate Cutables

May 2024 Sheetload of Cards -  Call Me Crafty Al

Yay die - the Stamps of Life

Thank you die w/ shadow - Simply Thank You, Simon Says Says

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Label punch - Stampin' Up

Thanks stamp - Biggest Wish, Stampin' Up

Teacher Sentiments - Penny Black

Brother Label Maker

Simply Sentimental Teacher - Trinity Stamps

Apple Stickers - Amazon .ca

Washi tape - Doodlebug

Gold & Green Birthday Card

I wanted to make a card yesterday (Sunday) but my head was still a little woozy so I knew it would have to be a fairly simple one. At times like this, I know I can always make a birthday card to add to my nursing home donation bag. I tried to take a photo of the card several times, but this is one that is just way better in real life.

The embossed Happy Birthday panel was on my stamping table so I started ink blending with sponges, blue & green inks. Then I spied my jar of gold Lunar Paste and thought I'd try ty rub it over the embossed surface. It actually looks quite good in real life, not muddy and blotchy as it does in the photos.

The panel was trimmed and matted with gold and then I added the Happy Birthday which was die cut from the same gold and popped up with foam tape.

Inside I added a white panel that was wrapped with narrow gold tape, matted with the same gold as used on the card front then a sentiment stamped inside.

I thought I'd like to make a Slimline card, or a Father's Day card but a holiday Slimline paper pad caught my eye and I started working on a Christmas card instead. My head is better again today, so I will try to get those finished and then I'd better get moving on Father's Day.

Supplies used:

Embossing Folder - old, likely Sizzix

Blending Brushes - Taylored Expressions

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Gold Lunar Paste

Gold foil card stock - Recollections

Happy Birthday die - Penny Black

Narrow gold tape - Amazon .ca

Inside stamp - Lots of Birthday2Stamp, the Stamps of Life

Music Themed Half Shutter Card

This was supposed to be a post for Fun Fold Friday on my blog, but holy smokes - hubby and I got our second Shingles vaccine Thursday afternoon and it sent us for a tailspin (fever, chills, aches - even my HAIR hurt). I had to hold off posting until today when I can hold my head up for longer than two minutes. Other than a little achy and a sore arm at the injection site (completely normal) we both feel much better today.

This is the card I made for our youngest grandchild to give her piano teacher. Last year I made him a 5x7" Wiper Card, so I wanted to continue with a fun fold card and pulled out the Half Shutter With Layers by Divinity Designs. I love that it does all the cutting and scoring for the card base, and that the included layering dies make it so quick and easy to assemble my card.

I already had the music themed stickers - I love the nice big size of them and that they are glossy! I adhered them to white cardstock and fussy cut them out so I could pop them up with foam tape. This also helps the (thin) stickers have more stability even if just adhering right to the card or patterned paper. The polka dots on this paper are raised and they would have shown through if I had just pressed the stickers down on top of it inside of the card.

Alma has really great printing, but like most kids - it's pretty large. So I wanted lots of room for her to write a message but I didn't want a plain white panel either. Narrow gold tape to the rescue!

Supplies used:

Half Shutter card with Layers die set - Divinity Designs

Patterned paper - Garden Vignettes, My Minds Eye (OLD!)

Music note stickers - Paper House

Hexagon Crosshatch dies - Karen Burniston

Thanks stamp - Biggest Wish, Stampin' Up

Gold glitter dot stickers - Ecstasy Crafts

Narrow gold tape - Amazon .ca

Five Simple Birthday Cards

I was poking around in a drawer with patterned paper, and saw this confetti print one with the plaid on the reverse side. I decided to cut it down into panels to make birthday cards for the nursing home. 

The layout is simple, with a patterned paper panel and I used the leftover pieces for the strip across the centre. I was able to use up the whole 12x12" sheet for these cards! I stamped the Make A Wish on white cardstock scraps, then punched them out with a hexagon punch. Those pieces were adhered with foam tape then I added some sparkly glitter dot stickers on the fronts.

I have had those A2 sized green card bases for YEARS, so I was happy to use some of them up. I added a white stamped panel inside with some washi tape for colour. The tape was torn from the roll and adhered to the upper right corner with some overhang at the top edge. That overhang was tucked onto the back of the panel then the panel was adhered inside the card. That ensures that the tape doesn't lift at that top edge.

These were so quick and easy to make, I thought about not even bothering to photograph or blog them. But ... I haven't got anything else to share, so ... 😊

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Pebbles (Double sided)

Washi tape - my stash

Inside stamp - Lots of Birthday to Stamp, Stamps of Life

Make A Wish stamp - Birthday Cheer, Papertrey Ink

Glitter dot stickers - Ecstasy Crafts

Mini Misti

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Blending brushes - Taylored Expressions

Teacher's Aid Appreciation Card

 

I had to buckle down and make some time for creating, since I make our grandkids their Teacher Appreciation cards. This one is for Olivia's aid, there is a different card for her teacher that I actually made last year. Things always get busy this time of year with the weather warming up so I learned to work ahead for these cards. Obviously my good intentions failed me this year as I neglected to make a card that didn't have the word TEACHER on it! 

The patterned paper is nice and heavyweight, so I was able to add each of the panels to the card with foam tape. It's hard to see in the photos, but it adds some dimension and interest. Since the card will be hand delivered, I don't have to worry about making it light enough to mail. 😊

The Thank You circle die is part of a set I've had for years - it's a 3D Drop Ins die by the Stamps of Life. I thought about using it as intended and make a pop-up inside with the Thank You, but I had already adhered the patterned paper to the card front and the Thank You circle fit so well I went this this instead. I used blending brushes and dye ink to add the colour on the white card stock circle behind the die cut words, then added it to the card front with an Action Wobble. 

See? I go in phases with those and I'm still in an Action Wobble phase. It bobs and wobbles around so it adds some fun to the otherwise simple card.

Here is the inside - more ink blending and a stamped sentiment.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - School Days, Miss Kate Cuttables (old, from my stash)

Thank You 3D Drop Ins - The Stamps of Life

Action Wobble

Teacher Sentiments - Penny Black

Blending Brushes

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Birthday Wishes Pop Up Card Duo

Welcome to Fun Fold Friday here on my blog!

I wanted to use this paper pad, and since there are two sheets of each design I made two cards. While I didn't plan on making two identical cards, I know they will be going to different people so I just went with it.  This is another one of those paper pads that has some large prints that are hard to make work with A2 sized cards. These two are 5x7" and they turned out really well. I added a die cut Birthday Wishes (and the shadow) with foam tape then a few Glitter Dot stickers for some shine.

Inside I used the Paper Frames Pop Up and decorated with some fussy cut plants from a retired Stampin' Up paper package. 

Since those plants were fussy cut and in my embellishment binder, these cards didn't take very long to create which is always a bonus.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Farmhouse, Craftsmart (I think I got it at Michaels a few years ago)

5x7 Nesting dies - Waffle Flower

Birthday Wishes die - Simon Says Stamp

Paper Frames Pop Up - Karen Burniston

Plants - fussy cut from Stampin' Up papers (old)

Sentiment - Little Something Sentiments, Catherine Pooler

Glitter Dot stickers - Ecstasy Crafts

5x7 Card blank and envelopes

Four Metallic Birthday Cards

I really wanted to play with this embossing folder, so grabbed the first sheet of metallic printed card stock that was in the pile and these cards are the result. Two A2 sized cards and two 4x6" cards  - they will be donated to my Mom's old nursing home.

While the embossing folder is actually a set that includes words to stamp in the blank wavy area - I decided to use up some older Peel Off's instead.

Here is a peek at the inside - all the cards have the same sentiment stamped inside. It's part of a larger stamp that has 'hugs & kisess' above it but I snipped it off to make the stamp more useable for me. I showed the stamp in my Sheetload of Cards video this week, which you can find HERE if you are curious.

Supplies used:

Metallic cardstock - Hunkydory (old)

Embossing folder - Celebrate, Crafters Companion

Happy Birthday Peel Off's - Elizabeth Craft Designs (old)

Inside Sentiment - Here Comes Birthday Wishes, Picket Fence Studios

Money Cards for the Grandkids

I haven't bought much in the way of new crafting supplies in months ... but I did place an order from MFT Stamps back February since this Money Card die was back in stock. I didn't grab it when it was first released, because I tend not to stalk the new releases. There are just too many! Anyhow, by the time I saw this one - it was sold out. I enjoy different ways to dress up a gift card - so the stamps that go with this die set (which had also been sold out) work great for Gift Card Holders too. In fact, the die set has a coordinating gift card pocket die set which I used for Mother's Day. Did I remember to take a photo of those though? No ... sheesh.

I already had the lip balm pouches (also MFT) so used them with the Money Card set to make some cash gifts for our grandkids. These were fun to make and a good opportunity to try out the stamps & dies.

I lined up some bills at their short ends, and taped them together with washi tape. Then I tightly rolled them up and tucked them into the lip balm pouches. After the first one - which immediately sprung open, I was sure to have the top layer and the backing place adhered together above the pouch. Then I simply had to hold the rolled bills in place and thread the end of the top bill through the slot in the back piece. A little more glue - I used wet glue) all the way around the remaining outer edge and the cards were all assembled. The kids can simply pull the first bill and they should all come out of the slot. In theory, at least - but if for some reason they get stuck, the cards are easy enough to tear into. Ha.

I packaged them in clear bags to prevent any accidental bill pulling until I give them to the grandkids.

I think the fact that I have already used the set 8 times (the five shown here and the three for Mother's Day that I forgot to photograph) shows that these items will get well used over the years!

Supplies used:

Money Card - MFT Stamps

Lip Balm pouches - MFT Stamps

Birthday Cash stamp set - MFT Stamps

Patterned paper - Over the Rainbow, Recollections

Enamel Dots - stash

May 2024 Sheetload of Cards

Today I'm sharing my cards using the May 2024 Sheetload of Cards. I have a walkthrough of my cards on YouTube, as well as five bonus cards using the leftover patterned paper pieces!  

I forgot to take photos of the bonus cards to share here on my blog though. Below is a photo of the inside and all the cards were done the same.

This was another fun Sheetload - I think it would be beautiful done with sparkly Christmas cards, with metallic border strips. 

You can find the May 2024 Sheetload of cards HERE.

Supplies used:

May 2024 Sheetload of cards - Alicia, Call Me Crafty Al

Patterned paper - Pebbles, All The Cake line

Inside Sentiment - Here Comes Birthday Wishes, Picket Fence Studios

Outside sentiment - Merry Messages, Lawn Fawn

Circle Punch - Stampin' Up

Dots embossing folder - Sizzix (old)

Rainbow Holographic cardstock

Front sentiment - Twice the Wishes, MFT Stamps

Inside sentiment - HBD4HSN - The Stamps of Life

Basketball Coach Appreciation Card

 

Welcome to Masculine Card Monday here on my blog!

When I asked our daughters how many teacher appreciation cards they would like me to make this year, our middle daughter asked if I could also make one for our grandson's basketball coach. I had completely forgotten about this stamp set from Stampin' Up that I have had for years, so it was fun to pull it out again. I added Nuvo Glaze to the basketball so it's raised and shiny. 

Now my mojo has taken a nosedive, and if that wasn't enough - my craft room has become a dumping ground and it's hard to even move in there let alone get creative. However, I really wanted to get this card made and this is what I came up with.

The element on the front was attached with an Action Wobble. I go in phases with these things - it can be a year before I use one, then I want to use them on lots of cards for awhile. 

I used an alpha die set to cut the letters for COACH, stamped 'thanks' above that then added some dots using my favourite dot stamp.

I had better get cracking on cardmaking, as I don't have anything made to share next week and usually I'm running at least three weeks ahead. Yikes!

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Amber Moon, Prima

Simply Sports stamp set - Stampin' Up

Hexagon Crosshatch dies - Karen Burniston

Blending Sponge

Dot stamp - peg stamp, Stamps by Judith

Front sentiment - Simply Sentiments Teacher, Trinity Stamps

Action Wobble

Henry's ABC's - Lawn Fawn

Thanks - Biggest Wish - Stampin' Up

Nuvo Glaze

Pop Up Mother's Day Card

Welcome to Fun Fold Friday here on my blog!

I'm VERY late posting today, but it's still Friday here so it still counts. Ha!  It was another busy day here - it feels like the last three weeks have just been a whirlwind. Should be a busy weekend as well, with Mother's Day, our granddaughter AND our daughter's birthdays. Next week has a few busy days but also one or two with nothing on the calendar so hopefully I can catch my breath. I haven't been able to get into my craft room in over a week and I'm getting cranky. 

Today's card is a 6x6" square card - not a common card size for me, only because they cost so much to mail. But this will be hand delivered so I was free to load it up. I was able to use up several things with this card as well - the patterned paper (only 1 full sheet left in the package and not many scraps!), the nice big sticker (which I was saving and finally got to use it) and some more fussy cut images from a sheet of Stamperia paper. The Love You is a die by Karen Burniston.

Inside I used more dies by Karen Burniston - the Happy Mother's Day with the shadow, the XOXO and of course the Twist Flower Pop Up for the mechanism. Lots of chipboard elements too, and on the centre ones I peeled off a few layers so there wasn't quite so much bulk.

Such cute ephemera - it made me happy to use so much of it on the card. Oh, and I used an alcohol marker to create the grass on the white stitched circle for the little girl to sort of ground her.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper (both 12x12" and 6x6") - Flower Market, Cartabella

Narrow gold tape - Amazon .ca

Chipboard ephemera - Stamperia

Double stitched circles - Divinity Designs

Pops of Color, Snowflake - Scrapbook .com

Word Set 9 - Love, Karen Burniston

Happy Mother's Day - Karen Burniston

Twist Flower Pop Up - Karen Burniston

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Water brush

Other patterned paper/elements - Stamperia

'On my Mind' Slimline Card

Well this is the last card I'll make with this patterned paper. Several of the patterns in the package are just too big for cardmaking. I've used most of them, including the ones I liked the best and I'm calling it done. The decorative elements I used on this card were actually fussy cut from one of the sheets!

I love that little girl holding the large bouquet.  It's hard to see in the photos, but I added clear glitter glue to the flower centres for some sparkle.

Below is a peek at the inside. I added more patterned paper, and a stamped sentiment onto a white panel that was inked with blending brushes, then ... a few more fussy cut elements.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Circle of Love, Stamperia

Slim Lacy Layers - Waffle Flower

Outside words - Essential Sentiments, MFT Stamps

Inside words - Good Feelings, Stampin' Up

Blending Brushes

Pops of Color, Snowflake - Scrapbook .com

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Wobbling Apple Teacher Card Duo

This pair of journal cards was in an old Project Life kit - I bought a couple of kits to use for cardmaking when they were on sale a few years ago. I thought these two would be good for 'end of school' or 'back to school' cards for the grandkids, but ended up making Teacher Appreciation cards with them instead!

I stamped 'thank you for all you do in between the pencils, matted the 4x6" journal card with black card stock and used a corner rounder punch on the corners of the black mat. Then I adhered those panels to white 5x7" top folding card blanks. 

The apples were die cut and adhered with Action Wobbles for some fun action. I stamped the sentiment directly inside the card then added washi tape to the envelopes. 

Supplies:

4 x 6" Journal Cards "This & That", Project Life

Corner Rounder punch - Creative Memories (old)

Simply Sentimental Teacher - Trinity Stamps

Teacher Apple dies - Frantic Stamper

Action Wobbles

Washi Tape - stash

5x7" card base & envelope