Two Teacher’s Aid Appreciation Cards

I have a number of cards that I created back in June that didn’t get shared and here are two more of them. These are 5x7” cards I made for the teachers aid’s. I let the patterned paper do most of the work, but added narrow gold tape to dress them up a little. One has a gold card stock shadow below the die cut Thank You and the apple stickers are from my stash. 

This is an easy layout that would work for multiple card sizes and you can customize the top area to coordinate with whatever patterned paper you choose!

Leaving lots of room inside for the kids to write their own message, I added more of the narrow gold foil tape and another apple sticker inside each of the cards.

This is the second card - you can see the shine from the apple sticker in this photo.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - I Love School, Echo Park

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca (old)

Simply Sentimental Teacher - Trinity Stamps

Essential Classic Words - Pinkfresh Studios

Gold card stock, Recollections

Apple stickers - Amazon .ca

Four Owl Themed Birthday Cards

Welcome to Masculine Card Monday here on my blog! Today I’m sharing four birthday cards made for my Mom’s old nursing home. The lovely owl panels are from Hunkydory’s Little Book of Farm Animals (or something like that) that I have had for several years. There are multiples of each print and the package is quite thick so I never feel I’m making a dent in it.

The only down side, is the paper is quite thin and has some shine to it - so adhesive shows on the front. A thin line of wet glue … even my ATC tape shows through to the front. So I only use 'Beacon 3 in 1' glue, which works great but dries up quickly. I think I may have to cut all the panels to fit A2 cards (they are UK sizing) and get them mounted to card fronts while the glue is freshly opened, I can complete the cards at a later date, but I won’t be wasting the glue - which is pricey here in Canada! 

Hmmmm - I could also try die cutting A2 sized frames (I have a Lawn Fawn die that would work) and mount the panels underneath the frame. That would allow me to use regular adhesive, and I wouldn’t have to make up dozens at a time. More ideas than time, I’m afraid! 

Once the panels were adhered to the folded card base, I stamped the sentiment on a card stock strip and mounted them with foam tape. Below you can see the sentiment stamped inside the cards.

Supplies used:

Little Book of Farm Animals - Hunkydory

Beacon 3 in one glue - no show!

Happy Birthday Sentiments - Pinkfresh Studio's

March Sheetload of Cards

Today I'm sharing my take on the March '25 Sheetload of Cards, which turned out to be stash buster cards. 😊  I actually made these the evening of the 1st when the Sheetload was released - and I was surprised at how quickly they worked up! I will be doing this one again soon ... I really like it! 

I pulled out an older 6x6" paper pad and even older stickers for the cards. The sentiments are from Pinkfresh Studios - another set I've had for a long time and get a lot of use out of.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Flirty Florals (6x6") Q & Co

Happy Birthday Sentiments - PinkFresh Studios

Stickers - Dollar Store (old, from my stash)

March 2025 Sheetload of Cards - Call Me Crafty Al on YouTube

NOTE - I am no longer linking the Sheetloads, as some of them have been archived for her channel subscribers and I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase. 😊

Rainbow Birthday Card

I needed to make a birthday card for our nephew's daughter, and this is what I came up with.  Similar to a set of four cards I shared last week (see HERE if interested), I used a the same layout and just leftover pieces of the patterned paper. I think I'm out of full 12 x 12" sheets in that pad now! 

The rainbow was fussy cut from a different sheet in the pad and popped up with foam tape. The Happy Birthday is from a set of rainbow coloured stickers (all say Happy Birthday) that I have been hoarding, so it was fun to USE one.

Here is a peek at the inside, with a sentiment that I think is cute for a little girl. 

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Over the Rainbow, Recollections (old, from my stash)

Happy Birthday clear stickers - Pebbles

5x7" card bases & envelopes

Banners Crosshatch - Karen Burniston

Happy Birthday Sentiments - Pink Fresh Studios

Four Rainbow Birthday Cards

This is a cutting layout I came up with, to use two 12x12" patterned papers for four 5x7" cards.  Since I continue using what I already have in my craft room, this will be a great way to go through my huge stack of patterned papers!

I added a quick wash of colour on die cut banners, so the puffy owl stickers would be 'grounded', and stamped the sentiment along the top edge of the banner. The banners were popped up with foam tape for some dimension. Oh, and the patterned paper has random glittered areas so that's always fun for a birthday card.

Inside, I added two separate stamps in different colours, and a little fishtail banner to bring in some colour to the inside.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Over the Rainbow, Recollections (old, from my stash)

5x7" card bases & envelopes

Banners Crosshatch - Karen Burniston

Happy Birthday To You stamp - Cool Tag Banner Sentiments, Your Next Stamp

Puffy Owl stickers - The Paper Studio (old, from my stash)

Water brush

Happy Birthday Sentiments (for the inside) - Pink Fresh Studios

Birthday Tags

I love making tags, so pulled out these Topper Tag dies by Karen Burniston to make these Birthday tags for our daughter.  They looked so nice tied to the gifts, which had coordinating colours in the giftware.

I bought this birthday themed washi tape from Pinkfresh Studios last year (or the year before?) and added the whole role to panels of white card stock. You could also get coordinating dies to cut out the washi tape images as well as a coordinating stamp set that would also work with the dies. I didn't actually buy anything but the washi tape though and simply fussy cut the panels as needed.

Since there is some gold foiling on the washi tape, I added some narrow gold tape to the tags as well.

Supplies used:

Topper Tags - Karen Burniston

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca

Seam binding

Washi tape - Pinkfresh Studio

Slimline 'Thinking of You' Card

After making the Pop-Up Birthday Card last week, I wanted to use up the leftover paper pieces and not just store them away. This is the card I came up with, one I can send to a friend for Happy Mail.

The diagonal strip is matted with rainbow holographic cardstock for some shine, and the flowers were added to a scalloped vellum circle.

I always like this sentiment, since I do so much texting these days.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Miss Caroline, My Minds Eye

Rainbow Holographic Cardstock - Recollections

'Hey You' die - Pinkfresh Studios

Vellum - Stampin' Up

Scallop Circles - Divinity Desixgns

Beautiful Blossoms Paper Die Duo Set 1 - Divinity Designs

Self Adhesive gem stickers - Dazzles

Wink of Stella

Slim Lacy Layers - Waffle Flowers

Inside Sentiment - Just Because, Gina K

Pop Up Wedding Card

Welcome to Fun Fold Friday on my blog! ItOur daughter-in-law's brother is getting married this month and I offered to make a wedding card. The bride loves pink, orange and yellow so those are the colours I went with - along with lots and lots of white.

I love a larger card for a wedding, so this one is 5x7". The patterned paper had the right colours, and since it's such a 'loosey goosey' print, I scribbled more pink, orange and yellow onto the flowers with alcohol markers. I knew I'd be covering the paper with vellum to soften the paper, but it would have been OK without. The Foliage Frame was die cut from white pearl cardstock and the Happily Ever After was cut from rainbow holographic cardstock. Actually I cut it three times - twice from white and once from the holographic. I adhered the three layers together so it would be nice and sturdy - like a chipboard element, and since the card is being hand delivered I didn't have to worry about bulk. Finally, I added a trio of mirrored heart confetti pieces and filled in the open heart on the sentiment with glitter glue.

Inside I used Karen Burniston's Twist Flower Pop Up. I sure get a lot of use out of that one having made over 15 cards with it already!  

The wedding charms are also by Karen Burniston. When you snip off the hanging hole, they become cute little elements you can add to your cards. I love the embossed feature on the brides dress.

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Meandering Meadows 6x6", Stampin' Up

5x7" Foliage Frame - Kat Scrappiness

Rainbow Holographic cardstock - Recollections

Vellum - Stampin' Up

White pearl cardstock

Nuvo Glaze

Happily Ever After - Karen Burniston

Mirrored hearts - Kat Scrappiness

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Sentiment - One in a Million, Stampin' Up

Nesting hearts dies - Hero Arts

Wedding Charms - Karen Burniston

Congrats (stamp and die) - Pinkfresh Studios

5x7" card base & envelope

Birthday Balloons Pop-Up Card w/ July's Sheetload of Cards

Welcome to Fun Fold Friday here on my blog! I finished off another one of those July Sheetload cards** and made it a pop-up. Same balloons as on a previous card, but a simpler layout with more white space. White space is slowly becoming my friend - who knew THAT would ever happen! 

**I made all eight of the July Sheetload of cards, doing the fronts only. I wanted to take my time and finish off the insides for cards that I know I will need coming up, rather than finish all eight at the same time. These ones will be for my stash and not donated to the nursing home.

I used the Katherine Label Pop Up, again in a horizontal position. I covered the pop-up platform with a stitched circle before adhering the balloons. I love balloons, so of course I had to purchase the balloon washi tape (Pinkfresh Studios) when it came out. I applied the entire roll of washi to white card stock so I could fussy cut the images as I needed them. There are coordinating stamps and dies as well, but I only purchased the tape.

I love all the dimension you get with the Katherine Label Pop Up - but it's quick and easy to assemble. 😊

Supplies used:

July Sheetload of Cards - Call Me Crafty Al

Patterned paper - Brianna, K & Company (old, from my stash)

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca

Gold foil paper - Recollections

Floral cluster die - Hand Penned, Stampin' Up

Stardust glitter pen - Sakura

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Blending sponges - Tim Holtz

Stitched Scalloped circle nesting dies - Tutti Designs

5x7" card bases & envelopes - Ohuhu (Amazon .ca)

Vellum - Stampin' Up

Katherine Label Pop Up - Karen Burniston

Stitched circle dies - Divinity Designs

Happy Birthday - Bee Happy Cardmaking Kit, Paper Rose

Front Sentiment - Bitty Birthday Wishes, MFT Stamps

Inside sentiment - Essential Birthday Sentiments, LDRS

Pop Up Birthday Card w/ July's Sheetload of Cards

Welcome to Fun Fold Friday here on my blog!  I finished off another one of the July Sheetload of Cards - this time it's a fancy-dancy pop-up Birthday Card. 😊

I added a foiled sentiment strip to the front. I haven't used my glimmer machine in months - it's REALLY difficult to remove the hot tray from the base so I tend not to want to use it. I actually wrenched my shoulder one time using it and was in pain for a few days. However, I did do a batch of foiling the last time I had it out and this sentiment is from the little bin of foiled words I have. 

Inside I used Karen Burniston's Little Labels Pop Up - and added it to a simple box pop up to raise it up a bit inside the card. This is totally Karen B's idea - I think she taught in in a class last year and I have wanted to try it ever since. I tried to find the link for you but I have no idea where I ended up finding it when I was ready to make this card.

I added more of the patterned paper inside the card, and realized that the Washi Tape Balloons from Pinkfresh Studios matched the patterned paper AND the theme of the card. The entire roll of Washi Tape had been adhered to white card stock last year so I simply fussy cut the ones I wanted to use. I added another foiled sentiment, and a washi tape flower from a different PFS roll. Oh, and I added a stitched, scalloped circle to the centre label of the Little Labels Pop Up for a different look.

The final sentiment was stamped on one of the Labels Crosshatch and I added it inside the card, trimming off the bottom edge. 

If you are curious about the pop up box, I used a strip of patterned paper that measured 6.75 x 3".  It was scored at .5", 1.5" and 2.5" then adhered inside the card. When it was dry I added the Little Labels Pop Up on top of it. Definitely a technique I will use again, since I love this die set with a 5x7" card.

I will keep working on finishing off this second Sheetload of cards and sharing them as I do.

Supplies used:

July Sheetload of Cards - Call Me Crafty Al

Patterned paper - Brianna, K & Company (old, from my stash)

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca

Gold foil paper - Recollections

Floral cluster die - Hand Penned, Stampin' Up

Little Labels Pop Up - Karen Burniston

Labels Crosshatch - Karen Burnistson

Balloon Washi Tape - Pinkfresh Studios

Floral Washi Tape - Pinkfresh Studio's

Foiled sentiments - my stash

Glimmer Foil machine - Spellbinders

Birthday Wishes - Honey Bee

Alcohol Markers

Stardust glitter pen - Sakura

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Blending sponges - Tim Holtz

Stitched Scalloped circle nesting dies - Tutti Designs

5x7" card bases & envelopes - Ohuhu (Amazon .ca)

Vellum - Stampin' Up

'Bees & Balloons' Birthday Cards

 

I was flipping through the paper pad "Little Book of Bees', and near the back was this print. In between the honeycombs was a phrase - which I knew I would likely never use on a card. There are SIX of each design in the pad, so I pulled out all 6 and decided to use the panels by adding a strip of cardstock down the center to completely hide that sentiment. (Sorry, I can't remember what it even said!).

The pad is UK sizing, but I usually trim the panels down to work on a 4x6" card. These ones though, I wanted to trim to 4x5.25" and use on an A2 card base. Once I had them trimmed down and had added the white cardstock strip I was ready to decorate. This long stamp with the balloons & Happy Birthday seemed perfect! I stamped and die cut six of the images then coloured with alcohol markers. It's been AGES since I've done any colouring.

Before popping the balloon images up with foam tape, I lightly inked the centre with blue ink so it wasn't quite as stark. I added three gold foil bee stickers to tie in with the honeycomb, and coloured their bodies with an alcohol marker. Then I added some Wink of Stella glitter to the balloons - I do love shimmer & shine on a birthday card. 

I stamped the sentiment inside and my cards were finished. I'll be saving one for my stash and the remaining 5 will be donated to my Mom's old nursing home. I was happy to be able to use up 6 of those panels in one go - especially since my initial reaction was that they would have to go into recycling. 

Supplies used:

Little Book of Bees, Hunkydory

Birthday Balloons (stamp and die) - Rubbernecker Stamps

Alcohol markers

Blending Brushes - Taylored Expressions

Blending Sponge - Sizzix

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Wink of Stella

Gold foil bee stickers - Amazon .ca

Inside - Happy Birthday Sentiments, Pinkfresh Studio

Mini MISTI

Floral Cluster Birthday Card

I'm getting closer to using up this paper package! I bought it online a few years ago, but was surprised at how large the patterns were and struggled to use it on cards. I had also purchased the coordinating embellishments and obviously didn't read the description close enough because when they came they were chipboard. Beautiful, but ... chipboard. I find chipboard makes a card too heavy and bulky for mailing so I wasn't use them for the longest time. 

Finally I realized I could peel off some of the back layers and that did the trick. That is what I did for this pretty floral cluster element.  The layout was kind of fun - I haven't done this on a 5x7" card before. I cut the patterned paper into a 4.75" square, then cut it on the diagonal into two equal pieces. These were adhered to a piece of lightweight cardstock cut at 4.75 x 6.75" then I added narrow gold foil tape and wrapped the ends around to the back. That panel was then adhered to my card front.

The scalloped circles were die cut from white card stock (they all cut at the same time).  I inked the three pieces with blending brushes and re-assembled on the card front.  The little Happy Birthday was fussy cut from a leftover sheet in a card making kit.

Here is a peek at the inside, where I used a nice big piece of that patterned paper. 

Supplies used:

Patterned paper - Stamperia

Narrow gold foil tape - Amazon .ca

Chipboard elements - Stamperia

Stitched Scallop Circle dies - Pinkfresh Studios

Happy Birthday - Bee Happy Cardmaking Kit, Paper Rose

Gold Glitter Dots - Ecstasy Crafty

Special Sentiments - Penny Black

Stickles Glitter Glue

5 x 7" card base & envelope

Four Lattice Birthday Cards

These cards started with the lattice cutaway card bases from May 2016 Many Manly Occasions Paper Pumpkin kit. A few years ago I had found an 'unused' kit online for sale but then when it came, some of the card bases were missing and the person had just tossed everything into a bubble envelope so there was also some damage. I complained (which I hate to do) and they refunded my money, but then I was so disappointed that I put the kit away and hadn't made up any of the cards.

I pulled it out and had a look through the kit and made up these four cards. I decided to put aside the orange corrugated panel that is supposed to go behind the lattice and instead used some patterned paper which I liked better.

Then I went through my embellishment binder and pulled out some stickers and die cut washi tape that I thought matched the patterned paper. There is also a stamped/coloured/fussy cut dog with balloons on one of the cards. I chose whichever Happy Birthday seemed to fit in the area and added those to the front as well. Oh, and I added coordinating flat sparkly stickers to the card fronts for some birthday shine.

Inside are two stitched rectangles. One on the left to hide the back of the patterned paper and one to stamp the sentiment on. Since these cards are going to be donated to my Mom's old nursing home, I don't need to worry about the cards being too heavy to mail. I stamped the same sentiment inside all the cards. 

Supplies used:

Paper Pumpkin, Many Manly Occasions - May 2016 (Stampin' Up) retired

Patterned paper - Guilded Ink - Recollections

Stitched Rectangles Set 2 - Pink & Main

Washi tape florals - Pinkfresh Studios

Cloud punch - Stampin' Up

Stickers - old, from my stash

Dog with balloons - unknown, coloured etc many years ago.

Happy Birthday Many Ways - Catherine Pooler

Small Happy Birthday - LJD Birthday Greetings, MFT Stamps

Catherine Pooler coloured inks

Mini Slimline Dog Sympathy Card

Sigh. Had to make our first pet sympathy card of 2024.  😢

This one started with a white panel that I stencilled the bones & paw prints, then used blending brushes to add some subtle colour. I stamped the little dog on a circle, lightly inked around him in blue and added it behind a reverse scalloped circle. Nuvo Glaze on the eyes gave them a little shine. The sentiment was stamped and added across the card - such a true sentiment.

Below is a peek at the inside ...

Supplies used:

Peeking Pets - Catherine Pooler

Inverted Stitched Scallop Circles - Pinkfresh Studios

Catherine Pooler Inks

Water Brush

Wink of Stella

Stencil - Bow Wow, Photo Play

Blending brushes - Taylored Expressions

Critter Condolences - MFT Stamps

White pearl cardstock

Mini Slim Embossed Edge dies - Kat Scrappiness

Pawfect Sentiments - Waffle Flower

Best Friend - Waffle Flower

Nuvo Glaze

Beehive Half Shutter Card

Last year I bought the Beehive Magic Iris Add-On dies (Lawn Fawn) because I knew I could use it for more than just a Magic Iris Card. Today created a Half Shutter Card and used the beehive as the focal point. I am so happy with how it turned out!

The bee patterned paper is too cute and I pulled out these bee dies from Marianne Designs to embellish the card.

I love that the Half Shutter Card die set (Divinity Designs) comes with the layering dies - it makes it so quick and easy to complete the card base and all that's left is my choice for decorating! I added a hexagon where I can write a personal greeting and the tiny daisy's are in Karen Burniston's Twist Flower Pop Up die set. 

Supplies used:

Half Shutter with Layer dies - Divinity Designs

Patterned paper - Busy as a Bee, Echo Park

Bee dies - Elines Bees, Marianne Designs

White pearl cardstock

Magic Iris Beehive Add On - Lawn Fawn

Nested Hexagon dies - Pinkfresh Studios

Stitched circle - leftover from previous Magic Iris cards

Front sentiment - Thinking of You, Penny Black

Glitter Dots - Ecstasy Crafts

Daisy's - Twist Flower Pop Up, Karen Burniston

Alcohol markers

Stickles glitter glue

Christmas Cards in Pinks & Blues

Since I have had this paper pad for several years, there are lots of bits and pieces that I thought I would try to use up. These are the cards I came up with!  I added some of the cut aparts from the package, gold snowflake peel-off stickers and Merry Christmas peel-off stickers as well.

I really like the bold fonts on these sentiment stamps (Stampin' Up) and added them inside the cards with some washi tape & narrow gold tape.

The trees were die cut twice and off-set, then added to a hexagon shape with foam tape.

Here is the inside using another stamp from the same sentiment set.

Having been asked how many cards I make I thought it would be fun to keep track this year. Many of my posts include more than a single card or project and below is my tally. 

Card Tally for 2023
January - 53 cards
February - 56 cards

March - 55 cards

April - 32 cards

May - 43 cards

June - 34 cards

July - 56 cards

August - 106 cards

September - 61 cards

October - 51 cards & 5 Tags

November 46 cards 

December so far - 9 cards

I decided to cancel the subscription that provided linked thumbnails to what products I used on my cards. It was costing me out of pocket each month, so I’m back to listing what I used .

Supplies:

Patterned paper & cut aparts - Holiday Bash, Recollections (old)

Gold cardstock

Catherine Pooler inks

Christmas Classics sentiment stamp - Stampin' Up

Washi tape - Doodlebug

Gold Snowflake Peel Offs

Narrow gold tape - Amazon .ca

Inside sentiment - Joy to You, Stampin' Up

Merry Christmas Peel Offs - Ecstasy Crafts

Wink of Stella

Forest Trees - Echo Park

Nested Hexagon dies - Pinkfresh Studios