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Month: May 2024

Echo Park Spring Market Collection Kit

Echo Park Spring Market Collection Kit

The next batch of cards were created for the Spring Fling event that took place at the antique store where I have a booth.  For the event I put together a giveaway that included a batch of handmade spring cards along with other spring themed vintage items.

I’ve used the Spring Market collection kit before and knew that the patterns and prints would be perfect for a set of spring cards.  I choose the Stampendous True Friends stamp set as the flower related sentiments worked well with the theme and were general enough to use for mulitple occasions.

For the first card I used my favorite paper from the collection (the rain boot and flower bouquets) paired that with a peachy-pink pattern for the background.  For some texture and dimension, I added a chiffon ribbon around the panel.  I then punched a green scallop border for matting on one side of the bouquet panel and used a gold Love from Lizi peel-off for the other side.  The sentiment was stamped using Versafine Vintage Sepia ink and die cut using a Spellbinders label die set.  Everything was then matted on a piece of kraft cardstock.

For the second card I used a fun garden tool print as the background.  A Spellbinders border die was used to create the large scallop border from a wood grain print which I added to the top and bottom edges of background.  I then tied a piece of white chiffon ribbon around the panel.  I used the same ink to stamp the sentiment and cut it out using a Spellbinders oval die.  Everything was then matted with brown cardstock.

The next card used a small strip of the peachy-pink paper and more of the wood grain print paper for the scallop detail.  I used another floral print from the collection kit for the large panel on the card.  More chiffon ribbon was tied around the panel before it and the sentiment were matted using brown cardstock.

The last card uses a larger floral print for the main panel.  A small strip of the peachy-pink paper was punched using a Fiskars scallop border punch.  A peach Love from Lizi peel-off was added along the top edge of the floral print panel.  The sentiment was stamped using Versafine Onyx Black ink and then cut into a banner shape.  Everything was matted on black cardstock.  For dimension a floral die set and pearls were used to create the flower embellishments.

I liked how the cards turned out and they fit the Spring Fling theme perfectly.

Carta Bella Home Again 6×6 Paper Pad

Carta Bella Home Again 6×6 Paper Pad

For me, some of the hardest cards to make are sympathy cards.  I find it a challenge to balance the solemn nature of the card with an uplifting paper, embellishment and layout.  I tend to skip using all dark or very bright colors and lots of shine and sparkle.  After flipping through my paper pads, I pulled Carta Bella’s Home Again which has a nice mix of pretty floral papers and more muted or tone-on-tone designs.

For the first card, I used a wood panel print for the background and a floral print for the focal panel.  To soften the edges of the focal panel I used a border punch to create a scallop border from white cardstock.  On the opposite edge I added the thinest width Love from Lizi peel-off in a teal color.  The sentiment is stamped using Versafine Vintage Sepia ink on a die cut oval and matted with dark teal cardstock.  To add some dimension but keep the card easily mail-able, I added 2 taupe buttons that coordinated with the background paper.

I used the same layout for the next card.  Instead of a scalloped border I used a white chiffon ribbon to soften the left edge of the focal panel.  The right edge features a gold Love from Lizi peel-off.  For additional embellishment I added a few pearls.

I think both cards turned out well and are appropriate for the occasion.  The colors and prints worked well for sympathy cards but I think paired with brighter colors and different layouts the Home Again collection could be used for any type of card.

DCWV The Pet Stack 12×12 Paper Pad

DCWV The Pet Stack 12×12 Paper Pad

As I was re-organizing a bit in my craft room, I came across the DCWV The Pet Stack paper pad.  It’s a 12×12 paper pad that I’ve had in my stash for years.  I’ve used it before but still have at least 1/2 the paper pad left.  The paper pad includes both cat and dog images but as I’m more of a dog person I decided to use those.

My favorite paper from the paper pad is the plaid print I used for the background.  I created the focal panel using a larger sentiment/image print and the bone print cut from the sheet of border strips.  To keep everything from being too rectangular, I used a border punch to create the parenthese edge on the focal panel matting.  I stamped the “just for you” sentiment using Versafine Vintage Sepia ink and added a few yellow glossy dots.

For the next card I was wanted to use a newer to me card sketch.  The blue and rusty red diagonal stripe wasn’t my favorite, but it paired well with the pet name pattern paper.  As I was working on the card I remembered I had a dog themed stamp set and pulled that out.  The set has a few short sentiments and for this card I used “pawsome!”.

For this card I used 2 printed papers and another border strip.  The tag and dog images were fussy cut from one of the pattern papers.  I had found the print too large to use as is, but the images were the perfect size for fussy cutting.  The polka dot paper and tag both feature a gloss finish which adds some shine to the card.  I used the “Yappy Birthday” and paw print stamps to create the sentiment panel.

I’ve taken all of these cards to my antique booth and there must be some dog fans as all of the cards have sold.  I’ll have to pull this paper pad out again and make a few more cards, maybe I’ll try a cat theme next time.