Cricut Umbrella Card

It's raining hearts in this pink and black umbrella card today! While I made this as a "thinking of you" card, it could easily be a Valentine card come next February.

Card base is top fold, 4-1/4 x 5-1/2 inches. Pink layer is Melon Mambo from Stampin' Up and is cut at 4 x 5-1/4 inches. Patterned paper is from the Pop of Pink DSP collection from Stampin' Up and is cut at 3-7/8 x 5-1/8 inches.

The umbrella is from the Create a Critter cartridge (p. 31), cut at 4 inches. I cut the shadow layer in pink, the umbrella in black, and the umbrella top in black and white polka dot (also from the Pop of Pink DSP collection by Stampin' Up). I popped up the umbrella top from the shadow layer using dimensionals.

The sentiment is from the February 2016 Paper Pumpkin kit entitled Hello Sunshine. I stamped it in Momento Tuxedo Black ink onto white cardstock, and backed it with a layer of Melon Mambo cardstock, cutting tails on each end for the flag. I punched out some Melon Mambo and white hearts using the Martha Stewart heart punch.

I love using my Cricut and will be sharing more cards in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

"Chalkboard" Mason Jar Card

"Chalkboard" Mason Jar Card

This Mason jar card was inspired by a mason jar shaped chalkboard I saw. I loved it and decided to create that look in a card. I used black and white papers from Stampin' Up on a white card base. I stamped the jar with white ink onto black cardstock and cut it out. I stamped a heart in white ink and the "Hello" in white ink to give it that "chalkboard" look. Sentiments are both from Stampin' Up. I added a few punched out hearts and some linen thread to finish the look. I had some black heart shaped paper clips from Target so I decided to add one to the edge of the card. I thought about embossing the white onto the black, but really thought the ink alone looked more like chalk. Finished card is 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" and fits into an A2 sized envelope.

Thanks for stopping by to have a look today!

Birthday Flip Book #2 from a File Folder

After making last week's flip book birthday card, I wanted to try my hand at a different kind of flip book to turn into a birthday card. This time I used a file folder. I followed the instructions from Little Hot Tamale on You Tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Myvz7xA-zk and created this birthday card flip book. 

After folding and cutting the file folder, I had to decide how to decorate it. Then it occurred to me this would be a great way to use those Lang calendars I had been saving! I used several different years of my Coffee Calendars by Lisa Kaus. I just traced around the parts of the images I wanted to use and cut them out to fit the book pages. I inked the paper edges where needed to hide the white core of the calendar pages and any of the file folder that might still show underneath. I have to admit it is a little time consuming, but I really like the result!  

Inside View, First Page

Inside View, Second Page

 The inside page of the flip book is a pocket where you can add a gift card, note, etc. I opted to make a tag from a scrap of calendar page to insert inside the pocket.

Back View

To "bind" the folder, just for stability, I cut one of the borders from a calendar page and added it to the folded part of the book as a binding. My book ended up being about 1/4 inch thick so I cut a piece 6 x 1-1/4 inches, scored it at 1/2" and 3/4", folded and glued it to the edge.

I could have added photos, etc.and made it into an album, but I elected to let the artwork speak for itself and only added pieces here and there where I thought it needed it or presented a message. I cut and punched various pieces from the calendar pages and did a little stamping to complete my book. Finished size is approximately 5 x 6 inches, including the file folder tab. You can make your book either landscape or portrait. I chose portrait. 

Go raid your office area and start folding and cutting up those file folders!

Birthday Flip Book

I have fallen in LOVE with "flip books!" They were originally created for pen pal letters or "snail mail," but I have turned them into birthday books. They are so much fun to put together and the possibilities are literally endless! You can add flip-ups, flip-outs, etc. to your heart's content! The ones I have made so far are for teenagers, so I added some old pictures behind some of the flipped pages and added a pocket for a gift card or money inside! It's kind of like a scavernger hunt for the gift! No money just falling out of a card. It's a little adventure! Here are some views of the inside of the "book."

There are many videos on You Tube about making these flip books. The ones I like the best use 6x6 pieces of patterned paper. If you use a good quality double-sided paper I think it works better than trying to adhere two pieces of single sided paper together to make a double-sided look. It is less bulky using the actual double-sided paper. The pages are attached together using washi tape. I did have to glue some of mine down because it wasn't sticking real well, but this really wasn't a big problem. It is a great way to use a suite of coordinating papers, tapes, stickers, etc. The ones I used in this book are from the "Retro Fresh This and That" collection from Stampin' Up (2014), which is now retired. It was really fun to go through my stash and find coordinating pieces to use in the book.

I hope you give the flip book a try if you haven't already. Here are a few links to You Tube videos I like that have good instruction on how to make the flip book. Have fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJM_cd4v-4k&feature=youtu.be (by Filizlovespaper)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChP9Ajg_9Xk (by Scrapdivia29)

Happy 4th of July Card and Tag

Here is a "Happy 4th" Card and gift tag for the Fourth of July!

For the card, I formed a wreath with various punched out stars, added a bow and a banner with the word "Happy (cut from a Cricut cartridge). The wreath is attached with dimensionals to a piece of cardstock embossed with stars and matted on a coordinating blue piece of cardstock. I added more stars along the righthand side of the card and die cut the #4. Finished card is 5-1/2 x 4-1/4 inches.

My granddaughter is only 3-1/2, so I made her a little goodie bag with things I found at Dollar Tree. I made a tag for the bag by layering two tags together in red, white and blue papers, added a blue Mason jar filled with stars, and then tied some red and white baker's twine around the jar. It is attached to the tags with dimensionals, along with the blue star punched out piece and the red banner with the die-cut word "enjoy." I stamped "your day" and banner cut it to attach below "enjoy." I grouped some blue punched out stars in the bottom righthand corner and attached the entire tag to my bag with a blue polka dot clothespin.

Most papers are from my stash, but specifically the red cardstock is from Stampin' Up, along with the dies from the "Mini-Treat Bag Thinlets," and a retired Mason jar stamp that I stamped in white pigment ink, and then hand cut. "Your Day" is from the "You're So Sweet" stamp set that coordinates with the "Mini-Treat Bag Thinlets".  I also used various sized star punches and the Scalloped Tag Topper punch.

I hope you have a safe and fun Fourth of July weekend!