Masculine Sympathy

I don't know about you, but I NEVER have Sympathy Cards when I need them. Or Masculine Cards. They are both a challenge to me. So Masculine Sympathy Cards are a super challenge. Tonight I decided to ink up my new Water Color Plants set and see what I could come up with. It's not fancy, it's not ornate or complicated, but I liked the way it turned out. I was happy to find that I had some ribbon on hand that perfectly matched my Jacaranda Cardstock. I added some brown cardstock and brown ink (Hybrid Palette Burnt Umber) and ran one sheet of white cardstock through my Cuttlebug to add some texture. I resized the picture too small, but you can click on it to bring up a larger picture.

Window Box Tutorial

I have spent many hours during the past two days playing with this new set, and have finally figured out how to make the window cut-out in a fairly efficient way that doesn't involve precise stamping. If you color with pencils, it would be easier and several of these steps could be eliminated, BUT I prefer copics. Unfortunately, they show through the back side of cardstock, so that's where the complication arises for this particular card. It's not as easy as stamping and coloring... it entails lots of cutting, too.

This is my first tutorial so I hope you like it, and I hope it saves you some headaches...

The first step is to create your template for the window. Stamp the window and then cut it out, using the OUTER frame for the inner square. (That's a little confusing, I know, but you want the inside square, the part that's cut away, to be larger.)


Using your template, trace the INSIDE square onto the front of your card, centering it from left to right.
Carefully cut out the window.
On another piece of cardstock, stamp the window, the back of the girl, the girls face, and the window box and flowers.
Color them in. I used Copics, of course!
Cut out all of the pieces. To get the inside of the window 'started', I used my Cropodile to punch a hole.
Cut out the insides of the windows.
If you want a sentiment on the front, now is the time to do it (in the event of a mess-up, it won't be the end of the world.) Attach the shutter piece to the front of the cardstock, aligning the windows.
Attach the girl to the inside of the card, again aligning the windows.
Her head will show through, and that's a good thing!
Glue her face on!
Attach the window box and flowers
This is what your inside will look like.

Another One

So there was a card similar to this in the new catalogue and I wanted to try my hand at it. MAJOR pain in the neck! But it's cute, anyway! It obviously uses the same set as yesterday's post but this time you get to see the use of the window box, flowers, and the back of the girl. I *think* I thought of an easier way to do it, so I'll have to keep trying...

Brandy New Stamps!

The nice UPS man delivered my box of new toys yesterday, so the first thing I did when I woke up this morning was put together this adorable card... perfect for 'thinking of you'. The patterned paper is from the new 'Maggie' set, and the stamp is from a set called Window Box Wonder. I just love the expression on her cute little face! I colored her using the Copic Markers from the Copic Caboodle A Set and I used matching cardstock, from the Color Caboodle A Set. The seven new coordinating marker/paper sets make things SOOO much easier!!!

Awareness

Before you know it, October will be upon us. So, I decided to play with the Sizzix Breast Cancer pack I bought last year. It came with a couple embossing plates and die cuts. And, of course, there's my favorite swirls background! Are you getting sick of these flower embellishments yet?

Changing it up

I found this floral paper in my stash and was inspired. It's from the discontinued "Belle Flora" paperline from TAC. I decided to change it up and make a square card. I love this basic design because you can change out the sentiment and easily have a birthday or even baby girl card. And I didn't use the Cuttlebug on it, can you believe it? Just punches.

Baby Boy

I find it much easier to make baby girl cards. But I thought this would be perfect for a baby boy. I love the Cuttlebug Swirls folder with anything boat related because they look like waves. I used my Nestabilities to cut the oval and scalloped frame and colored with my Copics.

More of the Same

These are the very same design as the baby cards I posted the other day, but I changed the colors and ribbons. Quick, easy, and handy to have on hand.

Ok, you'll probably need to click on this one to bring up a bigger picture because it's hard to see. I needed a last-minute baby gift today, so I threw together these thank-you notes. I used the 'thanks' embossing folder for the Cuttlebug, added some ribbon, and a flower made the same way as yesterday's post. I think I'm about to make a ton of these in non-baby colors because they will be really pretty 'thank you' notes.

I've been using my 'bug so much lately because I love it, it makes for quick and easy cards, and also because my friend Anita will be getting one delivered in a few days. Since hundreds of miles separate us and we can't craft together, I thought I'd at least post some ideas for her!!!

No stamping required

Tonight I dug into my paper pile and am pleased with the results. The patterned paper came from a DCWV stack that I cut apart. I used a flower punch and also my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug, buttons I bought at a yard sale, and that's about it! Very simple, easy to do in front of the tv, and I now have 8 elegant cards for my depleted stash. I think I'll stamp "Congratulations" in the inside and turn them into baby cards, although the purple would also make good 'thank you' notes now that I think about it!

Give Away!

The Angel Company is giving away an awesome prize package! Enter to win here. Maggie is one of our new double-sided paper packs and I happen to think she's beautiful!