Retro card revisited

Hi there,

Just a quick blog post for today.

I went ahead and did some variations on the Retro Bro card I posted a few weeks ago. So if you like the look of these cards the materials I used can be found there.

Both are done on 6x6 white card blanks.

For the monochrome version I embossed the background and brought it out with some Black Soot Distress Ink brushed over the top.

With the pastel version I pulled in the fifth colour for the sentiment and chose some soft cream card for the background without the embossing this time.

Nice and simple, and great for using up some scraps.

All for now,

Happy Crafting.

Secret Garden

This was one of those cards that just came together and wasn't planned at all.

I started with the focal element. I have had this Justrite Secret Garden background stamp for a while. I was creating some backgrounds with dark inks over coloured paper, then thought I would try embossing in white. Originally, I intended to use this as it was for a white on white look, but I decided to introduce colour. 

I started with the leaves. I picked out Bundled Sage and Mowed Lawn distress ink pads. I used the lighter colour first and added it to the image using Cut and Dry foam. The darker colour was added to the central lines for some shade and dimension.

For the flowers, I chose Picked Raspberry and Tumbled Glass. I coloured the whole flower with the blue ink, and added the pink to the middle. The colours blended into a lovely purple, (very similar in fact to Dusty Concord).

I thought it looked great considering I was just playing about.

Next I wanted to make it into a topper. I pulled out my Tonic Studios layering rectangles dies. I cut the image down with the largest of the plain edged dies. I ran my Dusty concord ink pad down the edges and then matted it onto some white card that I had "dusted" with ink, (using Ink Duster brushes). I cut the border down to 1/16 inch with my Perfect Layers ruler.

I lay this onto a piece of white card that I had cut with the largest scalloped edge die in the set.

I wanted some interest on my card blank, (A5 in size). I picked out a polka dot embossing folder and ran some white card through, (I used the Grand Calibur). I cut it down so I would have half an inch for matting and layering, then "dusted" again with Dusty Concord Ink. Matted it onto white with 1/16 inch border. Then matted it again on card that I had coloured with my ink, that way it matched perfectly.

 

I attached my topper with foam tape for extra dimension.

Before attaching to the  card blank, I wrapped some ribbon around. This satin-edged organza was just the thing. I tied a bow and added it to the centre with a mini glue dot.

The tag was made by stamping in Dusty Concord using the Lots of Thanks set from Stampin' Up, which I punched out using the Word Window punch. I used the Modern Label punch and some custom coloured card to layer it up. I added this to an oval cut from one of the decorative elements in the Sue Wilson Austrian collection (love it!). I inked through the die with my ink duster brush. I added this to the card with some foam tape.

Happy Crafting

Bold stripes

Hello Everyone,

I have another more masculine card for you today. The colours have been picked out from the patterned paper. This is from the Spots and Stripes Bold Collection from Papermania.
I have used an 8x8 card blank in white. The patterned paper was cut down to 7-1/2 inch square and matted on to black card stock. I cut a 1/16 inch border with the Perfect Layers ruler. I adhered this to the card base with double-sided tape.

I rummaged through my stash and chose a piece of blue and red card stock.
I cut the blue piece down to 5-1/4 inch square. I layered this onto some black card stock, and cut a 1/16 inch border with the Perfect Layers ruler. I added this to a red piece of card and once again cut a 1/16  border. I added another layer of black. I cut this border to 1/8 inch. I attached this to the card with foam tape.

The sentiment from Tonic Studios was cut from black card stock. I chose Spellbinder Labels 32 to sit the sentiment on. I felt it needed some texture, so I ran it through the Spellbinders "So Trendy" M-bossibility folder. I adhered the sentiment to the Label with Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue.

The corners seemed empty so I found this Tattered Lace "Birdhouse" corner die. I cut them in black card stock and adhered them with Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue. I then attached the label with foam pads. 

Men's cards are so tricky - no flowers, bows or butterflies allowed!

Happy Crafting!

Tie-dye birthday

Hello again,

Today I have a 6x6 card for you.

The inspiration for the colours came from the patterned paper, had this in my stash for a while.

When I make the base layers for a card I start by thinking about how big I want the smallest layer to be. The patterned paper was cut down to 5 inch square. I picked out a piece of blue card stock and stuck the patterned paper to it. I used a Perfect Layers ruler to create a 1/16 inch border.

This was laid onto white card stock. I cut a half inch border around the blue layer. Finally, this was laid over some pink card stock. I cut a 1/16 inch border again. 

The whole thing was then glued to the base card with double sided tape.

I stamped the greeting using Clarity "Happy Words" set. I wasn't sure which colour to go with so I used both, Picked Raspberry and Broken China distress ink.  I liked the effect and went with the same method to stamp the flower from the Stampin'up "Flower Shop".

I selected a layering rectangle die from Tonic Studios to fit the greeting. I cut the next size up in pink and glued them together. I cut the next 2 sizes up in white then blue and glued them together. The pink layer was stuck to the blue layer with foam pads.

I punched out the flowers with the matching punch and shaped them with a ball tool. I used the foliage set from Spellbinders to cut the leaves. I sponged through the die with the same distress inks.

Before gluing everything down, I lay out the pieces to see how they look. I thought it needed something at the bottom. I ended up cutting a border from the California Collection by Sue Wilson in pink card stock and putting that at the bottom.

I added the other elements, raising the greeting panel on to foam pads and using Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue for the flowers and foliage.

Finally, finished with three stamped and punched flowers from the Pretty Petals set from Stampin'up which I positioned in top left corner for balance.

Happy Crafting!

Welcome baby

Hello again everyone. 

Look at this baby card! Love it, made as a commission for a friend to celebrate the arrival of their first nephew.

I started with an 8x8 white card blank.

I pulled some different blue card stock from the stash and  along with this lovely yellow pinstripe paper from Docrafts. 

I matted and layered the pieces for the centre of the card. The smaller portion was raised on foam pads.

The sentiment plate was cut from the California collection from Sue Wilson. The sentiment itself, from Tonic Studios was cut in dark blue. The stork was cut separately in white and layered over the top. I used some Tumbled Glass Distress ink to add colour to the "bundle of joy". 

The sentiment was placed above centre on the base card.

Returning to the California collection, I cut the corner in white card stock and placed as shown.

The flowers were made from the Stampin'up pretty petals and flower shop sets. I used Tumbled Glass and Squeezed  Lemonade distress ink. They were punched out with the matching punches, shaped using a ball tool and then some pearl PVA was added to the smaller flower centres. They were arranged on the card as shown.

The foliage was cut in dark blue using Sue Wilson's faux quilled set. I added some extra flourishes in white.

Hey Presto!

Welcome Baby!

Happy Crafting.

Spin off from Retro Bro

Hello again,

Following on from the "Retro Bro" post, I created this smaller version.

This uses a 6x6 white card blank.

I cut a red mat to 5-1/2 inch square, a soft cream mat to 5 inch square and a further red mat to 4-1/2 inch. The final mat was cut from Kraft card to 4-7/16 inch square. I lay these together on the base card using double-sided tape.

Using the Sizzix hexagon thinlits dies, I cut a suitably sized shape in soft cream. I lettered this onto some pale blue card and used Perfect Layers rulers to make a  1/16 inch border. I attached this to the card as shown using foam tape. I deliberately opted to have the edges overhang the mats on the card base.

From scraps of red, blue, yellow and brown card, I cut the smallest hexagon from the Sizzix dies. These were laid onto the card with foam squares in a honeycomb pattern.

To finish, I cut the sentiment from Tonic Studios in black card. I stuck this down using Cosmic Shimmer dries clear glue.

Lots of colour but not theme specific for those guys who don't like sport or boats!

I am also considering using pastel feminine colours, or maybe even monochrome.

Happy Crafting!

Retro Bro

Hi Everyone,

A more manly card this time. 

This is on a Kraft 8x8 card blank. 

The base is layered with soft cream and Kraft card measuring 7-1/2, 7-3/8 and 6-7/8 respectively.

The hexagonal topper was created using Sizzix dies. I chose the size that best fit the sentiment I wanted to use. I cut this in Kraft card, then cut the next size down in red. I wanted a soft cream border so I used Perfect Layers to create a 1/16 inch border. I created the "patchwork" effect by cutting 6 of the smallest hexagons and arranging as shown.

The sentiment from Tonic Studios was cut in black and adhered to the topper.

Next I cut strips of scrap card and created the banners. I included some of the "retro prints" designer series paper from Stampin'up. I arranged these on the base card as shown, then lay the hexagonal topper over the joins with foam tape. 

I added the "brother" sentiment die from Tonic Studios.

Finishing touches were added with Picket Fence distress marker.

Hope you all like it.

Happy crafting.