Card size

What is your favorite card size?  Standard A2?  A7?  Shaped cards?

Normally I like to make A2 cards because of a couple of reasons.  First, I can maximize my cardstocks.  Second, they tend to be the standards for tutorials, challenges and so forth.  Finally, for those cards that I am donating to OWH, they require cards to be in A2 size.  So A2 has been my standard size.

However, when I am asked to make a card for a special occasion, for instance if my co-worker asks me to make a card big enough for many people to sign, I will make it an A7 size.  I'm sharing one of those today:

The sketch from the card comes from Just Us Girls except that I have substituted the oval with a tag.

Whenever it comes to a manly card I just have to struggle with a lot of things.  I guess many of my supplies are girly so making a masculine card is challenging to begin with.  A manly card tends to have few embellishments.  The only non-paper embellishment is the black hemp on the tag.  Without embellishments, it is quick tricky to make a card, a manly card, interesting.  So I opted to use different fonts.  "Dad" was cut with Art Philosophy.  I welded the three letters and made sure it is wider than the tag.  Having it hanging off the edge does make it pop some more.  Then I used Artbooking cartridge to cut "BIRTHDAY".  Finally I stamped each letter of "HAPPY" and cut it out.

Colors?  No pink or yellow for sure.  I've used the patterned paper from Dakota for the background, which is a nice wood grain pattern on Whisper. Then I have a horizontal panel in Slate and the words in Barn Red.  The pattern on the tag?  It is in Whisper again - bright enough to be seen but subtle enough to serve as a background.

My card is entering the following challenges:
CCEE Stampers - Birthday card
Cards for men - Tag it
Color My Heart - Slate, Whisper & your choice
Sister Act card challenge - Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Adding colors to die cuts

I am trying a new way to use washi tapes with dies.  I have had this idea for a while but have not tried it out.  Sometimes I wonder how I can involve more colors in a die cut and after today's experiment I think I have at least one answer to that question!

I first put washi tape across a piece of cardstock, then I run the die through a die cutting machine.  The negative does not look too bad and perhaps I could use it on another project:

Thanks to Friday Mashup's challenge I got to think about how to use my washi tapes:

In addition to washi tape, I've also used my forgotten hemp baker's twine.  I got it perhaps early this year (about January) but it somehow fell through the cracks to the very bottom of my supply drawer.  Had I not dug deep enough it would never see light again.  I should really use it more often as this hemp baker's twine has more texture than traditional baker's twine and its neutral color will match with almost every project!

My card is based on the sketch at 52 {Christmas} card challenge:

and I used the materials specified at Merry Monday Challenge:

My card is also entering the following challenges:
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Layers
Crafty Hazel Nut Challenge - layer it out
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Christmas
Our Creative Corner - Forgotten things

Thanks for stopping by!

Another fall card

I'm sharing a Fall/Thanksgiving card today.  Thanks to the Huntington paper pack, I am all motivated to make Thanksgiving cards!  Love love love the patterns and colors of this paper pack.  When I first received this paper, I was so excited that I made a two-page scrapbook layout - the first time of scrapbooking after months without any incentive to scrapbook.

I am using Poster Tidings, the Stamp of the Month in September.  I really like this stamp set as this kind of stamps with a stack of words is very popular.  The stamp can be used as is, or like what I did here - stamping in different colors then cut them in pieces and put them back together:

How I love the fall colors all appear in one image!  I've got this sketch from Deconstructed Sketch:

My card is an A7 card (5" x 7") as I want to make sure there is enough room for the entire image.  It could actually fit to a standard A2 (4.25" x 5.5") card but I like this better when the space on the card can balance out the activities in the center image.

My card is entering the challenge at:
 Great Impressions - Fall colors
C is for Challenge - Lots of layers 
Craftin' Boutique Challenge - Fall Challenge
Sarah Hurley Challenge - Autumn Glow
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes
4 Krafty Girlz challenge - Anything Goes
Happy Campers Challenge - Use a Stamp

Thanks for stopping by!

A super quick post

I can't explain why my eyes can't stay open.  The eyelids are as heavy as lead.  I have to rush through this post so I could get some sleep.  Sorry.

I am sharing a sympathy card today: 

I got the sketch from Deconstructed Sketch:

I'm in love with this sketch and I know I'll use it over and over again.  Please click the link above to see the sample card by Jen.  It is such a gorgeous piece.

My card is entering the following challenges:
1.  The Perfect Sentiment - Ribbon, Twin and/or Seam Binding (I've used the organdy ribbon)
2.  Tammy Scrapin Corner - Anything Goes
3.  Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes
4.  Addicted to Stamps Challenge - Anything Goes
5.  Fluttery By Wednesday - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Thanksgiving

A couple of challenges are asking us to make Fall cards and I am happy to switch from my Christmas prep to Fall cards. 

I'm using my beloved Huntington paper pack to make my card:

It is based on the sketch from Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge:

It happens to qualify for the color challenge at Heart 2 Heart challenges - Barn Red, Sunset, Gypsy and Cashmere.  Well, I didn't mean to use Gypsy, as purple does not appear to match with the color scheme, but I like how I've made the flower pop out more with a Gypsy ring here.  To tone brightness down I've sanded the paper to expose its white core and I think it is not too odd.

I have put three gems on my card.  These mocha gems have been in my stash since they were released years ago.  They were so cute and pretty that I just had a difficult time to part with them.  Interestingly I have no problem to part with sparkles but have been very indecisive in using pearls/gems.  My card is thus entering Clear It Out Challenge to show my mocha gems.

My card is also entering the challenge at
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Bearly Mine Challenge - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments - Fall colors/ patterns
Paper Playtime - Use three different papers

Thanks for stopping by!

Playing with new toys

I think we all love playing with new goodies.  This year, playing with my new toys has become a motivation for me to make Christmas cards.  Today's card made use of two new items - the Yuletide Greetings stamp set from Close to My Heart and the Merry Christmas die from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

It is a traditional Christmas card:

I made use of sketch #7

and color combo #19 from 52 (Christmas) Card Throwdown:

My card is also entering the following challenges:
1.  Hiding in My Craftroom - Anything Goes / Freestyle
2.  Catered Crop - Sentimental
3.  Christmas card challenge - Something new
4.  613 Avenue - Anything Goes
5.  Challenges for everybody - Anything Goes
6.  Creative Creation - Christmas
7.  Sister Act Card challenge - Anything Goes

Now that my "new toy" bin has two fewer items, but many more to go through. :)  Thanks for stopping by!

Hooray Hooray

I hope your Labor Day weekend has been fabulous.

The infection on my right eye was persistent so I took quite a bit of rest.  I was frustrated as I really wanted to play at my craft desk non-stop, but the itch, the medication and the eye drop all prevented me from doing that.  Nevertheless I tried to craft in between those hours of rest. 

I have made a birthday card for a little child.  A cupcake was the first thing that came to my mind, then I looked for sketches online for the layout.  I found this from Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge:

 

Then I wanted to use the colors from Color My Heart Color Dare challenge:

 

 

A clean and simple card was then born:

 

 



 Because there is no patterned paper involved, I want to make sure that it has enough interest going on.  I first cut out the pennants from the banner and pop up some of them, then for the cupcakes, I added some glitter gel for that mimics the icing and purposeful aligned them randomly.  I did thought about having a big cupcake (1.5" instead of 1" as shown) but that looked a little odd.  That cupcake could be used in another project, I'm sure.  I also thought about lining the three cupcakes in a row, but I think that is too boring for a young, energetic boy. 

My card is also entering the following challenges:
1.  The Paper Nest Dolls - CAS
2.  The Cheerful Stamp Pad - Inspiration picture (that inspires me to make a birthday card)
3.  Kaboodle Doodles - Use Yellow
4.  Make it Monday
5.  There She Goes - Banners and Birthdays
6.  Get Inky! Challenge - Cakes/Cupcakes
7.  Sentimental Sundays - Birthdays
8.  Dream Valley Challenges - For a Child
9.  Scrapper's Delights Challenge - Paper piecing

Thanks for stopping by!