My Favorite Card and Stamp Set

Here is the card I hinted at way back in January when I was finishing up my thank you card series.  The has to be one of my favorite cards that I've made.  At the last minute I thought it would be cute to make the paper look like it was curling up from the typewriter so I curled it up with my bone folder and then stuck a bit of foam adhesive in the middle.  How many of you remember when you used a manual typewriter and you had to flatten your paper out after you were done?  I sure do!  I also remember the angst at trying to get that darn paper back in the typewriter just right if you made a mistake.

I love this set - it comes will all kinds of sentiments to put in the typewriter and a fabulous pointing finger.  I just love the whole vintage trend that is going on with this set!

You can buy this set for only $5 when you place a qualifying $50 order.  And...if you can get two other friends to go in with you on this and you end up with $150 in orders*, all three of you can get your own stamp set for $5 and you (as the hostess with the mostest) will earn at least $25 in free select product!!  This stamp set is only available during the month of April 2015 so you need to be Johnny on the spot with this one!

Supplies:

Close to My Heart Typed Note April Stamp of the Month S1504

Close to My Heart Colonial White Card Base and Envelope

Close to My Heart Black Cardstock

The Paper Studio Kellerkurtz & Co paper stack

Momento Tuxedo Black Ink

*sadly any purchases of the grab bag specials do not count toward hostess credits - they still will help you qualify for the Stamp of the Month so it's not all bad news down here at the asterisk!

Joy Fold Thanks

I had a lot of fun with this card.  I learned this particular fold from Schell Fabian.  I'll link her video below so you can learn how to do this too!  It's not hard but really turns out a beautiful card that everyone will think you spent hours and hours on!!  Besides...Schell is an awesome teacher and produces really nice videos so you should go check her out!

This is the final card in my big thank you card series for our upcoming cruise.  Although...there is one card that I won't be showing you until April.  That particular card is my absolute favorite but it's using a stamp set that won't be released until April so stay tuned for that one!

Supplies:

Close to My Heart Skylark paper - this paper is unfortunately retired now but we do have some Picture My Life cards featuring these designs still in the catalog.  Check it out here and here.

Close to My Heart White Daisy Cardstock

The Paper Studio Pearlized Cardstock - this stuff is absolutely gorgeous!  I wish the pics would have shown the sheen you get with this paper.

Close to My Heart A Tree A1124 - this stamp set is only available through the end of January 2015 (while supplies last) and then it will be retiring.

Close to My Heart Thanksgiving Wreath Hostess Stamp Set B1454 - let me know if you want more info on how to earn this stamp set.

Close to My Heart Chocolate Ink

Schell's Video:  http://youtu.be/l6U3VJezUvI

Bannered Thanks!

I had a lot of fun with this card.  It's so bright and cheery and I was able to use up some scraps and extra die cuts I had laying around.

This stamp set is a hostess only set but it is really easy to earn hostess rewards.  You just need to gather orders that add up to at least $150 and you can purchase this set for $6!  You will also earn $25 in hostess rewards so in reality the set is free!  Our entire catalog is available online and your friends and family can order directly on my website and have their order shipped directly to their doorstep.  You do not have to sort through orders or even clean your house and fix cute little snack food!!  Although if you feel the need to clean and create awesome food, just let me know and I'll come over and enjoy your labors!

Supplies:

Close to My Heart Thanksgiving Wreath Hostess Stamp Set B1454

Close to My Heart Daisy White Card Base & Envelope

We R Memory Keepers Simply Spring paper pack

Close to My Heart Artiste Cricut Cartridge

Close to My Heart Sorbet Ink Z2164

Close to My Heart Sparkles (colored with a Copic G43 marker to match) - I love these little adhesive gems!  You can color them any color you like with an alcohol marker and you get 100 for only $2.95!!

Thankful Wreath

Here is another in my thank you card series!  I kept this one really simple but I like the understated look I got with it.  I used Operation Write Home sketch #33 for this one.  The only thing I did different that the sketch was layer the sentiment panel on another piece of coordinating paper.

Unfortunately this stamp set is retired now but I absolutely love it.  It comes with several pieces so you can build your wreath layer by layer.  We have a similar type of build it wreath set in our Christmas collection called Merry, Merry (C1591).  That set is available at least through July this year.  Not sure what is going to carry over into the new Annual Inspirations coming out in August.  I'm always sad when stamps and paper collections leave but it seems like something new always comes along and soothes me and makes me feel better again! ;-)

Supplies:
Close to My Heart C1473 Remarkable Wreath stamp set (retired set)
Close to My Heart Z2165 Juniper Ink
Close to My Heart Z2111 Chocolate Ink
Momento Tuxedo Black Ink
Close to My Heart Colonial White Cardstock
Close to My Heart Colonial White Card Base & Envelope (these are the greatest deal - you get a pack of 50 pre-cut and scored A2 sized cards and envelopes for $14.95)
The Paper Studio Kirby Teasdale Studio paper pack

Merci Beaucoup!

Here is another card in my thank you card series.  I love using sketches to this one is based on Operation Write Home's sketch #1.

For this card I used a Stamp of the Month from Close to My heart that is really cute!  I had this paper in my stash (or should I say 'stache) and I thought this stamp was made for it!  Unfortunately this Stamp of the Month is no longer available but here is this month's stamp:

They are a great deal and can be had for either $17.95 regular price or you can get one for only $5 if you spend $50 or more on other items.  This particular set is compatible with our Artbooking Cricut Cartridge Bundle.

Supplies used:

Close to My Heart Autumn Terracotta Ink
The Paper Studio Glasses, Staches, & Ties paper pack
Close to My Heart Colonial White Cardstock
Close to My Heart Black Cardstock
Close to My Heart Colonial White Case Base
Close to My Heart #S1405 You've Got a Friend stamp set

Happy Camper!

I have been working on thank you cards lately and here is one I just finished up that will work for both thank you and just as a general thinking of you card.  I love this stamp set and really enjoyed doing some quick coloring with my Copics.  Normally when I use my Copics I'm doing something detailed with lots of shading and it takes F.O.R.E.V.E.R!  But not this one.  I actually made six of these!  I even took them up to my sewing room and added some zig-zag stitching on my machine.  It was so easy and I love the added dimension.

Some of these cards will be going to Operation Write Home in my next box and others will be coming with us on our upcoming cruise to hand out to staff members we catch doing something special.



Here are the Copic colors I used:

Other supplies:
Close to My Heart Chocolate Ink
Close to My Heart Ponderosa Pine Ink
Momento London Fog Ink
Close to My Heart #C1578 Camper Crazy Stamp Set
Close to My Heart Colonial White Card Base
The Paper Studio Yee Haw Paper Pack

Thank You For Your Service Cards

I have a couple events coming up for Armed Services Day and Memorial Day that I needed to make some cards for.  I decided to use the same layout for them all but ended up making six different paper combinations.  In total I will have 120 cards made for these two events.  I think my ATG is still smoking!! lol

Here's a pic of the six different styles I ended up with.

40 of these cards are going to a local hospice provider who is going to deliver cards to all the veterans that they provide services for.  The rest of the cards are going to be used at my office.  We are having an Anyhero card signing event for Operation Write Home.  Between Armed Services Day and Memorial Day we are going to place boxes in our three lounges with instructions on how to write an Anyhero message.  We will have a place for them to leave their completed card and then I will send them all off to OWH in June.  We've never done anything like this before but hopefully my building full of 300 employees can manage writing 80 cards.  Hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised and we run out of cards during the first week of our event!

The patterned paper all came from the Proud to Serve paper stack from The Paper Studio.  The solid card stock is all from Core'dinations and the card bases are Georgia Pacific standard card stock from Sam's.

The holographic paper I used for the ribbon tails was purchased at Hobby Lobby in their by the sheet section and I used my Cricut Close To My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge to cut them all out (Banner2 on page 29).  It was actually quite funny once I got them all cut out and then put the Cricut mat on my desk to remove them.  First thing I noticed was that I had to turn off my desk lamp because I was blinding myself (not to self - do NOT hit holographic paper with a high powered Ott Lamp!) and then I realized the holographic paper was actually sticker paper!  It was a little bit more challenging to get those little buggers off the mat but it sure made it easier when it was time to adhere them!

The sentiment is from Doodle Pantry and I punched the stars out from a piece of pattern paper in the stack I used.  It was so awesome that my smallest punch fit the stars exactly.  I'm thinking everything about these cards was really meant to be because I had just enough paper in the stack to punch out all the stars I needed with only a couple extras!

I used a consultant sketch from Close To My Heart and tweaked it just a bit to fit the paper supplies I had available.  I'm still trying to use up all my stash of non CTMH papers.  I must admit though that it's been hard to go back to using those others papers after I've used CTMH paper.  Their paper is a joy to work with and now that I've used some higher quality paper I think I might be spoiled.

One special thing I did have to do was create my own solid card stock for the cards with the blue background and strip.  I didn't have any blue in my stash that seemed to work so I took some of the GP white card stock and rubbed a Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Faded Jeans all over it.  I liked the effect so much that I did the same thing to some Kraft card stock using Barn Door and used that paper on the card that in the middle of the above picture.  It really gave it such a great dimension!

Here are my paper measurements:
Card size - A2
Bottom Layer - 5.25 x 4
Pattern Paper Layer - 5 x 3.75
Pattern Paper Strip - 4.25 x 1.25
Solid Paper Strip - 4.25 x .75 (although I ended up having to make a couple of them .5 since I was running out of paper - it still looked fine though)
Ribbon Tails - 1 x .5 - they are really tiny and you need to use some tweezers when you are working with them!
Stars - cut with a Fiskars 1" circle punch
Sentiment - 2.75 x 1.5

Springy One Sheet Wonder Cards

I just did a whole bunch of spring themed OSW cards based on an idea from Jessica at Craftin' and Stampin' which she based on a tutorial from Inkin' It Up With Jessica - two Jessicas, isn't that confusing! *smile*  I took the basic cuts and modified them a little to fit on A2 cards instead of the larger cards they were originally designed for.

I cut my double sided 12 X 12 paper from a We R Memory Keepers Simply Spring Kit according to the layout but when I started laying it down I trimmed where necessary to make it fit the A2 cards.  I also added a few more layers to give the cards some extra personality.

I ended up with enough pieces to make 16 cards but if I shared all of them with you I think you'd get really bored.  So...here are some of my favorites:

For this card I took one of the solid card stock cuts from Jessica's tutorial and used my Fiskars Daisy edge punch and then backed it with some of the same gray card stock I used for the mat on the sentiment.  The sentiment is a clear stamp from Stampabilities that I picked up at Hobby Lobby just a couple months ago and I stamped it with Momento Dew Drop London Fog ink.  I've been itching to use this stamp and I think it works great with this springy paper!  I did have to cut the sentiment base larger than called for in Jessica's tutorial to fit this particular sentiment.

For this one I added some of the sticker embellishments that came in the Simply Spring kit at the top and the bottom.  The sentiment is from the Fiskars Sweetheart Set.  I inked it also in London Fog and added some Diamond Stickles to the hearts for a little extra dimension.

I think this one turned out so cute.  I love that little dog.  I was tempted to add some Copic coloring to him but in the end I'm glad I left him alone.  This was also inked with London Fog and I added a little drop of Diamond Stickles to the heart above the hello sentiment.  The sentiment is from the Fiskars Sweetheart Set and the dog is from the We R Memory Keepers Furever Friends set.

I think this one turned out cute.  I toyed with fussy cutting out the tag (from the Fiskars Terrific Tags set) and then layering it on the card stock base but in the end I think it works just leaving it stamped directly on the base.  I colored the little daisies with a touch of Copic YG00 and then put a small dot of Diamond Stickles in the middle of each flower.  The brad is one I had in my stash from an unknown makers but it's really small and flat so mailing shouldn't be an issue with this card.

The sentiment on this one is from the Fiskars Laugh With Me set.  I stamped this one with London Fog and added Diamond Stickles to the music notes.  It's really sparkly but unfortunately I just couldn't capture that with the camera.

This card is using the same Laugh With Me set and I also added a sticker from the Simply Spring kit. My husband pushed me outside my comfort zone on this one and urged me to place the butterfly off center.  I'm still not 100% positive about it but I'm growing to like it more.

And finally, my absolute favorite of the bunch and one I am going to make more of:

I love, love, love how this one turned out!  It all started with the stamp set on this one.  I've had this Dimensions Clear on Clear Thoughts of Fancy set for probably over 10 years.  It was one of the first sets I bought when I started stamping.  I stamped it in London Fog and then colored the dress with Copic E01.  I really love how the Copic color is really close to the pattern paper color.  I don't have a lot of Copics so matching things is not the easiest for me.  Once I had the dress and sentiment done and layered on top of the pattern paper I realized it was missing something.  I didn't have any paper in my stash that looked quite right so I found this flower border stamp in my stash by Anna Griffin from her Modern Graphics set and stamped several rows of the flowers creating a background directly on the card base.  

Unfortunately her Angel Policy does not allow sales of items created with her products to be sold on the Internet so I will be shopping for a different stamp to create the background for future reproductions of this card.  I try not to use anything that I can't eventually sell on Etsy.  That's too bad because this set has quite a few really nice images in it.  I think it would also be nice if I took a gray white-core card stock and embossed it with a polka dot folder and then sanded it to expose the white core.  I think I'll go try that now!  Isn't it great when you come up with solutions using things you already have?!?

Much Obliged

Here are some thank you cards I was able to get done for the Western theme at OWH.

The pattern paper is from the Glasses, Staches, and Ties paper pack by The Paper Studio and the solid card stock is all Core'dinations.  I cut the circles for the horse stamp on my Cricut using the Craft Room Essentials free program.  I cut the main circle at 2" and the scalloped circle at 2 1/4".  The sentiment is cut at 1 1/2" x 1" and is matted with a piece cut at 1 3/4" x 1 1/4".  I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo for all the edge inking and stamping.  The stamps are all from the My Favorite Things Howdy set.  I am loving this set and the stamps themselves are the clearest stamping ones I've ever used.  I will definitely be searching out more from My Favorite Things.



My box is now complete with 163 cards + 20 AnyHero cards!!  Woohoo!!  My husband asked me how long it took me to finish this box so I had to go back and look at my first blog entry where I talked about OWH.  It has taken me four months to build up this many cards.  I feel pretty good about it because I also had Christmas and the big order I do in January for the restaurant I sew for.  I also made cards for our friends and family during that time as well as cards for our Compassion International girls.  I've been busy but loving every minute of it!

Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge for Operation Write Home

I've been reading about card challenges for quite a while now and decided I would finally enter one.  Our Daily Bread Designs sponsors a challenge for Operation Write Home on a monthly basis.  For every 25 entries they sponsor the postage for one box of cards.  I don't have any ODBD stamps but I have a few on my wish list!!  The theme this month is to make a Thank You card.  I just finished a bunch for my Anyhero cards so I took a close up picture of the card itself for this challenge.

For detailed information on how I made this card you can click here:  http://gabbysews.blogspot.com/2014/02/anyhero-and-thank-you-file-folder-cards.html

For information on joining in on the challenge you can click here:
http://operationwritehome.org/odbd-march-challenge/

To shop at Our Daily Bread Designs you can click here:
http://www.ourdailybreaddesigns.com

Anyhero and Thank You File Folder Cards

I've been following this awesome person on YouTube for quite a while now.  She recently did this really cool technique using the envelope punch board.  I adapted her design for some Anyhero and some Thank You cards I wanted to make to put in my shipment to Operation Write Home.  I will put the link to Schell's tutorial at the bottom of this post but will also note below what I did differently.

I cut my card bases out of the Sam's white card stock.  I cut them at 5.5" x 7.5 " rather than leaving them at 8.5" like Shell did and then trim them later - it works either way.  I used patterned papers from the Proud to Serve collection from The Paper Studio and my solid colors are all Core'dinations card stock.  The stamp set I used is the Fiskars Mini Thank You set for the sentiment and a little $1 set from Stampabilities for the air mail image.  I used several different inks to match my papers - Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo and Faded Jeans and then Momento Dew Drop in Rhubarb Stalk and London Fog.

It does take a little bit longer to make these cards than regular ones since you have a bit of cutting to do and then you need to make an insertable card for someone to write their message.  But I think the uniqueness of the cards makes it all worth it!

Thank you Schell for putting up some awesome tutorials!

Schell's original tutorial:  http://youtu.be/J-105JsjmDg