New Ways to Eclipse Your Cards with Dies...To Die For

My favorite technique of all time is the Eclipse Technique and in my new video here I share many easy ways to achieve the eclipse look. All the dies you see here and in the video are from Dies...To Die For at ShopScrapbook101.com. The slatted shape dies are available here and are my favorite way to create the eclipse look. You will note the unique shapes and the fact you get many varieties in each set for very reasonable prices. The card above is the one I show how to make in the new video in just a few minutes. The scenery card front is from Divinity Designs. The rectangle eclipse set also includes this choice which I made into a shaker card:

There are 3 hearts to choose from in the Hearts Eclipse die set at Dies...to Die For and I created this lovely sympathy card with one as well as the Rosary Die and a sympathy sentiment die. 

The eclipse look can be achieved with any background paper, solid image and even alphabet dies. I am participating in a card drive for our local Honor Flight and I created this card and the next for the veteran heroes:

This card shows a different way to use one of the rectangle eclipse dies. Here is another set of cards make simply with scenery paper from Crealies and more dies from Dies...To Die For:

And here is a fun card I designed with D...TDF's Soccer Net Background, their Soccer Ball and an alphabet set with shadow dies which were eclipsed:

I hope my cards encourage you to give some of the ideas and products a try.

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, Karen 

May Class Cards Featuring Taylored Expressions Create In Quads

Every other month I teach classes at Harts N Scraps with Jill Lemke's Clear View Transparencies and this month I combined them with stenciled card fronts and elements created with Taylored Expressions Create in Quads stencils. Of course each card featured a fun fold or creative ways to frame the transparencies as well. My students were very happy with the 4 cards they made.

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, Karen 

More Easy to Make Eclipse Cards

I have been having fun with the new Double Vision Eclipse Technique which is easy to do cutting and raising strips of either patterned paper or embossed cardstock as I did on this card. The pattern flows from one strip to the next with some raised on pop dots. The embossing folder I used is a favorite from Spellbinders and I featured the new Awareness Ribbon also from Spellbinders. 

I cut the strips on this card the same and popped up the same two, but I chose a beautiful 3D butterfly embossing folder also from Spellbinders. I cut out an embossed butterfly and popped it up.

I saw a card from StampinNotes like this one with 1/2 inch strips of a patterned scene paper on the front diagonal cut flap and on the inside. So again the pattern flows through the strips and onto the back too. Here is another view of this striking card:

This lovely scene paper is from Divinity Designs. 

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, Karen 

New Ways to Eclipse with Double Stenciling

Hero Arts has a new release called You've Got a Friend and I got to play with several of the new stencils in that collection. The background stencil is called Check Please and is a perfect addition to anyone's stencil collection with classic checks. I combined it with the new layering stencil set called Bitty Floral and then cut strips raising every other one for a fun new way to eclipse.

I played with other ways to use the stencils on this shaped card cut out with Hero Arts Infinity Butterfly dies. I lightly added teal ink through the Check Please stencil, then moved it over and added some light yellow ink. I chose to overstencil with just two of the stencils in the Bitty Floral stencil and then cut another smaller butterfly out to raise and eclipse. The perfect addition to both of these cards were Spellbinders Color Essentials Gems.

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, Karen 

No Time for Pop Up Cards or Paper Piecing? No Problem

One of my favorite booths at the Novi MegaMeet this last weekend was Scrappy Tails and they are known for their amazing Pop Up Cards with layers of paper piecing details. I know that we don't always have time enough to make that type of card. My two cards today were made in very little time because I decided to make them without the pop up feature and create the images as silhouettes. You can see samples of how to use the Gazebo Wrap Around Pop Up with all of the gorgeous layers here on the website. But my card shows a lovely way to make a shaped card and I created it in just minutes. Here is a look at the inside of this card:

Another Scrappy Tails die I couldn't resist was the Birch Tree Pop Up Tunnel and when I have more time I will definitely do the pop up with all the paper piecing. But I made this simple 5 x 7 card with silhouettes again and a pop of red in the cardinals and sentiment:

Cardmaking Joy and Hugs, Karen 

Waffle Flower Dad and Mom's Cards

I loved the new sets and stencils released at Waffle Flower last month and bought several sets at our local paper crafting store, Harts N Scraps where I teach classes. I featured Waffle Flower in last month's classes that I taught. Father's Day is next month and the new Postage Collage Dad Silhouettes are perfect for that. But I think it could be used for birthdays and other special days for Dad or Grandpa. The backgrounds on this card were created with the Postage Collage Wavy Lines Stencil. 

I used the new Mom Silhouettes stamps from Waffle Flower and a blue mono-chromatic stenciling and inking for this card. 

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, Karen 

Sending Sunshine and Love with Spellbinders May Stitched Die of the Month

Sending love and sunshine with this bright cheerful card is easy and fun after stitching the May Spellbinders Stitched Die of the Month. I usually use metallic thread when I stitch on cards, but this month I used variegated shades of yellow floss to stitch the rays of this cute sun. I added googly eyes and a sentiment pennant from Spellbinders Gingerbread Plane and Banners die set. 

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, Karen