Snowflakes, Butterflies and Extra Pages In our Cards? Why Not?

I love butterflies and snowflakes, but never thought of using them together on a card until I saw the dies in the new Miss P Loves release from Paula Pascual and couldn't resist them! The dies are designed for easy journal making but I thought I could use them for unique cards with several pages in them, and I show many cards with these innovative dies in my newest video here. Here are some more pages from this winter butterfly card:

Of course we don't need to make winter cards with this butterfly die, and here is a hello card I made in just minutes with the same die set: 

If you are a journal maker, you would love these dies from Miss P Loves at Create and Craft. But if you like to make unique cards like me, they are perfect for you too! 

I am entering the first card in the Anything Goes challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday.

September Guy's Card Class at Harts N Scraps

I really loved the cards I designed for my September classes at Harts N Scraps this month. They were all guys cards, and this one was made with several stencils and stamps from Blue Knight Rubber Stamps. Here is a picture of some of the happy class members with this card:

We had two very full classes and one smaller class and it was in that class these pictures were taken. Two of the cards were light up cards featuring EZ Lights and One Lights from Pear Blossom Press and everyone had great fun making these cards:

The BBQ dies are from Trinity Stamps and the love bug car dies are from Paper Rose Studio. Here are some more pix of the students with these cards:

The last card we made this month was a shaped fish vest card made without large expensive specialty dies. 

Miss P Loves Boundless Journals For Cardmakers

I have been a huge fan of Paula Pascual from back in the day when we were both associated with Tonic Studios and when I saw her new release at Create and Craft recently, I was so inspired I bought the whole release. The dies are part of her Miss P Loves Boundless Journals and I am not a journal maker. However, I thought they could be used to make unique cards with extra pages if wished, and that is what I show in my newest video here. Here is the first card I made with the three Hexi die sets:

As I show in the video, the Hexi Page die set can make two large hexi pages, two smaller hexis,  and one of each all with a slot that fits over a hinge which is also made with the Hexi Page die. Here are a few more of this card's pages all made with dies from this Christmas release from Miss P Loves:

It is easiest to see in the video itself how these special cards with extra pages look. The front sentiment die is from Tonic Studios and the Peace, Love and Joy is from Penny Black. Here are a couple pictures of the 6 page card I make step by step in the video:

The Christmas Blessings sentiment die is from Sue Wilson. Rather than photo each page, I suggest watching the full video, but if no time right now, here is a mini video of each page of this special card I show how to make:

**I love my subscribers! But unfortunately my subscription service does not for some reason show mini videos when you read my blog in your email. Just click on the title and go to the actual blogpost to see it or click on any of the links for the full video with many more cards and how to make the Christmas Blessings card step by step. 

More Cards with Gina K's Technique And What Not to Do

After watching Gina K's technique video here, I pulled out all my stamps and cover dies that might work and had a play. In my newest video here, I shared many cards I made, some of which worked great and some not so much. I love the Sail Away stamp from Woodware on this card, but it proved to be a real struggle to line up the die cut layers because it was just such a detailed stamp. The die cut from Dees's Distinctively was a bit hard to work with too for this technique, although I do like how the card turned out.

I have a cover die from Spellbinders and Simon Hurley I love and tried it over a stenciled background on this card. The cloud stencils and flowers were from TEXTures by Lou Collins which I stamped and stenciled twice on a lightly colored patterned paper. The Zig Zag Chevron die cut layers were just too thin to line up for the extra layers, so I simply glued the two patterned paper layers together and added a die cut sentiment and some birds. I like how it turned out and there is some texture, but when the top layer is raised, this technique is much more effective as I show in my video here. 

Thanks To Gina K A New Technique To Try

I love to find new techniques to try, then have a play and come up with my twist on the technique. Recently I watched a video where Gina K of Gina K Designs shared the idea of stamping twice on white cardstock with black ink, then cutting one out with a cover die, raising it and gluing back on for a unique look. I pulled out every stamp set and die that I thought could work, and in my newest video I share what did and did not work. 

I thought I would try different colors than the black and white Gina K showed, and here is one of my favorites of the cards I made. I stamped "Baseball in Motion" from Technique Junkies twice on kraft cardstock using my MISTI so they were in exactly the same spot, then cut one of them out with the largest plaid die from a set by Tim Holtz and Sizzix. This die set was new to me, but is apparently out of stock at Sizzix.  I did find it here. I love how this card turned out, and wondered- do we need to stamp on each layer for this technique to work? 

No! All I did on this one was to start with two identical forest scene designer papers and cut one out with the Sizzix die and one without. I also cut out two more of the Sizzix plaid die out of thicker black cardstock and glued the three together before gluing onto the back piece. Then I glued onto a black cardbae and added a couple die cut birds. This card was so easy to make and would be perfect for sympathy, thinking of you, birthday or any reason to send a card. 

In the new video here, I show these and other cards where I learned what did and didn't work, and I made this card step by step: 

I knew I wanted to use the same Sizzix plaid die as it worked the best of the ones I tried. I had this new stamp from TEXTures by Lou Collins that I found at Paper Wishes, but it was quite a bit larger than the die. I show how I stamped twice on the same designer paper cut to 4 1/2 x 6, die cut one and glued on to two die cut out of black. I attached back onto the larger uncut piece so the flowers flow from the background on the diecut piece, and love how this one turned out!

I thank Gina K for her video and this fun technique and hope between the two of us, you have been inspired to give some of the ideas a try!

Three Layers of Squashfold and Happy Bananas Fun!

I am bananas for this fun card with its smiley faced banana characters made with new dies from Crealies for my newest video here. You are going to want to click that link and watch to see how this card pops up with three layers of square squashfold fun, but I will try my best to show you with these still photos:

I put three square squashfolds together created with the new Square Squashfold die set from Crealies, then added a bunch of bananas and a bananas message my grandson is going to love! This is the 3rd squashfold card I shared in the new video, so be sure to watch to see all of them. 

I hope my cards inspire you to give some of the ideas and products a try! You can find these and many other Crealies dies in the USA at the Frantic Stamper website here.

I am entering this card in the Cute challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday. 

The Easiest Squashfold Cards You Will Ever Make with New Dies From Crealies

Pretty wedding or anniversary card for sure, but just look at the inside of this card I made for my newest video:

Squashfold cards have been around for a while, but Crealies just took them to a whole new level! To see the pop in this card when opened,  you will want the watch the video here. The Heart Squashfold die set in the newest Crealies release includes the base and many layers of hearts, both stitched and unstitched. Here is the squashfold card I make step by step in the new video:

The gorgeous scenery paper used both on the front and the inside is from Paper Wishes, and the Deer Silhouette is from the newest release at Crealies. But of course, the inside is where the real fun happens:

The circle squashfold pops up when opened and you can see that motion and how easy this card is to make in the new video here. All of the dies you see are available at the Crealies website here, but if you live in the USA, you can now get them here at the Frantic Stamper website! 

3D Embossing Folders With Dies from Lisa Horton

I recently purchased a couple 3D embossing folders with matching dies from Lisa Horton and made this card with the Trailing Hawaiian Flowers set for my newest video here. I simply brushed on some color and raised it to attach to a pretty wood green background. The "hugs" die set is from Penny Black. 

This card was made with Lisa Horton's Torn Aperture 3D embossing folder and matching die. I sponged on ink around the opening and attached a Dreamcatcher die from Frantic Stamper. The scripty sentiment die is from Crafter's Companion. 

Stadium Wave Pop Up Cards with Embossing Folders and Dies

All you need to make gorgeous cards are unique embossing folders, some dies and paper as I show in my newest video here.  Then add in an amazing fun fold and the cards are sure to delight anyone you give them to! I recently learned how to do the Stadium Wave Pop Up fun fold and here is one of the cards I share in my new video:

The front is cheerful with daisies inlaid in an embossed cardfront and a vellum belly band. The Delightful Daisies are from Crafter's Companion, the sentiment die from Frantic Stamper and the embossing folder is by Pink and Main. Just look at what pops up when the belly band is removed and the card is opened:

This stadium wave fun fold is difficult to photograph but you can see it and how I make the following card step by step in the new video. 

I recently received the Fantastic Feathers and Dreamcatcher dies from Frantic Stamper and used them on this card front along with a Lisa Horton 3D Embossing Folder called Torn Aperture. Here is the inside of this card with the Stadium Wave pop up and more dies from Frantic Stamper:

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

I am entering the first card in the Anything Goes Challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday.