Super Spinners Cards

I don't play pickleball but I do know some pickleball fanatics and I am really proud of this card I created for a pickleball lover. The net lays flat to mail but is standing on a court I drew. The paddle, ball and stamp set are all from a set by Spellbinders called Born To Dink. Here is another pretty card I made with papers from 49 & Market and Simple Strips dies from Taylored Expressions:

Both are nice, but wait until you see this mini video of the spinner movement:

The amazing spinning movement is created with Dress My Craft Nano Spinners. It is even easier to see it in my new video where I show how easy they are to attach and many more cards with them. 

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, Karen 

Designs with Lucky Winnings

I have been blessed recently to receive two prizes from a couple of my favorite companies, and I had fun designing with what I won. I entered a contest at the Creek Bank Creations Creativity Facebook Page by posting a card inspired by one Creek Bank Creations taught in one of their weekly YouTube lives. Last week out of the blue I received their beautiful Bethlehem Nativity Die Set in the mail and found out I won! I made this 5 x 7 split easel card with those dies and the Merry Christmas circle die also from Creek Bank Creations.

Continuing my lucky streak, I received notice that I had won a gift certificate at Altenew after taking a class with them. I ordered the Zero Waste Ornamental Winter Pattern Die Set and created these two cards with it:

The backgrounds on both of these cards were created with new rub-ons from 49 & Market. I took the pieces I removed from the ornament ball and attached them onto the 2nd card. Behind the ornament in the first card is a piece of multi-colored glitter paper. 

I thank Altenew and Creek Bank Creations for my fun winnings!

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, Karen 

Slatted Rectangle Dies In So Many Ways

Slatted rectangle dies like those from Craft Addiction UK make quick easy eclipse cards but in my newest video here, I explore other ways to use them. I make this card step by step showing both a vertical and horizonal eclipse look and I also added birds, a sentiment and then a seahorse all cut out of the same scenery paper from 49 and Market.

I had so much fun playing with my new rectangle slatted dies for the video, I have too many cards to share in just one blogpost, so be sure to watch the video and then stop back later this week for more photos and details on each of them. 

The easiest way to create lovely cards with slatted dies is to start with two pieces of patterned scenery paper and cut one of them with the slatted rectangle die. Raise it on two more slatted rectangle pieces and attach with skinny foam adhesive strips so the pattern flows from the background into the slatted piece. I did that here with a pretty fall colored piece and added a sentiment strip created with a die from Altenew. 

This is a an easel card I made the same way with pretty beach patterned paper from 49 and Market. The sentiment dies are by Karen Burniston.

To see more cards with the Slatted Rectangle dies from CraftAddiction UK watch the video and stop back later in the week here on my blog.

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, Karen

Spellbinders Country Rocking Chair Double Accordion Gatefold

The new Country Christmas Collection by Annie Williams at Spellbinders is full of comfort and warmth, and the Christmas Rocking Chair is featured on this card I made. I wanted to try making a Double Accordion Gatefold card but the template I had from Stamp With Tami made an A2 card. I adjusted the template to make a 5x7 so the front fold over piece was large enough for the rocking chair. Here is what happens when the card is opened:

The gatefold sides open up to reveal the folded card base center. Here is a closer look at the tree and Santa boots die cut I added to the pretty 49 and Market cardstock:

Cardmaking Joy & Hugs, 

Karen 

Halo Light Cards With Club Scrap and 49 & Market

I recently discovered Club Scrap, a company out of Wisconsin (too!) with monthly kits of gorgeous papers for card makers and scrappers and received my first box not long ago. In exploring their Facebook page, I found a challenge to make a card with this sketch: 

Sketches are a great place to start when designing cards, and I designed to take the challenge. I used all papers, a sentiment strip and some floral outline stickers from the Club Scrap April '25 kit on my card. But I added one fun item to make this card really special:

The velum flower is now lit up! I have used many One Lights and EZ Lights from Pear Blossom Press, but recently decided to try their Halo Lights for the first time. I had a set here and made this card and the next one with their circle of lights called Halo Lights.

I used products from the new 49 and Market Birdsong Essentials release on this card and once again a halo of lights from Pear Blossom Press. This card is pretty below, but IRL much prettier with the halo of lights. 

It is really hard to show the Halo Lights beauty with still pictures, so I filmed a mini- video to show you:

How Many Ways Can We Design with One Die Set?

The minute I saw the new Star Layering Combo die set from Divinity Designs I knew it was one of those die sets that could be used in so many ways to make fun, fast and unique cards. In one afternoon I easily designed many cards with one, three and four layers of the die and then found a new fun fold to feature it on the card I made step by step in my new video here.

I found a package of 49 and Market patterned cardstock and picked some for the layers of the star and also the other layers of this large diamond easel card. I found a similar template  on line from Tami White, but changed the sizes up a bit as hers created a card too large for any of my envelopes. Here is a picture of the inside of this diamond easel and also of the templates I created and shared in the video:

Here is another version of that card with brighter colors on the layered star:

This die set from Divinity Designs makes lovely cards with no fun folds and less layers as on this one where I used just three:

The white card base becomes the 4th layer and the layered Hugs die is from Karen Burniston. I made this card in just minutes with red, silver, black and white- a favorite color combo of mine. To see many more cards and how easy these go together, watch the new video here. 

Creative Cards with New Dies and Stencils

My New Year's resolution is to play with all the new dies, stencils and other crafty goodies I have bought but never used and today I am sharing cards made with a set of dies called Standing Pop Up Card dies from Fabulous Folded Cards at Paper Wishes. Every month Hot Off the Press at Paper Wishes releases a set of very inexpensive dies that create fabulous folded cards. This was an older set that was on sale the end of the year and it makes cards that start like this:

When the ribbon is untied, the card pops open and displays like the first photo. I used 49 and Market cardstock along with some of their rub-on transfers to decorate my circle card for a special friend's birthday. Here are pictures of some of the inside views:

Another way to use this unique set of dies is to have two pop up together in the inside of a card as I did here. Also popping up are some acetate flowers from 49 and Market. I decorated the inside of this 5 x 7 card with a new Poppy Stamps Nordic Lace Plate. The front was created with a new 3D embossing folder with layering stencils from Simon Hurley and Spellbinders:

49 & Market Card Kits and Stained Glass

I recently discovered 49 and Market has Card Kits that include gorgeous paper with matching envelopes along with rub on images and sentiments. I purchased the beautiful Alena Card Kit  from 49  and Market and used it as a starting point to make a gift set of cards. I also recently purchased a set of Stained Glass Effect Squares from Crafter's Companion and together they created easy lovely cards. 

Each one of the cards I created has a matching envelope. I put a sunflower transparency in a circle frame and on the second peach circle card, I simply added some rub on flowers. Each of these cards also has a rub on sentiment on the inside, but I didn't take pictures of those or this blog post would be very long.

On these cards I simply framed the stained glass image with dies and added a few more rub ons to the colorful cards from the kit.

After I finished all the cards in the kit, I decided I really couldn't throw away the matching and beautiful packaging so I cut a frame using a die from Hero Arts for my hummingbird stained glass picture. I added some rub on butterflies to the front and a sentiment to the piece in the center of this card. 

I think the person who receives this set of cards is going to be delighted and will spread the joy when she mails them out to loved ones. 

Card Kits - No Subscriptions - Easy Gift Giving!

Sets of handmade cards make lovely gifts anytime of the year, or we can just send one card at a time to spread joy. In my new video I share 8 cards I made in just minutes with the 49 and Market Tranquility Card Kit and Clear View Transparencies. The card kit includes 8 beautiful card bases with matching envelopes as well as rub on transfers with sentiments, flowers and butterflies. There are many collections from 49 and Market that include card kits, and you can find some here. Of course you can create card bases with their awesome patterned cardstock and use an envelope maker to create matching envelopes, but as I show in the video why do the work when the kit gives you everything you need. Here are a couple more cards I made in just minutes:

I also stepped outside the box and cut one of the 49 and Market cardbases apart and made a version of a joy fold fun fold like this one in the video:

The small card opens up and the diagonal flap opens as well. The pretty patterned cardstock from 49 and Market is on the inside and the front diagonal flap. And of course there is a matching envelope from the 49 and Market card kit and I framed another Clear Views transparency on the front of the little square card. 

I hope my cards encourage you give some of these ideas and products a try and then send some joy out into our world.

49 and Market Card Kits - 8 Gorgeous Cards in Minutes!

I love to give sets of handmade cards as gifts, but I don't have the time to spend hours picking out matching papers and embellishments and then making envelopes to match. I just discovered 49 and Market has card kits that include everything you need to make 8 gorgeous cards and there is no need to commit to a subscription! In my new video here I share the 8 cards I made with the Tranquility Card Kit from 49 and Market. I also feature Clear Views Transparencies in most of the cards, but the one above I made in just seconds with a card base, matching envelope and some rub on transfers. Here is a look at everything you get in on of these card kits from 49 and Market:

I could have make lovely cards with just the paper and rub ons included in the kit or maybe added some laser elements from the same Tranquility collection, but I have been wanting to design with my Clear View Transparencies from Jill Lemke. These Clear Views are pictures printed on acetate and are available locally at a favorite paper crafting store so I am lucky to be able to get them easily. Here is the first card I made in minutes with a card base and matching envelope from 49 and Market and a transparency picture:

The transparencies can be added to the card base with a cut out frame like this one or a die cut frame like this one from Hero Arts:

In the new video, I also did something a bit different from the usual with a card base from the 49 and Market kit- I cut it apart and created a version of a joy fold:

I show the measurements and how easy it is to make this fun fold with the lovely 49 and Market cardstock and another Clear Views transparency. Here is a look at the inside of this card:

To see all 8 cards and how easy it is to create a set of cards to give or keep yourself, watch the new video here.