Winter Cards 4 Kids and Last Post for Send A Smile 4 Kids

The theme this month at Send A Smile 4 Kids is Winter Cards 4 Kids and I had fun creating this card with an open diagonal slit and an adorable winter bird and a cute winter sentiment from Stampendous.

This posting is a bit bittersweet for me as it is the last one I will do for Send A Smile 4 Kids. Back in 2011, I was looking for a place to donate my cards and I was happy to find Send A Smile 4 Kids. They were (and still are) collecting handmade cards for kids who are inpatient in many children’s hospitals. I joined their design team in April of 2011 and very shortly after that, the previous owner and coordinator asked me to take over running SAS4Kids as she was stepping away. I said yes and was the owner, volunteer coordinator and challenge DT leader for almost 9 years.

I was happy and proud to lead SAS4Kids for those years as we grew and cheered many kids and their families with handmade joy. At the end of 2020, I stepped aside as the owner and leader of the volunteer and challenge sides, and two wonderful ladies from the team stepped up and have done an awesome job continuing to grow and maintain Send A Smile 4 Kids. I thank Jen and Sybrina for that, and wish them the best as they keep Send a Smile 4 Kids going into the future.

I have been on the DT now for almost 12 years and it is time for me to step aside, and thank our volunteers and design team and everyone who has sent in cards for our kids and joined in our challenges through the years.

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

 

Interactive Snow Globes with No Snow- Why Not?

I received the gorgeous Simon's Snow Globe die set from Spellbinders but I am not ready for snow yet- are you? So I decided to make some snow globe cards without snow for my newest video. Here is the shaker card I make step by step with new Serenade of Autumn products from Spellbinders:

Snow globes do not have to include snow as I show in this merry and bright Christmas card I made for my sister in Arizona. They don't get snow, but Santa still comes. It is best to see these cards in the new video, but here is a mini video that shows how the windows in the houses on this card lights up with EZ Lights from Pear Blossom Press and the shaker motion of the sunflower card:

(To my loyal subscribers - for some reason my mini videos do not show up in the emailed blogposts, so to see this mini video, go to my actual blog by clicking on the title.)

OK- this card has a bit of snow and some super cool Fransformers birds in a globe to share Happy Brrrrday wishes for a special child with a winter birthday. The Fransformers sets are from Stampendous at Spellbinders and can transform with different face and other options. The bird on the left wiggles on an Action Wobble as you can see in the new video here.

I hope all these cards encourage you to give some of the ideas and products a try and then send some handmade joy out into our world!

Gnomie Hugs and Envelopes of Wonder from Spellbinders

Gnomes and envelopes make a great pair as do Stampendous and Spellbinders as I show in my newest video here. I couldn't resist the adorable Gnome Hugs die set from Stampendous and available at Spellbinders. And I loved all the new Envelope of Wonder die sets at Spellbinders so I paired those two up to make the many cards I share in the video. Here is the card I make step by step in the video:

The gnomes are so sweet and I created a small notecard to attach the envelope to so it stands up and I can write a note to the recipient. I added stamped sentiments from another Hugs release from Stampendous and the fun shaped notecard was created with the new Nested Corner Frame die set from Spellbinders.

I absolutely love fall colors and this card was made with the Autumn Wonder die set as well as the original  Envelope of Wonder die set. The sentiment dies are also from Spellbinders and the set is called Thanks Enclosed. 

I thought the envelope pieces could make a fun triangle gatefold card and the slots cut with the die would be perfect for sliding a belly band through. I used a patterned vellum to make those pieces and the notecard pulls out with many floral pieces cut out of mirror card with dies from the original Envelope of Wonder die set.

I had great fun creating all these envelope cards and hope my cards encourage you to watch the video here and try some of the ideas and products featured.

Holiday or Celebration Cards 4 Kids at Send A Smile 4 Kids

It’s the first Saturday of a new month and time for another fun challenge at Send a Smile 4 Kids! The theme for this challenge is Holiday or Celebration Cards 4 Kids, but you can choose to participate in our challenge with any card appropriate for a child.

My card is an envelope card with an adorable gnome peaking out. The gnome was created with a super cute die set from Stampendous and Spellbinders called Gnome Hugs. I put him in an envelope I created with the new Envelope of Wonder die set from Spellbinders. When the tag is pulled out, here is the message stamped with a cute stamp set from Picket Fence.

 The shape of the tag was created with a Notched Corner Frame die from Spellbinders.

 Be sure to check out the rest of the cards from TEAM SAS here and we would love it if you entered our challenge.

 

Bear Hugs Spinner Card With Secret Message

Here is another of the fun fold cards I share in my newest video featuring the new Bear Hugs release at Spellbinders from Stampendous. I created this spinner card with the adorable Bear Hugs die set and Hugs Accessories dies and stamp set. The oval frame was created with the new Fran's Frames die set and I hung an envelope with a secret message inside on elastic card. It is best to see the card in the new video here, but if you can see a mini video of the fun movement here: 

(If you are reading this in your email as a subscriber, sometimes the videos are not sent, so click on the title and go to the actual blog post to see this mini movie.)

Bear Hugs From Stampendous and Spellbinders!

Everyone loves bear hugs, right? I was so happy to hear two of my favorite companies - Stampendous and Spellbinders - are now working together and when I was asked to design with Fran's new release of  dies and stamps at Spellbinders, I was thrilled to say yes! I show how step by step to make this square Diamond Flip fun fold card in my newest video here. The adorable bear, stamps and envelope were created with the new Bear Hugs collection at Spellbinders from Stampendous. Here is another view of this diamond flip card: 

This card features the new Bear Hugs die set, the Hugs Accessories die set and the Hugs Sentiment stamp set. It is best to see how the card is made and moves in the video, but here is a mini-movie showing how the diamond flip card opens: 

(If you are reading this in your email as a subscriber, sometimes the videos are not sent, so click on the title and go to the actual blog post to see this mini movie.)

All the cards I show in the new video are fun fold cards and this one features the new Fran's Frames die set from Stampendous and Spellbinders in addition to the other sets I listed above. The stamp set on the front of the card is an older favorite from Stampendous and I was so happy to see it is still available here on the Spellbinders website.  This card is a tri-fold slimline with the oval cut twice to see through to the back:

I had great fun designing with all these Bear Hugs products and hope you will watch the new video here and give some of the ideas and products a try!

More CAS Masculine Cards With Stencils and Stamps

As I share in my newest video, I just discovered Blue Knight Rubber Stamps Stencil and Stamp Through sets of one thicker and one thin stencils so we can easily stamp through and brush on inks and this card features their Momma Bear stencil set and stamps. I added some grass and texture on the bear with other stencils and a stamped sentiment from my stash. 

Here is another card I featured in the new video with a background created with my favorite cloud stencil from A Colorful Life Designs, small scenery stamps from Stampendous and a die cut sentiment from Frantic Stamper. Of course we don't have to stamp on stenciled CAS cards for guys as I show on this next card:

I made this card for my grandson to give to his Dad with a pier scene of them fishing. All of the dies and the scenery stencil are from Frantic Stamper and are called Fishing on the Dock of the Bay, To My Father and Wave Slimline Stencil.

Easy Stamping Through Stencils for CAS Guy's Cards

Have you ever tried to stamp through a too thick stencil or brush ink through a stencil that was too thin and flimsy? I recently discovered the line of Stencil and Stamp Through stencil sets at Blue Knight Rubber Stamps that solve that problem, and am featuring them in my new video here. I made many masculine cards with these innovative sets and here is the card I made in the video:

As I show in the video, I was able to easily stamp the large tree and deer through the thin stencil in the Maple Leaf set before I embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder and added inks for a purple sunset scene. In the video I forgot to add my stamped sentiment before embossing, so I put the sentiment (from Stampendous and now sold at Spellbinders!) and another set of deer in the inside of this card:

Here is another CAS card created in minutes with the Blue Knight Rubber Stamps Maple Leaf stencil set and the Buck, Doe and Fawn set of stamps also from them. Below is my favorite cards that I made with another Stencil and Stamp Through set called Momma Bear:

I used the same embossing folder from Sizzix as above, Momma Bear and Friends stamp set from Blue Knight Rubber Stamps and some small scenery stamps from Stampendous. 

I had great fun designing these easy guy's cards and hope you will watch the new video here and give some of the ideas and products a try!

I am entering the 3rd card in the Anything Goes Challenge at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday.

What Else Can We Do With Our Embossing Powder Stash??

I recently watched this Masterclass video by Marion Emberson where she taught a new (to me) technique with embossing powders on folded parchment paper. Marion used WOW embossing powders and I have a few which I used in the  as well as some favorites from Stampendous and Nuvo. All the cards I am sharing include these unique pieces of art created with embossing powders, parchment paper and a heat gun. On the cards below, I also show embossing powders melted on sticky two sided sheets for a bumpy textured look such as on the strips on this card and the next: 

The sentiment on this card is from Quietfire Design. Here are two more cards I created  with both of these techniques:

Marion's video (linked above) is a great one to watch to learn this technique. If you would like to learn how to do my technique with two sided sticky sheets and embossing powder, watch this video here. 

On the background of these cards are pinpoint patterns created with dies from Birch Press Designs and Poppystamps. I had great fun playing with this new technique and the technique I discovered, and hope you will give it a try.

Faux Rice Paper Technique PLUS Beads and Color

In my newest video here I take the Faux Rice Paper Technique a step further by adding beads, glitter, paint and small sequins right into the glue mixture. I made this card for my son with a Bucky Badger napkin, red beads and confetti.

I also tried stamping on the napkin before adding the glue mixture and that does work but you need to use an archival ink or Versafine ink as I did here. The stamp is from Penny Black and I cut out all the square layers with a stitched die set from Crealies. 

I added gold and blue acrylic paint - just a few drops is needed- to color the glue mixture to make these colorful cards with a fun polka-dotted napkin. The first step is always to skin the napkin (take the layers apart) and when the napkin is three ply, the second layer still has some slight pattern on it (I  call it ghosting) which shows on the yellow tag. I love how the layers are see through so the die cut sentiments on the inside show through the front. The tag die is from Crealies as are the stitched balloons, the stamped sentiment is from Stampendous and the "celebrate" die is from Karen Burniston. 

I had so much fun playing with color and texture additives for my new video here and hope you will watch and give this technique a try!

Faux Rice Paper Technique For Gorgeous Christmas Cards!

The answer to this question and shown in my new video is EIGHT! The translucent Faux Rice Paper I show how to make in a couple different ways makes easy and unique cards. I chose a dinner napkin with three layers and all three layers are used to make beautiful cards. 

I make a card almost identical to this one in the new video step by step. As you can see in the picture below, the "Happy Holidays" is on the inside and can be seen through the translucent paper created with this fun technique.

The Double Dotted squares and rectangles used on many of the cards I show were created with sets from Crealies that I love. Here is another card similar to one I show how to make in the video:

Usually coffee is added to the glue mixture creating a vintage look, but dye reinkers can also be added to create any color you might want. I chose to make this faux rice paper red and added glass glitter before it dried for a pretty shiny look. The layered deer on the front is an Easy 3D Topper from Hearty Crafts and the sentiment dies are from Stampendous.

The faux rice paper created with this technique is somewhat transparent so I used a piece with some glitter on it to create this shaker card. The snowflakes in the shaker are from Kat Scrappiness and I added shaker beads too which move really well in shakers. The sentiment die is a new one from Crealies and the frame was created with a pretty die from Penny Black.

Here is another card I created with the 3rd layer of the napkin for a pretty vintage wrinkled look over white cardstock. It was decorated with rub-ons from 49 and Market so even though the paper created was wrinkled and had some glitter on it, rub-ons do work. 

I share many more holiday cards and ways to use this technique in different ways in the new video, so be sure to check it out here.