Making Cards using Scraps

I know I type in many posts how I used scraps to create the card.  Truth is, I kinda thought I would have used up most of my scraps in a year.  The reality of course is that, as time goes, once in awhile I find I must cut into a brand new piece of cardstock or patterned paper.  Then?  You guessed it--more scraps.  :-)

Today is a mix of scraps and new.  And I pulled out a stamp set I hadn't used in awhile.  I have no idea if it is "retired" or not, but it does not matter to me.  I figure the clear stamps I purchase are of good quality and so they definitely should last for many, many years............long after they have been replaced in a current catalog.  In fact, before I purchase a stamp set, I typically weigh how often or how many different ways I might be able to use that stamp set.  Maybe there are others out there who do that to?  (Or maybe it is just the habit of a girl on a budget.  :-)

Anyway........here is the card I made today.  I used a scrap of patterned paper given to me by a friend.  (Thanks, friend.  You know who you are!  :-)  And I used White Cardstock and CTMH Key Lime Cardstock, too.

Have you ever started a card and ended up totally changing they way you originally set out to make it?  Well, this was originally going to be a girl's birthday card.  But then I set my eyes on CTMH's "A Sip" stamp set and thought, "Why not?"

The scrap of ribbon (which was the very last little bit of it that I had been hoarding) was from a trip a couple years ago to Hobby Lobby.  CTMH Gypsy and Grey Wool inks were also used on this card.  And MS Glitter Glue highlighted the "steam" which I originally triple-generation stamped--so looking at the real card in your hand closely would reveal a hint of the Gypsy color in the steam.

CTMH bling finished up the card.  The last two bits of that size were placed on the ribbon.  See.  I really am using up what I have.  So why is it sometimes sad to say goodbye to the last bit of a product?  Hmmmm.  Maybe you feel this way sometimes, too?  Especially when you cannot buy it anymore.


Thanks for stopping by to take a look!
Blessings,
Brenda

A Fall Birthday Card using Scraps

I was cleaning my craft room.  It was a little messy giant mess.  It looked like a bomb went off in there.  YIKES!  Between making cards, prepping for the coming school year, and a daughter who loves to create, too------well, let's just say it took three hours to get the room in shape.  Three hours.

And at the end of three hours I had a small pile of paper scraps and a handful of embellishments that needed put away.

I was going to put them away.  I really was.  But I couldn't help but notice how one sheet of paper coordinated with some embellishments I had never considered before.  Before I knew it, I was chatting away with my mom on the phone and putting together this cute little card.

The owl eyes are wiggly eyes (so don't be bothered overly much by the fact that the owl didn't smile perfectly for the picture).  :-)

This really was a combination of scraps from CTMH and Michaels.  One friend gave me the patterned paper.  Another friend blessed me with the cute owl pop-up and the buttons.  The two tag templates were traced using the CTMH "Wishes" templates.  I know everybody loves their Cricut these days.  I do, too.  But when I have just one image to cut out, sometimes I still find myself using the templates from "Wishes."

The bottom tag I traced and cut intentionally using part of the shiny leaf image already on the paper .  It was inked in Cocoa because I had that sponge dauber handy on the table.  lol  :-)

I also used Cocoa and Goldrush inks and the CTMH stamp set "Card Chatter--Birthday".


I hope this little post will inspire you to U.U.S. (Use Up Scraps).

Blessings,
Brenda

Forty Simple Welcome Cards for Preschool Students

I am blessed to teach three-year-olds.  Have I ever told you that?  Well, since it is summertime, I find myself getting ready for the coming school year.

Since most of my students have never been to school before, I am going to extra lengths to help their first experience be really great.  To begin, I am sending them each a welcome card with a personal message and picture inside.  That way, they will already have met me before we actually meet.

I intentionally kept these forty cards (two classes worth) void of embellishments that could present a choking hazard if they were to fall off.  The picky girl in me wants to add ribbon across the top and a little bling.........but......I......will.....resist............. :-)

 

The stamps are CTMH and the glitter glue is MS.  The papers are from a Michaels Christmas pack my neighbor gave me.

Anyway, it is a little simple and kind of drives me crazy because I want to do more........but I promised my mom I would post it..........................so.........................here it is.  :-)


Thanks for stopping by to take a look!
Blessings,
Brenda

Simple Girl Birthday Card Using Scraps

I made twenty of these simple cards for church this afternoon using scrap paper from CTMH, MME, and ?.  Close To My Heart "Pear" ink was used to stamp the "happy birthday" sentiment (also from CTMH).

 

Normally I would have used a little bit thicker ribbon or maybe wrapped the twine more than once around the card front.  However, this twine was pre-cut for another card and then I ended up not using it for that project.  So..........I ended up making use of some of it.

Sure.  I could have done more...........but I kinda like the way it looks the way it is.  With all the different scraps used, I didn't want to clutter up the card too much.

TIP: When using scraps, try to use ones that have colors that are repeated in at least one of the other scraps.  Three is a great number of times to repeat a color sometimes.  Just food for thought.  :-)

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings,

Brenda

A Focus on the Sentiment

I had ordered this stamp set a couple of months ago.  I noticed them this morning when straightening up my desk.  The set is called Scrapbook Statements - Poets

Everyday Life,  a Close To My Heart Set.  Upon a closer look I realized that they really are some very SPECIAL words.  I hope that you too will be touched by them,

                              and will truly understand their meaning.  Keep smiling Joanie

Happy Forever Birthday Card

Goodness!  It's been awhile since I posted on my mom's blog.  Sorry, friends.  Life just gets a little busy sometimes I guess--especially when you have kids.  :-)

Today I am posting a card I made last week using Close To My Heart stamps, CTMH cardstock, and My Minds Eye patterned paper from one of their mini pads.  (I still enjoy using those because I don't end up with a ton of scraps.)

 

Sequins, bling, lace, ribbon, liquid glass, colored pencils...........all found their way on this Cotton Candy and Slate-colored card.

It is fun to have stamps I can use over and over again in different ways.  Special thanks to the friend who was crafting with me last week--not only for the sweet hedgehog stamp set, "Happy Forever," but also for the fun we had.  :-)

Hugs and Blessings,

Brenda

Wedding Card

This wedding card is something new for me.  I have used ribbon before but not like this.  

I hope you like the simplicity of it.  

I usually have difficulty with the message inside, but not today.  These words came to me rather easily.

I thought they were sooooo good that maybe I should share.

Happy 4th of July,  wishing you hope, love and faith.  Joanie

Spotlighting Technique

Hi everyone,  finally have something to share with you.  I found this technique at Gina K. Designs.  It is a special technique that Melanie Muenchinger shared.  A full tutorial is at  Gina K. Designs.

I have three different cards that I put together using this technique.  Each one is different but yet the same.

You can use any shape that you wish.  I used squares, circles, and a fan shape.

You just stamp an image over your background and then color it in just highlighting certain areas.

Give this technique a try, really a nice effect.

Thanks for visiting, Joanie

Balloon Fun

This card was created for a first Birthday with a construction theme for the party.  I always enjoying making this little balloon card.  I cut out the balloons using my cricut.

I do have instructions for this card on another post, have a great weekend,  Joanie

Gift Card Holder

These little gift card holders were allot of fun to make using the double sided paper from CTMH called Lucy, it was out a couple of years ago already. Oh how time does fly!!!

I used the memory keepers punch board to make these cute gift card holders.  I made these the 5 1/2 X 5 1/2 size paper.  Just remember not to score at one end.  This will be the top of the holder.

Have a wonderful day and Happy Stamping, smiles Joanie

A manly card.

I just stamped the images on white card in olive and then cut it out with my oval paper cutter.  The background was done with the wood embossing folder.  I added some tarnished metal brads to each corner and then between those added a little twine.

Thank you for checking us out and I hope all is well with you,  keep smiling Joanie

A fence and flower pot card

This little card was inspired by one I had seen on www.pattystamps.com...

Using what supplies I had on hand I did my best to come up with one very similar.

The wood paper was something I found in my stash,  The fence was easy to cut out and the tops of the fence were cut with the corner punch, that gave it a nice shape.  The flowers were cut out with a punch.  I just used my scissors to make the grass along the bottom of the card.

Have a great week, and thanks for visiting, keep smiling Joanie

Lagoon Sympathy Card

Here is a Sympathy card that I created using the color Lagoon.  

I also used a new embossing folder from CTMH and sanded it to expose the white core.  The sentiment was mounted on a Spellbinders Nestabilities .  I stamped and cut out the flower images from the stamp set Card Word Puzzle. 

I also added a little something to the inside to finish off this card.

Thank you for visiting today. Keep smiling Joanie

Precious Moments Birthday Card

I have a few Precious Moments Stamps and every now and then I like to play with them.  This little stamp is always a joy to play with.  It was fun to make the trellis front on the card and then the added ivy was just what it needed.  

Thank you for visiting today, have a good one, Joanie

Foxy Fox

I used the side stair step design to put together this little card  for a young adult in my life.  This is the CTMH stamp set Wild About Love (stamp of the month).  The ink color was Barn Red and the cardstock was Outdoor Denim.
 

Hope your having a super week, happy stamping, and thank you for visiting, Joanie

Never get tired of Butterflies

Sometimes I just like to sit and color.  I then find myself with an image with no clue how to use it.  Here is my latest try to use an image all colored up with no where to go.  You have realized by now that I do love flowers and butterflies.  I just need to work them up to get my fix for the week.

Thank you so much for checking out our work today,  Happy Stamping Joanie 

Pretty Purple Butterflies

I seem to have a hard time with smaller images such as these little images from the stamp set Wonderful You.

They are so sweet when I purchase them that I figure how could you go wrong with these sweet stamps.  Then I try to work with them and find I have difficulty coming up with  designs that compliment those little stamps.  Here is a card that I came up with that turned out okay and I finally used my little stamps.

The card measures 3 1/2 X 4 1/4.  A smaller card made it easier for me to work with the stamp set.

Maybe that is the secret for me.  

Thanks for coming by for a visit, Happy Stamping !!, Joanie

Sunset in the islands

This card was inspired by Gina K. Designs,  They have a great video that is most helpful in making the pretty sunset.  Using what products I had on hand I was able to make something very similar.

It is always fun to do the inking for a card like this.  All the colors and the finished product is very pleasing to the eye.

Thanks for visiting today,  have a good one.  Joanie

God Bless You Card

One day while vacuuming I thought up this card.  I just took one inch circles and arranged them on the card front.  I glued them down to make a template.  I cut out the front of the card in the shape you see.  I punched out the circles after I had stamped my image.  Giving them an inked edge and gluing them down in the pattern from the template.  It worked well and with the inked edges of the circles I was able to hide any scissor errors that I had

.  

The card is made with three flaps.  The front cover and then the second with the sentiment on it, and then finally the inside.

Thank you for visiting today, hope your having a great day, always Joanie

Cherry Blossom Card

I had seen on pinterest a card similar to this.  I made one using the color Hollyhock.  You just sponge on the color going from light to dark.  I used dry embossing and also wet embossing.  Just a simple sentiment finished this card.  I will be making more using this method, really enjoyed all the inking.

Thanks for coming by to check us out, have a good one, always Joanie