Cards 1-4 of 2012

Hello! I took some time out to make cards today, after realising I only made 46 cards the entire of last year. That's not even one per week!

Card one: this is pretty much white, black and real red card stock. I embossed white card stock (covering one side of the embossing folder in black ink) for the patterned/raised paper in the background. The tree was a stamp I bought in USA on my recent trip there. I got the idea for this from a youtube video but I cant find it to share the link. This is one of my two favourite cards of the day because it's 'Heather' colours.

Card two: This is such a cute card in person, this just doesnt do it justice! It is very vanilla card stock and crumb cake inkpad. The embossing across the top is a little embossing card I got in USA. It created a little dent in the card so I hid it with ribbon lol. The stamp was stamped once, moved slightly left (without re-inking) and stamped then moved right (again, no re-inking). I also dusted it around the edge using the same ink and a bit of sponge. So first up is a photograph, below it was my attempt to put it in the scanner-yuck!

 Card three: The same with a different sentiment

2011: I just realised that this card is actually from last year, I made it between Christmas and new years! I dont really like it, but that's ok, I just give those cards to Bianca to use up lol.

Card four: Ok this card was really annoying me. I tried three times to get it straight and still havent succeeded, so the front will be ripped off and re-aligned tomorrow lol. I'm not sure if you can see but there are actually flowers on the yellow too.

2011: This was a 21st card for my friend Gita. I havent actually given it to her yet though (naughty me). I used pretty paper that she gave me for HER birthday!

Felt wreath

So I finished my felt wreath tutorial and though it isnt as beautiful as the one in the tutorial, I am really happy with it! I could have made it more dense as I had more circles left over.

To make it you need:

1 polystyrene wreath (mine was 34cm from spotlight for about $7)

3 metres of felt (approximately...I bought 3.5 but I have extra) which you can buy in wool or acrylic

An inkpad to stamp circles

A 7-8cm circle shape (I used a drinking glass)

Scissors

1 tin of pins (also from spotlight...you are going to need around 300 pins)

All you have to do is stamp circles, cut them out. Each one gets folded into quarters, push a pin through the bottom and attach. Seriously simple for such a beautiful results. I'm so glad I found this tutorial!

Christmas cards

A couple of variations on two themes tonight. I quite like this first design and might try it in some other colours.

The card below is so much nicer in person! It's actually a nice grey card (as are the ho ho hos) and the Christmas paper at the bottom shimmers.

Completed wreath

Finished!

I put it on facebook but here is another photo in case I have readers here not on my facebook (hi, how come we arent, friend request me!). I like this photo coz it shows how uneven the flowers are in height but overall, it still looks adorable! If I wanted to spend a long time cutting the swirts perfectly the same width, it would be a perfect wreath, but I'm not that kind of gal! When I saw it, I had to make it...like THAT NIGHT! It's only going in my study anyway, not on the front door because I have plans for another style for the front door. Here, have another photo lol:

I should point out, that it looks uneven (bottom heavy) but it isnt, that's just the angle I took the photo from. Tonight I might make a few tiny flower to fill in a couple of little gaps I dont want. Here is the link to the instructions if you want to try.

http://yarner.blogspot.com/2011/01/paper-rose-wreath.html

I got a smallish wreath (23cm across) and used about 20 sheets of cardstock (that I already had, 210gsm). It was started and completed in two evenings (just while watching a movie or two). Give it a try, it's so easy!

Envelope card

I made this envelope card tonight. I was meant to go to my friend Sheryl's but she forgot she invited me over (luckily I phoned before I left lol). So I went down to my craft room and made cards anyway. 

CARD ONE:

I kinda like the fact the colours clash but sort of still look ok together. I put it in the scanner as I thought that might be better than the weird colours I get when I photograph at night. Anyway, it's called an envelope card because that yellow and cream card in the middle (with the 'for you' message) lifts out so you can write a message in it. Something a little different anyway.

CARD TWO:

I think after tonight I'm all stocked up on true friend cards but I figure you can use them for birthdays as well as notes of friendship?

 CARD THREE:

The paper on this card and the one above is reversable and when I cut, one piece was 6cm and one 4cm...but that means I had one of each (but the opposite) left over so I decided to make a second card.

 CARD FOUR:

I loved this card. I made it when Megumi was here...but I liked it so much that I decided to make another copy tonight.

 CARD FIVE:

This card was a disaster! Nothing I did worked, colour schemes clashed, I cut everything crooked...nothing looked right. Worse still, I had bought a new snail adhesive and it stuck things perfectly for a good five minutes and then everything lifted off the card and I had to restick it (I threw it in the rubbish despite only buying it this evening). Those are diamantes in the corner. I call this one my disaster card of the night lol.

I think I'm up to 41 cards this year...pittiful effort!



33, 34 and 35

After a bit of soul searching, I've come to the conclusion that I need to return to my own style of card making rather than copying other people. In the end I'm always happier with the results when it is my design. So tonight I went to my friend Sheryl's house and made cards. I made three and helped her with some design ideas.

In the photos below, I'd like to point out a problem with the photography. The blue ink around the 'true friend' stamp is actually a dark navy but night photography hasnt done it any favours! Two cards are 'not quite navy' cardstock and one is 'very vanilla'.

Notecards

More embossed notecards. Card total is 32 after this lot, but I have made another 7 or 8 downstairs that are yet to be uploaded.