More Treats for Halloween!

I came across two great laser cut sticker from Mrs. Grossman and could not resist them. I wanted to make simple cards to highlight the laser cut stickers.

On the first card I mounted the laser cut sticker on orange paper and framed it with 3D stickers from the dollar bin at target.

On the second card I used off-white paper for the moon (a simple circle punch) that I laid on the orange paper before I added the laser cut sticker. I added a glittered crow from Martha Stewart/E.K. Success to add to the overall look. The text is a rub-on from the dollar bin at Target.

Non traditional Halloween Card

I was inspired by a European magazine to try and use non traditional colors and items to create a "different" kind of Halloween card. I used Basic Grey paper, various flourish stamps, a frame stamp and plain black ink as well as "Marcella by K" flower 3D stickers and a text rub-on. Who would have thought that a green background with black flowers would work as a halloween card!

Halloween!

Halloween, the name stirs up so many emotions but mostly the right to get dressed up and act downright silly no matter what age you are. I don't go for costumes, just cards! When I started working on my Halloween cards earlier this year I found wonderful stickers and embellishments, but nothing really jumped out at me as much as two lonely pieces of paper from "Creative Imagination". I don't know if these were left over from last year or I just got to the store late, but I only found one piece of each and I grabbed them. These papers were perfect and were strong enough to hold their own and not need a whole lot of additons to create the perfect Halloween cards.

The first one was a combination of purple and black that just "screamed" manly Halloween scarry things! I used just the one upper corner (the only spot that had a third color - the brilliant orange glow from within the grinning black sull) and side of the paper and I'm saving the rest for future use. The text is a 3D sticker from "Recollections" in the same brilliant orange and black combination as the skull. I mounted the paper panel on black paper and adhered the whole thing vertically on a letter size purple card.

The second one's base paper is orange and black. The orange background is crisscrossed with a square grid while the black background is broken with bright flourishes. I extended the flourish theme with 3D orange and black stickers from "Recollections" and a 3D sticker texted tag from "Target". I mounted the printed panel on black paper and then adhered all the panels horizontally to an orange letter size card. Oh yes, I added rhinestones in the pumpkins eyes for a little added oomph These cards were simple to make, are very biffiting of the season and best of all scarry enough to suit anybody! Happy Halloween to all and to all a scarry night!

Blowing my own horn!

My second article will appear in the Scrap & Stamp Arts issue for October 2009 and I wanted to show the subject off here on my blog. I created wallet cards! These are gift card, check or money holder cards that literally resemble wallets. Sounds obvious, but they were a great success and hit with many people. For the article I created both a man's and a woman's wallet.

The man's wallet is made from black card stock that I embossed the exterior with an alligator pattern using the Cuttle Bug, which I even monogrammed. I used my own wallet as a template to create the interior pockets to hold a gift card, check or bills, as well as a place to put your message (which was the driver licence holder).

For the woman's wallet I used a check holder size wallet as a template. I used a patterned embossed paper called "football" and embellished the edge with a die-cut border from K & Company. Again the inside was patterned on a real check holder wallet with pockets to hold a gift card, check or bills.

These cards require a lot of paper cutting, folding and layout work but are really worth the effort. For once the wrapping trully is as much part of the gift as are the contents.

Summer Time!

Sometimes you need to relax and forget about the passing of time and sometimes you need to celebrate the passing the of time. This card can be used to do both. The background paper is from an unknown source, but when found it I liked it so much I bought several sheets of it. The parchemnt is a die cut from "Sizzix" done on mustard colored marbled paper from "The paper Company" that I edged with tan ink. The watch is a rub-on from "Provo Crafts" and the text is an acrylic stamp from "Fiskar/Cloud-9-Designs". To highlight the watch I edged the bob abd the left side with clear "Deco Art Paper Effects" creating a slight 3D effect (not visible here). Celebrating the passing of time is something we all must do and also must make the most of ... after all there is no stopping time!