Posted in Cardmaking

Holiday Tri-Fold Card – Tutorial

When I saw this sentiment set and this die, I knew I wanted to create a dramatic tri-fold card. I actually made two of these as I was trying to figure out the best way to create it. I will share with you my tips and tricks.

I used the following products to create this card:

~The Nativity wafer die set

~Stacked Holiday Sentiments stamp set

~A2 Arches

~Gold Embossing Powder

~Fog cardstock

~ Blue cardstock

~ Dark grey cardstock

~12 x 12 gray cardstock (or blue)

Directions:

  • Die cut The Nativity die 2 times from gold glitter card stock. Save one of the gold stars that cut out – this will be used on the last panel.
  • Using the largest A2 Arch die, cut 6 arches from a dark grey cardstock.
  • Using the next size smaller A2 arch, cut 3 blue arches.
  • Using the Nativity die as a guide, find the closest A2 arch to match it, and die cut 2 from Fog cardstock. (when I first made this, I used vellum, but the glue showed through, so I opted for the Fog cardstock. I think the Fog cardstock gives the illusion of vellum.)
  • Emboss the “Silent Night” sentiment, in gold embossing powder, centered on the bottom of one of the blue panels. I masked the “Holy Night” off a post-it so I only inked up the “Silent Night” portion. Then I did the opposite to emboss “Holy Night” to the bottom, center of another blue panel.
  • On the third blue arched panel, I embossed the “All is calm, All is bright” sentiment. I added a gold star from step one above the sentiment.
  • Adhere the fog arches to the blue panels above the sentiment and then adhere the glitter gold Nativity on top of the fog arch. See photo below for placement guidance.
  • Adhere the blue arch, centered onto the larger grey arch.
  • Using a 12 x 12 piece of cardstock, cut a strip 3″ x 12″.
  • Score that piece at 4″ and 8″ and zig zag fold it. This will become our “hinges” that hold the card together.
  • Adhere the first panel of the card to the first 4″ section of the “hinge” piece. Be sure to line up the bottom of the panel with the bottom of the hinge and make sure you have room to fold the next panel. (refer to my completed card to get the proper fold sequence, photo below). You will repeat this process with the next two panels. You may need to trim a tiny bit of the “hinge” edges once this step is complete.
  • Now it is time to cover up the “hinge” from the back side view. Simply match up the other three, blank grey panels on to the back of each blue panel, mimicking the front design. Be sure to take your time and you will end up with a neat, crisp finished card.
  • If you wanted to add even more dimension, you could use foam tape to pop up the blue from the grey arch. You could also cut a few more Nativities, out of scrap cardstock, and layer those together. This card is a bit on the heavier side, so keep that in mind when thinking about adding more dimension.

I hope this helps explain how I created this card. If you have any more questions, please leave me a comment or message me directly.

Thanks for stopping by!

Posted in Cardmaking

Sugar and Spice Release from Simon Says Stamp

It’s release day over at Simon Says Stamp and it’s full of all kinds of goodness! If you are looking to create gorgeous, holiday cards, this release has everything you need from stamps, dies, stencils, and embossing folders to inks.

Today I am sharing a card featuring a few brand new products:

~Leafy Wreath embossing folder

~Label Slides Christmas stamps

~Label Slides die set

~Twisted Arch Tree die set (previously released)

Isn’t this wreath so pretty? I used the blackout technique to create my card. I love how quickly this came together. On the debossed side, I used various Distress inks to add color to the leaves. Then using my brayer, I used dark blue inks to fill in the background. I love the mottled texture this gave to the background. The blue is a nice compliment to the oranges and yellows of the leaves. Have you tried this technique?

Be sure to check out the whole release here: https://www.simonsaysstamp.com/collections/sugar-and-spice

Thanks for stopping by!

Posted in Cardmaking

Charming Interactive Valentine

Today I am sharing a project I created featuring products from Simon Says Stamp. I posted this on Instagram as it is part of the To Be Loved hop. I hope you will hop along!

Products used:

~Always and Forever stamp set from Simon Says Stamp

~You Are cling stamp from Simon Says Stamp

~Heart Frames from Newton’s Nook Designs

How I created this:

  1. I stamped the large heart image onto Hammermill 100# smooth card stock and colored it with Copic Markers.
  2. I die cut it using the stitched heart die from the Heart Frames die set. (There is a coordinating die for the Always and Forever set and this would work as well)
  3. I die cut a heart out of pink card stock and white card stock.
  4. I stamped the You Are stamp, using Pebble ink from Concord and 9th, onto Fog card stock. Then, I cut that down to 3 3/4″ x 5″.
  5. Next, I figured out where I wanted the hearts and lightly marked with a pencil where they would overlap on the Fog panel, so I could stamp th sentiment and have it be hidden by the hearts. I carefully erased the guides.
  6. I scored the hearts using a score board approx. 1″ from the right side on the white stamped heart and 1″ from the left side of the pink heart. (I really just eye-balled this as I wanted the hearts to be on an angle on the card.)
  7. I folded the scored hearts and adhered them to the back of the Fog panel. This created the interactive pieces. (see images below)
  8. I stamped the sentement onto the white heart to finish the front of the card.
  9. I added the third white heart to the back of the copic-colored, stamped heart. I cut part of the heart off since part of the stamped heart was folded behind the panel. This additional heart piece is just to cover up the ink that came through on my coloring.
  10. I adhered all of this to a top folding A2 card base, added a few white gel pen dots to the flower centers and finished it off with a sheer bow.

Be sure to comment on my Instagram post @maryredjr for a chance to win $25 to Simon Says Stamp.

Thanks for stopping by!

Posted in Cardmaking

A New Release To Love

Love is in the air with Simon Says Stamp’s newest release, To Love! Whether you are crafting heartfelt treats or creating cards for your favorite people, this collection makes it effortless to share the love.

I had the pleasure of working with the new Sweethearts Box die to create a charming treat box filled with goodies.

Creating this box was easy! I simply die cut the box out of red card stock. I used one of the included heart dies to cut my window. Before glueing my box together, I added acetate behind the heart window. Next, I die cut “xoxo” (these dies also included in the set) and adhered them to the acetate and folded and adhered the box together. To make this extra special, candy was added as well as a pretty ribbon to finish it off. I will be making more of these, for sure!

I also created a card using additional dies from the set. My idea was to create a masculine Valentine.

As you can see, the Sweethearts Box die set offers endless creative possibilities to spread love.

Be sure to check out the entire new release: https://www.simonsaysstamp.com/collections/to-love

Thanks for stopping by! And Happy Holidays!

Posted in Cardmaking

Sweet Wishes Blog Hop

Hello! I’m so glad you are hopping along. Simon Says is generously giving away a $25 coupon to a lucky commentor on this post. ALSO, use the code FYCHR to get the Tidings of Cheer die for FREE with any purchase (see graphic above).

Today, I am sharing a card I created using some brand new products from the Sweet Wishes release from Simon Says Stamp.

I used the following products to create my card:

~Sparkle Strands clear stamp set – This versatile stamp adds a whimsical and delicate touch to your projects. Ideal for creating simple, elegant backgrounds. I stamped this multiple times to acheive a web-like look.

~Pawsitively Dazzling Gunmetal Gems – To give the web a bit of sparkle, I scattered Gunmetal gems across the strands, making it look like morning dew got caught on spider’s web. I also added a larger gem to the body of the spider. (The spider is from the Spooky Windows stamp set) These gems add a subtle yet dazzling shine.

~So Very Black Card Stock – For dramatic contrast, I used So Very Black card stock as the card base. This really makes the stamped web and gems pop! I LOVE this new card stock!

~CZ Design Sentiment Strips Reverse Halloween – To complete the card, I added a simple Happy Halloween sentiment strip. These are a great way to finish off any card!

I really want to emphasize the versatility of this stamp set, so I also created a peaceful holiday card.

For this card, I stamped the strands in Surf Pawsitively Saturated Ink and added Ranger Stardust Stickles. The sentiment is the newly released Fancy Peace wafer die set. This card has a completely different vibe than the Halloween card above.

Your next stop on the hop is Anne Fiene. In case you missed the list:

Simon Says Stamp Blog 
Nina-Marie Trapani
Caly Person
Suzy Plantamura
Emily Midgett
Amy Rysavy
Debby Hughes
Lisa Addesa
Alberto Gava
Kulbir Kirkland
Heather Hoffman
Allison Frazier
Maura Hibbitts
Misty Elam
Mary Reiner
Anne Fiene

I hope this inpires you to experiment with your stamps and figure out new ways to use them. Make sure you check out all of the inspiration shared yesterday as well! Don’t forget to leave a comment for your chance to win and shop the new release here https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=199868&u=3017887&m=24698&urllink=&afftrack= and get your free die too. Happy shopping!

Posted in Cardmaking

It’s Release Day for Simon Says Stamp and I’m Cheering for You!

Welcome back! In a world that could always use a little more positivity, we are thrilled to introduce our latest release: Cheering for You. Join us as we unveil products designed to inspire and uplift. I will be sharing a couple of products from this new release from Simon Says Stamp.

How pretty is this background? It was created using the newly released Old Letter cling stamp and white pigment ink. I have a feeling I will be using this a bunch for backgrounds. I love the subtle writing!

And I couldn’t help myself…I had to create a holiday card, too. This time I stamped it in Cozy ink onto Fog card stock. I absolutely love how this one turned out.

I was also sent a set of acetate cards. I really like them! High quality and already folded and ready to go. These would be a fun addition to your card stock stash.

I will admit, these are hard to photograph! But in real life, this looks really pretty. I added another oval die cut to the back of the card for write my message on. I think the recirient will think this is a unique card.

All of the products used to create my cards are from SImon Says Stamp:

~Old Letter cling stamp

~Hello die

~Holiday Sprigs wafer die

~Joyful Greetings stamps and dies

~Meadow Swag die

~Fine Floral Stem die

~Windswept Leaves die

~Fog card stock, White Glitter card stock, A2 Acetate cards

~Pawsitively Saturated inks: Sage, Aspen, Pucker, Cheeky, Blush, Field, Fairway and Sprout, Cozy and White Pigment ink.

Check out the entire release here: https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=199868&u=3017887&m=24698&urllink=&afftrack=

Thanks for stopping by!

Posted in Cardmaking

Simon Says Stamp Sunny Vibes Release Day

You know it’s going to be a good day when Simon Says has a new release. And you will not be dissapointed!

I got to play with the Beautiful Blooms stamp set. And I sure did have fun! Today, I am sharing several cards I created with this adorable set. This versatile stamp set features an array of blossoms, leaves and sprigs, allowing you to create beautiful floral arrangements tailored to your artistic vision.

I love the sweet sentiments and flowers. For this card, I simply stamped the images randomly and added the sentiment.

This stamp set also includes larger flowers that are really fun to color. And if you want to simplify the coloring, there are coordinating stencils availble too! I added Ranger Glossy Accents to the flower centers.

For this card, I used GinaK’s wreath builder to create this sweet note. The blue panel was created with the Simon Says Stamp Vine Canopy Embossing folder. I added a bit of foam tape to the back and tied a ribbon to finish it off.

This card has a completely different feel than the other cards I created. I guess that just shows how versatile this little stamp set really is! This card is giving off Fall vibes. The sentiment is Simon Says Stamp’s Thanks wafer die set.

This card is a rocker card. (You’ll have to check out my Instagram for the reel I created for this card) Again, I used the wreath builder to create the circular pattern. This time, I stamped the images in Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Saturated Cheeky, Morning and Aspen inks and colored with Copic Markers. I really like the softness this created.

I have provided a link for you to check out the whole release and to get shopping! I appreciate your support:

https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=199868&u=3017887&m=24698&urllink=&afftrack=

See you soon!

Posted in Cardmaking

Celebrate! A new release from Simon Says Stamp

It’s release day! This new collection from Simon Says Stamp is so fun! There is something for EVERYONE!

I got a chance to create with the “Taco ‘Bout It” stamp set. Such a cute set with adorable images and sassy sentiments. I created three projects with it.

Project #1: Margarita Card

I started by ink smooshing Squeezed Lemonade and Peeled Paint Distress Oxides onto watercolor paper. While that was drying, I stamped, colored, and die cut the margarita and lime images from the “Taco ‘Bout It” stamp set. I heat embossed with Wow Clear Sparkle embossing powder to look like the rim was dipped in salt. I stamped the sentiment and adhered everything to an A2 card base.

Project #2: Shaped Taco Card

I used the following products to create this card:

Taco ‘Bout It stamp set

Mamacita stamp and die set

Hero Arts Infinity Arches

Copic Markers

Project #3: Fiesta Gift Tag

I used the following products to create this tag:

Taco ‘Bout It stamp set

GinaK Stitched Tag die

Wow Clear Sparkle Embossing Powder

Copic Markers

You can check out the whole new release HERE. And be sure to tune into Simon Says Stamp YouTube channel this Friday (April 19th) for tons of inspiration!

Until next time,

Mary

Posted in Cardmaking

Be Bold Release from Simon Says Stamp

It is time once again for another awesome release from Simon Says Stamp. The Be Bold release has lots of fun products to inspire your creativity. Here is a link to the whole release: https://tinyurl.com/v7zch938

Card #1:

I played with the new Dreamy Leaves stamp set. I think this is a very versatile set! The images would be appropriate for almost any occasion, and the sentiments are so sweet too. I created two similiar cards.

Card #2:

I used the following products to create my cards:

~Simon Says Stamp Dreamy Leaves stamp set

~Simon Says Pawsitively Saturated Aspen and Sage inks

~GinaK Ultrafine Gold Embossing Powder

~Delicata Gold Ink

Card #3:

For this card, I used the following products:

~Simon Says Stamp Dreamy Leaves stamp set (dies are available too!)

~Simon Says Stamp Fancy Thanks die (I layered 3 of these together)

~Simon Says Stamp Gradient Dot Embossing Folder

~and a few Copic Markers to color the leaves

If you would like to shop the new release, or just need some supplies, I’d love it if you used my link. https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=882137&u=3017887&m=24698&urllink=&afftrack= Thank you so much!

I’m really happy with how all of these cards turned out. Which one is your favorite?

Thanks for stopping by!!

Posted in Cardmaking

Coffee Lover’s Blog Hop

It’s time once again for the Coffee Lover’s Blog Hop. So happy you are hopping along!

I’m still enjoying creating Fall themed cards, so I pulled out some fun stamps and got busy.

My card today features several different company’s products:

~Newton’s Nook Frames Square die

~Reverse Confetti Autumn Apple Cider

~Simon Says Stamps and Dies COFFEE FRIEND set546cf Stamptember

~Newton’s Nook Autumn Paper 6×6 pad

~ Gina K Designs FADED BRICK Color Companions Mini Ink Pad CUBE21
link from: Simon Says Stamp

~ Copic Markers: E31, E33, E35, G94, BG96, BG99, R29, R37,YG05,YG23,YG01, E11, E13, E15, E00

I started by stamping my images in a Copic-friendly ink (I used Momento Tuxedo Black Ink) and then Copic colored them. Next, I used the coordinating dies to cut out my images and the scalloped frame to die cut my kraft panel. Then, I figured out where I wanted to put my images, so I could determine where to stamp the sentiment. I stamped the sentiment with Gina K Faded Brick ink. I adhered the cider mug, and added foam tape to the back of the coffee cup to add some dimension. I used the stitched square die to cut out a piece of polka dot patterned paper for the background panel. I then made a square card and adhered the polka dot and kraft panels to it. I think square cards are a fun alternative to an A2 card, don’t you?

Thank you for stopping by! Enjoy the hop and fingers crossed that you win a prize!