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

And Everything Nice Release from Simon Says Stamp (and giveaway!)

Simon Says Stamp has just unveiled their latest release, and it is filled with fresh products perfect for holiday papercrafting and beyond. I couldn’t wait to dive in and create with the stunning new products!

This clean and simple card features the brand new Peacebird stamp set and the Hopeful Peacebird wafer die set.

To create this card, I started by die cutting the Hopeful Peacebird out of Simon Says Stamp white glitter card stock. I also cut it 3 more times out of white scrap card stock. I adhered those together using liquid glue. I die cut the leaf branch 5 times out of green card stock. Next, I added glitter texture paste to the leaves to add a little sparkle. While the paste was drying, I cut a gray panel to 4″ x 5 1/4″. I layed out my die cut pieces to determine where I wanted the sentiment to be placed. I stamped the sentiment from the Peacebird stamp set with embossing ink. I heat embossed it with white embossing powder and then adhered the die cuts. Lastly, I adhered the gray panel to a top folding A2 card base. A matching envelope makes this card extra special!

I have a special giveaway for one of my blog readers: the adorable Warm Thoughts stamp set ! Please leave a comment and I will pick a random winner on Sunday, November 9th.

Be sure to check out the entire new release here: https://www.simonsaysstamp.com/collections/and-everything-nice

Thanks for stopping by!!

Mary

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

Happy Easter! Rain or Shine Release from Simon Says Stamp

Spring has arrived and what better way to celebrate than with an adorable Easter card? Simon Says Stamp’s Rain or Shine release is filled with fresh, cheerful products perfect for the season! Today I am sharing a card that features some of my favorites from the collection.

This card features the Darling Duckling wafer dies and the Argyle Builder stencil set. The Darling Duckling is the star of this card. It was so easy to die cut and now the dies have no tabs to snip. That is such a great feature!

The soft, textured background, created by using the 3 piece Argyle Builder stencil is giving this card a classic, Springy look. Stenciling is a fun and simple technique that always gives great results.

I also used the following Simon Says Products:

~Hippity Hoppity stamps and dies (sentiment)

~Spring Time Celebration Plate (floral accents)

~Seafoam and Surf Pawsitively Saturated Inks

Combining all of these products made the sweetest Easter card.

Have you started making your Easter cards yet? Be sure to check out the entire release: https://www.simonsaysstamp.com/collections/rain-or-shine

Thanks for stopping by!

Posted in Cardmaking

National Hot Cocoa Day

December 13th marks National Hot Cocoa Day – a cozy celebration of everyone’s favorite winter drink! To honor the occasion, I created a festive card featuring adorable mugs filled with whipped cream and holiday spirit!

I used the following to create my card:

~Christmas Coffees stamps and dies from Super Sponsor Newton’s Nook Designs

~Oliver’s Stitched ABC’s from Lawn Fawn

~Reverse Sentiment Strips from Simon Says Stamp

Hot Cocoa is more than just a drink; it’s a reminder to slow down and savor the warmth of the season. I hope you take time today to do just that.

Make sure you visit all of our blogs for your chance to win a $20 gift card to one of our sponsors!

Posted in Cardmaking

Festive Fun Release from Simon Says Stamp

It is release day for Simon Says Stamp! Check out the whole new release here: https://www.simonsaysstamp.com/collections/festive-fun

Creating this cozy holiday card with the new Jolly Christmas stamp set was such a joy! The images and sentiments in this set are perfect for creating heartfelt Christmas cards.

Card Recipe:

~ Jolly Christmas stamp set

~ So Very Black card stock

~Glistening Snowflakes embossing folder

  1. Cut a 4 1/4″ x5 1/2″ panel from So Very Black card stock. Lightly spritz it with water and place it inside the embossing folder. Run it through your embossing machine.
  2. Using a light hand, gently rub a white pigment ink over the embossed panel.
  3. Stamp the image and sentiment onto white 100+ card stock.
  4. Color with Copic Markers or other alcohol markers.
  5. Cut the colored image down to 2 1/4″ x 3 1/2″
  6. Use an embossing pen to follow the lines of the snow. Use a glittery, white embossing powder and heat set.
  7. Adhere the stamped panel to the embossed black panel and then adhere that to an A2 card base.

I hope you are inspired to create some of your own holiday cards. If you would like to shop, I would appreciate you shopping through my link: https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=199868&u=3017887&m=24698&urllink=&afftrack=

For more card inspiration, head over to my Instagram @maryredjr

As always, thank you for stopping by!

Posted in Cardmaking

It’s STAMPtember!!

Welcome to day one of STAMPtember, a month-long celebration dedicated to stamping, crafting, and card making. This annual event joins crafters from all over the world to explore new techniques, share inspiring projects and, of course, indulge in all things stamping. We are celebrating 15 years!

I am excited to join in the festivities again this year! Today, I am showcasing a card featuring two fabulous new products from Simon Says Stamp: the Big Bow die and Big Holiday Words stamp set. These products are perfect for adding a bold and festive touch to your holiday cards.

I used a teal color palette to create a modern and refreshing split-front, holiday card. The Big Bow die is the star, and I love how it pops against the white background. I ink blended the bow to give it a velvet-like appearance. I love how it turned out. This bow die can be used for various occasions beyond the holidays. And it is easy to assemble.

For the sentiment, I used the Big Holiday Words stamp set. This stamp set includes many bold script greetings with simple sub-sentiments. The “Merry and Bright” sentiment fits perfectly with the bow and adds a cheerful message. I stamped it in Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Saturated Ink in Ocean to tie the whole design together.

To add texture, I embossed the front panel with the Vine Canopy embossing folder. This subtle detail enhances the overall design without overpowering the main elements.

This card was fun to create and I can’t wait to see what everyone makes with these amazing new products. Whether you are creating holiday cards, gift tags, or scrapbook pages, the Big Bow die and the Big Holiday Words stamp set will make great addition to your craft room.

Click this link to shop: https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=199868&u=3017887&m=24698&urllink=&afftrack=

Thanks for stopping by!

Posted in Cardmaking

Let’s Celebrate National Hot Cocoa Day

I thought I would celebrate by creating a hot cocoa card!

Have you ever had trouble with your embossing powder? I have read that after some time, some powders can go bad. Have you experienced this? I used my go-to white embossing powder, but I did not like how it embossed. It looked bubbly and didn’t melt well. I tried embossing again and had the same result. So I ended up re-stamping and embossing with a brand new powder. I liked the results much better! I think it’s time for me to get rid of that older powder

For my card, I used the following products:

~My Favorite Things Hug in a Mug stamp set for the sentiment

~Two different sets from Pixie Dust Designs: Snowman Mug and Reindeer Mug

~Ranger Stardust Stickles

~Ink on 3 Arctic White Ultra Fine Embossing Powder

~Ranger Distress Ink in Peeled Paint

How will you celebrate National Hot Cocoa Day?

Posted in Cardmaking

Growing in Unity Day 5 – Kindness is Like Snow

I love kindness sentiments. I work at an elementary school and our first goal is to “be kind to kids.” So I am always on the lookout for sets that include kindness quotes. I made this card for one of our brand new teachers. I hope she likes it.

This card features the Elsa Girl stamp from Unity Stamp Company. I simply stamped the image in Momento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored with my Copic markers. The sentiment I used is included in this stamp set. The other sentiment is “stay warm and cozy.” Both sentiments are very versatile, don’t you think?

Please leave a comment for your chance to win one of two $20 gift cards from Unity Stamp Company. I have really enjoyed reading your comments! And don’t forget to check out their end-of-year clearance sale.

I had a blast this week creating with Unity products. I am, and will always be a huge fan!

Thanks for stopping by!

Posted in Cardmaking

Growing in Unity Day 4 – Merry Merry!

Today I am once again featuring an Itty Bitty from Unity. This one is called Merry Christmas Treeline. I believe it was free with a purchase a few years ago. I think it is adorable.

My card was inspired by a co-worker’s sweatshirt.

She purchased the sweatshirt from Sam’s Club! I thought it was cute. Below is the card it inspired.

To create my card, I ink blended Ranger Distess Oxide in Kitsch Flamingo on a piece of card stock. Then, I die cut it with one of my nesting scalloped edge dies. I added foam tape to the back of it, too. Next, I stamped the image in GinaK Fresh Asparagas ink. I stamped it a few times to get the coverage I wanted. I created two different sized banner shapes to add to my card and adhered them to an A2 top folding card base. I placed the pink stamped square on top of the banners. Lastly, I used my pine punch and cut out a few sprigs to add behind the pink square. I think this turned out pretty cute.

Where do you find inspiration for card making? Leave a comment for a chance to win $20 to the Unity Online Store!

Thanks for stopping by!