Vintage Leaves Card Set Giveaway

Jennifer McGuire posted a tutorial the other day for a gate fold technique that used border dies. I really liked the result and kept mulling it over in my mind as to how I could make it my own. With Autumn just around the corner, I decided to create a card set using Autumn hues and employ Jennifer's technique.

For my colors, I chose Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, Delightful Dijon, and Garden Green. I cut a piece of each color at 11 x 4.25", modifying Jennifer's size to be more in line with that of a standard size card. Each piece was scored on the long side at 4" from one end and 2" from the other end. After folding on the score lines, the card front overlapped slightly.

I placed the single edge die from the Detailed Floral Thinlits along the edge of the longest flap and ran it through the Big Shot. It easily cut through the top and partially through the next layer. I had to open the card, reposition the die and run it through again to finish cutting the second flap. There was a resulting indent from the die on the inside of the card but that would be hidden by a matte.

I chose a leaf stamp, from the Vintage Leaves stamp set, for each of the four colors and then stamped the front of the card using matching ink except for the Cherry Cobbler card. When using my Cherry Cobbler on the matching card stock, the color appeared "greenish" so I chose to use Real Red as an alternative.

After stamping the card fronts, I cut white mattes for the inside of the cards and stamped a leaf on each of those to match each card. In addition, I used my Envelope Punch Board to create envelopes for each card and stamped leaves on the fronts of those as well before assembling the envelopes, using Post It notes to mask off the non-inked sides of the envelopes.

Next, I stamped sentiments from the Watercolor Wishes Card Set, in Versamark on the four colors of card stock and heat embossed them with Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder. These were then die cut with the matching Leaflets Framelits. Each die cut had its edges inked with the corresponding ink.
It was then that I got the idea to heat emboss the edges of the die cut gate fold edges themselves! To do this, I used a Versamark Pen to ink each edge, repeating the process to really get a nice embossed gold effect.

Another idea struck and I decided to add flecks of ink onto the cards to provide a bit more texture to my design. I used both my Stampin' Write Markers, flicking the marker off the edge of the cap, and my Tim Holtz Distress Splatter Brush with reinkers, which produced larger splatters.

To finish each card, I added a thread nest, using Gold Metallic Thread secured with a glue dot, and adhered a leaf over it using Dimensionals.

After completing the cards and envelopes, I needed a container to put them in so I consulted this tutorial by Catherine Pooler on how to create a box. Once I had figured out what size I needed for my card box and lid, I cut the two pieces from Kraft card stock.

I scored, cut and glued the piece for the box bottom and then used my stamps to create my own paper for the box top. After stamping the leaves, I again used my Tim Holtz Distress Splatter Brush to add flecks of Crumb Cake reinker. After it was dry, I scored, cut and glued the lid together.

A belly band was created for my card box using a strip of Garden Green card stock topped with the now retired Cherry Cobbler Sheer Linen Ribbon. I stamped two oak leaves in Delightful Dijon on the matching card stock and die cut them with the framelits. The edges of the leaves were inked with matching ink and then I used my McGill Paper Blossom Tool Kit to give some dimension to the leaves. I used Glue Dots to adhere them to the top of the belly band to complete the box.

I am really loving the rich hues of this color combo! Feel free to copy this image if you'd like to use it!

I'm very pleased with how this card set turned out! And now the fun part–I'm going to give it away!

If you live in either Canada or the United States, here is what you need to do to be entered into a draw to win this card set:

1. Leave a comment either below or on my Facebook post (or both!).
2. Pin any image from this blog post to Pinterest.
3. Share my Facebook post about this card set.

On Sunday, September 4, at 7:00 pm CDT, I will draw to see who wins the card set! Be sure to check back here for the announcement of the winner. I will need the winner to contact me so that I may get a mailing address for where to send the card set.

The lucky winner could be YOU!

Sitting Here Retirement Card

With my brother and sister-in-law visiting from Calgary, I haven't had much time to craft this week. Today, we had a retirement party to go to for our neighbors so I had to get a card made for them this morning!

I chose to use the Sitting Here stamp set for my focal image. I stamped the wooden swing on Whisper White card stock using Basic Black Archival ink. I then used the leaves from the Sheltering Tree stamp set to stamp with both Cucumber Crush and then Wild Wasabi (turning the stamp upside down). The image was then die cut using the now retired Circles Collection Framelits.

I used two more circles to cut both a Cucumber Crush and a Pacific Point frame. The edges were inked with Basic Black and then they were layered over the stamped image, adhering them with liquid adhesive.

The pillows were stamped with Basic Black and then colored using Stampin' Write Markers in Pacific Point, Wild Wasabi, Cucumber Crush, and Bermuda Bay. A Basic Black marker was used to ink the edges of the fussy cut pillows. I then used a stylus from my McGill Paper Blossom Tool Kit to "puff up" the pillows like I did for the card in my Just Sitting Here post.

I cut a card base of 5.5 x 11" and then scored it at 2.75" from each end to create a gate fold card. I cut mattes from a piece of Cucumber Crush paper from the 2015-2017 In Color DSP Stack and adhered them to the front panels of the card after first inking the edges with Basic Black.

A Pacific Point 3/8" Stitched Ribbon was adhered to the back of the card and tied in a bow at the left side. Dimensionals were applied to the matted image but the adhesive was only removed from the side opposite the bow. This was done so that the card could be opened and also support the image on both sides.

The sentiment was cobbled together from two stamp sets–Wild About Flowers and Sweet Cupcake. It was stamped on Thick Whisper White using Basic Black. The sentiment was then die cut using a die from the Cupcake Cutout Framelits. A Pacific Point die cut was also made.

The Pacific Point die cut was cut in half, lengthwise, and then offset and glued to each side of the Whisper White die cut. It was adhered to the bottom of the stamped image on the card front.
The pillows were adhered to the stamped swing using doubled up Dimensionals.

For inside the card, a matte was cut from Thick Whisper White. The sentiment was stamped using Pacific Point and the tree was stamped using Soft Suede, Wild Wasabi and Cucumber Crush. The edges of the matte were inked with Wild Wasabi and then it was adhered with Fast Fuse Adhesive to complete the card.

A sheet of In Colors Envelope Paper was also used to create an envelope for the card, using the Envelope Punch Board. The envelope was not photographed.

I love the way this card came together and the color scheme really appeals to me! You can save it if you would like to use it for yourself!

Color Inspiration and Abundant Butterflies

Received a Pier 1 Imports flyer in the mail the other day. In leafing through it, I found nothing I wanted to buy but it did give me some inspiration for card making!

I thought the combination of colors was fresh, and Spring-like. Even though we are a long way from Spring right now, the frigid temperatures of late made this color combo very appealing!

First in my creative process, I knew that I wanted to use the Reverse Framelits Technique that I learned about on Deb Valder's Blog. Also, because I was going for the WOW factor, I decided to use the largest butterfly from the Butterfly Thinlits.

Be sure to check out Bokeh Technique and Sneak Peek From 2015 Stampin' Up! Occasions Catalog and Butterfly Obsession for more posts on using the Butterfly Thinlits. In particular, the Bokeh Technique and Sneak Peek From 2015 Stampin' Up! Occasions Catalog shares a technique for easily removing the little pieces from detailed Framelit dies in one easy maneuvre!

I cut my card base from Soft Suede, 11 x 5.5" and scored it on the long side, 2.75" from each end. I used my bone folder to create good creases for this Gate Fold card, making sure that the gates met well in the centre of the card.

I cut pieces of Very Vanilla to attach to the "gates" and embossed them using the Decorative Dots Embossing Folder. I adhered them using Fuse Fast.

I stamped my sentiment on Very Vanilla using Soft Suede and then used the Scalloped Oval Punch to cut it. I used the Extra Large Oval Punch to cut a matte for the sentiment from Soft Suede.

I stamped two butterflies in Soft Suede on Very Vanilla using stamps from the popular Papillon Potpourri stamp set. After using the Elegant Butterfly and the Bitty Butterfly Punches to punch these out, I edged them with more Soft Suede using a Sponge Dauber. I cut four more butterflies from Soft Suede using the Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die.

I decided on the placement of the large butterfly, the sentiment and the smaller butterflies on the card and then used the Reverse Framelits Technique to cut the large butterfly from the card gates.

This technique can be done using any Framelit die and is done by laying the entire card on a Cutting Pad on the Magnetic Platform and placing the Thinlit Die face up inside the card, centering it carefully, and then adding the top Cutting Pad before running it through the Big Shot.

With my butterfly shape now cut out of the gates of my card, I could cut out the actual butterfly for the card using Pear Pizzazz card stock. For this technique to work properly, it is most important to cut the shape keeping the thinlit die face up so that the cut shape will fit perfectly within the opening you have cut in your card.

I trimmed some Dimensional edges to fit on the body of the butterfly die cut and set the butterfly in place.

I felt that I needed a bit more green on the card but the sentiment didn't look right stamped in Pear Pizzazz so I tried some Old Olive Twine twisted behind the sentiment but the color did not pop enough. In the end I decided to use the Old Olive 1/8" ribbon instead, taping it to the back of the Soft suede oval matte. I added a Dimensional to the left side of the sentiment and adhered it in place.

I used glue dots to adhere the little butterflies to the card front. I liked what I had designed but I felt the card needed a little more pizzazz (but not necessarily of the Pear variety!).

For the final touch, I added both Basic Pearls and Basic Rhinestones (colored with an Old Olive Blendability Marker) to the little butterflies as well as the large die cut butterfly.
Now I was satisfied with the card!

As I set out to take the photos of it, I discovered one problem–when the card was opened, the tape I used to adhere the ribbon to the matte of the sentiment could be seen. Horrors!

I easily solved this by cutting another Soft Suede oval and adhering it to the back of the first, covering the tape, and then reattaching the sentiment to the card with a Dimensional.
My project was now a Fait Accompli!

Check out these photos:

And some close up details:

What do you think? Have you tried using the Butterfly Thinlits and the coordinating stamp set, Butterfly Basics? Have you encountered any problems? Do you need some solutions? Be sure to link me up to the cards you create using the Reverse Framelits Technique.

Leave me a comment below and I will be sure to reply!
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Frivolous Frippery

Once I get rolling, it's hard to stop! I'm submitting a card to the Can You Case It card challenge #44–a color challenge. It was hard to resist since one of the colors was Blackberry Bliss!

I was excited about the colors and it didn't take me long to decide what I wanted to create. I decided on a gate fold design.

I cut a standard card base from Mossy Meadow but scored instead at 2 1/8" from each side. I cut panels to fit on each gate from Blackberry Bliss. I embossed these using the now retired Ornate Swirls embossing folder and then dabbed them with the now retired Frost White Shimmer Paint, using a sponge dauber. When they were dry I adhered them to the gates of the card base.

I used the now retired Dress Up Framelits to cut a dress form from Gold Foil and a dress from Very Vanilla card stock. I also cut the top part of the dress from Mossy Meadow and embossed it using the Fancy Fan embossing folder. I then adhered the Mossy Meadow top to the dress and the dress to the dress form. I wrapped a Mossy Meadow ribbon around the waist of the dress.

I used the now retired Vanilla Flower Trim to create the skirt of the dress, adhering it with Crystal Effects.

I adhered a piece of Gold Satin Ribbon around the card and trimmed it where the gates met. I followed this by adhering Gold 1/8" Ribbon on top of the Gold Satin Ribbon.

I used Dimensionals to pop up the Dress Form but only removed adhesive from one side. It was centred over the card front and adhered to one gate. This was done to allow the gate to open and to keep the Dress Form popped up evenly on both sides.

I stamped the sentiment from the Good Greetings Hostess set with Versamark and heat embossed it with Gold embossing powder. I used the Modern Label punch to cut it from Very Vanilla card stock. I inked the edges with Mossy Meadow.

The label was popped up with Dimensionals over the centre of the card base, using adhesive only on the side opposite to that of the Dress Form.

To complete the card, I adhered pearls to create a necklace on the Dress Form.

My card is a fait accompli!

Close up details.

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