Space Heroes Pop-Up Card

Now that I'm done with Christmas cards for 2018, I can play around with some fun things for birthdays and other occasions!

This card has a fun cover with a surprise inside - a familiar friend in a gift box, with a birthday wish! (Keep scrolling to see the inside!) Happy birthday from your friendly galaxy space heroes!

This card required the following products (plus Copic markers):

• Kindred Stamps "Space Heroes" Stamp Set and space-themed paper
• Elizabeth Craft "Frame It Stitched Rectangles" Die Set
• Hunkydory/For the Love of Stamps "Retro Mix Tape" Stamp Set
• Plant Guy in Pot from a Marvel coloring book
• Lawn Fawn "Mini Pop-Up Box" Die Set
• Ranger Embossing Powder, Super Fine Detail Black
• Foam squares to pop up elements on the card cover

The Retro Mix Tape stamp set contains a standard cassette tape image, so I had to draw the lines and shade it to look like the tape we all know and love. Given the movie's soundtrack containing classic rock, "You're a classic" seemed like an appropriate cover sentiment. I embossed "classic" to make it look more like the cassette tape's ribbon. (I am old enough to remember what a pain those were, LOL.)

When the recipient opens the card, s/he sees this landscape from above.

I created the inside sentiment with my computer/printer and created the patterned paper with the small cassette tape stamp from the Retro Mix Tape stamp set, with Copic markers. When the recipient tilts the card, this is the inside surprise:

It's our favorite plant-like mini hero in a box! And he's wishing you a happy birthday!

I added a few more stems/shoots with the small curly dies in the Mini Pop-Up Box die set.

I hope you enjoyed this project, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Happy Crafting!

Holiday Lip Balm Card

This year, I decided to create small gift for colleagues instead of regular Christmas cards.

I created a standard-size card (4.25" x 5.5") with a Candy Cane Chapstick on each card. This card is similar to a postcard, as it doesn't open. It has the design on the front and the rip strip (and my personal stamp) on the back.

The card above required the following products:

• Lawn Fawn Large Stitched Rectangles
• Oval dies: 3.25" and 3"
• Crafter's Companion Contemporary Christmas: Decorative Holly Die
• My Favorite Things Lip Balm Window & Frame Die-Namics Set
• My Favorite Things Essential Sentiments Rip Strips Die-Namics Set
• My Favorite Things Lip Balm Shaker Pouches
• Red Rhinestones
• Holiday-flavored Chapstick (or any other standard-sized lip balm)

Cut two pieces of cardstock with the largest stitched rectangle die (4.25" x 5.5"). On the front piece, cut the lip balm window, then cut the rip strip on the back piece of cardstock. I found it easiest to line the front piece up, after I cut the window, with the back and then position the rip strip die where it will fall directly behind the Chapstick. I found the rip strip too long, so I left part of the die and card hanging over the edge of the cutting plates so there was no pressure and it didn't cut that part. An example of the rip strip on the back is below:

Place double-sided tape onto the top of the lip balm pouch, and then slide the pouch into the front window. Cover the back piece of cardstock with double-sided tape, put your Chapstick into the pouch (very important!!), and then seal the two pieces together like a sandwich. When you're done, you're left with a flat card with Chapstick magically inside it.

Cut a "frame" for your Chapstick window on the front, as it makes the card look professional and complete. Decorate as desired, and then give your gift to your friend or family member. These make great stocking stuffers, too!

I made a few other versions of this card, including one with Santa and a nontraditional-colored Nutcracker scene.

 

I hope you enjoyed this project, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Happy Crafting!

Birthday Floral Eclipse Card

This week, I created a birthday card for a friend using the eclipse method.

The "eclipse" method involves taking a patterned sheet of paper (card front or otherwise) and cutting a word out using alphabet dies. After you cut them out, you pop them up and put them back into place. This creates a very subtle, raised word on the front of the card that may not be instantly noticed by the beholder. My friend's name is Julie, so I cut J U L I E out of the card front. TIP: Lay a ruler across the card front so the letters line up evenly, then hold them in place with Post It Tape so they don't move around during the cutting process.

First, I stamped the floral image from the Simon Says Stamp Sketched Flowers stamp set and colored with Copics. I added a sentiment from the same set. Once I cut the letters, using the Kat Scrappiness Condensed Alphabet Die Set, I cut two more sets of letters out of thin, white foam, and I layered them (2 foam letters with the paper letter on top).

I added some Swarovski crystals (in various shapes) to give the card some sparkle.

Inside, I stamped a flower from the Simon Says Stamp/Clearly Besotted Magnificent Magnolia stamp set and a sentiment from the Ranger Letter It Birthday Stamp Set. I colored the flower with Copics.

Products Used:

• Simon Says Stamp Sketched Flowers Stamp Set
• Simon Says Stamp/Clearly Besotted Magnificant Magnolia Stamp Set
• Ranger Letter It Birthday Stamp Set
• Kat Scrappiness Condensed Alphabet Die Set
• Swarovski crystals

I hope you enjoyed this project, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Happy Crafting!

Light-Up Gingerbread House

This week, I created a card using the Candyland Christmas Stamp Set from Witt & Sass Stamp Company!

I have at least 6 gingerbread house stamps, and I can honestly say that the W&S gingerbread house is my favorite. It's just so cute, with beautiful little details! I colored the house, plus other elements and characters from another stamp set, with Copics. I layered them with foam and embellished with Swarovski crystals, glitters, and WORKING LIGHTS!

That's right, I said working lights! I pulled out the Chibitronics lights, copper tape, a coin cell battery, and LOTS of foam tape, and I made the gingerbread house windows light up! I added a little "Push Here" peppermint so the recipient will know where to push. The lights only turns on when someone pushes the button, so they'll last a long time.

.Witt & Sass Products Used:

• Candyland Christmas Stamp Set

I hope you enjoyed this project, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Happy Crafting!

Peppermint Christmas

This week, I created a card using the Candyland Christmas Stamp Set, as well as the Layered Stencil Plaid, from Witt & Sass Stamp Company!

The product I love most at Christmastime is anything peppermint, but especially the Peppermint Hot Chocolate (extra hot, with whip!) from Starbucks. My local store doesn't carry peppermint flavoring until late November, so I wait ALL YEAR for it. When I saw the cute peppermint stamp in the Candyland Christmas set, I knew I wanted to celebrate candy canes and all things peppermint!

That lovely candy cane stripe background was actually pretty easy to make. I used the Witt & Sass Layered Stencil Plaid, on an angle, to create the thick red stripes across the page. After that, I used a ruler and marker to draw a thin line between the thick lines. Super easy, and so very festive!

I stamped the peppermints on a white piece of cardstock (cut 1" smaller than my striped base so I could show off that lovely stripe). When I started to color them, I realized that I didn't use a cardstock that works for blending alcohol markers, so I simplified with one red marker and one gray marker.

I stamped the top line of the stamp set's sentiment and then the bottom "sweet" part with white ink on matching red cardstock. (I was able to ink a part of the stamp by covering the words I didn't want with Post It tape while I inked the stamp and then removing the tape before I stamped my cardstock.) The ink didn't stamp very well, so I used a white Sakura Gelly Roll pen to fill in the letters. I added a large die-cut "Christmas" over a small piece of vellum (so it would stand out against the patterned backdrop) and added a Swarovski crystal for the dot over the "i." (Tip: I was able to hide the glue on the vellum by cutting it an inch wider than I needed and wrapping/gluing the vellum to the back of the white cardstock. Now it "floats" nicely on the front of the card without any glue spots!)

.Witt & Sass Products Used:

• Candyland Christmas Stamp Set
• Layered Stencil Plaid

I hope you enjoyed this project, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Happy Crafting!

Flamingo Beach Christmas

This week, I created a card using the Mermaid Christmas Stamp Set, and a few others, from Witt & Sass Stamp Company!

This year, beach Christmas and festive flamingos are on trend. Why? I have no idea, but I'm not complaining! I almost purchased a Christmas flamingos stamp set, and then I remembered that I already have the Witt & Sass Tropical Party stamp set, so I used that one instead.

I resized that gorgeous coral Christmas tree (my favorite part of the Mermaid Christmas set!) so it would be more in scale to the flamingo, and I gave the flamingo a Santa hat and holly brooch. (Alternatively, you could leave the flamingo's bead necklace and simply color it in Christmas colors.) I covered the coral tree in multi-colored rhinestones and added a bunch of little seaside friends. I created the background with stencils (listed below) and Distress Oxides.
.Witt & Sass Products Used:

• Mermaid Christmas Stamp Set
• Tropical Party Stamp Set
• Background Builder Palm Tree Stamp
• Background Builder Wave Stencil
• Layered Stencil Clouds

I hope you enjoyed this project, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Happy Crafting!

Unicorn Mermaid Christmas

This week, I created a card using the Mermaid Christmas Stamp Set from Witt & Sass Stamp Company!

I love the Witt & Sass Mascot, Purdie the Chubby Unicorn, and I couldn't resist mixing her into the underwater scene by fusing her top half with the mermaid's bottom half. (Now she's a "Purmaid!") I created the background using Distress Oxides and Copic markers (for the sand and seaweed), and then I began layering all of the fun characters into the scene! All characters and elements were colored with Copics.

My favorite part of this stamp set is the gorgeous coral Christmas tree. I embellished it with rhinestones and added lots of fishy attendees at Purdie's Christmas party. Even the little starfish have rhinestones! A Christmas unicorn mermaid can NEVER have too much bling!

Witt & Sass Products Used:

• Mermaid Christmas Stamp Set
• Chubby Unicorn Stamp Set

I hope you enjoyed this project, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Happy Crafting!