Grand Carnation Thank You Card

My parents recently treated me to a 9-day trip to Arizona with them, and I wanted to make them a special card to thank them. It was a lovely trip, and the sunshine and beautiful spring flowers really lifted my spirits. 

To make the card, I pulled out Altenew's BAG: Grand Carnations set and used some blue glitter paste through one of the stencils that comes in the set. The panel I stenciled over was one I had watercolored and sprayed with different shades of blue. 

I stamped the carnations and leaves using my Sizzix Stencil and Stamp Platform, and then I stenciled the flowers and leaves with the coordinating stencils that come in the set. I chose reds, yellows, and blues to match the prompt for this month's Altenew Inspiration Challenge. 

The flowers are large, so I had to trim off the bottom of the yellow ones so I could fit that cluster as well as the stand-alone red carnation on the card front. I adhered the red carnation and several leaves using glue dots since I needed something quite strong to adhere to the glitter paste on the background panel. I added foam tape to the yellow carnation and buds as well as the sentiment (also from the same BAG: Grand Carnations set). 

Close up of the flowers:

Inside the card:

I highly recommend Altenew's grip mat for stenciling. It holds the card stock and stencils in place beautifully!

Challenges I'm entering: 

Inspiration Challenge April 2024 with Bridget Casey (altenew.com): (ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Make your own background (1/5; ends 4/22/24)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (1/3; ends 4/21/24) C10

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG or add one or more flowers (4/8; ends at the end of the month)

As You Like It Challenge: Cute or Floral and Why: I love flowers and enjoy making floral cards and projects like this one because they are so pretty and elegant. (3/3; ends 4/17/24)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week, 2/10 for the challenge; ends 4/24/24)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with optional twist of Sweet Treats (2/6; ends at the end of the month)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with option of A Splash of Color (ends at the end of the month)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (1/6; ends 5/15/24)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game! (stencilfun.blogspot.com): ATG with stencils (I used a stencil for the background and also to color the stamped flowers and leaves) (1/3; ends 5/4/24)

No more challenges. 

Book Bind Explosion Card For Creative Creases #80

It's time for a new challenge over on the Creative Creases Challenge blog, and I'm back with another Guest Designer card that features a fun surprise on the inside. The idea for this card design comes from Connie Stewart, and she calls it a Book Bind Explosion Card. Here's a link to her video if you'd like the measurements and details: 🔴 Book Bind Explosion Card: Make A Card That Bursts With Surprise! (youtube.com)

I needed a birthday card for my lovely daughter-in-law, so I chose some pretty double-sided pattern papers, white card stock, and SU!'s retired Framed Florets and Celebrate Sunflowers bundles. I did the stamping and die cutting to decorate all the panels and then added a few blue sequins and some pretty white ribbon to finish the card. This card design has a lot of space, so it's a great design for using up pretty papers or adding extra sentiments and die cuts to personalize the card. 

I hope you'll join us over at the Creative Creases Challenge where it's always anything goes with a fun fold project. Here's the link to the current challenge: https://wp.me/p4bS0N-bEQ

Cloes up of the sentiment:

Inside the card with the explosion part closed. I popped the oval die cut up on foam tape for some dimension. This card will be hand-delivered, so I wasn't concerned about its thickness:

With the first inner panel lifted up:

2 inner panels showing:

All four inner panels showing:

Challenges I'm joining:

As You Like It Challenge: Cute or Floral and Why: I love flowers and enjoy making floral cards and projects like this one because they are so pretty and elegant. (2/3; ends 4/17/24)

Creative Inspiration Challenges: ATG (2/2; ends at the end of the month)
 

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week, 1/10 for the challenge; ends 4/24/24)

The Paper Funday Challenges: ATG with optional twist of Sweet Treats (1/4; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG with option of adding one or more flowers (3/8; ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Interactive (1/5; ends 4/17/24)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Spring Flowers (1/5; ends 4/15/24)

613 Avenue Create (avenue613.blogspot.com): ATG with option of A Splash of Color (ends at the end of the month)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (1/3; ends 4/14/24) C10

Wooden Rowboat Birthday Card

My soon-to-be son-in-law has a birthday coming up, and since he loves hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor pursuits, I thought I'd make a boat-themed birthday card for him. I used Altenew's Wooden Rowboat die set and die cut all the pieces out of the same color of light tan card stock from my paper scrap stash. Then I used different shades of brown to do some ink blending on the pieces to create the different shades you see on the boat. 

After assembling the boat, I created the card base using pattern paper that I thought looked kind of like waves. The idea for this fun fold card design comes from Connie Stewart's Side Step Card tutorial here: 🔴 Side Step Card: The No-Fail Tutorial To A Fabulous Fun Fold (youtube.com). 

I added a few stamps to the front and back of the card on more scraps of that same light tan card stock I used for the boat. The "Wishing you happiness today and every day" stamps are from Altenew's Paint-A-Flower: Waterlily Dahlia set, and the "Happy Birthday" sentiment on the back of the card is from Altenew's CYL: Bewitching Rose set. I really like the dark blue and brown color scheme for a masculine card. 

Close up of the boat:

Side view:

Back of the card:

Challenges I'm entering: 

Anything Goes with a Fun Fold for Creative Creases #79 (secretstamper.com): ATG with a fun fold 

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Happy Birthday (1/5; ends 4/10/24)

Creative Knockouts: Happy Birthday (1/3; ends 4/11/24) C10

Art Impressions Blog (artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com): Pop it up (I used foam tape to pop up the boat) (1/2; ends 4/10/24)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 4/10 for the challenge; ends 4/10/24)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (2/2; ends 4/9/24)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG with option of adding one or more flowers (2/8; ends at the end of the month)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (2/2; ends 4/11/24)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (3/3; ends 4/6/24)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (1/3; ends 4/19/24)

No more challenges. 

I Am The Resurrection Sympathy Card Box

This weekend I made a special box for my sister to keep the sympathy cards she and my brother-in-law have received since the death of their oldest son (my 18-year-old nephew) in February. My nephew had wanted to join the Air Force, so my sister and BIL chose a red, white, and blue theme for the flowers at his funeral. That's why I decided to use red, white, and blue for this box, too.

To decorate the 11 1/4 by 7 3/4 inch box, I chose some double-sided card stock that has flowers on one side and small polka dots on the other. I used the flower side to cover the base of the box and the polka dots to cover the top.  I chose word art of John 11:25 from the Silhouette Design Store: "I am the resurrection and the life." How grateful I am for that truth! My nephew was a believer, and I have the comfort of knowing he is with the Lord in heaven now, and I will see him again one day. This tragedy has underscored the importance of having a personal relationship with Jesus. I'm clinging to Him so tightly right now!

I did a print and cut of the word art for the focal point. Then I used some leftover scraps of the pattern paper to make squares for the top left and bottom right of the card and adhered them to the polka dot paper. I then added the word art panel. I die cut the epiphyllum flowers from Altenew's Craft-A-Flower: Epiphyllum Layering Die Set using scraps from my collection of snippets and some of the polka dot pattern paper. I adhered the flowers in the corners of the sentiment panel. 

The idea to make this box came from a friend who lost one of her sons awhile back. She said her sister made her a special box to hold all the sympathy cards she received, and I asked my sister if she would like that, also. She and my mom both wanted one, so I'm going to make a second one for my mom and may make one for myself as well. 

Top of the box:

Side view:

Close up of the 3D flowers:

 Challenges I'm entering:

Word Power (wordpowerchallenge.blogspot.com): ATG with the sentiment as the focus 

As You Like It Challenge: Cute or Floral and Why: I love flowers and enjoy making floral cards and projects like this one because they are so pretty and elegant. (1/3; ends 4/17/24)

Creative Inspiration Challenges: ATG (1/2; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 3/10 for the challenge; ends 4/10/24)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 4/9/24)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG with option of adding one or more flowers (1/8; ends at the end of the month)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 4/11/24)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (2/3; ends 4/6/24)

Snippets Playground (pixiessnippetsplayground.blogspot.com): ATG with snippets (I used snippets for the 3D flowers on the box) (1/1; ends 4/13/24)

No more challenges. 

3-Panel Mother's Day Card for Creative Creases #79

It's time for a new challenge over on the Creative Creases blog where it's always anything goes with a fun fold project. For my Guest Designer card this time, I chose a 3-panel card design I saw on Connie Stewart's YouTube channel here: 3 Panel Card Tutorial: How To Make Unique Card With Personality! (simplysimplestamping.com).

I still had some lovely design papers from Stampin' Up that I wanted to use, so I chose some matching card stocks in yellow and purple and set about following Connie's instructions for making the card base and the small 3-panel card that goes on the front of the base. All the measurements are in a download Connie provides here: 3 Panel Card Tutorial: How To Make Unique Card With Personality! (simplysimplestamping.com).

After I trimmed and scored all my layers, I added a bow and then did some stamping and die cutting for the sentiments and the florals on the back of the card. All the stamps I used are from retired SU! sets except for the "Happy Mother's Day" sentiment which is from a retired CTMH stamp set. I've neglected my pretty SU! supplies recently and want to do better about using them. If you'd like to check out some great deals on retired SU! products, see my friend Debbie's list here: My Secret Sale - Google Docs.

To finish my card, I added a trio of soft yellow sequins to the front. I think my mom will really love this card. She deserves something very special since she's the most phenomenal mother, grandmother and great-grandmother! I also need to get busy on making a Mother's Day card for my sweet mother-in-law and one for my daughter-in-law who is an amazing mother to my grandson. How blessed I am to be surrounded by so many godly Christian moms!

Please join us with your fun-fold creations over at Creative Creases Challenge #79 here: https://wp.me/p4bS0N-bDT

Here's a look at the back of the card with the sentiment: 

"Thank you for the lifetime of love you've given me."

Challenges I'm entering:

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 2/10 for the challenge; ends 4/10/24)

Digi Choosday Cardmaking & Crafting Challenge: ATG (1/2; ends 4/9/24)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (3/3; ends 3/31/24) C10

Crafty Catz (craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.com): ATG with twist of use an embossing folder (3/3; ends 3/3/24)

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite Fun Fold and Why: I love this new fun fold because it lets me use so much lovely pattern paper! There's a lot of real estate on this card design, and even the back can be used!(2/3; ends 4/3/24)

A Place To Start (hereisaplacetostart.blogspot.com): ATG with option of square cards (7/8; ends at the end of the month) Rising Star Pick for week 4 of March 

Gem of A Craft Challenge (pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.com): ATG (1/2; ends 4/4/24)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (1/4; ends 4/4/24)

 

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (2/5; ends 4/3/24)

March 2024 Mood Board Challenge (not2shabbyshop.com): Moodboard: Florals inspired me (ends at the end of the month)

No more challenges. 

In Him Was Life, and the Life Was the Light of Men Card

I recently came across a new-to-me fun fold card design on Connie Stewart's YouTube channel and decided to try it out. It's called a 3-Panel Card, and you can view the video here: 3 Panel Card Tutorial: How To Make Unique Card With Personality! (simplysimplestamping.com). 

This set of cards is going to the shut ins from my church to whom I try to send cards regularly, and I chose the Word Art Wednesday word art of John 1:4: In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. I appreciate the beautiful verses posted at Word Art Wednesday every 2 weeks and have used many of them in my cards. For this card, I imported the scripture to my Silhouette Design Studio software and then made a print and cut file of the verse. I also made a cut file for all the pieces to make this card using my Silhouette Design Studio software so that I could make multiple cards quickly. I simply followed Connie's measurements to create all the elements using the software. Then I used my Cameo 4 to cut out all the pieces. 

To go with the theme of the verse, I chose some pattern paper I had in my stash that features lamps on one side and stripes on the other. I used the striped side as a layer on the card base and used the lamp pattern side to decorate the panels of the smaller card adhered to the base. 

For the first card, I added a ribbon like Connie Stewart did in her tutorial on this card design, but for the rest of the cards, I decided to leave off the ribbon so the card would be easier to mail. 

To finish the cards, I added a white panel on the back of the cards to write a personal message. 

When the card is open:

Close up of the verse:

A version without the ribbon for easier mailing:

A look at several of the cards together:

The back of the cards:

Challenges I'm entering: 

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite fun fold and why: This 3-panel fun fold card is great because it has so many panels to decorate! I love that I can add a ribbon to close it or leave the ribbon off, and the back is a great place to write my message. (1/3; ends 4/3/24)
 

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 1/10 for the challenge; ends 4/10/24)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (2/3; ends 3/31/24) C10

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: ATG (1/5; ends 4/3/24)

TIME OUT Challenges: :Stripes (I used striped pattern paper on the card base) (1/5; ends 4/15/24) C5

No more challenges. 

Mother's Day Cards

Altenew is currently holding a card drive for seniors and is taking donations for Mother's and Father's Day cards that they will distribute to seniors in nursing homes or shelters. If you'd like more details, check out this link: 2024 Card Drive and Blog Hop for Seniors in Nursing Homes (altenew.com). 

For my cards, I embossed 2 white panels using Altenew's 3D embossing folder Cupped Blossoms. Then I used Prom Queen lunar paste on the flowers and Lime Green stencil butter on the leaves. I applied the two colors with my finger on one card and with a small foam brush on the other. For the first card, I also added some green splatters using some of the Lime Green stencil butter I watered down and splattered with a paintbrush. The sentiment is from a retired CTMH stamp set. 

I trimmed the panels to 4 by 5/14 and adhered them to yellow card stock I had trimmed 1/8 inch larger. Then I adhered that to a white A2 card base. 

 Challenges I'm entering: 

Inspiration Challenge Archives - Altenew Blog: 

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/:Emboss it (1/5; ends 4/3/24)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges********** (pammiesinkypinkieschallenges.blogspot.com): ATG (1/3; ends 4/1/24) C10

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (5/5 for the week; 10/10 for the challenge; ends 3/27/24)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (1/3; ends 4/6/24)