Bless This Nest Handmade Card

My daughter asked me to make a few baby cards for her as she has a number of showers she needs to attend.  Papertrey Ink has daily deals where everyday a new stamp/die set is drastically marked down.  You can subscribe to their email service to see these daily deals.  I've purchased several new sets from them and have been anxious to play with them.  I must say, as a stamp and color girl, these new die cuts are a big learning curve for me.  I've been noticing for a while now that stamping/coloring seems to be on the way out and die cutting is what is hot, hot, hot in the paper-crafting world.  I actually find it harder to make a card using die cuts, but since most people probably don't like to color or purchase hundreds of different shades of markers, this is probably easier for them.

Whenever I work with a new set, I first like to just case a card to familiarize myself with the set.  This is the card I cased:

As you see, I changed the colors, the sentiment, and added flowers to the branches,  but the layout and concept remain the same.

I used a tree branch Cuttlebug embossing folder for the background, stamping the sentiment first before running it through the machine.  Everything else you see was just cut with the die cuts provided in the Papertrey Ink set and then stamped.  It's actually a very fussy, time consuming process especially gluing all the little blue dots into the center of the flowers.  I think I'd rather color.  I like the look of coloring better than a die cut/stamped color look.

 So what about you?  Do you prefer stamping/coloring or are you a die cut kind of gal (or guy).  I'd love to hear from you.

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE.

Two Heartfelt Handmade Cards

When I started this blog, it began as solely a card-making blog.  But as the years went on I have been making cards less and less and my blog has transitioned into a lifestyle blog.  Now I mainly make cards just for my grand babies or special events.  Unfortunately this past month I had to make two cards for more serious reasons:  one a sympathy card and the other an encouragement card.

My first card was for an older gentleman who lost his wife.  I always keep sympathy cards simple, because I think that is more appropriate for the solemn occasion.  And for this one, I kept it extra simple because it was for a male.  I also used a more masculine image.

To make my card I first sponged a sky background with blue ink, then I stamped a trio of trees (retired Papertrey Ink) over the sponged background.  I then cut the main image card and a blue background frame using Spellbinders Nestabilities then I glued it all together on a white card base.  I stamped a sentiment in the same ink as the trees.

My second card is for a woman who just received some bad medical news.  I wasn't that familiar with the situation as I heard it second hand, but I wanted her to know that I care and that I was thinking and praying for her.  The inside of the cards reads "Whatever happens, God is there to keep you safely in His care".

To make this card, I first stamped, colored, and cut out the Morning Glory image.  Then I cut a white large oval followed by a blue scalloped oval using Spellbinder's Nestabilities.  I glued all three pieces onto a white card stock base then stamped a sentiment onto the white oval.  I finished the card with three clear crystals.  All the images in this card are retired Stampin' Up!.

Handmade cards are always special, but I think they have extra meaning when given for more serious reasons. It really shows how much you care when you take the time to make it yourself.

Have A Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!

 

A Tea Cup Card For A Bridal Shower With A Tea Cup Theme

I was invited to a Bridal Shower that had a tea cup theme.  Unfortunately, I couldn't attend the shower as it was on the same day as Alethea's birthday party.  But I did make a card and send a gift.  I chose to case THIS CARD because I thought the tea cup fit the tea cup theme of the party.

 The original card used all Papertrey Ink products.  I had some of those items, but not all, so I substituted other stamps from my stash to use instead.

I stamped the tea cup in yellow, cut it out, and popped it up on dimensionals.  The tea bag was stamped, fussy cut, and glued to the tea cup.

I stamped the flower in pink and green ink, then I added a adhesive crystal in the center.

The white panel was cut with a Papertrey Ink Die, and also popped up on dimensionals.

The yellow paper was stamped in Versamark with an old Stampin' Up! background stamp.

Have a Great Day!  Amy

Linking Up with these Fabulous Blogs HERE!