UGH!

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

A new release came out yesterday and boy, is it a good one!  Okay, let's be honest, they ALL are!!  This one included new alphabets and numbers, a new Easter stamp set and papers as well as a set of belly bands.  Make sure to check out the Art Impressions website.  Lots of fun new items!

My card today features the new #5910 Large Alphabet letters.  Have you ever purchased word dies only to wish you could adjust them by adding another letter, removing one or making up your own word?  Well, these letters are the perfect size to create your own word or spell the way you want to.  Actually, I should have put another couple of G's to emphasize the word "UGGGH".

I started out by stamping the image from the #5518 - Hot Mess Laugh Lines set onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink.  I then colored with my copic markers listed below.  I stamped the image again on a piece of pattern paper from the #5892 - Easter S2 PP and fussy cut the chair so that I could paper piece onto the image.  I cut the image with a circle die from the #5726 - Nested Circle die set and matted onto a scallop circle die I had in my stash.  I die cut 2 of each of the letters U, G, H and the exclamation mark from yellow cardstock.  I layered each of the letters together for added dimension.  I stamped the sentiment from the #5278 - Dance It Out set and cut with a banner die I had in my stash.  I mounted the banner sentiment onto a piece of yellow cardstock and fussy cut it for a matted banner.  I then took a 5.5" square piece of pattern paper (stripe) and mounted it onto yellow cardstock.  I did the same for the top layer 4.5" square piece of pattern paper.  I then assembled the card together and staggered and overlapped the letters to add more fun to the card.

I hope you enjoyed my card today!  

Have a wonderful day and keep creating!

Copics used:  E000, E01, E11, E51, E53, E55, E57

C00, C01, C03, C05

B00, B01

Y04, Y21, YG61, YG63

Crazy Garden Lady

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Today I have a fun birthday card featuring the #5000 Gotta Garden set.  A friend of mine loves to garden so this image was just perfect for her birthday card.  I definitely would not call her crazy but she is crazy about gardening.  LOL!

I stamped the image on copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored her with my copic markers listed below.  I just love the expressions on all of Bonnie's people stamp sets.  They just exude fun and laughter!  

I die cut the image panel with one of the #5063 Rectangle A2 Double Stitch die and then placed onto a pattern paper panel from the #5892 Easter S2 PP.  I then matted it with orange cardstock.  I die cut each of the sentiments, that also came in this stamp set, with a tag die from the #5132 Tag Stitched die set.  I partial cut the tag and then used the same die to also cut off the flag portion and leave the stitch pattern.

I used a scallop edge die from my stash to cut the narrow strips on each side and placed a long narrow strip of orange cardstock over the seams of the pattern paper and the scallop border.  Placed some enamel dots on the card to finish it off. 

I hope you enjoy my card today.

Have a wonderful day and keep creating!

Copics used:  N1, N3, N4

E000, E01, E11, E21, E23

R20, R24, G43, G46

B000, BG32, BG34

Y21, Y23, Y25, YR12, YR14

Birthday Wobble

 I am soooo thrilled to be the feature for this challenge - "I Like to Move it, Move it".  I am such a fan of interactive cards, so this is a delight for me.  I had soooo much fun creating this card and I am soooo excited for how it turned out.  

First of all, I stamped all of the images on copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  Some images were dies so I cut them with copic friendly paper and then colored with copic markers. 

I cut two 4 1/4 x 4 1/4" pieces of heavy white cardstock and scored each piece at 1".  Do NOT adhere together yet as you need to place the acetate pieces in between.

  

Let's decorate the front of the card first.  I matted a piece of pattern paper onto a piece of purple cardstock allowing for an 1/8" border around all sides.  This is then adhered to one of the white cardstock pieces. The 1" fold should be towards the back at the bottom.  I started by using the front layer (balloons) of the #4980 Birthday Circlet MTF.  I die cut this layer with the coordinating die and then cut the whole circle with one of the #5726 Nested Circle dies.  I used the koala sitting in the teacup from the #5349 Koala set and cut him off of the teacup so that I could place him on the stack of presents from #5954 Woodland Bears set.  I only used the bottom three presents of that stamp so that it fit nicely in the circlet.  I popped the circlet onto foam dots and placed onto a stitched circle die cut from purple cardstock.  I then glued the bottom two presents behind the balloons and popped up the top present as well as the koala so that they sat on top of the circlet.  I colored several confetti pieces from the #5407 Birthday Cake GCH and adhered them to the front of the card.  I saved several colored pieces for the inside of the card.  

Now, for the inside of the card.  I cut several strips of acetate, about 1/2" x 3" for each item.  I arranged the images how I wanted them to pop up over the front flap of the card.  I glued each to the top of a piece of acetate making sure there is enough acetate at the bottom to glue between the 1" folds.  Once the images are glued to a piece of acetate, I then glued the bottom of the acetate to the back of the front flap fold.  When all of the acetate pieces are glued down, I took the back flap and glued the two fold pieces together, making sure the acetate pieces are glued in firmly.  I then finished decorating the inside of the card with pattern paper and purple cardstock over the exposed white cardstock.  Lastly, I added the final pieces of confetti to decorate.  

Below is a video of how the card wobbles.

I hope you enjoyed my card today!

Have a wonderful day and happy creating!!

Copics used:  E21, E50, E51, E53

W5, R20

Y11, Y21, Y23, Y35

RV55, RV63, V12, V15

G40, G43, B41, B45

Easter Bunnies MB

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

The new matchbooks are here, the new matchbooks are here!!   If you haven't seen them yet, they were released last week and there are four new ones.  Bonnie outdid herself again!  Today, I have the #6014 Easter Bunnies matchbook set to show you.  These are sooo fun to color and create.  A little card in a little package, who can resist?

I stamped the panels onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  This one I colored with lots of bright fun colors.  Who doesn't love Easter and all the bright beautiful colors?

I die cut the panels with the corresponding dies and adhered it all together using pattern paper from the new paper pack #6010 Basic Pink PP.  You will need the #5317 Matchbook template die to assemble these little cards but the die works for all of the matchbook sets.  If you don't know how these go together, check out Bonnie's tutorial - Matchbook tutorial - Bonnie Krebs 

These little matchbook sets then fit into this little MB envelope #5318.  Soooo cute!

I hope you enjoyed my card for today and you try out these fun little miniature cards.  There are over 30 different matchbook sets.  You are sure to find one that fits for your perfect someone.

Have a great day and happy creating!!

Copics used:  C00, C0, C1, C2

E30, E33, E35

R20, R81, R83, R85

B0000, B00, B12, B14

V01, V12, V15

Y11, Y32, Y35

YR01, YR02, YR04

G20, G21, G24

"Case" a design - Split Window Card

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

The current challenge this week on the Art Impressions blog is "Case That Card".  What a fun idea!       I decided to recreate a split window card by Jennifer McGuire.  See below for her card and a link to her video/blog post. 

I started making Thank You cards and then decided to make a few more variations of this style.  I did find one suggestion to make them easier and create layers on the inside.  Before you adhere the sentiment panel down (circle), I recommend placing your layers (mats) on the inside first.  Then place the sentiment panel down over the mats.  Easier to cut a rectangle panel then to cut a partial circle into it and get it even.  You could even place a full panel down on the inside and then adhere the left side down.  This will create a sturdier and more finished card.

Here are a couple other versions.  I used stickles on the butterflies.  I like the look on kraft paper.  Makes it look bronze.

Below are Jennifer McGuire's cards that inspired me.  Here is the link to her video - Split Window cards

I hope you enjoyed my cased cards today.  I also hope you play along with the challenge.  See tab above for details and a chance to win a free stamp set.

Have a great day and Happy Creating!

Easter Fun Fold

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Today I have a couple Fun Fold Easter cards using the #5274 Easter Bunnies, the #5870 Peeking Bunny, and the #5504 Happy Spring sets.  These Easter sets have the cutest little bunnies.  OMGosh sooooo cute!!  Add these images to this fun fold style card and you'll find yourself addicted.  I could have created all night.  I will definitely be making more.

To create these fun folds, I choose the largest circle from the #5064 Double Stitch circle die set for the card on the left and the 4th largest #5062 Rounded Rectangle A2 Double Stitch die for the smaller card.  The following instructions will be for the circle card.  The rectangle card is basically made the same just a different size and shape.  

I cut four circles from white lightweight (80 lb. or less) cardstock and scored each in half.  I then formed the fun fold by overlapping the circles as shown below (the right half over the previous circle right half).  Continue overlapping the circles until all are together.  Make sure to gather them together and square them up tightly.  Place a dab of glue on the back side where they overlap.  Then flip to the front side and dab glue under these overlaps.  Now your fun fold is formed.   

Cut four circles from pattern paper.  I cut two with the largest circle and two with the next size circle.      Cut each of these four circles in half and cut just a tad off the straight side of the larger circles.  The smaller circles are for the front and will recreate a 2-layer look (see below).  Glue the smaller circles to the front (or top) folds, centering up to leave a nice white border.  Glue the larger circles to the inside folds, leaving no border.  

I stamped my one-layer scene onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I then cut the scene to fit inside the fun fold card (3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches). Adhere this image to the inside of the card.  Place a ribbon or belly band around the back side and adhere down to the back.  Wrap around and tie or clasp into place.  I added a basket with the bunny bottom for decoration.  Lastly, I glued a 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 top fold card to the back for your sentiment and also to finish off the back side of the card so that the ribbon or belly band will be covered.  This also adds as a nice stand to display your card.

Hope you enjoyed my cards today and I especially hope you'll give this one a try.  Trust me, you will want to create more with different shapes and sizes.  It's addictive! 

Happy creating!!

Copics used:  N0, N1, E21, E23, R20

YR01, YR02, Y13, Y15, Y17

V12, V15, G40, G43, G46

B000, B00, B12, B14

R81, R83, E51, E53, E55

Ultimate Birthday

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

My card today features the #5405 Mrs. Set.  I thought it represented the "Ultimate Birthday", from the PJs to the glass of wine.  It also fits this week's challenge "Drink Up".  Check out the bi-weekly challenge tab on the Art Impressions blog and join in the fun by entering your card to have a chance at winning a free stamp set of your choice.

I started by stamping the images onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I then cut each of the images out with their corresponding dies.  For the wine glass in her hand, I colored an extra wine glass from her hat and fussy cut it out, removing the bow.  I cut a slit in her fingers and adhered the wine glass in between.  

I die cut the white frame from the #5768 Decorative Journal Pg. 1 die set.  I love the beautiful edge on that frame.  I typed the sentiment and printed onto a tag from the #5133 Flag Double Stitched dies.  Lastly, the cupcake came from the #5455 Birthday Buggy set.

Thanks for joining me today.  Hope you have a wonderful day.  Happy creating!

Copics used:  E000, E01, E11, E21, E23

R20, R81, R83, R85, R89

YR32, YR35, YR38

C1, YR14, YG25

Pull Up Valentine

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Valentine's Day is tomorrow.  Are you ready?  If not, I have a fun little pull up valentine for you with a cute little hidden sentiment using the #5902 Mini Scallop Frame die as well as many other sets listed below.  If you have already finished your valentine's, imagine this for other occasions using balloons, stars, etc. instead of hearts.  

To begin, I took the bear image from the #5521 WC Animal Planters set and stamped onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink.  I also stamped him to create a reverse image so that I could make his back leg and his left arm since the stamp set has a flower pot hiding both.  To do this, I stamped him onto a smooth silicone mat and then took my paper and pressed it onto the stamped image on the mat.  This will create a reverse image.  Using a misti is helpful incase you need stamp again to darken the image.  I colored both images with my copic markers, listed below.  I then used a wash rag and dabbed some alcohol onto it and lightly pressed it against the body parts of the bear to make him look fuzzy.  I fussy cut all the pieces (bear, back leg and left arm) and pieced him together using some foam tape between his legs.  I also placed a heart box of candy (from the #5493 Front Porch Valentine) in his arms.  I just love this cute little bear!  

I cut the #5902 Mini Scallop Frame using the brown hearts paper from the #5832 Gnome Paper Pack.  I cut a heart shape for the window and placed acetate on the inside of the window.  I also stamped the "You're So Sweet" and added a couple little die cut hearts to the inside.  I then placed a thin line of foam tape to the inside bottom scallop edge so the streamer wouldn't fall through.  I glued up the side of the frame and it is ready to decorate.  Don't forget to attach the easel to the back so your frame/card will stand up on display.

To make the pull up heart streamer, I die cut 16 red hearts (front and back) and strung them onto a white thread leaving about 2 inches above the first heart.  I die cut the letters for the sentiment "Love You" from the #5562 - Journal Letter die set and attached each letter to a heart leaving a blank heart between words.  Perfect size letters to make a cute little sentiment.  I cut two fishtail banner pieces in red cardstock.  I then cut a square 2 5/8 inch piece of red gingham paper and glued it to the bottom half of the back side of one of the fishtail banner pieces.  Snip off any paper showing in between the fishtail.  Take the streamer and glue the top thread to the middle of the banner above the gingham paper.   Take the other fishtail banner and glue the top halves of the banners together leaving the bottom half open so it can rest over the top of the frame.  I added the heart banner and bows to the front banner for some cuteness.

  Gather the heart streamer together over the gingham paper and insert into the top slit of the frame.  Some of the letters will show through the window but the message will be a mystery until the recipient pulls from the frame.

I hope you enjoyed my card today and your imagination is running wild with other variations.

Have a great day and keep creating!

Copics used:  E21, E23, E25

R20, R22, R24, R27

Valentine Pop-Up Card

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

I have another Valentine card for you today that also fits the current blog challenge - "Highlights".  I used the darling #5005 - Valentine Bears stamp set for my card along with the easel and label dies from the #5902 - Mini Scallop Frame die set.  This is a pop-up card with a lot of dimension but lays flat when put in the envelope.  

I began by stamping the bear and sentiment with memento black ink onto copic friendly paper and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I die cut the sentiment with the label die and fussy cut the bear.  I then added highlights to the bears cheeks, nose, paws and the banner hearts, with a white paint pen.    

I used a set of stitched nesting heart dies that I had in my stash, however you can use any nesting die sets for this pop-up card technique.  I first cut two of the largest hearts with heavy cream colored cardstock.  I took one of those cream hearts and scored at 3/4 inch on the rounded edge of the heart.  Fold on the score and place glue on the top flap.  Adhere to the other cream heart to create the card base.  It should open so that you can add your sentiment to the inside.

I used seven consecutive nesting hearts and cut every other nesting heart from the red cardstock and pattern paper from the other three nesting hearts.  I also die cut several smaller hearts for decoration.  To make the pop-up mechanism, cut three red panels 1" x 2 1/2" and score along the longest side at 1/2", 3/4", 1", 1 1/2", 1 3/4" and 2".  Fold these score lines as MVMMVM (mountain, valley, etc.).  Glue the two ends together by overlapping.  This will create a spring pop-up piece.  Place each of these pieces between the layers.  

Lastly, since the card will not stand on its own due to the point at the bottom of the heart, I die cut an easel using the #5902 - Mini Scallop Frame die set and adhered it to the back of the card, just above the point, where it meets the sides of the heart and then I trimmed off the point just below the easel.

That's it for my card today.  Hope you enjoy it.  Keep creating!

Copics used:  E50, E51, E53, E55

R20, R22, R24, R27

R81, R83, R85

Valentine Shaker

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

I've always had an interest in shaker cards but don't find that I make them very often.  I don't know why because I have collected all of the little bits to fill them.  😁 Soooo, I decided to make one for Valentine's Day.  I just love seeing all of the little hearts bouncing around.  They really are fun to make plus fun to shake.

I began by stamping the fox from the #5219 - Loveable Animals set with Memento black ink onto copic friendly paper and coloring with my copic markers listed below.  This set comes with the coordinating dies so no fussy cutting necessary.  Yay!  It also comes with some accessories that each of the animals can hold in their paws.  The heart was appropriate for this card, but the other choices are a flower, present, cupcake, party hat or letter.  I stamped the sentiment from this same set on a tag from the 

#5132 - Tag stitched die set.

To make the shaker, using two nesting heart dies taped together, I cut two hearts from acetate or clear packaging, one from red cardstock and four from white heavy cardstock.  I glued the acetate to the back side of the red heart and then layered (glued) all of the white cardstock hearts to that.  Place the shaker pieces inside the well of the hearts and then glue the last acetate heart to create the shaker pouch.  I find it easier to make a shaker pouch so you can place nicely onto your project and see exactly where you want to adhere it.

That's it for my card today.  Hope you enjoy it!  Keep creating!

Copics used:  R20, E93, E95, E97, E99

 

Snow Friend

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Today my card was inspired by the current Art Impressions blog challenge "Monochromatic".   I've never really done this before, but I found it quite fun!  All you have to do is create a card using one color (or different shades of one color).  I decided to use the 5041 - Snow Friend set.  I've always loved this snowman but since Christmas has passed, I wanted him to reflect the winter season.

I stamped the image with memento black ink onto copic friendly paper and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I then fussy cut him out and cut off the string of Christmas lights that he is holding.  Some of the strings still showed, so I colored over the string pieces with a white paint pen and they are no longer visible.  TaDa!  😀

I ink blended a white cardstock panel with Ranger Distress Oxide inks (colors Prize Ribbon and Salty Ocean).  I spattered a little water onto the panel and dabbed it off with a paper towel.  Then I flicked some Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof white paint, mixed with some water, with a small paint brush onto the panel to create a snowy effect.  I cut the panel with the largest 5063 - Rectangle A2 Double Stitch die and I used the 5064 - Double Stitch circle to cut a partial circle out of the top right side.  I created two snow mounds with white cardstock from a panel cut with the rectangle A2 double stitch die.  Lastly, I die cut several snowflakes from the 5353 - Large Snowflake die and the 5782 - Snowflake Frame sets.

 I covered the snowflakes with stickles and created an icy ground to skate on.

That's my card for today!  Hope you enjoy and keep creating!

Make sure to enter the challenge - see Art Impressions blog for details and a chance to win a free stamp set.

Copics used:  C1, C3, E21, E23,

B0000, B00, B12, B14, B16, B21, B23

R20, YR12, YR14

Unicorn Carousel

 Happy Thursday AI Friends!

Have you ever taken an image or die and put a twist on it?  When I saw the AI gazebo die (#5361 WC Gazebo set), it reminded me of the fair and the horse carousel.  So I decided to make the gazebo a carousel and the horses are now unicorns.  😄 

My card was fun to make but a little challenging due to the interactive mechanism.  This card can be just as adorable without making it move.

I die cut the gazebo with gold foiled cardstock and cut the slits to extend the bars behind the unicorns.  I decorated the gazebo with patterned papers from the #5939 Fairy Garden PP.  For each layer of the background, I cut slits for the mechanism by placing the gazebo die cut over each and marked with a pencil.  Then I roughly cut slits out of each so that the mechanism will work through all layers.

  
                                                        Pic 1

 I then made little tabs for the unicorns to ride along by cutting four 1/2" discs from cardstock and four 1 x 1/4" strips (see Pic 2).   Fold the strips and adhere to the paper discs as shown in Pic 2.  Feed the strip part through the slits to the back layer and adhere a round paper disc.  At this point, you can test to make sure these discs slide nicely up and down.  If they get stuck, just take an X-acto knife and shave a little off the sides of the bars to widen the track.

 I used the My Favorite Things Up and Down interactive dienamic as a template for my card.  Since this die set is for a larger mechanism, I had to make my own "T shaped" mechanism (Pic 3) to make it work for this card.  This was my challenge but I finally got it to work.  I used the MFT plastic spinning discs where the track goes through the disc.  A bead or button may work better and you wouldn't have to feed the track through, but I didn't think of that until later.  

                    Pic 2                                                            Pic 3

  Place double layered foam tape around the edges on the back side, making sure you don't hinder the mechanism.  Place onto the card base.

I stamped the unicorns (#5225 - Castle cubbies) with memento black ink onto copic friendly paper and colored them with my copic markers listed below.  After coloring them, I die cut with the coordinating dies as well as die cut an extra one of each with heavy duty cardstock to layer behind for stability.  Adhere each of the unicorns onto the paper discs showing through the front side of the card.

So, that's my card for today.  Hope you enjoy it!

Remember to put a "twist" on some of your stamp/die sets.  It's fun to see where your imagination might take you.  Make sure to share with us by entering the bi-weekly challenge for your chance to win a free stamp set.

Copics used:  N0, N1, N2

R20, Y11, G40, BG000