#CTC229 Favourite Retiring Punch

What's your favourite retiring punch?

Sadly for me it will be the Bunny Builder Punch... I love the set this punch co-ordinates with Best Bunny - they have some super cute expressions. I'd look forward to seeing you create a card with a retiring punch and add it to our Facebook page using the link over on the right.

I started in one direction and ended up in another! I found in my stash a Happy Birthday die which had been cut twice, once in Blushing Bride and once in Basic Gray, mounted together slightly offset then covered in Dazzling Diamonds, and I needed to use it. That meant I needed to alter the piece I had started with as my greeting no longer fitted in the space I'd intended it to go in.

I began with a piece of Twinkle Twinkle DSP and used another retiring punch - the 1 1/4" circle punch - to cut three circles. I stamped 3 bunnies in Soft Suede onto Whisper White cardstock, coloured their ears and chest with Stampin' Blends then punched them out with the matching punch.  I adhered the bunnies in place and mounted them onto Coastal Cabana cardstock which was added to a base of thick Whisper White cardstock. I trimmed my Stampin' Dimensionals to add to the back of the diecut and placed it onto the front of the card. 

It did make it a hard one to photograph but looks fab in real life.

That left me still looking at my original piece of Wood Textures DSP which I am super sad to see retire. It already had 3 circles punched out of it, so I created another card as above using Fresh Fig for the mat. The greeting is from Best Bunny - stamped in Soft Suede, punched out with the Darling Label punch, popped onto Stampin' Dimensionals with added Rose Metallic Thread and stuck to the card.

Thanks for stopping by - please hop on over to see what Monique's favourite punch is:

#CTC191 - Nature's Poem

Check out pages 142-153 for this week's challenge, then play along with the link on the right

I had reason to be creating a special card for my aunty this week, using the challenge to get me started. The person in mind enjoys travelling which led me to the card on the right of page 146:

A bit of pondering about which fancy fold to make ended up becoming a Joy Fold card. I started with a sheet of Rich Razzleberry cardstock and because she is an avid gardener, I knew I wanted to use Petal Promenade DSP. Although this colour isn't listed as a co-ordinating colour, I think it worked with the design I chose. I matted each layer with Mossy Meadow to give it a bit more appeal. The finished size of the card is 6" square. I have also used one of the smaller designs from Petal Promenade with the olive branch wreath as the background for my Gold foil and Rich Razzleberry (retired) large numbers. I didn't want a lot of bling but the foil tied in with the gold heat embossing I used for all the images on Whisper White cardstock.

Now you can see where the CASE card came in! As you open the top layer, the two scenes meet your eye. I chose not to add any colour to them as I liked how the gold made them pop anyway

As you open again, the greeting appears, a Berry Burst die cut Happy Birthday, along with a third image from Mediterranean Moments. Also appropriate because she likes cats! I've intentionally lowed this image as my personal greeting will be added to this page.

I'll pop the measurements further below if you are interested in making a card this size yourself. Time for you to pop over and see what Megan has designed for the hop:

Measurements used:

Rich Razzleberry: a) 10" x 6" scored at 4" mark; b) 8" x 3 3/4" scored at 4" mark

Mossy Meadow: a) 5 3/4" x 5 3/4"; b) 2 x 5 3/4" x 3 3/4" c) 3 x 3 3/4" x 3 1/2"

Whisper White: a) 2 x 5 1/2" x 3 1/2"; b) 2 x 3 1/2" x 3 1/4" 

DSP: a) 5 1/2" x 5 1/2"; b) 3 1/2" x 3 1/4"

I did use a magnet on the front (which caused a few problems because it was a little small for all my layers so I had to rejig and in the end it was popped under the two scene images!) You wouldn't need a magnet if you made a smaller top card and used a dimensional embellishment to tuck the top layer under. If you search for Joy Fold cards you'll get the idea.

Wish Me Luck!

Stampin' Up have invited demonstrators who wish to apply to be a Display Board Stamper to create a blog post with 3 card fronts, 1 scrapbook page and 2 off the page items.  

I may have slipped a little extra project in, but only because they are very similar and it just gives people an extra little idea during this season of giving.

My first card features Santa's Suit and Oh, What Fun with the trending 'eclipse' method using the Large Letter framelits.

My next card is a special card created for my lovely Mum who celebrated a birthday this week.  I used the Delightful Daisy stamps, matching punch and DSP along with the Happy Birthday Thinlits.  I believe this is called a Double Dutch fold card, although I created my own measurements to make this a 6" square card (can be easily adapted to standard size though).

The inside:

 and then it can stand on it's own:

My final card is a four fold card which I adapted from ideas online, but I get two card bases from a sheet of 12"x12" and 1/2 sheet A4. I realise the brief was for a card front, but this is a special Christmas card and it does fit in a standard envelope. Father Christmas, Merry Music Specialty DSP and Snowflake Sentiments were used with some diecuts from Pretty Pines Thinlits.

Opened:

The photo I selected to scrapbook with jumped out after I had been flicking through the new Petal Passion Memories and More card pack. The powder pink sky matched the cards from this pack perfectly. I have used one of the large and 3 small cards to create the embellishments.

Close up of Petal Passion cards (yum!):

Off the page items. First using the Window Box thinlits run through the Big Shot with the 3D Dynamic Hexagons. Greeting combination of Pretty Kitty and fussy cut Floral Statement, with a fussy cut bumble bee from Dragonfly Dreams - all elements raised with mini dimensionals.  

Next project incorporates little cups inspired by Mel Pagano - they hold a Ferroro Rocher perfectly and I've popped them into a Wood crate with a few simple 3x3 cards. The cups were made from Coffee Break DSP.

And just because it's Christmas, and staying with 3" square card. Are you looking for some last minute inspiration - how about those mini pizza boxes? So pleased to hear they are carrying over, perfect little gift - again using the Merry Music Specialty DSP, also trimmed to fit the back of the envelopes, a simple punched black cat with a sweet little Santa hat from Santa's Suit, finished with a strip of Year of Cheer washi tape.

Thanks for stopping by. I wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday season.

CASEing the Catty - #CTC158 Case From a Page Your Age

Case a project from a page of your age - or the age you would like to be!  

I have to admit the page of my age didn't spin my wheels, so this week I think I would like to be 45 and have used the holiday catalogue image below:

I was also wanting the inspiration for a special birthday card for a young lady who turned 18 on Friday. I decided to use a similar style to this one I had made my daughter last year but with the front sealed off to create a pocket for a gift card or similar.  

The Year of Cheer Specialty DSP was perfect for this celebration, and I made the mini treatbag from it, then used a piece slightly smaller as the pocket lining (below). Being a smaller size card, I opted to use Whisper White for the card base, and sponged Sweet Sugarplum around the edge. Diecuts made of Champagne Foil, numbers and bow; along with Sweet Sugarplum: numbers, heart and Happy Birthday, then Vellum from Stitched Shapes. Corners were rounded with the Envelope Punch board. The elements used were the Silver Metallic Foil Doilly, Silver Mini Sequin Trim and Metallic Thread and the tiny hearts are wooden from the Hearts and Stars elements, which were pressed against the Sweet Sugarplum ink pad and then fine tip glue was added for the shine. The front was scattered with assorted size sequins from the Metallic Sequins assortment.  

The inside was calling for another of those cute little Party Pandas, and I wanted a decent space to write a note so the right side was left blank.

Amazing how much more challenging crafting becomes when you have one leg that you are not allowed to bear weight on. However we got there, and I hope it inspires you to have a go at joining in this week, hook up with the link on the right.  Meantime, be sure to pop on over to Megan's blog and check it out.

Surprise Birthdays are Great

A special friend recently turned an age with a zero on the end, and I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a surprise luncheon for her. To see her face when she entered the room made the travel and juggling all worth while!

Before I received the invitation I was already busy making this card which was inspired by the super talented Bronwyn Eastley. Isn't it amazing??  The invitation meant it wasn't such a rush to get it in the post! My version is a little more toned down but uses a few of the same elements, based on the Z-fold card.

Background cardstock is Crumb Cake. Very Vanilla has been embossed with the Brick Wall TIEF and sponged around the edges. The Wood Crate framelits and a light shade of Wood Textures DSP for the flower container, with a Silver Metallic Foil doily edging. The flowers and leaves are coloured or inked Peekaboo Peach, Rich Razzleberry and Pear Pizzazz. Jar of Love for the crate flowers and the Sprinkles of Life basket and flowers on the front. Country Livin' boots and basket stamped in Early Espresso with Crumb Cake and Early Espresso water colouring. Greeting is the Happy Birthday Thinlit cut apart and the numbers are stacked, the first layer stamped from Number of Years and that along with Peekaboo Peach die cut using the Large Numbers framelits.  

My handwritten message is attached to a Very Vanilla panel and added on the back.  This does all fold down nicely to fit in an envelope. The not-so-helpful Rove keeping an eye on proceedings. Have a fabulous year Cindy - a privilege to be part of your celebrations!

Sorry - Forgot to Share...

As I sit down to write my latest post, I realise I forgot to share the last project with you I entered in the CASEing the Catty Sunday Challenge #CTC132...

My case is of Page 76, I made a little note card to fit inside the Mini Treat Bag which I used the Wood Texture DSP for - loved the look. On the inside back I used some of the Color Theory crackly paper in the Berry Burst, and some acetate over the circle shape so the card didn't snag on the greeting. The card and envelope have been decorated with the Happy Birthday Gorgeous stamps, and It's Your Day is from the same set, which I embossed in white to stand out on the wood grain. I cut two Happy Birthday images from Lemon Lime Twist and glued them together. Another image from Berry Burst was glued to the card first, then I popped the card inside the envelope and lined up the image on the front so it hid the card message. Some linen thread to finish and stay with the rustic theme.