Taking Cards that Inspire You, Using Your Stash to Make a Great Card

 I can't tell you how much I love using all my pins on Pinterest to inspire me to use the items in my stash to make cool cards. If you want to follow along, I started at the very end of my board titled card sketches, as well as the one titled card inspiration. I go back and forth in between the two in order. But I started with the first pins on each board. It is so much fun, so I hope you will check it out.

For this card, I used a stamp I have had for a while but still had not put any ink on it from Altanew. This cityscape stamp really is just so cool. This is such an easy card, I think you probably can use it as a jumping-off point to use some great things from your stash too. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you find things that inspire you. I love this hobby so much, so I enjoy sharing my cards with all of you. Hope to see you all soon. Be sure to check out my links below for where to follow me besides here. If you wish to support this channel even more, please see the buy me a coffee link over on the right hand side. Have a great day! Happy Crafting! To see the video of this card head here.

Simple One Layer Card

The video shows it all. Simple. The design came from another artist on Pinterest. It is not an exact replica but it has the same "spirit". Just simple stamping can be so beautiful. Please check out the simple video over on YouTube if you want to see more details of this being made.

Make Your Own Patterned Paper

 I don't know why I feel compelled to buy patterned paper regularly. I have slowed down on buying it, but really it is so pretty and I am just drawn to it. In reality, I don't need patterned paper. I have all kinds of stamps, stencils, embossing folders, and inks. I can make my own! I tend also to feel guilty that I am not using all of those products that I have. So I decided to make some patterned paper for this project. I kept it simple just black images on a white card. I love how it turned out.

If I could go back to that beginner card maker when I was starting out. I would say hey, you don't need all that paper. You can save yourself some money. Just create your own. Nah! I wouldn't have listened. But I will make a bigger effort to use some of my other products to make my own patterns as well.

You can check out the card a bit closer with the video found here.

Foil your Stamped Images

 

This was something I HAD to try. Saw Simon Hurley use embossed images. After the image was embossed I then foiled them. I used my mini Minc machine but any laminator would work. I found the best setting was the lowest when I was doing this. I don't think this is as great a result as with other options out there for foiling. However, if you are like me and are not ready to invest in a foiling system this will work. I am so happy with the results.

I have a video trying this out over on YouTube. Just go here.

Don't Want to Color Your Stamped Images? Try this instead.

 

If you have coordinating dies you can use them to "color" your images. I used some kid's craft foam to lay down the color for this tree on my tag. Now it isn't a perfect stamping but I really wasn't going for that look. I also recommend after doing this to consider cutting out two of the images and stacking them on top of each other. This will give you a bit more cushion so you won't get ink elsewhere on your project. You live and you learn. I then used the outline stamp to stamp the image. Another tip is when you cut the foam in your die cutting machine only roll it through once. If you go back and forth the foam will just be flattened even more.

Split Card Design = 4 Cards

 

I wanted to start out by saying I am sorry I have been MIA lately. Just had some surgery and still recuperating. I am happy to share another split card design video with you. I am just in love with this technique! Getting 4 cards done with minimal supplies and time really is a great way to spend the afternoon. I also want you to note that this card has no coloring of the outline images. For those beginning in this craft remember, not every image has to be colored in. I still think the results are simple yet stunning. Hope this inspires you to get out a few stamps and have some fun!

Stacked Stamped Backgrounds

Stacked stamped backgrounds....brought the WOW factor!🤩 Layering text in white embossing ink or versa mark ink followed by another image stamped in dye or distress oxide inks has made me happy and led to SEVERAL cards. If you want to see me put the background and the card together head on over to my YouTube channel (link is here).

Let's Use up Some Washi!

 

So I have been doing some budget 💵friendly cardmaking ideas over on TikTok. This one I found on Pinterest of using Washi tape to create a frame then adding your image/sentiment in the middle.

You all know you have too much washi tape....so get those rolls out. This is a great way to use some of it up...and yes if you finish a roll of your favorite washi I promise there will be other washi tapes waiting in the wings to become your favorite. Stop the hoarding! ( I am not yelling at you I am yelling at myself. 😆) I have made several of these, some with all Dollar Tree items, others with things from my stash that I am trying to use. This particular one is a sticker I made with my Cricut Explore on Design Space. Let me show you the rest of these...I think they are so cute!

Rainbows for a Friend

 Thanks, @teamspellbinders for the 🌈 stamp in the April #spellbindersclubkits I did not have one in my stash. I of course had to use it along with a sentiment from the same kit to make this bright fun card. 😊 The inks are all Stampin Up!  Sorry, I don't remember the colors....

Using Offset in Cricut Design Space

 

Today I want to share with you my new favorite part of🦗 Cricut Design Space....Offset!!! This is a game-changer. 🤩 With my new Spellbinders Monthly Card Kit, not all the images come with coordinating dies. But that is no longer an issue! With the offset feature in DS I can now create an outline for each of my stamps. I can then stamp them on these outlines later when I want to use one of them for a card. I am sooo happy this feature has been added. Check out my YouTube Video to see how I did this. You can find it here.

Split Card Design

 I wanted to give a Split Card🪓 Design a try. I have seen this done on the lovely @jennifermcguireink

YouTube channel. I love how you can get two cards from one doing this. If you want to see the two designs I made you can head on over to my Youtube Channel. The link is in the bio. I did not do a great job editing it so please accept my apology for that. Please stick with me...I will eventually find my editing groove. It's a learning process. I also realize at the end I forgot to put an ending...🤦. How everyone does this on a regular basis..I don't know, but I know I have a lot of respect for content creators. It isn't easy. Hope you like all the cards I put together with this technique!

Head on over to see the video HERE!

The Final LetterPress Cards

 The last three Letterpress 💌 cards are here. I did not realize how many cards I would end up with! These last three were what I made with all the butterfly and flower Impressions I made. I added a corner stamp embossed in white, then used metallic watercolor paints to make the stamp stand out a bit more. I added stamped sentiments or other diecuts to help pull the cards together. I will definitely do this technique again along with other letterpress technique variations I have seen @jennifermcguireink do on her YouTube channel. Thanks for taking a look at all my cards. I will be back soon to show you the Valentine's Day cards I have been making. 💕 

Top Nine on Instagram

 Above are the top 9 cards with the most likes on my Instagram account for 2020.  Thought I would include them here too in case you didn't get a chance to check them out.

Decorating Gift Bags for Christmas: Option 2

Ready to wrap those presents?🎁 Why not add a little pizazz to them? This time I used some simple stamping, a bit of texture paste, and a few embellishments to step up this plain red bag from Dollar Tree. I don't think I would do this for every gift bag, but adding to these gift bags for those special folks I am giving to has been a lot of fun. This one is pretty simple. Just a bit of stamping along with using a stencil and texture paste...voila', you have a winter wonderland. These are the bags I usually gift some of my A2 cards to friends. It holds 10 cards/envelopes nicely. Stamping on these bags and using some of my embellishments also helps me to use the cute stuff in my stash. For the easiest way to step up a gift bag stay tuned and later this weekend, you'll see the easiest way to bling out a bag. 😁

The video for this bag can be found HERE.  Hope you will take the time to check it out.

Paper Pad Crushed in One Afternoon!

 Finished a paper pad! 🥳🎇🎉 Is there anything more satisfying to a paper crafter? I really enjoyed the Love Letter pad by Recollections. I made the most of this pad by making several more cards using this along with the Celebrate Life sticker pack by the Paper Studio. I added a few other elements also from my stash, including stamping, washi, butterflies, and flowers. The flowers and butterflies are from The Dollar Tree. These were all pretty quick to make. All of these together would make a great gift I think. Hmmm...who should get them?