Window With a Canopy Card

I'm really enjoying my work with Cottage Cutz metal dies. Here is the second of three that I ordered and made examples with. As it did in my last Cottage Cutz blog post, Window w/Canopy (4x4) cuts each piece separately. These are such fun to improvise for each new card. Here are designs I have come up with so far. I put this die through my Cuttlebug several times to have each piece in various colors. I can play with the many variations of this window design and from other pieces in my stash including bits of lace for embellishments.

 The card were made using 4x51/2" card bases.

Front of card 1

Inside of card 1

Outside card 2

Inside card 2

Outside of card 3

Inside card 3

Spring Window Card

I've discovered a set of metal dies that are just so cute! These unique and creative dies are from Cottage Cutz. The one I used for this post is the Spring Window (4 x 6") and it works well on a 5 x 6 1/2" card base. I've added the Art Impression front and back stamps of kids, who love looking in and out of windows! The highly detailed window die creates an almost 3D effect. It's easy to customize each project since each piece cuts separately.

I used Art Impressions Peter UMQ1524, Becky UMT1519 and Annie UMT1518 for the little kids peeking from the windows.

To get the front and the inside of the card each piece was cut twice using my trusty Cuttlebug.

During a visit with my friend Diane, I discovered that the pieces to the Cuttlebug Quilling Kits work well for card embellishments. I used the floral petal cutting die from the Daisy Kit for a cute valence inside the card, over the window.

Here are the steps I took using my Cuttlebug and dies to create this adorable card.

Gatefold Cards for All Types of Occasions

I wanted to make use of my many scraps of card stock and printed paper. I also wanted to make a different type of card. Gate cards filled the bill!

A gate card is a bit different from basic cards. Instead of having a single fold, a gatefold card has two folds, each forming a flap that meets in the center on the front of the card. In addition to decorating the two cover panels and the inside of the card, sometimes a closure or overlapping panel is created to sit on the front of the card to hold the two cover flaps together.

This type of card is versatile and can be used for many occasions.

Here are two different versions of the gatefold cards, one is 5 1/2" square and the other is a 4" x 5" card.

Let look into the larger square card (fits a 5 1/2" envelope):

Cut card stock 5 1/2" x 11" and score 2 3/4" from each end. Fold ends to meet at the middle.
Cut 2 outer panels of printed paper or card stock at 2 1/4" x 5" and select or create a piece for the top closure. For this card I chose one of the many square designed in the Graphic 45 collection of Song Bird.

Each of my paper cuts were inked on the edge, so as not to show any white but also to give them a bit of vintage look.

For the center area inside the card to write on, I used a printed paper for the base cut at 4" x 4 3/4" and the white for writing on is cut at 3 3/4" x 4 1/2" and adhered to the center of the printed paper and that in turn is glued to the center panel of the card inside.

In my last post, I talked about the stickers and pens used with Starforms...here is an example in this square format:

In the following card, I used a Starform fan shape as the center closure at the front of the card:

For the smaller 4" x 5" gatefold card (fits a normal A2 envelope):

Cut card stock 8" x 5" and score at 2" from each end. Fold ends to meet at the middle.

Cut 2 outer panels of printed paper or card stock (I used Graphic 45 Song Bird) at 4 3/4" x 1 3/4" and select or create a piece for the top closure. For this card I chose one of the many square designed in the Graphic 45 collection of Song Bird.

Again each of my paper cuts were inked on the edge, so as not to show any white but also to give them a bit of vintage look.

For the center area inside the card to write on, I used a printed paper for the base cut at 4 1/2" x 3 1/2" and the white for writing on is cut at 3" x 4" and adhered to the center of the printed paper and that in turn is glued to the center panel of the card inside.

I love all the different looks that can be achieved with this style of card!

Starform Stickers Revisited

 Back in July of 2011, I found Starform Stickers at my favorite scrapbook store. I used the gold Asian outlines on black card stock to create a very classy card. I had not gotten around to using the many different Asian stickers I bought at that time. I also never got around to using my Glaze 3-D ink pens. I must tell you, that even after the pens were not used since I bought them...they worked well on the white card stock and the stickers have a wonderful professional look to them. I love the stickers colored and I love coloring the stickers with the glaze pens!

Having grownup in a house decorated in Asian decor, I was very excited to discover these lovely Asian stickers. After my mom passed away last summer, I inherited many beautiful things, but I will just mention the lamps. My dad had made lamps from a couple of beautiful Asian vases and of course the lamps got old and needed to be rewired. A few months ago my husband took on this this challenge and we took a trip to Daytona Beach and bought all new parts for the 2 vases to turn into lamps. They turned out beautifully! I had my wonderful husband take a few shots of one of these lamps:

 The stickers I picked to use for my cards are vases too!

Asian Outline Sticker from set 1164, adhered onto white card stock.

Sticker colored using Glaze 3-D ink pens a product of Sakura of America.

This is the second Asian Outline Sticker from set 1164, adhered onto white card stock.

Colored with Glaze pens.

Both vases colored with 3-D Glaze. Cut out leaving a narrow white edge around each vase.

Applied the pop dots to the back to create a 3-D image.

Applied the Asian symbol for joy (8798 #3 of 3) to the card with Ranger Archival Ink. The stamp is from Inkadinkado.

Finished 1st card.

2 vases colored and ready to be cut out.

Finished 2nd card.