Tag: Birthday Card

Cardmaking Kit · stitching

A Gift Inspired Delight | Spellbinders July 2024 Stitching Die of the Month Kit

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Spellbinders July 2024 Stitching Card of the Month tutorial: a beautiful blue die cut bow for Christmas or birthday cards.

This month, Spellbinders Stitching Die of the Month Kit allows us to create a very eye-catching gift bow. The kit is perfect for creating Christmas cards and decor or you can also use it all-year-round for birthdays and other celebrations. I chose to make a birthday card as I have a lot of friends with summer birthdays.

I think bows are so eye-catching on cards and if you’d like to see another I card I created featuring a die cut bow, click HERE.

A handmade card with a beautiful stitched die cut blue gift bow for Birthday Cards and Christmas Cards.

Stitching On-The-Go

Stitching kits are great when you want a crafting project “on-the-go”. I am on vacation in Colorado and I really loved stitching on the patio while I enjoyed the view of the mountains. I included a photo of my al fresco stitching below. I die cut my components before I left home and then packed my supplies in a zipper bag. My stitching went quickly and took about 30 minutes to complete.

Tips and Tricks for Stunning Stitched Cards:

  • I started by die cutting all my Stitching Kit pieces with my Platinum 6 die cutting machine. I used Arctic cardstock for my bow. I die cut the elements I was going to stitch 2 times and then glued them together for a substantial base.
  • Spellbinders has a nice selection of stitching accessories in their shop that you can find HERE. I used used a buttery yellow (DMC #745) today.
  • When I started stitching, I took two strands of floss, separated them one at a time, brought them together and then stroked and lengthened them until they seemed tame and ready to use.
  • I usually stitch with size 22 Tapestry needles.
  • I changed things up this month and used good ol’ Scotch tape to attach my floss to the die cut.
  • Remember to keep your floss taught as you stitch.
  • When I move from one area to the next, I run the floss through the just finished stitched area to keep the thread secure. This gives a nice look on the finished project.
  • Don’t stitch with threads that are too long or they are likely to knot. 
  • When I was done, I added a bit of Bearly Glue to the ends so that they would stay in place.
  • To make my bow a little more stable, I added one vertical and two horizontal braces (3/8″ wide) on the back of my bow.
  • To finish my project I found some old printed paper to act as my gift wrap which I glued to an A2 Top Fold Card Base.
  • I adhered my bow to the background with Bearly Glue and Foam Squares.
  • The sentiment is a Chipboard Sticker from the Serenade of Autumn set.

Helpful Links:

Spellbinders Club Info:

  • Clubs Preview on the 1st of each month.
  • Club members can cancel, upgrade or change clubs from the 1st-5th of each month. Popular Clubs frequently sell out during this period so club members get first dibs on everything.
  • NEW for 2024: Club Members get EARLY access to new releases on the 6th!
  • On the 6th, Clubs become available to non-members.
  • On the 27th, Club registration closes for the current month.
  • If a club did not sell out, you can buy under “Shop Past Clubs”. Past kits are available on the 10th of the FOLLOWING month.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

cardmaking · Rainbow Colors

Hero Arts | Stunning Stenciling Magic with Vibrant Rainbow Colors

Karen Brown1 Comment
Rainbow stenciling with Hero Arts Floral Trove Stencil.

Do you ever find yourself craving a burst of color and creativity in your life? Look no further than the art of stenciling! It’s a simple yet profoundly satisfying technique that allows you to transform a background into a cardmaking masterpiece. And what better way to dive into stenciling than with the vibrant hues of the rainbow? Today I am using Hero Arts wonderful new Floral Trove Stencil (SA-274), and it is stunning in rainbow colors!

Hero Arts Floral Trove Stencil Design Ideas:

This stencil is 6″ x 6″, so it is large enough to make most any card size you desire, but one portion is perfect for A2 cards.

I created a short reel showing my process that you can VIEW HERE:

Tips and Tricks for Stenciled Card Designs:

  • I almost always start my cardmaking process with color selection. Today, I knew I wanted to use bright rainbow colors so I grabbed my color swatches and began picking. I chose Amethyst, Taffy, Creamsicle, Lemon Drop, Green Apple, Pool Party and Blue Hawaii.
  • I used an A2 size panel of Deluxe Smooth Cardstock as my base. I placed this on the sticky mat of my StampWheel, so the cardstock would not shift.
  • In rainbow order, I rotated around the Floral Trove stencil, starting in the top left hand corner with Amethyst. I went left to right, dropped down a row and went right to left, dropped a row and finished going left to right again.
  • To keep from inadvertently stenciling in the wrong section, I masked off with Post-It Note squares. You can see the process in the Instagram reel I referenced above.
  • I experimented with all my blending brushes using small, medium, large and XL to see which size worked best on my project. My choice was medium, but they all worked just fine, so use what you have. Hero Arts does sell a blending brush sampler pack, which is so handy to have in my craft room.
  • I trimmed my background down and mounted on a Peacock A2 cardbase that I created.
  • I added my Friend sentiment, which I die-cut 3 times and glued together. I also added a stamped Happy Birthday sentiment above the friend.
Bright, vivid rainbow color stenciled card with hero Arts Floral Trove stencil.

Products Used:

There’s no limit to what you can create with a little imagination and a splash of color!

Karen

cardmaking · Die cutting

Spellbinders | More Fresh Picked Collection

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Handmade die cut Birthday card created with Spellbinders Fresh Picked Vase Bouquet from the More Fresh Picked Collection.

Spellbinders More Fresh Picked Collection offers an exquisite opportunity to create a contemporary cardmaking masterpiece. The entire Fresh Picked series offers modern, contemporary, stylized florals that really ignite my creativity and I couldn’t wait to get started die-cutting.

Fresh Picked Vase Bouquet

Pink, Aqua, Turquoise, Blue and White Floral die cut Birthday card with flowers in an embossed vase.

My Process:

Today, I selected the Fresh Picked Vase Bouquet for my birthday card. I knew I wanted Waterfall leaves and greenery on my card so I did a quick search through my color cubes and decided on color combination #060, and I have to say I love this color palette!

Helpful Product Links:

Final Thoughts

With its sleek lines and intricate designs, the Spellbinders Fresh Picked Vase Bouquet die set allows for the creation of stunning floral arrangements that exude modern elegance.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

BetterPress · cardmaking · papercrafting

Hero Arts | Letterpress Birthday Card

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Using regular paper and inks for a masculine Hero Arts letter press birthday card.

I make a LOT of cards, but I never seem to have enough masculine cards, so…..here is a wonderful one suitable for anyone! I love the classic look of letter press and was pleased to see Hero Arts new Letter Press/Foil Plates. For this card I used their new Happy Birthday plate.

I did not use special paper or inks but I still think I got a good result on my card. Next, I want to try the birthday plates with my foiling machine.

cardmaking · Mixed Media · Stamping

Hero Arts | Man Card Monday | Ramen Birthday Card

Karen Brown1 Comment
Man Card Monday masculine birthday card for the Foodie

Ramen Card for the Foodie in Your Life

Masculine cards can be tricky, but when I saw Hero Arts Ramen Stamp and Die Bundle, I knew it would be the perfect set for my son-in-law’s birthday. He is a real foodie and I love the fun sentiment included!

How to Make an Ink Smoosh Background

I started by making my “Ink Smoosh” background. I dabbed Fawn, Papaya, Fog, Paradise and Pool Party inks in separate pools on my craft mat and spritzed with water. I then dipped a piece of watercolor paper in the puddle and let it dry. I did this four times.

Next, I stamped my images and then colored in with Artist Alcohol Markers. Die cutting was next. I also used my Rounded Rectangles Infinity dies to trim my background, mat and card base. The final step was to assemble my card.

Graphic Mixed Media birthday card for the masculine Foodie in your life.
Products Used:
cardmaking · Give Away · papercrafting

Hero Arts | Spring Catalog Collection Release + Blog Hop

Karen Brown53 Comments
Bright and colorful Smile Friend sentiment handmade card from Hero Arts.

I am so excited about Hero Arts Spring Catalog release, which goes live TODAY! There is so much wonderfulness that I can’t wait for you to see. To celebrate, Hero Arts is hosting a Blog Hop and Giveaway.

I wanted to start off with two fabulous new sentiment dies that I just love from Smile Friend Stamp and Cut XL. I went crazy die cutting a bunch so I will have them on hand for future cards.

Products Used on Smile Friend Card:

You might also enjoy:

Flower Pattern Cover Die

Rainbow ink blending + Inlaid die cutting using Hero Arts Flower Pattern Cover Die.

I LOVE cover dies so I was excited to create with this Flower Pattern Cover Die, which is perfect for Spring and Summer. I started by ink blending a rainbow panel which I then die cut with the cover plate and then used the inlay technique to create a one layer background. This went more quickly than you would think because the die cuts fit like a good quality puzzle. My placement and gluing took about 20 minutes.

TIP: Keep your die-cuts in the panel until you start gluing so you know the orientation and position on your background.

Products Used on My Flower Pattern Cover Die Card:

Birthday Animals Stamps + Pointed Arches Infinity Dies

Fun and happy Copic colored Alligator Gator Birthday Card using Hero Arts Birthday Animal Stamps + Pointed Arches Infinity Dies.

Isn’t this Alligator the cutest? He is one 7 animal stamps included in the Birthday Animals Bundle. The set also includes 8 birthday/everyday sentiments. I combined the stamps with the Pointed Arches Infinity Dies. Infinity Dies are definitely staples in my craft room and I like the interest the arches add to projects. 

Products Used on The Gator Card:

Easy One Layer Sympathy Card

Easy one layer Sympathy Card Using With Sympathy Hero Rub-on Transfers.

I love everything about Rub-on transfers. I love how easy they are to use, the look they add to projects and how fun they are to apply! This Spring, Hero Arts included “Sympathy Transfers” in their release. I did some quick ink blending on my background and then added my Hero Transfers for a quick and easy card.

Products Used on My Sympathy Card:

Blog Hop and Giveaway Information:

Hero Arts will be giving away two $50 gift cards, drawn from the comments left along the hop. Comment on all the blogs for more chances to win! You have until Wednesday, February 21st at 11:59pm to enter. The winners will be announced on the Hero Arts blog.

Kailash Naidoo is next on the hop and I have links to everyone below.

Hero Arts
Hero Arts Creative Team:
Mindy Eggen
Natasha Vacca
Ilina Crouse
Charlene Madrid
Lydia Fiedler
Heather Ruwe
Natasha Polite
Seeka
Jeannie Lieu
Dana Joy
Pocono Pam
Rachel Kleinman
Michelle Short
Jennifer Kotas
Rosie Lopez
Karen Brown
Kailash Naidoo
Channin Pelletier
Special Guests:
Nichol Spohr
Ralph Tyndall
Laurie Willison
Cathy Zielske
Laura Bassen
Caly Person

I am so glad you could join this Hop!

Cardmaking Kit · stitching · Tutorial

Spellbinders | Stitching Die of the Month | February 2024

Karen Brown1 Comment
Spellbinders Stitching Die of the Month Club Card - February 2024

Stitched Floral Focal Card Front

I am so excited about today’s share, Spellbinder’s Stitched Floral Card Front. I used the February Stitching Club Kit, which is beautiful, and I think the finished card is so very special. This card is going to one of my closest friends for her upcoming birthday.

This Floral Focal Stitched Kit is now available for puchase without a membership.

New members can sign up for clubs today!

Floral stitched card

My Stitching Process:

  • The kit has 5 dies and I started by cutting all my pieces. The flower center is pink, the flower is papaya, the background is waterfall and the overlay is blue. There is a lot of stitching this month, so I die cut all the elements twice and then glued them together for a sturdy substantial panel. This die cutting didn’t take long, but I think the extra effort was worth it. I recently purchased a Platinum 6 die cutting machine, and I have to say, I pull it out instead of my Gemini Junior. I wish I had bought one earlier.
  • Spellbinders has a nice selection of stitching accessories in their shop that you can find HERE.
  • When I started stitching, I took two strands of floss, separated them one at a time, brought them together and then stroked and lengthened them until they seemed tame and ready to use. I used DMC Aqua 598, Orange 741 and Pink 818.
  • I like to use 1/8th inch double sided liner tape to attach my floss to the die cut.
  • Remember to keep your floss taught as you stitch.
  • When I move from one area to the next, I run the floss through the just finished stitched area to keep the thread secure. This gives a nice look on the finished project.
  • Don’t stitch with threads that are too long or they are likely to knot. 
  • When I was done, I added a bit of Bearly Glue to the ends so that they would stay in place.
Stitched card in aqua, blue, orange, yellow and pink.

A Few Notes About Spellbinders Club Kits

  • Clubs Preview on the 1st of each month.
  • Club members can cancel, upgrade or change clubs from the 1st-5th of each month. Popular Clubs frequently sell out during this period so club members get first dibs on everything.
  • NEW for 2024: Club Members get EARLY access to new releases on the 6th!
  • On the 6th, Clubs become available to non-members.
  • On the 27th, Club registration closes for the current month.
  • If a club did not sell out, you can buy under “Shop Past Clubs”. Past kits are available on the 10th of the FOLLOWING month.

Helpful Links:

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

cardmaking · Die cutting · Stamping

Spellbinders | Simon Hurley’s Big Hugs 5 Ways

Karen BrownLeave a comment
3 Simon Hurley Big Pug Hugs Birthday Cards.

Can you have too many dog stamps? I think not! I am loving Spellbinders + Simon Hurley’s new Big Hugs stamp and die bundle. These cute critters – Pug dog, Panda bear and Zebra – are sure to be favorites in my family. I love this set so much I went a little crazy making cards! 

Pug Dog Masculine Birthday Cards

Spellbinders Big Hugs Pug Birthday Scene Card

My first card is for my husband and I wanted to make a quick little scene. I stamped and Copic colored my Pug (complete with a festive party hat), embossed a brick wall, ink blended a background and heat embossed a cute sentiment.

Products Used:

Simon Hurley's Big Hugs Pug Birthday Card

This card is for my dog loving son-in-law. I think the Pug stamp has so much personality!

Products Used:

Quick and Easy Stamped Get Well Card

Sending Pug Hugs Handmade Card

I like to keep Get Well cards on hand and this card is sure to make the recipient smile.  This card came together very quickly. I stamped and Copic colored my Pug and added a blue mat for interest. Just two Copic markers!

Products Used:

Simple Pug Dog and Panda Bear Cards

I heat embossed my last two cards. Quick and easy but the heat embossing adds so much interest. 

Two Easy Pug Dog and Panda Bear Cards with Minimal Supplies

I added a quick die cut party hat to this simple card.

Simple Heat Embossed Pug Dog Card

Easy Beginner One Layer Panda Bear Card

Easy One Layer Panda Bear Card

Products Used:

Thanks for stopping by! I’d love to know which card you like best.

Karen

Best Of · cardmaking · Die cutting

Spellbinders | Best Cards of 2023

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Best Spellbinders Cards of 2023

I enjoy looking back through my projects, and as we end the year, I wanted to write a post about my most popular Spellbinders cards. I loved so many of my creations, but these are the crowd favorites for 2023.

Fan Favorite 2023 Card

By far, my most popular card on Instagram, Pinterest and my blog was this pink Be Bold Blooms Hello card. I wrote a blog post on how to use this kit three ways, and all the cards were well received. You can read my original post HERE.

Be Bold Blooms Hello Card

Products Used:

Simon Hurley’s Snow Globe Christmas Card

Best Christmas Card

My most popular Christmas card in 2023 was my Simon Hurley teal Snow Globe. I call it a CAS Die Cut Card….limited color palette but high visual impact. You can read my original post HERE.

Products Used:

Awesome Oval Shaped Cards

Best Shaped Card

Shaped dies can really change the look of your cards and projects so I loved Spellbinders Stylish Ovals Collection. You can see 4 cards I created with this collection HERE.

Products Used:

Unique Bow Shaped Card

Best Card for Female Friends

This giant die cut bow kit was one of my favorite releases this year! So versatile…..perfect for the holidays, birthdays, showers, graduation etc. You can read my original post HERE.

Products Used:

I’d like to wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Karen

cardmaking · Die cutting · papercrafting

Hero Arts | December 2023 My Monthly Hero Release Blog Hop

Karen Brown31 Comments
Hero Arts | December 2023 My Monthly Hero Release Blog Hop + Alphabet Cover Die

Hello My Monthly Hero lovers and welcome to the December 2023 Release Hop and Giveaway! I am excited about this month’s kit….so much wonderfulness! December’s theme is the Alphabet (Classic) and Numbers (Premium).

Classic Kit Contents ($81 Value for $36.99)

• XL Alphabet Clear Stamp Set, 8″ x 10″
• Alphabet Cover Plate Die
• 10 Pack of Watercolor Pencils
• 6 Sheets of Luxe White Watercolor Paper, 8.5″ x 11″
• Water Flow Brush

Premium Kit Contents: ($112 Value for $49.99)

• XL Alphabet Clear Stamp Set, 8″ x 10″
• Numbers Clear Stamp Set, 4″ x 6″
• Alphabet Cover Plate Die
• 10 Pack of Watercolor Pencils
• 6 Sheets of Luxe White Watercolor Paper, 8.5″ x 11″
• Water Flow Brush
• Fineline Applicator
• Sea Salt Reactive Ink Reinker
• Gold Glimmer Metallic Ink

Subscribe and Save!

You can see the entire December Collection HERE.

I love them both, but this post is about the Classic Kit plus a very fun Add-On product. I am sharing three different cards with three very different looks today.

Inlay Diecutting with the Alphabet Plate Cover Die

Inlay diecutting with Hero Arts Alphabet Die Cover Plate.

This card might look difficult, but it all came together in one hour. I started by die cutting the alphabet 5 times from different colors of cardstock: Papaya, Kiwi, Passion Flower, Dove White and Granite. I saved the white die cuts to use on a future project, and then attached the white background to an A2 cardbase. Next, I laid out the letters until I had the colors where I wanted them. With the layout done, the gluing went very quickly. I added a simple heat embossed sentiment from Hero Art’s Message Strips Stamp and Cut XL (DC286). I love the bright simplicity of this card.

A bonus is that I have TONs of leftover die-cut letters to use on future projects! It is such a time saver to be able to cut 26 letters with one pass of the diecutting machine.

Colorful Die Cut Alphabet Letters

Add-On: Sparkling Fireworks Bold Prints (CG925)

Hero Arts Sparkling Fireworks Bold Prints (CG925) Graduation Card

When I saw this background stamp, I immediately thought “CELEBRATION” and decided it would be so fun for a graduation card. I went with a festive vintage vibe. After using a bit of anti-static powder, I stamped the Sparkling Fireworks Bold Prints with Clear Embossing and Watermark Ink onto a panel of Paradise Cardstock. I sprinkled on Iridescent Copper Embossing Powder and heat set. Next, I blended some Paradise Core Ink onto the panel with a blending brush. The sentiment is from Message Basics and Message Strips Stamp and Cut XL (DC286). I wanted to add a bit more grunge so I added Clear Embossing and Watermark Ink to the edges of the background and sentiments, drug them through Copper Embossing Powder and heat set. I added the background to an A2 cardbase and used foam adhessive for the sentiment.

Heat Embossing with Copper Embossing Powder

Easy Stamped & Copic Colored Card

Easy Stamped & Copic Colored Card with Hero Arts Alphabet Stamps and images.

There is something so therapeutic about covering a card front with stamps and then coloring them in. My daughter was so captivated by the XL Alphabet Clear Stamps that she created two fun word signs with images for her office.

GIVEAWAY:

We will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Sunday, December 10th at 11:59pm Pacific, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week.

BLOG HOP:

The Hop starts at Hero Arts!

You likely arrived from Jennifer Kotas.

Your next stop is Pocono Pam.

Here is a list of the entire Hop:

Hero Arts

Natasha Vacca

Lydia Fiedler

Heather Ruwe

Seeka

Jeannie Lieu

Jennifer Kotas

Karen Brown

Pocono Pam

Channin Pelletier

Michelle Short

Rosie Lopez

Mindy Eggen

Natasha Polite

Charlene Madrid

Ilina Crouse

Rachel Kleinman

EssieKelly Taylor
Emily Midgett

I am so glad you could join us for this hop