Dec 4, 2018 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
Today’s card for mass producing is one where I “CASE” myself. What does that mean? It means I copy and selectively edit.
“CASED” myself
This is the original that I made back in August.
Merry Christmas to All Sneak Peek
Merry Christmas To All Sneak Peek
If you look closely at today’s card, you can see the top layer of Whisper White cardstock is missing. I used the Softly Falling embossing folder to emboss the entire folded card. This worked out really well, because it flattened the card beautifully, eliminating the need to use a bone folder. I used my self-inking signature stamp first, and the embossing didn’t interfere with it too much.
It did make the inside a bit bumpy though, so I added the layer of Whisper White cardstock to the inside, after stamping the sentiment in Real Red ink. I like this sentiment from the Star of Light stamp set, which wishes the recipients a “bright new year.”
If you prefer not having all the texture, you could emboss just the card front, as I did on yesterday’s card. Here’s the link for reference:
TIPS For Mass Producing A Card
The original card used Wood Textured DSP for the word “Christmas.” To make the word thicker, I used a layer of cardstock, which was time consuming. I decided to have a silver color scheme for today’s card, instead of brown, and cut the word “Christmas” from Galvanized Metallic Paper. It’s nice and thick, and made the job “quick & easy.” Don’t forget to save the dot for your “i.”
I stamped the word “merry” in Real Red ink, all in a row, and used the die from the Merry Christmas die set for cutting. I placed three Mini-Dimensionals on each “merry,” and not having to snip pieces from larger dimensionals is a real time saver.
Then, I stamped the Dashing Deer in Smoky Slate ink, and used his die for cutting. I couldn’t resist giving him some extra shine with Wink of Stella. It only took a few minutes to swipe each one. He’ll receive three Mini-Dimensionals also.
The Pretty Pines die set provided the pine boughs in Lemon Lime Twist and Color Me Clover cardstock, and the berries in Real Red. I’m cutting all three on scraps to save time and paper. I’ll make appropriately sized strips to cut the three at a time for the remaining quantity.
My stack of 22 cards is almost complete!
I’m sharing this with Global Design Project, because it definitely fits their theme, “Tis the Season.
I hope this gives you some time-saving ideas. “It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.” Thanks for stopping by!
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Dec 3, 2018 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
It’s December 2nd, and the time has come to start mass producing a few of my favorite Christmas cards. Over the last few months, I’ve designed 60 unique Christmas cards, but I need to mail twice that number. After looking through my collection, I chose this one that you may recall.
Merry Christmas Sequins & Glimmer
Merry Christmas Glimmer
I selected this card for several reasons: (1) It was well received by my stamping friends. (2) I had all of the supplies. (3) It would be fairly easy to replicate.
MY PROCESS
1. Commit to making 20. It’s a good number for mass producing, because you can complete the job without becoming tired of it.
2. Start with the supply where you could possibly run short. In this case it was the Frosted Floral DSP, I had just enough for 20 strips, 5″ X 1 1/2.”
3. Cut 20 strips of Soft Sea Foam cardstock, 1/8″ larger.
4. Cut 20 of the word Christmas from Sparkle Glimmer Paper. Remember to save the dot for the “i.” You’ll see it is missing from my original card.
5. Take a break from cutting, and glue the two strips and the word together.
6. Cut 10 pieces of Thick Whisper White cardstock in half, and score at 4 1/4,” but don’t fold yet.
7. Run the Woodland embossing folder through the Big Shot directly on the card front. Eliminating the layer saves paper and time.
8. While the card is flat, stamp the back with your signature. I really like the ease of my self-inking stamp.
You can go to Personalzation mall.com and search self-inking address stamps, if you’re interested.
9. Now, you can fold, and I recommend a bone folder to make it nice and flat.
10. Cut 20 Sea Foam, and 20 Mint Macaron branches using the die from Frosted Bouquet, and glue on each corner of the embossed card front. This is the most tedious part, so take breaks.
11. Stamp 20 of the word “merry” in Mint Macaron ink on Thick Whisper White cardstock, and use the Merry Christmas die for cutting.
12. Glue the “Christmas” strip and “merry” to the embossed card front.
13. Stamp 20 of the inside sentiment (Dashing Deer stamp set) in Mint Macaron ink on Whisper White cardstock, and use a Stitched Shapes square die for cutting, then glue in place. I find this much less stressful than stamping directly on the card.
14. Apply 6 sequins; 3 on the top and 3 on the bottom. It’s amazing how one tiny spot of Tombow Liquid Glue holds a sequin in place.
Here are my 20 cards letting the sequins dry. The sun is back out in San Diego.
Twenty down, forty to go. Thinking about the people who will be receiving the cards makes the time pass quickly.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Click on the link to my original card to see the supply list. (Dazzling Diamonds Paper is now Sparkle Glimmer Paper.) Have a great day!
Dec 2, 2018 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
“Where oh where can I find a chevron pattern?” That was my question for today’s project.
Chevron Dashing Deer
My inspiration for this search was created by CAS(E) this sketch. See what I mean?
I’m still making Christmas cards, so I looked through my holiday Designer Series Paper for a chevron pattern, and landed on Dashing Along DSP. The Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green stripe would be perfect!
I cut two strips, 4″ X 2″, making sure they would line up in the middle. Then, I snipped (by hand) the two ends, to mimic the sketch.
For the background, I used matching, Garden Green cardstock, and embossed it with the Subtle Textured embossing folder. I didn’t want to go too crazy with pattern, and this was just enough “subtle” texture.
I glued these layers on a Cherry Cobbler cardbase, the other color in my chevron pattern.
Since the Dashing Along DSP coordinates with the Dashing Along Bundle, completing my card with a deer was an easy decision. I used a Detailed Deer die to cut the deer from Sparkle Glimmer Paper, and another die in the set for his Cherry Cobbler collar.
For the sentiment, I used my “go to” “Merry Christmas” from the Star of Light stamp set. I stamped it in Garden Green ink on Whisper White cardstock, and used my favorite Bunch of Banners die for cutting. The surrounding piece is in the Sparkle Glimmer Paper to match the deer.
I’m so happy that this photo actually shows some shine.
If you have the ingredients, this would be an fairly simple card to duplicate. You can see my Product List below.
Thanks for paying a visit, and have a great day!
Product List
Dec 1, 2018 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
Today’s card is a 3D Christmas tree in Sparkle Glimmer Paper.
Sparkle 3D Tree
This is the first time I’ve used the In the Woods die that creates a tree with 3D branches, and I’m wondering why I waited so long. Isn’t it wonderful? The Sparkle Glimmer Paper has flexibility, which makes it perfect for this tree, and adds a “wow” factor.
I decided to keep the shine going, and use the silvery, Frosted Floral Designer Series paper for the background, which I layered on a Smoky Slate card base.
Next, I layered my sparkly tree on a piece of Smoky Slate cardstock that I ran through the Big Shot with the Subtle Textured embossing folder.
I love the color combo of pink and gray, so I added a slim border of Powder Pink cardstock around the tree.
The sentiment, “Merry,” is from the Merry Christmas die set, and I used Galvanzied Metallic Paper for cutting. This paper works perfectly, because of its color, sheen, and durability.
To match the sparkle in the tree (difficult to photograph), I added my favorite Iridescent Sequins. I wish you could see it in person!
Today’s project was inspired by the sketch at Fab Friday. We could use any object for the tree, but I’m still in Christmas card mode, so I kept it “as is.”
I’m also participating in the Paper Player’s challenge.
Thank you for stopping by. We’ve had rainy, wintry weather in San Diego, believe it or not. The Christmas season has arrived!
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Nov 30, 2018 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
Today’s jigsaw puzzle, Christmas card, is a bit unusual, but I’ll try to let you in on my thought process.
Christmas Jigsaw
It all began with the Global Design Project challenge. For some reason, the hole in the sketch made me think of a jigsaw puzzle. Hmmmm???
So, I found myself looking through the Puzzle Pieces die set, imagining how a die that measures 3 1/2″ X 3 1/2,” with 16 pieces, would work for the sketch.
Next, I chose a deer print from Under the Mistletoe Designer Series Paper that would make a pretty puzzle, and I backed it with Thick Whisper White cardstock for realism.
You can see the die clearly in my Product List at the bottom of this post.
Then, I built an Old Olive “card table” and covered it with a Subtle Textured, Shaded Spruce “fabric.” Rather than completing the puzzle, I removed three pieces, making the required hole for the sketch. A deer from the Dashing Deer Bundle wanted to take the place of the heart. Agreeably, I stamped the deer in Shaded Spruce ink on Thick Whisper White cardstock, and used his Detailed Deer die for cutting. I raised the deer on Mini-Dimensionals, and not surprisingly, the deer was pleased with his position, covering the hole.
Last, but not least, I found the sentiment from the Star of Light stamp set. Using the same ink and paper as the deer, I cut “Merry Christmas” with a die from the Bunch of Banners die set, and glued it beneath the puzzle.
As I was working on my card, the reason the sketch made me think of a jigsaw puzzle became clear. My grandmother, Mimi, always had a jigsaw puzzle on a card table, inviting visitors (mostly me) to find a missing piece. We would sit for hours “working” the puzzle, and what a happy time it was. It’s the same joyful feeling I get when thinking of Christmas morning. Thank you Mimi, I love you!
Thanks so much for checking out my Christmas time jigsaw puzzle. May we fill our holes with joy!
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Nov 29, 2018 | Gallery, Hand-Crafted Cards |
The Hometown Greetings die set has a wonderful church, which I combined with Under the Mistletoe Designer Series Paper for today’s Christmas card.
Hometown Church
My inspiration for today’s card is the Paper Players sketch challenge:
I began with a Shaded Spruce card base, topped with a piece of Under the Mistletoe Designer Series Paper. I used a second pattern of this DSP for one of the vertical rectangles, and Shaded Spruce cardstock for the other rectangle. The rectangles are 1 1/4″ X 4″, and bordered with Whisper White cardstock that is 1/8″ larger.
Before adhering the DSP and rectangles to the card base, I ran them through the Big Shot with the Subtle Textured embossing folder. I love how the embossing turns paper into fabric!
Representing the “square” in the sketch is the wonderful church in the Hometown Greetings die set. I ran the die through the Big Shot with Thick Whisper White cardstock, and cropped the church from the strip.
See the full die strip in the picture? Check out all the dies from Hometown Greetings in my Product List below. There’s even a tag topper!
“Peace” is from the retired Christmas Greetings die set. I used Old Olive cardstock to tie in with the touch of Old Olive in the Under the Mistletoe DSP.
Thank you for visiting my Hometown church in the woods. Wishing you a wonderful, peaceful day.
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Product List
