After All These Years

Cards For Kids

One of my aims this year is to get back to card making . . . more specifically, actually MAKE some cards for birthdays! It seems I will always need a good supply of cards for kids, little cousins, friends' children etc. These couple should start that little stash nicely!

LOTS of Doodlebug goodness here as the bright, happy colours and designs are just perfect for kids cards!

I liked the above design so much, I had to do another one for a girl! And I don't think it will be stopping there . . . 

Do you make cards to keep in a stash for when you need them or do you make them as you need them?

 

 

{Crate Paper + Cards + Thank You}

I have a confession to make. I didn't make cards for my kids' birthdays this year. Gasp! Very unlike me. I've gotten out of the card making groove but I think it's time I got back into it! I've started with some thank you cards. 

I pulled out some of my favourite supplies (Crate Paper of course) and the only idea I had in my head was I wanted lots of layers! 

I think I succeeded in the layers department! 

These two cards are for two special friends. I need to keep it up and make many more as there are so many people that I need to thank.

I can do it!

Birthday Card Production

Several years ago I made a pact to NOT purchase any more cards to give, but to make them instead, using supplies that I already had anyway. Well, needless to say that this past chaotic year, I've purchased a few cards and even not given cards on the odd occassion. 

When I was planning a birthday inspiration week on the Greatest View blog, I challenged myself to make nine birthday cards, one using each of the newest birthday badges.

I kept them quite simple, just used coordinating scraps and a few basic designs that I repeated.

So now my birthday card stash is looking a bit healthier . . . although I might just have a simple cardmaking afternoon again one day!

See all of the cards as well as plenty more inspiration from the amazing design team on the GV blog here.

{Celebrate}

Who doesn't love weddings? I was fortunate to attend my dear friend Annette's wedding this past month. But the pressure was on to create a stunning card, worthy of my talented friend.

Layers of ruffled, fabric, a bit of tied seam binding and the simple sentiment, celebrate.
Now a card like this doesn't fit into a normal envelope. So I used one of the large glassine bags instead of an envelope.

I love that the translucency of the bag adds to the delicacy. A couple of simple embellishments finished if off nicely!

I'll leave you with a pic of the happy bride and groom! It was a beautiful ceremony . . 

Thanks for visiting me today!

 

{The Boys}

The June Inspiration gallery is live on the Elle's Studio site - you can check it out here.

I can't wait to share my projects this month! First up is a BOY layout! Excuse the bad photography - black layouts are hard to photograph!

 

I thought it was about time that my husband got a look in my scrapbooking! For this layout I went through my journaling tag stash and pulled a few that were black and white to create this little cluster:

 

And one of my book paper badges was the perfect for this layout also!

 

This month I also challenged myself to make a birthday card for my husband - it's not his birthday until July but as I'll have a brand new baby I thought it would be good to get a head start!

 

A couple of tags from the Handmade Layers range and some die cut circles from scraps and I love the result!

 

You may have noticed the gorgeous rosettes on my projects - a little die found its way home with me from the Papercrafts show a couple of weekends ago!

 
The rosettes are a breeze to make using this die! I love it!

Thanks for looking!

 
 

 

{Mother's Day Gift Idea}

Finally, here's my last project from the April Elle's Studio gallery. I just love the colours in the Vintage Valentine range of journaling tags and it was my jumping off point for a Mother's Day card and coordinating bookmark.

 
The bookmark was just cut from a scrap of cardstock and corners rounded. After I completed all the decorative elements on the front, I then adhered an identical piece of cardstock on the back and stitched the layers together (the ribbon tab is sandwiched in between) for a finished look!

 
And lots of layered journaling tags as usual!

 
I will of course be adding a book to complete this gift - and I had better get cracking on another set for my mother-in-law too!

 

 

{Cards For Special Girls}

With two little girls' birthdays recently, I broke into my stash of Little Girl papers from Echo Park and some Zva Bling was the perfect companion!

 

Can you tell I was in my element creating these?

I actually used the one rhinestone swirl on both cards (simply cut it up) purely to make it fit!

Zva Creative used: CRB-03CA-103

Thanks for looking and I'll be back soon with more to share!

 

{March Zva Blog Hop Winners announced}

ETA: I don't know what typepad's issue was but I had a whole blog post complete with project shares and it wasn't showing up properly! And the winner's name wasn't showing up either! So I've added the winner's name and created a separate post for the inspirations below - be sure to scroll down to take a look!

We'd like to congratulate the FIVE March Zva Blog Hop winners! Their names will be found on the following blogs:

Lou Collins
Camilla Ekman
Angelica Franssen
Windy Robinson
Gail Lindner . . . . . that's right here!

One winner from each of the 5 blogs will receive a Zva prize package worth $30.00. Congrats winners!

And the random winner from my blog is:

 

Congratulations Kristine! If you email your address to me at gaillindner(at)hotmail(dot)com we'll get your prize organised!

Thanks for playing along everybody!

 

 

 

{Lots Of Links}

Feel like a bit of internet browsing? Here are a few links that I've been wanting to share:

• Head over to Lisa Johnson's blog and check out this mini book idea - construction and all! I'll definitely be flagging this idea for a future mini!
• Scroll down after the recipe to see a fabulous idea for colouring tulle with your Glimmer Mist - another use for it!
• Just had to share this layout - look at that doily love!
• Here's a cute little owl box download. I love bookmarking ideas like this. I never know when I'm gonna *need* it LOL!
• Super simple card idea here. And I love that it would be perfect for using scraps!
• I love these button ideas - especially that first card. She had made her own buttons but I would try to make a dent in my stash of 'real' buttons!
• And finally, here's a great idea for keeping track of the colours of mists you own. I'll be doing this very soon - as soon as my new ones arrive! Hehe!

Hope you like the links. I'll be back Monday with the Zva Creative blog hop and more scrappy things to share next week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

{Quick & Easy Cards}

I want to share with you a set of cards that I created using the new Handmade Layers line from Elle's Studio.

 
They are smaller 'notecard' cards as they're made by simply folding some of the new 4" x 6" journaling tags in half!

Here's a closer look at each of the cards - all with the same basic design: a circle tag, a birthday banner and three coordinating buttons.

  
 
 

And I love having a couple of masculine-type cards in my stash! These are the birthday banners that I used as the sentiment on the cards:

 

They look so layered and dimensional as the detail's in the tags! See, I told you they were quick and easy!