I am giving sets of greeting cards to friends for Christmas and needed something to hold them. I think this will work out great. I plan on putting a few cards with matching envelopes on each side of this folder. Very easy to make, too.

Inside of Greeting Card holder

Outside of Greeting card holder before decorating the front.

Instructions for creating multiple Greeting card/envelope holder

Simple card using scraps of papers

An other version of above card.  Both cards are A2 ( 5 1/2 x 4 1/4") size cards.  Top layer is 4 1/4 x 3 1/8 with the bottom edge punched.  Any border punch will do.  The decorative paper is 2 1/8 x 3 3/4".  The ribbon is cut at about 8" with an other smaller piece cut and tied about 2 1/" from one end.  The 8" ribbon is taped to the back of the top layer then.  The top layer is foam mounted.  I found this in an old CardMaker November 2010 magazine.

Wikipedia is something I use all the time and never gave it a thought as to where they get their funds from.

<a href="http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Support_Wikipedia/en"><img border="0" alt="Support Wikipedia" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Fundraising_2009-square-share-en.png" /></a>

The Girlfriends looking in a Bakery window

Girlfriends looking in baker shop - front of card

Inside of girlfriends looking in bakery shop window

Stamps used from Art Impressions
Brick wall on front is Tim Holtz embossing folder
I water colored the images with Mary Markers and a paint brush. Or you can use Copic's, or colored pencils.

New Polar Pals stamps from Art Impressions

A4082 um on cling 3.25

G4085 um on cling 4.95

H4078 um on cling  5.35

H4084 um on cling  5.35

I4077 um on cling  5.75

M4079 um on cling  7.65

P4081 um on cling  8.79

Q4083 um on cling  9.10 

U4080 um on cling   10.30  

New stamps that are just the cutest! Art Impressions "AI People"

C4091  unmounted on cling 4.00

K4088 um on cling  6.65

F4093  um on cling 4.59

L4087  um on cling   7.25

F4089  um on cling 4.59

C4091  um on cling  4.00

G4096  um on cling    4.95

T4095 um on cling  9.40

U4092 um on cling 10.30

Here are some cards I have been working on the last couple of days. I have been staying inside since we are having a heat wave in the 90's here in Maryland.

Window is cut out on the front and image stamped inside. Paper piecing done on the door, awning, and chair.  Flower pots are stamped on separate watercolor paper and cut out and pasted onto the front of the card.

Window is also cut out and scene is stamped, water colored inside the card.  The window is stamped onto decorative paper which is white on the reverse side.  I stamped both sides using a stamp positioner.  Using an X-Acto knife and a cutting mat, I cut out the center of the window.  Then I folded the shutters back.  I thought it would make a great card for a guy.  Gotta love the plaids!

Here is an other card of a beauty salon.  I am making these for my hair dresser.  I also paper pieced these cards.  I stamped the same image onto decorative paper and cut out the parts I needed, then glued them to the card over the identical  stamped image.  Such as the door panels and the awning.  All stamps are from Art Impressions. 

Glittering Techniques and Stencil Techniques

Glittering Techniques and Stencil Techniques

1. Mix Ranger Glossy Accents and glitter to form a paste.  Die cut an image with matching cs.  Using an old paintbrush, paint the glitter paste onto the die cut.

2. Using embossing buddy rub over cs. Stamp an image with permanent ink.  Using a fine tip on glue bottle, outline the stamped image.  Pour glitter on glue.  Tap off excess glitter.  Fill in empty spaces with glue.  Pour on glitter, tap off excess.  Repeat with entire image.  You can put additional glue and glitter on top of dried glitter.  Such as dots or lines.

3. 2 tone glitter image.  Cut double side sticky paper a tiny bit smaller than your stencil.  Stick that onto a piece of card-stock cut a tiny bit bigger than your stencil.  Rub bar soap on the back side of the stencil.  Brush off any soap crumbs.  Put the stencil, soap side down, onto the sticky paper.  Put stencil sandwich over coffee filter.  Sprinkle one color of glitter, tap off excess, pour back into bottle.  Press a piece of paper or cs that has been rubbed with an Emboss Buddy over the glitter and press.  Remover stencil, pour 2nd color glitter over image.  Tap off excess and pour back into bottle.  Press a piece of paper or cs that has been rubbed with an  Emboss Buddy over the glitter and press.  Mount as you would any stamped image onto a card front.


4. Using glue pen write a greeting.  Sprinkle glitter over glue.  You may use more than one color glitter.  Pour a small amount of 1st glitter at end of paper closest to the end of the line of glue.  Pour 2nd color of glitter past the 1st color and over top of the 1st color.  Tap off excess.  Repeat with more colors.


5. Glittering transparent sheets with stamped image on.  Rub embossing buddy over the back side, dull side, stamped side, or use brush.  Using fine tip on glue bottle, put glue where ever you want your glitter.  Pour glitter over image.  Tap off excess glitter and return to bottle.  If 2nd color glitter is wanted in a different area, repeat process.



6. Remove protective sheet from double sided sticky paper.  Cover with ultra fine glitter.  Stamp image on glitter.  Cut out.  Remover protective paper and adhere to cs.


7. Using CLEAR Stencil paste.  Tape your stencil to your cs.  Using pigment inks and finger daubers, ink in the open areas of your stencil.  Shading if desired.  Spread clear Stencil Paste with palette knife.  Scrape off excess and put back into jar.  Take off the tape holding the stencil except for one side which will act like a hinge.  Then remove stencil completely.
  A.  Sprinkle glitter over image and tap off excess.
  B.  Let dry.  Replace clean stencil.  Dab Stazon or Brilliance or alcohol ink over raised image
  C.  Let dry.  Put glue in places on raised image then sprinkle glitter.  Tap              off excess.
  D. Clean stencil immediately with water and an old toothbrush.  Lay the stencil on a flat surface.  If film or residue from paste remains on the stencil, you may apply permanent ink cleaner instead of water.

8.  Using MATTE Stencil paste.  With removable tape your stencil to your cs.  Using pigment inks and finger daubers, ink in the open areas of your stencil.  Shading if desired.  Spread clear Stencil Paste with palette knife.  Scrape off excess and put back into jar.  Take off the tape holding the stencil except for one side which will act like a hinge.  Then remove stencil completely.  Color will be very light.  Leave as is or tap some more color with any type of inks onto raised areas.  Or adhere glue and glitter.

You may mix your own favorite color by adding ½ teaspoon iridescent powders or metallic liquid acrylic paints with 2 tablespoon translucent paste, this mixture will have a milky look but dries glossy and iridescent.  For a more opaque and rough texture that still has a bit of glossy shine add 1 part regular embossing white paste to the iridescent translucent mixture.


9.  Stickles - enough said.  Love them Stickles……

Video techniques from down under.......

 Hello!  I belong to a Yahoo group that has been around for years.  It is called Midwest Stampers.  No, you don't have to live in the midwest to belong to it.  I live in southern Maryland and have belonged to it for years.  Thursdays they have Technique Thursday where each Thursday a different technique is explained.  Today the List Mom, Connie posted a link to a great site.  Click on it below.  This lady has lots of video techniques that I think are very different.  Perhaps it is because she lives in Australia and I live in the USA.  Anyway, I wanted to share it with everyone...
http://valitasfreshfolds.blogspot.com/

An invitation

I helped a friend make invitations for her daughter's engagement party.  An other friend and I helped her make about 45 of these cards.  I think they are so special.  Don't even mention gluing on the tiny shoes.  I used a hypo needle filled with glue.  The engagement ring has a rhinestone glued on it even.  The background was run through the Cuttlebug using Swiss Dots.  We used the Cricut to cut out everything else.  It was challenging picking out the decorative papers for the dress, shirt and pants.  We added a bow across the top left to even out the front of the card. 

An other birthday card I made for a friend

I used a combination of things for this card.  I stamped and water colored the hunter with his binoculars, searching ahead for a deer..  Then I cut out with my Cricut the trees and the deer.  I popped up some of the images with foam tape to give it some dimension and to hide the deer behind.  The pine cones in the upper corners are vinyl stickers.  I used decorative papers to cut the trees out with. 

Bob's birthday card

I just made this for my hubby's birthday.  Since he has gotten into black bear hunting this Cricut Lite WILDLIFE cartridge came in handy.  I made a zig-zag fold card.  This is it laying flat.  If you can image it opens up twice, sorta.  LOL  It doesn't show but I put clear accents on their noses and where their eyes should be.  I wrote him a personal poem, too. 

Two New Watercolor stamp sets from Art Impressions

Set 1 - Only 19.95 for the unmounted on cling set

 Set 2 - Only 19.95 for the unmounted on cling set

 

 

This is just a sample of what you can do with these two new watercolor stamp sets. 

Listen to music to create to

Bob and our newest grand-daughter

Here is my husband, Bob and our new grand daughter. She was born last night and weighed in at 8.5 lbs, 18" long. He looks kind of proud, doesn't he?

Neutral Shadow technique with a twist

Here are 2 cards I made today using my take on the Neutral Shadow technique.

I used two different colors of ink to shadow this card.  I off centered it with Swiss Dots to the left. 

Two techniques here.  One is the top punch done on the fold, the other is the Neutral Shadow. 

Do you like to watercolor with our Art Impressions stamp sets? Set 8 is now available to order.

Here are two new sets and some images of what you can do with them. 

19.95 unmounted on cling cushion

19.95 unmounted on cling cushion

Wouldn't this just make the prettiest card for a birthday, thinking of you or thank-you card?

New Girlfriends stamp sets - These are too cute!

19.95 um on cling cushion

19.95 um on cling cushion

19.95 um on cling cushion

19.95 um on cling cushion

 

 

 

 

Use these stamps with watercolors, or your Copic Markers.  Make some cards and send them to a friend or two.  I am sure they will bring a smile or two.