Making a Card Kit Your Own

Don’t be afraid to use a card kit as the starting point for your creativity! Why would you use a card kit if you already have everything you need and you are perfectly capable of creating your own cards from scratch? Sometimes, it is nice to have most of what you need already selected and gathered together! If you are like most everyone I know, you already have a lot on your plate, and you may not always feel like that creative spark in glowing. However, it can feel so good to put yourself into doing something creative. Grab a kit, and with a few touches you’ve made it your own!

Layers on a card creates dimensional interest

Building layers adds dimension and interest on your cards.

 

This card was made from a Crafter’s Companion kit which featured layering pieces for two or three types of flowers. Each of the floral layers is smaller than the one below it. I used foam squares to add even more dimension.

By tearing and inking the edges of the text paper layers, it looked totally different than leaving the paper naked. Follow with a solid color paper for the matting, with inked edges, and you have added interest.

After die cutting the “Thinking of You,” I realized the letters were thin and looked too small on the card. So instead of looking for a different die I decided to cut one or two more and glue them together, one on top of the other. It was rather tedious, but it worked out. I forgot to keep the paper cutouts that were to dot the i’s, so I used small pearls. Perhaps the way I personalize my creations is not by planning, but by fixing my mishaps! In the end I was happy with it, and hope the recipient was, too.

I am sorry that there are not more photos, showing the layers, but I had not intended to write a post. Yet we need reminders that it is okay to start with a kit, a sketch, whatever gets us doing instead of just thinking! Why not think of a kit as inspiration?

What have you “fixed” that ended up personalizing a project even more than you planned?

Cheers to Your Artful Adventures!

KS

Hello Sunshine and Butterfly Card

Hopefully you have been keeping occupied with some creative time lately! It is a great way to pass time and keep your mind busy with something you enjoy. I would like to tell you that I have gotten loads done during this time of having to stay home, but it wouldn’t be true! However, I’m feeling like I am getting back in my groove and am really enjoying creating!  I truly wish I had been able to capture the shimmer applied to the butterflies. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a little sparkle?

Greeting card using lace die edging

Hello, Sunshine and Butterflies!

 

The card is 5″x7″, and opens at the edge of the green lace. The cut size of the card is 12″x5″ scoring at 5″ along the 12″ side for the fold.

This card was created with pattered paper and dies, including the Chantilly Lace border die are from Crafter’s Companion. The solid color papers and the seam binding ribbon are from Stampin’Up.

Seriously, the “Hello” should be a little larger, as it becomes lost in the floral print. Yet it was already glued down, and it still makes me happy to look at.

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy YOUR Artful Adventures!

KS

CalvinBall 2019

Let the fun begin! There is unique challenge going on for scrapbooking, card making, and many other crafty ventures! In previous years it was hosted by Get It Scrapped, but has now moved to ScrapHappy. It was inspired by the comicstrip Calvin and Hobbs, and the game “Calvinball” mentioned in it. The rules are ever changing, and everyone keeps track of their own points. Creating, sharing, camaraderie, and smack talk are all part of the fun.

birthday card

The red is my tablecloth!

Today, I grabbed an unfinished card kit I still had from Creative Memories (Blossom kit and Blossom stamp set D1649), and with just a couple of additions, I was able to grab all the points possible today!

If you want to come join us, you can get all the information at ScrapHappy.org. You don’t have to create something everyday to earn points, you earn your points as you create. So if you only have time to create on the weekend, that is when you do it!

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures!

KS

2017 Online Club Announcements – January through April

ctmh paper crafting month welcome wreathHappy 2017! As always, the time is just scooting by quickly! I don’t know about you, but I needed a little break from the scrapbooking and crafting that I did at the end of the year! As I write this, I still have extra family members at my home, who came for the holidays. It is such a joy to spend time with them. I am actually going to take a little more time off, and since I’m getting a late start with our January events, I wanted you to know what is going on with our upcoming classes.

As always, my online Close To My Heart classes are FREE, with the purchase of the products from my CTMH online shop. Just select what you want to participate in, order your products, and I’ll email you any guides or documents you may need for cutting or assembly.

  • Order by around the 15th of the month to assure delivery and cutting time. PLEASE spend the extra few dollars and select FedEx ground for delivery. The FedEx Smart Post method goes through the post office for final delivery, and the post office does not always give priority to those deliveries.
  • You can order a project at a time, or order all the projects at once, whatever fits your needs.  If it looks like your order will be $150 or more, please let me know, and I will set you up to receive Hostess Credit! But it has to be set up BEFORE you order so you receive the credit.
  • Online Scrapbook Club will create SIX double-page layouts each month (12 pages per month).
  • The LIVE classes will be held the last Monday of the month, making it easy to plan ahead. If you can’t make the LIVE class, no worries, it will be recorded and you can watch at your convenience.

The NEW Seasonal Expressions Idea Book is live, and runs through April 2017. You can view it by clicking on the link.

JANUARY

Card Class, Live class, January 30th, 8:00 PM (Central):  Workshops Your Way, Here For You kit (G1124),  Blossom Exclusive Inks™ stamp pad (Z2810), Smoothie Exclusive Inks™ stamp pad (Z2896), Willow Exclusive Inks™ stamp pad (Z2807)
2″ × 2″ My Acrylix® block (Y1003)  

Here For You, CTMH Workshops Your Way, Card Kit (G1124)

Here For You, CTMH Workshops Your Way, Card Kit (G1124)

Welcome Home Wreath, January 31st 8:00 PM (Central): Celebrate January’s Paper Crafting month with this special paper wreath, (CC1210) available while supplies last, so order soon!  Four ways to get the wreath: order for $18.95; free with a $60 purchase; free for reaching second tier of hostess credit; or free if you sign up as a new consultant. Also useful: Quilling tool (Z1795), Liquid Glass (Z679) Gold Shimmer Brush (Z3316), Glue Dots.

FEBRUARY Online Scrapbook Club, LIVE class February 27th, 8:00 PM (Central): Workshops Your Way, Hello Lovely Scrapbooking Kit (G1119), Hello Lovely Coordinating Cardstock (X7216D)

Hello Lovely, CTMH Workshops Your Way Scrapbook Kit, #G1119

Hello Lovely, CTMH Workshops Your Way Scrapbook Kit, #G1119

MARCH Online Scrapbook Club, LIVE class March 27th, 8:00 PM (Central): Workshops Your Way, Dreaming’ Big Scrapbooking Kit (G1121), Dreaming’ Big Coordinating Cardstock (X7218D)

Dreamin' Big, CTMH Workshops Your Way Scrapbook Kit, G1121

Dreamin’ Big, CTMH Workshops Your Way Scrapbook Kit, G1121

                                                                                                                                                                                                              APRIL Online Scrapbook Club, LIVE class April 24th, 8:00 PM (Central): Workshops Your Way, Some Kinda Wonderful Scrapbooking Kit (G1120), Some Kinda Wonderful Coordinating Cardstock (X7217D)

Some Kinda Wonderful, CTMH Workshops Your Way Scrapbook Kit, G1120

Some Kinda Wonderful, CTMH Workshops Your Way Scrapbook Kit, G1120

I look forward to working with you again this year! Please let me know if you have any questions.  Let’s get busy and have some fun!

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures,

KS

Arts, Crafts, and Scrapbooking Updates

Today, I wanted to let you know about three things:

  • The new Close To My Heart Holiday Expressions idea book is available
  • Where you can find Tracie Claiborne’s Journal Your Life class
  • Donna Downey’s Find Out Fridays

The new Close To My Heart Holiday Expressions idea book became available September 1st. It is full of all kinds of items to create scrapbook pages, pocket scrapbooking, cards, and various paper crafting projects, including some Cricut projects. These items are available through December 2016. Don’t delay and miss out! See the Holiday Expressions now.

I promised I would let you know where you could get Tracie Claiborne’s “Journal Your Life” online class, so a little update today to give you the link. No, I don’t make anything from your purchase. She just put together a phenomenally helpful class on journaling. So whether you have been averse to journaling, or you are sometimes stuck, you may want to check it out!

Something else you may be interested in is Donna Downey’s new free series, Find Out Fridays. Each week we will have the opportunity to watch an artist open up a pre-selected group of materials they have been sent, and show us what they decide to do with them! I am sure those of you who are interested in art/mixed media, you will really enjoy this series.  Here is the first segment, with Jane Davenport.

Here’s to YOUR Artful Adventures,

KS