Die Cut 'Thank you' in Circles

As promised, here are the cards that I created using the letters that were cut out from yesterday's project. I had originally place the letters directly onto the cardstock, but it seem so flat and uninteresting. So I decided to place each letter in a circle and now I have a simple, yet finished looked. You may have noticed that the "s" is missing and that is because it would have been too wide to fit on a standard A2 card. The "you" is handwritten in black ink. As for the missing "s"'s I will save them for some monogram stationery for my mother. Waste not!

Materials: White, light gray, colored cardstock, Hero Arts Uppercase Alphabet die, permanent black pen.

Size: Standard A2 4.25" x 5.5"

Thanks for stopping by!

Jessica

Disclosures:

I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Links can be found on the right-hand side of the screen.

'Thanks' Die-cut with Stitching

Similar to some cards that I have made in the past, these cards were created using a steel alphabet die. To get the letters straight, I taped the letter dies together and cut out the sentiment in one shot. I saved the lettes that were cut out of this paper and will show cards created with them in tomorrows post. After I ran the paper through the die cut machine, I adhered to to a card base and used zigzag stitching to add some texture.

Materials: White cardstock, patterned paper, Hero Arts Uppercase Alphabet die, sewing machine

Size: Standard A2 4.25" x 5.5"

Thanks for stopping by!

Jessica

Disclosures:

I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Links can be found on the right-hand side of the screen.

Embossed Thank You

Here is another way that you can get the most of your die cuts. Cut out several of the same design and then glue them all together. For my project, I used 5 layers of 110 lb. Georgia Pacific cardstock. Looking back, I may have gotten better results if I had only used like 3 layers. After the 5 layers, the impression wasn't very crisp. So, I used an empty ball point pen to better outline the letters, turns that I was unable to make things really crisp and clean (I've never tried "hand-embossing" before so I'm not sure if it was just me, or it's just not feasible to make it look nice and neat) Either way, even though the effect is not what I was going for, I like it. It reminds me of greenware or a rough clay model.

Materials: MFT by the letters, white cardstock
Size: Standard A2 card 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

Debossed Thank you

Alphabet steel dies can be expensive. That's why I'm always trying to get the most of out them. Here is another way that you can use steel dies - emboss with them. To get this effect, you have to work with your machine a little bit to find the perfect thickness. I have a cuttlebug, but you could use any of the die-cutting/embossing machines. I first put down an A plate, then a B plate, then some layers of old Tshirt scraps, then my paper that I wanted embossed, then the steel dies, then another B plate. I used cotton letterpress paper as it tends to emboss beautifully; see for yourself!

Specifications:
Materials: Sturdy white cardstock MFT steel die - Die-namics by the Letters
Size: Standard A2 size (4.25" x 5.5")

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!

Simple Thank You

Less certainly is more with current card trends. This is about as simple as you can get! (I, of course, could have omitted the patterned paper and it would have been okay, but I NEED color. So that really wasn't an option for me.)

Materials: White cardstock, Patterned paper, Black gel pen
Size: Standard A2 card 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!

Scraps Thank You

Scraps, scraps, scraps. I am ALWAYS looking for ways to use 'em. It's a losing battle, I'll admit it (I feel like I'm always creating more scraps no matter how many "scrap cards" I may make), but at least it's a great crafter's challenge! Here is a card that I created using lots of paper strips to essentially create my own patterned paper. It's a great way to get just the right colors that you want and (of course) to use up those scraps. I decided to overlap the sentiment and make it a little crooked because I needed to offset the straightness of the stripes for visual appeal.

Materials:
White cardstock, paper scraps in assorted colors/patterns, MFT die-namics by the letters
Size: Standard A2 card 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!

Thank you Splatter

You know how you can tell when you really like something? When you can look at it over and over again without getting sick of it. I bought literally a ton of ocean blue cardstock to make my wedding invitations over 2 years ago. I still have literally a ton leftover that I will often use to create cards because I still LOVE the color! Below is one example of said cardstock (which you will be seeing again; I guarantee it).

The banner banner strips are created from various patterned papers, vellum, and solid paper that I added some blue stamping ink. The "Thanks" was selectively stamped from a discontinued American Crafts clear stamp set "Thanks". (Selective stamping is when you cover up part of the stamp image - like with masking tape or post-its. Then you ink up the stamp, remove the covered portion and stamp onto your project so that you only transfer a portion of the entire image. This is a great way to really make the most of all your stamps.) The background white splatter was done using watered down white acrylic paint and the non-brush end of a paintbrush.

Specifications:
Materials: Sturdy ocean blue cardstock, patterned paper, vellum, foam dimensionals, discontinued American Crafts clear "thanks" stamp set.
Size: Card is just shy of standard A1 or 4bar card size 4 3/4" x 3 1/4". Envelope is the standard A1/4bar size of 5 1/8" x 3 5/8"

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!

Ombre Thanks

Oh look, ocean blue cardstock! (Nope, I'm never going to stop pointing it out.) These were created with same steel dies that I have used in the last several posts, but this time, I used the technique where you position your cutting plates in such a way that you leave the bottom of the letters intact. Before cutting, I used Bic alcohol-based markers to create an ombre effect on white cardstock. I don't own any Copics (because they are about $6 per marker if you're keeping track), but I assume they blend better than Bics. That being said, I do like the Bics because you get a lot of bang for you buck! Also, I like the imperfect look on handmade cards.

Materials: White cardstock, colored cardstock, MFT die-namics by the letters, Alcohol-based markers
Size: Card is just shy of standard A1 or 4bar card size 4 3/4" x 3 1/4". Envelope is the standard A1/4bar size of 5 1/8" x 3 5/8"

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!

Die Cut Thank You

Hello and welcome! I had made these thank you cards ages ago, but had never gotten around to posting them! These are simple "thanks" cards that were created with white cardstock, patterned paper, and a craft die. To give the cards dimension, the white panel is popped up with 1/8 foam dimensional.

Double-sided adhesive foam dimensional is relatively inexpensive, but this card does use a lot of it. To help offset the cost a bit, I bought a large pack of fun foam that I just cut to the size that I need. You can get a pack that will last a lifetime for about $5. This method does require liquid glue and a little more time and patience, but it's what works for me. I did use the self-adhesive foam for the small pieces, because liquid glue can be quite messy if not done "just so".

Specifications:
Materials: Sturdy white cardstock, patterned paper, foam dimensionals, MFT steel die - Die-namics by the Letters
Size: Card is just shy of standard A1 or 4bar card size 4 3/4" x 3 1/4". Envelope is the standard A1/4bar size of 5 1/8" x 3 5/8"

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!

Stitched Arrows Thank You

I have an old dictionary - let's face it, paper dictionaries are a thing of the past. I hate to just throw it away, so I'm always thinking of ways to incorporate it into some kind of craft. I actually covered a tray with dictionary pages awhile back that I'lll try to share soon because it actually turned out quite well. I digress, for today I have some cards with a few slight variations in design that I would like to share using old dictionary paper. The arrows are created by cutting squares, then cutting in half diagonally, then trimming out the "middle" of the triangle. (save all those scraps for tomorrow's card!) I tried some bright colors, an ombre effect, and the unaltered dictionary pages. To add some interest and texture, I used my sewing machine to make some stitching. The "thank you" is handwritten in black gel pen.

For the dictionary pages, they are actually glued to white cardstock to add some bulk since the pages are so thin. For the coloring, I used a 36 pack of Bic markers (they are alcohol based like Copic brand, but very inexpensive.)

Believe it or not, the hardest part of this design was making sure the text was all going in the right direction!

Materials: White cardstock, dictionary paper, stitching with white quilting thread, black gell pen, Bic markers
Size: Standard A2 card 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!

Glitter Thank You

Hello and welcome! Don't you just love glitter! So many sparkles and bold colors makes my heart happy. Here are a few cards that are full of happy! These were created with an alphabet die cut, white cardstock, liquid glue, and of course, glitter!

Make sure that whatever paper your're adhering the glitter to is a similar color to the glitter you're using. I used white letters and colored glitter, but the edges were not clean at all and it looked, well, terrible! I had to go back in with a Bic marker to the white cardstock to make the edges cleaner. It would have been easier and prettier if I had used color cardstock in a similar to color to the glitter to start off with!

Materials: White cardstock, glitter, liquid glue, colored cardstock (same color as glitter), MFT die-namics by the letters.

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!

Masked Thank You

Hello and welcome! Today, I have created a card using some Heidi Swapp letters and a masking technique with 2 colors of glimmer mist. The letters do not come with any adhesive, so I applied some removable adhesive, stuck them on some watercolor paper, sprayed with glimmer mist, and removed the letters. The letters are not completely flat on the back, so that don't sit flat on the paper even with adhesive. So, the masked effect is not sharp or clean by any means, but I think that it works with the "messy-looking" design. And the best part, the letters can be reused as many times as you want for this technique if you keep reapplying the adhesive.

Materials: Watercolor paper, Tattered Angles glimmer mist in Patina and Artic Blue, Heidi Swapp Clear Alphas White

Size: Standard A2 card size 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

Disclosures:
I use the craft products that I like to use. I am not paid by anyone or any entity for marketing of the various products that I may mention on this blog.

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!

Circles Thank You on White

Here is the last of the cards that I recently created for my sister's Etsy shop, Calligraphy by Deanna. I know that I'm biased, but she seriously does a fantastic job. Please see bottom of post for purchasing information.

These cards were created with white cardstock, stencils, and molding paste that has been dyed with several different ink colors (glitter was also added to the grey circles). The sentiment is my sister's handwriting printed on white cardstock. The entire sentiment and colored paper strip are mounted on 1/8" foam dimensional. These cards can be sent through standard USPS without additional postage.

Each card is constructed completely by hand from the cutting and scoring of the base to the design and creation of the sentiment.

Specifications:
Material: Sturdy white cardstock, solid cardstock with computer printed message, foam dimensional, molding paste, glitter (if desired)
Cards are sold individually and come with a 24 lb. white envelope handcrafted by me. I use remoistenable envelope glue that works exactly like the glue on envelopes that you can buy in stores.
Each card has been left blank inside, but can be customized with my sister's beautiful calligraphy to suit your needs. See Etsy posting for more details.
Size: Standard A2 card and envelope: Card measures 4 1/4" 5 1/2", envolope measures 4 3/8" x 5 3/4"

Because each card is made entirely by hand, there will be small variations even in cards of the same design. Cards are packaged and sealed in a cellophane bag and will ship from Memphis, TN. They are available for purchase here.

Thanks for stopping by!
Jessica

If you like what you see, I invite you to follow my blog or visit me on my pinterest or Etsy sites! Just see the right-hand side of the screen!