Happy Halloween!!!

A definite chill is in the air, and fall has moved in full-time!  Halloween is coming up in just a few days!  A friend of mine has purchased all of her Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's Day cards for her family from me for the past several years.  Although I sometimes procrastinate and end up pushing myself to finish them as the deadline approaches, I really enjoy making every one of them.

Below is this year's selection of Halloween cards.  (Click on images for closer look.)

 

Happy Halloween and Happy Fall to all!!!

Cathy  ;D

Cute Halloween Card

Howdy, folks!  I've been on hiatus for a LONG time, but now it's time to start posting some fall card ideas -- the holidays are almost upon us!!

My (almost) favorite fall holiday is Halloween.  To me that marks the beginning of the holiday season.  So my first project is this sweet card I kind of copped from the Unity Stamp Company website (unitystampco.com) where I bought the ghost stamp set.

I've made this card in a few of my recent classes because -- darn, it's cute!  And easy to make!

The pieces parts:

* Black card stock: 8-1/2" x 5-1/2", scored at 4-1/4" for the card base; 5-1/4" x 4" for the first layer on the front; 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" for mat behind sentiment

* Spider web patterned paper from my stash: 4" x 4"

* White card stock for stamping

* A little bit (maybe 1-1/2" - 2") of black string

To make the background, I first tore the 4" x 4" paper in half horizontally; then I tore each of those two strips in half.  I adhered the top and bottom pieces onto the 5-1/4" x 4" black card stock right up against the edges, and then kind of evenly spaced out the other two pieces.  Then I adhered the black card stock to the card front.

The ghost and trick or treat stamps are from Unity Stamp Co. ("Ghostly Bat Ensemble").  I stamped both images and then cut the ghost out on my Scan 'n Cut, and punched out trick or treat with my 1-3/8" square punch.  Popped both images up with foam dots, and then used glue dots to attach one end of the string under the sign and the other end over the ghost's arm.

I found these two cute Halloween greetings in my stash (no idea where they came from) and stamped them on 5-1/4" x 4" white card stock.  I then cut a piece of spiderweb paper (4" x 1") and adhered it along the bottom of the white card stock, and then adhered the card stock to the inside of the card.

Totally easy peasy card, right?!  I hope you try it!

Happy Halloween -- hope you have lots of cute little trick or treaters at your doorstep.  In my neighborhood I don't usually get too many of them, but the ones who came to my door last year were totally decked out in some of the cutest costumes I've seen.

Until the next time . . . 

Cathy :D

Announcing My Retirement from Stampin' Up!

After 20 years as a Stampin' Up! independent demonstrator, I have decided to call it quits.  Effective August 1, 2025, I will no longer be accepting orders for Stampin' Up! merchandise, and I've closed down my Stampin' Up! website.

NOTE that I'll still be teaching card making classes and participating in card camps.  (You can always see my current schedule by clicking on the Upcoming Events tab above.)

Also, since I have many other resources for my card making supplies, I now plan to post more projects on my blog, and perhaps resume my YouTube instruction videos for some of those projects.  (As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I was prohibited from mentioning products from competing companies on my website; now I can freely share all of my resources with you.)

Wish me luck in my new ventures -- in addition to my ongoing classes, I hope to start participating in craft sales again -- haven't had time for craft sales in many years and I really loved doing them!

Be sure to check back here and my Upcoming Events page now and again to see where I am teaching and where I am selling (hopefully).  It may be a slow process to break back into the craft sale business, but I'm going to give it a valiant effort.  I have WAY TOO MUCH crap . . . er . . . valuable crafting supplies . . . that need to be put to good use!

Until next time, keep on crafting!

Cathy 

Spring All-Occasion Fun Fold Card

Click on image for closer look.

Materials Used (all from Stampin' Up!, unless otherwise indicated)

* Wild Wasabi card stock (retired): 11" x 4-1/4", scored at 4" and 6-3/4"

* White card stock: 4" x 3-3/4" (top panel); 4" x 2-1/2" (middle panel); 4" x 4" (bottom panel)

* Bloom Impressions Designer Series Paper (2025 Sale-a-Bration Freebie): 3-3/4" x 3-1/2" (top panel)

* Boots, flowers, and bunny were punch-outs featured in the March 2020 Paper Pumpkin kit

* White card stock: small amount for Harvest Dies (retired) (sentiment)

* Wild Wasabi card stock: small amount for sentiment backing (cut on my Brother Scan 'n Cut)

* Garden Green card stock: 1-1/2" x 3-3/4" (grass - die from my stash)

This was such a fun card to make!  The card base is a horizontal Z-fold -- fold back at 4" score line, and forward at 6-3/4" score line.  Then add the appropriately sized white card stock to each panel.  After that, it's just a matter of adding the cut-outs.

The only pieces I popped up on this card were the sentiment and the bunny on the top panel.

Thanks to Jackie Bolhuis (www.klompenstampers.com) for sharing this great card fold!  I hope you try it for some of your cards.

Cathy  ;D

 

Monochromatic All-Occasion Card

 

Click on image for closer look.

This is one of the cards we made at my table at Sassy Stampers Card Camp this past Saturday.  It's based on a card I found on Pinterest, but I couldn't find the creator. Thanks to whoever it was -- love the monochromatic look!!!

Materials Used (all from Stampin' Up!)

* Thick White card stock: 8-1/2" x 5-1/2", scored at 4-1/4" for card base

* Smoky Slate card stock: 5-1/4" x 4", embossed with Exposed Brick embossing folder (first layer)

* Botanical Textures Designer Series Paper: 4" x 2" (dark horizontal piece); 4-1/4" x 2", trimmed with retired Triple Banner Punch (vertical piece); about 2-1/4" x 2-1/4" cut with Deckled Circle die.

* Black card stock: small piece for floral die cut (from retired Sunflower Dies)

* White card stock: small piece for sentiment (retired Washi Tape Punch)

* Black Bakers Twine: small amount for bow

Inside

* Smoky Slate card stock: 5-1/4" x 4" (first layer)

* White card stock: 5" x 3-3/4"

* Botanical Textures Designer Series Paper: 3-3/4" x 1/2" for strip across bottom

* Forever Fern stamp set (retired)

To make this card, I just layered everything up as shown.  The only thing I popped up was the sentiment on the front of the card.

I hope you enjoy this card as much as I did!

Cathy  ;D

New Paper Pumpkin Info

Paper Pumpkin has been moved to StampinUp.com, making it easier than ever to start or manage your monthly subscription.  PLUS, something new has been added!!!  You can see what's coming for the next three months before placing your order!  I don't know if this will be an ongoing thing, but at least for now, you can view sneak peaks of the April, May and June kits, and then place a three-month subscription if you like them!  See information below.

The subscription period for the April Paper Pumpkin kit began March 11! We’re very excited to share with you a sneak peek at the upcoming kits and their unique features. Don’t miss the hand-painted designs, textured gold foiling, heartfelt sentiments, and more. There’s no better time than right now to make sure your subscription is active so that you don’t miss the next three months of all-inclusive crafting fun!

Also, you can shop the coordinating Hugs Abloom Dies Add-On! This exclusive add-on coordinates with the April, May and June kits! Available for purchase now by Paper Pumpkin subscribers, and available only while supplies last. IMPORTANT NOTE:  Paper Pumpkin subscriptions must be received by the 10th of the month  to receive that month's kit.  So . . . if you're interested in the April, May and June kits,  you must sign up for this monthly subscription by April 10. Visit  https://www.stampinup.com/categories/subscriptions/paper-pumpkin  to learn more about Paper Pumpkin.

New Card Design (or at least new to me . . . .)

Recently, I saw someone post a beautiful, intriguing card online.  I followed the link and discovered the "Fault Line" card design.  It was perfect timing for me, because I needed to come up with a card the following week for a swap with some of my demonstrator friends.  This is what I ended up making.

Click on image for closer look.

Below is a materials list, as well as links to a few sites where you can see other samples, as well as a YouTube tutorial.  I hope you enjoy this card and perhaps try it yourself!

Materials:

* Daffodil Delight card stock: 9-1/2” x 4-1/4”, scored at 5-1/2” for card base; 5-3/8” x 4-1/4” to cover messy stuff on back of card front
* White card stock: 5-1/4” x 4” for inside
* Floral & Gingham Vellum: 4-1/4” x 3”
* Floral Delight Designer Series Paper:  4-1/4” x 4”
* Forever Plaid 3D Embossing Folder
* Something Fancy dies (label)
* Layering Leaves stamp set (for sprinkle on label)
* Wildflower Designs stamp set (sentiment)
* Paper Butterfly Accents
* Sponge Daubers
* Classic Stampin’ Pads: Daffodil Delight, Pool Party, Lost Lagoon, Pebbled Path
* Iridescent Pearls Basic Jewels (painted with Stampin’ Blends Alcohol Marker)

This link will take you to the card by Sherri Everett where I first spotted this technique:  https://www.facebook.com/profile/100047580051278/search/?q=faultline

This will take you to Loni Spendlove’s site (inspiration for Sherri Everett’s card).  Loni also shared her measurements (the same ones I used for my card):  https://creativejuicebyloni.com/2024/12/27/fault-line-cards-paper-pumpkin-blog-hop/

This will take you to Loni’s YouTube video tutorial:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLUKi7GWRVc  

Until next time . . . .

Cathy  ;D