Card-making

by

Creating with Paper Scraps

Crafting cards has been a welcome distraction from the world’s chaos. I sit down at my desk to create as often as I can.

I’m joining Kate and others for the monthly “ScrapHappy” challenge. where makers create with scraps. I also enjoy upcycling with calendar pages and advertising mailers, so I’ve made some cards using them as well.

My friend Therese inspired this first set of cards. She passed on a drugstore calendar from Hawaii, full of tropical photographs in rich hues, and challenged me to have fun. I did!

I used the heavier paper from the calendar’s cover to make a few bookmarks.

The following two cards are created with a Tommy Bahama mailer, in tropical oranges and greens.

I managed to cut two butterflies and the floral image from the mailer.

I used a piece of blue-and-silver paper left over from a set for the birthday card. The body of the butterfly is darkened using a black Sharpie marker, with a scrap of vellum behind the wings.

The second card uses a piece of gold card behind the butterfly, centered among a few flowers, and as a thin mat to frame the card. When the recipient opens the card, the butterfly wings lift up for the  illusion of movement.

These three small gift tags will accompany some Easter chocolate for my family. I colored the bunny’s bow in Mike and our son’s favorite colors. I’m not sure where that scrap of yellow ribbon came from, but I had just enough for the three tags.

This “thinking of you” card is for a friend whose partner died in an auto accident earlier this year. They owned horses together. I fashioned this card after one of her horses, using a downloaded silhouette of a horse cut from patterned brown paper, which my sister passed on to me years ago.

I cut the horse’s spots, the fence posts, and the background from scraps, and used leftover floss from a kit for the horse’s mane and hooves. She loved the card.

Using the last bits of my spring paper and some extra envelopes, I made fifteen crafting kits to put next to our children’s Little Free Library. They’re always a hit.

If you’re interested in what other bloggers are making and sharing, you can click on any of the links below.

Thanks as always for hosting, Kate.

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 
Moira, Sandra, Chris,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Viv, Karrin,  Alissa, Tierney,
Hannah and Maggie

by

ScrapHappy June Cards

On the 15th of each month, Kate invites bloggers to join in the fun of creating something from scraps. Participants create with fabric, metal, paper, and sometimes all three. If you have something to share made from scraps, please join us. You can contact Kate, linked above, for details.

I’m sharing three cards this month: two made from a reflective folder once used for school papers and a collage card.

My friend Mary Ann, also a cardmaker, gave me the folder and challenged me to create with it. Her scrap became my scrap; now it’s a pair of cards.

I love this sort of challenge, though I’ll admit that the intense shine and reflection of the folder gave me pause. It worked out in the end, though, and I had fun.

The pink card is my beginner’s attempt at collage. I follow a fabulous collage artist in Canada, and she inspired me to give it a go. You can take a look at Wilma’s gorgeous work here.

For the background, I used scrapbooking paper passed on from my sister featuring dress-maker patterns. I inked similar paper before die-cutting it into flowers. The pink sewing machine comes from a leftover piece of gift wrap. I used a few odds and ends of rub-on decals to add a bit of green and light pink. I want to study this medium in more detail to continue making this card style. It’s fun.

The following bloggers enjoy taking part in ScrapHappy. Click on any of the links below to see what they’re creating.

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 
Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 
 Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Nóilin, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa, 
Lynn, Tierney, Hannah and Maggie

by

ScrapHappy: Bookmarks and Craft Kits

It’s another ScrapHappy post inspired by Kate and her friend Gun.

I’ve made cards at my crafting table during the hottest part of these too-hot days. Card-making leads to scrap-making, and that’s what today’s post is all about.

I assembled twenty paper crafting kits and placed them near the children’s Little Free Library. They are always popular and fun (for me) if I’m lucky enough to be in my craft room when a young one claims one of the kits.

Using scraps passed on by my sister, I made an assortment of bookmarks for the Little Free Library.

I have a drawer full of beautiful ink, so I pulled out six to represent the rainbow.

I used stencils to add color, then stamped an image or a quote on the bookmark.

I applied ink to the last pair without using a stencil, and I like the look of the saturated inks.

My last make is a blend of scraps and upcycling. This beautiful envelope arrived with promotional material for Tommy Bahama stores.

I cut the most prominent section for the front of the card, adding a scrap of velum below. I fussy-cut the other flowers and used them to decorate the envelope. I have as much fun using new products as I do with scraps.

If you’re a scrappy maker (paper, fabric, metal, etc.), consider joining us for this enjoyable endeavor.

Thanks as always, Kate. Please follow the links below if you would like to see what the other makers are up to.


Kate, Gun,Eva, Sue,Lynda,
Birthe,Turid,Susan,Cathy, Tracy,
Jan, Moira,Sandra, Chris,
Claire, Jean, Jon,Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny,Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,Edith
Ann,Dawn 2,Carol,Preeti,
Debbierose, Nóilin, Viv, Karrin,
Amo,Alissa, Lynn,Tierney and Hannah

by

Thirty Days in the Garden: ScrapHappy


What’s a ScrapHappy post? It’s an opportunity to create something new using scraps of paper, cloth, yarn, really anything. Our host, Kate, of Tall Tales from Chiconia, turns out gorgeous projects month after month. If you would like to join us, please let Kate know.

Pink geraniums

My dear friend Laura sent me a gift last year wrapped in beautiful blue paper, dotted with bumblebees. Bees have significance for her and her family, so she incorporates them in her art, cards, and other beautiful creations.

I gently unwrapped the gift to preserve the paper and set it aside to make her a card.

Gift wrap can be tricky to work with as it’s generally thinner and easier to tear. In this case, it worked beautifully.

Laura’s Bee Card among the succulents and nasturtiums

In addition to the gift wrap, I used a scrap of black card stock. I stamped the sentiment “You are Wonderful” on the upper left, then attached it to a 5 x 7 card. I used my die-cutting machine to cut circles around several of the bees.

Elevated bee

One of the bees sits on the front of the card, raised with a few foam dots.

The bees take flight on the envelope

Two of the bees decorate the envelope, and a fourth one acts as a seal on the back.

I enjoy these monthly ScrapHappy posts. If you’re reading this and thinking of joining us, please do. Be sure to check out all the other scrappy posts this month linked below. Most of these blogs will be live on or just after April 15, 2021.

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, Jill,
Claire, Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris,
Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon, Hayley, Dawn,
Gwen, Bekki, Sue L, Sunny, Kjerstin,
Vera, Nanette, Ann, Nancy, Dawn 2, Noreen,
Bear, Carol, Preeti and Edith