Holidays 2023, Valentine's Day!, Valentines Day

Dollar Store Crafts: Easy Valentine’s Day Cards Using Gift Bags

Hello friends. I decided to challenge myself and make Valentine’s Day cards using Dollar Tree products and a few of my own stamps and dies. My Dollar Tree doesn’t have an abundance of craft supplies like stamps but they have enough that you can create some fun crafts. Three of the cards use only Dollar Tree products.

I found some gift bags in the Valentine’s Day section that I used to replace my pattern paper as well as some doilies, 5/8″ ribbon, and confetti I used to decorate my cards. The doilies (30 count), ribbon (9ft), and confetti (1oz.) packages contain enough product to make several type of crafts so it’s a steal at $1.25! Ok let’s get into the making of the cards.

For the first card, I cut a piece of Stampin’ Up! Poppy Parade 8.5 X 11″ Cardstock to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base. I took one of the gift bags and fussy cut out the heart on one side and then die cut the background from the other side of the bag using the Lawn Fawn Quilted Heart Landscape Backdrop. I also cut a piece of a metallic gift bag I also purchased at the Dollar Tree to 4-1/4 x 5-1/2″ to back the background.

I adhered the heart to the front panel and die cut the “love” and shadow from Simon Says Stamp Cardstock White GLITTER 6×6 Cardstock and Simon Says Stamp Cardstock 100# 8-1/2 x 11″ Black Cardstock using the Simon Says Stamp LOVE Shadow Wafer Dies. I stamped the rest of the sentiment onto Neenah 100lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Memento Tuxedo Black with the Simon Says Stamp LOVE stampset (discontinued) and die cut it with the Queen and Company’s Foundation 18.

On the inside of the card, I cut a piece of stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Happy Happy Happy Stamp Set with Memento Tuxedo Black and added a 1 x 4-1/4″ strip of the same gift bag.

Dimensions


For the second card, I cut a piece of Neenah 100lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 7 x 10″ and scored at 5″ to create a card base. I took one of the gift bags and cut a piece to 4-3/4 x 6-3/4″. I added a Heart-Shaped Paper Doily to the front panel as well.

Then I die cut the word “XOXO” from the metallic gift bag using Lawn Fawn Giant XOXO dies 3 times and adhered them to the card.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Happy Happy Happy Stamp Set with Stampin’ Up! Poppy Parade Ink and added a 1 x 5-1/2″ strip of the same gift bag.

Dimensions


For the third card, I cut a piece of Stampin’ Up! Poppy Parade 8.5 X 11″ Cardstock to 7 x 10″ and scored at 5-1/2″ to create a card base. I took one of the gift bags and cut a piece to 4-3/4 x 6-3/4″. I added a Heart-Shaped Paper Doily to the front panel as well as the heart sentiment I fussy cut from one of the gift bags

I added some of the Valentine’s Themed Heart Printed Ribbon tied in a bow which finished off the card.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Happy Happy Happy Stamp Set with Stampin’ Up! Poppy Parade Ink and added a piece of the Heart-Shaped Paper Doily.

Dimensions


For the fourth card, I cut a piece of Neenah 100lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 7 x 10″ and scored at 5-1/2″ to create a card base. I took one of the gift bags and cut a piece to 4-3/4 x 6-3/4″. I added a sentiment piece from another gift bag to the front panel as well.

I finished the card off by adding some Nuvo Liquid Mercury Drops (discontinued).

I left the inside of the card blank and added a 1 x 5-1/2″ strip of the same gift bag.

Dimensions


For the fifth card, I cut a piece of Neenah 100lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 7 x 10″ and scored at 5-1/2″ to create a card base. I cut down one of the gift bags which had a heart and sentiment on it to 5 x 5-1/2″ and adhered it to a piece of gold cardstock from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Metallic Kraft 8 x 8 Paper Stash.

I die cut the panel with the Queen and Company Foundation 18 Dies. I used the die that is 4-3/4 x 6-3/4.

I finished the card off by adding some Red Valentine’s Day Heart Confetti.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Simon Says Stamp Love Stamp Set (discontinued I believe) with Stampin’ Up! Poppy Parade Ink and added a 1 x 7″ strip of the same gift bag.

Dimensions


Supplies

Thanks for reading this post. I hope I’ve inspired you to give these quick and easy Valentine’s Day cards a try for yourself. Leave comments or questions below or feel free to email.

Christmas, Stampin' Up!

Last Minute Holiday Cards

Hello friends. Here’s a quick and easy last minute Holiday card. Using pattern paper and minimal stamping makes this card come together very quick.

For this card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Echo Park Celebrate Winter Collection 6 x 6 Paper to 4 x 5-1/4″. I also die cut two circles using the Sizzix Framelits Circles Die Set – one from Echo Park Celebrate Winter Collection 6 x 6 Paper (2-1/2″) and one from Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ (3″).

I stamped the reindeer from Stampin’ Up!’s Warm & Toasty Stamp Set (retired) onto Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it with Copic Markers. I used

I stamped the sentiment from Stampin’ Up!’s Warm & Toasty Stamp Set (retired) onto some Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Memento Tuxedo Black and cut it to 1 x 1-1/8″.

I finished off the card by adding some Tonic Fresh Snowfall Nuvo Glitter Drops and added some Glossy Accents to the reindeer’s nose.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set with Stampin’ Up!’s Real Red Ink.

Dimensions


Supplies

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed and I’ve inspired you to give this card a try for yourself. Leave comments or questions below or feel free to email.

Christmas, Distress Ink Techniques, Embossed Background, Mini Slimline, Stampin' Up!, Techniques, Window Cards

Embossed Resist Mini Slimline Card: More Holiday Cards

Hello friends. Want to make an impactful background with little effort. Try using an emboss resist technique. You can stamp or stencil the embossing. Either way the results are impressive!

For this card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 6 x 6″ and scored at 3″ to create a card base. I cut a piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 2-1/8 x 5-1/8″ and die cut a scalloped border using Queen & Co Foundation 17 Dies.

I used Tim Holtz Chipped Sapphire, Salty Ocean and Uncharted Mariner Distress Oxide Inks to color the background. I sprayed some water on it before adding the snowflakes. Next I used Simon Says Stamp’s Falling Snow Stencil with Versamark Ink and White Embossing Powder to create the snow in the background.

I stamped the images from Stampin’ Up!’s Warm & Toasty Stamp Set (retired) onto Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. I colored them with Copic Markers. I used YG03, YG17 & YG67, C1, C3 & C5 for the sleigh; N1, N2 & N4, R20 & R46 for the bunnies; R46 & R32, C1 & C3, YG03 & YG17, R20 for the mice; and R17 & R46, Y06 & Y17 for the ornaments.

I stamped the sentiment from the Lawn Fawn Happy Happy Happy Stampset onto the card with Versamark Ink and White Embossing Powder.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set with Stampin’ Up! Real Red Ink and the mice from Stampin’ Up!’s Warm & Toasty Stamp Set (retired) with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.

Dimensions


Supplies

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed and I’ve inspired you to give this card a try for yourself. Leave comments or questions below or feel free to email.

Christmas, Distress Ink Techniques, Embossed Background, Faux Embossing, Stampin' Up!, Window Cards

Create Embossed Backgrounds Using Your Dies

Hello friends. It’s time to make some holiday cards. Starting things off with some super easy cards using dies to emboss backgrounds. It’s a super easy technique and produces some really cool results. You can use the embossed or debossed side as well.

For the first card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 4 x 5-1/4” for the top panel. I used the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes dies (retired) to emboss the background. I followed the sandwich for wafer dies on my diecut machine (Sizzix Big Shot) and added another piece of cardstock to get a deeper impression. Play around with your sandwich and add a shim if necessary to get the desired raised effect.

I used Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass and Uncharted Mariner Distress Oxide Inks as well as Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink to color the background. Then I cut out the window using the die in the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes die set.

I stamped the sentiment from the Stampin’ Up! Snowflake Wishes Stamp set (retired) onto some Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink and adhered behind the panel.

I die cut snowflakes from Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″, Simon Says Stamp 6×6 Silver Glitter Cardstock and Stampin; Up! 12 x 12 Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper (retired) using the Catherine Pooler Designs Delicate Snowflake Die (discontinued), Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes (retired) and Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons.

I finished off the card by adding some Tonic Gloss Simply White Nuvo Crystal Drops and Silver Moondust Nuvo Glitter Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set with Tim Holtz Uncharted Mariner Distress Oxide Ink and added some silver snowflakes.

Dimensions


For the second card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper to 4 x 5-1/4” for the top panel. I used the Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons dies (retired) to emboss the background.

I used Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass, Uncharted Mariner, Kitsch Flamingo, and Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Inks to color the background. I used the ink smooshing technique this time instead of ink blending. It created a nice watercolor effect.

I die cut snowflakes from Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″, Simon Says Stamp 6×6 Silver Glitter Cardstock and Stampin; Up! 12 x 12 Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper (retired) as well as some bright pink glitter paper from my stash. I used the Hero Arts Fancy Snowflake Die (discontinued), Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes (retired) and Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons.

I stamped the sentiment from the Stampin’ Up! Snowflake Wishes Stamp set (retired) onto some Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink, fussycut it, and adhered to the panel.

I finished off the card by adding some Tonic IVORY SEASHELL Nuvo Crystal Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink and added a Balmy Blue Glitter snowflake .

Dimensions


For the third card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 3-3/4 x 5” for the top panel. I also cut a piece of Simon Says Stamp 8-1/2 x 11″ Slate 100lb Cardstock, measuring 4 x 5-1/4″ to mat the top panel.

I die cut snowflakes from Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″, Stampin; Up! 12 x 12 Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper (retired) as well as some pale and bright pink glitter paper from my stash. I used the Hero Arts Fancy Snowflake Die (discontinued), Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes (retired) and Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons.

I stamped the sentiment from the Stampin’ Up! Snowflake Wishes Stamp set (retired) onto some Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink and adhered to the panel.

I finished off the card by adding some Tonic LIQUID MERCURY Nuvo Crystal Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Ink and added a light pink and balmy blue snowflake.

Dimensions


For the fourth card, I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 4 x 5-1/4” for the top panel. I used the Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes dies (retired) to emboss the background.

I ink blended the background using Tim Holtz Kitsch Flamingo and Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Inks.

I die cut snowflakes from Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ as well as some bright pink glitter paper from my stash. I used the Catherine Pooler Designs Delicate Snowflake Die (discontinued), Stampin’ Up! So Many Snowflakes (retired) and Stampin’ Up! Colorful Seasons.

I stamped the sentiment from the Stampin’ Up! Joy to the World Paper Pumpkin Stampset (retired) directly onto the card with Catherine Pooler Designs Black Jack Ink.

I finished off the card by adding some Tonic IVORY SEASHELL and Carnation Pink Nuvo Crystal Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Ink and added bright pink snowflakes.

Dimensions


Supplies

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed and I’ve inspired you to give these cards a try for yourself. Leave comments or questions below or feel free to email.

Christmas

Three Quick Backgrounds Using the Catherine Pooler Gradient Diamond Stencil

Hello friends. It’s time to make some holiday cards. I’m getting a bit of a late start this year but better late than never! Starting things off with some super easy cards using Catherine Pooler’s Gradient Diamond Stencil and Retro Ornament Dies.

For this first card, I created a tone-on-tone background with a little shimmer. I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 4 x 5-1/4” for the top panel. I used the Catherine Pooler Gradient Diamond Stencil and Cosmic Shimmer Opal Glaze Polish to create the background.

I die cut the ornaments from Stampin’ Up! Cherry Cobbler 8 1/2 x 11″ Cardstock, Stampin’ Up! Mossy Meadow 8 1/2 x 11″ Cardstock and Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Paper Stash Metallic Kraft Stock with the Retro Ornament Dies. I backed them with Vellum. I used some silver embroidery thread from my stash for the ornament strings and stamped a sentiment from the Catherine Pooler Wrapped and Ready Stamp Set onto piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Juniper Mist Ink, trimmed around the sentiment and adhered it with 3M Foam Tape. I finished it off by adding some Red Autumn and Bottle Green Nuvo Crystal Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set with Stampin’ Up! Cherry Cobbler Ink.

Dimensions


For this second card, I used a traditional stenciling method with just ink. I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 4 x 5-1/4” for the top panel. I used the Catherine Pooler Gradient Diamond Stencil with Tranquil Ink to create the background.

I die cut the ornaments from silver cardstock from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Paper Stash Metallic Kraft Stock with the Retro Ornament Dies and backed them with Stampin’ Up! Cherry Cobbler 8 1/2 x 11″ Cardstock and Stampin’ Up! Mossy Meadow 8 1/2 x 11″ Cardstock. I used gold cardstock from Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Paper Stash Metallic Kraft Stock for the topper, bow and string.

Then stamped a sentiment from the Catherine Pooler Wrapped and Ready Stamp Set onto piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Memento Tuxedo Ink, trimmed around the sentiment and adhered it with 3M Foam Tape. I finished it off by adding some MOONDUST Nuvo Glitter Drops.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set with Tranquil Ink

Dimensions


For this third card, I used a kicked it up a notch with some metallic paste. I cut a piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 5-1/2 x 8-1/2″ and scored at 4-1/4″ to create a card base and piece of Neenah 80lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ to 4 x 5-1/4” for the top panel. I used the Catherine Pooler Gradient Diamond Stencil with Dreamweaver Embossing Paste in Gold to create the background.

For the ornaments I used a direct-to-paper technique with Cranberry Fizz and Green Tea Inks on Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″, then die cut with the Retro Ornament Dies and backed them with gold cardstock from Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Paper Stash Metallic Kraft Stock. I used the same gold cardstock for topper, bow and string again. I adhered them with 3M Foam Tape for some dimension.

I stamped a sentiment from the Catherine Pooler Wrapped and Ready Stamp Set onto piece of Neenah 110lb Classic Crest Cardstock 8.5 X 11″ with Memento Tuxedo Ink, trimmed around the sentiment before adhering it flat.

On the inside of the card, I stamped a sentiment from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages Stamp Set with Cranberry Fizz.

Dimensions


Supplies

Thanks for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed and I’ve inspired you to give these cards a try for yourself. Leave comments or questions below or feel free to email.