Concord & 9th Freshly Picked Valentines

Do you like making interactive cards?  The Freshly Picked die from Concord & 9th isn't just for fruit!  I filled with hearts and added a tiny message hidden under the top heart.  This makes it perfect for Valentine's Day or friendship.

  Pull the heart up to reveal the hidden message.

To create the card, I went through my "stash" of dies and found several hearts in different sizes that were perfect for filling the basket.  I die cut them from assorted color cardstock along with the basket from the Freshly Picked set and the cute bow I found in the Build a Gift set from Pretty Pink Posh. 

I layered and glued everything together filling the basket and assembling the interactive note.  I've included a link to the Concord & 9th instructional video for assembling the interactive portion of this die at the end of my post.

I then layered everything up on the front of the card with the Combo Rectangle die from Mama Elephant.

I had so much fun creating this card, I created a second version in red and gold!

 

 

The Mini Everyday Messages from Mama Elephant are perfect for the hidden sentiments.  They are just the right size and they also includes a few messages that are ideal for interactive cards. It's a really great stamp to have in your collection.  I find myself reaching for it all the time.

 

Here's the link to Concord & 9th's INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO for assembling the interactive portion of this card.  It's super easy!

Hope you enjoyed the cards.  Which version is your favorite?

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:  

OH, the possibilities with Altenew Dainty Leaves!

Hello my Doodlebugs friends!  I challenged myself to create more than one card design but limited myself to ONE [or two] dies... think I can do it?  You'd be amazed what can happen when you get the creative juices flowing and a bit of color cardstock come to the party!

After cutting these Dainty Leaves from several different colors + white, I went back to my stash to see what might complement them - since they are indeed dainty, I thought this big bold Mega Hello from Altenew made a wonderful place to tuck them.  Now you know I had to utilize the negative cut from that panel ... here's card two:

Where those Pinkfresh Studio gems were used to accent on card one, a bit of Stickles

adds a little whimsy on card two.  You might notice that I saved all the bits from my hello to tuck back into the negative spaces.

One more...

One never knows when a sympathy card will be needed - isn't that Peace die lovely? I have my heart set on their Miss You and Mega Happy dies next!

How about another look?

Wishing you all a wonderful crafty weekend - maybe you'll take another look at your dies after seeing how a simple die can be the jumping off point to so many possibilities!

=] Michele

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:  

Cocord & 9th | Petal Pushers (round two)

Today I'm sharing a quick, follow-up card from Monday's blog post.  I used all the same materials to create another card using the PETAL PUSHERS stencil from Concord & 9th.  This time I created a gatefold card.  

To create the card base, cut your card to 8.5" x 5.5" and score at 2 - 1/8 and 6 - 3/8 on the 8.5" side.  This will create two side panels.  Fold them in towards each other to create the gatefold card base.

This time I stenciled the other design available in the stencil pack using the same colors.  I embossed a piece of gray cardstock (4.25" x 5.5") using the FLOWER FREZY embossing folder from Spellbinders, cut it in 1/2 on the short side, and attached it to the front panels of the card.  Then attached the heart to one side of the front panels.

The word "friend" is from the VERSATILE GREETINGS die set from Altenew.  Love that set!  It really is very versatile.

Hope you're inspired to create today.

-Cathy

Links to products used or recommended are listed below: 

Concord & 9th | Petal Pushers stencil pack and hearts

This week I decided to use the PETAL PUSHERS stencil pack with the ESSENTIAL HEARTS dies from Spellbinders.  I still need a few more Valentine's Day cards to send and thought the hearts would be the perfect way to make this card feel like a Valentine.

I used the new Fresh Dye Inks from Altenew to create the sweet flower pattern from the stencils and then used the ESSENTIALS HEARTS from Spellbinders to cut out the hearts.  I created a few versions with different colors so I could make more than one card.  I cut and layered a larger heart behind my stenciled hearts to create a "frame".

Each card also has a different background.  I used the FLOWER FRENZY embossing folder from Spellbinders for one card and the DOTTED SCALES debossing die for the second card.  I think I like all the texture from the embossing folder best, but do like them both.  Do you have a favorite?

I finished up the cards with a "hello" from the VERSATILE GREETING die from Altenew and some jewels for the flower centers.

Hope you're inspired.  Leave me a comment letting me know which version is your favorite.

-Cathy

Links to products used or recommended are listed below: 

Honey Bee texture with Spellbinders birds!

 

Hi there, Doodlebugs friends! Michele here with a very feminine

card for a friend who shares my love of birds and 

has a way of making even a gloomy day brighter!

My card starts at the base with this gorgeous Winter Gems debossing plate from HoneyBee stamps - you can get a peek of that plate in the photo above!  

  

That gorgeous pattern stood up to die cutting my heart-shaped window - I tucked another heart cut from vellum in the space - isn't it the most wonderful place to perch these darling birds on a branch? from Spellbinders called Sealed Birds.

Let me tell you about my newest favorite sentiment set from

Waffle Flower Crafts: Hello Friend - it has just the right words to say! and I love that it has a coordinating die set to cut them. I've stamped and gold heat embossed this one today - who doesn't have a friend who would appreciate hearing these words?

Bonus day: here's a very special birthday card for a friend:

This time I used two Spellbinders' Postage Edge Ovals make a frame and cut the window and a snippet of patterned paper to back it. 

Here's another sweet sentiment from 

Waffle Flower's Hello Friend.

Have a fun crafty weekend my friends!

=] Michele

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:  

Hand Made Valentines - Love You More Than

Today I have a few, quick cards using the Friendship Garden and Love You More Than sets from Concord & 9th.

 

I die cut and assembled the garden boot, the window box and the crate from the Friendship Garden set.  Instead of flowers for the boot and the crate, I added hearts (appropriate for Valentine's Day).  That cute, scallop rectangle is from the Love You More Than die set, also from Concord & 9th.

 

I stamped those scalloped rectangles with the sentiment "I love you more than flowers."  That sentiment is included in the Love You More Than stamp set.

I chose a few different backgrounds and then assembled everything.

Final embellishments were jewels and glitter glue.

Hope these inspired you to create something today.

Links to products used or recommended are listed below: 

Concord & 9th | Love you more than...flowers

I've been having fun creating with the I LOVE YOU MORE THAN... stamp and die set from Concord & 9th.  Last week I shared some cards using the fry box and ice cream cone dies.  Usually, when I sit down to get crafty, I die cut lots of pieces and then assemble them.  This helps me with inspiration.  I had cut lots of  different dies from that set and still had these flowers.  I need to make something with them.

I decided I'd create a pop up, window card inspired by one of Jennifer McGuire's videos.  If you're interested in recreating this card using the same pop-up element you may want to view her video.  I adapted her instruction to create a heart window and then added the flowers inside.

 

I used the Spellbinders ESSENTIAL HEARTS die to create the window for my flowers.  I also nested one die inside the other, taped them together, and cut a frame for my window.  The back panel, peeking through the heart window, features soft gray hearts (pink and gray for the second version of this card).  I used the LAYERED HEARTS 2 stencil pack from Pretty Pink Posh and some gray ink to create those hearts.

I wanted a bit more texture to the front of the card so I embossed the front panel with the DOTTED SCALES debossing plate from Altenew.

I felt the heart shaped window made this card perfect for a hand-made Valentine.  Depending on the sentiment you add, it's actually perfect for any occasion.  I created two versions.  One for a Valentine's Day card and one as a Thank You card.

The Valentine version says, "I love you more than (flowers - included on the inside).  For the second version I used the VERSATILE GREETINGS die set from Altenew and added "thanks" to the front of the card.

I hope I've inspired you to get creative.

Have a great week! 

-Cathy

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:  

Mama Elephant conversation hearts!

Hello my Doodlebugs friends!  It's Friday - yay - and time for a bit of nostalgia this week.  I have a sweet memory of passing out Valentines in my kindergarten classroom and finding a little box of Brach's conversation hearts on my desk from a secret admirer!  Of course, the same day he revealed his identity as he pushed me off of my swing - that's Kindergarten love for you!

With the help of a sweet die from Mama Elephant, and a few Altenew sets I found just the right words for a set of modern conversation hearts...

A bit of 'stamp surgery' and I was able to put together sentences that fit perfectly onto these darling hearts - here is how I made that job a little easier with the help of the guidelines on my glass mat and a bit of repositionable tape...

I used the smallest heart from that Spellbinders Essential Hearts die set I used last week for my cookie to cut one slightly larger heart from pink cardstock for the main word: SMILE!

Starting with a fabulous die the sky's the limit to say what your heart wants to say - all you have to do is take a closer look at the sentiments you have in your stash! How do you like my color combo of pink, orange, and merlot?  All found among my many Altenew mini cube sets!

Have a fun and crafty weekend!

=] Michele

Links to products used or recommended are listed below:   

 

Altenew sets used:

    Magnolia Ballerina

    Charmed

    Paint a Flower Fashion Monger Dahlia

    Leaf Clusters

Various Altenew inks 

Valentine Heart Boxes with Spellbinders Essential Hearts

The Essential Hearts die set from Spellbinders includes numerous size hearts making it the perfect addition for my crafty supplies.  I've been making lots of cards using the different sized hearts.  Today, I thought I'd use one of the larger hearts to create a pocket.  Perfect for tucking in some sweet, Valentine treats, or a few goodies for a friend in need of some love.

To create the hearts, I started with some hot foiling.  I foiled several pieces of paper with the Heart Grid Hot Foil plate from PinkFresh Studio.  I love those tiny hearts!  After foiling, I used the heart die and cut several hearts from the foiled paper and several from solid paper (I used the solid pieces for the back).

The flowers were cut using the Spring Foliage die from Pretty Pink Posh.  I used white cardstock and colored them with ink and a blending brush.  I cut and inked quite a few.  Might as well since I have all the supplies out.  They'll be perfect for a future project and now I have enough flowers to embellish TWO hearts.

To put the heart pocket together I made some accordion sides.  I cut a strip of paper at 1 inch x 8 inches and scored that strip at 1/4 , 1/2 , and 3/4 inches.  After scoring, I cut the strip into 4, 2 inch pieces (enough for two hearts).  Fold each piece on the score lines, back and forth, to form a "W".  This is the "spring" for the sides, allowing it to stretch open for extra goodies.  Add these, with some strong adhesive, between the front and back heart to form the sides.

I added the flowers and the sentiments to the front of the hearts and filled them with goodies.

I can't wait to deliver these to my friends on Valentine's Day.

Links to products used or recommended are listed below: