Sympathy Cards

I have mixed feelings about sympathy cards - I hate to sell them because that means someone is grieving.  And so I try to find just the right words, just the right image, to perhaps bring comfort, to let the recipient know that someone cares.

 

My heart goes out to my friends who are grieving the loss of their granddaughter this week.  I hope that one of my cards lightened their burden just a little.

Easter is getting close!

Time to make some cards for Easter!  With my Pazzles Inspiration, the Pazzles Library and all the great videos to make sure I know what I'm doing, this was just pure fun!

I was lucky to win the Pazzles giveaway, 40 Prima Chalk Ink Edgers, for the new Vue Color Party.  It showed up at the perfect time.  So I can now edge paper with fantastic color, like the bunny, above and below.

More chalk ink edgers at play here.  The internet has everything we'll ever need, with new stuff added all the time!  I found a dry brush technique with the edgers that I used on the eggs and letters.  So many possibilities!

The flower on this card really stands out, due to the chalk ink application.  I hope I'll get better with this new option over time. 

I wish you a blessed Easter!

Stylish Birthday Cards

This weekends cardmaking is all about birthday cards.  I filled an order for 2 cards and felt like I didn't have enough selection.

 

 

Sometimes, inspiration runs to specific types - this Coco Chanel quote and the shoe below are an example of me having a stylish moment!  That doesn't happen very frequently!

This last one is my fave, so far.  Very bling-y!

 

The Pazzles library had 2 shoes that were similar, but both had chunky heels.  So, after downloading one of the files, I changed the heel to look like really high high heels. 

 

 

Feel free to leave me a message!  I'd love to hear from you.

One Cut - Two Cards

Saw an image online and just loved it - so I re-created the idea for my own!

 

Here's my card.  I love the look of the cutout letters and the shaped outline.  What occurred to me while I was cutting this card on my Pazzles Inspiration is that I was using the negative image and the positive image could be used as well.  Below is what I created with that:

 

I used the original outline for a background label for this card.  I like them both and I'm so delighted to get 2 cards from 1 cut!  I love efficiency!

Very Cool Lettering Technique

Because of the versatility of the Pazzles Inspiration, I can create lettering like this:

I've seen ads that cut the text with a shape and I've always wanted to try it.  While designing this card, I realized that this would be the perfect opportunity to test the theory. 

So in the software I laid out all my elements on the card base.  Then I duplicated the text and grouped one set of text with the silhouette.  I left the original text on the card base.  So then it was just a matter of keeping track of which pen color to use. 

BTW, this is an Anniversary card - the inside verse says "is only YOU.  Happy Anniversary". 

Revisiting Some Old Cards

Sometimes, I like a card so much that once it sells, I want to make it again.  And sometimes, I don't like it enough that I want to re-do it.  This weekend was spent making lots of old designs.

 

I keep looking for ways to use the embossed foils - here's another example.  The original card was portrait and I felt that if I turned it landscape, it would leave more room to the left of the sentiment and balance the card better.  Below is the original card:

 

 

 

The first time I created this card I didn't like it.  So I changed it!  A lot!

Below is the original card.  The colors just didn't pop, the scallop was too large, the font was too wishy-washy, the flowers too simple, the leaves too pale.  I really like the orange and green color scheme of the new card.  I'd love to see a section in the Pazzles Craftroom where we can get advise from the pros on how to make a better design, but have it be a forum as well.  I haven't taken advantage yet of the Designer Chat - hard to do when I craft on the weekends.


And this is one of my favorite designs.

 

 The first card I made actually got sold before I took a picture of it.  Here's the second one:

I must have something against yellow - you'll seldom find a card of mine that is mostly yellow!  I might still need to redesign this card so there is room for the ribbon on the left.  I didn't include a ribbon on the new card except on the left side of the tag - I like the rounded corners to show.

 

Please leave me a message if you have any suggestions for creative designs or just a critique of these cards.  Thanks!

Pazzles February Challenge

This month's challenge on the Pazzles Craftroom site was truly a challenge.  It was to create a card with the bendi-card form. 

 

It took a long time for me to finally settle on a design.  Love the way the card can be displayed.  Hope I win the challenge!