CCEE1717 - National Garden Month

For her final challenge this month Joanne informed the CCEE Stampers that April is National Garden Month.  She said that, when she thinks of April, she also thinks of flowers -- spring is here and flowers are blooming.  She asked us to make a card that includes floral or garden images.  The flower for the month of April is the daisy.  I used one of the CottageCutz flower of the month stamp/die sets for my card.

Stop over at the CCEE Stampers blog for some more floral beauty!

Baby Boy Pop Up Box Card

CottageCutz recently released a whole batch of baby dies, which are really cute.   Last week my card on the CottageCutz blog was for a baby girl.  Today's card is for a baby boy.  Pop-Up Box cards are so much fun to create.

Supplies used on my card are:

White cardstock cut 12" x 8 1/2"
Blue cardstock cut as follows:
     3 panels cut2 1/2" x 3 1/2"
     6 panels cut 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
     2 panels cut 2 1/2" x 6 1/4"
Patterned paper panels cut 1/8" smaller than blue panels
White cardstock panel cut 1/8" smaller than the long blue panel
White, blue, tan cardstock for die-cuts
Acetate
Copic markers
Scor-Tape
CottageCutz dies - Bathtub Time, Baby Boy Tag Topper, Baby Blocks mini, Bear on Cloud and Moon

To make the card, score the 12" x 8 1/2" piece of white cardstock on the long side at 2 3/4", 5 1/2", 8 1/4", and 11". 

Then cut off a 2" x 12" strip and set aside to use later.

Rotate the white cardstock a quarter turn and score at 2 3/4".

Cut down 2 3/4" to the score line along each of the perpendicular score lines.  At the 11" score line, continue to cut at an angle to create a tab, as shown in the photo.

Cut the 2" x 12" strip at 4 3/4" from the end with the 1" score line, and then cut in half to create two 1" x 4 3/4" strips.  Ad some Scor-Tape to the ends, as shown.

Cut the blue and white cardstock and patterned paper pieces, as shown.

Adhere to the white card base.

  Outside of box

   Inside of box

Add Scor-Tape to the small tab, fold the card together and adhere the tab.

Adhere the two small strips of cardstock to the inside of the box, with the tabs facing toward the outside.

Cut the die-cuts using all four dies, using white, blue, and tan cardstock.

Color the die-cut pieces and assemble. 

You can see that I assembled the tub scene on a piece of acetate.  I did this so that I could show the water droplets and bubbles.

Add all the assembled pieces to various parts of the box, using acetate strips to elevate the blocks.

If you've never made a pop-up box card, I would encourage you to give it a try.  It was great fun!

CottageCutz dies used on my card are:

CCEE1716 - Global Astronomy Month

This week Joanne told the CCEE Stampers that April is Global Astronomy Month and asked us to create a card having to do with astronomy, such as moons and stars -- but not limited to that.  I decided on the sun.  My card is pretty bright -- you might need dark glasses in order not to squint!

Stop over at the CCEE Stampers blog to see "where in the world" the rest of the team visited!

Baby Screen Card

CottageCutz just released some really cute baby dies.  I'm using several of them on my screen card today.

Supplies used on my card are:

Pink cardstock - 11" x 5 1/2", scored at 3 3/4" and 7 1/4"

Dark pink cardstock (3 panels) - 3 1/4" x 4"

Patterned paper (3 panels) - 3 1/8" x 3 7/8"

White cardstock large enough to cut pieces

Scrap of pink and dark pink large enough to cut circle pieces

Various Copic markers for coloring die-cut pieces

Punches to cut border top and legs

CottageCutz dies - Baby Animal Mobile, Baby Girl Tag Topper, Pram, Stork w/Baby Mini

To start my card, I cut the pink cardbase 11" x 5 1/2", scored at 3 3/4" and 7 1/4", and punched the border top and legs.  You could use any border punch for the top; mine is an EK Success punch that has small moons and stars.  There are many different punches you could use to cut the legs.   I used the Modern Label punch from Stampin' Up.

Then I cut the dark pink matting pieces and pattern paper . . .

. . .  and adhered the dark pink pieces onto the three panels of the screen.

I cut out the various pieces from white cardstock, except for the tag topper, where I used scraps of light and dark pink.

I colored the various die cuts and constructed the pram, stork and baby, and tag topper.  I decided that it would be easier to construct the mobile directly on the panel rather than pre-make it, although I did "build" the animals that had several pieces (the giraffe, zebra and lion -- as well as the sun).

I then glued the pram to the first panel, built the mobile on the second panel, and glued the stork with the baby and the tag topper to the third panel . . .

. . . and adhered all three panels to the card.

CottageCutz dies used on this card are:

CCEE1715 - National Humor Month

Joanne continues as hostess for the CCEE Stampers this week.  The month of April is National Humor Month.  She reminds us that there are many occasions when a funny image or sentiment can make the day of someone facing some type of a challenge -- or an "aged" birthday.  She asks us to make a card using humor.  I rarely make cards where the sentiment is the focus, but today is one of those days.

Check out the CCEE Stampers blog for some more humor.

Framed Plumeria

Today I've made a card using some new-to-me CottageCutz dies. I love making shaped flowers, and the Plumeria die allowed me to have a bit of fun.  I thought I was unfamiliar with the plumeria, so I Googled it.  As it turns out, the frangipani is a common variety of plumeria -- and I actually had a frangipani in my yard at a house in which I lived many years ago.  Here's my card:

Supplies used on this card are:

Orchid cardstock - 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" folded in half, scrap for circle

Pale orchid cardstock - approximately 3 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Patterned paper - 4" x 5 1/4"

White cardstock - approximately 4" x 5 1/2" to cut frame, scrap for circle, larger piece to cut flowers

Green cardstock - larger enough to cut leaves

Scrap of yellow cardstock

Sentiment stamp

Copic markers - Y02, Y04, Y21, RV00, RV63, E71

Green ink

Embossing folder

Micro glue dots

Circle punches

Foam tape

CottageCutz dies - Plumeria and Leaves, Leafy Foliage, Pierced Wide Rectangle Frame Set

I must admit that, when I start a card, I do NOT meticulously plan out what it is going to look like.  I usually have half an idea in my head and sort of roll with it, and I wasn't sure just how many flowers and leaves I was going to need to complete my card.  So I cut several sets of the Plumeria and Leaves, plus one set of the Leafy Foliage.

As I mentioned before, I didn't think I knew anything about the plumeria; so in order to color the petals, I Googled "plumeria" and found this photo.

Using several shades of red-violet and yellow, I colored all my die-cut flowers.

Using a sponge, I gave the leaves some shadowing; and I colored the branches and the flower centers with Copic markers.

As you can see on the photo of the plumeria flowers, the petals are slightly layered over each other.  So I snipped between the petals and, using micro glue dots, layered the petals over each other so they looked a bit more realistic.

Then I cut all the pieces to make the card base . . .

. . .  and constructed my card.  Before adhering the background inside the frame with foam tape, I embossed the pale orchid piece of cardstock.  Here is a close-up showing all the dimension created by layering the leaves, flowers, and frame.

I then stamped the sentiment, punched it out, layered it on a punched orchid circle and adhered the circle on the side of the frame.  By the way, I still have some already-colored blossoms left that I can use for another card!

CottageCutz dies used on this card are:

CCEE1714 - Read a Road Map Week

Joanne started her month as hostess for the CCEE Stampers with a fun challenge.  She told us that the first week of April is called Read a Road Map Week and asked us to take a scenic road trip on our cards in some way.   The Crazy Birds are taking a road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway and stopped to take a selfie in front of a palm tree in Southern California.  You can see their map behind the selfie!

Stop over at the CCEE Stampers blog to see where else the team members are traveling this week.

Ben on a Wiper Card

I have another fun fold card for you today -- a wiper card -- using several dies and a die/stamp set from CottageCutz.  I love interactive cards that provide a small surprise.

Supplies for this card are as follows:

Two strips of blue cardstock 4 1/4" x 8 1/2"
One strip of blue cardstock 1 1/2" x 3"
Five pieces of red cardstock - 1 1/4" x 4" (2), 4" x 5 1/4" (1), 3" x 4 1/4" (1), 1 3/8" square (1)
Three pieces of red checked paper - 1 1/8" x 3 7/8", 3 7/8" x 5 1/8", 1 1/4" square
Three pieces of white cardstock 1 1/8" x 3 7/8", 3 3/4" x 5", 7/8" round
One scrap of green cardstock - 5"
CottageCutz dies & stamps - Ben w/Puppy, Tree Stump and Log for Peekers, Campsite, Spring Grass
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Vintage Photo
Copic markers
7/8" circle punch
Scor-Pal, Scor-Tape, Tape runner, Foam pop dots

To construct the card:

Score both of the 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" strips at 1 1/2" and 3".

Fold both strips as shown

Place the 1 1/2" x 3" strip as shown, with the right-hand corner at the one-inch mark.  Score diagonally at 1".

Place a small piece of Scor-Tape at the score line.

Place Scor-Tape on the small outside section of both strips, as shown.

Place the small strip in the left-hand small section so that the diagonal score line is just below the top of the card.

Adhere the two panels as shown, with the small "wiper" strip at the top left.

When the card is closed, the "wiper" will fold down in between the two sections.  You can now decorate the front of the card.

To complete the card I stamped and cut the various images needed.  As you can see, I used the Ben w/Puppy stamp/die set, as well as several other dies -- Spring Grass, Tree Stump and Log for Peekers, and Campsite.  I colored Ben and the puppy with Copic markers and sponged on some brown distress ink to the log.

Then cut the various pieces of cardstock and patterned paper as described above, stamping the sentiment "Hi" on the white circle.

Here is my completed card, both closed . . .

. . . and when you pull the left-hand tab, opened . . .

This is a fun, interactive card; and I hope you will try to make one also.

CottageCutz products used on my card are: