We have started putting our life back in order after the big kitchen remodel and I have been longing to do a few creative things with paper and scraps. I have devoted one, well make that two of my kitchen drawers to the bare bones of card making supplies. After the kitchen is clean and the girls are winding down with showers and homework I have been making a couple of cards each evening.
Just stealing away for 30 minutes to expend a little creative juice has been energizing me. I know that probably sounds silly. The homework, the games, the running, the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning, my work, and all the other things I do sometimes leaves me with no me time! The convience of the scrapbooking tools in a handy spot has inspired me to stir up that creative energy.
A few years ago my friend Linda got me hooked on making my own envelopes. Honestly I am just slightly devoted to the concept. Lining the envelopes with fun cordinating paper lends to a nice finished touch. Through all the different fads, styles, and years of scrapbooking I have collected a fun array of goodies. I kinda grimace at the thought of tossing in the trash any tidbits of scraps because I can see them on a card. Over the past few years my passion has grown in making cards and envelopes. Perhaps it is because I don't have to think too hard!
And one might ask what do I do with all of my cards. One of my favorite things is giving them away as sets. I have purchased tin cans or repurposed a cute tin can and filled it with a set of all occasion cards and tied a pretty ribbon around them. Sometimes I just put a few in a cellophane bag or a cute box and add a neat gift tag or ribbon. Did I mention Keno? Great for that crazy girls night out activity!
One of the most fun places they have landed is in the hands of my daughters school teachers. Who doesn't need a card now and then? Their teachers have always seemed very appreciative. And as for me personally it has been fun having my basket stashed with cards for what ever occasion arises! I recently had to stop by the local drug store and pick up a couple of cards because in my haste I forgot to grab some out of my basket. Geez was I shocked at the price of a card today!
Creating cards for our friends and family is a great way to say I love you! Hope you get a few ideas. I do apologize for not listing all of the supplies and papers and step by step instructions. I know there are some wonderful blogs out there that do that and my hat is off to them. Perhaps I will give it a try one night. In the meantime enjoy the visual feast of my randomness in card creations! Maybe, just maybe you may see something you can lift!
CARD #1 - front
CARD #1 - Inside
CARD #2 - Front (the "sparkle" is an extra fold)
CARD #2 - Inside
CARD #3 - Front
CARD #3 - Inside (just love using eyelets)
CARD #4 - Front and oops no inside pic for this one!
CARD #5 - Front
CARD #5 - Inside (notice the stripe paper on the back of the envelope)
Card #6 - Front (notice that striped paper? that is a strip of paper that I folded kinda like a paper fan....really not a hard concept, but just in case Cat should ever read my blog and see this I will give credit where credit is due! Her classes really rock and she has great teaching skills! True card confession time .... I had to have my own private lesson before I caught on to this really complicated paper folding tecnique!
Card #6 - Inside ( I left the inside of this card blank so it could be a note card and the tag is loose and laying on the inside with some encouraging words, but then can easily be used for a bookmark)
Thank you for stopping by my blog ......
till next time,
Teresa
"A friend is one to whom you can pour out the contents of your heart, chaff and grain alike. Knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away." -unknown
Nice cards! Love that you share them! Glad you are finding some time to be creative!
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