Snowflakes and buttons

I wanted a CAS card without the bulk, so it could easily be mailed without extra postage. I think we all love all the layering and textures that are now so common in card making, but if you are planning on mailing the card instead of handing it to the recipient we need to pay more attention to the bulk of the card. I love buttons on a card and I have loads of them, but for this card I pulled out my Sizzlets dies to create the buttons on my snowflake embellishements (snowflakes punced out of glitter paper with Martha Stewart punch). I did tie some floss through button holes for more authenticity and embossed the background paper with Swiss dots Cuttlebug folder. I used a Martha Stewart border punch for red strip and simple sentiment stamp.

Enjoy your weekend. Happy Stamping.

Embossed flowers into background

I saw this technique and had to try it. I stamped the images (vase and leaves) on white cardstock and then glued punched flowers to image. I then placed in a Sizzix embossing folder and ran through my Big Shot. This presses the flowers into the background. I then stamped my vase again and cut out and glued to the top of image and added some felt centers for added texture. I matted the image and added a bit of ribbon behind. Very CAS card, but with some visual interest.

I hope you will try this technique and let me know what you think.

Punched Valentines

Today I visited my sweet son's second grade class and brought the pieces to each of these cards plus a few I do not have shown. I brought a few that the kids could just color, but many others where they had to glue the different hearts and other shapes to make the dog, bear, bird, flower etc...

The cards are 3 X 3, with a 2.75 X 2.75 embossed with Cuttlebug heart folder as background piece.

I stamped sentiments from several stamp sets. I think the kids liked the "Your so tweet" and

"Caught the Love Bug" the best. I think they had a great time and I enjoyed sharing something I love with them.

Hope this inspires you to use your punches and punch "your art out" this Valentine's Day.

Enjoy and have a great weekend.

Stitches and Buttons

Today is day 1 of the February release from PTI and they are showcasing some very cute button dies, chipboard (that can be cut with dies), and super sweet background stamps that could be used on your handmade buttons. Check out Nicole's blog {capture the moment} (link is located on left side of my blog. She is having some great giveaways and contests to celebrate their 4th Anniversay and their February release. Today's contest was to make something interesting using buttons. The card on left was inspired by a onsie I saw in a Cracker Barrel, I knew I had to come home and try it on a card. I used PTI designer paper, buttons, and felt to make this card. I used an apple stencil as a guide to create holes for stiching. I used three different colors of floss to stich the apple. The sentiment is from Everyday Button Bits, PTI.

The second card using Everyday Button Bits and PTI dp and buttons. The border was created with Simply Chartreuse felt, PTI. I just love how this turned out, very sweet card.

Buttons just make me smile, I just wish they went through the mail better, but the new PTI chipboard may make the best of using buttons without so much bulk. I know I will be buying some and giving it a try.

Have a great day!