More circle medallions

Awhile back, I found Becca's tutorial for making these circle medallions with corner punches. I haven't made any since I've picked up several of the MS PATP sets, so I thought I'd try it with those corner punches and see what I got.

Just in case you're wondering, too, here's what they look like ...



This is the 3-dot hole punch. All of these style MS corner punches actually punch the outside if you follow the traditional directions (see the righthand image). However, if you cut a 2" circle out of the middle of the regular 3-1/2" circle, you can insert the punch and get the traditional-looking results that are seen on the left. (I really, really like this shape because it reminds me of a petite doily.)



This is the eyelet PATP punch. I thought it would be my favorite, since it's one of my favorites for borders and such, but I wasn't as impressed with these medallions.



Lastly, this is the snowflake PATP punch (Aspen something, I think). This one was really neat!

I'll eventually get to using these on cards, but I know I always like to see how things are going to turn out before I invest too much time and expense in them. So I hope this helps someone else who thought about trying it but doesn't have the time to experiment. :)

I used old computer paper that had been printed on one side, so that's why it's a little wrinkly in some places, and also why you probably see some stray printing here and there.

Have you tried any of these with different punches? I'd love to see them!

I Challenge You Wednesday: Small Cuttlebug Embossing Folders

The challenge this week was to use those small Cuttlebug embossing folders that everyone has and nobody seems to know what to do with. :) I've used them a few times before, but I pulled them out and tried to come up with something different this time. Unfortunately, my time was a little more limited this week, so I only came up with three cards. But I will link to the other cards I've done with these in the past, just to keep the links together.

First up is this square black card:



It's hard to see because it's hard to get pictures of black cards, but the middle black panel is embossed with the CB Fleur De Lis embossing folder that my friend got me for Christmas. I accented it with iridescent Stickles. I used the MS PATP 3-Dot punch on the outside lacy square, as well as the inside smaller square. Then, on the inside, I used the small embossing folder, Versamarked the raised portions, then embossed it with iridescent embossing powder. This card is 5" square so that I can create a custom envelope with my scoring board and a regular 8.5x11" sheet of paper.



I used the same small embossing folder on the middle strip here. I inked the raised portion with Chocolate Chip ink, then added rhinestones custom-colored with my BIC markers. It's hard to see, but I used my EK Success fleur de lis punch in a coordinating color along the edge of that embossed strip. The background paper is from a huge stack I got at Tuesday Morning, and the sentiment is from a clear Inkadinkado set (Garden something) that I recently purchased.

This card is one of the cheap graduation cards, so it's pretty big (5-1/2" x 8" or so).

I saved my favorite for last. Believe it or not, it was actually the first card I made.



I used my kids' small Cuttlebug embossing folders that I never thought I'd use. After I embossed them, I inked the raised parts with a red inkpad. Those were mounted onto red cardstock. I love this double-sided satin ribbon, and I love the big bow. I added a heart charm to hang from it and added small pink pearls (from pink pearl dimensional paint). The rhinestones are from Michaels. I got a bunch of them after Christmas for $0.20 a pack. There are also teeny, tiny rhinestones on the main lips portion (which is popped up on dimensionals). They are recycled from clothing that was going into the rag bag.

Now that you've seen these, I've previously made some cards using Becca's circular embossing technique here (with the nitty gritty details here). There are also some in my Splitcoaststampers gallery that I couldn't find again on my blog, so I'll just give you the links: here, here, here, here, and here.

And now you can visit my friend's blog to see what she has done with these small embossing folders this week.

A few of my favorite things ...

It's been awhile since I've posted links to some of my favorite projects. I've had a few things going on that have created a little "lull" in my cardmaking, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share a few other people's wonderful creations and/or ideas.

• Patti shared a neat twist on the notebook cover made with file folders on her blog here.
• She also shared a free how-to for a cute 3-drawer valentine box that could be adapted for any occasion here.
• And lastly (for Patti), she shared a free how-to for party favors that remind me of those "crackers" some people have at Christmas or New Years. (I think it's a British tradition, but I'm not sure.) You can find her instructions here.
• Just in case you haven't heard of the new blog that tracks down all the free digital stamps, you can find it here. I highly recommend following that blog!
• I'm pretty sure I featured some make-your-own buttons (from cardstock) at some point on my blog. But you really, really need to see what lcoughlin came up with here. I never thought to stamp on those homemade buttons, but it's gorgeous!
• And I'm probably the last person to hear about rag quilt bags, but just in case you haven't heard the latest rage (that's actually pretty cute), you can read about it here and even see a video about how to assemble it all. Most ladies are using their Stampin Up scallop square die in their Big Shot because it can cut something like 8 layers at a time, but if you don't have that die, you can just use pinking shears to get the same effect. I really want to try one of these, but I don't have that die, a Big Shot, or pinking shears. If I happen to get pinking shears, you can believe I'm going to try this! :)

So I hope you've enjoyed a little peek into what's been inspiring me lately. These are all things that I have sitting in an idea file for the next time I get bored. (Bored? Yeah, right!) :)

More Calendar Cards: Collections Calendar

After I made those small butterfly cards with the thumbnail sketches on the back of the calendar, I made these from the Collections calendar. I experimented a little with embossing folders, and I mostly liked the results. Some of them still look better just clean and simple with no embossing, but it really added to others.



The embossing folders I used above: Textiles, D'vine Swirls.



The embossing folders I used above: Fleur de Lis, Swiss Dots, Textiles.

Then I had a larger image from the back of the calendar, and I made this 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" card with it:



These cards are so much fun!

More Calendar Cards: More Butterflies

If you know me, you know that I hate to waste anything. When I saw the thumbnail images on the back of the butterfly calendar were 2" square, I cut them out to use on a card.

I initially thought I'd group them in fours onto a regular-sized card or even running them through my little Xyron "X" and making them into seals. But then I got to looking at those small "thank you" cards that came in my $0.25-pack graduation cards and realized that this was even better: they're small, but still mailable. And sometimes you don't need to write a super-long note.

So here are a slew of 3-1/2" x 5-1/2" cards to go along with the larger ones I showed you yesterday. I think this is the smallest size that you can mail, by the way.



The thumbnail images on the back of the calendar were 2" square, so I matted them all onto black 2-1/4" squares. Then I matted those onto coordinating-colored cardstock that I trimmed just 1/8" smaller than the card itself. Since the card was black, that allowed a thin black edge to show around the card.



I like using the "Thinking of You" sentiment because it's so versatile. You can use it for a get well card, a birthday, a sympathy ... and just a general "I thought of you today" card. These little notes are perfect for that last kind.



And just in case you're wondering what those cards looked like before, here they are. I got 50 of them in each pack of cards (along with 50 of the larger cards and 50 tassels), along with matching envelopes. They are black on the outside but white on the inside, which is perfect for my purposes!
But wait! I still had one larger-sized thumbnail image from the back cover. So I used it to make this 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" card:



I had so much fun with these little cards! I was able to use a bunch of my middle-sized paper scraps.

More Calendar Cards: Butterflies

I didn't post this yesterday in my challenge theme because I had plenty of cards that were stamped, and these only have the sentiment stamped on them. Not only that, but I figured I should put all the calendar cards into their own posts so they're easier to find later.

These cards all came from one calendar called "Butterflies". Again, I got it for $0.30 on clearance at Michaels, and I used my black graduation cards (so these are big and beautiful). I didn't use all the images, since they're not all conducive to cutting up like this.



Here are a few that don't have a sentiment, simply because there wasn't a good place to put one. I thought they looked nice enough without the sentiment.



I got four of these monarch cards, since the cover had the same image on it. I think it was my favorite of the images, so that was fine with me! You can also see how I got two images out of one sheet, whenever possible. And in case you didn't notice, I tried to cut off the middle section of the butterfly whenever possible. These are extremely close-up pictures of butterflies, and the fuzzy bug-looking middles made me want to scream and drop the card. (I know, I'm phobic about bugs!) :)



I cut the images to 4-3/4" x 6-3/4" and then cut the mats to 5x7". The cards themselves are 5-1/2" x 8", so these are sized generously.



The sentiment came from a new-to-me Inkadinkado clear stamp set that I got on clearance at Michaels. It's called Garden Flower, and I'm glad I got it, even if it was just for the sentiments!

And just in case you're like me and wonder how I got such a vibrant black for the sentiments, my friend gave me the best tip: emboss in black embossing powder. It works every time and looks great!

I Challenge You Wednesday: Butterflies

If you remember, my friend and I are getting together via our blogs every Wednesday to share our creations along a particular theme. It was my turn to pick the challenge this week, and I chose butterflies. My inspiration for this theme was the packet of butterflies I had stamped, cut and colored -- and then stuck in a little zippered bag until I got a good idea for them.

Other than creating the butterflies, I created all of these cards in one day (my personal "day off"). I was a creating machine that day! :)

So here are my creations for this week ...



Supplies: stamps (Garden Delight butterfly and Garden Flower sentiment by Inkadinkado); paper (Paper Reflections; ATD Serendipity); Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder; Nestabilities Labels 8; MS eyelet lace PATP border punch; butterfly colored with BIC Mark-Its and highlighted with Stickles glitter.

I was inspired by this card on Splitcoaststampers by atsamom.



This second card is exactly like the first, just with a different color butterfly and stamped sentiment.



Supplies: stamps (Garden Delight butterfly by Inkadinkado, sentiment by Studio G); paper (ATD Serendipity, Paper Reflections, Miss Elizabeth); Cuttlebug Textiles embossing folder; image colored with BIC Mark-Its and highlighted with Stickles glitter.

I was inspired by this card on Splitcoaststampers by pinefeather.



Supplies: stamps (Garden Delight butterfly by Inkadinkado, Garden Flower sentiment by Inkadinkado, Flourishes v2 by Rhonna Farrer for Autumn Leaves); paper (Miss Elizabeth, Paper Reflections); Veramark ink; clear and black embossing powders; image colored with BIC Mark-Its and highlighted with Stickles glitter.

I was inspired by these cards on Splitcoaststampers by Freshn'Sassy. Obviously my inspiration went a totally different direction, but those were my "jumping off" point.

I'm having so much fun with my flourish stamps! I wish I had used them sooner. I did all the flourishes on this card with one flourish stamp. I just turned it different ways to make it intertwine with itself.



This card is basically the same design as the card above, with the following differences: MS PATP 3-dot border punch; paper (Paper Reflections, Provo Craft).



Supplies: stamps (Garden Delight butterfly by Inkadinkado, free digital sentiment by Elegant Word Art by Bethany); paper (Paper Reflections, ATD Serendipity); MS PATP 3-dot corner punch; dew drops and silk flowers; image colored with BIC Mark-Its and highlighted with Stickles glitter.

I love this card, and I'm not much of an orange person. The card base is one of my cheap graduation cards.

I was inspired by this card on Splitcoaststampers by mytime (who I think is Lauren Meader).

I liked the results so well that I did a second one similar to it:



Supplies: stamp (Garden Delight butterfly by Inkadinkado); paper (recycled ME book, Paper Reflections); MS PATP 3-hole corner punch; homemade hot glue pearls and silk flowers; image colored with BIC Mark-Its and highlighted with Stickles glitter.

I think this just might end up as a Mother's Day card this year, since the wording on the recycled page is all about mothers.

If I had to pick, I'd say the last two are my favorite, but it's hard to pick because I really like them all. It's refreshing when an all-day session yields so many cards that I actually like! :)

That's all for me today. Now go check out my friend's blog to see what she came up with! As always, feel free to play along and post a link to your creations in the comments. And as always, feel free to simply browse, if you'd rather! ;)