Monochromatic Cards with Handmade Papers

I bought this little booklet of handmade papers a while ago in Michaels and hadn't used them yet (what a surprise).  So I took them out and pickedc out a couple of papers that I liked.  I matched the colors and voila!~note cards.

I like to have a few spare cards around so that I can use them when I don't have a lot of time to make something which happens once in a while.  I like the cards below because, although they are for different events, they have the same layout.  I can wrap up several of these and give them as a gift.  Who doesn't need a few cards?

Because the colors of the papers were so rich I decided to use some specialty papers also.  In this case foiled card stock.

I used Stardream card stock below and matted both cards on dark brown card stock.

(OK.  Who has trouble finding really good quality rich brown card stock?  Or a rich blue?  I did.  I found this company called The Paper Mill.  They carry NEENAH & their CLASSIC LINEN line.  I love this line and have used it for years ever since I discovered it at Kellys Paper - you might have a store near you.  It comes in "cover" (an alias for card stock) in ivory, white, red and my all time favorite black (Epic Black for those of you who are curious).  I had always wanted to get the Patriot Blue and some Canyon Brown but before I discovered this store they only came in parent sheets (parent sheets are those huge long sheets that you have to cut up.  I didnt want to do that. Well, The Paper Mill does carry Patriot Blue in 8 1/2 x 11.  Unfortunately they didnt carry it that size in Canyon Brown BUT they did carry it in half sheets SO I purchsed the half sheets and had them cut it down to 8 1/2 x 11.  I got delivery this past week....yipee!  You all might think I'm crazy but I DO LOVE THIS PAPER line!  The "linen" part is the embossed linen pattern in the paper.  Its very delicate so its not overbearing.  The feel of the card stock is wonderful and they make really superb card bases.  Warning: its not easy stamping on this because of the linen embossing but it does make it look distressed.  There is also Bazzill and their "linen" embossed line but its much heavier than Neenah's.  Anyway - I didnt mean to go on about paper...but well I just love it!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Lis

Happy Birthday Card

I am in the habit of starting cards and then not finishing them for a while.  So I have this pile of half finished cards that I decided to work on. 

The base card is white card stock which is covered in washi tape in a rooster pattern (I picked this up at Michaels.)  I added a stamped image of an old bike in black on a blue checkerboard,  backed on yellow.

Close Up!

I added a little square of blue and yellow with cute gold hearts in the lower right corner and a red bow.

See you again!
Lis

Bird Cage Thank You Card

I often look through my scrapbook paper to find images to cut out and use on my cards.  I found a birdcage and a bird and cut them both out.  I added the bird to the front of the cage with mounting tape.  I edged the entire image in brown chalk ink. I'm really becoming addicted to this particular shade of brown (unfortunately I don't remember which color it is because I got it as part of a kit) 

Close Up!

I added a line of Dazzles borders to the cage and a couple of suede paper flowers and pearl to finish it off.  I also used Dazzles words at the bottom.

Lis

Pink & Brown Shabby Chic Style Card

Today's card is made in a shabby chic style. (It's supposed to be. I looked up shabby chic on google.  I hope I came close!)

I made this card using brown cardstock as my card base and added burlap (such a great texture) and pink suede paper (another great texture).  The suede paper is border punched on one side and on the other I used a Sizzix die (On the Edge Doily) for the other.  The pink suede paper is backed with plain cardstock.

The card opens from the right side.  The brown card that you see on the right is the inside of the card.  The front is the doily only.

Close Up!

I think buttons are an underused embellishment.  I myself don't use them as often as I probably should. The buttons I used on this card are from the French General Collection.  I'm not sure that the pictures do them justice.  They are just beautiful!

Isn't this ribbons cool?  Unfortunately i can't remember where I got it. I bought a yard from someone (possibly SkyBluePink).  I love the wrinkly-ness of it.  The charm was from a pack that was given to me by my girlfriend.  She found them at Tuesday Morning for a buck!

This is a close up of the pink suede paper cut out with the doily die from Sizzix/Tim Holtz.

Thanks for stopping by!
Lis