Archives for February 2021

Lighthouse Rejects

February 26, 2021 Handcrafted Cards

Some Lighthouse Rejects prototype card fronts have their day in the spotlight!

Well, hi!

I was recently commissioned to do a custom order of cards for the amazing life coach, Denita Bremer. We conferred on the design and I offered a few options. She chose her favorite and the rejected prototypes got set aside. You can see the finished cards here.

Well, I figured it was time these lighthouse rejects got their own special card uses!

Thanks So Much

Each card features a lighthouse silhouette so the variations have to come with the placement of the lighthouse, the sky variants, and the position of the light. For this card, the lighthouse is an island and is in the center. The light comes out from both sides of the lighthouse.

Normally I like to print off a sentiment from my computer. But as the printer is on the fritz, I have to get creative! How about some words in each lighthouse beam?

When I have time, I like to do something to the envelope to hint at what’ll be inside. So I used the lighthouse stamp, without coloring it in for a silhouette, on the outside front.

You Are Loved

Okay, now this one is the actual approved prototype. BUT, when I first made it I got a smudge on the beam of light and tried carefully to remove it with a sand eraser. I was able to remove the mark, but I also removed some paper with it. Not good enough to make into a card for my paying client. So it went into my pile of rejects as well.

Words in the beam for this one too, but I decided to use a gold metallic pen for a more subtle message. I covered up the sand eraser boo-boo by drawing a small heart over it. Adding a few more hearts randomly helped to make that cover-up heart look more at home.

Added some gold star dots and some gold hearts on the envelope. It’s ready for sending now!

You Can Do It

This one is my favorite of all the Lighthouse Rejects! It never got an ink blended yellow light beam because while making this prototype I simply forgot to mask the area. But without a light beam, it was just so dark and dreary!

So, my gold metallic pen came to the rescue (I love my pen, I also used it on this Thanks card). I drew some lines out from the lighthouse and then added the words “You Can Do It,” one to each space. I wanted this card to be just a little more special so I trimmed down the image and framed it with gold metallic paper (using rectangle dies).

To add some drama to the card, I used gold metallic watercolor to add splatters and then added random, angled straight lines. I mounted the framed lighthouse scene with dimensional tape.

The envelope is decorated in a similar manner as the card base.

I gotta say, I love having a little box for card fronts that don’t quite make the cut in the moment. Seems like you can always recycle them for something else later. Never give up on a card!

Y’all take care!

Background Designs with Highlighters

February 24, 2021 Quick Tips

You can make dynamic patterned background designs just using highlighters that you probably already have!

Well, hi!

During a planner session the other day (I am in love with this planner) I was using my favorite highlighters to block off time slots in my week and a thought popped into my head.

“What if I used these for card making?”

Now, I have lots of markers. But they are special craft markers and not many people have those. When people ask me how to get started in card making I am always trying to think of what they can do with what they already have. Me? I want all the supplies! But not everyone feels that way.

Maybe you don’t have my 8-color highlighter set, but you may have a few different colored highlighters laying around. And you can certainly try making background designs with highlighters you have on hand! I think the benefit of this particular set, though, is that the colors are not super jump off the page. Well, the yellow is. But you get the idea.

Want to see some examples? Check out the video below. It’s a shorter one so it won’t take long to get the gist of it. Make sure to subscribe to my channel so you can see any new videos!

Y’all take care!

Here’s another background video for you to check out.

“Favorite Technique” Challenge

February 23, 2021 Challenge Cards, Handcrafted Cards

Two entries into the Simon Says Stamp Favorite Technique Challenge…but how can I pick favorites?!

Well, hi!

I tell ya, every time a “favorite technique” challenge pops up I find it hard to choose! I love lots of different techniques. But then I remember…oh yeah, I love ink blending backgrounds. Especially skies.

And since I have a few new additions in my stamp collection, I thought it a good time to combine them with ink blending.

So, here you go…

Mahalo Floral Card

The latest card kit from Hero Arts is phenomenol! Lots of images and dies to play with. It’s been so cold and wet here lately in eastern North Carolina and having fun with some tropical whimsy is just what I need right now!

I wasn’t really sure where I was going with this when I started, but I like where I ended up! I stamped the flowers and leaves using masking, and colored them in with Copic markers. Then, I used Copic markers to make the water background.

In hindsight it would have been much easier to stamp, color, and die cut all those images out. But I do like that there’s no white border around them. So it’s fine; just hard to do the background around all that detail.

I used Glossy Accents from Ranger to make wavy lines over the blue ink background and let it dry. I stamped some other leaves from the Hero Arts set and placed those around the sentiment that I stamped. All those images are from that Hero set.

You Warm My Heart Card

The stamps that made this very sweet campfire card are from an Avery Elle stamp set. I’m a bit lacking in the cute critter stamp category, so I recently purchased this set. I love campfires so this one was a no brainer.

I stamped the images I wanted to use first, then colored them with Copic markers, being careful to add some yellow glow to the sides facing the fire. (That racoon gave me some trouble, but that’s in their nature I suppose.)

Once those were ready, I placed them on a notecard just to see where I might want my horizon line. I set them aside and masked off that horizon. For this card I used stamp pads and blending brushes for a softer, more subtle blend. I started in the center where I knew the campfire would be, with yellow. Then a light brown around that, and a darker brown on the outer edge. Same basic idea for the sky.

With a few trees stamped at the sides, I was ready to glue my critters in place. After that it was just a matter of adding starts and sentiment.

I have to say, I think my favorite element on this card is the splatterware mug! I couldn’t help myself there!

Both cards have a blended background. One uses Copic blending and the other uses stamp pads with blending brushes. Both are fun!

View my other challenge cards here.

So there you go! Y’all take care!

“Love/Hearts” Challenge

February 5, 2021 Challenge Cards, Handcrafted Cards

My entries into the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge theme of Love/Hearts

Well, hi!

Welcome to another edition of “Julie Makes Challenge Cards.” I do seriously love doing these Simon Says Stamp challenges because it gives me some direction in what cards to make and experiment with.

And, with the recent release of Simon’s February kit, I’ve got lots to play with! I recently was thinking that I wish I had stamps of chocolate truffles and, lo and behold, they show up in the kit! Awesomeness!

So here we go…

Heart Mail

I used a Hero Arts heart background die to create the pink overlay. This goes over some very cute paper from the Simon February kit. Ranger Stickles glitter glue fills up the center heart. And a “heart mail” image from that Simon paper completes the card.

It’s a little busy, but I’ve been wanting to try out that die. Hmmm, maybe next time I’ll do some ink blending behind it?

Sweet Thanks

No stamps or dies in this one! It’s kind of fun to just use paper and accessories to create a cute card sometimes.

The patterned paper is all from the Simon February kit. I used some pink cardstock to back the cupcake image. And some pink metallic tape to edge it. I love my Spectrum Noir glitter brush and used it to add some dazzle to the cupcake sprinkles.

Bunny Heart

That February kit is packed with awesome stuff, like the heart stencil I used for the background of this card. I used blending brushes to create it. First, I used pink. Then, after off-setting the stencil, I used a basic red. Ranger Gloss Accents on a few select hearts gives the background more dimension and some shine.

The bunny is a Printworks (no longer making stamps) stamp. But I did use a stamp from the Simon February kit for the sentiment in the bunny’s heart. After coloring that image in with Copic markers, I mounted the bunny in the center with double stick foam squares.

Oh, and I also used my Spectrum Noir glitter brush for the bunny’s cheeks and the heart he’s holding.

Oh, Hello There

I think this one is my favorite! I love those truffle/candy stamps. I’ve been so eager to use them.

Background papers are from the Simon February kit as well as the “Oh, Hello There” heart. I mounted that one with foam tape.

The candies are also mounted with foam tape. Each candy has something special about it. Some have Nuvo Crystal Drops for dimension. Some have metallic gold colored in for the wrapper. One of them has both! I think they turned out really cute.

And now I’m hungry. If you are now craving sweets, sorry…but why not check out this recent donut post?

So there are my entries into the Love/Hearts Challenge. Another challenge, another blog post. There’s another love themed challenge coming soon. So stay tuned.

Y’all take care!

Simple & Sweet Donut Card

February 3, 2021 Handcrafted Cards

This simple and sweet donut card uses minimal supplies to make a clean but fun design!

Well, hi!

Recently I shared a donut card I made and I promised a video to show the basic technique. It’s a little late, but I have delivered nonetheless!

The card design for this video is not exactly that of my recent post, but the basic concept is exactly the same. You can arrange the final card any way you like. I’m pretty much just showing you how to make the donut and the sprinkles!

I think the original inspiration for this card was from something I saw on Pinterest. I see all kinds of ideas on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for beautiful cards. But, as I explain in the video, I’ve only just recently re-entered the card making world. The supplies I kept from the 90s are not always up to snuff. And I don’t have the budget to run out and get every stamp and die that I want. (Man, would that not be awesome?!)

Anyway, this card is an attempt at making something fun with what I already have. It’s a challenge to make something from the basic supplies that already exist in my little craft studio. I already had the circle dies and the markers and just about everyone who stamps has some kind of sentiment stamp that will work.

I think it turned out great! And it’s a wonderful way to get into card making if you’re new to it.

So watch and enjoy! Y’all take care!

“Anything Goes” Challenge

February 2, 2021 Challenge Cards, Handcrafted Cards

Anything Goes Challenge entries for Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge

Well, hi!

Sometimes I love a specific challenge, but the “Anything Goes” Challenge often comes in handy. No rules or guidelines means I can take whatever card needs I have at the moment and have them do double duty for a fun challenge entry!

This week I have four cards to share with you for the “Anything Goes” Challenge. All of them are birthday cards…yep, it’s time to make sure my February cards are done!

Bold Birthday

I’ve used this basic card design before but this time decided to add some enamel dots to brighten it up and add dimension. I also used the Spectrum Noir Glitter Brush to add some dazzle to the inlaid die cut letters.

It’s a clean and simple card but bold!

Birthday Wishes

In a recent order with Simon Says Stamp, I picked up this adorable stamp set. It’s a small set, but so cute and I think it’s going to end up being used a LOT.

I simply stamped it in black and colored it in with Copic markers. I used the chisel tip of the markers to make a custom background for the birthday sentiment strip. I love the color combo!

Out of This World Birthday

Here’s a card using a Lawn Fawn stamp and die set I got for Christmas. I love this set! It’s so cute and has a lot of possibilities. In fact, I made another birthday card using it in early January.

This time, though, I decided to use black cardstock and just splatter my stars on with metallic silver watercolor paint. Simple, easy, and effective.

I colored the images with Copic markers and cut them out using dies. They are mounted to the card using double-sided foam tape.

Claw-some Birthday

My last entry into the “Anything Goes” Challenge uses this cool retro-vibe stamp set and die set from Lawn Fawn. (I always try to get the coordinating dies at the same time if I can! So handy!)

I stamped the images onto white cardstock and colored them in with Copic markers. I added metallic silver tape on the black cardstock card as a retro background. It reminds me of the 80s! I can say that because I grew up in the 80s. Just sayin’.

I love the pixel-y lettering on the sentiments! Oh, and I also used Ranger Glossy Accents to add dimension to the joystick and buttons on the machine.

Okay, so that’s it for now y’all. This was a fun challenge!