Using new QuicKutz 12" border folders for card-making

Yesterday I posted a peek at a card that I made using a tutorial that I wrote up for a guest spot on the Cuttlebug Challenge blog. Here's a look at the full card now that the tutorial has been posted over there....

I made this card using Spellbinders butterfly die set and patterned card stock by K & Company. The sentiment is by Penny Black and stamped using Memento ink. The embossed designs were made by first embossing with the QuicKutz 12" scalloped border folder, then embossing over that using one of the folders from the Cuttlebug Frills border set. More details about using these border folders can be found in my Guest Designer post on the Cuttlebug Challenge blog.

I've always liked combining the folder designs--just check out double Cuttling, creative double Cuttling, double 'bossing, or double 'bossing revisited in my tutorials list over in the sidebar if you don't believe me. ;-) It's a quick and easy way to give a clean and simple card design some added pop. These new border folders by QuicKutz are a fun addition to the embossing arsenal. I didn't think I'd need them, but I'm glad that I bought some anyway. :-)

new arch lattice border punch by MS

Earlier today, I saw the word out on various stamping forums that new Martha Stewart border punches had been spotted at Michael's stores. Needless to say when I headed out to take care of my many errands, I made a quick stop by a Michael's to see what I could find. It was right on my way. How convenient, eh? Hanging on the display I discovered four border punch designs that I'd not seen before. I also saw the wonderful sight of sales signs for Martha Stewart craft products this week. Excellent!

I have to say that the Arch Lattice design caught my eye. I really liked the looks of that one! Here's a card that I made, just so I could see if it worked well. I've heard some folks complain that their MS border punches won't punch all the way through. I've never had any problems with them.


I used black cardstock as my card base and Basic Grey as the first layer. The punch handled that Basic Grey layer without problems. I didn't have any problems with the heavier white cardstock layer either. The stamped image is by K & Company and was stamped using Memento dye inks. I embellished with the ribbon and Robin's Nest Dew Drops.

Fun new border punch! :-)

spring cards in summer

Okay, I wasn't referring to spring, the season, but spring, as in that gizmo that would go "boing" if you pressed down on it.

These are a couple of cards that I made using a template that I saw on Splitcoaststampers. They are Spring Cards. I've linked the tutorial for you. I made two of them from one piece of 12 X 12 patterned cardstock. I decided to try for a couple of different looks, just to see if I could do it.

The patterned cardstock is by K & Company and is double-sided. Just a piece of advice, using double-sided paper is fine, just maybe choose something that is not striped on the back when you try this for the first time. It can be tough to see your score lines. There's a reason why I know this. ;-)


The stamped images and sentiment are by Inque Boutique and stamped with Memento dye inks. The toad/frog is a Cuttlebug, more specifically, a Cuttlekids, die cut.


Here you can see how this card neatly folds flat and would be easy to fit in an envelope to mail. It's 5 1/2" by 5 1/2".

This second card was going to be more serious, but still ended up being somewhat light-hearted because of the colors.


The stamp images and sentiment are by My Sentiments Exactly and stamped using Memento dye inks. I embellished with Prima flowers and leaves. The centers are Liquid Pearls.

Shaking Things Up

Maybe it was because of the earthquake that startled me awake this morning at about 4:40am, or maybe it was because I'd read a comment on a stamping forum that said that scalloped Nestabilities and shape dies are overused and boring, but I decided to shake things up a little and make a card that's not my typical style, and I wanted to use some Nestabilities in a way other than just layering on a cardfront. I've always thought that if something has become boring, it's probably because it's not being used creatively enough. So instead of complaining--do something about it! :-)

Here's what I came up with.


This is an accordian card. I used the spiral clips to hold it closed for now. The stamped images are by Inque Boutique and stamped using chalk inks. The flowers and leaves are Primas. The patterned paper is by K & Company. And yes, I'm using more Robin's Nest dew drops.


This is the card unclipped. I'd used my scalloped rectangle Nestabilities dies to make those parts that stick out from the fold. They're still attached because I only ran them through my die machine part of the way. I described that here a while back: partial Nesties. I did layer a smaller scalloped rectangle on top of both to add color and interest. I'd used my Scor-It to make all of the score lines and folds for this card.


That's a view of the card completely open. The sentiment is by Hero Arts.

I hope that this may have started some creative wheels turning. Nestabilities dies are like Cuttlebug embossing folders, shaped punches, clear stamps, and any of the other tools that are popular in crafting. You can use them the usual way and make gorgeous works of art, but you can also use them creatively to give them a new twist and sometimes a new lease on life. :-)

Doodling with Patterned Papers - DCM

The midweek "challenge" on daring cardmakers is making a card using a tutorial on doodling with patterned papers. Lythan wrote up lovely step by step instructions. I'm not a doodler, but I couldn't resist giving this a try.

First off, I found out that I don't have many bold patterned papers in my stash, but I found some K & Company paper that I thought would work. Here's the pre-doodling phase.


I'd cut out some mini-scalloped circles using Spellbinders nestabilitities dies. I did the doodling on the patterns per the tutorial using a black gel pen and a Ranger Inkssentials white opaque pen. Here's how my card turned out.


It's definitely an out-of-my-comfort-zone creation, but it was fun! The brown layer is the back of the patterned paper. The sentiment is a Posh stamp. I attached the doodled pieces with some pop dots to give them some dimension. I think this is a technique that I'll have to use again. Sure was less intimidating than free-hand doodling. :-)

Francis - a transparent card

When I made my diagonally Cuttled cards the other day, I liked the look of the patterned papers, but I would have liked the cards to have a bit more weight to them. I decided to try layering on a transparent card to add that weight and still preserve the fun look of the embossing on double-sided papers.


I used K & Company double-sided paper and did some diagonal Cuttling--I didn't want to just emboss the entire cardfront and cut an opening because the edges would have been bumpy from the embossing and I wanted a nice smooth look. I used the Textile Texture Cuttlebug A2 embossing folder, cut out my opening well inside of my embossing, then accented the embossing and the edges with chalk ink. I stamped Francis by Rosebud Stamps on my transparency and then colored her from behind with markers. I took a matching piece of patterned paper and folded it into a slightly smaller card and embossed the front using the Swiss Dots folder. This smaller card went inside the transparent card to provide a nice place to write and to give an interesting background for Francis. I also used pop dots outside each corner of the diamond opening to give a little more dimension. I finished by turning up that corner on the outer layer and adding the Robin's Nest Dew Drop, colored a star-shaped clip and a ribbon to match the card, and that was it! I had my sturdier card and kept the fun look of the patterned papers.

two more diagonally Cuttled cards

It was bound to happen. Today it occurred to me to use that Lacy Days of Summer Fiskars border punch with diagonal Cuttling. LOL! Here are the two cards that I made.


As you can see, I also thought of using patterned paper. This is the heavier stuff that's more suitable for card-making. For this first card I used the Cuttlebug Floral Fantasy embossing folder on Basic Grey Infuse paper. I made my score lines using my Scor-It. The sentiment is by Hero Arts. I embellished with faux dew drops and used the Lacy Days of Summer border punch as a finishing touch.


For this card I used double-sided paper by K & Company and embossed it diagonally with the Perfectly Paisley embossing folder. I cut off the lower corner at an angle and punched it using that same Fiskars Lacy Days of Summer border punch. I accented the embossing and edges of the cardfront with brown chalk ink. The stamped images are by Hero Arts.

Labor day weekend cards

I started this card for the Blue challenge on Wednesday stamper but posted a different card for that. I finished it today.


The main image is a gorgeous stamp by Olive Wimple that I stamped on matte card stock using majestic blue Versafine ink because I wanted to be able to capture all of the details. I embellished with some Prima blossoms that I brushed with iridescent medium. I'd watered it down a bit, but I think next time I'll water it down even more for a more subtle effect.

This next card is another one that's looking toward fall.


The main image is by Impression Obsession, stamped in permanent black ink and then colored with Prismacolor and Copic markers. I used marker paper, and it does make a big difference in how these inks act. They stay on top of the paper longer so that they can be blended nicely with the blending marker. The other stamp images are by Victorine Originals. The patterned card stock is by K and Company.

Ahhh, it's nice to have some extra time to stamp.

Markers this time

The main image in this card is by Cat Dancing Design, stamped with Versafine Onyx black ink and then colored with markers. I'm not totally comfortable coloring my images with markers, so I'm practicing using them. I feel like I'm gradually getting better at it.

The sentiment is a Studio G clear dollar stamp from Michael's. The flowery background is by K&Company. The embossed border was green cardstock run through my Big Shot with a texture plate. I think the narrow floral strip was from the DCWV glitter stack.

A little bird told me

Today I wanted to make a simple card using my Copic markers. I used a bird image by Cat Dancing Design and colored it with my markers. I'm still working on blending colors, highlighting, and that sort of thing, but it was a start. I punched out the image using my Giga scalloped oval punch. The sentiment is a punch and emboss punch by Around the Block. I cut around this with a Carl mini-scallop circle punch. All of the paper is by K&Company.