Hello!

Card project designed by Sharon M Reinhart March 2020

Stopping by to share this project and instructions, I thought possibly it could provide some creative therapy. ❤️
First create the card base with a 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 piece of white card stock. Score at 4-1/4 inches and fold in half. Next layer a 4 x 5-1/4 inch piece of solid colour card stock followed by a 3-3/4 x 5 inch piece of printed card stock, this particular one is a speckled double-sided card stock from Lawn Fawn. Now don’t worry if you don’t have it. You can create by splattering paint with a toothbrush or by tapping the paintbrush. There are also many stencils that would work and stamps. Worse case scenario just pick a pretty piece of paper from what you have.
The next step is to layer a scallop strip to the card front using a die template or edgers. Then cut a strip from glitter card stock and adhere on top of the straight edge of scallop. Some options here if you don’t have glitter card stock is to apply tape to a piece of cardstock and then apply glitter and burnish into the tape, or paint a piece of card stock with shimmer or glitter paste, or check your gift wrapping supplies for a glitter bag that you can cut apart. Next, using punches or die templates create a collage of flowers and leaves, this collage was created with die templates from Elizabeth Craft Designs. Add a touch of sparkle to the flower Centers with adhesive rhinestones. The final touch is to add a sentiment, this particular one is a die template from Avery Elle. Keep in mind that you could use stamps, stickers or other word Die templates or even computer generate a sentiment.
I hope that I have given you some ideas on what you can use to create this project while we are all doing our part to flatten the curve of this virus by social distancing and self isolation. Be sure to check your local craft stores as many are providing delivery or curb side pick ups!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Luck of the Irish!

Card designed by Sharon M. Reinhart February 2020

Don’t put those heart themed tools away quite yet! Hearts are the perfect shape to create shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day! This side fold A2 card is a collage of foliage and flowers. The first step is to layer printed paper to the base card leaving a slight margin, often for this I use 4 x 5-1/4 or 3-3/4 x 5. Next, I die cut a beautiful wreath shape from the shimmer green card-stock using the Memory Box Jovial Wreath. The next step was to create the shamrocks by punching hearts using a Fiskars hand punch, slightly curl the petals using a bone folder or pen. Layer the heart shapes to the card front using foam mounting tape and aligning the points. Now is the time to start adding foliage and flowers. The white branch foliage has been creating with the Small Forest Tree die template from Simon Says Stamp. Tuck pieces in here and there adjusting the length as needed. Add a few gold punched leaves using a Martha Stewart punch. Create a few flowers from white card-stock using the Elizabeth Craft Designs bunch of flowers 2 die template and hand punches. I then coloured a few adhesive rhinestones using my Copic cobalt green marker and attached them to the center of the flowers and where the points align on the shamrocks. Finish with a stamped sentiment from Taylored Expressions Many Minis - holidays and tuck a little sprig of gold leaves under it. Hope you have been inspired to create!

Creatively Yours,

Sharon

Birthday Inspiration!

Card project designed by Sharon M. Reinhart

Stopping by with this quick and simple but cute card! It can't get much easier! The panel is from a sheet of cardstock that has these panels printed multiple times, it is from Scrapbook Customs, Her Birthday Words/plaid #38793A.The flowers and foliage on the panel inspired me to add some die cut flowers using the Elizabeth Crafts Design Bunch of Flowers 2 #729 set, along with Cheery Lynn Designs Mini Fanciful Flourish B117S. The base card is a 5-inch white cardstock side fold followed by a layer of Bazzill pink tutu pink cardstock and the printed panel was layered to a slightly larger piece of black cardstock. I also cut an additional piece of the birthday wishes sentiment and adhered on top of the panel using foam mounting tape for added dimension. Add a couple of adhesive rhinestones to the flowers and this one is good to go!
Hope you like it and are inspired to create!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Bit of Spring!

Card project designed by Sharon M. Reinhart March 2019

Stopping by with a cute card that offers a feeling of Spring and would be perfect for a variety of occasions from birthday, Mother's Day, new baby, Easter, and thinking of you.

I feel like there is a bit of a trend happening right now which combines stamped words with die-cut script words. I love the look! It is easy to accomplish as well. For this card the effect was created with a stamp set from Stampin' Up. I chose the sentiment "sent with love". Simply place a post it note or painters tape over the area that you do not wish to have stamped. In this case I masked off the word "love". Next ink up the stamp, remove the post it note or painters tape and stamp the sentiment onto white cardstock. Next, die-cut the word "love" from pink cardstock, this particular one is from a Recollections set but there are many die-cut word sets available through a variety of manufacturers. Add the die-cut word below the stamped greeting. It's that simple!

If you don't have a lot of word stamps try using a label maker or perhaps computer generate the words and print them onto cardstock. Further options would be to use sticker words or cut words from old books.

Now onto the actual card. This card is an A2 side fold card. A beautiful scalloped edge window has been created using the Reverse Stitched Scalloped Circle die set from Lawn Fawn. Cut the window in the top portion of a white panel of cardstock and layer to a pink cardstock panel that is slightly larger. Adhere to the card front.

Die-cut a flower using white cardstock and the Elizabeth Craft Designs Victorian Flower Overlay Set 1. Wrap metallic thread around your fingers and sandwich it between the die-cut flower and the pink layer on the card front. Next die-cut the flower center and adhere using foam mounting tape. To dress up this delightful flower apply adhesive glitter dots. I use my piercing tool to lift the adhesive dots from the backing sheet and to place them on my image. Glitter dots are available in a variety of colors and add the perfect amount of bling without the bulk!

To further embellish the card front, die-cut a little bow using the Elizabeth Craft Designs Lollypop, set or alternatively tie a bow with narrow ribbon or twine. Add a glitter dot to the center and adhere to the card front. Punch the sentiment out using an oval punch or die, a Fiskars punch was used here. Punch an additional oval from pink cardstock, cut in half and adhere to the back of the sentiment piece at left and right sides to create a layering effect. Adhere to the card front using foam mounting tape.

I realize that I have used several products from Elizabeth Craft Designs; the flower, lollypop (bow) and the glitter dots. No, I do not work for this company I simply enjoy using their products. Please know I will always give you my honest opinions regardless.

This card is simple to make and offers beautiful results! I hope you have been inspired to create!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Journey back to Creativity!

Designed by Sharon M. Reinhart September 2018

I am happy to say that I am back! I also apologize for the long hiatus, been devoting the majority of my time to my Dad who has some major heath issues. I realize though that I also need to allow my self the opportunity to do some of the things that are important to me -- and creating, sharing, teaching, writing, designing are some of the things besides family that are important to me.

So it is my goal to regularly post and hopefully inspire some of you!

Lets get to it! Thanks to Carole Crawford from Paper Pastimes in Calgary who recommended this die set from Elizabeth Craft Designs to me. I was looking for some creative inspiration and I believe I found it. The Christmas season is truly one of my favorites and one of my favorites to create for, whether it be cards, favors, décor, etc.

I have chosen cards simple in design that a beginner could create quite easily and one that I think an advanced crafter could also appreciate. These snowflakes are quite possibly the most beautiful I have seen. They have been created with a die-template and not only are they simply beautiful but they have dimensional aspects built right into the die-cut. By simply lifting elements of the design up it is easy to create dimension without even layering multiple die-cuts. They die-cut beautifully! This set is #1409 Ornate Snowflakes. Please know that I do not receive compensation from Elizabeth Craft Designs however that being said you will always get my honest opinion!

Now I must say that I am also in the mode of using up some of my beautiful papers that are discontinued and that I was not able to use for publication or when I was writing for publications such as CardMaker Magazine. (miss that magazine and the wonderful people I had the pleasure of working with over many years) So you know what they say, seize the opportunity! This is mine and your opportunity to pull out some of those beautiful papers and give them life once again!

The NOEL die template is a Spellbinders die set called Ho Ho Ho Holiday 2017 #S2-266, that I was demonstrating with last year at the Scrapbook Carnival at Spruce Meadows which is still showing available on their website.

Add some glitter with adhesive rhinestones and stickles glitter glue, a stamped or die-cut greeting and these cards are good to go!

As you can see an A2 card can change its appearance just by changing the orientation from portrait (tis the season card) to landscape as shown in the NOEL card.

I truly hope that you have been inspired to create!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Flower Decor

If you are looking for some quick flower décor for Mother's Day Brunch or perhaps a wedding or baby shower I have a great idea! This one even involves recycling. These beautiful flowers began as cardboard rolls - the type from paper towels and bathroom tissue rolls! These particular ones have been created by using the bathroom tissue cardboard rolls. Simply press down the cardboard roll to flatten and use a bone folder to burnish both folded edges. Next place in a paper trimmer, I used my Fiskars paper trimmer and cut into 1/2-inch increments. Apply score tape to one side approximately an inch of tape starting at the folded edge. Then just start assembling by removing the tape liner and adhering one piece to the other. For these flowers I dressed them up a little bit further by die-cutting another flower  (Elizabeth Craft Designs) from pink cardstock and then added a gold circle to the center. They are perfect on their own or they can be adhered together to create a beautiful cascading effect! Hope you will give it a try!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Valentine Inspiration!

Project design by Sharon M. Reinhart

It's getting close to that day where love is in the air and all around us! I love (no pun intended) making valentines cards and little treats! Thought I would share this quick and easy card. I began with a Kraft colored cardstock base and then embossed it using a Taylored Expressions embossing folder. Next layer corrugated paper to the card front followed by red cardstock then a layer of red glitter tape and a corrugated notched banner strip. Notched banners are easy to create by using a square or octagon punch, or with the use of a die template, or manually by cutting up the center and then from the corners to the center cut line.

Adorn the card front with a mini collage created with a die-cut heart, die-cut flourishes and die-cut words. These dies are all Sizzix die templates. Then to create the studded effect on the card without the dimension just add glitter dots (Elizabeth Craft Designs) to the words and scatter on some of the embossed areas. It may be hard to see in this photo but a Wink of Stella gold pen has been used around the die-cut heart, edge of the large corrugated layer and on the words. These pens have a beautiful shimmer to them - love them! I hope you are inspired to create something LOVE-ly!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Creating With Peel Off Stickers!

Here is a sneak peek of my article and supporting projects that is in the Spring 2014 issue of CardMaker magazine, its all about using peel off stickers! Tanya Fox editor of CardMaker magazine takes you through a video sneak peek of this exciting issue, just go to this page and click on the video Spring 2014 Highlights.

See you tomorrow with  some Valentine inspiration!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Happy Birthday Card!

Project design ©Sharon M. Reinhart 2013

Just wanted to share this birthday card with you that I made for a friend recently. For those of you that enjoy tea bag folding, this design incorporates two tea bag folded rosettes that have been layered. Just use two different sizes of circles when folding. The wonderful layers underneath the rosette were created using one of my favorite Memory Box die templates. The leaf was created using an Elizabeth Craft Designs leaf die set which has three different sizes in the set - it's a go to leaf die for me. The tag is a Fiskars punch with a little flag accent created using an EK Success punch.The sentiment stamp is from Petit Pairs Stampin Up. Lastly, the cardstocks are Bazzill and the printed paper is Recollections. If you would like to give tea bag folding a try or are looking for more ideas I encourage you to take a look at my book Tea Bag Folding Through the Seasons which is currently on sale at Annie's or my online class or DVD Fabulous Paper Folds. Hope you are inspired to create something today!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Spackle on Cards!

I had a great time teaching a wonderful group of ladies on Saturday at a card workshop hosted by a dear friend --thanks Jennifer! Two of the cards were Christmas theme and the third was this card created with, drum roll, spackle for walls and drywall tape. So hit the hardware store for some of these supplies. The other supplies used were a beautiful leaf stencil by Dyan Reaveley,the Daisy Flower topper die from Spellbinders Paper Arts, leaf set die by Elizabeth Craft Designs, green acrylic craft paint and a stamp from the Michaels bins. This flower was inspired by Becca Feeken's Anemone frilly flower on her Amazing Paper Grace blog, she is quite the talented lady!! Thanks for the inspiration Becca!! The difference here is that I used the Daisy topper and cut off the inner petal of the die-cut piece leaving the center in tact and layered them slightly offset. Then the petals were curled and accented with acrylic paint. For the leaf and the flower center simply apply drywall tape to cardstock then either punch or die-cut. Hope you like it!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Card for Mom!

project design ©Sharon M. Reinhart 2013

With Mother's Day approaching, I thought I would share this simple but delightful creation with you. This card is created using printed papers from Michael's and a pearl text weight paper by I believe Stardream or Curious Metallics. The flower is created with two separate tea-bag folded medallions that were created using the basic circle fold and one progression (one of my favorite folds) then layered together with a brad accented with an adhesive rhinestone. The next layer is created using a beautiful Memory Box die called Tilth Floral - one layer was cut from the purple print paper and another from the pearlized text weight paper. The leaves are created using a die from Elizabeth Craft Designs and card stock. Stamp the letters for MOM on the pearl paper, punch out and adhere in the top right corner and you are done. If you want to learn all about tea-bag folding, iris folding and some fun folds be sure to check out my online class Fabulous Paper Folds or possibly one of my books. Hope you like this card! I think this one will be going to my own Mom.
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Elegant Stamped Heart!

Project Design ©Sharon M. Reinhart

Just had to share this Valentine card that I made for DH. The inspiration for this card is from a delicate heart image created by the talented Suzanne Cannon of Quietfire Design, it is from set #6248 which is perfect for Valentines, Wedding, Anniversary or simply to let someone special know that they are loved. Just love the beautiful intricate heart that Suzanne has created with her own talented hands! There are wonderful flourishes and in the right hand side a very pretty flower. I chose to leave the image as is without alterations.The flower however would look very beautiful colored with Tombows, Distress Markers, Copics or your medium of choice.
Usually when I purchase unmounted stamps, the first thing I do is apply the cling cushion material - with these stamps you don't have to. I read someplace on Suzanne's site or blog that she often just puts some double sided tape on her mount and then attaches the rubber image. I thought I would put this to the test and voila it is so true! This image of the heart was stamped with only the rubber image on an acrylic mount. Now you are free to adhere the images to cling cushion and its probably recommended but I was very surprised and impressed at how well it stamped using only the mount. I am thrilled to hear that Annie's catalog is now stocking some of Quietfire Design images that I used in my newest book Iris Folding for Life's Special Moments, (not sure if it has officially released but it is up on the Annie's site) and yes it is about iris folding and we have included a variety of materials such as fabric, shimmer sheetz, cardstock, ribbon and papers. I will be sure to keep you posted on this.
The red velvet in this Valentine card is Christmas velvet ribbon that I purchased at the end of the holiday season at a majorly reduced price and its perfect for many other occasions as well. The small hearts are actually punched from the velvet ribbon and in the past I have also used die templates to cut out shapes - love this stuff! My other bargain find was the black glittered band - it is from the wedding section of Michael's and it was 90% off - .53 cents was the cost, can't lose at that. The other addition to this card was a script embossing folder. I hope you enjoy this creation!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon