Countdown to Valentine's Day!

Card project designed by Sharon M. Reinhart February 2019

Stopping by with another sweet Valentine! This is another sweet and simple Valentine card. This card is a white side-fold A2 base. For those of you who may be new to card making, an A2 size card is 4-1/4 x 5 1/2 inches in its folded form. That being said it can be made by beginning with an 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 inch piece of cardstock and scoring and folding in half at 4-1/4, of it can be a gate-fold with an opening in the center scoring at 2-1/8 from each side. An A2 card may also be made beginning with a 4-1/4 x 11 inch piece of cardstock and scoring at 5-1/2 inches and folding in half. They can all be made as a side fold or a top fold although the most effective gate folds in order to still display are side folds.

Onwards with this particular card. The printed paper layer base is a Recollection paper that has been trimmed slightly leaving just a small border of plain white. The sizes I typically use for this type of layering is either 5-1/4 x 4 or 5 x 3-3/4 inches. Next is a layer of coral cardstock followed by a narrow strip of the word "love". This narrow strip is cut from a Canvas Corp paper. I love to create notched ribbon ends and find the quickest and most efficient method is to use either my hexagon or square punches, utilizing a corner area within the punch. Okay, folks, pull out your retro card making supplies that have been banished to the back of the cupboard! In order to create the black decorative edge strip I have used my mini scalloped edge scissors from Fiskars! I still love them! I begin with a larger width than required which results in two useable decorative strips once the cut is completed.

Die-cut or punch a couple of heart shapes. This particular heart is an older one from Stampin' Up that cuts and creates the Swiss dot effect at the same time.  A plain heart works equally as well, it can always be embossed with an embossing folder. Or if you do not have the tools in order to emboss, try stamping a texture on the hearts, or adding score lines to create an embossed design. Where there is a will there is a way! Wrap thread (this beautiful thread is from Wonderfil) a few times around fingers and secure with tape and then sandwich in between the two hearts. One heart has been adhered with double-sided tape and the other with foam mounting tape.

Die cut, punch or stamp "LOVE" and "YOU" and adhere to the heart shapes. These particular words are from a Sizzix set by Stephanie Barnard, #560025. This sweet Valentine is good to go! Hope you have been inspired to create!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Heartstrings Valentine!

Card project designed by Sharon M. Reinhart February 2019

Hi everyone! Stopping by with a simple yet striking Valentine card suitable for either a guy or gal!

This card is made with a side-fold A2 size (begin with 8-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches and score and fold in half) white shimmer cardstock base. A 2-inch x 5-1/2 inch piece of "love" cardstock from Canvas Corp has been layered onto two red scalloped strips at each side. The beautiful scalloped edge has been created with a Lawn Fawn die set called Stitched Scalloped Borders. An alternative would be any scalloped border die or punch, punched circles layered on top of each other or scalloped-edge scissors.

The next layer is created with 3 thread wrapped cardstock hearts. These particular hearts have been die-cut using a Spellbinders Scalloped-edge Nestablilities die template. The thread is a beautiful cream/gold thread from Wonderfil. I find it best to work from the spool while completing thread wrapped pieces. First tape the end of the thread to the back of the heart shape close to the top. My first wrap begins through the first valley to the right of center on the top of the heart and continues along through the first valley to the left at the bottom of the heart. Continue wrapping in an anti-clockwise manner until complete, trimming thread from spool and adhering to the back with tape.

The center heart has been adhered with foam mounting tape allowing further dimension and the top and bottom hearts are adhered with double sided tape. A gold heart, punched using a Fiskars punch adorns the center heart followed by three mini adhesive black rhinestones.

The finish on this card is a die-cut heart from the printed paper using a die from Penny Black that has 5 decorative hearts and 1 plain heart in the set and is called All My Hearts #51-180. Layered on top of this is a gold die-cut word "LOVE" which has been created with a Sizzix set by Stephanie Barnard #560025.

I like to add a bit of the décor to the inside of the card, so I just simply added a strip of red cardstock followed by a stamped greeting punched out with a circle punch. There are so many ways of carrying the design from the front to the inside, just add some of the same colors or images that have been used on the front. It is amazing how just a strip of cardstock and a little element such as a punched heart or greeting finishes the inside! Hope you like this card and are inspired to create!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon

Wrapped in Love!

Designed by Sharon M. Reinhart 2017

I have another simple but pretty Valentine's Day greeting card to share with you today. This creation makes use of a Spirelli thread wrapping technique and beautiful red metallic thread from Wonderfil. The base card is an A2 (4 1/4 x 5 1/2-inch) side fold card. Layered onto the front is a die-cut banner, scalloped circle, lacey circle, standard circle and lastly the thread wrapped scalloped circle. The scalloped, lacey, and standard circle die templates are from Spellbinders.

To create the Spirelli wrap, it is best to work from the spool of thread. Secure the end of the thread to the back with tape. Wrap the thread around to the front through one valley, next count 9 valley's to the right and continue the wrap in the ninth valley. Wrap around the back returning to the right of the first wrap and continue wrapping until there are two thread wraps in each valley. Secure at the back with tape. The larger number of spaces skipped will create a smaller center circle and a smaller number of spaces skipped will create a larger center circle. Place an adhesive rhinestone in the center circle created by wrapping the threads.

To finish this card a die-cut sentiment (Sizzix) has been adhered to a tag shape and then adorned with an adhesive rhinestone. Adhere the sentiment panel to the card front using foam mounting tape to create a bit of dimension.

This is the design in its most basic form, however remember depending on your supplies and level of experience it is easy to take it to the next level. Some options would be to complete some pressure embossing on the banner strip or card front or possibly some background stamping and/or heat embossing.

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

Back from CHA!

 

Well I am back in two different ways - back to my blog and back from the Craft and Hobby Association Mega show held in Anaheim, California. As usual this show is a feast for the eyes! The displays are just so absolutely creative! To the talented individuals who work endless hours on creating this feast - a huge thanks! Your work is truly appreciated!
I had a whirlwind trip, it was a shortened version this year so I felt a bit like a little ball inside of a pinball machine - going here there and everywhere. Due to this I did not get as many photos as I had hoped to. But my eyes did see many wonderful things! I had the opportunity to attend an event at the Spellbinders booth and WOW! I had heard about the total transformation of their booth and it truly was spectacular! I was introduced to a new Spellbinder's tool - the Tool 'n One which I am sure that anyone who die-cuts intricate designs is going to absolutely love! I will endeavour to share with you in my next few posts some of what I experienced at CHA.

As Valentine's Day is approaching I thought I would share my mini press kit that I use while at CHA in order to distribute my bio and contact info while at the show. It would also make a cute Valentine's and instead of inserting a bio and business card inside (which I have in my press kit) insert a gift card and greeting! The base is created using an Accu Cut gift card holder die - I simply go to my local scrapbook store to die-cut my bases. Then I used a Spellbinders scallop heart paired with beautiful metallic thread from Wonderfil threads and created a Spirelli wrap. Finish with a little cardstock banner and to get just the right color of rhinestones I colored clear ones with a Bic Mark It pen. Hope you like it! Stay tuned, on Monday January 20th I will share a link with you for a few other fun Valentine's in my next CardMaker Magazine newsletter!
Creatively Yours,
Sharon