Thursday, March 19, 2026

GEAR & TEXTURES BANNER SHAPED CARD

I've mentioned previously that I belong to a "Coffee Club" where each month we have a card challenge.

This month our challenge was to make a shaped card.  This was not the card I made for our club challenge, but I decided to use the "shaped-card" idea for today's card.


I used the Banner Dies to create my shape.  You can use any large die you may have to create your own shape.  

If you want to make a SHAPED CARD watch this week's video to see how I did it.  I'll also show you how I created a few of the Gears & Texture elements using various techniques.


This card uses several different techniques like water coloring, dry & heat embossing, ink blending and more.  As a result it definitely is not a card to make when you are in a hurry.  Make it when you have time to enjoy just playing with ink and paper.   Personally, I think it is worth the time as I really like the end result.  


The Banner card base is made using one of my favorite "neutral" colors, Blackberry Bliss.  It seems work with almost any other color!  In addition to Blackberry Bliss, colors used in the collage are Basic Beige, Pool Party, Smokey Slate and white (embossing powder), and various colors or "silver" foil.  It's also a great way to use those tiny foil scraps we paper crafters tend to hoard!


This Gears & Textures Bundle is perfect for making masculine cards.  Since the stamp set does not include sentiments, I used this great greeting from Natures Symphony.  


For the inside of the card I created a small collage in the lower left corner of the flag and used several of the same stamps that were used for the background on the card front.

Since the greeting "to a great guy" could easily be used for many different occasions, I purposely left the inside sentiment free.  I'll add one when I determine what it will be used for.  

Be sure to watch the video if you decide to make a shaped card and to learn more about which techniques I used for the elements.

For all the dimensions and detailed step-by-step directions use this link to download a PDF Tutorial that you can "save for later".  It also includes the link to the video.

Don't let the long list of supplies scare you off from trying a Shaped Card.  Obviously my card does use a variety of tools and supplies, but remember, substitute what you have to create your own version.  A list of the products I used is shown below.


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Monday, March 16, 2026

LIGHT UP GEARS & TEXTURES

I have totally "switched gears" this week as I move from last week's Easter Baskets to Gears & Textures.  This fun bundle makes this engineer's heart go pitter-patter!

Today's card is made with Cloud Cover (a color I haven't used much) and Secret Sea (a color that I seem to use on every card lately).

There are so may fun elements in this bundle that it was difficult to choose which ones to use.  So I used a LOT of them.

Creating collages is something that I definitely need some practice doing.  Often collages tend to be associated with "grungy" or "distressed" cards which are not my forte, but I'm going to keep trying.

However, today's card has a crisper and cleaner look.  The Secret Sea frame was made with the Boho Vibes Designer Series Paper (DSP).  I used a Textured Notes Die (which is on the Last Chance List at a nice discount) to cut the center of the frame.

The framed collage was stamped with stamped-off Cloud Cover ink which keeps it very subtle.  If you want a more distinct collage, don't stamp-off.

The large gear was made with 3 different dies from the bundle and 4 die cuts.

But I think my favorite part of this card are the two hanging lights.  When I first looked at the stamp and the two dies that are used to make these, frankly, I was a little confused about how they were supposed to work.  But I love them, and they were so easy to make!

For all the details to make today's card use this link to download a PDF TUTORIAL.


For the inside of the card, I created a version of the collage that is very similar to the design framed on the card front.

Since the Gears & Textures Bundle does not include any greetings, I used sentiments from the Banner Sayings Stamp Set which has recently been a go-to stamp set.

A list of the products used is shown below.

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Thursday, March 12, 2026

EASTER BASKET OF FLOWERS

While Monday's card was quick & simple, today's card utilizes my favorite thing in the Easter Basket Bundle -- the EASTER BASKET!

The dies in the bundled provide everything you need to make this adorable little basket!  Of course, there is a die for the basket itself, but there are also dies for the colored woven strips, the grass, the bow and lots more.

This was the first basket that I made with the bundle.  I made it before I really had any idea what I was going to use it for, so, I used colors that I thought would be cute for baby card.  Then life took over, and it got set aside for a few weeks.  By the time I came back to it, I decided to use it for an Easter Card.  The colors I used on the basket don't "match" the colors in the Easter Joy Designer Series Paper (DSP), but I think they are close enough to work well together.

If you would like to see how to create this sweet little basket, watch my YouTube video to learn some tricks for "weaving" the basket.  The basket on this card was made with Basic White cardstock.  For the basket in the video, I used one of the designs from the Easter Joy DSP.  Since the Basic White cardstock is not as "stiff" as the specialty paper, it is a little easier to weave, but the DSP does make a really cute basket!

If you took time to watch the video, which basket do you like best?  I can't decide.

The bunny and flowers were all stamped with Black Memento ink on Basic White cardstock and then colored with Stampin' Blends.  Coordinating dies made quick work of cutting them out.

The layout for today's card uses one of my favorite layouts.  It offers lots of options, and the circle in the template can easily be replaced by any shape -- like the basket on this card.  


To add a pop of color to the inside of the card I used a strip of the DSP that was used on the front.  The sentiment is from Prayers & Promises.  This is my "go-to" sentiment for the inside of my Easter cards this year.

Use this link to download the tutorial. The tutorial includes all the dimensional information you need, step-by-step assembly instructions, a link to the video and the details for my Fairless Stampin' Flair Sketch #4.

A list of the products used is shown below.


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