Rolodex Card Swap: Birds of a Feather

I recently joined a Facebook group (Craft'n Swap Canada) that is for Canadian crafters who want to swap items without dealing with US postage. It sprang out of a Canadian electronic cutting machine group, but the use of a machine is not mandatory for the swaps. 

Quote and wreath were staped in Versafine Onyx Black and clear embossed. White gel pen was used to add some dots here and there.

Years ago I used to do swaps all the time to try out and learn new techniques. As postage got more expensive and time got more limited, I had to forego that. One of the old swaps I participated in was for Rolodex cards and I still enoy seeing those cards in my office Rolodex when I am flipping through the mundane contact info. So when this new FB group decided to do a Rolodex card swap, I jumped at the chance to increase the creative content of my office files. The theme for this swap was Birds of a Feather but there was lots of latitude in how one approached it. I chose to do some Distress Oxide backgrounds, some stamping, a Burnished Velvet tab, a distressed pocket and smaller tags for signature.

Front and back.

Calligraphy stamp, dove stamp  and "sing" Silhouette Studio cut file: Quietfire Design. The hatted bird in the wreath was a free stamp by R Maria Sabina from UK Craft Stamper magazine.

I used my Silhouette Cameo machine to cut out the cards, the pocket on the back, the large info tag inside the pocket and the wording and bird on the tag. I also used my machine to cut out the masks for the tab "sing" and musical note. These are the Memory Dex style of card measuring 3 3/4 inches x 4 inches. The ones I will receive are a bit shorter to fit a standard Rolodex file. It was really nice of the swappers to accommodate my special request for the smaller size.

Welded wording idea is from Kerri Bradford Studio, but I used my own font to recreate so it would fit the space better. Bird is KBS, though.

I love to create masks for the Burnished Velvet glitter technique and I am amazed at what a great job my Cameo does on this. The word "sing" below is barely an inch wide! It is a cut file designed by Suzanne Cannon, a calligrapher. The cut file comes with a bird and plant that I did not use. I cut the tape liner with my machine while it was still stuck to the double-sided Sookwang tape that was affixed to a piece of cardstock that was laid out on the Silhouette mat. I covered the tab (punched with a Stampin' Up! punch) with the same type of tape and laid the thin calligraphy liner on top. Then I rubbed navy microfine glitter into the exposed tape. Once the excess was brushed away, I removed the word tape liner with tweezers and sprinkled gold glitter over that tape and rubbed it in. I repeated the process for the musical note on the flip side. The glitter is smooth like velvet. As I needed to send these in the mail, I sprayed the tabs with Krylon Workable Fixative, which did not affect the sparkle, but ensured the tape would not have any stickiness left.

I made eight of these cards, but only needed seven to swap out. So right now I am enjoying the bonus card for myself, but may send it off in the mail to encourage someone. I am entering this in the 613 Avenue Create Challenge for Anything Goes/Optional Twist: Distress It.

CASology: BIG

Hi, there. Today I am playing in the CASology blog challenge, which is the prompt BIG. This A2 sized Clean And Simple welcome card for a new staff member fits the bill.

I made the hello sentiment on my Silhouette Cameo and popped it up with foam tape over a piece of homemade decorative paper that I have been hoarding for years. It has beautiful oranges and teals and is made by rubbing oil pastels into textured cardstock and burnishing until it is smooth and looks like an old oil painting. I felt bad to have covered most of it up - but it does shine through the sentiment. I also added a strip of copper foil washi tape. I am a VERY late adopter of this embellishment but it is growing on me.

Here's a close up of the sentiment background..

Still time to join!

Lavender Christmas

Sylvia Durocher's monthly Christmas Card Challenge continues with September where we are to feature a Scalloped Oval and the colour lavender. 

This is a one layer card (the oval is the only layer on the white card). I stamped the stocking (Heather's Stamping Haven by the Stamp Barn) directly onto the lavender oval and coloured with Zig Clean Color brush markers. I used a white gel pen to accent the snowflake and the berries, and grey and purple markers to create a bit of shadow. I traced around the stocking with a stylus, then flipped the oval over and "puffed out" the stocking on a mouse pad with a large ball stylus to give it a bit of 3D effect.

I used a sketch for this from the Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge blog. 

I stamped Hero Arts flourishes for borders and a Waltzingmouse Stamps sentiment. A few clear rhinestones here and there finished this off. Another Christmas card done!