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The CreativFestival starts here in Toronto, ON tomorrow and I am going to be at the show with Scrapbook & Cards Today all day. Scrapbook & Cards Today is hosting the Paper Arts Park which means product showcases, make ‘n’ takes, giveaways and more!

Today I thought I would show you one of the make ‘n’ takes that we will be hosting. 

This gorgeous card is made using Sizzix Textured Impressions (embossing folders) and dies (paper flower, felt flower).

If you have never checked out Sizzix’s Movers & Shapers card making system (which is used to make the above card) take a minute – it is an incredible time saver + it makes stunning, personalized designs.

Hope to see you there (if you are local).  :)

(Cardstock by Prism, Patterned Paper & Ribbon by Basic Grey, Adhesive & Foam Squares by Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L)

Hope you get a day of cardmaking today.  Me, I am not sure yet.  Might be able to squeeze some in but it is a busy weekend for us.

I’m just posting quickly to let you know that Scrapbook & Cards Today has a year of cards  up on their blog today to inspire you – one for each month of the year.

There are samples + sketches + some great prizes to be won just for leaving a comment.  Go and look and enter for a chance to win.

Cards don’t need to be full of do-dads to be nice cards.  Take this one for example.

I love the layers of white cardstock on this card.  I used the same cardstock for the card base (embossed it with this), for the punched border, for the die cut butterfly and the die cut letters (I backed the letters with an adhesive sheet before I die cut so they would be easier to adhere down – they are pretty thin letters). 

By repeating the white cardstock on so many elements it helps to keep the design simple. (Image how different this card would look if I used a variety of different papers for each of those pieces.)

(Patterned Paper by Me & My BIG Ideas)

A touch of Stickles to complete the butterfly and the card was complete.

Simple and sweet and ready to be given away the next time I need to say hello to someone.

It is always lovely to receive a note in the mail and I made the below card with this thought in mind.

(Supplies:  Floral Paper by Amy Butler/K & Co, Grid Paper by Jillibean Soup, Border Die by Sizzix, Stamp by Hero Arts, Archival Ink by Ranger, Black Foam Squares by Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L)

I used some left over scraps to create this card in minutes but I know when I send it off in the mail it will make some one’s day.

I lifted the border with black 3D foam squares to give the card some dimension but I wanted the card to have clean and simple lines so I only added a simple stamp to finish it off.

It is so easy to brighten up some one’s day.

My daughter, Harper, is staying at a friend’s cottage this weekend so we sent along a little thank-you gift and included this card with it.

(Supplies:  Papers by Jillibean Soup / Flair by American Crafts / Textured Impressions, Frame and Border Frame by Sizzix) 

I made sure to die cut the cream cardstock first and then run it through my Big Shot with the embossing folder  so that the embossing wouldn’t flatten out.

I love creating a patterned paper with dies cut.  Take a look at this…

(Supplies:  Patterned Paper by 7Gypsies, Ribbon by American Crafts, Stamp and Punch by Fiskars,  Black Foam Squares and Adhesive Sheets by Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L, Die Cut Border and Flower die by Sizzix)

To get this look I used an adhesive sheet on the back of some paper and then ran it through my Big Shot with this die.  By applying the adhesive sheet to the paper before I cut I am sure to get edge-to-edge coverage and don’t need to worry about applying adhesive to the teeny-tiny parts of the die cut.

Pretty easy way to create some stunning patterned paper for cards or scrapbook pages.

When you have a ‘tween it is hard sometimes to capture them accurately on your scrapbook pages.  I mean who want to capture the mood swings and the sass talk?  LOL

I created this fun page to capture my daughter accurately but in a fun way (so she will not roll her eyes when she sees it).

(Supplies:  Patterned Paper, Letters, Felt Flower, Journaling Tag  by American Crafts / Chipboard Hearts, Journaling Tag  by Heidi Grace)

She smiled when she saw it – with no eye rolling what-so-ever.

Lately whenever I am finished a layout I try to create a card with the leftovers on my desk before I clean it up.  It has been great way to use up my scraps and to build up a nice little pile of cards ready for ever occasion.  Here is what I made after I created the above page.

(Additional Supplies: Paper Butterflies by American Crafts / Border Punch, Circle Punch by Fiskars

Love the simplicity of this one and love how my Fiskars punch, well, punched it up a notch.

(sorry for the bad joke but I couldn’t resist!)

Which one is your fave?

Choice 1

Choice 2

Option 3

To create the embossing I used my Big Shot with the baby themed Textured Impressions (this one and this one).  Love these – especially when I know I am going to need to make a lot of something.

(Want to see another baby shower invite I made recently?  click here)

After I am done scrapping I often like to take the leftovers and make a quick card.  This helps me build my cards stash plus I have left to put away after!

Here is one that I made recently with the leftovers from my Inspiration Translation class.

I used some leftover cardstock for the base and then used the scraps of my patterned paper with a border and a squeeze punch to decorate it.   I then finished it off with a piece of chipboard and some Flair.  

Should be good for just about any occasion and took me less then 10 minutes to make!

I have some friends coming to stay with me until early next weeek so if I am MIA just imagine me having a good time with them.  I am hoping to do some scrapping while they are here (she is a scrapper too) so it that happens I will be sure to post.

From the GASC newsletter:

Make your visit to GASC one that helps a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. GASC welcomes Cards for Heroes at the Chantilly event. There’s no card store in Kabul or Baghdad, but on the homefront, we can help! Cards for Heroes sends out thousands of hand-crafted birthday, all-occasion and holiday greeting cards to the men and women serving our country. Imagine the joy a family must feel when they receive a letter from their hero who is serving so far away. What can you do? Donate cards. Donate supplies. Sponsor a shipment with a financial donation. Write a letter to a hero. There are so many ways to help – join the effort! Drop boxes will be available to collect cards at GASC Chantilly. Learn more about this organization at cardsforheroes.org. 

I am packing a bunch of cards in bag to take with me to drop off.  Hope you will too.