Envelope Punch Clay Pots

Marya and Anne Marie have extended their June Card Sketch Challenge on the Coffeehouse Forum into July. Thank goodness, since I have been so busy and am finally getting around to creating something based on this fun sketch!

The sketch reminded me of a vase so I decided to create some faux clay pots as the focal image for my card. Here is how everything came together.

1. Create pots using an Envelope Punch board. Punch the bottom corners off two small rectangular pieces of paper. Note: the rectangles are different sizes which create two uniquely-shaped pots when punched.

Trim off the top of the long flat pot to form the brim.

Trim the larger wide pot to a desirable height.

2. Cut slivers of Gelatos from the stick with a metal palette knife. Mix colors on an acrylic block with a small drop of gesso and water with a palette knife until a smooth consistency is reached.

3. Spread the terra cotta colored mixture onto the white paper pot pieces using the knife. Allow to dry.

4. Assemble the flat clay pot. Attach the brim with book binding glue and allow it to dry.

Assemble the card using the sketch and coordinating papers.

1. Create the foliage and flowers with punches and neon Fire and Ice "art orphans." Click HERE to get a refresher on my art orphan technique.

I used a trick I saw on Pinterest to create leaves for my violet plant. Trim the petals of a retro flower into pointed leaf shapes.  Super cute and easy! 

Add centers to the flowers with Liquid Pearls in Platinum Pearl.

Have you thought of other "outside-the-box" uses for your Envelope Punch board?  Feel free to share them in the comments section.

Products used in this card: Bold Blooms White card base, Evergreen Dk. Green panels, Pattern Basics Brights dotty text weight panels, and Tribal UM stamp

Have a great week and don't forget to make a card with this sketch. Join us on the forum to share your creations!

Julie

Handmade cards for those sad days.

It's nice to make cards for happy occasions like weddings, new babies, and birthdays. But today I need a card for a dear friend who just lost her dad. It makes me sad to think about what she's going through.

Cathy Gray had requested the sympathy quote featured on the Lock & Key Greeting UM sheet, and I was so thankful to have it ready. Sympathy cards are always nice to have on hand, even if you don't really want to have a need for them.

I measured the size of the quote and customized a card formula to accommodate it perfectly. You'll need four sheets of 8.5x11 paper. I used the Lock & Key Teal, Cream, Tan and Light Brown.

1. Trim each 8.5x11 horizontally at 5.5". Score and fold one 5.5x8.5 piece of each color to form four card bases.
2. Cut one 5.5x8.5 horizontally at 4". Trim the 4x5.5 horizontally at 5.25".
3. Trim the 4.5x5.5 horizontally at 4.25 and 2.25". 
4. Cut the 2.25x4.5 horizontally at 3".
5. Trim the 2x4.5 horizontally at 2.75".

If you've never done this before . . . the hard work is behind you. Next, sort the cards into piles according to size.

Then, build the cards by sorting them into piles that include a piece of each size, alternating colors as shown.

All that's left is the creative part! Stamp the 2x2.75" panels with the UM quote from the greeting sheet, and finish up the rest of the card with coordinating Lock & Key stamps and embellishments.

I hope you give the formula a try. I'm sure there are many quotes and images that would fit perfectly onto the panels.

An InLinkz Link-up

Hugs,

Tricia

National Scrapbook Month Kick-off!

Happy May Day, everyone! Spring is finally here--or is it summer? Was it really 86 degrees in Wisconsin yesterday? Yikes!

Today is the kick-off of our month-long celebration of National Scrapbook Day/Month. Check out our calendar to be inspired each and every day to create something new, whether it be a card, scrapbook page or other paper crafting project.

We have a new sub-forum set up in the Coffeehouse, launched especially for this event. Create artwork that meets the challenge criteria and post it to the Club Scrap Challenges>Impromptu Challenges Gallery. Then share your art with the rest of the Community on the daily challenge thread online. Such fun!

For May 1st, we've got a "Bling Challenge" for you! Here's a "bling-y" card to inspire you:

Ooh, and the card I created last week meets the challenge, too! Cool!

I hope you have fun with these challenges. I look forward to seeing all of the awesome artwork you create! And be sure to join us right here on Saturday, May 4, for our NSD Blog Hop!

***I'd like to give an extra special "Thank You" to Julie Heyer and Pam Butler for their amazing help on this project! From creating the daily challenges, finding/making the sample artwork, to helping me host the Live Chat on Sunday, May 5...I appreciate these ladies more than I can express in words.***

Creatively yours,

Karen