Don't forget about the envelope!

Hello and Welcome!

A happy Tuesday to all of you out there! I am excited to share today's post as it focuses on a part of the card that I think gets forgotten sometimes or at least I forget that there's so much more you can do with it...and that's the envelope!

I always have a set of Stampin' Up! Whisper White medium envelopes on hand for my cards.  I tend to stick to the 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" standard size card, so they are just good to have in my stash.  However, I have been attempting to branch out on my card sizes (in particular the square cards), so I recently invested in the Stampin' Up! Envelope Punch Board (product #133774).  And boy does it not disappoint!

I am still getting use to working with this little tool, but I thought I would share with you one of my first projects.  Now the possibilities are really endless with this tool, so keep that in mind. Last week, I shared one my new square card designs (you can see that card here).  The card size was 3.5" x 3.5" and I decided to work with the Envelope Punch Board to design a custom envelope. 

With the punch board, you can create up to 66 different sizes of envelope.  Yes, you read right...66 sizes.  Today, I created a simple white envelope for a 3.5" x 3.5" square card.  Instructions and paper dimensions come with the tool, so it is a very simple process to follow.  

Since this was one of my first projects, I decided to keep it pretty simple with the Whisper White card stock.  However, I didn't want to "forget" about the envelope, so I created the inside liner using the matching DSP from the card.  So even though my envelope may be a standard white, there is that pop of color when you open it up! And that color continues on with the card.

The envelopes are secured with a few simple lines of tear and tape adhesive.  Along that small line of white next to the DSP liner, I added another line of tear and tape; however, with this line the paper backing is left on until the card is ready to send.

I hope today's post reminds you that the beauty of your card doesn't have to end with your card! Jazz up your envelope by creating a custom one, adding a custom liner or even stamping a small portion of your design on the envelope.  How do you decorate your envelopes?!

Keep Austin Crafty!

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• Leave a comment below! I love to hear your thoughts on the day's project!
• Check at the ATXPaperHouse Card of the Month Club!
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Card: Keepin' it Simple Saturday

Hello and Welcome!

Welcome to today's post.  Hope all my lovely crafters have had a relaxing and peaceful Saturday.  It was quite rainy here today, so it made for plenty of quiet, crafting time.  So much so that I was able to pull off this simple rooster card set.  I purchased the "Home to Roost" stamp set as part of my last Sale-a-Bration spree and I'm so glad I did.  I wasn't sure at first if it would come to much use for me, but boy do I see the possibilities now! This little rooster is so gosh darn cute and I think I'll be seeing lots of him in the future.  

And here is today's card...

This card was clean and simple to create.  Once I finished one, I thought this would be a perfect card to make as a set, so I pulled out my Stamparatus and cooked up four more! 

I was really excited about this card because it allowed me to try a new technique (new to me anyways) called "masking".  I have to give a shout out to Fiona Whitten at Oakfield Crafts as her Home to Roost card featured this technique and I was excited to give it a try.  I couldn't figure out how others were able to bring the rooster to the front of the background stamp, so my Pinterest searches led me to Fiona's website and my little rooster in the grass was born! 

So here is how the masking is done...

1.)  Stamp the image (in this case the rooster) on the cardstock. 

2.)  Stamp the image again on a scrap sheet of paper.  Note: Fiona recommends using a post-it-note for this step as it comes with an adhesive back.  I was fresh out of post-it-notes, so scrap cardstock to the rescue.  

3.)  Fussy cut the re-stamped image and stick it over the image on the cardstock.  Note: I added a bit of washi tape to my re-stamped image to make it stick.

4.)  Stamp background (in this case the grass) over the re-stamped image and then peel the re-stamped image off.  

Viola! One beautiful rooster taking a stroll through the grass!

Card Details

Card Size:  4 7/8" x 3 1/2"
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Dapper Denim
Stamps: Home to Roost
Tools: Stamparatus

Keep Austin Crafty!

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Did you like today's post?!  If so, don't forget to...

• Leave a comment below! I love to hear your thoughts on the day's project! 
• Follow me on Pinterest.
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Card: Butterflies with a Copper Twist

Hello and Welcome! 

Holy cow! What a day! Pardon me while I take a breath because it has been one of those busy mom days!  Between school drop off/pick up, errands, house cleaning, dog walking and an afternoon trip to the park it is no surprise that today's post is going up at 9pm.  It was a beautiful day here in Austin (rather warm to be honest), but that warmth was welcomed with open arms and I think it was the sunshine and clear, blue skies that kept me going today.  Whew...ok I'm done...on to the crafting...

And here is today's card...

Today's card features once again that beautiful Botanical Butterfly DSP.  I framed the DSP with a light brown card stock and added just a few embellishments.  I did not want to take away from those beautiful butterflies.  

I stamped the sentiment in Crumb Cake and hand-trimmed the ends to a point.  A bit of copper twine is wrapped underneath the sentiment to tie in the tiny copper sequins.  Hopefully, you can see those details a little clearer in the pictures below.  

I don't know what it is about square cards, but I am loving them lately! For some reason, they seem to be just the perfect size and they look so darn cute in their little matching envelopes.  Did someone say matching envelopes?? Envelope Punch Board to the rescue!! That's right, these little cuties have matching envelopes which I will feature in an upcoming post...check back soon ya'll! 

Card Details

Card Size: 3.5" x 3.5"

Paper: Basic Black, Kraft (non-Stampin' Up!), Botanical Butterfly DSP, Whisper White

Ink: Crumb Cake

Stamp Set: Home to Roost

Tools: Sizzix Square Framelits (non-Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: Copper twine and metallic sequins 

Today's card was inspired by the following challenge:

Freshly Made Sketches #382

Keep Austin Crafty!

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Did you like today's post?!  If so, don't forget to...

• Leave a comment below! I love to hear your thoughts on the day's project! 
• Follow me on Pinterest.
• Check out my Etsy Shop.