Whimsie Doodle's You're the Mac to my Cheese Valentine's Day card

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Voila! My husband's Valentine this year. I've had this digistamp from the now defunct Whimsie Doodles for years and never used it. I'd even gone so far as to print it out, I just hadn't colored it. I thought it was time to color this baby up and put it to use.

It's a shame Whimsie Doodles shut down (sigh); I really liked her stamps. Funny stamps and sentiments are hard to find and she had some real zingers, like this Thong Wearing Donkey card, this Christmas Underwear card, or one of my all time favorites this Let's Get Basted Thanksgiving card.

The digital papers are freebies from the Comfort Food Papers pack by Jessica Dunn on Pixel Scrapper. The ribbon is upcycled from a Christmas chocolate box. The little wooden lips embellishment is one from a pack of same I've had lying around for a while. Glad to finally use one, but I'll need to use one each on about 10 more cards if I truly want to make a dent.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Comfort Food Papers digital paper pack by Jessica Dunn
Digital stamp – Whimsie Doodles Mac and Cheese
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-Namics square stax
Embellishment – upcycled chocolate box ribbon, wooden lips embellishment

I'm linking up with:
Aud Sentiments #244 – Love/Valentine sentiment, Always Fun Challenges #149 – Love/Valentine's Day, Through the Purple Haze #164 – ATG, Addicted to Stamps #376 – ATG, and Fab 'n' Funky #468 – Love, Love, Love.

Just BEEcause card

I had thought to use this card as a Just Because card, and I still might, but I'm thinking that if I don't get all the Easter cards done I'd like, this could easily serve for Easter, too.

The digital stamp and sentiment are from the former From the Heart digital stamp line by Faith Skrdla – Bee Happy Birdbrain. Ms. Skrdla passed away a few years back. I have several of her stamps. I especially liked these quirky Birdbrain stamps and sentiments (this No Snow Birdbrain is one of my favorites). I think she would like that her creative legacy lives on, that her stamps are still being used, and that they're still bringing smiles to the faces of the people who receive cards made with them.

Remember my January 12 post about using up existing supplies instead of buying more? This card is an example of that. In addition to the oldie-but-goodie stamp, the paper, bee strip and flower are all part of a freebie set I received with 2013's issue #55 of Creative Cardmaking magazine (no longer in publication). What fantastic freebies this magazine had! There were several pieces with this set and I have used the heck out of it. In addition to today's card, I've made a 2013 Sweet as a Honeybee card, a 2017 Hap-BEE Birthday card, and a 2018 Hap-BEE Mother's Day card! The bee embellishments are little plastic buttons with the shanks cut off, my favorite way to use shank style buttons!

By the way, did you know there is a tool especially made to cut off button shanks? It's Blumenthal Lansing's 550000700 Button Shank Remover Tool. I've had mine for years and use it all the time. I don't think it'd work for a hard metal shank, but for plastic it works great! I haven't supplied a link, but if you're interested, google it and you'll find it available on eBay, Amazon, and Wal-mart, among others.

Blumenthal Lansing's Button Shank Remover Tool

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, freebie magazine patterned paper
Digital stamp – From the Heart Bee Happy Birdbrain stamp and sentiment
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-Namics circle and rectangle stax
Embellishment – bee buttons with the shanks cut off

I'm linking up with: Always Fun Challenges #148 – ATG, Craft Rocket Challenges #67 – Bows and/or buttons, Cute Card Thursday #620 – ATG, Crafty Creations #406 – ATG, and Use Your Stuff #391 – Critters.

Christmas cupcake card idea featuring Di's Digital Stamps Christmas Cupcake Mice & a crafty tip

This sweet cupcake Christmas card features the Christmas Cupcake Mice digital stamp from Di's Digital Stamps, one of my favorite digital stamp sites. Seems like every time I use one of her stamps I'm pleased with how it turns out (nothing worse than spending hours coloring a stamp and not liking the final result). Her stamps work well for guys, too, like this Gentleman Ted birthday card for my father-in-law. 

Patterned paper is a pre-Christmas grocery store find. Embellishments are a wooden Christmas tree and some twine. The sentiment was created with Annie BNT font.

*Crafty Tip* (I haven't done one of these in a while) – how to glue your embellishment flat against the knot of a bow? When you place an embellishment against the bow knot behind it, it can be hard to glue it in place flat. What I do is make the bow and then glue the embellishment to it BEFORE I glue the bow/embellishment to the card. I use a non-stick craft sheet, put a drop of Aleene's Turbo Tacky Glue on the bow knot, place two toothpicks on either side of the knot (but not touching the glue!), and then place the embellishment on the glue, balanced by the two toothpicks to help it dry flat. If it's a big ribbon knot (unlike the thin twine here) and I need something thicker than toothpicks, I'll use whatever I can find that's the right height – birthday candles, pencils, Q-tips, coins – whatever works.

When the  bow/embellishment is dry, I place something on the back of the embellishment ends that surpass the knot in the center. These will help keep the embellishment flat when I glue the bow to the card and prevent wobbling. My favorite thing to use are several glue dots that I wad up together and put on either end, they're clear so you can't see them, they support the ends AND they help glue. If transparency isn't an issue, you might stack some little black 3D mousse pads behind it, or even use a flat-backed pearl and some glue, anything that will prop up the embellishment ends at the proper height to keep it even. After this, I glue the  bow/embellishment to the card.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, patterned paper
Digital stamp – Di's Digital Stamps Christmas Cupcake Mice
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Die – Die-namics circle stax
Embellishments – twine, wooden Christmas tree
Font – Annie BTN

I'm linking up with: Di's Digi Challenge – Winter and/or Snow, ABC Christmas Challenge – A is for Anything Christmas Goes, Watercooler Wednesday #256 – All About Occasions, Crafty Creations #405 – ATG, and Crafty Gals Corner #203 – Winter Fun.

Birthday card idea for a Pisces

As I mentioned in my last post, this year I have decided to use more of what I already have, rather than buying new. This card is an example of that. I was wondering what to use on a card for my cousin's upcoming March birthday and as he's a Pisces that reminded me of this Pisces stamp, which made me think of fish, which made me think of these starfish embellishments, which made me think of the paper. I've had a little box of these embellishments for a while now and never used a one. Ditto for the paper. I'm glad to finally use them.

The Pisces digital stamp and sentiment are from Digital Delights. I've got all the zodiac stamps from Digital Delights, but have so far only used the Pisces, Taurus and Capricorn ones. These work well for everyone; completely gender neutral! On the first Pisces card I colored my stamp in muted grays and blues, but this time went brighter to match the paper. If you're curious, here are the Taurus and Capricorn cards.

The paper is Echo Park Under the Sea Happy Starfish. The card base was created with Crafts-too Presscut Step Card die (one of my old favorites).

Supply List

Paper – cardstock, Echo Park Under the Sea Happy Starfish

Digital Stamps – Digital Delights Pisces stamp and sentiment

Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils

Dies – Crafts-too Presscut Step Card die kit

Embellishments – starfish

I'm linking up with Elliabelle's Crafty Wednesday – Use New Goodies or Old Favorites (mine are both!).

Buy less, create more! and a cute Christmas bears free digital image, paper and embellishments card

I have decided I am going to go a year without buying any new nonessential craft supplies – no digis (I don't use rubber stamps), no paper, no cutting dies, no embellishments. Exceptions will be basic craft consumables such as glue, white paper, colored pencils and if needed digital supplies in order to fulfill magazine commissions. Also, any digistamp wins or freebies would not be included. After years of serious crafting, I have so much stuff – so much stuff I've never even used – that it feels wasteful to buy more. Instead of inspiring my creativity, I feel like I'm smothering it. I want to use up what I have, dig out the things I've never used, challenge myself. Stay tuned for further updates!

This Meilleurs Vœux card (sentiment is explained on my recent Champagne Mice card) uses a free digital image from Irina Chepikova. I've had this sweet digi quite some time now and just never used it.

The paper is from Granny Enchanted Freebies Let It Snow digital paper pack. The paper 'ribbons' are Pixel Scrapper freebies. The sticker stars I have had for years and years and never used a one until this card. They're so old calling them stickers is a bit of a stretch (I had to add some glue to secure them). The sentiment was created with Milkshake font.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Granny Enchanted Freebies Let It Snow digital paper pack
Digital stamp –  Irina Chepikova
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics square stax
Embellishments – digital paper ribbon, star stickers
Font – Milkshake

I'm linking up with: The Corrosive Challenge #1 2020 – ATG and Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #122 – ATG.

2019 Paperesse Retrospective

Every year about this time I like to do a yearly retrospective, looking back over the year and choosing a favorite make from each month. It's interesting to see how my style has changed through the years. Postage changes have had an effect. Anything over 3 cm thick when packaged is incredibly expensive to mail and requires a massive amount of paperwork to send internationally. As a result, my cards are flatter and lighter now, with less embellishments. And I've developed a penchant for brighter colors (look back at 2013 and you'll see what I mean).

That's okay, I like a simpler look. I think it's a reflection of this time in my life. I've worked on decluttering my home (not easy with Monsieur who is something of a pack rat), my wardrobe, my crafting supplies; it only makes sense, I suppose, that my cards would reflect this, too.

To find out more about each project simply click on the month.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Happy New Year! How to say Happy New Year in France, and a Champagne Mice New Year's card

Happy New Year, everyone! My first card of the year is a New Year's card, or rather the French equivalent thereof. Meilleurs Vœux literally means 'Best Wishes', but it's used here in the sense of  'Best wishes for the New Year'. Many people in France don't send Christmas cards per say, they send Meilleurs Vœux cards that encompass Christmas and the New Year, or just the New Year if one isn't particularly religious. France, in general, is a secular society and prides itself on being an état laïque. A benefit to all this is that as long as your Meilleurs Vœux cards arrive in January, they aren't late!

Another thing you might not know about New Year's greetings in France, you don't wish someone Happy New Year (Bonne Année) before midnight on the 31 December; after that you can, but not before. I've noticed in Switzerland they do, but in France, no.  Additionally, you can say Bonne Année for a couple of weeks afterwards if it's to someone you haven't seen yet in the New Year.

This card features the Champage Mice digistamp from Di's Digi Stamps, accompanying sentiment was created with Monterey BT font. You can see where I used this same digi on a Meilleurs Vœux card from last year (as we French are big consumers of champagne, I find this digi very appropriate for French card recipients). The paper and paper ribbon are freebies from Salt Town Studio Light Up the Night digital paper pack. Embellishments are some gold metal champagne flute stickers I've had for a while now and am glad to finally use them.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, free Salt Town Studio Light Up the Night digital paper pack
Digital stamp –  Di's Digi Stamps Champagne Mice
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics square stax
Embellishments – champagne flute stickers
Font – Monterey BT

I'm linking up with: Di's Digi Challenge – Winter Holidays and Little Red Wagon #529 – Use your NBUS (which in this case would be the champagne flute stickers that I've had for years).

Merry Christmas! and a Christmas card featuring Twelve Bears of Christmas HoHo digital stamp

Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating the holiday! This card – my last 2019 Christmas card – features a digital stamp from Kristi W. Designs Twelve Bears of Christmas stamp set, the same stamp designer for this Mike the Moose Christmas card from last year.

Papers are magazine freebies from longgggggg ago (always feels good to use up a bit of  the 'ole stash). 

I tried all sorts of embellishments on this card. Nothing looked right. Then I tried this new outlet shop die-cut find and went, 'That's it!'. I think I may end up using this die a lot. It's part of Dovecraft's Happy Birthday die DCDIE088. There's this little embellishment and the sentiment. I would have included a link, but each link I found was so much more expensive than the outlet price I paid, I couldn't in good faith give one. However, if you're interested enough to give it a search, it is still available on the internet.

Supply List

Paper – cardstock, magazine freebie paper

Digital stamp – Kristi W. Designs Twelve Bears of Christmas 

Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils

Dies – Dovecraft's Happy Birthday DCDIE088, no-brand square stitched dies

An original Christmas card idea – Summer snowmen!

Even snowmen need a vacation sometimes! These three little guys have said 'Adiós' to Santa and the North Pole and are catching a few rays somewhere. Hope they didn't forget the sunblock!

I'm a firm believer in using something other than red and green on Christmas cards; in fact, using non-Christmas paper. For this card, I've used scrap digital paper from a 2016 Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine project I did on tropical themed cards. The digital stamp is from Pretty Grafik's Summer Snowmen digital stamp set. There are 11 stamps in the set and it's on sale right now for $0.99, making it a very good buy indeed. I just recently discovered these Pretty Grafik stamps and I have to admit, I really like them. The prices are very good and I like how they are illustrated. I used another one on my last post's Monster Christmas card.

The sentiment was created with Candy Round BTN font.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, digital paper
Digital stamp –  Pretty Grafik Summer Snowmen
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Artemio large circles, Die-namics circle stax, no-brand bow
Embellishments – button
Font – Candy Round BTN

Digital stamp Monster Christmas card featuring Pretty Grafik Christmas Monster digistamp

If you're a Paperesse reader for a while now, you know I'm always on the lookout for Christmas stamps that are just a little bit quirky, not your everyday run of the mill Santa stuff (although, hey, I like those, too!).

Today's card fits the bill, featuring a Christmas Monster stamp from Pretty Grafik. There are 6 different monster stamps in this kit, as well as other stamp goodies, making its current sale price of $0.99 a real buy! The sentiment was created with Smarty Pants BTN font.

I also like using non-Christmas paper on Christmas cards. I dug around in my scrap file for these. Although they aren't Christmas papers per say, the first project I used them on was also Christmas – this Hanging With My Gnomies card.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, digital paper
Digital stamp –  Pretty Grafik Christmas Monsters
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Toga Polaroid die
Embellishments – felt brad, googly eyes
Font – Smarty Pants BTN

I'm linking up with: Little Red Wagon #526 – Wrap it.