Framed Waratahs

Waratahs are very striking, native Australian flowers. They come in a few different colours, but red is probably the most iconic. The red and green combination makes them perfect for Christmas and you'll often see them on Aussie cards and wrapping papers.

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Magnolia Wreath

Wreath cards are great for December birthdays. They don't have to be over the top with Christmas vibes, but there's a little hint of the festive season thrown in for good measure.

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Enjoy Your Day

Pink, silver and white is a pretty combination that works well for engagement or anniversary cards.

Add some dry embossing to the background for texture, and a little mirror card for an elegant shine.

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Scoreboard Embossing

I used a score board to add diagonal, embossed lines to the background of my card, then added tiny rhinestones to the intersection of each line. It's a fun and effective way to add a little texture without needing an embossing machine and folders.

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Tutorial - Hammock Gatefold Cards

Combine two basic gatefold cards to create an awesome upright display card!

1. Place a 12" x 6" piece of cardstock horizontally on your score board and score at 2", 4", 8" and 10". Fold along the score lines to form a gatefold card.

2. Now make a second, smaller gatefold card using a 9" x 4" piece of cardstock, scored at 11/2", 3", 6" and 71/2".

3. To decorate, you'll need one piece of contrasting cardstock measuring 37/8" x 57/8", four pieces measuring 17/8" x 57/8", and two pieces measuring 13/8" x 33/8".

You'll also need one piece of patterned paper measuring 33/4" x 53/4", four pieces measuring 13/4" x 53/4", and two measuring 11/4" x 31/4".

4. Secure the patterned paper to the cardstock with glue or tape.

5. Secure the patterned paper and cardstock panels to your larger card base, except for the two outside panels, which will be added later.

6. Adhere the two small cardstock and patterned paper panels to the smaller gatefold card as shown in the photo below.

7. Prepare a 27/8" x 4" decorative panel and secure to the centre of the small gatefold card. (NOTE: If you prefer, you can simply decorate the centre section of the card with stamps, embellishments, or patterned paper.) 

8. Use glue or strong double-sided tape to secure the small gatefold to the large gatefold, lining up the first and last score lines. I found it easiest to apply glue to the end panel of the small gatefold, position it over the larger gatefold and then close the cards together. Repeat for the other end.

9. Secure the two remaining panels to the ends of the large gatefold.

10. (OPTIONAL) Create a simple belly band by wrapping a 11/2" wide scrap of cardstock around your card and glueing the ends together. Decorate as desired.

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For You

I thought I was being rather clever by creating "bones" with white Nuvo drops. Although they started out quite promising, they were rather sad looking once they'd fully dried. Next time, I'll create them in stages and leave each part to dry before adding more.

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For Someone Special

I dived into my offcuts to create another scrappy background for today's card.

The soft colours are a nice contrast for my two dogs.

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Old Books Easel Card

If you're ever stuck choosing colours for an image, try starting with your patterned paper.

Select pencils, inks or markers that match for a lovely, coordinated result.

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Old English Sheepdog

This fine fellow looks wonderful coloured with neutral greys, which in turn look good with just about any other colour you wish to add. I've used the pretty pastel sheets from the Celebrations paper pack along with a soft pink ribbon to complete my creation.

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Another Birthday?!

I think the expressions on these little faces speak for themselves! After colouring and fussy cutting the images, I teamed them up with some of the Celebrations Patterned paper for a fun birthday card.

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Tutorial - The Long Haul Slimline Card

Here's a cute card idea that you can use for any image that moves - trains, animals, boats, etc. You just need a couple of the same image and some little frames to give the impression of snapshots.

Cut one of your images in half to separate the front end from the back end.

You'll need a slimline card base, three small frames and some patterned paper to decorate.

Secure the paper to the front of your card, then add some backing pieces for each little frame. Attach the frames over the top using foam tape to give added dimension. (As you can see, I switched out the plain white frames for some with a bit more sparkle!)

Adhere the back half of the image into the first frame, the whole image into the centre frame, and the front half into the final frame. Finish your card with a sentiment and some coordinating embellishments.

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