My Owl Card

Hey there, everyone!

It's the Blog Hogger, back with another card. A while ago, I posted some baby shower cards I made for a friend of one of my daughters. The mother-to-be loved the invitations, particularly because they featured owls. This seems to be a popular theme lately for babies.

Well, I'm happy to say she and her husband are now the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl! Yay for them!

Now, you know I just had to make them a congratulations card. And you also know it had to feature owls. :)

Here's the front of the card:

I used the Hardwood background stamp, and one of the Sassy Salutations stamps for the sentiment. The cardstock is Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, Whisper White and Strawberry Slush. The ink is Chocolate Chip and Baked Brown Sugar.

The baby owl is from the long-retired Forest Friends stamp set, and it's peeking out through a hole I punched in the cardstock with the 1 3/8" Circle punch. The pink "frill" around the hole was done with the 1 3/8" Circle punch and the Scallop Circle punch.

The front is cute . . . but my favorite part is the inside! Once you open up the card, this is what you see:

Yup, there was some attention to details here, people! lol

Let's see, there's a mommy and daddy owl, compliments of the Owl Builder punch. There are hearts (from the same punch) floating up to the baby sitting on the branch. (Hmmm, now that I've sent the card, I just realized that's not the safest place for a baby, now is it?! lol)

The baby owl was stamped twice, once on the branch and then again on scrap paper. I colored it a delicate pink with Blushing Bride ink and a Blender Pen, and then cut it out and glued it on top of the first owl to make it stand out a bit more.

The branch is from the Up in the Air stamp set. I inked it up with markers, leaving out the birdhouse, and colored it with the Blender Pen.

I also used a scallop circle punched out and Soft Sky ink to make the clouds in the sky, and Old Olive ink to sponge some "grass" on the ground.

The sentiment is written on the left side of the card, when it's open. You can see a bit of the Whisper White cardstock I used off to the left.

I can't wait to get their reaction to this card! :)

A huge owl family hug to everyone,
Colleen

New Appreciation for Kathy!

Hi everyone,

It's the Blog Hogger here.  Warning: There will be no humor in this blog posting!  (Well, maybe there'll be a teeny tiny bit.)

Oh my, I have a new appreciation for my sister!  It's easy to blog occasionally, throwing in tidbits . . . and sometimes whole handfuls . . . of my off-beat humor.  But I have discovered . . . today . . . that trying to come up with new card ideas, while feeling the stress of needing to make a posting, can suck the humor right out of me!

Having been deprived of competing with Kathy because she's off camping in the wilderness, I have devolved into competing with myself . . . and that's a quick recipe for disaster.  Yesterday, I promised that I'd make a Big Buckle card using only current merchandise.

So, I came up with this great title for a posting: Bold, Bright & Beautiful Big Buckle Card!  Isn't it catchy?  After two hours of designing, making, tweaking and re-tweaking a card I realized that the only good thing about the card was that title!  So I decided to scrap it.  It turned out that it was too bold, bright and busy . . . and there wasn't a bit of "beautiful" to be seen anywhere!

But was I cranky and frustrated?  You bet your booty I was!  I was so low that I had to look up to see the underbelly of a snake!

Anyway, I ended up calming down and making a very simple card . . . and with that my sense of humor peeked it's little head around the corner of my craft room and asked if it was safe to come back!  I welcomed the little critter back with open arms and the two of us (Yes, I'm pretty sure I ended up with some split personality issues today!) will now cheerfully show you the card I made for a friend who needs a little pick-her-up!  lol

The sentiment and the birdhouse are popped up on Dimensionals.  I used the Up in the Air stamp set, which is discontinued, but also used the Word Window and Modern Label punches and one of the Adorning Accents Edgelits and they are in the catalogue.  I also used Bravo Burgundy and Whisper White cardstock and Chocolate Chip ink, along with some markers to color the flowers and leaves.

I'm getting new merchandise next week so will use current stamp sets then.  I promise . . . which is way-y-y-y-y different than setting up a challenge for myself . . . with myself!  lol

Simple hugs are better than frustrated ones,
Colleen

Spring Shadow Box Card

Good morning everyone,

It's the blog Hogger here, coming to you with details on how to make the Shadow Box card I gave Kathy for Easter. You know which one I mean . . . the one that topped the card Kathy made me! (Hey, I had to be sneaky in order to win but all's fair in love and cards, right? lol)

Today I made a similar card so I could do a photo tutorial for you.  Here's the view from the front:

And here's the view from the top:

So here are the details:

Cut two pieces of cardstock at 5 1/2" x 4 1/4". I used Bashful Blue cardstock (cs) for the outside and Whisper White for the inside.  Score both short ends on both pieces of cs at 1/2" and 1".

Cut out a shape in the middle of the Bashful Blue cs using the Labels Framelit Dies. I used the third smallest one.  (Hint: Use a Post-It Note to keep the shape in place when you run it through the Big Shot.)

Run the Bashful Blue cs through the Big Shot using the Finial Press Embossing Folder.  (That makes the score lines very faint, so you can score them again if you need to.)

Cut the Whisper White cs frame for the front, using the third smallest and next size larger dies from the Labels Framelit Dies.

Use the larger of the two frames to cut out the Window Sheet.  Here are the four pieces, all cut to size, that I used to make the card.

Lay the front onto the Whisper White layer, being careful to line up the two pieces of cs. Very lightly outline the bottom of the shape onto the inside layer. (This way you can determine the appropriate placement for the stamped image.)  Remove the outside layer, and stamp and decorate the inside layer.  Erase the pencil line.  (Hint: The legs on the fawn are not fun to cut out!  lol)

Attach the Window Sheet shape to the Whisper White frame using mini glue dots.  Attach the frame to the front of the Bashful Blue cs using mini glue dots.  (I tried to show the Window Sheet in the picture but, since it's clear, it's impossible to see.  However, the light from the flash bounces off it nicely!  lol

Fold the outside and inside sections towards each other, using the picture below for guidance.

Place Sticky Strip along the outside short edges of the Whisper White cs.  (By the way, it's easier to put the Sticky Strip on before you fold the score lines.)

Peel the backing from the Sticky Strip on one edge and carefully line up the edges with the top layer before securing. Do the same with the other side.  Decorate the front of the card with your sentiment, etc.  

I didn't put a sentiment on this card because I'm not sure what occasion I'll use it for yet.  (If you want to see where I put the sentiment on Kathy's card, check out the posting below.)  

Hmmm, maybe this will be my card for Mother's Day, Kathy!  (He he, this is an insider joke . . . that went to the world wide web during a previous posting!  Kathy and I are sooooo sisters!  lol)

If anything wasn't clear or you want more info on a particular part of the card, feel free to leave a comment and I'll respond.

Winning hugs,

Colleen

Telescoping Card!

Good afternoon, everyone!

This is your friendly neighborhood Blog Hogger here, coming to you with a telescoping card!  What the heck is that, you ask?  Check out the three pictures below and you'll get the idea.

The first picture shows the card closed:

The second picture shows it partially open:

And the last picture shows the card completely open:

How neat is that?  I'm planning on giving my mother this card for Mother's Day, but by using different stamp sets it could easily be adapted for Easter, or birthdays, or Valentine's Day, or . . . you get the idea.  lol

And now here is a picture tutorial to show you how I did it.

1. Cut out and decorate three similar shapes of different sizes.  I used the Labels Framelits Dies, but you could use circles or whatever suits your fancy.

2. Take your medium sized shape and put a small hole close to the bottom of the image, making sure you center it.  

3. Next, turn the image upside down onto the largest piece of cardstock.  Line up the two images carefully and, using the hole on the medium shape as a guide, pierce a corresponding hole through the largest shape.

4. Put a brad into the two holes, thereby connecting the two pieces.  (I used a Pretty in Pink brad so it's kinda hard to see.)

5. Next, put a small hole in the bottom center of the smallest piece of cardstock.  

6. Turn it upside down on top of the medium shape, line up the holes, and pierce the medium shape.  (You do the same thing as you did for the first two pieces.)

7. Put the brad into the hole.  (It's easier to see in this picture because it shows up against the Whisper White cardstock. And, yes, the top layer is upside down in this picture.  Once you pull the top section up it will look normal.)

And that's it!  I used the Beautiful Wings Embosslit and some Basic Pearls to fancy up the top layer of the card.  And then I had fun playing with opening and shutting the card!  lol

In case you're curious, I used Pretty in Pink, Rose Red, and Whisper White cardstock.

I also used;
Smallest Layer: Sincere Salutations & Oval All (I used markers to color part of an image) stamp sets
Middle Layer: Elements of Style stamp set
Largest Layer: Up in the Air Stamp set (leaving space for a handwritten sentiment)

And so the Blog Hogger blogs on two consecutive days!  (You just never know when I'll hog my sister's blog!  lol)

Telescoping hugs, (Picture me opening and closing my arms. lol)
Colleen

Window Sheet Card

Good sunny afternoon, everyone!

This is your favorite Blog Hogger, Colleen.  I received some new Stampin' Up merchandise a week ago and have been busy ever since playing with my product.  lol

Anyway,, the first card I want to show you is what I've been calling a window sheet card.  

The outside was made using a random Embossing Folder, the Labels Framelits Dies, and the Five Petal and Boho Blossoms punches (for the flower).  

Hmmm, if you are a visual learner like I am, you probably have absolutely no idea how I made the card.  And since I've already given it away, I can't even do a picture tutorial to show you what I did.  I can, however, show you a picture of the inside so that you'll understand where the Window Sheet comes into play.

If you look closely at the picture you'll see that I cut a Window Sheet 4"x 5 1/4" to cover the inside of the card front.  I attached the Window Sheet with Mini Glue Dots.  (The image you see on the "front" of the card was actually stamped on the inside.  You look through the card as if you were looking through a window.)

I used the Labels Framelits Dies to made the shapes for the inside of the card, and stamped the Whisper White layer with one of the images from the Up in the Air stamp set.

I used Rose Red, Pretty in Pink and Whisper White cardstock and a large Basic Pearl for the middle of the flower on the front.

You know what?  I am getting a vision of Kathy rolling her eyes and saying, "Seriously?  Is that the best you can do?"  And my answer to her is, "Heck, no!  Just you wait and see what I'm posting tomorrow, Card Goddess!"  (Disclaimer: Actually, Kathy wouldn't say that to me.  I'm just trying to build suspense for tomorrow!  lol)

And now I bet I have all of you talking to yourselves, don't I?  You're saying, "Card Goddess?  What's up with that?"  Yah, that's not my nickname for my sister.  The same friend who dubbed me the "Blog Hogger" calls Kathy the "Card Goddess".  And here's the worse part . . . she's my friend!  lol

Anyway, that's it until tomorrow!

Clearly jealous hugs,
Colleen