Welcome to day two of World Cardmaking Day Weekend!    Tami and I are back as your hostesses — and today we’re being joined by the fabulous Sally Traidman!   We have bunches of ideas to help you get started on your fall and winter cardmaking.

Let’s start off with this fun cardmaking idea that can be adapted to any season or occasion.  Tami often makes small cards to tuck in her kids’ lunchboxes as a little surprise.

They are quick and easy to create and make great use of the small paper scraps we all tend to accumulate.  The card above measures a wee 2×3 inches.  Lunchbox notes can be any size since there’s no need to worry about envelopes.  (Tip: simply wrap the mini card inside a folded napkin!)

You can also attach the mini card to the front of a standard size card panel and send them through the mail.  The flap lifts up to reveal a message — in this case “BOO!” — a fun interactive twist.

Featuring:

• Clear Design Happy Halloween
• DesignBlock Flourish
• Green Apple Notecards
• Christmas Queue
• Memories Black Ink
• Orange Gemstones
• Other: patterned paper (Bo Bunny, Pebbles Inc.), ribbon, white pen

Quick Instructions:

For the lunchbox mini card, stamp the haunted house directly onto Halloween patterned paper. Adhere to top-folded white card.  Stamp message inside.  Embellish with ribbon, gemstones, and white pen dots.

For the standard card, just attach the mini card to a black panel that has been layered to a flat white card.

Tip:  Makes LOTS of mini cards ahead of time.  When you need a last minute card, attach one to a flat panel and voila — instant card!

Next, take a look at this beauty by Sally!  It can be used for Christmas or all winter long — just change out the message on the inside!

Featuring: 

• DesignBlock Poinsettia & Birds
• Clear Design Owl Christmas (for the little tree ornament)
• Green Apple, Pool and Kraft Notecards

Quick Instructions:

Sally created the tree with her “Paint it, stamp it, cut it, collage it” technique.   She has a video HERE to show you how the technique is done.   Tip: Want to see more videos?  Just click that video camera over there in the blog sidebar to the right.

Here’s another card by Sally in her fun style: simple, but with a twist!

Featuring:

• Pattern Joy
• Felt Poinsettias
• Christmas Queue
• Large Brads

Quick Instructions:

Ink the “J” of the Pattern Joy stamp with red and the “Y” with green.  Stamp on the front of a trimmed white notecard.  Here’s the twist: Punch out a scallop from a Green notecard and add it where the “O” would go.  Then attach a Felt Poinsettia with a brad,  and a gem to the center!

Now for a super cheery Christmas card by Lisa!   Lisa says, “When I get stuck in a cardmaking rut, I like to switch things out a bit by playing around with different color combinations and shapes.”

Featuring:

• Santa Owl (enabling alert — just added HERE in the store!)
• Christmas Tree Brad
• Clear Design Owl Christmas (for the Merry Christmas message)
• Clear Mixed Gemstones
• Christmas Queue (for the gold pigment and red inks)
• Black Gemstones
• Other:  ribbon (Strano Designs), glitter glue (Frosted Lace,  Ranger), paper edge distressor (Tonic for Tim Holtz), patterned paper (Bo Bunny), permanent marker (Bic), circle punch (EK Success), scallop dies (Nestabilities), die cut machine (Cuttlebug), pom pom (Tree House Studio), colored pencils (Prismacolor)

Quick Instructions:

Stamp Santa Owl a little left of center on a white cardstock circle.  Color with pencils.   Stamp again with red, cut out the hat and adhere in place.  Stamp one last time with black, cut out the brim and adhere.  Stamp “Merry Christmas” with brown on a white strip.  Distress the edges of the circle piece and the message piece and then rub with gold pigment ink.  Assemble card.

Now the fun begins!  Use an awl or a heavy duty needle to poke a hole through all the layers and add  a green tree brad.  Color two clear star gems with a pink permanent marker and adhere one to the tree top and one to the dot of the “i” in “Christmas”.  Add ribbon and pom pom with glue dots.  Add black gemstones for eyes.  Finally, create a snow drift for the owl to stand on with glitter glue, then add more glitter glue to the hat brim and pom pom.

Tip:  To make the base card, use a die cut machine + dies to create two 3.5″ scallop edge circles, one out of white cardstock (for the back) and one out of green patterned paper (for the front).  Score the top of the white scallop about 1/2″ from the top and fold, then apply glue generously and adhere green piece in place.  This way the score line will be on the back, and won’t mess up the card front.   You can hang things off of the circle and it will still fit in a standard envelope, too!

Another tip:  The Santa Owl is our mascot for the Holiday “Win a Day on the Hero Club Blog” Contest!  Look for it over there towards the top of the blog sidebar, then follow the link for more!

Now for one last card by Sally!

Featuring:

• Clear Design Let It Snow
• Clear Design Joys of the Season (for the little tree)
• DesignBlock Stunning Snowlakes
• Sparkle Clear Warm Wishes (for the message)
• Winter Mixed Notecards
• Other: white acrylic paint, glitter glue, a twig
• LOTS of gems!

Quick Instructions:

Use a foam brush to “ink” the DesignBlock Stunning Snowflakes with white acrylic paint and stamp on a dark blue notecard.  Trim and layer to a baby blue notecard.  Stamp snowman with black on white and cut out.  Stamp a hat with red and cut out.  Create a little sign.  Assemble card, adding the twig for an arm, then bling it up with glitter and gems!

Want more card ideas?  Check out these great resources:

• The Cardmaking Section HERE on HeroArts.com.   There’s a new card (or more!) EVERY week, plus SEVEN card galleries, including one with 18 pages full of holiday cards!
• Browse our digital catalogs - they’re all right HERE.   Then click on any sample to see a complete materials list + instructions.
• Search for samples! Find samples made with a stamp by going HERE to the Catalog page and typing the stamp name or product number in the search box (next to the holly bird).  The product number is right on the stamp label.  There’s a sample for EVERY stamp, starting with the 2008 Catalog!
• Watch our videos!  See that video camera over there in the blog sidebar?  Click on it to go to our archive of videos, featuring cards, techniques and more!
• Click on over HERE to the Hero Arts Flickr group – it’s loaded with creative cards from the Hero stamping community!  Join the group and join in the fun!

Hope you’ve enjoyed World Cardmaking Day Weekend as much as we have!  Don’t forget to enter the great giveaway that’s going on and claim your Sparkle Clear Cupcakes set by adding it to your shopping cart!  Check out THIS POST for all the details.

Happy cardmaking,

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