Hi everyone, it’s Lisa here! I usually don’t “do windows” — I’m a Mac person, ha ha! — but this week I’m going to make an exception and show you lots of ideas for using windows in cards and scrapbook pages.  Let’s hop right in with this simple bunny window card!

Here’s the inside, plus one of my favorite things to do with window cards: tying on ribbon!

And, here’s a closeup of the bunny so you can see her little plaid dress — I used colored pencils to create it.  The “hill” was created with a recycled coffee cup sleeve:

This kind of window is so easy to make with just about any message stamp! Here’s some step-by-step photos that show how to do it:

First, stamp the message on the card front.

Next, punch a circle out of each end of the message.  Position the circle so that you punch out a little past the message on each side.  It doesn’t really matter what size the circle is, as long as it is wider than the font size of the message.

Use a ruler and a craft knife to cut along the top and bottom as shown:

Finally, close the card front and stamp the message again:

Ta dah!  Hero Notecards are white inside, so this works super great!

Here’s a tip:  if your card isn’t white inside, you can line it with white cardstock.

Featured Supplies:

• Clear Design Sending Happy Thoughts
• Design Block Scattered Flowers
• Spring Art Flowers
• Smooth Gemstones
• Garden Notecards
• Primary Elements Queue
• Other: ribbons (Making Memories), colored pencils (Prismacolor), corrugated cardboard (recycled coffee sleeve)

Now, how about another super easy window card? For this one, I cut apart the message that I used on the bunny card so that I could stamp “just saying” on the front

And here’s the “hello” on the inside!

Of course, I couldn’t resist adding a little glitter to the paisleys!

To figure out where to punch the window, first stamp the Three Birds on the inside of the card.  Punch out a circle out of scrap paper the size you want to make your window. Then, with the card closed, hold it up to a window or a lamp, then trace around the scrap circle right where the window should go.  Hold your punch upside-down so you can position it over the traced circle, then punch out.

Another tip: To accentuate the circle window, I like to first punch a circle out of coordinating paper using the same punch that was used to punch out the window.  Then, punch out a larger circle around it to create the ring and glue in place.

Featured Supplies:

• DesignBlock Paisley Swirl
• Three Birds
• Clear Design Sending Happy Thoughts (for the message)
• Diamond Stickles
• Spring Mix Notecards
• Rose Petals Queue
• 1 1/2″ circle punch (EK Success), slightly larger circle punch (EK Success “Whale of a Punch”), colored pencils (Prismacolor), pop dots

Finally, I thought I’d share one last card that’s a bit more complicated using a super useful stamp from the 2009 Catalog, the Swirly Frame, plus an owl from the Four Stylish Owls Special Edition set to create an “Easter Owl”, ha ha!

I started out by stamping the Swirly Frame with black on a Pool Notecard.  Then I cut out the frame in the center.  Next I stamped it again in tangerine and cut out just the frame part.  I used pop dots to adhere it to the card — love the added dimension!

Here’s the inside:

And another look at the front:

Tip: after you cut out the window, use the craft knife to distress the edges.  This will help hide any overcuts that you may have made, plus add texture!

Featured Supplies:

• Swirly Frame
• Four Stylish Owls Special Edition
• Clear Design Sending Happy Thoughts (for the message + eggs)
• Pale Pink Gemstones
• Pool Notecard
• Other: polka dot ribbon (American Crafts), pink gingham (unknown), colored pencils (Prismacolor), pop dots, wiggle eyes

Now for the weekly challenge, if you haven’t guessed it already: create any project with a window on it!  It can be a card, scrapbook page, or whatever you dream up.    Please include at least one Hero Arts stamp on each of your projects.  Then, upload your creations to the Hero Arts flickr Group by 11:59pm PST on Sunday, March 29 and include the tag “window”.  Here are the prizes:

• Fresh Face Winner (someone who has not yet won a contest): $50 of new Hero Arts stamps + a 2009 catalog
• Scrapbook Page Winner: $50 of new Hero Arts stamps + a 2009 catalog
• 1st Place: $50 of new Hero Arts stamps + a 2009 catalog
• 2nd Place: $25 of new Hero Arts stamps + a 2009 catalog
• 3rd Place: $15 of new Hero Arts stamps + a 2009 catalog

Let’s start the week off with a giveaway!  Three random winners will each receive a Swirly Frame stamp!

Just leave a comment on this post, and I’ll announce the winners tomorrow. I’ll also have a special guest joining me — can’t wait!

Until then,

Filed under: window

This entry was posted on Monday, March 23rd, 2009 at 4:04 am and is filed under Motivation Mondays. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.