PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS:All Things 4th of July

I saw this 4th of July card on Pinterest and it reminded me of a quilt square:

This is the version I created:

The inside was printed on my computer using ChopinScript font for the "Celebrate" and Beffle font for the "FREEDOM."

For the front of the card, start out by cutting a strip 1 1/4" x 12" from red and blue DSP, then turn the paper along the 12" side and cut every 1 1/4" to make a bunch of 1 1/4" squares. Then cut each square in half along the diagonal to create two triangles. To form the top square on the card (as shown in the lower right corner below), cut a 2 1/2" square from black card stock (so the seems and edges don't show) and adhere alternating red and blue triangles. Finish by adding a gold star brad to the center. I trimmed off an 1/8" on each side until I had a top layer with edges aligned perfectly. Then to line up the background triangles perfectly under the top square, I started out by tracing around the top 2 1/2" square onto the front of the card...

...and kept gluing down a single background triangle, then held the top layer square over it - moving the background triangle until it lined up perfectly with the top layer triangle. 

The glue stick glue gave me time to move the triangles around until I liked the position. I added foam tape to the top square layer and adhered it over the background triangles....and here's one of my 4th of July cards from years past:

Now...a few more 4th of July pins I found this week:

Click HERE for Original Pin

Click HERE for the Original Pin

Click HERE for the Original Pin

Because I love Cosmos, we'll be trying this slushy version for our 4th of July:

See Original Pin HERE

They made it on THE CHEW using this quick and easy recipe:

Cosmo Slushy

Serves 3 to 8* 

• 4 1/2 oz. vodka or citrus vodka
• 1/2 cup cranberry juice cocktail
• 1/4 cup triple sec 
• 1 1/2 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed

In a large, freezer-safe container, combine all of the ingredients and mix evenly. Freeze for 1 hour. After 1 hour, stir the mixture again. This won't freeze solid, but you'll get a great, slushy mix. Scoop the slushies into martini or wine glasses and enjoy. 

*Depending on the size scoop you use, this can serve 3 to 4 large scoops or 6 to 8 small scoops

NOW...here are a few more paper-related 4th of July pins:

Click HERE for the Original Pinterest Pin

Click HERE for the Original Pinterest Pin

Click HERE for the Original Pinterest Pin

Click HERE for the Original Pinterest Pin

Click HERE for the Original Pin

HAPPY 4th OF JULY

and

HAPPY CELEBRATING!

PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: My Version of the Modern Butterfly Card

Sometime ago, I saw a card on Pinterest like this and RATS!...I didn't pin it...but for my version...I used my retired Branch Out SU set - using the stamp for the leaves - to make the background for this impressionist-type butterfly card. I love how it turned out!

INK COLORS (by Stampin' Up):

Real Red, Regal Rose, Daffodil Delight,

Certainly Celery and Tempting Turquoise

PUNCH by Martha Stewart

The second version is very similar except it uses a separate layer of card stock plus a saying on a punched out oval. I can't decide which one I like best:

....and as I was making all 10+ boxes for my card party last week HERE, I experienced a happy little opportunity (i.e. I made a mistake and attached the inside boxes too close) and ended up cutting off the last and top box attached in order to salvage the entire set of boxes. It made a smaller Magic Box and I liked it even better...so if I make more of these boxes, I think I would make the smaller version!

To make a Magic Box with three inner boxes inside instead of four (as shown on the right in the photo above), follow all of the directions on the blog A LIFE AS LOU HERE except make the outside piece:

4 3/4" x 11 3/4" instead of 6" x 11 3/4" 

CHRISTMAS IN JUNE CARD CHICKS

We had another fun night of paper crafting with the Card Chicks at our annual Christmas in June card party last Friday!

 Janie, Alice and Rachel

Each person brought a Christmas tag for all of us to make. Here is the set of ten tags:

Inside View

Tiffany was on a European Disney cruise and asked me to design a tag for her while she was away...so I thought a Disney tag was in order! All of the tags went into the boxes inside a MAGIC BOX:

There's a nice set of instructions to make these boxes on A LIFE AS LOU blog HERE. To make the tea bag holder shown next to the Magic Box above, click HERE. My sister brought a cute little purse as a favor for all of us, too!

It's hard to believe, the REAL Christmas will be here in six months! Time flies when you're having fun!

PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: Happy Father's Day and Happy Birthdays

I saw this wonderful masculine card on Pinterest and knew this would be the perfect Father's Day card for my dad who flew small planes when I was growing up and it was also the perfect card for my dear FIL who used to work for United Airlines! 

Click HERE for the Original Pin

Here's my version:

 (The inside saying was done on my computer.)

The clouds for my card were created with Stampin' Up's Scallop Circle Punch and their Create a Cupcake stamp set coordinating punch...and HOORAY...I found a use (to justify the purchase!) for my new Darice Scolls Frame embossing folder that made for a nice background on this card. While I had everything out (and my craft room looked like a bomb had exploded in there), I made a another version for masculine birthdays:

(I used a 1 3/8" punch for the black circle and a 1 1/4" circle punch for the next gray circle on top of the black. The windows were made using a 1" punch cut in half and then cut in half again. The nose of the airplane and the gray lights on the wings were made using a 1/2" circle punch, and the black lights on each wing were made from a standard hole punch.)

..and I needed a birthday card this week for one of my talented card making friends, Janet, and created this card for her:

Envelope

The Memory Box flower die is called Caserta Bloom and the butterfly is made with the small butterfly punch from Stampin' Up. Here are some other butterfly card picks from Pinterest this week:

Click HERE for the Original Pin

Click HERE for the Original Pin

This card and the one below is made with washi tape!

Click HERE for Original Pin

Click HERE for Original Pin


Click HERE for Original Pin

PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS:Baby Card and More

My college roommate Linda was in town and she needed a baby card for her daughter's shower. We checked on Pinterest and picked this card to case:

Click HERE for Original Pin

...and here's the card she made:

I also wanted to send some blank note cards for a family friend who just moved to an assisted living apartment. She says that it's hard to ask others to get note cards and stamps for them...so now I have a wonderful excuse for making up a set of cards with stamped envelopes every couple of weeks for this dear friend who was like a second mother to me growing up! I saw this card on Pinterest:

 Click on the photo or click HERE for the original pin

I kept it simple and modified this card to quickly create these cards with my SU thinlet die: