Encouragement Cards - Just because!

I'm sharing a few encouragement cards that I made this afternoon.  I had the house to myself this afternoon.  I needed quite time.  Just me and my craft supplies.  No tv.  No music.  Just the sounds of my paper trimmer and stamps tapping against ink pads.  Oh.  The occasional crank of the Sizzix Big Kick, too.  :)

I've been creating encouragement cards for a few weeks now.  I leave them (usually anonymously) on the desks of my co-workers.  I'll write a few words of encouragement or a happy greeting on the back of each one.
Since I'm one of the first ones to get there, very early in the morning, it's easy to sneak these cards onto the recipients desks.  Fun, too!

Anyway, I just took a few quick photos of today's 5 cards.  I didn't even go downstairs to my photo tent for these, so please excuse the busy background in my family room.

A group shot.

And the individual cards.  These are each 3" x 5" and do not fold.  Just a front and back.

This is a CASE of a card designed by Maile Belles.

I began with the yellow butterfly card, which is a direct CASE of one designed by Maile Belles.  You can see it HERE on her blog.
Several of the other cards were inspired by her techniques or layouts.  I love her clean and simple, but "wow" style.


Thanks so much for taking a look!

Always thinking of You!

Hi!  I went looking for a card challenge this morning, that would give me a starting point to use some patterned paper that's been lying on my craft table for a week.  I love this paper and I knew who the card would go to.  But...I needed a sketch to get me started.

Fusion Card Challenges gave me just what I was looking for.

I chose to use just the sketch for my card.

Oh yeah.  Love that patterned paper.  I covered the entire front of my card with it.
The color of the phrase "Today is the day" caught my eye, so I used that color for my strip of embossed card stock AND for part of my sentiment.
That little wooden bird...I covered him in glossy accents before adhering him to my die cut notebook page.  A little piece of linen thread, tied in a bow, finished my card.

That's it for today.  Thanks for taking a look!

Supply lis
card stock: white (Recollections), bermuda bay (SU)
ink: black (Versafine), bermuda bay (SU)
stamps: sending, hello you (SSS)
patterned paper: diy boutique 6 x 6 pad (Simple Stories)
dies: notebook page, simple stripes impression plate (PTI)
other: wood veneer bird (Studio Calico), linen thread (SU)

A Hello from me to you - CASology Challenge: week 135

Another quick post tonight.  And it does need to be quick.  I still have stuff to get done before bedtime!

Here's the challenge at CASology week 135: Mini

Actually, this challenge worked perfectly for the encouragement cards I've been making lately.  They are little 3" x 5" no-fold cards that I'm leaving, anonymously, on co-workers desks or doors.  I write a short greeting on the back of the card, but I don't sign it.  This is a lot of fun and it just, plain feels good to do a little something nice for someone.  Something unexpected.  Anonymously.

This is one of the encouragement cards that I made today.

The die cut cloud cover plate is layered over a piece of hombre' pink patterned paper.  I added some swipes of clear Wink of Stella to the clouds, but I'm not sure if you can see it in this photo.  Maybe if you click on the photo to make it bigger?  With so much white space on this card, it was difficult to get a good photo.  Anyway, it was a fun card to make and I hope the recipient likes it...whoever that will be!
Thanks for looking. :)

Supplies ~
card stock: white (Recollections)
patterned paper: dear lizzy lucky charm 6 x 6 pad (American Crafts)
ink: smokey gray (Versafine), strawberry slush (SU)
stamps: swoosh (PTI)
die: cover plate blue skies (PTI)

Sending Love - CAS(E) this sketch!

Hi.  I have a couple of post tonight, to share cards I created today.  Actually...I made quite a few cards today.  Yesterday I got a LOT of tasks done around the house.  So, once we finished lunch today I rewarded myself with some crafting time.

So.  This first card is one that I created to play along with the challenge at CAS(E) this sketch! #112.

I changed up the placement of the sentiment on the sketch and moved mine close to the bottom of the card. 

See that forest scene?  That's from a new dsp stack from Stampin' Up!.  The stack is chock full of patterns that are perfect for guys, but versatile enough to use for anyone.  Love it.
After stamping my sentiment, I die cut the word Sending and angled it over the sentiment strip.  It was a very easy and simple card to make, but I just love how it turned out.
Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you'll leave a comment!

Supplies ~
card stock: white (Recollections), sahara sand (Stampin' Up!)
stamps: sending & wishing (Simon Says Stamp)
ink: onyx black (Versafine)
dies: sending happy thoughts (SSS)
dsp: adventure bound paper stack (SU)