Cozy Christmas

 Hi Artzy friends -

Have you started on your holiday cards yet? It's still early, and I plan to get back to making some fall cards, but I couldn't resist using some of the new holiday Dare 2B Artzy products to make a fun Christmas scene card.

The Santa and the tree are from the Season to be Jolly stamps and dies, and the fireplace and decor are from the Cozy Fireplace stamps and dies. The background paper is from the Merry and Bright collection, as is the sentiment strip along the bottom of my card. 

There are so many mix and match possibilities using Dare 2B Artzy's newest holiday products, as well as products from previous years!

Thanks for visiting, and have a great day!

Avra

Classic Christmas

 Hi Artzy friends -

Today I have a Christmas card to share using some new Dare 2B Artzy products. And I have some tips on how stamp and die cut intricate sentiments perfectly. 

My card is fairly simple but packs a punch with a background die cut out of gold foil cardstock, a pretty basket of poinsettias, and a gold heat embossed sentiment.

I just love the new Botanical Background die, especially cut out of shiny mirror cardstock! I also love that it can be cut out of any color cardstock for a less formal look and can be used any time of year!

I stamped and colored the basket of poinsettias with the Poinsettia Basket stamp set, and cut it out using a circle die from the Double Dot Circle Framelits set. 

My sentiment is also from the Poinsettia Basket set, and there is even a coordinating die in the die set!

Lining up an intricate sentiment stamp with its coordinating die can be tricky but is easy to do with a Misti (or other stamp positioning tool.) I created several stamped and heat embossed versions of this sentiment to have ready to place on my holiday cards this year. 

To create my die cut sentiments I first used the die to create a template out of white cardstock. 

I placed the template in my Misti, lined the sentiment stamp up in the negative space, and picked the stamp up with the door of my Misti. Keeping the template tucked in the corner I then replaced the blank die cut back in the negative space and stamped my sentiment. 

For this card I used a gold heat embossed sentiment and I stacked it with 2 additional die cuts to add dimension before adhering it to my card. 

I hope you'll check out all of the newest holiday products available from Dare 2B Artzy!

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

Avra

Hide n Seek Birthday

 Hi Artzy friends -

Today I have a birthday card created with some fun Dare 2B Artzy dies - the Hide n Seek Card die and the Candle Pocket die, along with the Happy Birthday Layered die with Balloon.

The front of my card looks like an ordinary A2 sized card. The patterned paper background is called Scoops of Thanks.

When the card is opened, up pops the greeting from behind the center panel! The Time to Celebrate stamp is from the Well Wishes stamp set, and the daisy paper is from the Home Grown collection.

I added some chunky glitter to the candle flames to really make them sparkle!

There are so many options when using these two specialty dies - I hope you'll check them out!

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

Avra

New Christmas Goodies on the Way!

 Hi Artzy friends -

Do you start creating your holiday cards in July? Create them all year round? Or like me, get serious about them when Thanksgiving rolls around, and panic because you're running out of time?!

Dare 2B Artzy is introducing their new holiday collection on Instagram this weekend - come hop along with us a chance to win a D2BA gift certificate. We're also having a sale - 15% off all orders this weekend with the code XMASJULY15.

I created three cards using the new Baking Sweet Memories stamp set. The smaller images in this set make some fun backgrounds, and I created backgrounds stamped in black, and heat embossed in silver for my cards.

All shaped dies and background papers are also from Dare 2B Artzy.

I hope you'll come over to the Instagram hop to see all the latest inspiration from Dare 2B Artzy!

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

Avra

Step Panel Card

 Hi Artzy friends -

A step panel card is a 3D fun fold that is simple to create but it packs a big punch when created with beautiful patterned papers. The other cool thing about it is that it folds flat to fit in an A2 envelope (You could make it in other sizes as well.) and stands up nicely on display. 

Here are the dimensions I used for this card:

1 - Start with card base cut to 11" x 4 1/4" and score at 1/2, 2" 4", and 5 1/2"

2 - Cut 2nd panel to  3" x 5 1/2" and score at 1/2" and 2"

3 - Adhere patterned paper to each section as desired.

4 - Assemble panels and embellish.

I decorated my card with papers from the Everything is Blooming collection.

My large floral image is from the Breezy Blossoms stamp and die sets, and is colored in using the coordinating Breezy Blossoms stencil. The sunflower image is from the the Potted Posies stamp and dies sets; and the sentiment is from the Love Grows stamp set. I stamped the sentiment on a banner from the Slim Mini Wavy Layers dies, and I added little heart embellishment from the Groovy Party Enamel Stickers.

Thank you for visiting and have a beautiful day!

Avra

Ocean Floor

 Hi Artzy friends -

July is here, and so is vacation and beach season! I won't be anywhere near the ocean this year but I can create an ocean scene and pretend!

I love creating cards primarily with dies occasionally, to get a little break from coloring. The Ocean Floor Die creates the basis for this card. I cut it out of white cardstock and used these Paper Pouncers and other inking tools to color it in beautiful tropical colors. 

I added a few colored and die cut images from the Jellyfish stamp and die sets and the Sea Horses stamp and die sets.

The Make Waves sentiment is from the Mermazing stamp set. I embossed it in blue on vellum to keep the soft watery feeling.

I hope you get to enjoy some time this summer in the relaxing environment of your choice!

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

Avra

It's Ice Cream Time!

Hi Artzy friends -

Summer time is ice cream time! (OK - any time is ice cream time for me but I try to resist at other times of the year!)

I created this fun fold card inspired by a card Cindy, (owner of Dare 2B Artzy,) shared in a recent online card making event. I have learned several fun fold designs from Cindy both on virtual events she has participated in and on her live facebook videos she does every Monday night on her  Dare 2B Artzy Facebook page. I love learning new fun folds and being reminded of ones I have done in the past. 

The only frustrating thing about them is that there really is no consistency on naming them. So I'm going to call this one a Bridge Flap card, since it seems to me to be a combination of a center flap card and a bridge card! 

Here are the dimensions I used for this card:

1 - Start with a standard A2 card base, 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4" 

2 - Cut two slits up to the fold line at 1 1/4" and 4 1/4" (1 1/4" in from each side)

3 - Cut a strip of cardstock 5 1/2" x 1 1/4" and adhere to each side piece, NOT the center flap.

The images and sentiment I used on this card are from the Turtley Awesome stamps and dies sets. The papers are from the Feelin' Groovy collection. 

What's your favorite flavor of ice cream? This time of year I'm loving the fresh peach ice creams that are in season! Think I'll go have a bowl now!

Thanks for visiting, and have a great day!

Avra