hearts

Sending Love

| ullycatdesigns

It’s Sneak Peek week for Karen Burniston’s February 2023 release!

Making sure your loved-one, who is far away, feels love at Valentine’s Day, is what this card is all about. It uses two new die sets from Karen Burniston’s February 2023 release along with some previously released sentiments and collage decorations. 

I started with a 10-inch by 7-inch rectangle and folded in half to make a 5-inch by 10-inch cardbase.

Next, I die-cut all my mats and decorative frames from patterned papers using the crosshatch rectangles from the new Rectangles and Labels – Crosshatch. For the scalloped frame I used white copier paper and heavier white cardstock to cut all the labels and twist mechanism two flag arms. The small, scalloped rectangles and flag arms are dies in the Little Twist Panel Pop-Up die set.

Because my decorative papers were thin paper, I used a sheet of double-sided adhesive to adhere the paper to a piece of cardstock. I did this for the twisting mechanism and the folded panel that is glued to the twisting mechanism. Before I die-cut my Little Twist Panel Pop-Up, I watched the assembly video for the pop-up mechanism.

Using double-sided tape, I covered the inside and outside card panels with coordinating paper mats. (My favorite technique for using double-sided tape is to place around the edge of the card, lift the ends of the tape so corners are sticky, position the covering paper, you can shift the top paper a bit before you pull all the tape backing paper strips. See tutorial post,)

Fold all the scored lines of mechanism piece as directed in video. Using a ruler mark the center of the cardbase fold with a pencil. Glue one side of mechanism to cardbase lining-up the mechanism’s center hole with the pencil mark making sure the folded score lines of the mechanism arms line up with the casebase fold. Fold mechanism shut and glue other side to cardbase.

The center heart is cut from the Heart Collage Pop-Up set in two pieces. Slide solid heart into slotted heart and glue the back halves to the mountain fold of the folded panel mechanism making sure that the panel slots are not blocked by heart. Following the video assembly instructions, insert the two flag arms into the slots on the folded panel. Glue the flag tabs onto the back of the other flag. Adhere the panel to the twisting mechanism as directed in assembly video. Test and train the mechanism how to fold inside the card.

The card front is simply decorated with the scalloped frame which is glued only on the straight edge inside of the frame.

To have a white shadow behind the die-cut “Happy Valentine’s Day,” Trace the outer edge of the word die with pencil and fussy cut the shadow.Two tiny hearts from the Sending Love die set complete the front.

The inside decorations include more tiny hearts in corners of the decorative panels as well as two hot air balloons carrying hearts. The balloons are from the Balloon Collage Add-Ons and the hearts on strings are from the Little Twist Panel Pop-Up. The balloons are adhered to the card with foam dimensionals. “Sending Love” sentiment is its own die set. There are two scalloped white labels are from the Little Twist Panel Pop-Up to write a personal message.

As with all my cards that are sent in an envelope, I have decorated the back flap with scalloped heart from the Heart Collage Pop-Up set. The card is A7 envelope.

You can see more Valentines by clicking here.

Thank you for reading this blog post. I hope it inspires you and makes you smile. Please like and leave comments 😊

Materials Used:

Dies

Papers

  • American Crafts – The Color of Memories – 12 x 12 Printed Paper – Heart Flowers -320506
  • American Crafts – The Color of Memories – 12 x 12 Printed Paper – Tumbling Blocks -320330
  • White and Pink Cardstock & White Copier Paper Scraps
  • Fun Stampers Journey – 8.5 x 11 Cardstock – Banana Cream
  • A7 Envelope – Ivory

Miscellaneous

  • Neutral PH Adhesive by LINECO
  • Fine-Tip Glue Bottle
  • Scrapbook.com – Double-Sided Adhesive 1/4 Inch Tape
  • Clear Double-Sided Adhesive 8.5 x 11-Inch Sheets
  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Piercing Tool
  • Pencil
  • Sand Eraser
  • Baker’s Twine
  • Stampin’ Up – Foam Dimensionals

Heart Flower Valentine

| ullycatdesigns

It’s the Karen Burniston’s Design Team February 2023 Challenge focusing on LOVE.

This hexagon flower card is a cross between an explosion box and a flower bud slowly opening. It uses two Crosshatch shape dies – Hexagons and Hearts as well as two sentiment dies – Happy Valentine’s Day and Word Set 13. An additional heart is the Circle Charm Pop-Up set.

Center Layer: Cut one of the second smallest of the plain edged hexagon in the Hexagons Crosshatch set of red 65 lb. cardstock. Cut six of the hearts in the Circle Charm Pop-Up set in red 65 lb. cardstock. Cut 12 strips 1-inch by 1/4 inch in red 65 lb. cardstock. (Strips need one squared off end that will be visible when the card is open.) Cut in white cardstock “love you” from Word Set 13.

Adhere “love you” sentiment onto hexagon parallel to a straight edge. Glue squared ends of strips to back side of the rounded tops of hearts. (Each heart should have two strips.) Place heart face up over an edge of hexagon and fold under the attached strips and glue to the underside of the hexagon. Make sure the top of the heart is just at the edge of the hexagon and not overhanging. (Overhanging hearts will make catchpoints that will be hard to open when flower is assembled.) Repeat with the next five hearts.

Fold hearts closed and test for catchpoints. Adjust attached hearts as needed to eliminate catchpoints.

Middle Layer: Cut one of the second largest of the plain edged hexagons in the Hexagons Crosshatch set in Pomegranate 100 lb. cardstock. Cut six of the smaller crosshatch heart in the Heart Crosshatch set in Pomegranate cardstock. Cut 12 strips 1-inch by 1/4 inch in Pomegranate cardstock. (Strips need one squared off end that will be visible when the card is open.)

Using thin foam squares, adhere center layer hexagon onto middle hexagon with points of smaller hexagon pointing towards the middle of each straight edge on larger hexagon. Glue squared ends of strips to back side of the rounded tops of hearts. (Each heart should have two strips.) Place heart face up over an edge of hexagon and fold under the attached strips and glue to the underside of the hexagon. Make sure the top of the heart is just at the edge of the hexagon and not overhanging. (Overhanging hearts will make catchpoints that will be hard to open when flower is assembled.) Repeat with the next five hearts.

Fold hearts closed and test for catchpoints. Adjust attached hearts as needed to eliminate catchpoints.

Outer Layer: Cut two of the largest hexagon in the Hexagons Crosshatch set – one red dotted Swiss and one white. Cut six of the scalloped heart in the Heart Crosshatch set in red dotted Swiss. Cut 12 strips 1-inch by 1/4 inch in red dotted Swiss. (Strips need one squared off end that will be visible when the card is open.)

Using thicker foam squares, adhere middle layer hexagon onto largest hexagon with points of smaller hexagon pointing towards the middle of each straight edge on larger hexagon. Glue squared ends of strips to back side of the rounded tops of hearts. (Each heart should have two strips.) Place heart face up over an edge of hexagon and fold under the attached strips and glue to the underside of the hexagon. Make sure the top of the heart is just at the edge of the hexagon and not overhanging. (Overhanging hearts will make catchpoints that will be hard to open when flower is assembled.) Repeat with the next five hearts.

Fold hearts closed and test for catchpoints. Adjust attached hearts as needed to eliminate catchpoints.

Glue white hexagon over the back of the red hexagon to cover-up strips and to provide a space to write a personal message.

Closing Band: Cut one strip of 12 inches by 3/4 inch in striped cardstock. Wrap loosely around widest part of closed flower. (Make such you can slide off the closed band before gluing closed.)

On white cardstock, trace around the “Happy Valentine’s Day” die to create a shadow for the words. Fussy cut the shadow. Die-cut the sentiment in red and use a pokey tool to weed out the words. Glue to shadow. Adhere the shadowed words to band.

The card will fit in an A2 size (4 3/8 x 5 3/4 inches) envelope. It may require extra US postage for its thickness.

You can see more Valentines by clicking here.

Thank you for reading this blog post. Please like and leave comments 😊

Materials Used:

Dies

Papers

  • Echo Park – 12×12 – A Perfect Christmas by Lori Whitlock – Snow Flack Swirl – APC135009
  • Bazzill – 8.5 x 11 – Embossed Dotted Swiss Cardstock – Red
  • Spellbinders – 8.5 x 11 – Color Essentials Cardstock 100 lb – Pomegranate
  • Recollections – 8.5 x 11 –Cardstock Paper 65 lb – Red
  • White lightweight cardstock

Miscellaneous

A String of Hearts

| ullycatdesigns

This is a quick fussy cut string of hearts using Karen Burniston’s Landscape Rectangle Accordion die. The large red hearts and smallest dark pink hearts are from the Hearts-Crosshatch set while the medium size pale pink hearts and hearts with sentiments and arrow are from the Love Charms set. (I used a purple gel pen to highlight the candy heart sentiments.)

Below is a PDF file which you can download for a basic template of how to fussy cut the panels which are connected by the smallest hearts.

hearts-accordion-scan-of-prototypeDownload

For more Accordion Fold cards click here.

A Twist and Pop Valentine

| ullycatdesigns

In cleaning up my craft room after the holidays, I came across a purchased Valentine I’d been sent many years ago with a stitched see-thru pouch with beads, sequins and the words “daughter,” sweet” and “valentine.” I decided to upcycle the card base with the pouch attached for a new Valentine.

The card base was an A6 size (5×6.5 inches). Ivory pearlescent on the outside and red on the inside. There were some tears of white on the inside where a sentiment sheet had been removed. (I hid the tears with red gingham ribbon adhered with double-sided tape.)

Using Karen Burniston’s Twist Panel Pop-Up and Heart Pivot Panels along with some of her word set dies, I recreated the card using two sheets of double-sided, printed cardstock from Craft Consortium.

I watch the assembly videos for both the Heart Pivot Panels and the Twist Panel Pop-Up before cutting and assembling my pop-up features.

Because I opted for an 8 x6 1/4-inches cardstock insert, I had to use a craft knife with a metal ruler to cut the ends of the mechanism arms free from the insert. I also die-cut a third arm from the insert cardstock which I cut-in half twice to make four strips to cover the red card base where the insert mechanism arms are cut from.

The assembly of the end panels and heart pivot panels were done as per the assembly video.  Cutting the decorative hearts from the intricate paisley cardstock makes for a somewhat non-traditional Valentine.

The sentiments inside were both cut from white cardstock but finished differently. The “love you” was also cut from a red glossy magazine page and glued off-set with the white underneath. The “Happy Valentine’s Day” had a shadow added underneath it. The shadow is cut by tracing the outside of the sentiment die on the back side of the decorative cardstock and fussy cutting. The white scalloped rectangle is cut using a decorative panel die from the Twist Panel Pop-Up set. It serves as a place for a personal message.

The outside of the card was decorated with leftover scraps of decorative cardstock and a die-cut heart I had in my stash. Because I changed the orientation of the card from a side-fold to a top-fold, I secured the see-thru pouch with glue dots and added tiny hearts to reflect the orientation.

The card will fit in an A6 size envelope. (I used an A7 envelope as I was out of A6s.) It may require extra US postage for its thickness.

You can see more Valentines by clicking here.

Thank you for reading this blog post. Please like and leave comments 😊

Materials Used:

Dies

Papers

  • Craft Consortium – 12×12 Double-Sided Premium Paper Pad – Eastern Influences
  • A6 Recycled Card Base with Valentine Pouch
  • White Cardstock
  • Red Glossy Paper Scrap
  • A7 Envelope – Ivory

Miscellaneous

Rainbow Threads

| ullycatdesigns

“Beautiful things come together one stitch at a time,” is the sentiment of this friendship card made with a new Lou Collins Text{ures} die and stamps along with some vintage stamps and heart die.

The Fabric Edging Die Set has a die that cuts a course woven strip of hessian or burlap which I used as the base for weaving embroidery floss in bright rainbow colors for the flaps of this asymmetrical-gatefold slimline card. Once the weaving was completed, I covered the back of the weaving with white cardstock cut ½ inch longer than the woven panel to use as a tab to glue to the 8 ½ inches x 4 inches rectangular card base.

For the lacy heart, two hearts were cut using the lace heart die by Moda Scrap of Elizabeth Craft Designs. Each heart is folded in half and the lacy side covered in Persian Red Nuvo Embellishment Mousse.

The solid part of the folded heart is glued to the inside of the flaps lining up the tips of the heart halves to make a whole heart when card is closed.

Before gluing the flaps to the card base, I stamped, and heat embossed the two sentiments in black detail embossing powder.

On the front of the card are three stamped and watercolored buttons from the Fun Stampers Journey Button Bliss set.

The envelope back is stamped with another sentiment from the same stamp set in a dark blue ink.

Hope you enjoyed this quick card. If so, please comment and like and follow this blog. 😊

Supplies used:

A Valentine for a Baseball Fan

| ullycatdesigns

What kind of Valentine’s Day card do you give to a baseball fan during a time of COVID-19? A triple heart slider in their team’s colors.

This card is the fourth of a series of Split-Slider Slimlines.

Card base is cut from heavy black cardstock. It is a rectangle 8 5/8 inches x 7 inches and folded in half to form a 3 ½ inch x 8 5/8 inches card base. The slider arm and easel panel template was printed also on heavy black card stock.

Split-Slider: This split slider is based off Spellbinders Large Die of the Month for January 2021.  The three mini easels were drawn and cut based off the three heart openings in the slimline die. (You can download a template for the horizontal split slider in the Materials Used section below.) The slider arm is horizontal rather than vertical as previous cards were. (Hint: Rectangular easels that will slide under the heart frames eliminate a catchpoint for the easel.)

You can glue the easel panel to the back of the lacy panel as long as you don’t glue the easel tab area at the bottom of the heart frames. Just put glue around the outer edge of the lacy panel.

Because the top lacy panel is adhered on three sides to the card base and needs to be raised, I used foam tape strips to raise the panel. (I like Stampin’ Up’s foam adhesive strips because they are precut and narrow enough to fit along the edge of the lacy panel.) Adhere the easel tabs to the slider arm before removing the backing paper of the foam tape.

You may have to help fold the easels into the fully opened position the first time to train them. Once satisfied with the slider/easels’ movement, remove panel backing tape paper and adhere to card base lining up the lacy panel with the top fold edge of the card base. (Note: The top edge of the slider arm (the pull bar) should jut out over the card base so that fingers can easily pinch the bar and pull up.)

Pull-Bar: The long pull bar or top edge of the slider arm is reinforced with a thick cardstock strip. Three yellow arrows are glued to the pull bar and a white dot for the place to hold the card when pulling up the slider arm. (For good CRX – I add a slip of paper to the card when mailing to show how to open the card. PDF of slip download is in Materials Used.)

Decorating the Easels: Because I had cut the lacy panel three times, I had plenty of the heart cut outs. I used three yellow hearts to form the easel bases that are folded at the tip of the heart when adhered to the slider easel. Three more yellow hearts are glued only at the rounded tops to the easel base hearts.

Using foam squares I adhered stamped baseball equipment to the yellow hearts and placed a bat under them.

Make sure you don’t glue anything that will impede the easels from moving.

The foiled “Happy Valentine’s Day” sentiment and stamped “Take me out to the ball game” are adhered to the inside of the card with double sided tape.

Thank you for reading this blog post. Please like and leave comments 😊

If you enjoy reading about the card I make, please follow ullysworld489442913.com.

Split-Slider Slimline Series:

Day 1 – Split Sea Slider

Day 2 – Cloud Dreams

Day 3 – Triple Hearts

Day 4 – A Valentine for a Baseball Fan

Materials Used:

Template

triple-heart-slider-templateDownload
split-slider-crx-sheetDownload

Dies

Foiling

Stamping

  • Hampton Art – Graphic 45 – Cling Stamps No. 11
  • Fun Stampers Journey – Rubber Stamps – Winners – SS-0362
  • Hero Arts – mini ink pad from My Monthly Here Kit September 2020 – Cup 0’ Joe

Papers

Miscellaneous

© 2021 Sue Small-Kreider/Ully Cat Designs

Triple Hearts

| ullycatdesigns

Valentine’s Day is coming and a handmade card, reminiscent of folk art hearts and flowers, fancy chocolate boxes and old-fashioned lacy Valentines, maybe just the thing for your loved one.

This card is the third of a series of Split-Slider Slimlines.

Split-Slider: This split slider is based off Spellbinders Large Die of the Month for January 2021.  The three mini easels were drawn and cut based off the three heart openings in the slimline die. (See previous split slider posts for more detailed directions.) The slider arm is horizontal rather than vertical as previous cards were. (Hint: Cut rectangular easels that will slide under the heart frames to eliminate a catchpoint for the easel.)

You can glue the easel panel to the back of the lacy panel as long as you don’t glue the easel tab area at the bottom of the heart frames.

Because the top lacy panel is adhered on three sides to the card base and needs to be raised, I used foam tape strips to raise the panel. (I like Stampin’ Up’s foam adhesive strips because they are precut and narrow enough to fit along the edge of the lacy panel.) Adhere the easel tabs to the slider arm before removing the backing paper of the foam tape.

You may have to help fold the easels into the fully opened position the first time to train them. Once satisfied with the slider/easels’ movement, remove panel backing tape paper and adhere to card base.

Decorating the Easels: Because I had cut the lacy panel three times (once from lightweight cardstock and twice from heavy weight cardstock), I had plenty of the heart cut outs. I used the lightweight hearts so form the easel base that was folded at the tip of the heart when adhered to the slider easel. The decorated heavy weight hearts are glued only at the rounded tops to the easel base hearts.

I used flowers and greenery left from other projects on the outer hearts and then I foiled the center heart with a coordinating foiling plate from the Spellbinders Glimmer Plate of the Month for January 2021.

Make sure you don’t glue anything that will impede the easels from moving.

Pull-Bar: The long pull bar or top edge of the slider arm is reinforced with a thick cardstock strip. Three holes were punched, and ribbon looped through for pulls. (If I were to make this card again, I would make the card base narrower so no ribbon pulls would be needed. See free template download under Materials Listed)

The foiled “Happy Valentine’s Day” sentiment is attached with foam squares. Nuvo Glitter Drops were added to the lacy panel.

When sending this card, I would enclose a slip of paper with directions on how to open. (See split-slider CRX Sheet download.)

Thank you for reading this blog post. Please like and leave comments 😊

Split-Slider Slimline Series:

Day 1 – Split Sea Slider

Day 2 – Cloud Dreams

Day 3 – Triple Hearts

Day 4 – A Valentine for A Baseball Fan

Materials Used:

triple-heart-slider-template-1Download
split-slider-crx-sheet-2Download

Dies

Foiling

Papers

Miscellaneous

© 2021 Sue Small-Kreider/Ully Cat Designs

The Best is Yet to Come

| ullycatdesigns


“You’re not getting older, you’re getting better” was the inspiration for this anniversary card for a “better” couple. I used one of my favorite Spellbinder’s die set – Sunday Drive along with one of it’s add-on sets  – Sunday Sunset Drive.

To create the rainbow oval I hot foiled the Spellbinder’s Essential Glimmer Ovals and then the sentiment above from a Spellbinders Glimmer of the Month sentiment set. (Spellbinders has great clubs of the month that get you the newest dies/glimmer plates before they are released to the general public and/or get sold out, plus discounts on other products like the Journey Platinum and Sapphire Mini die cutting machines that I use. The Mini I got for 75% off.)

The heart and star are some die cuts that have been in my stash for years most like cut from punches and junk mail.

To assemble the car and passengers I looked at the pictures on the packaging, but you could watch an assembly video too. The License plate was cut from white glitter paper. The taillights are Nuvo Glow Drops Neon – Shocking Pink and silver matte cardstock. I used Watercolor pencils on the passengers’ skin and hair. I added the yellow ribbon scarf to create the illusion of motion following the direction of the woman’s hair. (I was also thinking of an old Audrey Hepburn movie of her in a small sports car with a scarf blowing in the wind.)

Because I don’t own matching glimmer plate or stamp that would compliment the typeface of the front sentiment, I used die cut letters from gold mirror card and another of the license plates from the Sunday Sunset Drive set.

As is my style I stamped the back of the envelope with a hint of what is inside using an older BoBunny hearts stamp in red.

This card feels like one a husband might give to his wife as they near retirement.

Other Sunday Drive cards:

Sunday Drive Celebration

A Snowy Sunday Drive with Santa

Santa Bauble

Santa Delivers to the Tropics

Being Spooky

Driving into a Spooky Sunset

The Best is Yet to Come

Hoppy Spring!

SUPPLIES

Dies:

Foiling:

Stamps:

Coloring:

Paper:

Miscellaneous:

© Sue Small-Kreider 2020