Spring Cleaning.....A Good as New (ScanNCut) Cutting Mat

My ScaNCut mat was a mess.

It had lots of specks and shreds of card stock stuck to it.

Actually, the very first time I used it..

it was so super sticky that nearly the entire sheet of card stock stuck to it...

and

All of those card stock pieces... and more..

have been on the mat ever since.

I poked around on line 

reading up on different ways to refresh...clean.....and rejuvenate cutting mats.

I didn't want to use chemicals
So I decided to try the baby-wipe method
It seemed like the reviews from those who tried this method
 were all positive...
and got a thumbs up.
So I bought a package of baby wipes that are all natural...organic....scent free...chemical free etc...
at the local organic market/health food store.

I did have an opened mind about the possibility 

of needing to spray on an adhesive restoring product...

So I ordered this...to have on hand...

just in case I needed to apply something "sticky" to the mat.
and
I had a plan...
just IN CASE I had to use it...
this being...SPRAY IT OUTSIDE OF THE STUDIO...
and...
wear a face mask
(3 times in the ring with 3 different cancers makes me a cautious person when it comes to chemicals)

So here's my grungy looking ScanNCut mat
See the card stock pieces...
both large an small
on the mat?
Look at that big one.....right up front!
That's from the first time I used the mat...when almost the entire sheet of card stock was stuck to the mat..
and I DO mean S T U C K

Look at that mat!
Well loved and very used...
and very messy

                            

The info that I read on line said to take an alcohol free...scent free baby wipe...
and scrub a small area..
approx 3x3 inches...at a time...
in a circular motion

I started out that way...
and then thought...
Hey!....wait a sec...
I think I'll lay the damp wipes over the mat..
and let them sit there..
while I worked on the first section...
so...
that's what I did.

I finished the first section...
and look!!
Look at how dirty that wipe is!
Look at all of the "stuff" on that wipe!
I used the little spatula that came with the ScanNCut to lose stubborn pieces...
But truthfully...there weren't many...
Leaving the wipes on the mat to soften and loosen everything was a good idea...
Minimal "scrubbing and rubbing was needed...
Almost everything wiped off easily.
The left side of the mat is looking good...isnt it?

The Mat: Lookin' good!
The wipe: Not so good...(yuck)

Yipes stripes!
Look at what was stuck on the mat...
even though I clean it after every use

More paper pills...
coming up off of the mat 1-2-3
and so easily

Look!!!
less than 10 minutes of time..
and
minimal elbow grease required...
and...
LOOK AT THE END RESULT!!
Now that's a beautiful thing!!
and
it makes the Felix Unger in me uber happy!!

and....
here's a close-up
It looks...and performs...
as if it's a brand new mat
that is perfectly tacky and useful
and...best of all....
no need to use the spray!!!
Cleaning it up with the wipes...
restored the tackiness !

And there you have it...
a good way to kick off your craft space Spring cleaning!
...a simple..effective way to clean your cutting mats

Thanks for visiting!

And I hope that you'll find this info to be useful...when you need to clean your cutting mats

Michelle

It' Party Time!

I needed to make one birthday card for a 16th birthday

for a friend.

The card was enjoyable to create...

so I thought that I'd make a few extras

for The Bellissima Card Shop

(my etsy card shop)

I've had this banner die for quite a while

but this was the first time I've used it.

It was instant love.

I really like this die.

I paired it up with another recent favorite...

The Stampin Up Large Numbers Framelits Die set 

which is part of the Number of Years bundle

(The stamp set is really nice too)

I've got oodles of card stock colors...

so I chose a few colors that caught my eye...

and then  began die die cutting, embossing and assembling the 16th birthday card..

and a few others, that can be customized, in the future,  with the number(s) of a specific birthday.

This is the card for the 16th birthday that I created for my friend..

it's very true to my CAS  of card making..

don't you agree?

 I just love the We R Memory Keepers banner die

and the Stampin Up Large Numbers dies

It's difficult to see the trio of dots embossed on the black card stock...

but they're there!

The yellow card stock behind the banner die cuts is a nice contrast

and the prints used to the numbers worked well too, I think.

The embossing on the black card stock shows a little bit in this photo...

This is the inside sentiment

A few weeks ago...

The same friend asked me to create the 2 cards below

for twin sisters who are turning 16

My friend has a son who is the age now when he is attending lots of 16th birthday parties

I remember those days well...

when my daughter seemed to have a full time job...

attending Sweet 16 parties...

So, after I created the black card, above

I created these.

(minus the numbers so that they can be customized in the future)

                

I enjoyed using the banner die...

I probably would have gone on and on creating more...

but alas..it was getting late...

and time to call it a day

I always lose track of time when I am in my studio...

and am always surprised when it's time to turn off the lights...

and call it a day.

But...

there's always tomorrow...

and tomorrow I'll be doing what I love best...

water coloring!!

...for friends who asked for peony cards and hydrangea cards

Card loving friends: This birthday banner card..in the assortment of colors shown, is available for purchase at The Bellissima Card Shop, and will be customized with the number of your choice

   Card making friends: the supply list is posted below (minus the basics like trimmer..adhesives etc)

Thanks for visiting

Now....take a moment to remember how you celebrated your 16th birthday!

Michelle

Supply List:

Card stock & Paper: PTI, Stampin Up...Print paper Stampin Up It's My Party 12 x 12 Paper Pad

Dies: We R Memory Keepers- Cut Outs Die- Banners, Stampin Up Large Numbers Framelits

Embossing: Sizzix

Water Colored Tiger....

This card was one of those cards that you create..."Just because"

for no specific reason...

other than the image is lovely..and calls out to you..

When I was boxing up all of the dog and cat cards

to send off to my friend John.. 

(The cards I've been sharing here all week long)

I saw this new stamp sitting on my desk..

and...

I had all of my water coloring supplies out

(from the last dog card)

and so...

I thought I'd water color just one of this beautiful tiger image

( added it to John's box when it was complete...hoping that he will send it to his friends who at:  Tigers in America

If you've never heard ot Tigers in America...

you can visit their web site HERE

I am truly a CAS card maker...

as I always say..I love and appreciate cards that have ribbon..

dimension flowers..many many layers of card stock and a mixture of various prints

and embellishments...

I look at those cards...created by others...

and see mini works of art...

I, myself, however...

am a die hard CAS card maker..

In as much as I often venture beyond my preferred style of card making...

it's just not "me"

and somehow I always wind up making CAS cards...

again

So here's the tiger...

heat embossed with black fine detail embossing powder...

then...

water colored...

and mattered on gorgeous LCI Metallic card stock

and 

it's all looking very CAS-ish

(Just how I like it!)

He's beautiful...

isn't he?

Especially with the hint of green in his eyes...

(wish you could see the shimmer in the metallic card stock...it really gorgeous)

and he looks very much like the beautiful tigers shown in the photos 

on line...at the Tigers in America web site.

This beautiful stamp was purchased at

Sparkle N Sprinkle

(the same web site that I order all of my BIG jars of embossing powder from)

I'll definitely be making more of this card...

CAS...of course!

and will be placing them in The Bellissima Card Shop soon!

Card loving friends: Check in at The Bellissima Card Shop often. New cards are added almost daily

Card making friends:  Brief supply list is posted below (minus the basics like tremor..adhesives etc)

Thanks for visiting!

If this is a Holiday Weekend for you...as it is me..

I'd like to wish you a Happy Easter!

Michelle.

Supply List:

Stamp: Tiger Stamp Set #551.466

Card stock: Crafter's Companion Water Color Paper, Stampin Up and LCI Metallic

Markers: Stampin Up & Zig Brush Tip
Other: Marsupial ("JIG") Layering Tool 

The Last of the Dog Cards...For a Little While ...and the RAK Giveaway Winner!

It's been a week that revolved around making dog and cat cards for my friend John, who is a vet.

I am so grateful to him for asking me to create multiple cards for him

because it pushed me in the direction 

of using some of the wonderful dog and cat stamps and dies that I have.

During the last month..

(if my math is correct)

I think that I have created and sent him

a little over 175 cards

He and I both have had favorites ...

and I think that this one ..

This car is the last of the dog and cat cards 

(for a short while... because I'm sure he will be asking me to create more)

Isn't this little guy with his head out of the car window..

wind in his face

tongue and ears flying in the breeze...

and wearing his aviator goggles...

well...isn't he just adorable!

I knew that I wanted to water color this image...

I almost always heat emboss when I water color.

But this image didn't seem to call for embossing.

I also knew that I wanted to water color using the style where the color doesn't meet the lines of the image.

The style where there are places where there is white space.

I've always liked this look.

I also like the water color style where the colors are beyond the lines of the image..

So, I got out my Staz-on ink...

my MISTI...

my (JIG) Layering Tool (from Marsupial Pouches & Paper

and a few other things

I started cutting, scoring, stamping and embossing...and matting

etc

and this is the CAS water colored card that I made a stack of

by the end of the evening 

Isn't he adorable!!

The little trio of black dots on the lower right of the image were done with Nuvo Crystal Drops

My latest new love.

and...

 this is the sentiment, 

stamped inside of the card

What are Nuvo Crystal  Drops?

These are Nuvo Crystal Drops

and you can get them at Sparkle and Sprinkle 

Every color is beautiful...

However... you're an impatient card maker...

Make note: Nuvo Crystal Drops require drying time

You can't finish a card...

add Nuvo Drops..

and be on the run with the card..

It needs to dry until hard

I always lay my cards out on the studio work table 

and let the Nuvo Crystal Drops dry overnight...

just to be safe.

And so there you have it...

the last (for a little while, at least)

of the dog and cat cards that I've been working on for my friend John.

 I think it's just so sweet and kind of him to send sympathy cards.

and other cat and dog related cards to his clients 

and friends who have an interest in animal well being.

I have one other card up my sleeve that I want to create one of..

to send to him...

I'll share that here tomorrow.

Now...I want to announce the winner of the Stampin Up stamp set...

Picked at random..the old fashioned way...

out of a hat

Someday..if I do a RAKy giveaway and have hundreds of entries..

I'll have to sue the random number generator..

but for now..

the old fashioned way works 

and the winner is:

LChippy76

Congratulations!

Please send your mailing info to tobellissimacards@gmail.com

and i will send this lovely stamp set to you!

Card loving friends: This adorable card with this sweet dog is available for sale at The Bellissima Card Shop. 

Card making friends: The supply list is posted below. I am not including the basics..ie..trimmer..adhesive , Big Shot...etc

Have a great easter weekend!

And thanks for visiting!

Michelle

Supply List:

Stamp Set: Sparkle N Sprinkle Paw Prints Stamp Set # 549

Card stock: LCI

Ink/Markers: Stampin Up 

Embossing folder: Darice

Misc: Nuvo Crystal Drops, Marsupial Layering Tool

Last Day for the RAKy Giveaway....and Next to the Last Day of the Dog and Cat Cards

I've been creating dog...and cat cards, this week...

for my friend John...who is a vet...

When we talked the other night...

he mentioned that he'd also like a group of cards...with both a cat and a dog on it...

(All of the other cards that he requested were either dog....OR cat...)

While John is always opened to color on cards...

I wanted to keep card a little bit guy-friendly...

as far as the color palette goes.

and..

I wanted to use one of my favorite PTI card stock colors

"Confetti"

even though it really isn't a "color"...

It's so beautiful...

It's off white.....oatmeal looking...

and

it has little flecks of what looks like fiber throughout it...

it looks so natural...outdoorsy...

It seemed like the perfect card stock for this card.

The embossed layer..the image layer..and the base card 

were all done with this beautiful Confetti card stock

I needed to make quite a few of this card...

so I cut and ripped everything first

and then I put the cards together

Yes, that's my Marsupial Layering Tool....

ready to roll!
Did you watch the video that I did showing the Marsupial in action?
If you missed it..you can see it HERE
The video demonstrates how to use the Marsupial layering tool...
AND...I'll also give the discount code for $10 off of your order!
There's also more info in yesterday's blog post.

Now back to the cat and dog card...

This is what I came up with...

A cat

and

a dog

on one card...

with a guy friendly color palette

some beautiful natural looking card stock

and 

a little bit of stamping

embossing

and water coloring

 I got out some oldies but goodies...

 Spellbinders scalloped rectangles..

Regular rectangles..

and a Darice embossing folder with a lovely tree on it..

I water colored by picking up some Stampin Up marker ink

that I had scribbled on an acrylic block.

The dog and cat dies seemed perfect for this card.

I really love the retriever...he's got some nice die cut detail...

(although, it's not very visible in the photo)

I used my Marsupial Layering Tool to do the matting...

I made LOTS of cards today...

(lots of these..and others)

So my layering tool got quite a workout!

And so did I !

By the end of the day I had created 37 cards....

15 of which were this cat and dog card.

I am winding down now on making John's cat and dog cards...

I've got one more to go...

and then they'll all be on their way to a very kind, generous and thoughtful Vet..

my find John...

who epitomizes what a dedicated, caring vet is all about.

And finally...

Today is the last day to enter the giveaway!

I'll pick a winner this evening...

and will post the winner's name, here on the blog tomorrow morning.

To enter the giveaway...

for this stamp set...

just leave a comment below 

AND 

sign up for email updates of this blog

Card loving friends: I created a few extras of this card...and they are now available for sale 

at The Bellissima Card Shop

Card making friends: The supply list is posted below.

Thanks for visiting....

and don't forget to leave a comment and subscribe... for the giveaway!

Michelle

Supply list

Stamps: In the Meadow

Ink: Altenew Crisp Ink & Stampin Up (markers)

Card stock: PTI and Stampin Up

Embossing Folder: Darice

Dies Frantic Stamper (Retriever) and Impression Obsession Cat)

Marsupial ("JIG") Layering Tool Video Tutorial and "Cheat Sheet"

My sweetheart had some time when he got home from work...

and so I was able to put together the Marsupial Layering Tool video

a few days earlier than expected.

There has been so much excitement about the tool in the days since I posted the  first, impromptu video, a few weeks ago.

So many people have contacted me..messaged me....emailed me..called me...etc..

...asking about the tool...

How it works

asking...How is the quality

What's the price

Does it REALLY work

Where can they buy it

and so on

I have been doing my best in keeping up on responding to everyone on FB..and via private messages and emails...

but thought that a video would be the best way to show you the tool in action...and answer all of the remaining questions that I may not have been able to get to yet

As an added nice thing that came about since I shared the first video...

I've been contacted by the inventor of the tool..

Yes!...the inventor...Matt...

I give him thunderous applause for being "the guy" who invented/created this great tool

 I'd guess that he would be the most popular person in a rom full of card makers..

He is appreciative of all of the attention the "JIG" (Original name of the tool) has gotten via my  original video.

The retailer of the tool (Marsupial Pouches and Papers)

has also been in contact with me...

and has offered a discount code ....$10 off of the purchase price when ordered via their web site

(I will post the code and web link below...in a sec.)

The Layering Tool is currently sold out at Marsupial Pouches and Paper (.com)..

because a significant number of tools were sold after my first video.

It's anticipated that they will be back in stock "soon"

(approx ETA: "next week")

Before you watch the video...

take a fast look at these photos of my "Cheat Sheet"

(the video will make more sense)

These are photos and information that you will want to print out and save..

and then tack up on the wall in front of your crafting desk.....

Why?

Because they are key in using your layering tool properly....easily...and efficiently..

I know..the math looks overwhelming...

but it's not

Trust me

After you mat a few times..you won't even need the "Cheat Sheet"

because the cutting is essentially how you cut now for mat layering...

The photos just guide you as to which section of the tool to use for a particular mat width.

And...best of all

Unlike the Cheat Sheets of our youth..

you DO get to keep this one on your desk when you work!

The video tutorial follows the Cheat Sheet photos...below

(When you watch the video... the photos will make sense)

The coupon code

and 

the web link to Marsupial Pouches and Paper (where you can order the Layering Tool follows  below, as well.

And...

the stamp set giveaway info is also posted below 

Comment to this blog post and sign up for email updates to this blog..

and you will be entered in the giveaway

(Winner to be announced Friday evening...March 25th)

Finally...I would like to add

this tool is simply fantastic

I know that some you have said that you thought it was pricey

and that shipping was high

But..I say..

look at it this way

You are getting something that's made with quality

it IS useful

and....it DOES work

an the $10 coupon code kind of offsets the shipping cost

To me, it's a no brainer.

Okay now..

thanks to my sweetheart, Gary, (aka my camera man)

here's the Marsupial Layering Tool video tutorial..

but first...the "Cheat Sheet" photos

Please know..

I am not a video pro...

I am just a card maker/crafty person like YOU

I'm not going to type up something elaborate in Excel...

create a chart...

or anything similar

for the measurements

You are seeing me....in my home studio..

sharing my little tips and tricks and behind the scenes things that I personally do

when I sit down to create some cards

We all have our little tricks and things that we do...

and now...

You're getting to see mine.

What I share is basic..

not all fancy schmancy

but you'll walk away knowing a little bit more than you knew when you first got here

Okay..so here we go...

First...

the star of the show...

The Marsupial Layering Tool (The "JIG"...the original name)

The matting sizes in each of the 4 quadrants

Cropping measurements for each matting size

1/4 inch is how much you will crop off of the top most layer that you wish to mat onto the bottom piece of card stock..in  a 2 layer mat

2 x 1/8 of an inch = 1/4 inch

ie

bottom layer of card stock = 4 x 5 1/4

crop off 1/4 inch on one of the 4 inch sides..

and 1/4 off of one of the 5 1/4 sides

**NOT all 4 sides...just 2

the cropped piece will now measure 3 3/4 x 5

This cropped piece will lay on top of the larger piece of card stock

To mat using the tool....

put adhesive on the back side of the smaller piece of card stock

place it, adhesive side up...in the lower grooves of the 1/8 grooves/part of the tool

Lay the larger piece...wrong side up...over the smaller piece....

butting the lager piece into the upper groove in the 1/8 inch section of the tool/template

Making sure that all 4 edges of each piece is butted up against the sides of the groove is important

This gives a precision mat...in the end...when its assembled.

Practice a few times with cheap copy paper...

You'll be amazed at how good you are...

and how easy the tool is to use.

Experiment by layering different mat widths to create an assortment of mat sizes... stacked together...

IMPORTANT:

You will always begin each mat by placing the SMALLEST piece of card stock into the tool FIRST...right side of the card stock or paper facing DOWN..with adhesive on the back side

The LARGER piece goes on TOP of the smaller piece...RIGHT side facing down

And that's it!

You've got a perfect mat

(Brush up on your cutting skills if you're a haphazard cutter...

Exact cutting and measuring with your trimmer is very important) 

IF YOU ARE MATTING SQUARE cuts of card stock...

trim 2 sides only...NOT all 4

Next....

the measurements for creating a 1/2 inch mat

Follow directions above...for all matting....

Now that you know how to mat one size...

you know how to mat all sizes

Just the cutting and cropping is different

so..here's the measurements for cropping layers 

You will take 1 inch off of the long side..

and 1 inch off of the short side of the top most layer of card stock

For matting  a 3/8 mat

These are the  measurements

Crop/trim 3/4 off of one short side..

and off of one long side

Now you've got the top layer of a 2 layer mat ready to go!

Assemble in the layering Tool a described above.

and finally..the 4th section of the layering Tool

This section has multiple grooves for n multiple matting widths

*Look at the photo of the top side of the tool (posted above)

See the different ridges in the secant marked 1/4 and 3/4?

They are the  cutting/cropping measurements for those mat dimensions

1/4 is the narrow ridge at the top...

3/4 is the wider ridge

Now you've got the measurements..

and you're all set

Numbers and fractions and measuring can be overwhelming

The truth is..this is no different than the cutting and trimming you've done for all of you other matting

The difference is...the tool PLACES the card stock layers with precision... for you..

You don't have to eyeball it anymore..and risk having the layers off-center and crooked.

If you cut and trim accurately...your mats will be precise and perfect with this tool.

Okay..now here's the video...

Save it on YouTube..and refer to it if you aren't sure when you receive your tool and sit down to do your first mat..

 The info is all here..in the video..

Now get to ordering your tool right now...

so that you can start matting with perfection!

As I always say to my crafty pals when I find something awesome...

"You NEED this!"

The Coupon Code is: LAYER10

(The code is valid ONLY at the Marsupial Pouches and Paper web site)

Web Link: CICK HERE TO ORDER VIA THE MARSUPIAL POUCHES and PAPER WEB SITE

and finally...

comment below and sign up for email updates of my blog, Bellissima Cards, and you'll have a chance to win this Stamp set

(Winner will be picked at random this Friday...March 25th)

Thanks for visiting..

and enjoy your Marsupial layering Tool!

Michelle.

Dog and Cat Sympathy Cards....The Final 10......and a RAKy Giveaway

If you've been following along here at my blog...

you already know that I have been by working on 

50 dog and cat sympathy cards these last few days...

a special request from my friend John...who is a vet.

My last blog post showed the 40 cards that I had completed...

20 cat sympathy cards....all the same....with different mat colors

20 dog....all the same..different mat colors

I thought that I would do more of the same for the last 10 cards...

But when I was  my studio...

I remembered that I had 2 Spellbinders dies that would be great for a dog & cat sympathy cards

This is where being really really organized 

and having everything in the studio labeled

pays off!

I got out the binder box that holds all of my dog and cat dies

opened it up

and wha-la!

There they were!

I got busy cutting...and scoring....and stamping...

and this is what I came up with.

(Note: The first  40 cards are more casual..

I wanted the final 10 to be a bit more formal)

So here they are...

They are true to my style of card making
100%

In card making lingo...

we'd say that they are CAS cards

(translation: Clean And Simple)
The sentiment stamp is from Stampin Up: "Love and Sympathy"
I cut the stamp in half, to use only the upper half of the full sentiment.
Now I can use this part only...or pair it up with the other half to have the original full sentiment.
The MISTI made is so simple to place the sentiment exactly where I wanted it...
each and every time
And the Marsupial Layering tool allowed me to place each and every layer perfectly
Here they are....

*The short supply list is posted below.

The cat and dog heart silhouettes are from 2 wonderful Spellbinders die sets..
Each set also includes another heart with just the paw print...

and some individual paw prints

If you're wondering what the Marsupial Layering Tool is...
stay tuned..
This weekend I will be sharing a video tutorial on how to use this amazing tool
(I'll also have a discount code this coming weekend....so that you can purchase it at a great price)

If you missed the "Marsupial Layering Tool " video when I posted it a few weeks ago...
here it is

And finally...
I have a RAKy Giveaway here at the blog this week
for this Stampin Up Stamp set
To enter: You'll just need to subscribe to my blog
and
leave a comment below
(Winner will be chosen this Friday...3/25)

Whew!
That's a lot of info!

Card loving friends: Both of these sympathy cards are available for purchase at The Bellissima Card Shop. The Shop link is at the top of this page

Card making friends: A brief supply list follows below

Thanks for visiting....

and have a really great day...

Michelle.

Supply List:

Card Stock: PTI (black base card), all other card stock layers are Stampin Up

Dies: Spellbinders Shapeabilities; Dog Pawing Around & Cat Pawing Around

Sentiment Stamp: Stampin Up Love and Sympathy

Misc: Marsupial Layering Tool

40 Down...10 to Go...and a Crafty RAKy Giveaway

Whew!

I didn't think that I'd make it back to post the RAK GIVEAWAY

But I did!

I worked all day on the dog and cat sympathy cards that I shared in my morning blog post.

Update: 40 down...10 to go...

and then I move on to 25 other dog and cat related cards

and then...

My friend John's card request... 

will be...

complete!

(He's a Vet....so his card requests are always dog, cat and animal related)

I'll tell you about the giveaway in a sec...

but first wanted to share a little photo tour of what the day was like 

as I worked on the 50 cat & dog sympathy cards

First....

I cut all of the base cards

and stamped my info on the back of each.

I used my brandy dandy new Mini MISTI for that

and it made that boring task seem much less tedious.

By the way..

I have to say...

I love PTI card stock for card  bases.

It's very hefty.

Emphasis on VERY

Oh!...I almost forgot to tell you...

the little personalization stamp is from The Stamps of Life

75 cards ...cut....scored and stamped on the back with my vitals

Next....

I got out the Crafter's Companion Water Color paper

(my fave water color paper)

I painted ...and air dried all of the water color paper 

When they were completely dry

I cut all of the 8 1/2 x 11 water colored paper into 1/4 sheets

One for each stamped image and sentiment combo

I stamped out all 50 fronts...

It took a few re-inkings of the stamp to get a good quality image

..only because the water color paper has some nice texture.

and that means that an extra effort is required to get a good image

2 or 3 re-inkings and then re-stamping worked well and gave a crisp image

Imagine needing to do that without the MISTI?

PS..I used Staz-on ink..

I didn't want the ink to bleed when I applied some color highlight with Stampin Up markers.

*The stamp set is from Sparkle N Sprinkle
and is called: Pet Sympathy-Stamp Set 472P5 

This is the same company that order my big jars of embossing powder from

With all of the stamping done..

I started to add some color 

...highlighting some details on each image...

Not too much though

because the water color background is really the source of color for each card front.

Then...

I got out MFT Scallop dies and my Big Shot Express...

and die cut each one....

Done!

(I love the petite scallop dies..and they even have pierced edges!)

See?

Just a few hints of color

The collar and heart

The flower centers

The leaves

The dog's nose

and a teeny bit of Clear Wink of Stella on the top of each wing

(Isn't the piercing nice?)

Next....I cut ribbon for little decorative tabs that will be adhered to the top of each dog and cat card front

The purple ribbon is by Martha Stewart

The blue and green are from Stampin Up

Ribbon tabs attached....

Next....

while the Big Shot was still ready to roll..

I embossed all of the mat layers...

nothing too busy

But a little bit of texture made a nice difference.

By the way...

the mat colors were chosen to complement the colors created with the water coloring 

(the paper that the image and sentiment are stamped on)

I matched each image piece to the mat color that best complemented the water color hues. 

And then...

it was time to put everything together...

The mats were attached to the card bases using the Marsupial "Jig"layering tool

(for perfect mat positioning every time!)

The image piece is attached using low profile dimensionals

The inside of each card is blank...

so that John can write a personal note when a "patient" of his passes on...or is euthanized

and here they are...

40 down...10 to go

(I'll finish the others tomorrow)

The dogs..

The cats

and a few close-ups

Isn't the sentiment sweet? 

And now for a Crafty RAK

I have duplicates of a a few Stampin Up SAB sets...

and thought I'd share one here as a giveaway

How about this one?

With this adorable little chick.

 Entering is easy..
You'll need a USA mailing address....
(my apologies to those of you who live outside of the US)
then...

Go to the upper right of this blog page and subscribe to email updates

and

leave a comment below letting me know that you've subscribed

I'll include the giveaway in my blog post during the week...

You can enter once a day by commenting under that day's blog post

A winner will be chosen on my birthday....

Friday...March 25th

Thanks for visiting...

and remember..

if you ever need to create a large number of the same card

don't feel overwhelmed...

break it all down into smaller steps..

one step at a time

Do all of the cutting at once...

all of the stamping at once...

card cutting and scoring...all at once..

and then put the card together.

Breaking it down makes it all so easy...

You'll have your large quantity of cards done in a flash!

Michelle.