Cards by America

A Wonderful New Year

noreply@blogger.com (America) — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 05:44:00 -0700

Hello again and welcome back to my blog. Please accept my apologies for been MIA for a few weeks. Motherhood, Life and Family do take top priority - and so crafting often must take a back seat. But it's all good and I hope you'll understand. With that said, I'd like to pick-up right where I left off and start with postings of a few more Christmas projects. First, a card featuring the new Christmas Collection Cutting dies by John Next Door. This card's title makes me hopeful ❤️ as I think of better YEARS ahead for the human race, (after this crazy year that the world is currently experiencing).

These fab trees have so much detail and the various sizes make it easy to create special scenes.

John Next Door Christmas Dies - Finley's Trees

The randomly placed deer peeking out from behind the trees were die-cut from this set;

John Next Door Christmas Deer Scenes from the 2019 Christmas Collection

The stenciled sentiment was cut directly into the background using this set;

John Next Door Christmas Sentiments die set

That's it! Hope you'll give these awesome sets a try! All John Next Door Cutting Dies are available at your favorite UK retailers.

Other Products used; Silver mirrored card, glitter card, white cardstock, and silver flat-back gems for the finishing touches.

For loads of great tips, fabulous tutorials, product info and Facebook live demos by John Lockwood himself, please join us at the inspirational Crafting with John Next Door & Crafts-Too Facebook Group that can be found HERE ; https://www.facebook.com/groups/JohnNextDoor/

Crafting with John Next Door & Crafts-Too

Thank you for visiting me today!

Hope you are having great week and that I may have helped to inspire your creativity.

I would love hear from you! ❤️

America

Rainbow Greetings, with John Next Door 2020 Christmas Cutting Dies

noreply@blogger.com (America) — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 12:10:00 -0700

Hello Crafty friends. I am currently gone to spend special time with my daughter who is proudly going off to College. It is a bittersweet time for our family, (and crushing for me), but still super exciting for my girl. While away, I will be sharing a few Christmas projects featuring some of the new wonderful Christmas Cutting dies by John Next Door.

This "Special Greetings" card project features the Finley's Trees Die set from JND's Christmas Collection. There are 14 dies in the set. These trees are great for year-round themed projects. I love the fun details and openings. I've only used the largest tree with its matching backing to die-cut from various glitter cardstock colors for the sparkling rainbow look.

John Next Door Cutting Dies used on this project;

The stenciled sentiment was created using

the new John Next Door Christmas Sentiments Dies

John Next Door Cutting Dies are NOW available at your fave UK retailers.

Other Products used; Glitter Cardstocks, White Cardstock, Embossing Folder for background, and silver flat-back gems for the finishing touches.

The trees were adhered and arranged by ROYGBIV rainbow order. These lovely trees are backed by silver glitter card and multi-layered for depth. Foam adhesive was used to add dimension. Hope you like my takes and are inspired to give these ideas a try. Got questions? I'd be happy to further explain how the project came together. Just please let me know your questions in the comment section below. :)

For loads of great tips, fabulous tutorials, live demos by John himself and more inspiration from other crafters, please visit and apply to join the mega inspiring Crafting with John Next Door & Crafts-Too Facebook Group found HERE at this link; https://www.facebook.com/groups/JohnNextDoor/

Crafting with John Next Door & Crafts-Too

Thank you for visiting me today!

I hope to have inspired your creativity and would love hear from you!

America

A Merry Christmas Card

noreply@blogger.com (America) — Tue, 4 Aug 2020 10:26:00 -0700

A Merry Christmas Card

Created using the following Amazing Paper Grace cutting dies by Becca Feeken

Elegant Twist Circles Etched Dies

Elegant Twist Collection by Becca Feeken

Shapeabilities Santa Claus Layering Set Etched Dies

3D Holiday Vignettes Collection by Becca Feeken

Charming Tag Pocket Etched Dies

A Charming Christmas Collection by Becca Feeken

Shapeabilities Cinch and Go Poinsettia Etched Dies

A Charming Christmas Collection by Becca Feeken

The flourish was die-cut with this set:

Shapeabilities Candlewick Rosebud Etched Dies

Candlewick Sampler Collection by Becca Feeken

A few Crafty TIPS:

BACKGROUND: Use your floral cutting dies for creating your flowers and save the negative die-cut panels for using as your backgrounds! I adhered the panel to a double sided adhesive sheet and sprinkled glitter to the openings for added sparkle.

TEXTURE: Use clear glitter adhered to your floral cuts for fabulous texture.

DEPTH: multi-layer your diecuts to give your projects great depth and dimension! The circles and the word Merry on this project is also multi-layered to help it standout from the background.

ACCENTS: scatter pearls or gems around you florals for special finishing touches!

HOW-TO: Project progress photos on how this card came together...

First die-cut and emboss your poinsettia flowers, (remembering to save the negative panel)

Next, add double-sided adhesive sheet to the back of the negative panel. Sprinkle the flower openings exposing the adhesive with clear glitter. ( I can't recall and am not sure where I purchased this giant glitter bottle, but I have found it is ultra shiny and clear.) It's perfect for adding texture and sparkle to your creations while maintaining the project's true colors.

Die-cut the multiple layers and adhere them together to create depth.

Next, shape your flowers with your favorite tools. This is what I use.

I also love the HomeDepot paint Dept small free tool they provide for opening paint cans. It is super handy to have in the craft room for various uses, but also - I found it does wonders on flower shapes when pressing flowers over a mousepad! yay!

The flourishes were diet from this set and extra poinsettias were diet in white and gold for the leaves.

The card started coming together like this;

Here is a closer look at the texture and sparkle on the poinsettias. I chose to add pearl brads to the centers. This adds that special touch and helps to hold the flower layers together.

For the sentiment, I die-cut the rectangle from this set then snipped the word "Merry" out.

Adhere and layer all cuts together.

Add pearls throughout and hot-glue a bow for finishing touches.

That's it! Hope you will give these ideas a try! :)

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I'd like to also enter this Christmas card into the following fun challenges;

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time To Craft - Always Anything Goes

Craft-Dee BowZ - Anything Goes

Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes

Crafting Happiness Challenges - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore- Anything Goes

Creations in Pink - Anything Goes in Mainly Pink

Dare 2B Artzy Challenges - Anything Goes

Die Cut Divas - Flowers

Dream Valley Challenges - Christmas in July

Girlz Creative Crafts - Christmas in July

Happy Craft Challenge - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - Anything Christmas Goes

Not Just Cards- Anything Goes

Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Anything Goes

The Corrosive Challenges - Anything Goes

The Creative Crafters-Anything Goes

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown - Favorite Embellishment (pearls)

World Wide Open Design Team Challenge - on a DT - Anything Goes

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Thanks for stopping by today!

I hope to have inspired your creativity and that you are feeling happy

I 💗 hearing from you!

America

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