Inspirational Cards

©Michele Emerson-Roberts  2015

I mail about 50 inspirational handmade cards a month and like to make them in batches. I will often gather up scraps left over from other handmade paper projects and use them in the creation of the new cards. If I am short on time I will use card stock as the card base and use the handmade papers as the accents. If you have been following the blog, you know that I always save my scraps….but in case you don’t have any handmade paper scraps, the instructions below will walk you through the process. I ran across these sentiment stamps from JustRite™ stamps and think they will be perfect for March’s batch of cards.

 

Supplies:

• Any of the Arnold Grummer™ paper making kits
• Scraps of dark gold, tan, burgundy and olive green paper (think junk mail, etc.)
• Blender, small strainer, cello sponges and soft towels
• Westcott® paper cutter & scissors,
• X-acto knife and cutting mat
• Score-Pal™
• Dies:  Spellbinders™ various decretive square designs
• Embossing folders
• Spellbinders Grand Calibur™ Machine
• White card stock for card bases and scraps to stamp
• Envelopes for 4 ¼ x 5 ½ cards or use the AG template to create your own envelopes.
• Double sided foam tape or foam dots
• ½” sheer ribbon to match your handmade paper colors
• ColorBox Chalk™ Ink pads in colors to match your handmade paper colors
• Sentiment stamps of choice

Instructions:

1. Follow the directions for paper making found in any of the Arnold Grummer paper making kits or books to create the colored slurry.
2. Create one (or more) sheet of thick paper per color.
3. When the sheets of colored paper are dry, die cut the decorative square shapes.
4. Cut, score and fold the white card stock to make A2 cards.
5. Emboss the front of the cards with the folders and Grand Calibur machine.
6. Stamp the sentiments onto scraps of white cardstock.
7. Cut to fit the die cut decorative squares.

Assemble the cards:

1. Cut a small slit in the left top fold of the embossed card front and then insert the ribbon through the slit, then tie a bow.
2. Attach the stamped sentiments to the decorative squares with tiny pieces of foam tape.
3. Attach the decorative squares to the right side of the cards with tiny pieces of foam tape.

The sentiments on this set of JustRite™ stamps will be perfect to cheer up the recipients:

   “Once you choose hope…anything is possible”

   “Every day holds the possibility of a miracle”

   “Hope is the last thing ever lost”

   “Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising ever time we fall.”

FYI, I created 10 of each of the cards: 5 people times 4 weeks will be used in March….the others will be set aside for future use. Hmmm….oh dear…. I forgot all about the March birthdays………. smile.