Mother's Day Scene

Hello CottageCutz friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with us today. It's Mary Marsh here bringing you the Sunday edition of the Blog.

Our Easter -Spring release is still available in the online store with 17 new designs. There is something for every card maker with faith-based dies, beautiful floral images, whimsical with bunnies and frogs and several lovely birds and butterflies.

You will be able to take the images beyond the Easter or Spring season. And for a limited time, you can get individual dies at 30% off. 

Today for your viewing pleasure, I am using the Pond w/Cattails & Lily Pad + the Fence & Grass dies. I created a Mother's Day card for my next-door neighbor. She has 2 little ones so I thought she might like this outdoor scene. 

Design Steps:

I started my card this week with my background. I had this card base in my stash. It's a loose watercolor marsh scene. I thought it would work for my card idea that involved a water scene.

I cut the fence from a papaya shade of cardstock. It coordinates with one of the colors on the card base. 

For the mama duck & ducklings I used some older dies. I cut the smaller duckling from the Mama Duck & Ducklings for the Mama duck. I used the bird from the Birdhouse & Vine die for the little ducklings. Added the arch sun for a corner embellishment and some cattails for behind the fence. 

Now that all my card elements are cut, I am ready to start assembly. I split the fence to make a pathway into the marshy area. I decided to add another rock and grass tuft to the left side of my card after I took this photo.  

Next, I stamped my Mother's Day sentiment with the help of my MISTI.  

To finish off my card, I secured the ducks to the water area, the corner arched sun and a couple of dragonflies. 

That's it for me for this post. I want to wish all of you Mom's & Grandmom's a very happy Mother's Day. See you next Saturday.

Reminder: We have a couple of Design Team openings. Check out this post for all the details.

We also have a new video and giveaway up on the CottageCutz YouTube channel from Marla Harris.  Click here.

Dies I used to create card:

Interactive Mini Slimline Box Card

Hey there crafty friends! 

Kris here.... I'm switching gears a li'l bit today and taking a break from showcasing our fabulous Spring/Easter Release to share a fun interactive mini slimline card that I made as "extra" inspiration using some older dies that are brand new to me... the Arctic Whale & Narwhal and the Waves Slimline dies.  You can see a clip of how it moves by scrolling down a li'l bit.  ☺

 and here it is in action ☺ 

 (sorry for blurriness, got a bit out of focus)

Kids love interactive cards and I really enjoy making them. I should say though, that when I started this card, I was just making it a mini slimline box card.  It wasn't until after I had the box card put together (except for the whales) that I decided it would be so easy to make the whale "jump" out of the water!  So keep in mind, it would be easiest to add the swinging mechanism BEFORE you add the shelves and I will note that below when the time comes. ☺

CUTTING & SCORING:

• From white cardstock, I cut:

-- back panel at 3-1/4" x 4-7/8", then sponged clouds with Distress Oxide Ink and a stencil

-- (1) strip at 1/2" x 4-5/8" to stamp sentiment on front

•  From darker blue (Pacific Point) cardstock, I cut:

-- (2) pieces for the sides of my box at 1-1/2" x 1-3/4" and scored at 1/2" along the short edge

-- (1) strip for the front at 3/4" x 5-5/8" and scored at 3/8" from each end

-- (1) piece 4-7/8" wide x 2-1/2" tall, then die cut the top with the Waves Slimline

•  From Lighter Blue (Tahitian Tide) cardstock, I cut:

-- (2) pieces at 4-7/8" wide and differing heights, then die cut with Waves Slimline

-- (2) pieces at 5-5/8" wide x 3/4" tall and scored at 3/8" from each end 

*not pictured in 1st photo, but shown in the 4th one down. 

 For the side pieces, I placed a mark at 3/4" from the opposite edge of the score line.  

--You'll want to measure one of the pieces 3/4" from the right edge, and the other 3/4" from the left edge.  

 Then I CUT diagonally from that mark up to the top of the score line. 

--You can do this with a trimmer or with your scissors.

 After I cut those diagonals on the side pieces, I erased my pencil marks and folded them so they are descending toward the middle as shown below.  

I stamped a sentiment onto my white strip and adhered it to my blue front piece.

Next, I glued my 2 side pieces to the sides of my cloud layer so that the score line is on the edge of the cloud layer and the bottom edge is even with the bottom of cloud layer as shown below.  

I then glued my darker blue waves panel so that the lowest dips of the waves are covering the flaps of my side panels as shown.

***NOTE:  if you want to make it interactive, NOW would be a great time to add your mechanism!  I added it after my box card was glued together, so you can scroll down to see how I made that and you can insert those steps here to make it easier if you'd like.  

Scroll until you see the 3 ***s 

------

Next, I added glue to the left flap of my front blue panel and attached it to the inside of my left side piece as shown below.  

Next, I added glue to only the left flap of my 2 lighter blue shelves and attached the first one so that the edge of my flap bumps up against the left edge of my blue wave and lower than my side piece.  The front blue shelf, I bumped up against the fold of the previous shelf, and lower than the side piece as shown below. 

I folded all 3 to the right and added glue to the right flaps at the same time.

Then I folded the right side piece over onto them.  

It should line up perfectly with the front panel.

Next, I decided to add some white pigment ink to the tops of my lighter blue waves with a blending brush.

Then I added glue to my 2 lighter blue shelves and attached my waves.

Next, I die cut my Arctic Whale & Narwhal, and a red heart from the Stitched Heart Set.  I colored the narwhal with Copics.

***This is the part where I added a swinging mechanism to my Orca whale.  You can do this BEFORE you add your shelves to make it easier, but if you've already done that part like I did, this is still pretty easy to do. 

I cut a piece of heavy acetate into a strip about 3/4" wide and punched a hole towards the bottom using a hole punch.  You might need to use a small circle die.  *It doesn't show in this picture, but I ended up trimming the bottom a li'l closer to the circle cutout and rounded the corners so they don't show when it is swinging.

I then glued a spinner disc (a small circle plastic disc) as shown.  If you don't have these, you can use any small circular thing with dimension like a tiny button!  Make sure you wipe away any glue that leaked after you press the disc to adhere.  

Next, I laid my acetate strip with the hole over the disc (or button) then I cut a li'l bit larger circle disc (the smallest from the Pierced Circle Set) to glue on top of the button.  This circle prevents the acetate strip from popping off our disc/button!  

Next, I brought the acetate strip up --- it should be between our back darker blue wave and the lighter blue wave just in front of it, and I added 2 pieces of Scor Tape where I wanted my whale to be.  Then I trimmed my acetate strip just above the tape and attached my whale to the strip.

One last piece.... to prevent the whale from diving down past the bottom of the card, I inserted a foam strip to the left of the acetate strip at the point I wanted it to stop.  See photo below. 

and done!  ☺ 

It's a lot of photos, but it comes together super quick!  

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and you'll give it a try.

Happy Crafting!

~Kristine

PRODUCTS I USED:

 

Happy 4th

Hello Friends,

It is Pam creating with you today!

I know it is a little early for July cards but time seems to be going so fast!!  I love to send our 4th of July cards.  And I especially like to work with red, white and blue!  I used two dies from the recently released Easter Collection.  The dies are Spring Bunny Car and Spring Party Car.  

Design Steps:

1.  Use the Spring Party Car, Spring Bunny Car and the Lemonade Stand (for the banner) and cut out the following colors of card stock: red, white, silver, black and blue

2.  Assemble the cars with a fine tip, fast drying,  clear glue

3.  The Slimline card base is navy card stock measuring 8 1/4 x 3 1/4.  Using the Slimline Windows die cut out white card stock.  Glue DP behind the windows as shown

4.  Glue the Windows to the navy slimline card base

5.  Place dimension squares to the back of the cars and balloons.  Pop them onto the card base add a few star cutouts and star rhinestones and it is complete

CottageCutz Products

We have more inspiration on our YouTube Channel check it out HERE

Thanks so much for stopping by!  And I will see you next Thursday.

Blessings and Take Care

Using Water in Your Card Making

Hello, Marla here with another CottageCutz YouTube video tutorial and GIVEAWAY.  It's no secret that I love adding flowers to my cards, so I couldn't let these "Spring Tulips" sit any longer.  I paired them today with the milk can that came with the "Christmas Farmhouse Florals" die.  The container was the perfect size to compliment these beauties.  

I hope you will head over to check out the video.  Not only do I share how you can win these "Spring Tulips", but I am also demonstrating a few different techniques I used on this card using water.  

I've added the links to the CottageCutz dies used on this card for easy shopping.  Until next time.... Marla