Happy Easter Shaker Card

Finished Card Front

Card Interior

I was inspired by spring weather today to make a shaker card. I recently purchased the Cricut Explore deep cut blade and used it to cut a foam frame to hold the shaker pieces inside was a good test for it. I have a Cricut image subscription for the Explore machine. I prefer to use my iPad and the Cricut app to design a card like this. It's a series of rectangles that you import and it makes it simpler to make sure that each rectangle fits the way it's supposed to.

Here's what I did. Using the Cricut Explore subscription, find the shapes you need: grass strip, chick, rabbit and egg. You can choose any shapes you like. The smaller shapes will be the confetti along with a few sequins. A frame was designed by slicing two rectangles together to form the open interior and then one strip of grass was welded to the frame. Two single grass strips are also needed. The pieces can be seen below.

Card Parts

Once this is done, design a simple rectangle foam frame the same way as the paper frame that fits underneath the card frame. The foam frame is what forms the raised frame that holds the confetti inside the shaker card. In addition to these pieces, cut a rectangle from a transparency sheet which fits between the paper frame and the foam frame. Then cut a piece of sky printed paper and stamp the Happy Easter sentiment on it.

Shaker Card before gluing the sentiment paper on top of the foam frame

To put the card together, layer the two grass strips behind the frame to create three levels of grass. Then the transparency is glued behind the frame. The foam frame is glued to the back and then the shaker pieces were added to the interior. The sky paper with the sentiment was glued on top of the foam frame so that the sentiment would appear above the grass. A green bow is attached to the front of the card frame. This finishes the shaker. The shaker was then glued on top of the card base. Finally a rectangle of white card stock was stamped with the Wishing You a Happy Easter sentiment and bunny. It was colored with Wink of Stella Glitter markers in pink and green. A pretty pastel effect with the markers is done by writing with each marker on a craft sheet and picking it up with a damp brush. This creates a soft shimmery watercolor effect.

I have really enjoyed using my Cricut Explore machine lately. They have added many materials options in the custom cut selection and it cuts like a dream. It reliably cuts just about anything at any size I ask it to cut. It's easy to design with it and the software is getting more intuitive and simple for anyone to be successful. 

Thanks for checking our my card today. I hope I've given you a few ideas of your own.

Janet

This week's card contests:

Robyns Fetish Challenge-Easter Cards

Hiding In My Craft Room-Super Scraps Saturday

Sweetheart Cafe Box

Hope the week is treating you well. It's hump day so let's give a woot! woot! Tonight's project is a cute little valentine box. The finished box measures 7" high x 6.5" wide. It's the perfect size for something special for that special someone!

This was cut using a variety of Cricut cartridges on my Explore. To start I chose a box from the Sweet Tooth Box cartridge called House Box. I cut this as large as it would fit on my 12 x 12 mat in pink card stock and the roof in a coordinated patterned card stock. Included with this cut are window frames, window boxes and bushes for the front and sides. I chose not to cut the actual windows from the box but I glued paper behind the window frames to give the illusion windows. This way, the box doesn't lose it's strength. I measured the front wall of the box and cut a coordinating pink polka dot rectangle to fit. I embossed this before I glued it to the front.

The table and the couple are cut from the Sweethearts cartridge. It's called Date Night. The cute little topiary trees are from the Bloom Lite cartridge. It's called Tree3. I cut the frame and tag from the Artiste Cartridge.

Once the cuts were done, I finished assembling the box and decorated it. The pink flowers on the trees are Tulip beads in a bottle. The sentiment and hearts on the roof are from Close To My Heart - Mad About You - S1112. I embossed the sentiment with ZING red glitter embossing powder and stamped and cut out 8 hearts from the stamp set and glued them overlapping on the roof. This was easy because the hearts were shapes included in the Artiste cartridge. Pink velvet ribbon is glued to the roof which helps with the canopy illusion.

This one turned out real cute! If you have any questions on how to make it, I'm happy to answer them.

By the way, I've had a number of new subscribers this month and I thank all of you! It's so exciting to see readership increase. Make sure you comment on the Blog Candy page so I can put you into the drawing at the end of February. Go here to enter your name for the $20 Amazon gift card. If someone subscribes that you referred to me and mentions your name, you'll get two extra entries so please send you friends my way.

Thanks and until next time.....happy crafting!

- Janet

Snowman Shaker Card

Hello crafty friends! Today's post is a winter shaker card. I was inspired by a couple challenges to use the colors, the snowman theme and to depict an activity in the snow. I've never done a shaker card but have intended for some time to make one. If you're not sure what a shaker card is, read on!

In the closeup below, you'll get a better idea of it. Basically, a decorative pocket is made with acetate as the top so you can see through it. Inside are beads and sequins that can move freely when shaken; thus the term shaker card.

This is a 5" x 7" card when folded. The card base is white. I cut a mat out of blue and white paper and two more mats out of a snowflake paper and from light blue card stock. I also cut out one of my new favorite Cricut images, the scalloped circle that serves as the shaker's frame. To put some finishing touches on the mats, I punched a tree border on the top of the snowflake paper and stamped a border showing kids playing in the snow on the top of the light blue card stock. Once the light blue was stamped, I ran it through a snowflake embossing folder being careful not to emboss the top where the stamp was. To finish it off a little more, I glued a piece of glittery white ribbon just below the stamped image.

To create the shaker to hold the sequins and beads, I first stamped the snowman on a piece I cut into a rough circle shape. It didn't need to be exact because the frame covers it up and gives the illusion of a perfect circle underneath. Then I used that rough circle as a guide to draw another a circle on the fun foam and drew another circle about 1/2" outside of the inner circle. From this I could cut out a foam ring which serves as a padding between the stamped bottom of the shaker and the acetate top. I cut another circle out of acetate which I recycled from some packaging. It's always good to re-purpose things right? I don't usually save "trash" unless I have a plan for it. I have a small work area and not a lot of room. Since I knew I was going to do a shaker card, I saved some packaging for this project. You could also use acetate overhead sheets from an office supply store if you wanted. Once all the pieces were ready, I created a sandwich starting with the snowman circle at the bottom. Then the foam ring was glued to the top of it. This is when I could finally add the sequins and beads inside the foam ring. Once that was in place, the shaker was sealed with the acetate on the top. The frame went on top of it all and hides all the imperfections and gives it a pretty finished look. Kind of ingenious isn't it?

At this point, I completed the assembly. I glued all the mats down and the shaker on top of the mats. The final touches were the glitter ribbon, the flower, a couple gold snowflake sequins and some enamel dots in blue and white. It still looked a little empty so I used the same stamp set to stamp JOY on white card stock and attached it with a layer of foam tape to give it dimension.

I hope you enjoyed today's card. I'll be back again soon so stay warm and happy crafting!

- Janet

SUPPLIES:
Close to My Heart - C1468 - Winter Joy
Cricut Circle Frame Shape from Lori's Garden
The Paper Studio - Embossing Folder - Snowflakes
Flower - Prima - Flower Embellishments
White Glitter Ribbon - Hobby Lobby
Misc. sequins and beads from my stash
Misc. papers from my stash
Tree Punch - Creative Memories
Fun Foam - Blue
Recycled clear plastic
Enamel Dots - Homemade

CARD CHALLENGES
FantabulousCricut
Little Scrap Pieces Show It Off Saturday - Let It Snow
Craftin Desert Divas Linky Party
Bitten By the Bug - All Time Favorite Cricut Cut
DL Art January Linky Challenge
Robyn's Fetish Challenge #245
Cute Card Challenge #355 - What's New
Mojo Monday Challenge

Ornament-Snowman Shaker

Hi everyone! Today I'm showing you a snowman shaker ornament.

Scene Card - Reindeer Christmas Gift Card

Hello! I have a great holiday gift card project for you today. It's been a little chilly here in North Carolina so it's been easy to get in the holiday spirit. I grew up in North Dakota so I know that when it gets really cold outside, the snow glitters at night like, well, glitter! This was my inspiration for today’s gift card. This project came together really nicely and I think this one might go to a teacher this year! If you like it, be sure to become one of my followers so you can see future projects.

Card Front

Welcome to Sugar Shine Designs!

I'm excited to launch my first blog to talk all about crafting with paper. I have had a love affair with paper, ink and markers since I was a small child and as an adult I can finally indulge my imagination with all things paper! Do you remember the thrill of brand new markers or a new stamp when you were a kid? I do and that thrill never followed me right into adulthood. Now I have a whole area dedicated to my crafting addiction that's full of all the things I love playing with.

So why did I pick the name Sugar Shine Designs? Well, like many of you, I find crafting to be a fun and "sweet" hobby. Like a good piece of candy or dessert, it makes me very happy; hence the Sugar part of the name. The Shine reference is homage to the fact that everything I make has a bit of shine somewhere. I love all things shiny whether it's from glitter, papers, markers, glues or any other medium. If it doesn't have something bling, it's not made by me! It often is a lot but there's ALWAYS something. 

I hope you will enjoy my little blog and tell your friends and family about it. I invite you to follow me as I post projects and discuss techniques, products and supplies.

So welcome to Sugar Shine Designs. I hope this will be the start of something yummy! 

SO ON TO MY FIRST PROJECT.....
My first project is a simple thank you card with a feminine touch. Notice that there are several bits of shine on this project. ;)

This is an A2 sized (4.25" x 5.5") card. It was created with the new Artfully Sent cartridge from Close to My Heart. After cutting the base with my Cricut Explore machine, I enhanced the center of the roses with large iridescent sequins and then placed small hot pink sequins in the center. I like the effect this created. I sprayed the card with Copper Tsukineko sheer shimmer spritz. I still felt it needed a little something, so I added the ribbon at the bottom.

The interior of the card has a pop-up feature. Isn't that boot full of flowers fun? 

The boot is also from the Artfully Sent cartridge. I cut it out of white cardstock and used my Spectrum Noir alcohol ink markers and white Gelly Roll pen to color and highlight the boot and flowers. I used Tulip Beads in a Bottle for the flower centers and applied Glossy Accents to the entire boot to make it look more like a shiny rain boot. Although you can't see it in the photo, the boot is very shiny and looks a lot like the bright plastic rain boots that children wear. Finally I topped it off with a looped bow of embroidery thread and a background splash of shimmer spritz. I love how this turned out. It could be used for many different occasions such as a birthday, get well or thinking of you. In this case, I cut out the word Thanks in front of the boot but unfortunately I didn't get a good photo of that.

Thanks for checking out my project today. I'll be back soon with another one. 

~Janet