Sara Jane's Studio

Card Swap Results

This spring, Sara Jane's Studio hosted a card swap with the theme "Special Men and Women."  The cards could be masculine or feminine, and for any occasion, not just Mother's or Father's Day.

While I've done card swaps before, this one is the first time I've offered prizes!  The winners will be determined by popular vote, not just from the participants, but also from you, my blog readers.

The prizes are:

Best in Show: a retired stamp set valued up to $29.95

First Runner Up: a retired stamp set valued up to $15.95

Honorable Mention:  A SNAIL adhesive dispenser (valued at $6.95)

The cards are all below.  Please vote for three, by name, in order of first, second and third, by commenting on this post (below).

AND I've got one more prize for you readers: 

Whoever sends the most friends to post a vote will also win their choice of a retired stamp set, valued at up to $15.95.  Just have your friends mention your name in addition to their vote, when they post their comment.

You have until Midnight, Sunday, May 16.  I'll post all of the winners on May 17.

Click on any image to enlarge.

  Donna       Gina

 

  Jayne 

   Joyce

 

   Kim       Lucia

 

 Mary B      Mary C

 

 Tammy      Wanda

 

    Yvette

 Click on any image to enlarge.

 

May 17:  And the winners are:

Best in Show:  Wanda - her "dress" card won the day!

First Runner Up: Yvette, with "Voila"

Honorable Mention:  Lucia AND Gina

And since everyone received votes, I decided to make everyone winners.  So they will all be receiving a retired stamp set from Sara Jane's Studio.

Calling All Swappers!!

It's that time again: 

Time for one of the semi-annual card swaps organized by Sara Janes' Studio.

These are always tons of fun, and full of inspiration.  I have made some great card-making friends through this process, and I know other participants have kept in touch with each other, too. 

This spring the theme is all about the special men and women in our lives.  We'll make cards that are specifically for Mother's Day, Father's Day, or in general a "thinking of you" card with a female or masculine theme.  AND:  For the first time, I'll be giving out prizes to the top three designs, as voted by all of the participants and the readers of this blog!!

• Best in Show -  Will be an unused stamp set valued at up to $29.95 - you'll be able to choose from three different sets.
• First Runner Up - a stamp set valued up to $15.95
• Honorable Mention - a SNAIL adhesive dispenser (a value of $6.95)

 The guidelines are simple: 

• RSVP to me by March 24.  You can email me to let me know you want to participate.
• Make 10-12 cards of the same design.  (The final number will depend on the number of participants.)
• Send your finished cards (with envelopes!) to me no later than April 21.  Include a large SASE for me to send your swap cards to you.
• I will put together a package including everyone's cards and get them in the mail to you no later than April 26.  (So you will have them in time for Mother's Day!)
• Using Stampin' Up! stamps and products is preferred, but is NOT required.
• I'll post all cards on my blog, and we'll vote on the winners no later than the end of May.

Please join us for a swap - It is always fun and inspriational!  If you'd like to see the quality and variety of cards from previous swaps click here.   The swap themes have included Springtime, Autumn, Birthday Wishes and Holiday.

Let's get started- Contact me now!!

Holiday Card Swap - Card Sketch Results #4 and #5

These are the last of the cards that I made for the holiday card swap, based on a simple card sketch.   Two variations on sketch, using the same designer paper, but with a different look at teh end.

The first one uses a Chocolate Chip card base, and retired designer paper from Stampin Up!  I tore the edges of the designer paper to reveal a white border, and stamped the sentiment from Christmas Greetings in white ink, and embossed with white powder.  I punched the ornament from some complementary designer paper using the Ornament Punch, and mounted it on a circle of Chocolate Chip cardstock, and mounted these both using Stampin' Dimensionals.

And look how different the same sketch and same paper looks with different cardstock:

The card base is Mellow Moss, and the sentiment is from A Cardinal Christmas, stamped in Chocolate Chip.  The ornament was stamped using Delightful Decorations (from the Holiday Mini Catalog) using Ruby Red, and then mounted first on a circle of Chocolate Chip, followed by a circle of Mellow Moss.

I had a good time wtih this card swap, making cards that were almost the same design- but not quite.  Have some fun with it yourself!!

Holiday Card Swap - Card Sketch Result #3

This is another of my  holiday swap cards from a simple card sketch. 

The paper is from a retired set from last year.  The snowflakes are from Felt Flurries, which are on the Clearance Rack at Stampin' Up! There are three layered together, and held by a large clear rhinestone brad.  The sentiment is from Snow Swirled.

For this card, I used a white card base (5-1/4" square), and cut the Designer paper to 5" square.  Then I tore the paper about 1-1/4" from the bottom, and at about 3" from the top, leaving the opening where I could stamp the greeting.

Another fun variation on a theme!  See the other cards based on the same sketch here, here and here.

Holiday Card Swap - Card Sketch Result #2

Here is another version of the card based on a card sketch that I used for my holiday card swap.

This card also was made from the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrapping kit.  And the sentiment is from Christmas Greetings.   I stamped the sentiment in Chocolate Chip ink on Whisper White cardstock, and then tore the strip on both long edges before mounting it to the front of the card.  The card base itself is Real Red, and the striped designer paper was cut to 5" square before mounting to the 5-1/4" square card.  And Dasher is an adhesive die-cut, ready to use from the scrapping kit.

Fun, simple, and special!!
 

Holiday Card Swap - From a Card Sketch

For the Sara Jane's Studio Holiday Card Swap, I decided to use a very simple design - which is generally unlike me!  But it was a challenge to myself.  And I decided to take one particular card sketch, and to make each card based on the same sketch but with a different approach.

Here is the sketch:

My cards were 5-1/4" square, and fit in the Stampin' Up! medium square envelopes.  But of course you could make it any size, and even use the standard A2 card shape.  The most fun, besides it being so simple, was to see how easy it was to make cards that had very different looks.

Here is the first one.  Check back for more!

This uses the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' kit - so many more things you can do with this kit than just scrapbooking!!  The scallop was made with the Scallop Edge punch. Otherwise, everything else can be made with your regular tools.  The cardstock is Real Red, and the sentiment was mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals to give more, um, dimension to the card.  And I added little dots of red glitter scattered across the front of the card, and on the holly berries on the sentiment.

More versions to come!!
 

Holiday Card Swap - Gift Card Holder

Michelle C in Connecticut created this wonderful pull-out gift card holder that I know you will all appreciate.  She used the same color theme and stamp set that she used in her Christmas card, which was hightlghted on this post: Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive cardstock, Cottage Wall Designer Paper, and the Season of Joy stamp set.

She made the cover from Rich Razzleberry, cut to 6-5/8" X 4-1/4".  Score at 1-1/2" and 4-3/8" along the long edge, fold and adhere to the ends to make an envelope.  Make an insert by cutting a second piece to 2-3/4 X 4-1/8".  Use the slit punch at one end of the insert- this will create a little flap to hold the gift card in place.

At the top of the envelope, use the Horizontal Slot punch through both layers.  Thread a piece of 12" ribbon through the slots.  Then put the insert into the envelope, and tie the ribbon up and around the top of the insert, as shown. 

Then you can slide your insert in-and-out of the envelope, revealing the gift card inside.  A really fun design!

Thanks, Michelle!!

Holiday Card Swap - Season of Joy

Michele C of Connecticut made wonderful use of one of my favorite stamp sets, Season of Joy, and a unique combination of colors which are great for Christmas:  Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry.

This is a 4-1/4" square card, and you could use a standard envelope, or a 5" square one.  The bottom half is covered with Rich Razzleberry cardstock, and the top half with a tiny polka dot print from Cottage Wall Designer Series paper.   A piece of white grosgrain ribbon covers the seam of the two papers.

The graphic word image was stamped with Rich Razzleberry, and highlighted with some silver glitter in the centers of the pointsettias and the "O" of "joy!".  It was mounted on Old Olive cardstock before it was adhered to the front of the card.

Really simple to make, but bold and fun.  Thanks, MIchele!!

Holiday Card Swap - A Tree for All Seasons

Another participant in the recent Holiday Card Swap was Kim D of Ware, MA.  She use the very cute winter image from the now-retired Stampin' Up! stamp set, "A Tree for All Seasons".

Kim used another stamps (Close to My Heart "Jingle Borders") to create the greeting at the top, which she embossed with a glitter embossing powder, and paper and cardstock from another source as well.    The snowflake border was punched out. And Kim actually placed the snowman inside the card - he is peeking out through a square window that Kim punched out of the front of the card.  (Hint:  Punch out the window first, then use it as a guide to place the image inside!)

Inside, the little snowman is wishing us a glittery "Happy Holidays" (A-Muse art stamps). 

Thanks, Kim!

Holiday Card Swap - To You and Yours

Jayne C of Battlecreek, MI, made lovely use of the same colors and styles as in her Winter Post card, this time with a different stamp set, the now retired "To You and Yours" from Stampin' Up!.

Again, Jayne used colors and papers that are not from Stampin' Up!, but you could recreate this design easily. 

I love the simplicity, which is dressed up by the design of the paper mat, and the littlest bits of glitter that Jayne incorporated to make her snow sparkle.

Another beautiful card.  Thanks, Jayne!