Cards by A Cook

Birthday Cards

Perfect Card for Dog Lovers

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Some of you may like cats but I am definitely team dog. We have a puppy which is now 9 months old and has become more of a teenager. My daughter has been going to obedience training but it is going to take a lot more time before she will sit like the beautiful dog in this card. (Unless you have food…then she will do anything). Even if you are team cat, the Happy Tails stamp set and matching punch bundle makes fantastic cards for the dog lovers in your life.

Just fur you❤️

Dog lover card featuring Happy Tails stamp set from Stampin’ Up!

I used the smoky slate Stampin’ blends (alcohol markers) to add touches of colour to the dog before punching out the image effortlessly with the coordinating punch. The punch also includes the little heart pictured. I love the pop of red!

The 6×6 pack of brights designer series paper creates a great background. The card itself, uses retired paper but if you look at the picture the new designer series paper is displayed. The paper pack includes all the bright colours so that you can pick which colour suits the recipient best. I chose pacific point as this bright blue is cheery and is wonderful for a birthday card for a young dog lover or someone young at heart.

This card for dog lovers design is amazing and is one of my favourites. Try casing the design and replacing the dog with a birthday cake, flower or any other image suitable to the occasion. Send me a picture of your card using this design in the comments, I would love to see it! Check back tomorrow for a completely different card using the same design.

You can purchase this card!

If you need a card for the dog lovers you know, I am selling these cards and will colour the dog image to match the real thing. ( within artistic boundaries). Email me at amy@cardsbyacook.com for more information and to choose colours.

For the Special Men in your Life

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Creating cards for men is difficult. This simple card design is meant for the men in your life. It isn’t too fussy with bows and embellishments and that’s ok. My special guy appreciates it when I take the time to create cards for him but doesn’t want intricate details or bling.

Simple card for a guy
Watercolour pencils are easy to use

Making cards for men using the Stampin’ Up! set, A Good Man, is simple. The designs are beautifully sketched and it is easy to add bits of colour to create wonderful cards.

Watercolour tip

Using Aqua Painters with watercolour pencils in Stampin’ Up! matching colours on watercolour paper makes creating these cards easy and fun. Using some diluted blue around the image gives it more depth while adding brown to the bottom grounds it. Even when an image does not include ground, adding a shadow under it prevents it from appearing to float and will improve your water colouring technique.

The 6×6 pack of neutral designer series paper in Night of Navy adds to the background. Tying the whisper white twine around the middle ties in the white without being too feminine. Similarly, using garden green to border the image ties in to the green shirt.

I really like the sentiment “relax your way” as this is suitable for so many occasions. This card can be used for a masculine birthday card, a thank you or a Father’s Day card. The set contains many images for all of these occasions. I like how the stamp set features both a little girl and a little boy. A couple of the images are perfect for Father’s Day but I needed a birthday card so chose the guy relaxing.

A good man stamp set by Stampin’ Up! Good set for special Men in your life
A Good Man

Like what you see and live in Canada? Contact me to order or go to my online store. I will help you choose what products you need.

Create a Pretty Faux Stitched Background card

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I created this pretty and simple faux stitched background card for my aunt’s birthday. She loves embroidery and needlepoint and I’m sure she will enjoy receiving this card in the mail.

faux stitched background card is pretty and simple to make
The Crushed Curry card has a pretty faux stiched background.

The new Needlepoint Nook suite from Stampin’ Up! makes this card simpler to create than it looks. It was one of my must haves in the new occasions catalogue and includes the Needle and Thread stamp set and coordinating Needlepoint Elements Framelits Dies along with the so pretty Needlepoint Nook designer series paper. I also couldn’t resist the matching buttons and old olive linen thread.

The entire suite has an embroidered look to it that is pretty without being dated. I especially love how the patterned paper includes both primary colours along with pinks. The suite is definitely feminine but due to the colours, can be pretty without being too sweet. Today’s card features Crushed Curry, Poppy Parade and Old Olive but check back next week for a birthday card featuring the same Needlepoint Nook Designer Series Paper but with Berry Bliss as the feature colour.

Needlepoint Elements Framelits SU Stampin' Up! create faux stitched background card stamping up
Needlepoint Elements Framelits create the faux stitched background card effortlessly

If you look in the top right corner of the above photo you can see the die used to make this pretty faux stitched background card. I placed the framelit on a diagonal using the big shot and the magnetic platform. You could make the background stitching straight or have 1 faux stitched flower pattern in the centre rather than repeating the design.

The other needlepoint element framelits are also fantastic! All the flowers can be cut out with the big shot along with coordinating stitches, backgrounds for words and leaves. I especially love how the leaf stamp has all the leaves on one stamp so that you can stamp multiple leaves and cut them out all in one step.

needlepoint elements framelits leaf leaves cut out together
Cut out all 3 leaves with one framelit – sweet!

I couldn’t resist stamping the inside. I chose “Happiest Birthday to You” and used the stitched patterned stamp to make sure the inside coordinated with the faux stitched background.

Needle and Thread Stamp Set by Stampin' Up!
Matching the inside adds that extra special touch.

Make it yourself!

If you live in Canada, you can create this card yourself by ordering the following products from Stampin’ Up! through my online store.

If you are local to me or need some help you can also email me to order at amy@cardsbyacook.com

Pretty Birthday, Anniversary or Wedding -You Pick!

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The new cake soirée stamp set from Stampin’ Up! is so pretty!  The cake reminds me of a wedding cake but since I don’t know of any weddings coming up I think it’s perfect for Anniversaries or a special birthday.  I can picture it for a 50th wedding anniversary or a 75 birthday celebration especially.

wedding, anniversary, birthday card Stampin' Up!
Anniversary or Wedding Card

I embossed the cake in silver embossing powder onto powder pink card stock.   Adding touches of colour with a blender pen was fun.  Matching the silver cake stand to the hints of silver in the cake really makes the card.  I also love how the crinkle ribbon has a touch of shine.  All the shiny elements help tie this pretty cake card together.

Berry Burst is used as the card base as well as the ribbon and touches of colour on the cake.  I love this colour but was concerned it might be a bit dark to write your message on.  This problem is easy to fix with a white inside stamped to coordinate with the outside.  The cake soiree stamp set comes with pretty flower stamps that match the cake so it was easy to coordinate.

A matching inside always makes a card extra special!

If you’re making an anniversary or wedding card this would be fun to change out the colours to match the wedding colours.  I think friends and relatives would enjoy retelling wedding stories if you asked about the bridesmaid gowns and what their wedding was like.  What were your wedding colours?  What Stampin’ Up! colour matches best?  Comment below and let me know what SU colour combinations would work for a wedding card.

 

New Year – Time to stock up on Birthday Cards

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Picture Perfect Stamp Set makes a pretty and simple card.  I’ve given up on making New Year’s resolutions I can’t keep – but I really would like to send more birthday cards out to friends and family this year.  A simple card like this takes little time to make and will be a good start to my plan.  It also suits many different ages and would be perfect for my niece.

A simple and pretty card using Stampin' Up! Picture Perfect Birthday Photopolymer stamp set
A Picture Perfect Birthday

To make this card I started by picking my favourite piece of coordinating 6X6 page of Picture Perfect paper – cutting a strip and then matching the colours to that.  I love pool party with berry bliss!  The pool party layer is embossed with the new scattered sequins embossing folder.  It gives a deeply embossed impression that adds the perfect touch to the card.  If you don’t own a big shot – this step could be skipped and the card would still be pretty.

When making the candle greeting I stamped the candles off once onto my scrap paper before stamping onto the whisper white card stock.  This allows the colours of the candles to be light enough for the greeting to be stamped on top.  The photopolymer stamps make it easy to line up the candle flames.

 

Picture Perfect Birthday photopolymer stamp set by Stampin Up!
Noise maker adds some fun to the inside.

I matched the inside of the card to the outside by stamping a noise maker.  The same stamps that make the candles can be used to make these cute party noise makes.  (is that the proper name for these thing a majigs?) I stamped the solid part first in lemon lime twist then added bermuda bay polka dots on top.

 

Hope you enjoy this paper and matching stamp set as much as I do.  I encourage you to make this year, the year you send more cards!

 

 

Perfect Birthday card for a Coffee Lover

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I love coffee.  I used to be a double double girl but now I love it black.  I love lattes too and whipped cream just makes it more special.  This is a great birthday card for any coffee lover in your life.  I gave this card out for a birthday back in August so made it into an iced coffee.  The Stampin Up! set Coffee Cafe’ includes everyhong you need and it comes with matching framelits so you don’t need to cut it out.

Stampin Up! Coffee cafe' stamp set
Perfect birthday card for a coffee lover

I used the coordinating Coffee Break designer series paper and cut only the pool party parts so that I could stick to two colours.   I didn’t waste much paper at all though…as underneath the coffee cup is split in two rather than one large piece.

Did you forget a birthday?

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Cute belated birthday card if you’re slow like a sloth

Life is busy. Sometimes despite our best intentions we all forget birthdays. Instead of thinking it’s too late, send a card anyway! The Quirky Critters set is perfect for a belated birthday card. The sloth can be used for any birthday..young, old, boy, girls …..sloths might be slow but there enjoyed by many.

The puns in in the Quirky Critters set are light hearted and fun. I coloured the cute sloth with Stampin Up watercolour pencils and a blender pen. Add a bit of colour and blend. Easy. The hardest part is not overdoing it. If you go over the paper too much with the blender pen it will start to pill. White shimmer paper holds up better if you’re having trouble. Remember that less is more. Leaving some light areas give dimension and some shading.