So NOT Needed!

I wasn't sure what I was going to make for the post today. I thought about doing a Valentine's Day card since that is the next big thing coming up in stamping. Some stores were putting theirs out a week before Christmas. I know, it's good business to keep the shelves full but it was just difficult to think about it when I am in the Christmas mood and mode!

SO I abandoned the idea and was going to get a start on my cards I need for January. A masculine birthday card. But I just wasn't in the mood for a guy card today. I ended up with the sympathy card. A card I do not need. My hope for 2010 is to not have a need for this card the whole year! Wouldn't that be nice?

Anyway, a dear friend of mine (you know how I HATE to mention names on here) Ann sent me a wonderful thank you card using this type of layout. I liked that window idea so I ran with it. The card she sent me opened from the top and this card opens from the bottom. I also added a card stock frame around the window.

This is a very easy card to make too.

Here is what I used:

Sage Shadow card stock
Whisper White card stock
Sage Shadow marker
Apricot Appeal marker
Almost Amethyst marker
Lovely Lilac marker
Black StazOn ink pad
1-1/4" square punch

The white card stock was cut 8-1/2" x 5-1/2". Fold it in half and trim the bottom 1/4" and trim one side 1/4".

Open the card and make the window with the square punch. What I did before I punched was I took the stamp block and set it on top of the card stock. Then I lightly drew pencil lines on the card stock using the sides of the block as my markers. Make sure the stamp is centered before you draw the lines. Now take the punch and line it up on one of the pencil lines. Drop the bottom of the card stock all the way down until it rests inside the punch. This will help you keep the square even as you punch along. I punched across the card stock all the way to the other pencil line.

I closed the card and stamped the words through the window so I knew they would be where I wanted them to be. I'm not good at doing it with the card open. And I wasn't concerned if I got a little ink on the edge of the window, I was going to be covering it up anyway. But I actually did pretty good with the stamping! Shocker!

For the frame I did the same thing as for the white card stock punching but I had a big scrap piece to work with. I left myself plenty of room all around so I could trim it on the paper cutter.

For the image I used the markers to color it in and then I huffed on it several times in a row to get the ink nice and moist before I stamped it on the card stock.

After it was stamped I glued the frame in place. Then I taped the white card stock on top of a 1/4 sheet of Sage Shadow card stock and the card was complete! See, just as simple as that. I am planning on using this lay out for some fun cards in the near future.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda