Here is the Mother’s Day I card made using the Mother’s Day Sample Dot-to-Dot on the inside.  I prefer to put the puzzle on the bottom half of the inside of the cards, but this time the message to Mom seemed more important.  This card uses foam tape to layer the art work for a more 3-D effect.

Supplies I used:

• 4 sheets of patterned cardstock
• 1 sheet of regular cardstock
• Clip art sheet with butterflies and rose
• Clip art sheet with sentiment frames
• 1 8½” x 11″ sheet of heavy white cardstock
• Greatest Dot-to-Dot Sample Newspaper Puzzle for Mother’s Day

Tools I used:

• Markers
• Pebbles Pearlescent Chalks
• Scissors
• Tape
• Foam Tape
• Fiskars Treading Water Border Punch
• Paper Cutter

Print out the two pdf clip art files from above.  Color in the roses, leaves and butterflies.  The extra images will be placed on top of the larger ones to layer with foam tape.  I colored mine in different colors and then chose which one I like best to be on top.  I then cut out all the images, choosing one of the sentiment frames.  I took the chalk and ran it along the edge of the rose frame and the sentiments frames to add dimension.

Paper dimensions:

• Cut 8½” x 11″ sheet of  heavy white cardstock down to 6½” x 10″.  Score cardstock in half to make card 6½” x 5″.
• Cut pattern paper to be used on front of card (4½” x 6½” for front of card, 4″ x 5½” for inside of card)
• Cut plain cardstock (1¼” x 6½” for front of card scallop strip, 5″ x 6½” for inside bottom of card)
• Cut light pattern paper (1″ x 6½” for front of card scallop strip, ¾” x 4″ for inside of card scallop strip)
• Cut striped pattern paper (½” x 6½” for inside of card)
• Cut pattern paper for under puzzle (5″ x 6½” for inside top of card under puzzle, 1½” x 4″ for inside of card left of scallop)

Use the images below to layer the paper.

Enjoy and Happy Mother’s Day!

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I have made two Easter Sunday cards using the holiday sample puzzle we have posted.  I am including a .pdf file with the images I used to make the cards so you can make one too.

Supplies I used:

• Easter Sunday sample puzzle
• Clipart images for front of card, Bunny or Butterfly, both are included.
• card stock and patterned paper
• watercolor pencils
• water pen, but you can use damp q-tips or a damp small paint brush
• small “fussy” cut scissors
• adhesive

1. First I printed the clipart images. I used the watercolor pencils to color in the images. It was easier to cut the images out after coloring them in.

2.  After fussy cutting the colored images out, I cut an 8½” x 11″ piece of white cardstock down to 5½” x 11″.  I then attached a piece of patterned paper to the card stock and trimmed off the extra with scissors.   I scored the card down the middle at the 5½” mark.  I flipped the card over and scored again at the 2¾ mark to make the card tri-fold.  When folded flat the card should be a 5½” x 5½” square.

3.  Glue or tape the puzzle over the middle of the 5½ fold and carefully re-score the card.  This should keep creases from forming on the puzzle.

4. Attach the large egg or cross to the right side of the puzzle, leaving room for the border.  If you place the egg or cross partly over the white section of the puzzle border it will help give depth to the card.   Place the borders to the right and left edges of the card.  Take the large rabbit or butterfly and place adhesive only on the back left side of it (when you flip it over to tape the back, it will be on the right side).  Attach it to the card leaving the right side to hang off the fold.  I tried to line up the rabbit and butterfly so the words on the inside of the card did not show unless the card was opened.

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I have made a Valentine’s Day card using the holiday sample puzzle we have posted.  I am including a pdf with the images I used to make the card so you can make on too.

Supplies I used:

• Valentine’s Day sample puzzle
• Clipart images for front of card
• card stock (white, green and mini flower)
• dandelion fluff stamp
• light tan/beige ink pad
• fine tip black marker

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I have made a Thanksgiving Day card using the holiday sample puzzle we have posted.  I am including a pdf with the images I used to make the card so you can make on too.  This was the base card used at our Rochester Children’s Book Festival Make n’ Take table.

1.  Start with the Free Mini Thanksgiving Puzzle from our Blog Post.  The puzzle size is 4½ x 4½ so I made the card 6½ x 5 ( a 10 x 6½ piece of cardstock folded in half).  Although I custom make my envelopes this card will fit in a A7 envelope.

2.  I used one sheet of specialty paper that I never thought I would use for anything.  It seemed to work great for a Fall/Thanksgiving themed card.  I glued the dotted paper to the front of the cardstock and trimmed off the excess.  I used a Martha Stewart Crafts All Over The Page Punch, Flourish Square to punch a hole in the middle of the front of the card.

3. Next I placed the Happy Thanksgiving on the front.

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4.  I finished decorating with leaves.  The leaves were made from the left over cardstock that was trimmed off to make the card.  I sponged red, green, brown, orange and purple all over the scraps.  Then I used a leaf punch and punched, and punched……

5.  On the inside of the card I glued the Thanksgiving Day Dot-to-Dot puzzle and finished decorating with images from the Thanksgiving Images.