An excess of Christmas Cards - Simple Birthday Cards Using DSP

April 18, 2021 Claire Taylor

Having worked out how many weeks there are till the end of November, I have calculated that by December I will have over 400 Christmas cards so I have decided to tweak Claire’s Creative Christmas Card Challenge to Claire’s Creative Christmas creation challenge to incorporate ideas other than cards. I have also decided to add another challenge - Claire’s Creative Celebration Creation Challenge as I have identified that I also need to be better at making and sending Birthday cards.

I must confess I am pretty awful. the joys of a neurodiverse mind, the only Birthdays I remember really are mine, Toms and ones of my Sisters, everyone else’s, I know the month but not the exact day. I have invested in a card box to remind me of the dates, but need more cards which are ready to go to ensure that everyone gets a card!

In my last video I explained how I choose DSP and what actions I take when I receive it. In my latest video, I show how to make a simple card, using one of my favourite card sketches, the happiest of birthday stamps and also the retired perfect patterns Designer Series Paper. I also used the in the family stamp set for the inside of the card, but you could use any small stamp. I personally think that it is a perfect card for making multiples.

The video below shows how to make a card using the sketch,

I think it is a perfect layout for birthday cards. What is your go to sketch?

How I choose and use Designer Series Paper

April 13, 2021 Claire Taylor

When it comes to choosing Designer Series Paper, I look through the catalogue to identify DSP which I can use and also which is versatile. I also where possible sign up for a paper share to receive a taster of all the papers as it can be difficult to judge papers from the catalogue.

I love the Playing with Patterns paper as it has made gorgeous cards for birthdays, Easter and Christmas (although Non – Traditional for Christmas.)

I love the colours and also that some of the patterns are suitable for stamping on rather than just using them as background to add layers on to. I love the appearance of the dark night of navy on the patterns,

When I order a pack of DSP, I check to ensure that I have card stock and inks in the co-ordinating colours (I have nearly all the colours although Pumpkin Pie is one, I never remember to add to my order). When receive a pack of DSP, I check the colours recorded on the packaging and also in the catalogue (the packets do not always have all the colours on.) I go through looking at the colours in the papers, sometimes there are some extras. I pull out all the co-ordinating papers and make card blanks and layers for all the colours.

I also pull out all the ink, Stampin’ write markers and also blends, so when I begin creating I do not need to start looking for them.

Next, I look for sketches which will work with the papers and then choose a stamp set which will work with those sketches. My favourite birthday set was Itty Bitty Birthdays, but it is retiring on May 3rd. I have included some of my favourite sketches on here.

Sketch 2 and 3 are my go to Sketches. I love the simplicity of them and they don’t take a lot of brain power to create a beautiful card.

How do you choose and prepare your designer series paper?

In good taste masculine cards

August 15, 2020 Claire Taylor

I really struggle with cards with a masculine theme, it is something I am trying to overcome as my mother always asks for masculine birthday cards. I know that there is always a need for masculine cards but I loose my mojo and end up making something that looks awful (awful to me as I am a perfectionist.)

I decided that I wanted to create a simple birthday card for my brother in laws (they are both June babies.)

I loved the in good taste paper as soon as I saw it and though that it would be the perfect DSP to use. It is a stunning combination of photgraphic imagery (mainly tiles, who knew they could make such pretty papers) and gorgeous neutral patterns. I also wanted to utilise the stamps from the Looking Up Card Kit, Happy Birthday is one of my most used sentiments but this layout would also work for Thank You cards.

This card is simple to make and could be made using any combination of card and DSP. I used the Tailored Tag Punch but any punch or die could be used to create the shape. If you do not have shapes or dies, you could also use any shape for the sentiment.