Hey you guys! My two great aunts are turning 80 and 90 and I needed to make some super fast cards to pop in the mail today, stat! (Can’t believe they’re going to to be 80 and 90! I keep telling myself I’m on the 100 year plan, wonder if I’ll make it? My great-grandma — their mom — lived to be 94 so hope I get close!)
Anyhow, you know how it is when you are pressed for time and your mind goes blank and you can’t think of what to do? Well, that’s what happened to me. Until I spied some of the new pretty papers from BasicGrey’s Konnichiwa Collection — just love this collection so much! I just knew I had to use them. And then I remembered Kelly’s awesome card on the Hero Arts blog today and I was set! (If you haven’t seen her card yet you owe it to yourself to go and check it out — it’s a masterpiece!)
Here’s what I came up with!
Isn’t that paper just beautiful? Makes me wish I could go to Japan to see the cherry blossoms. Here’s a closeup of the window that I made using the Hero Arts Frame Cuts Small Tag Frame:
And! Here’s a little snap I took of the card coming together — just loaded up the back with lotsa foam tape and then added gems over the holes in the tags. Easy.
I wanted to make sure that the cards stayed nice since they’re going all the way from Texas to Arizona and West Virginia, so I used a *lot* of tape! If you were going to hand-deliver the cards you wouldn’t need quite so much :)
Two more tips — since the window is popped up like that, the gems won’t poke through the envelope. Another trip I learned is to glue the patterned paper to some white cardstock before cutting out the window — this way it won’t sag as much and you won’t need quite so much tape, ha!
And one last trick: You don’t have to try to stamp the message inside the window! YES. Just stamp it on a scrap and then remove the backing from the tape and position it on there, then position the whole lot on the card front. Woo!
Annnnnd, I forgot to take a photo of the envelopes (darn!) — but I used pretty pink envelopes for them and stamped them with the coordinating stamps from the BasicGrey Konnichiwa Collection. Can’t wait until they open up their mailboxes and see the cards. :)
Happy birthday, Aunt Ada and Aunt Freda! Sure wish I could be there to celebrate with you and give you a big big hug!
Hugs to all of you, and hope you have a great weekend,
So pretty! :> Love seeing how you were inspired by Kelly! :>
EEP!!! Loverly, chiquita!
adorable cards, Lisa! thanks for your sweet comments about my card. :)
You’re right, these papers are amazing! Perfect for this time of year, and isn’t that little bird so sweet! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Just perfection!!!
Perfect idea Lisa! Thanks for sharing your tip about stamping the greeting too. Just got this paper in the mail today. May have to try this out!
Thank you so much for showing how you constructed this card!!!!!! Big ‘doh!’ moment for me to tape the pp to some cardstock so it firms up a bit. These are adorable and easy to make too – love it!
Gosh, I just love it when your blog pops up with a new post on my sidebar – always makes me smile visiting you! Love these pretty papers, Lisa! They sure do make quick, easy and BEAUTIFUL cards! Both of your great aunts will love ’em! Hugs and happy weekend! :)
Love the cards. Your great aunts will love to get them and hear from you. MOM
Lisa, you are so lucky to even know your great-grandma and great-aunts. I hope you have them for many many more years and get to see them frequently. I’m sure they love your beautiful cards.
I know your great aunts will love, love these cards! And yes, they are beautiful, but they will love them even more because you made them! Thanks for the tip about the placement of the sentiment! I probably would have done it the hard way!!!!!
Your aunts are going to love these cards! They will surely brighten their day.
I tend to over use the foam tape too. Better to have too much than not enough!
these paper are so yummy and perfect for your great aunts! wow! 80 and 90? hope they have many more fabulous ones to come! =) thanks for the tips, too. i always use lots of dimensional adhesives when i lift something up on my cards. just don’t like seeing them sag. =) have a lovely weekend!
Beautiful cards.
Gorgeous cards – what a great way to showcase the lovely papers and fun tag-shape stamps! Love your tips, Rx
Lisa, thanks for the 2 hints about getting the sentiment in the right position, and using gems when mailing. I would love to “bling-up” my cards somtime but worry about damage in the mail. This is the perfect solution. Your cards a striking even though the design is very basic. Good luck on getting to 100.
So cute! I love that paper. Great tips. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa! These cards are awesome….gotta get me some of those papers. Happiest of birthdays to your aunties!
How very lovely! These sure don’t look like quick cards and your aunts will enjoy them, I’m sure.
I love these lady cards – so perfect! Very old-fashioned, yet cutting edge, too. Thanks for the clear instructions. As always, you rock! Thanks, Lisa.