Mini Notes of Thanks

Those that follow me might have noticed that I tend to make a lot of thank you cards as I am a believer in showing kindness and appreciation and that I tend to not make standard sized cards. I create for the sized area that I need to based on my idea or the scale size of the products used. This leads to a copious amount of various sized widths of cardstock strips. So I like to find ways to use up this stash and other various odds and sods from previous projects. Besides making ATCs, another way I have found that works well is to make cheery little mini cards of thanks. I have found that these mini gems always illicit a surprised delightful reaction from the receipt both for their novel size and cuteness factor.

Supplies: Apple Blosson Bouquet stamp, Mango Tango and Grass Green Nuance (Magenta), Tim Holtz script stamp (Stampers Anonymous), Vegas Gold and Irridecent embossing powder (Emerald Creek Craft Supplies), Thanks Script Die (Simon Says Stamp), black cardstock (Bazzill), vellum (The Paper Company), white cardstock and coffee filter (misc.)

The background was heat embossed stamped with Emerald Creek Vegas Gold emboss powder using a Tim Holt script stamp and splattered with Magenta Mango Tango Nuance. The sentiment is a multi layered die cut from Simon Says Stamp Script Thanks.

The flowers were created by iridecent heat emboss stamping on a coffee filter. To make the flowers, you will need a coffee filter and flower image stamp. On this card, I used the Magenta Apple Blossom Bouquet stamp. Load the stamp with VersaMark ink and stamp it onto the coffee filter. Here, I stamped the image four times prior to adding fine Iridescent glitter embossing powder. This will give you lots of extras for future projects. Once it is heat set, the emboss powder saturates the filter fibres and creates a perfect barrier for watercolouring.

Next, place the filter on a craft mat and spritz it with water so that it is fully saturated. Then, carefully pop the lid off the colour of Nuance that you wish to use (I used Magenta Mango Tango Nuance). Wet your paint brush and then pick up just a little bit of Nuance powder on the tip of the brush.

The colours are extremely concentrated and a little goes a long way. Start in the centre of the flower and dab the colour on, letting the water carry it to the edges. Add more spritzes of water and dab colour as needed to help move it and get the colour intensity that you want. Then, let it dry... either naturally or you could use a either a heat tool at a distance or a blow dryer on warm & low setting. Fussy cut the coloured flowers and use as you wish. They can be used singlely, like I did on this card, or you could even layer them up for a more dimensional flower. I added leaves which were free hand painted with Grass Green Nuance on vellum and then fussy cut when dry.

I am entering this card into Simon Say Stamp Monday Bright and Cheerful Challenge and Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #128 - Anything Goes.

I don't always blog about smaller fast makes here on my blog. I did share these next two earlier this month on my IG account as part of Kathy Rac's 30 Days of Colouring and World Watercolouring Month. These are also 3 x 3" cards made from left over cardstock and watercolour paper (hence the different whites).

They are clear heat embossed stamped with a Close to My Heart mini stamp and painted with Kuretake Zig Gansai Tambi watercolours.

I hope you have been inspired to use up some scraps in make bright cheery cards to bring a smile to someone's day. Be sure to share in the comment or tag me on social media if you do.


TTFN,