Cardstock Creations

What the HEX?

Erika L Hayes1 Comment

Dies & Stamps: Concord & 9th Friendly Florals Hot Foil Plate: Pink Fresh Lush Vine, Foil: Spellbinders Silver

Hello, my Lovely Friends! Don’t you just love color? I do! I also love Concord & 9th’s August 2022 release (Check it out here). I love it when companies have matching cardstock and ink options. I absolutely love the Concord & 9th colors too! (see the full-color range here). This leads us to the “What the HEX?” topic of this post.

I am always looking for ways to make fun color combos. I have color-swatches all my cardstock for assorted brands of cardstock in my stash. (Which is way too many, says no crafter ever.) Using planner disc attachments has made it easy for me to be able to remove the samples and make color combos while I am working on a project.

However, there are many times I see a color combo on card samples, other crafter’s and artist’s work, nature, advertisements, etc. That I really love and want to preserve. What better way than to document these combos in my inspiration book (Currently a Catherine Pooler journal). As I use my paper the question is always what to do with the scraps! I will often punch out as many pieces as I can then throw them in a small bag or bowl. When I see a combo I love, I usually will scribble down a color combo and later add it to my book using the scraps. For this demonstration, I made a few pages in my book with color combos I really like. Feel free to click through the slideshow below and browse these combos and use any you like.

It is my hope that this little organization/scrap usage idea will inspire you today.

Have a great day & may blessing fall on you in abundance!

e

Christmas in August? Why not?

Erika L Hayes1 Comment

Well, I am always trying to make Christmas cards not just in July and December. If I make just 10 cards a month, that’s 120 Christmas cards by December. I don’t always get 10 a month done, but it’s a fun goal to work toward. The thing is, you CAN’T beat yourself up if you only get one… or NONE done for your month. It’s about taking some of the stress off of you in that month of busy busy busyness.

I also love the July releases from Spellbinders. I can’t wait to get my next Christmas card made with the adorable mailbox sets. SOOO cute.

I think maybe I need to have that same goal for birthday cards, or I could say 10 Christmas every other month and 10 Birthday every other month. Another way could be to spilt it 5/5 and end up with 60 Christmas and 60 birthday cards by the end of the year. With that many cards, you can give some away as gifts!!!

thanks for stopping by

e

Birthday with Lawn Fawn

Erika L Hayes2 Comments

One of the best things about new releases is the inspiration! I did an online event on Facebook with Jenn Shurkus {creative chick} and Lawn Fawn called #LFcreatewithus. It is using the spring 2022 line from Lawn Fawn. After the class, I was so full of ideas that I made this card. I really enjoyed making the flap surprise on the front. The opening is a fun surprise for the card’s receiver. (Even more for the maker.)

Lawn Fawn has many of these cute online classes that are not only FREE but have PDF printouts! The next class is on April 8th (2022). Click here for more info on the upcoming class.

ALSO Lawn Fawn has a regular challenge to inspire you and help you get the mojo going. The current challenge is here why don’t you give it a try. I hope to see your cards posted there.

CLICK PHOTO to go directly to the challenge.

I also am working on my written instructions for interactive dies. I have a few Lawn Fawn done, and will be posting them online once they are all prettied up. Enjoy your weekend.

Erika L Hayes

A Spellbinder Story

Erika L Hayes1 Comment
Spellbinders Non-Traditional Fall Colors

I am that girl that likes to make seasonal cards with non-traditional colors. I like traditional colors but sometimes in the middle of the red and green season, or orange, brown and read seasons I like to mix it up. That is how this card came to be. I had been working on a Christmas card and thought I wonder how these colors would play on a fall card.

I grabbed my new Spellbinders Fall Leaves and my super skinny alphabet and went to work. Gotta say, I don’t hate it. I stacked the white on white leaves to give them pop and really loved the look. I would also like to add, Spellbinders makes amazing dies. They cut beautifully and score when they are supposed to score and are the highest quality I have used in a long time!

Now for the story. At one time I worked as a concept designer at Fun Stampers Journey, and then they were owned by the same investment company and Spellbinders warehouse was right next to ours. In fact, they kind of shared a space in that when I walked to the photo/video production for something we cut through part of Spellbinders warehouse. I wasn’t a fan of the “look” of the intricate designs that seemed to be Spellbinders “look”. I would like a few things now and again, but I wouldn’t say Spellbinders was a go to company for me.

I love that not only do we change as artist, but bless those companies that keep up with trends and produce the things we really want. Spellbinders is one of those companies for me. About a year ago, I started noticing some super cute stuff coming out from Spellbinders. I started looking for the new releases at my local store (Scraps of Love). They would show me the cute samples that had been made and I kinda loved them. Soon, I found myself purchasing more and more Spellbinders and then my husband gave me a Glimmer Hot Foil System and I was HOOKED!

I have been bound by Spellbinders! I purchase often from them and look forward to the next release. They still carry some of the dies and products that kept me away from them for a long time, but now I see the artistry in those dies.

This story is more to share that just because a company didn’t appeal to you before, doesn’t mean you should count them out! You change as an artist and so do companies looking to find a place in a very competitive market. I am glad I gave Spellbinders a second chance because they have upped the game and thus making me do the same!

Just like this card, I took a new look at fall colors and found I really liked how these cool colors played with the fall leaves. I also took a new look at a company I had previously seen as “not my style” and found so many items I loved as they like me have grown and changed over the years.

Craft Blessings My Friends

Erika