A Gift Box of Handmade Cards

I am excited to share this set of handmade greeting cards in a matching gift box as my contribution to the Stampin' Friends September Blog Hop. The theme this month is the Outdoors, Fall, and Halloween. (Because some of our designers come from the Southern Hemisphere, you may see some spring cards too!) I thought this gift box full of note cards was a perfect little gift for fall. The complete supply list for today's projects can be found all the way at the end of this post.
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If you've been hopping along with us, you've joined me from Jean Bolan Beaulieu's blog. When you're done here, I hope you'll continue on to Kim Quade's. At the end of this blog post, you'll find a complete list of all the designers for today's blog hop with clickable links to all of their websites. They have creates some gorgeous cards and projects, so go check them all out!

On y go! Let's get stamping.
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An Easy Card Making Idea using Pointillism

My designs today were inspired by a video by Jennifer McGuire. She shared how to use pointillism with a stamped image. Perhaps you remember this technique from a grade school art class. Pointillism is an art technique using small dots to create an image. I've used it on both the outsides and insides of my stamped designs today to create a unique look. 

Easy to Make Note Cards using the Pointillism Technique

All of these cards use the Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes. The note cards are 5" x 3 1/2". This slightly smaller note cards are perfect for quick card making and can be mailed with regular postage.

The colored cardstock on the front of each note card is either 5" x 3 1/4" or 4 3/4" x 3 1/2" depending on the card. 

For my first card, I started by stamping the fern image from the Forever Fern stamp set with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink. Then, I added small dots around the outside with the light Granny Apple Green Stampin' Blend alcohol marker. This first set of dots are very close together and near the stamped image.

​After I went all the way around the image, I went back and added a few dots that were spread out further from the stamped image. The idea is to have the dots be the densest next to the stamped image and then fade into the white background. Then, I used the light Old Olive Stampin' Blend alcohol marker to go around the image again at the edge of the closest Granny Apply Green dots. I added dots close together near the image and further away at the edges. Finally, I added a few more dots with the dark Old Olive Stampin' Blend closest to the stamped fern. 
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I stamped the "Hello" from the Forever Fern stamp set and cut the fern using a square from the Stitched Shapes dies and used Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere it to a piece of Old Olive cardstock that had been embossed with the basket weave pattern from the Wrapped in Texture Embossing Folders. I tied it with a piece of Linen Thread and adhered it to a note card. ​

My second card uses the same fern as the first card, but here I stamped it in Early Espresso ink and used the light and Dark Mango Melody and the dark Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Blends alcohol markers to do the pointillism dots on the outside of the image. I added a thin strip of Early Espresso cardstock under the stamped image and I embossed the Mango Melody cardstock with the Tasteful Textile embossing folder. 

​Likewise, my third card uses the light and dark Pumpkin Pie and the light Mango Melody Stampin' Blends alcohol markers and is mounted on a piece of Pumpkin Pie cardstock that has been embossed with the Tasteful Textile embossing folder.

My last two cards use the Rooted in Nature stamp set. Again, I stamped the images with Early Espresso ink, but this time, I did the pointillism inside of the stamped image. I started by coloring the image with the light Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blend. Then, I added the dots in the same way with the dark Mango Melody and Pumpkin Pie blends.

I embossed the Daffodil Delight cardstock background with the Brick & Mortar 3D embossing folder and the Mango Melody with the dotted pattern from the Wrapped in Texture embossing folders. 

Gift Card Box Instructions

Whisper White cardstock: 3" x 4 3/4"
Mango Melody cardstock: 3 3/16" x 4 15/16"
Early Espresso cardstock: 3 1/2" x 5 1/4"
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I used the Rooted in Nature stamp set for the box top. I stamped the leaves with Early Espresso ink and used masking to create a string of leaves. I used the same pointillism technique on the outside of the leaves using the light and dark Daffodil Delight, the dark Mango Melody, and the dark Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Blends alcohol markers. added a few of the Artistry Blooms Sequins in Mango Melody and some Linen Thread to the box top.

I cut the letters with the Playful Alphabet dies. I cut the top layer from Mango Melody cardstock. Then, I cut two more layers from Early Espresso and stacked them to give them more dimension. I layered the box top on Mango Melody and Early Espresso cardstock.
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The box is a mini Paper Pumpkin box available in the August-December Mini Catalog. To color the outside, I filled two Stampin' Spritzers with rubbing alcohol. I added about 15 drops of Mango Melody re-inker to one and 15 drops of Pumpkin Pie to the other. I spritzed the outside with Mango Melody first and then spritzed areas with Pumpkin Pie. I finished by splattering the box with Pumpkin Pie and Soft Suede ink using the medium Water Painter. I put a couple of drops of re-inker on a clear block and scooped it up with the Water Painter. Then, I flicked across the cap to the Water Painter to create splatters.
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I love how perfectly the note cards and envelopes fit inside the mini Paper Pumpkin box. This will be an awesome gift to give to someone this fall. 

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today! Below is a list for the entire blog hop. I hope you'll take a few minutes and check out all of their awesome designs. If you need the stamps and accessories to create these projects and live in the US, I hope you'll come back over here and shop with me. There is a link to the complete list of supplies after the list of designers. If you have questions or need help, I would love to help you! Just leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

Links to all of the Designers in the Stampin' Friends Blog Hop

1. Jo Blackman (UK)
2. Teri Pocock
3. Jean Bolen Beaulieu
4. Heidi Collins   <---- YOU ARE HERE -----
5. Kim Quade - US
6. Kim Lamos
7. Tiziana Milano 
8. Maureen Rauchfuss (US) 
9. Barbara Welch (US)
10. Melissa Thomas
11. Steph Jandrow (US)
12. Katja Ettig
13. Lisa Ann Bernard

Supply List for this beautiful Gift box filled with Handmade Note cards

Click here for a complete supply list for these simple note card designs and gift box. Shopping the supply list is easy! Simply check the items you need and click add to cart. If you have any questions, please contact me or leave I comment. I am here to help!