Author Archives: kathycNC

About kathycNC

Married to the love of my life for 43+ years, mom of 5...Nan to 3 gorgeous grandgirls. I have a passion for paper and a heart to educate and inspire through one of a kind, handmade paper art for all occasions. If you'd like to add my artwork to your home, please visit my Kathy by Design Etsy shop.

Country Fresh Eggs and Sunshine

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Carta Bella Homemade Easel Card with Really Reasonable Ribbon by Kathy Clement Kathy by Design

Country Fresh Eggs & Sunshine Easel Card with Carta Bella Homemade

Hello, Friends!  Mid-Winter is the perfect time to indulge in some Country Fresh Eggs & Sunshine, don’ t you agree?  Today I have a sweet farmhouse style easel card made with Carta Bella’s Homemade paper collection and adorned with ribbons and trims from Really Reasonable Ribbon.

How do you feel about yellow?  It’s one of those colors that people tend to either really enjoy or thoroughly dislike.  I fall on the really enjoy side of that equation.  So I’m very fond of this saffron- hued 5 1/2″ square easel card!

Ribbon to the Rescue!

But even as much as I enjoy shades of yellow, I find they have to be toned down with some solid neutral shades.  And that’s where ribbon comes to the rescue!  Here’s how I used ribbon to tone down the sunshine brightness on this card:

  • First, I created a belly band by layering Chipmunk Delicate Stitched Satin with 3/8″ Brown Plaid Ribbon.  The brown hues help to tone down the vibrant yellow patterns in the paper collection.
  • Use Scor-Tape between the ribbon layers, and wrap the ends around the back side of the card panel for a neat, clean finish.
  • Next, tie a poufy plaid bow with that brown plaid ribbon and tuck it into a cluster of roses and gardenias.
  • Now tie a loopy burlap bow and tuck it into the ribbon cluster to add extra texture.
  • Then create a cute banner with stickers from the paper collection.  Use your Bow-it-All Tool to tie itty bitty 1/2″ burlap ribbons and add to the corners.
  • Finally, Cocoa Ric-Rac adds an interesting country style border to the base of the card.  I don’t know why I don’t use ric-rac more often!
A Peek Inside

 

 

The country fresh vibes continue inside the card.  Don’t you just love these chickens?  Of course, you have to add gingham to a farmhouse style card, and bees come in handy, too.  So I just added all of the above. Do you spy the wee pocket?

Here’s a closer look.  Trim, score and fold a 3×4 card to make a side opening pocket that fits the narrow panel.  Then die cut the sentiment from another 3×4 card.  Thread with ribbon, tie on a sweet sunflower charm with burlap string, and now you’ve got a sweet surprise tucking inside this Country Fresh Eggs and Sunshine card.

I find I tend to turn to my bolder, brighter paper collections when the winter days are dark and gloomy.  We’ve had loads of rain and grey skies in North Carolina this month.  But I don’t mind; I just make my own sunshine on paper!  And, the sun is rising a little earlier and setting a little later each day  now, so spring can’t be too far off, can it?

I hope I shared some tips and tricks you can use in  your  next crafty adventure.  You’ll find a linked supply list below this post.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Country Fresh Eggs and Sunshine Supply List

Graphic 45 Flower Market March Folio Tutorial Part 1

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Graphic 45 Flower Market March Folio Tutorial Part 1-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design Photo 01

Graphic 45 Flower Market March Folio Tutorial Part 1 for Make & Take Tuesday

Hello, Friends!  Don’t panic…but it’s already time to share my Graphic 45 Flower Market March Folio Tutorial Part 1.  March?  Yes, March!  Time and tide wait for no man, so I wanted to get this tutorial out to you so you can have it made before the calendar page turns.  This is the 2nd installment in our year-long 2023 calendar project.  If  you missed the January/February folios, you can find them HERE.

Graphic 45 Flower Market March Folio Tutorial Part 1-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design-Photo 02

Just look at these gorgeous daffodils!  It may be hard to believe right now, but soon we will see those golden heads popping up from the soil and brightening the landscape.  They are Spring’s cheeriest bloom, in my opinion.

Our tutorial this week will focus on creating the folio base and designing the cover.  I made a few improvements to the design this month, and I feel the folio base is even better than before.  The second installment of this tutorial will be available in our Throwback Thursday post this week.  So you can get your base and cover made today and tomorrow, then be ready for the interior on Thursday.

A Peek Inside

Graphic 45 Flower Market March Folio Tutorial-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design-Photo 01

Here’s a sneak peek to whet your appetite.  Flower Market is a gorgeous collection, but somewhat limited, in my opinion.  With just one patterned paper and just one cut apart page, it begs to be filled out with other patterns.  So once again, I searched through the Closet of Inspiration and Delight looking for papers that would flow well with the base collection.

If you look closely at the floral pattern, you will spy small touches of purple.  I decided to add purple and yellow/gold patterns from a few different paper collections to fill out the pages of this folio.  You can find out what I used in the supply list below.

Now, if you don’t have these papers, don’t panic!  Look through your stash and I bet you will find papers that will work just as well,  Pay attention to color palettes and patterns.  I tried to avoid strong seasonal patterns and stuck to more generic themes when choosing my papers. I really like the way this folio turned out.  It feels like springtime on paper!

Graphic 45 Flower Market March Folio Tutorial on YouTube

If you’d like to see a full preview of the folio, learn how to build the improved folio base, and design the cover with me, then I hope you’ll enjoy Part 1 of this tutorial.

Remember, I’ll be back on Thursday with the remainder of the tutorial.  I also have a cheery country fresh card to share with you tomorrow.  So lots of good things to look forward to!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

SUPPLY LIST

 

Prima Miel Square Tag Mini Album Tutorial

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Prima Miel Square Tag Mini Album Tutorial by Kathy Clement Kathy by Design Photo 01

Prima Miel Square Tag Mini Album Tutorial for Throwback Thursday

Hello, Friends!  Oh, I have the sweetest little Prima Miel Square Tag Mini Album Tutorial to share with you for our Throwback Thursday project this week!  This idea popped into my head while I was working on some projects for our daughter’s wedding.  We are just 3 weeks away from that happy day, and I’m making all the little table favors.  (I’ll share those with you after the wedding!) Y’all know how much I love tags, and I’ve made quite a few tag albums in the past.  This design borrows ideas from some of those, but it also has some fun new twists that I find to be very exciting!

Prima Miel Square Tag Mini Album by Kathy Clement Kathy by Design Photo 02

The base for this little beauty is a pack of G45 Ivory Square Tags.  How fun is that?  This shabby chic gem is super easy to construct.  You can use any paper that you happen to have in your stash, so go check out your Closet of Inspiration and Delight and see what’s waiting to be transformed into this charming project.

A Peek Inside

Prima Miel Square Tag Mini Album Tutorial by Kathy Clement Kathy by Design Photo 01

If you have the G45 Square Tag Die, this album comes together in a snap.  Simple cut 12 tag liners for the covers and pages.  If you don’t have the die, you can cut designer paper to 4 1/8″ x 4″, round the corners and only the ivory dome will show.  You can ink that or leave it as it is.  If you don’t have ivory tags, kraft tags would work just as well.

The tutorial shows you how to assemble the album base, line the pages and add the interactive elements.

Even though this album is small, it works well with the scale of this paper.  And, there’s a surprising amount of room for photos and journaling.

The Pop Up Page

I even managed to fit in a pop up page!  Here’s how to  make it:

  • First, cut a 10 1/2″ x 3 3/4″ panel of designer paper.  Score at 5 1/4″ and fold a mountain fold.
  • Next, fold the right hand side of the paper back toward the center fold and crease.
  • Then fold the left hand side of the paper back toward the center fold and crease.
  • You will now have 4 panels: 2 with valley folds and one with a mountain fold.
  • Place adhesive on the outside edge of the left hand panel and adhere to the page base.
  • Now place adhesive on the outside edge of the right hand panel and adhere to the base.
  • The mountain fold should be centered between the 2 pages.
  • Now close the album and crease.  Easy peasy!
Tag Pockets

Look at these cute pockets!  We will use a G45 Regular Kraft tag to make them.  They are so quick and easy to do that you will want to add them to cards and projects all the time.

Prima Miel Square Tag Mini Album Tutorial on YouTube

If you love tags like I do, you might enjoy a stroll through my tag archives HERE.

Do you think you’ll take this sweet little tag album tutorial for a spin?  I hope you do!

You’ll find a linked supply list below this post.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

SUPPLY LIST

Photoplay Showers & Flowers Slimline Waterfall

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Photoplay Showers & Flowers Slimline Waterfall Card Tutorial by Kathy Clement Kathy by Design Photo 01

Photoplay Showers & Flowers Slimline Waterfall Card Tutorial for Make & Take Tuesday

Hello, Friends!  It’s grey, cold and gloomy here in North Carolina, so I thought we’d make this cheery Photoplay Showers & Flowers Slimline Waterfall Card today.  Let’s face it: sometimes  you have to make your own sunshine!  This vibrant new collection is the perfect way to chase away the winter blues!

Photoplay Showers & Flowers Slimline Waterfall Card Tutorial for Make and Take Tuesday Kathy Clement Kathy by Design Photo 02

This 3 5/8″ x 8 5/8″ slimline card base is made with Photoplay’s new Slimline Waterfall Card Kit.  What an easy way to  make a waterfall card! Although the card kit features the waterfall on the outside of the card, I decided to turn things “inside out.”  If you join me for the tutorial, you’ll see how simple Photoplay has made it to construct this kinetic card.

A Peek Inside

Photoplay Showers & Flowers Slimline Waterfall Card Kathy Clement Kathy by Design

How fun to find this darling waterfall element waiting inside the card!  And don’t you just love these bold colors and happy patterned papers? Grey skies?  What grey skies?  My studio is filled with springtime sunshine right now!

Photoplay Showers & Flowers Slimline Waterfall Card Tutorial on YouTube

What do you say we make this sweet springtime card together?  You can follow along in this YouTube video tutorial.

There are no daffodils in my part of the world yet, but I do see the buds on our plum tree growing fatter with each passing day.  And, there are Robins in the back yard, so spring cannot be too terribly far behind.  Until it arrives, I’ll think I’ll keep this paper collection handy!

You can find a linked supply list below this post.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

SUPPLY LIST

Victorian Snowman Tea Party

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Simple Stories-Winter Woods-Reneabouquets-Really Reasonable Ribbon-Tea Party in a Box-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design-Photo 01

Victorian Snowman Tea Party in a Box with Really Reasonable Ribbon & Reneabouquets

Hello, Friends!  This darling Victorian Snowman Tea Party in a Box card features a winning round-up of supplies from Really Reasonable Ribbon, Reneabouquets and Simple Stories Winter Woods. There is a lot of sweetness to see here, so let’s get the (tea) party started!

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

Simple Stories-Winter Woods-Tea Party in a Box-Reneabouquets-Really Reasonable Ribbon-Kathy Clement-Kathy by Design-Photo 02

One of the things I love about snowman images is that they are good all winter long!  This pretty in pink Victorian card would be a great winter birthday card, Valentine, or get well greeting.  I built the background of my card with paper scraps.  Then I dug into my embellishments and went to work on building the central image.  Here’s how:

  • First, heat emboss the Reneabouquet Victorian Snowflake Medallion with Stampendous Shabby Pink Embossing Enamel. Place foam tabs in the center of the medallion and adhere it to the card base.
  • Next,  brush Dies Clear Adhesive over the small snowflakes.  Then sprinkle them with fine pearl glitter glass.
  • Now, place dimensionals on the back of Victoria’s Snowman printed beautiful board and adhere on the right hand side of the medallion.
  • Next, arrange flowers (linked below) around the sides of the medallion as seen in the photo.
  • Tie a double loop bow with Pink Taffeta ribbon and tuck the knot under one of the pink roses. Then tie a double loop bow with Pink and Brown Twist Bakers Twine and adhere it over the pink taffeta bow.
  • Thread a heart charm on Pink and Brown Twist, tie a knot and use the point of your scissors to push into the knot of the Bakers Twine bow.
  • Place dimensionals on the back of  the vintage rose corner pieces and adhere.
  • Finally, tuck snowflakes in and around the flowers and images.  Top with Sweet Shop pearls.

A Peek Inside

Add an extra element of surprise to your project when you create a kinetic waterfall feature on the top half of the card.  Wrap ribbon around the back of the mechanism to hold everything neatly in place.

Then build a box pocket to hold all the goodies for a Victorian Snowman Tea Party. Wrap your goodies with leftover bits of designer paper.  Create a tag,  top it with more Pink Taffeta,  a White Satin Bow and a sweet rose charm.  Stitch paper scraps together to make a handy  little bookmark, and top this with white satin ribbon as well.

I hope I’ve shared some tips, tricks and ideas that you’ll be able to use in your own crafty adventures.  You can find a linked supply list below this post.

Stay warm and cozy!

Cheerio,

kathy

SUPPLY LIST

 

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