Handmade Cards

I recently got some new decorative paper for making cards.  I got two new 8 inch square paper stacks by DCWV.  The Citrus Stack of paper is primarily orange, red, yellow, and blue with several different floral and paisley patterns.  The Green Stack is made from 70% recycled paper and is themed around nature and various woodland creatures (birds, squirrels, skunks...) in muted blues, red, green, and brown.

In addition to the new paper, I got some new paper crafting tools that have made card making much easier.  One tool I absolutely love is the Xyron sticker maker.  It was between $8 and $10 and turns regular paper into a sticker.  To use the little machine you drop your cut paper in one side, pull the sticker tape on the other side, and rub the paper onto the backing.  It basically coats the back of the paper with double sided adhesive.  On a similar note, I got a roll of "glue tape" that is little strips of the double sided adhesive in a roller similar to white out tape.  The other glue I had been using made the cards wavy and took a long time to dry.  The glue tape bonds instantly and always leaves the paper flat.  It is a must have for any paper crafting project!

I also got two new edge punches.  These things are addicting, I swear.  My first edge punch was a heart shaped border that I used to make Valentines earlier this year.  The new punches I got are Fiskars brand.  One has a braided border, the other is a series of swirls and dots.  I love edge punches because they are so versatile.  You can use them to layer papers, create borders, punch both edges of a paper strip, use the punched out pieces... The options are endless.