15 Minute Card Project ... Pretties in Less Than 1/4 of an Hour

I received the sweetest email yesterday from Gayle, who wrote, "I love your card projects and the simplicity and clean lines, both of which has inspired me to create my own greeting cards. I'm on a super-tight budget and I can't afford to go out and spend a lot on rubber stamps. Do you have any tips or suggestions for me?"

Yes, I do Gayle! Why not start your card making journey without purchasing any rubber stamps?

Using rub-on sentiments can virtually eliminate your need for rubber stamps (it hasn't done anything to stop my 'want,' though ...*wink). Rub-on's are super easy to use, take up next to no storage space, and are very affordable. A project like this is a terrific way to start creating cards without investing huge sums of money in supplies.

Card stock is very inexpensive, as is chipboard, and digital patterned paper can be easily created in your photo editing software. If you'd rather not create your own paper, digital scrapbook sites can be found all over the Internet offering paper and embellishments for free or next-to-nothing.

Today's 15 Minute Project was made without rubber stamps; in fact, the only tools I used were punches.

This 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" all occasion card was created on Bazzill textured card stock. I punched circles out of digital patterned paper, and adhered them around the edges of the card, trimming off the overhang.

Next, I covered a chipboard bird in a coordinating digital paper. His head feathers were created with a small spiral punch, and I used a spiral border punch to create the curly black squiggles. I applied my rub-on, and called it done!

And not one rubber stamp was harmed (or used), in the process!

Hope this helps Gayle, and thanks for asking; now, on to the Ingredients:

Card stock: Textured (Bazzill Basics)

Patterned Paper: Digitally created using photo editing software

Stamps: None

Ink: None

Chipboard: (Unknown ... for storage purposes I always remove the packaging)

Rub-on: Memory Rub-On's, "Thinking of You" collection, (Provo Craft)

Tools: Spiral Punch (EK Success); Border Spiral Punch (All Nite Media)

Accessories: Black brad (Unknown ... found in my mountain of brads)

I'm always happy to answer any question you might have about projects, materials, or techniques. While I might not know the answer to every question all the time, I DO know where to go* to find it!

Thanks for visiting!

*Splitcoast Stampers!!