Cathy Zielske's Blog, page 5

A must try card formula (and a blog hop for Simon Says Stamp!)

Today I’m sharing a fun card formula to try out that is super simple: stencils + shapes + die cuts! For my second card, I’m using some of the new Friend Like You release products, namely the Underwater Stencil set, my Solo Smile die and my Smile stamps.

It’s also a blog hop day to celebrate the Friend Like You release from Simon Says Stamp.

My cards today feature a mix of old and new releases, and here is my video walking you through this simple formula!

I hope this i...

The perfect die for using up your scraps!

Today I’m sharing a card that I absolutely love born from my good old scrap bin (and a cool panel die!)

The Ocean Horizon panel die cuts out 15 different panels, letting you build gorgeous sea to sky designs. I love that this really can be used for any type of greeting, as well. I am using my new Smile stamps and dies that are part of the brand new Friend Like You release from Simon Says Stamp. Here is my tutorial showing you how I put this card together, including one last minute cha...

Cathy Makes a Card Live: The giveaway post

If you’d like to be entered for a chance to win the one of the card sfrom today’s livestream (June 25, 2025), just leave a comment below! I’ll choose two winners at random by next week’s live.

All supplies for this week’s livestream will be listed at the bottom of this post. In the meantime, check out the live (or replay) here: 

I just realized I forgot a design review at the end of the live! Oh, well… must have been my hangry tummy. Lol! Still, here are the finished cards.

...

Cathy Makes a Card: the giveaway post )+ a free download

Welcome to the blog post for today’s livestream (June 18, 2025.) Today I have a free download for you that I explained during the live, plus I’ll be giving away the card. First up, the livestream/replay:

Now for the free download! Click on the image to get the PDF. You’ll need an 8.5 x 11 sheet of cardstock. When you print from Adobe Acrobat Reader, choose ACTUAL SIZE. This is very important or this will not print correctly for trimming into panels. You will need to unzip the packag...

Unboxing the latest card kit from Simon Says Stamp

It’s Kit Unboxing Day for the July 2025 Card Kit from Simon Says Stamp. Let’s jump right to the video, shall we?

Window vibes for the win! Let’s take a closer look at the cards.

Even though my fussy cutting is just okay, I love how this card turned out! There are coordinating dies for the Through the Window stamps, and you can add that to your kit if you like.

Next up, the one where I glued the window frame on backwards! I didn’t even notice this until I was taking the ph...

Cathy Makes a Card Live: The Giveaway Post

Welcome to the post for this week’s livestream (June 11, 2025). Today, in addition to giving away the card I have a very special promotion to share with you from Altenew featuring one of my favorite crafting tools: foam adhesive.

To get the deal, add the Instant Dimension Foam Tape Bundle to your cart and use the code CZXALT4FUN4 at checkout to get 30% off.  This deal ends on June 13 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

GET THE BUNDLE HERE

Here is the livestream/replay:

I love how ...

Embrace the power (and drama!) of the crop!

Welcome to the blog hop for the June 2025 release from Altenew. Today I’m sharing the power of cropping BIG images to create bold, dramatic designs featuring the Magical Peony Press Plate and its coordinating stencil set.

Here is my video sharing the power of the crop!

Here are the cards I created:

I love the different look you get with a different crop.

And the third cards features much more of the full bloom:

I hope this encourages you to think...

Three fun cards from one stencil set!

The Hello Sunshine Release from Waffle Flower is out today and I’m sharing three fun cards that I created using the new Postage Collage Coastal Stencil set. First, check out the video:

Cutting apart any Postage Collage die sets is such a fun way to stretch one stenciled image into multiple card designs.

True, I did add in some cute crabs and other elements, but the core art focus was the stencil!

I have a $20 gift card to giveaway today! Just leave a comment o...

Cathy Makes a Card: the giveaway post

Welcome to the blog post for my weekly livestream on June 4, 2025. Today’s post is a bit different as instead of giving away a card, I’m giving away a Craft Tool Caddy to one lucky person, courtesy of Organize More.

I absolutely LOVE this tool caddy and have been using mine for several months. I was an early tester for this product back when it wasn’t even painted white, and I loved it then, too! Plus, all week long, you can save on this caddy using my code:

To enter for a chan...

Cardmaking essentials for beginners

One of the questions I get asked frequently is this: “I’m brand new to cardmaking… do you have a video for beginnners?

Today is my first attempt at creating just that: a video for those who would like to get into cardmaking but don’t know where to start!

Is this the most comprehensive video on the internet? No. Does it cover some basics and have info to get you started? Absolutely. First, we start with the video:

Are there more things? Less things? The answer is always, ‘yes!’...