Skip to content

Birthday Flower

Birthday Flower published on 1 Comment on Birthday Flower

I’m back with a card a made recently for a sweet little girl named Lily.  Isn’t that a beautiful name??  It seems only appropriate that I would make her a flower card.  I had so much fun playing with the Blossom Petals Punch a week ago that I punched out a few more petals for this one.

I love how this flower makes for such fun and easy cards!  Perfect for the new stamper (or the experienced stamper pressed for time!).  I punched the petals out of Rose Red, Baja Breeze and Pear Pizzazz and sponged around the edges in their respective colors.  The DSP base is from Elegant Soiree, my latest favorite paper.  I created a little tag with a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes and tucked it under a little white button.  And…done!

This punch is so wonderful when paired with Build a Blossom but I love it all on its own, too.  It is available from the Occasions Mini (121808) and you will have fun with all the possibilities! 

Thanks for stopping in for a quick look.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Stamp:  Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper:  Elegant Soiree DSP, Baja Breeze, Rose Red, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White; Ink:  Baja Breeze; Accessories:  Blossom Petals Punch, Neutrals Buttons, Thread (non-SU)

All products Stampin’ Up unless otherwise indicated.

Clear Block Brayering

Clear Block Brayering published on 4 Comments on Clear Block Brayering

I hope you enjoyed the Stampin’ Addicts Birthday Blog Hop over the weekend!  As promised, I am back with some more details on using your clear blocks as a brayer.  You may remember that I made my “First Edition Valentine” a couple of weeks ago and told you that I had not used my brayer for the edges.  Instead I used my clear block there, too.  I used this technique with my Hostess Club members and they loved it as much as I do!  They, too, appreciate that you don’t have to have another tool and can use something you already have in your stamping repetoire.  It is amazing how much this distressing adds to an embossed area for almost no additonal work!  And, contrary to what you may see in this post, I promise it works on paper other than Cherry Cobbler.  *smile*

Since this is so easy, I didn’t really take a lot of pictures.  Here is my embossed panel during the process of working on it.  Simple take one of your smaller clear blocks (smaller is easier to control) and ink up one side with your Whisper White Craft Ink.  Rub the inked side on your embossing.  If the middle of your panel needs to be “clean” of ink, just use a scrap piece of paper to mask it while you work.  I did that on my butterfly card but not on my First Edition Valentine since the middle was covered up.  Just keep inking and applying until you have the desired effect.  It is really that easy!!

I actually used this techniqe way back in the Stampin’ Addicts Holiday Mini Blog Hop on this card.  After embossing, I inked up my clear block with Basic Black Classic Ink and added the touched of color on the background layer.  So to answer questions before they are asked, both kinds of ink work.  There is definitely a randomness to this kind of application because the ink will not be even.  I actually got this idea when I was watching a video produced by Stampin’ Up on the Distressing Essentials Kit.  They used a flat stamp in the same way. 

I hope you have fun using this!  Please let me know what projects you make because I can’t wait to see them!  Because the butterfly card uses that amazing SAB set Bliss (Joie – French), it qualifies for the So Shelli challenge this month.  I continue to be thrilled with the coordination between the SAB sets and the mini/catalog sets!!  Thanks for dropping back in today.  I’ll see you again soon!

Butterfly card

Stamps:  Clearly For You, Bliss/Joie (SAB), All Holidays; Paper:  Basic Gray, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White; Ink:  Whisper White Craft Ink, Basic Gray, Cherry Cobbler; Accessories:  White Organza Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Clear Blocks, Heat Tool

All products are Stampin’ Up!

Stampin’ Addicts Birthday Blog Hop

Stampin’ Addicts Birthday Blog Hop published on 30 Comments on Stampin’ Addicts Birthday Blog Hop

Photobucket

Welcome to your next stop on the Stampin’ Addicts Birthday Blog Hop!!  I am in the middle of the hop so if you want to start at the beginning, simply click on the banner above for the list in order.  I hope you are enjoying this birthday celebration featuring techniques!  If you have been following the hop, you just came over from Debra Burgin’s Heartfelt Inkspirations.  Her polished stone technique is really fantastic (okay, everything she does is really fantastic)!!  Did you see that clock…oh my!!  My job today is to show you clear block stamping.  I was a little slow to get on board with the clear mount stamps but now I LOVE them!  I love the storage, I love the price and I love the clear blocks.  The best part…these clear blocks can be used as a stamping tool along with their “real” job of holding stamps.  You can click on any of my pictures to see them larger.

My first card shows how to use clear block stamps to add dimension.  I inked up my Block C with a Soft Suede Ink Pad and stamped it onto some Naturals Ivory paper.  I followed up with the airplane from Plane & Simple (Occasions Mini) over the center block in Early Espresso.  A little Linen Thread cinched with an Antique Brad added just the right touch.  I love this border stamp and the words from the stamp set are perfect to finish it off.

For my next card I wanted the clear block to add a little color as a background.  It looks alot like reverse masking without having to cut a mask and sponge.  I inked up my Block D with Daffodil Delight and stamped it off before stamping it on Whisper White.  I stamped the flower from Every Moment over the yellow and then again onto another piece of Whisper White.  The top of the second flower was colored, then cut out and the stem on the clear block stamped piece was colored with Pear Pizzazz (direct marker to paper).  By cutting out the flower and placing it right on top clear block stamped stem, I have a faux outside the box look.  The sentiment for this card comes from Teeny Tiny Wishes…a set that covers almost any occasion.

Hint:  Put your card stock on a surface with a little give to it in order to get your best image (I used a pad of notebook paper).

For my last project today, I used the clear block in a totally different way.  One of the hardest things as a new stamper is having enough tools to create different looks.  Vintage and distressing are very popular now and your clear block can help you out.  You see all the white on the Framed Tulips border, I used a clear block to put it there!!  No brayer required!!  I will be back on Monday to show you more details on how to do this.  I love the Clearly For You set combined with the Sale-a-bration Set Bliss (mine is actually the French version, Joie).  My Organza Ribbon was curled a bit using a heat tool after the bow was tied (be careful…it doesn’t take long).  The very talented Lyssa over at Song of My Heart Stampers shows all the details on the ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by today!  On your next stop, Rhonda Griffin over at The Stampin’ Bunny is going to show you the Baby Wipe Ink Pad technique.  She even uses a clear block with her baby wipe on one of her projects!  Have fun on the hop and don’t forget to come back next week for more details and recipes.

Photobucket                                                              Photobucket

My Blog-iversary Celebration!

My Blog-iversary Celebration! published on 24 Comments on My Blog-iversary Celebration!

Technically, my blog-iversary was last week (Jan. 5th) but this seemed a better week to celebrate.  As promised, I am bringing you a box tutorial today and, as part of the celebration, some blog candy!  Ohh, I love blog candy!!  Since the box used to make the tutorial is already spoken for, I made another one with a little set of matching cards.  Now in order to be in the running to win this set, you have to do two things.  First you have to leave me a comment and (a little harder) tell me which of my cards has been your favorite over the last year (I love to see which ones are really hits!).  I will randomly choose a winner from all the comments left through 10pm EST on Sunday, Jan. 16th and announce the winner on Monday.  Winner must have a U.S. mailing address.  I think my favorite is from the post Monochromatic Wish and I used this as a model for some of my Christmas cards this year. Now to the tutorial.

Start with 2 pieces of card stock measuring 4 1/8″ x 6″, 2 pieces of designer paper measuring 3 1/4″ x 4 3/8″ and 2 pieces of designer paper measuring 3 1/4″ x 7/8″.  Any additional embellishments are up to you.  Score the card stock along the long side at 4 1/2″ and 5 1/2″ and on the short side at 3/4″.  Fold along all the score lines and cut off the little rectangle as shown in the picture.

Attach the designer paper and then run a line of Sticky Strip down the narrow flap on each piece of card stock.  Pull the red protection layer off of one strip and attach it to the inner side of the large rectange on the sister piece of stock.  Finish the sides of the box by doing the same with the other narrow flap.

Tuck the little bottom flaps in first and then run another line of Sticky Strip along one of the bottom flaps (the one that will be at the outside of the box bottom).  Now you can decorate the box however you want!  This will hold 4-5 cards and their envelopes depending on the decorations on the cards.  I like that you can see the top part of the cards and any stamping on the envelopes.  It is also great because it is super quick to put together…perfect as a gift or blog candy!!

Oh, yes…back to the blog candy!  Here are some pictures of the set you are entering for:

This is a four card set with two “thanks” cards and two “for you” cards.  Only four fit in the box because of the size of the bow.  That said, it would be easy to give the box more depth by simply making the stock a little longer and scoring wider apart.  I used the Friends Never Fade stamp set and the Greenhouse Gala DSP to decorate this box and make the cards.  They are done in Pear Pizzazz, Early Espresso and Whisper White.

I pulled out the tag punches and flowers cut from Greenhouse Gala to make the little tag on the box.  It was stamped with Teeny Tiny Wishes, a wonderfully versatile set that I reach for all the time!  The bow on the cards uses the technique I showed in a previous tutorial – Ribbons and Bows.  The only difference is that I left tails on the cards’ bows.  This is a bow I use all the time and I can show that further if there is enough interest (just let me know by your comments).  The bow on the box uses a threaded button to cinch it down but is very similar.  I tried to keep the embellishments down to a minimum since the simplicity is part of the joy of this project!

This first year with the blog has had quite a learning curve and I so appreciate the lovely comments and support you have given.  Things to look for in the upcoming year…a new Demonstrator Based Web Site (DBWS) where you can order from the comfort of your home (coming Jan. 17th), added features to help with the blog ease of use and, of course, more projects!  Thanks for stopping by today.  I can’t wait to see your comments!

Stamps:  Say It Simply (Occasions Mini), Friends Never Fade; Paper:  Greenhouse Gala DSP, Pear Pizzazz, Early Espresso, Whisper White; Ink:  Pear Pizzazz, Early Espresso; Accessories:  Espresso Satin Ribbon, Neutrals Buttons, Sticky Strip, Glue Dots

All products are Stampin’ Up!

Say it with Style!

Say it with Style! published on 18 Comments on Say it with Style!

Happy New Year and welcome to my new followers!  I was so motivated by the weekend’s Stampin’ Addicts Occasions Mini Blog Hop and couldn’t wait to get stamping this week.  My first job this year to show you how to make the square frame from my hop cards.  While I would love to take credit for the idea, Sharon Field over at Created By You is the originator of the technique I used.  I had been playing around with ways to do this but she figured it out first!  I simply modified her instructions to make the square.  Since many people are visual learners, I have taken pictures of what I did.

Start with a 4 1/8″ x 4 1/8″ square and line it up so that you have equal spacing on three sides.  Roll it through the Big Shot and it will look like this:

Next, take the card stock and slide it down so that the bottom lines up with the bottom design of the folder.  You should be able to feel the design slide into the “grooves” and it will match up with the folder (except the unembossed bottom, of course).

It will look like this from the other side and you can check your placement.

As Sharon specifies, start to roll it through your Big Shot but only a little bit.  Estimate how much roll it takes to emboss only the bottom design (she says about 3/4 of a turn).  Then back the design out.  And here is the final square.  The pressure of the Big Shot flattens the previous design and forms the corners nicely!

My card from the Blog Hop was given away as a card set for Christmas so I “had” to create a new one, of course. 

I inked up part of the image from the Elements of Style stamp and then colored it in with Pink Pirouette, Rose Red and Basic Gray.  The sentiment is from the new set Say It Simply.  I brought in an Antique Brad because it went so well with the gray.  The ribbon, I must confess, is retired Basic Gray Taffeta.  Given that I have a ribbon “collecting” (okay, hoarding) problem, I am trying to use up some of my retired items.  To save you some time, the Basic Gray piece of the inner square is 3″ x 3″. 

This is also for the Creative Crew Catalog Focus Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers.  It is a challenge to use new items from the Mini.  Check out the link to see more fabulous projects from the Creative Crew.

Thanks for stopping in today.  I wish you a safe and happy new year filled with loads of creativity!

Stamps:  Say It Simply, Elements of Style; Paper:  Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White; Ink:  Basic Black, Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, Basic Gray; Accessories:  Big Shot, Framed Tulips Embossing Folder, Antique Brads, Basic Gray Taffeta (retired), Blender Pen, Dimensionals

All products are Stampin’ Up!

Primary Sidebar