DIPStamping and Stitching

Newborn hat

2011-11-26T19:32:00.005-06:00

Here's another hat...crocheted with Bernat 100% cotton worsted-weight and a 4.5mm hook. The pattern is, of course, a free Ravelry download. Love the flower detail on this one: it's removeable!

By the way, I took the photo late at night. The colours are actually pink, gentle green, and a lovely purple/lilac, NOT blue!

Weekend at the Cabin Granny Pillow

2011-10-30T10:53:00.006-05:00

Years ago, when I spent a summer in Germany, Susanne Loechel made me a pillow. It was gorgeous and I loved it, but somehow, part of it got scorched. (Maybe it fell against the heat register? I don't know.) So I had to get rid of the cover, but the inside was still in perfectly good shape. I washed and dried it (feathers all over the place!) and then decided to give it new life.

I chose the colours for this pillow based on this photo that I stumbled upon online. My colours ended up being darker, and I'd like to try again for a lighter feel, but I'm happy with this one. I used a granny square pattern from the Edie Eckman book Beyond-the-Square Crochet Motifs, free-styled a border, and made a giant simple granny square for the back. The last bit of edging is from this pattern.

I still have a bit of left-over yarn, so maybe I'll make a smaller pillow with plain grannys. Who knows?

And another wee one

2011-10-02T10:22:00.003-05:00

Same pattern, just reversed the colours and added a band of single crochets at the bottom.

A wee hat

2011-10-01T11:20:00.002-05:00

I had left-over yarn from crocheting my niece's blanket, so I found a free pattern on Ravelry. This one only took me about 2 or 3 hours (scads faster than afghans!). I yoinked the flower from another Ravelry poster.

The madness continues

2011-08-22T10:49:00.004-05:00

Gotta get all the stitching in that I can before school starts again! I've got 3 projects going now: the granny square blanket I showed in the previous post, a blanket, and this scarf...it looks crazy, but it's just 2 kinds of stitches! Thanks to Yarn Muse for her great video tutorials.

And if you flip it over, the back is kinda cool...as you can see, I'm not 100% sure how to move from one row to the next, and I've tried a few different ways...I don't think it shows on the front though. This is going to be a very heavy duty scarf!

Apparently

2011-08-15T13:21:00.002-05:00

I crochet. Am still fighting with the whole tension thing, and I only know how to do granny squares, and patterns make no sense to me (YouTube is a great teacher!), and I need to buy a good book (any suggestions?) to learn some more, but for now, I'm churning out those granny squares. Hopefully, I'll figure out how to join them all together, and they'll make a cozy blanket in time for winter.

A shower card...

2011-08-06T20:50:00.007-05:00

I used a Mojo sketch for inspiration and pulled colours I thought would work with my new Papertrey Ink Friendship Fillers stamp set. The red was an afterthought, and I'm glad I put it in...it makes things 'pop'.

I coloured the seashells with Copics...a lot of E's for the brown tones, a yellow to underlay the starfish, some E pinks for the inside of the conch, and some blues for the sand dollar.

The papers and inks are all SU! in Baja Breeze, Kraft, Riding Hood Red, So Saffron, and Early Espresso.

Some detail shots:

He's almost in preschool...

2011-08-06T20:36:00.005-05:00

but I hope to have this framed for him by kindergarten! (Note to aspiring cross-stitch pattern designers: there is a dearth of boy-themed birth kits. Please remedy!)

I still have some backstitching to do, as well as some french knots , and, of course, A's name, birth date, and birth weight. And then it's on to the next project(s)!

Cross-Stitch Fever

2011-06-07T22:12:00.004-05:00

It would seem that my craftiness goes in spurts...baking...x-stitch...paper. Right now I'm on a x-stitch roll!

This is a Janlynn chart, Winter Sampler. It's a ton of fun to stitch because it's mostly full x-stitches, and only 2 blends. At the suggestion of the shop lady, I'm adding a bit of metallic thread to the white where snow is represented. (It's hard to see in the photo, but it's in the top border and in the snowflakes in the heart.) It's a huge project, but because it's a sampler, it's easy to do in sections.

Tags in a Box

2010-11-21T20:45:00.003-06:00

Time for some Christmas fun! I got this matching die & stamp set from PTI and couldn't wait to try them out. I used the SU! colours Bashful Blue, Rose Red, Certainly Celery, and Whisper White for a cheery but subdued colour scheme.

Supplies:

clear 'diamond' brads: American Crafts

all paper (well, almost all): SU!

white paper for colouring with Copics: I think it's Neenah?

markers: Copics

red sparklies:

pearl

ink: SU! (except for the black, which is Memento)

twine, stamps, and dies: PTI

A Weeding!

2010-11-21T20:33:00.011-06:00

Uh, I mean a WEDDING. I enjoy making wedding cards, and yet they can really stump me. Luckily I had my new PTI die and ticket stamps for inspiration! I have no idea what their 'colours' are, so I went with a wintery palette of blue and white, with a bit of sparkle thrown in for good measure.

The ticket stamps and die are PTI, the letter dies are Sizzix, and everything else (CS, ribbon, border punch etc.) is SU! with the exception of the sparkly brads, which are American Crafts.

CD Case Joy!

2010-10-31T11:04:00.028-05:00

SU! recently held a sale, in which I picked up a busload of CD cases. Since I'd already decided that the bulk of this year's Christmas gifts will involve gift cards, I figured these would make the perfect packaging!

My colour choices were dictated by the DSP, so I used Crumb Cake (the old Kraft), Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, a wee bit of Daffodil Delight, and Always Artichoke.

A quick supply round-up:

-DSP and CS by Stampin' Up (as is all ink, ribbon, and stamped images)
-Nestabilities

Techniques included:

sponging the edges and the ribbon

colouring with blender pens and ink pads

Just to show how the colouring progressed:

and colouring the ribbon:

Adding the ribbon (I layered twill and the dyed ribbon):

The final product:

A wedding!

2010-04-11T09:27:00.003-05:00

A friend of mine, an absolutely gorgeous person both inside and out, just got married to someone who is actually good enough for her! I was absolutely thrilled for her, and so very happy to be able to make it to her wedding! Here's the card...

I used mostly SU! supplies, but the stamped images are from Whiff of Joy. I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copics, and Neenah paper (I think) for the images. And one very sharp X-acto blade!

The card is an easel card, and the directions for making this type of card can be found here. There's a video tutorial there, as well as instruction for making any size card in this style. It's a lot easier than I expected it to be!

I'm hoping to post more details once I get home...wait for it!

Happy Birthday, Saumya!

2010-04-04T21:46:00.016-05:00

I finished this card just in time for a wonderful friend's birthday celebration.

Supplies...

All paper (CS and DSP) is SU!
Henry Mouse is a stamp from Whiff of Joy.

The sentiment stamp is from SU!

Colouring was done with Copics...

and SU! inkpads with a blender pen. Ink was either SU! or Memento Tuxedo black.

The pretty eyelet ribbon is from SU!

The circle die is from Nestabilities, and the glitter glue is from Stickles.

And here's the actual card...

The card design is taken from a Mojo Monday challenge which you can find here, along with many other samples of this design.

Anyone know someone who just had a baby?

2010-03-21T15:48:00.011-05:00

I don't, but I wanted to use my Hedgie stamp, and this is what resulted!

Basic supplies included:

a dollar-store frame

SU! Riding Hood Red, Bashful Blue, So Saffron, and Pumpkin Pie CS, ribbon, and DSP.

Oval and scalloped oval punches and nesties, as well as the SU! scallop border punch

Cuttlebug Olivia alphabet dies

SU! Brads

I used watercolour pencils and the SU! blender pen to colour in my Hedgie.

I'm afraid the pictures aren't as edited as I'd like them to be, but until I get a new photo program, this is where it's at. Enjoy!

(For some reason, the 'click on the photo to enlarge' feature isn't working; sorry.)

Bright

2009-12-23T07:20:00.008-06:00

I needed some quick gift ideas, so, inspired by Julia's framed gifts (check out her blog here), I came up with this idea. Very basically, it involves a Walmart frame, SU! papers and inks, and Cuttlebug letter dies. Oh, and a touch of Liquid Pearls.

I made 2 more, but those will have to wait till after Christmas to be posted, I'm thinking!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope your holiday season is wonderful!

Piano Students' Card

2009-12-14T20:28:00.008-06:00

These are what my piano students are getting for Christmas this year. At first I wanted to come up with something specifically musical, but in the end, I went for plain old wintery. All supplies are SU! except for the Santa paper piecing pattern (try saying that 10 times quickly!) found online (just do a search to find a myriad of them), and the glitter glue (Icicles). I used last year's retired Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, and Kiwi Kiss CS, as well as Ballet Blue (I think!) and Whisper White. I used Chocolate Chip for the base. Tearing and chalking the edges of the Whisper White CS to make snow easy and effective! The largest circle punch fits the candy holders perfectly. It all came together pretty quickly. To make punching through all those layers a little easier, I first punched the snowman (after completely assembling and chalking the edges), then glued him down and punched again, lining it up carefully.

I added some details with markers (eyes, mouth, lines on carrot nose), fringed the scarf with my scissors, and added Icicles for snowflakes and to the tip of the snowman's toque. As always, you can click on any picture to view a larger version.

I also figured out a trick to make assembling the card much easier: once I had filled the plastic cups with candies (peanut butter, mint, and chocolate m&ms), I punched a large circle out and covered up the contents. It's just large enough to 'catch' the edge of the container, which has adhesive on it. This makes lining up the card base, the front panel, and the container much easier!

Here's a close-up; isn't he a cheery little guy?

The Dawson Trail Results...

2009-10-12T21:11:00.003-05:00

were abysmal! The table was cheap cheap...but there were no customers. None. As far as I could tell, at no time were there more potential customers than vendors in the building. The vast bulk of my sales were to other vendors and people I know, like my dear, sweet parents. Oh well, at least my Mama took this picture, so I have something to show for my efforts! And I got a nice, relaxing weekend before the start of school.

Mama helped me set up too, and had the idea of draping the banner...I really like it!

I also borrowed a smaller table and tucked it under the black draping...hence the unsightly fold lines!

Dawson Trail Days Festival

2009-09-03T09:05:00.009-05:00

I'm frantically trying to prepare for this 2-day craft show...I want to bring a greater variety of items and see if that boosts sales. See you in Ste. Anne!

From left to right: mini composition notebook, mini cards (3"x3") with Stickles, bookmark front, bookmark back.

A great tutorial can be found here if you'd like to make the bookmark yourself!

Whiff of Joy Guest Designer Call

2009-08-30T23:16:00.008-05:00

I've never done anything like this. It's embarrassing to admit. I'm blushing as I type. No, it's not what you're thinking... I've decided to enter a Guest Designer Call! Whiff of Joy (Hauch der Freude) is a very popular stamp company whose stamps I adore. Together with Penny Black, they're the reason I've started collecting Copics. Katharina Frei, the owner, has put out a Guest Designer Call, and here's my submission! (By the way, if you'd like to enter, see her post here.)

I wanted to use at least one of my new stamps, and I finally settled on 'Fall Willow Catching Leaves'. I made a mask so I could layer her with the Fall Corner. I also used two of the sentiments from the Fall set. This is what resulted:This kind of work is very dangerous; you end up making an "I need this immediately" list; mine includes ribbon in either shade of SU! Plum, more Cuttlebug folders, and several shades of Copics. Speaking of which, here are the markers I used:(Click on the picture for a close up.)

Colouring this image to a fair while. I also stamped Willow and the fall corner on another sheet of paper (SU! Very Vanilla, by the way) so that I could try out different colour combinations. In one way the choices were fairly simple, since I was limited by what I have.
After colouring the images, I started to layer. And layer. And layer. I wanted the focus to be on the image, so there are hardly any embellishments at all (4 little brads from SU!s Hodgepodge Hardware, and some ribbon). I did run the Saffron layer through the Cuttlebug to add some interest.
That's my submission! If I have time I'd like to try making a non-card project with these stamps, but we'll see...this week is shaping up to be a doozy! Thanks for visiting!

Birthday Boy

2009-08-30T14:43:00.002-05:00

This was a case of starting with an occasion (a toddler's birthday), finding a stamp set I thought he would enjoy (Boatloads of Love), and then letting everything else fall into place! I wanted to use my Copics, I wanted to use my white gel pen ( I really admire coloured images I've seen where the artist has highlighted with a gel pen; it makes the image so cheerful somehow!), and I wanted the card to work for a boy.

First I stamped the 2 images (the boat and the lifeboat) on Whisper White with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I coloured the images using these Copics and a white gel pen:
Then I cut out the images. Here's the part where I was a little stumped. I find it hard to ground these images because of the wavy bottom. Suddenly I remembered this tutorial over at Splitcoaststampers.com, and inspiration was born! I think this must be the easiest card (apart from a straightforward one) there is to make.

I used a Hero Arts alphabet stamp set and Real Red ink to stamp out the birthday greeting. Circle punches and a Brilliant Blue marker took care of the rest!

Tutorial: 3D Flowers

2009-08-28T12:16:00.017-05:00

These 3D flowers are so simple to assemble, yet absolutely gorgeous! Here's a step-by-step tutorial for you.

First, you need to assemble your scissors (some might like to 'neaten up' the image; I didn't find it necessary), awl, dimensional tape, and, of course, the images you'll be working with. If you have a lot more patience and artistry than me, you can purchase any image you like in multiples and cut out the pieces you want, but this product makes the process a lot less painful!
Gently remove the die-cut images from the surrounding waste paper. I like to take all of them out, but I'm careful to keep them in order. This is important!
Some of the pieces have inner sections that need to be removed. I find this is easiest with an awl. You could use a toothpick as well.
Here they are, all set out!
Place sections of dimensional tape (I get mine from the dollar store) on the back of the second image.
Carefully adhere to the first layer. I find it helps to lean over my work so that I get a good bird's-eye-view. Apply tape to other layers and continue adding layers to base. This particular one has up to 3 layers. You can click on the photos to view a close-up!
And there it is, the finished product! Hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Blush 3D Roses

2009-08-26T13:07:00.007-05:00

This is my first-ever 3D card! These are a ton of fun to make, and a lot easier than you'd think. The 3D pieces come pre-cut, so you just have to remove them (carefully!) from the surrounding waste paper and assemble with dimensional tape.

I chose my colours based on the butterfly: Blush Blossom, Tempting Turquoise, and Certainly Celery. I also used Very Vanilla.

Here's a couple of close-ups, just to show you how it's all put together:
Remember, if you click on an image, it should re-appear much larger.

Corn and Apple

2009-08-24T08:16:00.003-05:00

List of items made:

Christmas cards and tags
regular cards
large and small covered notebooks
covered notepads
stickie holders with matching pens
gift tags
notecard folders containing 4 notecards and 4 envelopes
notecard boxes containing 4 cards and 4 envelopes
5"x7" cards

I'll follow the lead of another stamping blog I read recently and record the good, the bad, and the ugly of my craft fair experience.

THE GOOD:

A ton of people stopped by to say hi. It was great to see all of you!
Carla kept me company for two of the three days. Thanks Carla...I would have gone crazy without you!
On the last day (of 3) I had the idea of selling my old stamps. I colour coded them at $2, $1, and $.50, and sold about half of them. Very pleased!
The weather was gorgeous, and for the most part, not too hot.
There were a lot of potential customers.
I did make a profit. Not enough, but at least I didn't lose money!

THE BAD:

I had a new spot this year, in the back corner. Unfortunately the lady beside me had a fairly substantial display, so mine was somewhat dwarfed!
The concrete. I never knew how painful it can be to stand on concrete for hours at a time, even in Birkenstocks! The concrete just seeps up into your bones and aches! By the second day I had a stool (so I could sit but still be high enough to make eye-contact with customers) and rubber matting.
Sales weren't so hot. I learned that if someone says "Oh, this is soooo beautiful!" they're not going to buy. :(

THE UGLY:

Unfortunately, there was a mix-up with some of the vendor placements, so some people were really cranky that first morning! Luckily, I was able to stay out of it for the most part. I'm just glad I'm not a vendor relations volunteer...they took a lot of flak that day!

THE CONCLUSION:

I'm going to try this for one more year. I'm going to make some more cheapo items (the tags sold pretty well at 5/$1) and some more 'high end' items because if you sell just a few, it really pays off! I sold 3 Notecard boxes (you can find the tutorial for those here) at $10 each. For the work involved it was more than a fair price, but it didn't cost that much to make in terms of materials.

So, see you all next year! :)

I do love a good CASE!

2009-08-16T19:08:00.008-05:00

In the stamping world, a CASE stands for 'copy and slightly alter' or 'copy and share everything'. Basically, if you are inspiried by someone else's work, copy it, and alter some of the elements, that's CASEing.

I found an absolutely gorgeous card over at Ilina Crause's blog. I knew I wanted to CASE it, so I used her basic layout design, the same stamp set, the same DSP, and the same colours. I changed the small panel, added a butterfly stamp, changed the size of the card to 5" x 7", changed the orientation of the card to portrait, and decorated the inside. I also added 3 word stickers to every card. (These are stamps from the 'Wonderful Words' set that I stamped on Whisper White, cut out, and attached double-sided tape to the back.) I left out the ribbon and the brads. Oh, and I changed the scallops too!

One thing I definitely wanted to keep the same was the rose arrangement. Flower arranging - either on paper on in real life - is not my forte, and I really like Ilina's work, so why mess with a good thing, right?

Here's the card that resulted: and the inside of said card:

Massive Notecard Box Tutorial!

2009-08-16T00:23:00.044-05:00

The original tutorial for this box can be found at Valerie Stangle's awesome website...check it out! She's got a lot of other wonderful paper crafts to look at there!

I decided to make my own for 3 reasons: I don't own a ScorePal, so the instructions were a bit confusing; I wanted to use 8-1/2" x 11" paper, not 12" x 12"; and I wanted to include a plastic insert to protect the contents.

Remember, you can click on the pictures to view a larger version. I purposefully made most of the pictures in this tutorial rather small because it's so long.

Please let me know what you think! I'd love to see what other people come up with!

To make the Notecard Box:
You will need 1 sheet of 8-1/2" x 11" CS (I used Real Red) as well as some scrap CS and DSP.

Here is a diagram of the score lines and pieces that get cut away. You might want to refer to it as the score lines don't show up very well in the photos.
1. With the shorter edge along the top of the trimmer, score an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of CS at 6/8". On my Fiskars cutter, it was simplest to line up the right edge of the paper with the 6/8" mark to the right of the blade.2. Turn the paper around (so that the score line made in step 1 is to the left of the blade) and continue scoring at 1-6/8", 6-3/8", and 7-3/8". (Here's a good spot to try clicking on the picture; if you do, the score lines become more easily visible.)
3. Trim the CS at 8-1/8".4. Turn the CS so the long edge abuts the top of the trimmer. Score at 6/8". (Again, it was simplest to line up the right edge of the paper with the 6/8" mark to the right of the blade.)
5. Turn the paper around and score at 1-6/8", 7-5/8", 8-5/8" and 10-1/8". You do not need to trim anything this time.
6. Cut out the areas that are grey in the diagram.
7. Cut slits and tabs as shown in the diagram.8. Using a bone folder, fold all scored lines.
9. Apply adhesive to the tabs as shown. Glue down.
10. Turn over your CS so that all the folds look like mountains. Apply adhesive as shown by the yellow dots. Do NOT glue down yet.11. Flip over your CS so that all the folds look like valleys. Apply adhesive as shown by the yellow lines.12. Using the pictures as a guide, assemble box. I like to start with the simple end first: just line up the tabs and press, then fold down the flap.Here's a close-up of the corner when the tab has been glued to the inside.Now affix the other two tabs. It's important to use permanent adhesive for making the box. I used my ATG gun, and am really pleased with the results.Glue down the long flaps. This leaves only the top of the box to glue down.Glue down the top flap. Make sure the side tabs align nicely with the edges of the box.13. Cut a scrap piece of CS (I used Kiwi Kiss) at 4-1/2" x 1-3/8". Cut a piece of DSP at 4-3/8" x 1-1/4". Punch out a large oval (I used Cameo Coral CS), a 1-1/4" circle (I used Real Red) and a 1" circle with a stamp (I used Cameo Coral ink and the fleur de lis from Lovely Letters Alphabet). Assemble.Here's a close-up of the decoration. I used Raspberry Tart DSP (now retired) and popped up the Real Red circle with dimensionals.

To make the Clear Box Cover:
You will need 1 sheet of acetate.

1. Trim acetate to 7-3/4" x 6-3/8". Score each edge at 1". Crease folds with a bone folder.
2. Slice to create tabs.3. Turn acetate over so that all folds look like mountains. Put adhesive on tabs. (It doesn't matter if it shows; this will be hidden in the final product.4. Assemble box cover.
5. You can slide this cover inside your box. Sliding it out again is a bit trickier, but because the acetate is flexible without creasing, you don't have to worry about destroying it!
To make the Envelopes:
You will need 4 white envelopes.

1. If you need to, use a Stamp-a-ma-jig for positioning. I used Cameo Coral ink and the fleur de lis fromt he Lovely Letters Alphabet.
To make the Card:
You will need 2 sheets of 1 colour CS (I used Kiwi Kiss), 1 sheet of a second colour CS (I used Rose Red), and scraps of another few colours and DSP.

1. Cut 4 card bases from your 2 sheets of CS. I used Kiwi Kiss for this step. With the long edge of your CS along the top of the trimmer, cut in half at 5-1/5". With the long edge of your card base along the top of the trimmer, score in half at 4-1/4". Use a bone folder for a sharp crease.2. Cut 4 pieces of 5-1/4" x 4" from your second colour of CS. I used Rose Red for this step...my last sheet!3. Cut 4 pieces of CS at 5-1/4" x 1-1/4". I used Kiwi Kiss here. Cut 4 pieces of DSP at 5-1/4" x 1". Stamp 4 fleur de lis with Cameo Coral ink on Whisper White CS. Punch out with 1" circle punch. Punch 4 1-1/4" circles out of Real Red CS, and 4 large ovals out of Cameo Coral CS. Assemble as shown.6. Assemble card front as shown. I like to use the grid on my work surface to position and centre all the elements. Sometimes eyeballing just doesn't cut it!
To make the Card Inside:
You will need 4 pieces of 4" x 5-1/5" Whisper White CS, 8 pieces of 5-1/4" x 5/8" Real Red CS, and 8 pieces of 5-1/4" x 1/2" DSP.

1. Assemble as shown. Attach to inside of card.
To make the Stickers:
I like to include stickers with my cards so that the people who buy them can choose a sentiment. They don't really cost anything extra to make (except for the adhesive) since I usually have enough scraps. Here I used the Oval All stamps and hand-coloured them with Real Red, Cameo Coral, Kiwi Kiss, and Rose Red markers.

1. Punch out the stamps with the small oval punch Layer on matching CS that has been punched out with the scalloped oval punch.2. Cut strips of double-sided tape (leaving the protective coating on) and attach one strip to the back of each sticker. Put the stickers in a small zip-loc-type baggie (I bought mine at the dollar store in a package of 50 or so...what a deal!) to keep them together.

To assemble:
Turn the clear box upside down. Put in the baggie first, then the cards (face down), then the envelopes. (The envelopes will be a tight fit. Gently ease them in.) Turn the clear box with its contents right side up and slide into CS box. You can be fairly firm. If you're worried about ruining anything, don't glue down the top flap in step 12. Use ribbon to hold the top flap closed once all the contents have been placed inside.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial...let me know how it works for you, and if you have any suggestions for improvement. Thanks in advance!

Card Box

2009-08-15T08:45:00.009-05:00

First of all, credit where credit is due:
The tutorial this is based on is at Stampin' Gal Val's blog.
I found some very inspiring pictures of this project at Simply Caffeinated and at this SCS gallery.

Each box includes the box (really!) with a plastic insert to protect the contents, 4 cards, 4 matching envelopes, and 8 text stickers so people can choose their own sentiments. I'll be selling these at Corn & Apple here in Morden!

I've made 6 of these so far, each with a different design: cherries, orange slices, birds, roses, and this one. Once you get into the groove, they don't take long at all!

A little technique note: I coloured the flowers by wiping my blender pen on an ink pad and then using that to colour the image. I based my colour choices (Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Kraft) on some retired SU! DSP.

Detailed instructions with pictures will follow, but I wanted to get a new post out there!

A Wedding Card

2009-07-01T14:20:00.012-05:00

I decided to use this wonderful sketch from MojoMonday for a wedding card I needed to make...I always head straight over there when I'm not feeling ultra-creative myself! I knew I wanted to use the "Long Kiss" Hedgies stamp, so I looked for a sketch that would fit.

I kept my version fairly simple; here it is:

Supplies:

Paper: SU! Real Red, Close to Cocoa, and Whisper White

Ribbon: SU! Chocolate Chip

Stamps: SU! Very Versatile and Penny Black Hedgies Long Kiss

Other: Nestabilities Labels, SU! Label Punch, Copic markers

Techniques: Sponging

Now all I need to find is a wedding gift, and I'm all set...and the wedding's in 3 days!! I'm really hoping there are some items left on the registry...

Just one little close-up to close...I do love the macro setting on my camera! As always, you can click on the image for a larger version.

2 Birthdays!

2009-06-28T17:08:00.016-05:00

Luckily, I remembered to take photos BEFORE I'd written in them, so I don't have to blur anything in the pictures this time!

This birthday card was created for GP. I used SU! Real Red and Green Galore, as well as the largest Classic Oval Nestability and the Tiny Bubbles Cuttlebug folder. Willow was stamped on SU! Whisper White with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloured in with Copics. (Sorry, I didn't keep track of exactly which markers I used.) I cut Willow out with my super pointy sharp scissors and then layered everything up. This is probably one of my most simple card fronts ever!

The inside unfortunately didn't photograph well, but I used the 'Best Wishes' stamp from SU!'s Oval All set, and used the small oval and scalloped oval punches to cut them out.

Here's a close-up of Willow. I'm slowly starting to get the hang of Copics...at least, I think I am! At any rate, I really enjoy using them.

The second birthday card I made today uses SU!'s Real Red as well. Apart from that, it's not at all similar to the first. I used different media techniques to complete this card.

Here's a quick run-down of the supplies I used:
Paper: SU! Whisper White, Real Red, Bashful Blue
Ink: Staz-On Black, Not Quite Navy (for 'you float my boat!), Brocade Blue (for the waves), Bashful Blue (for the clouds)
Other: Derwent watercolour pencils, Sakura white gel pen, blender pen

I used the scallop border punch to make a mask. Then I sponged Brocade Blue ink onto the bottom of my card, layering so that the scallops would look like waves. I highlighted the crests of the waves with the white gel pen.

This close-up lets you see the dimension in the card. For some reason, when I adjusted the colour in Adobe Paintshop, the colour became really saturated...I love it!
Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think! :) Don't forget: you can always click on a picture to see it in greater detail.

Whiff of Joy has a new set of stamps coming out!

2009-06-12T18:16:00.007-05:00

I really really REALLY like their stamps...they're perfect for colouring with any medium! Elizabeth Bell has designed a new set of stamps called "Woman's Delight", and they're gorgeous! Too bad I just bought 2 new brakes and an alternator for my car...

They go on sale at here on June 14. If I suddenly find a few loonies in a pocket somewhere, I know where I'll be spending them!

<- a WoJ image I've coloured and used on a card I've also coloured in my little Oliver, sitting on a bench. He's adorable!

If you want to see more of these images, check out Katharina Frei's fabulous blog or the Whiff of Joy website.

And if you're wondering how they came up with the name for the company, well, I don't know exactly how it came to be, but it sounds better in German!

She made it onto a card!

2009-05-18T19:50:00.010-05:00

Remember Willow from this post? She made it onto a card! I've been wanting to try a Mojo Monday challenge for a while, and today I finally had the time for it. I switched up the template just a wee bit...mostly because I don't have circle Nestabilities yet, and I didn't want to be bothered with trying to find just the right size cup or plate to trace!

All the paper used is SU!. I used Copics to colour Willow, SU! Night of Navy ink, and Heidi Swapp sparklies, and SU! punche (circles, flowers, and sqaures trimmed from tags). I also dry embossed a lattice pattern onto the Night of Navy CS panel using my trimmer. You can see the effect if you click on the picture to zoom in. (You can also see that this image was stamped in the pre-Memento ink pad era...I had to emboss it to keep the ink from bleeding!)

So here she is! Looking at this card, there are a lot of things I might do differently the second time around, but overall, I'm happy with the final result. Let me know what you think!

Get Well Soon!

2009-05-16T20:32:00.005-05:00

I've finally managed to both colour an image AND complete the card it was intended for!

Here's a supply list:
CS: SU! Brocade Blue, Night of Nave, Real Red, Whisper White
Stamps: SU! and Penny Black
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black and SU! Night of Navy
Extras: Making Memories gold eyelets (set with my CropADile, of course!), SU! Whisper White ribbon dyed with Night of Navy ink, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Nestabilities Labels

Sorry, I forgot to note which Copics I used this time. I'll try to remember for the next one!

Another Hedgie!

2009-05-13T21:17:00.023-05:00

This Hedgie is going to make its way onto a wedding card. I stamped the image 8 times to try different colour combinations and blends, saving one for the final attempt. Here's proof...

I started out wanting a pink balloon, wandered over to red, and finally settled on blue. When I found a combination of blues I liked for shading, I noted the colour codes so I could re-create the successful attempt in the final product. I did this for my Hedgies' skin and prickles, the hearts, and the rose as well.

Using my Nestabilities, I die-cut and then embossed the image.

That was as far as I got; I've still got 77 invitations (out of 127) to complete and it's getting late. When I've finished the entire card, I'll post it here!

If you are interested, here are all the Copics I used. (If you click on the image, it will zoom in, making it easier to read the caps.)

Mother's Day

2009-05-08T20:20:00.008-05:00

Mother's Day is just around the corner, so I knew I had to buckle down and get a card made! I'm hoping to find a matching bouquet of flowers, all in purples and soft greens, to go with it. Hopefully the flower shops won't be entirely bare by the time I'm able to get to one!

I used SU!s Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Certainly Celery, and Very Vanilla CS. The front panel consists of...

a 5-1/4" x 4" Perfect Plum panel on which I clear-embossed the fleur-de-lis stamp from Friends 24-7. I first saw this technique over at http://www.kwernerdesign.com/. I also wrapped a section of Certainly Celery ribbon around the bottom and sponged the edges with Perfect Plum ink.

The focal image was stamped with Memento ink and coloured with watercolour pencil crayons and a blender pen. (This image has two encores: inside and on the envelope.) I die-cut the image with a Classic Oval Nestability, and sponged the edges with Pale Plum and Perfect Plum ink. Then I die-cut and embossed a Classic Scalloped Oval out of Pale Plum CS and mounted the image with dimensionals.

The inside started with a 5-1/4" x 4" Perfect Plum panel that I trimmed with the scallop edge punch and sponged with Perfect Plum ink. (The centre of the oval is blurry because I wrote a note to my mom before I took the picture.) I added...

custom-dyed ribbon (made by swiping Whisper White ribbon over my Perfect Plum ink pad). I used a sponge to hold the ribbon down without getting my fingers absolutely purpled up!

I threaded the ribbon through a Hodgepodge Hardware frame in which I had stamped 'mama' on Very Vanilla paper, lightly sponged all over with Pale Plum.

a 3-3/8" x ~4" panel of Certainly Celery; this one also got the spongy treatment!

a Nestabilites Classic Oval, die-cut and embossed, on which I wrote my message to my Mama. The edge of the oval is gently sponged with Perfect Plum ink.

the same floral image from Friends 24-7, coloured in the same way, cut out with small, sharp scissors.

Happy Mother's Day, Mama!

Sneak Peak...my sister's wedding invitations

2009-05-07T21:32:00.008-05:00

Here is a sneak peak of my sister's wedding invitations! As you can see from the picture, I went a little overboard with the Nestabilities (3 separate die-cut and embossed elements), the hand-colouring on the alphabet stamps, and the hand-cutting of the word 'and'! She's getting married in a park, so I tried to capture a fresh, natural feel. When I've finished all 127 invitations, I'll post the pictures of the entire process, card, and envelope.

Julia, this one's for you!

2009-05-03T15:16:00.005-05:00

My friend is due any day now! Nobody's telling if it's a boy or a girl, but I've got my fingers crossed for a boy, since this card ended up being predominantly blue and brown. Just in case she checks my blog, I'm only posting one close-up...The oval and the scalloped oval are Nestabilities; I stamped the image with Memento ink and coloured it with Copics...all other materials are SU!. Stamps are Hedgies "In a Nutshell" and SU! Congrats.

Here are the Copic colours I used:Hope you enjoyed this sneak peak! I'll post the entire card once baby has arrived...I guess I should get busy making a more girlie card too, just in case...

Edited to add: Well, the baby did arrive, and he's a boy! Congratulations, Julia!

Here's the card in its entirety:

More Copic Fun!

2009-04-18T10:25:00.010-05:00

Here they all are! Of course, now that the latest shipment has arrived, I notice that I don't have any oranges or yellows. Not one. I also need (yes, need) a whole whack more of greys (warm and cool), black, and some dark purples as well. I've printed out the chart (http://www.copicmarker.com/Blank%20Hand%20Color%20Chart.pdf) and it looks awfully empty, so I suppose that next month I'll have to order again. These markers are not cheap, and shipping and customs don't help, but I'm really enjoying them, so it's my guilty pleasure for now.

Just to prove that I'm actually using them, here's Willow in her new spring dress and sunbonnet. As always, if you click on the picture, you'll get a larger image on your screen.I don't normally go for cutesy-wootsy, but Willow is just beautiful. I've already started colouring another one, this time in lavender shades.And if you feel so inclined, leave a message! I'd really like some tips on how to achieve a realistic straw effect (for the sunbonnet)!

Copics...a learning curve

2009-04-15T21:26:00.011-05:00

Well, I've taken the plunge and bought some Copic markers. They take a bit of practice to use, but I'm liking them a lot! I've never had a lot of success with shading, but I think I'm getting the hand of it with these markers.

This image (Oakley, whom I have re-named Oliver) was stamped on SU! Whisper White with SU! Basic Black and Versamark ink, which was heat embossed with clear embossing poweder so that the ink wouldn't smudge. I used R59, W0, YR00, E00, E31, E34, E35, E37, and E57, mostly because I don't own very many other colours yet! (There's a rather large shipment on it's way to me, though...)

I stamped Oliver twice and cut out his pants and shoes from the second image. Then I glued the top of his pants down and used dimenstionals under his shoes. When I placed him on the bench, I did the same time, this time using glue under his seat and dimensionals on his back.

I've bought an envelope-full of other Whiff-of-Joy images, so hopefully there will be more postings featuring cards made with them!

Check it out!

2009-04-15T18:18:00.004-05:00

Bev over on http://bevscrafts.blogspot.com has some great blog candy! The picture says it all:Check out her great blog; she's got some wonderful cards posted!

A Wedding Gift

2009-01-31T12:51:00.006-06:00

The wind is roaring outside and it's PLUS 4...strange weather! Inside, I'm trying to finish a small wedding gift. When this is complete, it will contain matching thank you cards and envelopes. What newly-minted couple couldn't use thank you cards?

I used Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, and Close to Cocoa CS. The stamp sets I used are A Rose is a Rose and Wonderful Words. The brads are from Chatterbox. You can't see it in this photo, but the interior pockets and the back of the purse are stamped with the Bella wheel.

Since this is a wedding gift, I wanted to add extra touches here and there. To achieve that, I used dimensionals on the flowers, layered the ribbon, and sponged and distressed the edges. This is a tutorial I'll definitely be using again!

The tutorial for this project can be found at Paper Pleasing Ideas (http://paperpleasing.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/its-all-roses.html). It's easy to follow and customize!

Now for some close-ups...if you'd like to see them even closer, just click on the picture.

A Hard Day's Work

2009-01-04T20:36:00.016-06:00

This stationery box and its contents took an entire day of work...on and off. I still need to buy some velcro to keep the lid closed by itself.

It includes 4 regular cards, 4 envelopes, 4 3"x3" cards, and 9 tags. No actual roses were harmed in the making of this project!

Since I got my inspiration from http://andreawalford.com/, a wonderful website with great ideas, and since I CASEd this particular idea so closely, I've decided not to post measurements or instructions. If you'd like to make something similar, visit Andrea's website; she sells a great tutorial for this project.

Some more pictures...
The opened case. This took a LOT of math to figure out!

Two of the regular-sized cards...

and two more!

And finally, the 9 tags and the 3"x3" cards.
The little baggie contains 9 lengths of ribbon for the tags.

I do adore a banner!

2008-11-27T21:32:00.005-06:00

No, it's not too early for Christmas!

This tag banner was inspired and CASEd from http://justritestampers.blogspot.com/2008/11/day-five-with-sharon-johnson-justrite.html. There's an excellent tutorial on that website as well.

I used the SU! Ski Slope DSP, as well as Riding Hood Red, Only Olive, and Chocolate Chip CS, 2 circle punches, and a lot of adhesive to make this. These colours are gorgeous together!

This project is easily modified to display a word or message of your choice. I can see a whole series of them already...Happy Birthday, Happy Easter, Joy, Peace...

To close this post, here's a close-up...I embossed each letter with Winter Wonderland EP and raised the red circles on dimensionals.

Thank You Cards

2008-11-20T21:04:00.008-06:00

I love the kwerner colour challenges; the combinations are always unique and gorgeous! I made a thank you card based on this and on the card found here: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/1136682 . CASEing is always a great jump start when the inspiration station is down!

The picture is small for a reason...I had to photograph at night, so the colours are waaaay off! The So Saffron CS is really a very gentle yellow, which lets the other colours pop off the page.

Besides the Scandinavian Season rolling stamp, I also used the 'thank you' stamp from the Elegant Notes set. I embossed the rolling stamp so that using markers to colour in the image wouldn't make the black ink run. This is also the first time I used the guide for the rolling stamp...it worked like a charm!

More Chistmas!

2008-10-19T15:28:00.010-05:00

This is another case from pantala40. I changed several things, but her card was definitely the inspiration for this one! I absolutely love this set, probably because I enjoy using watercolour pencil crayons and blender pens to achieve a hand-painted look.

Supplies
Cardstock
Chocolate Chip (5-1/2" x 4-1/4")
Riding Hood Red (1-1/4" x 4" AND 4-1/4" x 1-3/4" AND 3-1/4" x 3-1/4")
Whisper White (3" x 3")
Ski Slope DSP (4-1/4" x 1-1/2" AND 5-1/8" x 3-7/8")

Ribbon
5" Alpine

Ink
Chocolate Chip

Stamp Set
Home for Christmas

Other
Blender pens
Watercolour pencil crayons

Directions

Stamp the door image from 'Home for Christmas' with Chocolate Chip Ink onto the 3" x 3" piece of Whisper White CS. Colour it with watercolour pencil crayons and use the blender pens to achieve the watercoloured look.

Mount image on 3-1/4" x 3-1/4" piece of Riding Hood Red CS.

Adhere smaller piece of DSP to 4-1/4" x 1-3/4" piece of RHR CS. Adhere ribbon slightly left of centre so that there will be room for the main image to overlap.

Now, to put it all together...use the above photo for guidance! It's clearer than words would be anyways.

Enjoy!

Christmas is Coming!

2008-10-19T15:13:00.004-05:00

This is a case of one of pantala40's cards. (You can visit her gallery at Splitcoast Stampers.)

Supplies
Paper: Riding Hood Red CS (5-1/2" x 4-1/4")
Ski Slope DSP (5-1/4" x 3")
Ski Slope DSP (5-1/4" x 1")
Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip CS (scraps)
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Other: Alpine Felt Ribbon
1-1/4" circle punch
1-3/8" circle punch
scallop punch
Stamp Set: Scandinavian Season

Directions

Use the scallop punch to trim one long edge off the 5-1/4" x 1" piece of DSP.

Adhere the larger piece of DSP to the CS. (Align it with one long edge of the CS.)

Adhere the scalloped piece of DSP to the CS so that it overlaps with the other piece of DSP.

Add the ribbon, overlapping with the scalloped piece of DSP. Trim ribbon to the edges of the CS.

Stamp the snowflake from Scandinavian Season on a scrap of Very Vanilla. (I used Chocolate Chip ink for this.)

Punch out the snowflake with the 1-1/4" circle punch.

Punch out a 1-3/8" circle from a scrap of Chocolate Chip CS.

Adhere the two circles together, and then add to card.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving has arrived!

2008-10-12T08:16:00.008-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! It's actually tomorrow, but I'm going to my parents' today for Thanksgiving dinner...so I made placecards to take along. These were really simple to make.

Supplies

Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Pumpkin Pie

Ink/markers: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Pumpkin Pie

Punches: 1" circle, scallop, designer label

Stamps: Dotted Autumn

Other: dimensionals

Directions

Colour the acorn from Dotted Autumn with markers and stamp it on Very Vanilla paper. (I used Chocolate Chip for the nut and Creamy Caramel for the shell and stem. Cut out the acorn with sharp scissors.

Cut Chocolate Chip CS to 2-1/8" x 3-1/2". Score at 1-1/2". Use the scallop punch on the larger end of the rectangle.

Cut Kiwi Kiss CS to 1-15/16" x 1-5/16". Edge with Chocolate Chip ink.

Cut Pumpkin Pie CS to 1-11/16" x 1-1/16". Edge with Pumpkin Pie ink.

Punch the designer label shape out of Very Vanilla CS. Trim off the rounded parts with scissors.

Adhere the layers together. Refer to the photos for guidance.

Punch a 1" circle out of Kiwi Kiss CS. Edge with Chocolate Chip ink. Centre circle on back of placecard. Use a dimensional to pop the acorn up and adhere to the circle.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner!

Another Sample!

2008-09-24T21:25:00.006-05:00

I'm excited about this sample; I think it captures a 'winter wonderland' feel the bride is looking for. I think I'll make another sample exactly like it, except I'll use the Bashful Blue as the main card base.

This is a gatefold card. I used stamps from Delta and Inkadinkado, as well as Winter Wonderland EP from Stampendous. The paper is all Stampin'Up!

Click on the pictures below for an enlarged version. And let me know what you think: should I try another version with Bashful Blue as the card base?

The First Sample is ready!

2008-09-17T20:33:00.015-05:00

The First Sample has been completed! I kept this set very simple. The colour scheme was inspired by the bride's theme of Winter. (Don't worry, the real invitation doesn't have horrible white splotches on it!) Because I took the pictures at night, the colours might not be exactly representative; I used SU!'s Handsome Hunter and Bashful Blue. Click on each picture for a larger version.

You're Invited!

2008-08-31T17:44:00.009-05:00

Here's a sweet wedding invitation, not too casual, not too formal...

I used SU!'s Berry Bliss DSP, Close to Cocoa, and Pretty in Pink. To add texture, I embossed the stamps, layered cardstock, sponged, distressed the edges, and used ribbon. As you can see from the pictures, the Save the Date card slides out.

I used a corner rounder (with the guard/guide removed) to create the scalloped edge...can't wait to get SU!'s new scallop edge punch!

*if you click on any of the photos, a larger (and clearer) version will appear in a new window!

Corn and Apples...Yummy!

2008-08-24T18:55:00.005-05:00

Whew! I just finished hauling all my stuff up the flight of stairs to my apartment...the Morden Corn and Apple Festival is OVAH!! And I think I even made a profit! I definitely made the cost of the table back, and then some.

I'll post pics of some of the things I brought along soon. This festival has a reputation for large crowds, so even though there are a lot of 'I'm just looking' types, there are also plenty of people who want cards! I also made a lot of contacts for potential custom orders.

The most enjoyable part of the festival was running into a lot people that I haven't seen yet this summer. The other vendors were really nice, and the weather cooperated beautifully. I do believe I'll be back next year!

Little Labels

2008-07-21T10:41:00.013-05:00

Depending on which colours and stamps you use, these can be cute or elegant or fun or anything you want them to be! Plus, it's a great way to use up scraps.

Supplies
Cardstock: solid coloured CS of your choice, Whisper white
Tools: scallop punch, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch
Optional: matching 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, clear embossing powder, watercolour pencil crayons, blender pens

Directions
Stamp an image onto Whisper White CS. The image can be larger than 1-1/4", as long as there is a part of it you'd like to punch out. If you want to, emboss the image with clear embossing powder.

Punch out the image with the 1-1/4" circle punch. Make sure you use the punch upside-down so you can see exactly what the punched image will look like. If you want to, use the watercolour pencil crayons and blender pens to colour the image.

Punch out a 1-3/8" circle from matching CS and a scallop from matching CS.

Adhere each layer to the next. Voila!

To add ribbon: cut approximately 4 to 5 inches of matching 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. Loop the ribbon around (no need to tie a knot; just use a little bit of adhesive where the ribbon crosses itself to hold it in place.) Punch out a second scallop shape (this will be the 'back' piece). Place the ribbon loop on the back scallop. Apply adhesive to the front scallop (the one with the layers and the stamped image). Matching up the edges, adhere the front to the back, with the ribbon sandwiched in between.

Some ideas...
~wine glass tags
~gift box or bag tags
~glue a toothpick between the two layers and use as plant picks, dessert picks, appetizer picks, cake decorations...
~clothes hanger decorations
~string them together to make a mini-garland
~attach to a small chocolate or other wrapped candy
~attach a magnet to the back

Live Your Dream Coaster Box

2008-07-20T14:50:00.013-05:00

This box was inspired by Barbara (http://zeitfuermich.blogspot.com/) It's simple and beautiful, and you can easily personalize it to suit your intent and your space. I have to admit I cheated just a little: the box will hold Sharpies, not SU! markers, but I wanted the markers to match the box in the picture!

Supplies

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, Old Olive, Whisper White

Tools: Crop-A-Dile, scallop punch, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch

Ink: Cameo Coral, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip

Stamps: Live Your Dream

Other: Chipboard sheets (I didn't have coaster, so I cut my own), Aleene's Original Tacky Craft Glue, Hemp twine

Directions

Cut 5 3-1/2" squares from chipboard. (I used several passes of my paper trimmer to achieve this).

Cut 5 1-1/2" squares out of CS. Mix and match colours to your taste.

Adhere CS squares to chipboard squares.

Using the Crop-A-Dile, punch a hole in each corner of each sqaure. I measured it out for the first square so the holes would be evenly spaced, and then lined that square up with the others and punched them out too. If you're going to use thicker ribbon or twine, make sure it will fit through your holes twice! If you want to, you could add eyelets at this point.

Run the edges of each square over the Chocolate Chip inkpad to define the edges.

Using approximately 3" - 4" of hemp twine for each knot, loosely tie the corners together, forming the four walls of the container. Then tie the bottom on, re-using the bottom holes of the four walls.

One knot at a time, add a dab of white craft glue (I use Aleene's because it dries clear) to each knot. Pull the knot tight and hold it for a couple of seconds until the glue sets. (I did this at my computer, went on Splitcoast, opened up the gallery of new submissions, clicked on 'Slideshow', and enjoyed the show while waiting for all 12 knots to set!) Trim the ends of each knot.

Cut a 2-3/4" square from Whisper White CS. Stamp with small flower stamp. (I inked the stamp with Old Olive and Cameo Coral markers.) Run the edges of the square over the Chocolate Chip ink pad.

Ink and stamp the large flower image on a scrap piece of Whisper White CS. Punch out with the 1-1/4" punch. Run the edge of the circle over the Chocolate Chip ink pad.

Punch a scallop from Chocolate Chip CS and a 1-3/8" circle from Old Olive CS.

Adhere the flower image, Old Olive circle, and Chocolate Chip scallop together. Adhere the element to centre of the 2-3/4" square. Adhere the sqaure to the box.

If you want to, you can decorate each side however you want. I chose to embellish one side and leave the rest plain. The colours are gorgeous on their own!

Summer by the Sea and Seaside Sketches

2008-07-18T11:28:00.011-05:00

I love these two stamp sets by SU! They're feminine but not cutesy, and the lend themselves well to almost any colour choices. The instructions here work for any of the four cards.

Supplies

Cardstock: 5-1/2" x 4-1/4" Whisper White CS
2 pieces of 2" x 5-3/8" coloured CS for colour panels (I used Ruby Red, Barely Banana, and Bashful Blue

Scraps of coloured CS to mat your stamp (I used Bashful Blue, Perfectly Plum, Ruby Red, and Certainly Celery)

Whisper White CS (for stamping)

Ink: Basic Black ink pad

Stamps: Seaside Sketches and Summer by the Sea

Other: clear embossing powder

heat gun
watercolour pencil crayons

blender pens

Directions

Score the Whisper White CS at 2-1/4" from each short end. Fold the sides together. They should meet in the middle, making a gatefold card.

Adhere the 2 pieces of coloured CS to each 'gate' of your card. If you want to add texture, use a background stamp and VersaMark ink before adhering, or use the scoring blade of your paper trimmer to create a grid pattern.

*Note: on one card, I used Bashful Blue CS for the base and only added one panel (in scored Barely Banana) to the left hand panel.

Stamp your image onto Whisper White CS. Emboss with clear embossing powder.

Colour your image with the watercolour pencil crayons. You don't have to cover every little bit; the blender pens will 'carry' the colour. I like to layer my colours a bit; for example, I use a light brown with just a touch of red for skin tones, and yellow and brown for hair. The wonderful thing about watercolour pencil crayons is that you can customize your image for the recipient of the card, matching hair colour and skin tones.

'Paint' over the coloured image with the blender pens, making sure to clean the tip between colours.

Cut out your image. I usually just 'eyeball' it, since the trimmer ensures perfectly square corners.

Measure your cut out image. Add 1/4" to each measurement and cut out a mat from coloured CS. Mount the image on the mat.

Mount the mat on your card. Careful, you can only adhere one half of the image or you won't be able to 'open' the gate!

The First Real Post!

2008-07-17T19:29:00.013-05:00

This is probably one of the easiest projects I've ever done...and one of the cheapest too! It's a great way to use up scraps.

You'll need a composition notebook (I got mine in a pack of 4 at the dollar store). The ones I bought have a taped spine, not a spiral bind. Choose 2 or 3 coordinating papers (cardstock and/or patterned paper), and go to town!

I've given specific instructions here for the pink cherry composition notebook.

Supplies
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Stamps: SU! Tart and Tangy

Punches: scallop, 1-3/8" circle, 1-1/4" circle

Embellishments: 1/4" Pretty in Pink grosgrain

Cherries Bling from Heidi Swapp

Directions
Using markers to ink the cherry stamp, create 'designer paper' by stamping the image repeatedly on Whisper White. This will be the top front of the notebook.

Hold the 'designer paper' against the notebook. Mark measurements. Cut to size and adhere to notebook.

Hold the Pretty in Pink CS against the notebook, lining it up with the bottom of the 'designer paper'. Trim and adhere to notebook.

Repeat with Pretty in Pink CS for the back of the notebook. (I just used Pretty in Pink for the whole back, but you could mix papers on the back too.)

Measure and cut 14" of Pretty in Pink 1/4" grosgrain ribbon. Adhere the ribbon to the notebook so that it wraps around and can be tied at the side. Make sure the ribbon covers the seam between your two front papers.

Cut the Certainly Celery CS to the length of your notebook. I cut mine to 4-1/2" x 1-1/4". Score the CS so that it matches the spine of your notebook. My score lines were 1/2" from each long side, creating a 1/4" section in the middle.

Adhere the Certainly Celery CS to the notebook. I suggest using a very tacky tape for this step.

Tie the ribbon in a bow to keep it out of the way.

Using the scallop punch, punch a scallop from Whisper White CS. If you want to, use a paper piercing tool to poke a small hole in each scallop for added interest.

Punch a 1-3/8" circle from Pretty in Pink CS. Adhere to the scallop.

Punch a 1-1/4" circle from Whisper White CS. Adhere to the pink circle.

Attach cherry Bling (Heidi Swapp) to the centre of the circle.

Use a dimensional to adhere the accent to the front of the notebook.

This would make an excellent gift for a young girl...they love writing notes!

Some other ideas:
decorate with baby-themed stamps for new parents to keep track of feedings (really useful for families with newborn twins!)
use school-themed stamps for a teacher's gift
decorate with Christmas stamps and use the notebook to record which presents you've already bought, and for whom

Patience, please!

2008-07-17T19:19:00.001-05:00

I'm trying this out...something new. I'll try to get it set up ASAP!