This is a card we made at stamp club. The leaf is die cut with Sizzix die Leaves #2 from a sheet of SU Sticky Pages. Sticky Pages are 12 x 12 sheets of sticky tape or as some people call it red line tape. Sticky Pages have 3 layers: a red film, sticky tape, and another layer of red film.
To make the leaf cut wavy lines in the top red film layer of the leaf using a craft knife. Remove one section of red film and sprinkle glitter, then the second section and sprinkle another color of glitter, then the third section. It helps if you rub your embossing buddy over the red film before you start so the glitter doesn't stick to the red film as much. Also be careful to tap off the excess glitter before you move to the next color or you will mix your glitter. Someone posted a great tutorial for this technique but (as always!) I can't remember who and I can't find it. If I do I will post a link.Note: Found it! Thanks anonymous! Barb Mullikin has a step by step video tutorial HERE.
I love the look of this card and it was so easy to assemble. To make the front all you do is fold the front of the card in half. Just don't forget to only put adhesive on half of the front panel (From the AMHIK dept.). I used my Finial Press impressions folder for the inside panel and a piece of that lovely embossed paper from the Christmas Cocoa DSP (last chance to order is Jan. 4!). The ornament is from the stamp set Tree Trimmings (great little stamp set!). I have most of my Christmas decorations in place with the exception of my tree and outside lights. I have a small upstairs and a big tree so everything gets moved around and the tree goes in the middle of the dining room; needless to say it takes a lot of furniture moving. My santa collection has a new home on a bookshelf in the basement because when we bought our new TV we had to get a new stand instead of our entertainment center. Oh well I do love my new TV and it is MY santa collection and I do spend most of my time in the basement.
So how's your decorating coming? Christmas cards in the mail????? Christmas is coming!!!!!!
I cannot believe it has been this long since I posted. I keep telling myself I am going to be more consistent and at least post twice a week. To those of you who do post more often I take my hat off to you and throw chocolate your way. There is a card out there somewhere that inspired this one but it has been so long that I forgot even where I saw it. Not much stamping in this one. It would be a great way to use up some scraps. I used So Saffron, Old Olive, Regal Rose and Almost Amethyst card stock. The vases are made with the large oval punch; the flowers are punched with the Boho blossoms punch. Old Olive is the base layered on Certainly Celery. I did sponge some matching ink on the edges of the vases to give it some depth. The sentiment is from an old retired SU set.
I thought I would take a break from making Fall and Christmas cards and make one with my favorite color! The card base was cut with the Sizzix Curly Label Movers & Shapers die and the inside is the Top Note die. I used Pixie Pink textured card stock and Pixie Pink ink. The bunny is from the cute little set called Forest Friends. The sentiment is from an old retired set. The ribbon is from one of the retired Ribbon Originals and is actually the first time I have used it. I think now I really need some more of those other windows that fit in the Movers & Shapers die.
Here is another quick gift for Christmas or any occasion. You could also give a tin of Christmas thank you cards to be used after Christmas. I decorated yet another skinny tin; this time with note cards to match. It is hard to tell in the photo but behind the cards are envelopes that have been stamped. I didn't want the cards to be too "bumpy" so they would fit in the tin so I just wrapped the ribbon around without tying. These note cards are smaller than the regular A2 quarter fold cards but they are a great bargain. For only $5.95 you get 20 cards and envelopes. Four cards and envelopes fit nicely inside the decorated tin. I think I will make several sets of these in different colors to have on hand as a quick gift. You could sneak a little cash inside, place them inside a basket with some lotion & body spray or just give them alone. Stamps: Great Friend Ink: Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry Paper: Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Raspberry Lemonade DSP Accessories: Dusty Durango & Crushed Curry Grosgrain, Gold Elastic Cord
How about a quick & easy Christmas gift idea? The container is a skinny tin from Stampin' Up! ($.99 from the online clearance section) that I covered in Real Red textured card stock. The tags are either 3x3" or folded Top Note die cuts. I used paper from my scraps to decorate the tags. The words Christmas Gift Tags were printed using my inkjet printer. This would make a great last minute gift; however, you probably would want to give this before Christmas so the tags could be used for wrapping!
I just can't help myself-that shimmer paint is just plain habit forming! The snow was made by tearing Whisper White paper into strips and painting them with Frost White shimmer paint. After I arranged them on my Real Red card base I simply trimmed them to fit and added some Dazzling Diamonds to the torn edges. The trees are from Patterned Pines, a level 1 hostess set, the sentiment is from Christmas Classics, the snowflakes are from Serene Snowflake and the presents are from a retired SU set. The trees were inked with Garden Green and daubed with shimmer paint. The first year I stamped my Christmas cards was not pretty because I waited until December 10 to even start. The first 5 or so were not so bad but I wanted glitter on them (Night of Navy cardstock, angel stamp you know it screams glitter!) and I didn't know about the 2-Way Glue pen so I was using Elmers-yes I said Elmers. Do you know how long it takes for a blob of Elmers to dry????? FOREVER!!!!! And I was under a deadline-how fast can the Post Office deliver these and I had a gift exchange to go to AND THIS IS MY LAST FREE NIGHT UNTIL CHRISTMAS! Anyway I soon gave up the glitter (GASP!) and made my cards groaning and complaining about how this was so not fun! When I handed out my cards I put them in envelopes then put the names on them so some people got glitter some did not but no favoriticism just blind chance. Okay there is a purpose to this story. After that I promised myself: (1) I would make my Christmas cards early! (2) They would be fun to make! (3) They would have glitter and/or bling (with a 2-Way Glue Pen not Elmers!) so
MY CHRISTMAS CARDS ARE FINISHED!!!!!! ALL 75 OF THEM!!!!! In celebration I am eating the last of the Halloween kisses!!
Now that I see this photo up close and personal I wish I had used a black background-maybe next time??? I am still having fun with my shimmer paints! The snow was made by painting with Frost White shimmer paint on Not Quite Navy card stock.
I wish I had put a clear rhinestone in the center of the snowflake but the card was already put together before I thought of it. The sentiment was stamped on Brushed Silver card stock
I stamped the trees on glossy card stock with Black Stazon and colored them with a Garden Green marker. Sorry for the glare-it is hard (as most of you know!) to capture the shimmer without the glare!
The snowflake was stamped using shimmer paint. Warning: these shimmer paints are very addictive! They won't be around too much longer-only available from the Holiday mini which ends Jan 4!!!
This is a great project I learned at my upline's upline Debbie Menez. They are quick and very inexpensive to make.
They are made using glass tile found at a home improvement store, rubons, heavy duty glue (I used E-6000), jewelery spacers and ribbon or elastic cord. You could also put these on a chain. The tile comes in different colors and different thickness. I liked the shades of grey and black because most of my rubons are black & white. However, the one I made at Debbi's was with earth tone tile and I used an Old Olive rubon. Here is a close-up of the jewelery spacers we used. We took one of the split rings off using needle nose pliers.
This is a photo of the back of the tile. The white paper backing comes already on the tile.
Here are a couple of different ones I made! One of my friends is making these to give as gifts and she said she put a coat of clear nail polish on top to seal them. Put these in a fancy box and voila! Great gift!
Hope you had a Happy Halloween and didn't eat too much candy! My kids (ages 20 & 17) had a few friends over Friday night. Many of them actually came in costume. My DD bought some strobe lights, a ghost that "flew" across the room and other scary decorations. Everyone seemed to have fun-they drank a lot of pop, ate a bunch of candy and chips and played games!
Ugh! I didn't realize this was hanging crooked! I took these photos outside and I couldn't see the screen of my digital camera and as usual I was in a hurry. Oh well you get the idea! This was a very fun project! Most of the things I make are for classes, clubs or swaps and while I love making them it was nice to make something just for fun. I could use my retired stash, I didn't have to think if I had enough pieces to make enough swaps, what is on special, etc, etc. I could just play! The panels are chipboard odds & ends that I ran through the Big Shot with the Top Note Die. The paper is from Cast-a-Spell and I used a glue stick to adhere them to the chipboard. The letters are from the On Board Simon lower case that are on clearance. Because this set of letters only has one of each I did have to create and extra "e" from a "c" and an extra piece. I also made an "l" by cutting off part of a "k". I used craft ink spots to color the letters. I don't have Perfect Plum craft so I inked a layer of Elegant Eggplant and when it was dry inked a layer of Lovely Lilac.
I used my only (gasp!) Halloween set for a couple of the embellishments. It is SU but retired. The owl is chipboard covered in DSP with Kiwi Kiss corduroy button eyes (actually the paper color is Old Olive but don't tell anyone!) with a couple of punched out black circles. The metal pieces between the panels are jewelery spacers that I used on another project.
These are a couple of cards I received or made at a shoebox swap I went to at my Upline's Upline. At a shoebox swap each participant designs a card and brings enough supplies for everyone to make one of their cards. The supplies should fit in a shoebox. Some of the ladies were unable to attend the swap so they sent their cards premade. I love participating in swaps even though I don't very often. The theme for this swap was fall or winter. The first card was designed by Adele. As you can tell my wheeling was a little crooked-I should have used the Wheel Guide!
Isn't this the coolest idea? The cattails are punches from the horizontal slot punch (I think that is the name of this punch). The stems are from the Inspired by Nature stamp set. There was no name on this card so I don't know who to give credit to but I love the cattails so I had to share!! We also made some extremely cool necklaces using rubons and glass tile. Debbie Menez (my Upline's Upline) shared this project with us. I will post photos & details of how to make them.
I have some really cool projects to share but I have to get some better photos. I made a Halloween banner but it is very long and hard to photograph-I may have to photo it in parts!
How about a spring flower card in the middle of fall? Here in Kansas City the weather has been rainy and dreary lately. Seems like we have had very few sunny days this fall. I thought this card would make me think of summer & spring and sunshine. I used a couple of colors I haven't used recently. The flower is from Fifth Avenue Floral. It was stamped on Almost Amethyst with Almost Amethyst ink, cut out and painted with Crystal Effects. The middle of the flower is Pretty in Pink and was punched using the Boho Blossom punch and I put a thick layer of CE on it. I like the nice shiney effect of CE but do not always think to use it. Plus sometimes I get impatient and touch it to see if it is dry and ruin it. The leaves were cut using the Little Leaves Sizzlet. I made the two background panels by using the same flower stamp, Pretty in Pink on Whisper White and Almost Amethyst on Almost Amethyst. Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Teeny Tiny Wishes Ink: Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, Stazon Black Paper: Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Garden Green Accessories; Crystal Effects, Boho Blossoms punch, Scallop Circle punch,
One of my favorite colors is pink and I love to pair it with black! This pink is Melon Mambo from SU In Colors. It is such a happy color! I suppose this does look like a Valentine card but hearts, pink, polka dots-they just seem to go together. Anyone remember when 50's clothes made a come back in the 80's? I managed a clothing store and I remember lots of pink & black polka dot shirts, with patent leather belts, wide collars and fake handkerchiefs.
This card was made with some of the new DSP in the Holiday Mini Catalog called Night & Day (which reminds me of the Cole Porter song). I love that it comes with two window sheets! The heart on the right was made by punching with the heart punch and layering a small piece of the polka dot window sheet behind. The white polka dot paper is from the same DSP. I added a few dots with the white gel pen, a little ribbon and a sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.
So here is a little Cole Porter from Fred Astaire.
This is such an easy project to make. The outside panels are chipboard coasters covered with Ruby Red DSP from the Hostess Patterns pack. The inside panels are two 4" x 12" Ruby Red strips that were scored at 4" and 8" and folded accordian style. I used a paper hinge on the outside to hold the two 4" x 12" panels together. I glued the first fold to the inside of the chipboard coasters, added some Sage Shadow panels and decorated the front. I did not have any Sage Shadow ribbon so I used a little strip of paper. The ribbon is the retired Riding Hood Red taffeta (which I miss TERRIBLY!!) and it was simply attached under the front & back panels; it does not go around the back of the photo album. I did not decorate the inside but it could have a Christmas poem on one panel, stamped images, words or photos.
I still use a glue stick to attach paper to chipboard; I think it works best and it dries quickly. I may make a few of these to give as last minute gifts or simply to place around the room to decorate for Christmas. Stamps: Holiday Tag Team Ink: Sage Shadow, Ruby Red Paper: Ruby Red, Sage Shadow, Kraft, Ruby Red DSP
My new favorite thing is . . . . shimmer paint! Look what a little Champagne Frost shimmer paint can do for plain, old chipboard! The shimmer paints are in the Holiday Mini Catalog and come in three flavors: Champagne Frost, Frost White, Platinum. The Champagne Frost and Frost White are translucent and the Platinum is opaque. The Champagne & White can be used as a wash over your projects whereas the Platinum will cover completely. The snowflake on this card is chipboard that I painted with the Champagne Frost using a cheap dollar store paint brush. It dries very quickly and a little paint goes a long way. The embossed piece was embossed using the Finial Press Embossing folder and then I added a little Champagne Frost shimmer paint using a sponge dauber. The card base is Sahara Sand. I can't emphasize enough how easy and how fast the shimmer paint goes on chipboard. You can also mix it with reinkers and either paint with it or daub it on a stamp and stamp. Another cool technique is to ink your stamp with classic ink and then daub on some shimmer paint and then stamp. For those of you who don't like to get glitter everywhere this is an easy way to get a little shimmer!!
Here is one more Charming card! I just can't help it; I love using this set. See the sentiment at the bottom-well the first time I stamped this I stamped the "Happy Birthday" upside down! Yep, upside down and not because the stamp was mounted wrong just because I did not pay attention. Fortunately the word window punch helped with my cover-up! Usually while I stamp I watch my portable DVD player. I know better than to watch anything too intense because I get distracted and make all kinds of disasters! Right now I am watching Alias (thanks to Contessa Kris loaning me her copies) and there are many car chases, fights and breath holding moments. Where are those Disney movies????
I am working on Christmas cards right now but it just seems too early too start posting them. Maybe I will give a sneak peak of what we will be making at the Stamp-a-Stack. Normally, I have my own personal Christmas cards done by October but not this year. I do have about half cut but not stamped, embossed or put together. Oh well there is always tomorrow!!! Paper: Night of Navy, Real Red DSP, Bashful Blue, Ink: Whisper White craft, Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Real Red Stamps: Charming, Teeny Tiny Wishes
I am still having fun with the new stamp set Charming that is in the Holiday Mini Catalog. It really is a charming stamp set! The first is a mini album that we made in stamp club this month. Once again I copied Amy Rohl except I didn't have enough buttons in the right color so we inked some chipboard circles with Not Quite Navy craft ink and used the white gel pen to make them look like buttons. Sorry the first photo is a little fuzzy-I didn't notice until I uploaded it-I probably forgot to change the settings. The pear is a piece of chipboard that was stamped with the background stamp from Charming with Old Olive craft ink and the little flourish was stamped with Not Quite Navy craft ink. The outside cover is textured with a SU Texturz plate.
The second is a card made from a piece of scrap Old Olive laying on my table so it is a little smaller than a standard A2 card. The background is stamped with Versamark and embossed with clear EP. The ribbon is a piece of Elegant Eggplant card stock that I punched on both sides with the SU Eyelet Border punch to make it look like ribbon. When I first started making cards this was my favorite color combo-Old Olive and Elegant Eggplant. Old Olive is still one of my go-to colors but I don't use Elegant Eggplant very often.
As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator we receive a monthly magazine called Stampin' Success. This month there was an article featuring demonstrator Amy Rohl. She created several items using the stamp set Charming that is in the Christmas mini. It is the featured stamp set to be used in the Simply Adorned line of jewelery charms SU has. I really didn't notice this set until I saw what Amy had done with it. This card was inspired by her work. I like the color combo she chose, Ruby Red, Not Quite Navy and Old Olive. Here is a link to what she made. One of the things I have noticed is that it is the small details that make the difference in nice card or scrapbook page or a fabulous card or page. That little extra strip of paper, little twist of hemp or just distressing the edges can make the difference between an ok creation and one that catches your attention.
My DH, DD, and I went to visit my DH's family. It was a nice relaxing vacation. We went out to eat several times, watched a ton of movies, ate lots of junk food and visited with family. I played with the great nieces and nephew who kept us entertained! Since it was only the 3 of us who went this time I told my DD that she could pack whatever she wanted because there would be plenty of room in the van-never tell a 17 year old they can bring as much as they want! She not only packed the WII* but the Guitar Hero* drums & guitars and the Rock Star* drums & guitars!! Apparently each game must have its own guitars and drums-what a racket the video game business is!!! She also packed a suitcase full of movies (45 to be exact) because my SIL & BIL do not have cable and are only able to get 2 channels. However, everyone enjoyed playing the video games and watching the movies! So in honor of Guitar Hero players everywhere I made this card. The Extreme Guitar was stamped with Ruby Red craft ink and embossed with clear. My Ruby Red craft ink seems to have separated some and looks more like Really Rust-I think I will have to reink it and smoosh it before I use it again. I used Extreme Elements to stamp around the guitar player. The sentiment is from Sporting. The bottom panel was textured with a Texturz plate and I daubered the new Champagne Shimmer Paint over it to make it look metalic. I love the new shimmer paint! I just added the other 2 colors to my last order and can't wait to try them.
I made another masculine card!!!! This would be great for younger guys! The main image is SU Extreme Guitar embossed with black EP. The stars are from SU Extreme Elements. The paper is Basic Gray, Basic Black and Old Olive. The Designer Paper is from Cast-A-Spell. I like the paper in this pack and as my friend Contessa Kris pointed out, it doesn't have to be used for Halloween. That's the nice thing about double sided paper-you get twice the choices.
Whew!!!! Big sigh of relief!!! I just packaged 273 handmade cards (yes I counted them!) to be sold at the Apple Festival, a fundraiser for a local Children's Home. I usually make more but I suppose it is a sign that I had a busy year!! I start on next year's cards pretty much the day after I finish this year's. Most of the time they sell out. I had some help this year from some lovely ladies at church and the teenage girls in my missions class. I love making them but I am glad when they are packaged and ready to go. These are a couple of cards I made a little while ago but haven't posted. I was trying to make some masculine cards. I really struggle with these because I just can't put any bling on them. I mean what is it with guys and glitter???? These are two great stamp sets and not expensive, Trendy Trees and Forest Friends. I love that little owl and I really need to use him more! I believe the second card was a CASE (Create & Share Everything) of someone's but as usual I cannot remember whose! I am playing with my new toys, shimmer paint, treat cups and some new stamp sets so hopefully I will have some new stuff to share.
These ornaments were made using the Country Living Kit that was available last year. One of these days I am going to make a Light Box so my photos are clearer. I take my photos in the laundry room on top of the washing machine because the laundry room has fluorescent lights. I have to be careful not to pan up or left or you will see the ugly cement walls or the piles of dirty clothes!!! This is what we will be making in the ornament class plus several smaller ornaments. They could be used as gift tags or tree ornaments, or to decorate a gift or hang on a garland. I think I am going to either hang mine on the wall or put them on a garland.
I used Stampin' Up! glue sticks to adhere the paper to the chipboard, SU 2-Way Glue pen for the glitter. It is hard to see in the photo but the rectangles have the Merry Christmas from Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped on them. I still feel like they need something??? Any suggestions? Maybe more bling? More glitter???
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This is a card we made at stamp club. The leaf is die cut with Sizzix die Leaves #2 from a sheet of SU Sticky Pages. Sticky Pages are 12 x 12 sheets of sticky tape or as some people call it red line tape. Sticky Pages have 3 layers: a red film, sticky tape, and another layer of red film.
Someone posted a great tutorial for this
