Red, White and Blue

 

Hi Friends!

Today I am sharing a patriotic card designed to honor our Veterans for Veteran’s Day, but this card would be an easy one to create in multiples for Memorial Day or Independence Day.

This card was created with The Red, White and Blue Stamp/Die Bundle, a bit of lace and seam binding ribbon- all from Stamp Simply!.

I enjoy playing along with online challenges and will be linking this card to  the Word Art Wednesday #673-#674 “Anything Goes” Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to check out the rest of my Sister Design Team cards on the Stamp Simply blog, or the Word Art Wednesday challenge site I hope you take the time to do so- so much inspiration from all!

 

To create this card:

De-static a piece of white cardstock with an embossing powder tool.

Stamp the script background image from TheRed, White and Blue stamp set with Versamark ink onto the upper top part of the panel, apply gold embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.

Repeat the above steps for the lower half of the panel.

Once the embossing has cooled, trim the panel, add the strip of Gabriella lace and add a strip of red seam binding over the top of the lace (wrapping the ends of the seam binding behind the panel).

Adhere the entire card front onto a 4 ¼” x 5 ½” piece of red cardstock and mount onto a white card base.

Ink the flog image with Versafine Onyx Black ink, heat set the ink with a heat tool, and color the image with colored pencils.

Die cut the flag image with the coordinating die, layering onto another die cut from white cardstock.

Mount the flag onto the card front with dimensional foam to finish off the card. 

Stamp Sets: The Red, White and Blue Bundle (Stamp Simply)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine Black Onyx, Versamark , Prismacolor Pencils

Cardstock/Paper: White, Real Red

Accessories/Tools: Gemini, Jr., Stamp Simply Steel Dies- The Red, White and Blue Bundle , Embossing Powder Tool, Heat Tool, Gold Embossing Powder, Venise Lace Gabriella – 1.75” White- 1 yard, Seam Binding Sampler- Christmas- 30 yards

Don’t forget to stop by and check out the current sale at Stamp Simply!

Thanks again for visiting and I hope you have a great weekend! 

Memorial Day Hero

Hi Friends!

As we approach the Memorial Day weekend, I wanted to create a card using the Artistic Outpost Hero and Grunge Elements stamp sets along with Our Daily Bread Designs Custom Dies and Paper in honor of those “Heroes” who have lost their lives in service to our country.  May we always remember their sacrifice for your freedom and mine! 

I decided to incorporate the My TimeTo Craft #346 Sketch Challenge along with the Word Art Wednesday #284-#285 "Anything Goes" Challenge into the design.

If you have not had a chance to check out the Artistic Outpost blog or the other challenge sites yet, I encourage you to do so!  Inspiration is posted throughout the week on the AO Blog/ AO Facebook Page and the challenge galleries have fabulous samples as well!

To create this card:

1). Ink the military man image from Hero with hickory smoke distress ink and stamp onto a piece of white cardstock.  Color the image with navy and cherry water-based markers along with vintage photo and tea dye distress inks.  Add a bit of texture with the large splatter stamp as well as the smaller corner texture stamp from Grunge Elements using vintage photo distress ink.  Die cut and emboss the image using the Double Stitched Circles Dies and mount onto a circle of navy cardstock (die cut and embossed with the Circles Dies).

2). Ink the Hero sentiment with navy ink and stamp onto white cardstock.  Add a bit of splatter with the large splatter stamp from Grunge Elements and distress the paper with tea dye and vintage photo distress ink. Trim around the sentiment and mount onto navy cardstock.

3). Die cut and emboss stars using the Sparkling Stars Dies from navy cardstock and the Patriotic Collection 6x6 Paper Pad.  Layer the stars and add a copper brad to the center of each star.

4). Trim a piece of the Patriotic Collection 6x6 Paper for the background to 4” x 5 ¼”.  Distress the edges with a distressing tool and apply vintage photo and tea dye distress ink over the entire panel to “antique” the paper.  Once dry, apply a thin layer of picket fence distress stain to tone down the images a bit and once that layer has dried, use a star stencil with crackled texture paste to add additional dimension.

5). Once the crackled texture paste has dried, apply a thin layer of mod podge over the entire background as well as the sentiment layer and the die cut focal image circle layer- allow all to air dry.

6). Mount a piece of navy cardstock onto the cherry card front, adhere the card front to the white card base.  Add the background panel and mount the focal image along with the stars and sentiment using dimensional foam.

Thanks again for taking the time to visit- hugs!  I hope you have a blessed Memorial Day week/weekend and never forget the real reason for Memorial Day...

Artistic Outpost Hero

Grunge Elements

Double Stitched Circles Dies

Circles Dies

Sparkling Stars die

ODBd Patriotic Collection

Hero

Hi Friends!

Today I am sharing this Mixed Media card in honor of Memorial Day on the Artistic Outpost (AO) blog using Grunge Elements from the Artistic Outpost Spring Release along with Hero and Ephemera Backgrounds (also Artistic Outpost stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs).

Final version (see below for more details :-))

Monday, May 30th is Memorial Day here in the United States and while we may have picnics and get-togethers this weekend, I pray that we will be thinking of the sacrifice that was made by the brave men and women who lost their lives defending our country and the freedom that we enjoy because of their sacrifice.  May we never forget all of our heroes...

I incorporated the Pals Paper Arts PPA302 Sketch Challenge for the layout as well as the Splitcoaststampers’ MIX137 “It’s A Grand Old Flag” Challenge (Stars and Stripes) and the Simon Says Wednesday "Anything Goes" Challenge. 

I actually have two designs of this card to share- my husband thought the background was a bit too busy in the first design and since it was already put together, I had to do some creative “fixing” to achieve the final version.  

He said that he liked the second card design better and I told him, "Great, because it’s too late now" – lol!

To create the background of this card:

On a 5” square piece of Whisper White cardstock, stamp the Telegram image from Ephemera Backgrounds (AO) using Dapper Denim Classic Ink and create a mask to cover the image.

First version (before distressing the background and adding stars)

Ink the Ledger image from Ephemera Backgrounds (AO) with Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink and stamp over the masked Telegram image.

Lift the mask, ink the Postcard image (also from Ephemera Backgrounds (AO) using Dapper Denim Ink and stamp directly over the ledger image.

Allow the ink to dry (or use a Heat Tool to speed up the process) and with a sponge applicator, apply Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink over the entire panel.

Add Grunge Elements(AO) images using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress Ink and distress the edges with the Distressing Tool.  FYI- at this point, I layered the card with the rest of the elements for version #1.

Another view of the second version :-)

To complete the background for version #2- Tone down the brightness of the stamping in the background using a paint brush with Gesso®, allow the Gesso® to dry and ink the Grunge Elements (AO) with Ranger® Tim Holtz® Vintage Photo Distress Ink (stamping randomly over some of the images).

Mount the background panel onto a piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock, trim and mount onto a piece of Dapper Denim cardstock, trim and mount onto the Extra Thick Whisper White card base.

To create the rest of the card:

Directly color onto the Hero (AO) image with Stampin’ Write Markers- Dapper Denim for the stars,  Cherry Cobbler for the stripes and Basic Gray for the service man,  “huff” to moisten the ink and stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock.

Sponge Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink over the image to “antique” the paper and stamp the grid image from Grunge Elements (AO) using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye  Distress Ink as well.

Trim the focal image panel and mount onto Dapper Denim cardstock, trim and add a bit of Gesso® (set aside to dry).

Cut a strip of the Patriotic Collection 6x6 Paper (ODBD) and use the Big Shot™ with the Cuttlebug™ Stars Embossing Folder to emboss the panel.

Mount the embossed strip onto a piece of Dapper Denim cardstock and lightly sand the embossing.

Adhere the strip to the background panel and add the focal image using dimensional foam.

Stamp the sentiment from Hero (AO) using Dapper Denim Classic Ink onto Whisper White cardstock, cut the sentiment out with Rectangle Dies (ODBD) and mount onto a piece of Dapper Denim cardstock cut with the Double Stitched Rectangle Dies (ODBD).

Sponge Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink over the image to “antique” the paper, stamp the grid image from Grunge Elements (AO) using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye  Distress Ink and add a bit of Gesso® as well  (just as in the focal image finishing). 

Cut a strip of Cherry Cobbler cardstock (I actually crimped this strip with the Crimper Tool but you cannot tell since I added stars to the second version), add the strip to the background as per the sketch and mount the sentiment with dimensional foam.

To create the stars:

Die cut two stars from the same piece of Patriotic Collection 6x6 Paper (ODBD) using the ODBD Sparkling Stars Dies, insert the stars into the Stars Embossing Folder (lining the die cuts with the stars in the EF), emboss with the Big Shot™ and mount onto Dapper Denim cardstock.

For the third star, ink the star and stripe area on the large flag image from Hero (AO) with Stampin’ Write Markers- Dapper Denim and Cherry Cobbler, “huff” to moisten the ink and stamp onto Whisper White cardstock.  Die cut with ODBD Sparkling Stars Dies and mount onto Dapper Denim cardstock.

Carefully fussy-cut around each star and add Antique Brass brads to the center of the two embossed stars.

Mount the stars onto the card front with dimensional foam to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Hero, Ephemera Backgrounds, Grunge Elements (Artistic Outpost)

Ink/Mediums: Cherry Cobbler and Dapper Denim Classic Ink, Stampin’ Write Markers- Cherry Cobbler, Dapper Denim, Basic Gray;  Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye and Vintage Photo Distress Ink;  Gesso®

Paper: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Dapper Denim; Patriotic Collection 6x6 Paper (ODBD)

Accessories: Big Shot™, Our Daily Bread Designs Dies- Double Stitched Rectangle Dies, RectangleDies, Sparkling Stars Dies; Stars Embossing Folder (CB), Distressing Tool, Sponge Applicator, Antique Brass Brads, Sanding Block, Dimensional Foam

OK, so which one do you like better?  Version #1 (no stars and darker background) or version #2 with the added stars and muted background?  Inquiring minds need to know- lol!!

Thanks again for visiting- hugs and I hope all of you have a safe Memorial weekend!

Happy 4th of July!! Home of the Free Because of the Brave :-)

Hi Stampers!

Happy 4^th of July to all of my fellow Americans!!  I hope all of you have a great time celebrating our freedom today and remember that freedom comes at a cost. 

I am so thankful for the men and women in our armed services that help keep our country free- we are the “Home of the Free Because of the Brave”!  

I am so thankful for those brave men and women that have gone before and those that are currently serving- as a nation and individually, we can never thank you enough for keeping our country free!!  May the Lord richly bless you and your families...

I wanted to create a card for the Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light ODBDSLC244 Anything Goes Challenge to celebrate our freedom and decided to use the ColourQ CQC297Challenge along with the Splitcoaststampers’ SC547 Sketch Challenge (see details here and gallery here).

Again, I hope you have the time to stop by the above sites to check out the wonderful inspiration from the Design Teams as well as the other fabulous gallery entries!

This card was very easy to create using similar techniques as in these previous blog posts ****  

As noted in a previous post, I am trying to limit my actual blog posting time since creating the blog posts can take more time than creating the cards- lol!!  If you have any questions, please note in the comments - I read all of your comments and appreciate each and every one of you takes the time to comment...you are all such an encouragement to me!! ***

With a few markers scribbled onto acrylic blocks, I spritzed the blocks with water to watercolor the focal image, added  a bit of texture with embossing and layering- quick and easy!

Stamp Sets:  Not Forgotten, Land of the Free (both Our Daily Bread Designs)

Ink: Stāz-On® Jet Black, Stampin’ Write Markers- Crumb Cake, Pool Party, retired Midnight Muse and Poppy Parade

Paper:  Whisper White, Pool Party, retired Midnight Muse and Poppy Parade cardstock and DSP

Accessories: Big Shot™, Lucky Stars Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Stars Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug™), Sanding Block, AquaPainter™, Water Spritzer Bottle, Natural Linen Thread, retired Antique Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware Clip, retired ⅜” Midnight Muse Stitched Satin Ribbon

Again, if you have any questions, please let me know :-)

Thanks again for stopping by my friends- may the Lord bless you greatly on this 4^th of July!! 

Home of the Free Because of the Brave- An Easy Waterfall Mini Album

Hi Stampers!   

This week’s Stampin’ Royalty Challenge SR281 is “Anything ButA Card” and I decided to create a mini photo album using the CMCC75 Colour Me "Colour Me Striking" Challenge.

In the past few weeks Graphic 45 has been highlighting their retiring 2014 Design Team members with "Fond Farewell" posts and I fell in love with all of the designer projects but especially Ginger Ropp's Easy Instagram Mini Waterfall Album (I have created at least ten of these this week- they are so addictive!!) :-)  

Here is a link to the Graphic45 post for Ginger Ropp's favorite projects  and I have linked the YouTube video for this project below :-)

If you have not visited either challenge site yet, I encourage you to do so- marvelous inspiration from all!

Using the instructions from the video, score a 12x12 piece of Night of Navy cardstock (I used a retired textured piece from my stash)- score at 3”, 6” and 9”, turn and score at 4” and 8”.

Using the Stampin’ Up! Paper Trimmer, trim on the 3” and 6” score  lines to the 4” score line.

Turn the paper and trim along the uncut side of the paper along the 4” score line to the 9” score (again, using Ginger Ropp’s video instruction).

Fold the 3” and 6” trimmed score panels as directed on the video and complete the photo folio per the video instructions – I found that it was a bit easier to also add an additional score line of approx. 1/8” or so, to the left of the first 3” score line to allow for the bulk.

Decorate the panels as you desire…  fyi- I did a few strips of designer paper on some of the panels and adhered on the two sides only to allow a photo or other panel to be inserted under the strip...  this is what I love about this mini book- it can be decorated in any way you choose :-)

To decorate the panels:

Cover: Add the piece of lace onto the front cover and mount the red grosgrain ribbon (I used ribbon from my stash and wrapped the ribbon around the album adhering with Scor Tape®). 

Adhere the 2 ¾” x 3 ¾” piece of striped paper from the Authentique® Pride Collection over the ribbon and lace.

Add the scrap piece of textured Night of Navy cardstock  (approx. ¼” x 3 ¾”) over the edge of the lace.

Add the two scrap pieces of red starred patterned paper to the sides.

Stamp the flag image from the Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) Old Flag Background using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink and color with an AquaPainter™ using Night of Navy and retired Poppy Parade Classic Ink (I used Poppy Parade versus Real Red to match the paper).

Trim a portion of the background (save the rest for another project) and stamp the Gorgeous Grunge large splatter stamp using Ranger® Tim Holtz® Tea Dye Distress Ink.

Sponge Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper Distress Ink over the entire image to antique the paper.

Mount onto a piece of Night of Navy cardstock, trim again and mount onto a piece of Poppy Parade cardstock. 

Stamp the sentiment from Land of the Free (ODBD) using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink and color with Stampin’ Write  Markers- Night of Navy and retired Poppy Parade (I used Poppy Parade versus Real Red to match the paper).

Trim the sentiment, distress with the same inks as the Old Flag background panel, mount onto a piece of Night of Navy cardstock, trim again and mount onto a piece of Poppy Parade cardstock. 

Add the scrap pieces of the star pattern paper and insert the pewter brads.

Mount the sentiment to the focal image panel and adhere the entire panel to the front cover.

Behind the front cover:  Mount the 2 ¾” x 3 ¾” red music panel from the Authentique® Pride Collection to the back of the front cover.

Stamp the image from Not Forgotten (ODBD) using using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock and color with the AquaPainter™ with Night of Navy and Poppy Parade Classic Ink adding shadows using the Sahara Sand Stampin’ Write Marker.

Trim and mount onto Night of Navy cardstock, trim and mount onto Poppy Parade cardstock and distress the panel by sponging Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper Distress Ink over the edges and image.

Mount the focal image to the panel.

Balance of pages:  Mount the 2 ¾” x 3 ¾” pieces of the Authentique® Pride Collection to the “pages” or panels.

Using scrap strips of the papers, adhere to the edges only to create the straps to hold photos or business size cards (I plan to use some of these albums for Bible Verse memorization by printing the verses on business size cardstock).

I did add one sentiment on the opposite “page” from the Not Forgotten image using the verse from the same stamp set (colored with Stampin’ Write markers and “antiqued” with Ranger® Tim Holtz® Old Paper Distress Ink, cut out with the Big Shot™ and the Chalk Talk Collection Framelits™ and mounted onto an additional Chalk Talk frame from Night of Navy and Poppy Parade cardstock).

The entire album takes a few hours to create, but again, fair warning, they are very addictive!

Stamp Sets: Old Flag Background, Land of the Free, Not Forgotten (all Our Daily Bread Designs), Gorgeous Grunge (Stampin’ Up!)

Ink:  Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink, Night of Navy and retired Poppy Parade Classic Ink, Stampin’ Write Markers- Night of Navy, Sahara Sand and retired Poppy Parade; Ranger© Tim Holtz® Tea Dye and Old Paper Distress Ink

Paper/Cardstock:  Whisper White, Night of Navy Textured (12x12), Night of Navy Smooth, retired Poppy Parade, Authentique® Pride Collection

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Chalk Talk Framelits™, Sponge Dauber, Pewter Brads, lace and grosgrain ribbon from my stash

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

SUO123 Sweet Treats- Sheltering Tree Flag Box :-)

Hi Stampers!   

It’s time for the new SUO123 “Sweet Treats” Challenge and I decided to use the Sheltering Tree set along with the new Gift Bag Punch Board to create a patriotic star box in honor of Memorial Day. 

I hope you will find the time to check out all the rest of ourDesign Team ideas and create your own “Sweet Treats” project using Stampin’ Up! Only products !!

To create this “Sweet Treat” holder:

Use the Big Shot™ with the Star Collection Framelits™ to cut two large stars from Cherry Cobbler cardstock.  Use the next size down to cut two stars from Night of Navy cardstock and the next size down for two from Whisper White cardstock.

Create a mask from scrap paper for the “star” portion of the flag and mask the Whisper White star shape. 

Ink the background shape from Sheltering Tree with Cherry Cobbler ink (the one that is normally used behind the sentiments) and stamp on the star image for the stripes of the flag- you will need to re-ink as you stamp.

Once you are finished with the stripes, remove the mask for the star area of the flag, mask the stripes and ink the foliage stamp from Sheltering Tree using Night of Navy Classic Ink and stamp into the “star” area of the flag.

Repeat the above steps for the second white star.

Side view of Gift Bag center and banners :-)

Use the Gift Bag Punch Board to create the smallest size gift bag from Cherry Cobbler cardstock (the bag only needs to be 2” high so I used a 10 ½” x 2” piece of cardstock).  Note- the Gift Bag Punch Board called for a 10” piece for the smallest bag but for some reason, I did not have a flap on the last gusset to adhere so I found that a 10 ½” piece works better for the small bag).

Layer the star shapes together and adhere the small gift bag in the middle (raising the bag up so you cannot see it between the points of the star).

Stamp the Gorgeous Grunge diagonal line stamp with Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink and the Sheltering Tree foliage with Night of Navy Classic Ink onto Whisper White cardstock and punch out with the Banner Punch. 

Punch a few banners from Night of Navy cardstock and adhere the banners to a piece of Natural Linen Thread or Baker’s Twine alternating between the Night og Navy and stamped banners (Note- you will not see the material since the banners will cover it up completely- I used retired Hemp Twine since I had it on hand).

Mount the banner line to the center sides of the box (I used Tombow Adhesive for this step).

Stamp the sentiment using Night of Navy Classic Ink onto Whisper White cardstock, trim and create the banner points with the Banner Punch.

Mount the sentiment using Stampin’ Dimensionals® to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Sheltering Tree, Gorgeous Grunge

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy

Paper/Cardstock: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy

Accessories: Big Shot™, Star Collection Framelits™, Banner Punch, Gift Bag Punch Board, retired Hemp Twine

Thanks again for stopping by – I had fun using Sheltering Tree in a different way to create this little treat box and now I just have to find some treats to fill it up!! 

I hope that you will create your own Stampin’ Up! Only project and play along with our “Sweet Treats” challenge!