CQC109 Thanks!

REVISED CARD WITH THE COLOURQ CHALLENGE COLORS

Hi Stampers! 

I was not totally pleased with the way the radish card (see details below) turned out using the CQC109 colors so I decided to take off the vanilla satin ribbon and front panel to salvage the card (I will save the front panel and ribbon for another card in the future). 

This is a basic "Clean and Simple" (CAS) card and was extremely easy-I already had the layered embossed panels, so I added a few punched embossed squares and a bit of ribbon, stamped the Triple Treat Flower in Pumpkin Pie and Island Indigo Classic Ink on Very Vanilla cardstock and used the coordinating floral punches to punch out the flowers, added a pearl for the center and viola the card is finished! 

Stamp Sets:  Triple Treat Flower, Absolutely Fabulous

Ink: Island Indigo, Pumpkin Pie

Cardstock: Very Vanilla , Island Indigo, Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler

 Accessories:  Big Shot™, Embossing Buddy®, Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Folder, Punches- 1 1/4" Square, Fancy Flower and 5-Petal , 5/8” Pumpkin Pie Satin Ribbon (retired), Pearls


I hope this inspires you to remember that there are no mistakes in stamping- just learning experiences :-)  Experiment and have fun!!




ORIGINAL CARD SUBMITTED TO THE COLOURQ


Hi Stampers! 

I decided to create a card using the colors from this week’s CQC109 ColourQ Challenge are a great combination- love the retro feel!  Again, the Design Team and other entries look fabulous- if you have the chance, check them out!    

Since I had the embossing gun out from my last card, I decided to incorporate embossing into this card as well….

To create this card:

Ink the background stamp, Well Worn with Soft Suede Classic Ink and stamp onto Very Vanilla.  De-static the Very Vanilla with the Embossing Buddy®, stamp the radish image with Versamark® ink, apply Stampin’ Emboss® Clear Embossing Powder and heat with the Heat Tool.   Use Sponge Daubers to apply Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler and Island Indigo Classic ink to the image.  Gently wipe off the embossed image, trim and spray with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (mixed with 70% alcohol).

Stamp the sentiment with Island Indigo and assemble the layers.  Add the 5/8” Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon bow and pearls to finish off the card. 

This card really sparkles in real life and was a bit difficult to photograph:-)  I hope you like it!  

Stamp Sets:  Homegrown, Retired Sets- Well Worn (background), Absolutely Fabulous

Ink: Versamark®, Cherry Cobbler, Island Indigo, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Suede

Cardstock: Very Vanilla , Island Indigo, Soft Suede

 Accessories:  Big Shot™, Embossing Buddy®, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Clear Embossing Powder, Sponge Daubers¸Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Folder, 5/8/” Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Pearls

Thanks again for stopping by to visit- I hope you have a blessed Sunday!

FM31 With Gratitude

Hi Stampers! 

WooHoo!!  This month I have the privilege of being a Guest Designer for the Friday Mashup!

What a honor to work with such a talented team of Designers and I hope you will take the time to visit the site to see each of their beautiful creations.

So here’s the FM31 Gratitude "Mashup" Challenge:

1.             Make a project featuring "Heat Embossing".

2.            Or Make a "Thank You (Grateful)" project.  

3.            Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Thank You Project using Heat Embossing".

To create this card:

Use the Big Shot™ with the Top Note Bigz ™ Die to cut a piece of Early Espresso and emboss it with the Herringbone Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder. 

Emboss a piece of the Mocha Morning Designer Series Paper with the Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder and adhere the Early Espresso Top Note to the Mocha Morning layer.  Adhere this to a layer of Early Espresso.

De-static a piece of More Mustard with the Embossing Buddy® and stamp the leaf images with Versamark™ ink.  Apply Stampin’ Emboss® Gold Embossing Powder and heat with the Heat Tool.   Carefully cut out the leaves around the embossed lines.

Also heat emboss the sentiment with the Gold EP onto Whisper White and dry emboss with the Big Shot™ and the Decorative Oval Frame Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder. 

Layer the sentiment and leaves onto the Top Note/DSP layer, adhere the gold satin ribbon bow (I have a "ton" of this luscious ribbon in my stash and just had to use it) and mount onto Whisper White and More Mustard to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Autumn Splendor, Day of Gratitude

 Ink: Versamark™

Cardstock:  Whisper White, More Mustard, Early Espresso, Mocha Morning DSP

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Top Note Bigz™ Die, Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders- Herringbone, Square Lattice, Decorative Oval Frame, Embossing Buddy®, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Gold Embossing Powder, 1 ½” Gold Satin Ribbon (from my stash)

Thanks again for your visit and I am so grateful for all of you!  As you can see, I decided to "Mash It Up" and hope you will join us too! 

Give Thanks- Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge

Hi Stampers! 

I wanted to play some more with some of my newly acquired stamps and decided to create a card for the HandStamped Sentiments HSSIC90 Theme Challenge- Giving Thanks. 

Again, their Design Team has created so many different projects- if you have a minute, check them out!

To create this card:

Ink your brayer with More Mustard and apply the ink lightly to a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  Use the brayer to apply Cajun Craze and Riding Hood Red to the same cardstock as well.

Use the Embossing Buddy® to de-static the brayered cardstock and stamp the leaf images with Versamark™ ink.   Apply Stampin’ Emboss® Clear Embossing Powder and heat with the Heat Tool.  Once the embossing powder has cooled, sponge Early Espresso ink over the leaf images and gently wipe off the ink from the leaves. 

With the Big Shot™ and the Top Note Bigz™ Die, cut a two die cuts- one from Early Espresso and the other from embossed leaf panel.  Cut the leaf panel Top Note shape in half and trim the serrated edge off the piece that will be used for this card (save the other half for another project). 

With the Big Shot™ and the Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder emboss a piece of the More Mustard cardstock- adhere this embossed panel to an Early Espresso cardstock layer.

Emboss the lower half of the Top Note Die with the Finial Press Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder and mount the Top Note shape onto the More Mustard layer. 

Stamp the sentiment with Early Espresso Classic Ink onto Very Vanilla­ cardstock and add a few leaves stamped with Riding Hood Red (stamp off before stamping onto the sentiment).  Punch out with the Decorative Label Punch and layer onto a piece of embossed More Mustard (punched with the same punch from the Square Lattice embossed panel- I punched this one from behind the Top Note area where you would never see :-)).

Spray the entire card front with Champagne Shimmer Paint (mixed with 70% alcohol) and add the 5/8” Early Espresso Satin Ribbon.  Mount onto a layer of Riding Hood Red to finish off the card.    

 Stamp Sets:  Autumn Splendor, Day of Gratitude

 Ink: Versamark™, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Riding Hood Red, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla

Cardstock: Whisper White, More Mustard, Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red

 Accessories:  Big Shot™, Finial Press and Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, Top Note Bigz™ Die, Brayer, Embossing Buddy®, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Clear Embossing Powder, 5/8” Early Espresso Satin Ribbon (retired), Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, Sponge Dauber, Decorative Label Punch

Thanks again for stopping by and God Bless! 

Tutorial- Bow Tying

Hi Stampers!  

I love using bows on my cards and have a hard time making a project without a bow!  Recently, many of you have inquired how I make my bows so I thought I would try to write a tutorial of the different ways to create a bow.

Believe it or not, inexpensive tools that you have on hand can be used to create bows!

For single bows-

I either tie directly right off the roll or use a water bottle.  Tying off the roll- take the ribbon and loop over your left hand finger- tighten to a loop- and hold with your right hand.  With your left hand, bring the tail up from behind and  from the left and over the top of the loop in your right hand and push the tail behind the pinched loop and thru opening to create the bow (just like tying your shoelaces).

If you want to tie a single bow that can attach across the card, a water bottle can come in handy.  I used to waitress (ages ago :-) and had to tie my apron in a French Knot and found that the technique of how I used to tie my apron came in handy for tying bows. 

Take an ordinary water bottle and place the bottle in front of you (I use my lap or the table and have the bottle in front of me with the bow tying area in the front- as if to tie your apron).   Wrap the ribbon around the bottle, take the two ends and start to tie the bow.  Left over right, tighten the knot on the bottle and hold with your finger to hold it tight.  Loop the right end , hold the loop with your right hand finger (holding it tight against the bottle) pull the left end back in front of the right loop and over to behind to complete the bow.  Again, just like tying your shoe!  

Snip the ribbon in the back of the bottle (being careful not to cut your bottle, especially if you still have water in it:-)).  I generally try to cut the ribbon in the back keeping in mind, where I want the bow placement on my card.  If you want the bow to be in the center, then cut the ribbon in the center (so that you have equal amount of ribbon on both sides of the bow).  If you would prefer to have the bow be on one side or the other of the card front, then determine which side you should cut the ribbon in the back to allow enough ribbon to cover the card front.

Fork Method:  You can use a large serving fork (I have a turkey lifter) and use the tongs as a “jig” and this works well for single, double or triple bows!  So search your kitchen to see what you can use:-)

Double or Triple Bows:

Fork Method- As mentioned above, you can use a large serving fork (I have a turkey lifter) and use the tongs as a “jig” and this works especially well for double bows.  

Use the tongs to hold the ribbon as you wrap around and tie in the center.  You Tube has a few videos that you can search for other fork tying methods.

"Fork Tied" Bows 

Homemade Bow Jig- Scrap 2x4 & Nails 

Other jigs- I have a bow maker from years ago that can be used for larger bow making and recently had my husband take a scrap piece of 2 x 4 and nail several 8# finishing nails into the wood.  I wrapped the nails with masking tape and tie the ribbon around the posts (pinching them slightly to release the bow). 

There are other jigs on the internet – my upline recently purchased a few and I acquired one from her that I believe she may have bought from Lee Conrey.  It is a wooden dowel system and works extremely well.    

Now you know all of my secrets for bow making :-) !!  If you have another way to create the perfect bow, let us know...

I hope this has been helpful and have fun experimenting with different ways to create bows!  There is no real right or wrong way, but practice does make perfect!  

Another Thank You- Three in One!

Hi Again, Stampers! 

Well, I decided to finish up one more card this evening (or should I say morning) and chose to use the colors from this week’s CCMC173 Create with Connie and Mary along with the Stamping411 SSC227 Sketch, and the PPA117 CAS Ribbon Challenge.   Oh, and these colors happen to be the same colors as the Splitcoast CC346 Color Challenge:-)…

If you have the time, stop by the sites above for wonderful inspiration from their Design Teams and all of the entries!

To create this card:

Use the Big Shot™ along with the Perfect Dots Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Baja Breeze and the Stripes Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Island Indigo.  

Use the brayer to apply Baja Breeze ink to a piece of Whisper White and stamp the En Francais background stamp with Baja Breeze ink over the brayered paper. 

Ink the leaf images from French Foliage in Island Indigo and Rich Razzleberry and stamp randomly onto the brayered panel to create the collage.  Distress this panel with the Distressing Tool and layer onto Island Indigo cardstock (adding the embossed panel at the bottom - punch the edge with the Eyelet Scallop Border Punch). 

On Whisper White cardstock, stamp the sentiment in Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink.  :Huff: onto the leaf stamps to “re-moisten” the ink from stamping the main panel and stamp around the sentiment. Emboss using the Big Shot™ with the Decorative Oval Frame Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder and sponge with Baja Breeze Classic Ink to bring out the detail.  Carefully cut out around the embossing and adhere under the focal panel. 

Add the 5/8” Rich Razzleberry Satin Ribbon and pearls to finish off the card. 

Stamp Sets:  French Foliage, En Francais, Short and Sweet

Ink: Baja Breeze, Island Indigo, Rich Razzleberry

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Island Indigo

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Perfect Dots, Decorative Oval Frame and Stripes Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, 5/8” Rich Razzleberry Satin Ribbon (retired), Brayer, Pearls, Sponge Dauber

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

Thanks for All You Do- Two in One!

Hi Stampers! 

I created this card using this week’s CQC108 ColourQ Challenge Colors along with the FMS8 sketch from this week's Freshly Made Sketches.   Again, the Design Teams at both sites have created gorgeous projects and the entries for each challenge are wonderful!

 

I decided to create my own "Designer Paper" with a brayer and four of the challenge colors for the center panel and also used Heat Embossing for the flowers. 

To create this card:

On two pieces of Whisper White cardstock, brayer So Saffron, Daffodil Delight and Peach Parfait Classic ink.  Once one piece, stamp the flourish in Basic Black and mount onto Basic Black and Whisper White cardstock.

On the other piece, de-static with the Embossing Buddy®, stamp the floral images with Versamark® ink, apply Stampin’ Emboss®  Black Embossing Powder and heat with the Heat Tool.   Carefully cut out each flower and set aside.

Use the Big Shot™ and emboss a piece of Peach Parfait and Whisper White cardstock with the Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder.  Assemble the layers, add the flowers and sentiment.

Finish off the card with the pearls and 5/8” Black Satin Ribbon bow.

Stamp Sets:  Creative Elements, Absolutely Fabulous (retired)

Ink:  Versamark™, Basic Black, Daffofil Delight, Peach Parfait, So Saffron

Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Peach Parfait

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Embossing Buddy®, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Black Embossing Powder, Brayer, Pearls, 5/8” Black Satin Ribbon, Decorative Label Punch

Thanks again for visiting today- I hope you like this card!  I had a great time making it and since these colors are not ones I would normally put together, it was truly a challenge for me!  Have fun stamping and creating and stop by again soon! 

PP69 Christmas Wishes

Hi Stampers!   

Well, according to our local weather report, it should be “beginning to look a lot like Christmas” tonight and tomorrow as we are anticipating receiving 4” – 8” of snow here on the East Coast!  What would be better to celebrate than a Christmas card created for The Paper Player’s PP69 Sketch Challenge? 

This week’s sketch was quite a challenge since all of the Design Team samples and other entries seemed to use the sets that I thought of and they were so gorgeous!  As I looked at the sketch, I thought, why not flip it on it's side, so that is what I decided to do..:-))  

To create this card:

Using Stampin’ Write Markers in More Mustard, Old Olive and Cajun Craze, color the bird image and stamp onto Whisper White cardstock.  Cut out the banner shape and distress with the Distressing Tool.  Layer onto Old Olive, cut the banner and distress as well.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Petals-A-Plenty Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Whisper White, add the 5/8” Satin Ribbon double layer (for the panel area in the sketch behind the banner).    

Use the same markers to color the floral image from the Gifts of Christmas set as well as the sentiment.  Punch out layers for both and adhere to the card.   Add the pearls and satin bow to finish off the card.  

Stamp Sets:  Gifts of Christmas, Short and Sweet

 Ink: none- Stampin’ Write markers- Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Old Olive

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Old Olive

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Petals-A-PlentyTextured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Distressing Tool, Punches- Word Window, Modern Label, 1” and 1 ¼” Circle, Pearls, 5/8” Satin Ribbon (from my stash)

Thanks for stopping by!  I am looking forward to being snowed in a bit (it will melt fast) and having time to clean house (oh, who am I kidding, stamping comes first!).

 Have fun stamping and God Bless! 

Having Fun with "Snow Much Fun"!

Two of the Workshop Projects- Gift Card Holder on the left  

Hi Stampers! 

Finally, I am able to post a few projects! :-)   

I have been busy this past week with designing projects and preparing for a beginner's workshop focusing on a few simple cards/projects. 

The hostess is a dear friend of mine that loves all of the cute stamps that Stampin’ Up! has to offer along with the Big Shot and the participants were all beginner stampers (including three teen girls- we had a great time and left with Dazzling Diamonds on our faces :-)). 

Project #3

Since my style tends to be more vintage and shabby, I was struggling with "cute" and thought that the little guys in Snow Much Fun would be perfect!  


After browsing Splitcoast Stamper's gallery and a few of my favorite weekly challenge blogs, I was able to be inspired late the night before the workshop (talk about procrastination:-)).    Also, the colors were based on last week's  The Paper Player's PP68 Challenge - since I took so long to determine the final projects, I could not finish them in time for the deadline on their challenge but wanted to share them with you  :-)

NOTE-  To punch out the snowman with the hat peeking out of the circle on the Gift Card Holder, stamp the image, color and then carefully cut out the hat along the top and down the sides only (to the rim).  Gently fold the hat down towards the snowman, then punch out with the 1 ½” Circle Punch and fold the hat back in place- quick and easy!

Another sample (not part of the workshop)

All of these items were simple to make using the Big Shot and various embossing folders, die cuts, punches, watercolor pencils and of course, "bling"! 

Stamp Set:  Snow Much Fun

Ink: Early Espresso

Cardstock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Garden Green¸ Real Red

A few other samples  (also not part of the workshop)

Accessories; Big Shot™, Top Note Bigz™ Die,  3” Circle Originals™ Die, Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders- Snowburst, Northern Flurry, Perfect Polka Dots, Punches- Modern Label, Snowflake,  1 ¾” Scallop Circle, 1 ½” Circle, Rhinestones, Pearls, 5/8” Real Red Satin Ribbon, Sponge Daubers, Crimper, Watercolor Pencils, Aqua Painter, Dazzling Diamonds

I hope you enjoy these projects and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask! 


If you are like me and have not inked this set up, try it this week- it is  "Snow Much Fun"!

Thanks again for stopping by-  I should be able to post again soon with some other projects that are in the works!