September Card Club

I hold monthly stamp clubs (no obligation necessary) where participants make 4 cards.  Each month is different, and in September, these were two of the cards:

 This striking card uses the new World Map stamp; it was embossed using black embossing powder after we created unique backgrounds using stamp pads and the "direct-to-paper" method.  (Unfamiliar with that?  Just place your ink pad directly on your card stock, and drag it across.  Repeat randomly on your card front, then add a second and even a third color...results in totally different backgrounds every time--a real WOW!).

Then we did this fun birthday card, using a piece of Designer Series Paper from the Season of Style paper stack, white Craft Ink, Banner Greetings, the Ticket Punch and some Epic Day This and That washi tape.  You can't really see the sparkle of the silver Glimmer Paper strip or the beautiful shimmer of the Silver Ribbon, but it looks great in "real life"!   I saw a card like this done by another Stampin' UP demo, and was sure I had saved her name to give her credit, but am unable to find it. 

Wanna join us?  Contact me to have your name added to my e-mail updates and you will soon be creating lovely cards like these every month! 

Let's get creating!

Black and White with a Spot of Color

That was the name of a challenge in which I participated.  I had to create a card using only black and white, but then could add one spot of color.

This was my card:

It was such a fun card to make, but also made me crazy lining up all the little squares just so!  But I think the effort was worth it, don't you?  Please let me know.

Let's get creating!

Stamps:  Bright Blossoms, Fabulous Phrases
Ink:  Staz-on Black
Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black
Goodies:  Perfect Polka Dots, Square Lattice and Stripes embossing folders; square punch; Black Polka Dot ribbon (retired); Brights Buttons (retired); Big Shot

Paper Pumpkin Welcome Kit

My Paper Pumpkin is a great little red box full of stuff to unleash your creativity.  This monthly subscription has a different project every month, and comes with everything you need to have a "creativity break". 

I was a late adopter, and finally signed up last month.  I received my first box this week, and couldn't wait to get started.  The Welcome Kit comes with two stamps, a size D acrylic block, a Basic Gray stampin' spot, and supplies to make four cards.  For the beginning crafter, this is an easy way to get your feet wet, and you will probably want to practice making the four cards all the same. 

But for those of us who like to switch things up a bit, I thought I would share my creations with you. 

 Here are my four cards.  First up is the standard card:

Directions tell you just how to create this one.

 Then I stepped it up one notch, by turning the card sideways, stamping my sentiment on a scrap of Whisper White card stock, cutting it into a banner shape, and popping it up on two Dimensionals.

Card #3:  I cut the front panel down slightly.  The Old Olive scallop is butted-up next to it and I trimmed the Old Olive medallion (the little piece tops a small banner of the extra front panel on the inside).  The sentiment is again stamped on a scrap of Whisper White, but I punched a thin Tempting Turquoise scallop and added it at the bottom.

 And now the real change:  Lots of banners using the front panel piece along with two strips of Tempting Turquoise.  The sentiment is stamped on another piece of the front panel, and cut with oval framelits, layered on an Old Olive oval, and added with Dimensionals.  I also used a few of the Brights Candy Dots to pull it all together.  

So there you have it:  One Paper Pumpkin, four cards using mostly the same supplies, all different.

How fun is that?

Interested in having My Paper Pumpkin delivered to your door each month?  Head to https://mypaperpumpkin.com/en/ and sign up.  Please be sure to choose me as your demonstrator!  I appreciate your business.

Let's get creating.

 

Simple Box

Here's a great way to present hand-made cards as a gift:

 A simple card-stock box decorated with Designer Series Paper makes the perfect card-carrier for a special gift.
Measure your card; using the dimensions, add 2 1/2" to the length and width measurements.  Score at 1" on all sides.  Repeat for the lid, but score at 15/16" on all sides.
Cut from the edge to the score line on the ends of your box; this will create flaps on the four corners.  Fold all score lines and use Tombow adhesive or Sticky Strip on the flaps to make the box.  Decorate with Designer Series Paper.

I used the Designer Rosettes Bigz Die to make a lolly (rosette); an Antique Brad was hot-glued in the center, and a banner was added.

This box will hold 4 cards/envelopes.

Let's get creating!

A Dollar Bin Re-Do

Look what I found in the "Dollar Bin":

 I'm always writing notes to myself--don't really know how I'd get through the day without them!  But this pad was pretty plain, so me, being me, had to dress it up a little:

 A "pad-folio"!  I started with Basic Black card stock and created a folder, into which I sticky-stripped my pad.  The front was decorated with left-over paper stack Designer Series Paper and new Modern Medley DSP (my fav!).  I even used some to create a little lolly, which was decorated with a left over jewel from an old kit.  Letters were cut out using the Typeset Alphabet Bigz die..

How cute is that?  Can't wait to pull it out in my next meeting!

Let's get creating!

Just playin' with a little Love and Sympathy

If you saw my Wedding Card post last week, you may have noticed all the "Little Leaves" I cut out and placed on the card.  Well, for every leaf there's a negative space that was just begging to be used.  So I got some time and started playing:

 Using the "negative space" as a stencil, I sponged Pear Pizzazz on Whisper White.  Once all edges of the card was sponged, I added sponging with Pear Pizzazz for more depth. 

 The sentiment from Love and Sympathy was stamped in Early Espresso and cut out with the Window Frames Framelits.  I carefully placed this on the card front, and matched up the stencil, sponging more leaves directly on the sentiment cut out. 

Flowers from Fabulous Florets and butterflies from Papillon Potpourri were stamped in Pear Pizzazz and fussy cut (the butterflies were punched); pearls were added and they were all popped up/adhered to the card.

A simple monochromatic card, perfect for expressing a little love and sympathy.

Let's get creating!

Stamps:  Love and Sympathy (W: #128652, $15.95; C: #122707, $11.95); Papillon Potpourri (W: 132058, $18.95; C: #123759, $14.95); Fabulous Florets (W: 128574, $23.95; C: #123027, $17.95)
Ink:  Pear Pizzazz (#131180, $5.95); Early Espresso (#126974, $5.95)
Paper:  Whisper White (#100730, $8.50); Pear Pizzazz (# 131201, $6.95)
Goodies:  Pearls Basic Jewels, (#119247, $4.95); Window Frames Collection Framelits (#129021, $26.95); Big Shot (#113439, $99.95); Stampin' Dimensionals (#104430, $3.95)

Woo Hoo!

 
Woo Hoo!  I just saw that I was the winner in last week's INK(S)PIRE Me challenge.  My fun card, using Strawberry Slush, Midnight Muse, Baked Brown Sugar, Whisper White and Early Espresso was stamped using the Blast Off stamp set.  See it here: http://www.inkspire-me.com/

Thanks, ladies of INK(S)PIRE ME!  I'll be sure to play along again this week.

How about you?  Have you ever entered a challenge?  This is one of the best ways to sharpen your creative skills and have a little fun.  Challenges may be in the form of lay-outs, colors (like this one), or inspiration photos, and it's always exciting to figure out how to incorporate the challenge into your card and enter the contest.  I encourage you to give it a try!  What have you got to lose?

Let's get creating!

Blast Off!

Another challenge from the INK(s)pire Me folks:
Great colors, but I had to think a minute to decide how to combine them.

Here's my submission:

I used Blast Off (w: #131958, $28.95; c: #125946, $20.95) to create my card.  The rocket was stamped in Baked Brown Sugar, cut out and popped over my astronaut, stamped in Early Espresso.  The stars were heat-embossed with white embossing powder and the planet and rocket boosters were stamped in Strawberry Slush and fussy cut.  Two Early Espresso candy dots finished my banner...what do you think?

Let's get creating!

Forever and Always

I'm going to a wedding.
An employee from my "real job" is getting married, and I wanted to make a special card for this young woman, whom I've known since I hired her many years ago.  It didn't take me long to come up with my design, but the card kept growing!  Ideas were coming fast and furious, and I needed to rework my plan several times.
But I think the result was worth it:

This has lots of layers--I started with textured Whisper White card stock and layered on a white heart cut with the Hearts Collection Framelits and embossed with the Fancy Fan embossing folder (#127751, $7.95).  Little Leaves (#114511, $5.50) were cut and adhered as if they are floating from a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" frame run through the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder (#117335, $7.95). 

"Love" was cut from the Expressions Thinlets dies (#132171, $24.95) using the gorgeous silver Foil Sheets (#132178, $3.95), and adhered to the heart.  Because I wanted to protect the delicate details, I layered a piece of 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" Window Sheet over the framed portion of the card, then tied a bow with the 5/8" Organza Ribbon (#114319, $5.95). 

But wait...there's more!  It's a card within a card:

I used the frame from the heart on the front for the inside, and then cut a smaller heart-shaped card, using the same Hearts Collection framelits (#125599, $26.95).  And embossed the phrase from Delightful Dozen (w: 128547 $32.95, c:122652, $24.95) using silver embossing powder (#109131, $4.75).  All elements were layered on a piece of Brushed Silver card stock (#100712, $7.95). 

And because my gorgeous card is over sized, I made my own envelope, using the wonderful new Envelope Punch Board:

(envelope paper is retired Night and Day).

What do you think?  Is this a fitting card for a "happily ever after"?
(and if you're going to Patricia's wedding, don't tell her about the card!) 

A "Spooky" Banner

I'm certainly not ready to give up on summer (after all, it's only September 2, and in California we have hot weather until Halloween), but I AM looking ahead and preparing my classes.  Here's the next Stamp Camp:

 We'll be making this adorable "Spooky" Halloween banner, using the new Create a Banner and Halloween Banner Accessories kits from the Holiday Catalog. 

Class is only $20 for all supplies; RSVP must be sent by September 10 so I can order your accessories and have it ready for the class on either Friday, September 20 (6:30 p.m.) or Saturday, September 21 (10:00 a.m.).

Want to make one but don't live near Davis?  For $30, I'll send you 6 pre-sponged canvas pennants and your supplies to complete your banner.  You will need glue dots, a glue gun, and dimensionals.  Contact me for more information and to order.

Let's get creating!

INKspired Poppy

My first Challenge!  I've never done this before...
IN(K)SPIRE me has a regular challenge, and I've long admired their work, but have never participated.  So today I found this:


And decided to make a card for the challenge.

Here's my version (you'll note I've taken the liberty of flipping the sketch, as I wanted to use my new "Dictionary" and "Pleasant Poppies" stamps.

The background is Old Olive, with Dictionary stamped in Old Olive ink.  The panels are stamped with Dictionary and sponged; then Pleasant Poppies was stamped over it and colored with blender pens.  The sentiment and popped up poppy (try to say that three times fast!) is from Simply Sketched.

What do you think?
 Let's get creating!

NEW Envelope Punch Board - Available Today!

Have you seen it? 

The NEW Envelope Punch Board is now available.  This nifty little (it really doesn't take up much space, and is very light and portable) tool makes envelopes in 66 (did you hear that? SIXTY SIX!) sizes!  Not to mention millions of color/paper options!  So you can create cards to your heart's content and never have to worry if it will fit into an envelope!  Just make your own to match your card!

And the price can't be beat--$19.95!  Paper sizes are printed right on the front of the tool, and it comes with it's own scoring tool and an integrated punch that trims corners perfectly, so making fabulous envelopes is easy peasy! 

Want to see it in action?  Look here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzokPixtpko&feature=player_embedded

Want it?  Head over to my on-line store (order #133774) and it'll be on it's way to you this week!

Let's get creating!

A Masculine Birthday Card

It's not always easy to come up with an idea for a guy when you like flowers, ribbons and pearls...but I saw a tutorial on Constantlystamping.com that gave me an idea.  A stamp set I recently purchased but hadn't yet used, Tape It, has a great chevron patterned-stamp. 

Stamping the chevron repeatedly in Midnight Muse and Smoky Slate, I then cut each strip so no white appears around the outside.  Then I adhered them, alternating colors and direction, to a piece of scrap paper, creating a background, that when added to my white card base, made a perfect card for the birthday guy!

Stamps:  Tape It, Perfectly Penned
Inks:  Smoky Slate, Midnight Muse
Paper:  Whisper White, Midnight Muse, Gumball Green
Goodies:  Apothecary Labels Thinlits, Big Shot, Candy Dots (neutrals), Stampin' Dimensionals, Two-way Glue Pen

Let's get creating!