Inspired Sunset Tutorial

Another day, another tutorial.  Here's another brayered card that I have taught to my friends in my beginner's brayering classes.  This one uses the "Inspired by Nature" stamp from Stampin' Up!  Click here to take a look.

"Inspired Sunset"

Room with a View Tutorial

Spent today inside, watching the snow falling.  It's so pretty when you don't have to be out in it!!  Decided to take the opportunity to create another tutorial for a brayered card that is part of my beginner brayering classes I have with friends.  Click here to take a look.  You'll see how easy it is ... 

I've also written a tutorial on how to make the window for the front of the card.  Check out the Tutorials page to take a look ...

"Room with a View"

Just Believe

I recently bought several Spellbinders Nestabilities.  They are so cool!!  I love the "Just Believe" stamp set from Stampin' Up! ... and I think the main image suits being inside an oval.  Hope you like.

"Just Believe"

 

 

Stamps:  Just Believe, Cottage Garden (butterfly)

Paper:  Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Versamark; Stampin' Write Markers:  Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Marina Mist (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories & Tools:  Nestabilities -  Label Ten, Classic Small Ovals (Spellbinders); polka-dot embossing folder, 1/2" Baja Breeze Seam binding ribbon, white half-pearls, Stamp-a-ma-jig
 

* * * * *

 
I cut out the Labels Ten die-cut using Baja Breeze paper (5" x 4").  I cut out the Oval die-cut using Whisper White (4" x 3") and embossed the edge.  I then masked the outside of the oval, only exposing inside the embossed ridge.  I used the Stampin' Write Markers to ink the image -  the flowers where inked with Baja Breeze and the leaves and stems were inked with Certainly Celery. Marina Mist was only added to the edges of the large flowers and the two buds.  I then used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to get the correct placement and stamped the image onto the white oval.  I adhered the stamped oval to the Baja Breeze Label Ten frame.

I ran the 4 3/4" x 3 1/2" piece of Certainly Celery through my Big Shot with the polka-dot embossing folder.  I adhered the embossed piece onto the 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Whisper White, using sticky strips (a must for gluing anything with depth - they are so strong).  I centered the framed oval onto the polka-dot paper and adhered (again, using sticky strips).  I added white half-pearls to both the top and bottom of the frame (six altogether).  I made a double bow and adhered it over the bottom of the stamped image, just above the pearls and glued the ends across to the back.  I separated the double bow and used glue dots to hold each section in place.  I then attached the whole panel to the card base of Baja Breeze.

I stamped the butterfly image onto Certainly Celery using Versamark (just so I could get an outline of a butterfly) and then cut it out.  I mounted it the oval with a glue dot.

I finished the inside of the card by inking part of my stamp (this time one stem with a bud on top) and using my Stamp-a-ma-jig, stamped the "sprig" on the top right-hand side of the Whisper White cardstock.  I mounted it to the Certainly Celery cardstock and glued the panel inside the card.

 

Stylish Blogger Award

 

Thank you to Alison Solven (http://stampcrazy.typepad.com/my_weblog) for nominating me for the stylish blogger award.  I appreciate the kudos considering I've only had my blog up and running for a VERY short time.

So, part of the Stylish Blogger Award is to share 7 personal things about myself .... here goes ...  
 

1. I have been doing crafts since I was about seven when my mom taught me how to knit.  I always have something on the go and over the years have tried many different crafts.  Being creative is a passion and I am always trying to learn something new.
2. I'm afraid to fly!!  I suffer from motion sickness and the idea of getting on a plane and being stuck there for several hours scares the heck out of me.
3. My given name is Laura ... but no one calls me that.  My grandfather and dad called me Tiger.  At school and work, I was called Laurie.  And some of my friends and family call me Loll (which is the moniker I use to sign my crafts).
4. I love to garden.  Lilies are my favorite flower (and pink is the best color!).
5. I worked for 30 years as an administrative assistant.  Two years ago, my job was eliminated and I retired, even though I'm WAY, WAY too young :)  Now, instead of working, I spend most of my day in my art studio playing - so much fun!! :)
6. I have always lived in the Lower Mainland.  I was born in New Westminster, grew up in Burnaby, and have been living in North Delta for the past 15 years.  I love the Westcoast - it's an amazing and beautiful place!
7. Another hobby of mine is baking and I've been doing that since my mom bought me an Easy-Bake oven when I was around 10.  Over the years I have accumulated many delicious recipes.  I'm thinking I should include some of them on the website ... hmmmm, I'm going to think about that.

Now, I am going to nominate my top seven blogs that I visit regularly (no particular order).  There are so many talented people on the net .... here's just a few ....

Michelle Zindorff - http://zindorf.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Jackie Topa - http://www.jackietopa.typepad.com/
Laura Fredrickson - http://www.scrapnextras.com/scrapnextras/
Mel McCarthy - http://melstampz.blogspot.com/
Susan Farrant - http://stampingandscrappin.typepad.com/susan_farrant/
Kittie Caracciolo - http://kittiekraft.typepad.com/kittiekraft/
Emma Fewkes - http://ladynthestamp.blogspot.com/

Sunset over Mountains Tutorial

There are gorgeous sunsets here on the Westcoast and I especially LOVE the ones with pink!  I've created my version of a sunset over the mountains and hope that you like it.

  

I'm happy to share with you, my first tutorial on a brayered card.  Click here to take a look.  The tutorial gives you step-by-step instructions on how the card was made and what supplies you will need.  If you need instructions on how to brayer, check out my Brayering Tips Sheet.

"Sunset over Mountains"

 

 

 

 

Little Black Dress-er

Today I'm showing you a Step Card that I made for the first time last summer.  I CASE'd the dresser idea from Jackie Topa (check out her blog at jackie.topa.typepad.com).  I just loved the look of the dresser and thought it would be great to make a "Little Black Dress" card for a special birthday for a girlfriend.  Inside the card I put the following sentiment that I printed onto Whisper White cardstock with my computer ... "Time to break out the Little Black Dress and celebrate!  Happy Birthday!".

I have written up Step Card General Instructions which shows how to construct the base of the card.

Here's a picture of the card and the details on how to make the Little Black dress version.  Hope you like.

"Little Black Dress"

Stamps: Celebrate - sentiment (unknown)

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Real Red, Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Real Red, Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories & Tools:  3 antique brads, small red brad, white 1/2 pearl, Real Red 1/2" satin ribbon (approx. 6" - divided), Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (approx. 4"), 3" wire, Word Window punch, hole punch, sticky strips, adhesives, and Big Shot (optional), Flourish Texturz plate (optional),

* * * * *

First, made the card base from Crumb Cake cardstock as per instructions included above.  For the "cut-outs" at the bottom of the dresser, I made a small pencil mark in the middle of each section at the very bottom.  I centered my Word Window punch, using the pencil mark as a guide, and lining up the bottom about half-way up the punch (I did this for both sections and it ends up looking like the dresser has legs).  Then I sponged the edges of ALL Crumb Cake pieces ... all of them :) using Chocolate Chip ink.

I cut out a "little black dress" from a template I found on-line.  If I EVER get a scanner at home, I'll starting adding templates to my website :)  I ran the dress through my Big Shot with the Flourish Texturz plate.  This just make the dress look a little "fancier" (sorry, hard to tell in the photo above).  I cut the 1/2" red satin ribbon into two pieces (2" and 4" long).  I folded the 2" piece in half lengthwise and wrapped it around the waist of the dress, adhering the ends to the back.  I place a half pearl on the red "sash" to add a little bling.
I punched Word Window two times in Chocolate chip and glued them together to make a very sturdy valet.  I then adhered the valet to the right side of the card (middle of that section), to it sits above the fold by about 1".  I added a brad to the valet so that I could "hang" the dress from it.  The hanger is made with a piece of bent wire (shaped like the number "2" and adhered inside a small piece of cardstock).  Check out Jackie Topa's website for a video tutorial on how to make these adorable hangers.  I then glued the shoulders of the dress onto the hanger.

For the drawer fronts, I punched a small hole in the middle of each one and added an antique brad.  I took the remaining 1/2" red satin ribbon (approx. 4" long) and adhered to the back of one the drawers and then brought it to the front, glued it down and then flipped the remaining tail back behind the drawer and glued the end down.  It then looks like there's a garment hanging out of a drawer - super cute!!  The three drawers are then adhered to the left-hand side of the "dresser" (evenly spaced).

For the sentiment,  I attached the Crumb Cake piece of cardstock (with sponged edge) to the Basic Black, punched a hole on the left-hand side and threaded through the 1/4" red grosgrain ribbon and just tied it in a half knot (trim ends).  I stamped "celebrate!" in Real Red Ink onto Whisper White cardstock and attached to the frame.

To finish, I attached the inside verse to the Crumb Cake frame (again, sponged edges) and then layered it onto the Basic Black cardstock and adhered the whole thing inside the card.

Pretty in Pink Flower Card

Another beautiful and sunny day in Delta!!  The weather has just been fabulous this past week.  Forecast is for clouds late today with the possibility of flurries by tomorrow - but it will only be a dusting IF we get anything at all.  Went out to the greenhouse yesterday (haven't been out there for weeks!! - my bad!), and found some bulbs that I missed potting up last fall - oops!  They were sitting loose in a pot with no dirt, but had all sprouted - they are survivors!!  So I potted them up and expect that I'll have some lovely tulips in no time :)

Into the art studio I go ...

Paper Flower Embellishments

Today I made a tutorial on Paper Flowers.  You have probably seen several of these on the internet, so what's one more to look at!! :)  Click to take a look.

I have just written out what works best for me and even though it's very straightforward, there are a few tips included that will make your flower-making easier.  These flowers are beautiful on a box or bag ... and I have also included them on cards.  Because of the depth of the flowers, you'll need to make a box envelope if you're putting them on cards.  I plan on writing a tutorial on the box envelope construction soon.  There is one on splitcoaststampers, but I have a few problems with their tutorial and I'm hoping to make adjustments to suit me.  The changes include: change dimensions so that it fits a standard card size, but with a little depth for 3D embellishments (theirs was very large and very deep); change lid so that it overlaps at the front rather than having to add a separate piece of cardstock; find a better way to keep it closed other than having to tie a ribbon around it.  Stay tuned ...

Here's the card with a paper flower that I made for my Mom's birthday earlier this month.  I think it's so pretty!  What girl doesn't love pink!!  I used Stampin' Up!'s Sending Love Designer Series paper from last year.  It's no longer being made, but it's still available (for now) until supplies run out.  Hope you like.

 

"Pretty in Pink Flower Card"

 

 

Stamps:  Vintage Labels

Paper:  Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla, Sending Love Designer Series paper (Stampin' Up!), Pink Vellum

Ink:  Stampin' Write Marker: Pretty in Pink

Accessories & Tools:  MS scallop border punch, small oval punch, medium oval punch, scallop circle punch, brad, Flourish Embossing Texturz plate, Big Shot, sheer pink ribbon with glitter edge (Michael's), stickles (on paper flower edge), sticky strips, adhesives and dimensionals

* * * * *

I started by running the large piece of Very Vanilla though my Big Shot using the Flourish Embossing Texturz Plate.  It's hard to tell in the picture, but there is a subtle embossing on the top part of the card.  I then attached the piece of Sending Love Designer Series paper on the bottom of the Very Vanilla cardstock.

Next, I punched scallop borders on the 5" x 2" piece of pink paper and pink vellum ... these will eventually be cut to 4" x 1", but having the extra allows you options for centering the scallops on the page, rather than cutting the paper to size and then trying to center the border punch exactly.  I attached the two border pieces to each other, overlapping them, with the vellum on top of the cardstock.  I then attached the border pieces to the front card panel, lining the vellum edge with the top of the Sending Love paper and trimming off any excess border paper on each side. The whole front panel was then adhered to the card base.

I attached a paper flower and double bow, slightly to the left of centre, along the top of the Sending Love paper (use sticky strips to attach the paper flower as they are much stronger than other adhesives).  I stamped "Happy Birthday" onto Very Vanilla and punched it out using the small oval punch.  I punched a medium oval of Pretty in Pink cardstock and layered the small vanilla oval on top.  I added the sentiment to the top right-hand side of the card, popping it up with dimensionals.

Bendy Fold - Welcome to the Neighborhood

I had an idea the other day for using my Neighborhood jumbo wheel and spent a few hours this morning trying it out.  I bought it a few weeks back but hadn't had a chance to use it yet.  Thought it would be perfect used on a bendy fold card ... I know, I just can't get enough of these cards ... they are so adorable!  Click here for instructions on how to construct this card.

This card can be used for so many occasions ... birthday (of course), welcome to the neighborhood, congrats on a new home ... etc.  Hope you like.

"Bendy Fold "Welcome to the Neighborhood"

 

 

Stamps:  Neighborhood Jumbo Wheel, Valentine Defined, Pendant Park, Pocket Silhouettes (sentiment) (Stampin' Up)

Paper:  Old Olive, Whisper White, Real Red (Stampin' Up!); Grass

Ink:  Early Espresso ink pad; Stampin' Write Markers:  Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, More Mustard, So Saffron, Sahara Sand, Soft Suede, River Rock, Daffodil Delight, Cajun Craze, Real Red, Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories & Tools:  Making Memories Slot punch (optional) or Exacto knife, clear embossing powder, heat tool, sticky strips and adhesives

* * * * *

I started by inking the Neighborhood Jumbo Wheel with Early Espresso and running it across the top of the large piece of Whisper White cardstock.  I then embossed the image in clear.  I colored in the houses and sky using my Stampin' Write markers.  I attached the 5 1/4" x 2" piece of grass paper to fill in the white space just below the row of houses.  You make need to trim your grass paper to fit (depends on how high on the page you stamped your houses).  Mount the colored image panel onto the large panel of Old Olive.
 
I attached the 5" x 2 1/2" piece of grass paper to the left-hand side piece of Old Olive (not covering the 1/2" margin that is used to attach it to the main panel of the card (see construction instructions above).  I attached the 5" x 1 3/4" piece of grass paper to the right-hand piece of Old Olive (again, not covering the 1/2" margin that is used to attach it to the main panel of the card).
 
I used sticky strips to attach both side pieces to the main panel of the card.
 
Using scraps of Whisper White, I stamped the tree three times and cut out.  I stamped the bench onto Whisper White and cut out.  Using sticky strips (you need to use a strong adhesive because of the bend in the card), I attached the trees, bench and the sentiment which was stamped in Old Olive ink onto Whisper White and mounted on a piece of Real Red cardstock.

In the Studio with Lili and Natasha

Another Brayering workshop today (check out my Tips Sheet).  This time Lili and Natasha are here to learn this fun and easy technique.  I found that my first Brayering workshop went extremely well, so I'm repeating it today.  I started by demonstrating the technique and giving them some tips ... then they both practiced on some scrap pieces of glossy paper.  Experimenting is the best way to learn what works best for each individual, so practicing is an important start ... no pressure to have it be perfect for making a card the first time.  We spent a little over half an hour just playing and getting to know how the ink spreads on the cardstock and what works best for each person.  Lili and Natasha picked up the brayering technique really quickly.  Then on to the card making.  Their cards turned out so beautiful and they each left with three stunning cards.  We have already planned what we'll be making at our next time together (end of March).  More brayered cards (of course), but with a little more difficulty.  Can't wait!

Here's a picture of the three cards for today ...

Echoes of Kindness

Today I'm making a birthday card for my son to give to a friend (of course, I AM the local card shop ... my son just heads to the art studio and decides what kind of card he wants and voila, the next day it's ready and waiting for him ... life is good! :)

Anyways, he wanted me to make a watercolor and cut-out using Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive (a fabulous combination!).  It's a fairly easy card to make and so pretty!  If you don't mind doing some hand-cutting, then this is a great card for you to try!  Hope you like.

"Echoes of Kindness"

 

 

Stamps:  Echoes of Kindness, Bitty Birthday (sentiment) (Stampin' Up!)

Paper:  Old Olive, Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Basic Black, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry (Stampin' Up)

Accessories & Tools:  Clear embossing powder, heat tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Aqua Painter, masking tape, small oval punch, medium oval punch, 1/4" Rich Razzleberry grosgrain ribbon - approx. 6", 1/2" Rich Razzleberry grosgrain ribbon - approx. 7 1/2", glue dots, dimensionals, adhesives

* * * * *

I started by masking the stem of the flower (Echoes of Kindness from SU!) at the bottom with masking tape (I wanted to be able to place the flowers as close together as possible so didn't want a lot of stem showing).  I then inked the stamp with Craft Basic Black, removed the masking tape and stamped the image on my Stamp-a-ma-jig (this will be used for placement of the three stampings of the flower onto the front panel of my card).  The reason I masked the stamping of the image onto the Stamp-a-ma-jig is that I didn't want to have any ink residue left on the stem when I went to stamp onto the front of my card.

Next, I placed another piece of masking tape over the stem and inked the flower stamp again with Craft Basic Black.  I stamped the image onto the larger piece of Whisper White paper, near the right hand side, just above the middle of the card.  I covered the ink with clear embossing powder and used the heat tool to melt the powder.  Then I repeated the process two more times: masking, inking, removing mask, stamping, and embossing ... adding the flower images, one above the first stamping and one below.  When I was finished stamping the front panel of the card, I inked the image one more time (no masking this time) and stamped the image on the smaller piece of Whisper White, in the top right-hand corner - this will be the inside panel of the card.  I always like to add something to the inside of a card.

I then squeezed my Rich Razzleberry ink stamp pad before opening (this leaves some ink on the inside of the lid).  Using the Aqua painter and ink on the inside of the lid of the ink pad, I "water-colored" the flowers on both the front and inside panels.  I repeated this using Old Olive and "water-colored" the leaves.

With my small, sharp scissors, I cut out along the right side of the flower images on the front panel.  I then resized the front panel, trimming off a little on the left, so that I was happy with the amount of the exposed Old Olive from the card base.  I attached 1/2" Rich Razzleberry grosgrain ribbon down the left side of the front panel (about 1" in from the left).  I then adhered the front panel, using sticky strips, to the card base and also adhered the inside panel to the card base.  I stamped the sentiment  (Bitty Birthday from SU!) in Rich Razzleberry onto Whisper White and punched it with my small oval and layered it on top of a medium oval punch of Rich Razzleberry.  I looped the 1/4" Rich Razzleberry ribbon and adhered with glue dots to the sentiment.  Finally, I adhered the sentiment and looped ribbon to the front panel, popping it up with dimensionals. 

Lakeside Cabin

Today I'm in the studio working with Heather.  She is very artistic and likes to experiment with different techniques and different ways of doing techniques and is interested today in learning how to use her Speedball brayer to do backgrounds.  We made a few mistakes, but in the end, we had fun, learned lots and had several beautiful cards ready to give away.  Heather also wanted a chance to use my stamps from Stampscapes.  They are incredible, and it gave us a chance to use our artistic skills in a different way.  I'll share with you how I did card below.

By the way, this is one of my "mistakes".  Originally the stamped image was sized to fill the whole front of the card, just leaving a small border of black, but I had a slip of the hand with the final step in my card (I was adding birds to the sky) and so I just cut off the mistake and made a card with what was left.  No one has to know .... :)  Hope you like.

"Lakeside Cabin"

 

 

Stamps:  Lakeside Cabin, Pine Tree, Rowboat, Water (Stampscapes)

Paper:  Glossy White, Basic Black, Baja Breeze (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand, Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Baja Breeze, Marina Mist (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories & Tools:  3 Pewter Brads, Stamp-a-ma-jig, make-up sponges, adhesives & dimensionals

* * * * *

I stamped Lakeside Cabin onto the Glossy White paper in Basic Black ink and heat set.  I then used make-up sponges (wedges as well as eye shadow wands from the $1 Store) to add the different colors of ink to the image.  I made sure to ink the reflections in the water before adding the Baja Breeze and Marina Mist for the water - adding the blue on top of the other colors make them more muted.  I also made sure to leave some white space in the water to represent a light source (very important!).

I then stamped the Rowboat and Pine Tree and added more color to the newly stamped images.  I stamped the Water in Marina Mist.  Finally, I added clouds to the sky by masking with paper towel and sponging around the ripped edges.  I got a little carried away adding blue to the sky and so it looks like a typical Westcoast rainy day ...

I mounted the stamped image onto a frame of Basic Black cardstock.  I measured where the stamped image would be placed on the larger piece of Basic Black cardstock, leaving a margin on the left-hand side.  Once I knew the placement, I added three brads down the middle of the margin.  The image was popped up using dimensionals (hard to see in the picture).  The front panel of the card was then adhered to the card base of Baja Breeze.

Loads of Love

Happy Valentine's Day!!  Hope you and yours have a wonderful day ...

I spent the morning running errands with my husband (together time is ALWAYS good, no matter what you're doing!).  We went and picked up some groceries for dinner tonight ... I'm making Shrimp Linguine - a family favorite!  My youngest will be home early (he's currently doing his practicum for teaching at high school) and the three of us will be having an early dinner tonight (5pm) so that we can watch the Canuck's game ... GO CANUCKS GO!  I picked up a lovely, decadent Chocolate Fudge cake to have for dessert.  I usually bake myself, but have been so busy with workshops, setting up my website, etc., that I just ran out of time this year.

We also dropped by our oldest son's work to drop off a treat bag for him and his girlfriend for Valentine's day.  A little sweet treat to let them know we are thinking of them and love them dearly!

On to the card ... here is a picture and details of the card I will be giving my husband tonight.  It's fun and whimsical.  Hope you like.

"Loads of Love"

 

 

Stamps:  Loads of Love (Stampin' Up!)

Paper:  Real Red, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Stampin' Write Markers: Real Red, Basic Black, Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories & Tools:  polka-dot embossing folder; tag die-cut; red polka-dot ribbon; clear embossing powder; heat tool; sticky strips; adhesives; dimensionals

* * * * *

I ran the large piece of Whisper White cardstock through my Big Shot with the polka-dot embossing folder and set it aside.  I stamped the truck onto the small piece of Whisper White with black ink and then embossed with clear embossing powder.  I stamped the pile of hearts (also in black) in the truck bed and also heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I colored the truck and hearts using the Stampin' Write Markers.  I then stamped the sentiment onto the small white tag (using my Stamp-a-ma-jig).  I framed the truck in Real Red and attached it to the polka-dot background using sticky strips ... remember to use these when attaching something with dimension (like polka-dot embossing).  I framed the small white tag with a red tag and ran the red polka-dot ribbon through the hole.  I attached the ribbon to the back and popped up the tag with a dimensional.  I then attached the whole panel to the Real Red card base.  Easy-peasy! (as Jamie Oliver would say) ... 

Baroque Birthday

Here is a birthday card that I made for my friend Kelly.  She LOVES black so I wanted to make something that celebrated the colour.  This is an easy card to make, but the visual impact is high.   Hope you like.

"Baroque Birthday"

 

 

Stamps:  Baroque Motifs, I {heart} Hearts (sentiment) (Stampin' Up!) 

Paper:  Basic Black, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Basic Black

Accessories & Tools:  Heart punch, dimensionals, adhesives, Stamp-a-ma-jig (optional)

* * * * *

I randomly stamped the large stamp from Baroque Motifs stamp set in Basic Black ink on the two Whisper White panels, changing the angle of the stamp each time and making sure not to overlap.  I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to help with the alignment ... one of the most valuable tools I have!!  I stamped the heart "friend" stamp from the I {heart} Hearts stamp set in Basic Black ink on a piece of Whisper White and then punched out the image using my Heart punch.  I then layered the card as shown in the picture, popping up the black square in the middle with dimensionals.

Bendy Fold - Season of Friendship

Today I'm getting ready for a workshop with two friends , Frances & Debbie, being held this coming Sunday.  We'll be covering off the same techniques and projects that I did with my friend Kelly on Feb. 1st (see below).  The only change will be the bendy fold Valentine's card.  On Sunday, I will be showing my friends how to construct this cute card, but we will be making an "owl" card which can be used for a number of occasions.

I just love the look of this card - it's so fun!  Again, this tutorial was sent to me by Emma Fewkes.  Click here for Emma's instructions on how to construct this card.  Hope you like.

"Bendy Fold "Season of Friendship"

 

Stamps:  Season of Friendship (Stampin' Up!), sentiment stamp 

Paper:  Soft Suede, Whisper White, Autumn Traditions Designer Series paper, scraps of cardstock: More Mustard, Always Artichoke, Ruby Red, Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!)

Ink:  Soft Suede, Early Espresso

Accessories & Tools:  2-Step Owl punch, Maple Leaf punch, Making Memories slot punch (optional) or Exacto knife, sticky strip adhesive, glue or glue dots

* * * * *

I started by stamping the tree from Season of Friendship (SU!) stamp set onto Whisper White cardstock in Soft Suede ink (the first stamping was in the middle and the trees on either side are a second stamping which is lighter).  

I stamped the sentim

ent in Early Espresso in the top left-hand corner (it's important to stamp the sentiment BEFORE attaching the leaves). 

 

I then mounted the stamped image on Soft Suede cardstock.   I used the Autumn Traditions designer paper and mounted pieces on both the left and right-hand side pieces that are backed with Soft Suede cardstock (this makes the sides of the card very sturdy and helps to keep the notched construction in place).  Do not cover the 1/2" scored edge which wraps around the back of the card (see card instructions link above).

I placed a small strip of the pinecones paper at the bottom of the two front panels.  I then cut out several leaves from the same designer paper and glued them to the card ... some still on the trees, some on the ground and some part way in-between.  With the two-step owl punch, I used Early Espresso for the main body of the owl and another Autumn Traditions paper for the vests (I cut one with my scallop circle punch before cutting the vest ... you'll notice the owl at the top has a "fancier" vest ... of course, this is the girl owl :)

I attached the owls with sticky strips, one on the ground and one sitting on a branch.

Ribbon Border Tutorial

Today I made a Ribbon Border card.  For making the slots for the four corners, I used a Making Memories slot punch set, but you can use an Extaco knife instead.

I have made a tutorial if you're interested in trying this easy project.   Click here to take a look.

"Of the Earth" Ribbon Border card

(showing the inside panel on the right)

Stamps:  Of the Earth, Bitty Birthday - sentiment (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, Old Olive, Cottage Wall Designer Series (retired) (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Stampin' Write markers:  Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories & Tools:  1/2" Rich Razzleberry grosgrain ribbon - approx. 32", Making Memories slot punch or Exacto knife, Big Shot, polka-dot embossing folder, small oval punch, medium oval punch, adhesives, and dimensionals

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I made the card base from Rich Razzleberry - I just love this color!!  I topped the card base with Old Olive cardstock which was run through my Big Shot with the polka-dot embossing folder.  I then added a piece of Cottage Wall DP in top of the polka dot paper.  I punched slots in all four corners on a 45 degree angle,  and looped through pieces of ribbon, each having a knot tied in the center.  I secured the ribbon ends to the back with sticky strips.  Sticky strips are very strong and it's important to use them when adhering anything with dimension (ribbon, embossed, etc.)

I inked the stamp with the Stampin' Write markers and stamped onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock.  I framed the main image with Old Olive and then framed that with Rich Razzleberry.  The sentiment is stamped in Rich Razzleberry ink onto Whisper White cardstock, punch out in a small oval and framed in a medium oval.  I mounted it to the front of the card using dimensionals to pop it up and give it depth.

I finished the inside panel of the card (shown on the right side of the photo above) by stamping the butterfly only onto Whisper White cardstock.  I mounted the panel on Old Olive and adhered to the inside of the card base.

Valentine's Treat Bags

Today I've made four Valentine's bags (one each for my husband, oldest son & his girlfriend, and my youngest son).  My oldest received a Christmas gift this year in a felt bag with pinked edges and I just loved the look of it.  I've decided to recreate that bag (albeit smaller version), using cardstock.  My plan is to fill each bag with the favorite candy of each person.

Each bag was made from only one piece of 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock.

I have made a tutorial for this Pinked-Edge Bag if you're interested in making one.  Click to take a look.

"Valentine's Treat Bags"

 

 

I made the bags from Cherry Cobbler cardstock and "pinked" the edges with pinking shears.   I used the new stamp set "Eat Chocolate" and the Decorative Label Punch that matches it.  I used Early Espresso to frame the labels and also added some ribbon to decorate.  I added stitching with a white gel pen to the bag on the left ... and the third bag from the left (it might be hard to tell), has Early Espresso sponged on the edges and stitching as well.

My Website Begins ...

Well, here's the start of my website.  My very first posting - so exciting!!  I have been busy setting up this morning for a card making session with my friend Kelly.  I have a group of three girlfriends that I get together with at least once a month to make cards and we call ourselves "the Crafty Girls".  I'm the organizing one of the bunch and I spend a lot of my days searching the internet ....especially splitcoaststampers.com ... for new and fun techniques and cards to make.  I do lots of card making and then hold a  "workshop" for the others to learn.

Seems to work out pretty well for us ... I try not to be too "teachery" and we have lots of fun and laughs :)
I held a workshop a couple of weeks ago on Brayering for the Crafty Girls and they picked up the technique so quickly - I was impressed!

Here's a picture of their finished cards (they made three different cards each, plus you'll see a few loose pieces of brayered cardstock that were their first attempts at the technique).

I have made up a Brayering Tips Sheet (things I've learned and what works best for me).  If you're interested, click on the link to take a look.

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Today I'm working with Kelly along and we're going over three different things.  First, we're going to stamp an image on glossy white cardstock and then "color" it using small, stiff paint brushes swiped across our ink pads.  We're going to do the same image twice, but finish it two different ways.
I stamped my image using Early Espresso for the trunk and Old Olive for the leaves.  I added swipes of ink from Kiwi Kiss, more Old Olive, Always Artichoke and a little Soft Suede into the main part of the tree.  This made the tree have dimension and added some realism.  I added Soft Suede to fill in the trunk.  Then I swiped all of the green inks and a little Soft Suede at the bottom of the image of the first image below, to represent grass.

Here's a picture of our finished images.  The one on the left has a sponged sky (Baja Breeze) ... and I left a small amount of white around the image to create a "halo" effect - LOVE IT!  The image on the right was colored the same way as the first one, minus the sponged sky.  Instead, I used a versamark pen to add ink over the whole tree image and then heat embossed using clear embossing powder.  Next I brayered the sky (Baja Breeze) and grass (Old Olive and Always Artichoke).  This is called "emboss resist" and any image that has clear embossing over it, resists the ink from the brayering on top so the colors of the image won't be effected or changed.  It's surprising how different the same stamped image looks when done using two techniques!

Then I finished making the above artwork into a birthday card.  Hope you like.

 

"Lovely as a Tree Birthday"

Stamps:  Lovely as a Tree, Bitty Birthday (SU!)
Paper:  Soft Suede, Glossy White, Sahara Sand, Autumn Traditions Designer Paper (retired) (SU!)
Ink:  Soft Suede, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss, Always Artichoke, So Saffron, Baja Breeze (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  sponge, small artist's paint brush, suede strips, hole punch, small oval punch, medium oval punch, adhesives, sticky strips and dimensionals

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I stamped the sentiment in Soft Suede ink onto a scrap of Sahara Sand cardstock and punched it out with the small oval punch.  I mounted the sentiment onto a medium oval of Soft Suede cardstock and then punched a hole on each end.  I threaded through a suede stip on both sides of the sentiment and then mountd it onto the pinecone background, securing the strips at the back with sticky strips.

I mounted the background pinecone DP onto the card base of Soft Suede.  I mounted the main image (instructions above) onto a frame of Soft Suede cardstock and then mounted it to the front of the card, popping it up with dimensionals to add depth.

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The second project for today is the Endless Card.  It's hard to describe how this card works, but it's very interesting and I wanted to give it a try.  There are many videos on youtube - check them out to see how this card works.

I'm including a picture of my card, plus a link to brief, written instructions on how to construction this card in the standard 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" size.  Click here to take a look.

"Endless Card"

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Lastly, Kelly was interested in making a card for your BIL & SIL's anniversary.  I had CASE'd (copy and share everything) this card below from Emma Fewkes.  Emma has a tutorial on how to make this "Bendy Fold" card, as she calls it.  Click here to see Emma's tutorial.

"Valentine Defined"

 
Stamps:  Valentine Defined (Stampin' Up!)
Paper:  Whisper White, Real Red (Stampin' Up!)
Ink:  Real Red, Versamark (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories & Tools:  Heart-to-heart punch, 5/8" Real Red satin ribbon- approx. 8", white embossing powder, heat tool, sticky strips and glue dots

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I stamped the "heart branches" from the Valentine Defined stamp set, five times across the large piece of Whisper White cardstock.  I stamped the strung hearts to the right of the 5 1/2" x 1 3/4" piece of Whisper White cardstock and then wrapped the ribbon around at the left end and tied a half knot.

I stamped the sentiment in Real Red ink onto the left side of a 5 1/2" x 2 1/2" piece of Whisper White cardstock.  I stamped the heart tree onto Real Red cardstock in Versamark and embossed in white; I cut the tree out.  I punched several hearts in Real Red cardstock.  I assembled the card (see link to card instructions link above), using sticky strips and glue dots to attach the tree and hearts.