Washi Love & Label Love!

Hey there!!!  I have a super quick post today - after a long weekend of camping, I've got a lot of catch-up work to get done.  Mainly laundry, and cleaning house.  And since my hubby will be busy in the bean fields today and baling hay....I suppose I better mow the lawn for him and tend to my veggie garden too!  So much to do - but it was so worth it - that long weekend spent with my family enjoying the outdoors, teaching the boys to fish, teaching myself to take a fish off the hook!!!  Oh - it was all worth the extra work I'll do this week to catch up!!!

So today's card is one that we made in my monthly Stamp Club meetings.  We were using the negative space of dies as focal point. The bonus there is that you can use the positive portion on something else - there aren't any true scraps this way!

Isn't this card bright and cheerful?  The addition of the Gingham Garden Washi Tape just adds a fun element, and the way I've used it here, it helps pull your eye into the sentiment.  Don't forget to add a little washi tape to your envelope!  The mailman gets a little eye candy that way!

How else can you use the negative space from a die cut?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Hello....

is it me you're looking for?  C'mon, sing it in your best Lionel Ritchie voice would ya???

This is a card we recently made at in my Stamp Clubs.  Super simple - but really fun. We worked on tie-dyed cards.  All you need are some sponges,  ink pads and an Aqua-Painter (or paint brush).  The card that we did in the Denison Club is the one shown.  I had forgotten to take my Simply Scored plate along and we needed a way to hide the sticky strip that attaches the vellum overlay.  (Anyone have a VERY good adhesive to use for vellum that doesn't show thru?)  If you place the sticky strip on the back of the score lines it doesn't' show thru.  But for this card - I put the sticky strip on the back of the vellum, attached it to my card front and then put another strip of sticky strip on the front and used glitter over that.  Worked Great!

Here's another look...

What do you think?

Fab Fabric Inspiration Challenge #1

Good Morning Peeps! I'm here today to share a few things with you....if you are a demo and have been on Stampin' Connection (a fine site for demos to share thoughts, inspiration, ideas - but exclusive to demos!) you may have noticed a forum post that got quite a bit of attention lately.....posted by ME!  Titled, Summer Starfruit....blech!  When I first got my new pack of the 2012-2014 In Colors, I really wondered what Stampin' Up! was thinking.....really - where did they get this color from - Summer Starfruit?  Yeah - probably from a starfruit - you're right!  But so many demos answered and showed inspiration, I changed my mind.  Summer Starfruit is HOT!  Check out this card:

It rocks the house right!  This is one we made at my local Stamp Clubs, and at first I made it without the Summer Starfruit and guess what - it was BLECH!  I added that yellow (is it yellow? is it green????) to the card and it just sang to me!  Amazing!!!
And last week while working with some Go-geous fabric (Verona from Fat Quarter Shop) for our picnic pennants, I found myself very inspired by that fabric too.
So that got me thinking....how about posting a little challenge here on the ol' bloggo???

Let's start with my inspiration for today's card:

This one came from Southern Fabric and this is Aviary Granite Fabric.  For my card I actually pulled some inspiration from Southern Fabric's logo too.  And if you browse their website, you'll notice that they use this color selection on their site!  (Summer Starfruit is HOT I'm telling you!)  This fabric and site was brought to my attention by another demo on Stampin' Connection - lots of great inspiration over there!

Here's the rules:
1) There are no rules!  ;)
2) Use the above as inspiration for your card, scrapbook page, decor item.
3) Post your photo to your blog, online gallery, etc, and link it back here, using Mr. Linky below.
4) I'll pick a favorite and post back here next Sunday.
5) YOU should also be able to vote on a favorite and I'll post those results too. (As long as I set up Mr. Linky correctly....we all know how that goes right???)
So - get posting peeps - can't wait to see what you link back!!!

Happiest Birthday Card Supplies:

Apothecary Art Stamp Set Everything Eleanor Stamp Set Labels Framelits Pool Party CS Basic Gray Summer Starfruit CS Whisper White CS Jet Black Staz On Ink Whisper White Craft Ink 2012 - 2014 In Color Markers 2011-12 In Color Markers

InLinkz.com

You're My Vintage Type!

Good morning!  How are ya today?  Wanna know something?  I'm just a little smitten over this typewriter stamp!  I have a thing for retro and antiques.  I have quite a few antiques in my house.  Nothing of great awesome value, except maybe the antique stove that sits on our porch.  But I've got some cool old fans from the 50's, some old thermoses, old kitchen utensils, crocks and canning jars, etc, etc. So this old typewriter image is up my alley.  I just need to come up with some more ideas to use this stamp.

This was one of the cards we did in Stamp Club this month.  Remember, I told you that we were doing emboss resist on patterned papers.  I thought the doily image paired well with the vintage typewriter, as did the text patterned paper.  Here we stamped the doily in whisper white, then heat embossed it with white EP.  Once it was cooled, we sponged over the top with Crumb Cake to make that doily pop.  You may have to wipe some ink off the doily after you've sponged.

I also incorporated two of the new dies from the Occasions Mini - Adorning Accents die - AND Embossing folder and the Label die around the typewriter.  I just love the way the Edgelit die and the embossing folders work together - it adds so much.

Wanna know more about my stamp clubs?  I have 3 stamp clubs that meet monthly and I always try and teach a new technique.  We meet in Defiance, Denison and Schleswig.  If you are interested in joining us, just shoot me an email and we'll make room for you!  I'm also working on starting a club in Carroll and Harlan, so if that is better for you, just give me a hollar!

Til tomorrow!

Jen



Recipe:

Stamps: You're my Type, Hello Doily

Paper: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, First Edition, Flirtatious
Ink: Stazon Jet Black, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Adorning Accents die and EF, White EP, Victoria Ribbon, heart punch

Won't you be mine???

Before I dive too far into today's card, I have to share some pretty exciting news!  For some time, off and on, I've been submitting work to Paper Crafts to be published.  Well, today I got the best email ever!  I've been accepted!!!  I'll have a card published in the July/August issue of Paper Crafts.  I will admit, while very exciting for me, I was much more excited the very first time I was published - which was a couple of years ago in PC's special publication called Card Creations.  Don't get me wrong.  I stopped what I was doing and danced a little jig!!  Last time I called my mom immediately, but she's in meetings in Atlanta, so I didn't want to bug her.  I called my husband tho - he showed slight enthusiasm for me!!!  (he's not an overly affectionate kinda guy, and not terribly emotional so slight enthusiasm is good!!!)  Anyway - I'm super excited.  It's so worth all of the times that I've been disappointed with NO acceptance email.  And it goes to show, you've just got to keep trying.  If you give up, you'll never succeed.

Now, onto today's card:

This is one of the cards that my Stamp Club members made this month.  Our technique this month was emboss resist, except we did all of emboss resist on patterned papers.  It just adds a little more interest this way.

For this one, I heat embossed the hearts using clear embossing powder (be VERY careful not to overheat, or the powder melts right into the paper), then I sponged on some Blushing Bride ink and then some Basic Grey ink over the top of that.

Recipe:
Stamps: I {heart} Hearts, PS I love you

Paper: Blushing Bride, Basic Grey, Twitterpated DSP, Whisper White, Ridinghood Red
Ink: Basic Gray, Ridinghood Red, Versamark
Accessories: Full Heart Punch, Clear EP, Modern Label Punch, Basic Gray ribbon, button, white bakers twine

More Quilting!

Here is another card that we made at my August Stamp Clubs....

This was a super simple card.  Seriously simple.  Take 6 squares of DSP, attach 5 to a piece of cardstock - 4 in the outer corners (leaving some border) and one in the center.  Take the sixth square and cut it in half across the diagonal.  Then cut those triangles in half again so that you have 4 triangles.  Adhere those in the empty spots and then run thru the Big Shot with the Lattice EF.  Seriously that simple!!!

I think the EF really enhances this quilt look and makes it really look like fabric.  I added the snowflake punch and button to break up the quiltiness (new cool word there for you!)

Go ahead, tell me what you think....I dare you!

Stamps: Heard from the Heart, Snow Swirled

Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Letters to Santa DSP, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark, Whisper White
Accessories: Paper Piercing Tool, Snowflake Punch, buttons

Wish Big!

This little beauty is a card that we made in my August Stamp Clubs.  It also happens to be one of the favorite cards I've made recently.  It's bright, yet nostalgic, clean yet busy (is that possible....).  I don't know what it is...I just love this card!

I did a little faux stitching on this one.  I love using my paper piercer to make the stitching look really real!  And on this one, I just free-handed the piercing.  Most of the time I use my mat stack and get them a little more evenly spaced. 

You know, if you were in one of my Stamp Clubs, you could be making fun cards just like this one!  I have 3 clubs that meet once a month - surely one would fit your schedule.  I do need to warn you tho - we have a lot of fun, and usually laugh more than we should!!!  Contact me if you want to know more about my Stamp Clubs!

Stamps: Delightful Doilies, Word Play

Paper: Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Whisper White, Domestic Goddess DSP

Ink: Calypso Coral, Versamark

Accessories: Buttons (PTI), Perfect Pennants Die, Half and Half Die (PTI)

Love....

Here is one of the three cards that we made at our May Stamp Clubs. This month our technique was Easel Cards. Funny, I thought this would be a tough card to make....but hello....not so! These were super easy. Just a little more paper and cutting on my end. They sure were cool tho!

I just love the way they prop themselves open. It gives your recipient something to admire, whether it's propped up on thier desk or table. This one was super easy and SO beautiful at the same time. That Medallion stamp is versatile, just add a little bling for some extra punch. And I simply LOVE these sentiment stamps. They are one of the Level 3 Hostess Items. Want some of your own? Contact me ASAP! You can easily earn them, but you better do it before the end of JUNE! Seriously - CONTACT ME! We'll have a PAR-TAY!

BLING, BLING!

Recipe:

Stamps: Medallion, Occassional Quotes

Paper: Peach Parfait, Basic Gray, Whisper White

Ink: Peach Parfait, Basic Gray

Other: Peach Parfait Twill Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones, Edger Die (PTI)

Sweet Silky Stems....

This month's technique at our monthly Stamp Clubs was the Faux Silk technique. I love the softness this adds to a card - and while you can't see it real well in the photo above, to touch and feel it, it does feel like silk. This is a pretty simple technique that can be applied in multiple ways. If you'd like to learn several techniques, contact me to join my Monthly Stamp Clubs. I have three clubs that meet in three different locations, Defiance, Denison and Schleswig. We are constantly laughing, learning, chatting, having fun - so why not get yourself included! Oh, I forgot to mention - we typically EAT!!!

Here is the complete card that we did:

We also made another card and a gift bag with this same tech.

Okay - I better get a move on - I've got 60 make and take packets to make up for our Girls Night Out Festivities tomorrow night!!! Oh the fun we will have....

Whole Wheat? Or Bleached Wheat?

I'm a whole wheat kinda gal. It's a rare occassion when I buy white bread. I even prefer a wheat bun over white..... Today, I'm showing you some bleached wheat. Processed. Refined. What have you. My July Stamp Clubs worked on the Bleaching Technique. This gets you some really neat effects - and each turns out differently. Everytime. Here's the card:

See that highlight behind the wheat stems? Ya - that's where I've bleached the card. Then I went back over the top (once the bleach and cardstock were good and dry) and stamped the wheat image in Soft Suede Ink.

Doesn't that create such a neat look?

Tell me, what's one of your fave techniques? I always love to hear/read your comments - so leave me some comment candy, would ya?

Vintage Wallpaper meet Wedding...

Quick post for you today....I'm hoping to freeze some garden produce....so that will consume a good portion of the day. This card was one we did at Stamp Club back in June, when we used the brayer to add color to embossed images. This is the Vintage Wallpaper EF then I brayered over the top with Baja Breeze. Doesn't it really make the image pop? The large scallop at the bottom is actually several circles attached.

Because of the black card base, we duded up the inside...

Alrighty - TTFN!

Spring Layers!

Well, the sun is shining - finally, and it feels like spring is in the air. (Even tho we still have a 5 foot high snow drift in our front yard!) Here's the card that we did at our March Stamp Clubs - using that same Layered Brayer tech. that I showed you yesterday. This one uses 3 layered colors instead of just two.
We added those cute little Epoxy brads - in Choc. Chip - my fave! as flower centers. Pretty darn adorable if I do say so myself.

See that - my new favorite ribbon technique.

Alright - seems as tho my dearest sweet hubby thinks I need to help him with something - or just get off the computer.......anyone else have a spouse as sweet as mine???? :)

Better late than never....

(this one's for you Tami!) ....I'm not always one to post what we create at my Stamp Clubs. I don't really know why, maybe because I want it to be exclusive to all of those that are in my clubs. And I know I certainly don't want to give away the projects before hand....I love a good surprise! But, it has been requested that I post what we did in Stamp Club by some of the members. This way, when they give away their projects, they have something to refer back to. So, I will begin posting our projects - starting with January. They will be under the Stamp Club Projects label on the right side of the blog for you to refer back to from here on out. And while Tami requested I do this some time ago, and I told her I would....it just got hung up on the back burner........like I said....better late than never!!!! {heart} you Tami!!!!
January was based less on technique and more on theme - an organizing theme....It was January, and you know, most of us make (and break) resolutions - organizing is one of the top resolutions made, next to weight loss. How many have given up on their resolutions already? It is March 2nd after all....The first little gem is a covered post it note. Great for sticking in your purse. Who doesn't have a piece of paper handy when needed???

One of the other things we did was cover a note pad - also suitable for a purse, but great for a desktop - and one that looks cute to boot.

To complete the ensemble, we made a birthday card (cuz we can always use a birthday card!). Plus, this whole little set would make an adorable birthday gift. But it would be wonderful for graduation too!

All of the DSP was from Thoroughly Modern, and we used the I {heart} Lists, Vintage Vogue and Well Scripted Stamp Sets. Just too cha-cha for words, wouldn't you say??? (a line from my all time favorite movie - do you know what it is???)

So there you have the projects we made in January! One of these days I'll get the Feb. items up. And since March is here already, well, I'll get March on here. Maybe before I get February done!!!!

Thanks for stopping all....

I've been blown away - by my

embossing tool! Really - I'm sure you're tired of looking at the same old blog page now for a week - and I have been creating - lots and lots with my heat embossing tool. This month my stamp clubs did a faux metal technique. This was so much fun - and was my first try at it too. We had a great time in both clubs - and I learned some things myself! Like how to tie a really pretty bow, thanks to Bonnie. And I did pass that info onto the other club, btw - and I did give you credit Bonnie!!! :) Anyway, while practicing the technique, this is one of the cards that I came up with.

I REALLY am loving this card. YILM (yes, I love myself! [phrase coined by Jan Tink]) I love the retro fan, the retro looking DSP - the colors...the new hardware that's about to come out - I love it all.

Isn't that just awesome - you simply heat up 4 layers of embossing powder - one at a time, moving very quickly so that the layers stay hot while you dust with more powder. When you have a nice thick layer of embossing powder heated up, you press your stamp into it and viola! Instant metal....

Tell me what you think! Leave me a comment please! Inquiring minds want to know - is this something that you would like to learn??

Recipe:

Paper: Baja Breeze, Going Gray, Urban Oasis DSP

Stamps: Puns from the Past

Accessories: Basic Jumbo Grommets (black), Valet Ribbon Originals, Tag Punch, Silver Embossing powder