WHATEVER WEDNESDAY - Build-a-Flower

I found some cool Stampin' Up! "Build-a-Flower" stickers (retired) in my embellishment box. I had forgotten how much fun these are to play with. The next Stampin' Up! catalog will be unveiled in just a couple of weeks. I don't know all of the new products that will be introduced, but be sure to be on the lookout in any & every catalog for new & interesting products that you might not usually consider. Part of the fun of cardmaking is playing with new toys - just like being a kid! I am always happy to give you card ideas for any of the products you purchase - just ask!

Here's an easy card I made with the Build-a-Flower kit. I cut a large white circle with the coluzzle, folded it over the card itself, & trimmed it along the card edges. You can see the circle on the back of the card also. I really like the look of it! I think I'll use this card for a wedding anniversary, so I added the curly "Best Wishes"!

RECIPE:
cs: brilliant blue, whisper white
ink: brilliant blue
stamps: Cute & Curly (Best Wishes)
punches: curly label
other: Build-a-Flower sticker set, coluzzle circle cutter system, dimensionals

Linda :)

TUESDAY TIPS - Direct-to-Rubber Inking

The multi-colored images created on hand-stamped cards are truly a beautiful thing. For instance, a flower image may have a green stem, & an orange center, yet the petals are yellow. Just pressing a stamp onto one inkpad doesn’t do the trick. One way to create a multi-colored image is to use a DIRECT-TO-RUBBER INKING technique with Stampin’ Write markers (water-based dye ink markers). If you attend my camps, I'm sure you've done this technique, maybe without even realizing what it's called.

How is it done? Just color directly onto the rubber surface of the stamp, one color at a time. After you take a few minutes to do this, the ink on your stamp may be a bit dry. Breathing (also known as "huffing") directly onto the rubber surface with the rubber very close to your mouth will remoisten the ink - just like you can do when you breathe onto an eyeglass lens to moisten the lens before you wipe it clean. Immediately after remoistening the ink, press the rubber onto the cs. You should have a beautifully multi-colored image!

After I stamped the image on this get well card, I colored in the water, beak, flippers & feet, & polka dots with the markers to accentuate them. I will post a few more tips for this technique in the near future.

Linda :)

Linda :)

Map It Monday - Pastel Posies

Well, my "few days off" became an entire week! Did you miss me? It's good to be back blogging again. Christmas was great, but it's time for something spring-y! I designed this map with spring colors in mind - sorry about the glare on the photo. I really must learn to take a photograph in the upcoming year! This card might be a perfect pick-me-up for a friend, perhaps a feminine birthday card, or just a note card without a specific message.





RECIPE:
Cs: wild wasabi, whisper white
Dsp: Spring Fling
Stamp sets: Window Dressing (Level 3 hostess set)
Inks: basic black, Stampin’ Write markers – Certainly Celery, Sage Shadow, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Rose Red
Punches: corner rounder, scallop square
Other: coluzzle cutter, scoring blade, dimensionals


The line across the bottom is a scored line - it gives the card a bit more interest. Overlap the circle & square/diamond in whatever way fits - tuck a corner under or don't - it's entirely up to your personal taste. I didn't use any special techniques on the flowers - just colored them with markers.

SCRAPBOOK SATURDAY

Today's Scrapbook Saturday post uses a map I created with circles as a design element and needed to be quick with Christmas right around the corner. Well, it definitely was a quick one. It's a great layout to make if you're pressed for time but want to make some scrapbooking progress! I had some distressed designer paper in my collection that I used along the left side. You could also distress some designer paper yourself using inks & sponges. The large white circle was cut using my Coluzzle. The small B-I-G circles are punched with Stampin' Up circle punches. The two title blocks are actually vellum that is attached with vellum tape. My journaling is alongside each photo. I corner rounded the one pic.

I plan to take a few days off for Christmas preparation and celebration, so my next post will be a day or two after Christmas. I wish you and your family a peaceful, blessed and happy Christmas.

Linda :)

FAST FRIDAY - Diecut Flower

Today's card needed to be REAL fast. Christmas is still on the way & coming quicker every minute! I ran the front of the card thru a Cuttlebug with a texture plate (little Swiss dots), stamped the message on punched-out word windows, and attached one of the windows with a brad. For the flower, I used diecut flowers & punched some bright circles & a scallop circle to multi-layer it. A brad adorns the center. Now, that's an easy card!

Linda

THINK ABOUT COLOR THURSDAY

COLOR COMBO OF THE WEEK:

Old Olive, Real Red, Baja Breeze & Whisper White
(A NICE CHRISTMAS COMBO!)

RECIPE:
cs: Old Olive, Real Red, Whisper White
dsp: Ski Slope patterned papers
stamps: Cute & Curly
ink: Baja Breeze
punches: curly label, snowflake, ticket corner
other: mat pack/paper piercing, glitter glue, dimensionals

I cut this card 4 1/4" x 8 1/2", so when it is folded, it becomes a 4 1/4" square card. I pierced a pattern in the top corners, layered coordinated papers in this color combination until I topped it with a "Merry Christmas dear friend". I added dots of glitter glue to the snowflake so the center & tips had a little bling.

Linda

WHATEVER WEDNESDAY - Gift Card Holder

So, you bought a gift card and now you'll have a pretty handmade card with a pocket to put it in! In today's post I will show you the basics of how to make a giftcard pocket card (the green part of this card). Once you have the card itself constructed, choose holiday stamps & inks & have fun decorating it!

What you need:

4” x 12” card (I used Garden Green)

cs, ink & holiday stamps (My card sample happens to be a birthday card using Say It with Scallops & Best Yet stamps)

How you make it:

Scoring

Score the 4” x 12” card at 4” & 8”, then score the middle section on the diagonal (See panels 2A & 2B on Panels diagram), from the top left corner downward to the bottom right corner.

Folding

Crease on all score lines, then flatten out.
Apply adhesive along the top edge of sections 2A & 3.
Fold section 2A over onto section 3 so the two sections are adhered along the top edge.
Fold the diagonally scored line upward so you have something that looks like my FOLDING DIAGRAM.
Now, turn the card ¼ turn counter-clockwise, so the flap is on the left side.



Adhering card together

Now, you don't want that little triangle flapping open on you, so apply some adhesive inside it, along the side & bottom of the triangle. Press the triangle closed & you'll begin to see that the flap on the left side now has become the front of your card, When you open that flap, you’ll see the pocket in which to slip the giftcard! Decorate the card with ink & your choice of stamps on both the front and the interior.

Until tomorrow,

Linda :)

TUESDAY TIPS - NEED A CUTE BABY CARD?

For that next baby shower or if you want to send a card for a new baby, today's post will be exactly what you need!

RECIPE:
cs: pixie pink, lovely lilac, whisper white
ink: Classic Stampin’ Pad – Lovely Lilac, Pretty in Pink
stamps: Punches Three (current Level One Hostess Set)
punches: wide oval, scallop edge, 1 3/8” circle, ½” circle
Other: trimming scissors, dimensionals

Fold the card to open from the top. Punch the neckline with the 1 3/8” circle punch.
Cut the sides away on a slant (like the number seven cut into each side freehand)
Punch the leg holes with a 1 3/8” circle punch.
Use a scallop edge punch on Lovely Lilac cs & trim to desired lengths for arms. For the neck, trim the scalloped strip very narrow, then cut in between each scallop using trimming scissors. Make sure you don’t cut all the way through. Cutting most of the way will enable you to be able to carefully bend the strip into a half circle around the collar curve. Adhere all lilac pieces, including ½” circles to replicate snaps. Alternatively, you can stamp lilac little circles with the end of an eraser.
Stamp 2 images of the little bundle of joy , one with lilac ink & one with pretty in pink ink. Assemble the “little bundle of joy” emblem – cut away the polka dotted oval around the image stamped in lilac. Layer it with dimensionals on top of the pretty in pink image. Adhere the piece to the center of the onesie.

Have fun with the onesie - customize it for a boy or girl, make it lacey or sporty, or whatever strikes you!

Linda

MAP IT MONDAY

Today's post uses the Urban Garden designer series paper (page 168 in the current catalog). In each Stampin' Up designer series paper package, you get two patterned paper designs from each 12 x 12 sheet because they are double-sided! Mix & match papers, patterns & colors from just one package of designer series paper & you are guaranteed to create a beautiful card.

RECIPE:

cs: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze

dsp: Urban Garden

inks: Baja Breeze

punches: designer label, large oval

other: dimensionals

I matted each layer & used the designer label punch and large oval punch for the message. Cut the designer label punched pieces down the middle to create the illusions of several sizes of designer labels. Now......try this layout out yourself!

Linda :)

SCRAPBOOK SATURDAY

Awww! I am digging through pics of my kids when they were just babes in arms. Such great memories! I just love Scrapbook Saturday - it helps me keep my commitment to create 1 scrapbook layout each week so I can give those awesome memories new life. Do you wish you would've scrapbooked more this year? Think about setting aside just an hour or two each week to scrapbook. If you keep the layouts simple and can carve out one or two hours each week to make scrapbooking a priority, you can have a minimum of 52 layouts accomplished by December 31, 2009. That is almost 3 standard scrapbooks done during the upcoming year! If you need advice on streamlining your scrapbook commitments, I would be happy to discuss it with you. I also host a scrapbook group that meets once a month to create two-page layouts. If you want to join us, let me know.

Did you know that you can change a map in minor ways to create countless layouts, each with their own distinctive style? For instance, the map I created today could be turned 90 degrees, or the journaling could be written differently, or maybe a big flower could be substituted for the tag punch in the bottom right corner. Try using today's scrap map for other layouts this year, each with a different look!

Happy Christmas Season!

Linda :)

FAST FRIDAY - Canvas Stars

It's time for a Fast Friday card - take 5 - 10 minutes & you're done!

RECIPE:

cs: Summer Sun, Real Red
ink: Real Red
punches: large star, word window
stamps: Fresh Cuts

Today's card uses the retiring canvas background stamp in a different way instead of as a background. I "canvas stamped" the stars only & left the card background solid. I think this makes the stars much more interesting. It's a good thing to remember that background stamps can be used for more than just backgrounds.

You could make this card with punches other than stars, depending on what punches you have.

Linda :)

THINK ABOUT COLOR THURSDAY

Color Combination: LOVELY LILAC & BARELY BANANA

RECIPE:

cs: Lovely Lilac, Barely Banana, Whisper White

stamps: Perfect Timing, Canvas Background (ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 18 BECAUSE IT IS A RETIRING STAMP!)

Punches: Scallop Circle, 1" circle, 1 3/8" circle, corner rounder

Other: dimensionals

If bright is what you like, then this 4 1/4" square card is for you! Adding punched shapes of the same color as your card base (I adhered circles here) give a card an updated look. I distressed the edges of the circles slightly so they become more visible. Before adhering that little lilac stripe, I stamped it with the canvas background stamp. Background stamps give cs a coordinated look in the same shade of color, just as the punched circles do!

SAY GOODBYE!!!!!! Stampin' Up will be introducing a new catalog in January. Each time a new catalog is introduced, many stamp sets become "retired", which means that they will NEVER be available again. Fortunately for us, Stampin' Up offers one last opportunity to purchase stamps on the "retiring list". I recommend that you take a look through the retiring stamp sets on the Stampin' Up website soon! Perhaps stamps that have caught your eye may soon be unavailable. The canvas background stamp is one of those stamps that will retire. As stamp sets retire, space is made for new stamp sets!

Linda :)

WHATEVER WEDNESDAY - Gift Box & Cards

How about packaging some of your handmade cards into a beautiful handmade box with a lid?! It makes a lovely hostess gift or an inexpensive Christmas giftwrap. You can make this box in minutes (literally!) with designer paper or cs (the latter makes for a sturdier box, but I like the look of designer paper). This box is made with Stampin' Up's Ski Slope dsp.

---

What you need:

BOX BASE: 7 3/4" x 9" cs or dsp

LID: 6 7/8" x 8 1/8" cs or dsp
Other: cutting & scoring blades, adhesive, scissors
Optional for decorating box: addtl cs, ribbon, dimensionals

---

What you do:

BOX BASE

1. Score the box base cs (see dimensions above) at 1 1/2" on all 4 sides.
2. On long sides, cut score lines up to the point where they connect with score lines from short side (two sides remain uncut).
3. Prefold all score lines.
4. Apply adhesive at a diagonal to outside surface of 4 tabs, fold in tabs & press to assemble box.

LID - (cs size shown above).

1. Score at 1" on all 4 sides.
2. Just like with the box base, cut score lines of the long side to the point where they connect with the score lines of the short side.
3. You can leave the lid unscalloped if you wish. Or, scallop the edge with a Scallop Edge Punch. Cut the corner tabs down so they don’t show.
4. Prefold score lines. Add adhesive to all 4 corner tabs, & press folded tabs inward to finish the lid.
5. If desired, decorate the box. I stamped “Sweets” from the Sweet Sampler stamp set & punched it out with the Wide Oval punch. That stamp set is a nice set if you give baked goods or sweets as gifts! A ribbon or bow is optional - I think this box looks great without one!

---

Can you believe how easy that is? This box can be used to "wrap" any gift, though it is especially suited to enclose your handmade cards (standard 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" size). Wouldn't it be absolutely remarkable if you used the same designer paper on your cards and your box so it is a matched gift set? Now that is an affordable, yet outstanding, gift idea for you to give during this holiday season! I would love to know how your box turned out! Happy box-making! Linda

TUESDAY TIPS - Make Your Own Toile

I just love toile fabric - the look of ink drawings in a one-color printed schenic design. Did you know that you can replicate that look on cards? It's a snap to do. Plain solid cs sometimes isn't enough, or maybe you don't have designer paper you envisioned for a particular card. So, make your own toile! The traditional dark red scenic design on a creme colored background looks fantastic, but there are some crazy toiles in the fabric stores now, so anything goes. Here are some "faux toile" styles I stamped to give you some ideas.

How do I make "faux toile"?
Choose a solid color cs (depending on the look you are trying to achieve, usually a light color)& one color inkpad.

Ink up one or more stamps & repeat a pattern over & over again on the cs - make sure you turn the rubber stamp in several directions - you don't want all the designs in a straight row!

Now pair your "faux toile" with a solid cs that's the same shade as the ink color to make a card. Here's mine (not sure if I like it, but that's what I came up with today)!
Have fun with it! Well, time to prepare for tonight's stamp camp!

Linda :)

MAP IT MONDAY

Today's map is one I used to make a card with that gorgeous Ski Slope designer series paper. I just cannot use enough of that paper ! Every time I think I have a favorite piece in the package, another one jumps out at me to quickly become my new fave.

RECIPE:

cs: white, Baja Breeze, Old Olive

dsp: Ski Slope

stamps: Say It with Scallops

Ink: Baja Breeze, Old Olive

punch: scallop square

Another easy map! Just adhere 3 designer paper rectangles, stamp an image, layer it, & use dimensionals to add depth. I also wiped the edges of the Baja Breeze square on an Old Olive inkpad so it would stand out against the Baja print paper. You gotta love the scallop square punch - this stamp set called "Say It with Scallops" is specifically designed for use with this punch, but any small image, word, or phrase looks great with scalloped edges! I think the stamp says "I just can't thank you enough!", and I thank you for accepting my photography skill (or lack of it).

Linda :)

SCRAPBOOK SATURDAY

Hello! It's been a busy day & I haven't had a chance to post until midnight on Saturday........here goes!

CS for this layout: Note Quite Navy

Chocolate Chip (base is 12 x 12")

Old Olive (largest piece 4 1/4" x 10 3/4"

Ski Slope DSP (5 1/4" x 9")

Whisper White (largest piece is 5 1/4" x 9")

Choose 3 coordinating colors plus coordinating designer paper & whisper white cs & try your own layout. Just copy what I did! If you want to know the stamps that I used, let me know. The monkey isn't Stampin' Up, but the others were Stampin' Up sets. For the title, I punched with the key tag punch half-way & then cut around it to double mat it. I used the scallop edge punch on the chocolate chip strip.

Linda :)

A COOKIE FOR FAST FRIDAY

I almost forgot to post today. Today's fast & easy card uses a tiny stamp set called One Smart Cookie. Isn't it cute? I think it'll be a great card to send to my daughter in college with a care package of cookies right before finals week! If you want the card to be even quicker, just omit the paper piercing. This set has other cute little sayings like "you take the cake" (with a cake image, of course), "sweeter than apple pie" (self-explanatory image again), "cool as a cucumber (you guessed it), "orange you cute" (you are amazingly smart), and "thanks a bunch" (no, not bananas - the image is a bunch of grapes)!


RECIPE:

cs: chocolate chip, pretty in pink, whisper white
inks: Classic Stampin' Pad - chocolate chip
stamp set: One Smart Cookie
punches: large oval, 1 1/4" circle, scallop circle
other: mat pack, pink polka dotted ribbon, dimensionals


I adhered the pink scallop circle first, then the ribbon. Dimensionals are used to adhere the white circle. Was that fast enough?



Linda

THINK ABOUT COLOR THURSDAY

COLOR COMBINATION: Pink Passion, Taken with Teal, Orchid Opulence

Think About Color Thursday means I will post a color combination that I consider to be fun, unusual, or just plain fantastic! Go for this one! Bright colors pop right out of the envelope!

CARD RECIPE:
cs: Pink Passion, Taken with Teal, Orchid Opulence, Whisper White
Ink: Classic Stampin’ Pad - Pink Passion, Markers – Pink Passion & Gable Green
Stamp sets: Live Like You Mean It
Punches: Ticket Corner, Scallop Edge

I love, love, love this 2-step stamping set! I inked up the stamp direct-to-rubber with Stampin’ Up markers. A Stamp-a-ma-jig can be helpful with 2-step stamping for “spot on” placement. If you don’t know what a Stamp-a-Ma-Jig is or want to know how to use this great tool, let me know & I will post it on a Tuesday Tips! I used a scallop edge punch on the bottom edges of both the card & the white cs.

TTY 2morrow!

Linda

WHATEVER WEDNESDAY - Gift Tag

Whatever Wednesday brings you a gift tag idea for the holiday giving season! The idea is to use your punches to create gift tags - use whatever punches & stamps you own to make a Christmasy gift tag!

what you need:

small scraps of cs (why use a full sheet when you have scraps laying around?)

matching ribbon

Christmas stamps, including a To/From stamp

matching inkpads

punches

eyelet & Crop-o-Dile

what you do:

1. Begin with stamping the To/From & either punch it out or trim it. You will complete the tag by building around that.

2. Cut a tag base (or look for just the right size scrap cs!) Stamp a pattern on it if desired (I used that little poinsettia again from the Season of Joy stamp set).

3. Now, get creative using matching cs scraps & punches. Layer some of the punched cs pieces with dimensionals! My snowflake top layer is adhered with dimensionals.

4. For the ribbon part, I punched a large oval, folded it in half & adhered it to the tag. A Crop-o-Dile added the eyelet & ribbon finished it off!

All supplies for this tag are, as usual, Stampin' Up products! Have fun with making tags - creativity can be very relaxing during this holiday season.

Linda :)

TUESDAY TIPS - Faux Silk Technique

Can you see "wrinkles" around the butterflies? That's "Faux Silk". I think maybe at next week’s stamp camp we will make a card using this Faux Silk technique.

Here’s how it works. Those of you who are attending camp are getting a pre-lesson!

What you need:

cs: white (precut small piece)
white tissue paper (cut slightly larger than the cs) (you can just use tissue from a gift bag)

Glue stick & scissors
Stamp & inkpad

Here’s what to do:
1. Stamp an image on the tissue.

2. Crumple up the tissue into a little wad, like you sometimes do when throwing something away. Instead of throwing it away, uncrumple (is that a word?) it to flatten it enough to be fairly flat, but don’t “iron” out the wrinkles.

3. Rub a glue stick over the entire surface of the cs.

4. Press the tissue down onto the sticky cs. There should be lots of wrinkles on it – smooth the tissue down gently, wrinkles & all. You want the wrinkles there!

5. Trim the edges with a scissors – it trims easier if you wait until it dries.

6. Now finish your card!

Maybe you could use the card map I gave you yesterday for an easy first faux-silk card!

Tomorrow is Whatever Wednesday – hmmmmmm – I’ll surprise you.

Linda :)

MAP IT MONDAY !!!!

Here’s the map I designed for this card & the card itself:




Can you tell it's an easy one?

RECIPE:cs: Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Baja Breeze
DSP: Bella Rose (or you could use Patterns Designer Series Paper in Riding Hood Red)
Stamps: Season of Joy, Cute & Curly
Punches: Curly Punch, Wide Oval
Other: Dimensionals

The “Merry Christmas” is stamped on Whisper White CS with Baja Breeze ink (my photography skills are lacking, however, the stamp says "Merry Christmas Dear Friend"). I layered the “Merry Christmas” with dimensionals to give it depth onto a red wide oval. Now, use your stamps & card stock to make a card using this card map! I would love to see what you create if you want to share!

Happy December! Tomorrow is TUESDAY TIPS!

Linda :)