Running With Scissors…

This is a fall birthday card for a friend — some very simple stamping with the Inkadinkado Foliage Trails and Birds Galore sets.  A variety of wonderful Inka stamps can be found at both Jacksonbelle Embellishments and Stamper’s Dream.

I had a piece of white with a hole already cut in it just laying there on my table and it gave me the idea for this card.  I traced the hole in pencil onto a new panel of white, stamped the leaves around it and cut out the hole with a craft knife.  I cut around the few leaves that overlapped the traced circle as well.

The leaf panel is mounted on dimensionals over the panel on which the owl is stamped.  The owl’s eyes and body are dotted with Cinnamon Stickles.

I hope you enjoy a happy Halloween!  It’ll be a fun day at work with all the costumes, the pumpkin carving contest and all the little ones coming around for treats.  Later in the evening I’ll be glad when the doorbell rings for the last time, but at least it’s Friday night…  See you again soon!

• Stamps:  Inkadinkado Foliage Trails and Birds Galore, sentiment from an out of business company 
• Paper:  Pure Poppy (from PTI), Creamy Caramel, Whisper White
• Ink:  Palette Cognac, PTI Pure Poppy and Dark Chocolate
• Accessories:  Pure Poppy twill ribbon, linen thread, acorn embellishment, Cinnamon Stickles, Spellbinders circle die, craft knife, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

While I had my soft chalks and Eclipse masking tape out for yesterday’s card I decided to use them to create another floral image, this time with my Poppy Patch set from Flourishes.

I made a 5 1/4″ square card with a simple layout since I had a rather large main image and such beautiful embossed paper in the background – something old from ProvoCraft.  Thank goodness for the Cuttlebug these days so we can make our own embossed paper.

As I was preparing to attach my tag it occurred to me that a little thing like tying a tag may not be such a little thing to many new stampers who are trying to learn the ways of card making.

Frequently I’ll add a tag as an afterthought — ribbon is already neatly tied, ends trimmed and then I decide a tag would be a nice touch.  This photo shows my tag tying paraphernalia.  It’s nothing unusual — the card with ribbon attached, the tag and the cord I’ll use to attach the tag.  Also included in the photo are my tapestry needles.  They have a blunt end that won’t pierce anything; I use them as a tool to guide my cord through the ribbon knot.

I didn’t realize until after I’d taken the photos what a poor example this is for illustration purposes — the needle and the cord are the same color and nearly indistinguishable from each other.  It’s what I was using at the time, though, so I hope you can make sense of it.

• I thread the tapestry needle with the cord as though I were going to sew with it.
• Go through the tag, front to back, leaving a tail hanging out the front of the tag, and then guide the needle and cord through the ribbon knot.
• Come back out through the tag so both ends of the cord are coming through the front of the tag.
• Tie a bow as shown in the photo of the finished card.

The tag will lay flat and snugly in place.  I used the same technique to tie the tag on this card:

       You can click the thumbnail to enlarge.  Whether you have tapestry needles or not, the main idea is to secure the cord or thread within the ribbon knot and bring both ends through the front of the tag.  That’s the way to get your tag to lay flat, facing forward rather than turning to the side.

I hope this helps someone — anyone.  It was a revelation for me several years ago and maybe it will be for one of you today.  Thank you for visiting!  The Poppy Patch recipe is below.

• Stamps:  Flourishes Poppy Patch, Hero Arts sentiment
• Paper:  Bashful Blue, Neenah Classic Solar White, ProvoCraft embossed white (old)
• Inks/Chalks/Markers:  Lavender Lace, Elegant Eggplant, Garden Green, Basic Black, Not Quite Navy
• Accessories:  Ribbon, silver elastic cord, silver eyelet, 1 1/4″ and 1 3/8″ circle punches, spray matte sealer, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

I think I’m at my stamping happiest when I’m working with an image that allows some sort of coloring.  With Kitchen Sink Stamps’ multiple steps I don’t actually color the stamped image, itself, but the color selection process — testing out different combinations and imagining others — is just as enjoyable.  Once I’ve gotten my stamped images in place, I can shade to my heart’s content to create the background.

The Hibiscus set is one I’ve had for a while and without a doubt a favorite of mine.  I have several KSS sets and this seems to be one of the easiest to line up properly.  I’ll let you know more when my Pansy set arrives…oh, I can’t wait for that one!

The hummingbird is new to me.  It’s part of the Limited Edition 1st Anniversary set which also includes 12 of those cute little thank you stamps KSS always sends out with their orders.  It comes nicely packaged in a clear topped nugget tin and wrapped in ribbon – the very ribbon I used on my card, in fact.

As always, I’m in total awe of these stamps.  The hummingbird is a six-step stamp.  I tried numerous color combinations and I tried leaving out some of the steps to suit my color combos.  With this color combo I left off the sixth step because I’d already gone too dark for it to show.

The colors in my humming bird are:

1. Barely Banana
2. Pretty in Pink
3. Tempting Turquoise
4. Glorious Green
5. Palette Noir

The hibiscus flower colors are:

1. Barely Banana
2. Pumpkin Pie
3. Ruby Red
4. Palette Noir

The leaves are:

1. Certainly Celery
2. Old Olive
3. Handsome Hunter

I wish the camera (or the photographer) was better able to capture the clarity and intensity of the details and colors…sigh…  As for the background, it’s shaded with soft chalks and sprayed with a matte sealer.  In the end it looks just like a painting.  Amazing what you can do with these stamps!

I’ll have more pretties to share tomorrow so I hope to see you again then.  Take care and happy stamping!

• Stamps:  Kitchen Sink Stamps Hibiscus and Limited Edition 1st Anniversary set
• Paper:  Barely Banana textured and plain, Old Olive, Neenah Classic Solar White
• Ink:  See the listing above + Stampin’ Pastels (soft chalks) for shading background
• Accessories:  Ribbon, swirl clip, spray matte sealer, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

This is not the card I expected to post today, but Libby issued a challenge and I couldn’t resist.  We have until Thursday before her next challenge comes along so if you’d like to see what in the world inspired this eye-popping number, please check here.  It has nothing to do with pigs…

However, I had this Hambo pig (shall I call her Hametta?) already watercolored and set to go on another background.  She was a birthday gift from Libby who knows how I love to color and how I need to have utter uninhibited fun with my stamping once in a while.  Oh, my goodness, Libby — I did have fun with this one!  What I had planned for her was dull in comparison, so thank you many times over!

The colors and the background are as close as I could come to the inspiration piece.  It’s the Stampin’ Up! Happiness background.  I know, it’s not even retired!  I think I love it!  I embossed it in black and colored with markers.  The sentiment, which I just had to use for my Hametta, is something old from Art Impressions.  The rhinestones and oval Nesties are from Flourishes.  Her flower is covered with Stardust Stickles.

Tomorrow I’ll be sharing something completely different but it was just as much fun in its own way.  I hope you had a great weekend!  See you soon!

• Stamps:  Hambo Pig, SU! Happiness Background, Art Impressions sentiment
• Paper:  Whisper White, watercolor, Basic Black, Pixie Pink, Lavender Lace
• Ink:  Versamark, Jet Black Stazon, SU! markers for watercoloring and coloring of background
• Accessories:  Ribbon, rhinestones, Stardust Stickles, black embossing powder, Spellbinders oval Nestabilities, ticket corner punch, word window punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

I thought this little It’s a Stretch set from Stampin’ Up! was so cute when I saw it in the catalog.  I don’t know why I’m drawn to these stretch images.  It can be shortened or stamped in multiples for a different look but I do rather like the full, stretched out image.

I colored this with Prismacolor markers and then looked for designer paper to match.  My Chatterbox scraps were what appealed most to me for the happy card I was looking for.  It’s just sweet all over and says nothing of fall, winter, Christmas, Halloween or anything other than what I was in the mood for at the time.  It lifts my spirits!  I hope you enjoy it, too!

I’m keeping it brief today because as I write this it’s late and I have to get up far too early.  Darn that day job!  Wish I could stay home and stamp!  I’ll be back Monday.  Have a great day!

• Stamps:  It’s a Stretch, Warm Words
• Paper:  Bashful Blue, Apricot Appeal, Neenah Classic Solar White, Chatterbox designer paper
• Ink:  Palette Noir, Prismacolor markers
• Accessories:  Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon and brads, SU! scallop border punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Today I’m writing to share with you that I have retired, at least for the time being, from the Flourishes Design Team.  That was no easier to say than it was to do, but it’s said and done now and I’ll have some time to reflect upon my decision and ponder my future.

Flourishes was my first design team experience.  I never even thought of becoming part of a design team when I started my blog.  One day I saw a notice about a new company looking to form a DT and on a whim I sent an example of my work to them.  I had no idea what to expect; I’d never seen their images but I was intrigued by the name, “Flourishes”.  Well, the rest is history and the Birds and Vine image on today’s card is an example of how beautifully the company has grown into its name.

It’s with gratitude that I dedicate this card to Flourishes.  They are responsible for alleviating my “fear” of clear stamps and, indeed,  teaching me to embrace their virtues.  Photopolymer has come a long way and the high quality of Flourishes’ stamps certainly turned me around.  I love my rubber, including the wood mount, but I no longer shy away from clear stamps.

I’ve enjoyed the challenge to my creativity, the friends I’ve made along the way and the opportunity to help acquaint all of you with their beautiful designs and the products Flourishes selects so carefully as compliments to their images.

I’ll continue to use my Flourishes stamps — good Heavens, they’re gorgeous — but not on a design team schedule.  We’ll consider this a sabbatical of sorts, a breather.  We all need a vacation once in a while, don’t we?  In time I may decide to jump back in with both feet…we’ll see.

I’ll leave you now with the card recipe and a wish for a wonderful day.  I’ll return soon with more stamping to share.  Take care!

• Stamps:  Birds and Vine, Thank You — both from Flourishes
• Paper:  Brushed metallic red, BasicGrey Scarlet’s letter DP — both from Flourishes; Neenah Classic Solar White
• Ink:  Versamark
• Accessories:  Ribbon from Flourishes; gold embossing powder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

I felt inspired to make a baby card today.  One of my coworkers is expecting her first but, in fact, I was sitting in my chair looking absently at the chair across from me when my gaze gradually focused on its button-tufted back.  Well, you know the rest of the story…straight to my room to make a card.

I tried to keep this gender neutral, using my PTI Perfect Match Lemon Tart cardstock and twill ribbon with buttons in several colors.  In spite of that, the pink seems rather dominant but that’s okay — it’s for a baby, after all.

The teddy bear is watercolored and the heart cut and embossed with Spellbinders dies.  The stitching is real — done by hand with a double strand of embroidery floss.  The buttons are all sewn on, too.

I’ll leave you with the recipe now while I head back to my room to make one more birthday card for this month.  I hope your week is off to a good start!  See you soon!

• Stamps:  Bundle of Joy (retired Stampin’ Up!)
• Paper:  PTI Lemon Tart, SU! textured white, Neenah classic solar white, watercolor, Daisy D’s designer paper
• Ink:  Jet Black Stazon; Timber Brown Stazon; Caramel, Cocoa and Pretty in Pink for watercoloring; Barely Banana marker for little heart in sentiment
• Accessories:  PTI Lemon Tart twill, linen thread, embroidery floss, 1″ circle punch, buttons, Spellbinders heart dies, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

You may not have even noticed, but I’ve had a few days away from my blog.  My husband is home on vacation; I had a birthday “get-away” day; my son came home for a birthday visit…  One thing after another and, well, let’s just say my focus shifted for a while.  I’m back now and I’d like to take the time to share this little project with you.

It’s been over a week since I worked on designing this box, photographing, writing the instructions, etc. and I finally put the finishing touches on it today.  It’s the way the flaps are folded that makes this box so incredibly easy and, once again, the concept is derived from the 2-4-6-8 box that I use so often.

While in the process of designing this project I visited one of my favorite blogs – that of my friend, Sharon Johnson — and found a wonderful post in which she shared three beautiful boxes made in the same manner.  A bonus!  Sharon’s boxes are a different size and shape so I’d like to encourage you to visit her post here to see her measurements and some absolutely fabulous ideas for turning a simple gift into something especially delightful.  Thank you, Sharon!

My simple box is sized for cards.  It will hold six A2 cards (and envelopes) with an average degree of layers and embellishments.

I decorated my box with Memory Box Winterberry paper on a shimmery ivory cardstock and topped it with the large poinsettia from Flourishes’ Poinsettia and Boxwood stamp set.  The poinsettia is watercolored with SU! inks and layered with dimensional foam tape.  The center pearls can be found at Flourishes here.  Gold elastic cord is attached under the poinsettia and wraps diagonally around the box to make it look just a bit more “giftable”.  It slips on and off easily.

Here’s how it’s made:

• Cut the box bottom 8 1/2″ x 7 1/4″.
• Score all sides at 1 3/8″.
• Clip to score lines as shown.

Tip:  When you make the clips as shown above, you may find your corners more tidy if you create a little space where you clip.  Cut along both sides of the score line and remove that narrow section (about 1/16th”) as shown in the photo below.

• Apply red liner tape to the flaps.
• Fold to the bumpy side of the score line and adhere.

Subsequent photos will clearly show where the tape is applied.

The next photo is the box top.  Whether top or bottom, the red liner tape is applied the same.

• Cut cardstock 7 1/2″ x 6 1/4″.  Score all sides at 13/16th” — that’s 1/16″ past the 3/4″ mark.
• Cut two designer paper strips 5 3/4″ x 3/4″
• Cut two designer paper strips 4 1/2″ x 3/4″.
• Cut one designer paper panel 5 3/4″ x 4 1/2″.
• Adhere as shown.

This is the underside of the box lid, showing where the tape is applied.  The tape is applied the same to the inside of the box bottom.  All that’s left is to fold and adhere the box.  Be certain to fold the short flaps to the inside.

And that’s all there is to it!  Although this box is sized for cards, there are many other gifts which would nest nicely within it, too — a silk scarf, socks, gloves, candy…  I hope you enjoyed!

I’ll be back Monday with more fun to share.  Until then, have yourself a wonderful weekend!

I thought I’d make a fall card today.  I wouldn’t want this beautiful season to be completely overshadowed by a head-long rush into Christmas.  It’s allowed the same three months as every other season but it does seem shorter somehow.  I’m happy to be getting a head start on my Christmas projects but I have all these wonderful new fall stamps, too…

This is the Whipper Snapper set, Give Thanks, designed by our own exceedingly talented Anna Wight.  I rearranged the greeting to fit in a circle and bordered the main image with a cross stitch stamp from Crazy for Chickens.  The cross stitch along the lower edge of the card is faux stitching — pierce holes and connect the dots with a marker.

The peachy textured cardstock is a shimmery Bazzill which I purchased locally.  Since SU! got me hooked on texture I went searching for more colors and found a goldmine of Bazzill here.  I honestly had no idea there were so many different kinds of Bazzill.  Wow!!  Where have I been?  If you know of any of the smaller web stores we like to frequent who carry Bazzill, please give a shout out.  I’ve searched all the old familiar places and come up empty handed.

There are more details in the recipe listed below.  I’m off to get ready to meet the new week now.  Have a very happy Monday!

• Stamps:  Give Thanks, Crazy for Chickens — both by Whipper Snapper
• Paper:  Prism Spring Willow Dark, shimmery peach Bazzill, SU! Very Vanilla, Carolee’s Creations Adornit Back to Nature Plaid designer paper
• Ink:  Adirondack Ginger, Pesto and Peach Bellini, Really Rust SU! marker for coloring leaves and faux stitching; Wheat Prismacolor marker–a very light color, used to outline tree and underline sentiment.  It has an interesting softening effect.  When seen in real life it almost looks like it was stamped on vellum.  I used a Green Tea Prismacolor marker to underline the tree.
• Accessories:  Ribbon, linen thread, leaf charms, brads, slot punch, 1 1/4″ and 1 3/8″ circle punches, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

The moment I saw Flourishes’ new All That Glitters set a flood of memories came rushing in.  When I was growing up our tree had just two of these birds, mine and my brother’s.  It was a most special Christmas tradition when those birds were pulled from the box and we each sought out our own perfect branch.  I can remember being so utterly joyful at the sight of my bird every year.

When I grew up and began Christmas traditions in my own home, Mom gave me many of the ornaments that had adorned the trees of my childhood.  Sadly, my bird was not among them.  After all those years in little hands perhaps it didn’t fare very well, but  I honestly don’t think Mom realized how precious our birds were to us.

So…the first card I made with this set just had to be with this little bird.  It’s embossed with a glittery gold embossing powder and painted with Twinkling H2Os.  I also used a single branch stamped repeatedly, and another ornament from the set.  Cardstocks are Handsome Hunter and a gold mirror metallic.  The pretty designer paper is retired SU!.  The greeting is from another of Flourishes’ new releases, Holiday Greetings — a very useful collection of Christmas greetings in various fonts and styles.  I love everything in it!

The following card was made with the City of David set:

This is definitely not your traditional Christmas colors.  I stamped this image thinking to make a daytime scene – blushed with chalks in soft, desert colors.  Once I’d quickly finished that I spent pretty much the rest of the day trying to create a suitable backdrop.  Nothing along the usual lines was working and all I could focus on was the caramel and pink.  My mind just wouldn’t go anywhere else!  So I gave into my inclinations and made the card I was seeing in my head — airy, light and simple.  The sentiment, again, is from Holiday Greetings.

Now through Monday, Oct. 13th, you can discount 10% from your entire Flourishes order.  Just use the promotion code RSC88 at checkout.

A trip to the following designers’ blogs will treat you to other projects with these sets and more:

Thank you so much for dropping by!  It’s been a lot of fun this week and now I hope to get out and see what my blogging friends have been up to.  Maybe I’ll see you there!  Take care!