Wednesday, April 26, 2017

More Retired Fun!

With so many items retiring in just a few short weeks, I started looking at some of my other retired favorites. That is what brought about this sample.


The card base is Soft Sky with the mat of Old Olive. The background is from the Adventure Bound paper stack. The images are from Language of Friendship. I stamped some of the branch onto the background piece with Always Artichoke.

The birds and branches are stamped on Whisper White. To get the reverse image, I stamped onto a clear block and placed onto the Whisper White. This works best with a cushion under the cardstock, and you need to hold it in place for a bit, letting the ink "soak" into the cardstock.

I punched the sentiment out with the Large Oval, and pieced the scallop oval punch to fit the sentiment. I placed it on dimensionals on a nest of linen thread.

Here is how I colored the pieces before punching them out with the matching punch.


I used daubers to color in a circular motion. Color lightly and repeat until you get the depth of color wanted. After punching out, I also sponged around each image and used a gray marker to color in the eyes for a bit more definition.

Don't have this stamp set? Check out Best Birds in the catalog on page 53 for a current set to use. AND you can order the bundle before it retires! The stamp set and dies will be in the new catalog, but not as a bundle, so order soon to save 10%.

I hope you enjoyed this walk down retired lane. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Tuscan Vineyard + fun bow making

During our Easter weekend, for several years now, some of us enjoy stamping together. We basically do our own thing amidst the visiting and laughter. Here are the two cards that I created this year.


The base is Whisper White and I stamped the corks from Tuscan Vineyard stamp set to create a background directly onto the base cover. The other images are all from the same set with the bottles and seal mounted with dimensionals. I also added clear Wink of Stella to the jugs to add a bit of dazzle.


This is my second and favorite one. This retired SAB set (Hey, Chick) just makes me smile. I had some small pieces of screen, so added it to the back of a piece of cardstock from a retired kit. (You could create a similar look with the woodgrain folder). The bow is created from the Linen thread. I find myself using this more and more. Then I saw a video created by fellow demonstrator Billie Moan on how to make a bow with the linen thread.

She also gives a great idea for storage. ( I actually used an empty spice jar/bottle. And if you sew, an empty bobbin works great to wrap the thread around.). Here is the video.

Have a great day and thanks so much for stopping by!

Friday, April 14, 2017

New Products teaser



Well, it is all over the internet, the new catalog and products, which will be available June 1, 2017. There are some really great items. Even though there are lots of videos available, I like how Mary jumps right in without all of the chatter, so I am sharing her video with you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7aIdbN4vrw

Unfortunately, I wasn't lucky enough to make it to the event, so will have to wait until next month to place my pre-order. If you have ordered from me in the past year, you will be receiving your free catalog next month. There is still time to place an order to receive it. Just use the Hostess Code: 4KHSRN7C.

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Folded Pop-Up Tuscan Vineyard

I fell in love with the cards from Carol Dunn's kits, so HAD to see if I could figure out how to create them with my stamps and an A2 size card. Here is a couple of pictures of my test run:



Then I wrote up my instructions and created another one from them to make sure they were accurate.



Want my tutorial for this card? Here it is:

Folded Pop-Up Card

Cut a base: 5 ½ x 8 ½, scored at 2 1/8 and 4 1/4 on the long side. Crease the 4 1/4 score. (In the sample, I stamped around to create a background at this point, or it can be done before scoring.)


(I scored on the wrong spot to start with, so just added more score lines to add dimension and now, no more mistake :) )

Measure down 1" and mark from each end of the 4 1/4 fold. Snip in 1" at each mark. Now score from the end of one cut to the end of the other cut. Crease these scores to form the "step" to create a pop-up.



Now crease the 2 1/8 score, lining the base edge up to the 4 1/4 score. This forms the cover fold.


Now for the "pieces". (If you want more layers, use these pieces for the mats and cut the image shapes a bit smaller.)

(1) 2 x 2, cut diagonally for the corners

(2) 1 7/8 x 1 7/8 for the cover (olive branches on this sample)

(1) 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 for the sentiment


(1) For the pop-up piece, cut a 4" piece, measure up from one corner to 4", mark, and cut from mark diagonally to the other corner (OR cut a 4" square and cut diagonally to create two triangles, only one will be used)

Line the marks up on the cutting "ditch" and cut.



I decided to use these as mats, so cut smaller pieces for the images, subtracting 1/8" from the original measurements (1) 1 7/8 square, cut diagonally
                        (2) 1 3/4 for cover
                        (1) 2 1/8 for sentiment
                        (1) 3 7/8 for the pop-up



Decorate the pieces as desired. For this example, I used the Tuscan Vineyard stamp set.

Using glue or strong adhesive, attach the two images to the cover, lining the corners up on the fold, the corner pieces onto the inside cover, along with the sentiment. Place the adhesive on the top of the "step". Line up the longer side of the pop-up triangle to the step and attach.


SIGN your art work!!!

I hope you give this a try! Let me know what you think! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Window Box Lantern

Now that these have been delivered, I can post them.


I created these with the Window Box an Butterfly thinlits. There is a battery operated candle on the inside. I made them in different spring colors and cut the butterflies from DSP that matched the box.

P.S. The Window Box Thinlits and coordinating stamp set will be in the new catalog but NOT as a bundle. So the bundle with it's savings is only available til May 31. Don't miss out, order it before it is no longer available!!!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Monday, April 10, 2017

Paper Pumpkin spoiler alert!

What a great month to give Paper Pumpkin a try!


Spoiler alert: Today is the last day to sign-up and get the special Sara kit that includes 12 cards, a new color; Lemon-Lime Twist, and a stamp set with words written in Sara’s actual handwriting! Subscribe at https://www.paperpumpkin.com/en-us/sign-up?demoid=2010813 and don’t forget to tell your friends to sign up too! No one will want to miss the rest of the surprises!

Remember you can skip a month or cancel at any time, but don't miss out on this great kit! So join me in the fun!

Have a great day!!!

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Tuscan Vineyard

The Tuscan Vineyard stamp set on page 95 is one of those sets that just seemed to pull at me. I really have no reason why. It isn't something that I am usually drawn to, but I really like it. Maybe  because it reminds me of relaxation, clean air, and visiting with old friends......

Anyway here is one of many cards to come with this set:


Very simple with Rich Razzleberry base card, Elegant Eggplant mat, and Whisper White focal. The mat has the swirl from the set stamped randomly around with Versamark for a tone on tone effect.
I stamped the grapes with black and the jugs and sentiment with soft suede, sponging around the WW with Rich Razzleberry. I colored the fruit and the larger jug with my watercolor pencils and finished with the aqua painter. Mount the image at an angle with dimensionals.

On the inside I added another image of the jugs and the cork screw was stamped onto the envelope.

Here are a couple of samples with retired sets. It is nice to pull them out occasionally, too. Maybe you have them or want to case the card idea. Just enjoy!



The Stipple Blossoms set is probably one of my all time favorite sets. It has been retired for awhile now, but I still find myself using it again and again. Do you have a set like that???

 
For the dream catcher, I used two of the circle dies, then wrapped linen thread around it before adding it to the white side of one of the doilies. Then used one of the SAB sets for the sentiment.


And I love, love, love this card!!!! I used one of my favorite colors, Peek-a-boo Peach and the Stippled Blossoms again.

Hope you have enjoyed today's post and want to give some of these a try. Have a great day and thanks so much for stopping by!

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Embossing Folders organization

I have been thinking for some time that I need a way to make my embossing folders more accessible. I have mine stored in a folder album (actually two) and usually just look through them when I want one. Then they came out with the larger sizes that don't fit in my albums, so.....

I thought I knew each one that I had, but when doing this, I found a few that I had forgotten about and thought of some new ways to use some of them. (wouldn't the "clouds" be a great one to use with the Beautiful You set?)

Anyway, I saw this idea on Pinterest, where else! Sorry don't remember who had it.


These are baseball card sleeves with the samples on Whisper White. I also wrote the name of the folder on the bottom of the card. The cards are 2 1/2 x 3 1/2. You can get ten cards from one sheet of card stock. Just cut two long side strips 2 1/2 wide. This leaves a third strip that is 3 1/2. You can get three cards from the first two strip by cutting at 3 1/2 and four cards from the last strip, cutting at 2 1/2.

This will be a lot easier to look through when I am not sure what I want to use. Now, to just keep it up!

Well, Sale-a-bration is over for another year. I hope you were able to get all the freeby sets that you wanted! We only have a few more weeks left to order from the current Occasions and Annual catalogs. They will be gone May 31!

Want to place an order? Just click on catalog to the right. Please use the Host code for April when ordering this month: 4KHSRN7C

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!