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Showing posts from February, 2018

Hold on to Hope Birthday Card

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The Hold on to Hope stamp set is more versatile than you would originally think. This is another card we made at my stamp class last week. I love the unexpected color combination! For this card, I used Stampin' Write Markers to color the rubber stamp before placing on the card. I think this is one of my all-time favorite cards. Although the set comes with framelits dies, I didn't use any of them. I hope you like it as much as I do. I sponged around the edges of the banner and popped it up with Stampin' Dimensionals. When using our sponges, I cut one large sponge into four pieces. I know of others who actually cut them into 6 pieces.  In all honesty, I didn't think I liked the Lemon Lime Twist color when it first came out, but I have come to love it since I've been using it. Products Used: Hold on to Hope rubber stamp set (10), W 145776, $29.00; C 145780, $21.00 Dapper Denim 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 141414, $8.00 Fresh Florals 12" x

More Eclipse Technique

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I had promised my faithful customers that I would teach the eclipse technique to them at my February class. I debated and debated how I would do so. Using the Large Letters framelits means I can only use words of four or fewer letters. The greeting on this card is from the Hold on to Hope stamp set. I used the verse that comes with the set (Isaiah 46:4) on the inside. It is a perfect verse for a couple mothers with prodigal sons. One is my daughter, whose son is what I term AWOL because he has turned his back on God and family, refusing contact with any of us. Very painful. But this card is cheerful and the blossoms on the tree speak of the hope of spring during winter. In a sense, these women are going through a winter season emotionally, but spring will come as we put our faith and trust in God. Yesterday's post has the instructions for this technique, so be sure to check it out. Products Used: Hold on to Hope rubber stamp set (10), W 145776, $29.00; C 145780, $21.00

Eclipse Technique

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I have been wanting to play with the eclipse technique forever! Because the first cards I saw using this technique were made with the Large Letter Dies, I thought I had to obtain them before I could do the technique. But not so! Since I ordered them, I've seen other examples of this technique done with various shapes. Anyway, this birthday card is my first attempt and I love the way it turned out. The man who turned 80 last week also loves birds, so the Flying Home stamp set seemed a perfect fit. I mixed it with the Number of Years stamp set and used the Large Numbers Framelits for the 80. He was suitably impressed. And of course I had to use the Stampin' Blends to color the images! [You need to use the Memento ink pad with the alcohol-based Stampin' Blends.] The way I accomplished this technique, whether it's the official way or not, was to stamp my design on the 3-3/4" x 5" Whisper White card stock. Then I placed the framelits where I wanted them and ran

Valentines from Epic Celebrations

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Yes, I'm late posting this card. Although it is a Valentine, it would also make a great masculine birthday card. Just use the dots instead of the hearts. Or keep the hearts if you're sending love with the birthday greetings. Because my brother is a guitar player, I thought this card was perfect for him. The red here is actually the retired Raspberry Ripple. Since I have so much of that paper, I decided to use it on this card. I must have forgotten to photograph the card I sent to our son, who is supervisor of recreation at a university in Tennessee. I used the sneakers all over his and colored them with Cherry Cobbler  Stampin' Blends. I'm bummed I can't share that card with you because I think it turned out really cute. Lots of fun with this stamp set, Epic Celebrations, one that I thought I would use very seldom.

Playing with the Waterfront Stamp Set

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I was anxious to start playing with the Waterfront stamp set and decided to try something different from what I'd seen before, although I have seen quite a few cards made with this set. When I first saw it in the catalog, I was convinced I had no interest in it. But that changed very quickly, especially when I received a card from another demonstrator who said it was easy to use. I plan to play some more and have class attendees play with it at my February class. I hope to have a number of samples—I can only get better, right? Anyway, here is what I came up with: One of the little cabins is in Chocolate Chip, but it didn't show up as well as the Early Espresso one did. I used Crumb Cake for the mountains, Emerald Envy for the grass, Tranquil Tide for the evergreens, Dapper Denim for the water (should have worked some lighter blue in with it), Crushed Curry for the sun and a little Soft Sky for, what else? the sky. I think I should have left out the green grass on the left

More Heartfelt Blooms

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The idea for this card came from something I saw on-line. However, I have to admit that I really liked hers more than mine. But her model is the reason I chose Sweet Sugarplum for both my cards. I've always liked this color and I don't know why I haven't used it more often. I'm going to have to do something about that!  Making this card involved multiple stamped images, once on the actual card piece, and twice on scraps of card stock, obviously using Pear Pizzazz for one of the stamped images. I then fussy cut out the leave and the center daisy. A little sponging around the edges before adhering them to my card front, using glue beneath the leaf and dimensionals behind the daisy. I used the dark Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blend to color the center of the flower. What you can't see is the Wink of Stella on the raised daisy. I wanted to use some Crystal Effects on the dew drop, but I haven't used it in so long that it had dried up. At least, I think that

Something Old, Something New

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I think this is one of my very favorite cards but it's made almost exclusively of discontinued products, from the Crisp Cantaloupe and Baked Brown Sugar card stock and inks to the ruffled ribbon in baked brown sugar. But the flowers are from the Lots of Lavender stamp set available through the current Sale-a-Bration catalog. Even the Pistachio Pudding leaves and the Coastal Cabana ribbon are from that much loved (by me, anyway) in color family. The designer series paper was a scrap laying around as was the piece of doily. I gave this card to one of my faithful customers for her most recent purchase, but it was hard for me to give it away. And, yes, the bouquet is fussy cut. I rather enjoy cutting things out, but I know many do not.

Heartfelt Blooms

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My next card class is scheduled for February 22nd and this is one of the cards we will be making. I just love this new stamp! Such vivid dimension for such a flat stamp. I made two cards with the stamp set today as I planned my class. This is by far the easier one and I actually like it more. Products Used: Heartfelt Blooms (4), W 147197; C 147202; free with minimum purchase of $50.00 Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (40), 100730, $9.00 Sweet Sugarplum 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 141418, $8.00 Rich Razzleberry 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 115316, $8.00 Sweet Sugarplum Classic Stampin' Pad, 141395, $6.50 Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad, 126950, $6.50

Lots of Lavender

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I'm a sucker for flowers! And this stamp set, Lots of Lavender, is designed in such a way that you do not need to do any coloring. For my class, I laid the leaf and stem fill-ins on top of the stamped image and then picked them up with a clear block so we could stamp all three pieces at once. Worked wonderfully! Lots of possibilities with this stamp set. By the way, I think Stampin' Up!'s dimensionals are the best! So many of the others I have seen are much too thick. Ours are just right. And for those rare occasions when you want something thicker, you can place two on top of each other. And now that we have the Mini Stampin' Dimensionals, you need nothing more. And, although the package says 300 pieces, you have the borders of each card of dimensionals that are so useful, especially on some of those skinny pieces. Products Used: Lots of Lavender photopolymer stamp set (11), 147194, Free during Sale-a-Bration Teeny Tiny Wishes rubber stamp set (24), W 128748,

Fun with Epic Celebration

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Epic Celebration

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I was excited to have a stamp set with a guitar that I didn't have to pay for! My grandson and my brother are really into their guitars. So when the Epic Celebration stamp set appeared in our Sale-a-Bration catalog, I went for it. Admittedly, I struggled to design a card with the set but I'm pleased with the result. Since I designed one for a sample and made another at card class, I have one for both my grandson and my brother way ahead of time! What you can't see in this photograph is the glittery front of this guitar acquired with an application of Wink of Stella. I used the White Stampin' Chalk Marker for the white highlights on sneakers and guitar. However, as I'm writing this, I'm realizing that the white watercolor marker may have worked just as well. I chose to use Bermuda Bay because my eyes fell on a strip of the designer paper from the Brights collection paper stack. It is retired, but you will probably see more popping up on my cards because I h

Flying Home

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I seem to be drawn to stamp sets that include birds and flowers, and the Flying Home set in the Occasions Catalog is fits the bill. This one is colored with our Stampin' Blends. Such fun! Looking forward to playing with the other images in this set. The card is constructed of Pool Party, Whisper White and Daffodil Delight card stock. Stampin' Blends are alcohol markers that come in our exclusive colors. I love the way they color without streaks and blend easily to add dimension to the coloring. They can be purchased individually, but you'll need both the light and dark shades of each color to accomplish that depth, so you might as well purchase the combo pack when ordering. This card does have one discontinued item: the Daffodil Delight grosgrain ribbon. However, you can get the exact same effect using a 5/8" strip of Daffodil Delight card stock. Products Used: Flying Home rubber stamp set (8), W 145926, $25.00; C 145929, $1.00 Whisper White 8-1/2" x 1

More Party Pandas!

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I just love these little guys! Had to make another card for my January class using the Sale-a-Bration set, Party Pandas. Admittedly, I chose the background designer paper assuming we still had our color family paper stacks, but they were discontinued. For some reason I really wanted polka-dots, so we used the paper anyway. Besides, I need to use up my old stash! I colored the balloon and hat with the Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blends. Love the slight shading. And they are so easy to use. I found the finer tip worked best. Remember, Sale-a-Bration products are free with a minimum $50 purchase. There's a whole booklet of products available through March 3. My February 22nd class will be the last one before Sale-a-Bration ends. I became discouraged with my scans and am now learning to photograph my projects. Still learning, but this is much better than the original scan.