tea-drinking stamper

I was so surprised when I realized the Snow Front doesn't have to be about snow! I used the cluster of dots that I'm sure are supposed to be snow flakes to serve as colored leaves on the trees. But I thought the scene I created was perfect for Thanksgiving so I borrowed the greeting from the retired Pleasant Pheasant stamp set. Products Used: Snow Front photopolymer stamp set (17), 150483, $22.00 Pleasant Pheasant retired stamp set Balmy Blue 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 146982, $8.75 Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 119685, $8.75 Very Vanilla 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (40), 101650, $8.75 Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad, 147105, $7.50 Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad, 147083, $7.50 Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad, 149165, $7.50 Shaded Spruce Classic Stampin' Pad, 147088, $7.50 Call Me Clover Classic Stampin' Pad, 147139, $7.50 Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad, 147115, $7.50 Retired Cherry Cobbler...

Beauty & Joy is another of those stamp sets that is so versatile because it can be used for all seasons. This card, made at my October class, includes quite a bit of dry embossing. It's difficult to see the Pinewood Planks embossing on the Early Espresso card stock. Actually, I had originally designed the card using Soft Suede but cut Early Espresso for the class instead. It still looks good but, truth be told, I much prefer the original with the Soft Suede. But I have already given that one away without photographing it. That first one was a birthday card while this is a Thanksgiving/thank you card. I've actually used one of these, too. Products Used: Beauty & Joy photopolymer stamp set (13), 150518, $16.00 Very Vanilla 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (40), 101650, $9.75 Pumpkin Pie 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 105117, $8.75 Crushed Curry 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 131199, $8.75 Early Espresso 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 11...

I love this stamp set; obviously or I wouldn't have purchased it. I love that it can be a fall card, a Thanksgiving card, or a masculine birthday card. For this Thanksgiving card, I used a different fold than I've used before. In essence, this card is a card on a card. You'll see what I mean as  you look at the illustrations below. The card fits in a standard medium envelope. I cut the larger Cajun Craze card base at 4-1/4" x  8-1/2" and scored it at 5-1/2". I then added the pieces of Country Lane Designer Series Paper to the inside and the folded-over section (4" x 5-1/4" and 4" x 2-3/4").  The inner "card" base is simply 3" x 8" scored at 4" and can be centered and attached before stamping. Both stamped-on pieces of Whisper White card stock are 2-3/4" x 3-3/4".  The images are stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Stampin' Blends. I chose to color the pumpkins in Cajun Craze...

Much of this card was learned from a demonstrator in the UK but with my own personal twist. I haven't used my Watercolor Pencils that much since I first received them, especially since the Stampin' Blends came out. However, I wanted to blend the colors without worrying about mixing colors on the tips of my Blends, which is the perfect reason to use the pencils. For this card I chose to use Watercolor Paper.  Somewhere I heard the trick to remember which black ink to use with the different media for coloring. If it's water-based ink (our markers or ink pads), use Staz-On ink; if it's alcohol-based (Stampin' Blends), use Memento ink - the opposite of the color implements. So I used the Staz-On ink and Aqua Painters to blend all the colors coloring with the colors. Remember, you don't have to color completely when using the Watercolor Pencils because adding water allows you to pull the color where you want it. Notice, too, how using less of the Early Espresso o...

I lay in bed the night before my stamp class thinking about this design. I really wanted to use the Buffalo Check background stamp and I just love the Country Home stamp set, so I brought them together for this card. Yes, it took some fussy cutting, but the ladies at my stamp class don't mind that part of the craft. I still have quite a few doilies left from last year's catalog and this was the perfect design to use some up. Notice the rhinestone in the upper right hand corner. I colored that with my Dark Shaded Spruce Stampin' Blend. What a perfect complement to the card! Products Used: Country Home photopolymer stamp set (14), 147679, $21.00 Buffalo Check rubber background stamp, W 147797, $20.00; C 147794, $15.00 Shaded Spruce 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 146981, $8.50 Whisper White 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (40), 100730, $9.75 Shaded Spruce Classic Stampin' Pad, 14088, $7.50 Memento Ink Pad, 132708, $6.00 Cajun Craze Combo Pack, Stampin...

I truly love the Painted Harvest stamp set and making my own designer paper was so much fun. I have to admit that the second time I stamped a full sheet of sunflowers, acorns and leaves, I placed the flowers closer together. I stamped the flowers first and then added the leaves, acorns and dots. But the cards I am sharing are the ones I made as samples before my class, "Eight Cards in a Flash". I thought it would be fun to have a sunflower peeking out from behind the designed layers. Add a ribbon and a greeting and I have a great Thanksgiving card. For this card, I used the sunflower as the focal point. I had a somewhat crumpled half doily laying around, so I scraped some Crushed Curry ink across its surface to use on my card. My original intention was to stamp the words in Tranquil Tide in the bottom right corner, although stamping the words all over was not part of that original plan, hence the blank space. But somehow I picked up one of the dimensional pap...

This post is a continuation of yesterday's as I show more individual cards from my recent class. Now that I've learned this method of cutting my card stock, I just might cut colored card stock coordinating with various designer series paper packs and keep them together so I can throw cards together in a minimum of time. Here are the directions for cutting the Tranquil Tide card stock: Cut in half lengthwise, 4-1/4" x 11" each Rotate and cut one of those pieces in half, 4-1/2" x 5-1/2"; cut those two pieces in half, giving you four pieces measuring 2-1/8" x 5-1/2". Rotate the other original half sheet and cut at 2-3/4" three times, resulting in four pieces 2-3/4" x 4-1/4". [I must give credit for these measurements to Connie Stewart of Simply Simple Stamping.] Products Used: Painted Harvest photopolymer stamp set (13), 144783, $21.00 Basket of Wishes photopolymer stamp set (11), 142200, $17.00 Whisper White 8-1/2"...

At my recent class, I chose to show how we could make eight cards quickly by using one sheet of colored card stock and one sheet of Whisper White card stock to adorn eight card bases. We made our own designer paper and cut it into eight pieces that nestled nicely into eight pieces of colored card stock, Tranquil Tide in this case. After stamping all over the Whisper White card stock, we trimmed off 1/2 inch lengthwise. We then cut that paper in two, resulting in two pieces measuring 4" x 11". We then cut each of those halves into four pieces. We did the same thing, but keeping the 1/2 inch, with the Tranquil Tide card stock. The stamped pieces fit perfectly on the colored pieces. Of course, the idea was to keep the rest of the stamping simple, but I always struggle to keep things simple, constantly finding things to add to my cards. But they were still quick and eight cards were put together with minimal waste. Here is a picture of all eight cards. I will post the ...

I debated purchasing the Painted Harvest stamp set because I have so many flowers and I do have acorns and leaves... But I'm so glad I did. I really enjoy using this set in so many ways. I did some fussy-cutting when making this card, but I really don't mind doing that. I know others dislike it a lot and would rather have dies or punches. Stampin' Up! has a lot of both so you can choose your sets by what you prefer using. Since this set is designed as a "Two-Step" stamp set, it is very easy to add colors and shading. I raised two of the flowers with Stampin' Dimensionals, as you can see. I have also started raising parts of some stamped images. For example, I have glued down the stem ends of the leaves but popped up some of the individual leaves with more dimensionals. Products Used:  Painted Harvest photopolymer stamp set (13), 144783, $21.00 Crushed Curry 8-1/2" x 11" card stock (24), 131199, $8.00 Chocolate Chip 8-1/2" x 11...

Thanksgiving? Or just a fall thanks card. Either one. But the simple elegance says it all. Some gold embossing powder, gold satin ribbon and wooden leaves pressed into my gold ink pad set on Chocolate Chip card stock and mounted on a Mossy Meadow card front... Products Used: Seasonally Scattered stamp set (3), W 135020, $24.95; C 135023, $17.95 For All Things stamp set (8), W 135152, $24.95; C 135155, $17.95 Mossy Meadow 8½" x 11" card stock (24), 133670, $6.95 Chocolate Chip 8½" x 11" card stock (24), 102128, $6.95 Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad, 133645, $5.95 VersaMark clear ink pad, 102283, $7.50 Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder (½ oz.), $4.95 Metallic Encore Ink, Gold, 132141, $9.95 Gold 5/8" Satin Ribbon (10 yards), $6.95 Autumn Wooden Elements (36 pieces), 135846, $4.95

I'm beginning to think Fall is my favorite time of the year because cards for this season are so spectacular. Too bad the season is so short. The leaves (Autumn Splendor stamp set) are falling on the background of this card. You can just see them almost as a texture in the background because I stamped them in Peach Parfait on Peach Parfait card stock. Then I wrapped the Pear Pizzazz Stitched-Poly Ribbon around the card, tying it in a knot on one side of the card. I then stamped the oak leaf from the same stamp set in Chocolate Chip classic ink on a piece of Very Vanilla card stock. I used the Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz markers to add the fall colors. "Happy Thanksgiving" (Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set) was also stamped in Chocolate Chip classic ink on a scrap of Very Vanilla card stock and then punched out with the Word Window punch. I then mounted that on the Modern Label punched from Pear Pizzazz card stock. That bit of color pulls in the coordinating ribbon. Chocolat...

Whether it's for Thanksgiving or for a Fall birthday or just a note, the Harvest Home stamp set fits the bill. This card was designed specifically for my Holiday Card Class where we will make two Thanksgiving/Fall cards and four Christmas cards. I've used Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso, and Always Artichoke card stock along with some Watercolor Paper. Of course, water coloring means Aqua Painters! Notice how I used the words for my background, stamping with Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad on the Pumpkin Pie card stock. Some eyelets and Hemp Twine through and around the Early Espresso Top Note provide just the right amount of embellishment. The top two layers are mounted with Stampin' Dimensionals, of course. My class is scheduled for Wednesday evening, September 29 at my home with an RSVP of September 24. The fee of $15 for all six cards is waived for any who spend at least $30. Also, anyone who brings a friend who has never stamped with me before gets to make double of e...

This is one of the cards we made at last week's workshop. So simple! Just Sahara Sand and Soft Suede card stock and Soft Suede classic ink. I used one stamp from two different sets in the holiday mini catalog: "Autumn Splendor" and "Gifts of the Earth". And, of course, a greeting from "Teeny Tiny Wishes". And, of course, I couldn't forget a ribbon accent! The in-colors, like the Soft Suede used here, have such pretty polka-dot ribbons! Because it was a large group, I designed two very similar cards, using the same two stamp sets but different stamps within the sets. I also chose different colors - Confetti Cream and Chocolate Chip card stock with Chocolate Chip ink and Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon. That way I could divide the large group into two smaller ones and they could accomplish their cards more quickly than having to share everything. The other card is shown below.