new shape!!

Sometimes I make the best discoveries when I'm just playing with my toys... stamping toys, that is. Yesterday, I was just having fun at my desk using new goodies from the "Big Top" Product Suite (IBC pages 62-65). While I was making a variety of projects, I came up with a brand new shape! See if you can spot it on these 2 projects:

Need a hint? Here's a few close-ups:

I'm probably more excited about this shape than I should be, but I just love it!! I use my Decorative Label punch all the time, so it's nice to have something to mat behind it.

Want to know how to make this shape? It's super easy!

First punch out your card stock (or paper) with the 2-1/2" Circle punch. Then, slip one side of the circle into the Decorative Label punch, going through the bottom opening. After punching, repeat this process on the opposite side of the circle. Yay!! New shape!!
Have fun playing in your stamping room today!  :)

faux Mother of Pearl

I LOVE the faux Mother of Pearl technique! What a great way to add elegance to your project. And, it's really easy...  Stamp (and color if desired) your image on Glossy card stock. I recommend using StazOn® ink to stamp with. Pour a tiny bit of Frost White Shimmer Paint onto a plastic lid or foam plate. Crumple up a ball of cling wrap, and tap it into the Shimmer Paint. I like to pounce once onto scrap paper, just to make sure I don't get too much paint on my project. Gently pounce / tap your "inked" cling-wrap-ball over your stamped Glossy card stock. A little goes a long way; you don't want too much paint on your project. Let the Shimmer Paint dry, and then the magic happens. Using a sponge or a brayer, add ink over the Glossy card stock. Start with a small amount of ink first, you can always add more. I like to have lighter and darker spots on my pieces.

I love how this card turned out! I used the Strength & Hope stamp set - only a few days left to order this set, which Stampin' Up! will donate a portion of the sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.  {Click here for more information and a short video.} The unique color combination is Blushing Bride and Calypso Coral.

I used the new Delicate Doilies stamp set for this card. The colors are Lucky Limeade, Soft Suede, and Calypso Coral. So pretty!  :)

Soot Stamping

Good morning! I have another card to share with you from my technique class on using Glossy card stock. I have to say, it was an interesting class to prepare for... in addition to the stamping supplies, I also had to get cling wrap, wax paper, a craft iron, a candle and match, baby wipes, a spray sealant, and a fire extinguisher (just in case). I can only image how crazy my class participants thought I was when they came in!  ;)  But we had a great time, and that's what it's all about.

 This card uses the technique called "soot stamping." To begin, you light a small pillar candle. I tried to do the technique using a tea-light candle, and it just didn't produce a big enough flame. Holding the Glossy card stock with tweezers or a clothes pin, pass the glossy side over the candle flame, allowing the glossy surface to brush across the flame. You want the Glossy card stock to actually touch the flame so it will produce a black soot mark, but obviously you don't want to keep the card stock in any one place for too long. Again, having a fire extinguisher close by is a smart idea (just in case). When the glossy surface is all "sooted," place your Glossy card stock in your work space - soot side up - being careful not to touch it so you won't leave finger prints.
Choose a stamp with a more solid image. Without adding any ink, "stamp" your image into the soot. The rubber will remove soot, creating a very unique image. The next step is to spray your "stamped" Glossy card stock piece with a clear, permanent acrylic coating. I used a matte finish acrylic spray (from my local home improvement store) that is safe for artwork, wood, metal, paper, silk flowers, etc. Be sure to use the spray outside; I placed my card stock in a cardboard box to collect the overspray. I sprayed a thin coat, waited a few minutes, and then sprayed a second thin coat. Then I let it dry for almost 2 hours before completing the card.
For this card, I used the My Friend stamp set. I carefully tore the edge along the flower image, and sponged with Soft Suede ink. The small strip of Baja Breeze card stock is also sponged in Soft Suede. The layer of Soft Suede card stock is distressed along the right edge to add more subtle detail.
I really like the unique look of this card. Have fun experimenting with Soot Stamping... why not try it on a few Halloween projects?  :)

*Note: while this technique is a great look for cards, I wouldn't recommend it for your treasured scrapbook pages.

family time

Apologies for the long break in posts... I took a little break to spend some more family time. For those of you who don't know, my husband (a synthetic - organic chemist) was laid off at the end of January. While he continues to keep a positive attitude and diligently search for a new position, it has been challenging emotionally. We needed some "fresh air," so we took a short trip to visit family. I even got to spend a whole day with my niece, Olive, who is almost 4 months old. I just love her to pieces! I'll have a digital scrapbook page to share with you later, but in the meantime, here's today's card:

This card features the "striped wipe" technique. It's super easy! On the 4"x5-1/4" layer of Glossy card stock, I made the striped background using a baby wipe and 4 colors of Classic Ink Refill (Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Blushing Bride, and Poppy Parade). All you have to do is fold up a baby wipe and add a few drops of ink on the front of one of the folded edges. Then just drag the wipe along the Glossy card stock.
The focal point uses the Hello Blossoms stamp on page 7 of the Summer Mini. I used markers to "ink" the stamp (Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Blushing Bride, Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Daffodil Delight, and Always Artichoke). A bit of 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Old Olive adds a nice finishing touch.
Have fun experimenting with different color combinations on your next background!

can't resist a little summer fun ;)

Ok, dorky play on words for the title ;) I couldn't "resist!"
Now that I'm done cracking myself up, here's today's card-

This is a card we made at my Technique Tuesday class in July. The technique on this card is called "wax paper resist." You will need Glossy Card stock, wax paper, and an iron to do this technique. Crumple up a piece of wax paper (cut slightly larger than the Glossy Card Stock), and then gently flatten back out. "Sandwich" the wrinkled wax paper between two layers of Glossy Card Stock - glossy sides touching the wax paper. Quickly "iron" on one of the plain/ back sides of the card stock. The heat from the iron will "melt" some of the wax onto the glossy surfaces. Now you are ready to create!
I sponged Pool Party ink onto the Glossy Card Stock - use the back of the sponge section to rub any excess ink from the waxy spots. To create the look of seaweed, I stamped an image from Pocket Silhouettes using Lucky Limeade ink. A sentiment from Pocket Silhouettes is stamped in Lucky Limeade ink onto Lucky Limeade card stock, and punched out with the Curly Label Punch. The Glossy Card Stock is adhered to a piece of Island Indigo card stock, which I hand cut a wavy edge around.
The octopus image from the Summer Splash stamp set is stamped in Island Indigo ink onto Whisper White card stock, snipped out, and attached with Dimensionals. The Lucky Limeade striped DSP is from the 2011-2013 Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack. Some paper piercing into the Sahara Sand card stock adds a nice little detail, and the shells (colored with Sahara Sand, More Mustard, and Calypso Coral Markers) are the perfect finishing touch.
I have had a ton of fun using the Summer Splash stamp set from the Summer Mini. This set is only available through the end of August, so if you don't have it already, stop by my Online store and pick yours up today!
Happy stamping :)

Hello, friend

Today's card uses the new stamp set My Friend, which is in the "Elements" section of the new Idea Book & Catalog. This was the Make & Take at my Catalog Party in July.

I love this color combination: Pool Party, Lucky Limeade, and Chocolate Chip. The little details on this card include a medium Rhinestone (119246 $4.95 for 150), 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon in Chocolate Chip (124142 $7.95 for 10 yards), and a Lucky Limeade butterfly cut and dry embossed using the Beautiful Wings Embosslit (118138 $11.95) and my Big Shot.
It's the perfect card to send to a friend I haven't seen in a while, just to let her know I'm thinking about her :)
I'll be you can you think of a few friends who would like to get a card from you. Happy stamping!

Workshop Card

I'm so excited for this afternoon's workshop - I get to stamp with some friends that I haven't stamped with in a long time :)
Here's 1 of the projects guests will make today. My 4-1/4" square card was inspired by the card on page 202 in the new Idea Book & Catalog. I LOVE that there are HUNDREDS of project samples right at my finger tips!

card stock: Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze textured, Early Espresso textured, Poppy Parade textured, Early Espresso, and Whisper White

Designer Series Paper: Just Add Cake

Markers: Poppy Parade, Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze, and Early Espresso

punch: 1-1/4" Circle

Hostess Stamp Club - August project

I had so much fun with my stamp club last night. They are the nicest ladies, and spending time with them always brings a smile to my heart. My club members get three hours of crop time, plus a project I provide for them. Last night we made this pretty little bookmark using the Clearly for You stamp set.

Ink colors: Island Indigo, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black

Card stock: Very Vanilla, Island Indigo, Cherry Cobbler

Punches: 1-1/4" Circle, 1-3/8" Circle, 1-3/4" Scallop Circle, 3/16" Corner

The background image is inked with Island Indigo, and "stamped off" before stamping on the Very Vanilla card stock in order to make the background lighter.

The butterfly image is stamped first in Cherry Cobbler ink. Then, to give it a little extra sparkle, it is stamped a second time (right on top) with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint. To do this, gently shake up your bottle of Shimmer Paint. Then dip a sponge dauber into the lid. Use your "inked" sponge dauber to dab directly onto the stamp. Then, using a Stamp-a-ma-jig® for placement, stamp right over the image.
I love using Shimmer Paint to add special little details to my projects. It is available in three colors - Champagne Mist, Frost White, and Platinum - in my online store.

buy 3, get 1 FREE!

 Are you in love with our fabulous papers like me? I seriously can't get enough of them; they're just so pretty! The Stampin' Up! special for August is awesome - buy three packages of Designer Series Paper, get one package FREE! Yay!!! You can find more details and get a closer look at these papers in my online store. Happy shopping :)

Hostess Club

I have been stamping like crazy this past week! I'm almost done with my "Make & Take" projects from Convention. I never finish all of my projects during the Make & Take session, but this year... well, I didn't complete one single thing! I had an enjoyable chat, though ;)

Today I am working on the project for my stamp club that meets tomorrow night. As I started working, I realized I forgot to post the July project. We made a cute little magnet:

Using the Big Shot, we cut Magnet Sheets, Flirtatious Specialty DSP, Pretty in Pink card stock, orange tulle, Flirtatious Fabric, and Melon Mambo Textured card stock on the Fun Flowers Bigz L die. The layer of Pumpkin Pie card stock is punched with the Doily Triple Layer punch. The sentiment from Fabulous Phrases is stamped in Melon Mambo ink onto Pretty in Pink card stock.

Here's a view of the back:

A little tip- Trim your magnet sheet to a "square" slightly larger than the shape your are die-cutting. Then peel off the paper backing and adhere your DSP "square." This way you cut both at the same time, and don't have to try to line everything up.

Well, I'm off to finish up the August club project. You can purchase supplies for this project any time from my online store. Don't forget the online only Clearance Rack! :)