Saturday, March 31, 2012

April Stamp of the Month Bloghop

Hello!  Welcome to the April Stamp of the Month Bloghop!  If you are just joining the hop here, it's a big circle, where you click from blog to blog to see what 50 or so Close To My Heart consultants have done with the same stamp set!  If you're here visiting from {Dawn's Blog}, you're in the right place!


If you haven't seen the stamp set yet, here it is:


Since it doesn't have flowers or butterflies, you might think this one might be difficult for me...and you'd be right!


This one was easy to come up with:




The only weird thing was I had to bend the "You are truly" outward in order to match the arc of the "Original" cutout.  BUT that's easy with the Close To My Heart My Acrylix stamps!


This second card was more fun - It's plain enough on the front, but see what it does when you open it!?






You "cut" (sort of) a rectangle out of the middle, so the center part flips to the front and back of the card.  The front says "amazing" and the inside of the card says "cool."





The "front side" of the card.




The "back side" of the card (which is visible on the front)
Actually, I think the card is too "neat."  I think it will look better "roughed up" with some sand paper and the CTMH Edge Distressor. 






Here's a top view:




Really, I must add some flowers to this card...OK, how about ONE.












SUPPLIES USED:
Card #1:
You Are... (April Stamp of the Month) (S1204, $17.95 to just buy it, or $5.00 with your $50 order)
Stella Paper Pack
Card Stock:  Cocoa, Colonial White
Inks:  Cocoa, Cranberry
Round Sponge
Foam Mounting Tape
Durables Studs


Card #2
You Are... (April Stamp of the Month) (S1204, $17.95 to just buy it, or $5.00 with your $50 order) 
Blue Ribbon (C1464, $13.95)
Token Alphabet (E1020, $29.95)
Love Life (D1482, $17.95)
Victory Paper Pack (X7150B, $9.95)
Card Stock:  New England Ivy, Colonial White, 
Stamp Pads:  Creme Brulee, Outdoor Denim, Cocoa
Sanding Kit
Edge Distressor
Mocha Opaques
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge ($99)


If you like what you see, you can always shop online and buy the supplies to make these cards. (Be sure to check out the discounted items)


Now hop on over to {Brae's Blog} to see what fun creativity she has for you!



























Thursday, March 29, 2012

Paper + Stickers + Envelopes = Mini Scrapbook!

I LOVE this mini-scrapbook that my friend Wendy made from a bunch of 5x7 envelopes and the new STELLA paper pack and My Stickease!  It's so much fun, we'll be doing a workshop with these papers on Saturday, April 7 at 10am.


Want to make this super cute mini-album?  There's lots of spots for pictures, and you can even make it with lots of secret pockets.  :)  


Workshop Details:   Saturday, April 7 at 10am.  Cost:  $24
  There's no fee for the workshop, but you will need to buy the supplies from me:
          Stella Paper Pack
          Stella My Stickease
          Pack of 5x7 Kraft envelopes


Bring your paper trimmer and favorite adhesive!


You can call or email me to RSVP - or call me at 425.255.3731.  I need to order the supplies for you before the class, so let me know asap - by April 1 at the latest...


Designed by Wendy Coffman












If you really don't want to use the STELLA paper pack, any paper pack and coordinating MyStickease will do.  Just let me know.


Lisa

Monday, March 19, 2012

Spring is here! ??

I love Spring!  I love the flowers that pop their heads out near the end of winter...and the warmer weather...(where?? not in Seattle!)


Along with spring comes flowers and Easter.  Have you seen the new CTMH stamp set MY PEEPS?  (B1402, $9.95) Very cute.  




I had two ideas for this stamp set -- the simple one:



And the more complicated one:




You can't really tell from that picture above, but it's a stair step on the right.


Here's a better picture:





I also used the new CTMH Adhesive Springs (Z1725, $2.95 for 6 springs).  See?




SO cute!  And easier than it looks.  
I drew out a pattern for you:


The "bad" news is that I drew my sketch flipped (opposite) of the card I made, so after you cut and score, just turn the paper over, and it will match the picture above.


After cutting my slit at 2", I used my scoring board.


My Martha Stewart scoring board made making this card really easy.  A while back, I was debating between the Scor Pal (which I'd heard a lot about) and the Martha Stewart scoring board.  Here's a great video comparing the two brands:



After watching the video, I opted for the Martha Stewart option.  The gal in the video also mentions that Scor-Pal has great online tools with tons of projects at http://www.scor-pal.com/projects.htm  


There's no reason you can pop over to scor-pal.com to see what ideas they have!

I got my Martha Stewart scoring board at Michaels before Christmas (at 50% off), but at $19.95 retail, even paying full price (or using your 40% off coupon) is a great deal.


TIP:  The gal in the video mentions that the grooves in the Martha Stewart Kit are narrower, and if she lost her Martha Stewart scoring tool, most other ones were too fat to fit in the grooves.  I did notice that my Cricut bone folder/scoring tool (that came in my Cricut Tool Kit) worked nicely. 


TIP:  The other thing I noticed is that if you're doing a lot of scoring, your finger gets a big dent in it (from pushing on the scoring tool).  I wrapped a rubber band around the scoring tool where my finger goes, to make a little cushion.


Have fun!  Hope this helps.  


Want to make this card?  Come to a card class!  RSVP today.


Lisa


Supplies Used:
Card 1:  Lucy Paper Pack (X7149B, $9.95)
My Peeps (B1402, $9.95)
Card Stock: Creme Brulee, Cotton Candy, Colonial White
Ink:  Pear, Creme Brulee
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge

Paradise Paper Flowers (Z1710, $5.95 for 68 flowers)
Sparkles $2.95




Card 2: Lucy Paper Pack (X7149B, $9.95)
My Peeps (B1402, $9.95)
Card Stock: Creme Brulee, Pear, White Daisy, Sunny Yellow
Markers:  Assorted spring colors
Ink:  Pear, Cotton Candy, New England Ivy (for outline)
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge
Sponge Daubers
Adhesive Springs (Z1725, $2.95 for 6 springs) 
Paradise Paper Flowers (Z1710, $5.95 for 68 flowers)
Opaques Adhesive (Pearls) Gems (Z1336, $2.95)



Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Masking & Sponging - A Bow Wow

I got this great card in a swap recently.  It uses A BowWow and the Cruisin' Paper Pack (X7154B).  To make the fur of the dog, she stamped the dog on the white paper, then stamped another one on the grey patterned paper.  She then cut the grey dog out and laid it on top of the white dog.  This technique is called paper piecing.  The card is really cute, and I love how the sparkle button adds a little bling.

Created by Kandi Gallegos-Garcia


We're making this card in class this month, and I didn't want to make my customers do all that cutting with the grey paper, so I decided to use the masking technique.  Here's my version of this card, using the Roxie paper pack (X7140B) and the masking technique.





To color the dog, first I stamped the dog with black ink on the white paper.




Then I stamped the dog on two different pieces of post-it notes (don't you love the purple post-its?)


I took an Exacto knife and on one of the dogs I carefully cut out the head, the other, the tail end, to make two masks. (When cutting the post-its, do it on some sort of cutting mat or magazine you don't care about.)  Cutting two masks seemed like a better idea than cutting one, for some reason.


On the stamped dog, I put the first post-it, right over the other stamped image, so they lined up nicely.




Then I took a sponge dauber and the black stamp pad, and lightly daubed on the dog's head.


Now it looks like this...pretty cool, huh!




Then I did the same thing with the back end.






Looky -- a dog with grey fur!  You can make his fur as dark or as light as you want...or use a different color for the fur.


This is especially a great technique if you are making a bunch of cards - because you only need to cut the mask out once (or twice, in this case, since I decided to make a head and tail mask.)

Then I colored in his nose with a Black marker and his tongue with a Hollyhock marker.  I also stamped the dog on a piece of Roxie paper and cut out his collar, but you could just color it in with a marker.


I loved making this card - so much fun!

If you want to make this card, too, come to a card class!  I have 3 this month - Fridays, March 16 & 23 at 6:30pm and Thursday, March 22 at 10am.  Email me if you want to join us!

Don't live in the area, but want the stuff?  Click here to shop online! 

Supplies Used:
A Bow Wow (A1126, $6.95)
Eclectic Edges (C1450, $13.95)
Roxie Paper Pack (X7140B, $9.95)
Card Stock: Desert Sand, Cocoa, Colonial White
Stamp Pads:  Black, Hollyhock
Markers: Black, Hollyhock
Sponge Daubers











Sunday, March 11, 2012

Birthday Banner Card

I've discovered I like playing with my papers more than I like posting them.  So sorry!  I have been busy crafting, but not busy posting....   :(

I made this fun card last night for a friend who had major surgery.  A bunch of us are going to sign it -- it's 6"x12".



I used the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge and cut triangle pennants from different papers (Sweet Leaf, Creme Brulee, Lagoon) and a Creme Brulee-colored card stock I had that had flowers printed on it.

The hard part was finding letters that weren't too big or small and would fit on the pennants.  I was looking at A Typeface (too small) and Token Alphabet (too big).

This is the Token Alphabet:

I thought it might work to stamp the letter without the border/outline.  Hmmm, which sized circle to use?


1 1/4" circle fit the entire stamp image, including the outline.  Too big for the pennant...
1" circle fit the letter, but it was really hard to line it up without getting some outline on the circle...
3/4" circle, as Goldilocks would say...just right!



It fits just inside the inner circle of the stamp image.  Precision stamping...I LOVE MY CLEAR STAMPS!



So I stamped all my letters and stuck them to my pennants with foam mounting tape:


I arranged my colors and shapes so they didn't duplicate...and came up with this!  The felt flowers I got at Michael's in the dollar bin.  The ribbon is Lagoon Mini-Medley Accents (retired)



Which do you like better?  On the white paper or on Buttercup (yellow)?  I think I like the white better.

Supplies Used: 

Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge
Token Alphabet
Card Stock:  Lagoon, Sweet Leaf, Creme Brulee, Buttercup/White Daisy
Ink:  Topiary, Creme Brulee (for edge distressing)
Accessories:  Lagoon Mini-Medley Accents (retired), Felt Flowers from Michaels, Foam Mounting Tape, Sponge Daubers