Impressionable

I hate puns, but I couldn't resist using one to express the main technique used in this card. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Textured Impressions Folders for the Big Shot, and this card uses one of my go-to folders--Vintage Wallpaper.

This is another of the cards I designed for a birthday card sweatshop stash making event. I started with a piece of Very Vanilla card stock and centered it on the VWTIF (I love acronyms!). After the Big Shot did its job and created a lovely, deep impression, I pulled out my brayer and Riding Hood Red classic ink and began layering color over the debossed side of the impression. This is quick and easy and fun because you control how much color ends up on the panel. The only tricky part is not pressing too hard and applying color to the debossed pattern side.

Once I was done with that, I looked for an appropriate sentiment that wouldn't be overpowered by the background piece I'd just created. It couldn't be too small or too large, and this one from All Holidays was just right.

I chose only one color to complement the RHR--More Mustard. I enjoy working with earthtones, and these two work as well together as the traditional hot dog condiments!

The final touch I thought to add was using the same TIFolder to deboss the envelope flap for the card. It creates such a stunning look so easily, and when it is found in the mail pile, whoever's getting it will be so impressed!

When making multiples of a card in one sitting, I recommend following this process:

1) Cut all your card stock: card bases, mats, and sentiment pieces.

2) If employing a particular technique, such as embossing or applying color with a tool, do all these at once and then put away your tools.

3) Stamp all your sentiments at once, using a Stamp-A-Ma-Jig if need be to insure all line up as you like.

4) Put the cards together assembly line style.

Before you know it, you'll have a set of cards. It's great to have these ready to go, because you never know when you'll need a card!

I'm Back

Don't fall off your chair! I did so much housework yesterday that I find myself with a free afternoon (and I already know what we're having for dinner!). So, here's another of the cards I've made in the past few weeks but neglected to share with you. Until today.

This card is one I designed for a group of my stampers who want to make a stash of birthday cards to have on-hand. They call it a "sweatshop" when we make all these at one time, and there are 5 different designs that I grouped together for this event.

This one uses Soft Suede as the base, with a wide strip of So Saffron down the middle. I embossed a piece of Whisper White with Petals-A-Plenty TI Folder and colored the flower centers with the SS marker that matches the strip behind it. I used my Decorative Label Punch to create a spot for the sentiment. I punched that out BEFORE I embossed the card stock. I tried it the other way and it tore the paper. I popped up the panel with Stampin' Dimensionals and I really like how it creates a window effect for the sentiment.

The greeting is from Well Scripted, which is retired (but I hope it gets included in the new Big Idea Book & Catalog). This one comes together quickly, and when you're making lots of cards in one sitting, that's what you want!

Don't hold your breath, but I might be back tomorrow too!

I'm Supposed to be Making Dinner

I have no idea what I'm supposed to be making for dinner, but I know that you, my blog readers (hello? anybody still out there?) have not had a post in 3 weeks, so instead of trying to figure out dinner, I'm going to show you a card I've made. Because it's not that I haven't been making cards; I just haven't had time to write about it!

This is a card I made after I saw one like it on Dawn O's blog. I created this for the girls at Jesse's House to make during our monthly get-together on Sunday afternoons. They loved the little froggie image from A Flower for All Seasons, and each one put her own twist on my original design. It was so fun to see them expressing and nurturing their creativity. I used Pear Pizazz DSP from the InColor pack of 6"x6" sheets that is an freebie option for hostesses, and used my Daffodil Delight marker to add some accents on the center panel. The froggie image was colored using Crumb Cake, Pear Pizazz, and Daffodil Delight.

This is the other card the girls made that afternoon. It was so fun to teach them how to make clouds using a template made from scallop circle punches that I cut in half and attached in a row. A little piece of sponge and some Baja Breeze classic ink, and we had a great sky for the butterfly from Flight of the Butterfly to flit along on. I love the color combination of Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze, Daffodil Delight, and Whisper White. It screams SPRING!

There's more, I promise! Thanks for your patience.

May Deals--30% OFF Sale!

May is National Scrapbooking Month! While I'm not a scrapper, I love a good deal, and SU! has put a bunch of stuff on sale that stampers can use for cardmaking as well! There are stamp sets that are THIRTY percent off!

If you own My Digital Studio, there are three different bundle packs THIRTY percent off. If you don't own MDS yet, you can purchase the full version or the express version as well.

Bundle #1
124229 Sunset Serenade Kit $4.95
122754 Sunset Serenade Stamp Brush Set $7.95
122133 Jewelry Tag Punch $ .95
125753 Hip & Handsome Overlays Stamp Brush Set $5.95
124465 Nursery Alphabet Letters Stamp Brush Set $9.95
Total Retal Price $29.75
Bundle Price (Save 30%!) $20.83

Bundle #2
124408 First Edition Digital Designer Series Paper $3.95
124409 First Edition Stamp Brush Set $1.95
124413 First Edition Alphabet Stamp Brush Set $9.95
122164 Antique Brads Pack $1.95
121432 Paper Daisies Kit $3.95
124020 Seam Binding II Ribbon Pack $3.95
124330 Basic Pearls and Rhinestones $1.95
Total Retail Price $27.65
Bundle Price $19.36

Bundle #3
125757 Tickets and Tokens II Kit $5.95
118119 Just Perfect Alphabet Stamp Brush Set $9.95
122168 Spiral Border Punch $0.95
122138 Ticket Corner Punch $0.95
120168 Textured Card Stock $4.95
125166 Textured Card Stock Add-On Pack $2.95
124432 Word Play Stamp Brush Set $7.95
Total Retail Price $33.65
Bundle Price $23.56

All of these can be purchased via my online store (click on the "shop now" button underneath my name), so shop til you drop!

Mother's Day--The Only Time I Choose Pink

I am not a fan of pink, which I'm sure you could surmise by the lack of it you see on this blog. For some reason, though, I choose this color for Mother's Day cards. I don't do it on purpose; it must be some sort of subliminal message the color sends out each year. Don't believe me? Check out the archive tab for Mother's Day. So why I chose Pretty in Pink, Perfect Plum, and Rose Red for my Mother's Day card this year? Who knows? My mother doesn't even like pink! I'm tellin' ya--it's a conspiracy!

This card was inspired by a reminder from a fellow demonstrator of what you can do with border punches to make cool frames for images or sentiments. Thanks, Dawn! I used the Scallop Trim Border Punch, centered it on each side of a 3" square piece of Perfect Plum, and this was the result! Easy and such a cool look! I created the mat for the sentiment by using the complementary Scallop Trim Corner Punch and a piece of 2.25" square Rose Red card stock.

I stamped "wonderful mother" from Well Scripted and used the butterflies from Great Friend to complete the focal image. That cool frame embossed into the Pretty in Pink card base? That was made using the Framed Tulips Textured Impressions Folder for the Big Shot. It's available in the current Occasions Mini, which is only current through April 30. If you'd like to order, you can do so through my shop 24/7 button in the upper right of this blog.

The BIG 4-0 Card

George, a good friend of my husband's, turned 4-0 a few weeks ago. Bob asked if I would make him a card.

I don't have large dies that cut numerals for me, but long before I even knew what a diecut machine could do, I created my own stencil by enlarging some numbers on the computer to fit on a standard 4.25" x 5.5" card base. Now THAT'S old school!

I traced these onto some Celebrations DSP and cut them out, embossed a Bashful Blue piece of card stock using the Square Lattice TI Folder, and used my Stars #2 die to quickly add some stars. After I adhered all that to a Whisper White base, the card was ready to go.

George is quite the smartypants, so Bob gave him a copy of Radioactive Boy Scout along with the card. He also treated the office to Birthday Cake Pops from Starbucks. I think George felt properly embarrassed, I mean celebrated. Glad I was able to have a small hand in the festivities.

A Tisket, A Tasket

It's time for an Easter basket! When I saw Carrie Gaskin's card where she explained how she took her oval punches and made an Easter basket, I looked at my Petal Cone die and the scallop edged half circle that is created, and then I pondered the half circle flaps on the cone, I thought I had the makings of my own Easter basket WITHOUT the punches!

Here's how I made this sweet basket. I used Sahara Sand card stock and ran my Petal Cone die through the Big Shot. This gave me 2 scallop edge half circles and 2 half circles that I could cut away from the cone shape. I used Carrie's tip and created a basket weave look using my Sahara Sand marker and a ruler. Then I trimmed the scallop edge horizontally and removed 2 of the scallops. I punched holes in the scallops using my Mat Pack. To make the handle, I cut a rim off the second half circle and adhered it to the back side of the basket base.

Then it came time to make the eggs. I wanted not a round shape, but an oval, because eggs are more ovals than balls. I grabbed my 3-Heart Punch and punched out hearts in almost every color from the Brights collection, using the fattest of the hearts. Then I cut the heart in half and adhered half of it to the basket, arranging them so that they looked like they were laying against each other. Some Daffodil Delight 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, and the basket was complete!

I used a frame left over from cutting out a Top Note with the Big Shot and created some grass using a strip of Certainly Celery and my Paper Snips. The sentiment is from a retired set, Well Scripted. This was stamped in Pacific Point so that every color in the Brights collection would be used!

If you'd like to make this Easter basket card, join me April 16 at my monthly Stamp Camp at my house! Just leave a comment to RSVP or to inquire about details.