A Walk In the Park With Mom

This was the card we made at my Stamp Club for April. Since Mother's Day is just around the corner I knew this would be a perfect card. It features a fun way to use the Texturz Plates for the Big Shot as well.

Brayered Texture:
1. Ink up your Brayer in the coordinating ink as your cardstock or a darker shade.
2. Roll Brayer all over the Texturz Plate.
3. Build your "sandwich" carefully laying your cardstock over the Texturz plate.
4. Roll "sandwich" through the Big Shot.
5. Pull out cardstock. Thoroughly clean Texturz plate.
6. Your cardstock will now be dry embossed in the color of the paper and the rest of the paper will be covered in ink.


RECIPE: Stamps-A Bunch of Love; Ink-Old Olive, Baja Breeze, Regal Rose, Basic Gray & Black; DSP-A Walk in the Park; CS-Baja Breeze, Whisper White & Basic Gray; and Ribbon-Regal Rose.

Faux Alligator

Okay before I get into the "Faux Alligator" technique, I wanted to let you all know that we got a camera. Apparently my whining about not having a camera to take pictures with and update my blogs (yes that is plural, I have a couple of bogs) and our upcoming vacation, paid off. Saturday my husband took me off of the Island to get my dream camera. I am so excited!



I was a photographer in high school and took quite a few photography classes in college. Unfortunately with the innovation of digital photography came the demise of my old, film SLR camera. I was heart broken but at the time could not see investing thousands of dollars into a new digital SLR. So I bought a few cheaper digital cameras until we could afford another SLR. Well I finally got it. Yippee!! I am so excited. But since I am having to get familiar once again with aperture, shutter speed, program mode, light meters, etc. I am going to borrow a few pictures from one of my best customers!

So for this months technique for Stamp Club we learned "Faux Alligator". This may look complicated but it is so simple. I first saw this technique on Jackie Topa's blog. Here is a PDF file of hers that you can download or just scroll down below the picture for directions. For my Stamp Club members you will receive your instructions and sample with your orders this month.

We made very cute little purses using Chocolate Chip Cardstock. These are so fun. You can make this same purse a "manly" briefcase by adding some hodgepodge hardware to give it a masculine appeal. Or add a flower or some of our decorative brads to dress it up.



Technique:
1. Cover area with versamark.
2. Cover versamark with embossing powder (we used clear).
3. Use your bone folder to draw lines diagonally across the cardstock through the embossing powder. Don't worry about keeping them straight. If they are crooked they look more realistic.
4. Emboss with the heat tool.
5. Voila! Faux alligator skin!

Shadow Effect With Bleach

After trying to get pictures off of the camera all day, I finally got a few to download.

We learned about stamping with bleach at my January Stamp Club. It is a fun technique but the smell can be a bit much. I recommend doing this either outside or in a well ventilated room. I used the "Upsy Daisy" stamp set for this card. I wanted to bleach out the flowers but have a bit of a shadow effect to give some detail. This is very easy to do...

Shadow Effect with Bleach:
1. This works better with lighter colored cardstock. Stamp the image with the same colored ink as the paper (So Saffron in this instance).
2. Make a stamp "pad" with a plate or bowl. Place paper towel in the bottom damp towel with bleach. ***Note: Bleach is only really active within the first 20 minutes of pouring it. So don't make your bleach pad until right before you go to stamp.
3. Press stamp into the bleach and stamp it onto the paper slightly off of the first image. This will give the "shadow". It will take a couple of minutes for the paper to bleach out.
4. Finish card. ***Be careful: The bleached cardstock is still active for 20-30 minutes after you bleach it. Meaning, if you lay it on another piece of cardstock, it will bleach it out.


Once again my picture isn't great quality. The shadow is a bit hard to see but it is there.

RECIPE: Stamps-Upsy Daisy; Ink-So Saffron, Ruby Red, & Bleach; CS-Ruby Red, So Saffron, Mellow Moss, Baja Breeze & Chocolate Chip (scrap); Ribbon-Baja Breeze Striped Grosgrain; and Punch-Heart to Heart.

Merry & Bright

I have loved this stamp set since I saw it in last year's Holiday Mini and I was so excited to see it back in the Fall/Winter Catalog. But it will be retired as of January 18th! Bummer! So I had to use it while it is still current. This card uses the "Faux Tearing" Technique. It is a great way to add texture without the bulk.



Faux Tearing Technique:

1. Take a piece of scratch paper and roughly tear one end of it. Lay it over your card base.
2. Using a sponge, spread ink over the cardstock using the scratch paper to mask off part of the card base. Make sure you firmly hold onto the scratch paper to keep it from moving.
3. Depending on the colors you are using and how firmly you press down on the sponge, you may not see much of a change at first, but keep coloring the CS with ink.
4. Add some kind of background stamp to the inked area (DO NOT remove the scratch paper until after this step).
5. Take away the scratch paper and you will have the look of a torn piece of DSP on your card! Super easy!

RECIPE: Stamps-Merry & Bright; Ink-Certainly Celery, Real Red, Brilliant Blue & Bashful Blue; CS-Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, and Real Red; Tools-Cutting Tool Kit & Blender Pens; and Embellishments-Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon.

Pumpkin Punch Tutorial

It is time for another tutorial. This is a fun project to make. I saw this at a local Demonstrator meeting but I can't remember who showed it-so once I get that info I will give her credit.

1. Gather your supplies: Crystal Effects, Round Tab Punch, SNAIL, Bone Folder, Cardstock and Ribbon.

2. Punch 16 tabs out of the Pumpkin Pie Cardstock. 16 makes for a very full pumpkin but you can add or subtract punches to get the look you want.


3. Fold all of your tabs in half. Use a bone folder along the crease to get a crisp fold.

4. Liberally apply adhesive to both sides of the tabs and glue tabs together as shown.


5. Glue 8 tabs together, forming half of your pumpkin. Glue the other 8 tabs together but do not glue the two halves together yet.

6. Take one of the halves and apply Crystal Effects to the spine of the pumpkin. Lay your ribbon over the CE and form a loop, apply more CE to make the loop. Gently set aside being careful that the pumpkin will not close shut.



7. Take the second half and apply adhesive to the tabs that are close to the center. Than place Crystal Effects along the spine of the second half.


8. Carefully put both halves together being sure to match up the tabs.


9. Voila!! Now you have a beautiful 3-D pumpkin decoration!! Look for a few pictures of ideas on how to use this fun project.

Shelli's Creations

How cute are these place settings? The CEO of SU!, Shelli Gardner, created these for a tv show. Click on this LINK for great ideas on how to recreate these products. There is also a list of all the SU! products used to make these beautiful table decorations.

Apple Core Tutorial

School starts this week for us. Which always means a busier schedule for our entire family. It also means less time to stamp :-( since I teach a few hours a week and home school my oldest. Not to mention dance lessons, brownies, etc. and all the running around that comes with three kids. Time always seem to fly by once we are on the school schedule.

I saw an apple core card on Aimee Gandara's blog and I knew I wanted to CASE it. It was so cute and seem to fit the time of year perfectly. She didn't know who came up with this idea so I have no idea who the original artist is so I apologize for not being able to give proper credit. I have always had a thing for fruit, don't ask me why, I just think they are fun. I love the Tart and Tangy stamp set and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it! So here is my salute to fall and back to school.



1. As always gather your supplies...
RECIPE: CS--Real Red, Whisper White, & Old Olive; Ink--Real Red & Old Olive Markers, Basic Black Classic Ink; Stamps--Tart n' Tangy & Enjoy Every Moment; Ribbon--Real Red Grosgrain; and Punches--1 1/4 Circle, Scallop Edge, 1/16 handheld & Round Tab Punch


2. Color your apple with markers. Don't forget to breath on the stamp after you are done coloring it. This moistens the ink so you can stamp the image again. I used the Tart n' Tangy apple to make my own DSP for this card. I wanted a fun colorful look for this card (plus I am rearranging my office and stamp stuff and couldn't find my Summer Picnic DSP). :-)



3. Using the Round Tab Punch, punch out a white tab and a red one. The white one will be the core of the apple and the red one is the peel.



4. Gently and carefully tear off the top and bottom of the red tab. This will be the top and bottom of your apple core. Attach it to the white tab, making sure to match up the white and red edges. As simple as that you know have an apple core!




5. Add seeds, a stem and some leaves and you are all set. Don't know an easy way to make leaves? Go to this tutorial to learn how.


Aren't our punches fabulous? There is so much that you can do with them. Here is another picture of my finished card. I hope this card helps you get ready for autumn! I know it has put me into the "Fall Mood".

Scallop Flower & Leaf Tutorial

I have decided to venture into the world of online tutorials. A very daunting endeavor indeed. So I decided that since I am a beginner at this that I would start with something easy. So here is my "Scallop Flower & Leaf tutorial". I first saw this technique at the 2007 Portland SU! Regionals (can't remember who showed it, but I will try to find it in my notes). I have seen lots of demos do the same technique (many who weren't at that event). Here is Patty Bennet's version of this card and flower.

So here is my Friend card that started this whole project, actually there is more to this card but that will have to wait until another post. I LOVE this card!!! I know, I know...I am a bit biased but I can't help it! You can't tell in the picture but the flowers and friend tag are popped up with dimensionals.



Recipe: DSP--Berry Bliss; CS--Very Vanilla, Pretty in Pink, Green Galore; Stamps--For A Friend (Hostess Set); Ink--Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink (Marker) & Green Galore (Marker); Embellisments--Staples & Pink Grosgrain Ribbon (non-SU!); Tools--Scallop Punch, 1 3/8" Punch & 3/4" Punch.

So here's how I made the adorable flowers:
1.) Punch a Scallop out of Cardstock.

2.) Take a pair of Paper Snips (large scissors will not work for this project) and very carefully cut between scallops (in the valleys) making a very narrow slit. Do this all the way around the scallop, this will create the "petals".

3.) Punch a 3/4" circle out of Cardstock for the center of the flower. I attached mine with a Stampin' Dimensional.

4.) Next punch a 1 3/8" circle out of cardstock. Take the circle and slip it back into the circle punch about halfway (this will give you an oval with two pointed ends). Punch it. Now you have a leaf. Repeat this with the other half of the circle.


5.) Attach your leaves to the back of the flower.

6.) Now you have an adorable 3-D flower to use for scrapbooking, cards, etc.


You probably noticed that my table seems a bit messy during this tutorial. Well, I made this card in an impromptu all-night stamping marathon with my mom. We got so busy creating that we just forgot about the mess and had fun. I thought I would share a bit of our "creative chaos" with you. Yes, believe it or not, we did get a lot accomplished despite the mess. I will post our big projects this week.