Retiring Stamps & Accessories

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Merry Monday #64

Hi there

It has been way too long since the last one, but today I have a card based on this week's Merry Monday #64 sketch.  I have really missed doing these sketches, so hopefully I can get back on track building my Christmas stash.  This is the sketch from Lesley:

The sketch yelled 'silhouette' to me, so I got out my ink pads and blending tool to come up with a dramatic skyline for the Three Wise Men.  I have inked part of the main image from the 'Come to Bethlehem' stamp set with Early Espresso ink and then clear embossed it. The star was stamped and embossed separately to position it.  The mat is Brushed Gold and the panel is popped up on the gorgeous Rich Razzleberry.

Project Details
Stamps	Come to Bethlehem
Card stock & Papers	Rich Razzleberry, Brushed Gold Metallic, Early Espresso Textured (retired), Whisper White, Neutrals Patterns Stack
Ink	Versamark, Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight, Regal Rose, Rich Razzleberry,
Accessories	Small flat back gold pearls (not SU)
Tools	Small Oval punch, Gold & Clear Embossing powders, Heat gun, Dimensionals, Tombow glue, Inkssentials Blending tool (not SU), Distressing tool

Thanks for visiting!

Convention 2013 Swaps

Hi there

Wow, wow, wow!  I've just returned from the 2013 Stampin' Up! Convention in Brisbane after a fabulous few days reconnecting with old and meeting new friends. There were sneak peaks of the products from the new Annual Catalogue, lots of inspiring stamping demonstrations, classes, make & takes, swaps and 3 great 'roomies' to share it all with. Definitely the best convention yet, for me. Oh and did I mention all the fabulous stamps sets and other goodies (including the NEW Annual Catalogue) that we received as well!  I was also super lucky (again!) to win a 'Prize Patrol' gift consisting of a stamp set, a pack of Designer Series Paper and matching embossing folder from the Eastern Influence Suite in the  new Annual Catalogue - woohoo.  I will be creating something with that very soon. Not only do Stampin' Up! make fantastic products, they are also very generous in showing their appreciation of their Demonstrators.

This is a photo of my lovely roomies Kayleen and Alisha (on the left) with Shelli Gardner (CEO) and husband Sterling and Di and myself on the right.  This was taken at the end of Convention as we were getting ready to leave. Shelli is so patient and obliging with people wanting photos.

The reason I haven't posted for a while is that I spent most of my creating time leading up to Convention working on my swaps.  This is the first design I came up with using the 'Papaya Collage' stamp set for the first time, together with my favourite 'Stippled Roses' set. I managed to make 30 of these.

Project Details
Stamps	Stippled Blossoms, Perfectly Penned, Papillon Potpourri, Papaya CollageStippled Blossoms, Perfectly Penned, Papillon Potpourri, Papaya Collage
Card stock & Papers	Rose Red, Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla
Ink	Soft Suede, Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasabi, Versamark
Accessories	None
Tools	Lacy Brocade EF, Big Shot, Bitty Butterfly punch, Sponge Daubers, Stampamajig, Dimensionals, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercer

This is the second design, inspired by some lovely packaging that my friend Kerry gave me. I managed to make 25 of these, although I was still fussy cutting the roses and leaves as I waited at the Brisbane airport for my room mates to arrive!

This is an easy background to create by stamping a sheet of Crumb Cake card stock with the 3 stamps from the 'Flowering Flourishes' stamp set and Whisper White craft ink.  Cut the sheet into the size you require, to create a nice random look to your pieces.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Stippled Blossoms, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, Flowering Flourishes
Card stock & Papers	Rose Red, Whisper White, Crumb Cake
Ink	Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasabi, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White Craft
Accessories	Rhinestone Basic  Jewels, Pink Pirouette/Rose Red Two-Tone Ribbon
Tools	Perfect Polka Dots EF, Bitty Banner s Framelits, Big Shot, Word Window punch, Sponge Dauber, Stampamajig, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

Thanks for looking. 

Another Flip Card

Hi there

As I mentioned in my previous post, I decided to try another 'flip' card, this time using the Labels Framelits to cut the shape.  I used this Youtube video to learn how to do it, and like most things, it is so easy when you know how.  Give this a try, as you definitely don't need to purchase specific dies to create flip cards. 

I've created another Mother's Day card, this time using the 'Twitterpated' DSP and coordinating colours.  The 'Wonderful Mother' stamp brush from MDS was put to use again. This time I increased the size of the sentiments and printed them in Island Indigo and punched them out with the wide oval punch. Here is the card closed.

Here is the card open, showing the centre label.

Finally, this one shows the inside of the card.

Project Details
Stamps	Wonderful Mother (Digital), Stippled Blossoms
Card stock & Papers	Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Island Indigo, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Twitterpated DSP
Ink	Pretty in Pink, Riding Hood Red, Island Indigo
Accessories	Baja Breeze Taffeta ribbon, Basic Pearls
Tools	Labels Framelits, Ovals Originals Die (retired), Swiss Dots embossing folder,  Designer Frames Embossing folder, Big Shot, Wide Oval punch,  Dimensionals, Sponge Dauber, Stampamajig,

Thanks for looking. 

Related articles

Mother's Day Flip Card

Mother's Day Flip Card

Hi there

Mother's Day is coming soon, but there is still time to make a special card for your Mum.  Today I have a 'Flip' card  for you (also called a 'Flip Flop' card), which adds some extra interest to this special occasion card.  

There are a number of templates around on the Internet and now cutting dies are also available. However, you can easily make this basic shaped card with your standard papercraft tools (trimmer or ruler and craft knife). I wanted a square card and a wider border on the left, so I used the basic principle to create a template for a 14cm x 14cm square card. I always test my measurements on some scrap card first and usually need to adjust it a bit before making the 'real' one.  I used my Stampin' Trimmer to make the cuts as I find it easier and more accurate than a craft knife. 

I have used the blue and yellow floral print from the 'Print Poetry' Designer Series Paper Stack and paired it with the Summer Starfruit pattern from the 'Birds of a Feather' DSP on a base of Marina Mist card stock. This is the card flat.

 

This is how the card looks when it stands up and you can see that the centre panel is actually rectangular. 

This photo shows the reverse side of the centre panel where you write your message. I didn't have the 'Wonderful Mother' stamp set, so I purchased and downloaded the 'Wonderful Mother' stamp brush for MDS in a couple of minutes and then printed it out and cut the panel to size. This is a great example of a hybrid project. You can use the MDS stamp brushes in other software such as Photoshop Elements if you just want do something quick and simple like this. It is also cheaper than buying the stamp set!

There are some Youtube videos showing how to make the Flip card using framelits to cut a shaped centre panel.  I will give this a try next.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Wonderful Mother, Delightful Dozen, Oh, Hello
Card stock & Papers	Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi, Very Vanilla, Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack, Birds of a Feather DSP, Subtles Pattern Stack
Ink	Midnight Muse, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi
Accessories	5/8" Vanilla Flower Trim, Marina Mist Taffeta ribbon (retired), Basic Pearls
Tools	Labels Framelits, Little Leaves Sizzlit, Big Shot, Itty Bitty Sahpes Punch Pack,  Dimensionals, Sponge Dauber, Copic B12 (to colour pearls)

Enjoy your weekend!