Faux Wood Frame

I was surfing youtube looking for inspiration when I happened upon a video instructing how to use the framelits to de-emboss an image embossed from an embossing folder.  Confused?  I understand.  (Since I have made this card, I have been trying to find the technique video that taught me, but alas, I cannot!  I will keep searching and add the info at once I find it!  Feel free to do your own search.)

To make my card, I first cut out a piece of Crumb Cake measuring  4" x 5 1/4" and ran it through the Big Shot with the #2 Label Collection Framelit (with #1 being the smallest) in the middle of the paper.  Using that as a guide, I stamped the sentiment from the You Are Loved Stamp Set on the middle of the card base, cut at 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" from Naturals White CS.  Next I ran the Crumb Cake piece through the Wood Grain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  Don't worry if you missed out on getting this from the Holiday Mini, it is a carry over item # 127821 and still available!  I then used the #3 Framelit, turned upside-down so the cutting blade was not against the paper, and made a sandwich with my Big Shot Tab 1, cutting pad on the bottom, Crumb Cake, a piece of thin paper, the silicone pad (retired, but still available from Sizzix) and the top cutting pad.  The result was what you see below.  Then I sponged the inner, outer and wood grain edges with Soft Suede ink to accent all the textures and to help create the look of a wooden frame. 

I attached the Crumb Cake piece to the card base framing the sentiment.  To embellish, and add to the vintage look of the frame, I used the largest paper daisy, folded in half, and sponged on the edges with Raspberry Ripple.  I added some hearts from the Fashionable Hearts Embosslits, a strip of Crumb Cake Taffeta Ribbon and bow and finally a vintage brad and some basic pearls. 

 This card is on a Basic Black background embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper folder and is basically the same design, with a few elements mixed up to give it a completely different look.  The sentiment is inked up in Versa Mark and then embossed with the silver embossing powder and the heat tool.  I added the basic rhinestones instead of the pearls for the bling, a vintage faceted button and the tied to the Raspberry Ripple Stitched Satin Ribbon with baker's twine.  The hearts and base are Whisper White.

This is another variation of the first design with the addition of some pearls in the upper right corner and uses the two smaller of the paper daisies. 

So, I'd love to hear which is your favorite!  Let me know in a comment or email, and get your You Are Loved Stamp Set from my online store here and any other of the supplies to make these cards. Thanks for looking, and stay tuned for explanations of the projects in the background of this photo.

Sketch Challenge!

There is a blog that I like to follow that give me inspiration and has a regular sketch challenges.  When I am searching for a launching off point, sketches and color combo challenges are just what I need to get started.  Here is the most recent sketch:

And here is my card:

 I used the Simply Sent pack of note cards and envelopes that came free during the My Little Valentine promotion.  I just love free stuff!  Anyway, I used the envelope and cut off the flaps at the score lines.  I attached this to a Very Vanilla card base cut at 5.5" x 8.5".  Then I ran the whole thing through the Big Shot with the Framed Tulips embossing folder.  Next I punched a border from a 1" strip of Pool Party on both sides with the Eyelet border punch (retired).  I used one of the enclosure cards from the Simply Sent Pack and cut a strip at the bottom 1" x 3 1/4" so as to include the flower, stamped the sentiment from the Elements of Style stamp set and used my 1" square punch to make the flag at the end.  I layered it onto Calyso Coral piece measuring 1 1/4" by 3 1/2" and used my 1 1/4" square punch to flag the end.  I added some Basic Pearls to match the sketch, but still felt it was missing something.  I had received the Pretty Petites Stamp set, Petite Curly Label Punch and Button from the Sycamore Street Ribbon and Button Pack FREE from the Sale-A-Bration brochure, so I added a little something from one of each of those things to make the banner complete.  The ink color I used was Rose Red.

   You too can earn free items from the Sale-A-Bration brochure!  One item is free with every $50 you spent on SU! products! 

Visit my online store to browse the brochure.

To finish everything up, I attached one of the printed enclosure cards from the set to the inside of the card to wrap it all up.  Well, what do you think?  Leave me a comment and let me know.  Visit my online store, or send me a message for information about earning your free products during SAB.  It's the most wonderful *stamping* time of the year!

You Are Loved Stamp Club Cards

Here are two versions of the same card.  One is very simple, using only a few elements, the other much more elaborate.  I wanted to show how you can get the same basic design using only a few supplies.  I also wanted to show how much more impressive just adding some texture and layers makes a card.

I am definitely "in love" with this stamp set!  I don't have many sets that are Valentine themed, though it is one of the biggest card holidays of the year.  I prefer investing my craft budget on stamp sets that can be used year round.  That being said, You Are Loved was money well spent!  It can be used for Valentines Day specifically, as well as to make a beautiful card for anytime to express love to someone.  This card we made in class could be given for an anniversary, birthday, wedding, anything when you need to give a card to someone you love.  I just love the way it came together.  You be the judge. 

Both of the stamped images on these cards came from You Are Loved.   The first is stamped with Primrose Petals onto Very Vanilla CS.  The other was colored with Stampin' Write Markers:  Gumball Green, Primrose Pink and Raspberry Ripple, and then also stamped on Very Vanilla CS.  To give it a little sumpin' extra, I sponged the edges with the Primrose Petals.  The image was then cut out with the Labels Collection Framelts on the Big Shot and the layered pieces embossed with the Perfect Polka Dots and Vintage Wallpaper folders.  The "Love" sentiment was stamped in Raspberry Ripple and then punched out with the Large Oval Punched and layered over the same color CS punch out of the Scalloped Oval.  A small basic rhinestone was added in the bottom flower to give it a little bling. Before adding the label layer, I added some of the 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon in Gumball Green and used sticky strip to help in giving it the pleated look.   Both the flower layers are popped out with dimensionals.  Everything is then put together on a layer of Raspberry Ripple of 5 3/8 x 4 1/8 and on a base of Very Vanilla cut at 5 1/2 x 4 1/4.

Here's that stamp set again:

Just LOVE it!