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!

You Are Loved Heart Pouch

I wanted to thank the wonderful ladies that came to my home yesterday for the first meeting of our Stamp Club!  What a lovely way to spend the afternoon. 
For those of you not able to attend, I wanted to share the projects we made.

For this heart pouch, we first cut out two hearts from the Bigz L Petal Cone die in Real Red and ran one of them in the Perfect Polk Dots embossing folder.  We also cut out the scallop and banner shapes from that same die in Whisper White.  With some sticky strip, we attached to two hearts together to make this wonderful pouch.  The handle is made from a strip of Whisper White for the background cut at 1" wide and the Large Lace Ribbon Border punch in Pink Pirouette.  The punch is retired, but you can still get one while supplies last on the Clearance Rack at a great price!

The heart image was stamped in Real Red on to Whisper White and cut out with paper snips.   Then we punched out 3 scallop circles from Pink Pirouette and layered them around the outside of the heart.   There are two small gaps from the scallop circles, but we are able to hide those with our sentiment stamped in Real Red on the banner.  The heart and banner are popped out with dimensionals to give it some depth.  Finally, we added some red glitter paper punched out with the small scalloped punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack and the smallest heart from the Hearts Collection Framelets and some hearts in Pink Pirouette from the Fashionable Hearts Embosslits.  I love how they emboss and cut all that the same time!  Finally, we dressed it all up with Rhinestone Basic Jewels and a bow of 5/8" Organza Ribbon.

Stay tuned for the two card projects we made, also using the stamp set You Are Loved.
Thanks for looking!

Valentine's Painter's Tray

Last October, Stampin' Up! gave me a painter's tray and all kinds of great stuff to decorate it with for Halloween.  Unfortunatly, it has sat on my shelf, in it's box, ever since.  Well I finally got it out and dress it all up for Valentine's Day!  If  you can get your hands on one, they are great to embellish, and then switch out your decorations every season to recreate your display.  Here is what I was able to do with what I had laying out and around my craft area:

I think it came out pretty well, if I do say so myself!  Now I think I am going to be sad when it is time to change it out, but I am sure once I decorate it for spring, I'll love that just as much! 
The Designer paper I used is from the Spring Catalog, called More Amore.  Besides fun and trendy designs, it as two laser cut pages that are great for quick valentine cards or embellishments when cut apart. I also used solid paper in Pool Party, Primrose Petals, Real Red, Pink Pirouette, Gumball Green and Very Vanilla. 
The two rosettes were made with 1 3/4 scallop circle punch for the small ones and the Blossom Punch for the larger ones.  The leaves were punched out of the Blossom Petals Builder and the Little Leaves Sixxlet on the Big Shot.  
Here is a complete supply list of what I used:

Stamp Sets:  Thoughts and Prayers, You Are Loved, Aviary, Cannery
Dies:  Little Leaves, Scalloped Envelope, Cannery Set Framelits, Fashonable Hearts Embosslits, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder.
Punches:  Full Heart, Scallop Oval, Large Oval, Blossom, Blossom Petals Builder, Owl Builder, Petite Pennants Builder
 Ribbon:  Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, 1-1/4" Two Tone Pink Pirouette/Rose Red
Embellishments:  Rhinestone Basic Jewels

Please feel free to contact me with any questions!

Also, check out my schedule of events on my Stampin' Up! website to join us for a class or be part of the new stamp club!

NEW Stamp Club forming!

You heard right, there is a new stamp club forming!  My good friend, and fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrator, Lauren Luebs, and I are forming a club for anyone who loves to stamp and make cards and other fun paper-crafting projects.  The first meeting will be on Tuesday,  January 22nd at 7:00pm at my home.  If you are interested, and want to even bring a friend, please RSVP by evening of the 16th so that we can be sure to have the supplies required on hand and prepped.  Space is limited, so hold yours now!  If this session fills up, or if there is enough people who really wanted to come, but can't during the week, we may open up a Sunday session.  Email me to let me know and reserve your spot. 

Lauren and Beth

We are going to be making two Valentines Day themed cards, as well as a lovely pouch treat holder.  The supply cost is $14.  If you want to place an order of $40 or more at the club meeting, then your fee is waived.  We will also have some light refreshments, and of course, CHOCOLATE!  Who can stamp with out it?

Click here to visit my online store

Here is a taste of some valentines day fun!  These are images from a promotion that Stampin' Up! is having through the 21st, so let me know if you want to take advantage of the savings and place your order when you RSVP.   Here are some of the stamps we will be creating from:

You Are so Loved

We intend on holding this class on a monthly basis, so mark your calendars!  We are planning for the third Tuesday night of the month.  The February meeting is set for Tuesday the 18th.  If you have any question, or special requests for projects, please let me know, we aim to please!

Hope you can join us!