Video Tutorial: Multi-Color Stamping with Sponge Daubers

Hey there! A while back, I posted a video on YouTube and I never got around to sharing it here. It's a tutorial on one of my favorite techniques - inking up a stamp with sponge daubers to get a multi-color image. This technique also gives you a great blended look. It works best on solid stamps with a lot of area, not line-art images. I used one of the new Hostess stamp sets called Silhouettes & Script. If you place a Stampin' Up! order of at least $150, this is one of the exclusive items you can choose as a Stampin' Rewards benefit.

Here's the card I share in the video...

And here's the technique!

There are a few other cards that I show in the video that I made using the same technique and stamp set. Here they are...

Hope you enjoy the video and that you give this technique a try! As always, holler if you have any questions.

Happy Stampin'! :)

Stampin' 101 Tutorial - Stamp-A-Ma-Jig Tool

I've gotten so many requests for a tutorial on using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig tool. I've been meaning to make this video for ages, and I finally got it done! :)

The Stamp-A-Ma-Jig is one of my all-time favorite tools - I really don't think I could make a card without it. It's a stamp positioning system that allows you to see exactly where your image is going to stamp. It's especially useful for sentiments, and sets that involve layering stamps on top of one another to create a detailed image. (Stampin' Up! refers to this as "two step stamping," and these sets now tend to be photopolymer for easy lining up. But the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig is indispensable for older clear-mount or wood-mount two-step stamps.)

Another thing I love about the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig? It allows me to "try out" different positions for a stamp before I commit to anything on my card. Say I can't decide where I want my sentiment to be. Or maybe I stamped one flower, and I can't decide if I want a second flower to its right or its left. Since the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig imaging sheet is clear, I can move it around on my card to see exactly what my stamped image will look like in all the places I'm considering stamping it. Awesome! :)

So are you intrigued? Or maybe you're one of the folks who's always kind of wondered about the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, but never really figured out what it's all about. Go ahead and check out my video demo below, or over on my YouTube channel. Let me know if you have any questions.

Oh, and by the way, here's the finished card that I'm working on in the video. It uses one of my favorite new sets, Garden in Bloom. The sentiments are from a super cute and clever set called Words of Truth. "I love you more than grilled cheese" is my favorite sentiment from this set! LOL.

Happy Stampin'! :)

Partial Diecut Pumpkins

Hands down, die cutting is one of the coolest and most convenient things in a crafter's arsenal, don't you think? And you can get such amazing effects with all sorts of different die cutting techniques! I've shared cards in the past using partial die cutting techniques, where the die cut image sort of hangs off the fold of the card. I used a similar technique on today's card, but smack dab in the center of the front panel!

You could absolutely get this effect by cutting out the window and adhering the pumpkins over the bottom of it. But by using partial die cutting, the whole thing is seamless and it's such a cool effect. Here, I can prove it...

Look where the circle meets the pumpkin on the left. It's all one piece! Love this! If you want to see how to achieve partial die cutting on your projects (it's not hard, I promise!), I would recommend Jennifer McGuire's video. It spells out the technique really well.

I used two stamp sets on this card. The pumpkins are from Fall Fest, which is a great photopolymer set in the Holiday Catalog. It's kind of a cutesy, Halloween-y set, but I chose to grow it up a little more on this sophisticated card. I used Pumpkin Pie, Tangelo Twist, and Tangerine Tango inks, and the stems were stamped in Old Olive. The sentiment is from Kinda Eclectic. I love this sentiment because it goes with the fall/gratitude theme, without being a generic "thank you." The green background from the Color Me Autumn DSP collection.

Thanks for stopping by today. Happy Stampin'! :)

Start-to-Finish Sunday #39 - Tab Slider Card

Boy, do I have a fun card to share with you today! I made this card a while back, and immediately decided it just needed a video to go along with it. I finally got around to filming it today and I'm so excited to share! So, here it is...

OK, I know, doesn't look like much, right? But hold on! See that little tab with the arrow on it? That's the interactive part. Check out what happens when you pull that tab.

Aah! I love it! :) The little octopus moves aside to reveal a hidden extra sentiment. Adorbs. And it's so easy to make! I promise!

For this card I used my current favorites again... The Sea Street stamp set and Maritime DSP. The sentiments are from Something To Say, which has some really awesome two-part sentiments.

So check out the video to see how to make this great slider mechanism on your cards! You can watch it below, or on my YouTube channel.

Here's a sneak peek of the card I make in the video. It's a little more grown-up and sophisticated, but just as fun! (This one uses A Happy Hooray for the embellishment and the Back to Black DSP. And hey! - Don't forget that select DSP is Buy 3 Get 1 FREE until the end of July!)

One thing to note: because of the tab, these cards will not fit in a standard A2 sized envelope. But don't forget - you can make an envelope that coordinates beautifully with your card project in practically any size using the Envelope Punch Board. This thing is a workhorse! And one of my favorite products that Stampin' Up! offers.

Please let me know if you have any questions about these cards. I hope you have fun making your own slider cards!

Happy Stampin'! :)

Seaglass Inspired Mini Card Set

A while ago I was prepping for a class and I knew I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted to share the clear block stamping technique, and I thought it might be fun to do a little heat embossing too. Clear block stamping creates a great watercolor background, and I originally tried to pair it with some flower stamps. But I've been so into the sorbet-tones of the 2013-2015 In Colors lately... and so ready for summer to hurry up and get here! ...so I was inspired to go for a more beachy theme than I had originally planned. :)

I decided it would be fun to showcase this technique with a little set of 3x3 cards. I stamped the shell images from By the Seashore in Versamark and embossed them with silver embossing powder. (So technically this card is also sort of an emboss resist technique! Bonus!) Then I used markers in different tones of the same color to create the ombre look using the clear block stamping technique. (See above for link to technique video!) 

For the pink card, I used Blushing Bride, Crisp Cantaloupe, and Calypso Coral markers and a card base in Crisp Cantaloupe.

For the aqua card, I used Pistachio Pudding, Pool Party, and Coastal Cabana markers. I wanted the card base to be Coastal Cabana cardstock, but I had run out (*gasp*) so I used Pool Party.

And then, a sandy-colored card to match the sand dollar. I used Smoky Slate, Sahara Sand, and Crumb Cake markers, and the card base is Crumb Cake.

Now, a set of adorable 3x3 cards is lovely, but even better...? A sweet little coordinating box to put them in - and gift them in!

Isn't it adorable? I used a piece of DSP from the Fresh Prints DSP Stack for the top. The belly band is Crumb Cake, stamped all over with the sand dollar stamp and punched at each end with the Scallop Tag Topper punch. I love how that looks! :)

The twine is leftover from Sale-a-Bration, but guess what! This gorgeous thick baker's twine will be reappearing in the upcoming 2014-2015 Catalog in all the 2013-2015 In Colors!!! :) I can't wait!

I used a sentiment from Six-Sided Sampler, embossed in silver. I also stamped the sand dollar image in Coastal Cabana, and punched the whole thing out with the Ticket Duo Punch. So cute!

I do have a tutorial for this 3x3 mini pizza box over on my YouTube channel. Check out the video, or if you prefer pictures, here's the template.

And here's how to make the belly band:

- Cut cardstock to 2" x 8-7/8"

- Score at 1-5/8", 2-3/4", 6-1/8", 7-1/4"

- Punch both ends with Tag Topper Punch after scoring.

Hope you enjoyed this project! If you want to give it a try, let me know if you have any questions.

Happy Stampin'! :)

CCC#031: May Challenge: Starlight, Star Bright

Welcome to the Catherine and Cathy Create monthly challenge for May 2014: Starlight, Star Bright. The challenge this month? Don't put a bird on it - Put a star on it! :)

I have a couple sets of cards that have been kicking around that I need to give to a few girls who missed a class that they had already paid for. So I decided to use this as a good reason to wrap them up all fancy-like. ;) Check it out...

I used my brayer to custom-color a piece of the rectangular Crêped Filter Paper with Strawberry Slush ink. Perfect coordination with my awesome emboss resist tag!

I used clear and white embossing powder over Coastal Cabana cardstock. The star stamp is from Perfect Pennants, by the way. Then I inked over the embossing with Night of Navy ink. Check out the video below for the how-to!  (You can also find the video on my YouTube channel, if you prefer.)

I'm trying to get out of my comfort zone a little and try out the layering trend that is all over the place lately! So I decided to busy things up a little with a splash of pink, a gold embossed monogram, and some little pieces of Sequin Trim and (retired) Coastal Cabana Ruffled Stretch Trim. (I just used a mini stapler to attach them to the tag.)

So, that's it from me! Go check out the other design team member's amazing projects on Catherine and Cathy Create! And don't forget - play along, link up your project, and you might win! :)

Oh yeah, and here's that video I promised you...

Happy Stampin'! :)

Retirement Party Part Three - And a Technique Video!

This is a technique I learned a while back from a fellow demonstrator Jackie Hart. It's called the "filter paper technique" - I've also seem a similar technique that's been called the "tissue paper technique." I like this better, though, because it uses the Creped Filter Paper from Stampin' Up! which holds up a lot better than tissue paper.

The amazing texture that results from this technique is hard to capture in a photo, but trust me, you will love it! It's like you stamped on beautiful artisan handmade paper! And it's so easy! Check out my how-to video below, or over on my YouTube channel.

Note that I used a few retiring products on this card that - as of when I'm writing this post! - are still available... but only while supplies last! I used the En Français background stamp (which I just finally bought myself and now it's retiring!), the Scallop Trim Border Punch, and Raspberry Ripple ink (the cardstock is no longer available).

Happy Stampin'! :)

Technique Video: Using the Hexagon Hive Thinlit Die as a Stencil

Hey there! Today I have another quick video tutorial to share with you. I made a card for a recent class where I used the Hexagon Hive Thinlit die to create a stencil. I used sponging to get a really fun and totally on-trend ombre effect. Check it out!

Pretty simple card, but what a great look! I also used Gorgeous Grunge to add even more texture to my card front. The sentiment and the label I stamped it on are from the Chalk Talk stamp set and dies. (Get them as a bundle to save 15%!) Easy-peasy! :)

Check out the video below, or over on my YouTube channel. Have fun with this technique! What other dies can you use as a stencil?

Happy Stampin'! :)

Retirement Party! Part Two

This is a card I made a few weeks ago for a class that I wanted to teach emboss resist in. I hadn't got around to sharing it yet, and now a bunch of the products I used are retiring! :( Let me give you the low-down...

The flowers are from Simple Stems, which is in the Occasions Catalog and will be available until May 31st. But if you like them, get your order in TONIGHT for FREE SHIPPING! I clear embossed them onto Whisper White Cardstock, then sponged on Summer Starfruit, Pistachio Pudding, and Baked Brown Sugar inks. The embossed areas resist the ink, leaving the white showing through where you stamped! Awesome! :)

The retiring products I used on this card that are still available (as of when I'm writing this post) are...
- Field Flowers (for the sentiment) - only wood-mount is left, and remember, these could disappear at any moment!
- Summer Starfruit ink
- Sponge Daubers (Stampin' Up! is the only place you can buy 12 of these at a time! $10.95 - what a deal!)
- Scallop Trim Border Punch

Get 'em while you can if you're interested! Place an order on my website or email me. Remember! FREE SHIPPING ENDS TONIGHT!

Happy Stampin'! :)

Technique Video: Painter's Tape Technique

Hello friends! Happy Sunday! Happy Easter! Happy Passover! Happy All The Days! :)

It's a bright and sunny day here on Cape Cod and it's a welcome change from the 3 or 4 days of below-freezing temps we've just had. I'm wearing my favorite shades of mint and I got to go shopping for baby hat yarn yesterday and I'm happy!

And you know what else makes me happy? Fun new inky techniques! So I'm here today to share one with you. This one's called the Painter's Tape Technique. It gives a beautiful bold result that's great for card backgrounds. And it's just the right amount of messy! LOL :)

Here's the card I created to showcase this technique. I wanted to use the Hello, Sailor stamp set, so I was going for a nautical look. What says nautical better than bold stripes in red and blue?

(P.S. I used the Sale-a-Bration punch for the little banners, but you could just as easily cut them by hand. And the button is retired - sorry! Swap it out for the Basic Metal Buttons in the Occasions Catalog for a similar look.)

You can check out the video below, or over on my YouTube channel. I hope you have fun with this technique!

Happy Stampin'! :)

Christmas in July Week - Day Seven: Poinsettia Polaroid Card

Sadly I don't have a Start-to-Finish Sunday video for you again this week. :( Sorry! I knew I wanted to make this card, and I did film it, but once I started editing the video I realized that this was not a great card to share start-to-finish! It would have been SO long! I got bored just editing the video, so I knew you all wouldn't like it. But don't worry, I did make you a shorter video about this card: A tutorial on how to make the Polaroid-style frame using the Square Collection Framelits. :)

These frames that look like Polaroids or like vintage slides (Like for a slide projector. Anybody remember those? lol.) are so trendy right now! They're great for scrapbooking or for photo cards like family Christmas cards, or birth or engagement announcements. But I love the idea of using them in an out-of-the-box way, like I did on this card to frame and give dimension to the focal image! Anyway, you can check out the video below, or over on my YouTube channel.

I used the Joyful Christmas (#131802 wood/#131805 clear) stamp set again for this card - I love that poinsettia image! - and another new set from the Annual Catalog, the Dictionary (#130348 wood/#130351 clear) background stamp. I'm so excited Stampin' Up! gave us this stamp since they retired the First Edition DSP that I was so obsessed with. I sure do love a good text print! :-D The colors are Smoky Slate, Pool Party, Strawberry Slush, and Wild Wasabi. Not traditional Christmas colors, but they're bright and fresh.

So, thanks for stopping by today. I hope you had a great weekend!

Happy Stampin'! :)

Embossing Folder Love!

Hey there! So... no Start-to-Finish Sunday video today. (Sorry!) Why, you ask? Well, because I'm kicking off my annual Christmas in July week a day early! Today is my Intro post over on Catherine and Cathy Create, and I decided to share one of my favorite things: Textured Impressions Embossing Folders from Stampin' Up! And I wanted to create a bonus card featuring an embossing folder and some of the new Holiday Catalog goodies that you'll be able to shop for on August 1st! So check it out...

I used one of my favorite embossing folder techniques on this card. It's so easy and just takes a few extra seconds. You just ink the folder itself either with a brayer, or by swiping the ink pad directly across the folder, carefully place your cardstock inside, and run it through your Big Shot just like normal. (Check out my video tutorial on this technique.) For this card I used the Beautifully Baroque embossing folder.

Here's a close-up of the results of this technique. Isn't that pretty? And it's even more stunning in person. I love it with this tone-on-tone effect (this is Baked Brown Sugar cardstock and ink), or you can mix and match colors for a totally different look.

And here's where that sneak peek comes in! :) Three things here that you'll be able to shop for on August 1st - that's this Thursday! You can see here two stamp sets, Wonderful Wreath (#132748 wood only) and Christmas Messages (#131790 wood/#131793 clear), and one of the DSP collections, Season of Style. So pretty!

And this is the card I shared on Catherine and Cathy Create. I just love how a little bit of embossing can instantly elevate a simple card! If you've already been over to Catherine and Cathy Create, you may be here because I promised a supply list for this card. So, without further ado, here it is! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you'll be back tomorrow through Friday for 5 wonderful Christmas in July projects! :)



Eat the Cake Birthday Card Supplies

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