Penny Black: Every which way - Love is in the air!

Hello and thanks for stopping by :-)

It's only 1 week to Valentine's Day - which will also mean that February will be half over!!  Boy, time sure does fly, doesn't it?  Anyway, onto my card.......I have still been playing with my new Penny Black: 'Every which way' stamp set - I love this set - it has such c-u-t-e images.  Please excuse the shadow from the ribbon on my photo - popping the card so the sun was right on the front of the card to avoid the ribbon-shadow washed out both the image and dry-embossing, so I went with this photo.

I grabbed my Crafts Too: Happy Valentine embossing folder and popped it through my Cuttlebug.  I really like this folder as you can use it portrait or landscape with the way the pattern has been done - much more practical that way.  I cut out the centre panel just leaving the embossed line, then layered it onto some red cardstock, then cut the middle out of the red cardstock leaving a narrow red border.

I popped a small piece of white cardstock underneath the (now) blank centre panel, and drew a faint pencil line around the centre panel which gave me a guideline as to where I should stamp my image and sentiment to make sure they were in just the right spot.  As these stamps are clear, it also makes things much easier because you can see where to stamp.  I coloured the image with Derwent Coloursoft pencils and OMS, then lightly chalked the sky with Kaiser blue chalk, then added some pink I-Kan-dee pearlescent chalk here and there (alas, not captured by the camera).  I stamped the balloon part of the image again onto the back of some Red Glitter cardstock and cut out the balloon and glued it to the image.    Next, I attached the image panel underneath the blank centre panel, then attached the whole thing to a blank white cardstock front.  I find it easier to do it this way instead of trying to stamp the image on the cardstock front and trying to line everything up perfectly (rather than stamping the image on a separate piece of cardstock) - but that's just me - you might it easier the other way!

I tied a bow with my Bow Easy and glued it on with fabric glue.  One thing that I really love about my Bow Easy is that when I have a ribbon that is patterned and clearly has a wrong side and a right side, when I tie the bow with my Bow Easy, the pattern remains uppermost - something I find difficult to achieve otherwise and it becomes a real fiddle twisting and turning the ribbon to get it right-side up (I am so bow-challenged!).

And I even did the inside (keeping my New Year's resolution of doing the insides of my card before I move onto the next card):-

 

Whoops - one of my little punched hearts is a little crooked!  Oh well!  The scalloped heart was diecut using my Spellbinder Scalloped Heart Nesties and Red Glitter cardstock (LOVE this stuff - can't you tell?!!!) and the pink heart with my Heart Nesties.  For the white cardstock heart:  the next-size-down Heart Nestie is much smaller and when I diecut my white cardstock, it looked a little silly as it made the pink cardstock have a very wide border, so I placed the same Heart Nestie I used to diecut the pink cardstock and traced around the inside of it onto my white cardstock and simply handcut it.  I just use nail scissors (they have a curved blade) which make is easier for cutting the rounded parts.  Then I simply stamped the sentiment and punched a couple of red hearts from my Carl CP-8 Heart duo punch and glued them on.

Challenges:  

I'm popping this card into the following Challenges -

Allsorts Challenge Week 89 - Must be love, love, love

Saturday Challenge #120 - Valentine 

Splitcoaststampers 'Ways to use it' Challenge WT308 of 'i HEART you'

Well, that's about it from me - thanks again for stopping by!  Hope to see you again soon!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:  

Stamps:  Penny Black 'Every which way' 30-008 clear stamp set

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo black

Designer paper:  Best Creations red glitter cardstock

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Crafts Too Happy Valentine embossing folder, Spellbinder Heart and Scalloped Heart Nestabilities, Derwent Coloursoft pencils, Odourless Mineral Spirits, paper stumps, Kaisercolour chalk, I-Kan-dee pearlescent chalk, ribbon, Bow Easy, Cardstock:  KW Doggett 'Knight' white (for image), regular white (for card base), candy pink, soft red

Punches:  Carl CP-8 heart duo

Stampendous Candy Bears Christmas cards #2 and #3 for Flowersoft challenge

Hello and welcome to my Blog!

Yesterday, I shared one of the cards (see this link here) that I made for the Splitcoaststampers Flowersoft Challenge FSC15 of "Last Minute Cards" which ends on December 17th.  And here are my remaining 2 cards that I made for the Challenge.

All my cards use the same layout, embossing folder and colours - I just changed a couple of things so they all look a bit different - and they were surprisingly quick as there wasn't much colouring of the images (they were all coloured with Prismacolor and Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Odourless Mineral Spirits).  And I used some of my favourite Stampendous Christmas images - they are just sooo cute!!  I know it doesn't snow here at Christmas, but I am nuts about anything that has a snowman or snow on it!  And I adore teddy bears too!

For both of my Candy Cane bear cards, I added white liquid applique to the bear's hat band and pom-pom.  I let the liquid applique dry then heated it with my heat-gun to make it "puff up" and then painted over it with white acrylic paint as the white liquid applique tends to look rather creamy - almost lemony - rather than "pure white".  I also ran a line of white acrylic paint along the length of the candy cane for the highlight.

I lightly chalked in the sky around the image with Kaisercolour blue chalk (very subtle but trust me - it is there!). 

On the Red Candy Cane Bear card - the green embossed panel is an embossing folder by Crafts Too called 'Holly Frame'.  I cut out the inside of the frame, then added a piece of red cardstock underneath and cut enough of the red cardstock away to leave a small red border, then attached my image panel underneath.  You can find this gorgeous embossing folder here at Fat Cat's Card Corner.

The sentiment tag was diecut with my Cuttlebug and Tiny Tags die set and I ran my Warm Red chalk ink pad around the tag.  I added the gorgeous red and white twine in 2 separate elements (looks neater for me as I am so "ribbon-challenged"!).  Twine is so "in" at the moment - I just love it for my cards!!  The star is a sparkly red button from my stash which I glued on with Crafter's Pick Incredibly Tacky glue which is fantastic for glueing on embellies - I no longer have trouble with them falling off!  Yay me!

Lastly, I added Flowersoft Polar White using Aleen's Tacky glue along the bottom of the image.  Here is a little close-up photo:

And here is my 2nd Candy Cane bear card which is essentially the same as the card above but I swapped the red and green colours around.  It is sooooo hard to take photographs of red cards so the image is brighter IRL and my close-up photo (scroll down to see it) is more true-to-life colour-wise.

I ran my Lime Pastel chalk ink around the sentiment tag and the sparkly green star is a brad.  And I attached the ribbon in 2 separate elements plus the bow itself was made with my Bow Easy.

And here is a close-up pic:

Phew - that was a long post!  As always:  if you have any questions, please feel free to email me - my addy is at the top LHS of my Blog.  I used to be new at cardmaking too, so I am always happy to explain something that you don't understand.   Thanks again for stopping by!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe - Red Candy Cane bear

Stamps:  Stampendous: Candy Bears E208, Sentiment: Elzybells Mini Messages - Christmas set 20-054 

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo black, Colorbox Chalk - Warm red

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Tiny Tags die set, Christmas Holly Frame embossing folder - Crafts Too, Prismacolor pencils, OMS, Derwent Coloursoft Pencils, Flowersoft Polar White, twine, white liquid applique, heatgun, white acrylic paint, fine paint brush, Kaisercolour blue chalk, Star button from Stash, Crafter's Pick Incredibly Tacky glue, Cardstock: green, red, KW Doggett "Knight" white

Card Recipe - Green Candy Cane bear

Stamps:  Stampendous: Candy Bears E208, Sentiment: Elzybells Mini Messages - Christmas set 20-054 

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo black, Colorbox Chalk Lime Pastel

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Tiny Tags die set, Christmas Holly Frame embossing folder - Crafts Too, Prismacolor pencils, OMS, Derwent Coloursoft Pencils, Flowersoft Polar White, Bow Easy, sparkly green ribbon, white liquid applique, heatgun, white acrylic paint, fine paint brush, Kaisercolour blue chalk, Star brad by Making Memories, Cardstock: green, red, KW Doggett "Knight" white

Stampendouse Freeze - Christmas card #1 for Flowersoft Challenge

Hi and welcome to my Blog :-)

I have a couple of cards to share with you which I made for the Splitcoaststampers Flowersoft Challenge FSC15 of "Last Minute Cards" which ends on December 17th.  All my cards use the same layout, embossing folder and colours - I just changed a couple of things so they all look a bit different - and they were surprisingly quick as there wasn't much colouring of the images (they were all coloured with Prismacolor and Derwent Coloursoft pencils and Odourless Mineral Spirits).  And I used some of my favourite Stampendous Christmas images - they are just sooo cute!!  I know it doesn't snow here at Christmas, but I am nuts about anything that has a snowman on it!

For my Teddy and Snowman card, I added white liquid applique to the snowman's: mitten cuffs, hat band and pom-pom, and on the bear's: hat band, mitten cuff and collar on the jacket.  I let the liquid applique dry then heated it with my heat-gun to make it "puff up" and then painted over it with white acrylic paint as the white liquid applique tends to look rather creamy - almost lemony - rather than "pure white".

I lightly chalked in the sky around the image with Kaisercolour blue chalk (very subtle but trust me - it is there!).  The green embossed panel is an embossing folder by Crafts Too called 'Holly Frame'.  There is actually an embossed frame on the top half of the embossing folder, but I simply covered it with my image.  You can find this gorgeous embossing folder here at Fat Cat's Card Corner.

The sentiment tag was diecut with my Cuttlebug and Tiny Tags die set and I ran my Warm Red chalk ink pad around the tag.  The red/white ribbon came from Coles Supermarket and is by Artwrap - and the red cord was in a throw-out box at Spotlight - 5 metres for $1 so I couldn't pass that up :-)

Lastly, I added Flowersoft Polar White using Aleen's Tacky glue along the bottom of the image and did two layers of it so it looked all snowy and fluffy.  Here is a little close-up photo:

I will share my other 2 cards I made for this Challenge in the next day or so.  Thanks for stopping by - hope to see you again soon!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Stampendous Freeze D145, Sentiment: Elzybells Mini Messages - Christmas set 20-054 (retired) 

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo black, Colorbox Chalk - Warm red

Accessories:  Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Tiny Tags die set, Christmas Holly Frame embossing folder - Crafts Too, Prismacolor pencils, OMS, Derwent Coloursoft pencils, paper stumps, Flowersoft Polar White, Aleen's tacky glue, Coles ribbon, red cord, white liquid applique, heatgun, white acrylic paint, fine paintbrush, Kaisercolour blue chalk, snowflake button by "Dress it up" Snowflake collection - Snow Globe, Cardstock: green, red, KW Doggett "Knight" white 

Unity - A Beautiful Sight - Little Christmas Gift Bag

 

Hi and welcome to my Blog :-)

About a year ago, I came across a template and instructions (including a video) for making a little Gift Bag, and finally got around to making one.  Now that I have had a little play and realised how quick and easy it was, I have made about 10 of them!  Make sure that you start off with the cardstock cut exactly to the specifications, or it will turn out all wonky.

You can find the instructions here at the Stamping Videos blog.  If you scroll down a little, you can click on a link to the written instructions and the template and print them out.  The video is really easy to follow too.

I decided to emboss my cardstock - just because I LOVE my Cuttlebug LOL - before I scored the lines with my Scor-Pal.  You don't have to use a Scor-Pal but it sure makes it quick and easy if you have one.  Once I did the scoring, I used one of my Labels Trio dies to diecut the top part where the handle is, THEN folded the box up and glued it.  Don't fold the box up then diecut the top part it as it is much harder that way and most likely will end up crooked (trust me:  I know from experience!!).

The image is a gorgeous new stamp called "A Beautiful Sight" by Unity Stamps - which is available from Fat Cat's Card Corner.  The image was stamped with gold pigment ink and heat-embossed with gold embossing powder, then diecut with my Deckled Rectangle Nestabilities.  I diecut some snowflakes from gold cardstock and popped them up on mounts (dimensionals).

Lastly, I tied on two different ribbons. Easy peasy.   And just for something different, I made a purple one for something non-traditional for Christmas (plus purple is my favourite colour!):

Instead of diecutting the top part for the ribbon, I used a standard-sized hole punch.  The tree was stamped with Heliotrope pigment ink and heat-embossed with clear embossing powder.  I inked the edges of the diecut snowflakes and added a purple gem to the centres.  Here is a top view of the box:

The finished size of the box is 4-3/4" high x 3" wide, and is the perfect size for popping in a Gift Card eg: Bunnings, Coles/Myer, Target etc., some lollies, or a little present for your child's teacher.

I have made a Vintage-style one using the same Unity stamp which I will share with you soon.  Have a go at these little bags - once you make 1 or 2, you will realise how quick and easy they are.   

I popping these gift bags into the Unity Challenge #25 over at Splitcoaststampers where this week's challenge is to make an UN-CARD, ie: something that is NOT a card such as an ornament, a pretty gift box, altered item etc.

Thanks again for stopping by!  TTFN!

Jocelyn

Gift Bag Recipe - white snowflake bag:

Stamps:  Unity - A Beautiful Sight IB48 Itty Bitty foam-mounted rubber stamp

Ink:  Versacolor gold pigment

Accessories:  Scor-Pal, Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder, Cuttlebug Snowflakes #2 die set, Spellbinder Tags Trio and Deckled Rectangle Nesties, gold embossing powder, heat-gun, 2mm mounts, ribbon: gold-edged white organza + fancy gold, Cardstock: white, gold

Gift Bag Recipe - purple bag:

Stamps: Unity - A Beautiful Sight IB48 Itty Bitty foam-mounted rubber stamp

Ink:  Colorbox Heliotrope pigment

Accessories:  Scor-Pal, Cuttlebug, Crafts Too Snowflakes embossing folder, Cuttlebug Snowflakes #2 die set, hole punch, Spellbinder Deckled Rectangle Nesties, clear embossing powder, heat-gun, Kaiser purple rhinestones SB705, ribbon: purple organza, Cardstock: purple, white

Crafts Too: Leafy Tree - Sympathy Card #1

Hi everyone - 'Happy Monday' and thanks for stopping by :-)

We learnt of the passing of the brother of a close family friend yesterday, so I had to make several Sympathy Cards to pop in the post today.  Since I started doing the Clean and Simple Challenges on Splitcoaststampers (SCS), I have been learning how to do simple and unfussy cards - not that I find it easy - I really have to restrain myself from fussing over my cards.  I have put this in the SCS's Gallery: CAS37 Challenge of 'With Sympathy'.

This card uses the beautiful Crafts Too (UK) 'Leafy Tree' embossing folder - I really love this folder and the best thing is that they fit in the Cuttlebug using the same sandwich as Cuttlebug embossing folders.  

There isn't much to explain about the card.  I corner-punched the white cardstock layers and the sentiment panel has been popped up on 1mm mounts (dimensionals).  I punched 2 hearts with my Carl CP-8 Heart duo punch and added some very fine white glitter to the hearts - you probably can't see the glitter in the photo, but the hearts aren't meant to stand out too much - just wanted to add a little 'extra but not-too-fussy something' to the card to draw your eye to the sentiment panel.

I wrapped the ribbon around the 2nd layer of cardstock, then made a bow with my Bow Easy and attached it to the ribbon with a glue dot.

I'll be back tomorrow with the 2nd Sympathy card I made.

Jocelyn

Card Recipe: 

Stamps: Sentiment from: Wendy Irving Expressions J6412.01 clear stamp set 

Ink: Stazon Jet Black 

Accessories: Cuttlebug, Crafts Too 'Leafy Tree' embossing folder, Punches: Carl CP6 corner, CP-8 heart duo, 1mm mounts, Spellbinder Oval Nestabilities, 3/8"-10mm wide white organza ribbon, Bow Easy, .008 fine white glitter, glue dots, Cardstock: white