Friday, October 28, 2016

Witch Legs--Wrapped Up in Costumes


Today's project is doing double duty--both as a 31 Days of Halloween post, and my answer to the "Wrapped up in Costumes" theme for Stampendous.  I used it for the theme because it reminded me of an adorable witch costume.  

Here's how I did it:

MATERIALS:

Witch Boots Metal Stencil FMS4035
Palette Knife
Paste Spreader
Regular Embossing Paste
Embossing Powder in Violet Opaque, Clear Emerald, Clear Sparkle Lime and Silver Tinsel
Micro Glitter in Purple, Lime, and Orange
Pearl Tigerlily Glitter
Royal Purple Glass Glitter
Removable Tape
Versamarker Pen
My Colors Card Stock in Black, Harvest Orange, Grape Vine and White
Creative Impressions Ribbon 80263 3/8" Purple and Orange Gingham
White Glue
Zip Dry Glue
Manual Die Cut Machine
Embossing Heat Gun
Rubber Embossing Mat
Rhinestones

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) The card base is 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" folded on the side.
2)  Tape the stencil onto black card stock, using a full strip of tape across the top which will be used as a hinge later.  Be sure to tape all the way around.
3)  Remove paste from the container with the palette knife and place on the bottom of the paste spreader.
4)  Place the paste spreader on the top of the stencil, with the paste facing you.
5)  Pull the spreader towards you, keeping contact with the stencil and filling in the wells with the embossing paste.
6)  Replace the excess paste into the container.
7)  Carefully remove the tape from the sides and bottom of the stencil.
8)  Using the top piece of tape as a hinge, carefully remove the stencil and let the paste dry.
9)  When the paste is dry, use the Versamarker Pen to color in one section that you want embossed.
10)  Cover with the embossing powder, flick off the excess, and heat emboss.
11)  Repeat steps 9-10 until you have colored all the sections that you want embossed.
12)  Place glue in one section at a time and cover with glitter until the while image is finished.
13)  Trim the mats.
14)  Add ribbon.
15)  Assemble the card.

Thanks for stopping by.  Here are the links to the other posts for the day:


Friday, October 14, 2016

Catalog Preview--An Ornate Heart

The next Stampendous catalog is coming soon--and WOW! is it ever filled with gorgeous things!  This week, the team is featuring a preview of these products.  My card features a beautiful new heart stencil.  Here it is:

This is how it was made:

MATERIALS:

FMS4060 Ornate Heart Metal Stencil
Removable Tape
Zip Dry
Dark Mauve and White Card Stock
Patterned Paper
Creative Impressions Ribbon in ¾” Pearl Crepe
Foam Square

DIRECTIONS:
1)    Fold a piece of 8 ½” by 5 ½” white card stock so that the fold is on the side.
2)    Tape the Ornate Heart stencil face up on the pink card stock. Use one large piece across the top of the stencil initially.  It will be a hinge later.  Tape all the way around.
3)    Remove the embossing paste from the container with the palette knife and place on the paste spreader.
4)    Place the paste spreader on the top of the stencil and pull down towards you, filling the holes and keeping contact with the stencil at all times.
5)    Replace any extra paste into the container.
6)    Remove the tape from the bottom and sides of the stencil.
7)    Using the taped top as a hinge, carefully remove the stencil.
8)    While the paste is still wet, sprinkle with the glitter.
9)     Let the paste dry.
10)                     Brush the excess glitter off of the heart.

11)                     Assemble the card, using the foam squares to lift the heart above the background.

I hope you are as excited about the new catalog as I am!  Thanks for stopping by.  Check out the other catalog sneak peeks for today:



Pam Bray

Thursday, October 13, 2016

A Witchy Granite Cameo Card



Once again, I am taking part in the 31 Days of Halloween Event.  I just love October!  This event celebrates Halloween the entire month.  Here is my cameo witch card. It is one of my favorites from this catalog.  I find the cameo witch stencil a particularly brilliant design move by Stampendous.


I was able to achieve the granite look with a technique that I developed for this catalog.  The embossing was actually quite easy, and the coloring with pencils can be as simple or complicated as you like.  Here is how it was done:

MATERIALS

Framed Witch Stencil FMS4036
Mixed Media White Paper
Versafine in Smokey Gray
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Boardwalk
Prismacolor Pencils in Black, Grass Green, Apple Green, Olive Green, Dark Green, Imperial Violet, Periwinkle, Steel, Cool Grey in 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, 70% and 90%
My Colors Card Stock in Black Magic and Grapevine
Zip Dry Glue
Manual Die Cut Machine
Rubber Embossing Mat

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) The card base is 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" folded on the side.
2)  Tap the Versafine all over the back of the stencil.
3)  Spray the back of the stencil with the Glimmer Mist.
4)  While the stencil is still wet, place it face down on the bed of the die cut machine.  Cover it with the mixed media paper, the embossing mat and the cutting mat.
5)  Run the stencil through the die cut machine.  Let dry.
6)  Color the image with the Prismacolors.  Enhance the embossing by creating extra highlights and shadows with the pencil colors.
7)  Assemble the card with Zip Dry.

I hope you like this technique.  It creates not only a granite look, but also a cool aged look with different colors.
Thanks for stopping by the blog.  Stampendous is featuring a little more Halloween today at the STAMPENDOUS BLOG.


Wednesday, October 5, 2016

A Chill in the Air with a Haunted House

Well, I don't know what it is like where you live, but here in Michigan, there really is beginning to be a "Chill in the Air", which is this week's Stampendous theme.  I have created a stamped card with a haunted house image straight out of my childhood Halloween fantasies.  It was created using the ultimate childhood art supply--a 24 pack of Crayola Crayons.
Here is how I made it:


MATERIALS:

Haunted Mansion Rubber Stamp R267
Stazon in Jet Black
White Mixed Media Paper
Crayola 24 Count Crayons--I used Indigo, White, Gray, Violet, Blue Violet, Brown, Yellow Green, Green, Red Violet and Silver
Black Deco Art Paint
Paint Brush
Paper Towels
My Colors Card Stock in Plum and Cloak Gray
Zip Dry

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Stamp image with Stazon on multi media paper.
2)  Color with crayons.  Make sure to color very hard, filling in everything.  Use bright colors.
3)  Wrinkle the paper.
4)  Flatten the paper.
5)  Thin out the paint.
6)  Paint the image and wipe off the excess with paper towels.
7)  Let the image completely dry before assembling.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my project today.  Here are the links for the day:




Thursday, August 25, 2016

Graphic 45, Burlap and Grapes Card

This week, Stampendous is featuring gorgeous Graphic 45 papers.  I just love their patterns.  My card also features the added textures of cork, burlap, and twine.


Here's how it was done:

MATERIALS:

Removable Tape
Graphic 45 Rare Oddities Collection Brews and Potions Paper
Spectrum Markers EB8, DG3, CG2, FL5, LV1, PL4, LV2, LV3 and JG6
Creative Impressions Brads
My Colors Card Stock in Evergreen and Deep Purple
Green Burlap
Cork Paper
Twine
Zip Dry
Fabri-Tac
Big Bite Tool

INSTRUCTIONS:
The card base is 5 1/2" by 8 1/2" folded in half for a 5 1/2" by 4 1/4" card.

1)  Tape the stencil, right side up, over the cork paper.  Be sure to use a single large piece all the way across the top to use as a hinge when removing the stencil.  
2)  Remove some paste from the container with the palette knife and place on the bottom front of the paste spreader.
3)  Place the bottom of the spreader on the top of the stencil, with the paste facing you.
4)  Pull the paste covered spreader down over the stencil, maintaining contact with the stencil and filling in the wells with the paste as you go.
5)  Place the excess paste back in the container.
6)  Carefully remove the tape from the sides and bottom of the stencil.
7)  Using the top tape as a hinge, carefully remove the stencil and let the paste dry.
8)  When the paste is completely dry, use the Spectrum Markers to color directly on the white paste.
9)  Use the Fabri-Tac to adhere the burlap to the patterned paper and the purple card stock to the burlap and let dry.
10)  Use the Zip Dry to adhere the cork paper to the card stock.
11)  Use the Big Bite to punch holes for the brads through all the layers.
12)  Place brads into the holes.
13)  Wrap and tie twine around the bottom.
14)  Use Zip Dry to adhere the card to the background and the card base. 

Thanks for checking out my blog today.  Be sure to check out today's other posts for more wonderful Graphic 45 and Stampendous inspiration:


Friday, August 5, 2016

Crative Impressions Blog Hop--A Pumpkin Card

STM_CreativeImpressions_banner

Welcome to another wonderful day with a Blog Hop from Stampendous and Creative Impressions.  It wouldn't be a complete, of course, without PRIZES!

STM_CreativeImpressions_prize

Comment for a chance to win one of these great prize packages! US winners only. See Official Rules for details. Deadline to comment is Sunday, August 7th, midnight PDT. Winners will be announced early next week.
Three prize packages that include:
  • An assortment of ribbons and hardware
  • PLUS winner’s choice of Create Winter, Create A Poinsettia or Create Fall Stamp Set

So now that you know about the prizes, let me share a card--and a new technique--with you.  While I was trying to spray the back of a stencil to add some color, I became frustrated with the coverage of the color.   That is when I came up with a new technique!  Read about it in steps 8-11.


MATERIALS:
Creative Impressions Brads from the Antique Copper Embellishment Kit
Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa
Manual Die Cut Machine
Rubber Embossing Mat
Versafine in Vintage Sepia
Tattered Angels in Burlap
My Colors Card Stock in Brown Eyes, Parrot and White
Prismacolor Pencils in Olive Green, Apple Green, Dark Green, Yellowed Orange, Burnt Ochre, Pumpkin Orange, Spanish Orange, Orange, Sepia
Adhesive--I used Zip Dry
Big Bite Tool

INSTRUCTIONS:
1)  Place the wood stamp on the clear acrylic stamp handle.
2)  Stamp on the brown card stock with the Momento Ink.
3)  Place the sentiment on the stamp handle.
4)  Stamp on green card stock with Versamark Ink.
5)  Cover with the Champagne Pearlustre Embossing Powder.
6)  Emboss with the Heat Tool
7)  Cut to fit inside the metal piece.
8)  Ink the back of the pumpkin stencil with the Versafine.
9)  Spray over the Versafine on the back of the stencil with the Tattered Angels.
10)  Place the stencil face down on the bed of the manual die cut machine and cover with the mixed media paper and then the rubber embossing mat and the top mat.
11)  Run the project through the machine.  This technique will give you a mottled background and an embossed image.  Let it dry a little.
12)  Color the embossed image using the Prismacolors.  I used the Sepia pencil to color some shadows under the pumpkins.
13)  Adhere the pumpkin and wood stamped elements to a 4 1/4" by 5 1/2" piece of green card stock.
14)  Use the Big Bite to create holes for the brads on your card.  I (somewhat awkwardly) held the metal piece in place as I used the holes as a guide.
15)  Glue the sentiment into the metal bracket.  (You can see the excess glue in this photo, but I promise it is not this evident in real life).  
16)  Use the brads to adhere the bracket to the card.


17)  Glue one piece of ribbon over the seam (leaving a small section in the center free of adhesive) and around the back of the green card stock.
18)  Slip a piece of the ribbon under the middle section and make a bow.  When you have it right, you can glue the edges down a little to prevent slipping.


19)  Adhere the card front to white 8 1/2" by 5 1/2" card stock folded in half.

Thanks for stopping by.  Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win!  Also, check out (and comment on) all the other blogs for today to increase your chances.



Thursday, August 4, 2016

Creative Impressions Blog Hop--A Sunflower Card

STM_CreativeImpressions_banner

Welcome to the Stampendous and Creative Impressions Blog Hop.  Creative Impressions sent plenty of beautiful ribbons and hardware for the Stampendous Team to play with, and boy, did I have a lot of fun!  My project includes the ribbon and the metal.  Before I get into that, though, let me tell you about the prizes........

STM_CreativeImpressions_prize
Comment for a chance to win one of these great prize packages! US winners only. See Official Rules for details. Deadline to comment is Sunday, August 7th, midnight PDT. Winners will be announced early next week.
Three prize packages that include:
  • An assortment of ribbons and hardware
  • PLUS winner’s choice of Create Winter, Create A Poinsettia or Create Fall Stamp Set
Here is my creation for today (you may notice it on the banner--I am super proud of that!)

MATERIALS:
Life Words Perfectly Clear Stamp Set SSC1213
Long Sunflower Stencil DWLL429
Leaf Texture Stencil DWLG616
Regular Embossing Paste
Dreamweaver Palette Knife
Perfectly Clear Acrylic Stamp Handle
Removable Tape
Versamark Pen
Versamark Ink Pad
Embossing Powder in Clear Lemon, Jade Pearlustre, Olive Opaque, Chocolate Opaque, Clear
Creative Impressions Metal Tag
Creative Impressions Ribbon Antiqued Gold 70/28
Twine
Stazon in Spiced Chai
Embossing Heat Gun
Manual Die Cut Machine
Rubber Embossing Mat
Big Bite, Crop O Dile or Hole Punch
Awl
Tapestry Needle
My Colors Card Stock in Goldenrod, Parrot and White
Fabric Tac or another fabric glue
Adhesive--I used Zip Dry
Burlap

DIRECTIONS:
1)  Ink the back of stencil DWLG616 with Versamark.
2)  Set the stencil face down on the bed of your machine.  Cover with the parrot card stock, rubber mat, and top mat.
3)  Run the project through the die cut machine.
4)  Remove the card stock and cover with clear embossing powder.  Tap off the excess.
5)  Heat with the embossing tool.
6)  Tape stencil DWLL429 onto the burlap with the removeable tape.  Be sure to tape all the way around the stencil.
7)  Remove the embossing paste with the palette knife and place a strip across the top of the stencil.
8)  Place the back of the palette knife above the paste, making contact with the stencil.
9)  Pull the knife down the stencil, depositing paste in the wells.  You need to keep contact between the palette knife and the stencil all the way down.
10)  Place the remaining paste back into the container.
11)  Carefully remove the stencil from the burlap and allow the paste to dry completely.
12)  While the paste dries, place the selected stamp on the acrylic block, ink up with the Stazon, and stamp on the metal.  Let it dry completely.


13)  After the paste is completely dry, you will "paint" it with the embossing powders.  You will do this by coloring a small portion of paste with the Versamark Pen, covering it with the embossing powder, and heating it with the heat gun.
14)  Glue the completed burlap to the goldenrod card stock.
15)  Use the awl to create guide holes around the burlap.
16)  Stitch around the burlap with the tapestry needle and the twine.
17)  Cut the background image in half and mount it onto both sides of a piece of white 4 1/4" by 5 1/2" card stock.
18)  Adhere the center of the card.
19)  Use your Big Bite or hole punch to create holes on either side of a leaf.
20)  Run the crepe ribbon into the hole on one side and out through the hole on the other.  Adhere the ends just under the card stock.
21)  Attach the card to a white card stock back that is 8 1/2" by 5 1/4" folded in half.
22)  Tie the metal tag onto the crepe ribbon using a hemp bow.

Thanks for stopping by to see the post today.  Be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win.  You will love it if you get a prize!

Here are the rest of the posts today:


Thursday, July 28, 2016

Fresh Fall Fun--Falling Leaves

Fresh Fall Fun is the theme this week at Stampendous.  We are featuring fall projects from the new catalog.  Here is my project for today:


MATERIALS
Build A Wreath Cutting Die Set DCP1007
Falling Leaves Stencil DWLL3004
Birthday Assortment Clear Stamps SSC1115
Acrylic Stamping Handle
Gold Embossing Paste
Paste Spreader DWLM5010
Pearl Lustre Embossing Powders in Carnelian and Jade
Opaque Embossing Powders in Ruby Red and Honey
Embossing Heat Tool HT400
Dreamweaver Palette Knife
My Colors Card Stock in Goldenrod, Parrot, Brown Eyes, Sky, Mandaring and Harvest Orange
Manual Die Cut Machine
Versafine in Toffee
Removable Tape
Burlap
Fabri-Tac Glue
Awl
Tapestry Needle
Hemp Ribbon
Adhesive--I used Zip Dry

DIRECTIONS:

1)   Use the leaf die from the Build a Wreath set to cut out leaves.
2)  Stamp words on the leaves and distress the edges with the Versafine.
3)  Tape the stencil over the blue card stock.  Be sure to tape one piece across the top of the stencil that you will use as a himge when you remove it.  Tape all the way around the stencil.
4)  Use the palette knite to remove the paste from the container and place it on the bottom of one side of the paste spreader.
5)  Place the spreader on the top edge of the stencil.  Be sure the paste side is facing you.
6)  Pull the spreader towards you, treating it like a squeegee.  The spreader should maintain contact with the stencil at all times and will deposit the paste into the wells.
7)  Remove the excess paste with the palette knife and replace it into the container.
8)  Remove the tape from the stencil everywhere except for the top.
9)  Gently lift the stencil, using the tape as a hinge.  Then, remove the stencil entirely.
10)  Sprinkle the top of the paste with the various embossing powders while it is still wet.  The let it mostly dry.
11)  When the paste is mostly dry (about a half an hour or so), use the heat gun to heat it from underneath first, and then on the top.  The paste and powders will bubble.
12)  When the project is completely dry, adhere it to the mat.
13)  Use the fabric glue to adhere the burlap to the background paper and the mat to the burlap.
14)  Use the awl to punch guide holes into the mat and through the burlap and background paper.
15)  Use the needle and hemp to sew the project.
16)  Adhere the project to the card base.
17)  Adhere the leaves to the card.


Here are the other posts for today.  Take a look at some of the other great stencils in the newest Stampendous Catalog:

Friday, July 22, 2016

Tando Creative Blog Hop--and Now, a Little Christmas Fun



Welcome to the final day of the Mixed Media Blog Hop with Stampendous and Tando Creative! This is the last day for this fun collaboration, and there are tons of blogs to visit, so I will make my info as short and sweet as possible.  Of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention the prizes.



To be eligible, leave a comment and where you live on the Stampendous blog, Tando Creative blog and each designer's blog. Every comment is an entry to win one of THREE terrific prize packages. This is open to commenters with either a US or UK mailing address.
My post today is a little Christmas project.  Here it is:


I used the Tando Creative Mini Printer Tray, Penguins Stencil, Three Deer Stencil, Small Chickadees Stencil, Snowflake StencilRegular Embossing Paste, Matte Black Embossing Paste, Build a Wreath Die Set, Santa Words Rubber Stamp, Holly Background Rubber Stamp, Opaque White Embossing Powder, Winter Wonderland Sparkly Embossing Powder and Micro Glitter in Red and Silver.  I also used some Deco Art Fluid Acrylics in Silver and Graphic 45 paper.  I pasted quite a bit and used the layers of the chipboard to place layers in the project.



Thanks for stopping by.  There are plenty of wonderful posts to look at today.  Be sure to comment on all of them for your chance to win!

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Tando Creative Blog Hop--a Halloween Project



Welcome to the Stampendous and Tando Creative Mixed Media Blog Hop.  This collaboration is really taking me out of my proverbial "box" with the chance to try something really different.  Today, I am using the Triple Arch Layered Frame by Tando Creative.  Who is Tando Creative?  They are a UK based company that sells various interesting chipboard products, Andy Skinner stamps, Nathalie Kalbach stamps and Stampendous Essential Kits.  But, I get way ahead of myself.  What everyone REALLY wants to know is, "Are there prizes?"  Why, yes there are!



To be eligible, leave a comment and where you live on the Stampendous blog, Tando Creative blog and the designers blogs. Each comment is an entry to win one of THREE terrific prize packages. This is open to all commenters with either a US or UK mailing address.
Each prize package includes a Tando Creative Mini Heart Printer Tray plus Stampendous NK Studio Fiesta Stamp Set.

Now that we know what the prizes are, it is back to my post.  My project today is Halloween themed, and was wickedly fun to make.  Here it is:
I used the Triple Arch Layered Frame, the Haunted Mansion Rubber Stamp,  Owl on Oak Stencil, Long Pumpkins Stencil, Regular Embossing Paste, and some Graphic 45 Rare Oddities paper.  All the coloring was done with the humble 24 pack of Crayola Crayons.  The distressing was done with Deco Art Media Fluid Acrylics in Carbon Black.  The picture on the right shows a little more detail on the Haunted Mansion stamped image.  It was colored first with crayons and then wrinkled and painted over with the black paint.  I removed the paint with a damp cloth.

 The owl was pasted on brown paper.  When the paste was COMPLETELY dry, I colored over it.  Yes, with crayons, believe it or not.  I did a couple of layers just to be sure it was thick. Then, I painted over it with the black paint and wiped of the excess with a damp cloth.



The pumkins were made by running white card stock through a manual die cut machine with the stencil that was sprayed on the back with Burlap Glimmer Mists.  Then, they were colored with crayons, and distressed in the same manner as the other two parts.  All the rest of the project was fancy cutting and gluing on various layers of the frame to create depth.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win.  Check out (and comment on) the rest of the posts, too.  Here they are: