Monday, January 30, 2017

Love Sparkles and Paper Pumpkin Fun for Kids



I had a good-sized order come in on Friday evening which needed Thank You cards and I had seen a thank you card made with the Occasions stamp set called Love Sparkles on Pinterest a week or two ago. I filed away the info that Love Sparkles has a Thank You sentiment in the crafting recesses of my mind and it popped to the surface as I considered what stamp set to use with this batch.

I then thumbed through my Designer Series Paper looking for an interesting design that would go with the Love Sparkles designs and I found this perfect design among the patterns in the Tasty Treats Specialty Designer Series Paper, covered with polka dots that shine and sparkle! Here's what turned out:


Here's a closer look at the two metals:









































I am planning a Valentine Mom and Me class this coming Saturday, and I was getting frustrated trying to find a cute design for the kids to use for Valentines that we hadn't done last year or the year before. Then I opened up my January Paper Pumpkin and...Problem Solved:

  • These really cute little treat bags are adorable and you get 24 in the pack so I can do at least 4 per child, depending on how many sign up. Everything is already cut and ready to go as well so it will be easy to prep for the class!
  • The teddy bear you see does not come in the paper Pumpkin, I made him using the Cookie Cutter Christmas stamp set which has been held over until the end of May so you can still purchase it. He is stamped in Peek-a-Boo Peach with a bow tie and heart of Calypso Coral! He is then punched out with the Cookie Cutter Builder Punch.
  • Each bag will hold 2 or three candy kisses and then can be fastened shut with a star heart, although I hear that the heart may need a boost in the adhesive department to keep them shut!
If you are interested in this class, you can read more about it here.


Click on the links below to take you to my On-Line Store, where you can read about, look at, and purchase if you wish, the products used to make this card today.


Product List

Friday, January 27, 2017

Tarnished Foil Technique for As You See It Challenges


It has felt so good to get our As You See It Challenges blog up and running again and today is time for the second challenge since getting back. It's a sketch challenge, designed by Amanda, and it looks like this:


I've been experimenting with a new (to me) technique called Tarnished Foil technique from a tutorial I got from Melissa Kerman from Melissa's Crafting Treehouse. I've had a lot of fun with it and for a successful project you need an embossing folder with rather a lot of repeating largish designs and not a lot of empty, unembossed spaces. I didn't have a lot of them that would fit the bill except for Fluttering, maybe Happy Heart, and this one, which is an old Tim Holtz folder that I've been keeping for awhile to use with my steampunk attempts when necessary! Once I settled on this watch face folder, all sorts of ideas came to mind and here's what I came up with:


  •  For the Tarnished Foil Technique you cover a panel of cardstock with aluminum foil and emboss it. You apply StazOn and dry emboss as well as heat emboss with metallic embossing powders. You finish by rubbing on more StazOn to give that tarnished look. It's a very effective technique. I used a Tim Holtz Embossing Folder called Pocked Watches.
  • I used it to illustrate the passage of time and travel as well as the anchor that brings you back home. Stampin' Up's Guy Greetings provided the Sentiments. Traveler stamp set provided a couple of travelling images that I stamped in Basic Black Archival ink and added a hint of Gold and Copper embossing powder to them. I brushed most of it off because I wanted quite a bit of the black to show through the suitcase and passport. I did the same with the sentiments.
  • It's been ages since I used Always Artichoke cardstock, but it looks so good with vintage type cards, especially masculine ones. 
  • A couple of Tim Holtz Timepieces that I've had for ages took the places of the doilies in the sketch. Only problem is, I'll need a bigger envelope because they extend beyond the card. No problem! I can make one with my handy Envelope Punch Board from Stampin' Up!



Click on the links below to take you to my On-Line Store, where you can read about, look at, and purchase if you wish, the products used to make this card today.


Product List


Embossing Folder: Tim Holtz: Alterations: Pocket Watches
Clock Faces: Tim Holtz: Ideology: Timepieces