Friday, April 28, 2017

Birthday Delivery for Freshly Made Sketches


Today was one of those days!! What kind of day, you ask? Well, the kind of day where you waste all sorts of time looking for things you shouldn't have to be looking for! Take my card design for Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #285:


I love this sketch and I could hardly wait to get at it, but I first had to finish my tutorial for my May newsletter (more about that later). I had it all worked out in my head and my plan was to use the Birthday Delivery Bundle* that I got with my Product Purchase Premier order at OnStage. It's such a cute set and I haven't had the time to play with it yet, so I was all excited to get to use it.

I got the card base ready, and the first two layers done, but the third layer needed the Birthday Friends Framelit Dies* in order to diecut something from the Designer Series Paper! (Yes, the dies also coordinate with the DSP! How exciting is that?!!) But do you think I could find those framelits anywhere? I looked high and low but no framelits. I have everything else from my Product Purchase Premier except them. I know they arrived with the other stuff, but I have no idea what happened to them and that really ticks me off, since I will have to probably buy the framelits again. And then I'll probably find the missing ones as soon as I do! Sigh!

*New products from the 2017-18 Annual Catalogue, available on June 1.

So I had to fussy cut everything. Sigh again! Take a good look - this one cost me:



  • So cute though, isn't it? The Real Red Designer Series Paper is from the Birthday Memories DSP*. The designs remind me, as one of my downline described it, of pictures in my elementary school readers, with the art work and colours.
  • The Stitched Shapes Framelits die cut the Crumb Cake circle that gives a more neutral background against which to place the focal point of the cake and the baker.
  • I fussy cut the birthday cake from the DSP because I couldn't find the framelits. (Grrr!) I stamped the baker image from the Birthday Delivery stamp set* in Basic Black Archival Ink, and then I added colour using Stampin' Write Markers in Soft Sky, Real Red, Crumb Cake, Smoky Slate, and Blushing Bride. I also used a Watercolour Pencil in Calypso Coral to add a lighter flesh tone to the hands and face. Then I also had to fussy cut the baker!!!
  • The sentiment is from the Birthday Delivery stamp set* as well and the banner is punched using the Banner Triple Punch
The whole effect is very lively and I enjoyed the process despite the futile search for the framelits!

Now, speaking of my newsletter tutorial: the card that I will be providing the tutorial for is a version of this card, but using a darker ink for the flower, so that the technique, Watercolouring with Marker Outlines, works better. Here it is:



 If you would like to receive this free photo tutorial, with step-by-step instructions, including a list of all materials and measurements, all you need to do is to sign up for my free monthly newsletter. Just enter your email address in the Join My Mailing List box below and hit Go, and you will receive my May newsletter sometime this weekend. You can easily unsubscribe whenever you want and I don't flood your inbox with emails. Usually just one a month unless there is a new mid-month deal announced by Stampin' Up! that you would miss out on if I didn't send an extra notice to you.



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Starting on May 1 through May 31, you will be able to order this wonderful suite of products on an early release from the new Annual Catalogue. I have seen some amazing projects completed with these bundles. You will have the choice of ordering one of two bundles outlined below:


If you want to get a good idea of the beauty of the cards you can make with this set, check out my Pinterest Board with these bundles.



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

Birthday Delivery Bundle*, Birthday Delivery Stamp Set*, Birthday Memories Designer Series Paper*, Birthday Friends Framelits Dies*
*New products from the 2017-18 Annual Catalogue, available on June 1.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Succulent Garden and Curvy Keepsake Box for Tea & 3D Class


I had a blast coming up with a design for my latest Tea & 3D Class. It's amazing how authentic you can get cardstock succulents to look! And you can create a little succulent garden for next to nothing.


From the local Dollar Store, I was able to purchase the shallow drainage 'saucers' for some terra cotta flower pots for a couple of dollars for two. They were nice and shallow - just the right depth. Then I was able to get some florist foam and some moss for another couple of bucks each and they should be enough for the whole class. I cut the block of foam into 3/4" thick slabs and then traced around the bottom of the saucer and cut out the circle with a craft knife - it cuts like butter. I glued it to the bottom of the saucer then glued different coloured mosses onto the surface.

Then it was just a matter of using the Succulent Framelits Dies (which are retiring and on sale for 50% off right now) and cutting layers of different sized flowers from Old Olive, Mint Macaron and Sweet Sugarplum cardstock and one from Sahara Sand. Each is curled slightly using the bone folder and glued together with some hot glue in the center. After assembling them, it's easy to sponge on some colour. The flowers are added to the display using straight pins hidden under the layers. These steps take time, but are very straight forward.


Our other project is a cute little baby shower favor box using the retiring Curvy Keepsake Box Thinlit Dies and the Cable Knit Dynamic Embossing Folder. The images on it are courtesy of another retiring stamp set and coordinating die set - Something for Baby and Baby's First Framelits Dies. The sentiment is from Made with Love which also coordinate with those framelits and is likewise retiring.



And just so you know, the Clearance Rack has been restocked and products are flying off the shelves! You might want to submit an order to take advantage of the great deals up to 60% off!  Your best bet is to submit an order Online, but if you're not worried about supplies running out, you can risk asking me to submit your order when I collect a few other orders to save on shipping costs. Here are some of the great values:


Product List