Chalk Talk for The Paper Players and Stamp of the Month Club

Guess what I did for a good part of the morning yesterday. If you read yesterday's post, you probably have a good idea! Yes, I cleaned up the glitter explosion. First, I vacuumed everything off, Then I wiped everything down and sorted and bagged the orders. Did I get all the glitter? Despite a thick, sparkly layer in my vacuum canister, my area rug that looks like a bejewelled flying carpet, and a rather glittering complexion myself, no, I did not!! I got most of it, mind you, but my customers will definitely find that their orders have a little more in the way of festivity than usual. Thank goodness it's December and getting closer to Christmas. Maybe they'll think I'm just trying to spread the holiday spirit around!

After dealing with that, I set to work on a special card for The Paper Players Challenge #225:

Nance Leedy came up with formal attire for the challenge cards in honour of Christmas, New Year's and a farewell to some of the design team over at The Paper Players.  Here's what I went with:

• For my Playing with Papercrafting vendor and craft fairs, I use this Soft Sky, Gold and Basic Black colour palette.  The colours are striking together, so I thought they would be great for this "Black Tie" challenge.
• I chose Chalk Talk Stamp Set because Chalk Talk is my Stamp Set of the Month for December's Stamp of the Month On-line Club.  This card is one of three that you will get along with the Chalk Talk set and step-by-step tutorials for all three of the cards.  You get this all for $35 and you can join here.
• I used Brushed Gold cardstock for the background panel and I embossed it with the Filigree Frame embossing folder. Brushed Gold cardstock is the essence of elegance and when I used it in this lovely embossing folder, that bumped it up another notch!

• The image on the large label stamp was heat embossed in Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder, which gives it extra shine and presence as a vocal point.

If you want to know more about how to make this card, let me know or follow this link to join my Stamp of the Month Online card.

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

Chalk Talk Wood Stamp Set [130631]	Chalk Talk Clear-Mount Stamp Set [130634]	Brushed Gold 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102935]	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045]	Soft Sky 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131203]
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730]	Versamark Pad [102283]	Venetian Crochet Trim [134581]	Soft Sky 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon [131210]	Gold Sequin Trim [132983]
Filigree Frame Textured Impressions Embossing Folders [135818]	Chalk Talk Framelits Die [129983]	Deco Labels Framelits Die [130102]	Circles Collection Framelits Die [130911]	Big Shot [113439]
Heat Tool [129053]	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430]

Chalk Talk Christmas

One of the small reasons I became a teacher, I think, was because I love chalk!  Especially coloured chalk.  Every month, I would create a new chalkboard picture on the chalkboard and it was one of the little pleasures in my job. Other teachers told me that they would sneak by my room at the beginning of every month just to see my new chalk art.




I'm really thrilled with  the new interest in chalk art and I want my own framed chalkboard on which to practise my skills and create changeable decor for the house.  So family, if you read this, that would be a great Christmas present!  (Wink, wink!  Nudge, nudge!)







In a week, I am going to Salt Lake City for my Rising Star Trip and I'm really excited.  We five Rising Stars are going to be doing a couple of Christmas card swaps and I'm having fun designing them.  I wanted to show you one that I came up with:

• I had been dieing to use the new Gift Bow Bigz L Die, so I gave it a go using Real Red cardstock. After die cutting the pieces, I ran them through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.
• That DSP from Season of Style is one of my favourites this year and perfect as a backdrop to some Chalkboard Art.  The red and white stripes really showcase the black and white tag.
• Chalk Talk is not really a Christmas stamp set but as we give gifts for Christmas, so this tag works in a Christmas setting, and these cards really are for four very special Rising Stars!  
• I added a little Real Red outline to some of the letters with the fine tip of my Real Red marker.
• Love the Frosted Finishes Embellishments!  Our up-line, Desiree Spenst, made all of us at her Creative Escape Retreat, a pair of earrings made out of them!

• The inside gives more of a Christmas greeting!  This is also the Chalk Talk stamp set and the tags were all die cut with the Chalk Talk framelits that coordinate with it.
• The black label was die cut with the Deco Labels collection framelits.

I'll share the cards I get in return with you when I get back.  Have a great Monday!

Stamps:  Chalk Talk (w130631; c130634)
Paper:  Season of Style Design Series Paper (132340); Basic Black (121045), Whisper White (100730) and Real Red (102482) cardstock
Ink:  VersaMark (102283); Classic Stampin' Pad in Real Red (126949); Stampin' Write Marker in Real Red (100052)
Accessories:  Frosted Finishes Embellishments (132150); Stampin' Emboss Powder in White (109132)
Tools:  Heat Tool (129053); Gift Bow Bigz L Die (129977); Chalk Talk Framelits (129983); Deco Labels Collection Framelits (130102); Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder (117335); Big Shot (113439)

Back to School

I admit it.  I'm a first class nerd!  I always loved those words, "Back to School!"  Knowing my love for papercrafts, I think half of the reason was I loved getting brand new school supplies! I still love going into an office supply store and lingering in the pencil crayon and marker aisle!

But as your little ones get ready to head back, I know not all of them will be as excited as I was for school to start up again.  And maybe you're not excited at the thought of busy schedules and homework fights and endless lunches to make.  Despite your feelings, why not Celebrate Back Into It!  Make it a big, fun deal with a new outfit for everyone, including you!  New backpacks for the kids and a new purse for you!  A special Labour Day dinner and traditional game or beach day or movie.  And why not give your child a hand up with a card cheering them on to loftier heights!  Here's an example:

I created this card for the MOJO Monday Challenge #308, Round or Square Week again!

• Chalk Talk seems like a perfect Back to School stamp set, as does the background set, Alphabetized.
• I used Basic Black, Basic White and Crushed Curry as my colour palette: white paper, black boards (although not many have those anymore) and school bus yellow!
• I created an envelope for my square card from a sheet of Eastern Elegance DSP and lined it with some Modern Medley DSP.
• The Crushed Curry Chevron Ribbon and the Basic Black Candy Dots provide a little embellishment!

• I continued the Chalk Talk theme on the inside.  
• I used the Faux Chalkboard technique which involves inking the image in VersaMark ink and covering it in White Stampin' Emboss powder then heat setting it with a Heat Tool.  
• I then sponged on some white craft ink around the edges to simulate chalk dust.

If you want an easy way to create envelopes, here's a chart that I have right by my paper cutter and Simply Scored scoring tool, from Mary Fish, Stampin' Up demonstrator extraordinaire!  (If you don't follow her blog, you would really benefit from it.  She is very knowledgeable about stamping and shares many valuable tips.)  Stampin' Pretty Envelope Chart for Using the Simply Scored Scoring Tool & Diagonal Plate.

But starting September 1, you can order the Envelope Punch Board that will make creating envelopes a cinch!  And it's only $24.95!!  It will be in next year's catalogue so it's here to stay!

I hope you can come up with some traditions to ease your family back into fall and school and schedules. Let me know how your family does it!  I'll be back tomorrow with a gift for the teacher (or any one else who likes lists) using the Stampin' Up clear mount stamp cases.

Stamps:  Alphabetized (w130435; c130438); Chalk Talk (w130631; c130634)

Paper:  Crushed Curry (), Basic Black () and Whisper White (100730) cardstock

Ink:  StazOn Jet Black (101406); VersaMark (102283); Whisper White Craft Ink (101731)

Accessories:  3/4" Chevron Ribbon in Crushed Curry (130019); Stampin' Emboss Powder in White (109132); Neutrals Collection Candy Dots (130934)

Tools:  Chalk Talk Framelits (129983); Ovals Collection Framelits (129381); Heat Tool (129053); Simply Scored Scoring Tool (122334) with the Diagonal Plate (125586)

Chalk Talk Stamp Set and Framelits

Crushed Curry Chevron Ribbon

Eastern Elegance DSP

Heat Tool

Neutrals Candy Dots

Ovals Collection Framelits

Alphabetized Background Stamp

Simply Scored Scoring Tool

Modern Medley DSP

More of the Circle Card Thinlets

I played some more with the Circle Card Thinlets die and was able to create a card for Dynamic Duos Challenge #67, already!  I'm so on top of things right now! Woo hoo!  Here's the challenge:

And here's the card:

• I created a swing card again, but this time I added a flap to the right side using a technique demonstrated by Dawn Olchefske on her blog yesterday.
• I used several stamp sets again including Flower Shop, punched out using the Pansy Punch, Lovely Romance and Chalk Talk.
• The Crisp Cantaloupe DSP is from Birthday Basics.
• The sentiment on the front was stamped in Crisp Cantaloupe ink on Very Vanilla and die cut using the Chalk Talk framelits.  But that particular framelit is almost twice as long.  To shorten it, I die cut it with the bracket shape at the bottom, then turned the framelit around and used the bracket edge to cut the shape shorter.

Here's the inside view:

•  The scallop circle and the "thx" sentiment are die cut with the thinlit shapes that come with the Circle Card Thinlits.
• You can see the added flap here, decorated with the DSP.

Here's another view of it:

• You can see the area for writing on inside the flap.  I've added Very Vanilla cardstock, decorated with the image from Lovely Romance in Crisp Cantaloupe.

So definitely a lot of fun.  The Circle Card and it's sister, the Label Card Thinlits should definitely be on your Wish List, which, if it's anything like mine is long enough to circle the earth at the equator by now!

Just a reminder that all this week, until Friday, August 30th at midnight PDT, is my Mystery Hostess Event.

Don't wait too long to get your order in!  Here are the details!  The last event like this I held, the winner got $110 in free products, plus a Big Shot at half price!  It may not be as big or it may be bigger this time, you never know!  You can't win unless you enter.  Contact me with your orders!

Stamps:  Flower Shop (w130939; c130942); Chalk Talk (w130631; c130634);  Lovely Romance (w130264; c130267)

Paper:  Birthday Basics Design Series Paper (130145); Calypso Coral (122925), Crisp Cantaloupe (131298) and Very Vanilla (101650) cardstock

Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Calypso Coral (126983) and Crisp Cantaloupe (131176)

Accessories:  Pearl Basic Jewels (119247)

Tools:  Circle Card Thinlits (133480); Chalk Talk Framelits (129983); Pansy Punch (130698); 2 1/2" Circle Punch (120906); Circles Collection Framelits (130911)

2 1/2" Circle Punch

Birthday Basics DSP

Chalk Talk Stamp Set and Framelits

Circle Card Thinlits

Circle Collection Framelits

Flower Shop Stamp Set and Pansy Punch

Lovely Romance Stamp Set