Have an Attitude of Gratitude

For all my readers here in Canada, Happy Thanksgiving this weekend!  Go on!  Stuff yourself with turkey!  Don't let that bird die in vain.  After all, he got stuffed for you.  The least you could do is return the favour!  That's the way I look at it anyway.

And BE thankful.  Gratitude is the right attitude!  We would all be a lot more content if we took the time to give thanks for all the wonders right under our noses that we so take for granted!  And my American friends, get in training!  Your day is coming soon.

On Thursday, I posted this card:

 

with the Frosted Filter Technique for the background panel and I promised I would do a video tutorial to show you how to accomplish it.  And I am staying true to my word by publishing it now.

 

 

                                         

Hope you enjoy watching it and playing around with this technique using different colours.  Guaranteed, you'll never get the same result twice!

And before I leave you,  here again is some great news from Stampin' Up:

 

My Digital Studio Print Prices Slashed Forever!

 

and more good news:

And, further, as a pilot project, Stampin' Up is offering the opportunity of purchasing single stamps from a set, until Jan. 2, 2013.  The sets where this is available are:

 

Perfectly Penned, Seasonal Sayings and Word Play.  Call me if you are interested and I will send you the flyers on line.

 

Have a great weekend!

 



Tie Dye and Macrame

I survived the sixties!  I know, I know...that makes me old!  But I still remember what it was like to be young, and in love, and creating a life of my own.  I was kind of a pseudo-hippie back in the day.  That means I dressed like a hippie, acted a bit like a hippie, but didn't do any really crazy hippy things like drop out, live off the land or burn my bra like real hippies did.  I was much too task focused for that.  But I did enjoy crafting, and back then that included tie-dying everything in site and doing macrame.  While I couldn't find a photo anywhere of the beautiful So Saffron curtains I tie-dyed and made for my bedroom,  I did find a picture of my piece de resistance - a macrame wall hanging I made in the late seventies.  Here it is, adorning the wall of our first home as husband and wife:

To the right of it you can see one of the many plant hangers I also macrame'd.  Weren't we cool?  Notice the cinder blocks and board shelves! And the colourful carpet which goes so well with the upholstery on the sofa and chair.  And the plants!  Oh, my, did we love our plants!  Anyway, that macrame wall hanging was my pride and joy back then.  How times change!  Or do they?

I wanted to show you a card that I created for a nephew of mine for his birthday.  What do you think I did with the background panel?

It so reminds me of the tie-dying I used to do.  It's called the "Frosted Filter Technique"  and I will be showing you how to create it in my next video. (Coming soon!)  The colour palette is from the Pals Paper Arts challenge #144:

Love these warm fall colours!  The stamp set I used here is Serene Silhouettes, one I just purchased, and I love these images.  They are so versatile.  I'm hoping they're not too feminine for a young man who is a talented pianist. 

The "Frosted Filter" technique involves drops of reinkers in a pie plate, spritzed with water and soaked up in a coffee filter, scrunched and dried.  You'll see more detail when I post the video tutorial.  The card base is Early Espresso, and the Window Frame framelits are used to die-cut the More Mustard and Cajun Craze cardstock to back the Very Vanilla image panel.  It is popped up on Dimensionals after adding some metallic brads.  The banner at the bottom is from the Curly Cute set and, although it is hard to see in the photo, it is curved using a bone folder.

I wanted to leave a large part of the background panel open so you could see the designs of the reinkers on the filter.  You can never reproduce exactly the same design every time, which is the same as the results I got when I tie-dyed.  I set up the process, but the dyes worked differently each time.

I hope you have a chance to try out this technique.  A word of warning - use rubber gloves, because otherwise you will have very inky fingers!  Have fun with it.

Stamps:  Serene Silhouettes (w127332; c127324); Curly Cute (w117014; c1210510)
Paper:  Coffee Filter; Early Espresso (119686), More Mustard (100946), Cajun Craze (119684) and Very Vanilla (101650) card stock
Ink: Classic Ink Pad in Early Espresso (126974)
Accessories: Metallic Brads (119741)
Tools: Big Shot (113439); Window Frames framelits (129021), Paper Snips (103579)

MOJO Fo' Yo'!

Hi, everyone!  I'm back from our Regional Convention in Tacoma on the weekend.  We had a great time despite the fact that some were a little under the weather and we got home SO late on Saturday night!  See, we were so intent on our conversation that we totally missed the turn-off for Bellingham.  We suddenly saw signs saying the border was just a couple of miles away and we thought, "How could we be at the border?  We haven't even been through Bellingham yet?"  Then the awful truth hit that we had missed the turn-off and were at the Peace Arch border crossing in White Rock! That meant at least an hour more in our trip home!  And we were dead tired after a full day of awesomeness! 

We also had many delays trying to get out of Tacoma.  I won't say that whoever designed the parking procedure in the Tacoma Convention Center was out of touch with reality, but we stood in line for 20 minutes to pay for our parking at an automated booth, then the barrier arm wasn't rising, so many people were stuck in the parkade until an attendant came to fix it.  Then there was a huge, slow, automobile line up trying to get out (and you only had 15 minutes after paying for your ticket until you exited the parkade or it would no longer be valid!). 

After finally getting out of the parkade,  we had to buy gas and find I5, neither of which was easy.  (I think the guy who designed the signage for the I5 was the same one who designed the parkade system.)  As we tried to exit Tacoma, there was a big traffic slow down caused by a police search on the side of the freeway, using police dogs and everything! 

When we started to move again, we were startled to see a huge bird flying directly at our windshield!!  We screamed in unison as it seemed unavoidable for it to hit, when it veered upward at the last second!  I think it was some kind of owl, probably a Great Horned owl.  A "fly-by owling," as Rebecca called it!  Anyway, we finally made it home by 1:30 am, and we were not a pretty sight by the time we did!

With the adventures of the weekend behind me, I was happy for a little quiet stamping time today, and, as always, I worked on the MOJO Monday challenge for this week.  Here's my card:

 

For some reason, I decided to go Halloween again, using the Toxic Treats stamp set (my only Halloween set).  It just seemed to fit the challenge.  Here's the sketch:

 

 

 



I also used more of the Howlstooth and Scaringbone DSP, which I think is the main reason I'm making any Halloween projects.  It is just so cool!  The main image is the witch on the broom from the Toxic Treat stamp, inking up just the witch part using a Basic Black Stampin' Write marker.  I did the same sort of thing with the sentiment, which fit perfectly on the black stripes of the DSP.  I inked up the "Trick or" in Basic Black using the marker, then cleaned the stamp carefully before inking up the "Treats" in Tangerine Tango.  I used the new Striped Satin ribbon from the Holiday Catalogue and tied a bow with some 1/8" Taffeta ribbon in Basic Black and Tangerine Tango.  Quick and simple for the most part!

 

I also wanted to let you in on the new promotions for the month of October:

 

 

Learn more about it here.   Also, Stampin' Up is running a trial purchase period where some stamps from full sets are also being offered individually!  This is in effect until January 2, 2013 and involves only 3 stamp sets (see below).  These individual stamps are clear mount only and are packaged in cello bags.

View fliers for Word Play stamp set here; for Perfectly Penned here; and for Seasonal Sayings here. 

 

There are also permanent price reductions for some printed projects in MDS 2, but I will highlight that on Thursday in my blog.  Love Stampin' Up promos!

 

Stamps:  Toxic Treats (w127898; c127901)

Paper: Basic Black (121045) and Very Vanilla (101650) card stock; Howlstooth and Scaringbone DSP (126906)

Ink:  Stampin' Write Markers in Basic Black (100082) and Tangerine Tango (Brights Collection - 119702)

Accessories:  1/2" Striped Satin ribbon (127837), 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Basic Black (119261) and Pumpkin Pie (119253)

Tools:  Scallop Circle Bigz Die (113468);  1 3/4" Circle Punch; 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch (118874)

 

 

 







In Praise of MDS 2

Remember back in August, when I said that I'd purchased My Digital Studio 2, and I was planning to play with it, learning how to use it?  Well, I've done a fair amount of exploring the software and I've been really pleased with it.  I've used it to design my blog header and buttons and I've used it to create a title design for my videos.  I have used it to print custom sentiments, which I've cut out and used on my regular cards, but, until last week, I had never used it to design an entire card.

I wanted an outdoorsy card for a friend of ours, but had no suitable stamp sets.  I remembered seeing a digital download for a stamp brush set with camping images on it.  So, I looked it up in the MDS catalogue and purchased it and down-loaded it within half an hour.  (It would have been faster if I had been more familiar with the process.)

Then it was an easy job to created the card panels on line and print them off.  I attached them to a card base of card stock.  Here's what it looked like:

I like the way you can add a lot of panels and give the design depth by adding drop down shadows.  I like the way it is so easy and inexpensive to purchase and download a stamp brush set, when you need something specific you don't have.  I like the way you can add your own photos right on the page and print them off.  Best of all, some of my greatly loved, but retired stamps and papers are still available on MDS 2!

But I admit, I still like the process of creating a card live, getting my fingers inky and the table sticky and tying real bows.  So I think I will also experiment with hybrid cards, where you use MDS 2 to create the main image panel, print it off and then build the rest of the card the usual, non-digital way.  I have to say, however, that the mess in my craft room was a whole lot less with MDS 2!

 

So easy to create a message for the inside, too, as you can just type whatever you want.  You're not restricted to just stamp sets or handwriting.  You'll want to try it out too.  It's so affordable and you can download a free trial to try it out.

 

And just a reminder that today and tomorrow are your last chances of taking advantage of the "Back to Spool" promotion.  With every $50 you spend, Stampin' Up will give you a free roll of 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon, a $12.25 value for free!  And you can chose it in any of the five new In-Colours. 

 

 

Don't miss out!  Contact me today!

 

Stamp Brush Sets: The Great Outdoors (1308957)

Paper: Early Espresso card stock (119686), Travel Log 9 background design

 

The Great Outdoors Stamped Brush Set

 



 

 

Ready, Set, Go!!!

I've been spending my time over the last week, preparing to go to our Regional meeting in Tacoma this weekend.  I've been really looking forward to it, but there was a lot of prep work I needed to do. 

I needed swap cards, which took up a lot of time, but I'm happy with the number I have.  I may still make a few more if there is time tomorrow.  I needed roomie gifts, a nice little tradition Stampin' Up demonstrators have and I got those completed.  Teaser photo below:

I will get back late Saturday night, and I am teaching Sunday School  at 9 am Sunday morning, so had to be all prepared for that.  After church, there is a special appreciation tea for the most wonderful woman who has been a spiritual mentor for so many women over the years!  I've been privileged to know her for 20 years, so I wanted to be prepared for that.  The guests are making scrapbook pages of their memories and their families as a gift for her.  I am donating paper and embellishments, so I needed to gather all that together so it would be ready. 

Then, I have two technique classes coming up next week, so I wanted to have all the cards designed.  And I wanted my blog posts ready to go.  So I have been busy, and probably will be until I leave at noon tomorrow!  My craft room looks like a bomb exploded in there!

I wanted to share a card I designed for my technique class next week.  I got the idea at the technique night of my upline, Tamara.  My theme for the night is "Let's Do Fall with Flair", so I wanted something a little out of the ordinary.  Here's what I came up with:

At Tamara's we embossed a Christmas design in silver and water-coloured it in.  I thought gold embossing powder would work better with these warm fall colours, and the design was so intricate, that I opted for sponging some So Saffron, Cajun Craze and Old Olive strategically around the wreath.  Water-colouring would have taken way too long.  I like the look of the sponging with the raised gold lines of the image, which, by the way is from the Full of Blessings stamp set.  I used the garland from that set on the So Saffron panel, stamping it in So Saffron ink and heat embossing it with Clear embossing powder.  I layered it with More Mustard and Cajun Craze panels on top of the Soft Suede card base and added a bow in Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon, using this technique that I featured a few posts ago.



I hope you enjoyed this sample.  I'd love to have you come to my classes if you live in my area.  Just click on the Classes button to take you to my class schedule page.  If you don't see the type of class you want, won't you let me know?  I'm always looking for new ways to improve my service to my customers.  Just leave me a comment below.  I really enjoy reading your comments and getting to know you better!  Thanks for dropping by today!

Stamps: Full of Blessings (w128078; c128081)
Paper: Soft Suede (115318), Cajun Craze (119684), More Mustard (100946). So Saffron (105118) and Very Vanilla (101650) card stock
Ink: Versamark (102283); Classic Ink Pads in So Saffron (126957), Cajun Craze (126965), Old Olive (126953) and Soft Suede (126978)
Accessories:  3/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Crumb Cake (122966), Stampin' Emboss Powder in Gold (109129)
Tools:  Heat tool (129053); Embossing Buddy (103083); Sponge daubers (102892)

Full of Blessings

Sponge Daubers

 

You Can't Catch Me!

As a child, I had an extremely overactive imagination.  When I was about 10, my dad finished a beautiful bedroom for me downstairs, so I wouldn't have to share with my brother.  But... it was downstairs, and no one else slept down there, and every night I could hear footsteps walking right up to my bedroom door and stopping!  I was so freaked out, I had to give the bedroom to my brother and reclaim my old room.  I never stopped to think I might have hurt my dad's feelings, after he had worked so hard to build it for me, I just knew that one night, whatever it was that was making those footsteps, was going to open that door and come in!  And I didn't want to be there!!

So when I heard the story of the Gingerbread Man when I was little, it was one of those stories that got my imagination revved and I could feel every bite that fox took out of the poor little guy! I've always felt ambivalent toward gingerbread men ever since, as cute as they are.

Nevertheless, as I started to create my MOJO Monday #260 card, I realized that a gingerbread man was what was needed as the main image.  It's round/square week, and although I didn't quite make a circle, I'm getting closer, by making a round/square card:

I used the largest Window Frames framelit to create the outline shape of the card.  I folded my card stock in half and positioned the framelit just so the top edge was slightly over the edge where the fold was and cut out the two layers at once.  This is not recommended by Stampin' Up and might void the warranty on your framelits, but I have never had a problem with two layers before. 
Here's the Mojo sketch:

The base is Crumb Cake and then I cut out the next smaller framelit in Always Artichoke and adhered some Fan Fair DSP to it.  Then I cut out the strip of Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations card stock and embossed it with the Lacy Brocade embossing folder and sanded it lightly to reveal the lighter red underneath.  I stamped some of the 7/8" cotton ribbon with a design from the Border Banter stamp set in Always Artichoke and used it as an extra layer.  The little gingerbread man is from the Scentsational Season stamp set and I stamped him in Chocolate Chip in on a circle punched from Very Vanilla.  I sponged the edges with Crumb Cake and mounted it on a Crumb Cake square, which I pierced around the edges using the Stampin' Up Piercing Tool.  I used a slightly larger square of Cherry Cobbler to back this and fancied up the edges using the Finishing Touches Edgelit.

 

 

I popped this panel up on Dimensionals, after adding the Merry Christmas greeting from the Mixed Medley stamp set.  The piece de resistance is the Brushed Bronze Designer Button, threaded with some Cherry Cobbler Scalloped Tulle Ribbon, the first time I've used it!  I should have used it sooner, because you can do so many things with it!

 

Isn't he cute?  I can just hear him saying," Run, run as fast as you can!  You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!"  But then, I always did have an extra-active imagination!

 

Stamps: Scentsational Season (w121026; c121190); Mixed Medley (a hostess only set) (w128054;c128057); Border Banter (w128927; c128930)

Paper: Crumb Cake (120953), Always Artichoke (105119), Cherry Cobbler (119685) and Very Vanilla (101650) card stock; Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations card stock (127846)

Ink: Classic Stampin' Pads in Chocolate Chip (126979), Crumb Cake (126975) and Early Espresso (126974)

Accessories:  Burnished Bronze Designer Button (127833); 31/2" Scalloped Tulle Ribbon in Cherry Cobbler (127841)

Tools:  Window Frames Framelits (129021); Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder (127819); Stampin' Sanding Block (129367); Paper-Piercing Tool (126189); Stampin' Pierce Mat (126199); Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack (126187)



 

 

Mr. Lonely

I must be nuts!  It's 11:36 pm and I just finished filming and editing another Crafty Clues by Heather video tutorial!  I should be going to bed while it publishes to You Tube because that takes FOREVER!  Instead, I'm trying to write the blog entry to post it in.  Why, because I want it to be there for my readers in the morning!  I care about you all so much! 

Actually, I'm trying to get that done, so I can concentrate on making some swaps for Regionals next weekend! (How did that happen so soon?  I just got back from Convention!)  Anyway, I titled this post Mr. Lonely in honour of an obscure colour in the Regals collection of Stampin' Up colours called "Bravo Burgundy".  As I was looking at my paper rack, trying to decide what colour to use for the card I was featuring in my video, my eye caught sight of a colour I rarely use, and others rarely use it, as far as I can tell by the blogs I follow.  Even Stampin' Up must consider it a second class citizen, because there are NO ribbons in that colour, at all! No brads are that colour...There is nothing to coordinate with Bravo Burgundy.

Poor little guy, I thought.  I'm going to give him his big break!  So I got out the Colour Coach and found More Mustard, Crumb Cake and Baja Breeze and River Rock could be paired with it.  I chose Crumb Cake, but I needed a colour in the same general hue for the Two Step Stamping I was demonstrating, so I found Pretty in Pink would do the trick.  Thanks for the Colour Coach, Stampin' Up.  Here's the card I came up with:

I think Mr. Lonely came through, don't you!  He made the most of his big break!  The card base is Bravo Burgundy, of course, as is the matte for the main image, die cut with the Labels Collection Framelits, and the backing for the sentiment, cut with the Modern Label punch.  And since there are no ribbons in Bravo Burgundy, I made a paper border, cut on both edges with one of the Finishing Touches Edgelits.  The back panel and the sentiment are Crumb Cake.  I used the Fancy Fan embossing folder to give the back panel some delicate texture. The video below will give you the details on how to stamp the main image. (I used Wild Wasabi and Always Artichoke for the leaves, by the way.)

So without further ado, here is the latest Crafty Clues by Heather:

 

So, indeed, goodnight, and when you think about it, take Mr. Lonely out of isolation once in a while and let him strut his stuff!  He'll really appreciate it!

 

Stamps: Stippled Blossoms (w126745; c126747); Teeny Tiny Wishes (w115370; c127802)

Paper: Bravo Burgundy (105123), Crumb Cake (120953) and Very Vanilla (101650) cardstock

Ink: Classic Stampin' Pads in Bravo Burgundy (126967), Pretty in Pink (126955), Wild Wasabi (126959) and Always Artichoke (126972)
Accessories:  Pearl Basic Jewels (119247)
Tools: Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049); Big Shot (113439); Labels Collection Framelits (125598); Finishing Touches Edgelits (127010); Fancy Fan embossing folder (127751)

Stippled Blossoms Stamp Set

Finishing Touches Edgelits

Fancy Fan Embossing Folder

Stamp-a-ma-jig