Monday, August 31, 2009

Cuttlebug Embossing with Twinkling H20's


In this card I tried brushing some shimmery paint to the embossed leaves. It gives it a bit of glimmer.

50th Wedding Anniversary Cuttlebug Embossing Folder


A customer asked me to create a 50th Wedding Anniversary card for her. This was soooo very simple to make. No stamping, here. The background was just embossed using Cuttlebug's Leafy Branch Embossing Folder, and the butterfly is a Spellbinder's Die. The butterfly is embellished with gemstones. The Prima Flowers are accented with gold brads. Ribbon and gold cord give the final touch.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Gamsol Magic with Little Anya from The Greeting Farm



Isn't she just the CUTEST thing?? You just want to pinch her cheeks. I stamped little Anya's image with Stazon Black. Then I colored it in using water color pencils, and what should've been Gamsol, (but was out, and used Mineral Spirits) and blender stumps. It's difficult to see, in the photo, but for her necklace beads, I dabbed 3d Crystal Lacquer in the Gold Metallic Color. I embellished the card with gem stones, flowers, and ribbon. The little cutie is "popped" with dimensionals, along with her furry pooch. The bottom border was created using Stampin' Up's Eyelet Border punch. The sentiment is non SU.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

SPECIAL GIFT FROM ME, TO YOU: FREE WITH ANY STAMP SET ORDERED

Order any Stampin' Up stamp set from me, or through my SU Website, now through August 31st, and receive a free pack of Metallic Eyelets (one per customer). This is a pack of 50 1/8" eyelets, in an assortment of Gold, Silver, Copper, and Antique Brass. Just contact me here, or click on my Stampin' Up link, located on the upper, right hand side of this site to order. Your order may be placed right there, online. But hurry, this special gift from me, ends August 31st. You will not find this offer anywhere else. It is my way of saying "thank you", to all my stampin' friends.

If rain is in the forecast, which at this time, appears to be, we will extend this challenge to Sept. 12th. I will not be at the Farmer's Market Sept 5th, Labor Day Weekend. So, if it rains tomorrow, Aug. 29th, bring your finished projects to the Market either Wednesday, Sept 2nd, and Sept 9th, or Saturday, Sept 12th.

I'll Be Your Umbrella

I love the color combos in both of these. So, I made this card in both. Although, now that they're completed, I can't decide which I like better. What do you think? Let me know.

Both cards were made with My Favorite Things stamp set "Rain or Shine". Image is colored with SU Markers and blender pens. Raincoat is "Paper Pieced". This is done by stamping the image on Designer Patterned Paper and cutting pieces of the image out, such as the raincoat, and placing the pieces onto your main image with adhesive. You can use one or more patterned papers, depending on your likes.


Colors: Rich Razzleberry; Baja Breeze; Taken With Teal; Groovy Guava; Ginger Blossom DP


Colors; Orchid Opulence; Baja Breeze; Taken With Teal; Yoyo Yellow; Unknown DP

Monday, August 24, 2009

Inking the Negative of a Cuttlebug Folder (Letterpress Emboss)


I took a comparison photo of both an embossed piece of cardstock, and one where the folder was inked before running the cardstock through the machine. You can see a little bit more depth in the one on the left. It is very subtle, because I used only a shade darker than the cardstock itself. I used the Colorbox Chalk Inks, because they tend not to smear as much as the die inks for this technique.

Here is the finished result, using this Inking the Negative of an Embossing Folder. I am excited to see what you gals come up with.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

My Sweet, Precious Granddaughter


I just couldn't resist...Come October, I will become Grandma. Here is a 4D picture Amy & Cory had done at a Milwaukee area business called "Baby Preview". Family is invited to participate, as well. The 6 of us sat comfortably, on our couches, while Amy laid on a bed, technician on one side, and Cory on the other. Soft, mellow music was heard and the lights dimmed. For awhile there, I could've sworn I saw my Aunt Lois being lulled to sleep by the quieted surroundings. But Baby Emily got camera shy, and stayed all nestled in her little corner. We all gazed at the big screen on the wall, hoping to get a glimpse of our new little miracle. Though, they practically had Amy doing jumping jacks, and all kinds of Yoga positions....my little Emily kept hiding from the camera's view. The technician couldn't get a good pic of her. When we would start to see a glimpse of her face, she'd start playing with her toes...yes, I think I counted 5 on each tiny foot. My daughter and son-in-law were offered to come back a 2nd time to try it again...and here she is! Look at those chubby cheeks!!

Let's Have Some Fun, Now!! Letterpress Emboss Tutorial

Good morning, fellow stamp-a-holics,

It was so great to see you this past Saturday at the market. It was definitely chilly...hoping for an Indian Summer...so we can at least have some kind of a summer, here in Two Rivers. Everyone seems sooo excited about Ronnie's grand opening to her scrapbooking and craft shop in the fall. I have gotten a few of your suggestions for demos on what you'd like to see or learn to do. Anything you'd like to see, just let Ronnie or me know. This is going to be all about YOU, and what you want. So, if you want artificial flower making, or unique backgrounds for your cardmaking, or altered art projects, (of which Ronnie does such amazing work with)....you've got it! I have a link to Ronnie's blog, here, and we will keep you up to date with the progress.


Let's have some fun, now, with a SUPER challenge! We all love our Cuttlebug Embossing Folders. I think they are the neatest thing since rubber met wood, (or now, acrylic). But let's take it a step further...

Have you ever used your Cuttlebug embossing folder and buffed the raised edges just a bit with a sanding block? (Just to get it to POP a bit more) Or have you tried daubing some color onto your embossed background? This is sometimes difficult to do, without getting ink on the recessed edges. Well, here is an idea that is a lot easier on your fingers, and saves you quite a bit of time.

You can add a touch of color to your embossing, even before you run your paper through your die machine. Yes, it's that easy! For this you will need an ink pad using a color that is complimentary to your color of cardstock. If you have them, Dew Drops Ink Pads or SU's Stampin' Spots are ideal for this. Simply, bounce or dab your ink onto the backside (reverse image) of your Cuttlebug Embossing Folder. (This is the side without the Cuttlebug logo on it) Your raised edges of the back side of your Cuttlebug Embossing Folder will be colored with your ink. Lay your cardstock onto the folder, run through your die machine....and Woila!!!

Be sure to wash your Cuttlebug folder with some soap and water. You don't want the ink to stain your folder. Your die ink will not dry quickly onto plastic. Or you may use chalk ink, which washes off very easily.

Also, just a reminder...By doing this technique, you are using the negative side of the embossing folder. So, any folder with wording will not work, because the image will be backwards, along with the wording. Folders where the embossing is more condensed work best. Large open spaces have a greater chance of getting smudged. I have not tried this technique with the Sizzix Texturz Plates, yet...but I' would think they would work, as well.









Now, if you are up to the challenge...let's see YOUR finished creations. I will post mine here, also, within the next few days. Either email your pics to me, at skatzung@charter.net or bring them to the Two Rivers Farmer's Market by this Saturday, August 29th. I'll have some neat card candy for those who do. It will be well worth your while. The first to get theirs to me, will receive a free Stampin' Up stamp set.

See ya' at the Market....inky fingers and all. Now go have some fun!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Make Your Own Baby Shower Invites


Fun & Easy cards to make. There was no stampin' here whatsoever, just lots of "punches".

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Birthday Botanical Blooms



Such a pretty card. I actually made one of these for a customer who wanted an {80th} birthday card. So for her card I punched a small flower, and layered a small circle punch in the center. I wrote 80th in the center of the flower and added a sparkly brad above, and placed the embellished flower next to the sentiment just above the "BIRTHDAY".
Supplies:

Cardstock:
Old Olive
Soft Sky
Whisper White

Ink:
Cool Carribean
Old Olive
Stazon Black

Accessories:
Ribbon
Post It Note for masking stems
Corner Rounder punch
Eyelet Border Punch
Window Punch
Sponge for edges of Pot
Stamp-a-ma-Jig
Dimensionals

The pot is made with a 1 1/4" square, corners are rounded. I added the piece from the Window Punch to the top of the square to make the top portion of the pot. Then I sponged the edges to give it a more dimensional feel. What do you think?

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Squash Book Tutorial


These adorable little scrapbooks are really rather easy...and quite a lot of fun to make.


Supplies:

Three 4"x4" Square chipboard coasters ( I actually use BEER COASTERS...not used...YET, anyway. The best place to get them is Katz Americal. You do have to call, though, to order them blank. This last time I purchased 1000 for $22.45 + $10 for shipping) 2 for your Squash Book, and 1 FOR YOUR BEER...LOL
Four 4"x4" pieces of designer paper ( Stampin' Up's Delicate Dots)
Three 7 1/2"x7 1/2" pieces of cardstock (SU Bashful Blue)
Your choice of coordinating cardstock and designer paper for embellishing outside and inside of book
Glue Stick
Sticky Tape
Scissors
Sanding Block
Ribbon

Instructions Step-by-Step


Step 1
Adhere designer paper to coaster


Step 2
Trim corners of designer paper and sand edges if necessary


Step 3
Repeat steps 1-2 on the other side of the coaster


Step 4
Repeat steps 1-3 for the 2nd coaster


Step 5
Score each of the 7 1/2" cardstock squares in half at the 3 3/4" mark both vertically and horizontally


Step 6
Score each of the cardstock squares in half once on the diagonal (from one corner to the opposite corner, once)


Step 7
Stamp cardstock squares to your choosing, to decorate the back of the book up a tad. Stamp one of the squares on both the front and back of the cardstock for the middle piece


Step 8
Fold on all of the scored lines you've made


Step 9
Take the middle piece and place it with the diagonal fold pointing down. Add you Sticky Tape on the unscored quarters of the piece of cardstock


Step 10
Take the 2nd piece of cardstock, with the diagonal fold pointing upward. Adhere 1 of the full squares of that piece of cardstock to one of the full squares of the middle piece.

Step 11
Take the 3rd piece of cardstock, with the diagonal fold pointing upward. Adhere it to the other side of the middle piece as you did in Step 10


Step 12
Fold your Squash Book on the Score Lines...it's a bit tricky at first. Add Sticky Tape to the outside square.


Step 13
Adhere one of the covered coasters to the outside page.



Step 14
Repeat on the back side of the book.


Step 15
Add your coordinating cardstock to the inside squares and triangles "pages".

NOW IT"S TIME TO PUT THAT BEER ONTO THAT 3RD BEER COASTER, because the fun part starts now. Cut 3 1/2" squares and for the triangles, cut 3 1/4" squares in half diagonally.
Add designer paper to the squares and triangles as you choose. Create your own design....time to be creative. Cut any designer paper triangles from a 2 3/4" square, and again cut in half diagonally.

I decorated the inside using Stampin'Up's Terrific Tags and Punch Box. Tag sentiment is heat embossed, and embellished with a brad, and Window Punch die cut (can't see it, but the sentiment on the Window Punch die cut says, "Cutie, Patootie" (My Favorite Things Paper Doll Sentiments). The circle embellishment is stamped with Stampin' Up's "Sweet on You" set, heat embossed and layered on Bashful Blue cardstock. I also added a spiral clip with a tied bow from ribbon.


Step 16 Decorating the front, first adhere ribbon to the front, only of the book, running it underneath your main image. To decorate I used "Little Hellos" Stampin' Up Stampset. I colored in the giraffes with markers. I added eyelets for the wheels, used Stickles on the giraffe's spots and bow. I ran silver cord through the eyelets, adding the name "Maddix" from alphabet beads in between the stamped images images. The layers were popped with Dimensionals. Close the book and tie a bow with your ribbon.

NOW, GO HAVE SOME STAMP HAPPY FUN!

Thanks to Beate Johns from Splitcoast Stampers website for her initial tutorial on this project. I had seen these Squash Books before, and found her tutorial there in the Resource section of Splitcoast Stampers.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

A Star of all Sundaes


This is one of my favs! I just love this color combo! The papers used are Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Apricot Appeal, Whisper White, and the DP is something I found in my stash...I know you know what I mean. The stars are made with the Cuttlebug Concentric Stars Die, and the Soft Sky bg is embossed using the Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes Embossing Folder. I carried the DP through to the sundae dish, by paper piecing it. The sundae topping is drizzled with Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer. The cherry is embellished with a pink gemstone. And the stars were layered using the Blue Bayou and Apricot Appeal with Flower Brads to finish them off. I used the Mat Pack to paper pierce around the middle layer. The sentiment is My Favorite Things "Time for the Bubbly".

Yummy!

How fun is this? The papers used are Almost Amethyst, Ruby Red, Whisper White, and Basic Grey's Gypsy. I used the SU Scalloped Circle Punch for the bg layer on the circle embellishment. The main image is Penny Black Hot, but Cool, and is colored using markers,(Almost Amethyst, Cool Carribean, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Mauve Mist, and Gable Green) and blender pen.The flower in her hair is die cut, with a splash of Fruit Punch Stickles, and embellished with SU Rhinestone Brad. Lime Green brads added to the side, and ribbon top it off. The main image layer is popped with Dimensionals, and the sentiment is My Favorite Things Twisted Sentiments.

More Ice Cream Please...

I love this color combo. Rainbow Sherbet DP was used for the bg. So Many Scallops stamp heat embossed, and circles of Chocolate Chip cardstock and Whisper White layered on top, for the sentiment image. The main image is My Favorite Things, "Here's the Scoop". Markers of Pumpkin Pie, Barely Banana were used with a combination of DTP and the use of a blender pen. The dish is popped, and the topping is glazed with Crystal Effects. White gel pen used for the dots on the large scallop, made with the Uchida Large Scallop Punch.
The Strip Layer is Pumpkin Pie, with a layer made with the Scalloped Edge Punch underneath. The sentiment is My Favorite Things, "Here's the Scoop". And the scalloped edge is touched off with a decorative border using craft White, and the Trimtastic stampset. Ribbon is tied around the base of the sundae dish, and again around the Pumpkin Pie strip layer. The bow was made by making a loop with the ribbon, and adhering another small piece of ribbon around the center, using Sticky Strip tape.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Pet Themed cards

Sunday, August 9, 2009


I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream! As a kid, my grandmother would take me to Leon's Frozen Custard. It was one of the first Drive-Ins, and is still there today. This cute card was made without any stamping. OMG!! I punched 3 round scallops in 3 different colors (Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, and Sage Shadow). I cut all but the Pretty in Pink circle scallop across leaving 9 of the scalloped edges. The Pretty in Pink circle scallop was cut across leaving 7 of the scalloped edges. The cone was made with a 1 1/4" square with the ends cut on a diagonal. To make the sides even, after cutting the first side, I took the piece that was cut off and aligned it to the other side. It just made for a uniform cut on both sides. I embossed the cone with the Texturz plate. Then the pieces were adhered together with glue, and popped onto the Nestablilities Oval Die and Scalloped Oval. A bow was slipped around the cone, and Stickles (Fruit Punch, Yellow, Lime Green) scrolled onto scoops.


Razzleberry Sundae

I love the new "In Colors" in the new SU catalog. With this card I used the new Razzleberry. It reminds me of the old Cranberry Crisp, which I hated to see go. The main sundae image was colored using blender pen and markers.(Pumpkin Pie, retired Mint Melody. I stamped an additional image of the sundae and just cut out the dish, colored it in, and popped it with Dimensionals. I colored the topping with Rose Red marker, and added some Crystal Effects. The cherry is a Dew Drop adhered with a Glue Dot. The sentiment was made with a 1" and 1 1/4" punch, also popped.

Best Furry Friend

I was able to use a combination of papers from this set of Delicate Dots designer paper using this sketch. The image is My Favorite Things, Friends Forever. I used the photo corner punch, shown on the lower right(Bashful Blue) and on the main image upper left(Barely Banana). The main image, the main panel, the tag, and the photo corners are all popped with Dimensionals. I ran the ribbon under the main image. For the tag, I brought the ribbon through the eyelet and knotted it. The main image is colored with blender pen and ink.

Looks like my Oakley

This little guy reminds me of when our Golden Retriever, Oakley was just a pup. I had found some crepe paper that was perfect for the bandana. And for the newspaper, I searched the "clip arts" until I found one I could print out, and then rolled it up, and pasted it down. The pup is popped with Dimensionals...you can almost smell the "puppy breath" :)

And for our cat lovers....

And for our cat lovers.... I just loved this gemstone cat. The inside of the image filled in with brightly colored markers, really makes her POP!

Happy "Bark" Birthday Bark, Bark

A fun birthday card, for the pet lovers. This was an easy and simple sketch. This was stamped with Black Stazon, and the inside was colored in with markers. Two large dotted brads added to the lower corner completed this card nicely.

Scotty Luv

This is absolutely one of my favs! The top panel is stamped with paw prints in Black Stazon. And the bottom bg panel is embossed with Texturz using the Big Kick. The main image is stamped and popped with Dimensionals. I've added some Sekura Crystal Lacquer to his little pink nose and to the heart on the sentiment tag. His collar is decorated with pink gemstones. The actual sentiment stamp allows you to write in "what it is that you love". I made a few with "groomer", "vet", "sitter", and also left a few blank.

With Sympathy Blues

I've had numerous people at the farmers markets asking for pet sympathy cards. I will soon be adding a card rack with cards to purchase at the Memorial Drive Veterinary Clinic. This made a nice addition.
 

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