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Several days ago I shared a card with you that I had made for a swap. Well, I got the swap cards back in the mail yesterday and they are just lovely! It's some of the nicest, tidiest work I have ever received in a swap. Either these cards will inspire you to use the Thoughts & Prayers stamp set you already have or they'll inspire you to need it. :)
There were supposed to be 6 participants in the swap, including me, but unfortunately, one dropped out and then there were 5. So I only have 4 new cards to share with you. But they're soooo worth highlighting!
Card #1:
Unfortunately there was no information enclosed in this card to tell me who made it! Ouch. If it's you, please leave a comment below this post so I can give you the credit due. Your card is too beautiful to go uncredited.
STAMP SET: Thoughts & Prayers CARDSTOCK: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White INK: Close to Cocoa, Old Olive ACCESSORIES: Big Shot Die Cut Machine, Texturz Plate: Texture Plates Kit #4, Eyelet Border punch, Ticket Corner punch, 2-way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Chocolate Chip 5/8" grosgrain ribbon
Card #2. This beautiful card also has no name enclosed so I have no clue who created it! I can tell you the ingredients however.....
STAMP SET: Thoughts & Prayers
CARDSTOCK: Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, Urban Garden Designer Series Paper
INK: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Not Quite Navy
ACCESSORIES: Little Pearls from the Pretties Kit, Crystal Effects (for gluing pearls---apply with toothpick)
Card #3. This lovely card was created by Lisa Buesing. Thanks Lisa for identifying yourself!
ACCESSORIES: Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Stampin' Around handle, stampin' around wheel (not in current SU! catalog), Pretty in Pink 1/4" grosgrain ribbon
I hope you thought these cards were as pretty as I did. I truly appreciate the fine work these stampers did.
Are you ready to use the Stamp-a-ma-jig with a 2-Step Stampin' set? Well, here we go!
This is set we used last week in our Stamp Club. Only half of the members had used one before so it was a valuable class lesson.
This is the finished image so you can see your goal. The first thing you want to do is to stamp the outline image on a piece of cardstock, in the case below, Whisper White. Stamp it with a waterproof ink such as Basic Black, Basic Brown, or Basic Gray, orStazOn.
Then color in the solid image, in this case, using Stampin' Markers. Let's jump down one image to the processes necessary to complete our project.
Tuck the plastic sheet into the corner/crook of the Jig from the Stamp-a-ma-Jig. Color the image with markers and slide it down the corner so that the image can be stamped on the plastic sheet. Remove stamp.
Below: here is the image on the plastic.
Position the plastic sheet over your outline image. You can see in this instance, that the plastic sheet does not exactly 'square up' to the small piece of Whisper White cardstock. That's totally OK.
Below: Position the Jig snugly on the corner of the plastic sheet. Position the freshly inked stamp in the corner and slide it down onto the Whisper White cardstock, trusting that the second step of the image will be positioned right inside the lines that were stamped earlier (step 1).
Below: And see---here's your completed image, right where it belongs! All you need to do now is complete a finished card with some layering and embellishing.
I have a challenge for you. Take any 2-step stamping set, or the one I've used above, stamp your images on a smaller piece of light colored cardstock, complete a card and send it to me at <blythe@stampinwithblythe.com> and I'll post it here on the blog. Show other viewers what you can do!
Today's stamp set: Soft Summer from the Occasions 2009 Mini Catalog; Ink: Lavender Lace, Lovely Lilac, Mellow Moss
Next posting: swap cards received from the swap I joined a few weeks ago using the Thoughts & Prayers Stamp Set. They are beautiful!!!
I am amazed whenever I bring this tool out in a class: participants say either that they ~have it and just love it ~have it and have never used it because they weren't sure how ~want to get it because they've seen it used and think it looks like a great tool
Do you see yourself in those comments? Well, if you do, let's get going.
I have loved and used the Stamp-a-ma-jig (aka SAMJ) for years. When I show it in a class, being a 'lefty' myself, I show it from both the right-handed and left-handed perspective. Last week in our Stamp Club, I set up the placement sheet for both since I have 2 left-handed stampers, in addition to me, in the Club.
So, here we go...... What does the SAMJ offer you? It offers you the ability to get perfect alignment every time. That's so much better than guessing when it really matters.
Here's what it looks like:
I guess it can look rather intimidating, as in: what on earth does one do with that black thing and that thin piece of plastic ?!?!?
Functions & Features ■ Stamp positioner ■ Allows for fast and precise stamp placement ■ Perfect for word and letter stamps ■ Sturdy plastic construction ■ Includes washable plastic sheet ■ Nonskid base
Here's a little step-by-step with the SAMJ. (I'd do a video but, as payment for living in these beautiful mountains, I get to be on slower-than-slow dialup and producing a video just isn't in the cards until we can get a high speed connection up here.)
And now, here's the SAMJ ready for action. I want to put a greeting inside this card that will be sent to my daughter this afternoon.
I've placed a piece of green paper under the plastic sheet that is half of the SAMJ (below)duet of tools. If you look at the photo above you can see that plastic sheet with the circle that say 'imaging sheet' still on it so I can find it easily when it buries itself on my work table.
Below: Snug the plastic piece into the 'crook/corner' of the Jig. Then take your stamp of choice, inked up, and slide it along that 'inside corner' of the Jig and stamp the words onto the plastic. Mind you, I am left handed! If you are right handed you would be positioning the stamp with your right hand into the corner on the other side of the Jig.
Below: when you pull the stamp away, the words will remain on the plastic sheet.
TIP: Do NOT use Basic Black, Basic Brown, or Basic Grey when stamping onto this plastic sheet. The image will be there forever. Use one of the other 48 colors in the Classic Stamp Pad line.
Below: Position the plastic sheet on your cardstock, where you would like the image to be stamped.
Below: Place the Jig snugly against the corner of the plastic sheet.
Below: Pull the sheet away, being sure that the Jig does not move.
Below: Slide the stamp right into that corner and push it down onto the cardstock.
Below: Remove the Jig and the stamp and voila! Your image is right where you positioned it.
And if you're needing a Stamp-a-ma-jig now, simply go to my Stampin' Up! website, click on SHOP NOW and you're ready to place your order.
I'll see you again tomorrow with an example of 2-step stamping using the SAMJ. That's really fun! And if you have one of these things gathering dust on a shelf or in a cupboard, bring it on out and try positioning a phrase right where you'd like to see it--without tilting up or down and ruining all your hard work on a card.
Stamp set used today: On Your Birthday, p. 141, 111664, $33.95, set of 12 stamps
Gosh, it was just Christmas and now here it is, the end of April already! Kinda scary how time is just flying by. I always look forward to prepping for my Stamp Club members because it's usually something just a bit more advanced than I offer in either my classes or our stampin' at the library. This month I was torn between several fun products. I finally chose Stampin' Up!'s Watercolor Wonder Crayons (p. 152), a product I love, but I must admit, somewhat intimidates me. Hi ho hi ho, it was off to color I must go.
Both of these cards were based on projects made at the Stampin' Up! Leadership Seminar last January in Orlando, FL.
The beauty of this card is that you can change the color of the blossoms and the background layer of cardstock and have a totally different card. I chose Pixie Pink and Rose Red (for the edges) to commemorate the advent of spring. Finally. There's a "rule" where I live, at 4500 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, that winter isn't over until the snow falls on the dogwood blossoms, and sadly, we haven't seen that happen yet so I'm not sure if spring is really here. But I can sure hope!
INGREDIENTS:
STAMP SET: Soft Summer (Occasions Mini Catalog 2009) 2-step stamping set
CARDSTOCK: Naturals Ivory, Pixie Pink, Watercolor Paper (also listed as an accessory)
INK: Basic Brown (waterproof)
ACCESSORIES: 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon: Chocolate Chip, Cutter Kit (to rough up edges of Pixie Pink CS), Aqua Painter, Watercolor Wonder Crayons: Mellow Moss, Pixie Pink, Rose Red; Stamp-a-ma-jig, dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive, Mini Glue Dots
Our second card highlighted the second flower in the Soft Summer stamp set, a sprig of an unnamed flower! If you know the name of this bloom, please leave a comment below and you'll get a reward from me.
INGREDIENTS:
STAMP SET: Soft Summer (Occasions Mini Catalog 2009) 2-step stamping set
CARDSTOCK: Brocade Blue, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Watercolor Paper (also listed as an accessory), Urban Garden Designer Series Paper (also listed as an accessory),
INK: Chocolate Chip (sentiment) and Basic Brown (flowers) You could use the Basic Brown for both the flower and the sentiment.
ACCESSORIES: Watercolor paper, Urban Garden Designer Series Paper, 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon: Brocade Blue (cut in half lengthwise); Cutter Kit (to rough up edges of Choc. Chip and Watercolor CSs), Aqua
Painter, Watercolor Wonder Crayons: Brocade Blue, Night of Navy;
Stamp-a-ma-jig, dimensionals, Eyelet Border Punch, SNAIL adhesive
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The last meeting of my first Stamp Club will be next month, May, and we're going to be using the new ................. awww heck! I can't tell you yet! :) Check in just after May 18th and you'll see. A new Stamp Club will be beginning in June and I have 1 space left. Let me know if you'd like to join us. If there are enough stampers interested I'll gladly offer another group. We meet at My Country Loft, here in Mi Wuk Village, CA, but I can accommodate long distance members via mail which will include detailed instruction sheets as well as all product materials. We've had one such member this time and it worked out quite nicely. Contact me if you're interested--I'll send you the details.
I wish you all a great last-week-of-April. See you soon! :)
I purchased Stampin' Up!'s Thoughts & Prayers stamp set several months ago and just haven't used it as much as I should have. I did post a card with it a few weeks ago and from there was asked to join a card swap, with some other demonstrators, using this set. The challenge was on. This is my card. I c.a.s.e.d* portions of it (something you all should do when you're kind of stuck for creative ideas) to get my juices flowing. Do you see any similarities to the female birthday card we did at the library yesterday? I love the tree in the stamp set but I also love the flow of this graceful branch and opted to use it.
Ingredients:
STAMP SET: Thoughts & Prayers, Elegant Greetings
CARDSTOCK: Confetti White, Mellow Moss, Rose Red, So Saffron
INK: Rose Red; Markers: Mellow Moss, So Saffron
ACCESSORIES:Big Shot Die Cut machine, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plates, SU! exclusive Top Note Bigz die, Matchbox Die, Boho Blossoms Punch, Flower Fusion (Rose Red), gold brads, paper piercing tool from Crafters' Toolkit, Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots.
*c.a.s.e. = copy and share everything or copy and steal everything but that's not quite so nice sounding. I like to just call it casing. :)
If you have any questions about how to put this card together or how to purchase any of the 'ingredients', just leave a comment below this entry and I'll get back to you right away. You can also go directly to my Stampin' Up! website (click on SHOP NOW in the upper right hand corner of this page) and place your order there if you know what you'd like.
Spring is thinking about arriving in the northern California mountains. Thinking. But, it was a lovely afternoon on Thursday when 15 women came to stamp with me at our local library. Last month's request was a masculine birthday card. So in fairness to the fairer gender we made both a masculine and a feminine birthday card.
Here's the guy card:
I always prepare for 16 attendees, so when I ran out of the To the Nines Designer Series Paper pattern I started with, I switched the colors to this: Stamp Set: Birthday Greetings Ink: Chocolate Chip Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, To The Nines Designer Series Paper Accessories: Punches: Keytag, 1/2" circle, stampin' sponge, gold brads, Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive
It's really a simple card and it has 1 little 'aha' trick: for the layer under the greeting, punch 2 pieces of solid cardstock (Baja Breeze or Chocolate Chip in this case). Layer the two pieces, horizontally, placing the top punched piece about1/4" from the edge of the lower piece. That makes the individual punched and layered pieces wider than just one punched piece. Then layer your Whisper White punched piece on top. Attach them to the card with dimensionals.
I sponged around the edges of the keytag greeting punched piece and the punched pieces of Designer Series Paper that had one end cut off. You could also sponge the edges of the long 1" strip of Sahara Sand Designer Series Paper.
This is our second card:
It uses one of my favorite sets, Thoughts & Prayers. Ingredients: Stamp Set: Thoughts & Prayers, Elegant Greetings Cardstock: Mellow Moss, Rose Red, So Saffron, Whisper White Ink: Markers: Rose Red, So Saffron; Classic Pad: Rose Red Accessories: Blender Pen, Eyelet Border Punch, Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon, Personal Paper Cutter, Snail adhesive
I colored directly onto the rubber of the image with the Mellow Moss (first) and So Saffron (second) markers. Then I huffed on the stamp to vitalize the colors and stamped onto the Whisper White cardstock. I dipped the Blender Pen in the lid* of the Rose Red pad and then applied the color to the center of each of the flowers.
Punch the lower edge of the So Saffron cardstock piece with the Eyelet Border Punch. Then layer the Whisper White piece of stamped cardstock onto the So Saffron punched cardstock. Tie the Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon around the bottom of those two layers, tying the knot on the left.** Then attach those layers to the Rose Red cardstock and attach it all to the folded base Mellow Moss card. Stamp the greeting, using Rose Red ink, under the flowered branch as shown. You're done!
TIP:
*If you squeeze the lid of the stamp pad onto the pad--while the stamp pad is closed--you will transfer some color onto the inside of the lid. This makes a great palette for picking up color with a blender pen or aqua painter.
**To tie a nice knot: take the two ends of the ribbon, one in each hand. Lay the left end over the right and loop it snugly. Then take the right end and layer it over the left and loop it and tie securely. You don't have to pull it tight-tight. Just securely. You can manipulate it with your fingers to achieve a nice flat knot. If you were a Girl Scout you will know this knot, the square knot: left over right, right over left.
Tomorrow I'll be back with another Thoughts & Prayers card, this one made for a card swap I was asked to join. I love it!!!!! :) See you then.
My daughter, Andrea, and her 3 little ones are visiting us in the mountains during their (pre-school) Spring Break. It's so much fun to have them here. She and I have gone out to my stamp room (over the garage, inside the door that's under the "The Country Loft" sign that's up above on my blog banner) most every night after the kidlets are in bed. She's scrapbooking. I'm prepping for classes. Last night's scrapbook pages just tickled her pink and when I told her I would like to put them here on my blog (because she used all Stampin' Up! products) she responded: "Why not!? With pleasure." So here are her 2 pages:
She wanted something to reflect the excitement of the fireworks and was going to use Stampin' Up!'s retired Headline Alphabet and was wondering how to put some glitz to it. After about 3 seconds of thought I suggested the Sticky Cuts Letters, covering them with the Red glitter from the Chunky Essentials Glitter (p. 180, #108797). I love how she made the word fit on the page and then balanced it out with the 08 on the corresponding page. She also used the very retired (1999 or so) Happy Fourth stamp set for the exploding fireworks....Dazzling Diamonds glitter is on the stars.
Close up of page 1:
Close up of page 2:
KABOOM is an annual firework extravaganza put on annually, by KFOG, a San Francisco radio station, on Mother's Day Eve, at the edge of San Francisco Bay near the Ferry Building. It's their family tradition to make a picnic evening of the event, taking their older son and, this year, their 2 year old daughter as well. It's a memory the little ones will never forget.
And speaking of little ones, the oldest, nearly 5 year old Austin, has, after one how-to lesson, learned how to open and close Stampin' Up!'s ink pads so he can just choose his color and stamp on his own. This week's other new stamping trick: 'huffing' to achieve the look of an image in motion. Oh does he love that one!!! He's also a champion cleaner of his stamps after each use, spritzing the SU! Clean Up Pad with Stampin' Mist, then cleaning and drying his stamp. He's been in training for about 3 years now. Favorite stamp sets:
Bugs & Kisses, Wild About You, and Wild Things. And if he stamps them in Basic Black any image can look like Darth Vader before he was transformed! That's your lesson for the day. :)
I'll be back soon with the cards we'll be doing at the Mi Wuk Library this afternoon. Take care and thanks for stopping by.
You have been very patient! Here are the final 4 cards from the Sudsol swap I participated in last week. I stamped 20 identical cards, complete with a listing of all ingredients I used to make the card. And in return, I received----well not 20 cards, but 17 cards. Some participants dropped out at the very end. But I'm so pleased with those I did receive.
Here we go........
Surely you have a duffer in your life?! This card was created by Kari Mason using the And Many Mower stamp set. It's really a fun set. Kari also used the Walk in the Park designer series paper. What a tidy job of layering she did! And I wish I could watercolor like she did. She did use Watercolor Paper which makes a big difference when using Aqua Painters to get your color from the lid of a Class Stampin' Pad or Watercolor Crayons. See TIP.
TIP: Did you know that you can squeeze the top of your closed Classic Stamp Pad onto the pad itself before opening the pad which creates a 'puddle' in the opened lid. Then you can use either your Blender Pen, Watercolor Brush or Aqua Painter for lifting the color and taking it to your card. You get a softer color this way as compared to when you use a marker directly to the paper. Be sure to always swipe a bit of the color onto your Grid Paper (from the Aqua Painter or Blender Pen) so you know how dark the color might be.
Thanks for the TIPortunity Kari!
Below: Created by Veronica Noechel. Veronica has used the Sense of Time stamp set from the Occasions Mini, 2009. Did you read the words on her card?? Yes, you can purchase this stamp set in either English or French! She also used Parisian Breeze designer series paper. Parisian Breeze is different from most DSPs in that it is a textured cover-weight cardstock and can be used for 'tougher' applications than regular DSP. E.g. If you were going to make a box to hold a stack of hand made cards, it would hold up very nicely. Her ribbons are from the Valet Ribbon Originals and the Button is from the Button Latte Designer Buttons collection.
Karen Weber (below) has created another card using the Sense of Time stamp set. She used an underused cardstock that I just love: Basic Gray. Then she also used Going Gray cardstock as her main card color.
TIP from Karen: Use bleach (yes Virginia, its ok to use bleach says Blythe) on the stamp first, applying 'bleached' (rather than inked) image to Basic Gray cardstock, and dry the cardstock with the Heat Tool. Clean your stamp immediately. Position the Basic Gray overlay with the Stamp-a-ma-jig. Make a few bleach splatters with an old toothbrush or paintbrush.
Also used: Twill Tape
Our last card will be taking us on a great adventure now....... You ready? Pull out your surfing/beach clothes and let's go.........
Above: Card created by Rachel Yurkanin. Stamp set: Just Beachy plus the Lazy Days Jumbo Wheel. Rachel stamped her image on the back side of a piece of Window Sheet and then colored it, I'm guessing, with Sharpy Markers (non SU!). After punching out the circle from the Garden Green cardstock square, she attached the stamped and colored window sheet, and then lined the straight edges with double-sticky-sided foam tape, perhaps the edges from a sheet of SU! Dimensionals. Before removing the top protective layer from the Dimensionals strip, she sprinkled in a bit of sand, then removed the protective layer and attached another same-sized square of (Kraft) cardstock. You now have a shaker card! So cute.
Thanks for joining me with my card swap tour. Next entry will be a total surprise to all of us! ;) Have a great day!
Ahhhhh, back again with a few more samples! And I'm trying a different photo pattern this time to see if I can avoid those gaping open spaces from the last two days. :)
The following sets feature the Oval All stamp set.
Stamped by: Cathy Auney. Cathy's card features the Scallop Oval Punch, Oval All stamp set and the Walk in the Park designer series paper from the 2009 Occasions Mini Catalog. She also used the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I (Polka Dots plate) with her Big Shot Die Cut Machine. The flowers are made using the Stampin' Up! Birds & Blooms Sizzlet 4-pack Die, also using the Big Shot.
Below: Stamped by Debbie Prematta. Debbie also used the Texturz Plates Kit #4 (bunch of flowers) with her Big Shot Die Cut Machine on her Pixie Pink cardstock background layer.
Below: Created by Dina Julian. Dina used the Oval All stamp set in addition to the Scallop Oval Punch. She also used the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I (Polka Dots plate) with her Big Shot Die Cut Machine. It's such a simple yet effective card.
Below: Created by Misti Stowell. In addition to to Scallop Oval Punch, Misti also used the Oval All stamp set. The Lilies of the Valley are from the Ever After stamp set from the Spring/Summer 2009 Idea Book & Catalog.
Below: Created by Blythe Klipple, aka me! In addition to the Scallop Oval punch, I used the Oval All stamp set and the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I (Polka Dots plate) with my Big Shot Die Cut Machine. Popular element for texture!! The top layer can be either Vellum Paper or Cardstock. I used a non-Stampin' Up! vellum adhesive to attach the vellum to the cardstock without have very obvious adhesive trails. This card is intended to be a clean and simple wedding or special occasion card.
See you tomorrow I hope, with the last installment of these great swap cards, each highlighting an element from the 2009 Occasions Mini Catalog.
Hi again! I'm back with more samples for your viewing pleasure. These first 3 samples feature the Wagon Full of Fun stamp set.
Stamped by: Sheryl Kincaid
Sheryl was having some fun with punches using the Scallop Edge Punch along the grass edges and a Slit Punch, with the guard removed, for the tree. Pretty clever!
If you have any other questions about her card, don't hesitate to ask me by leaving a comment at the end of this post.
How's this for a totally different look using the same Wagon Full of Fun stamp set!?
Stamped by: Lorita Edwards.
Lorita trimmed the top from the cupcake, then layered it over the base--which she had added dimension to by using the Crimper. She covered most of the 'frosting' area with Crystal Effects and then sprinkled it with the tiny punched out pieces (Eyelet Border Punch) from the pink designer series layer.
She also stamped the cupcake with Versamark on the Baja Breeze background cardstock and then outlined them using a Signo White gel pen. The larger 'confetti came from the 1/4" hand held circle punch.
Fun stuff Lorita!
And here's a final look from the swap cards I have for this set.
Stamped by: Bobbie Ganley
I think my favorite thing on Bobbie's card is her use of the Dotted Lines jumbo wheel delineating the 'lower part of a wall' perhaps. The sunflower is just so cheery helping to make the recipient feel better soon.
Aha! I just notice that she also stamped the flower pot on a scrap of Riding Hood Red textured cardstock, cut it out, and layered in over the originally stamp flower pot. She only cut out the 'front' part of the vase, leaving the other side of it lighter for dimension.
This card, created by Sandy Hoefakker, features the Very Versatile stamp set and the Scallop Oval Punch. Notice how nicely the Large and Small Oval Punches from the regular catalog coordinate with the Scallop Oval Punch? She's utilized one of my favorite techniques which is smudging the edges of the Kiwi Kiss Textured and Whisper White cardstocks using a Stampin' Sponge.
If you have any other questions about this card, ask me in comment section below this post or by just emailing me directly.
Stamped by: Robin Messenheimer
Stampin' Supplies from the Mini Catalog are the Walk in the Park designer series paper, the Scallop Oval Punch and the Egg Hunt wheel.
Robin used the Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I (polka dots) Texturz plate with her Big Shot Die Cut Machine to create the texture on the Apricot Appeal cardstock background layer of her card.
Love this cute card!
If you have a tip about these abnormal (to me) spacing gaps, please let me know! I have no clue since they look perfectly normal on my draft copy. Go figure!
I have more samples for you so check back tomorrow........
