Rubber Room Stampin'

BRAYERED SPECIALTY PAPER: COOL VALENTINE CARD

I feel so much better today and finally made it out to my stamp room and I have stamped!  I've been building up a collection of projects I'm wanting to do.  I decided to start out with a simple and yet a WOW card.  And I just couldn't wait until "Technique Tuesday" to share it.

Have you noticed the Bride, Groom and Bridesmaid 12" x 12" Specialty Papers on page 158 of the Idea Book & Catalog?  These are all 'foiled' papers.  The foil gives the paper shine, texture and pattern.  What I've used in this card is the Bridal Specialty Paper, 115669.

 

Then I used my Brayer, p. 192, #102395, $12.50, and Pixie Pick Classic Stamp Pad, p. 156, #105212, to totally change the tone of the paper.

Roll the brayer on the stamp pad over and over, picking the brayer off of the stamp pad after each roll across it.  Otherwise you will only be inking one part of the brayer over and over and you don't really want to do that.  Once you get your color evenly onto the Bride paper, rub the brayer over and over the paper and the color will intensify and even out--you're burnishing it into the paper.  Once you have the color on, then rub over the paper with a clean tissue or soft cloth, removing some of the color from the foil or embossed parts.

Trim this brayered Specialty Paper to 4-1/4" x 2-1/2"  I left it longer (like 4-1/4" x 5") before brayering on the Pixie Pink color so I'd have a scrap for punching out the 2 embellishment hearts.

Here are the other ingredients used on this card:

Stamp Set:  Well Scripted* (clear mount)

Cardstock:  Pixie Pink, Basic Black, Bride Specialty Paper

Ink: Pixie Pink Classic

Accessories:  Clear Mount block* (C), Pinking Hearts Border punch*, SU! Embosslits Die: Scalloped Heart of Hearts*, Full Heart punch, 1/4" Black Grosgrain ribbon, Dimensionals, Snail Adhesive

* These items are in the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog (Jan. 5 - April 30)

FYI:  The Full Heart Punch is about 1/8" smaller than the Scalloped Heart of Hearts Embosslit which leaves a nice border. You can't see the cute polka dots from the Embosslit, but you' can show them off on another card.

Below:  I used the Pinking Hearts Border Punch to create the pattern in Basic Black cardstock.    Start punching your cardstock in the middle.  Then line up the punched part over the pattern shown on the extended sides of the punch, left or right, and continue punching.

What I love about this punch is being able to see the little punched hearts pop with color when you place colored cardstock beneath it. 

TIP:  Save those little punched out bits and use them as confetti after you accumulate a bunch.

Here are 2 card samples, also using the Pinking Hearts Border punch, that I received at Leadership Training earlier in January.

 

Above:  Created by Terri Mongeon.  Terri used the Sending Love Specialty Paper (from the 2010 Occasions Mini).  One side of each sheet of this Specialty Paper boasts glittery designs.

        

Above:  This card uses the Groom Specialty Paper.  It's just so stunning.  Created by Susan Campfield

I have one more card to show you but..........if you're prudish, you might not want to look.  But if you're curious, you'll look.  And if you need a gag card for a guy, you'll also want to look.  :)

********

              ********

                            ********

If you have a good sense of humor and know a guy who'll be turning 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 soon, this might be a perfect card.  It also uses the Bride Specialty Paper which was brayered with Basic Black ink.  You can find the pattern here.  I used a half pearl from the Pretties Kit in the center of the card, but you could also use one of the little Sending Love Epoxy Brads from the 2010 Occasions Mini.

 

What do you think of the tattoo?

OK, I'm done for today.  I've had fun finally getting back to my stamping and I hope you've enjoyed the cards.  Just click on my SHOP NOW button at the top right of my blog which will take you to  my Demonstrator Website if you'd like to order any of the ingredients for these cards.  Or email me and I'll place your order myself.

See you tomorrow.  :)

WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED TODAY!

I'm still feeling a little 'under-the-weather', coughing my insides out (sorry) and having little or no voice.  My energy level has been up but my inspiration level hasn't been.  I'm really hoping to do some stamping tomorrow. 

But today I did something I've wanted to do for a long time:  I gave my Mac laptop a little makeover. 

I used the Flower Garden Décor Element which can be found on p. 16 of the Definitely Decorative Fall-Winter 2009 catalog.  #116056, $12.95

I cut the element sheet that held the stems into individual stems, but kept them in the order shown in the catalog.   If I were to do it over, I would have only made a cut between stems 4 and 5.  I had to divide it because of the Apple Logo right in the middle of my lid.  Regardless, I think it looks pretty darned spiffy and my laptop won't be confused with anyone else's.  I've wanted to do this for a long time but just "never got around to it".  Today was the perfect day.

Here a look at it just after I finished:

I'm going to be smiling whenever I pull my Mac out of my bag from this time forward.  What do you think TSA will say besides "nothing"?

If you'd like to find your own 'out-of-the-box' use for some Décor Elements, let me know.  Email me at blythe@stampinwithblythe.com .   I have a few other ideas on my mental shelf.  I'm sure you all have some wonderful ideas too.  Share them with me and other stampers.  I can help you with your order---maybe after midnight for your FREE SHIPPING?  Choose another element for decorating your laptop.  What unusual places have you put a Décor Element?

Hopefully I'll see you a little earlier in the day tomorrow.  :)

A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR YOU

Amendment:  Since I have been out of commission with lack of electrical power (translate no computer/internet) for 7 days and then trying to catch up with myself while coughing and not being able to talk, I am postponing the following offer to Thursday, January 28th, from 12.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. -- or very close to those times.

Isn't it fun to receive birthday presents?  I know I'll never grow up enough to not enjoy the fun and excitement of a birthday gift.  Or card for that matter.  Anyway, I've decided to give YOU a gift on MY  birthday this year: 

FREE SHIPPING on any order over $50!

You'll actually be getting 2 FREE gifts:  a Sale-A-Bration product in addition to free shipping.  What a great deal huh?

HOW AND WHEN?  When you place an on-line order (upper right corner of my blog) OR send me an email (upper left side of my blog)  with your order, anytime from 12 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26th---AMENDED TO THURSDAY, JANUARY 28th---I will reimburse your shipping fee to you.  And don't forget "my" other gift of the FREE Sale-A-Bration product.  Actually the S-A-B product is a gift from Stampin' Up!.

And now I'll go in silence to out to My Country Loft and start playing for the rest of today. It's really the only thing I can do without interacting and using my voice.  Yes, I could clean, but why???  It's my birthday and I don't want to and I don't have to.  :)

Have a great day. 

 

I'M ALIVE.....sorry for the lack of posting but......WE HAD NO POWER FOR 7 DAYS

It was so quiet and peaceful when I left Dublin (CA) on Thursday.  And then I arrived home.  With my sweet 3 year old granddaughter, Nora.  I knew we had no power and actually we are all troopers in that regard.  But when it went on and on and on.....AND I HAD NO INTERNET CONNECTION, it became an issue that I just had to ignore until the power outage was over.  That was finally at 1 p.m. today.  It took some time to rearrange our past week's living style.  We were cooking tonight's dinner, corned beef/cabbage on the Franklin Stove downstairs and I was working on a coffee table with my computer plugged into a power strip behind the tv which was being run by our life-saving generator.  It powered the frig, tv and one lamp.  We heated with the 2 fireplaces.  We cooked on our Coleman camping stove and the outside bar-b-que/grill.  Even cooked a casserole there one night.

Tomorrow I will get back to stamping and posting new ideas.  In the meantime, I'm posting the creators of the I {Heart} Hearts cards from my last post next.  Give me half an hour.  :)

One more thing:  I have total laryngitis.  Not a squeak comes out.  My voice has been on a downhill slide since Saturday.  Feel fine.  Just can't talk at all now.  Bonus: I have practiced with filming (kids in the snow) with my Flip and creating movies with titles so it shouldn't be too long before I'll have a video tutorial. 

Thanks for hanging in there.

I {HEART} HEARTS

As promised earlier this morning, here are some of my swap cards created by other Stampin' Up! demonstrators, using the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set.  I received them at Leadership.

Top: Chari Brooks, Lincoln CA     Below:  Dianne Logeais, Hopkins, MN

 

Left:  Cara Brandes          Right:  Jolene Harms, Young America MN

Left:  Susan Peters, Easton PA          Right:  Teri Hinckley, Strongsville, OH

Left:  Deb Valder, NY            Right:  Kim Assaly

Left:  unknown          Right:  Catherine Harwood, FL

Kathy Chono-Herring, Fresno, CA

My car is packed up and I'm waiting for a 'relief mommy' to arrive to take care of the two children I'm not taking home with me to the mountains.  They'll be coming 'up' on Friday or Saturday.  Anyway, I'll be attaching the names of the card artists once I get home and settled.  We have no power (!!!) at home so I won't be able to plug in my computer (lousy battery) until power is restored.  This is teaching me patience.  :)

HAITI DISASTER RELIEF - STAMPIN' UP!'S PLAN

Stampin′ Up! demonstrators have a long history of making a difference in the lives of others--especially when disaster strikes and the need is greatest. As demonstrators, we've been contacting Stampin' Up! in the past week asking if they have a plan yet for helping to provide relief for victims of the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12.

So now, here is the plan:

From now until February 28, 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp purchased will be donated to the American Red Cross’s Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

Product Name	Item #	Price
I {Heart} Hearts – clear-mount  (block D recommended)	118571	$18.95
I {Heart} Hearts – wood-mount	117010	$26.95

   

I'll be posting some samples made with the I {Heart} Hearts set within the next few hours.  They're from swaps I received at Leadership Training a few weeks ago.  My stamp set is at home, waiting for me.  I'll also have a pdf file you can view or download/print for your personal reference. 

I'm ending a six-day "Oma" visit to my daughter's home this afternoon.  Then I'll be venturing back to my home in the Sierra Nevada, 2 hours east.  My home has had no power since yesterday a.m. and snow level is down to about 1500'.  We live at 4500' ft.  We're accustomed to snow but not quite like the huge storms we've had the past few days (when I haven't been there), accompanied by very high winds.  We're surrounded by very tall pines and cedars and a few oaks so the fear of a tree falling on the property (or on the house) is justified.  These "guys" have a sway at the tops of about 20-30 FEET in each direction from center!

I'll be back as soon as possible with the samples and pdf.  First comes packing up and showering while everyone is gone and this house is quiet.  :)

TUESDAY'S TOOL: MY FAVORITE DAILY TOOLS

When you are positioning yourself to start a stampin' project, what tools do you have 'at the ready'.....tools you can't really happily function without?  Your 'go to' assistants at your table?

Mine are

• Stampin' Scrub
• Stampin' Mist
• Grid Paper
• Personal Paper Cutter
• Snail Adhesive
• Paper Snips
• Stamp-a-ma-jig
• Adhesive Remover

Then comes the fun stuff, tools that make the project:

• Rubber Stamps: wood or clear mount, regular or jumbo roller wheels
• Stampin' Pads: SU! Classic or Craft, ColorBox, VersaMark
• Stampin' Markers
• Cardstock
• Designer Series Paper
• Big Shot Die Cut Machine
• Big Shot dies of all sizes and types: Bigz XL dies, Bigz dies, Embosslits, Impressions Embossing Folders
• Embossing Powders
• Embossing Buddy
• Heat Tool
• Embellishments: Hodgepodge Hardware, Pretties Kit, all sorts of brads, all sort of eyelets, clips, glitter (bling), buttons, ribbons, chipboard
• Adhesives: 2-Way Glue Pen, Sticky Strip, Glue Dots, Dimensionals, Crystal Effects, Tombow Multi Purpose, Anywhere Glue Stick
• Aqua Painter
• Blender Pen
• Stamping Sponges and/or Sponge Daubers

And there are so many more but I'll leave those up to you.  Yes, I use them, but these that I've listed I use ALL the time!  Not EVERY time, but I do use them frequently.

Below is a glimpse of my frequent reality.  Sometimes I can keep my stampin' area neat and tidy but sometimes.............it just gets away from me.  This was the final rush in getting my Christmas cards completed in time for mailing.  I still managed to miss a few.

What are your favorite tools?  What do you find yourself using the most---something that really gives you that satisfying 'bang for the buck' so to speak?

It's kind of frustrating, being away from home and not being able to spread myself out at my work table and create at least a mess, and hopefully a finished card or two.

Tomorrow I've have some pictures again.  I'm determined to do some stampin' with the few supplies I brought along with me!  See you then.

NEW YEAR'S GLITTER: FAUX DIAMOND DUST

I'm going to start out the year with a few blasts of Diamond Dust.  This is such an easy process that gives a real wow response.

All you'll need is a piece of cardstock, either as a layer or a card front, VersaMark stamp pad (102283, $7.50, p. 190, SU! IB&C), some Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder (101930, $4.75, p. 188, IB&C) , and a Heat Tool (100005, $29.95, p. 188, IB&C).  A Powder Pal tray (102197, $19.95: 2 trays and a brush, p. 188, SU! Idea Book & Catalog) could also be handy but if you don't have one you could use a piece of computer paper for catching the excess embossing powder.  Then simply bend it into a 'funnel' shape and pour the excess powder back into the embossing powder container.

Take your colored cardstock and liberally apply your VersaMark pad.  Cover cardstock with Iridescent Ice EP.  Tap off excess.  Heat until sparkly.  Enjoy!

Don't shoot the messenger (me) but I'm away from home and didn't bring enough supplies with me to create a card to show a few steps with the Diamond Dust or a finished project.  Go figure.  If you have your supplies by your side, why not create a card with this technique and share it with us all.  If you email it to me (blythe@stampinwithblythe.com), I'll post it in an update of this article and of course give you big credits.  :)

You know, you can create a stamped finished layer and then pat IT with your VersaMark pad, sprinkle with Iridescent Ice (or Dazzling Diamonds) embossing powder, heat it and layer it on a finished card--or just share your layer.  Anything will be more than what I'm able to do today!

We all look forward to your Diamond Dusted image!

FINAL GROUP OF SUDSOL SWAPS FROM LEADERSHIP

The cards that I received as swaps from other SU! demonstrators, whether from Sudsol or the general population of attendees are just so good that I hate to not share them.  So here are just a few more from Sudsol.  As I begin to show you some new products next week, I'll share more cards that match what the products or technique I'm showing.

Created by Judi Carpenter, IL.  Perfect Polka Dot Textured Impressions Folder and Well Scripted stamp set are from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.

Created by Tamra Davis, NC.  Beautiful Wings Embosslit is from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.  Whimsical Words stamp set is from the 2010 Sale-A-Bration catalog and can be earned FREE with a $50 order.

Created by Connie Babbert, OH.  Vintage Vogue stamp set and Very Vintage jumbo roller wheel are from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog. 

Created by Linda Haupt, SD.  Garden from the Heart stamp set is from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.

Created by Gail Beezley, TX.  Perfect Polka Dot Textured Impressions Folder and Well Scripted stamp set are from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.

Created by Bobbie Ganley.  Perfect Polka Dot Textured Impressions Folder is from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog.

Creator unknown.

And those are the swaps I received from fellow Sudsol members.  I hope you've enjoyed them.  Isn't that Occasions Mini great! 

MORE LEADERSHIP SWAP CARDS from my SUDSOL FRIENDS

Are you ready for some more Sudsol swap cards?  They are among the best that I received at Leadership Training in Phoenix last week.

Created by Betty Kincannon, Anchorage AK  I {Love} Love wheel and Pinking Hearts Border Punch are from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog

Created by Cherie Hunt, OH

Created by Tammy Fite  

Created by Judi Carpenter, IL  Very Vintage jumbo Wheel and Beautiful Wings Embosslit are from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog

Created by Ann Lohmeyer, CO  Love Bandit is from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog

Created by Carol Matthews, Nova Scotia Canada   Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder, Scallop Trim Corner Punch are from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog

Created by Coleen Astalos, CO  Vintage Vogue, Well Scripted stamp sets and Perfect Polka Dot Impressions Folder are from the 2010 Occasions Mini Catalog

Created by Angie Brailsford 

I'll have the last group of Sudsol swaps tomorrow so be sure to come back then to get some more great ideas

I dont' know if you can tell or not but I'm having one heck of a technical fight with my Typepad fonts and allignment with this post so when I try to use punctuation it goes to the beginning of my sentence so I'll end with a run-on sentence and zero punctuation and I'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow when hopefully I can change the size of my fonts as well as put a period at the end of what I'm saying        good bye for now