Night in Bethlehem Vellum

Hello, Crafters.

I hope you've had a great weekend.

Saturday was a very trying day for me; one of those where if it could go wrong, it did!

The icing on the cake was my printer died. 

This was within an hour or so of ordering five new toner cartirdges for £140! 

Fortunately, the company we ordered from has cancelled the order and processed a refund.  

As hubby is an engineer, although not a printer engineer, he decided to open the machine and find out what was wrong! 

Next he went online to order a new part, but found it's only available as part of a much larger part!

He found that there wasn't much difference between the cost of buying this larger part, and buying a new machine. 

I'm pleased to say it's arriving today, and hubby will install it this evening.

More good news! 

Yesterday, Stampin' Up! announced 24 hours FREE SHIPPING! 

It started last night, 10th December 2017 at 11:00 PM GMT/Midnight CET, and it will end on 11th December 2017 at 10:59 PM GMT/11:59 PM CET. 

This is a great time to check out what’s on the Year-End Sale List I sent out on 30th November 2017; and also the Clearance Rack in my online store. 
 
Please note once the items on this list have gone, they’ve gone!

This offer is also available in North America and the South Pacific, so please check with your demonstrator for the timing.

For today's card, I CASE'd a fabulous card made by one of the ladies in my team, Karen James. 

She shared it in our Facebook group, and said it was the card she'd made for her staff - all fifty of them - so the card had to be quick to make.

She used a technique I haven't knowingly seen before, and the result on her card is stunningher card is stunning - please see the last potograph.

I asked Karen how she had coloured the tag, and she explained that she'd heat-embossed the image first, and then used Blender pens. 

Karen also said it was a very forgiving technique, so I couldn't wait to try it!

When I CASE another crafter's card, I try to put my spin on it, which I did in this case as far as the stamp set I used, but I stuck to the same colours as Karen, and I'm so pleased I did.

I made two more changes, the first of which was to use the new Stampin' Blend Pens. 

Starting at the bottom I used the Dark Bermuda Bay, then Light Bermuda Bay, then Light Night of Navy, and finally the Dark Night of Navy. 

The other change I made, which was a bit of a challenge, was that I stamped the Mary and Joseph image from the Night in Bethlehem Stamp Set, onto a piece of vellum using Night of Navy Ink. 
 
The image wasn't brilliant, but I went over it with a Blender Pen and it brought it up beautifully. 

I used my Heat Tool to dry the image before I was happy to place it facedown on my desk to colour it from the back. 

Next time, I'll try it closer to Karen's method i.e. heat embossing the image and using Blender Pens.

Big THANKS to Karen for sharing a brilliant technique!

That's it from me today, and until tomorrow, happy crafting!

JanB.

Night In Bethlehem Home Decor

Hello, Crafters.

Today saw the start of the Year-End Sale Event.

If you see anything in there you want, order it ASAP because these are retiring products, and once they've gone, they've gone. Good luck!

Also today, Stampin' Up! have announced changes in the way the pre-order for the Stamparatus is going to work going forward, and these are the main points:-

1). The ONLY pre-order period is from 5th - 31st December, 2017. This time slot will NOT close, regardless of how many orders are placed. After December, the Stamparatus will only be available from the new annual catalogue when it goes live on 1st June 2018.

2). Customers and demonstrators will only be able to pre-order one Stamparatus each.

3). If you pre-ordered a Stamparatus during the first time slot, you can still order a second one during the December time slot.

Please let me know if you have any questions: janb@janbcards.com


My project today is a home decor idea, which I've based on the card I shared recently using the Night in Bethlehem Stamp Set, and the co-ordinating Bethlehem Framelits Dies.

The first background I made was using some Glossy Paper, and sponging it with a Dauber and Night of Navy Ink. 

This was a first for me and I thought the result was great!

Once I was happy with the sponging, I went over it with a piece of kitchen towel to buff it up, and it looked lovely. 

However, my first attempt at stamping some stars with Craft Whisper White Ink didn't achieve anything on this glossy background, so I put it on one side for another day! 

I moved onto plan B which was to use a piece of Night of Navy Cardstock (CS), and I successfully stamped stars randomly over the top using Whisper White Craft Ink. 

I also stamped one of the large stars towards the top right-hand corner.

I stamped the Mary and Joseph, and the shepherd and his sheep stamps, by inking them in Versamark, and then Night of Navy Ink.

When I'd stamped them onto Whisper White CS, I dipped both images into my box of  Clear Embossing Powder. 

I used my Heat Tool to heat set them both, and then die cut them.

To put the scene together, I adhered the back row of houses using Dimensionals. 

To adhere the second row, I added Double layer Dimensionals on the lowest part of the die cut, and single-layer Dimensionals where the row of house was going directly over the first row of house. 

To adhere the two images, I used triple-layer Dimensional on areas where the image was going directly on top of Night of Navy background and single layer Dimension over the rest of the two images! 

I'm thinking about adding the sentiment "Rejoicing in Christ" in the space between the two images.

I think it would finish the picuture off nicely making it balanced. What do you think?

That's about it for today. Until tomorrow, happy crafting!

JanB.

Bethlehem Dazzling Diamonds

Hello, Crafters.

I hope you've had a great weekend. 

Just a quick reminder that there's free delivery on all Stampin' Up! orders today.

For quite sometime I have been thinking about offering a Class in the Mail Club, and I'm really excited to announce that the first class is ready!

What is Class in the Mail Club?: it's a monthly class where crafters who join the club will receive kits to make two greeting cards and a 3D project. 

This could be something like a bookmark, a box or a fancy fold card.

The projects for the classes are forthe classes only and I won't be sharing them online anywhere; they are specifically for my classes, both person-to-person and Class in the Mail. 
 
All three projects will concentrate on one stamp set, and may include a co-ordinating punch or die set.

I will provide a PDF for each project, which you can download and print.


I have set up a separate page for my new club and will be having a pay now button added within the next couple of days. 

Please check out the page for more details about my new Class in the Mail Club! 

Hopefully, I have covered all the options of running this club, but in case I've overlooked anything, I reserve the right to amend the guidelines and rules as necessary.

Depending how this first class goes, I may consider making videos to go with the projects too, but the jury is out on this at the moment, because of time constraints. Also, I'm learning how to walk first! LOL! 

Please email me if you have any questions, or if you'd like to join the first class, which is on offer as from today: janb@janbcards.com

Please note that Stampin' Up! rules only allow me to sell to crafters with addresses in the UK, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Austria - I'm truly sorry!

I still found time yesterday to create a project to share with you today!

I used the  Night in Bethlehem Stamp Set and the co-ordinating Bethlehem Edgelits Dies. 
 
I die cut the star and the two rows of houses in our Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper. 

I adhered the star with a Dimensional, and the back row of houses were adhered with Tombow. 

For the top row of house, I used Dimesionals in as many places that I could, and also added Glue Dots to some where they'd be adhered on to the Glimmer Paper.

For the sentiment, and Mary and Joseph on the front of the card, as well as the shepherd and his sheep on the inside, I inked the stamps in Versamark, and then Elegant Eggplant Ink, and stamped. 

I dipped them into my Clear Embossing Powder box, and heat set using my Heat Tool.

I layered the sentiment onto a piece of Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper, using Glue Dots, and then onto the card front using Dimensionals. 

I die cut Mary and Joseph, and used three Dimensionals layered together for the back of Mary, as they went onto the Elegant Eggplant layer.

I double-layered the Dimensionals for Joseph, as he was in front of the buildings that were already on Dimensionals.

If I'd adhered the houses higher, I could have put Mary and Joseph lower and probably single layer Dimensionals would have been more than enough. 

Having said that I'm still happy with my card! That's it for today. Until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.

Glimmer Paper In All SU Colours??

Hello, Crafters.

Is this possible? 

I think we can get pretty close to it if we use Dazzling Diamond Glitter together with the Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets (MAS)! 

Earlier this morning, I uploaded my video which shows how to use the MAS easily to achieve this. 

Obviously it isn't the same, but it's a pretty good substitute! 

On 26th October 2017, I shared a card here where I'd tried to use the MAS sheets with Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, but I said I got myself into such a mess that I resorted to using a good old glue stick.

I didn't find this ideal as it went onto the cardstock very unevenly. 

One of my customers asked me if I'd persevere with the MAS sheets, and as I'm not normally one for refusing a challenge, I was happy to accept! 

I knew it had to be straightforward, and kept thinking about it until the penny finally dropped!

I knew exactly how it was done, so all I needed to do was to work out how to use it without getting myself all glued up! 

That's exactly what this video is all about - I hope you enjoy it!

Yesterday, I also made a Pool Party "Glimmer Paper" Snowflake card which I'll share with you tomorrow.

Today it's hubby's birthday, but unfortunately he's working, so we'll be celebrating tomorrow evening. 

I'll also share his card with you during the week!
 
I wish you a happy Sunday, and until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.

NOEL Eclipse Card

Hello, Crafters.

I hope you've had a great weekend.
 
My class on Saturday went really well. 

The thing I like most about my classes is that it's just like having a few friends round for a bit of crafting, chatter and a giggle or two!

The eclipse card seems to be the most popular style of card I've seen on Facebook recently, so I just had to give it a go. 

All the ladies were exceptionally pleased with this project, with all of them being very surprised at how easy it was!

When I first started on this technique, I made the Elegant Eggplant Cardstock (CS) card shown in the last photograph.

I'd seen this design on Pinterest and found several videos on YouTube.

I think this is a fabulous design, but I wanted my own design for my class. 

I used the Holly Berry Happiness Stamp Set, which has been brought forward from last year, to design my card. 

In class we used Wild Wasabi as our accent colour, and for the card I made yesterday, I changed to Real Red.

I started by stamping one of the sentiments from the stamp set, towards the bottom of the top layer. 

I used my Real Red and Wild Wasabi Marker Pens to ink the stamp. 

The sentiment we used in class was from the Christmas Pines Stamp Set, which is another set that has been brought forward from last year.

Then I used the long branches of holly, one towards the top left hand corner, and one to the bottom right hand corner. 

I checked with the Large Letter Dies to make sure the stamping just fitted into where the letters would be cut out! 

I used Wld Wasabi Ink, first generation stamping for the leaves outlines, and then Wild Wasabi Ink stamped off once for the infill stamp.

I lined the letters up on my Magnetic Platform on my Big Shot, and used a ruler to gently push them into a straight line. 

When I was happy, I put the second cutting mat on top and cranked it through. 

I removed the die cuts from the dies and also kept the centre of the O. 
 
Next I put the top layer into the Softly Falling Embossing Folder, and carefully put the centre of the O, inside the O in the embossing folder. 

I feel dry embossing the top layer really finished off the final look. 

Next I started to put my card together by adhering the top layer onto the Real Red CS layer. 

Using my tweezers I placed the letter O inside the die cut O. 

Card without dry embossing

After applying some Tombow to the inside of the centre of the O, I adhered it on to the red layer placing it very carefully into the centre of the O! 

Then I removed the O die cut, and applied some of our Foam Adhesive Strips on the backs of all the letters. 

Night in Bethlehem in Elegant Eggplant and So Saffron

These strips are twice as high as the Dimensionals and are absolutely great for this technique! 

I know there are plenty of videos on YouTube demonstrating how this technique is done, buut I'll be making my own so I can share what I have learned! 
If you haven't tried this technique, I certainly recommend giving it a try, not just for Christmas but birthday's, too. 

As long as the recipient has a short name, how easy to personalise a card, or maybe use Mum, Dad, Love, etc.

If you want to use a longer name or word, all you need to do is to make a bigger card!

That's it from me today. I hope you have a great week, and until tomorrow, happy crafting! 

JanB.

Three Wise Men Video

Hello, Crafters.

Earlier today I uploaded the video that shows how I made the Three Wise Men Christmas card I shared here on Monday.  

Originally I hadn't planned on a video but I've received a lot of positive feedback about the card, as well as several questions, that I thought a video would be appreciated! 

Each time I make a video, I make a sample of my project, which is partly so I can list the products needed and the measurements. 

In the case of a project like this which was made a few days ago, it also reminds me of any pitfalls, as well as the best order in which to do each step. 

The advantage of doing this is that it gives me the opportunity to do the sample in a different colour. 

In this case I was able to make a card using our Silver Embossing Powder, so I have one in each of our Foil Snowflakes - gold and silver. 

I definitely prefer this card in gold, which I think is because it's a far more definite colour and a much warmer colour!

I was particularly chuffed that one of the music sheets shows the music for We Three Kings, but then that's typical of Stampin'Up! to think about details like that!

For the video, I changed the sentiment I used from Blessed Christmas Wishes to Rejoicing in Christ.
 
Both sentiments are from the Night in Bethlehem Stamp Set.  

That's about it from me today. Until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.

Night in Bethlehem

Hello, Crafters.

This is the first time I've said this but please don't try this at home! LOL! 

"This" is referring to using the snowflake border die from the Swirly Snowflakes Thinlits Dies with the Sizzix Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets! 

It worked brilliantly with the actual die cutting, but boy oh boy, what a mess! 

Next time I use this fabulous die, I'll use good old Tombow to adhere it on my cardstock!

The problem was removing all the tiny bits inside the leaf-like shapes, everything else was removed easily. 

The tiny bits became stuck to my tweezers, my paper piercer, my sweater, and my hands. 

It took ages to remove them all, but once it was done, it was so easy to adhere the die cut to my Fresh Fig Cardstock (CS)!

I placed the Swirly Snowflakes die on one side of my Whisper White CS, inside a Multipurpose Adhesive Sheet, and cranked it through the Big Shot. 

Then I removed the die and placed it on the opposite side, and cranked it through the Big Shot again. 

I removed the die again, easily, but then I had to remove most of the little pieces manually, and it was this bit that took forever!  

I took another piece of Whisper White CS and repeated the process, but without using the Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets!

This was so, so much easier and definitely the way to go!

I started my card with a base of Whisper White CS and then a layer of Fresh Fig CS. 

Once I'd removed all the bits from my die cut, it was so easy to adhere it to the Fresh Fig layer. 

I took two more pieces of Whisper White CS and wiped over them both with my Embossing Buddy. 

The stamp set I had chosen to use for my card is called Night In Bethlehem, and I selected the Mary and Joseph stamp as well as the Rejoice sentiment. 

In turn, I inked the stamps in Versamark, and then in Fresh Fig Ink, dipped them in my Clear Embossing Powder Box. 
 
I heat set them using my Heat Tool. 

I knew I was going to die cut the sentiment using one of the oval dies from the Stitched Shape Framelits dies, but I really couldn't decide whether to use the square or circle die for the image - the circle won! 

I layered them on corresponding shapes die cut using the appropriate Layering Circles/Ovals Framelits Dies.

I used dimensionals to adhere them to my card.

For the inside of my card I took a layer of Whisper White CS and wiped over it with my Embossing Buddy. 

I chose the shepherd with his sheep stamp from the Night In Bethlehem Stamp Set for the inside of my card. 

I inked the stamp in Versamark, and then in Fresh Fig Ink, and stamped the image in the bottom right hand corner. 

Then I dipped it in my Clear Embossing Powder Box and heat set it using my Heat Tool.

I adhered this layer onto a layer of Fresh Fig and then adhered it inside the card. 

This afternoon I'm finally off to see my GP for the results of the Xray of my cracked ribs! I could have seen a different doctor a lot sooner, but I was happy to wait to see mine! 

That's it for today! Until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.