Pop of Petals

Hello, Crafters.

My rather large order arrived from Stampin' Up! on Wednesday 

at 8.40am - how lucky am I?  - and I spent the day getting 

everything organised and filed away. This is quite a big job as far 

as the dies are concerned because I have to remove the 

sticky adhesive from the back of each die, make die cuts of 

each, and set up a new wallet for each, label the magnetic sheet 

and also label the stamp set with the name of the co-ordinating die set.

 Next I photocopied the front covers of the stamp sets for my new

 Stamp Reference File! Then I cleared all my stamp sets off the shelves 

so I could put them back with the new ones in alphabetical order. 

Although it took me all day, and most of the evening, it was a lovely

 feeling getting it all done in one day. The only job that had to

 wait until yesterday, was photocopying the front of each die-set 

wallets, so I now have an up to date Die & Embossing

 Folder Reference File. 

 I don't normally go to all this trouble every year, but my files 

were getting rather untidy, and I was in the mood for a total

 revamp and, went for it. (Normally I just take out the 

photocopies of retired products, and slip the new ones in). 

The good thing about yesterday was that I had some time for 

crafting! One of the stamp sets I bought is the Pop of Petals (page 47)

 which is on offer as a bundle with a co-ordinating punch. When

 the retirement list came out recently, I was really disappointed to

 see the Flower Shop Stamp Set and the Pansy Punch were both

 retiring - I have used those two products trillions of times!

 So when I saw the Pop of Petals bundle, I knew it would be in 

my first order! What I hadn't noticed until yesterday, was that one

 of the "flowers" is actually a butterfly!! So this bundle also 

goes a little way to make up for the two butterfly punches and

 the butterfly stamp set which retired last year. 

Although it isn't sold as two-step stamp set, that's how I used it

 for today's card. If you look at the picture below of  the Pop of Petals, 

I stamped the first flower in the top row using Poppy Parade Ink. 

Then I used the second stamp that's the third stamp in the first

 row,  stamped off once using the same colour ink! I can't 

wait to try other combinations! There is just so much in

 this bundle it's amazing.

 The other product I wanted to draw your attention to is the 3D

Dynamic Embossing Folder called Subtle (page 223), because

 the design really is so subtle, you can hardly see anything

 in the catalogue. I used it to partially emboss my top layer

 but just leaving enough plain so I could stamp my sentiment 

straight onto the layer (albeit a bit too high really!).  

 Finally, did you notice the bundles that Stampin' Up! have

 put together on page 2 of the catalogue? You'll find full details

 for each bundle on the pages referred to there. This is a first

 for SU to do this and is particularly useful for beginners, and 

it's also very helpful if you want all those products, you can

 order them with just one product number! I hope you like

 these mini "reviews" - they were too good not to share 

them with you.

That's it from me today! I'm off to make my video for Sunday. I

 hope you have a lovely day, and happy crafting!

JanB.  

Champagne Congrats

Hello, Crafters.

Yesterday was not such a good day for me! 

During the morning I just wasn't feeling right, I felt very lethargic, and tired.

At lunch time I went into the bedroom to get my tablets, and saw I hadn't taken my morning tablets! DOH! 

Needless to say I took what I needed to, and within a couple of hours I was feeling , oh so much brighter!

Once I was back in the swing of things,I  knew I wanted to CASE another swap for today's card. 

It's a strikingly, fairly plain card in Real Red and Whisper White that I received from Maureen (Mo) Rootes - please see the last picture. 

You can check out Maureen's blog at www.crafty-rootes.com. 

Although I'm happy with how my card turned out, I wished I'd stuck to Mo's colour scheme!

The bottle is from the Bubble Over Stamp Set, and ever since I saw this stamp set for the first time, I wondered if the bottle - which looks like a beer or pop bottle to me - could be changed to look like a Champagne bottle, and that was my challenge to myself!

To achieve this I started by inking the largest bottle stamp in Versamark, then inkinking it in Always Artichoke Ink; and then I stamped it on a piece of Whisper White Cardstock (CS). 
 
After I dipped the image into Clear Embossing Powder, I heat set it using my Heat Tool.

Although there is a die in the Bottles & Bubbles Framelits Dies to die cut the bottle, I chose to cut it out by hand. 

By doing this, I was able to cut the bottle straight to the top of the bottle, thereby cutting off the two rims that protude at the top of the bottle neck, which is what gives the bottle a beer-bottle and pop-bottle look!  

The second part of the bottle that gives it it's characteristics, are the two white lines that go round the centre of the widest part of the bottle i.e. above and below where the label goes.

I trawled through my Stamp Reference File to find stamps that would allow me to produce something that resembled a wine bottle label. 

I'm quite happy with the result, and I think the condensation on the bottle helps to distract the eye from looking too closely at the label!

Needless to say, it took me several attempts before I settled on the design you see here! 

I started with Always Artichoke Ink, and the straight line stamp that's in the Spooky Cat Stamp Set; this is a Halloween Stamp Set in the Christmas Catalogue. 

I don't celebrate Halloween, and the only reason I bought the stamp set, was for the cat's face stamp.

I thought it'd go brilliantly with the Cat Punch, although I have to admit, I haven't checked my theory yet! LOL!

Next I found a stamp in the Hostess Stamp Set called Background Bits, that was five lines of very fine script which I believe is illegible. 

Using Basic Black Archival Ink, I stamped it directly onto the straight Always Artichoke lines. 

I needed something to soften the edges and hubby suggested leaves - brilliantly idea, they worked a treat!

I used the solid background two-step leaves stamp from the Painted Harvest Stamp Set and stamped the leaves randomly top and bottom.

I used another die from the Bottles & Bubbles Framelits dies to cut the label out. 

Whilst making sure the label covered the two lines, I adhered it to the bottle, and trimmed off the excess on both sides!

To finish my card I stamped some Sahara Sand bubbles coming out of the bottle, and adhered some Glitter & Clear Epoxy Shapes on the bottles as condenstaion, and on the stamped bubbles to give them shine and dimension. 

Unfortunately, these shapes will be retiring at the end of May, so I'm going to stock up with a few packets as I think they're great for cards like this.
 
The Congrats sentiment is from the Vertical Greetings Stamp Set and was die cut with a die from the Bunch of Banners Framelits.
 
I stamped a row of bubbles inside the card and added Wink of Stellla to give them some shine too! 

As I said earlier, I'm pleased with how my card turned out, but I think it would hve been better if I'd used Real Red instead of Sweet Sugarplum!

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

JanB.

Eastern Medallions Poinsettias

Hello, Crafters.

I hope you've enjoyed a great weekend.

Today's card was inspired by a swap I received at OnStage recently from Emma Cooper, whose card front swap featured a poinsettia die cut using two dies from the Eastern Medallions Thinlits Dies. 

For her card, Emma had used the big outline die, plus the one that just partially cuts the petal leaves. 

My poinsettias are a fair bit smaller because I've only used the partial die. 

I die cut a total of eight Real Red Cardstock (CS) pionsettias, and cut off the excess by cutting on the narrow strip between each petal. 

Once the main part of the unwanted cardstock had fallen away, I folded one petal forward, and carefully cut between each set of two petals in a curved direction so the centre of the poinsettia was a-near perfect circle! 

I experiemented with three different leaves, and finally decided to stamp the outline leaf stamp from the Painted Harvest Stamp Set, using Wild Wasabi tone on tone.

I punched them out using the Leaf Punch, and cut them apart so I had three individual leaves from each punched image.

I adhered to poinsetties together in pairs, and then adhered two leaves on each. 

Again using tone on tone but with Daffodil Delight this time, I stamped four outline flower centres from the Daisy Delight Stamp Set, and punched them out using the half-inch Circle Punch. 

I used Tombow to adhere them in the centre of each poinsettia. 

To complete the three poinsettias for the front of the card, I painted some of the small Basic Rhinestones, using the Dark Daffodil Delight Blend Pen, and adhered them to the Daffodil Delight centres.

For the centre of the poinsettia inside the card, I added very small dabs of the Fine Tip Glue Pen and put aside to dry.

I think this looks a lot better than the Basic Rhinstones, but won't be changing them over, just in case I damage the Daffodil Delight centres.

!!Although thinking about it as I write, I could always put a new flower centre on top of any damaged one!! Hmmm, food for thought!

To create the black and white striped background, I found it was best to start with a piece of Whisper White CS that was larger than I needed. 

This way I was able to trim off the edges which was spoiling the overall look, partucularly the starting and finishing points!

It took me three attempts to work this out! LOL!

I started with a quarter of a small sheet of cardstock and used the side of the brush end of my Basic Black Marker Pen. 

I drew "straight" lines from top to bottom, and then trimmed my cardstock down to the required size - a much better idea!

Using Real Red Ink on Whisper White CS, I stamped the sentiment from the Peace This Christmas Stamp Set. I die cut it with the third largest oval Stitched Shape Framelit Die, and layered it on a scalloped oval die from the Layering Oval Framelit Dies.

Talk about having a DOH! moment!!

I heard back from Laura Mackie over the weekend. 

You may remember her Hearts Come Home swap card I CASED on Friday, but I couldn't work out how she'd achieved lighter "splodges" that were on the sky! 

The answer is that she used Clear Embossing Powder for the splodges first, and then coloured the sky! DOH! 

Many thanks for getting back to me Laura, I'm really grateful.

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

JanB.

Painted Harvest Video

Hello, Crafters.

Earlier this morning I up loaded my video which shows how I made the Painted Harvest Wreath Card last week.

Before I made the video I made another card using a Crumb Cake Cardstock (CS) card base, and top layers, with Soft Suede in between. 

Although the colours were a bit dreary in comparison to the Whisper White, I still rather like the card. 

The biggest decision I had to make was should I use Whisper White or Crumb Cake for the wreath and the sentiment. 

I prepared one of each before I started making my card, and it didn’t take long to realise that it definitely had to be Crumb Cake! 

I've posted a few photographs below. ☺

I wish you all a happy Sunday, and until tomorrow, happy crafting!

JanB.

Painted Harvest Wreath

Hello, Crafters.

Although today's card isn't heavily decorated, it took four stamp sets, two die sets and two punches! 

I wonder if you recognise which stamp set the sentiment comes from? 

I found it, just by chance, in Better Together. 

Normally, when I'm photocopying my stamps sets for my reference folder, if I see one that is suitable for Christmas and non-Christmas, I do two photocopies so I have one in each section - somehow I overlooked this one!

I'm pleased with today's card, especially the door hinges and door handle, but I wonder if I should have used something like Soft Suede as my middle layer rather than Wild Wasabi, and followed through on the hinges and door handle?

I'd seen the idea of using the Painted Harvest Stamp Set as a wreath on Pinterest.

I chose to use Wild Wasabi Ink on Whisper White Cardstock (CS), and I added Red Glimmer Paper  berries. 

These were punched out using the smallest eyes on the Cookie Cutter Punch. 

I used my Paper Snips to fussy cut the wreath which was a little bit of a challenge because it was difficult, at times, to see some of the lighter branches.

If I did get any bits wrong, it doesn't show, so I'm happy!

I had planned to use the Pinewood Planks Dynamic Embossing Folderfor the top Whisper White CS layer, and then adhere the wreath to it with Dimensionals.

Then I had a change of mind and decided to go for the  Hardwood Background Stamp instead - inked in Sahara Sand, and stamped off once.

I much preferred this idea, so I put away the embossing folder, and took the background stamp off the shelf. 

Then my mind started working on the top layer being a door, so I looked through my dies for something that would pass for a door handle.

If you've seen my video where I show how I store my dies, you'll know on the reverse of each magnetic sheet is a piece of thin board. 

This is from the back  of Designer Series Paper packs, and I'd adhered onto this sheet one of each die cut produced by each die in that particular set! 

This is when my filing system really comes into its own!

As I went through my dies storage folders looking at the back of each individual folder, I found the "handle" in the Christmas Thinlits Dies. 

It's the loop to hang the stocking up with (there's also a slightly larger one in the Mitten Dies, too!). 

I continued going through checking all the folders just in case I saw something else that I thought would be more suitable! 

Then I saw the Christmas Lamp Post Thinlits, which would make brilliant "hinges" for the door!

I think everything else about today's card is self-explanatory except to say the holly I used to decorate the sentiment is from the Christmas Pines Stamp Set. 

I used my Wild Wasabi and Real Red Marker Pens to paint and then stamp the sentiment, which I then punched out usng the Pretty Label Punch.

Still using Marker Pens I painted the holly stamp as well, and  then I stamped one at either end of the sentiment.

In an attempt to make  the door handle and hinges a bit darker, I painted them with my Clear Wink of Stellla Glitter Pen.

It didn't do much for darkening them, but they do sparkle beautifully! LOL!

To decorate the inside of the card I stamped the two layers of the wreath over the bottom right hand corner, and added some Real Red berries using my Marker Pen. 
 
My final touch was to add a red bow to the wreath, and unfortunately, I've used a retired Real Red Ribbon as I've finished my reel of the current red ribbon!

I feel that I've hopped about today, so if I've missed anything please let me know so I can put it right!

That's about it for today, so until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.

Painted Harvest

Hello, Crafters.

I'm pleased to say hubby retrieved my email that I somehow managed to wipe off my laptop yesterday! Pheww!!

Yesterday I had my first play with the Painted Harvest Stamp Set, which is a two-step stamping set! Personally, I don't like sunflowers but I've seen some fabulous ideas crafters have come up with using this set with all sorts of different colours for the flowers. 

I think sunflowers in non-sunflower colours look very much like asters! I chose to go with Powder Pink and Smokey Slate for my card as it gave me an opportunity to use our fabulous 0.5" Gingham Ribbon!

After deciding the colour scheme for today's card, I had to decide on the background for the flowers. As we have a co-ordinating punch for the leaves, I'd already decided I'd be fussy cutting the flowers, so I wanted to use an all over background stamp.

Using Whisper White Cardstock (CS), I stamped two flowers using Powder Pink Ink, and five sets of leaves using Pear Pizzazz Ink. I used Smokey Slate, stamped off once for the centres of the flowers, and then added the little stamp of five dots at full strength ink. 

After I'd cut the flowers out, I punched the leaves out, but did a lousy job lining two of them up! Rather than dicard them, I trimmed off the excess white cardstock that was visible, and they were good to go! 

I chose the HAPPY BIRTHDAY stamp from the Better Together Stamp Set. Using Smokey Slate ink, I stamped the sentiment onto a piece of Whisper White CS, and punched it out using our new Everyday Label Punch.

I also punched out one shape in Powder Pink CS, and cut it in half vertically. I adhered each piece at either end behind the sentiment using Tombow.

I've digressed! Back to the background for the top layer of Whisper White CS! 

I recently bought three more background stamps: Marbled, Sheet Music and Diagonal Stripe. I already have Burlap, Hardwood and Watercolour Wash.

I was disappointed when Stampin' Up retired the Designer Series Paper (DSP) Stacks that we could buy in the colour families. I loved having these because it meant I always had some DSP in any colour I was working with. 

By having a selection of background stamps, I'm now back in the same position of being able to have DSP in any colour I'm working with, albeit stamped by me! I chose to use the Marbled Stamp for today's card with Smokey Slate Ink, stamped off once! The effect is stunning! 

I adhered this top layer to a layer of Powder Pink CS, and then adhered a piece of the Smokey Slate Gingham Ribbon around the centre. Using Tombow, I adhered this layer to the Whisper White card base.

I used Dimensionals to adhere the sentiment so it was over the ribbon, and then I adhered the two flowers in position using Dimensionals.  I adhered the leaves also using Dimensionals, except where I overlapped them onto the sentiment, I used Tombow. I finished the front of the card by adding tiny pearls to the flower centres.

Inside the card I adhered a layer of Powder Pink CS, and then a layer of Whisper White CS on top! I stamped a flower in Powder Pink and wanted to add some leaves, so I took timeout to stamp a mask onto a Post It Note (PIN) and fussy cut it.

I didn't find it easy to pick out particular features on the two individual flower stamps to remember how they were positioned.

I decided to stamp the first stamp on a PIN and then onto what would be the Masking PIN. I paid particular attention to make sure I kept the stamp in exactly the same position for both PINS!

On the first PIN I drew a line around two areas which I felt I'll be able to recognise next time I use this stamp set. Then I repeated the pocess for the second stamp i.e. first stamp on a separate PIN, and then stamp it again but this time on top of the flower already stamped on the Masking PIN. 

Again I drew on two areas I felt would be easy to recognise easily next time. I hope I've explained this in a way it makes sense!

The mask worked brilliantly, and I was pleased how the stamped leaves came out! I won't know if my plan with the PIN's is good or not until next time I try using it! Fingers crossed!

That's about it for today. My daughter and I are both taking time out to go out for coffee together this morning, just so we can enjoy some quality Mother and Daughter time together! ☺

Until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.