Fabulous Finds Friday — Getting in Gear with Stamping Gear

When I first saw the Inkadinkado StampingGear at the Craft & Hobby Association Show, I thought the idea was cool — creating designs by stamping around a tool that had slots in it. It reminded me of my old Spirograph. But the gear seemed too large for me,  suitable for 12×12 scrapbook pages, but not applicable to my card marking. Even when I saw the smaller version, it didn’t immediately wow me.

Until I started to play. And then I found it addictive. There is a Zen-like quality of just stamping randomly, changing colors, switching out the images… Don’t think, just stamp! You never know what you are going to get. And that is part of the charm.

Take a look. Here’s the starter kit:

The green cling-mounted stamps go on the paddle handle. Put them on any way you like. Then insert either end of the paddle into one of the slots on the “gear” and stamp around the knob!

I started playing around using the gear on boring old manila file folders. Here’s a close-up of how it works:

And some finished folders:

I used ColorBox Stephanie Barnard dye ink for the fast drying, vibrant colors.

I can hear you wondering … “but these are such big, bold designs. How can we use them on cards?” Take a look at some of these backgrounds:

In my next post, I’ll show you what I’ve done with them! In the meantime, take a look at the helpful video on the EK Success website (or direct link). Thanks for stopping by.

Textured Boxes

I love boxes, especially little boxes. Using textured paper and a Spellbinders Nestabilities die cut set, I created these in just a few minutes:

Paper above is from Core’dinations.

The red leather-looking cardstock below is from an old stash … sorry I don’t remember the manufacturer.

Fabulous Fun Friday — Still Texturizing!

Had enough texture yet? (Can one get enough texture?)

Here are more of my extensive, exiciting adventures in texture:

A simple card awaiting a sentiment. Core’dinations paper was run through Lifestyle Crafts’ Whimsy embossing folder. The Butterfly (by Layers of Color was heat embossed with the cool chunky embossing powder from Stampendous! Not sure you can get the full effect of the chunky, multi-colored powder. (A note about Layers of Color: Laura Kirste’s designs are now available through Spellbinders and Penny Black. Check out her new Website, laurakirste.com)

I like the masculine feel of this card — so much pizazz with such little effort. Core’dinations paper, run through Tim Holtz’ Gridlock Texture Fade Fade. The car was dry embossed using Tim’s Artful Muse ATC-sized embossing folderr, then cut out and mounted on foam dots. Sentiment from Hero Arts.

The pretty dots were already on the Core’dinations Jillian paper! I just sanded them lightly to bring out the core color. The larger butterfly is a Cuttlebug die and embossing folder, the smaller butterfly is a three-way punch from EK Success. Love the dimension! Sentiment from Close To My Heart. Stickles for sparkle!

Thanks for stopping by!

Texture-ific Day Two

I have only began to scratch the surface of texture!

Today is all about my experimentation with letterpress. Letterpress is so old-school, so rich, so yummy! Unlike heat embossing, which gives a raised surface, letterpress “de-bosses” or presses INTO the paper. The best papers for letterpress are those that are a bit thicker. The letterpressed image should not show through to the other side.

In a July 6 posting (here), I introduced the new Fiskars Fuse, a letterpress machine that die cuts at the same time it presses. (here are the tags I posted:)

(Yes, I reversed the process for the blue tag — I ran the tag through so that the design was pushed UP, then I sanded the raised area to give more definition. This won’t work with EVERY letterpress plate, but will with some.)

So then I had to play with the Epic Letterpress by Lifestyle Crafts. Again, such a beautiful outcome. Check it out:

Is that fabulous or what? So lush! Although special, thicker letterpress ink is suggested, I just used some pigment inks because I wanted the colors.

Here’s another:

And a round tag, die cut on the Epic:

Am I done? No way! Stay tuned for more texture fun.

Thanks for stopping by.

Texture-ific!

Last week I mentioned my explorations in texture. When I get a writing assignment, I tend to immerse myself in that process or technique. The more I play, the more I love whatever it is I’m doing! (Yes, I am THAT fickle!) Writing about texture for the October issue of Crafts ‘n things magazine was no exception. I got to play with embossing folders, specialty papers and letterpress. I am one lucky gal.

This week I will show you some of my playtime, er, I mean, work time results. (And be sure to pick up the October issue of Crafts ‘n things!)

First up are some tags and an ATC made using embossing folders.

This ATC (unfinished) uses Core’dinations paper (love the built-in texture already on this paper; then when you emboss and sand you get the white core for more definition.) The embossing folder is from Tim Holtz Alterations, French Connection (for Sizzix) and is designed specifically for the smaller scale of an ATC. But wouldn’t it make a pretty additon to the corner of a card?

Same paper (but in tag form) with the addition of the beautiful Elegant Bouquet embossing folder from Stampin’ Up!. I love this folder because the pattern is just in the corner, leaving you plenty of stampable space.

And here is that same folder, but on white. Yum.

Stay tuned for more texture!

Fabulous Finds Friday — New Spellbinders Dies

Don’t they ever sleep at Spellbinders? Yes, they have introduced more new dies and texture plates. The new Majestic Elements — which build on Nestabilities —  are detailed nesting dies that work as single elements or can be layered. The dies —  Marvelous Squares, Exquisite Circles and Resplendent Rectangles — offer many shape and layering options.   Spellbinders recently received the Craft & Hobby Association 2012 Summer Innovations Award for these dies, which were also on the “CHA Hot 20” creative products list at the show.

Take a look at one set:

I also love several of the grungier M-Bossabilities two-sided folders. Here are two of my faves:

Can’t you just see that embossed on metal or foil? Yum!

This one is fun, too:

I am crazy about texture, so these really call out to me! And speaking of texture, my article about adding texture to your cardmaking is in the October issue of Crafts ‘n things magazine, out now. I will be posting more about texture this week.

Check out the new Spellbinders dies — and the videos — on the Spellbinders Website here.

I’ll leave you with one more treat from Spellbinders. Can you say oooooooooooohhhh?

Thanks for stopping by!

Fabulous Finds Friday — Bannerific!

Oh, my, I have been quite absent here, haven’t I?

Today I’ll post a project I made in June — a banner. Banners have been big for a while, and I’ve had this set from Close To My Heart for several months…

… but I was never sure what to do with it. Until I met a spritely woman who lives in the same senior complex as my mom. Doreen uses a scooter to tool around and she loves to decorate it in monthly themes. June showcased bride and groom bears; July sported a red, white and blue star-spangled theme.  I knew she’d appreciate a banner to drape over her scooter basket. I picked six of the flags — one for each letter of her name — and set about to decorate them in bright colors. Side one:

And the other side, with her name:

She loved it!

Here’s a close up:

It was such fun to see the delight on her face, and fun to see her tool around with my banner front and center.