Fabulous Finds Friday: Foiled Again!

I’m loving the new mixed media material offered by Therm O Web,  in collaboration with designers Rebekah Meier and Gina K. Designs. I’ve been a foiling fool! For these cards I’m using just about everything in both of these newly launched lines — the foiling sheets, the pre-made foilable cards, the embossing paste, etc. I especially love the collection of toner-base, ready-to-foil sentiments and backgrounds. These are so easy to use, and great if you don’t have a laser-printer to create your own foil-able prints.

This photo (Ugh! I should have re-shot it!!) doesn’t do justice to the lovely shine of foil, so here are some close-ups:

These cards used the Gina K.™ Designs Foil-Mates™ backgrounds and sentiments. Because these are printed with toner-based ink, all you have to do is cover with foil and run it through your laminator. I die-cut the sentiments using  the gina k.™ designs oval single stitch die set, from Therm O Web and created specifically to match the Foil-Mates™ sentiments. (I love the bonus shapes found there, too!)

 

Here’s another one using red foil on the striped background.

I’ll have more examples in my next post — including ways to use the “waste” from the foil!

In the meantime, check out these websites: www.RebekahMeier.com, Gina K. Designs and www.thermoweb.com for more ideas. And this fab foiling video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=votcAZg1XHk&t=25s

Thanks for stopping by!

Fabulous Finds Friday: Easy Pop-up Card

Would you believe I have never made a pop-up card? My goodness! It seemed so complicated to me … until I got the Stitched Hillside Pop-Up die from Lawn Fawn:

Of course, I had to play with it ASAP … so I started this card completely backwards with no idea of what I wanted to do. I just wanted to see how the pop-up was created. I cut the die from white card stock and attached it to a white card base, just to see how it fit together and how easy it was to construct. It was so cute I decided to go ahead and create a winter scene.

Here’s the inside:

I stamped and fussy cut trees using some old Hero Arts stamps and stuck them on. Of course, it was still too plain so I added some silver snowflakes (also from Hero Arts). And then the greeting. Totally unplanned; I just kept building the card.

I felt kinda dumb, because now I had a plain white front that would be difficult to stamp on. But then … ta da! … I watched this great Lawn Fawn tutorial and I loved the way Kelly Marie created a belly band for the front of her card! So simple!

And now I’m hooked! It’s not the greatest card, but it was fun and surprisingly easy — a good learning experiment!

Thanks for tuning in.

 

More Topiary Frenzy

In my last post, I went crazy using Vertical Greetings, a nifty new topiary set from Stampin’ Up. I was all about the white embossing on blue.

But had to experiments a bit more, using mostly what was left on my desk.

Still playing with the white embossing:

And trying out two-tone embossing:

(embossed with Ranger’s Lime Green and Tea Rose powders.)

A little different, embossed in gold on vellum:

(Using TapeTastic tape to hide some boo-boos. Not my favorite, but hey, that’s what experimenting is all about!)

And my favorite use, tags:

I stamped the topiary and the sentiment in Ranger’s Wendy Vecchi Archival leaf green, then gold embossed a pot, cut it out and added it on top. This was fast and easy, especially since I had pre-embossed and cut a bunch of pots!

Thanks for sticking with me!

 

 

Fabulous Finds — New Embossing System

I found a fun new embossing system called Inside Out Embossing Plates (or IOEP for short!) that lets you create several embossed looks by simply switching out some plastic plates.

Here’s what they look like:

Created by Australian crafter Tasha E Armour, who wanted an easier way to do double embossing on her cards, the plates work with most tabletop embossing machines and with most embossing folders. (You can see some excellent videos on her website, teapapercrafts.com.)

Tasha has also created a versatile embossing folder designed specifically for the 9-piece IOEP set, which she promises is only the first of many future designs:

Here’s how it works: Say you want to emboss your card front with only the center oval. You load your paper inside the embossing folder, then use removable tap to attach the center oval piece of the IOEP set to the appropriate area on the outside of the embossing folder. (Sorry, I didn’t take a photo of this step!) The center oval piece presses down on that area so that the oval is the only thing embossed. Hope that makes sense!

Take a look. Here is an example of using the entire embossing plate:

Pretty, right?

But for my next card, I wanted space for a sentiment in the center, so I used the rectangle piece that covered the corners and the piece that covered the larger oval:

When applying the plates, think about which areas you want embossed. That’s where you apply the plates. (It almost sounds counter-intuitive, but picture it as if you are pressing down on those areas to get an impression — that’s what the plates do.)

I trimmed the piece, heat embossed a sentiment in the center and mounted in on tan card stock:

Playing around with the folder and the plates (which are made in the USA from a semi flexible plastic) I created a small decorative piece using the smaller oval and the inside design:

I cut the oval using Spellbinders’ Classic Ovals Small S4-112 (one of the first dies I ever bought!) and mounted it on a tiny tag (actually a pre-scored place card from Paper Source. Love these for tags!) The background was stamped using Hero Arts’ Unicorn white pigment ink and Hero Arts’ Pearl Strings Bold Prints stamp.

Tasha says there are 31 different combos for the IOEPs — but I think I found a 32nd design! Check out the two embossed lines on this card:

To create those lines, I used the outside frame. I put just one side of my card stock in the folder, ran it through, and repeated the step. I trimmed the piece and applied it to front of a 3 1/2 x 4 3/4 (4bar) folded card. The cute pot is one of my new favorite dies (flower pots B667) from Cheery Lynn and the flower stamp is an old one from Memory Box. I put a scrap of glitter paper behind the opening in the pot before mounting it.

I haven’t had a chance to try the IOEP set with other embossing folders, but that’s in the works, and I look forward to some new designs from Tasha!

 

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Here are a few more Valentines … enjoy! I hope your day is was sweet!

I’m so crazy about Tim Holtz’s Crazy Birds (Stampers Anonymous) and the accessories pack. I’m also crazy about my new *Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors (I have six, but now I want more!). What better time to combine these two products?

I started this card by playing around with these delicious watercolors. I used Deep Pink and a touch of Carmine Red to create the background on watercolor paper. The colors are so rich I found myself diluting them with more water to get softer shades.

While the background was drying I stamped the sassy bird on Tim Holtz Watercolor Card stock (smooth side) in VersaFine and painted her with the watercolors. The hat was stamped separately and painted with Distress Ink Fossilized Amber; the rose and the ribbon on the box with more red. (The rose, the ribbon, and the details on the bird were later highlighted with Kuretake’s Wink of Stella Pink and Dark Pink. Oh, how I Wink of Stella!)

I cut the watercolor paper to fit on a tan card, edged it with VersaMark and Judikins’ Egyptian Gold powder (love the sparkle!), and affixed it to the card front. For my last step, I die cut Technique Tuesday’s  adorable *Heart Strings from gold paper scraps and glued them on top. How sweet is this card? Oh yeah … and I stamped the sentiment using *Stampin’ Up’s! Bloomin’ Love set. (You’ll see the coordinating die set used in my earlier Valentine cards here.) The sentiment is perfect for my “gal-entine” cards that went to my BFFs.)

Here’s another version using the same materials (and the other die in the Technique Tuesday Heart Strings set. See how I got some extra hearts?)

One more quick card using the Heart Strings in a different way:

The adorable bird (Love Bird by Cath Edvalson) is also from Technique Tuesday. The sequins are from Lawn Fawn. The sentiment from *Stampin’ Up! Bloomin’ Love. 

 

*These products were generously donated by the companies. See this note.

(This post was written on Feb. 13, but then I lost it all!!! Aaargh. )

Puzzle-icious Die Cutting

I love using dies that create inset pieces. Putting the pieces together reminds me of doing puzzles as a child, which I loved to do.

Here are some quick cards that show how fun and easy it is to create cards using simple die cuts.

I went crazy over these Highlight Frames from Simon Says Stamp.

First, here’s a look at the three shapes that come in the set.

I placed the dies on a piece of scrap silver cardstock and cut the shapes.

I then used the dies on various other scraps and inserted those pieces into the silver base to create this card:

(Sorry for the wonky photo!) To insert the pieces I first put a piece of packing tape on the back of the large silver piece. I put the tape so the sticky part would be face up as you looked at the card, showing through as you look at it. Then I carefully inserted the die cut pieces into the cut portion — just like fitting together a puzzle. The pieces stuck to the tape. (Hope that makes sense!)

I then attached the entire piece to the front of my card.

Here are two other examples:

This one is a bit different because I didn’t inset the die cuts, I just glued them to the front. As you can see, this method made it a bit tricky to get the lines down straight. I need to work on that!

The dies are quite versatile in that you can turn them to use in different directions.

After doing all that die cutting, I had some random leftovers. So what’s a gal to do? Make tags of course!

How cute are those tags?

Thanks for stopping by! Want more die-cutting insets? Check out these postings here and here.

Mega Craft Show Report!

I survived another stint at the Mega Craft Show put on by the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA). And what an event it was! As you most likely know, this is the craft industry’s Academy Awards, Emmys and Golden Globes all rolled into one. More than 400 exhibitors showed up in Anaheim to showcase new craft products. Vendors came from all across the U.S., plus Canada, Australia, England, etc. and booths spanned all the creative arts: beads and jewelry, cake and food decorating, paint and art materials, floral decorating and paper, fabric/needlecraft, kids and general crafting.

In the next few weeks, I will try to give you a taste of some of the things I found there, from the biggies (Ranger, Sizzix, Spellbinders, etc.) to smaller, lesser known companies.

Let’s start off with something a little out-of-the-box — metal and chalkboard products from M-D Hobby & Craft. Here are some of their offerings:

Who knew you could be so creative with building material? (Well, actually any mixed media artist knows!)

Check out these darling bird houses:

And beautiful jewelry:

.

For more ideas, and how-to videos, visit www.mdhobbyandcraft.com.

Stay tuned for more CHA reports.

Scrapalicious Mosaic Cards — a Tutorial

A few months ago I re-discovered an old technique that I learned YEARS ago in a cool class taught by the talented folks at Magenta. It uses long, thin pieces of paper to create nifty patterns. Aha, I thought! Another way to get rid of my scraps!

Making these cards, I found, is very Zen-like. Simple and fun and you can’t go wrong. (And did I mention … you can use up your scraps? Grin.)

Take a look:

Here’s how you do it:

1. Cut some long strips of paper, about 1/4 inch in width. I generally use scraps.)

2. Run a piece of flat card stock through your Xyron machine. (You can use other adhesives, but I found this to be the fastest, easiest method. However, you can also line your piece with double sided tape or use any double sided adhesive sheet.)

3. Lay down your dividing lines. This should be a solid color. I generally use black, but every so often I go wild and use white or metallic.) Start with a longer piece placed diagonally across the card, which sort of divides your paper in an upper and lower half. Then add shorter pieces going the other way to create a grid:

4. Start filling in the blank areas with your scraps, laying the strips in a herringbone pattern. Let them hang over the edge, you’ll cut them and use THOSE pieces to fill in smaller gaps.

5. Continue to fill in the areas, alternating directions and strips.

6. When the piece is all filled in, flip it over and trim the ends:

7. Mount your piece on a card front. Add a greeting, focal point, etc., or keep it plain.

My next post will show some examples using this technique, and a variation.

While you’re here, check out my earlier post and leave a comment there for a chance to win a Pinterest book!

Have fun!

Fabulous Finds — Gelli Art!

This is a perfect example of what happens when I am afraid to try something and then I do … and I become addicted!

I am now addicted to the Gelli Plate by Gelli Arts. I finally tried it while writing an article about mixed media techniques for the Fall issue of Craftideas magazine. (Shameless self promotion alert! Besides my article, the issue has three of my projects, with a fourth featured in the enewsletter.)

The Gelli Plate looks and feels like gelatin, but is a durable, reusable, easy to clean surface that is used for monoprinting. The simple version: spread a drop or two of acrylic paint on the plate. Use a brayer to spread the paint into a thin layer across the plate. Use a soft object (stamp, bubble wrap, brush, stencils, etc.) to create an imprint. Add more colors if you like. Place plain copy paper on top of the painted surface, rub gently, then “pull” off your print. Not perfect? Add more paint and put on another layer. There are NO mistakes!

Here’s what I made (these are not the ones printed in the magazine.)

Here’s some of the pulled paper:

And a few cards:

Just plain …

And with a sentiment:

Sentiment by Kaisercraft.; sequins from Lawn Fawn.

Stay tuned for more ideas … including how I used up the leftover pieces.

Thanks for stopping by.

Another from the Vault

Who knew cleaning could be such fun? Here are some more cards made years ago, when I first started stamping:

When shadow stamping first came into fashion, I thought it was the greatest technique because it was so quick and easy. I first learned the technique through Hero Arts when the company introduced solid stamps in various sizes and shapes, and also ink that was soft and mat and perfect as a base. (I’ll be blogging soon about the newest Hero Arts stamps that harken back to shadow stamping! Or check out the Hero Arts Web site and look at Shari Carroll’s video.)

The shadow stamps are definitely Hero Arts, as are the inks. The fish is from Maryse Carrier, who once designed for Magenta. I was thrilled to find out that her designs are now being carried at Stampotique! Do check them out. I had forgotten how fun and whimsical her designs are, so I’ll be digging out more of those oldies from my collection.

This one is all Judikins (except the sentiment, which I believe is Hero Arts.) The background is a fun retro block with four images on one block; the abstract was black embossed and colored with watercolors.