Thursday, March 31, 2016

Template Thursday-Using up Scraps



I had a sample book of designer paper scraps left over from last year and was wondering what to do with them since I hated to throw them away.  I came up with this quilt like card and duplicated with all the scraps from each designer paper that had been offered.  I have left the sayings off the cards thinking I can label them when I need a specific type of card.  So just when you think there is nothing to do with a scrap, take some time to think if over.

Last Day to order and earn a Sale a Bration item.  

Come back tomorrow to see how I changed an Easter card into a birthday card.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Wednesday Wow-White on White Christmas Card

   Do you think the look of white on white is a wow?  I love the elegance of this card.  

Whisper White card stock
Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer paper
5/8 inch Organza Ribbon
Stars Framelits
Lucky Stars embossing folder
Wink of Stella Clear embossing pen

Stampers who come to my Christmas Through the Year class in April will be able to make 3 of these cards,  Want more information, contact me.

Come back tomorrow to see how I used some scraps to make the same card over and over.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Technique Tuesday-Simple Watercolor Resist


    Do you recognize this stamp set?  It is one of the free offerings for Sale a Bration.  The stamp is called Pedal Pusher and includes a basket and a variety of items that can be placed inside the basked.
Here is how simple this watercolor technique is.....

1. Stamp the image using Versa mark.

2. Emboss the image with white embossing powder. Make sure to rub the surface with an embossing buddy before stamping to keep the static electricity down.

3. Select 2-3 colors you would like to have in the background and using your aqua painter apply sweeps of color to the background.  Avoid lingering over the cardstock with the aqua painter as it might cause the paper to bead up a bit.

4. When dry rub a paper towel over the white image to remove excess ink.  Simple!

Notice the silver at the bottom of this card.  That is not paper it is the glitter tape that is another free item you can order during Sale a Bration.  3 colors come together with this item, white, gold and silver.

Come back tomorrow to see a WOW Christmas card.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Miscellaneous Monday-Sale A Bration


Sale a Bration is one of my favorite parts of the Stampin'Up! year.  Who doesn't love the idea of getting something for free.  This card was made with one of the stamp sets you could earn for free with a $50 order.  If you have not had a chance to order one of the free stamp sets it is not too late.  You can go to my website and shop.  www.sushi.stampinup.net  

Stamp Set: Botanicals for You ( free for Sale a Bration #141234 wood or 141237 clear)

Ink: Memento ink pad #132708 refill #133456 pad $6.00 refill $5.00

Designer Paper: It's My Party paper stack #140552 $26

Card stock: Mint Macaron #138337 $7, Basic Black #121045 $7

Baker's Twine: Combo pack #140555 $6.50

Curvy Corner Trio Punch #139683 $20

Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack #133787 $17

 Check out all the other Sale a Bration items you can earn and come back tomorrow to see how to make a card using a simple Watercolor Technique.
 

Friday, March 25, 2016

Fix it Friday-Wedding Invitations for Brian

 

  My son Brian and Jude are getting married in October and asked me if I would be interested in making the invitations.  Would I?!!!!! I was so excited.  Jude pinned some ideas to her invite board on Pinterest and I checked them out.  Here are some ideas I came up with.


I tried to keep the same layout and just change a few things.  Here I made the ribbon wider and tied a bow on the top portion.  I also changed the swirl so that it looked a little less feminine. more country.


I tried to add two layers of a thinner ribbon, and some unusual flowers as accent pieces.  The Crumb Cake layer is actually some crimped paper that looks a little like the inside of cardboard.

Can you see how I used the same format, just changed up some elements each time?  Guess which card they chose?  They liked card number 1 with the swirls from card number 2.  I am excited and can't wait to get started.  I just need the information they want on the invites and then off I will go........

Have a great weekend, do some stamping and come back Monday to see what Miscellaneous item I choose to blog about.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Template Thursday-Stampin Celebration

 I checked out the Challenge sites I had bookmarked and found this template on Stampin'Celebration! I like going to a challenge site when I feel my creativity needs a boost.



Here is my interpretation of the sketch. What do you think?
Come back tomorrow to see how I fixed some proposed wedding invitations for my son's wedding in Ocotober.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Wednesday Wow-Floating Trees


 I love this card and how the trees look like they are floating in the air. I could not find an official name for this technique so I am calling it the floating trees.

Part of the front of the card is cut off, the cut off section is shortened and the trees hold the entire card together.  This card is featured in my Christmas Through the Year card class to be held Thursday at 12:30 and 6:30.  Each person who signs up makes 3 cards just like this one.  When they are finished they will have made 9 Christmas cards ready to mail in December 2016.

Check back tomorrow to see the template I am using to design a card this week.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Technique Tuesday-Coloring Vellum



    Sale a Bration, a chance to earn free products without having a party, is coming to a close.  Today I am featuring two of the products you can get for free with a $50 order.

1. Botanical Gardens Vellum paper stack.  I looks great backed by colored paper or even white.  But the favorite thing I like to do with it is color in some of the spaces.    

In this first card I have used the Gold Wink of Stella Glitter Brush, featured in the Occasions catalog, to color in some of the flowers.  It creates an added glittery accent to the card.

2. Glitter Tape.  This tape is easy to tear and thick enough to create a great accent.  I used the gold tape on the first card.

  For my second card I chose to color in the flowers using the colors that were featured in the Botanical gardens designer papers from the Occasion catalog.

I used the white glitter tape and colored it with markers that matched to colors used for the flowers.  What a totally different look this gave the same vellum that was used in the first card.

Come to my Last Chance Sale a Bration class on Friday at 12:30 or 6:30 to make some cards using Sale a Bration products.

Tomorrow I will feature the What I Love stamp set for a Wednesday Wow.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Miscellaneous Monday-Scrappy card


It feels good to be back to blogging. Last week I was out of commission with a horrendous cough.  Unusual for me I had to cancel all my classes and do nothing. Glad to be back.

Every year when the new catalog comes out I get samples of all the designer papers and put them in a book for customers to look at.  But then my dilemma what to do with all the samples at the end of the year.  

1. I cut the samples into small pieces.

2. Then I attached the pieces onto a white piece of cardstock.

3. When I need a card I add embellishments and a saying and voila I have made good use of what someone might throw away.

Come back tomorrow to see how I used the technique of coloring on vellum to make a stunning card.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Fix it Friday-Stampin at Knollwood



Time to stamp at Knollwood with my 80 and 90 year old friends.  I looked through some leftover supplies from cards I have done in my classes and tried to figure out how I could change the card for the ladies at Knollwood to make.

1. I knew stamping the flower and leaves and getting them to match up would be too hard for the ladies to do.

2. I also knew that the starburst framelits were retired and I didn't have them around any more.

So, here are the changes I made.


1. The ladies like birthday cards since that is what they like to send out the most. So, I used the happy birthday from the Tin of Cards stamp set.

2. They are learning how to stamp with making extra lines, so I thought the small flower would be easy for them to stamp on their own while I help others stamp the birthday saying and punch out the circle.

3. I pre-punched the 2" Crushed Curry circle because I learned early on that punching is very hard for them to do.

They loved the card and were very successful stamping the little flower.  Carol, who never wants to stamp actually stamped little flowers all over her envelope and felt very successful.  Its the little things that make people happy isn't it.

Have a great weekend and check back Monday to see what Miscellaneous item I feature on my blog next week.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Template Thursday-Sunburst Downline Challenge



At the February meeting of the Super Snails (my downline) we each made our own sunburst similar to mine above.  We then used designer paper for each one of the rays of the sunburst. The challenge for this month's meeting was to bring back your own starburst creation.



I used the designer paper pack called Pretty Petals 


I finished mine off with a focal point in the center.


Darcy tilted her starburst.  It was stunning with all the glimmer paper she used and really did not need anything else on the front.  


Jody used the designer paper from the Occasion catalog called Botanical Gardens


Jody then made a second card using the starburst template she made. Her background paper was from another meeting where we created a background using waxed paper and embossing folders.  I like how she off set her center.  

It was such great fun to see how each person interpreted the challenge in a different way.
Now, I keep wondering how it would look with all kinds of different DSP.

Come back tomorrow to see how I fixed a simple card to take it to Knollwood on Wednesday.

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Wednesday Wow- More Paper Pumpkin extras



August 2015 Paper Pumpkin was a gorgeous box, and elegant cards with lots of leftovers.  I have been having great fun using all kinds of leftovers from the kits and making my own cards.

After I punched out the flowers for the boxes there was a lot of pink paper leftover.  I decided to use the pansy punch to make some flowers.  I also had quite a few tags leftover and thought they would make excellent accent pieces for a card.  Can you tell what else is leftover in this card?  I used some of my scrap paper from the Holiday catalog.


More flowers, designer paper and another stamp from the free stamp set included in the paper pumpkin kit.


   
Another tag, some hearts punched from the extra pink paper, and some extra stamps make up this note card.


Finally I added a couple of hearts to an extra tag to make the perfect tag for a special gift.

This was sure a lot of fun, now check back tomorrow to see what I do for Template Thursday.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Tehnique Tuesday, Transfering leftovers



Check out the flower in the center.  When you pull it off the paper there are a lot of add shapes left behind.  I did not want to throw those shapes away but wanted to find a way to keep them in the correct order. 

1. Place the leftover background paper on a surface



2. Lay a piece of vellum on top of the background piece.



3. You now have a surface to place the odd pieces on that will be an almost invisible background when completed.


4. You can use the bottom piece as your layout guide.



5. Finish the card using your completed focal piece.




Come back tomorrow for a Wow 

Monday, March 7, 2016

Miscellaneous Monday-Triple Easel card video

  Well, I did it!  I created my second you tube video which you will be able to see here on my blog.  I admit it was a bit easier than the first one.

My first triple easel card was a winter card and I don't know about you but I am ready for spring.  So, I used the Wildflower Fields designer paper from the Sale a Bration brochure and the Flowering Fields stamp set to make a spring like card.  Do you think that will make spring come any faster?

   You might wonder how you could mail a card like this.  It folds up into one compact card that fits perfectly into a standard envelope.




Come back tomorrow to see how I copied an intricate design of small parts on Technique Tuesday.


Friday, March 4, 2016

Fix it Friday-Leftover Paper Pumpkin Cards


  I decided that I needed to make some additional Paper Pumpkin cards using the leftover supplies.  This card was pretty simple because I had one of the main ingredients left over.  I also used some scrap gold to make the hearts.


  For this card I tried to use the inside pieces and place them on a new card.  It did not work quite as well as I thought it might so I rethought how to do this same technique.



  For this card I place a piece of vellum on top of the pattern and placed the gold on top of the design.  It turned out much better.


    This final card was made by cutting around the inside pieces and making them an accent piece for the card.  I had so much fun taking pieces of my paper pumpkin kit that I might have thrown away and turning them into new card designs.  

Come back Monday to see my new Miscellaneous Monday creation and a new you tube video.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Template Thursday-February Paper Pumpkin



    This kit was so much fun to make.  The cards were simple and cute and the messages were the 3 I use the most.  The hardest part was putting on the sequins.






    Even the envelopes were cute.  And best of all there were a lot of leftover supplies.  Check back tomorrow to see what I did with the leftovers.

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Wednesday Wow-Lovely as a Tree Christmas card



     Does this card look like it might be difficult to make?  Well, it isn't.  Stampers came to my house last Thursday and made this card in the Christmas Year Round card class.

1. Emboss a piece of vellum using the Softly Falling embossing folder.  

2. Stamp the trees in Mellow Moss along the bottom of the extra piece of white cardstock, and on the envelope and in the inside of the card.



3. Make the banners using the triple banner punch. Stamp some snowflakes on the banners to add some color.

4. Stamp the sayings, and add some bling and silver twine and your card is finished.

Come back tomorrow for a look at this months Paper Pumpkin cards.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Tecnique Tuesday-Altertive Easel card



     After I made my calendar easel card, I looked on pinterest for other kinds of easel cards.  I found one that inspired me to make this card.  I call this the triple layer easel card.

Want to know how to make this card?  Check back on Monday for my second You Tube video for directions and a video