Wednesday Sketch Challenge at SplitCoastStampers

I took a break from re-working that wedding card I posted on Monday to do the Wednesday Sketch Challenge at SplitCoastStampers. This was fun sketch. I wasn't going to do a winter card but I had the photos sitting out and thought I'd give it a try. It's cute but nothing I would do for Christmas cards. I would have to cut out the top part, the snowman face from each photo using a x-acto knife and cutting very carefully and straight too! Something I could do but to do 130 of them I can pretty much guarantee you that about 80 of them will not be SO straight anymore!!! And think of the cramps in the hand!!! For this one I used two photos so I didn't have to cut out the center of the photo. But to do that many Christmas cards I would have to be a bit more frugal!! SO I just did the one for the Wednesday challenge at SplitCoast.

And then I made another one. The "To Have and to Hold" set was the one I had in mind when I saw the sketch. I was hoping the bride and groom would fit in the other direction but they didn't so I had to turn the card. My first thought with this was, had the bride and groom gone the other direction was to put the Mr. on one side of the couple and the Mrs. on the other side where that strip that goes through the middle is. But it didn't work out that way and this is what I came up with. I am still toying with the idea of doing the Mr. & Mrs. in a circle, layering it and adding it to the bottom right corner of the bride and groom piece.

I was SO fortunate to be able to play with the sketch and make two. This is the first time I've ever made two on the same day and two different ones at that!!!

Tomorrow I will pick another of the ideas that were left in the comment section on Monday's card and re-do the card with that suggestion.

Thank you SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

Technique Page Cracked Glass

Here's an oldie but goodie!! The "Cracked Glass" technique. This is a very fun technique to do too! And not very difficult, just a bit time consuming because of all the layers of embossing powder you need to heat. Using the Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE) makes it go a little quicker because it's thick and melts thicker too.

Take your finished stamped image and cover it with the embossing ink pad. Sprinkle the UTEE on and heat it until it melts. Repeat this 4 to 6 times to get a nice thick coat over the image. Once you have it as thick as you'd like it, place it in the freezer for at least 10 minutes. Remove it and gently give the image small bends to crack it. Repeat the bending until the cracking has been achieved. Once the image warms up it will not crack but you can refreeze it and then crack it some more. To enhance the cracks rub a dark ink over the top of the surface and wipe off any excess. Layer onto card stock and use on your cards or scrapbook pages.

If pieces should crack off just put them back on if you can find them and reheat the whole thing. Put it back in the freezer and then crack it again. It's kind of hard to ruin it!!!

This is another page I will be including in my Techniques Page book and also will be included in the pages I will be giving away as Blog Candy when my blog reaches 500,000 hits. The numbers are rolling by fast and I need to start posting these more often or it's going to be a pretty slim book!!!

This item was made entirely of Stampin' Up! products. To view more items made entirely of Stampin' Up! products click here.

To see the other Technique Pages, click here.

Thanks SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

I Received an Award!!!

I received this award from Jeani at Scrappin' in Paradise. Thank you Jeani!!!

The rules for this award are as follows: 1) The winner can post the logo on her blog. 2) Link the person you received your award from. 3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs. 4) Put links of those blogs on yours. 5) Leave a message on the blogs you've nominated. So the 7 I am going to nominate are:

Sara
Melissa
Jan

Sandy

Nancy

MJ

Diane

Is Bigger REALLY Better?

Got your attention on that one, didn't I!!! LOL

On a few of the comments it was suggested that I try the bigger wider ribbon. SO here is what I did. I used the 7/8" Black Organdy ribbon. I hope Stampin' Up! comes out with the black in the wider grosgrain and a few more colors too!!!

I changed the champagne to the "Mr. & Mrs. from the Stampin' Up! "Together Forever" set. Tanya suggested this in an email to me. I will be emailing Tanya to get her snail mail address to send her a set of 4 of this layout. I had cut my "Mr. & Mrs." stamp in half so I could use each one individually. I cut it so I can still put the two pieces together and use them as one stamp too. I do like having the versatility of the two pieces.

I will play some more with your suggestions and select another "winner" of the suggestions to the first card. This is fun!!! I need a little bit of "change" in my life right now. It's kind of like one of those games where you have so many parts to a puzzle and everyone helps put it together!!! I LOVE getting these suggestions. It can show me things I've never thought of before or things I've forgotten. I'm not use to doing "simple" cards. Most of mine consist of at least 40 layers!!! LOL And it's obvious that I need help with the simple things!!!

Thank you SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

What You "See" is Not Always What You Get!!! Challenge/Candy?

I had this card in mind. I wanted to make a very simple wedding card. I wanted to use the Cuddlebug folder. I wanted to use "something" in a 1/4" circle. I wanted to layer it with a larger circle. And I wanted it in black and white.

It's obviously in black and white. I did use the Cuddlebug folder. I did use the 1/4" circles layered and there is "something" in the circle. But this "something" isn't doing it for me. SO it looks like I'll be working on a few more wedding cards this week!!!

Any suggestions??? If I have the images and I use your suggestion I will not only post it here giving you credit but I will send you 4 with envelopes for you to use when you need a wedding card!!!

Thank you SO much for stopping by and I look forward to your suggestions!!
Wanda

Technique Page Waxed Paper Resist

This is a VERY fun technique. I LOVE doing the Waxed Paper Resist on my backgrounds. There was a time that Stampin’ Up! had a background called "On Safari" that looked a lot like this. When I had that stamp I stopped using this technique but now that it’s long been retired I’m back to using this again.

This is another page that I will be adding not only to my Technique Book but also to the pages I will be giving away as Blog Candy when my blog reaches 500,000 hits!!! It's moving fast so I'd better get a move on these pages!!!

It is a very simple one to do too. I just don’t like to do it when DH is home. You see, I have several shirts hanging in the laundry room that need ironing and I would be asked why I could get the iron out for this but not for the shirts!! LOL And sometimes (SOMETIMES) I feel guilty when I do get the iron out for this technique and don’t iron the shirts. But the guilt passes once I get back to my worktable to play!!! LOL

Your waxed paper should be larger than the paper your card stock. Crumple up the waxed paper and straighten it back out again. Once it's crumpled it will be smaller, that is why you want it larger than your card stock. Sandwich it between your card stock. Place a piece of copier paper over the top of that. You don’t want any waxed paper to touch your iron. With the iron set on medium slowly iron over the papers. You can lift an edge and peek under to see if the waxed paper melted onto the card stock. The colored card stock is ready to use.

For the glossy card stock, ink up the brayer and roll it over the paper until the color become sone tone. The wax will resist the ink and only the ink color will show. It’s now ready to use!!!

In the photo here, the dark colored piece is the colored card stock and the lighter one is the glossy card stock. No two pieces will look alike. I like to cut my card stock in half because I don’t really need two full sheets of the background paper (unless I’m doing a swap and need a lot).

Pretty simple and VERY fun!!!

This item was made entirely of Stampin' Up! products. To view more items made entirely of Stampin' Up! products click here. For more Technique Pages click here.

Thank you SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

Weekend Project! Fun for the Kids!

This is a very fun coloring folder to make for the kids for those long rides to grandma’s house. I would think they’d be fun for party favors as well!!!

To make this project you will need the following items:
Colored card stock
3 sheets of Whisper White card stock
Double sided tape - preferably the Red Line tape
Fun to color in rubber stamps - kids themes
Decorative paper
Fastener
Corner Rounder (optional)

Start out with your colored card stock. Cut it 8-3/4" x 4". Score on the long side at 2-7/8", slide over to 3-5/8", 6-1/2" and 7-1/4". Fold all the score lines in using your bone folder to get a nice sharp fold.

For the box that will hold the coloring cards cut the card stock 4-3/4" x 3-1/4". Score on the long side at 1/4" and ½". Turn and score the other end the same. For the bottom part of the long side score at 1/4" and ½". You will be snipping away the bottom corner squares on each side leaving one for a flap. Cut away 3 of the 4 visible squares on the bottom corners. The one square left is the flap that you will fold in first when assembling this piece. So when you cut the 3 squares off the corners, make sure you cut the same 3 off on the other side. You will need to cut one side of the square left so it will be held on by one score line. Make sure you snip the other side to match or your flaps will be on different folds. And if that happens it is ok, it will still work.

I used a 3/4" punch to make the half circle mark on the center of the coloring card holder.

Next you will tape the flap in first and then the edges but you will tape them all at the same time. If you tape the flap first and secure it, it makes it a bit difficult to tape the other edges. It can be done but not very easy. Set the taped piece in place on the left large piece of the inside of the holder. If you happen to tape it on the right then you will just move your crayons to the left. Not a big deal. Kids aren’t picky when it comes to stuff like this. They just like getting "stuff!"

Using the Red Line tape, tape the crayons in place.


For the coloring pages I cut the white card stock 3-3/4" x 2-3/4". I cut 3 sheets of card stock up for this. Not all of my stamped images stamped clearly so I had room for error. Fill the holder with as many coloring cards as you’d like or that will fit.

For the front I used some fun decorative paper I ran across. I cut the larger piece 3-5/8" x 2-5/8". For the flap I cut that piece 3-5/8" x 1-1/4". I used the corner rounder on the two corners. I then taped them in place.

You have several options as to how you want the cover to close. I chose the easiest and the quickest. I used the seamless hair binders. Others will work, even rubber bands. You may want to find something that the kids can afford to lose! I had thought about using brads and hemp but then the brads had sharp ends and I didn’t want to have that on something that children play with. And I thought about using a magnet sheet but keeping in mind that kids set things anywhere I could only imagine what would be clinging to it!! SO I went with the hair binder.

This was a very fun project to make. And with August just around the corner and BIG sales on crayons it’s a good time to get some of these started and wait for those low price school supplies to make their way into your carts!!!

For more weekend projects click here.


Thanks SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

Keeping it Simple!

I just wanted to make a simple card. I had dug out a tractor stamp by PSX. I embossed it in black on Real Red card stock. I layered it in white and black. I was a bit disappointed in the background. I was hoping it would show up more. I used Versa Mark instead of red ink. I prefer to use the ink that matches the card stock, it shows up better on the backgrounds. Live and learn, right??

But like I stated, it's a very simple card. Simple to make and simple looking too. No frills at all. Definitely a masculine card!!!

I like using embossing powder, only when I'm making a couple of cards at a time. But ask me if I like embossing powder after I've made a bunch for a swap!!! LOL

I like how it melts across the paper. Though with the very fine stuff you have to be extremely careful that you don't get a "grease spot" on your paper instead of the nice raised embossing. I find that if you let the heat tool heat up first then let it blow across your card stock it works much better. Keep it moving from left to right and then right to left, passing your design area before coming back across it. Just like you would use spray paint. Never emboss in a circular motion. Some areas tend to get over melted and that is when you get the "greasy spot" on your card stock. I'd have to say my favorite color to watch melt is the gold. You can just see it liquefy across your paper as you go. Plus this one, for me is the easiest to see where you missed too. But as for the black embossing powder, just hold the heat tool about 2-1/2" away and keep it moving. Never stop it in one spot. You are not only asking for that over melted spot but you are asking for a fire too. Paper burns at 451 degrees Fahrenheit and the heat tool gets much hotter than that. I believe you could even melt the paint off your house with that thing!!! Pretty scary!!! LOL I usually have a fire extinguisher close by when I use any tool that gets that hot. It's just best to be safe than sorry. And if you don't have a fire extinguisher it's best to go purchase one, they are not that expensive. But in the meantime you can make sure you have a bowl of water sitting by to drop the flaming paper into or a wet (not damp) towel on your work surface. Just take all the preventative cautions you can!!!!!

I have a very fun "Weekend Project" for tomorrow. It's one that is geared for the little ones!! I'm going to be making some extra ones to sell at the local craft fair this fall. I'm hoping they will be a good seller!

Thanks SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

SO Much Cake. SO Little Time!

Saying goodbye to the Stampin' Up! "Eat Cake" set. I have LOVED playing with this set, haven't I Sue? I had borrowed hers enough that I had finally broke down and bought my own. I will probably keep this set for a while longer just because I still like it.

I used this set in the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge today. I wanted to do this challenge but this card wasn't what I had in mind when I took this set out. Once I figured out the size of the area I was going to be working with it dawned on me that I didn't have the space I thought I would. This layout is a bit deceiving. But it worked, just in a smaller scale. I do wish I would have changed a couple of things. Making the layer around the cake 1/8" larger and stamping the candles in a darker color.

In person it looks a lot different. Anyone who receives it will know it's a birthday card!! Even without the words I wanted to originally add to it!!

It's bright and cheery, that's for sure!!! LOL

In addition to the "Eat Cake" set I used the little cupcake from one of my favorite tiny sets "ABC Images." SO many things you can do with that set!

This item was made entirely of Stampin' Up! products. To view more items made entirely of Stampin' Up! products click here.

Thanks SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

Goodbye to Touch of Nature!

This card was pretty easy to make. Easier than saying "goodbye" to this set. I have really enjoyed this set. I found it to be VERY versatile. It worked for MANY occasions plus both genders.

I was able to use a piece of retiring decorative paper too. I'm assuming it is retiring, I don't have the official word on that one though but most of their papers retire and new ones come in!! I just love the Really Rust and Groovy Guava together.

The main part of this card is cut a bit smaller than you would for a regular size greeting card. I started out with a half sheet of card stock and folded it in half. I cut off 1/4" on the top and on the non-folded side. Then I opened it and cut the front piece to work with my design. I had already decided what I was going to put on the front. I had stamped it and layered it. After my layer went on I knew how big to cut my designer paper and once that was cut I was able to measure how big I wanted the front part of my card to be. Again I used the 1/4" border around. I like things symmetrical!! For the front of my card I cut off 1-1/4".

I mounted my small card on a piece of Groovy Guava cut 4-1/4" x 5-1/2". The inside layer is cut 3-3/4" x 5". I was going to use vanilla inside but the guava seemed to blend better. And the guava is light enough to write on too.

I had added my ribbon to the decorative paper before I taped it in place. I sponged the edges of the flower before I attached it to the Really Rust layer. I used a blender pen and Groovy Guava ink pad for the flower. The center of the flower is Apricot Appeal directly from the marker and the stem is done in Mellow Moss directly from the marker. After I colored the flower in I sponged over it with Apricot Appeal.

A pretty basic card. Simple but yet pretty!

This item was made entirely of Stampin' Up! products. To view more items made entirely of Stampin' Up! products click here.

Thanks SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

A Treasure Awaits!!

Isn't this a fun set. I believe it is retiring too. I borrowed this set (a while ago) from my friend Gerry. She's such a sweet lady. She was one of the DIVA's but has since retired. She's very talented and such a wonderful person!! I thought I should play with this set since I've had it here so long.

It was a lot of fun. I'm going to try out one more card with this set. This card didn't turn out the way I wanted it to. I want to work the treasure chest into the next card. It's such a cute little thing!

For this card I used the wheel and made the background "map" part of the card. I stamped the "sailor" and layered him after I colored him in. For the coloring of him I used markers, no blending. Just straight from the pen. I wanted the colors bright and solid.

The "map" was colored in with markers as well and for the sand and water I just sponged the color in. I did use a white crayon on the mountain top and the ship sails so the sponging wouldn't color those areas in.

I stamped the wording and punched them out with the circle punch and layered it on top of a larger circle. I added a piece of caramel ribbon and tied it in place.

It was a fun card to make. I wish I would have played with this set a bit sooner. I don't have any children's sets and I think I may have to look in that section of the new catalog when it arrives. It's always fun to have a children's set around. Keeps the little ones busy while you do other things and you don't have to let them play with your other sets!!! Can you tell I don't share very well??? LOL

On a personal note here. Today was a very difficult day for me. Today was the funeral for my mother-in-law. I have to say that I was SO fortunate to have had a wonderful mother-in-law like her. She was always SO good to me and treated me like one of her own children. I'd never known such love before. She will be missed for a LONG time. Her last words to me were "I have always loved you." And I know she meant it. She was love by all who came in contact with her. She was one of those people you loved the minute you met her. As far as mother-in-laws go, I was the fortunate one, I couldn't have asked for a better one than her!

This card was made entirely of Stampin' Up! products. To view more items made entirely of Stampin' Up! products click here.

Thank you SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

Glitter Window Technique Page

If you are following along this is page 6 of the "Technique Book." To view the other pages you can click here. And also if you were following along you will know that I am making extra pages so when my blog reaches 500,000 hits I will be giving away one of my "Technique Books" all done in sleeves and a handmade cover that you can either keep as is or put in you own 6" x 6" album! Plus I always toss in extra things as the blog candy random drawing is going on!

So back to this page. This is the "Glitter Window" technique. It's a very simple technique and adds a lot to a card or scrapbook page.

To do this technique you will need clear wide packaging tape and dazzling diamonds glitter.

You will make the windows of your card or page by using punches or the Coluzzle Cutting System. Once your holes are done take the smaller hole and place the tape over the back side of it. Sprinkle it with the Dazzling Diamonds glitter and tap any excess off. You can place your image eight on top or behind the glitter. The page shows both. You can stamp directly on your page and add the window on top or you can make your window and cut out a piece to set on top. Either way is cute and fun! Be sure to give this one a try, it's very simple and SO cute. My favorite stamps to use with this technique are snowman stamps. I stamp my snowman and put the window on top so it looks like it's a snowy day! SO cute!!!

Thank you SO much for visiting,
Wanda

Weekend Project! Cards and Notebook Holder

Ok, let's get started!!!

To make this project you will need the following:
Two 12" x 12" pieces of card stock
One 8-1/2" x 11" piece of card stock
Notebook
Pen
4 Envelopes
4 cards
Decorative paper
2 brads
Hemp

Cut a piece of the larger card stock to measure 7-1/2" x 12". Score from left to right on the long side of the 12" piece as follows: 2" slide over to 2-5/8", 8-3/8" and 9".

For the 7-1/2" x 11-1/4" piece score on the long side at 5-5/8" or just fold it in half.

Fold all scores on both pieces.

Tape the 7-1/2" x 11-1/4" piece to the 2" folded piece on the left side of the piece you first scored. You will want to tape this near the fold and a few other places, including the top and bottom edge to hold it shut and hold it onto the 2" folded piece.

The piece on the right side of the 7-1/2" x 12" piece that was scored at 9" is the flap/cover. You can leave the corners as they are or you can trim them up as you wish. I made mine rounded. I took a dinner plate and used it as my template.

For the box-like piece that holds the cards you will need a piece of card stock cut 6" x 8". On the long side score at ½", 1", 7" and 7-1/2". Turn and score at ½" and 1". Fold all score lines. Cut away 3 of the 4 visible squares on the bottom corners. The one square left is the flap that you will fold in first when assembling this piece. So when you cut the 3 squares off the corners, make sure you cut the same 3 off on the other side. You will need to cut one side of the square left so it will be held on by one score line. Make sure you snip the other side to match or your flaps will be on different folds. And if that happens it is ok, it will still work. You will tape the flap in first and then the edges but you will tape them all at the same time. If you tape the flap first and secure it, it makes it a bit difficult to tape the other edges. It can be done but not very easy. Set it in place on the large open space next to the flap/cover. You will want it to be about ½" to 3/4" from the bottom.

Notebook: My notebook measures 3-1/2" x 5-1/4". There is a lot of space for many different size notebooks. You just want to be careful that if you buy or make one with a spiral that the spiral is at the top and you tape it in place so the spiral sits above the card holder. After decorating it the way you like, turn it over and set it on top of the card holder piece so the spiral is hanging over the top (side) of the holder. You don’t want it to sit on top or the entire holder will be too bulky. If it hangs over the edge of the card/envelope holder it will still lay flat enough to close it nicely. Try it out first. Just set it on top of the card/envelope holder and close it all up. You’ll see how bulky it is. Just slide it up until the coils go above the card/envelope holder and close it. Once you understand where this should lay on the left side, tape it in place.

For the pen I just took a ½" piece of scrap card stock I had left over from decorating my holder and I wrapped it around the pen, overlapping it about 1/4". I taped it around the pen, making sure it wasn’t too tight, you do want the pen to come out!!! I taped the card stock around the pen and set it in place above the notebook.

For the fastener I punched out two 3/4" brown circles and two 1/2" inch Groovy Guava circles. I layered them and held them in place with the brad. I set them in place with the brads on the holder and tied a piece of hemp to the one of the flap and just wrap them around the bottom and back up to the top to secure it.

And that’s pretty much all there is to this. SO fun to do!!!

Decorate yours as you like and make matching cards and you have a FABULOUS gift for someone!! I'm a little disappointed in mine. On the inside part where the cards go I had the decorative papers going the wrong direction and of course it was my last sheet of that paper too!!! SO it's not the way I'd like it but it will just have to do!!

For more weekend projects click here.

This card was made entirely of Stampin' Up! products. To view more items made entirely of Stampin' Up! products click here.

Thanks SO much for stopping by,
Wanda

I Have a Store!

I have a store where I will be selling rubber stamps I no longer want. Many of them have never been used. I will not only have photos of the front of the stamp but also of the back so you can see what condition the rubber is in. The rubber on all of the stamps I will have there will be in good supple condition. I treat all of my stamps with the Stampin' Up! Stampin' Mist. It helps preserve the rubber.

I will also have some handmade items there and some stamping supplies as well. And eventually I will get some of my clay things on there too!!

Click on the link to see the "Christmas in Clay Online Store."

The store has an automatic check out through PayPal or you can use the "money order" option.

The shipping is based on the weight of the item being mailed in a padded envelope or Priority Mail box depending on what and how many you order oh and our zip codes. Mine is 55434. You can also check the information at the United States Post Office. I think the website may be set up to tell you how much shipping is before you purchase too. It's an awesome site. I will go to the post office a couple of times during the week. The local post office is only a few miles away (which is good since I'm such a chicken when it comes to driving!!) and I usually have other business in that direction on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Check back at the store often. I have LOTS of stamps I will be selling. I need the space and I must let them go. I will also be adding some retired Stampin' Up! ones too for those of you looking for that certain stamp set that got away from you!

Thanks SO much,
Wanda