Feature: Elements of Style stampset

This is just one of my all time favourite stampsets.
I love that you can watercolour the roses, background stamp with the swirly flower, hilight the bird (perhaps with embossing) and it comes with two sentiments: "for you" and "Life is a matter of moments".
At $39.95 Clear, or $49.95 Wood mounted it is reasonably priced for 5 useable stamps.
You will possibly need the Clear Block E (when you choose clear) because the roses are larger than the usual stamp size. But you will use the block for many other sets aswell.

 The roses stamp is a beautiful stamp to watercolour.
I have used my Wonder watercolour crayons for this card.
Black Stazon Ink is the best ink to stamp it in, when you want to watercolour as it doesn't smudge if it gets wet by the brush or aquapainter that you use.
The crayons are very simple to use, just touch your aquapainter brush to the crayon and lift off some colour and paint the flowers.
I usually try to leave some white sections to show through and add a darker colour for depth.

The background swirls are also inked with my watercolour crayons. Using the aquapainter brush I added the paint direct to the rubber and then stamped the swirl onto the cardstock. Its quite a soft wet look that I like.

As it was late at night, and the light wasn't very good, I thought it needed a little bit of shimmer paint.

So I picked up some of that and painted it on some petals... perhaps I over did it,

more white less paint next time I think.

A single layer card  needs a ribbon and a punched label.

I have recently discovered the "Four Frames" stampset and this one has roses that work well with a little watercolouring too.

Card Recipe:

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Old olive, Black stazon.

Cardstock: Whisper white and Confetti white (page.125 of the catalogue, might be retiring at the end August and its great to water colour on).

Ribbon: organza

Stampset: Elements of Style p.94 $39.95

 Four Frames. p.95 $32.95

Watercolour Wonder Crayons (Bold Brights) $37.95 (10 crayons).

Aquapainter brushes 2 for $19.95

Knitted Santa Tree Ornament

Isn't he cute?

Santa was the last of my Christmas tree ornaments to arrive and he inspires me to get the knitting needles out and make something. 

 Tracy Grant made this and he is going straight on to our little tree that we bought  yesterday.

This weather being so cool is actually knitting weather I think...

Perhaps Barbie could do with a small knitted dress to wear on xmas day?

If I have time between shopping for a turkey, groceries, and the last minute gifts that I have yet to buy. 

Zoo review Giraffe

Is this a classic masculine card?

 Nice earthy colours: Early Espresso, soft suede and naturals ivory cardstock with some pumpkin coloured ink and sponged edges.

The naturals ivory cardstock is very easy to water colour on. I used soft suede ink for the outline then filled in the spots with my aqua painter dipped in Pumpkin pie ink.

 A big First Edition punched circle (nothing fussy) and a masculine crumb cake Seam binding bow at the bottom. Does it pass the bloke test do you think?

The sentiment is kind of blokish too - Happy Day to you! Stamped on the decorative label punch.

Technique Team swap

Our local Stampin' Up team is called the "Inksomniacs" and yes, we stamp day and night !!!
This month we had a team swap that challenged us to use a  technique that we had seen at Convention 2011. Our group of six shared the following cards:

 My card used the mixed embossing technique (using clear embossing powder mixed with Dazzling Diamonds glitter). The stampset is Strength and Hope from the Winter mini catalogue. (Ends 31 July)!

 I have also embossed the Curly Cute Congratulations in gold embossing powder and sponged with Soft suede ink to bring out the vintage wallpaper texture on the top note.

 Denielle B showcased the technique of Bleaching ... using the ever elegant stampset: Elements of style.
Isn't it amazing how the colour lightens and you get yellow roses out of Soft suede cardstock!

 Felicity Hawkins showed us masking - I love how the Eiffel tower floats above the En Francais script and how gorgeous does her matching tag look? She has masked the sentiment on the tag and spritzed it too.

This technique is very "distressing" by Tracy Farmer and she has used the pretty cup cake punch from the Winter mini catalogue ... Love the library clip and the rhinestones.

 Michelle Dyson has used the torn window technique that we saw at Convention. She has used the Decorative label punch through two layers of cardstock to start her tearing and it looks great (a sneak peek of a stampset we got free at Convention and coming out in the next Idea Book and Catalogue).

Ellen Woodbridge ... Christmas already! you can't see it in the photo but the embossed vanilla  layer is spritzed with Early espresso ink and sprayed with shimmer mist... it sparkles!

Scallop Cup cake birthday

School holidays are coming to an end so it has been a rush of outings packed into the last week...

For an eight year old that includes at least one cup cake and fortunately we were able to indulge that pleasure, followed by a hot chocolate at Lindt and several hours in Sydney shopping this week. 

 We didnt photograph the actual cup cakes ... but I stamped and punched these last Friday (a week ago) with friends: Sophie and Jill.

When I got home I used my ice cream parlour buttons and ribbon pack to finish it off.

That pink button really suits this bright and girly card, perfectly. 

Recipe:

Stampsets: Build a Cupcake, (winter mini catalogue), teeny tiny sentiments.

Cardstock: Tempting turquoise, Melon Mambo,

whisper white

Ink: Melon Mambo, Tempting turquoise

Build a cup cake punch $33.95

Decorative Label punch

Word window punch

Scallop circle punch

Big shot machine, Square scallop die, polka dot embossing folder.

Ice cream parlour button and ribbon

 (FREE when you spend $100 during July 2011).

Spinner card with Crafters Anonymous!

Each Monday night I attend an online class with Crafter's Anonymous

 ... its for people who have an obsession with crafting

 Monday is stamping and card making night - we made a Spinner card.

A very easy way to make a fun and interactive card.

 Materials needed to make this card:

Card front (A5) in Early Espresso Cardstock

A piece of patterned paper (I've used the Designer series paper: Botanical Gazette, stamped with the matching stampset: Nature Walk)

Word window punch

2 x 5 cent coins, dimensionals, sticky strip and stamps, punches and ink to embellish with.

 When you tilt the card to the side, the label, attached to the spinner,

 spins to the right and then back to the left... an attention getter for sure!

I used the Stamp sets: Bring on the cake, Nature walk.

Stampin up markers: Marina Mist and Pretty in Pink

The large oval punch and the Decorative Label punch, also behind the spinner I used the
 1" circle punch.

With a piece of the luscious Marina Mist taffeta ribbon on the corner for a bit of balance.

And I cut out my stamped hand with the ever incredibly sharp "paper snips".
Hope you like this one - Enjoy!!!!

Shimmer strong and subtle

As a Stampin' up demonstrator every month I receive a newsletter called impressions.

 It is full of ideas to use our stamps, inks and new products. There's almost always a new technique to try
or an old technique done in a new way and I look forward to receiving the inspiration every month.

 For the month of June there are 6 projects to create ... this is my version of the one above.

Shimmer can be Strong . . .
Everyone likes a little shimmer on a card - its like adding jewellery to an outfit.
To create a strong shimmer look you start with a bold image such as the Medallion stamp.
I've stamped it first in Soft Suede,  then inked the stamp in Platinum Shimmer paint using a sponge dauber on to the rubber, and stamped it again.

When ever I CASE a card (that's Copy And Share Everything), I tend to change a few things, and this one I have put velum butterflies flittering across the card. They have been cut and embossed with the big shot machine and the embosslit die: Beautiful wings.

 The sentiment is actually inside the card.
Happy Birtthday from the teeny tiny sentiments set fits perfectly on a cut down label made with the Decorative label punch.

 It opens up to show the stamped label and sentiment, raised on dimensionals so that it locks the card closed when shut.

You get a bold and shimmery effect depending on what angle you look at the card... it gives you so many options for a shimmery look, you can even create your own shimmer spray, to sparkle on anything you want, like ribbons, card, paper, fabric ...
Our shimmer paint comes in three different colours:
Platinum, Champagne and Frost white.

Would you like to receive the impressions magazine every month too?

To find out more, or place an order you can Contact me by email or phone 0468 877 125.

Top note Briefcase ...

I don't know about you but when I go off to work I'd like to take a Briefcase that holds all the essentials.

This little bag fits the bill perfectly: the chocolate filled brief case!

It holds two Moser Roth 25g chocolate bars (wrapped together) with a piece of taffetta ribbon.

The bag is made with just one Big Shot Top note die.

Don't you just love the Cherry Cobbler and River Rock coloured cardstock together.

 Here it is from the side... The gold wrappers make a nice corner to the Briefcase.

I scored the Top note at about 4.5 cm from the centre on both sides to give a 1.5cm flat edge to the bottom of the bag.

 The fold over clasp is made with the new Decorative label punch (from the Autumn/Winter mini catalogue).
For texture it has been run through the Big shot with the Square lattice embossing folder.
The Label is wrapped over the top and held with sticky strip on the back and just snail on the front for easy opening. (For those emergency chocolate moments).
The "press-dud" is a Rhinestone Jewel.

 The straps are really easy (being made of cardstock). Two x 1cm wide and 20cm long strips (also textured with the Square lattice embossing folder). 
The Cherry Cobbler Top note was "embossed" with the Vintage Wallpaper Pattern.
 And No stamping ... I could have put a tiny tag on the handle saying Enjoy... or Thanks ... or a sweet little heart.

Perhaps next time, this one is already eaten.

This Exclusive project was brought to you by "Stamping Joy" and the Big Shot machine!

Enjoy!!!

Ten different label ideas with the Decorative label punch.

There's a new Decorative Label punch in my crafting kit ... and it is exactly the right size to frame a range of images and word stamps.

It also fits lots of our other punch shapes inside.

You saw here in my recent post  how to make a smaller label with the same punch.

The Designer label punch fits neatly within the Large decorative label's frame.
The pretty Scallop oval punch is just perfect too, and
the Curly label is a smaller label, so fits nicely inside it. I've layered them above with the large 4.4cm oval punch on top.
The Extra large or 5 cm Wide oval is neatly framed on either side and you can put the Word window punch within its borders too.

I have listed 10 different punch combinations below: 

1. Decorative label
2. Designer label
3. Large oval
4. Scallop oval
5. XL wide oval
6. Round tab
7. Curly label
8. You an even use it as a decorative border punch. (lower Right)
9. You can create a negative octagonal frame that you can use as a mask for sponging. (Top right).
10. After I photographed these I thought of a way to make
 Name place tags for your table.

Something exciting to make with the Decorative label punch

I know how you all love to see the many ways a new product can be used so today I am going to show you the NEW Decorative label punch and how it can be used to create a smaller decorative label.

You will need:

The new Decorative Label punch

and some scraps of cardstock. 

1. Punch out a partial label from your whisper white cardstock.

2. Make a "handle" with a piece of post it note.

Or a scrap of paper with some repositional glue on the end of it.

Like this.

3. Then feed it back into the Decorative label punch holding onto the "handle" until you position it how you want it.

4. Punch it out. 

Then, Punch out a full decorative label in Marina Mist Blue

 5.  Layer the small label on top of the larger label.

It will look like this.

You can turn the label on to the side for a different look.

Very decorative don't you think?

The Decorative Label Punch is NEW in the Stampin' Up Autumn-Winter mini catalogue.

It is perfect for layering with other punch shapes too.

(120907) Decorative Label Punch $33.95