Crumb cake butterflies

It is Spring which means new leaves, blossoms and butterflies floating about the garden.

I like the colour of this crumb cake cardstock with white - it reminds me of sand at the beach.

Or the leftover crumbs after a summer picnic?

The stampset is "Summer Solstice".

 The leaves are stamped in whisper white ink and the butterflies in Basic Black stazon ink.

The sentiment is called "itty bitty banners" .

This is an all occasion style card where all you need to do is change the sentiment to happy birthday, or thank you, thinking of you, just for you ...

A birthday card and gift in black and white.

What kind of card do you make for a princess on her 21st birthday?
I guess every princess likes pink, but  turning twenty one calls for some dignity and formality... someone who plays the piano beautifully, as every princess should ...

This is what I came up with to match a butterfly printed glass vase and, a crystal encrusted picture frame for that special 21st birthday photo.

A Simple card with a little bit of fun.

If you have read my earlier posts on using white stazon ink you will know how I stamped this vase.

The butterfly image is from the new summer mini catalogue: I cant decide if I like the houndstooth butterfly best.

or the swirly flowery butterfly ...

So I used both in a fluttery pattern. It can either be a flower vase or a candle holder, however the mood or need takes her.

Products used:

For the card: Basic Black cardstock, whisper white cardstock, velum and stazon black ink, corner rounder, Silver brads, square scallop punch. Stampset: Happy Everything.

For the Candle vase: Stazon Cotton white ink. Stampset: Butterfly prints.

Old Olive Season of Joy with snow swirls

Christmas is fast approaching ... which means we only have another week to share our Christmas card creations. This one combines Season of Joy with the gorgous snow swirled set.

Here you can see I have first stamped the old olive card with the snow flakes from the snow swirled set then placed a sheet of acetate (aka clear transparency) on top holding it in place with four silver brads.

The bow is Old olive wide grosgrain tied and placed on the transparency with a few mini glue dots. And the oval scallop is also stuck down with the glue dots. They wont come off the transparency I've tried.

Clear "window sheets" as they are also known are a bit tricky to photograph ... too much reflection. So I have taken this one outside into the shade, propped up on one of my very dry and tired out cacti plants. I think it's flowering as a last attempt at survival in this cruel hot weather.

Products used to make this card:

Stampsets: Snow swirled, Season of Joy.

Cardstock: Old Olive, clear window sheets (acetate), whisper white.

Ink: Cotton white stazon, Old olive Classic ink.

Accessories: silver brads, oval scallop punch, Old olive wide grosgrain ribbon,

Mini glue dots.
Enjoy...

Snow swirling on a ski slope

Have a look at this gorgous ski slope designer series paper! I love the baja breeze and white, the snow flakes laying one over the other .... for contrast I have used a real red card base. Some real red grosgrain ribbon and made a scallop circle with a layer of baja breeze, and clear acetate stamped with white stazon and a white brad. The brad also holds a small circle of the ski slope paper in its centre.

I have embossed the silver "Seasons Greetings" and cut the edge out using the corner of the square scallop punch for a decorative edge.

What I've used to make this card:

Stampset: snow swirled

cardstock: real red, baja breeze, whisper white

Ink: white stazon, versamark.

Punches: scallop circle, square scallop.

Ribbon: Real red grosgrain (available in the summer mini on 1 December)

Have you seen one of these pyramid cards before?

The first time I saw one of these pyramid cards was on Makeeshabyl's blog and I just had to make one, but sadly, it has been on my to make list for a long long time. Last Saturday I had all my craft papers, cardstock and stamps spread out over the table, and decided to have a go at it.

Quite a simple construction actually, 3 pieces of square 4"x 4" cardstock, scored, folded and voila! This side shows the "front" so to speak with greeting and snowflake medallion. Here I have used the snow swirled snow flake stamped on whisper white cardstock, with black stazon. I have punched out the circle scallop and then attached another circle of acetate on top with a Black brad through both layers. The top layer of acetate is stamped with white stazon ink.

Loving this effect. You can turn the Snowflake and it changes from black to white to grey .... cool huh?

The next side (mmm, side 2 of 3) has a triangle of patterned paper from the "I wish" Scrappin' pack. It matches perfectly with the snow swirled stampset.
To set this off I have attached a black and clear acetate snow flake with a white brad.
Last side (side 3) is kind of the back side so for good measure I have added the greeting and a riding hood red ribbon bow (this holds it all together). The greeting is from Best yet stampset, stamped on the large oval punch and matted with the scallop oval punch.

Love this taffetta ribbon tied through the double slot punch ... did I mention that there are only 17 days left to order the scallop oval punch from the Spring mini catalogue.... It is a must have item (honestly) ... and have you got your white stazon ink yet?And last photo is a front and top view just to show it really is a pyramid... you can untie the ribbon to lay it flat to write on and post ... might need instructions on how to tie it back together for those craft challenged gift card recievers.

What you might need to make this card:
3 x pieces of 4"x4" cardstock (two colours) I have used Riding hood red and Old olive cardstock.

Ink: white stazon, black stazon.

Brads: black and white.

Ribbon: Riding hood red taffeta
Designer series Paper: I wish scrap pack.

Punches: Circle scallop punch, Oval scallop punch, large oval punch, two slot punch, 1.3cm circle punch. Bone scorer and Taylor's awl (to make holes).

No two snow flakes are ever the same ... or cards?

Last Tuesday, (about a week ago), I started on this series of Christmas cards using the Snow swirled stampset. I challenged myself to use non Christmassy colours .... not sure if it works but the colours please me and my main reasons for card making is experimentation, relaxation and creating for myself and if there are a few cards to share with friends then that's a bonus.

The layout idea was provided by Belinda, but I changed it a bit, well more than a bit... That's the fun of card making communities: you get inspiration from someone's idea here, a little subconscious patterning from somewhere else and your own individual preferences and style on top of that.
I do like this sentiment stamp: May the true spirit of Christmas fill your heart with peace, your home with love. I think I bought this stampset for the words as much as the snow flakes and because it matched the so swirly wheel and the "I wish" Scrapbooking pack, figured I might get some use out of it.

The main accent on each of these cards is the scallop circle that I have punched out in acetate, (clear transparency) and a cardstock base. I stamped the acetate with white stazon and attached it to the card with a brad. I find the thicker acetate works best, any thin stuff doesn't punch out that well and may not be as clear and shiny... but you use what you have at hand.I have seen this colour combination of lavender lace, black and white around this year and I have used it before... I am sure I have. This time I have mixed it with a little baja breeze and kiwi kiss (in the stamped white panel) and I like it.The next card is made with all the colours I think, repetition of colour works for me and a strip of baja breeze patterned paper behind the ribbon because at this stage there was not enough baja breeze being used. The snow flake is made with a kiwi kiss circle scallop with a second black scallop beneath it...You can not really see the baja breeze strip anyway ... And there you have it the four variations I came up with. Like snowflakes no two are ever the same.What I used to make these cards:
Stampset: Snow swirled
Cardstock: Basic black, whisper white, kiwi kiss, baja breeze, lavender lace.
Ink: Baja breeze, kiwi kiss, orchid opulence, stazon black and stazon white.
Other: Old olive wide grosgrain ribbon, scallop circle punch, antique brads, eyelet border punch, corner rounder.

A spring challenge - Fifth avenue floral

Hi ... the holidays are here! It's raining again and we are inside most of the day, playing with a baby bird. It's Spring, its October ...

Our team has a couple of challenges up for this month. The first challenge for October is to make a Spring inspired card. I have chosen baja breeze and kiwi kiss colours to celebrate Spring ... combined with my Fifth avenue floral stamp and Urban garden DS paper: The Fifth avenue floral stamp is stamped here with white stazon ink onto plain old whisper white cardstock, then sponged with baja breeze ink. Who has ever seen a blue rose? Well, you have now! I have cut it out and layered using dimensionals to raise it up off the surface.
The sentiment is from the same stampset... I have stamped it in kiwi kiss, overstamped the rose image in baja breeze ink then punched it out with the wide oval punch. Here it is showing the dimensional layers.

What you need to make this card -
Stampset: Fifth avenue floral ($45.95)
Cardstock: kiwi kiss, babja breeze textured, whisper white.
Designer series Paper: Urban garden
Ink: kiwi kiss and baja breeze, white stazon ink.
Other: Wide oval punch, dimensional adhesive.

Great friend acetate card

I just can't ignore the fact that this is one of the best stampsets in this Spring mini catalogue. Five stamps with words: for you, a butterfly, flower, curly frame for the words or butterfly to attach to - all suitable for cards to be sent to friends.The butterfly is my favourite and I have used it a lot in the last two months and I still keep using it on new cards .... like this one that I have stamped white stazon ink on transparent acetate.

I've used a whisper white card base (precut and scored).

Attached two pieces of coloured patterned papers with brads to it. (I used my cutting tool wheel to cut that graceful curve) I wanted it to resemble a rolling hill side.

I then stamped a piece of velum with black stazon with the "you're a friend..." stamp inside the curly frame, cut it out and placed it on a piece of so saffron wide grosgrain ribbon.

I have placed a sheet of acetate (transparency) over the top of the papers, ribbon and velum and held it all together with coloured brads and the clear Rhinestone brad.

Recipe:
Stampset: Good friend ($31.95)
Ink: White stazon, Black stazon.
Cardstock: Whisper white, velum cardstock
Designer series paper: Ski slope (Spring Mini) $16.95
So Saffron grossgrain ribbon, Rich regals brads, Clear Rhinestone brad, cutter set, acetate (transparency film).
Hope you enjoyed this one. . .

Great friend note cards

If you haven't guessed white stazon ink is my favourite product at the moment.
These are two little gift cards that I made last week. They were so quick and easy to make.The first one I made is on a piece of glossy white cardstock, sponged with baja breeze ink, matted with the gorgous Pacific point patterned paper (polka dots). The edge of the patterned paper is punched with the eyelet border punch. A piece of Pacific point ribbon tied around the centre and stuck to a whisper white love note card.My second card is pretty similar as you can see - I have tied the ribbon higher and knotted it before adhereing behind the patterned paper once again in pacific point patterns. I have stamped the Great friends butterfly with white stazon ink on to glossy white cardstock you can just see the image here. and sponged it evenly, all over with the pacific point ink:The white butterfly is rubbed over with a tissue to remove any excess ink before it dries. You could make a box of say 10 0f these for a gift, or to give when people do nice things for you either to say thank you or thinking of you or to write a little note. In October it is World Card making day so what will you be sending on 3rd October to your friends?
Enjoy!

Stamping on glass and Heat embossed metal

This weeks theme is stamping on non porous surfaces right. Did you guess?
I gave you a peek of what I have been stamping, now I want to show you some projects in their full photographic glory. Half the fun (and frustration of blogging) is getting a photograph of the project. Sometimes the light is just right and the planets are aligned and you figure out exactly the best setting on your camera to get a really great photo ... but mostly time and light is against you and we get what we get ... Here is the little spice, ribbon, button jar with the faux metal lid stamped with white stazon. I have several of these jars now on my dining table ... they are really, really quick to stamp. Everything in my house is going to have stampin' up images on it now.

The tag is white stazon stamped on gloss white cardstock, punched out with the scallop oval punch and layered onto a wide oval in Riding hood red cardstock. That lovely little ribbon is Riding hood Red tafetta.
So when a friend's birthday was coming up I had no choice: she received a glass and metal canister with fifth avenue floral on the glass ... And, clear embossed stamping on the metal lid. It was fiddly to stamp the flowers in the white stazon on the glass, as I have said if the surface is round you have to roll the stamp around the shape of the jar. The heat embossing on the lid was "easy-peasy"... I have Simply:

Stamped the images in Versamark,

covered with clear emossing powder,

shaken off the excess,

and heated it gently with the heat gun.
Note: before embossing check that the lid is actually metal not faux-plastic-metal (which will melt when you heat it - don't try this at home ... try the tap, touch and scratch test first).

The metal gets quite hot so place it on a bread board, and leave it there till it cools down. If it has a plastic inner lid (which this one did), do the embossing gently so that the heat doesnt go through. Preferably in quick short bursts of heat on the powder, just dont keep the heat gun in one place too long, the heat will transfer through to the plastic inside very quickly.
Here is the lid finished - it really looks like the metal has been etched. Like all embossing it is a real wow feeling when you see it melt and rise and shine on the surface. Hence the number of photos...

What you need to make your stamped glass canister and metal lid:
Stampset: Fifth Avenue floral
1 x glass sugar canister or biscuit jar with metal screw on lid.
Cotton white StazOn ink (for the glass)
VersaMark inkpad (for the lid).
Clear embossing Powder.
Heat tool.