Everyday Enchantment meets Beautiful Wings

I will admit...it has been a rather mild winter here in the Midwest. At least it has been here in Missouri. This Everyday Enchantment DSP makes me long for spring and summer though! The DSP is from the SAB that is going on right now. I just love this whole package of paper. Most often there are only a few different designs out of the DSP packets that I really like. Not with the Everyday Enchantment though. It all has a vintage feel too it and I love vintage. Here is a list of the items/products I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Tiny Tags (it may be difficult to see but there is a little tag hanging from that bent corner of the DSP)

Cardstock/paper: Pool Party, Very Vanilla, Peach Parfait, Poppy Parade, Everyday Enchantment DSP

Ink: Soft Suede

Other: Big Shot, Labels Collection Framelits, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Little Leaves Sizzlit, Medium Jewelry Tag punch, Pool Party Baker's Twine, glue dots, Stampin' Dimensionals

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Rue Des Fleurs

OK...I'm officially scaring myself now! This post makes me posting TWO days IN A ROW! I haven't had time to do that in, like, FOREVER! Anyway, the Rue Des Fleurs stamp set is from the new Occasions Mini catalog and I love it! I just love the "old" and "antiquey" (yes, I know that's not a real word!) feel of the whole set! The DSP also has that same feel to it. The DSP is called Everyday Enchantment and it's from the upcoming SAB catalog. Here is a list of the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Rue Des Fleurs

Cardstock/paper: Soft Suede, Pool Party, Peach Parfait, Very Vanilla, Everyday Enchantment DSP

Ink: Soft Suede

Other: sponge, Lace Ribbon Border punch, Pool Party 3/8" Ruffled ribbon, glue dots, Stampin' Write markers in Pool Party & Peach Parfait

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Fresh Vintage Birthday

I haven't done very well with posting lately have I? There just aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done that I need to get done. Creating and posting those creations is what I've cut back on. Well, I MADE time to make some new cards this weekend. And, here I am posting one of them. I still may not be able to get on here and post every day like I used to but I've got some cards all made up to show you so I promise I'll be posting at least every couple of days. Here's the first one I'd like to show you. The DSP and flower stamp are from the upcoming SAB catalog. The "Wishing You A Happy Birthday" stamp is a stamp from one of the hostess sets in the current Idea Book & Catalog. The ribbon is from the Holiday Mini so I know I should not have used it since you can't purchase it any longer but it just "went with" the whole vintage look of this card so I HAD to use it! Here is a list of the products I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Fresh Vintage (Occasions Mini catalog), Happy Birthday Wishes (hostess set)

Cardstock/paper: Poppy Parade, Very Vanilla, Everyday Enchantments (from the upcoming SAB catalog - I LOVE this pack of paper!)

Ink: VersaMark, Soft Suede

Other: heat tool, Very Vanilla embossing powder, sponge, velvet ribbon from the last Holiday Mini catalog

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

I GOTTA get back in gear!

It has been FOREVER since I've posted! I did make Halloween cards but didn't get a single one posted. I also made Thanksgiving cards but, again, didn't get a single one posted. So, figured I might as well start with Christmas! This is one of the many Christmas cards I'll make this year. The "idea" for this card is not my own though. I got a "kit" from a couple of the other ladies in my group last year and a card very much like this one was in that kit. I could be wrong but I am pretty sure the card was designed by Gayla O'Dell. The only major difference between her card and mine is that we didn't have these cute stitched felt pretties last year. Here is a list of the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: NONE? WHAT?

Cardstock/paper: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Metallic Silver

Ink: Basic Gray

Other: circle hole punch (for doorknob), mini glue dots, Winter Wishes Stitched Felt, Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Alcohol Splash technique

GEEZ....again....it's been awhile! I can't seem to get my body to conform to my new schedule! I should have started working outside the home at least a few years back. Maybe then I'd be used to being gone and on my feet for about 8.5 hours a day! I'm just so tired by the time I get home that I can't bring myself to create. And, on the weekends I have other things around the house that I have to get done! I do so miss my create time. Anyway, I've found a new fascination with alcohol inks. I used them on the flowers on this card. The technique is called Alcohol Splash. All you need is a piece of glossy cardstock big enough for your images that you want to stamp, 2-3 colors of alcohol inks, black permanent ink (i.e. StazOn), a stamp with open areas and some scissors. Other than the alcohol inks I'm sure most stampers have everything they need. So, you squirt the first color of alcohol ink onto your glossy cardstock. Then, squirt some of the second color. If you are using only two ink colors, use this second color to fill in any white areas on your cardstock. If you are using a third color, you use that one to fill in any white areas. Lift your cardstock while the ink is still wet and tilt it and move it around so that the inks mix. You can repeat with any of the alcohol inks to get the color and mix you want. Then, after the ink is dry (you can use your heat tool to speed the drying) you stamp your image directly on top of the alcohol inks using the permanent ink. Let that dry or use your heat tool again to dry it and then use your scissors to cut out your stamped image. That's it! Use your cut out images on your card or whatever your project is! Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Flower Fest, Full of Life

Cardstock: Glossy White, Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight

Ink: StazOn Jet Black, Melon Mambo

Other: alcohol inks, Big Shot, Finial Press embossing folder, XL Oval punch, XL Decorative Label punch, sponge, Daffodil Delight 1/8" Taffeta ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! (except for the alcohol inks)

Punched Through Ribbon technique

MAN....I didn't realize it had been so long since I'd posted here! SHAME on me! It's been a busy, busy time for me. First, I had cataract surgery. The left eye was done in mid-July. My right eye was done just a couple of days ago. My vision is WAY better already!

Alot of you know that I volunteer and help run a dog rescue here in Missouri called 7 Bells Sanctuary, Inc. Well, the founder passed away last year. The other volunteer and I have been able to carry on with the rescue. Well, the other volunteer passed away unexpectedly just a few weeks ago. She was our main foster home. Her husband and son are helping out with all the foster dogs at their house. As soon as we are able to find homes or other rescues to take those dogs we will be shutting down 7 Bells Sanctuary. It's so sad for me. Not only have I lost my two best friends over the last year or so but now 7 Bells Sanctuary will also be no more. It has been such a big part of my life for so long. I will really miss it. But, I also know I can't carry on without either one of them.

On top of those two things, I also got a job outside of my "stay at home" law office job and Stampin' Up! I am working at our local pharmacy as a pharmacy tech. NOT an easy job like you might think it would be! I am not picking up the computer part of the job as I had hoped I would. It's been tough and my old bones aren't handling it well. Working a full time job (my law office job) and a part time job (at the drug store) and still have time for my dogs, cleaning house and playing with my Stampin' Up! stuff is more than my body can take most days! I feel every one of my 48 years most days now!
OK...enough grumbling from me! I'll get on to telling you about my card.

The technique is called Punched Through Ribbon. Basically, you punch a shape into the front cover of your card and then use scraps of ribbon to fill in the shape. As you can see I used our Butterfly punch and then used the different Daffodil Delight ribbons to "cover" the hole! Here are the products I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Flight of the Butterfly

Cardstock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight

Ink: Daffodil Delight, Basic Black

Other: XL Butterfly punch, asst. Daffodil Delight ribbons, Stampin' Write markers in Basic Black & Daffodil Delight, stick on gems (not Stampin' Up!), sponge dauber, sponge

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! (except the stick on gems)

Pencil Over Ink technique

Do you have things/tools that you bought just knowing that you would use them alot and then find out that you don't use them as often as you thought because you just don't know "how" to use them? That's what happened with my colored pencils. I just HAD to have them but I rarely use them! I use my watercolor pencils all the time but not my regular colored pencils. So, needless to say I was happy when I came upon this technique! Basically, you stamp your image on dark cardstock using white pigment ink. Heat set the white pigment ink and then color over it with your colored pencils. Your image just seems to glow! Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Countryside, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Night of Navy, Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Whisper White, Night of Navy

Other: colored pencils, heat tool, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, Sizzlets Lots of Tags 1, Modern Label punch, Word Window punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

All products (except colored pencils) made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Frost With A Twist technique

This is another really easy technique that gives a really neat effect. The technique is done on the "background" cardstock. All you do is brayer one color of dye ink onto glossy white cardstock. In this case I used Peach Parfait. Let the inked glossy white cardstock dry completely before continuing. Then, take a piece of wax paper and crumple it up really well. Flatten it out and use your brayer to brayer add ink to the wax paper. In this case I used Cajun Craze on the wax paper. Place the inked side of the wax paper over your cardstock and use to brayer to basically transfer the ink from the wax paper onto the cardstcok. Remove the wax paper and allow the cardstock to dry completely. You can stamp directly onto the cardstock or use it as a background as I did here! See? Told you it was easy. The hardest part is waiting for the cardstock to dry! Here is a list of the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Tiny Teacup

Cardstock: Cajun Craze, Peach Parfait, Whisper White, Glossy White

Ink: Peach Parfait, Cajun Craze

Other: brayer, wax paper, 1 1/4" Square punch, Scallop Square punch, gold brads, Peach Parfait 1/2" Stitched-Poly ribbon

All items made by/sold by Stampin' Up! (except for the wax paper of course!)

Tinted Opaques technique

This was another fun and easy technique. All you need is dark cardstock, white pigment ink, markers to color your image, clear embossing powder, heat tool and a bold image stamp! Those are all pretty basic suppies that I'd bet most everyone has. You just stamp your image with the white pigment ink. Then, add the clear embossing powder and heat it. Then, use your markers to cover over the embossing powder. The color will bead on top of the embossing powder. Reheat with the color on top of the embossing powder. Color again (and again) until you get the color you like. The only thing is you have to color small areas and then heat set and then go back again with the same color if needed. After you get the color you want on that one area then move on to the next color. Heat set after each color. That's it! Takes a little time with all the "color, heat set, color, heat set...." but it's not too bad! Here are the products I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Inspired By Nature

Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Always Artichoke, Basic Black

Ink: Whisper White

Other: clear embossing powder, heat tool, Ticket Corner punch, Dotted Scallop Border punch, 1/4" Daffodil Delight Grosgrain ribbon, stick on gems (not Stampin' Up!) and Stampin' Write markers in Always Artichoke, More Mustard & Chocolate Chip

All products (except stick on gems) made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Fossil Stone technique

My picture didn't come out good enough to really show you what this technique looks like. But, I like the card so I decided to show it to you anyway! The "splotched" lighter background piece is the piece with the technique. The basics of the technique are pretty simple. You need a plastic file folder or one of those sheet protector things. If you use the sheet protector you will want to trim two fo the edges so that you can open it up like a file folder. You will also need 2 coordinating colors of reinkers, 2 pieces of glossy white (or light colored) cardstock and a brayer. That's it! So, you open up the file folder/page protector and put a few drops of one of the inks on one side and a few drops of the other ink on the other side. Then close the file folder/page protector and "smush" them together. Air pockets in the "smushing" is good...it's even really good! Place your two pieces of glossy cardstock back to back with the glossy sides facing out. Open the file folder/page protector and place the cardstock on one side and close the file folder/page protector. Use your brayer to roll over the outside of the file folder/page protector. Keep rolling until you like the look of the ink on the cardstock. Open up the file folder/page protector and take out the cardstock. Set is aside to let it air dry. You now have enough to make TWO cards or other projects! Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Punch Potpourri, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Pacific Point, Whisper White, Glossy White

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Pacific Point

Other: Big Shot, Elegant Lines embossing folder, Rich Razzleberry 1/8" Taffeta ribbon, glue dots, Stampin' Dimensionals, XL 2 Step Bird punch, Curly Label punch, page protector, brayer

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! (except the page protector)

Wood Grain Background technique

Yep...another really easy technique! Looks really cool no matter how easy it is though! You just use a toothbrush to drag the "wood" colors down your cardstock and then use a ruler to draw in the "boards". Can't be much easier than that! Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Countryside, Curvy Verses

Cardstock: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Basic Gray

Other: toothbrush, ruler, black marker, reinkers in Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Cajun Craze & Basic Gray

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! (except toothbrush and ruler)

Metallic Background technique

Yep...another easy one! I think this technique would be really pretty using a darker green cardstock as the background and then use the metallic gold and/or silver and then use that for a Christmas card! Anyway, all you do is use the metallic reinkers and a pallete and sponge and dab the reinkers onto your dark colored cardstock. See? Told you it was easy. Again, the hardest part is waiting for the inks to dry so you can finish your project! A note on the embossing of the "Thank You": I used all three colors of embossing powder at once. I just stamped my image and then poured a little gold here and there, a little silver here and there and then some copper here and there. Then just shake off the excess and use your heat tool to emboss! Here is a list of the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Engraved Greetings

Cardstock: Shimmery White, Basic Black, Silver Metallic

Ink: VersaMark

Other: Encore reinkers in Gold, Silver and Copper, gold, silver and copper embossing powder, sponges, Ticket Corner punch, Basic Black Satin ribbon, Black Flourish Designer Jewels (from a previous mini catalog), Stampin' Dimensionals

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up (even though some are now retired).

Smooched Metal technique

I know I keep saying that most of these techniques are easy but...well...they are! This is another one that is really easy! All you do is take your Hodge Podge Hardware and paint it with the Smooch! The hardest part is waiting for the Smooch to dry so you can finish your project! While Stampin' Up! does sell some of the Smooch paints, they don't sell the color I used here. I've had these Smooch paints for quite a while and was happy to find this technique so I could use them! I need to get online and do and search for more things to do with the Smooch! Here is a list of the products I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Love & Care, Tiny Tags

Cardstock/paper: Pretty In Pink, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Lap of Luxury DSP

Ink: Basic Gray

Other: Hodge Podge Hardware, Smooch Ink in Taffy, stick on gems, Ticket Corner punch, 1" Circle punch, Pretty In Pink 3/8" Taffeta ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! except the Smooch and stick on gems

Colored Reverse Grid technique

Yes...this technique is really simple! It reminds me of bathroom tiles! Or, maybe even kitchen backsplash type tiles! The raised part of the lines is on the back of your cardstock so the squares are raised like tiles with the "lines" being the grout! The only tools you need are either a Scor-It or your paper trimmer with a scoring blade! Other than that all you need is your cardstock, some ink and your stamps! Can't get much easier than that! According to the tutorial you can make your "tiles" 1 inch, 3/4 inch or 1/2 inch. You decide how big you want your tiles to be! Just line up your cardstock and start making your score lines at the intervals you decide to use. I used 1 inch. Then, turn your cardstock to make your score lines along the other side. Then, with your raised lines from scoring on the back side of your paper use a stamp pad to apply ink directly to your cardstock. Don't press down too hard. That's what will make your "grout lines" stand out more. Then, start stamping. Again though, don't press down too hard so that your stamped image doesn't show on your "grout lines". Then, it's just a matter of finishing your card or project! Here are the items I used to make my card.

Stamp sets: Priceless, Oval All

Cardstock: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive

Ink: Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Night of Navy

Other: Scor-Pal (or other scoring tool), Night of Navy 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Oval punch, Wide Oval punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! (except Scor-Pal)

Bleached Coloring technique

Yes, again, SIMPLE! Basically, stamp your image with VersaMark or pigment ink, heat emboss, "paint" inside of image with bleach, use heat tool to dry cardstock, color in image with markers! See? Simple! Here is a list of the products I used to make this card.

Stamp sets: Crazy for Cupcakes, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red, Basic Gray

Ink: VersaMark, Basic Black

Other: bleach, Q-Tip, black embossing powder, heat tool, Whisper White Satin ribbon, beads (these are Stampin' Up! but they are not available anymore), Stampin' Write markers, Stampin' Dimensionals, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch

All products (except bleach, Q-Tip) made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Polished Stone technique

I'm not sure where I got this technique. I've had the tutorial for quite a while. But, yes, as usual, it is really simple and easy! You need reinkers and a metallic reinker, glossy cardstock, rubbing alcohol and some cotton balls! That's it! All you do is put a few drops of the metallic reinker on your cardstock. Then, soak your cotton ball in alcohol and then add a couple of drops of your other reinkers onto the cotton ball. Then, just start dabbing on your cardstock. You will end up picking up the metallic reinker onto your cotton ball of course. Allow the cardstock to dry and then spray on some acrylic sealer. You can then use StazOn ink to stamp on the cardstock or use it as a background as I did for this card. Here is a list of the products I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Butterfly Prints

Cardstock: Glossy White, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist, Soft Suede

Ink: Marina Mist, Marina Mist reinker, Daffodil Delight reinker, Encore Gold metallic reinker

Other: rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, acrylic sealer, 1 1/4" Circle punch, Big Shot, Perfect Polka-Dots embossing folder, Flower Folds die, Two Tags die, Beautiful Wings Embosslit

All products (except cotton balls, alcohol, acrylic sealer) made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Texture Plate Smoosh Technique

Yes...another really simply technique with really cool results! Basically, you pick out a texture plate, use your ink pads to apply ink directly to the texture plate, spray the texture plate with water, lay your piece of cardstock on the texture plate and run it through your Big Shot, let dry and use on your project! The hardest part is waiting for your cardstock to dry! (have you noticed that I'm not a very patient person? LOL) Here is a list of the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Cheep Talk

Cardstock: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight

Other: spray bottle filled with water, Brights Glimmer brads, Rich Razzleberry 3/8" Taffeta ribbon, Small Oval punch, Large Oval punch, Daisies Texturz plate, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Ticket Corner punch, Big Shot

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Embossed Vellum

OK....first things first! Some of you who are "ALL" Stampin' Up! might get a little peeved at me over this one! So, NO, the stamp of the dasies in the vase is NOT Stampin' Up! But, any time I see a stamp (or anything really) with daisies or daisy looking flowers on it I MUST have it! Daisies are my all time favorite flower! Anyone who really knows me knows that if they want to give me flowers for some unknown reason they should NOT buy roses...buy daisies if you want me to be happy! Anyway, when I started to do this technique this particular stamp just called out to me so I answered the call!

This technique is really simple. You just stamp your image (and, of course, you want an "open" image so you can color it) using white pigment ink. Then, apply white or clear embossing powder and heat. Flip your image over and use a stylus and mousepad to trace over the embossed lines to give it a dry embossed look on the front. Then color in the image. The embossing is the "front" and the coloring is the "back". Allow the coloring to dry and then flip it back over and attach to your project! EASY! Here is a list of the products I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Just Believe, other stamp that is NOT Stampin' Up!

Cardstock: Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Crushed Concord

Ink: Whisper White Craft, Concord Crush

Other: eyelets, vellum, stylus, mousepad, heat tool, white embossing powder, Stampin' Write markers in Concord Crush, Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz

All products (except daisy stamp and mousepad) made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Jenny's Coat technique

The technique for this card is called Jenny's Coat. I got this technique from the Technique Junkies newsletter. It was suggested to them by Cathy Yamashita. It's really quite simple! Use DSP (patterned paper) and stamp your image on it using VersaMark. Emboss using clear embossing powder. Use a brayer to apply black ink over your embossed image. Wipe off any ink on your embossed image using a soft cloth or paper towel. That's it! Your patterned paper shows through your embossed image! Can't get much easier than that! Here is a list of the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Upsy Daisy

Cardstock/paper: Basic Black, Real Red, Love Impressions DSP, Red Glitter paper

Ink: VersaMark, Basic Black

Other: clear embossing powder, heat too, Stampin' Dimensionals, Small Heart punch

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up!

Textured Toothpaste technique

This was another fun one using an every day household item! TOOTHPASTE! Everybody has toothpaste at home (well...unless everybody in the house has dentures I guess LOL). This technique came from the Technique Junkies Newsletter. It's pretty simple. You get one of those little painter palettes and squirt some toothpaste in the little cups. You squirt as many times as different colors you plan on using. So, for this card I had three different "squirts" of toothpaste. And, on a side note, the tutorial said it didn't matter if you used gel toothpaste or paste toothpaste. Anyway, then you add reinker to the different squirts of toothpaste and use a toothpick or spoon or whatever to stir up each squirt to mix the reinker and toothpaste. Then, you place a brass stencil over your cardstock and use a paintbrush to paint the toothpaste into the open areas of the stencil. Then, remove your stencil and cover your colored toothpaste with Ultra Thick Embossing Powder. Heat it and you are done! Here are the items I used to make this card.

Stamp set: Live, Laugh, Love

Cardstock/paper: Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze, Rose Red, Springtime Vintage DSP

Ink: Rose Red, Baja Breeze

Other: toothpaste, paint palette, reinkers in Rose Red, Baja Breeze and Pear Pizzazz, ultra thick embossing powder, paint brushes, heat tool, toothpicks, Antiques brad, metal stencil

All products made by/sold by Stampin' Up! except the toothpaste, paint palette, ultra thick embossing powder, paint brushes, toothpicks and metal stencil