Monday, October 26, 2015

ECD Poinsettia Katie Label Pivot Card with Graphic 45

Created for the ECD Susan Tierney-Cockburn Design Team

Time to make holiday cards! I know, Halloween hasn't even passed yet but I'm almost always behind on making and sending Christmas/holiday cards so I'm starting early! Maybe I'll actually get them all out on time this year! (Doubtful, but I can dream...) This card features the poinsettia flowers/dies from Susan Tierney-Cockburn from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

Making the Card

1. Cut red cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches. Cut poinsettia patterned paper (Graphic 45 A Christmas Carol 8x8 pad) 5 x 8 inches. Wrap gold washi tape around near bottom as shown. Adhere to center of red cardstock - be generous with the adhesive, especially all along the outside and in center where the fold will be; remember that the label parts will need to stay together once cut as well. Fold in half. Using main Katie Label Pivot Card die, cut as directed (note: run it through 2 or 3 times due to thickness) - place the die slightly towards the top of the card to have a little more room on the bottom. Fold as instructed.

2. Using largest label die, cut two from beige holly background (Graphic 45 A Christmas Carol 6x6 pad). Adhere one label to front (left side) but leave the other off for the moment.

3. Cut 4 copies of Merry Christmas from red cardstock. Glue matching copies to each other to form thick stacks. Adhere as shown to other label. Cut two small slits where the bells will be hung. String gold thread through two small bells, tie knot at top of each. Slip these into the slots and adhere to back of label. Adhere label to right side of card as shown.

4. On a piece of cardstock at least 9 inches wide, add a line of double sided adhesive (I used 10mm size). Sprinkle with Regal Green Silk Microfine Glitter and polish with finger. Cut down to 1/8 inch strip. Add two lines of double sided adhesive to cardstock and repeat the process with True Red Silk Microfine Glitter - cutting one line 1/8 inch and one 1/4 inch. Cut two strips of Graphic 45 poinsettia patterned paper about 3/4 inch by at least 5 inches. Adhere 1/4 inch red glitter strip at top and bottom of card front: add adhesive to back, line up one side, stick down, trim on other (there should be enough for both sides). Do the same with the poinsettia strips, 1/8 inch red strip, then finally the 1/8 inch green strip - lining each flush with the previous.

5. Adhere Peace on Earth Tidings Token with dimensional tape as shown. Tie a double bow from red/white twine and glue at top of token (or tie it around token).


6. From pink and red cardstock, cut one full set plus 2 extra sets of separate petals/leaves using the Poinsettia set. From green cardstock cut double this amount (i.e. enough for two flowers). Follow instructions in video below to create two poinsettia flowers. I used Distress Inks and PanPastels as listed in supplies below. Adhere to front of card.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other
  • Cardstock: Red, Pink, Green, Gold
  • Patterned Paper: Graphic 45 A Christmas Carol, both 8x8 and 6x6 pads
  • Distress Ink: Forest Moss, Fired Brick, Worn Lipstick
  • Small Jingle Bells (Craft Store)
  • Gold Metallic Thread
  • Red/White Twine
  • Tim Holtz Idea-ology Adornments - Tidings Tokens (Peace on Earth)
  • Washi Tape: Gold
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Monday, October 19, 2015

Boy with Ornament Watercolored Christmas Card

Made for the Oak Tree Stamps Design Team

Introducing "All I Want for Christmas" from Oak Tree Stamps! This adorable little boy is helping to decorate, in all his wide-eyed wonder. I wanted the main focus to be on him so I decided to subtly add trees to the background rather than to the card.

Making the Card

1. Cut red cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches. Fold in half for a card base. Cut black cardstock 4 x 5 1/4 inches. Cut ornament patterned paper 3 7/8 x 5 1/8 inches. Adhere ornament paper to black mat. Adhere to card.

2. Stamp boy and "Joy" sentiment in waterproof black ink on watercolor paper. I used Versafine on Arches hot press watercolor paper (love the smooth surface). Watercolor the boy, starting with the lightest color in each section, letting it dry then adding a darker shade. This gives it a certain "painterly" look.


3. Fussy cut boy. I used a craft knife for the bit between his arms. Go around edges with black marker pen from the back, e.g. Copic Multiliner with brush tip. This hides any white on the edges and gives it a polished look.

4. Cut "Joy" in a rectangle - big enough to include a flag tail. I hand cut the tail by putting a dot where I want the V to meet, then cut up to it from each side. Adhere to black cardstock, aligning edges so as to do as little cutting as possible to mat the flag.

5. Die cut tree patterned paper with Spellbinders Classic Ovals Small. Die cut red cardstock with Spellbinders Lacy Ovals. Adhere tree oval to red lacy oval. Adhere to card where shown.

6. Adhere boy and "Joy" flag to card where shown, using dimensional tape. Adhere enamel dots as shown. Tie a small bow with red ribbon and adhere.


Supplies
  • Cardstock: Red, Black
  • Watercolor Paper (e.g. Arches Hot Press)
  • Patterned Paper: Jolly Holiday (Recollections) 6x6 Pad
  • Oak Tree Stamps: All I Want for Christmas
  • Spellbinders: Lacey Ovals S4-314, Classic Ovals Small S4-112 (Largest of Both)
  • Enamel Dots
  • Red Ribbon
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Monday, October 12, 2015

Fall Leaves of Nature Tag Card

Made for the ECD Susan Tierney-Cockburn Design Team

Happy Fall! Today I'm sharing with you this colorful Fall card. The leaves are so fun to make! Google "Fall leaves" for many beautiful examples you may use as models for your leaves.

Making the Card

1. Cut a piece of bright yellow-orange cardstock 4 1/4 x 11 inches (half of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet). Fold in half. Optional: add a piece of leaf paper to inside flap (you could also stamp leaves and color them). With card closed, place main tag die at opening (across from fold) and cut. Trim both sides. Open card; on front side of card, line up leaves decorator die with hole and die cut.

2. Die cut a set of Woodland Leaves from white cardstock. Color using PanPastels. Draw veins using colored pencils. Use a fixative before shaping (this is optional but it will prevent some of the color from coming off onto the pad). Shape each leaf using Metal Tool Set and molding pad. Add more color if necessary.


3. Stamp quote All Things of Nature in black ink on light yellow cardstock. Using the label decorator die from the Katie Label Pivot Card, center and die cut quote. Use Distress Inks and ink blending tool to decorate the edges of label. (Optionally you could use PanPastels; be sure to use fixative.)

4. Adhere leaves, tag (dimensional tape), sequins, and buttons as shown.

5. Dye seam binding ribbon with Distress Inks. Tie ribbon through back tag hole and twine through front tag hole as shown.


Supplies

ECD Supplies
Other Supplies
  • Cardstock: Bright Yellow-Orange, White, Light Yellow
  • Fixative
  • Black Ink
  • Distress Ink: Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade, Wild Honey, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint
  • Ink Blending Tool
  • Colored Pencils (e.g. Prismacolor)
  • Buttons
  • Twine
  • Sequins
  • Seam Binding Ribbon
  • Dimensional Tape
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Monday, October 5, 2015

Oak Tree Stamps Mummy Halloween Card


This cute little image of a boy dressed up as a mummy is the perfect selection for Prismacolor pencils and a Sansodor/mineral spirits blending technique.

Making the Card

1. Cut kraft cardstock 7x10 inches; fold in half for a card base. Cut black cardstock 3 7/8 x 5 inches and 4 5/8 x 6 1/8 inches. Cut spider web paper (from Boo! pad) to 3 3/4 x 4 7/8 inches. Cut cream/light orange paisley paper (from Rare Oddities pad) 4 1/2 x 6 inches. Adhere the matching sized patterned papers to the black cardstock as shown. Cut a strip of spider paper (from Boo! pad) about an inch wide.

2. Stamp mummy on white cardstock using a water based black ink that will stand up to mineral spirits and some rubbing (StazOn will probably smear). You may have to heat set it before starting.  Stamp the spider hanging off the back wrap as shown. Draw a black line and some little circles for pebbles as ground using Copic Multiliner or other black pen (test that it won't rub off first).

3. Color with Prismacolor pencils (a list of colors I used is below Supplies). Use a clean blending stump each time you switch colors (or sand off the previous color). Die cut using Small Stitched Rectangle (2 3/4 inch wide) as shown.

4. Stamp "All Wrapped Up" on white cardstock. Cut it in a strip then cut tails as shown. Adhere everything on the card as shown... from the back side of the card, cut off extra sider strip sticking out past the card edges. Adhere pumpkin embellishment.


Supplies
  • Cardstock: Kraft, Black, White
  • Pebbles Patterned Paper: Boo! 732984
  • Oak Tree Stamps: Wickedly Cute
  • Black Ink (e.g. Memento)
  • Tortillion or Stumps for Blending
  • Graphic 45 Patterned Paper: Rare Oddities 6x6 450115
  • Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables LF 768
  • Jolee's Boutique: White Pumpkin Repeats 50-21242
  • Prismacolor Colored Pencils
  • Ground Line: Copic Multiliner Black .3
Prismacolor Pencils Used
  • Face: 928, 939, PC1080, PC997
  • Wrap: 914, PC1094
  • Eyes: 904, PC103
  • Hair: 961, 962, 963
  • Ground/Shadow: 941, 946, 966, 967, 968
  • Sky: PC1079, 933, PC208
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Sunday, October 4, 2015

Missed Birthday Step-Ups T-Shirt Card


This T-Shirt stamp is the largest solid area stamp I own. It's from Stephanie Barnard (The Stamps of Life). The only ink I use when stamping large areas like this is Versafine from Tsukineko. It stamps crisp and bright every time. If I had a Misti Tool, it would have had perfectly even inking and a bit more solid color but this shows how well the ink works on a first stamp (and first try). I left the tiny offset at the top of the shirt so you can see just how crisp the lines stamp (plus I kind of like the slightly imperfect look for handmade cards).

This is the first time using the balloons background. I usually try to use more muted backgrounds so they don't distract from the main image but it was so fun I couldn't resist - perfect for a (belated) birthday card.

Making the Card

Below is a photo of some of the supplies I used on the card. I usually try to pull out the papers I plan to use - and sometimes a few of the embellishments; this makes it so much easier/faster to pull the card together. I didn't really do any coloring for this card but having the papers selected also helps when selecting the colors for the image so they can match perfectly. In this case, I just had to match the shirt ink and the crystals. Of course sometimes I tweak the papers later... this time I ended up switching out the yellow background paper, shown in the photo, for the pink background version I used on the card.


1. Using the main Step-Ups die, die cut the blue cardstock. Use the star side element to cut out each side, centering them within the edges and folds. Use the frame die that fits the star side element to cut two light blue frames; glue them behind the stars (this will be the inside of the card). Fold along the lines as instructed. Die cut pink background birthday paper with decorator die. Adhere as shown.

2. Stamp T-shirt in Satin Red Versafine ink on white cardstock. Note: I recommend heat setting after each stamping. Stamp T-shirt outline over with Onyx Black Versafine ink, then stamp "Oh, Shirt" (optionally, you could mount this inside the outline and stamp at the same time). Die cut. Add Swarovski crystals to T-shirt as shown (you could substitute other rhinestones but these shine so beautifully!).

3. Stamp "I forgot your birthday" on white cardstock with Onyx Black Versafine ink. Use the smaller label die from Sizzix Stamps - Birthday & Frames to cut it out. Doodle lines/dashes/dots around the edge of the frame in a black pen (e.g. Memento Marker, Tuxedo Black).

4. Tie a double length of red/white twine in a bow. Adhere T-shirt with dimensional tape where shown. Use dimensional tape under label but double it up where it will sit on the card base - the single layer will sit on the T-shirt. Cut off the back of the party hat button with wire cutters (sand flat if necessary). Add dimensional tape under the party hat where it will sit on the card. Adhere everything where shown.


Supplies
  • Cardstock: Blue, Light Blue, White
  • Patterned Paper: 6x6 Pad My Mind's Eye Hootenanny #6X6207
  • Sizzix Card, Kind Sentiments - Step-Ups
  • Tsukineko Inks: Onyx Black, Satin Red
  • Black Pen (e.g. Memento Marker Tuxedo Black)
  • Sizzix Stamps - Birthday & Frames
  • Stamps of Life: patterns4tshirts, tshirt2stamp, T-Shirt Dies, 
  • Hat Button: Buttons Galore & More 4168 Party Hats
  • Swarovski Crystals: pink, red, blue, clear
  • Hat Confetti, Star Sequins
  • Twine: Red/White
  • Dimensional Tape
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Saturday, October 3, 2015

Memento-Versafine Crazy Birds Halloween Card


I just love Memento and Versafine inks. Memento is great for working with alcohol markers (like Copics) but it's also wonderful for blending and painting. It does not react to water the way Distress Inks do but knowing this can allow you to create a different look. Versafine is waterproof; it's also the best ink that I've found for solid areas as well as crisp, sharp stamping.

These Crazy Birds are super fun, especially when you add in their Crazy Things! These sets have many, many stamps and dies!

Making the Card

1. When stamping, leave lots of space between the stamped images so you can cut them out. You will need to heat set everything before adding color. Stamp birds (Bird Crazy set) on heavyweight white cardstock with Onyx Black Versafine ink. The heavier weight will help keep the cardstock from warping while painting. I stamped three birds - I figured at least one wouldn't come out since I'm experimenting (and I was right). Also stamp hat and pumpkin bucket from Crazy Things.


2. Using a watercolor brush and some water, you will color the images. This technique is meant to show strokes and be rather loose. The drawn shaded areas on the stamp make it really easy to color. For the body of the bird, I used three green colors of Memento ink: Cottage Ivy for the darkest areas, Bamboo Leaves for the mid-tones, and Pear Tart for the lightest. Do this in layers, making your strokes match the contours of the bird. See the Supplies section for the colors I used for everything else. I bought Dew Drop versions of all the Memento colors - they are super handy to use as well as portable. Squish some on a craft mat or art palette then add some water (sparingly) with the brush. You may want to test it in a corner of the cardstock before painting to see how much is absorbed and how it goes on. Don't use too much water and do not wet the paper before coloring.

Note: I stamped one of the pumpkin buckets, masked it (see step 3 for masking), measured the bird stamp, penciled some guides, then stamped one of the birds over it to make it one layer. The other will have more dimension by popping the items up (plus it's easier!).

3. Stamp bird on masking paper in black ink. I use Post-it Tape. Heat set (it will probably need more time than on cardstock due to a slicker surface). Cut just inside the black line - this helps prevent a white line around the object after inking. Note: if you have the matching dies, you can cut out the bird then trim any excess as necessary. I cut off the legs and feet since they are unnecessary and will likely just pull up while inking. Place mask on one of the birds (I did the one without the stamped pumpkin bucket).


4. On a new piece of masking, draw a slight hill for the bird to stand on leaving space on top and bottom, with a flat spot in the middle for the bird's feet. Cut across the line. Place the bottom mask below the bird's feet. Using an ink blending tool and Paris Dusk ink, blend starting on the mask moving in circles off as you work your way around the bird. A little goes a long way! I made my first one way too dark (plus added purple but didn't like it). I decided to use that one for parts: die cut or use scissors to cut around the eyes, beak, and wings. Remove masks. Place the other half of the hill mask over the just inked area (starting at the bird's feet) - lined up with the ink line to protect it. Ink with Peanut Brittle across as ground then add a little Espresso Truffle under the bird for a shadow. Peel up mask. Using a black pen (e.g. Memento Marker, fine tip), draw a line between the ground and sky; add a few small circles for pebbles.


5. Stamp frame then "trick or treat" sentiment (Skull Blueprint) on heavyweight white cardstock (note: the Cobweb Blueprint has a matching "happy halloween"). Die cut with frame die. Use the same three green colors to watercolor alternating stripes across.

6. Stamp "Happy Halloween" (Halloweenies) on the edge of heavyweight white cardstock - trim to a strip then cut tails on right side. Ink lightly with Bamboo Leaves on the top and bottom edges.

7. Use 2nd largest Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables die to cut out the bird with background. Use Crazy Birds die or scissors to cut out bird without background (I hand cut my bird before remembering the die - cutting off the legs/feet to make it easier... although they need to be stamped back on later). Use Crazy Things dies or scissors to cut out witch hat and pumpkin bucket. Use Memento Marker to go around edges (from back side) of bird parts, cut out bird, witch hat, and pumpkin bucket.


8. Cut an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of heavyweight white cardstock in half so you will have two pieces 5 1/2 x 8 1/2. Fold them in half to form two card bases. Cut black cardstock into two pieces 4 x 5 1/4 inches and one piece 2 7/8 x 3 7/8 inches. Cut bright green cardstock 3 3/8 x 4 3/4 inches. From Toil & Trouble patterned paper, cut bats/green background and black/green chevron papers to 3 3/4 x 5 inches, orange/black Halloween word paper to 2 5/8 x 3 5/8 inches, and the colored lines on black paper to 3 1/4 x 4 5/8 inches. Adhere all papers to their mats as shown.

9. If you cut off the legs/feet of the cut out bird, you will need to stamp them on the orange/black above where you plan to put the label. I used a stamp positioner, inking up just the legs, to do this. I realized that they blended too much into the background so I went over them with a green Milky pen (you could paint them with acrylic if you don't have the pen). Adhere mats to card as shown; adhere the bird, and "trick or treat" label with dimensional tape as shown.

10. To the bird with background, add eyes, beak, wings, hat, and pumpkin bucket with dimensional tape. Adhere mats, "Happy Halloween" banner, and bird as shown

11. Adhere enamel dots as shown. Tie twine around each card with a bow on the edge.


Supplies
  • Cardstock: Heavyweight White (110lb/298gsm), Black, Bright Green
  • Patterned Paper: American Crafts Toil & Trouble 340046
  • Versafine Ink: Onyx Black
  • Memento Ink: See List Below
  • Memento Marker: Tuxedo Black 900
  • Stampers Anonymous: Bird Crazy CMS212, Crazy Things CMS237
  • Sizzix Dies (Optional): Bird Crazy 660954, Crazy Things 660953
  • Sizzix Die Set with Stamps: Skull Blue Print (Trick or Treat Sentiment)
  • Paper Smooches: Halloweenies (Happy Halloween Sentiment)
  • Lawn Fawn Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables LF 768
  • Ink Blending Tool
  • Dimensional Tape
  • Enamel Dots
  • Twine: Black/Orange, Black/Green
Memento Ink (Dew Drops)
  • Bird Body: Cottage Ivy, Bamboo Leaves, Pear Tart
  • Beak: Cantaloupe, Dandelion
  • Eyes: Summer Sky
  • Pumpkin Bucket: Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Morocco
  • Witch Hat: Elderberry, Sweet Plum, Peanut Brittle (Buckle)
  • Background: Paris Dusk
  • Ground: Peanut Brittle, Espresso Truffle
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