Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Xyron & Newton's Nook Panda Mini-Cards and Giveaway!


This is a collaboration project between Xyron and Newton's Nook. Newton's Nook sent the Xyron Design Team some of their products. I chose this adorable panda stamp set, as well as a flower stamp set (Peony Blooms) which I plan to feature in a future post. I couldn't choose just one panda to use (they are all so cute!) so I decided to make a trio of mini-cards.
Giveaways! Both Xyron and Newton's Nook are doing giveaways! Both will be giving away a Xyron Mega Runner plus a $25 gift certificate to Newton's Nook. To enter, visit Xyron's Facebook page and comment on this week's projects featuring Newton's Nook products. Visit Newton's Nook's blog to enter their giveaway.

Disclaimer: Affiliate links and cookies, including those for personalized ads, may be used in this post and on this site. Using this site implies your consent. I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, Share a Sale, and other affiliate programs; these affiliate advertising programs provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and/or other affiliated sites at no cost to you. This helps offset a small portion of my crafting addiction... uh, hobby. I am truly thankful for your kind support! I also receive free products from my design team companies, possibly monetary compensation, and sometimes free products for review. Regardless, all opinions are my own. Google and Blogger use cookies to provide and improve their services. See Notice at bottom of blog for a longer description or for even more details see the full Privacy Policy.

Making the Card

1. From red cardstock, cut three pieces 5x7 inches; fold each in half to form three 3 1/2 x 5 inch card bases. From black cardstock, cut three pieces 3 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches. Cut three pieces of X-Press It Blending Card 3 1/8 x 4 5/8 inches.


2. Stamp the thee pandas (Playful Pandas, Newton's Nook Stamps) shown on the cards, the food bowl, and the bamboo on masking paper using StazOn Jet Black ink. Fussy cut images with detail scissors. Hint: cut down the middle of or just inside the black line; this will help prevent a gap when stamping or inking over mask.

3. Use a Stamp Platform or stamp positioner to stamp each panda and sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black ink where shown on each piece of X-Press It Blending Card (cut in step 1). Do one at a time, masking the panda holding bamboo and panda holding bowl before stamping the items they are holding (first unmount the other stamps if using a platform). Once stamped, to place the bamboo and bowl masks, gently peel up each bear's hand and put the mask under it - they are so delicate and small that they will probably come up when blending over them; this should help hold them down.


4. Use a piece of masking paper or Post-It Tape to mask the ground line behind the pandas. Use a blending tool and foam to add Barn Door Distress Ink behind the bears. I used a piece of scrap paper to blot off the blending foam ink before blending, then started on the mask and worked in larger and larger circles.

5. Stamp heart with Barn Door Distress Ink as shown above panda with bamboo (hint: condition a new stamp with VersaMark ink - dab it on then stamp on scrap paper, leaving some on stamp).

6. Lightly color images in Cool Gray Copic Markers.


7. Run the colored images and black mats through 9" Creative Station with Permanent Adhesive; rub around each before pulling the backing away from the cardstock. Adhere images to black mats then to fronts of cards.


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Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Campfire Comfort Tent Pop-up Card & Daniel Smith Watercolor


Another adorable stamp by Dreamerland Crafts, Campfire Comfort is a sweet image of a girl and her pup enjoying a summer evening by their campfire under the stars. I decided to mimic the scene in 3D inside the card using Karen Burniston's new Tent Pop-up dies. To match the stamped image, I altered the tent to have poles (toothpicks), added a blanket and pillow (paper towel) inside the tent, and popped up a campfire. I also mirrored the sky inside the card using the same glitter stars as on the front.

To color the image, I used Daniel Smith watercolors. I absolutely love using them. They are professional watercolors - highly pigmented and lightfast (probably overkill for a card but that's the way I roll!). I enhanced the watercoloring with a touch of colored pencil (Faber-Castell Polychromos).

Disclaimer: Links, affiliate links, and cookies, including those for personalized ads, may be used in this post and on this site. Using this site implies your consent. I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, Share a Sale, and other affiliate programs; these affiliate advertising programs provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and/or other affiliated sites at no cost to you. This helps offset a small portion of my crafting addiction... uh, hobby. I am truly thankful for your kind support! I also receive free products from my design team companies, possibly monetary compensation, and sometimes free products for review. Regardless, all opinions are my own. Google and Blogger use cookies to provide and improve their services. See Notice at bottom of blog for a longer description and/or see the full Privacy Policy for even more details.

Making the Card

1. Stamp Campfire Comfort on smooth side of Distress Watercolor Cardstock in Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink (I recommend using a Stamp Platform or Stamp Positioner for this). Also stamp just the tent on reddish brown gingham paper (6x6 Paper Pad Gingham-Linen Rainbow Petite Prints).

2. Use masking fluid (e.g. Molotow 2.0 mm Marker) to add some dot stars in the sky (you will add the smallest ones later with a white gel pen). While drying, fussy cut out gingham tent using detail scissors, or craft knife and cutting mat; carefully cut around pillow/blanket, dog, and girl. Use a Tuxedo Black Memento marker, brush tip side, from the backside to go around the edges - this will help hide any white edges against the black stamping.


3. Watercolor image, leaving tent area alone since it will be covered anyway. Hint: add some Tuxedo Black Memento marker (the fine tip is great for this) around the inside line in case the cutting of the tent piece is a little off. I used Daniel Smith watercolorsBlack Velvet brushes, and a porcelain palette. While the watercolors are out, we'll use them to color the tree stump, two logs, and the ends of toothpicks to form tent poles. Using the Tent Pop-up dies, die cut tree stump (close-up photo further below) and two logs from same watercolor cardstock (the logs go under the fire and are connected, see photo of pop-up fire). Watercolor to look like wood. Cut the sharp ends off two round toothpicks then cut them in half (I used Tim Holtz/Tonic scissors). Watercolor to look like wood to match the tent poles you colored in the front card image.


4. Once dry, rub off the masking fluid from the front card image. You may want to soften the edges a little with a damp brush. Add extra stars, fewer at the bottom graduating to many more at the top. I used a number 10 white Gelly Roll but I had to dot very carefully - a smaller size, like a size 05, might have been a better choice (hindsight!). Adhere the tent cut out (step 2) - I used Lineco Neutral pH Adhesive in a Fineline Applicator. Optional: add some clear Wink of Stella over the fire for subtle shimmer - it doesn't show up in the photos but looks pretty in person. Die cut with 2nd largest Rectangles - Crosshatch die (largest rectangle without crosshatching).

5. Cut dark blue cardstock 7x10 inches; fold in half to form a 5x7 inch card base. Cut linen side of light brown paper (Doodlebug Design 12x12 Paper Pad Gingham-Linen Rainbow Petite Prints) 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches, plus two pieces 4 3/4 x 6 3/4 inches (set these aside for now). Adhere the 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 piece to front of card. Use largest Rectangles - Crosshatch die to cut the linen side of dark blue from the same pad. Adhere image to this. Adhere to front of card as shown, leaving equal space around top, bottom, and left side.


6. Die cut the letters H, A, P, P, Y from silver Tim Hotz Kraft Metallic cardstock using Alphabet dies. Adhere to card as shown. Adhere glitter stars as shown. Die cut "sweet" and "summer" (Word Set 6 - Summer) from same silver cardstock. Finally die cut the small lamp (Camping Charms) from bronze cardstock and the small square with rounded corners for the inside of the lamp from yellow-orange cardstock (see close-up photo further below). Adhere the yellow-orange behind the lamp. Optional: use Glossy Accents in openings to look like glass. Set these aside for now, allowing the Glossy Accents to dry.


7. Trim a very small bit off the long side of the two pieces of brown linen set aside in step 5 to accommodate the card fold (i.e. they will be less than 4 3/4 inches x 6 3/4 inches). Adhere to inside of card on either side of fold, minding space around outside edges; you may want to place them without adhesive first to be sure they won't need more trimming.

8. Watch the following video but do not assemble yet. Read the instructions below the video first before assembling the tent.


Using Tent Pop-up campfire dies, die cut fire in yellow cardstock and smaller flames in yellow-orange cardstock. Adhere together, leaving room for logs (line up evenly above yellow-orange). Optional: add some clear Wink of Stella over the fire for subtle shimmer. Adhere logs to bottom (step 3). Die cut tent in reddish brown gingham from Doodlebug Design 12x12 Paper Pad Gingham-Linen Rainbow Petite Prints to match tent on front of card - keep the small circles cut out at the top of the tent. Since I wanted the tent to match the front of the card, I altered it by adding toothpick "poles" and replacing the hole cut outs. Use washi tape in a brown color behind the holes and replace the pieces that were die cut out. I used a teflon bone folder to rub them in place. Trim off some of the front tent flaps straight with the opening of the tent leaving about 1/3 inch or so to wrap around the toothpick poles; keep the pieces. Cut a notch at the top of the tent openings on both sides where the toothpick poles will go - I just made a little half circle to give them more room. Work all the folds in the tent as in the video. Adhere the toothpicks on each side of the holes you cut such that they will stick up when folded; they will cross at the hole. Do not glue the poles together! They need to move independently so the card can open/close, i.e. they will rub against each other as the card is opened/closed. I wrapped and glued the tent flaps around each toothpick at the tent front. For the back toothpicks, I used the extra paper from the front flaps to secure them then glued the back flaps together at the tab as shown in the video. The tent back will need to fold outwards so leave room behind the tent (in the video Karen folds the flaps inward to allow the tent to be put further back in the card - don't do this). Adhere in card as shown in video, leaving the extra room behind the tent.

Instead of die cutting vellum to attach the tree stump from step 3, cut a strip about 1/2 inch wide and about 2 3/4 inches long. Mountain fold at 1/2 inch, 1 1/2 inches, and 2 inches (it will form a sort of box, angled on one side). Adhere the 1/2 inch piece against the tent side at the middle lined up at the bottom where it meets the card base. Adhere the other end of the strip on the base of the card, meeting the piece you just glued, to form the box. Once the Glossy Accents on the lamp is dry, adhere it to the top of the tree stump then adhere the tree stump to the vellum where shown. Adhere the fire on the card where shown.


9. For the blanket inside the tent, cut a piece of dark purple linen paper from 6x6 Paper Pad Gingham-Linen Rainbow Petite Prints to fit inside tent - measure the tent base: sides and opening, trim paper to be slightly smaller so it will slide in easily. Slide into tent and mark center/fold with a pencil; fold in half at mark. Trim off the fold itself (minimal amount) while the piece is folded so you get two pieces, then the glue pieces in tent on either side of fold - I curled one corner over and glued the flap corner down so it looked more like a blanket. Create a little pillow out of a white paper towel by cutting a rectangle larger than the pillow size then folding all edges inside and applying a piece of mounting/dimensional tape to the center for some fluff. Add glue around the edges of the pillow then stick down inside tent where shown, avoiding the fold.

10. Adhere "sweet" and "summer" where shown. Adhere glitter stars, adding more at top of card and less going further down to mimic front of card's sky. I highly recommend using the Crystal Katana tool - it is pretty awesome: I placed the stars where I wanted them, put some glue on a toothpick in one hand, used the Crystal Katana to slightly pick up a star, dabbed glue under it and placed it back down. The tool releases immediately! It makes it very easy to add glitter, sequins, pearls, and gem embellishments.


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Thursday, June 7, 2018

Xyron & DCWV Flamingo Spinner Square Card

Xyron DCWV Hero Arts Color Layering Flamingo Karen Burniston Pop-up Card

Xyron and DCWV have teamed up for this collaboration post. DCWV sent the Xyron Design Team a 12x12 Premium Stack (pad) of beautiful, colorful papers - including some sheets with foiling. I received Electric Jungle. The tropical theme prompted me to look for my layering flamingo stamps by Hero Arts, which coordinate perfectly with these papers.

Disclaimer: Affiliate links and cookies, including those for personalized ads, may be used in this post and on this site. Using this site implies your consent. I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, Share a Sale, and other affiliate programs; these affiliate advertising programs provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and/or other affiliated sites at no cost to you. This helps offset a small portion of my crafting addiction... uh, hobby. I am truly thankful for your kind support! I also receive free products from my design team companies, possibly monetary compensation, and sometimes free products for review. Regardless, all opinions are my own. Google and Blogger use cookies to provide and improve their services. See Notice at bottom of blog for a longer description or for even more details see the full Privacy Policy.

Making the Card

1. Cut Robin's Egg Ombre cardstock 4 1/4 x 11 inches; fold in half with the darkest shade at the inside top of the card to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base.


2. Stamp flamingo layers (Color Layering Flamingo) on smooth white cardstock (I used X-Press It Blending Card). I highly recommend using a Stamp Platform or stamp positioner. I used the following inks for the flamingo: Angel Pink (body), Pink Peony (body feathers), Vibrant Fuchsia (body shadows), Tuxedo Black (eyes/beak). Note: the inks are pictured two photos below. For the legs, I stamped first with Angel Pink then dabbed just the knees and feet with a little Pink Peony and stamped again. Die cut image using 2nd largest Nested Oval Small Stitch Die. Die cut pink cardstock with largest Nested Oval Small Stitch Die. Add Clear Wink of Stella to flamingo. Die cut white foam sheet with 3rd largest Nested Oval Small Stitch Die. Set these aside for now.


3. Find the above pictured papers from Electric Jungle (I cut the "paradise" piece out of the page rather than taking out the entire sheet). Cut water background sheet to 4 x 5 1/4 inches. Cut pink flamingo sheet to 1 7/8 x 4 1/4 inches (I cut mine such that 3 lines of flamingos were included). Cut out tag with toucan and "hello;" carefully cut straight across close to top of "hello" word (photo below) and trim to a rectangle for use on front of card. Cut a small piece of Robin's Egg Ombre cardstock a little larger than the "hello" - use the back side. Use ink blending tool and foam to blend the bottom of the "hello" with Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide Ink and the top with Worn Lipstick*. Wipe gently with a clean dry paper towel to remove any excess ink from foiled letters. *In hindsight, I probably should have used Memento Angel Pink instead of Worn Lipstick.


4. See above photo. Fussy cut around flower trio and leaves (from tag with blue/green background); cover with Clear Wink of Stella to give it some shimmer. Using dies from Spinner Square Pop-up, die cut flower from label using scalloped square, two flamingos facing each other with small square, toucan with medium square, and mini corners from Robin's Egg Ombre cardstock (back side). Use Wink of Stella on toucan. Cover toucan with Glossy Accents and set aside to dry. Cut around flamingo with gold foiling from label with "paradise" - I cut away the word as well; see photo below.

Partially open card; note flowers moving around from right side.

5. Watch the following video for creating the Spinner Square Pop-up. The rest of the pieces for the card are listed below the video - I recommending watching first, cutting the rest of the pieces as described below, then watching again while assembling the card in the order described below the video.


Die cut pink cardstock with large square die for platform. Create a frame of the same size from back of Robin's Egg Ombre cardstock by using two square dies (one with piercing) as shown in video - use removable tape or Post-It tape to hold them together while running them through die cutting machine (pictured two photos below). Die cut and assemble arm (I cut it out of pink cardstock since it wasn't as stiff as the Robin's Egg Ombre cardstock). Use glue as shown in video to adhere to card base - I put it slightly to the right of middle. Die cut Robin's Egg Ombre cardstock (back side) with rectangle for moving piece, glue to moving section as shown; note: I put mine at a slight angle since I wanted to have the flowers centered under the pop up platform when the card was open at 90 degrees. Glue flowers to arm - first you may want to trim the rectangle a bit so the flowers will be closer to the platform (I didn't do this, but wish I had!).


6. Use 9" Creative Station to apply Permanent Adhesive to larger pieces: stamped flamingo, pink oval, foam oval, water background piece, 3 rows of flamingos piece, frame, toucan (be sure it is dry!), a small rectangle of foam (to go under "hello"), scalloped flower square, and flamingo from label (with foiling), See the two photos below.


Use the 1.5" Create-a-Sticker for the small pieces: "hello" and it's rectangle mat, small flamingo square, and small photo corners. Stick inked "hello" to its mat. Adhere water background to front card base (see below photo). Adhere pink paper of flamingos in rows near bottom but allow a little of the water background to show below it. Peel up stamped flamingo and place it on foam oval. Place these on pink oval; adhere to front of card such that the pink oval is touching the left side and slightly below the water but above the edge of flamingo papers (see card front photo, two below). Lightly adhere "hello" where shown, overhanging stamped flamingo oval. Cut a small piece of foam rectangle with adhesive to fit overhang of "hello" and stick under it for support then rub gently to press down.


See photo of inside of card, three above. Adhere frame to large pink square for platform. Adhere toucan and mini photo corners as shown. Center this in card and glue on pop-up platform. Adhere scalloped flower square, small square with two flamingos, and flamingo with gold foiling where shown. Adhere rhinestones to front of card as shown in photo below.

Hero Arts Color Layering Flamingo Karen Burniston Pop-up Card

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