the CLASSroom

Feminine Birthday Blessings by Sharon Harnist

 

Hello and thanks for visiting today!  As we continue with our "Goodbye to CHF" week here on the CLASSroom, I have a new card to share with you that uses three of CHF's wonderful lines of stamps -- The Rummage Bin, Kim Hughes & Mona Lisa Moments.  As of this writing, all the products I used were in stock but you'll need to hurry if you'd like to add any of these stamps to your collection, as they are disappearing fast!

I thought I would use one of my favorite Rummage Bin sets, Primitive Christmas, to show how it can be used for other occasions, too.  I used the journaling block from the set and stamped it with Memento Rich Cocoa ink onto Neenah Natural White cardstock -- don't worry about the sleigh, we'll cover it up later!

 

Then I used different sentiments from Mona Lisa Moments-Classic Essential Expressions that would pertain to a birthday and stamped them onto the journaling lines using Worn Lipstick Distress ink. Some of the phrases I used were Happy Birthday, Birthday Blessings, Celebrating You, Birthday Wishes, Oh Happy Day, and Wish Big.  With more than 62 phrases to mix and match in this set, you'll always have the perfect sentiment to choose from!

 

To make the journaling card match the patterned papers I chose, I lightly airbrushed it with Copic R20 marker.  The edges were distressed a little, using Tim Holtz's Paper Distresser and inked with Antique Linen Distress ink.

 

Next, I stamped the solid leaf and outline flowers from Kim Hughes-Collage Elements, using Adirondack Lettuce dye ink & Worn Lipstick Distress inks.  I colored the flowers with Copic markers R20 & R22 and then decided to experiment with some of the fabulous new Glitter Ritz glitter Ellen recently added to the store.

 

I wanted to test the results of using different adhesives for the Transparent Microfine Glitter-Warm Highlights, so I tried Ranger Glossy Accents on the flower on the left and Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Adhesive on the right flower.  Each dried perfectly clear, which is a great thing when working with transparent glitter because anything you use under transparent glitter will show through.  That can be a good thing when it pertains to seeing underlying color but a bad thing when it pertains to adhesive!  As expected, the Glossy Accents left a finish that was more shiny and the Art Glitter Adhesive's finish was more matte.  Hopefully you can see all the pretty glitter by clicking on the photo below for a larger view:

 

See how the Copic shading still shows through the glitter, once it is dry?  Awesome stuff!  To finish my card, I adhered strips of Basic Grey's darling new Olivia 6x6 patterned papers onto thin cardstock and then die cut them with Spellbinders Labels Eight largest die.  EK Success Donut Chain Edger Punch was used to punch more pink paper from the Olivia pad and it was added to the lower part of the card, dividing the paper patterns.  This piece was adhered to a folded card base that was also die cut with the Labels Eight die.

Thanks for joining us today! ~ Sharon

 
Stamps: CHF The Rummage Bin-Primitive Christmas, Kim Hughes-Collage Elements, Mona Lisa Moments-Classic Essential Expressions
Paper: Basic Grey Olivia 6x6, Neenah Natural White
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa; Ranger Adirondack Lettuce dye ink & Worn Lipstick & Antique Linen Distress inks; Copic markers R20 & R22
Accessories: Copic Airbrush System, Spellbinders Nestabilities-Labels Eight die set, EK Success Donut Chain Edger Punch, Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Adhesive, Ranger Glossy Accents, Glitter Ritz Transparent Microfine Glitter-Warm Highlights, Tonic Tim Holtz Paper Distresser

Distressed Anniversary ATC by Sharon Harnist

 

Today, I have an anniversary ATC to share with you, because tomorrow happens to be my 16th wedding anniversary!  Distressing and aging are some of my favorite techniques and you'll probably see them on most of my projects, so I thought I'd share a few things I like to do.

First, I'd like to refer you back to the ATC basics I did here and you can click on the ATC category over on the left sidebar for more ATC inspiration.

Second, when working with patterned papers for my ATCs, I like to use a template I created.  It's just a scrap piece of cardstock in which I cut a 2.50" x 3.50" opening: 

 

This allows me to move the template over all parts of the patterned paper, choosing just the right part of the pattern I want to use.

Third, I like to use the scrap piece of cardstock I cut out of the template to arrange the stamps I want to use ... moving them around until I find a placement I like:

 

Fourth, I'd like to reiterate that using punches and die cuts on your ATCs is sometimes overlooked simply because the smaller 2.50" x 3.50" canvas size of ATCs can be intimidating.  Just remember, smaller punches and dies can work wonderfully on them!  Here's an example where I used a die to cut the base of my ATC.

On today's project, I used EK Success Daisy Chain edger punch to cut a Memory Box Water cardstock accent for my ATC:

 

As you can see in the photo above when I was playing around with the arrangement of all the elements, left unsponged with Memento Rich Cocoa ink, the daisies might have looked a little out of place on the brown/pale blue/cream patterned  Basic Grey Cappella paper I used -- they wouldn't have maintained the shabby feel the paper has.

 

After sponging the daisy chain, I noticed the centers of the daisies were still pristine pale blue (center daisies in the photo above), so I took a Copic E25 marker and just lightly touched it inside the center hole of each daisy (bottom daisies).  I think this really continued the distressed look I wanted.

All the elements from the Rummage Bin-Sweet Bee stamp set I used on my ATC were stamped with the Rich Cocoa ink onto Memory Box Water cardstock, cut out, and sponged with Rich Cocoa ink.  Remember, when trying to maintain a shabby feel, keep your coloring muted, too. 

 

The beehive was accented with Copic markers E31 & E50, and the word HONEY word was highlighted with Gold Copic Spica Glitter pen.  The bee was stamped onto Neenah Classic Cream cardstock (again, a muted color instead of using bright white cardstock), colored with Copic YR31 & BG0000 markers, cut out and popped up on foam tape.  His body was also accented with the gold glitter pen.

To finish the distressed/shabby feel of my ATC, I roughed up the edges of the patterned paper with the Tim Holtz Paper Distresser and mounted it onto more of the Water cardstock, sponged with Rich Cocoa ink.  When adhering the daisy chain to the paper, I intentionally put adhesive over the holes of the daisies, and then sprinkled on some Crystal Fine glitter.

I hope you'll enjoy trying some of these techniques/tips on your ATC creations!

 
Stamps: CHF Rummage Bin-Sweet Bee
Paper: Basic Grey Cappella 6x6, Neenah Classic Cream cardstock, Memory Box Water cardstock
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Rich Cocoa, Copic markers (detailed above) & Gold Copic Spica Glitter pen
Accessories: EK Success Daisy Chain edger punch, Tonic Tim Holtz Paper Distresser, Martha Stewart Essential Colors Glitter Set (Crystal Fine)

Back To Basics: stamping by Kim Hughes

Welcome to the CLASSroom!  We've all been new to stamping at some point and it sure can be intimidating, but it's easier than you may think.  Here are some pointers that I hope will help get you started.  First of all, you will need at least 2 shades of brown and black ink...these are must have's when starting out.

Supplies:

EEE2 Cardstock, Robin's Egg, H1 Notecards and Envelopes, Mocha

Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Ginger, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Espresso, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Pitch Black

COPIC Sketch Marker B00, Frost Blue

Webster's Pages Petite Papers Paperpad, Home for the Holidays & Winter's Wings

Cornish Heritage Farms: Rummage Bin, On the Desk PRECUT, Scrapblock, Old Typewriter, Kim Hughes, Zooper Fun

Cut-N-Dry Stamp Pad Foam

Art Flowers, White & Cream

Say it in Studs, Pastels

VersaMark Inkpad

Heat It Craft Tool

Embossing Powder, Clear

 

This technique was hard to photograph as I was doing it, but here's the gist...use the tip of all 3 ink pads and dab them randomly onto the rubber stamp.  Start with the lightest color, then medium and finish with black.  Press the paper onto the rubber stamp and rub over the entire surface with your finger.  If you are worried about getting your fingers inky...place scrap paper on top of your paper and press onto the top paper.  The effect that you will get is a pattern that's multi-colored.
 

Stamp the vintage typewriter in the center and embellish with some twine and an elegant sticker. 

To make sure I get a bold impression with a stamp, like in this case, the typewriter, I press the stamp onto the ink pad and turn it a bit, making sure that the ink gets in all of the grooves. 

 

The next card consists of a custom background that I created using multiple stamps from one stamp set.  I am using the same 3 colors but alternating them.
 

I start by stamping with all 3 colors and then working around the paper, making sure take balance into account. 
 

as you can see here, there;s black in 5 areas, but they aren't over powering the other 3 colors.
 

I placed the paper onto a solid brown base and added a graphic feel with a bold border that I created with a thick black marker.  Embellished with an elegant sticker.
 

stamping a Scrapblock or Backgrounder with ink is the easiest way to create custom patterned paper, but there are also other fun ways to use a patterned stamp. 
 

dab the stamp with a foam pad and make sure to dab harder in the center and softer around the edges.
 

Press your paper onto the stamp...and you will find that you have a soft and faded pattern.
 

stamp the journal spot and sentiment in the lower right hand corner and cut a scrap patterned paper.  You can easily replace the Webster's paper with a stamped paper from a Scrapblock or Backgrounder pattern.
 

Ink the edges first with Espresso.  Rub the ink in heavier on the edges and press lighter as you come inward.
 

and come further in on the paper with the ginger ink.  This will give the paper a soft and smoky distressed edge,
 

draw a line on the back of brown card stock
 

and cut a scalloped edge with decorative scissors.  Align the scalloped edge on the line.
 

embellish with a flower and pearl
 

Cornish Heritage Farms also have cute images as well as the vintage ones that I just showcased.
 

after stamping the elephant, I colored the entire image with B00...note that the color appears more teal than blue...that's because I am coloring on cream paper and not white card stock. Take note of the base paper because that will determine what tone your marker will be.
 

Instead of using multiple shades of blue, simply go over the image multiple times where you would like shading to be placed.
 

stamp sentiment onto the same colored paper and cut around it.  Cut a paper strip to resemble ribbon.
 

loop the ribbon and attach onto the back of the sentiment block and add dimensional foam squares

 

Next I will sow how easy heat embossing is.  Use a Versamark pad to stamp the elephant on the entire paper surface.
 

Pour clear embossing powder over the entire image and tap off excess powder.  Heat with a heat gun until you see the image become clear.

 

now that you have created a subtle, cute background using a single stamp, you can create an accent the same way.  Heat emboss the elephant onto brown paper.
 

Face the circle punch facing up and punch around the brown elephant.
 

embellish with a playful button.  This is the type of card that is appreciated in person, since it's hard to see ion certain light.
 

Paper piecing with stamped images is easy.  Stamp your image onto patterned paper...and cut along the outer line.
 

if your image had multiple parts, you could piece one pattern over the other.
 

to add a subtle brown frame, a pen line is cleanest, however, you can also ink the edges but it will look more distressed
 

add some dimensional squares behind the elephant and this guys cuteness says it all.

Stamping really is so much FUN...so I hope if you haven't tried it before that I may have answered some questions that you might have had.  Practice makes perfect.  Make sure to practice on scrap paper

Pumped About Embossing by Susan Roberts

Today I want to shoe you something really fun, making your own embossing template.  It’s easy peasy and can add an interesting detail to your creations.

I chose the “Party Shoe” stamp by Karen Lockhart for the template.

The image was stamped on Ellen’s “Essentials by Ellen: Craft-a-Board” and then cut out.  This Craft-a-Board is sturdy but very manageable to cut fairly small details.  A small border should be left around the image when cutting.

 

I passed the card stock through my embosser with the shoe template.  One layer of Craft-a-Board was enough to leave a perfect embossed image.

To center the image for stamping, I used a “Stamp-a-ma-Jig” over the embossed area.

 

I LOVE the resulting look!

 

Shoes were colored with Copics.  Basic Grey designer paper was used to cut several coordinating pieces to paper piece onto the shoe.  These pieces were quick and easy cutting.  Consequently, I cut out so many of these!  I will store them with my stamp, along with the template, for future creations.

 

Before adhering the paper pieces to the card stock, I embossed some of them.

 

This was a blast!  As I was going through the different designer papers trying to decide which papers to use and once several were cut out, it felt like I was trying on different shoes as I placed the little cutouts on the different colored shoe images.  But, I finally made my decisions.  Below are larger pictures of each of the four cards in the set.

The sentiments are all part of the Cornish Heritage Farms “The Shoe Boutique” set.

Each card has a corresponding sentiment stamped on the inside as well.  These are shown directly below the card.  Also listed are all supplies used on that particular card.

------------------------------

Stamps: Karen Lockhart "Party Shoe" and Cornish Heritage Farms "The Shoe Boutique"

Papers: Essentials by Ellen: Craft-a-Board; Memory Box "Blueberry" and Basic Grey "Sugar Rush"

Inks: Memento "Tuxedo Black"; Copic 0.3 Black Multiliner and

Copic Individual Markers:

Accessories: Martha Stewart Edger Punch "Threader"; May Arts 1/4" White Silk Ribbon; Hero Arts Button "Summer"

------------------------------

Stamps: Karen Lockhart "Party Shoe" and Cornish Heritage Farms "The Shoe Boutique"

Papers: Essentials by Ellen: Craft-a-Board; Memory Box "Key Lime"; Basic Grey "Origins"

Inks: Memento "Tuxedo Black"; Copic 0.3 Black Multiliner and

Copic Individual Markers:

Accessories: May Arts 1-1/4" Black Silk Ribbon; Kaiser Black Pearl

------------------------------

 

 

Stamps: Karen Lockhart "Party Shoe" and Cornish Heritage Farms "The Shoe Boutique"

Papers: Essentials by Ellen: Craft-a-Board; Memory Box "Key Lime"; Basic Grey "Sugar Rush"

Inks: Memento "Tuxedo Black"; Copic 0.3 Black Multiliner and

Copic Individual Markers:

Accessories: Hero Arts, Neutral Art Flower; Prima Marketing White Flower Centers

------------------------------

Stamps: Karen Lockhart "Party Shoe" and Cornish Heritage Farms "The Shoe Boutique"

Papers: Essentials by Ellen: Craft-a-Board; Memory Box "Blueberry" and Basic Grey "Eskimo Kisses"

Inks: Memento "Tuxedo Black"; Copic 0.3 Black Multiliner and

Copic Individual Markers:

Accessories: Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page "Eyelet Lace"; Prima Marketing Creme Ribbon Lace; Hero Arts Neutral Fancy Felt Flowers; Hero Arts Art Flowers Neutral; Kaiser Black Pearls

------------------------------

Happy Crafting!

Stuck on You Part Two - Art Product Adhesives & B Mine Collage by Julia Stainton

Choosing the right adhesive for the job can be a daunting task. To put a lot of work into a lovely creation and then have it fall apart is always incredibly disappointing. For the month of February I'll be sharing some adhesive tips combined with my projects for a "stuck on you" theme.

Today's project uses two different products that you may not have thought about using as adhesives. They are both great products from Ranger that you can use as an adhesive as well as for other uses. Don't you love a product that is multi-faceted? And just as exciting is finding an adhesive that will work well, allow you to express your creativity and not come apart down the road.

The two products that I've used for this collage project are Ranger's Glossy Accents, a dimensional glaze, and the Claudine Hellmuth Multi-Medium. You may or may not have thought of using these for an adhesive but they work especially well on hard to adhere items. While they are both liquid adhesives, they are not as difficult to use as you might think and I find the adhering power well worth the short drying time involved.

This project starts off with yet another 4x4" Canvas Frame.I adore these mini canvases. They are so great for trying out techniques in bite-sized projects and they make a fun alternative to a card. To adhere to a canvas, you want a fairly good adhesive and the Claudine Hellmuth Multi-Medium is a great product for collage and adhering to difficult surfaces like canvas as well as paper. Simply brush over your surface and apply your layer. The gloss or matte variations work equally well.

 

This project called for a vintage look and here I've used a scrap of paper from a vintage book. For an alternative you can also use paper stamped with the Vintage Text Scrapblock or some text patterned paper.

 

Build up the layers by adhering more layers with the Multi-Medium. I've used pieces from the Antiquity and the Happy Homemaker patterned papers by Graphic 45.

 

To add an accent I once again used the Multi-Medium as the adhesive. This Hero Arts Art Flower was quite dimensional but by brushing repeatedly with the medium, it smoothed out.

Stamping on clear items is always a fun accent. The bees from the Sweet Bee stamp set were stamped with Archival Black ink onto a Tim Holtz Fragment and then heat set with a heat gun.

Here is where the second adhesive in this project comes into play. Ranger Glossy Accents is a great adhesive for strength and also because it dries perfectly clear. It works well on transparencies and this Fragment to form a firm bond. I've squeezed some on the back and then pressed it onto my project.

 

The Tim Holtz Typewriter Charms are a favorite accent of mine. They are easy to personalize with the accompanying sticker letters and you then apply the clear adhesive dot over top.
 

I wanted to adhere mine directly over the Fragment and the Ranger Glossy Accents was a perfect adhesive again in this case.
 
 

Here's how it looks.

I wanted to attach a Tim Holtz Keyhole to this project as well. Because of the canvas frame, it wasn't possible to attach it with brads like I normally would have with paper. Insert the brads to fill the holes and spread the prongs. Once again, Glossy Accents to the rescue as a strong adhesive for use with metal.

 

The sides of the canvas still needed finishing and this ribbon lace added some nice texture and definition to the project. By brushing on the Multi-Medium to the sides of the project, it was easy to adhere this lace firmly.

I hope this tutorial has allowed you some insight into adhering in difficult situations and using different adhesive products. If you missed part one of this series, you can find Stuck on You Part One - Glue Dots here. I'll be back next week with more adhesive options.

Thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom and happy creating!

Bee Mine ATC by Sharon Harnist

 

I have some more ATC (Artist Trading Card) tips for you today.

1. Use a die to give your ATC some shape.  Here, I used Labels Seven Nestabilities to cut patterned paper for my base.  The second to largest die in this set is exactly 2.50" x 3.50".

2. Don't be afraid to use all the same elements on an ATC as you do larger cards.  Here, I've used a button, gemstones, cut-outs, Copic marker, glitter glue, lace ribbon and staples!

TIP FOR ANY PROJECT: Use solid colors of the patterned paper collection you are working with to stamp your images.  Then you'll be assured the stamped pieces will coordinate well with the rest of your project.

 

3. To give cut-outs or die cuts more depth, ink the cut edges.  Here, I used dark brown Brushed Corduroy Distress ink, to help the cut-outs blend in with the paper pattern.  Copic W1 was used to give the "B" some shadow and more depth.

I used Copic markers YR31 & E55 to color the bee and then glittered her wings and popped her up on foam tape.

   

4. Keep the scale of your embellishments smaller on your ATCs than on larger projects.  Here, I used tiny gemstones and a smaller button.

5. Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher stapler is a perfect size for ATCs and a great solution to attach an open patterned lace, when any kind of glue or tape would show.  Here, I used a staple on each end of the lace to attach it to the ATC.

I hope you all are enjoying trying out ATCs ... thanks so much for visiting today!  ~ Sharon

 
Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms The Rummage Bin-Sweet Bee Uncut or Precut
Paper: Webster's Pages Petite Papers-Postcards From Paris & Sweet as Cherry Pie 6x6
Ink: Ranger Distress Ink-Brushed Corduroy, Adirondack Dye Ink-Cranberry & Espresso. Copic markers- YR31, E55 & W1.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Labels Seven Nestabilities dies, Prima Ribbon Lace-Saucy, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, Acrylic Block, Clear Crystal Gemstones, Martha Stewart Baker's Twine-Red, Button, Star Dust Stickles

12 Days of Christmas - Day 3: Inchies The Miniature Canvas by Susan Roberts

Welcome to Day 3 of the CLASSroom’s 12 Days of Christmas.  When I first fell in love with Inchies, I mentioned that they were like “miniature canvases.”  Well today making that literal, I have used Sticky Back Canvas and adhered it to the Inchies.   Copic markers have been used to color on the canvas and also directly onto the Inchies.

 

(Click to Enlarge)

Since canvas is a fabric it will absorb a lot of the ink from the Copic marker which will then bleed outside of the lines of the stamped image.  To prevent this from happening I used my heat gun (an iron could also be used) to heat up the canvas before coloring.  Since Copics are alcohol-based, the heat evaporates the alcohol quickly.  This prevents almost any bleeding.  (Note that a very light touch of the Copic marker is still needed to prevent too much ink from being absorbed by the canvas.)

 

Here are two images which were colored side by side.

The left image (Photo 1 below) was left alone while the right image (Photo 2 below) was heated right before coloring.

Photo 1

Photo 2

Looking closely you can see some remarkable differences.  Look at the girl’s arm on Photo 1.  See the bleeding that occurred?  But on Photo 2 there is a distinct line where the blues/greens and the skin tones meet but do not blend.  Look at the top left where her hair meets the same blues/greens.  On photo 1 the colors have blended.  On Photo 2 there is actually a bit of uncolored space on the canvas where neither the hair color nor background colors have covered it.  There was no bleeding even on this tiny space.  The blouse is another example.  See how the colors have completely blended on Photo 1.  In Photo 2 there are distinct areas of shading and light.

The actual Inchie on my card is a third colored image.  It is a combination of both methods of either heating or leaving the canvas alone on those areas such as the background where I wanted some blending of the colors to occur.

 

 

On the second and third card I colored the canvas with Copics to achieve a blended background color to coordinate with the Basic Grey “Nook and Pantry” patterned paper that was being used.  Experimenting was fun!

Once the desired color was achieved, I stamped directly onto the canvas while the sticky back was still on it and then cut it out leaving some extra border around the image.

 

Next I removed the protective backing on the canvas and placed it on the Inchie centering the image.  The Inchie provided a guide for further trimming.

 

The sticky back on the canvas is very forgiving.  It is easy to remove the canvas and reposition it or remove it completely.

This is what I did so that I could trim the canvas a little more... just enough so that when the canvas was placed back on the Inchie there was a small border.

 

Lastly, I colored the Inchie edge and border around the canvas and slightly onto the canvas itself allowing it to bleed a little into the image.

 

This particular Inchie is placed on the inside of the card.  It’s always fun to stamp some matching envelopes, too.

 

I love the added texture of the canvas on the Inchies!

 

 

On the third card the edge and border were not colored.  The girl was partially masked and stamped directly onto the Twinchie.

 

 

The Twinchie is mounted onto the card with just a few dimensionals.  Because of the sturdy nature of the Inchies/Twinchies there is no collapsing of the panel.  I love that!

 

 

I truly love playing with these little treasures.  There are so many fun possibilities.  Thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom today.

Happy Crafting!

Supplies:

Stamps: CHF "Inchie Style" and "Scene It Mountains"

Papers: Basic Grey "Nook and Pantry" Patterned Paper; Neenah Classic Cream Cardstock

Inks: Memento "Rich Cocoa"; Copics

Accessories: Inchies and Twinchies; Silk Ribbon 1-1/4" Wide; Lace Ribbon "Cynthia"; Studio Sticky Back Canvas; Art Flowers

THIRD DAY BLOG CANDY

On the third day of Christmas my goodie box could be:

• three Inchie Art packets - Inchie, Inchie +, and Twinchie Squares

 
To participate in this random drawing please leave your answer to the following question as a comment to this post. Please limit yourself to one comment only. The last day to submit a comment to this post will be January 6th at Midnight. We will post the winners (which will be drawn using a Random Number Generator) for all twelve days on January 7th.

What size "canvas" intrigues you most and why? Some suggestions just as a starting point would be ---Inchie, Inchie +, Twinchie, Altered Trading Card, Card Size, 6x6 scrapbook page, 12x12 scrapbook page, other.

Don't forget the following 12 Days of Christmas blog candy drawings - Be certain to answer the question on each individual post to be included in that drawing!

• Favorite Scoring Tools
• Two Soldering Starters

A Desk Worthy Gift Idea by Kim Hughes

Having a desk in some way is more common than you may think...do you have a desk?  Do you like to surround yourself with nice things?  This is an idea that takes all of that into consideration.  This is a mini-desk accordion decor piece.  One side is a vintage looking piece of art and the other side is open to add pictures to or it can be used as a name plate.

 

Supplies:

CHF: Backgrounder, Leaves, Backgrounder, Open Circles, Rummage Bin, On the Desk PRECUT, Backgrounder, Houndstooth

Cut-N-Dry Stamp Pad Foam

Martha Stewart Baker's Twine, Solids

Twinchie Squares, Assorted

Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Cranberry, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Espresso, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, LettuceAdirondack Dye Ink Pad, Ginger

Studio Acrylic Paint, Blank Canvas

 

after you gather your supplies.  Put a thin coat of white paint to the twinchies and allow to dry.

Lightly adhere the 4 squares side by side onto scrap paper

Use a different color for each patterned stamp.  Ink only a portion of the large stamp and press onto the twinchie squares

Stamp all 3 patterns to create a subtle background.

Add in the darkest brown ink to stamp the boldest images.

add in ginger stamped accents

and then blend the colors with a foam square.  Dab and blot and add more dark brown ink.

Punch holes in each corner
 
...and then string the thread through the holes.  Tie a bow in the end.

Now you have a mini piece of vintage looking art.  :)
 

The wonderful thing about an accordion design is that you can use both sides and you can fold it up.  Create a mini album or brag book.  Play and have fun, I sure did :)

Fall Whimsy by Debbie Olson

 

As I watch the leaves spiral madly from the trees in our back yard today, I look at some of my stamps differently. For instance, the weeping willow from Primitive Beginnings never shouted "fall" to me before, but today it begged to be used with the colors in Basic Grey's Indian Summer papers. (This paper is also available in a 6" x 6" pad; I just happened to have a few sheets of the 12" x 12".)

To ink the tree, I started with four Adirondack ink pad colors and one water-based dark brown marker. I inked the inside top leaves with Lettuce ink, then Sunset Orange below the green, Terra Cotta at the very top, and Cranberry at the very bottom. I used the corner of my ink pads and didn't really mess my ink pads up at all. For the tree trunk and branches, I used a water based brown marker directly on the rubber, then huffed on the rubber to re-moisten it before stamping my paper. (If you aren't pleased with your first try, be sure to clean your stamp before re-inking, or you may end up with muddy colors.)

To add a bit of background and "ground" the tree, I tore a piece of Eclipse paper and used the top half to mask for airbrushed grass (Copic YG95), and the bottom half to mask for a hint of sky (Copic Y32).

For the patterned paper background, I chose the brown leafy sheet as my base and accented it with the striped layer and the rose-toned layer, using the Binding Edge punch as well as some machine stitching to add interest.

This card started out quite normally, as you can see by the progression of pictures. When I got close to the end, however, it seemed to need something--like a bit of whimsy. I added the sheep and paper pieced him with some of the Indian Summer paper. Of course that made him need a creative sentiment, right? Finally "Home is where the heart lives" became "art lives" and my sentiment was born. 

That's it--an evolution from fall to whimsy. Sometimes your creativity doesn't take you where you thought you were going, but it generally works out anyway. Enjoy the journey, and thank you for visiting the CLASSroom today!

World Card Making Day fashion/home decor challenge - Kim (EHWCMD5)

Happy World Card Making Day!  I'd like to invite you to join in my fashion/home decor challenge.  Although both topics are uniquely different, they are surprisingly the same.  Both have a style that changes with each season.  Trends, textures and time of year all have an impact of what we see in magazines and on television.

I love the rich colors in this ad.  Bursts of vibrant color, subtle patterns.  Hints of glam and silver.  All of which makes me want to learn more about the 40's.

 

These beautiful rooms seems so inviting.  The cozygreen and blue tones that just make me want to melt into a couch.  The openness of rooms with large windows and touches of nature leaves me refreshed.  And the golden tones of an elegant room just melts me heart.

 

I took inspiration from so many aspects of these ads.  I chose stripes that are elegant and inviting.  I adore the white pleated top, so I added a touch of folded white paper to the bottom of my border.  The tiny weaved slacks are so classy...so I chose to add a subtle patterned strip to my card.  I just had to add a pop of yellow and a button and bling was perfect!  I am not sure if the stamps that I chose are characteristic of the 40's but it reminds me of "olden days".  I chose the main panel paper for it's colors, flowers and leaves...this ties in the nature that is seen in all three rooms.  I couldn't call it complete until I added just a splash of silver.

 

supplies: Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Ginger, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Cranberry, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Espresso, Gemstones, Small Blossom, Basic Grey Buttons, Wisteria, Basic Grey Buttons, Granola, Rummage Bin, On the Desk PRECUT, Webster's Pages Petite Papers Paperpad, Postcards from Paris & Sweet as Cherry Other: silver brads, light white printer paper

FASHION/HOME DECOR CHALLENGE

My challenge for you is:  Take inspiration from one or both of the ads that I have shown.  Take inspiration from the colors, textures or style.  Choose one element or many...the possibilities are truly endless.  Create a card, tag or what ever you like.  Have fun!

Once you have completed this challenge be certain to post a comment as well as a link to your project, in our WCMD Challenge Blog Candy post! It would also be great if you could please refer to Challenge EHWCMD5 when you upload to a gallery to make it easier for us to spot your creations!

BLOG CANDY

Thank you for stopping by our corner of World Card Making Day today! After you have finished drooling on your keyboard be certain to leave a comment to be entered in a random drawing for the following delicious goodies used to create this project:

 

• Webster's Pages Petite Papers Paperpad, Postcards from Paris & Sweet as Cherry Pie
• Cornish Heritage Farms On the Desk
• Gemstones, Small Blossom
• Adirondack Dye Ink Pads - Ginger, Cranberry, Espresso

All comments must be made by 11:59pm Pacific Time on Sunday, October 4th to be eligible.

Bee Mine by Debbie Olson

I'm loving the Sweet Bee stamp set from CHF's Rummage Bin Collection! Today I'm pairing it with some Basic Grey Lemonade papers in a card for my sweet husband. Hmmm--he may have to make a frame, because it would look nice in our bedroom or bath. Finished size is 5-1/4" square.

First I chose my stamp set and papers. I knew that I needed some nice warm tones to go with the bee and honey theme.

I stamped the lace piece in Versamark and heat embossed it with vanilla embossing powder.

Next I stamped the pussy willows in Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored them with the Copic markers listed on the picture before distressing the edges with Antique Linen Distress ink.

Here are some of the miscellaneous bits and pieces that I'm trying to work into my card layout.

This is my finished card background. I chose knotted twill rather than a silk bow because I thought it would be more "guy appropriate" with knotted twill. (So we're all ignoring the tiny floral pattern in the bottom layer, right?)

Here is a close up of the "B mine" sentiment, along with its gold embossed, bejeweled crown.

And here is how I hid the "do list"--with two honey-combed hearts. I used an EK Success Binding Edge punch for the top of the "honey" panel. Copic markers that I used were W1, Y21, Y26, and 0.

I ended up using a combination of two sentiments inside, as well as the bee image. The bee wings both inside and on the card front are coated with Diamond Stickles for a sweet bit of shimmer.

Thank you for visiting the CLASSroom today!

Fashionista Manila Tag and Envelope Card by Debbie Olson

Did you see Ellen's beautiful gessoed tag post using the Fashionista papers from the Graphic 45 line a couple of days ago? It inspired me to pull out my Fashionista papers! Initially I had determined to stick with a formal black and cream color scheme, but a bit of those rich flowers managed to sneak on anyway. . .

I started with a large Manila tag and its coordinating tag envelope. Since I knew that I wanted to add a bow to the top of the card, I sealed the open end and cut off the pre-sealed end. Next I used a circle punch to cut a half circle to make room for the bow. I laid some of the black patterned paper on the back of both the tag and the envelope to create a mat as well as to give the back a finished look. Please Note: All products from Ellen Hutson, LLC are linked at the bottom of this post.

 

Next I covered the front of the envelope and found or created some elements to spice up the front of the envelope.

 

I left the inside tag mostly blank for writing, stamping only some Tree Swallows in Adirondack Lake Mist ink, and a sentiment from the Rummage Bin Ornamental Beauty set in Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I also sponged Tea Dye Distress ink on all exposed edges and over stitching. 

 

After finishing the inside tag and adding its bow, I was ready to decorate the front. (I needed to see where the bow would fall before placing the elements on the front of the envelope.)

 

As you can see, a few things changed in the process--they almost always do. I added splashes of color rather than sticking with only black and white, and I left off all but one of the vintage buttons that I had intended to use and added rhinestones instead. The buttons were a little informal for the rest of the materials, and the winged clock needed some emphasis.

 

I love starting with pretty materials and seeing where the process leads; don't you?  Thank you for visiting the CLASSroom!

Linked Supplies Used:

Papers: En Vogue, Tres Chic, Potpourri and Haute Couture(Fashionista Line of Graphic 45)
Inks: Adirondack Lake Mist, Memento Tuxedo Black, Tea Dye Distress Ink
Stamps: Tree Swallows, Ornamental Beauty
Accessories: Micro Dot Twinkle Stickers (red rhinestones), Large Manila Tag, Tag Envelope. (Wide silk ribbon and button were from my stash.)

Musical Resist by Debbie Olson

 

In keeping with Ellen's tutorial involving resist techniques, I thought I would play with resist for today's post. I have also used Ellen's Card Architecture Blueprint 1, as well as trying her ghosting technique with a bit of an accidental twist.

First I stamped the Aged Sheet Music Scrapblock on two sheets of glossy white cardstock with Versamark ink. One stamped piece I left alone, and the other I heat-embossed with clear embossing powder. For the one that was simply Versamark ink on glossy, I used sponge squares to apply Adirondack Lettuce and Oregano inks to the surface. There was a bit of resist, but it was subtle. I think I might have muddled with the sponging enough to affect the Versamark layer. The picture above is what the layer looked like wet, but after I wiped off the pooled ink and saw how subtle the contrast was,I overstamped that layer with Adirondack Purple Twilight ink. (Shown a couple of steps below, on the right side of the completed second background)

 

For the second piece of glossy cardstock, the one embossed with clear embossing powder, I sponged on Adirondack Lettuce, Oregano, and Eggplant inks. The resist was much more obvious on this one. I let the ink dry for longer before wiping it off as well.

Here are both pieces, side by side--Versamark and clear EP on the left, and plain Versamark overstamped with water-based ink on the right.

 

Next I created the individual elements for the card. On the Manilla tag, I tried Ellen's ghosting technique, but I evidently didn't dry the white ink for long enough: rather than creating a resist, the pigment ink was still sticky enough to attract the distress ink that I applied with a sponge. Even though it wasn't what I had aimed for, I didn't mind the effect. Both the sentiment and the gold medallion are from the Rummage Bin Ornamental Beauty set, embossed in gold embossing powder.

The rest was simply a matter of putting the elements together in Ellen's Card Architecture Blueprint 1 sketch. I'm including a couple of close-up photos. Thank you for visiting the CLASSroom today!

Lavender Blue, Dilly, Dilly by Debbie Olson

Are you following Ellen's Spring Fling activities?  Last night I got to play with one of Karen Lockhart's new Images, the Lavender. The first thing that came to mind when I saw this image was the old song, "Lavender Blue, Dilly, Dilly"--hence the strange name for my post. (Some of you may be my age or older and actually know it! ;-D)

I stamped the Lavender image on kraft cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored it with the Copic markers shown below. After getting my base colors down with the Copic markers, I used a couple of Prismacolor pencils to lay down some highlights: white, cream, and lilac. I added some Spica Glitter pen next, clear, lavender, pink, and mint. (The pink and mint colors are coming out soon.)

Backgrounds are CHF Daisy Chain and Ornamental Borders Scrapblocks, stamped in Adirondack Purple Twilight ink and distressed with Vintage Photo Distress ink. I knew that I loved the Ornamental Borders stamp, but I had never tried the Daisy Chain stamp before--what a great pattern!

What does any of this have to do with my mother? (That was part of the challenge!) Well, my mother is sweet and elegant, and old-fashioned--not in a dowdy way, but in the best of ways that mothers can be.  She is my friend. She's quiet and unassuming and a breath of fresh air--that's a bit like lavender, right?

Thanks for visiting the CLASSroom!

Spring Arrangement & Soldered Easter Eggs by Sharon Harnist

Here's the Spring arrangement I came up with to put in the altered vase I showed you earlier this week:

I started with a decorative branch and two sprigs of tall silk flowers from the craft store, and stuck them in floral foam inside the vase.  Alternately, you could gather some small limbs from your yard and either leave them natural or spray paint to coordinate with your theme.

I decided the arrangement needed some signs of Spring . . . birds & butterflies!  So I cut two large butterflies from Basic Grey's Porcelain paper with Spellbinders largest Nested Butterfly die and adhered them back-to-back, so it would be double-sided and pretty from either side, too.  It was adhered with a mini glue dot to one of the top small branches.

I die cut three medium butterflies from another pattern in the Basic Grey Porcelain collection (using the same Nested Butterfly set) and adhered two of them on top of each other, only in the center of the butterfly's body, to give the butterfly more dimension. 

The other die-cut butterfly was adhered to the back of the base butterfly so it would be nicely finished, too.  A piece of looped heavy thread was sandwiched in between the layers, to serve as a hanger.

The bird was die cut with Spellbinders largest Nested Bird die from Basic Grey Porcelain paper.  He is also backed with more of the same decorative paper, to make him two-sided (also with thread sandwiched between the paper layers, to serve as a hanger).

To get the mirror image you need for the back side of the bird, die cut from the back (white) side of your paper (if you are using a single-sided decorative paper), as opposed to die cutting from the front/patterned side of the paper.

 

Birdie's wings were made with the smallest bird from the Nested Bird die set -- I just trimmed off the beak!  Then to make it look more like a dimensional wing, I used the Scor-It Mini Board to score a flap along the top of the bird and adhered just the flap to the bird's body:

Now, time for some soldered Easter eggs for our Spring tree!  I decided to make two different eggs -- one for my young daughters and one for me!  The girls' egg was stamped with this cute chick and flowers from Kim Hughes' Sweet Spring stamp set, using Memento Tuxedo Black ink.  I masked off the chick before overstamping the flowers, and then colored him with these Copic markers:

He is backed with some pretty Spring floral paper from the Memory Box Poppyfinch collection, sandwiched between 1.50" x 2" Oval Glass pieces.

I used the Wavy Edge Copper Foil Tape (which is straight on one edge) and Simply Swank's Lead-Free Solder to solder the pieces together.  The Heart Solder Scrolls were used at the top, to form a hanger for the White Silk ribbon.

For my egg, I used the angel from The Rummage Bin's Storybook stamp set.  The angel was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Memory Box Poppyfinch paper.  If you can't make out the words on the angel's wings, they read "rejoice & believe" and she is holding "love" -- very appropriate for Easter, I think.

The angel egg is backed with another pattern from the Poppyfinch paper, and soldered the same way as the chick egg:

You could always take these "eggs" off the tree and wear them as pendants, too!

I know this project is a little late for most of you to be able to replicate for this Easter holiday weekend, but I hope you'll keep it in mind for next year ... or better yet, start on it now so you'll already have it for next year!  Alternately, you could use this idea for most any holiday or occasion ... the items you put in your arrangement will make it unique to you and the occasion you are celebrating.  Many thanks to Ms. Ellen for suggesting this wonderful idea for me to carry out! 

We hope all of you will have a lovely Easter holiday this weekend -- thank you so much for visiting!

Scrapping my "Sassy Sisters"

My favorite Disney park is Epcot. I have to admit that I love roaming from "country" to "country" and studying the architecture and tile work. I also enjoy listening to the diversity of the languages spoken and music played. Mostly though, I enjoy taking pictures of my girls in each unique setting. So here are my two "Sassy Sisters."

 

As we toured Epcot on our last trip back in November 2007 I was particularly taken with the tile work in both Morroco and Mexico. I snapped these pictures knowing that someday I wanted to add them to an album of some sort. I also knew that this style of art would someday be made popular, especially with Henna and Tattoo art what it is right now. So when I arrived at the Basic Grey booth in Anaheim I nearly started jumping up and down when I saw the Marrakech line! I knew exactly what I wanted those papers for - these scrapbook pages Ü

 

To create this two page layout I began by printing my photos on to Sticky Back Canvas. I felt that the texture would add a raw, natural feel to these pages. I then cut out the pictures and pulled the threads away from the edge of the canvas pieces to give it a slightly frayed appearance.

Next I needed to determine my layout. I am most certainly not a very good scrapper and so I took out a sketch pad and quickly tried to figure out a layout that would work for two photos. I lucked in to the fact that my girls are actually facing one another in these pictures and this helped make it easier to determine a layout.

I decided to use the same sketch on my layouts, only changing the direction of the accent papers. By placing Trina's papers horizontally it left a nice spot for my journal box. I added just a slight amount of color to the flower on the box using my Prismacolor pencils. I am always self-conscious about my handwriting, but decided that my printing was OK to use. How many of you wish that you wrote cursive more often? If you don't use it I think perhaps you lose it - at least that's what I am finding. Being I type so fast I typically will type things and so I am finding that my handwriting needs some practice Ü

I discovered that the Meadow Art Flowers look fabulous with the Marrakech line and so I added a glazed brad together with flowers to finish the visual triangle on this page.

 

I worked on these pages simultaneously and I must admit that I like the strength of this triangle so much more than the previous one. Needless to say I think that I still have a learning curve to overcome on my scrap pages Ü

Tip: Alter what you have! Using some chipboard letters added strength to the title. Being the red color just wasn't right and I had no other letters that were the correct size I did what all good papercrafters do - I altered what I had. I simply sanded the bright red off the surface of these letters, grabbed my Studio paints and mixed up the correct color. I then painted my letters to coordinate beautifully. Believe it or not, this took less than five minutes! I love the fact that I can just quickly alter what I need now that I have these paints at my finger tips.

Adding a couple more glazed brads together with flowers and my pages were complete. I am so thrilled with them that I am thinking of hanging them on my office wall. It is sorely lacking decor! I think it is due time for some frames that I can change out my scrappy artwork on a whim Ü

Thanks for joining me in this new little adventure of 6"x6" page layouts. It is something I have been wanting to do, especially because I do have such "sassy" little picture takers in my home - LOL! I would love to hear from you! Would you like for me to continue doing scrappy pages now and then, or would you prefer that I stick to cards? It's two projects in a row (the other is on Inchie INKlings) that I have shared pages and I most definitely do not want to disappoint you when you come to read my posts. 

Photo Coupon Book

Today is a very special day at our house. The little girl atop her daddy's back turns 9! WOW time DOES fly! This is one of the last family pictures that we had professionally taken. It was only days later that I tore the cartilage in my hip socket and life changed for me, for us. So it is with fond memories that I look back at this time. You can see uncertainty in those precious little baby eyes, but now that expression is being replaced more often with confidence and a sparkle. Being that she is now engaged in drawing (and singing - yes, her sweet little voice makes me very happy!) and a playdate is arriving shortly I snuck away to complete this post I started last night, but was too tired to finish.

 

I selected a more masculine color scheme for this coupon book being most often my projects are quite "girly." My poor husband is surrounded by us - LOL - thank goodness he doesn't seem to mind Ü I thought that I would make this something that could be reused and not overly "heartish." This way I hope that we can all create coupons for the inside and give it to my DH come Valentines day and perhaps use it again for future events or even a little album.

 

I don't know how many of you are aware that the Craft-a-board that we carry in our store works beautifully with the more "open" or "less-detailed" low-profile dies created by both Spellbinders and Quickutz. It is always important to me that you can maximize the use of the products that we carry in our store and thus my search for a product that you can use to make books, frames, etc. with your Nestabilities.

To create the frame I used two label dies from the large set. I first cut out the main image and then placed my smaller die, visually centering it.

After running it through my machine I then cut my patterned paper piece from the new Rhubarb Tart paper collection. To ensure that this piece would align correctly with my thicker Craft-a-board I placed this piece of paper directly beneath my already cut out window and sent it back through my machine yet again. 

 

As you can see it did not cut all the way through my paper layer, but it did leave a great outline and so I needed to remove the Craft-a-board and using the cut line as my guide realign the die with the paper. I was then able to send this back through my Big Shot and cut my patterned paper piece so that it would align perfectly with my Craft-a-board.

 

I adhered our family picture behind the frame and then adhered the patterned paper to the top of the frame. I then cut a striped piece of paper for both the back of this image as well as my back cover piece. Additionally I cut another two "circle" pieces. You will see that I cut and sewed the "circle" paper to the striped paper to create pockets for our coupons.

 

To create the coupons shown in the photo below I simply typed up some ideas using Microsoft Word and printed them out on Neenah Natural White. Inking the Distressed Grid Scrapblock randomly with Tea Dye ink and stamping it at an angle added just a little more texture to what would become my coupons.

Using my stamp-a-ma-jig I then stamped the coupon outline from the Ticket Counter set. I can't believe how often I reach for this set now to complete little gift items. This set comes with some great ideas all ready for you just to stamp, but you can easily add your own sentiments or "gifts" by creating your own Word documents as I have done here.

I then cut out each ticket and inserted them in to the pockets.

   

We had some brand new "bellies" arrive on our doorstep yesterday and just couldn't help myself - I HAD to use them. You know how it is. These are fabulous! I love felt and so to have these little buttons and flowers ready to go and coordinate perfectly with the Memory Box products we carry... I'm so sorry, but we will do our best to get them up before the weekend. I'll get back in to work again tomorrow and hop to it Ü

 

I had to show you a closeup of the backing on the cut out felt flowers, they come with adhesive already applied!!! Yippie! The buttons do not, but it was so easy to thread my silk ribbon through the button holes and then add a little glue dot to the back.

 

The final touch was to add the little Pearl Hearts (yes, that's right pearl HEARTS!) They are simply adorable and I have been waiting with baited breath for them to arrive! I punched a hole in the corner and used a Binding Ring to hold it all together.

I hope this inspired you to create a personalized Coupon book for an upcoming event.

We have also appreciated your patience with our website over the last few days. We appreciate so much when you contact us if you are having problems or frustrations with the site being then we can personally help you. They have been working behind the scenes making changes to the "platform" and so our site keeps going down, which is so incredibly frustrating being we never seem to know when that will happen. I keep hoping and praying for the day that they get it "right", but until then it is entirely out of my control. Sometimes I just want to run in the opposite direction shrieking - LOL! I wake up each day and wonder what it is that they will be changing next, but hopefully it will just make the site more user friendly. Thank you again so much for your continued support!

Well, I'd better start cooking up a storm. Birthday dinners are always per the request of the birthday person - this time round it is home made mac and cheese (easy Ü) and a fruit tart (yep, my little one loves fruit much more than cake - LOL). Thanks for stopping by again today.

Masculine Valentine - How about Dinner and a Movie?

First I must tell you that my dear and talented Cindy has come to my rescue! She will be helping me with the Inchie INKling blog!!! So please head on over to see her fantastic creation!

When I get new stamps they always inspire me to try something new and different. The latest Lockhart release has done just that! (These are now available for sale in our store and we have created a new category in the store called "New Lockhart" to help you easily locate the new images!) With all the new-old game boards I can hardly wait to make up some invitations for game nights. When we were snowed in during Christmas our neighbors invited us over for board games. It was so much fun - so I think I need to make some thank you notes as well! It's never too late, right?!? Hopefully I will get to that before the week is out, but being that the idea below just popped in to my head so easily I decided to go with it.

Sometimes making a masculine Valentine can be tricky, so I thought why not make one that you can share in advance of Valentine's and use as a special invitation. So the first card I created today was to share this idea so that you could start making something similar for your special someone. You could also spin this idea off and turn it into a coupon book as well! Hmmm - perhaps that will be another project I try and create before Valentines!

 

As you can see I kept the colors fairly crisp and clean, but being I was using an "old" film strip I added a little vintage flair by distressing my papers and twill.

 

To begin I used a transparency and laid my film strip die cut face up on top of the transparency. I then used my airbrush to add a hint of N7 Copic ink to the surface. This helped to age my "film".

 

Above is what the film strip looks like after airbrushing. This is actually the first strip I created and I felt that it was much too dark for my application and so I created another that was much lighter, but then it wouldn't photograph as well - LOL! Using my Stamp-a-ma-jig for precise placement I used the new IB At the Movies (isn't this just the most adorable little stamp - I believe that it is going to see a lot of use at my house Ü) and stamped it on the transparency using Palette Noir ink. It is critical to use an ink that will dry on transparencies and Palette is definitely my favorite for working on glass, plastic and even fabric.

 

I then cut and embossed the film strip using licorice cardstock. To give it more of a realistic look I then sanded the raised surface. After cutting the transparency to be the same size as the film strip I stapled the two together. I could have stamped and colored an image to place beneath the transparency, but I was truly loving the vintage look of the old black and white film. Instead I cut a strip of the Natural White Neenah and aged it using the ink blending tool and Tea Dye Distress Ink.

 

Next I created my tickets using the versatile Ticket Counter stamp set, once again stamping them on the Natural White CS. This was followed by stamping the Fine LInes Backgrounder at an angle on the notecard front. Rather than using my first stamp impression I stamped it off three times on scrap paper before stamping on my notecard front. This really helped bring the black down to a level that was more suitable for the look I was creating.

 

You can see the three impressions on the paper above - LOL! Rather than putting a fresh paper down I just placed my twill on my work surface and randomly stamped one of the sentiments from the Ticket Counter on the twill. The twill that we carry in our store is fantastic for stamping on. It is one of the primary reasons I selected it - that and the ability to run it through the printer to add sentiments. As you can see I once again used Palette ink.

 

So let's get started on making our plans for Valentines Day - it will be here before we know it.

Day 2: Lucky to Be Me: Soldered Charm by Debbie Olson

It's the Second Day of Christmas at the CLASSroom, and since I didn't have any turtledove stamps, I thought I'd share a soldered charm with you.  I started with a stamp from the CHF Shoe Boutique set, as well as some Basic Grey 6" x 6" Eva papers. I chose the "Lucky to be me" stamp and some 1-1/2" square Memory Glass pieces to serve as the base for my finished piece.

I stamped the image three times, once on the bottom floral pattern, once on a solid pink pattern, and last on a dotted pattern (with some modifications, shown on the left). I cut the heart shape from the solid pink pattern and layered it on top of the small floral background, and then masked off the dots inside the shoe so that I could stamp a patterned paper shoe. What worked best for me was to stamp the shoe on the sticky side of the Eclipse tape, cut it out right inside the line, place the mask on the rubber, ink the stamp, remove the mask, and then stamp the dotted patterned paper. 

I did not get a perfect line after removing my mask and stamping, but a few strokes with a Copic Black Multiliner fixed the shoe lines. 

I then cut the shoe out and layered it on top of a second piece of glass, adding a tiny bit of adhesive to the back to hold it firmly in place. 

 

Here is a picture of the layers, in order from left to right.

Next, I wrapped the sandwiched layers in 5/16" copper foil tape.

 

Finally, I soldered the edges and added some bling in the form of Decorative Victorian Filigree, jump rings, a pink chandelier crystal, and a little butterfly bead that I'd found in the beading section of a superstore. (I'm still not sure if I like the butterfly or not. He may get pulled off yet!)

This was a fun little project and went smoothly except for a couple of hitches with the attachments.That means that I need more practice, right?  If you are looking for specific instructions on how to solder, you can refer to these posts:

Soldered Ornament Card Presentation

Simply Soldered Stamp "Stuff"

Itty BItty Lavendar Soldered Charm

Also, click here for the CLASSroom soldering projects. Have fun!

Merry Christmas Sticky Back Canvas Tag

The possibilities of the Sticky Back Canvas intrigue me! I thought I would try something different today and really played with some out of the box ideas using the new Claudine Hellmuth Studio Line. This first idea came together quickly once I had this project in mind.

I began by formatting a picture of the girls with Santa from a couple of years ago. It is one of my all-time favorite Christmas pictures. Using Photoshop Elements I changed the picture from color to gray scale. I then sized it to be three inches in width and let the height just be what it was. 

 

As you can see I used a brush tool on the edges of the photo to lighten the edges, but I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do and so I didn't remove them completely. I printed the photo directly on to the Sticky Back Canvas using the t-shirt transfer setting. This flipped the photo on me, but it printed well on this "fabric-like" product. I then used the Blank Canvas Studio paint to brush the entire tag surface, except the portion with Santa and the girls, with paint. Using an almost dry brush to blend the paint in to the picture around the edges of the focal point as shown below. I then cut out the tag so that I would have my final shape.

 

Then I used the ink blending tool, along with the following colors of Distress Ink, to age the picture and add a soft hint of color - Antique Linen, Tea Dye, and Fired Brick. As I blended the ink in to the canvas and the painted surface I found that the ink picked up the areas where the layers of paint met with the canvas, making for a very fun/funky background!

I stamped images from the Beautiful and Primitive Christmas sets using Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo. Before "setting" the inks I used my blending tool to soften some of the areas and blend them. I then lightly heat set the inks being I was in a hurry. Using the Fired Brick ink and a brush tip Fantastix applicator I colored in the hearts. Next I mounted the sticky back tag to a wonderful Cosmo Cricket paper and cut out my paper tag, distressed the edges, inserted an X-Large Toasty Tin Eyelet and threaded it with leather cording.

This tag is a little "gift" in itself. I am so tickled with how it came out and it gives me more thoughts of ways to use the Sticky Back Canvas in the future as well - how about creating some mini-scrapbook pages with photos printed directly on them, or a framed piece of wall art. Hmmm - maybe even create some flowers with pictures on them, or... WOW, the possibilities are limitless!

Soldered 3-Layer Ornament

Oh how I wish I had more, more, more time!!! I have been wanting to share a 3-layer soldered ornament for some time now. Yippie - today is finally the day!

Everything must always come in order so that I can share and teach different techniques in steps. I find it easier to learn if everything moves in sequence and so I always try and do that when teaching some of the things that have been on my mind. But with so many things I do get a little scattered - sorry about that!

A couple of years ago I shared some Christmas ornament projects that were paper collage oriented. As you can see I did a LOT of experimenting to determine what it is that would work best to create these beautiful little pieces of "art" on glass. Here is a second post. At that time I was teaching in local stamp stores and I did not want to reduce class attendance at the stores in which I was teaching by sharing all the information on my blog. Well now this is my CLASSroom, and so I am excited to begin the process of sharing some of my old favorites with you now. I hope that you find them as exciting as my students of old did and will be tempted to just give it a try!

I will do my best to get the paper Microscope Slide holders up in our store asap. They have been sitting on my shelf gathering dust and it is time for them to be put to good creative use. With our new Studio Line, amazing stamp lines and so much more I am giddy to see what it is that you will create!!!

I would also appreciate private emails if you would like having access to the more "everyday" items such as the glass paint, Lumiere and other products that I use in this process - please send any thoughts to customerservice@ellenhutson.com. I don't want to have items that you already have in your stash, or you can purchase with coupons for a lot less at other places, because I want the dollars you spend with us to be the best value for you. Unfortunately I just can't compete with big box stores and so I would love to hear whether or not these would be items that you would like me to have online to include in a one-stop shopping experience even if it would cost you a little more.

 

I apologize for the state of this picture. This glass is actually transparent, not frosted. With the light hitting it I just had a really hard time getting the camera to focus and shoot a decent picture.

To begin I am going to direct you back to my simple dreams post - Gold Leafed Wise Men. I have shared some tips and techniques in that post that I believe you will find helpful when using gold leaf.

 

I wanted this ornament to have subtle dimension added on each layer. I find that Palette inks are by far my favorite choice for working on glass. Above I used the Burnt Umber to stamp the glass with the Aged Music Scrapblock. I don't know how I lived without a musical background for so long. I BEGGED for this piece - LOL! So I am thrilled to finally have one available to use Ü I simply lay my glass straight down and lightly press over the entire surface making certain that all notes are inked, but not squished, in the process. The small glass will typically suck down on to the rubber and so I will lift up the backgrounder or scrapblock, turn it over and gently use my finger nail to ease the suction, dropping the glass on to my work surface (inked side up - if all goes well Ü)

It is important to give your glass time to dry - being impatient Ellen I will typically heat seat it with my heat embossing tool. Be certain not to touch the glass though, because it gets REALLY hot!

 

Next, I inked the sleigh with my glue pad and stamped directly on the glass. Being the glass is not porous, it does take longer for the glue to set and dry. Apply your gold leaf in a similar method to the Gold Leaf Wise Man post. It would be best to allow this to dry for at least a half hour before proceeding.

 

Using a soft bristled, yet firm, brush remove the excess gold leaf, burnishing the surface in a circular motion with your brush.

 

To create the top layer of glass I used the star from Primitive Christmas. Again stamp the star using Palette ink and heat set before painting. I like to use contrasting paints on glass and so I use a mixture of Transparent, Iridescent and Matte paints to complete this process. You will find the Delta Glass Paint - 8 Transparent Colors and 8 Iridescent Colors, available at Michaels. I typically start by applying the transparent color, followed by the iridescent colors. Allow the paint to air dry between applications. This paint is considered heat safe and so I had no problems during the soldering process with the paint becoming "gucky.

I then completed the painting process by using one of the new Studio paints. This matte like finish provides a nice contrast to the shiny, brightness of the glass paints. I LOVE the creamy smoothness of this paint and will be sharing a lot more over the next few weeks showing you how to incorporate these wonderful fine art products in to your creative process. A little of this paint goes a LONG way and Claudine has created some fabulous resources that I will be sharing with you! As you can see I did not fully cover the stars being I wanted the layers that were below to show through.

 

I created the middle layer of glass by stamping the Rejoice image from Winter Signage. (I can't link to it right now because we are currently out of stock, but hopefully it will arrive tomorrow or the next day. Then if I remember I will come back and link it Ü) One of the steps I forgot to photograph is key to this project. Sometimes I get so excited about the next step that I forget to pull out my camera. Arrgh!

The next step was to airbrush the Rejoice slide with the brush tip end of my Copic Marker. This gave a lovely cranberry colored "spritz" or "splatter" effect on the back side of this glass layer.

Follow along with the soldering lessons Debbie and I have shared and this should get you through the next steps of putting the ornament together. I found that using three pieces of glass was not a problem with the width of the wavy tape.

If you are not in to the whole "soldering" process, then Ranger Memory Frames and Slides (they are on the first and second page of our Odds 'n Ends section) are a wonderful alternative.

There are so many ways to add additional layers to your glass "sandwiches". Hopefully I will be able to share the paper collage portion with you soon. I would LOVE to see any projects that you create for the holidays. Link us up ladies - we are so curious to see what you create with the information we share!

Wishing you a creative and productive day! -Ellen

olde williamsburg card by Cindy Lyles

If I could visit anywhere, it would be Williamsburg, Virginia.  I remember going on a historical tour there as a very little girl with my parents - maybe eight years of age.  One of the lady workers, dressed in full Colonial period regalia, asked me to take an enormous black skeleton key to another worker.  Maybe that is why I am so enamored with keys???  mmmm... 

When I saw Cornish Heritage Farms Primitive Beginnings, my mind ran back to that memory at Williamsburg, and I knew I must create a colonial house!  With a stone walk!  Let's go!!!

Stamp house and sentiment onto a 4-1/4" x 2-1/2" piece of white cardstock, and the house again onto a piece of cardstock scrap. 

For the house on the cardstock scrap:  Color windows using Y19 and Y21. Use R59 for the door (and a fine gold metallic pen for the door knob) and W1 and W3 for the house siding.  Cut house out.

For the house with sentiment:  Highlight sentiment 'home' with Copic Y19, then add a grounding line on each side of the house, and a few sprinklings of grass with a black Copic Multiliner.  Add a stone walkway using Copic W3, and grass along house and ground line using YG00, YG91 and YG95.

Add dimensionals to the back of the house cutout and adhere, lining up houses.  Mat house unit onto a piece of 4-1/2" x 2-3/4" Memory Box Licorice cardstock. 

Prepare a 6-1/4" x 4-1/2" white cardstock card base.  Center and adhere a 4-5/8" x 2-7/8" mat of Memory Box Parsley.  Wrap and adhere a 5/8" striped ribbon (Strano Designs - Sally), then adhere house unit over Parsley cardstock using dimensionals.  (interior sentiment - A Muse, with a few cardstock scraps...)

Cuttlebug heart die was used on red wool felt, adding a threaded button. I love it when a card takes one back to when one was little!

All supplies except where noted:  Ellen Hutson

believe card by cindy lyles

It's getting colder here in NJ, and I fondly remember from my childhood having a soft, classic, tweed wool coat.  Seeing the Twiggy 6x6 paper line from Memory Box brought back that comfy memory, and I decided to create a card with that homespun feeling using Lesley Langdon's set Primitive Beginnings.

To begin, I stamped the sheep image once on ivory cardstock and once onto a sheet of Twiggy patterned paper, then cut out the patterned paper sheep's coat.  Stamped 'believe' from this set, distressed the ivory cardstock edges and gently sponged the edges with Distress Antique Linen.

Using pinking shears on more Twiggy paper I created borders and machine stitched into place.  Added an ivory 1-1/4" circle punch distressed the same way over a 1-3/8" circle of kraft cardstock.

For the leaf embellishment, I used this Cuttlebug die with dark green wool felt, and cut the unit in half.  Added a button from my stash to make a fun felt embellishment!  I love making quality handmade 3D embellishments like this one, especially when they are easy!

Sheep shadows at her feet are made with a light grey Copic marker.  You'll find a number of versatile images in the Primitive set from Lesley that will get you into a homespun mood!

finished card size:  a petite but postal approved 3-1/2" x 5". ;)  Card base is Memory Box Dill.  This is a Beate Johns WSC62 layout.

interior verse - Stampers Anonymous; wool felt - J.Caroline Creative; all supplies from Ellen Hutson

Vintage Signage and Juxtaposing Textures

One of my favorite elements of design is texture. As an interior designer I would juxtapose rustic, almost country elements against the smooth elements of contemporary design. When done right the final look was always beautiful. I think that this love can totally be translated into the paper arts. Today's creation reminds me of the same contrast in textural elements.

 

I began with two key supplies - Basic Grey's Wassail papers, brads and buttons and Rummage Bin Winter Vintage Signage.

 

I began by inking the focal image with Memento Rich Cocoa except for the sleigh itself.

 

I then used a warm red chalk ink to selectively ink only the sleigh. As you can see in these photos this is a technique that is quick and easy. I wasn't worried about the slight overlap in color being I was looking for a distressed look.

 

I then added the border to this "sign" using Distress Embossing Powder. The grainy texture of this embossing powder gives a feel of wood.

 

I then added just a little more depth to the color of the sleigh with Prismacolor Color Pencils.

 

I have seen so many beautiful combinations of brads and buttons and decided to give it a try. The brads that Basic Grey designs have too large a prong to fit through the button holes. I spread the prongs open and then used my Tonic Scissors to trim the prong back to half it's width. Please be certain to wear safety glasses and be cautious if you try this technique being the prongs become quite sharp when brought to such a fine point. It is almost like using tin snips and it is important to keep your eyes covered just in case a piece of metal pops off while cutting.

 

I then inserted the brad through the glossy button and then through the felt snowflake.

 

Once my card was completely put together I added a clear glaze to the surface of my sleigh to once again add a high shine and smooth surface right next to the distressed wood border. When covering such small surfaces the glaze is so well controlled when using this pen.

 

Look at all the amazing texture in this one little square.

• Rough Texture - Cuttlebug Swiss embossed Crimson Note Card, Distress Embossing Powder, Felt Snowflake, Red and Green Hemp
• Smooth Texture - Button, Brad, Sleigh and smooth papers

Think about texture and contrasting the smooth and rough textures the next time you create a card. It might help push you into a new way of looking at your creative process.

Fall Sympathy, by Sharon Harnist

 

Sympathy cards are never easy for me to make but when I recently found myself needing a masculine one, here is the fall-themed one I came up with.  I really liked this whole sheet of 6" x 6" Memory Box Twiggy patterned paper and didn't want to cut off any of the pattern, so this became a 6-inch square card. 

I cut a window in the top, using Spellbinders Classic Rectangle Nestabilities (largest of the small set) and then die cut leaves out of some more Memory Box Twiggy paper using Spellbinders Leaf Assortment die set.  I loved how this paper instantly gave my leaves such pretty variegated shading resembling real fall leaves!  I brought out the embossed detail of the leaves by gently rubbing a brown fluid chalk ink cat-eye pad over the top.

The beautiful sympathy sentiment is from Kim Hughes' Silhouette Blooms I stamp set and was stamped with Tsukineko Memento Rich Cocoa ink on Neenah Natural White cardstock and then die cut with Spellbinders Tag die.  Another die cut leaf accents it and both are popped up with dimensional foam tape.

 

Look at the beautiful embossed detail of that leaf!  I used the blanket stitch stamp from The Rummage Bin's Primitive Christmas to stamp along the left folded side of the card, using Memento's Rich Cocoa ink.

The verse (I found from SimpleSympathy.com) was computer generated onto another sheet of coordinating patterned paper from the Twiggy pack.  I adhered this 6-inch sheet on the inside of a folded piece of 6" x 12" cardstock, so the inside is just as pretty as the outside.  This still gives me plenty of space for a handwritten note to the recipient.

 

To find the proper placement for the sentiment, I printed it out on regular printer paper near the center and then placed that sheet inside my card and adjusted it until I found the right font size and placement within the window.  Then I marked the placement of the front of the card against the sheet of printer paper.  Next, I placed my patterned cardstock on top of the markings on the printer paper, adhered it with temporary adhesive, then ran the paper back through my printer.

I adhered another die cut leaf to the inside of the front window, just to give it a professionally-finished look.  Here's a closer look at the front window and verse:

 

The verse reads:

"Those we love don't go away,

They walk beside us every day,

Unseen, unheard, but always near,

Still loved, still missed and very dear."

I hope you don't find yourself needing a sympathy card anytime soon, but this card design could easily be adapted to any number of other themes as well.