the CLASSroom

Stamp of the Month, November

When I received the Webster's Pages Petite Pads I just knew I had to use the holiday version for this month's packet. They are absolutely exquisite and so fitting for the classic, elegant cards I love to create. As we continue to carry additional rubber stamp manufacturers I feel it is my responsibility to showcase how you can use each different style of stamps with this packet. Value is incredibly important to me and I want to be certain that I show you how to use as many of your tools and products together as possible.

In this month's packet you will find most of the basic supplies necessary to create the cards above. We are trying to give you the most for your dollars. Included in this months packet is a 6"x6" mini pad, together with the coordinating trims (which are absolutely gorgeous!!!), five different colors of Memory Box notecards and envelopes (2 of each) and of course you will also be receiving our little thank you, which this month is the antique gold ribbon yardage you see me using on the Brambleberry Wreath and Trumpeting Angel cards.

Due to the fact that this month I have created four cards this is quite the lengthy post, so stick with me if you are interested in knowing the finer details of creating these cards or seeing large sample sizes. Remember you can double click the images to see them larger.

One of the more complex combinations this month is the Lockhart, Holiday in the Window stamp together with this beautifully patterned paper. When coordinating a highly detailed stamp with decorative paper the best tip I can give is to color your image to coordinate with that paper.

I would like to suggest that you not be afraid to stamp these detailed images on to patterned paper and use the elements within the paper to your advantage. For example, I looked through the pad of papers and came across this beautiful neutral that had this darling pair of birds and immediately thought that they would look splendid perched on top of the wintery boughs in the stamp image.

In situations like this I ALWAYS use my Stamp-a-ma-jig to be certain to align the image correctly.

I begin by laying down my first layer of color using Copic markers. As typical I forgot to take a second picture as I colored my image - I apologize for this. I just get so wrapped up in coloring that I finish before I realize that I haven't snapped sufficient pictures. I will come back and add the names of the colors I used late today, but I am working from home tonight as I write this post and I have all the markers and pencils sitting in a cup at work :(

The next layers of color were added using Prismacolor pencils. As always I love the texture and depth that using these two tools together provides. I cut out the image and popped it up on my card front with dimensionals. Using a Sakura Clear Glaze pen I added just a little gloss to the berries and a Spica Glitter pen to add some sparkle to the boughs.

Initially I was thinking about using the image in this setting and creating a home decor element, but fortunately I realized that duh - I'm trying to create something for you to use with our special packet which includes notecards - LOL! I add this only to let you know that you can do so much more with these packets than only create cards :)

One of my absolute favorite images from the Memory Box release was this Brambleberry Wreath. It can be decked out so many different ways. In this case I decided to go with a very simple elegant look and add little "ornaments" and a little "snow" to the wreath.  

The punched detail on the right robin's egg and gold paper was added with the Parisian punch

I began by repeatedly stamping one of the three messages from the Hero Arts trio we have on sale right now, in Antique Linen. Then using my Stamp-a-ma-jig to once again determine my wreath location (I wanted the "Joy to You" sentiment to be centered in the wreath) I stamped it using Rich Cocoa.

MB Pearls, Icicle Stickles, ribbon and lace added the final touches.

I can't decide which of the cards I like the best. This is one that is high on the list. Perhaps it's the sparkle!

Beautiful frames are all the rage right now. Melissa Frances makes some of the more exquisite ones, but I don't have any so as all good paper crafters I had to figure a way to make my own :)

Using two sequential Labels Five dies I placed them on a piece of our Magnetic Masking sheets. These are ultra thin and do not affect the sandwich I use in my Big Shot. I use them to hold my dies in place so that they do not slip and misalign as I cover them.

I position my Craft-a-board and send it through to cut. One time through and I have several fabulous pieces for my projects ahead! The dimension that the Craft-a-board adds so much to your projects. If you have not tried it yet with your low-profile dies I HIGHLY recommend that you give it a try. You will be instantly in love with the possibilities!

Next using my ink blending tool and my cranberry ink I was able to easily change the color of the Craft-a-board material. My frame is now ready to be "glitterfied!"

I started with stickles and realized that just was not enough glitter for my liking - LOL! So I added Twinklets Diamond Dust on to the still wet, sticky surface and a little Smoky Quartz. Yes, I was a very happy crafter. Glitter a plenty!!! I allowed this to dry and then backed it with yet another one of the Hero Arts Trio messages which was stamped on Robin's Egg, distressed with a little Antique Linen and cut out using the same larger size of die I used above for my frame.

I punched a snowflake from coordinating paper and topped it with one of the fabulous Say it with Pearl studs. Simple, elegant and glittery - just the way I like it!

Last, but most certainly not least, is this gorgeous Trumpeting Angel. This is not the stamp selected by CHF for this month, but it was just too perfect to go with what I wanted to create this month. So... I have selected yet another stamp to be in our special section this month.

Stamping the angel using Champagne Versamark and one of my all-time favorite embossing powders (which should be in the store later today!) Tarnished Gold my simple layer of elegant paper received it's focal point. The Craft-a-board label that was left over from the project above became the perfect sentiment tag for my greeting. Punching a simple decorative edge and adding a bit of ribbon and this project was complete.

My hope is that these examples will give you a head start on your creating this month. It is that time when everything seems to get more hectic and for me sometimes that means the creative juices get a little hampered. Mix it up like I did or simply make a collection of your favorite example.

 

November Stamp of the Month Packet

stamps: Lockhart Holiday Window, Memory Box Brambleberry Wreath, Hero Arts Three Holiday Messages, Cornish Heritage Farms Trumpeting Angel

paper: Webster's Pages Petite Papers Home for the Holidays and Winter's Wings PaperPad, Memory Box Notecards - Vanilla Bean, Robin's Egg, Eggshell, Crimson

ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Distress Antique Linen, Adirondack Cranberry Dye Ink, VersaMark Champagne

markers and colored pencils: COPIC - R11, R81, R89, YG63, E55, YR21; Prismacolor Pencils - Sand, Bronze, Henna, Mahogany Red, Black Cherry, Tuscan Red, French Gray 10%, Sepia, Chartreuse, Limepeel, Dark Green

accessories: Webster's Pages Home for the Holidays and Winter's Wings Trim Collection, Nestability Dies - Labels Five and Circles, Tarnished Gold Embossing Powder, Pastel Say it in Pearls, Sakura Clear Glaze pen, Spica Glitter Pen - Garnet and Melon, Martha Stewart Cornice Edger Punch, Parisian Edger Punch, MB Pearls - 24 Karat and Frost Blue, Icicle Stickles, Twinklets Diamond Dust, Martha Stewart Essential Glitter Set, Essentials by Ellen: Craft-a-board and Art Magnetic Masking Material, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Cornucopia Stamp of the Month by Sharon Harnist

There's a chill in the air and it's finally feeling like Fall down here in the South USA, so I thought I'd get a head start on my Thanksgiving cards AND wish our Canadian friends a very happy upcoming Thanksgiving!  Karen Lockhart's beautiful new Cornucopia stamp is perfect for the holiday and I have step-by-step Copic coloring tutorial for you today. 

Some of the supplies I used are from this month's Stamp Of The Month Kit.  Ellen put together this wonderfully matched kit of notecards, patterned paper, cardstock, ribbon & buttons and all you have to do is choose which stamp you'd like to pair it up with!

 

Here's your step-by-step Copic coloring instructions, under each photo.  You can click on any of the photos for a larger view:

1-Color cornucopia with E33, shade the bottom and edge opening with E35, color pumpkin and orange with YR12, add YR12 highlights to cornucopia.  2-Blend pumpkin and orange with YR00, color inside of cornucopia with E39.

3-Color squash and top of apples with Y21, base coat pear & right apple with YG11, add shadow to lower part of right apple with YG23.  4-Shadow lower part of pear and squash with E21 and color lower part of acrorns, add darker shadows to pumpkin and orange with YR04, color center apple with R24.

5-Blend pumpkin and orange with YR00 and base coat the oak leaves, color pear with YG93 and use to add shadow to bottom of green apple, use Y21 to blend green apple and add to oak leaves.  6-Color grapes first with V12, add shadows to bottoms of grapes with V15 & V17.

7-Color fruit leaves with YG93, color acorn tops with E35.  8-Color oak leaves with YR12, YG23, E35; blend with YR00.

9-Color vines with YG23, flowers with V15 and dots around flower with Lemon Spica Glitter Pen.  10-Shadow around bottom of cornucopia and fruit with W1, blending edges with 0-Colorless Blender.

11-Die cut image with Classic Circle Nestabilities; airbrush outer edges with E31.

There you have it!  I finished the card by zig-zag stitching a brightly colored piece of the Indian Summer paper onto another piece of brown leaf paper from the pad and punched the lower edge.  Karen Lockhart's Give Thanks sentiment was stamped onto the Mango notecard.

 
The focal image was layered onto another die cut (Labels Three Nestabilities) of paper from Indian Summer and popped up on foam tape.  Thanks for visiting today -- I hope you all enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving!

 

• Stamps: Lockhart Stamp Company-Cornucopia (stamp of the month) & Give Thanks sentiment
• Paper: Neenah Natural White, Basic Grey Indian Summer 6x6 & Memory Box Mango Notecard (from October Stamp of the Month Packet)
• Ink: Adirondack Espresso, Copic markers (shown above) & Lemon Spica Glitter Pen
• Accessories: Copic Airbrush System, Classic Circle & Labels Three Nestabilities dies, Martha Stewart Simple Scallop Edger Punch, sewing machine 

October Stamp of the Month

Thank you for joining us again here in the CLASSroom today! Don't forget that our sale starts today and runs through tomorrow! As well you will most DEFINITELY want to join us on Saturday, October 3rd for a day full of card making festivities!

This month I wanted to share how you can use our stamp of the month packet to create very different looks. The colors always seem to pull the cards together, but if you look at each of the cards below they are quite different from each other. We hope that you enjoy this month's layouts and elements and that they inspire you to create something "firey" for the fall season.

To begin I selected the Basic Grey, Indian Summer collection of papers. The colors in these papers just grab me - the warmth, vibrance and sheer beauty scream fall.

 

When I first saw the Lockhart Cornucopia stamp I just HAD to color it! It was one of the first from the collection that I began to create with.

I always like to begin by laying down a light colored layer of color using Copic markers. As you can see - I do NOT worry about precision when placing these colors. I then begin to layer additional colors on top utilizing my Prismacolor pencils.

Many of you have wondered why it is that at times I switch from Copics to Prismacolor pencils. It is because I get a completely different look - one that has more depth, more texture, when I color on top of my Copic colors with Prismacolor pencils.

 

Prismacolor pencils when colored wtih a light hand will grab the tooth of the paper, allowing the colors below to show through. It is a difficult process to catch in photos, but I highly recommend that you give it a try.

I almost always use three different colors of pencils to color in one item, starting with the lightest color and adding the darkest color last.

Here is a closeup of the final colored piece. Following is the list of colored pencils I used - Burnt Ochre, Siena Brown, Chocolate, Dark Brown, Sand, Goldenrod, Pumpkin Orange, Scarlet Lake, Crimson Lake, Crimson Red, Poppy Red, Tuscon Red, Mahogany Red, Black Cherry, Limepeel, Dark Green. That's a lot of colors, but I love the depth and variety of color that makes the piece come alive.

To create the depth in this cornucopia I colored additional layers of the fruits and vegies. The foremost layer only has the pumpkin colored and cut out, with the second layer including the squash, pear, tomatoes, persimmon, and pumpkin.

Many of you have seen how Susan Tierney Cockburn has taught me how to make her GORGEOUS flowers. To create the leaves for this project I used the coffee filter technique that we worked on together when she first shared her wonderful skills with me. I just knew that Copic markers would add incredible color to these beauties.

To begin I color a small portion of a coffee filter with Y21. I then used several Martha Stewart leaf punches to create the leaves for this project.

To add color to these leaves I used a number of different Copic colors - R08, R59, YG00, E11, and E59

I then used Spica glitter pens to add some sparkley veining to my little leaves. As you can see I simply soak color in to one edge of the leaf and then come back in with my lighter colors to spread and blend the ink tones. This makes these leaves look so real!

The oak leaf was much to large to use in this basket, so I ended up cutting it and only using the top portion.

Simply adhere several leaves to your base layer, add the next fruit and vegie layer using dimensionals. Secure a couple of additional leaves and then place the pumpkin atop these using yet another dimensional.

I used a label nine die to create the background. Keeping my die in place I airbrushed my project using Copic colors Y38, Y26, YR24, and E09. "Give thanks" from the Rummage Bin, All Things Fall set was added as a greeting.

For my next card I just had to bring out my brayer. I have always been mesmerized by some of the beautiful brayered backgrounds I have seen and I felt that this stamp was begging for a similar look.

To begin I stamped my image on Eclipse tape and then cut out the circle and placed it on my white cardstock.

WIth this project I have found that I prefer the soft edges of the Speedball brayer - I hope to do an entire blog post on this subject soon.

To begin I brayered using the following colors on the top protion of my paper - Peach Bellini, Sunset Orange, Watermelon. Then on the bottom I brayered on Scattered Straw (I need to double check this one because I am writing this too late at night from home - LOL) and used Tea Dye ink direct to paper swiping in a sweeping motion that would represent hills.

The brayer from the bottom up the last layer of color is Walnut Stain ink. To determine the placement of my colors I stamped my image on a Stamp-a-ma-jig Imaging sheet and used it as a guide.

I also used my stamp-a-ma-jig to make certain that my stamped image would align perfectly with my circle. I removed my mask and positioned my imaging sheet as shown.

Simply remove the imaging sheet and stamp your image in the same place. Each stamp-a-ma-jig comes with directions, but sometimes a little refresher course can help.

As you can see I applied so much ink that it bleed through my mask, but I loved the look and realized that sometimes accidents are "good things."

The final step was to add a little extra depth to the hills. By positioning my Eclipse Tape along the hillside line and using my Walnut Stain ink together with a blending tool I was able to add that extra depth.

 

To finalize the focal image I added some accents using my Opaque pen. I just LOVE the colors of this project!

 

Finally came "The Pines." Working against the clock, because this image arrived in our warehouse only today, I realized that easy would be good. I LOVE the papers in the Indian Summer collection that are monochromatic leaf images. I simply stamped my image using VersaMark on the gourd colored leaves and embossed it with Walnut Stain embossing powder. The texture and depth this Distress Powder provides is simply gorgeous. This is one of my all-time favorite embossing powders.

A little stitching and a few buttons and this beautiful silhouette was complete. There will be so many ways for you to use this simple stamp --- white for winter, color with various ink pads or water-based markers and you will get a completely different look!

We hope that you enjoy the diversity in this month's selection and that you each find something that you are attracted to. Simple or complex - we want to give you choices.

Stamps: Lockhart Cornucopia, Rummage Bin All Things Fall, Memory Box Tendril Collage, CHF The Pines

Paper: Basic Grey 6x6 Paper Pad Indian Summer, Memory Box - Gourd, Mango, Persimmon, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Rich Cocoa, Adirondack - Peach Bellini, Sunset Orange, Watermelon, Distress Ink Pads - Tea Dye, Walnut Stain

Accessories: Snips, Labels Nine, Dotted Scallop Edger Punch, Satin Ribbon (included in thank you packet), Antique Gold Twill, Basic Grey Indian Summer Buttons, Sewing Machine, Walnut Stain Distress Embossing Powder, Brayer, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Thank you for stopping by the CLASSroom today and be certain to stay tuned for more World Card Making Day announcements soon! For those of you who have added the "Blinkie" for our upcoming World Card Making Day events to your blogs this is the prize packet you will be receiving! We hope that you will enjoy the fun we have planned!

Stamp of the Month, September

Options, options, options! This month we have three different stamp options for you to select from. It is always so difficult to figure out how many stamp of the month packets to prepare each month - they never seem to last long enough, and yet I know that I just don't have the $$$ and shelf space to have too many. So we are trying something a little different. This month we are offering a stamp from each of the three manufacturers whose products we represent and kitting the paper in a separate pack. This will hopefully allow you to enjoy the kit, without duplicating your stamp purchases. Please note that once again these are available in limited supply.

It was such a thrill to open the boxes of Cosmo Cricket 6x6 mini deck paper pads! The scale of these papers... the colors... the coordinating ribbon trim... YUMMALICIOUS! I just couldn't resist, so this month I am pairing it together with Memory Box Pea Pod notecards and some very basic stamping techniques to offer up a variety of looks. It was SO much fun!

The first selection starts with the Lockhart Star Butterfly. I literally started laughing out loud the other day when I saw how Debbie created her masterpiece. Little did she know that I had selected the exact same ingredients for this month's stamp of the month. Her work is SO inspiring and for yet another layout using a very similar combination you need to visit her blog. 

 

Begin by coloring your butterfly image using the marker colors listed below. I have been wanting to play with Flower Soft to create antennae for some time now and I figured there was no time like the present. I shaped the flower soft wire using my round nose pliers and cut it with wire cutters. You can change the color of the wire by coloring it with Copic Markers - in this case I used N7.

Add a small amount of glue to the end of the antennae and sprinkle black flower soft on to these tips. Allow to dry.

By adding a strip of adhesive using my Glue Glider I was then able to attach the antennae to my butterfly body. Another strip once the antennae was in place and I was then able to affix the body to the card face.

Adding Cotton Candy stickles to my sewn trail and to the stars on the body and my piece sparkles in the morning sunshine.

This next image uses a very similar layout, but in a vertical format. I absolutely love how the Cosmo Papers make it so simple to create these rolling hills and the clouds... I think I need to find a grassy knoll someplace and just lie there for a spell and enjoy the last of these summer days.

The Memory Box Eclipse Tree is such an intriguing design. I decided to make one last flowery tree for the summer by stamping the top portion on the floral pattern. I then stamped the image one more time and cut out my tree trunk and branches, inking them with Antique Linen to create a color tone similar to the colors in the Cosmo papers.

I am showing you the tree as it is partly cut out to share this little tip. When cutting small areas it is best to cut out the main image, then remove the smallest sections first, finally cutting out the remaining larger ares. It is almost like carving a pumpkin. If you cut the large areas first and then try and remove the small areas there is nothing left to "hold" the paper securely. Another tip is to turn your paper, rather than your scissors as you cut. I hope this helps those who have a hard time doing "fussy" cutting.

To locate the tree in an appropriate position I placed it in position on my project. I then used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to perfectly position the stamped image that would place the dotted circle precisely where I wanted.

This last picture shows how easy it is to follow the lines of the paper to create your knolls.

 

Add some Icicle stickles, a little zig-zag stitching, button and trim to complete your card.

This last card has the Cornish Heritage Farms, Live Life Wisely Owl sitting in the flowery tree awaiting sunset. I can only begin to envisiou the beautiful brayered sunsets you will create with this silhouetted image!

The only thing of importance to remember when stamping this image on patterned paper is to be certain to locate the eyes in a light toned area of your patterned paper so that the eyes do not disappear. To add texture to this image I stamped the image using Adirondack Pigment ink and then embossed it using Walnut Stain Distress Embossing Powder.

I hope that you enjoy this month's selections and that all these options will provide you with inspiration to create some beautiful "earthy" cards.

stamps:  Star Butterfly (Lockhart Stamp Company), Eclipse Tree (Memory Box Company); Live Life Wisely - Owl (Cornish Heritage Farms) 

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Antique Linen Distress Ink Pad

markers/pencils: Copic Markers - Y21, YR000, R11, R81, YG0000, G40, YG63, N7; Prismacolor Pencils - Pale Sage, Celadon Green

paper: Cosmo Cricket 6x6 Earth Love Mini Deck, Memory Box Pea Pod Notecard, Neenah Natural White

other: Off White Twill, Flower Soft Wire, Flower Soft Glue, Black Flower Soft, Cotton Candy Stickles, Icicle Stickles, Walnut Stain Distress Embossing Powder, Corner Rounder, Martha Stewart Twine, Urban Prairie Buttons, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Wire Cutters, Round Nose Pliers, Dotted Scallop Punch

Stamp of the Month, August

Creating this month's stamp of the month project was so much fun! When I first caught sight of the new Martha Stewart punches I could hardly wait to turn the little word punches in to tab-like accents. (I have tried to remember to list all of the products used at the end of this post under "supplies" and include links when appropriate.) I know that not everyone is going to have this punch and would like to suggest that you use a little word stamp to create a tab to take the place of the punch if you need a replacement.

 

To begin stamp the Rocking Chair image on Neenah Solar White paper.

 

As you can see I started with three very different colors for the apples - Y21, R14 and R29. Once I had the images colored without blending, I colored back over the top using R02 to blend the colors by saturating the area with this color. As you can see it did "blur" outside my lines, but I wasn't worried about this because I wanted it to have a rather rustic feel and I knew that I would be coloring over top of many of these areas with other colors.

  

To create the patterned quilt on the rocking chair I just couldn't help myself - I HAD to paper piece it with the fabulous little designs that Dave has included in his latest Memory Box paper collection, Twilight. This newest release of Memory Box papers is absolutely delicious! I love, love, love the scale and balance of the colors in these new collections.

The tricky part is being able to see your stamped image lines on the dark color. So I used this piece as my base and then cut out the sections to be pieced from the lighter color patterned piece. The Quickie Glue Pen is essential when piecing such tiny pieces! Using the Copic Multiliner .03 I added some stitching back on top of my light colored pieces.

Before attaching the quilt to the my main image I colored the base of the blanket with E79 and added a little black Prismacolor for shadowing. I also colored the seat cushion with YG00. Adding Limepeel and Dark Green with Prismacolor pencils added some texture to the seat cushion, making it more "fabric-like."

To add the last sparkle to the apples I applied Clear Glaze and a little subtle sparkle to the butterfly and trail with the Stardust Glitter Pen. I still turn to this pen on occassion when I want my "glitter" element to not be silver or gold. The Stardust Glitter Pen seems to change with the light and I find that element appealing in some situations.

 

Finally I "dirtied" up the image just a bit with my ink blending tool and some Tea Dye ink. If you have an airbrush system this is the perfect time to pull it out instead.

 

To complete the pull-out tab I punched two separate Thanks sentiments, from both Jack O Lantern and Key Lime, shadowing them as I attached them to my white base. This tag is then slipped in behind the chair with only the words peeking out for a little surprise element to your card.

With school just around the corner I felt that this was not only a great fall image, but could easily be used when your child brings their new teacher and "apple." What sweeter way is there to say thank you to those who give so much of themselves to our children?!?

 

stamp of the month packet (available in limited quantities)

stamps: Rocking Chair (Lockhart)

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Tea Dye Distress Ink

markers/pencils: COPIC Sketch Markers - Y21, R14, R29, R02, E08, E19, E79, YG00; COPIC Multiliner .03; Prismacolor Pencils - Limepeel, Dark Green, Burnt Ochre, Sepia

paper: Twilight 6x6, Jack O Lantern NC and CS, Key Lime CS (Memory Box); Neenah Solar White

other: Martha Stewart Edger Punch with Wings -Thanks, Clear Glaze Pen, Stardust Glitter Pen, Yellow Suede Ribbon, Colored Staples, Nestability Squares, Quickie Glue Pen

Warm Greetings card by Kim Hughes

I suppose it can be assumed that a hand made card is like sending a warm greeting...and a sentiment is not always essential.  This new image from Karen Lockhart just gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling, hope it has the same effect on you too.

 

Supplies:

Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Pitch Black

Copic E00, C1, T5, YR21, RV11, R21, G82, YG95, YG63, YO00, V01

In the Window, Pie Karen Lockhart stamp (new release)

Memory Box 6x6 Cardstock, Brandywine

Basic Grey Buttons, Porcelain

Martha Stewart Baker's Twine, Solids

other:

Chestnut Roan ink by Clearsnap

 

Copic color E00 is the main ingredient for this card and does most of the work.

I started by coloring the pie and going over the image multiple times with the same color to give depth to the bottom

 

I then added dark grey to the top of the pie tin

 

and the lighter grey color to the bottom.  I blended the 2 shades together

 

Next, I colored the walls, behind the pie purple and the curtains green.  I admit that when I first colored this, I thought..."Oh dear, what have I done?"   

I didn't like the look, so I decided to soften it up by coloring E00 (cream) over the entire image.  I added some grey tones as well, to add more charecter to the shutters

 

I colored the flowers pink and accented them with a bit of yellow.

 

I then colored the entire paper with YO00 and added some light grey to the flower box

 

I chalked the edges of the paper and colored an accent paper with a Copic marker to draw in more of the rustic color.

 

I also aged the twine, by coloring it to help it coordinate better with the feel of the card.

 

 

I matted the panel onto Memory Bx paper and machine sewed around the edges.  I punched the paper that I added some color to and embellished with a clear button.

I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial.  We appreciate you stopping by the CLASSroom.  Have a great day :)

Stamp of the Month, June

Just do it Ellen! "Get the Stamp of the Month directions posted!" This is what I have been telling myself for the last four (now six) days - LOL! What a HECTIC time of year!!! We have had ceremonies at school to attend, dance recital pictures and dress rehearsals - you name it I have been trying to get it all done. With our computer network having given us grief for over two weeks I just got further and further behind. Due to this little "fiasco" I then could not find the series of colored image photos and had to redo that portion. So I apologize for the delay in getting you these directions. Persistence and endurance - those have had to become my middle names lately.

 

This month I wanted to select an image that spoke Fourth of July and summer celebrations. I googled red, white and blue petunias and was thrilled to see the diversity with which these could be colored. GORGEOUS!!! Then I went in to the warehouse and looked for some decorative paper that would work with this color scheme. Oh goodness did the Graphic 45 Hopscotch paper ever look fabulous with this image!!!

Using the paper I selected my colors:

 

To begin I used the lightest colors Copic markers.

 

As you can see I use this color to define the areas of color.

 

I then selected a deeper color. I don't always pick a color from the same color series.

The beginning number is the number that defines the "color family" and the second number defines the depth of color. I find that "switching up" the beginning color family number I end up with a more natural looking and appealing image. In this case I began with the following and then added the next tone:

• YR31 - next layer E08
• YG00 - YG17
• R02 - R14
• B00 - nothing yet

You will notice the total shift in colors with some going from very light to quite dark. This type of combination does make it harder to blend, but as you will see in the upcoming pictures it is still quite easy to achieve a beautifully blended image.

What I would like to recommend to you is that you try out several different color combinations and start a little "booklet" of sorts. In this booklet you can show some of your favorite color combinations. You will find that with time and experience that these combinations will come naturally, but as a beginner it is helpful to have a little "workbook" to look back upon and

 

A tool that I have found that I absolutely LOVE for blending my colors is the Imaging Sheets created to be used with the Stamp-a-ma-jig. It was during one of my many grab and use the nearest "plastic" surface as a coloring palette that I discovered that this imaging sheet is toothy enough to really "grab" your color. When placed on my white scrap paper work surface I can easily "see" my colors and using my lighter color tones I can then pick these colors up and blend the dark and light color tones together.

As you can see I used the R02 to pick up my darker R27 to complete the blending and depth desired on for the red objects.

 

As you can see I used by B00 to first use B26 and then V09 to add depth to the blue petunias. I noticed in viewing the real petunia pictures on the internet that they had a bit of a purple cast to them and after taking a look at my color chart realized that there was not a blue-violet Copic color that would meet this need. This is what I love about these markers. I don't need all the colors, in fact all the colors will not provide me with everything that I would like to use. Therefore being able to create new colors blending the colors I do have gives me a feeling of excitement when I arrive at the correct combination.

You can see that the petunias above on the left only have the B26 layer added, whereas the ones on the right have both layers of color.

 

I then used YR31 to pick up E08 from my color palette. I share the picture above to show you that once you go "dark" you can still "recover" your piece and make it lighter. I also share a corner of my scrap paper to show you how it is that I get my light Copic colors back to their original "state."

By simply coloring and simultaneously twisting the marker the dark color is removed and your light color is back to it's original color.

 

I felt that the color on my Petunia sign had gotten too deep. Using my YR31 I simply added another layer of this light tone to the sign. The new addition of this light color simply pushes the darker colors to the side.

 

I wanted it to be even lighter. So using my 0 or Colorless Blender I added another layer of alcohol to the very center and pushed the colors back even further.

I could have been finished at this point because the image is beautiful, but I love the addition that Prismacolor color pencils add to the depth of Copic colored images.

So using the following colors of Prismacolors I added a little more depth to my image. (Scarlet Lake, Celadon Green, Kelp Green, Dark Green, Mineral Orange, Burnt Ochre, Sienna Brown, Copenhagen Blue, Imperial Violet) You might thing that is a lot of colors and it is - LOL! I just use such a tiny hint of these here and there, but I keep adding until I feel like I have achieved the "picture" I had in my mind.

 

The final addition to this project was to bring this stark image in to balance with the natural, distressed look of the Graphic 45 paper. Simply using my ink blending tool and my favorite Antique Linen distress ink I swirled the color from my non-stick craft sheet on to the edges. A little sewing, mini paper clip and coordinating ribbon complete this quick and easy project.

Summer is finally here! This patriotic colored image is now ready for any upcoming event you may need a quick card for. I hope that you have time this weekend to enjoy summer and still have a little time to create. Thank you for your patience as I have scurried through this week leaving loose ends untied. We are headed to Trina's dance recital here soon and then it is time for Maddi's formal celebration tonight. It should be another festive and busy day at the Hutson household.

May Stamp of the Month combined with Sketch Challenge

One of my absolute favorite things to do is to brainstorm with Karen about the images that she is thinking about drawing. It is so fun to share ideas back and forth - then I wait... wait to see what it is that she will draw. When she tells me they are ready, I just cannot wait until I get to see them. She always has them colored - I literally sit and stroke the papers - LOL!

 

I loved her last apron and asked for another one. I was SO excited when she shared this vintage apron with me!!! She shared how she has designed it so that we can make all types of alterations to it! We can shorten the skirt by taking off the ruffle and remove the little sleeve ruffles - can you just envision this with the sentiment "hot stuff" - LOL! I will be sharing another post that showcases some of the different alternatives, showing you different ways that you can color this image soon.

The thank you note that I created to go in this month's orders uses this apron. I colored it with Copic markers and created a type of "eyelet" pattern on the fabric. It truly was so much fun to color!

When putting this month's stamp of the month packet together I knew that I wanted to use this image. We had just received in the new Wisteria paper (yummo - as Rachel Ray would say!) It just felt perfect with this vintage apron stamp. I felt the need to paper piece it - LOL!

Using Susan's fabulous sketch made putting this month's project together so incredibly easy! I used the sketch exactly as shown. The wonderful thing about sketches is that you can twist them, turn them, or slightly alter them to make them your own. They are like little blueprints that help you get a good start on your project.

 

To paper piece is quite simple. I stamp my main image first - I selected a small print to give it that vintage feel. Next, I stamped the image again on the darker eggplant purple paper included in this set of papers. I then set these little pieces on various patterned papers in the collection. I just loved how it looked on this peapod colored polka dot and so opted to use this as my background and apron pocket. There are so many different combinations that you will be able to create with the papers in this pad and with this apron! I can hardly wait to see what YOU create!

To cut out such "delicate" projects I use my snips to cut around the outside edge. I find that by turning my paper, rather than my scissors, it makes it simple to cut the more curvy lines. Then I pull out my self-healing mat and the newly discovered Fiskars Fingertip Craft Knife. I am wondering what rock I have been living under??? This little tool rocks. I am finding that I have so much more control over this blade then the blade that is on my retractable blade knife. I'm not throwing that one out because the retractable blade feature makes it wonderful to pack and use when traveling - I am notorious for loosing my lids, but this little Fiskars tool is fast becoming my favorite for the projects that I need more control.

 

After I had the little trim pieces cut out I glue the little accent pieces on to my apron. I find that there are two glue "tools" that I grab when I am paper piecing. First is the 2-way glue pen shown above. When you first open your pen you will need to "pump" the glue in to the tip by pushing it against a piece of scrap paper. This glue pen is fantastic for small pieces. If the pieces are "REALLY" small I prefer to us my Quickie Glue Pen.

 

To create the tag I prefer to stamp my image first. Using one of the Mother's Day Centers I stamped and then quickly trim my piece of paper down. This is so that I don't waste any of it with the other dies that are attached to this die plate. By placing my words face up and centering my die over the stamped image I am pretty much guaranteed a perfectly placed image each time. For more information on how to put together the entire "sandwich" you can read more about it here.

 

One last little tip that I would like to share will help you get perfectly spaced brads. By piercing your paper first you can be much more precise in the placement of your brads. Simply insert the brads in to the pierced holes.

 

In selecting the supplies for the stamp of the month packet I try to include everything "unusual" that you will need to create 10 cards. These packets are always a great value because they are discounted 20% from the retail cost. It is our goal to help you have cards ready to give at a moments notice. These packets are in limited supply. The first set sold out almost within minutes. Once this next set of supplies is sold out (we hope to have everything in again by Thursday, and so they are now available as a preorder item) we will most likely not be able to get anymore together for this month. We produce a specific number of these and once they are gone, they're gone. So be certain to get yours right away if you would like one.

 

This card was prepared as an example for mother's day, but it can also be used as a hostess thank you, attached to some homemade goodies with an especially for you sentiment, don't forget about that "romantic hot stuff" idea (LOL), and so much more.

I hope that you have enjoyed our spring fling! The girls have created such beautiful projects!!! Now it's your turn :) Be certain to join in our Sketch Challenge and this month's stamp of the month packet could be yours. Stay tuned for the winners of our games - I hope to have the names all posted on Monday!

It's No Joke!!! along with April Stamp of the Month

I have some absolutely wonderful news to share with you - we have a delightful and very talented young lady joining us here in the CLASSroom. I believe that you will be as excited about this news as we are! BUT I thought if I posted it this morning you might think it is just an April Fool's joke. It really isn't!!! So instead of just telling you I'm going to have you play a little guessing game as to who will be joining us - following are seven FUN FACTS to aid you in your guesses:

• I couldn't believe this one - LOL - she lived on a sailboat for a period of time,
• not only has she lived on a sailboat, but she has also lived in five different states,
• we met at Summer CHA 2007 and have been friends since that time,
• she has had a painting in a museum,
• she has a whimsical style and creates playful designs,
• she is a twin,
• now the hint of all hints... both twins married a Hughes

Post your guesses as to whom you think the following hints refer to in the comments section below and we will use the Random Number generator to select a winner. Hmmm, what will you win? Well... how about the new "Collage Elements by Kim Hughes!" Be certain to stop in and leave your comment by midnight April 2nd with your guess and we will make our big annoucement and post the official result on April 3rd! If you have this simple guessing game figured out, be certain to leave a welcoming comment (insert big grin!)

 

Now on to this month's SOM creation.

Sweet peas... I LOVE flowers and have grown these beauties in my garden for many years when I was able to be an avid gardener. I would sit my little ones in the flowers and take their pictures. I am going to have to hunt up some of those photos and scrap them. They bring back such fond memories.

I crave spring! So once again I have selected a beautiful floral for this month's image.

 

This image can appear tricky to color when you first look at it, but when broken down it is easy to achieve a beautiful look. The combination of this image with the Basic Grey Porcelain collection provided such a soft, elegant look.

 

The key to coloring this image is to begin with a light color. Use that color to "locate" your buds and foliage. I used Copic markers R11, RV11 and YG00 to determine the placement of my colors. It was important for me to have Karen's colored image open help me determine the flower petals from the foliage.  

 

To complete coloring the image I also used the aid of Google and looked up an image of Sweet Peas on the internet. I loved the soft watery look of this image and so I used my Copic T series markers (T3 and T1) along with the colorless blender to create the watery shadow.

To add to the "vintage" effect of this image I used Crackle Accents on the vase. Accents of Spica pink glitter pen were added to the floral petals.

 

This month we have changed up the packaging a little. Many of you have been truly enjoying the mixed packs of Memory Box notecards and envelopes, so we have paired up the Porcelain paper and buttons with a special combination of notecards - Sweet Corn, Peach Fuzz, Peony, Peapod and Vanilla Bean! We hope that this wonderful combination leads to some beautiful creations in your studio!

Don't forget to leave your comments below - read those clues carefully and leave your guess below - right or wrong you are still eligible for this wonderful Kim Hughes set!

March Stamp of the Month

Predicting weather here in Seattle is a complete mystery. The day starts out gloomy and ends up being spectacular OR it will start out beautiful and then turn cold and rainy. They are now "forecasting" snow, yet again for us this weekend! What's up with that? Needless to say I thirst for spring. So when selecting this month's stamp of the month I keep telling myself that all these showers are going to bring forth a myriad of spring flowers!

To begin I selected one of the fabulous new Memory Box paper packs - Fernbrae. Included in this set are a diverse selection of BEAUTIFUL papers. I wanted to share some of the different ways that you can put together this month's kit to make a set of cards that is diverse and yet similar. 

I began by cutting the key paper pieces approximately 4 3/4" x 3 7/8" using the New Scallop punch to create the decorative lower edge. The Martha Stewart punches have all (except the Embossed Diamond - this punch is not doing the job the way I would like to see it done) punched the Memory Box cardstock and papers beautifully.

I then stamped the IB Umbrella on a couple of different patterned papers.

 

For this card I cut out the umbrella and placed it on the sticky side of the Scalloped Circle stickers being careful not to touch the sticky surface and leave finger prints. I used the tip of my dry embossing stylus to help it adhere.

 

Tip: When using products such as Flower Soft, Fun Flock and glitter use a "tidy tray" to work in. This allows you to then easily dump the excess product back in to it's original container.

I then covered the entire surface with glitter and using my finger I pressed the glitter in to place. I then removed the excess glitter and ran this "sticker" through my Xyron machine to add adhesive back to this surface. This application allowed me to adhere the sparkley, clear "sticker" directly to my cardfront.

 

To change it up just a little I decided to use the springy flower paper and then once again cut out my IB Umbrella and adhered it using a dimensional.

 

I wanted to share a close-up picture of how it is that the punch aligns. Being over 40 (by more than I would like to admit - LOL!) I do need to wear my reading glasses to make certain that the holes and markings are aligned on the left side, but I have had excellent success with creating a beautiful decorative edge on my notecards and layers. This "gadget girl" always smiles when she finds a tool that creates something so gorgeous Ü

 

The last card is just another simple version. The "happy spring" sentiment is not included in this month's packet because I have found that if I include too many different items it is not as versatile. You could use any sentiment in it's place - one that I felt like using was "rain, rain go away!"

 

I thought I would also remind you of the trick to use your self-closing tweezers when tying ribbon, especially if you have short ends. This makes it SO much easier!

 

I hope this gives you a good start on this month's collection of cards. These would make a wonderful gift set as well. Package them in one of our Crystal Clear boxes and brighten someone's rainy day Ü

Stamp of the Month, February

When creating the stamp of the month packets I do my best to keep them simple. I want you to be able to complete these projects easily and in a timely manner and so I try not to overdue it - LOL! You can easily add an appropriate sentiment for your occasion to the front of this card or to the interior. You could also add additional texture by using a Cuttlebug folder, backgrounder or Scrapblock in a tone on tone ink, or pierce a design into the Wisteria cardstock. Sometimes though simple is good Ü

I am craving spring in a HUGE way and keep hoping that soon the Crocus will pop their little heads up and bring a bright, purple hue to our front yard! So with that I selected the new Lockhart Violet Cupcake for this month's project.

 

This little number came together SO easily being I had just received the newest releases from Memory Box Company. Dave has truly given us a special gift with his seven, YES SEVEN, new collections. I am going to give you direct links to them so that they will be easy for you to find.

• Brandywine (soft burgundy, brilliant orange and velvety golds)
• Butterfield (rolling hills, butterfly gardens and gorgeous scenery)
• Fernbrae (a quaint garden full of vintage florals and antique tile)
• Glitterati (lights, cameras and rock n' roll, ready for the ready carpet?)
• Poppyfinch (which is included in this month's stamp of the month packet is described as a bouquet of aqua, teal greens and soft violet)
• Rhubarb Tart (juicy reds, crisp greens and sassy patterns)
• Sweetbay (a lakeside collection of spring greens and frothy blues)
• and one more previous release, Sugardrop (petal pinks, bittersweet chocolate and mossy greens)
• OK - now I'm REALLY ready for spring after sharing these details - LOL!

Having arrived home from CHA sicker than a dog it is taking me a few days to try and get it all back together. I hope to head in to the office tomorrow and pair the papers up with the cardstock so that you will have a better idea as to which products they coordinate with. Each packet has (3) each of 10 different designs in it. What a fabulous value! They are all simply delicious!!!

When I first met Karen Lockhart I loved to color, but I didn't really have a way of sharing how it is that I did so in a manner that was easy to understand. Karen invited me to attend one of her classes as a "bystander", lending a hand where needed and just taking it all in. While attending that class Karen shared some wording that hit me like a bolt of lightning, being my background is interior design. She said as you color think of your image as a room you are decorating. Oh man!!! Why didn't I think of that??? Thank goodness for talented teachers like Karen! Analogies can make things so much easier to comprehend. So this is exactly how it is that I now convey to my students the message of how to color an image.

 

When beginning to decorate a room it typically starts with paint. Therefore the first layer that I use in "decorating" my image is a thin layer of primer. I start with my lightest colors to help define my image and I color the entire image, I PRIME it. I don't just do one wall, or one portion of my image, instead complete it from start to finish. I color the entire image, creating balance as I go. This also helps me define the sections within the image.

In the cupcake image above you can see how I selected markers that coordinate with my paper colors. When you purchase your Copic markers from us we supply you with a sheet of Neenah that has all of the colors we carry listed on it. We suggest that you use your marker to place a "swatch" of that color in each box as you accumulate your markers. That way you will know which colors you have to work with and will not have to constantly make little marks all over your work surface to figure out which colors you would like to use.

 

Next I PAINT my image, for this layer I typically use a darker color tone then the starting primer color. This is where I work quite differently than most Copic users. I have found that by working in the typical recommended way, my colors are much more "flat" than when I vary my color groupings.

The "typical" way of working with Copics is to select a color based on the first number in the series. For example I selected a BV000 to color the violets in the image above. The next number that would be recommended for use would then be a BV03-BV05, and if you really wanted some intense color you would then select a Copic marker that would be in the range of BV08-BV09. Note how the beginning number and letter all remain the same, with only the last digit changing. The last digit in the Copic markers indicate the lightness/darkness or value of the color, with the low digits being light and the high digits being dark.

I prefer to shoot off from that first number in the series and select from an associated color grouping. In nature when I look at a flower I don't see just one color, I see a multitude of colors and so this is how I select my colors. As you can see I first primed my image with the BV000, which is from the Blue-Violet family, but I wanted to make my image "pop." Therefore the next color I selected was V15, a color in the Violet family which has more red in it. In looking at many of the patterned papers you will notice that there are a huge range of colors in those papers. By selecting colors that vary somewhat I feel that I end up with a more natural blend of colors. Note though that the second number in my color selection does follow the general rule of increasing depth, that number being a 5, V15.

After applying this second color you can see that I have fairly distinct lines. I hope that the size of the picture above when opened is large enough for you to really see these details. To "meld" these two colors together I then bring my old brush (my primer or lighter marker color in this case, BV000) and once again color over these distinct areas. The alcohol in the marker will help the colors blend. The more you color the more blended they will become. You could achieve a blended look by using a colorless blender, but being there are NO color particles in the Colorless Blender marker you will lighten the entire image and end up "pushing" most of your color to the edges unfortunately this often ends with a more "muddied" color tone. This is why I most often prefer to use a light color tone when blending.

The colorless blender helps me fix mistakes, it helps me add special effects, it helps me add specific highlights in an image, and yes it does blend colors; but most often I blend using the color I primed my image with.

 

As you can see I did the same thing with my green leaves. Beginning with YG00 and adding YG63 as my paint layer.

 

Being I wanted the wrapper to have a more "papery" feel to it I switched from Copic markers to Prismacolor pencils. When first beginning to work with the Copic markers it was a natural transition to the Neenah cardstock. The Neenah cardstock that we carry in our store is the one Karen first selected to use with Prismacolor pencils. It has THE perfect tooth for working with the colored pencils. As I explored different papers and how they could be used with the Copic markers I determined that there really was no better paper out of all the ones I tested that could produce a result that was any better than when using Neenah. That is not to say that no other paper works with Copic markers - there are many papers that work, but I am a creature of habit when it comes to my coloring materials. Once I find one that works well, and Neenah works REALLY well, I stick to it. It is affordable and has just the right amount of tooth for coloring with Copics AND Prismacolor pencils. It is a wonderful surface for combining these two mediums. Yes, I started the Neenah cardstock/Copic marker frenzy and this is the reason I recommended it to everyone out here in cyberspace.

Back to the cupcake wrapper. To bring the color tones of the B00 more in line with the decorative papers I was using I needed to add some warm gray and a hint of periwinkle. If you look closely you can see how the Prismacolor pencils only catch the tooth of the paper and float over the top. The Copic marker soaks into the paper, thus going in to the recesses of the paper. This combination adds a layer of depth to your project that you cannot get when using the Copics alone. So if you own both Copics AND Prismacolor color pencils you can achieve the best of both worlds! Deep rich color, together with transparent depth.

 

Rather than pulling out the deepest Copic Marker value I pulled out my Prismacolor pencils to add that final layer to my cupcake. First we primed, then we painted and finally we ACCESSORIZE. When accessorizing a room you don't add a layer of accessories that covers your entire surface - you pick and choose the areas that you place your accessories. This is how I think of adding my "accents" or the layer that I use to draw your eye in to the image. This can be done in so many different ways - typically I use Prismacolor color pencils and glitter pens to add this layer to my image.

In the image above I selected Dark Green and Imperial Violet, both are intense, dark values. I hope by sharing this description with you it will help you look at your individual little images in a new way. When Karen used the words - PRIME, PAINT and ACCESSORIZE - a lightbulb went off in my head and it continues to shine through in such a natural way when I now color. As you practice think about these different levels and soon I hope that it will all start to happen naturally for you as well. Never fear trying to place two different colors together - you will most certainly not ruin your markers. You might end up with your image in that "round file" otherwise known as the garbage, but it is just paper and it is SO worth the experimentation! You will discover layers of color that would otherwise be lost to you. Give it a try - leave your thoughts here to share with others who are venturing out in to the unknown world of color. Color is satisfying and by adventuring in to it's depths you will discover exquisite beauty.

 

I finished the piece above by using my Mega Curved Rectangles to cut out my background papers and the Classic Circle for my focal point. I did cut out my cupcake and pop it up, but you need not do that when creating your own image if you find cutting tedious. I love the depth of popped up images and so I take the time to do this. The final touch of glitter pens, coordinating ribbon (you only need 3 1/2" for each card with this layout) and the addition of a few lavender gemstones and your project is almost complete. Using the Memory Box Envelope Liner Template I added a little of the accent paper to the interior of the envelope for an added touch. You could also use your scraps on the inside of the notecard aka Cindy Lyles Ü

I am thrilled to tell you that I found some fabulous goodies at CHA and my hope is that they will start appearing in our store over the next few months. Some were to ship immediately and others will take time (waaaah!), but that's the way the manufacturers do things and we just have to live with it - LOL! For now to keep your creative appetites satiated we do a have a ton of new Memory Box papers AND images, as well as all the new Lockhart images that were released this past month! We will do our best to keep the projects and ideas coming. Thank you for stopping by again today.

Welcome New Designer to the CLASSroom and Stamp of the Month, January

I promised you more surprises and I am a woman of my word, at least I try to be Ü I have appreciated all the wonderful comments you have left over the last few days! One that really hit me was that "destiny finds us." I believe that destiny did bring me together with an extremely talented and genuine individual at summer CHA. Little did I know until that time that she lives less than five miles from me!!! When creating and sharing on the internet I most often assume that most everyone is in far away states, or even countries. The internet has seemingly made our world much closer and yet I typically imagine that others live in places that are a large distance from me. What's up with that?

I am thrilled to share with you the newest contributor to our CLASSroom, Susan Roberts! I would like to extend a HUGE welcome to her. I know that you will all do your best to help Susan feel at home here through your positive feedback and comments. Her first post is in place and will be going live tonight at midnight - believe me when I tell you that it is PHENOMENAL! I am so tickled to have someone who lives so close to me come in and share my studio space and supplies, I am so honored that she would accept my invitation. Susan we welcome you - thank you for joining in our little adventure here!

Each month we create a stamp of the month packet to help kick start your creativity. With Valentines right around the corner I wanted to help you get some of those cards under way. We have also started a special Valentines category in our store to help you find the special items that might help you with your projects.

 

I absolutely adore this sweet Peapod of Hearts that Karen drew for the latest release. There are SO many wonderful new stamps to play with! What a perfect little valentine it makes! Being I wanted to include two stamps and lots of ribbon with this month's packet I needed to come up with a design that would not need any decorative paper. I always like to figure out some little "thing" that I can come up with to share a tip or technique.

The ribbon made the selection of papers and marker colors so very easy - so it was just the layout that needed a little thought.

   

First I created the focal point. My DH gave me the cutest little Flip Video for Christmas to help me along with one of the requests I often get, that request being videos. Yep, I'm going to give it a try. So I have filmed my first video as I colored this sweet little peapod. Now all I have to do is figure out how to get the video off the camera, on to my laptop and then into a Youtube format! No small task when you are running on empty as I am - LOL! After counting inventory and updating numbers my mind feels like jello and so I apologize for not having that portion of this post ready. I hope to master it soon and will then try and figure out how to insert it here. Talk about technically challenged - LOL!

As you can see in the pictures above I am showing two different layering options with you. This picture will hopefully begin to help you understand the geometry changes in the rectangles that make them so different from the other Nestabilities. When first designing the Nestabilities I was asked if I wanted to have the rectangle dies truly nest. Well, yes I did want them to nest - but here's the rub with that scenario - if they would nest in the same way as the squares, circles and ovals the dies would end up turning in to long skinny pieces and the most needed sizes wouldn't be available for cardmakers. So I made a judgment call; one that has it's positives and negatives and I recommended reducing the size by percentages rather than the 1/8" and 1/4" variances. No wonder geometry wasn't my favorite part of math - LOL! When reducing by percentages using a rectangular shape the length is going to change more dramatically than the width. The longer the die is to start with the more obvious that length change.

So what I am trying to tell you here is that when working with the rectangles you need to consider layering in a different way. Either use the exact same size coordinating sets together - for example use the dies in the Classic Large Long Rectangle set together with the dies in the Scalloped Large Long Rectangle set. By coordinating your layers in this way you will end up with a project that is layered nicely. If you like the look of the layering in the photo on the right you will want to layer dies from the Classic Large Long Rectangle set together with the dies in the Scalloped SMALL Long Rectangle set. Options, options, options - I love them!

 

Tip: My tip for adding slots as shown in the photo above is quite simple. In the past I would think that I had my little Stampin' Up! slot punch aligned perfectly, but alas after I would punch I would come to realize that arrgh - it was crooked or not quite centered. I no longer have that problem since I began using little pencil guidelines. Using my Tim Holtz (unfortunately we are currently out of these and so I am unable to provide the link, but this is a ruler I turn to often now!) centering ruler I lightly pencil a half inch guide line in place on my work. I then flip my punch upside down and spot this line through the hole and punch. Voila - straight and centered!

 

After scoring and flipping the front of the notecard back revealing the crisp white interior of the Memory Box notecard I determined that it was just too much white space. So I decided to repeat the Scroll Scrapblock that I used on the front cover and stamped the lovely "viney" pattern that I can visualize this sweet little peapod hanging from on the inside. To keep my inside line crisp and straight I simply used a small section of Eclipse Twin tape.

 

Next I stamped the sentiment, "peas be mine", and cut it out using a Classic Heart Nestability. By placing it on my cutting plate as shown above and using my clear acrylic mat I can easily make certain that my words stay aligned in the die.

 

Many of you have talked about the fact that this ruler "slips" when piercing a long length of holes. I haven't noticed this and I am wondering if it is because I pierce in an almost straight up and down motion. By keeping my piercing tool vertical it minimizes the movement of the ruler. Another little tip that might help you is - add a couple of little tiny glue dots to the bottom side of your ruler just outside the length of your card front and press it in to place on your piercing pad. This would be helpful especially if you are piercing quite a lot. SImply slip your paper in under the ruler and pull it back out without lifting the ruler out of place.

 

A last line of piercing was added to the interior of the card. It is simple to see from the photo above how easy it is to align the piercing of your layers when using this see-through piercing guide.

 

Attach your sentiment heart inside your card for a fun surprise when you open the card. Simple, quick and cute - I hope that you can use some of the ideas incorporated in to this stamp of the month creation.

It is now just a stroke past midnight and the date has changed so guess what that means. We will be doing the random number generator drawing today. Keep your fingers crossed that the morning begins smoothly and I hope to be back before noon to share the names of our lucky winners - we will have 12 posts to count through, so I'm guessing that task might be a little time consuming (LOL) Thank you again for joining us these last 12 days and we look forward to your presence here in the future as well!

Stamp of the Month, December

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... There are boxes ALL over our house - LOL! This year we have ventured into the world of new traditions. We no longer have a "real" tree. After being sick from the moment we brought our Noble in to the house last year, until we removed it the day after Christmas, we decided it was time to enjoy the holiday season and purchase a "fake" tree. So the tree is up and it is AMAZING how real it looks. No stuffy noses yet either :)

This month's packet and creation were designed so that they could be multipurpose. What better way to say happy birthday to a family member or friend than with the adorable Holly Cupcake?!? It also works as a wonderful thank you for any holiday parties you may be invited too. It is quick to make and so very cute in it's simplicity. (At least I think so - LOL!)

 

To begin I stamped the Holly Cupcake image on Natural White using Memento Tuxedo Black.

 

I then used the following Copic colors to "prime" my surface - Y21, YG91 and R20. By quickly covering your image with the lightest colors it helps define the area. Next I added depth to the cupcake wrapper using a second and third application of Y21. Remember that you can always achieve new colors just by layering your color in areas you would like to highlight.

To the holly and areas "behind" the holly I added YG63 and YG67. The berries were then darkened using R27. I did come back over top of of my Copic colors with Prismacolor color pencils (Goldenrod and Dark Green) to add texture to the surface of the paper.

The tooth on the Neenah paper picks up just enough color to add yet another layer of depth to the image. Using a 2 1/8" Nestability circle die I cut and embossed my image.

Next I cut a Red Pepper strip that measures 1 1/4" x 5 1/2". Using my Scor-It board I then created two score lines on either side of the twill ribbon for additional texture.

To add texture to my Memory Box Meadow note card I stamped it using the Pretty Pattern backgrounder together with Versamark Dazzle Champagne. I am thrilled that these ink pads leave more of a watermark effect on the soy based ink cardstock. Versamark alone does not leave a watermark on these notecards and so to finally have the opportunity to have this effect with the new pads tickles my fancy :) Unfortunately I do not see much glimmer at all - I keep hoping that when the reinkers come out that I will get better shimmer results. The only technique that I have found that works to create shine is the direct to paper method, but to have the watermark result on the soy based ink is a HUGE plus in my opinion!

Assemble the card and the finish the berries off with a tiny amount of Fired Brick Distress Stickles. Make certain to set these cards some place safe to dry, so that you don't do like

Stamp of the Month, November

I find it so hard to believe that it is already November! It is now down to the last minute card making efforts for this holiday season. I put together a fairly simple project this month that should not take too long for you to complete. What I love about this design is how the ribbon pulls it all together.

 

I began the color scheme based entirely on the colors in this ribbon.

 

As you can see I defined the Snowy Tree image using the Copic colors above. If I were to create all ten cards included in this kit at the same time I would do each step on all ten images at the same time. You will be amazed at how quickly you can color when following this method.

 

I then added the depth, or layers, to the colors. I used the colorless blender to soften the edges of the blue on the snow and added my darker colors into the "recesses" or shadows of the images. I then came back in with my light colors to soften the edges.

 

To add a little texture and "fuzz out" the edges on the greenery I used my Prismacolor LimePeel pencil. What I mean by "fuzz out" is I color in tiny little circles going "outside the lines". This really helps fill in those spaces that might feel empty and it gives the whole image a soft feeling. I also added just a hint of Goldenrod to the birds being the second layer of Y21 didn't add quite enough "zip" to the birds and I didn't want them to get too dark. I often bring out my Prismacolor pencils just to complete an image. I love the combintaion of Copics and Prismacolors.

When you focus in on the photo above you can see the Liquid Applique that has been added to the snowy sections of the tree. As you can see a TINY amount goes a LONG ways.

 

Immediately following, before the applique has time to dry, I sprinkle on a dusting of Crystal Snow Glitter.

 

After allowing it to dry for only a couple of minutes I hit it with my heat embossing tool and puff up the applique. The longer you allow your applique to dry before heating it, the better it will be at holding it's own after puffing it up. So if I were to send this out in the mail I would probably let it sit overnight before hitting it with heat. Being I was in a time crunch though I just popped it up almost immediately. A wonderful tip for those who accidently "squish" down the applique is to reheat it. It will bring life back in to it immediately.

An additional little touch that just didn't photograph well was the texture that was added to the lower portion of the Holly Berry notecard. I inked the Victorian Pattern backgrounder using Memento red ink and stamped the image directly on the red cardstock. This subtle addition of color on the lower half does add a beautiful additional layer of pattern that is not overwhelming to the card.

The last thing I did was to run the Dill cardstock through my Swiss Dot Cuttlebug Folder. This is my all time favorite embossing folder and I am assuming that most of you have it. If it is something that you see a need for and would like me to add these to our store please just drop me a line (customerservice@ellenhutson.com) and we will see what we can do to help you obtain these. I'm only guessing that there are plenty of places that you order from, but I could be wrong - LOL!

I hope that you enjoy making this month's special packet. If you get bored with using only the tree you can easily replace it with the Cranberry and Popcorn or Della Robbia images.

Stamp of the Month, October

ETA: I apologize to those of you who have gone in search of this packet this morning. I was so tired last night that I forgot to come and set everything on the computer before heading to bed. I truly apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for your patience with this tired girl!

From the moment I first laid eyes on the Harvest Lantern I knew that it would become one of my favorite fall images. As an interior designer I often helped create tablescapes in trays - this would allow the homeowner to easily removed it from their dining table if extra room was needed for a meal. The colors and warmth of this image give me the warm fuzzies!

 

One of the first things I would like for you to note is the difference in color of the tray in the image below and the completed card above. As you can see I initially colored the tray a green tone, very similar to the first card that I made using the Harvest Lantern. Back at that time I promised I would share the colors that I use to color this image. Hopefully by sharing these colors it will make it easier for you to get a head start on the coloring process.

 

Before I go any further I want to share the picture that shows how I stamp first and then precisely cut my piece exactly where I want. Sometimes I just don't know what direction I want to take with a card and this sandwich allows me to cut precisely where I want after I have stamped and colored my image. In this case I will typically stamp my image on a larger sheet of white paper, 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" in size. This allows me to then think about my layout as I color and come up with a cut that will work without making the piece too small.

I selected one of the scalloped long rectangles from the small set and placed it over my stamped and colored image. When I make precise cuts like this I will often pull out my Big Shot. This sturdy little machine has a flat bed and clear plates. This feature makes it easy to place my work face up and the die, blade side down over my artwork. When you place the second acrylic plate over the top you can see precisely where it is that you will make your cuts. The clear acrylic plates do take a beating and need to be replaced more frequently than than the Wizard Master plates, but it is nice to be able to see that my dies have not shifted when I use the Big Shot.

 

First I stamped my image using Memento Tuxedo Black. To color the project above I did use all of these markers - LOL! I always start light, it makes it SO much easier to add depth to your project when you start with your lightest Copic colors. Then when it comes to applying the darkest colors I will typically color them on to my Craft Sheet and then pick them up with the lightest tone. This allows me to very easily add the depth without overpowering the current colors.

 

The white paper was just WAY too white! I knew I could easily pull out my airbrush system, but being I had used it on my last Harvest Lantern creation I wanted to change it up and show how you can mask and add color using the Ink Blending tool. I lightly inked the blending tool using Distress, Tea Dye ink. I then apply it first to a piece of scrap paper in a swirling type of motion. As soon as I have that initial dark color rubbed off I then move on to my project and completely covered the entire image in a swirly motion. Next I added just a hint of Walnut Distress ink to my ink blending tool and added this color around the edges.

One of the fabulous features of Copic markers is the ease with which you can change the colors in your image. I realized part way through this project that I hadn't pulled out my Sparkle papers. When I placed these papers next to my project it became clear that the tray REALLY needed to be brown rather than green. (see photo above)

So I pulled out additional colors to change the tray - E55, E57, E79. Next I realized that this made the entire image too brown and so I added some green, YG03, to the leaves.

 

The final step in adding just a little more texture to this project was my handy, dandy Janome Sew Mini. 

I have really enjoyed having this little machine to work on my paper projects. No more "tension" problems - yippie! I have found that it is very important to make certain that you have the correct size bobbin (yes, the little plastic thing under the needle Ü) and make certain that you thread it correctly. Hmmm - I wonder how I know that? LOL! The stitches are pretty basic, but I find that it works well for me. A little straight stitching and the project is complete. I had thought about adding buttons from the Basic Grey Ambrosia collection being they look awesome with the Sparkle paper, but decided to use the KISS rule. Besides it really helped keep this month's packet so very affordable. So get your packet now and start your preparations for Thanksgiving.

Stamp of the Month, September

Taking a picture of this little creation was a bit of a challenge - LOL! I love to create using transparencies, but they certainly can make capturing the image a little more tricky.

This month I wanted to do something a little different using a couple of the new Lockhart images. Once I had determined to use the Potions and Spells stamp as my feature stamp my thought process then turned to how I could try and enhance the image further. To reinforce the feeling that the crystal ball gives I felt that a see through window card would be the perfect compliment to this image - it "reflected" a similar quality to that of the crystal ball. (reflect - get it - ha, ha - my sense of humor is so lame isn't it - LOL!)

The Cheesecloth backgrounder was then added as an additional point of interest on the transparency to add another layer of depth to the overall project. You will notice that I have not included the Cheesecloth in the packet this month being I did not want to disclude those who already own it from purchasing the Stamp of the month project kit. To make certain that it was at a similar value I have added it as a separate item this month so that you can still enjoy the savings. So don't forget to add it to your cart if you do not already own this element.

Stamping on transparencies can be just a little tricky being they are on the slick side. My recommendation is for you to precut your little window squares to their 3 7/8" size and then stamp your cheesecloth on each individual square.

I find it so simple to place my backgrounder face up on my work surface and then selecting the corner I want to use, place my transparency down on the inked surface covering it with an extra scrap paper.

Rub your hand lightly over the surface and lift straight up when removing your finished product to avoid smearing the ink. Set it down inky side up and give it a little time to dry completely before attaching it to your final project. Also be certain not to run your hand over the corner of your inked backgrounder or you might find yourself getting more ink on the corner than you would like or smearing the inked corner.

Cut note card to 4 1/4" square size. Next cut the circles in both the card front and the extra 4" square Mango layer. To cut the circle in my card front I used the following sandwich:

• cut mat
• card front
• 2 7/8" circle die, blade side down
• white spacer plate
• card back folded over top of white spacer plate as shown
• emboss mat

Tip: When placing your die in this sandwich a little temporary adhesive helps hold the die firmly in place.

Be certain to align the spacer plate evenly with the fold in your note card to avoid getting excess creases.

Stamp the Potions and Spells image in the center of the circle if you plan on using Prismacolor color pencils to color your image. If you will be using Copic markers we have opted to include extra Neenah Solar White cardstock in your packet so that you can stamp and color on a separate 4 1/4" cardstock square and then adhere this square to the inside of your notecard. This will prevent seeing the bleedthrough on your beautiful key lime card back.

Complete your project by creating a little tag from the lavender cardstock. Stamp the IB Witch's Hat on Solar White, color and cut out directly around hat. Attach the hat to the tag and hang it from black ribbon wrapped around your card. If you have trouble tying ribbon I want to redirect you to a post on tying ribbon that I created a LONG time ago that helps me create a much better looking final project Ü

An envelope just seems so empty if left alone. I opted to finish this element by stamping the IB Hat in the corner and just coloring it with Prismacolor color pencils. If you would like to color it with Copic markers please remember to slip a "pad" inside your envelope so that you will not have ink all the way through to the back side Ü. Being this card is only 4 1/4" square I will once again share a wonderful solution to this little quandry by taking you back to this post.