the CLASSroom

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!

Way To Go by Sharon Harnist

 

Supplies:

• Memory Box Sunny Panda stamp & Way To Go sentiment
• Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad
• Copic: Sketch Marker R81-Rose Pink & Airbrush System
• Spellbinders Scalloped Edge Frame die set, Classic Oval-Large & Petite Oval-Small Nestabilities
• Memory Box Raspberry cardstock
• BasicGrey Euphoria 6x6 patterned paper pad
• Neenah Classic Solar White cardstock
• Spring Art Flowers

• Island Blossom Dew Drops

My oldest daughter just found out last week that she passed her state-mandated elementary school tests and was officially promoted to fourth grade.  I thought this sweet panda would make a cute card to congratulate her.

I started by making a notecard 4.50" x 3.25" (top folded) from Solar White cardstock and adhered the floral patterned paper to the card front.  Then I die cut the Scalloped Edge Frame from Raspberry cardstock to fit on the card front.  Here's how the construction looks from the back:

 

I stamped Sunny Panda onto Solar White cardstock and cut her out.  Then I stamped her again onto the coordinating Euphoria paper and cut out her dress and hat.  The patterned dress was pieced over the black & white cut out Panda and the hat was popped up with dimensional foam tape.  Copic R81 was used to accent the bottom of her dress and top of her hat.

Sunny was originally holding an umbrella, but I stamped the "way to go" sentiment onto Solar White cardstock and die cut it with the smallest Classic Oval Nestabilities.  While the cardtock was still in the die, I airbrushed Copic R81 in the center of the die cut.  This little "sign" was adhered over the umbrella and then what was left showing of the umbrella was cut away.

Sunny was popped up over a Petite Oval Nestabilities die cut of coordinating Euphoria striped paper and small blue paper flowers, accented with Dew Drops, finish off this card.

I think this little Panda could be used for all types of congratulatory occasions, such as graduation, overcoming a sickness/health issues, meeting a goal.  Thanks for visiting the CLASSroom today!

Ghosted Floral Sympathy by Sharon Harnist

 

I couldn't wait to try Ellen's first Technique Tuesday on Ghosting, as I had never tried this technique.  Here are the supplies I chose to work with:

 

Supplies:

• BasicGrey Wisteria paper pad & Wisteria brads
• Ranger Snow Cap pigment ink pad
• Ranger Distress inks: Broken China, Faded Jeans, Dusty Concord & Ink Blending Tool
• Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet
• Kim Hughes Silhouette Blooms I
• #5 Medium Manila Tag
• White & Cream Art Flowers
• Ornare Piercing Tool
• Tim Holtz Design Ruler & Paper Distresser

I chose a smaller manila tag for my card, but otherwise followed Ellen's instructions for the ghosting technique.  I will say that I wasn't very pleased with my ghosting effect until I had applied a very heavy coverage of Distress Ink to it.  So keep that in mind -- if you don't like what you are seeing at first, keep applying ink!  Starting at the top of my tag, I used these Distress Inks: Broken China, Faded Jeans, and Dusty Concord.

After completing the tag, I distressed the edges, pierced a double row of holes at the bottom, using Tim Holtz's Design/piercing ruler (not sure if it's showing too well in the photo), and then adhered it to my card base with dimensional foam tape.  I decided to make the sentiment element of the Card Architecture Blueprint #1 (don't you just love this name?  Being married to an Architect, I love it!) a little shorter because it was covering up some of the best of my ghosting technique at the top of that tallest left flower.  So I zig-zag machine stitched the sentiment to my tag, to give it an "anchor".

I didn't have any flowers to match my card, so I inked some cream flowers with the same Distress Inks I used for the card ... and got a perfect match!

I hope you'll give this technique a try -- you never know when you might find a new favorite!

Water Bottle Carrier by Kim Hughes

I thought this would make a fun gift and it might be something that can be made for a daughter, a Mom, Grandma etc.

This is a water bottle holder.  You can also work around a baby bottle, a can or just about any sized beverage container.  This cover is custom made.

 

Supplies:

Chandelier Crystals, Clear

Ribbon Lace, Regia

Dew Drops Bottle, Water

Memory Box stamp: Parsley Sprig

Studio Acrylic Paint, Traditional Tan

Other:

fabric, twine and mini hole punch

start by measuring your bottle against the fabric.  I needed a 12 x 4.25 " piece.  I chose a cream on cream patterned fabric and a water bottle that I bought at Target...mostly because it has a great shape.

 

Next, I decided to personalize the fabric a bit.  I chose to give my cover a nature feel, so I added some sprigs to the base design.

 

randomly stamp the image onto the front of the fabric.  I applied the paint to the stamp with my finger, but a brush will work great as well.

 

once the paint is dry, fold down each end about 1/2 inch in

 

cut a wedge from the right side only...this is where the handle will go through

 

push the handle through the hole, just far enough so that it won't be seen when the flap is folded down.  apply fabric glue.  I used fabri-Tac by Beacon.

 

and close tightly...allow to dry.  Repeat on the other end.

 

when you fold the fabric in half, the handles will be on opposite ends.

 

add lace trim to the top...on both sides.

 

keep the bag folded...it looks like a purse.  Use a tiny hole punch to punch through both sides at the same time...punch holes along both sides, close to the edge, but show down as you reach the bottom

 

this is what it looks like when the fabric is opened up

 

this is what it looks like when the bottle is inside the fabric cover.  (open on both sides)

 

you will need two holes in the center of each side.   So that they are positioned in the same place, fold the long way and punch where the holes are on the other side.

 

place the bottle inside the cover and start pushing the twine through the holes, wrapping around the entire bottle, closing up the sides.  I used a needle.

 

Once you reach the bottom, you will see why you needed those 2 holes, you need to string the twine through them to close off the bottom.  This is so hard to explain, I am so sorry if this is a confusing part.  You will see what I mean once you are creating this project.  Cut off excess twine and tie in a knot.
 

Now to close off the top.  Punch 2 holes in each side and string twine through the holes.

 

push the twine through the chandelier crystals, pull tight and tie in a bow.

 

 

To finish off the bottom, punch holes in each side (or simply push the needle through), pull tight and tie in a bow.

 

Lastly, add Dew Drops to the flower centers of the lace trim.

I am sure this would be easy to create with a sewing machine, but I am not very good at using mine, so I chose to hand sew instead.  I just had this idea today, and I had no idea how it would turn out, or if it would turn out.  I am thrilled with the results...this was so fun to make!  Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions at all.  By using fabric, sweating bottles should not be an issue.  If you choose to make a wine bottle cover, maybe you should double the fabric to make it more sturdy.  You can also stitch the handles in place to make them more sturdy as well.  This is a loose enough cover that you can add a replacement bottle with no worries.

Thank you so much for stopping by the CLASSroom :)
 

Cards for Heroes and Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund

Thank you all SO very much for leaving your comments on our Cards for Heroes blog post. I hope that there will be troops and their families that find these comments and know that we do care what happens to each of them.

On spring break I had the good fortune to meet Jim and Lylah in person for the very first time. It was on that occasion that I was able to learn more about what it is that Lylah does. During that visit I learned of the organization that has been Lylah's life for some time now. Being the wife of a Marine can't be easy - I admire her so much for taking such an active role in helping others. The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund has been helping Marines, sailors and their families cope with the financial hardships they face on the road to recovery. The recovery time from major catastrophic injuries may take several years. Few families are prepared for the expenses they face. They need help immediately. 85% of those injured are between the ages of 18 and 24. They are so young - with so much life yet to live.

I will be completely honest - I don't know if I could ever be the woman who could say good-bye to my loved one, not knowing what the future might bring.  That doesn't mean that I can't help, in fact perhaps it is this knowledge that makes me realize that I want to help even more. I am so thrilled to share the following news with you!!! I have been given permission to give all the profits we earn here at Ellen Hutson LLC for the sale of the stamp set "We Remember" to charity! Thank you Richard and Liz for allowing me this opportunity.

My hope is that we not only make lots of cards to send to those individuals who place their own life in jeopardy for the sake of others, but that we can also raise money to help those who did just that and have now come home injured. I have heard far too many stories of those who have been forgotten once they arrived home - let's not do that. Let's stand beside these men, women and families and continue to help them in their time of need! So if you were considering purchasing this stamp set to scrap some pictures, or to create some cards for those who may need our support please do so soon. The sooner you purchase it, the sooner you can get creating and we can forward those dollars to these worthy causes.

Now if you are reading this and thinking, well I'm really not much of a stamper you can still help! By clicking on these links you can go directly to these organizations to learn more about them and to make a donation directly!

• Cards for Heroes
• Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund

It is a thrill to share this stamp set with:

Here are your random numbers:

91	

Timestamp: 2009-05-27 04:39:38 UTC

Our lucky winner is:

Shirley who stated - This is such a beautiful card. Thank you for your support of our troops. Shirley please contact us at [email protected] and we will ship this out to you pronto. We hope that you will be able to put this set to good use!

My hope is that our computers will be much more cooperative at work tomorrow and I can get the tag file created and uploaded. Why does technology make one so crazy? LOL! Thanks for hanging in here and being patient as I try and accomplish my computer work in the late night hours and stay tuned for a fabulous creation from Kim tomorrow!!!

Good night everyone :)

Card Architecture and Technique Tuesday Tag #1 - Ghosting

ETA: Download now available for Technique Tag #1 - Ghosting Directions

Download Ghosting

Doesn't this sound mysterious? Ghosting!!! Can you hear the creaks and groans? LOL! This is a technique that I learned a long, long time ago that I have not used in a long, long time. Perhaps that is why it is ghost-like, it is now once again magically appearing J

This idea is not unique to me - it is totally inspired by the incredible tags that Tim Holtz creates. As an educator at heart I absolutely love how his tags aid in teaching and expanding ones creativity. I am SO going to go to Ranger University some day if they accept me!

I am so excited about Technique Tuesday Tags! My goal is to try and share a technique on Tuesdays along with directions that you can simply download and print on a sheet of labels. I know that I will not manage to do a new tag every Tuesday, but I will try my hardest to keep them coming on a regular basis. I find that pulling out my old "techniques" can really help push my creativity to new levels.

To begin I will simply explain and share an example of this technique. I would then like to encourage you to download the directions, create a simple tag showcasing this technique and put the label with step by step directions on the back of your tag. Most often I will try and use these Manila tags as my base. Eventually I would love to see a whole ring of Technique Tags that you can refer back to when inspiration is lacking and you just need a motivational "push." So get your tags and let's get started!

To create my tag I inked my background stamp using Adirondack Snow Cap Pigment Ink. The key to this project is to use a full-coverage white pigment ink. For other pigment inks and more in-depth information regarding the different types of inks, you are welcome to refer to my post on inks over on our In Touch blog.

Being a stamper with limited time I elected to set my ink using my heat tool. If you have plenty of time you could stamp your image and allow it to dry naturally. 

Next use an Ink Blending Tool or a piece of Cut N' Dry Foam to apply the next layer of ink. The critical thing to remember is that you will now switch over to using a dye based ink pad. I love the Distress Ink Pads for this technique and selected a series of colors in the brown hues to create my woodgrain tag. Begin by inking the foam on your stamp pad by "smooshing" (do you like my technical terms - LOL) the foam in to the surface of your lightest color ink pad (I used Antique Linen first.) Then using a circular motion, starting on your non-stick craft sheet and moving on to the edges of your tag begin applying the ink. Continue moving in a circular motion until you have covered the entire surface you would like to see pop out.

I then moved to my next darker color using the same tool. If you were to switch colors from a blue to a green you would want to use a new foam for each color, but if you work within one color family you can simply use the same tool for each color as you progress from light to dark.

As you can see in the close-up image below the surface that is covered in white pigment ink resists the dye ink in a very subtle way and a "ghost-like" image appears. When applying each additional color I did not cover my surface evenly because I wanted it to appear like a natural piece of wood. Interestingly enough this tag ended up looking a lot like the Beech table top I was working on.

Variations:

Yes, there are always variations on a theme and so I want to leave you with some thoughts that will help you experiment with this further. These were thoughts that started running through my mind as I created and I wished that I would have more time to follow up on each one of these, but perhaps you can do it for me!

• create a sunset using an animal sihouette, or tree, or...
• instead of using white pigment ink try another light toned pigment ink and then apply your dye ink in a similar manner - what will it look like?
• what about the fly fisherman at sunset, or is it sunrise when they go out? This would make an awesome Father's Day card!

Now it's your turn! That's right - get out your White Pigment Pad and give it a try. I am going to provide you with the blueprint as well. This is a name that Julie Ebersole and I had talked about years ago when discussing the idea of starting a sketch book. Well... everyone now has sketches and books and challenges, but no one has "Card Architecture". Yes, that was the name I thought was so genious - LOL! Guess what, I still think it is genius, so that is what I am going to title the little sketches that go along with some of my posts. Obviously you can see my interior design and architectural detail training coming in to play with this one, but it is such a universal system and I just couldn't let it go. So without further ado - here is the very first "Card Architecture Blueprint." It needs work, but I was limited for time this weekend and I didn't want to miss this Tuesday! Watch for improvements soon I hope!

I would LOVE to see what you do with your tags! Please leave a comment if you would be interested in seeing what others are coming up with and I will give Mr. Linky a try again. You are also welcome to leave a link in the comments section! I do know a couple of very talented ladies who are probably going to share their versions of this technique soon. So please stay tuned to see what they have come up with.

PLEASE NOTE: I will do my best to have the download available later today so that you can simply print it off on to an Avery Label and adhere it to your tag. It is now almost midnight and it has been a long, but wonderful day! We celebrated Maddi's 15th birthday today and I am completely exhausted. I just couldn't wrap my brain around how to make this label tonight - LOL! I'm not certain I like this business of getting older - if she stays young doesn't that allow me to stay young and vibrant as well? It is so wonderful to see her grow up to be such a sweet young lady though, so I guess I just won't try and put the brakes on life too much.

Thank you for stopping in today - please return soon to see who our lucky winner of the "We Remember" set is along with yet another announcement I am over-the-top excited to share with you all!

 

Cards for Heroes Blog Hop and We Remember Blog Candy

 

I was so excited to learn that I was invited to participate in this worthy blog hop started by Cards for Heroes. Unfortunately our computers have been giving us nothing but grief this week and so I didn't receive my email and respond until today. A day late a dollar short they say... BUT that doesn't mean that I can't just link you up and share this wonderful cause with all of you and still do my best to try and help!

The great news with the "downed" computers is that I opted for some stress relief - card making and I started with the latest release from Cornish Heritage Farms - We Remember. This set is so inspiring. Part of it is the story behind the set that brings a smile to my face. Lisa Silver has absolutely done a phenomenal job in the creation of this set. Using memorabilia from her grandfather's time in the military she created this beautiful and inspiring set. Thank you Lisa for such a meaningful stamp set!

As I created this card I thought about the many men and women who have given their lives to protect our freedom and bring safety to our country and homes. It saddens me to hear the stories of others in the world who are not so fortunate.

One of my husband's best friends from high school has put himself in harms way repeatedly since those high school days. He leads and aids in trying to provide a safe environment for us, and others, in countries around the world. My heart ached as I heard and read his stories of the tragedies and tears that have fallen for his comrades and "enemies" alike. As a Colonel in the Marines he has held small children in his arms as they take their last breath. It is something I find incomprehensible. As he stated these individuals are not our "enemies" and the loss is enormous. Thank you Jim for all that you have done and continue to do, to help provide us with an environment that is not being bombed or in which we need to run and hide on a daily basis. Thank you for helping make certain that we can raise our children in a country that values freedom so very much.

 

I do not want to draw away from this worthy cause with a lot of explanation as to how this card was created, so I am going to opt to put that in another post on my personal blog. If you are interested in learning more, then please feel free to visit my blog Simple Dreams for further explanation.

What I do want to do is provide you with an opportunity to win this beautiful stamp set - We Remember!

I would like to encourage each and every one of you to make some cards, make a small donation to help ship these cards, or simply send a card to someone you know who has lost a loved one in the military, or is currently putting their life on the line to protect our freedom. Please contact Cards for Heroes today with your contribution.

Simply leave a comment here by Monday at 11:59pm PDT in which you express your gratitude to someone you know who is in the military, to the troops in general, or simply share a story that has touched your heart and you will be eligible to win this We Remember stamp set. We will use a random number generator to select our winner on Tuesday.

So start hopping ladies and see what beautiful and inspiring creations others have come up with - click HERE to get started.

Again a HUGE THANK YOU to all those men and women, spouses and children, mother's and father's, brother's and sisters who give so much of themselves! Life is put into perspective as we celebrate our freedom on a daily basis - thank you!

Copic Coasters by Sharon Harnist

 

Project Supplies:

• Copic Various Ink Refills: B23, BG13, V15, YG13
• Copic Colorless Blender solution
• Tumbled 4" x 4" unglazed Bottichino tiles from home improvement store
• Sanding Block

Today I want to show you an easy way to make some custom-colored drink coasters using your Copic Various Ink refills.  I love this random mix of colors look and I hope you will, too. 

To begin, you will need 4" x 4" UNGLAZED tumbled marble tiles (commonly used for backsplashes in kitchens or bathrooms) from the home improvement store.  They are typically sold in boxes of about 8.  Using unglazed tiles will allow the Copic Various ink to seep into the tile, giving a permanent color and will also allow your tile to remain absorbent, for use as a drink coaster.

You should protect your hands with latex gloves and your work surface because the permanent Copic alcohol ink can ruin your table or carpet.  Here, I'm using an absorbent pad of paper under my tile, over my Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet. 

NOTE: You can experiment with colors and patterns on the back side of the tile first, to find what you like best.  The back of the tile will be covered -- see the last paragraph below. 

 

I tried two different methods of ink dropping -- above, I randomly placed my four different colors of inks.  Just one drop will do it, and you don't have to squeeze the bottle of Various ink ... usually just tipping the bottle near the surface of the tile is enough to have a single drop of ink come out.  Wait for the drop to spread, before going on to the next color, so you can see where to place your next drop.  You can also see where the ink saturates the natural veining in the tiles, giving even more interesting pattern and texture to the coasters.

On the tile above, I tried a more specific pattern of drops in rows.  Don't forget to cover the edges of your tile, too:

 

I experimented further, by dabbing Copic Colorless Blender solution onto the tile in random drops:

I used the alligator clip and pom-pom that came with my craft chalks.  Alternately, you could use an office supply binder clip and cotton ball.  Adding the Blender solution will move color out in a circular pattern and lighten the colors underneath.  You could try this, if you happen to get too much color in a certain spot, or if you like the look of lighter spots on your tile.  So you can see the difference the Blender solution makes, I've shown two tiles below (click on the photo for a larger view) -- I used the Blender solution on the tile on the left:

 

When I finished, I discovered a slight oily residue on the surface of my tiles -- hopefully you can see this on the right tile in the photo below:

 

So I lightly sanded the surface of the tile on the left and that removed the residue and gave a softer, more natural look back to the stone.  I was also concerned the residue would eventually rub off on things and/or make the tiles less absorbent, so that was another reason to remove it. 

Next, just to prove the color-fastness of the Copic Various reinker, I soaked the tiles in water:

 

And blotted them on paper towels:

 

As you can see by the still-white of the paper towel -- no bleeding of the Copic ink!  This turned out to be a good step, too, because it removed the little bit of dust created by the sanding and left the tiles nice and smooth.

To finish off the tiles and to help protect furniture surfaces, I like to back my tiles with a piece of cork sheet, found at most craft stores -- just glue it on with an aggressive water-proof glue, such as E2000.

Ink Resist by Kim Hughes

This was my first time using the Heidi Swapp Invisibles and it was SO much fun!  I used inks with the resist pattern to begin with, but I look forward to seeing what else I can do with this innovative product.  How cool that the hard part...the heat embossing part...is already done for us?

 

Since this product has a semi gloss finish, I decided to try a faux wood technique with dye ink pads.

Supplies:

Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Butterscotch, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Cranberry, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Lettuce, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Pitch Black

Art Flowers, White & Cream

Basic Grey Buttons, Granola

Cardstock, Neenah Classic Solar White

Memory Box stamp: You Make My Heart Flutter

Alcohol Ink Applicator Tool

Invisibles, Chipboard Shapes "Ornate Frames"

Dew Drops Bottle, Cowboy

Other:

ribbon: SEI

punch: We R Memory Keepers Cropadile

red card stock

 

 

start with a clean pad and push into the cranberry ink pad

 

Start at the top of the frame with your Applicator tool and pull down towards you.  You do not want full coverage for this technique.

 

 

Use a new pad for your tool.  Flip the frame or push the ink from the opposite direction and apply both lettuce and butterscotch ink colors (the order doesn't matter) This is just to add some color contrast.  Once you are happy with your pattern, wipe off excess ink.

 

If you do not have black flowers, simply color with a bold black marker.  Start from the center and work your way to the tips

 

I traced a Heidi Swapp ghost butterfly onto the back of white card stock, but I chose to make the body more narrow to make it more unique.

 

I cut a heart from red card stock and stacked buttons and a dew drop to embellish the butterfly.  I let the sentiment, "You Make My Heart Flutter"...dictate what my embellishment would be.  I punched a hole in the frame and added a ribbon bow.

This project can be added to a card base, or used as a title on a scrapbook page, hung on the wall as home decor or just simply used as a decorative tag.  I am thrilled that you joined us. :)

Frosted Glass Embossing by Cindy Lyles

At Ranger U last month, Tim Holtz demonstrated 'a sumthin' sumthin' kewlness' that happens when one heat embosses Ranger Frosted Memory Glass using clear embossing powder...

...heat embossing turns frosted glass CLEAR!!!! 

Materials used:  Versamark pad, Ranger 2x2 Antique Copper Memory Frame and 2x2 Frosted Glass, decorative paper:  Graphic 45 - Communique, clear embossing powder and a decorative stamp:  Memory Box's Classic Flourish.

To begin, stamp image onto frosted glass using Versamark pad (Ellen carries an enormous line of Ranger Frosted Glass from Ranger:  1x1; 2x2 and 1x3 and the Memory Frames too).  Sprinkle stamped image with clear embossing powder, tap off excess then heat set.  When heat setting this, remember glass is a conductor of heat, and the glass will become extremely hot (the same temperature required to melt the embossing powder); please use caution when attempting to handle the glass after the embossing powder melts - wait until the glass cools before handling.

Using Graphic 45 Communique, find a nice spot on the decorative paper and use a piece of 2x2 frosted glass as a template.  Trace with a pencil and cut out.  I also cut out the '10 telegraph' postage stamp-style image to the right and collaged the two images, trimming the excess.

A 2x2 piece of Graphic 45 Shutter Speed was used for the backing, and the two decorative cardstock pieces were sandwiched together back-to-back between the two panes of glass.  Open the Ranger 2x2 Memory Frame, then insert sandwich into the Frame and close.

Whether you choose to place the embossed side of the frosted glass out, or flip the glass so the heat-embossed side is facing inward, is totally up to you, and the look you feel is best for your project.  For this sample, the heat-embossed side faces outward. 

A few strips of Graphic 45 paper were collaged onto a lightly sponged Kraft card base using an ink blending tool and Walnut Stain Distress ink.

A bit of wide striped grosgrain is tied to the loop of the Memory Frame, and the entire Memory Frame unit is adhered with a simple Glue Dot to the card front.  This will allow the recipient the option of removing the framed piece as a keepsake.

Card interior - leftover strips of Graphic 45 were recycled as decorative accents for the card interior, and the Classic Flourish was stamped randomly on a Kraft envelope using Ranger Jet Black Archival ink.  Additional stamps used are from Memory Box:  happy birthday sentiment and the elegant Alta Flourish.

A close-up showing the embossing of the frosted Memory Frame piece.  Incredible texture using frosted glass!  To ensure a safe transit, ship a card like this in its coordinating Kraft envelope, then place in a bubble-lined shipping envelope. 

Thank you for stopping by the CLASSroom Blog today!

Grungepaper on Canvas by Debbie Olson

 

Last week I played with some Grungepaper for the first time. This week I have a simple gift canvas to share, with flowers created from die-cut and embossed Grungepaper.

I started with a blank canvas, Shabby Shutters and Old Paper Distress Crackle Paints, and some Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I painted the canvas, both top and sides, with the Old Paper (lighter color), and then went over the edges with the darker color (Shabby Shutters), blending the two together. After the crackle paint was dry to the touch, I used my heat gun on it to speed up the crackling process and then sponged a bit of Vintage photo distress ink on the sides and edges. TIP: On the crackle paint, the thicker you apply the paint, the deeper the cracks will be. I kept mine fairly thin so that I would have plenty of the canvas texture still showing, but that also meant that the cracks and crevices are smaller.

Next I used a Flourish Mask and a Copic YG95 marker with a Copic Airbrush System to airbrush the mask onto my canvas.

It looked a little too rigid for me, so I saturated a square of textured paper towel with the 0 Copic Various ink (clear blender fluid) and patted my airbrushed canvas, giving it a bit more of a fluid look.

Wanting still more background interest, I stamped the CHF Leaves backgrounderonto the canvas with white ink. That's it--it's ready to embellish with a sentiment and some Grungepaper shapes.

 

Next I cut my grungepaper shapes with a flower die, and the scrollwork with a Flourish Accents die. I used the same steps shown in last week's post, except that I ran the flower shapes through a Cuttlebug folder after finishing them. I used foam tape to layer the flower for added dimension.

For the sentiment I chose a verse from the Mona Lisa Moments Scripture Essentials 1 set and stamped it on vellum cardstock in Coffee Bean Brilliance ink before heat embossing it with clear embossing powder. I then sponged the edges with some Vintage Photo Distress ink, scraped the edges, and sewed around them. The accessories on the side are a mini paper clip and a button from my stash. Pearl accents (visible in the top photo) are found here.

Thank you for visiting the CLASSroom today!

Ranger Distress Ink Pads by Susan Roberts

I'll admit that it was a little difficult to take a perfectly good piece of card stock and crumple it up... really crumple it up.  But the end result of this technique using the Ranger Distress Ink Pads adds fabulous color, design and texture to a project.

After smoothing out the card stock as much as possible, I took the Ranger Distress Ink Pads and applied the ink directly from the pad to the paper.  For this project I used "Weathered Wood" and "Old Paper".

Next I sprayed the paper with water.  Because it is now damp, the wrinkles will further relax.  So, if desired, the card stock can be smoothed out even more.  This is particularly important if you are planning to stamp on it.

Allow the paper to dry.  It can now be used as is.  However, I decided to stamp it with the beautiful backgrounder image "Trees" from Cornish Heritage Farms.

I trimmed the piece to the desired size for my card.

For the finished card I also used some Graphic 45 designer paper from the "Botanicabella" and "Communique" Collections.  The sentiment is from the Cornish Heritage Farms Mona Lisa Moments set "Motivational Centers".

This was such a quick and easy technique using my Ranger Distress Ink Pads.  And I love the unique design created every time!

Thanks for dropping by the CLASSroom today.  Happy crafting!

Feel Better Gift by Kim Hughes

 

I used a bucket that I found in Target in the dollar section, but you can use any small bucket or container.  You can fill this "get well bucket" with band-aids and bandages...maybe an ice pack too.  You can give this to a little one with crayons, a notebook and a small coloring book rolled up.  You can include a package of tissues and a prescription bottle or some soup mixes maybe?  How about some hot tea bags with some other tasty treats?  Just a simple way of saying "feel better soon"

Supplies:

Copic (YR24)

Studio Acrylic Paint, Dash of Red, Studio Acrylic Paint, Sable Brown, Studio Acrylic Paint, Dab of Yellow, Studio Acrylic Paint, Traditional Tan, Studio Sticky Back Canvas, 8.5" x 11"

Twill, White

Kim Hughes, Comforting Hugs (Get Well)

Basic Grey Buttons, Lime Rickey

 

start by using the lid of your paints and dip your finger in the paint and onto the red rubber stamp.  (A paint brush or foam brush will work great too, I just like getting my hands dirty, plus I feel like I have better control) Only pick up small amounts so that you don't smother the stamp with globs of paint.  We are stamping onto the Sticky Back Canvas because it adds texture and it will represent a patch or bandage on the bucket.

 

Apply one color of paint to the band-aid and another to the heart on the inside.  This does not need to stamp perfectly...give it an artistic look.  Claudine's paints add dimension, so this is an added bonus to the interest it adds.  You can fill the heart with red glitter or more paint if you wish to.

*I use baby wipes to clean my stamps.  Press the wipe into the stamp and allow the juice to fill the stamp....blot clean*

 

Repeat the painting steps with the chicken image

 

once you have stamped the chicken, beating heart and sentiment with paint...allow it to dry and cut the canvas paper. 

I drew a line on the top and bottom of the main panel...cut along the line.  This will make the canvas fit the bucket better.

Once the band-aid accent is dry, cut around the edge and punch a hole in one end. 

 

wrap twill around the bucket and tie a bow.

Now you can remove the backing off from the Sticky Back Canvas and adhere over the twill.

Attach the paper band-aid charm with twine (do not remove backing of the canvas paper)

Add button accents to the center of the bows.  I added some more color to the yellow button with a Copic marker so that it would match the chicken better.

I hope that you will make one of these gift buckets to make someone's day.  Thanks for joining us :)

 

Spring Fling Sketch Challenge Winner

Thank you all so much for participating in our sketch challenge. Each and every one of the projects linked below is so gorgeous! Finally we have a winner. I apologize for the delay in getting this all pulled together, but I wanted to be certain that I have not missed anyone who participated and Mr. Linky keeps having problems and giving me fits - LOL! I am going to post all the participants below because the creations that have been entered are gorgeous and I would like for you all to be able to visit each one if you would like! This way I didn't need to rely on Mr. Linky and could number each entry, including those in the comments section that weren't able to link. I hope that with our next sketch challenge Mr. LInky will not have fits Ü

Following are the Sketch challenge participants:

• 1 - Monika/buzsy
• 2 - Abi Paine
• 3 - Sue Kment
• 4 - Elaine
• 5 - Linda aka Oz
• 6 - Sherry Ann
• 7 - Shelly Bobrowski
• 8 - Chandra Hough
• 9 - Diana
• 10 - NinaB (Crotia)
• 11 - Rosemary D
• 12 - Anya
• 13 - Jennine Chambers
• 14 - Jennine Chambers 2
• 15 - Lyn S
• 16 - Kathyc on SCS
• 17 - Kimberlee
• 18 - Linda C

Here are your random numbers:

16	

Timestamp: 2009-05-11 21:52:05 UTC

Kathyc on SCS is our sketch challenge winner! Please send us an email at [email protected] and we will get the Stamp of the Month Packet right out to you! Your project is absolutely stunning!!! Thank you again to all who participated and for your patience as I tried to make certain I had all the pertinent data.

Have a wonderful and creative week!

Quick & Easy Scrappy Die-Cut Card by Sharon Harnist

 

Supplies:

• Spellbinders Nested Flower Die Set
• Kim Hughes Silhouette Blooms II
• Basic Grey Marrakech papers & Neenah Classic Natural White cardstock
• Neutral Card Buttons
• Martha Stewart Baker's Twine
• 1/4" Red Liner Tape

Here's a quick and easy card you can make from scraps of leftover patterned papers.  I used the smallest Spellbinders Nested Flower die (it's just a little over 1.50") to cut nine flowers from coordinating patterned papers (all from Basic Grey's Marrakech collection). 

Line up the flowers on a 5-inch square card base, machine stitch around the edges, and stamp a sentiment on one of the flowers ... and there you have a quick card with a lot of color impact! 

I attached the flowers to the card base with a little Red Liner Tape on just the centers of the backs of the flowers -- this allows the flower edges to stand up and give some great dimension to the card.  Buttons tied with some coordinating twine add additional dimension and interest.

This card will hopefully brighten the day of one of my elementary-aged childrens' teachers this week for Teacher Appreciation Week.   You could easily change the shape of the flowers on this card to something more masculine or change the sentiment for any occasion.  

We thank YOU for visiting the CLASSroom today!

Love: Miniabilities and Grungepaper by Debbie Olson

Today I have something new to share with you--at least new for me. Ellen had sent me a couple of sheets of the Tim Holtz Grungepaper a while back, and I just got around to experimenting with it this weekend. If you have ever tried Grungeboard, the Grungepaper has very similar characteristics in its ability to accept paint and be flexible. The big difference is that it is thin enough to run through most inkjet printers and to cut with a chemically etched die or a die-cutting machine.

Grungepaper looks something like the inside of a cereal box, but it is as flexible as a piece of suede--a really great feel. Here I've shown you the Grungepaper as well as the dies that I used, Flower Bouquet Miniabilities and one of the Double-Ended Tags. (You will see a normal tag on the card; when I need a smaller tag than the tag in the Tags Trio set, I simply use the smallest Double-Ended Tag die and cut it to length, then round the corners with my scissors.)

 

Here are the products that I used on the Grungepaper: Old Paper Distress Crackle paint, a Shell Pink Dabber, Adirondack Watermelon Ink, and Vintage Photo Distress ink. (If I had had a Tattered Rose Crackle paint, I would have used it and dispensed with the Shell Pink Dabber on top of the crackle paint surface.)

 

I first die-cut and embossed the Miniabilities. Since I wanted them a bit lighter-toned than the Grungepaper naturally was, I coated them with Old Paper distress Crackle Paint and then Shell Pink Dabber paint. After the paint went on, I had basically lost my texture from the embossing pass. So after the paint was completely dry, I carefully stuck my shapes back into the dies and re-embossed. Before removing them, I sponged some Watermelon Adirondack ink on for additional color. I also sponged it and the vintage photo distress ink around the edges of each shape.

 

The card background uses an Ornamental Borders Scrapblock inked in Adirondack Latte ink and sponged with both Watermelon and Vintage Photo. The little Love tag is stamped with a piece from the Ornamental Beauty set. Ribbon is some that I've had here for ages--not sure where it came from--and the mini pin is a Tim Holtz item too. I'm loving the mini safety pins! Finished size of this card is 3-1/8" x 6-1/4"

I have one more Grungepaper project started, and I'll try to share that next week. Thank you for visiting the CLASSroom today!

Clear Toile Card by Kim Hughes

There is such a simple elegance about toile, so I decided to create a card that speaks volumes without adding a sentiment.

 

Supplies:

Art Flowers, White & Cream

Arturo Cards Single, Soft White

Backgrounder, Toile

Basic Grey Buttons, Urban Prairie

Crystal Clear Plastic, 8" x 8" sheets

Studio Acrylic Paint, Sable Brown

Paper Distresser, Tim Holtz

Basic Grey 6x6 Patterned Paper Pad, Sultry

Red Liner Tape, 1/4"

other:

twine and lace

start by stamping the toile pattern onto a clear sheet with brown paint.  Once dry, cut it down to approx. 3 x 4 1/4.  Cut the Arturo card to be 4 1/4 tall and cut off the front of the card, leaving 1/2 from the left side.

Distress all edges

 

when you add the 2 papers together, it adds a lot of dimension and character.

 

add a strip of adhesive down the inside of the card and press clear sheet onto it.

 

 

and then cover with colored paper to conceal the adhesive.  You can choose to write in this ares if you don't want your message seen from the front of the card.  You can also write your message on the back of the card

 

choose lace that is the same width as the left paper strip and use fabric adhesive or your favorite liquid glue

Embellish with a flower accent in the lower left corner.

Thank you so much for stopping by.  :)

Spring Fling Blog Candy Winners

Game #1

Well I guess you could call the first game we played a bit of a train wreck, but I hope that you had fun anyways. Just for comedic purposes I left the name on the image below, so that once again if you hover your mouse over the image it will tell you the image is a peturnia - otherwise known as a "Rose of Sharon" or Hibiscus Syriacus. You would think that with having both of these beauties in my garden I would know the difference. That will teach me for staying up too late - LOL!

Our first winner was at 2:45 in the morning! So obviously Loydine you do so much better than I do staying up late :) CONGRATULATIONS - you really know your flowers, and more importantly flower leaves! There wasn't that much there to guess from - great job!

I think it is a basket of flowers, maybe hibiscus.

Posted by Loydine on April 29 at 2:45 AM

Now the next answer took a while. Perhaps we only call these bushes by their common name here in the Pacific Northwest. I had to look up the scientific name to verify what I believed was a correct answer after I realized that I hadn't specified what I was looking for - LOL! So a big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Trena!

I have a new guess!

Rose of Sharon a.k.a. Hibiscus syriacus (google is wonderful!)

Take care and STAY POSITIVE!!

Posted by Trena in Naperville on April 30 at 9:43 AM

Game #2

 IB Seed Packets

Wicker Chair 

Daisy Cupcake 

This game was most definitely a little trickier! I was surprised that no one guessed that I had included an Itty Bitty (IB) and a cupcake. Karen is known in the industry for both of these - so I thought that if I showed any more of these images that everyone would guess it immediately and that wouldn't be nearly as much fun. So I cropped these images tight!

Picking the winner to this game was not nearly as straightforward as I thought it would be, so together with the girls who work here we reviewed the answers and decided that this was the closest first guess:

seed packets, wicker chair and summer daisies!

Posted by Jen Shears on April 29 at 10:37 PM

For this game we also selected two random numbers using the Random Number Generator.

Here are your random numbers:

25     23

Timestamp: 2009-05-05 01:12:45 UTC

1. Seeds with Seed Packages

2. Bamboo Garden Table

3. Osteospermum Asti/African Daisy

Posted by Cindy H. on April 30 at 10:26 AM

AND

1. garden seeds

2. wicker chair or table

3. daisies in vase

Posted by stampmonkey on April 30 at 11:15 AM

Honoring the Moms in Our Lives

For this last blog candy opportunity you left your favorite "momism"s. Oh what fun it was to read through these - some made me laugh and other's brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing a piece of yourself with us. Our number generator has selected:

 

Here are your random numbers:

 

26

 

Timestamp: 2009-05-05 01:16:08 UTC

 

My mom passed away several years ago but just the other day I found myself quoting her to my grandson. He didn't want to put on clean clothes so I found myself saying to this 5 year old "always put on clean underwear, you never know when you will be in a accident." It made me laugh that her Momism, that I heard all the time, was popping up again even when she was gone.

 

Posted by Verda on May 1 at 8:38 PM

 

CONGRATULATIONS ladies!!! If you read this post before we have an opportunity to contact you tomorrow, please feel free to email us at [email protected] with your snail mail address. We will get your new stamps right out to you! Thank you all for playing along - I hope that you had fun!

colorwash cards by cindy lyles

 

Color Wash spray dyes are a textile dye:  acid-free, non-toxic, water-based dyes for use on paper, fabric, fibers and more.  Tim Holtz developed these and the effects are intense and incredible!

  

Since Color Wash sprays are textile dyes, they will stain fabric - if this frightens you, don a garbage bag (cut holes for your head and arms) or wear old clothing and an apron.  The sprays won't go crazy unless you do!  I'd really like to try serious-altering and funky-customizing a few articles of clothing using these products.

I've learned to use these Color Washes over a surface that has been coated with water.  Literally.  You'll want to spray water (I used a Mini Mister) over your cardstock so there is literally a very visible layer of water resting on top of the cardstock.  Then begin spritzing with various colors of Color Wash.  The layer of water underneath the Color Wash allows them to bleed and vein across the cardstock nicely.

Protect your work surface - I use a non-stick craft sheet, and clean up with paper towels.  Since these sprays are reactive with water you are going to want to use paper towels or anything dry for clean up.

 

Heat set once you've finished spraying.  These dyes are incredibly vivid!

  

I created a custom Mini Mister consisting of Distress Mustard Seed re-inker, Perfect Pearls and water.  Fill mister with one dropperful of re-inker first, followed by a scoop of Perfect Pearls, then fill to within 1/2" of the mister top.  Do not fill the mister completely - leave a bit of headroom to allow the mister contents to emulsify when shaking.  Add more or less Perfect Pearls, depending on the intensity of the shimmer desired.  Shake well before each use.

 

This is the effect the Perfect Pearl custom Mini Mister has!

 

Cut the custom cardstock you created in half, then abraid one edge with a paper distresser.  This may look like a simple thread cutter; however, it contains a titanium blade.  Long lasting for consistent, perfectly distressed cardstock edges.

 

Ink abraided edge wtih Distress Walnut Stain ink using an Ink Blending Tool.

 

Stamp Memory Box Leaf Tendrils repeatedly and randomly, using Ranger Jet Black Archival Ink.  This stamp is super versatile when repeated and used in a grouping by just altering the angle of your wrist with each imprint.

 

Adhere your custom colored cardstock to a Paprika card base, adding more Leaf Tendrils images to the card front and envelope.  Pearl bling and Mona Lisa Birthday Centers sentiment completes this birthday card.

 

Mona Lisa Birthday Centers in black ink, snippets of leftover cardstocks and a smattering of the Leaf Tendrils images using faint Willow ink complete the card interior.  Thank you for stopping by the CLASSroom today!

Spring Fling Sketch by Susan Roberts

When I first saw the new Lockhart image, "Petunia" that Ellen released this weekend, it was love at first sight.  I think maybe it was the gloves that totally put me over the top.  My mom would plant petunias around our back garden every Spring.  It's been a long long time since I was a young girl.  But if memory serves me right, she had a pair of red checkered gloves that would lay just so by the earthy pots of Petunias that were ready to be planted against our white picket fence.

For this fence I used the Martha Stewart "Picket Fence" Edger Punch.  So that none of the floral image would be lost in the punched out section of the fence, I used a strip of the punched fence as a stencil.  Placing it on the cardstock, I sponged over it creating the fence and sky.  An actual punched strip of the picket fence is accented by a chocolate ribbon placed behind it.

Copics were used to color in the Petunias and gently shade areas of the stenciled fence.  A panel of Graphic 45 designer paper was used behind the main image.  A "rainbow" was made with three Dew Drops.

Hope that you can join in on the fun a give this sketch a try.  Happy crafting!!

spring fling challenge, by cindy lyles

This is my quick card for Ellen's challenge - a quick tip:  use DMC embroidery floss versus regular thread for threading your buttons - the multiple, layered skeins of the DMC floss give a speedy, nice, layered thread appearance and make it look like you did more work than you actually did!

A quirky story about my mom:  My mom has always been into fiber arts.  Growing up we had several spinning wheels and two looms - and I was taught how to dye, card, spin then weave wool into garments.  Mom would purchase local sheep fleeces after the sheep had been shorn, then spend her day washing them in Woolite and rinsing and cleaning them while my brother and I were in school.  My brother and I would come home to fleece upon fleece drying on towels, covering practically every surface of our family room.  I remember the wonderful, clean Woolite scent, and trying to explain to my perplexed friends why there were big, fluffy (albeit wonderful scented) piles around while we did homework!  hee!

finished card size: 4-1/2" x 6-1/4". 

ingredients:  delicate lace; Basic Grey 6x6 Wisteria, Wisteria Buttons, Lockhart Stamp Company Lavender Patio Pot; Vanilla Bean & Eggshell cardstock; Martha Stewart border punch.

Spring Fling Challenge by Sharon Harnist

When asked to choose a stamp from Karen Lockhart's latest release that would have something to do with my Mother, I immediately said this Wicker Chair.  The house I grew up in had a screened-in patio/sun room on the back that had a table and wicker chairs just like this one!  I have lots of fond memories of just sitting & chatting, drinking iced tea with my family.  Although those chairs had bright orange cushions (hey, it was the 70's, LOL!), I paper pieced these with pretty pink patterned paper:

Above is the portion of my project that fits with the sketch we were challenged to use.  It started out as a card, but not with much of the pretty patterned paper showing, so I decided to expand it to 6-inches and it grew into this scrapbook-type of frame that I'll be giving my Mom for Mother's Day!  The BasicGrey Urban Prairie papers I chose carried out the color portion of our challenge -- this floral pattern has all the colors in it.  Here's the full project:

(Sorry for the strange angle -- both pages are 6-inches square, but I couldn't get a good photo of the picture without tilting to this strange angle to prevent glare!).  

The scalloped frame on the left side was made with Spellbinders Scalloped Edge Frame die set which is approximately 5-1/8" x 4" but I cut two of the frames and spliced some extra pieces into the sides of one, to make it 5-1/8" x 5-3/4".  (It appears you all scooped up the last of this die set while I was making my project, but I'll update here if Ellen expects to get more into the store.)  The crystal gemstones are covering the cuts on the left and right sides; gems were also added to the top and bottom to balance out the project.

I used the patterned paper that I cut the cushions out of as a mask when I airbrushed BG13 and YG03 for the sky and grass.  Then I colored the rest of the image with the Copic markers listed in my supply list below:

I used the new Chocolate Copic Spica Glitter Pen (available soon!) over E31 Copic marker for the sides of the chair -- I love the bit of sparkle it added!  Summer Art Flowers and an Urban Prairie button carry out the circle element of the sketch.

The right side of my frame was made with the negative space left when I die cut one of the large Scalloped Edge Frames:

I added "grandma's" with Kim Hughes' Playful Alphabet and Worn Lipstick Distress Ink, then I went over it with Pink Spica Glitter Pen.  The "girls" was made with a stamp from Kim's Little Gal stamp set that said "girly" ... I just used a marker to selectively ink just a portion of the "y" to make it into an "s"!  Then I went over it with Copic's new Baby Blue Spica Glitter Pen (available soon!). 

"Girls" was die cut with Classic Circle Nestabilities and then framed with Classic Scalloped Circle Nestabilities (one cut from the same floral patterned paper as under the chair and one cut from the same turquoise paper as the scalloped lace).  The lace was cut with Martha Stewart's Doily Lace Edger Punch (which was still showing in the store when I started this project, but appears you all scooped it up with the sale this weekend!  I'm sure it will be back in stock soon).

I backed each of the 6-inch pages with Craft-A-Board and covered the backs with more paper from this same Urban Prairie collection (yellow is my Mom's favorite color!):

 

The Round It All 1/2" Corner Rounder easily cuts through these two layers of paper and the Craft-A-Board, to round the outside corners.  Holes were punched and tied with ribbon, so the two pieces will stay together and form their own stand.

I'm glad I'm all ready for Mother's Day a little early and can't wait to see what the other girls did with the challenges!

Supplies:

• Stamps: Lockhart Wicker Chair, Kim Hughes Playful Alphabet & Little Gal
• Paper: BasicGrey Urban Prairie, Neenah Natural White
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Distress Inks: Worn Lipstick & Shabby Shutters 
• Copic Markers: RV17, RV34, YG03, YG17, BG13, E31, E55, E57, YR31, W1
• Copic Spica Glitter Pens: Chocolate & Baby Blue (coming soon!); Pink
• Spellbinders Dies: Classic & Classic Scalloped Circle Nestabilities, Small & Large Labels, Scalloped Edge Frame (Which appears to be out of stock at the moment.  You could substitute either of these frames).
• Accessories: Copic Airbrush System, Craft-A-Board, Martha Stewart Doily Lace Edger Punch, Round It All 1/2" Corner Rounder, Summer Art Flowers, BasicGrey Urban Prairie Buttons, Clear Crystal Gemstones,

Spring Fling Sketch Card by Debbie Olson

Here's my take on Susan's Spring Fling sketch. I chose Karen's new Petunias image and combined it with a sentiment from Kim's Landing Pad set and some Basic Grey Euphoria papers. If you'd like to see a step-by-step of the process, keep reading.

I started with Susan's sketch and was under the impression that we needed to follow it for color as well as layout--that's probably the first time that I've followed instructions more closely than necessary! If you play along with us, feel free to use any colors you would like with Susan's sketch. In checking out my color options, I saw that the basic Grey Euphoria papers had all of the necessary elements--greens, pinks, blues, and a Spring-y attitude. 

Here is my background--a bit of scalloping, sanding, and sewing finished it off.

 

Next I started coloring my focal Image, the new Lockhart Petunias. I began with the blossoms, using Copic markers RV11, RV34, and RV19.

 

For greens, I used YG11 and YG63, making sure to add green on the inside of the plant. (If you leave the negative shapes between the leaves white, your plant will look sparse and transparent.)

 

For the blues around the plant, I used my custom blend marker that has about half clear blender and half BG000--a very pale blue that is simple to blend into the white of the cardstock.

 

Next I colored the terra cotta pot and shadows--T1, T3, E11, and E13.

Finally, I colored the gloves a chamois color, E31, shaded with T1 and highlighted with 0.

I dyed the silk ribbon with a Copic B21 refill. the "for you" sentiment is from the Landing Pad. The focal image is die-cut with a Classic Rectangle Nestability, and the tag with a Classic Circle Nestability. That's it--easy peasy. I hope you can join us on the Spring Fling Sketch!

Spring Fling Sketch Card by Kim Hughes

 

Supplies: Basic Grey 6x6 Patterned Paper Pad, Porcelain, Basic Grey Buttons, Porcelain, Copic Markers (YR21, Y000, R21, C1), Crayola colored pencil (green), Mona Lisa Moments, Motivational Centers, Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black and a NEW flower image by Karen Lockhart Stamp Co

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!

Spring Fling Sketch Challenge

ETA: This Sketch Challenge is now closed. Due to problems with Mister Linky I have transferred all participants and links to their projects to THIS POST. Thank you for joining in the fun!

I hope that you have had a wonderful day today and because it is National Scrapbooking Day I hope that you have had a chance to be creative. Perhaps even creating something that will help you remember a special moment in your life.

I am so very blessed to have the most amazing women supporting and helping me. In "planning" (said very loosely, because I was having to move at lightning speed to pull this together), I suggested to the girls that we do a sketch challenge. They willingly agreed and we were set, that is all but the sketch! Trina (my youngest daughter) was hit big time with allergies this week and ended up with a double ear infection - needless to say I have scrambled all week trying to be a mom, as well as pull this "spring fling" together.

Susan stopped by work to pick up a few supplies on Tuesday. She saw that I had my hands full, with my little one there at work on the couch. We had to zoom out the door to our doctor's appointment. When I checked email in the middle of the night (because yes, I was working - LOL) there was a message AND a sketch which Susan had put together. I just wanted to give her the biggest hug!

 

SKETCH PROVIDED BY SUSAN ROBERTS - THANK YOU SUSAN so much for helping me out!!!

So here is the sketch that the girls will be revealing their creations for tomorrow!!! Be certain to stop back because they are all simply stunning!

I am sharing this sketch early so that you can participate! We hope that you will join this challenge and share your version of this sketch. To play along you must link to your exact post using the Mister Linky's Magical Widget below. To enter your link please follow these simple directions:

• Type your name in the "Your name:" box below,
• Go to the website page where you have a picture of your challenge creation. If it is in a forum gallery open up your gallery to the window that displays your project. Copy the address that shows in your browser bar and paste it in the "Your URL:" box below,
• Alternately if your project is posted on your blog, be certain to open the exact post in which your project is displayed. It is too difficult for others to scroll through pages of entries to find your challenge post. This will assure that others will see your project.

You have until 11:59p on Wednesday, May 6th to complete your project and link it up. We will do a random number drawing including all those who participate and complete their project by that time. The random winner of this challenge will receive our May Stamp of the Month Packet. Following this post I will share how I used Susan's sketch to create this month's project.

English Daisy by Kim Hughes

As I look back on my life
I find myself wondering...
Did I remember to thank you
for all that you have done for me?
For all of the times you were by my side
to help me celebrate my successes
and accept my defeats?
Or for teaching me the value of hard work,
good judgement, courage, and honesty?
I wonder if I've ever thanked you
for the simple things...
The laughter, smiles, and quiet times we've shared?
If I have forgotten to express my gratitude
For any of these things,
I am thanking you now...
and I am hoping that you've known all along.

 

Copic Markers (YR21, YR 24, Y15, E00, C1, T5, YG95), Kim Hughes Paper Pack, Mocha Chica papers, Memento Ink Pad, Tuxedo Black ink,  Basic Grey Buttons, Granola, white card stock 

Karen Lockhart's images are SO sweet.  I stamped on white card stock and then colored with Copic markers.  I started with the pot and colored with YG 95, only where the darkest area is.  I then colored with E00 over the entire pot.  I added YR24 to the darker areas and went over the pot once again with E00.  I colored the flower centers with Y15 and added darker dimension with YR24, on the bottom of the circles only.  I only used the 2 shades of grey on the shovel.

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!