the CLASSroom

U Make Me Happy Layout by Julia Stainton

Do you have products that you love but have been hoarding for that special project? I'm certainly guilty of that and if you're honest, I bet you are too. How about ideas in your head that you're going to try "someday"? How about photos that you love that are hidden away in an old box? You too, right?

Since I've been guilty of all three, I thought it would be fun to challenge myself to tackle a few of these things in one layout.

The technique I've been meaning to try out is spritzing the beautiful embossed cardstock that is the base for my layout.

Isn't that a darling little picture of my daughter? It was hidden away in a box. If you're behind in your scrapbooking or have no idea where to start, let me tell you a secret. You don't have to scrap every photo you own and you definitely do not have to work chronologically. Do what inspires you and makes you happy and leave all that stress behind. Scrapbooking is supposed to be fun.

The third thing I wanted to work into my layout was some super cool embellishments. The die cut felt is stunning and that trim, well, I think I want to wear it. It's way too pretty to hide away in a drawer so it's time I used it.

To show you how I created the background, here's a few photos to guide you through the steps...

 

The beautiful embossed cardstock starts off looking like this with a beautiful glossy pattern finish.
 

Spray the chipboard with some Glimmer Mist and wipe off excess.

 

To get a layered splatter that uses a different color, spray again with Glimmer Mist and allow the droplets to dry well before removing any excess spray on the design. It makes a beautiful artistic look.

Thanks for visiting us in the CLASSroom today. I hope you find yourself inspired to try out a few ideas that you've been putting off! Have you started working on any projects for Monday's Floral Blog Parade? Join us then for a lot of inspiration and fun!

Supplies: Invisibles Ornate Art Chipboard Sheets by Advantus, sewing machine, Basic White 12x12 Paper Pack by Basic Grey, Buck-Naked Chipboard Buttons by Cosmo Cricket, Crystal Trinket Pins by Maya Road, Bloomer Deluxe Trim by Webster's Pages, Tim Holtz Film Strip Ribbon by Advantus, twine, Paper Doilies by Little Yellow Bicycle, Broken China Distress Crackle Paint by Ranger, Canvas Button by Prima Marketing, Divine Rose Bush Felt Stem by Prima, Tiny Attacher by Advantus, Viva Pink Glimmer Mist Spray and Peacock Chalkboard Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels, chipboard letters, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, Kraft Ticket by Maya Road, hi princess sentiment from Magic Castle stamp set by Hero Arts

Scallop Love by Kim Hughes

Do you have a "thing" for scallops too?  I don't see my love for this fun look ending any time soon.

Supplies:

Basic Grey: 6 x 6 paper Pad - Basic Manilla, Origins Canvas Tag, Capella Doilies,

Start with punched or die cut circles circles

 

Add the largest circles to the bottom so that the card base doesn't show through.
 

Add some wonderful Basic Grey decorative scalloped lace on top with a cut paper strip along the top.
 

Now it's time to layer the smaller circles on top of the base border.

Pull out some script patterned paper

 

draw a line with a ruler.  Hand write some scallops...no need to make them perfect.  This adds to the whimsical look.

 

and here's what it looks like when it's cut out.

 

To complete this card, tie some twine around it and tie a bow and finish off with a canvas sentiment

You can use many sized circles to achieve nearly and scallop size.  Take advantage of scallop border punches and die cut borders as well.  Add a line up of buttons or brads to represent scallops...just cover up the top with paper or ribbon.  There are many products available to us now that incorporate the fun look of scallops.

Thanks so much for joining me :)

Trend Watch -The Power of Flowers by Becky Olsen

Since we are having our blog parade in a week, I thought it was only logical that our trend watch post be on the same topic as the inspiration! So here we go with the trend of flowers, and how posies have become the center stage embellishment for almost every kind of project. It seems flowers have always been around in paper crafting, in our stamps and patterned paper to begin with, then a few years ago the paper flowers started to really take over and now we have flowers made from most every type of craft material imaginable! Is it because flowers are appropriate for almost every occasion or is it because we crafty ladies like our eye candy? Maybe the answer lies in the middle somewhere.

Well what ever the reason, with all the flowers that are abundant now, I am always in a gardener's delight. Let's tiptoe through Ellen's tulips to see what she has to share with us that is on this trend.

Prima Marketing is the company that I first noticed a few years ago that brought the paper flower to everyone. Now they have kicked it up quite a few notches and have every type of flower and in many kinds of materials. These lace and fabric Madrigal Blossom are the blooms that I thought provided and excellent example of how beautiful their products are.

And how about their beautiful Say it in Pearls flourishes with the elegant little flowers worked into the design? Stunning.

With jewelry making a fun trend, Making Memories brought two hot topics together to make some stunning statements. The first is this Vintage Groove pendant, the rose is so beautiful and the abalone detail gives it a wonderful heritage feeling, gotta love that!

The next is from the Vintage Groove line as well (I noticed that most of their groups had some kind of flower in each of them, so it was hard to choose which to share!) and is called woven flowers. Great to use with jewelry, but would also be fantastic as an embellishment for a card the the recipient could then use themselves!

Maya Road always has delicious colors, shapes and textures in their flower designs. These little yellow and pink Medallion Flowers are no exception!

And how about Basic Grey's Bloomers from the Olivia line? The fact that they match the papers and other embellishments perfectly is wonderful, but they aren't limited to working just for that! I think a little baby headband with one of these on there would be about the cutest thing ever!

Which brings us to the Basic Grey Oliver Cozy Posies! Eeeeek, so adorable!

The latest and hottest flowers to hit the crafting scene are these ribbon roses from Webster's Pages. They have an incredible texture and come in fantastic colors, I think they are amazing!

Want whimsical and fun combined with do it yourself? This pair of canvas flowers from Prima has one flower that is decked out and ready to use and the other is blank and waiting for you to add your imagination. Wouldn't they be fantastic on a handbag, t-shirt or even some cute pillows?

 

If you want to get even more creative with building your blooms, how about using these Spellbinder flower die-cut shapes? They can be used with fabric, paper and wood to create flowers for all of your projects that need a little something special.

Dainty, beautiful and metal! What an exciting and fun way to add dimension and an unexpected element. Tim Holtz puts his own twist on flowers and aren't they spectacular?

Maybe you are needing something a little smaller and more versatile. This flower punch from Martha Stewart also comes with coordinating stamps that store within the punch when they aren't being used. Great for card making and for scrapbooking as well!

And speaking of stamps, of course there are tons of great flower images to choose from, but a few that caught my eye are these.

This cute Hero Arts cling image that is right on trend with the silhouette look.

Or how about this whimsical Hero Arts clear pack of posies, so fun!

Are you a wood mount kind of stamper? Then Hero Arts might have designed this sweet, flower filled heart just for you! 

And Lockhart stamps always have delightful arrangements of flowers to fill with the colors of your choice, perfect for our tip-toe through the tulips!

I loved Julias post on Friday, and how she created that gorgeous ribbon rose. It inspired me to create a similar flower, but one that would be from paper and be a perfect match to whatever project we are working on. I started with paper from the Basic Grey Olivia pack and trimmed a couple of 1/2" strips.

Then I punched a circle that is about the size of the flower I wanted to create. I then covered it in Be Creative tape by just tearing the length of each strip and then placing the sticky side down on the circle.

Distress and crumple the paper strips, get them nice, soft and bendy!

Then peel off the protective backing from the Be Creative tape. Start by twisting a small clump of the paper in the middle of the circle and then turn the circle and stick the edge of the paper down onto the adhesive tape.

Keep going around and adding the strips to the end until you have covered your circle. Trim any of the bottom paper that might be peeking out if you don't like how it looks.

Adhere your flower to your card base using 3-D Foam Squares for extra pop.

Don't forget to share your card with someone who needs a flower. After all, that is the fun of creating!

Thanks so much for taking a tip toe through the tulips with me! I hope that this fun stroll in Ellen's flower garden has given you some more inspiration for our blog parade next week! If you need details on how to participate, check this post out for all the information you need to play along.

And don't forget to take some time to smell the roses...

B-

Silk Ribbon Roses by Julia Stainton

One of the most popular trends right now is making your own custom embellishments. There are many variations on the custom floral theme and today I'll show you how to create a favorite that I came up with, the silk ribbon rose. I've used it to embellish this card featuring Hero Arts stamps and some sweet Jenni Bowlin paper. Pull up a chair while I share the process.

The card was started with the image panel first. I find that creating the card first and then the embellishments is much easier than trying to create a card around an embellishment. While I am totally addicted to embellishing and all manner of pretty goodies, the card is the most important thing.

The darling Jenni Bowlin mini papers are the perfect size for card making. I chose a simple ledger paper from the Vintage Black Line Mini Papers to stamp on. The Hero Arts sentiment, Wishing you all things wonderful, is from the Just Find Me Stamp Set. It is stamped in Jet Black Archival Ink by Ranger.

To create a resist with the flowers, I stamped the Hero Arts floral image from the Earth Flowers set in Versamark ink and then embossed them with Ranger Clear Embossing Powder.

By sponging around the embossed image with ink, you'll see the design start to pop. For this project I've used Shabby Shutters Distress Ink and the Mustard Seed Distress Ink Pads.

To create a pretty patchwork effect, I stitched Jenni Bowling mini papers from the Front Porch and Play Date lines onto the Neenah Classic Cream Cardstock base.

Creating the silk ribbon rose is super easy and fun. Please bear in mind that no two roses are ever exactly alike in nature and also in crafting. Have fun experimenting with how large you want your rose, the color of your silk ribbon and how tight you twist it.

To form the first inner petal of the rose, I fold the end of the ribbon on an angle and then in half twice more. You'll form something that looks like the above photo. Don't worry about perfection as often the outer folds cover the center up as you build up the rose. This just ensures that you don't have a raw edge popping out of the center of your flower.

Place a dot of hot glue on a scrap of cardstock and place the petal firmly into the hot adhesive. I like to cut a square of cardstock in a very similar color to the ribbon to a size of 3 inches square.

Place another dab of hot glue, twist the ribbon loosely a couple times and then press down to adhere.

Keep turning your blossom and repeating the above process to build up your rose.

I've decided the rose is the size I want it to be. Trim off the silk ribbon tail and hot glue the end under a loose petal to hide it. Don't worry about the strings of hot glue that may be on your rose. They easily pull off.

Carefully trim off the excess cardstock close to the ribbon and your rose is complete. For this project I used the beautiful ivory silk ribbon. Ellen also carries many stunning colors of May Arts Silk Ribbon that you can find in her shop. I find that I use between 1/2 yard and a yard of silk ribbon for each rose depending on how large I make it.

 

To finish off the card, I clustered the rose with some twill tape, a couple Crystal Trinket Pins and a little bow from Farmer's Market Twine.

I hope you have fun trying out your own silk ribbon rose. Thanks so much for stopping by the CLASSroom and have a wonderful weekend!

Adding Brads, and Get Ready for a Blog Parade!

There are many ways to create texture and visual interest in a project, and here in the CLASS room we work hard to bring them to you in a fresh and fun way! One little embellishment that doesn't get much attention from us is the humble brad. So I thought it would be fun to use this simple and common product in a unique and easy way that adds dimension in a fabulous way!

Oliver and Olivia are the latest collections from Basic Grey, and they are both so adorable! I chose the Olivia group for this project since there have been a couple done with the Oliver. First making the flower was easy, just three different sized circles, some distressing and crumpling and then stitched together with a little floss and a button from the Olivia buttons. This makes a really cute flower that takes almost no time to make! Stitch the background paper down and then the circle. This is where the magic with the brads happens...

With such a fantastic pattern, you just need to find the places that are perfect for adding a little brad (or for bigger visual impact use the large ones!) I used the white brads in the center of the pink flowers and the pink brads in the centers of the white flowers. For the best match, use the Olivia brads. These are designed to match perfectly, and take the guess work out of finding the perfect color, saving you tons of time that you can use to make your next card! The last step for completing the card was adding a sentiment, and the Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type letters in green look great and are easy to use when creating the perfect thought for the card.

Are you feeling inspired to get your brads out and look at them in a different way? I sure hope so! I would love to see any projects that this post inspires, leave me a link so I can drop by and take a peek!

Now, are you ready for a whole new adventure in the CLASS room? We are going to be trying something new and wanted to give everyone plenty of time to plan and prepare so that there is no excuse to not play along! Two weeks from today we are going to have a blog parade! Never heard of one and don't know what they are about? That is okay, we just made it up and are excited to give it a try! What we have in mind is giving you, our fabulous readers a place to share what it is you do with the inspiration you get from the CLASS room blog and the products that you purchase from Ellen Hutson. The first blog parade topic is going to be flowers (thus the flower I created for this card). We want you to share any flower(s) that you want, stamped, hand made, fussy cut, patterned or pre-made. It is all about creating something using this topic and then sharing it on your blog. It is like making a float and then riding in the parade at your home town celebrations, except this time your friends from all over the world will be joining you! On the Monday two weeks from now we will have a way for you to share your creation and then also make it easy to go and visit all the other participants who will also be playing along! We know you will have questions, so go ahead and leave them in the comments, and I will do my best to answer them. So have fun, be inspired and get ready to share!

B-

CHF Keys to My Heart by Susan Roberts

By now most of you have probably heard that Cornish Heritage Farms is closing up shop.  So today I have been playing with a few of the CHF stamps that as of this typing are still available in Ellen’s Store at a huge 50% off the regular price!

This first card uses CHF’s Beach Party and Mini Triangles Backgrounders as well as the Mona Lisa Moments, Key Expressions Set.

Because the Beach Party Backgrounder has cute little solid tree, surfboard and car images, I thought it would be fun to color each with different colored markers.  I spritzed it lightly with water before stamping.

Isn’t this cute!

Graphic 45 designer paper from the On the Boardwalk Collection was used for both the base background and the darling malt shop girl.  I always like to use a dark marker to color in the edges after cutting out an image from dp.  This really helps to “pop” it once adhered to the card.

CHF’s Mini Triangles was also stamped onto the Beach Party Backgrounder image and the Faux Linen Ribbon was “fringed” on each end for some added interest.

The second card uses a sentiment from the Mona Lisa Moments, Thomas Kinkade Scripture I Set.

Again, Graphic 45 designer paper was used with a piece from the Le Romantique Collection.  Hero Arts Dandelion Frame was stamped directly onto the dp.

Ultra Fine Flower Soft was used on the dandelions.  I sprinkled on a generous amount of Flower Soft and pressed it down into the glue.

Once the glue is dry you can vigorously shake and tap the paper to remove any excess Flower Soft.

Thanks for dropping by the CLASSroom today.

Happy crafting and don't forget about Ellen's fabulous Goodbye CHF sale!

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Beach Party Card:

Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms General Motors Beach Party Backgrounder, Mini Triangles Backgrounder and Mona Lisa Moments, Key Expressions Set

Papers: Memory Box Vanilla Bean Cardstock and Envelope; Neenah Classic Cream Cardstock; Graphic 45 On the Boardwalk Collection

Inks: Memento Rich Cocoa and any Water Based Markers

Accessories: May Arts Yellow 1-1/2” Faux Linen Ribbon; Webster’s Pages Aqua Bloomer

Kinkade Card:

Stamps: Cornish Heritage Farms Mona Lisa Moments, Thomas Kinkade Scripture 1; Hero Arts Dandelion Frame

Papers: Memory Box Licorice Cardstock; Neenah Classic Cream Cardstock; Graphic 45 Le Romantique Collection

Inks: Archival Jet Black

Accessories: Ultra Fine Flower Soft and Glue; Nestability Dies – Rectangle Long, Classic Large and Small; KaiserCraft Black Flatback Pearls

Sweet Sweet Summer by Julia Stainton

What do you love about summer? I love so many things but a lot of the favorite memories of summer seem to revolve around food. Fresh corn on the cob, strawberries, tomatoes and hamburgers top my list. The long summer days and beautiful weather make it a great time to get together with family and friends.

The Graphic 45 Domestic Goddess line celebrates home life and the other day I came across the beautiful Domestic Goddess Farmer's Market paper in my stash and it just begged to be created with. Inspired by the beautiful vintage food labels, I created this layout. Feel free to click on the photo to enlarge it and get a better look.

Instead of layering photos on top of patterned paper, I wanted to make them an integral part of the design and designed a more graphic styled layout. You may also know this technique as color blocking. I started off with a 12x12 sheet of Basic Grey Basic Manilla paper. The warm tones go well with the vintage look of the labels and the lines add some subtle interest as well as making lining up the grid straight easy to do. I had a rough layout idea in my mind and decided where to place the photos first. It's much easier to start with the photos, rather than trying to fit them in last.

The ledger lines of this paper were great horizontal markers and I chose a line for the top and bottom of my design area. The right and left margins were lightly drawn in with pencil. This makes it easy to get a nice clean block for the design. I love creating layouts on the Basic Grey Magnetic Precision Mat Kit as it makes lining up paper perfectly so easy to do.

Here is the work in progress. I've cut apart the Farmer's Market sheet and added in my favorite labels. A few of them overlap slightly and a few have been trimmed to fit well. Place the largest ones first to make it easiest.

You'll notice I have three empty spaces left at this point. Normally I would fill these in with pieces of patterned paper but three empty spaces makes a great visual triangle so I decided they would be great spaces for my embellishments to fill.

The title and journaling was designed to be a vertical block of type on the left side of the design. Black Tiny Type combined with the Prima Ivory Alphabet makes up the title. This alphabet has a beautiful canvas-like textured surface and takes ink well. The Admit One accent is a Maya Road Kraft Ticket that has been trimmed to size and stapled with the Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher.

Over one of the spaces on the design, I've layered some beautiful textured Prima embellishments. The White Mulberry Rose Leaves have been sponged with Shabby Shutters Distress Ink by Ranger. The black flourish is a snippet of French Swirl Voila die cut felt and the fabric flower is the Prima Calcutta Minis Seashell Flowers.

 

My buttons details consist of twine, Tim Holtz Tissue Tape, Farmer's Market Cherry Twist twine, Jenni Bowlin Chipboard Buttons and a sweet Maya Road Heart Trinket Pin.

Do you have timeless summer memories? Have fun keeping those special memories by designing them into a special layout. Thanks for joining me today in the CLASSroom!

Feminine Birthday Blessings by Sharon Harnist

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Thanks for joining us today! ~ Sharon

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

Project Parade by Kim Hughes

I'd like to share some of my favorite CHF projects with you.  The stamps that I used are ALL on sale now...so you might want to hurry before they are all gone ;)

 

Supah Star

Let's Get Stuffed

Alphanumber Backgrounder

 

Making The Grade

 

 

Bold Curls

 

Kissable Tree

Birthday Bash

Proud Eagle

Cute Curls

Collage Elements

Happy Trails

 

Ahoy Matey

Zooper Fun

I hope that I have inspired you to create today.  Thank you soooo much for your support :)

Playing with the Paisley Scrapblock

I thought it would be fun to play with the Paisley Scrapblock and the Hero Arts Floral Hues. By trying a few simple things, you can achieve so many different looks with just one stamp, embossing ink and some different kinds of embossing powders.

The Floral Hues pack has Lilac, Iris, and Aubergine in it. A lovely combination of purples that makes for beautiful projects every time!

This first card is the Lilac that has been stamped with the Paisley Scrapblock and Distress Embossing Ink and then sprinkled with Clear Embossing Powder and melted with the Heat It tool. This finish is similar to a watermark look, but with a fabulous shine and an intriguing texture.

The Iris card was stamped with the same ink and the same stamp, but I sprinkled the Stampendous Holographic embossing powder on and heat set it with the Heat It tool. The variation of color in real life is so beautiful, hard to capture in a photograph! And the sparkle is so elegant!

On the Aubergine card the same ink and stamp were used but this time I sprinkled Pearl Utee on and melted it with the Heat It tool as well. The fun thing about this finish is that it looks more like paint and because the embossing powder is so thick it melts differently and has a looser flow than the other types that we played with.It also has a wonderful texture, and the pearl finish in the Utee creates a subtle yet gorgeous shine.

Now with this gorgeous multi pack you can keep on having more fun, by trying each of the different finishes on each of the colors you will end up with nine very unique and beautiful card bases!

 

Now all you have to do is add a few embellishments a sentiment and your card is ready to go! Or these would make a wonderful gift if you are willing to part with them when you are done.

Thanks for playing along with me!

B-

Collage Elements Friend Card

 

Welcome to the Classroom! Today I have a fun little collage-y card to share. I started with white cardstock, a sheet of pale lime green background paper from the Scrapblocks Layers paper pack, a pad of Adirondack Citrus ink, and the Collage Elements stamp set. (Both the Collage Elements stamp set and the Scrapblocks Layers paper were still available at 40% off when this blog post went up.)

 

When I stamp collage elements, I normally stamp the larger images first; it's much simpler to work the smaller ones in between if you have the larger ones in place already. 

 

When I finished, I stitched around the edge to provide a subtle frame. It was a little bolder than I wished, so I pulled out my Hero Arts Snow Chalk pad and wiped it across the paper to tone down the bright green ink a bit.

 

For the focal image I wanted to used the same stamps, but stamp them in colors. Inks are All Hero Arts Chalk Inks: Iris, Grass, Poppy, and Night. I wanted to keep the border white, so I masked the edges with some 1/4" Eclipse tape before stamping.

 

Next, I wanted to add a few raised images. I stamped them on white cardstock with Tuxedo Black memento ink and colored them with the Copic markers shown here. (The focus on the marker caps isn't tight: I used V12, V15, Y32, and Y38.) I wanted to use a white pearl flourish like this one, but I had used up my white ones. . . Thankfully, I had the same style, but in green--that worked! 

 

Keep in mind that when Ellen's current supply of CHF stamps is depleted, they cannot be restocked. So get them now if you want them, and get 40% off too! I will miss the CHF stamps. As I was going through some of my past cards using CHF stamps, I ran across only a couple that the stamps were still in stock for. 

 

Here is one with the Ahoy Matey set.

 

And here is a card using the CHF Shady Tree Studio Fruit Basket set. 

I have many more "blast from the past" CHF cards, but since they are made with sets that are already out of stock, I suppose they will stay in my archives. Thanks for stopping by the Classroom today!

Enjoy the Moments Card by Julia Stainton

Summer makes me happy. I love spending time with my family, the long sunny days, time at the beach, the sounds of the birds and watching plants grow in my garden. It's a wonderful time of year and I try to enjoy every moment of it.

Today's card incorporates some of those beautiful things and I think that sharing something you've created yourself makes those special occasions much more special.

Memory Box makes beautiful and elegant stamps and papers. I love their unique and distinct look. Today I've used the Batik Birds stamp with the Memory Box Jubilee 6x6 papers and am going to show you a very different look for using a negative image stamp. I love these solid negative images as they are so easy to stamp but what if you'd like to color in the positive image? You still can and it's easy to do with a little clear embossing powder.

Stamp the image with the Ranger Distress Embossing Pad, sprinkle with clear embossing powder and then heat set with the Heat It Craft Tool. You'll then have a beautiful clear and shiny image. The embossing forms a resist that makes it super easy to color in the positive portion of the image without your ink bleeding. I love how you virtually cannot make a mistake as the ink goes right into the non-embossed areas.

To color in the image I've used some Distress Inks (Tumbled Glass, Fired Brick, & Vintage Photo) pressed onto a Non-Stick Craft Sheet. The color is picked up with a Niji Waterbrush and then painted into the areas I want to color.

Here's what it looks like once painted.

 

One of the products new to Ellen Hutson LLC this past month is the Tim Holtz Tissue Tape. I'm absolutely head over heals for this tape as I love the subtle layer and interest it adds. As you can see in the above photo, the tissue is thin enough that you can see some of the pattern through it. Very pretty and easy to use. I've used some of the Traveler Tape for this card.

Another detail you can note in the above photo is the die cut edge. The Tim Holtz On the Edge Brackets Die by Sizzix makes two different beautiful edges. The sentiment is the Enjoy the Moments stamp by Hero Arts stamped in Coffee Archival Ink by Ranger.

 

To finish off the project the beautiful Prima Mulberry Rose Leaves were sponged with Shabby Shutters Distress Ink and clustered at the top of the image with a couple Maya Road Crystal Trinket Pins. The Tiny Attacher and Mini Paper Clips visually "hold" the project together as an accent as well.

I hope you're enjoying every moment this summer and finding a little crafting time for yourself as well. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by the CLASSroom!

More Oldies but Goodies by Lisa Strahl

The Cornish Heritage Farms blowout continues and I have more designs that were created over the past few years to share with you.

PLEASE NOTE:  If you see a product that has not been listed and linked to, it likely means that it is no longer available.  Please leave a message in the comment section if you have a question and I will try to answer it there.  Thanks!

Photo Op Stamp Set - $14.99

You will need to click on the link to the stamp set to see what images from the set are featured on this card.  Several of the frames and the sentiment were used to create the collage.  Inks used include Weathered Wood, Tea Dye, Vintage Photo, Old Paper and Black Soot Distress Ink.  The rough edge on the card was created using the Tonic Paper Distresser.

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Fine Finials Backgrounder - $7.19

This 7 Gypsies bracelet was created by stamping the Fine Finials Backgrounder with Coffee Archival Ink on Lagoon Cardstock and punched with the 5/8 circle punch.

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Here is a series of SIMPLE Arturo cards with a little stamping and coloring.

Cutie Pet-Tootie stamp set - $10.19 and Cute Curls stamp set (sentiment) - $8.99

This image was colored with Copic Markers and detailed with Prisma Color Pencils.

 

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Let's Get Stuffed stamp set - $8.99

This image was watercolored with Adirondack Reinkers (Ranger).

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Vases stamp set - $5.99 and sentiment from Cute Curls - $13.19

The open line art vases in this set are ideal for paper piecing your favorite patterned paper!

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Cute Curls - $13.19

Images colored with Copic Markers.

It's almost the weekend friends!

Lisa

Back To Basics: coloring (or not) by Kim Hughes

 

Supplies:

Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Butterscotch, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Stream, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Peach Bellini, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Lettuce, Adirondack Dye Ink Pad, Espresso

COPIC Sketch Marker YR24, Pale Sepia

Memory Box: Happy Birthday, Log Home, Memory Box 6x6 Cardstock, Enchanted, Sonoma Print, Silhouette Branch, Umbels

Basic Grey Buttons, Green at Heart

A Cardstock, Neenah Classic Solar White
 

stamp the flowers with a lighter shade ink than a Copic marker.  Then add a darker tone to the center of the stamped flowers
 

It gives them a subtle "water colored" effect
 

Use a colored pencil that's slightly darker than the Copic marker.  Press harder in the center of the flower and add depth to the image by coloring lightly
 

Draw a loose line around the image to give it a hand drawn look.

Next, simply add texture and interest to a stamped image by adding just a touch of paint.

 

Dip a toothpick into white paint and dab onto the flower tips...it's as simple as that...of course you will need to wait for the paint to dry.  You may try to use this technique on glossy paper and spritz a mist over the image, so that the white paint will show through.
 

stamp the leaf image with blue ink.  It looks beautiful as is, doesn't it?  I like to stamp and leave the image alone, but coloring it in different ways can add just so much.
 

Dip a Q-tip in the same ink that you stamped the image with and "paint" with it.
 

No need to be perfect her...it's alright to go outside the lines.
 

add some background color with more Q-tips.  Just rub the color around the image.  This will give it a "chalked" look
 

work around the image and to not add background color to the white tips.
 

when you crop the image, it will be hard to believe that it started with white paper and a blue stamped image.
 

Stamp an image and only color half of it with a colored pencil.  This will give it a "graphic" look
 

Another way to color with colored pencils is to start with the edge and press harder at that point...as you move in towards the center of the image, press lighter on the pencil
 

continue along the entire outline of the stamped image, I turn the paper as I move along the edge.

 

and here is the end result.  You and add another color on top to add more texture...just repeat the first step.
 

when there are multiple lines, you can add dimension to each separate section.
 

repeat along each line
 

and then shade the opposite side for added dimension.
 

So, there are three ways to use a colored pencil when coloring an image.  Color with Copics, paint with a paint brush, color with a dabber and chalks or just leave it alone..as is.
 

This paper is so beautiful, so I didn't want the stamped images to overpower the background. So, in this case, I chose to leave the images alone.  When you color an image, it's easier to coordinate solid papers with your image.  You can color your image first and then try to match paper to is.  It's all a matter of trial and error.  Discovering the perfect complimentary paper is half the fun/  So, experiment.

I hope that you rediscover how truly fun coloring stamped images can be.  Thanks for joining us today.

Some Old Friends by Lisa Strahl

I am sure many of you have heard by now that Ellen is liquidating her Cornish Heritage Farms stock and to that end I wanted to share a few designs I created several years ago featuring some of the images left in the store.  They are going fast, so if you want something, grab it quick!

PLEASE NOTE:  If you see a product that has not been listed and linked to, it likely means that it is no longer available.  Please leave a message in the comment section if you have a question and I will try to answer it there.  Thanks!

The first set I am going to feature is Hugs and Kisses (Kim Hughes Collection):

Other Supplies:  Pearlescent Chocolate Brilliance Ink and Standard Small and Large Circle Nestiblities.

This design also features one of the backgrounders that is left called Petite Pattern Backgrounder stamped with pink ink down the right hand side behind the cupcake as well and Circle and Petite Scallop Circle Nestiblities.

Shaped card using the Long Rectangle/Large Scallop Nestibilities.

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Next up is Big Inspiration (Mona Lisa Moments):

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The Mocha Chica 8x8 Paper Collection:

Other Supplies:  White Picket Fence Distress Crackle Paint and Glossy Accents

Other Supplies:  Paper Piercing Tool and Design Ruler, Lettuce Adirondack Paint Dabber and Coffee Archival Ink.

Get shoppin' while there are deals to be had!!

Happy Stamping, Lisa

Happy Fourth of July! and Pretty Peonies

We here at Ellen Hutson LLC would like to wish you all a safe, fun and memorable Fourth of July!!! We hope today will allow you the opportunity to bask in the sun with family and friends, and watch some pretty fireworks as we once again celebrate the freedom we enjoy.

As promised on Facebook I am sharing the "how I colored the thank you note" post today :) It is with great excitement that I receive in each new order of Lockhart stamps. This release did not disappoint! There are multiple images that are SO fun to color and ones to giggle at too. As I've shared on FB - I sadly fit into the "chunky dunkin'" category rather than the "skinny dippin'" one - snort! (Please note that more chunky dunkin' are on their way - how about using this sentiment with a donut or two, perhaps a few cookies and some crudites?!? LOL)

Peonies are one of my absolute favorite flowers. Each spring I wait for their beautiful blooms to unfold and then I hope and pray that it doesn't rain here in Seattle so that they last. They smell SO good!!!

My typical way of coloring Lockhart images is to select light colors to "designate" the image parts. Karen hand draws all of her images, over and over, and over again, until she gets them just right. She then colors them (thank goodness - as I need to see how she colored them, before I can ever attempt these beauties on my own.) It is this hand drawing though that makes her images so whimsical and attractive to me!

Sorry about that little meandering - LOL! Next I select my darker colors and add these in the areas I want to add dimension and shadowing.

I then select my lightest color yet again along with the darker colors. I scribble some of the darker color marker on my non-stick craft mat and using my light color I complete the coloring of my image.

As you can see in the image above I also add depth using Prismacolor pencils. I love how the Copic markers sink the color into the paper. The tooth on the Neenah cardstock then enables me to lightly add color to only the top layer, leaving the Copic color in the "crevices." This adds so much dimension and texture to the completed image.

 

As you can see I have a tendency to use quite a number of colors on each image. I find that it has a more natural appearance when I use so many colors. I love to fiddle as I color and just enjoy the process as I work.

Finding just the right ribbon for this project was challenging me. I wanted it to be a little rougher than the beautiful silk we carry - the faux linen to my rescue :-D I am absolutely digging coloring my own ribbon - I don't know if it is the blue or green finger tips or just the magic of watching it change before my eyes. As you can tell we carry a LOT of white products in our store and it is so fun to "test" them to see if I can alter them. I was shocked when this faux linen (being it is Polyster) turned color when Tattered Angels Mist was applied. I did add just a hint of Copic spray after it had dried to make it a little more "limey" in appearance.

 

To complete the look I set the peonies on my doily lace table cloth and added a flower button and leaf pins for foliage. These colors make me smile and feel like perhaps summer will finally come and bestow itself on us here in the Pacific Northwest!

Once again we wish you a fabulous fourth - we have much to celebrate!

stamps: Lockhart Peonies

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics and Prismacolor Pencils (see photo above)

paper: Memory Box Raspberry Notecard, Cosmo Cricket DeLovely Petite Paper Pad, Doily

accessories: White Faux Linen Ribbon, Leaf Pins, Basic Grey Button (can't remember collection-sorry), Rock Candy Distress Stickles

Altered Necklace by Julia Stainton

Most crafters have been crafting as long as they remember. I can't remember a time when I didn't love creating with paper, glue, a little paint and of  course, glitter. That's always a popular one. Even with the boys if they are young enough. In fact, I've never met a child yet that doesn't like making a creative mess of some kind.

I've always tried to foster creativity in my children no matter what the media they decide to use. Sure it would be easier some times to say no and keep the mess down but what is the fun in that? I'll admit to wearing all kinds of crazy creations around the house in the name of love. Last week I actually received the most "beautiful" glitter crown.

Priceless.

While young children love creating, I've found it much harder to keep that creativity going into the teen years. Mom's projects are just not cool anymore and teens struggle so much with perfectionism. They forget the joy.

And here, after a very long intro, is where this project starts. I've found that teenage girls love jewelry and it's a great project to create with older kids. I'm excited to find some common ground to spend time with my daughter. This fun altered pendant is designed as an easy project that can be recreated to the wearer's personality. Putting bits and pieces together is a great way to use up product too.

The altered art part of this necklace was so much fun to create. I love how it has two sides so the wearer can change it up with her outfit. This necklace uses the Antique Copper 1" x 3" Memory Frame by Ranger and the 1"x3" Memory Glass. If you like square shaped frames from Ranger, Ellen carries them too. Just do a store search using the word Memory Frame or Memory Glass. The Memory Frame can be opened and shut by a little tab at the top of the frame. This makes it super easy for anyone to use and no soldering is involved.

Once the glass is added to the frame, it is a tight fit so keep that in mind when designing your project. I had a nice heavy piece of cardstock between the back and the front designs but then could not put the frame together. I carefully peeled them apart and just adhered the thin patterned paper back to back. You really don't need that cardstock stability as the outside glass keeps it all together.

Side "A" of this project is a strip of Vintage Black Line Mini Papers by Jenni Bowlin that has been sponged with Brushed Corduroy, Worn Lipstick and Shabby Shutters Distress Ink. Tim Holtz Symphony Tissue Tape makes a fun accent and the Prima Mulberry Rose Leaf and the Tiny Type letter add some thin layers to the project.

I love stamping on glass and find that extra thin layer gives the project a dimensional look. Jet Black Archival Ink works great on glass and other difficult surfaces. Just make sure you heat set when done. The dragonfly stamp is from the beautiful Botanical Bliss ATC set from CHF and designed by Becky Olsen.

Side "B" uses some very pretty cherry themed paper by Jenni Bowlin from the  Baby of Mine Mini Papers. Over top is layered a small scrap of Tim Holtz Film Strip Ribbon and then more Tiny Type letters. Againt he stamping is stamped onto the glass and then heatset. The beautiful writing stamp comes from the  Key Elements  set by Cornish Heritage Farms.

You can also adhere items on the outside of the glass using a heavy duty adhesive. Glossy Accents works well here for adhering the elegant Melissa Frances Scroll Applique.

After your necklace frame is complete, you can thread it onto a Making Memories chain. You can stop the project there but I thought it would be interesting to add a little extra bling. It seems that all the super stylish jewelry these days has a myriad of fun elements. I used elements from the Vintage Groove Celluloid Flower Combo and attached them to the chain using jump rings and the Vintage Groove Tool Kit. These easy to use jewelry charms are so pretty and easy to mix and match for a personal look.

Whether you create this project for yourself or try our a jewelry piece with your teen, I hope you have fun with it! Thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom and have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Creating a Picture Pennant by Ellen Hutson

As I thought about what my kids might enjoy creating one of the first things that came to mind was figuring out a way to display pictures of their friends and family. When I first saw this fun canvas pennant from Maya Road I wanted to create with it.

The start to Trina's summer has been a rough one - how she came down with pneumonia we don't know, but needless to say it hasn't been easy. I created this special pennant especially for her in hopes of cheering her up just a little by sharing pictures of those who love her. There is room for so many more, but I ran out of time to add to it before completing this post. The tails have been left long so that we can continue to add to it :-D

The first technique I want to share is the photo transfer I used for the picture of her and Jasper. Jasper is the sweetest, most loving little guy and absolutely loves to wake Trina each morning with wet doggie kisses.

Print a color photo using an Inkjet printer. Cut to fit the pennant. Apply Matte Medium directly to the canvas triangle as shown.

Place your photo, color side down, and firmly press the image in to place. I like to use my Craft Scrapper and press it from the center out, removing any air bubbles that might be hiding.

Now is the hard part - allow this image to dry completely! I used my Heat It tool to speed up the process, but be careful not to remove your paper before the image is completely dry! 

Once completely dry use a mini mister to wet the copy paper. Then use your fingertips to remove the paper by rubbing it gently. The paper will pill as you rub off the excess. Keep working it gently until all paper pills are removed.

If you find that there are still little pieces of paper fuzz on your surface you can use a very thin layer of Matte Medium over the top. This does alter the appearance slightly, but it helps to remove any of the white fuzz that might be left on your project.

To add dimension to the two other pennants I used Tattered Angels Mist. I could have used my Copic Airbrush system as well, but the larger droplets lend a unique look to the canvas.

To dye the trim I placed it in a small ziplock bag and squirted a little Angel mist directly into the bag and then worked it into the trim. This was then taken out and allowed to dry.

Altering the E-line and Hero Arts flowers is also so very easy to do with the mist. As you can see the appearance of the flowers is altered by using a white base vs. an off-white base. Working on canvas I found that it was so much better to use off-white products to stay more in keeping with the warmth of the canvas. The blue flowers on the left showcase an off-white Hero Arts blossom on the left and a white E-line flower on the right.

I needed a larger size blossom in the purple tone and using the white e-line was just too vibrant. Copic markers to the rescue. First I colored the flower with my Y21 and Colorless blender and then spritzed it with Lilac mist. 

The mini chipboard sets from Maya Road are such a fabulous size. To alter these and turn them into the ever so popular glitter letters I first colored them with a Copic marker and then used my 2-way Glue pen to add adhesive. Holding the letters on the sides with my self-closing Tweezer Bees I was easily able to sprinkle the Ultrafine glitter over each letter, shaking off the excess.

To turn the pin into a dangling charm use a pair of jewelry pliers to bend the wire and then clip off the excess after you have insert the pin through the canvas.

I love this picture of my girls - they are so very sweet!

I was pleased with the result of the transfer. This technique could be fabulous on t-shirts, bags and more. Maddi suddenly took a huge interest in what I was doing and I think her mind is working on her "special" t-shirt ideas for the coming year.

And of course Trina's best friend - these two are so cute, and mischievous in a good way :-D 

If your teens and tweens are looking for crafty projects have them try making a photo pennant!
 
paper: Jenni Bowlin Calendar Cards, Maya Road Kraft Mini Tickets

ink: Tattered Angels Mist - Electric Blue, Sweet Clover, Timeless Lilac

accessories: Canvas Triangle Album, Noah Alphabet Mini Chipboard Set, Love Mini Chipboard Set, Green Leaf Trinket Pin, Olivia Buttons, Cream Art Flowers,  Bermuda Breeze E-line Flowers, Grasshopper Microfine Glitter, Melissa Francis Trim