the CLASSroom

Copic Background Stamping by Sharon Harnist

Today I'm showing you another way you can use your Copic Various Ink Refills to create a stamped background or main focal image, using solid, bold & chunky stamp images.

1. Using a craft stick, mix together Copic Various Ink Refill colors of choice into gel hand sanitizer on Ranger's Non-Stick Craft Sheet -- one color in each pile of hand sanitizer OR you can try mixing colors together, to create a new color.  Use two or more colors, or just one.  Since the Copic ink and hand sanitizer are both alcohol based, with the hand sanitizer having a high alcohol content, it serves as a great medium to hold the Copic color. Above, I used YG03 and R22 to create the background for this notecard:

2. Press Hero Arts Antique Brocade rubber stamp into colored gel, to ink up the stamp. Tap rubber stamp around in the gel colors, making sure all of rubber stamp surface is covered with color.
3. Stamp onto Arturo Soft White Single Card Panels.  Alternately, you could stamp onto a heavy cardstock, which may buckle and/or warp when dried; whereas the Arturo paper is more absorbent and the color will quickly soak into the paper, thereby preventing as much spreading or smearing of color.
4. Let dry naturally (it won't take too long), or speed up drying process by using a heat tool.

Above left, I used just one color, V15, to stamp the center panel; then mounted it onto an Arturo Lavender Card.  Basic Grey Opaline Indigo Half Pearls accent the violet stamped panel.  I used the Copic YG03 Various Ink Refill to hand dye May Arts White Silk 1/4" Ribbon to tie around the brocade stamped center panel on the right, which was mounted to an Arturo Pale Pink Card.

Sentiments are all from the Hero Arts ClearDesign-Everyday Sayings, stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad.  Another added bonus to using the gel hand sanitizer -- your stamped project will smell nice, too!

I hope you have fun with this technique and let me know what you create with it!  You can use any number of bold, solid stamp images! ~ Sharon

Stamps: Hero Arts Cling-Antique Brocade, ClearDesign-Everyday Sayings,
Paper: Arturo Soft White Single Card/Panels, Lavender Cards & Envelopes and Pale Pink Cards & Envelopes,
Ink: Copic Various Ink Refills-R22, YG03, V15; Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad
Accessories: Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet, Claudine Hellmuth Craft Sticks and Heat It Craft Tool; Hero Arts Pink Crystal Gemstones; Basic Grey Opaline Half Pearls-Indigo; May Arts White Silk 1/4" Ribbon (dyed with YG03 Various Ink Refill)
Other: Gel hand sanitizer

Texture Fades Embossing Folders By Becky Olsen

Embossing folders have been around for a while, and while I thought that they were cool, I had not jumped into the pool of users because none of the designs really fit my design aesthetic. That all changed for me when I found out that Tim Holtz had designed a product for Sizzix called Texture Fades. These embossing folders are right up my alley, and now of course my collection is growing faster than I can find places to store them!

For this project, I designed it to have more of a masculine feel, although it could be given to anyone it is so beautiful! I started with the Regal folder and ran it through my Sizzix with Neenah Solar white card stock.

After removing the embossed paper from the folder I applied Faded Jeans Distress ink to the high points by lightly rubbing and tapping the ink pad across the top. Be careful with this part of the process, if you press too firmly you will end up with ink in the negative space. 

Because I wanted more depth and dimension in the project, I applied Antique Linen and Tea Dye Distress inks with my favorite applicator tool, a nice chunk of Cut N' Dry Foam over the entire surface, making sure to vary the amount of ink and colors as I worked.

To embellish I tied some navy silk ribbon around garden twine that I had looped around my hand a few times. The sentiment is from a Hero Arts set called "Thoughtful" and I used Black Archival ink to stamp it onto a Maya Road Kraft Mini Tag. A Tim Holtz Trinket Pin is the perfect finishing detail to attach the sentiment to the bow.

Now for the best part! Not only do I love this card and would love to receive it, but my husband gushed over it too and it was unsolicited! He loved how it was stylish, but a little retro and beautiful without being foofy. Yay!

B-

Summer Card Camp Color Inspiration

Today's post is going to be super quick because I want to give you time to head over and sign up for the Summer Card Camp 2011 if you have not already done so --- you do not want to miss out on the fun Jennifer and Kristina have planned for you! Registration is open until June 29th, so that means you only have two more days.

 

This weeks color combo made me think of sherbet!
 

What better fit than these darling little cones from the Basic Grey Hero Arts Life of the Party. I know who is going to grab this card for a friend's birthday this summer!

To color this image I used a combination of Copic markers and Prismacolor pencils.
 

Then using the same Walk in the Park decorative paper together with some felt flowers and fabulous Wild Plum embossing powder I quickly whipped up a second birthday card. I love having color combinations to inspire me --- it makes the creative process go so very quickly!

Not only can you achieve color with markers, inks and pencils, but you can add color with buttons, felt, embossing powder and so much more. Look in your stash to see what you have in these delicious colors! Then head over and sign up for some fun and join in the challenges - in addition to the amazing inspiration there are some awesome goodies awaiting some lucky participants!

 
stamps: Hero Arts ClearDesign Life of the Party Birthdays

ink: Distress Embossing Ink Pad, Memento Tuxedo Black

paper: Echo Park 6x6 Walk in the Park, Memory Box Mango and Bayou Cardstock

accessories: Sizzix Flowers #3 Original Die, Rose Felt, Basic Grey and Cosmo Cricket Buttons

Maribelle Butterfly and Vintage Netting

Are you ready for yet another Maribelle butterfly die idea? I hope so, because as I said a few days ago my mind has been "fluttering" around with all sorts of them :-D

 

Pairing this delicate beauty with Vintage Netting creates an oh, so, elegant look!

 

Begin by cutting the Maribelle butterfly out of Glossy Black cardstock.

Working on the non-stick craft sheet makes the next part of the project a LOT easier!

Carefully apply Fabritac glue to the larger portions of the body and also apply to the veining. Be very careful not to move the butterfly as you work, so that the glue does not transfer to the front side. You can also apply the glue to smaller areas using a toothpick. Pick the butterfly body straight up and then flip it over on to the netting, pressing it firmly in place. The beauty of the non-stick craft sheet is that it will allow you to easily lift the entire piece up once this task is complete. Then allow it to sit and dry.

 

Cut the netting around the edges of the body as shown.
 

This beauty would be lovely atop a gift or make a bunch and create a mobile!

 
stamps: Hero Arts Anytime Messages

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

paper: Glossy Black Cardstock, Basic Grey Out of Print, Neenah Solar White, Inkssentials Manila

accessories: Maribelle Butterfly Die, Pastry Labels Die, Tag & Bookplates Die, Webster's Pages Vintage Netting II, Fabritac Adhesive, Gold Silk Ribbon, Antique Silver Reinforcer

Summer Card Camp 2011 Class Spot Winner

It has been fun to hear what you are looking forwards to most about the Summer Card Camp 2011 hosted by Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner! Now without further ado...

 
 

Congratulations Diane, you are going to Card Camp for free this summer!!! I have forwarded your email address to Jennifer and someone should be in touch with you soon!

 
I can tell you that they have been working hard and the behind the scenes efforts are in full-swing and well thought out! There is still time to register for this awesome event --- class begins June 27th, so be certain to head over to this link to learn more and sign up!

Masking with Stencils...1,2,3 by Julia Stainton

Masking is one of those limitless techniques. There are just so many fabulous possibilities with it. Lately I've been enjoying masking with stencils and today I have three projects to share from one technique. I just couldn't bear to throw a scrap of it away.

Stencils are a wonderful tool. They are easy to use, store and they will last indefinitely. This pretty background was created by masking a stencil and sponging on different colors of distress ink.

To use your stencil as a mask, place it over your paper and then either hold it down firmly, adhere it with removable adhesive or as I've done here, hold it down with magnets and on the Basic Grey Magnetic Precision Mat Kit. You want to make sure that it doesn't slip or move.

Begin by sponging on ink over each flower and leaf.

Keep adding ink until the entire stencil area is covered and the colors blend together.

This is my favorite step...removing the stencil reveal the beautiful white pattern beneath. I cut this masked paper into three pieces to make my three projects.

To create my first card, I just left the beautiful pattern alone and simply stamped a sentiment from the Hero Arts stamp set. All three projects use stamped sentiments from this set. It's so versatile.

Next I created a 3"x4" tag to coordinate with the birthday card. I thought it would be fun to tie onto a kraft gift bag. I've added a little glitter to the masked surface to add some shimmer and shine.

 To cover an inked surface with glitter, I like to use a dry adhesive so that the ink doesn't run. The Be Creative Sheets work really well for this. After applying the adhesive sheet to your surface, sprinkle with glitter and burnish in for a beautiful shimmery finish.

My last project is a card that I decided to give a different look to. This time the panel was simply misted and flicked with Coffee Shop Glimmer Mist for a more rustic look.

To accent the design, I've added Maya Road wood buttons that have been inked to the center of three of the flowers.

Supplies:

Solar White cardstock by Neenah, Kraft Cardstock, Find Joy Stamp set by Hero Arts, 8x8 Mask III by Prima Marketing, Jet Black Archival Ink by Ranger, Worn Lipstick Distress Ink, Dried Marigold Distress Ink and Crushed Olive Distress Ink by Ranger, twine, Green Leaf Trinket Pins by Maya Road, Fiesta Innoscence flower by Prima Marketing, Coffee Shop Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels, sewing machine, wood buttons by Maya Road, Be Creative Adhesive Sheets, Transparent Microfine Glitter by Glitter Ritz, Tim Holtz Hinge Clip, Mauve silk ribbon by May Arts

I hope you enjoy trying out this fun technique. Thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom and happy creating!

 

Summer Card Camp 2011 Information and Giveaway

There are women who have come into my life and have blessed me with their friendship, creativity and love --- Jennifer McGuire is one of those women. It is such an honor to be able to share a spot in the Summer Card Camp that she is doing together with Kristina Werner. Talk about a talented duo to learn from and you don't even have to sleep in a tent or swat mosquitoes when you attend this camp - LOL!

Following is a little video with some of the details:

 

Get ready for a summer full of colorful cardmaking fun with Summer Card Camp 2011. Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner have teamed up to bring you a 4-week workshop starting June 27th. It will be loaded with fresh color combos, cutting edge techniques, and versatile sketches that will leave you feeling inspired to create! Summer Card Camp is your all-access pass to 48 new card ideas, daily PDF's, twice weekly videos, guest designers, huge prizes and access to a private blog where you can share your own creations. For more information and to register, visit Summer Card Camp 2011.

 
AND I am giving away a spot in the class!

All you have to do is leave a comment (one comment per person only please) below by 11:59 PDT Saturday, June 25th --- so tell us what are you most excited about --- color combos, sketch ideas, techniques, videos, guests or prizes (psst - I do know that there will be some REALLY fun prizes - insert big grin here.) If you are picked as a winner and have already signed up, you will be given a refund.

Let the summertime fun begin!

Maribelle Burnished Velvet Butterfly Tag

Today I wanted to share a project created using the beautiful Memory Box Maribelle and Selena Butterfly Dies, as well as the lovely Butterfly Delights Die. Having always loved butterflies these dies are ones I am having SO much fun creating with. Over the next few days I hope to share several other methods of creating using these dies, so be certain to stay tuned for more ideas --- I couldn't help myself :-D

 

Burnished Velvet is a technique that we have shared numerous posts here on our blogs. By using the search mechanism located in the upper right hand corner of the blog the following posts and typing in the words "burnished velvet" these posts came up to refresh your memory.

 

To begin today's project I covered Craft-a-Board with Be Creative Tape. These low profile dies will typically cut all the way through Craft-a-Board, but not when adding extra layers of adhesive or decorative paper. Using the Selena Die I ran it through my Vagabond first and then completed the cut with the Fiskars Fingertip Knife --- it was super easy to cut through the remaining thickness!

Cut out the Black Outline of the Maribelle Butterfly from Black Glossy cardstock.

 

Remove the tape backing, position the Maribelle Butterfly exactly over top the Selena Butterfly, and use the backing to press the outline firmly in to place.

Sprinkle Grasshopper glitter on to a portion of the wings and shake off excess. 
 

Apply Peacock Blue glitter to the outside edges of the wings and shake off excess.

Next apply Ice Blue glitter over the remaining uncovered portion and remove.

I then came back over the Peacock Blue portion and a slight portion of the Ice Blue with more Peacock Blue glitter and burnished it in place. This allowed for some of the Peacock Blue to mix with the Ice Blue and help soften the line. I know with practice I would be able to get a better gradation between the colors, but this was my first attempt and I felt that it I should share some of my "imperfections" with you. This way you can see that I don't always get it right - LOL! 

Repeat on the opposite side with the Grasshopper glitter.

I LOVE this beautiful sparkly butterfly! 

To create the tag I first cut out my tag using the Tags and Bookmarks die from Tim Holtz. I then positioned the Butterfly Delights die atop the tag, holding it in place using tissue tape, and created the cut outs. I love the border dies that create tese fabulous cut outs - you can then use the little butterflies to flutter them about on another project or put them into your gift bag as confetti.

As I said earlier, stay tuned for more fun ways to create using these gorgeous butterfly dies!
 

paper: Memory Box Key Lime Distressed Dots, Glossy Black Cardstock, Craft-a-Board

accessories: Memory Box Dies - Selena, Maribelle, Butterfly Delights; Tim Holtz Tag and Bookplates Die, Maya Road Turquoise Ruffle Edge Trim and Sheer Scrolls Ribbon, Be Creative (Sookwang) Tape, Grasshopper, Ice Blue and Peacock Blue Glitter Ritz

Memory Box Die Sandwich Information

This weekend we celebrate the wedding of my nephew and soon-to-be niece. The day of their engagement my nephew planned a wonderfully romantic day, starting at sunrise with a hot air balloon ride. So in keeping with the theme of their wedding reception I wanted to create a card that used a hot air balloon. Well, lo and behold I could not find an appropriate stamp in my collection - imagine that - LOL! Julia to the rescue - she went "spotting" through our stamp collection and found the Hero Arts Flourish Ornament.

 
I would never know that this was a Christmas stamp when used upside down and pieced. I am quite tickled with the end result... it feels so "weddingy."

Begin by printing your sentiment on the cardstock. Stamp the Flourish Ornament on a sheet of decorative 5th Avenue paper.

TIP: Add a hint of color for depth to your designer papers using Copic markers.

Finish off with a little bling!

MEMORY BOX DIE SANDWICH INFORMATION

We have been receiving questions regarding the Memory Box Die sandwiches and so I thought I would share a couple of quick pictures and my thoughts to hopefully assist you.

 

If you already own Nestabilities then simply use the exact same sandwich you are used to. If you do not and are starting from scratch then the most important component to add to the products that come with the Big Shot or Vagabond is the Solo Thin Die Adapter. As you can see in the photo above this adapter comes with instructions printed directly on it. This makes it super easy to use.

I have positioned the plates askew for the photograph above - when cutting you will want to have them positioned directly atop one another.

Following is the sandwich as pictured starting at the base:

• Solo Platform
• Solo Shim (this comes with the Platform, but because it can be damaged after loads of use it can be purchased separately)
• Solo Thin Die Adapter
• Extra shim if necessary - this can be as thin as a piece of copy paper to as thick as a piece of Craft-a-Board. Some machines and dies have a "sweet spot". If you cut out your die image and it is not quite cut all the way through simply add a shim to your sandwich.
• Acrylic Plate or Cutting Pad - I typically keep my extended pad out because it can be easily used for the longer dies such as the rosette. (These cutting pads are too wide to fit in the Cuttlebug.)
• Cardstock
• Memory Box Die - Position with "blade" side facing down towards cardstock. I like to hold my die in position using tissue tape - this helps keep the alignment perfect. Yes, it's the perfectionist syndrome - LOL!
• Acrylic Plate or Cutting Pad

Now simply send your sandwich through your Big Shot, Big Kick or Vagabond. Many of you have also asked what you can use in your Cuttlebug with the longer dies such as the Rosette. Unfortunately I have not a perfect solution for this and so I must admit that my preference lies with with Sizzix machines because of the longer plates and sturdy machines. Now don't go running out and purchasing a new machine blaming it on me - LOL! But, I do believe that you will appreciate the ease of using the longer plates and not having to mess with "rigging it" to try and get the shorter plates to work.

I hope that you find this information helpful. Thank you for once again stopping in here in the CLASSroom - have a lovely weekend!

 
stamps: Hero Arts Flourish Ornament

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers - BG70, BG72, T2

paper: Melissa Frances 5th Avenue 6x6 Paper, Memory Box Pool Cardstock

accessories: Memory Box Piestra Tile Die, Memory Box Sparkling Diamond Jewels

Flowers and Borders with Patter Cross

Welcome Patter! Thank you for taking time out of your BUSY schedule to create such a beautiful project to inspire all of us and get us busy making some scrappy pages! You will definitely want to take some time today to visit Patter's blogs. The many organizational tips she shares are fantastic! As well, you will find videos showcasing how to use the Memory Box dies in your diecutting machine and so much more. 

Once again we would like to invite you to share some kind words with Patter on either or both of her blogs! (By leaving a comment on each of her blogs your chances of winning our lovely prize package are doubled ;-D) So head over to Create x3 and/or Triple the Scraps and look for the post with a sneak peek of the project shown below, as well as a photo of our little goodie box and leave some words of kindness for Patter! We will do a random drawing and announce the winner together with Patter on Friday, June 17th.

Patter, thank you once again for sharing your talents with us here in the CLASSroom! -Ellen

Flowers and Borders with Patter Cross

Today I wanted to share an 8x8 layout with you using Memory Box papers, stamps, pearls, and dies. I will be showing you how I like to layer flowers and borders to create fun embellishments for a scrapbook page or card. So, let’s get started!

The Flowers

I love to layer the Memory Box Gorgeous Bloom and Gorgeous Mini Bloom stamps to create distressed flowers. First, I stamped the Gorgeous Bloom twice onto Memory Box Brioche paper using Tim Holtz barn door distress ink. Then I stamped the Gorgeous Mini Bloom three times onto the same paper.

 
I then cut them out. When cutting the Gorgeous Blooms, I cut the first image on the outside lines. The second image I cut on the inner lines so that I would have a slightly smaller flower to layer. Here you can see two cut Gorgeous Blooms and one cut Gorgeous Mini Bloom. These three pieces will create one flower.

Once they are cut out, I used my Tim Holtz paper distresser to distress the edge of the flowers. Then I spritzed with water and crumpled each flower up. To dry them, I opened them slightly and used my heat tool. Here you can see one dry flower and two still crumpled up.

Then I layered the flowers from large to small and finished with a button. Here is the finished flower:

The remaining two Gorgeous Mini Blooms I cut out on the outer edge, distressed, and used them as single flowers on my page.

The Border

Another fun embellishment for a scrapbook page or card is a layered border. I used the new Memory Box Classis Scallop die to create a layered border. First I cut three borders using Memory Box Brioche, licorice, and licorice dot cardstocks.

 
I then layered them to create a fun border on my page.  Here is how my page turned out with the flowers and border:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, I hope you will have fun creating these fun embellishments for your scrapbook pages and cards.  They certainly do add some fun details to a page!

 
Memory Box Papers: Brioche 6x6 Cardstock, Licorice cardstock, Licorice Dot, Pool Gingham

Memory Box Stamps: Gorgeous Bloom, Gorgeous Mini Bloom

Stamp Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Barn Door and pumice stone

Tools: Tim Holtz Paper Distresser, Memory Box Scalloped Circle die, Memory Box Classic Scallop die,

Embellishments: Memory Box berry pearl stickers, Jenni Bowlin mini chalkboard alpha, Pink Paislee holly doodle alpha, Tim Holtz tiny attacher and adage tickets, Heidi Swapp Center of Attention chipboard alpha, misc. ruler twill, Creative Café buttons, rustic twine, sewing machine

Congratulations to our Masculine Trend Challenge Winner!

Congratulations to Diane H, the winner of our Masculine Trend challenge and a $50 store credit! We hope that you have fun on your shopping spree! Please contact us at [email protected] with your email address so that we can get your special code to you!

 

Thank you to everyone who participated! Please make sure to stop by the challenge post on the CLASSroom to see all the great masculine projects!

Old Jalopy Father's Day Card by Becky Olsen

Father's Day is in just a few days, can you believe? Sometimes coming up with masculine ideas can be a little intimidating for me. I love making cards with all the girly fluff and eye candy, but thinking of ways to let the men in my life know how much they mean can be a little more difficult. I was pondering this dilemma and remembered the Old Jalopy die cut that Tim Holtz designed for Sizzix, and the question of where to start was answered.

First the die cut was cut out in Craft-a-Board. Then start at the bottom edge and lay down a strip of Marketplace Tissue Tape. 

Then cover the rest strip by strip with Tim Holtz Marketplace Tissue Tape.

Use an exacto knife to remove the excess tape from the edges and windows of the jolopy.

Color the windows from the other pieces of the die cut with Copic markers and then coat with Glossy Accents and set aside to dry.

Color the other pieces of the car from the die cut with Copic markers and adhere in place on the car. Stitch May Arts black silk ribbon onto the bottom of a card base that has been covered in October Afternoon paper from the Seaside collection. The sentiment was done with Cosmo Cricket black Tiny Type. 

Adhere the jalopy with Scrapbook Adhesives dimensional foam, and insert the windows at this time as well (if they are dry).

This sweet ride is ready to hit the road now, and I am really excited about how cute it turned out. Not the same thing as a girly, eye candy kind of card, but one that no doubt will give a jump start to your special dad's heart.

B-

Embellishment Euphoria by Julia Stainton

Some paper crafters are addicted to stamps, some to patterned paper, some to the tools, but for me...it's all about the embellishments.

All those colors and textures and shapes are just so stunning. I love combining them, layering them and just having lots of fun. Often embellishments are for accenting a design but today, I've created some cards to share with you where they take center stage. I hope you enjoy!

Ticket Card

When creating a card that focuses on the embellishments, I really like to cluster them together. Clustering adds impact and gives your eye a place to rest. When adding a lot of anything, you want to be careful not to overdose the entire card. A layer of paper such as the two Maya Road Kraft Tickets helps define the area. Using a chipboard frame or flourish can also work great as a base to build your cluster on.

When adhering a lot of embellishments together you need to use a strong adhesive. The Ultimate Glue is a great liquid adhesive for this and I love using large glue dots to adhere my flowers quickly.

Supplies: Happily Lost 6x6 Tiny Tablet by Lily Bee Design, 12x12 cardstock, flowers by Maya Road, twine, Kraft Tickets by Maya Road, Organza Roses Trim by Maya Road, Green Leaf Trinket Pin by Maya Road, Crystal Trinket Pin by Maya Road

Summer Banner Card

This next card is a fun summer themed design. Banners and pennants make me think of summer and I've had fun designing a couple into this design. This time I've used a fun canvas pennant to anchor my embellishments.

Canvas albums can be used for more than just an album. For this project I've taken one of the pennants out of the album and then cut off the bottom of it to incorporate in this card design. When you trim the pennant it will leave you with one unstitched edge. Either stitch this edge closed or use a strip of dry adhesive to keep it together.

Zippers are a hot trend and another great way to add texture to a design. I've simply added a piece here along the border to emphasize it.

Supplies: Solar White cardstock by Neenah, Seize the Day paper from the Picket Fence Collection kit by Lily Bee Design, Picket Fence 6x6 Tiny Tablet by Lily Bee Design,  Pennant Banner Canvas Album by Maya Road, twine, White Star Trinket Pins by Maya Road, gingham flowers by Maya Road, Sky Blue Zipper Trim by Maya Road, Trinkets Ribbon Set by Maya Road, Tiny Attacher by Tim Holtz, Mixed Scallop Triangle Banner Mini Chipboard Set by Maya Road, Wood Bingo Motif by Maya Road

Have fun with your embellishments and see what you come up with! Thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom and happy creating!

Shaded Delicate Blossoms by Sharon Harnist

Today I'm sharing this gorgeous Hero Arts ClearDesign-Delicate Blossoms stamp I used on this 6x6 stamped art piece that I colored with Copic markers.  I stamped the blossom image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto Copic's X-Press It Blending Card.

I used two of the new Copic 2011 colors: BG70 and YG61 ... I love how these new lighter colors help extend the color range of some of my favorite blending groups!  The lightest part of the blossoms is the BG70 I used to base color the entire blossom, and then left that lighest color showing while adding depth to the rest of the blossoms, using the rest of the BG blending group: BG72, BG75, and BG78.  Remember, laying down the lightest color in your blending group first will allow the rest of your colors to blend easier.

Generally, you'll want to add your deepest color towards the bottom or inside of a blossom, or where one petal meets another one or casts a shadow onto another petal.

I used the new YG61 towards the bottom of the flower stems, where they would be lighter, with more daylight hitting them, and then used the darker colors of the blending group (YG63 & YG67) towards the tops of the stems where they would be darker and have shadows cast against them from the blossoms.

For the shadowing behind and under the flowers, I used this Copic blending group: E40, E41 and E42 since it matched the colors in the pretty Prima Reflections 6x6 paper I chose. Marianne Walker's Shadows & Shading-A Beginner's Guide to Lighting Placement is a fabulous tool that goes into great depth and detail on how to place cast shadows and shading and what color they should be:

I die cut the floral image with Tim Holtz's Sizzix On The Edge Die-Scallops simply by placing the edger die on each side of the image and running it through my die cut machine twice ... a different way to use those edger dies!

Finally, the Hero Arts Essential Messages sentiment was stamped on more of the Reflections patterned paper, hand cut into a banner shape, and the edges inked with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink and machine stitched to the floral image.

~ Sharon

Stamps: Hero Arts ClearDesign-Delicate Blossoms & Essential Messages,
Paper: Copic X-Press It Blending Card, Prima 6x6-Reflections,
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink-Brushed Corduroy,
Copic Markers: BG72, BG75, BG78, YG63, YG67, E40, E41, E42; New Copic 2011 colors: BG70 and YG61; Pitch Black Atyou Spica Glitter Pen;
Tools: Sizzix Tim Holtz On The Edge Die-Scallops, Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper,
Accessories: Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Dots, Glue Glider Pro-Perma Tac, Sewing machine; Marianne Walker's Shadows & Shading-A Beginner's Guide to Lighting Placement

Black Velvet and Perfect Pearls Sympathy Card

It is with a sad heart that I create these cards for my cousins today. Perhaps using the word "journey" for a sympathy card may not be the best, but it is the word I settled on as I reflect today on the life of my dear aunt. 

 

Remembering the good times and reflecting on her "journey" through life brings a smile through the tears and my hope is that during the difficult months ahead as they struggle through the heartache that death leaves, they will be able to focus on the positive moments of my aunt's journey through life.  

 

Stamp your image using Distress Embossing Ink and heat emboss with Super Fine Clear Embossing Powder.

 

Mix perfect pearls together with water on your non-stick craft sheet.

 

Paint over the heat embossed surface and watch your image appear.

 

I used a color palette that would coordinate with the colors I wanted to use when coloring my flower. Allow the surface of your project to dry.

TIP: If your paper is bent, simply swipe it gently over the rounded corners of your table or desktop in various directions and it will pull out those awkward "kinks."

Black Velvet Technique Using the Position It

 

A couple of month's ago I shared a wide variety of techniques using the Metallic Gelatos. In that post I refreshed your memory regarding the black velvet technique. To create my white butterflies in that post I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig and had to try several times to align it correctly. I had heard about the Position It by Scor-It, but had never tried it. Well, I must tell you that if you are wanting a tool that helps you align stamped images repeatedly and precisely this is definitely the tool for you!

I began first by "positioning" my image. Just as with the Stamp-a-ma-jig the Position It comes with a piece that helps you to figure out the perfect placement for your stamped image. I began by stamping my image on the acrylic piece and then using this piece determined the best placement of my floral image on my background.

 

The edge of my background is secured beneath the Position It bar, but to ensure that my project not move with repeated stamping I used my trusted, and oh so handy, Tissue Tape to attach my stamped image to the gridded background as shown above.

 

I "inked" my stamp using a Snow Cap dabber and stamped my first "take." As you can see the image was quite light. Allow to dry.

Repeat. I believe that I stamped it three times allowing the image to dry completely between stampings.

 

With the background being sparkly, I wanted the focal point to be matte. The Position It would have made it super easy to apply color using Gelatos but coloring is soothing to my soul and so I opted to return to the roots of the Black Velvet technique and use Prismacolor Color Pencils to add color to the flowers.

Life is a journey and sadly it comes to an end, but remembering the moments of love helps us to continue on our own journey. Auntie you will be missed.

 
stamps: Unity Stamps Moments in Bloom, Memory Box Journey Collage

ink: Distress Embossing Ink

paper: Black Cardstock, Memory Box Meadow Notecard

accessories: Scor-It Position-It, Perfect Pearls - Green Patina, Perfect Gold, Perfect Bronze, Non-stick Craft Sheet, Clear Super Fine Embossing Powder, Snow Cap Dabber

Masculine Trend Challenge: Pockets, Pochettes & Prints

With Father's Day right around the corner I felt it is the perfect time to challenge you to create a masculine themed card to celebrate the men in our lives! To inspire you we searched the web to find out what was trendy for men this spring. Oh how fun to giggle over some of the trends we spotted and wonder, "Do men really wear this stuff?" as well as smile every time we would see some of the lovely "eye-candy" along the way - LOL!  The piece that we are using to inspire you today was spotted in an Italian catalog --- what is it about Italian design that gets the creative juices flowing. We are excited to see how this challenge inspires you!

 
Etro 

So here are the details to our challenge:

• Create a paper crafted project (card, layout, tag, home decor item, gift bag, etc.) that uses a pocket, pochette, or layered prints in a fun and masculine way.
• Upload this project to your blog, the Gallery, or any other on-line gallery. Click on the URL of that post and copy the URL. Add your project URL using the Inlinkz tool at the bottom of this post.
• Tell others that you have created your project for the Masculine Trend Challenge in the CLASSroom and link it back to this post to encourage others to play along as well.
• Upload your projects and link them in by midnight Friday, June 10th.
• We will use a random number generator to select our winner. The winning entry will be shown here on the CLASSroom on Monday, June 13th and will receive $50 to spend as they wish at www.ellenhutson.com

Of course I had to play along as well since there was so much new inspiration crashing through my brain :-D. 

 

To create the pocket square for my pochette (which I discovered means little pocket or wallet) I used the Memory Box rosette die. I cut and folded about 2/3 of the die cut paper strip and attached the ends first as shown above.

 

Then the center portion was pushed down and gently adhered to the backside of the pocket square. Then 1/8" Dimensional Foam Squares were used at the top edge of the pocket, reducing the depth to 1/16" Dimensional Foam Squares along the lower portion to keep the pocket square firmly in place.

 

The little plaid man needed a tie. Using a .03 Copic Multiliner I sketched one on the striped paper.
 

Red is the noted splashy color this spring and by mixing and layering multiple patterns (plaid, polka dot and strip) I was able to incorporate the masculine trend of layering patterns. Rocket Age not only has cute patterns, but some wonderful basics that made it super easy to create these layered patterns.

Don't delay - get your trend on and join our masculine trend challenge!

 
stamps: Hero Arts Plaid Person and Take Good Care Greetings Set

ink: Jenni Bowlin Spice Tin Ink Pad and Distress Embossing Ink Pad

paper: October Afternoon Rocket Age 8x8 Paper Pad and Memory Box Holly Berry Cardstock

accessories: Memory Box Blooming Rosette Die, Basic Grey Button, Adirondack Denim Embossing Powder

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Grid Collage with Betsy Veldman

It is with much pleasure that I welcome Betsy Veldman here to the CLASSroom! Bright and cheerful are two words I would use to describe the style and colors that she brings to her projects. When you visit her blog Paper·Scissors·SuperHeroes you will feel all happy inside --- I know that I do when I have the opportunity to visit! Betsy's work can also be found on the Paper Crafts Connections and Moxie Fab blogs as she is one of the PaperCrafts Go-to Gals!

It is so very important to me that we thank those who share themselves with us here in the CLASSroom - that means both you and the wonderful women who educate here. We would love it if you would head over to Betsy's blog and leave a comment for her there --- let her know how much we appreciate her! As our way of thanking you we have a few goodies that we will be sharing with one lucky person who shares their time and thoughts with Betsy. So head over to Paper·Scissors·SuperHeroes now - look for the post with a sneak peek of the project below, as well as a photo of our little goodie box - and leave some words of kindness for Betsy! We will do a random drawing and announce the winner together with Betsy on Friday, June 3rd.

Thank you Betsy for sharing your talents with us here in the CLASSroom! -Ellen

GRID COLLAGE with Betsy Veldman

I'm so happy to be a guest here in the CLASSroom today. I'd like to share a tutorial with you using a technique I call Grid Collage. It's very simple and is exactly what the name implies - a grid in which each space is filled with a tiny collage. It's a fun way to us tiny leftovers or the small bits and pieces that come on sticker or chipboard sheets that tend to get over-looked and unused! This technique is all about the details!

So let's get started.

Here is my finished card. I used a 3x3 grid which resulted in 9 spaces to fill with delicious goodies.

I started off by lightly drawing grid lines onto my patterned paper with a pencil. My piece of paper is 4 1/2" square and each grid space is 1 1/12" x 1 1/2". I used my paper trimmer to quickly measure and draw my lines.

 

The next step is to choose a stamp to use as a base for each collage. This helps to "ground" each collage and keep it from looking like you have random embellishments floating around on your card! I used the Hero Arts Cling Word Dots background, which has a couple of dots that pop out of the background (fun!!!). I popped one out and stamped it in each of the 9 grid squares with a deep pink ink.

Now I'm going to finish off the front of the card before I start adding all of my embellishments. To do this, I stamped my sentiment, trimmed around the edges with a decorative edge scissors, and adhered it to another layer of patterned paper. I also added some stitching around the edges. 

Next comes the fun part! I'm ready to get to work on embellishing all of those spaces. I'm going to start by painting some chipboard and wooden pieces that I want to use. I'm just using a cream acrylic paint. 

 

Now all you have to do is play around with different embellishments. Lay them out on each square of the grid and make sure you're happy with the placement of everything before you start gluing! Adding different mediums such as fabric, trim, felt, chipboard, buttons, etc. will give your collage lots of texture and interest. The recipient will love to look at all the details!

 

 
 

• Hero Arts Cling Word Dots
• Lily Bee Happily Lost Tiny Tablet
• Memory Box Squash Cardstock
• Maya Road Mini Chipboard Set, Sew Cute
• Maya Road Flower Trinket Pin
• Maya Road Wooden Buttons
• Maya Road Mini Wooden Spool
• October Afternoon 5 & Dime Chip n' Stick
• Ribbon Lace, Turquoise
• Pom-Pom Trim, Yellow
• Cosmo Cricket Upcycle Buttons
• Deco Scissors
• Cream Acrylic Paint
• White Glitter
• Heart Punches
• Dark Pink Ink